July 6, 2023

Summer Steak Salad

I adapted this Food & Wine steak salad recipe and I can’t describe how much I love my version better. A perfect summer meal. I promise you.

Ingredients

Romaine lettuce (or whatever leafy green you like)

Grilled halloumi, chopped (or shaved slices of parmesan)

1/4 cup red onion, sliced

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon maple syrup

Kosher salt

Pepper

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cuts of steak, grilled (your choice)

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk the red onion with the rice wine vinegar and let stand for 10 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil and mustard and season with salt, pepper and maple syrup. Add the tomatoes and lettuce and toss to coat. Lay the sliced steak atop the salad and pour a little of this basil vinaigrette onto the steak if you’re feeling fancy.

July 4, 2023

June Jaunts 2023

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC, Drinks, Family, Food, Ideas, Links, Movies, Personal, Products, Recipes, Television, Travel

Sometimes you need a mini day trip to see a horse in New Jersey

June was so packed with stuff, I can’t believe it’s actually over. Here’s what went down!

I started a new series of posts I’ll do for the whole summer - Summer Saturdays, which is just a summary of what I do each week. Volume 1 posted over here.
I recapped how I did with my spring bucket list.
I wrote a brand new summer list of things I’d love to do.
I finally wrote about seeing the Karl Lagerfeld exhibit at The Met.
The best tweets of June can be read over here.
I made these strawberry cobbler bars that were pretty good, but I think I liked this strawberry crumble cake recipe a bit more.

I bought this Aritzia 1/2 zip sweatshirt in both white and black and I’m really considering getting the pink one now, too. I might have a problem.
If you like dark chocolate, then you must make this dark chocolate cake. It’s the absolute best recipe I’ve ever tried. And with this chocolate icing? Unreal. It’s heavenly. (Pro tip: don’t refrigerate it, it tastes incredible at room temperature, even days later.)

I was about to talk about how great my dad’s 100th birthday went, but there are so many details that I’ll just do a post about it this week instead.
I will never get over how incredible the frozen yogurt at Freshii is. Nobody talks about this enough.

Freshii frozen yogurt might even be better than TCBY

A great small batch pancake recipe I keep using.
I went to Activate and it was surprisingly really fun! It’s kind of like Squid Game but in real life and with less death.
I made this basil sangria during a blackout at my parent’s house and it was so strong and perfect.

Did you know about the secret, unadvertised Baskin Robbins deal? On the 31st of every month (on months that have 31 days), they offer 31% of all scoops and pints. Pass it on.

I made a lemon blueberry layer cake that was such a great summer dessert, absolutely would make again.

I ate at the S&P counter and it was only fine? NYC has so many options, I’m angry that anyone ever told me this place was anything special.
The duck confit spring rolls at Sojourn however are little bites of luxury. I will return.
Here’s one of the recent Zara dresses that I can’t stop wearing.

I’m so sick of pants without pockets, so I’m obviously in love with these green Halara bike shorts.
A great (updated often) list of carnivals in the NYC area.
Always gonna be excited when Trader Joe’s drops a new candle scent.

Trader Joe’s salted caramel and pistachio scented candle

I tried some curried fried rice at a friend’s house recently and I can’t stop thinking about it, such a genius way to do fried rice.
I’ve been eyeing mattress toppers for a few months now (my mattress is old and springy), but they’re always too expensive. So instead I bought a thick comforter for about $20 and spread that underneath my fitted sheet and it is now the most comfortable bed in this country. It’s a strange feeling to have all the answers and still not be ruler of the world?
Officially into rhubarb now since I was introduced to this rhubarb syrup, which is a phenomenal mixer for anything alcoholic.

Lays, I love you. Never stop with your insane flavours.

I was in Canada for a bit and good god, it was a perfect spring visit.

Fully recommend having friends who just GET IT

I went to Canada’s Wonderland with my nieces and there is nothing more satisfying than the end-of-day funnel cake you’re legally required to have before leaving. Also loved the new(ish) Yukon Striker.

I stopped by the new reincarnation of Zellers (it’s in a weird, small section at the back of The Bay) and the deals are wild. Go. If they bring back those Zellers diners with that gravy, they will be unstoppable.

The Barbie section at Ulta is wild. I want it all?

Truly all the Barbie collaborations are wonderful.
I got a “root shadowing” done at Bloc + Mane in Etobicoke (by the lovely Amanda) and it was everything I needed. It’s a process that blends your hair colour if you’ve dyed it in the past year but you don’t want that aggressive grow-out line.
The USPS new stamps this year are insanely cool.

A gentle reminder: your beach body is already here.

