Winter Picnic Wrap-Up
My trip to New York and Boston feels like forever ago (it actually was forever ago... since I've been back I have actually made another trip to Chicago during which a fabulous baby was born and I visited a really delicious hot dog place... you'll just have to stay tuned for that Chicago recap). And I am so sorry, my little blog reading lady bugs, I haven't even posted my final post in the Winter Picnic series. So at long last, here it is. (And in case you need to brush up on the Winter Picnic theme, check out the other posts in the series.)
In addition to the bakery tour, photo shoot with Dena and Jay, and day of iconic Jewish food establishments, I also dined at MANY other delicious establishments with friends in both the Big Apple and Beantown.
In order to stay organized, I created a trip itinerary:
Don't be surprised.
If you'd like to recreate my trip, here is a recap of the places I enjoyed but have yet to blog about.
9th Street Espresso: I Think Coffee Smells Like Erasers
I needed a place to meet my elementary school friend, Radhai R., for coffee before my brunch in the "East Village" (allow me to pretend that I understand the names of the neighborhoods in New York by using this fancy term). This was a great spot! They really take to heart the "do few things, but do them well" attitude. The menu has four things on it (coffee, espresso, latte, mocha). The menu was so limited I feared that they didn't have my go-to breakfast beverage (obviously I don't drink coffee--another post for another day) until I asked the gentleman behind the counter who reassured me that not only did they have HC, but it was delicious. And he was right.
Grape and Grain: Secret Notes and Delish Brunch
So I sauntered over to Grape and Grain for brunch with four of my very hip New York friends (Julia S., Sonal B., and Jamia W.). Before I tell you about G and G, allow me to just say that Julia didn't actually know Sonal before we brunched with her... but they knew of each other because 1) they are both fabulous and 2) both use twitter. I love the interweb... and introducing great people to other great people. So back to Grape and Grain. It was not crowded, even when we left around 1:00. The food was great (Sonal and Jamia had shrimp and grits which I tasted and were fantastic, I had a pizza with smoked salmon and ricotta... mmm) and our table even had a tiny drawer filled with secret notes and drawings. A very fun mid-brunch surprise. What's not to love?
Creative Little Garden: Doesn't That Sound Like the Best Place Ever?
Well, it is! We happened upon it because I wanted to do some post brunch photos and loved everything about what we discovered. According to several New Yorkers I spoke with, the city has lots of little gardens (with different themes etc.) for city folk to enjoy green space once and awhile. It sort of reminded me of a secret garden because when we first walked by, it just looked like a little path with some crazy lights strung onto trees, but when we ventured inside we discovered a porch swing and lots of delightful little areas so sit, photograph, and savor.
Kefi: Tzatziki and Grecian Wine
A big thanks to Cara F. for researching this most delicious dinner destination! Kefi was fabulous and I can't wait to go back. It will surely be on my list of New York stand-bys. It was reasonably priced, beautifully decorated in relaxing colors, and the food was fabulous. Everything was really fresh and delicious (my favorite item was the appetizer sampler of warm pita, hummus, tzatziki, and a few other yummy things I won't try to spell correctly). The extensive wine list was composed of entirely Greek wines and the one we selected was REALLY good. I am glad I snapped a photo of the name so I can remember it next time I am somewhere serving it. (AND, I saw a girl who lived on the floor of my freshman dorm across the restaurant. Who doesn't love a good random long lost friend sighting in a city you don't live in anymore)
Cafe Lalo: Dessert Celebs
Another Cara F. recommendation, Cafe Lalo was such a fun way to end our evening! The dessert selection was EXTENSIVE (and we felt like celebrities because the restaurant was also featured in You've Got Mail)! One small downside was the fact that it was super crowded and the tables were really close together. I think I was also pretty exhausted by this time (it was past my 10:30 bedtime) so perhaps my tolerance for table closeness was depleted. But I would certainly go back next time I venture to New York.
Flour: My Boston Breakfast Stand-By
The folks who own Flour are also avid Twitter users and I know they just began construction on a new location in Cambridge. So, if Cambridge is an option...isn't DuPont Circle? I met my friend (and former Planned Parenthood colleague) Lena Z. here for breakfast. We hadn't been to Flour together since the first time I ventured there upon her suggestion (the day my life changed forever) and it was great to return to the scene of the breakfast sandwich. On this visit, we tried a bunch of new things (in addition to the aforementioned breakfast sand) including the pecan roll which could not have been more delicious. I have no words to describe it so I will just force you to add it to your list of things you MUST eat next time you're anywhere in the greater New England area.
