Wedding Weekend: Rehearsal & Rehearsal Dinner

Friday afternoon after the Bridal Luncheon we had our Rehearsal & Rehearsal Dinner! The Rehearsal flew by - our ceremony and reception were up at Columbia University, which is in the 118th street area, and the Rehearsal Dinner was down on 63rd street, so we gave ourselves time to get there. It was at our favorite restaurant on the Upper West Side, Rosa Mexicano. We had a private room upstairs reserved, and our family and friends enjoyed margaritas, guacamole, and a three course Mexican dinner! It was absolutely fabulous and my dear friend Janie made gorgeous flower arrangements for all the tables. It was beautiful and so much fun. It was also the perfect way to kick off the weekend! Here are a few favorite pictures - Nate's dad Allan's speech, me hugging Courtney after giving her and Jenni their MOH gifts (custom unique pearl rings), and me with the fab four, my NYC BFFs!

Weekend in Baltimore

Last entry for a bit - last weekend we headed to Baltimore to spend time with some of the Breakfast Club ladies. We stayed with our friends Dave and Laura, and had visits from Kristy on Friday night and Kelly and Sam on Saturday! Baltimore has tons of great restaurants and Saturday there was a fun St. Patrick's Day celebration, which we all got dressed up for and spent the day in Canton. It was tons of fun! We love being close to friends and getting the chance to get out of the city for a weekend - especially on a day where it was almost 60 degrees in Baltimore! Can you tell we're over the winter weather? We definitely are...

Here are a few favorite pictures from our weekend! Friday night with Kristy:

Enjoying the beautiful weather Saturday:

Downtown in Canton:

"Husbands and wives" picture: Nate, Me, Sam, Kelly, Dave, & Laura

 And more fun: skee ball & live music!

Can't wait to return to Baltimore... maybe this fall!!

Easy Appetizer: Grilled Avocado with Salsa and Sour Cream

YA'LL!!!!

I just made the best, easiest appetizer for Nate this evening - we had a ripe avocado but no plans to use it for the dinner we have planned this evening. I found this picture and some directions on Pinterest and I tried it out, adding a few elements of my own, and it turned out AMAZING! Check it out and the next time you're looking for an easy appetizer, give it a try!

Ingredients:

• One ripe avocado
• 1/4 cup of salsa
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• Cilantro
• Olive Oil
• Salt

Directions:

Cut avocado in half, remove pitt. Cover open halves with a coat of olive oil and fresh lime juice. Put on grill (or grill pan) and cook on high heat for 5 minutes.

Remove avocado halves. Fill the pitted holes with salsa and top with a dollop of sour cream. Sprinkle with a bit of fresh cilantro, lime juice, and salt.

Serve with a spoon and enjoy!

Catching up on May: Chef Adventures!

We had such a fun time in May going to not one, but two amazing James Beard Foundation Chefs events! The first was Chefs Night Out which was at The Plaza Food Court this year. Chefs Night Out is a late-night event, starting around 9pm (we were there early, didn't stay as late!). The food was amazing! There were French macaroons, sushi spreads courtesy of Sushi by Gare, lobster rolls, signature cocktails, prosciutto and more! It also marked a year since we met Janie and Russ, two of our great friends in the city! Chefs Night Out is the less formal of the two events, but we were still dressed up and of course took some pictures at the stop-and-repeat photo call!

The second night's event was the JBF Awards and Gala, which are hosted every year at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center. The Awards are always so much fun - it's so neat to see which restaurants and chefs win awards - some of them we've usually been to! This year Del Posto one several awards, including service, and that was Nate's first 5-star restaurant in NYC! We went in summer 2010 with my parents and Jenni! After the awards is a gala reception, with dozens of food and signature drink spreads. This year, our favorites included mini burgers, the momofuku milk bar dessert spread, and sushi (my favorite, of course!). My favorite part of the gala reception is going on the second floor terrace overlooking the fountain in Lincoln Center. We got lucky with amazing weather - nice and cool! We were also treated to a few celeb sightings including Martha Stewart, Mario Battali, and Emeril Lagasse! All in all it was an amazing evening and we had so much fun at both events!

Summer Spaghetti Squash

Nate and I are always looking for fun, new, and tasty healthy-eating recipes! This is one that's so super easy and you can vary it with whatever you have around (presuming you have a spaghetti squash). The funny thing is spaghetti squash is TECHNICALLY a winter vegetable so it can be hard to find in the summer (although to me, it tastes summery, so silly vegetable, you're being born in the wrong season!). However a great food market called Citarella's has it year-round so we're lucky.

