the hole in the wall

eating quest #2

ablair13 — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 11:58:50 +0000

this past saturday, my own lorelai gilmore (friends will understand this reference…for everyone else, “l.g.” is another name for my mom) and i took off on yet another food tour. we really should market these. i think the public would enjoy coming along for the ride. oh, another business plan…yikes! this entrepreneurial spirit of mine gets carried away sometimes.

we actually started off with two homemade treats this time, carefully crafted by yours truly. first, we shared a raspberry marshmallow surrounded by a gooey chocolate caramel. next, we bit into a crisp chocolate filled with raspberry creme fraiche. divine, if i don’t say so myself. nothing like a little sugar to start off the weekend. daily serving of fruit, check! as we wandered to one of our favorite coffee shops, mojo coffee, in the west village, we just happened to pass magnolia bakery. much to my surprise, i realized that i had never actually tried anything from the bakery made famous by sex and the city and other movies, celebrities, etc. although i had walked by countless times, i had always passed up the traditional cupcake stop. i remember now. the last time i stopped here was to satisfy pam’s cupcake craving. i, on the other hand, just had to try a deep fried mars bar from a salt and battery (get it? clever name for a fish and chips place, right?)…i am so not normal. the crispy, batter coated candy bar was actually quite delicious. i definitely recommend it! okay, back to saturday. because it was relatively early on a saturday morning (10 AM is early for new yorkers…i usually benefit from this), we were the only customers in magnolia. if any of you have visited the bakery, you will appreciate this, as a long line usually snakes around the corner and down the street. of course, i just had to see (or taste rather) what all of the fuss was about. so, we ordered one slice of red velvet cake and one of coconut cake. while my mom preferred the red velvet, the coconut was right up my…you guessed it…alley! the frostings were just to-die-for…light and fluffy. with our iced coffees in hand, we devoured “half” (so as not to overindulge and save some for dessert later that evening…this is a new definition for the measurement as we nearly finished both pieces) of each slice. we were off to a very good start!

next, we walked through the green market at union square. this has become somewhat of a tradition for us. if you haven’t already checked it out, it truly is wonderful! every monday, wednesday, friday, and saturday, union square becomes “green” in every sense of the word, as it fills with vendors offering their best produce, baked goods, and dairy items…you can even taste some refreshing wine. even if you’re not in the mood to carry a shopping bag of fresh market goods, it is always entertaining to walk around and sample some offerings. for once, we did not get too carried away and only purchased a bag of pretzels for our favorite guy. it’s always nice to bring a little treat home. plus, the martin’s pretzels are delicious and the friendly guy selling them even gave us a sample. once my mom noticed how attractive the “pretzel seller” (for lack of a better phrase) was, she decided to have a conversation with him. the pretzels are made in pennsylvania…what a coincidence! WE are from PA, too*. and it continued…

*it is important to note that we already knew all about the pretzels, but this is how desperate my mother is to find me an eligible young suitor. pathetic (and not on her part, on mine), i know!

on this particular saturday, it seemed as if there was an event on every nyc street. before heading to the east village, we stopped at a street fair. usually tacky, but this time we met a charming woman, who was selling adorable baby/kids clothes. stuffed between kebab and funnel cake vendors, she was happy to speak with us about her business. we did take advantage of the fair food and enjoyed a freshly grilled cob of corn (that sounds awkward, but i think i like it), coated in jalapeno butter. vegetable serving, check! so far, we were doing much better than our last food tour. we had had both raspberries AND corn.

when we finally arrived on saint mark’s place, one of my favorite destinations in the east village (thanks, jenny!), we stopped at baoguette to try banh mi, a sandwich consisting of pork terrine, pate, pulled pork, fresh herbs, and a crunchy slaw of pickled veggies. YUM! to top it off, it was served in a crispy baguette. understand the name now? at only $5 (not including tax), it has to be one of the best deals here in the city. so, there we were, standing on the street corner, devouring our baoguettes, banh mi juice dripping everywhere…we were a mess! this is when i love starbucks. always perfect for a bathroom stop.

