Exploring My Neighborhood

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Last night Kurt and I tried out Madiba, a South African restaurant in my neighborhood. I'm absolutely in love with all these online coupon sites out now (like Groupon and Scoutmob) which scored us 50% off our meal. It helps ease my guilt about spending money and encourages us to try new places we might not normally visit.

In other news, I am totally fed up with my camera. Every single image I take is grainy, even ones in bright sunlight. I think it's time for an upgrade. I haven't even begun to look at new cameras or consider what I want, but I know my #1 priority is getting crisp images in low light. Any suggestions, photo savvy readers?

Dinner at Madiba was really tasty! As per usual, Kurt and I split an entrée and added a couple sides. The menu was filled with authentic South African dishes which is definitely a new horizon for me. We decided to try the Bobotie which reminded me of a gourmet meatloaf. It was served with rice and a sampling of sauces. We paired it with some delicious grilled/roasted vegetables and flatbread which we topped with chutney. Everything was so flavorful with spices (but not necessarily spicy which was nice). It reminded me a lot of Indian food and curry flavors.

I wish I could have gotten some images of the decor (but of course it was dark and my camera is crap). There are animal skins on the walls and rich, saturated colors everywhere with quirky light fixtures and furniture sprinkled in. The vibe is rugged and cozy. Even after we finished eating, Kurt and I shared another beer and just hung out at talked. It was really nice. It is typically really busy on the weekends, so our Thursday night outing worked out well. I definitely suggest checking it out!

weekend.

It was another pretty photo-less weekend. My apologies.

Friday night, Kurt and I had dinner at National, the super cheap Thai restaurant near my apartment. We took advantage of their BYO alcohol policy (Is it wrong to bring Japanese beer to a Thai restaurant?) and broke out from our (more like my) Pad Thai rut and tried Shrimp Pad See Ew. Very good. Then we both fell asleep in the middle of Analyze That. Super exciting evening.

The main event of the weekend was a spaghetti dinner fundraiser at Kurt's apartment on Saturday night. Last year they hosted a similar dinner in response to the earthquake disaster in Haiti. This year, we focused on helping a village in Samoa build the infrastructure (gutters and water tanks) to collect rainwater. Kurt and his boss have personally been involved with the project over the past few years. It was great to continue spreading the word and collect whatever contribution we could. I think it was quite a success! 

Of course I didn't take any pictures but Kurt's brother Erik had the brilliant idea to set up a camera in one spot that would take a picture every 2 or 3 minutes to capture the night's progression. Catch the entire string of images on YouTube here. Thanks, Erik!

Prep time before any guests arrived. Erik and Silvia worked on a salad. I toiled away on some Tomato Bruschetta and Sweet Pea Crostini (both adapted from Big Girls, Small Kitchen recipes). Kurt was the pasta master--preparing a boatload of spaghetti and two sauces, spicy and mild.

Near the height of the party. We never got an overall headcount of guests but the apartment was definitely FULL. I spent most of the time next door in Jenn's apartment just to get some breathing room. We were all terrified that the food would run out but thankfully there was more than enough. It was a great turnout to say the least. After the dust settled and we took a peek at the collection bowl, we realized the party had raised over $500! We did not expect that much at all and are so grateful to everyone who contributed to the project. Every little bit helps and it will be great to send them a nice, fat check soon. Thanks, everyone!

Sunday was a good recovery day. Cleanup from the party was surprisingly quick and easy. I was even able to take some leftovers to a Super Bowl party later in the evening which was graciously hosted by my friend Andrea. There was so much food for essentially five people to consume. We were gluttons while criticizing all the commercials and the half time show. I guess the evening was interspersed with brief spurts of watching the game too.

Then before you know it I'm back at work on Monday morning. Where do the weekends go?!

joining the 21st century

I finally did it. I broke down and got an iPhone as my birthday present. Now, don't get me wrong, it's not the new 4 or anything (Is that not even considered new anymore? Am I that far behind?). I'm too cheap frugal to follow the cutting edge of technology. Instead, I dug through the online bargain bin from AT&T and got a 3GS for $50. I was tempted by a refurbished model for $20 (and even another refurb with a cosmetic blemish for $9!) but decided that new was the way to go. Don't ask me why, but my new little friend had to travel to Alabama before we could be united, so I just received it today. I will be sure to fill you in on all the grand life changes that come about once we become well acquainted :)

The Pioneer Woman

Tonight I went to the Barnes and Noble in Union Square to see Ree Drummond, otherwise known as the Pioneer Woman. She writes one of my favorite blogs and just published a memoir about her whirlwind romance with her husband. The book was released today, and NYC was the first stop on her book tour. She was cute and funny and much more soft spoken than I expected. She even confessed she is not much of a public speaker and loves blogging because it is practically the antithesis of that. I agree.

