Jetlag Optimism

Before I share my thoughts and reflections about my trip, I have to share my wonderful foodie day experience this past Sunday with Paul.

My eyes shot open just before 7AM and there was no going back to sleep. Rather than be annoyed by my internal clock failure, I decided to embrace my jetlag. I jumped up and headed over to my favorite market previously mentioned in an earlier posting, Agata & Valencia. Since it was only me and the old ladies up at this time on a Sunday, the man working the cheese case was delighted to help me find a perfect Gruyere for the omelet I had in mind. You see, i was already missing Paris and I wanted to recreate a Parisian breakfast...

After I picked out some cheese, I went to the meat counter and was excited to see they had French style ham (or jambon as the french would say) to accompany the gruyere in the omelet. I finished by picking up a juicy tomato, fresh squeezed orange juice, a few spices and of course a fresh baguette.

I have to say when the meal was done, I was rather impressed with myself. The omelet was a great success and the fresh tomato slices and baguette went perfectly together. We finished with dessert of sliced banana. Eating out on the deck atop big, comfy pillows (a.k.a. the fire escape), we imagined being in Paris sipping our espresso and nibbling on our delightful breakfast as we watched the world go by.

Aside from my separation anxiety from Paris, I was also yearning for NYC sushi. So for dinner, we decided to head to Sushi of Gari on the upper east side. Manhattan-ites are quite snobbish about their sushi; Blue Ribbon and this place are considered some of the best. I had not eaten here before and welcomed the opportunity to both satisfy my intense craving and try a new place.

Without hesitation, we both got the chef's tasting menu which included 3 rounds, each with 4 pieces of sushi. Unlike the tasting menu at Blue Ribbon, this place actually focuses on the sauces or garnishes that accompany the fish to create a finished taste that is completely unexpected. After a quick consultation with the waitress to make sure we wouldn't receive anything we didn't like, the first course arrived.

Everything was sooo tasty...buttery, smooth textured fish topped with things like pureed tofu, vegetable crevice or simply marinated in a decadent sauce with a slight grill taste, yet not cooked... I was in a food haze as we glided through the most delicious sushi [meal] I have ever had. The finishing touch and last piece was not even sushi at all, rather my new favorite dish, foie gras (I ended up working a little french into my Japanese night after-all). It was nestled atop rice, covered with some sort of soft vegetable and a deletable brown sauce. I cannot think of anything in a long time (other than my first experience eating this type of dish at Casa Moon a few months ago...another story) that tasted even half as good as this...

After our meal, I literally had a food high...if that is possible. Sorry Blue Ribbon, my vote for best sushi in NYC is currently Sushi of Gari. If you are an avid sushi lover and up for the meal of your life, you need to check out this place. We went to the one on the upper east side, but they have 2 other locations in the city:
http://sushiofgari.com/

I promise you will not be disappointed!

Charming London

I arrived in London a little weary from the day of traveling, but the sun was shining so I quickly snapped out of it. I wandered down the adorable streets with charming buildings and old-school taxi cabs everywhere. I paid special attention when crossing the streets too, as the driving lanes are reversed...they know foreigners too well and have kindly painted "Look Left/Right" on the ground at every intersection.

I had my first meal on the most lovable street (St. Christopher's), which also happens to be where my host/friend Thomas currently resides. I wasn't really expecting much food-wise as it is like any other big city, best known for other cuisine from around the world. We settled on a quaint little place where I ordered a dish made up of 12 tiny portions of meals. There was an edamame puree with nuts and arugula, chick peas and veggies marinated in some lovely sauces, cabbage, cheese and red pepper tucked in a fried egg roll of sorts...the list goes on and on. It was actually quite tasty, not to mention my perfect idea of a meal...little bites and nibbles of so many diverse dishes!

