Life in the City & the Sticks

Sandy

2012-10-31T20:23:00.000-04:00

We are so lucky. My husband and I have not been affected by the terrible superstorm Sandy. So, so many lives have been turned upside down. It could have been us instead. All I can say is that I feel SO lucky. I can't explain why were we untouched, but my heart goes out to those who have been impacted. Our home remains open to friends who need a warm shower, a homemade meal, power to recharge, or somewhere to lay their head. The problem is so many of them can't even get here.

These are the images we saw on the news as we battened down the hatches. A 1,000 mile wide storm headed right towards us during a full moon and high tide...

Everything shut down preparing for the worst. Grand Central is always bustling with a blur of people. Here you only see a couple of security guards standing in the terminal.

We didn't get much rain. We heard intense gusts of wind whistling through the streets right outside our window. Then we started to see images on the news and facebook of the impact of the storm. A building facade ripped off. Yes, those are radiators, dressers, beds, etc. now exposed to the street.

And a nearby crane dangling 90 stories in the air. Again, I felt lucky. I felt just out of harms way of the crane. It is only three blocks north and about five avenues west of where we live. I used to work only two blocks away from where this is located.

We heard a lot of sirens in the distance. Then, we could see flashing lights through the closed drapes. We peered out and saw police line tape closing off Lexington Avenue right outside our window. We didn't know what it was for until daylight the next day. We could look out our windows and see six-foot glass windows had blown out of neighboring skyscrapers. Once I again I felt lucky.

We saw images online that a transformer had blown downtown and below 39th Street was now without power. Our lights flickered once but stayed on, and I felt so lucky.

Late into the night and the next day the images kept pouring in. Just like how Sandy poured into the streets, subways, homes, and businesses along the east coast.

And if all of the flooding wasn't enough, then we heard the story of Breezy Point, Queens where a fire left the neighborhood looking like a war zone. I feel lucky to be alive. I feel lucky to have a warm shower and food. So many others are not as lucky as us. To help those in need, you may donate to the Red Cross.

Homecoming

2012-10-29T19:29:00.000-04:00

There is no place like ~~home~~ Stillwater, OK. Last weekend was homecoming at Oklahoma State. And there really is nothing else on Earth like it. It's even hard to describe - a week full of activities and competitions concluding with "Walk Arounds" where a ton of people fill the streets and walk around to the fraternity houses looking at the house decks - sororities and fraternities pair up and create monstrous displays out of tissue paper that is pomped into chicken wire. Like I said, it's hard to explain. And really there isn't a good explanation for the amount of money and time that goes into the grandiose decorations. But it's always a really good time walking around looking at them and running into old college buddies.

Hopefully above and below give you an idea for the scale. Do you see the guy posing in the above pic next to "Here comes bullet"? And look at the masses of people that come to town to view at all...

I think campus is beautiful. I'm not biased or anything.

Oklahoma has some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets. I got to see several while I was there. Since we had to awake early Saturday for the 11am kickoff, I awoke to this view out the hotel window. Not a bad way to start the day.

It's hard to beat this stadium...

Go Pokes!

I filled up on all of my favorite unhealthy foods - Joe's cheese fries, Coney onion burger, Hideaway pizza, Braum's ice cream, and a few adult beverages to wash it all down. Now it's time to get back to the gym!

I think my husband won the best dressed award. He got quite a few looks in these pants. And several people stopped him to ask where he got his I (Pistol Pete) NY t-shirt. By the way, they are for sale through the NYC Cowboys alumni association chapter. And all of the money goes towards a scholarship!

The early kick off made tailgating and the bar scene more tame than usual, but we still enjoyed visiting the drive-thru Barn, jello shots in syringes, and a shot with military guys on the Strip.

I can't wait to do it all again soon! Hopefully Bedlam next year?

Catching Up

2012-10-29T19:28:00.000-04:00

Catching up on posts, while enjoying the company of Hurricane Sandy and I see that I left off in China. This is a draft that I never finished, so I'll give you what I have and then start on current happenings.

I left NYC Monday afternoon, connected through Seoul, and landed in Hong Kong Tuesday night. My birthday started by crossing the border into China at midnight. I checked into the hotel exhausted. Before crashing into bed, I set four alarms - worried I would oversleep as work started early the next morning. There actually wasn't a need for any of the alarms as I awoke several times throughout the night.

