"Chicken" Pot Pie

I had a HUGE craving for chicken pot pie, but I know these guys can be VERY bad for you. I decided to make a "chicken" pot pie using seitan (wheat meat), lots of fresh and frozen veggies, organic portabella mushroom soup, and whole wheat pie crust (pre-made). Of course this wasn't low-fat, but at least I knew exactly what was going into the pie, it was meatless, and it was organic. With the addition of rosemary, basil, whole black peppercorns, and a little hot sauce...the result was delicious! Overall, it took about an hour to prepare and bake the pie. Mmmmmmm!

Christmas Is All Around Us

As soon as Halloween was over, Christmas decor popped up overnight! NY is sooooo beautiful this time of year, and I cannot describe the Christmas spirit I see all around us. People seem to be a little nicer in the city....meaning saying sorry when running you over in the subway, giving some extra change to the homeless on the streets, and being more pleasant (well at least I've experienced this).

I'm a bit of a nerd, but I HAD to go over to Macy's to witness the New Year's ball. Yes...this is the ball that is dropped at Times Square; the same ball we ALL count down to on the television. It is made of Waterford Crystal and is big, bright, and beautiful (although not as big as I thought it would be). Also at Macy's were beautiful window displays. The theme this year seemed to be "Miracle on 34th St." where scenes from the movie are displayed with animatronics and loveliness.

I love Christmas time!

Essex...My Fav

My bf Rob and I love Essex Restaurant in the L.E.S. I first went here for dinner on my first visit to NYC a few years back, and I have been back numerous times since. They have an eclectic menu that could appeal to all tastes, as well as being decently priced. As for the atmosphere, it is lively with their in-house DJ spinning new dance tracks at dinner and a decor that is chic yet inviting.

When I first moved here, Rob and I used to be regulars at the All-U-Can-Eat Mussels nights on Tuesdays. Oh boy are those little guys delicious! Served with frites and bread to dip in the delightful broth...what else could you ask for?

Anywho, we celebrated Kat's man's birthday at Essex a few weeks back, and my girls got to try what I have loved for so long. Overall, I think everyone enjoyed what they ordered and we all had a good time.

Pictured Above (from the top):
- Manchego mac n cheese with edamame, haricot verts, and citrus salad
- Blackened catfish over shrimp, potato, and scallion hash
- Tilapia ceviche with homemade tortilla chips
- Steamed mussels with chorizo in a tomato-cilantro broth
- Baby lamb chops with crispy chorizo dumplings over Asian slaw
- Trio of potato pancakes: Goat cheese and arugula, apple sauce and sauteed onions, and salmon gravlax, salmon caviar, and sour cream (not pictured above)

Birthday Dinner

(Above: Tuna tartare with macadamia nuts, chorizo, and hearts of palm)
(Above: Fried goat cheese with lavender-infused honey)
(Above: Crispy brussels sprouts with creme fraiche, pistachios, and apples)
(Above: Pulled-pork empanadas with sweet and spicy cilantro sauce)

The ladies and I went to Alta on W. 10th for my Birthday dinner which serves an array of Mediterranean-inspired tapas. For a mere $350, you can get one of everything on the menu!
We didn't go for that option, but all we ordered was delicious!

Not featured above:
- Salmon tataki with mustard green puree, pear mostarda, and preserved lemon "paper"
- Sourdough bruschetta with mission figs, gorgonzola, dates, speck powder, and pine nuts
- Bacon-wrapped dates and olives stuffed with olives
- Smoked eggplant and lebne dip with za'tar, honey, mint, and lemon zest
- Paprika-potato gratin with oloroso carmelized onions, piquillo, and manchego
- Grilled chorizo wrapped gulf shrimp with whipped avocado-lime mousse
- Ricotta parmesan gnocchi with tomato-piquillo pepper sauce, pancetta, and pesto
- Grilled quail in a mustard marinade with spaghetti squash, dried cherries, watercress, and ginger
- Sea scallops with artichoke puree, yuzu mayo, and salmon caviar

Yummy!