after hosing ourselves down, we stopped at crif dogs, the hot dog place we visited a few weeks before, to enjoy another cream cheese, everything bagel seed hot dog. this time, the dog was deep fried and perfectly crunchy. however, we have decided that the bun was rather dry and they might think of grilling or steaming it next time. just a suggestion. we had pretty much had our pork fill of the day when we turned the corner only to see, porchetta, a tiny sandwich shop recommended by two of my favorite people my mom has been buying porchetta from her hometown of scranton, pa for as long as i can remember. needless to say, we were thrilled to have randomly encountered this charming storefront. although we passed up a sandwich, due to our past two stops, we did order some “crispy potatoes with burnt ends” and (i’m pretty sure) deep fried fat. wow!! was this tasty. i never knew that eating crunchy fat could be so satisfying. do potatoes count as a veggie??

have you heard of giandujia? well, i certainly never had until this summer. for those of you, who are as clueless as i once was, allow me to enlighten you. giandujia is a sweet chocolate which contains hazelnut (about 30% according to wikipedia) and it is delicious. my first introduction came at my chocolate making job. now, it seems to be popping up everywhere! i noticed it at our next stop: the van leeuwen artisan ice cream truck that parks in soho. i tried giandujia ice cream with their incredible burnt caramel sauce. this sugary confection always leaves me speechless. i was also shocked by the number of customers, who also ordered giandujia ice cream. clearly, this is not a new thing! i guess i’m just a little slow.

what did we do next? i’m having trouble remembering. i really need to get better about the timeliness of my blogs. this delaying really impedes the memory. i think we went to see “julie and julia”, which cost about $25…yikes! it could have been a broadway musical at that price. and if it had been, there is no doubt that meryl streep would have given a riveting performance. is there anything she cannot do? ms. streep was fabulously entertaining as julia child and while many review criticized any aspect of the film that did not contain meryl (meaning all of the parts about “julie”), i thought amy adams did a nice job as well. so here’s a shout out to you, ms. adams! although i must admit, i even stopped reading the book halfway through, because i found julie to be rather boring and cynical (she dropped the f bomb a little too much for my taste and seemed to cure any stress with cigarettes and alcohol…not judging, just stating facts). however, this is not the fault of the actress. anyway, go see the movie if you like food, but it was a little long for my taste.

after our much needed pause from eating, i was getting a little hungry. we were in the east village, a mecca for pizza joints, so we stopped at luzzo’s, a restaurant that had been listed as one of the best pizza spots in the city. we attempted to find una pizza napoletana (the “best” in new york) and although we were successful, our spirits dropped when we learned that it had closed for good. luzzo’s definitely did not disappoint. we enjoyed the “arugola” with tomatoes, mozzarella, shaved parmigiano, arugola (surprised?), and basil. my new favorite thing is to include greens on pizza, so this really hit the spot! we even made some new friends from canada. what a lovely dinner #1.

dinner #2 took us to atomic wings. you didn’t honestly think that a few slices of pizza would full my bottomless pit of a stomach, did you? if you have never tried them, i highly recommend the buffalo wings at this “fast food” eatery. the sauces are intense, as the “medium” caused my nose to run like a faucet. nice image, right? however, they certainly were yummy and the people, who work there are delightful as well.

after i had hosed down for my second time that day, we moseyed on up to west 10th street and settled into my studio for the night. enjoyed a few more bites of cake (wouldn’t want to waste it!) and caught some much needed zzzzzzzzz’s.

yoga post disclaimer:

ablair13 — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:56:58 +0000

because i mentioned in my last post that yoga had never really clicked with me in the past, i want to point out that it had absolutely nothing to do with the classes themselves. perhaps i should clarify. over the years, i had just tagged along with my mom. i never really wanted to go, but thought it was “good for me”, as we are told so many things are. maybe now i have finally matured enough to actually appreciate all that yoga has to offer. because i no longer feel awkward in poses or get the urge to giggle when my class erupts into a loud (and i mean LOUD) exhale of “haaaaa”. i have finally learned to embrace it and dive in and i am “haaaaa”-ing with the best of them! this is the difference.

another part of yttp that i love is that there are many teachers. come to think of it, i have never had the same one twice and it has been a full week. some may find comfort in practicing with one individual on a regular basis. however, i love the exposure to each instructor’s style. today, we were told repeatedly that we did not have to do anything we didn’t want to do. i just love the fact that yoga often seems completely opposite to the rest of my life. no one wants you to do anything…it’s all up to you!

