Classic Campari

If you are not drinking Campari this summer, you should be. Campari is a bright red Italian liquor made from herbs and fruit. It is a perfect warm-weather liquor that can be mixed with anything from oranges to white wine. I like it with orange-flavoured sparkling water, a generous slice of fresh, juicy orange and topped with a sprig of mint. Delicious.

Coney Island

Trav'lin' Light

Anita O'Day. One of the foremost jazz singers of all time. She was the first woman to record for Verve, enough said. This woman's voice is incredible. I wish I had a pile of money so I could run out and scoop up every single one of her albums - on vinyl.

If you have never listened to her and are a fan of excellent jazz vocals - go out and get one of her albums immediately!! I am currently obsessed with 'Live in Tokyo 1963'. Heavenly.

The French Chef

Recently I spent a few Saturday hours watching episodes of The French Chef. Julia Child was such a unique cook/chef/tv personality and overall entertainer. Now, I am a bit of a sap but...I literally laughed and cried watching these shows. I laughed because she is hilarious. The episode 'To Roast a Chicken' is classic Julia Child with her naming and playing with the chickens as she is explaining how to roast each one. And then I was bit teary-eyed in the episode where she makes a classic bouillabaisse. This seafood stew is filled with every sea creature one can find and served with crusty bread. Delicious. What I loved about this episode is the passion and pure love and joy that emanates from Julia as she discusses the many types of fish one can put into the bouillabaisse. There is a moment where she presents a drawing of a particular fish so the audience knows what to look for. It was a great little moment. Her passion for food is contagious. Julia Child is a classic example of finding what you love and making it your work and reaping the benefits from doing just that.

To Roast a Chicken

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ohiUbQyDhk

A Look Back

A few favorite photos from past journeys.

 St. Basil's Cathedral, Moscow

 Amsterdam, The Netherlands Yanahurco Ranch, Ecuador

 Jaipur, India

 Great Wall, China Dubrovnik, Croatia Mumbai, India

 Forbidden City, Beijing Bay of Plenty, New Zealand Stockholm, Sweden

Edamame 'Hummus'

EDAMAME HUMMUS

*This recipe has been adapted from an adapted recipe from an adapted recipe...there are many variations but this is the one I make. It is delicious.

1 bag frozen, shelled edamame (about 3 cups)

3 tablespoons tahini sauce (prepared; both Trader Joes and Whole Foods will have this as I am sure other good markets will as well)

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup water

1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil (extra virgin)

drizzling of sun-dried tomato oil (the oil from a jar of sun-dried tomatoes)

salt and pepper to taste

6 sun-dried tomatoes for a generous garnish

Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large, covered pot. Add frozen edamame and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain into a colander. Let the beans cool for 10 minutes.

Place edamame, tahini sauce, water, lemon juice,and olive oil in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Blend the ingredients in the food processor for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down the sides, and check consistency. This is where I start adding salt and pepper and the sun-dried tomato oil to taste. Keep blending and tasting until the hummus is creamy and you are not able to see any chunks.

Garnish with slivers of sun-dried tomatoes. Serve with pita chips, crackers, crusty bread or vegetables. Seriously, this goes with anything.

Serve immediately or refrigerate in a covered container for up to two days before serving.

New Food Finds

Recently I had the pleasure of roaming the city with a few food-loving colleagues. There is something to be said for a sit-down lunch during the endless days of television production. So, on those days when the cameras aren't rolling, it is a delight to take some time and actually sit down to a meal. This may seem like a given, sitting, but when you're used to eating standing up, or sitting on a dirty floor, perhaps in a van or even squatting down next to a curb somewhere, sitting in an actual chair in a restaurant can make you feel like a human being again.

VESELKA

144 2nd Ave, New York, NY

veselka.com

An East Village classic, Veselka has been holding court on the corner of 9th and 2nd Ave for over 50 years. They are open all the time, they deliver, and they serve what they term "Ukranian Soul Food". Their menu consists of classic Ukranian dishes such as borscht, pierogi, bigos and goulash. I had the Lentil Salad that was honestly one of the best I've had; warm letils, tangy feta, and crispy vegetables. One day I'm going for the pierogis, I swear. The ultimate comfort food.

