Forays of a Finance Foodie

Prince Street Pizza: A Princely Slice Takes Over Manhattan!

2012-01-26T08:25:00.002-05:00

By: Anne M. Raso

I mentioned in a review a few months ago that Donatella in Chelsea had the best slice in New York but we've got a heavy duty contender that I'd like to call The Princely Slice Of Prince Street (and beyond)! It's Prince Street Pizza's Spicy Spring Soho Square, a classic Neopolitan style slice with homemade chunky fra diavolo sauce featuring custom cut Grade A Hormel pepperoni (a superior grade not commercially available to the public). The crust is deep golden brown and there's just the right chew--and the whole milk homemade lightly salted mozzarella used is just as gooey and stringy as diehard pizza lovers can dream about. The Fra Diavolo sauce has a kick, but is not painfully hot by any stretch of the imagination!

Prince Street Pizza is owned by the very friendly and customer service-oriented Frank Morano who grew up in Little Italy and who tells us that his wedding reception actually took place next door to Ray's (which opened in 1959) when Ray not only had the space that is presently Prince Street Pizza but also used the currently vacant space next store as a sit down restaurant. Morano has been in the pizza business his whole life and in the past has owned Don Pepe's in Penn Station, as well as Domenico's and Bella Donna in Staten Island. If you ask politely, he will take you downstairs to the basement to show you the two tree stumps that have been holding up the building for something like a 100 years (actor RIchard Thomas remembered this fact from when the place was still Original Ray's and asked Morano if they were still there recently)! Morano will also tell you the whole legend about Ray's Pizza (since he knew the original owner as a kid) and how it resulted in many lawsuits and impostors--but his joint is on the site of the place that was the real deal!

Stuffed Prosciutto Rice Balls

I suggest that you try the rice balls before you start on the pizza or calzone. These deep fried tasty morsels (at only .99 to $1.20 each) are quickly becoming the talk of Nolita and getting rave reviews on Yelp and other foodie websites. All the different types of rice balls look the same externally (meaning that they're fried til they're the perfect deep golden brown color) and I tried three kinds: Neapolitan Rice Balls, Stuffed Prosciutto Balls and Sicilian Rice Balls With Beef & Peas. All three were spectacular but you had the melty, gooey cheese effect the heaviest on the Neapolitans (if that's what you're after). The Sicilians are filled with the heavenly yet simple combo of beef, rice, peas and marinara sauce while the Stuffed Prosciutto Balls are filled with mozzarella, ricotta and prosciutto, making them a kind of mini calzone.

Humble Ham Calzone

And speaking of calzone, I can confidently state that Prince Street Pizza's Humble Ham calzone is the best New York has to offer. I know it's a big statement but the melting of the classic combo of the top grade Boar's Head ham and homemade mozz and ricotta positively rocks here! Why? Not only is the ham incredibly thin and tender, but the hot mozz and ricotta meld together to create almost a Bechamel style sauce. Also, the Humble Ham calzone is anything but humble--it is so stuffed, it practically explodes by the time it makes it to the customer. One portion can easily feed four people and is only $7, plus you can ask for the fra diavolo sauce for dipping if you prefer it to the marinara that already comes with this item. This calzone easily makes the ones you get at New York City street fairs taste and look like an overused Super Bowl football.

Spicy Spring Pizza

As for the pizza, Prince Street Pizza has both round (Neopolitan) and square (Sicilian). They are already famous for the square pizza which they call Soho Squares on the menu. The Sicilian is classically a heartier slice because of the thickness of the crust and you might get full on one slice. Besides the aforementioned "Spicy Spring" which caused "love at first bite" for me, I also tried Prince Perfection, aka the Signature Square. The mozz is piled high on this slice but there's also a lot more sauce than most pizzeria's use. It's a winner, and we have to say that the homemade taste of the sauce puts it in a league all its own.

Fancy Prince Pizza Slice

In terms of the Neapolitan (round pizza) I fell i in love with The Fancy Prince slice ( $3.25 a slice or $22 for a full pie), which has a delicate thin crust, fresh basil leaves chunky marinara sauce and can be made with either lightly salted or smoked whole milk mozzarella. I had a slight preference for the smoked just because it added even more depth to the flavor, but I guarantee that you will be happy whether you go smoked or unsmoked!

There are two items I will be going back to try at Prince Street Pizza which just sound mesmerizing and one of a kind--the Crazy Calabrese which is a homemade eggroll wrapper stuffed with broccoli rabe and garlic (with a side of sweet chili sauce, $2.99) and The Greene Machine, a Neapolitan slice made with pesto, mozzarella, ricotta and Gaeta olives ($3.75 or $26 for a whole pie).

It cute how many of the titles of the menu items are a play on the local street names. Morano is proud of his neighbrohood and Nolita is proud to have a pizza place which such incredibly high standards for ingredients and such a friendly and helpful staff. We say "mozzy" (as opposed to "mosey") on down to 27 Prince Street and have a slice today, and tell Frank Morano that financefoodie.com sent you!

Prince Street Pizza

27 Prince St
New York, New York 10012
(212) 966-4100

A Night of Dining, Drinking and Decadence at the NECN TV Diner Platinum Plate Gala

2012-01-23T16:37:00.001-05:00

By: Jessica Cickay

If you’re from New England, own a television and/or listen to the radio during your morning commute, then you’re more than familiar with the ubiquitous media presence that is Billy Costa. From Kiss 108 in the A.M. to TV Diner in the P.M., New Englanders have been “Billy’d” time and time again throughout any given day. Some may ask themselves “Why Billy Costa?” or “More Billy Costa?” or even “Billy Costa, really?!” but no matter your opinion of the flashy foodie himself, there’s no denying that whatever Billy Costa touches in the New England area turns to gold – or filet mignon in the food-obsessed world. And at the 5th annual NECN TV Diner Platinum Plate Gala at the Seaport World Trade Center, Billy’s tasty touch helped bring together over 30 of the area’s best restaurants, breweries and bakeries for a night full of full stomachs and mouths.

The TV Diner Platinum Plate Gala was no casual affair. There were men in tuxedos, women in floor-length gowns, a full-piece band and open bars as far as the eye could see. The list of participating restaurants went from simply comforting – Tasty Burger – to simply decadent – Market by Jean-Georges Vongerichten – but no matter your cravings, the TV Diner Platinum Plate Gala catered to them…and then offered you a piece of cake, a sip of champagne and a swing around the dance floor, because, hey, why not? The atmosphere was buzzing, the mood was jovial and Billy Costa’s booming voice on the microphone – not to mention his gorgeous co-host Jenny Johnson floating around – made everything right in the world. The fact that the Gala was on a Friday night made the event – and the open bar – even that much more ideal.

Everything I sampled at the TV Diner Platinum Plate Gala was worth my sampling, but there were some clear standouts that deserve a shout out. Stephanie’s on Tremont not only offered me tender red wine braised short ribs nestled atop a pillowy pile of earthy and pungent truffled whipped parsnips, au contraire. Stefanie’s on Tremont offered me all of that deliciousness served atop an edible spoon that tasted like the most sophisticated cheddar Goldfish cracker one could ever imagine. Sharp, herbaceous and crisp, the edible spoon was the perfect mode of transportation.

Not to be shown up by their older sibling, Stefi’s on Tremont also brought their A-game to the TV Diner Gala. A piece of seared duck breast – chilled – was perfectly complimented by sweet and inherently sour cherries, plump and reconstituted and dotted with sharp clips of chives. A crisp piece of grilled toast helped cut the naturally rich piece of meat, and helped with my decision to take more than one bite…more than once…or twice…

Another tasty savory standout was the shrimp and thai green curry chowder served up by Summer Winter located in Burlington, Mass. The chowder, creamy via coconut milk and fragrant from notes of ginger, lemongrass and curry, was silken and luscious. Chunks of rich shrimp meat looked like icebergs necking out of the minted green chowder, while flowery jasmine rice was hidden beneath, helping to sop up all of the soup.

As I’ve described before on many occasions, my second stomach solely designed for dessert definitely came to play at the TV Diner Platinum Plate Gala. Let’s just start off by showing a wall of cannoli’s from Modern Pastry, which were essentially my appetizer to more dessert. Modern came packing heat, with tons of traditional Italian cookies, tiramisu, biscotti and more, all tempting already too-full guests.

A seven-tier, six-layer cake – one for each color of the rainbow – made by Cakes for All Occasions certainly was a showstopper. The light, whipped vanilla frosting pitted against the vibrant range of colors was a bold way to make a statement in a room full of statement makers. By adding a fondant Billy Costa and Jenny Johnson as cake toppers, I’d say Cakes for All Occasions really took the cake.

However, I’ll admit that the rainbow cake took the vanilla cake title, because hands down Barrington Brewery’s chocolate stout cake was the best chocolate cake of the evening – and possibly the best dessert overall. Although you couldn’t taste the beer they add to the batter, you could taste the finger-licking, four-piece taking, cut-in-line inducing awesome that Barrington somehow bottled and beat in. Dense yet light, rich yet delicate, fudgy yet fudgy and fudgy yet fudgy, the chocolate stout cake from Barrington Brewery was the perfect way to go big and then go home…and put on sweatpants.

The NECN TV Diner Platinum Plate Gala is certainly something New Englanders should experience at some point in their lives. Billy Costa and TV Diner have been drilling the event into viewers’ heads for months now, but after attending, I can see that it was definitely done with the best of intentions. It’s a night of dining, drinking and decadence that only Billy Costa’s tasty touch could deliver.

Champagne and Caroling at the Gansevoort Hotel with the Broadway Dolls - Black Tie Style!

2011-12-22T11:59:00.001-05:00

By: Anne M. Raso

Wow! The Champagne And Caroling black tie event at Winston's Champagne Bar in the Gansevoort Hotel was one of our final parties of the holiday season and one of the most elegant. Broadway luminaries, executives from Bernstein Global Wealth Management (who presented the event to benefit the Broadway Dreams Foundation) and just regular folks who like a good party put on their tuxes and best evening gowns and grooved to holiday sounds as provided by the Broadway Dolls! Guests danced cheek to cheek "old school style" and here was not a single holiday "standards" missed by the Broadway Dolls. The five member "girl group" took requests as well.

It was an intimate event for only 75 select guests, and many of the Broadway Dolls brought along their famous friends from the Great White Way. Formed in 2007 and created by Hollie Howard who appeared opposite Reba McIntyre in "Annie get Your Gun.", the Broadway Dolls have individually appeared he Broadway companies of “Mamma Mia”, “Chicago”, “Spiderman: Turn off the Dark”, “Rock of Ages”, “Memphis”, “Jersey Boys”, “Million Dollar Quarter”, “Rent”, “Hairspray”, “Annie Get Your Gun”, “Legally Blonde”, “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”, “Grease”, “The Wedding Singer”, “A Chorus Line” , “Good Vibrations”, “Jekyll & Hyde”, “Spamalot”, “Wonderland”, and more.

No other entertainment company in the theatrical community boasts such an accomplished and diverse team of working actresses. The Dolls often appear on cruise ships, fundraisers and private parties and excel at coming up with unique themes for their sets (we hear that there 60s girl group set is "da bomb"). For more info, check out www.thebroadwaydolls.com.

Guests enjoyed some of the finer vintages provided by Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte along with insanely decadent desserts provided by Lady M Confections. The unforgettable hors d'oeuvres were provided by Winston's itself. The Broadway Dreams Foundation helps youths get singing and dancing training, as well as helping them get their foot in the door to a career on Broadway. We'll be back again next year for caroling, champagne and decadent desserts!

Basking In BBQ Brotherly Love At Brother Jimmy's New York City!

2011-12-21T10:04:00.002-05:00

By: Anne M. Raso

I have lived by the Brother Jimmy's BBQ Upper East Side location for 13 or 14 years now, and when I am dying for a real piece of Southern style BBQ, I will order their Dry Rub Ribs (with the 20 "secret" rub ingredients) and my two side choices are usually the collard greens (when I am trying to be healthy) and their black eyed peas...but I occasionally weaken and do the fries. Nevertheless, I finally, after all these years decided to try their second of many locations--the Union Square restaurant at the easy-to-remeber 116 East 16th Street (between Irving Place and Park Avenue).

Brisket and Pulled Pork

The kind and efficient staff there was nice enough to present us with plates of their different items to try after we partook of a Charlotte Tea served in a mason jar (as in all their drinks)--this alcoholic concoction is made of peach juice, gin and a few secret fruit juices no one is divulging and is super-refreshing. Teetotalers should try the wonderful Homemade Lemonades and the assortment of fine Boylan's sodas and the cult favorite from theCarolinas, Cheerwine Cherry Soda (alcoholic drinks are $6 to 8 while soft drinks are $2.50 to $3.00).

Grilled Skirt Steak, Mac 'n Cheese, Collard Greens

As a rule, the meat dinners there, which include Skirt Steak, Half BBQ Chicken, Carolina Pulled Pork, BBQ Chicken & Ribs and Sliced Brisket are offered at a reasonable $17-$19.50 for huge portions that include two sides. The sides diners choose from are great in variety and delicious. They are Sweet Potato Fries. Sliced String Beans, Black Eyed Peas W/Bacon, Mashed Potatoes W/Gravy, Corn On The Cob (two ears per serving), Macaroni & Cheese, BBQ Baked beans W/Pulled Pork, Candied Yams w/Walnuts, Collard Greens, Fried Brussels Sprouts and Wild Rice Salad. For those who can't make up their minds and want a little of everything, there's the famous Jimmy's Pig Pick for $25.95. Diners can chose any items from the following selections Northern, Souther or Dry Rub Ribs, Pulled Pork, Brisket, BBQ Chicken or Pulled Chicken. The Pig Pick comes with the wonderfully tasty Southern bonuses of Hush Puppies and Cole Slaw.

BBQ Chicken and Dry Rub Ribs

OK, we admit it--I tried ALL the meats available with the exception of the BBQ Meatloaf which I did not try because it seems to be on and off the menu and was not offered when we went to the Brother Jimmy's Union Square last week. As a longtime fan of the Dry Rub Ribs--something I've only had at the legendary Rendezvous Barbecue in downtown Memphis and is genuinely hard to find in New York--I will have to say that it remains my favorite BBQ entree not only at Brother Jimmy's but in all of the City! (No joke!) My second choice would be the wonderfully tender pulled pork (with a bit of the spicy vinegar BBQ sauce on the tables added for a kick). My third choice would be the tender Skirt Steak which you can get as part of the Steak 'N Fries entree (it comes with fries but they are very nice about substitutions at all the Jimmy's locations). The homemade barbecue sauce that come at the side of this lovely sliced steak is made of cider vinegar dried mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire Sauce and white mushrooms and we have to say that it would also make a wonderful salad dressing! My fourth choice would be their Northern Ribs since the sauce is not overly sweet (a mistake often made in BBQ restaurants besides drowning ribs in sauce, a common practice even in the most renowned BBQ eateries in Manhattan). Coming in fifth would be the tender and juicy brisket. Some many popular BBQ joints manage to dry out their brisket....it's a lost art to "get it just right," but Brother Jimmy's does that. All the BBQed meats are juicy and succulent, so if we had to pick a sixth meat entree from the menu, that would be it for us. It comes with just the right amount of Northern style BBQ sauce on it!

The Wright Salad

Speaking of salad, while Brother Jimmy is famous for being a "meat restaurant," they have one of the most inventive salads we've had in a while--the Wright Salad ($10.95) which contains Romaine, Wild Rice, yams, Pecans, Sweet Onions, Dried Cherries, Apples, Poblano Peppers and Herb Viniagrette. It's hard to finish this salad even as a whole meal, and it's even more lovely with sliced chicken breast or pulled pork added (for an additional $3 and $4, respectively). eware of the sudden bursts of hotness from the Poblanos--we love that feeling, but we know some diners don't!

Brother Jimmy's has only four desserts of the "super comfort food" variety. They are Apple Crumb Pie, REd Velvet Cake, Pecan Pie and the Brownie Sundae (served with homemade Caramel Butterscotch Ice Cream). The portions are huge like the other food served here and are a deal at $6 a pop. We got the Apple Crumb Pie, ask that it be warmed up and have to say that what made it for us was the firmness of the apples and the way the crumbs on top were not overly sweet. Oh course, we asked for whipped cream just because when it's time to go all out, it's time to go all out. This is some of the best apple pie we've had anywhere in the city.

Apple Pie ala Mode

Brother Jimmy's Union Square is a proud sponsor of the New York Yankees and is happy to have fans come watch the game at one of the dozen big screen TVs on the premises. I have to warn you that it gets very loud in there when any kind of game is on but it's worth a little loudness for great BBQ. You will enjoy the "Southern casual" decor which features interesting store, farm and gas station signs culled from a real North Carolina junkyard and well as special neon signs created just for the Jimmy's chain of BBQ eateries. Children are welcome and there is more private party space at the 116 East 16th location than any other Jimmy's in town. On Wednesday's anyone producing a Southern ID can get 25 per cent off their bill at any location but the kind folks at Jimmy's Union Square have offered financefoodie.com readers 15 percent off at any time during the month of January just by telling their server, "Finance Foodie sent me"! Now there's some southern hospitality for ya! (In case you're wondering about the North Carolina theme of the place, well, it was opened by a UNC and Duke alumni, and that says it all!)

Brother Jimmy's BBQ Union Square
116 East 16th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 673-6465
Reservations: Not necessary
Dress: Casual

McDonald’s Big Mac Snack Wrap is Back!

2011-12-20T11:40:00.003-05:00

"Good things in small packages..."

Well here's some good news for those who love the comfort food goodness of a Big Mac but don't want the extra calories around the hips -- McDonald’s Mac Snack Wrap is back at restaurants nationwide, for a limited time only, through January 2, 2012! The Mac Snack Wrap, the Big Mac’s snack-size counterpart, features half of a quarter pound 100 percent beef patty, the Big Mac special sauce, shredded lettuce, American cheese, pickles and chopped onions wrapped in a soft flour tortilla.

I had a chance to test drive this Mini Mac last week and all I can say is -- all the flavor of the original but half the fat and cals (each wrap as ~350 calories vs ~600 calories in the full sized Big Mac)! Having lived pretty much next door to a McDonald's for the past 5 years (not sure if this is coincidence or cause McD's just has way too many locations), I've taste tested most of their snack wraps, so I was pretty pumped to check out the newest lineup on the menu.

The verdict? Although I still prefer the Angus wraps, you really can't beat the $1.69 price tag on one of these babies (vs. Angus wrap: $2.29). Sorry Mac Snack - but once you go Angus, you just can't go back! Plus, to be honest, I've never really been a big fan of Big Macs. So even though I'll be sticking with my Angus wraps, I still think the Mac Snack Wrap is a healthier and cheaper alternative to the full sized Big Mac (for the Mac lovers out there) -- after all, we can all afford to save a little more this holiday season!

