Day 3 - Stockholm

Friday - 9/18

I received another disappointment when I headed to the Radhus to discover it was closed for the day. There was a huge EU gathering for a meeting on climate control. I had forgotten about the royal armoury. Don’t know how I missed it, so I walked back to the royal palace. The armoury was cool, and seeing the crowns belonging to the king and queen were magnificent. Prior to that I had wanted to see the Riddenhouse church only to find it was closed for the winter. I figured I'd pop into the House of Nobility as well, seeing that it was free.

Finally, more of Gamla Stan and it was back to Sodermalm. Sodermalm is hands down, my favorite area of Stockholm. I can't explain why. It's probably because it's the more relaxed and artsy part of the city. Also, the fact that it's loaded with locals could be a major factor as well. I was able to browse some thrift shops and check out the vibe.

On every trip, I allow myself one nice restaurant to eat in. I'm a budget traveler and since it's difficult to keep a normal schedule on vacation, I try and eat at the cheapest places possible. The hostel charged for breakfast but had a kitchen for guests to prepare their own meals. I had already taken a trip to the supermarket to stock up on breakfast supplies, so was at least saving for my breakfast. The place I chose for my splurge meal was Pelikan. I ordered the Swedish meatballs. They were delish! Stuffed from my meal, I explored some more, walking through the park and paying a quick visit to the village of Kakar.

Not So Yum

Today, in honor of Chinese New Year, our tea group met up at a Dim Sum restaurant down in Chinatown. This was my first venture into the world of Dim Sum, which seems to be all the rage here. I was under the impression that the meet up would be held in some cramped tiny place tucked away on some Chinatown side street. However, upon arrival, I discovered that one had to ascend an escalator to enter the premises. Any restaurant that requires an escalator ride to get to your meal is going to mean big business. Hiding behind the plain facade outside was a vast banquet hall fitted with tons of tables and chairs. If you do an image search on Yahoo of the place, a whole host of Flickr pages devoted to the interior and the delicacies offered on the food cart will pop up and you'll see what I mean.

The meet up was for a later time so that we would have a better chance of getting a table large enough for our party (they don't take reservations). This affected what was available on the menu as they were to close up a few hours after we arrived. Despite the dwindling amount of choices, the place was packed. The protocol is to order off the carts that frequently pass by. Thankfully, our table passed on the chicken feet or else I would have vomited right then and there. In looking at this experience, it really wasn't my cup of tea, at least the items that were being picked weren't. I'm not a fan of shrimp or pork. I'll eat these foods, but not in the way they were prepared here. I did scarf down the vegetarian spring rolls, and the sweets were okay. The steamed yellow sponge cake was divine! I would go back just for that alone. Since it was Chinese New Year, we were served pots of jasmine tea.

Would I do this again? Perhaps. Maybe. It all depends on the choices on offer. I'm glad for the chance to try different foods and learn a thing or two.

Angry Feast

Tonight was a night out at the Scandinavia House for a screening of the 1988 film, Babette's Feast. Excellent movie. If you have the opportunity to watch, I most definitely recommend. The story is centered geographically in the Jutland region of Denmark. Yes, there are subtitles, but you won't get lost in the sauce of the storyline. I promise! The synopsis is a bit similar to the film Chocolat in that the main character, with a mysterious background, arrives in a remote and insular village only to magically transform it later on. Complete with morality challenges. In Babette's Feast however, it is in the form of an exquisite meal for the community paid for by lottery winnings.

Another plus of movie night at SH is that if you order a coffee and a dessert together, showing your movie ticket, it comes out to just $2.00 total. That's surprisingly cheap by Manhattan standards. I lovingly selected a huge ginger cookie on offer from Eli's, and was immediately disappointed at how stale it tasted. However, the coffee was pure Scandinavia - dark and strong.

Now here is where it gets angry. I am one who silently (and sometimes verbally) flips out when a person's cell phone begins ringing at the most inappropriate times, especially when the culprit doesn't answer or seem to realize how much of a nuisance they are causing. So, you can imagine how much I nearly died of embarrassment when my own mobile started ringing during the film.

