2.28.2007

Over the Bald Man

I celebrated a friend’s birthday last night at Max Brenner, Chocoalte By the Bald Man. Some of you may recall the fateful visit to Max Brenner back in October
when Karl bit down on a piece of glass
. You’d that that would have deterred me from ever reentering the restaurant again, but I was reluctant to skip the party. So I forged forward and dug in for what was bound to be a sugar-charged, chocolate-overloaded (and hopefully not glass-flavored) evening.

I started off with something mild, yet savory—a cheese sandwich—to gear up my taste buds for the inevitable chocolate attack. The hardened (stale?) bread and greazy cheese left much to be desired. So I picked around the sandwich and nibbled on my simple salad while, next to me, a girl munched on a waffle topped with kilbasa and sourkraut, and across the way, peanut butter crepes were being devoured. (Obviously, there’s no point in trying to avoid sweets—even for dinner—at a place known for its desserts.) At least my (non-sweet) wine was decent.

When dessert time rolled around, a few of us flipped through the spiral-bound menu to find something we would all go for. We decided on the “intense double chocolate fudge cake,” served with vanilla sauce, ice cream, and strawberries. I am really not that picky—especially when it comes to chocolate—but this intense this cake was not. Rather, it was dry and tasteless, and a waste of $11. As I did the first time around, I went home with a stomach ache and regret that I spent $30 on what amounted to about a pound of sugar. Maybe I would have been better off ending the evening with the Asparagus French toast.

2.26.2007

The Long Walk Home (late February in NYC)



Scenes from 11th Street Bar


Ian & Rachel Come to Town





We had an awesome weekend with Ian and Rachel! They braved the chilly temps with upbeat attitudes (it was a tropical 75 degrees in Charleston when they left...) and, in true Southern fashion, took in the city in with a laid-back flair. Aside from checking out Be Mayumana and hitting up Cowgirl on Friday, we met up for a little flea market browsing, Chelsea Market browsing, wine and cheese munching, and hanging out on Saturday. On Sunday we regrouped and ventured over to TKTS where we marched right up to the window (no lines! Amazing!) and bought tickets for Spring Awakening. The show, with its hip,Duncan Sheik-penned music and phenomenally talented young cast, was excellent and we all enjoyed it. Afterwards Leezie and Speed hosted us at their apartment before we parted ways. Karl and I hit up Keren's Oscar party, complete with chili, cookies, and cupcakes for a bit before hailing a cab and jetting over to the lower east side (mind you, it was 10 p.m. at this point. On a Sunday!). There, we all met up again for some more Oscar watching (sans sound) as the melodic beats of a live Irish quartet provided excellent background noise. We watched the entire broadcast before exiting in the snow/sleet and trying, without success, to get a cab. Apparently the entire city was watching the Oscars and all got in cabs before us. We ended up walking all the way back home, a distance that amounted to practically the entire width of the island, from 11th and Avenue A all the way back home. I walked in at 1 a.m. (again, on a work night!) refreshed from the cold and not one bit tired. A great way to end the weekend, but a not-so-great way to start the work week! Oh well, it was definitely worth it, and I'm looking forward to having more family members and friends visit us here!

Egg-cellent!





Our new egg-fry rings, courtesy of Speed, have provided us with the most eggstroidinary breakfasts! It's such a simple tool that makes a world of difference when it comes to fying and poaching eggs. Here's Sundays bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich in progress.

2.24.2007

MAYUMANA

I don't usually go into a movie or a show without reading at least one review first. My dad's taught me better--if it's been panned, what's the point of paying for something that stinks? But time escaped me last week and I never got a moment to read up on MAYUMANA, the new show we saw on Friday at the Union Square Theatre.

So aside from knowing that two of the performers were once Israeli gymnasts, I had no idea of what to expect on Friday. Meaning not only did I lack expectations, but I lacked an inkling of what the whole show was even about. And I'm not sure I could tell you what the show was about now, after sitting through 90 straight minutes of this wacky, sometimes riventing, mostly awkward performance.

