April 21, 2006
Crosby Connection, Chelsea, and other random things
- lonely sandwich
So much sandwich. So little stomach space.
Yesterday after wandering around Chelsea galleries in the insanely beautiful sun bursting with scortching-ness (which I'll get to later), I went to Crosby Connection and snarfed down sandwiches with Patricia and Willam while sitting on the brick inlayed ground by the church on 2nd Ave and 10th Street. It was a good "sitting outside, possibly killing some ants in the process" kind of day.
- the cheese splodges, the chicken pesto does not
I didn't try William's chicken cordon bleu ("grilled chicken breast, paired with virginia ham, topped with melted swiss cheese, honeymustard, romaine lettuce"), but it looked good and full of melty cheesy meaty goodness. He noted that the flavor wasn't consistent throughout the sandwich, describing it as something like having "plops of flavor", although I'm pretty sure that's not what he said because that sounds more like something I'd say. Damn, I need to carry a voice recorder around with me. I traded half of my sandwich for Patricia's chicken pesto ("grilled chicken w/sweet roasted peppers, red onion, sundried tomatoes, cilantro, basil virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar"), which I ended up enjoying much more than my sandwich. Why? The chicken was moist and...well, chicken-y (to be honest, I ate it too quickly to remember exactly what it tasted like) and my sandwich was less so.
- the power of the Italian tuna TRIAD compells you
I ordered the Italian tuna ("our delicious tuna mix, no mayo, with basil, sweet roasted peppers, sundried tomatoes, virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar") and while it wasn't bad, I think it really could've used some mayo for the sake of moistness and mouthfeel. I guess not putting in mayo makes this friendly to those who don't like mayo, but...come on, MAYO! Mayo, that oddly delicious emulsion of oil and eggs, makes for a delicious tuna sandwich, whether you like it or not. I remember when I was a weeny little kid growing up in times of desperate food need I'd dump a can of tuna in a bowl and moosh it with mayo, whose only use in our house was for tuna salad. Which means we didn't use it much. Um. Anyway. I'd eat the tuna salad with rice, because I'M CHINESE, EVERYTHING GOES WITH RICE, EVEN RICE GOES WITH RICE.
Back to to the sandwich. The fresh basil was a nice touch—it was very flavorful with basil-y goodness, which I won't describe because hopefully you know what basil tastes like. (Times like this I wonder why anyone reads this blog: ALERT, THE BASIL TASTES LIKE BASIL is not much of a revelation.) I also liked the sundried tomatoes. But overall, I needed more moisture. I don't need no hydrophobic sammich.
(If anyone is curious to know the thought processes of Robyn, it took me forever to figure out that the word I was looking for was "hydrophobic". For some reason I started with "humectant" and moved to "hydrophilic"...and perhaps some other words in between. Indeed, my brain is slower than the rate of my fat loss, which is pretty damn slow.)
Patricia and I checked out Black Hound Bakery across the street after our sandwich feast. Although I've been to Black Hound a few times, I never bought one of their adorable cakes. The $6.50 price tag seemed just a wee bit steep for me when I know there are places that I can buy chunks of cake for less than $5. However, we tried a free cake sample and it was...really freakin' good. Goddamn samples—they actually work. The sample of the bee cake was like smooth, un-heavy chocolate ganache-ish brownie stuff (just imagine it, if possible) with bits of nuts dispered throughout. Oooh.
- I only bought ONE...duh
I ended up getting the ebony and ivory cake after being informed that my original choice, the triple chocolate mousse cake, would melt into a sad puddle of triple chocolate goodness by the time I could lug the cake home. As I had already stared at the chocolate case for too long, I impulsively went for this cake since it had chocolate. I like chocolate. [nod] Unfortunately I was so full yesterday that I didn't get around to eating it. I plan to do something about that tonight.