*****Giveaway******

Financefoodie.com and McDonald's wants two of my readers to check out the Mac Snack Wrap for FREE! Two winners will receive either a $10 Arch card or a month worth of snack wraps (5 free coupons good for any snack wrap -- in case the Mac Snack Wrap isn't your cup o' tea either!)

Grand Prize #1

$10 Arch card (ARV $10) - Congrats sugarrysweetness!

Grand Prize #2

5 free coupons good for any snack wrap (ARV: $10) - Congrats Tina!

You can enter up to THREE times:
1. REQUIRED: In my comments section, tell me what is your favorite McDonald's food item.
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 ended on Christmas Eve Saturday, Dec 24 at 5pm EST. Winners will be chosen via random integer generator on random.org announced on the financefoodie.com site shortly afterwards!

Full Disclosure: Coupons provided by McDonald's. Arch card provided by Finance Foodie Media Productions. I was not compensated for this post.

Resorts World New York City: Good Effort But No Dice

2011-12-19T12:38:00.002-05:00

"I heard that you were trouble but I couldn't resist..."

Resorts World Casino is the first entertainment destination of its kind in the five boroughs of New York City. Owned by the Genting Group, this property operates over 4,200 video lottery terminals (VLT), 470 electronic table games, 4 VIP lounges, 18 food and beverage outlets (with two fine dining options) and boasts the largest catering and events space in Queens. Last week, the casino held a private party / tour for media to preview the second and third floors of their brand new facility just prior to the public opening that afternoon.

Being fascinated with how the casino industry has changed from basic gaming parlors to mega resorts / vacation spots, I was super excited to check this property out and of course made a special trip to NYC to attend this event (even though I was in the middle of my grad school finals). I arrived a tad late (more on that later), but had a chance to tour Fifth Avenue Casino, which contained an invite only VIP gaming room and two new restaurants -- the RWPrime Steakhouse, featuring steaks and seafood with an open kitchen concept and the Genting Palace Restaurant, a fine-dining Chinese restaurant featuring dim sum for lunch and Cantonese cuisine for dinner. Below are some photos from the event.

Wheel of Fortune in the VIP Slot Room

View of the Race Track from the Events Room Balcony

Holiday Decor!

Mr. Crab Dinner at Genting Palace Restaurant

Open Kitchen at RWPrime

So what's my verdict? Hmmm...even though I completely commend the effort put into this monstrous casino and respect the job creation it'll provide for local residents, I would say the venue lacks that "je ne sais quoi" that would compel me to revisit. Now to be fair, I'm not really much of a gambler, but something about the whole place felt slightly sterile and almost corporate. Not to mention, the place is terribly hard to navigate (I got lost twice within 30 minutes) and all the employees I asked had trouble pointing me to the locations of the bathrooms (ummm...I know this place is new but isn't that a pretty basic guest request?). Furthermore, the drive out to Resorts World took almost an hour from the City (not even during rush hour) and the area surrounding the casino was sketchy like whoa (this might explain the spiked fences they have surrounding the property). Bottom line, this place probably is a great option for the serious gambler (the number and variety of slot and table games is quite impressive), but it's going to take a lot more than a few bright lights and spinning wheels to lure me back to this half-baked idea for a Las Vegas-esq resort / casino in the Big Apple.

It's Chic to Be Cost Conscious: Luxe Holiday Gifts that Won't Break the Bank!

2011-12-16T09:04:00.003-05:00

"Looking for my goodies..."

This holiday season, with the European debt crisis and the shaky US economy, shoppers more than ever need to focus on spending less while still looking good. We here at financefoodie.com especially understand (being personally affected by the volatility in the stock market) and are here to help find the perfect gifts for yourself or the fabulous ladies in your life. Best of all, these recs are all wallet-friendly yet still super chic alternatives to the luxury goods featured in Harper's Bazaar's 2011 Best Gifts for Women. So you might look like a million bucks after buying all this swag, but you don't have to pay a million to do so!

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Splurge: Carter Trinity Black and White Ring - $1,500

Save: Black & White Diamond Ring - $200
A well crafted 'off set' bypass ring with black & white diamonds. It is sleek and comfortable to wear. As an accessory it can be worn with casual as well as formal attire. Available at Kmart stores or kmart.com

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Splurge: Pyrrha necklace - $140

Save: Black Jade Pendant - $70
Wear this luminous pendant to give your outfits a special touch of drama. A black jade disc etched with contrast oriental detail drops from a 10k yellow gold bale on a complementary 18 in. chain. Available at only on kmart.com

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Splurge: Aurelie Bidermann Collar Necklace- $1,200

Save: Romanza Byzantine Necklace - $100
You'll be the bell of the ball with this byzantine style necklace that's set in a gold over bronze setting. It is a traditional necklace in a metal that is unique. Available at Kmart stores or kmart.com

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Splurge: Primary New York Clutch - $300

Save: Agabhumi Here's Foldo - $64
Agabhumi, or "ancient firmament", represents a reflection of the strength and creativity of the artisans that produce all the jewelry, bags, scarves and sandals sold by the company. The Here's Foldo fold-over leather clutch handbag is perfect for day or night look and is chic as well versatile. Available at Agabhumi stores or Agabhumi.com

Total Splurge: $3,140

Total Save: $434

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Money Banked! $2,706

*******Giveaways*******

Congrats Lena and karen_robertson34!

Financefoodie.com, in partnership with Kmart and Agabhumi, wants two lucky readers to try some of these budget friendly goodies with $100 Kmart gift card and a $100 Agabhumi gift card giveaway!

There are THREE ways to enter
1. REQUIRED: In my comments section, tell me what is "SAVE" gift you want the most. Also please include your email address so I can contact you if you win!
2. Follow Finance Foodie on Twitter (leave separate comment telling me this)
3. Reblog / Retweet this giveaway (leave separate comment telling me this)

Contest ends Tuesday, December 20, 2011 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: Promotional considerations provided by Kmart and Agabhumi. I was not compensated for this post.

The Something-for-Everyone Holiday Gift Guide: From Kim Kardashian's Fragrance to Homemade Soda!

2011-12-12T09:26:00.005-05:00

By: Anne M. Raso and Finance Foodie

Like Santa, we here at financefoodie.com have been making a list and checking it twice, but also have been looking to make holiday shopping as easy as possible. By no means is this considered a complete guide to shopping made easy, but there are always a few classics that you can purchase in multiples instead of roaming from store to store or website to website. Here are a bunch of gifts we (or relative/friend/little sibling have tested under our careful supervision!) that came out with rave reviews for holiday giving.

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ULTIMATE CROWD PLEASER $20 GIFT FOR ANY ADULT: A $10 Starbucks card and a $9.99 half pound of their special Christmas Blend 2011 (available in both ground and whole bean). We can't think of too many people who don't like coffee or who don't like to take their laptops into Starbuck's for some free wifi and to get away from a noisy apartment or office and get some work done. Of course, there are great eats (especially sweets) at Starbuck's this time of year, and anyone getting gifted with a gift card for Christmas can use it for one of Starbuck's best kept secrets--the great items that go on sale after the 25th!

FOR THE DO-IT-YOURSELF FROM THE BOX COOK: We love Sodastream here at financefoodie.com--not only does it save a busy New Yorker / grad student time and energy lugging home bottles of soda from the supermarket, but each bottle of Sodastream flavoring makes about 40 thirty-two ounce bottles of soda. New to the SodaStream product lineup this year is The Fizz (yep - we are due for an upgrade). The new model features the interactive Fizz Chip™ digital screen, which displays the amount of CO2 remaining in the carbonator (which powers the home soda maker) and also shows the strength of carbonation -- or "fizz" -- in the drink (light, medium or strong).

Soda not your gift-ee's cup of tea? Duncan Hines dessert mixes to the rescue! With easy-to-use mixes and fillings at your fingertips, you can challenge your inner baker to (easily) create something that defies the traditional (that only requires a box, Land O'Lakes eggs, oil, and water). Our favorite? The Apple Caramel Cake from DH's newest Decadent product line -- we totally fooled our friends into thinking these were made from scratch!

FOR KIDS BELOW 6: Barney & Friends, Angelina Ballerina and Thomas & Friends videos work well for both sexes under 6. There are three fabulous 3 DVD boxed sets from Lionsgate Home Entertainment at a bargain price for the holidays that we can't recommend highly enough: Barney Holiday Favorites, Angelina Ballerina Holiday Gift Set and Thomas & Friends Holiday Favorites. Available at amazon.com for $11.99 as opposed to full retail price of $19.98 as we go to press!

FOR KIDS BELOW 10: Activision has the most adorable Nintendo DS games, and Lalapoosy, Squinkies 2 Adventure Mall Surprize and Moshi Monsters: Moshling Zoo are flying off the shelves. Let's not forget Wappy Dog, which is great for the K through 1st grade set! You get not only the game, but also a dog that responds to you touching it. We love when he whimpers and lies down like a real pooch. The little white electronic pooch also reacts to how well or not you're playing the Wappy Dog Nintendo DS game! All games are prices at $29.99 while Wappy Dog is priced at $49.99 and everything's available at amazon.com.

BEST FANCY GIFT FOR ANY KID AGES 6 to 12: the Rockboard Scooter featuring the patented advanced Rockboard Propulsion Technology that incorporates a revolutionary power drive chain that puts kids in shape and tears up the road with every up-and-down propel! The faster kids rock up and down, the faster it goes! The Original Rockboard Scooter can hold up to 200 lbs. and comes in White, Orange, Blue and Pink finishes. Built for an exciting ride just like the Original, the Mini is the scaled-down version with the same kick scooter capabilities and advanced Rockboard Propulsion Technology. The Mini can hold kids up to 90 lbs. and is available in white, blue and pink finishes. Both models are available at target.com (for $179.99 and $199.99, respectively).

THE MOST CLASSIC CHRISTMAS TOY EVER: Legos, Legos and more Legos. Our current favorite and it's a set we can actually put together in our old age despite the fact it is intended for the 7 to 14 set is the Harry Potter Hagrid's Hut. The most perfect Lego set for the toddler set (ages 2 to 5) is the Lego Duplo My First Zoo. The pieces are formed perfectly for little hands but trust us when we say that we play this at our desks when we are procrastinating on writing stories! Hagrid's Hut is prices at $69.95 and Lego Duplo Zoo is priced at $49.99 at amazon.com.

BEST FOOD GIFT THAT MAKES YOUR HOLIDAY DESSERT TABLE "POP": Divine Delights Christmas Petit Fours. We have loved thee little 'n pretty bites for years an often wished that we could go to the Divine Delights headquarters in Petaluma, CA and see these beauties made one by one up-close and personal. These artisan petit fours include some of the best buttercream and fruit fillings you will find anywhere and many of the little cakes seem to be blessed with just the right amount of almond flavor. Let's just say that when you open the box, you never know what you are going to get but that it's always a pleasant surprise...and we fantasize about their Chocolate Creme Rudolph The Reindeer and Triple Chocolate Snowflakes little cakes all year round. We also adore the Christmas Package Collection, which is a petit four collection of (you guessed it) mini Christmas packages. A 35-count box will set you back $69.95 but these people don't joke when they say that their petit fours are the stuff dreams are made of!

FOR THE COMPUTER WHIZ/SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICT: I've found the best keyboard ever to replace my too-small one that came with my iMac: the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750. Why do I love it so much? Not only is it solar powered but the keys seem to have much more "depth" than those on the keyboards that come with iMacs. It just feels great to an oldie like myself who got used to typewriter keys for so many years. The K750 features sleek lines and a slim profile at just 1/3" thick. It affords you extra workspace while lending a streamlined presence on your desk. And yes, it also works with Windows based PCs and is available for only $54.99 on target.com as we go to press.

FOR THE LADY IN YOUR LIFE: We love the Kim Kardashian triple fragrance gift set called The Love Collection, which is exclusively at Macy's for only $55 (it's a $104 retail value) -- last time we checked, they had a hard time keeping it in stock. And to go along with the lady like scent, may we suggest a handbag from the Vietafashion.com? Their purple hobo bag got us up in arms with love!

In terms of stocking stuffers, we love Revitalash and Revitabrow because they are the original eyelash and brow enhancing products and they really work! This advanced RevitaLash formula contains a proprietary blend of proven functional cosmetic ingredients, combined with an infusion of powerful peptides and soothing botanicals, designed to both beautify and nourish the eyelashes and eyebrows.(both products cost around $110 but can be gotten at a great discount on amazon.com this time of year).

For the finicky lady who is particular about style, a gift card to PeppermintPark.com is a must! Peppermint Park, a membership-based fashion and luxury brands e-tailer, is totally the "sweetest" (literally) of all shopping experiences. Offering discounts on designer clothing and accessories (from the super high end like Armani, Prada to your everyday wear labels like Karen Kane) at prices up to 80% off retail, Peppermint Park is where high fashion is highly affordable -- and with this economy, pennies need to be pinched!

But what's our all-time favorite ladies’ stocking stuffer? But of course the legendary Shiseido Honey Cake soaps, which are available in two beautiful jewel-toned shades, ruby red and green. They have done wonders for all skin types since their invention in 1956, and are available in department stores worldwide for only $7.50. Just add a bow and you’re good to go!

FOR THE MAN IN YOUR LIFE: The Power By 50 Cent fragrance gift set features 3.4 ounces each of the woodsy and citrus Power EDP and After Shave and is a real bargain at only $35.67 on amazon.com.

Team this fragrance set up with a nice bottle of a refreshing Sparkling Liqueur like Nuvo L'Espirit De Paris ($29.99 at liquor stores everywhere for the 750 ml bottle) and you'll make his Christmas bright! He'll want to save the ultra-sophisticated oddly shaped yellow bottle as well! Or if you are feeling classy, a bottle of Freixenet Sparkling Wine from Spain (served in Freixenet champagne glasses, natch) should do the trick -- we love the crispy, clean, and citrusy Cordon Negro Brut aka the "Black Bottle Bubbly"-- Olé!

*******Giveaways********

Financefoodie.com wants to spread the holiday cheer to our readers with OUR BIGGEST GIVEAWAY EVER! Six (6) lucky readers will win one item each -- the question is, will it be you???

Grand Prize:

Sodastream FIZZ machine and Starter Kit (ARV $220) -
CONGRATS The Amateur Southern Gourmet!

1st Prize:

3 month supply of RevitaLash and RevitaBrow (ARV $170)
CONGRATS SVY!

2nd Prize:

$100 gift card to PeppermintPark.com (ARV $100)
CONGRATS barry_f_mathews!

Other Prizes:

1. (2) bars of Shiseido Honey Cake Soaps (ARV $15)
CONGRATS elizabeth.a.cp!

2. $10 Starbucks Giftcard (ARV $10)
CONGRATS Danny P!

3. Freixenet Champagne Glass Set (6 flutes) and Social Etiquette Handbook (ARV $35)
CONGRATS catherineho!

There are THREE ways to enter
1. REQUIRED: In my comments section, tell me what is your favorite holiday tradition (mine is Christmas Lunch in Texas!). Also please include your email address so I can contact you if you win!
2. Follow Finance Foodie on Twitter (leave separate comment telling me this)
3. Reblog / Retweet this giveaway (leave separate comment telling me this)

Contest ends Friday, December 16, 2011 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: Promotional considerations provided by Sodastream, Shiseido, Starbucks, RevitaLash, Foodbuzz Tastemaker program with Duncan Hines, PeppermintPark.com and Friexenet. I was not monetarily compensated for this post.

Beauty Bar: The Best Of Beauty In A Super-Chic Setting!

2011-12-07T12:41:00.001-05:00

By: Anne M. Raso

We were lucky enough to get a sneak peek at the new Beauty Bar in Manhasset a few hours before its big opening night party! Set in the center of the tres chic Americana shopping center at 2034 Northern Boulevard--which is anchored by such legendary stores as Chanel and Tiffany--this upscale beauty store features hundreds of brand names that many other popular beauty stores do not carry (especially smaller luxury brands like Wellbox, Ren and By Terry). Of course, the big luxury cosmetic, skincare and fragrance brands are here and there is a particularly lovely and large display of Bond No. 9. It's easy to spend an hour just trying the numerous Bond No. 9 testers and we fell in love with the Little Italy scent, which interestingly enough, smells like an orange orchard

What also sets the Beauty Bar apart is that it is a bricks and mortar store that was started after beautybar.com became an uber-hit. Usually, things happen the other way around. (By the way, the store actually has Clarins and Dr. Perricone products that you can't get on beautybar.com!) There is a small salon just behind the front desk called nuNest Salon where patrons can run in for a quick blowout, cut or style, and downstairs are several bright and airy treatment rooms where they can get massages and facials for reasonable prices.

The Beauty Bar staff was nice enough to provide car service for New York City-based journos and bloggers to come out and see what all the fuss is about. What made us fall in love with the Beauty Bar besides the great variety of luxury products? It was a few things but mainly we loved the fabulous lighting which included plenty of natural sunlight so that you know how that color of foundation you are trying is REALLY going to look once you get it home. Secondly, the store was neat and well-organized with plenty of disposable applicators for trying all the products....and when we say that EVERY product had a tester, we mean it! All the testers are minty clean and fresh, unlike what you generally find in department stores. We also like the staff with leave you alone if you want....or will answer dozens of question on one product. If it's not in the store for some reason, they will get it from you off the site and New York City customers can get all Beauty Bar products the same day with no delivery charge!

We also love that you can walk in and get a free makeover from one of several makeup artists that are non-pushy and aren't affiliated with any one line of cosmetics or fragrance. When you sit down in one of what we call the "magical makeover chairs" on the main floor, the makeup artists will go all around the store and pull what works best from all the different lines for you. They also customize skincare and will give you samples of several of the fragrances (they seem most generous with the Bond No. 9 vials, however...there is actually a huge jar of them in the back that anyone can help themselves to a handful).

We noticed that even though we visited the store before it had officially opened last Thursday, crowds of people were walking by and putting there noses up to the glass to see the gleaming displays. And a brave dozen or so walked in and asked what all the hubbub was about, and then stayed around for awhile and had a beauty binge! No doubt that Beauty Bar will clean up for the holidays--even more than the type of bar that serves alcohol!

A Power Packed Business Lunch at Philippe's Restaurant and Lounge Houston

2011-12-01T09:44:00.001-05:00

“In and out and on your way”

Philippe's Restaurant and Lounge, the “Texas Cowboy meets French Artist” themed resto by Chef / Owner Philippe Schmit, features a wide array of delectable yet approachable dishes for the Gallera/Uptown set. The lunch menu includes a vast variety of tempting delights (such as the parmesean + white truffle oil soufflé), but I opted for their signature Business Lunch – three courses, $20, and as they say, “gets you in, out and on your way”!

For my first course, I had the buttermilk fried calamari served with espellette pepper infused mayonnaise. Served crisp and hot, Philippe's calamari is a must-have for fried squid lovers -- and the spicy yet cool mayo dip is the perfect partner in crime!

