Valentine's Day has always been a dicey proposition in our house - probably because the concept of romantic love is viewed very differently by Carl and I. He believes that bringing fresh fruit home daily is a strong indicator of his love for me (even as he packs much of it up to take to work each day). While I truly do appreciate the constant availability of unripe, slightly green bananas, ripe oranges and firm grapes, I see nothing wrong with the occasional surprise present.
To be fair though, this past Saturday, the unbelievable occurred. Carl bought me a beautiful, military-style black hoodie at Atmos, a very cool Japanese-run, Supreme-esque sneaker store in Harlem. Whenever we visit the Studio Museum of Harlem (more on that below), we visit Atmos.
Carl got some really cool sneakers there a few years back, and now it's a tradition to stop in. Carl said he was buying me the hoodie as part of March Madness (the college basketball season just getting into full swing)- but hey, a great gift is a great gift and I love my Hells Bellz-designed hoodie. I am in favor of any day that allows me to give or receive gifts as a way of celebrating family and friends.
In Carl's favor, it's true that I am definitely not marriage-minded. I fervently believe the wedding celebration should occur 50 years later - if the relationship has positively survived the test of time. As well, I have no desire whatsoever for a ring (sorry Big Daughter - she wants a large rock ) since it seems to me a (large) symbol of objectification.
Over the years, I have utilized Valentine's Day as a way to appreciate those who love me and whom I love. Carl's belief that Valentine's Day is a day propagated by commercial business as a means to make him part with his money was never easy for me to swallow, although I understand it from his no-gift point-of-view.
As Big Daughter put it so succinctly this past Christmas, giving gifts is a sign of intimacy with others. I was slightly concerned therefore, when I realized that Valentine's Day happened to fall on Thursday Night Date Night. I anticipated an uphill battle in having any kind of date night, let alone on Valentine's Day.
I should note dear reader that I was greatly reassured by an article in last Tuesday's Science section of the New York Times that noted Date Nights are only effective when there's change involved. Couples must do things out of the ordinary.
I immediately showed the article to Carl, and emphasized the part that said trying new places, and taking drives in the country are important to maintaining a sense of the new and romantic. Ha! But back to Valentine's Day. Last year, Big Daughter and I had a disastrous experience at Blaue Gans on Valentine's Day. Since then, I have become truly afraid of the specter of Dinner on Valentine's Day. (Disclaimer: The chef at Blaue Gans responded considerately, after I wrote a detailed email about the disastrous events that occurred. He honestly and graciously acknowledged that sometimes people make stupid mistakes. He's right -especially on a night like that.)
Yes, Carl, you did warn me about the idiocy of my choice to eat out on that night. I decided to go to Valentine's dinner at Blaue Gans because of the chocolate dessert, mmm hmm. For about a month prior to the special day, I kept reading the Valentine's Day menu on the glass mirror over our booth at Blaue Gans during our annual Saturday breakfast. The chocolate dessert just kept calling to me until I finally caved and convinced Big Daughter to go with me, simply to eat those chocolate pops. Those chocolate pops were very good - despite the mishaps we encountered. If only I'd known, we could have skipped dinner (which they almost forgot to give us) and just dropped in for dessert, like the couple next to us.
Anyway, back to this year's Valentine Day. Going out for Thursday night dinner seemed like another disaster-in-the-making. Each of our regular places had a special menu, even Sanctuary Tea, our new regular spot. As an alternative, I considered dropping in at Hallo Berlin for a hot dog but the reviews indicated that the hot dogs might never arrive, or at least take hours to show up.
Finally, I decided Indian food would do the trick. I reasoned that few people would choose to eat Indian on a romantic night and there was little chance of roses/candles and an amplified menu. I left Carl a message suggesting that we meet at Saravannas, a great place at 26th/Lexington for South Indian food. (In a recent blog, I mentioned their chai tea.) We generally go to Saravanna's in the summertime, so the staff was happy to see us.
Although there was a wait, it had nothing to do with Valentine's Day, it was simply the usual; a mostly-Indian crowd of families, couples and friends, waiting to eat authentically prepared Dosa's, which are the speciality of the house. Despite our three-month absence, the waiter anticipated our order; the Mini Tiffin, which is comprised of Thali style dishes of farina, different vegetables in spicy, stew-like sauces (potatotes, peppers, tomatoes etc.) and of course, delectable little portions of sweets, a tapioca rice pudding and an orange halvah.
