Trader Joe's Shredded Hash Browns

All of my posts seem to be about food, but I can't help myself... I tried Trader Joe's Shredded Hash Browns for breakfast today along with an egg scramble wrap.

Shredded Hash Browns

Cooking hash browns with vegetable oil, salt, and pepper

Delicious Hash Browns

I scrambled two eggs with baby zucchini, red pepper, yellow onion, and cheddar cheese, topped with avocado, and put it in a low carb wrap

Sunday Breakfast *coffee not pictured*

Whole Foods Dolmas (Stuffed Grape Leaves)

As a treat after the walk, we went to Whole Foods to pick up some popsicles and I also bought a package of dolmas (stuffed grape leaves).  They are pretty good - a nice chilled summery food- but not as good at the ones at Agata and Valentina.

Just Salad in the Park

We went for a three hour long walk in Central Park today.  It was a sunny, hot day and the walk was a definite workout.

On the way to the Park, I stopped at the newly opened Just Salad on Lexington and got a salad in this reusable bowl.

I ordered a Caesar salad with buffalo chicken... it was very salty, because of the Parmesan and the Caesar dressing.  I think I might get a different dressing and less parm next time.  We ate our lunch on a Central Park rock outcrop.

Stecchino Living Social Brunch

Our Living Social voucher for brunch and unlimited mimosas and/or Bloody Mary's at Stecchino was due to expire this week, so we went today for brunch.  I had two mimosas - they were huge and made me tipsy.  My husband's Virgin Bloody Mary was nice and spicy.

Our brunch

My chicken Caesar salad, which was standard but good

The remains of my husband's steak and eggs

I got a side of rosemary fries, even though it was not part of the Living Social deal... there is something rebellious about ordering a salad with French fries.  They were quite good.

It was extremely loud and crowded, but the unlimited drink deal is really good if you are a fast drinker with a high tolerance.  I really liked my salad and fries.  The burgers look a little sketchy - like they might make you violently ill.  We had a nice time!

Yuka All You Can Eat Sushi

This afternoon, my husband and I went to Yuka on the UES for the $20.95 all you can eat sushi deal.  He ordered 12 salmon, 12 eel, and 6 tuna sushi and I ordered the Manhattan (yellow tail, tuna, white fish, scallion, & cucumber), shrimp tempura, and salmon rolls.  By the end, we were both struggling, but it was worth it.

Salmon and Tuna Sushi

Eel Rolls

You have to eat every last bite or else you don't get the deal!

This is how I roll!  Manhattan on top, salmon in middle, and shrimp tempura on bottom.

Happy Father's Day

My dad just got back from a trip to France, and yesterday, received this adorable care package in the mail:

French magazines (including my favorites Voici and Public) and a huge Swiss chocolate bar.  Best dad in the world!!

Tea Sandwiches and Scones

At our last apartment, I discovered that I could create an afternoon tea experience.   It involved tea sandwiches and raisin scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam.  

I never liked egg salad sandwiches before making them myself (I still won't eat a non-homemade egg salad sandwich, because I worry about food poisoning).  My recipe for egg salad is hard-boiled eggs, mayo, salt and pepper, and watercress.  It's really easy and best on white bread like Pepperidge Farm.

Tea in old apartment

Homemade Raisin Scones

I use Garvey's Traditional Scone Mix - it's always in our cupboard.

This vintage tablecloth was a gift that my mom got me when she visited Seattle.

Fresh Chicken Eggs

At my last job, one of the committee members who used to come into the office would often bring fresh eggs from her chicken coop.  If you are fancy enough, you probably have a country home; at your country home, you probably have a chicken coop.  This very nice fancy woman had some Rhode Island Red chickens whose colorful eggs were a treat for us city folk.

I brought some fresh eggs home...

They were almost too cute to eat.

What a fried, farm fresh egg looks like...

One of the Williams-Sonoma Agrarian Chicken Coops that are suited for a country home.

