Tortoise Snap Case for iPhone 4

Tortoise shell has always been a classic, chic choice for stylish accessories.

I've got tortoise shell eyeglasses, tortoise shell hair clamps, and now I've got a tortoise snap case for my iPhone 4.

Love it!:
My iPhone's profile:The case has a painted tortoise shell pattern on a transparent hardshell. It's lightweight, but solid, and it snaps on snugly to protect the back, sides, and corners of your iPhone. (For the front/screen, I recommend the clear and strong Ghost Armor skin.)

The Tortoise Snap Case is available in Brown, and it looks mighty fine on both black and white iPhones:It retails for $34.95 at goincase.com.

Post-Game Party Report - double issue

A super late, super loaded post-game party report from the past 2 weeks...

The best thing I've seen in months was Arvo Pärt and Snøhetta’s “Stillspotting NYC”, a sound and space installation presented in partnership with the Guggenheim. The exhibit paired specially selected spaces throughout New York City (chosen by architectural design firm Snøhetta) with certain works of classical music (written by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt).

You checked in down in Battery Park, got a map and an iTouch, and you were off to the first stop:All in all there were two spaces/installations on Governor's Island and three in lower Manhattan.

My two favorites of the exhibition were this space in the lobby of the Woolworth Building:And this construction site on the 47th floor of 7 World Trade Center:Music was piped in as you listened, sat, strolled, lounged, talked, watched others come and go, etc in these 'stillspots'. I absolutely loved it. If/when the Guggenheim does another one of these, please go!

I saw the Andrea Bocelli (and friends) concert in Central Park:I'm thrilled that tens of thousands of people turned up to hear the Philharmonic play -- we were this far back and we were smack in the middle of the crowd -- but this show was too pop-y for me. Celine Dion, Chris Botti, and Tony Bennett all sang with Bocelli during the 3 hour long David Foster produced spectacular. It's always lovely seeing a concert in my city's beautiful park, and I had great fun hanging out with my friends, but I think I'm better off getting my opera/music fix down at Lincoln Center.

Chappy and I saw two Off-Broadway plays: Temporal Powers and Freud's Last Session. Here we are looking all serious in reading our programs mode before the performance:T.P. is an excellent revival that deals with money, honesty, and other intriguing moral issues, and F.L.S. is a contemporary one-act where a meeting between two great, but different thinkers is imagined. I enjoyed both, and they're both still running here and here.

I went to MoMA's PS1, a giant former schoolhouse that's been converted to a satellite gallery space. It's worth taking the short ride over the river out to Long Island City because PS1 always has something compelling going on, like their current 9/11 exhibition.

They've also got this cool courtyard space designed by Interboro Partners out back:
We went to the American Cancer Society's 27th annual DreamBall at Cipriani in midtown:Lots of big names like Kelly Ripa, Giada De Laurentiis, and Linda Wells were there, and the event raised over 2.1 million dollars(!) for cancer research that night. Crazy good, right?

Art, music, theater, and parties... It's been a successful, fun couple of weeks!

Monty Monday - Saluting the Hero Dogs

Earlier this month the American Humane Association held their annual benefit at the National Arts Club in NYC.

The AHA honored the brave Hero Dogs of 9/11:Whoopi Goldberg spoke, and Rin Tin Tin, a 12th-generation descendant of the original Rin Tin Tin, made an appearance.

Chappy and I were proud committee members, but Monty also wanted in on this great cause...

So, Monty made this adorable ad for the event's program:Way to go Hero Dogs, and if you'd like more information about the American Humane Association, please visit their website.

Chicago Weekend - Part II

So, more Chicago...

I took CAF's architecture boat cruise, which is a must-do if you're a tourist. This lazy 90 minute float down the Chicago River gives you a prime view of all the glorious downtown buildings:A docent tells you some highlights and history, and you get a little fresh air out on the boat's open deck. I especially loved the Crain Communications building (on the left) with its classical style and Corinthian columns:I did a little shopping.

N. Michigan has big names like Ralph Lauren, Saks, and Barneys, but I've got all that in NYC, and I wanted something different. I went west to Wicker Park to Labrabbit, a hip, independent boutique:Labrabbit sells vintage frames and small, hard-to-find contemporary glasses.

