Forecast: Cloudy 66 and rain
This is weird weather for August in New York city, but I am not complaining due to the fact that I totally prefer this weather to the hot, humid, and sticky usually associated with this time of year.
There's a little bit to catch up on from last week since i was a little busy to get to updating. Last Sunday (not yesterday the Sunday before); Eric and I took a drive up to the Pocantico Hills for a fancy dinner reservation at Blue Hill at Stone Barnes
It was an amazing experience. The philosophy of the Restaurant is to subsist from the land it is on. Almost everything is directly produced from the farm a mere 100 feet from where you are sitting in the dining room. Granted it was a little strange to pull down into the drive through a bit of the farm to the parking area just outside of the Barnes that have been renovated into these breath taking spaces and see lambs and chickens and realize they are bound for someone’s plate. Should that bother me as a vegetarian? You know I don’t think so on the pure fact that I know they aren’t meant for my plate and for the fact that my original stance on the diet (when I was about 12 mind you) was that I didn’t particularity take to the idea of the waste which occurs in the mass production of meat processing. I was young enough not to really know what a factory farm was so my ideologies when it came to where meat came from were pretty simple, when we went to Blue Hill i just had the understanding that this place was different in that regard. The approach was to really appreciate nature in the medium of food. I will admit to getting a little squeamish when I was driving in and saw the to-be lamb chops, but in the little bit of education I had through Eric on the process of Stone Barnes and Blue Hill I understood that fact that its was not mass production which is very unappetizing to me it was throw back to a gentle time when it was used of sustenance not to make a dollar as fast as possible from an animal.
Anyways, coming back to it from the tangent. The food was delicious! We chose a tasting menu, Eric got the regular things and I had to make the usual veggie amendment to the dishes. The one thing I really enjoy is when dining at the caliber of a restaurant when you order a tasting menu you are asked about dietary restrictions or allergies, and when you make them the staff is kind and accommodating not rude and figuring that I f they steam a plate of veggies that will be enough for you. Granted you end up paying for that service. Everything was impeccable, even though they did accidentally come out with the same amuse twice. But the mini-burgers of fresh tomato and goat cheese on a bed of sesame seeds were amazing so I didn’t mind getting them a second time. After a while the food did get a little tomato heavy (being one of the main ingredients) but that’s expected when they are working with a menu from what the land produces and tomatoes are in season right then. Lets see if I can remember what else we had.
Mini cucumbers with lightly friend green beans
Grilled watermelon salad with blue cheese
Tomato hearts
Goat cheese and tomato burgers (2xs)
Vegetable risotto with grilled endive
Tomato gazpacho
Farm Fresh (gathered that morning) egg with and amazing bean salad
Ok honestly there were about 5 more that I just can’t remember. All of it was better then the last, the only down side that happens with any tasting menu is that a few courses in you start to fill up but everything is so incredible you eat and eat and eat and then absolutely have that too full and going to explode feeling at the end. The end also brought on about 3 amazing desserts with fresh fruits and fresh made ice cream and a cheesecake on berry compote with corn ice cream. I know; corn ice cream? The really weird part is when you taste it all together you start to see similar tastes between the corn and the cheesecake- something i find absolutely amazing about any culinary experience is the fact that these chefs understand food so well and its interaction with you, with one's ability taste, and with other foods... at some point in my life I hope to be able to something that is basically so simple but has the ability to incrediably complex and multidimensional. I think that is something that really impresses me about Eric's intrest in cooking, and I must say I can't complain..It's not too difficult to have a classically trained cook at home.
The building that houses the dining room is absolutely stunning, unfortunately our reservation was at 9 on a Sunday night but I can just picture that this place has to be amazing during the day. If I had an unlimited budget one day when I ever decide to take the big plunge my dream venue would be this place. The food would be stunning and so would the service and it would be all fresh and natural, something that has become very important to me. Growing up I think everything that ended up on the dinner table had originated from a box, being with Eric I have a great appreciation for the food in a pure sense. Making a meal from something that comes from nature rather than being pre-fabricated . Oh and I forgot to mention the table settings were gorgeous! I was very rude and looked at the artist who had done the plates (Laura Zindel) on the table and as soon as I could googled her in an attempt to buy everything! Right when I saw the prices of the plates I think I choked! Maybe I can slowly build my collection (you know my birthday is in Decemebr, eh eh!). I will have to start with this beautiful bread dish that had a drawing of a birds nest. I think Eric got a little embarrassed because it was on the table next to us and I kept looking at it possibly creeping out the couple sitting at that table.
