About Town: Company & Cocktails in the Blue Bar

My dear friend and I scooted over to The Cavalier just the other day for highly anticipated cocktails and fare at the newly opened British brassiere. Behind the venture is New Zealand native Anna Weinberg, a stylish restaurateur known for a whole slew of successful establishments in New York and San Francisco. San Francisco's own Ken Fulk was the genius responsible for the glamorous design, which provides one with a richly textured aesthetic - french blue walls inhabited by taxidermy and portraits of aristocratic figures in sleek gold frames among a sexy leather banqueted "Blue Bar", hand-painted fox hunt wallpaper by the talented Shirley Robinson and just the perfect amount of light dancing from salvaged cathedral lanterns. A toast was made over Pimm's Cup cocktails while we were delightfully greeted by an amuse-bouche from Chef Jennifer Puccio consisting of a quail egg accompanied by celery salt and crispy shallot on a perfectly petite bed of greens. As the conversing continued, we enjoyed our main nibbles, she, the Farro and Roasted Beets salad, and I, the Duck Duck Scotch Egg. The waiter suggested I break in to my egg immediately to savor the runny consistency over a bed of spicy arugula and stonefruit chutney. TAKE ME TO BED OR LOSE ME FOREVER. It was sensational.

The thrill let on as the bar flooded with more patrons and Gladys Knight's "Midnight Train To Georgia" embedded deeper and deeper into my soul, taunting me to order another cocktail. I gave in, this time ordering the "Bramble" which easily landed 4 stars on my libation meter. The chocolate delice was sampled for dessert and the last bit of laughter and tales were exchanged as I schemed up our next visit in my head.

Michael Kors S14

"I got intrigued by the idea of convergence," Michael said. "Forties and Seventies. Romantic but tailored. Casual but polished. All that ying and yang."

Ying and yang me please, because this collection is just flirting with cheeky charm. I've always been mad for Michael Kors ready-to-wear, but this collection just sends me over the edge. Structured, yet clean wispy lines, carefree classic pieces with plenty of python, Michael Kors just keeps reinventing the wheel of classic tailoring for the All-American gal. Below, a brief snippet from a review by WWD to keep you gushing:

"It was with his dresses and jackets with manageably strong shoulders that Kors referenced the Forties most clearly. But he offered alternatives to tailoring in the form of spectacular knits, including a dreamy hand-crocheted cardigan and matching dress, and a slouchy cardigan worn over a tank and skirt — as unassuming as it was divine. And for the girl who prefers to wear her casual mien with a little sass: a white fox ring over a cotton boy shirt and shorts."

All images above courtesy of VOGUE. Click here to see images of the fun backstage at the Lincoln Center runway show.

Sugar Magnolias

Recently, my best friend and I hosted a cocktail party which was great fun thanks to proper planning and the perfect guest list. As I flitted about during our fête humming along to "Bennie and the Jets", I made several satisfying observations: cocktails were being habitually refreshed, laughter effortlessly flooded the living room and patio, the charcuterie platter was (as expected) a total hit, and the punch bowl I inherited finally made its debut since its journey out to San Francisco. Life was grand.

The silver punch bowl, now providing our guests with a lethal dose of "Pink Panty Punch" (thank you, Camilla!) had at one time aided my Grandmother and Great Grandmother while entertaining at their plantation home just seventy miles west of New Orleans. Glenwood Plantation (pictured above), was a large Queen-Anne-style house just off Highway 29 that functioned as a sugar cane plantation my Great Grandfather Edward Preston Munson owned and operated. The home, described as "an atmosphere of romantic charm and beauty" on a vintage postcard, was surrounded by magnolia trees and mossy oaks. After the war, the cane-growing business took a hit and the mosaic disease destroyed many of the crops. Slowly, many of the grand plantations fell in ruin. Being the "betwitching" and "tiny heroic woman" (as described below) that was my Great Grandmother Gertrude, she essentially saved the plantation by taking in guests at Glenwood. She was a true southern bell who was known by all for her entertaining. Among the many tales, it is said that she baked 300 angel-food cakes for one party at Glenwood and would lure her guests into the drawing room for her infamous café brûlot after a southern meal around her carved walnut table.

My Great Grandmother Gertrude was profiled in the May 1955 installment of Reader's Digest's "The Most Unforgettable Character I've Ever Met" series. For those that know me well, I too, love entertaining. I never had the pleasure of meeting my Great Grandmother, however I can only surmise that she would truly be one of "the most unforgettable characters I've met". Time to plan my next gathering.

Read on below.

Take Me To Tennessee

I first read about Blackberry Farm last year in an issue of Forbes and instantly became intrigued by this gem in the Smoky Mountains. The 4,200-acre resort defies the conventional concept of a "luxury resort" and boy, do I like that. Think mounted fox-hunting, sporting clays or perhaps their upcoming 'Wine on the Fly' event.

In 1939, while selecting the perfect parcel of land with her husband, Mrs. Florida Lasier of Chicago snagged her silk stockings on a thicket of blackberry bushes, and thus, the name Blackberry Farm was born. Since its inception, the farm has remained family owned and today, is run by proprietor Sam Bealle. Sam grew up on the farm and after an array of impressive culinary experiences and between marrying his wife Mary Celeste and having four beautiful children, took on the task of holding the business. What a business it has become. Blackberry Farm has received a bounty of accolades throughout the years, including "#1 Hotel for Food Lovers in America" by Bon Appetit, "#1 Service in the U.S." by Travel and Leisure and the Wine Spectator Grand Award, just to name a few.

Although I have yet to go, it seems the farm inherently commands romance. I have a vision of taking in the early morning mist from a rocking chair with a loved one, while admiring the Black Walnut and Persimmon trees, or enjoying a quiet soak in the oversized soaking tub in one of their Hill Cottages. It is a place that has had me dreaming for quite some time and I suspect, one that will keep my dreams alive long after my prospective visit.

Photos above are via Town & Country.