Victoria's Secret's "Sexy Little Bridal Shower" -- A Fun And Fabulous Launch with VS Angel Lily Aldridge!

By: Anne M. Raso

Financefoodie.com was lucky enough to attend Victoria’s Secret “Sexy Little Bridal Shower” event back last week at the 722 Lexington store just a stone’s throw from Bloomingdale’s. Victoria’s Secret model Lily Aldridge was on hand wearing a silver beaded and embroidered white nightgown from the new Sexy Little Bridal Collection, which was being launched that night, and the 100 plus brides and their attendants lined up around the corner to meet her, have a photo op, shop and party.

New Spring/Summer Fare That's Making Waves At Oceana New York

By: Anne M. Raso & Finance Foodie

I was recently lucky enough to sample the new Bar Menu (also called the "Cafe Menu" by the waiters) at the legendary Oceana in Midtown Manhattan. This appetizer sized fare is actually available at tables in the bar area, at the actual bar and at the patio outside the side of the light and airy nautical themed eaterie that could just as easily be placed in Southampton. As I sat by the bar overlooking the soon to be opened patio, I happily imbibed the Brazilian rum dominated Kafir Lime Caprinha (or several of them) and the Forbidden Punch made with gin, Domaine Canto and Creme Yvette.

First Annual Varli Food Festival: Much More Than Just Curry In A Hurry!

By: Anne M. Raso

Varli Magazine's recent First Annual Varli Food Festival in Chelsea's Altman building was a feast for the senses. Chefs who took part in this culinary (and general Indian cultural event, designed to bring the culture to mainstream New York partygoers) included Vikas Khanna (author of The Spice Story of India, Modern Indian Cooking and Flavors First), Jehangir Mehta (from the Food Network’s Iron Chef America and The Next Iron Chef), Floyd Cardoz (formerly of Tabla Restaurant, author of One Spice, Two Spice) and Hemant Mathur (from PBS’ How To Cook Everything: Bittman Takes On America’s Chefs and Travel Channel’s Epicurious TV). Guests were treated to a Spice Market full of Indian treats, or rather, they were handed a Varli Food Festival 2011 tote bag and got to pick ten products of their choice off a mini Indian culinary marketplace that featured wonderful epicurean products, such as Suhana Garam Masala, Indian Star Basmati Rice and Ruchi Mango Ginger Pickle.

Good Food for a Good Cause: Komen's Chefs for the Cure! [Westwood]

By: Jessica Cickay

Like a lobster to a roll and a dumpling to a sizzling pan sear, the 3rd annual Chefs for the Cure event at the Viking Center in Westwood, MA managed to perfectly pair a worthy cause with plates and plates of culinary creativity from the minds of some of Boston’s best chefs. Local food icons came together for a global movement, as the Massachusetts Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure presented a venue and a menu to meet their mission of reducing breast cancer through funding education, screening and treatment programs. Much like most Bostonians’ mind frames, the charity has a “go big, or go home” attitude toward their vision of a world without breast cancer: they are 100% committed to 100% screening and 100% access to care.

Salad as a Meal Challenge: Patricia Wells' Cookbook Giveaway!

Congrats #3 and #52! - Kayte71 and cpage2323

Well! One month past and many salads consumed - this post marks the last of my Salad as a Meal Challenge. I hope you guys have learned that salads can not only be healthy, but also super fun to eat (I certainly did -- I'm definitely going to incorporate some of Patricia's recipes into my storage bank!)

Patricia's book, Salad as a Meal, came out a few days ago and is already #14 on the Amazon food and wine list! Before it sells out, I'm going to give TWO lucky readers a chance to own their own copy of this salad Bible!

 You can enter up to THREE times:

1. REQUIRED: In my comments section, tell me what is your favorite vegetable. (my favorite is fiddleheads). Also please leave me your email address so I can contact you if you win
2. Follow Finance Foodie on Twitter (leave a separate comment telling me this)
3. Reblog / Retweet this giveaway (leave a separate comment telling me this)

Contest ends Thursday April 21 at 5pm EST. Winners will be chosen via random integer generator on random.org announced on the financefoodie.com site shortly afterwards that night!

[Full disclosure: books were provided to me by Harper Collins]

Salad as a Meal Challenge: Chilled Evergreen Tomato Velouté

"Hits the spot..."

As part of my Salad as a Meal challenge, I said I’d be posting a few selected recipes from Patricia’s book, along with step by step pictures and commentary [in bracketed red font] on how I created the dish from my kitchen. Just a reminder to folks that since I usually eat out and rarely use my kitchen (but am trying to change that!), my cooking skills/tools are limited -- so please excuse my urban jungle self when I make substitutions! So without further ado, may I present…

Chilled Evergreen Tomato Velouté

12 SERVINGS

EQUIPMENT: A BLENDER OR A FOOD PROCESSOR [I used a blender -- still saving up for a food processor]; 12 CHILLED GLASSES.

