Strawberry Chapstick

SEVILLE-Flamenco

2011-07-26T17:41:00.000-04:00

Seville is famous for Flamenco--a passionate performance of Toque (guitar), Cante (song), and Baile (dance). While there are many Flamenco tablaos in Spain and Seville in particular, Alex and I were on the hunt for something more intimate and less touristy. We were guided to La Carboneria where the entrance is free but the performance is genuine. Just the perfect place to get a true taste of Seville.

SEVILLE

2011-07-22T20:35:00.000-04:00

Seville was by far my favorite place in Spain (it's tied with Valencia). From Flamenco to Arab bath houses I found myself immersed in a relaxing world filled with winding streets, Flamenco tablaos and scorching heat!

SEGOVIA- PETA Members Beware

2011-07-19T14:42:00.000-04:00

El Bernardino

In Segovia Alex and I had a true Segovian 3-course feast at El Bernardino. We started with a butter bean dish slowly cooked in chorizo, black sausage and ham, followed with the crispy yet tender suckling pig, and ended with a lemon cake. For me, this was one of the best meals that I had in Spain. Not only was it savory and delicious, but it was a true dining experience. After our meal we headed off to explore the Cathedral and the Alcázar of Segovia which was like bringing Disney to real life.

Roman Aqueduct

Segovia Cathedral

Alcázar

ÁVILA- Egg Yolk Candy, Yum?

2011-07-13T17:12:00.000-04:00

In Ávila I found myself looking for my armor. The town is enclosed in a fortress and preserves the lifestyle of a true medieval town. Deciding to be adventurous culinary-wise I bought a box of the famous candies from Ávila that have only two ingredients: sugar and egg yolk (drooling yet?). One bite into these little treats and I felt my morning breakfast almost come back up. This "delicacy" was invented by a Carmelite nun Saint Teresa of Ávila, and bless her soul, they obviously did not have Godiva back then. Not to let these interesting confections go to waste, I made sure to bring them back home with me and treat my parents to a lovely surprise. If you're curious what they tasted like, I can present you with this one image: my father taking a bite and running to the trash can to spit it out and then gargling with Listerine for 5 minutes straight afterwards, yum.

TOLEDO & EL ESCORIAL

2011-07-01T12:19:00.000-04:00

El Escorial

Toledo

Metal Craftsman

Snapshots Through Madrid

2011-06-30T17:45:00.000-04:00

So long Madrid...

On our balcony overlooking Calle Gran Vía

MADRID: The OLDEST Restaurant In The World

2011-06-29T17:56:00.001-04:00

According to the Guinness Book of Records, Alex and I ate at the oldest restaurant in the world. Established in 1725, Sobrino de Botín boasts such a title, as well as claiming to have had Francisco Goya as one of its waiters (thanks Wikipedia.com).

Sobrino was the first restaurant in Spain that Alex and I stepped into that told us that there was a wait, as well as the first restaurant I had ever been to that had its own tourism brochure. The restaurant is most famous for its Segovian cochinillo asado (Segovian suckling pig), which is interesting since the restaurant is in Madrid, not Segovia. Coincidentally, Alex and I had made a day trip out to Segovia earlier that day where we had true Segovian suckling pig (post coming soon) and therefore, we passed on the pig and picked a lighter fare of fresh salad and fried eggs with black sausage, as well as their sangria for a light nightcap.

MADRID: Your Highness

2011-06-27T16:01:00.000-04:00

Alex with the Royal Palace in the background

Royal Palace, Prado Museum, Retiro Park.

These are perhaps some of the top attractions that Madrid has to offer. In a single day Alex and I managed to visit all of these, here are the highlights...

-ROYAL PALACE-

-PRADO- (Just a picture of the statue of Velazquez since photos are not permitted inside)

Resting & people watching outside the Prado

-BUEN RETIRO PARK-

MADRID: Mercado de San Miguel

2011-06-27T14:52:00.002-04:00

Hello Mr. Fishy

While in Madrid Alex and I made several stops at the Mercado de San Miguel. The key to avoid the massive crowds was to visit during off peak hours, so we avoided siesta and the tourist lunch rush. While San Miguel has been around for years in Madrid as a typical fresh market, recently it has been converted into what only seems like a slight tourist trap, and is intended to delight the palate of the hungry traveler (primarily through the eyes).

