07Feb

Restaurant Review: Brunch at Alice’s Arbor in Stuyvesant, Brooklyn

alicesarbor

This past weekend my teenage daughter and I decided to take some time out of our daily routine and head to Bed Stuyvesant, Brooklyn for brunch. Our destination: Alice's Arbor. It had been years since I'd been to Bed Stuy, and I always knew even then it was on the brink of gentrification and change, so I was eager to make this particular trip from our home in Westchester. As a vegetarian, I can tell you that the menu, which is inspired by Chef Mike Franzetti, is diverse and wide ranging. Carnivores can have their share of meat, from chicken to ribs for Read More

22Jun

Restaurant Review: Kurry Qulture in Astoria, Queens, a Kid-Friendly Culinary Adventure

kurryqulture

When I think of eating out in Astoria, I think mainly of Greek food. My family loves taking trips to Telly Taverna for huge portions of spicy feta, salmon steak and moussaka. It's one of our favorite places in the city for food, and certainly one of the most accessible. It's easy to park and makes for a great evening out, strolling the streets and avenues, with every ethnicity represented by its restaurants and shops. So, when I was invited to dine at a fairly new to the scene (since 2015) Indian restaurant called Kurry Qulture, I jumped at the Read More

08Jun

An Extraordinary Culinary Experience at the Upper West Side’s Machiavelli

Last night I had the opportunity to experience a meal at Machiavelli, located on the Upper West Side on the corner of 85th Street. This restaurant is the passion product of restauranteur Nathalie de la Fontaine, who spent nearly 20 years as the owner of the West Village’s La Focaccia prior to opening  this establishment, which is about five or six years old. To say that Machiavelli is one of the Upper West Side's best kept secrets is an understatement. I was moved by the restaurant's ambiance, its passion for the arts (there are fine paintings on the Read More

15Dec

Dining at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Prague’s Spices Restaurant

mandarinoriental

On my recent visit to Prague, I had the opportunity to dine at Spices Restaurant & Bar at the Mandarin Oriental Prague. My mom and I strolled out of our hotel, through Old Town Square and across the Charles Bridge, past Prague Castle, to the beautiful hotel in the historic Malá Strana district. It was clear upon arrival we were in for a treat. The hotel is a gorgeous, modern and chic Renaissance and Baroque property that was once a monastery and dates to the fourteenth century. I'm sure that the rooms are beautiful, and if you have a weekend in Read More

21Sep

I’m Headed to the 2016 Chef One NYC Dumpling Festival!

dumpling

We love dumplings in my house. There's a small Korean place on West 32nd Street in NYC called Mandoo Bar which my kids and I flock to a few times a year.  We also get them regularly at our local Chinese restaurant and I even buy them at Trader Joe's every so often and make them at home. Steamed, lightly fried. Filled with chicken, vegetables, meat, fish, potatoes, sweets or plain. Sweet, savory. Dipped in soy sauce. We can't get enough of dumplings. After all, we live in a metropolis of foodies, so even at age 11 and 13, we kind of are dumpling Read More

23Jul

Review: Root & Bone in Alphabet City

rootandbone

Last weekend I experienced an unexpected culinary delight at a restaurant down in NYC's Alphabet City called Root & Bone. I knew I was in for an adventure when I found out that it's owned by Top Chef alums Jeff McInnis and Janine Booth, and also because I'm a born & bred Southerner. Yep, born in Atlanta, Georgia. I know a good piece of fried chicken, cheese grits, meatloaf, biscuits and fried green tomatoes when I see them, and for NYC, I can honestly say that Root & Bone not only knows their Southern recipes but their unusual ways of Read More

28Jun

A Night Out in Williamsburg at Pearl’s Bake & Shark

pearlsdessert

Last week my 11 year-old son and I ventured to Williamsburg, Brooklyn for a night out of the suburbs. Our destination: Pearl's Bake & Shark, a Caribbean restaurant that specializes in jerk and other Caribbean dishes. It was a weeknight, and with school still in session, I'd say it was a little out of the ordinary for us to venture to Brooklyn, but I was excited....and hungry. My son was, too, so together we braved the traffic and drove to Brooklyn. Were we happy we went? You can say that again. Pearl's is exceptional, both in its quality of Read More

09Jun

Happy Hour at Fig & Olive in the Meat Packing District, a Great Value

figandolive

Yesterday, after work I headed to Fig & Olive for Apertivo Happy Hour, and suddenly I was transported from the Hudson Yards (near my office) to the coast of Italy. Not only does the restaurant, located in the Meat Packing District have a Mediterranean inspired feel, so does the food. And now the restaurant is making its menu more accessible than ever, with low prices for drinks and scrumptious food. Happy Hour at Fig & Olive in the Meat Packing District Apertivo is an Italian custom that pairs sips with snacks prior to dinner in order to aperto Read More

22Sep

My Fave Dumplings in NYC + 2015 Chef One NYC Dumpling Festival

dumplingfest

We are big dumpling fans in my house. Steamed or lightly fried, you name it. Filled with vegies, meat, fish, potatoes, sweets or plain. Sweet, savory. In soups, in stew, with gravy. We just love them. I was inspired to write this post because the NYC Dumpling Festival 2015 is headed our way. The Dumping Festival will be held on the First Ever National Dumpling Day, which is very exciting. If you're looking for a good batch of dumplings in New York City, we've done the research. Here are three dumpling spots we love: Mandoo Bar (2 West 32nd Read More

31Jul

Indulging the Kids on Broadway with Sugartooth Tours

I've been living in the NYC metro area for a long time now, but I've never fully experienced the sweeter side of the city. So when my kids and I were invited to join Sugartooth Tours on their newest tour, Bright Lights & Broadway Bites, I was intrigued. Broadway + desserts + a guide who's an actual Broadway performer = right up my alley. If you read my blog regularly, you probably know I'm theater obessessed and I love taking my kids all over NYC, so this tour was an excuse to indulge my Broadway fixation and their sweets obsession. When I told my Read More