Veggie Planet: Or M., Is That You? Or Do I Need New Glasses?
Katie R. first exposed me to VP back when she was Katie P. and I've loved it both times I've visited. In addition to the REALLY great, fresh, locally sourced mostly vegan food (including a black quinoa salad which I wish I could recreate in my own kitchen), Veggie Planet is attached to the Passim Folk Music and Cultural Center. According to Katie and my other Cambridge experts, Alex M. and Mattie T., Joan Baez and Bob Dylan performed there before going on to play larger venues. Sadly, I didn't see Joan or Bob while I was there, I did have a chance to dine with Mattie T. (my favorite Harvard Divinity School employee and good friend of my officemate, Alex M.) in addition to seeing my former Hillel colleague and Israel trip co-staff (who lives in Ohio now), Or M., in the line at VP. There is NOTHING I love more than seeing people I know out of context and Veggie Planet is the place for out of context friend sightings.
Sweet: I'll Take a Shot of Frosting
Yes, they serve tiny shots of frosting here. Thanks, Sweet, for making it socially acceptable for me to want to eat frosting, plain, in public. This tiny shop is so bright and cheery and sells a very wide variety of cupcakes. I camped out at one of their cute little tables to do some work and return phone calls (read: pretend to be an adult) on a rainy Cambridge afternoon and really enjoyed my time soaking in the positive frosting energy.
LA Burdick: My HC Beshert
When several friends suggest you visit the same little chocolate shop in Cambridge, you know you have to. THEN, when two separate friends make plans to meet you at the same little chocolate shop in Cambridge, you know you're going to have a really good day. And I did. I first stopped here with Neil S. to get out of the rain and enjoy a little mid-day snack. We had a lovely chat (allow me to once again affirm my love for Neil S.) then, my friend Jenny O. suggested we meet here there later the same day. I would say Burdick's is my hot chocolate beshert.
Harvard Graduate School of Education: Through the Eyes of Neil S.
Neil S. took me on a little walking tour of the HGSE. We ventured into the library and I did a mini photo shoot in the stacks. We walked across the street and I inspected the state of the art lecture hall with touch screen maps on flat screen TVs. Then we went to pick up a reading packet for one of Neil's classes and I stopped the TA to find out where she'd purchased her wide calf boots. Neil was not embarrassed for a second and that is one of the many reasons why I love him.
The Regal Beagle: Roberta G. + Red Wine = Divine
Do you remember hearing about the famous Roberta G. during my blog recap of Abbey and Oded's wedding? Well, even though Abbey now lives far far away from Brookline, I decided to meet her mom (Ro) for a glass of wine while in Beantown. We had a lovely time recapping the wedding and discussing Abbey's big return to the US (counting the seconds)... and we discovered a great little spot on called The Regal Beagle. It is new and very swanky and I would suggest you go there when you need a place to meet your friend's fabulous mom for a glass of wine when traveling in Boston.
The Paris Creperie: I Will Do Anything for a Nutella Crepe
When I was in college, I used to smuggle nutella crepes from the crepe place in the dining hall into the library in my back pack and tell my friends to meet me in the bathroom where we'd eat them. Perhaps I will regret sharing this... but I think it only happened once or twice and the crepes were really good. So, when friends Lisa S. and Zach K. suggested we dine at Brookline's Paris Creperie I was excited to have the chance to dine on a crepe at a table with proper cutlery as opposed to the Gelman Library ladies room. And according to Dena S., the hot chocolate at this little corner of Paris in the middle of Boston was actually named one of the top ten in Boston (Burdick's was number one. Obv). Delicious!
So there you have it, lovelies.
...And I decided I'd rather be a person who lives a busy life with LOTS to blog about and not enough time to blog about it (resulting in a recap almost a month after the actual events) as opposed to living a life with lots of time to blog and nothing to blog about. Don't you agree?
In addition to the bakery tour, photo shoot with Dena and Jay, and day of iconic Jewish food establishments, I also dined at MANY other delicious establishments with friends in both the Big Apple and Beantown.
