Boy oh boy is it exhausting taking NYC by storm in one weekend! Sunday’s weather was far nicer than Saturday’s (in that there was less rain), but JUST as nasty in terms of humidity…
I still started the day with java and fruit.
There may have been a bit of a SoapNet marathon throughout the AM. Is there a better show to get ready to start the day than 90210? I think not 
After digesting and beautifying, we set off for Brooklyn.
I love the promenade/DUMBO area. So cute – and such great views of NYC.
My favorite thing to do with visitors is walk the Brooklyn Bridge, so we walked back to Manhattan for lunch.
I think Marie was in awe of how much walking we were doing…maybe I’m becoming a true New Yorker, just yet? For lunch we headed to the South Street Seaport.
We came to rest at JP Mustard’s, which had a decent menu. Nothing too revolutionary, but it worked.
I was NOT a fan of this:
Plastic utensils? WTF? Hippie not approved 
I ordered a veggie wrap with avocado in a sun dried tomato tortilla, and a house salad on the side (hold the dressing).
Not too shabby, but by the time I reached the bottom of the tortilla, it was saturated with oil. Hmmm.
Eventually we headed back home. Weird Brooklyn sign, no?
Dinner was a no brainer. I just couldn’t let Marie go home without trying the amazing-ness that is Blossom Cafe.
I vowed I would try all new things this time, and BOY am I glad I did!!
Appetizer for MOI: Autumn Sweet Potato Rolls (Raw) with coconut noodles, jicima, carrot, red and yellow pepper, scallion and avocado with an almond ginger dipping sauce.
This was PERFECTLY refreshing for the summer weather. The veggies were fresh and crispy and the jicima held the rolls together wonderfully. And the almond ginger dipping sauce was sweet and tangy with a bit of a kick, but didn’t overpower the rolls. I wanted to swim in it, to be honest…
Appetizer for Kyle: Cauliflower puree (the daily soup special)
I didn’t try it, but he polished it off, so clearly it was edible.
Marie’s dinner: Southern Seitan Sandwich with spiced seitan, caramelized onions, avocado and chipotle aioli on foccacia bread.
I’ve tried this one before, so I knew she’d love it, and love it she did.
Kyle’s dinner: Soy Filet Parmesan with breaded soy filet on foccacia bread with flame roasted tomato sauce and melted v-soy cheese.
No complaints here either.
My dinner: Grilled Tofu Salad with sesame soy grilled tofu over mixed greens, arame seaweed and sprouts with a carrot-miso dressing.
I also joined the clean plates club with this one. I simply ADORED the carrot-miso dressing more than any other dressing I’ve had before (I’m going to try my best to figure out how to make this on my own). Plus, I’m kinda obsessed with arame right now. So all in all, the salad was perrrrfect.
**sorry about the photo quality, I can’t seem to figure out how to take good pics in restaurants**
Even though I was pretty full, a few hours later, I was definitely ready for dessert. Enter carob-filled medjools.
A few dates were camera shy, but it was all good…
We were in bed by midnight since Marie had to leave for her flight at 4 AM on Monday morning. I had such a blast with her, it was sad to say goodbye. Living so far away from family really does bum me out sometimes…but my other sister, Laura, is coming to visit in 4 days, so at least I have something else to look forward to now. Anyone else live in a different city/state than the rest of their family?
{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }
Sweet Potato rolls and carob-filled medjools?!?! I just died.
Carob-filled medjools?? YUM! And plastic utensils- boo!!
I live far away from my family, too. Everyone in my immediate family lives in Minnesota, and I moved to Denver last year. It’s hard to get used to. Sometimes I like it and sometimes it’s incredibly difficult!
I hear ya on the humidity–it is awful! Frizzy afro hair much?! Yeah–I know I look hot
I have a really good carrot miso dressing I can send you! It is SO delicious…and will help you use up some miso! Why didn’t I think of it sooner?! Have you tried the seaweed kale salad yet?? You could totally use arame in it!
I live nowhere near ANY of my family…they are all on the East coast (most of them near you!) and I am in the mid-west. It sucks a$$ big time. My sister and brother in law just visited in the beginning of August, and I had not seen them since Christmas! Last year I only saw her at Christmas, and that was it for the WHOLE YEAR! Clearly, my travel funds are non existent
But it is great that your sisters are able to visit, and it seems like you have gotten back to CA quite a bit this year to see the fam, which is awesome!
