twilight at morningside

so long, farewell

2009-09-24T17:27:00.005-04:00

So long Blogger! It's been almost a year, but Twilight is upgrading to a bigger and better blog.

Please visit http://www.twilightatmorningside.com/ and let me know what you think about the new site! Coming up soon... a boatload of new photos from my recent trip to the Pacific Northwest.

Hopefully you'll want to add me to your RSS feed, so I think you'll find this URL is the one to use. http://www.elizabethdorney.com/blog/?feed=rss2

Liz

Sofra.. So Delicious

2009-08-24T10:50:00.009-04:00

The first I heard of Ana Sortun was about 4 years ago, when she won a James Beard award for Best Chef in the Northeast. I was intrigued by Oleana's Mediterranean and Turkish influenced menu. I eventually bought the chef's cookbook Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean, but it languished on the bookshelf. I was way too intimidated by the shopping list required to tackle the exotic recipes in my kitchen.

Fast forward to June 2009. I headed to Beantown for conference and finally ate at Oleana! It was such a remarkable meal, filled with wonderful new flavors. Doug & Sip also mentioned the chef has a casual cafe in Cambridge serving wonderful baked goods, mezzes and flatbreads. I tried to visit before I left Boston, but it wasn't meant to be. Doug was busy (working, of all things), the rain was endless and it seemed awfully out of my way for lunch.

I've been plotting a trip to Sofra ever since my train pulled out of the Back Bay. Last week, just in the nick of time, I convinced Chrsitine we should make a detour before heading back from KW's baby shower. We sampled 5 mezzes and the lamb schwarma with cousa squash and yogurt and washed everything a perfect glass of mint iced tea. Next time I'm going to try the iced tea with pine nuts! My favorite dish is still the Moroccan carrot salad (also on the menu at Oleana). You can buy other prepared foods to-go and more ambitous home cooks may want to pick up spice packs and try re-creating a little Oleana magic at home.

Sofra Bakery

1 Belmont St
Cambridge, MA 02138-4404
(617) 661-3161
http://www.sofrabakery.com/

Oleana
134 Hampshire St
Cambridge, MA 02139-1421
(617) 661-0505
http://www.oleanarestaurant.com/

Baby M

2009-08-24T10:32:00.010-04:00

On Saturday, I grabbed two hazelnut iced coffees and hopped into Christine's
car for a road trip to Boston for a baby shower. There were a few sprinkles
along the MassPike, but we got to Brookline well in advance of the Red Sox
traffic.

KW got a loads of adorable gifts to welcome her new arrival, due in October.
Back in the day, I had many a great misadventure with this mommy-to-be,
but it all began when we met in Morrow House in college.

No word on boy or girl, so we could have a future Smithie on our hands!

On the way home we stopped for a bite at Sofra Bakery in Cambridge, more on this little neighborhood gem next.

no blight here

2009-08-17T21:38:00.002-04:00

This summer we got a ton of rain in June and it really set the growing season back. A lot of folks in the Northeast were struck by a tomato blight, heck even Martha's garden in Westchester NY wasn't safe!

As bumbling backyard growers, we were lucky our crop has done just fine. In this photo there are patio tomatoes from our deck, larger grape tomatoes and the lovely yellow sun sugars.

Sound to shore

2009-08-17T17:18:00.004-04:00

I'm always taking shots from the top of the Morningside seawall, but here's the view from the Long Island Sound! We haven't been out in our kayaks since we moved, so this was the first time seeing our neighborhood as a resident at sea.

Thanks to Captain Charlotte who brought us out on her boat Finally on a hot summer Sunday.

jersey shore

2009-08-17T16:55:00.005-04:00

The O'Connell's have the perfect summer home in Brigantine, on the Jersey Shore. I've never stayed this far north along the coast, but the shoreline is still spectacular. There were breezy sunny days on the beach and evenings on the boardwalks of Ocean City and Atlantic City (could we get 2 more contrasting islands!?)

Looking at these photos makes me a little sad since I know summer is winding down. The good news is our Pacific Northwest trip is less than a month away!

Flamingo pink reflections

2009-07-30T12:02:00.005-04:00

Flamingo pink, originally uploaded by :morningside:.

For some reason I love pink flamingos, but I haven't seen them in person very often. We saw these snoozing birds at the Calgary Zoo. It was a hot day in the city (not unlike today), so I'm sure they enjoyed keeping cool in the shady water.

This is my first post using flickr and it's so easy, I'm totally over using blogger/picassa.

summer night

2009-07-29T10:01:00.001-04:00

Bridge over the Saugatuck River in Westport last night.

always good news

2009-07-28T12:22:00.006-04:00

A dear college friend is visiting Connecticut this week for a teaching course at a local boarding school. We met up for dinner at the always delightful Good News Cafe in Woodbury, CT. In this photograph you'll see the most important course, dessert.

Megan has the trilogy tasting: basil raspberry cake lavender panna cotta passion fruit vol au vent and I ordered the peach tart a la mode with caramel sauce.

If you're in this neck of the woods during the day, be sure to stop in at Ovens of France and get some patisserie goodies to go.

Good News Cafe
694 Main Street South
Woodbury, CT 06798
203.266.4663

http://www.good-news-cafe.com/

melt

2009-07-21T13:41:00.012-04:00

My entry for this week's for The Curiosity Shoppe's: Smarts & Crafts Thursday Photo Assignment > MELT

Last summer, we were lucky enough to go to a conference at Lake Louise and make a dream trip to the Canadian Rockies. The conference included a trip up to the Columbia Icefield. We saw all manner of wildlife on the famous Icefields Parkway, including three black bears who knew how to create a real traffic jam, but looked both ways before crossing the highway. The highlight of this daytrip was walking out on to the mouth of the Athabasca Glacier. It was about 55 degrees F, so a very agreeable temperature to be walking on a huge hunk of super old ice. There's no question it's slowly melting away. We did try some of the glacier water and it was pure, ice cold refreshment at its best.

More photos from our trip are at Flickr

old mill b&b

2009-07-18T22:37:00.007-04:00

I organized a mini-reunion for my college friends who didn't make it to our Smith for the 10 yr. I investigated other lodging options and came across the Old Mill B&B in Hatfield. It's a lovely spot on the Mill River and only about 5-10 min drive from Northampton along Rt 5.

I recommend staying in Room 9 ($125), it sits right above the roaring waterfall and has 6 windows onto the river. Breakfast is included, we had apple cinnamon french toast and dinner is even an option on weekends. Though I'd have to recommend eating back in Northampton!

On your way to-or-from Noho, stop in at River Valley Market on Rt 5, it's a co-op but all are welcome and it's a great place to stock up on any provisions.

Old Mill B&B
87 School Street
Hatfield, MA
(413) 247-3301
http://www.oldmillbnb.net/

privacy, please

2009-07-18T22:29:00.005-04:00

When we moved into our house there was a slab foundation next to us and we would fantasize about never having neighbors on that side of our house. About 6 months ago they started building that house next door and since day 1, I've been wondering how we could get more privacy on our deck. My professors have managed some privacy on their screened porch with this beautiful drape of green leaves and the grapes are even edible later in the season. What a great idea to keep out the prying eyes of neighbors who are just a little to close for comfort.

a summer treat

2009-07-18T22:11:00.006-04:00

I think it's the second summer since Treats knocked down their ramshackle farm stand and built a big new barn as the focal point of their summer market and plant center. We've been away so much that I really haven't been there this summer even though it's just up the road! There are a lots of specialty items, and while the price is a bit higher, it's so convenient that I am thankful to have this much local produce only a few miles away.