Normally, I keep it on vibrate and am rarely one to catch a call on time. Of course, that night was, it seemed, the one and only time I mistakenly turned the phone on and it began ringing well into the movie. Keep in mind that I was in the second row, right smack dab in the middle, and wasn't even aware at first that it was my phone. Since it sounded oddly close by, it wasn't until like, the tenth ring that I fully realized the evildoer was me. Trying to sneak into my purse to turn it off, thus hoping to conceal the evidence, all was apparent to several audience members directly in front who the guilty party was. You would have thought I had just eaten a baby dipped in BBQ sauce!

Sigh

Back From Boston

A splendid time was had by all, and the weather was way agreeable. Not too hot, not too cold. Just right. Baby bear conditions. Stops were made via automobile in Hingham, Revere, and Roxbury for family genealogy enquiries, and all of Boston proper was spent on foot. Exhausting.

In Hingham, I all about climbed the walls due to impatience through an obligatory 1 1/2 hour tour of the town's historical society. Things turned immediately to joy upon being shown several samplers made by our direct ancestors when they were young girls. These samplers were close to two hundred years old. Seriously, I simply cannot believe my greats left behind such an enduring legacy!

Our side trip to Revere was spent looking for a street sign of our family name. Since our ancestors founded the town of Charlestown, and settled all throughout the area; the name, the graves, and the remaining houses can be found all over Boston. Our maddening excursion, courtesy of the rotaries, was topped off by a visit to Kelly's for a delicious meal, which we ate on the beach.

The trip to Roxbury was less than forgettable. Driving around looking for the Eustis Street Burying Ground proved to be a huge pain in the ass. Unfortunately, we arrived several minutes after the 3 o'clock closing time. Still, it was one of those beautiful Gothic looking graveyards that is situated on a busy cross street, making it stand out all the more beautiful.

As I mentioned above, our day in Boston was lovely. Since Bunker Hill wasn't open during our visit last year, we decided to stop off for a tour. I climbed all 294 steps to the top only to be met by smelly, sweaty others who probably weren't used to so many stairs. Although my calves were killing me the next day. I discovered later that most of the photos I took up there were marred by all the scratches and smudge marks embedded on the plexi-glass windows. One of the highlights was a militia man dressed in period clothing giving a shooting demonstration on the grounds.

We settled on the Union Oyster House near Faneuil Hall for our last night's dinner. Both of us chose the stuffed fillet of sole. It was delicious, but the seafood stuffing was something less than desired. Nothing bad, it was the kind of stuffing that is all seafood with scant amounts of cracker. I prefer it to be the other way, more crumbly cracker, less seafood. But that's just me. Prior to our meal, we watched a cool street performance by two drummers.

Now for the NPS Passport book. I mentioned in another post how I introduced this program to my mother when we were at the Grand Canyon last month, and that she was now an stamp addict. Boston is loaded with stamping stations and I think we got most of them. This included bagging some bonus stamps which weren't part of the NPS program, but from a now defunct citywide Freedom Trail scavenger hunt. Score!

Photos can be found here. Drummers here --

Free Cornbread

For some odd inexplicable reason, the corner of 34th and Broadway is thee epicenter for free handouts. The freebies I have received on my way from the subway exit to my workplace, have ranged anywhere from protein bars, to energy saving light bulbs (for Earth Day), and condoms (for AIDS Awareness Day). Today was no different in the uniqueness that is free booty.

To promote the grand opening of another branch of Dallas BBQ (excellent Texas Size Pina Coladas, I might add), a delivery man was handing out free warm cornbread. Right there on the street. At first, I viewed him with suspicion. Then the thought occurred to me that he was just fed up with the job and enacting some kind of revenge by giving away his delivery orders. All before turning in his apron, of course. After observing others, I slowly approached and reached for one of the brown paper bags that he was handing out. Back in the office, I opened it to see that I had been given two huge pieces of cornbread. Each piece was about 3"x3"x2" in size -- and so delicious.

Just another day in the things that make NYC so oddly interesting.

