Eat NYC

One of the best things about living in New York City is undeniably the food. The food here is so good. It's SO good. So unlike food I've had anywhere else. Seriously, the possibilities are endless, and the convenience is ridiculous. I honestly don't know how I'll ever live in a city where my quick and easy (and usually vegan!) lunch options are so limitless (Hale and Heart, Chop't, Pret, Organic Avenue - I'm looking at you).

Not that's lunch. Let's move on to dinner where the true magic happens (well, and brunch, too, but that's a whole 'nother post...). After a bit of hiatus, I'm re-embarked on my mission to taste as much good food as the city has to offer. In the last couple of months, I've been lucky to dine at:

• Birreria (lovely spot, delicious beer, but I wasn't crazy about the eats - I mean, how many fried mushrooms can one gal eat?) 
• En Brasserie (very interesting and unique menu; cool space)
• Luke's Lobster (best lobster rolls I've had yet and DEF. the best deal)
• Cédric (fantastic French bistro - I can't wait to go back)
• Peacefood Cafe (seriously I could eat their dumplings every. single. day. and the fact that they're vegan is just plain ridiculous and ahmazing)
• Café Cluny (adorable adorable adorable - I'm going back for brunch this weekend)
• Todd English Food Hall at the Plaza (my new favorite space)

And coming up in the next few weeks?

• Scarpetta (probably my favorite Italian restaurant in the city - I've been once with a dear amie who has since moved to DC and am going back tomorrow night avec une autre dear amie who's visiting from Austin)
• Candle 79 (stellar, albeit pricey, vegan restaurant; going avec Lauren - yay!)
• Salinas (I have high hopes, especially since this one's in the 'hood)

And last, but certainly not least... 

• Gramercy Tavern (a splurge for sure, but I've been dying to try it since moving to the city!)

I'm also taking a pie-making class at Havens Kitchen in a few weeks, which is beyond exciting because I've always wanted to learn how to make pie AND Havens Kitchen sounds like just my cup of tea (and is also in the 'hood).

P.S. I realize this is an absurd amount of eating out that I'm doing, and no, it's not my norm (nor will it be because there's only so much 3x weekly visits to the gym can do to counteract the ridiculous, buttery rich foods at this restaurants, and that's if I actually make it to the gym 3x a week which... yeah.). I have no doubt in my mind all this indulgence will end by the end of August, and then it'll be back to cooking simple, easy meals like Trader Joe's cappellini and roasted brussels sprouts. (And hopefully by then it won't be 150 degrees in my apartment, and turning on the stove/oven won't be the worst idea ever. Because right now? It is.)

 

Life Lately

It's no surprise that so many of my original blog friends bid farewell to blogging (at least for now). It's more or less what I've done as well despite many half-hearted attempts and promises. The reality is that life is full and gorgeous, and although there are aspects of blogging that I miss (like the friends and connections!), it's just not the right time for me right now. That being said, I'm going to write now because I feel so compelled, and perhaps I'll drop by time to time (or maybe I won't).

Unlike my last summer in the city, this summer has been a blur. A chaotic, fun and somewhat exhausting mix of brunches, dinners, museum visits, long walks, old friends, new friends, a busy new job, jury duty (yes, I got picked!), oodles of reading, countless visits to Laduree, rooftop bar soirees and the like. Tonight was my first night off in awhile, and it was much needed and deserved. I came home and promptly fell asleep for an hour and a half. Since then I've been lazing about, enjoying having the apartment to myself, reading blogs, listening to Birdy's album (obsessed) and doing laundry. And since I have a little time to breathe, I want to fill you in on my latest loves, passions and pursuits...

Paris, je t'aime
I've been a self-declared francophile for quite some time, but after reading Amy Thomas' Paris, My Sweet, my love for this city is reignited and has pretty much consumed me. Since reading inhaling her delightful memoir, I've been to Laduree at least four times and visited places like La Maison du Chocolat (ridiculously expensive chocolate; heavenly and better-priced eclairs), Levain Bakery (insanely good chocolate chip walnut cookie) and Lady M (famous for their Mille Crepe cake) for some sweet treats of my own. I've also dined at Cafe Cluny (absolutely adorable - the wait staff all wear striped Saint James tees, and the french fries and ice cream are to-die-for) and Cedric (ah-mazing gem in Harlem - merci, Tiffani!) in the hopes of recreating a little Parisien bistro magique in the City That Never Sleeps.

I've also been going through Amy's blog archives, and by doing so, discovered the British delight that is Rachel Khoo. I've no idea how I've never heard of her until now, but I am in love (and full on stalker-mode). I've watched all her episodes of The Little Paris Kitchen and can't wait until her book is published in the States.

