Explore New York : Chelsea Market

When the hubs and I set out to walk The High Line, our end goal was Chelsea Market, conveniently located right along the line between 15th and 16th streets in the Meatpacking District. A former coworker in California, who had recently visited New York, encouraged me to check out the bustling indoor marketplace filled with shops, eateries, grocers and more. My friend said I'd love it, and she was right.

Having just walked about 25 blocks, our first stop was for refreshment. At a wine bar, naturally. G and I cozied up at a table inside Corkbuzz Wine Studio and promptly ordered two glasses of wine (rosé for me) and some simple but tasty apps: a baguette with absolutely divine herbed goat milk butter and a bowl of castelvetrano olives. Satiated, we went out to explore the market.

We strolled through Spices and Tease, astounded by the massive selection of spice blends, herbs and teas and enchanted by all their beautiful colors. A true foodie's paradise, it really gets your culinary creative juices flowing thinking of all the ways you can use and cook with the various salts and spices.

Next up was a spin around The Lobster Place, a wholesale/retail fish market that, in addition to live lobsters from Maine, is stocked with all kinds of fresh fish and seafood chilling on ice. If only we lived in NYC, this would be our go-to fishmonger. (Probably wouldn't make any friends on the subway or bus if we tried to bring the fresh catch home!)

Luckily, we could take home some goodies from The Filling Station. This small shop is just a joy to visit. You walk in and you're surrounded by dozens of metal casks filled with specialty oils and vinegars in unique flavors, with little cups ready and waiting for your sampling pleasure. Same goes for a variety of exotic salts. After taking in the inventory and tasting to our hearts' (and tongues'!) content, we selected a bottle of tangy-and-sweet grapefruit white balsamic vinegar—perfect for dressing salads—and a jar of beautiful maroon-hued merlot salt. (The hubby loves his merlot!)

Of course we couldn't help but make a quick pit stop at Chelsea Wine Vault. Quick because otherwise we likely would have brought too many bottles home! I left with a cute wine sweater that looks like a football (similar) for G and a bottle of White Girl Rosé for me, simply because it made me laugh.

With the market about to close but feeling like we needed more to eat, we ended our visit the same way it began: with wine and appetizers, this time at what turned out to be a fancy (read: pricey) Italian eatery, Giovanni Rana Pastificio & Cucina. Even though the restaurant looked stunning inside, I opted for us to dine al fresco to see the sparkle of the city lights and the people passing by. 

G and I shared crispy speck and zucchini bruschetta (the freshness of the zucchini did a good job of balancing out of the saltiness of the speck, but I wished the bread wasn't sliced into such a thick slab) and G polished off the prosciutto and parmigiano reggiano fritters, since while they looked golden and delicious they were also extremely cheesy inside (and if you know me, I'm not a big cheese fan).

A return visit to Chelsea Market is definitely a must since, although we passed by it on our way in, we didn't get a chance to circle back before closing time and pop into Artists & Fleas, a space filled with local indie makers selling their unique goods and wares. I'd also love to check out the oyster bar Cull & Pistol, grab a crispy oatmeal chip cookie at the famous Eleni's New York and maybe even a Nutella and banana crepe (my favorite combination) at Bar Suzette. 

One thing is certain: when you visit Chelsea Market, you will never go hungry!

Fall Bucket List

Fall is in full swing here in Jersey/NYC and this California girl is not ready at all. The seasons changed so swiftly here. One day it felt like summer, the next I was needing a sweater and boots! Having grown up in Southern California, I'm not accustomed to true seasons, and the change between them is typically slow and subtle. Suffice to say, the sudden cold snap caught me off guard. I am not yet enjoying the frosty morning and evening walks with the dogs where we are all shivering, and yet as cold as it feels to me right now, I know that it's going to get a lot colder—and I also know that I don't really know what I'm in for!