My first full day of exploring, I just walked out the front door and didn't look back. I trotted all over, first starting down the famed Oxford street (the 5th avenue of London), arriving at Trafalgar square, breezing through the National Gallery (accompanied by my trusty Rick Steve's reading tour) and down Whitehall street past Gordon Brown's house and on to Big Ben, Parliament, The Westminster Abbey church and the London Eye (ferris wheel). The sky gave way to short bursts of rain here and there, but I was too starry eyed to notice. It is always interesting to walk around such storied history...thinking back over the tons of millions of people that have walked these paths over the course of hundreds of years. It is truly fascinating.

I continued my journey towards St. James park, Buckingham palace (taking s break to view the Victoria & Albert art collection tour...amazing) and finally leisurely strode through Hyde park...stopping along the way to sit and enjoy the beautiful sky (which at this point had cleared up and was Chrystal blue, dotted with whip cream clouds). It is in those small moments when I really have so much appreciation for life and the ability to truly feel like I am living...taking in this stunning sight, halfway across the world from my home in New York City.

My last day was full of brutal rain and fierce winds...needless to say I didn't make it to much during the day. The two main highlights were lunch of fish and chips accompanied by my first pint of British beer (quite tasty) and the Sir John Soane's Museum. A colleague and former London "local" told me about this obscure museum and I had to make time to check it out. Housed in the owner's original apartment, it was full of all sorts of art from molds used to make famous roman statues to an Egyptian sarcophagus. A tortured soul and art lover, Soane's massed a huge, diverse collection in the hopes that it would be used for teaching the world's future artists about technique and style.

My trip was topped off by a lovely dinner full of new acquaintances and philosophical conversation. I love meeting new people and am always glad to have such insightful conversation about life and love. We had so much fun that we missed the last train home and against our better judgment, decided to walk. Two and a half short hours later...we had trucked all through London, passing by all the familiar, popular sights, this time decorated with colorful lights and calculated shadows. It turned out to be quite perfect and it was cool to see the city in a completely different light (literally). The only downside was that my feet felt slightly raw and I had a chill through my body for the next 24 hours...worth it? Absolutely!

I was sad to bid my good friend and this lovely city farewell, but alas it was time to get back to NYC. I am actually excited for the day of travel home in hopes of reflecting on my trip and gearing up to get back to work, boyfriend and my "mates" (a.k.a. friends)as the Brits would say. Absence sure does make the heart grow fonder...

I am soooo over hostels....at least in Amsterdam

Jumping off the train from Brugge, I was well rested and relaxed given I had just spent 3 days in the most quaint, cutest town ever. Barely out of the train station and BAM, relaxation time over...it was like walking through Times Square on a Saturday afternoon!

Nearly immediately to my right were pubs and souvenir shops galore, the Sex Museum and the distinct scent of our little five-leaf, green friend. Opposite this scene were the adorable dutch-looking houses and one of the many canals that weave through the city. Judging from what I had heard of Amsterdam, I would say this experience pretty much fit the image I had in my mind. Being as I am not really into the whole drug scene, I was in Amsterdam to absorb the culture, check out the museums and take a trip through the canals.

Our accommodations were meager at best...staying in a 12 bed dorm near the center of town, where you can hear every conversation outside within a one-mile radius. To say that we got no sleep our entire stay would be vast understatement. It was then and there, I decided my youth hostel days are over...

We got the Dutch welcome our first full day (a.k.a. rain), but that didn't slow us down. We waited in the rain to walk the eerie halls of Anne Frank's house. The museum is literally the hiding annex in the back of her father's factory. The rooms are all empty (per his request) which was quite fitting and terribly sad. It really just reminds you how horrible people can be and that tolerance is still an underdeveloped trait for many people in this world.

Mentally exhausted and chilled from the rain, we ducked into the "Pancake Bakery" to have some famous Dutch pancakes. These were no ordinary pancakes...much resembling Swedish pancakes or French crepes, they are garnished with savory or sweet toppings. Of course I went for the sweet version and got my favorite fruit in pancakes...bananas. The taste was somewhere between luscious and HEAVEN (especially when you add a touch of their home made caramel syrup). Can you say food coma [again]? Worth it.

