This weekend was packed with music, food, and running around. Friday was a long day to say the least. I was extremely swamped at work and only functioning on four hours of sleep after the debacle of which was our holiday party Thursday night (that will be a separate post later this week). Having a lapse in judgment a few months ago, I decided to get tickets to a concert, not taking into account the 8 hours of straight dancing I was going to do the night before. I begrudgingly dragged myself to the Upper West Side, but I am BEYOND glad that I did. We went to see
Ghostland Observatory at Terminal 5, which was an electro funk dance party extravaganza. Lauren's friend Dan had gone to see the band in DC and so we decided to tag along and check it out. The. concert. was. amazing. The Austin, Texas based band is comprised of two guys, a guitar, a synthesizer, and a trippy light show. The intimate venue was perfect for the crowd, with two levels of standing/dancing room. If I were you I would try and find the closest Ghostland Observatory concert, as well as checking out
Terminal 5 - I'll be there in February for Girl Talk!!
Saturday morning I started the day out with a group brunch at
Jane in the West Village. Jane is owned by the same group as one of my favorites,
The Smith, so I've been wanting to try it for a while. Over the last couple of years my food buds have changed a good bit, and one of the things I have learned to love are mushrooms. Thus, I got the mushroom omelet and it was everything that I had hoped for. This, coupled with the good company and bloody mary's, was a perfect start to a beautiful winter day. After brunch we headed into SoHo. One of my favorite places to get jewelry is at the
Young Designers Market on Mulberry Street. It is an old gym that is filled with 20-30 vendors who are contemporary designers throughout the city selling their items at wholesale prices. For the past six months I've been looking for a designer who I love,
Elma Blint, and she was finally there! Unlike me, she comes out of hibernation for the winter and cut me a deal on some goodies since I had been so anxiously awaiting her return.
Saturday night I headed uptown for dinner at
Sojourn in the UES with Weiss, Mel, Shay and Katie Kitchen who was visiting from DC. The restaurant has on old wine cellar feel with current hits playing in the background, its the place to be on Saturday night above 60th street. The tapas style menu makes it perfect for a group. We shared a bunch of appetizers and I partook in the artichokes and baby bok choy, which were both great. For dinner I got the roasted butternut squash salad which was perfect for a cold winter night. After dinner we went to
Loreley to celebrate Kara's boyfriend Brett's birthday and then headed over to the West Village
Gallaway Hooker, which has less of an offensive odor than its sister bar in Midtown. All in all, a perfect day!!
Today I went to brunch with Hillya at
Balaboosta in Soho. It had a homey decor with tile flooring, black and white family portraits, and dark wood bookcases filled with cookbooks. Surprisingly, there was no wait when we got there, most likely due to many people's fear of the cold that has swept the East Coast. We were torn by two dishes on the menu so we opted to share both, the poached egg on grilled challah and green eggs scramble. The poached eggs were perfectly paired with mushrooms and butternut squash (you can tell I don't veer far when I find something I like). The scramble were equally delicious, though I was a little hesitant to eat green eggs, despite Dr. Seuss. The best part of the meal was the quinoa hash that accompanied the green eggs. I absolutely love quinoa because its healthy, filling, and easy to cook up with any ingredients. Balaboosta took it to another level with the way they prepared this healthy grain, think of a McDonald's hashbrown and then take away the cup of grease.
After lunch we walked around Soho and I again fed my shopping addiction, but it was worth it. We stumbled upon a store called
Brandy & Melville on Spring between Broadway and Mulberry. It got its start across the pond in Europe with over 50 stores, and has since had a strong hold in the LA market. The style of the clothing is extremely west coast-esque with cropped sweaters and cinched sleeves. Thankfully the prices were also west coast-esque, they were giving away clothes by New York shopping standards. Following this great find, we went to check out the Kardashian's new venture DASH NYC, which was less than thrilling and more than tacky.
I winded down the day with attempting to make some holiday treats for the office. My co-worker brought me peppermint Hershey kisses last week, and I got to thinking that it would taste great melted over rice krispie treats. And it would, had I not burned the chocolate. Lessons learned: a) don't turn away from the stove, and b) don't mess with a classic. Luckily I hadn't used the entire bag when I first prepared my topping, so I was able to scrounge enough for half the batch.
