Get Me Some Gingko Biloba STAT!

i'm not usually a birthday party kind of person. i get really stressed out trying to plan bday parties, regardless if it's for a friend or for myself. the biggest stress to me is picking out a venue that fits everyone's tastes. the venue is the first step. and if you start out badly on the first step, you know it's only downhill from there.

i wasn't planning on having a bday party, but then Gecko asked me what i was doing because she would come to NYC for that weekend. concurrently when i learned of that information, i also got an invite to ChubbyBunny's birthday party. ChubbyBunny's bday is 2 weeks after mine but she decided to have it on the 23rd jointly with a friend. CB's bday invite, for the afternoon at Boat Basin Cafe, in conjunction with Gecko coming into town, spurred me to spontaneously decide to have a bday party.

before i could back out, i created a Facebook event and started researching venues. when making my FB event, i remembered another stressor of throwing a party: who to invite. FB makes inviting people super easy and convenient since almost everyone and their mothers are on FB now. however, 1st you have to deliberate whether you want to make the event public or private. public allows your guests to invite other people, which is great in case you forgot to invite someone, so i made it public. but since it's public, anyone you don't invite will be able to see it, should it come up in their news feed or if they happen to glance it while on an invited guest's profile, which can be super awkward (even if they never confront you about it). this was my 2nd deliberation. as i haphazardly checked off friends to invite, the biggest dilemma was those individuals who i'd met before, hung out with, but never really talk to if it wasn't for "Y" (the person who introduced us and whom I'm actually friends with). as i checked the box to invite "Y" i'd have to decide whether to invite that acquaintance whom I knew on FB but didn't really know. would they care if they weren't invited? would they want to come because "Y" was coming but didn't know if it would be ok because I hadn't invited them? i felt like my brain was going to explode.

once that was done, i returned to the difficult task of choosing a venue. when i thought back on my past bar/club experiences, i realized how limited my memory actually is. it was like as soon as i tried to actually access my Manhattan venue database, i completely drew a blank. instead, all i could remember were places that i clearly couldn't have a party e.g. Kenka.  then there were places that would be great venues if i and my friends were willing to throw down $300-$450 per bottle to reserve a table and deal with line hassles e.g. Cabana, Hiro, 230 Fifth, Gansevoort, etc. (plus i find Meatpacking slightly annoying to get to via subway). every venue i could think of had its drawbacks: the Park (can't reserve a table upstairs in the atrium), Circle (too Asian), PS450 (west side + midtown), Pianos (cover after 11 and super crowded), etc.

i also can't believe how many places i can't remember the name or location of. i would vaguely remember the "feel" of a place, or the people i was with, but most of the time i couldn't remember "why" I was there or "where" it was. there was 1 particular night when Gecko and i went out and attended W's bday party. Gecko remembered the venue for W's bday party and i couldn't except for some vague, hazy recollections. initially, neither of us could remember where we'd been earlier that night, although i'd remembered having a really good time. so i decided to dive into the archives of this blog and see if i'd written about it somewhere. of course, i didn't. go figure. but it was really funny to read about all the hijinxes we used to get into back in the day. there was 1 month where i kept arriving home at 8 a.m. from nights out! and i found an entry where Oppa got into a fight!

while i remembered most of the events coinciding with the entries, i have to admit that certain details/aspects of the story i'd completely forgotten had ever happened. clearly, it did happen since i wrote about it, but why can't i remember? i'm seriously concerned about this failing memory. i'm not sure if it's a sign of old age, brain damage, or impending stupidity...

Bad date! Bad!

the idea of "dates" are a completely foreign concept to me.

