Eclectic Trips

Seoul is one of those great cities you can keep on discovering for weeks on end and never tire of. It has so much to offer, so many different neighborhoods and districts, parks, shopping, a huge variety of  food, and…….. kimchi! I always thought Kimchi is  fermented cabbage, but in Korea I discovered that Kimchee can be made out of cucumbers, raddish, fish, or apples, and that it is considered National Treasure.

The Korean barbecue is big in Seoul. They are everywhere- sometimes 2 on each block. And then there are streets that are dedicated solely to this type of establishment. If there was ever a vegetarian spy that needed to be tortured, it would suffice to bring them here, and force them to walk the whole block. They would instantly give up whatever political secrets they were harboring .
The images on the large plaques in all the windows, or on top of restaurants are of various types of raw meat that is being served here. This is a very interesting cultural difference between Korea and USA. We advertise the prepared food, and they advertise the ingredients. I think if McDonald was to adopt this Korean strategy and take pictures of their uncooked burgers they were serving,  they would not stay in business for too long.  Here however, since you will be preparing the meat yourself at your table, it is extremely important how it looks prior to preparation. Perhaps I am the only one who finds this fascinating, but I certainly did ponder it a lot.

I love how you get 10 different tiny plates with all kinds of goodies you didn’t order before you get your meal in pretty much any Korean restaurant. Kimchi is a staple, then there is seaweed, some type of pickle, some veggies, several things that look completely indistinguishable, and upon tasting them remain indistinguishable. So much more fun to eat this way. Very non-committal- a little bit of this and a little bit of that. You get so full from all these tidbits that sometimes there is no room for main course.

My favorite Korean restaurant moment- my husband and I went to the famous Restaurant row in Insadong. We walked down alleys and sidestreets for awhile, befire setlling onwhat looked like a very authentic Korean restaurant. It was lovely and rustic inside, we sat down, and looked over the menu for a while.  When the waiter came my husband ordered “kings seafood”. The waiter said “No maybe not so good-a little spicy”. My husband who always liked spicy food, and turned into a total spice maniac in Korea said, “oh it’s ok, I like spicy” to which the waiter replied. “Sorry i must say it different way-I don’t mean a little spicy, I mean VERY VERY spicy. It’s for Korean client only”. So he basically forbid us from ordering that particular dish. He didn’t think our delicate palette could even close to handle it. “For Korean client only” need I say more?

Funny enough my favorite thing to eat in Korea was pizza. It’s seriously comes close to being as good as Italian pizza. Thin flaky crust, really yummy tomatoes sauce and some cheese very similar to fresh mozzarella in abundance.

They don’t make kimchee pizza though-that would have been fun

Not sure what this was- something similar to a calzone

The scenery at Islamorada

There is not a whole lot to do in Islamorada, which sometimes turns out to be a really good thing.

We came here for the weekend, just to get away and relax. Relax we did -we were in bed by 10 pm every evening. The first day we visited the famous Robbie’s marina, a place hard to categorize or describe. Yes, it is a marina, but it is so much more than that. For instance- you can feed tarpon of the pier here. The tarpon is huge and kinda scary. There are pelicans and other exotic birds flying by and hanging out all around, making all kinds of bird noises. I am such a city dweller, that all of this simple wild life was a huge source of excitement and excessive picture taking. After the trip, I discovered an unreasonable amount of pelican pictures on my camera. At the entrance there is an outdoor market with some very random goodies- of course the kitschy objects made out of shells, old marine ropes and pieces of old boats. Also the various tourist desired loot- sunglasses and hats and  bathing suits. I always find it slightly strange that those things are sold in such abundance. I personally have a habit of packing a bathing suit and some sunglasses with me when I go on vacays that involve sun and swim. Do people simply not posses these items, or do they feel the desire for some new ones the instant they arrive at their getaway destinations… I wonder…

There is small restaurant/shack by the water called The Hungry Tarpon that serves average seafood in styrofoam. We heard rave reviews about this place but weren’t particularly impressed. Very heavy creamy seafood chowder of some sort, felt like it was seriously clogging my arteries as I was eating it, and a mediocre fish sandwich- not bad, but not great either. Eating here however fit very well thematically with the whole Robbie’s marina experience. Sitting outside with really rowdy very sunburned people, drinking Key West ale- it was all kinda perfect.

