I like being a tourist

A friend of mine once said that her biggest fear was to be mistaken for a tourist. Now, she was probably trying to be slightly ironic, but for the most part I think she was serious. She really hated the idea of standing out and being recognized as someone who didn’t belong.

As in American living in Europe, it’s not hard to sympathize with both sides of that sentiment.  Americans speak so much more loudly than Europeans. An old boyfriend always used to “turn the volume down” on my American voice to the more appropriate European level. After a while, it’s easy to spot Americans by the way that they dress – there are always the people wearing jeans with sneakers and a t-shirt who really just add to the overall scenery. They come off as obnoxious when yelling in English to someone who primarily speaks another language or as ignorant when they can’t find their way anywhere.

Now, admittedly I do try my best not to do the above things. I have learned to speak softly, never to wear shorts in Paris, and I try my best to study maps and cultures before traveling. But there are aspects of being a tourist that I absolutely love and refuse to abandon.

I love sitting down in a restaurant in a new place and trying to sound out the words in the native language. Even if I butcher them horribly, I’ve found that a lot of waiters and locals appreciate the effort and generally have encouraging smiles at the ready.

I love getting lost in new cities. One of my favorite things to do is wake up early and go for a run without a clue as to where I’m headed.  It’s impossible not to find places you would never see on a general tour, and such a good way to get the feel of a city when the morning is still quiet and it’s just you and the stones.

Most importantly, I love the mentality of being a tourist. I wake up every morning so thankful for the opportunity to be where I am, and so excited to discover something new. Even after living in NYC for almost a year, I discovered something new every day and fell that much more in love with the city. I’ve only been in Barcelona for four days, but I can already tell that this is going to be a love affair to remember. 

So don’t be afraid to wake up tomorrow, even if it’s the same thing you’ve been doing for the past 20 years, and pretend like it’s your first day there. I promise that you will find something new, whether it’s about your neighborhood or about yourself.  

A Foodie's Guide to France

No surprises there, but France is dangerous for those of us who love to eat. I could write a thesis driven essay on the ways in which the bread is better, the cheese is legitimately life altering, and don’t even get me started on patisseries. I’ve been so lucky to be able to eat at some of the best restaurants in the country so far, and will be in a deep black hole of depression when I leave.

I started off my degustation in Paris. The Time Out Paris app helped to locate some of the best places to eat by area, and I helped myself to one of the best patisseries in Paris – Angelina. This was contrasted to Ladurée later on – they both are delicious and more than worth seeking out.

I hiked up to Montmartre to see Sacre Coeur and my favorite view of the city, and stopped in at a little restaurant called Le Mirroir. One of the best things I’ve ever tasted was the “poulet rôti” with mushrooms and fingerling potatoes. Prefaced by fresh asparagus with butter lettuce and mustard vinaigrette, the only thing missing was Owen Wilson and a journey to the 1920s.

We then went to one of the best restaurants in Paris off of the Champs-Elysées – L’Atelier Etoile de Joel Robuchon. The amuse bouche was actually the most flavorful, delicious thing I had tasted up to that point. A truly emotional response, and if you have the means, you can go there and get a prix-fixe lunch for under 45 euro. Do it.

Upon returning to Chateau Calisanne, we took a day trip up to Baux-de-Provence for a trip to Oustau de Beaumaniere. Now, if you are unfamiliar, this place is where Bill Gates used to spend a couple of weeks every summer. It is absolutely stunningly beautiful, but the view doesn’t come close to the food. Our main course was a lobster cooked with fresh local peaches. I can’t even talk about it without drooling. I wouldn’t have thought to put the two together, but the combination was pure ecstasy.

I know that I have being using very absolute statements thus far, but they aren’t exaggerations. These meals have literally been the best of my life. And that’s not to discredit the every day meals that we consume at the house – fresh baguettes, Niçoise salad, apricots and figs from the Chateau itself. Oh yes, and the wine. 

Madison Square Eats

One of the best things – scratch that – the best thing about Manhattan is that there is food EVERYWHERE. I know this isn’t a new concept for a large city, but the quality of the food in NYC is outstanding. You can find some of the best, nicest, most expensive restaurants in the world, but at the same time you can find small hole in the wall authentic cuisines, pop up stands, food festivals, etc.