"hanging out"? that i can do. "grabbing some dinner"? i'm there. "drinks"? i'm a pro at that. but a "date"? that just leaves me baffled.

that having been said, just because i'm "bad" at dates doesn't mean i don't recognize when i'm on a bad date. and i don't think i set my bar too high when it comes to dates. if we're having a good time with minimal awkwardness, then i pretty much consider it a "good" date. is that too high of a standard?

i recently went to Takashi for a dinner blind date. while i may not be a fan of dates, i love that they give me an excuse to eat at new restaurants or restaurants my friends are too poor to go to with me. not that Takashi's expensive per se, it's just not the usual food fare. Takashi hadn't been open that long when i went there, but i'd already read a lot about it's food. it's categorized as a "yakiniku" restaurant, which means barbecuing over a grill. however, it's the type of meat that they serve that really makes it unique. Takashi offers extremely fresh meat because it serves some unusual parts of the cow including offal and tongue. it might sound weird to some of you, but if you come from an asian family, you're probably no stranger to eating those cow parts. when arranging the date, i had offered him the choice of dining at Takashi or Goat Town, which has more traditional fare, and was impressed when he chose Takashi.

unfortunately, that would turn out to be the only thing i would be impressed with. that sounds more foreboding than it's actually meant to be. the date wasn't horrible, it just wasn't really good either. he's clearly a "nice" guy, just a little "boring." he didn't really contribute much in terms of conversation, and in response to my questions/prompts, he tended to give dead-end answers. to give him credit, i'd been pre-warned that he was "a little shy." however, i don't think "shy" should be used as an umbrella for everything. i wouldn't have characterized him as "shy," just "lackluster" maybe? he self-proclaimed that he didn't have many friends, didn't go out (socially) often, and didn't go out to eat (socially) often. hmmm, it's not like i'm an extremely interesting person, but i definitely make sure not to advertise that on a first date. i would at least like my date to think i'm cool, even if they're mistaken.

the view from the counter

the saving grace of the date was the food. Takashi is a perfect date spot. the restaurant itself is pretty small, which gives it a cozy feel. the furniture is clean and modern, so you feel like you're in a izakaya but upscale. i sat at the counter with my date, which is definitely what i recommend if you can get it. it's still intimate because you and your date are thisclose to each other, and if there's any lulls in conversation (or you're just bored) you can watch the chefs behind the counter.

i always find ordering on a date a little tricky. i never want to assume that my date's going to pay, although, if they don't, i will judge them. as a courtesy to them, i try to defer to what they want to order since they'll (possibly) be footing the bill. when Gohm and i went to Matsumoto's for our 1st date, i let him order to his heart's content (and he did pay for dinner that night). this date was a little different because when i asked him if there was anything that interested him, he had absolutely no opinion. instead, he deferred to me (which is also a nice date tactic). so we "hemmed and hawed" for a bit and then i just bit the bullet and ordered for us.

there were 2 menu items that i knew i wanted to order: the Niku-Uni appetizer and the Tongue Experience. luckily for me, my date was also a big fan of sea urchin so there was no disagreement on the appetizer. the Niku-Uni is sea urchin on top of raw chuck flap and a shiso leaf with some fresh wasabi on the side. OMG. if you're a sea urchin fan then you have to order this. the melt-y sea urchin with the texture of the raw meat and shiso is amazing. the order comes with 4 pieces which is perfect for just 2 ppl.

the Tongue Experience aka Tan-saki, Tan-suji & Tan-moto consists of 3 different parts (front, middle, back) of the cow tongue. i think they provide 3-4 pieces of each part. each part is definitely a different texture and tenderness, if not flavor. i wish i could tell you which was which but i was too mesmerized by the presentation and too busy eating to recall. i think we also ordered a Harami or Kalbi order, which was good too, but nothing special.

kimchi is the "it" food right now. it's served with everything!

in addition to the food we ordered, Takashi also serves some banchan which includes kimchi, soybean sprouts, and a cabbage salad with miso dressing. in order to balance out our meal we also ordered a portion of scallion vinaigrette which is essentially julienned scallions sitting in a tangy vinegar-soy sauce and was perfect to eat on its own or with our bbq-ed meat.

the food at Takashi was the saving grace of my blind date. my only complaint about the restaurant is the drinks menu. it's kind of disjointed: a small selection of sakes, beers, and wine. i thought the wine option was weird. and the beers weren't the usual sapporo or kirin. of the few sakes they had, we got a nice dry hot sake although it was really price-y for the size (their large would be the equivalent of small anywhere else).

although the portions may seem small at first sight, the pace of the serving and the style of eating ends up making you feel really full once you finish your meal. it's the kind of place where, with the right company, you could sit for 3-4 hrs and be perfectly content. mind you, it has to be with the right company.

