Egg Cream City

I finally had an Egg Cream yesterday from Uncle Louie G's. It was tasty and made me wonder what the origins of egg creams are. Here's what I found from Wikipedia:

An egg cream is a classic New York City beverage consisting of chocolate syrup (Almost always Fox's U-bet chocolate syrup in New York), milk, and seltzer (soda water), probably dating from the late 19th century, and is especially associated with Brooklyn, home of its inventor, Jewish candy shop owner Louis Auster. It contains neither eggs nor cream.

The essential components of a New York Egg Cream: Fox's U-Bet, Seltzer and Whole Milk. The origin of the name "egg cream" is constantly debated. Stanley Auster, the grandson of the inventor, has been quoted as saying that the origins of the name are lost in time. One commonly accepted origin is that Egg is a corruption of the Yiddish word 'ekt' meaning good or pure, and this was a "good cream". It may also have been called an "Egg Cream" because in the late 1800s there were already many chocolate fountain/dessert drinks using actual eggs (e.g. 'Egg Brin'), and Auster wanted to capitalize on the name. Though almost universally made with chocolate syrup, they were sometimes requested with other flavors, especially vanilla or strawberry.

The egg cream is almost exclusively a fountain drink; although there have been several attempts to bottle it none have been wholly successful, as its fresh taste and characteristic head requires mixing of the ingredients just before drinking. The drink could be described as a "poor man's ice cream soda," as it has a similar overall flavor, but traditionally sold for only a slight premium over an ordinary fountain soda.

According to the Fox's U-bet chocolate syrup website, the recipe for "the original Brooklyn Egg-Cream" is:

Take a tall, chilled, straight-sided, 8oz. glass
Spoon 1 inch of U-bet Chocolate syrup into glass
Add 1 inch whole milk
Tilt the glass and spray seltzer (from a pressurized cylinder only) off a spoon, to make a big chocolate head
Stir, Drink, Enjoy.

Latest i-Tunes Downloads

1. Rise Up With Fists!! Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins

2. Misread Kings of Convenience

3. It's a Hit We are Scientists

4. Bright as Yellow Innocence Mission

5. Another Sunny Day Belle and Sebastian

The Good, The Bad and The Mediocre

It's been a mixed bag of culinary experiences as we tried three different restaurants in the Slope for the first time this past week.

Earlier in the week, we headed to Scotta Ditto, between 6th and 7th on Union, and had a very bland, mediocre dinner. The food was not exceptional and the entrees were a bit pricey. Definitely not a place we would return to.

Then, on Saturday, we finally did brunch at 2nd Street Cafe on 7th Avenue. After waiting for 10 minutes (5 at the door, waiting to be seated, and 5 at our table, waiting for someone to take our order), we finally got our meal - French Toast for my wife and Eggs Benedict for me. The food was adequate but service so poor that it really turned me off and I would think twice about returning.

Last night we finally got back on the upswing in our dining experiences with a nice, low-key and overall enjoyable dinner at Blue Ribbon Sushi. We had the Maki Platter and Spider Roll with Shumai to start. All the ingredients were of outstanding quality and tasted really fresh. We ended the meal with Green Tea Creme Brulee, which too was very good. It was nice to finally have a good meal out in the Slope this week....

Living in Da BK

Here's a cool pic a friend of ours took last weekend while she was visiting us....

Celebrity Sighting Update

We've lived in NYC for a little over three months at this point and I can't say that I've seen a lot of celebs.

Living in The Slope, apparently we've got Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly but I haven't seen either of them since I moved here. I did see Steve Buscemi back in September '05 when my wife and I were scouting out potential neighborhoods to live in.

Since we moved to NYC, I've seen Serj Tankian (lead singer of System of a Down) around the Union Square area and more recently, figure skating legend Brian Boitano at Metrazur in Grand Central Station.

Needless to say, pretty weak celeb sightings until today....all around Hudson and 11th, we saw three in a span of a couple hours - first, Philip Seymour Hoffman; next, as we had afternoon drinks at Dublin, we saw Michelle Rodriguez (of Lost fame) walking down Hudson and SuChin Pak (of MTV News). Clearly, Hoffman is the biggest star we've seen for those keeping score at home. Maybe I should post these sightings on Gawker Stalker?

Lazy Weekend

Have a friend visiting from Chicago this weekend, so we're getting a chance to see some sights as well as relax a bit. Caught the Mets game at Shea on Friday night. Chilled on Saturday in The Slope. Had a low-key dinner at Olive Vine and then drinks at The Lighthouse Tavern to catch the Suns/Lakers game.