It's a lovely shopping experience and on Saturdays there are local fish and meat purveyors as well. Get there early on Saturday, there are often limited amts of native fruits veggies, and Judies bread. Oh and don't forget those chocolate chip cookies in the jar by the register. They come with or without nuts. You can wash them down with Trinity Farm milk that comes in the old-fashioned thick glass bottles.

Robert Treat Farm

1339 New Haven Avenue
Milford, CT 06460

(203) 878-4270

http://roberttreatfarm.com/

ominous weather ahead

2009-07-18T10:11:00.006-04:00

I work in an unusually shaped building. Often I describe it as a oval space ship that landed on High Ridge Road.

I've heard the building used to be home to Cadbury Schweppes and so the architecture is supposed to resemble a bottle cap. Actually, I buy that explanation and it makes our building's history a little more interesting. Though if aliens had built it, that would be a pretty good story as well.

I took these shots at about 7 pm on Friday and I was really relieved that it didn't downpour during my commute home. The deluge came early this morning instead.

rolling out the moroccan carpet

2009-07-17T09:52:00.004-04:00

A new, temporary exhibit is on loan after our friends' honeymoon in Marrakesh. And it fits perfectly in our living room! How did they know?

Stay tuned folks, I'll be featuring more photos from their adventure soon. Who doesn't want to hear more about mint tea and haggling in the souks?

Plaid Nation 09 begins in 3...2...1

2009-07-16T11:42:00.016-04:00

I stumbled across this local, lovable Danbury, CT agency just as they embarked on their West Coast tour last summer. This year Darryl & crew are back and touring the Heartland, in a Ford Flex that is momentarily being wrapped in nothing other than... plaid!

In the past year I was luckily enough to visit Plaid's sweet pad in the former Empress movie theater and snag a little tour swag (just check my rear view mirror above) while sitting in on a client meeting. I'd hardly call a car air freshener much of a bribe... but, I'll still endorse this road trip as a prime "time-kill central" material. I would even venture to say it has a similar useful/useless ratio as the output from Car Talk Plaza. I can't wait to see more of the Boring Store in Chicago, but they've got something for everyone with all manner of tour stops ranging from FedEx to the Indy Speedway.

While Plaid gets set up in the Motor City, check out http://www.plaidnation.com/ and prepare yourself for some serious innovation and creative inspiration on wheels.

Something Sweet at DANIEL

2009-07-14T16:36:00.005-04:00

If I lived in NYC I would surely be thrilled to wrap-up an evening with something delicious and decadent from the pastry chef at Daniel. Plus, this sweet deal is a really affordable way to see the new re-design. If you haven't been to the restaurant this year, the crisp, modern interior will be a bit of a surprise.

Something Sweet in the Lounge at DANIEL
Of course, being DANIEL, at dessert we pamper you with a parade of petits fours, hand made chocolates and our signature warm madeleines.

Your greatest challenge for the evening? Choosing from indulgences such as a Blueberry Vacherin with Candied Violet and Fromage Blanc Sorbet or a Tainori Chocolate Dacquoise with Rice Crispy, Lemon Curd and Dark Chocolate Ice Cream. You'll soon know why DANIEL's Pastry Chef Dominique Ansel was just voted one of the Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America. Served Monday to Thursday from 9:30 pm. Dessert and cocktail, $24 per person.

To reserve: 212.288.0033

more oysters (and our 15 min of J&M fame)

2009-07-14T10:43:00.008-04:00

When we got married, there was such a whirlwind of planning that engagement photos did not make the priority list. I've often had regrets about this and so to celebrate our third anniversary I wanted a NYC photo shoot with fabulous New Haven-based Justin & Mary Marantz. I had no problems drumming up location ideas for this shoot: Tudor City, Campbell Aparment, Grand Central Terminal, NY Public Library & Bryant Park. The High Line opened a few days later, but sunset on the West Side would have been a killer spot as well!

The list goes on and on, but my favorite location is still the Oyster Bar. My first time inside this restaurant was on a tour with Andrew Dolkart in '97 when I studied architecture at Columbia, but it was my husband who first introduced me to oysters. Though these bivalves have Manhattan skyline-high prices, I think the Oyster Bar is a magical place to sample from a large selection of oysters and to take a breather from the hustle and bustle of the train terminal.

You can see more our day in the City at >http://www.justinmarantz.com/index.cfm?postID=227

eating your way through downtown northampton

2009-07-12T23:01:00.025-04:00

Last weekend I went up to Northampton MA for a belated 10 yr reunion with college friends. We started things off at the rooftop beer garden at the Northampton Brewery. If it's a hot day most of the deck is in shade or under an umbrella and they provide a nice mist to keep things cool. It's a good spot for a larger group and I was pretty surprised we didn't end up coming home with a growler.

It was a toss up, but between Spoleto and Green Street Cafe for dinner. Another foodie mentioned the College was trying to evict this long-time staple from its spot on the edge of campus and I decided we better go in case it closes! I never went to Green Street Cafe much as a poor student, was first introduced to it by an alum who hosted a reunion for our landscape trip to Japan!

I recommend ordering the duck breast with polenta entree and closing things down with a cool pineapple sorbet. The handwritten menu is a little difficult to read (those L's are tricky), but I that's part of the charm. Also there are picnic tables and a grill out back for burgers , dogs, & chicken on the patio. Sounds like a great option for lunch.

I think there might have been a mutiny if the group didn't stop at Herrell's for ice cream. Ironically, no one wanted to get a medium (or larger) size serving required for the full smoosh-in effect. I tried their no-moo (dairy free) black raspberry and it was creamy, but of course no comparison to the real thing!

We dropped in on my *favorite* art history professor who I haven't seen in years! She and Dan (who was really my true college advisor) introduced us to Hungry Ghost Bread. It's fabulous! If you are in Northampton I strongly recommend you stop in and get loaf of this deliciousness.

Dan and Dana offered such a nice late morning snack and as we chatted in their screened porch, Luna the cat occasionally wandered through. I also don't want to forget about lime zest on top of the smoked salmon. What a nice citrus surprise!

The good news is the Vistas dvd/website has been taken on by a university press and will hopefully be published next year.

We all stayed together in a B&B in Hatfield which meant a few trips in and out of Northampton along Rt 5. I finally got curious about the River Valley Market up on the hillside along I-91 and I discovered it's a new co-op (non-members are welcome) that has been open for about a year. I wish we had something like this nearby in Connecticut!

Unforuntately, I ate way too much at dinner to even consider drinking beer at the Dirty Truth. We had a few hard core beer connoisseurs in our group and they had read about this beer hall on the Blind Tiger blog so we decided this was our best best for after dinner. They have quite a beer selection- you can start to see how much they have on tap in this photo!

Last but not least, I insisted on eating lunch at Amanouz Cafe. I chose the highly recommended herbed eggs which are actually steamed and wonderfully light under the dill-rich gravy. Photographed here is my friend's Bastilla, chicken and almonds topped with filo and dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar. I heard the same proprietors also own Mosaic Cafe which is reported to have nicer ambiance and an outdoor patio. I'm definitely checking it out next time.

As always, here's my list "next time" list for Northampton:

Woodstar Cafe 60 Masonic St # B (inside a firehouse and recommended for lunch)
Mosaic Cafe 78 Masonic St (same owners as Amanouz)
Hugo's Pleasant St. (a true dive? recommended for some local valley flavor after dinner)
Local Burgers and Fries 16 Main St # 1(like five guys, but for locavores?)

advertising 1940's style

2009-07-12T23:00:00.004-04:00

We came across a few 1940's issues of Life Magazine in our B&B last weekend. I wanted to steal one and bring it home to read cover to cover, but instead i just flipped through and photographed advertisements!

