Other People's Expense Accounts

After an extremely eventful weekend last week, which left my body bruised and my head in the clouds, the days that followed went by in a flash. Due to the heavy evening plans I had little energy for more than work and priming.

Always difficult to go back and recount finer detail when the events are no longer fresh in my mind, but I will give it a try ...

Tuesday night checked out Wakiya at the Gramercy Park Hotel. (My local source tells me the hotel was recently newly renovated, impressively the choice was not mine but that of a visitor.) The Jade and Rose Bars, both beautiful spaces with impossibly high ceilings and full of glorious colours and textures. The jade and the rose, shades a notch down from velvety emerald green and rich Louis XIV red. Very luxurious ... but a little crowded.

Walking into the Wakiya the my first thought was Hakkasan, but red. Hakkasan for those of you who have graced its dark wood tables and tasted its delicious cocktails please forgive me, for this New Yorker comes close in matching the magic. The food ... we left ourselves at the mercy of our chatty waitress ... pork belly, pork belly and more pork belly ... yum!

The following night I joined the fabulous H, in a gorgeous Reiss Summer 2007 number, for cocktails and dinner at Public. The banter only made better by the arrival of a boisterous (but in a fantastically fun way) ex-colleague and side kick. Conversation, albeit some work related was fun and had me laughing for hours. It is indeed a very small world we operate in.

I had sampled Public's cocktail fare once upon a time when a good friend worked there, but had not been back since. Said friend no longer working there I left myself at mercy of cute, albeit 'too blond' bartender who was knowledgeable and quickly suggested something I felt like but yet had not thought about myself. A moment of realisation, why I do what I do and why he does what he does ... By the way this is my new thing, never pick a cocktail from a menu, just let the bartender mix something which they thinks suits you. Usually only select the base, which lately is gin. The food spectacular and rich with Asian vegetables and world spices. It makes me want to go to The Providores when I'm back in London in December. I vow to return for Public's famed brunch. But I do wonder how the NZ snapper gets to NYC so fresh tasting ...

Tomorrow, this week's roller coaster starts ...