I fit right in during my Park Slope visit yesterday because I was pushing a stroller. Some might even have mistaken me for a mother since this is the kind of place where 50 something mothers are not unheard of. My four month old niece was in the stroller and once I got over my apprehension about handling the stroller (which is a bit different than the ones I had with my kids 20 years ago) we had a grand time. We sTrollered around prospect park on a gorgeous afternoon and sat on a bench at the edge of a green lawn and people watched. Then we walked along 7th avenue window shopping. All the while it was a smile fest, my niece and I i smiling at each other. (except when she slept.) bliss. We stopped at a bagel shop near union street, where I had some good apple cider and rugelah. Earlier I ate an excellent lunch at Miriam’s on fifth with my brother. A israeli-inspired place …the scrambled eggs on some sort of crispy slightly sweet fry bread served with fiery Harissa was delicious. Went to a good resale shop near y, spotted a tv actor (Derrick from”smash”), got carry out from a middle eastern place called zeitoin, and sadly said goodbye for now.
Category Archives: 2) Frequent Destinations
Delta, Eric Kayser, AG kitchen in NYC
I was not optimistic about making my connecting flight from the start yesterday because I had only a 37 minute connection in Detroit and sure enough I almost missed it. At 9:45 I was stuck in the plane in the rain on the runway in Detroit thinking there is no way I will make my 10 am flight to NYC. I was in the last row of the plane and I had to collect my luggage on the jet bridge before getting the next flight. And my arrival gate was on the opposite end of the airport. I had also called delta twice and was told the NYC flight was leaving on time. But I had to give it a shot. So when we finally got to the gate I leapt out of my seat and made it about to mid plane. Then I quickly spotted my luggage among the bags piled on the jet bridge (one advantage of having a shocking pink bag) and I ran. And ran from gate c30. By the time I got to gate a27 the plane was boarding. I had to bend down with my hands on my knees and catch my breath. And I developed a cough. But I got on that damn plane. Moral of the story: it’s worth trying. But would have been nice if delta could have told me the flight was delayed 25 min.
At laguardia I ended up taking the airport bus to grand central. Never done before and it did take longer than a taxi but price was right – $12.50 plus tip for driver and it was comfortable.
I went to lunch with my aunt S. at a lively French boulangerie on third ave in the 70’s. The place was packed at 2 p.m. Good salads, sandwiches, pastries. Later I met my friend m at AG Kitchen on columbus and 73rd. Fun place with latin-influenced comfort food – roast chicken, smashed potatoes, guacamole, lobster spinach balls. Gorgeous weather and great time to be in NYC.
Filed under New York City
My recent travel story in the Minneapolis Star Tribune – The High Trestle Trail in Iowa
I forgot to mention that a story of mine about riding bikes on central Iowa’s The High Trestle Trail at night ran a few weeks ago in The (Minneapolis) Star Tribune – for more details see: http://www.startribune.com/printarticle/?id=165756086
Night riding on The High Trestle Trail in central Iowa
Fresh air, exercise and an art bridge
- Article by: BETSY RUBINER
- Special to the Star Tribune
- August 13, 2012 – 2:41 PM
The other night, I did something new and possibly stupid: I rode my bike on an unlit trail through rural Iowa. It was dark, except for the dim beam from the cheap flashlight I jury-rigged to my handlebars and the occasional flickering light of passing bikes. It was quiet, except for the periodic rustling, croaks and calls of who-knows-what. It was spooky.
Filed under bike trails, biking, Iowa
The Slurping Turtle in chicago, Oasis in Iowa City, Splash in Des Moines
- Outside The Slurping Turtle on Hubbard Street in Chicago
I met my sister and her daughters at a new place in the River North area (I think) of Chicago called The Slurping Turtle, cute place with good Japanese-influenced food run by a celeb chef (he’s on Top Chef Masters, we were told.) The best dish was the Tori Ramen a egg noodle soup with a poached egg, chicken, Chinese broccoli and pea pods. Also some good gyoza appetizers (potstickers) and duck fat fried chicken. On the drive home, I picked up my daughter in Iowa City and we went to one of her favorite places that I’d somehow never been to – Oasis, a middle eastern restaurant where I had a humdinger of a pita sandwich with perfectly cooked and seasoned chunks of lamb, felafel, chunks of cucumber and tomato, hummus. Excellent. Last night we did the $25 restaurant week dinner at Splash with four other friends. We were told the portions were slightly smaller for the discounted meal – which I thought was a bit stingy – but when the dishes arrived they were certainly big enough for me. The highlight was the key lime cheese cake and a chocolate dessert that was some of a round cake with a soft chocolatey center. And now I must stop eating for awhile….