Now don't get me wrong, the market offers a fantastic array of cheeses, meats, and fresh shellfish, but I came to learn that the tapas left more to be desired. After a long day of traveling Alex and I engulfed the tiny sandwiches of mussels, tuna, octopus, and salmon. However, days later when we ventured into a supermarket to do our own shopping we found that all of that great seafood on our tapas didn't come directly from the Mediterranean, but rather, a CAN. In fact, we proceeded to buy a few cans of their mussels and tuna and fresh bread from the panadería and made our own tapas.

For anyone traveling overseas, I think it's always fun to venture into the supermarkets of the country and try the different and often surprising food they offer.

Outside Mercado de San Miguel

Jamon..and so so so SO much of it

Tapas assortment

Cortezas de Cerdo (Pork Rind)

Shrimp

Sweet caramelized lollipops

Buying what I buy best--chocolate treats!

Besides being in Madrid in early June, it was absolutely freezing!

MADRID: Churro, Churro, Churro

2011-06-24T19:19:00.000-04:00

Plaza Mayor

Hello dedicated followers! (You exist, right?). I am happy to report that I am back from a wonderful two and a half week vacation through España (or Spain to keep it simple). The next several blog posts will consist of our Spanish adventures (our since my Don Quixote of a boyfriend, Alex-- or Alejandro to keep things in theme--was with me). Prepare for tales of stunning architecture, delectable cuisine, exciting outings, and a wonderful excursion through a truly remarkable country.

My starting point begins in Madrid, and follows through to Toledo, San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Avila, Segovia, Seville, Granada, Cordoba, Valencia, and finally 'Vicky Christina BARCELONA'.

Upon arrival in Madrid, fighting jet lag and an overnight flight, Alex and I made our first stop after dropping our bags at our hotel: Chocolate Churros. We found our way to a cafe hidden through narrow streets (a common theme in Spain) behind a beautiful church close by to Puerta del Sol (overtaken by recent protests).

Nothing breaks a serious case of jet lag quite like the taste of chewy churros dipped in rich dark chocolate and a coffee (mind you that in Spain, the coffee is served in small portions--forget about that Venti Red Eye). Things were getting good....

Puerta del Sol: taken over by protesters

Inside the churro cafe--pictures with Spanish figures who have eaten there

Old world Madrid

Salivating yet?

Happy campers now that chocolate churros are served

Coco Before Chanel

2011-06-02T14:04:00.000-04:00

Coco AFTER Chanel

I just watched the 2009 French film Coco avant Chanel (Coco Before Chanel) and I became all the more mesmerized by the iconic life of this bold woman of character; a woman who dressed like a man with impromptu suits, scoffed at corsets, and made a modern name for herself. Immediately after the movie I quickly began browsing through Barnes & Noble's selection of her many biographies and read the quick Wikipedia link on her life. And then I decided that I would not delve deeper into my understanding of who she was as a person. I read about involvement with Nazi soldiers, shady money transfers, and I simply had to stop.

For me, Chanel is the epitome of female. A brand I revere for not only its beautiful clothing, but the consistent name and value it holds. For that reason, Coco shall stay the way she always has in my mind: a woman to be respected for her choices as a designer, and an icon of classic female grace. One of my favorite scenes in the movie was when Coco (played by Audrey Tautou) is seen wearing a belted fisherman's striped shirt; how crisp, how simple, how modern! I do not know who Coco truly was as a person, but I do know that there is only one Chanel.

Audrey, a beautiful Coco

My own marinière

Coco in the 1930's wearing a classic fisherman striped shirt

Becoming Real People

2011-06-01T16:15:00.001-04:00

One usually wakes up for college graduation full of vigor and excitement. I on the other hand, woke up with a 102 fever (and no, this was not my Senioritis acting up) . Yet there was one thing keeping my energy going: seeing my greatest celebrity crush of all time--Justin Timberlake? Orlando Bloom? Javier Bardem? Justin Bieber?--no; it is the one and only Bill Clinton. Yes, I was lucky enough to have Bill Clinton as my commencement speaker, and he was lucky enough to be five feet away from my screaming, gushing, neon wayfarers wearing, 102 fever-self yelling to him, "I love you Bill, I love you!" (We all have our moments of weakness).