warrior three…

ablair13 — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:50:13 +0000

did you know there was a yoga pose called warrior three? i just learned this last week during my first yoga class in nyc. to be honest, i had always found yoga to be, well, quite boring. peaceful, check. relaxing, check. but something just was not clicking. maybe it was the fact that my mind continued to race while i would hold child’s pose or downward facing dog. it raced so much with the thoughts and concerns of my life that i often wished i was a child or even better, a dog. however, “yoga to the people”, a studio in the east village, has changed my yoga outlook and may make a yogini out of me after all. this amazing sanctuary is donation based (one of the incredible “free” things in the city) and located only about ten minutes from my apartment. during the first class, i thought i was going to collapse on many occasions, as my legs shuttered through chair pose. somehow, i survived. i was amazed that my hands actually connected to form a bind. when i felt them touch one another, was shocked. “is that really my hand?” i thought. as i glanced around the room to check that i was doing the right pose (i’m still working on the terminology), i could hardly believe that i was holding the same position as those around me. now, i have been incredibly sore over the past few days (it has only been less than one week). however, the muscles are starting to adjust, i think. maybe i will be able to do a real push up someday.

what i love most about yoga, aside from the strength building/conditioning part of it, is the relaxation component. the instructors at yttp (the abbreviation for “yoga to the people”) offer sage advice with a degree of humor and even sometimes sarcasm. i enjoy this edge. one class even had acoustic pop music playing in the background. it gave the practice, as it is called, a unique vibe. yesterday i was told to just try to relax for a whole sixty minutes. i had been feeling especially overwhelmed/tense/anxious/concerned/you name it, i felt it, at the time, so this reminder was very much appreciated.

yoga emphasizes the importance of being you (or me, i guess i should say) and that is what i love about class and new york in general. i love that i can be anyone or anything here. no one is weird or strange and at the same time, everyone is weird AND strange. and frankly, that rocks! amidst all of my confusion and through my self-exploration, i think i am finally beginning to find me. boy is it a long process

to borrow a quote from a comic book artist with whom i’m working (more on this later)…

“life is shitty, but ain’t it grand”

i just love this. peace.

fancy food show style sampling, but not so free

ablair13 — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 01:50:55 +0000

so, my mom and i have started this tradition that every time she visits, we eat no meals. what? the parker girls not eating meals. (“you don’t eat know meals!” you might be thinking…my big fat greek wedding, anyone?) so, instead of meals, we basically sample our way through the city. it is our way of trying anything and everything that our palates desire. our sampling debut took place a few weeks ago…

the day started out with a turnover made of red beans from a vendor at the green market at union square. odd, but tasty. i probably would not have chosen that as my way to start the day but the boss forced me to try a bite and oh, gee, i guess i just had to participate. plus, the man, who sold it to us was a runner, who was not only friendly, but also willing to dish out (get it?) some running advice for new york city. always a plus! next, we moved on to something more suitable for my taste buds: a cupcake from crumbs bakery. you can find these little cupcake stops throughout new york (usually a big fat NO on our list…chains are not our favorite). but these cupcakes are huge. i mean, our cupcakes are big, but these are ginormous with an ample serving of frosting! so, i tried an “elvis”, i believe it was called…bananas and peanut butter with cream in the center. mmmMMMmmm!

as we continued on our mission, we headed to the east village, which is just filled with food. over the past few months, i have had my eye on a little pizza joint called cafe viva natural pizza. not only does this place offer “normal” pizza, but they also have a generous selection of more creative, “healthy” pizzas. we tried the most exotic…the “zen”. i believe the description speaks for itself: green tea herbed miso-tofu, green tea basil pesto, shitake mushrooms, maitake mushrooms, caramelized onions, sundried tomato, and roasted garlic on a green tea herbed spelt crust. the final words in this lengthy definition are “super anti-oxidant pizza”…yikes! try ordering that quickly. who knew zen could mean so much?? anyway, this pizza was huge and very filling. actually, miss pam felt pretty ill for the remainder of the day, but she is such a trooper that she kept right on eating. i enjoyed the unique slice, but then again, i am a rather odd bird myself. i usually go for these healthful, bizarre dishes at restaurants. oh well. at least i’m in the right place.

