24 Şubat 2013 Pazar

Grey's Anatomy: Mama Bought You A Hospital

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On tonight's episode of "Grey's Anatomy" we began in the kitchen where Meredith and Cristina are talking about the $175 million dollars they need to buy the hospital. Did anyone else notice that Meredith finally looks pregnant?

Alex walks into the kitchen and they won't say a word about it to him.

Back at the hospital, Mousey has a new hair cut! I really like it. She is on Bailey's service for the day and Bailey is pissed.

Tonight Debbie Allen returned as Catherine Avery. I love her in this role. She wants Jackson to come to Boston. In that conversation Jackson and Richard band together to challenge her which was kind of cute.

Alana has brokered a deal with Pegasus that is scheduled to close the next day at 8:00am. Meanwhile, our gang is pitching their purchase plan to a venture capitalist, Julian Crest. My first instinct was that one of our doctors was going to be a former flame of Crest's, but that didn't turn out to be the case. Bummer.

The first two people they meet with our young guys in sweatshirts. Callie says, "Will they give us an answer before or after their nap time?"

Back at the hospital, Mousey overhears Alana tell the board president that they are selling the hospital to Pegasus for parts - firing people, transferring equipment, etc. She tells Bailey, then she tells her intern friends, then the chief approaches the interns for the dirt. The chief finally meets up with Bailey and she sighs, "I thought I'd be chief of surgery some day." Awww, Bailey!

Back at Crest Capital, our crew meets with Julian Crest himself. He had researched each and every one of them and determined that there is no real management experience among them. They head back to the hospital to try and remedy that problem. Meredith approaches the chief, and Cristina approaches Owen.

Hunt agrees to help and begs the board for one more day to submit a competitive deal. Meanwhile, Derek and the chief board Julian Crest's helicopter to try and convince him once and for all.

Back at the hospital, Jo starts to realize she isn't going to work at Seattle Grace anymore. After witnessing Alex wow a little boy and his family, she starts to cry. Around the corner, Alex tries to comfort her but she can't be cheered up. She confesses, "I don't want to never see you again." I really thought Alex was going to kiss her right then!

Meanwhile, our gang learns that Julian Crest didn't bite. He "just wasn't feeling it." Our team is deflated, especially Callie who starts talking about selling Mark's condo and moving. I was happy to finally see Sophia and Zola in this episode! They were missing for the last few weeks!

At the close of the episode, the chief confides in Catherine that their hospital deal fell through. Was it just me, or was it weird to watch the chief having pillow talk with someone other than Adele? It felt too soon.

In the final scene, Catherine calls the gang together and tells them the Harper Avery Foundation is going to be their investor. I so did not see that coming! My friend who was watching with me called it as soon as Richard told her the situation.

The catch? She wants Jackson to sit on the hospital board as the foundation's representative, which means he is our gang's boss. You could physically see all of their faces go from elation to fury.

Then, in the best line of the entire episode, Catherine says to a stunned Jackson, "Give your mama a kiss, she just bought you a hospital."

Things just got very interesting!

*Images courtesy of TV Fanatic. 

Dining Out: Puritan & Company

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My crush on Boston boy wonder Will Gilson is no secret. I was a huge fan of Garden at the Cellar, I took my entire family to his takeover at Adrian's in Truro on the Cape, so naturally I had to plan a big night out to try his new restaurant, Puritan & Company.

The restaurant gets its name from the former use of the building, which was the Puritan Cake Company in the early 1900s. In another homage to that heritage, the hostess stand is actually an old fashioned oven.

The L shaped bar is the first thing you see when you walk into the space. The bar is split between patrons who are just enjoying cocktails, wine and beer and those having a drink while they wait for a table.

The dining room has a Restoration Hardware feel to it. The tables are a natural blond wood while the light fixtures are dark and industrial.

The dining room is completely open, all the way to the prep bar and kitchen. I have to say, Puritan & Company feels like a Manhattan restaurant. It has that bustling, energetic vibe that you always feel in New York, but rarely feel in Boston.

We were seated at a communal table (which I have to admit, I kind of hate). As soon as we took our seats I noticed the funky chandelier above our table made from glass jars.

The Puritan & Company menus comes in a light brown folder with the restaurant's name stamped across the front in red. It was like being handed top secret files.

I have to admit, I was unfamiliar with many of the ingredients and cooking preparations, which made the menu feel inaccessible. This is coming from a girl who reads a new menu every night. I think I'm a very seasoned diner and if I wasn't, I be intimidated by this menu.