In the two hours that graduation passed I looked around at my fellow graduates and all I could think about was how lucky I was. Lucky to be sent to such a wonderful school, lucky to have lived in the wonderful city of New York, lucky to have met such wonderful friends, lucky to have such a wonderful human being as my commencement speaker, lucky to have my commencement in such a wonderful place Yankee Stadium, lucky to have had the most wonderful education in the last four years, lucky to have eaten at Momofuku Noodle Bar a record breaking amount of times, lucky to have frolicked around wonderful Central Park thinking to myself that I owned the city, lucky to have shared many nights out in wonderful restaurants and lounges, lucky to have a boyfriend who was eager to visit and see the city with me, lucky to feel like a truly cultured individual, lucky to feel so open-minded to life and the people around me, lucky to have gone to a school where a party was not in a frat basement, and most of all extremely grateful to have such wonderful parents willing to send me to such a wonderful school.

When I think of New York there are many reasons why I love the city, but a few are truly profound (in no particular order):

(1) Tom Cruise living in the building across the street from me (ok, so maybe I conveniently place this as #1)

(2) Living in walking distance of all my favorite cupcake shoppes

(3) Speaking of walking, having the ability to walk anywhere and everywhere

(4) Counting the number of people on the street wearing Aviators (by my estimates, it's 83.7% of all New Yorkers)

(5) Momofuku Noodle Bar--and in general, food.

(6) Fearing Brooklyn

(7) Mario Batali in Washington Square Park wearing orange crocs...and ONLY orange crocs

(8) Chicken and Rice--but only after 3 a.m.

(9) Watching Nicolas Cage walk towards me from a movie set, yelling out to him "Hi Nicolas!" (insert embarrassingly giddy laugh), and him responding "Hi Honey" (and winking)

(10) Having friends who are living as "real people" in the city and willing to let me have extended

visits

Nothing says "ADULTS" quite like this

Graduates & Guests at Yankee Stadium

Honorary Degree Recipient: Clive Davis

I see you too Bill

Graduates!

Sums it all up

A Bridal Shower Cupcake

2011-05-31T12:44:00.005-04:00

Last month I attended what was my first bridal shower held in honor of my boyfriend's sister Irene. While all the games, hat decorating, and mimosas were fairly new to me, I did realize that bridal showers are a brilliant way of getting all the household goods one desires.

When I thought of bridal showers and what the appropriate attire to wear to one was, I thought of an English tea party and floppy hats. Where this notion came from, I'm not exactly sure, but I made every effort to dress in such a manner for the sake of my imagination with a cupcake skirt and a balloon-sleeve crisp white shirt.

Many of the photos I have posted were by Irene's wedding photographer, Alex.

Irene arriving at her 'Hot Pink & Black' Bridal Shower

Opening presents with the help of bridesmaids and flower girls

From Paris, with Love

2011-05-04T14:25:00.005-04:00

This past weekend when I was home for a bridal shower, I managed to find some time to attend the culminating events of the first ever Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts, which brought a glimpse of Paris down Broad Street. I came with my boyfriend Alex, my mom Anna, and my little brother Mark all in the hope to experience a little 1920’s class of Paris (think La Belle Epoque). The night’s events ended with a brilliant aerial show by La Compagnie Transe Express that left all 150,000 attendants down Broad Street mesmerized.

Empire State of Mind

2011-04-27T22:03:00.003-04:00

Now that the weather is warming up in New York there is only one way to celebrate at night: rooftops. Last weekend I made it out to the rooftop bar at the The Empire Hotel for a friend’s birthday.