Filed under Chicago, Des Moines
fro-yo coming to Des Moines’ Ingersoll Avenue; lululemon to East Village
Be careful what you wish for. I’ve long wanted a frozen yogurt place on Des Moines’ Ingersoll Avenue and now comes word that two are about to open, within blocks of each other: Orange Leaf next to Gusto Pizza; Menchie’s a block or so west. I guess this is good. I’ll be looking for the Greek stuff!
Also surprised to see that Lululemon has set up shop in Des Moines’ East Village. Not sure if this is a good or bad sign. Good that a trendy athletic clothing chain is attracted to the neighborhood, which not long ago was a shopping wasteland. Not-so-good if chain stores start driving up rents and pushing out the independent shops that make the East Village distinctively charming. It does arrive just in time for the Hy-Vee Triathlon over Labor Day Weekend in downtown Des Moines.
Filed under Des Moines
West Des Moines: Olympic gymnastics hotspot thanks to Chow, Gabby, Shawn
We met Liang Chow and his wife about 10 – 15 years ago when our daughter took lessons at his then-fledgling gymnastics studio in West Des Moines. Who knew that he would become a darling of the 2008 and now 2012 olympics but it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. Who knows what really goes on between a coach and star pupil but I do know that I’d trust my kid’s fragile body and emotions with him if I had a budding gymnast on my hands. He always seemed a bit unknowable behind his omnipresent smile (a stereotype I know) but he also seemed very calm and kind and dedicated. Just what you want in a coach, I’d think. So happy for him – and his star pupils Gabby Douglas and, in 2008, Shawn Johnson (who I no doubt watched as a kid when I sat through my daughter’s gymnastics classes. She’s a year older than our daughter.) Happy too for my adopted city and state to catch a little unlikely fame. Wonder who our next Iowa-trained gymnastics superstar will be? (A few contenders can be found on http://www.chowsgym.com.)
Filed under Des Moines
where to find the New York (food) classics in NYC
Katz’s on the Lower East Side, home to hand-sliced New York pastrami and hot dogs.
Talk about news we can use. Or I can use. The NYTimes has a story with suggestions on where in NYC (generally) to find the best New York classic foods – we’re talking pastrami, bagels, cheesecake, pizza et.al. I was pleased to see Russ and Daughters mentioned – and that my brother’s Park Slope neighborhood is best for bagels. (Also was intrigued by the suggestion in the story that H&H bagels may be reopening. Must investigate that.)
Here’s the list:
If all of this leaves you thirsty, forget bottled water labeled “New York.” Just turn on the tap and let it run cold. It really doesn’t get any better than that.
AQUAGRILL 210 Spring Street (Avenue of the Americas), (212) 274-0505. (Manhattan Clam chowder)
BAGEL HOLE 400 Seventh Avenue (12th Street), Brooklyn, (718) 788-4014. (mini-bagels sold at Russ and Daughters)
FAMOUS ROIO’S PIZZA 465 Avenue of the Americas (West 11th Street), (212) 243-2253.
JOHN’S OF BLEECKER STREET 278 Bleecker Street (Seventh Avenue), (212) 243-1680.
JUNIOR’S 386 Flatbush Avenue (Sterling Place), Brooklyn, (718) 852-5257. CHEESECAKE!
KATZ’S DELICATESSEN 205 East Houston Street (Ludlow Street), (212) 754-2246. HOTDOGS and PASTRAMI
KOSSAR’S BIALYS 367 Grand Street (Essex Street), (212) 473-4810.
NATHAN’S FAMOUS 1310 Surf Avenue (Stillwell Avenue), Brooklyn, (718) 946-2202.
