The Lilac Ball

I'm not sure if I mentioned this before, but I work for a nonprofit organization.  I essentially help nonprofits expand their marketing and communications regardless of their budget.

Every once in a while, I'll be invited to a fundraising gala and I almost always attend.  I'm sure after going to a number of these events, the charm may wear off, but I think they're spectacular!

So Monday night, Chiara and I were fortunate enough to attend Prep for Prep's Lilac Ball to celebrate 25 years of incredible work.  It was held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, so it was uber fancy and everyone dressed up (except me, cause I felt lazy that morning).


Prep for Prep is a truly unique leadership and development program that offers promising students of color access to a private school education and life changing opportunities.  All the teens were there, looking like they were going to prom and celebrating their success together.  It was awe-inspiring and made me feel like a lazy bum.

I'm not sure how many of you out there have attended one of these fancy-pants galas, so I thought it would be fun to take a peek at the food they served.

They started with a cocktail hour, which was funny since Chiara and I checked our bags and didn't have our IDs to prove we weren't still in high school.  The bartender assumed based on our drinks that we weren't under 21 (she went for white wine and I enjoyed my usual vodka soda with lime).  At least he asked?  Ahh, how young I feel when someone assumes I'm under age.

They eventually herded us to our tables where appetizers were already waiting.  This was by the far the largest gala I have been to, as you can see here.  Chiara and I were seated at a table on the balcony which was nice for the view and it wasn't as noisy up here since they seated all the students on the ground level.








 When the program started we dug in to the appetizer, which was really good!  The shrimp were very tasty with a crisp thinly sliced vegetable or fruit, I couldn't figure out what it was.  There was also a chopped beet salad, which I did try and liked.  I don't usually eat beets cause they're freaky, but I was hungry and willing to give it a try.  The sushi-like roll was a roasted veggie roll wrapped in cucumber.

A tiny appetizer, but tasty!

After the presentation, which included awarding the Founder of Prep for Prep and a video presentation of three alumni, the dinner was served. 

They served a roasted chicken breast, which was really juicy and flavorful, with a side of sauteed spinach and creamy mashed potatoes.  Most galas don't serve huge portions, but its a nice, tasty dinner.

Chiara and I were definitely part of the clean plate crew! 

They took away plates and served dessert promptly.  There were cookies on the table, along with coffee that was self-serve.  The dessert was good, but I was already too full to eat any more.

The dessert was interesting and good.

It was a thick brownie-like oatmeal raisin cookie and it was way too big for me to finish. 

There was a dollop of whipped creme with chocolate shavings, which we picked out and ate.  And then the classic scoop of vanilla ice cream.  It was a glorious dessert made even better when we learned that a recent graduate of the Prep for Prep program made the dessert at her start-up vegan bakery!  These kids are amazing!

It was a wonderful night and it was an honor to have taken part in the festivities.  The gala raised over 3.2 million dollars to ensure promising under-served children across NYC have the opportunity to shine!

From Crab to Cupcakes

Wow what a weekend - hopefully everyone enjoyed it as much as I did.

I ate lots of things I shouldn't have eaten, of course, but it was so worth it! So let's get to it...

Although this wasn't exactly the weekend, I did have dinner last week with an old friend of mine, Gary, so I'm going to include it anyway.  And there's nothing you can do about it, so there! :)

A+ Thai

We were hungry and in the area, so this was our choice for dinner on a random weekday night.  I'm not all that familiar with good dinner spots in Midtown East, but I've enjoyed a number of good lunches here.  We were seated right away and the food came out quickly, which was a plus since we were starving!!


We started with the Spicy Crispy Duck Salad, which was really good!  It definitely had a nice kick to it, and the duck was cooked perfectly.  It wasn't the largest portion and a bit pricy for such a small salad, but it was worth getting again, to share.

Gary was thrilled with how good this was and totally psyched for his dinner.  I was salivating for mine, which is a good thing it came out relatively quickly.

Gary went the safe route and ordered the Chicken Pad Thai.  I actually do the same when I'm trying a new Thai place.  If they don't have decent pad thai, then I pretty much write off the place entirely.

It's like going to a BBQ joint and getting the ribs, if they aren't good what is the point?! Luckily for Gary, their pad thai was spot on and he eat is in about 2 minutes.  He was a hungry man!  I definitely took a taste and was almost a little jealous I didn't go the safe route too.

I wanted some excitement in my life, so I ventured down the spicy basil udon road.  It was great, but almost a little too spicy.  I love me some spice, don't get me wrong, but because I was so hungry and my belly so empty, I could actually feel the burn in my gut.  It was weird, but I ate away hungrily.

