June 29, 2013 · 11:24 am

Lunch at Spice

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Spice, a chic Thai fusion restaurant that appears more expensive than it actually is… Especially if you are going for lunch, which is exactly what some friends and I decided to do a few weekends ago. The special includes an appetizer and entree for under $10. I also ordered Thai iced tea, which was undeniably tasty and refreshing.

For my appetizer, I chose the Duck Wrap which came prepared with carrot, celery, peanut, sweet radish and soy hoisin sauce, all wrapped in napa lettuce. 3 of them total, which was quite a large helping. The taste was decent, but would have liked more flavor from the duck. Also, all the additional fillings did not blend together quite as well as expected.

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My grilled aged pork chop entree, marinated with pepper and garlic with stir-fried mix vegetables more than made up for the mediocre appetizer. The pork chop oozed delicious sauce, and was tender, savory, juicy. The accompanying greens and carrots were crispy, fresh, and worked well with the meat.

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I couldn’t resist getting dessert as well. I finally decided the warmed thai taro bread pudding with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. The resulting creation was irresistible, completely and utterly decadent and delectable. Even though the taste of taro wasn’t strong, the bread pudding was everything you would expect it to be. The creamy sweet (but not overly so) ice cream trickled down onto the breading, enhancing the flavor. The caramel sauce had an almost butterscotch-y flavor to it, which was simply divine.

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This was a delightful meal and would definitely come back to try more!

 

Location: 236 8th Ave (& various spots around the city)

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June 20, 2013 · 9:51 pm

The Package Tour: NKOTB, 98 Degrees & Boyz II Men

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Sunday night concert at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, headlining NKOTB and featuring 98 Degrees and Boyz II Men turned out to be more than I bargained for, in more ways than one. Even though I went mostly for 98 Degrees, NKOTB put on a lively eye-catching show with great music and cool dance moves.
Boyz II Men was the first band to perform, and all 3 members were dressed smartly in white. My favorite song that they sang was “Water Runs Dry” which showcased their smooth deep voices and perfect harmonies. I also enjoyed “On Bended Knee” beautifully, with red roses and yes, on bended knee.
Next, 98 Degrees came out in all their handsome boy band glory decked in jeans and a vest, which they soon enough shed off to reveal their buff muscle figures in white tank tops. They sang all of their hits and sounded amazing. I was especially jealous when they each brought a girl on stage to serenade them “I Do (Cherish You),” hugging and putting their arms around them throughout.
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There was a short break, then NKOTB came out and thoroughly entertained us for the next 2 hours! They managed to do quite a few costume changes seemingly on the fly and used raising platforms that made the stage look like a spaceship; fire; falling sparklers; big white balloons; neon flashing lights of blue, pink, green, yellow…
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They also gave energetic dancing, pelvic thrusts, revealing abs and chest, as well as Donnie’s out of the blue make out session with a fan while he was writhing around on the floor of the stage. Their songs were catchy and fun, and some of their slower, more romantic ballads really showed that they (Jordan Knight especially, who was my favorite) could sing.

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I enjoyed it when they took the time to slow down a little, with an acoustic band and do an acoustic medley with snippets from hit songs, such as “Single,” “I Remember When” and “Tender Love.” Then, amped it up a little with “Hot in Here” and paid tribute to New York with a cover of “Empire State of Mind” which earned thunderous applause and singing along.
Also, since it was Father’s Day, Joey McIntyre came out with his little blond grandson (I believe),who cried out, “What’s up Brooklyn” to all of us and was too adorable singing and dancing with the rest of the boys for one song.
Here is a Set List of the entire concert, courtesy of NKOTB News Blog.
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Afterwards, my friend and I headed out, a little surprised that we had so much fun and a bit giddy from the excitement. As we were exiting, I felt a sudden headache, my legs felt weak and I was unable to walk straight so I grabbed hold of my friend who led me to sit down by the stairs. The attendant radioed for security, who brought me to the EMT who took some quick tests and suggested I go to the hospital to get checked out. I finally decided I should go and thankfully my friend rode with me in the ambulance and stayed by my side the whole way through, which was such a comfort, providing me with good conversation, making me laugh and sharing healthy snacks.
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The folks at the emergency room joked that it must’ve been Nick Lachey (98 Degrees) or Jordan Knight (NKOTB) taking his shirt off that caused this… After several tests and a CT scan, everything looked fine and the doctor told me that vertigo may have been the cause of my sudden headache.
After a day of rest off work, I feel much better now and despite the hospital visit, had such a great time at “The Package Tour” Concert, and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world!
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June 16, 2013 · 9:33 pm

