ABC Carpet & Home Presents: 'East x East' Antique Chinese Rug Exhibition

ABC Home is known for their great finds for home decor and interiors. Starting tomorrow, through the weekend, an exhibition will showcase unique and rare Asian rugs that will be for sale in New York. Read all about it below, and details for location and timings are at the bottom. Enjoy! Tweet (@lavanpoise) or Instagram (@lacevanillaandpoise) us a picture of your visit or buy. We'd love to see it. Don't forget to tag us and hash-tag #abccarpetandhome!

From the far-east to the east coast, ABC Carpet & Home is pleased to bring you “East x East,” a premiere exhibition of over 300 Chinese antique rugs dating from the mid 19^th century to the early 1930’s. Theexhibition will be on view from Thursday, February 28th through Sunday, March 31st in the Antique Rug Gallery (6th Floor) at  ABC Carpet & Home.

For the first time, this assortment of unusual and rare Ninxghia, Peking's, Mongolians Khotans and Art Deco Chinese rugs, will be available for purchase at ABC Carpet & Home.

(scroll down for a sneak peek of the collection!)

Many from the region of Tianjin, where weavers first introduced secondary color palettes, these uncommon, eye-catching designs blend old world style and haute deco character. Design elements include surreal pictorial scenes, exotic flowers, and asymmetrical patterns with rich vibrant colors and jewel tones. Sizes range from 2’x3’ to 13’x20’.

This collection is composed of some of the most unique rugs in the market today. Highly sought after by collectors and consumers alike, Chinese Art Deco rugs of this sort are widely appreciated for their individuality, just as any truly great work of art.

With the resurgence of Asian influence in design and fashion, many designers are taking cultural cues and inspiration from the exotic design motifs of rugs and textiles in this realm. This unprecedented exhibition combines history and design to actualize an inspirational experience that will take the viewer on a visually stimulating yet historical journey.

Here's (including the above two) a sneak peek of the collection that will be available tomorrow onwards:

Locations and Timings:

Thursday, February 28^th through Sunday, March 31^st - Exhibition

Address: Antique Rug Gallery

888 Broadway, 6th Floor

New York, NY 10003

Monday to Wednesday: 10am to 7pm

Thursday: 10am to 8pm

Friday & Saturday: 10am to 7pm

Sunday: 12pm to 6pm

Links:

http://www.abchome.com

http://www.abccarpet.comhttp://www.abckitchennyc.com

http://www.abchomeandplanetfoundation.org

All information and pictures provided by ABC Carpet & Home

BIG NEWS: I'm moving...!

I'm moving to New York City

Dubai --> New York

Things have been busy and hectic lately! That's why the posting has been super light!

I will be updating the blog a lot more regularly now and with so many more fun posts and updates from life in 'the city'!

I love Dubai, but I'm so excited for this new experience and can't wait to share it with you!

More recipes, tips on how to live on a budget, restaurant reviews, pictures, all in addition to the regular posts! Get ready to add LVP to your browser homepage! (If it isn't already!!)

The next week or so will be super busy with moving and flying, furnishing, getting settled in, etc. 

I will try to update as much as I can, but forgive me if the normal posts don't start till end of August, early September! I will be updating my Facebook page regularly thought, so stay tuned for sure!

Love you guys for your support, and I'm excited for the next year!

Love, Ferwa

Photo via tumblr

NYC: Brooklyn Diner (Times Square)

When I got back from my winter in NYC, I promised a bunch of new reviews

 of places to eat in the city. So here's the first one. While trying many different

places for breakfast, one I went to more than once was Brooklyn Diner.

(Went there a couple times because of taste and convenience) 

{via}

Unlike it's name suggests, the diner is located right in the heart of Times

Square & contrary to my first thought, it's not crazy tourist packed.

Although the people sitting in might all be tourists, it certainly doesn't

feel like it. (i.e. no lost tourists asking for directions, back packs and coats

tossed everywhere, no screaming kids....very calm and 'normal'). 

The menu has all the usuals and more. Below is what my family & I

tried out while there. And one thing at the diner had us coming back

for more every morning!

Above: The drinks we ordered (as named in the picture)

The milkshake was pretty good, the rest, just as expected.

No disappointments.

<-- I ordered this as well, and it tasted amazing.

Above: The food we ordered (when we went back it was usually because of the ice cream/pancakes/cookies). A very indulgent breakfast!

(the whipped cream - fresh and homemade at the diner,

I finished it before the pancakes even arrived! [don't judge!])

From their menu: 

The 'Valrhona' is the one in the picture, and as a chocolate

chip pancake it was amazing! And to add to it, they use

Valrhona chocolate. Which is only the best chocolate to 

use for cooking/baking! It really makes a difference in

the taste!

This is the omelette + crispy polenta fries, and regular 

french fries

The french fries were okay, a big soft for my liking

The polenta - not my thing! Tried it for the first time

don't think I would order it again.

We also, once, tried the red velvet waffle, which as pictured is 

as expected. However from the menu you can see the order is

pretty heavy, so we opted to skip the frosting! The regular waffle

is pretty good too.

The BIG DEAL. This chocolate chip cookie is the best of it's kind.

It's almost the size of a regular dining plate (as seen in the picture).

It has chunks - not chips - chunks of Valrhona chocolate inside, and is soft,

chewy, crispy from the outside, and warm (freshly baked!). I'm serious, this 

was the main thing that we came back to the diner for (3 mornings in a row)!

