Manhattan Museums, Bend Breweries and Brands that Remind Us of The White Lotus
Also, an eBay wishlist item inspired by “10 Things I Hate About You”!
Hi friends,
This month, we’re talking art galleries hidden inside brownstones, OT-approved spy shows, where to shop for cookbooks in PDX and NYC and the importance of pre-bedtime loungewear that's different from what you actually sleep in. We end with a dash of celeb gossip and also take a moment of silence for… silence?
Happy shopping, reading, eating!
Cait + Rach
Open Tabs
CP: We’ve reached that point in late winter where I can’t remember what it’s like to leave the house without HeatTech on. But, thankfully, you can stay warm AND inspired in NYC by visiting some of the city’s many museums. I planned to go to The Frick earlier this month before it relocated back to its original location inside a gorgeous, historic mansion. But, when I showed up at the temporary spot (the Met Bruer, former home of Flora Bar — RIP!!) it was closed because all pieces were already in transit back! Now I’m even more compelled to go when it officially reopens.
In the meantime, I’m planning a trip to Emma Scully Gallery next week. Emma is a Manhattan native (a thing that will always be impressive to me) and has already hosted some very cool artists in her gallery’s first few years, like cult-fave ceramicist Simone Bodmer-Turner. Excited to see who she’s showing now.
While uptown, I just learned that you can go into the famed auction house, Christies, as just a mere mortal looking to browse!! Obviously, not in the market to buy anything there myself, but it feels like a “when in Rome” New York thing to do. The ultimate window-shop experience!
More downtown, I’m curious about Old Friend Photo Booth and the new-ish natural wine bar, Lai Rai. Would be a cute one-two punch to do both on the same date night!
As for online shopping, Mr Larkin just dropped this early contender for my birthday dress. I also am loving this white, floral top from éliou and am lusting after this bag from Khaite. Here is a half-priced ish dupe for it (you already know I don’t do math) and a similar, even cheaper option. Clearly, in a spring/summer shopping mindset already! Wishful thinking….
RKH: Dress/shop for the season you want!! I’ve been back on my eBay stalking lately - on my watch list: this I Like Flowers Hermes scarf (would be so pretty framed!), this LL Bean chunky sweater, this Ralph Lauren suede fringe jacket that I’ve talked about before, this dark green Prada backpack, and a few more things I unfortunately have to gatekeep as I can’t risk being swooped!!
CP: My brain simply cannot read the words “Prada backpack” and not think of “I like my Sketchers, but I *love* my Prada backpack.”
RKH: On the home front, all of a sudden Alana is very active and moving so much, and baby proofing/tweaks to our space are top of mind for me. We’ve had the same marble coffee table for years, and while we won’t be saying goodbye forever it is definitely not baby-safe. Since unfortunately this $2K option made of a repurposed Turkish rugs is off the table, I’ve been eyeing this brown and white striped ottoman - and particularly this dupe that’s available at Wayfair for half the price. She’s also rapidly expanding her footprint in our (not large) house with soo many new toys and baby things, so I’m on the hunt for a cute receptacle - I’m leaning toward some kind of rattan basket. I have a vision of a rattan/wicker treasure chest but have not been able to find - dear readers, if you see one, could you let a girl know? In the meantime, I like the trolley and house shaped basket from Zara, this PB Kids scalloped storage bin or this rattan trunk. More impractically (because I’m still me, aren’t I?), I also love this whimsical set of three raffia toy chests (cute), or this smaller raffia storage bin with an A on it (SO CUTE!).
Closed Tabs
CP: Keeping with the gallery-hopping theme, I had the chance to stop by Future Perfect earlier this month and was blown away by their setup. They essentially gutted a West Village townhouse and created a shoppable gallery of gorgeous homewares and art. Every space was staged to look like a room someone could actually live in! It was sort of bizarre to see a (probably very expensive) sculpture or antique copper lamp set up near a still-functional bathtub, but having it all displayed “in situ” made it easier to envision their pieces in your own home. One standout (that felt very OT to me) were a pair silver martini coups that had abalone shells and garnets welded into them — will post it to our IG for any visual learners!
