I recently traveled to New York City, (if you are a GenX’er did you just hear that commercial from Pace Picante Sauce in your head? I did. NEW YORK CITY!) for the very first time as a https://designhounds.com/ member to experience the #truetofood tour with https://www.signaturekitchensuite.com/us#products and https://www.modenus.com/. Now, think about that for a minute, little small town Mississippi me in New York City? What can I say? They like the way I sound. I had a blast, learned so much about Signature Kitchen appliances and what being True to Food means, made so many new friends and laughed until my belly ached.

We were treated to a stay in the legendary https://www.thebeekman.com hotel in lower Manhattan, NY, which was simply amazing the moment I stepped out of the uber. I was treated with a handsome gentleman opening my door and immediately telling me that he would handle my luggage. As you walk into this luxury hotel you are immediately transported back into the nineteenth century with the gorgeous architecture and design. It is located near the Brooklynn Bridge and One World Trade Center. You are also not far from the famed Financial district or the 9/11 Memorial and Museum which is on my list for next trip to NYC to visit.

Several of the Designhounds gathered in the https://www.thebeekman.com/restaurants-bars/temple-court/ for drinks and chit chat to get to know one another before our first dinner that evening. That is the thing about being a Designhound, you get to meet so many other talented designers, you learn that you are not alone in this business that we love, we share in so many of the same day to day struggles and we love to dish over drinks about it. It is what we do. This is my second adventure with Designhounds and I can’t wait for the next one. We learn, we share with you, and keep the memories for a lifetime and what happened in NYC stays in NYC.

Skyline Dinner

Our first day quickly turned into evening with a dabble of rain and when you are sixty floors up, quite a bit of clouds. The first restaurant on our tour is the famed https://www.manhattarestaurant.com and let’s just say that the service and the food did not disappoint. This stunning restaurant is helmed by executive chef Justin Bogle who keeps the menu constantly evolving with locally sourced ingredients and traditional cooking techniques. Each of us were treated to wine and Hors d’oeuvres while enjoyed the time getting to learn more about one another as we waited for our private dining room overlooking the beautiful New York City Skyline. Except, the clouds.

Our dinner consisted of a three course meal that each of us could select our favorites or something new to try. I decided since I was going somewhere new and I was on a #truetofood tour that I would indulge in new foods that I had never tried before or that maybe I do not consume on a regular basis. My first course was Beets, Strawberries, Fresh Chevre with Gem lettuce, Crunchy Grains. It was delicious and this was not much of a stretch for me because I love an interesting salad. My second course was Duo of lamb, Mint Gremolata, Herb roasted chop, Braised stuffed Artichoke, Spiced Carrot Puree, Farro Ragout, Taggiasca Olives. The verdict? I loved it. The lamb was so delicious. Finally for dessert, we enjoyed Roasted Plum Upside-Down Cake, Bourbon Caramel, Ginger Ice Cream and to be fair, while I enjoyed this, I am not a fan of anything Ginger so it was not my favorite. However, I still left there stuffed and ready for bed. I did not make it back to the bar this evening for another drink, truth be told, the servers at Manhatta never let your wine glass get empty.

As the evening turned into night, the clouds began to disappear and we could get some beautiful views of the skyline at night. It was certainly an evening that I will not forget for a very long time.

Part two

This trip was so full of all the things that I want to share with you that I will split these blog posts into three posts so they don’t get too long. Look for the next one coming soon, and of course check out my IG feed to see more of the details https://www.instagram.com/alisaberrydesigns or if you prefer FB, you can find me here https://www.facebook.com/Alisaberryinteriordesign1st/ and I will see you there!