Day at Belmont Race Tracks

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This past weekend I had the opportunity to spend the day at Belmont Race Tracks to see some premium horse racing. We had Clubhouse seats and had the option to be up in the bleachers or down right by the dirt race track, which turned out to be the better option- Closer to the action.

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Before the races started, we had some time so explored the Clubhouse interior…

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Inside we also found a stand with Millport Dairy products from Pennsylvania, such as cheeses, meat, sausage, pie, whoopie pies, and breads. My friend purchased the sweet jerky which was quite tasty, and I bought a huge chocolate whoopie pie which was simply delectable, perfectly moist, chocolatey with creamy sweet vanilla center.

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There were 10 races total and before every race, each horse would be shown to the crowd. I had a grand time picking my favorite horses- They were all so gorgeous, elegant, stately and had fluidity of movement, their bodies glistening in the sun, showing power, strength and beauty.

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The races themselves were quite exciting and I really got into them. There was usually a horse that had a clear lead for most of the race, until they reached the bend and more often than not, one of the other horses that were behind manages to surpass the front liner. Some of the races had a very narrow margin between first and second place, while in others, there was a significant amount of distance between the winner and all the other horses.

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It was such a fun and affordable (Clubhouse seats are only $5) day. Despite the close to half hour waiting in between races,  I would most definitely come back again!

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Location: 2150 Hempstead Tpke , Elmont, NY 11003

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June 7, 2013 · 11:51 pm

Dinner at Balthazar

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I have always wanted to try Balthazar Restaurant, situated in the heart of SoHo and I finally had the chance this past week. Balthazar has a lovely airy interior, albeit a bit crowded and the feeling of bustling energy. It is quintessential New York: a chic, stylish, gorgeous, insomniac of a bouchon with substance.

Balthazar has a wonderful French menu, and I was having trouble deciding between the organic salmon or duck confit. However, when the waiter suggested duck confit (which was the less expensive of the two), I took his word for it and it turned out to be an excellent choice.

The duck confi was delectable from the very first bite… I’m talking melt in your mouth delicious! Tender and juicy, also seasoned well, the skin perfectly crispy and the accompanying Yukon Gold potatoes, cipollini onions, wild mushrooms complimented the dish well. The vegetables were simply wonderfully tasty, especially sauteed in the juices of the duck. There was also frisée salad which was a little superfluous, as it didn’t add much flavor but slightly balanced out the extremely rich, full flavor of everything else.

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For dessert, I chose the Warm Vanilla Bread Pudding, which came  with butterscotch sauce and maple walnut ice cream. The bread pudding wasn’t what I expected; it was a lighter version and the vanilla was very slight. It was a little on the bland side, and the butterscotch sauce was a tad too sweet but gave the bread pudding more flavor. The maple walnut also did not impress, as I expected more maple + walnut. However, it was at least delightfully moist and spongy.

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Even though the dessert was just mediocre, the duck confit more than made up for, as did the attentive service.

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Location: 80 Spring Street, NYC.

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May 30, 2013 · 12:02 am

Day at Randall’s Island

For Memorial Day, I spent the day with a bunch of friends at Randall’s Island, which is situated in the East River in New York City, part of the borough of Manhattan. It was a perfect day (albeit, a bit on the warm side) to spend outside, just chilling, enjoying each others’ company and exploring.