Today, grabbed some bagels from La Bagel Delight and then eventually headed to the West Village in Manhattan for yes, cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery. Took in some light appetizers and a beer at Dublin, while we people watched. Somehow I was still hungry, so got some hot dogs and Papaya drink at The Papaya King.

Portland Redux

One more shot I took from our recent trip to Portland....

We had a great time but it was a whirlwind of a trip. Next time, we definitely ought to splurge for the direct flight because the stop-over in Dallas, TX was a bitch. Plus, the 3.5 hours from NYC to Dallas and additional 3.5 from Dallas to Portland just wasn't cutting it. On top of it all, American Airlines has got to be one of the cheapest airlines around (and I don't mean they've got low fares). They didn't provide any snack on either leg of our journey from the East Coast to the West Coast. They are gracious enough to sell passengers a four dollar snack pack complete with cheese spread, mixed nuts and a magical beef stick. Wait, say what?! Yes, the stewardess said "magical beef stick" and yes, like a complete juvenile, I couldn't help but chuckle at that. I have to admit, I don't think it's called a "magical beef stick", at least according to the official American Airlines website. Perhaps, the stewardess had something else in mind. Yowsers.

We had great weather and enjoyed catching up with family as we attended the wedding - good food, music and vibe as we went down the Willamette River. All in all, Portland is nice - clean, good restaurants, shops, and laid back. Too bad I heard that they have high levels of unemployment. Seems like a nice to play to live....

The City of Self-Promotion

So, a few weeks back I was out with a friend who struck up a conversation with someone at a bar we were hanging out at. This guy was a trader for some investment bank- probably a dime a dozen in NYC. The point, however, is that this guy somehow works into the conversation that he was high school valedictorian and when I asked how he enjoyed living in NYC, he amazingly turned that into an opportunity to draw a diagram of what he did for a living, illustrating the "buy" side and "sell" side of investment banking.

Unbelievable. Perhaps it's a stereotype, but this douchebag was perpetuating the concept of the self-obsessed, arrogant, self-promoting New Yorker. What is it about this town that breeds this type of antisocial behavior? I've always felt that success is relative and there will always be someone better-looking, richer, smarter, etc. (or some combination thereof) than you. It's pointless to get too wrapped up in that and instead you should simply try to be the best person you can be, corny as it sounds. Who is this annoying breed of New Yorker trying to impress?

I was talking about this with another friend of mine and he said that in New York, it's "all about winning". But who the hell are you competing against? Everyone? In everything? This seems like a ludicrous and ultimately fruitless endeavor. I've never been impressed by people who have to brag about themselves in order to make themselves feel better in a city full of accomplished individuals. If you've got it, you don't need to flaunt it. And I think the bravado and arrogance speak volumes about someone's own insecurities and neuroses.

And trader asshole guy, you don't have it, by the way....I was high school valedictorian too, and went to a more prestigious undergraduate and graduate school than you (but of course, I don't want to brag - don't transform me into one of them, NYC!)

Overheard in Shea Stadium

Ice Cream Vendor in Section 31

"Ice Cream. I got your sexy ice cream here. Sexy ice cream...."

We left the stadium when the score was 6-2 and got home around 11pm. Turned on the TV and saw that the game was in extra innings and tied at 7-7. The game's still going on after more than four hours of play...

M.I.A.

It's been a while since I posted....

Lots to catch up on....

In the meantime, here's a photo I took in the Japanese Garden during our recent trip to Portland, OR....

Like McAdams Loves Gosling

Yesterday, we opted not to stay in all day despite the inclement weather and instead headed to Manhattan to check out Chelsea Market.

I've got to admit that it was not as impressive or sprawling as I had imagined it to be, but there are some stores that I think we will return to, like The Lobster Place and Frank's. It was also interesting to find out that The Food Network tapes some of their shows in the same building.

Afterwards, we decided to treat ourselves to a couple cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery on Bleecker St. The place is actually pretty small and a bit disorganized, especially when a ton of people are trying to get their orders in and/or pay for cupcakes from their "self-serve" system. My wife braved the line and emerged successfully with a couple (one for each of us). Sonofabitch, those cupcakes are for real.

Blow Out 3

Guilty pleasure #4,753 - Season #3 of Blow Out on Bravo...