There were lots of colorful 80s-esque pairs in stock on my visit but I settled on a pair of DRIFT sunglasses, handmade in Chicago with acetate lenses and walnut wood arms. They're dope!:I also went to Lincoln Park to the scores of little boutiques in the Armitage-Halsted area. I particularly enjoyed browsing the bags at 1154 LILL Studio and the shoes at Lori's. I also ate a strange sounding, but totally delicious 'steamed sandwich' at CBA.

I saw some excellent shows. I went to a play at the Steppenwolf Theater called Clybourne Park.

The set:The play won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for drama, and I thought it was a home run. It's pretty intense content dealing with racism, stereotypes, and urban gentrification, but it was handled thoughtfully and acted flawlessly. I highly recommend it.

Doing a complete 180, the following night I went to a comedy show called 'South Side of Heaven' at The Second City. This was a Saturday Night Live-esque performance of bits, improvs, and musical numbers that were so darn funny the lady next to me literally spit her drink out across the room. It's fast-paced, R-rated fun, and I'd definitely go back next time I'm in town.

I saw a Cubs game. I went to Wrigley Field on a gray, rainy day, but my seats were so good it didn't matter what the weather was like:Wrigley is gorgeous -- the ivy, the low fences, and the old-fashioned scoreboard are all so charming. The Cubs lost and I had to buy a garbage bag inspired disposable parka to stay dry, but it was so worth it.

I had a terrific stay at the Park Hyatt, a gigantic, but super friendly property.

My room was large and modern, and it had this cool hatch thingie you could open up between the bathroom and the bedroom. You could sit in the tub and enjoy the view of Lake Michigan; I dug it:And anywhere that serves me breakfast on a silver tray gets big points - yay for a luxurious treat!:When I wasn't indulging in room service or deep dish pizza I was loving the food elsewhere. I ate at Girl & the Goat, Gibsons, and Gilt Bar. The ham dishes at G & t G were my favorite, but they were all nice meals. Chicago does food right.

And I found an uber compelling reason for me to make a return visit -- this gorgeous outdoor theater, the Pritzker Pavilion:Classical music concerts al fresco and Frank Gehry design? Oh Chicago, I'm so coming back for that!

I know I've got a lot of Chicago area readers... so guys, how'd I'd do? I think I hit all the highlights of food, shopping, and culture between this post and the last, but I'd love to hear your feedback.

Chicago Weekend - Part I

I've just returned from a long, delightful weekend in Chicago.

I'd never been to the windy city before(!), but all that gorgeous architecture, delicious food, and Midwestern hospitality made me want to book a return trip ASAP.

I did some touristy stuff - like see the views from the super high buildings downtown. The view from the observation deck of the John Hancock building:And the view from the Willis Tower Skydeck, the artist formerly known as the Sears Tower:Fun fact I learned on the elevator ride up - the Willis Tower is 313 Oprahs tall.

I ate deep dish pizza at Giordano's, or as they call it, 'stuffed pizza':It was ridiculously cheesy and rich (that is a small -- how do people actually eat an entire pie this size???), but it was so gooey and delicious.

I gawked at Anish Kapoor's shiny and spectacular sculpture, Cloud Gate:My photograph doesn't do this beauty justice. It's reflective, curvy, and so much fun to walk around, through, underneath, etc.

I fought the crowds to be all Ferris Bueller. Seurat's 'A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte' was the busiest piece in the Art Institute:If you go to the Art Institute, make sure you go downstairs to see the Thorne Miniature Rooms -- 68 jewel-box sized rooms decorated with period furnishings and completely accurate architecture. They're the size of a large shoebox, and they're completely mind-blowing. I live in a Georgian, so I was partial to this one:...but there are also traditional Japanese miniature rooms, Jacobean rooms, Shaker style rooms -- all itty-bitty and really cool.

Back outside, I went Mies van der Rohe hunting. Mies is my favorite architect, and his buildings are dotted all over downtown. I bought this little booklet in the Museum of Contemporary Art's well-stocked bookshop and trotted all over craning my neck at the steel and glass structures:Crown Hall was my favorite.

I took a long, leisurely walk along the Lakefront Trail:This picturesque path runs right along the shore of Lake Michigan, and I strolled amongst the cyclists and runners. Even though it was a little gray, the view is still pretty sweet:Alas, I did not see Oprah out jogging.

More Chicago, including shows and shopping, tomorrow...

Homemade Cherry-Infused Goodies

It's the end of fresh fruit season here in CT (*sob*). I decided to take the last of this year's Bing cherries to make some yummy cocktail-related goodies...

