Exploring

5.4-8: Vacation Weekend Recap

May 9, 2012

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It was hot standing in the shade!! {Boston Marathon 2012}

April 17, 2012

I don’t get Patriots’ Day off at work, but I occasionally take the day off to see the runners instead of just crowding around the TV to see the top finishers and to watch a bit during lunch. I took yesterday off because some awesome Boston food bloggers, such as Amanda and Meghan, were running and I was hoping to cheer them on. Or at least the rest of the thousands of runners.

When the weather reports were shifting the temperatures from the 60’s to the 80’s I was ecstatic. I love hot weather and I was getting a special treat on my day off! Ah, a real shorts and tank top day!! While I might have been so excited about it, the thousands of runners making their way on the 26.2 mile course were not. This was going to be safety issue for a lot of people because their bodies have not trained for this sort of heat before. It resulted in some people deferring to race next year.

I’m really glad that I was able to cheer on the runners as it is always so much fun. Sure the city is a zoo and it is horrible to get around but it’s still a lot of fun to experience something that is the result of a lot of hard work and dedication for a lot of people. Like Ashley of Hither and Thither in her post about the NYC maration I get a little “verklempt” watching the runners. There is something so special about the day watching these runners accomplish something so great. They are tired, hot, weary, but they push on and you can see it in their eyes how happy, exhausted, and proud they are when they continue on to pass the finish line.

Alright, here is a little recap of my day…

Got off at Arlington T stop and walked up the Pru side. I had to get as far over at Huntington to continue my making my way up. When I was in the Copely area the women’s top finishers were starting to cross.

I continue up and crossed through the Prudential Mall and exited on Boylston St. This area was pack of people and tents giving out food and drinks = mad house (Why must you grab 6 10-pack boxes of energy drink mix? WHY?)

I ended up stationing myself right against the fence right in front of Hynes Convention Center- intersection of Gloucester and Boylston Streets. This put me right about at the 26 mile mark.

When these 3 soldiers were approaching in full gear the crowds cheering picked up and it was deafening. These were the first of many soldiers to be in full gear. I can’t imagine that because was so hot (hot even in the shade) and so heavy.

The Syracuse ROTC also made an appearance marching along.

This guy was in support of USA as well, but in his own unique way.

This moment was so sweet. This guy was running by and his cheering family caught his attention so he ran over and was hugging his son and talking to him about doing it. Just a few seconds but totally unforgettable.

I’m impressed he didn’t loose his Minnie Mouse ears.

Patriotism on Patriots Day.

High-five!

The women around me were tracking and cheering on their husbands. When they were approaching I just starting snapping pics. Good job #6634 and #1859!!!!!

Shortly after the husbands of the wives standing next to me ran by, I decided to move on to another area to get another vantage point. I walked up to Mass Ave, turned down on Newbury and then found a spot on the West side of Hereford Street. (The big concrete building on the right edge of the photo was my college) I ended up being next to a group of guys who were so loud cheering everyone on. They would read the names written on their arms, text on their shirt, or just start screaming “GO BLUE SHIRT GUY!!!! ALMOST THERE!!!!!!” It was awesome. I don’t think they’ll have voices today.

This guy was running barefoot! Crazy!

Amanda… this one’s for you!

This little guy stole the show at this point because he was running along side his mom(?) and was going crazy getting the crowd to cheer.

At around 3.15 I left to head into work for a brief 4pm meeting. The T was crazy. The MBTA did a good job (at least from what I saw) of handling the influx of passengers. There was a lot of traffic underground because of all the trains so my ride took so long but it was still very orderly and all the instructions were very clear.

Although I didn’t get to meet up with my friends as planned because of the crowds, road closures, and timing it was a perfect day.

NYBG Orchid Show 2012- Part 2

April 12, 2012

To continue where I left off in my recap “NYBG Orchid Show 2012- Part 1“…

Price and I continued through the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory to see the rest of the The Orchid Show: Patrick Blanc’s Vertical Gardens. We left the Upland Tropical Forest area to head in the tunnel to the Deserts of the Americas hall. Before exploring the deserts we went outside to check out the reflecting pool and the fish in it.

Hello fishes!

We went back in and checked out all cacti and other spiky plants. I think that big guy would make for a great ottoman, no?

I love the succulents and living stones.

Rainbow Orchids

I have to confess that while I have a pretty green thumb I can’t keep orchids alive. I try but either the apartment is too hot or too cold, I water too much or not enough, there is not enough direct light or way to much. They are so delicate. Or I am just crappy at taking care of them.