Overbearing? Self-centered? Delusional? Yes to all three counts. No, I'm not talking about myself. I'm referring to Jonathan Antin, hairstylist extraordinaire and star of the show.

I've been catching up on all the episodes I've been DVR'ing (has that been recognized by Webster's as a verb yet, by the way?).

Yes, the scenarios now seem contrived - like his manufactured tension between Scott of Zorbit (the guy who designs the packaging for Jonathan Products) - and the product placement scenes are blatant and offensive - see Jonathan saying out loud "I just downloaded the new Pussycat Dolls' song on my Sprint phone" - but the verbal gems keep coming from this overpaid Cali boy....

Most recently, he's said things like (and I'm paraphrasing here):
-"For those of you keeping score at home, it's bad hair zero and Jonathan one million"
-To his therapist - "I'm so over ME"
-"When I see a good hair opportunity, it's like seeing the bat signal in the sky"

Grups?

A couple weeks back, Adam Sternbergh got the cover story for New York Magazine with a piece titled "Up With Grups".

On one hand, I understand his argument that there exists a certain subsegment of society that is counter to traditional notions of "adulthood" - white picket fence, suburbs, sensible slacks, etc. But hasn't a counter-culture always existed? The kids that listened to The Cure as teens don't always grow up to be the adults who listen to Phil Collins. Maybe they've moved on to Ivy or Interpol instead. My point is - there were always urban hipsters, so what's the big deal?

That being said, I do like many of the bands that he listed, shop at some of the stores he mentioned, and live in Park Slope - so does that make me the biggest Grup of all?

Take Me Out

Not an original title, I know....

Last night, we went to our second concert in NYC since we've been here. Dual headliners Death Cab for Cutie and Franz Ferdinand at the Hammerstein Ballroom...

We hung out a friend's place since we didn't want to waste time with the opening act, The Cribs. Unfortunately, we mistimed our arrival as Death Cab's set was already underway when we got there.

Maybe it was the fact that the place was hot, packed, and we were standing the whole time, but Death Cab's set was not nearly as inspiring or entertaining as it was when we saw them in Chicago. Add to that some rude tween/teen/post-collegiate attitude from a couple fans in the crowd (see obnoxious pushing) and it wasn't the greatest experience.

I had never been a huge Franz Ferdinand fan but their set was energetic and gay dudes, frat boys and little kids (yes, there were a bunch of little kids in the balcony) all came together when they belted out their anthem Take Me Out.

Quite a Bit of Catching Up to Do

Went through a quite a week so there's some catching up to do....

Last weekend we finally made our way to Al Di La with some friends and it did not disappoint. No wonder New York Magazine named it one of the best restaurants in New York City. Although they don't take reservations, they do have a bar next door which you can sit at while you wait. However, last Friday evening the weather was so nice we stayed outside while we chatted with a friend on 5th Avenue.

The food was top notch - from the appetizers to the entrees (I went with the duck) to the selection of sorbettis and gelattis. Service was attentive and the atmosphere was nice. Best part of all, for the quality of service and food, the prices were not ostentatious. A very affordable and enjoyable meal.

Meanwhile, we wrapped up our participation of "Dine-In Brooklyn Week" with a swan song at Tempo. We brought a couple friends this time - one from Manhattan and one from Brooklyn (the Heights) - and they both thoroughly enjoyed the experience, as did we. I had the Duck Pastilla Roll which is on their regular menu. It tasted a bit like a Filipino dish called lumpia but with duck meat inside. It was good. As for the entree, I went with the Pan-Roasted Organic Chicken which did not disappoint. Finally, I finished off with the "Nutella" flavored gelato which was awesome. Tempo, like Rose Water, did things right by offering selections from the regular menu as part of the "Restaurant Week" promotional menu.

As for the final tally of the week - Tempo receives 4 stars **** tying Rose Water for best experience all week. Next is Sette Enoteca with 3 stars *** and bringing up the rear with a "lower" 3 is Applewood with three stars *** simply because it fell short of lofty expectations.

What do we look like?

We've been in NYC for about 2 months, but somehow my wife and I have been asked for directions many times. Do we look like true New Yorkers already? Perhaps it's the fact that we often dress in black and have a haggard, forlorn look on our faces as we head to the subway station after a long day at work....

ACCENTuate the negative

I don't want to hate...but I've got to.

Besides reading the Police Blotter in the local Park Slope papers, one of the local things I get a kick out of is the local newscasts - particularly News 12 Brooklyn.

