Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Day II Walking Tour... Only 6.8 miles
On Saturday, one of the first temperate days of Spring, my sister, her husband and I started the day with a jogging/walking tour of Central Park.
After, we took the subway down to W. 4th and enjoyed a Mamoon's falafel on the benches of Washington Square Park (accompanied by sunshine and a live music performance)
From there, we bought onions at the Union Square Farmer's Market, picked up my race bib at the More Marathon (and Half!) Expo, and then to Chelsea Markets. As per my sister and my 3-year old tradition, the 3 of us shared 2 (belated) birthday cupcakes, and then bought more fresh produce at one of the markets.
We stopped by Chelsea Piers, and then worked our way up to 57th street, where we stopped in Kennedy's for a Guinness.
Saturday was the culmination of Scotland week, and apparantly the band of Scottish Bagpipe parade participants ended their celebration in an Irish pub... as if the kilts didn't make us already suspect, their intentions were confirmed with an impromptu bagpipe concert for all the lucky bar patrons that afternoon. My sister and her husband, both musicians and marching band members, found the experience to be incredibly "musically challenging" to endure... Personally, I was so stunned that people were actually playing bagpipes inside to tune in (ha-no pun intended) to the strident and out-of-tune smoshbod of loud instruments that can only occur after the multiple pitchers of subsidized beer provided to the Parade participants...
After, we took the subway down to W. 4th and enjoyed a Mamoon's falafel on the benches of Washington Square Park (accompanied by sunshine and a live music performance)
From there, we bought onions at the Union Square Farmer's Market, picked up my race bib at the More Marathon (and Half!) Expo, and then to Chelsea Markets. As per my sister and my 3-year old tradition, the 3 of us shared 2 (belated) birthday cupcakes, and then bought more fresh produce at one of the markets.
We stopped by Chelsea Piers, and then worked our way up to 57th street, where we stopped in Kennedy's for a Guinness.
Saturday was the culmination of Scotland week, and apparantly the band of Scottish Bagpipe parade participants ended their celebration in an Irish pub... as if the kilts didn't make us already suspect, their intentions were confirmed with an impromptu bagpipe concert for all the lucky bar patrons that afternoon. My sister and her husband, both musicians and marching band members, found the experience to be incredibly "musically challenging" to endure... Personally, I was so stunned that people were actually playing bagpipes inside to tune in (ha-no pun intended) to the strident and out-of-tune smoshbod of loud instruments that can only occur after the multiple pitchers of subsidized beer provided to the Parade participants...
New York Movie Set Locations
In no particular order, or organizational method... here are the main spots we either hit, or any amature tour guide could easily locate to impress their non-New Yorker guests
- Seinfeld "Soup Nazi" –Soup Kitchen International- 55th & 8th Ave
- Taxi Driver - Merchants Gate- (Columbus Circle), St Regis Hotel
- Ghostbusters, Lincoln Center Fountain Plaza-, and Courthouse (Downtown). Ghostbusters building- 55 CPW Apartment Building- Art Deco building
- Elf- Bethesda Terrace, Empire State Building
- Hitch- Steps of Met, City Hall Park, Wall Street Bull
- Washington Square Arch-I am Legend, When Harry Met Sally, Hitch
- Cruel Intentions- Lawn in front of the Pond (East side pond near zoo)
- Rent- Vazac’s Horseshoe Bar- E. 7th and Ave B (108 Ave B- just off Tompkins Square Park)
- National Treasure- Trinity Church
- Flatiron Building- Spiderman, I am Legend
- New York Public Library -13 Going on 30, Day After Tomorrow, Ghostbusters, Spiderman
- FAO Schwartz- Big, Home Alone 2
- Breakfast at Tiffany’s (store), Sweet Home Alabama
- Plaza- Crocodile Dundee, Home Alone 2, Almost Famous
- Sheep’s Meadow- It Could Happen to You, Wall Street
- Grand Central Main Concourse (Madagascar)
- 9 West 57th- Friends, Zoolander
- Russian Tea Room- Tootsie
- Serendipity- Waldorf Astoria
- Puck Building- 295-309 Lafayette Street. When Harry Met Sally (New Years Eve Scene). Will & Grace design studio
- Hook & Ladder Company 8- 14 N. Moore Street (Firehouse). Between Hudson (West Broadway) & Ave of the Americas in Tribeca. Hitch & Ghostbusters
- Dakota- 1 West 72nd Street (John Lennon)
- You’ve Got Mail- Gray’s Papaya, Zabars, H& H Bagels (UWS)
- Friends Apartment- 90 Bedford Street at Grove (West Village) (Near Christopher Street/Sheridan Square subway stop) (Area between Hudson & 7th Ave, Bedford is parallel to Bleeker)
- NY Courthouse (Wall Street, The Godfather)
- The Pond- Home Alone 2
- When Harry Met Sally- Katz Deli, 205 E Houston St, Between 1st & Ave A
· Boathouse Restaurant- When Harry met Sally
Who needs (non pedistrian) transportation anyway?