For your viewing pleasure (click): Jay-Z "Empire State of Mind"

All That Jazz

2011-04-13T17:37:00.000-04:00

Mr. Dizzy Gillespie & I

A few weeks ago my boyfriend Alex and I went to listen to jazz at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola (Jazz at the Lincoln Center). The city backdrop brought us back to a forgotten era in New York; an era run by Sinatra, a time when the K-mart in Astor Place was actually the Wanamaker Department Store, and Zabar’s was less commercialized (thanks Adam Gopnik for that tidbit). The music was great, the location was beautiful, and the Caramel-Bacon Popcorn was an interesting treat.

Good Friday

2011-04-07T17:39:00.000-04:00

Mocha

I have a quiet love affair with quaint coffee shops. The rustic feel, the warm drinks, and the sweet pastries have a welcoming feel any time of year. Last Friday was a dreary New York City day that left me craving the Mocha drink at L.A. Burdick’s. Pure dark chocolate mixed into espresso is a combination I can never resist. I came with my books but found myself people watching most of the time.

What are your favorite coffee shops?

View outside-Typical April Showers

Cute little mice chocolates

Penguin chocolates

Inside

A few of my favorite café moments....

My friend Deena at a coffee shop in Boston

"I Can Wear Leopard Glasses"

2011-03-28T17:53:00.003-04:00

Advanced Style: Age and Beauty on Nowness.com.

I stumbled upon this fantastic video on TheGlamourai and was absolutely in love with it.

I hope everyone else who visits this page and watches the video is as delighted by these bold ladies as I was.

Be Bold; Wear Leopard

Follow my blog with bloglovin

Meet Mark

2011-03-23T15:52:00.002-04:00

Meet Mark!

When I was little the only present I would ask for was a little brother or sister. Finally, when I was 11 years old my little brother Mark was born. Watching Mark grow up has been a very interesting thing to observe. When he was two he liked to watch videos of himself as a baby, when he was five he had a tendency to try and climb trees only to one time fall from a branch and knock out a tooth, when he was ten he realized he needed a cell phone.

Mark is in 5^th grade now and no doubt the coolest kid in his class (also the most handsome, back off ladies!). He also is very smart (although not a fan of doing his homework) and works out math problems in his head faster than I can.

So ladies and gentlemen, meet my little brother Mark.

Such a cutie; first day of 1st Grade

Growing up and waiting for a drink at the bar

Jet ski in Jamaica

It's A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood

2011-03-08T18:24:00.001-05:00

At "The Best Chocolate Cake in the World"-turns out it's far from the best.
Picture courtesy of Sukhie

Walking to class one afternoon I realized how many beautiful details I pass on a daily basis and rarely stop to notice. New York will never cease to amaze me; each and every block.

4th Avenue and 11th Street

10th Street and University Place

"When one door closes, another opens..."

University Place

Kevorkian Center

Mr. Oscar's Silver Cousin

2011-03-02T13:16:00.002-05:00

Mr. Oscar and I

This weekend was the 83^rd Annual Academy Awards which I diligently watched to see my favorite actress Natalie Portman win the well-deserved Best Actress award. While Mr. Oscar himself is a gold statue, I dressed as his silver cousin (twice-removed) for my University’s 22^nd Annual Violet Ball. The event was held in the atrium of our main library showcasing school spirit at its finest.

Getting ready to walk the "red carpet"
Photo courtesy my friend Deena Sami (the great journalist/reporter)

The atrium

My dearest friend and fellow pseduo-blogger, Sukhie

Hair and make-up compliments of moi

The Best Thing I Ever Ate

2011-02-24T17:58:00.004-05:00

This is The Best Thing I Ever Ate

I understand that by saying that something is the best I risk the inevitable situation that someone will beg to differ. Yet I can proudly say that the best thing I ever ate is at one of my favorite restaurants, Momofuku Noodle Bar. At this point I’ve lost track of how many times I have been there, but each and every time is as amazing as the first. While many people swear by the steamed pork buns, I myself favor their incredibly savory, succulent, sweet, mesmerizing, amazing, scrumdeliocious (can I think of any other way to describe it?) Shiitake Mushroom Steamed Buns. These babies are on the top of my list of “The Best Thing I Ever Ate”. The steamed buns are filled with thinly sliced shiitake mushroom that are lightly fried with a sweet sauce that reminds of hoisin, and fresh cucumbers to add a crisp bite. The combination is simply something I can’t describe in words. Of course, their classic Momofuku Ramen is also the best ramen I have ever had (even Ippudo was completely lackluster in comparison). However, there is one thing that I am still waiting for at Momofuku: to finally have their Fried Chicken dinner (but that will be a whole nother post).

