Yesterday I was finally able to get out of bed and into ballet class - with no friend motivation! I got to see The Nance, starring Nathan Lane, for free since it was being filmed for PBS. After the show, I read in Bryant Park for a bit (though I couldn't help thinking the square lawn would be better used as a equestrian jumping field. Sigh.), then met up with another friend for the Kinky Boots lottery (which we didn't win, alas). To cheer ourselves up, we took dinner at Chez Josephine as part of Restaurant Week, something I'd never participated in before, but so glad I finally had the opportunity! It was absolutely scrumptious, and I felt very grown up, drinking my wine, eating my steak, being all awesome-like.
I dropped two pairs of pants off to get tailored (I considered just buying a new pair as it'd be nearly cheaper, but I didn't want to have to go pants shopping in NYC - one of my absolute least favorite things. Ever.). I turned north and let my feet take me where they willed.
While going through Columbus Circle, I stopped to browse through William Sonoma, where I learned August 15th is Julia Child's birthday. Woo! After tasting a few samples, I headed along my way, up Broadway, through a small farmers market, and into the heart of the Upper West Side.
My appetizer at dinner last night gave me a hankering for Caprese, and passing the market fresh heirloom tomatoes only threw fuel onto the fire of my desire. However, I've already spent waaaaay too much money this month, and with a Hamptons getaway planned for next weekend, I need to keep a tight rein on my finances. But there's nothing wrong with looking! So, I stopped into every grocery and specialty store along my route to look at their mozzarella.
I dearly love food window shopping. The smells, the hunting, the beauty - I get swept away. I'd shop in a specialty food shop over a boutique clothing store any day. And, I found escargot!! FINALLY! As you may recall, I was gifted with the official Game of Thrones cookbook, and there's a soup I was keen to make that calls for escargot, which for the life of me I couldn't find! I'd checked over a dozen groceries, and all over Chinatown, but to no avail. However, I stopped in Zabar's on my walk, and, seeing they were selling snail shells, I asked if they had the snail meat - which they did! At a reasonable price, too. Funny enough, I actually tried escargot for the first time last night - it was my friend's appetizer. It was different than I thought. Very earthy. Not bad, but not something I'm super in to. But maybe in a soup it will be better! Anyway, at least now I know where to find it - and you do, too!
Browsing around Zabar's (looking through all their cheeses and then finding a massive selection of gluten free crackers), I had the intense desire to be one of those women who hosts parties where an astonishing array of cheeses is served, crackers, pate and caviar, little fruit tarts, wine, all very posh and sophisticated.
I've also been stymied. I have this intense desire to become smarter - learn more, expand as a human. I don't think picking up a math textbook and slogging through it would do me any good. Maybe I should learn about politics. I'm not interested the least bit in them, but I feel I have a duty as a citizen of this country to have informed opinions and know what the heck is going on - understand the political climate, as it were. Politics also seems to interest everyone else in the world (or at least men), so it would be good to be able to hold my own (and also, I admit, appear more interesting to the opposite sex). But how dreadfully boring! I suppose I could always pick up biographies of grand historic figures, learn more about a range of older topics. I've always been fascinated by history. Or learn about a specific time period or event. Gold mining in California. Salmon fishing. Napoleon. The Bubonic Plague.
I stopped into Barnes and Noble to look through their cookbooks. Yes. I look through cookbooks for fun. But I flicked through more than recipes today. There was a display of books dealing with food in some capacity, not just straight forward recipes - about being a hostess, food writers of 2012, a journal of a man's adventures with food in the Arctic, 101 Things so-and-so learned at culinary school, and so on. I began reading Stanley Tucci's cookbook (which I'd asked for last year for Christmas/Birthday - alas, no one saw fit to gift it. There's always this year!), and the beginning had parts about wine pairing with foods. Even glancing through it I could tell there was some great information.
I love cookbooks. I adore cookbooks. I wish I had more. And I wish I cooked from them more often! I want to make food, but I'm not eating much these days. I wish I had friends to cook for, but my apartment isn't the best for entertaining. I can (now) understand Sookie's statement about getting more enjoyment out of watching people eat than eating it herself. [See video below - 1minute mark] I long to fill my shelves with Julia Child, Tucci, The Smitten Kitchen, specialty books for bread and desserts and soups - the list goes on.
You know what else I love? When my friends take on fantastic and daring ventures. When they get out and pursue life in all its degrees. When they make something happen in the world. And my friend Jim is taking it all to a whole new level and opening a restaurant!! In 2014, Biscuits 'N Gravy, a healthy soul food joint, will be opening in Brooklyn!!! I am so very excited - for Jim, for his gumption and ingenuity, and to try some darn good (and healthy!) soul food. Not only is everything healthy and locally sourced, but they are trying to be environmentally friendly (by installing solar panels and a rainwater conservation system), and they need YOUR help. Take a look at their kickstarter campaign HERE. They have some sweet perks if you can donate. I know times are tough for all, so even if you can't help with money, feel free to help with your time. It takes mere seconds to share the kickstarter with your circle of friends and family. And it's for a terrific (and tasty!) cause :)
I want my next place to have a nice, open kitchen with good lighting so I can photograph better and start sharing great, mouthwatering recipes again with all of you! Sometimes walking up the stairs I'll catch a whiff of something utterly delicious cooking in someone's apartment, and wish I was invited to dinner. I'm actually making a loaf of banana bread right now as a friend's late birthday present, and my apartment smells heavenly! I want my new place to always smell heavenly, and have others wishing they were coming to dinner at my table.