okay, so after walking off a little of this fiber filled snack, we headed deeper into the bohemian village that is the east. you would have thought that the zen pizza would have taught us a lesson and turned us against these natural, vegetarian eateries. but no. because i enjoyed the pizza and tend to be the control freak/nagging member of our dynamic duo, we forged ahead into the whole earth bakery and kitchen, a funky spot with a juice bar and veggie treats to beat the band. while many of the more filling treats looked very tempting, we chose two simple selections. the first was a health cookie filled with several grains, including whole flax seeds, which i think are still stuck to the insides of my teeth. pleasant, right? don’t worry. i brush and floss. but seriously, there were tons of flax seeds, which tended to dominate and overpower the other ingredients. our other choice was a ginger snap, a favorite of mine. well, it was not quite the spicy, but sweet cookie that i was accustomed. nope. this was pure cardboard. needless to say, i took a little break from selecting our food destinations for the day.

after a short siesta back at chez ally, we ventured out yet again. this time, however, we were on a mission: to try some of the best dogs manhattan has to offer. (side note: i have yet to try the all that brooklyn has to offer and hope to get there soon. it seems that all of the food worth eating is sprouting up outside of my borough. every time i get my copy of time out new york, it features restaurant after restaurant in brooklyn. oh man!) we headed to the union square area to try out dogmatic, a shop famous for unique sausages (mind out of the gutter, please. you will have to grow up to maturely read this section). i don’t think you can go wrong at this “gourmet sausage system”, but we ordered a turkey sausage with truffle gruyere sauce and a lamb sausage with horseradish mustard. wow!! each sausage is carefully shoved (contradiction?) into a hollowed out, crispy baguette. the baguettes sit on spikes over the grill, so that they are fresh and crispy once they are stuffed. to accompany these savory selections, we shared a homemade ginger soda. now, THIS is a gourmet “haute dog” if you ask me.

in order to cleanse our palates, we walked back to the east village to enjoy a deep fried treat, the french fry. pommes frites, a tiny shop on second avenue is one of my favorite destinations in the city. the fries are double fried and served in a cone with your choice of three distinct dipping sauces. every panic at the cash register when ordering a cone shaped item. where do you put the cone while you frantically gather your money? have no fear! pommes frites has holes in the counter to prevent a pre fry freak out from occuring! i recommend the following sauces: rosemary garlic mayo, pomegranate teriyaki mayo, peanut satay, mexican ketchup, and war sauce: frite sauce (traditional European mayo), peanut satay, and raw onion. of course, classics, such as ketchup, mustard, tabasco, malt vinegar, raw onions, and jalapenos are free. really, it is fry heaven

now, back to hot dogs. crif dogs is just incredible. not only is it a great atmosphere below the streets of manhattan, but they offer the most innovative selection of dogs i have ever seen. since we were pacing ourselves, we stuck with tradition and each ordered one dog to share. my choice: mustard, melted cheese, and pickles…i have always had a thing for mustard and pickles. not sure why. pammy’s choice: cream cheese, scallions, and this is the kicker: everything bagel seeds. how creative is that? and in case you’re wondering, it totally works! amazing flavor combo.

oh no! i forgot one of our snacks from earlier in the day. a food tour of nyc is just not complete without a stop to the doughnut plant. rewind…to right before the siesta. we just happened to stumble across this favorite destination during our edible tour of the lower east side! after devouring what can hardly even be called doughnuts (they are that good…dunkin really does not even make the same food) on many occasions, we have perfected the art of eating these fried treats. in the past, we insisted on rising with the sun on an early weekend morning in manhattan to beat the rush to this breakfast stop. we never battled a crowd. actually, now that i think about it, it had always been the two of us and the friendly doughnut seller in the tiny, cramped, and extremely HOT store. despite the perfection of the fried, flavorful dough, we were always dripping with sweat and unsatisfied with our breakfast binge. so, we revised our plan. we now take a box of doughnuts to enjoy at a park around the corner. during allison’s visit, we were even treated to a tai chi show in the park. talk about feeling guilty…as we sucked down doughnut after crispy doughnut (licking our fingers with each bite so as not to miss a single piece of fried sugar), the inhabitants of the lower east side took part in their daily exercise. i think we’ll get over it! okay, sorry for the long intro. on our most recent visit, we limited ourselves to only three doughnuts (so not my decision!)…coconut glaze with coconut cream, pumpkin cake (incredible), and a cinnamon bun (okay, maybe not a doughnut). what a nice little pick me up!