The Send Off of All Send Offs

If there is one place that I have walked by week after week, month after month, year after year; it had to be Republic. This noodle restaurant on Union Square West. I was hesitant at first, but after I checked out the menu and consulted with others who had eaten there and raved all about it, I decided on the "#21 Pad Thai Noodles", and was pleasantly pleased with my choice. Delicious. Cheap food, fantastic Asian Sangria, and vegetable dumplings that were to die for. It's funny how the establishments we judge to be too pricey because of the aesthetics outside the building, deter us from experiencing what is on the inside.

This is the spot we chose to have a small intimate going away dinner last night for one of my friends. This lucky duck is packing up and moving on to Spain in a few weeks. After dinner, and after perusing through American Eagle, we headed to "Sundaes and Cones", the ice cream place I recommended, which ended up being a hit. The flavors they have are unique and yumtastic. I turned everyone on to the grapefruit sorbet. Trust me on this folks - it's delectable.

Since we were near St. Mark's Place, A mentioned she had been itching for a belly piercing to match her belly button piercing. We found where she'd gone before; to a place called Addiction. J and K couldn't stomach the idea, so I volunteered to hold A's hand throughout the ordeal; while she got it done by a man who looked eerily like Rasputin. Originally, they thought she wanted what was called a "Christina" (warning strong images!), but thankfully, we corrected that misunderstanding immediately. Plus, we learned a new term for the night. I ended up getting pierced as well -- by A's nails as she squeezed my hand during the procedure! While we were indisposed, J and K went and bought the fedoras we agreed upon earlier they looked great in.

The night was capped off by torrential downpours and a make your own cotton candy machine outside a Chinese restaurant that charges only a buck for the powder. Interesting establishment, with a WANTED poster that featured several Asian men. The sign hung next to the stinky cooking station, where, of course everyone would be looking for criminals on the lamb.

On the way to the subway, we four stepped full on into a huge puddle. In flip flops, no less. It's official, we declared - all of us had to have caught a disease after that cataclysmic mistake.

Wildenstein Gallery - Monet Exhibit

Yesterday was the first of the "summer Friday's" that I get to enjoy this year. My workplace allows each employee seven Friday half-days (paid) from Memorial Day to Labor Day in which to choose from. I got to leave at 1 o'clock, and headed uptown to the Wildenstein Gallery for the Claude Monet exhibit. I found out about this exhibit from a travel forum, and thankfully, got there a week before it was to end.

Anyone who was around yesterday knows that it was hot, hot, hot. In the city, it's even more of a killer, and being uptown near all the traffic and all those emissions, made it absolutely unbearable. I didn't realize there would be a long line to get in. And standing there waiting with the sun beaming down on you, makes one even more irritable. Especially once they get inside and are herded like cattle throughout the whole entire exhibit. Regardless, it was exquisite and I'm glad to have gone.

So, there were sixty, count 'em sixty, Monet's on display! These spanned from his early works right on down to the later ones. A few of the later works somewhat resembled Jackson Pollack's (to me anyway) and were far removed from the Monet's that many (including myself) are accustomed to seeing. The later works were not really to my taste, but still, there were some classics and some drop dead gorgeous paintings.

Back to the forum. I had to laugh when one poster accused some of the pieces in this exhibit of being "not of museum quality". What!? Since when is a Monet not museum quality? Okay, there are bound to be some that aren't to one's taste, but, come on!

I had to laugh when a forum member posted this in response to that silliness: "Suddenly it's all very clear . . . Maybe next time you're in town they can trot out a nice Thomas Kinkade for you."

Another highlight of the day, was that I discovered I was near Le Pain Quotidien, a Belgian bakery/coffeehouse. Since I love all things Belgium, and I wanted to try this place out, I figured I'd stop in and grab a sweet. By this point, I was too tired to eat in, but I took note of the atmosphere (they utilize a communal table for dining) and made a mental note that I would definitely stop in again sometime soon. I ended up ordering an Pain au Chocolat with a Brussels tea. Both were lovely, and I need to practice my future orders in French. There were some French speaking staff behind the counter, and frankly, I felt a little self conscious that I don't speak any language other than English. And I hardly manage that with considerable ease!