I, of course, ate the sweets first. The Dosa (a long thin, crunchy crepe folded over a filling of mashed potatoes and peas)is always placed in the center of the silver tray. The waiter also anticipated our usual order of the South Indian Tiffin. It contains a multitude of Thali dishes, again with vegetables but this time served with chapati (a soft tortilla-like bread) and a type of papadum (a large, circular, cracker-like bread made of plain flour). We brought home a Ravi Dosa which has pistachios and raisins baked into the crepe.
Since this was a three-day weekend, I'm happy to report that a sense of smaller valentines pervaded. On Saturday afternoon, we visited the Studio Museum of Harlem to see a thought-provoking, beautiful and amazing show by Kori Newkirk, a phenomenal new artist. After visiting Atmos, we crossed the Triboro Bridge to Astoria to eat at at Philoxenia, a Greek restaurant that I've long wanted to try (32-07 34th Avenue, Astoria). I was excited to eat there since I'd read that they recently reopened. They closed before I could visit them two years ago.
The dining room is a large, plesant brick-walled room with windows overlooking the bucolic back garden of the adjoining building. The menu at Philoxenia was simple but extremely well-prepared. We shared an appetizer of four spreads: Taromasalata, carp roa caviar spread, Tzatsiki, which is made with cucumbers and yogurt, Melitzanosalata, a roasted eggplant spread with garlic and herbs and Tiriokafteri, a spicy cheese spread. Little one loved the Tzatziki and Carl loved the spicy, cheese spread.
In addition, we ordered Dolmadakia, lettuce leaves stuffed with beef and rice, their homemade spinach pie, Piperies Psites Me Tire, grilled peppers stuffed with graviera cheese and of course, a large Greek salad. Big Daughter got Bekri Meze, veal and pork stewed in tomato sauce and topped with feta. Sbe and little one both ordered the traditional Greek chicken and rice soup which was liberally infused with lemon. For dessert, we all shared Galaktoboureko, a sweet egg custard encased in thin layers of phyllo.
Not only was the food amazing, it was extraordinarily reasonable. Going to Philoxenia was a big step because we usually eat only at Agnanti, another Greek restaurant that we love in Astoria. After a long, hot day at the beach, the food there hits the spot. Agnanti serves amazing Greek Cypriot style food - one salad in particular is perfect on a hot day. It's prepared with tomatoes, capers, feta cheese and cretan husks (little wheat husks) all mixed together and served cold. Agnanti has amazing fish entrees but I love the grilled sardines. With a little lemon squeezed over them, they are a meal in themselves.
Big Daughter and I always get the grilled Kasseri cheese and little one clamors for a cheese puff with phyllo that's made with a tangy, soft cheese. As a family, we always order too much food at Agnanti. We still eat the complimentary dessert, a semolina honey cake with large stewed cherries in greek yogurt on the side. Since the weather was so balmy today, we decided to visit the Pepisco Sculpture Garden in Purchase, NY.
When I called my friend John in Chicago to talk art (he works at the Museum of Contemporary Art in downtown Chicago) and proudly say that I identified a Giacometti sculpture from afar, he was amazed that we were walking around a Sculpture Garden. John said he was stuck at home because it was 14 degrees and windy!! The Sculpture Garden was gorgeous -even in winter-and an easy 45 minute ride up the Hutchinson Parkway. I can't wait to return in the spring, when the Magnolia trees are blooming.
On our way out of the city, we visited Oro, a new bakery/bar located in Nolita, at 375 Broome Street between Mott/Kenmare. That part of Broome is still a little funky which was strangely comforting. So much of NYC is becoming airbrushed these days, and much of Soho is like a mall. Anyway, for breakfast, I selected a bread pudding. It was the perfect eggy mix of bread and raisins. Carl was happy to share it with me. Little one selected a blood-orange meringue.
Together, we ate little spoonfuls of the stiff, sweet meringue topping and I ate the tangy blood-orange filling. Little one then asked for a cup of potato-leek soup. It was creamy and warm with lots of leeks and potatoes. Carl and I ended up sharing that as well. He also ate her cheese bread with chives.
Oro is an elegant space, with seating in the front and rear separated by a sleek bar with stools. I wanted to try a little chocolate truffle cookie and a bunch of other miniature pastries, but figured we can always go back. There was a nice selection of tea and coffee drinks. Oro is open until 10 p.m. for wine/snacks. There were sandwiches (a smoked salmon with dill and creme fraiche) and quiches too. On the way back to our Zipcar rental, we stopped at Parisi Bakery to get little one a Turkey sandwich with lettuce and mayo. When she saw the sandwich, little one's eyes widened and she said "that's so big." The counterman laughed. I overheard the counter lady tell another customer that Parisi's has been in their present spot since 1908 and the world seemed in balance.
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