A Weekend in NYC

A few weeks ago, my brother and I spent a long weekend in New York City! This was my third time but, it was his first. He LOVES anything vintage. So, I planned our entire trip around all things old! From what we drank to where we ate, there was a definite theme! Don't we look cute? ;)

We arrived around noon on a Friday and immediately dropped our bags off at the apartment. (tip: use airbnb...you will save A LOT!) Then, top on my brothers list of "things to eat in NYC" was a Lox bagel. Before leaving, I had created quite a lengthy list of restaurants/bars/shops...etc. For Lox Bagels, I had decided that Tal Bagels was the place to go! By chance, we just happened to turn a corner on our way to the metro stop and there it was!

Of course this was not enough for lunch! We needed pizza! I don't remember where we stopped...but does it really matter? It's NYC after all...

Unfortunately, it was a torrential down pour that day...but we were determined!! On my list, was Eataly! I had to see it! And we made it! It was EXTREMELY crowded and we didn't actually get anything. But, it was definitely fun to see :)

After that, we headed back to the apartment to start getting ready for our first night on the town! But, alas, we were still hungry! We turned the corner and just happened to pass No 7 Sub...another spot on my list! The sandwiches are what I would call...hangover food. Just weird! I got the broccoli with lychee  and it was good! Other sandwiches include anything from cauliflower to fritos...go with an open mind!

That night, we went to the oldest restaurant in NYC...21 Club! Originally, we were going to go for the "Pre Theater" dinner menu. It's a GREAT deal. You make your reservations no later than 6:30 and you get the prix fixed menu for $42. But, we decided to just hang out in the bar and watch people. It was so fun talking to our waiter about how he had waited on Grace Kelly, Humphrey Bogart...where they sat...what they drank...the history behind this place is well worth the visit.

Next up, we stopped in at The Carnegie Club - a cocktail and smoking lounge. This was definitely a great find! They had live jazz music, great wine, and of course...cigars! It was a big hard to find but the speakeasy-type feel with the leather sofas, book cases, and old photos made it feel like a movie set! And...I smoked my first cigar!

At this point, we were pretty much exhausted. So that's where our night ended. Bright and early the next morning, we were at the Empire State Building! Of course, you have to do that! Here's my tip: buy your tickets online! You can use them WHENEVER! But, get there at 7:50am. Yes...it's early. But, you don't wait in line!

Then, we just wandered Manhattan! We did take a look into Katz's Delicatessen. But, the crowd is just not worth it! It is definitely a must see but, go down the street to Russ & Daughters...it's also famous and not as crowded!

That evening, we stopped at a cool spot for a drink called Middle Branch. A friend of mine in Dallas recommended it and it's definitely cool! Be sure to have the address or you might miss it!

Then, we started making our way down to PDT (Please Don't Tell). Earlier that day, we called about 70 times and FINALLY got through to make a reservation. They only accept reservations by phone starting at 3pm the day of. So get your speed dial ready! But, before we went there, we had to eat dinner! We found a great place called Cafe Orlin...a little Mediterranean and a little Indian!

Once we were fat and happy, we walked down the street to PDT! Its located inside a Hot Dog shop. Yes...a hot dog shop. You go in, then step into a phone booth, dial 1 and the other side of the booth opens into the bar!

And don't forget...the drinks are great! A bit pricey...but totally worth it! It's all about the experience :)

And so ended our second night. Early the next morning, we went to the 9/11 memorial. It's very moving...and a must see if you haven't yet. While down there, we walked along Wall Street and to Battery Park to catch a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty.

From there, we walked to lunch at Beauty & Essex. This is hands down one of my favorite restaurants in New York. It's another one that you might miss if you're not looking carefully! You walk into a pawn shop in a not so good part of town and then into the beautiful restaurant! My brother and I ordered the Lox Pizzetta, Turkey Meatballs, and Lobster & Chorizo Hash.

From here, we made our way to Grand Central Station. This was my first time to see it and it is absolutely beautiful!!

That night, we had reservations at The Raines Law Room...another speakeasy! Unfortunately, it was so dark inside that I was unable to get a good shot. But...you MUST GO! Again, have the address out or you will miss it! You walk down stairs and ring the door bell. Inside, it's not like a typical bar. You actually don't even see one! You're seated on chairs or couches. Each spot has a door bell on the wall next to it. When you're ready to order, you ring it!

Our flight left the next afternoon. So, we spent the morning wandering as usual. Then, I found this great spot for lunch called Gazala's. It's delicious mediterranean food! We sat outside and soaked up the NYC sun before heading home...

And there you have it! NYC in one weekend!