I started my time in China by meeting the people I work with on a daily basis. I finally got to put faces with names. This is my counterpart Shirley. She is one of the happiest and healthiest people I know. I think she and my sister would be best buds.

Then we went to visit suppliers and factories. I got to see our local hardware supplier, mill, and four shoe factories. When we pulled into our hardware supplier, the red carpet was rolled out and employees lined the front steps with giant bouquets of flowers! (Who knew I would get birthday flowers?) :) They were so welcoming! We met with the owner and he took us on a tour.

Bars of metal that get melted down and the formed into eyelets.

I saw how prints are transferred to fabric on an extremely hot roller. This is the process we use for samples.

Making outsoles.

I only had one day off from work to enjoy for myself. I thought I would relax and enjoy the pool. Shortly after I got there it started to rain. Instead I headed to "Wal-mart" and stocked up on dvd's.

There was a huge, beautiful park on the hotel property. I didn't go out and explore it until my last day there. I wish I had more time to see it all.

Then I headed to Hong Kong before the long flight back to NYC. I barely made it to Al Molo in time to be seated before they closed. It was a good meal but not as impressive as I was hoping for. Maybe they were rushing it out?

The next morning I really, really, really wanted to go see the Big Buddha, Tian Tan, but I didn't have enough time to get there and back before needing to head to the airport. Instead I walked around the Avenue of the Stars where a tour bus was trying to take pictures of me! And they were going beserk for Jackie Chan.

Happy Independence Day!

2012-07-04T08:49:00.003-04:00

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Fourth of July! I love the gigantic flag that hangs from the George Washington Bridge.

Ni hao

2012-05-22T18:08:00.002-04:00

I spent two weeks in southeast China on business. I've been to Dongguan once before, but it was over 4 years ago and times are always changing. I always think it is such a great experience and so eye-opening to see different cultures. That's why I love to travel, even though it is not nearly as fun when you have to work! I still have a lot to learn, but that comes with time. Only speaking English, I always feel so "dumb" in other countries.

A few observations:

A lot of people smoke.

You can smoke virtually anywhere, including the mall and probably your desk at work.

No traffic safety.

People walk through main traffic roads wherever and whenever.

Bikes, rickshaws, vans, large trucks, and mopeds all use the same lanes. Or lack of lanes.

No one wears a helmet.

Forget child seats, kids aren't even buckled in. They often climb to the windows and stick their head out.

I saw several bad accidents (after they happened).

You can fit your family of four on a single bike.

Landscaping along the main roads is beautiful - probably better than most people's private home landscaping in the US.

Noticed improvement since the last visit - better roads, more luxury cars, new border patrol.

It is so humid! I was wearing sneakers taking a walking in the morning and almost fell because of the moisture in the air/ on the ground.

Billiards is very popular - driving to the factories, I saw pool tables sitting outside.

Soccer and baseball seem to be growing in popularity.

Watermelon is an after meal treat.

They cook with a lot of oil.

Had an amazing Taiwanese lunch and Japanese dinner but didn't venture very far into the food world on my own. Surprisingly, didn't have much Chinese food but a lot of Italian!

Western toilets are not always available. Reference picture below of what is commonly available... yes, a flushing hole. (or sometimes non-flushing!)

Chinese manners are different from ours - spitting is common.

Very respectful in the workplace - always stand when you walk up to them, always "present" things to you with two hands (handing you their business card, giving back a credit card, etc).

Buddhism is the most common religion.

Stayed tuned, more to come....

Thirty

2012-05-13T09:16:00.001-04:00

It's not the way I had imagined spending my 30th birthday, but it definitely was a memorable one! I arrived in Hong Kong late the night before. I turned thirty crossing the border into China. I arrived at the hotel so tired my eyes were burning. I had to get up and be ready for work early the next morning, so I fell fast asleep but awoke throughout the night.

I've been to China once before, but this was my first time in over 4 years and with my current employer. I started the day at our local office putting faces to all of the names I've been working with for last six months. Then we headed out to see a couple of our suppliers. I did not expect to pull up to red carpet treatment! I wish I was prepared, so I could have taken a couple of pictures. The owner and several employees were waiting for us lining the entrance steps and holding huge, beautiful bouquets. What do you know birthday flowers. :)

(This was afterwards, when it was starting to blow away).