In order to stay organized, I created a trip itinerary:
Don't be surprised.If you'd like to recreate my trip, here is a recap of the places I enjoyed but have yet to blog about.
9th Street Espresso: I Think Coffee Smells Like Erasers
I needed a place to meet my elementary school friend, Radhai R., for coffee before my brunch in the "East Village" (allow me to pretend that I understand the names of the neighborhoods in New York by using this fancy term). This was a great spot! They really take to heart the "do few things, but do them well" attitude. The menu has four things on it (coffee, espresso, latte, mocha). The menu was so limited I feared that they didn't have my go-to breakfast beverage (obviously I don't drink coffee--another post for another day) until I asked the gentleman behind the counter who reassured me that not only did they have HC, but it was delicious. And he was right.
Grape and Grain: Secret Notes and Delish Brunch
So I sauntered over to Grape and Grain for brunch with four of my very hip New York friends (Julia S., Sonal B., and Jamia W.). Before I tell you about G and G, allow me to just say that Julia didn't actually know Sonal before we brunched with her... but they knew of each other because 1) they are both fabulous and 2) both use twitter. I love the interweb... and introducing great people to other great people. So back to Grape and Grain. It was not crowded, even when we left around 1:00. The food was great (Sonal and Jamia had shrimp and grits which I tasted and were fantastic, I had a pizza with smoked salmon and ricotta... mmm) and our table even had a tiny drawer filled with secret notes and drawings. A very fun mid-brunch surprise. What's not to love?
Creative Little Garden: Doesn't That Sound Like the Best Place Ever?
Well, it is! We happened upon it because I wanted to do some post brunch photos and loved everything about what we discovered. According to several New Yorkers I spoke with, the city has lots of little gardens (with different themes etc.) for city folk to enjoy green space once and awhile. It sort of reminded me of a secret garden because when we first walked by, it just looked like a little path with some crazy lights strung onto trees, but when we ventured inside we discovered a porch swing and lots of delightful little areas so sit, photograph, and savor.
Kefi: Tzatziki and Grecian Wine
A big thanks to Cara F. for researching this most delicious dinner destination! Kefi was fabulous and I can't wait to go back. It will surely be on my list of New York stand-bys. It was reasonably priced, beautifully decorated in relaxing colors, and the food was fabulous. Everything was really fresh and delicious (my favorite item was the appetizer sampler of warm pita, hummus, tzatziki, and a few other yummy things I won't try to spell correctly). The extensive wine list was composed of entirely Greek wines and the one we selected was REALLY good. I am glad I snapped a photo of the name so I can remember it next time I am somewhere serving it. (AND, I saw a girl who lived on the floor of my freshman dorm across the restaurant. Who doesn't love a good random long lost friend sighting in a city you don't live in anymore)
Cafe Lalo: Dessert Celebs
Another Cara F. recommendation, Cafe Lalo was such a fun way to end our evening! The dessert selection was EXTENSIVE (and we felt like celebrities because the restaurant was also featured in You've Got Mail)! One small downside was the fact that it was super crowded and the tables were really close together. I think I was also pretty exhausted by this time (it was past my 10:30 bedtime) so perhaps my tolerance for table closeness was depleted. But I would certainly go back next time I venture to New York.
Flour: My Boston Breakfast Stand-By
The folks who own Flour are also avid Twitter users and I know they just began construction on a new location in Cambridge. So, if Cambridge is an option...isn't DuPont Circle? I met my friend (and former Planned Parenthood colleague) Lena Z. here for breakfast. We hadn't been to Flour together since the first time I ventured there upon her suggestion (the day my life changed forever) and it was great to return to the scene of the breakfast sandwich. On this visit, we tried a bunch of new things (in addition to the aforementioned breakfast sand) including the pecan roll which could not have been more delicious. I have no words to describe it so I will just force you to add it to your list of things you MUST eat next time you're anywhere in the greater New England area.
Veggie Planet: Or M., Is That You? Or Do I Need New Glasses?