The rest of the week was quiet with a lot of work; I attempted my first spinning class last Tuesday and actually made it through with a little bit of pain. I am hoping to get involved a few more times this week as well as try out the Palates and Yoga classes. I don’t really know that I will ever really be sold on Yoga; I just don’t think I am a Type B personality enough to buy in to it. But you know I should give it another try and see, it can only benefit me. I am impressed and in the same respect a little bummed out; the girls I used to go on my Saturday runs pre-broken arm are up to doing 12 miles now. I though I could jump right in and get down to business and join up with them again but its going to take a while for me to get back the stamina to get anywhere near 12 miles. I’ve been thinking that next year I might really push to try to train and sign up for the marathon (Christine and MA are running it in November this year, hence the insane training), I was just thinking to myself what an amazing accomplishment that would be. We’ll see what happens.
We headed up to Albany for the weekend. Even though we had to endure 2 extra hours of traffic added on to the usual 2 1/2 hour trip it was well worth it. Friday night consisted of home made pizza and laundry followed by watching TV in bed- pretty much a perfect evening (if only we had gotten in before 10 which made eating pizza a little difficult at 11 when I am used to eating dinner at like 7 at the latest). Saturday morning was full of the usual suburban errand running as well as getting Steve all suited up for his new apt in Park slope (you know the drill; sheets, duvet, lamps, pillows, knives, cutting board, and other kitchen odds and ends etc for the new place). It was crazy, I felt like a pseudo-mom trying to get their kid ready for college, but I think we did a good job. I am happy I missed out on the 6 hour trip to Ikea he took once we got back to Brooklyn with his room mates, I did that once when I first moved to the city as well and I am more than convinced I still have the emotional scars running deep in my psyche. Saturday night was great! We went to an Art show for Tommy, a very close friend of mine from Albany who has now relocated for school in California. I was happy to get a chance to see him again before he goes west coast again. I also ran into alto of people who I hadn’t seen in quiet a while. It was a good catch up getting to see all the kids I grew up going to hardcore shows with. We headed home early since we knew we had an early start to get back to BK for my brother to unpack the car and head off to get some stylish yet affordable Swedish digs for the new pad.
Sunday ended in a quick drive back followed by a very stressful day of unpacking the 5 loads of laundry done up state and then an exhausting schedule of ordering in lunch and watching coming to America. Eric made some delicious tomato sauce from scratch and we had a nice dinner for two with spinach fettuccini, home made sauce, fresh motz balls on top and a side of zucchini/garlic bread. I don’t think I needed seconds at all but I went for it anyways, I suppose that’s what the spinning class this afternoon will be for.
It really was a perfect weekend.
There's a little bit to catch up on from last week since i was a little busy to get to updating. Last Sunday (not yesterday the Sunday before); Eric and I took a drive up to the Pocantico Hills for a fancy dinner reservation at Blue Hill at Stone Barnes
It was an amazing experience. The philosophy of the Restaurant is to subsist from the land it is on. Almost everything is directly produced from the farm a mere 100 feet from where you are sitting in the dining room. Granted it was a little strange to pull down into the drive through a bit of the farm to the parking area just outside of the Barnes that have been renovated into these breath taking spaces and see lambs and chickens and realize they are bound for someone’s plate. Should that bother me as a vegetarian? You know I don’t think so on the pure fact that I know they aren’t meant for my plate and for the fact that my original stance on the diet (when I was about 12 mind you) was that I didn’t particularity take to the idea of the waste which occurs in the mass production of meat processing. I was young enough not to really know what a factory farm was so my ideologies when it came to where meat came from were pretty simple, when we went to Blue Hill i just had the understanding that this place was different in that regard. The approach was to really appreciate nature in the medium of food. I will admit to getting a little squeamish when I was driving in and saw the to-be lamb chops, but in the little bit of education I had through Eric on the process of Stone Barnes and Blue Hill I understood that fact that its was not mass production which is very unappetizing to me it was throw back to a gentle time when it was used of sustenance not to make a dollar as fast as possible from an animal.
Anyways, coming back to it from the tangent. The food was delicious! We chose a tasting menu, Eric got the regular things and I had to make the usual veggie amendment to the dishes. The one thing I really enjoy is when dining at the caliber of a restaurant when you order a tasting menu you are asked about dietary restrictions or allergies, and when you make them the staff is kind and accommodating not rude and figuring that I f they steam a plate of veggies that will be enough for you. Granted you end up paying for that service. Everything was impeccable, even though they did accidentally come out with the same amuse twice. But the mini-burgers of fresh tomato and goat cheese on a bed of sesame seeds were amazing so I didn’t mind getting them a second time. After a while the food did get a little tomato heavy (being one of the main ingredients) but that’s expected when they are working with a menu from what the land produces and tomatoes are in season right then. Lets see if I can remember what else we had.
