Archive for architecture/interior/design

fresh and seasonal abc kitchen

2011/10/20 at 00:00 · Filed under architecture/interior/design, environmental, food, location, organic/sustainable, restaurant, us: NY

abc kitchen is yet another jean-georges vongerichten restaurant. i read about it a little after it opened last year bcuz of its focus on being sustainable, using organic ingredients and has committed to source 70% of the menu from within 90 miles of the restaurant between May and October.

m&i shared the crab toast with lemon aioli for appetizer which was SO AMAZING! for our main dishes, we had the black sea bass with chiles and herbs, baby potatoes and spinach – and – a cheeseburger with herbed mayo and pickled jalapeno. the cheeseburger was one of the best burgers we ever had! finally, we tried some of their drinks: m the green dream which had cucumber, celery, chard, kale, cilantro, jalapeno, lemon & a complex superfood – while – i had a homemade cherry-citrus soda. the green dream tasted fresh and the soda was lightly sweetened and refreshing. we were so full after the main meal that even though we wanted to try their much raved about sundae, we had to pass. but we vow to go again!

in addition to the amazing food, i also loved the décor of abc kitchen and it earns its high praise. the interior design is a collaboration between chef Jean-Georges, restauranteur Phil Suarez, and ABC Home CEO & Creative Director Paulette Cole from the unique lighting, beautiful photographs by a local artist and lovely etched flowers into the wall.

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eat at abc kitchen in chelsea, ny

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new uses for tea

2011/10/15 at 01:00 · Filed under architecture/interior/design, cooking, cooking tips, education, food, health, organic/sustainable, tv/web

now that i am composting, i am so happy knowing that my scraps will have a second life! one of the things i can compost is tea bags – which is awesome bcuz i drink a lot of tea. but according to this article, there are 15 more uses for tea!

  1. Clean carpets: Sprinkle used green tea leaves on the carpet for about 10 minutes, then vacuum them up. Delicate Persian and Oriental rugs can also benefit from a sprinkling of tea leaves. In this case, sprinkle nearly dry, used whole tea leaves on the rugs, and gently sweep them away.
  2. Shine wood floors: Follow your regular floor cleaning routine by carefully rubbing some brewed tea into the floor (don’t use too much water on hardwood flooring) and letting it air dry.
  3. Polish furniture: Dip a soft cloth in a small amount of strongly-brewed dark tea, and use it to wipe down scratched tables, chairs, and more to re-color light spots and scratches in wood surfaces and clean and shine wood furniture.
  4. Clean mirrors and windows: Simply rub a damp teabag on the glass or fill a spray bottle with brewed tea to remove stubborn, greasy fingerprints from glass and make it sparkle.
  5. Clean toilet stains: Just leave them in the toilet for several hours, then flush the toilet and brush away the stubborn stains in the bottom of the bowl.
  6. Soothe a sunburn: Tea can soothe sunburns and other minor burns. Dr. Oz suggests sponging sunburned skin with “cooled chamomile tea” for it’s anti-inflammatory effect. Don’t try this if skin is broken.
  7. Soothe tired eyes: Warm, wet tea bags can reduce puffiness and soothe pain around tired eyes.
  8. Soothe bleeding gums: After a tooth extraction or when an older child loses a tooth, try putting a cold, wet tea bag in the mouth where the tooth was lost and bite down on it. The tannic acid in tea helps healing blood clots to form and can reduce bleeding and soothe pain.
  9. Shine dry hair: Rinse with (unsweetened) brewed tea and leave to dry for a while, then rinse again with water.
  10. Improve skin: Herbal tea ingredients chamomile and calendula can help soothe dermatitis when prepared as a topical cream. Consult with a qualified health practitioner before using these remedies.
  11. Soothe acne: Washing your face with green tea or calendula flower tea.
  12. Tenderize meat: Marinate tough meat in black tea to make it more tender.
  13. Add to compost: Pouring strong tea into a compost bin will help speed up the process and encourage more friendly bacteria to grow, improving the compost.
  14. Help houseplants: Occasionally use brewed tea instead of water to feed ferns and other houseplants that like rich, acidic soil. Spread used tea leaves around rosebushes, then add mulch and water. The tannic acid and other nutrients will benefit the plants. A few used teabags in the bottom of a planter can help the soil retain water, and adds valuable nutrients.
  15. Dye fabrics: Green and black teas have long been used in dyes for fabric and paper, particularly for generating a beige, faux-antique look.