Nevertheless, I'm not ready to hibernate for the winter and I've heard New York is really beautiful in the fall. So in addition to getting a new pair of boots (I'd love these classics) and a warmer, East Coast-appropriate coat (this one with a fur-trimmed hood caught my eye), here's a list of activities I'd like to accomplish this autumn season:

Go apple picking. I've never been and now we're living in a region where it is possible! We're just an hour-long drive from Wilkens Farm and Masker Orchards.

Indulge in fall flavors. Give acorn squash another try with this apple, cranberry and sausage stuffed recipe that should make the hubby happy. Bake the apple tart I wanted to make last fall. Put an autumnal spin on one of our favorite dinners with butternut squash risotto. And on an especially chilly evening, whip up a batch of mulled apple cider, spiked for extra warmth.

Experience Broadway and the ballet. I don't have a specific Broadway show in mind (recommendations welcome!) but I would love to see the New York City Ballet's production of The Nutcracker.

Wine tasting in the North Fork of Long Island. One of G and I's favorite weekend pastimes in San Diego was wine tasting in Temecula, so I'd love to explore a few East Coast wineries. Apparently, Long Island Wine Country is the place to go (in particular, Shinn Estate, Bedell Cellars and Croteaux Vineyards) and it turns out that merlot, the hubby's favorite varietal, is the signature grape of the region. (For a closer-to-home wine tasting option, we could also check out Brooklyn Winery and Red Hook Winery.)

Bundle up and go ice skating. NYC has many rinks to choose from, and while I'd love to spin around the ice rink at Rockefeller Center, the long lines may lead us to the Winter Village at Bryant Park (bonus: shops!) or Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

Attend the Christmas Tree Lighting at Rockefeller Center. Or, at the very least, visit and snap lots of photos while the famous giant tree is on view this holiday season. 

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There are a few things we didn't get to on our summer bucket list that we could still aim to do now, including visiting Brooklyn Bridge Park (and the bridge itself) and checking out the Brooklyn Flea's indoor winter market. There is so much to see and do in NYC and we might not be able to do it all, but we are going to have fun trying! What's on your fall bucket list? 

(New York Autumn Art Print 

by Rifle Paper Co.)

Explore New York : Central Park & the Guggenheim

Today I bring you another installment of Explore New York! If you missed the previous posts, be sure to catch up on my excursion to Times Square (complete with a fancy dinner at Marseille), my trip to the MoMA, and my SoHo brunch at The Dutch. Let's go exploring!

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It was a gorgeous July day when my friend Sascha and I decided to make our way into the city for a visit to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Since the incredible Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building—the shape of which is called an inverted ziggurat, as it turns out—sits just outside the eastern edge of Central Park, it only made sense to take a scenic detour on the way there. Why stay in the stuffy subway when you could walk in the summer sunshine, right?

After a quick subway ride from Port Authority to 86th Street, we were above ground—and right across the street from Central Park. As with everything I experience for the first time in New York, I was filled with excitement to stroll through the grand green space I've seen so many times on TV and in film. Sascha and I took a path that basically made a beeline from one side to the other, so of course there is so much more to see, but it was quite a lovely walk along the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. Blue skies with puffy white clouds, a shimmering lake filled with ducklings, and stunning city architecture framed the whole scene. It was picture-perfect.

A leisurely 20 minutes later, we had made it to the Guggenheim. That Frank, man. He was one cool dude. As is often the case, one of my favorite things about the museum is the architecture, inside and out. I'd love to come back and see the spiraling dome tower inverted ziggurat whatchamacallit all lit up at night.

When we visited, the primary exhibition on display, winding its way up the museum ramps, was Storylines, which ended its run earlier this month. As its name suggests, the show brought together more than 100 works from the Guggenheim's contemporary collection to examine the diverse ways in which today's artists engage narrative through installation, painting, photography, sculpture, video and performance. Each piece was imbued with meaning—sometimes overt, sometimes more layered and complex. Also featured at the museum, and still on display through Oct. 12, is the poignant and even haunting work of Colombian artist Doris Salcedo. The exhibition occupies the four levels of the Guggenheim's Tower galleries and addresses the traumatic history of modern-day Colombia, as well as the wider legacies of suffering inflicted by colonialism, racism and other forms of social injustice.

