Throwing in the towel

First of all, I'd like to apologize. You should have been able to see this post Wednesday morning. Thing is that I was so sick of food that it's taken me this long to write this post. Not anything against this restaurant. I actually loved the place. The problem was that I had consumed way too much in the days before I arrived there. And now I really appreciate the starving model jokes. Kind of.

Jade asked me how much weight I had gained from all my dining. The truth is that I have probably lost weight since I arrived in New York. There was all that walking. And truth be told, I never ate the entire entree. My stomach just is not capable of it. But as I said before, I love tasting new things so I paced myself accordingly.

I continued my dining Monday night at Aquavit. This was one of the other places at which I was excited to dine.

The first shock was when they asked me about preferences and food allergies. Really? I should have mentioned my displeasure with pistachios. But I figured that they would look pretty in a photo and I could pick around them.

The next part of the experience was the selection of breads. I chose the sourdough and some sort of rye. Now I'm not a huge bread person but that rye was addictive. Heck. I might just return for that bread.

And then they had the audacity to offer an amuse bouche. If I remember correctly, it was salmon with creme fraiche.


I alao heeded Fluffycat's admonition. And so I went for the salad for my starter instead of the tartare. And what a wonderful salad it was. But I usually avoid salads as they are something I can do at home and so feel cheated in ordering them. But I don't think I'd make the smoked goat cheese croquettes.


Next up was the pork belly. If I remember correctly (Yes, I know I could look at the menu online but I'm lazy.), it came with a Yukon mash and a porter truffle sauce. Heavenly.


I ended it all with the Arctic Circle. This was a parfait of goat cheese and a lingenberry sorbet. Oh and pistachios. But I don't eat those. When I posted this photo on Facebook, Jade said that it looked too pretty to eat. I ate it all.

And then when I received my check, they gave me a $50 gift certificate that expires at the end of March. Since I doubt I'll be back in New York before then, I gave the certificate to Lisa B -- who suggested that I come for Restaurant Week in the first place.

Yes, I would gladly return to Aquavit but I'd really like to try out Samuelsson's new place, Red Rooster.

Ladies who lunch

My next stop on my gut-busting outings was lunch yesterday at David Burke Townhouse. When I showed Maddie their website on Saturday, he made appreciative sounds over their decor. I made similar sounds about their food. After a brisk walk over, I knew that I could put away a little food at least.

I was eagerly awaiting this lunch and decided to splurge a bit by ordering items that cost a little extra.


First up? The Parfait of Sockeye Tuna and Salmon Tartares. So good I ate it all.


This was followed by the Braised Beef Short Rib. Heavenly! But I still had dessert coming so I had them pack half of it up. David apparently is not a fan of mushrooms but said that the rest of it was delish.


Finally the Warm & Crisp Apple Tart. The server placed it before me and then poured caramel sauce over it from a small pitcher.

I could have returned to California after this meal but there was more dining to be done. I know I would gladly return to this restaurant -- as long as I don't have to sit next to the second pair that showed up. If only they could have been as charming as the ladies who were wrapping up lunch when I arrived and kept insisting that I partake of the Cheesecake Lollipop Tree they had ordered. But I needed the space in my stomach. Should have at least taken a photo for y'all though. It was just so pretty. Next trip.

What have I gotten myself into?

As you may already know, I have made a trip to New York for restaurant week. For the beginning of my vacation, go check out Maddie's post. Now the dining has begun.

Last night I joined Lisa at Perilla. (For those of you who watch "Top Chef," Perilla is Harold Dieterle's restaurant.)


We started with the spicy duck meatballs. Lisa had heard that these were one of the specialties. I don't recommend them for David as they are indeed spicy.


Next up was the fish special of the day -- a Montauk fluke, if I remember correctly.


And to finish it all off, gingerbread cake.

The food was delicious. The company wonderful. And fortunately I have more hours before I must dine once more. I have realized this will be quite the challenge. While I love tasting new things, I just can't seem to eat as much as I used to. And hopefully my future photos will be of better quality.

Regression

... or perhaps this should be title "Non Sequitur." Because I have a lot of thoughts in my head.


