Have a delightful holiday with your friends and family!
Pietown here I come!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Buon Giorno!!
The final installment of my food tour extravaganza is here! A month late, but who is counting? It also happens to be my favorite portion of the tour - Little Italy! 
Fresh gnocchi and pasta, mozzarella and other delicious cheeses, sundried tomatoes -yum!
I don't eat meat but man, I could go for some of this! If I started again, Alleva would definitely be my first stop for pepperoni.
Alleva was amazing! The cheese was awesome and the family that runs it - for over 100 years - was so fun too. Check it out.
For our final stop, we finished things off with something sweet - cannolis from Ferrara Cafe.
I always thought Little Italy was just a tourist trap with no authentic Italian places left, but I was so wrong! While Italians might not live in the area, there are many businesses that have been there for decades and for good reason - they are delicious!
Our happy (and full) group posing for a final shot! Thank you Julie!Monday, November 23, 2009
Cutest Idea Ever!
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Forgive the wonkey picture - its the idea that I wanted to share with you! A friend of mine was invited to a baby shower, and all guests were given fabric scraps to put together into a design. All of the designs will be assembled into a quilt for the little baby! Isn't that such a cool idea?
I helped Divya sew this underwater scene above - I wonder how the finished quilt will look? Full of love, no doubt.
Forgive the wonkey picture - its the idea that I wanted to share with you! A friend of mine was invited to a baby shower, and all guests were given fabric scraps to put together into a design. All of the designs will be assembled into a quilt for the little baby! Isn't that such a cool idea?
I helped Divya sew this underwater scene above - I wonder how the finished quilt will look? Full of love, no doubt.
Chinatown, My Chinatown
More on the food tour! Next Stop: Chinatown!
Here is another great trick to perform for out of towners to have them think you are the ultimate New Yorker: take them to Vanessa's Dumpling House. No frills, super crowded, but delicious and so cheap!
Seriously! You can get 4 dumplings for $1! That is nuts. I fully support the insanity though, when it means a belly full of steamed veggie dumplings for a fraction of a $5 footlong.
They cook them fresh right before your eyes! Plus - please try one of their sesame pancake sandwiches? They are amazing and only $ 2-$4 each. Unreal. I love this place and have already been back once since being introduced to it!
I wish I shopped in Chinatown more - you can get such great deals on incredibly fresh food! Its a little overwhelming...but worth it.
Look at these pretty yellow tomatoes! And where else can you pick up a stalk or two of sugarcane?
However: if you come across one of these thorny beauties beware! The Durian, or King of All Fruit, is incredibly dangerous.
In that it tastes like what I believe hell is like. Apparently, it is illegal to carry these on public transportation in Thailand, because once opened (quite a task) their scent is so pungent as to overwhelm other passengers. They look kind of cool, though.
Are these not the most adorable baked goods you have seen in your life? Almost too cute to eat.
We stopped by Lucky King bakery to try some steamed buns - although some of our group were not a fan (Daniel) I thought they were great! Who knew black bean curd could make for a delightful dessert?
I snagged a Chrysanthemum flavored ice tea juice box - it tasted pretty much like Julie's regular ice tea juice box. But it sure is fun to drink out of a juice box!
Here is another great trick to perform for out of towners to have them think you are the ultimate New Yorker: take them to Vanessa's Dumpling House. No frills, super crowded, but delicious and so cheap! Seriously! You can get 4 dumplings for $1! That is nuts. I fully support the insanity though, when it means a belly full of steamed veggie dumplings for a fraction of a $5 footlong. 
They cook them fresh right before your eyes! Plus - please try one of their sesame pancake sandwiches? They are amazing and only $ 2-$4 each. Unreal. I love this place and have already been back once since being introduced to it!
I wish I shopped in Chinatown more - you can get such great deals on incredibly fresh food! Its a little overwhelming...but worth it. 
Look at these pretty yellow tomatoes! And where else can you pick up a stalk or two of sugarcane?
However: if you come across one of these thorny beauties beware! The Durian, or King of All Fruit, is incredibly dangerous. In that it tastes like what I believe hell is like. Apparently, it is illegal to carry these on public transportation in Thailand, because once opened (quite a task) their scent is so pungent as to overwhelm other passengers. They look kind of cool, though. 
Are these not the most adorable baked goods you have seen in your life? Almost too cute to eat.
We stopped by Lucky King bakery to try some steamed buns - although some of our group were not a fan (Daniel) I thought they were great! Who knew black bean curd could make for a delightful dessert? 
I snagged a Chrysanthemum flavored ice tea juice box - it tasted pretty much like Julie's regular ice tea juice box. But it sure is fun to drink out of a juice box! 
Up next: Little Italy!
Economy Candy!
I want to introduce you to one of my favorite stores in New York - Economy Candy! If you love candy like I do, or even just like it a little bit, you will be in awe of this place! (If you don't like candy you are weird.)
This store has been on the Lower East Side of New York since 1937 and it is amazing - they have every kind of sweet imaginable, even weird stuff you thought they didn't make anymore like whatchamacallit or sky bar, plus a ton of international candies, as well as gourmet chocolates and what not. And, unlike snooty Dylan's Candy Bar, its way cheap!
This place is bursting at the seams with sugar of all sort. The air smells like sweetness! Even if you have to squeeze your way through the packed aisles around tourists, its worth it.
This place is a delight for all ages - seriously. You must go here! Take your friends and family when they come to New York and they will think you are so cool for knowing about this place.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Hayride!
You know what is fun? Olden days transportation. Like a wagon! 
Look how excited said 3 year old is? SO EXCITED!! (Me too!)
It was really lovely to see the beautiful countryside of Old Lyme, CT - quite stunning, actually, and refreshing too, coming from NYC!
The other kids had a great time - so did the grown ups!
Bessie and Dorian study the scenery of beautiful Fox Glove Farm.
Bess and I introduce ourselves to our new horsey pals, Samuel and Adams. 
And look! We didn't lose anyone overboard even. 
Even the little one! She is hard to miss in her hot pink though.
It felt like our hayride was a time machine to the days of yore!
Everyone was transfixed!
And happy to be there!
What better way to celebrate a 3rd birthday?
Fresh air and fun, and bangs.
Jack grows a little restless.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Obsessed
Wow - I am obsessed. Coolio apparently has an online cooking show - he appeared on Today today. He's pretty good! And has his own cookbook out! I was wondering where you were, Coolio! On a fantastic cooking voyage.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
The Neverending (Halloween) Story
Mermaids are not so hard to catch on dry land. Especially carpet. 
She flopped and floundered a bit...
But we snatched her up! She was too cute to let go.
So sweet! And not fishy smelling at all.
Pirates, however, are another story. They are very quick.
The Little Mermaid did come close...
Got him!
But not for long!
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