MUD

307 E 9th St, New York, NY

themudtruck.com

Another little East Village gem, MUD serves the best coffee. Seriously. They also have The Mud Truck which roams around the city but can most times be found at Astor Place and Sheridan Square. Its big. Its orange. It smells divine. If you follow Mud on twitter you will always know where to find them: http://twitter.com/mudpeople

DINER Restaurant

85 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY

dinernyc.com

Diner Restaurant sits on a quiet block just a few steps away from the Williamsburg Bridge. The menu is filled withe seasonal, simple ingredients, and hearty stews. I had a delicious kale soup filled with shaved Parmesean and a warm baguette on the side. A perfect little lunch.

BECO

45 Richardson St, Brooklyn, NY

becobar.com

This is a terrific Brasilian restaurant and bar in Williamsburg. Everything on their menu looks delicious. And the smells wafting out from the tiny open kitchen are seriously intoxicating. No kidding. They make this amazing dish of sauteed collard greens with garlic (couve) that is so simple yet so good. And because its a Brasilian joint of course there are some amazing steak dishes. My friend had a filet minion sandwich that nearly made me drool just looking at it. But, as I am not much of a meat eater these days, I opted for the Cuscuz c/capers e salmao defumado: couscous in mild curry with bell pepper, carrots, raisins, capers & smoked salmon. Ridiculously good. Obrigado, Beco!

Oh, how I love the Coffee Bean. This is my favorite go-to place for good, organic coffee and teas. I'm partial to a soy-latte, sometimes iced, and the Zen green tea. So comforting. Why am I devoting an entire post to this little coffee house? Because there isn't one in New York! Granted, there are better coffee shops in New York, but the Coffee Bean is just one of those LA places that I always need to go to straight away when I return from a trip or, like now, when I've been gone for so many months. It just makes me happy. 

One of my most favorite places that I have traveled to is Bariloche, Argentina. Located in the Patagonia region of South America this is a stunning part of the world. The Andes mountains, deep lakes, thick forests of tress, meandering rivers...Gorgeous. I found it to be very similar to British Columbia in that way. This intense, palpable sense of nature and life all around you. Now, I am not the most outdoorsy of gals, but I fell in love with this place. The food, the people, the scenery, the way of life. It was hard to leave.  

                             The Andes

My time in Bariloche was brief, only a few days, but it had a profound influence on me. I think about this place so often and have many little things in my home that keep me reminded of my time there. What made it most special for me were the people I met there. I had the pleasure of staying at a ranch outside Bariloche that was brimming with life. The ranch was owned and maintained by a family that was so kind and generous to me and the people I was with. They cooked our meals, made sure we were always happy, and left bottles of Malbec at night for us to drink before bed. It doesn't get much better than that.  

I loved being in Bariloche and at this very special ranch. I will never forget that family. 

 Sunrise, Fortin Chacabuco

Our cabin: the site of many good times.

 One of many lunches, served to me by the most handsome cowboy. 

The traditional, classic mate.                  

      

Am I cliche for loving this book? That may be true but I simply don't care. I've read Eat Pray Love once in its entirety, have two copies - a small paperback I picked up in Singapore that I travel with and the 'original', randomly read entries when I need a fix, and am now in the process of re-reading the book again front to back. I'm a bit obsessed, clearly.

If you don't know the story it is about a woman who, after going through a terrible divorce and breakup, finds herself deeply depressed in and in need of an escape, a fact finding mission to discover her true self and find the balance she is craving in her life. Who hasn't felt like that? So on this mission she travels to Italy, India, and Indonesia finding herself and a host of terrific characters along the way. Such an adventure. 

I dream of this trip. I'm constantly planning and plotting the route in my head. Where would I want to go? What would I want to find? Its an ever changing plan and maybe someday I will actually be able to take such a journey. 

*Check out author Elizabeth Gilbert's website: www.elizabethgilbert.com for info on all of her books as well as a trailer to the upcoming film adaptation of Eat Pray Love. There is also a video of Ms Gilbert speaking at the TED Conference. She is a delight.

For me there is nothing quite like a good yoga class. It stretches me, sweats me, strengthens me and de-stresses me. Its tough to beat that. One day, hopefully soon, I will commit to doing yoga every day. Ah, how great will I feel then?!

Since I've been in LA and not getting in as much walking and stair climbing as my New York life entails, I decided I needed to get in some more exercise while I'm here. So, I decided to dig up an old free pass I'd gotten several years ago from Yoga Works. I worked on a show back then called Celebrity Fit Club and produced a workout segment called 'Holistic Hideaway'. I brought in a woman who invented a Yoga Swing in which you are basically inverted from a rather shifty metal frame whilst hanging from a wide strap (seriously, google it), a lady who read tongues (seriously, google it) and these two lovely yogis from Yoga Works who led 'partner yoga'. It was a delight. And the yogis gave me these free passes to their studio and a really great mat. 