Always a crowd (even at lunch)

Inside pure perfection

Ramen bowls waiting to get filled. Sitting at the bar watching the line cooks work is my favorite place to eat inside

Momofuku Ramen

Happy Birthday Valentine

2011-02-14T21:07:00.002-05:00

Every February the days surrounding Valentine’s Day are always exciting and full of events due to the consecutive birthdays of my friends Sukhie and Alyssa. This year we celebrated with a party for our closest friends at a bar in the West Village. The following day we kept a low key evening with dinner at Buddakan in the meatpacking district and some dancing afterwards. The exciting thing about MPD is that you are always bound to see some form of celebrity (this Saturday brought out Kellan Lutz). On top of this, since Valentine’s Day fell on a Monday and I could not spend it with my boyfriend Alex, he left me a box of truffles from Godiva which (unsurprisingly) is already half empty.

Arabian Nights

2011-02-09T15:03:00.001-05:00

Instead of a Magic Genie, I carried my favorite new accessory

Over the weekend I attended the engagement party for my boyfriend Alex’s sister and her fiancé. Festivities were held at a Moroccan restaurant Casablanca, and between all the food, the belly dancing and toasts to the happy couple, I managed to snap a few photos for the debut of my new ASOS feather clutch. I’ve had my eye on one of these ever since Sarah Jessica Parker strutted her stuff with one in the first "Sex & the City" movie, and as soon as I saw it mentioned on my favorite blog, I ordered one immediately. By the end of the night I was down a few feathers, but filled with baklava.

Alex, a fan of my clutch

"Bye Bye Birdie"

The original

A delicious cake for the couple

Leather and Feathers

Kiss the Chef (Gladly)

2011-02-02T13:53:00.004-05:00

The proper way to crack open Lobster

My boyfriend Alex is a world-renowned chef making exquisite culinary concoctions solely in the comfort of his kitchen with a very VIP guest list consisting of family and friends. I am his Sous-chef but sometimes I am also called, “Please just stand over there so I can finish this” (also a very prominent and well-respected position to hold in any fine kitchen, where do you think Bobby Flay got his start?)

The following is a compilation of our Top Chef moments, Padma Lakshmi not included.

The first time Alex cooked for me: Scallops

Typical scene of my confusion and Alex's expertise

Inspiration

Notice the smile on Alex's face and the look of exhaust on mine

One of Alex's greatest creations: Braised short-ribs

100 Miles to Philly, Then Back to New York

2011-01-27T15:21:00.003-05:00

Flatiron

Having grown up in Philadelphia I always loved my wonderful city of “Brotherly Love”. The historical aspect of Philadelphia has kept it booming with tourists, night life, and culinary excellence, although the high rate of violence is something not worth mentioning.

I don’t know exactly when it happened, but at some point in high school I decided that I should move on to a bigger and better city life, so I was set on New York. I wanted to become a city sage.

Having lived in Manhattan for a couple years now, many times I feel a great divide. When I’m home, I’m longing for the streets of New York and the hustle and bustle that drove me there. Yet sometimes, when I’m walking down those very same streets there is a part of me that is homesick for the simplicity of my suburban dwellings in the outskirts of Philadelphia. While in New York I can get up close and personal with Diane von Furstenberg, but only back home can I peek out my window to see my dad lounging in our pool. Sometimes home is simply where the heart is.

A View From a Window

A View From a Patio

My Dad vs. DVF, who is truly haute couture?

Cornelliana

2011-01-26T13:13:00.004-05:00

Last summer I finally made it out to Cornell University in Ithaca, NY with my friend Sukhie to visit our good friend Jimmy. We stayed for the weekend and spent our days exploring the college campus, the local town, and the infamous gorges. While the scenery was undeniably beautiful and the air was fresh and crisp, I couldn’t help but start longing for city life after a few days.