And I'm going to sign up for a French language course at alliance francaise this Fall.

AND I'm planning a trip to Paris and London for Spring 2013. :)

Art
I've always enjoyed museums and have made the requisite trips to the Louvre while in Paris, the Galleria delgli Uffizi in Florence and the Tate Modern in London. But since moving to the city and particularly in the last six months, I've been having a bit of a love affair with museums. The Frick, the Met, the MoMA... j'adore them all. Last Friday I got out of jury duty early, so I hopped on the subway and headed uptown to spend some time with my favorite European artists at The Met. I spent hours wandering around the galleries, spending quality one-on-one time with Manet, Monet, Degas, Renoir, Mucha, Vuillard and of course, my favorite Bonnard.

Tomorrow I'm visiting the Neue Galerie to see the Klimt exhibit and dine on some Viennese delights at the gorgeous Cafe Sebarsky. Still on the list? The Guggenheim, the Whitney, the numerous Chelsea galleries and a trip to the Bronx to see a recreation of Monet's Garden at the NY Botanical Gardens.

After reading Object of Beauty (a tres interesting book on the art world in NYC by Steve Martin (yes, that one), I've been more inspired than ever to take a course on art history. Regrettably I never took one in college and am hoping to find a continuing education course here in the city, one that actually works with my schedule.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 


It's not all Monet and macarons though. In other news...


- I've also recently developed a rather unhealthy obsession with The Vampire Diaries and all things Stefan/Paul Wesley. I mean, with a jaw like that, how can you not?


- My poor white craptastic macbook is on its last leg. I think a shiny new macbook pro is going to be my birthday present to moi this August.


- I have a new roommate, and I'm not a big fan. Our little friend (read: MOUSE) absolutely refuses to eat the delicious peanut butter in the fancy new traps I purchased and instead enjoys making random appearances in the kitchen and in the hallway (only, of course, when I'm looking) causing me to scream, shout, jump on the bed and generally act like a crazy person. Le sigh.


- I actually have another new roommate whom I adore who's subletting for the summer. She's a wicked smart Harvard and Oxford grad who is currently getting her MBA at Wharton, interning at Godiva. She's lived in London and Mexico City, is from the Bay Area and loves good food as much as I do. We have a date at the esteemed Gramercy Tavern in July, and I cannot wait. 

Gros bisous, mes amies. I hope life is good.




 

Easy Peasy Pumpkin Pancakes

Forgive me in advance - if you are one who likes recipes for their specificity, then you probably won't like this one. But I urge you to try making these pancakes with a lax attitude, as that is the best way to start a lazy Sunday.

I'm not a big pancakes person.  Eating them?  Sure!  But making them?  Augh.  Just as I detest baking, I detest making pancakes for the same reasons - messy flour, multiple ingredients and measuring cups.  But when this time of year comes around, I can't resist the siren song of pureed pumpkin.  And so, this year I was determined to find an easy way to whip up 5-minute pumpkin pancakes whenever the urge hit, and I can confidently say (after several batches), that this is one of the easiest pancake recipes (if you can even call it a recipe) on the planet, and it's pretty healthy to boot!  (And duh, it's vegan.)

Easy Peasy Pumpkin Pancakes

- pancake mix of your choice (I use Highland Sugarworks' Organic Multigrain Pancake Mix because it's vegan and includes simple ingredients - whole wheat flour, corn flour, rye flour and sea salt)

- almond milk of your choice (I prefer Silk or Almond Breeze - both the plain, unsweetened variety)

- pumpkin pie spice

- pure maple syrup (get the good stuff here - I brought mine back all the way from Vancouver!)

- Earth Balance (or butter)

- pureed pumpkin (yes, from a can)

So you've got all your ingredients.  Now you just combine until you get the desired consistency (which can vary depending on what you like - I like mine a bit thick).  I usually start by adding the pancake mix, pureed pumpkin (use about 1/3 of the amt of pancake mix you use) and some almond milk until I find a decent consistency.  Then I add a generous sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice and a drizzle of maple syrup (which I swear makes the pancakes ever-so-subtly sweet from the inside without using sugar, which is a big plus for me). 

Then just heat a skillet over medium heat (you can use a griddle if you are fancy like that and have one), coat it with nonstick spray and Earth Balance (this is KEY to making your pancakes goldeny brown and delightfully crispy around the edge) and use a 1/4 cup measuring spoon to make each pancake.  Easy peasy!

