Josie's and Carole's.... Sounds like a Girl Band!

Today was our 9 Monthiversary! To celebrate, we started off the day with a blast from the past: brunch at Josie's, one of the first places we went out to dinner together! :) Such great organic food and wonderfully friendly service.

And the funniest part? We both wound up wearing the same outfits we wore on our first date... completely by accident! Either that's a sign that we're both on the same wavelength orrrr we both need to go shopping for new clothes. lol


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Later on in the evening, we headed over to Carole's in Queens for a fabulously French Crepe Party! Yum-o. She and her roommate, Laurence, really outdid themselves: Banana/Nutella or ham/cheese on perfectly thin and light crepes. Felt like we were sitting in a Parisian cafe! As DJ said, "It was really crepe-y." :) Thanks to our wonderful hostesses for such a great evening!

Subway Series with Subway Sandwiches!

DJ's good friends, Rajan and Ria, made it possible for us to get tickets to the Mets vs. Yankees game at Citifield! Yay for the Subway Series!!

DJ grabbed a pulled pork sandwich from Blue Smoke, but it was not very satisfying so he got a tasty ballpark sausage instead. Mel opted for a turkey sandwich from Subway.

Sadly, our food choices didn't bring the Mets much luck. They lost to the Yankees by 2. :( But it was SO MUCH FUN to be present with so many passionate fans. Definitely a great game to attend. Thanks, Rajan and Ria!

Graduation Celebration in Chinatown

Elim invited us all out for an amazing dinner to celebrate her upcoming graduation from her master's program! Two huge tables were filled with happy family and friends at Wing Shoon Seafood Restaurant in Chinatown, where the decor is festive and the food is scrumptious.

 

It was a feast fit for royalty - platters just kept coming out of the kitchen! And all the food was set on a dolly in the center of the table so we could enjoy a real family-style meal with ease.

jellyfish, mystery fish, and squid on the dolly

It took a lot of will-power to pace ourselves and not eat every morsel off every plate. The seafood and chicken were so fresh, and the sauces were exquisite.

Abalone (Mel's favorite) and Chicken (please note the head with beak!)

DJ and Elim's favorite dish - the lobster!


Before and After :)


Red Bean soup and orange slices for dessert

We definitely left Wing Shoon with full bellies, grateful tastebuds, and happy hearts.

HAPPY GRADUATION, ELIM!
ALL HAIL A MASTER OF ART THERAPY!!!!!

Bon Appetit Chicken Challenge

DJ was sweet enough to get Mel a subscription to Bon Appetit, and each month it's intriguing to see what new recipes are out there. The one thing is that they're often a bit more advanced than, let's say, something from RachaelRay.com. lol But today Mel finally took on the challenge of a Bon Appetit recipe for a chicken and rice dinner to go along with tonight's episode of Lost.

Granted, she improvised a bit based on ingredients available and personal taste. But final verdict? Tasty! In fact, Liz came by to watch Lost and enjoyed the rice so much she requested seconds. Yay! :-D Mission accomplished.

Brunch Bellini Blitz!

DJ heard a rumor that Intermezzo down in Chelsea has these great brunch drink deals: $15 for all-you-can-drink Mimosas, Bellinis, or Bloody Marys. Who could resist?! Not us, Vicky, Gigi, Michelle, or Liz! :)

Not only were the drinks awesome (we tried the Peach and Mango Bellinis), but the eggs were extremely flavorful. The carmelized onions in Mel's spinach omelette added a nice kick, and the sauce over DJ's Eggs Benedict made the dish unique.


We also sampled Vicky's pancakes and all agreed they were among the best we've ever had - so light and fluffy! This is a great brunch spot - especially once they turn down the music. :)

Let's Go Mets!

Gen was kind of enough to offer us discount tickets to a Mets game at the new Citi Field. Though neither of us follow baseball much, it seemed like a great chance to check out the new stadium and chat with friends. What we weren't prepared for was the serious drop in temperature. In the daytime, the air was fabulously warm and comfy. But come 8pm and the proximity to the water, Citi Field was downright chilly! DJ had to take some extreme measures to stay warm.

(DJ's friend saw this photo on Facebook and asked if it was a nun drinking beer. lol)

But hey - some funnel cake and beer kept our shivering spirits high till the bottom of the 9th inning when the Mets brought home a win with a home run. Woo!