My favorite and absolutely magical place on Islamorada is Morada Bay cafe. It’s part of the exclusive and gorgeous Moorings village, a large and very beautiful waterfront property with lovely vacation home rentals. They have truly outdone themselves in creating a very unique atmosphere here complete with tiki torches, colorful tables set far apart from each other directly on the beach, live music in the evenings and really incredible island food. It’s pretty pricey, especially for a place with the word “cafe” in the title. The seafood is super fresh- just caught in fact, and the dishes are creative and light. They have great specials with seasonal ingredients, and great desserts. But the real draw here are the absolutely spectacular sunsets that last for hours. Starting with the iridescent golden hour, the shades of the sky change from  peach and pink to crimson red and almost purple. It really is a breathtakingly beautiful view, especially after a few of their house made bloody marys. The crowd here is totally eclectic, from locals and Miami weekend visitors, to low key vacationers, all types and ages.

The second day we went to Founders Park. There was supposed to be a fee at the entrance, but no one was there minding the booth. We drove in and saw a virtually empty parking lot, and wondered if the park was closed. There was also no one on the beach renting chairs and catamarans…they were lonelily stacked by the water. When we walked out on the beach, another couple was  there, but soon they left and we were completely alone on the beach for over an hour… It was very lovely and slightly strange experience to be on a deserted public beach in the Keys on a Sunday, but who were we to argue. Beaches in the keys are nothing to write home about. The water is shallow mostly, and the sand is brought in and is grey and rough. But there are beautiful lush Mangroves all around, and a certain serenity there that is quite lovely. I think we got randomly  lucky that day, and the small beach at Founder’s Park was just perfect for us, serene and very romantic.

The heart bench at Marker 88

In the evening we went to Marker 88  for dinner. The place is a bit out of date with their wicker white chairs that are looking a bit gray nowdays, and the waitresses that have been working here for a very, very long time. Marker 88 is also on the sunset side so you can catch pretty spectacular sunset here. The food was a bit generic, but good. My fish sandwich was perfect for what it was and the mashed potatoes were super fluffy.  I fell so in love with Morada Bay the night before, that I was very hard to impress that night, but all in all Marker 88 is a good place to eat in Islamorada. 

Like I said, there is not much to do in Islamorada, which was exactly what we needed to do that particular weekend.

Sandals on the beach

[Show as slideshow]

Not only is New York highline considered to be one of the top parks in the world, and is completely unique and beautiful, but it also offers very special treats on both ends of it to those who know where to find them.

Highline used to be a train line, but the trains have not run on it since the 80′s. There was some talk of demolishing the highline, and finally the city decided to turn it into an above ground park. I am so glad they did

You can enter the highline from several different points, but I like to start at the beginning, on Ganesvoort street. As you walk on the Highline park and check out the funky plants and the design of the high line itself which is just so clean and fresh and modern you also get to see an entirely  different perspective of Manhattan, the west side, the architecture and the skyline. I just love the plants here. This is from the highline website  ” Many of the plants that you see were selected to evoke the feel of the overgrown tracks. Some plants are the same species as what grew on the tracks previously, while some are related to what grew here or have a similar form and feel, and while they may seem wild or untamed, they are not weeds”. These plants are fascinating, and they have such an urban feel about them- as if they will survive and thrive in the coldest of New York winters… Like that urban image of the tiny plant breaking through the concrete and reaching up towards the sky. People watching on the highline is also lovely.  Here are the hippest of NY hipsters, tourists from all over the world, uptowners, downtowners and everyone in between. And somehow everyone seems unusually relaxed for New York City up here. Maybe it’s the air

Highline plants

If you are preparing  to spend some time on the highline, it’s probably best to grab lunch before you begin your journey.

Stopping by the Standard Hotel at the 14th street side of the highline is the first treat. The hotel is done so well, as are all Andre Balaz‘s establishments, and I love how it fuses with it’s environment and the Highline itself. The Standard Grill is an interesting place, with an outdoor area, a funky bistro, and a very cool, trendy and often loud ambiance.  They serve some great lunch selections, and  fresh locally sourced and organic ingredients are big here.

Another option and an all time New York staple is Pastis, and it’s right around the corner. Probably one of the trendiest daytime spots in downtown Manhattan, it’s always super packed, so prepare for a pretty long wait. But if  you score a table outside on a nice day consider it your lucky day and enjoy every moment. This is the ultimate in New York daytime fare.