Note that you can store any leftover batter in the fridge and use it the next day or maybe even the day after that.  I usually just put plastic wrap over the mix and the bowl (as in directly on the batter so a weird film doesn't develop) and keep it in the fridge.  When I'm ready for another pancake, I just let it sit out of the fridge for about 5 minutes and then fry that sucker up.

Serve with warm maple syrup (and Earth Balance, if you so desire, but I don't find it necessary since you're cooking them in it).  Enjoy!

Catch Up: What I've Been Eating, Thinking and Doing

Bonsoir, mes amies! Yesterday I realized that I completely dropped the ball on blogging, and for that, I apologize. I'm especially sorry because there are SO many things that I've wanted to discuss! First things first: let's chat briefly about what I've been eating.

Despite a few hiccups in the road (I'm looking at your apple pie a la mode at work!), I've been doing pretty well with the vegan eating.  And, unsurprisingly (and yet it always still manages to surprise me a little), I'm starting to get that inner and outer vegan glow.  I'm feeling good, y'all, and the fact that I've dropped a few pounds is the icing on the already moist and delicious cake!

Peacefood Cafe
Friday night I had a dinner date avec a dear friend from work, and she took me to Peacefood Cafe where I had a FANTASTIC meal.  We got the dumplings to start, and holy crap, they were some of the best dumplings I've ever had.  And let me tell you something - my mother makes some pretty killer (and pork-filled) dumplings.  And these?  These vegan dumplings?  They were just as good.  I'm kind of obsessed with them and can't WAIT to go back for more.  We also split the caesar salad (who knew tempeh bacon could be so good??) and the mushroom panini (ummm heavenly).

To be honest, the part of the meal I was looking forward to the most was dessert, as I'd heard so much about their delectable offerings.  Unfortunately, we didn't have as good of an experience there.  We got the peanut butter cheesecake (the peeps on Yelp love that stuff) and the raw key lime pie.  I'll give the key lime pie (pictured below) a solid B.  It had great flavor and an excellent balance of sweet and tart, but I couldn't get past the texture.  It had the texture of butter which, depending on who you are, could be a good thing.  But it just wasn't doing it for me (my friend loved it though).

Now, the peanut butter cheesecake was straight up NOT good.  There was some flavor going on in there that I couldn't get past (maybe the silken tofu??).  I decided to give the desserts one last try and snagged the last slice of ginger spice bread to-go and was barely 3 steps into my apartment before busting it out.  It was INSANE GOOD, y'all.  Peacefood Cafe definitely redeemed its dessert reputation there.  I need that recipe!!

Taim
Definitely some of the best falafel I've had.  Tucked away on a quiet street in the West Village, this place is a gem.  It's a bit pricey, but 99.9% of their menu is vegan and absurdly delicious so I'm okay with it.  Get the date, lime & banana smoothie!!

Baking Treats
On Sunday, I was feeling particular Fall-esque and wanted to bake some Fall treats to celebrate.  First things first, my roomie and I roasted the pumpkin seeds we gathered from a pumpkin carving party the day prior.  I'd never roasted pumpkin seeds before - they took forever, but were well worth the wait.  They filled our apartment with a warm, Autumn and comforting aroma and are tres tasty.

I also made Alicia Silverstone's chocolate peanut butter cups (a HUGE hit at the office today) and pumpkin chocolate chip muffins (I'm not sharing the recipe for that one b/c I'm not a huge fan).  I heart baking!

Colleen, Gabby and Kimberly
I went to Colleen Patrick Goudreau's presentation of Animal and the Arts at the Alexander Gray gallery last week, and it was one of the best nights I've had since moving to NYC.  I plan to devote an entire blog post to this, but suffice it to say that Colleen is warm, endearing and inspirational, and I kind of love her.

I had my last group coaching session with Gabby Bernstein tonight.  I've definitely learned some valuable tools from her, but overall I'd have to say I'm a little disappointed.  More on this later as well.

Thursday night I take the train to D.C. for the National Conference to End Factory Farming where I'll be selling TranquiliT with Kimberly - I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!

Have a BEAUTIFUL week, friends.  Gros bisous!

Working Eating Eating Working

Hi, y'all!  How's your week been?  Hard to believe it's already Friday, eh?  Work, for moi, has been going pretty well.  Slowly learning the ropes and getting to know everyone - it's fun.  :D  Nonetheless, I am EXCITED for the weekend!!  Can you believe it's already Halloween?  Nuts!  This Fall is flying by which makes me tres tres sad.

