Restaurant Week Day 2: Bar Boulud

Today we enjoyed our lunch at Bar Boulud on the UWS. It is a fairly new restaurant and we enjoyed it, but I think yesterday's meal at Gotham Bar & Grill was better, overall.

Brian got the Pate, Roasted Chicken, and the dessert was similar to a creamy meringue (can't remember what it was called).
I got the Chilled Carrot Soup, Mussels, and Pecan Mousse.

It was our first time trying pate and it was good--we enjoyed it. The carrot soup was fresh and refreshing. I really, really liked the pecan mousse. It was good, delicious food, but nothing was a "WOW".

I'll try to write down the actual names of the menu items...they sound so much more delicious.

Restaurant Week Day 1: Gotham Bar & Grill

Restaurant Week Summer 2008 has begun! Each time it comes around (twice a year) Brian and I try and hit one restaurant and indulge in some savory treats. This time we've gone a bit crazy and have reservations at a different restaurant every single day for two weeks. Many of the top restaurants only offer a Restaurant Week lunch menu, so Brian and I are enjoying some fabulous lunch dates. My criteria when making reservations were that I had heard of the restaurant and it had to be pricey (in order to really make the Restaurant Week price a deal, and a place we normally wouldn't go to because of the price).

Yesterday was the first day and we started it off with a bang at Gotham Bar & Grill. Brian and I always order different things (while consulting each other) so we can taste as many offerings as possible.

Brian got the Chilled Tomato Gazpacho, Miso Marinated Cod, and Flourless Chocolate Cake.
I got the Melon Salad, N.Y. Style Steak, and Panna Cotta.

Our favorites were definitely the cod and chocolate cake. The cod practically melted in my mouth and the cake was so rich it gave me a bit of high, similar to drinking hot chocolate from MarieBelle's. We also really liked the gazpacho, melon salad and the panna cotta (which was very light, creamy and delicious). The steak was good, but nothing special.

And THANK YOU Marci for watching Isabella while we enjoyed our meal!!! (And suggesting I blog about this!)

Run Mama, Run

I raced again on Saturday and did a pretty awesome job! It was a 4 mile race for Central Park. This was my second race of the season, and I will hopefully do one (or two) more this year. I beat my own time with an average of 8:19 min/mile. Sweet! It was, of course, the hottest day of the year...again!

I barely made it to the race on time because the downtown trains weren't running. So I jogged from W 119th St to W 72nd St, which is about 2.25 miles. And, yes, I drank gallons of water that day!

Fantastic Fountains!

Isabella loves fountains! Rightfully so, especially since it was so hot and humid on Saturday. This was down at Battery Park as the sun was setting.

Waterfalls

On Saturday we went for a cruise on the East River to see The New York City Waterfalls. It was fantastic! Anyone interested? Grab the $10 Circleline tickets.

West Village

I seriously love the West Village. Each time I visit I fall more deeply in love. Last week when I just had to get out of the hood I hopped on C train and got off at West 4th St. Isabella and I just cruised around, enjoyed the people, shops, and gelato. We stopped at a fantastic playground where Brian met us after work. It was the perfect day.

Sew Mama

Isabella washing her hands after church (and spraying herself).
And me, finally getting a photo of the dress on her before striping her down for a messy lunch.

The past several months I've had an intense desire to create things with my hands; sew, craft, make! I'm not really a crafty or creative person so I have had a slow start. Not sure where to begin, afraid my lack of skill and experience would make my creations look, well, blah...I found something I wanted to make for Isabella. I had seen this Oliver + S pattern featured on a few blogs I had been visiting and basically learned all I could about it to make sure I knew what I was getting into.

When my mom came to visit in May we went fabric shopping in the garment district. (So fun!) And then she helped me. I don't think I could have made this dress without her. The sewing machine I have is an old Singer (I think from the 60's) and worked great once my mom worked out all the kinks. And then she patiently retaught and reminded me all the bits and pieces of sewing she had taught me when I was a teenager.

And, BTW, the pattern is called "Tea Party Sundress". So sweet!

Touring with Friends

Hanging out on the front steps of the Morris-Jumel Mansion in Harlem with friends, Chase & Eliot

Daddy + Cooking

Isabella loves her daddy and she loves to help in the kitchen, so this was a very special treat!

Daddy + Bedtime

Silly gnome baby!

When Brian gets Isabella ready for bed it's all fun and games! Isabella's favorite spot lately is our bed. She loves to pull up the covers to her waist and sit and read books. It's pretty cute. (Probably because we often have the air conditioner on in there.) It reminds me of growing up and how my siblings and I use to pile onto my mom's bed Saturday mornings. We would just hang out, laugh and talk and then we'd go make waffles or something like that. Oh wait! We still do that (when we visit)!

The Perfect Weekend

Cousins Devon & Wednesday

Red light!

Green light!

Catching frogs

Not only was the blueberry picking absolutely fantastic, but the rest of the weekend matched it. We played outside with the kids, visited Brian's great aunt, had s'mores on an outdoor/patio/camp fire, and watched The Incredibles on an amazing out door movie theater, set up by friends Dave & Malisa.

More Weekend Fun

Berry Picking

Cousin Roman

I LOVE blueberry picking!

Isabella finding her treasure.

Spencer, Brian's brother, with his loot.

Isabella loved the tart raspberries too. I couldn't pick them fast enough for her.

Cousins Devon & Roman raspberry picking.

YUMMY!

The first time Brian took me blueberry picking I knew I was in love. The most perfect moment was when I was crouched in a field of blueberry bushes on the top of a hill in South Glastonbury over looking the lush, green hills of New England. Then popping a warm, sun ripened blueberry (the size of a grape) into my mouth. The flavor, texture, and whole experience was amazing. Oh, sweet blueberries, I love you so!

Beach Bums

Some of my favorite photos from our trip to the New Jersey beaches yesterday. The weather was fantastic and we had a great time.

Picnic in Sheep Meadow

Brian had a pretty mellow work week with his boss off on vacation, so we got to spend some nice long lunches with him.