La Bergamote is my favorite pastry shop in the world. Pastry shops in Paris don’t compare. And they have some incredible pastry shops in Paris as I am sure you are well aware. It’s so quaint here, with hand painted   very Parisian pastel murals on the walls. The pastries are fresh and flaky and are just a little piece of heaven. I love to think of going to La Bergamote after coming of the high line as a well deserved prize for all the walking. Kinda like I worked off the calories from the pastries in advance. It’s completely self deceptive of course, but I fool myself every time.

Highline perspectives

[Show as slideshow]

Agreed

Toronto is one of those cities that makes you want to be more “green”, healthier, friendlier to the planet and more polite to strangers. Every time I visit here, I am a whole lot more conscious, polite and drawn to recycle when I return home.
There is a good recycling program in place in the whole city, people bring their own bags to the supermarket, and their mugs to be filled at starbucks. It is all very inspiring. And it is not surprising that the vegetarian restaurant culture here is very rich.
My husband has recently become vegetarian, and since we travel quite a bit and thus often have no choice but to eat out, he has been less than happy with the offerings in most restaurants. In other words he gets stuck with eating side dishes or macaroni and cheese, while everyone else enjoys their meal. In Toronto, he was one very very satisfied customer…or a happy camper so to say.

Our favorite – Mela at 7A Yorkville. Tiny place with just about 5 tables, open kitchen, daily menu written on a oversized chalkboard. It seems like the place used to be a garage, when the gate is raised it opens up on to the street, so you are sitting inside/outside which is very cool. The chef is very Italian, and the food is very Italian- there is the traditional gnocchi, the lasagna, and the cannelloni bean soup. But also more contemporary selections like sweet potato stew, and quinoa salad. We came here 3 times on a relatively short trip, and my only regret is that i dint attempt to recruit …. to open Mela in Miami. One day we went there with a party of 6 and I made sure to taste everything everyone was having, and delicious doesn’t even begin to describe it. None of our friends are vegetarian, and they all really enjoyed their food judging by sparkling clean plates they left behind.

The offering at Mela

Live is another place that we really enjoyed. Super cute with a lively colorful decor. Our waiter was a hilarious space case, kept forgetting what we ordered-came back twice to double check, and still kinda got some things wrong. But it was somehow quite charming. Very creative vegetarian food, extensive menu, juices and smoothies galore. The sweet potato fries were spicy and perfectly done. But the desserts are a whole other thing. They make vegan desserts in house and they are so guilt free and so unbelievably good that it is hard to believe. All are made with coconut, raw chocolate, agave, nuts and other goodies. What a treat!

Fresh is a chain of vegetarian restaurants that is all over Toronto. If it wasn’t for Live and Mela I would think fresh is great, but those two places are pretty unique, and fresh is a pretty run of the mill quality but not particularly mind blowing veggie joint. The juices are good, the menu is good- you can make your own salads, or create dishes with the ingredients you like, and they have some very fun appetizers. Very good over all.

Another noteworthy mention goes to Urban Herbavoire In Kensington. It’s counter veggie take out, we didn’t eat here, but our friends say it’s good and we trust them.

At Mela

at the market

On Saturday our friends took us to the farmer’s market. Moment of truth- I am a die hard farmer’s market junkie. That and antique markets. I have been to farmers markets all over the world, and have seen it all (or most) in the farmers market respect. So I do consider myself quite the farmer’s market connoisseur. This market was one of the best I’ve ever been to. There is everything here – meat and cheese and veggies, berries, fruit, and chocolate and wild rice and soy candles and mushrooms. Oh the mushrooms- they were very special. Huge and strange looking, shiny and fresh, seeming like they were picked about an hour ago. Had the mushroom soup from the super friendly mushroom vendor. So aromatic, nutty and comforting. Asked her for the recipe, but she just smiled slyly. I wouldn’t share either if it was my soup. The market was such a great experience. So much fun to walk around and see these farmers and sausage makers and florists that are so proud of their produce and their craft, and to feel like you are a part of that for a moment. Grabbing a piece of this and that, a soup, some freshly brewed coffee, fried sunchokes and artisan chocolate for dessert is the loveliest Saturday brunch alternative ever.