- WHERE AM I?...oh, there's a sign
Back to Chelsea! (Yeah, this entry is going chronologically downhill.) I've never been around that area before (the visit was necessitated by my photography class), at least not that far west, so I had to take a photo of the sign that said 11th Ave. THERE ARE 11 AVENUES. Whoaaa. As for why I haven't walked around there before, the answer is quite clear: lack of food. I guess when the streets are occupied by galleries, there's little room for food. And it's not like there's absolutely no food, it's just nothing like the East or West Village, which basically puke restaurants out like a case of bad food poisoning. I mean that in the best way possible though.
- I see food!
Without keeping my eye out for them, I just happened to pass two places that I had at some point in my life been interested in trying (although not interested enough to actually...go): The Half King and Wild Lily Tea Room. If anyone has any opinions about them, let me know.
...Damn, where is this entry going? Um. Uh.
- yum
My sandwich peed. Not literally, because as you know, sandwiches don't have bladders (if they do, it's best to put the sandwich down...and then kill it a lot before turning it into a research laboratory), but the egg yolk in my fried egg exploded and left an eye-searingly bright yellow puddle in its wake. I made the sandwich all out of Union Square Greenmarket provisions: sourdough baguette, mache, egg, and mild cheddar. [rubs belly] Despite that I have a tendency to eat crap and don't give much indication that I'm an activist for sustainable agriculture and farm fresh whatnot, I support those things and I LOVE farmer's markets. I just don't cook much; an egg doesn't count, really. I buy as much food as I can from the farmer's market instead of a grocery store. When people buy apples or bread from a supermarket, I think, "...WHAT, farmer's market, chock full of bread and apples, cannot form complete sentence, mrah!" I know going to farmer's market can be a time issue for many people (I used to go first thing in the morning because I couldn't fit it in at any other time) so it's not practical for everyone, but...breeeaad. (And produce.)
- baguette time
Yes, I really like bread. It might be my favorite food in the world. My main food source was bread for a few days, which is probably bad for my body, but there are worse things. ...Um, please tell me there are worse things. I'm unintentionally what a bunch of people called straightedge; for some reason, knowing that I fulfill a definition not because I'm trying to, but because I just naturally do kind of bothers me. I didn't explain that well, so if you have any idea what I'm talking about...kudos to you.
I ate other things worth mentioning, but this entry is already too long. Also, it's time for lunch, so I think I shall scurry up to Union Square as fast as I can to take some photos and hopefully get a sandwich.
(On a totally random note, read Running With Scissor's encounter with a homeless man in Chelsea.)
Posted by roboppy at 1:00 PM
Comments (16)
I don't quite know why, but having only lived in NYC for a year I've actually been to the Half King 3 times already. It's owned by Sebastian Junger (author of the Perfect Storm) and definitly has the highbrow pub atmosphere, but without being to fratty - dark wood paneling, English-style bar food, etc. Not sure if it's worth a trip to Chelsea on its own, but if you're in the area it's a good place to grab a beer and a burger. I've had the chicken pot pie and the beef and Guinness, both of which were pretty good.
Sandwiches...yum...Eating bread for days is not unhealthy! Maybe eating it for weeks is...but you'd probably die from puking out all the bread before you die of lack of nutrition. Eating instant noodles for days is unhealthy. Hair will fall off (so i've heard). And why would anyone wanna eat it for weeks in the first place...
Posted by: Michelle at April 21, 2006 9:57 PM [#]
Ed: Ohh, but of course I've heard of it. ;) If you search for it in my blog, it comes up in a few entries. I used to watch it obsessively, but that toned down...got kinda too crazy, even though it's a really funny show.
The weather's gonna be craptastic tomorrow. Damn.
blognut: Thanks for the info! The burgers sound good. The dessert sounds intriguing too..(cough)...okay, I really want dessert.
Anne: I went back to CC today and someone ordered the tuna, hehe. I NEEDS DA MAYOOO!
Michelle: Weeks is definitely pushing it. And I did eat other things! Like...liiike...well, I did. Maybe I ate apples (I try to eat fruit every day, although it doesn't always happen). Instant noodles for days sounds kinda deathly. I could eat soba every day...soba...yes, now I want soba.