I've been on a vegetarian kick, so this was the tofu with veggie version, which I highly recommend.  It was definitely flavorful (so it wasn't all heat) and the veggies were cooked perfectly.  Would recommend this for anyone looking for a good kick in the mouf.  :)

So A+ Thai is kind of A+ in my book.  Fast, fresh and really affordable.  Their lunch specials are great with an appetizer and entree for $10!

Pop Clothing Shop Spring Celebration!

I'm a HUGE fan of this store, and recommend anyone looking for adorable and well-made ladies clothing, shoes and accessories to check it out.  I'm in here about once a week since they're constantly adding new items to their inventory.  They add things daily, so essentially you can live in a tent outside and still be excited every time you went shopping.  LOVE IT!

Anyhoo, they were having a fun event after work on Friday and I dragged my lovely coworker, Chiara, there to inspect the good.  They happened to have the most lovely desserts in their cute backyard.

Turns out one my friends, Shannon, is the most fantastic baker and went all out making 150 cupcakes for the event.  Have you ever seen a more beautiful set up?!


They also had some nice white wine and Prosecco, which is just what I needed after a long work week.

If you look closely, those mini cupcakes (not the tiniest, but the second tiniest) actually have little baby birds on top made out of frosting.

Shannon only bakes vegan desserts - could I get any luckier!?!

It was truly amazing and they tasted better than they looked.

The event was awesome and hope they have another one soon.

Adam (yes he tagged along and not just for the cupcakes, he's a nice boyfriend), Chiara and I were hungry so we went over to Fiore for some supper.  We didn't want to go nuts since we were planning on having a few drinks with Shannon and Breonna (who works at Pop, yet another reason this store rocks) after they were done with the event.

Fiore

I absolutely adore Fiore.  If you go before 8pm, you can usually score a table without waiting, and everyone about this place makes me swoon.

First off, the decor is so cute.  Exposed brick, very homey with little antique touches here and there.  They also have a lovely back outdoor area when the weather is nicer.

Then there's the staff, who are exceptional.  And of course, the food is fantastic.  However, my photos are terrible (sorry) due to the fact that its dimly lit and I have no flash on my phone's camera... so I apologize in advance for how crappy they look, but I assure you the food looks amazing and tastes even better. 


Chiara and I wanted to share a pasta dish, but were torn between the Gnocchi di Patate ai Funghi e Porri (Potato gnocchi with wild mushrooms and leek ragout) and the Fettuccine con Ragu di Carne (Fettuccine with Fresh tomato and meat ragout sauce).  When we asked the waiter what he thought was the best choice, he recommended we get a half portion of each. 

Needless to say we squealed with delight (which he thought was funny) and enjoyed both dishes. 



Obviously the top image is the gnocchi, which was fluffy and really savory.  The ragout was so tasty with an earthiness to it.  

The Fettuccine complimented the gnocchi well since it had a totally different flavor.  You could taste the fresh tomatoes and the meat didn't overwhelm the sweet and tart flavor of the sauce.  It was really very good.  I would order either again.

Adam wanted to be healthy and had already eaten dinner, so he went with the Assorted fresh greens with balsamic.  It was a huge portion, enough for all of us to share.  He was still eating his salad when we were done scarfing down our pasta. ::oink oink::

While we were eating, our waiter came over and gave us a side of Sauteed broccoli rabe with garlic and oil.  Turns out the kitchen "accidentally" made this, so he gave it to us on the house.  It was delicious (sorry no photo, hands full w/ eating at the time) and we loved Fiore all the more for giving us free food.  It's really an affordable restaurant, with their most expensive dish costing about $17.00.  Most are between $11 and $15.  I also recommend their Slow cooked lamb shank with mashed potato and the Fedelini ai Frutti di Mare (Fresh tomato sauce with assorted seafood) which is amazing.  

On Saturday, I enjoyed brunch with Mel (lil' sis) at Manhattan Inn and just wanted to show everyone how cute it is in there.

Brunch was delicious, of course, and we enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere.  Again, we ordered the steak and eggs with a side of the greatest hash brown ever.

If you're waiting 18 years for a table at 5 Leaves, do yourself a favor and check this place out instead.  I know the "scene" there is hypnotizing, but being seated right away, serenaded and fed organic food is far better than any "scene" I assure you.