Conceived by Eylon Nuphar and Boaz Berman in Tel Aviv, MAYUMANA (from the Hebrew meaning skill) is descriped as "a purely theatrical event that combines elements from various art disciplines based on music, movement, acting, dance and rhythm." Movement and rhythm we got, but the show lacked music and real "acting" (rather, I'd call it miming). Not until the encore (in a unique twist, we got an extra 'number' after the show was apparently over) did we actually see a collective song and dance from the performers--and even that was somewhat bizarre. The rest of the show was a psychadelic mix of beatboxing, chest-slapping, drum-banging, and break-dancing in a style Mark deemed "Stomp meets the Blue Man Group".

That said, it was mostly entertaining. There were parts were I found myself staring puzzled at the stage wondering if the performers--in military-meets-tribal inspired costumes that could have been made in the early 90s--were transplanted from another planet. And the show was not technically sound (there were a few obvious onstage glitches). But overall I found MAYMANA fairly entertaining, even though it definitely could have been wrapped up in 60, not 90 minutes.

Thanks again to Leezie for the tix!

2.23.2007

Gearing up for another weekend with guests: Ian and Rachel are heading down from Charleston. We’ll be seeing an off-broadway show tonight: Be by Mayumana, tickets courtesy of Leezie, and then getting a bite to eat afterwards near/around Union Square. Other than that, no set plans! A nice feeling, since usually my weekends are chockfull with things I don’t want to do, like work. I think we’ll go to TKTS on Sunday to get tickets to a matinee. Hopefully, the weather will hold out. It felt downright balmy yesterday (I think it hit a whopping 40 degrees), but I think we’re in the middle of yet another cold snap.

2.20.2007

Pics from the Weekend.

Had a great time! See the evidence...

Go Bec!


Bec is en route to Australia, where she'll join the US National Triathlon Team just north of Brisbane. She and her teammates will be training alonside other elite athletes from around the world, many of whom are now familiar (at least their faces) to Bec since she's had her fair share of international competition (like in Switzerland, where this pic was taken)!

Bec, in case you're checkin in from your layover in Tokyo, I wanted to wish her luck in your very LONG journey Down Under as well as in your training! Enjoy the sunshine and warm temps. Hope you can hear our cheers from across the globe!

Cute.



Jack Weishaar, almost five months.

Weekend Recap

Saturday night brought yet another gathering in the West Village for a family meal at Chumley's. We (all 12 of us) packed into a corner booth in the way back, away from the ever-increasing crowd in the bar area. We munched on burgers (portabella for me); shepherd's pie, salads, and more. Then the gang (minus Jeanie and Uncle Phil, who retreated back to their swank room in the Hudson) went back to our place for Chocolate Mousse Cake, courtesy of the Bread and Pastry Cafe, a place that I once panned heavily (they've now won me over completely!). Then Karl, Anna, Mark, and I braved the ice and cold in the name of Saturday Night and tossed back a few at Brass Monkey on the edge of the MePa. Except for Anna landing ankle-deep in the "fake street" (grey slush camoflauged by the street light to look like pavement) with nothing but heels--and no socks--on, we managed to have a fun night out.

Early Sunday afternoon the troops regrouped for a quick tour of the Hearst Tower and the CG! Office. Then the ladies separated from the men--who went to see Breach--as we ventured down to 45th Street and Broadway for a matinee of A Chorus Line! I loved every second of the show, and am now inspired to become as fit as a Broadway dancer in my 28th year!

Later that night we had another yum meal at Arte Pasta, then retired for the evening. I met back up with the 'rents and Jeanie and Uncle Phil for a drive across the Hudson to Hoboken, where Karl showed off her beautiful-as-always apartment. Then we went to Anthony David's for a quick meal before bidding the Silver Spring folk goodbye. As they made their way down the Jersey Turnpike, Karl and I zipped back to Chelsea to see "Letters from Iwo Jima." A compelling film and an extensive history lesson all in one--can't beat that.