If you are having any problems with the slideshow in this post, you can also view these photos on Flickr.

Mashing with Snoop and Martha

2009-07-11T07:31:00.002-04:00

The juxtaposition of Martha and Snoop is just priceless. When is SnoopDog Fatherhood coming back to E! anyway?

sloppy's

2009-07-10T22:09:00.006-04:00

Sloppy's is the closest restaurant to our house. It's definitely a local neighborhood spot and it has the lumpiest booths ever, but that's part of its charm! Despite the seating, we still enjoy dropping in for a quick, convenient bite of Mexican food.

On the weekends they breakout some unhealthy specialties for dessert. I never would have tried the fried oreos, but a friend ordered them and it's basically a doughnut around an oreo and you really can't go wrong there. Need an extra dollop of trouble? Add some vanilla ice cream.

Usually I stick to ordering the steak tacos al carbon or the tamales.

Sloppy Jose's Mexican Restaurant
186 Hillside Avenue
Milford, CT 06460
(203)-878-9847
http://www.sloppyjoses.com/

Anchor Beach

2009-07-10T22:01:00.007-04:00

This is a distinctly recognizable neighborhood on Milford's waterfront.

We decided to switch it up and stroll down Anchor Beach tonight. It was the perfect cool summer evening and I enjoyed the change of scenery along this craggy stretch of rock and sand.

photo assignment

2009-07-10T14:55:00.014-04:00

I've been submitting photos to the Curiosity Shoppe's Thursday Photo Assignment and it's been a great little mental exercise to dig through my snapshots every week and try and find something that fits the week's theme.

I'm trying shoot more photos during the week, so I took my G10 on a quick iced coffee run at work. I'm lucky enough to work across from Noelle Salon. This Stamford institution of beauty and pampering and has long concealed a mundane brick building with matured landscaping that makes for some lovely photos opps between my office and Donuts Delight.

My other go-to spot for iced coffee on High Ridge Road is CRUMBS and I want to go on record saying I hardly ever buy cupcakes or donuts. No sweets, just caffeine!

new lens and it's like a new camera

2009-07-07T22:55:00.010-04:00

I love B&H, my new lens came in just a day with free ground shipping.
This 50mm 1.8 makes me love my dslr again. The G10 is great, but it does have some shutterlag which drives me nuts.

Here are my long neglected books, collected in a previous life (when I thought I wanted to become an architect). The AR is ALDO ROSSI, Drawings and Paintings, one of my favorites.

Speaking of college days, I'm headed back up to Northampton Massachusetts this weekend. Can't wait to see dear friends, eat at Green Street Cafe and catch up with one of my all-time favorite art history professors.

low tide finds

2009-07-07T22:24:00.005-04:00

After a lot of picnics and other hustle and bustle this weekend we caught some late day sun down a the seawall on Sunday.

what would you do...

2009-07-06T14:05:00.009-04:00

for a klondike bar?

On Sunday we arrived back at my in-laws right after lunch and my niece was busy enjoying her klondike bar in the sun. I would kill for long eye lashes like that!

All my photos from Saturday and Sunday were shot with the p&s Canon G10, the only problem is this is the second time I've had the battery die on me. Looks like I need to order a second one as backup. I'm getting far more comfortable going close-up with my camera so I'm getting giddy waiting for the arrival of my 50mm 1.8 lens that I ordered today. At $135, you can't beat the price!

happy 3rd of july

2009-07-04T11:11:00.008-04:00

We usually head to West Haven the night before the 4th. We are so lucky to have friends with a home right on the shoreline and once you find a place to park your car (oh and that is one steep hill), you know there will be no skimping where pyrotechnics are concerned. Last weekend, the second shooter at the wedding gave me a clue on capturing fireworks, so I decided to dust off my dSLR and try it out.

Today is the Morningside picnic and then we're heading over to Point Beach for more grilling and fireworks. Hopefully a golf cart ride will be our our very near future.

cupcake love

2009-06-29T20:41:00.006-04:00

The morning after the Cupcake Truck's wedding appearance there were a few leftovers enjoyed by the little ones attending the waterfront brunch at Compo Beach. The flower girl eyed me very suspiciously while she ate her sweet treat. As you may have noticed, her red shirt already notes that she's "daddy's little cupcake."

This week I discovered the IHeartFaces blog and I adore browsing at this mix of amateur and professional photography. They run a weekly contest, so dig up a photo, get a blog post going and enter one of your best faces.

follow that cupcake II

2009-06-29T20:22:00.014-04:00

Want to see guests get really excited at a wedding? Pull up to the curb in a food truck and let everyone's inner child order up their own frosting/topping combo on a cupcake. I've been patiently waiting for months to check New Haven's Cupcake truck in action and you simply can't underestimate the power that marshmallow frosting and even afew multi-colored sprinkles can have...

These two cupcake truck owners are trying to make some dough from a baking obsession, but they must also enjoy making people deliriously happy.

http://www.followthatcupcake.com/
Daily parking locations: http://twitter.com/cupcaketruck

ica boston

2009-06-28T20:32:00.006-04:00

I spent a wet and rainy Sunday afternoon at the ICA. It's in a newly developed waterfront area in the Boston and was the first Diller Scofidio + Renfro building built in the United States. Unfortunately it was so generally miserable out that I thought I was going to blow away when I tried to spend time along the waterfront exterior of the building.

The Shep Fairey: Supply & Demand exhibit is showing through mid-August. This post starts with a photo from his book Obey, as photography was forbidden in the galleries. You may not recognize the name, but he is the artist behind the famous Obama poster in 2008.

Institute of Contemporary Art
100 Northern Avenue
Boston, MA
http://www.icaboston.org/

at home in boston

2009-06-28T19:52:00.010-04:00

I haven't been inside Louis of Boston in 15 years or more? I love their beautiful selection of home wares on the first floor.

The first time I stepped inside Bliss Home in Boston it was a fiercely cold and blustery day on Newbury Street.

That year, the Alessi Michael Graves tea kettle (2 shelves above the champagne/ice bucket) was my Valentine's Day gift. There's a wonderful 20% off Alessi sale going on now at Bliss. I bought the matching creamer to go with my sugar bowl.

Louis Boston
234 Berkeley St
Boston, MA 02116-3186
http://www.louisboston.com/

Bliss Home
225 Newbury St
Boston, MA 02116-2522
http://www.blisshome.com/

return to the golden lamb

2009-06-15T21:26:00.006-04:00

The Golden Lamb Buttery is a unique dining experience in Brooklyn, CT and we celebrated my birthday here a few years ago. While there was a hayride accompanied by strumming and singing musicians before dinner, I really enjoyed our recent 1 pm lunch on the farm. We practically had the entire deck (and sweeping vista to the lake) all to ourselves. You'll want to have a reservation, but chances are you aren't wandering through this area by accident...

The Golden Lamb Buttery
499 Wolf Den Road
Brooklyn, CT 06234
(860) 774-4423
http://www.thegoldenlamb.com/

strawberry delight

2009-06-15T21:18:00.005-04:00

I've been waiting for the first strawberries of the season and apparently we were the first paying customers at this farmstand in beautiful Pomfret, Connecticut.

Lapsley Orchard
403 Orchard Hill Road (Route 169)
Pomfret Center, CT 06259
(860) 928-9186

No. 9

2009-06-10T14:45:00.004-04:00

What can I say? I hated my metronome my entire childhood, but this brings me back to all those days in youth orchestra. Enjoy

a martha moment

2009-06-10T12:57:00.006-04:00

I'll admit to recently wandering around the craft store and later scrubbing spray mount from my hands and wondering, how did I get here?