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read article on Yahoo! Green by Steve Graham from Hometalk: 15 new uses for tea

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stability ball

2011/09/30 at 02:00 · Filed under architecture/interior/design, education, exercise, health, house/kitchen, retail, tv/web

for the last few years, i’ve had a ironman balance ball as my desk chair with an isokinetics balance ball base. i like sitting on it while i work. it has been quite a while since i needed to add more air to my balance ball so when i tried the other day, my pump wasn’t working. the price for a new pump is around $6 +shipping while a new ball with a pump starts at $10 so i looked at getting another ball. unfortunately the one i had before is no longer around so i did some research on which one to get and found this article that gave some good pointers what to look for in a stability ball:

Burst Proof
Be sure to use burst-proof stability balls, especially when using dumbbells or any other kind of weights while you are on the ball. If you were to stab a burst-proof ball with a knife, it would slowly deflate rather than pop. Also, burst-proof balls will be labeled with a weight limit to their effectiveness.

Size
Stability balls are sold in sizes ranging from 45 to 75 cm. Your height will determine which ball is right for you. Remember, when sitting on a stability ball, your thighs should be parallel to the floor, at a 90-degree angle, and hips should be in line with or slightly higher than the knees,. If you are shorter than 5 feet 2 inches, use a 45-cm ball; if you are between 5 feet 2 inches and 5 feet 7 inches tall, use a 55-cm ball; if you are 5 feet 8 inches to 6 feet 2 inches tall, use a 65-cm ball; and if you are taller than 6 feet 2 inches tall, opt for a 75-cm ball.

Stiffness
The round surface of a stability ball offers enough instability to challenge your muscles; a ball that is low in air will reduce this benefit. If the ball flattens out when you sit or lie down on it, then it’s similar to a flat bench and less like a ball. Keep your stability ball fully inflated to reap the optimal fitness benefits.

Price
A stability ball can range in price from $5 to $50, depending on brand, quality and durability. Pick a ball that best fits your budget and fitness goals. If you plan to use the stability ball for body weight exercise, use a basic ball. If you want to perform weight-training exercises on the stability ball, choose a durable ball.

Brand
Gaiam, SPRI, Resist-A-Ball and Fitball are some trusted brands that make stability balls of all sizes and colors. Notice if the ball is packaged with a pump; if not, use a bike pump or air compressor to pump up the stability ball.

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read article by Dustin Bogle on Livestrong (Jun 14, 2011): What to Look for When Purchasing a Stability Ball

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hk: pho yummee at the peak

2011/09/09 at 03:00 · Filed under architecture/interior/design, food, hk, location, restaurant

one of the places you MUST visit, especially on your first trip to hong kong is to check out the view at The Peak. there is a tram that takes you to The Peak and it is a long wait but you will see a view of hong kong like no other. it is breathtaking.

so after you make it to the top to see the amazing view of the city, how about a meal? now, there are beautiful restaurants at the peak with a view of the city but it is quite pricey. so we paid more to go to the Sky Terrace for an amazing view of the city and then found a simpler and cheaper place to eat.

there were many restaurants at The Peak as well as The Peak Galleria. after meal after meal of cantonese food (there was a Tsui Wah we could have gone to), we opted to shake it up and go to a vietnamese place called Pho Yummee – and it was yummy! we tried:
- summer roll with shrimp
- goi xoai xanh: green mango, cucumber and shrimp salad
- pho bo: pho noodles with sliced flank steak in fragrant beef broth
- bahn mi thit: classic vietnamese sub with liver pate, sausage and chicken

they also had an variety of drinks and we tried two:
- the mekong: tangerine, pomelo, pineapple and aloe vera
- viet smooth: mango guava, pineapple, sugarcane and fresh milk

even though it wasn’t cantonese food and we weren’t in vietnam, it was a really great meal. we fueled up and were ready to get back on the tram to head back to our hotel for a good night’s rest!
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eat at Pho Yummee in The Peak Galleria in hong kong

visit The Peak in hong kong

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chow down at ed’s chowder house

2011/08/14 at 00:00 · Filed under architecture/interior/design, food, location, restaurant, seafood-other, us: NY

i don’t remember when or from where i read about this place but it’s hard to resist a place that has chowder as part of the name. it just screams seafood and is a nice place to share with friends!

as it is a chowder place, between the four of us, we tried the summer corn chowder with crispy leeks, manhattan style blue crab chowder and the Ed’s loaded shellfish chowder – which i had. it sure was loaded with lobster, shrimp and clams.the chowders are pretty large portions and quite filling.

for the main dish, we tried the striped bass sandwich with watercress and beefsteak tomatoes, fresh pea and fava bean risotto with shrimp, jumbo lump crab cake with spicy remoulade, and soft shell crab sandwich. i enjoyed the crab cake and tried the striped bass sandwich. yum. we cleaned all of our plates!

