Pop!

After walking around the West Village, Podz and I decided to end the day with a stop at Popbar.  Popbar makes gelato, yogurt, and sorbetto popsicles that they then hand dip into the chocolate and topping of your choice.  Podz chose hazelnut gelato with dark chocolate and coconut flakes, while I chose mixed berry yogurt in white chocolate with coconut.  I'm not usually a white chocolate girl, but it worked with the slightly tart berry yogurt.  It's a little gimicky and there aren't very many toppings to choose from (just the coconut and a couple nut varieties), but the quality of the popsicles was good.  It was a fun thing to do, but once it gets warmer I see myself going to Mr. Softee before paying $5 for one of these again.

Not So Obsessed

I was skeptical of Meatball Obsession, the latest in a trilogy of meatball-only destinations.  I still haven't tried Meatball Factory (the second of these places to open), but I am a die-hard Meatball Shop fan.  Meatball Shop was the first to come up with the "all meatballs all the time" concept so I firmly believed they had to be the best.  However, it's not fair of me to denigrate something I've never even tried, so when Podz suggested we start our day in the West Village there, I couldn't argue. 

Meatball Obsession separates itself from the other restaurants by being no more than a window.  I was impressed to lean my head into the small space and see they were churning out meatballs quickly in Le Creuset dutch ovens.  Unfortunately, I can't eat somewhere just because I like their cookware, and that's about all I liked about this place.  My suspicions proved true as I found Meatball Obsession nowhere near as good as the Meatball Shop.  I tried two different varieties, the beef in the parma sauce (crispy pancetta, parmigiano-reggiano, and herbs) and the pork sausauge in the genoa sauce (herbs, pine nuts, and pecorino romano).  The sauces were ok, but nothing special and over-salted.  The meat itself had been ground so fine that it had a uniform texture, much like the ones you buy in the freezer section.  I can't even say the stick of focaccia bread rocked my boat since it didn't taste as fresh as it should (perhaps because it's sitting right next to a window in chilly New York weather).  The price may be slightly less than that of the Meatball Shop, but you're also getting a smaller portion.  Meatball Obsession offers one ball for $4, but for $7 at Meatball Shop, you get four balls that taste much better.

I'm glad I did the necessary research so I can now tell you not to waste your time with Meatball Obsession.  Stick to the original and head to Meatball Shop!   

Book Review: Me Talk Pretty One Day

For years I've been told I need to read David Sedaris' collection of essays, Me Talk Pretty One Day.  I tried once, but after buying a faulty copy (after about 50 pages it started from the beginning), I got discouraged by the botched book and put it down.  At the time, I also wasn't thrilled by the subject matter.  Blame it on my sheltered upbringing, but I was in no mood to read about someone who casually discusses his homosexuality (gasp!) and past drug use (double gasp!).

Seven years after my first attempt, I tried again after Jen told me how much she loved it.  Jen and I typically agree on books and movies so I trusted her recommendation.  It also helped that she was able to lend me her copy since I didn't want to shell out the money a second time if I was just going to put it down again.  This time proved far more successful than the first.  I flew through Sedaris' witty rants that cover everything from grating tourists to his twisted love of the macabre.  I guess I just had some big-city-living to do, but I loved it.  Instead of seeing the essays as being in poor taste, I now find them playful.  Sedaris is cynical, but he recognizes it so he doesn't take himself too seriously.

3.75 out of 5 stars

3 on Thursday

Last weekend afforded me no time to rest and this week has been no different as I run around preparing to host a full scale Passover Seder on Saturday... 

Newsweek has been stumbling in the last few years, but if the issue they released two weeks ago is any indication, I think they're on the way back up.  Newsweek capitalized on the excitement around the Mad Men season (after an unbearably long 18-month hiatus) by putting their issue into a time machine set for 1965.  Not only did they revert to the same fonts and style they used then, they convinced the advertisers to do the same.  I'm not an avid news magazine reader, but I was completely engaged while reading this issue.  I still can't bring myself to throw it away.  If you can, try to get your hands on it.

Yes, I have DVR and often fast forward through commercials.  But sometimes, when I'm watching per-recorded show I let it run straight through and attempt to multi-task (check my Twitter or Pinterest feed, browse recipes online, flip through a magazine) during the commercial breaks.  When this commercial came on I stopped and watched the whole thing then rewound and watched it again.  The "one of a kind" and "know who you are and own it" messages gave me the warm fuzzies.  I'm not a Dr. Pepper drinker, but now I won't discourage others from sipping away.