I'm no Martha Stewart, but I needed bridal shower favors.

I simply hate useless gifts, so just around Earth Day we bought reusable bags in the hopes they will remind the guests of the happy couple next time they are shopping green.

Check out baggubag.com's rainbow of options and start a colorful collection of your own.

Need some inspiration? Start here.

the plaza

2009-06-08T22:00:00.004-04:00

We celebrated anniversary #3 a few weeks early this year. Everything in our room at Plaza was gleaming white and gold... which you cannot tell from my dark and poorly snapped photos. It was a huge room, close to 500 sq feet which is palatial by NYC standards. One of my favorite things about this hotel was the silence. You can't hear any outside traffic or hallway noise. It's a peaceful oasis in a loud and chaotic place. It gave me dreamy flashback to our honeymoon arrival at The Oriental.

kyo ya

2009-06-08T10:53:00.008-04:00

We read about Kyo Ya in Tasting Table and the New Yorker and decided to check it out last week. When D called for reservations, they answered in Japanese! We decided not to do the kaiseki and just wander our way through the menu on our own. For our first sashimi course (pictured above) we had striped jack and salmon trout. My favorite was the pressed sushi with eel, but we also are pretty curious about the most expensive thing on the dinner menu, $40 seasonal kamadaki rice dish cooked for an hour in a clay pot. Our server assured us it was delicious. Maybe next time! The only other serious Japanese restaurant I've tried in NYC is Kai above the Ito En tea shop on the Upper East Side. I found this hidden spot a little less intimidating. It's small and filled with Japanese nationals and has jazz standards tinkling quietly in the background. You'll definitely need a reservation.

After finishing dinner, we fell in love with the soba tea. In fact we heard you can purchase it at Sunrise Mart on 3rd Ave and St Marks. We will be hunting this down the next time we are in the East Village, it has a wonderful nutty taste and aroma.

Kyo Ya
94 E. Seventh St., downstairs (1st Ave.)
NY, NY 10003
(212) 982-4140

No diet Coke, no skim milk, no decaf coffee—Just good food

2009-06-07T20:49:00.009-04:00

Usually there's no time for breakfast when I'm inside Grand Central, but that's about to change now that I found a place with good coffee and good eats on the lower level of the station. Give yourself an extra 15 min and you sit at the counter and have toast with nutella or eggs with proscuitto or spinach. It's all cooked to order and served quickly so you can dash off to your train or to your next destination in Manhattan.

Caffe Pepe Rosso
lower concourse
Grand Central Terminal
New York, NY

the best blueberry pancakes

2009-06-07T20:34:00.008-04:00

A friend on FB asked about the best blueberry pancakes in CT and my vote goes to Little Lasse's on Naugatuck Ave in Milford CT. Phil makes the best pancakes, they are slightly crispy on the edges and the only other ones that come close in my book are at Downeyflake in Nantucket, MA.

We also to happen to like the scrambled eggs and diced ham.

Little Lasse's
268 Naugatuck Ave.
Milford, CT 06460
203-878-7577

Gamera of little pond

2009-06-01T20:49:00.004-04:00

This weekend I tried to catch up with the weeds that are sprouting everywhere. Our garden is only a little 10'x10' fenced plot for some veggies. Sunday morning we were pretty surprised to see this surly fellow in among our celery and lettuce! We ushered him back to the swampy area behind the paper road in our wheelbarrow. He's a snapper and had sharp claws and a long tail. I know he's a fellow Little Pond resident, but I hope never to see him again.

D named our visitor after the movie star Gamera featured here:

I also find this video the "Safety Dance Gamera" really funny...

bada bing

2009-06-01T14:30:00.003-04:00

Not sure i'm ready to give up Google for Microsoft's new replacement for Live Search...but I sure do love looking at these lovely hot air balloons over Cappadoccia, Turkey! It's like a nice little travel fantasy before searching the task at hand.

the new yorker finger painting

2009-05-28T10:02:00.002-04:00

I saw this video before my copy of the New Yorker arrived in the mail. So yesterday the cover was a bit of letdown after witnessing the process behind it. I guess the video from Brushes Viewer just stole the show.

View Brushes App >>

are you a visual thinker?

2009-05-20T12:57:00.004-04:00

I started Suzuki violin at 4 yrs old and at that age you learn to play by listening to recordings. Back in my day, this meant a lot of wear and tear on our cassette player! Even after I could read music, recitals and other performances demanded playing from memory. To this day I can still see entire sheets of notes and staffs creating a visual road map that assisted me through performances.

Unlike this video, there wasn't much improv in the classical music I learned... even in a cadenza.

to the end...

2009-05-18T21:34:00.021-04:00

cliffside resort
greenport, ny

clear, but
chilly waters

to the end...
of north fork

(orient point)

leaving
port jeff behind

I'll leave you with the superbe sounds of blur & the dreamy françoise hardy taking it "to the end."

a peaceful ending at shinn vineyards

2009-05-18T21:34:00.017-04:00

We had hoped to try many North Fork Long Island wines, but only made it to Paumanok Vineyards and Shinn Estate Vineyards. Shinn is a little further off the beaten track and it was such a nice experience to sit down and have the wine tasting come to you! Many of the other wineries can be busy and noisy and you are stuck standing at a crammed bar in order to work through the tasting list. We were a bit rushed trying the reserve wines (with a ferry departure looming over us), but did manage to have a conversation with owner Barbara Shinn who shared behind-the-scenes stories on their recent Food+Wine spread (November '08) and made us want to come back and stay in their farmhouse b&b and sample chef David Page's cooking!

Shinn Estate Vineyards
2000 Oregon Road Mattituck, NY 11952
631-804-0367

http://www.shinnestatevineyards.com/

greenport roundup

2009-05-18T13:46:00.016-04:00

In Greenport we lunched at the same spot as the NY Road Rats Hot Rod Club and this was just one of many food stops we made while eating our way in and around Greenport. Besides Aldo's here's what we sampled:

Claudio's Clam Bar:
There's a lot of debate about this waterfront empire in Greenport. We simply liked the name Crabby Jerry's, but it wasn't open for the season yet. We tried the Clam Bar instead managed to snag a table right at the water's edge and I enjoyed my crabcake and the stuffed clams. I suppose it's not for everyone, but it worked for road-weary tourists who wanted to sit by the water and relax with a beer and some seafood. They'll even refund your $10 parking fee!
111 Main St, Greenport, NY 11944
http://www.claudios.com/

D'Latte:
Their gelato saved our evening after a disappointly uneven meal at the Frisky Oyster. They also serve coffee and other baked goods, but we didn't get a chance to sample.
218 Main Street Greenport, NY 11944

Frisky Oyster:
With a name like the Frisky Oyster, we wanted to love this trendy dinner spot on Front Street. We even wanted to eat oysters, but sadly this restaurant only features them one way: "oysters friskafella" with the bi-valve baked in a salty cheese and spinach mixture. It was overpowering way to feature these stars of Long Island coastline. While the service was fine and the restaurant was jammed at 8:30pm, we all found the food coming out the kitchen way too uneven to justify the prices and the hype.
27 Front St Greenport, NY 11944
http://www.thefriskyoyster.com/

Salamander's General Store:
We unsuccessfully went in search of Sang Lee Vinegar, but the whole time I could smell fried chicken and I will be pre-ordering that when I'm back for our next adventure. The cinnamon & sugar donut was a group favorite and there were cases filled with other prepared foods that looked delicious. It's a great place to stock up for a picnic by the sea!
414 1st St. Greenport, NY (631) 477-3711

Catapano Dairy Farm
We wanted to check out the baby goats, but the ones doing the hard work were not as happy to see us. I got a log of a pepper goat cheese ($8) which was a little sweet and had a just a hint of fiery spice. I hope we can convince Caseus or Villa Gourmet to stock it!
33705 North Rd (County Rte 48) Peconic, NY 11958
http://www.catapanodairyfarm.com/

Pat & Steve's Family Restaurant
63 N Ferry Rd Shelter Island, NY 11964
It rained the entire time we were on Shelter Island, but we had a great breakfast and an even better time talking with the sassy servers at this local establishment.

