Photographic Tours

As the train steams forward across vast Virginia farmland, I sink into the wide business class seat, stretching my legs forward. For the first time, I am traveling by train thanks to the total shutdown of New York City airports.

The end of 2010 approaches as rapidly as the passing trees, abandoned barns, and cows. To pass the time, I organize photos of the previous year. Since purchasing my beloved dSLR in March, we have been attached at the hip, and there are now few places I venture without the heavy, safe strap around my neck.

Not surprisingly, food comprises most of my photos. Another chunk of my photos are places I frequent, mostly around New York City: markets, restaurants, and bars. I realize I did not share most of these with you because I was uncertain if you are interested in the daily happenings of a Manhattan-ite.

Whether that interest exists or not, I have decided to start sharing more snippets of my daily life. Perhaps these photographs will help you in planning an upcoming trip or just help you escape your daily routine for a few moments. Either way, I hope they provide a true glimpse of what it is like to live and work in this city.

Alice's Tea Cup & An Interview

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Leti of ‘Becoming Lola’ for tea and scones at the famous Alice’s Tea Cup on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The storefront is like a fantasy playroom for every little girl - knickknacks, pink tutus, and butterflies fluttering across the ceiling.

Leti emailed me a few weeks prior to our meeting and expressed that she would love to interview me for her sweet blog. As if that weren’t enough of a compliment, she confessed she had been a long-time reader of my blog, meaning she was reading when I thought my parents were my only readers! She must have loved the “Hi Mom!” comments.

It is no secret that my little blog has evolved quite a bit this past year and a few more of you lovely readers stop by my little home on the Internet each day. I cannot express how excited this makes me and I hope you are finding something to your liking.

I am also a devoted blog reader and love the thrill of stumbling across a new one to add to my list. But before I become a regular reader of any blog, I like to know a little about the person who’s words I am reading. I think becoming an invested reader of a blog is, on a very basic level, similar to beginning a relationship. Just a little glimpse into some one's life and a hint of what really makes them tick can be the beginning of a beautiful thing.

So, if you want to know a bit more about me, skip on over to read my interview on Becoming Lola. Stay awhile - as if the whimsical photographs and sweet words hadn’t already enticed you to linger.

Mast Brothers Chocolate

A few weeks ago, I ventured to Brooklyn with Mike and our friend Victoria to finally tour the Mast Brothers Chocolate factory.

I have wanted to take the tour for quite some time now, but it kept getting placed on the back burner for a variety of reasons.

As soon as we turned the corner to North 3rd Street, the overwhelming smell of chocolate consumed our nostrils.  

A few moments later we would discover the specific source of the smell - they were roasting cacao beans right in their tiny storefront!

At every opening of the convection oven door, a thick cloud of steam rose into the customers and danced its way out the open front door to the city streets.

Right next to this intoxicating aroma, employees were busy hand wrapping each chocolate bar in its very own gold wrapper.

You just can't help but think of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

After learning a bit about the company and the current five locations from where they source their cacao beans, we were allowed to peek into the back room and try a handful of unhusked, unroased cacao beans.

There were machines which separated and organized the beans into nibs and husks...

...machines which ground the nibs into chocolate and more machines which tempered the chocolate into a silky, smooth existence.

Finally, for the best part of the entire tour - the taste testing!

We tried a tiny square of each chocolate base.  It was truly amazing to taste the differences in each little piece.

Afterwards, we made our way to the retail counter to taste each of the chocolates containing add-ins.  My hands-down favorite?  Fleur de Sel.

So, if you find yourself in Brooklyn and the strong scent of roasting cacao beans happens to blow your way, follow it to Mast Brothers Chocolate

Don't forget your free husk!

Mast Brothers Chocolate

http://www.mastbrotherschocolate.com/

105 North 3rd Street

Brooklyn, NY 11211-3927

(718) 388-2625

Stumptown Coffee Roasters

Stumptown Coffee Roasters invaded the Ace Hotel in Manhattan in 2009.  It was a day Mike and I eagerly awaited and could not wait to make our way downtown for our very own cup.

One year later, we finally found ourselves standing outside the Ace Hotel, ready to be drawn into the warm shop by the strong, but lovely, scent of freshly ground and brewed coffee.

