NYC Restaurant Week has Begun!

So today was a Coke-sponsored event to kick off NYC Restaurant Week held at the mini-mall within Columbus Circle. I've learned from previous NYC foodie events that arriving early is a must especially with an event that's only two hours long and during everyone's lunch hour.

I arrived about 15 minutes early and things were pretty much all set up and the crowd was still minimal. The main food area opened up a few minutes early and I quickly hustled to get my food tickets and get in line for those that I figured would have longer queues.

First on the menu: DB Bistro Moderne's Grilled Ahi Tuna and Moroccan Couscous

Verdict: Tuna overcooked, lamb not bad, but overall underseasoned. There were sauces on the plates that I couldn't tell what they were.

Underseasoned was a theme that carried through most of the other restaurants' offerings.

Porter House New York offered a shrimp salad and a strawberry arboreal rice pudding with some golden raisins. Shrimp salad was underseasoned and the rice pudding dish's textures were overall too mushy with raisins, the overcooked rice, and the strawberry whip cream on top.

Bice offered several ravioli options (mushrooms, vegetables, meat) that weren't bad but I don't come to expect much either way from a ravioli.

Spice Market was the one booth that definitely delivered on its name with sliced pieces of raw tuna in a coconut and kaffir lime broth. The broth, while flavorful, overpowered the tuna leaving me no room to taste any bit of its fresh flavor.

Tribeca Grill had a beautiful array of mini desserts to choose from. I only tried a lemon tart and it was good but ever slightly too sweet.

Though in the end, I shan't complain that much because it was all free and everyone was so nice and the event ran so smoothly and was very well put together. Several nice additions were Kelly Choi (Top Chef Masters host) as a co-host and the current Broadway cast of Hair performing a few numbers. It's got me hyped up for NYC Restaurant Week. I've already made one reservation with another one or two on the way. Now I just need a job to pay for my expensive culinary tastes. Sigh.

Labels: city life, food, fun

For One Night, Edward Cullen was my BF

I had a dream a few nights ago that Rob Patts as Edward Cullen was my boyfriend. We were lying down on this mattress on the floor -- him with his hands behind his head, me filling in the nook on his right side with my head on his bicep smelling the slightly sweaty musk from him that was his scent on the hot day. I had my right hand lightly on his chest slowly grazing his white wifebeater as we engaged some senseless banter. It felt nice to be so close to him, intimately, so alone in a world where only we two belonged.

That solitary world shattered as a bird flew in and started flying really close to us. I finally pried my eyes away from his soft silky complexion and drooping half-closed eyes with my eyes fixated on the bird's flight path to see that we were in this large empty room with high ceilings with windows near the ceiling resembling a small church. Him, noticing my startled disposition got up quickly to try to shoo the bird out the window. He even went to the extent of trying to glamour (a la True Blood) the damn bird, which was a bit difficult but the bird started to stumble in its flight and eventually pushed itself out the window.

He returned back to my side to usher me back into that nook I had claimed as my own for a few seconds of blissful solace until the alarm woke me up.

The sad part isn't the fact I had the dream but that I actually was sad that I woke up.

I think I need to go on a date. FML.

Labels: dreams, fun, love

New York Advertising.. Just Works

There's something about all the posters around in New York that work on me whether it be on billboards, bus stops, or "No Bill"-labeled construction zones. I guess there's something to say about finally checking it out after the 100th time of seeing a poster about that certain project.

Glee (TV) - reminded me to watch.

Drag Me To Hell (film) - looked up on IMDB.

Hangover (film) - watched the trailer, looks retarded.

Up (film) - wasn't interested at first but looked up IMDB rating and reviews and going to watch tomorrow.

Nurse Jackie (TV) - currently watching the first episode online.

Labels: city life, film

A Clear Separation of Days

I'm about a week into my new life in New York and I'm happy. I'm so happy I'm actually doing things. A big part of the reason I wanted to move was because the days were blurring. Every Monday I went into work, my coworker would ask how my weekend was, and I'd respond, "Eh, you know. You?" Her: "Didn't do much but it was good."

While I do love those relaxing weekends, even when I did do a lot of things, it was just a bunch of the same ol' and nothing really new. My cousin just asked me how my weekend was and I was like, "It was great! Went to see cherry blossoms in Brooklyn and the museum, did a lot of eating at famous taco truck vendors with freshly made tortillas and then had the best ramen ever."

I started Bikram Yoga again, and next is hip hop dance and getting back into swimming.

On a side note:
Everyone's so beautiful in New York. I have so much competition! Wish me luck.

Labels: city life, food, fun

New York State of Mind

So, I've arrived in New York safely and it didn't really hit me. It didn't hit me when I landed in JFK, not on the E Westbound, and not even after unpacking all I could; it took a farmer's market to do it.

I guess it's the idea of something local. I wonder how long it will take though for me to include myself into this 'local' mindset. I think it'll take certain things happening first since I need to 1. secure a stable income, and 2. have a somewhat permanent place to hang my hat. After I can stop the nomadic couch-surfing lifestyle (as nice as the living situations are), I can focus on myself.

I watched The Ramen Girl, a (Tampopo - Sitophila) + (Lost in Translation + Hollywood) kinda film, last night with Dandan. The movie was ridiculously cute and genuinely authentic in its interactions and dialogue. There was a lot of talk about how the heart and soul add flavor into cooking and I wondered if it really changes much if technically, nothing changes if you cook with or without much 'heart.' We concluded more that it was due to the company you're with and the decor that affect your enjoyment or capacity to enjoy the food.

Food has just always tasted so good here for me. I've always thought it was just because all food in NYC is great but maybe it really is the setting, the essence of this city. New York is that je ne sais quoi spice in my life.

Labels: city life, film, food