Similarly design-y, I popped into People’s a few weeks ago. It’s part art salon, part cozy cocktail lounge. The basement-level bar is located in an unassuming brownstone with an unmarked entrance, like a speakeasy. Once inside, a host pulls back a literal curtain and the space opens into three distinct rooms — each impeccably but distinctly decorated and accented with vintage paper lanterns for that perfect level of sexy-but-not-too-dark lighting. Also cool — every art piece on their walls is from an up-and-coming artist and is available for purchase!
Another easy on the eyeballs spot — we went to DAE for a cocktail on Valentine’s Day and I was reminded what a gem it is. We usually go during the day for their matchas or corn lattes (sounds weird but it’s sooo good! Salty sweet), so it was a treat to stop by at night. Their space is minimal, with lots of chrome finishes, a killer sound system and gorgeous glassware.
Lastly, we had a truly excellent meal start-to-finish at Pitt’s in Redhook. The Agi’s Counter team really out-did themselves with this one! The menu was southern-leaning (think pimento cheese and fried saltines) but felt very original and fresh, too. The cocktails were also great — Mike snagged a Gibson riff called the “Rosie” (one of us had to!) and I had their version of a Gimlet. But the star was, without a doubt, the pancake soufflé. Fluffy, indulgent, drizzled with maple syrup tableside — heaven!
As for shopping, lately I’ve had some budget-friendly purchases really pay off. Starting with these $90 low, flat black loafers from Pechě. I‘ve been shocked at how comfortable and wearable they are! I’m wearing them as I type this with these cashmere socks from J Crew, which I also recommend. Additionally, I found this $40 cozy cream ribbed set on H&M that rivals Guest In Residence for elevated loungewear. I’ve been shifting gears from normal clothes into these before it’s time to put on my Skims pajamas (per Rach’s rec!) for bed. Which is kind of “shirt before the shirt” of me!
RKH: 100% aligned with the shirt before the shirt. Pre-bedtime loungewear is an entirely different category than what you wear to actually sleep!
I’ve been shopping for a wedding I’m going to in Palm Springs in March (can’t waitttt to be warm!). I had mentally bookmarked the brand L’idee after seeing a gal wearing the most gorgeous dress IRL at my friend Boriana’s wedding, and pulled the trigger on this dress that I’m very excited to wear! I also had the satisfying experience of winning this Alemais dress in an eBay bid which I think will be a fun option for night one! I reallyyyyy am dying over this pant and top set from the same brand (very White Lotus!). Both Australian brands - something in the water over there that makes them design the most beautiful clothing!
In winter escapes that are the opposite of Palm Springs, we recently spent a long weekend in Bend with Gaw’s parents and had such a nice time! Bopped around town to some old faithfuls and new go-to’s, including: everyone’s favorite Boss Rambler, Brother Jon’s (a great local rec from local cutie and OT reader Madi!), and Zydeco. I’m sure many of the readers of OT have been to Bend and/or have their rotation of favorites, but thought I’d share a few more just in case - Discovery Park’s dog park followed by coffee and a pastry from Sparrow, Valentine’s Deli for sammies, Wild Rose Thai for takeout, El Sancho for tacos and margs. For brewskis and hanging, obviously Boss Rambler, Crux and sitting outside at Bend Brewing. For shopping, I love Old Boy Vintage and Revival Vintage, and bopping around at Old Iron Works Artists District - getting a cute coffee at Cafe des Chutes and then browsing Howl, Gathered Wares and all the other shops. I feel like we’ve just started getting more into our Bend visits and I’m excited to keep adding to the list of favs, and would love any and all recs. I also finally felt brave enough to wear my faux fur bucket hat from the 2022 Zero Waste Daniel collection for ThredUP, and tried cross country skiing for the first time which was unexpectedly fun and a sneaky workout! Both very winter chic and fun!
