Totally Slacking Off

That's what I have been doing with this blog.  I admit my laziness.  It's summer. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

We've been out to eat tons:  Lobster Joint in Greenpoint, Sunswick in Astoria, Sato in Forest Hills, Agora Taverna in Forest Hills, Keuka Kafe, a wine bar, in Forest Hills, Don Peppe on Lefferts, Dirty Pierre's in Forest Hills, El Quijote in the city, Gypsy Wolf Cantina in Woodstock, Cafe Ole in Astoria. 

Especially liked Keuka Kafe, it's on Queens Boulevard past Ascan Avenue towards Union Turnpike.  Nick, the bartender/host/waiter was great.  Jill and I sat at the bar, had wine and appetizers and loved it.  Salmon carpaccio with mango salsa was totally yummy.  I must have more.  So much on the menu I want to go back and try.

Grilled octopus at Agora Taverna is still my favorite.  Went to dinner with Jesse and he loved it also. I had shrimp saganaki appetizer and he had seared scallops.  We shared octopus, salad and soup too.  Fun!

Tonight I am going with Jennie and Barbara to Barosa, then we are going to the casino at Aqueduct.  Never been and hope to strike it rich at the penny slots :) :)

Since Camp

It's been two weeks since Michael and I spent the weekend at my childhood sleep away camp and I've been cooking some, going out some and ordering in some.

We've been to Dani's with the Wisners and had our usuals.  They have a new waiter (not that new, but I've not commented on him before).  He runs around and sweats and works really hard, but falls short of efficiency.  He spends time on unimportant things and leaves things like clearing and setting up new tables.  So there are empty tables with customers waiting.  Maybe he'll figure it out.  He also forgot to order one of our dinners, so that took some time...

Lenny and Karen planned and pulled off a wonderful surprise party for Jill's 50th birthday on Friday night the 15th.  About ten of Jill's girlfriends and family surprised Jill at Sato and the men went to Lenny and Jill's apartment for their own get together.  Then we all met back at Lenny and Jill's for more cocktails, cake and coffee.  Everyone had a great time and the food at Sato is always great. However, our most favorite waitress, Perlin, is no longer there.  After nine years she has gone back to Malaysia :(.  Lenny brought in two 3 foot heroes, antipasto, etc..for the guys. Most importantly, Jill was surprised and had a very good time!

Saturday the 16th, Michael and Lenny had a BBQ for their Little League team (burgers and dogs) and I made cole slaw, mesclun salad and Old Bay chicken wings, which were a big hit.

Father's Day we were supposed to go to the beach but we didn't like the weather.  We went to dinner with the Wisners to the Lobster Joint (http://lobsterjoint.com/) in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.  What a cool place. You order at the bar inside and then grab a table outside (or you can stay in if you prefer) and your food is brought to you.  We had:  Lobster corn bisque (no cream); fried clam strips and popcorn shrimp for appetizers.  A few Connecticut Lobster Rolls Served Warm with Butter and a few Lobster Club Rolls with Celery, Fresh Herb Mayo, Avocado and Bacon and a burger.  We had two pitchers of beer and Michael had an amazing Bloody Mary.  It was a great dinner.

Barbara and I revisited Atlas Park in Glendale for shopping and lunch.  We didn't buy much, not great stores or anything, but we did eat outside for lunch at Venezia Ristorante.  The food is average, but sitting outside under an umbrella, chatting with my friend and having a glass of wine (while Barb had a few sips of her cucumber-lemonade gin and tonic) was the best part of the day.

Friday night the Wisners came for dinner-we have seen much of them lately :)-and I made BBQ baby back ribs with homemade bbq sauce, farfalle with pink sauce and peas, mesclun salad with beets and goat cheese, tomato and mozzarella, brownies and fruit.  And wine of course!

Saturday we spent at the beach, all day and for dinner too.  It was actually Jill's 50th on Saturday and her sister Karen came too.  We ordered dinner from Mother Kelly's (balsamic chicken, linguine with white clam and Caesar salad).  We had little cakes for dessert that Karen brought and some coffee made in my 4 cup Farberware pot.  The weather was great and we loved the day.

Brett is graduating from high school on Tuesday and we have been invited to join them and their family at The Palm for dinner.  They have a great lobster special and I am jumping in :)

Congratulations Brett and Sarah on their high school graduations!