That was my weekend in a nutshell. I hope you all had a great one as well!! And I will leave you with this image of the adorable Sophia who I watched last week while Lanie was out of town.
Saturday night I headed uptown for dinner at Sojourn in the UES with Weiss, Mel, Shay and Katie Kitchen who was visiting from DC. The restaurant has on old wine cellar feel with current hits playing in the background, its the place to be on Saturday night above 60th street. The tapas style menu makes it perfect for a group. We shared a bunch of appetizers and I partook in the artichokes and baby bok choy, which were both great. For dinner I got the roasted butternut squash salad which was perfect for a cold winter night. After dinner we went to Loreley to celebrate Kara's boyfriend Brett's birthday and then headed over to the West Village Gallaway Hooker, which has less of an offensive odor than its sister bar in Midtown. All in all, a perfect day!!
I winded down the day with attempting to make some holiday treats for the office. My co-worker brought me peppermint Hershey kisses last week, and I got to thinking that it would taste great melted over rice krispie treats. And it would, had I not burned the chocolate. Lessons learned: a) don't turn away from the stove, and b) don't mess with a classic. Luckily I hadn't used the entire bag when I first prepared my topping, so I was able to scrounge enough for half the batch.
Well the holiday spirit is full force here in NYC!! The peppermint mocha has hit Starbucks, the Rockefeller Plaza Christmas tree is up, and the tourists are EVERYWHERE. It's been a pretty busy couple of weeks with work but I've had plenty of time to squeeze in some fun as well. For all of your sakes, and sanity, I'll try and make this post as short as possible.
On Thursday my friend took me to see Wintuk for Hanukkah. This was our second Cirque Du Soleil show we've seen and neither deserve rave reviews. The first one, Banana Shpeel was horrendous, enough said. Wintuk was better in comparison with creative music and imaginative sets and character, but I still felt the acts lacked a certain wow factor that I imagine should come from a Cirque Du Soleil performance. The most exciting aspect of both Banana Shpeel and Wintuk was the confetti at the end, which I get to enjoy days after as I still continue to find remnants of it in my purse. 
Be it living in one of the most expensive cities in the world, making smalls steps to curb a shopping habit, or attempting to save for my trip around the world, I'm always looking for a way to save some money. Deal websites have graced our intrawebs, and I'm loving what I'm seeing. Consumers can get a discounts on anything from dance lessons to manicures to restaurants to trips to Aruba. At this point its silly to pay full price on even toilet paper, Groupon may have a deal for it the next day. Here is an overview of some of the great ones if you feel overwhelmed by all your options:
**Some guys on our kickball team just launched Do Greater last week. This website is different than your average dealmaker because a portion of all of the proceeds also goes to a charity. Check it out and get some good deals while also helping give back!!
It's always hard to find a restaurant that offers a lot of healthy vegetarian variety, especially in a city that is known for its fried chicken and Waffle House greasy goodness, but I found TWO! When I got in on Wednesday I met Meryl and Joel at R. Thomas, which describes itself as "funky burger joint with a little healthy California flair", and funky and full of flair it is. Greeted at the entrance with cages of tropical parrots, the twenty-four hour restaurant itself is a covered patio with lush gardens and bright colors. I only had time for coffee at my first stop of the trip, yes I went twice, and opted for the Blue Moon latte, no it did not contain the beer. They had ordered the quinoa bowl and flax seed chips, both of which looked delicious. The second time around I got the omelet as well as the privilege of seeing the real R. Thomas and dining with some flying birds. My only complaint is that I didn't know about this restaurant during high school as I chowed down late night on beignets next door at Huey's. The second treasure I found was Top Flr in Midtown, located on the quaint Myrtle street a few blocks from Piedmont Park. The restaurant offers a chique and romantic interior, a delectable tofu entree, and tasty sides (burnt mac n' cheese and shaved brussel sprouts were my favorites). 