So, what's my take on the Guggenheim? It was interesting, to say the least. Some of the art I loved, some I liked, some I hated but understood and some made me scratch my head in dismay. But that's all part of the museum experience! A good exhibition isn't always a pretty one. Worthwhile art isn't always easy on the senses; sometimes it challenges you, makes you uncomfortable and makes you think. Many of the pieces on display at Guggenheim do just that.

My museum buddy only took a quick pass through the Kandinsky Gallery, so I'd also love to return to take a longer look at the abstract artist's colorful and energetic work. Fortunately for me, that exhibit is open through Spring 2016.

Following our spin around the Guggenheim, we enjoyed a casual late lunch at Sergimmo Salumeria, an unassuming but undeniably charming deli in Hell's Kitchen. My panini was delicious and the guy behind the counter didn't even give me a hard time when I asked to hold the cheese (ha!). It's New York; he said people have asked for weirder things. I have no doubts.

All in all, a terrific day filled with nature, art and good eats. What more could a girl ask for?

Explore New York : Soho Brunch at The Dutch

Since G was home and able to join me on my excursion to SoHo a few Sundays ago for my calligraphy workshop with Laura Hooper, we decided to make the most of our time and hit up The Dutch for a leisurely pre-class brunch. We chose The Dutch partly for its convenient location right next door to the workshop venue, The Lofts at Prince, but also because I had found in my where-to-eat-googling that Chef Andrew Carmellini's outpost for regional American fare—not Dutch, as the name might suggest—had rave reviews. It came up on many "best places to eat" lists in SoHo. (That's short for "South of Houston street," for you non-Manhattanites.) The accolades are well deserved.

Brunch is just breakfast without a cocktail, so we ordered up two drinks stat. (Plus, I was trying to shake off those workshop jitters.) I tried a Campari concoction and was pleasantly surprised to find it not too mouth-puckeringly bitter while the hubs stuck with what he knows: gin.

The brunch menu does not have an over-abundance of options but the nicely edited assortment is sure to offer something for everyone. A loyal fan of Eggs Benedict, I couldn't resist tasting The Dutch's take on the classic. Listed on the menu as poached eggs (fresh and organic from Feather Ridge Farms in Milton, NY), cheddar biscuit, ham, chipotle and tomato, the dish arrived deconstructed as such; the ingredients all separate but ready to mingle in a warmed, shallow bowl. Since I'm not a cheese lover (I know, I know), I asked to trade out the cheddar biscuit for the restaurant's signature honey butter variety. The kitchen kindly obliged and, thankfully, the dish was no less delicious. 

The eggs were perfectly cooked and I would have greedily consumed three more of those sweet, flaky biscuits if given the chance. But the star of the show, in my humble opinion, was the roasted tomato sprinkled with oregano. In adulthood, tomatoes have become one of my favorite foods and this particular tomato was not only the best I've ever tasted, but it was likely one of the most—let's say top 5 best—lip-smacking, mmm-mmm good things I've ever put in my mouth. And I informed my hubby of this revelation with every bite I took, my emotions a mix of total glee and utter despair as the ruby red juicy jewel of a tomato disappeared from my plate. Thank you, summer sunshine, and kudos to the cook who slow-roasted that baby to a heavenly place.

I can't wax poetic about G's meal, but judging by his cleared plate and happy face I'm going to say he thoroughly enjoyed his shrimp and kimchi fried rice topped with two impressively-cooked sunny-side up eggs, served with grilled pork belly. But we both agreed that if we return, he must order The Dutch's famous hot fried chicken, not just because of the hype surrounding it but because the couple next to us ordered it and we started to drool. (Turns out Carmellini has shared the recipe, but I'd rather have someone else do the cooking, and the 12-hour marinating.)

Unsurprisingly, there was a wait when we walked into The Dutch that Sunday and I'm glad we decided to take bar seats by the window, looking out onto Prince Street. It doesn't get much better than sipping on cocktails (and later, a glass of Gothic "Telltale" Pinot Noir Rosé), devouring some good eats and people-watching (SoHo offers a chic show)—all in air-conditioned comfort.