The wine, beer and cocktail offerings at Puritan are excellent. I selected a lovely glass of rose.

To begin, every table is presented with a plate of rolls. I kid you not when I say these rolls are hands down the best part of the Puritan experience.

Each roll was warm and lightly salted on the top. They had a consistency similar to a popover. There are places people go just for the bread (i.e. Not Your Average Joe's) and these rolls certainly add Puritan to that list.

Next up we sampled the cauliflower soup, served very cleverly in an olive green cup and saucer.

On its own the soup was creamy and flavorful, but when you sent a piece of a roll swimming in there, it was total perfection.

Adding to our carbo loading, we also sampled the gougeres. This is a prime example of a word on the menu we didn't know and had to ask about. Basically, gougeres are like biscuits and this variety was bursting with cheese and rosemary.

Two of the ladies at dinner decided to sample the grilled oysters. The oysters were enormous and you could see the char marks from the grill.

They raved about the freshness of the oysters and complimented the smoky flavor.

In the entree round, two friends ordered the wood-roated muscovy duck. As a vegetarian, few things bother me, but I do find the idea of duck completely revolting.

The friends that ordered the duck both agreed that the preparation was too rare. The duck came with quinoa which they said tasted alright. They did enjoy the thyme and mushroom flavors.

Towards the end of our main course, our waitress noticed that one of the duck orderers really didn't even eat half of her plate (again, because it was too rare for her taste) and she asked if everything was ok with the dish. My friend honestly answered, "I know this a beautiful preparation, but it was just too rare for me personally." Our waitress scurried to the kitchen and came right back saying, "Thank you for telling me, we've taken it off the bill." Wow, talk about customer service!

Two of the ladies selected the flounder. Each piece of fish was folded into a rose shape. Both girls were very surprised by the presentation of the accompaniments. One girl said, "The dish said it came with spinach and potato, so I was expecting those as sides, but they actually came as puree. The onions were the only solid on the plate. I was expecting something heartier."

The second flounder orderer shared, "Despite the surprising presentation, the fish was cooked very well. It was flaky and moist."

Since there is no vegetarian entree at Puritan, I put together a few dishes to create one big meal, starting with the broccoli salad.

The dressing for this dish was actually on the bottom, as opposed to drizzled over the top. You had to be sure to twirl each spear through the dressing first before taking a bite. The broccoli was topped with paper thin croutons that added a nice hint of crunch to the dish.

I also ordered the toasted barley risotto. Sadly, I wasn't a fan of this dish at all. I took two bites before pushing it to the center of the table to share with my friends. Though the dish wasn't for me, they all loved it and made it disappear.

Lastly, one of the girls and I shared a side order of the carrots and they were fantastic! This was one of my favorite dishes all night. My friend hit the nail on the head when she said, "If you can make something simple like a carrot sexy, then you are a master."

Despite a tremendously filling first three rounds, you know I had to have dessert. We decided to go for broke and just try everything that appealed to us.

This is the rum cake, topped with ice cream and garnished with bananas.

The Toll House cookie sundae is a literal block of cookie dough, coated in chocolate, topped with cherry and served in a sea of milk. It's outstanding.

The chocolate cake with caramel frozen yogurt was rich, but couldn't compare to the wow factor of the cookie dough.

The last dessert, a gift from the chef, was a lemon curd. I am not normally into fruit dessert (as you all know), but this was actually quite tasty.

Will never did dessert at Garden at the Cellar and I was super disappointed in the desserts at Adrian's, but these desserts were a dramatic improvement. Bravo to chef Will and team!

When the check arrived it came within a recipe card. I love these kinds of small touches, it really gives a place character.

Overall, our experience at Puritan & Company was a great one. I love the Manhattan vibe of the space. The touches like the old fashioned oven, the menu in a branded folder and the recipe card all give Puritan a distinct personality.

The service we received was exceptional. Our waitress helped us decode many of the menu items, she checked on us regularly, our water glasses were constantly being refilled and she genuinely thanked us as we were leaving. A+ on the staff.

As for the food, it was a mixed bag. While the rolls, cauliflower soup and carrots were spectacular, those were all very small plates (one that's a free starter!). The duck was too rare, the flounder plate felt over advertised and I was underwhelmed by the barley risotto.

