High Line Blues

High Line Park.

Shady view.

Lounging around.

Autumn on the Hudson Valley with Branches by Valerie Hegarty.

Parched.

Photo montage taken March 19. High Line Park. New York, NY.

Stalking Pepsi

Pepsi truck.

En route to the Poconos...

Pepsi machine.

...and again in Mt. Pocono, Penn.

Sugar and Spice, and Everything Nice

International Passport.

Lately I've been spending far too much time at Ihop than I would like to admit. But that doesn't stop me from posting these pictures of my morning decadence. Oh, the damage has been done. But my waistline concurs: it's worth the extra toll.

My sister was back for spring break, which clearly entailed a breakfast run. This time around, my eyes wandered across the menu and desired everything at once. So, of course, I settled on the International Passport, which allowed me to feast on two sausage links, two eggs sunny-side up, two slices of bacon, French toast and (not pictured) two pancakes. I consumed it all. Except the pancakes.

Poor, lonely pancakes.

Swedish crepes.

My sister's not-so-secret sweet tooth tempts her to order a side of Swedish crepes with candied strawberries and a tornado of whipped cream.

Epitome of Breakfast.

Mom had a light and fluffy Swiss cheese-mushroom omelet. Dad had the Big Steak Omelet: tender strips of bacon, hash browns, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes and cheddar cheese with salsa. Steak has never tasted so good. (Truth be told, I'm not much of a steak lover otherwise.)

Time for a proper diet. I mean, dance-off! Burn, baby, burn...

Almost Paradise: Paradis To-Go

Paradis To-Go.

This review originally appeared on The Gotham Palate.

Fresh fall tulips and gerbera daisies. Hot cup of coffee. Hugs and smiles. This is a perfect Saturday afternoon lunch with my bestie.

After months of separation, my friend K and I finally made plans to meet up for some quality bonding time. Where better to catch up than at a cozy little cafe off of Union Square? Paradis To-Go is barely the width of a Pinkberry, complete with a pretty scalloped awning and green bench. Scribbles of pastel-colored chalk covered the menu boards, highlighting the Daily Specials. The two counter attendants reminded me of the lead pair in 500 Days of Summer - but more 'hippie' than 'hipster.' They were gushingly friendly and seemed genuinely interested in catering to us and making our experience a positive one.

Herb Turkey Gruyere.

Croque Monsieur.

I had the Herb Turkey Gruyere sandwich on oat, pecan and raisin bread, while K picked the Croque Monsieur with French bread, ham and bechamel ($7.75 each). The sandwich prices are a bit steeper than I'm used to paying, but for the quality and creativity, worth the occasional splurge. Two small coffees ($1.75 each) rounded out our order. Soups on display included broccoli-cheddar-cauliflower-bacon and butternut squash. $4 for a small, $5 for a large.

Sweetie Pie.

Sweetie Pie Layers.

We took a heart-shaped chocolate cake, aptly entiteld 'Sweetie Pie,' to-go. The Sweetie Pie resembled a big whoopee pie with three dense layers separated by marshmallow frosting, topped with luscious strawberries and sugar. Even though K and I were quite full from our meal, this cake was too cute to pass up. We split it.

Paradis To-Go is also know for its fist-sized, gooey chocolate chip cookies. Come for the cute soups, sandwiches and cookies! Other sandwich options include Spiced Rub Pork, Goat Cheese with Avocado, Pastrami Reuben and Chipotle Tuna. Free Wi-Fi is available; I spotted a young woman in the corner typing away on her laptop while she sipped her coffee. Next to us, another woman dug into a hearty bowl of soup, with a roll on the side.

I'm not sure why this place has 'To-Go' in its name because I could stay here for hours. Make yourself at home on one of the comfy chairs with a good read, for some chill time or to people-watch. Time slows down when you're in paradise, and this is about as close to it as you can get.

Rating: 4.5 stars. This is no wimpy fare. The cafe's simple charm and whimsical atmosphere warrants a stop.

Location:
Paradis To-Go
114 4th Av
New York, NY 10003
646.416.6709
paradistogo.com/index.html

Ise Japanese Restaurant

Miami Roll and Crunchy Salmon Roll.

Catching up with my cousin downtown on Wall Street, we stopped by Ise Japanese Restaurant for some rolls and a rice bowl.

Miami Roll: Daily special. Mango, avocado, tuna, cilantro and a bunch of other tasty ingredients combine for tangy-tart succulence.

Crunchy Salmon Roll: Salmon tempura, avocado, cucumber and scallion with teriyaki and balsamic sauce.

The rolls were high-quality and packed with flavor. I mixed my ginger-wasabi-soy sauce mixture with each bite for additional oomph.

Katsu Don.

Nothing like good home-style donburi to complete a meal! We shared the Katsu Don, since we already had two rolls to work on. Boy was this filling. I forget how satisfying eggs, cooked onions and crispy deep-fried breaded pork cutlets over rice can be. The stone pot really maintains the dish's temperature well.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. This is more of a mini-review. I normally wouldn't go out of my way for Japanese, so I'd only eat here again if I'm in the area. Impressive rolls and stomach-pleasing rice bowls.

Location:
Ise Japanese Restaurant
56 Pine Street
New York, NY 10005
212.785.1600
http://www.iserestaurant.com/

Financier's Fancy Macarons

After my last trip to Madeleine Patisserie, I had to continue my macaron hunt. That chewy, buttery bite - how to recreate the experience?

Well, Wall Street's Financier Patisserie, with its smart green-and-white striped logo, seemed worth a look. Inside, my eye was lured in by displays showcasing all manner of French cakes, pastries and paninis. But my resolve was firm. As much as the robust brewed illy coffee teased my nostrils, I was going for the macaron!

But which one?



It was a toss-up between classic Chocolate and Caramel Banana ($2.25 each). I went for the latter, just because the name seemed more creative. Financier's macarons are not as small as Madeleine's, with a decidedly more hefty circumference. Not as buttery-rich, either. Sweet, healthy-tasting bananas infused every inch. Soft and not as chewy or dense as Madeleine's. Ironically, that's what I enjoyed about Madeleine macarons: the borderline cakey denseness. So these weren't my ideal texture, but the flavor was inviting.



A thin sliver of caramel in the middle. Chocolate powder on the exterior completed the look. Caramel Banana was a tad crusty/crumbly on the outside and a bit too sweet for my palate. At times, the banana seemed overwhelming. Overall, this macaron was fluffy, light and sweet. I'd try the Chocolate next time and run another comparison.

I eavesdropped on the coffee line and heard requests for these drinks: Chai Latte ("three shots"). Red Eye. Cafe au Lait.

Rating: I'd have to do a more thorough test-run of Financier's other offerings before giving out a rating. Peep their mouthwatering breakfast and lunch options.

Location:
Financier Patisserie
62 Stone St
New York, NY 10004
212.344-5600
www.financierpastries.com

Chinese Takeaway

Unlike Chinese take-out, Chinese takeaway implies that I get dibs on the remains of Grandma's cooking, which I will whisk away with, thereby assuring next day's gastronomic merriment (AKA "glorious leftovers").*

That would be our Chinese New Year's dinner at Grandma's: a combination of home-cooked and store-bought. You guess which is which. (It's not that hard.)

*I'm pretty sure this sentence was not grammatically correct in one shape or form.

Pokka Milk Coffee: 89 cents. Procured from St. Mark's Sunrise Mart.