A Girls Getaway...Without Going Anywhere: Day 2

There's nothing like waking up with your best girlfriends by your side, bursting out of your sleeping bag and running to the kitchen to whip up some buttery scrambled eggs, syrupy pancakes and bacon. American brekkie at its finest (or fattiest depending on who you ask) and for us it was an essential way to kick off Day 2 of our Manhattan Girls Getaway.

Of course, we ate breakfast in front of the boob tube, something I haven't done ever since I removed my television from my bedroom in a quest to simplify my life. So there I sat, fork in one hand, remote in the other, watching the remnants of the movie we had started the night before but as per usual, I was asleep before the opening credits were finished rolling. I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit what movie we chose (with resounding unanimity) to watch...it was none other than The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. The title makes me giggle, reminding me of the first time I visited my one-time lover in Italy, showed up to the airport in black leggings (as pants), and in his broken English and clear disdain for the leggings he questioned, "Are those your travel trousers?"

I assume he was secretly and mildly entertained by my traveling pants, just about as much as I was entertained by the film. Most entertaining was Kostas, Lena's young Greek lover from Santorni. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know I'm a glutton for a delicious European love affair, fiction or non.
So after Kostas re-kindled his burning desire for Lena and they ran off into the deep blue Mediterranean together, it was time to get back to reality and figure out what our itinerary would be for Day 2. As an avid and sometimes menacing bike rider, I convinced the girls to take South Street/Battery Park bike tour with me as guide. They agreed, and a short subway trip later we were at Bike and Roll Rentals, located along the water near the Liberty Island Ferry. For a modest $12/hour we scored some awesome beach cruisers with super comfy seats and locks. Some scenic shots along the NYC Greenway en route to South Street Seaport:
South Street Seaport was even busier than usually because a certain Prince, President, and sandcastle contest got in the way...


But with our bikes we whizzed by the chaos and fled to a more sane spot...the brand new South Street Seaport Farmer's Market, setup in front of the fish vendor stalls. It's a delightful addition to the SSS neighborhood. See for yourself:



Making a quick stop to show the girls Stone Street's (I'm a sucker for cobblestones), we raced each other back over to the Hudson and directly to my favorite Battery Park Italian cafe, Inateso, for THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE IN MANHATTAN. I talked it up the whole way over, but the girls vowed that I was right. Look how content we are:
Next up...the park, Sunday brunch, and the secret garden.

A Girls Getaway...Without Going Anywhere: Day 1

Planning the ultimate girls getaway doesn't necessarily mean expensive spa vacations in exotic destinations or rock star escapades in Vegas. A fun, memorable "getaway" is as simple as clearing your weekend schedule (well, maybe that's not so simple in N.Y.C.) and spending a couple of quality days and sleepover-style nights with the chicks you adore most.

My latest girls getaway was right in my own Manhattan backyard with two of my best girl friends, Sarah and Jen. It was such a success that I had to share what I think is the perfect recipe for a fun, laid-back and inexpensive but ever-so-girly weekend.

Friday Night Femme Feast:
Men, listen up. Women can survive on a diet of cheese, chocolate, more cheese, wine and cupcakes. So don't waste your time fumbling around with elaborate recipes, unless you're the next Boulud. Just get friendly with your neighborhood Whole Foods cheese man and you'll be sure to please. Our kick-off girls dinner revolved around the above essential "food groups."

Our cheese platter was complemented with sweet fig marmalade (which could be substituted with Quince Paste from Whole Foods), Carrs crackers and Sarah's ceramic cheese labels. They are a fun idea for entertaining large groups or inspiring girlishness. Not sure which cheese to buy at Whole Foods? These are some of my favorites: Midnight Moon, Truffle Tremor, Montenbro, Manchego, Pecorino Ginepno, and of course, some aged Pa Pa-Pa-Parmiggano.

For chocolate, my favorite place to buy (or try free chocolate samples) is Pure Dark on Bleecker. I often purchase things based on the emotion I feel when I'm in a shop. Pure Dark's low lighting and earthy colors conjure up the same sexiness you feel with every divinely bitter bite of dark chocolate. That's reason enough to buy a few slabs and leave it out at your girly feast for repeated visits throughout the night.