Although the Tuna Confit Sliders sounded mighty fine, I decided to order choice #2, the rustically classic Coq Au Vin (braised chicken with lardons + oyster mushrooms, foie gras mashed potatoes) for my main dish. This was the right choice to warm me up from a chilly (for Houston) day, as the chicken was fall off the bone tender and full of flavor. I especially liked the foie gras infused mashed potatoes, which made the dish even more rich and hearty.

I was super stuffed and warm, but dessert I could not resist-- for the aptly-named French Cowboy Churros were calling my name! These fluffy cinnamon dough sticks served with a spicy chocolate sauce were just the right way to end a fantastic working lunch.

What's the best part about the Business Lunch? All the items on this pre fixe list are actual menu items -- and ordering each item separately would cost way more than $20. I'll be back for sure for my next business lunch -- Philippe's is delicious, efficient and makes picking up the tab not so tough on the wallet!

Philippe Restaurant + Lounge

1800 Post Oak Blvd, Ste 6110
Houston, TX 77056
(713) 439-1000

A Leisurely Lunch at Houston's BlackFinn American Grille

2011-11-29T19:34:00.002-05:00

By: Athena Yang

BlackFinn American Grille, which just opened up its first location in Houston, is known to be the great American restaurant and community gathering spot that serves classic comfort foods in a non-stuffy and casual environment. Just walking in made me want to kick off my heels and swig back one (or three!) of their cocktails (which, FYI, are all made with fresh-squeezed juices). Business mixes seamlessly with pleasure in this laidback space, where the wood-trimmed walls are filled with Houston sports and rodeo memorabilia offset by vibrant and contemporary oil on canvas paintings.

I started my meal with the creative and colorful Crab and Seaweed appetizer ($13), a layer cake like creation of lump crab meat and seaweed salad served on top a fried rice cake. The crisped-to-perfection rice cake was a perfect complement the chilled (and generously portioned!) crab chunks. I had to stop myself from eating this, because…

…I ordered the big-as-my-head Pan Fried Pork ($16) for my entrée. I know everything is bigger in Texas, but hot dog! (or should I pig?) -- this dish could honestly be shared by two people (though this porker is so good, you probably would want this all to yourself)!

For dessert, I got the Pineapple Upside Down Carrot Cake in an attempt to "be healthy" (pineapple and carrots in cake count as fruits and veggies right?). The playful spin on the traditional carrot cake was a welcome surprise to my tongue – and the light as air whipped cream cheese side was a perfect icing on the cake.

Blackfinn’s prices are super reasonable considering the portion size, and its rich yet approachable ambiance makes it a great place for an intimate business conversation over high quality comfort cuisine. I’ll definitely be back again and again until they do not make stretch pants in my size anymore!

Blackfinn Bar and Grille

1910 Bagby St, Ste 100
Houston, TX 77002
(713) 651-9550

Holiday Party in a Box: Hot Buttered Yum Chex Mix to the Rescue!

2011-11-28T09:10:00.002-05:00

"Oh what a celebration, we'll have today..."

One of my favorite ways to make regular (and boring!) Chex Mix festive for a party is creating the Hot Buttered Yum Chex Mix for my guests when throwing a holiday party. A combination of cinnamon, brown sugar, honey and marshmallows blend effortlessly together in a crazy-delicious, gluten free crunchy mix. Stir up a rich and buttery mix married with delicate spices and rum flavoring. Check out the recipe below!

Hot Buttered Yum Chex Mix

Ingredients

4 cups Honey Nut Chex® cereal
2 cups Cinnamon Chex® cereal
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon rum flavoring
2 cups miniature marshmallows

Preparation Directions

1. In large microwavable bowl, place cereals. In 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave butter, brown sugar and honey uncovered on High 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until mixture is bubbly. Stir in spices and rum flavoring. Pour over cereal mixture, stirring until coated.
2. Microwave uncovered on High 3 minutes, stirring and scraping bowl after every minute.
3. Cool slightly; about 5 minutes. Stir in marshmallows. Spread on waxed paper. Store in airtight container.

Nutritional Information

1 Serving: Calories 140 (Calories from Fat 30); Total Fat 3 1/2g (Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat 0g);

For more Chex Mix recipe ideas, visit ChexPartyMix.com.

***Giveaway***

Congrats #53 - Danny!

Chex Mix, in partnership with financefoodie.com, wants to give one of my readers their own Chex Mix Party Kit!

Prize Pack Includes:

**2 boxes of Chex cereal to create Chex Party Mix recipes

**5 featured Chex Party Mix recipes

**10 takeout containers so your guests can take their Chex Party Mix to-go

**$20 gift card to purchase recipe ingredients and decorating supplies

There are THREE ways to enter
1. REQUIRED: In my comments section, tell me what is your favorite item to bring to a holiday party. Also please include your email address so I can contact you if you win!
2. Follow Finance Foodie on Twitter (leave separate comment telling me this)
3. Reblog / Retweet this giveaway (leave separate comment telling me this)

Contest ends Friday, December 2, 2011 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: The Chex Party Mix-Change product, information, and giveaway have been provided by Chex through MyBlogSpark. I was not compensated for this post.

The World's Biggest Baby Shower! Doin' The "New Mom" Thing New York Style!

2011-11-24T18:59:00.003-05:00

By: Anne M. Raso

Big City Moms, the largest social group for moms, and TheBump.com, the only multi-platform brand focused on expectant and first-time parents, teamed up to host the 10th Annual Biggest Baby Shower last week.

The Biggest Baby Shower promised to be the "it" party for expectant moms and new parents in NYC. More than 1,000 moms-to-be were in attendance, browsing and shopping the latest and hottest essentials for their modern parenting lifestyle, all while being treated to fabulous food, mocktails, spa activities and educational seminars.

We fell in love with the Beginning Celebration Natural Wax Candle, the first candle made for both baby and momma that promotes a peace-loving atmosphere (we're hoping that these candles keep babies from crying, LOL)!

Financefoodie.com attended and was overwhelmed at the amount of expectant moms were assembled in one place. It must have been some kind of Guinness Book Of World Records record-breaker (and was also great for feeling thin when we're usually the chunkiest people at a chic event, since we are, after all, foodies)! There were not only great and endless snacks from Big Daddy's, Pop Chips and numerous bakeries around town, but there we were impressed with the swag that the moms walked away with which included a Diaper Genie and then a gargantuan bag full of about 40 baby items!

We were happy to see that about half the expectant moms had their significant other tagging along, and we got a special kick out of the new line of customized Daddy Scrubs for men to wear in the delivery room! We'll be back next year. This "baby shower" is so much much bigger than your normal garden variety that you really need a solid four hours to go visit every table and to sample all the types of interesting food being offered!

[Photos: Anne Raso / Big City Moms]

McDonald's Celebrates the Age-Old Question: You Want Fries With That?

2011-11-22T08:31:00.004-05:00

Hey Finance Foodie Fans~

I’m sure you all are familiar with McDonald’s Fries, but check out this contest celebrating the perfect side order! Last Friday, McDonald’s kicked off a Contest and Weekly Drawing in honor of McDonald’s World Famous Fries.

The “You Want McDonald’s Fries With That” Contest and Weekly Drawing celebrates the amazingly-wonderful aspects of McDonald’s Fries and the moments that are made better with a side of French Fries. Consumers are encouraged to share what they want McDonald’s Fries with by January 1, 2012 at www.fries.mcdonalds.com for a chance to win $25,000 to make their dreams come true. In addition to the contest for $25,000, consumers can enter a weekly drawing for $50 Arch Cards at www.fries.mcdonalds.com, with 40 lucky winners chosen each week from now until February 12, 2012.

****Giveaway****
Congrats! #56 (Grand Prize) - rdazer & #2 (1st Prize) - Melissa

McDonald's wants financefoodie.com's readers to "fry" it up with a month of FREE fries! Two lucky reader will win either a $10 Arch Card or five (5) coupons good for a small side order of their famous 'taters!

Grand Prize: $10 Arch Card
1st Prize: 5 free small fries coupons

There are THREE ways to enter
1. REQUIRED: In my comments section, tell me how you like to eat your Mickey D's fries (I like mine with lots of ketchup!). Also please include your email address so I can contact you if you win!
2. Follow Finance Foodie on Twitter (leave separate comment telling me this)
3. Reblog / Retweet this giveaway (leave separate comment telling me this)

Contest ends Friday, November 25, 2011 at 5pm EST. Winners will be chosen via random integer generator on random.org announced on the financefoodie.com site shortly afterwards!!

Full Disclosure: The fry coupons are being provided by McDonald's. Finance Foodie Media Productions purchased the Arch Card. I was not compensated for this post.

Upstairs At The Kimberly Revisited: This Time It's For Brunch!

2011-11-21T09:31:00.002-05:00

By: Anne M. Raso

Last summer, we ate dinner at Upstairs At The Kimberly and raved about it here on financefoodie.com. We loved their Modern American fare with generous portions, so when we were asked back for brunch, we jumped on it like Grey Poupon on a turkey club sandwich! The decor is modern as well--it looks like James Bond and P. Diddy shared the decorating tasks, plus there is plenty of outdoor space full of beautiful greenery and some of the best city views. They keep those spaces open as long as it stays warm, and it was actually warm for a few days recently (in November, believe it or not)!

We started out with the California Spinach Quiche ($13) with lovely homemade double crust that was well baked (nothing worse than soggy "pie crust" on a quiche but the folks in the Upstairs kitchen get it perfectly golden brown while the melted white cheddar inside is nice and stretchy). It comes with the famous Upstairs fried which are some of the best in the city--the potatoes are dipped in flour and buttermilk batter and then deep fried in canola oil. They are truly hard to stop eating!

Then we shared the large Buttermilk Waffle With Vanilla Whipped Cream And Berries ($14), which was served piping hot so that the vanilla whipped cream just melted a little bit--perfecto! The waffle was moist and delicious and the fruit complimented it perfectly.

Then my dining partner and I shared the Upstairs' world class Kobe Burger With White Cheddar, Avocado, Grilled Onions, French Fries & Salad ($18). This burger has the classic thick 'n meaty "Country Club" taste and as far as Kobe Burgers go, is priced quite competitively. The piece de resistance is the lovely soft sesame seed covered freshly baked "egg" roll the tender, succulent burger comes on. The size of the Kobe Burger patty is enormous with about an eight-ounce precooked weight. This dish could honestly be shared by two people as the only thing they have for brunch or dinner--topped off with a nice glass of red wine or a Bloody Mary.

Speaking of Bloody Marys, the Upstairs' Individual Bloody Mary cart is one of the special touches for brunch time--and of course, in a chic place like this, the mixologists who make your drinks all look like Cosmo's Man Of The Year. There are three premium vodkas available--Grey Goose, Ketel One and Absolut. Spices to choose from include crushed red pepper, ground black pepper, horseradish, mustard seed, cayenne pepper, chili pepper and Old Bay seasoning. Fresh extras include bell peppers, jalapenos and celery.

Diners get to choose a customized hotness level of one to ten. I took a "five" (which included a jalapeno slice at the bottom of the glass) while my dining partner took a "two." Both were very spicy and needed to be sipped slowly to prevent smoke from coming out of our ears (we suggest that the first time you get one of these, choose the "level one")! These premium Bloody Marys go for $15 each (while the standard ones served at the bar is only $10). We say that it's worth it to get the cart coming over to your table, and add that there is kosher salt and other spice available for the exterior of your glass.

We finished out our filling brunch by sharing the Strawberry Souffle ($11). This was not on the menu. Only Chocolate Molten Cake With Dolce De Leche Ice Cream ($11) and an Ice Cream Plate ($10) are actually listed on the brunch menu so be sure to ask what else they have! The Strawberry Souffle was small but sublime--and served piping hot out of the oven. It came with a large quantity of Vanilla WHipped Cream and strawberries that seem to have been lightly sprinkled with Grand Marnier. Our motto is "Get A Souffle If It's On The Menu!" That's because they're so hard to make at home--one minute extra in the oven and they are kaput! This was one of the finest examples of a dessert souffle we have encountered et at a Modern American eatery (or French one for that matter)!

The Upstairs serves the perfect leisurely brunch with something for everyone. They have gotten new tables, vases and unique flower arrangements since our first visit, so the place is looking hipper than ever. If you love to eat your brunch slowly without rushed service (but with dishes that come out of the kitchen fairly fast), this place is for you. We also suggest recommend it for the dynamic midtown views and beautiful people watching!

Upstairs At The Kimberly

145 East 50th Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 888-1200
Dress: casual chic/"proper attire"

[Photos: Anne M. Raso]

A Factory of Fabulousness at The Woodward in the Ames Hotel Boston

2011-11-17T09:45:00.002-05:00

By: Jessica Cickay

It’s kind of an understatement to say that the Woodward at the Ames Hotel near Government Center is, as the kids say, BEYOND. The Woodward is RIDIC. The Woodward is OMFG AMAZEBALLS. The Woodward is…you get the point. From the second their Skip N Go Naked cocktail (Plymouth gin, Woodward ale & lemon juice) was placed in my hands, to the final lick of my peppered chocolate ganache and salted caramel tart covered spoon, I was more than impressed with The Woodward. Packed to the gills on a random Tuesday night, it’s obvious that Bostonians are flocking to The Woodward’s modern-yet-steeped-in-history décor and contemporary-yet-comfortingly traditional food the kitchen consistently churns out. Say hello to The Woodward, Boston, because this factory of fabulous is certainly here to stay.

Charcuterie

Tables decorated with boards of charcuterie, local cheeses and assorted housemade pickles, coupled with bowls of pickled mushrooms, cauliflower, golden beets and grapes (?!), were there to welcome us to The Woodward. Tangy, sweet and light, the aromatic pickled grapes were the star here for me, a unique way to take a simple fruit to an unheard of next level.

short rib tortellini

Our host for the evening was The Woodward’s food and beverage director, Uzay, who basically was like the fun Uncle I never had, while our waitress was cute, attentive and knowledgeable about all things Woodward. Both of them said that the short rib tortellini with Madeira and truffle butter that we were about to eat were riot-worthy, as in “If we take this off of the menu, the people will riot.” Tender, freshly made pasta dough encased a subtly gamey meat that was revved up by the sweet Madeira sauce and earthy truffle butter. Melt-in-your-mouth good is about all I can say for these little pockets of short rib heaven.

Duck confit with goat cheese flatbread

We were lucky to sample all three of The Woodward’s flatbreads, but the roasted mushroom, truffle oil and spicy cress offering screamed my name the loudest. Thick, pillowy wild mushrooms sat atop a perfectly charred dough covered with a variety of cheeses (I’m thinking taleggio?), peppery greens and a drizzle of the earthy oil. Duck confit with goat cheese and dried cranberries was another flatbread that got Woodward’d, or taken to the level that dreams are made of.

Parsnip bisque

Soups and salads came next, and my swig of parsnip bisque with seared scallop, cranberry and juniper had me debating whether or not to ask if I could ‘supersize’ it. Velvety smooth soup filled my mouth with the flavors of fall, from the smart addition of the zingy cranberry (a nod to my Thanksgiving taste buds) to the unexpected fragrance of the juniper (an ode to my Christmas cravings). An expertly seared sea scallop treaded within the bisque, adding its sweet ocean flavor to the otherwise earth-laden dish.

Trout salad

A standout on the salad side was the smoked trout with frisee, watercress, pickled red onion and whole grain mustard vinaigrette. The flavor combinations just plain worked here, as The Woodward covered all of the bases with this one. One bite was smoky and aromatic from the fish and crispy greens, while the next was punchy and full of tang from the pink onions and dressing.

Brick chicken entree

For my entrée, I enjoyed the brick chicken with quinoa, potato, confit tomatoes and parsley. A tender breast of chicken sat on a pedestal of golden, toasted quinoa that added a nice nutty pop to every bite. Soft potatoes and heirloom grape tomatoes swam in the chicken’s broth, making the whole meal a moist and mouthwatering masterpiece. I also tried a bite of The Woodward’s sweet potato and squash ravioli with sautéed greens and brown butter, another stellar dish that sang the comforting flavors of fall. The squash and potato filling was impressively silken, leaving your mouth almost moisturized from its gentle autumnal softness.

Apple Crumble

My savory stomach was filled to the brim, but my dessert belly was running on empty, but thankfully Uzay brought us all of The Woodward’s desserts to try. I swear I pull a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde-type deal when it comes time to transition to desserts, because there was no way I was going to let some fullness stop me from the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies with cinnamon whipped cream, caramel apple tart with streusel crumb and vanilla ice cream, Greek yogurt panna cotta with lemon curd and concord grape sauce, and brownie sundae with peanut butter ice cream and chocolate sauce. Can I get a “YUM!” from the people, please?! The panna cotta catered to my fruity cravings (I must say the concord grape sauce was especially amazing and tasted like a glass of Welch’s grape juice fit for a queen), but when those maxed out, I had the chocolatey richness of the brownie sundae to satisfy my needs. However, the peppered chocolate ganache tart with salted caramel was a clear winner for me. The play on “salt and pepper” was so creative and executed to the nines, as this dense and bold tart not only stuck to my ribs that night, but also will stick in my mind for many nights to come…swoon.

Peppered chocolate ganache tart

So, hello Woodward, and welcome to downtown Boston. I’d be happy to meet up with you almost any night of the week and discuss your elevated New England comfort foods and award-winning cocktails – and by discuss, I clearly mean devour and guzzle. I’ll see your appetizers any day and raise you a soup, a salad, an entrée and all of your desserts – oh yea, and let’s throw in that mushroom flatbread too…why not? Basically, we’ll be seeing a lot of each other this winter, so again, hello Woodward.

Woodward at the Ames Hotel

1 Court Street
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 979-8200

Northern Louisiana: Music Legends, Hot Biscuits And Colorful Characters!

2011-11-15T08:26:00.003-05:00

By: Anne M. Raso

Most tourists visiting Louisiana don’t venture outside of the New Orleans area but there is so much to see and do in Northern Louisiana that we can barely put its uniqueness into words. There are music museums and other landmarks plus some down home eats along the way—and you’re never short of a neighborhood hang with original music in it.

My recent trip was sponsored by Explore Louisiana North (www.explorelouisiananorth.org) and our PR “host with the most” Johnny Wessler had us visiting at least six landmarks per day. We don’t have enough room here to talk about everything, but if you wanted to add a trip to Northern Louisiana based out of Shreveport, the drive is 5 ½ hours and a distance of about 450 miles. We promise you will have enough to do and see without going to New Orleans, but the bad news is not too many cities have direct flights to Shreveport (we only know of Dallas and Atlanta and our route was from LaGuardia to Dallas and then took a quick hour-long flight to Shreveport).

Muffaletta at Noble Savage Tavern

I stayed at the fabulous Eldorado Hotel & Casino in Shreveport (www.eldoradoshreveport.com). The Queen rooms appear to be about 700 square feet with divine marble bathrooms (complete with jet tubs) the size of most Manhattan studio apartments. Breakfast is included in the price, which ranges from $100 to $200 per night and you are very close to great restaurants, and bars like the Noble Savage Tavern at 417 Texas Street (ww.myspace.com/noblesavagetavern). They are famous for the high quality of their shrimp dishes using shrimp caught locally, but their muffaletta is the piece de resistance and big enough to serve at least four! Original local talent is served up nightly and we caught the wonderful “alt folk” quartet Airheart while we were there.