phew! finally all caught up. after our second hot dog stop, we took a break from eating and went to see “the proposal”, which was surprisingly pleasant…i actually laughed out loud on more than one occasion. ryan reynolds and sandra bullock prove to be the perfect pair and betty white is just adorable (and quite a risqué little grandmother). post film, pammy was fried and stuffed (not dissimilar from the doughnuts described earlier), but i convinced her to make one last stop. i had read about a unique ice cream sundae at the dessert club, chickalicious and you all know that i can never turn down ice cream of any kind. i actually expected to be disappointed, because the bakery seemed a little fancier than what i usually enjoy. however, i was definitely wrong! i enjoyed a fantastic vanilla bean, hot fudge sundae with crunchy chocolate perls, kataifi (think shredded phyllo dough), and toasted pistachios. at $4.95, it is a steal!

what an end to a fabulous day of eating. we rolled ourselves back to my street, and wearily climbed the three flights of stairs up to my little home away from home. at least we burned some extra calories…ha!

this one’s for you, sue!

ablair13 — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:00:30 +0000

okay, so i have been majorly slacking on the blog front! i have just been so busy running from thing to thing, that i have not taken the time to sit down and write about these things. where to begin? i am not even sure. maybe an update would be my best bet at this point.

so, the restaurant job? not so much fun. and by not so much fun, i mean pretty awful. although there certainly were a number of people, who were great and helped me survive on a regular basis, the majority were just plain mean. so, i quit. i plan to write a lot on this topic later…either as its own blog or posts here. boy do i have a lot to say! for now, let me just say that while “old ally” (as i like to refer to the once quiet, shy version of myself) would have probably put up with the job for a long time, not wanting to cause a conflict in a restaurant that strives to be the best in the country. however, “new ally” does not have time for this stuff. think of it as “the new adventures of old christine”…one of my favorite shows!

on to the next job. much better! i basically work in chocolate paradise. my “boss” is just an incredible guy with an amazing family. i never thought that chocolate would be an area of interest for me, but let me tell you that it works very well for perfectionists. we use amazing products and i thoroughly enjoy every moment of infusing various flavors, enrobing, and molding chocolate. one of my favorite “jobs” so far has been an errand. upon my arrival to work one day, i was told to walk to chelsea market (a foodie’s paradise) to pick up some raspberry puree. seriously? i get to shop at one of the best food spots in manhattan AND get paid? wow! as you can see, this job had been keeping me sane while i was suffering through my restaurant bootcamp (or immersion – sounds a little nicer. don’t you think?).

extra funny fact: the aspiring chocolatier lives next to the stoop made famous by “sex and the city”. i never watched the show, but did find the movie quite entertaining, especially considering i had not been a fan before. anyway, there is never a dull moment on this street, as tourists from all over the world are constantly arriving to take pictures by this famous spot. hilarious! the following two weeks are the weeks of jennifers, as ms. aniston is filming her moving outside of my chocolate kitchen this week and mrs. marc anthony (aka j.lo) will be there next week.

so, what else? well, i’m still trying to figure out my life and will most likely look for a job/volunteer opportunity that involves kids. while i would love to spend all of my time making chocolate, it is not the most responsible, structured plan and we all know that i need structure! i just loved working with the girls on the run organization (check it out at www.girlsontherun.org), so i am looking forward to helping with the manhattan program. running and elementary school girls with attitude…what could be better?

i had my first voice lesson last friday. what a fabulous experience! voice in nyc just takes on a whole new meaning. i think i can sum up my lesson by including the following dialogue, which took place between my teacher and me:

“so, who would you say are your favorite artists in terms of singing? who’s voices do you like?” asked my teacher.

“idina menzel and kristin chenoweth are just amazing, but my favorite is definitely sutton foster…” i respond.

