Sweetiepie Restaurant

For months I have been dying to try out Sweetpie Restaurant in New York City's West Village. Finally, this weekend I was able to make my way over. It is so adorable! The restaurant was filled with Mom's and their daughters and everyone was in pink! My friend and I were definitely the only twenty-somethings and stuck out like a sore thumb in our black outfits {it was a rainy New York Saturday, who wears anything but black????}.

Gwyneth Paltrow was even quoted saying "Sweetiepie is my new favorite find for grown up/kid hybrid paradise!"

They offer afternoon tea parties! They serve a prix fixe menu including a variety of teas, tea sandwiches and tea cakes!

This photograph is of owner Julie Janklow with her son August at Sweetiepie with the $75 Sweetiepig ice cream sundae: with sponge cake, mixed berries, bananas, whipped cream, sprinkles, chocolate sauce and five ice cream flavors.

Sweetiepie has an adorable back room that is ideal for birthday parties or baby/bridal showers!

Their menu features a wide variety of child-friendly items like peanut butter and jelly and grilled cheese sandwiches and even many more sophisticated items. Their dessert menu is extremely extensive {duh} and mouthwatering.

I would most highly recommend taking a trip over to Sweetiepie on your next visit to New York City!

xoxo,

Ali

Rome Florence and Paris... oh my!

Cole and I are taking a big trip over the pond to Rome, Florence and Paris in the near future. I'm literally tingling with anticipation.

I have been given lots of advice for things to do, places to shop and delicious meals to eat from friends, but my theory is that I can never have enough. I am dying {and begging} for your suggestions. Please let me know your recommendations of things to do {or not to do} in these amazing cities. You know we love to eat--especially at hidden local gems! In exchange for your advice, I promise for some incredible blog posts about the trip. Is that fair enough?

Ok, to sweeten the deal I will bring back a special package of Laduree macaroons to whoever offers up my favorite suggestion {restaurant, shop, museum, etc.}. I will personally mail them to you. {Obviously, Laduree is on the Paris short list!}

Also, I'm already struggling when I think about what to pack. A few years ago I took a trip to Europe with Ali and lost my suitcase. {Did I mention I had packed everything I owned in that bag?} I never ever got the bag back. I would say that I am most certainly scarred for life? Needless to say, this notorious overpacker will absolutely not be checking a bag. How brilliant is this idea from Habitually Chic to pre-plan and photograph outfit choices?!? I'm hoping to be this prepared.

Comment on the post or email your suggestions to niki@paperyandcakery.com and start dreaming about those macaroons....

xoxo, au revoir & arrivederci!

Niki

Shoe Art

Coco Chanel once said, “In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.”

Apparently the shoe buyers at Saks Fifth Avenue were listening this season.

It's been too long since I featured shoes {and my weakness for them}. Time to revisit my favorite high-heeled {or platform, wedge and flat} friends!

These seem more like a work of art than shoes, but that makes them even more oh-so-fabulous!

{Don't worry Cole, I am only looking....}

xoxo,

Niki

Cakery Friday: Sally Albright's Apple Pie

When Harry Met Sally is one of my classics. It's Niki's absolute favorite movie ever. We knew that movie week had to culminate in one of the most famous movie/food scenes ever: with Sally Albright's Apple Pie... well, maybe not exactly a pie but a Charlotte. Sally, couldn't really make up her mind anyways.

Sally Albright: I'd like the chef salad please with oil and vinegar on the side, and the apple pie a la mode.

Waitress: Chef and apple a la mode.

Sally Albright: But I'd like the pie heated, and I don't want the ice cream on top. I want it on the side, and I'd like strawberry instead of vanilla if you have it. If not, then no ice cream, just whipped cream, but only if it's real. If it's out of the can, then nothing.

Waitress: Not even the pie?

Sally Albright: No, just the pie, but then not heated.



Instead of apple pie, I made mini-apple charlotte's. They are a {somewhat} healthy dessert option, especially if you opt to use whole wheat bread!

Gather all of the ingredients {bread not photographed}.


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Peel, core and thinly slice 3 golden delicious apples.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter, 1/4 cup sugar and 6 tablespoons orange juice in a deep pot over medium-high heat.



Add the sliced apples to the pot and cook, stirring frequently for 10 minutes, until the apples are tender but still maintain their shape.



Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of dried fruit *whichever type you prefer, {I used a mixture of raisins and dried prunes} along with 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon grated orange zest.



Melt 5 tablespoons of butter in a bowl. Pull out 16 slices of very thin sliced, firm, white {or wheat} sandwich bread, with crusts trimmed. I used Pepperidge Farm whole wheat bread. Using a small biscuit or cookie cutter, cut a circle from 3 slices of bread.





Brush butter onto one side of each circle and place the circle, buttered-side down, into each cup in a cupcake tin.



Cut the remaining bread slices into thirds and brush with butter. Line each cup with 9 bread rectangles placed vertically, buttered side against cup. The bread will extend over the top of the cupcake tin. {the photo below explains it better}.





Divide the apple mixture over the bread among the cups. Fold the bread over the filling, gently pressing to seal together. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.



Allow the Charloettes to cool in the pan on wire rack for 20 minutes. Lift them carefully from the cups using an offset spatula.



If desired, stir together melted ice cream with one tablespoon of rum {I mean, why not add rum?} and serve on the side.

For a printer friendly version of this recipe click here: Mini-Apple Charlotte's.htm

This will have all of your friends saying, "I'll have what she's having."

xoxo,

Ali

Harry Burns: there are two kinds of women: high maintenance and low maintenance.

Sally Albright: Which one am I?

Harry Burns: You're the worst kind. You're high maintenance but you think you're low maintenance.

Movie Week: Casablanca

The drama, the glamour and the war-time romance that is Casablanca is something you can most definitely capture at your next event. Bring Ingrid's grace and Humphrey's style back from Rick's into the present with these ideas via Style Me Pretty and Ruffle Blog.









A unique setting, a beautiful dress, and vintage-inspired hairstyle are just a few pieces you'll need to make your event the next iconic Academy Award winner. {Casablanca won the Oscar for best picture the year it was released}.

"As time goes by" your guests will be saying "Play it again Sam".....

xoxo,

Niki

Movie Week: Gone with the Wind

I'll never forget the first time I read Gone with the Wind. I was literally transfixed by the book, and then later, the movie. I've literally read it hundreds of times since, and it continues to draw me into its alluring world just the same each time. It must be genetic, since my mother claims she chose college at Emory just because of her "Gone with the Wind" fixation with Atlanta.

To bring Scarlett, Rhett, Ashley and the entire "Gone with the Wind" genre into your next event, is to throw a quintessentially Southern party. You might not be able to walk down the aisle at Tara Plantation, but location is key. I'd imagine that the charm of the deep South would be reflected in images such as these featured above via Southern Weddings {one of my favorites!}

These two dresses via Oscar de la Renta & Carolina Herrera are most definitely channelling Scarlett's signature style.


Of course, you wouldn't want to miss out on a matching "Just Married" parasol {which you can customize yourself at i do originals}.

And if this dosage of Southern hospitality was not enough for you, well then, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."

xoxo,

Niki