Something Old, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

2011-01-24T18:54:00.002-05:00

A t-cup to match my t-shirt

I recently came across this blue sparkly sweater that my mom was planning on throwing out. It was hers from years ago (perhaps even decades) and I always loved the crisp blue color and the sheen from the interwoven sparkly thread. I decided to salvage the sweater and had my mom wash it in hot water and dry it in the hopes that it would shrink.

I love the look of the sweater, how it is both casual since it is a bit loose and baggy, but also a little dressed up from the sparkle. I wore this to my first day back to class after winter break and paired it with jeans and a comfy white cardigan on top. On a cold Manhattan day that had a low of 7° I needed to keep warm but also stand out on my first day back.

New Kid On The Block, Barbuzzo

2011-01-20T21:03:00.010-05:00

Bringing to life a Valentino silk scarf for the night

Last weekend Alex and I drove into Philadelphia to try the new restaurant Barbuzzo. Craig LaBan’s review did us in, and the mouthwatering pictures kept us there. Do not venture into this restaurant without a reservation. We walked into heaps of people waiting for a table or bar space and I immediately noted how narrow, yet cozy, the restaurant was. Luckily (since Alex takes his culinary adventures seriously) we had reservations and were quickly seated. We barely looked at the menu because we knew exactly what we wanted.

Barbuzzo serves Mediterranean cuisine, and they serve it well. Besides being well reviewed, Barbuzzo is extremely well priced for the city (the most expensive item is $19). We had:

Cured Meat Board with Mediterranean olive tapenade and homemade apricot mustard, caperberries, cornichons & baguette. We both enjoyed this charcuterie, but agreed that it could not beat the amazing one we had at Parc.

Grilled Spanish Rock Octopus with housemade chorizo, potato confit, lemon and pimeton. The flavors were amazing and I loved the charcoal taste of grilled octopus, but I found it a little too dry and it did not compare to the one at Marea.

Uovo pizza with brussel leaves, guanicale, caciocavallo, house stretched fior di latte, truffle & farm egg. This was one of the best pizzas I ever ate. The truffle and the egg had a rich taste and brought pizza to a whole new level.

Salted Caramel Budino with dark chocolate crust, vanilla bean caramel & sea salt. If you go to Barbuzzo and this is the only thing you get, you will not be disappointed (who doesn't appreciate fresh caramel?).

After our dining experience at Barbuzzo we walked over to APO (Apothecary) Bar (it says online that it closed, but as of last weekend it was open for business). The lounge has a cool feel with old style vials on the bar to give a prohibition-era feel. We toasted to the night and to our next return to Barbuzzo (I already have my eye on the roasted bone marrow).

Inside Barbuzzo, think contemporary Mediterranean farmhouse

Grilled Spanish Rock Octopus

Cured Meat Board

Uovo Pizza

APO, think Now and Then....

Blowing out the candle goodnight

Chéri

2011-01-18T17:38:00.005-05:00

A Parisian Setup

My love of all things French is driven by the fact that I have never been there. Therefore, Parisian life has a mystical essence in my mind. After reading Colette’s Chéri, I became all the more transfixed by the delicacy of French culture and the beauty of it. In the novel, female beauty is emphasized through the existence of a single string of pearls. The novel reminded me of being trapped in Morisot’s painting Woman at her Toilette, with life existing in pastel colors and a graceful image of a woman arranging her hair at her dresser table.

After taking a look at my own dresser table two things stuck out to me, my new bottle of J’ador perfume and my “Little Black Palette” by Lorac gifted to me by Alex after a trip to Sephora. What I love about both of these products is not only how beautifully packaged they are, but how classic and dainty they appear both on my dresser and make me feel. A spritz of J’ador and a swap of gold color on my lids get me ready for any occasion.

Au revoir!

Moi at my dresser

Morisot, a real lady at her dresser

When In Eataly, Do As The Eatalians Do

2011-01-13T15:31:00.000-05:00

Sofia Loren picnicking with classic Italian fare

When I think of

Italy

, I think of three things:

(1) Food.

(2) Sophia Loren.

(3) A much needed return to Capri.