My sister and her husband came to visit me just after my birthday. I took the day off work and we set out for an all-day walking tour of the city... this was his first trip here. Not only did I want to show both of them all of my favorite city sites, but I also found a list (go google) of movies set in New York City with easily recognizible landmarks... that list is to follow. 
- We took the A/C train to High Street in Brooklyn and first walked across the Brooklyn bridge into Manhattan
- Walked through City Hall Park and then down Broadway towards Ground Zero
- Back up West Broadway to the City Hall/ Courthouse area, and then East towards Chinatown
- Meandered in zig-zags through streetstalls offering "Rolaxes" and "Preda" luxury goods, passing few unidentified animals roasting in window spits and stands of slowly moving crabs/dried mushrooms
- Worked our way through Little Italy and Nolita up to Houston, and continued East blocks past the Bowrey
- First lunch spot attempt, Katz Deli, looked so much more appetizing (not to mention economical) in the famous scene from "When Harry Met Sally." Insted opted for a slice of Ray's pizza. Who knows which version of the chain we actually selected..only that it contained "Famous, Orignal, Rays, and Pizza" in no particular order.
- Back over to Broadway, with a quick stop in the Adidas store to buy my sister new socks- a practical, rather than asthetic response to needing more cushion to support the walking
- Down Bleeker to McDougal, past my old favorite 24-hour cafe, Esperanto, and over to Washington Square Park
- Down to West 4th, and then over to Greenwich Village for a photo-op at the "Friends" apartment building (which looks different in real life)
- Back over to W. 4th for a half-price Happy Hour beer at Down the Hatch
- Up 6th Ave to 14th Street and over to Union Square
- Up Broadway to Madison Square (Flatiron Building)
- Through the garment district (continuing North on Broadway) past Herald Square, where the Macy's window displays were... completely non-existant
- Crossed over to 5th Avenue at around 36th St, and up towards the New York Public Library at 42nd
- Over to Grand Central
- Meandered up through Park Ave, worked our way to Madison, cut through several mid-block plazas, and worked our way up to 57th Street
- Quick stop at Niketown to mutually make advantage of my 30% off friends & family coupon and the Niketown gift card in their wallets for the past 3 months
- Dinner at a Thai restaurant on 56th St.
- Quick stop at my apartment to change clothes and rest our feet
- Down to 46th St to see "Spamalot." Sore legs from an intense day of walking now matched with sore abs from all the deep belly-laughing
- Walked home and promptly crashed
Total mileage for DAY ONE? At least 12.44 miles (according to http://www.mapmyrun.com/, and that only includes the streets I could actually remember!) I had no idea it was actually that far, and would not have probably walked that much myself, let alone dragged my out-of-town guests! However, they were incredibly good sports and were happy to indulge me playing tour guide!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
More thoughts on coffee
I first started drinking coffee my junior year of college, when I took a semester off from school and ended up traveling in South America for a few months, initially arriving in Chile to visit a friend writing a thesis. Believe it or not, coffee was served to me in the followng way (in a sit-down cafe): cup of hot water + mini spoon + sugar bowl full of instant coffee + packets of sugar/bottle of liquid sweetner. Talk about an inconspicious debut!
Now, Starbucks is literally in the ground floor of my building, and my ritual stop on the way to work. My order is a grande coffee in a venti cup, filled to the top of Ms. Star's crown, with soymilk. On weekends sometime I'll bring reading and enjoy my coffee with a bagel, though lately I'll make coffee at home instead.
Funny thing about Giant Corporate Coffee Chain versus the neighborhood coffee shop though... My barristas and I are on a first-name basis- I know which barristas are out on vacation, and who is at the counter on Friday mornings. They set the soymilk at the bar for me ahead of time, and they help me keep perspective going into the week... Mondays are my early day- usually stop in before 6:30 am- which can make for a brutal end to a weekend at times. But no matter how tired I am, they've already been working for a couple hours, opening up the store.
When I imagine a small local coffee shop, I envision a small-town place where everybody knows your name, where the person serving your coffee notices if you got a haircut or will explain the difference between medium and dark roasts... Kind of feels like I have all that already... I see the same friendly, familiar faces every day. As a customer, that makes you feel good. So does enjoying the ritual of sipping my coffee as I log into my computer in the morning. Not to mention the tangible value derived from remaining alert and attentive to my 7:00 Monday morning meeting!