Could this go down as possibly the best birthday-week celebration yet? I think so! Plenty of pics to be posted tonight!

2.16.2007

A very happy birthday indeed!

I woke up still overwhelmed by how generous and loving the people I surround myself are. Last night's dinner party at Bec's was perfection: She (and John) threw a warm, elegant, and yes, classy soiree for 18! We had delicious appetizers (cherry tomatoes stuffed with goat cheese; homemade hummus in mini pastry shells; an assortment of cheeses); an amazing sit-down dinner of lasagne, baked ziti, an intricate salad, and fresh bread from Amy's. Following the meal, Bec brought out a tray of brownies and cupcakes (using her secret Magnolia recipe!) made from scratch! She worked extremely hard to make sure everything was just perfect, and I owe her so much gratitude (and maybe some beauty products?) for everything she did.

And an enormous thank you to everyone who came and made me feel like a star last night, especially for braving the ice and snow and freezing temps to make it out. I feel so lucky to have such interesting, loving, kind, and caring friends and family in my life!

Here's an album from the evening. Enjoy!

Let the Festitivites Begin...


My birthday extravaganza began with a bang on Valetine's Day, with Mark surprising me with a delicious dinner (seared salmon with an orange glaze topped with toasted almonds), gorgeous flowers (purple and orange tulips, and one gerber daisy for good measure), and fabulous prezzies! As the snow and ice fell outside, we had a cozy night in wining, dining, and watching our favorite shows (Lost and Idol!). A perfect way to spend Valetine's Day and gear up for my birthday. Thank you, Mark!

2.15.2007

Sweet as Sugar



In case you didn't get enough sweets on Valentine's Day, here's another dose! (I think that would be Lucy in yellow and Sophia in pink, but Sissy, correct me if I'm wrong).

2.13.2007

For the Dogs


















When I received an invite to attend the Westminster Dog Show on behalf of a PR company repping a beauty product for--you guessed it--dogs, I jumped at the chance. After all, one of my favorite movies is "Best in Show," so I just had to see the real deal. At the very least, I could get some exclusive access to the what I could only imagine would be madness behind-the-scenes.

Madness is an understatement. I was disappointed to find out that when I reached the Garden, the earlier portion of the judging was over and the "Best in Class" competition wouldn't start for another hour. I could still check out the dogs as they're "benched" (or crated) in the bowels of Madison Square Garden, but the public,with a paying ticket, is allowed to do the same. (Coincidentally, this area was also reserved as the athlete warmup for the Milrose Games last week). Not that I'm against the public, but when anything is open to the masses in NYC, people show up, well, en masse. This place was a mob scene. From crazy, frazzled handlers who looked straight out of 1975 to yappy New Yorkers bragging about their own designer dogs, I couldn't take a step forward, backward, or sideways without running into some kind of doggie freak. The woman leading me around, a Siberian Husky breeder who works for the beauty product company on the side, introduced me to what she deemed were the "Michael Jordans" of dog handling, but I don't follow the "sport" enough to really be impressed. I mean, how hard is it to lead a dog around an arena while wearing an atrocious suit?

Though the overall experience was a bit disappointing (I really wanted to see some real competition or at least hold a dog, but they're fiercely protected), the dogs themselves were not. As evidenced by the pictures below, they were all stunning in their own right, from the ginormous Great Dane to the tiniest Pomeranian. If nothing else, it was an entertaining way to spend a Monday evening!

2.12.2007

In my thoughts

(Just one of many memories of PTC II)...

