Scouting: Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks

Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks, Greenwich Village | Image: Laura Messersmith

Once upon a time, some brilliant soul coined the term ‘hangry’ defined by Urban Dictionary as being “so hungry that your lack of food causes you to become angry, frustrated or both.” Sounds unpleasant.

I am guilty of hangry feelings from time to time, but I also need a term for humidity-induced irritability. If the Internet could please work on developing this term for me I’d be grateful. This whole week and again today has been just full of moody, rainy, not really hot, but still sticky days that put me right into a funk.

What’s a girl to do when she’s in the midst of a weather-induced bad attitude? In my case, a little change of scenery helps and preferably one that includes an adorable neighborhood, a mild dose of retail therapy, and some escapist reading. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you: Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks a shop specializing in food-related books and periodicals deep in the heart of Greenwich Village. Add an ice cream cone to the mix and I’m telling you it’s gold.

The shop is packed floor to ceiling with books of all shapes and sizes covering range of food and cooking related topics from a variety of eras – antique to modern. Alongside what I’d consider the classics of cooking and commentary (James Beard, Julia Child, Paul Bocuse, M.F.K. Fisher, Elizabeth David) are spiral-bound volumes by local Junior League chapters, glossy hardcovers by celebrity chefs, cozy memoirs from literary food writers, and tomes on entertaining.

Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks is a great spot for happy discoveries and treasure hunting – no need to wait for a rainy day. I easily spent over an hour browsing the shelves before finally forcing myself out the door a like-new copy of Judith Jones’s The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food tucked under my arm feeling significantly less grumpy. Crisis averted!

The Summer Shoe Hunt

Design: Laura Messersmith | Images: Vans, J. Crew, Sperry

Every season, whether we’re leading into the crisp days of fall or the golden days of summer, I go on a shoe hunt. Usually I have something specific in mind; it might be for the perfect pair of brown riding boots, an streamlined black ballet flat, or in this case a summery slip-on. So, lately I've been cluttering up my Pinterest feed with options I think might work.

The pursuit of the slip-on is a little more conceptual than my usual hunts – this time I’m looking more for a set of qualities, rather than for a specific style. In my mind the perfect summer slip on would be:

1. Casual, but stylish.

2. Comfortable like a sneaker, but with the ease of a flip flop.

3. Something I can throw on at a moment’s notice for a quick trip to the bodega or plan to wear all day with no underlying worry that I might regret the decision later when my toes are pinched beyond tolerance.

None of these requirements seems especially outlandish or excessive, right? But, mix in the fact that my feet have very high standards and the challenge becomes a little more, well, challenging.

Because my feet are finicky and high maintenance – like a pop-diva with a 14 page tour rider – the shoe hunting process leads to a rotating cast of boxes from all manner of online shoe emporiums. Thank goodness for free shipping or I might singlehandedly be keeping UPS in business.

After much research – ie. skimming through pages and pages of options – I’ve narrowed the choices down to my top three slip-on candidates: canvas skateboarding kicks, espadrilles, and boat shoes (which were later inexplicably vetoed by Mike).

After trying on several of each and factoring the opinions of husbands and friends, I’ve decided on the Vans in washed coral. They check the box on wear-ability, are super comfortable, definitely ‘go’ with my causal summer wardrobe of capris, shorts, and now thanks to the whims of Fashion – Tom Sawyer styled jeans. Extra bonus: Vans is making them in lots of fun colors and patterns – because if I’m not going with a neutral I may as well draw as much attention to my shoes as possible, right?

What are your thoughts on summer shoes? Do you have a go-to style or favorite pair that never let you down?

Scouting: 5th Avenue, Park Slope

A few weeks ago on a decent-for-March kind of day I had a coffee date with a fellow freelancer over in Brooklyn near Park Slope. The sun was thinking about shining, a light breeze was blowing, and I had all afternoon at my disposal.

So, on the recommendation of my partner in caffeine I walked over to 5th Avenue (no, the other 5th Avene) to see what I could see. I have to give props to Root Hill Café for the latte, and BEYGL for the excellent California Turkey Club that fueled my adventures. Two solid choices for a quick bite when you’re on the move.

On this trip I focused my exploration on the end of the street closest to the Barclay Center, but if the first dozen blocks are any indication; I’m excited to come back and continue to scout further along. There’s a lot to see, but I did my best to narrow it down to my Top 5 places to check out during your next stroll through Park Slope. For fairness I've put them in alpha order, which is also fairly close to the order of appearance as you walk from the Barclay Center, so that's convenient.

These shops hit all the points on my super-scientific checklist for a fun shopping experience: high-charm factor, a sense of discovery, and classic taste with a twist. I hope you enjoy them too! 

A.Cheng has a beautifully curated selection of classic women’s apparel, jewelry, and accessories – fresh colors, fun patterns, and lovely materials. During my visit the shop was stocked with pieces perfect for roof deck drinks this summer.

A.Cheng | Images: Laura Messersmith

Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store is a great spot to find beautifully designed gifts for all occasions. If you’re desperate for a unique housewarming party, baby shower, or dude’s birthday gift I’d trust Annie’s Blue Ribbon to save the day.

Annie's Blue Ribbon | Images: Laura Messersmith

Habit is rocking a mix of Gypset boho, Pacific Northwest crunchy, and a dash of homespun vintage in its women’s clothing, accessories and home décor. Cool stuff for adding a well-traveled vibe to your look.

Habit | Images: Laura Messersmith

Pink & Olive has the loveliest selection of gifts, children’s clothing, and stationery – journals, address books, and so many charming letterpress cards that I could have found the appropriate greetings for a year’s worth of occasions.

Pink & Olive | Images: Laura Messersmith

Poppy is full of women’s clothing and accessories in bright colors and fresh patterns that made me want to retire my winter navys and greys immediately and fast forward to warm weather shades. So many pretty things!

Poppy | Images: Laura Messersmith