James Burton and Anne Raso

The two “must see” musical history sites in Shreveport are just a five to ten minute drive from The Eldorado. The Shreveport Municipal Auditorium at 705 Elvis Presley Boulevard (was the musical home to Elvis for 18 months from 1954 to 1956 before he became a megastar (www.municipalauditorium.homestead.com) he performed there every Friday on the legendary Louisiana Hayride). The building is Louisiana’s top architectural example of art deco, and tours take you to Elvis’ dressing room (left pretty much intact), right on the stage (where tour guides will make you sing the Louisiana Hayride theme song) and then to the front and side lobbies where you will see some memorabilia from Elvis and his contemporaries. We were lucky enough to have the honor of meeting Elvis’ longtime guitar player, the incomparable James Burton at the auditorium—he’s got a bronze statue outside right next to the one of Elvis, as well as his own showcase of memorabilia in the auditorium’s front lobby.

Directly across the street at 714 Elvis Presley Boulevards is the James Burton’s Foundation and Studios (www.jamesburtonfoundation.org)—going here is like going like visiting a music history landmine. Burton has at least 250 of the 360-plus albums he played on as a session musician hanging up on the walls, and visitors get to see his memorabilia-lined offices and if they’re lucky, get to meet the man himself. His stories of being in both Ricky Nelson’s and Elvis’ bands are endless and amusing, and we’re happy to say that Burton seems like a “regular guy” who just happens to be a musician’s musician. All proceeds from items sold at the Foundation go to putting guitars in the hands of kids who want to play but can’t afford an axed; hundreds of kids have already gotten (with a little bit of help from Fender, who make Burton’s signature flame-detailed signature Telecaster). In the future, Burton will be opening a Cars And Guitars Museum.

Tex Ritter Statue

Also while visiting Shreveport, make the effort to drive over the nearby border of Texas to the Tex Ritter And Texas Country Hall Of Fame at 10 West Pamela Street in Carthage (www.carthagetexas.com/halloffame) to see wonderful memorabilia displays on the likes of Tex Ritter, Dale Rogers, Conway Twitty, Willie Nelson and more. The Nudie Rodeo Tailor stage clothes are enough to make this museum worth going to. It is run by the knowledgeable Tommie Ritter Smith, nice of Tex Ritter and a new star in inducted into the hall of fame each year with much fanfare.

While in Shreveport, you might also want to visit the Centenary College Choir, Radio and Music departments (www.centenarycollege.edu) at 2911 Centenary or visit the funky Cotton Boll Grill (see their Facebook fan page since they do not have an official site) at 1964 Airline Drive where you can catch local original music artists and to catch up on classic Creole food as well as BBQ. Techie fans that want to check out the latest in music and animation studio technology can check out the Blade Studios (www.bladestudios.com) and Moonbot Studios (www.moonbootstudios.com, both located at 2031 Kings Highway. Blade Studios is owned by Dave Matthews Band drummer Brady Blade and the Moonbot Studios are famous as being the creators of the Emmy-winning Roly Poly Oly animated series. Not far from there is the Leadbelly gravesite in the yard of the Shiloh Baptist Church (at 10395 Blanchard-Latex Road); famed rocker Robert Plant was a recent visitor.

Bonnie and Clyde Museum

Be sure to make the effort to take the 3 ½ hour trip to Ferriday, most well-known for being the home of rockabilly king Jerry Lee Lewis and on the way stop in Gibsland to take in the Bonnie & Clyde Ambush Museum at 2419 South Main (www.bonnieandclydemuseum.com) and see the monument “in the middle of nowhere” that marks their death site a few miles away (the staff will give you directions. To the granite marker in Bienville Parish eight miles away.)

Lewis House and Museum

Be sure to visit the Lewis House And Museum at 712 Louisiana Avenue (www.home.no/thelewismuseum/). Jerry Lee’s sister Frankie Jean Lewis Terrell lives there and Jerry Lee himself comes back and visits this house that he spent much of his adult life in. The drive through liquor store attached to the house is being renovated at the moment, but it’s gotten as much publicity as the museum which is literally filled with thousands of pieces of Jerry Lee memorabilia including the piano that Frankie Jean claims is the one used the afternoon the famous “Million Dollar Quarter” got together at Sun Studios in 1960. One of the bedroom closets features all six of the gowns worn by Jerry Lee’s brides plus the tiny bridal gown that Frankie Jean wore for her first marriage which she tells us took place when she was just 11 ¾. Frankie Jean is full of “truth is stranger than fiction” tales about her brother, and she does primitive art that is scattered in with the Jerry Lee memorabilia. This is a place I cannot recommend enough—it’s a rock and roll goldmine and Frankie Jean is one of the greatest “characters” you will ever meet in your life!

Delta Museum

Also in Ferriday is the wonderful Delta Music Museum (and it’s right around the bend from the Lewis House). Included are tributes to all of Louisiana’s biggest stars of country, blues and rock including Percy Sledge, Jerry Lee Lewis, Mickey Gilley, Percy Sledge and Conway Twitty. There are a couple of displays dedicated to non-musical personalities as well: Ann Boyar Warner (second wife of the movie mogul Jack Warner) and TV news commentator Howard K. Smith. (For more info on the museum, go to www.louisianatravel.com/delta-music-mueum.)

Jim Bowie Relay Station

While in the Ferriday area be sure to heck out the wonderful steaks and hush puppies at the Jim Bowie Relay Station at 3642 Highway 124 in Enterprise. The Relay Station includes some funky old buildings at the back of the property creating an “historical village” like a wooden shack full of pig curios called Uncle Earl’s Pig Palace). The restaurant and attached gift shop is full of (you guessed it) Bowie knives and campaign signs from around the state. (www.jimbowierelaystation.com.)

While in the Ferriday area, a great place to stay in the Comfort Suites at 100 Front Street in Vidalia because all the rear rooms have a close-up view of the Mississippi Bridge and rooms are about 700 square feet (standard rooms range from $150 to $200 per night and include breakfast, book at www.comfortsuites.com).

The Landing

You can fly out of the nearby Alexandra Airport (which looks more like an outlet mall than an airport) or drive back to Shreveport. On the way, be sure to drive through the classic Southern town of Natchitoches where Steel Magnolias was filmed. The famed house at 320 Jefferson Street is now a bed and breakfast simply called the Steel Magnolia House (www.steelmagnoliahouse.com) Our top culinary pick there is The Landing at 530 Front Street (www.thelandingrestaurantandbar.com) that has a huge “gourmet comfort food” spread for weekend brunch including seafood bar and carving tables for only $20 a head. We chatted with flamboyant former Louisiana governor Edwin Edwards and his wife Trina while filling our plates, proving that the quality of the food is high enough for a native Louisianan who could eat anywhere they darn please!

Steel Magnolia House

Northern Louisiana is one of the friendliest places to visit, and we only touched on a few of the musical and other pop culture sites. For more info, we strongly suggest you check out explorelouisiananorth.org as well as Louisiana-tourism.com. If we had to sum up Northern Louisiana in one sentence, we would have to say that there are curiosities and good eats at every twist and turn!

[Photos: Anne M. Raso]

The Meatball Factory -- Top Chef Dave Martin's New Venue Isn't Just About The Meatballs!

2011-11-11T12:25:00.002-05:00

By: Anne M. Raso

We couldn't wait to visit The Meatball Factory, the brainchild of Top Chef Season 1 Finalist Dave Martin. Martin was actually on the scene at the restaurant, and was kind enough to answer any questions we had about our meal...and even brought over our "floatillas" at the end of the meal. (The mascarpone ice cream served in them is one of his sugar addict masterpieces!) He picked the decidedly non-foodie nabe of 14th Street and Second Avenue to open his casual eatery based on his love of--you guessed it--meatballs! (There used to be a food court featuring Arthur Treacher's and Taco Bell on the spot, as well as several other common fast food joints). As a result of his location choice, the crowd is young and hopping, and it is quite noisy, but diners can still carry on a conversation without raising your voice. Prices are right, too--the affable young chef pretty much keeps every item in the $8 to $15 price range.

We couldn't wait to start our meal off with Dave’s World Famous Black Truffle Mac ‘n’ Cheese ($11)--the dish that started the truffle mac craze when Dave did his stint on Top Chef! Let's not mince words here and say that the combination of fusilli pasta, parmigiano reggiano, garlic, heavy cream, truffle oil and fontina is about as close to foodie heaven as you are going to get and simply just forget the calories. This is a highly addicting dish that we recommend for the "last supper" of Death Row inmates everywhere!

Truffled Mac N' Cheese

Then it was time for Meatball Wonderland--we choose the Meatzza, Meatzza (Meatballs featuring ground Braised Certified Angus Beef Brand Short Ribs, Hanger Steak and Filet, Buffalo, Potato & Parmesan, $8) and the portion was generous. We got six large meatballs that were juicy and unforgettable. Our second meatball choice was the Cluck, Cluck (Meatballs featuring Bell & Evans Chicken, Esposito’s Chicken & Apple Sausage and White Wine, $8)--we liked these even better than the beef short rib meatballs, due to the unexpected juices that flowed out of them. The chicken meatballs are obviously the healthier choice but keep in mind that there is also a meatball dish named Vegan's Dream available made out of mushroom, asparagus, onions and other veggies that we here are a "fave rave" at the eatery!

Cluck Cluck Meatballs

Chef Dave says "it's all about the sauce" on his menu, so we picked three (you can get one sauce for each dish for free, or a trio of three for $4 extra). Our choices were Salsa Verde (Vegan Sauce made from Roasted Tomatillos, Fire Roasted Green Chili, Caramelized Sweet Onion, Lime Juice, Fresno Chiles, Cumin & Agave), Fire Roasted Marinara (created from Fire Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic & Sweet Onion, Fresh Basil & Sherry and Hells Bells Vodka Sauce (made from Absolut Peppar, Spicy Cappicola, Red Bells, San Marzano Tomatoes, Oregano and Cream). All three sauces were rich and satisfying, but the Salsa Verde really kicked some butt without being too hot. If you prefer a garlicky taste, go for the Fire Roasted Marinara! Our side was the creamy Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Puree (with a splash of cream, $5) and we have to comment that this delish dish has both cream and butter added, so it does not exactly count as a "healthy veggie." If you try it, you will come back for more, though!

Three Dipping Sauces: Marinara, Salsa Verde, and Hells Bells

Our shared dessert was San Pig Sticks (Slices of Nueske’s Wild Cherrywood Bacon served with Dave’s Malted Hot Fudge and Sea Salt Caramel for dipping, $6). While a lot of people might feel funny about dipping thick, firm artisan quality bacon in homemade dark chocolate or caramel dipping sauce, we dig not hesitate! It was a delight, even if it makes one feel like a bit of a piggy, LOL!

San Pig Sticks

Our meal concluded with Chef Dave himself bringing out our TMF Purple Cow Floatilla--Mascarpone Gelato in Fanta Grape Soda. Yes, it was as satisfying as it sounds and was served in a huge soda fountain glass that was about 24 ounces. We will be going back for the Dreamsicle Floatilla featuring Fanta Orange Soda and Mascarpone Gelato in the near future, but for real food adventurers, there is something called the English Bastard, which is mascarpone gelato in Newcastle Ale. Now there's an original dessert if there ever way one!

Overall, the atmosphere is airy and casual (with a lot of windows), and as mentioned before, diners tend to be on the young side...but do not let that keep you coming from this destined to be classic but modern "comfort food" establishment. Chef Dave deserves every bit of praise he's been getting from his new place! And he's bringing his great and very personal cuisine to a neighborhood that is short on comfort food!

The Meatball Factory

251 East 14th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 260-8015
Dress: casual

[Photos: Anne M. Raso]

Cool Treats to Curb the Thanksgiving Weight Gain

2011-11-09T07:59:00.003-05:00

“Yum yum in my tum…”

Even though Thanksgiving is still a few weeks away, my mind is already thinking about the delicious holiday treats that await my stomach on Thursday afternoon. Candied yams, green bean almandine, pumpkin pie, and of course the roasted turkey centerpiece – can you say 10 pounds straight to the hips?

To avoid my annual 10 pound “Turkey Day Weight Gain” (which has become more and more painful to lose with each New Year’s Resolution), I’ve stocked my fridge with a some healthy and low calorie -- but still delicious -- treats that I’ve recently discovered to keep my indulgences from becoming "over" indulgences.

Let’s take a peak, shall we?....

Eat Well Enjoy Life Hummus

(70-80 calories per 2 Tbsp)

As the Mediterranean Diet continues to gain in popularity, this new line of "non chick pea" hummus with gourmet toppers is my go to when I want to “sauce up” my pita bread. Eat Well Enjoy Life‘s innovative hummus varieties are unique in that they don’t use traditional chick peas as a base – instead, they are made with Edamame, Tuscan White Beans and Yellow Lentils. For example, fun combinations include such as: Edamame Hummus with a yellow pepper, sesame and ginger topping (my favorite out of the bunch!); White Bean Hummus with Roasted Garlic Tapenade and Spicy Yellow Lentil Hummus with Sunflower Seeds and Apricot. Besides being low fat and cals, all of their products are gluten free, kosher, and cholesterol free.

Perdue Simply Smart Frozen Chicken
(140 calories per marinated grilled breast)

Perdue's new line of grilled, lightly breaded and roasted chicken delivers the nutrition and great taste that naturally comes from real and recognizable ingredients, such as sea salt, cracked black pepper and olive oil, and contains no preservatives. Each item in the line has at least 40% fewer calories, at least 50% less fat and at least 25% more protein than the USDA standard for breaded fried boneless chicken-- making it a healthy, yummy and easy way to fill up without all the fat and cals!

Classico Light Creamy Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(60 calories per 1/4 cup)

This new pasta sauce from Classico is everything an Alfredo should be just lighter, with 50% less fat and 45% fewer calories than the leading brands of Alfredo sauces, but all of the rich and creamy taste. With just 60 calories per serving, it's made with real, high-quality ingredients such as cream, Parmesan cheese and butter. This new pasta sauce is totally a tasty option that my mouth (and waistline) enjoys.

Pitaya Juice

(90 calories per 10.5oz bottle)

What is Pitaya? More commonly known as the Dragon Fruit, it is a low-calorie, low sugar, superfruit that is packed with antioxidants and fiber (and currently the lowest sugar juice on the shelves at Whole Foods Market!). The juice is blended with a touch of lemon and coconut water as well, making it not only super nutritious, but extremely hydrating as well. It is also perfect for kids because it has all the nutrition, and barely any sugar!

Just Chill Drink

(50 calories per 8.4oz can)

Just Chill, the all-natural stress relief beverage, is just what the busy body needs: relaxation. Instead of the hopped up energy drinks that make you crash and burn and made up of unhealthy ingredients, Just Chill provides focus and function with a tropical twist (also, it doubles as a great drink mixer ;)!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Happy eating and celebrating folks! Remember, everything is fine in moderation, as long as you balance the “treats” with the “healthy eats”!

***Giveaway***

Congrats #10 - clc408!

Perdue wants to give one of my readers a chance to try their new line of Simply Smart Chicken this Thanksgiving by giving away a coupon to try a package for free! (ARV: $10).

There are THREE ways to enter
1. REQUIRED: In my comments section, tell me how you like to indulge during Thanksgiving. Also please include your email address so I can contact you if you win!
2. Follow Finance Foodie on Twitter (leave separate comment telling me this)
3. Reblog / Retweet this giveaway (leave separate comment telling me this)

Contest ends Monday, November 14, 2011 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: The prize pack has been provided by Perdue. As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a jar of Classico to sample. I was not compensated for this post.

Free Milk and Win a $25 Gift Card to Kroger Supermarket

2011-11-06T15:11:00.004-05:00

"Special Announcement"

Want to save even more when shopping at Kroger? Purchase any four participating General Mills products* that your family knows and loves and Kroger will reward you for your purchases.

From November 13th through November 26th, with the purchase of any four participating General Mills products, you will either receive free milk (up to $3; limit of 2) or to receive $3 off your shopping order**

Please be sure to check your local Kroger Co. Family of Stores for specific deals and offers which include Kroger, Ralphs, King Scoopers, City Market, Dillons, Smith´s, Fry´s, QFC, Baker´s, Owen´s, Jay C Food Stores, Hilander, Gerbes, Food4Less, Fred Meyer, Pay Less Supermarkets and Scott´s Food & Pharmacy. Visit Kroger.com for more information and great ways to save and be sure to check out the Kroger Facebook page to join the conversation and share which General Mills products you´d like to stock up on during the promotion.

***Giveaway***

Congrats #48 - WeatherBee!

Kroger wants to give one of my readers a $25 gift card to spend on groceries (good at any of the Kroger. Co Family of Stores)

There are THREE ways to enter
1. REQUIRED: In my comments section, tell me what General Mills product you would like to buy. Also please include your email address so I can contact you if you win!
2. Follow Finance Foodie on Twitter (leave separate comment telling me this)
3. Reblog / Retweet this giveaway (leave separate comment telling me this)

Contest ends Friday, November 11, 2011 at 5pm EST. Winners will be chosen via random integer generator on random.org announced on the financefoodie.com site shortly afterwards that night!

Disclosure: The Kroger gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by Kroger and General Mills through MyBlogSpark. I was not compensated for this post.

*Excludes General Mills meal and baking products including; Betty Crocker, Old El Paso, Progresso, Hamburger Helper, Macaroni Grill, Wanchai Ferry, Yoplait.
**Promotion varies based on store location; check your local Kroger store for details (Cash Offer: Mid South, Delta, Mid Atlantic, SW Louisiana stores, Central Missouri stores and Dillons Missouri stores)

A Catch Above the Rest at Turner Fisheries Boston

2011-10-31T08:24:00.001-04:00

By: Jessica Cickay

“Where can we get some really good seafood?” If you’re a Bostonian, you know that when you hear this question, the pressure is on – the lights seem to get low, the sweat somehow starts to drip and all eyes in the room piercingly turn toward you. Seafood is a staple in New England, so this should be an easy answer, right? Not so fast. This query is loaded – locked and loaded really, so much so that it makes you realize that you’ve “been there done that” around the local seafood scene, but more often than not, you’ve been disappointed. From buckets full of rubbery clams to an overdone piece of palm-sized fish for $40, seafood restaurants in Boston can run the gambit from bad to worse, to overpriced to overhyped. But don’t fret you titans of tuna, you suckers for scallops – Turner Fisheries on the first floor of the Westin Hotel in Copley Square is the definitive answer to all of your seafood uncertainty. Offering fresh, sustainable and creative dishes that are both reasonably portioned and priced, Turner Fisheries is hook, line and sinker a catch above the rest.