Now, Starbucks is literally in the ground floor of my building, and my ritual stop on the way to work. My order is a grande coffee in a venti cup, filled to the top of Ms. Star's crown, with soymilk. On weekends sometime I'll bring reading and enjoy my coffee with a bagel, though lately I'll make coffee at home instead.
Funny thing about Giant Corporate Coffee Chain versus the neighborhood coffee shop though... My barristas and I are on a first-name basis- I know which barristas are out on vacation, and who is at the counter on Friday mornings. They set the soymilk at the bar for me ahead of time, and they help me keep perspective going into the week... Mondays are my early day- usually stop in before 6:30 am- which can make for a brutal end to a weekend at times. But no matter how tired I am, they've already been working for a couple hours, opening up the store.
When I imagine a small local coffee shop, I envision a small-town place where everybody knows your name, where the person serving your coffee notices if you got a haircut or will explain the difference between medium and dark roasts... Kind of feels like I have all that already... I see the same friendly, familiar faces every day. As a customer, that makes you feel good. So does enjoying the ritual of sipping my coffee as I log into my computer in the morning. Not to mention the tangible value derived from remaining alert and attentive to my 7:00 Monday morning meeting!
Mmmm... New Coffee at Starbucks! I'm a fan of the Pike Place Roast!
My barrista explained to me on Tuesday morning that Starbucks is trying to "get back to its roots" by standardizing its coffee across all stores and regions. In honor of the first Starbucks, in Pike Place (Seattle), she explained, this coffee will now be served in all stores. She said it is a "medium bold," and much smoother than the previous blend.
Though I couldn't explain the difference between a "medium bold" and a "very timid" coffee, I agree- it is smooth. If the old coffee tasted, to me, "sharp," then this would be round.
I'm already a fan :)
Baked Chicken Breasts with Spinach, Pears and Gorgonzola
I adapted this recipe that I found on www.wholefoodsmarket.com, and it turned out amazing... The first time I used balsamic vinegar and browned the pears (they looked like potatoes, until you tasted it!). The second time I used apple cidar vinegar and softened them. I think I prefer the taste of balsamic. Either way, absolutely delicious... and very quick too!
· 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
· Sea salt, ground black pepper, dried rosemary
· 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
· 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
· 4-6 cups (1 large bunch) loosely packed spinach (not baby), washed, dried, stems removed
· 2 tablespoons apple cider or balsamic vinegar
· 2 ripe Anjou pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices
· Gorgonzola cheese
Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously season each chicken breast with salt, pepper, and rosemary.
In a large, ovenproof skillet heat 1 tablespoon olive oil until slightly smoking and cook breasts 2 to 3 minutes per side until lightly golden. Place skillet in oven and bake chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 15 minutes. When chicken is done, allow it to rest (out of the oven) 5 to 8 minutes before slicing or serving.
While chicken is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and sauté red onions until just softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook until just wilted, using tongs to stir spinach in the pan. Season spinach with salt and pepper and transfer to a large platter or divide evenly among 4 plates.
Wipe out pan and heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil with vinegar. Add pears and gently heat, until pears are warmed through. Place chicken breasts on spinach and top each breast with pears, spoon over gorgonzola. For a beautiful presentation, slice the chicken breasts and arrange them over spinach, then top with pears and cheese.
· 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
· Sea salt, ground black pepper, dried rosemary
· 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
· 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
· 4-6 cups (1 large bunch) loosely packed spinach (not baby), washed, dried, stems removed
· 2 tablespoons apple cider or balsamic vinegar
· 2 ripe Anjou pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices
· Gorgonzola cheese
Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously season each chicken breast with salt, pepper, and rosemary.
In a large, ovenproof skillet heat 1 tablespoon olive oil until slightly smoking and cook breasts 2 to 3 minutes per side until lightly golden. Place skillet in oven and bake chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 15 minutes. When chicken is done, allow it to rest (out of the oven) 5 to 8 minutes before slicing or serving.
While chicken is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and sauté red onions until just softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook until just wilted, using tongs to stir spinach in the pan. Season spinach with salt and pepper and transfer to a large platter or divide evenly among 4 plates.
Wipe out pan and heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil with vinegar. Add pears and gently heat, until pears are warmed through. Place chicken breasts on spinach and top each breast with pears, spoon over gorgonzola. For a beautiful presentation, slice the chicken breasts and arrange them over spinach, then top with pears and cheese.
Absolutely Loving Cooking in my New Kitchen...and Looking Stylish!
In honor of finally having a gorgeous kitchen in which to cook (not to mention a fabulous sunset views while cooking), I bought myself an apron at Anthropologie over the weekend. Did not realize it was actually a kid's apron... I picked it because it inspires me to cook delicious creations!
"Baker's Delight Kid's Apron"
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