 If you're single, this video will give you a serious chuckle.  If you're not single, you'll still probably laugh your pants off.

Turtle Club

Last Saturday was a Hoboken night.  Steph and I needed some time to catch up, so while Gav surrounded himself with March Madness, we hit up The Turtle Club for dinner and drinks.  The restaurant is new(ish) to Hoboken, but the mosaic floors have an old school flair that remind you an actual Turtle Club (America's first social club) existed here way back when and includes alums like Alexander Hamilton.

I was impressed by the cocktail list right off the bat because it included fun ingredients (ginger beer, muddled cherries) but wasn't overrun by super sweet drinks.  After two rounds of the Sybil's Sip (Ketel One, St. Germaine, lemon juice, grapefruit, and basil), we were ready to discuss all of the stressful things in our lives.  We continued to discuss our frustrations and celebrations over three shared dishes.  The first was a salad of arugula, dried cherries, walnuts, and shrimp.  It was good, but I found it slightly overdressed and was disappointed that it only included four shrimp, which is not enough for the $7 fee we paid to add them.  We got our choice of three bruschetta for $8, which I thought was a good deal, and I always love when you get a variety of choices for this type of thing.  We picked the asparagus with truffle oil, gorgonzola with garlic, and [my fave] bacon with caramelized onions and boursin.  The third - and in my opinion, best - dish of the night was the portabello napolean.  It was like a warm caprese salad all jacked up.  The mushroom caps were topped with sauteed spinach, roasted red pepper, mozzarella, and a balsamic reduction.

As the night wears on, the restaurant turns into a vibrant bar with a popular music selection.  It has a way of feeling slightly upscale without trying, which only means I'll be trying to return next time I'm in the 'boken.   

Aw Puddin'

Puddin' is reserved as a term of endearment, which is why I think it is the perfect name for this small dessert shop in the East Village.  Puddin' serves up their own special concoctions, like the lemon drop, coconut cruise, and caramel macchiato.  Or if you'd like to create your own parfait, mix-and-match style, choose from the available fresh-made puddings and toppings (which include sauces, cakes, and fruit).

Lindsay and I had been talking about trying Puddin' for months and finally made good on our word.  I tried the coconut cruise (coconut pudding, graham cracker crumbs, pineapple, lime soaked coconut cake, and whipped cream) and found it as refreshing as a pina colada.  I'm not a major fan of whipped cream, but I didn't find it particularly offensive here.  I also tasted a bite of Lindsay's chocolate with marshmallow cream.  The chocolate was rich and the marshmallow creme was glue-your-mouth-shut thick.

We each ordered the $4 minis, which are large enough to satisfy any sweet tooth, but small enough to keep you from feeling like you're completely ruining your diet (bikini season is alarmingly not too far off).  These cute desserts are a great alternative to a coffee date with a girlfriend...though they serve Stumptown so we had coffee too.  There are only five stools in the whole place, so you'll probably need to have your pudding and coffee to-go, but it's a fun and easy treat to eat while meandering the East Village.

Crab and Kale

I was surprised how easily dinner came together on Wednesday night.  I didn't even make it to the grocery store until the time that I would normally like to start cooking so I knew I would have to get some quick cooking ingredients.  At the fish counter, I found ready-made fried softshell crab for $6 each.  Immediately I knew I would be making a sandwich.  I picked up squash and zucchini that was already julienned along with some arugula from the salad bar.  While I warmed the softshell crab in the toaster, I tossed the squash and zucchini with some mayo and curry powder.  I didn't really cook anything when it came to the sandwich, but it evolved into a pretty special sandwich due to some strategic assembly.

The side dish was just as easy.  When the individual ingredients are flavorful, you don't need many of them to create something striking.  This kale dish, for example was comprised of three total ingredients.  I cooked chopped kale (the pre-chopped stuff was a beautiful shortcut) in boiling water for about five minutes.  While that was cooking, I sauteed dried chorizo until it started releasing its own oils.  I got the chorizo from the deli counter (where they sliced it for me) and then gave it a rough chop before sauteing it.  I drained the kale and added it to the chorizo so the flavors could combine.  You don't even need any oil, salt, or pepper.  Once it's all mixed together, top with a poached egg.  Done.

[I think] the picture makes the whole meal seem homemade and well thought out...even though it took a total of 15 minutes to throw together.  Even if you don't think it looks like it took much planning or effort, does it matter?  It tasted good enough for me to recommend you make it yourself.