Working has definitely shaken up my eating routine.  I'm ravenous by the time I get home from work and typically end up eating the first thing I set my sights on.  I know I should have a snack in the late afternoon, but I just haven't gotten my act together yet, and I don't want to go buy something from the cafeteria.  Tonight, I had just enough time (like 15 minutes) to whip up a quick, easy meal before heading uptown for a concert w/ friends. 

Trader Joe's frozen garlic naan and veggie masala burger aka the BEST VEGGIE BURGER EVER!!!  Seriously, I thought it sounded weird when I first heard of it, but then I tried it, and OHMEMGEE - it is taaasty.  I think it's going to become my favorite go-to meal component.

I also had a bag of spinach that was about to go very, very bad.  I made one of the greenest smoothies I've ever made in my life!  It was also very simple - just spinach, almond milk, frozen banana, frozen mango, touch of raw honey, and ice.  It was surprisingly delicious sans peanut butter & flax per my usual green smoothies.  Very light and refreshing.  And GREEN!

Naturally, as soon as I got home from said concert, I was hungry again.  So I made another veggie burger and shoved it in a small whole wheat roll.  Mmmm I need to buy lots and lots of boxes of these...  Get them.  You won't regret it.

As for le weekend, I plan to do the following...

Friday: Get brows waxed at the Boom Boom Brow Bar, go for a run, catch up on my DVR, hopefully finish my book club book

Saturday: Brunch w/ old friend, shop w/ NYC friend, gym, then OUT for HALLOWEEN!

Sunday: FINALLY getting my hair did (it's been 6 mo since haircut... appalling), church, run, 

get ready for week :D  

What're you up to this weekend?

Weekend Cookin'

WARNING: Picture-heavy post, y'all.  I went a little crazy with my iPhone camera today...

One of the pleasant side effects of reading Angela's blog is that it makes me want to get in the kitchen and experiment.  I can definitely whip up food sans recipe, but I'm not much for experimenting.  If I have a recipe, I use it, and that's that.  But Saturday morning I woke up and decided to be uber daring (ha!) and just go with the flow...

I immediately knew I wanted pancakes!  PUMPKIN pancakes!!  I bought some multigrain pancake mix from Whole Foods the other day (this is the exact brand I bought - really really good) and dumped some into a bowl.  Then I added about 1/2 cup of organic canned pumpkin.  Then some almond milk.  Then some pumpkin pie spice.  And whisked.  It was pretty thick at first, so I added a touch of canola oil (will replace with applesauce now that I've purchased unsweetened applesauce) and more almond milk.  5 minutes later, I was flippin' pancakes with the best of 'em! They were DELISH!  Topped with a touch of Earth Balance and pure maple syrup... yum.

Enjoyed with Trader Joe's Wintry Mix blend coffee and a touch of soy creamer.  Mmmmm...  (Oh and the reason the pancakes are in a bowl is because we were out of clean plates.)

After a kickass run on the treadmill (too cold to run outside today!), I got dolled up and headed out to Hill Country, a TX-style BBQ joint.  We had a UT Law Alumni Event organized by my friend Stephanie, and I was promised free food and drink.  The entire downstairs was FULL of burnt orange clad Longhorn fans.  The game was super fun and we WON!!  We beat Nebraska who were ranked #5 (we weren't ranked at ALL).  Unfortunately, a lot of the free food was meat, meat and more meat, so I ordered some veggies and cornbread on the side.  ;)  

Longhorn fans are CRAZY devoted.

After the game, I went to Trader Joe's w/ my good friend David.  

 (No idea why we are so orange.  TX pride?)

I needed to get some ingredients for tonight's din.  I wanted to make mujaddara since I picked up these lentils last week.  I've never cooked with lentils before, which is nuts considering my mostly-vegan diet.  They are PACKED with protein and fiber.

(I label all my TJ's food now since all my roomies shop there, too.  I probably didn't need to label these though... I doubt my roomies even know what lentils are!)

This is what the lentils looked like after I dumped them into a pot.  I added more salt and pepper and lots of cumin.  Next time I'm going to make the lentils myself!

Mujaddara is essentially a dish of lentils and rice topped with onions and yogurt (or sour cream).  

I LIVE for caramelized onions - they're so good!  But they shrink up SO much.  I should've used 2 onions.  Before:

After:

I made it with brown basmati rice.  I suck at making rice in a pot, but I don't eat it enough to buy a rice cooker.  Sigh.  After the rice was done (I use that term loosely), I topped a bowlful with the lentils, the onions, and a dollup of Fage 0% greek yogurt.

I also roasted some adorable potatoes (also from TJ's).  They're so teeny!  (That nifty contraption on the far left is my oil mister from Williams Sonoma.  It rocks my face off!)

