Big things in the works these days . . . stay tuned!
Author: Laren
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Welcome to the Neighborhood!
There's a ton of construction going on in my hood (not just in/on my building), and with that construction comes new businesses. There are two that I am particularly excited about, and they're now both open for business. First, Greenwich Project, which offers a cocktail menu designed by John McCarthy, small bites in the downstairs bar area, and a full menu upstairs. Second is the Burger Joint, which I have loved for years in its original location in the Parker Meridien hotel. Welcome to the neighborhood!
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Allez Cuisine!
I have been on an ongoing quest to cut down my spending in all aspects of my life. As you may or may not know, I have some mild food-hoarding tendencies (thank you, family), so I have a well-stocked pantry and freezer. It’s strange — when I’m at the beach house, I love the Iron Chef-like challenge of assessing available ingredients and coming up with a meal based on what’s around. Perhaps it’s because there are fewer alternate options. At home, for some reason, it often seems easier to pick up something on the way home or order in, despite the fact that I like to cook. I am trying to break myself of that habit and turn to my kitchen first. Last night I was ravenous when I got home. The goal? A decent meal in 30 minutes or less from what I had in the house. The end result was a tasty batch of rice and beans, with leftovers to boot!
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Stuck in my Head: Hang Up The Phone
One of my all time favorites from back in the day (had a brief cameo in the movie Sixteen Candles). Became irrelevant with the invention of call waiting.
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Booze You Can Use: Whisky Live (with a Discount!)
Over 250 whiskies in one place?! Yep. Come join me Wednesday night at Whisky Live at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers. I'm trying to decide my game plan — single malts? bourbon? rye? a hodgepodge? Regardless, we'll get to talk to experts, ask questions, and taste some of the finest spirits around. Also, there's Cocktails Live — bartenders from Ward III, Bar and Books, the Flatiron Room, and other whisky bars will mix their original
whisky cocktails. Tickets include a full dinner buffet and there's a special discount for Sweet Blog o' Mine readers — you'll get 15% off if you use the code wlmedia. See you there! -
Reunited (And it Feels so Good)
Spending some much needed QT with my college roommates; we haven't really hung out since our trip to Vegas in 2006. Waaaay too long!!
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Rant of the Day
I don't know why these little things at the gym piss me off so much, but in addition to my issue with people who don't put locks on their lockers, I have a huge problem with people who use the bathroom stalls to change. Seriously, people — it's a GYM. Change in the locker room like the rest of us. Nobody cares what you look like and nobody is looking at you because we're all too busy dealing with our own body issues. Get over it and stop hogging up the stalls because some of us have to pee.
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Where I’d Rather Be on a Rainy Tuesday
Snuggling on the couch with this girl:
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Pushing Limits
On Sunday I went running outside. "So what, Laren?" you might say. "You're a triathlete and all, don't you do that all the time?" The answer is yes, I do, but generally not in 30ish degree weather. I hate running in the cold, and I probably haven't done it in about a decade, but I made myself do it. "Why?" you might ask. "Don't you belong to a gym where they have a perfectly good treadmill?" Why yes, I do, but I wanted to make myself a bit uncomfortable — to push my limits, even if it was ever so slightly. I'm at a point in my life where I have to push my limits in so many ways — I might as well start with something easy. Plus, there are only 129 days left until this year's NYC Triathlon. . .