A few other spots we hit up:
The Strand Bookstore
Other Music
Limelight
Chinatown
Hell's Kitchen Flea Market
Times Square
Rockefeller Center
Radio City Music Hall
Greenmarket at Union Square

New Lighting Equipment

I recently invested in some lighting equipment! Check out a few of the shots below!

I am SO excited!! Need a few shots?? Email me :)

Gluten Free Bison Pasta

It's healthy, hearty, and down right satisfying! It's "Gluten Free Bison Pasta". Being gluten free has it's challenges...like when you have unreal cravings for BREAD. But, thankfully, there are some really good gluten free options out there now!

I also like to eat healthy when it comes to meat. Bison is grass fed and lean. That being said, you have to give it a little TLC to make it flavorful. So, here is what I did the other evening:

Step 1:  Sauté half of a white onion with garlic over medium heat in an iron skillet
Step 2: While your onion and garlic are hanging out, heat some chicken stock and water over high heat in a heavy saucepan to boiling and cook pasta according to box instructions
Step 3: When your onions are nice and soft, add in the ground bison and a good knob of butter and cook all the way through (this does not mean burn it)
Step 4: Pour in a can of whole peeled tomatoes (I use the Cento or Pomi brands), basil, salt, and pepper. Let this cook down for about 20 minutes.
Step 5: When the sauce is finished, strain your pasta and add it into the iron skillet with the sauce. Then, put 2-3 good handfuls of spinach in. Give it a good stir until the spinach is wilted and there ya go!

*Remember to ALWAYS do a little quality control with the sauce and make sure it's salty enough! And, you can always add a little Parmesan on top for some more flavor!

Birthday Fun!!

Who doesn't love birthdays?? It's a time to celebrate with friends, family, eat good food, and...re-live childhood!

This year, I turned 25 and I celebrated the entire week! But, the last day of festivities, I had a small get together and (as the evite said) we had "drinks and juvenile fun!".

When initially planning a party, my mind immediately goes to: "what will we have to eat?!". Well, I LOVE party food and this year, I wanted fun and cute small bites! So, I first decided to make Marshmallow Pops! Aren't they adorable?! I found this recipe from the Pioneer Woman and I will be making these at EVERY holiday party :)

Then, I found a recipe for bite-sized strawberry shortcakes! They were so cute and easy to make! You can find the recipe here. I only did 2 things differently: 1) for the frosting, I used powdered sugar and 2) I used real vanilla bean :)

Besides the sweets, I put together a simple meat and cheese platter and veggies with a spinach dip. Super simple! Then, I decided to have a craft! This is where I relived my childhood...I bought wine glasses of all shapes and sizes at the dollar store for everyone to paint! And, to ensure the kitchen table did not get ruined in the process, I wrapped it in pink wrapping paper :)

It was super fun, super easy and an all-around great time :)

Galveston Getaway

Last weekend I went to Galveston with my mom and "the Coco". I wanted a relaxing birthday weekend that was not outrageously expensive. And, in Texas, we only have so many places that are driving distance. So, Galveston it was! And, overall, it was a great weekend! Plus, relaxation was definitely accomplished. And, the first day, we did catch a little bit of sunshine...

We opted to to a vacation rental by owner. Why? Well, it's definitely cheaper than a hotel and, if you're like us and don't want to eat out EVERY meal, then being able to fix your own food is a plus. Our condo was clean on the outside and inside and right on the sea wall (which you would think would be great). HOWEVER, there was literally NO insulation in the building and we could hear EVERYTHING from the people above us. Literally...I could hear a cell phone vibrating upstairs, toilets flushing, and much more...

So, tip #1? It can be a good idea to pay more for a hotel...

Also, I recommend not staying on the Sea Wall. Sure...it may say "on the beach" or "beach access" or "beach view". But, it's not the beach. You cross an extremely busy street to get there and (depending on where you are staying) you need to drive to get to sand. But, it is definitely a beautiful view...can't deny that!

So, it was cloudy and cold. Definitely not beach weather. So, the second day, we went shopping on The Strand! With The Coco of course!

Despite the chilly temps, it's definitely a fun area! But, another tip: head to Post Office street! It's 3 blocks up from The Strand and is where the locals shop! Cute boutiques, art galleries and antique shops.

After shopping, we wanted to try out a fun place for dinner! Our one meal to eat out! So, we opted for Nonno Tony's on the Pier because they had a dog friendly patio and heaters!! They were VERY nice however, I have come to realize that I am spoiled after living in Dallas when it comes to the service industry...

First, I asked for potato vodka (named some brands) and the waitress went to ask if they had any. Upon returning, she said that all vodka is made from potatoes. Hmmm...might want to read the labels. But, I opted for something else, no problem. Then, I ordered the steak salad...yum! It said it came with goat cheese which was great for me since I can't have dairy. Well, it came out piled high with...BLUE CHEESE! Umm..not only can I need eat dairy or mold but that just completely changed the flavor profile of the salad. Apparently, they were out of goat cheese and just decided to add blue cheese. They were very sorry and brought me out a fresh one. My moms steak...well...it was AWESOME.