Slipper Orchid

Moth Orchid

At the center of the Seasonal Exhibit space that housed main part of the Orchid Show was a large structure that the show designer, Patrick Blanc, covered with vibrant greens and orchids of all kinds. Orchids punctuate the green back drop and spill over the ferns and themselves as they wound themselves around the surfaces of the structure.

I love how everything seems so natural and wild in composition but all of Blanc’s designs and arrangements are deliberate and well organized.

Asian Corsage Orchids- Mighty Sunset ‘Roxburgh Red’ and ‘Purple Haze’

Everyone was enjoying what they were seeing so cameras of all sizes and phones were out to snap photos of orchids.

Inside the main exhibit space were a lot of signs about Patrick Blanc and his work. I thought they did a good job of giving a general overview of his work and philosophy.

From the main part of the exhibit you walk through through this archway that is completely covered in flowers and orchids.

As you move through the exhibit you are flanked on either side by panels that are covered in orchids as well. You have to take your time through this area since it can get crowded at times. Also you really should take your time to see all the varieties of orchids, take photos, and help block traffic so others can take family photos as well. It’s only nice of you to help out!

We really enjoyed this year’s Orchid Show!

After the show we walked through the Ladies’ Border, which runs along the side of the conservatory. I think we were a bit early in the season for that area since there were a lot of things not yet in bloom. And yet, it was still beautiful! I caught this bee in the act gathering pollen. 🙂

We walked over to the NYBG Shop in the Garden and looked at the plants, gardening supplies, books, and prints for puchase. I had my eye on a whole line of bee adorned housewares like this serving plate and these tea towels. Too Cute! We just need to move before I get anything else!

From there we walked back through past the reflecting pool, along Garden Way, and in front of Mertz Library before going to our car for our drive back to Boston. Such a great way to send a Sunday morning.

The Orchid Show: Patrick Blanc’s Vertical Gardens is running at NYBG from March 3-April 22. While you are visiting be sure to tag your tweets on Twitter and photos on Instagram with #orchidshow.

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NYBG Orchid Show 2012- Part 1

April 11, 2012

When I realized we would be in CT for Easter weekend I just knew we would have to visit the New York Botanical Garden for their annual Orchid Show. I had gone previously with Emily and her mom in 2009. I loved the show then so I wanted to see it again and this time introduce Price to NYBG and the show. This is their 10th annual show and this time the design was from French botanist and artist Patrick Blanc. Blanc is known for his use of vertical space and how his plantings are on the vertical plan. It’s always a wonder to me how they stay up or how they are weeded. I had actually attended a Patrick Blanc lecture previously so I was very excited to see his work in person for the The Orchid Show: Patrick Blanc’s Vertical Gardens.

We enjoyed our walk to the exhibit through garden. On our way we snapped photos of the countless robins we saw on the sprawling lawns and of the numerous varieties of daffodils that edged the walkways.

Stunning, vivid, bright, fragrant.

It was such a beautiful day. The weather was nice, skies clear, and flowers were in various states of bloom on the property.

When you walk in the conservatory you are greeted in the Palms of the World area with a large structure in the middle of the fountain. It’s lush with greens and orchids. This is ‘classic’ Patrick Blanc style of design. Reminds me of his work on Musée du quai Branly.

NYBG transforms the historic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory into lavish, excotic, tropical wonder that is filled with orchids for the show. However, the conservatory is a year round exhibit space so it is always filled with palms, flowers, and other plants from around the world showcasing the variety of plant species that are indigenous from different climate zones.

There is a lot of helpful signage to help you learn about Orchids. As a designer I found the presentation clear and that helps you process the information you are reading.

In this pot alone there were over a half dozen diffident kinds of orchids. The dark purple ones hanging off the tree very vary fragrant. I would have loved to have that scent bottled or put into a candle.

We moved throughout the conservatory following the way through to Lowland Tropical Rain Forest…

to the Aquatic Plants and Vines Area.

There flowers everywhere you looked in this room. Lilies in the fountain, potted flowering plants, and orchids hanging from overhead. The orchids hanging were so delicate looking and added a whimsical touch when walking through the space.

From there we continued to walk through the conservatory into the Upland Tropical Rain Forest. I was intrigued with a extensive palms and ferns species there were housed in the hall. From small potted pones to towering high ones that resembled trees- it was really quite amazing.

And that that point we were only halfway through the Conservatory! So much to see, smell, and experience!