Courtney
yeah, before this year (and all the weddings ive been coming home for) i hardly EVER saw my fam – much like you, with xmas being the only event for a whole year! i have yet to make that kale seaweed salad, but its still on my to-do list. the miso will def make its way into a similar dressing soon! i have massive afros on a daily basis now. its heinous. thats why i didnt put up too many photos from this weekend. seriously. heinous.
Damn! I realized after I posted this that you need a blender/food processor to make the dressing! HOW do you make homemade hummus without one of the two? You have made hummus before, I am not making this up, AM I?! Am I hallucinating here?!
What about an immersion (stick) blender? Those are not too pricey, are really handy, and take up NO space in the kitchen! You can hold out for the good stuff til wedding gifts
, but you could maybe get an immersion blender for now? It will seriously open up a whole new world of foodie fun…(now I have the song “A Whole New World” from Aladdin stuck in my head. I am cool, yo)
Do you still want me to send you the dressing recipe? It is really good!
Courtney
haha…ill respond to your email a bit later, but lets just say, an immersion blender purchase may be in the cards…
Why have I never noticed the “Welcome to Brooklyn” paint on the bridge?? Has it always been there?!
My family lives piled on top of one another. Seriously. Even my married siblings live within a one-mile radius of my parents’ house. It’s always assumed that I’m going to be the one to abscond for a warmer climate, but I am probably too spoiled by the conveniences here to move somewhere else!!
<3 <3
i never noticed it either, in fact, there are all these plaques on the ground along the promenade that i SWEAR werent there before…who knows… warm weather!! make the move!!
I’ve always been interested in checking out Blossom – the food looks delicious. I may have to go soon!
definitely go. like, yesterday.
Seriously we lived the EXACT same weekend this weekend just in two different cities. On Sunday my legs asked me if I still loved them. Apparently they didn’t think so.
Anyway glad you had such a nice weekend with this sis
how was chi town? is it a walking city too? ive never been…cant wait to read your recap!
My sister lives in a nearby city but I still miss her SO much. Those SP rolls looks awesome, I want to try to create something similar.
What’s with JP? First in Chicago I went to JP Clark’s, then there’s JP Licks in Boston, and now JP Mustards? This JP gets around.
I hate when my wraps pee oil – not good eats!!
To answer your question, my family literally lives within a 5 mile radius of each other. I have a Q for you, has your true K-love (you know, the one you’re engaged to, Kyle…not moi) always been open to eating tofu and our weird eats or was that something you introduced to him? Coming from the land of meat and potatoes, I can’t imagine any of my guy friends trying tofu/tempeh/etc.
youre right!!! this JP character is such a food slut! to answer YOUR q: my k-love was always pretty healthy (both diet and exercise wise), but once he started hanging out with me he just kinda ended up eating less and less meat. at first it just meant less red meat, but slowly that developed into less animal products all together. i never really cared one way or the other…nor did i push him to change. but i am pretty passionate about living a healthy life, so i have a feeling some of the things i talked about rubbed off a bit. he never thought i was weird or cared that i didnt eat meat, either (twss). but to be fair, falling in love makes you do crazy things! haha. hes also a big time foodie, too, so he enjoys trying all things. oh and one more thing, fancy shmancy vegan eateries in nyc make it SUPER easy to enjoy non-carnivorous meals. i bet if you did a blind tasting with your meat+potato boys and fed them blossom’s seitan sammies or pure’s macadamia nut lasagna, they would have no clue they were eating raw/vegan dishes. SOOOO good
I loove when ppl come to visit and it gives me an excuse to go out and eeaaat
I will pretty soon live in anotha state then my beloved fam!! I’m excited though u know this 
boston or BUST!! so sooooon!!!!
Those autumn sweet potato rolls look sooo good! I have no good raw/veggie restaurants close to my house so i never get to have fun dishes like those! I think 90210 is the perfect start to anyday, no? I still live at home but i have having my aunt live four hours away because i only get to see her a few times a year.
I need that Southern Seitan Sandwich in my belly. Now.
Ugh, I am getting so desperate to try Blossom! Your summer roll appetizer is callin my name.
PS You were practically IN my apartment when you were on the Promenade!
really?! i love that area!? i officially deemed pineapple street my fave brooklyn street, haha!