Wine is obviously left up to personal taste but should be purchased in abundance for any girls getaway. Since women tend to appreciate themes (why do you think we're so good at bridal showers?) here are a few extra-feminine bottles to be paired with long intense chats about (ex)boyfriends, dating, and sex....in no particular order.

Little Black Dress - Pinot Grigio
Four Sisters Chardonnay or Shiraz
2007 Ménage à Trois Rosé


After you're nicely buzzed and divulging details that you never thought you'd share, it might be a good idea to eat something more substantial. I whipped up one of my classic risotto (sans peas due to Jen's childhood hatred for them) and Sarah re-invented her Nana's roasted chicken recipe with impressive ease! Although we were all admittedly stuffed from over-doing it on the cheese, we were so pleased to be enjoying an inexpensive home-cooked meal, and even more excited to be eating it in our pajamas.
Tomorrow, get the lowdown on the rest of our Manhattan Girls Getaway: biking around downtown Manhattan, shopping the local farmers market and discount stores, lounging at the park, eating New York's best ice cream, and discovering the village's best kept secret [garden].

How to Spice up your Cube

We all know that cubicles are a sad excuse for a work space, yet due to space constraints in New York City, many of us are doomed to this grey paneled existence.

I was reminded of my dread for the cube yesterday, when I entered a Park Avenue cosmetics corporation with dark narrow hallways and a sea of squares. It's not that I'm bashing cubes for their shape. In fact, I delight in lots of cube-shaped stuff, like the challenge of a Rubik's Cube, the creaminess of cubed extra-aged Gouda, or the refreshing taste of a margarita on the rocks.

But spending the majority of your day inside a tiny space with four walls, fake lighting and stale air is outrageous. It's so unpleasant that people are now resorting to bizarre behavior to combat the mental and physical effects. Take two of the marketing girls I met yesterday. They are cube neighbors and their computers face each other, but of course, the wall is in the way. So, they took a packing knife to the wall and removed a big chunk of it so that they could chat and compare notes without the nearby finance cube village getting annoyed.

And almost every cube in yesterday's office had a yoga ball instead of a desk chair. I guess those who had good annual review earned an even fancier desk prop...the yoga ball chair. Feast your eyes:

While I'm a big yoga advocate, I still don't think this chair does anything to brighten the bleak atmosphere created by cubes. My vote? Replace office chairs with the first-ever adult jumping ball! This corporate guy looks a lot happier than most office folk....why?

He's riding around on a 29'' spherical caricature of Elton John with a french chef's mustache. How could that not make you smile?

Imagine bouncing down to Starbucks for your 4pm latte on this ride! Functional, fun, and in my expert opinion, quite ergonomically sound.
Thank you, Elton, for making office life a bit more sane (and for writing Your Song, my graduation song from high school.)Check out some of the Winners of Wired's Saddest Cubicle Contest:

Back to Mac(aron)

I popped into MacarOn cafe today to discover something even sweeter than French cookies...the cafe's French chef and owner, Cécile Cannon! She was so friendly and thanked me with such sincerity for blogging about them. She even posted my review on MacarOn's facebook fan page!
To go with my double espresso ($4.50, yikes!) Cécile offered a Macaron of my choice. Although the brightly colored cookies are much more fun to look at, this caramel one was anything but bland. It tasted quite light, yet the dense center has me thinking there's nothing skimpy about its calorie content. I'll have to pace myself...

Check out fun Macaron-colored artwork....it's all over the cafe:

Mother's Day Gift Obsession: Macarons

Getting Mom flowers for Mother's Day--average. A framed photograph of you--a bit vain. But a colorful box of Cécile Cannon's freshly-made French Macarons, PERFECT. I tasted a free sample of the espresso Macaron today and had a little flavor fête in my mouth.

Espresso is just one of the 30 different flavors that Macaron Cafe produces, all of which are gluten-free and made fresh each day. Gift boxes come in three sizes and are translucent to show the adorable candy-colored cookies inside. Since you are buying for Mom, I'd splurge for the 25-count box ($43.00), and that way you don't have to feel guilty about stealing one, or three. More information about the lovely little Macaroon Cafe after the jump:
Midtown, New York City - the mecca of salad bar chains, theme restaurants and Starbucks.