Our last day there, we went to get a 90 minute massage at the San Luis Resort...yay! It was going to work out perfectly because our appointment was at 3pm and we had dropped Coco off at doggy daycare which closed at 5. So, we get there early and enjoy our complimentary beverage. Time ticks by...I check my phone and it's 3:15. So, I go up to the front desk and they said they were running behind and asked if we had anything to do after this. Umm..yes...we had to pick up our puppy hence the reason for the 3pm appointment. So, we opted for an hour massage and they gave us a pretty nice discount. Of course they were very sorry and it ended up fine. Plus, we were able to catch a few last minute rays on the beach!

Overall, a very relaxing trip! And, of course, you can't predict weather. But, before doing VRBO...do your research, map it out, and remember to have fun no matter what :)

March Events

There is  SO MUCH going on this month I can hardly believe it!! So, mark your calendars and get your tickets!!

First up is the GYL Masquerade! This event is happening at 3015 At Trinity Groves on Saturday, March 8. There will be Cajun food from Chef Sharon Van Meter, entertainment by Signed Sealed Delivered, casino games and more! Tickets are $75/person and all the proceeds go to Genesis Women's Shelter and Support. Get your tickets here!

Also happening at 3015 is the Sunday Chef Mix. This event is Sunday, March 9 and is in an effort to raise support to help Ulysses Galvan, a leukemia patient. For more information or to make a donation, email lisa@fluentdallas.com

Next up is Savor Dallas! It's a weekend of food and wine you don't want to miss! The party kicks off Thursday, March 20 at the Arboretum and ends Sunday, March 22 with the International Grand Tasting. For a full schedule and tickets click here.

Plus, check out my video from last year's event!

Then, grab an evening gown, some heels, and head to The Hilton Anatole for this years Cotes Du Coeur Gala event. Only the best of Dallas Chefs will be there. It's glitzy, glamorous, and benefits the American Heart Association. Click here for last years video.

And, finally, it's the Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival! What a wonderful way to round out the month of March! Party starts at Billy Bobs on Thursday, March 27. Head out and support Fort Worths Chefs and Artisans. Click here for a full schedule

Triple Layer Strawberry Citrus Cake

This is what I have to say:

"yuuuuummmmm!"

One of my very good friends turned 25 the other day! And (of course) I had to make her cake! One of her  very favorite flavors is lemon. It's just so light and refreshing and makes just about anything taste wonderful!

But, I wanted to do something a little different than a typical lemon cake. So, I came up with this:

The cake layers are a lemon cake with fresh strawberries. Each layer is topped with a citrus vodka infused glaze. And it all comes together with a citrus marshmallow fluff frosting :)

Hungry yet??

Oh and the best part? It's not even that hard to make! 

So let's get to it!

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt (as always)

3ish cups of chopped strawberries (I just used one whole container)

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk (I used whole milk)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon extract

2 sticks butter

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

Lemon juice and zest to taste

For the Glaze:
1 shot of Citrus Vodka (ooor whatever your heart desires)
Juice from half a lemon and half an orange (you can always add more and also add zest)

For the Frosting:
2 7oz jars of Marshmallow Fluff
4 Sticks of butter
4 cups of powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
Juice from half a lemon and zest from both the lemon and the orange (remember your taste buds are different from mine! There is nothing wrong with adding more or less)
Yellow food coloring (if you want)

Process:
For the Cake:
Mix dry ingredients in a bowl

Stir milk, sour cream, vanilla extract, and lemon extract in a bowl

And don't forget the lemon zest!

In a separate bowl, cream the butter and the sugar

Beat in the eggs one at a time

Mix in the flour mixture and the milk mixture beginning and ending with the flour

Chop up your strawberries!

Then fold them into the batter. FYI, it was at this point that I added the lemon juice to taste :)

Divide the batter into 3 8" round pans and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes

For the Glaze:
This is super hard....

Combine everything to taste....

Then end.

Now for the Frosting:
Cream the butter until light and fluffy

Add in the marshmallow fluff, vanilla, powdered sugar and juice/zest to taste! BTW I also added food coloring to make it more yellow ;)

Then assemble the cake! Start with the cake layer, then spread the glaze on top, then the frosting and so on until it looks something like this:

It's not perfect but it was delicious!

The cake was moist and pound-cake-ish and the frosting was light and fluffy! All the citrus flavors combined with the hint of strawberries made for a mouth watering dessert.

Hope you enjoyed Baking With Becca!

For the print friendly recipe go here