Sportscaster (whose name rhymes with Madam Habits) is quite possibly the worst broadcaster I have ever heard in my life. Cliched as it sounds, it is like watching a car accident - you don't want to watch but yet you can't look away. Each time he files a report - he continually stresses the wrong syllables. It's unbelievably bad. Surely, someone must've told him how bad it is when he speaks, right? Ugh.

What A Week

Restaurant Week, that is.

Being the good newcomers to Brooklyn that we are, we indulged, some would say overindulged, in Brooklyn's Restaurant Week, titled "Dine-In Brooklyn."

Offering three-course meals for $20.06, who could resist? Monday, we headed to Rose Water on Union and 6th. It's a tiny place, so tiny we were almost standing in the kitchen as we waited for our table. It was the first of many places we would go to that week, so we weren't sure what to expect. The wait was a little annoying but we got there early since they said they weren't holding the table for us if we showed up late. Reminds me of that Seinfeld episode where Jerry asks: "Isn't the most important part of the reservation - the holding of that reservation?" But looking back, the wait wasn't that long at all. Rose Water serves Contemporary American, focusing on organic ingredients that are in season. This week was such a blur, I don't remember my wife's meal, but I remember what I had: Salad to start, chicken for the entree, and an orange dreamsicle dessert. Everything tasted fresh and was of high quality. The service was adequate but not outstanding. I had to remind the waiter to bring out the dessert wine for my wife who ordered the wine pairing to go with the three-course meal. All in all, though, we were impressed.

Tuesday night, we ventured to Applewood, and believe me, expectations were high. After all, New York Magazine rated it among the top 50 restaurants in all of New York City. Like Rose Water, Applewood prides itself on purchasing ingredients from local farms and using seasonal items. But here's where Rose Water and Applewood differed: whereas Rose Water served items from their regular menu at the discounted price, Applewood offered a special menu listing created just for Dine-In Brooklyn. Translation: they cheaped out and instead of putting its best foot forward and offering first-time guests an unbelievable experience at a discount price, we left disappointed over a mediocre meal. I started off with a salad, duck for the entree, and finished off with what amounted to no more than a couple pineapple slices served with a scoop of ice cream. Not impressive at all but I have to believe that on any other night, had we experienced items on their regular menu, the experience would be outstanding. Instead, Applewood de-valued its brand by serving up a so-so meal. They should not have participated in Dine-In Brooklyn if they weren't going to make an all out effort.

Last up was Sette Enoteca on 7th Ave. The ambience was nice and the food solid, though expectations were not nearly as high as they had been with Applewood, so they could only go up for Sette. I had the salad, pasta dish, and I can't remember what I had for dessert - obviously it was pretty memorable. The service was subpar but not horrible. Again, like Applewood, Sette's Dine-In menu was different from its regular menu, so I have to believe we did not get the best it had to offer, but the Italian fare was satisfying.

We've still got Tempo left, but the tally so far goes as follows (out of five stars):
1. Rose Water - Four Stars ****

2. Sette Enoteca - Three Stars ***

3. Applewood - Three Stars ***(a low three)

Spring Has Sprung

I took this picture today during our visit to The Brooklyn Botanic Garden. It's an impressive place (and an impressive picture that I took, I know). Ha, ha.

We also had an awesome brunch at Two Boots in Park Slope. I had the Salmon Benny while my wife had the Bananas Foster French Toast. An awesome meal.

And yes, you know I am tired when the blog postings are relegated to me listing what I ate.....

Settling into NYC

What a week it was...

On Monday, we headed to Vice Versa to unwind after work. The decor was fancy, the food was decent but all in all, we found it a little lacking and certainly wouldn't go out of our way to go there again. The potato gnocchi was solid though and my wife had the pumpkin ravioli which satisfied the Monday blues we were suffering.

Fast forwarding to Saturday - we headed to Union Square for the Union Square Greenmarket. We then took in some lunch at Cafe Medina on 5th and B'way. I had the Cuban sandwich, while my wife had the chicken quesadilla sandwich. They were both tasty but way too big to finish in one sitting.

Did some shopping on Fifth Avenue and then saw Dave Chappelle's Block Party, a film about the free block party Dave threw in Brooklyn back in 2004. It was a feel-good documentary/concert/comedy film. Dave, of course, steals the show with his humor but the musical performances were good too (The Roots, Kanye West, Common, Mos Def, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, The Fugees, etc.).

Later, we did some damage at The Container Store as we attempt to get our place together finally...