We started off checking out the mini golf area, which was beautiful… Complete with colorful flowers, trees which made for plenty of shade and dappled sunlight, body of water with a lone duck, rock wall formations and two lovely waterfalls.

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Then, we decided we were hungry so we sat at the outdoor dining spot of The Beer Garden & Cafe at Randall’s Island. It was a cute little spot, right in the center of everything (mini golf, batting cages, etc) and there was live classic rock music playing, which really was a great addition to the balmy  sunny day.

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My friend and I decided to share the tilapia taco with mango salsa and purple coleslaw. They were mediocre… The taste of the tilapia was weak and unseasoned. I would’ve liked more tilapia. Also, the flavors didn’t mesh well together.

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The french fries, however, were delicious. Waffle cut, crispy, golden, salted and wonderful.

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Afterwards, we went to the batting cages and checked out the upper deck of the driving range area. There was a pretty view of a large green field and part of the city.

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Next we wanted to explore the other side of the island and walk along the weather. We found an opening along the fence, so we walked over it and  got to this glorious green grassy area with the glistening water ahead and a breathtaking view of the Manhattan side.

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I just had to get in the water and it felt sooo refreshing and cool. I could have stayed all day!

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May 23, 2013 · 8:25 pm

Dining at Slide

Slide is a newly open restaurant on Bleecker Street in the West Village, specializing in Sliders (What else?) My friend and I ate in the outdoor beautiful garden-like area in the back which had hanging plants & flowers, a rock wall with waterfalls that cascade gently into a pond with koi fish! It was lovely and made us feel like we were not in the city, enveloped in this outdoor haven.

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The sliders come three to an order, presented on a custom-made wooden cutting board with cylinders cut out to hold each individual mini burger. I decided to try a combination of different sliders: Classic beef slider, fried chicken with cheddar waffle, pork belly slider.

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The classic beef slider is made with a top secret meat blend that’s mixed in-house. It came with Manchego cheese, plum tomato, arugula, remoulade and caramelized onions and is delicious. The meat was perfectly juicy, flavorful, tender and all the flavors combined perfectly to create a wonderful culinary experience.

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The buttermilk fried chicken & cheddar waffle w/ maple bourbon pear butter & spicy coleslaw was decent, but didn’t quite live up to my expectations. The fried chicken was not as seasoned as I would have liked; the waffle, though orange did not have a pronounced cheddar flavor and was too dry. I had to ask for syrup to moisten and sweeten the waffle. Also, I could barely taste the maple bourbon pear butter.

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Last was the BBQ pork belly slider, which I had reservations about but turned out to be quite good. It was made with Monterey Jack, pickled onions & fried brussel sprouts. I didn’t really taste the brussel sprouts, but the pork belly was crispy, and a slightly sweeter version of ribs.

I also had Parmesan, garlic & herb fries, which came in a silver tin. They were pretty good, and had plenty of Parmesan shavings but not so much the garlic and herb. I would have enjoyed it more if the garlic and herb were mixed in and cooked with the french fries; instead it seemed like some Parmesan cheese was thrown on top and that was it. They also have curly fries cooked in bacon oil which dark chocolate shavings, which sounded delicious but a little too indulgent. Maybe next time.

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Also for next time I would like to try the CBLT -Crab cake with bacon; the bulgogi cheese steak; the lobster slider, as well as one of their shakes!

Afterwards, my friend and I walked along Bleecker Street and kept passing amazing, tempting shops with posters, cheese, macarons, books, cupcakes… We stopped in a couple of the places. I ended up trying some of the macarons at bisous, ciao which had a clear white window exterior and white walls, accented with hot pink paneling and hot pink twinkle lights. I chose lavender + honey and gianduja, which is a classic mix of hazelnut and milk chocolate. The lavender + honey was truly delightful: Light, delicate flavor of lavender married with the sweeter, richer taste of honeysuckle cream. The chocolate one was surprisingly not as delectable, and was heavier, more dense and doughy with not enough hazelnut flavor.

