Magazine Subscriptions

Magazine Subscriptions - I have too many! Its the weekly subscriptions that put me over the top. By the time I am able to crack one open, two more are sitting in my mailbox. However, I never throw a magazine away until I am finished with it and at some point in my lifetime I do plan on finishing all of them even if that means that I am way behind the times when it comes to current events. Right now I am reading February's news out of Newsweek (congrats to Barack Obama on becoming our first African American president!) I am even reading travel magazines that date back to 2007. Following is a list of all my magazine subscriptions:

Travel + Leisure

Conde Nast Traveler 

National Geographic Traveler

Real Simple

Newsweek

The Week

The New Yorker

Inc.

Wired

Rolling Stone

I may be forgetting some...I swear my neighbor steals many of my magazines because they definitely don't all come once a week/month. From this list the ONLY ones I enjoy reading are:

National Geographic Traveler

Real Simple

Inc. 

and about 50% of my Newsweeks

To me reading a magazine like Wired is like reading about Quantum Mechanics (maybe I should just cancel that subscription.) For some reason Rolling Stone gets delivered to my parents house so there goes that. Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast I feel are too mass market. The New Yorker...well, I don't live in New York. I just started my subscription to The Week so I don't know enough to comment on it. 

People keep saying that in a bad economy you should simplify and eliminate excess spending...maybe I should start with my magazine subscriptions. 

Double Crown in New York City

Cocktail:

Gin on the rocks with citrus chili jam

Starters:

Bone Marrow

Yellowtail with cilantro and lime 

Duck Dumplings 

Thoughts:

I was a little nervous about my cocktail since I am not a gin on the rocks sort of drinker. I was given a glass of gin and ice and a spoonful of jam. The concept is to mix the jam with the gin (a tradition that started back in the day as a solution to cheap gin.) It was a fantastic drink, something I wish I would see more of. Apparently the bone marrow at Double Crown is a staple item that has received a lot of press...rightfully so. It was my first bone marrow experience and definitely won't be my last. 

O Mai in New York City

Cocktail:

A Margarita mixed with Vietnamese beer

Starters:

Crispy spring rolls with shrimp

Main:

Oxtail broth with beef, rice noodle, and aromatic herbs

Dessert:

Banana bread with Tahitian vanilla ice cream 

Thoughts:

The margarita mixed with Vietnamese beer was such a pleasant surprise. I had no idea what to expect but it was the perfect blend of tequila and cold, bubbly beer. My friend and I visited this Vietnamese restaurant because we were craving a noodle bowl. My beef bowl hit the spot. I was also given a plate of really fresh basil and chili sauce to mix with the broth. The banana bread was not what I expected but still very good (although I should have known what to expect since bananas are a common Vietnamese dessert.) I am not sure why it was called bread because there wasn't much yeast to it...it was mostly cooked bananas. 

The Palm in New York City

Cocktail:

Red Wine

Starters:

Fresh Oysters with some sort of cream and wasabi sauce

Main:

Maine Lobster Salad with extra Avocado

Thoughts:

The oysters were addicting. I can't quite identify the sauce but it tasted a bit like blue cheese and wasabi. Its a taste I have not had before but definitely something worth eating again. The Maine lobster salad was very refreshing and perfect for a late lunch. 

The Tabu Grill in Laguna Beach, CA

Cocktail:

Red Wine 

Starters:

Yellowtail Poke with Mango and Avocado

Poached Pear Salad with Citrus Vanilla dressing

Main:

Miso Marinated Sea Bass

Dessert:

Warm Banana Chocolate Cake

Thoughts:

Citrus Vanilla dressing - do I need to say anymore? Fantastic. I loved everything about the poached pear salad and the yellowtail/avocado was about as fresh as it gets...can't ask for anything more. The miso marinated sea bass was submerged in a sweat sauce with fresh bok choy. The banana chocolate cake was delicious...I have tried to recreate it myself with no avail. 

The Crow Bar and Kitchen in Corona del Mar, CA

Cocktail:

Sparkling lemonade with a side of vodka (its been one of those weeks) 

Starters:

Cured Olives

Pot of Pickles

Sweet Potato Fries

Onion Rings with homemade buttermilk sauce

Main:

Homemade meatball sliders

Grilled Prawn Salad

My Thoughts:

I was a little disappointed that the pot of pickles consisted of 2 pickles and a bunch of pickled beats. The olives were served warm, which was new for me and not something I think I would hope for again. My two favorite things are pickles and olives so its always disappointing when they aren't satisfying. My meatball sliders were fantastic and definitely a unique menu item. The grilled prawn salad was good but I had I known there were a bunch of chopped nuts I would have asked for no nuts. I am sure nuts were stated on the menu so lesson learned: read the menu thoroughly. 

Seven4One in Laguna Beach, CA

Cocktail:

Pomegranate Martini

Starters:

Mediterranean Taste (homemade pita with humus) 

Main:

Scallop Risotto

My Thoughts:

This actually isn't a restaurant but a lounge within a stylish hotel located in Laguna Beach, CA. The food was fantastic and my pomegranate martini was like juice. What is so great about dining here is that its really small so the chefs are allowed to create their own dishes. Therefore, never limit yourself to just the menu offerings. This is also an intimate place to just sit and chat with friends next to the fireplace or on the terrace overlooking the ocean.