I Bageled an Onion

Let me explain.

Last night, I took a Knife Skills I workshop at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE). I originally came across the school several months back when I was interested in taking a wine course. Over time, that idea changed and the want of some basic cooking classes took over. I was drawn to the knife skills class because, although I know how to cook (very well, thankyouverymuch), I'm not too comfortable with your standard run of the mill chopping and dicing. I handle a knife as if I'm auditioning for a role in a horror flick. I hack into things with reckless abandonment.

Our instructor, chef Norman Weinstein, was superb. Not only was he incredibly helpful, but funny as well. I really learned a lot and grew more comfortable with the knives we used. Having hands the size of a Barbie Doll, I always figured that smaller would be better for me. Not the case. We worked with an 8" chef's knife only once. That was because Mr. Weinstein wanted us to compare it to the 10" chef's knife he had us use for the remainder of the class. Turns out, he was so right about that.

The techniques I learned last night I think will always be with me, but I know I'll have to practice a lot. In addition to learning the bagel cut (a straight saw cut to the side), and both the high and low technique; the key word of the night was "follow-through". Like in golf. Plus, we were given a handout which detailed what we learned in class to refresh our memories. Also, I can proudly say that I have finally chopped an onion without tears streaming from my eyes. That, my friends, is quite an achievement!

Another thing I liked was Weinstein's honesty about what one needs to stock a basic kitchen. As a professional, he could easily have said we needed tons of knives. Nope. One only needs a few to handle the job.

So, because of my happiness in the course, I am definitely looking into taking another knife skills class. There are four on offer. I learned that you don't need to take them in any order as they are not skills orientated, but usage orientated.

Needing a Detox

Excuse the Bridget Jones like calculations, but my alcohol damage for the week (Saturday to Saturday) was as follows:

3 - Big yummy cups of Sangria
1 - Strawberry martini
2 - Glasses Pinot Noir
3 - Vodka tonics
3 - Shots (2 SoCo and one a watermelon tasting thingy)

The Sangria was consumed at my friend's bridal shower. The martini, after work with friends. The two glasses of Pinot? Originally only meant to be one. I treated myself to my most favorite restaurant, Lamarca, and the waitress gave me another on the house. Rounding off the week was all that vodka...and those shots! Again, this was for the first friend mentioned; but now at her bachelorette party.

Don't get me wrong, the fun times went hand in hand with the fun drinks. I'm not much of a drinker, but to be honest, I feel pickled. I need a detox!

A funny thing happened on the way to the bridal shower. I had to take the NJ Transit train in what seemed like an eternal ride, complete with all local stops. What is it with me, New Jersey, and long exhausted weekend trips anyway? Because the party was out in the sticks, once the train arrived, I had to take a cab from the station to the house. I wasn't exactly feeling the impending cab fare and began to look for an opportunity. I spotted another woman at the ATM machine grasping what appeared to be a shower gift. I approached this total stranger and asked, "Excuse me, are you by any chance going to T's shower?"

Surprised and startled at my question, it turned out she was indeed another shower guest. I asked if she would like to share a cab to D's house; and we both saved time, effort, and money to our destination.

You see, I'm just like that.

Sunday Afternoon at Ikee-ER

Today, I did what I never do much that I should do more often. I went to Ikea. Or, as the family in Maine would call it, "Ikee-ER". One of the luxuries of city living is that places like this actually will do stuff to get you to their locale. Case in point - Ikea offers a free shuttle bus service every weekend, picking up and dropping off from the Port Authority bus terminal. So, it's not unusual to see numerous hipsters waiting in a very, very long line at Gate #5 for this bus.

I went out of want/need of picture frames and didn't find what I was looking for. But I came back with the bendable cutting board (a necessity in my teeny-tiny kitchen), and some cheap towels to place across my windowsill to catch the grime that enters my apartment in the summertime (you have to see it to believe it). Oh, and I couldn't leave without buying some proper Scandinavian licorice.