(Please ignore my hideous, unpolished fingers.)

I also roasted some broccoli.  Don't ya just love roasted veggies?  So easy and so good.

The mujaddara was pretty good!  I love how easy it is - just a few ingredients.  The onions and yogurt definitely make the dish so I would not recommend skipping them.  (To veganize the dish, you could always use Tofutti sour cream.  The rest of it is super vegan.  :D)  You can also play around with more spices, but all I had on hand was cumin.  I have plenty of leftover lentils and brown rice and plan to use them up next week in as many different ways as possible. Any suggestions?

I'm now sitting in bed and debating whether I should watch Criminal Minds or Beauty and the Beast (released from the vault!!!).  My friend Steph and Roomie Deux both invited me out, but I am soooo happy to not go out this weekend.  I'm sure they think I'm lame, but so what?  I love being lame.  :D  In fact, I think I'm going to live it up and make a big mug of Vanilla & Cinnamon black tea from TJ's.  Mmmmm... tea.  Dude, this stuff is GOOD.  I'm going to STOCK UP b/c it's seasonal.  How cute is the lemur on the box??  It's also only $1.99 - HOLLA!!

Have I mentioned how much I love TJ's???  Not sure how I ever lived without it...

Do you tend to cook from recipes or do you freestyle it up in the kitch?  And do you want to smack me for inserting so many pics or does it make things more interesting?  :)

What Happened to the Food Network?

My love affair with the Food Network began my sophomore year of college. Before then, I was so not a cook in any sense of the word. I lived off cheerios, fruit loops, apple jacks, and Schlotzskys my freshman year of college (and yet somehow I was way thinner then... hmm), and the only home-cooked meals I tasted were in my Mom's kitchen in Dallas. Then came sophomore year, and my first desire to learn how to cook. I stumbled across the FN in my tres ghetto apartment at the time and the first show I ever watched was 30-Minute Meals with Rachael Ray. Now, I know what you're thinking... she's the worst (and apparently a huge B in real life). And I agree, she is. Now. But back then she wasn't EVERYWHERE and on EVERYTHING, and even though she still said things like "EVOO" and "pasta overboard!", I found her charming and her recipes simple enough. Plus, she actually went through an entire meal and cooked it on the show in real time, so I learned how to cook by watching. I actually learned quite a lot, looking back, and so I will forever be grateful to her for introducing me to the wonderful world of cooking.

Soon thereafter I met Giada and Ina. I loved their shows because they were beautifully filmed in gorgeous white kitchens, and their food was fantastically simple. Admittedly, I was mesmerized by Giada's beauty and history (did you know her entire family is/was in the film business?). Her food also looked good, and since I've always been a fan of Italian, I was eager to try her many dishes. Unfortunately, they tend to look better than they taste (for the most part, not all), and it wasn't long before I found her overly Italian pronunciation of words like "spaghetti" and "parmiggiano" irritating. Also, does her cleavage HAVE to be on every single episode??

But Ina... oh Ina Ina Ina. I am in LOVE with Ina. She is everything a good cook should be: warm, motherly, pleasantly plump (I do not trust skinny chefs... AHEM Giada), and sweet as pie. Furthermore, she has an insanely gorgeous home in East Hampton and an adorable husband. And her food - oh the food! It's SO GOOD. I've never been disappointed in a single Ina dish. Ever! Her cookbooks are my absolute fave (note to self: must ask Mom to mail them asap), and I highly recommend them to both budding and seasoned chefs. (My friend Steph even got me an Ina cookbook signed by the Contessa herself!) The only downside to Ina's dishes is that they can get expensive. She insists on high quality ingredients (which is fair), but I once made one of her lasagna recipes and spent, like, $40 on different cheeses. Also, she uses her fair share of butter and cream, but it's nowhere near as obscene as that Paula lady with whom, btw, I have never gotten fully on board. Ina's just my fave, and I literally scream every time I actually catch her show on TV.

Fast forward to me now: my birthday gift to myself was to purchase a used TV off Craigslist for my petite NYC palace. I'm already paying for cable (the apt has a bundle plan), so getting a TV made sense. I've turned on the FN every day since and have been appalled to see that 90% of the shows are either reality/competition-based OR filled with annoying chefs (and I mean even more annoying than RR!) What happened to my FN?? Has anyone else noticed this awful shift? I can't wait to get my DVR (now rescheduled for Saturday... grr I hate you, Time Warner Cable) so I can record every single episode of Barefoot Contessa and never be forced to watch The Next FN Star or Down Home with the Neelys ever again. (No offense if you like those shows...)

