The Big Apple Eats n’ Deets: Part 2

My MacBook just attacked me. As in, it just skinned the shkit out of the back of my knuckle. And no, I didn’t just skin my knuckle on the MacBook. The MacBook skinned me. Also, I’m fairly certain I cracked a rib while paddling a group raft on the Rogue River this past weekend. Or coughing up what’s left of this STUPID CHEST COLD that won’t quit. Or maybe the yoga I did at work yesterday is coming back to get me. Either way, I feel like someone kicked me in the side with a steel-toed boot. I think it was probably the MacBook, too. In fact, I’m almost sure it grew feet just for the occasion.

DEEP BREATH.

Nights that begin like this do not end well.

Somehow, this was probably my way of getting to a place where I can say: I’ve been a bit distracted lately. Between travel (we have another wedding this weekend, and then another wedding the next); stupid, stubborn illnesses and my own fumbling spaz-sessions, I haven’t had a ton of time to cook anything new for you guys. We’re practically living on garlic noodles, green smoothies and hefty salads. No complaints, but been there, done that, ya know? So I figured now might be a good time, maybe, to finally revisit that killer New York trip we took waaaaaaay back in June?

Like, maybe it’s finally time to recap what may have been one of the most epic eating days in my trio of decades on Earth.
Chelsea, baby. It’s time for: Day Three.

Day 3 – Eats!

Java Chip Frappucino – Starbucks in Chelsea. If you knew how good I’d been for the past six months avoiding sugary, caffeinated things like this, you’d know how eye-rollingly bomb this tasted. Bonus points for it being my — oh, no, I’m sorry — “Emely’s” — free bday drink. Thanks Starbucks.

NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Starbucks

Num Pang Vietnamese Sandwiches. I read a lot of blogs and foodie reviews before we packed our bags, so I knew we’d have to check out at least one Asian sandwich spot in NYC. We went with Num Pang’s newer location in Chelsea Market — and I crossed my fingers tightly that they’d be offering the pork belly num pang that I had heard so much about. Thick slabs of tender, five-spiced pork belly, fresh herbs, pickled fruit (Asian pear) and veg and creamy, mayo-y sauce on a just-chewy-enough roll. I like my belly on the unctuous side (don’t you?), and this could have been a little moreso. But I’d still eat it for three meals a day, every day. Chris got the Duroc pulled pork and was not disappointed. Clearly, I went a little craytown with the pictures here. I was stoked.

NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Num Pang NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Num Pang NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Num Pang NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Num Pang NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Num Pang NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Num Pang NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Num Pang NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Num Pang

Big Gay Ice Cream Truck (West Village) – THE SALTY PIMP. Once upon a time I was in love with The Best Thing I Ever Ate on the Food Network. On a particular episode, they talked of all things salty, including this soft-serve cone, injected with caramel, sprinkled with sea salt and dipped in chocolate. I became obsessed. Rightly so.

NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Big Gay Ice Cream

Vosges Haute Chocolate – Wink of the Rabbit Caramel & Drinking Chocolate. We couldn’t stroll through SOHO without a stop into my favorite chocolate boutique. How is there not a Vosges storefront in San Francisco, I beg? Come ON, folks! Give a girl a break. Want to hear something kind of awesome and kind of also super annoying? The clever duck behind these gorgeous treats is an equally gorgeous woman who clearly knows her shit but just happens to look like she’s never even heard of words like fat or sugar. Good one, World. You’re hilarious.

NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Vosges

NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Vosges NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Vosges

Gray’s Papaya – Hot Dog & Papaya Juice. OHEMGeeeedizzle, Carrie Bradshaw and I have so much in common, like tiny closets, frizzy hair and enjoying a snappy Gray’s Papaya dog. I still think the whole papaya juice thing, which IS ice cold and refreshing, has the same damp, butty aftertaste that papayas often do, but when in Rome…

NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Gray's Papaya

NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Gray's PapayaYep, married that.NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Gray's Papaya

