Alternately titled: You don’t need a fancy camera to take food blogger photos. (All photos here were shot on my iPhone 3GS.)

The last couple of times I’ve been in NYC have been on someone else’s schedule. Which is awesome, for sure, because I’ll take any excuse to travel and especially to visit New York City, but it’s also inspired me to pad those trips with a little extra my-own-time in NYC for exploring, and — let’s be honest — eating.

Macbar NYC

This time was no exception, and long before I actually landed in the Big Apple, Lea (also @MacCheesy on Twitter) and I had made plans to meet at Macbar in SoHo for some delicious macaroni and cheese. We walked into the hip little yellow room, ordered our mac and cheese and perched at one of the hip little tables.

Tasted: Lea chose the Carbonara, and I jumped head first into the Mac Lobsta – yes, Lobster Mac and Cheese.

It was amazing. I truly expected it to be super rich, what with the cognac and the mascarpone and tarragon and the lobster and cheese, but it wasn’t. It was perfectly balanced, cheesy, savory, perfect. It even looked perfect, see?

Right about the time we reached the point of happy mac-and-cheese coma, Chef Michael – AKA Michael Ferraro, Macbar and Delicatessen’s Executive Chef showed up and presented us with two more to try – the Margarita Mac and the Mayan Chipotle. Thanks, Chef Michael!

Margarita Mac

Mac and Cheese + Fresh Mozzarella, Parmigiano, Fresh Basil and Tomatoes = Heaven in my mouth

This one was easily my favorite out of all of the ones we sampled, and I can’t quite tell you why. Maybe it was because the mozzarella was absolutely irresistable. Or perhaps it was the swift little ass-kick of heat in the marinara. Maybe it’s because the tomatoes were the right amount of sweet and cut right through the cheesy goodness. Maybe it was the light freshness the basil added. Or maybe perfect mac and cheese can’t be broken down into individual pieces, but rather is the delicious, polygamous marriage of all of that red, white and green trifecta, all mixed together. Either way, this one was my favorite.

Mayan Chipotle

Mac and Cheese + Chicken Diablo + Chihuahua Cheese + Green Onions = Fiesta en Mi Boca (PARTY IN MY MOUTH)

This one was also ridiculously amazing. The chipotle peppery-ness (new word, I said so) was peppery, but not hot – just like a smokey chipotle pepper flavor should be. The green onions were a breath of light, fresh air in this savory dish. Like the margarita, the cheese in this one really makes it special. It’s soft, creamy, smooth, and perfectly balances the onions and chicken. I love it.

Mac and Cheese… Shoes?

Lea can correct me if I get this story wrong, but check this out. So, the Foursquare mayor of Macbar also happens to work for Vans. You know, the awesome shoe people? Yeah, that Vans. Rumor has it he loves Macbar so much that he had special Vans made just for them – in their signature, bright yellow color.

Update: that story is totally a lie. The actual story is that @Baratunde is the Foursquare mayor of the sister restaurant, Delicatessen. He was one of the first to receive the shoes. He even wrote a blog post about it. He works at The Onion and is a comedian.

Chef Michael asked our shoe sizes (I’m a 7 1/2 if anyone wants to ship me any other new shoes) and returned a few minutes later with these golden goodies:

Stylish, no?

So, my mac and cheese tour of NYC is now up to two restaurants: S’MAC and Macbar NYC. Which one wins? I can’t choose! I love the build-your-own mac and cheese at S’MAC, and I love the mini cast iron skillets they serve you in… but! Macbar’s creative, artisanal and organic menu of perfect flavor combinations, the bright and fun atmosphere and a super nice (and cute to boot) executive chef… well, that’s pretty tasty too!

My advice? Don’t choose! Visit them both! Just… maybe not in the same day. It’s safe to say I left NYC in a happy little mac-and-cheese food coma. Thanks, Chef Michael for the shoes and the delicious lunch, and thanks to Lea for being as much a mac and cheese fan as I am.

doniree

Doniree Walker is the Nomadic Foodie. She loves the exploration and community of food, and currently lives in Portland, Oregon, and loves the region's focus on local and seasonal food, daily farmers' markets and food carts at seemingly every turn. She's on twitter as @doniree and @nomadicfoodie, and blogs her adventures and life in general at doniree.com.