The meal was certainly redeemed by the dessert course and we all agreed the Toll House sundae is the must-order dish.

Congratulations to chef Will on this new solo venture! We will certainly be back.

I'm curious, have you been to Puritan & Company? What was your favorite dish?

D'Espresso Coffee Bar

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Turn your head to the right, and it all makes sense.

The next time you’re near the NY Public Library, pop into D’Espresso, a coffee bar with a decorative punch. Walls and ceiling are covered with tiles printed with photos of bookshelves, the wall behind the long banquette seating is clad in wood flooring, and a skylight behind the bar boasts pendant lighting mounted horizontally.

Deliciously disorienting.

D'Espresso: 317 Madison Avenue at 42nd St. 212-867-7141

My Interview with Fashion's on Vacation

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Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North
I had so much fun doing this interview for Fashion's on Vacation about my travel style. Victoria asked all of the tough questions, like which hotel is my absolute favorite. Impossible, right?!

Thanks again to Fashion's on Vacation for the opportunity. Be sure to check out her site! I love all of her cool roundups, especially the one about unique first class airline cabins. Can you imagine showering at 38,000 feet?

Travel Style: Valentine's Day Loveliness

To contact us Click HERE
 Valentine's Day fashion can take many directions. This year I'm feeling extra girly. I'm not sure if it's because it's our first Valentine's Day as a married couple, but I can't get enough pink and red. I've painted my nails in Essie's "Really Red" and plan on making these Valentine's Day treats. I know, it's all very mushy and gross. I promise to get back to my normal self very soon.

Here are the details on my favorite Valentine's Day looks from above:

1. LOVE by Diego Binetti: This collection is delicate and romantic, with designs that are actually approachable and totally wearable by the everyday woman.
2. Love Arrow Necklace by Claudia Rowe, $48: I love this cool little bauble! The necklace also comes in silver or bronze.
3. Mossimo Snake Skin Handbag from Target, $20: Seriously, what would we do without Target and Mossimo's ability to make fashion so affordable? I am a lifelong fan!
4. Mossimo Pearce Pumps from Target, $30: Can't you just see Kate Middleton running about all gazelle-like in these heels? OK, so hers might have a couple extra zeros at the end of the price tag, but still.
I've heard from a lot of friends that trying to get a dinner reservation on Valentine's Day in New York City is a total cluster. So we opted to have our date last night. The husband surprised me with dinner at Poke, which is a sushi restaurant on the Upper East Side that - I'm happy to say - more than lived up to its reputation. Fresh, simple and delicious. (And it's BYOB!) 
I was trying to be an attentive wife and not so much a blogger, so I made it a point not to snap any photos during the dinner (except the one below!). But my two favorite dishes were the yellowtail with jalapeno sashimi and rock shrimp appetizer - light, crispy, and with a delicious sauce for dipping. Honestly, though, everything we got was great.
The night ended with another big (!!!) surprise: we're going to see Mama Mia on Broadway Friday night! I know it's completely nerdy, but I'm kind of a crazy ABBA fan and somehow have managed never to see Mama Mia live. CAN'T. WAIT. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

What are you doing to spread the love?

23 Şubat 2013 Cumartesi

Grey's Anatomy: Mama Bought You A Hospital

To contact us Click HERE
On tonight's episode of "Grey's Anatomy" we began in the kitchen where Meredith and Cristina are talking about the $175 million dollars they need to buy the hospital. Did anyone else notice that Meredith finally looks pregnant?

Alex walks into the kitchen and they won't say a word about it to him.

Back at the hospital, Mousey has a new hair cut! I really like it. She is on Bailey's service for the day and Bailey is pissed.

Tonight Debbie Allen returned as Catherine Avery. I love her in this role. She wants Jackson to come to Boston. In that conversation Jackson and Richard band together to challenge her which was kind of cute.

Alana has brokered a deal with Pegasus that is scheduled to close the next day at 8:00am. Meanwhile, our gang is pitching their purchase plan to a venture capitalist, Julian Crest. My first instinct was that one of our doctors was going to be a former flame of Crest's, but that didn't turn out to be the case. Bummer.

The first two people they meet with our young guys in sweatshirts. Callie says, "Will they give us an answer before or after their nap time?"

Back at the hospital, Mousey overhears Alana tell the board president that they are selling the hospital to Pegasus for parts - firing people, transferring equipment, etc. She tells Bailey, then she tells her intern friends, then the chief approaches the interns for the dirt. The chief finally meets up with Bailey and she sighs, "I thought I'd be chief of surgery some day." Awww, Bailey!

