Foodie Friday

A beautifully-plated crab cake appetizer at a friend's recent wedding.

Happy Holiday Weekend!

Pin It Now!

Hudson Highlights, Day 1

June has been a busy month of travel for me, taking me upstate for two weekend weddings and then to central PA to visit family.  The first of the wedding trips was to the town of Hudson in the Catskills.  

Just a two-hour trip from NYC by train, it might as well have been a world away.  Upon getting off the train, I was greeted by the wonderful smell of fresh air and honeysuckle, and the loudest noise that I could hear was birdsong, not people or cars.  Feeling more relaxed already, I made my leisurely way to the Hudson City Bed & Breakfast, which was to be my home for the weekend.  I checked in and was shown to my room, which was full of antique furniture and charm.

I did a bit of unpacking and then went out to the front porch for a chance to chat with Barry, the innkeeper, and admire the leafy view.

After getting a few recommendations from Barry, I headed into town to explore.  Having been told that Warren Street was Hudson's main hub, I made my way there, enjoying the quaint feel of the place.

Warren Street is chock full of antique stores and galleries, most of which had closed for the evening by the time that I arrived.  I did duck into The Spotty Dog Books & Ale, a fun bookstore/pub combo, and then, since it was time for dinner, I went to Baba Louie's.  I had come across some good reviews for the wood-fired pizza place while searching for things to do in Hudson earlier in the week and decided to give it a go.

The interior was roomy and the atmosphere was very friendly.  It seemed like a great sort of place to gather with a big group of friends and family.

But let's get to the important part:  the pizza.  There are several specialty pizza options on the menu, all of which boast delicious-sounding combinations, as well as a seemingly endless list of toppings so that you can customize your own if you wish.  After much intense deliberation, I went for the Dolce Vita:  tomato sauce, wilted spinach, fresh mozarella, figs, gorgonzola, prosciutto and parmesan, topped with rosemary infused olive oil.

Perhaps it was due to the romantic mood of the wedding weekend, but I was ready to run off with this pizza.  It was gorgeous, satisfying, and best of all,  I had it all to myself.

    

After showing an utter lack of restraint with the pizza, I strolled through the town's side streets, many of which reminded me of Stars Hollow.

I eventually made my way back to the B&B and called it a relatively early night, knowing that there were more explorations, good food, and wedding festivities in store for the next day.

Pin It Now!

Foodie Friday

Goa Taco's paratha pork belly taco with pickled red cabbage and chipotle mayo.

Tried this last week at Smorgasberg, and my mind is still blown.  

Happy Weekend!

Pin It Now!

Dim Sum Sunset

Two weeks ago, on a Friday and a Saturday night, a rare phenomenon was set to befall New York.  It was that time, when twice a year, a truly strange and wondrous thing happens:  New Yorkers run out into the streets with very little regard for life, limb, and oncoming traffic, and simply stand there, with their mouths hanging open.

Okay, in all seriousness, that does happen, but it's due to Manhattanhenge, when the setting sun aligns perfectly with the east-west streets of Manhattan.
 
On Friday, Manhattanhenge was supposed to happen at a little after 8pm, so I met TL after work and we first went to Niu Noodle House in the West Village, where we had a small Dim Sum feast.

Crab rangoon, vegetable spring rolls, scallion pancakes, Hong Kong style pork buns, and chicken satay.  All washed down with a mojito for me and Moscato for TL.

Everything was quite good, except for the chicken satay.  It was battered and fried, which seemed completely unneccesary to me, and the creamy peanut sauce that accompanied it was unimpressive as well.

Luckily, the pork buns were melt-in-your-mouth delicious and totally made up for it.

I was tempted to stick an order of them in my bag for the road, but I thought that might be frowned upon.

After we had finished all of the nibbles, TL and I hopped on the train and made our way to 23rd street between 5th and 6th Ave.  TL had scoped out this location last year and knew that it was a prime Manhattanhenge viewing spot.  We met up with her hubby and some friends, and then we waited.

The lead-up looked promising.

The sun started its final descent, the sky glowed, we readied our cameras and then..........

clouds got in the way.

 Manhattanhenge was a bust.

All was not lost, though.  The clouds at least reflected the brilliant colors of the sunset across the sky and, while slightly disappointing, it was still a beautiful sight. 

Manhattanhenge will happen again in July, so fingers crossed for a cloudless night.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Pin It Now!

Foodie Friday

 

The Plato de Quesos and Pan con Tomate at Sala One Nine.

Happy Weekend!

Pin It Now!

Brunch Burgers and Boats

Last weekend, D and I met up for brunch.

Or, at least that was the plan.

But our intended brunch spot had a line that wrapped around the block, so we ended up at an Irish pub called The Dead Poet, which doesn't really have a brunch menu.   However, they did have $5 mimosas and bloody marys.  So we happily ordered those and, in the spirit of the time of day, we both got the Breakfast Burger.

A beef patty topped with American cheese, bacon, and an over-easy egg.  Delicious, and a genius way to combine three of the greatest b-words in the English language:  breakfast, bacon, and burgers.

We also split an order of fried dill pickles.....which were so amazing that I forgot all about taking a photo until we were down to the last one.  I hope that you'll forgive me.

As we ate our extremely healthy meal, we chatted about what we had been up to in recent months as well as our summer plans, and then said our goodbyes, since D had to go and see some friends off at the airport. It was a gorgeous day though, and I felt the need to enjoy it while also walking off some of the damage done at breakfast.  So I moseyed over to Riverside Park.

I think that Riverside is often overlooked as far as parks go in New York;  Central Park often steals its thunder.  But Riverside has some really great trees, pretty views of the Hudson, and fewer tourists.

As you walk under these particular trees, you start to sense their magic....as if they could come alive at any moment and clutch you within their branches.

 Once they deem fit to release you, you continue on past the enchanted bridge.

And through the tunnel to the river.

As you gaze out over the water, you can see a number of sturdy-looking vessels and that magical land of.....New Jersey.

 Perhaps it's best to just lose yourself in looking at the sparkling water that's right in front of you....
























Or take a stroll along the water's edge.

After briefly considering becoming a pirate, commandeering a boat, and traveling to South America, you decide that an afternoon nap sounds a bit less ambitious, and head back into the shade of the trees.

Pin It Now!