CRAVE CRUSH the urban girl's blog to all that you CRAVE

Girls’ Night Out!

August 1, 2010 by Jackie | Comments (0)

The weekend is finally here and you know exactly what you need.  A girls’ night out! Forget about men tonight, it’s all about us ladies.  We sure know how to party when our best girlfriends are all together.  Here are some places that you will be CRAVE-ing all week:

La Palapa (lapalapa.com)

What says “girls’ night out” more than a margarita?  La Palapa has 10 different fresh fruit flavors of frozen margaritas!  They also have amazing “Mexico City style” food and two locations in NYC.  Margaritte Malfy and Barbara Sibley opened their first restaurant in November 2000.  They are both very experienced in NYC restaurants as well as art.  “A palapa is a palm-thatched shelter on a Mexican beach where you can relax with your feet in the sand looking at the ocean while you sip an ice cold cerveza flavored with lime and salt, and eat a spicy shrimp taco with salsa guajillo.”  Try this place for the perfect girls’ night out.

77 St. Mark’s Place

New York, NY

(212) 777-2537

Cheek to Chic (cheektochic.com)

You love to look your hottest when going out in NYC.  Before that girls’ night out, give Cheek to Chic a call so they can help you get the make-up for any occasion.  Cheek to Chic’s goal is to help women look their up-to-date best. Whether you are a busy businesswoman, a new mom, or a young woman, Cheek to Chic will help you get a handle on the overwhelming beauty industry.  They believe that make-up should be fun so gather up your girlfriends and prepare for your fun night together!

215 West 75^th St

New York, NY

(646) 319-6141

Pure Food and Wine (purefoodandwine.com)

Looking for an interesting place to take the ladies?  Try Pure Food and Wine, the wine part will entice most of you because all of their wines are either biodynamic, organic and/or vegan.  The restaurant has been featured twice in New York magazines “Top 100 Restaurants” as well as 5 years in a row on Forbes list of “All Star New York Eateries.”  In the spring and summer, Pure Food and Wine has a private back garden for lunch to start off your girls’ night out.  They also have a great assortment of “pure” cocktails and they are open late so get your party on girls!

54 Irving Place

New York, NY 10003

(212) 477-1010

Where to find great bachelorette gifts

July 8, 2010 by Jackie | Comments (0)

Summer is wedding season and that means many bachelorette parties to go to for us New York girls.  Gifts for these soon-to-be brides can be hard to come up with.  Everyone wants to get the perfect gift and we CRAVE this list of ideas.

Hanky Panky (hankypanky.com)

What is the number one gift to get a girl for her bachelorette party?  Lingerie for the wedding night.  We CRAVE Hanky Panky’s large selection of gifts for the bachelorette.  They began 30 years ago in New York and still influence trends in lingerie and sleepwear.  They pride themselves on providing brilliant solutions for fashion fit issues by remaining dedicated to innovative design, comfort and quality.  They have been manufacturing in the New York area since 1977 which is something we CRAVE in a company.  Get your girlfriend the perfect gift, she deserves it!

373 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016
(212) 725-4996

Helen Julia New York (helenjulia.com)

Girls love candles.  Especially ones with smells that we CRAVE!  Bachelorette parties can be rough the next morning, so let your bride relax with one of these hand-poured scented soy candles.  Each candle inspires distinct moods.  These candles include: “I Do” (how perfect!), Prima Donna, Pearl Drop, Pink Diamond, Powder Puff, Terrycloth Robe, Sexy Suede and Soft Mink.  Who won’t be able to have fun with names like those?

(718) 619-2267

Poppies and Posies Events (poppiesandposiesevents.com)

The perfect gift from the maid-of honor is a perfect bachelorette party!  Poppies and Posies Events can make your bride’s party exactly how she would want it.  PPE is co-owned by Sierra and Juliet who have both worked with some big names such as Donald Trump and Martha Stewart.  They specialize in flower arrangements that are perfect for any event!

132 W88th St, Apt B
New York, NY 10024
(646) 386-7347

World Cup Celebration: Indulge in Global Treats

July 8, 2010 by Nicole S. | Comments (0)

For weeks we have been huddled around the television, sometimes at ungodly hours of the morning, to watch beautiful men from around the world kick around a soccer ball and compete for the coveted World Cup. Whether you have followed the sport for years or just recently discovered what terms like “off-sides” or “stoppage time” mean, it is truly amazing how soccer can bring entire nations together for a common goal.

America’s run has ended, but there are some amazing teams that have risen to the top of the competition! Gather your friends together and indulge in these fun recipes perfect for a summer barbecue or potluck that are inspired by the stand out teams of the 2010 World Cup!

