Spades Harlem Shakedown

REMATCH!!

Ladell had Brandon and us over to his place in Harlem for brunch and a spades game rematch.  After enjoying an awesome meal of eggs, bacon-wrapped shrimp, potatoes, and jalapeno corn muffins (YUM!), we settled in for some serious cards.  

 

Thanks to some great hands, DJ and Mel came out victorious - redemption from the last game when we had an embarrassing loss.  

Such a great way to spend a Sunday.  Thanks for being a fab host, Ladell!

Dipali's Housewarming

One of our favorite Brits has come back to New York!  Dipali had her official housewarming dinner last night at her new place on West End Avenue.  

 

She and her brother went to town making delicious Indian vegetarian delicacies, and all guests were happy as clams to chat over such a wonderful meal.  

 

 

We were so distracted by eating, in fact, that we forgot to take pictures of half the things she presented on the table!  But here's a small sample of why you should be jealous.  :)

Thanks to Dipali for being a wonderful hostess.  So glad you're back in NYC!

CELEBRATE! Work Success and Monthiversary

It was a big day: DJ and Mel had successful days at work and it was a Monthiversary.  So we returned to one of our favorite spots in DJ's old neighborhood: El Rio Grande - where the mole chicken is superb, the steak enchiladas are delectable, and the margaritas are dangerous.  No better way to celebrate a great day!  :)

Presidents' Day Weekend - Breakfast Food Feasting

Presidents' Day Weekend always feels like a little gift in the middle of winter; one extra day to relax, sleep late, and not worry about work.  So we made the most of it with family and friends!  

Sunday was reserved for a Haile-Mariam family outing to Mohegan Sun for some poker and slot machines.  Before we hit the road, DJ's mom made everyone a delicious breakfast of eggs, fruit, and avocado.  Such a delicious meal put us in such a good mood, we didn't even care that most of us lost.  lol  (DJ and Manny made out pretty well in poker, though!  Congrats guys!)

Then Monday was deemed Bagels, Lox and Booze Day.  Liz came to BK for some Rock Banding, and we enjoyed a spread of... well, you guessed it: bagels, lox, and booze.  :)  We all agreed that being able to enjoy mimosas on a Monday feels quite indulgent and makes 3-day weekends all the more awesome.  

Cheers to Presidents' Day antics!

Aye! Aye! Aye! Ariba!

The plan for Friday night: relax and unwind! And as usual top Chef Master MB delivered by creating homemade chicken fajitas. Delectable! The meal was accompanied by by tasty guacamole and a toasted wrap. Food coma here we come!

Grill Master Cupid

We decided to have some low-key fun during the pre-Valentine's Day weekend since the Day of Love was on a Monday this year.  A Sunday sandwich at Cosi and a matinee of True Grit in Union Square was a great way to celebrate before the crowds took over.  But the Grill Master was determined to make the Monday of Hearts special no matter what, and he worked some magic in the kitchen yet again:  SURF AND TURF!

Every bite was so delicious, we didn't want the meal to end!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO ALL!! 

Yuca Bar and Back Fence

We were way overdue for catching up with our fav Rock Band buddy, Liz.  So we met up at Yuca Bar for a little end-of-the-week happy hour and tapas.

The food was all delicious; we sampled a bit of guacamole, shrimp ceviche (great seasoning), vegetarian arepa, chicken platano, steak, Spanish meatballs, and bread pudding.  Everything tasted extremely fresh and light, and Mel and Liz thought the mojitos were phenomenal.  (DJ felt they were a bit strong and stuck with his fav sangria.) 

 

The only down-side of this place was the service.  We got there early enough to get a table without a hassle, but then they took about 45 minutes just to bring us guacamole.  After it finally came, the rest of the food was served much more efficiently which was nice because it was all piping hot.  But then as the place got more crowded, they kept rushing us to pay the bill and essentially glared us out of there.  Talk about feeling unwelcome.  Perhaps next time they want to pressure people to be speedy, they should remember to be just as speedy bringing us our order!  We're chalking this up to being a casualty of the invading NYU crowd, and since the food was so good we're going to try going back on a less popular night so we hopefully don't get rushed.

Afterward, Liz had an awesome suggestion: some live classic rock at Back Fence.  Best way to spend a Friday night EVER!  The place is so unassuming, with a down-home decor and peanut shells strewn on the floor.  The bartender was generous in mixing, and every song the band covered brought back Liz and Mel's memories of dancing around the living room in pajamas.  DJ was a good sport and got into the groove too, but we promised that next time we'll try to find a spot that plays some Metallica.  :)

Super Bowl Sunday Snacking

We were ready for some football!!!

The Steelers took on Green Bay in the Super Bowl this year, and Anita and Vanitha were nice enough to host everyone to watch the game in their new apartment.  The Hostesses with the Mostesses really know how to throw a party!  Throughout the game, there was non-stop delicious food and drink:  beer, wine, crudite, bean dip, jalapeno dip, wings, mac and cheese, cookies, and even a Steelers cake!  Even though the Steelers didn't bring home a win, it was a great afternoon with great friends.

Chilly? Have Some Chili!

This winter is starting to seem endless, and the chilly weather has started turning us into icicles.  The answer?  Some hearty, healthy, spicy chili!

Mel had tried making it once before, and had ideas on how to make it even more flavorful and thick.  So with the help of some chili seasoning, fire-roasted tomatoes, chipotle corn, 3 types of beans, ground turkey, peppers, onions, LOTS of spice (including cayenne pepper!), and a few other secret ingredients, we have a feast for days!  A great way to defrost after a long commute.  

Tonight also marks our foray into jigsaw puzzles.  Not bad progress for the first time at work.  Planning to plug at it a bit each night, and it's harder than we may have thought!