I had a lovely weekend, mostly fairly low-key as I’m gearing up for a very busy week (stay tuned for upcoming events; I’ll be posting again later this evening). Friday I went to Bumble and Bumble for a long overdue haircut. Bumble and Bumble’s Downtown Salon is one of those places where you feel as though you need to look good when you come in the door- the staff are all pretty and stylish and the space is minimalist in a truly beautiful way. The views of the Hudson and downtown are stunning and the experience of being pampered really starts while you’re waiting in one of those terribly comfortable chairs.

Bumble and Bumble Downtown- Waiting Area

View from the Waiting Area

My relationship with my stylist, Denise, has now officially lasted longer than my longest romantic relationship (not telling how long), which is probably more a sign of how awesome she is than how poorly I sustain romantic relationships (then again…). She is truly fantastic. Actually I would have had this haircut last week but she was doing the styling for Fashion Week. Did you know the models almost always have long hair? If you see them with short hair it’s always a wig!

Post-pampering I felt uber-indulgent and decided to have dinner at Spice Market. I actually had no idea just how big that place is and was somewhat overwhelmed but the hostess seated me in the perfect spot- facing the kitchen.

Counter facing the kitchen @ Spice Market

I could watch all the hustle and bustle in the kitchen and relax feeling like I wasn’t too on display. The chicken samosas are amazing, as is the chocolate pecan tart. There is really something marvelous about eating alone, people watching and relaxing without having to make conversation. If it isn’t something you’ve tried in NYC I would highly recommend trying it as soon as possible.

Saturday I met P + Co. and H and my favorite protégé for brunch in Park Slope. We met up at Scottadito Osteria Toscana, where unlimited mimosas and coffee are included in your brunch. It’s actually much quieter than I had feared it would be and we were taken care of very well, especially considering that we all came in at different times and stayed for hours. The Eggs Florentine were especially delicious.

Saturday night I joined my friend Y and her ever changing cast of characters to see Ferry Corsten spin at Webster Hall. Y is very into the trance scene, which is a fairly specific sub-culture quite independent of many other kinds of  dance music. B for example is really quite disparaging of trance. However, I find the scene unique and rather intriguing; there’s an enormous mix of ethnicities and nationalities at any trance event and the overwhelming attitude is one of openness and excitement. I never have the sorts of issues I have at Hip Hop clubs (men rubbing themselves all over you), and I’m never made to feel like an outsider as I sometimes have at Indie Rock concerts. Of course part of this is that trance is linked to drugs like ecstasy, and happy people aren’t that judgmental. Y and her friends don’t do drugs so I feel comfortable going out with them. Y is actually quite the mother hen- she protects our bubble of space and makes sure no one gets too pushy or out of control in our vicinity. I always feel very uplifted by the music and the energy and the crazy lights and the whole atmosphere of the space.

Ferry Corsten @ Webster Hall

Ferry Corsten @ Webster Hall

Ferry is a pretty big deal in the trance world and the electricity in the crowd was fantastic. I stumbled out around 3:30 with my ears ringing and the lights still etched onto my retinas. Today I made a huge brunch for some friends- poached eggs with Hollandaise sauce and biscuits and this gorgeous fruit tart. Mmm… a satisfying weekend!

I’ll be posting about this week shortly; it’s going to be full of fantastic events!