Chimichurri Steak- Uruguay/ Argentina

Chimichurri is a sauce from South America and is served in countries like Uruguay and Argentina over steak and chicken.

Ingredients:

1 cup packed fresh flat leaf parsley
Âź cup packed fresh cilantro
½ cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves peeled
ž teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
a pinch of salt and pepper
a squeeze of lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Mix all ingredients in a food processor and serve over steak, chicken or fish.

Party Sangria- Spain

Ingredients:

1 bottle of red wine
1 lemon cut into wedges
1 orange cut into wedges
1 lime cut into wedges
1 apple diced
1 cup raspberries or strawberries
1 small can of diced pineapples with juice
2 tbsp of sugar
4 cups ginger ale or lemon lime soda
2 shots gin or triple sec

Preparation:

1. Pour wine into a large pitcher and squeeze the juice from the lemon, oranges and lime into the wine.
2. Toss in the fruit wedges and add pineapple, apples sugar and gin.
3. Chill overnight.
4. Add ginger ale or soda, berries and ice just before serving.

Potato Salad- Germany

Ingredients:

2 pounds red potatoes
Âź lb bacon cut into small pieces
½ medium onion chopped
1/3 cup cider vinegar
Âź cup water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp mustard
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

1. Place potatoes in saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce to simmer, uncovered for 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain. Let potatoes cool. Peel potatoes and cut into Âź inch pieces.
2. Cook bacon in skillet over medium heat until crisp and set aside.
3. Cook onion in bacon drippings until tender.
4. Combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt and mustard in a large bowl. Toss in potatoes and bacon and mix until well coated.
5. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.

Oliebollen (Apple Fritters)- Netherlands

Ingredients

2 tbsp sugar
2 pkg yeast
4 cups sugar
5 eggs
2 cups scalded milk
½ cup butter softened
10 cups flour
1 ½ tsp salt
3 diced Granny Smith apples
1 cup raisins pinch of cinnamon
canola oil for frying

Preparation:

1. Dissolve 2 tbsp sugar in 1 cup warm water. Sprinkle yeast on top. Let stand while preparing dough.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat eggs, add scalded milk, 1 ½ cups warm water, yeast mixture and butter and beat well. Add flower, 1 cup sugar and salt. Mix well. Add diced apple.
3. Let dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size.
4. In a separate bowl mix 3 cups sugar, and cinnamon to taste.
5. Fill a fryer pot with 3-4 inches of canola oil. Heat to 375 degrees and scoop spoonfuls of down into the oil. Turn to ensure even browning.
6. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture and serve warm.

*written by Alyssa Goldberg for the CRAVE company. Alyssa is a lover of all things to do with food and travel- check out her blog, WorldSavour by clicking here.

America, It’s Your Birthday!

June 28, 2010 by Nicole S. | Comments (0)

Let’s face it, we CRAVE any excuse to get together and throw a party with our best friends. What better reason than for a birthday? Happy Birthday America! Since every birthday should involved presents- why not think of some ways you and your friends can give back to your community to commemorate the occasion? Check in with local organizations who do volunteer work. Maybe you can spend the afternoon helping clean up a park, planting some trees, or participating in a food drive.

After a day of doing something good for your country, you can feel good about having a little fun at night for yourself! Get your friends together, nosh on some festive treats and try to catch a glimpse of your local fireworks show. Here are some recipes to inspire your celebration:

This first recipe is from a chef bloggess we adore, CakeSpy!

Hartford Election Day Cupcakes: This spicecake is light but flavorful; all your friends will love munching on these treats which you can decorate in red, white and blue.

Dry ingredients:

• 8 ounces (1 cup) superfine granulated sugar
• 5 ounces (1 cup) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon potato starch
• 1⁄8 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
• Pinch of allspice
• Pinch of salt
• 1⁄8 teaspoon baking soda

Wet ingredients:

• 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) butter, melted
• Âź cup half-and-half
• 1 tablespoon rum
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 egg yolk

Old-Fashioned Milk Buttercream

• 1 cup milk
• 2 ounces (Âź cup) all-purpose flour
• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 8 ounces (1 cup) superfine granulated sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Sip

While you are savouring some cupcakes, it is likely you will want something to sip as well. Here is a great list we found that lists five different themed cocktails: click. Are you adventurous? You have to try the first drink on the list- it includes jalapeno or Serrano peppers to add a little fire to your night. Prefer something a little sweeter to sip? Strawberry schnapps will be a key (red) ingredient for you. To give any red drinks a patriotic vibe try garnish with blueberries, blackberries or just throw in a blue straw!

