Travel
And We’re Back!
Over the last 9 days we have traveled to Boston, Raleigh-Durham, Myrtle Beach and Charleston. It was wonderful to get away and relax somewhere warmer but we are both so glad to be home and back in our own bed. Last night we arrived home and promptly planted ourselves on the couch with a bowl of spaghetti and caught up on Modern Family.
Today we plan on doing a little more relaxing (this pregnant lady is tired out) and I hope to conquer the mess of dirty vacation clothes. I’ll be back to regular blogging tomorrow but until then here is a photo re-cap of our trip!
\
Up, Up and Away!
Hello from Logan Airport! Hubz and I are currently awaiting our flight to Raleigh to meet my parents and head to Myrtle Beach (where I hear it is currently pouring). Until our flight we are hanging out, enjoying the free wi-fi and “enjoying” an airport breakfast of Starbucks oatmeal, OJ (for me), coffee (for him) and a fruit cup (to share).
REWIND!
Lets rewind a bit to Friday….
Friday afternoon started our Babymoon journey to Myrtle Beach by way of Boston, but first we had to stop into our midwife office for our mid-pregnancy ultrasound and appointment. We have a very active baby growing inside me and it took forever for the tech to get all the shots she needed but she finally got all the necessary shots and even caught a side profile for us. We did not catch a glimpse of the goods so we still have no idea what we are having. Well I mean we know it’s either a boy or a girl …we hope anyways. After our appointment we headed to Boston where we first stopped to have flatbread (our post appointment tradition) at Flatbread Company in Somerville. We ordered the vegan flatbread and it was good but we both agreed American Flatbread in Vermont is so much better. After dinner we checked into the Westin Copley Place where we passed out pretty quickly.
Saturday morning started off as it always does when we travel to Boston with bagels and lattes at our favorite spot- Espresso Royale on Newbury Street. We both ordered our favorite whole wheat everything bagels with veggie tofu spread and tomatoes (and sprouts for husband <--I miss sprouts so much!) and a decaf latte for me and an americano for him. We were so hungry that the bagels were gone before I could take a photo but I did shoot a quick pic of my beautiful and amazing latte.
After breakfast we took a walk around Newbury Street and the Prudential Center (actually that’s what we spent most of the day doing) and eventually we ended up at OMBE Boston for our massages. It felt wonderful to get a massage and just relax.
After our massage we strolled down Newbury Street and then stopped into my favorite college spot The Otherside Cafe where we shared a pot of tea and a big bowl of fruit with raw chocolate mousse.
After a little more shopping and strolling we headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner at Estragon Tapas Bar where I actually purchased a Living Social deal for a few weeks back. I started with a virgin pineapple mojito which was amazing and for my second drink I asked the waiter if he could have the bartender make another virgin cocktail and he came back with this amazing ginger brew concoction that had caradmom, cinnamon, salt and one other thing I can’t remember.
The restaurant was dimly lit so I didn’t take any photos of the food but everything was so delicious! They have the vegetarian and vegan options labeled right on the menu which makes things so much easier. They have an amazing waitstaff, our water glasses were always full and our waiter attentive, friendly and knowledgeable.
We were tempted to go with the vegetarian paella but decided to try a variety of tapas, we had:
- Garbanzos Fritos (VG) crispy paprika chickpeas
- Puerros Con Romesco (VG) grilled leeks, romesco
- Patatas Bravas (VG) feisty fried potatoes
- Espinacas A La Catalana (VG) sauteed spinach, pine nuts, golden raisins
- Pimientos Shishito (VG) blistered shishito peppers, sea salt
- Esparragos Verdes (VG) Grilled Green Asparagus, Lemon Oil, Sea Salt
We really enjoyed all of the dishes but our favorites were the spinach and the leeks. I actually wasn’t really interested in the spinach but Neil insisted that we order it and I am so glad we did because it was AMAZING. I would really recommend trying this restaurant if you visit Boston.