Some things I’ve watched & rewatched:
- Since the new Indy was coming out, I rewatched Temple of Doom and wow is Kate Capshaw so unbelievably bad in it. Sure I’m no expert on great acting, but this is just torture to watch.
- And Just Like That: I’ve said it before, but we’re in a hate/hate relationship. The dialogue is so horrid that it reinforces the idea that anyone can succeed in the entertainment business. Talent has zero to do with it.
- The Bear (season two): absolutely LOVED it. Did they use an offensive amount of R.E.M. songs this season? Sure! But once you look past that, it’s a flawless season.
I bought these gorgeous olive coloured running shoes from Call It Spring that are beyond comfortable.

Men’s running shoes are eons prettier than women’s

I’d love to try any of these summer recipes:
- Vietnamese Tomato Salad
- Marinated Zucchini with Hazelnuts and Ricotta
- Summer Coconut Chickpea Curry
- Burger Au Poivre (everything should be au poivre, as far as I’m concerned)

Some things I’m looking forward to this month: are you aware that there’s a third My Big Fat Greek Wedding coming out?? And I can’t wait for some reason? Even I don’t really understand why, but I loved that first one so much when it came out. Other things: obviously excited for Barbie, my great friend Marla’s coming for a visit (!), I really want to find some good soft serve and I have a family trip to Scotland that I can’t wait for.

If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went down in May over here.

I just told her she isn’t coming to Scotland with me

August 7, 2022

July Jiffs 2022

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC, Food, Links, Movies, Personal, Recipes, Television

The beginning of August is basically the best time of year because it ushers in the anticipation for autumn and the holidays. Am I reaching? The anticipation of something is almost as sweet as the actual arrival of whatever it is you’re waiting for.

In any case, here’s what went down last month!

You can find my favourite tweets of the month over here and here.
I wrote about the first leg of my summer trip to London, England.
I went to the American Dream mall in New Jersey with my friend Diana, so thankfully I never have to go again! It’s really just a spectacle, and not in a good way. Why would you ever need a mall to have indoor skiing available? Isn’t the best part of skiing the scenery that surrounds the hills? Am I crazy? Regardless, the mall is terrible. It’s way too big, there are countless empty storefronts (because of the ludicrous rent, I’m assuming) and the furniture is gaudy as hell. Absolutely no reason to go again.

baby dog american dream mall new jersey liz Heather — Even she is thinking, “Why are we here and what is this.”

american dream mall new jersey liz heather — Beautiful Diana sitting amongst the idea that money does not equal taste.

I went to Brighton Beach for the first time with my great friend Paul (who just moved back to NY) and what a fine beach it was. Not as filthy as Coney Island, but almost as nice as Rockaway. I can’t really put into words how incredible it is that he moved back here, so just know that this fact is the highlight of my summer.

paul fishman liz heather july 2022 — Paul! In New York!

Speaking of Paul, his perfect husband Richard made us a meal one night using ground beef from Stoudemire Farms (which I’ve always wanted to try) and it was spectacular. Must remember to buy it the next time I’m at the Union Square market on a Friday.
I also went to Bar Marseille with Diana and the food was great! It’s right near Rockaway, so I wasn’t expecting a lot from a beachside place but I’d definitely go back. The steak sandwich was perfect.
It only took 18 months, but the dog volunteering that Baby Dog and I used to do is finally back! It was cancelled in February 2020 for obvious reasons and just started up again this month. It’s organized through New York Cares and it happens once a month on the Upper West Side. Essentially, you bring your dog to the auditorium of an elderly care center and any residents who love dogs come down to play with them for an hour. We do it each month and the more dogs that come the better, so I should really post about it more on Instagram. Yeah, I’ll get on that. (The next one is scheduled for August 10th, email me for more information if you’re interested.)

baby dog volunteer nyc liz heather — Can you tell how excited she is?

Since it’s Restaurant Week, Irene and I went to The Grid restaurant at the Great Jones Distillery mainly because I was intensely craving good halibut. And yes, the food was good but it’s extremely overrated. I’m sorry but no restaurant ever should charge for basic bread and butter. It’s offensive. The service was good, but you can just tell people weren’t trained very well. And for a place so new and beautiful, you’d expect a lot more.
I saw Mr. Saturday Night on Broadway and all that I can say is wow. A perfect show and a beautiful theatre. Can every single comedian in this town go see it immediately before it closes next month? It’s wildly good. I’ve never felt more seen than I did in this song sung by a comedian’s wife.

mr saturday night broadway liz heather nyc — Mr. Saturday Night on Broadway, July 2022

