Pop the bubbly! Friday (March 11) marked the launch of the hottest newest brunch blog The Gilded Bellini, created by Marymount Manhattan College alum, New York City PR girl turned SoCal blogger, Brielle Galekovic. The Gilded Bellini is the best site to visit when you’re looking for a spot to get your brunch on. The website features everything one needs to know about the brunch scene: delicious cuisine, dress attire, trendy décor, tasty cocktails, amazing views and ambiance.
I talked with the queen of brunch, Brielle, about the process and creation of her new website and, of course, picked her brain about her fave places to indulge:
KG: Congrats on your launch! What was your inspiration behind this brunch blog and website?
BG: Thank you so much! It has been a long time coming. The inspiration behind the blog really has been my passion for writing and my genuine love for brunch. Over the past few years I have been the go-to amongst my friends and friends of friends for recommendations for places to go for brunch. I have a knack for knowing just where to go and a lot of that stemmed from my background in PR and living in NYC for nearly five years; really just getting to know what the best of the best was. I’ve also decided to incorporate videos along with the written posts. I found that what’s missing in traditional restaurant or venue reviews is something visual, like a mini tour of what a certain brunch experience is like – sometimes a picture doesn’t do a place justice. I wanted to create a platform that enabled my readers to get a full on preview of a great brunch, because maybe they’d might want to try it out too.
KG: Amazing. I love the name especially because my favorite drink is a bellini. How did you come up with the name? How long did it take you to finalize on a selection? Explain that process a little bit.
BG: I loooove bellinis. Honestly, I thought of the name at my kitchen table about a year ago. I kind of just wrote down words I loved and that I had some type of connection with. I wanted a name that was sort of luxe and fabulous. I am absolutely obsessed with everything gold – décor, jewelry… anything. I put the words “gilded” and “bellini” together and actually pictured myself as “The Gilded Bellini.” The go-to for all things brunch and cocktails. I love how it’s original, and it just fit.
KG: I love it! What aspirations do you have for The Gilded Bellini and what direction would you like to see it go?
BG: I want to really be able to connect with my readers. I want to be able to meet new people through it and discover great brunches around Southern California. I only moved here in September, so the fun part for me, is that most of the places I feature – it’s my first time there! My reviews are genuine and I feel that my writing style is relatable, so I am hoping that it’ll encourage readers to reach out to me to collaborate, ask questions, recommend places to me, or even just say hi. I’ve always admired NBC’s First Look. It is a bit similar to what I am doing, but of course on a much larger scale. I want my site to be the automatic go-to for where to find the best brunches and cocktails. I really think my blogging and vlogging combination will set my site apart from other review sites.
KG: What has the process been like for you to launch this site?
BG: In the beginning, it was slow. I had so many ideas and I did not know how to properly organize them to hone in on an idea that I would end up making into a brand. I was really overwhelmed because I had very little website development experience, and barely any experience using video editing programs. I took it day by day and taught myself. It took months with having a ton of patience, staying up for hours perfecting every last aspect of the videos and the blog. I am a perfectionist, so the trial and error of course has been tedious, but it was inevitable. My background in PR has really helped me as well. I know how to properly publicize and market my site. I know my demographics, and which outlets and influencers I need to target for collaboration and future opportunities. I have a plan. It’s a lot. I launched the Instagram the week that I went live with the site, with hopes that I would get a decent following to start. So far, so good!
KG: That’s great! How will the blog/website run? What kind of features will it have? How frequently will there be posts? (Weekly/Daily/Monthly/Biweekly)
BG: For social media, I will be posting once a day, or once every other day. I have a few sections to my site. Brunch review posts will be once a week along with Brunch Attire. Cocktail Spotlight will be an on-going basis, as they come in. I am not sure of the frequency just yet, but there will always be new content each week. My features are: “Behold, The Best Brunches”: I’ll feature my brunch of the week here in a written post accompanied with photos and a video. “Brunch Attire”: culminates the outfits I wore to each brunch for readers to get an idea of the dress code if they’re planning on trying out the spot as well. I have two other sections of the blog: one that is dedicated to a few non-brunch related things I’ve done, and another that’s for posts related to future collaborations, or any other random things I want to share. “Cocktail Spotlight” is a part of my blog that I wanted to make interactive for my audience. No matter if you’re located in LA, New York City, New Jersey, Italy, Croatia…wherever in the world you are and you discover an amazing cocktail that you feel deserves recognition, I want to share it.