Turner Fisheries and Chef Armand Toutaint recently introduced the restaurant’s new fall menu, showcasing a slew of seasonally-inspired dishes and highlighting an adherence to sustainable seafood. To start the evening, I sipped on a sweet red sangria, frosty cold and brimming with bits of seasonal fruit.

The delicious drink got my appetite going, so when I saw multiple waiters carrying multiple plates of appetizers toward me, my stomach growled with delight. Gorgeous golden rings of calamari were decorated with briny capers and sweet red peppers, drizzled with a roasted garlic aioli and devoured by all. The squid was crisp, light and perked up by the bite of the capers, but the cooling effect of the creamy aioli created a balance beyond belief.

Next up were lobster tacos brimming with hunks of juicy, sweet, unadulterated lobster meat, which were equally beautiful to eye as they were the taste buds. The cubes of crustacean sat atop a corn and red onion salsa, an element that combined with the lobster to add an additional layer of sweetness to the dish. Don’t worry though…there was nothing saccharine here, as the smoky char of the grilled wheat tortilla – the perfect vehicle to serve myself a heaping helping – coupled with its fillings to create a match made in heaven. Turner also managed to take the oyster to another level by adding some heat – literally. Instead of going the typical traditional route, Turner’s Island Creek Oysters were served cooked: expertly grilled over the flame and dotted with maitaki mushrooms all while bathing in a riesling cream.

To make sure Turner knew how to bring it outside of the seafood scene (or maybe just to make myself feel better about eating fried calamari and lobster tacos), I ordered the poached golden beet salad. Thinly sliced and tender to the bite, the vibrant yellow beets essentially glowed against the stark whiteness of the plate, expertly fanned out to support a nest of peppery frisee greens. The salad comes dressed in a sherry vinaigrette and adorned with crumbles of goat cheese, but I opted to simply eat my veggies like a good girl – and boy was it good!

There are few things that appeal to me more than the deep, velvety purple and red hues of a quality tuna steak, and while at Turner, I saw exactly what I liked. For my entrée, I indulged in the seared ahi tuna, which was done to perfection – a peppery cooked crust encased the raw, jewel-toned center of the steak. Three massive, yet still delicate, pieces of tuna – which, by the way, were literally fork tender – got a nice boost from an aromatic bed of cardamom-scented jasmine rice, tender grilled asparagus and a not-too-spicy bok choy kimchi. My entrée defined what seafood should be, as it managed to bring a creative twist to a standby dish, yet not tarnish its integrity in any way.

So spread the word – Turner Fisheries knows its seafood. Turner Fisheries is proud of its product. And Turner Fisheries is the answer to all of your seafood dilemmas. From the atmosphere, to the service, to most importantly the food, Turner Fisheries is a consistent and confident seafood restaurant that deserves to be your go-to Boston best.

Turner Fisheries

10 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 424-7425

Ann Taylor and LOFT For Spring 2012: "Easy Wear" With Flair!

2011-10-25T07:41:00.004-04:00

By: Anne M. Raso

Last week, Ann Taylor and LOFT gave fabulous events for fashion journos and bloggers to check out their Spring 2012 clothing and accessories and we were the first people in the door to "check out the goods "both nights. These folks know how to throw an elegant preview!

The LOFT preview took place at the Gallery in the Dream Downtown Hotel on West 16th Street which has quite the James Bond-inspired interiors and decor. While guests took in hors d'oeuvres and specialty drinks, they oohed and aahed at the new merchandise which included touches of color (especially on jewelry and shoes), bold black and white geometric prints (including horizontal stripes) and a return to the early 80s favorite color combo of pink and black. There were plenty of lightweight cotton easy-wear dresses with modest scoop necks and empire waists, and we are happy to say that nothing was out of the realm of "the real woman to wear"! Guests had the choice of a bold yet elegant black plastic flower necklace or an extra-bold 60s retro "color block" ring and complimentary color bracelet as their parting gift.

The Ann Taylor preview took place at the classy art deco landmark Rockefeller Center Loft & Garden (a sister event space to Top Of The Rock). The invitation featured a DayGlo yellow-green strappy patent sandals, a plain leather small shoulder bag in the same hue...not to mention a matching snake cuff bracelet and crystal necklace that guests actually got to take as their fashion gift for the evening! Ann Taylor has always prided itself in providing a chic yet sensible look for the younger career women, but there were plenty of "fun in the sun" bold print dresses, sequined and "blinged out" cocktail wear and even wedding gowns.

What caught our eyes were the timeless stretch jewel tone separates that seemed to take their inspiration from St. John. We are particularly fond of these stretchy chic separates because they are very forgiving after putting on a few pounds--and the emerald green and deep turquoise pieces on display complemented each other perfectly. One could buy five or six of the separates and probably not have to shop for the rest of the summer. Accessories included jewel tone canvas bags and extra long 70s geometric print cotton scarves.

We predict a great season for both stores! The prices are right (with the exception of cocktail wear, everything we saw was under $100) and the looks are classic enough to give you years of chic yet comfortable looks!

Photos: Anne M. Raso

Make the Bread, Buy the Butter Book Review

2011-10-25T06:39:00.001-04:00

Sponsored Post

After losing her job as a book editor for Entertainment Weekly, Jennifer Reese set out on an economically ambitious, often outrageous, culinary journey. Is “doing it yourself” always cheaper? Jennifer had her doubts. After curing prosciutto, trying to get those crannies in an English muffin, and buying goats to be a better cheesemaker, Jennifer’s kitchen-related experiments yielded some surprising results, which are chronicled in Make the Bread, Buy the Butter (Free Press; October 18; $24), her debut book out this month.

Make the Bread, Buy the Butter tells the often hilarious stories surrounding these kitchen-related experiments and offers a full picture of what is involved in a truly homemade life. Reese asks a handful of practical questions about each item to decide whether to make or buy: What’s the ultimate cost? How much of a hassle is it to make? And what about sustainability and animal welfare – what value should we place on knowing that our eggs came from happy chickens. Is it somehow ennobling to slaughter your own Thanksgiving Day turkey?

Jennifer Reese has been a professional journalist all of her adult life, working mostly for national magazines, and has been an avid, adventurous home cook for even longer, which she blogs about at the Tipsy Baker (tipsybaker.com) as well as for online publications like Slate. Reese also teaches cooking classes in Marin County, California, where she lives with her family. Like her on Facebook at www.fb.me/thetipsybaker and follow her on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jenniferreese.

Beauty Brunch For The Cure: Getting All Dolled Up And Much, Much More!

2011-10-20T09:38:00.002-04:00

By: Anne M. Raso

The recent World Yacht's Beauty Brunch For The Cure was a win-win for all--great food, great swag, and most importantly, it raised thousands of dollars for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Held this past Sunday because of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this fabulous event included eyebrow threading from Hibba NYC, Vincent Longo makeovers, massages and polish changes from Bliss Spa, body art, feather hair extensions and mini-facials and a braid boutique from the John Barrett Salon. The raffle prizes including a month-long membership to the Chelsea Piers Sports Club, Minx nail applications (that featured the classic pink breast cancer awareness emblem), Eva Schrivo's Beauty Book and a haircut at her salon.

Of course, one can not overlook the fabulous food at any World Yacht brunches, and this one included unlimited mimosa, an omelet station, Belgian waffles, sausage, bacon, salad, several hot beef and chicken entrees, and a dessert table that included red velvet cake, cheesecake, specialty cupcakes and much more.

Most importantly, the event as about raising money for breast cancer research and sisterhood...there is nothing like Finance Foodie salutes World Yacht for hosting this wonderful and creative event and for being kind enough to make a $2,000 donation to the cause as well! We will definitely be back next year!

Bubble Bubble Toil and the Naked Cowboy at Legal Harborside

2011-10-18T10:34:00.001-04:00

By: Jessica Cickay

We all learned in fourth grade science class that heat rises, and as I ascended up the swirling staircase at Legal Harborside, it was obvious that this – the freshest location of the Legal Seafood empire on Boston’s waterfront – was definitely an establishment that knew how to bring the heat. To host the "Bivalves and Bubbles” event, which featured a grand array of oysters, champagne and atmosphere, Legal Harborside had patrons bypass its lovely yet approachable ground-floor restaurant and its upscale yet not up-its-own-you-know-what fine dining digs on the second, to head straight to the roof deck for some stylish sips, slurps and city sightseeing.

The Seaport District in Boston is an up-and-coming neighborhood, and the addition of Legal Harborside to the strip is a clear way for the area to move on up and come on in to the hearts of Bostonians looking for a new dining destination, day or night, summer or winter. The third floor deck is the cherry on top of the 20,000 square foot space, with its open-air seaside views, sleek stone bar and copper-clad fireplace, all of which are bookended by wood-decked patios and encapsulated by a retractable glass awning for when the snow starts to fall.

For the Bivalves and Bubbles event, the sun was shining as oysters were shucked and champagne was sipped. Eight different stations showcased oysters from different areas of the Northeast, including Wellfleet Harbor, Cotuit and Prince Edward Island. By no means am I an oyster aficionado, so with each tilt of my head and slurp of the salty sea creature, I was pleasantly pleased with what my mouth experienced – pure freshness. Coupled with champagne typically too costly for my means, such as the Gosset Brut "Excellence" and Laurent Perrier Brut, I fancied myself an A-lister for a brief moment of fantasy.

As a special addition to the already special event, Robert John Burck – or in laymen’s terms The Naked Cowboy of New York City street fame – strummed on his guitar and serenaded the crowd, all in an effort to support his self-dubbed brand of oysters (Naked Cowboy Oysters from Long Island Sound) and all while wearing merely underwear and boots. What a guy.

Legal Harborside also took some artistic leeway to ramp up the purity of the oyster by passing out some signature hors devours that put a fresh spin on the already fresh ingredient. My favorite of the day, by far, was a Wellfleet oyster swimming in a shot glass full of sweet, perfumey cucumber juice, garnished with floating specks of the finely diced vegetable.

Trays of Oysters Legal also made their way around the rooftop, with the spinach, cheese and onion baked bivalves causing diners to swoon. The richness of the cheese, the bite of the onion and the earthiness of the spinach paired so well with the briny oyster base.

Another winner was Legal Harborside’s spin on sushi– cone-shaped California rolls encasing succulent fried oysters, crisp cucumbers and carrots, and creamy avocado. I managed to nab an entire rack of the rolls all for myself, and for that winning effort, I “cheers’d” myself with my champagne.

There are only so many oysters a girl can eat in one sitting, but Legal Harborside’s sleek atmosphere, fresh food and hot location certainly gives me a reason to keep coming back for more. The Bivalves and Bubbles event seemed simply a slurp and a sip of all the great things that this pearl of a Seaport District space has to offer.

Legal Harborside

270 Northern Ave
Boston, MA 02210
(617) 477-2900

Eolo: A Chelsea Sicilian Eatery That Will Make You Say “Oh”!

2011-10-11T07:46:00.002-04:00

By: Anne M. Raso

Financefoodie.com loves to check out Italian eateries, but we have yet to check out one that is purely Sicilian. It’s perhaps the most classic of Italian cuisines, at least in the minds of American foodies, with Tuscan food being a close runner-up. That means they had to prove themselves to us with classic red sauce that won’t quit and lovely rustic dishes of all sorts—plus cannoli that could make you cry. Eolo is small and casual, with floor-to-ceiling front glass doors that open up so diners can eat al fresco. We went on a perfect early fall night and it never got chilly, even at 8:30 PM—so we were quite fortunate. Service is courteous and the food comes out quickly. Besides specialty cocktails, there is a special Sicilian wine list available ($12-13 per glass) and wonderful Italian soda like Orangiata and Aranciata available ($4 per bottle) -- if Eolo decided to do a promotional sticker printing campaign, that would work great to spread the word about their food and service!

Nsalata Grigliata

We started off with a salad although by no means were we trying to be healthy. The Nsalata Grigliata (radicchio, arugula, roasted beets, grilled corn & asparagus, strained yogurt with dried thyme & sesame and grilled bread, $14) was lovely. The produce tasted as if it had just been picked at a local farm a few hours earlier and probably was. It had the naturally slightly bitter taste of a Sicilian salad but the sweetness of the beets and corn was the perfect opposite to make it a near perfect “lettuce experience”!

Sfinciuni di lu Iornu

We then shared Sfinciuni di lu Iornu (Sicilian style warm foccacia with mushrooms, caramelized onions and radicchio, $6). The toppings change daily and it’s the greatest bargain on the menu. Two people could definitely get full on this foccaccia dish, a shared entrée and a couple of desserts. The crust had a super crunchy bite to it unavailable in what we consider “New York Style pizza.”

Pasta Three Styles

We could not go to a true Sicilian restaurant and not try the pasta, so we got half portions of three that seemed interesting. We got three ¾-cup portions in one large white ceramic serving dish with three compartments. The three pastas were cooked just a little on the al dente side and each was very unique: Cavateddi Agroduci (cavatelli with cauliflower ragù, caramelized onion, currants, toasted pine nuts, parmigiano, $9 half portion/18 full portion), Ravioli cu Sazizza (radicchio, ricotta & mascarpone stuffed ravioli with broccoli rabe, a spicy lamb sausage, oyster mushrooms & dried cherries laced with port, $12/24) and Spachetti D’Ortica Cu Melanzane (house-made Stinging Nettle spaghetti with eggplants, Jersey tomatoes, pesto and ricotta, $12/24). We liked that the Eolo chefs did not make their pasta too firm (this is a constant problem, at least for us, at prestigious Italian eateries) and the stuffing in the ravioli was one of the high points of the entire meal for us. The cauliflower on the cavatelli was perfectly crispy and sautéed in olive oil—it was the first tie we ever had cauliflower and pasta together, and they went together perfectly. We are also happy to report that the homemade lamb sausage on the ravioli was so mild that it made a believer even out of one of the non-lamb eaters at our table. The ricotta cheese on both the ravioli and the Stinging Nettle spaghetti tasted as if it was made in the back room and was possibly the freshest we had ever tasted. The Stinging Nettle spaghetti was honestly a new experience for us—we had never even heard of Stinging Nettle before. This special house-made spaghetti tasted very similar to spinach pasta, which we love and the chunky tomatoes mixed with pesto and ricotta made a memorable sauce worth going back for.

Carni cu Pepperonata

Next, we wanted to share a classic meat dish so we selected Carni cu Pepperonata (grilled grass-fed hangar steak drizzled with garlic, lemon & herb extra virgin olive oil, served with pepperonata & green olive potato gallette, $27). The meat was marinated in olive oil and a variety of Italian herbs and was tender. We got the hangar steak (about a six-to-seven ounce portion) perfectly medium rare and we barely needed a knife to cut it. The green olive potato galette was a foodie’s dream of what “hash browns” would be if they fell asleep and dreamed that they woke up in Sicily. They were tender on the inside and perfectly crunchy on the outside and the green olives were the perfect tangy accent.

Tiramisu

We weren’t afraid to “pig out” on dessert so we selected three: Coppa di Gelato al Tiramisu (a tiramisu sundae made with an espresso brownie, marsala marshmallows, coffee fudge, house-made vanilla & coffee gelato with whipped cream, $11), Cannoli (hand-filled ricotta cream cannoli with candied orange, chocolate brulee and pistachio, $11) and Sfinci (doughnuts with vanilla-orange pastry cream and a bitter chocolate dipping sauce, $10). The Coppa di Gelato was a huge portion that two or three people can easily share and the bits of homemade Marsala marshmallows, homemade waffle cone type wafers and espresso brownies in the gelato created intensely crunchy and chewy textures amongst the creaminess of the gelato. It was Sundae Heaven, Sicilian style! Just for the record, each cannolo was about 3 inches long and there’s two in one portion. We’re overjoyed to say that they are truly done the old-school Southern Italian way with candied fruit and pistachio bits—commercial cannoli available in New York City today just don’t include these important “little bits” and so they brought back great memories for someone who grew up in an Italian family and had the “real thing” back in the day. The Sfinci “doughnuts” were like traditional sugar doughnut balls except for two things—there was a heavenly homemade orange cream filling and a bitter chocolate dipping sauce that included a touch of Kahlua. This is another dessert big enough for two or three people to share and the best “dippin’ doughnut” dessert we’ve ever had in any New York eatery, upscale or otherwise.

Cannoli

Doughnuts

We suggest reservations for Eolo even though they are not mandatory; it seemed pretty crowded when we went there for a weeknight 7PM table. We strongly urge you to do one thing: leave enough room in your tummy to order all three desserts that we ordered!

Eolo

190 Seventh Avenue at 21st Street
New York, NY 10001
(646) 225-6606

[Photos: Anne M. Raso]

Win a $20 gift card to Seamless!

2011-10-10T08:13:00.003-04:00

"So delicious (It's hot, hot)..."

Back when I was working on Wall Street, my co-workers and I became intimately familiar with the online food delivery service called Seamless (or Seamless Web as it was called then). In fact, I used this service so frequently (as we rarely left the office before dinnertime), I actually created a list of my favorite area restaurants and notes on dishes to order -- because when your mind is crunching numbers all day, you sometimes need a reminder that the chicken dish from Chinese Restaurant A is tastier than the same dish at Chinese Restaurant B thru Z!

She works hard for the money...

I looked back on my list recently, and although many of the restaurants are now gone (due to the recession), it still brings back fond memories of meticulously tracking the good and the bad NYC delivery spots. Luckily, Seamless has made all finding the best of the web easy-peasy by creating the CRAVED restaurant awards!

From the press release:

"Seamless has launched the CRAVED Restaurant Awards, the first annual restaurant awards program which allows you the chance to honor the Seamless restaurants that bring you food happiness every day. Nominations began Sunday, October 9th and run through Saturday, October 15th. Voting will then begin on October 16th for the restaurants with the most nominations in each category, and the winners will be announced on October 30th."

So there you have it -- happy eating and voting!

***Giveaway***

Congrats #4 - Linda!

To help get you in the restaurant nominating mindset, Seamless, in partnership with financefoodie.com, is giving one lucky reader a $20 gift card to use on Seamless.com.

There are THREE ways to enter
1. REQUIRED: In my comments section, tell me what's your favorite type of food (mine is seafood!? Also please include your email address so I can contact you if you win!
2. Follow Finance Foodie on Twitter (leave separate comment telling me this)
3. Reblog / Retweet this giveaway (leave separate comment telling me this)

Contest ends Friday, October 14, 2011 at 5pm EST. Winners will be chosen via random integer generator on random.org announced on the financefoodie.com site shortly afterwards that night!

Kicking it Old Skool Boston at The Brahmin

2011-10-03T09:07:00.001-04:00

By: Jessica Cickay

It’s chic, but not sickeningly stylish. It’s trendy, but not hopelessly hip. It’s elegant, but by no means is it garishly graceful. Basically, The Brahmin Restaurant and Lounge defies the stereotypes and stands out on Stanhope Street, bringing forth the perfect balance of elegance and ease to the Back Bay.