even though we didn’t have much room for any more food, two of us ordered from the restaurant menu and it came with dessert. so between the four of us, we shared the strawberry ice cream and the dark chocolate pudding with bourbon pecans. sweet lip-smacking goodness!

if the food being delicious isn’t enough, the place is very pretty. the restaurant is on the second level above a starbucks. the grand stairway is adorned with photos and clear bubble chandelier. the dining room is sectioned into 3 rooms: the first room as you enter from the stair case is the bar on one side and an all white room with a seats and small tables on the other side; a second dining room is sectioned by a wall of colorful wine bottles; and the third dining room in the back has a darker look but still has a lot of light coming from the tall windows. it is just a lovely place to sit and dine.

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eat at Ed’s Chowder House in the upper west side, ny

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bring out the spice market

2011/08/07 at 00:00 · Filed under architecture/interior/design, food, location, restaurant, spices/herbs, us: NY

since opening in 2004, spice market has consistently been listed as one of the top new york city restaurants. jean-georges vongerichten’s restaurant used to be a former two-story warehouse but you would never know it when you walk inside. the interiors truly is a sight to behold - from the high ceilings; to stylish furniture and elegant silk lanterns; to wonderful colors of cheerful orange, warm wood and natural greens. you feel like you enter a brand new world and it is beautiful!

for spice market’s restaurant week lunch menu, there are three choices of appetizers:
- spicy thai slaw with asian pear, crispy shallots and mint
- spiced chicken samosas with cilantro yogurt
- charred chili rubbed beef skewer with thai basil dipping sauce

three choices of main dishes:
- pollack with malaysian chili sauce with thai basil
- vietnamese chicken curry
- chili-garlic egg noodles with thai basil and mint

and three choices of desserts:
- ovaltine kulfi with caramelized banan, spiced milk chocolate sauce
- coconut cake with salted caramel and guava ice cream
- ice cream or sorbet packaged in a chinese take-out container

since dishes are served family style and there were five of us, we tried all of the restaurant week menu plus two other lunch specials: the grilled salmon and arugula salad with crystallized mustard and lemon soy vinaigrette – and –  the grilled short rib burger with daikon and chili.

each dish had a special twist in the flavor but the ones i felt that were the most unique were: the wonderfully crispy spiced chicken samosa, the sweet and sour chili-garlic egg noodles. the flavorful grilled salmon and arugula salad, and the ovaltine kulfi. we had a great time trying all the dishes and soaking up the ambiance. come here whenever you need a quick getaway!

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try eat at Spice Market in the meatpacking district, ny

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it’s so butter!

2011/08/05 at 00:00 · Filed under architecture/interior/design, food, location, restaurant, us: NY

since restaurant week was extended, it gave me the chance to try another restaurant i haven’t before! now, i’ve heard of butter before – the previous year, i watched a lot of this food network show, chopped, and one of the judges was alex guarnaschelli, the executive chef of butter. when you watch reality food shows, you feel bad for the contestants when the judges are harsh on them. i distinctly remember alex because she never had a smile on her face as she tasted dishes from the various chefs. after eating at butter, i now wonder how chefs who create amazing flavor dishes can tolerate tasting food that aren’t good.

butter was amazing! for the appetizer, i had the grilled house-made chicken sausage with spicy lentils and parsley. i never had lentils like this before – they were amazingly flavorful, down to the very last pea. the sausage also so good and they were perfect together. from this first appetizer, i knew this meal was going to be crazy delicious!

my main dish was the braised pork shoulder with roasted heirloom eggplant, zucchini and summer savory. the pork was flavor was seasoned to perfection with the eggplant is softened to the point it was part of the sauce – now, i usually don’t like eggplant but the way it was made in this dish, i love it! m had the crispy roasted all-natural chicken thighs with smoked beech mushrooms with dandelion greens and crimini. now, we already know chicken and mushroom is a great combo but the flavor is bumped up a notice with the slightly bitter greens. together it was gratifying.

for dessert, i had the cocoa cake with vanilla ice cream with brandied cherries. i usually like moist cake but while this cocoa cake was denser, it was still pretty amazing. the vanilla ice cream worked well with the rich chocolate cake but what made it even better was the little cocoa bits sprinkled on the bottom of the plate that mixed with the cake and ice cream and gives you the surprise crunch in your mouth. such a small touch but wonderful.

now, if the food being magnificent wasn’t enough, the restaurant is beautifully designed. the entrance has a small waiting room leading to another narrow hallway/lounge with funky wooden seats. the panels are all wood so there is such a warm feeling. there are also built in horizontal display shelves with picked vegetables, sculptures or candles. contrast to the wood, are two bright pictures of trees in opposite ends of the restaurant – one in the entry way and one at the back wall of the upper level dining room. downstairs was a darker lit equally large dining room / lounge with a bar and a dj booth. finally there are tree branches with white lights and a few flower arrangements that tied the whole decor together.

butter restaurant was truly a wonderful experience.