“sutton foster studies here as well.” answers my teacher.

at which point i pass out due to excitement and shock. only kidding! but seriously, this is just amazing! and my lesson continued on this track. currently, i’m working on “wishing you were somehow here again” from “phantom of the opera”, one of my dad’s favorite shows. based on my teacher’s opinion that broadway is a better fit for my voice than opera, mr. tom parker has decided to change his saturday music selection (played in the car, while he runs his saturday errands…the same routine since 1985) from opera to broadway. thank you for making this adjustment, dad! keep your fingers crossed that i can reach the notes at the end of the song…right now i sound a little like a dying animal…apparently, after i month, i should have success. i’ll keep you posted!

okay, well i’m off. i’m actually sitting at home in good old emmaus right now. if you read this, come to the macungie farmer’s market tonight…rain or shine! you will be greeted by not one, but two smiling parker faces

whirlwind

ablair13 — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:17:22 +0000

wow…where to begin? the last few weeks of my life have been unreal. seriously, i feel like i’m in the twilight zone (tower of terror anyone? had to throw a disney reference out there)! after not having a schedule for the past, hmmm, 6 months, i have been delighted to add some hard core structure to my life. yes. it is true. i thrive on having “things to do”…both the blessing and curse of being pammy parker’s daughter

about two weeks ago, i knew that my pace of life would begin to pick up. the only problem: i stopped sleeping. seriously, i would try to rest in my air conditioned, quiet apartment and my heart raced, butterflies filled my stomach, the whole shebang! i was simply over excited and becoming exhausted. my original title for this post was going to be “the city where i never sleep”, but i had a feeling that an entire entry about my lack of sleep would get a little dull for my lovely readers. don’t mention it!

i have had many visitors, who have been delightful, allowing me to drag them all over the city to experience the “best” of ny (mostly food, of course). as i played both host and frequent bieber bus traveler (returning to wescosville regularly), i fought fast approaching nerves regarding my job interviews. “job interviews?” you’re thinking. yes. i have had a little change of plans (surprise, surprise!) fortunately, during my first week here, i met my amazing neighbors and their family and friends. after spending a charming evening at their apartment and staying in touch with my new friends, i was lucky enough to land a job interview at a fabulous restaurant and work with an aspiring chocolatier in my neighborhood. at the time, i thought that my plan to begin culinary school in june was good to go. fast forward a few weeks to my mom’s visit. we had been looking at the fci’s website for some amateur classes that chef pam might find interesting. as we browsed through the website, salivating over course titles and descriptions, we came across a pastry techniques course, covering all of the topics of my current course, but in a more abbreviated fashion. why was i not enrolling in this course? good question. after some careful deliberation, we concluded that this was a much better fit. upon hearing that i had been hired at the restaurant and by the chocolatier, the stars seemed to be aligned just for me. (a big thank you goes out to the fci for their continuing support and patience as i constantly change from one program to the next!)

so, last week, my schedule was packed (like sardines, but not the cheap kind you buy in just any grocery store. the cans you find in classic little italy stores to which my dear friend, vini, can guide you. thought this would provide a nice visual…food related, of course). i worked on chocolates from 11 AM – 2 PM each day and trained as a host from 4:30 PM – 10:30 PM most nights and (gasp) 1 AM on my final night. can you believe it? allyson blair parker working until the next morning?!?! yikes! i will admit that i was a little down when i first found out that i would be staying. i had not anticipated this, although i probably should have. however, the rest of the staff certainly lifted my spirits.

allow me to explain just how incredible these people are. as i was paging through dessert menus, cleaning out any that had a smudge or mark, i announced that one of the desserts sounded just to die for! well, when i entered the kitchen to drop off some dirty towels (oh, the glamorous life of a new yorker!), one of my new friends announced that they had a surprise for me. there, on a plate, just for me, was the beautiful dessert to which i had alluded earlier that evening! these things just don’t happen any more (unless your neighbors are named vini, liz, allison, billy, bessie, or gus…a lot of people, i know, but i love our little neighborhood group…one lovely family in each “millbrook” development) needless to say, i was more awake at midnight than i had ever been. the crisp, chilled chocolate peanut butter dessert with a spoonful of almond ice cream to follow was simply delicious. however, the kindness and generosity of these guys, whom i had only met a few days before, was what really made my night!