Please check back tomorrow for Part 2 for my recap and photos of the Orchid Show.

The Orchid Show: Patrick Blanc’s Vertical Gardens is running at NYBG from March 3-April 22. While you are visiting be sure to tag your tweets on Twitter and photos on Instagram with #orchidshow. 🙂

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The Farm School Brunch with Boston Brunchers

April 1, 2012

I recently attended a brunch provided The Farm School of Athol with a group Boston Brunchers. Since Athol is nearly 2 hours away from Boston, the brunch was hosted by one of their supporters in Cambridge. It was so nice of the family to welcome the group of us into their lovely home.

While brunch was being prepared we got to hear about The Farm school including their farming, animal husbandry, CSA, and the programs they offer on their 130 acres, which is made of about 40 acres of open land and 90 acres of woods,

The Farm School has programs for visiting schools that allows them to hosts over 1,500 students every year. During their 3-day stays the students are “fully integrated into the farm operations, rising early for milking, tending to the garden, fields and forests, and helping to cook meals with the food they have harvested.” This allows them to learn about agriculture, sustainability, and themselves. Kids can also experience more through their camp program by attending week long sessions throughout the summer.

As well as the short term programs, they have their own onsite school for middle school aged children called the Chicken Coop School. The total class is 10-14 students and has 2 teachers, which helps the kids excel with extra attention and a curriculum that allows for hands on learning with an emphasis on critical thinking.

I was starting to feel a little discouraged about all these great programs for school aged children. How can I go there? Well I soon found out that they offer year long Learn to Farm program for adults who hope to have their own farm one day. During the year you learn about everything ranging from marketing, farm animals, forestry, and homesteading. One of the courses is about beekeeping… sign me up!! 🙂

Aside from learning all about The Farm School, I carefully watched them prepare our brunch. They provide daily meals for hundreds of students and staff so preparing brunch of us must have been a piece of cake.

When brunch was ready to be served we each took a seat at a lovely decorated series of tables. The tables were covered in canvas table clothes and there was a runner that ran the entire way. Mason jars filled with stalks of yellow forsythia made the table beautiful, as well as filling the room with a light floral scent. Each place setting was marked with a flyer and a handmade napkin. We each we able to take the napkins. Such a cute gift!

Our first course plates were fresh cut tree trunks. This provided a rustic look to brunch as well as sustainable place setting. Also served on the tree trunk plates were breads provided from Iggy’s Bread.

We started with 2 versions of bacon. I only ate the strip of maple bacon. The maple syrup glaze gave the piece of bacon a lovely sweet flavor. The baked on glaze also made the bacon extra crunchy, which I enjoyed since I don’t like very soft bacon. I gave my piece of thicker pork belly bacon to Price. While I am sure it was very good (he said it was) I knew I would not enjoy the texture of it (see above).

The main course was a poached egg on sliced pork schnitzel cutlets with sides of spinach and potato hash. The eggs are farm fresh and their flavor and color were very intense. I had never seen such a yellow egg before! Besides my million photos I took before diving in, I had to tweet a photo as well since I was so impressed. I loved the poached egg on the pork schnitzel. The egg was covered in a silky Hollandaise sauce (my favorite thing ever!). The pork was very lean, seasoned well, and cooked perfectly. The cooked spinach was so sweet and tender. I wish all spinach was like that. I didn’t love the Adirondack potato hash because I think it was a little plain but the color was fun.

Throughout the brunch we were able to sip on coffee, iced tea, and peach bellinis. To sweeten the iced tea we could use ice cubes that had a bit of maple syrup in them. I didn’t notice much maple flavor in my tea but I thought it was a very creative to try it. I loved the peach bellini because the fruit puree was so fresh. I know I will have to try this at home one day!

To round out the brunch, we were served a maple bread pudding made from Iggy’s bread and the maple syrup tapped on the farm’s property. The bread pudding was naturally sweet and very moist. I am always in awe of a bread pudding that achieves the balance of golden brown crunchy top, cooked middle, and soft consistent texture.

Their 2012 veggie CSA has just begun to take sign ups. The 21-week program runs from June to October and offers different options and pick up locations in Cambridge, Watertown, and Orange. And if a weekend CSA is not for you then check them out at the Belmont Farmers’ Market. The weekly market is on Thursdays from 1-7 at the Belmont Center Parking Lot. There you can pick up there in-season produce as well as all-natural meats, free-range eggs, and flowers.

I enjoyed the food so much that I know I will make a point of stopping by their farmer’s market one day after work. I huge thank you to the staff that prepared the meal and our lovely hosts that welcomed us into their home.