So, today I finally used that free pass, which lasts a month, and it was great. It was just what I needed in fact. Thank you, Yoga Works. 

So many of my favorite NYC places are on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Here is a little walking tour...a way to spend a Saturday, perhaps.

I am always inspired to walk through Lincoln Center. Oh, how I love this place. I am slightly obsessed. It has been my dream destination/career/fantasy for as long as I can remember. The idea that every possible bit of art and culture I adore is encompassed in one place makes me so happy.  I am certain this will come up again and again in this blog so be prepared

Wandering uptown via Amsterdam Avenue, I always love to stop into Cafe Lalo for a delicious meal. 

After lunch a stroll through Central Park is always welcome. Passing by Belvedere Castle and the Shakespeare in the Park outdoor stage, and landing at the Central Park Boathouse. I must say the Boathouse is lovely no matter the season.

Continuing further uptown you can drop into a jazz club called Smoke. Though its not downtown or neccessarily "underground", its definitely off the beaten path with great musicians. Stay all night. Great jazz, good food, small and friendly. Perfect for a quiet Saturday night.

What can I say? I love the Upper West Side. There are so many great neighborhoods in NYC but the UWS is just so New York to me. The best I can determine this traces back to endless viewings of Woody Allen films. It is just classic New York in my head. Its Lincoln Center and Symphony Space; its Zabars and Fairway; its Broadway and Columbus; its the Natural History Museum and the Cloisters; its Columbia University and Brandeis; and Central Park West and Riverside Park; its Mia Farrow and Norah Ephron, Regis Philbin and Tina Fey and the list goes on and on. It is not hip or trendy. It is not reasonably priced. But I love it.

(top) Zabar's; (bottom) Greenmarket on Columbus Ave

Spring in Central Park

Party Croutes

PARTY CROUTES (pronounced KROOT)

A croutes can be many things, but basically it translates to crusty bread and is mostly served with a pile of delicious ingredients on top or as an open-faced sandwich. Its open to interpretation. Here is how I like to prepare it.

1 small eggplant
1 large zucchini, thickly sliced
1 small bulb fennel
1 small red bell pepper
1 small yellow bell pepper
1 onion, cut into wedges

2 large clove garlic, crushed
2 tbl herbs de provence

juice of half lemon

2/3 cup olive oil
hearty loaf of olive bread (kalamata olive bread is best)
8 oz goat cheese

8 oz mozzarella (or other fresh, easily melting cheese)

handful of kalamata olives, drained and chopped
salt and pepper

In a large bowl, big enough to hold all of those vegetables and able to stir them up, beat the oil with the garlic, herbs, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

Cut the eggplant, zucchini, fennel, bell peppers, and onion into bite-size pieces. Add them all to the bowl with the oil and herbs and mix well to coat. Cover and leave to stand for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Spread the vegetable mixture on a broiler pan or cookie sheet with upturned edges. Cook under a preheated moderate broiler for about 15 minutes, turning over frequently, until the vegetables are tender and lightly charred around the edges. Stir in the kalamata olives. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, slice the olive bread into 1 inch slices and brush with olive oil. Toast lightly in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes until just crisp and golden. Remove from oven and smear some goat cheese on each slice of bread. Then, top the slices with the vegetable mixture and a slice of mozzarella on top.

Return to the broiler and cook for a further 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Serve at once while they are still warm.

*I make this as an appetizer but it could definitely be served as a sandwich.

My friend Anna is an excellent cook. I've never had a bad meal under her roof. Tonight was no exception. She invited me over to her new apartment (which, by the way, is lovely) for dinner and catching up. I hadn't seen her in a few months, the last time being when she was in NYC working and we managed to squeeze a few dinners into our schedules. So it was great to sit and chat and drink red wine and eat.

Still Life with Donughts and Sunflowers

First of all, when I arrived Anna was at the stove making doughnuts. Yes, making doughnuts from scratch. Who does that?!? Oh, so amazing were these chewy, sugary little puffs. Delightful. For dinner she made delicious crab cakes and fresh green salad. Not a bad way to spend an evening I must say. 

Thanks, Anna!