A Hidden Gem in Biltmore Bar and Grill [Newton]

"Baby you're a firework..."

Since I don’t have a car (and haven't driven in five years), it’s super hard and inconvenient for me to leave Boston proper. Now don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade life in the city for the 'burbs anytime soon, but I always feel so left out when I hear others *sideways glance at all the food bloggers* talk about the awesome places they dine at that aren't accessible by the T! Therefore, when the Boston Brunchers announced that the club's April brunch was being held at Biltmore Bar and Grill in Newton, well hello - an opportunity and an excuse to experience the dining scene outside the city!

Salad as a Meal: Egg Crepe + Ginger Ale Meal

Egg Crepe Stir Fry with Brown Rice

+ 
Fever-Tree All Natural Ginger Ale

= 

NOM! NOM! NOM!

3 Cheers for 3 Scoops Ice Cream [Brighton]

By: Jessica Cickay

On a hot day, on a cold day, on a rainy day, or even on a snowy day, what’s better than a big scoop of ice cream? How about 3 Scoops? I recently screamed for some ice cream from my tiny Coolidge Corner apartment, but before I could say chocolate chip cookie dough, 3 Scoops in Brighton answered my call with a variety of creamy concoctions, sinful sundaes and bigger-than-my-belly-could-handle homemade baked goods.

Salad as a Meal: Olive Tapenade

In Patricia Wells' cookbook, the recipe called for black olives. I, however, think green olives taste so much better! #dealwithit! 

Salad as a Meal: Zucchini Carpaccio with Avocado, Pistachios, and Pistachio Oil Recipe

"I've got sunshine on a cloudy day..."

As part of my Salad as a Meal challenge, I said I’d be posting a few selected recipes from Patricia’s book, along with step by step pictures and commentary [in bracketed red font] on how I created the dish from my kitchen. Just a reminder to folks that since I usually eat out and rarely use my kitchen (but am trying to change that!), my cooking skills/tools are limited -- so please excuse my urban jungle self when I make substitutions! So without further ado, may I present…

Zucchini Carpaccio with Avocado, Pistachios, and Pistachio Oil

2 SERVINGS [cookbook gives instructions for 4 servings, so I basically halved everything]
EQUIPMENT: A SMALL JAR WITH A LID  [ironically, a small jar seems like a simple everyday item, but after searching far and wide in my kitchen, I could not come up with this, so I used Tupperware]; A MANDOLINE OR A VERY SHARP CHEF’S KNIFE. [oops....all I had was a slightly dull knife I got from a street corner in Chinatown]

Salad as a Meal: Guacamole Light!

Lower calorie guacamole (peas were used as a replacement for a portion of the avocado), served with Wasa crackers.

Grendel's Den 40th Anniversary Party [Cambridge]

"You've come a long way baby..."

The restaurant industry is a fickle animal -- new establishments pop up everyday only to shutter a year or two later -- like most Hollywood marriages, longevity is rare. That's why when I got a dinner invite to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Grendel's Den, the beloved Harvard Square institution known for its affordable hearty dishes and "Cheers"-like atmosphere, well -- of course I had to attend! There's something to be said for any business that can last 40 years -- and even though this was my 1st time visiting (sorry, but it's a trek getting to Harvard Square from where I live), I was excited to help them celebrate.

Sex and the City's Kim Cattrall Talks Meet Monica Velour, Private Lives and More Sex!

By: Anne M. Raso

Let it never be said that Kim Cattrall doesn't have great diversity in her roles! In her latest film, Meet Monica Velour, Kim Cattrall stars as a down-and-out late 70's porn star now living in a trailer park. She’s unemployable in any sort of “everyday” job, fighting for custody of her young daughter and about to do one last porno in a cheap motel to make ends meet. Basically, Monica is the polar opposite of the chic and sophisticated Samantha Jones from Sex & the City. We caught up with Kim at New York City’s Regency Hotel to ask about the diversity of characters she plays, what drew her to the Meet Monica Velour project (which required her to gain a minimum of 15 pounds), her charity work with Lighthouse For The Blind (where her clothing donations outsell all others at their big annual three-day fundraiser), her future projects (including a possible SATC 3 film and a Broadway run of Noel Coward’s Private Lives which won her accolades on London’s West End).

Anne and Kim. Photo: Anne M. Raso/financefoodie.com

NYC Foodies Find a Secret Downtown Lair!

By: Anne M. Raso

Finance Foodie recently took a trip to Lair, the darkly lit, Gothic-fixtured Noho area Asian Fusion eatery helmed by affable Chef Chris Cheung, formerly of Ruby Foo's, The Monkey Bar and Jean Georges. With a stellar lineup of eateries behind him, Chueng definitely know what people are looking for these days in this type of fare!

Bone Marrow and Scallion Pancakes