But on an ugly 36th street block (between 6th Ave. and 7th Ave.), under some even uglier but temporary scaffolding has risen an uuber-popular Parisian cafe whipping up delightful sandwiches, salads, coffee, and the most beautiful Macarons I've seen in New York City!

The line out the door is an indication that the 18-month-old spot has secured a legion of lunching regulars. But more importantly, it's an indication that everything at Macaron Cafe is prepared F R E S H. No sandwich assembly line, or salad choppers on speed. Casually taking orders on a diner scratch pad is the part-owner who told me his name but his nice French accent distracted me and I didn't catch it. The three petite French maids who prepare the food and work the cash machine have great crowed-appeal; I think their frilly white head-pieces have something to do with it.

Today I stopped in for an iced coffee, which was made from scratch with espresso brewed on the spot, poured over ice, and topped with Evian spring water (I asked for it without milk). I was wowed by the care that went into it and gladly paid the $2.75, even tossing a couple quarters into the tip jar (something I rarely do at coffee houses).

While I usually rely on the Italians to prepare my espresso, I have yet to find Illy, Segafredo, or even Lavazza within a 10 block radius of my new midtown office. So, as of today, Macaron Cafe has a new regular customer...moi!

Macaron Cafe
161 West 36th Street (between 6th & 7th)
New York, NY 10018
212.564-3525
Open Monday-Friday, 7:30 am to 7 pm
Saturday, 10 am to 7 pm

Cinco De Mayo: Best & Worst

Although I will not be participating in any of the below, as I'm attending an Umbria Jazz concert at the The Italian Cultural Institute ( I know, wrong nation) here is my pick for the best and worst ways to celebrate Mexico in NYC:


BEST:
2009 GUACtacular
Why can't this be every day?? Local restaurants complete for the best guac in town and you reap the benefits! Free guac...and yes, there will also be an abundance of chips (compliments of Food Should Taste Good). Drink specials: $2 for Tecate and Modelo. $3 for Corona.
7-9pm at The Bell House
149 7th Street
Brooklyn, NY

WORST:
Two things I have yet to fully embrace: "real" housewives and Twitter, but the latter is growing on me. However, if there is some burning question you just have to know about Bravo's Real Housewives of New York City you're lucky night is tonight! During the finale, the housewives will be on Twitter, commenting on the episode and answering viewers' questions through online chats. 10 p.m.; free. For more information, go to www.bravotv.com

Other Cinco de Mayo happenings:
Eater
Village Voice
New York Daily News
Murph Guide

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Eat Free Fight Hunger

I love City Harvest's annual Skip Lunch Fight Hunger fundraiser in New York City. It's been all over the blogs, but if you haven't heard about it, it's not too late to participate.

Since it's such a worthy cause and because some old habits die hard, I'm reinstating a mini Free Eats campaign this week aptly titled, Eat Free Fight Hunger. I'll be skipping lunch all week (hitting up some of my favorite free sampling spots instead) and donating $5 per meal to City Harvest. I've got plans to visit the Chelsea Whole Foods today (free sample day) for lunch and Thursday it looks like free tater tots and piggies with the girls at 5Ninth. Will have to do some more research to see what new free eating spots have emerged since March!

If you'd like to join my Eat Free Fight Hunger team email me!

Skip Lunch Fight Hunger -- Details
When: Tomorrow, May 6, donate the amount of money you would spend on your lunch to help feed a hungry child.

How: Visit the official site to register and donate. You can start a team or register as an individual.

What: The goal is to reach $600,000
$127,240 has been raised so far but there's still $472,759 to go.

Tonight - Free Flamenco & Bossanova

Record-breaking temps make this late-April Monday anything but ordinary. I reccommend making the night even more memorable by escaping your stuffy non-air-conditioned apartment and checking out one of these two live music events:

Greta Panettieri @ Bocca Restaurant - 9 E 19th St between Broadway & Park Ave

Italian-born bossa nova singer, Greta Panettieri, brings the Brazilain tradtion to life in N.Y.C. at this FREE event. Her beautiful vocals are accompanied by electric bass (Mike LaValle) and piano (Andrea Sammartino).