As for the boys, well, I am IN LOVE with Tyler Florence and actually met him at the Food & Wine Festival in Austin many, many years ago. (I also asked him if he was single, and yes, my boyfriend at the time was sitting right next to me.) I equally ABHOR Bobby Flay. He's annoying, not cute, way too "I'm a MAN!", and never shall I dine in one of his restaurants.

And with that, I'll leave you with some food porn, Ina-style.

coconut cupcakes

baked eggs with cream

mac 'n cheese

lobster pot pie

asparagus with hollandaise

The Art of Eating In

So, remember that book I said I couldn't wait to review and discuss? Well, it's finally here! The Art of Eating In is a kind-of-ah-mazing mini memoir that chronicles Brooklynite Cathy Erway's 2 years of not eating out in NYC. Yes, TWO YEARS! I had heard about Miss Erway months ago, as her name and book came up in a few of my magazines. I'd always torn out the pages to remind myself to read it, but with the move and all, it just slipped my mind. Enter: my NYPL membership.

I absolutely ADORE the New York Public Library and can't believe it's taken me this long to get on the library bandwagon. So long are the days of card catalogs and making multiple trips to various branches (although, admittedly, this can be fun, too). You can now search and reserve any book/dvd/cd/whatever you want online and have it sent to your local branch (which, conveniently for me, is on my block). I've been on a library spree since joining, and when The Art of Eating In came in, I immediately picked it up and took it with me to the beach last weekend.

I pretty much read the entire book that day. I remember my friend Steph looking over at me a couple of hours into our beach loungin' and being surprised at how far I had gotten. First, I'm a fast reader. Second, when I like a book, I LIKE a book. I couldn't stop reading and the only thing that forced me away that afternoon was the siren call of the chilly-but-refreshing waves. When I got home, I picked the book up once again and finished it. And now, I'm reading it a 2nd time...

The Art of Eating In, like many nonfiction books these days, began as a blog. Not Eating Out In New York is an immensely popular blog still maintained by Cathy and still fabulous. The book, however, is not merely a regurgitation of the blog, but a story that includes not just food and cooking, but tales of romance, friendship, family and Brooklyn. (Oh Brooklyn... I realize Brooklyn has become very much romanticized over the past few years, but I'm, like, in love. I can't wait to explore more of it and already have a dinner date in Williamsburg scheduled for next week.)

Cathy makes a number of valid points in her book, one of which really hit home for me. She explores how much waste is created by takeout in this city, and she couldn't be more right. Anytime I order takeout, I'm appalled by how much trash I create. From the plastic bag AND paper bags holding the containers of food, the containers themselves, the plasticware, the napkins, the excessive sauce packets... it's no wonder our kitchen trash fills up on a daily basis. Even though I try and request NO plasticware, 1 or 2 sets always finds their way in my multiple bags. It kills me. At one point in the book, Cathy decides to compare how much waste is created between ordering in and cooking at home. The dish of choice is chicken with broccoli, and the results are astounding.

{photo credit: marieclaire.com}

The book also made me examine the whole "ordering in" thang that is so prevalent here (and admittedly, so appealing... at least, at first). You know I kind of died when I realized I could order whatever kind of food I wanted (online, no less!) and have it delivered to my front door. But then I got to thinking... how good is the food I've ordered in? Some of it has been great and has certainly hit the spot (great Thai food, excellent NY-style pizza). But quite frankly, most of it has been disappointing in some aspect or another. Furthermore, I realized that even though the food was relatively cheap, it probably wasn't made with the best ingredients nor was it particularly healthy. And, most importantly, I could probably make it and make it better. So why did I keep doing it? The novelty has worn off, and honestly, I'm sick of eating food prepared by someone else. And I am SO excited to get back in the kitchen.

Another aspect of the book I loved was the emphasis on the social nature of food. "I don't think there's anything more I could have wished for on that night. I had everything that I loved about life: good people (and not too many of them) and really good food (too much of it, but that was okay." I couldn't agree more. Some of my warmest and fuzziest moments from college and law school involve dinner parties, not going out to eat, but a group of us cramped around a too-small table, eating delicious homemade food and genuinely enjoying each other's company. Those were the best times.

Naturally, after finishing this delightful book, I immediately wanted to: (1) cook my heart out; and (2) throw a dinner party. #1 has been well underway, what with my kitchen clean-out and reorg. and my purchase of essential kitchenware. As for #2, it gets un peu trickier, as we don't really have a dining table, and let's be honest, I'm not keen on entertaining here. It's tres devastating, as I adore nothing more than cooking and entertaining for dear friends, but luckily, my friend (and fellow foodie) Stephanie has a fabulous apartment all to herself AND a wonderful outdoor patio (she's the one who threw me a dinner party on my first night in the city - love!). We immediately scheduled an intimate patio dinner party for next week, and guess who's in charge of the entree? Oui, c'est moi!

