Tag Archives: Drinks

Hawaiian Breakfast

You hear the saying all the time — breakfast, it’s the most important meal of the day. And to us, it truly is! We. Do. Not. Mess. With. Breakfast. Or, at least we didn’t while we were in Hawaii. Every day was a buffet-style breakfast and the first morning I was there I was a bit overwhelmed with what to pick. I had been on the longest travel day of my life (seriously, I was traveling for about 23 hours and only was eating snack foods the entire trip) so I naturally wanted something that would fill me up quickly… So, I went for the banana pancakes with coconut syrup. Yes, they are just as amazing as they sound. This coconut syrup is brilliant and I am playing around with recipes at home right now so I can eventually share with you a concoction you can enjoy at home.

coconut syrup

passion fruit

But, as the days went on I had the opportunity to scout everything out at the buffet — french toast, breakfast burritos, every type of fruit you can imagine, Hawaiian made granola. You name it — it was there! So, the best technique for breakfast came down to this: get the food that you absolutely have to have, share it with anyone at the table, and eat off of other people’s plates so you get to taste a little bit of everything. Don’t worry, I’m not that crazy, I wasn’t eating off of a stranger’s plate (I just plate fork war with my boyfriend over the Nutella stuffed french toast).

best crispy hashbrowns

Something we discovered that wasn’t at the buffet was an unbelievable crispy hashbrown that the kitchen was happy to whip together for us. I swear, whenever I eat a great hashbrown the rest of my breakfast is fantastic — whenever I eat a crappy hashbrown (or home fries) the rest of my meal goes down the drain. So there you have it — the way I judge a breakfast. Don’t hate me.

strawberry smoothies

One of the treats that the Four Seasons in Wailea had for us was every morning the breakfast buffet had some sort of smoothie sampling. One day the smoothie was made with kale, another day oranges, and another day strawberries and bananas. Some I preferred more than others, but it has inspired me to whip out my juicer at home to help me blend together some homemade smoothies made with only the freshest ingredients!

Wine Decanting

At one point, I can remember there being one type of wine decanter — it was in the form of a gorgeous glass “bowl”. All you had to do is pour your wine in and let it breathe. Now,  everything seems to be about instant gratification and fast food (for most people) — no one has time to stare at their wine until they can finally pour themselves a glass and unwind from an impossible day. So, it seems to me that many people are turning to modern wine aerators to help them speed up the process. I will admit, at times, I am one of those people.

food network wine aerator

My most recent experience with an aerator is with a Food Network branded product, but you can find the same exact item at stores like Williams Sonoma. What I loved most about it was you could pour an entire glass of wine into the aerator that is resting on the top of your glass , rather than slowly pouring it into a smaller aerator that you have to hold in one hand. It was also easy to clean and comes with a stand so you won’t have to worry about dripping wine every where. Does it work just as well as the classic wine decanter? I think it gets the job done, quickly. But there is something about letting wine breathe the natural way.

So, my question to you… How is everyone prepping their bottle of wine before taking the plunge into their first glass? More importantly, what’s your go-to bottle of wine?

different types of wine

I came across this pin/infographic on Pinterest and I couldn’t help but post it to my favorite board titled Lists To Love. The chart shows you all of the different types of wine. At first, I thought it was pretty neat — and after trying to find “Malbec” on the list, I felt like I was looking at something I once tried to decipher in High School chemistry class. There are so many types of wine I just couldn’t keep track.

wine and cheese chart

So, I looked for something else, something a bit less… overwhelming. I came across this neat pin/infographic that charts out the best types of cheese to eat with specific types of wine. I feel like this was made for me!

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Blueberry Mojito Recipe

As promised, folks, I have the most incredible mojito recipe to share!

blueberry mojito recipe
Over my holiday I was surprised with a last minute trip to Hawaii. For the past few years, I have vacationed with my boyfriend to very fun, relaxing beachy locations; and every beach trip we have been on I am typically the one enjoying an ice-cold brewski and he’s sitting next to me slurping on a pina colada (wait, did I mention they are always virgins?). This year, he discovered a new drink that not only had him hooked, but me as well! And, I have to give full credit here to the bartender at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea for this recipe — he managed to create a mojito so unbelievably amazing he must have had so many recipe requests the Four Seasons had special recipe cards printed for him to share with the guests! Created by Danny McCauley, his “Serenity Mojito” (I call it the Blueberry Mojito) seriously hits the spot on a hot day! The icy beverage has the perfect mix of flavor — from the cooling sensation of the muddled mint leaves to the sweetness of the fresh blueberries — this mixed drink is guaranteed to keep people drinking (responsibly, of course)!