I can't get enough of your sandwich blogging. More, MORE I SAY!!! Today I made myself a fabu sandy with some leftover grilled Tilapea, which I put on a toasted French baguette then drizzled with some lemon vinagrette and topped with some sliced red onion. YUMZO. Your sandwich eating is making me eat more sandwiches!! I love it :)
I love bread and eat it EVERY day. Hence why my blog is "Knead"ful Things and not "need"ful things. It's the worlds most perfect food. As for the Wild Lily, not great enough to spend money on.
Posted by: Cassandra Tan at April 23, 2006 12:31 AM [#]
Clare: The sandwiches will never ennnnd! The sandwich you made sounds really good. If I were less lazy, I'd want to make it.
Rikki: Oh noo, sorry to hear that one of the bears...didn't make it. RIP!
Cassandra: Ooh, I'd eat bread every day if I could. And I can, but I'm too lazy to go out and get it today. I JUST ATE RICE CRACKERS FOR LUNCH.
Thanks for the info about Wild Lily!
Cathy: I wish I could make em too. I found that sandwiches made by other people almost always taste better than anything I could make. I don't really make sandwiches for taste though as much as....sustenance. :P
That sammich does look lonely. I love the two forlorn twigs (only twigs but hey, they have company) added for dramatic effect.
And I lol'ed at your sandwich pee. I found eggs in the US disconcertingly fluoro. Bread looks great though. I hear you there. Good bread is divine.
Posted by: AugustusGloop at April 23, 2006 8:48 PM [#]
I went to the Half-King once about 4 years ago. Blognut has it down pretty right. It's a nice place to catch some food and beer with a pub atmosphere that doesn't take itself too seriously. Being an "arty" person, I love the area because I can spend a day hopping from gallery to gallery. The food selection is MUCH better now that 4 years ago and I keep seeing more places pop up.
AugustusGloop: Those twigs were so not intention, but HOORAH! Works to my favor!
I think the egg council has a new tagline on its hands.
"DISCONCERTINGLY FLUORO"
Man, I love bread. Want to eat it. Forever.
Rose: Sounds like I gotta check it out! And then do that gallery hopping thing since I have yet to do that properly.
I figured those twigs were random. I was trying to give you artistic credibility, y'all?
But I've seen you scarf rice too. Which would you choose? =)
Posted by: AugustusGloop at April 24, 2006 10:27 AM [#]
If it makes you feel any better, you're not really entirely straight edge since you seem to consume a decent amount of chocolate, which contains caffeine. not as much caffeine as coffee or tea or coke or other stuff, but caffeeeeine.
sadly, I was recently compelled to agree to not consume chocolate until halloween. I am almost afraid of what will happen. seriously. I hear withdrawl can be seriously not good.
I actually prefer tuna without mayo. therefore, your sandwich looks amazingly good to me right now. as does that chocolate cake. ...I don't know if i can safely read this blog anymore... the CHOCOLATENESSSS!! aaahh
Posted by: Jenn at April 24, 2006 5:13 PM [#]
AugustusGloop: Artistic credibility, yess! I finalyl have some. Thanks to the twigs!
Rice or bread...oh man. Well. I certainly have a longer history of scarfing rice. THEY'RE BOTH SO GOOOD!!!
Jenn: Hehehe...ohh, I wouldn't say I eat that much chocolate. Maybe more than the average person, but hell, I eat more than the average person. ;) Caffeine isn't prohibited from the straight edge lifestyle, as far as I can tell. They seem to just leave out tobacco, alcohol, and promiscuous sex! I FIT RIGHT IN!!!
If I pretend I'm allergic to chocolate, I guess I could abstain from it. But I'd replace it with something else. Like. ...Cookies and muffins that don't have chocolate.
Ooh, this is your kind of sandwich then. :)
Posted by: roboppy at April 24, 2006 10:12 PM [#]
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have you heard of an anime called 'yakitate japan'? it's an anime about making bread. you might like it, if you dont already that is...hehe
it's a beautiful 80 degrees in LA. hope weather out there is good as well =)
Posted by: ed at April 21, 2006 1:11 PM [#]