So, I am back in Kansas, and it has taken me a week to get back on track with the restaurant. It's graduation season and that means lots of extra parties and caterings. I want everyone to know that there is much more New York to come, though. Keep reading and new stories will be showing up. :)
In the mean time, let's talk about Mother's Day. I've been a horrible person. This past year, my grandmother went to live in a skilled care facility, basically a nursing home. While the place is great, the rooms are comfortable, staff friendly, and there is no weird odor, I've been hesitant to visit, and in all honesty, Mother's Day was the first time I'd been there to see her. She, being the kind hearted person that she is, didn't hold it against me. Instead, she was simply thrilled that I came to see her at all. I'll be building more visits into my schedule, and perhaps bringing her food once in a while, which brings me to the focus of my post.
I've heard stories....about the food. I understand this is an institutional setting and I understand that a lot of people there are on restricted diets, but for the life of me I cannot understand why, in such an expensive facility, they cannot afford quality food for the residents. When you are living inside all day, with minimal activities to keep you occupied, you look to your meals for excitement. I feel a new mission coming on, a keen desire to look into how food preparation works in this place. Is the budget that restrictive that they cannot hire skilled individuals in the kitchen to keep my grandmother from eating mush pasta and cardboard pork chops?
Inquiring minds want to know, and find out, I shall.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Papabubble
No, I didn't just make up a word. While wondering through Chinatown, heading toward Little Italy, my friend and I stumbled upon a strange store front.
In the window were all kinds of interesting cactus looking things.
These are made out of.... sugar! Papabubble is a small handmade candy store that originated in Spain and now has several locations around the globe. They had some crazy flavors including salted licorice, mango and chili, and fun candies with various words and shapes in the center, like a burrough mix, an alphabet mix and a math mix.
Here's what their work space looked like:
The beakers contain flavors for the different candies and the tools and counter tops are all shiny stainless steel. Worth a visit and a taste. You can watch them work if you are there when they are making candy.
In the window were all kinds of interesting cactus looking things.
These are made out of.... sugar! Papabubble is a small handmade candy store that originated in Spain and now has several locations around the globe. They had some crazy flavors including salted licorice, mango and chili, and fun candies with various words and shapes in the center, like a burrough mix, an alphabet mix and a math mix.
Here's what their work space looked like:
The beakers contain flavors for the different candies and the tools and counter tops are all shiny stainless steel. Worth a visit and a taste. You can watch them work if you are there when they are making candy.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Chinatown
I couldn't wait to get to Chinatown. I was so excited to see what it was like, experience China in another country. Now I've been there twice. Once on my birthday, quick walk through, visit to a temple which I posted about earlier, and again on Wednesday. Both times, I as struck by the fact that it looked and sounded and smelled exactly like China!
It's Chinatown, you say, of course it is like China. No, I mean I might as well have been on the street in Beijing. The banks were Chinese, the newspapers were Chinese, the seafood restaurants had live fish that you selected for your meal. There were roasted ducks in the windows.
And, not to miss out, we went to Nom Wah Tea Parlor, which bills itself as the oldest Dim Sum restaurant in New York City.
If only there were more hours in the day, I would have gone back every day this week. It was delicious, real Chinese awesomeness. There is not much better than having the opportunity to try so many things. The way dim sum works is that you order a number of small plates. Think Chinese tapas. There are only a few of each things on the plate, so you get to work your way through five or six different items, savoring each one as you go.
After all of this and a pot of jasmine tea, we rolled ourselves out to the street and made our way home.
It's Chinatown, you say, of course it is like China. No, I mean I might as well have been on the street in Beijing. The banks were Chinese, the newspapers were Chinese, the seafood restaurants had live fish that you selected for your meal. There were roasted ducks in the windows.
And, not to miss out, we went to Nom Wah Tea Parlor, which bills itself as the oldest Dim Sum restaurant in New York City.
If only there were more hours in the day, I would have gone back every day this week. It was delicious, real Chinese awesomeness. There is not much better than having the opportunity to try so many things. The way dim sum works is that you order a number of small plates. Think Chinese tapas. There are only a few of each things on the plate, so you get to work your way through five or six different items, savoring each one as you go.
 | |
| Delicious Pork Fried Dumplings |
 | |
| Fried Scallion Pancake with Soy Sauce |
 | |
| Steamed Shrimp and Pea Pod Dumplings |
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| Pork Short Ribs in a salty spicy sauce |
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| Shanghai Soup Dumplings |
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| House Special Steamed Pork Bun |
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| Inside of said bun--pork and onion goodness |
After all of this and a pot of jasmine tea, we rolled ourselves out to the street and made our way home.
What's New York Without....
A bagel. That's how the day started on Wednesday, with a trip to Murray's bagels.
I'd heard they were about the best around. There was a decent line one we were inside, but it moved quickly. The piles of fresh bagels were surpassed only by the multitude of cream cheese flavors. I passed by the cream cheese in favor of a sandwich. Who doesn't love a bagel sandwich?
Then it was back to Eataly for some coffee and a trip around their beautiful market! There were so many delicious things, it was difficult to leave. Markets are exciting. They offer an opportunity to glimpse into how people live. The market at Eataly says to me.... live decadently and enjoy flavor!
The freshly made pastas above looked incredible. The young man in the picture said he enjoyed his job. He's seen here making pappardelle by hand.
A trip over to the packaged meats section led me to this discovery.
Can you see what that says? "Smoked Hamhocks, Origin KS, USA" So, you can take the girl out of Kansas, but Kansas is still gonna find her no matter where she goes....