in conclusion, i survived my first week as an employee in new york city. my luck has truly been incredible. i keep pinching myself, but here i am…still just my little emmaus self in a big city. guess it was a good move

life in the apple

ablair13 — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:22:54 +0000

i hope you don’t mind, but i have decided to make a slight change to my blog. because of the positive response i received from my emails from paris and tuscany last summer, i think i will include some journal-like entries about my new life here in the west village (and the rest of “the city” of course…notice the quotes: a new friend pointed out to me that people in other cities do indeed get offended when new yorkers refer to their city as THE city, as if it is the only one in the world…or the only one that matters. i will leave this up for debate, but will do my best not to use this phrase as i write).
i will certainly include some food reviews and tips as i go along, but i have noticed that my restaurant critiques are a little, well, boring. don’t get me wrong, i LOVE food writing. however, i think i have a lot to learn. i mean, one can only use the words “delicious”, “charming”, “delightful”, etc. so many times before sounding mundane and repetitive. so, i will take a break.
yesterday, i decided to explore brooklyn. from my apartment, it is a short ride on the L train into the “cool” part of NY. i call it this, because even while i’m underground, waiting for the train to arrive, i sense the brooklyn vibe. the people are trendier and for the most part, younger (as in my age), and i often find myself wishing i could return to my apartment and change my entire look. or better yet, throw away my wardrobe and begin shopping from scratch. since i have chosen the life of a poor new yorker, however, this is not an option, as i take leftovers from restaurants and keep my receipts so as to keep track of how much i’m spending. some good, responsible habits, if you ask me. hey! it’s rough going from south bend to new york…the prices at martin’s and dean and deluca are just not on the same page
anyway, i exited the L at bedford avenue and 8th street (i think) and found myself in the middle of seemingly endless eateries, cafes, and shops. i wandered a little, but because i have no map of brooklyn, tried to restrain myself by only walking parallel to bedford. if i departed from the main streets, i simply returned to the avenues. this may seem ridiculous, however, as my mother knows, i always seem to walk just a little too far. then, the crankiness ensues and i become crabby, tired, and usually hungry (but when am i not?)…don’t worry, this happened later.
i picked up many menus (i will try/review these spots eventually) along the way, stopped in a great vintage shop, and even caught a glimpse of a photo shoot. talk about skinny! being the healthy distance runner that i am, i decided that it would be an intelligent idea to wear my orthotics in my cute little flats. this was not such a smart plan. as i walked along, the sun beating down on me, my feet seemed to expand and the blisters started. now this is where i become a class act: i skillfully removed my orthotics (without allowing my feet to so much as graze the pavement (ocd? yes.) and placed them in my purse). my high school coach, who made these for me, would be proud…i bet i was the only person in brooklyn with solid arch support clutched tightly to her side!
when i returned to manhattan, i thought i would explore a new part of town: stuyvesant town. this was interesting, as i became lost in this residential area of manhattan. seriously, it consisted of simply apartment buildings, paths, and playgrounds (gardens, too). it was beautiful, but a little boring when you’re expecting shops, restaurants, etc. clearly, i had not researched this area beforehand. if you are looking for an apartment, i suggest you start here. miraculously, i returned to more normal streets (avenue c, that is) and ventured back toward my home away from home.
this is where i pushed myself just a little too far (running and walking all day can be a deadly, but enjoyable combo). i was approaching 3 PM, craving caffeine, but not wanting to spend $4 for an overpriced refresher. so, i remembered that ‘wichcraft, a sandwich joint that i am dying to try, offers coffee happy hour each day from 3 – 6 PM…my dream come true! but where is it? i knew it was close to my little studio, but was not certain about the location. i did not have the patience to wait for “cha cha” (text any question to cha cha, 242242, and they will respond…it’s great) to answer me, since i knew i was so close. so i began to try every street, sometimes twice…yikes! good thing, i finally found it.
i enjoyed a delicious iced latte (la colombe coffee…the same yummy brand that my mom sold at perk…and for the record, it is not now and never was THE perk…sorry, just a little pet peeve that i have been holding back since junior year of high school) and a free glass of ice water. by the way, when ordering a drink or food item in ny, always ask for ice water…it’s a great money saver and it’s important to hydrate (decreases the chance of becoming crabby!). while i drank at my kind of happy hour, i reviewed the menus i had picked up along my journey. i even found a vegan pizza shop…i will let you know. all i could think while i was browsing my selection, was how much i am my mother’s daughter…and i couldn’t be more delighted (cheesy, but SO true)!!