PASTRAMI QUEEN 1125 Lexington Avenue (78th Street), (212) 734-1500.
ORWASHER’S BAKERY 308 East 78th Street, (212) 288-6569. (Rye bread – sold at Citarella and Dean and Deluca)
RANDAZZO’S CLAM BAR AND RESTAURANT 2017 Emmons Avenue (East 21st Street), Brooklyn, (718) 615-0010. CLAM CHOWDER (Manhattan style of course)
RUSS & DAUGHTERS 179 East Houston Street (Allen Street), (212) 475-4888.
ROCK HILL BAKEHOUSE 19 Exchange Street, Glens Falls, N.Y., (518) 615-0777. (Rye bread – sold at Union Square Greenmarket on Saturdays)
S & S CHEESECAKE 222 West 238th Street (Broadway), Bronx, (718) 549-3888. (sold at zabars and dean & deluca)
Filed under New York City
Leaving wichita
It is really more accurate to say that we are leaving the best western hotel in park city, Kansas, just north of Wichita. We arrived there yesterday at 3pm and didn’t leave until midday today. There was no reason to leave since we came for a family reunion and it was 104 degrees outside. We did make it to Saigon restaurant on. Broadway hearty view Vietnamese lunch. (I had the bun as usual, a cold salad of greens, noodles, char broiled pork and egg roll, aka no. 45 on the menu.)
Now we are back in the car driving on interstate 35, another six hours drive north to Wichita. The corn is prematurely brown due to drought..burnt up is the technical term, my husband tells me. Lawns and brown, not their usual green. My brother-in-law, a cowboy in western Kansas report he is running out of pasture for his cattle to graze, it is now 106 on our car thermometer.
Restaurants recommended my various relatives during the reunion:in Kansas city, Lulu’s for Thai.. Chez Elle, crepes; Amano in New Orleans.
Filed under Des Moines, Kansas City, New Orleans
Farm-to-table meal in the Iowa countryside at The Wallace Center in Orient, Iowa
The pretty farmhouse on the grounds of The Henry A. Wallace Country Life Center in Orient, Iowa
We had a lovely meal in a beautiful setting last night at The Gathering Table, a restaurant inside a white barn (built in 2003 to replicate the original) on the 40-acre farm where Henry A. Wallace, the former U.S. Vice President (1941-45) and founder of the seed corn company Pioneer Hi-Bred, among other things, was born in 1888. The food was prepared with vegetables and fruit grown in The Wallace Country Life Center’s garden and nearby, and the chicken and lamb was also locally sourced. The bread, peach ice cream, strawberry sorbet, crystallized ginger cookies, chocolate almond truffle were all made at the restaurant which is overseen by an Iowa native and well-trained chef Katie Routh. There were four of us and we dined on Bridgewater Farm Roasted Chicken, Cory Family Farm Lamb Meatballs, Early Morning Harvest Polenta Cake, Stuffed Kohlrabi and a Spring Vegetable Platter.
The dinners are available only Thursdays and Fridays – but there is a Tuesday July 31 event that sounds fun, a Quilt show displayed in the Center’s gardens and light summer meal. Thursdays are tapas night. In the restored white clapboard farm house is a gift shop and market with surprisingly good local crafts and produce. You can also wander around seven themed flower gardens, orchard and produce gardens, restored prairie and pod, and a 3/4 mile walking path with five sculptures. sculpture. Well worth a visit and we’ll be back!
The Gathering Barn where we ate – didn’t feel like a barn inside but charming still.
Filed under Agritourism, Iowa
Whither Shakespeare on the Lawn at the Salisbury House in Des Moines?
During the past few summers, we’ve enjoyed going to see a Shakespeare Play performed by the talented performers involved with the Repertory Theater of Iowa, staged on the sweeping lawn of the Salisbury House in Des Moines, with the elegant Tudor mansion as a perfect backdrop. But this year, it doesn’t appear to be happening. I can’t find any sign of it on the Salisbury House or Repertory Theater website. Tis a pity.
Filed under Des Moines, theater
TakeBetsywithyou 