Dream Fulfilled

as everyone knows, i am an avid fan of Restaurant Week. so when RW rolled around for Winter, i got cracking on the menus being presented and the restaurants that were participating. at one point, i had 8 reservations.


but as the fates (and my finances) would have it, i ended up eating at only one restaurant for Winter RW 2011. but i'm satisfied with where i ended up because i've been trying to go to this restaurant for the past 3 years but, for one reason or another, haven't been able to work things out.


you'll have to excuse the pictures tho because my camera was being very tempermental that day with its flash. for some reason, it only liked Bubby's dishes so it only provided flash for her dishes. and then later, it just stopped flashing at all. stupid camera.


as soon as i walked into Aquavit, i already liked it. Bubby and Kiks were waiting for me (as always, i was late) in a modern/retro (is that possible?) lounge area. the hostess and host seated us as soon as i arrived, which i liked because who likes waiting to eat?


the restaurant wasn't packed at all, albeit we were sitting on the "casual" side vs. the formal dining room. however, i'd sneakily peeked over to the dining room side when i'd first walked in and it also wasn't full. the restaurant advocates extremely dim lighting which is probably ideal for romantic dinners, although the night we were dining i saw no couples. every table was filled with 2+ people and usually of the same sex variety.
for the first course, Kiks and i ordered the Swedish Steak Tartar which is served with tiny extremely crunchy bread a la melba-toast-style, firm egg yolk, spicy mustard, grated horseradish, pickled beets and capers. for me, the accompaniments were what really made the dish. the beets were surprisingly sweet and i finished those before i'd even finished my tartar! while it may not seem like it from the picture, there is actually a significant amount of tartar on the plate which was also refreshing since i hate when restaurants skimp on food.
Bubby ordered the Glassblower Herring which is herring with a variety of accompaniments. since it wasn't my dish, i only tasted a bite of it and i'm not really sure what everything was. i had debated on ordering this appetizer since we were eating in a Swedish restaurant, but my love of all things tartar won out in the end. while the herring was good, i think i made the better/right choice by choosing the tartar. if you've had herring before and were "meh" about it, then i'd recommend skipping it at Aquavit.
as for entrees, Kiks and Bubby ordered the Berkshire Pork Belly, which i seriously contemplated ordering because who can resist pork? but, because i wasn't particularly hungry that day and i had already had such a meat-centric appetizer, i opted for the Pepper Seared Mackerel instead. the Berkshire Pork Belly was divine. the meat was super tender, smoky, and flavorful. and the whipped potatoes, pearl onions, and veg were good accompaniments to compliment the pork as opposed to complicating the flavors.

the Pepper Seared Mackerel was also good, albeit a little salty (don't get sauce happy with that brown outer ring). the sear was perfect, giving it a crispy outer skin while still a tender and moist inside. it was definitely a distinct pepper-y taste so there's no false advertising there. the best part of the dish was actually the porcini creamed cabbage which was great for toning down the saltiness of the fish. i could've eaten a whole bowl of that.

as for desserts, there were only 2 options (as opposed to appetizers and entrees in which there was always a 3rd vegetarian option). i went for the tried and true, Hazelnut Praline Terrine. holy density. if you're looking for a sweet dessert, then i recommend this. although the menu says it's served with a hazelnut sherbert, i'm pretty sure mine wasn't served with that. unless hazelnut sherbert has a tangy, lime-y taste. which it could, since i'm no culinary genius.