Stir-Fry

One of my food staples is a good stir-fry. I always have brown rice, a protein (either tofu or seitan - "wheat meat"), fresh veggies (zucchini, carrots, red onion, and red peppers), and frozen veggies (corn, peas, edamame, and broccoli). My fridge is stocked with soy sauce, Sriracha (Asian hot sauce), and hoisin sauce. My favorite secret ingredients are dried mushrooms (cooked to rehydrate) and chunky peanut butter (to add a slightly sweet to my savory meal...as well as a crunch from the peanuts). I mix a combo or all of these together and I have a quick and delicious meal. It also reheats well so I make enough to bring for lunch the next day. Not only is it yummy, but easy on the wallet also!

I Love It!

The one good thing Paris Hilton did for this world was making clothing for animals trendy. I wish all animals wore clothes!

Turn That Frown Upside-Down

Today I am super sad. I will not be with my family for Thanksgiving, Elise's funeral was this morning, and my boyfriend is stuck in Pittsburgh. All of these situations were out of my hands and all I can do is stay positive. I need to smile and be thankful for all I do have in this world...which is a lot.

Elise Vivienne Kruse 10/8/08-11/22/08

Dear Elise,

You were 1 month and 14 days old when God decided you belonged with him in Heaven, and although we have only met once, I love you as though I've shared a lifetime with you. You were a beauty to look at, a sight that I flew 700 miles to see.

I was afraid to hold you Elise. You were so small, as small as a babydoll, but with some help, I sat on the rocking chair and held you in my arms. I thought you would be weightless, but you weren't. You felt like you should, like a baby in my arms. Later on, while everyone was in the kitchen, I snuck up into your room to see you. Although you were sleepy, you managed to crack open your eyes to stare at me too. You had beautiful blue eyes Elise.

Sadly enough, our time together was brief, but I will never forget it, I will never forget you. We were blessed with 1,066 hours of your life with us here on Earth, and I will thank God each and every day for that gift. You are an Angel. I love you.

Love,
Me

Apple on Apples

A Japanese man discovered a way to imprint an Apple logo onto real Fuji apples.... just apply a sticker a month before harvesting.

Doesn't this remind you on the Playboy bunny stickers tanning salons gave you to put on while tanning? You could see your true skin color in bunny form.....tacky huh?

Childhood Cinema

I am a sucker for nostalgic moments, and what better way to reminisce than list my top 20 fav movies growing up:

20. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (I won't lie, I love when they eat all of the crazy things...monkey brains!)
19. E.T.
18. Crooklyn
17. Now and Then
16. Goonies
15. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (all 3)
14. All Dogs Go To Heaven
13. Beauty and the Beast
12. Fern Gully
11. Never Ending Story
10. Mighty Ducks (1 and 2....not such a fan of the 3rd)
9. Aladdin
8. Who Framed Roger Rabbit
7. An American Tail
6. Little Rascals
5. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
4. Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang
3. Cinderella
2. All of the Christmas claymation movies
1. Nightmare Before Christmas


I could go on and on.

Sassy Panda

I work for a children's clothing brand called Garanimals, where we specialize in creating outfits that kids can put together themselves by matching the animals on the tags (Tiger on pants +Tiger on shirt = an outfit).

The cartoon animals on our tags are cute and cuddly looking, but some of them can appear quite sassy. The Panda is a personal fav of mine. She is round, but she sure knows how to work it!

Cuppycakes

My coworkers got me Crumbs cupcakes to celebrate my birthday, and boy were they delicious. All Manhattanites have their own opinion of who has the best cupcakes, and my personal fav is still Sugar Sweet Sunshine (but Crumbs was definitely up there). Overall, I just enjoy adding another famous cupcake to my list.

Slick Blik

Since moving into my West Village apartment, I have slowly decorated my tiny bedroom. Cute bedding, matching curtains, artwork, etc. I thought I would purchase a vinyl wall decal from Blik right after I moved in, but I have yet to do so. Blik specializes in an array of vinyl (removable) wall decals that can be an entire zoo scene to put in a child's room or just a few flowers to stick onto your toilet seat. I originally wanted some bamboo branches, then I considered a chandelier, but now I'm thinking of a clothes line with bra and underwear decals! I will get around to it one of these days.

