Dispatch from NYC: 5 things I'm loving this month

After a winter that seemed destined to swallow up spring without allowing us so much as a glimpse, May is finally upon us and it feels more or less like, well, May. To fete this occasion, I've decided to do more than simply shave my legs -- I'm sharing five places/things I can't get enough of to help you jumpstart the season. It's astonishing how much happier I am after basking in a little sunlight and swapping my parka for a luxurious leather jacket and lightweight scarf. So read quickly, then hurry along and get a lil vitamin D action. Don't forget to wear sunscreen.

1. Hu Kitchen (5th Avenue between 14th St. & 13th St.) While no one can accuse Manhattan of lacking healthy food options, Hu Kitchen has managed to carve out a niche for itself -- one I'd be happy to curl up in and feast for days on end. The restaurant and market is based around the philosophy humans ought to return to a pre-industrial diet. While I won't go into the fascinating (no sarcasm intended) details of "The Hu Pillars" (there are eight total), in essence it boils down to eating minimally processed foods with recognizable ingredients that  benefit us and the environment. Kudos to them for listing the ingredients in every dish and for substituting sugar with either organic coconut sugar, unfiltered honey or maple syrup. At Hu, the entire menu is gluten free and everything from chicken, to chocolate chia pudding, to kale salad and smoothies are offered. My go-to has been 1/4 piece of organic chicken with three sides: roasted pineapple, dairy free cauliflower puree and roasted butternut squash. Ringing in at $20 and change, it's pricey, but it's positively divine and you know what you're paying for. Take it to go, or park yourself in the rustic seating area reminiscent of the Berenstain Bears' house
 -- only, you know, significantly swankier. And no matter what you do, don't leave without trying an Hu handcrafted in Brooklyn chocolate bar. It. Will. Change. Your. Life.

One of the must-try chocolate bar flavors at Hu Kitchen

2. Tenoverten.  (Two locations, one at the Parker Meridien and another in Tribeca). Whereas most mani/pedi spots operate with the efficiency of a production line, at tenoverten you're not just another number. But even more important than the stellar customer service is the end result; the technicians are better (in my humble opinion) and totally worth the slightly higher price (manicures start at $15, pedicures at $35). The minimalist decor exudes calm, and I dare you not to find the perfect polish among a bevy of choices that include Nars and Chanel at no extra charge.

3. Bathtub Gin.  (9th Ave between 19th St. & 18th St.) No, you don't have to be a gin drinker to enjoy this Chelsea bar because I for one certainly am not. I came here on a first date recently, and embarrassingly walked by it several times before my date (who was watching me look lost the entire time), came to my rescue. Here's the thing, to enter Bathtub Gin you have to walk through a fully-operating coffee shop, the name of which escapes me. Once in, you're greeted by a bouncer at another door. This door has no name which is a tell-tale sign you've reached a "cool" destination. The atmosphere is that of a posh speakeasy, and there's a retro bathtub in the center that begs for some Instagraming (you have to hop in of course). Food wise, I only tried the duck spring rolls and they were an A-.

4. Brunch at The Dutch (Sullivan St. corner Prince St.) Whether you're craving a decadent brunch (hot fried chicken, cornmeal flapjacks) or prefer to air on this side of healthier -- there's something mouth-watering for everyone at The Dutch. Just do me a favor and order the lobster cocktail if you're a fish lover because this is one mouth party you won't want to miss.

5. Stella McCartney Sunglasses. I won't deny, I probably put more effort into choosing a new pair of shades than I did my online dating profile. The thing is designer sunglasses are ridiculously expensive, and I have two perfectly good pairs, so to justify a new purchase they had to be "special". Fortunately, I found a pink cat eye shape from Stella that's unlike anything I own, and at $225 -- I was spared shopper's guilt -- a win-win if I've ever seen one.

Blurry shot of me in my Stella sunnies. 

xoxox

Val




Instead, we use organic coconut sugar, unfiltered honey, and maple syrup.