Wendy L.'s Profile

This place is dangerously close to work, and bound to become my new excuse for a quick "touch-up" of any sort. It's like a beauty junky's candy shop here...

brow tints...
thread + tweeze...
lash tints..
lash extensions...

what don't they do here?!!!

I came in here on a whim because I wanted to subtly "jazz up" my look. A "browgraphy" (Brow tint + thread and tweeze) sounded enticing, so I went for it, and luckily they had an opening for me. In between appointments, Krystal didn't rush me, even though I had "stubborn brows." Disappointed that they pretty much used the same system that I used to (back when I'd lighten my hair and wanted matching brows) which is just plain old bleach, I was still pretty pleased with her paitence and the results. Perfectly shaped brows and a softened color, I'd maintain it if it were less expensive.

It's great to find a place that caters to these little beauty indulgences.

wow.. they try to sell you a LOT of stuff here, but if you like the service, its a fantastic deal!

waxing is by no means as fast and painless as my reliable go-to Lee at Acqua Beauty Bar, but for a first timer deal here, and a low package rate, this place is a lot less bank busting.

now i have committed myself to be well groomed at least for the next 5 months or so, a worthy investment for the new year ;)

I really should have just gone home. Gossip Girl wanted me to be a couch spud. Even Mother Nature was doing her best to make me uncomfortable, spray misting me in the face with the cold rain, and yet, after work I felt unbelievably compelled to just take a peek around the corner on Lafayette Street, just to see if Michael White's new place had opened as promised on numerous food blogs.

I started across the street, and upon noticing the warm glow from the restaurant's windows, I walked a bit closer. There were some empty tables towards the front of the restaurant, and the atmopshere was buzzy, so I made a quick phone call, "Kel! Come back out to Manhattan! Guess which restaurant is OPEN?" The hostess informed me that a table would be available at 9:30, so I took a walk around the corner to do some window shopping, snacking on a truffle that my coworker had bought me as a Thank You gift. (Isn't that sweet? Thank you for saving my stomach from ingesting itself.)

An hour later, waiting with Kel at the front of the restaurant, Michael White stopped by and said a quick a hello, I tried unsuccessfully to check in on foursquare so I resorted to yelp (achieved duchess-ship!), we had a glass of sparkling wine, and a table was ready for us! 8:30 - perfect.

Michael White. Pasta. An already perfect combination creates yet another temple for me to worship in -- the rustic Osteria Morini. This will be for when that pasta craving hits, and I have less than a subway stop's time to get my fix before the shakes take over.

That was my first trip. The menu changes so frequently that I have yet to encounter the exact same list of dishes, and I'd just recently made my 3rd trip there. Favorites so far include the tagliatelle bolognese, pasta tubes with ricotta, and the mare salad. The spinach and cheese croquettes are amazing to start with, and I love pairing it all with the verdicchio, a light sparkling wine.

For images, check out my blog post! http://theovenisnotfor...

Unlike the rest of the restaurants lining Mott Street, this new Chinatown restaurant is quickly becoming my go to for a meal with family and friends. With an all glass storefront that lets in plenty of light, and gorgeous Chinese artwork lining the walls, this place is simple, comfortable, and classy.

This is the kind of place to check out with a good group of hungry friends, at least for your first couple of visits. That way you can attempt to eat your way through the menu. There is something for everyone here from the Chinese takeout classics (for those less adventurous) to tried and true Chinese staples to amazing chef's specials that are unbelievably flavorful.

A friend made a joke that we were getting the Shanghai Omakase, and if there was a word in Chinese (that I knew of) which meant that, I would've suggested that 456 incorporate it somewhere in their menu. It was because we weren't sure what to order, so I left it up to them. We named a couple of must haves - the soup dumplings (so far the best I've had in Chinatown), a saucy and extremely tender pork dish that is garnished with sliced scallions and water chestnuts, and the red bean pancake (for dessert), and a friend wanted to try the hot oil wontons which turned out to be really damn good -- perfectly cooked wontons in a spicy sauce with a hint of peanut butter!

I enjoyed everything, especially a new dish I'd never had before and don't know the name of - tender chunks of fish wrapped in a light and crunchy green batter, perhaps made with bits of seaweed.

Get a trio of cold appetizers while you wait for your dinner. This place has been packed every time I've been there so patience is key.

"Woohoo! As good as it gets!".... for breakfast!!!!

Unlike the first time I'd ever dined there (for dinner), which was a series of hits and misses, breakfast was perfection.