After stopping by another supplier, I came back to the hotel. It was early, but I was already getting tired and didn't feel like going to dinner. I was skyping with my mom, then my husband called, and then the doorbell rang and a birthday cake was delivered. (From the hotel - so sweet and such a nice surprise!) It all happened all at once, so it kind of felt like a birthday party.

I went to bed, but when I woke up it was still my birthday... in the USA. I had more phone calls and cards. It ended up being a three day birthday with unexpected flowers and cake and love from all across the world. :)

Cinco de Derby

2012-05-13T06:33:00.000-04:00

Two of my very favorite days of the year are Cinco de Mayo and Derby Day and when they fall on the same day, it doesn't get much better! Nothing compares to actually going to the Derby and standing on the track....

but this was still a ton of fun!

We started early and ran into these funny guys that were doing a pub crawl...

Ready to run for the roses!

Mint Juleps!

Cheers with a creeper in the back. ;)

The more the merrier!

My cutie...

Then the margaritas started to flow...

Birthday girls (+1)...

Last year, my husband and I bet every single race and didn't win a single one. Even when we bet every horse in the last race, the winner was a favorite so we still lost! All of the OTB's in NYC shut down, so this year my husband and I were degenerates and opened online betting accounts. Not quite as fun as holding a real ticket in your hand, but it let us still enjoy the excitement. He at least won a couple this year.

I love giraffes

2012-05-13T01:28:00.000-04:00

WARNING: Most of you will be very bored with this post. There is a new baby giraffe at the Bronx Zoo. As soon as I saw this, I knew I had to go for a visit! A beautiful weekend a couple of weekends ago, we made the long and difficult trek to the Bronx so I could take one million pictures of the giraffes.

6 giraffes all walking in a row. There is a little brand new baby giraffe and two year old baby giraffe.

How can you resist that face??

Look closely and you'll see a long black tongue sticking out!

The new baby...

The spot we got engaged. :)

Pretty peacock

Patriot's Day

2012-04-22T21:16:00.000-04:00

I joined my mom, aunt, and cousins in Boston for a quick weekend of fun. I got in really late Friday night, so we stayed up into the wee hours talking, laughing, and catching up. Saturday we spent ALL day shopping. I'm sure my aunt and cousin would have preferred to have their teeth cleaned, but they were good sports while I found some good finds for Spring on Newberry Street. We stopped to have a great lunch and take a load off.

They had already set up for the marathon on Monday, so we took a few pics at the finish line.

My mom was prepared with her Vibram Five Fingers. :)

Then it was back to more shopping. We ended the night with some early birthday drinks.

Sunday we walked to the Charles River and by Fenway Park.

Spring in the air...

Cousins! My cousin Kristen was comin' as I was goin'.

The fun was just beginning for Patriot's day, but it was already time for me to catch the train back to NYC.

Easter

2012-04-09T21:27:00.000-04:00

Easter Eve we had date night downtown. We tried a new restaurant that I found in the same article that lead my husband to Catskill Distillery for Peace vodka a week ago. It was called King which I thought was appropriate for the night before Easter. The Sicilian Choke cocktail which was featured in the article actually ended up being my least favorite thing there. We started with ramps and remesco, tots with bernaise, and fluke crudo. Although it's not an Italian restaurant, we both ordered pasta for our entree. I had beef ravioli with black truffle sauce and he had spaghetti with duck ragu. Everything was wonderful! The pasta was so fresh and some of the best I've ever had. I would definitely return!

The next morning we got up early and went to mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral. I feel lucky to have this as our local neighborhood church:

Easter lilies...

And then we walked up Park Avenue on our way home so I could look at all of the tulips.

We picked up breakfast and then took a nap. The only thing we were missing was family!

Upstate Update

2012-04-05T21:42:00.000-04:00

Last week, we went upstate to check a few to-do's off the list. We got a new land survey so we could determine where to place the house on the lot. (I don't know if I've mentioned on here that we plan to build a house! It is a long-term project, but hopefully, in about a year we'll have something close to completion.) Anyway, we have a VERY funky shaped lot, but we have more space than we thought! :) From the far back corner of the lot you can't even see the cabin.

We plan to have a big side porch. I think this is what the view will be when we're sitting outside. Not too shabby...

