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August 06, 2006
Good food, karaoke, MOMA, and an interview with Robyn of The Girl Who Ate Everything
I had such a good weekend, I don't want it to end. Friday, I interviewed this blogger at Otto (interview posted below). I've been to Otto several times now and can't help but feel slightly disappointed each time I go. I had a slice of Adam's pizza the last time we went and thought I really liked it but realized it wasn't really the kind of pizza I like when I went there on Friday. That combined with the fact that my dessert came in a tiny tea cup made me realize I should go to Otto less.
Saturday, I went to this sale at this blog's recommendation. I'm not that into vintage but the blogger's purchases looked so cute, I had to check it out. Which actually turned out to be a good thing because my sister and I changed where we were going to lunch accordingly and we ended up going to Snack, an eatery that's been on my list for a while. I'm generally not that into Greek food but the food at Snack was excellent. We shared this potato garlic puree which was so good that I had to bring one home for Adam, only to eat most of it myself. We also shared spinach triangles, a greek salad, and a chicken boureki--all very good. I'm definitely going back.
Last night, we went to the Queens branch of this place. I don't know how anyone (save for vegetarians) can not like Korean grilled meats. Then, we went to a private booth karaoke place in Flushing--the song selection was eclectic but I found a number of songs I liked and we had a lot of fun belting out tunes on the mike. It's been a while since Adam and I have done karaoke. The best part about it was that our room was about three times the size of a standard private booth in Manhattan and about half the price.
Today, I went to MOMA for the first time since it was reconstructed. A little background: I worked at MOMA Bookstore for several summers ( plus a winter holiday) many moons ago. It was a nice job--I met several people I became friends with and I liked the working environment of a modern art museum bookstore. The museum hadn't opened yet when I got there but the bookstore was so I hit the bookstore first. The current bookstore is a lot different than the bookstore I worked in--it's a lot more like the Design Shop now design-wise and merchandise-wise. I was surprised they got rid of the poster section entirely (where I had spent much of my time working) and replaced it with a self-service poster section with a lot fewer poster selections. I think the former bookstore had an intimacy that's been lost with the current space but I guess the current space is a lot more like the rest of the museum now.
As far as the museum goes--I don't like the fact that you have to check in your bag now and remove your wallet and any electronics but the actual museum itself is fine. It does seem a lot larger and they seem to have a lot more paintings/works. I loved the furniture/design section--the things in there are like eye candy.
Unfortunately, my battery on my digital camera died after we started karaoking so no karaoke photos but I have this one photo from the weekend to share.
So, speaking of food, I interviewed Robyn Lee, the weblogger behind The Girl Who Ate Everything. Robyn chronicles her experiences eating at different restaurants and eateries around NYC and NJ, complete with eye-popping photos of the food she and her companions eat. She's a great food blogger and I had the privilege of meeting and interviewing her on Friday. Unfortunately, the restaurant we chose was noisy so this is an abbreviated version of the interview:
1. First off, what's your secret? How do you manage to eat so much food and not gain a million pounds?
I actually gained a lot of weight but somehow I lost almost ten pounds in the last two months.
2. What are five foods or types of foods you’d be content with subsisting on for a week?
Japanese food, bread, fruit, rice, curry, and dumplings. Actually, for the past four days I’ve been eating mozzarella and basil sandwiches just because I like them.
3. Are there foods you generally avoid?
Raw tomatoes, shellfish, bacon, alcoholic beverages, coffee, and tofu. I’m not a huge fan of meat—-I can go a few days without eating meat and not notice.
4. What are some eating establishments in NYC you lament the closure of?
I’ve only been here for two years. I don’t know—-I heard that Shopsin’s is closing and that would suck. Polka Dot Cake Studio closed—-that made me sad. Lin’s Dumpling House.
5. What kinds of classes do you take as a food studies major?
Wine tasting, beer class, food and society, food in history
6. What do you enjoy most about blogging?
After people actually started reading it, the fact that people read it. I had been blogging about random crap for years, since 1999, and no one really read it—-I just felt like writing. I like writing but knowing that people actually read it makes me want to write better.
Posted by Jennifer at August 6, 2006 06:43 PM