Must-Have Metal: Project Palladium - In Awe Edition
Tuesday, May 17, 2011 at 6:49PM There's something extremely gratifying about something that's made just for you. Like the Starbucks lady that knows just how you like your caramel macchiato or the salad bar guy who knows that I prefer bleu cheese crumbles mixed into the bleu cheese dressing. Whether it's food or something else special, the word custom usually leaves the lucky recipient with a smile on their face.
In this case, my custom piece of Palladium jewelry leaves oh-so-much more than just a smile. Remember when I mentioned that I'd be teaming up with some skilled FIT students on a piece of jewelry? (Need to jog your memory? Click here.) Honestly, I can't even count how many compliments I've received on this ring in the last two weeks. When my fabulously talented designers, Sarah and Yue asked me to submit images that inspire me, I sent them a pictures of images I felt were structured yet chic. Prepare to be in awe (I was)!
My extremely talented designers, Sarah and Yue of FIT's esteemed Jewelry Design Program, basically created a piece of jewelry that was inspired by own style and tastes. My inner geek and style-seeking sides clashed together to fuel perfection. When I put it on, I fell in love with how slightly robotic it looked on my finger! Overall, I'm very pleased with the look and feel of palladium. It's not too heavy on my finger when I'm typing and since it's in the same family with platinum, palladium is naturally white and perfect for fine jewelry.
While my ring is unique (only four were made!), you can own a piece of Palladium by checking out the Get a Life jewelry collection by the classically edgy Vivienne Westwood. The collection is faced by none other than Mad Men starlett, Christina Hendricks. Love her and the Pagan Heart Necklace she's rockin' in the photo below! I've always appreciated Westwood's mix of punk rock glam with hipster favorites.
To read the latest on from the Palladium Alliance USA, click here.
Candid Recommendations: Getting A Growler from Duane Reade's Brew York City
In a city where a new lounge, restaurant, or hotspot opens just about daily, you'd probably think I'm nuts for being home on a weekend night. Believe me, it's not that I have a bed time, I'm just catching up on some much-needed rest and relaxation. A night in was exactly what the doctor would've ordered!
In search of snacks, we ventured to the Trader Joe's on 72nd St but due to some heavy lines and lack of patience, we left empty handed. Thankfully, we got to stock up on rations at the Duane Reade right next door. I tend to get caught up looking at EVERYTHING in a Duane Reade and after walking through the entire food section, I settled on two sweet choices from their Duane Reade Private Brand line. First, "Dunkers" - these biscotti-shaped ginger sugar cookies that are dipped in chocolate. And if those weren't enough, I can say, they literally made my "sweet dreams" come true via their Dark Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cups. They're like little cups of heaven for me since dark chocolate is my favorite!
After tasting those peanut butter cups, the trip was already worth but Duane Reade decided to up the ante and wow me with their Brew York City Growler Bar!
Located conveniently on the first floor of their 72nd St location, customers can purchase a 64oz "growler" of fresh draft beer to take home. I was happy to see the selection @BrewYorkCity included Brooklyn Lager, a personal favorite. There's weekly specials and promotions so be sure to follow them on Twitter! The growler itself is $3.99 and when it's empy, you bring it back in and just pay for the beer. I can appreciate when a company makes leisure time eco-friendlier without me having to do too much. Remember, you're reducing waste by using the refill-friendly growler. I picked up two - check the photo below!
Brew York City counters are available at the following Duane Reade locations:
Manhattan: Upper West Side
72nd & Broadway
Brooklyn: Williamsburg
Bedford Ave btw 3rd & 4th St
I think I've become quite the fan of Brew York City and look forward to getting my growler filled again. If a night in is on your schedule in the near future, get yourself a growler and tell me what you think - you might want to have a few friends over after!