Something To Celebrate
Thursday gave the Hubz and I lots to celebrate, first off his 31st birthday and secondly he became a lawful permanent resident!* After our stressful morning interview we headed home to look into taking a mini-getaway to celebrate. We were supposed to be going here:
We had planned months ago to run the Disney Half Marathon but due to Neil hitting his head we decided to defer our entry fees to the 2012 Disney Wine & Dine Half next November. We also decided to cancel our trip all together due to the fact we had no idea when Neil would get the letter for us to go for his interview. We did ended up keeping our flight down due to the fact that it would cost us more to cancel it- crazy right?– and debated heading to Florida last minute since our flight wasn’t until Thursday evening but ultimately decided not to go because flights home were outrageous. So we went with Plan B which was a debate over Boston and New Haven but we ultimately decided to head to Saratoga Springs, NY (I know not Boston or New Haven) because it was closer and less expensive.
First things first though we packed and then headed out for a celebratory lunch at The Farmhouse per the birthday boys request and then we hit the road to Saratoga Springs.
I ended up getting a really great deal on Hotwire for the Holiday Inn Saratoga Springs which was conveniently located right downtown within walking distance to a ton of eateries and shops. We checked in and headed to the room where we promptly took a nap.
After our nap I did a little research on places to eat and ultimately the birthday boy decided he wanted to try Chianti Il Ristorante a nice Italian restaurant only a 10 minute walk from the hotel. We walked in and I was instantly impressed by the decor of the restaurante and the friendly staff. We were seated and took a quick look over the menu before inquiring about their vegan options, there were surprisingly a number of options and we lucked out because our server was well informed and helpful in making our decision.
I apologize now for the poor iphone photos but they’re all I have.
We started with the PAPPA AL POMODORO CON FARRO a quick peasant style tomato and farro stew, olive oil and crushed crisp olive oil croutons. This was easily our favorite dish, if I had known how amazing it was going to be I would have ordered myself a bowl for my entree.
We enjoyed this dish with (too much) tasty fresh bread with balsamic and olive oil to dip in.
For our main course we both decided to get the special which was the Spaghetti Dai Monti which was filled with oyster and shiitake mushrooms that were pan seared with garlic, olive oil, white wine and truffle oil. We also ordered a side of sauteed spinach with garlic just to add something green to our meal. Both the pasta and the spinach were delicious and the portions were huge so we ended up taking half our meals to go, but left just enough room for dessert, a nice bowl of lemon and coconut sorbets.
After our dinner walked back to the hotel and took a dip in the pool then it was off to bed for another fun filled day. (more to come)
Birthday Boy!
*I debated discussing our immigration journey on the blog but have decided that somethings just need to be kept private however if you have any specific questions please feel free to e-mail me and I will answer your questions the best I can.
NYC Recap: Part 4
Our last day in NYC started with a trip to our favorite spot the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. We didn’t do any of the tours this trip but we browsed the store getting ideas for my “to read” list.
After spending a good 30 minutes at the Tenement Museum we headed a few blocks over to Babycakes to pick up a morning treat. We debated over the doughnuts and the cinnamon rolls but ultimately decided to go with a biscuit with jam and cream and a spicy cheeze biscuit. The biscuit with jam and cream was super delicious, I wish we had ordered two so we wouldn’t have had to share. The other biscuit was okay, I bet it’s better when it’s straight out of the oven. 
After that we walked around a bit. 
Then we headed to Eataly.
I could have spent hours in Eataly just looking over all of the products. We debated dining at Le Verdure, the vegetable restaurant but decided there was somewhere else we’d like to dine more. So, we picked up a bunch of little items for stocking stuffers for my parents and a few treats for us before heading on our way.
We ended up walking just a few blocks and found ourselves heading into Pure Food and Wine for lunch. This restaurant has been on my NYC Bucket list for years now and I’m so glad we finally decided to try it.
We both looked over the menu trying to decide what we would order (everything sounded amazing) but ultimately decided to go big or go home and we both went with the 3 course lunch. We were given three options to choose from for each course (salad, entree, dessert). To make the most of our experience Neil and I decided that we would each order something different and share everything so we each were able to try six different things. I’ll forewarn you now that all of Neil’s photos of the dishes he ordered were too out of focus for me to post and mine do not do the food justice. 
Salad Course: I ordered the Caesar Salad (romaine lettuce, nori, pumpkin seed macadamia parmesan, lemon)and Neil ordered the Mediterranean Salad (arugula and kale, kalamata olives, tomatoes, pumpkin seed macadamia parmesan, balsamic vinaigrette). The Mediterranean salad was good but not great, but the Caesar salad was incredible. I could have just eaten a giant bowl of Caesar Salad and been a happy girl.