Urban Outfitters BDG Cigarette Jeans

Last night, we went out to dinner in the Village, and afterwards I stopped by Urban Outfitters to get a pair of jeans.  Traumatic.  I need to lose weight, and I'm going to use the jeans I bought as a gauge.  The size 28 that I purchased were snug as hell; I am currently a snug size 6.  I want the jeans to fit comfortably, and to lose the muffin top.  I don't think that I'm fat, but I'm not comfortable with going up a size and need to improve my lifestyle.  Walking, yoga, and fewer calories are happening.

BDG Mid-Rise Cigarette Jeans in Size 28 - $54

View of back of jeans

As an aside, the top that I'm wearing is from Francesca's and was on super sale, because the glass beads are sort of falling off.  I couldn't find it online, but Francesca's has a similar top right now called the "Highclere Castle" top.  I love mine and highly recommend getting one like it.

Francesca's Highclere Castle Top - $38

Owl Collection

Today, I was going through photos from over three years ago, when I was unmarried without cats living in a studio apartment in Yorkville, and I stumbled upon some photos of my prized owl figurine collection... this was something that I displayed on my window ledge B.C. (before cats) along with a little potted herb garden.  If I tried this now, the figurines - many of them porcelain - would be strewn everywhere and the herbs and flowers would be eaten and knocked over, leading to me calling ASPCA's poison control hotline.  

Owls in old apartment

I have never bought myself an owl figurine.  Everyone in my life knows that I love owls and gives them to me.  It turns out that my husband's German grandfather also had an owl figurine collection, and I have inherited it and integrated it into my own collection.  Some are also from a French flea market, where my husband bought a vendor's entire stock for me... too cute!

Owl Collection in Yorkville Apartment

Polish Owl & Bouquet

Herbs and Owls

 Basil

Owls in Entryway of Studio

I had this cute little entryway to my studio apartment, and I put a few owls on the bookshelf there and hung the framed Albrecht Durer print called "The Little Owl" that my mom gave me as a gift; so that it was the first thing to greet me when I got home.  I love that this Renaissance period German painter was as charmed as I am by a cute little owl.  For now, my many little owl figurines are tucked away safely in a closet, but one day when I have a cat-free room, they will be back on display.

The Little Owl - Albrecht Durer

West Elm Raw Edge Coffee Table Part 2

Took a photo of the coffee table in the morning light...

but I couldn't seem to get a cat-free photo.

West Elm Raw Edge Coffee Table

For the last two years, I have had an ugly Target cocktail trunk that never looked good and was impossible to assemble correctly.  The sides come apart from the front and back, and it is really poor quality.  West Elm had a really cute coffee table on sale for $299 this week; in an effort to be more adult, I purchased it.

Here's how the cocktail trunk looks in Target Imaginary Land.

Here's the cocktail trunk in my very real apartment... literally falling apart.

One of the many places the trunk is coming apart.  Thank you cheap mass production for this gem!

The West Elm Raw Edge Coffee Table in West Elm Fantasy World.

The reality of the West Elm Raw Edge Coffee Table assembled in our apartment with a cat on it.  I love it!!  It's much better quality, real wood, and made in India.  I also like that there is negative space underneath it. 

Now I just have to throw out this piece of junk cocktail trunk from Target and celebrate having a legitimate, grown up coffee table.

Trader Joe's Milk Chocolate Covered Preanut Butter Pretzels

Trader Joe's  Milk Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Pretzels are the bomb.  They're more pretzel bites than legitimate pretzels, and I love them.   They have that same salty, sweet, crunchy thing that Hershey's Take 5  candy bars have going on.

Pretzel Bag

Individual little pretzel bite

Bitten into pretzel bite

Trader Joe's Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Quiche

We bought frozen broccoli and cheddar cheese quiche from Trader Joe's and tried it tonight.  Verdict: pretty good.

Trader Joe's Broccoli & Cheddar Cheese Quiche

Frozen Quiche

Baked Quiche

Quiche in half