Foodie Friday

A spelt Everything bagel with cucumber dill cream cheese from Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company.  New York really does know how to do bagels.

 

 

Happy Weekend!

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French Friday

One of the things that I love most about summer is that vacation vibe that's always in the air, even if you haven't left town.  Maybe it's because the days are longer or that the sun seems to shine brighter, but I love that feeling of being able to take things a bit more slowly, be more relaxed, and make time to enjoy the little things.  It also helps that my office does summer Fridays, so my work week has been cut down to four days, which feels much more humane.  On one such Friday off, I met the other Rebecca for lunch at the downtown location of French Roast.  We've come to this cute little spot before for after-work drinks but this was the first time that we had decided to make a meal of it.  Speaking of drinks, I couldn't refuse their weekly cocktail special:  a cucumber mojito:

This beauty was crisp, refreshing, and smacked of summer.  Rebecca stayed a bit more virtuous and opted for an iced coffee, which arrived in the largest goblet I've ever seen.

We ordered our food and then, while waiting for it to arrive, we sipped and chatted about helicopter parents and Rebecca's recent European honeymoon (No, there wasn't really a segue between the two, in case you were wondering).  One of the reasons why we had chosen French Roast for lunch that day was because she was going through Paris withdrawal, and we figured that a Parisian-style bistro could only help to ease the pain.

Soon, the food appeared.  Rebecca had gone for the soup (French onion) and baguette sandwich combo (tomato, mozzarella, arugula and roasted red peppers)....

while I went for the lamb burger, topped with goat cheese and served on a pita with hand-cut frites (I mean, you might as well order the French Fries when in a French restaurant, right?)

The burger was massive, but the pita was a nice change from a bun and lightened it up a bit.  And the fries did not disappoint.

The food was very good, and the portions, both of our dishes and of everything else that we saw in passing, were huge.  And I spotted some amazing-looking Croque Madames at the next table over, so I will definitely be back to try those in the near future.

Rebecca and I finished up and then parted ways for the weekend, but it was such a beautiful sunny day that I wasn't ready to go back inside.  Luckily, G had texted to ask if I wanted to meet up in Central Park and I thought that it sounded like the perfect plan.  Continuing the French theme of the day, we grabbed a seat at Le Pain Quotidien near the Sheep Meadow area of the Park and ordered Matcha Vodka cocktails.

It's a little known fact that vodka actually enhances green tea's antioxidant properties. 

If you haven't heard this before, it's because I just made it up, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

G and I filled each other in on what we had been up to all summer as we breathed in the balmy air and the tranquility of the garden-like setting.  We whiled away the afternoon, enjoying the fact that there was really nowhere else that we had to be.

Summer days like these should last forever, in my book.  What's your idea of the perfect summer day?

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Foodie Friday

NYC has had a few 90+ degree days this week and when it's that hot, all I want to eat is chips and guac and ice cream (not necessarily in that order).

I satisfied half of the craving last night with gelato at Babo Teahouse.

Happy Weekend!

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Onomea

S and I both had the day off on a recent Friday, and we agreed that it would be a good idea to get some early afternoon drinks and noms (I mean, when is it not?).  We met up for brunch at a Hawaiian restaurant in Williamsburg called Onomea.  Stepping through the door, you're instantly transported to a brighter, cheerier place by a sea of turquoise chairs and the photos of the Hawaiian landscape that dot the walls.

 We started things off with coconut water, which arrived in pretty blue mason jars, and rosé for S and a guava mimosa for me.  We figured that we might as well save time and detox and retox simultaneously.

 S got the eggs and spam, which came with greens, rice, and mac salad on the side.

 

I have to admit, I've always turned up my nose at the idea of spam, but this stuff was actually quite delicious.

Giving in to my poached egg addiction, I ordered the Kalua Pig Benedict, with pulled pork on a King's Hawaiian roll.



Savory, rich, and extremely filling.

I felt a bit like a fat and happy Kalua pig myself after eating it, so S and I walked it off for a bit and ducked into some stores in Williamsburg before parting ways and heading home for a nap (We lead such exciting lives).

If you're looking for a brunch spot with a slightly different take on the usual fare or want to satisfy your spam craving without judgement, check out Onomea.  It's a good substitute for an island escape, without the pain of the long plane ride or the cost of airfare.

And the more mimosas you drink, the more Hawaiian you'll feel, I guarantee it.

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Ithaca Walks

My second trip upstate last month took me to Ithaca and my alma mater, Cornell University, for the wedding of a good college friend.  S, N, and I took an excruciatingly early bus to Ithaca on the Friday before the wedding, which gave us plenty of time to enjoy the day upon arriving.  We first needed some brunch and coffee, though, so we started things off at Stella's, one of our old college haunts.  This was where we'd go if we wanted a slightly swankier experience than the local dive bars and bagel shops could offer, and it gives you the feeling that you're nestled in some sort of artsy cavern.

S ordered a chicken confit sandwich, N got an omelet, and I went for the softshell crab benedict, with mimosas and coffee all around.
Once the food and caffeine had made us feel mostly human again, we decided to go for a quick hike in nearby Cascadilla Gorge.  One of the great things about Ithaca is that you can seriously stumble upon a gorge and a waterfall at nearly every turn.

I'm not sure that I fully appreciated all of this natural beauty around campus when I was in college.....I think that classes, exams, and keg stands socializing probably got in the way.  But I certainly appreciate it now, especially in contrast to living in New York City, where natural sights, smells, and sounds can be hard to come by.

It had been a cloudy day so far, but on our way back up out of the gorge, the sun came out in full force and made the water sparkle.

After ascending from the gorge, we walked around campus for a bit, as S and I reminisced about the all the good days and silly adventures that we had there, while N (who didn't go Cornell) politely pretended to be very interested in and entertained by all of our stories.

We ended the afternoon by collapsing at the Statler Hotel's bar, where we reunited with some other friends as well as the bride and groom for a mellow pre-wedding catchup session.

Feeling re-energized by the next morning, we had breakfast and then set off for another walk through campus.  We skirted Beebe Lake....

 and then made our way to the Cornell Plantations.  Part botanical garden, part arboretum, and part nature preserve, the Plantations are full of interesting plants and serene beauty.

We walked for over an hour, enjoying the scenery, breathing in the fresh floral air, and then cursing our allergies in the same breath (the sneezing was all very glamorous, I assure you).  Then it was time to head back to our hotel and trade in our sneakers for our dancing shoes and watch our friends get hitched.

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