I knew what I wanted to start with - un cornetto e cappucino. Then followed a moment of indecisiveness generated by nothing less than pure gluttony. Baked eggs in tomato or the fruit, granola, and yogurt made exceptional with a drizzle of vin cotto? Luckily I didn't have to choose!

Tasting Table was offering subscribers an amazing deal at Maialino - a prix fixe breakfast for only (I know, I'm now officially spoiled) 21 dollars. And so tacking on that extra order of fruit/granola/yogurt was no big deal. After all, I'd be a fool not to order as my heart pleased, since I was already the fool who would wake up an hour earlier than is necessary for work, on a weekday, to go out to have breakfast.

We went whole hog, by normal breakfast standards. Our order included toffee glazed brioche, cornetto, baked eggs in spicy tomato, poached egg on crispy pork terrine, spinach pecorino sausage, thick cut bacon, and oh, that last grasp at healthy eating - granola and yogurt with fresh fruit. Everything was beyond amazing. And I was so stuffed I walked the 20+ blocks to work.

Check out my blog post for pictures!!
http://theovenisnotfor...

AMAZING roasted sugar snap pea and hen of the woods mushroom salad. Good pizza and a buzzy scene makes it the perfect place to gather a group of friends for a boozy good time.

The best pizzas that I've had so far here are the polpettine and funghi. There were some complaints that Pulino's doesn't have the best crust ever, and perhaps so, BUT it is the combination of toppings here that really make the pizza. Polpettine sparkles with the pickled chilis, and the funghi pizza becomes a carnivorous treat with the addition of pancetta.

Dessert isn't bad either. I really enjoyed the affogato and the coconut and blueberry sundae. Doesn't break the bank, and makes for a completely filling dinner out.

The best introduction to Ukrainian food.

I love how you can mix and match many of the dishes (pierogies, stuffed cabbage, etc.) so you can figure out favorites and what to order during the next visit. For me? I'd take either of the veggie or meat stuffed cabbages topped with tomato sauce, and I loved the mushroom and saurkraut pierogies. Delicious beet soup tastes more amazing and substantial than it sounds, and the slice of white bread served alongside tastes stale and like feet... but in a GOOD way. (I'm still trying to figure out how that is possible.)

Super stuffed blintzes make the perfect dessert, even if it is more of a breakfast dish, but this place is essentially a diner -- order whatever the heck you want, whenever the heck you want! Just the way I like it.

Don't come hungry if you are in a group of more than 2, otherwise, prepare to ditch your friends and opt for a seat by the bar. I know I felt the temptation several times during our 45min+ wait.

Once inside it is completely worth it. Amazing miso ramen with the perfect chewy noodles, and there are great choices for people who like their noodles spicy. Also, a vegetarian choice! (I see those very rarely on ramen menus)

Also good to get is the pork belly with mayonaise over rice. It sounds funky, especially with the mayonaise, but the grilled pork belly has a great smoky taste to it.

Hole in the wall ramen joint, come for the food and slurp fast. I'm waiting.

I don't even want to review this place because I wouldn't want the line to get longer than it already is!

But I'd feel like I was doing the yelp community a disservice by keeping this from you...

Yes, the soup dumplings are fantastic, and the scallion pancakes a seemingly deep fried and delicious appetizer, but what I REALLY love here, that I have a hard time finding anywhere else, are the vegetable dumplings.

Perfect chewy skin, and chock full of flavorful greens. I really don't know what goes IN it, but it is something amazing. This can convert even the most carnivorous of meat eaters. (Ok maybe not, but I can dream.)

Le Bernardin has long been one of those restaurants on my bucket list. Expensive, but worth it, and perfect for a special occasion. Save for the decor, I give this place a 2-thumbs up!

We had the chef's tasting menu, which seems to be composed from a selection of all the items on the menu that have an added supplement cost. Nice thing about this is that they will let you substitute some items, and even make helpful suggestions as to good/bad subs. (Our waiter saved me from subbing one lobster dish for another, since I'd be replacing an entree portion with an app portion)

My favorites were a thinly pounded yellowfin tuna over foie gras covered toast, poached egg in fisherman's broth topped with caviar (to die for), lobster with yellow beets, and crispy black bass with lup cheong topped steamed bun.

Dessert was also great. Hazelnut, brown butter ice cream, caramelized bananas - a mashup of my favorite things.

The wine pairing was good, but I can say it was not as amazing as it could have been (see Alinea). There were several fantastic white wines, and I wish there were a bit more red.

Note: No Eric Ripert sighting. Maybe next time! I've got a copy of the menu... time to plan for and dream about my next meal...