All the snow has melted, but it's still cold and cloudy. Not a creature stirring (oh, wait, we did see mice! Eek!). The water looked like glass.

This is my favorite view driving down the mountain. I can't wait for Spring and all of the brown to turn to green.

On our way home, we took a small detour to The Catskill Distilling Company in Bethel, NY. Trivia for the day: Did you know Bethel, NY was the host of Woodstock? Not, in fact, Woodstock, NY? My husband had read about the distillery in a magazine article, so we picked up a bottle of Peace vodka and looked around for a couple of minutes. Look at the awesome copper pots!

I hope in the summertime, the place gets a good crowd because it was a really neat spot. I'd love to come back and sit on their patio and listen to some live music.

Spring Break 2012

2012-04-01T19:59:00.001-04:00

After lots of whining about needing a vacation, one morning a few weeks ago I awoke to a plane ticket in my inbox. My husband arranged for us to spend a week in Jupiter, Florida at one of his friend's family's beach house. We had an entire week together to do nothing except relax in the sun. We had beautiful weather, took in a Spring training baseball game, went deep sea fishing, and asked ourselves everyday what should we do – beach or pool? Those are the tough life questions.

The million dollar view.

Marlins vs. Rays

Josh Johnson in action.

Daily walk on the beach.

In 5 foot waves in the Atlantic. Not very many other people around.

Flying Fish that jumped into the boat and brought us luck.

Reeling in the catch of the day.

King Fish.

Night out at the Square Grouper Tiki Bar.

Sunset the last night at The Yacht Club.

Even though we had a mild winter, I think a warm spring trip is required every year. It’s just what I needed, except coming home to over a thousand emails at work. It was fun while it lasted. Too bad we didn’t hit the mega millions or else we could have done it every day for the rest of our lives.

St. Patty’s

2012-04-01T18:31:00.000-04:00

Two weeks prior to St. Patrick’s day is Hoboken St. Patty’s day. Even though the official parade was canceled this year, we still celebrated at the annual house party of my husband’s friend. It’s my husband’s second favorite day of the year after Derby day. He was awake before 7 am on a Saturday, so you know he was excited. I finally got up and ready and we arrived by 11:30. On the elevator up to his friend's apartment (after the host not answering the buzzer or phone calls) my husband said, oh, I think it starts at noon. What?! I was so embarrassed, but we still went in and cracked open a cold beverage before noon. The night before, my best friend (aka TWN) and I spent way too long baking Irish car bomb cupcakes. Had she not helped, I’m not sure if I ever would have gone to bed! Everything was made from scratch. The cupcakes had Guiness in them. I scooped out the center and filled them with Jameson chocolate ganache, and then my TWN topped them with a Bailey’s frosting. They got very high marks from a couple of the guests at the party, but the cake was a little off – it stuck to the paper when you tried to peel it off. I’m still proud though.

Chopping lot o' chocolate

Making it into ganache

Coring the cupcakes

Beating lots o' butter into icing.

Ta da!

Real Irish car bombs

Real St. Patrick’s day was a mess of intoxicated, loud, crazily dressed people in the city. I think it should be called Spring Halloween. How different times are compared to 5 years ago when my girlfriends and I walked into an Irish pub, and at closing time I walked out with who I would later figure out to be my husband. May not be a romantic story but I’d say we’re both so lucky to have found each other that night! We went to bed much earlier than 5 years prior because the next morning we were off to Jupiter, Florida….

Visitors

2012-04-01T17:45:00.002-04:00

How have two months already passed without one single blog post? I'll try to do a little catching up...

One of my best friends from growing up came to NYC with her husband. We had a great time catching up. We went to a nice dinner, cooked a nice dinner, and enjoyed several adult beverages together. Here are a couple of pics from when we went on a walk to Central Park. We stopped off at FAO Schwarz on our way.

I quit playing with Barbie many years ago, but I would still love to have this today. The fact that there are only ten worldwide and the price tag is $25,000.00 may put a damper on that.

Of course we checked out the "Big" piano.

I'm pretty sure this Cabbage Patch doll is somewhere in my parent's attic.

The end of a really great weekend together!

Sledding

2012-01-28T22:29:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we went upstate and played in the snow. Our driveway and boat launch are perfect sledding hills. It was so much fun! Next time we want to make side-by-side tracks and race down. How old are we?

For some reason I can't get a slideshow to work, so you'll just have to scroll down. Going down the long driveway...

