FrostBites

luciwithani: (via Downton Abbey Cocktails: Sybil | The...

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 13:57:34 -0500

(via Downton Abbey Cocktails: Sybil | The Kitchn)

Lady Sybil
makes 1 cocktail
1 oz gin
3/4 oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur
brut champagne, chilled

Combine the gin and St. Germain over ice. Shake and strain into a flute. Top with champagne.

Haven’t blogged in awhile, but I am 100% intrigued by each of these cocktails and making them come the season 3 premiere.

Photo

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 11:27:28 -0500

It’s been awhile since I posted, but with some downtime...

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 18:47:00 -0500

It’s been awhile since I posted, but with some downtime finally why not? I’ve read a ton lately with a lot of travel visiting friends in recent weeks, in addition to the holidays — here’s some highlights:

Silver Girl By Elin Hilderbrand: Great beach read! A twist on the Madoff scandal with some Nantucket thrown in (like all of her books) - very quick and enjoyable.

The House at Sugar Beach By Helene Cooper: Autobiographical look at the author’s life in Liberia during the good times — and the tumultuous later years. Very interesting, but a bit slow at times.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? By Mindy Kaling: As expected, this book as some absolutely hysterical moments, and much like Tina Fey’s book - you can hear her voice ringing in your ear with every word. Overall a fun read, but in comparison to Fey’s, just not as funny.

Girls in White Dresses By Jennifer Close: Love this book! Very quick/easy read, and especially coming from the perspective of a late-twenty-something woman living in NYC, super relatable. Highly recommend - and am excited to discuss with the girls at book club at our next meeting.

Next up: the second and third books in The Hunger Games trilogy. Got started with them somewhere between Sugar Beach and Mindy Kaling - and the next ones have finally arrived from the library - highly recommend these as well, of course.

missjacobi: GPOY - all day err day This is awesome. And true.

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:41:42 -0400

missjacobi:

GPOY - all day err day

This is awesome. And true.

Can't get enough of this new Florence & The Machine song...

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 17:29:40 -0400

Can't get enough of this new Florence & The Machine song...

Books of vacation.

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 10:00:05 -0400

At the beach this week, I was able to spend a lot of time reading - something I had been looking...

Last day of vacation, hitting the beach early to soak up every...

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 09:57:00 -0400

Last day of vacation, hitting the beach early to soak up every last minute!

GOOD one. Never been more true.

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 17:22:13 -0400

GOOD one. Never been more true.

rancic: The perfect surprise bday gift from my gorg hubby. Cake...

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 17:15:37 -0400

rancic:

The perfect surprise bday gift from my gorg hubby. Cake with my pic on it (hilar!) and silver Barney’s box.

Happy birthday to Guiliana….and my mom! Great day for birthdays :)

This recap says it all..

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:53:45 -0400

This recap says it all..: Bon Iver at Prospect Park last night was literally AMAZING. The weather...

Weekend recap.

Sun, 07 Aug 2011 21:47:42 -0400

First full weekend in NYC in awhile and it was a great one! Friday was spent at the Standard...

hellogiggles: SOLEIL MOON FRYE’S ‘HAPPY CHAOS’ by Sophia...

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 14:04:29 -0400

hellogiggles:

SOLEIL MOON FRYE’S ‘HAPPY CHAOS’

by Sophia Rossi

I am not a parent, but I do love Punky - and will absolutely be picking up this book. Even if you didn’t know all the lyrics to the infamous show (Maybe the world is blind, or just a little unkind….), how can you be a child of the 80s/90s and not watch this reel and want to immediately run to the book store?

Two more great summer reads.

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:57:48 -0400

Over the weekend at the beach I finished two great summer reads - or reads for anytime really. The...

Too good. Amy Winehouse - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? A...

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 21:45:19 -0400

Too good.

Amy Winehouse - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?

A wonderful cover; her talent will be missed. RIP.

(via ellens:noraleah:adeandabet:happycap:tallgirltales)

Approximately a year ago, I attended a reading at Barnes &...

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:37:02 -0400

Approximately a year ago, I attended a reading at Barnes & Noble when Anthony Bourdain’s latest book came out. During the reading, a fellow audience member asked Bourdain what his favorite memoir written by a chef was (other than his own). His response was that he had just finished reading an advanced copy of a book that was by far “the best memoir by a chef ever.” That book ended up being Gabrielle Hamilton’s Blood Bones and Butter.

About two weeks ago I finished reading the novel by the New York restauranteur (Prune) and chef. Living in the East Village and frequently walking by her infamous, yet unassuming restaurant, I had always wanted to 1. eat at Prune and 2. know more about the chef herself. Particularly after Bourdain’s review and Hamilton’s even more recent accolade of Best Chef in New York by the James Beard Foundation.

Sadly, I finished the book with mixed feelings. I am glad to have read it, but ultimately felt unsatisfied. There was SO much personal background, but a lot left to be desired as far as her food coverage goes (at least in my opinion). I do still think that any food lover and restaurant frequenter - particularly in NY, should give the book a chance, but having now read it, I’d love to also have a sit down with Bourdain and find out what about the book he most enjoyed and the reasoning behind his acclaim.

Well-timed with my completion of the book, I did get the opportunity to experience Prune in person last week - and my experience there however, left NOTHING to be desired. It is now, by far, one of the best overall restaurant experiences I’ve had in New York to-date and I need to go back immediately. From the cozy atmosphere to the amazing fellow diners who were, for the most part, repeat visitors (a great sign!) to the outstanding service and of course the food, the FOOD - I can’t recommend this spot enough. We started out sharing the fried squash blossoms and the shaved celery salad with warm blue cheese toast, both of which were immediately devoured and were accompanied by the fried salted chick peas which come with every table. Those were a great and welcome alternative to the bread that we come to expect at every restaurant these days.

We followed the first courses up with roasted suckling pig with pickled tomatoes and swordfish with anchovy butter and new potato slaw. There are no words for how good both of these were - the pig was the right mix of spicy and sweet and fell apart on your fork; the swordfish literally melted in your mouth like butter. I could seriously have that meal every night for the rest of my life and be content. We accompanied these with the beet salad with spring onions and aioli - so fresh, seasonal and delicious.

The night was capped off with three desserts (too hard to pick just one!) The bittersweet chocolate pot de creme, and two others that were fantastic but were consumed so fast I can’t even remember what they were!

Overall, despite my lack of love for her memoir, Gabrielle Hamilton gets four stars in my book for her amazing work at Prune on its own. I’ll definitely be back again soon to try out their brunch, and another dinner!

The Beagle

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 10:00:05 -0400

On Thursday night, a girlfriend and I grabbed an afterwork cocktail at the new spot in my...

Just watch, that’s all I can say. You’ll be glad.

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:28:19 -0400

Just watch, that’s all I can say. You’ll be glad.

rachelinbrooklyn:-saturdaynightlive: Sometimes life really...

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 11:49:40 -0400

rachelinbrooklyn:-saturdaynightlive:

Sometimes life really isn’t fair.

Amazing set from Friendly Fires on NPR!

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:33:32 -0400

Amazing set from Friendly Fires on NPR!

…and girl’s beach weekend 2011 was a true success...

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 10:01:06 -0400

…and girl’s beach weekend 2011 was a true success —- missed the girls that couldn’t be there! Can’t wait to do it up again at all the wedding fun starting in September :)