Later on, Adam and I took how his mother for her birthday.  She was in town for the 5 Borough Bike Tour and it was the perfect opportunity to eat somewhere nice in celebration of both the birthday and the tour.  She wanted something light, so we opted for fish (both the food and the name of the restaurant, coincidentally).

Fish Restaurant

This was SO worth the wait, and there is almost always a wait to get in.  We were rather early, getting there about 6:30pm, so the wait was only about 30 - 40 minutes.  The four of us, which included Adam, his mom Barbara and her friend Chris and I, were seated at a nice table near the back.  Our waitress came over, took drink orders and announced the specials.  Even without the specials, their menu is impressive with a plethora of fancy fish and raw bar options.  I had no idea what I was going to get, until the waitress mentioned a softshell crab entree on special that night. SCORE!  This is by far one of my most favorite foods in the whole world.



I started out with their Fish Market Soup, which is spicy tomatoey goodness with shrimp and white fish.  Fish soups usually have cream or dairy products, so this was a special treat for me.  Although it was pricy at $8 per bowl, it was really good.  I could have just eaten this with some of their amazing biscuits and been good.

We also ordered a half-pound of steamed Alaskan King Crab legs for the table.  I tried to take a photo of the dish, but everyone went crazy for the legs.  So what is pictured here is what was left after everyone grabbed a leg.  It was a nice portion to share with 4 people.  I can't image what the entree is like, which has over a pound of crab legs.

These were really amazing crab legs.  They were sweet and succulent, with no need for the butter.  Just a little spritz of lemon and I was all set.  I practically licked my plate clean.  Adam can't stop talking about how good these were.  He's determined to go back and order the entree (to share, or so he claims).



By the time my meal came out, I was already a little full, so I knew I wouldn't finish my dinner.  However, I was shocked to discover that the portion was ridiculously generous.  They gave me three large, juicy, perfectly pan-fried softshell crabs.  They were too delicious.

Even the sides were amazing!  The green beans were made to order and seasoned and cooked perfectly.  We kept raving about how good they were since everyone at our table got them.  Barbara shared mine and
Adam's. The mashed potatoes were great - fluffy and creamy with not too much butter, just enough to cleanse the palette between bites of mouth-watering crab.  It was a really special treat since they're only in season for a few weeks every year.  These big boys were the largest softshell crabs I've ever seen, let alone eaten.  If you have a chance, go there asap to try these.  They also offer a appetizer variation of this dish.


Adam and Chris ordered the other special, simply grilled wild caught stripped bass.  Had the softshell crab not been offered, I might have gone this route.  Stripped bass is fantastic and I had a feeling it would be particularly good here.

It really was just about the freshest fish you could get in NYC.  It was a nice sized filet that was cooked to perfection.  It didn't need much of anything to taste delicious.  Just a little salt, pepper and you're good to go.

Adam ate each bite carefully to fully appreciate how good this fish really was.  It came with this salsa verde, which was tasty, but the fish was just so good on its own - no need to spicy it up with some fancy sauce. Good fish can hold its own and this was definitely good.


There was little left after Adam and Chris were done.  I did manage to get a bite from Adam and would recommend their fish.  Definitely far healthier than my fried crab, alas.


Barbara went for one of the regular menu items, Pot o' Bass - which was a nice piece of bass cooked in a cast iron pot with white wine, potatoes, tomatoes and onions.  It looked and smelled delicious.  I wasn't able to try it, but Adam said it was really good, full of flavor with lots of tender fish.  It came with big piece of bread to soak up all that tasty broth. The photo doesn't do it justice, but it was really appealing in person. 

It was a glorious dinner that left with heartburn that could have killed an elephant, but it was so worth it.  Adam and I will definitely be back as soon as we can afford it.

Yup, this place is pretty pricy, with our special dishes costing $28 each.  Adam was a real gentleman and paid for the whole thing regardless of our cries to accept our cash to compensate the hefty bill.  What can I say, he's a keeper! So consider this a place to go for a special dinner or if you're really in the mood for unbelievable fish/seafood.  They're famous for their all-you-can-eat Maryland crab lunch special (which apparently runs out quickly, so go early) and their Oyster/PBR special for $8.  Either way, its a great place that's worth the wait and the hefty price tag.

Cheap and Naughty

I've been going on and on lately about eating healthy, but let's face it - food that's terrible for you usually TASTES SO GOOD!!

Recently I went to two delicious eateries to enjoy a few guilty pleasures of mine.  Both also happen to be super cheap eats, so the wallet is happy, but your arteries not so much.  It's a game of give and take, I guess.

