Food is often my favorite thing to pursue no matter where I go, and it might have been the highlight of my trip to NYC (other than being with the BF and hanging with my friends). Overall, I had some pretty enjoyable food, so I thought I might share what and where I ate. Unfortunately, I suck at pics, and have...none.
John's Pizzeria, Times Square: reasonably priced and very tasty brick-oven pizza in what I think used to be a church. Somehow, they made plain cheese pizza taste complex and interesting.
Haakon's Hall, Morningside Heights: The owner and chef showed up at the door, recognized my friend, and kind of talked us into coming in (he was also very friendly). I had a "Grace's Fallen Souffle" which I think was really a flourless chocolate cake, and was delicous whatever it was. Cute little restaurant, reasonable prices, nice atmosphere.
Mysterious pizza-by-the-slice place in the financial district, gotten on the go with the BF, not really worth talking about.
Magnolia Bakery: As previously noted, overcrowded, full of tourists, overpriced. I might have bought other things if I could have gotten to the counter, but it was so packed I just grabbed some cupcakes from the self-serve area. They definitely were tasty, especially the light buttercream, but I hope the ones kept behind glass are moister - these ones were a little dry.
Mi Floridita, Broadway and 125th: According to online reviews this is supposed to be Cuban, but it calls itself a tapas bar and the food I had there I could have ordered in Spain (it would have been better in Spain, but it's been a while since I had anything close). My fried calamari was especially good, and overall it was great to eat things I had been missing. Sadly, the Flamenco dancers the signs promised never showed up.
Cafe Frida: My girlfriends and I tried to go to the Shake Skack for lunch, but it was packed and we ended up next door instead - luckily! This was an adorable little Mexican place, reasonably priced (except the $11 guacamole) and the food was quite tasty. The service was also very good. I had a quesadilla with chorizo, though I kept enviously eying my friend's omlette (they were still serving brunch).
Shake Shack: After Cafe Frida we headed over for ice cream, and I nearly died of pleasure while eating a "concrete" (flurry) with hot fudge and chocolate truffle cookie dough.
The Hungarian Pastry Shop: I bought the best cream puff of my life here, and also something tasty called a pyramid cake. And something tall and chocolatey and kinda mousse-like, and also tasty. Overall, it's a good thing I don't live nearby or I would be bankrupt and obese.
Lyla's Cafe, Morningside Heights: Little French-American cafe - very cute. I had a "croque madam" which had a sunny-side-up egg on top of a ham sandwich. Since I love eggs, that is a great idea, but the sandwich under it was mediocre. I STILL regret not getting the crepes.
Tom's Restaurant: Famous for being the outside view of the Seinfield diner. I was pretty underimpressed. My pancakes tasted like meat, my bacon was undercooked, and the waitress kept grumping at us in what might have been Yiddish (though I'm not sure I've ever heard Yiddish...she would throw in just enough English that we could get the general idea).
Thursday, August 6, 2009
NYC
Last weekend the BF and I took a semi-spontaneous trip to visit his brother and two of my former roommates in NYC. Overall, the trip was very good, despite exhaustion, heat, and a 12 hour head cold we both contracted. A list of what we saw:
1. Central park, by bike: hella lot more crowded than I had imagined, though I don't really know why I didn't expect that. Good idea though, to have a park in the middle of a big city like that.
2. Times Square: definitely overrated, and flashy, though I was tired and hungry at this point and might have been less inclined to appreciate things. Lots of tourists.
3. Columbia University: Kind of seen by default, since his brother works there and lives right by it. Exactly what you would expect an Ivy League in a city to look like.
4. Statue of Liberty: Seen from afar, smaller than expected, but still striking. It was neat to think how it's been such a symbol to immigrants.
5. Ellis Island: Interesting, even though we did all the exhibits backwards (accidentally). I was seriously distracted by preservation and display issues in the exhibits, because I am a nerd and just took a preservation class.
6. Financial district: I think the BF was disappointed that we couldn't actually see much, due to security. We almost got in trouble for taking pictures of the Fed. There is a picture somewhere of me grabbing the bull....by the balls.
7. Ground Zero/site of the World Trade Towers: We didn't linger, and I didn't want to. Big construction area.
8. St. Paul's Church: across from Ground Zero. Somehow we missed George Washington's pew. Cool old cemetery.
9. Other Episcopalian church in the financial district whose name I cannot currently remember: pretty!
10. Magnolia Bakery: after I led the BF on a death march to get there. Overcrowded, full of tourists, tiny, overpriced. But tasty!
11. Lots of subway: The BF and I got pretty good at navigating the subway system. This might have been the easiest city to navigate I have ever been in.
12. Metropolitan Museum of Art: Big! I would have liked to spend a lot more time there. I don't think I appreciated anything as much as I would have if I had more time to explore it, relaxed. Also, the Francis Bacon exhibit is NOT about the Sir Francis Bacon, and scared my pants off.
13. Grant's Tomb: because it was so close to the BF's brother's apartment. If I lived in that neighborhood I think I would have picnics there.
14. Cathedral of St. John the Divine: I just love cathedrals. This was nice, though Episcopalians seem prone to mumbling in services. Ok, this one was beautiful.
Next up: the food!
1. Central park, by bike: hella lot more crowded than I had imagined, though I don't really know why I didn't expect that. Good idea though, to have a park in the middle of a big city like that.
2. Times Square: definitely overrated, and flashy, though I was tired and hungry at this point and might have been less inclined to appreciate things. Lots of tourists.
3. Columbia University: Kind of seen by default, since his brother works there and lives right by it. Exactly what you would expect an Ivy League in a city to look like.
4. Statue of Liberty: Seen from afar, smaller than expected, but still striking. It was neat to think how it's been such a symbol to immigrants.
5. Ellis Island: Interesting, even though we did all the exhibits backwards (accidentally). I was seriously distracted by preservation and display issues in the exhibits, because I am a nerd and just took a preservation class.
6. Financial district: I think the BF was disappointed that we couldn't actually see much, due to security. We almost got in trouble for taking pictures of the Fed. There is a picture somewhere of me grabbing the bull....by the balls.
7. Ground Zero/site of the World Trade Towers: We didn't linger, and I didn't want to. Big construction area.
8. St. Paul's Church: across from Ground Zero. Somehow we missed George Washington's pew. Cool old cemetery.
9. Other Episcopalian church in the financial district whose name I cannot currently remember: pretty!
10. Magnolia Bakery: after I led the BF on a death march to get there. Overcrowded, full of tourists, tiny, overpriced. But tasty!
11. Lots of subway: The BF and I got pretty good at navigating the subway system. This might have been the easiest city to navigate I have ever been in.
12. Metropolitan Museum of Art: Big! I would have liked to spend a lot more time there. I don't think I appreciated anything as much as I would have if I had more time to explore it, relaxed. Also, the Francis Bacon exhibit is NOT about the Sir Francis Bacon, and scared my pants off.
13. Grant's Tomb: because it was so close to the BF's brother's apartment. If I lived in that neighborhood I think I would have picnics there.
14. Cathedral of St. John the Divine: I just love cathedrals. This was nice, though Episcopalians seem prone to mumbling in services. Ok, this one was beautiful.
Next up: the food!
Cake!
I am finally getting around to posting the picture of my final cake for the Wilton level 2 class. I have to say, I LOVED this class. I'm going to seriously miss not having my weekly cake time. If I can, I'm going to take level 3 in December, so stay tuned for more cakes!
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