Uptown’s Nostylgia
October 13, 2011
My friend and I couldn’t resist a bike ride along the river on Sunday, and decided to quench our thirst at Nostylgia, just north of the Cloisters. This Uptown neighborhood, Inwood, was my weekend hotspot, and there’s still so much to explore, so I’ll likely be going back for another visit soon. Nostylgia, known as the “New American Classic” is part tea lounge, part men’s apparel, and has some of the best tea selections I’ve seen. I thought for a good 5 minutes before I could decide what to try. Going with an Iced Elderberry, I was more than satisfied with my choice, and with a less sweet option, my friend got the Iced Black African Kenyan. Lucky for us, they had a yard sale going on with all sorts of amazing vintage finds. For $1, I purchased two art deco tea plates I can’t wait to use for my next food shoot.
Gourmet tea menu
Elderberry Iced Tea
Preparing our drinks
Café at the Cloisters
October 8, 2011
I couldn’t think of a better way to spend this gorgeous October afternoon than at the Trie Café overlooking the gardens and fascinating Medieval artifacts the Cloisters has to offer. Quite possibly my favorite museum in New York, this Uptown branch of the Met in Fort Tyron Park was a perfect place to bring my parents who are visiting for the weekend. Soaking up the sun, we snacked on Mozzarella/pesto, tuna and turkey sandwiches.
Pesto, Mozzarella and Pepper sandwich
Turkey and tomato sandwich with chips
The gardens
Tuna and onion sandwich
Pesto sandwich
Peacefood Cafe: Eat Differently
October 6, 2011
This adorable cafe planted itself conveniently just on the corner of my apartment a little over a year ago, yet it wasn’t until my vegan roommate introduced me to their delicious food that I became a regular. One of my favorite snacks happen to be their chickpea fries with home cream dressing, and I hate to admit, but their homemade vegan brownie bites are usually consumed at least 3 times a week for dessert.
Chickpea fries
Vegan brownie bites
Chickpea fries
A Taste of Jerky
October 4, 2011
A couple friends of mine recently launched FIELD, an all natural beef jerky product I’d definitely recommend checking out. I had fun doing a little shoot of their 3 current flavors– Original, Honey Spice and Teriyaki. They’re not only tasty, but certainly healthier than your typical jerky with a traditional cut of top round beef and no preservatives or artificial ingredients. You can find it at locations around New York like FreshDirect, Murray’s Cheese and Westside Market or online at Gourmet Library.
Field Original Beef Jerky
Field Original Beef Jerky
A Druze Brunch
September 29, 2011
Now that I’m back for some good old NYC cuisine, I decided go to Gazala’s, a small family-owned restaurant that I’ve been meaning to check out since they opened their new Upper West Side location. I admit, I had never heard of Druze cuisine, but it happens to be a religious community found in Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Jordan, that is comparable to the standard Middle Eastern fare. Known to be the most authentic tastes of this kind around town, their brunch was delicious and conveniently located across from my favorite Sunday market.
Tomatoes, cheese and scrambled eggs with seasoning and an Israeli salad
Semolina dough stuffed with chopped dates and walnuts
Poached eggs in tomato sauce
Bakkabrim
September 26, 2011
Last but not least from my tour of Iceland, this organic cafe in the town of Eyrarbakki might possibly be my favorite place to start your morning– or spend your afternoon. Unfortunately, it wasn’t open the day we were there, but I was able to explore. The entire surroundings were so amazing, just untouched natural beauty with a small, welcoming organic cafe dropped in the midst of it all. I could have sat out on the deck all afternoon. Like taking a step out of reality, it’s as if you’re entering a children’s fort in the backyard, a place to forget about your worries, breath in some of the freshest air possible and take it all in, realizing how exhilarating and beautiful life really is. I wish so badly I could have tried one of their drinks, but as my father has always told me, “You’ve got to save something for the next time.”
Because I was so intrigued by this place, I did some research, and here’s a great article about Bakkarbrim from a very cool Icelandic website. Check it out!