Entree Course: I ordered the tortilla wraps (spicy sun-dried tomato filling, corn cilantro guacamole,tomato-lime salsa, cashew sour cream) and Neil ordered the zucchini and tomato lasagna (sun-dried tomato sauce, pistachio basil pesto pumpkin seed macadamia ricotta). Both dishes were amazing but I have to say that we both favored the tortilla wraps.
Dessert: I ordered the lemon bar (almond coconut crust, tart lemon custard) and Neil ordered the tiramisu (vanilla cream layered with coffee sake almond cake). For this one I shared a bit of my lemon bar but didn’t have any of Neil’s dessert because of the coffee. I have to say it was a tie though because according to Neil they were both amazing.
We ended our night with a quick trip to the Whole Foods beer store so that Neil could pick up a few homebrew items and then we caught a taxi to the airport where we hungout until our flight. We eventually arrived home at midnight to find our car wouldn’t start and ended up spending 2.5 hours at the airport waiting for a service truck to arrive. Not a great end to an amazing weekend but oh well! 
NYC Recap: Part 3
Saturday morning started out bright and early with a trip to Prospect Park-Brooklyn for the NYRR Jingle Jog 6k. Once we arrived at the starting point I found a place to watch and Neil headed off to his corral with the 6,000+ other runners.
Neil with the teal shorts #3212
Neil finished the race in around 35 minutes which was wonderful for his first race back since his head injury, I’m so proud of him!
After the race we were both hungry so we headed back to Manhattan to our apartment to shower and get ready for the day. By the time we were ready it was 11am so we headed out for brunch at Caravan of Dreams. When we arrived we were the only people there and ended up having a nice and quiet meal just the two of us.
After looking over the menu Neil and I decided to go with a brunch option which is served with a house salad, choice of fresh orange juice or sangria (or virgin sangria) and coffee or tea.
Decaf for me and regular for him. Wonderful coffee. 
Virgin Sangria for me and regular for him. (I shared some of my berries since the regular was lacking). 
Salad for both of us. The salad had a ginger-sesame dressing on it that Neil loved but I just wasn’t a huge fan of; I’m not much for ginger unless it’s in a smoothie of cooked up in a stirfry.
For my entree I had the Polenta Platter which came with Tomato, ali-oli, sautéed greens & vegetables, black beans. My food was absolutely delicious! The greens were nice and garlicky and the polenta was lightly griddled and delicious.
Neil had the Scrambled Tofu with red cabbage, carrots, cauliflower & onions and whole wheat sourdough toast. Neil received a huge plate of food and he loved it. I stole a bite and it was really tasty.
After brunch we walked around and did a little shopping, eventually finding ourselves back at Chelsea Market. Neil had wanted to do some Christmas shopping when we were there on Thursday but our trip was cut short so that we could meet up with a friend for drinks (non-alcoholic for me). Just as expected Chelsea Market was packed (I recommend going during the week). We parted ways and both went off to do some Christmas shopping.
Once finished shopping we headed back to the apartment to have a snack, relax a bit and find a spot for dinner. We wanted to eat somewhere within a few blocks of the apartment and after doing a little research via the internet we decided to try Pala Pizza which had great reviews from omnivores and vegans.
When you first walk in Pala Pizza is really nice, dimly lit with candles on every table and it is cozy and romantic. We were seated and after looking over the vegan menu ordered our we drinks and food. We decided to go with the Crostini tomato, zucchini, daiya cheese and soy beschemel on gluten free bread, Insalate contadino mixed spring salad, cherry tomatoes and the Pizze arrabiata fresh cherry tomatoes, hot pepper, garlic.
Insalate and Crostini
Pizze arrabiata
So how was it? Awful. This was by far one of the worst meals that we have ever had in NYC. The salad was nothing special just greens and tomatoes with balsamic dressing. The crostini was well not a crostini. It was a piece of bread on top of salad greens with over cooked veggies, vegan cheese and an overwhelming amount of bechamel. When I read crostini I think of a nice piece of grilled bread topped with a topping of some sort and you can easily pick it up to eat. The crostini at Pala was a bland, over sauced mess. As for the pizza it was also super bland. The description says that there are hot peppers and garlic along with the tomatoes (as there should be in an arribiata) but neither Neil nor I could taste either of those. It basically was as piece of flatbread with tomatoes on it, nothing spicy about it. We finally enhanced the pizza slightly by adding oregano (which is the weird bunch of old dried flower looking thing that they leave on the table with no explanation-we tried it because others around us were). To top it all off the service was lacking as well. I would never return and I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone.
