ABC Beer Co.

As we were walking into Bobwhite Lunch and Supper Counter, Albert and I noticed a beer store next door.  We thought nothing of it at the time (after all, there are beer stores all over the city), but when we finished supper, we noticed there were people inside.  It was a little late to be shopping for beer and, besides, they didn't look to be shopping.  They were just hanging around having an all around good time.  At that point we realized ABC Beer Co. is much more than just a beer store.  It's a hangout.

It reminded me a lot of Good Beer because both places sell a ton of different craft brews in the front (make your own 6-pack style + growlers) as well as offering 12 rotating beers on tap.  And make sure you look at the taps themselves here.  They were custom made by a vendor found on Etsy.  The clip on tags are a great way to note the always changing selection, along with the beer's origin, ABV, date tapped, and price.  The difference between the two places is that while Good Beer may have more actual beers to take home, ABC Beer Co. has a stronger emphasis on the bar part.  They may not do beer flights like at Good Beer, but they stay open later and there is more space in the back for casual drinking - enough space to throw a party, even.  They also have a nice menu of snacks like meats/chesse plates and sandwiches.

 

Myers of Keswick

I keep a little list on my phone of things I want to do.  I'm not sure exactly when Myers of Keswick made it onto the list but it's been sitting there for a while.  When my Mom and I were planning our next move on Friday evening, I consulted the list, hoping I could find a unique experience for us to share.

It was like I used some of Harry Potter's flue powder and was transported to a quaint English corner grocery store.  There is NOTHING American in this store.  Not one thing.  Even the Heinz baked beans are imported with their fancier British labels.  Americans are not big on meat pies (huge mistake, Americans) so they are in short supply in the U-S-of A.  Thankfully, Myers of Keswick has tons of fresh meat pies to choose from alongside British chips ("crisps," I think they call them), candy, cookies, even oatmeal.  I highly recommend heading to the West Village for your Brit fix.

 

3 on Thursday

I'm excited to be sandwiched between two great weekends.  I am fresh off a visit from Mark and Allison and leaving tomorrow for DC to visit Sliz.  Obviously I'm most excited to have some quality time with my college bestie but this trip is also exciting because I'll get to see what it's like to travel with my new iPad.  Bus trips and plane rides are pretty much what the device was made for so I look forward to seeing what it can do.

While walking in the West Village I saw a cute little book shop so adorably named bookbook.  It's like The Shop Around The Corner from "You've Got Mail," only the internet hasn't put it out of business.  I usually don't allow myself to go into book stores because I'm a Barnes and Noble member so it doesn't make sense to buy elsewhere, but the smell of a book store is too intoxicating that it's impossible to walk out empty handed - better to just not go in at all.  But this time I just couldn't resist.  It's a small shop, but they have all the best sellers as well as some lesser known NYC themed titles and the prices - on brand new books, mind you - were unbeatable.  I bought three books for myself plus two more for my nieces (that doesn't count - they're gifts).  I didn't want Barnes and Noble to think I was cheating on them so I went home and ordered three more from them to even the score.  The first step to getting better is admitting you have a problem.

I tried some new vendors at Smorgasburg while my Mom was here and found some goodies.  I had never really heard much anything about Bolivian cuisine but apparently they make these things called salteñas which are like empanadas but with sweeter dough and filled with stew instead of just meat.  It was absolutely delicious.  This stew pie from Bolivian Llama Party may have been the favorite of the day.  We also tried great fish and chips from Handsome Hank's Fish Hut.  My mom kept asking which one was Handsome Hank - they didn't mind; they loved mugging for a photo.  Fun service aside, the portion was massive, they battered and fried each filet to order, and they get bonus points for using some sort of mustard in their tartar sauce - not traditional but best tartar sauce I think I've ever had.

For months, I have stopped to admire the window of a small florist right by my apartment.  I envision their centerpieces at my fictional wedding and even told my Mom that if I ever did get engaged I would start taking pictures of my favorites and having the florist in Savannah replicate.  Last week, I told her I wanted to take it a step further and start a tumblr showcasing their floral art because these masterpieces should not be limited to my own fake-wedding dreams.  These flowers are too beautiful to be enjoyed only by those who live near 37th and 3rd.  So please check out Blooms on Third to get your floral fill.

3 on Thursday

What makes me happier than reminiscing about the great time I had when my Mom was here two weeks ago?  Nada.  Here are a few more highlights from our weekend:

Two weeks ago we had a crazy heat wave but, being New Yorkers, didn't have the luxury of getting into an air conditioned car when traveling around the city.  At some point, for your own sanity, you need to stop complaining and start laughing about it.  This sign outside a Greenwich Village bar got me to do just that.

My Mom and I were lucky enough to score free tickets to Book of Mormon while she was here and - yup - it was just as funny and awesome as everyone says.  If you live here in NYC, I recommend standing in line for the lottery every weekend til your name is picked. 