First of all, let me treat you to what may be the last food photo you may see around these parts for some time -- my dinner at JFK last Thursday night. Because now I'm dealing with my depression weight. And the actual food that I consume? Boring. I have gained seven pounds since July. In July I wanted to lose weight. Every time I look in the mirror these days, I get a little depressed. Yeah, I know that in everyone else's book, I'm thin. Not in mine. Because in my current state, I would never wear a bathing suit. This realization earlier this week made me want to crawl back into bed and pull the comforter over my head. Instead I started monitoring my intake. That's the regression. Because now my net intake is down to about 1300 calories a day. Even if I sit on my ass all day. And today I know my coworkers have started questioning my sanity since my lunch for the last two days has consisted of liquids. I swear that things will get more balanced in the coming weeks once I deal with the stuff in the fridge. (And hey. I'm shooting for 1300 and not the 1100 I had thought of earlier this week.)

So now I bury myself in music and TV when I get home. I have little patience with folks who say, "You know what? This show really sucks." Well, why the hell did you watch it if you didn't like it? If you could not find one redeeming quality in it? What? You had to write about it online? Is someone paying you to do such? If not, then turn the damn channel or else shut the fuck up. Because I just have no patience for anyone who wants to whine about shit -- including their own lives. You don't like where your life is going? Then do something about it and tell me about that stuff. Otherwise? Yeah, you guessed it. Shut the fuck up.

Here's the thing. I have lost four close relatives in the last 15 months. Two of these deaths were completely unexpected. The other two? In my mind I was sure they were terminal -- including my aunt who died last summer. And here's the thing. My aunt? She was DYING. But she never showed this to the rest of us. Now I'm sorry but I think that if you're dying, you have the right to whine away. But she didn't. And now I'm subjected to folks whining about shit that is so much less. Yep. Suck it up and shut up. I don't want to hear about your trivial ass shit. If you're in doubt, start whining and if I'm not being the polite person my mama raised me to be, I will tell you that your shit is trivial and all.

And so I leave you with a favorite from my childhood. Sly has a way of making me forget all the bullshit in the world.

Motivated

What does it take for y'all to get motivated? When it comes to career stuff, I have to get angry. Tears streaming down my face angry. Household chores? All I need to know is that folks will be heading over.

I have a little under three weeks until folks will descend upon my new place for my housewarming/birthday party. Think this would motivate me to do some more unpacking? Hell no. I still have at least two more weeks to deal with that crap. But tomorrow the HVAC guy is showing up to replace my furnace. (Thank you Obama for making this possible.) The furnace is reached via my bedroom closet. This would be the 8' by 10' walk-in that my mother proclaimed to be a room except that it can't be called one since it doesn't have a window. One can hide a lot of crap in that kind of space. But I thought that perhaps the guy should have a clear path and so I finally got motivated to deal with the closet.

Stashed in the closet was my luggage from my recent trip to NYC. It was mostly unpacked though. It was just those items that really belong elsewhere.


Months ago I picked up this piece of furniture from my aunt's house. The question has always been what to put into it. As I started the unpacking, it came to me. I have been a tea drinker since age 9 or so. As such over the years I have collected a number of teapots. And I realized that I just didn't have the cabinet space for all of my teapots. But they didn't actually make it into the cabinet until after my trip. When I picked up a new teapot at Pearl River. As you can see, there is still room for more.


And I was in need of nourishment after all that unpacking. I thought about dining on takeout but then I remembered that cod filet that needed to be cooked. In a beer batter. Always Newcastle Ale. And instead of fries I went with onion rings. It will be dinner tomorrow night as well. Because a single cod filet? Huge.

Recovery

I am still recovering from the DDBW. I have also realized that I did not take a great deal of photos over the weekend. This often happens if I have a cocktail glass in hand. So if y'all want to see photos -- and some fabulous recaps -- go visit Zombie Mom, Beth, Maddie or Mark. Hopefully David's computer issues will be resolved and he will then be able to post all of Howard's fabulous photos. Because Howard is now one of my approved photographers. Along with Zombie Mom. And of course, the fabulous In'Ja. (Ginger, I loved your inclusion of punctuation but I felt it needed to be taken one step further.) Actually if you need a photo taken, you should really contact that In'Ja. I mean she is a world renown joto-phournalist after all.