Upon entering The Brahmin, I felt as if I were coming home – and that, apparently, was the goal of the newly opened restaurant and bar. The setup and décor is designed to feel like a warm and cozy Boston brownstone, but the type of brownstone that could make you super jealous of whoever owns said brownstone – comforting and casual, yet styled and striking. Copper accents catch your eye at every angle, while dangling crystal chandeliers scatter the light of perfectly placed candles atop the sleek oak bar. The wood tones are warm, the booths are a cozy maroon leather and the exposed brick walls scream simple sophistication. Waitresses and bartenders that night were dressed to the nines, donning festive flapper-era outfits that took patrons back to a time before any of them were even born – escapism, especially with a craft cocktail in one hand, is amazing.

Amid The Brahmin’s shimmering aura and amongst The Brahmin’s approachable yet stunningly beautiful clientele, two DJs pumped music ranging from current hits to sentimental favorites (think the best wedding you’ve ever been to). Basically, everyone was in a good mood and aglow in good mood-lighting. You can’t ask for anything more, can you? The bartenders were a true testament to talent, mixing up some classic craft cocktails and giving The Brahmin grounds to brag about its unbeatable bar skills. I first sipped on the Moscow Mule, a combination of Absolut vodka, fresh squeezed lime and ginger beer. It was tangy and spicy and refreshing, and I was satisfied and happy and a little tipsy.

In an effort to look like a classy lady, I went for the Cucumber and Vanilla Cosmo next. Crop Cucumber organic vodka, Stoli Vanil, white cranberry and fresh squeezed lime all combined to make this drink a champion. It was certainly strong, but it could certainly be the means to an unforgettable evening.

For food, The Brahmin’s menu is mostly small-plate based, but let’s call it tapas with a twist. That evening, I had the pleasure of pleasing my taste buds with a few of The Brahmin’s best bites, ranging from the veggie-centric (seasonal tomatoes and baby mozzarella skewers) to the more meaty offerings (beef tartare with toast points and capers). My favorites? Grilled prawns, blackened on skewers and smothered in a smoky and tongue-tingling chipotle lime sauce, were tender and well-cooked, while tuna tartare, brightened by the bite of scallions and heightened by the punch of a sesame ginger aioli, was cleverly served on silver spoons. The perfect bite to end a perfect night.

The Brahmin’s balance in all key areas, décor, drinks and dining, is a stunning display of what most bars in the Back Bay could and should be. By expertly mixing the old with the new, The Brahmin has developed its own persona that will certainly win over the hearts of Bostonians for many more perfect nights to come.

The Brahmin

33 Stanhope St
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 723-3131

Going to Town at Towne Boston

2011-09-28T14:39:00.001-04:00

By: Jessica Cickay

Lydia Shire and Jasper White are kind of like the Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn of the Boston restaurant scene – no matter the space, no matter the cuisine or no matter the clientele, they just make it work. Upon entering their year-old Towne Stove and Spirits nestled next to Hynes Convention Center in the Back Bay, it was pretty obvious that Shire and White could keep this valiant venture working for many more to come. The warm, relaxing décor washed everyone and everything aglow, while despite the menu’s inherent pricey-ness, it was obvious that Towne already touted a healthy round of regulars– a true testament to the high-end, but low-maintenance restaurant’s staying power. I was visiting on an evening dubbed “A Taste of Italy,” and although I was surrounded by Ferrari’s (literally) and had to walk a red carpet to enter (also literally), all I could focus on was what I was about to devour: Shire’s signature Roman-inspired customizable four-course menu.

All's Well That Ends Well.

Our server Chuck went above and beyond the call of duty to translate describe the menu, first selling us on the Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup with Pecorino and Parsley Sformato, and Late Summer Tomatoes with Arugula. The soup was both bright in color and flavor, the smoky char of the roasted peppers playing off the cool undertones of the parsley sformato, which essentially was a creamy, herby mousse dotted with salty Pecorino, adding visual and textural appeal. In the simple salad, the tomatoes were fresh and tasted what tomatoes should taste like in September, earthy, heady and robust, and the peppery bite of arugula and drizzle of sweet, briny olive oil made the understated dish one to remember.

Yellow Pepper Soup

Late Summer Tomatoes

Next up came some of the best pasta dishes I’ve ever encountered in my 25 years, hands down. When I saw the Bucatini Amatriciana and Bucatini Vongole, or The Chosen Ones as I like to call them, coming toward our table, I had to feign surprise when the dishes were placed before us. I knew, however, that there’d be no faking it when my taste buds were hit by the depth of flavor and quality of the ingredients to come, given Lydia Shire’s red hot reputation in the restaurant world.

Vongole

The Amatriciana, a traditional Italian sauce made with dried pork cheek, pecorino and tomato, filled the perfectly prepared hollow spaghetti tubes with its strong, zesty flavor, while the Vongole was a velvety smooth red clam sauce accompanied by roasted grape tomatoes. The two sauces shone on their own, but utilizing the warm, crusty semolina and garlic studded bread from the basket to sop up Shire’s divine Roman creations was one of the best decisions of the night.

Amatriciana

The levels of satisfaction, admiration and temptation were all kicked up another notch when it was time for our main courses. My boyfriend went for the Abbacchio, or Roman-inspired baby lamb cooked two ways – grilled with rosemary, anchovies and garlic, and braised in a deep red wine. The lamb duo sat atop creamy, rich corn meal and next to fresh-from-the-farm eggplant that Shire herself literally hand picked that morning.

Abbacchio (Baby Lamb)

I treated myself to the Grilled Whole Sea Bass with Heirloom Potatoes & Tomatoes “in cartoccio,” or in a pouch. Somehow Shire and her chefs managed to maintain the bass in full, but remove the bones, allowing my mouth to enjoy the simply grilled fish, studded with accents of garlic, lemon and rosemary, unfettered. The potatoes and tomatoes were soft and subtly sweet hiding in their parchment pouch, boasting a similar rosemary flavor profile to the fish. Both dishes, and also the appetizers and pasta, were ideally portioned, and if anything leaned on the larger side.

Sea Bass

To end our trip to Rome – excuse me, Towne – we sampled the two dessert offerings for the evening. The Dark Chocolate Budino was a ramekin full of thick, rich, luscious chocolate pudding, but this wasn’t your ordinary lunch box snack pack. This pudding packed a punch and clobbered any savory cravings you may have had left with full on chocolate flavor. A spot of whipped cream and a crackle of sea salt really sealed the deal with this bad boy Budino. The Buttermilk Panna Cotta may not have been as forward, but don’t call this simple cooked cream shy. Similar to the Budino’s wallop of chocolate flavor, the Panna Cotta reigned supreme in the vanilla department, with its stark white body boldly bulleted with black flecks, as if trying to remind you that vanilla doesn’t back down easily.

Panna Cotta

The night started, continued and ended on a high note. From the atmosphere, to the service, to the chefs and most importantly to the food, Towne is definitely a boast-worthy gem in the Boston restaurant scene that will easily continue making it work in the trendy, but approachable, Back Bay space.

Towne

900 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02115-3101
(617) 247-0400

Teqa: A Hip, Young Midtown Mexican Eatery Worth Checking Out

2011-09-26T15:44:00.001-04:00

By: Anne M. Raso

We were lucky enough to check out the "modern Mexican" Teqa in Midtown Manhattan recently (also known as Murray Hill, a formerly bland neighborhood now on the rise in terms of hipness and young residents). It has a modern atmosphere, with fun light fixtures and open front floor-to-ceiling windows that give the diner the option of eating al fresco or coming inside. We noticed that the crowd was generally in their 20s and 30s--the type of folk who run home from work to change into something more casual before heading out to dinner. There also seemed to be a big bar scene in the back (there were as many people just having drink as sitting down to a meal).

Voodoo Chile

The restaurants' signature drink names and contents are actually embedded into the wallpaper on either side of the restaurant, interestingly enough. Cocktails are $11 and we tried two--the Voodoo Chile (Corzo Reposado, vanilla, maple syrup, pressed pineapple, fresh lemon and grated nutmeg) and the Hibiscus & Rose Margarita (hibiscus infused El Jimador Blanco, Triple Sec, fresh lime, rosewater mist and hibiscus salt) and both were potent and fruity. We would highly recommend both and you might start getting a buzz only two or three sips into your drink!

Teqa Guac

Being in a Mexican eatery, we had to of course try the restaurants popular "chips and dips"--we chose Teqa Salsas (three different color tortillas served with roasted tomato, shrimp mango and tomatillo salsa, $9) and Teqa Guacamole (guacamole done in mellow, orange habanero or in a "mega watt," i.e. superhot, style, $14). The winners on these two chips platters were the tomatillo salsa, which tasted like the tomatillos had been picked out of a local garden five minutes ago and the mellow guacamole, which seemed to have an addictive creamy quality.

Teqa Salsas

We then decided that two platters of chips and sauce were not enough after trying the aforementioned wonderful dips, so we tried Oaxaca Queso Fundido & Salsa (a special top secret hot melted white cheese blend, $11). Diners get the option to add vegetables, beef or chorizo to the platter for $ to $6, but we wanted pure melted cheese fun and we got it. It beat the heck out of any cheese "fondue" we have ever tried. We say to skip any old-school American or French fondue and just come here to feed your hot melted cheese and chips addiction!

Mahi Mahi

Skirt Steak

Our entrees were the wonderful Pan Seared Mahi Mahi Tacos ($16) which was served with jicama mint slaw and avocado "crema," Guinness Braised Short Rib Tacos (served with grilled corn, queso fresco and Teqa sauce, $16) and Teqa Marinated Charred Skirt Steak (served with roasted poblano pepper and pico de gallo, $26). Everything was ultra fresh--the white corn "taco shells" soft and warm and the meat was so tender, you did not even need a knife to cut it. The pico de gallo on top gave the meat just the right kick and sweetness at the same time.

Braised Short Rib Tacos

For dessert, we had to try what Teqa calls "Happy Endings" on their menu. We went for the Mexican Cinnamon-Sugar Churros (listed on the menu for $9 including dark chocolate dipping sauce, but we somehow wound up with the even more wonderful hot caramel dipping sauce as well). They were served hot with lots of extra cinnamon sugar. They had a crispy "bite" and we were lucky there were only four on the plate or else we would have never stopped indulging tin them.

Churros!

So we say, (Mexican) hats off to Teqa! The service was friendly, we were seated right away, the food and drinks came out promptly and we left happy--if a big wobbly from the Voodoo Chile and Hibiscus 7 Rose Margaritas. Soft drink lovers will be happy to know that the world famous Jarritos Mexican sodas are also served here.

Teqa

447 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10016
212-213-3223
Dress: Casual/Chic Casual

Photos: Anne M. Raso

Sugary Sweetness at the 2011 New England Dessert Festival!

2011-09-21T09:32:00.001-04:00

By: Jessica Cickay

Bottom line, dessert makes everything better. Upon arriving at the 2011 New England Dessert Showcase at the Sheraton Hotel in the Back Bay, it had been “one of those” weeks. One of those weeks when waiting for the T meant waiting for an eternity. One of those weeks when you get on the elevator to go up six floors, and it immediately shoots down to the basement. One of those weeks that when you show up to said Dessert Showcase, you realize that your camera is deader than dead. But do you remember my bottom line from above? It really is true: dessert makes the T come at lightning speed, the elevator elevate you instantly and mobile technology (ah gotta love camera phones) all the more impressive – aka dessert makes everything better.

Dubbed the “premier dessert experience on the East Coast,” the 2011 New England Dessert Showcase tried its best to live up to this sweet title. From cookies to cakes to whoopie pies, and from the conventional to a 10-foot cannoli, I think the Showcase covered it all.

OSugar! Cakery, a designer cupcake/cake/pure awesomeness bakery based in New Hampshire, really stole the show for this dessert sleuth. OSugar! had a huge variety of treats on tap to try, including their Snickers Cake (drool), their Bananas Foster Cake (swoon) and their Butter Pecan Cake Pops (can I get an Amen!), but their White Chocolate Raspberry Cake was easily the best thing I put in my mouth all day. The frosting was sweet and rich, but it didn’t just taste like butter – a major pet peeve and deal breaker for me. The tart raspberry filling atop pillowy layers of white cake was essentially a care package sent down to earth from the Dessert Gods

Like any normal person, I wanted to wash my cake down with a nice swig of ice cream, and luckily for me, Batch, an organic ice cream company operating out of Jamaica Plain, was ready for me and my sweet tooth. “Batch. Rhymes with Scratch” is their slogan and pretty much sums up the story behind this ice cream created sans artificial colors, artificial flavors and stabilizers. The women in charge of the churning, Susie and Veronica, were super enthusiastic about their product, and once I tried the velvety smooth, sweet but oh-wait-what’s-that-kick Salted Caramel flavor, I could totally see why. I thought I knew what ice cream was before trying a batch of Batch’s creations, but apparently the frozen aisle in my food store needs to step it up a bit in the flavor and freshness department ala Batch.

To me, cake is where it’s at, and Konditor Meister, a Braintree-based wedding cake and European pastry maker, knew exactly where I wanted to head. A variety of cakes and tortes and pies and pastries surrounded an elegant-and-a-half snowflake wedding cake that made me want to get down on one knee and propose to the girl giving out samples. I abstained, and instead took a bite of Chocolate Decadence, which, as its name suggests, was a pretty darn decadent flourless chocolate cake. The rich, fudgy, soft, solid mass of deeply sweet dark chocolate was all I could think about for the next few moments, proving that Konditor Meister is so legit, they don’t even need flour in their cakes to make me weak in the knees.

In the center of the show was Golden Cannoli Shells’ grand creation, an almost 10- foot long cannoli filled with rich ricotta cream and dotted with Hershey’s kisses for that extra-authentic look and feel, while, on a much smaller scale, were a variety of great bakeries offering a variety of unique treats. Kueh, a Singaporean bakery, made my belly happy with their Pulot Kaya, a glutinous rice cake flavored with tapioca and coconut, and Watertown-based Lilly’s made my taste buds tingle with their top-notch trees of cupcakes.

Sugar, butter, flour, eggs and me – pretty much the most powerful and dominant forces you’ll ever encounter in the world of dessert. Local bakers came together to share their specialties and show how these simple ingredients can create everything from a dessert, to a memory, to a smile. The 2011 New England Dessert Festival single-handedly turned my frown upside down this week, because you know why? Dessert makes everything better.

Whew - Whatta Week! Highlights from Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2012

2011-09-19T10:22:00.002-04:00

By: Anne M. Raso

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week is always exhilarating and exhausting at the same time. The failing economy did affect things slightly as many designers chose to have their shows off the Fashion Week site in Lincoln Center. Our favorites included the low-key and simple glamour of Rolando Santana and the bold prints of Stephen Burrows--who held their shows at Exit Art and the Audi Forum, respectively. The most flamboyant show (always) seems to be Betsey Johnson, and the favorite flamboyant and practical at the same time designer always seems to be Guishem! Straight ahead rock and roll wear with rock music to accompany it was given out in spades by Charlotte Ronson. By the way, we have to say her gift bag was one of the best from the shows--attendees got a few Hydroxatone skin products, a fun "female products" case courtesy of Kotex, Color Club mail lacquer and a couple of Charlotte's own line of lip glosses.

Backstage at Stephen Burrows

Guishem Presentation

The QVC show was also one of our favorites because it featured a diversity of designers and models and was the only show that we saw that featured two plus-size models. Attendees gathered downstairs afterwards to check out goods by everyone from Heidi Klum to Joan Rivers and have a cocktail afterwards. The greatest Asian-inspired collection we took in was Blanc De Chine, held in their Fifth Avenue store and on our way out we spotted New York's bravest in formal uniform lined up along Fifth Avenue in the thousands waiting to do a post 9-11 memorial ceremony photo op in front of St. Patrick's.

Scene at QVC

The Fashion Week Suites are always a must-visit because they feature the three Big S's tied and weary attendees are seeking out--Swag, Salon services and (on occasion), Something to eat. One of the best was the Amway-owned Artistry Cosmetics, who were a first-time suite sponsor at the Empire Hotel. The super friendly staff of publicists, makeup artists and masseuses made it a joy to attend. The paraffin hand treatments, massage and makeovers were icing on the cake. The Daily Front Row, Fashion Week's official "glossy" paper, had two suites--one was a beauty-oriented one at the Town House Spa and the other one was "a little bit of this and a little bit of that" at the Stone Roses Lounge in the Time Warner Center. The Town House Spa had stations set up where visitors saw reps from DDF Skincare, Soft Cup feminine protection products, Fake Bake, Pretty Polly funky hosiery and more. Folks at the Stone Roses Lounge got to visit reps from Silhouettes Eyewear, Avon (who have out their latest and greatest anti-aging creams) and Macallan Scotch, who created a delicious cocktail of Scotch, carrot juice and lemon juice (served in a martini glass). There were chair massages and a vegetarian lunch served daily--and more cocktails than you could raise a glass to!

RELAXATION!

Lia Sophia Jewelry's suite in the Empire was uber fun because guests got to check out pieces from their fabulous Red Carpet Collection (which ranges from $200 to $1100 per piece). The designs are creative and mix vintage wih industrial for some sophisticated and chic looks. Their cuff bracelets are off the hook and visitors to the Lia Sophia just "glammed" into them like bees on a honeycomb. We have written about Lia Sophia here before at financefoodie.com and we have to say that their designer is so talented, the creations are giving Chanel a run for their money in the costume jewelry arena.

Cuffs at Lia Sophia

The Porsche clothing folks held an intimate suite on the Mezzanine of the Empire Hotel where attendees looked at clothing and accessories inspired by the "need for speed" lifestyle, and the Allure Magazine folks held both a "storefront" suite for the public and a by-invitation-only suite on the Mezzanine Level at the Empire. The "Allure Upstairs Suite" - as the latter was called, featured manis, blowouts, Vitamin Water, fragrances by Eau De Nous, fragrance atomizers, plus much, much more.

Porsche Clothing S/S12

Eau de Nous

As much as we like fitting into our Herve Leger, we also like to eat, so our fave food+fashion event of the week was the Goodness Pop-up Restaurant breakfast where restauranteur mastermind Elettra Wiedemann, daughter of actress Isabella Rossellini, pressed the flesh with press (PS she's so gorgeous and has her mom's cheekbones!). The breakfast croissants, scones and other pastries were homemade and quite deelish -- we actually could barely keep it to only three like we wanted to, as it was hard to see the models and skinny fashionistas walking by outside while we were chowing down on caloric goodies. Elettra's eatery was on the side of Ed's Chowder House, and we hope to see her open a permanent restaurant in Manhattan--she has a lot of talent in this area (plus, she looks like a fashion model). We hear that there were plenty of healthy items on the lunch and dinner menus, just so you know!