We didn’t end up finishing the pizza because it just wasn’t good but at least it left room for us to head to Stogo for some vegan ice cream.
Normally I would have just ordered a small but I was still so hungry after our horrible dinner and we had bought a deal online for two regular sized ice creams, which was just the size I wanted. After tasting a few flavors I decided to avoid the soy (after that soy bechamel mess) and went with two coconut milk based ice creams, the green tea and strawberry. Neil decided to go with one of our favorites the salted caramel and paired it with pumpkin pie (it really tasted like pumpkin pie). Both of us devoured our ice creams within minutes because it was so delicious. Now Stogo is one of my favorite spots in NYC so go there!
Before heading to the city Neil found an online deal for 2-for-1 regular size ice cream at Stogo and decided to buy one. I really recommend you take advantage of all the online deals because it can really make your trip a little more budget friendly and you can experiences places you might not go to otherwise. When we did our DC trip last year I found a ton of great deals on Groupon and LivingSocial which made our trip super inexpensive.
Stayed tuned for my final NYC Recap!
NYC Recap: Part 2
Day two in NYC started bright and early with bagels and coffee at Think Coffee which specials in fairtrade organic coffee. They also have a small food menu which includes vegan items like the tasty bagels with tofu spread that we both ordered.
A big mug of tasty regular coffee for him
A small cup of decaf coffee for me (I liked it but Neil said it wasn't as tasty as his regular though)
After our coffee and bagel date we walked back to the apartment to get ready and decide what we wanted to do for the day. Our first stop was Bryant Park to visit the Real Simple and other pop up shops where we sampled some free apple cider, window shopped and watched the ice skaters. 
For lunch we decided to head uptown to Candle Cafe one of our favorite vegan restaurants in the city. We lucked out and arrived at 12:30pm right before the lunch rush which started shortly after. After reviewing the menu Neil and I both made the difficult decision on what to order, there were just too many good options!
Neil decided to go with the special Jamaican Wrap which was filled with jerk tofu, green, yellow rice, sweet potato and a few other tasty goods. Neil loved his wrap and it was packed full of healthy, tasty goodness.
I decided to go with the Good Meal plate which is a choice of four sides and two sauces; I went with the veggies of the day, broccoli, brown rice and grilled tempeh for my sides and for my sauces I chose the toasted cumin and spicy peanut. This was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time, so filling and healthy. I could have bathed in the cumin sauce it was divine. The spicy peanut was good but if I had known how good the cumin sauce was I would have ordered two.
After our giant meal we walked a few blocks to the New York Road Racers office to pick up our race bibs and shirts. Yes, WE picked them up even though I didn’t run I had signed up and decided I might as well get my shirt since we had to go pick up Neil’s anyways.
After we picked up the race items Neil and I took a stroll through Central Park. It was beautiful out and the perfect day for a walk but we both were tired so we cut our walk short and took the subway back downtown to our apartment to relax before dinner.
By dinner time we were both still feeling tired out and decided to just pick up some take out to bring back to the apartment and relax since Neil had his race in the morning. We picked up beer (for Neil) at GOOD BEER NYC a great beer shop in the East Village that has beer from all over the world and it even serves up a vegan sausage.
proof
We didn’t get sausages but we did head over to Organic Grill which was just around the corner from our apartment to pick up veggie burgers. Once we had our burgers we headed back to the apartment to relax and watch Terriers on Netflix- if you have Netflix watch this show it was so good! The burgers were good, nothing special but they tasted good.
We ended our night with chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies from Birdbath Bakery that we had picked up while we were out. Honestly the best vegan cookie I have ever had in my entire life. If you live in NYC or the next time you travel there add this to your “must do/eat” list.
Well that is Day Two! Stay tuned for Part 3 tomorrow!
You can check our Part 1 here.