Now I did something dumb today. Before I left for work this morning I got the bright idea to buy the new book online because Barnes and Noble has one day shipping in Manhattan (and maybe I am cheap and thought I would get a better deal online). I could get it delivered to work and have it in hand for her to sign when the time came. Somehow I failed to consider that I was going to see her speak at a huge book store that just might have a couple extra copies around for all us nerdy blog followers. And it turns out that "one day shipping" means by 7pm which is exactly when the program started. So, in the end, I left the office before the book arrived. I'm pretty sure they had 50% of the published copies of the book at Barnes and Noble. They practically wallpapered the place with them. I was so tempted to buy another copy, get it signed, and give the copy which is hopefully now sitting in my office as a gift. Once again I was cheap and did not. So now I have zero signed copies :( 

I also went by myself, so I didn't have the opportunity to be awkward and ask for a picture with Ree because I didn't have a photographer/wingman. Well, the Pioneer Woman has a children's book and another cookbook coming out soon-ish, so there's always next time!

weekend.

I have a pretty cushy job. Unlike many of my fellow young architects, I never have to work late. Ever. At six thirty on any given day you will find our office completely deserted. I like it that way. There's no need to work crazy hours. I guess having clients that don't demand deadlines has something to do with it. Well, last night was the exception to the rule. Our office has entered a competition against two other architects for a big job in the Upper East Side...right off the park, near the Met kind of big. The presentation is this morning, so we were working furiously all day yesterday to get some amazing ideas down to WOW the prospective client. We were at the office until 10:30 and I had to miss out on a launch party for RUE magazine that I had been looking forward to for a while. I hear it was a super fun party. (Right, Jenn? :)  ) I guess we all make sacrifices. That said, there wasn't much time yesterday for the weekend update. Tuesday evening still isn't too bad.

[Omit bracketed portion for shortened version. It may or may not just be a rant about why I sometimes don't like Manhattan.]

Friday night was in honor of Silvia. We celebrated her exodus from her awful job and wished her luck at her new position at SOM which started this week. The night started at the Rockwood Music Hall to see the Third Wheel Band. Silvia saw them in Brooklyn on Halloween and is now a big fan. They put on a great show and are very fun to dance to (as long as the venue isn't teeny tiny...which it usually is). After their early show, we headed to the Magician bar in the Lower East Side. I love when bars that don't serve food let you order in. We got a couple pizzas from Two Boots which is always a crowd favorite. Congratulations on all the big life changes, Silvia!

Saturday I spent some time working on my room and welcomed our new roommate as she and her clan moved all her stuff into the apartment. The landscape architects' scheme won out for my bedroom and I'm trying to make it look more homey. Thank you Kurt and Steven for your input. Now I still need help getting those closet doors off their hinges...hint, hint.

The walls got some decoration with my small collection of maps and Jasper Johns print.

This little Ikea drawer set got a paint job like his big brothers.

My magazine/mirror project was reinstalled at the entrance. That empty little corner by the windows is waiting to be filled by a chair that has been betrothed to me by Kurt's parents. Once it arrives, I have a very talented friend who has promised to reupholster the cushions for me. I better start looking for fabric now. It will take me that long to decide!

Saturday evening Kurt made a delicious butternut squash risotto. It was really incredible. It may have had something to do with my amazing stirring skills :)

[Saturday night Kurt and I had three birthdays to celebrate. It started out fine but ended up kind of lame. I would like to blame it on Manhattan. Yep, the whole island. 

First we met some friends in the Lower East side at Stanton Public. The bar was cool and they had a great beer selection. It was very low key. One of the girls who was there for the celebration works for Jet Blue. She met Cam Newton when her company flew all the Heisman nominees to NYC. She said he was very nice and quite attractive :)

After a drink, we headed to the West Village/Meatpacking District for a joint birthday for Paul and Stephen. The destination was 675 Bar on Hudson Street (near where Ms. Jane Jacobs used to live). However, Kurt and I never made it in because we had to stand in this super long line. A line! Can you believe it?! Not only was waiting annoying but it was freeeeeeezing cold and we were surrounded by guys with gelled hair and girls teetering in ridiculously high heels and tight, short skirts (I was foolishly wearing my snow boots and puffer. I guess I was the only one who got the memo about sub-freezing temperatures). Thankfully we were eventually released from bridge and tunnel purgatory when we received word that our party was switching bars. Apparently, even if you got inside 675, it was still unbearable. 

We tried the nearby Brass Monkey. Although there wasn't much line outside, the crowd was mainly the same and the place was so uncomfortably packed you could barely find a place to stand, let alone sit, get a drink from the bar, or carry on a conversation with the person standing next to you. We stayed for one beer, exchanged some pleasantries with the birthday boys, then headed back to Brooklyn where it is quiet and casual. Now I remember why we don't go to Manhattan very often.]

Sunday was spent working on Kurt's room. It's been on the docket for a while and got pushed off from last week when we painted my room. The main event was assembling his new Ikea bed (snagged in the As Is section, by the way). Kurt had never had the pleasure of building a piece of Ikea furniture before and we picked a pretty complicated one to start with. It ended up going pretty smoothly but took a few hours. The bed has storage drawers underneath, so we were able to discard a shelf unit which was taking up a lot of valuable floor and wall space. Total transformation! Now if only those bikes could find another home....

Jenn made Kurt and I some delicious Pumpkin Enchiladas (recipe here) as Sunday Movie Night continued with Fargo. I don't care to tell you much about the movie, but I did not like it and would not recommend it. It was violent and depressing and pretty pointless. I can handle blood and destruction as long as there is some resolution or message. There was none that I could surmise. Kurt liked it for some reason. Ask him. All I can say is that I am picking next week's movie...