This Little Piggy went to the New Amsterdam Market

I was excited to go to the New Amsterdam Market this past Sunday, especially since I had enjoyed October's market so much.  I was a little worried that the snow would deter some shoppers and mainly vendors, particularly those coming in from out of town.  Fortunately for us, that was not the case.  For those who don't know, the New Amsterdam Market is a monthly farmers market that has been held in the South Street Seaport (shout out for FiDi) over the past few years and more regularly since September.  Their website states,

"Reinvented for our present time and needs, New Amsterdam Market will incubate a new growing business sector: purveyors who source food directly from farmers and producers whom they trust to be good stewards of our land and water."

We arrived a little late in the game at about 3:15, though luckily there was still enough time to take a look around.  Among many wonderful items present at the market were really tasty cider, kimchi, smokra (smoked, pickled okra), mead, and cheese.  The Market was also very festive, providing the vendors with bells, which they rang in order to spark holiday cheer.  Expect more to come on individual items purchased while shopping and many more posts when they re-open in Spring 2010.

Danny Meyer Considering Plaza Food Kiosks in FiDi

As I mentioned last Friday, for as dead as everyone claims the Financial District to be (and it can't be that bad since I live down there),  they certainly seem to be opening, or at least contemplating, many new restaurant endeavors in the area.  As seen yesterday on Eater,   Danny Meyer Considering Plaza Food Kiosks in FiDi.  All these new places is about enough to make me reconsider my move at the end of January.  Hopefully 2010 will be a rebirth for FiDi... We shall see.  Oink Oink!

This Little Piggy ponders "The rise of the kitchen bitch"

I found The rise of the kitchen bitch., an article published last week on doublex.com, extremely interesting.  It reminded me of a question someone asked Batali and Chang at The Strand about a month ago.  I can't remember their question verbatim, but it dealt with the woman's place in the kitchen.  I remember Chang stated that while he has no problem with women joining his team, at times it causes some issues, merely due to strength and how much a woman can lift versus a man.  Similarly, Batali claimed he also did not have any concerns with women in the kitchen, noting that they often times add a delicate touch to the pasta that a male chef cannot.  That being said, it does seem that many of the big name chefs these days do tend to be men, which is sort of strange (though not bad at all), considering that traditionally women tended to be the leader of the kitchen.  Anyways, I thought I'd include this article, which elaborates on the topic.  Please feel free to add your comments!

This Little Piggy stays warm in the Crocodile Lounge

Although it's nice to stay inside in a cozy apartment when there is a blizzard outside, I didn't want to miss the snow.  I headed out to meet a friend for a drink near his apartment at the Crocodile Lounge (E. 14th between 1st and 2nd).  I'd never been before and it felt like I had just been transported out of NYC to some random hole-in-the-wall bar in the middle of nowhere.  Mind you, the streets were completely white, as was everything else in site, so it already felt different than your normal Saturday evening in Manhattan.

I walked down into a dark bar and grabbed a seat while I waited for my friend.  The place was oddly cozy, uncrowded (though, I heard it is usually much busier) and the perfect place to have a casual drink.  I was pleased to see they had Harpoon Winter Warmer on tap and even happier when it was only $5.  I was asked if I wanted a pizza and politely declined; shocking, but I wasn't hungry.  Come to find out, that's their thing.  Evidently you get a personal cheese pie with every drink.  Lucky for me, it wasn't too late and we ordered one with my friend's drink.  This seemed like an Insane deal!  A beer and a pizza for $5?!  The pizza wasn't even bad, especially when loaded up with parm and chili flakes. 

Also exciting was that they have Skee Ball, Big Buck Hunter Safari, a photo booth and some bowling video game (like Golden Tee for bowling) that you can actually win money from.I may have just found a new favorite place! 

I definitely will be back for the pizza, beer and skee ball, not to mention it beats crossing the river to their sister restaurant, the Alligator Lounge, in Williamsburg.

This Little Piggy went to Lusso for Brunch

Lusso , a contemporary Italian restaurant located in SoHo, sits on the corner of W. Broadway and Grand in a modern, exposed brick space.  I had passed Lusso many times over the past few weeks on my walk home and was intrigued by their drink special brunch menu ($20 all you can drink with a brunch entree).  While the atmosphere is nice, cozy and offers a warm refuge to the snow outside, the food was less than delicious.

Tini and I thought it would be a great place to meet before finishing up our holiday shopping.  Although we opted out of the drink special, the coffee was good, and the bloody mary was decent.  The menu also looked appetizing, including brunch items like maple toast and steak and eggs, as well as salads and sandwiches.  I chose the eggs and polenta and Tini ordered the frittata with basil, goat cheese and potatoes.  I was hopeful about my choice, however, sadly disappointed.  The creamy polenta, which closely resembled cream of wheat, quickly became luke warm before I had hardly touched it.  Additionally, the poached eggs possessed a runny, white consistency, which I hate.  Personally, I find runny egg whites disgusting.  Fortunately, the bacon was nice and crispy, though nothing to write home about.

The frittata, on the other hand, was delicious, though I find goat cheese makes everything tasty.  The potatoes were mixed into the eggs and added a surprising texture, which I enjoyed.  Other than that, the meal was mediocre at best (clearly excluding my wonderful company).  The hi-light was definitely the decor and very much not the food.  Who knows, maybe the dinner menu is more impressive.  Unfortunately, I probably won't find out since I likely won't go back unless to grab a drink at the bar.

Get your Wall Street Burger!: The Open Door is now, um, open on John Street

For as dead as everyone says the Financial District is (I'm not disagreeing entirely), there are certainly a lot of new places opening down there.  Within the last month I can think of at least three.  First the Vintry, then a couple weeks later Goodburger and now right across the street from me, Open Door.  And coming soon (who knows when?!), Bon Chon will also open a few doors down.  All of this just two months before my lease runs out and I move farther uptown... I guess you can't win 'em all.  Luckily, my brother will still be in the area.  Anyway, more to come on the above mentioned locals in the next couple of week.  Have a good weekend!

Consumer Reports Health Blog: Is romance ruining your waistline?

Given that I am a 25 year-old woman who went to school in Texas, it's not surprising that I know dozens of girls who were getting married right out of college.  Also not too surprising, are the bitter comments I hear from ladies who are not yet married or in serious relationships.  Fret no more my friends, at least you're not one of the statistics in Reports Health Blog: Is romance ruining your waistline?, an article recently posted on Consumer Reports Health Blog discussing the correlation between marraige and weight gain.  Cheers to that next time you're at brunch with your girlfriends!

Personalized Wine Journal | Williams-Sonoma

Still finishing up your holiday shopping? Stay warm indoors and shop online at William-Sonoma. They have a wonderful selection of gifts for everyone on your list. They even break it down into price ranges for under $25, $50, $100 and $250. My personal favorite is the Personalized Wine Journal Williams-Sonoma for $49.00.  What can I cay, I'm a sucker for monograms!