After the trip to the farmer’s market we went to 889 Yonge for massages. The space is as green as it gets- refinished hardwood, no toxic finishes recyclable carpet and all that jazz. I particularly love the “wish wall” which is  made out of cardboard, and the visitors to 889 Yonge can write their wishes and put them on small pieces of colorful paper and stick them into the wall. Other than looking uber cool, it is such a simple and lovely idea to have the collective power of people’s positive thoughts and wishes concentrated in one place. The beautiful girls with creamy skin and smooth energy greet you at the entrance, and are sure to induce some jealousy pangs from the female population over their glowing complexions, but only for a moment. A moment later they are so helpful and accommodating that you can’t help but instantly love them. The yoga studio is a nice space- not too big, not too small, just perfect. They have a nice variety of classes and great visiting teachers. The locker rooms are clean and well stocked.  My  massage was perfect. The masseur was so attentive to what I told her, she mixed a soothing aromatherapy blend, and was very in tune to what my body wanted. Left there feeling like potty, which was definitely a good thing.

If you are ever in Toronto, and want to get your ‘ green on”  hope this guide helps.

Our yummy meal at "Live"

Freeman’s

I am a New Yorker, and I take utmost pride in that label. I do live in Miami, but I love my New York City, and I feel completely at home, at ease, and often slightly on edge in inanticipation of new adventures,  as New York unwittingly offers you new adventures more often than not.

New York is the city of opposites and extremes- it’s transient and trendy, and at the same time it has a very steady and unchanging  side.

New York clubs and restaurants are a good example of  this strange tendency- there are dozens or perhaps hundreds of new bars, clubs and restaurants that open up in the city every month. Some will be very popular and trendy for some time, some will be hard to score a reservation in, but most will slowly lose their sparkle, only to be replace by the new hot “it” spot. There are some magical places however that are so quintessentially New York, they will stay en vogue forever, drawing the trendsetting crowd, celebrities, and the NYC Boheme… I’ll tell you about these secret New York establishments, but please don’t tell anyone else- the reservations are getting harder to come by, and wait times are way too long as it is

Brunch at Freeman's

La Esquina takes the whole secret/underground vibe to a new level. It’s a very inconspicuous looking lunch truck on the corner of Lafayette and. Inside the truck there is a doorman, who upon checking your reservation will radio a hostess to come up and get you. You will then be taken through a labyrinth of stairs, through the kitchen and finally arrive at a dark and uber trendy Mexican restaurant with a very lively bar scene and the most delicious and innovative margaritas in the city. The last two times we were here we sat next to A listers of the Hollywood category that would impress many people. I will not name drop however, neither are the celebrity sightings the main draw here…

The food is unbelievably good, the scene is fun, and did I mention the margaritas? You will of course need a reservation, and i do recommend you make it well in advance as the place is not particularly large and gets packed quick. If you cant get a reservation,  you can have lunch here- the Mexican truffle quesadilla is out of this world, and sitting outside in the Taqueria is indeed a lovely experience.

walking to Freemans

Coffe Shopon Union square has always been an interesting phenomenon for me to observe. ( Notice the THE in front of the name- not to be confused with A Coffee shop The food is quite decent, though it’s nothing to write home about. The decor is that of a coffee shop, and the service is …interesting…. By interesting I mean that you will be waited on by extremely trendy, very attractive aspiring actors and models, who will often act like they are doing you a huge favor by bringing your meal. You want sugar with your coffee? Seriously? She will barely contain herself from rolling her eyes at this utterly unreasonable request. Yet if you are in New York, in Union Square and you need to grab a casual bite I recommended this place.  It is so very New York that it is certainly worth a try. I know i keep coming back here year after year and to some extent i enjoy it every time. If you sit outside in the Spring or Summer, this is by far the best people watching spot in all of New York. So there.

Coffee Shop on Union Square

Decibel sake bar on 9th street is another super-secret hideout spot. No sign on the door (of course), and once you go down a flight of stairs to a seemingly random basement and knock on a nondescript door, you wait a few minutes. Do not get discouraged and walk away, as the door will open eventually (all part of the experience) and you will enter an underground Japanese sake bar/pub. The music is loud and people are drunk, it’s fun here. Do not go with a large group, as there are no tables for more than 6 people. The extensive sake list is great, the waiters are very helpful in recommending a good sake, and the yummy Japanese pub food is stellar.

The last on my list is the legendary Indochine on Lafayette. This legendary establishment just celebrated their 25th anniversary, and celebrated with a book  appropriately titled “stories shaken and stirred”  The food is consistently fantastic, the drinks are innovative and the crowd is still very glamorous. The plush banquets and the chic palm frond wall paper give this place a unique look and feel. It has a bit of a nostalgic feel, and if you tune into it, you can feel that the place has seen and heard it all, and that you are in a presence of history of sorts… There is definitely a certain cache in knowing that Indochine the likes of Andy Warhol and Madonna once graced these same banquets you are now occupying…

Indochine