I love macaroni and cheese. When Doniree reached out and asked me to guest post about it, I was beyond thrilled. It’s a love affair I want to share with other mac and cheese enthusiasts on @MacCheesy. I’m not a painter, but I like to make an analogy of macaroni and cheese as a blank canvas.  Like eggs, it’s a highly personalized dish and everyone has their preferred way.

Living in New York City affords me several options to get my macaroni and cheese preferences indulged. We have not one, but three places dedicated to the comfort food: S’MAC, Brooklyn Mac, and Macbar.

S’MAC

This is the original macaroni and cheese-dedicated spot.  It’s nestled in the East Village, a neighborhood filled with niche food options. I’ve often proclaimed its owner, Sarita (where you get the S’ in the name), is my idol. The space is small, but decorated in orange and yellows. They have several menu items of suggested combinations. In my opinion, the Buffalo Chicken mac and cheese is the best suggested combination. If it’s your first time, try the $16 sampler for two people. It’s a great way to eat many items on the menu without being stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey. Every time I go I make a “Build Your Own” with pecorino, cheddar, slab bacon and scallions. This is also known as my “usual” when told to friends.

Brooklyn Mac

It’s probably not fair to call this Brooklyn’s version of S’MAC (though I do it often). Brooklyn Mac opened in 2010 to rave Yelp reviews and it’s still holding strong. I immediately ventured to the other borough to try this take-out mac and cheese spot. To test its legitimacy, I ordered my S’MAC usual. Lo and behold, I enjoyed Brooklyn Mac’s version better. Its bacon has a more flavorful impact then the slab bacon used at S’MAC. I’m looking forward to going back and trying some of its suggested combinations, which are all named after areas of Brooklyn.

Macbar

Have you ever had a desire to eat macaroni and cheese out of a macaroni-shaped dish? Well, Macbar gives you that opportunity. Where S’MAC and Brooklyn Mac let you customize your experience, Macbar comes with only its menu of combinations. Though these combinations indulge your wildest wants with Mac Lobsta’, Mac Quack (duck confit), Mac Reuben (yes, with corned beef), and Mac ‘shroom, it’s the Carbonara that keeps me coming back. I have a sweet spot for peas in mac and cheese. S’MAC painfully doesn’t let me indulge that preference.

If you want to get your mac and cheese preferences indulged on the West Coast, Homeroom just opened in Oakland, California. If you’ve been, please tell me about it!

Lea

Lea Marino is a community manager at Bizzy, based in NYC. When she’s not busy interacting with people over their restaurant Check Outs, she’s tweeting about macaroni and cheese as @MacCheesy. Lea’s an avid restaurant explorer and always trying to find excuses to cook at home.

Yes, I realize I’m following up last week’s post about eating healthy while traveling with a post about a restaurant that serves ONLY mac and cheese.

It’s all about balance, right?

You heard me right – S’MAC (Sarita’s Mac And Cheese) in New York City’s East Village serves up cast iron skillets filled with ten different suggested mac and cheese concoctions OR the choice to build your own.  Caroline was nice enough to show Jamie and I this fabulous little place while we were in NYC last weekend, and I completely fell in love.  If a place like this exists anywhere else in the world, I want to know.

As for the place?  I could tell you up and down and sideways how gooey the cheese was, how perfect the elbow noodles were, and about the bread crumbs which I firmly believe separates EPIC mac and cheese from all other mac and cheeses.  I could, but we’re talking about mac and cheese here – I’ll let the pictures do the talking:

doniree

Doniree Walker is the Nomadic Foodie. She loves the exploration and community of food, and currently lives in Portland, Oregon, and loves the region's focus on local and seasonal food, daily farmers' markets and food carts at seemingly every turn. She's on twitter as @doniree and @nomadicfoodie, and blogs her adventures and life in general at doniree.com.

I eat relatively healthy at home.  I practice yoga, I like to run and occasionally I hike.  My at-home habits could use a few more greens and another day or two of yoga each week, but in general – I’m pretty good at keeping healthy habits.

