Grits in the City - Fitness. Family. Food.
Hope you enjoy all these as much as I do!
To start, T took me over to Copper & Oak, a spot we’d been wanting to try for a bit that apparently still has a functioning website even though it’s apparently now out of business. We made our way from there over to Boulton and Watt in the East Village, where we were able to grab spots at the bar. I recommend the Mexican Revolver. It’s like a spicy margarita, plus prosecco – a perfect birthday beverage.
It’s been a pretty stellar year full of lots of big changes and amazing people. I really am blessed. I’m not fully letting myself off the hook though on all of those goals I had for this year that sort of were forgotten in the midst of wedding planning. Just means the rest of the year will be that much busier to compensate!
Birthday Celebrations at Whitman and Bloom
To commemorate the occasion though, I celebrated by treating myself to one thing practical (this new blog domain and major face-lift, still a work in progress – you like?) and one thing slightly frivolous (hello pleather leggings – where have you been all my life?). [Read more…]
This Week’s Forty Carrots Food Truck at Bloomingdale’s
There’s lots going on over the weekend and the coming weeks in the food scene. The Feast of San Gennaro is back, which means there’s lots of tasty things to be had lining the streets in Little Italy. Only 11 more days to take advantage. This rundown helps you know what’s happening when. This weekend is definitely one for food festivals. You can have your pick of Pig Island (Saturday), the Vendy Awards (Saturday – already sold out), Taste Talks Brooklyn’s All-Star BBQ with Quest Love (Sunday), TASTE Williamsburg Greenpoint (Sunday), and OysterFest (Sunday). [Read more…]
Yesterday was a productive day. One of those days that come 6pm, having to leave the office a tad early to go to a free networking event felt more like a chore than a treat. I’m really glad though that I made myself do it. I knew nothing about wimLink, a networking group on Meetup, aside from the fact that it’s focused on women in digital. Usually more apt to attend events specific to social media, I thought it was a good chance to mix it up. The panel was an interesting mix as well, featuring Beth Buehler from Rodale, Megan Clarken from Nielsen, and Emily Susskind of Golden Seeds.
Most of the themes highlighted were things I have heard before, but something about hearing them again in early September felt right. Good time to refocus, get some perspective, and get some inspirational energy to charge through the almost last quarter to 2015. While it’s not fall yet, it’s fast approaching. As students are back in the classroom, it feels fitting to take a second look at all things career for the remainder of the year ahead. [Read more…]
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…]