Gipsy Kings @ Via dei Mille - W. Broadway between Broome & Grande
Sexy flamenco guitar, vocals and some surprise scantily clad dance performances make this monthly residency a must. Reservations are probably all booked for a table, but come hang at the bar or stake your claim on the dance floor. They may even let you jam with them after a few Coronas...but it's B.Y.O.D. (bring your own djembe)

Huge Turnout at Italy Fundraiser

At least two thousand people waited patiently on the long line outside Cipriani 55 last Thursday and showed an outpouring of support for the victims of last week's deadly earthquake in Abruzzo. The impromptu fundraiser was organized in only three days; a testament to the closeness of the Italian-American community and the strong bond between New York and Italy.

[Photo: Fulvio Minichini]

Cipriani's grand ballroom went from empty to jam-packed within the first hour of the event. The crowd, the majority of whom were Italians and Italian-Americans were treated to legendary Cipriani Bellinis and passed hors d'oeuvres included small caprese skewers and tuna carpacio and fried zucchini chips. A silent auction raised even more money for the victims, with a Vespa, a Knicks jersey donated by Danilo Gallinari, and luxury Ferrari merchandise on the block.

A moment of silence towards the middle of the event sombered the room and reminded us all of our reason for attending.

[Photo: Fulvio Minichini]

The group responsible for the fundraiser is Commissione Giovani, a branch of the COM.IT.ES non-profit organization sponsored by the Italian government whose goal is to sustain Italian culture and provide a network for young Italians living abroad. In a statement they released at the event, the group said, "The L'Aquila Relief Effort Fundraiser is the most important and challenging event that we have organized. Now more than ever it is the time for us to unite as an Italian community in an effort to show support for our people."

Related Stories:

Epicurious

Travel Site Does It Right: Trazzler

New travel sites spring up weekly on the web. Many just re-invent the wheel with regurgitated travel tales and basic technology. Not Trazzler. With an all-star development team including online travel media guru, Adam Rugel, and the founders of Twitter, the eight-month-old site is picking up major steam and a huge travel-obsessed fan base.

It's Trazzler's "snapshot of a moment" stories and funky personalization technology that make the site so fresh and user-friendly. You can customize your Trazzler experience, create a travel wishlist and receive "dream trip" suggestions on the regular. Join Trazzler on Facebook, follow the gang on Twitter or add the application to your iPhone. Once you sign-up you'll be hooked.

As a new Trazzler freelancer, you can keep up with my stories here (about New York City and Italy, of course).

Keep on Trazzlin'!

Free Bob Ross Tribute Tonite!

Finally, New York nightlife is heading in the right direction. I wonder if Bob's pet squirrels will be in attendence?

Beat the Devil Out of It!

A tribute party for the famed Public Television Painter/ Pop Culture Icon - Bob Ross.

Music by BabyBunny and Alex English.

*Bob Ross Look-A-Like Contest! $1 raffle tickets to benefit Art Start ( http://www.art-start.org/) -- win original art and exclusive Bob Ross brand products.

*Live Bob Ross instructional painting! Learn how to paint happy trees!
*Special performance by the "Titanium White Hot Dancers" (Bob Ross tribute dance troupe).
*Exhibit your Bob Ross inspired artwork in our special exhibition. Email for details: beatthedeviloutofit@gmail.com Produced in Association with Gallery Bar, PBR, and the Culture of Me.

** All proceeds from the raffle benefit Art Start, an organization that provides art education and resources to children and teenagers living in shelters. It promotes creativity as a means of transforming lives --just as Bob Ross believed.

Official Site: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?ei

Free Eats: Battery Park!!!

Drum roll please...

I've discovered the first and I think the only free eats in Battery Park. They hail from Inatteso, the brand new Italian cafe on the ground floor of the Millennium Tower (3o West Street). The Casano family [of Adrienne's Pizzabar, Harry's Steakhouse and Ulysses] owns and operates both the cafe and the recently opened Inatteso Pizzabar Casano, where I once devoured an entire Grandma style brick-oven pie topped with broccoli rabe and sausage (in my fatter, paying days).