Okay, so I’ll cut to the chase… see below for the recipe!

Ingredients/Directions Combined:

  • Fresh Mint Leaves (6-7 each)
  • Fresh Blueberries (8-10 each)

Muddle these ingredients together (then add to the glass).

Fill a glass with crushed ice.

  • Add 1.5 oz. of Blueberry Fris Vodka to the glass
  • Add 1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
  • Fill the glass with soda water
  • Shake the combination thoroughly

The Grey Dog on University Place

I used to live down in the Washington Sq. Park area the first summer I lived in New York City. I can’t tell you how many times I walked up and down University Place going from my apartment to Union Square. I loved living down in that area of Manhattan — there wasn’t anything more special than to walk outside in the morning and walk right out into the park. There’s something about The Village that just brings back so many memories, my initial memories of the city. If you are only in the city for one day I say skip Times Square and Central Park and head down to Washington Square Park and wander the village, walk in and out of boutiques, eat at some great restaurants and call it a day. I could honestly sit on a bench in Washington Square Park and people watch for hours and hours.

My friend Blaz asked me to lunch and since he works down in the Union Square area I offered to meet him in the neighborhood. He suggested we go to The Grey Dog. I have never even heard of The Grey Dog before but of course I said yes. It also gave me the perfect opportunity to wander around a few of my favorite blocks in the city and sit in the park on a lovely spring afternoon.

While I waited for Blaz tons of people came in and out of the restaurant, and I knew I was going to have a great experience when people would walk by and rave about the food to their friends or family, and tons of people also would point to the restaurant and tell their friends, “I have heard amazing things about that place.” So, clearly I was waiting impatiently while waiting for my friend to arrive for our lunch date.

Once he arrived, we went inside and waited to order. The way the restaurant works is: you walk in, view the menu on a big chalk board, stand in line, and order your food when it’s your turn. If you want to sit down after ordering someone will ask you while you’re in line and he will tell you where you’ll be sitting and you can sit down once you’ve ordered. There’s no table service, so when they call your name you need to get up and get your food, especially if it’s a crazy day. If you want a refill on your drink, sorry to say but you’ll have to stand in line again. So be sure to order everything you want before sitting down.

I ordered the grilled chicken press with fresh mozzarella, pesto and roasted tomato. Such a simple sandwich and even though it was unbelievably delicious, I wished that I ordered something a little more exotic — like the sliced granny smith apple with turkey, brie and raspberry mustard. I guess I will save that order for next time! The chicken meat in my sandwich was nice and moist and the pesto really hit the spot. Pesto is one of my comfort foods and I love putting it on all sorts of things. Served with my pressed sandwich were sweet potato fries. Have you ever put mayo on your sweet potato fries? Do it! And you’ll be hooked on the combo!

In addition to my sandwich, my friend Blaz told me I had to try one of the raspberry iced teas. I wasn’t too sure about the unsweetened iced tea, I love having something nice and sweet because it really quenches my thirst! So, instead, I ordered the raspberry lemonade — and I am beginning to crave a glass of it right now as I type this post. The lemonade reminded me of what I used to drink growing up. As I sipped down my lemonade I remembered how I used to go bare-foot in the middle of summer time, and how I used to love to run barefoot through the grass (something I sadly I can’t do here in the city). I probably thought about this because I used to drink pink lemonade all summer long when I was a teenager. The raspberry flavor only added the most perfect sophistication to the very sweet lemonade. You can’t go to The Grey Dog without ordering one of those drinks — Raspberry Lemonade or Raspberry Iced Tea.

It was such a nice day, we probably should have ordered the food to-go and then sat down in the park. It’s something to keep in mind for next time, especially if there are no tables available to sit down at!

Food Adventures This Weekend

Where ever you turn, you’ll find food! Especially in New York City!

This weekend I headed to my neighborhood’s local market with my friend Stefanie. We were both on a quest to pick up a few Holiday gifts — and of course we had to go on the weekend because we have both been so busy with work during the week. On the weekends, the Chelsea Market is packed with locals and tourists — all determined to discover the newly opened stands and shops throughout the market.