The Seafood Barge:
Another place with uneven reviews. We wondered if some people mistakenly ate at the Old Barge, as we almost did! We loved the food here, it's white tablecloth service in a more casual waterfront ambience. We finally dined on local Pipes Cove oysters on the half shell with a lemongrass mignonette and my absolute trip favorite was the lobster knuckle sliders dotted with vanilla bean.
62980 Main Road Southold, NY 11971
http://www.seafoodbarge.com/

Places for next time:
Love Lane Kitchen
North Form Table and Inn
Shinn Farmhouse B&B
Sang Lee Farms
Vine Wine Bar

spinning circles in greenport

2009-05-18T13:38:00.005-04:00

B gets the brass ring, D loves his new hat and my lunch from Claudio's Clam Bar stays where it belongs. I now realize I haven't been on many carousels and this one whirled just a little faster than I expected. Everyone else seemed to have a ball!

aldo's: closed is the new open

2009-05-18T13:03:00.010-04:00

Deterred by the lack of lights and the prominently placed CLOSED (Nishiki brand) sign in the window, I almost caused us to miss Aldo's in Greenport, NY. If you are lucky enough to get the 'good' macchiato be sure to at least taste it before adding any sugar. And note when ordering two cups, the plural is cappuccini.

We watched this white-haired propiertor rummage around in his pile of bills and coins on the back counter (who needs a cash register?) and noticed that it doesn't quite seem like he's moved in to this space yet. Apparently a few others are scratching their head as well, but it doesn't matter, if you see Aldo and the door's unlocked, go in and get a serious cup of coffee.

exotics

2009-05-18T12:47:00.009-04:00

Admit it, these exotic truffles from Vosges look quite tempting!! 16 pieces of chocolate perfection.

But wait- there is one missing! That's what we thought too. I am pleased to announce we didn't get gypped and instead rescued the kirsch + dark chocolate to be eaten another day. The dried Michigan cherry topping the Chef Pascal simply got stuck to the vellum packaging as the lid was lifted. Take note... if you're lucky enough to get your own purple box.

I'll report back on the other part of this tasty birthday gift when we have some time to make pancakes.

cliff walk & ocean drive

2009-05-10T23:01:00.014-04:00

The sun wasn't out much for our few days in Newport, but Sunday all the bad weather cleared out and it was a sunny, but windy day. Just before we haded back home we hit the Cliff Walk to check out a few of the big homes and take in some sea air. It was a specatactular view along the coastline.

That little black speck in the white foam is a surfer. what a brave soul. It must be freezing out there

We guessed this tent is up for Salve Regina's graduation and if so, that is one heck of a backdrop for a diploma ceremony! I sat on this very tree over 15 years ago, the last time I was in Newport. I had spent the night in a Salve dorm room and later announced it was the prettiest campus I'd ever seen.

There were loads of families out to enjoy mother's day sunshine, but this puppy stole the show every where he ran.

Are we in Hawaii? Nope, just watching some crazy guys in wet suits looking for a ride on the Rhode Island surf.

...And we're off the island and heading back home! As our final seafood stop, I wanted to go to the Sea Swirl in Mystic, but we hit Bill's Seafood in Westbrook instead.

breakfast on broadway

2009-05-10T22:56:00.008-04:00

When traveling with others, I try to remain flexible because you can't always set your own agenda. Sunday was our last day in Newport and I was excited to call my own shots. I wanted to try Norey's for breakfast. It was closed. We saw the Hungry Monkey already looked quite full so we went across the street to Jack and Josie's. it looks more like an internet cafe, but we were quite happy with our meal and the quiet ambience. I had hot cakes stuffed with lemon zest and ricotta with a bit of cool sour cream on the side.

I was glad we wandered futher afield from downtown to check out the Broadway restaurants. I fell in love with the Gulf sign inside Salvation Cafe and noticed Tucker's Bistro where I had hoped to eat on Thursday, but alas we didn't make it to Newport early enough.

Jack & Josie's
111 Broadway
http://www.jackandjosies.com/

Norey's
156 Broadway

Hungry Monkey
124 Broadway
http://thehungrymonkeycafe.com/

Salvation Cafe
140 Broadway
http://www.salvationcafe.com/

Tucker's Bistro
150 Broadway
http://www.tuckersbistro.com/

For more dining recommendations here's a great place to start:
http://www.bestofnewport.com/newport-rhode-island-restaurants.htm

downtown walkabout

2009-05-10T22:42:00.006-04:00

scales & shells

2009-05-10T22:40:00.007-04:00

Friends of ours have a second home in Narragansett and we were lucky that they know Newport well enough to recommend Scales for our dinner. It's all seafood and it's nothing fancy inside, but had a lovely meal. We began with clams and oysters on the half shell. D had a skate wing piccata and I had a toro tuna, cooked medium rare over a wood grill. It was simply the best fish I've eaten since we were at Fore Street in Portland. I also enjoyed their grilled veggie kebab that even has a mini corn-on-the-cob jammed on the end!

A few things to note: Scales does not take reservations (luckily it was off-season and we walked right in around 7PM) and they do not take credit cards. I'm also told there is a fancier version above, called Upscales, but I was would be perfectly happy to return to the same spot.

Scales and Shells
527 Thames Street
Newport, RI 02840
(401) 846-FISH (3474)
http://www.scalesandshells.com/

After dinner we headed to Cafe Zelda for dark and stormies, but the bar also serves food and we had alternately planned to go there first for apps there if we had to wait for a table at Scales.

The Viking

2009-05-10T22:36:00.009-04:00

Last weekend I had a business meeting at the Viking Hotel in Newport. We stayed 3 nights on the 4th floor room 4023. Our room had extremly high ceilings and every time you got out of the elevator you could look out onto the Top of Newport rootfop bar (opens Memorial Day, but we snuck out for a peek when we found the door open on Saturday). There is a nice front porch with white rocking Adirondack chairs and a London style cab for zipping guests around the downtown area. I found all of the staff extremely friendly and thought the hotel did a surprisingly tasty job with our banquet meal of losbter and filet in the Colonnade Room.

Hotel Viking
1 Bellevue Ave.
Newport, RI 02840
(401) 847-3300
http://www.hotelviking.com/

Next year's meeting is in to Portsmouth NH, so I am looking forward to finally trying the Friendly Toast for breakfast.

Ryohei Yanagihara

2009-05-03T22:48:00.012-04:00

I've worked with plenty of coporate logos and brand guidelines in my 10 years as a graphic designer and I'd love to believe this tale told by another blogger who adores the MOL, Mitsui O.S.K Lines as much as (or maybe even more than) me. My first thought wasn't of a t-shirt, but I was relieved to retrieve my phone in time to snap a shot of the 18-wheeler leaving Secondi's truck stop in Milford. A little research lead me to the Ryohei Yanagihara Museum on the MOL site. Never thought I would get excited shipping illustrations, but the day has finally dawned.