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eat at Butter Restaurant in the nolita, ny

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sprinkle your cupcakes with joy

2011/07/29 at 00:00 · Filed under architecture/interior/design, cake/cookies/cupcake, environmental, food, food art, food presentation, location, retail, us: NY

there’s was a lot of buzz going on when sprinkles opened in nyc in may and it has not died down. i finally went when i was walking by the neighborhood and i will be back! looking like sprinkles falling from the sky, the cute store on the upper east side is designed with catchy bold dots of colors inside and out. it just looks fun and inviting – as it should be – you’re gonna have some cupcakes!

when you enter, you are welcome to a display with three rows of cupcakes – which flavor to choose! for my first cupcake, i had the black and white.cupcake – belgian dark chocolate cake with creamy vanilla frosting and chocolate sprinkles. the medium-sized chocolate is so moist and delicious. the frosting on top was a bit too sweet, as most frosting are for me. what would make me go back again is to try the flavors they have, like ginger lemon, key lime and chai latte. … hmmm. if you’ve been there before, you know that flavors change daily, even seasonally, so if you have a flavor in mind, you will need to plan in advance by checking their site or their iPhone app.

sprinkles cupcakes is founded by candace nelson, whose great grandmother was renowned for distinctive desserts. at sprinkles cupcakes, they use dairy and produce from local farms where available.  in addition to tasty desserts, their bakery boxes, plates, napkins, shopping bags and giftboxes are made from recycled materials. other efforts include the use of green cleaning products and programs to maximize waste recycling and minimize water usage. happiness and responsibility in a cupcake. sweet.

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have a cupcake at Sprinkles in your city

  • check in advance what flavors will be available in your store
  • follow with the Sprinkle Cupcakes app on iPhone

watch founder candace nelson as a judge on season 3 of Food Network’s Cupcake Wars.

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dance to colicchio and sons – tap room

2011/07/21 at 00:00 · Filed under architecture/interior/design, food, location, restaurant, seafood-fish, us: NY

for restaurant week in new york city, one of picks was to try a restaurant by tom colicchio, multiple time recipient of James Beard Foundation and head judge of Top Chef (even thought i never watched the show before).

appropriately, colicchio & sons is right by food central: chelsea market. the ambiance is warm with colors of browns and oranges, and cozy with chopped wood. they also have an extensive wine collection, beautiful clear wall display that stylishly separates the tap room from the main dining room. this restaurant is truly an enjoyment for the eyes and tastebuds.

in the typical restaurant week courses: there was the appetizer, main dish and dessert. for appetizers, m had the roasted bone marrow with truffle vinaigrette & drunk onions which was rich and tasty while i had the raw salmon with celery & pink peppercorn which was light and refreshing. for the main dish, m had the taleggio, sopressata, scallion and soffritto pizza which was really good and had a great crispy crust. i had the spicy fish stew with baby blue clams, squid & hake. while the seafood was fresh the stew was not spicy and a bit too salty. finally dessert! m had the raspberry tart with lemon thyme & buttermilk ice cream which was gone quickly! i had the milk chocolate pudding, blueberry ice cream & hazelnut brittle which was a great combination. the pudding was chocolatey delicious but not too sweet. in all, it was an awesome meal. i love restaurant week!

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eat at Colicchio & Sons – Tap Room in east village, ny

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raise your glasses for glass house tavern

2011/07/17 at 00:00 · Filed under architecture/interior/design, food, location, meat-beef, restaurant, us: NY

times square is a fun place to visit but it isn’t necessarily know for the best restaurants. but on a nice night out with family, glass house tavern shows there is delicious food in the hood.

i had the tomato and mozzarella, d had the cold poached shrimp with cucumber mango salad and both were good but the clear winner was the mushroom streudel with roasted pepper brandy cream – DELICIOUS! for the entrée, the fresh atlantic salmon filet with roast corn and cous cous risotto, citrus, chiles in blood orange vinaigrette was good but the seafood paella was a bit salty and seafood was a little overcooked. the best was the petit filet mignon wrapped in smoked bacon with smashed potato and red wine.

finally for dessert, lemon ricotta cheesecake in apricot glazed raspberries was nice but warm chocolate cake with fresh berries and vanilla ice cream was the perfect ending to a yummy meal.

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eat at Glass House Tavern in times square, ny

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