Elettra Wiedemann

Needless to say, Fashion Week can take the "mickey out of you," but we spent a nice couple of hours relaxing with author Jackie Collins in the quiet and solitude of the Library at the Hudson Hotel. Collins took in a few fashion week shows including Venexiana but she invited 20 or so bloggers for an intimate meet and greet and reading to promote Goddess Of Vengeance, her 28th book since starting her career out with a bang back in 1968. Collins was friendly and approachable, spent time talking to each and every blogger there, shared a "Lucky Cocktail" or two, and even read a chapter from her latest sure-to-be-a-bestseller followed by an intimate Q&A session.

Jackie Collins

We here at financefoodie.com is glad we have to next February to rest up for the next Mercedes Benz Fashion Week--because it takes about that long to recharge ourselves! We have no idea how those superchic fashion week dames (and drag queens) do the whole week in high heels. Those folks deserve to be in some sort of Fashion Week Hall of Fame right alongside Karl Lagerfeld (who we happened to meet up with at Macy's the night before Fashion Week officially kicked off, by the way...the fashionistas were in full force for his after-appearance party in the President's suite of "the world's most famous department store")!

Karl at Macy's

So until next year, 'tis time for our beauty sleep!

[Photos: Anne M. Raso / Finance Foodie]

Omaha Steaks Revisited: Time To Go Public With Their "Private Reserve"!

2011-09-14T13:41:00.002-04:00

By: Anne M. Raso

In the six or seven months, I have become a almost daily consumer of Omaha steaks and even blogged about them here a few months ago. In NYC, it's actually cheaper to order Omaha Steaks than to purchase them at local supermarkets (where the better cuts of steak are $17 to $20 a pound) and Omaha's quality is much better. The amount of fat on their steaks is visibly lower than anything you will see in a supermarket refrigerator case. The Omaha folks also have non-steak items including tender, fast cooking chicken breasts which totally need to be in any health-conscious person's freezer. I will say that the superstar of Omaha Steaks, not surprisingly is their beef tenderloin, aka filet mignon, which is so tender, you almost do not need a knife to cut it--and you get the filets in perfect portions of four, five or six ounces, so you won't overindulge. Everything is frozen and delivered in a large white styrofoam container (which some customers keep and use for storage or even a bait and tackle box later on) and you can keep all Omaha meat in your freezer for up to a year. The packages are vacuum sealed, so there is no chance of freezer burn, and you can defrost any piece in a half hour by thawing it in cold water (still in its plastic packaging).

I recently tested out the fancier line that Omaha Steaks offers, simply called Private Reserve. I got my hands on the Private Reserve Grand Trio, which includes two 8 oz. Private Reserve Top Sirloins, two 6 oz. Private Reserve Filet Mignons and two 11 oz. Private Reserve Boneless Strips. It regularly sells on omahasteaks.com for $179 and they often offer it at the discounted price of $119. (Once you start ordering from omahasteaks.com, you will be sent coupons for $20 off any purchase and you will also get weekly or biweekly emails for other special discounts and packages.) So many Omaha Steaks fans, myself included, have wondered if the Private Reserve is worth the money since the "regular" Omaha Steaks are so terrifically tender and juicy to begin with...I mean, how much better can they get?

I cooked all three types of steaks in cast iron (since Manhattan co-ops rarely allow grilling and using a George Foreman Grill for a fine steak is out of the question). I like my meat medium rare and all cuts did turn out to be juicier and more tender than their "regular" Omaha Steak counterparts. We loved the 2 1/2" thickness of the Filet Mignons--to make them cook even faster in our cast iron pan, I sliced them down the middle. What can I say but that all three cuts are worth the extra money. You're not going to find a better steak even in New York's finer restaurants, and we consider ourselves pretty knowledgeable on the subject matter since we've visited about 20 Manhattan steak restaurants (including the finer chains that are here and in other parts of the country). All of the Private Reserve cuts are very lean, making them a healthier alternative to lesser quality steaks, so you are not only paying for tenderness and juiciness, but for less fat!

I still love the regular line of Omaha Steaks and I can't resist great variety package deals like The Grand Pack (28 items for $79.99 including chicken, pork chops, steak burgers and filet mignon), but I will be splurging here and there on the Private Reserve Grand Trio just because it's nice to always have a melt-in-your-mouth" prime steak in the fridge, especially when you are suddenly getting company and don't have much time to cook. (Yes, contrary to popular belief, residents of Manhattan do actually cook now and then even though their kitchens are the tiniest in the world and dishwashers are still a rarity)! My next Private Reserve steak fantasy is actually the T-Bones and Porterhouses (have never had them before) and I love the fact that they are so large (20 and 24 ounces, respectively). Then next, will be the Private Reserve Bone-In Rib Roast (my excuse being that I got a new meat thermometer at a recent Williams-Sonoma press event and still haven't put it to use)! Simply put, I honestly think that Omaha Steaks Private Reserve should have the first word changed to OH-maha!

***Giveaway***

Congrats #3 and #34- ninamcclain93 and Pat!

Omaha Steaks wants to give TWO lucky readers each a $20 gift card to try a steak on them!

There are THREE ways to enter
1. REQUIRED: In my comments section, tell me how you like youe steaks cooked. Also please include your email address so I can contact you if you win!
2. Follow Finance Foodie on Twitter (leave separate comment telling me this)
3. Reblog / Retweet this giveaway (leave separate comment telling me this)

Contest ends Tuesday, September 20, 2011 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: The prize pack has been provided by Omaha Steak. I was not compensated for this post. Photos: Omaha Steak

Isle of Delight at The Strand NYC

2011-09-12T10:27:00.001-04:00

"Sitting at the dock of the bay..."

When I lived in NYC, I would often go to birthday parties at The Strand Hotel, but was surprised to recently hear that the hotel also had a restaurant on the first floor (these things often get overlooked at 4am in the morning and after copious amounts of motivational beverages!). Therefore, on my last trip back to the City for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, I thought, "What a completely fitting time to check out this Fashion District hotspot for dinner!"

Helmed by Executive Chef Kelvin Fernandez (also of "Chopped" fame), The Strand Bistro serves American cuisine with contemporary and eclectic influences. When I walked in, I could already see this reflected in the decor -- with its bookshelves filled with leather-bound novels well-meshed next to a modernly chic aquarium. As for the cuisine, I started out with an excellent Gulf Shrimp Risotto which immediately put me in a great mood (which I needed after running around to fashion shows all day!). The shrimp was nicely plump and light, which paired very well with the rich and creamy risotto.

I decided seafood would be the theme of the night, so I ordered the Ahi Tuna served atop Baby Bok Choy, and Shitake Mushrooms as my main course. Although I wished the tuna came with white rice to dilute the saltiness of the dish, I was impressed with the nice consistency and freshness of the tuna steaks. I also appreciated that each piece of tuna was cut bite-sized -- which happened to fit into my mouth just swimmingly!

I was a bit hesitant ordering a side of mac n' cheese (afterall, I still had two days left of fitting into sample sized dress for Fashion Week shows)-- but this turned out to be a fantastic move! Incredibly melt in your mouth and cheesy, pasta cooked perfectly al dente, plus crispy toasted breadcrumbs as the icing on the cake -- this was by far the best dish of the night!

Since I figured this was going to be my "splurge" meal of the week after gobbling down all the mac n cheese, obviously I was going to go for dessert. The newfangled Carrot Cake served with coconut sorbet (instead of cream cheese icing) was super interesting and a great play on a traditional Carrot Cake.

What a great (and lighter) way to end my meal -- the fashion Gods would totally approve!

The Strand Bistro

33 West 37th Street
New York, NY 10018
(212) 584-4000
DRESS: Business Casual

Getting Wet and Wild with Poconos' Whitewater Challengers

2011-09-08T08:48:00.002-04:00

"Chuck the deuce up..."

This past Labor Day, I resolved to take it easy. After almost a month of "Pre-Term"grad school life in Philly (Pre-Term=staying out late, drinking like a fish, and generally not going to class), I knew I need some time to decompress and sober up. However, just one day of relaxation left me as bored as a fatso at a salad bar, so I decided spice things up a bit and go whitewater rafting on the Lehigh River in Poconos, PA (aka the must visit outdoors adventure destination two hours outside of Philly). It had been a few months since my last rafting trip, so I was totally itching to get back into the waters and shoot some waves. Plus, I was going with 30 plus of my super fun fellow grad school classmates, and I thought this would be a great way to bond with them without sacrificing the health of my liver.

Our group chose to raft with Whitewater Challengers, the premier whitewater rafting company serving the Philly and NYC area that came heavily recommended by my whitewater rafting chums from back in the day. Since we had a few beginners on our trip, we decided take the Class III rapids trip (although if it were up to me, I would have for sure gone with the Class V and beyond!).

Whitewater Rapid Classes 101
Class I — Easy, no obstacles, small ripples, slow current
Class II — Moderate, occasional obstacles, medium current with waves
Class III — Larger, more exciting, longer rapids with strong, irregular currents
Class IV — Very large, steeper rapids, longer with numerous obstacles
Class V — Extremely Difficult, has large vertical drops, strong hydraulics, very swift, irregular
currents in heavily obstructed channels
Class VI — Nearly Impossible and Very Dangerous. For teams of experts only, after close study
and with all precautions taken.

Here's a few of the crew getting ready to hit the water. Notice how dry and attractive everyone is here. This will not be the case by the end of our 4 hour trip.

...And off we go into the Lehigh!

This was one of our guide. I forgot his name but he was totally awesome cause he saved more than a few of my fellow classmates from drowning when our rafts hit rocks and/or flipped over.

Halfway through the journey, we all took a break for lunch. Obviously, the food was very basic (no Le Bec Fin catering here), but it totally did its job in providing some much needed energy after 2 hours of paddling. And FYI, although the below photo makes me look as if I just consumed an unacceptable meal, I was actually pretty satisfied with my turkey sandwich (especially since the turkey meat was generously portioned!).

Even though the water was freeeeeezing and slightly dirty, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to test drive my new swimsuit and take a swim (that's me on the right).

During the course of the trip, boat wars broke out (this was obviously expected given the competitive nature of business school students). Our boat started out at Team Peace, but ended as Team Pirates (I won't get into details but let's just say things got real heated and buckets/ people started flying!

And finally, us at the very end -- wet, tired, horribly ugly, but super happy about the fun day we had.

All and all, a terrific trip and a great bonding experience amongst my classmates! After this adventure, I cannot wait to see what else is in store for the next two years!

[Photos: Will Wang / Winnie Sze]

Healthy Alternatives to Fight the Freshman 15!

2011-09-06T06:40:00.003-04:00

"I love college..."

Now that Labor Day has officially come and gone, it's time to put away the Hawaiian Tropic and pull out the Jan Sport buried deep in the closet. Yup -- it's back to school time, which means long days of learning filled with even longer nights of meeting and greeting (this is especially true in my grad program, where everything seems to be done over pizza and beer!).

Let's be real here, with all this eating, drinking and lack of sleep, it's super easy to gain the dreaded Freshman 15. Luckily, my older and wiser self (marred by a slower metabolism), has found some simple but effective foodie tips that have helped in keeping me trim and my the social calendar on a roll. Check out my tips -after the jump!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Foodie Tip #1: Diet Alcoholic Drinks
College is a mecca for drinking at all times and those two, four, seven drinks a day can really add up (case in point: an average sized pint of beer packs in more than 200 calories!). Plus, if you're a girly-girl like me, you probably secretly hate the taste of beer / liquor, and wish you were spending those 200 plus calories on something that actually tasted good -- like a cookie. My solution? Mike's Hard Lite Lemonade and Cranberry Lemonade (aka the Girl Beer). With only 109 calories per 12oz bottle, this all-natural and gluten-free beverage tastes just like a fruity punch -- you totally cannot taste the alcohol at all. Not to mention, it also looks super coordinated with my pastel swimsuit while chilling poolside!

Foodie Tip #2: Turkey Burgers
Most fully loaded beef burgers top out at over 800 calories, which spells trouble for the waistband. Therefore, whenever I attend a BBQ party, I always make sure to bring a box of Jennie O Turkey Burger patties for the grill. These babies, coming in at ~170 calories per patty, are much less fatty and caloric than the traditional beef burger, but just as yummy and juicy (and pre-seasoned too!). Topped with lettuce, tomato and ketchup (NO MAYO FOLKS!)-- this turkey burger makes one satisfying and fulfilling meal that doesn't break the calorie bank.

Foodie Tip #3: H2O
It's a proven fact that not staying hydrated can lead to weight gain, so I always make sure to carry a bottle of water with me wherever I go (in fact, I only buy handbags that are big enough to fit a 16 oz water bottle). Since I am deathly afraid of unfiltered water (sorry but I'm high maintenance), I rely on my Zero Water pitcher to provide clean, fresh and sediment free water to quench my thirst and keep the hunger pains away. This water filter, which I find far superior to my old Brita filter, remove both organics and the heavy metals dissolved in the water (ordinary carbon filters used by the Brita pitcher normally remove organics matters only). The result -- cleaner and crispier water that I happily imbibe. Plus, each pitcher set comes with a water testing meter that shows the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) -- so rest assure, you water is for sure pure!

So there you have it -- a few quick tips to stave off the pounds while enjoying the college experience!

***Giveaway***

Congrats #78 - Harris!

Jennie O Meats has teamed up with financefoodie.com to help one lucky reader start the school year (or Fall season) off healthy by giving away two $10 gift certificates good for any Jennie O retail or deli meat product.

There are THREE ways to enter
1. REQUIRED: In my comments section, tell me what you what is your favorite healthy snack. Also please include your email address so I can contact you if you win!
2. Follow Finance Foodie on Twitter (leave separate comment telling me this)
3. Reblog / Retweet this giveaway (leave separate comment telling me this)

Contest ends Friday, September 9, 2011 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: The prize pack has been provided by Jennie O. I was not compensated for this post.
Photo Credits: Jennie O / Financefoodie.com / Jenny Zhang

Right as Raita! Junoon...Elegant Indian in the Flatiron District!

2011-09-05T07:31:00.001-04:00

By: Anne M. Raso

Junoon is in the trendy Flatiron District and dare we say it? -- It's been our most elegant experience in the world of Indian cuisine in Manhattan to date. All the managers are also sommeliers, so you can get perfect spirit accompaniments to every course. Every bit of attention is paid to detail in this fine eatery--that looks as if you let P. Diddy redecorate the Taj Mahal--and the staff is extremely knowledgeable about everything served and will tweak food to your liking. People come her for birthdays, anniversaries, with dates they are trying to impress...or just because they enjoy the finest delicacies of South Asia. While it might look modern, Junoon chefs pretty much keep to traditional recipes for Indian dishes but does them with the occasional non-traditional spice thrown in for good measure...and of course, all meat is prime and all vegetable are as straight off a local farm as possible.

We started off our evening with the refreshing Aromatic Apricot cocktail ($13), which is a concoction of apricot infused gin, muddled cilantro, lime syrup and a float of sweet sparkling Torrontes. It's a must for apricot drink lovers and was surprisingly non-sweet and fragrant like a parcel of freshly picked fruit. The bar at Junoon makes all their own syrups that the drinks are based on, and soon they will be serving a range of "mocktails" for those who prefer no alcohol in their diet and we were offered a sneak peek of what they say will be the rage in the future amongst tee-totaler clientele: homemade saffron soda.

Aromatic Apricot

Our selected appetizers (they welcome sharing at Junoon) were Lahsooni Gobi (crispy cauliflower, chili flakes and garlic tomato chutney, $12) and Hyperbadi Patthar Paneer (Indian fresh cheese, roasted onion chutney and chili threads, $12). Both were a real treat--the cauliflower was the perfect mellow vegetable to be put in such a tangy tomato-based sauce and the Indian fresh cheese was buttery and fresh as can be. It was truly the best Indian cheese dish either my dining partner or myself has ever tried. The chili threads were of a medium "heat" and added just the right finish to the cheese dish.

Lahsooni Gobi

We also got the Spiced Paneer Salad, which was hand sliced and seared paneer with roasted cherry tomatoes, breakfast radishes and pine nuts ($10). There was a unique blend of several vinegars in the dressing that had a slightly sweet tinge.

Spiced Paneer Salad

We selected two poultry dishes as our main course--Chicken Awadhi Korma (made with cashew nuts, green cardamom, saffron and cream, $23) and Chicken Malvan (made with fresh coconut, Green Chiles, Fresh Cilantro and black Cardamom, $22). The chicken breast cubes in both were succulent in both, but the Malvan featured a mild yogurt sauce with minimal spiciness while the Korma had an unforgettable green herbal kick that made you want to dip the paratha in from the Bread Basket ($14) in the extra sauce until our plates were clean! (The bread basket is a generous portion of naan, garlic naan and paratha big enough for three or four people.) You can order a large portion of Mint Raita--which we like to use on more than just bread--for $6 and we are sure you will enjoy the touches of cumin, mint, mango and pomegranate pieces in it!

Chicken Awadhi Korma

The lamb chop entree, Dahi Wale Lamb Chops (made with “hung” yogurt, white pepper, green cardamom, fresh ginger with a yam cake on the side, $36) were outrageously tender and succulent. These could easily give Cipriani a run for its money as most succulent lamb chops in Manhattan. The spicing was perfect, and the white pepper added just the right "kick" at the end.

Dahi Wale Lamb Chops

For vegetable dishes, we chose Amritsari Aloo Wadi (sundried black lentil dumplings with potato and chili, $16) and Punjabi Kadi (vegetable chick pea dumplings, $17) and have to say that both were items we had never encountered on any Indian menus in Manhattan before. Both dishes featured sauces that were so memorable that again we had to hit the bread basket and sop up every last drop.

Punjabi Kadi

We ended our dinner with Passion Fruit Bombe ($12), which was a creamy confection that was halfway between mousse and ice cream and served on a pan friend ultra thing noodle known as Katafi, which was topped with coriander basil seeds. The dessert kind of looked like a very pale yellow egg in a bird's nest, but it was as light and refreshing as sorbet.

Passion Fruit Bombe

A $95 price fixe menu is available for adventurous (and hungry!) folks who like to have six courses! This menu changes but has received raves for those we have met who have tried it. When we were visiting the restaurant, this price fixe included the Lobster Tandoori, one of Junoon's most popular dishes. Let us state the atmosphere is warm, luxurious, and spacious all at one time with lighting that feels candlelit (even though there are no candles, but rather, very modern chandeliers and wall sconces). Ask for general manager Robin Lewis if you go--he did an impeccable job selecting wine for every course right up to an amazing sweet but not-to-sweet dessert wine. Tell him financefoodie.com sent you and he will take extra special care of you (not that he isn't one of the best sommeliers in Manhattan to begin with).

Junoon
27 West 24th Street, Ground Floor
New York, NY 10010
(212) 490-2100
DRESS: Business chic/chic casual

[Photos: Anne M. Raso]

Win a Trip to Mercedes Benz Fashion Week from Fiber One!

2011-08-30T06:27:00.003-04:00

"Walk walk fashion baby..."

As important as it is to carry the season´s must-have handbag, it´s just as important that it´s filled with the right on-the-go essentials. That´s why Fiber One 90 Calorie Chewy Bars make the perfect accessory for a woman´s handbag. These delicious chewy bars perfectly compact and low calorie, making them the ideal fashionista on-the-go snack.