periyali

ablair13 — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:21:42 +0000

periyali

35 west 20th st. #a

(212) 463-7890

www.periyali.com
although i cannot compare periyali to many other greek restaurants (because i have never been to another one), i always enjoy my experience at this charming establishment. i like to think that i have relatively high standards. my favorite next door neighbors back in emmaus, are the most amazing people, let alone phenomenal cooks…and they are greek! so, at least i can use that for the basis of my comparison. on that note, the neighbors definitely win. however, i will admit that i am partial to the home cooking and these friends are just incredible.
okay, back to the restaurant, because, unfortunately for you, you do not live in my house. if you are a fan of simple, perfectly seasoned, and fresh foods, periyali is a place you should try! my favorites are…
horiatiki salata: a salad of tomatoes, feta, cucumbers, red onions, olives, and oregano…with this traditional greek salad, you really can’t go wrong. the feta is to die for!
oktapodi sharas: charcoal grilled octopus marinated in red wine…delicious, but the portions seem to be getting increasingly smaller each time we dine.
fava me kremidaki: pureed yellow split peas with red onion, lemon, and olive oil…incredible and surprisingly filling. on my quest to find the garlic paste that i enjoyed at my favorite lebanese restaurant in south bend (elia’s), i usually order anything with the word “puree” in the description. the plate comes with the puree (duh!), but also includes a generous portion of fava beans with lightly dressed greens. i may return just to order this dish!
i must admit that i have never actually ordered a main course at periyali. i am very into sharing little plates these days. i think it allows me to really experience the true flavors of the restaurant. the olive oil, which is served with bread (a little dry last time), is rich and delicious.
in addition to the cuisine, the atmosphere at periyali is comfortable and charming. you enter below the street, which allows for a cozy feeling. the service is as close to perfect as possible…from the hostess to the servers, everyone is polite and incredibly friendly…a nice vibe for nyc!

co.

ablair13 — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:20:31 +0000

co. (company)

230 9th ave. (corner of 24th st.)

(212) 243-1105

www.co-pane.com

when my partner in crime (my mom) and i made the trek to co., we expected nothing but the best. fortunately, we were not disappointed! jim lahey, owner of sullivan street bakery in hell’s kitchen, has opened yet another incredible business. known for his “no-knead” recipe for baking the perfect (and i mean, PERFECT) loaf of bread, lahey has continued his tradition of excellence in the area of pizza. if you are a fan of american pizza, this is not the spot for you. however, no matter what your preference, thick or thin crust, meat-lovers or vegetarian, i encourage you to dine at co. for a unique pizza experience.
although i am convinced you cannot go wrong by ordering anything on the menu. i can only offer reviews of the dishes that i had the pleasure to try…
butter lettuce salad with the unique flavors of roasted butternut squash, pumpkin seeds, lemon, and olive oil…in my opinion, seasoned perfectly. i have finally discovered the secret to making a salad so full of flavor, while maintaining the freshness of greens that don’t seem to be dressed at all!
amalfi pie with crused tomato, green olives, anchovies, and chili (see below)
popeye pie with pecorino, gruyere, buffalo mozzarella, spinach, black pepper, and garlic…other than fabulous, all i can say is, appropriately named!

i can also attest to the fact that the pizza bianca, consisting of just coarse sea salt and olive oil is also to die for…i had the honor of taking a bread baking course at sullivan street, where jim lahey instructed us on making this relatively easy pizza. the other students and i enjoyed this bread, hot out of the oven, as a sandwich with fresh mozarella and prosciutto. really, does it get much better?
it is easy to see, just from glancing at the simple menu, that each ingredient has been carefully selected in order to provide the perfect combination of textures and flavors. even the origins of most ingredients are included to educate the consumer as they make their careful decisions. the basic nature of this italian restaurant is what appeals to me. for example, the amalfi pie, which includes anchovies and olives, too foods rather strong on the sodium side, is not at all overwhelmingly salty, yet it certainly does not lack flavor. from the laid-back environment to the reasonable prices, all i can say is…
kudos to co.!

hello

ablair13 — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:19:37 +0000

for those of you, who kindly followed my guide to eating well at notre dame, welcome back! for everyone else, allow me to introduce myself. a self-proclaimed novice (junior perhaps) foodie, i have always lived in not so desirable locales for food (examples: emmaus, pa and south bend, in). however, i have tried to make the best of it and have shared my tips for enjoying delicious food in any location. now, i am in ny and finally have the chance to explore the city and most importantly, EAT! i will be a baking and pastry student at the french culinary institute in soho. therefore, my perspectives and tastes might (hopefully will!) change as we go along. again, i thank you for coming along for the ride…as i know that taking anyone’s advice on where to eat can always be quite the risk.