I like Ikea, but I also hate it. For some time, all I could think was, what is it about this place that leaves me so conflicted? This weekend I figured it out. I go there mainly for the food. Okay, I'll admit it, I treat the cafeteria as if I were really in Sweden. The Swedish meatballs with lingonberry sauce are definitely the highpoint of my trip there. The coffee, which I rarely drink in my day to day life, is strong and smooth. And I get all jazzed up over the decadent desserts (who wouldn't!). My view of Swedish cuisine is forever skewed. I think anyway. I recall visiting the cafe inside the Scandinavia House and feeling let down that the $4.99 meatball plate special was not the focal point of the menu. Such is life I guess.

I guess the moral to the story is that I only emphatically LOVE the place. But, I do enjoy visiting.

So the next time you hear me mention that I went to Ikea, don't first ask what I bought. First ask me what I ate!

Happy St. George's Day

"Cry God for Harry, England and Saint George!"

Today is the day of St. George, who forced all the snakes out of...um, no.

Today is the day of St. George, where you eat haggis and...um, no.

Today is the day of St. George, where you wear either a daffodil or a leek or a...um, no.

I guess what I'm trying to convey is that many people really don't know whom St. George is. He is the patron saint of England. He also slayed a dragon. Top that one St. Patrick! The others I mentioned above in order of claim-to-fame are St. Patrick, St. Andrew, and St. David. No. I didn't put St. David last as some sort of cruel joke.

My sociology professor once told us this riddle:

Why don't the English have a parade down 5th Avenue?


Because they don't want to.

I think that sums up why poor old Georgie boy is a mere footnote in British history, while his other compadres get their own honors and celebrations in each of their respective countries. Yet, his cross graces part of the Union Jack, the flag of Episcopal church, and the front doors of BNP members. Ouch on that last one!

There is a campaign building steam over the pond in jolly old England to bring him back. Not from the dead silly! Back into the limelight, and with his very own bank holiday. This, I am completely for. It's about time the English dropped the PC attitude towards this dude and embraced something other than Celebrity Big Brother.

Since I am in the US, I decided to celebrate today by cooking a traditional English dish - toad in the hole. I got the recipe from How to Boil an Egg. It was decent, but the batter wasn't cooked all the way through on the inside. It wasn't runny or anything, just a bit "moist". I blame the fact that I partitioned too much of it out into a muffin tin, like many use for Yorkshire Puddings. Or it could have been the fact that I cooked it in a toaster oven. Yeah, could explain why. Lesson learned.

I figure by the time I perfect this dish, St. George will be a holiday over here.

High Chai - Russian Tea

In addition to the most beautiful weather we had today, I met up with my tea group at the High Chai tea room for a Russian tea brunch.

Pictures here.

High Chai is a combination tea room/bar/restaurant which is located on 18 Avenue B at 2nd Street. They specialize in exotic flavors, and are heavy on infusing unique flavors and flowers in their beverages. I arrived for the 12 noon gathering. Inside, the decor was a mix of quirky and beautiful. Mosaic tiled floors, bright wall colors, and a decorative tin ceiling. Basically, the kind of decor you would want for your own little abode.

Svetlana, the owner, gave us a quick talk about the Russian tea ceremony. When tea arrived in Russia it was expensive. To conserve the precious leaves, the samovar came into use. Invented in the city of Tula, this apparatus houses a pot on top, which holds a small concentrated form of the tea. The bottom of the samovar holds the water. You pour the concentrated brew from the top into your cup, and then dilute it with as much water as you prefer. This way, you make don't end up wasting your leaves.

It's probably not a surprise that I now want to own a samovar!

On offer for the brunch were sandwiches, Russian cheese pate with croutes, and a nice salad. For dessert were Russian cookies, and a chocolate fountain with fresh fruit for dipping. As a surprise, the owner gave us each a shot glass full of the rose petal infused vodka mixed with cold tea. Floating in the glass were actual rose petals. It tasted interesting - and flowery! I don't see myself ordering this in the future, but it was nice to try it out.