How to Plan Your Perfect Summer Party with LA Glam

May 20, 2010 by Nicole S. | Comments (0)

Planning a party can be loads of fun but let’s be totally honest…planning and attending the same party can be tough. That’s why CRAVE asked Christina Murphy, who runs LA Glam Events with her partner Erin Preuss to give us a few pointers. The good news is that with a little planning and creative magic you can host a party everyone (including you) will love!

With the summer party season about to get into full swing starting on Memorial Day Weekend it’s a perfect time to treat your friends to a love-everything-about-summer party that will set the standard for everyone else. (And no, it doesn’t require boatloads of cash or a swank Hampton’s seaside soirees.)

4 easy ways to make your Memorial Day BBQ better than everyone else’s…

1) Invites: Evites are ok, Paperless Post is so cool (but pricey) and so why stick to the norm. A trip to the 99 Cents store will yield a plethora of fun and funky ideas. It’s much less expensive than you would think to send unusual invites and it’s a great way to make your party stand out from the rest. Mix and match and let your imagination run wild. It’s half the fun.

2) Food: it’s sort of crucial to a good party. Nothing is more delicious and easy than good old fashion burgers on the grill and burgers don’t have to boring. Add an array of interesting self-serve toppings like sautéed mushrooms, arugula, bacon, avocado, etc to create a gourmet burger bar. You can even ask people to write down their custom burger, name it and take pictures for your own Burger Hall of Fame.

3) Cocktails: a trip to your local farmers market will start your inner mixologist juices flowing. Take all the favs (fresh squeezed OJ, grapefruit, lemon and lime) throw in some new twists (muddle berries, pineapple or watermelon) and some smoothie-like purees (cantaloupe, honeydew, banana and mango).Use some basic alcohols and set it all out for people to create their own signature cocktail. People love experimenting and the bonus is for the people who are going adult-beverage free they can make a killer virgin version of the same thing.

4) Décor: for some seriously-talented-crafty types décor is a hallmark of their parties. For me, with limited time, décor needs to be simple and accessible. My favorite budget friendly décor item is cotton quilt fabrics. These fabrics are your new, super crafty best friend. You can make awesome mix and match table overlays (most standard fabrics aren’t wide enough for a full table linen) but they make cute overlays either over whatever linens already have or over plain white sheets hemmed to fit your table. Mix patterns and colors to create a really festive look.

The good news is all these projects are relatively easy and don’t require a bunch of time or money. Just give yourself a week to work on your décor projects in the evening and prep your food and juices the morning of your event and you will be able to party-hardy with all your pals!

Check what the BUZZ is all about!

April 12, 2010 by Emily | Comments (0)

With racks of gorgeous clothes by Jodi Arnold lining the perimeter of the room and delicious treats provided by Erica’s Rugelach, the stage was set for another wonderful BUZZ Party for the NYC CRAVE guide. The evening was filled with incredible women from across NYC – chatting each other up and discussing what they so CRAVE about being an entrepreneur in this incredible city.

As the night went on, clothes were seen flying off the racks and the gals were showing off their purchases to their newly formed friends. As with every BUZZ Party, the women of CRAVE were excited to see the fun and familiar faces, as well as so many new faces that turned up!

We would like to extend another huge thank you to Jodi Arnold and her staff for the use of their boutique and for providing the delicious wine for the evening.  A big thank you to Erica’s Rugalech for the tasty treats – they absolutely mouth-watering.  And finally, a big thanks to our sponsor Urban Signals!
We’re hard at work planning the next BUZZ Party, so stay tuned for the details!
Check out more pics:

Recap: 1st CRAVE NYC Buzz Party

February 5, 2010 by Emily | Comments (1)

Through blistering wind and snow flurries, the wonderful women of New York City came out in droves to see what this CRAVE thing was all about!

Held in SoHo at Delicatessen, the first CRAVE NYC Buzz Party was a celebration of the some of the finest entreprenesses in the city, accompanied by sweet treats from Sweet Muse (thank you Laura Siner), savory snacks from PopChips and Delicatessen’s signature CRAVE Cosmos.  Our fearless NYC City Leaders Inna Shamis and Danielle Bobish made sure the event went off without a hitch!

As the lounge area of Delicatessen buzzed with chatter and laughter, the amazing business owners found new friends in like-minded women throughout the course of the evening.

From shopkeepers and bakers to interior designers and fitness instructors, some of the area’s savviest female entrepreneurs came to sip and savor all that we CRAVE – the entrepreneur in YOU!

Check out the pictures from Buzz Party for a closer look!