The Consumer Whore Report: New York City-style!
Today was yet another exciting day of fine dining and shopping. The adventures started out with a delicious brunch at Wild Salmon Restaurant near the Grand Central Station. The salmon was moist and flavorful, and the Baked Alaska Igloo dessert was cute, quaint, and quirky. Sadly, the restaurant is closing its doors for good after Monday. I picked up some postcards and perused the sharp and innovative doodads at the Museum of Modern Art's Design Store/MUJI at MoMA location in SoHo. I also fawned over the vast library of architecture and design books at the store. Hot damn!
The next stop was a refreshing break at Vosges boutique in SoHo where we enjoyed drinking chocolate (*drinks*). Moments later, I picked up the obligatory traditional tourtist souvenirs (a black "I ♥ NY" T-shirt and a black "I ♥ NY" coffee mug for the office) at nondescript gift stores on Bleecker Street, and couple pounds of organic coffee at Porto Rico.
Later in the evening, we met G's friends at a very quaint Italian restaurant on the edge of the Village. Antica Venezia Ristorante was very charming. The arugula salad was fresh and delectable, and the creme brulee dessert had an ideal creaminess to it. The raisin grappa drink, courtesy of the house, was potent yet refreshing.
Personal observations: In the near future, I want to learn more about the art of fine dining--namely the nuances of dining etiquette and conventions. This is not to say that I am going to turn exclusvely highbrow and/or conservative; rather, I want to gain experience and become comfortable in fine dining situations. Having spent most of my adult life eating out at casual and fast-food establishments has not been conducive for feeling at ease while dining at fine establishments. There are times for casual dining, and times for elegant dining, and I want to feel comfortable in both kinds of settings. I feel that once the fine dining etiquettes bcome second nature to me, I can focus more on enjoying the atmosphere and the food (than I already am doing), instead of fixating on which silverware to use for what courses, how to break the bread rolls, and where to place the used utensils).
And during this NYC trip, we have booked three restaurant reservations through OpenTable.com. I just realized that if I book nine more reservations through the OpenTable system during the next 12 months, I may be eligible to be upgraded to a VIP status. I will keep this in mind next time I want to eat at a spiffy establishment in Portland during 2008.
The next stop was a refreshing break at Vosges boutique in SoHo where we enjoyed drinking chocolate (*drinks*). Moments later, I picked up the obligatory traditional tourtist souvenirs (a black "I ♥ NY" T-shirt and a black "I ♥ NY" coffee mug for the office) at nondescript gift stores on Bleecker Street, and couple pounds of organic coffee at Porto Rico.
Later in the evening, we met G's friends at a very quaint Italian restaurant on the edge of the Village. Antica Venezia Ristorante was very charming. The arugula salad was fresh and delectable, and the creme brulee dessert had an ideal creaminess to it. The raisin grappa drink, courtesy of the house, was potent yet refreshing.
Personal observations: In the near future, I want to learn more about the art of fine dining--namely the nuances of dining etiquette and conventions. This is not to say that I am going to turn exclusvely highbrow and/or conservative; rather, I want to gain experience and become comfortable in fine dining situations. Having spent most of my adult life eating out at casual and fast-food establishments has not been conducive for feeling at ease while dining at fine establishments. There are times for casual dining, and times for elegant dining, and I want to feel comfortable in both kinds of settings. I feel that once the fine dining etiquettes bcome second nature to me, I can focus more on enjoying the atmosphere and the food (than I already am doing), instead of fixating on which silverware to use for what courses, how to break the bread rolls, and where to place the used utensils).
And during this NYC trip, we have booked three restaurant reservations through OpenTable.com. I just realized that if I book nine more reservations through the OpenTable system during the next 12 months, I may be eligible to be upgraded to a VIP status. I will keep this in mind next time I want to eat at a spiffy establishment in Portland during 2008.