It's really hard to imagine my clients distributing their hi-res logo to adoring fans, but this gato logo has a public relations story that warms my heart. http://www.tikaro.com/2008/05/holy-grail-tshirt-quest-mitsui.html

More on the tale of the alligator >>

derby day 2009

2009-05-03T22:38:00.012-04:00

The past few years we've been out of town the weekend of the Kentucky Derby (we spent 2007 in Manchester, VT and 2008 in Portland ME), but this year we got to stay home. Of course no roses here for Derby Day, but we had a surprise. The deer may have chomped on every single tulip I planted, but the flowers still prevailed.

Next week's posts should include some shots from Newport, RI. I'm looking for suggestions on where to eat if you have any recommendations before Thursday.

every cheese has a story

2009-05-03T22:31:00.005-04:00

Usually we go to the Villa Gourmet in Milford for our cheese, but we were running Derby Day errands in New Haven and stopped off at Caseus, another favorite shop (and restaurant) for some provisions. Unfortunately it was way too crowded to eat lunch upstairs and I find the lower level a bit too cave-like on a nice day, so we went to Pot au Pho for lunch instead.

Caseus
93 Whitney Ave
New Haven, CT 06510
(203) 624-3373
www.caseusnewhaven.com

lost and found

2009-05-03T22:24:00.004-04:00

D's mom found some old documents at home. A letter (1873) and a family marriage certicate from the beautiful Church of the Transfiguration, in New York City (1935). I thought this illustration looked familiar and I went and dug up my AIA guide to New York City and there it was, starred and tabbed with a hot pink post-it note on that very entry for the Little Church Around the Corner. I remember passing it the semester I studied at Columbia. It's such a charming low slung building in the heart of the City I always wanted to go back and check it out.

The Church of the Transfiguration
"The Little Church Around the Corner"
One East 29th Street
(Fifth & Madison)
New York, New York
http://www.littlechurch.org

milford riviera

2009-05-03T22:19:00.005-04:00

On our walks to Woodmont

Poli Mansion

A terrace at Villa Rosa

car 64 where are you?

2009-05-03T22:13:00.006-04:00

On sunny days this police car comes out of a neighborhood garage.

rabbits of little pond

2009-05-03T22:00:00.003-04:00

I discovered the video feature on my new camera. Sadly, the results are not very impressive. The rabbits are at it again with their little run & hop routine in our neighbor's backyard.

april low tide

2009-04-26T08:48:00.002-04:00

flowers of morningside

2009-04-26T08:11:00.003-04:00

sneak peak

2009-04-25T18:32:00.006-04:00

This week i've been busy working on wedding invitations. I designed custom postage and these are hot off the press from Zazzle.

la cantina

2009-04-19T21:39:00.005-04:00

We served up a menu of Mexican food and I was itching to hang my papel picado, Mexican paper cutouts, in the dining room. D felt like he was on the prom committee as we decorated, but I do adore these colorful and intricate banners and may just leave them up for a few more weeks.

Most of the recipes came from two cookbooks, Everyday Mexican by Rick Bayless and What's Cooking Mexican by Marlene Speiler. Our main dish was from A Cook's Tour of Mexico by Nancy Zaslavsky, but largely that cookbook was too ambitious for us. We have to learn more before trying the complicated moles and sauces. These days I try to test run cookbooks with the help of the library. The photos often look tempting, but that's not a good enough reason to clutter up our bookshelves.

blades of green

2009-04-19T21:30:00.006-04:00

This April marks our 2 year anniversary in Morningside! So far every summer we've had a terrific tangle of five foot high weeds in our backyard. Now we have grass for the very first time. This summer it'll be perfect to roll out of the hammock and step onto our soft lush green carpet.

salad bowl

2009-04-18T07:45:00.002-04:00

A few years ago when we lived in Bayview we bought one of these salad bowls from Treat's and left it up on our raised deck. Some visitor came and ate every last leaf in there. Our current location seems to be a more secure place to grow lettuce and we had good luck with it last year.

long long ago...

2009-04-13T22:35:00.006-04:00

I had a 1/4 size violin and took Suzuki lessons, just like Mary. This impromptu concert *almost* inspired me to take out my violin. I'm not even sure where it is right now. Maybe the attic?

black jack

2009-04-13T22:20:00.008-04:00

While Kiera was getting squeaky clean, Jack was ready for a game on Saturday night. He already knew how to shuffle the deck, but was a quick study for blackjack. We kept everything low key, you could only bet with jelly beans and all of the family kept eating the currency.

focus, or lack thereof

2009-04-13T22:15:00.001-04:00

easter

2009-04-13T22:01:00.004-04:00

cranberry beans

2009-04-13T21:55:00.009-04:00

Last weekend I looked for spring peas for Easter, but I couldn't find fresh peas anywhere. We stopped at M&M farms in Milford and I saw these cranberry beans, I thought they were so beautiful with their speckled beans tucked inside the thick mottled pink and green shells. I was so disappointed when the pink specks faded as the beans cook. I used them in a cold salad with edamame, asparagus and mint, courtesy of Mark Bittman's vegetarian cookbook.

All of my Easter weekend photos are taken with the new Canon G10, I haven't exactly read the manual yet and I think it shows!!

black forest

2009-04-05T21:59:00.006-04:00

Long before we moved to Morningside I argued with my mom about registering for china. In the end, I did find the Black Forest pattern by Dibbern that I thought I might like forever. This tree above the seawall (just up the road) reminds me of the more stark winter trees on our dinner plates...

Tonight we saw these birds flying way overhead and I was glad to have my camera with me. I am still waiting for my Canon G10 to arrive, but I do love my dSLR.

twilight at morningside

2009-04-05T21:53:00.001-04:00

tudor city

2009-04-05T21:48:00.006-04:00

Yesterday I got into the City a little early before meeting a friend for lunch at Momofuku Noodle Bar. I remembered Tudor City was not far away and love this neighborhood perched above 42nd Street. We first went there for dinner at L'impero in 2004... Now I see the restaurant is still Italian, but called Convivio. We will have to check it out. This morning i opened the latest Food+Wine and it was a featured New York restaurant.

Convivio
45 Tudor City Place
NY, NY 10017

mashed potato pizza

2009-03-29T20:29:00.003-04:00

Our friends came all the way from New York for mashed potato pizza at BAR in New Haven. I have heard good things about this combo, but have always been dubious. Today I became a believer. I love the buttery mashed potatoes on the white pie with the hints of rosemary and garlic.

BAR

254 Crown St
New Haven
(203) 495-1111

my pretend cat

2009-03-29T02:34:00.004-04:00

I want a cat, but I don't want the responsibility, so I have the next best thing. A neighborhood cat who hangs out along the upper part of the seawall. She is very friendly so we when the weather's warm we go out on a cat hunt and I hope to see her near the bench on Morningside Drive.

out for some fresh sea air

2009-03-29T02:29:00.004-04:00

You & Us

2009-03-29T02:25:00.009-04:00

After 12 years, D decided it was time for a change pf scenery (though he is sorry to lose his waterview over Long Wharf)! It's been a long battle to prepare, but as of Friday, he is now a financial advisor at UBS.

When non-industry people hear what it's like for a broker transfer to a new firm, they seem to relate it to the movie Jerry Maguire. It has been a rather dramatic, eye-opening process to witness.

When I got home from work on Friday I found a floral welcome from his new UBS family in New Haven. I love the nod to spring with the pussy willows stretching out of the top.

Huntington Street Café

2009-03-15T10:50:00.011-04:00

This Friday, Ken Atkins is brings his honky tonk kind to Huntington Street Café in Shelton, CT. I can't take credit for the pretty awesome poster for the performance, but will point you in the direction of the newly launched HSC new website. I worked with super cool owners Salem and Peter to create an online presence to match the new vibe they have created for the café. Stop in a for a steamed cheeseburger and tell them that Liz sent you.