While waiting for Stefanie to arrive, I strolled through a few of my favorite places. For one, I spent some time in The Lobster Place taking a few photographs to show all my readers. I watched as fresh sushi was made (yum! I love avocado on my sushi!) and I took in the smell of the store… All fresh fish! The smell reminds me of New England — the place I grew up for the first half of my life.

During this time of year the most gorgeous lights are hung in the very center of the Chelsea Market. They drape down below the clock and light up the market place. These are not up year-round and I love when they are put up at this time of year!

The Chelsea Market stretches a full avenue long, going from 9th Avenue to 10th Avenue. There are two entrances/exits both are on each side of the market. On the 10th Avenue end this weekend, there was a small petting zoo with cows. City children gathered ’round to pet the baby farm animals. I love seeing things like this… especially in the heart of Manhattan. It just shows that you truly can find just about anything in the city — and the city children get a taste of country life. Yes, I believe that children should experience the fresh country air. But I do believe that the city is a fantastic place to raise children.

On Saturday night I went to the new Spanish-Moroccan fusion restaurant only 1 block from the Chelsea Market (and only a few blocks from my apartment). I went with my boyfriend, his cousin, and his cousin’s wife. Ventanas is a new tapas restaurant located on 16th Street and 10th Avenue. The menu is large and may seem overwhelming, but you want to order plenty of plates because the portions are rather small (this is the only down-side to this restaurant). We ordered the following: Pisto (Spanish Ratatouille), Guacamole with Plantain Chips, Ceviches de Camarones (Shrimp Ceviche), Croquetas de Bacalao (Codfish Croquets), Frituras De Queso De Cabra (Goat Cheese Fritas), 2 Empanadas Espinaaca (Spinach and Manchego Empanadas), Albondigas (Lamb Meatballs), and Dulce de Leche Empanadas for dessert.

We enjoyed everything! Perfect bite-sized tapas that everyone was able to share with one another. I love tapas-style meals because everyone is engaged with one another over something as simple as the food on the table. Instead of ordering your own plate and keeping it to yourself — you are able to pass the plates around while saying “yum! Try this, you’ll love it!” The food also came out quickly so we would order 2 or 3 plates at a time! That way we weren’t too overwhelmed with an obnoxious amount of plates on the table. We all enjoyed the food, but we also loved the music playing in the background. Lots of exotic tunes had us practically dancing in our seats — like The Gypsy Kings (a French band that plays flamenco-style music), as well as other current, more popular songs as well. But I was excited to hear some music that I grew up to! My father often played The Gypsy Kings and over the years I managed to memorize some of their songs like Bamboleo. Besides the music, I loved the decor as well. You felt like you were some place exotic the moment you stepped into the restaurant. The shapes, the colors, the plush booths — you felt like you were in Morocco!

At 10 p.m. a belly dancer came out and circled the restaurant for some extra entertainment. A few rowdy people got up and danced with her — which was great entertainment for us! By 10:30 some tables were cleared off and pushed to the side and a bunch of people started to get up and dance … including us! I wasn’t expecting my tapas-style dinner to turn into a dance party! But we were all quick to jump to our feet and make our way to the dance floor!

This is such a fantastic place to go with friends! Order some drinks, get a little rowdy, but overall experience some fantastic food! Watch how much you order though, because the bill can get pretty high rather quickly!

A Kitchen’s Holiday Inspiration

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year… For some reason this year I am full of holiday spirit! I actually have been giggling when Christmas songs play, I am just so happy this year! Tacky, cheesy, silly… I know. I don’t care.

For those who aren’t in their full-on holiday spirit just yet, I thought I would share some interesting inspiration with you. First up is a different way to display your Christmas tree — as a New Yorker I don’t have very much space and a full size Christmas tree is practically a joke. I find myself walking down 22nd street in Chelsea at night so I can stare into the windows of the remarkably designed town houses so I can take a look at their beautifully decorated Christmas trees that are all light up. I love it. It puts a smile on my face. It may be a little too late for me to put up decorations like the one in the photograph below, but it’s a great idea I will most likely do next year. I love it because the decor can go right on your wall and it won’t take up any space in my apartment. If I really want to I could probably put up Christmas lights as well, as long as I put the decorations up above an electrical outlet. What are my kitchen inspirations? To cook with brussel sprouts. After seeing this picture of brussel sprouts in the shape of a tree I decided to learn how to cook with this green veggie. I feel like they are either cooked incorrectly or they are insanely delicious! I’ve been enjoying them in restaurants lately, but I would love to be able to make them on my own!

