I’m talking about May Day, a local coffee shop in Minneapolis that I recently visited on my trip to the heartland. The fair-trade shop, which is committed to earth-friendly practices, serves up a variety of vegetarian and vegan offerings, and is particularly a hit among those of the indie/hipster persuasion…as well as wannabes like me.

When I wasn’t cow-tipping or getting lost on Interstate 394, I enjoyed a creamy spinach quiche, a homemade 7-layer bar, iced coffee and, of course, the people-watching. I decided May Day to Minneapolis is the East Village to NYC. Everyone is way cooler than I–indicated by nose rings and hippie dreadlocks– and I saw more TOMS shoes than there are people in my hometown. No, but really.

So, if you find yourself in “The Mini Apple” and have had enough of the Starbucks variety, do check out May Day. And remember to recycle your napkins when you’re done!

Lavender is at the top of my list. It is one of the most powerful remedies in the plant world, offering hundreds of benefits, including relief for burns, migraines, insect bites, skin problems, infections, stress and nervous tension.

Peppermint is not just great for energy and alertness, it also relaxes spasms, strengthens gums, stops hair loss, lifts skin, induces firmness in muscles, promotes memory, clears congestion, eases breathing, reduces fever, and relieves stomach ailments.

Lemon is another essential oil with amazing health benefits. It helps insomnia relief, boosts the immune system, weight loss, treats asthma, brightens complexion, lowers blood pressure and improves circulation

Check out this great chart of all the essential oils…

http://www.ausslifespice.com/wallchart/essential-oil-chart.html

This past weekend I was able to see the New York City Ballet Company perform at the David Koch Theatre at Lincoln Center. I was taken by how beautiful Lincoln Center Plaza is, as well as the glorious interior of the David Koch Theatre. I went with an old friend, who used to be a ballerina and was equally appreciative of the performance. The night was broken into three performances. The first, “Two Hearts”,  was a heartwarming love story by Benjamin Millepied featuring effortless dancers using their bodies to tell a tale of human connection.  As the night progressed I saw everything from brightly colored costumes twirling across the stage to dramatic modern  dancing. My eyes were captured on each and every graceful move. Even when they were bowing at the end they never lost character and continued to look stunning.

It’s a beautiful thing to watch people do what they love and feel the most passionate about. For me there is nothing more inspiring than people creating art that is unique to whom they are. And it makes me stop and think how important it is for everyone to keep inspiration and happiness in your life. Not everyone is lucky enough to be a ballerina and perform at Lincoln Center, but the ability to do what you love is always there. Whether it’s reading, soccer, painting, playing music, keep it in your life as often as you can! And that’s my little Aileen advice for the day

…It gets so hot that you pick up your morning Starbucks and halfway down the next block you look in your hand and realize you have some sort of warm, sweaty, 1/2 water, 1/2 coffee concoction and you’re like…….

Lucky for you, I’m here to remind you of the perfect solution – coffee ice cubes.  It actually gets BETTER as the ice melts!

It’s tough to find a coffee place willing to go the extra mile, but a quaint little shop near our office called 88 Orchard goes the distance.

88 Orchard- 88 Orchard Street, New York, NY 10002 (212) 228-8880 ‎

Cheers!

“The desire to fly is an idea handed down to us by our ancestors who, in their grueling travels across trackless lands in prehistoric times, looked enviously on the birds soaring freely through space, at full speed, above all obstacles, on the infinite highway of the air.” – Wilbur Wright

Original images of the Enterprise in route to the Intrepid via JFK are courtesy of Martin Perry:

“I think if you do something and it turns out pretty good, then you should go do something  else wonderful not dwell on it for too long. Just figure out what’s next.” – Steve Jobs

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Some Benjamin Moore Brights: Mango Punch, Mexicali Turquoise, Florida Pink, and Limelight

That said, I’m happy to announce the next round of VP+C color favorites: brights. Inspired by a few Benjamin Moore hot hues, above, here’s a sneak peek at my summer wardrobe essentials:

Bad hair day? Feeling puffy? Put on a pair of these. BAM: instantly hot.