Cobblestone and Sato

Tuesday night Michael and I took a ride up to SUNY Purchase to visit Emily and Ryan.  Em needed help with her wireless connection and then we took them out to dinner at The Cobblestone, our usual Purchase haunt.  It is a bar/restaurant with good food.  We had Bocconcini Balls-Fried mozzarella balls with marinara sauce; Buffalo Chicken wrap; French Onion soup; Caesar salad with grilled chicken; pulled pork sandwich; taco salad and a Reuben sandwich.  It was a nice visit with the kiddies!

Wednesday night, Barbara and Jennie took me out for my birthday.  We went to Sato, on Queens Boulevard, one of our favorite Japanese restaurants.  We shared:  Sauteed mushrooms (various Japanese and white mushrooms-very good) and Seared tuna with miso-lime sauce (also very good). Barb had chicken teryaki, Jen and I had almost the same thing:  Soft shelled crab rolls (mine with mayo, hers without); salmon sashimi and tobiko sushi and a salmon skin hand roll.  A few tall bottles of hot sake and dessert and we had a great evening. Thanks Ladies!

Tazzina

Friday night we went out to dinner with Joe and Denise, Jill and Lenny and Tom and Monica.  We went to Tazzina.  It's in Glendale on 88th Street in the same location where La Tavernetta used to be.  It's a small place, cozy really.  Probably will only hold no more than 30 diners. They have tiled the floors and added a wood bar and accents.  The owner/chef, Jason, came out to say hi and see how we were getting along.  He was a very nice guy and the food was really good.  Our waiter, Sandy was on the spot (and good looking too).

We shared appetizers:  Arugula salad with goat cheese, fried calamari with spicy tomato coulis, zucchini blossoms stuffed with cheese and a trio of bruschetta.  Dinner was:  Mahi Mahi, Branzino, Veal Marsala, Chicken under a brick and linguine with shrimp.  Dessert was:   Panna Cotta with fresh berries, Lemon cheesecake and chocolate something (I can't remember) but everything was absolutely delicious. I was not in love with their wine list, however, Joe picked the Louis Martini Cabernet which was fine and Jill and I shared a bottle of their house Montepulciano-which we would not drink again.  Coffee rounded it all out.

I can absolutely recommend this restaurant, but make reservations because they turned away many customers while we were eating because tables are not available.

Saturday night we went to Sato with Jill and Lenny.  Hot white martini (raw fish, not a drink), seaweed salad, shrimp coated in crunchy garlic, chicken teriyaki, salmon sashimi, white tuna sashimi, salmon skin hand roll, sexy roll, dancing eel roll and of course, many bottles of hot sake to share :)

Sunday we spent a wonderful day with friends at Glenn and Eileen's for Father's Day:  Hanging by and in the pool, Kan Jam on the lawn, steak and striped bass on the grill along with baked potatoes, grilled veggies and assorted salad.  A strawberry shortcake cake for dessert. a circle of chairs around the fire pit and our day was complete!

Tonight I just felt like making a pot of sauce (gravy actually).  Michael, Jesse, Glenn and Lenny joined the table and no one went away hungry!

Have a nice week!

Last Weekend through This Weekend

Last weekend was The Weekend of the Wisners.  Could be a movie title :)  Friday night we joined Lenny and Jill at Sato, a regular haunt of ours for Japanese.  We had some of our usuals:  Salmon sashimi, shrimp coated with crunchy garlic, naruto roll (no rice or seaweed-fish rolled in cucumber) and WAY too many large hot sakes.  Fun, Fun, Fun!

Saturday night, once again, we went out with Jill and Lenny to one of our favorite places in the City:  El Quijote on 23rd Street:  Garlic soup (of course), salad with blue cheese and their house vinaigrette; lobster-broiled and out of the shell in green sauce, mariscos in green sauce (mixed seafood) and Michael's favorite: Arroz con Pollo.  We took a walk through Eataly and all was well.  

Sunday was Mother's Day and Michael and I went to the cabana to finish opening, and lo and behold: Jill and Lenny showed up! We spent an hour or so with them and they left for their cousin's house and we went to Dani's.

I made a new recipe from a new cookbook this week:  The book is:  Food and Wine Quick from Scratch Chicken and the recipe is:  Chicken thighs over lentils with chorizo.  Yummy!

This Friday night we met Jill and Lenny :) and Sue and Steve Boyle and Lisa and Evan Spilke at Dirty Pierre's on Continental Avenue.  I know what you're thinking...yes we've been advised of mice BUT it's been so long since we've been there that we felt it was safe to try it again.  The mussels are amazing (so everyone says, I don't eat them) but the broth they are in is really good.  I had goat cheese salad which is terrific with bacon and onions, Michael had Jerk Chicken.  Others had burgers, chicken breast and fajitas.  They all enjoyed margaritas (several), vodka with club soda, vodka with a splash of 7-Up and I had two Red Stripes. Yippee!  Afterwards we walked to a pasticceria nearby for dessert and coffee, said our goodbyes and Michael and I stopped at Joe and Denise's new house to wish them congratulations on moving and also to wish Joe a happy birthday!