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Location of Slide Restaurant: 174 Bleecker Street, New York NY

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May 19, 2013 · 10:37 pm

Weekend with Friends in NJ

My mother actually came to visit from California for Mother’s Day and we headed to Lawrenceville, NJ to visit with some dear friends that we haven’t seen for quite some time. We stayed at my childhood friends’ parents’ house, which brought back some wonderful memories.

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We had some tea and homemade pastries, then walked around the backyard garden which was filled with pink, red, white, purple azaleas and a dozen other beautiful plants and flowers. It was truly an idyllic scene, especially with the sunlight streaming in.

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After touring the outer loveliness of the house, we went back in for raw vegetable appetizers, then shared a meal of pasta, pork, and salad.

We headed to downtown Princeton next and enjoyed some ice cream from Thomas’ Sweets. I had maple walnut and peanut butter fudge flavors in a sugar cone, and the ice cream tasted divine. The maple walnut was sweet but in subtle way and the peanut butter fudge was rich, creamy, delicious. The flavors blended well together.

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We then strolled around Princeton University for a bit, checking out the Museum, library, chapel, different halls, and enjoying the beauty of the prestigious ivy league campus.

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SATURDAY, May 11
My mom and I headed to another friends’ home for lunch. It was lovely to see them and catch up after so many years. We had quiche, salad, grapes and yummy cookies.

Back at our other friends’ place, my childhood friend had come for the day and brought her two adorable children that I got to meet for the first time. Stella (3 years old) was shy at first, but so pretty, talkative and smart! And I loved holding little Lukas (7 months), who has such a pleasant sweet disposition and the cutest little features!

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 When the kids went down for a nap, my friend took my mom and me to downtown Princeton where we shopped at Talbots (had $160 gift card from “Katie Couric Show”), as part of my mom’s Mother’s Day gift. She ended up picking a pale pink sweater button down and I picked out a hot pink sweater button down. I tried on a hot pink dress that I did enjoy but the $100+ price tag deterred me from getting it because I wanted my mom to have the rest of the money on the gift card.

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We also got free samples at Origins (Zero Oil Cleanser & Modern Friction Scrub) and award-winning mini cupcakes from House of Cupcakes- They won the Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars!” They were absolutely little bites of heaven… Perfectly moist and sweet.

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We went back to the house after that and hung out outside while we grilled some chicken and sausage, which made for a very tasty dinner.

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SUNDAY, May 12
It was beautiful out today, so we could finally go to the gardens. I got to ride on the back of a Harley on the way there, which was a ton of fun. We then walked through the fair that was near the gardens. I found a gorgeous silver necklace that spelled out LOVE in cursive with a glittering heart dangling from the words. I also got some kettle corn to share with everyone. Of course it was delicious and oh so very addicting!

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The gardens were lovely as we walked along paths, bodies of water, bridges, and came across flowers, trees, plants, greenery.

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After the trip to the gardens we headed out to a place across the Delaware River, called Dilly’s Corner that has burgers, french fries, soft serve ice cream. There was a long line when we got there and the food was mediocre. Though the curly fries were quite delicious. I just wish I could’ve tried a shake or some of that soft serve ice cream.

All in all, a wonderful time spent with great friends. The only downside was that the weekend went by way too quickly!
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May 9, 2013 · 9:17 pm

Meeting 98 Degrees

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Yes, 98 Degrees, the boy band that brought us hits such as “Hardest Thing,” “I Do (Cherish You)” and “Because of You” is back with a new CD, “2.0.” So when I heard they would be making an appearance at the Apple in Soho, I knew I had to be there. I got there only a few minutes before they were set to appear, so I had to stand the whole time in the back, but I still managed to get a decent view of the group.