I got to talk with Svetlana, whom I found so lovely and accommodating. I am really, really positive about this place. I can't stress the pluses enough. Everything was wonderful. The food, the drink and the ambiance were absolutely perfect.

The group I was with was part of my meet up. The conversation flowed and I got to know many people, including the organizer of the group - Mei. I had heard from the others that they too were having a wonderful time. I also heard that the previous tea meet ups were a blast.

Since this was my first meet up with the tea group, I am really looking forward to future events.

Horchata

Stopped in at Burritoville for their most excellent, magnificent salsa. I was fixin' to make quesadillas and realized that the meal just would not be complete without my favorite tortilla topping.

While there, I checked out, and then bought, a beverage called Horchata.
Dubbed as "Mexico's Favorite Drink" on the menu, I thought I'd give it a try. With only four ingredients (non-fat milk, rice powder, sugar and cinnamon), it seemed to be something that would interest me. Plus, it played into my love of sweet milky drinks.

The verdict? Looks kinda like baby formula. Tastes like a liquid form of rice pudding, but heavy on the cinnamon-y side. I compare it more to a ghetto version of eggnog.

Don't see myself ever buying it again, but you don't know unless you try.

A Triscuit, A Trasket

Have you tried the new Triscuits Thin Crisps? If you haven’t, then run, run, run; don't walk, right out and buy some. And while you're at it, pick me up another box. I'm just about out. These are so good! Takes a bit of the guilt out of my naughty night time grazing ritual. I normally buy the reduced fat brand, but these are even lower in fat. On the plus side, you can eat more per serving. It still has a lot of salt though, which doesn’t bother me.

Compared to the original Triscuits, these are downright nutritious, and they can be found almost anywhere.

Serving size 15 crackers (30g)
Calories 130
Calories from Fat 45
Total Fat 5g
Saturated Fat 1g
Trans Fat 0g

Whole Wheat, Soybean Oil, Salt, Monoglycerides (I've never seen so few ingredients in a Kraft food product in my lifetime)

The back of the box even has a coupon for Athenos brand hummus. Imagine that. Hummus has gone all national and soccer mom-ish and stuff!

A Meal Unto Itself

I live near City Bakery, and have always heard about their infamous hot chocolate. For some reason, perhaps closeness breeds un-necessity, I had never been there before. Trust me, it was kind of hard not to avoid them. This establishment has a cult following all throughout the country. Even Martha Stewart raves about them. Still, I have walked by the place, like, umpteenth million times, and have never set foot over the threshold. Until today. Because it was such a beautiful day, I was in my, I-revel-in-all-things-New York mood. On my way to Old Navy to return a tank top, I walked by and thought, "Oh, what the hell, I need to give this hot cocoa a shot".

I ordered a small and opted for the home made marshmallow (as seen above). At first, I balked at the five dollar price tag. Who buys hot cocoa worth five bucks? Then I realized I was about to consume an cult classic, and swallowed my frugal pride. My thoughts? One word - decadent. What you are drinking is pure chocolate, melted down and served in a cup. It can be eaten with a spoon. This ain't Swiss Miss folks! Had Augustus Gloop fallen into this stuff, he would've sunk right then and there, like quicksand. No chocolate river journey for him. It was so unbelievably rich I couldn't even finish it and was only able to get through about half before finally throwing in the towel. It proved to be a meal unto itself.

Would I recommend this to you? Hell yeah! Would I ever order one again? Not for awhile now. It proved to be so filling it was sickening. Should you want to partake, I would first recommend ordering only one small cup and sharing it with someone.

This stuff is not for the faint at heart.

Avocados & Ice Skating - Revisited

Last night was a harsh ice skating session. It was a bit warm and very humid, yet cold enough to keep Wollman Rink open (there’s a cooling system underneath). However, skating on sharp cold ice is a bit different than the soupy, scraggly mess I faced last night. Anytime you see gleaming super slick ice, don’t fret. As much as it looks hard, scary and sharp as knives, it’s going to provide you with the smoothest ride you can imagine. Apparently, others were having problems as well. We were one huge sweaty fallsy bunch out there; including yours truly. Less than one hour into it all, it start to rain. I held out for as long as possible before throwing in the towel.

