Articles by Amanda Mactas
Amanda Mactas is the Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Manhattan with a Twist. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook!
With Mother's Day right around the corner it is clear that everyone is out scrambling for the perfect gift. Seriously, do you think mom wants flowers again? Splurge on something you know she'll love, like one of the perfect gifts below!
We love all jewelry made by Pono by Joan Goodman and best of all, mom will love it, too. Melt her heart with a very glamorous Byzantine Cuff ($595), appropriately made of mother of pearl.
Finding food to cure your hangover is easy. Finding amazing gourmet food to cure your hangover is not. Enter: Dinner on Ludlow. Their weekend brunch (available 11:30am until 4pm) is crafted by executive chef John Keller and can make the grumpiest person all smiles. First of all, the restaurant itself is to die for. Picture leather banquette seating, dozens of crystal chandeliers, draped curtains—basically, a completely regal setting. It's a great way to start your day. Next comes the menu, and with options like cornflake crusted french toast, pork belly confit, and chicken and biscuits, it's a wonder anyone can narrow down their choice to just one entree. Since most of us don't have stomachs the appropriate size to eat everything on the menu, it guarantees a return trip just to make your way through it all. Trust us, you'll want to. Additionally, each entree comes with a complimentary mimosa, bloody mary or maria, or bellini, which is just what we need on a weekend morning, er afternoon. Finish it up with one of the chef's equally delicious desserts and you are set to take on the rest of the day...or go into a food coma.
If you thought time travel was only possible via a hot tub time machine, think again. Patrons of this past weekend's Prohibition NYC found themselves in the 1920s and all they had to go was travel to the Lower East Side. Brought to you by the chefs that hosted last year's Dine Titanic, Chef Rob McCue and Adam C. Banks payed homage to the roaring '20s and the birth of the cocktail party. Dressed to the nines in flapper attire or flap hats and suspenders, revelers approached the speakeasy and were welcomed (or unwelcomed) by both flapper girls and Prohibition picketers.
Lovers of Asian cuisine should not stray away from the recently opened Mira Sushi & Izakaya, located in the Flatiron district. The giant menu reinterprets Asian street food, overseen by Chef Brian Tsao and Chef Owen Wu.
Chef Wu is a fifteen year sushi veteran, overseeing the sushi bar, which makes up half of Mira's menu. Offered on the sushi menu are a number of cold small plates, as well as both signature and whimsical sushi rolls and sashimi, ranging from the classic California Roll to the inventive TNT Roll (made with yellow tail tuna, crunch, and cucumber topped with spicy tuna and jalapeno relish). Chef Tsao, formerly of Telepan, comes from a Chinese-Korean background, which serves him well at this new venture. The fare here is really out of this world—favorites include the Beef Bulgogi Tacos, Kyoto Crunchy Sloppy Joe, Spicy Wontons, Honey Yuzu Chicken Wings, and the Spicy Tuna Pizza. All of the dishes are great recreations of classic plates and are accompanied by delicious cocktails. Bartender Raphael Lester has created complementary cocktails to go with the unrivaled food. We love the Crimson Moon (made with Kokuto umeshu plum, sweet potato shochu, orange, lemon, plum bitters) for something refreshing, but can't say no to the wide selection of sakes they have to offer. To end your night the right way, make sure to order up one of their desserts, like a unique Malaysian cookie, the Honeycomb Dream or Sticky Bun Poppers. Furthermore, the venue itself is comfortable and unpretentious, yet is inviting to all. Best of all, everything on the menu is priced so that you won't have to save a month's paycheck to order...even though we gladly would.
Cocktail mecca, The Dead Rabbit, is inaugurating its public event series with a program of two nights exploring the life and liquor of author Ernest Hemingway. Each evening will incorporate a 90-minute discussion led by Philip Greene, author of To Have and Have Another, a cocktail lover's guide to life and works of Hemingway through the beverages he enjoyed along the way. Four cocktails found in the works of Hemingway will be served, prepared by King Cocktail, Dale DeGroff.
Earth Day comes but once a year on April 22nd, and although people should respect the planet all year long, we love a good eco-friendly deal when we see one! So where should you head to celebrate? We've got two great places you should check out come Earth Day.
The Hummus & Pita Co. is a fast-casual eatery that features healthy Mediterranean cuisine in an eco-friendly locale. The perfect spot to dine on Earth Day, The Hummus & Pita Co. features plenty of eco-conscious design elements, such as the custom-made Tandor clay ovens, the tables made from re-purposed bowling alley wood, and even the recycled packing and utensils. Even the wallpaper at this joint is recyclable! Now fill up on falafel!
Last night, Vanity Fair scribe George Wayne hosted a party in honor of his Downtown 100 listmakers at The DL Rooftop. The 20th Annual Edition of "The Downtown 100" list is comprised of the most fabulous, relevant, and inspired people who define downtown today. Attendees included Alan Cumming, Marcus Schenkenberg, The DL owner Paul Seres, Ann Dexter Jones, Anna Demidova, Kipton Cronkite, Madame Mayhem, Charles Ferri, Jeff Krauss, Eddie Roche, Liam McMullan, Luis Monteagudo, Courtney Graef, Jae Benjamin, David Ralph, Rimma Rose, Dana Frank, and Lisa Raden. The hip rooftop club also hosted Solangfe Knowles, Richie Rich, Jason Mewes, Steve Stanulis, and many more.
If you like food at all then you've come to the right place! Tasting Brooklyn is an annual event that celebrates Brooklyn's diverse food and dining culture. The event, which took place this past Tuesday evening, brought together countless restaurants and food and drink purveyors. The proceeds from this year's event will benefit The Brookyln Recovery Fund, which provides support to local nonprofit organizations working with the communities and individuals most affected by Hurricane Sandy.
Toss away the thought that bubble baths are just for kids...they aren't and they rock. Once in a while, taking a bath is just the thing you need—a nice, relaxing, quiet retreat into your own little world, complete with bubbles. And if you invite someone to join you, even better. Here are our top picks for the best smelling and most bubbly of bubble baths around.
April is Organ Donor Awareness Month and in celebration, the Slipper Room hosted one rockin' event last week. Do Not Resuscitate or DNR for short is an edgy high-end t-shirt and accessory fashion brand based in New York City. Their goal is to increase the number of organ donors around the world through their unique message and fashionable attire. The event that took place last week was attended by DNR founder Pamela Lubell, along with family and friends including Heather Thomson and Stefan Segadlo. The fun-filled night hosted a slew of amazing performances including a cabaret act by Paul LaBrecque and was hosted by Mel Frye. Attendees also had the opportunity to bid during the live raffle. In honor of Organ Donor Awareness Month, it is important that everyone become aware of how many lives you can save by becoming an organ donor. Check out DNR's site to learn about becoming a donor and shop their fun clothes and accesssories!
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