Snack in style with Fiber One 90 Calorie Chewy Bars, the "official snack" of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. From September 1, 2011 through November 30, 2011, visit www.FiberOne.com to enter the "Fiber One Great Taste Giveaway" for a chance to win a trip to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in February 2012 or, through March 31, 2012, one of 100 $500 gift cards for a designer handbag of your choice.

As a Mercedes Benz Fashion Week veteran (this will be my sixth season in attendance!), I've always relayed on snack bars like the Fiber One 90 calorie chewy bars to keep my energy levels up when running from back-to-back shows! Visit www.FiberOne.com for more information about Fiber One Bars and the "Great Taste Giveaway," and be sure to check out the Fiber One Facebook page to join the conversation and get great style tips.

***Giveaway***

Congrats #7 - Jessica!

Let's be real, you gotta look good when you're hanging out with fashionistas. Therefore, financefoodie.com has partnered with Fiber One to give one reader a "Get Glam" prize pack to help you look your best - whether you're going to Fashion Week or just going across the street for a gallon of skim milk!

Prize Pack

1 box of Fiber One 90 Calorie Chocolate Chewy Bars

1 chic black cosmetic case

1 pop-out hair brush

1 compact mirror

1 tin of mints

There are THREE ways to enter
1. REQUIRED: In my comments section, tell me what you do when you are on the go and hunger pains strike. Also please include your email address so I can contact you if you win!
2. Follow Finance Foodie on Twitter (leave separate comment telling me this)
3. Reblog / Retweet this giveaway (leave separate comment telling me this)

Contest ends Friday, September 2, 2011 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: The information and prize pack has been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark. I was not compensated for this post.

Cheese Please at Cheeseboy

2011-08-29T09:00:00.001-04:00

"Island in the sun..."

If you are a long time read of this blog, you know that I love all things cheeeeeesee (cheesy jokes included!). Therefore, on my trip back to Boston last weekend, I knew I had to stop by Cheeseboy, America's first quick service restaurant dedicated to serving gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and accompanying soups, that just opened up in the Prudential Center (which also conveniently is just a hop and skip away from my apartment) .

Braving the wrath of Hurricane Irene, I sauntered over in hope of indulging myself with the cheesy goodness that awaited under Cheeseboy's neon lighted sign. Faced with so many cheesy options, I had trouble deciding what to order. After much pondering and game theorizing (the economics class I took finally showing some real life applicability), I decided on the mac and cheese as an appetizer and the make-your-own grilled cheese sandwich as a main course.

YUM YUM! The mac and cheese was super rich and well....cheesy! Especially exciting to me was the top layer of melted swiss cheese that added an extra bit of cheesy "oomph" to the dish. The provolone cheese, spinach and bacon on multigrain bread grilled cheese sandwich was soooo delicious and satisfying as well - not to mention it was also under $5! (BTW, my real camera is in the shop, so pardon the camera phone pics -- they really don't do these items the justice they deserve)!

Obviously this was a very diet unfriendly and dairy heavy meal (lactose intolerant folks beware), but the splurge was worth it! I cannot wait for my next trip to Beantown -- but until then, this blog post will serve as a reminder of the cheesy goodness that lies ahead.

Cheeseboy

Prudential Center
800 Boylston Street
Boston, MA, 02199
(617) 266-7474

Full Stop Ahead in Rittenhouse Square at Parc Philadelphia

2011-08-25T09:44:00.001-04:00

“Beep beep, who got the keys to the Jeep…”

When I asked my Philly foodie friends about the city’s dining scene, only one name came up consistently -- “Stephen Starr.” For those that are unaware, Mr. Starr pretty much dominates the restaurant scene in Central Philly with such choice eateries as Continental, Alma de Cuba, El Vez (and a boat load of others). Last night, I had the pleasure of experiencing my first “Starr” experience at Parc, a chic little French styled bistro in the heart of Rittenhouse Square.

When we arrived, we were immediately brought to a table on the patio overlooking the Park. With a delightfully refreshing Citron Glace cocktail in one hand and made-in-house baguette in another – I felt I had been transported to the streets of Paris (minus the slew of Phillies-attired pedestrians perusing around the block).

I started dinner with a simple and traditional serving of escargot marinated in a hazelnut butter sauce and served with thin buttered crisps. Although the dish was quite heavy (the French do love their butter!), the escargot was extremely tender and juicy. I also liked the generous serving of bread – which aided my attempt to soak up every last drop of the heavenly butter sauce!

The main course was the Wednesday Menu Special – the Lobster Americaine. I’ve always said I’ve never met a lobster I didn’t like – tonight was no exception. The succulent tail and claw was full of flavor and the tagliolini pasta that it was served on top was cooked perfectly al dente. As the icing on the cake, chanterelle mushrooms were thrown in for a dash of excitement (and fun it was for my mouth!).

To wrap up an already extraordinary meal, I had the lovely Strawberry Gateau cake. As the layers upon layers of sweet sinfulness hit my tongue, I forgot temporarily that I'd need to hit the gym extra hard today to make up for this splurge meal. O'well – at least the strawberries count for one of my daily servings of fruit!

As I exited the restaurant and headed into the cool breezy night’s air, all I can say is – I think it’s going to be a great two years in Philly!

Parc
227 S 18th St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 545-2262

The Best Pizza In New York and Donatella's Other Delights!

2011-08-24T09:08:00.002-04:00

By: Anne M. Raso

Using the phrase "Best Pizza In New York" is a serious matter especially if you are a New Yorker (sadly, tourists' opinions do not count much in a pizza contest that started with the real Ray's back in the day and goes to now). New Yorkers know their pizza, and feel as strongly about it as they do for the Yankees and Statue Of Liberty. Chelsea's Donatella (owned by restaurateur extraordinaire Donatella Arpaia) has won awards for her all-veal meatballs so when you put them on one of her pizzas--yowza! We are very specifically speaking of her Polpette Pizza, which includes freshly made Caciocavallo cheese (not mozzarella although it tastes similar and a staple in Puglia, Italy from raw cow and sheep milk curds), topped with fresh pieces of basil and a darkened-just-right crust baked in her custom-made brick oven. Did we fail to include mention of Donatella's homemade old-school marinara? Sorry about that. We like the way the crust is very dark and even black at parts--it's very old school and even beats our previous #1 (the old-school Neapolitan pies at Eataly).

Pizza Polpette

But do not go to Donatella just for the pizza. On our visit--despite being full from the Polpette, we tried the pasta special of the day, Homemade Cavatelli with pea pesto, thick-cut pancetta pieces and Parmesan cheese. We have never had pesto not made with basil before, and this pea pesto has a thicker consistency with much less olive oil added. The cavatelli is served al dente, so if you prefer your pasta softer, speak up when you order. This is a highly memorable dish and you might actually decide that you want to make the switchover to this type of pesto at home since it is much less caloric (but with a lot of flavor).

Homemade Cavatelli

We go the Chopped Vegetable Salad in an attempt to "be healthy," and it was served simply with olive oil and a few different types of vinegars mixed, including balsamic and rice vinegar. The vegetables include sugar snap peas, golden and red beets and scallions and were very flavorful. We gave up being healthy once Donatella's Arancini (rice balls) came out, which featured her famous meatballs and gooey mozzarella in the filling.

Chopped Veggie Salad

We went hog wild at dessert time, ordering the Bittersweet Chocolate Parfait (consisting of bittersweet Valrhona chocolate pudding, and topped with raspberries in a gelee, mascarpone cream and caramel sauce). It was rich but not overwhelmingly so and not as sweet as it might sound. This parfait is definitely a winning choice for chocolate dessert lovers.

Bittersweet Chocolate Parfait

We had to tip our hats a little deeper to the Sfogliatelle Riccia, served hot out of the oven. This multi layer Italian classic with fresh ricotta cheese filling seems to rarely be on Southern Italian menus anymore, so we jumped at the chance to have it (the only place is it commonly sold in Manhattan is at the pastry shops in Little Italy and those "sfogs" tend to have been sitting around in a refrigerator case for weeks). We will go back again and again for this until they do not make stretch pants in our size anymore. Of note as well are the Zeppoli which have a lemony flavor and are filled with lemon cream, amarena and pistachios and the Cannoli, filled with fresh ricotta, orange blossom, credo, pistachio and bittersweet Valrhona chocolate.

Sfogliatelle Riccia

We also ordered the vodka and juice -based specialty drinks Infidelity and Royal Romance (since those two titles seem to go so well together although we only wish the best to Catherine and William. They are small (about six ounces) but strong and cost about $16. That is rather pricey for a drink but overall, the food prices are reasonable as entrees are in the $15 to $25 range including pizzas, which serve 2-3 people and cost $14-$19. Desserts run $9 each.

Donatella's space is clean and modern with an open-air feeling--be sure to check out the glitzy copper pizza oven in the back that bears her name. It's one of the coolest we've seen--and she deserves to have her name on there due to the high quality of her pizzas. Ms. Arpaia is expecting a baby next month and we are wondering how long it's going to take to turn that little one into a Southern Italian culinary wunderkind!

Donatella
184 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
212-493-5150

[Photos: Anne M. Raso]

First Philly Foodie Foray: Crabfest 2011 at the City Tap House!

2011-08-21T06:31:00.001-04:00

"It’s beer thirty a honky tonk time..."

What do you get when you combine all-you-can-eat crabs, Brooklyn Brewery beers, and a rocking live band? Well, besides a helluva good time, you also get Crabfest 2011 at the City Tap House. This event also marked also my first food event that I attended since moving to Philly few weeks back -- and judging by this event, I think my next two years in the city will be might grand and tasty!

After we were lead to our table, we were presented with the first of many lovely cooked crab friends. To be honest, I wish these suckers came pre-shucked (I ended up spending an insane amount of effort for just a small amount of meat!), but all the hard work was worth it in the end -- the crab was juicy and tender, with just the right amount of season.

Next came the sides -- cajun rubbed corn on the cob and steamed red potatoes!

The pile of food comes together...

...and the aftermath -- surveying the damage!

...which all got washed down with a big pint of Brooklyn Lager!

What a great welcome to Philly -- here's to two years of fun, food, and studying (a bit) of finance!

City Tap House
3925 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3624
(215) 662-0105

Upstairs At The Kimberly: Dining And Drinking With "Open Air Flair"!

2011-08-17T08:15:00.001-04:00

By: Anne M. Raso

For those who love open Modern American dining with a view, Upstairs At The Kimberly is the place to be. The signature drinks are highly inventive (if costly, at $16), but once you've tried one or two, you'll feel compelled to try them all. We checked out the Oh Yoko (a soju and sake based refreshing summer drink with lemon grass, ginger and mint) and Electrolyte (a vodka-based summer drink with fresh pineapple and lemon that is said to actually bring down one's body temperature) and we ordered repeats!

Electrolyte

Having one two, three, eight or nine of these drinks with the summer breeze blowing through you hair is a great way to cap off a summer day (but be sure to take a cab, bus or subway home)! And before you ask, we do not know if Yoko has really tried the drink in her honor or not!

Kobe Burger Sliders

Items tend to be served as "small plates" to keep up a " modern Manhattan after work bar scene" kind of feel at Upstairs, even though the food is taken very seriously. Chef David Andrews, formerly of Gotham Bar & Grill (where he specialized in pastry and worked his way up) and Xie Xie (where he worked closely with owner and Top Chef star Angelo Sosa), takes his American fare very seriously and does it in both "comfort" and "light styles" so there is something for everyone.

Crispy French Fries

We decided to mix and match plates--and share everything--so we got Truffled Mac & Cheese (made not only with fine truffle oil but with but with luscious, stringy Swiss and parmesan reggiano, $12), Spiced Duck Cigars (really a spring roll sliced vertically and filled with shredded duck, curry, carrots and pistachios with a side of pomegranate dipping sauce, $13), Kobe Burger Sliders (three slider-size Kobe beef patties on soft homemade white rolls topped with artisan cheddar, lettuce, tomato and pickles, $15), Crispy French Fries (done golden brown in canola oil and scattered with fresh parsley, $7) and Crispy Baby Artichokes (tender artichoke leaves sautéed in canola oil and topped with grated Parmesan and fresh lemon juice, $14).

Crispy Baby Artichokes

Truffled Mac & Cheese

OKAY OKAY! We admit that we skipped the healthy fare, which includes a Summer Tomato & Goat Cheese Salad ($12), Grilled Chicken Arugula Salad (with peach vinaigrette and ricotta salata, $12) and Yellowfin Tuna Tartare (with spicy avocado and ginger olive oil, $18).

Caramel Ice Cream Sandwich

Myself and my foodie guest decided to split two desserts--the Strawberry Soufflé (a tarragon strawberry salad and whipped cream delight that is a favorite of Chef Andrews) and the Caramel Ice Cream Sandwich (salted vanilla caramel light homemade ice cream on a crunchy chocolate wafer and a blackberry salad--Chef Andrews actually says the ice cream is not churned and cranked, so it is technically called a "parfait" by pastry chefs). We would definitely go back to check the other two "sweet finishers" on the menu--Chocolate Molten Cake (with dulce de leche ice cream) and Sticky Toffee Pudding (with butterscotch date cake and pistachio ice cream). All desserts are priced at $11 and portioned on the big side for two to share--although they are not overpoweringly big.

Wine Cellar

For more info on Upstairs At The Kimberly, go to upstairsnyc.com. As mentioned before, it's a no-rush after work "hang" with classy people and food (most people are in business attire but there is no dress code beyond "proper attire required" and many folks have on "casual chic" duds). Many friends have said they recommend it for brunch as well. Be aware that while you have your choice of sitting indoors or outside although during the summer months, the main room does not really have closed walls--so you will be at least partially "al fresco." The "Upstairs" folks definitely deserve to have bragging rights to the "best 360 degree view in midtown Manhattan" and the "James Bond meets midtown chic decor" is actually comfortable (something that can’t be said for most trendy rooftop eateries and bars in Manhattan). Reservations are suggested by not required, but we strongly suggest them if you are going to want to eat (as opposed to just have drinks) during after work hours because it can get crowded and a line form at the entrance downstairs (you won't have to wait on it if you have a ressie!).

Kimberly Hotel Penthouse
145 East 50th Street
New York, NY 10028
212-888-1220

[Photos: Anne M. Raso]

A Pirate's Life: National Rum Day on August 16th!

2011-08-16T07:51:00.002-04:00

"Yo ho ho..."

For centuries we’ve enjoyed the versatility and refreshing taste of rum as the go-to drink of seafarers, islanders and the land-locked alike. So wherever you are - beat the summer heat and continue this tradition by celebrating National Rum Day on August 16. To kick off the celebration, crank up the Caribbean tunes, light the barbecue and invite your friends over for a night of rum revelation!

Whether you enjoy the rum neat, on the rocks or in a cocktail, enjoy National Rum Day with a delicious drink and revel in these precious last days of summer surrounded by good friends and libations. As soon as they walk in the door, hand them a classic rum cocktail to get the party started...here are two recipes from Boston and the Cape to help inspire!

Turbinado

Created by Jackson Cannon of Eastern Standard

2 oz of Brugal Añejo
1 oz Fresh squeezed lime
.75 oz Demerara syrup
Dash of Angostura bitters
1.5 oz ginger beer

Shake ingredients and serve in a highball glass filled with crushed ice, top with 1.5 oz ginger beer. Garnish with bitters and a mint sprig.

Pineapple Mojito

Created by Martin Sadlemire at the Wequansett Resort

3 oz Brugal Añejo Rum
1 oz Triple Sec
1 oz Pineapple Juice

Muddle in shaker 2 slices of pineapple, 4-5 wedges of lime and 6-8 leafs of mint. Fill shaker with ice and all ingredients. Shake and serve in a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with mint sprig.

[Photos Courtesy: Brugal Rum]

The Ink Spa: Loving Every Minute Of The "Freestyle Facial" And Tranquil Surroundings!

2011-08-11T08:22:00.002-04:00

By: Anne M. Raso

What sets the Ink Spa at the Ink48 Hotel apart from the numerous and fabulous hotel spas in midtown Manhattan? Two words: FREESTYLE FACIAL! This 50-minute facial (priced at a reasonable $125) is as customized as a facial can get and features not only Kerstin Florian products fragrant with the scent of lavender (it's the line commissioned by the Kimpton Hotel chain and is featured in all their spas across the globe) but massage on the hands, feet and chest while peels and masques are doing their magic. Facialist Karalyns Schuck makes grand efforts to address every issue your skin is having with treatments that exfoliate, renew and finally, add a youthful and dewy look that some clients have probably not seen since they were 16. From the beginning of the treatment, where Schuck used Kerstin Florian's rehydrating Neroli Cleansing Milk to the Clarifying Exfoliating Scrub to the Rehydrating Neroli Water spritzed onto my face at the very end of the service, I gleefully inhaled the most wonderful all-natural "aromatherapy" while getting every cell on my face renewed. Schuck does the traditional steam during the FREESTYLE FACIAL as well, followed by gentle extractions. Manager Suzanne Owen is proud of the fact that the spa staff created the FREESTYLE FACIAL themselves and notes, "It gives us an opportunity to analyze the skin and customer the perfect treatment."

The Ink Spa is streamlined, modern and full of sunshine thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows. There are modern spiritually-oriented statues, exotic teas, luxurious terry robes and rubber sandals that work the pressure points on the soles of your feet. Clients are welcome to relax in the posh locker room or in the front office with a cup of tea or bottle of water, and walk out with generous samples of Kerstin Florian products to use at home. I just had to find out why this particular line of skincare chosen for Ink Spa when there are so many with a "green spin" these days. Owen states matter-of-factly, "We chose KFI for the quality of ingredients and their organic approach to skin care."

Clients feel that the Ink Spa gives a little extra--and not just the samples they take home, either. Owen reveals, "Clients wear spa sandals that massage the feet. The rock garden was designed to have a meditative effect while a client is waiting. A client can order from the restaurant's room service menu if they are a guest at the hotel. The spa is state of the art in terms of equipment and furnishings. Guests find it very relaxing and sophisticatedly contemporary." We would definitely go back and try some of the other services offered at Ink Spa, even though we think it would be hard to beat a facial created just for us! By the way, Schuck also does waxing and body treatments, and she was such a friendly and competent aesthetician that we think we will take her up on both of those types of services in the near future.

Spa-crazy friends of ours have done the Aroma Reflection ($190 for 80 minutes) and Jet Lag Recovery ($135 for 50 minutes) body treatments at The Ink Spa, and had nothing but great things to say--and they looked like new people from the time I saw them last! Other services that are listed on their "spa menu" are the Emboss Hot Stone Massage ($160 for 50 minutes), Indelible Expression Massage ($135 for 50 minutes), Footprint Reflexology ($125 for 50 minutes) and the Cleansing Back Treatment ($125 for 50 minutes).
For more info on the Ink Spa, go to ink48.com; phone number 646-572-7440.