I get downright giddy about

eating out at nice restaurants. I love the ambiance, the service, the elegance, the details, the company, and everything that makes the experience just that -- an experience. 


Some of my favorites (in NYC) thus far:
Jean-Georges
Daniel
Blue Hill Stone Barns
Marea
L'atelier de Joel Robuchon
Del Posto
Gramercy Tavern
Park Ave Autumn
JG Nougatine

Still on my bucket list:
Riverpark (going tomorrow! YAY)
PER SE!!!!!!
Eleven Madison Park
Blue Hill West Village
Lincoln

[such elegance! oh yes, and champagne on arrival :) | blue hill stone barns 7.31.11]

[vegetables have never tasted this good | blue hill stone barns 7.31.11]

[still one of my most memorable dining experiences | jean-georges 8.27.10]

[this fish course literally left me speechless | marea 5.14.11]

[foie-gras burgers! | l'atelier 10.12.11] 

 [so impressed with this sugar sphere dessert | l'atelier 10.12.11]

[admiring our tower of canapes and enjoying world-class cocktails in the lounge | daniel 7.23.11]

[only the most incredible bread basket known to man | del posto 9.3.10] 

[I experience deep cravings for this pork shoulder and cornbread in bacon broth. It's seriously magical | gramercy 8.10.11] 

[Plus, having a friend as a bartender at the tavern isn't bad either, esp. when she makes me fun cocktails and throws extra desserts my way :) | gramercy 8.10.11]

on moving

Oh man! I'm a little surprised at the reaction I received regarding my previous blog post about moving! I almost didn't think anyone read this anymore =P Hahaha

but YES. to answer everyone & their moms' questions. . .

I officially finish my "training" on January 3, 2012, after which I will be placed at one of the 48 H. restaurants across the country. I get a minor say in my preference, but it's more of a courtesy question they ask me, rather than a request they take seriously. This restaurant group is notorious for moving their managers around all the time, so even if I did get to stay in NY for the time being, I'd probably end up moving sooner or later anyway. Besides, they won't really promote you to a higher level manager until you've worked in a few different locations. My friend just got her assignment to Long Island, which kinda sucks, because her whole family is in Boston and she would have LOVED to go back to Boston. I'm super impressed with her attitude towards her LI placement though, and I just hope&pray that I will be equally thankful and excited for wherever I end up.

How do I feel about moving? To be honest, I'm still in denial. It's too sad for me to actually take it seriously... but maybe I should start soon. I'm sure there are 1000 reasons why moving would be good for me, and 1000 reasons why staying in NYC would be good for me. At the end of the day, I just gotta go where God puts me. And really, even though it's the VPs and GMs that make the final decision on where I go, God is the one who is directing even that show. God's been so good to me in my life up till now, so even if I have to move, how can I question that He won't continue to be faithful to me?

So yes. There is a verrryy high chance I'll be moving. That is, unless something crazy happens and I hop off this career path and start doing something else...

...

...

O_O

my new york bucket list

Since I don't know how much longer I'll be able to stay in New York, I should probably get a list of things I want to do before I leave...

Here's what comes to mind. The bigger challenge, though, is finding people who will willingly (and happily) spend the money to do these with me :P

- eat / have cocktails at the Per Se lounge
- eat / have cocktails at Blue Hill in Manhattan
- eat / have wine at Lincoln
- go back, visit people, and have cockatils / dessert at Daniel
- NYC chocolate show (next week!!!)
- go back and eat some more pasta/fish at Marea!
- hang out at Pegu after closing
- eat at colicchio and sons
- have another bread basket at Del Posto
- get cocktails at PDT and Milk&Honey
- try the pancakes at Sullivan St. Bakery

HM. I should probably think of other things that aren't food related...

- watch another opera at the Metropolitan Opera
- catch a sunrise at the 23rd street park
- convert as many people as I can to going local
- share the Good News with a few more coworkers and friends
- catch a jam session at the Blue Note, Dizzy's, or Birdland


New York City is full of cool stuff!!!! I don't want to leaaaaaaaaaaaveeeeeee :( :( :( SIGGHHH. 9 weeks to go... *GULP*

hospitality

I've been thinking a lot about what this looks like in the past few days, and I can tell you one thing: some people can't help but exude it, but sadly, many don't. I want to strive to be hospitable in all parts of my life and to all sorts of people -- to friends, to strangers, to anyone needing to "be seen" (in the words of Danny Meyer).

once a pastry chef, always a pastry chef?

Don't get me wrong. I am super grateful for the opportunity to learn the FOH-side management and everything that comes with it, but I also can't deny the fact that I dearly miss making pastries in a kitchen...