Sami Kelsh Eats New York, Day Seven: The Hurricane Times



It was, in actual fact, the best hurricane ever.

Sami Kelsh Eats New York, Day Six: The Mahavishnu Orchestra and the Almost Hurricane Times



So that was a good day, all things considered. Got a pony from a lady and I think I spent more time in the museum gift shop than I did in the exhibit itself.

(I couldn't finish that cupcake. It was basically pure sugar.)



I'm pretty sure this is Mercer Street, and there are prints of it here

Think Outside the Sartorial Box: A Guide for the Well-Dressed Holiday Partygoer

There are certain things that are near-inevitabilities around the holiday season: more baked goods than you really ought to eat in the space of an entire year, let alone a month; frantic, desperate last-minute expresspost shopping; and, my very favourite, parties. Next week, I’m flying down to New York City to spend Thanksgiving with my girlfriend, and I’m told that beyond the traditional pumpkin gnocchi and limoncello tart, there will be much dancing and trips to fancy-dress speakeasies. I’ve already started mapping out my wardrobe itinerary in anticipation, and this is only the beginning of a good month and a half of shows, fancy-dress balls, festive office shindigs, and the kind of New Year’s party where you wake up the next morning with nothing but a trail of hilarious polaroids to remind you of the kind of shenanigans you ostensibly must have got up to the night before. Granted, I’m told I dress more or less like an electric Muppet every day of the year, but an excuse to be even more dapper and super-flash fabulous than I already always am is always welcome, and thankfully abundant at this time of year. To that end, I’ve put together a little collection of pieces guaranteed to make you the belle of the ball. This mask by RhinestoneRevolution is sure to be a hit at any and every social event of the season. This beautiful upcycled clip from belrossaboutique is as versatile as it is charming. For those who find the holidays a little stressful, this necklace from Exaltation represents a serotonin molecule - the neurotransmitter responsible for relaxation and reducing stress. An excellent reminder to take it easy and have fun during the holidays - even when you realize you forgot to add walnuts after your third batch of your world-famous rugelach are browning in the oven. This whimsical woodland necktie by ScatterbrainTies would be a welcome addition to the wardrobe of any well-dressed gent (or gent-ly inclined lady). A silvery pinecone and icicle-sparkling quartz make this necklace by bashfulowl perfect for when you feel like the queen of the arctic tundra. Nothing says “I'm equally comfortable at a swanky dinner party in the Hamptons, or on an isolated fishing boat in the North Sea with nothing to keep me company but a dog-eared paperback copy of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and a few hundred herring" quite like a vintage cableknit sweater, like this gem from drowsySwords. For those who adore brisk, sunny winter days, a necklace named after a glacier in Antarctica from DearOhDeer is the perfect way to show off your snow-time love. For those who most definitely like to be seen, this shimmering jumpsuit from CircaCircus will be sure to make for a memorable appearance at any holiday do. Party on in a vintage green frock from VeraVague... ... then bundle up in this striking vintage coat from GinnyandHarriot... ... or have a party with your animal friends in this cowl from OliviaRoyale, frolicking through the snow-covered forest before stopping in a cozy woodland cottage for tea and cakes by the fire. I hope these finds will inspire you as much as they have inspired me. Rock on, free spirits!

I should like, if I may, to present to you a sexier waldorf salad.

It's one of those foods that just feels like a thing I want to eat this time of year: the contrast of tastes and textures and shapes and colours appeals to my foodie sensibilities, but to be honest, most usual waldorf salads kind of creep me out. For this one, then, I swapped out the objectionable ingredients for things that didn't frighten me so much (and shaved off some unnecessary calories in the process!) and came up with something I'm quite proud of.

What you do:

Take a good handful of greens (whatever salad leaves you fancy, really), top with half an apple sliced into thin wedges, a handful of halved red grapes, half a dozen or so roughly crumbled pecans, and a tablespoon or two of crumbled feta. The dressing is made simply by stirring together about a tablespoon of plain yoghurt, half a teaspoon of honey, and salt and pepper to taste. Perfection.

In anticipation of my soon-to-be aunthood, I've been watching old episodes of Sesame Street (and admittedly for the pure pleasure of taking a big nostalgia trip and waxing theoretically about educational strategies for young children) and as much as I absolutely adore the Muppets in all their forms, I have to say I also really get a kick out of the human-people segments: Maria's brilliant homages to Charlie Chaplin, Grover remarking to Madeleine Khan that she's looking especially attractive that day (she really did look flipping gorgeous), the unresolved romantic tension between David and Maria, Bob and Linda's decidedly are-they-aren't-they relationship, Gordon's various Timelord regenerations during the first 5 or so seasons (turns out Epic Sideburns!Gordon regenerated into Epic Afro!Gordon, who regenerated into the Epic Bald!Gordon most of us remember).

What really caught my attention today, though, was this little feature about a brother and sister having a poster printed for their lost dog, showcasing some lovely vintage typesetting and printing. I'm really quite envious of the setup that print shop's got going:

Sami Kelsh Eats New York - Day Five



(In hindsight, it turns out this day was our first date.)

Here's the thing about pancakes: I'm really fussy about them. A good pancake is fluffy, but not dry, but not greasy; sustaining but not heavy. It should not need syrup or other accoutrements, but should still be well complimented by a drizzle of maple, a pat of butter, or a portion of berry coulis. And the pancakes above did. Perfection.

It was likewise a risk on my part ordering chocolate pancakes, as my rules governing chocolate are quite specific as well: it should never be grainy, or crumbly, or be melted to the point that it resembles nuclear waste. It should appear to hold its shape, but yield upon contact, becoming a gloriously oozing mess as your knife and fork pass through. It should be perfectly smooth, and creamy. It does not need to be bittersweet. I suspect that it may well be somewhat anathema to foodie wisdom to suggest that milk chocolate has as much merit as its dark counterpart, but Gosh damn, it does. I don't think it makes me a philistine to say that sometimes I just like milk chocolate better.

As for the animated shenanigans you watched us get up to there, here's the fruits of our labour:

Sami Kelsh Eats New York - Day Four



Conclusions: Vanleeuwen ice cream = LEGENDARY. Frenchly rude patisserie macarons = overrated. Stand4 veggie burger: I suspect contained trace amounts of mushrooms, but only experienced minor swelling and numbness.

Sami Kelsh Eats New York - Day Three



My relationship to Williamsburg was, it turns out, odd. I did buy a hat to fit in with the flocks of trilbied locals I saw walkign about, but felt distinctly odd during my time there. Maybe it was the heat, or the notable lack of shade anywhere I ventured in the neighbourhood, and then it turns out most of my photos from that day got X-rayed real bad and didn't turn out. Oh well.

But here's Peob on the L train:

Sami Kelsh Eats New York: Day Two is a festival of goodness. No distance is too great (provided it's accessible via subway) when it comes to seeking out the seriously damn best food ever.



My travels are guided primarily by the needs of my tummy.

I suppose you could say that this is my newfangled attempt at actually maintaining this blog. I will begin by sharing with you the joy that is Sami Kelsh Eats New York, a youtube series of videos currently in production by me, starring me, and featuring some of the damn best food in America.