Organic Cafe
The deck
The view
Fjorubordid
September 23, 2011
It’s said that people risk their lives in bad weather en route to the village of Stokkseyri for just a few spoonfuls of lobster soup from Fjorubordid. So of course, we decided it would be the ideal place to have lunch on a quiet Monday afternoon. With little more than a few neighborhoods, a closed gift shop and a church, surely this charming coastal town’s restaurant is the spotlight. Offering stunning views and a menu of delicious breads, soups, salads and seafood, we left town stuffed as can be and checked off Stokkseyri on our to-do list.
Lobster soup and sides
Some of the best bread dipping sauce-- sundried tomato, sweet garlic and tzatziki
Country side salad-- Mozzarella cheese & tomatoes, fresh green salad & slices of marinated beef
Lobster soup
Fresh homemade bread with tomato spread
A Taste of Luxury in Southern Iceland
September 20, 2011
Hotel Ranga, one of the world’s top destinations for viewing the Aurora Borealis and Southern Iceland’s only 4 star resort, has everything you could possibly want for a relaxing stay in the countryside, not to mention an outstanding dining room and extremely friendly service from everyone. The hotel’s rustic luxury accomodations sit on wide open land overlooking the East Ranga River. Their chef prepared his modern Nordic cuisine with local ingredients of only the freshest quality, and brought out a beautiful array of dishes. Although the weather conditions weren’t conducive to check out the Northern Lights, on the positive side, it’s just one more reason for me to start planning my return trip.
East Ranga River at the hotel
Dining room at Hotel Ranga
Smoked Puffin served with beerbread crumble and "cumberland" sauce
Hotel Ranga's Wine bar
Icelandic Cod served on a bed of nuts and local barley with whitewine sauce
Local wild salmon with sweet potato and white chocolate puree, lobster foam and local strawberries
Local wild salmon with sweet potato and white chocolate puree, lobster foam and local strawberries
The hotel's porch
The best chocolate cake dessert
Icelandic Mountain lamb and lobster combo with potato terrine and blueberry demiglaze
Icelandic mountain lamb and lobster combo with potato terrine and blueberry demiglaze
International Suites
Picnic at the Falls
September 16, 2011
You don’t feel much more freedom than driving along the wide open roads of South Iceland’s countryside. Passing through one of the few small towns, consisting of a mere two or three buildings, we stumbled upon a farmers market that had fresh pastries, veggies and homemade breads. Perfect for an afternoon picnic at at the foot of the waterfalls. With limited supplies it was more of a random food sampling than lunch menu, but you don’t need much to satisfy your tastebuds with that kind of scenery. Fueled up we were ready to explore the glaciers.
Happy Friday!
Kleinur, Iceland's answer to doughnuts and Kryddbraud, their answer to a cinnamon spice bread
Traditional Icelandic flatbread with fresh tomatoes from the market
Skogafoss
Pizza-style pastry
Cinnamon glazed pastry
Kex
September 14, 2011
Kex, unlike your traditional Icelandic dining or bar establishments, is the new and trendy place to go. Reminding me of home, and a place I’d frequent around the Lower East Side, I couldn’t resist making this my go-to place for the weekend. It’s an old biscuit factory turned hostel and bar, but more taking on the resemblance of Ace Hotel than your typical first impression of bunk beds in an old, unwelcoming building. The photos speak for themselves on the impeccably cool style of the place, as their concept is a vintage industrial feel with an eclectic, contemporary touch. The kitchen offers a range of dishes, like the Kex Platter with a sampling of meats, to the vegetable quiche, and their beer selection far surpasses the standard Viking lager that is found elsewhere.
Kex Platter with potatoes, salami and olives
Lounge area
Salad with Icelandic vegetables
French Press coffee and good books
Sitronukjuklingur med Klettasalati or simply Lemon Chicken with Ruccola
Salami on the Kex Platter
Pylsur med Kartoflumauki og Sterku Sinnepi ... aka Pan Fried Sausages with Potato puree and mustard
a camera in the kitchen 