While walking around the West Village with my Mom and Albert, we stumbled upon Sockerbit, a Swedish candy store that - believe it or not - does not carry Swedish Fish (something about the dye on the real imported ones not being FDA approved - yikes).  It's exactly what you would think of a Swedish store - sparse, all white, and modern.  The candies are mostly of the gummy and marshmallow variety but far more whimsical than what we see here in the US, as you can see with the marshmallow mushrooms pictured above.   

3 on Thursday

Between now and Christmas break, I think I have one weeknight to myself.  Maybe two.  I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

My Mom has always been good with brooches and bangles.  I, on the other hand, tend to stick to one or two jewelry pieces and wear them every day.  I am too afraid I'll get it wrong when mixing and stacking jewelry so I don't even try.  That sort of meek attitude won't get me anywhere in life!  It's time I amped up my jewelry collection and Bauble Bar is the perfect place for me to stock up on fun, trendy pieces.  Not only is everything very "now," the prices are great.  They get even better when they offer their deeply discounted buried baubles each week.  When I decided to put together a pleated skirt/turtlneck combo I knew It needed a chunky statement necklace to complete the look and this is the best place to get it.

I'M TUMBLING!  I always thought tumblr was basically another blog platform (like blogspot vs. wordpress) so I assumed I was good to go with the blog I've got.  After reading an article about the year's best tumblrs I realized a blog and a tumblr are two different beasts.  While blogs are all about writing, tumblrs use more mixed media and typically feature snack sized content.  tumblr is also a more social environment.  While blogs are destinations, they're not usually viewed in a stream.  tumblr is all about streaming so you can see what your friends or favorite writers post constantly.  Because posts are usually small, they lend themselves to sharing more than a typical blog.  I am in NO way abandoning this blog.  If anything, I am more committed to posting regularly.  However, as a media professional, I see the benefit using different social media avenues.  Plus, I think it's cool.  When it comes to social media, don't just be there to be there.  I can't tell you how many companies use Facebook or Twitter without thinking how to best leverage those platforms for their brand.  In some cases, doing social media poorly is worse than not doing it at all.  While I could talk about best business practices for a while, I won't bore you.  I will, however, mention one of my rules of thumb.  (::Free advice!::)  Don't repurpose content.  Instead, play up the assets of each space.  For me, that means using this blog for [by internet standards] longform content.  As I'm sure you've noticed, this is basically a food blog, with the exception of book reviews and "3 on Thursday" (which still features lots of food).  It will remain so.  My tumblr, She's Mad, She'll Get Glad  is based on one of my Mom's best pieces of advice.  When someone is acting pissy for no good reason, her motto is "If she's mad, she'll get glad."  Basically, it means the brat's gotta buck up and put a smile on her face and we need to not let her get us down.  An example: "Mom, I put so much effort into this huge dinner but Jane is upset because I'm serving pasta instead of rice.....Well, Tess, if she's mad she'll get glad.  You've put too much time into this to worry about one person."  I try not to walk around like a Negative Nancy and don't like having any of those around me so my tumblr is going to have regular posts meant only to put a smile on your face.  It's a lot easier to go from mad to glad after seeing this stuff.  I don't plan on repeating what I've already posted on Instagram or Twitter so this will be something totally new - follow me!

When scaffolding went up right in front of the new, upscale florist by my apartment, he used it to his advantage.  I didn't even notice the pile of trash on the sidewalk after through this Winter Wonderland.

Dainobu

I recently stumbled upon Dainobu while I was walking home from work.  This Japanese grocery store and deli is packed with the kinds of products you usually need to go to Canal Street to find.  I finally made the time to go in but made the mistake of going on a Sunday evening when the prepared foods are not at there best.  From what was left in the deli case, I could tell there were once a lot of delicacies including stuffed squid, udon salad, mochi, and unidentified syrupy sweets.

I figured I would go back when I wasn't dealing with such picked-over goods, but still walked away with the chocolate filled cookies and aloe drink pictured below.  The drink was good but a little sweet for my taste, which means it would go over very well in America and makes me wonder why it's not a thing here.  I picked the cookies based solely on the picture on the box and hoped for the best.  I was wowed to see they were actually mini chocolate filled pastries.  The pastry was far flakier than you would expect from a pre-packaged snack.  If I didn't know better, I would have thought this was a French goodie instead of Japanese one.  I love my Oreos and Vitamin Water, but this was a nice way to mix up my snackies this week.

Katagiri

Earlier in the week I had taken some Trader Joe's Korean spiced beef out of the freezer.  Sure, it would be nice over rice, but with a few extra ingredients, I knew I could make something special.  I already had lettuce in the fridge, so I stopped at Katagiri on my way home.  Katagiri is a small Japanese grocery store near my apartment that sells some of the more unique Asian ingredients that won't be found in your typical bodega.  Yes, I know Japanese is not Korean, but I was able to get what I wanted.  

I picked up some bean sprouts, green onion, shrimp shumai, ramen, and a pastry - all for $8.50.  Some of my purchases were saved for future use, but a couple of the goods got their time to shine right when I got home.  I stuffed a lettuce wrap with rice and beef and then topped with the bean sprouts, green onion, and sriracha.  Just a few extra [simple] ingredients and my meal was jacked up.