Vacation is often abundant in food and sightseeing and this trip was no different. Off to our next meal...My former colleague (and now friend) took us out for a lovely dinner and then lead us to a charming pub (his local go-to), flanked with Amsterdam locals. We took his advice and got a double espresso along with a glass of Grand Mariner after dinner. Surprisingly yummy food and drinks, followed by delightful conversation running the gambit from political to childhood memories, was more than I could have asked for to top of the day. It really is these fun, unexpected and local experiences that truly allow you to get to know a place in my mind anyway...

The rest of our time was spent in the Van Gogh museum (amazing doesn't explain the half of it), taking a boat ride through the canals and wandering through the quite unimpressive red-light district. Overall, I really liked Amsterdam by the end of our stay. I think at the end of the day, it always comes down to what you want to get out of any given experience. I got a taste for the city (literally) and I would explain it as an aged whiskey served in a fancy glass. It can be smooth, rough and beautiful all at the same time. NOTE: Just don't stay in a dodgy youth hostel if you decide to visit.

Next (and sadly, last) stop... Cockney island (a.k.a. London)! Watch out Buckingham Palace, the New Yorker is coming to town...

Chocolate, waffles and beer...Oh my!

Decadent, scrumptious and luscious are the best adjectives to describe these popular Belgium foods. The chocolate literally makes your eyes roll back in your head...the waffles give you food coma (in a good way) and the beer...think vanilla, buttery and robust. Oh and side-note, the beer here is STRONG...after 2 and no dinner, I was feeling quite tipsy! My favorites were (in order):

1) Tripel Karmekiet
2) Augustijn Blonde
3) Piraat Blonde

I will most definitely be seeking these tasty brews out when I am back in NYC, although I can hardly believe they will taste half as good...

If you know anything about Belgium, you will also know they are not really known for anything else (food-wise) besides those items mentioned above. However, something I quite loved about this country (and in particular in Brugge) is the architecture. The houses are all are snuggled tightly together, but each one has its own little personality shining through. They all have little steps on the peeks of the roofs which indicated wealth back in the day (i.e. the more steps, the richer the family). I learned that handy fact on our canal tour of the city!

Brugge has also been called the city of love and I believe it...every bar or restaurant we wandered into was somehow warm and cozy...so much so that you never wanted to leave. There are also people from all over the world gracing the streets. We met a Romanian, German and some British blokes in our hostel. It's always fun to gather 'round a pint and share travel stories filled with moments of joy and struggle, enlightenment and enrichment...

After a few short days full of quaint shops, yummy beer and wonderful street markets with marching bands (yes, did I fail to mention that we saw nearly 3 different marching bands coming through the street market?) it was time to head to my third destination on this adventure...Amsterdam, the land of funny wooden shoes and windmills in the Netherlands.

Pondering life on the way to Brugges (Belgium)

Coming and going...lots of people from here to there... As i sit here on the train from Paris to Brugges, I love the freedom and having the chance to wander from place to place with no expectations or intentions. It breathes new life into me each time I step foot in a new place.

All around me, the French countryside has cute little farm houses dotted all throughout the hills...not that different than what you would see in parts of the U.S., yet somehow more charming. Maybe it is because the houses are so old and it feels like glancing back in time? Even the suburbs are charming...not every house is cookie cutter like back home. It makes me think that America's focus on cost and time efficiency forfeits our personality as a nation. I wander when value shifted from one to all?

I guess that is more of my fascination with France currently... They seem to truly value history, art, bread from the baker, meat from the butcher, cheese from the fromagerie (cheese store)...Specialization overall and not the "Wal-Mart" one-stop-shop mentality. America started with having homes modeled the same after each other, forfeiting "character" and identity, the same way we devalued our food and small business owners by introducing large chains.

Don't get me wrong, I love my country and am quite happy to be a citizen...these are just unfortunate truths. Hopefully, we can get back to the butcher shops and the bakeries at some point. I think this is a perfect example of what traveling shows you...the world out there is so different. Unless you get outside your comfort zone, you will never know the richness the world has to offer you.

In reverse, there are things that really make you appreciate things in America...such as not having to pay for a public restroom or tap water at a restaurant. These are things we take for granted (I know I did).