Having already enjoyed our requisite morning cups of coffee, we decided a small, powerful espresso would be just right.

The baristo handed us two small cups of water to cleanse our palates, as he created just the perfect brew for our order.

The result was the thickest, strongest cup of espresso I have ever enjoyed.  Despite its strong flavor, there was no trace of bitterness to be detected.

On the way out, we splurged on a pound of coffee to enjoy during the following week.  After feeling a bit lost, another very helpful baristo came around the counter to offer some clarity and a few words of advice.

Mike and I decided on Guatemala Finca El Injerto, Bourbon Varietal, whose scent filled every fiber of my purse and occasionally drifted up to my nose throughout the evening.

It made for a quite delicious and enjoyable cup of coffee on Sunday morning.

Ready to go try your own very own cup?

Stumptown Coffee Roasters

http://www.stumptowncoffee.com/

18 West 29th Street, Suite 3

New York, NY 10001

(212) 679-2222

The City Bakery

___________________________________________________________

At the encouragement of several long-time reader of this blog, as well as a few newly-introduced readers, I have decided to begin reviewing some of my well-enjoyed food adventures around my little town of Manhattan. To this point, I refrained from doing reviews on purpose, for several reasons - I don't eat out very often, I don't order a wide variety of items when I do go out and, honesty, I don't believe I am the best source for reviews of places around the city. So, I do sincerely hope that you enjoy these occasionally installments; I hope you will remember them as you search for a place to provide a special treat or places to savor during a trip to NYC.  Please take them for exactly what they are - the experience and recommendation of a good friend.

___________________________________________________________

I first passed by The City Bakery just about two years ago.  I was a recent transplant to Manhattan - and I was lost and lonely.  I found myself alone on another humid, stifling weekend and I headed to the only place I could find refuge - the cookbook section of Strand and the Union Square Farmer's Market.

As I wandered the sticky streets around the market, fresh spinach and strawberries in tow, I ventured past The City Bakery.  I peeked through the tinted windows and was immediately intimidated.  It was fast paced and the locals looked as though they knew exactly what they wanted.

So I ventured on, convinced myself it was like every other over-rated bakery in the city and tried to forget about the sighting.

At least, until later that year, when one of my favorite bloggers, David Lebovitz, wrote about how much he loved The City Bakery.

I had to have one of those pretzel croissants.

Still, because I always have, and always will, hate eating alone, it took another two years to actualy open the doors and be formally introduced to the famed-pretzel croissant.

After my Dad and I had explored the farmer's market last Monday morning, he asked if there was a place we could grab a quick snack.  I prefaced my response with saying I had never actually eaten there, but The City Bakery came very highly recommended.

An unexplored, potential-gem?  My Dad was practically hauling me through the doors.

My Dad filled-up a plate with the roasted vegetables, as I explored the space and reserved a spot in line.  Drooling over the pastries and baked goods, I ordered my long awaited pretzel croissant.

And then we also spotted the maple bacon biscuits.  And ordered one of those.

And then I asked the server what made up the Baker's muffin.  He politely answered and my Dad scoffed.  Not at the server or his response, but at me.

"There is only one way to properly research," as he instructed the server that we would also happily be taking one of those.

We found a spacious, out of the way table and dug-in.

The pretzel croissant.  The long wait.  The flaky, salt crust.  To die for.  If you go to The City Bakery and only order one item, let it be the pretzel croissant.

I found the whole croissant so intensely interesting - the buttery, salty, flaky crust, but a thick, doughy crumb.

I could not, and did not, stop eating this, although allowing my Dad a significant taste, until nothing was left.  Not a crumb.  Not a sprinkle of salt.  I cannot wait to enjoy another - perhaps in cooler weather, with a steaming cup of hot chocolate.

The surprise of the afternoon was the maple bacon biscuit.  It was like breakfast in a compact form.  It was equally delicious - and my Dad bought five more on the way out, which Mike and I enjoyed throughout the long week.

The baker's muffin was good, well-executed, but probably not something I would order again.  Maybe it just wasn't my taste, or maybe I was already thoroughly blown-away by the pretzel croissant and maple bacon biscuit.

So, if you are ever find yourself in area of the Union Square Farmer's Market, mosey on up to The City Bakery.  I hope you enjoy the pretzel croissant and maple bacon as much as me.