Of those three, the first is the easiest to attain. After seeing the wonderful pictures on my friend Sukhie’s blog, I made it a point to visit Mario Batali’s Eataly.

Eataly is located in the Flatiron district in New York on 23^rd and 5^th. The setup is similar to your average market, but with a twist. Eataly draws you in because everything is beautifully set out and the smell of fresh brick oven pizza and pasta make it difficult to leave (not to mention that it gets so packed it’s virtually impossible to find an exit). In addition to being a fully stocked market selling meats, fish, vegetables, and deli goods, Eataly also houses several small restaurants to sit and enjoy the chaos around the market. To beat the lines, Alex and I decided to dine in their standing-room only Piazza.

We started with the Pesce Azzurro and Peperonata: marinated sardines with sweet peppers. Unfortunately this is not what I expected. I was looking forward to larger grilled sardines similar to the type they serve at Koo Zee Doo in Philadelphia. Instead, we were presented with a small plate of thinly sliced and marinated sardines. The thing is, I have those same sardines in my fridge because they are sold at every Eastern European supermarket for very cheap compared to Eataly. Mario Batali, you ain’t fooling me.

While we were less than excited about our starter, we still looked forward to the next plate: Grande Piatto Misto di Salumi: selection from Eataly’s salumeria. This was an assortment of different meats and salami’s served with fresh bread. I liked how the meats were served on a wooden cutting board to add to the appeal of being in a modern Italian market with a rustic touch.

The bread was what I really enjoyed in Eataly. At the Focacceria where they sell a wide array of freshly baked loaves of bread, they also make hot and fresh focaccia. We tried both the classic margherita and the onion, both of which were simply delicious.

Finally, on our way out we stopped by for a cup of coffee. The coffee they brew is wonderful and doesn’t need any sugar or milk. The only thing missing at Eataly was a ferry to whisk me away to Italy.

Ciao bella!

La Piazza

The Godfather

Grande Piatto Misto di Salumi

Breads

Marea

2011-01-11T19:19:00.000-05:00

Bon Appétit!

Over the holidays Alex and I spent a few days in NY so that I could catch up on the sight-seeing I didn’t get to over the past three years of living in the city. As part of our excursion, we had reservations to Michael White’s restaurant Marea.

Alex and I had been planning to visit Marea for over a year now so we had high expectations. Located on Central Park South, Marea boasts to be a culinary excursion of the palate. Inside the décor was crisp and clean, and the bar was illuminated with pure onyx.

With two Michelin stars, Marea serves to please. While our reservations were running 10 minutes late, we were greeted with complimentary glasses of champagne and sincere apologizes for being kept waiting (a nice touch which truly counts when many restaurants simply overlook this sort of gesture).

As we were seated for dinner, we decided on the tasting menu; a four course special to truly appreciate all the deliciousness Marea has to offer.

Before our dinner, we started off with the Ricci as an appetizer (sea urchin, lardo, sea salt). While this dish was highly reviewed, I couldn’t stomach it. I never had sea urchin before, and while I consider myself open to a wide array of cuisine, the texture and taste were too much for me. Marea also provided an amuse-bouche of a light pumpkin soup that, while I was indifferent to it, Alex enjoyed (especially the roasted pumpkin seeds).

For dinner, our choices went as follows:

~Me~

Appetizer:

POLIPO-grilled octopus, smoked potatoes, pickled red onion, chilies, tonnato.

[This was spectacular. I am a huge fan of grilled octopus and this appetizer was on point and the octopus was tender and fresh]

Pasta:

SPAGHETTI-crab, santa barbara sea urchin, basil.

[The pasta was good, but nothing exceptional.]

Fish:

SPADA-swordfish, pesto

[This was good and the fish was very tender. The only thing I did not like was that the dish was served with a side of beans that seemed out of place and too “out of the box” with the rest of the food.]

Dessert:

GIANDUJA-cocoa nib crema, hazelnut chocolate, ﬁor di latte gelato

[Decent.]

~Alex~

Ostriche:

OYSTERS- east and west coast oysters served with morellino mignonette & cucumber-lemon vinegar

[Very good. I am not the biggest fan of oysters, but they were very refreshing especially with the lemon vinegar.]