Katie R. first exposed me to VP back when she was Katie P. and I've loved it both times I've visited. In addition to the REALLY great, fresh, locally sourced mostly vegan food (including a black quinoa salad which I wish I could recreate in my own kitchen), Veggie Planet is attached to the Passim Folk Music and Cultural Center. According to Katie and my other Cambridge experts, Alex M. and Mattie T., Joan Baez and Bob Dylan performed there before going on to play larger venues. Sadly, I didn't see Joan or Bob while I was there, I did have a chance to dine with Mattie T. (my favorite Harvard Divinity School employee and good friend of my officemate, Alex M.) in addition to seeing my former Hillel colleague and Israel trip co-staff (who lives in Ohio now), Or M., in the line at VP. There is NOTHING I love more than seeing people I know out of context and Veggie Planet is the place for out of context friend sightings.
Sweet: I'll Take a Shot of Frosting
Yes, they serve tiny shots of frosting here. Thanks, Sweet, for making it socially acceptable for me to want to eat frosting, plain, in public. This tiny shop is so bright and cheery and sells a very wide variety of cupcakes. I camped out at one of their cute little tables to do some work and return phone calls (read: pretend to be an adult) on a rainy Cambridge afternoon and really enjoyed my time soaking in the positive frosting energy.
LA Burdick: My HC Beshert
When several friends suggest you visit the same little chocolate shop in Cambridge, you know you have to. THEN, when two separate friends make plans to meet you at the same little chocolate shop in Cambridge, you know you're going to have a really good day. And I did. I first stopped here with Neil S. to get out of the rain and enjoy a little mid-day snack. We had a lovely chat (allow me to once again affirm my love for Neil S.) then, my friend Jenny O. suggested we meet here there later the same day. I would say Burdick's is my hot chocolate beshert.
Harvard Graduate School of Education: Through the Eyes of Neil S.
Neil S. took me on a little walking tour of the HGSE. We ventured into the library and I did a mini photo shoot in the stacks. We walked across the street and I inspected the state of the art lecture hall with touch screen maps on flat screen TVs. Then we went to pick up a reading packet for one of Neil's classes and I stopped the TA to find out where she'd purchased her wide calf boots. Neil was not embarrassed for a second and that is one of the many reasons why I love him.
The Regal Beagle: Roberta G. + Red Wine = Divine
Do you remember hearing about the famous Roberta G. during my blog recap of Abbey and Oded's wedding? Well, even though Abbey now lives far far away from Brookline, I decided to meet her mom (Ro) for a glass of wine while in Beantown. We had a lovely time recapping the wedding and discussing Abbey's big return to the US (counting the seconds)... and we discovered a great little spot on called The Regal Beagle. It is new and very swanky and I would suggest you go there when you need a place to meet your friend's fabulous mom for a glass of wine when traveling in Boston.
The Paris Creperie: I Will Do Anything for a Nutella Crepe
When I was in college, I used to smuggle nutella crepes from the crepe place in the dining hall into the library in my back pack and tell my friends to meet me in the bathroom where we'd eat them. Perhaps I will regret sharing this... but I think it only happened once or twice and the crepes were really good. So, when friends Lisa S. and Zach K. suggested we dine at Brookline's Paris Creperie I was excited to have the chance to dine on a crepe at a table with proper cutlery as opposed to the Gelman Library ladies room. And according to Dena S., the hot chocolate at this little corner of Paris in the middle of Boston was actually named one of the top ten in Boston (Burdick's was number one. Obv). Delicious!
So there you have it, lovelies.
...And I decided I'd rather be a person who lives a busy life with LOTS to blog about and not enough time to blog about it (resulting in a recap almost a month after the actual events) as opposed to living a life with lots of time to blog and nothing to blog about. Don't you agree?
2 comments:
Emily - you hit two Boston hot chocolate hot spots! Yesterday at Hello Cupcake I referenced our goal of trying all 10 of Boston's best rated hot chocolate establishments. We vote that Burdick's is best so I am glad you loved it too. I hope you had the white hot chocolate - pretty amazing. Paris Creperie is great for the frozen nutella hot chocolate. In the cupcake department, I must admit that I am not a fan of Sweet. I do enjoy the fact that it is bright pink and I too am a fan of the frosting shots. You are right, being able to purchase frosting in a little cup seems more normal than me eating it out of my fridge.
I did open Mic night at Club Passim (by Veggie Planet) once. That place is great. Glad you had such great picnicking travels!
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