I'd heard they were about the best around. There was a decent line one we were inside, but it moved quickly. The piles of fresh bagels were surpassed only by the multitude of cream cheese flavors. I passed by the cream cheese in favor of a sandwich. Who doesn't love a bagel sandwich?
Then it was back to Eataly for some coffee and a trip around their beautiful market! There were so many delicious things, it was difficult to leave. Markets are exciting. They offer an opportunity to glimpse into how people live. The market at Eataly says to me.... live decadently and enjoy flavor!
The freshly made pastas above looked incredible. The young man in the picture said he enjoyed his job. He's seen here making pappardelle by hand.
A trip over to the packaged meats section led me to this discovery.
Can you see what that says? "Smoked Hamhocks, Origin KS, USA" So, you can take the girl out of Kansas, but Kansas is still gonna find her no matter where she goes....
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Best Birthday Ever! Part 3
After leaving Dogmatic, it was time to head towards Chinatown! We took the scenic route, meaning we walked. Along the way, we stopped at a little chain called Le Pain Quotidien. It's a French bakery, basically, but you sit at a big table with others.
Next, we made it to Chinatown, made a visit to the Mahayana Buddhist Temple, then hopped on the train for Brooklyn to eat Tibetan food.
I was so excited about the food, that I forgot to take pictures, lol. Suffice to say, we ate until there was no room-- spicy goodness of momos, potatoes, all kinds of other delicious things.Then it was back to Manhattan, home for a rest, then out for the evening!
I chose a little place called Don't Tell Mama. It's a combination restaurant, piano bar and cabaret theater. It's a little down off the street, cozy, dark, and everything you'd think a piano bar/cabaret theater should be. The people were friendly, the music was good and it was neither too crowded nor completely empty.
Unfortunately, I didn't get any great pictures, but we are going back to see a show in their cabaret theater.
After a few drinks (probably one too many, lol) and a trip to a little diner, it was time to go back home and rest after such a long day. It couldn't have been better! Thank you, dear friends who made it possible!
Next, we made it to Chinatown, made a visit to the Mahayana Buddhist Temple, then hopped on the train for Brooklyn to eat Tibetan food.
I was so excited about the food, that I forgot to take pictures, lol. Suffice to say, we ate until there was no room-- spicy goodness of momos, potatoes, all kinds of other delicious things.Then it was back to Manhattan, home for a rest, then out for the evening!
I chose a little place called Don't Tell Mama. It's a combination restaurant, piano bar and cabaret theater. It's a little down off the street, cozy, dark, and everything you'd think a piano bar/cabaret theater should be. The people were friendly, the music was good and it was neither too crowded nor completely empty.
Unfortunately, I didn't get any great pictures, but we are going back to see a show in their cabaret theater.
After a few drinks (probably one too many, lol) and a trip to a little diner, it was time to go back home and rest after such a long day. It couldn't have been better! Thank you, dear friends who made it possible!
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Best Birthday Ever! Part 2
After finishing that delicious coffee, we made our way through Madison Park, full of beautiful flowers and a very strange exhibit of rope walls....
Next was a lovely walk down to Union Square. Where we encountered this great guy selling some very interesting NY art.
He and his brother create and sell their stuff all around the city. You can find more info and more detail about their work here: http://www.liveartonthestreet.com/
Next it was off to Dogmatic for a mid-morning snack. Dogmatic is a great little place off Union Square. The take what looks like a mini baguette, heat it on a Spanish Inquisition-sized spike, grill up an organic dog of your choice, from beef to lamb to chicken, even asparagus spears, fill the inside of the baguette with some delicious gourmet sauce, pop in the dog and you have a no muss, no fuss healthy bit of pure heaven.
Pictured here is a lamb dog with truffle gruyere sauce. I had the lamb, but with chimichurri, instead.
Can you believe it was only 11am?
Next was a lovely walk down to Union Square. Where we encountered this great guy selling some very interesting NY art.
He and his brother create and sell their stuff all around the city. You can find more info and more detail about their work here: http://www.liveartonthestreet.com/
Next it was off to Dogmatic for a mid-morning snack. Dogmatic is a great little place off Union Square. The take what looks like a mini baguette, heat it on a Spanish Inquisition-sized spike, grill up an organic dog of your choice, from beef to lamb to chicken, even asparagus spears, fill the inside of the baguette with some delicious gourmet sauce, pop in the dog and you have a no muss, no fuss healthy bit of pure heaven.
Pictured here is a lamb dog with truffle gruyere sauce. I had the lamb, but with chimichurri, instead.
Can you believe it was only 11am?
Best Birthday Ever! Part 1
What a truly awesome day!I was going to write about it last night, but I was so worn out from everything that I went straight to sleep, lol.
The day started with a trip to Eataly Caffe.
Yeah....sorry about the lamp post....
Once there, we indulged in the best coffee beverages I do believe I've ever had. My beverage of choice? Iced cappuccino.
I'm a coffee drinker by nature, but this was not your average cup of joe. Behind the counter were two beautiful, shiny espresso machines, able to produce many, many shots of espresso at one time, which is good, because there was quite a line. This drink took a few minutes to make. The shots were poured over ice and allowed to chill while the barista frothed chilled, sweetened milk. When everything was finally layered together, dark chocolate was grated over the top.
Sitting outside in the slightly chilly morning, watching people go by, life could not have been better.
The day started with a trip to Eataly Caffe.
Once there, we indulged in the best coffee beverages I do believe I've ever had. My beverage of choice? Iced cappuccino.
Sitting outside in the slightly chilly morning, watching people go by, life could not have been better.
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