Baltic Bound!

We're slipping into a jet plane to Copenhagen this evening! We'll be enjoying our second honeymoon with our second cruise visiting ports in Estonia, Russia, Finland, Sweden and returning to Denmark! Keep up with our adventures via my Twitter and Instagram- keisharose10038!

Rain Room at MoMa

When was the last time you visited the MoMa? It's been over a year for me! The newly integrated Rain Room exhibition is a great reason to schlep uptown! Designed by Random International, the interactive exhibit is composed of a room of heavy downpour which seemingly evaporates around your body as you enter and move around in the room. Gothamist describes the experience as mesmerizing...and warns "Move too quickly, however, and you can get good and soaked if want." More detail at MoMa and watch a video of the showing in London at Gothamist.

Beauty Protector Protect and Detangle

Are you familiar with Birchbox? Last weekend, a bartender that follows me on Instagram thanked me (with a glass of champagne!) for introducing it to her by way of my photos, "I got a subscription for myself and my mother- we're obsessed!" 

Regardless, I must admit I was a bit disappointed with my May box...which swapped one beauty product for a pen. It's not a particularly unique pen. To throw a little salt in: it's pink. I work at an investment bank. Pink pen=stink eye. Waste not! I will use it until it runs out and they can shut their pie holes.

But I digress...there was one product, which picked up the slack for the sad pen: Beauty Protector Protect and Detangle. Allow me to set the scene:

Saturday afternoon, lower Manhattan. Morning rain dissolved, my husband and I popped over to the Lonestar Chili Cook Off for beer, sangria and chili sampling and voting. Albeit muggy, the chili samples were great (crab with chickpeas was among my favorites) and the venue packed. As the event neared the final few hours and the supplies began running low, we decided to head home- no reason to over do it! 

I headed to my favorite cheap salon to  get a massage and found myself caught in a torrential rain. When I dripped into the door, I was a complete mess. I changed clothes and sprayed my hair with the Beauty Protector Protect and Detangle spray from my May Birchbox and combed it out with a hair dryer. The results were soft, sleek and shiny hair!

I will definitely purchase this product when my deluxe sample runs out!

Bella Picnic iPhone 5 Case

It's so pretty in Manhattan this afternoon! Sunny and 80 degrees, I wish I was spending it like this iPhone case-  in an eternal picnic. From designer Kate Spade, you can find it at Nordstrom.

Clumsy Cat Round Egyptian Earrings

Need a cheap thrill for your Friday night party dress? At 13 bones, these earrings from Clumsy Cat are a green light! Purchase here.

Stories We Tell

 This documentary looks good! What's better than a big bowl of warm popcorn, a glass of wine and a good documentarty?

Rainy Day Tray

One of my childhood girlfriends is in town from San Francisco this week! I had big plans to grill on our terrace tonight, but the thunderstorm with torrential rain is raising my doubts that will be a viable option. How cute is this tray for rainy day dinners inside? I'd fill it with stinky cheeses, toasty baguettes and Marcona almonds drizzled with honey. Purchase at Hello Polly.

Aqua Charm Bracelet

While I'm not really a charm bracelet personality (too much noise, interferes with ability to type), I love this puppy! Turquoise, gold, crystals? It's all there in  balance of playful beauty and charm. Purchase at Bloomingdales.

Shark Note Cards

Is there any better way to say "Happy Birthday," "Congratulations!" or "Get Well Soon!," than with shark print cards? Probably, but these are pretty fantastic, no? Purchase them at Happy Menocal.

Ancho & Cocoa Rubbed Pork Chops

We've been in our new apartment with sexy 500sq ft terrace for a hair over a month now. Grilling has become a pretty regular thing! My father emailed me this recipe from Cooking dot com for Ancho & Cocoa grilled pork chops, which I knew I had to make happen:

RECIPE INGREDIENTS 2 quarts  water 1 1/2 teaspoons  crushed red pepper Kosher salt 4   1 1/2-inch-thick boneless pork loin chops 1 tablespoon  unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tablespoon  light brown sugar 1 tablespoon  pure ancho chile powder Extra-virgin olive oil  for brushing

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine the water with the red pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and stir until the salt dissolves. Add the pork chops and let brine at room temperature for 1 hour.

Light a grill and create a cool zone. (For a charcoal grill, rake the coals to one side; for a gas grill, leave one side unlit). In a bowl, mix the cocoa, sugar and ancho powder with 1 tablespoon of salt.

I took it upon myself to modify the recipe to use 1/2 inch pork chops (the thought of a slab of 1.5 inch meet didn't sound entirely appealing) and I allowed my cuts to brine for a full 24-four hours in the fridge.

My husband mandated his own modification with the grill work, admitting "I don't know how to make a cool zone, so I'm going to do this my way."

Results? These pork chops are our new religion. My secret weapon at dinner parties. I'm taking the credit on this one: lengthy-brine, thinner chops and high quality cocoa.

Well, isn't this a delicious cocktail? One part Chris Benz (kudos to him for planning our prom at the Experience Music Project!) one part Cambridge Satchel Company, One part J.Crew. Read about Benz's  history with J.Crew and love structured bag here. View more colors and purchase here.

No, I will not fix your computer.

This tee shirt made me laugh! It's the perfect gift for the desk-side support guys that you constantly badger, or your brother, who has been chosen as official tech support for your grandmother and her ten-year lap top which she doesn't understand why she would need to upgrade. Find it at ThinkGeek.