But I can leave you with these images from Saturday.





And since I didn't take that many photos over the weekend, I guess I could make it up to y'all by sharing photos over the next few days of my personal efforts to stimulate the economy. Because I'm patriotic like that and all. Someone has to do it.

Sensory overload

Sometimes I need to get away from it all to recharge. Nowhere quiet for me though. I need lots of stuff. Too much almost.

Friday I arrived into New York a wee bit jetlagged. (I have great difficulty sleeping on planes. Well, only if I'm sitting in coach.) I decided that the answer, after checking into the hotel, was lunch and a nap. (Oh, and sorry there aren't really any food photos so the descriptions will have to do.) Lunch was at the hotel restaurant -- lobster bisque with creme fraiche and tarragon oil, and an omelet with Yukon gold potatoes, mushrooms and goat cheese.


After my nap, it was off to MOMA. And what a pleasant surprise. From 4-8 on Fridays is Target Fridays. That's right. The folks of one of my favorite stores sponsor a free night at the museum. I loved the museum and know that I will have to go there many more times in my life.

On the walk back to the hotel, I started reading restaurant menus. After deciding which one sounded the most appealing, I headed in and asked if they had a table. (It was around 8:00 pm on a Friday evening.) I was told, "Of course," and the coat check person asked if she could take my coat. After being seated, I was presented with a tray of crostini with an olive tapenade and some sort of eggplant dip. There was also some sort of amuse bouche with goat cheese. My appetizer was a salad of peekytoe crab. The crabmeat was mounded in a round topped with a thin layer of pureed avocado and some frisee. This all rested in some sort of grapefruit sauce surrounded by grapefruit segments and avocado chunks. My entree was the crispy duck confit on a bed a mushrooms and broccoli rabe. And finally for dessert I had a lemon tart with a poppy seed crust and pomegranate sorbet.

During the course of the meal, I began chatting with the couple seated next to me. The wife seemed surprised that I had just happened upon the place. "You know this is one of the top five chefs in New York?" Huh. Yep. Count on me to pull off a maneuver like this. Oh, and the restaurant was db bistro moderne. If I lived in New York, I would go there often.

Saturday I met up with David Dust, Mistress Maddie and the Boy Toy to head to the Metropolitan. But Mistress Maddie had a little suprise for me.

Sand tarts! And yes, some actually made it home with me.


Loads of fun at the museum. Then we had to head in so that David could rest. He had some sort of plague or pox or something.


Saturday evening started off at David's for cocktails and Chinese delivery. After exiting the cab, I had some random carriage driver yelling at me as I crossed the street in front of him. "Hey gorgeous! Gorgeous! You want a ride?" It was so tempting I almost had to ditch David et al.

David will tell you that after the food and drinks that we headed off to a club. I'll believe it when I see photographic proof of such. I was thoroughly impressed on Sunday morning that I had put my clothes neatly away on Saturday night though. I was equally surprised that I had left my phone at David's. I never do that.

By 11 (I awoke at 8), I decided that they had to be starting to get up so I headed back to David's so that we could all head to brunch at his restaurant. Where we had hair of the dog in the form of mimosas. Served by a guy who looked like Grant Show's character in "Swingtown."

Then it was back to the hotel for a quick power nap before heading off to meet up with Lisa B and HFCG at Les Halles for dinner. Just the kind of mellowness I needed to prepare for my return home. Even if the place was packed.

So after 15 hours of traveling -- running a fever and with a sinus headache -- I am back home. And I'm feeling much better today. Nothing like the combination of Drixoral, moutrin and hot & sour soup. Sometime in the night my 102 fever broke and my temperature is normal once more.

And I'm completely recharged. Especially after finding a couple of "surprises" in my mailbox. And I'm also trying to figure out when my next trip to New York will be. I hear rumors there just might be a Dust Bunny convention...

Note: Yes, I am reposting. Because I totally screwed up Lisa's URL. I thought I was better but I'm really not. But I do have a doctor's appointment for tomorrow.