Another wonderfully enlightening week unearthing yet another glorious layer of New York City!
And if Erin reviews these photos and decides that I have truly become a better New Yorker... I win:
THE PRIZE: A seat at her Spring 2010 show this September, a backstage pass, an invite to the after party… AND I get to borrow something from her dreamy Fall 2009 collection to wear to it all!
My friend Natalie and I went for a delicious Sunday brunch and obviously played my favorite game – Splitsies.
split-sēz: Foodie-talk for fulfilling the desire to order 4 or more items on a menu, by means of bargaining with and/or begging others at the table for committed sharing participation.
One of the dishes we ordered was the chicken salad, per Erin’s rule. I very rarely order chicken at restaurants, but this was one succulent, delicious little big bird!
We made friends with the cool people at the table next to us, upon them wondering where on earth we were from that I would be taking pictures of my chicken salad. “Awwwww,” they coo’d. I am NOT a tourist! How dare you!
Natalie had been there before and insisted the Bloody Mary's were the best in the city and that we MUST get them. Twist my arm! (They were bloody delicious indeed.)
2. Get lunch at The Modern… perfect after a walk through the MoMa.
The final day of Round 3 was a Tuesday, the same day as my lunch reservation with my sister Jessica and cousin Karen at The Modern.
Also, the same day that the MoMa has decided they will always be closed.
In my defense:
A) I’ve been to the MoMa already this calendar year.
B) If you read the rule carefully, it doesn’t actually SAY I need to go to the MoMa. Just that it’s a “perfect” prelude to the lunch. In theory.
C) Lunch itself was a Splitsies extravaganza – and a full exhibit of modern culinary art! Exhibit A: The Slow Poached Farm Egg In A Jar with Maine lobster, sunchokes and sea urchin froth. (This was after all 3 Lapidos girls attacked and de-frothed.)
We also got the Tarte Flambee, Flounder Tartare, Roasted Long Island Duck Breast, the Beignets (doughnut-like balls of bliss) and the Hazenut Dacquoise with milk chocolate chantilly. We deserve to be fat.
3. Have dinner at Minetta Tavern.I couldn’t get a reservation any time before 11:00pm. It was reassuring to see that J-Lo, Marc Anthony and their posse were also just getting started! (I’m sure they, too, had trouble getting an earlier reservation.)
It included this divine Salade de Homard, dressed Maine lobster with celeriac remoulade. 
I spoke to J-Lo briefly on the way out, in hopes of finding out her favorite New York spot - either currently, or from her “Jenny from the Block” days. She replied: “Hmm, I don’t know,” and looked at her friend, seemingly trying to come up with an answer. “Yeah, I don’t know. I’ve been in LA too long!”
So much for Jenny from the Block!
This happy hour made me wish I did happy hour all the time. You can’t go wrong with a ginger drink in a gold chalice. I had a few drinks with my friends Tasha, Mallory and a fun new Twitter friend Christina! I saw Erin there too on the way out... she said she liked it, and she meant it! (Photo was taken outside afterwards - snapping pics during a happy hour like that are just too tacky. Even for me.)
5. See the Model as Muse exhibit at the MET.This is how much I loved this exhibit: it was a sunny Saturday afternoon and I spent 2 hours in a museum. If you have any appreciation for models, fashion magazines, clothing, or the quirky personalities of our culture-rich twentieth century decades… you will love it too.
I went with my friend Sabrina, founder and editor of A New Mode, and she enjoyed it just the same. And, like any good fashion show, there was obviously an after party. Sangria on the rooftop of the Met – a strong finish indeed!
The twangy grunge band and potato chips threw me off a little upon arrival, but it took just a few moments to start enjoying the cool, airy loft space with an even cooler crop of attendees. (And they were really good potato chips!) One particular very handsome MAC model/waiter was very attentive and made sure I was never without a glass of wine. More on that under #10. A lot of people came out to support artist Richard Phillips’ new fall makeup line for MAC. Erin Fetherston was there of course, as well as Ed Westwick and Jessica Szohr, Amy Sacco, Gareth Pugh, Cynthia Rowley, David Foote and a host of others.
Here's one of his sexy art pieces for the collection. FYI it's upside-down art, a right-side-up photo
7. Go rollerblading along the West Side Highway OR go play tennis – 2 of the greatest summertime activities.Dear Erin,
I now have a new favorite summer activity, workout routine, and mode of transportation. I went rollerblading from Chelsea Pier to the Boat Basin, down to Christopher Street and then (illegally on the sidewalk) over to Union Square. Four hours of roly poly easy breezy deliciousness. Thank you so much for this rule. Blades. Of. Glory.
Love,
Michelle
The only thing scarier than me, rolling atchya on blades for the first time in 8 years not knowing how to stop? A motorcycle brigade on the West Side Highway.
Sunday Funday re-defined. PS. Natalie loves Big Brother. All y'all cult fans out there, talk to this one. 