Once home, I decided to revisit the avocado milkshake recipe. It made perfect sense not to binge on junk, since I just had a grueling workout (and two decadent cookies before leaving for the rink!). But, I didn’t have the time or energy to make a meal, and I wanted something refreshing as well. So I pulled out the blender and got to work. I had purchased some rum extract, which made it all taste so much better. This is definitely now part of my repertoire. I was really bummed when I finished up the shake cause I wanted more, but I knew it wouldn't be a wise choice for my waistline.

Whilst preparing it, I got to thinking. Parents give babies avocado mashed with banana to form a concoction called “Chunky Monkey”. It’s way tasty and way good for babies. Well, they don’t actually verbalize the tasty opinion to us, you just have to guess by their facial expressions. Half avocado/half banana? Hmmm, I will have to begin the milkshake experiments. It can only result in yumminess.

The Sign Read

"Help yourself to some Spanish chocolates".

In the basket were Toberlone chocolates.

Spain - 40°26′N 3°42′W
Switzerland - 46°57′N 7°27′E

Guilty Pleasure # 63

http://www.chowhound.com

The only problem with sites like these is you get so caught up in what's supposed to be "the best" that you can easily become confused.

A search for the best bagels turns up many heated threads. That's to be expected, I guess. But it's wonderful for the man on the street opinions, and possibly finding some places that aren't quite known or have been printed in city guidebooks. Yet.

Barney Greengrass

When I get an idea in my head, I really get an idea in my head.

Such was the case with Barney Greengrass. I got it in me that I just had to have an everything bagel with horseradish cheddar cheese. I figured since I wouldn’t bother to go on the weekend (understand, I’m below 23rd street), I would go yesterday during my regular work lunchtime. Even though they were several miles away from where I work, the subway proved to bring me there quickly. So quick in fact that the stop was around the corner from the place. Even better. Have you ever walked those avenues up there? I’ll keep my downtown compactness any day.

I'd heard the service there was surly at best, so I prepared myself for major attitude. I didn’t get that when I ordered (beginner's luck?). I ordered my bagel with the horseradish cheddar and a slice of tomato. I was surprised and very pleased when the guy behind the counter pulled out a tub that it was a spread and not cheese slices. Had I known this beforehand, I wouldn’t have asked for mayo on it. What I got was heaven, albeit a bit runny due to the mayo. The horseradish cleared my sinuses properly and succinctly. I admit, the combination was a bit weird, but it tasted perfect to me.

While I was waiting for my order to arrive, a man next to me had his beeper go off. I mean, who in the hell still uses beepers these days? Didn’t that go out with personal answering services?

Since I secretly love the Upper West Side (please don’t tell anyone!), it was nice walking around checking out the nabe whilst dodging all the strollers. One thing they have over us down-towners are the multitude of breakfast places available. Man, I miss breakfast places. My neighborhood has them, but not like uptown does. I walked it down to Zabar’s and picked up a slice of their zucchini pizza for tomorrow’s lunch. It proved to be delish! Would you believe that Zabar’s has great pizza? I think so anyway. Also, I couldn’t resist buying a small slice of their cheesecake; perfect for a sweet treat.

So, Barney’s is a nice place to nosh. I wouldn’t recommend going out of my way (like I did), but if you’re in the neighborhood and you're hankering for a hunk of horseradish cheese, there you go!

Shrove Tuesday / Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday. Or what I like to call it, spot the Christian day. Since I'm religious and all, I went around the corner to the Catholic Church (even though I'm not) and got my ashes today. Splayed on my forehead for the world to see. I know I shouldn't be uttering this, but the priest dispensing the ashes was young and way cute! Too bad about the celibacy bit.

Last night, in honor of Shrove Tuesday, I made pancakes. Not British ones like my ancestors probably made for this event, but nice thick cakey American ones. The kind you need a glass of milk at your side for. I stewed some mixed berries for a topping.

It was so friggin delish!