Huntington Street Café
90 Huntington St.
Shelton, CT 064840
http://huntingtonstreetcafe.com/

just in from seoul, south korea: mr. mao

2009-03-12T13:01:00.005-04:00

I fell victim to impulse buying on ETSY last week. Who doesn't want to buy something handmade, direct from the artist!? Do I need an orange felt iPod cozy? No- but getting this guy in the mail was like getting a gift from a dear friend. The is just the snazzy update my tired old iPod needs.

For more of Mr Mao's friends, check out some of annamatic's past creations or check out this graphic designer's portfolio.

charming wall

2009-03-12T12:46:00.003-04:00

Last weekend we were in the West Village for lunch at Blind Tiger. I wanted to find a bakery in the area and Patisserie Claude gets high praise on the food boards. I didn't buy the famous croissants, but did love the plum tart and the mini hazelnut macaroons. The interior's not much to look at, but the sweets took me back to the streets of Paris.

A few doors up from the patisserie, this print from by Doug Morrison caught my eye. Charming Wall sells a varied selection of affordable prints ($20 print, $40 with mat, $80 framed) and I loved the quirky selection of prints.

Patisserie Claude
187 W 4th Street
(between Barrow St & Jones St)
New York, NY 10014
(212) 255-5911

Charming Wall
191 West 4th Street
(between 6th and 7th)
New York, NY 10014
212-206-8235
open 12-7pm

blog: http://charmingwall.typepad.com/

Life's a garden, Dig it..

2009-03-01T11:53:00.011-05:00

Growing a garden is one of the last things on this green earth that I thought I would allocate time to. Why would I spend precious time digging in the dirt when I could be golfing? We planted a meager little veggie garden last year and got quite a bit of yield. I must admit it was flat out rewarding on many levels.

Victory gardens of the 1940's were a nationwide effort to fight food shortages. A similar effort seems to be written about now with slightly different benefits. This week's Economist reports on several such ventures.

No winter lasts forever, get your seeds now.

orange: pure and natural

2009-02-28T10:33:00.005-05:00

My favorite color is orange. We usually drink Natalie's Orchid Island orange or grapefruit juice from Trader Joe's, but in a pinch at the regular grocery store we bought Tropicana recently. Every single morning I see this carton I think about how much I adore the 3D 'orange fruit' embedded in the screw cap! What a clever idea.

The newly redesigned packaging is a clean, modern approach that looks inviting and fresh. After taking the photo of the juice carton this morning, I discoverd an ad in Martha Stewart Living and took a look at their website. This brand redesign has gotten me to reconsider their product, it's successful in my book.

http://www.tropicana.com/

sneak peek

2009-02-26T11:11:00.005-05:00

Coming *very* soon.
A new website for Huntington Street Cafe in Shelton, CT.

no time to tarry

2009-02-23T21:07:00.029-05:00

There was a lot of chatter when Mario Batali & Joe Bastianich came to Port Chester, NY last fall. I was curious, but thought the new restaurant would be crowded during the holiday season and might need some time to settle in. Months later the Tarry Lodge website is still non-existent, but you can get the lowdown in their press kit pdf and easily see they have a strong brand going. From the pizza box to the wonderful round business cards... I love the black, white & goldenrod that is is dead-on consistent everywhere you look. I declared that our leftovers were packed up in the most appealing pizza box ever, but my husband corrected me. The flimsy pizza box from Pepe's in New Haven is a beautiful sight to behold.

But I digress...
We had an 8:30 reservation (try opentable) for 4 on a Friday night. After leaving the parking to the valet and any cumbersome layers to coat-check, the hostess dispatched us to the bar for a cramped (standing room only) 20 min wait. Everything improved dramatically once we were seated at a corner table on the elevated level behind the bar. The waitstaff rewarded with a complimentary round of "Fleur" champagne for our troubles. Tarry Lodge has a very comfortable, warm & inviting atmosphere. It was full up at 9 PM which I partially attribute to the chef's reputation and the pizza and pasta dinner options for under $20. In this economy, it's great to sample a wider variety sharable food without having to ordering a full dinner entree.

Some of our table favorites were the pizza with goat cheese, sliced potato and pancetta, the calamari paired with isreali couscous and a pappardelle bolognese. Ordinarily I would never order such a simple pasta dish, but our waiter wisely steered us in the right direction.

What's still on my mind?
Fusilli alla crazy bastard which Food + Wine revealed was inspired by the New Yorker cartoon. I can't explain why, but I've always loved this rigatoni (on the telephone) so much that I frequently repeat the caption out loud whenever I see spiral shaped pasta.

"Fusilli, you crazy bastard! How are you?"

Tarry Lodge
18 Mill Street
Port Chester, NY 10573
914.939.3111
tarrylodge.com

follow that cupcake!

2009-02-19T17:52:00.003-05:00

I don't live on the shoreline, but a friend recommended subscribing to The E-List. Today I was giddy with excitement reading Erica's thoughts on the cupcake truck that can be found at various locations in New Haven, CT and is available for private events. Ever since I saw the coolest looking cupcake stand, (Hey Cupcake in Austin) housed in one of my favorite vehicles, the Airstream, I've been fascinated by the idea of a sweet treat on wheels.

http://www.followthatcupcake.com/

And for the latest, up-to-date truck locations:
http://fooddriven.blogspot.com/

studying the penthouse lounge

2009-02-19T17:09:00.005-05:00

The Duncan Hotel got a serious renovation and is now the sleek and modern Study Hotel on Chapel Street in New Haven. We quickly popped in and were met with a very friendly bartender, but oddly no cocktail menu (and they've been open 4 months). We didn't stay for dinner at Heirloom, but nibbled on the dates wrapped in bacon which are well-worth sampling.

The bartender also tipped us off to the penthouse lounge which is a great space for private events, mentioning there had been a cocktail party of 100 or so the night before. The front desk was happy to allow us access to check it out. Seemed a little tight for that many guests, but if you're looking for an aerie perch above New Haven or Yale, this is a quite the backdrop for your next soiree. Not to mention it's a bit more hip than John Davenport's at the top of the Omni Hotel. Though it's higher up and also has a great view of New Haven.

Leave me a comment if you know of any other restaurant or event locations that are available for rental in New Haven. I'm always curious about the view from above. My first taste was from the top of the A&A building and I've been smitten ever since.

the study hotel at yale
1157 chapel street
new haven, ct 06511
ph: 866.930.1157

toasted coconut heaven

2009-02-17T21:40:00.010-05:00

We celebrated a 60th birthday tonight and I made a dessert that is reminiscent of the famed coconut cake of Orchids at the Halekulani in Honolulu.

Exceptional praise from foodie family member in Hawaii had prompted me to search online and see if this recipe had been requested. Apparently it has, and so much so that you can have have it made, frozen, and fedexed to you if you can't make it to the islands to satisfy your sweet tooth.

I haven't been lucky enough to sample the original yet, but it sounds wonderful: angel food layered with a vanilla coconut custard all surrounded by whipped cream and more coconut. I like my coconut toasted, so mine looks pretty different from the snowy white version that accompanies the recipe details on the Honolulu Star-Bulletin page:

http://archives.starbulletin.com/2003/03/26/features/request.html

a treat from brazil

2009-02-16T21:46:00.010-05:00

Last night we attended a 30th birthday party for a former co-worker of mine. Barcelona in South Norwalk did a great job turning out dinner for 75 guests. I haven't been to this location in years. Since the outpost in New Haven opened, we are more likely to head in that direction instead. It was great to switch it up and go out on a Sunday night, but unfortunately I didn't get President's Day off today!

