NYC: Memorial Day Weekend

Coney Island, 5/30/2010

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend! Going to interrupt my (very slow ;) stream of posts from Hawai'i with NYC posts so that I don't fall too much behind.

The city was quiet for the last few days...Monsieur P and I stayed in town to catch up on work, and life, and etc. It's nice to have the city for "yourself" when most people are out of town.

Iced Coffees at Ninth Street Espresso

Dinner at Perilla on Friday, tea at Cha-An with Adelyn on Saturday and SATC 2 (heehee) with Lauren. Lots of Grand Sichuan this weekend. And then a day trip with friends to Coney Island and Brighton Beach on Sunday. Ninth Street Espresso + Monday morning reading, Northern Spy for lunch, and an afternoon of shopping.

Northern Spy Food Co, - Polenta & Baked Eggs - Braised Greens, Creme Fraiche

We are going to San Francisco next week!!!!! It's been four years since my last visit, so I am quite excited. Kelly (thank you!) will be hosting me for the first few days, and then Monsieur P will meet me for the rest of the trip. We don't have a set "schedule," trying to make this a relaxed trip. There are some restaurants I would like to visit, but other than that, the goal is -> Stress free! Yes!

Our Sunday trip to Coney Island/Brighton Beach was particularly fun. We arrived in the late afternoon, around 4pm and OH BOY was this beach crowded. I'm sure the fact that it was opening weekend for the amusement park played a factor ;) I've been to Brighton Beach many times for Russian food, but this was my first visit to Coney Island boardwalk and beach. The colour of the ocean was so very different from what we have in Hawai'i ;)

We had afternoon beer and herring at Tatiana Grill before our dinner reservations at Tatiana Restaurant next door. Shared many plates among the seven of us, just as many bottles of wine, and dessert, of course. The restaurant was PACKED (just like the beach!) and the whole place seemed so chaotic and organized at the same time. It was quite the experience.

Our tables were close enough to the beach so that we could smell the salt water and hear the waves. That, along with seemingly endless glasses of cold white wine, a seafood-centric dinner, and amazing company made for a truly awesome evening. The abundance of Russian vodka was also fun ;)

Oh! Also stopped by the Passport to Taiwan festival at Union Square on Sunday morning. We arrived right after they opened and already the crowds were insane. We stayed only a bit...just enough to get...
...shave ice...
...and rice with stewed ground pork, shoyu egg and radish dish.

That's it for tonight! I hope it rains in NYC soon - this humid weather is driving me boonkers! Going to take Monsieur P for a very special birthday dinner this week - can't wait to tell you all about it :)

P.S.
Does anyone want to buy a Canon xsi with the 18-55mm lens? I'm selling my camera, which I bought a year ago. The camera is in excellent condition. I need to sell because I'm looking to downsize to a smaller camera. The nature of my job requires me to be out and about most days, and the weight of the camera is just too much for my back :/ Email me if you're interested :)

Tatiana Restaurant
3152 Brighton 6th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11235
(718) 891-5151