The Habitat Brooklyn

This is one of my most favorite bars in my neighborhood.  Not only is it really cute and cozy, like sitting on someone's back porch eating some great pub grub and drinking delicious beer, but the staff is ALWAYS so friendly.  I'm seriously serious (ha!) that they are always so welcoming, helpful and patient.  They also don't serve crap beer, only delicious craft beer.  There is little worse than walking into a bar and realizing everything they have on tap is gross and from a major beer company (i.e. Bud, Miller) These bastards buy up the little guys, fuck with their recipes and then serve it to the dumb masses that don't know better.  I digress...

So back to The Habitat - which is positively lovely - and they have really great deals on weekdays.

Tuesday might be my most favorite of their specials, 35 hot wings!!!! (Note that it used to be 25 cent wings, but times are a changing).  Although they have other great specials such as $5 mac n' cheese night (which I will never partake in), $8 burger night (which happens to be tonight's deal) and really good brunch on the weekends.

Every so often, my fabulous lil sister will drag me (okay, she doesn't drag, its more like she just says "hot wings" and I skip happily over) to The Habitat to enjoy some cheap, spicy, crispy, perfect hot wings.

They really are perfect in every sense of the word.  Some places offer crappier versions during their cheap wing night, but not here.  You get premium wings and they're just spicy enough to add a little zing to your step.  They're covered in just enough sauce to be finger-licking good, and they don't care if you just enjoy a ton of wings with a glass of water.  They're super nice regardless of how much you spend there.

We usually order a ton to share with extra veggies.  Mel likes the carrots and I like the celery.  It's a win, win situation.  To prevent a heart attack, I usually get a side salad, which is large and lovely for only $5.  

Here is the fabulous deal in all its glory!  They come out fast, fresh and hot.  I have no idea how their blue cheese dip is, but it must be good since I've witnessed friends use the wing as a utensil for eating the dip.  Gross, but to each his own.  If it were up to me, it would be okay to lick one's plate clean.  Adam hates when I do this at home, so I do it alone, when only my cat can judge me, and I don't care what Icarus thinks of me, he licks his balls.

Anyhoo, this place is great, their food is fantastic and I recommend checking it out even for a cold beer and a fun place to hang out.

Next on my list of guilty pleasures is...


The Stagg's Head

This is pretty much the only cool pub near where I work in Midtown East.  I don't want to say I hate this area, because there is plenty to eat and drink.  I just hate most of the people in it.  I hate douche frat boys who need to grow up and the skanky-ass bitches that tag along for the ride and complain about everything.  Thanks, but no thanks.  If you're with me on this one, stay way from Turtle Bay, the beehive of douche-bagery.

The Stagg's Head and its staff are fabulous.  I've had the pleasure of witnessing one bartender literally laugh at someone's request for a Heineken, by saying "we don't serve shit beer, go somewhere else."  LOVE IT!  So yeah, they also serve only craft beer and usually have fun tasting events.

They also have a lovely lunch special that I enjoy once in a blue moon.  (The actual moon, not the shit wheat beer).  For $10 you get a choice between a burger and fries, fish and chips, a chicken pot pie and a shepherds pie accompanied with a half pint o' beer.

It is a lovely lunch special and I've enjoyed the burger/fries, which is delicious as well as the fish and chips which is equally delicious.

Recently I tried their shepherds pie and it was by far the best I've ever had!!

It was enormous enough to satisfy the largest of appetites.  It was cooked perfectly with lots of ground beef, carrots and peas with creamy mashed potatoes on top.  Each bite was heavenly and every sip of my mini beer to wash down this masterpiece was magnificent.  The only issue with this lunch is the severe itis you will endure at work afterward.  If only I could enjoy a short man nap under my desk, but alas work needs to get done.

The other nice thing about The Stagg's Head is they have a lovely little back area to enjoy a drink or some grub outdoors on a nice day.  Its super cozy and lets you forget you have work or a life to get back to.

If you come here for a drink, definitely try their hot wings and their mini burgers which are fantastic!

Screw You Restaurants

What is it about New Years Eve that turns restaurants into giant assholes.

I had my NYE plans set, a table at The Richardson, setup for free and without issue. I figured I'd eat nearby and walk over with my boyf

riend. My plans were tainted when the nearby restaurants,

specifically Sel de Mer, refused to take a reservation. I spoke with 2 individuals who were going to talk to management to see if they could "bend the rules" a bit so I could enjoy a delicious dinner on NYE.

