caramelized memoirs: new york, new york

I am thrilled to report that I have made it back from NYC without consuming meat. In all honesty, I was in such good company the entire time that I couldn't have cared less what I was eating. I am suffering from a bit of writer's block (probably has something to do with the fact that I slept 4 hours on both Friday and Saturday night), but I will recap the weekend with my epicurean high-lows.

Highs:
-The cookies and cream mini cupcake courtesy of Baked by Melissa and the bite-sized brownie bars from Crumbs at Sophie's birthday party at MercBar.
-4:30am pizza from New Amici at 12th & 3rd, i.e. the Christian's Pizza of New York City. Same set up - point at the slice you want and wait for it to be reheated in the oven. There's even the same list of characters - one Italian proprietor and no less than four Mexican pizzaiolos.
-The four flowers punch at Sarabeth's West. I met up with my friends Laura and Katherine to "have a drink" at 4pm (so casual) and out comes a rum-spiked pureed tropical smoothie in a goblet the size of my head. The drinks were strong and we were slightly buzzed when we left two hours later. Sorry I'm not sorry.
-Waking up at Eleanor and Alicia's apartment on Sunday morning and eating one of the Nutella Cheesecake bars I made them. They're made of cream cheese, so that counts as a breakfast food, right?
-Saturday's brunch at The Smith with Ali and Morgan. The Potato Waffle Benedict, three savory potato and onion waffles topped with poached eggs and a creamy spinach sauce, was the most unconventional, surprising, and delicious version of bennies I have eaten maybe ever. And that's saying a lot, because I have had a very exciting love affair with eggs benedict for the last 6 years of my life. You see, hollandaise is the bad boy of any brunch menu. Inevitably, you see it once or twice a month. You tell yourself to avoid eye contact. You're trying to be good and you've been doing so well for yourself without it. You avert your attention and look for a distraction, perhaps a more wholesome dish. But nothing makes you feel that way, so you meet up, derailing your otherwise perfect existence. Sometimes it just feels so good to be bad.

The potato waffle benedict at The Smith, photo courtesy of the Village Voice

Lows:
-Having to feed my little three-year-old cousin sausage and bacon on Sunday afternoon (and not being able to nibble on the sausage myself).
-Major regret/minor meltdown in the taxi on Friday night after I realized we had driven right past La Esquina and I didn't stop at the taqueria for an avocado taco.
-The green curry (vegetable with tofu) I had Saturday night. I am trying really hard to like tofu but I just can't get behind it. I hate the texture! Any suggestions on how to ease myself into it?

That's all for New York, food-wise. Other highlights included, of course, an impeccably-done birthday party for Sophie, lounging in "the cave" with Eleanor discussing her new job (she has been making big moves and I'm so proud of everything she's accomplished!), celebrating Ali getting into an amazing journalism program, an impromptu karaoke rehearsal with tunes from Bieber and TSwift to prepare ourselves for our actual 2am (yes, 2am) reservation at karaoke one 7, being silly with old friends, making new ones, and enjoying the spring-like weather. Hope you all had a fabulous weekend. I'm planning lots of fun recipes for the blog this week, so stay tuned.