I wander what Belgium will offer me...here goes nothing!

Flavor abounds...

Crispy, salty, sweet, crunchy, creamy.... Depending on the treat you eat here in Paris, you can get any or all of these in one bite! Today was full of tasty delights. For breakfast we munched on fresh croissants and jam. I am not one for bread in the morning, but somehow eating it here is wonderful. It is also quite filling and prepared us for a full day of activities.

We started at the main cemetary on one end of the city. I can't say I was too thrilled about making this venture, but my mind changed rather fast as soon as we stepped into this historic place... All the graves are above ground and there are brick roads winding all through it. It was quite amazing to see such old and uniquiely decorative graves. Of course we went specficially to see Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde's graves (which were really cool), but just the view of this place in general was like walking back in time. From tiny, to the size of a house...the graves covered every square inch.

For the afternoonm, it was on to see some more history and some French paintings at the Louvre next. Of course we couldn't continue on wihtout nourishment, so we stopped for a bite to eat at a small cafe. I mistakenly ordered steak tartare and was served raw beef with a raw egg on top... It was interesting to say the least and I actually enjoyed it in the end! It was odd to be eating raw meat, but with the garnishes of capers, finely chopped onion and pickle, it turned out to be quite yummy.

The louvre was unexplainably awesome...point blank. Mona Lisa was neat to see only because I have grown up seeing it in textbooks, but there were so many other amazing paintings as well. The building itself was the best work of art...

Mentally and physically winding down, we had to take a coffee break. A rhubard tarte for me, peach and apple tarte for Kirsten and a chocolate criossant for Storrie...this followed by un cafe (coffee) was delightlful! Of course the coffee is ten times better than anything you have in the states no matter where you get it...don't understand why we can't get that right. Not to mention the pastries we got here for equivalent of $2 would be twice that at home!

We finished the day grabbing fresh baguette from the local bakery, some brie and a few bottles of wine. Beleive it or not, this has served as dinner twice now and I would eat it every night! The smell of fresh bagegette alone is enough to make your mouth water. I guess I am just easy to please, but I presume all would agree with me in the end...

Time to hit the hay and fall asleep to the low hum of the city... Next time I write I will be in the heart of Germany at Oktoberfest...wish me luck!

J'taime Paris!

Sleepy eyed and anxious, I walked off the plane at CDG airport in Paris with high expectations. As i regained consciousness, it started to kick in that I had finally made it to my soon to be favorite city in the world. I somehow made my way on a bus to the city and was off to start my adventure. Funny enough my first perceptions were familiar at best...corn fields on my left and a huge IKEA on my right. I laughed at the coincidence of it. As we got closer and closer to the city though, it began to take shape. Lots of small cars, beautiful streets, decorative buildings and the hustle and bustle of a city.

I literally got off the bus feeling like I was wandering through a living museum. My eyes couldn't stop jumping from person, to building, to dog, to cafe... I made it to our hostel in just under 2 hours, which would normally be quite frustrating, but believe me, nothing was going to make me mad when I was in the view of this wondrous place.

Later on my doughy-eyed amazement continued as we met our good friend Thomas for a glass of wine overlooking the Eiffel tower at sunset. I have seen some pretty beautiful sunsets, but this may have been launched to top 5... It was so relaxing to be amongst such great friends, drinking wine and looking at an iconic site. It's funny that I have hung out with Thomas and Kirsten so many times, but now we are half way around the world sharing the most interesting experience. Funny how life brings these moments and drops them in your lap to remind you how large (yet small) the world it.

Stay tuned...

It's the simple things in life...

Sometimes all it takes to have a nice evening is good company, tasty snacks and a cozy couch. After a long and HOT bikram class, I decided to have my friend Sarah over for a glass of wine. If any of you know the two of us at all, you know that a “glass” of wine turned into 2 bottles… Anyway, we got to chatting about my upcoming trip to Europe and it spurred the need to watch Anthony Bourdain’s travel/food show “No Reservations.”

