TresSugar

Momofuku's David Chang Talks Sabbaticals and San Francisco

YumSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:00:48 -0800

We've always been huge fans of New York chef and restaurateur David Chang: He was Sugar's pick for Best Restaurant Chef of 2008. By fusing innovative flavor combinations and haute kitchen techniques with casual dining, the Momofuku overlord revolutionized the restaurant scene in America.

What's most refreshing about Chang, however, are his irreverent demeanor and unapologetic opinions. Even though I'd interviewed him before, when I heard Chang and his co-author, New York Times writer Peter Meehan, were in town promoting their new bible, the Momofuku Cookbook, I couldn't resist chatting with them. His two cents on culinary trends, TV, and Top Chef Masters, after the jump.

Campbell's Emphasizes Oodles of Noodles With New Campaign

YumSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:30:02 -0700

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of its celebrated chicken noodle soup, food company Campbell's has really used its noodle. Yesterday, the 140-year-old company launched a bold campaign called "Slurp" to get consumers to think about its staid soup in a new way.

To promote the fact that there are 32 feet of egg noodles in every can of its chicken noodle soup, the corporation partnered with ad agency BBDO New York and Traction Creative. They've erected a giant billboard with a 54-foot noodle coming out of it, which appears to be slurped by a mannequin standing in a window three stories above.The billboard is near Manhattan's Times Square and will be displayed on the corner of 7th Avenue and 53rd Street for the next four weeks, where it will attract plenty of attention in a high-traffic area.

The campaign is cute - I only wish I could see the billboard in person! - and I learned something new (I would never have guessed there are 32 feet of noodles in every Campbell's can). What do you think of the marketing effort? Does it make you want to buy Campbell's chicken noodle soup?

Source: Flickr User Vagamundos

Coveted Crib: Abbijane Schifrin's Technicolor Townhouse

CasaSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:00:33 -0700

The Gramercy Park townhouse of the late fashion designer Abbijane Schifrin is on the market for $8.75 million, and it's truly a dream. The five-story 1855 building sits on a delightful, tree-lined street and looks quite prim from the exterior, with a pair of 21 Club-esque jockeys and a cast-iron gate. But inside the house is dressed with glitzy gilt walls, bright turquoise and pink paint, and Mediterranean-style arts and crafts tilework - a drastic deviation from what passersby see. Dramatic art-deco furniture, animal-print upholstery make the zany space a treat to tour. The style is not for everyone but definitely fun! See more photos when you read more.

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Before and After: A Change in Chelsea

CasaSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:00:21 -0700

Camila of High-Heeled Foot in the Door is at it again! This time the DIY expert and interior designer conquered her young sister's apartment in Chelsea, NYC, which is shared with two roommates. Communal living spaces often pose a problem, as each roommate has her own tastes, and recent grads often can't afford to be spending their hard-earned mula on décor. So with a budget of only $350, Camila made over her sister's living/kitchen/dining area. As you can see, this wall with cupboards was a bit of wreck before. She says, "I swear the busted chair was just like that. I did not stage it!" Want to see the after photo? Then read more.

A few punches of color face off with plain vanilla walls - and win. She painted the cabinets with chalkboard paint, which is ideal for notes between roomies. And the stools flanking the cabinets were a curbside find, which she upholstered in chic gray stripes. Accessories and some cute embroideries add girlish flair. This project is an inspiring one; it's not complicated, but it's certainly happy! See more before and after photos of the apartment at High-Heeled Foot in the Door!

Yummy Links: From Clinton Kelly to Guy Fieri

partysugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:15:17 -0700

What Not to Wear's Clinton Kelly's ultimate guide to entertaining. - The Epi-Log
A detailed inside look at the New York Wine and Food Festival. - Eater NY
Learn how to make perfectly boiled eggs.- Serious Eats
The simple chic approach to Fall decorating. - Hostess With the Mostess
What's the difference between a digestif and an apéritif? - Chow
10 things Anthony Bourdain and David Chang hate. - Grub Street NY
On Saturday Night Live, Guy Fieri gets attacked by birds. - Eat Me Daily

Jennifer Aniston Dreams of Opening a Mexican Eatery in NYC

YumSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:00:20 -0700

As it turns out, those purported rumors of Jennifer Aniston hoping to open a restaurant are actually true.