Cooking for friends who are not vegetarian (let alone vegan) presents a bit of a challenge. I knew my dish probably wouldn't be vegan, but I really REALLY don't feel comfortable cooking meat (let alone eating it). After scouring my fave food blogs, I stumbled across this tasty looking Spanish Tortilla with Kale and knew I had to try it. Simple but tasty ingredients make the best dishes, and Erin's recipes never fail. Still, I felt bad about using eggs... after all, Jonathan Safran Foer makes it a point to state in Eating Animals that eggs are probably the worst animal products to buy in terms of animal cruelty. But hey, I'm living in NYC now! Surely I can find eggs that come from a humane farm in which the hens live happy, pleasant, grassy lives. I found a number of suppliers at the Union Square Greenmarket and plan to do some research on the farms before buying any eggs. (Note: I realize there are still issues w/ buying these kinds of eggs, but I don't want to get into it here. I also realize I could prepare a vegan dish, but I'm not going to get into that here either. Sorry if that offends you...)

{image credit: fresh365online.com}

So, if you enjoy food and cooking, then I highly suggest you read The Art of Eating In. I fell back in love with food and cooking and fell super hard for Cathy. Her fun, quirky personality is most appealing, and let's be honest, she's just adorable (half and half... always beautiful!). I've already ordered my own copy from Amazon (used for only $5!), as I know I'll be re-reading it frequently and trying out some of the recipes (yes, there are recipes in the book!). Don't you just love a good book? Especially one about FOOD?? Check it out, and let me know what you think!

(Note: I originally wrote this post on Saturday. On Sunday, I woke up with a massive sore throat and an ache-y body - no bueno. I immediately declared it a sick-bed-feel-sorry-for-myself-day and spent the first half of the day dozing in and out of sleep and swallowing painfully. Finally I got up and downed several cups of water and coconut water (the only liquids I had in the house) and realized around 5 p.m. that I was starving. Wanting soft comfort foods (think: mashed potatoes), I hopped onto seamlessweb and surfed for literally an hour trying to find something that sounded remotely appetizing. I finally settled on a comfort food/bbq joint from where I ordered a selection of sides and banana pudding. Ugh - this little experiment only further proved my point that restaurant food is rarely, if ever, better than home-cooked. This place was pricier than normal and had received rave reviews so I had high(er) hopes, but the sides were overly salted, heavy, and left me with a bad feeling in my tummy. The banana pudding, luckily, wasn't bad and soothed my throat. But it doesn't matter - I am so not ordering in again for a very. long. time. And I plan to whip myself up a comforting bowl of polenta later.)

(Oh and also? I requested no plasticware, but nonetheless found not one, not two, but three sets of plasticware in my bag. *shakes fist in air* Why?!)

Scenes Avec Soeur

It's been an absolute joy to have my sister in town for the past couple of days. I'm beyond devastated to have to say goodbye to her tomorrow (only until October hopefully!), but we've had an incredible jam-packed couple of days, filled with lots of eating, shopping, and laughing. It's what we do best. :) Here are a few scenes from our short time together...

brunch @ Five Points (can you spot moi?)

having fun w/ a CRAZY trench @ Barneys... it had, like, 2 collars

i thoroughly enjoyed my lychee martini @ BondSt

ma soeur eagerly awaiting her raw fish @ BondSt (she LOVES the stuff)

red velvet cupcake from Amy's Bread bakery @ Chelsea Market

my NY big sis @ Le Grainne Cafe for dinner

me and my big sis. she's kind of incredible... i'm the luckiest lil sis in the world!

Days 9-10... Oops!

Totally forgot to post yesterday - my bad! Last night I went to dinner at Josie's on the Upper West Side with a blog reader. Josie's is delicious, and their super fresh fruity cocktails are fantastic! I can't wait to go back and try more. Merci for a fabulous evening, Tracy!

Today I am waiting (yet again) for the Fedex guy to deliver another package from Mommy dearest. This one contains my Dyson hand vac (YES!), my Hello Kitty blanket (uh huh...), and some more goodies. It's cheaper for my Mom to send me my stuff from home than for me to buy it here so I'm expecting more packages in the future. The downside to not having a doorman is that I have to either wait at home for the packages to arrive or risk having to go pick it up later. Since these packages are not small, I figure chillaxin' at home is worth it. Although considering it's already 4 p.m., I'm starting to get a little antsy...

