NYC Day One: Hit The Ground Running

Going to our friends T & R's wedding in New York provided us with the perfect excuse to finally make our way over to the East Coast. It was mine and Scott's first time visiting, so we definitely wanted to make big embarrassing tourists of ourselves! We booked the red-eye on Virgin America (they had some low fares going on at the time!): left SFO at 11pm to arrive JFK at 7:30am.

The flight was restless, unfortunately. Take note, Virgin America flyers, that everyone will get excited over the free satellite TV on board, and that there will always be that one person that will find stand-up comedy very entertaining, thus filling the cabin with roaring laughter, fully damning whatever chance of sleep you thought you had going on. Also, take snacks, because they don't feed you unless you pay up $8 for some hummus and veggie sticks.

Finally, we made it to the Big Apple. Or the borough of Queens, at least. It was about $60 and a harrowing 45-minute cab ride later that we made it to our hotel in the Flatiron District, the MAve hotel. Check-in wasn't until 3pm, so we dropped off our bags and met up with our friend Verlee and her husband, Josh. The four of us had planned a walking tour of NYC with Real New York Tours. We really wanted to make sure we saw as much as possible in one day without having to go on a big bus tour with 50 other people. Going on this walking tour allowed us to be really flexible -- we were able to take our time in some neighborhoods (the ones with food and shopping, specifically) and explore places that most other guided tours overlook.

Led by our awesome guide Jimmy, a born and bred, yoga-trained liberal New Yorker with a nicotine habit, we ventured out into Manhattan.

We started with exploring the neighborhoods right by our hotels:
Flatiron District and Gramercy Park


The Flatiron Building (where 23rd St., Fifth Ave and Broadway meet)


Madison Square Park, home of the Shake Shack (we will revisit Shake Shack in a later entry)

Then we made our way downtown. First to the Financial District...


New York Stock Exchange at Wall Street


Federal Hall (where Kevin James met Will Smith on "Hitch")


Scott and his day-old stubble looking less-than-interested in the historical economic babble going on.


Tourists!

And Ground Zero...





Then we made our way uptown, and saw lots of things that I'll just randomly put here...








For the "Friends" fans


For the "Sex And The City" fans (I guess they got tired of people sitting on Carrie's stoop)

We wrapped up the tour at Strawberry Fields...



But there was still SO MUCH of New York to see. Too bad we all looked like this...


So exhausted!

So we made our way back to our hotels. However, during our tour, we did manage to stop by Gray's Papaya (two hotdogs and a drink for under five bucks!). While I enjoyed the hotdogs and my piña colada drink (and their miniature size!), my husband grumbled about how the $1.50 hotdog and drink special at Costco was so much better than Gray's Papaya.





We managed to cram a lot of sights on our first day. But with a full day of walking and virtually no sleep the night before, we were ready to crash. At 6:00 pm. In New York City. We didn't think it was a big deal. We had an equally full day planned for the next day -- a picnic in Central Park, strolling in Greenwich Village, and walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. But when "Hurricane Watch" came on the evening news, we knew that our plans would have to change...

So tortured.

Sunday night, I made banana bread with cinnamon crumble topping. I started baking kind of late and the damn thing takes an hour to bake, 30 minute to rest in the pan, then it needs to get turned out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling. Anyway, it was already 11:30pm when I put it on the rack and my husband was already in bed.

Monday morning, I see that a huge chunk of the loaf has disappeared. I didn't think it was a big deal. Scott probably got hungry this morning.

As soon as he came home from work Monday evening, the following conversation occurs:

S: I hope it was ok that I took some banana bread.

M: Of course it's ok! Why wouldn't it be? I made it for you.

S: Well, I wasn't sure if you were going to bring it to work with you or who it was for. I just knew that I wanted some for breakfast. And then it was really good, so I wanted some more for my morning snack at work. I stood in front of the banana bread this morning and thought, "She might get mad at me for taking some, but she could get mad at me too if I didn't take any, so if she's going to get mad at me either way, I may as well get some banana bread out of it." So I took some.

