last days of summer: a view from the bridge (park)

the view from the bridge is indeed spectacular, but the view from Brooklyn Bridge park is my favorite!  both the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges are in clear sight, plus some of the city's sparkly skyline.

top that off with vanilla ice cream from the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory and you have a perfect summer day.  not much of a vanilla girl, but it just tastes so creamy and fresh here!

-jillian m.

last days of summer: a view from the bridge

jen told me she wanted to walk the Brooklyn Bridge.  so we made a date.

on the train there, some dude with his bongos came on and started berating all the passengers because no one was paying attention to him play ("your character sucks!").  welcome to New York, guy.

we stopped for toasted sandwiches and drinks and then trekked along.  in hindsight, walking the bridge in sixty degree weather, as opposed to eighty degrees (and very sunny) probably would have been ideal.  the day was gorgeous and breezy, but it felt like we were a thousand miles closer to the sun (therefore, hot hot hot!).   but nothing comes close to this feeling of being higher.  and definitely nothing comes close to this view.

-jillian m.

jillian the vampire slayer

on a recent trip to Laurence Harbor, i wanted to conjure memories of Buffy.  so i took a wooden stick (or stake) and poked it through a heart in the sand.

sometimes i like to pretend to be a vampire slayer...

-jillian m.

fancy comfort food

the Chat Noir is a cozy little bistro just off Madison avenue where we decided to eat.  when we first walked in, i noticed nine out of ten people were over the age of forty-five and dressed in suits or sheath dresses.  and here i am in my skinny jeans and chucks...

thankfully, none of the staff treated us any differently from the other patrons, so it was easy to relax and enjoy our lunch.  bob ordered the black cat burger, which was this plump patty smothered in melted Vermont cheddar cheese and topped off with a sun-dried tomato.  since i 'm obsessed with cheeses and pastas, naturally i went for the ravioli du royan.  it was possibly one of the richest and most amazing pastas i've ever tried.  it was this tiny ravioli (i love miniature foods!), stuffed with ricotta and baked in a blend of gruyere and comte cheeses.  my mouth is watering just thinking about it.  it's probably a bad idea to write about food while starving.

 i would definitely love to go back. but maybe next time i'll know to wear a nice pair of shoes.

-jillian m.

another beach day, please

the last two days have been cool and damp, which makes me long for a beach day. just one more hot (and slightly breezy) day where i get to lather on coconut-scented lotion and read a chick-lit novel under a huge umbrella, while snacking on a cold plum.  just one more...

-jillian m.

last days of summer: lincoln center

last weekend, i did something cool (and free!). the Kronos Quartet, along with special guests, Gamelan Galak Tika, performed at the Lincoln Center for its Out of Doors series. not the type of concert i would normally go to, but it was great all the same (and as a former drama student, i'm very pro-performing arts!). have to say, i wasn't expecting much but i was pleasantly surprised by how much i enjoyed listening to a string quartet.

amaretto gelato was also involved (as was sweet port wine disguised as "iced tea" in a Poland Spring bottle), so it was pretty serious.


i'm trying to cram in as much summer fun as possible before this beautiful weather ends. it's already starting to feel a bit cooler. hopefully, more outdoorsy adventures to come soon!

-jillian m.


[photos 1, 2, 3, 4: robert tutton]

gooey brownies

i had been looking for a really good brownie recipe for quite some time...and then i found this.  it looked simple to make, the ingredients weren't very expensive (probably because i had most of them already) and the reviews were all raves.  i had to improvise a little since i didn't have unsweetened chocolate chunks (i used semi-sweet chocolate instead...and a little less butter and sugar).  and i opted to not make the ganache (because good brownies don't need dressing!).  but it was worth it because...whoa, these are good.


       don't know why, but i love the sound of an egg cracking

       melting and mixing the chocolate and the butter

       two worlds colliding

                  gotta love a man who helps out in the kitchen

       the batter looks so creamy and delicious

        the finished product doesn't look like a masterpiece...

                         

        ...or maybe it does.  yum!

final verdict: it was very rich and super sweet, so i would probably use a little less sugar next time.  also, i would leave it in the oven for 5 minutes longer.  i have no problems with the gooey-ness of the middle section, but if i was going to serve it to others, it would probably be best to not serve them batter on a dish! 

-jillian m.

a piece of pie and a good read

i received september's issue of Glamour and enjoyed it with a slice of cherry pie in the backyard.  here's what i learned: 1.) i need to buy a makeup primer, 2.) leopard print is here to stay and 3.) fashion and dessert make a great combo.

-jillian m.

i love the Wonder Wheel

everytime i come to Coney Island, i must get on two rides: the Cyclone and the Wonder Wheel.  unfortunately, i don't have any pictures of us on the Cyclone, but it's probably best since it isn't the best ride to be bringing a camera with you.

on the wheel, we opted for the swinging car, as opposed to a stationary one (because where's the fun in that?).  i loved it.  jen?  not so much.  haha.

but for a ride that was built and premiered in 1920, it has an impeccable safety record.  it has only stopped once during the blackout of 1977.  and even then, employees were able to unload all the passengers safely by manually cranking the wheel.  just an interesting fact i thought i'd share!  and once the initial freak-out was over, this provided jen with some peace of mind...i think.

-jillian m.

feeling like a kid in the aquarium

i don't care how old you are, the aquarium is FUN.  jen, bobby and i went to the New York Aquarium in Coney Island for a bit of little kid amusement.  observing sea life is probably one of the most fascinating and nostalgic experiences.  if there wasn't so much of a crowd, i probably could have spent hours just staring at and revisiting the sea lions, jellyfish, sharks...


      jacob, the California sea otter is a seriously adorable creature.  im surprised i caught him in such a still
      moment.  he was as lively and playful as can be!

      starfish aren't the most exciting creatures, but they are beautiful to look at.

      the Pacific walrus was coming straight for us...

      ...hey there!

      bob and jen marveling at the jellyfish.

      coolest picture of the day!

                                               seahorseys are magical.  and yes, i meant to spell it that way.

      although it might not seem like it, this toothy guy is relatively harmless to humans.  sand tiger sharks prefer
      to feast on shellfish.

      yay for the aquarium!

-jillian m.