Labor of Love

As per the usual (of the past 2-3 years), I just spent a very enjoyable Labor day in NYC. My friends moved (3 mos ago) to a new apartment, and I was excited to see the new 'hood and place.

I took Bolt Bus down, which is as cheap as Fung Wah, but nicer. A lot nicer. Wi-Fi access, air conditioning, and reclining seats. I slept on the way there, but read on the way home (nothing exciting. I read a text that I'm making my students read this semester. Yalom's The Gift of Therapy, if you must know).

Upon arrival, we took the subway to the new place to drop off my stuff. It's a gorgeous pre-war condo that has a partial view of the Park. It's big, by NYC standards, but still so small. We got a quick snack to tide us over, b/c we didn't want to ruin our appetites.

Who here watches Iron Chef America? Then you are familiar with the name Masaharu Morimoto! I knew he had a restaurant in Philly, but my friends let me know that he had opened a restaurant in NYC. I was DYING to go. Every time he battles in Kitchen Stadium, I become a ravenous mess at midnight. Morimoto in NYC was everything I hoped for, and more.

We started out with some drinks. Pretty names, yummy sips. I had the hydrangea, while my friend had the snapdragon (her DH declined, as he wanted to stay sharp for the upcoming Scrabble Tourney). We shared the rock shrimp tempura, which was served in two different sauces (a wasabi aioli sauce, and a korean red-pepper sauce) which were crispy, creamy, and absolutely delish. Then, the surf and turf main course came out, which comprised of a waygu beef in hot mustard (cooked medium rare) and some yellowtail with avocado. The beef was SO TENDER that no knife was needed. At all. You barely needed teeth. The fish was fresh and buttery. On the side were some roasted fingerling potatoes that just melted in my mouth.

We followed the main course with some sushi. Spicy tuna, spicy yellowtail, and spider rolls. Even though we were not yet stuffed to the gills, we decided we should wait it out and look at the dessert menus. Roasted bananas in chocolate creme, with banana ice cream for me. Warm chocolate cake with popcorn ice cream for the friend's DH. Chocolate mousse and ganache with black sesame for my friend. NOW we were full. So full, that we passed out when we got home.

Saturday was spent exploring. We went to the MOMA, b/c a classmate's husband had been invited to design a pre-fab house to show at the MOMA (on the 54th? 56th? street lot). During the exploration of the inside exhibition (more the history of pre-fab homes) I bumped into a professor from my program. Totally random. Going outside to the street lot to explore the five pre-fab homes was incredible. One was built with NO NAILS! (that's the one my classmate's husband made). SO COOL.

we did a walking tour of the west side (midtown and chelsea) to see the neighborhood where Sarah Jessica Parker lives, where her brownstone from SATC was filmed, and just cute neighborhoods. We were way too close to Billy's Bakery not to pop in and have some cake! If you are ever in the neighborhood, treat yourself to some moist, decadent cake while watching the cute cupcake guy sing along to the radio. We enjoyed this, this, and this. Yes, my sweet tooth has been totally satiated. All that sugar helped me to win the big game of Scrabble that night.

Sunday, we did bagels (nothing like a NYC bagel) and then re-arranged the apartment. You know how when you move, you have to arrange the furniture around a few times to see where it fits best? I love doing that. So long as it's not MY apartment.

That's how I spent my lovely 3 day, pre-school starting weekend. Next year, I hope to spend some time in Flushing Meadows too, to watch some tennis.

Sorry for so many links and no pics. My friends are muggles, and unknowing of the blog. carrying around a camera to Morimoto and Billy's would have been strange.