What’s up next? Well, it’s winter time and there isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t crave a warm hot chocolate. Personally, I have a thing for Land O’Lakes’ Raspberry Hot Chocolate. They were given to me in college in a little gift basket for helping someone edit their English papers all semester… ever since, I’ve been hooked! I get these little packets and throw them in my purse to take to work. But when I am at home and I make myself a cup of steaming hot chocolate, I add some Fluff to my mug. Marshmallows are such a stereotypical addition hot cocoa, but I grew up with Fluff!

But… since it’s the holidays, a hot chocolate just isn’t going to take the edge off. I wouldn’t be surprised if alcohol sales goes up during the holidays. So, whip up and sip on some cranberry sparkler cocktails! I know you’ll love them! Adding rosemary to the glass gives it more flavoring and it looks like pine needles — so your glass is full of holiday spirits — literally!

I hope I gave you some inspiration to get into the holiday mood! There are so many fun things to do in the kitchen and around your home to make your season super cozy and exciting!

Tropicana Heart’s NY

Looks like Tropicana orange juice loves New York! (Or should I say, “orange’s NY”?) I thought this was an adorable way to show some New York City spirit. I spotted it at Brooklyn Bagels in Chelsea the other week when my friend Leah came to visit!
orange juice

Al Di La Trattoria in Brooklyn, NY

It’s a very rare happening, me going to Brooklyn, but every time I make my way out to the borough I love every minute I spend there. I’m also lucky enough to have friends that know their way around, so the visit is a pleasant experience. My friend Tim lives in Park Slope and he has been raving about an Italian restaurant ever since I met him. The restaurant is only a few blocks away from his apartment and he willingly admits that he orders from the restaurant all the time. So one Saturday evening I make the quick trek outside of Manhattan and met up with Tim, who then led me along a busy/”happening” street. It seemed as if I misjudged Park Slope. I had always assumed that people lived in the neighborhood but always came into Manhattan for everything else, including restaurants. But no, that’s not the case at all. Those who live in Park Slope manage to have their cake and eat it too. They live in an idyllic neighborhood, they get a “smaller” town vibe, they have Manhattan only a quick subway ride away, and they also eat very very well.

We arrived at Al Di La Trattoria, the Italian restaurant Tim has been raving about. It’s 8:30 p.m. and the place is packed! Tim had put our name on a list about 20 minutes earlier and we still had an hour and forty five minutes of a wait left. So we went out the front door and around the corner to go downstairs to the wine bar that is also connected to the restaurant. We ordered a bottle of red wine and spent some time catching up. Not even 20 minutes later a table in the wine bar opened up and we were offered the table if we wanted to eat downstairs. Of course we said yes… we were about to finish the bottle of wine and there was no food in our stomachs.

The wine bar tables are much more intimate and quiet than the tables upstairs in the main restaurant. If we were to sit upstairs the atmosphere would be completely different — just imagine a loud Italian family, a traditional Italian kitchen, yup that’s what upstairs would have been like. We were just so hungry we would have sat any where!

Even though it was my first time at the restaurant I quickly knew what I wanted to order: the Tortelli, a ravioli stuffed with corn and a sweet cream sauce with a side of potatoes. It’s the first time I have ever had corn as a filling in my ravioli and I’ll admit that I was very hesitant. (Tim assured me it was going to be delicious!) When the food arrived the two of us completely stopped talking, we were too busy stuffing our faces in the nicest way possible. I couldn’t believe it, I managed to eat my entire ravioli dish in under 6 minutes. The corn was subtle but sweet and delicious and the cream sauce was so light and refreshing I hardly knew it was a cream sauce, even my stomach didn’t ache. There was actually sauce left over on my plate so I dumped my potatoes onto the dish and scooped up some sauce for each forkfull of potatoes.

Over all I am not a Brooklyner at heart — I truly enjoy living and dining in Manhattan. But Al Di La was so extraordinarily delicious I will gladly and willingly take another trip back to the borough for another meal. (I’ll also eat at any restaurant my friend Tim recommends because clearly he knows what good food tastes like!)