Tonight Michael and I are going to Leslie's daughter Isabelle's birthday party!  We are bringing the usual Kendall Jackson Chardonnay, Cantina Zaccagnini Montepulciano, Ciao Angelo cheese and bread.  It will be a fun evening with good friends!!

Sato

My favorite Japanese restaurant in Forest Hills is Sato. I ate here tonight and discovered that they have subtly made changes to their menu. I used to order a spicy tuna martini for an appetizer. It is not a drink, but spicy tuna, chopped small with caviar over chopped vegetables in a martini glass. This time they have added a hot white martini to their list. White tuna with crunchy flake and mayo over chopped vegetables garnished with caviar and a lemon swan. Yum!
We also had salmon sashimi and a shrimp tempura roll, along with chicken teriyaki , salad and 3 hot sakes.

They don't rush you and keep topping off your hot green cup of tea, which is SO necessary on a cold night like this. Walked home and became a Popsicle!

Tomorrow night is ham night with the Wisners. Quarter baked Virginia ham, mashed potatoes, mixed greens and apple cobbler for dessert. Too cold to be trekking outside.

Saturday I am visiting my brother, then we'll have Chinese with Glenn and Eileen and Sunday...JETS game at the Shapiros with friends and food and wine. Can't wait!!!

Spanakopita

Chicken Marsala on Monday was good.

Spanakopita on Tuesday was better.

First I sauteed onions in olive oil.

Then I mixed the onions with spinach, eggs, feta cheese, salt and pepper.








Then I layered and buttered and layered and buttered 8 sheets of phyllo (or filo, if you prefer) dough in the bottom of a lasagna pan, added the spinach mixture, then layered and buttered and layered and buttered 8 more sheets of phyllo on top.

Then baked and ate and shared with Jill too :)

Last night we went to Dee's with Denise and shared an Aphrodite pizza (mozzarella, feta, tomato sauce, spinach and calamata olives).

Tonight Barbara and Jennie are taking me to Sato for my birthday!

Friday night we are eating at My Moon with Joe and Denise!

Saturday we'll be at Glenn and Eileen's for a birthday dinner for me and Leslie!

Sunday we are visiting my brother at his new house.

So busy, so nice!

Rest is for the weary...which I will be next week :)

Too Busy

This week we will be too busy for words, mentally and physically.

We are taking Jesse up to school on Sunday so during this week we will be getting ready for the trip (pun intended...).

Last week we went to Dani's. Great as usual. Eggplant casserole, straciatella soup, chicken...

Today I was making meatballs and sauce, but the meatballs kept sticking to the pan, so i stirred them up and Voila, bolognese sauce instead :)

Thursday we are going to Sato with the Wisners as a send-off dinner for Jesse. It was Lenny's idea and we appreciate the sentiment a lot!

Friday we are having dinner at Joe and Denise's with Joe and Penny. It will be great, because it couldn't be anything else!!

Saturday is packing and stressing and feeling every feeling under the sun.

Sunday is the drive up, Monday is moving in day.

Oh boy...here we go.

Spring, Please!

WHERE is the warm weather? This is black turtleneck weather and it's freakin' May! I'm a little tired of it.

On other topics...yesterday was Mother's Day. Can't say it's the best day of the year for me. Expectations on all sides, doesn't really work for anyone. However, we spent the early evening with our very good friends Joe and Denise and their friends Chuck and Dominick. Michael and Joe ordered from Barosa, then went to pick it up: Calamari Barosa, chopped salad, pizza and foccacia sticks. All very yummy along with good red wine and conversation and friends.

Saturday night, Michael picked up from Fontana Gyros: Greek salad with chicken souvlaki and gyro and avgolemeno soup. Always good.

Friday night Jill and I went to Sato and drank tons of sake :) and ate yummy sushi!!!

Thursday night, Jesse and I were in Ithaca and we had Thai food with our family. They are very accommodating and generous whenever we appear on their doorstep and we love them for it and for myriad other reasons as well!!!

Last Night at Sato

Last night at Sato was yummy! The Wisners, Polikoffs and Boyles drank much beer and hot sake...ate yummy sushi, sashimi, garlic shrimp, chicken, filet mignon, and my personal favorite: Spicy Tuna Martini (not a drink, just served in a martini glass).

Lots of laughter and conversation and celebration of spring and holidays!