Bubby and Kiks got the Arctic Circle which is goat cheese cake served with lingonberry "vargtass" sorbet. i have no idea what "vargtass" means but this was delicious. the goat cheese cake was dense but not heavy, and while the use of goat cheese would make you think "pungent", the flavor was delicate and light. weird huh? i never thought i would use the words "dense", "delicate", and "light" to describe the same thing. the cake paired with the tart and sweet sorbet was a match made in heaven, although too much of the sorbet can get a little too sweet so remember to balance.


for the prices at Aquavit, i think i could swing a dinner there once or twice, even without the Restaurant Week deal. or maybe i could get a date to take me there and not feel guilty when they pay...

do all good things have to come at the expense of another?

does being in a serious relationship mean giving up your platonic relationships?

i know this is probably like asking "which came first, the chicken or the egg" and it will remain a mystery until the collapse of the universe, but it doesn't mean i don't wonder about it.

i'm extremely disappointed with Oppa right now, who just cancelled our dinner plans tonight. if it was once or twice, it wouldn't have bothered me, but it's pretty much all the time now. apparently, all his weekends are booked from here until eternity. and booked with stuff like weekend trips and activities which aren't subject to a sudden "plus one." so i'm really only left with weekday dinners, which are already not my favorite activity mainly because of my work hours and location in central jersey. but for those special ppl, i'm willing to go the extra mile because i know that keeping friends takes effort, particularly as our situations and circumstances change.

so i'm genuinely annoyed when i get a text from Oppa the morning of our dinner that says, "sorry, i forgot i have a work happy hour today."

i haven't seen you in over a month, probably more. think you can forego the-work-happy-hour-with-your-co-workers-that-you-see-everyday just this once? or, what about just making an appearance and then meeting me for dinner? apparently, neither of these thoughts occurred to you.

i know this post seems to be a rant about Oppa. however, it's more like this situation is indicative of a general trend amongst my more seriously-involved friends. and, while i am the "friend" in the situation, i've been the "relationship" too so i truly do understand both sides of the coin and have been just as guilty of the conduct i'm complaining of right now (my friends through the Gohm-period know what i mean).

which begs the question: why can't you keep your friends and have a serious significant other? what is it about these relationships that make them mutually exclusive as opposed to mutually inclusive?

it'd be easy to be really mad if Oppa was ditching his friends for a horrible significant other. but he's not. honestly, Oppa's (and everyone else that i'm including in this situation-i can think of 2 others off the top of my head-but using Oppa as a representative figure) significant other is great. they're pretty much on their way to the altar and mini-Oppas and i couldn't be happier for them. i'm so happy that he found someone as good as his S.O.

i just wish you wouldn't leave me behind in your wake.

What Happened to Sugar and Spice and All Things Nice?!

Dear BitchyAdversary:

Was that bitchy obnoxious phone call really necessary? Did you get what you want from me? I don't think so considering I haven't withdrawn my Motion to Compel Discovery. and really, we're both women in the legal industry. and as my recent tweet has demonstrated, we're a gender that severely under-represented in the courtroom and as partners in law firms. i just looked you up on-line and congratulations! you're actually a named partner! maybe it's your supreme bitchy-ness that got you there? if so, i'll have to rethink my legal/career strategies. let's review the phone call:

you had your associate call me to request we withdraw our motion. i politely advised him why we think we're entitled to the defendant's employee file-they are a named defendant and this is an employment case. i also, respectfully, advised your associate, let's call him Noob, that we didn't think the information was subject to a Protective Order since it's obviously relevant, material, and discoverable under the rules. honestly, why would we create legal limitations on our use of information when we're entitled to the information free and clear under the court rules? silly Noob. so, unfortunately for Noob, at the end of the telephone conversation he had gotten nothing from us except my consent to review any Protective Order he drafted and to discuss it at a later time with no consent to withdraw our motion. this apparently did not make you happy.

within 10 minutes, you called my phone and promptly started to scream and yell at me. there really was no basis but i remember the following phrases:

1. who do you think you are?

2. I'VE been practicing in employment discrimination for over 15 years and i've NEVER encountered a situation like this or a person like you.