I stumbled into Madison Square Eats on the way home from a workout the other day. Literally shaking with exhaustion, I could think of no better way to refuel than by checking out the plethora of options offered by the pop-up market.

Among the places I checked out: Birch Coffee, whose delicious iced coffee can be purchased by the jug and brought back for discounted refills – awesome concept/great way to save in a time where a cappuccino sets you back $4.48.

Birch Coffee can be found at 27^th St between 5^th and Madison, www.birchcoffee.com, 212-686-1444. 

I also had my first run in with arancini, which are fried risotto balls. I went for the sweet option – a cinnamon sugar dusted, Nutella filled ball of heaven. Definitely something I will be attempting to make at home.

Arancini Brothers can be found at 940 Flushing Ave, Brooklyn, NY, arancinibros.com

Caracas Arepa Bar

The first thing I noticed was the smells. Not in an overwhelming, affronting way, but in that warm tendril of scent that creeps around your nose way. Bright colors and a cozy setting added to the tantalizing aroma, and I had to restrain myself from tackling the waitress and stealing the food from her tray.

To my taste buds’ delight, the food tasted even better than it smelled. With a menu composed of traditional Venezuelan Arepas, I devoured delicious (gluten-free!!) corn tortilla sandwiches stuffed with things like grilled leeks, sundried tomatoes, caramelized onions, and guayanés cheese.  Sweet plantains stuffed in a cinnamon plantain batter with white cheese tasted like bread pudding, and the guacamole was perfect.

(Leek Jardinera)

To top it off, the cocktail entitled Michelada put a new twist on a refreshing beer.  Caracas Arepa Bar blends raw sugar cane with habeneros, lemon, and a salted rim glass that goes perfectly with the Pacifico beer that you pour in yourself. It may not have been Mexican, but this Cinco de Mayo meal couldn’t have been better.

(Michelada)

Caracas Arepa Bar can be found at 93 ½ E 7^th St, NY, NY 10009 (212) 529-2314, www.caracasarepabar.com/manhattan 

Spring Bliss

Not really much more I could ask for than a poached egg on top of some roasted asparagus. Well, it would have been fantastic if I hadn't overpoached the egg and had been able to grill the asparagus, but I'll still take it. Dusted with some salt pepper and paprika, and that is one happy dinner.

My (not-so) New Obsession

From time to time, I get a strong craving for pasta. And by time to time, I mean every day. In cases of sheer desperation: enter Spaghetti Squash.

Spaghetti Squash might be my favorite vegetable on the planet.  To cook it, all you have to do is cut it in half and put it in the microwave for 9 minutes. Then, using a fork, you scrape out the insides and it naturally shreds like spaghetti.  Top it off with some homemade beef Bolognese and you’ve got guilt-free linguini. Or settle for some store bought pesto with sundried tomatoes and chicken. Eat it plain with salt and butter. Just eat it.

And it’s magic. Bet you had to look twice to tell this wasn’t real pasta. Check out the Mushroom and Leek Spaghetti Squash recipe on the other tab as well for an easy, yet again impressive dish to make for friends.

Little Muenster

My three favorite foods are mac & cheese, grilled cheese, and pizza. In December, I discovered that I had a dairy and gluten intolerance, and my life basically lost all meaning.  My fantasies of homemade baked and breaded, gluttonously cheesy mac turned into torturous nightmares. Pizza translated to death. And grilled cheese? Just stop.

Then, I discovered the answer to all of my gluten-free prayers. A tiny LES h(e)aven called Little Muenster. This perfect hole in the wall of a restaurant specializes in one thing: grilled cheese. And while I don’t discount her amazing abilities as a chef, these aren’t your mother’s grilled cheese. I’m talking masterpieces like gruyere, goat cheese and leek confit with pancetta.  I’m talking butternut squash, brown sage butter and pecorino. Essentially, if you’re mouth isn’t watering already, you don’t have a soul.

How did I eat these? Well, Little Muenster not only takes gourmet to another level, they also offer all of these options with gluten free bread AND vegan cheese. What more could you ask for? Besides a warm bowl of tomato soup that is, which they also have.

Little Muenster can be found at 100 Stanton St, NYC, NY. (212) 203-7197, littlemuenster.com