The steep boat launch was fun too! (And a lot quicker to walk back up!)

A few more pics...

Hopefully the lot of our future home!

It's just to the left of the current cabin. The cabin is cute but ready for a replacement.

Christmas

2012-01-08T21:01:00.000-05:00

This year we spent Christmas in the city - just the two of us. And virtually in Oklahoma, California, and Wisconsin. We skyped with our families so we could exchange our presents "together". Christmas Eve we went to the NYC ballet to see George Balanchine's The Nutcracker. I'm glad we went and checked it off of my bucket list, but I don't think it's anything we'll make a tradition. The kids were cute to watch and the adults showed amazing athleticism. I begged Gino to take a picture with the snowflake ballerina with me. (One of the only things this Christmas had in common with last year's is his sweater).

Afterwards, we came home and cooked homemade pasta, enjoyed the most amazing bottle of wine, and exchanged our gifts to each other. Santa husband spoiled me with a very fancy new camera. Christmas day we opened the rest of our presents and made gingerbread waffles. They tasted just like the holidays.

We went on a walk to check out the window displays on 5th Avenue, see the Rockefeller tree, and practice with my new toy. I have a lot to learn. This just feels like NYC to me...

Have you missed me?

2012-01-07T21:09:00.001-05:00

I started a new job and then fell off the face of the Earth. I'm still here. Just working much longer days which doesn't leave time for myself or my blog. :( I will try to do better, but it probably won't be much more frequent until my husband lifts the hiring freeze on the full-time position of housewife. Until that day comes, I'll try to keep up with short posts and a few pics on the Life in the City & the Sticks facebook page.

A lot has happened in the past 2 months.

We went to St. Louis for Thanksgiving and hung out with some of my fam.

cutest cakeballs ever

my cousin caught a fish from the stream? in the backyard

drank quite a few beers including the local O'Fallon Gold

teaching the youngin

devouring chili cheese late night

Freese cup!

Intercontinental Freese Cup Runners-up

My hubby finally met my Grandpa.

We played cards and had Imo's pizza which is #4 on my fave pizza list. I think that was just because it had been so long since I had it. I definitely got my fix over the weekend. I think I had it 4 separate times. That alone should push it into top 3.

I loved watching OSU football this season at Stillwater Bar. T. Boone Pickens even hung out there with us one night. And we got to watch the Pokes play in the Garden (unfortunately iphoto just deleted those pics).

We had some friends from Kentucky visit, but somehow I don't have any pictures?! They brought some awesome bourbon. That's a trade for housing anytime!

December 21st we celebrated our first anniversary. I can't believe how fast the year flew by! I've loved every minute of it and glad I get to spend the rest of my days with him. We went to the top of the Marriott hotel to have dinner. This was our view...

No, we didn't trade tables 3 times, the restaurant rotated! One revolution took about an hour. I really enjoyed the food, view, and of course spending time with this cutie...

It was a rainy night so we postponed the carriage ride and headed home to pop some champagne.

If taking down the Christmas tree doesn't wear me out, I'll continue the updates tomorrow!

Shoe of the Week

2011-11-07T09:17:00.004-05:00

I go back to being a working woman today which means I have to drag out my career heels. I thought I should feature an office appropriate Coach shoe since that is what I will be working on now.

Camille heel $188.00

Flaming Shots (with video!)

2011-11-03T22:47:00.000-04:00

I mentioned that I was at my husband's brother's wedding this past weekend in sunny Palm Springs, California. There are lots of things to do in the desert, like 1) drinking, and 2) lighting things on fire. At the rehearsal dinner, my husband's cousin combined those two things - watch him below:

It is unbelievable that he didn't burn up like Richard Pryor. You may need to watch it again. Notice in the upper left hand corner at the end you still see him on fire. People tried to pat the fire out, but it wasn't going out so they finally had to rip the shirt off of his back and beat him with it. Sorry I missed the rescue, but my natural reaction when a human being is on fire is to put my camera down. Somehow he managed to make it through and continued partying.

A note to all you bartenders out there - don't pour a flaming shot comprised entirely of Bacardi 151 - just top it with 151 and use a less flammable alcohol as the base of the shot. Regardless, I won't be joining my husband's family when they do flaming shots in the future.