3. i spoke with your lead attorney and he had NO idea that you even filed this motion. i find that despicable.

4. i've never been jerked around and mislead by an attorney and your behavior's appalling.

5. now i only have 1 day to file an opposition, since you jerked us around.

6. will you withdraw your motion?

7. if you don't withdraw your motion, you must adjourn it to give us time to file an opposition.

8. i demand a response by 12 noon (while the time of the call is some time between 11:00 and 11:30 a.m.).

ok BitchyAdversary, you've had your say. now it's my turn. as i told you:

1. we're entitled to the information. this is an employment law case and your client is a named defendant. the substance of the matter took place while your client was employed as a supervisor of my client. um yeah, the employment file for your client, we want it. free and clear. like the discovery rules allow.

2. you want a Protective Order? ok, draft one up and send it to us to review. what attorney in their right mind agrees to a Protective Order they haven't looked at? when i asked you this, you said it was MY responsibility to draft it. what planet have you been practicing law on? WE'RE the ones requesting the information, why would we draft an Order that would limit our use of/access to it? silly BitchyAdversary. clearly, you just don't want to do the work. if that's the case, it's an easy problem to solve: JUST GIVE US THE DOCUMENTS.

3. we still don't have the documents. yeah, maybe i'd withdraw my motion if you had produced the documents we requested. or even SOME of the documents we requested. but, to date, we've got nothing.

4. did you really think your superior attitude was gonna get you what you wanted? by claiming you spoke with my lead attorney about this? yeah, i can imagine him saying something like "i'm not sure" or "did we?" but i can assure you, as the rules require, nothing goes out without his prior approval or review. so don't try to use my own lead attorney against me. at this point in time, i'm the one working on this case. and, yes, he makes the command decisions, but until settlement and trial time, he listens to me. i'm his go-to.

5. listen BitchyAdversary, you don't know me so i'll forgive you this time. if you did know me, you would know i'm generally pretty flexible. the attorney community is small, and i'm not one to want to make enemies. even when you're being an ass, i'll smile and bear it because i know we'll have to deal with each other in the future. plus, for all the bluster and bullshit, it's what happens in court that counts. you can scream and whine all you want, but that won't win your case, or even this motion. if you care that much, file your opposition. o wait, you don't want to spend the time to do it? and have to charge the client? and you waited 3 wks and now only have 1 day to write and file your opposition? not my problem. you explain it to your client.

and what did you end up with after this phone call? nothing. did you get a call back? nope. did i withdraw the motion? nope. am i inclined to withdraw the motion? nope. and will i be inclined to be cooperative towards any future requests? nope. ok, that last one's a lie. i can't be too bullheaded or else i'll find myself in front of a judge at some point getting reprimanded for being "discourteous".

o BitchyAdversary, what happened to little girls being made of sugar and spice and all things nice? if you had been, maybe this would've worked out better for you.

Very Truly Yours,

On a Whim

*sniffle sniffle*

i'm sick...

for real. and it's SO not fun.

i guess it's that time of year again. everyone in my house has gotten sick so i guess it's my turn now.

i remember back in the day when i NEVER got sick. back when i was in the prime of my youth.

now i'm in this sad state.

as fleeting as a firework

i just finished watching Blue Valentine. and it was epic.

i admit i'm not much of an intellectual movie watcher. i tend to like the more formulaic main-stream type of movies. i'm a big rom-com fan. i have never been able to get myself to finish watching The Wrestler. Mickey Rourke is just so sad-looking in the movie i can't bear to watch it.

but every once in a while, i get tricked into watching a smart indie film and actual love it. that happened when i saw Children of Men. i thought the story was so intelligent and so well presented. it was definitely the type of film that made my brain continue churning and thinking about the subject matter, as well as the film itself. and after watching Blue Valentine, i have the same feeling.