The only time I like to drink rose is in the summer (I’m pretty original, I know) and I think I found the best tasting one of life.

ruby red rose grapefruit new york — Ruby Red Rose with Grapefruit

I’ve started making garlic butter almost once a week now and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop? It’s so superior to every other thing inside my fridge. Sure you could buy garlic butter, but it tastes infinitely better if you make it yourself, I promise.

homemade garlic butter liz Heather — Homemade garlic butter

I made this lamb bolognese from Antoni Porowski and I think it’s even better than the Alison Roman one that I love so much (it might be because I bought the coriander seeds whole and then ground them up in my spice grinder? The flavour of that individual spice is so crazy good, I had no idea). Obviously one is a fast lamb recipe and one is a leisurely one, so I’ll continue to keep both in my rotation. But you absolutely have to make the three hour one at least once to see what I’m talking about. Especially since Costco sells ground lamb now.

lamb bolognese recipe liz heather — Antoni Porowski’s heavenly lamb bolognese

I went to the Alamo Drafthouse in Brooklyn for the first time and what a perfect theatre. Love that they have a beautiful bar attached (House of Wax).
Some Things I Watched:
- I really had low expectations, but I went to see Marcel The Shell With Shoes On and it was beyond sweet.
- Indecent Proposal is on HBO right now so I watched it for the first time and loved it.
- I saw The Thomas Crown Affair and it’s such a party. I love this kind of 90s movie. Perfect in every way.
- I watched the first episode of Loot and it really just wasn’t for me.
- Of course I saw the whole first season of The Bear and it’s as good as everyone says it is. With the exception of the sister, I don’t know if she’s just written badly as a character or the actress is just wretched. Either way, it’s the worst part of a great show. Episode seven is clearly the best one. (Also, I badly want to make this recipe now.)
- I also saw the whole first season of The Summer I Turned Pretty and this really scratched my summer/teen itch. Perfect summer show.
- I saw the Victoria’s Secret documentary and oh my god, I might have to stop shopping at Bath & Body Works now.
- I started the new season of Only Murders In The Building and other than the inclusion of Amy Schumer, it’s been good so far.
- I also watched Porky’s and Screwballs for some reason?? Obviously I hated both? I think I was just so desperate for an old teen movie that I haven’t seen.
- After those two disasters I have no other choice but to cleanse my palette and rewatch Clueless.

clueless cher best outfit liz heather — My absolute favourite Cher outfit

I’ve been there a few times, but I think it’s time to declare how much I officially hate Astoria Park. The RFK bridge above makes it way too loud, the jet skis in the water blast the worst music, the grass has more brown patches than any other park in the city, the train is at least a 15 minute walk away, there are zero food or water vendors anywhere. WHY DO PEOPLE LIKE THIS PARK? God, it’s awful.

I made these cheesy poblano corn enchiladas and they were really good. In hindsight I should’ve added some shredded chicken or something to them to make them slightly heartier.

cheesy poblano corn enchiladas liz heather — Cheesy poblano corn enchiladas

I finally went to see the Amityville house and even though they changed the eerie window frames, it’s definitely still creepy. One thing I wasn’t expecting? How nice that town is! It’s like some big secret, I think. Would totally live there.

the amityville horror house new york liz heather july 2022 — The house from The Amityville Horror, July 2022

I made my favourite strawberry crumble coffee cake and it’s always a winner. Pro tip: use cake flour for the cake part and use regular flour for the crumble topping to really make it perfect.

strawberry crumble coffee cake liz heather — Strawberry crumble coffee cake

I ate the July-only-special Emmy cheeseburger dumplings from Mimi Cheng’s and they were good but not as good as the first time I had the last year. Am I evolving past cheeseburger dumplings…? God I hope not.

emmy burgers mimi cheng dumplings july special nyc liz Heather — Emmy Burger Dumplings (Emmy cheeseburger dumplings in collaboration with Pizza Loves Emily/Emmy Squared, dry-aged beef, aged white cheddar, crushed pretzels, caramelized onions, and Emmy Sauce) Pan-fried only. (8 pieces) $17.25

Incase you care, August is the only month you can apply for SNL tickets so get on that, if you so desire.
Also, if you’re going to the CNE in Toronto next month, you can get free tickets for kids under 13 if you fill out this form.

Some things I’m looking forward to this month: I’ll continue to mark things off of my summer list, I can’t wait to see my friend Dusty’s movie that’s being screened at the MoMA next week, and I can’t wait to take a few more little summer trips (stay tuned).

liz heather baby dog july 2022 summer — Summer bitches

If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went down in June over here.