I borrowed my sister Jessica’s rollerblades for the occasion! I was thrilled to not only pick up the moves again almost immediately – but to also find a sticker on the bottom of them with my name. Busted Jess.
Part 1 - shop at Whole Foods: I took a trip to Whole Foods on day one and stocked up on some organics. I took the opportunity to buy mostly all foods I have never tried before.
I realized when I got back to my office that I had bought a Seed and Nut Spread for $23.99. Blasphemy! I polled my followers: “Return…or…you only live once?” I got mixed feedback (and a certain off-color remark about being able to "get plenty of that for free." Ahem.) But after a week I decided: You only live once.
The review: A goopy peanuttbutter-tahini-style dance party on my seedy, organic rice cakes. I will eat it for many lunches and think about how much I am saving not eating things like.. um.. a slow poached farm egg in a jar with maine lobster, sunchoke and sea urchin froth.
Part 2 - Shop at a local farmer’s market: When I illegally rollerbladed over to Union Square on Sunday, it was for this very reason. There is always a local farmer’s market on Sundays, except , courtesy of Murphy’s Law, that one. So I upped the ante, and attended a James Beard Foundation tasting event Tuesday night to support local, fresh fruits and vegetables for hungry New Yorkers in West Harlem. Help support this wonderful charity, too!
The last facial I had gotten was a Bat Mitzvah present. My 2nd facial ever was this one at Yasmine’s also known as: The Madonna Facial. I don’t do baby steps.
Madonna didn’t just wake up 50 with a taut, glowing face! Thanks to Intraceuticals, the system used by Yasmine Djerradine, I too have experienced the wonders that oxygen technology can do for your skin. It is a charming little spa with a spiritual, Moroccan ambiance and is known for its world-renowned expert technicians and innovative treatments.
10. Dating advice: New York men are spoiled. IMPORT!
I am admittedly notorious for dating Jewish Long Island boys. Love you boys, but this was a much needed rule in my life.
A tall, dark and handsome British-Indian import of who I’ve known for a few months invited me to the SoHo House to meet him for wine and sunset. That rooftop is the quintessential European haven in New York - the ideal backdrop for my imported date.
We relaxed in lounge chairs by the pool, shared two bottles of Italian rose, laughed at the balding suckers wearing collared shirts and loafers with no socks, and he told me I needed better rules. Like jumping in the SoHo House pool after 7pm when it's not allowed, getting a table at Monkey Bar at 8 pm on a Friday when it's impossible, and projecting a giant image of his face on the penthouse of the building we were looking at. He’s a writer for The New York Times and New York Magazine, and admittedly more New York than most natives. That small fact overlooked, I imported a fantastically fun date, and this rule has made me want to think more broadly about my options. And suspend my rabbi-sponsored JDate profile.
I also met a handful of other imported, good-looking men this week - PLEASE weigh in on which you think I should take up on date offers! (Note: Anyone not born and bred in the tri-state area counts as an import to me.)
1. The MAC model/waiter of rule #6. Born and raised in Texas, now lives in New Jersey. Also: The next possible face of granola.
2. A Canadian friend of a friend who I met Saturday night after Minetta Tavern. He opted for the BBM exchange at first sight, and offered me the opportunity to design a line of furniture for his company. (I've started sketching!)
3. A Bostonian who would like to take me to his most favorite bar in all of New York: The Tempest, on 30th and 8th.
4. A chiropractor from Buffalo who owns a medical healing center that, if memory serves me correct, is steps from Bloomingdale's on 59th. (This just in: it's 3:30 AM and I just got a text from him asking to come over. Ummmm.... not a good look for a 30-something PhD!)
5. A German-born, Kenyan-raised world-famous mixologist who I'm pretty sure has lived on every continent that is not frozen over, and reportedly makes a vanilla martini that causes women to fall in love with him.
One more thing on the imports.
The morning I published the rules of the week, a Twitter friend of mine suggested:
And lo and behold... that night at the Richard Phillips MAC Party... I did. :)
Okay, so we didn't snog, but I'm sure that if Jessica Szohr wasn't there we would have!
11. Go to the Bronx Zoo. Walk through the Butterfly House.
After my Oxygen facial, a stroll around Barney’s, seeing Model as Muse, and getting an afternoon sangria buzz on the Met rooftop, I couldn’t think of anything better to do than hop a Pehlam Bay Park bound 5 train - and actually take it to Pehlam Bay Park. To a land where thousands animals and little children would surely make it known to me that they wish they could roam free.
I met my friend Lindsay there, who informed me earlier in the week that she had passes to the Butterfly House, which is otherwise an extra $3. Score!
We saw the pretty fluttering butterflies, adorable monkeys, peaceful sun-soaked sea lions, gorgeous wild dogs, enchanting giraffes, a world of slimy cool reptiles, and more. We rode the carousel. We took silly pictures.
Had it not been for this rule, I can’t imagine I would have gone to the zoo again until I had kids of my own. I’m so glad Erin threw this in there last minute! A great afternoon getaway, and a truly iconic New York experience. 
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