Luckily I have loads of fun plans tonight and this weekend. Tonight I'm meeting a very old friend for dinner at BCD Tofu House in Koreatown. Can I just tell you how PSYCHED I am to be in the presence of good Korean food for once?? Afterwards I'm meeting up with my friends Will and Ryan for a party in the 'hood and then we're hoping to meet up with other friends Steph and David later. I imagine the evening be a delicious whirlwind of parties, cocktails, bars and dancing. I'm down! What're you guys up to this weekend?

Day 5... City Love

{Image: www.nytimes.com}

Today I loved the city. It started with brunch in the West Village at EXTRA VIRGIN with Roomie Trois. The West Village is home to the most coveted real estate in the city, as it is as charming as charming gets. Tree lined sidewalks, darling brownstones, and hip little bistros and shops on every corner. I adore it and love that it's walking distance from my apartment. Roomie and I were thankfully seated indoors but at a huge window facing the street so we could people watch. Gorgeous and effortless chic women and well-dressed older couples littered the streets, and I hoped to catch a glimpse of a favorite celebrity, as many of them live in the area. I didn't see anyone famous (this time), but Roomie Trois and I had a fabulous brunch, and I absolutely adore her and am glad I've found a friend in the apartment.

After brunch I ran to Chase and Whole Foods and then back home to escape the heat and humidity. After a long afternoon nap (in the A/C!), I woke up and decided eating in would be a good idea after 2 rich brunches in a row. I whipped up a green smoothie and heated a frozen Amy's burrito (okay, so I didn't really cook) and relaxed. Around 8:45 I found myself itching to get outside once again before it got super dark outside. I threw on a tank dress and ran out the door only to realize that the winds had shifted, and it was lovely and COOL and breezy and not humid at ALL outside. What a pleasant surprise! Despite being a little chilly, I wandered down to the Chelsea Market, crossed over into the Meatpacking District, and made my way back to the apartment. I adore my neighborhood and the fact that I can walk so easily to all these great areas. As I walked I couldn't help but smile. Do I really live here? Is it too good to be true? Despite the gross shower and dealing with multiple roommates with cleanliness standards a bit subpar to mine and wondering how on earth I'm going to cook in a kitchen with no counter space and no saucepan in sight, I'm still happy to be here. This is city love.

Hope you all had a beautiful weekend. Lots and lots love from moi to you.

Carolyn's Oats

Admittedly, I am not so good at breakfast. Most of the time I don't wake up with enough time to do much more than start a pot of coffee, sip half of it, and then grab a piece of toast w/ pb or a frozen waffle. And embarassingly enough, before I changed my diet, I was often picking up breakfast tacos from Taco Shack or McDonald's mcgriddles (plain with no egg or sausage - like pancakes!) and hashbrowns (still love these, but I doubt I'll be eating anything from McD's anytime soon) on a far-too-regular basis.

So although I've been really good about cooking yummy dinners and even lunches over the past couple weeks, my breakfasts have still been lacking. Also, I find it hard to even get 2 slices of toast down in the morning, even when I have the time. I don't know why b/c I'm definitely hungry in the morning, but there's just something about eating that early that... freaks me out. I don't know. Does anyone else have this problem?

In an effort to raise the standards of my breakfasts, I hit up the bulk bins at Whole Foods yesterday and picked up some steel cut oats (had no idea what these looked like - how sad is that?), organic raisins, and raw walnuts. Last night, after dinner and The Biggest Loser (how lame is Michael btw??), I very slowly cooked a pot of these yummy oats, cooled them, and then refrigerated them. They reheat surprisingly well in the microwave (or gently over the stove), and are about 100x better than any instant or even quick cooking oats I've ever had. And they'll last me about 4 mornings. Genius.

Carolyn's Oats

- 2 cups of water
- 2 cups of soy milk (or any other milk you prefer)
- 1 cup of steel cut oats
- dash of salt
- maple syrup

- nuts, fruit, dried fruit, brown sugar, etc.

Combine the water, milk and salt in a pot and bring to a boil. Slowly stir in the oats. Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring often to ensure that the oats don't stick to the bottom. After 15 minutes, add maple syrup and then cook on low for about 10-15 more minutes, stirring often, until desired creaminess and consistency is reached. Let cool and refrigerate. In the morning, scoop out desired portion into a microwave-safe bowl, heat, and then add whatever other toppings your heart desires. Thank Carolyn for this genius idea (that she stole from other people who probably had the idea first).