Wagashi From Minamoto Kitchoan
FRIDAY, JULY 31ST 2009
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Minamoto Kitchoan is an upscale purveyor of wagashi - delicate, artistic Japanese confections often served with tea. The character pronounced 'wa' denotes things Japanese, while the characters for 'gashi', an alliteration of kashi, have come to mean confections.

The interior and treat selection were similar to what I experienced in Japan, and just like Japan the prices were ridiculous. I suppose I mean this as a compliment, since these are more than snacks and are an art form in and of themselves in both flavor and appearance. A box of six wagashi can easily set you back $30-$60. Everything looked enticing - oh, the fish packaging! - but I settled on a palm-sized green tea mochi, which was delicious but one piece set me back $3.

All of the food examples are plastic representations of the real treats. I was mostly attracted to the window display that looked like a basketful of breasts.

Purples and Browns At The Union Square Market
MONDAY, JULY 27TH 2009
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I love it when I subconsciously focus on something and it resurfaces later - in this case as a beautiful collection of purple and brown photographs. By the way, have you ever seen purple beans? They were quite a surprise to me today!

Breakfast At Cafe Zaiya, East Village
MONDAY, JULY 27TH 2009
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One of the things I miss the most from Japan is (surprisingly) the bakeries. Perhaps it has a lot to do with their milk, which is much creamier and more flavorful than anything I've had in the States. Anyway, I was determined to recreate my experiences in Japan with whatever one of the biggest cities in the world had to offer. Surely NYC would have decent, authentic Japanese restaurants and bakeries, right?

Thus I discovered the three store chain Cafe Zaiya, which excels in its baked goods and onigiri. It serves other lunch foods as well but I was least interested in those dishes. Their East Village location is small with only three or so tables, but clean and friendly in perfect Japanese style. Although I was saddened to see most of my Japan favorites missing, they do sell a good variety of items, including their thickly sliced square bread, green tea muffins and red bean pastries.

I walked across the street to the small Cooper Square park and ate my sugary red bean bun, a melon bun and some apple tea. As I admired the new Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art building, a bum approached me and asked for part of my breakfast. This is where I learned the valuable lesson do not feed NYC bums. Not only did he proceed to talk to me throughout my entire breakfast, he followed me to the nearby Sunrise Mart and carried my grocery basket full of Asian food.

I later learned he did all of this with the expectation that I give him a dollar. When I countered that I already gave him part of my breakfast - a big sacrifice on my part - he scoffed at me, said some expletives and left.

Dinner At Hale and Hearty Soup
FRIDAY, JULY 24TH 2009
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A plethora of typefaces for dinner at Hale and Hearty Soup.

The Brooklyn Bridge and Bleecker Street
SUNDAY, JULY 19TH 2009
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After the Brooklyn Flea we took our bikes across the Brooklyn Bridge - WOOT! It was the first touristy thing we've done. Although it has a designated bike lane there are lots of stupid pedestrians that apparently do not understand what the bike symbol means... so it was a lovely and frustrating experience.

We headed over to Murray's Cheese Shop on Bleeker Street for what I could describe as the best sundae social ever. It was hosted by Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream, and we feasted on chocolate and vanilla sundaes with caramel and sea salt. It was seriously to die for! We learned that they also have an ice cream truck that frequents SoHo, too, and serves delectable flavors like hazelnut, red currant and ginger.

We then decided that we should probably eat a real lunch, too, and topped off our sundaes with some thai food. It was truly a fantastic day.

An Afternoon in SoHo
SATURDAY, JULY 11TH 2009
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Above is the most amazing curried chicken salad I've ever eaten, from Bistro Les Amis in SoHo. Justin had an ahi tuna sandwich that was also delectable, though my meal surprisingly surpassed it in flavor and awesomeness. We spent the day wandering around design stores and showrooms, like Clio, Alessi, DWR Tools For Living, Blu Dot, Ligne Roset, Cassina, Cappellini, Moss, Moroso and Room & Board. It was a brilliant afternoon full of stores we could never afford and imagining what our future home could look like.

The bestest best part of the day? Getting this Koin wood bank from DWR Tools For Living, a $120 value for only $18! I am a master of frugality. The bank is gorgeous; the ash wood has a spectrum of tones to it. I actually went through about six boxes in the store until I found the one with the prettiest wood... it was the clerk's idea, and he helped me pry open all the boxes! The staff at the store is truly delightful, a trait that is unfortunately rare in retail these days.

Union Square Market
WEDNESDAY, JULY 8TH 2009
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It was an overcast day, which made me appreciate the bright punches of colour in the market all the more. Rainbows of plums are popping up here and there. Do you see the plentiful bounty I brought home? Fresh pumpernickel, leeks and... fennel! I've never eaten fennel before - I've never even seen it before! I embarrassingly admit that living in NYC is really my first experience grocery shopping for myself. So, I brought this curious little vegetable home and made roasted fennel and potatoes as a side for dinner. It is such a fragrant food and whilst cutting it strong licorice scents burst from it - the herb that grows from its stalks is anise, by the way. However, once cooked the vegetable and its flavour soften and have a sweet, lingering flavor.

The Fourth of July
SATURDAY, JULY 4TH 2009
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The Fourth of July weekend was a welcome break from work city life, and Justin and I were able to spend (almost) two entire days together. We ventured to Boston via the Bolt Bus and enjoyed four hours of semi-comfortable seating and Wi-Fi access during the trip.

I planned absolutely nothing for the holiday. We kept ourselves entertained with tasty snacks, daily naps and bonfires. I probably spent too much time following the house cats around because I miss having a pet. Justin's dad baked a rhubarb pie and dedicated it to me!

Lunch at Blackbird Parlour, Williamsburg
THURSDAY, JUNE 25TH 2009
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I began my first excursion to the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn with a scrumptious brunch at Blackbird Parlour. I feasted on this massive spinach and mushroom frittata which was accompanied by a side of various types of potatoes - including sweet potatoes, surprise! - that were like tasting the food of the gods. Despite being very, very full, I topped off my meal with a towering piece of coconut cake that was fluffy and creamy and a perfect balance of cake, coconut and frosting.

The interior of the space was full of reclaimed charm. Everything looked noticeably worn, like a handed down piece of family furniture in slight disrepair. It was a sunny day and the dark space was comfortably lit by natural light. The people and the restaurant were hipsterific, a detail for which Williamsburg is known. This bothers a lot of people in NYC, but for me it simply reminds me of being in art school and I enjoyed being in a concentration of people my age.