They still look deliciously swoonworthy, especially Nick Lachey and Jeff Timmons. They still have that tight muscled physique, charming smiles and a sweet demeanor. I smiled, waved a blew a kiss at Nick from across the room and yes, he smiled and waved back!

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The event started off with a moderated conversation with Cubby from KTU, with questions about what made the boys come back together again, where they’ve been living, what the boys have been up to and so on. Nick is busy being a new father; Drew participated in (and won) “Dancing with the Stars” and became a host for the show; Justin ran for mayor of Cincinnati; and Jeff was hosting Chippendale’s in Las Vegas… aka being a stripper (not really, but we wish) — He did pretend to take off his button down shirt and do a little dance for us though. So adorably sexy!

Next was the Q&A from the audience, which was fun but the part I loved most was when they performed a few of their hit songs throughout the years… Their special performance was heartfelt, beautiful and amazing. Nick’s voice was deeply velvety silk smooth and undeniably sexy. Jeff’s voice was a bit higher, still rocked it.  All the voice harmonizing together was a real treat.

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The Play List
1. “Invisible Man” – This was gorgeous sounding… Pure perfection!
2. Then what they called The Sunshine Song- “Because of You”
3. Continuing with one of my personal favorites, “The Hardest Thing,” which almost made me cry…
4. Another sappy love song, but with the opposite message of the one prior, “I Do (Cherish You)”
5. “Una Noche”
6. And the latest hit from their newest album, “Microphone” (uptempo, incredibly sexy and got us all up dancing)

Afterwards, I headed outside to the back door to see if I could meet them, but turns out they were signing autographs and taking pictures with fans inside the Apple store and security wouldn’t let us back in. So we waited, and still got a chance to get autographs and pictures. I managed to get a picture with all of the members, but not all together. in one photo. Still, much better than nothing! I loved that they were so sweet & great about it, and made it clear that it was “because of us,” that they loved and cherished us all!

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With sexy Jeff Timmons and Justin Jeffre

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With oh-so-swoonworthy Nick Lachey

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With cutie Drew Lachey

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April 30, 2013 · 11:52 pm

An Evening with Comedian Lewis Black

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I headed to the Theatre at Westbury in Long Island to meet up with a friend to see Comedy Central star, Lewis Black on tour (The Rant is Due). Lewis Black is known for his “comedy style, which often includes simulating a mental breakdown, or an increasingly angry rant, ridiculing history, politics, religion, trends and cultural phenomena.” We got to the theater early and found our seats.

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It wasn’t too long until Lewis Black’s comedian friend John Bowman came up to do his bit. He was great- Weird, fun, cynical and played these cool twisted songs.

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After that, the man of the hour, Lewis Black came out to thunderous applause and his first comment was, “I wish I was going to the show that all of you are making so much noise for!” Lewis Black was hilarious– He definitely made me laugh and I loved that he could back up what he was talking about, making compelling points about the absurdity of our world, whether it was social security, government, Obamacare, TV in the old days, Facebook, congress, business, and so much more.

I was in stitches hearing about his experience with signing up for Facebook and then Spotify through Facebook. Also when he discussed the difference between “dumb” and “stupid” as well as Democrats and Republicans. Or when he went on and on about social security and long division, proving how it’s impossible to figure out. And when he likened ADD medication for children to speed and discussed how we all have ADD & cannot focus on just one thing anymore. The list goes on… I had such a great time seeing Lewis Black perform and it was well worth the travel to Long Island.

Afterwards, my friend and I were trying to find a nice spot for dinner. We stopped in at Frank’s Steakhouse but the waitress was rushing us to order because the kitchen was closing and was quite rude about it, so we decided to take our business elsewhere. We ended up finding a Ruby Tuesday, and we were not disappointed. The food was delicious and the service excellent.

I started off with the “Tropical Sunrise” drink, which is a blend of mango, pineapple, and O.J. shaken with ice and served with a splash of grenadine and a cherry. It was pretty good. I liked the bits of mango mixed in with the drink and loved the tropical fruit flavors together.