Shoe of the Week

2011-10-30T08:30:00.000-04:00

This week's shoe is probably my absolute favorite shoe I've ever owned. It's a special occasion shoe - so far this pair has only come out for the Kentucky Derby, my best friend's 30th birthday party, and tonight for my brother-in-law and now sister-in-law's wedding. I'm thrilled to wear my favorite shoes, but even more excited to be at their celebration. Just maybe they'll motivate my husband to get down on the dance floor. Who can resist dancing with mirrored disco ball feet?

These beauties called my name as soon as I saw them. I mean, come on, it can't get any more perfect than hot pink, glitter, AND a bow! September 14, 2010, I was watching Oprah on DVR. The guests that day were the dysfunctional Judd family, and for a second the camera panned down to Momma Judd's feet, and I saw the most unbelievable shoes...

The shoes weren't ever even the topic of conversation. They just instantly caught my eye. I started yelling for my husband to come in the room and check them out (because I know how much he cares about stuff like this). I had to rewind and pause the screen to get a good look. They didn't mention the brand, but I was on a mission to find them. It didn't take long with the help of the world wide web. There they were - the Kate Spade Charm - just waiting for me to find them and take them home. Except there was one problem. They were sold out of my size! The next morning I called the store, and they didn't have my size either. Just like the name, I found a charm of a sales associate who called other stores around the country and found them for me. They showed up at my door in a pretty pink and orange box (I told you they were perfect for me) a couple of days later. At the time, I thought they would be my perfect wedding shoes. (That was back when we had our perfect wedding venue). Later, I went wedding dress shopping and the dress I picked was going to snag on the glittery shoes. I couldn't justify the price tag anymore, so I returned them teary-eyed. I think the sales associate felt awful taking them for me. It's no surprise, I regretted the decision. I kept thinking about those shoes, and how impossible it was going to be to ever find them again. I decided to give it a shot anyway, and put in a request that Zappos notify me if they ever got them in stock in my size. One morning I woke up to the Zappos app ding on my phone that they had them!!! I couldn't believe it. I instantly added them to my cart and returned them to their loving home.

True story. I can't make it up.

By the way, Kate Spade decided to make them again, so you can find them on their website now in navy, silver, platinum, or multi glitter.

Custom Closet

2011-10-29T07:00:00.000-04:00

I dream about having a custom walk in closet, but living in NYC that dream hasn't ever been a reality in any of the apartments I've lived in thus far. (It's already on my "Want" (not "Wish") list for the floor plans for upstate though!) I have two very basic closets in which I have to try to maximize the space. I've always liked the shoe shelves you can find at Target or Bed, Bath, and Beyond. (I got them a long time ago, and I think that's where I found them). They have lasted the test of time. Two of them fit nicely above my hanging shirts, but there was a little space left over that I wanted to utilize. (Every inch counts!) I used to just put a tall pair of boots up there, but in my week of being a housewife and getting things organized, I decided to make it into more shelving. The space was a little wider than the other shoe cubby holes, so I thought it would be perfect for fall booties. I went to our local Home Depot and the very nice people there helped me find some wood that would work. All I really needed was ply board, but since Manhattan Home Depots don't have fancy table saws, they couldn't cut it to size for me. I found a piece of wood that was close enough in width and long enough that I could cut it the right depth and get all of my shelves out of one $10 board. The sign in the department clearly states they will only make one cut per piece of wood, but without even having to wink or bat my eyelashes the nice gentleman pulled out his old school saw and clamps and made three cuts for me. So, I walked out of that place with all of my shelving pieces! While I was there I also picked up two yard sticks (to use as $2 shelf supports) and a staple gun and staples because 1) I've been wanting a staple gun, and 2) we left our tool box upstate so I didn't even have a hammer or nails to work with at home.

Here is the gap in between the shelves...

At home, I pulled out our old school saw (the ONLY tool we had in the apt.) and ~~stool~~ workbench and cut the yardsticks down to about 9" pieces. My dad would not have been happy with my "work station."

Then all I had to do was staple gun them to the sides of the existing shoe shelves and place my boards on top. Good thing I had the iHandy level app or else it would have driven my husband nuts to have crooked shelves.

Voila!

