22 hours in New York City

This week, I had the pleasure of spending 22 hours in New York City, 11 of which were dedicated to work, 8 to sleep, and 1 to my morning get-ready rituals, leaving 2 measily hours for exploration.  Luckily, those work hours included a great dinner at ViceVersa, an Italian restaurant on West 51st.  ViceVersa’s menu is fairly mellow, but with hopes of eating something I could only find in New York, I ordered the Casoncelli, a pillowy pasta stuffed with crumbled veal, raisins, and crushed amaretto cookies, of all things, topped with butter and fantastically salty slivers of pancetta.  Let’s not forget the wine and the delicious garlic and herb house bread.

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Even though time was scant, there were three key New York moments during my trip that made me smile like only an out-of-towner can.

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5 Easy Brunch Recipes that use Yogurt

Breakfast is arguably my favorite meal of the day, and lunch, well, I love that too.  Brunch, though?  I just don’t get it.  Seriously, I need to know–is it breakfast or is it lunch?  Do you eat eggs Benedict or do you eat egg salad?  Pancakes or paninis?  Brunch is a big fat grey area, and I don’t like it one bit.  I’m just one of those people.  In fact, I’m morally opposed to breakfast for dinner.

Don’t stone me.

Despite my aversion, this weekend I stepped out of my comfort zone and invited some friends over for a yogurt-inspired brunch.

Take a look at the spread!

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When preparing the brunch menu, my goal was to cook up a variety of tasty nibblets that incorporated Activia yogurt (since I had some Foodbuzz freebies to use).  Heavy emphasis on tasty, of course.

The mainstay of our meal was my Western Sausage Crustless Quiche:

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Cinnamon Pecan Yogurt Coffee Cake

When I go to coffee shops I like to play a game called “if I could eat any of these baked goods, which three would I choose.”  I’ve no doubt drooled over thousands of cases of baked goods over the years, analyzed the contents, and debated each variety of glistening pastry and chocolate loaded what-have-you’s.  Meanwhile, each bagel beckons me to slather it with cream cheese and take it to a private spot in the corner.  I don’t mind when I have to wait in line for my cup o’ joe—it’s more quality time I get to spend at the case.  More time to ensure I’ve got my line up just right.  It’s important to consider how each choice can impact future selections because, as with any team, it’s important to have balance.  One item with chocolate, one savory treat to balance out the sweets, and one coffee cake.

Always a coffee cake.

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Truth be told, I rarely end up ordering anything from the case (for fear of sugar induced comas or caloric catastrophes) but should the day come when I order not one but three carb loaded delicacies simply knowing that I have a plan of attack is almost as comforting as that steaming hot bagel would be.

Almost.

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10 Calorie Iced Mocha (yes, really).

The other day, I came home to THIS on my doorstep:

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Jealous?!?!

This goodie box was sent to me as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program with Godiva Coffee.

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It’s the simple things in life, I tell ya.

It’s been so stinkin hot, that I figured I could put the Godiva Chocolate Truffle coffee to good use by making some iced coffee.  Give me iced coffee and a straw and you’ll have yourself an empty glass in approximately 13 seconds.

Early in the morning, I brewed up a big ole pot of the Chocolate Truffle coffee, and proceed to drink 2 glasses of it hot.  I couldn’t get over the strong chocolate smell!  I put the rest of the pot into the fridge to chill out, and it made the whole fridge smell like delicious cocoa.

Later that afternoon, I filled a glass halfway with ice:

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Then added 6 ounces of the brewed coffee, plus 1 packet of no-cal sweetener, plus 2 ounces of some fat-free unsweetened vanilla almond milk (the kind I buy is 40 calories a cup).

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Isn’t it pretty?

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All mixed up:

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10 calories to caffeinated joy!

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If you are feeling extra sassy, you could even add a squirt of your favorite chocolate syrup to the mix.  Your call my friend. Your call.   😉  

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A day of unplanned meandering.

I woke up this morning with no specific agenda.  I had a list of things to do, but no specific order or priorities or timeframe to complete them in.  Honestly, I can’t remember the last time this has happened to me.  How did I get to this point of continuous overscheduling, overplanning, and overbooking?  I am SO over it.  Prior to moving to Charlotte, I envisioned every day being like today:  a day full of unplanned meandering about the city.  Days filled with simple things like walking around and trying restaurants.  Meeting people.  Talking food.

I realize wanting EVERY day to be this way is unrealistic.  But how about EVERY weekend day?  Is that too much to hope for?

I laid in bed for a while thinking about all the possibilities of the day, before heading out on my Sunday run.  The Charlotte area had some crazy flash flooding on Friday, and the park behind my condo was literally under five feet of water!  Thankfully the water has resided, but the whole area is basically a giant cow chip now.  So, I decided to hit the city streets and explore some neighborhoods I don’t usually get to by foot.

After my run, shower, breakfast, and lazy time, I headed out to take some exterior photos of restaurants I’m planning to write reviews of this week.  I played restaurant stalker for a while, got a few disapproving looks from various restaurant patrons (ahhh the life of a food writer *sigh*), then headed to Central Coffee Co. to try out their goods and take advantage of their free wifi.

Can I just say, I love coffee shops.

There are always interesting people around at coffee shops.  People chatting and people who don’t want to chat at all <me>.  People seeking inspiration <me> and people who just exude creativity.

I also love coffee shops for the fresh brewed coffee (obv.) and endless supply of tasty treats to sample (double obv.).

When I arrived at Central Coffee Co, I found a random seeming building that sure didn’t look like much from the outside.  It sits at the corner of Central Avenue and Louise and has a tiny awkward parking lot.  I wasn’t getting a good vibe as I walked up to the door, and I was almost hesitant to go inside.

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Right when I opened the doors, that comforting smell a freshly ground coffee beans washed over me and I realized that the inside of this unassuming coffee shop told a completely different story.  The shop was very long and narrow inside, with one wall of exposed brick running the entire length.

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The walls were lined with a handful of small tables, mismatched chairs, and a swanky sitting area complete with white leather chairs near the fireplace.

I eyeballed their large selection of bakery treats, not sure which to go with.  When I asked the barista how the zucchini bread was, he got a big smile on his face and said it was “awesome.”  When the employees get excited about the food, that’s when you KNOW it’s good.

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I went with my standard small black French Roast coffee (I’m hardcore like that) and a slice of that vegan zucchini bread, then grabbed one of the tables along the brick wall.  Not only did they have free wi-fi, but they also had ample plugs for laptop charging = very happy blogger.

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I sat back in my chair took a long sip of my coffee, and soaked in every ounce of this place that I could.  Every sight, smell, and sound.  The music was playing at the perfect decibel, and the barista stood at the counter, head bobbing to the rhythm, waiting for patrons in need of service.  Strangers were sitting by the fireplace trading their top restaurant picks and their desires to try newly opened spots.  The lights were dim and unabrasive, one of which was perfectly placed over my table.  Occasionally, I would hear the coffee grinder buzz in the distance and that familiar smell would waft back over towards my table.  I sat typing away on my computer and snapping random photos for a while before sitting back and savoring the zucchini bread.  Every bite of the bread exuded intense cinnamon flavor.  It was moist and slightly sticky, which made the crumbs hug my fork begging to be eaten.  And I obliged.

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As I relished my coffee, I realized this whole place was speaking to me.  From the chalkboard menus on the walls, to the exposed beam ceilings and warehouse style air ducts.  And of course, there was the giant biscotti perched in a glass jar on the counter. There was just something about this place.

Something right.  

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I think I found my new spot. Smile

Central Coffee Co. on Urbanspoon

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