Pasta:

FUSILLI- red wine braised octopus, bone marrow

[Absolute perfection. Amazing, succulent, and flavorful.]

Meat:

BISTECCA-grilled creekstone farms 50 day dry aged sirloin, bone marrow panzanella

[Fantastic steak, probably the best I ever had.]

Dessert:

AFFOGATO-zabaglione gelato, espresso and amaro.

[I can’t comment on this, it’s impossible to mess-up Affogato.]

At the end of our dinner (which lasted upwards of two hours and we were practically the last to leave), we enjoyed complementary chocolates and in our to-go bags (leftover steak that Alex happily ate for breakfast the next day) we were pleasantly surprised to discover two lemon chocolate chip muffins. A sweet touch to a sweet evening.

From Point A-to-Point Marea

Weekend Winter Wonderland with a Taste of Homecooking

2011-01-10T20:02:00.000-05:00

This past weekend brought quite a bit of snow to the Tri-state area as my pictures will prove. Since I figured we would end up indoors staying warm, I tried my hand at some home-cooking.

Now you see, I am what one would call “domestically challenged”. Yet when I saw this recipe for mac and cheese on my favorite blog, I knew I had to give it a whirl. The end result was phenomenal. The macaroni and cheese was rich and hearty and I made BBQ chicken which complimented it perfectly.

Sometimes, I let the Barefoot Contessa come out in me (sometimes...)

A Little Taste of France in Philadelphia

2011-01-07T15:42:00.000-05:00

During July my boyfriend Alex and I made an excursion to Center City Philadelphia to finally try Stephen Starr’s French brasserie Parc in Rittenhouse Square. Beforehand, we stopped by the coffee shop La Colombe also in Rittenhouse Square. We both enjoyed a cup of coffee in their original mugs and mosaic inspired seating.

What I loved about Parc was the authentic feel of being swept away to a small café in Paris. We sat by the open window which provided great view of Rittenhouse park and people watching.

Eating with Alex is always an experience because he understands food and all that goes into it. We had the charcuterie for appetizer and it was perfect with all of its elements of cured meats and pâtés. After our trip to Mario Batali’s Eataly in New York recently, Parc’s charcuterie won hands down. We next had the onion soup gratinee (a.k.a French onion soup), and for our main entrée we had the Steak Frites.

I always look forward to restaurants that provide their patrons with a dining experience. When it gets warmer I can't wait to return to Parc for their charcuterie and a glass of wine.

Getting ready for my close-up

Coffee cups at La Colombe

Pure bliss

Rittenhouse Square Park

Dance class in the middle of the park

The scene outside Parc

Deliberating over the menu

¡Viva México!

2011-01-07T01:53:00.000-05:00

After a long and painful summer comprised of incessant studying for the MCAT exam my boyfriend Alex and I took a week long vacation to Puerto Morelos, Mexico. We stayed in a beautiful resort for a week and then made our way over to Cancun for an extended two days of our vacation.

On our way

Finally reading something besides an MCAT book

Bugging out

View from the infinity pool facing the resort

Waking up to a beautiful sunrise

Fresh coconut drinks

Alex's island pleasures: Corona and Cuban

J'aime le soleil

Freckles Galore

Cancun

Rappelling through the jungle

Hotel lobby

Journey through life; one Strawberry Chapstick at a time

2011-01-07T00:35:00.000-05:00

What I travel with:
Mirror-check!
Hand sanitizer-check!
Floss-check!
Strawberry Chapstick-didn't even need to ask, check!

This is a blog about Strawberry Chapstick.

Simple? Not quite. You see, strawberry chapstick is a rare breed of lip moisturizer.
At times it can only be bought as a multi-pack. In some instances only single tubes exist. In the most disturbing of all cases, it is completely unavailable.

While it's availability is unpredictable, its smooth sweet gliding wax is pure heaven on my lips that long for it fervently day in and day out. I can leave the house without my cell phone, I can forget my keys on the counter, but I will never walk onto 4th Avenue without my trusty little strawberry chapstick.

This blog is about all of the things that I value in my life. From New York to Philadelphia. Here I go, with strawberry chapstick in hand.