Two more restaurant recs for Portland peeps - went to the recently opened Fantino on Division last weekend and LOVED. Highly recommended for cozy Italian in a beautifully updated space. And also Mémoire Cà Phê off of Alberta. Had a very quick bite here last weekend, and although we were in a little bit of a rush everything was delish. Can confirm the breakfast sandwich is great, and my one bite of Becca’s savory waffle was so good, too.
And then lastly, a recent on a whim Sephora purchase that I’ve been really loving - the Tatcha Kissu lip mask. I feel like my lips have been craving moisture with how dry it’s been, and this is a much more effective alternative to the Laneige lip mask, IMO. Plus, the little gold spoon applicator that sits on top of the lid feels so fancy to use!
Open Books
CP: While on my museum day journey, I decided to stick my head into Kitchen Arts and Letters and am so glad I did. It’s a teeny tiny food/wine bookstore on the Upper East Side that’s been around forever. I bought two books that were already on my list (Delicious by Ruth Reichl and As They Were by MFK Fisher) and regret not getting more! Strong rec for anyone at all interested in cookbook collecting (me) or food writing (also me).
Currently on my nightstand — The Dishwasher, a book about a gambling addict in Montreal who gets a job as a, you guessed it, dishwasher at a fine-dining restaurant and chaos ensues. After that, I’ll dive into Vantage Point, a book described as “a gothic novel about the downfall of one of America’s wealthiest families.” Succession-adjacent? You know I’m sold! Especially in light of Roman Roy winning a well-deserved Oscar.
RKH: Next time you’re in Portland you’ll have to make a trip to Vivienne - amazing selection of cookbooks! I mentioned in our last send that I was excited to read The Motherload - I loved that book! A very honest and unflinching take on postpartum depression and anxiety, yet also very funny. Also sent me down a rabbit hole of stalking Sarah Hoover and her husband Tom Sachs. On my list next are Bear and Yield: The Journal of an Artist.
Open Obsessions
CP: Maybe this has something to do with the fact that our government is crumbling before our eyes (😩) but lately I’ve been on a roll with FBI agent-type shows — The Recruit (great), The Night Agent (also great), Prime Target (not as great), Slow Horses (next up). I think it’s subconsciously soothing to see fictional US government agents doing some good? The Recruit was one of my favorite shows last year and really solidified Noah Centieno’s Mark Ruffalo adjacency for me. He perfectly plays the earnest goofball leading man who’s constantly talking himself out of trouble. Season 2 wasn’t as well-paced, but it’s action-packed with just enough comic relief sprinkled in. Celeb gossip bonus — Noah is allegedly dating Zoe Kravitz? Here for it!
RKH: Ok we loved The Night Agent!! Gaw will also be thrilled to hear you’re going to watch Slow Horses. I personally had to bow out (I have a hard time when the spies get too British/MI5-y, and also when there’s just too much people talking in rooms … yawn), but he loves.
Ok my obsession I feel like will make the parents who read OT laugh, but currently I’m very into ~silence~ (lol). Driving with no music, walks with no AirPods, working without a random pod on. My own thoughts are loud enough! In early baby days, the overwhelming auditory stimulation was something I talked about a lot with my therapist … like how even when it’s “quiet” time, it isn’t really quiet with the sound machines blasting white noise, etc. So any moment with no sound at all feels like a rare treat! Seeking it out wherever possible.
CP: An unplugged walk sounds relaxing and honestly — quite chic. Bonus, you’ll never have to worry about accidentally dropping a single AirPod into a gutter! Which happened before and now plagues my thoughts every time I pop mine in. Fool me once!
That’s all for issue #14! To see more of what we ate, linked to or chatted about, follow our Instagram @opentabsletter or shop all of our issues here.