Lisa: Tape My Word For It

Last year, we had the pleasure of helping designer extraordinaire Christopher Coleman give a Weston, Connecticut  house an incredible, vibrant color makeover. Though I tend to stick to more muted tones in my own home, I cannot stop thinking about one simple update, which I’m probably going to need to replicate.

In the 5-year-old son’s room, Coleman added visual interest to pretty gray walls with bold stripes of multicolored masking tape.  I am obsessed with the funky, fun effect and am pretty sure even the least crafty among us could create something awesome.

I’ve been scouring the web for the sticky stuff, and have found some treasures. Want to try this out with me? Here are a few of my favorites:

Happy Tape has an amazing assortment of solids, prints and patters, and they’ve got fun curated multi-packs for those of us who have trouble choosing.

For primary brights, Blick has good basics (Perhaps Deb could do a Bay-inspired wall with these beauties?)

And of course, Etsy and Amazon are virtual treasure troves. Try searching “Japanese Masking Tape” or “Washi Tape”. Cute Tape has a spectacular assortment- I’m thinking of this one for my kitchen:

And in the “don’t try this at home” category, artist Rebecca Ward is doing out-of-this-world tape installs of her own (via one of my favorite blogs, Oh Joy!)…

Meghan’s Got the Catch of the Day

I’m really not one to fish for compliments, but I think I’ve reeled in a fintastic find—Kevin McHugh’s Swarovski Sailfish sculpture.

Inspired by his upbringing, when big game fishing was a way of life and sailfish decorated the walls of his childhood home, the New York City-based artist has cast his talents to include putting a glittering twist on his family tradition. Here, in a fiberglass rendition encrusted with more than 10,000 sparkling bright orange and hyacinth Swarovski crystals, McHugh reinterprets the trophy fish as brilliantly executed wall art. At only $8,000 it’s a real catch, don’t you think?

Margaux is Traffic Chic

I love street style–often literally. On a recent walk around the trendy cobblestones of Soho, I spotted some eye-catching brights:

Neon yellow against navy blue...so "in" right now!

Hello, Yellow!

Heidi has a passion for Passion Fruit

My favorite color of summer is the deep pink of my all-time favorite Starbucks drink: the passion fruit lemonade.

Every year, I wait for the first sunny, 70 degree day of spring to run for the closest Starbucks and grab my favorite in a Venti. I first discovered the vibrant drink during college when I noticed every student roaming the Boston Common on a bright, sunny day was sipping on the magenta liquid.

When I had extra time between classes it became a ritual to bolt for the nearest Starbucks to get my treat and then find a soft patch of grass on the Common. Even now when I’m walking on a crowded sidewalk in NYC, if I’m drinking a passion fruit lemonade…when I close my eyes for just a second and can almost hear the familiar tones of a Boston accent.

Julianne’s Joie De Vivre

My immediate thought when I saw this month’s bright and cheery Benjamin Moore colors was a recent trip to Laduree, a Parisian bakery on the Upper East Side. Known for their mouth-watering macaroons, Laduree is always packed with tourists and New Yorkers alike. My personal favorite flavors are caramel with salted butter and orange blossom. Paired with a cappuccino and a newspaper, these delectable goodies complete a perfect Sunday afternoon.

Michelle is “In Style”

They say love is in the details–and I couldn’t think more of the expression when it comes to accessorizing. I always keep my eye out for what’s trending in handbags, heels, and jewelry…so imagine my surprise when Margaux gave our team these bright, fun bangles:

…that just so happened to match “what’s hot,” as reported by In Style:

Uh-huh...that's right!