Back at Crest Capital, our crew meets with Julian Crest himself. He had researched each and every one of them and determined that there is no real management experience among them. They head back to the hospital to try and remedy that problem. Meredith approaches the chief, and Cristina approaches Owen.

Hunt agrees to help and begs the board for one more day to submit a competitive deal. Meanwhile, Derek and the chief board Julian Crest's helicopter to try and convince him once and for all.

Back at the hospital, Jo starts to realize she isn't going to work at Seattle Grace anymore. After witnessing Alex wow a little boy and his family, she starts to cry. Around the corner, Alex tries to comfort her but she can't be cheered up. She confesses, "I don't want to never see you again." I really thought Alex was going to kiss her right then!

Meanwhile, our gang learns that Julian Crest didn't bite. He "just wasn't feeling it." Our team is deflated, especially Callie who starts talking about selling Mark's condo and moving. I was happy to finally see Sophia and Zola in this episode! They were missing for the last few weeks!

At the close of the episode, the chief confides in Catherine that their hospital deal fell through. Was it just me, or was it weird to watch the chief having pillow talk with someone other than Adele? It felt too soon.

In the final scene, Catherine calls the gang together and tells them the Harper Avery Foundation is going to be their investor. I so did not see that coming! My friend who was watching with me called it as soon as Richard told her the situation.

The catch? She wants Jackson to sit on the hospital board as the foundation's representative, which means he is our gang's boss. You could physically see all of their faces go from elation to fury.

Then, in the best line of the entire episode, Catherine says to a stunned Jackson, "Give your mama a kiss, she just bought you a hospital."

Things just got very interesting!

*Images courtesy of TV Fanatic. 

My Interview with Fashion's on Vacation

To contact us Click HERE
Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North
I had so much fun doing this interview for Fashion's on Vacation about my travel style. Victoria asked all of the tough questions, like which hotel is my absolute favorite. Impossible, right?!

Thanks again to Fashion's on Vacation for the opportunity. Be sure to check out her site! I love all of her cool roundups, especially the one about unique first class airline cabins. Can you imagine showering at 38,000 feet?

Travel Style: Valentine's Day Loveliness

To contact us Click HERE
 Valentine's Day fashion can take many directions. This year I'm feeling extra girly. I'm not sure if it's because it's our first Valentine's Day as a married couple, but I can't get enough pink and red. I've painted my nails in Essie's "Really Red" and plan on making these Valentine's Day treats. I know, it's all very mushy and gross. I promise to get back to my normal self very soon.

Here are the details on my favorite Valentine's Day looks from above:

1. LOVE by Diego Binetti: This collection is delicate and romantic, with designs that are actually approachable and totally wearable by the everyday woman.
2. Love Arrow Necklace by Claudia Rowe, $48: I love this cool little bauble! The necklace also comes in silver or bronze.
3. Mossimo Snake Skin Handbag from Target, $20: Seriously, what would we do without Target and Mossimo's ability to make fashion so affordable? I am a lifelong fan!
4. Mossimo Pearce Pumps from Target, $30: Can't you just see Kate Middleton running about all gazelle-like in these heels? OK, so hers might have a couple extra zeros at the end of the price tag, but still.
I've heard from a lot of friends that trying to get a dinner reservation on Valentine's Day in New York City is a total cluster. So we opted to have our date last night. The husband surprised me with dinner at Poke, which is a sushi restaurant on the Upper East Side that - I'm happy to say - more than lived up to its reputation. Fresh, simple and delicious. (And it's BYOB!) 
I was trying to be an attentive wife and not so much a blogger, so I made it a point not to snap any photos during the dinner (except the one below!). But my two favorite dishes were the yellowtail with jalapeno sashimi and rock shrimp appetizer - light, crispy, and with a delicious sauce for dipping. Honestly, though, everything we got was great.
The night ended with another big (!!!) surprise: we're going to see Mama Mia on Broadway Friday night! I know it's completely nerdy, but I'm kind of a crazy ABBA fan and somehow have managed never to see Mama Mia live. CAN'T. WAIT. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

What are you doing to spread the love?