I volunteer with an organization called New York Cares that provides "vital volunteer support to thousands of nonprofit agencies, public schools, and other deserving organizations" in the greater New York City area. What I love about this organization is they make it very easy to volunteer. Most projects don't involve a long-term commitment so you can sign up for as many or as few projects as you are able. I've served lunch to senior citizens on the Upper West Side and helped kids in Harlem with an art project after attending a Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul and Mary) concert with them all. 


Today I worked with The Pajama Program which provides new pajamas and books to kids all over the country. This is a great program that focuses on providing children with two things every kid wants at bedtime: warm pajamas and a good book. It is a simple concept that has helped thousands of kids. Today we packed up and shipped over 2,000 books and sorted hundreds of pairs of pajamas which will make for many happy faces in the very near future!

Sunday In the Park

Another Sunday in NYC...another trip to Central Park.

After a side-trip to Bloomingdale's at 59th & Lexington I made my way up and over to the Park. Luckily this week I actually got there before the sun went down. I went in near the 72nd Street entrance and decided to follow the signs to Wollman Rink. I knew there would be a lot of people out there ice skating and enjoying the day. And indeed there were.

Exciting New Project

I have very recently began an association with a terrific organization called Statement Arts.  This is a nonprofit group that primarily works with at risk and under-served youth. Currently we are producing an exciting, arts-based environmental awareness and education program that will use photography to both celebrate and document the journey of WATER. 

The project is called 'A Single Drop of Water' and its goal is to raise awareness about the importance of this precious resource, water, and its scarcity in many communities.

An international photography contest has just been launched and the purpose is two fold. Firstly, the contest will be used to gather images for the curriculum, and secondly, the revenue generated from the entry fees will be used for future programming at Statement Arts.

Prize money will be given ($1,500 for the Grand Prize, $500 for category winners) and Calumet Photo (www.calumetphoto.com) has generously offered to donate a few cameras for the winners of our "Under 25" and "Peoples' Choice" categories.  Winning entries will also be exhibited in New York City in Spring 2011 to coincide with World Water Day (March 22).

The competition is open to ANYONE (even if you're a friend). And the fee to enter is only $25, a small amount that will go toward a great organization. 

SUBMIT A PHOTO --- TELL A FRIEND!! Follow this link for more information:  A Single Drop of Water

Help spread the word! Please do not hesitate to forward this email to any friends and colleagues or fellow photographers! 

Thank you VERY much for reading. I appreciate your support. 

www.statementarts.org

Catching Up

Well, it has been far too long since I have logged in and freshened up this blog. The past few months have been filled with travel, family visits, work, and personal projects. I cannot believe how fast these last six months have gone, or the entire year for that matter!

To recap the my goings-on since late Spring, here is the rundown: went to LA to work for a month, on the road in several countries for the next month, back home to NYC, visit from my Mom, off to Chicago for a month of work (with a few side trips up to Michigan sprinkle in), back to NYC and still here which I love.

Being in New York always makes me happy (the main reason I moved here!) so I have been thoroughly enjoying being back and having time to settle back in. It can be tough being away so much and not having the time to dig my heels into all the things I want to do here. So now that I've had some time to myself I've been filling up my days with activities that have been on my "to do" list forever. And its been great. Catching up with friends, meeting new people, volunteering wherever they'll take me, taking a class at NYU, walking the streets of the city, and generally enjoying myself. I feel like I'm getting to know myself better from all of this and that has been very important.

More to come...

A few weeks ago I picked up this great, old globe. I've been spinning it every once in a while, thinking about where I've been and where I'm going. In a few days I am leaving for Los Angeles and soon after that to go back on the road for work. Aside from the work part -- I cannot wait to travel! I'm not sure where I'll be but, regardless, just getting out of the country for a month always invigorates and inspires me.                                               

Thank you, Canada.

LABOR DAY

The holiday originated in Canada out of labor disputes ("Nine-Hour Movement") first in Hamilton, then in Toronto, Canada in the 1870s, which resulted in a Trade Union Act which legalized and protected union activity in 1872 in Canada. The parades held in support of the Nine-Hour Movement and the printers' strike led to an annual celebration in Canada. In 1882, American labor leader Peter J. McGuire witnessed one of these labor festivals in Toronto. Inspired from Canadian events in Toronto, he returned to New York and organized the first American "labor day" on September 5 of the same year.

(borrowed from Wikipedia)