There were a couple other things I would've liked to have tried, like the lemon

and blueberry pancakes. Most of the items on their breakfast menu seems

like it wouldn't disappoint

Some other pictures of the diner itself:

The great view from the tables by the window

The diner is adorned with all kinds of sweets, not to

mention the amazing Wayne Theibaud reprints!

The diner is pretty big, spacious and although full, you usually get a place to sit (also depends on what time you get there)

The pricing was pretty average in comparison to other main diners in the city.

For more info on the diner checkout their website: BrooklynDiner

I hope this post was helpful and fun. If you're in the area, at least drop in for the cookie!

All photos by & copyright of LVP

Menu clippings via BrooklynDiner.com

A Walk Down 5th Ave.

The shops down 5th avenue have some of the best window displays. I had read about the Bergdorf Goodman & Tiffany's and then I luckily had the chance to see them during my trip to New York as well as some others. Personally the Bergdorf and Tiffany's topped my list. Although Cartier's was really cute too. I think this year was probably the best as a whole.


Take a look & enjoy:

The tiffany windows consisted of carousel exteriers and a large crystal cut like 

glass window. When you look through each one, a minature scene of snow,

 jewels, and holiday spirit can be seen, with a different scene in each window.

Other windows, and the hanging snowflake in the middle of 5th ave.

These were some other windows: Tommy Hilfiger and Fendi

The Cartier building!

All photos are the property and copyrighted to lace, vanilla, & poise ©

NYC: Pommes Frites

As some of you might have figured, this place has to do with fries! (yumm!)

However, these aren't just any fries, they are THE fries to have. Located in Manhattan's East Village (can also be called NoHo) this place is great for a meal, snack, or just because.



The place serves authentic, indulgent worthy, Belgian fries. And apparently the secret to these goodies are, that they're fried twice. Using fresh potatoes these frites are fried once to be cooked thoroughly and twice for the golden crispy crust!

Photo via

Did You Know: In many places in Europe (if not all), fries eaten with ketchup can be considered as an insult to the chef, as if the fries weren't good enough. Europeans have indulged in fries, or frites, for many years in all kinds of sauces and dips.



Where you enter, and where you place your order - Of course they have different sizes and a whole menu to choose from (note: The sign outside that reads home made sauces)



And Pommes Frites brings you just that. With an endless list of sauces and dips, for the likes of all, from normal to fancy-shmancy, there's something for everyone, and so many you'll want to try, you'll just have to come back for more. (and they do serve ketchup as well, keeping the American customer in mind!)




One of the things I loved about the tables - the holes made especially for you to keep your fries! Unique, thoughtful and convenient.

The customer service is very friendly and almost family like.  The price is very affordable with prices starting at just $4.50 and each sauce at only $1 each. And personally, the taste and value of the whole experience definitely overweighs the price! {I'm very picky about dirty restaurants}

The sauces are also convinently listed in a chart with all sorts of categories; spicy, nuts, vegan, etc, etc. To make it much easier for those with dietary limits and/or allergies!



The Pommes Frites policy is that all customers can and are welcome to sample their fries and sauces before finalizing their order. How nice!



The place is warm, cozy and casual. With wooden interiors, and the back wall lined up with bags of fresh potatoes (held back by wooden planks - see image below) the authentic feel of the place echoes the authenticity of the food and taste.

Photo via

Location:
123 2nd Ave New York, NY 10003


Tel: 212 - 675 - 1234

Hours:
Sunday - Thursday: 11:30am to 1:00am
Friday - Saturday 11:30 - 3:30 am


Website: PommesFrites.ws

I highly recommend a visit at the least

Enjoy! And feel free to send over your experience at the place to laceandvanilla@gmail.com!

Rebecca Minkoff - nyfw

Yesterday LVP tuned into the Live stream video on style.com to watch the Rebecca Minkoff show. As always with her work, we were impressed. 

Her S/S 12 collection includes brighter hues, color blocking, simple clean cuts and as many other shows this week, the color palette includes lots of yellows and blues but also infuses reds and browns - all good alternatives to this past summer's bright bright colors.

Here are a few screen shots from her show - sorry for some of the blurry images!

Waiting for the show to start...

...and the show begins!

We love that jacket!

And her purses of course never fail to impress

interesting use of neon yellows, in both the clothes and clutch (bright but not over powering)

Lots of flow-y, loose tops and graphic prints

The Designer herself

We wish her all the best with her soon to be born baby! 

NYC: Levain Bakery

Photo: levainbakery.com

This summer LVP visited Levain Bakery in New York City

Zagat Rated, and known as the best chocolate chip cookies, the visit to Levain Bakery was inevitable while in New York

Photo: by LVP

A small bakery on Manhattan's Upper West Side is home to these delicious cookies

Photo: by LVP

The cute place is about four steps down (literally down stairs) from the walk way on 167 West 74th St

Photo: by LVP

Being allergic to nuts I only tried the Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip, which was DELISH! I ate over the period of two days though because it was quite big, and I was on my way to a cut café a few blocks down for lunch (more on that place soon!)



Photos: by LVP

"Possibly the largest, most divine chocolate chip cookies in Manhattan." New York Times

- via levainbakery.com

Photo: by LVP

Someone else with me tried the Original Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie, which apparently was also very good and the healthy and wholesome ingredients of these cookies should keep your guilt at bay.

Levain's other flavours/varieties:

Oatmeal Raisin

Photo: levainbakery.com

Dark Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter

Photo: levainbakery.com


Chip Hope this inspires your next trip to NYC or the Upper West Side and/or was just fun to read. 
Until Next Time...
À Bientôt!