The Smith

2011-10-28T07:30:00.000-04:00

Last Friday, my husband and I celebrated our ten month anniversary and my last day at Ralph Lauren. We recently noticed a new restaurant under construction in the neighborhood. I was elated to see a glimmer of hope for something new among all of the vacancies in the neighborhood. I've seen way too many restaurant and store closings over the last year or so. Luckily it opened just in time for our night out. The Smith is an American brasserie. They already had a location in the East Village, but I've never tried it. The Midtown East location was bustling the night we were there. I, of course, called at the last minute to try to get a reservation and, of course, they were all booked. But the hostess gave me a wonderful suggestion to call ahead and put our name on the wait list. So I called at about 6:15 to put our name on the list, we showed up at about 7:00, had a drink at the bar, and were seated by 7:30. Perfect! Because my husband HATES waiting for very long at restaurants to be seated.

It has a bistro atmosphere with a lot of white subway tiles, mirrors, glass bottles, and vintage industrial pendant lights. They bring sparkling and still water to the table, as well as fresh bread with yummy butter. We started with the Moroccan meatballs. I should have taken a picture of the little dish they were served in. I had never seen something like it before. It was almost like a dish for deviled eggs with curves cut into it, so the meatballs fit perfectly in it. The meatballs were good and had just a bit of a kick to them. I liked them but prefer a marinara sauce to gravy with meatballs. I had the special of the day which was a lobster roll. I had some reservation in ordering it because I've only ever had a lobster roll in Maine where they are the masters of lobster rolls! But it didn't disappoint. The sauce was light - not too creamy. It even had a little bit of chopped up celery in it, which was a nice, different touch. It was served with their homemade potato chips. Which were also good but would have tasted even better with a beer. My husband had the pork chop - he said he really liked it. I had an Allagash White beer to start and Moscow Mule with dinner and my husband stuck to their Midtown Manhattans. All were given the thumbs up.

They claim they are open early till late, so I hope to go back to try brunch and the late night scene.

Dig Inn

2011-10-26T22:26:00.000-04:00

You may remember my previous post about the Spicy Dilligan at The Pump. Well, last month, they broke my heart and re-vamped the entire restaurant and menu. It's not even called The Pump anymore, it's called Dig Inn (stupid name!) and it traded in its fitness theme for some kind of rustic farmhouse feel. I think the floral wallpaper just makes it look outdated. I'm so sad that the Spicy Dilligan is no longer on the menu. Although it is the same type of ordering process (with different veggies), you can no longer combine the ingredients into a delicious Spicy Dilligan. They even have a new recipe for the yogurt dill sauce. It is now made from Greek yogurt and called tzatziki sauce. It tastes great, but is no longer included in the complimentary sauces so it will cost you an extra $1.15. The only thing I like so far about the new Dig Inn is that they offer a smaller portion which only costs about $5.00. It's perfect for a lighter meal, or to pair with a snack or fruit, or when you're trying to save calories for an awesome dessert afterwards.

Martha Marcy May Marlene

2011-10-25T22:07:00.000-04:00

I previously mentioned the movie Martha Marcy May Marlene. Well, last Friday was its national debut in limited release. My husband and I headed downtown to the Angelika Film Center & Cafe where it was being shown in NYC. It was a good thing we bought tickets in advance because the theater was packed - completely sold out. It was also boiling hot inside - I'm not sure I'll ever be able to drag my husband back there it was so uncomfortable.

In the movie, you never see our actual property, but about half of the movie was filmed at the lake. So you get a lot of great lake views. Elizabeth Olsen, the younger sister of the evil munchkin Olsen twins, stars in the movie. And she also didn't hesitate to jump into our own Tennanah Lake in the buff! But the movie hit a little too close to home, especially during a home invasion scene that was filmed at a neighbor's house.

H¡PT!X & Anything Goes

2011-10-24T20:51:00.001-04:00

I have no idea why I didn't know about H¡PT!X sooner, but I'm glad I finally got in the loop. H¡PT!X provides discount Broadway show tickets for 18-35 year-olds. You can get $20 Broadway tickets to all Roundabout Theater Company shows. It's easy to sign up, but you may have to plan the show date a couple of months in advance.

Last week, I saw Anything Goes with a couple of girlfriends. I would highly recommend it under the H¡PT!X deal but not for full price tickets. There was a fantastic tap scene in it, and I really enjoyed the Titanic-era costumes, but overall I thought it was too long and would have been better if an editor had shortened the experience - also like the Titanic!