Wednesday, April 28, 2010

My new "HOOD"

I should have known better and probably less naive as to the way things were going to be...

But I signed my year lease and now officially live in the affluent, polo shirt wearing, small dog carrying, Starbucks on every other block, preppy overly-white Upper East Side of Manhattan. I was honestly still shocked by how goddamn expensive everything is from groceries to the closest Chinese take-away spot. I mean it's the same MSG filled (and delicious) broccoli with garlic dish that they make in Brooklyn for about half as much - right??

That being said, I'm not about to learn how to cook a week's worth of meals for one. I was perusing the magical interweb at work today and found a useful list of UES restaurants to check out:


American
(new, regional):
  • Alice's Tea Cup Chapter II (soups, sandwiches, tea house)
  • Central Park Boathouse: Don't come here with high food expectations, but do come here for the unbelievable scenery~grab a drink at the bar while you watch lovebirds canoeing in the pond
  • Post House: They call it a steakhouse, but I'm not so sure that I'd eat a hunk of beef in this uber fancy environment~lovely setting for brunch~perfect for quiet conversation
  • Swifty's: The ultimate Upper East Side brunch joint~eat your eggs in intimate quarters surrounded by professional ladies-who-lunch and their Wall Street hubbies
  • The Wright at the Guggenheim Museum (New American)

Bagel:

  • Pick-a-Bagel: Grab your warm, homemade bagel with a hefty slab of schmear and walk over to Central Park to enjoy it at a park bench

Bakery:

Chinese:

  • China Fun: Perfect food for a hangover, breakup or girls-night-in-pig-out~greasy and heavy, but super delicious

French/bistro:

  • Bistro Chat Noir: French served in a beautiful, bright atmosphere~grab brunch then head over to Central Park, which is just up the street
  • L'Absinthe: Gorgeous French serving tasty bistro fare
  • Sel & Poivre: French fare served in a homey atmosphere~great prix fixe dinner special!

Indian:

  • Tamarind: Delicious Indian served in a casual setting with wonderful outdoor seating in the warmer months

Italian:

  • Serafina Fabulous Grill: Decent and reliable Italian with a vast menu of familiar favorites~warm and charming atmosphere
  • Uva: Great place for small bites and wine or a full meal~Italian food served in a charming atmosphere~make sure to try the cheese with black truffles!

Mediterranean:

  • Beyoglu: Fantastic Turkish/Med served in a pleasant bi-level space~hummus, Greek salad and mezzes to die for

Mexican:

  • Burger One (burgers, Mexican food)
  • El Paso Taqueria (Mexican)
  • Maya: Haute Mexican served in a cool atmosphere
  • Mustang Grill: A great summer hangout...grab a table outside and sip on tasty frozen 'ritas and chomp on chips and salsa
  • Taco Taco: Mexican that's just about as authentic as it can get in NYC~charming, festive and small space

Middle Eastern:

  • Ravagh (delivery): Delicious Persian cuisine serving wonderful grilled meats, dumplings, breads & dipping sauces

Pizza:

  • Mimi's Pizza Kitchen (delivery): Some of the city's best pizza by-the-slice
  • Totonno's (delivery): Dishing out some of the city's best pizza pies~great penne a la vodka, chicken/eggplant/meatball parmesan sandwiches, house salad & homemade tiramisu

Sandwiches/salad/soup:

  • E.A.T: Truly delicious food-to-go made with the highest quality ingredients~something for everyone to enjoy
  • Le Pain Quotidien: Belgian bakery/cafe serving great sandwiches, salads, soups & pastries~eat-in or take-out

Sushi:

  • Sushi of Gari: Definitely listed in The Lunch Belle's top-five sushi restaurants in NYC~fantastic rolls served in a no-frills atmosphere

Vegetarian:

  • Candle 79: The Belle's pick for some of the best vegetarian cuisine in town~make sure to try the polenta fries~chic atmosphere

Now I just need a dinner companion! Any single, good-looking, interested men folk with wicked awesome Boston accents willing to come down for a good meal? :)

Monday, April 5, 2010

Things we leave behind...

So I'm pretty much all moved into my new studio apartment in the trendy UES and luckily for me the last tenant left behind quite a bit of random stuff...

* 35 cents under the mini-stove

* Shiny maroon shower curtain & super tiny bathroom trash can

* Pantry items: Canned soup, olive oil, sauces

* Dishes made circa 1980s and other random kitchen stuff - a few utensils, cooking pot, bowls

* 7 pairs of size 12 men's shoes in the cupboard

* Ginormous wood framed mirror with matching nightstand & fold-out kitchen table

* Bar of christmas chocolate left in the fridge

* Cleaning supplies & step ladder

* Take-out menus, dry cleaner card, lighter

* By far my most bizarre find was located under the sink in a Strand shopping bag - a frame with an envelope of pictures & a sentimental note attached to the back. (Out of respect I will not post what this girl wrote but trust me it was entertaining) To my surprise these pictures were of a half-naked chick who had decided to artfully pose with a piece of plaster painted on her torso. So thoughtful? Apparently this dude who lived here didn't think so because he left it behind. Now I'm not sure what to do because it seems wrong to throw it in the trash after so much love went into the present but I very much doubt that Salvation Army would enjoy receiving that particular donation.

Thoughts?