Fitness, Nutrition, Wellness, Beauty

One of my favorite daily email list serves, Vital Juice (http://vitaljuice.com/), has just gotten even better. With customized editions for New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, "Everywhere", Moms, and soon to be San Francisco and Recipes, it's an easy go-to guide for that one great tip to put your mind (and body) at ease for the day. As if clever articles on fitness myths, stylish workout apparel, the best pilates studios, beauty tips and healthy recipes weren't enough, they've just teamed up with vitaminwater zero to release their Skinny Black Book for 2011. The Black Book is all about bringing you the latest, greatest and most buzzed about products/ideas in the areas of Fitness, Nutrition, Wellness and Beauty.

In "Fitness", celeb trainer Tracy Anderson is mentioned, as are the new Nike Free running shoes and a $1 yoga class passport.

"Nutrition" gives a shout out to Yum Universe as the best healthy recipe site and GoPicnic as the best on-the-go meal.

Skip down to "Wellness" to read about a radiation reducing cell phone case (Pong) and the 90-second secret to getting rid of headaches.

Finally, "Beauty" takes us from a new makeup of the month club called Birchbox to an intriguing and admittedly terrifying app called "In 20 Years" that shows you what you could look like after 20 years of aging. No thank you!

Click here for the full Skinny Black Book with more info and links. I can't wait to check out some of Vital Juice's tips for a healthy mind and body all year long.

Tres Bon!

Enjoy quiche, delicious soup, hearty sandwiches and some European charm? I've got the place for you. Josephine (40 Harrison Street) is a new(ish) French cafe/bakery/wine bar set amongst the many other delicious eateries on Greenwich Street in Tribeca. Look for the quaint red awnings and you'll know you're in the right place. On my first visit I was blown away by their asparagus quiche which came with a refreshing mixed greens salad. My dining partner had a turkey panini and was thrilled with her choice. Upon entering the cafe, you initially think you've been transported to a pastry shop in Paris. You are immediately met by a glass counter fully stocked with croissants, apple turnovers and other delicate pastries and desserts. In true French fashion, you can also pick up some of the best bread around. That would be enough to get me excited, but wait, there's more. Walk further into the cafe and a hostess will ask you if you'd like a table. The answer? Yes, please. You will not be disappointed. Walking across the black and white tiled floor, you can only hope to be seated in one of their tufted banquettes. Either way, Josephine serves as the perfect place to warm up on a cold weekend afternoon, but also a great spot to meet-up for some much needed post-work day wine. Now open all day long, and serving lunch and dinner, there's no reason not to stop into Josephine for every meal of the day. Bon Appetit!

Tory Says...

A woman after my own heart, designer Tory Burch has launched "Tory's City Guides." These online guides offer an insider's guide to the hottest cities around the U.S. and Asia (OK - they're really chosen based on where Tory has her boutiques) - what to see and where to stay, shop, and eat. For the midwesterners out there, Tory has two locations in your 'hood - Troy, MI and Chicago, IL. You can see what she recommends in your city by visiting the website listed below. I personally couldn't wait to delve into the New York City guide -- here's what Tory recommends. And I have to say, in regards to the places I have visited, I couldn't agree more.

To Sleep: The Mark Hotel, Crosby Street Hotel, The Carlyle, The Lowell New York

To Eat: The Waverly Inn, JG Melon, Sushi of Gari, Milos New York, La Esquina, Lupa Osteria Romana, Cafe Habana, Fred's at Barneys New York, Lovely Day, Antica Bottega del Vino, People's Pops, Ciao Bella Gelato, Cupcake Stop, William Greenberg Dessert

To Shop: John Derian Company, MoMA Design Store, Opening Ceremony, Ina, Boutique D. Porthault, Crawford Doyle Booksellers, Tracie Maryn Salon, Gagosian Shop, Plaza Flowers, Verdura, Marie Robinson Salon, Jeffrey, Kirna Zabete, Clay

To See: Neue Galerie, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park, New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center, The Highline, The Standard, The Museum of Modern Art, The Angelika Film Center & Cafe, Joe's Pub, The Staten Island Ferry, SoulCycle

After an intense, business school-style calculation, I've determined that I've only been to a measly 18% of these destinations. Clearly I have my work cut out for me in 2011. Time to get out there and explore! For the full listing of Tory's recommendations and to check out her guides for other cities, click here.