M: That may have been the saddest story I've ever heard. I don't get mad at you all the time.

S: As sad as it sounds, I make all of my decisions based on what would make you mad the least. I'm tortured.

//end scene

Hurry! Before time runs out!

With less than three weeks before summer's end (though, one can't really tell based on the scorching temperatures we've been getting lately), I plan on taking full advantage of whatever precious time I have left with summer produce. I'd mentioned the peach cobbler previously, but here's another summertime favorite: Tomato Bruschetta.

It's so flippin' easy, you don't even need a set "recipe." All you need is the usual cast of characters:


Fresh tomatoes (I used different colored tomatoes because it looks purty) and fresh basil (the amount is to taste really, but I happen to LOVE basil). Not pictured: salt and pepper to taste.

So you chop all these up and put them in a bowl. Unfortunately, you have to leave them alone for a little bit so all the flavors can marry. Waiting is the hardest part of the process, but it's totally worth it.


I guess I could've chopped these up smaller, but the knife I was using at the time was complete crap.

While you're waiting, take a loaf of your favorite bread and slice it into 3/4" thick pieces. Throw the bread slices onto a grill until they get nice and crispy and get delicious-looking grillmarks. Then take a clove of garlic and rub it on the surface of the toast. Since the surface is rough, garlic gets nestled into the little nooks and crannies on the toast.

Once the bread is toasted and garlic-rubbed, top it with the tomatoes. And then you get this beauty:



I opted to top the bruschetta with a little bit of olive oil and some Fig Balsamic Vinegar from The Girl and The Fig. The balsamic added a tart sweetness to the plate, pairing deliciously with the juicy tomatoes.

Suggested wine pairing: Castello Di Amorosa Pinot Bianco, but if you're nowhere near Calistoga and are looking for a more commerically-available option, the Robert Mondavi Fume Blanc would be my next pick.

Hey y'all!

I came across the juiciest peaches at Farmers Market the other day, so I decided to make some real southern peach cobbler. Thanks to some extensive cobbler googling, I learned that "real" southern peach cobbler doesn't come with a biscuit topping as with most cobbler recipes. With southern cobbler recipes, the "batter" goes in the pan first, then the fruit. As it bakes, the "batter" rises around the fruit, enveloping and cushioning the tender fruit with sugary, oh-so-sinfully-buttery goodness.

You guys should really try this super simple recipe soon. As the end of summer nears, so does peach season!

Southern Peach Cobbler
adapted from this Cooks.com recipe



Ingredients
3 cups fresh peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced (I used 6-7 baseball sized peaches)
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, divided
1 stick butter
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg (optional)
1 c. milk


[the brown sugar works its magic on the summer ripened peaches]

Procedure
Mix peaches and 3/4 cup brown sugar; let stand 20 minutes, until syrup starts to form. Put butter into a 2 quart casserole in a 325-degree oven to melt. Meanwhile, stir together remaining 3/4 cup sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir in milk until mixture is moistened; batter will be lumpy. Pour batter into prepared pan, over the melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon peach mixture over batter -- Do not stir. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until puffed and golden. Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream.


[the dough rises around the peaches, surrounding each slice in a warm, caramelly hug]

Or you can eat it the morning after, re-warmed in your office microwave, while wading through your work emails, like my husband did. And it's just as good two days later, especially comforting after a rough day at work. You can have it for dessert that night too. And as for day three? Well, the pan just didn't last that long.

Five on Friday

I'm back!! Sorry, I told you all that I get distracted easily. Let's ease back into blogging with a mindless post. Here are five awesome essentials of my everyday (aside from the obvious air, water, shelter, husband, cookies, etc.)

1. Remington S1051 Ceramic Hair Straightener
While this tool isn't a CHI, it does the trick on my super thick, a-bit-shorter-than-shoulder-length Filipino hair.