If any of you have not seen this show, check it out. He basically travels to cities around the country, getting in tight with the locals and trying local delicacies. He always seems to find the most interesting tastes and people wherever he is…

While we were not eating luxurious food like Mr. Bourdain, we were snacking on some of my all time favs… Tortilla lime chips, salsa (mild of course, because poor Biffen cannot stand my taste for spice), sliced cheese and crackers. Now to some of you this may sound like a pathetic meal, but I tell you if I had to choose a “last supper” of sorts this just might be it… Although I would need to add a dirty chai latte from The Bean and a slice of cheesecake to round it off.

After a while, we got lost in wine and conversation and before we knew it, the clock struck midnight. Lucky for Sarah, she didn’t have to go to work in the morning, but it was time for me to hit the hay. As I lay in bed that night I thought of all the wonderful adventures I was about to have in Europe… I am so excited to try new food and experience different cultures, but I have to reflect again on how good I have it right here where I am. New York is full of life, love and happiness. This includes all the great food, sites and of course friends and connections I have gathered along the way.

I am off to Paris today, but I already can’t wait to get back and share my stories with me friends and family. Au Revoir NYC! The next time you will hear from me will be either from Paris or Munich for Oktoberfest!

Shiny, Happy People

I love to cook, but living in the tight, confined spaces of New York leaves kitchen space something to be desired. However, I do try to cook meals as often as I can. In fact, when I first moved here I cooked quite a bit (even took a whack at Thanksgiving dinner) and I used to get teased as being the only person in NYC using their oven for cooking purposes (oddly enough, I found that most people use it to store things like their sweaters in the summer). One of the reasons I love cooking so much is that it brings people together. Cooking something…and by that I do not mean throwing a bag of frozen stir fry in a skillet…usually demands lots of tantalizing ingredients and an audience of at least four people.

Last week, my friend Peggy emailed me with a short, yet compelling note saying there was this cookbook I just had to pick up. Honestly, I try not to buy cookbooks because I typically find recipes online (again, no space to store things), but the fact that she took the time to write me a note about it peaked my interest.

Let’s start with the name of said cookbook “Shiny, Happy People.” At first thought, it seemed more like a hippy/cult book to me, but that thought was immediately abandoned upon reading the tagline: “These are my friends. These are their tastes.” As I have already mentioned, I love cooking because it brings people together, so what better idea for a cookbook then housing all of your friends’ favorite recipes? This had to be good…

Instantly, you are drawn in with the introduction page where this South African author describes a world of change; where the word “home” has a new definition in that it is not uncommon to have family members scattered across the globe. To fill the void, friends become local family members. Being 16 hours from my family, I consider myself beyond lucky to have such a colorful and loving group of friends who provide comfort in hard times and warmth, laughter and smiles the rest of the time:)

Rather than a normal cookbook being broken out by cuisine type, Neil’s book is organized by each friend and their respective recipes. Their stories, houses and lives come to life through his stunning photos and their attractive recipes. You also get to learn a bit about each person and why certain recipes were chosen. Even the presentation of the actual recipes is unique and is accompanied by little anecdotes and artistic images. Side note…even if you don’t like to cook, you should buy this book simply for its aesthetic value….

My favorite parts of the book (other than the recipes of course) are the rapid fire Q&A pieces at the end of each section. As a reader, you nearly feel like you have gained new friends. It’s like you have been invited to a dinner party; first starting with a tour of the home to get a feel for the personality of the owners, socialize with interesting people, eat yummy food and leave with the knowledge of something new (either a life lesson, enlightening quote or a new recipe to try on your own).

I bet all this sounds like a funny description of a cookbook though, right? Well, not to disappoint, it is! But that was the main reason I enjoyed it so much and I can tell you that I could not put it down until I had gotten through the entire thing. My only complaint is that the ingredients need to be converted. However, this is truly an insignificant deterrent and small price to pay for the delight you will get from this book! I will leave you with one of my random favorite quotes of all time, but also happened to find its way into this book:

“Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.”
– Harriet Van Horne

Hurry, go pick up your copy and let’s have a dinner party!

P.s. I found my copy at Anthropologie… Title: Shiny, Happy People. Author: Neil Roake