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As for the food, my friend and I shared the crispy coconut shrimp appetizer which was very tasty. For my meal, I chose the New Orleans seafood, which consisted of creole-seasoned tilapia topped with sauteed shrimp and a rich, creamy Parmesan sauce. This also came with two sides. I chose rice pilaf and the salad bar option. I really love the salad bar because you can create your own deliciously healthy salad… I added mushroom, peas, onion, tomato, sunflower seeds, edamame, peas, cheese to my salad, along with a bit of pasta salad, apple salad and potato salad. It was almost a full appetizer in itself!

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Then my entree came and it was wonderful. The tilapia was flaky, tender, nice flavor and the shrimp in the Parmesan cream was divine. The rice pilaf was decent– Maybe could have been seasoned a bit more but still pretty good. Of course I had to take most of it home, and it was just as good the next day.

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Last, my friend and I shared an amazing peanut butter brownie with topping of caramel spread, with chocolate and caramel sauce mingling around the brownie. It was delectable… Very rich, deep peanut buttery flavor with the chocolate and undeniable taste of sweet, sticky caramel.

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I had a wonderful night in Long Island… Top notch, hilarious entertainment by Lewis Black & John Bowman and a delicious dinner at Ruby Tuesday!

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April 24, 2013 · 11:53 pm

Camping in the Jersey Wilderness

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This past weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to do some camping with a bunch of friends in the New Jersey wilderness, more specifically at the Mahlon Dickerson Reservation — the largest park of the Morris County Park System and encompasses 3,200 acres of wilderness with over 20 miles of multi-use trails.

Soon after arriving and after pitching our tents, a few of us decided to take a hike through the neighboring woods. We first came across a lovely lookout point just 15 minutes from our campsite, which gave us a great view of hills, valleys, sky and soaring hawks…

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As we continued on our journey, we ended up taking the Pine Swamp Loop, following the teal (mostly) trail. We happened across beautiful streams snaking through the trees — At several points we had to cross over bodies of water.

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There was even a cute, charming wooden train — Perfect for a child to climb and pretend that it’s real! My inner child wanted to run to the train and do just that. My adult self took a break and refueled myself with trail mix and juice. We continued and reached the Highest Point in Morris County, which was 1395 Feet/ 425 Meters Above Sea Level. Granted it didn’t feel that high, and thankfully it didn’t require a lot of steep climbing.

I enjoyed being in the woods, one with nature. There was a wild, stark beauty and a multitude of thin, bare trees…

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After the hike, we returned to our campsite and enjoyed some snacks then took a quick trip to nearby Jefferson Dairy for Homemade Ice Cream. I chose the peanut butter based ice cream with chocolate brownie pieces, which was amazingly creamy & rich. I also tried some of the Pistachio which had a delightful, more subtle flavor.

Soon after, we started preparations for dinner which was quite a feast! There was bacon wrapped shrimp, skewers of shrimp & pineapple; skewers with zucchini, mushroom, peppers; hot dogs, chicken & pork burgers,  sausages; tilapia with dill sauce, vegetarian options: Lentil salad, corn on the cob, potatoes.

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And of course there were the ingredients for making S’mores. And cake, cookies for dessert. After eating, we sat around the fire keeping warm and talking, telling stories, playing “Would You Rather” and just generally enjoying each others’ company.

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After midnight, some of us hiked to nearby Lookout Point to do some stargazing and see if we could spot any meteor showers… It was lovely, perfectly quiet and wonderful to bask in the wonder of the night sky: The moon, constellations and stars.

The next day we prepared a hearty breakfast: Pancakes, bacon, blueberry muffins, bread and cheese, orange slices, and tea/coffee. Delicious!

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I had such a sweet adventure camping at Mahlon Dickerson Preserve in the Jersey Wilderness, with a great group of friends and look forward to more camping (definitely when it’s warmer out, so as not to freeze in my hot pink sleeping bag!) in the near future.

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