First things first, I got some mason jars and pitted a whole bunch of cherries:
As a side note, I don't go for kitchen gadgets like garlic presses or panini spatulas, but this thing is definitely worth the drawer space:It's a cherry pitter from Williams-Sonoma and it makes the pitting process painless. I highly recommend it.

I chose to make homemade maraschino cherries and some cherry-infused liquor with my fresh fruit:I use maraschino cherries as a garnish in everything from Whiskey Sours to Pina Coladas. The maraschino cherries available in most stores are packed with preservatives and all kinds of artificial dyes. Making your own maraschinos is super easy, and they taste sooooo much better.

For maraschino cherries:
1. Add pitted cherries to mason jar
2. Fill jar up/cover cherries completely with Luxardo or other high quality maraschino liqueur
3. Seal jars tightly and wait about 3-4 months

My mason jars all ready to go into hibernation:
I also wanted to try a couple of cherry-infused liquors, and chose to make one vodka and one bourbon infusion.

For cherry-infused liquor:
1. Add pitted cherries to mason jar
2. Add alcohol
3. Seal tightly and wait about 3-5 days
4. Pour cherry & spirit mixture through a fine strainer to remove all fruit
5. Pour alcohol back in mason jar or enjoy right away

My homemade cherry-infused bourbon (left) and vodka (right), all strained and ready to go:The vodka wasn't my favorite flavor on its own, but I'll happily use it as a mixer. I'm thinking I'll make Cherry Screwdrivers. The extra fruity flavor will be a fun kick to the orange juice.

The bourbon was a home run. The post-infusion flavor was sweet, but not sugary, and the fruit adds a little smoothness to the strong spirit. I'll drink this bourbon on its own with ice. I'll also use it to make Old Fashioneds - but only after my homemade maraschino cherries are ready in December...

Cheers!

Mel's Creamed Spinach

I grilled a giant, juicy Ribeye steak for dinner this past weekend. I wanted something steakhouse-ish to accompany the yummy main, and decided my extra flavorful creamed spinach recipe was the perfect way to go...

Creamed Spinach

Ingredients

* 2 pounds spinach, cleaned, stems trimmed
* 2.5 tablespoons butter
* 1/2 large onion, minced
* 5 garlic cloves, minced
* 4 ounces regular cream cheese, cut into small pieces
* 1/2 cup 2% milk
* kosher salt and ground pepper
* pinch nutmeg
recipe adapted from Martha Stewart
Directions

1. Boil a large pot of salted water. Once boiling, add spinach in batches and cook for 1-2 mins total. Drain spinach into a colander. Squeeze and press spinach repeatedly to remove as much water and liquid as possible. (You'll have to do a lot of squeezing and pressing, but it's worth it.) Remove spinach from colander and chop loosely. Save coarsely chopped, cooked spinach for later.

2. Heat a 6-quart saute pan over medium heat and add/melt butter. Add minced onions and garlic, stir mixture and then season with salt and pepper. Continue stirring and adding salt and pepper if necessary for about 5 mins as the onion softens.

3. Still on medium heat, pour milk in 6-quart saute pan. Add sections of cream cheese one by one. Stir constantly until cream cheese has melted and combined with other ingredients completely. Add the cooked spinach in small batches, stirring until all ingredients are combined. Simmer covered over low heat until mixture thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir again and then season with salt and pepper. Add a finishing pinch of nutmeg.Enjoy this quick, easy, downright delicious side dish!

MCM in Matchbook Magazine

A special thanks to Matchbook Magazine for including me in their September issue.

Their question: What fashion piece are you most excited to purchase this fall?

My answer:The J.McLaughlin School Boy Striped Skirt, in mustard/grey (retails for $185):I'm loving the yellow and the graphic stripes - super cute!

To read other lifestyle bloggers must-haves, check out Matchbook.

And tell me what you're first fall purchase will be...

Pain in the Neck Blog

Before my recent spinal surgery I searched online for information on posterior cervical microdiscectomy. I didn't find a lot of helpful patient-written content, so I decided to blog about my experience here:

Melissa C Morris - Pain in the Neck
In the past few months I've received lots of emails - everything from fellow herniated disc sufferers asking what helped/didn't help me to other New Yorkers wondering if I'd recommend my neurosurgeon, physical therapist, etc. All that info can be found on the new blog, so if you're interested in 'pain in the neck' posts, check it out here.