You take the spaghetti squash and cut it halfway down the middle and gut out the seeds. While it's baking, you prepare your filling - so this is a super quick meal! Sometimes we like to sauté the tomatoes, sometimes adding spinach or olives, and then top with crumbled feta. Tonight we made it with fresh heirloom tomatoes, basil, and mediterranean feta (a mix that is one of our favorites from Trader Joe's). We served them room temp (didn't sauté them).

This recipe is almost all vegetables, super quick and easy, and delicious! And it's perfect for summer! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash, halved and gutted
• 3 heirloom tomatoes (or 2-3 cups of halved cherry or grape tomatoes)
• 3 tablespoons fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)
• 3 ounces or so of feta. Add at your own discretion
• 1/4 cup diced olives, if you like
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Place the two halves of spaghetti squash inside-down on a baking sheets. Bake for 30 minutes.
3. Dice your tomatoes, basil, and olives and toss with the olive oil in a separate dish
4. Remove spaghetti squash from oven and separate strands using a fork
5. Toss with your tomato-basil mixture and top with crumbled feta cheese
6. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe: Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa!

Nate and I have been making strides in eating healthier - with my long commute and him being in class, it got tempting to order delivery every night. One of our favorite new recipes is a grilled salmon fillet with an avocado cilantro salsa. The avocado, cilantro and onion perfectly complement the salmon. We served it with roasted cherry tomatoes drizzled in our favorite Italian balsamic from Tuscany! The original recipe can be found here. We highly recommend it!

3 Year Anniversary!

How is it that years seem to go by in a flash - but at the same time feel like so much has happened! It's hard to believe three years ago we started dating back when Nate was living in Orlando, Florida and I was living in Durham, North Carolina. In the 36 months (!!) that we've been together we've traveled the US and the world, moved to New York City, adopted a puppy, and built a life together. I'm so proud of our journey and how far we've come. To celebrate our anniversary we treated ourselves to a nice dinner at Telepan, a restaurant on the Upper West Side.

I'll leave you all with a few photos of all our February 6ths!

2010, West End Wine Bar, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

2011, Amada, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

2012, Dovetail, New York, New York

2013, Telepan, New York, New York

Recipe: Tofu Rice Bowls!

Mmmmmmmmm

Nate discovered this delicious recipe and it has become one of our staples. To me it sounded questionable at first - it's tofu soaked in soy, and served with cashews, lemongrass, cilantro, ginger, onions and brown rice. The flavors are delicious. The soy and citrus with the rice make it very flavorful and very filling.

It's super yummy.

Check out the recipe here: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-brown-rice-bowl-with-tofu-and-lemongrass-166713

I seriously wish someone would make this for me for lunch right this second.

The Best of Brunch

Can we talk about brunch?

So… let’s get things straight. I am NOT a brunch expert. While I do (obsess) LOVE brunch in New York City, I haven’t made it my job to try each and every spot. There’s my official disclaimer – that said – I love me some brunch and it’s one of my favorite things to do in the city with friends, family, and of course my sweetheart. And it’s at Nate’s suggestion that I hereby give my brunch superlatives (rather than try to “grade” each brunch spot like a critic, which I’m not). So without further ado I give you Dana’s “best of brunch in NY 2012” list!

Best Value & Best All Around: Isabella’s Sunday Brunch

In terms of quality, cost and atmosphere you simply cannot beat Isabella’s Sunday brunch. Included with all reasonably priced entres ($15-17) are a coffee and a mixed drink (bloody, mimosa, or bellini). I’ve never had less than an amazing brunch item – although my personal favorites are the smoked salmon eggs benedict and the huevos rancheros. The sides are excellent too, including the applewood bacon and sausage. Sitting outside a block from the Museum of Natural History doesn’t suck either ;) For price, quality, and atmosphere, you can't do better than Isabella's.

Most Likely to Experience Spotty Service: Arte Café

For the record – I like Arte Café. That said I’ve had extremely spotty service each of the 5+ times I’ve been there. Once Nate and I waited nearly 20 minutes for a waiter (despite being seated). Another time wait staff hovered to take my plate away (the rest of the table had finished but I wasn’t feeling well and was eating slower… it made me feel like a vulture!). And then sometimes it’s been fine – and the food is good and it’s right around the corner from our apartment. Points for proximity, food quality (especially the roasted potatoes... yummo), but deductions for service. 

Best Atmosphere: Yotel

Honorable mention: Isabella’s

Yotel is a fun brunch and while it gets no points for value (I love a boozy brunch but $40 per person for unlimited food and drink for 2 hours is still steep in my opinion) – the ambiance of being in midtown Manhattan with incredible views of nearby skyscrapers definitely is one to note.  That said, if you’re looking to enjoy a relaxing outdoor brunch, a table at Isabella’s on Columbus, cattycorner to the Natural History Museum is nothing to complain about.