When I was younger, I always felt a connection to Philip: I wore his hand-me-down ski jacket, rode his old bike, and played with his toys stowed away in the trailer at the farm. But it wasn’t until college when I really got to know him as more than just the elusive “big” cousin who skied and played hockey in Michigan. For my birthday one year, I got a call from my mom asking if I wanted to have Sunday brunch at the farm (one of the many perks of going to Mount Saint Mary’s was its close proximity to the Farm and a homecooked meal). It wasn’t hard to gather a group of friends to join me—remember, we were broke college kids who would have been happy with a bowl of instant oatmeal and a piece of toast. But Philip, who happened to be at the Farm that weekend, took it upon himself to whip up one of his classic meals: eggs Benedict, French toast, bacon, fruit, the works. My friends and I sat at the long table in the farm’s dining room and just inhaled that meal. From then on, Philip became famous among my friends as “Sarah’s cousin, the awesome cook.”

A few years later, Philip took it upon himself to serve as my consultant as I planned the menu for my wedding. From imported cheese platters to chocolate fountains, I was a little overwhelmed with all of the choices. And those were just the appetizers! So Philip sat with me and advised me on the menu. “Don’t get the mini quiche,” Philip told me as he shuffled through the
reams of catering menus I’d printed out. “The quiche is always frozen and reheated. Trust me.”

So I did. Although he wasn’t in the kitchen, our wedding meal was another Philip creation. His support and insight came at a
time when I needed it most. He didn’t have to sit down and help me with those plans, but yet he spent hours with me on them. And then he and Aleta overwhelmed all of us (including Mark's extended family and our friends) with the most amazing post-wedding brunch the following day. I’ll always be thankful for everything Philip did, especially that time we shared together.

2.11.2007

Another Saturday Night...

We celebrated Danny's birthday at Stanton Public on Saturday night. Jo and Keith came up from DC on the Chinatown bus to suprise the b-day boy; here's Jo and I at the bar--it was great to see them! Posted by Picasa
From National Geographic to the Lower East Side: Meghan, Nandita, Keren, and I hang out at Stanton Public on Saturday night. Posted by Picasa

2.09.2007

Bridge to Joss Stone

Had a fun, very entertaining night last night. First, Rachel (friend from CG!) and I met up to catch a screening of Bridge to Terrabithia. Remember that book from back in the day? I always loved it, because like the characters in the book, I was always playing make-believe in the woods behind our house. And even though it’s tailored to 10-year-olds, I got sucked in and found myself on the verge of sobs when Leslie died (I think everyone knows by now that this happens, right?). As we left, I noticed a lot of people with tears streaming down their faces, so I guess the film struck a chord with everyone. A little too sad for kids if you ask me, but I guess it teaches them a valuable lesson and death and cherishing what you have while you have it...

(On a side note, it seemed like CBS’ Joel Siegel, the film critic on Good Morning America (spotted in the lobby), pulled some strings to get some kid (a nephew maybe?) and a bunch of his friends in for what seemed like a very fancy-schmancy birthday party that only a New York City kid would have. Judging by the Dylan’s Candy Bar bags the kids were toting, I surmised they made a stop in the high-end confectionary before heading to this sneak-preview. Pretty sweet deal!)

After the movie, Rachel and I hot-footed it to the lower east side to catch Joss Stone at the Bowery Ballroom. Well, first, we made a pit stop at Lombardi’s Pizza, which was, as usual, delicious. Then we made our way into the jam-packed ballroom to see the second half of Stone’s engaging and high-energy show. She was sporting some kind of Sideshow Bob-esque wig or extensions (a super-curly red ‘do) that grew on me as the show went on. She’s an excellent performer, and has an amazing voice! I think I’ll have to get her new album off of iTunes.

2.08.2007

Pretty fun week so far...starting off with Tuesday night and going to a fun Fashion Week even at the Tents in Bryant Park. Karl and I squeezed into a tiny booth perched atop the masses waiting for standing-room-only entrance to a show. We sipped Moet champagne in tulip-shaped flutes as celebrity stylist Philip Bloch (the party’s host), Cyndi Lauper, Fran Drescher, and a few other recognizable people mingled around us. Then I went over to Leezie and Speed’s for some Idol-watching and turkey meatloaf (made by Leezie!). The best meal I’ve had in months...seriously!