Beyond a doubt the best part was spending time with family and friends. It's always great to catch up with old friends, and this time around we got to spend quality time with ones we hadn't seen in years. We took a trip up to the our family friend's lake house in Gainsville, which is a nice escape when my idea of nature is limited to a twenty block radius known as Central Park. To sum up my trip, I am thankful for: my mom's cooking and loving heart, my dad's cheesy jokes and Cosby sweaters, passing sobriety tests, my siblings (everything about them), CatchPhrase, slipping on leaves, having a sister equally as klutzy as me and having matching scars, Jake Gyllenhall but not his new dirty movie, trivia at TJ's, SEC football, HUE leggings, Target, cognac and fireplaces, SoundHound and satellite radio, Jenny, deers and having an amazing place to call home. Things I'm not thankful for: 6 a.m. flights. I. am. beat.
Like most of the world, I have watched Prince William grow up throughout the years, my love for him has grown more and more with each passing image, interview, and polo match. This Prince was without a doubt always my favorite Brit. That is until Kate Middleton came into the picture. I will fully admit I have a full blown girl crush on her. She has impeccable style, is classy, and incredibly smart. I can't help but think that if we met we would be good friends, or at least I hope :) I was always rooting for this couple to make it and now its official.
Living so close to Union Square has a ton of perks, the greatest of which is living three blocks from Trader Joe's. The food is cheaper, the people are crazier, and the lines are never ending.
More than anything though, I love Trader's brand products, LOVE. Some of my favorites are: Spicy Smokey Peach Salsa, Hummus Trio, Wasabi Wow trail mix, and my dear friend Charles Shaw. There are two stand out items that I've only recently discovered. The first is the Trader Joe's Gummy Multivitamin. I've never been big on medicine and was standing in line, which conveniently winds through the aisles throughout the store daring you to throw things like vitamins into your cart, when I did just that (you are so clever TJ). These gummies not only taste amazing but they are good for you. I suggest everyone go out and get a bottle. The next item that I recommend isn't quiet as healthy. My grandma sent me an email last week insisting that I go out and grab a box of the Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Joe Joe's. Incredible cannot even begin to describe these cookies. They are DELICIOUS. If a Thin Mint and an Oreo had babies, you would get this. I popped them into the freezer, because lets be honest everything is better in the freezer, and have been in sugar heaven the last two nights. Moral of the story, always trust Grandma. Hurry out and get a box though because they are only there for a limited time.
Another quirk about Traders are their workers. Recently, after a typical Sunday night shopping session, Lauren and I were on our way home comparing our cashier experiences. We are both fully convinced that they have to hit a certain amount of spoken words in their day because awkward forced conversations always ensues. Usually I try to oblige and chat it up as they bag my goods, but sometimes I just want to walk away with my Gummy Multivitamins and Peppermint Joe Joe's in peace. Side note: You know you go to a grocery store too often when you pass someone on the street and point them out to your friend thinking they were on Project Runway. Sunday then comes around and whoops there they are bagging your groceries. I guess that's proof that working at Trader's could get you Z-list celebrity status. 
As I continue up, I pass a guy who has gradually put on about 50 lbs since I first spotted him many many months ago. He's always on his blackberry and in a hurry so I'm convinced that work has been a major factor in the stress weight. Next, which is my favorite commuter, is Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome. He's so cute and I've always wanted to say hi to him or drop my purse in front of him only to have him help me pick it up, but of course, I chicken out. Usually following close behind Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome, is who I refer to in my head as "Tanya" because she is a doppleganger for my old bosses sister. I crack up every time I see her, because I'm reminded of Tanya, who is hilarious. Typically around the same time, I pass the homeless man in front of the 38th St. D'Agastino's. He is always jamming to Billy Joel or Tom Petty, my kind of guy. 
Ingredients:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Mix the goat cheese, olives, thyme, and red pepper flakes together in a bowl and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce into the bottom of an 8- by 11-inch baking dish. Begin layering, remembering to season with pepper between each layer. Start with the zucchini and then summer squash and all the peppers. Dollop spoonfuls of the cheese over the peppers and then spread it out to cover. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the vegetables. Repeat with the remaining zucchini, squash, goat cheese, and sauce.
Spunto is located on Carmine and 7th Avenue, a perfect location to start the night. The decor and atmosphere of Spunto is more warm and cozy than the others, with an great wine bar and brick oven right in the middle. After dinner you can pop over to Little Branch or Daddy O's for some retro mixology.
uth millions were bustling around Time Square and Penn Station?
