For Summer: Rubber Bottom Totes by DRES!

Check out these great bags and such by my very dear friend, Andres! (or Dres, for short)

I happily own one of these fabulous totes and at the time he gave it to me, I was the only person in NYC other than Anna Wintour (whom requested two) to own one!

(Ms. Wintour's is in cream, though, while mine is in black.)

www.dresdesign.com

Dean & Deluca--to go!

Last night was my last supper with David before he left for Aspen for the eight week long Aspen Music Festival. I miss him already...

After work, I picked up some dinner from Dean & Deluca's prepared foods counter. I'd only recently discovered it and was amazed to see them selling soft shell crab ($10 each) and crab cakes too ($10 each or $8 for Thai style)!

I sauntered over to the counter not sure what I'd be getting and after scanning the cases for something appropriate, I noticed, atop one case, three different kinds of pizzas. I opted for pear and gorgonzola ($11).

It seemed to be large enough for two people, but I wanted to pick out one more thing. I was thinking about a couple of crab cakes, but instead opted for their mixed green salad ($14 /lb.) with dried apricots, cranberries and goat cheese. At just $4.23 (he scooped until I said when), there was more than enough for the both of us.

While my pizza was baking (they're made fresh, to order) I sauntered over to their gourmet chocolates counter to pick out a few after dinner treats. Scanning the case, I decided upon: Antoinette (dark chocolate ganache in rose water), Queenie (dark chocolate ganache with earl grey), Juliet (fresh mint with chocolate) and Charlotte (white chocolate ganache with green tea and chamomile). $5 for the lot.

Lastly, I stopped by Soho Wines & Spirits for a bottle of bubbly to go along with it all...

The verdict: pas mal.

But for $22 and change (not counting wine), it was a perfectly suitable dinner.

I think although the ingredients of the pizza sounded intriguing and exotic, the overall taste of the pizza was just okay. David and I were both a fan of the chewy, meaty dough (he said it was from overkneading), but I'd rather see them do a traditional pizza (with a wet, tangy sauce) or even a white pizza--the pear and gorgonzola just didn't do it for me.

And the salad, also, looked more exciting than it tasted. But it too, was fine. And on to the chocolates, we were excited by only two of them, and I found at least one of them to be a bit pedestrian.

But like I said, at $22 for a full, three course meal--for two, I'll probably be back. With David away for the summer, the cook is out of the kitchen.

New Layout

No more arrows...

in case you hadn't noticed.

Pizza, Veuve & Truman

It's been a while since I've had a free moment to update my blog.

Last week, my father went into the hospital because he was experiencing severe shortness of breath and as it turned out, he was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is when certain valves of the heart beat out of rhythm with the others which can sometimes cause shortness of breath or angina--a restriction in blood flow causing constriction in the airway.

He was in the hospital for about two to three days, taking heparin through an iv and having lots of tests, and on the third day, they decided to perform an electrical cardioversion; this is where they shock the heart in anticipation of reverting the unrhythmic valves back to their normal rhythm. The procedure was successful.

Just a few days later, he was released with a prescription for coumadin and an order to stay home (from work) until July 6th.

I'm very thankful to all my friends and family for their prayers.

Yesterday, while at work, one of our managers asked me if I could pick up a host shift because one of our hostesses had unexpectedly jumped ship.

"What are you going to give me?"

"A plate of food."

(With his sly smile, I knew he was referring to "family meal.")

"I think you should buy me lunch... today!"

I decided to take my comp meal "to go" and brought it home for David and I to share over a bottle of Veuve.

Originally, I was going to order our (somewhat new) four cheese pizza with shaved red onion and garlic, and the roasted beet salad, but remembering that David doesn't care for beets, I instead went with our black truffle pizza and fennel salad. I thought the two dishes, along with a bottle of Veuve, would make for a very complimentary meal.

And I was right. It all went together very nicely and David was a fan of the black truffle pizza which he said "made sense." At first, he wasn't sure if he wanted us to open our bottle of Veuve, which we'd been saving since April, but I could tell that he had had a stressful evening of office work and said to him: You need it!

Needless to say, it didn't require any arm twisting...

We spent the rest of our dinner discussing Capote--I had purchased Music for Chameleons, that afternoon. In addition to reading "La Côte Basque" fifty times (I took a break after the fourth--I was afraid I was absorbing Lady Coolbirth's mannerisms and dialogue), I've decided I'm going to read all Capote's books. (Except, perhaps, for In Cold Blood.)

And we both agreed "La Côte Basque" is perfectly flawless.

>I'M HAVING A DINNER PARTY>>

After much thought, a few discussions and two rosé cavas, I've found the perfect venue for my new weekly (or monthly?) dinner party! Thursday nights (coming soon), at 10pm, you are invited to join me and drag hostess Cameron Nico at Pearl Lounge in Chelsea for nibbly bits and cocktails--on us! Get ready (for those of you who remember our previous venture) for Pre:Post 2!