Then last night I checked out a free screening of “Music and Lyrics” with Keren and her friend visiting from London. The movie was a little too cutesy and poorly acted at times, and Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant had zero chemistry. But the New York City scenes and 80’s flashbacks made it, at times, bearable. I feel bad for whatever boyfriend/husband will be dragged into seeing it when it’s released on Valentine’s Day. Definitely NOT a guy’s movie.

2.05.2007

Pics from the weekend

Sisters at Dublin (it was a little chilly in there)
Despite Speed's support for Chicago, they still lost.
With the birthday girl at Mixx Lounge on Saturday night.

The Past Few Days

My weekend was filled with a flurry of activity, starting out on Thursday at the Miss Sixty After Party (following the Miss Sixty fashion show, which kicked off Fashion Week).I accompanied my fashionista friend, Nandita, to the party as I assumed it would be at the very least a great people-watching event. I wasn't mistaken--Moet champagned flowed and beautiful people abounded, including Oscar winner Adrien Brody and rapper Eve, who performed on a tiny stage in front of the intimate crowd of 200 or so. The whole thing was a blast, but made me glad I'm only extrinsically involved in the fashion world. It's fun for a night, but the whole scene is a little too superficial and extravagant for me and my H&M/Loehmanns wardrobe.:-)

The next night, Karl and I hit up MSG to watch the Milrose Games. We had press passes so we got front-row views of all of the races. We totally track-geeked out, ogling at all of the stunningly fit athletes like Maurice Green, Gail Devers, Bernard Lagat, Craig Mottram, and Tirunesh "The Baby-Faced Destroyer" Dibaba (the women's world record holder at 5000m). At one point we found ourselves in the bowels of the Garden sitting amongst great Irish miler Eamonn Coughlin and a contingent of the top track & field agents, as Alan Webb, Lagat and Mottram warmed up for the mile behind us and Green got a rub down at a table to our right. I think we were probably the only two normal girls on the planet who would choose to spend a Friday night at a track meet, but I was really excited to be there!

On Saturday, I joined Keren and three other friends for brunch at Essex. Great place! We celebrated Keren's birthday with all-you-can-drink mimosas and really decent food (I tried the matzoh brei) for $15. Two-and-a-half mimosas later, I found myself in Williamsburg, Brooklyn after misreading the Subway map en route to the Upper East Side. Oops. Eventually I righted myself and made it up to my ol' stomping grounds, NYRR, to pick up my number for Sunday's 4-miler. By the time I got home, it was practicually time to head out to Keren's second birthday celebration at Mixx Lounge on 7th Ave. Mark and I were officially the first guests to arrive (so not my style), and we had a lot of fun despite the fact that this "lounge" made a complete transformation into a steamy, jam-packed club. We left a little after midnight just as things were really getting jumping.

Seven hours later, I arose and layered on the Under Armor for my 4-miler. It was ridiculously freezing and I really didn't want to go. But I had paid for the damn race, so I forced myself up to the park and ignored the nauseous, numb feeling that overtook my body beforehand. I started way back in the pack and, after fighting slow pokes and congestion throughout the first mile, I picked up the pace. I ended up surprising myself and running 6:57 pace, well under what I thought I'd do. Still not that fast, but, considering it was my first 4-mile race ever, I got a PR!

The weekend wasn't over yet, though. It was Super Bowl Sunday after all, and we still had the game to watch! Mark, Speed, Leezie, and I huddled into a booth at Dublin, ate a really random mix of food, and cheered on the teams (I remained impartial) until the bitter end. Bec, John, and Keren stopped by for a bit, making it a very fun Super Bowl Sunday!