On The Tonight Show, the star of the new movie Love Happens confirmed that she does, in fact, want to be a restaurateur. Aniston told talk show host Conan O'Brien:

I've always wanted to open a restaurant. My dad had a restaurant in New York City, called The Fives, in the days of yore. And that always was fun . . . New York needs a great Mexican restaurant . . . I love Mexican food! And usually, a really great night is had in a Mexican restaurant, no?

The movie star, who was a waitress "for a good couple years" before her acting career took off, even said she'd be up for a guest-server stint. To see her talk about the hopeful venture further, keep reading.

Claude and Francois-Xavier Lalanne's Sculptures to Graze on Park Avenue

CasaSugar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 05:30:19 -0700

In conjunction with the Paul Kasmin Gallery, the New York City Parks Public Art Program will debut the first ever, large-scale outdoor exhibition in the US of Claude & François-Xavier
Lalanne’s sculptures along Park Avenue from Sept. 13 to Nov. 20.

The exhibit, on multiple sites along Park, will include more than eight monumental works by the influential couple, including François-Xavier’s famed "Moutons," which I've featured on CasaSugar before. The epoxy and bronze woolly animals will be featured in a life-size flock of 12 sheep and lambs.

Hear about other works in the exhibit when you read more.

Some of the exhibit's other best-known works will be featured, including Claude's "Pomme de New York," a large-scale bronze sculpture of an apple, epitomizing the city’s iconic image; François-Xavier’s "Singe Avisé," a pensive, cross-legged monkey; and Claude's "Choupatte," an anthropomorphized cabbage with bird’s feet.

If you happen to be in Manhattan during the exhibition, you simply must stop by. Not only is it the first major outdoor show of the Lalannes’ work, but it's also a very rare treat to see the pieces in person. That is, unless you are Marc Jacobs, who owns his very own Lalanne sheep.

Photo courtesy of Paul Kasmin Gallery

The Skinniest House in NYC: Guess How Much?

SavvySugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:30:42 -0700

Located at 75 1/2 Bedford St. in Greenwich Village, the narrowest house in NYC is 9 1/2 feet wide and 42 feet long (it's the center home, pictured left). The three-story, 990-square-foot house, once occupied by anthropologist Margaret Mead and poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, is now on the market. Can you guess how much the owners are asking for the skinniest house in NYC?

Take the quiz

Metropolitan Home's Showtime House Returns For Season Two

CasaSugar — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 05:30:00 -0700

The popularity of Showtime's original series is no secret - just ask BuzzSugar. But the opportunity for pulling design inspiration from the network's hot shows is something only Metropolitan Home has jumped on. Do you remember this morbidly chic Coveted Crib inspired by Dexter in last year's showhouse?Well, the modern decorating mag is at it again, teaming up with Showtime and a stable of over a dozen notable designers to give new meaning to the word "showhouse" with Metropolitan Home's Showtime House. This year, they've upped the ante with twice as much space in twin TriBeCa penthouses, allowing two rooms for each show. The featured shows will include Dexter, Californication, Nurse Jackie, The United States of Tara, The Tudors, and Weeds.

I've covered set design often in the past, and you'll note that many sets are influenced by the work of prominent interior designers. So what's interesting to me about this event is that the roles have flip-flopped, with designers finding inspiration in television instead. Better yet, we can all visit the home, which is open to the public on weekends between Sept. 19 and Oct. 18 in New York. Find more details here, and stay tuned for photos!

Coveted Crib: Julianne Moore's West Village Townhouse

CasaSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 06:15:00 -0700

You may remember Julianne Moore's living room, which was featured in Domino, and which she actually designed herself. That's right: the girl's got talent that extends beyond the silver screen and into her silver sitting room! Proof of that design skill set is Moore's very own West Village townhouse, which is on the market for $12 million.

The late 1800s home has been meticulously renovated, retaining original architectural details like crown moldings and wide plank floors, but was updated with the latest modern amenities. Moore chose my favorite color as of late - gray - as a base for several rooms. Overall, the rooms look well-traveled (heavy on the Japanese designs), a bit rustic, and comfortably polished. Who knows where she's moving, but suspicion tells me she's looking for another design project. Prepare to salivate when you see photos . . .