*While I did receive this complimentary brunch provided by The Farm School these opinions are entirely my own.

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Maximo’s with Boston Brunchers

March 21, 2012

When a place says they are a family run restaurant I will wonder how they compare to the crew that runs Maximo’s in Watertown, MA. This is a TRUE family restaurant. While Maximo’s is run by husband wife team, Phil and Betsy, it is a big family affair with their kids and parents’ help. Don’t be surprised if you order take out and Phil delivers it to you! That is hand’s on service.

For a recent Boston Brunchers outing, things were changed up a bit and we went to a dinner. I enjoyed the change of pace from our ‘typical’ brunches to have a dinner out together. Plus, I don’t typically go to Watertown for dinner from work in Boston since it takes so long to get back home without a car (1 hr 40 min trip back home thankyouverymuch) so it was nice to learn about a new place. I’ll just have to drive next time! (And bring my camera & camera SD card, as I just used my iphone for these shots- please don’t judge too harshly.)

Roasted Tomato Bruschetta: This was a fantastic start to our meal. The crostini were toasted providing a crisp surface for the moist bruschetta that did not get soggy as we prepared the and photographed these little beauties. The bruschetta itself was very oniony and garlicy, which I love (says the girl who sweats garlic) but someone else could think it is a little strong. I think the fact that the tomatoes were roasted was what really sets this dish apart from other restaurants.

Betsy, one half of the power couple, sat with us while we dined and explained the story behind she and Phil and the creation of Maximo’s. The name comes from the family’s kids- Max and Mo. Of course Mo is ticked that everyone thinks that the places is named after Max only, but that is to be expected from teenagers 🙂 Betsy explained that the menu is still in development and will be trying new things out for the season. In all honesty, the menu is a bit of a mash up of things, but it is a reflection of what they like to eat. And I think that makes perfect sense.

Mediterranean Turkey Burger: Turkey burgers are such a hard thing to make well. They are typically too dry and bland but these turkey burgers are none of that. The burger is so flavorful from the spice mix that is added to it as well as the tabbouleh that is mixed in. The tabbouleh makes the burger moist as well.

The roasted potatoes that were served with the turkey burger were also really good. I could see enjoying these with the Slamin’ BLT (more on the later!).

Steak and Onion Salad: I loved this salad! The combination of the greens, cheese, steak, and chimichurri sauce was harmonious. The grilled steak was very tender, almost-melt-in-your-mouth tender. The chimichurri sauce on it was incredible. I would like to have a bottle of that at home. Overall, I highly recommend this salad, but I think it would have been even more fantastic with a very light vinaigrette on the salad. Just my 2cents.

I loved the salad so much that I even had to Instagram it to brag about that I was enjoying.

When each dish was served, Phil came out to explain what we were about to enjoy. I could clearly understand his passion in what he does when he came out to present each dish with us. Betsy has explained to us Phil’s background and how he has lived all over the world. I really could taste how his world travels has really left a lasting imprint on his culinary point of view.

Slamin’ BLT:

This Slamin’ BLT sandwich would be a perfect hangover cure, but of course enjoyable at any hour of the day. The BLT has a fried egg and slice of cheddar cheese on it that takes it to the next level and sets it apart from other BLT’s. The grill marks make this so inviting to dive into. I love details like that.

The sandwich was served with roasted corn and black bean soup. This pops up on the specials menu so be sure to look for it. Perfect soup and sandwich combination.

Go ahead… take another look at that sandwich…

Oooo that is an nice runny egg!

Cilantro Lime Grilled Tuna: I have to admit that this was the dish that I liked the least. It was perfectly fine, more than fine actually, but it did not appeal to me. I felt the tuna was seasoned and cooked nicely but I didn’t like the sides that were served with it. I liked the kale but I always prefer my wilted greens with butter, oil, or lemon. I felt it was a little flat for my palate. I liked the quinoa side but I would have preferred if it had a citrus based dressing tying it together.

Besides Betsy and Phil, we met Max and Phil’s parents, who explained that they are enjoying seeing their son’s dream come to life and are enjoying helping out as well. Getting to see toddler Max running around and stealing bites of Betsy’s meal was just too cute.

*While I did receive this complimentary meal from Maximo’s these opinions are entirely my own.

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Bakers’ Best with Boston Brunchers

March 7, 2012

Being part of Boston Brunchers has given me the opportunity to win quite a few fantastic brunches in the past year. Each one different, unique, stunning and fantastic in it’s own way. I left February’s brunch at Bakers’ Best a happy woman.