Fatty Crab – Pickled Watermelon and Pork Belly Salad. Another obsession born of my love for BTIEA. I still remember the distinct pull I felt in my tummy when I saw the Fatty Crab’s Pickled Watermelon and Pork Belly Salad carefully dissected cube by crisp-skinned cube on Best Thing I Ever Ate — and then my unreasonable fury when I returned to my living room, which was — bummer of all bummers — distinctly belly-less. So you can imagine my extreme joy when, hot off our Gray’s Papaya linner, we ran smack into The Fatty Crab and a table for two beckoning to us right out front. We lingered. We beer’d. We luxuriated in the beautiful cubeishness of the dish: crackly pork, teeny-tiny squares of sour, pickled melon and hunky gems of sweet, fresh melon all cut together with sharp scallions and plenty of salt.

NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Fatty Crab NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Fatty Crab

Day 3 – Attractions!

Hells Kitchen Flea Market. Cute right? We just made a quick loop through the stalls since we were on our way to Chelsea for a little shop n’ nosh, but I could see making this more of a priority if I were to return with my mom or a gal pal who might have the patience to bargain hunt.

NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Hells Kitchen Flea MarketNYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Hells Kitchen Flea Market

NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Hells Kitchen Flea Market

Shopping for new kicks! Ours were completely wrecked by the 80+ blocks we had walked in the rain the day before. And by wrecked I mean soaked with no hope of drying out even with the hotel AC kicked up to high. Oh well. New FREE’s for MEE!

NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Nike Free Run

Chelsea Market. You can read all the deets online, but here’s the gist: all the enviably awesome, foodiest of foodie swag you’d ever want housed in the same warehouse-chic building as the Food Network Kitchens…and Anthropologie. Where do I sign?

NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Chelsea Market NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Chelsea MarketAnthropologie!! At Chelsea Market! Let’s move in.

NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Chelsea MarketNYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Chelsea Market NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Chelsea Market NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Chelsea Market NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Chelsea Market

Chelsea/SOHO/West Village/Highline. I know, you guys. This is a cluster of many worthwhile endeavors that should really get their own individual shoutouts, but the bottom line is that few experiences compare to walking the neighborhoods of New York. The narrow, shop-lined streets of SOHO, Chelsea’s brownstones and The Highline at twilight had me convinced I could maaaaybe one day be an East Coaster. If only they had In n’ Out.

NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Kate Spade SaturdayHow charmed are you by this Kate Spade Saturday window shop? Buy it at the little vending kiosk and it’s delivered in an hour. The marketer in me is totally titillated.NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - Love 1983 NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - The Highline NYC Foodie Trip Day 3 - The Highline

BONUS! Aziz Ansari sighting! Sort-of. Here’s the tale: Chris and I pass a couple walking the opposite direction on the sidewalk. We both do a double-take. I say, “Holy, did you see that girl? She was crazy beautiful! I love her dress.” He says, “No, but the guy she was with was Aziz Ansari.” OF COURSE I MISSED IT BECAUSE I WAS STARING ENVIABLY AT SOME CUTE CHICK IN A SUNDRESS. Srsly.

More to come when I finally make time for Days 4 & 5!

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5 Comments on “The Big Apple Eats n’ Deets: Part 2”

  1. Hahaa, I love Aziz Ansari! I am a huge Parks and Rec fan (also recently saw him in ’30 Minutes or Less’, so funny). I would’ve done exactly the same thing as you though. I completely miss things that Aaron sees all the time, because I’m staring at a snail or another person’s wristwatch. Sigh. Anyway, back to your amazing trip… such delicious looking food! And the Kate Spade vending machine = amazing. I thought that sort of thing only existed in Japan 😉 So glad that you’ve been having a wonderful time. I’m getting the travel bug just looking at the pictures! xx

    1. We’re big Aziz fans, too, which is why I was so utterly crushed by my momentary lesbianism. (It’s maybe not so momentary — I girl crush all the time.) And yeah, how sweet is that literal window shop? It’s like the thrill of compulsive online shopping with more instant gratification. So kewl.

  2. Pingback: Weeknight Homestyle Bison (or Beef) Enchiladas | the pig & quill

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