Now, this isn't exactly brunch related, but when I got out of my workshop around 5 p.m., the clouds were doing some amazing things. While crossing the street I finally looked up and saw what a lovely view SoHo has of One World Trade Center, the glistening building towering in the distance, piercing the sky. So I'll leave you with that pretty view—and probably a grumbling tummy.

Explore New York : Times Square & Marseille

Today I'm launching a new series, Explore New York, in which I'll share my escapades in and around the Big Apple. I've journeyed across the Hudson from our Jersey abode to NYC several times already, and I can't wait for many more big city adventures in the months to come. Let's go exploring!

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The hubs and I took our first trip to NYC two days after arriving in New Jersey, the day before G ended up having to go to Rhode Island (where his boat was in dry dock) for several weeks. It was a hot and sunny Sunday afternoon in June, but we braved the heat and walked from our Union City apartment to the Port Imperial ferry station to cross the Hudson River into Midtown. Since it was my first time on a ferry, I just had to sit on the upper deck and take in the panoramic views of Manhattan—windblown hair be damned.

A short 8-minute boat ride later, we arrived to the promised land. New York City! At 30 years old, I was finally in the city I had always dreamed of visiting. I felt electric. I could hardly contain my excitement as we started walking through Hell's Kitchen to Times Square, the penultimate tourist spot. I'm not sure what I expected, Times Square always looks like a thrilling place to be on TV, but in the end it reminded me of Hollywood and Highland in L.A., just with bigger buildings and more neon signs. Like you'll find along Hollywood Boulevard, there were lots of people, mainstream shops strange street characters and costumed personalities. Though, I don't remember L.A. having nearly naked painted ladies, but that's the Big Apple for you.

After snapping a few photos of the city sights and flashing billboard lights, eating a giant soft pretzel (that wasn't all that good but I felt it was a required NYC experience) and picking up a few goodies at Sephora (including a rice extract-infused face mask sheet and, appropriately, Tarte's Park Ave Princess Contour Palette), we left the hustle and bustle of Times Square and started back toward the ferry—and on the hunt for dinner.

With no game plan or prior research, G and I figured we'd just stumble upon something during our stroll back to the waterfront, and of course we did—there are so many places to eat in NYC! Almost too many choices. As a newbie it can be overwhelming to choose, and as people who don't make decisions easily, it can be downright impossible. After glancing around and taking in our options, I told the hubs we should go wherever looked busy because then it must be good, right? We quickly settled on a French-Mediterranean brasserie, Marseille, located near the Theater District on the corner of Ninth Avenue and West 44th Street. The eatery's outdoor seating was almost full. And we weren't disappointed.

Everything was incredibly delicious. We began our al fresco dinner with wine. The refreshing “Cuvee Juliette” rose for me and, because G doesn't follow those weather-dictates-wine rules, a glass of Pinot Noir for him. To eat, I actually ordered two appetizers: fresh, pillowy sweet pea gnocchi with spring vegetables in a parmesan cream sauce and lemony baby artichokes oreganata. The hubs went for the succulent beef short rib “bourguignon,” served atop a velvety pomme puree and drizzled with a delectable cabernet wine sauce.

And because we couldn’t decide on just one dessert (they all sounded divine), we shared the strawberry mousse sponge cake with basil ice cream and a slice of mocha tart with candied hazelnuts and chocolate cream. Considering we had no idea where to eat, Marseille was quite the find! Though, I told G we can’t dine so good every time we go into the city, or else we’ll be broke—fast.

With full bellies and happy hearts, we continued on home. The neighborhood we walked through—Hell's Kitchen—looked so lovely in the golden evening sunlight and I couldn't help but daydream about living in one of the gorgeous, ivy-covered brownstones. A yarn bomb adorning a tree along the sidewalk summed up my feelings perfectly: I heart NY.

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned—more NYC adventures coming up.