“If you can’t think of a gift for someone’s birthday, but you’d like to get them something more than just a card – go to Etsy and type in “baked goods” and search for sellers in the recipient’s state/province (so that shipping is crazy reasonable).”
Jordan Schlansky on Conan
I know these clips are old, but there's something about this man (if he isn't an actor) that I can't stop watching. I don't mean 'cause he's good looking - it's just the way in which he speaks. Everything that comes out of his mouth is so eloquent and funny.
Barbetta in NYC
Barbetta, having celebrated its 100th Anniversary in 2006, is the oldest restaurant in New York that is still owned by the family that founded it. I went here recently with Harmeet mainly because of the fact that they list their menu items with the year that they were first introduced at the restaurant. Is it just me or is that neat as hell?
I mean... that's fucking cool.
Not only was the food fantastic, but our waiter was the best. We couldn't decide on what to get for dessert, so he literally brought us two different desserts each (the panna cotta was the very best, in my opinion).
Also? There's no music in the restaurant. I looked into why this is and it's because they didn't have a sound system when they first opened (obviously) and they decided they didn't need one as the years went on. There's something so strange and nice about only hearing people speak inside a restaurant, it was definitely foreign - but a welcome kind of foreign.
Go!
Mom Says
“To prevent an unwelcome guest from returning, sweep out the room they stayed in immediately after they leave.”
Great
Love this. Thanks for sending it along, Jenn!
“Maybe this is why we read, and why in moments of darkness we return to books: to find words for what we already know.”
Douglas Coupland Foreword
I'm not sure why but I remember being so excited when I found out that Douglas Coupland was a huge Simpsons fan. I'm not even really a fan of him (though I know nothing of the man so I guess I don't like or dislike him), but whenever someone talented and known loves The Simpsons, it makes me almost giddy. Just really, really happy. (I've heard that Daniel Radcliffe even watches the commentaries!)
I know that I've already shared a few things that I've loved from this book - and here's one more!
Butlers Chocolate
Are you aware that North Americans don't know a damn thing about how to properly make real hot chocolate? I've never really given it a lot of thought, but it is kind of strange that we're so comfortable using mysterious powdered substances to mix into water or milk. What the hell is in that powder? And why did I not ask that question sooner?
Look at how these Irish geniuses are doing things.
Full Disclosure: I treated half of these Butlers chocolates like regular chocolates and just ate them whole since they were so decadent - but the other ones that I used for actual hot chocolate? My fuck. I don't know how to accurately describe how insanely good it tasted.
I got these as a birthday gift from my friend Andrew who lives in Ireland (thankyouthankyouthankyou, Andrew!) and Butlers has even open chocolate cafes that sell their products exclusively. So if you're ever in and around Dublin (or Cork, Galway, New Zealand, Karachi, Lahore, Pakistan or London), you'd be doing yourself a disservice not to go and try them out for yourself.
Sidenote: Happy Birthday, Mom! There's no one in the world I love more than you. You do everything for everyone and I hope today was lovely as hell. Love you a stupid amount.
Le Train Bleu
There's a restaurant hidden in Bloomingdale's (on the sixth floor, to be exact) and it RESEMBLES AN OLD-FASHIONED TRAIN CAR!
There's even an overhead compartment for your purse! Is it just me or is this place adorable? I'm a little shocked that I've lived in New York for as long as I have without knowing about it.
To be quite honest, the food was just okay. But honestly, the fact that it wasn't terrible is the reason that I'd want to come back here. Does that make sense? The really great part about the whole place is, obviously, the surroundings. I was also struck by how quiet it was - in a good way. It's kind of nice to know that this little tucked away spot is still a bit of a secret in this city. Definitely the kind of restaurant I'd want to take my parents to if they came to visit me. The next time you're near Bloomingdale's, you should definitely check it out.
*UPDATE: it closed in 2018! Noooooo!
The Best Burrata I've Ever Had
Di Palo's is an Italian specialty foods store located just east of Soho and Little Italy in NYC. And if you've ever been overly (or even slightly) into meats and/or cheeses, this is the only place in this city that you have to visit.
I'm kind of thankful that I only discovered this place recently since, well, I have gluttonous tendencies at times. I've tried a few of their cheeses (if you've got a nice face, they'll offer you samples of whatever they're slicing for other customers) and they're insane tasting. And the pepperoni? My god.
But the biggest winner here? Their burrata. It's better than any burrata I've had at any restaurant in this city. (Do you know what a big statement that is to make?)
How do they get it so creamy on the inside but so sturdy on the outside? I can only assume it's magic. And it's under $10, which is madness. If you visit me in the next few years, this will be the first stop we make together whether you like it or not.
Best cheese OF LIFE.