Bloody Mary Shooter and Sour Cherry Martini

To say that I was excited at winning a brunch spot at the Bakers’ Best Catering Headquarters would be an understatement. Last summer we moved to Newton and were happy to find a place that we could enjoy a leisurely brunch spot 2 blocks away, which happened to be the Bakers’ Best restaurant. Our hearts broke after a few months because it closed up shop. But why? It was always busy? Don’t they understand I need my breakfast when I can’t deal with the thought of dirtying any dishes? I wrote about my love for their sweet potato and corned beef hash previously, even trying to come up with a justifiable substitute sweet potato hash.

As we gathered upon arrival in the catering offices of Bakers’ Best we were greeted with the Bloody Mary Shooters and the Sour Cherry Martinis. I could have easily enjoyed a dozen of the shrimp topped Bloody Mary Shots, but thankfully I restrained myself so I would have room for everything to come. While we enjoyed the drinks we were introduced to some of the team behind Bakers’ Best. Specifically Michael Baker spoke about founding the company, the history, business, opening of this catering kitchen location, and the sad closure of the location that started it all. At that point I could understand his passion for food, his business and the heavy decision he had when closing the cafe. Over the course of 27 years the business shifted from the cafe to cafe with some catering to extensive catering, and in the end the cafe was only about 10% of their multi-million dollar business. While I miss our brunches at the cafe I completely understand where Michael was coming from, plus I could not help admire this savvy business and dedication to doing what is best for the company and ultimately the customers.

Just as a tour was beginning we were halted with the passing around of these to-die-for “everything” bagel gravlax bites. Michael soon learned the food bloggers take a lot of photos of their food and was a good sport about the frequent breaks. It is hard to not photograph great food! As well, I enjoyed Michael’s tour of the kitchen because of how well it was design and maintained. They moved in 5 years prior and you would not have known it was 5 years to 5 weeks… Spotless. Being in the design profession, I thought the design of the catering kitchen was done well, and was really impressed with it.

full rack oven and work space

dry ingredients and storage of kitchen supplies

produce and prepared food

preparation of chicken skewers at one station and miso sesame cups at another

The staff was hard at work preparing food for Oscar parties

Sweet Potato Corned Beef and Asian Tuna Tartare bites

The ‘eye openers’ we enjoyed while on the tour were really eye openers! They were 1 or 2 bites each, making for the perfect food to enjoy while on tour, or at a catered party. I obviously loved the sweet potato hash cups because of my love for the hash I used to get, but what made this appetizer more incredible was bacon… The cup shell itself was made with the maple bacon. Details like that really set Bakers’ Best above the competition. Similarly, they made the shell of the gravlax bite with everything bagels and the tuna tartare was made with a miso and sesame paste. From crunchy bacon to crispy miso the flavor spectrum was hit with the 3 passed hor’ d’oeuvres we had.

beautiful place settings and the fresh pastry basket

After the tour we sat down at a few tables to enjoy the main part of the brunch. As we chatted, drank mimosas, and swooned over the youngest bruncher… Tessa who was just 12 days old! We were so glad to see Jessica and her new daughter doing well. A quick hush came over the group when the bite sized waffle egg sandwich was placed in front of us. A flurry of tweets and photos were taken and then enjoyed dug into waffle sandwich. The waffle was warm, sausage perfectly seasoned and the quail egg was still runny. The accompanying Camembert and tomato jam added perfect level of saltiness and sweetness to the sandwich.

brunchers taking photos of the buffet

quiches and beet ravioli

challah french toast and the accompanying bananas foster topping

Shortly after we enjoyed our amuse plate, the buffet was ‘opened’. The staff at Bakers’ Best commented on how we all stood around taking photos at every angle of the food. We only began making our plates once we made sure everyone was satisfied with their photos. It was interesting to see the world of catering as well as enlighten them on the world of blogging.

I stuck with a savory brunch with the salad, beet raviolis, and quiches. The beet ravioli were nothing like I had ever had before with their thin slices creating the pasta portion of the ravioli. They were unique but the salad pair with them really tied the whole thing together. The fennel and the citrus really brought the beets to life. The trio of quiches was my favorite part of the buffet. I love quiches but these were out of this world with their filling combination and their pastry shell. I have never had such a buttery, flaky crust like that before. Each quiche was better than the last.