24 Years

November 18th marks my 24th birthday. Being 24 means that I only have 41 years left of working. Being 24 means I am one year shy of being a quarter of a century old. Being 24 means I have been of the legal drinking age for 3 years. Not young, not old. My feelings on this? I'm kind of numb to it really.

Birthdays have never been that big of a deal to me, and I blame it on my Vietnamese background. It's mostly Western culture that celebrates birthdays as we know it. Vietnamese and many other Asian cultures believe your animal year (Chinese astrology) is more important than your actual years. I'm a Rat (Like Splinter or the rats I see jumping out of trash cans in the city).
According to a website I found, "Rat is respected and considered a courageous, enterprising person. People born in the Year of Rat are clever and bright, sociable and family-minded. They have broad interests and strong ability in adapting to the environment and able to react adequately to any changes." Being a Rat doesn't sound so bad when you put it in those words. Also, 2008 just so happens to be the Year of the Rat, and I will say it has been quite a year.

Cheers to my years!

November 11

I am a day late, but I wanted to say thank you to all war veterans and all those currently in the armed forces. To commemorate these brave men and women, NY has a big parade down 5th Avenue (which I heard loud and clear from my office on the 19th floor). Keep in mind, whether we support the war or not, we should always support our troops.

I also can't forget that November 11 is also my baby brother's birthday. He is the big 2-0 this year!
No matter his age, he will always be the thumb-sucking, Ninja Turtle loving, "Don't tickle me or I'll throw up", boy I love.

Sad Turkey Day

Signs of Thanksgiving and Christmas are all around the city right now, and I will not be joining my family for any turkey for the second year in a row. Up until moving to NY, I've never missed a holiday with my family. However, I'm fortunate that I can spend it with my boyfriend and his wonderful family in New Jersey.

I'm glad that our great nation takes a day to give thanks for all we have, but I don't know how much longer I can go not spending it with my own family (whom I am most thankful for).

On a lighter note, I found an art project featuring a turkey with a sign saying "Eat Cheese". Although I don't eat as much meat as I used to, I will not have Tofurkey or any other meat substitute on Turkey Day!

Molly's Meal

My friend Molly made us a beautiful dinner the other weekend, and here is what she served:
* Root veggie salad - brussel sprouts, turnips, and parsnips - baked with a dash of butter
* Avocado, pomegranate seeds, grapes, tossed with mint and red wine vinegar
* Baked tilapia with purple potato and chive and rosemary oil

Thanks Molly! You get an A++ !!

OH Taisho

Rob and I have discovered a new favorite restaurant....Oh Taisho (located on St. Marks Place between 2nd and 3rd Ave.)  You won't find sushi on this Japanese restaurant's menu!

Oh Taisho specializes in yakitori (meat on a stick) and other Japanese street foods. My personal favorites have been the scallion skewers, chicken meatball skewers, and the tuna/avocado salad. Did I mention they serve 60oz Sapporo pitchers for $12? That's pretty cheap for this city!

Halloweenie

I have seen 2 Halloweens in New York, but I have yet to dress up for the occasion. Why you ask? I'm not sure really. Halloween just creeps up on me, and before I can make a decision on what I'm doing, the day has come, and I don't have a costume. I do love being a spectator and checking out all the crazy outfits. Now that I live in the West Village, I have experienced the Halloween Parade down 6th Ave. This fills my neighborhood with Halloweeners from all over the 5 boroughs, who come to celebrate Halloween in parade form. This of course made it nearly impossible to leave the neighborhood....taking me one hour to travel to the L.E.S. to join in on cookie-making and wine-drinking. Nonetheless, it was a lovely, but crazy night.

From top to bottom: "You Puke You Clean" at Double Downs in East Village, Samurai chef at Oh Taisho on St. Marks St., Jack Skeleton...star of my favorite movie The Nightmare Before Christmas, Pauly Bleeker and Juno at Essex

Shadows

Shadows always remind me of Peter Pan and how he chased his shadow around and played games with it. Silly, I know.

I just love this picture of Rob and I.