admittedly, i initially was intrigued by the notorious scene that got the movie initially labeled with an NC-17 rating. and Ryan Gosling, of course. i mean, i love him as much as i love JGL. or Topher Grace. yep, he falls in my 5 i would say. correction, he is most definitely in my 5.

if you haven't seen it yet, i highly recommend watching the film. and while Ryan's looking good in 50% of the film, he's a lot less good-looking in the other 50% of the film, so if you're looking for eye candy, i'd wait for The Ides of March when it comes out. that will have Ryan and George Clooney. the physical transformation of Ryan Gosling in Blue Valentine is sort of impressive in itself. it's only a little weight and a receding, thinning hairline, but, coupled with his white-trash-like character, it's an effective turn-off. congratulations Director Derek Cianfrance, you managed to make Ryan Gosling unattractive. a feat i once thought impossible.

the movie's an extremely effective juxtaposition of the best and worst in a relationship. the scenes depicting the fall and ruin of the relationship is interspersed with scenes of the beginning and development as well. and it's truly heartbreaking. the scenes where love is clearly growing between the two made me smile as a reminder of a similar memory in my past experiences (not the accidental pregnancy if that's what you were thinking) and envious of the younger Ryan that was immediately smitten with the younger Michelle Williams. and of course i was jealous that Michelle Williams got such a hot Ryan Gosling. even if it is only in the movie (although rumors are flying that life is imitating art, which wouldn't be the first time for Ryan-yes, we're close enough that we're on first-name bases).

but the relationship between the adult Ryan and the adult Michelle was cringe-worthy and uncomfortable, as it was meant to be. it's clearly headed for disaster, and you know that if the couple doesn't break up, they'll only be together because they're stuck with each other, not because they want to be. the conversations and other relationships, represented by Michelle's parents, demonstrate how relationships end up being about "settling" or become some sort of miserable existence.

it's a sad sad reality that Blue Valentine depicts. and what's worse is, it doesn't feel false. in fact, it rings unsettlingly true.

but even if that's the case, and even though you now know that the movie depicts this tragic truth (if you didn't already), the way the story's told and the way the actors portray it, won't stop you from rooting for their younger selves. and it won't stop you from still hoping that you'll be the exception to the rule. even as the story ends, the credits are presented in front of a backdrop of exploding fireworks. and each time the fireworks light the screen, you see a fleeting image of the happier, younger version of the couple. obvious symbolism, yes, but it doesn't mean i don't like fireworks, even if they are fleeting. and loud. and destructive.

i guess that's the rom-com lover in me.

food and drink porn. sort of.

i have no delusions that i'm one of those chic food bloggers with fantastic pictures of the food and drinks i consume at trendy NYC restaurants. nor do i profess this to be a food blog at all (it's clearly not). honestly, i'm usually too embarassed to take the actual photos when the food arrives. it feels so dorky. but that doesn't mean i don't appreciate all those food bloggers who take the time to "dork" it up so that i can preview the food/experience at a restaurant i'm considering going to. THANKS!



although i shy away from doing it, as you've probably realized from other posts, that doesn't mean i don't do it. although, if you were paying attention (which you probably weren't-i wouldn't blame you), you'll notice the pictures usually involve the same ppl. so, are those my only friends? honestly...

ok, i'm not that much of a loser. the reason the pictures tend to have the same ppl is because those are the friends i'm so comfortable with that i don't feel weird/shy about taking pictures of food/drinks in front of them. and they're such good friends that they'll usually let me snap shots of their food/drinks too. thanks for indulging my inner (and outer) nerd!