So what's for free? Well since the cafe is still new, they've been sampling a variety of stuff to familiarize their neighbors with the local goods...like Italian cheeses imported from Brooklyn, and homemade signature desserts that have that "straight out of Sicily" deliciousness. While the Nutella cake will cost you $5 a slice, it's rich and worth a try. For something more budget-friendly, ask for their chocolate chip cookie. It's quickly becoming one of the most-talked-about cookies in Battery Park and I can attest, it's got more chocolate chunks per square inch than any cookies I've seen South of the border (Canal Street). I recommend having all of the Inatteso sweets (free or purchased) with a strong cup of Lavazza espresso, served fresh in adorable espresso-sized takeaway cups. A small detail I always take issue with at Starbucks where I'm usually served [burnt] espresso in a grande cup. So unsatisfying.

Free Eats: Wiener Winks

Going on a "free eats" date not only makes for quality blog content, but also eliminates the dreaded dutch date scenario. The wallet standoff, the awkward bill division ("well, you only had an appetizer and I ordered two steaks so just give me $15..."), or the ever-so-fun double credit card drop. Nothing like splitting the bill to make you feel like a real lady.
But I digress. Back to the free date. I took my own advice and set it up at 5Ninth, the charming three-story townhouse with fireplaces and exposed beams. It's the perfect escape from the club-ridden streets of the MPD.


5Ninth had all the key elements...romance, candlelight, red wine, and free wiener winks. For those of you who aren't already migrating to Wikipedia, that's jive talk for pigs in a blanket.

In fact, the only missing element was...err...the date, actually. No, I didn't get stood up, and I guess I did have a date, she just happened to be my best friend, Kelli. (I've yet to find a guy who will entertain my Whole Foods date idea. I think when I do find him I'll marry him.)
Now I know some of you might be planning your next romantic date around National Pigs in a Blanket Day (April 24th) but I say there's no time like the present to share free sausage-wrapped finger foods with friends and loved ones at 5Ninth. They're being dished out every Sunday-Wednesday from 5pm-9pm at 5Ninth.

Word has it tator tots are also on the loose.

Free Eats: 5Ninth, Prespa, Park Ave. Winter

a random smattering of free eats specials to start your week off right...

5Ninth 5 9th ave Meatpacking District
Happy Hour
Sunday through Wednesday 4pm to 8pm
$3 draft beer
$5 well liquor
$5 selected wine
$9 house champagne
free pigs in a blanket
[via Hieu]

prespa Restaurant 184 Lexington Ave (Btwn 31st & 32nd St)
happy hour
mon-fri 4:30-6:30 and 10-11pm
free hors d’oeuvres served along with wines by the glass and cocktails (which are 50% off)
[via Wined & Dined]


park avenue winter 100 East 63rd Street at Park Avenue
dinner
march 16-20
girls in school uniforms get free dinner. Over 21? Two free rounds on the house, too.
[via Eater]

Free Eats Day 8: Yes, I'm still free eating

Yesterday, Metro NY contacted me at around lunch time to schedule some photo coverage of my experiment. Technically my first week ended on Sunday, but as Day 8 got underway it was clear I'd have no trouble erasing my case of the Mondays with some gourmet freebies.

I met the photographer at Chelsea Market for some bread and Sicilian extra-virgin olive oil at Buon Italia. Their bread basket was the fullest I'd ever seen it and their olive oil prices are moderate for the city. After that nosh, it was on to Chelsea Market Baskets for several pieces of dark chocolate. My camera battery ran out of juice at lunch, but you should be witnessing the photo evidence in print this week if Metro runs the story.

At about 7pm I was tipped off by one of my oldest childhood friends via Facebook:
Westside Market on 15th and 7th (my local grocery store) - Not sure if you are still looking for free food, but they always have little nibbles there, cheese, chips and guac, drinks..etc....You would prob get lucky there! -Lisa

Westside Market 15th St. and 7th Ave. 8:00pm
Free Eats: Too much bread pudding and Magic Pops with roasted pepper hummus
Normal Price: I was so mesmerized by the Magic Pops machine that I forgot all about prices.
Method: Sample, take a lap, sample, sit down in the dining area, sample, exit and re-enter, sample, etc.
Food Groups: Packin' on the carbs
Free Thoughts: The bread pudding is better than sex. If I never ate another Magic Pop, I'd be just dandy, but I want that magic machine for my bedroom. Some people count sheep, I'll count Magic Pops...