Mini cucumbers with lightly friend green beans
Grilled watermelon salad with blue cheese
Tomato hearts
Goat cheese and tomato burgers (2xs)
Vegetable risotto with grilled endive
Tomato gazpacho
Farm Fresh (gathered that morning) egg with and amazing bean salad
Ok honestly there were about 5 more that I just can’t remember. All of it was better then the last, the only down side that happens with any tasting menu is that a few courses in you start to fill up but everything is so incredible you eat and eat and eat and then absolutely have that too full and going to explode feeling at the end. The end also brought on about 3 amazing desserts with fresh fruits and fresh made ice cream and a cheesecake on berry compote with corn ice cream. I know; corn ice cream? The really weird part is when you taste it all together you start to see similar tastes between the corn and the cheesecake- something i find absolutely amazing about any culinary experience is the fact that these chefs understand food so well and its interaction with you, with one's ability taste, and with other foods... at some point in my life I hope to be able to something that is basically so simple but has the ability to incrediably complex and multidimensional. I think that is something that really impresses me about Eric's intrest in cooking, and I must say I can't complain..It's not too difficult to have a classically trained cook at home.
The building that houses the dining room is absolutely stunning, unfortunately our reservation was at 9 on a Sunday night but I can just picture that this place has to be amazing during the day. If I had an unlimited budget one day when I ever decide to take the big plunge my dream venue would be this place. The food would be stunning and so would the service and it would be all fresh and natural, something that has become very important to me. Growing up I think everything that ended up on the dinner table had originated from a box, being with Eric I have a great appreciation for the food in a pure sense. Making a meal from something that comes from nature rather than being pre-fabricated . Oh and I forgot to mention the table settings were gorgeous! I was very rude and looked at the artist who had done the plates (Laura Zindel) on the table and as soon as I could googled her in an attempt to buy everything! Right when I saw the prices of the plates I think I choked! Maybe I can slowly build my collection (you know my birthday is in Decemebr, eh eh!). I will have to start with this beautiful bread dish that had a drawing of a birds nest. I think Eric got a little embarrassed because it was on the table next to us and I kept looking at it possibly creeping out the couple sitting at that table.
The rest of the week was quiet with a lot of work; I attempted my first spinning class last Tuesday and actually made it through with a little bit of pain. I am hoping to get involved a few more times this week as well as try out the Palates and Yoga classes. I don’t really know that I will ever really be sold on Yoga; I just don’t think I am a Type B personality enough to buy in to it. But you know I should give it another try and see, it can only benefit me. I am impressed and in the same respect a little bummed out; the girls I used to go on my Saturday runs pre-broken arm are up to doing 12 miles now. I though I could jump right in and get down to business and join up with them again but its going to take a while for me to get back the stamina to get anywhere near 12 miles. I’ve been thinking that next year I might really push to try to train and sign up for the marathon (Christine and MA are running it in November this year, hence the insane training), I was just thinking to myself what an amazing accomplishment that would be. We’ll see what happens.
We headed up to Albany for the weekend. Even though we had to endure 2 extra hours of traffic added on to the usual 2 1/2 hour trip it was well worth it. Friday night consisted of home made pizza and laundry followed by watching TV in bed- pretty much a perfect evening (if only we had gotten in before 10 which made eating pizza a little difficult at 11 when I am used to eating dinner at like 7 at the latest). Saturday morning was full of the usual suburban errand running as well as getting Steve all suited up for his new apt in Park slope (you know the drill; sheets, duvet, lamps, pillows, knives, cutting board, and other kitchen odds and ends etc for the new place). It was crazy, I felt like a pseudo-mom trying to get their kid ready for college, but I think we did a good job. I am happy I missed out on the 6 hour trip to Ikea he took once we got back to Brooklyn with his room mates, I did that once when I first moved to the city as well and I am more than convinced I still have the emotional scars running deep in my psyche. Saturday night was great! We went to an Art show for Tommy, a very close friend of mine from Albany who has now relocated for school in California. I was happy to get a chance to see him again before he goes west coast again. I also ran into alto of people who I hadn’t seen in quiet a while. It was a good catch up getting to see all the kids I grew up going to hardcore shows with. We headed home early since we knew we had an early start to get back to BK for my brother to unpack the car and head off to get some stylish yet affordable Swedish digs for the new pad.
Sunday ended in a quick drive back followed by a very stressful day of unpacking the 5 loads of laundry done up state and then an exhausting schedule of ordering in lunch and watching coming to America. Eric made some delicious tomato sauce from scratch and we had a nice dinner for two with spinach fettuccini, home made sauce, fresh motz balls on top and a side of zucchini/garlic bread. I don’t think I needed seconds at all but I went for it anyways, I suppose that’s what the spinning class this afternoon will be for.
It really was a perfect weekend.
posted by .Lynn Sell. at
10:15 AM
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