Normally this place is packed, so I didn't want to just show up there and wait in the cold for a seat (its a small joint). They wouldn't do reservations for any less than 6. It's pretty bullshit if you ask me. Everyone in the area was taking reservations but they had those fancy pre fixe menus and I didn't feel like engorging on a $65 dinner. I need room in my belly for fancy cocktails.

So, after some deliberation, I decided to throw the whole idea of going out to dinner, well, out the window of course.

Screw Your Restaurants - I'll make my own fancy and delicious dinner.

I decided to do something relatively easy since I had work on Friday. With a little planning everything would come together with time to spare to get ready, so I could look my best.

Braised Short Ribs with Potato and Parsnip Puree and Blanched French Beans

This dish is made in a crock pot and is super easy to prepare. I would definitely make this again! We enjoyed it very much and had left overs enough for a nice lunch.

STEP #1: Getting the short ribs ready

What you'll need -

• Beef Short Ribs (I purchased 2 packages, each containing 3 pieces or about 2.5 lbs)
• 1 bottle of dry red wine (cheaper the better)
• 1 small can of diced tomatoes (do not drain)
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1/3 cup of chopped parsley
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Brown your meat:

Clean the short ribs, then pat them dry with paper towel. Get your frying pan nice and hot so that a drop of water sizzles. I use cast iron, personally, but any pan will do. I slightly coated the pan with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Then place the short ribs meaty side down. Mine were pretty much cubes of meat, so I

proceeded to brown all sides. This will enhance the flavor of the dish and make your meat extra pretty. Who doesn't want extra pretty meat for dinner ;)

Store in a sealed container until you're ready to use. I refrigerated my browned short ribs over night until I was ready to cook in the morning.

Step #2: Prepping your Crock Pot

I put all my ingredients except the browned meat in the crock pot overnight in the fridge, so it would be super fast to set up in the morning before work. So put everything including the onions, garlic, parsley, tomatoes and red wine in the pot, seal and place in the fridge. In the morning, take it out, set up your crock pot on low (if you're cooking it for more than 6 hours). Don't forget to put

your meat in there or you'll have nothing but stewed veggies. Not that I'm against eating just veggies.

Step #3: Making a Sauce from Your Sauce

What you'll have when your short ribs are cooked, and you'll know because the meat is so tender it almost falls off the bone (and probably will), is a lot of thin gravy. Much of it will be a bit oily because the meat is rather fatty. I strained some of the fat away and placed about 2 cups of the less oily gravy in a sauce pan. I used my potato masher to mush up the tomato and onions. I added some more wine while simmering the mixture. To thicken the mixture, you need to make a thin paste of flour and cold water, which I do in a glass and mix with a spoon until smooth. You're going to SLOWLY whisk in the flour mixture into the simmering gravy. If you go too fast it'll thicken too quickly and you'll be left with pudding rather than gravy. Make sure you're using a whisk that doesn't damage your pan. Metal on metal is fine or silicon on porcelain. Whisk the shit out of your gravy till its thick enough to hold its own against your mashed potatoes. I added some more salt, pepper and a bit of dried rosemary.

Step #4: Potato & Parsnip Time!

What you'll need:

• 5 or 6 large red potatoes (scrub, remove eyes and dark spots)
• 2 or 3 large parsnips (peeled)
• Butter (a few tablespoons depending on your taste)
• Half & Half (or low fat milk if you prefer)
• Salt

Bring salt water to a boil and let the potatoes and parsnip simmer until you can easily stick a fork into them. Drain the water, and use a potato riser to puree everything. A potato ricer is the best $10 purchase you'll make in your kitchen. I use mine ALL THE TIME. It makes the most deliciously creamy mashed potatoes. Yum!

The parsnips are really fibrous, so it might take a few tries to get them smooth. Discard the extra fibers that don't make it through the potato ricer. Add butter and the half/half while mixing. With some salt and pepper, this is ready to go.

Step #5: Don't forget the French Beans.

French beans are pretty much smaller green beans. They look and taste the same, just a little more crisper and smaller. I didn't want to taint their tastiness with anything else, so blanching is what I did. When you get water in a pot to a boil, place it on low heat and be sure to keep an eye on the beans. They'll be ready in 3 - 5 minutes, depending on how crisp you want them.

Now you're ready to plate and enjoy. Overall, the meal took me about 30 - 45 minutes of prep time and 30 - 45 minutes of cooking. It wasn't difficult at all, so even the most novice cook can conquer this impressive meal. It's hearty though, so be warned that you're in for some good eatin'