Cuttlefish Ink Mugs Have Arrived!

The sweat and tears that go into starting a new PR agency has its moments -- and for us, one of them happend today when we saw our Cuttlefish Ink logo on our new agency mugs. We can't wait to thank our wonderful clients, Chef Ryan Brown of Choice Cooking Company, Chef Antonio Frontera, co-author of "Chicken Soup for the Soul Kids in the Kitchen," and Chef  Fermin Bello of Itzocan Cafe for the opportunity to partner with such amazing businesses and people.
As we take our first sips, we're reflecting on some of our favorite moments in our first six weeks in business.  Stay tuned for our top 5 to be posted tomorrow.

MediaBistro After Party: Pizza Bash, the New Pizza by the Slice in Union Square

Yesterday at the MediaBistro women in media event at Underbar, we fell in love with the blueberry martini (thanks @jkeefe for the tip) and had a great time meeting new friends who accepted our hand-cut business cards.  But all the sugar went straight to our hunger bones.

Just our luck - a new pizza by the slice opened in Union Square East - across the street from the W.  We were a little skeptical when we walked in- not a customer in sight (The guys at Pizza Bash report that in the 3 months they've been open, "not everyone knows we're here yet").  The fact that our only choice for crust was whole wheat, only furthered the gut feeling.

However, we're pleased to report - if you like thin crust, this slice surpasses the "it's as good as whole wheat crust can be" bar.

Giorgio's of Gramercy: Inventive Italian in a Warm Place

Despite everything you read on this blog, we're actually creatures of habit, who when not given an assignment tend to draw back on the same favorite places- typically Virage, Itzocan and the occasional Murray's falafel.

Boy were we surprised when we made a bet on Georgio's of Gramercy.

The restaurant is so nestled into 22nd Street we almost walked by the door.  The front bar had a somewhat divey feel on a Friday at 10, which surprised us after the person on the phone who assured us he had a table self-identified as a maître d'.

Floral Drinks in Dive Bars

Edible floral cocktails may have been all the rage last summer but we think they're back.  Yesterday after celebrating a fabulous birthday party for Luther Vandross thrown by the very fabulous Seveda Williams at BLVD, we headed over to Vig bar - where Chris the bartender made us this lovely drink.
We barely managed to finish it before running home to beat the expected doorman strike but can vouch that it's worthy of heading in to give it a try on a Tues or Thurs when we are told Chris, the inventor of this concoction, works the bar.   

Our friend, Michelle Borboa over at SheKnows.com has collected some of this year's hot floral concoctions.  Enjoy!

Deliciousnes in Rockafeller Center: Morell's

Gearing up for our trip to the NBC headquarters for Chef Ryan Brown's segment on WNBC's New York Nonstop, we prepped at Dean & Delucca. But once it was time to celebrate we were ready for some booze and a few tasty treats.  We were pleasantly surprised with Morell Wine Bar - which despite its location smack in Rockefeller,  offered an amazing meal without the tourist prices you'd expect in this neighborhood.

So what does a chef eat over a vodka soda celebration drink?  "Steak tartar," Ryan tells us - "I have to order it anytime I see it on the menu."

One if By Land Plays With Our Mouths (amuse-bouche)

Our friend Paul once told us he took a first date to One if By Land Two if By Sea in the West Village and ended up marrying her. 

So when on the morning of our four-year anniversary, we were alerted to a fabulous discount on a 3-course at the most romantic restaurant in the city, we decided the time had come to try it for ourselves.  We were not disappointed.

The nook of a restaurant on Barrow Street is a hidden gem behind a wooden door and despite the historic decor, the staff is super energetic and West Village-ish.  We had an adorable corner window table looking out to a cozy nestle of a garden and were somehow transported away from a whirlwind week of non-stop activities to a magical place.  Our favorite dish was the leak soup, compliments of the chef, which started us off with something rich and refreshing all at once. The "amuse-bouche" our waiter claimed, means "to play with your mouths."

Last night of Passover: Unleavened Mexican at Yerba Buena

By the seventh day of eating nothing leavened, we were maxed out on Matzoh recipes and were thrilled when our good friend Liz suggested checking out Yerba Buena's Passover menu - and boy were we pleased! 

Because the matzoh ball soup we'd tried to pull off on our first seder night didn't work out so well, we started out with one of theirs --  balls were hard (the way they're supposed to be) and the broth tasted so fresh and homemade, it was like being at Safta's house.  We couldn't help but finish the whole gigantic bowl - a bad idea as it was enough to fill up even our hungry bellies.   

Pineapples & the mysterious "Alice in Wonderland-style" pineberry

Yesterday an oddly-shaped box was waiting at our door - it had the same colors of the packaging we receive every month when our fruit of the month from Harry & David - a lovely gift from Jackie when we moved into our new space - arrives.  So far we've received packages of 4-6 pears, apples, oranges, grapefruit, peaches, always in a shoebox-shaped packaged.  But this one was huge. 
We tore it open and there it was -- a glorious PINEAPPLE!

Its flamboyant green leaves poked out of the delicate yet sturdy packaging.  The last time we actually had a whole pineapple in the kitchen was  ten, maybe 15 years ago.  Its not that the enormous fruit (technically multiple fruit merged together, and perceived as one) isn't delicious - but we've always shyed away at the store.  The pineapple afterall is a huge commitment -- too much fruit for a few people & requiring a serious knife to to cut open.

Photos of the pineberry solution after the jump.