2. MAC Cosmetics #266 Small Angle Brush
The short, stiff bristles are perfect for grooming my unruly brows. Used in conjuction with Benefit's BrowZing, it makes my brows look clean and polished.


[source]

3. Speaking of eyebrows, I use this Tweezerman Slant Tweezer in between appointments with the wax lady. It keeps the growth from getting too scary within that three to four week timeframe.


[source]

4. Stella by Stella McCartney is the prettiest scent I've ever smelled. I usually prefer fruitier scents, but the floral notes in this perfume smells so light and clean, it's perfect for everyday.


[source]

5. Philips Sonicare Elite e7300 Power Toothbrush. I haven't gotten a cavity since I got my Sonicare for Christmas in 2005. Nothing beats the sonic technology.


[source]

And since I've neglected this blog for a while, I'll give you a bonus:

6. I also use sonic technology on my face! The Clarisonic Skin Care System is truly an investment, but I just think of it as one less facial I need to get, and it's already paid for itself.


[source]


I know, this was kind of a filler post, but next time, I'll post pictures of my most recent culinary feats and maybe an entry on our short trip to Yosemite!

Wedding Photo Wednesday #4

Like many couples, Scott and I weren't sure if we wanted to see each other before the ceremony. On one hand, we wanted to stick with tradition, but the Type-A planner couldn't cope with the horrendous logistics that come with having to cram all the portraits in between the ceremony and the reception. "But didn't seeing each other beforehand take away the excitement of walking down the aisle?", you ask? Oh hell no. I thought for sure that the "first glance" moment would've taken the edge off, but I still ended up being a blubbery mess at the ceremony. I walked down the aisle towards my husband, and the fact that I've already seen him in his rented tux or that he's already seen me in a white dress, didn't make me less excited to say our vows in front of our family and friends.

Who am I kidding? We wanted to get the portraits out of the way so we didn't miss our cocktail hour. I wasn't about to miss out on an hour of booze and hors d'oeuvres! Also, I wanted to take pictures when my hair and makeup were still fresh.

Gluttony and vanity: the real reasons why we decided to see each other before the ceremony.





[ Ed Pingol Photography ]

Sweet and Simple Lemon Bars

I am a lazy cook.

I try to channel my inner Thomas Keller, but in the end, the laziness wins out. I hate dirtying up the kitchen and despise washing dishes, so I try to use the least amount of bowls and utensils as possible. But then I realized that I could make something so scrumptious and so delicious that my husband would fall in love with me all over again and gladly clean up the mess I made in the kitchen.

You know where I'm going with this right?

Armed with the knowledge that Scott cannot say no to anything sweet, I cruised on over to my Google Reader and clicked on Bakerella's blog. She recently posted a lemon bar recipe that was so simple I just had to try it. Besides, I already had all the ingredients in my pantry. Except for the lemons. Luckily, the neighbor's loaded lemon tree has clearly grown over the fence onto our property, so it was a quick walk to the backyard, a swift setup of the step ladder, and voila! lemon larceny.

So here's the easy-peasy lemon bar recipe (Thanks to Bakerella and her little apprentice!)



Lemon Bars

Crust:
1 cup butter
1 3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup confectioner's sugar (plus more for dusting)

Topping:
1 1/2 cup plain sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour a 9 X 13 pan

To make crust:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and confectioner's sugar
• Cut in butter until combined and crumbly.
• Press mixture into bottom of pan.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

To make topping:

• While crust is baking, prepare topping.
• In a larger bowl, add sugar, flour, and baking powder.
• Then add slightly beaten eggs and lemon juice.
• Mix well and pour on top of warm baked crust.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes.
• When cool, dust with confectioner's sugar and refrigerate.
• Cut into bars and enjoy them cold!





By the way, the mess is minimal. Two bowls, a baking dish, a fork and a knife. It really wasn't that bad. I just hate washing dishes that much.