50 was a great Day!

I spent my 50th birthday with Michael.  It was a great day!

Of course, I woke up around 10:30am.  Sleep is the best! 

We went to Cabana (http://www.cabanarestaurant.com/originalcabana_m.html) on Austin Street for lunch.  We sat outside in the beautiful sunshine and had mojitos, ceviche, tostones and jerk chicken.  Flan and cafe con leche and iced espresso finished the meal. 

We went out to dinner too :)  We were at Cipriani's (http://www.cipriani.com/en/services/restaurants/harry-cipriani) at 7:15pm.  For some reason, unknown to myself, I have always wanted to eat here.

Let's check this one right off the list. While reservation through open table was honored and service is average, food is also average. 

Bellini was good. Can make better (and way cheaper at home $18.95 are you kidding me?). Prices are outrageous, not high. We had to ask for our water glasses to be refilled more than once. 1/2 a roasted chicken for $38. Please! It's not as if the quality warrants these prices either. 

I had cannelloni. It was good. Michael had a burger, it was good. We shared the beet, string bean and goat cheese salad, it was fine.

The hike to the ladies room, through a door, across the lobby of the hotel, down a flight of stairs, past the health club. Holy crap I was exhausted by the time I got there. And the worst, on the way there and the way back not one waiter stepped out of my way. They all pushed past doing their best to look busy. I had to get out of their way. Disgusting service for such an establishment. 

Don't waste your time. Next time I'm 50 I'll go elsewhere :)

 

Afterwards we went on a horse and buggy ride through Central Park.  The moon was bright, the clop-clop of the horse's hooves was great to hear and sitting with Michael was the best! 

 

All in all, a great 50th birthday.

 

 

A Review

Of Me...

I will be fifty years old (OMG) next Tuesday .  I cannot believe I have come this far.  I certainly don't remember being born, or most of my early years, but I really feel as if I were nineteen just yesterday.

Time doesn't fly, it disappears right before your eyes.  Jesse was just twenty-one.  How is that even possible?

I was not always the happiest person, I was not always the most social, but I  always strive to be as introspective as I can; to change the things about myself I do not like and proliferate the things I do.  I hope I was as best a friend to all my friends that I could be.  I hope, even with my trials and tribulations, that I was the best mother that I could be; and certainly I've tried to be the best wife-lover-friend to Michael that I can be.

What else can we do in our lives but to be good, to love, to be kind, to do our best?  Other than our best (which is all perspective anyway) what else can we be?  Some appreciate the effort, some don't, some don't see it at all.  In any case, the sun rises and another day comes around.

Depressing? I don't think so, just honest. I can honestly say that I have had the funniest, most wonderful days; the most surprising and astonishing days; the happiest and most joyful days.  I am thankful for all my days and all my experiences because they make me who I am.

I love to go to the beach, to read a good book, to hang with my friends, to take care of my family, to cook, to have days of my own and to feel good about myself.  And I get to do all of those things.  What could be better?

Growing older alongside Michael and being Jesse's mom are two of the most important things in my future.  I am happy to have them to look forward to.  Having my greatest of friends is icing on the cake. 

It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Thanks to all my friends for letting me be stupid with them :)

Have a great day and thanks for listening!

The Beach House and Barboncino

The Beach House, Long Beach:

 

Casey our waitress was pretty good. Forgot pepper and sour cream but she is forgiven. The plates are sooooo heavy. Don't know how they manage. Menu is varied and food is good. Menu is

better than food though. Drinks could use more alcohol. All in all, if in the neighborhood I would go back, but only sit outside. Inside is tacky. Bathrooms are not clean.  Had a really good time for our last summer dinner outdoors with Jill and Lenny.

 

Barboncino, Crown Heights:

 

So far, so hipster. Waited at the bar for a table. Cheap pour on the wine. No one asked if we wanted anything else.  Server seems ok. Hot honey as an addition to pizza, copy of Paulie Gee's... Roasted peppers with Buratta and spinach salad with apples and Gorgonzola are very good.  Waiting for soppressata picante pizza. Service still ok. Clear tables pretty well.  Pizza came. Very good! Will come back.  Good meal with my honey!

Quickly...

I'll work backwards...We've been to Buffalo Wild Wings (good for wings, beer and TV screens) not much good for anything else; the Lobster Joint in Greenpoint (fantastic) and Ray's Candy Store on the LES for beignets (yum, yum, yum); Pershing Square; Dani's; Narita and The Meatball Shop.

I started work today :)  Will begin with just 2 days a week and if there's more to come that's fine, otherwise 2 days is good.  Payroll secretary at PS 174!

Beach closes this Sunday (boo hoo), but good things are on the way.

So Little, So Long Ago

Yes, totally slacking off...

Busy with Jesse and Clayton...

Michael and I have been to:  Dani's, Station House, Dee's, Dirty Pierre's, Ayhan's Shish-Kebab (Port Washington).

I've cooked: Meatballs, Rigatoni, Pork Tenderloin with sauerkraut, Chicken Francese (I've been using boneless, skinless thighs instead of breast cutlets-more flavorful and juicy), Mahi-Mahi (some with tomato and capers, some with butter, lemon, capers), Chicken Wings, Chicken cutlets, Turkey tenderloin roll ups with ham and cheese, Filet Mignon and lots of different veggies.

Some weekends at the beach, some at friend's backyards, some at home.

That's all for now...

13th Street Repertory Company, Gene's and Bar 6

13th Street Repertory Company: (http://www.13thstreetrep.org/) 

Cute, divey, old, funky playhouse.  Run by Edith, a grand dame of the theater since she graduated college and left the midwest for summer stock on Rhode Island.  She made her way to NYC, leased the building with a small theater downstairs, eventually bought it and has been going strong ever since.  Her daughters are actors as well.

We came on Saturday night to see "Line" a play written in the 60's but somehow timely.  I felt updating could be done, but that's just my opinion.  Our friend Angelo was in the play and he was great.  The other actors portrayed their characters completely.
If you're in the neighborhood, or just need an hour or so of stage time, go, you'll be glad you did.

Gene's (http://www.genesnyc.com/):

When you go for dinner with 16 people it's difficult to accurately judge service, food, etc. in a restaurant.  But I'll try.  Saturday night we went to Gene's with 16 people :) Our table was ready and waiting.  We sat at the bar and had a drink while we waited for everyone to arrive.  The bar area is up front and is so old school it exudes charm.  The bartender is out of a movie, as is the whole place.  I was enamored!

We were seated, drink orders taken, appetizers brought, dinner brought, dessert and coffee served all with no complaints.  The rest of the customers might not have liked our exuberant manner, but what can you do?

They have a prix fixe menu and also a huge a la carte menu.  I had soft shelled crabs that were some of the best I've ever had. No yucky stuff in the middle at all.  Pastas were good, fish was good.  I would definitely return with a smaller party (maybe just 2 or 4) another time. 

After the show, we migrated, actors and all, to Bar 6.  A cute bistro joint, good cheese plate and sangria. 

It was a totally fun evening!

Nan Xiang Dumpling House

I don't know why people complain about long lines, we've never waited for a table. Maybe lucky I guess.  Soup dumplings (called steamed pork buns) really are great!  Better than Joe's Shanghai and Shanghai Cafe.  Not that much better, I would eat them at all these restaurants, but they are good and local.  Small menu, don't expect the usual Chinese fare.  I found most dishes to lack flavor.  But the scallion pancake with beef is really tasty and sweet, also the cold cucumber with garlic is just perfect with this heatwave.