KG: Fantastic! Brunch is more than food, it’s fun and it’s an experience. What is special to you about brunch specifically? I think it’s great that your site revolves around a specific, focused category – instead of tackling any and every meal. Brunch is the perfect category to be doing, because it’s a lifestyle.
BG: Exactly – it is an experience. Personally, my favorite brunch places are the ones where you have to get a bit dressy. It’s about looking great with your group of friends, forgetting about the week and just enjoying your cocktail at 11 am on a Saturday or Sunday. And you go every weekend. It’s a régime. It’s breakfast for hours. It’s the atmosphere. It’s about meeting people at the table next to you who ask you if you want a glass of their rosé because they ordered a giant bottle. Sometimes there’s sparklers and music. Other times it’s a really sick rooftop view. When it’s only Wednesday but brunch with your girls is on Saturday and you’re envisioning yourself at the table with them laughing and drinking mimosas, even though you’re stuck at your desk right then. It gives you something to look forward to, and when you’re there you can’t help but smile and be in a good mood. Positive vibes!
KG: What are your favorite brunch spots?
BG: While I lived in NYC, it was Bagatelle FOR SURE. Hands down! I have never walked out of Bagatelle having a bad time. Anyone who knows me knows I have an unhealthy obsession. And for good reason! I’ve been to Bagatelle LA as well (which I will be featuring on the blog soon) and it was also ridiculously fun. I mean the place turns into a club at 3 pm on the weekends while you’re eating breakfast… how can you not like it? Other places I love are Essex, Il Bastardo, Palma, Libation, and Lexington Brass (in NYC). In LA, The Penthouse at the Huntley Hotel, The Ivy, and Carbon Beach Club at the Malibu Inn. I also really love this little local spot called Paper or Plastik. Many more favorites to come!
KG: Bagatelle makes the world go ‘round! What are your favorite brunch foods and drinks?
BG: Ahhh, it’s so difficult to choose. I have always had an obsession with pancakes, but I absolutely love any type of poached egg – with either lobster or salmon. For drinks, I love a spicy tequila cocktail or tequila and grapefruit. If I’m at Bagatelle, it’s always the Rosé Sangria.
KG: Those are all amazing! To you, what makes a brunch experience a wonderful one? Ambiance? Cuisine? What do you think are the most important brunch traits?
BG: You’d think that I would say food. Haha. Obviously food plays a huge part in a good brunch because if it sucks, it’s a disappointment. BUT, if the ambiance is amazing, you kind of forget about the food, if it’s mediocre. The ambiance just sets the tone – dimmed lighting, sultry, extravagant flowers, mod… Whatever the vibe is, and the décor of a place, really does matter. You get into it!
KG: Exactly! I couldn’t agree more. What do you hope for the future of The Gilded Bellini? Where do you think it’ll be down the road? Your hopes and dreams for this?
BG: I want The Gilded Bellini to be a household name within the online/blogger/vlogger sector of the hospitality industry. I’d love for it to be well-known and have people around the country check it out, even if just once. Because I am incorporating video, as well as including cocktail spotlights and a smidge of fashion inspiration, I’m hoping to be able to collaborate with other influencers and media outlets that aren’t just food and beverage. But – F&B and hospitality are my main focus right now. I’m not worried about being pigeonholed; I would love, however if eventually other cool opportunities came up organically. Who knows? It could end up turning into more of a lifestyle brand! I’d also love to brand my own champagne. It’s a huge stretch, but hey, you never know. ;)
For all things brunch, gold, champagne and ambiance, check out www.thegildedbellini.com!