Crumbs

As if there needs to be any more pictures on the web of these delicious cups of cake. but here they are anyway.
this was a while ago, so i don't remember all of the flavors. i picked this out for HungryHungryHippo's birthday, which fell on a weekday. it felt too sad to let her actual birthday go by without commemorating it somehow. there were plans to go out for a big birthday dinner that weekend but, even so, you should memorialize the actual day as well.my sister is a huge fan of Fluff so i figured getting her the S'more was a good idea. alas, there was no fluff to be found in the cupcake. however, it was still delicious and even looked great with all the marshmallow and graham on top. and the graham was still crispy. now if only there was some way to eat this piping hot as well... i think this cupcake was called Chocolate-Covered Strawberry. what a letdown. maybe i was expecting too much but i really wanted some actual strawberry pieces incorporated into it. or maybe even a strawberry in the center, like ichigo daifuku. alas, it was just strawberry frosting with a strawberry jam center. boooo. this was the first one we ate: Nestle Crunch. this was deeeelish. the little crunch on top gave good texture and the nutella in the center was perfect. maybe a little sweet, but in a good way.

The Oak Room at the Plaza
this is perfect timing since Restaurant Week starts January 24th.

Egg, She and I went to the Oak Room at the Plaza for Summer Restaurant Week 2010. if i'm not mistaken, they're on the list again for Winter Restaurant Week, and the offering isn't that different. if you're thinking about eating there, i offer this piece of advice: DON'T DO IT. with all the options you can choose from for RW, don't waste your time with this one. it's all hype, with no substance.

She and i were interested in dining here because of what it is: the Plaza. i mean, it's an NYC landmark. and when you think of the people that have been through there and the events and moments that have happened there, you can't help but be impressed and awed.

and they definitely don't let you forget that when you go the Oak Room. when you enter there's a short, narrow hallway you pass through. when you pass the stairs on the left (which lead to the new food court) you see very large black and white photos of the famous people that have been to the restaurant. subtlety, thy name is not the Plaza.

we had to wait about 30 minutes for our table although we had a reservation. we went to the bar and were given an extensive drink menu to choose from. we all chose to drink water. TAP. the price of drinks at the Oak Room bar are ridiculous. i know that drinks in manhattan are inflated and ridiculous, but the Oak Room took it to a whole new level. $25 for a glass of Johnny Black? you've got to be kidding. Egg and i did the math and calculated the mark-up for their drinks is about 70 -90%. that's pretty outrageous. it made me look around the bar and wonder at the idiots around us that had ordered drinks.
when we finally sat down and started eating, the food was such a letdown. the choices i made were just super salty: the Bigeye Tuna Sashimi was more soy sauce than soy-pique vinaigrette and the Griller Meyer Ranch Hanger Steak was also salty. the dessert was actually pretty good, but i can't remember exactly what is was. maybe strawberry cheesecake? whatever it was, it's not being offered for their winter menu.
i'll admit, it wasn't all horrible though. She ordered the Lobster and Sweet Corn Bisque which was pretty good, although not as dense as i usually like bisques to be and, as expected, the lobster piece was miniscule. the winner amongst the appetizers was the Tomato and Fennel Soup, which Egg ordered. it's essentially tomato soup, which is good by itself, "grilled cheese" sandwich they serve with it is buttery crispy goodness. they both ordered the Crisp Organic "Brick" Chicken which was really good, although She's piece had a sizable amount of fat/sinews so she didn't end up finishing it.
and of course, the Oak Bar was delicious. but then again, how can chocolate ever go wrong?

Brooklyn Flea Market
in the same weekend i went to the Plaza, i also went to Brooklyn Flea. the two establishments should be considered complete anti-theses of each other in terms of clientele, costs, and conditions. and the food at Brooklyn Flea was infinite times better.i ordered the Ito from AsiaDog. i love the trend that made hotdogs cool to eat again, because i can eat about 10 of them in one sitting. and now that they're "cool" again like they were when i was 10 yrs old, i don't have to feel bad about that. the curry from the Ito gave the hotdog a little kick while the apples cooled it down a bit because of its sweetness. afterwards, i was really tempted to order the Ginny or the Mash but felt it would be bad form with all the other vendor options available.Kiks opted for a set from Red Hook Food Vendors. since she'd been to actual location before and said the food was amazing. and she did not lie. however, since this was a while ago i really don't remember what we ordered. but it was good enough that i forgot to take a picture until we were thoroughly stuffed. so all i can show you is the aftermath.

my bad.