Destinations: Little Havana in Miami

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Giant roosters welcome you to Little Havana.
On a recent trip to Miami, my mom and I spent a Monday afternoon exploring the neighborhood of Little Havana. Named so because of the influx of Cuban immigrants who moved to the area in the 1960s, Little Havana today also is home to large numbers of Nicaraguans, Hondurans, and other Caribbean and Central American nationalities.

The best time to visit Little Havana is on Fridays during the Viernes Culturales festival when the streets are full of music and dancing, and local historian Dr. Paul George leads walking tours of its history, architecture and interesting places. (If you can't make it out on Friday, Dr. George also leads Little Havana walking tours through HistoryMiami and Miami Culinary Tours will take you to the best places to eat.)

A view of Los Pinarenos Fruteria from Calle 8 (8th Street).
My absolute favorite spot in Little Havana is Los Pinarenos Fruteria, a colorful fruit and juice stand that's been owned by the same family for 47 years. Sidle up to the open air counter and you'll probably see Pedro "Pete" Hernandez and his mother, Guillermina, working behind the bar. Guillermina and her husband Angel both come from a family of farmers and, although they grew up in two nearby towns in an area of Cuba called Pina del Rio, didn't meet until they both moved to the United States in 1958.

We perched up on the Coca-Cola stools and I asked Pete to make me his favorite juice - a "super juice," it turns out, of celery, ginger, beet and carrot, which was delicious and sweeter than I expected. Later I learned it's because the Hernandez family uses pure, raw sugar cane in their recipes. I watched as Guillermina passed stalk after stalk through the presser, four to five times per stalk to get every last drop of natural sweetener.

Playfully hinting to Pete that my mom was slightly pickier, I scanned the menu for flavors I thought she might like - watermelon, mango, grapefruit - and moments later she was happily sipping another one of Pete's concoctions, a green juice made from celery, parsley, pineapple and ginger. We sat there for a while chatting with Pete and Guillermina as people came and went - ordering fresh-pressed juice or Cuban tamales, and always staying to socialize. (Oh, our grand total for the two drinks was $8.)

Sunflowers in the market at Los Pinarenos Fruteria.
Some more goods in the market at Los Pinarenos Fruteria.
For lunch we stopped at El Cristo and took a seat on the street-facing patio. We ordered two pressed sandwiches: the Pan con Lechon ($5.99), roast pork and grilled onions with a citrusy mojo sauce, and a traditional Cubano Regular ($5.99) with ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard. Besides sandwiches, El Cristo's menu is packed with rice, chicken, pork and fish entrees. Pollo Asado (marinated and roasted whole chicken) and Potaje de Chicharos (Cuban split-pea soup) were some of the listed specials.

Left to right: Invisible North Pole fish for sale at Los Pinarenos and my Cortadito from El Cristo.
It was a warm and humid December day in Miami, and my mom and I finished our sandwiches just as the clouds rolled in and temperatures dropped. We waited for the spurt of rain to pass under El Cristo's canopy, sipping Cuban micro-lattes (called Cortaditos) and watching as a man selling fruit from the bed of his truck hurriedly packed up crates of coconut and pineapple.

El Cubano and Pan con Lechon sandwiches from El Cristo.
Little Havana is an interesting mix of Miami architecture. Its residential streets are lined with homes in the art deco, masonry vernacular, and Colonial revival styles, even some Mediterranean and Moorish designs sprinkled in. On our Monday adventure, the streets were calm and quiet as we walked through Conch Hill and Old Shenandoah - sadly only having time to explore a couple of Little Havana's micro-districts.

Clockwise from top: Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, street art and flags in Little Havana.
I love the history behind Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, which was the first place of worship for Little Havana's Cuban refugees. The church's first service was Christmas midnight mass in 1939 and in 1941 they built a school directly across the street. Standing out front, all I could hear was the sound of the breeze and kids at recess.


Calle 8 and Domino Park.
We ended our visit to Little Havana by acting as spectators at Domino Park, where neighborhood men meet daily for games of domino and chess. It's located just off the main drag of Calle 8 (8th Street), so it's a good stop and end point when touring the area. Calle 8 is also where most of Little Havana's events take place and where you'll find the neighborhood's most popular landmarks. Besides Domino Park, take time to explore the Walkway of the Stars, the Tower Theater, and Cuban Memorial Boulevard.

After five days spent in swanky South Beach and cruising the Florida coastline (more on that later), Little Havana was a refreshing, warm, and welcome respite. The next time I'm in Miami, I'll go back for more fresh-pressed juice and will make sure it's on a Friday night!