On a related note, the birthday boy's family is from Brazil and surrounding the cake were traditional (homemade) brigadeiros. It has a mildly chewy center and the outside is rolled in chocolate sprinkles. Tasting it for the first time, it was less chocolate-flavored than I expected. It was sheer luck we sat near the cake table, because these sweets were all snapped up in a matter of minutes.

We have a few more birthday celebrations coming up this week, which means we will continue to eat out like kings. We are headed to Batali's Tarry Lodge (Port Chester) on Friday and Daniel (Manhattan) on Saturday night.

v day 2009

2009-02-16T21:40:00.004-05:00

It's become a tradition that I get an edible card every valentine's day. This year's message was short, but sweet and composed out of bacon. I heard it took a few tries to get the pieces to cooperate while in the frying pan. I still love the strawberries (vaguely inspired by the exquisite carved fruits in Thailand) from 2008, but they weren't quite as tasty as this year's card.

connecticut barns

2009-02-10T20:52:00.010-05:00

I love barns and carriage houses. In Connecticut, some have been lovingly restored and others look like they they are a second away from collapse. The good news is The Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation announced a grant program to help save the endangered older barns. The Trust has surveyed over 900 barns in the state and if you own one over 75 yrs old, the grant can offer you assistance to assess and repair the structure. This year's deadline is April 15. Check out http://www.connecticutbarns.org. I love that there is an illustrated database by town!

I never seem to have my camera when I pass a great local barn, but the architectural style is always of interest to me.

Jonathan Edwards Winery. N. Stonington, CT
It is no accident I fell in love with this location for our wedding.

Golden Lamb Buttery. Brooklyn, CT
A wonderfully unique dining experience that begins with a hay ride & cocktails over-looking the fields and continues with dinner inside the barn.

Stone Silo Farm. Preston, CT
We didn't stop, but I grabbed my camera as we drove to our caterer A Thyme to Cook.

??? Thompson, CT
Drove by on a trip from Lord Thompson Manor to Putnam, CT and I have never forgotten this home.

save the date for lobster

2009-02-09T13:12:00.009-05:00

It may still be the dead of winter, but I'm already anticipating the start of wedding season. So far, it looks like we will have fewer weddings to attend in 2009. Here's a save the date I designed for a fellow June bride planning a casual and intimate lobster bake on the shores of Westport, CT.

gewurztraminer

2009-02-09T12:04:00.014-05:00

When we did the full tasting at Jonathan Edwards Winery last weekend, I remembered first trying their gewurztraminer at White Gate Farm in August. This wonderful evening of local food and wine was a part of the Dinners at the Farm, which is a is a joint effort between River Tavern (Chester, CT) and Feast Market (Deep River, CT). Our particular dinner benefited the Working Farms Alliance. What a way to eat a great meal and feel good about it! I always wanted to attend an Outstanding in the Field event, but this Connecticut version was a pleasant surprise.

As you can see in the slideshow below, we had the perfect, moonlit summer evening as a backdrop to this meal. It was simply magical.

If you're interested in these kinds of locally sourced meals check out:
Dinners at the Farm (connecticut) http://dinnersatthefarm.com/
Outstanding in the Field (national) http://outstandinginthefield.com/
DaiDue (austin) http://daidueaustin.com/

s&p oyster co. in mystic

2009-02-08T22:47:00.007-05:00

We made many trips to Mystic, CT in 2005-2006 and one of our favorite places to eat was S&P Oyster Company. It's right downtown on the the river and has a good view of the drawbridge, a lovely patio in the summer and an lots of seafood options to choose from. In the summer traffic and parking can be a problem, but we sailed right in last weekend and got a table right along riverfront. We decided to try two kinds of oysters. In the foreground are the larger blue points and in the background are the small, but very tasty gigamotos. We also want to give a shout out to our waitress Linda who did a great job.

S&P Oyster Company
1 Holmes Street
Mystic, CT 06355
(860) 536-2674

falling in love again

2009-02-08T22:18:00.024-05:00

Almost exactly 4 years ago it was love at first sight. Even in the snowy dead of winter, I knew I wanted to get married at Jonathan Edwards Winery. In June we will celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary, but this past weekend was our first trip back to the winery.

In the tasting room, we ran into Erica who had just started working as the tasting room manager when we got married. I couldn't believe she remembered our wedding. She and and owner Rachel had a crazy day when it unexpectedly poured. It was nice to see the winery hasn't changed much. they have a much more extensive wine list but the petite sirah is still my favorite. And for those of you who remember our soggy day... there is one impressive new development. Beautiful turf laid has been laid down in the footprint of the main tent location. Take it from a foul-weather bride, this is an A+ development for anyone having an outdoor event at this beautiful location!

05.29.05

09.24.05

05.21.06

06.17.06

02.07.09

the first photo taken by our photographer jamie bloomquist.

mr. bobinsky

2009-02-08T21:57:00.007-05:00

HBO has fueled my infatuation with circus imagery (Carnivàle) and my admiration for the "c" bomb dropping Ian McShane (Deadwood). These two interests dovetail in Coraline's mouse trainer neighbor, Bobinsky. Mr. B even has is own blog (http://bobinsky.tumblr.com/)! Ian McShane's voice brings the perfect touch to this Russian former gymnast, just as he did for Tai Lung in Kung Fu Panda.

Visually this movie was more impressive than I expected and 3D has come a long way baby! I can't believe I forgot to recycle those 3D glasses... hope I get to use them again soon.

be careful what you wish for

2009-02-05T09:43:00.010-05:00

I've read Augusten Burrough's memoirs Running with Scissors and Dry, but I just finished this most recent, Wolf at the Table which is a much darker heartbreaking story of his childhood marred by an unloving and equally terrifying father. The 8 disc audiobook is read by the author and while I found his narration can be plodding at times, there are some real cinematic, emotional highs and lows that couldn't be conveyed any clearer than by hearing Burrough's own voice.

Burrough's vivid story telling challenges you to recall your own early memories with your parents. And who, in the fit of a childhood tantrum, hasn't had a fleeting thought that there could be a nicer, cooler, more indulging couple who could replace your parents? Late last night I turned to the HBO First Look: Coraline. This is the creepy tale of a young girl Coraline who is seduced by the "other mother" in an alternate world opposite a bricked-up door in the drawing room. I haven't read the book by Neil Gaiman, but the real breathtaking element in the new movie (out tomorrow) is the stop-motion animation. I can't imagine the patience required to film only a few seconds a day! Seeing so many intricate handmade elements is like entering the world of a lost art form.

hot tamale

2009-02-02T21:01:00.004-05:00

When trying to come up with a food that's synonymous with a city or state some venues can be problematic. Pittsburgh is tough because it's so diverse and has lots of great places to eat. Arizona is a layup because Southwest fare dominates the local cuisine. My last trip there was in 1997 (U of Arizona NCAA Champs in hoops) I was blown away by some tamales at a local stand. So we decided to try and make them as our contribution to the Gallagher's Superbowl party.

Tamale ingredients are not the easiest things to come by in Connecticut so I went to a mexi-mart in New Haven to get masa mix, corn husks and such. I asked one of the guys where I could find corn husks and he looked at me like I was simple and said "produce" like I had asked a trick question. He radioed ahead to warn them of a bald gringo who was looking for corn husks. We had the ingredients and a recipe, but were not brimming with confidence. I found a video on YouTube narrated by a five year old Mexican girl that really helped. As it turns out Tamales are quite labor intensive which is why they're generally made for the holidays. We steamed up about 20 or so and got style points for originality and effort but were ultimately upstaged by the Serbian guest's brined cabbage (pronounced kisiilikoopis). But that's another story.