Here’s what Nicole’s up to when she’s not scouting sensational finds fit to print:

New York is an epic playground for theater buffs, thrill seekers and those of us who love the titillation an elusive, somewhat underground production can provide. Although most shows are well publicized (a bit of an understatement), the mystery behind British theater company Punchdrunk’s “Sleep No More,” lies in their lack of need to advertise. The immersive production takes place in a labyrinthine Chelsea location dubbed  “The McKittrick Hotel.” Lasting approximately three hours, the David Lynch-like, and largely wordless performance, is based on Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” though aspects of it recall Kubrick’s “Eye’s Wide Shut.” As an active audience member, you have the option to follow one of the characters, or journey off on your own to explore any of the many, many eerie rooms and corridors. Whichever route you choose to take, it will be a virtually solitary path. From the moment you step into Punchdrunk’s macabre version of Inverness Castle, you are separated from your companion, ordered to stay silent, and given a Venetian carvinval-style mask to wear the entire time—obscuring your identity in a sea of voiceless friends and strangers. Keeping in theme with the aura of suspense that pervades “Sleep No More,” I will leave the rest up to your imagination, and hopefully, to experience on your own.

The McKittrick Hotel is located at 530 West 27th Street, NYC 10001.

Since the beginning of my journey into the culinary arts I’ve been sharing meals and experiments with my best friend from college, Michelle. Fast forward 5 years and we are roommates living in Jersey City and working in Manhattan, though with conflicting schedules, our dinner dates have become much less frequent. We recently made our way to the awe-inspiring Murrays Cheese shop in the West Village. Needless to say, when you walk in the smell alone is enough to make you buckle at the knees. A half hour of tasting and ordering later we had over $50 dollars worth of cheese and prosciutto, and it was time to head home for an overdue dinner date.

We took home a nice sharp gruyere and prosciutto di parma, so I decided to make chicken cordon bleu with a side of risotto. Making this requires:

The thing with chicken cordon bleu is that you can make it a few different ways–it all depends on how much time you have and your skill level. Since we had plenty of time and I’m no slouch, I did it the traditional way. I sliced the chicken breast thin and pounded it with a meat tenderizer. Afterwards, I put shredded gruyere and the prosciutto on top of the chicken and rolled it up. The result is a layer of chicken, cheese and pork that looks like a spiral. Once you have that, flour the spirals, dip them in beaten egg, and then cover them with bread crumbs (I use panko for an extra crunch).  Bake them at 425 degrees for a solid 20-25 minutes until they are nice and golden.

Before I put the chicken in the oven I get started on the risotto; it takes almost 40-45 minutes to make properly. It can be a tedious task but it’s worth all the effort and it’s not as complicated as you may think. You just need a lot of warm stock and some patience. Start by sauteing some onions and garlic in butter. Then add the rice–two cups is more than enough for two servings. The difference between making risotto and simple white rice is that you don’t add all the liquid at once. Instead, add a ladle of it at a time and stir until each ladle has been mostly absorbed. The arborio rice, which is used to make risotto, is very starchy and takes awhile to release all of its starch. So, for 40 minutes you add a little liquid at a time and stir and stir until your rice is nicely translucent and slightly al dente. This process makes for a creamy and delicious consistency.

Once the risotto is complete you can opt for additional elements. In our case, we added peas and grated parmigiana reggiano. Michelle would never go for a meal with only one type of cheese. This meal was labor heavy but worth the hour+ it took to make. Cheers.

When my siblings and I were young, our parents gave us a choice: pick one instrument and one sport. For me the choices were obvious; the violin as my instrument and dance as my sport. There was just one tiny problem… Mennonites don’t dance.

Growing up Mennonite, I was completely normal, and although my church was like any other Christian denomination there was one old fashioned, unspoken rule my parents still adhered to. Dancing was not really allowed. I begged and pleaded for YEARS, and finally wore them down my freshman year of high school. I found the closest dance studio and signed up immediately. By that point I think they felt guilty about depriving me of the only athletic activity I was any good at and started paying for my classes and any “gear” I wanted.

I was too old to start ballet so I did just about everything else. Between the last years of my high school career and throughout college I took every single opportunity to dance that came my way. When I moved to New York I had been particularly missing my college dance company and then I miraculously stumbled across a small studio that offered adult beginner ballet near my apartment. I knew it was finally time to make sense of all those French terms and step up to the bar.

Let me tell you, it is SO MUCH harder than I imagined, and nothing has made my calves hurt more, but I love it. And the happy ending to fulfilling this life long dream to be a ballerina? I’m not half bad at it either. Good enough to be asked back for an advanced class.