The Joy of Apartment Dwelling

I admit, when my roommate told yesterday that she had seen a black rat scamper across the apartment floor in the middle of the night, I thought she was hallucinating. But to calm her ratphobia we baited a trap with a juicy hunk of steak, she slept at a friend's and I spent the night in the apartment, on rodent patrol. Much to my dismay, I awoke this morning to find a terrified, trembling field mouse trapped in the rat cage, his little mouth too narrow to even get a piece of meat.

Today the trap is reset under the sink. Ready for action.

Stay Tuned: Free Eats Begins Next Week

We once thought Rachel Ray was a real savvy chick for eating on $40 a day, until self-proclaimed "Nobody," Leon Logothetis, began travelling the world on $5 a day.

"But how about $0 a day?" I asked myself as I crunched on free animal crackers at Whole Foods.

"Can I survive an entire week and not ever spend a penny on food?"

Well, given our dismal economy, I decided this is the perfect time to put my experiment to the test. Beginning on Monday, February 16th I'll be living from free sample to free sample, seeing how far I can go without ever buying a single morsel.

Watch my Free Eats adventure unfold right here, where I'll be posting videos, photos and tips on the tastiest, healthiest and most indulgent freebies in the city. But until Friday....bring on the bacon explosion.

[Photo: Vegsarasota]

How To Hail a NYC Taxi

Hailing a taxi is not a universal skill. Each country, each city for that matter, has a different set of rules. And in New York City, disobeying the rules means you will likely be standing outside on a street corner for a very...long...time. Check out this "How To" guide before you hit the streets.

See the Light

A NYC taxi exists in three states: occupied, available and off duty.

Occupied: One never wants to flail arms or shout "taxi" at a taxi with NO LIGHTS ON. This is an indication (as is the silhouette of peoples' heads) that the taxi is occupied.

Occupied Taxi

Available: If the CENTER LIGHT IS ON, all systems go. Stick out arm on a high diagonal and just leave it there. No over-the-top waving necessary, and please, no thumbing. If it's summer and windows are open, one can give a little shout, but I prefer the silent hail. The less NYC noise pollution the better.

Off Duty: When both the CENTER LIGHT AND SIDE "OFF DUTY" LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED, the cab is officially off duty, which means one's chances of success are a crapshoot. If one can get an off duty cab to stop, the driver will ask which direction you are heading. If one's direction is geographically desirable, one may score a ride.

Off Duty Taxi [Photo: Current]

Taxi Etiquette

I was here first!

If one is sharing a street corner with other taxi hailers, it should be noted that whomever was there first gets the taxi. No sneaky business is tolerated amongst New Yorkers. And although I've seen it happen, one (male) shouldn't take taxi from another (pregnant or older female) under any circumstances.

Can you take 5?

For group nights on the town, one may wish to squeeze more than the four legally acceptable passengers in the taxi. This doesn't fly. If one's group must stay together, one may try hailing the unmarked car services and negotiating the price. Or if no car services are present, one may try the old "distract and duck" trick. One of your group members assumes shotgun position, distracts driver with song or lewd act, and your fifth passenger ducks in the back. Success rate about 50 percent.

We're making three stops

If one would like to make multiple stops, make sure it is mentioned in beginning of journey. Taxi drivers like to stay informed.

Credit or Cash?

All cabbies prefer cash over credit because it's more money for them in the end. But even if a cabbie pushes one to cough up the greenbacks, it's perfectly acceptable for one to pay by credit, no matter how small the charge.

Motion Sickness

Sometimes a combination of foreign smells and aggressive driving/braking causes one's stomach to churn. If this occurs, one should politely request that the driver tone it down and open the windows. To avoid queasiness, one should try to track down the S.U.V. or mini-van taxis. They are higher up and more nausea-friendly.