A huge thank you to everyone at the Baker’s Best for welcoming us for such a great brunch. We really appreciated the warm welcome and the amazing food. I highly suggest Bakers’ Brunch Catering for your corporate or personal events.

*While I did recieive a complimentary brunch from Bakers’ Best Catering these opinions are entirely my own.

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Burrito Bowl Numero Dos

February 24, 2012

I had such a great time at the first Burrito Bowl last year that when this year’s event was announced I knew I had to go. Emily and I ended up buying tickets for the Feb 4th event right after they went on sale, which was a good thing since this was a sell out event. As with last year we arrived nice an early and still had to wait in long line to get into The Rattlesnake Bar and Grill, the hosting restaurant. It was clear that people were amped to attend the Burrito Bowl 2, and rightfully so!

Like the first year, there were several stations set up around the restaurant for people to chat with the chef and grab a burrito. There were 9 stations set up featuring places such as Boloco to Taranta.

Great Presentation for the Texas “7 Layer Dip” Burrito from Chef Jon Gilman from Church.

It was really obvious that this burrito was themed around Seattle because it had a spicy seafood mixture in there and was accompanied by a salsa roja. Andy Husbands (Tremont 647) is from Seattle so maybe he had unfair advantage getting a city that he knows so well, but in the end I am glad because it was so good. And I was not the only one to think so being that Andy’s burrito won Judge’s pick! Congrats!

Since The Rattlesnake is one of our favorte places to eat it was no surprise that Brian Poe made a great burrito. This had Velveeta in it! ha!

This ‘burrito’ was made to represent Pittsburg. hmm this? Pittsburg? Well, the Steeler’s heavenly locked Troy Polamalu is Samoan, which is what inspired this burrito. It was not my favorite because the pineapple pork was a bit hard to eat without cutting, however itw as vary flavorful.

Both Emily and I voted that the Korean-inspired burrito from Marc Orfaly of Pigalle was our favorite. We enjoyed the kimchi and soy aioli that topped the pork burrito. I have not had much kimchi before but really liked the flavor it added to the burrito. It was clearly Asian but still very subtle.

Brian Roche of Lolita Cocina and Tequila Bar made a San Francisco-inspired burrito, which was voted by the crowd as the favorite securing his win for Burrito Bowl II! Congrats!

I already can’t wait to attend next year’s event.

BTW… here I am (with my Heidi braids) on the Boston.com website 🙂

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The Lansdowne Pub with Boston Brunchers

February 19, 2012

Irish pubs are synonymous with Boston. Just as much as Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. So it’s no surprise that Boston Brunchers was able to put together an Irish brunch at The Lansdowne Pub near Fenway Park last month. The brunch as paired with a fundraising effort for Amanda, who is raising money to run the Boston Marathon. I secured 1 of 3 spots available to be purchased by donating $25 to Amanda, the rest of the spots were raffled off from the rest of the brunchers who entered to go.

As the group arrived one by one we began to order the usual coffee and juice. But what is a brunch without a cocktail?!? While brunching I enjoyed a Muddy River and a Liquid Caramel Coffee. I loved the Muddy River was a lovely concoction of coffee brandy and half & half over crushed ice. It was very heavy and rich.

While the Irish Breakfast sounded good, I ordered the crab cake eggs benedict which did not disappoint. I try to order Eggs Benedict ever where I go because it is my favorite brunch dish and I love to compare it from place to place. The crab cake was very flavorful and did not include very much filler. Tender pieces of crab were gently held together with a flavorful binder. On top of the crab cakes sat poached eggs that were covered in a lovely lemony Hollandaise sauce. I love a lemony Hollandaise sauce and this was perfect. The intense lemon flavor paired nicely with the crab cake as well. One of my poached eggs was over cooked a bit but I will take an over cooked egg over an under cooked egg any day. They Eggs Benedict was served with home fries, which always act as a great medium to scoop up Hollandaise sauce.

Shortly before we were leaving the musicians started to practice for their afternoon performance. Live music begins every Sunday for brunch at 1pm. We were lucky to experience a little bit of it as our meal winded down.

I highly suggest going to The Lansdowne Pub for brunch to enjoy some live Irish music, amazing food, fun drinks, and great service. Head over there for their brunch from 10am- 4pm and you will enjoy yourself and get lost in the Irish feel of your meal.

*While I did recieive a complimentary brunch from The Lansdowne Pub these opinions are entirely my own.