Carob (well I use dark chocolate chunks) + medjools will be my dessert tonite. Thank you!
The autumn sweet potato rolls….why oh why is there no place in San Diego like that?! The almond ginger dipping sauce would be RIGHT up my alley, too. I make a cinnamon ginger one at home but yeah, that looks delish. I like to swim in sauce too.
Your brekky of fruit and coffee…me too, and I unapologetically love it!
Great city pics too….great post all the way around, thanks!
im impressed with your refined palate (i cant do dark choc – too bitter)…im sorry san diego hasnt jumped on the raw/vegan train yet. its such a healthy city! if you figure out the almond ginger dipping sauce lemme know. whats in the cinnamon one you make?
Refined palate. Thanks. I doubt it though LOL
Here’s the cinnamon-ginger-cumin one I made recently and it’s kinda a staple lately to dip raw veggies in. No dairy, soy, or gluten for me so I gotta get creative!
http://loveveggiesandyoga.blogspot.com/2009/08/squish-squash.html
Oh and P.S. you inspired me to try TJ’s broccoli slaw and I even linked you in one of my posts as my brock slaw inspiration
However, mine isn’t as good as yours always looks 
Holler at that Blossom Cafe! Everything looks amazing!
i know, and it tasted JUST as good as it looks!
Looks like so much fun! I always end up doing more in a city with visitors in a weekend than in MONTHS of living there. I’ve never walked over the Brooklyn Bridge! LOL @ the walking… People here think I am crazy for walking the places I go to. After living in NY, it doesn’t occur to me to go any other way.
I can’t wait to go to Blossom!
I had this weird dream last night that I was having lunch at Whole Foods with bloggers today (blaming your post from yesterday
) I woke up so confused and disoriantated!
40 days and COUNTING!
now the REAL question is WHERE are we going to dine?? all these options!! blossom, peacefood, the NEW whole foods on the upper west side?!?! (or all of the above?!) i cant wait
3 weeks = lots of meals!
hells yeah!
ahhhh yay for brooklyn – one of my best friends lives there and i need to go visit him asap! and i might have to stop by blosson – that looks amazingggggg!
happy tuesday!
I’m going to have to make those raw rolls… but with kabocha
Yep, I live far away from the fam. It sucks. But hoping to go back soon
Next time I’m in the city I definitely want to try out Blossom Cafe.
haha…i bet they would ROCK (errr, RAW-k?) with kabocha!!
That Brooklyn sign is hilarious!
I STILL have not been to Blossom (or Pure, or Angelica’s Kitchen for that matter, even though I work a block away)… it looks so good. Sweet potato rolls!
Sorry Marie’s leaving, but I can’t wait to meet Laura!
Given my recent obsession with seitan, I think I NEED some of that sandwich…
VERY WEIRD brooklyn sign!
I love that bowl of fruit – all the color just pop right out at you!
Glad that you became a bona fide New Yorker this weekend.
LOVE 90210 re-runs. WAAAAAY better than that new sh!t they have today (not that I haven’t watched that before).
The dinnah looks fab!
Maybe I haven’t caught this info before but – is Kyle a vegetarian/vegan??
If not, I give him props for always eating so much vegan cuisine with you! What a great fiance!
hes neither veggie nor vegan – just an awesome fiance
SHAWTY!!! TOMORROW I HEAD TO YOUR COAST AND I AM SO UBER EXCITED!!!! FELLOW CALI CHICA TO DA EAST! HEART CHUUUuuuU!
yeeeea boi!!
No way in hell I would get up on the bridge!! Love the view though!
I’ve always lived away from extended family – I am in the midwest, my mom’s family is from the East Coast and my brother lives in Texas – so sad I only see him once a year!
i am ultra jealous of your NYC adventures. the sweet potato rolls are gorgeous! almost too fancy to eat. i live close to my whole fam except my sister who lives in cali. i lived in london as i have told you, but i would never permanently live far from my mom! she is my bestest friend. fun recap!! (well, aside from the oil saturation station and the plastic!)
I love the NY photos! What a fun weekend trip. I agree that plastic utensils suck, but I also can’t stand the wooden ones. Have you seen those? Ick…I can taste the wood in my food.
…I’m sure there’s a TWSS joke in there, but I’m too tired to spot it exactly