 Best Food: Sarabeth’s West

It’s pricey, but if you’re looking for the best brunch the Upper West Side (or any of Sarabeth’s other locations, midtown east and downtown for starters) has to offer, look no further than Sarabeth’s West. The chef at Sarabeth’s has won the James Beard Award for pastries, and it’s easy to see why. If you go to Sarabeth’s be sure to select one of the brunch items that features baked goods, we recommend the lemon and ricotta pancakes (wow) and the eggs benedict served on a homemade buttermilk biscuit (wow some more). They also make the best mimosa in the city, in the do-it yourself way. You're served with a small bottle of champagne and a small pitcher of juice and you can mix to your liking - and I like it!

Best Boozy Brunch: Calle Ocho

Honorable mention: Sunburnt Cow

Can you beat a brunch where meals run $14-18 and unlimited sangria is served throughout the meal? I didn’t think so. If a boozy brunch is what you’re looking for, Calle Ocho has you covered. The food itself is great – I had smoked salmon egg crepes that were super yummy – plus there are 8 flavors of sangria (4 white, 4 red). My personal favorite was “samba.” Honorable mention goes to Sunburnt cow, the food isn’t as amazing but it made for a pretty spectacular St. Patty’s day this year! I love their outside patio area too.

Most Likely to Spot a Celebrity: Edi and the Wolf

Haha – I couldn’t resist this superlative. I went to Edi and the Wolf with some girlfriends and it was the day of Eurocup – and who should walk in but Alec Baldwin and his new wife (who he had married literally the day before on Saturday). We were star struck for sure… so maybe it’s not actually “most likely” but it was worth telling the story! In terms of food, Edi is a solid bet and features Austrian cuisine. It has some fantastic bellinis. Be sure to get one if you go!

Best Burger: Spotted Pig

Everyone talks about the best burgers in NYC and mentions burger shops… I was pleasantly surprised one brunch when craving a burger at Spotted Pig at the AMAZING quality and flavor in the burger there. Spotted Pig is located in the West Village and while you may have to wait a while for a table, it's definitely worth it. Other items if burgers are not your thing (or you are vegetarian) are omelets and the burratta appetizer.

Best Organic Brunch: Good Enough to Eat

There’s a line out the door at Good Enough to Eat, and for good reason – it’s known for high quality and tasty organic brunch food. While it’s not my absolute favorite in the neighborhood (my eggs were pretty basic, although quite tasty) I will say the biscuits with strawberry butter are amazing and I had no complaints about any of the food or prices. It’s a great spot and if you can beat the line, totally worth it!

Best Lunchy Brunch: Café Ronda

You know when you go to brunch and you think, I really am not feeling like eating breakfast food? Café Ronda is a great spot for a lunchy brunch – they have flatbread paninis (my favorite is mushroom and arugula) that are delicious, plus outdoor seating, and the house red sangria is awesome. It makes for a great lunchy brunch if you feel like brunching but are not craving eggs and such.

Boozy Birthday Brunch

One of the best things about living in New York City is the tradition of "boozy" brunches - otherwise known as brunches including mimosas, bloody marys, sangria, bellinis, etc. It is made even more fun when you get all your friends together. So, this year for my birthday we decided to do a boozy birthday brunch with all our friends. The destination: Calle Ocho, a spot I'd been dying to try that includes unlimited sangria for the duration of your meal. So fun right? We had an AMAZING time.

After brunch was over, we did a mini photo shoot (of course) outside the restaurant on the beautiful beginning of fall day. My favorite pictures are below. The funniest part was the "Gainesville connection" picture - Nate, Amanda, and I are all from Gainesville, our friend Alec went to high school with us (and UF, later on) and our friends Janie and Russ went to UF! So we did a Gainesville connection picture and a "we're not Gainesville picture" - with Jen, Steven and Kendra. These are definitely my favorite!

All in all I had an amazing birthday and feel so thankful for our great friends in the city that we had a blast celebrating with!

PS: I highly recommend Calle Ocho - just call a few weeks in advance for a reservation, especially if you have a large party!

Birthday-ness at Asiate

Our birthday dinner was MAGICAL... as in years past, Nate and I did a joint birthday celebration. Since we live in a city with infinite possibilities, we would rather do things than have things. Last year we did Babbo for our birthdays and it did not disappoint! This year we did Asiate, an Asian restaurant at the top of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. It has the highest rated view in the city, and it lived up to the hype. Huge windows give diners a panoramic view of Central Park and the Upper East Side skyline.

We did the tasting menu and our favorite dish was the lobster... but everything was amazing. Check out the pictures below of our incredible view and magical view!

Happy Birthday to us!!!