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Oh Harry, how you’ve grown

December 13, 2011

my mom suggested that I pick a Broadway show for her, price, and me to see as our christmas gift. which worked out wells since i would much rather do something than get something for a gift. i ended up picking how to succeed in business without really trying. umm… daniel radcliffe in it… sold! the weekend of the show finally came so we headed down to greenwich.

we caught an early afternoon train into the city. before we left grand central we checked out the vanderbilt market. there was a photo printed on gold leaf that i loved but i didn’t want to get it then since i knew it would be destroyed in the crowds (smart choice), but now i am going to need to track this guy down again since he doesn’t sell online… whaaaaa?

after leaving grand central we walked over to bryant park to check out the winter market and watch the skaters. it was packed in the market so we just waited for hot chocolate and cookies at max brenner’s booth. hot chocolate was amazing (little too sweet for my preference) and the cookies were monsters. I want to make cookies like him. so many chocolate chips, so many walnuts.

bank of america tower on the right. I think this is such a beautiful building

Chrysler building. Spotted while searching for a bathroom

o christmas tree , o christmas tree…

30 rock

winter window display at sak’s fifth avenue. it had to do with a little girl named holly exploring the basement of sak’s and what she discovered, which were all these tubes, tubs, pulls, and levers that made batches and batches of bubbles. mom was not impressed. i liked the rabbit.

after getting through the crushing crowds around rock center, we continued down 49th st. we spotted this store, rain africa, that sold bath salts, lotions, and soaps. i loved this display.

breezed right through times sq. we stopped at the al hirschfeld theater to pick up our tickets, then we headed up 9th and 51st to empanada mama. i saw this restaurant on food trip with todd english. everything we had was incredible- the plantain chips with guac to the entrees to the 4 desserts empanadas we shared. i highly recommend this place.

back at the theater.

i love old theaters.

curtain call. 🙂

the show was incredible. daniel worked his ass off as j. pierrepont finch hroughout the whole show. he worked hard to sing and dance and the performance was that much better for it. I love when you can see effort, passion from stage actors. jon larroquette (j. b. biggley) was also in it. i didn’t like the character rosemary, but the actress was amazing. ellen harvey as miss jones… holy cow that woman can sing!

It was a great day in the city.

PS- when we were hauling ass back to grand central to catch our train back, I overheard a woman point out the chrysler building to her son and call it the empire state building. then she proceeded to sing the chorus of empire state of mind. oy!

NASCAR Hall of Fame- Charlotte Vacation {2}

October 12, 2011

Price and I recently went on vacation in Charlotte, North Carolina. We had a fantastic time visiting the Queen City. I will do a series of blog posts recapping some of the fun things we did while down there. I hope you enjoy!

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I feel like you can’t not visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame when visiting Charlotte. It would be like completely skipping Fenway Park in Boston. Both are located in the city proper and essentially go hand in hand for sports in the area. Charlotte is home to NASCAR so stopping by the Hall of Fame gives you a good chance of learning about the rich history of the great sport of NASCAR.

While I really enjoy NASCAR, I think that anyone could enjoy visiting the Hall of Fame. The exhibits and design of the space are overall really pleasing for a variety of audiences.

Like old cars… it has you covered with actual cars used back in the day.

Like hands on activities… you can play with equipment and tools.

You’re a smarty pants… plenty of computer related games and quizzes. And honestly the majority involve just general logic that you could figure out without know anything about NASCAR.

Computer games have you hooked… no problem! There are racing games that simulate racing at that weeks track so it’s constantly changing.

Get my point?!?

This is a newly designed museum by the firm Pei, Cobb, Freed & Partners. It opened in 2010 and was awarded the McGraw Hill Best of 2010 Award of Excellence in Architectural Design. Just looking at the building from the outside you can tell that it conveys speed. The swooping and twisting facade piece pulls from one side of the round front and detaches to become an entry awning. Once you step into the space you are greeted with shiny metal, carefully crafted details, and well lit spaces that guide you from space to space telling the story of NASCAR.

Along the track that swept up the entry hall, there were little plaques that provided information on the car featured or race tracks. As the track went up the ramp it’s banking increased so you could start out on the lowest point learning about a flat race track like Indianapolis Motor Speedway (9 degrees) and end with Bristol Motor Speedway (36 degrees in turns). They even had some piece of track so you can compare them, showing how the banking and surface effect the performance of the car.

In addition to the change in banking of the track, the cars progress in time as the track ramps us. The track starts with older cars (see 2nd photo from top) and proceeds to visually explain how the stock cars changed over time. The above photo is near the end where you see current day cars.