>BLUE RIBBON'S BROMBERG BROS. ON MARTHA STEWART!>>

Brothers Eric and Bruce Bromberg joined Martha Stewart for a step-by-step of their Barbecued Pork Sandwich from the recently released Blue Ribbon Cookbook!

(click link for video)

>GRIFFINS, P(P)X REGULARS & SOFT SHELL CRABS>>

The other night, Cynthia and I were scanning the East Village looking for somewhere to eat other than Blue Ribbon. Standing in front of 7A, we flipped a coin (heads for Blue Ribbon) and ended up back at our usual haunt.

Our server was Ben and I was inquiring about their latest artist's addition and it turns out that it's a painting of a griffin and not of a devil--as I had previously thought...

(Not the one at Blue Ribbon)

Sunday, at work, one of the managers asked me if I could stay late and pick up an extra shift because one of our hostesses had called in sick (I don't mind hosting, occasionally). I told him that I would, only on two conditions: 1. That he let me order something from our guest menu and 2. That I'd get to leave early.

He agreed.

I'd been wanting to try our soft shell crab for some time, because even though in the past, I didn't care for it, ours, deep fried in batter, looks quite tasty. Being only an appetizer, I also ordered the mozzarella, pineapple and prosciutto salad.

The crab sat upon a slight napa cabbage salad with a spicy mustard seed dressing. --It was divine! And the pineapple salad, which came with both plain and lightly candied pineapples and just a touch of cayenne pepper was also delicious. I was ready to face the second half my double.

Later that evening, one of my favorite regulars (if not favorite) called in for a reservation. Her preferred table was already taken, but I told the maître d' to hold table twenty-eight, our next best table. Shortly thereafter, I saw Ms. T.L. and her husband and happily escorted them directly to their table. Later, a busser directed my attention to them.

"We'd like to offer you a taste [of the wine we brought]."

I was delighted; I'd never had a guest offer me a taste before! I expeditiously searched the back of the bar for a matching-sized goblet and with fleet feet, returned to their table to pour myself an appropriately-sized sample.

"We want to thank you for always being so good to us. Cheers."

It was a really nice bottle.

Per my agreement, I was relieved from duty at about 9 o'clock. Heading west and then north, I ended up at Alpha on 8th Avenue near 19th Street in Chelsea.

The only reason I recently started going to Alpha is because it's the home of the recently closed Ate Ave--formerly, my favorite place to eat in Chelsea. So of course, I wanted to see what the replacing restaurant would be like.

The first time I went [to Alpha], I was a bit unnerved by their unnecessary and ubiquitous flat-screen/jumbo-sized TV's. (Especially "Cash Cab," without closed-captioning--what's the point?) I was waiting to meet my friend, Jon and decided I'd order a cosmo since we were about to see "Sex and The City 2." (I don't watch the show, but figured I'd see the movie anyway just to be "in the know.") I didn't like the cosmo, but I'm not a cosmo drinker anyway; I'd only had one once or twice before.

Happy to be done with my double, I pulled up a stool at the near end of the bar, giving myself a view of all the action.

I was pretty tired already and the wine I'd previously tasted at work was enough to keep me happy; so I opted against ordering a drink. Scrolling down the menu, I noticed the Salmon, Cucumber & Caviar Roll ($6.25) and the Spider Roll (soft shell crab) ($9.95) and placed an order for both. I was glad to see the bar area rather spirited (especially since it was not on my last visit; I was the sole imbiber).

About thirty minutes had passed before my dish finally arrived. (Don't come here if you're in a rush!) But I became a little embarrassed as I saw my entrée making its way towards me. Perched atop an upside-down wine glass was an orange with its top cut off in a zig-zag pattern with a cherry placed in the middle. And inside the glass, nested below shaved radish noodles, was an object flashing multi-colored lights.

The dish was fine--nothing of a culinary masterpiece and the freshness of the ingredients won't amaze you. But combining the price, setting and ease of bar-dining, I found the experience to be appropriate.

After the bartender cleared away the distressing dish, I inquired about dessert...

"I'll just take an espresso."

"We don't have coffee."

"No coffee at all?"

I placed an order for their black and white mousse and knew I was taking a gamble.

When the mousse arrived, I was a bit perplexed. Is that cookie crust on the bottom? And why is it not in a bowl? It was more like a cheesecake than like a mousse. I took my first bite and it wasn't bad... and it wasn't good. I think the best way to describe it is that it's something you'd find in the bakery section at Gristedes. But as I closed out and signed the check on my $24 bill, I thought to myself: I might be back. > >