Grits in the City - discounts and faves
Hope you enjoy all these as much as I do!
Happy 35th, Rachel. Thinking about you especially today, as I do every year on September 9th. Today, we went to Magnolia Bakery at Bloomingdale’s. Cupcakes and shopping. I know you’d be all in for this one.
Sending a smile and a big hug up your way, today and always.. Xo
I don’t think we could have asked for a more perfect Labor Day weekend. Clouds were non-existent, sun was plentiful, and the temps were high. Yesterday, we woke up earlier than I do on workdays (5:30AM?!) to make the long trip out to Robert Moses Beach, located on the western-most part of Fire Island. It’s possible to get out there from the city sans car, but it is admittedly a bit involved. If you’re going, this vacation package from LIRR is the way to go, which includes round-trip LIRR fare as well as a round-trip bus ticket for the S-47 bus at Babylon. We spent the day napping in the sun, surrounded by friends.
Take the long trip out to Brooklyn Crab. Yes, it’s a bit of a pain to get there. It’s either a long walk from the F/G or a ride over on the Ikea NY Water Taxi. Once you get there though, a spectacular view and crab caked with Old Bay awaits. If there’s a bit of wait, fret not. This spot comes with built in entertainment. Head to the back for some mini golf to pass the time. Come late afternoon, sit outside, and you’ll have the perfect spot come sunset. [Read more…]
My parents went this past week and picked some fresh peaches at a spot in New Jersey. Peaches from the local store – or, better yet, local market – works as well.
The best thing about cobbler is it is incredibly easy. You don’t need to spend a ton of time perfectly rolling out or chilling your crust layer. Nope. Skip that silliness. Cobbler has you covered. And the end result is equally tasty.
My mom found this easy recipe from Southern Living. The longest part of this prep time was peeling and slicing up the peaches (you want to make sure to cut out any bad spots and, of course, the tougher spots leading up to and including the pit). Once that was ready to go, the rest went quickly.
First, melt the butter in a 13″ x 9″ baking dish.
Separately, mix up the batter by combining the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt and then adding the milk. You will want to stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Then pour batter over butter, but do not stir.
Small plates are the focus at La Vara, which we enjoy since it means we really get the chance to try as many different menu options as we’re prepared to eat. They change them up often, which can be good (yay, more things to try!) or bad (wait, where’d my favorite go?), depending on your POV. We’d recently started to do one “fancy date night” a month, and January, our destination was La Vara.
True to what’s become our tradition, T and I made reservations for a nice dinner in Brooklyn. This year, we opted to visit Rose Water in Park Slope, having previously only been there for brunch. We were both big fans, so I took a bit of a leap of faith, booking us a spot for two menu unseen. Hey we’re serving a six course paired tasting menu just for the evening. A quick email to the manager confirmed that they could accommodate a mushroom allergy, so other than that, we had no idea as to what to expect when we arrived. [Read more…]
I recommend using whole nutmegs and grating to get the best flavor. I can’t get enough of freshly ground nutmeg. I went very much overboard on the nutmeg, which made the pancakes, IMHO. I found the eggnog flavor a bit subtle for my taste. I left the batter on the thicker side. Next time, I would keep adding eggnog to a thinner consistency – just to maximize the eggnog flavor. [Read more…]
Last year’s David Meister rental
If you haven’t found that right something for NYE, it’s not quite too late (there are even in-person RTR options for select locations). Here are some things to keep in mind if you haven’t used Rent the Runway before. [Read more…]
When T and I arrived, they had already been seated and were perusing the fabulous menu. The selection of bubbles to accompany your order is extensive. We had the H. Billiot Fils Brut Rose, which was a raspberry rose that was amazing. The list on their website gives you an idea. [Read more…]
Hamachi, lychee-buttermilk, asparagus, cashew
Cremant d’Alsace Brut Reserve Francois Baur NV (Alsace, France)