One Thing Leads to Another

One of my favorite choices at Republic is the Sauteed Beef Salad with cold rice noodles, onion, tomato, mint, bean sprouts, peanut, scallions and shallots.  

Just thinking of it right now makes me hungry and I just ate a huge bowl of hot oatmeal with nuts and raisins.

I'm trying to eat less meat, cutting out most pork, most beef.  But you know what that leaves you 

with?  As far as affordable choices anyway.  Chicken and Turkey.  The ground versions of course being 

easiest, fastest and versatile.  BUT...a girl can run out of ideas.  When she's weak mind you.  This is why I pay attention to everyone's food, at restaurants, on posts, shared pics, recipe articles, books, TV shows and street foods, magazines, you name it.  I have my eyes on your fries.  You have to keep feeding the brainchild or she tends to takes long naps.  

Black bean noodles, ground turkey, sprouts, mint, cold tomatoes, onions topped with a splash of rice 

vinegar and a little olive oil.   Really good.  A dish inspired by another sometimes becomes a brand new treasure.  A totally different taste sensation then Republic's but nonetheless a good change of pace.  And who doesn't love a bowl?

Do You Believe in Magic?

Our friend J was to play a show for the CMJ Music Marathon. A city-wide music festival that's billed as the most important platform for the discovery of new music. Five days and nights, over 1300 bands, over 80 venues... Anyway, it used to mean something. Now, we weren't sure. Who are these industry professionals? All but a handful of retail are gone, most of sales, promotion and marketing lost their jobs at the labels and distribution centers. Radio is a joke. Who is left except all the struggling musicians with no clear avenues or support system or industry to speak of really at all.

But despite those truths, the kids were out at the clubs it seemed in full force. J's set was great, even kinda magical with the lighting and the big white piano on the stage.

And the bonus was as with anytime we have reason to be out in the city, we get a nice dinner out on the town. This time at Republic, the restaurant also with unique billing. Its said to be created like no other restaurant in America. Republic offers a non-traditional cuisine that combines a variety of ingredients, spices and cooking methods from Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan and China. The decor is minimal and communal but for some reason, I love it there. It's very loud and open so you don't notice you're sitting next to people. But the best thing is the food is right on time and mighty fine!

I used to go to Republic when I worked at the Virgin Union Square store for lunch and I used to attend the CMJ Marathon every year for many years. I won't bore you with the memories it brought back being there.

Instead I'll bore you with my story about how scary and ghostlike that stupid bar was. I felt like I was in a dream that if I stepped outside, I might be in another dimension. I couldn't concentrate on what anyone was saying all night.

Doesn't the lighting look like a movie set? Where the hell were we that night? The people didn't even seem real to me. More like extras in the background of a good movie, not the kind they have sitting around on a tv show. They were passable as real but yet they didn't seem to be alive.

Dead movie set extras? I don't know what kind of hoo doo was going on that night but I was spooked and thrilled when P was ready to leave.

We hailed a cab and got the cmj out of there!

I'm Up on a Tight Wire, One Sides Ice and One is Fire

When friends come to New York is about the only time I get out and see what the city has to offer. My bestest boy-gal pal KK came to town and we had a super star lunch at Republic in Union Square. Huge bowls of noodley soup. The highlight was the crispy tofu served with THE tastiest peanut sesame mustard sauce EVER! You wanted to crawl in there and lick your way out no foolin'.

I had the spicy beef broth noodles.

KK had the Vietnamese Vegetable Noodles. Mine was divine.

We took a stroll on the High Line. Been out there yet? Its actually special. There is a feeling of being somewhere else, another city, another atmosphere or dimension. Plus they have bathrooms.

The views of the city are unusual and the gardens are unique and inspiring. Plenty of spots to sit and chat or just take it in. It wasn't so crowded that you wanted to start punching your way out like most fun things in NY. There was space to move about the cabin and explore. I loved it actually.

KK comes almost once a year so its a good marker on where we are in life. We've been friends for 20 years or so. I hate to look at where I'm at in life don't you? But there I was in the same cowboy boots and jeans, cute earrings but that's about it. The lines in my face are telling stories now. Horror stories.

It's not all bad. I like me and all that nonsense. I've come to terms with the fact that I probably won't have a tight belly ever. Since I don't drink I seem more serious but I'm not. I hope I don't seem less fun. That'd be a bummer. Or was I ever that much fun? Gosh, now I'm questioning my idea of a good time. I know I liked the High Line.

Yes, go have lunch with a dear friend and take a walk on the High Line. Question all your life choices and be filled with doubt and self loathing.