There are 2 sections of track that you can step on that let’s you know just how steep the banking it. The first section is not difficult to stand on, but the second portion which is at the portion of track with 33 degree banking is very hard to stand on. Feeling this makes me feel impressed for the track officials that run out when crashes occur… very tough!

This hall focused on the newly inducted Hall of Fame drivers. Obviously Dale Earnhardt was included in the inaugural year. The induction for the 2012 members occurs in January and at the time a new series of cars and displays will be in that room.

After the Hall of Honors on the 3rd Floor you walk into the NASCAR Performance Race Shop. This interactive area shows how technical the cars are and how much science, math and skill is involved in adjusting the cars to allow them to perform their best at each different track.

In addition to the Performance Race Shop area there is the Kids Zone, Transporter Simulator, Inspection, Qualifying, Pit Road, iRacing Simulator, and the Food Lion Race Week exhibit. Each of these areas give you a behind the scenes look at different aspects of racing. Many of them are hands on like the Pit Road area that has a situations testing your speed, agility, and strength for taking off tires or jacking up a car.

One really cool thing about the Hall of Fame was how it embraced new technology. This was a cart of tools and parts. Each of them had a QR Code and attached to the cart was a scanner. After you scanner an item the computer on top of the cart would refresh and give you information about that item.

One of the mini exhibits is a hauler. This provides you with a glimpse into the storage in the hauler, as well as what is stored inside. Pull out drawers and glass front cabinets showcase the equipment used. At the front of the trailer there is an area that allows for multiple computers to be set up. This allows for the crew chief to work on strategy while accessing previous race information, as well as weather, since that plays a big part in the races.

When you first enter the Hall of Fame you get a card which provides your attemtance, was well as holds your profile. You set up your info on the card so you can play along with the games at the various stations on the 3 floors. When you create your profile you pick which driver you want to be you guide to create a personalized experience. Both Price and I picked Kasey Kahne.

The 4th Floor houses collections that are even older than NASCAR itself. One such exhibit explains how auto racing began as an by product of running moon shine. From there, the various exhibits feature different events in NASCAR history as well as the people involved. For example, there are statues of the significant people involved in the start of NASCAR honoring them. One of the most interesting areas, as least to me, was Artifacts Hallway which is a long corridor that has glass cases on both sides that are filled with memorial for different drivers.

One of the biggest moments in NASCAR history is featured in the Modern Era exhibit. The 1979 Daytona 500 race is infamous being that is was the first time i the entire race was being televised lived nationally and that captured a memorable crash that resulted a fist fight on the last lap of the race. The photo on the right is on the actual cars involved in the wreck with leaders Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison. If you happen to not be aware of the ending of the race check out this video of it.

One of my favorite parts of the day was getting to ride in the simulator that allowed you to race on the current week’s track. In this case, we raced ‘at’ Dover. It was a little confusing to start but you can quickly get the feel of it and have a lot of fun. But don’t get black flagged since your time is cut short, be sure to do those pass thru penalties!

The only thing that I was really disappointed with was the gift shop. The merchandise is really focused Jimmy Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Jr, and Tony Stewart. I felt that they missed the mark in providing a bit more variety. I wanted to gift something small from Clint Bowyer but the only thing I found was a hat. I would have been happy if they had just one standing display of stickers for the rest of the drivers since I could have at least gifted decals to different people.

Aside from the gift shop, I was really happy with the time we spent there. The package deal we purchased allowed us entrance into the Hall of Fame, a hot lunch (3? choices available), and a simulator ride for $28 a person. Plus they offer a children’s rate as well as military and senior discounts. It was a great value and a lot of fun.

NASCAR Hall of Fame

400 East Martin Luther King Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28202
(704) 654-4400

Open daily 10 am-6 pm, Closed Christmas

http://www.nascarhall.com

@NASCARHALL

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Thanks for visiting. Please leave me a comment to provide some feedback. I appreciate all the comments I receive.

The Highline {part deux}

September 1, 2011

How is it September 1st? It’s crazy how the year is speeding by. How was it that I was in NYC a month ago? Crazy! Life has been speeding by lately. I’m grasping at it desperately since days are blurring and pretty soon I will be surrounded by fallen leaves and sipping cider.

Previously blogged about the super fantastic Highline from our first visit back in 2009. That was when the first section just opened. We went back to see the new part that opened this year. It’s a fantastic park that I suggest everyone to see when they are in The City. So if you are going to visiting there soon head over, maybe you can get a glimpse of these summery scenes before it gets too cold!