That New York Glow

The spas in New York City are almost as plentiful as the restaurants. The process of finding one that fits just right with what you're looking for can be extremely challenging. So, I'd like to save you all a lot of time and effort by recommending my absolute favorite spot for an efficient and effective facial - Dermalogica (110 Grand Street, http://www.dermalogica.com/). With only two "spa" locations in the U.S., one in New York City and one in Los Angeles, Dermalogica is more "skin care boutique meets dermatologist's office" than anything. If you didn't know any better when walking by, you would simply think it's a Dermalogica flagship store selling its many simply packaged products. However, a simple trip onto their website reveals more - behind the rows of skincare products and the "Skincare Bar" is their very futuristic treatment room or "pod". Once inside, you can choose from an assortment of calming lighting features and music - you can even bring your own iPod to put into their docking station. While I only go for the Dermalogica Skin Treatment, they have a range of other services as well, listed on the website. The service I recommend is a standard facial treatment, but adds on Dermalogica's signature service called Face Mapping, where your skin therapist carefully analyzes the 14 zones that makeup your face in order to appropriately customize your service. If you enjoy a lot of pre-spa amenities and pampering, this may not be the place for you, but the no huss, no fuss mentality works perfectly for me. And, with a warm cup of tea waiting for you after your service and at only $110 a pop, I can't imagine a better way to spend a weekend morning.

Give My Regards to Broadway

There's nothing better than seeing two of your favorite movie/tv actors live. That's why, when I had the chance to see Kristin Chenoweth and Sean Hayes (Will and Grace) perform as the leads in Promises, Promises (www.promisespromisesbroadway.com/) on Broadway, I jumped at it! Promises, Promises is a musical based on the 1960's film, The Apartment, with music by Burt Bacharach. The show features popular hits such as "I Say a Little Prayer" and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again"; those hits along with a fun and quick-paced storyline made seeing this show one of the highlights of my holiday season in the city. Plus, a little cameo from Molly Shannon didn't hurt. While the show unfortunately ended on January 2, the same producers are now presenting How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (http://howtosucceedbroadway.com/) starting February 26, 2011 at the Al Hirschfield Theater (302 W. 45 Street) starring none other than Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe. Sounds like a great excuse to grab a friend and get out of the cold this winter.

Muchas Gracias, New York

All I can say is "thank you" New York for the delicious and festive Mexican spot I discovered during the last few weeks of 2010. Perfectly situated on a tree lined street in the West Village (and walkable from where I work), Diablo Royale (189 W. 10th Street, http://www.diabloroyale.com/) serves up scrumptous and reasonably priced Mexican dishes with a fantastic atmosphere to boot. Although they don't take reservations, it's relatively easy to walk in on a weekday night to meet a couple of friends for some fajitas and margaritas. The bar scene was equally as hopping and seemed to be a great place to meet up for some much needed post-office hours cocktails. Va ahora! Es magnifico!

NYC - Smitten with the Mitten?

As I prepare to head home to Michigan for the holidays, I can't help but notice how many reminders there are of my home state here in the big city. Over the past four months I've been so surprised by the many Michigan references around town - whether on store windows, on sweatshirts zipping past me while jogging along the Hudson, or on restaurant menus themselves. Perhaps I'm looking for them more than the average person, but they're there nonetheless. Here are some of my favorite Midwest reminders --

Grey Dog Cafe (Multiple locations, http://www.thegreydog.com/) - With three quaint locations in downtown Manhattan, these spots absolutely exude a Midwest mentality. Each cafe's atmosphere mimics that of a farm house with wooden benches and chalk board menus. They are best known for their 20+ "Michigan Sandwiches" on the menu which range from the complicated Grey Dog Club to the fan favorite Grilled Cheese. The owners are University of Michigan grads and proudly display some fun paraphernalia around the cafes.

Duane Park Patisserie (179 Duane Street, http://www.duaneparkpatisserie.com/parkpatisserie.com/) - While strolling around my neighborhood this past weekend, I was thrilled to see "Go Blue" written all over the windows of this adorable neighborhood bakery. They have all of the traditional items you would expect of a bakery - croissants, scones, specialty cakes, custom cookies and fun seasonal items - and everything is made on-site and from scratch. The owner was the first woman to be hired as a cook at the Plaza Hotel - if that isn't enough of a reason to trust the goodies at DPP, I don't know what is.

The Hill (416 3rd Avenue, http://thehillny.com/) - Changing things up a bit, The Hill is an upscale sports bar and lounge on 29th and 3rd. It was started (once again) by Michigan grads living in the city who dreamt of setting up the destination spot for Wolverines to cheer their team on from the East coast. I've been a few times and can attest to the deliciousness of the tater tots and the festive Michigan fans that set up court each week. Definitely a fun stop for a Wolverine fan.

Do you know of other businesses with Michigan or Midwest roots in NYC? Let me know on the Midwestern Manhattanite Facebook page or by Tweeting @MWManhattanite.