For dessert I ate a sweet bun filled with red bean paste.  When you hear the word bean and then see the starchy food, sweet is the last thing on your mind so it messes with your taste buds a bit.  I welcome the confusion.  

3 on Thursday

I am only now realizing I didn't post 3 on Thursday last week.  I'm so sorry for slacking off, but I hope you enjoy this week's 3!

On 10/1, I attended one of the New Yorker Festival events.  The New Yorker Festival is a three day event that brings culture to the city.  There are writer discussions, panels, and editor/famous person chats.  I had the opportunity to see Chris Colfer (of Glee fame) chat with one of the editors and decided I love him even more than I love his character (if that was possible).  I am a true Gleek so to see him talk up close and personal about all his experiences was exciting.  I highly recommend checking out next year's festival.  The lineup is always stellar and the prices are reasonable.  (Many of these 2 hour events are only $30.)

On 10/6, I headed to Joe's Pub for the CMA Singer/Songwriter Series event.  This is something they do once a month (ish) and is a god-send for a Southern girl like me.  One thing I've found difficult about living up here is the lack of country music.  There isn't even a radio station - quelle domage!  Thank goodness for this event because it is one of the few times I get to hear real country (no, Taylor Swift is not country).  They bring 4 songwriters for about an hour and a half to two hours of music.  All of these writers have penned the songs for the greats (Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, Brooks & Dunn, etc.).  They're the men behind the music.  They tell the history behind the songs and singing along is encouraged.  Each event also features one bigger name - in this case, it was Billy Currnington (second from left), who hails from my small but wonderful neck of the woods.  David Lee Murphy was also there (far right) - not a huge name, but I listened to his song "Dust on the Bottle" literally every single day on my drive to high school.  After the event, they're happy to chat and take pics for a few minutes, so if country is your thing, this is the perfect $30 event for you!  

Behold the shopping bag containing my new slouchy, buckled, low heeled boots.  A steal at $89, these babies remind me that Fall has arrived.  Aren't you enjoying this skirt/no tights/boots weather we're currently experiencing?! 

3 on Thursday

This week, I was coming off a UGA win, so I was in a pretty good mood.  That's not the only reason this week was good.  Read on:

It can be hit or miss, but I love H&M.  The low prices make it the perfect place to pick up trendier items.  Now just imagine how great it would be if you could extend that to home goods.  H&M Home has been around for a while but only online and only in the UK.  I just don't think it's fair that those Brits get the sexy accents and the good home accessory shopping.  The sophisticated accent may remain elusive, but word is this site will soon be available to us all.  If the British version is any indication, we are in for some adorable and highly affordable products.

Matt turned me onto a great blog: Dogs Wearing Glasses.  Try not to smile.  I dare you.

This week marked the return of all my favorite shows and the premiers of some newbies.  Modern Family came back for Season 3 yesterday and did not disappoint.

I Heart Three Tarts

I don't usually go crazy over sugary stuff and my sweet tooth is discerning - I don't like just anything, but I usually like a little something sweet to finish off a meal.  As I was leaving brunch yesterday, I walked by Three Tarts, a combo dessert and gift shop in Chelsea.  Truthfully, it wasn't the sweets that drew me in, it was the adorable mugs and serving pieces.  Once inside, however, the desserts looked too good to pass up.

They bake everything in their small kitchen on-site and offer tins of most of their goodies to give as gifts.  Everything looked so dainty, and since I only like a little something when it comes to desserts, dainty really appeals to me.  I decided to go with a mini goat cheese panna cotta with blood orange gelee.  This creamy and tart little sparkler was the perfect size to satisfy my sweet tooth.  I may need to find people in need of gifts just so I have an excuse to stop in here again for myself.  

Baby's Day Out

I took yesterday and today off work for my birthday and wanted nothing more than a great park day.  Because Matt and Jen are busy with a 9 week old baby, I knew they wouldn't be able to attend my party so we made plans to meet up for a picnic.  Central Park is one of my favorite places in the world so I was beyond excited to be a part of baby Avery's first Central Park experience.  We found a nice shady spot where we could watch local kids playing soccer and set up our spread.

We had hummus and veggies, baguette and cheeses (provolone, manchego, blue, humbolt fog, teleggio, and a double cream gouda), prosciutto, sopresatta, sauteed artichokes, wine, watermelon, and pastries from an Italian bakery in Brooklyn.  Avery was a little upset when she realized we got to eat everything and all she got was breast milk.  Just give it a year - as you can see from the photo below, we've got a future foodie on our hands.  When she is old enough to eat real people food, I'll be the first to bring her back to the park for her very own picnic, including wine.  Of course I'll bring the wine - I'm going to be the cool aunt.  Plus, her Mommy was my fake ID, so it seems only fitting.

I had tons of leftovers, so when it was suppertime I used them to create a delicious pasta dish.  I tossed linguine with prosciutto, sauteed artichokes, rosemary, a touch of cream, and parmesan.  It may have been one of those thrown-together dishes, but it turned out great.  After dinner, I watched a favorite movie ("Cruel Intentions") and went to bed dreaming about the birthday to come.