The scent of peppermint was noticed in a meeting this week, which prompted me to share my secret – I dab a few drops of peppermint essential oil behind my ears for a little burst of energy. It seemed to peak interest, so I decided to share the benefits of a few of my favorite essential oils… 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…

One of the great things about being a newcomer to New York is that I can still attend exciting events and be in complete shock and awe over them. Maybe after my one-year anniversary I will need to start acting more nonchalant about things. 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…

While the subject of gay marriage is no laughing matter– no matter which side you ask – I’ve been thoroughly amused lately by the humor being deployed to draw attention to the issue. While politicians are battling it out in nearly every state, these amateur civil rights comedians have also been cracking me up with some pretty amazing signage, bringing charm and levity to a pretty serious situation. And as my mom says, the secret to any good marriage is simple: laughter.  

As warmer weather settles into our neck of the woods, the sun shines longer, New Yorkers are nicer and most people make the switch to iced coffee.  Mmmmmmm… so refreshing, right? Yes! Until… …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…

We were all inspired this month by the transporting of the space shuttles to and from Washington on the back of a 747. It was a sight that reminds us of the power and beauty of human ingenuity and biomimicry–from the Wright Brothers’ first flight to Steve Jobs’s first iPad. And to think that by the time our children today are in college tomorrow, trips to the moon will be commonplace for those who can afford it… “The desire to fly is an idea handed down to us by our ancestors who, in their grueling travels across trackless lands in…

George Gershwin and I have a lot in common… We’re both big into songs about summertime, though mine usually have a little more of a dance beat. We also really like to wear neon in the summer sun. I can’t confirm this statement, exactly, but I’m pretty sure I’ve seen a photo of him rocking hot pink shades, and that’s good enough for me.         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…

Today’s Guest Blogger is the one and only Nicole Haddad, Design Editor of New York Spaces magazine. 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.”…

Guest post from Vlad Unguryan – Sous Chef of Vitella’s NYC catering 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…

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…

Herb Williams and I should be best friends. We’re both brunettes, big kids, bunny lovers and think outside of the box. The one potential BFF deal breaker: I go ga-ga over the ‘color’ black and he beams over brights. But, I still think we have a fighting chance.   So why do I want Williams and I to have matching charm bracelets? Rather than collecting coins or cars, the 30-something artist covets crayons, using them to hand make witty waxworks that are childlike in nature though often address adult issues like sexuality and social hierarchy. With each original sculpture requiring…