Healthy Jet-Setting

These tend to go out the window when I travel.  Peanuts and pretzels don’t quite cut it and airport food is often sports bar or grab-and-go.  Not a lot of healthy options out there that actually taste great.  Wilted iceberg lettuce salad?  No thanks.  So what should you do when you spend a lot of time traveling?  How are we supposed to keep healthy habits?

I haven’t quite nailed down the fitness part (aside from walking miles and miles a day in NYC this last weekend), but the food part – I’m learning, and the best tips I’ve been given so far are below.

Ask the experts

I chatted with food and nutrition expert Wendy Bazillian (DrPH, RD) when I was in Michigan for the cherry festival, and she recommended bringing things like homemade granola and trail mix to snack while in transit.  Not only do mixes of dried fruit (cherries, cranberries, etc.) and nuts provide protein needed to keep energy levels up, but they also help curb the hunger that hits when your plane lands and you haven’t eaten since breakfast.  This kind of hunger usually results in grabbing the closest slice of pizza to your arrival gate, amiright?

Not that there’s anything wrong with pizza, but making this decision every time you travel (especially if you travel often) adds up, just like smaller, healthier choices add up to higher energy levels and overall better nutrition.

The three best tips I’ve found so far (in that they’re the easiest to implement) are these:

1. Eat before you travel. Have an early morning flight?  Don’t skip breakfast.  You shouldn’t be skipping breakfast anyway, let alone when you’re going to be in transit for hours.  Make time for some fruit, yogurt, and/or granola before you leave so that you’re not starving by the time you get to security and looking for the nearest Starbucks’ coffee cake to curb your hunger.
2. Plan ahead. I mean, really that’s good life advice, but like Dr. Bazillian suggested, pack portable snacks like trail mix and granola bars to keep you from getting so hungry you’ll overeat the next chance you get.  Added benefit I learned from Wendy while in Michigan: tart cherries have been shown to help alleviate jet lag.  Bonus!
3. Every vacation/traveling meal doesn’t *have* to be a splurge. Boyfriend and I decided this after our 3rd trip together in 30 days (Minneapolis, followed by Glenwood Springs, and then San Diego).  If we planned to travel this often and yet keep the mentality that “I can splurge!  Calories don’t count when you’re on vacation!” then that’s going to add up FAST.  Instead, and since we’re making traveling a lifestyle, making smart and healthy decisions while exploring other cities is going to be crucial.  Just shifting this thought process had an immediate affect on the food decisions I made while we traveled.

Resources

I found myself starving for food pre-flight out of LaGuardia over the last weekend, and stopped at the Au Bon Pain* on the LGA’s C concourse.  I grabbed a Tuna Garden Salad (greens! protein!), and then tweeted, all loud and proud about this healthy choice of mine.

As it turns out, Au Bon Pain is on Twitter and paying attention and shared a little more about what they can offer us:

Here’s that link to that online Smart Menu.  Pretty cool, huh?  This makes me wonder if there’s other information out there like this, and I’d LOVE to know how you’d suggest keeping healthy eating habits when you’re not at home.

I’ve definitely not mastered this – and I’m not saying I won’t splurge on some sweet and savory dishes, but these habits are something I’m increasingly aware of as this becomes a lifestyle, and these are the tips I’ve considered and been given as I set out to establish the same smart habits on the move as I do in my own kitchen.

What snacks would you pack in your carry-on bag?  What suggestions could you offer about eating healthy while you travel?

*Also, if someone could tell me the correct way to pronounce Au Bon Pain, I’d appreciate it.  Thanks

doniree

Doniree Walker is the Nomadic Foodie. She loves the exploration and community of food, and currently lives in Portland, Oregon, and loves the region's focus on local and seasonal food, daily farmers' markets and food carts at seemingly every turn. She's on twitter as @doniree and @nomadicfoodie, and blogs her adventures and life in general at doniree.com.

Stay tuned for some wanderlusty, nomadic, delicious updates and up-and-comings.  Stick with me, and here’s where we’ll go:

Coming soon:

1. I was just in NYC and tried some tasty places including the Central Park Boathouse and an all mac-and-cheese place.  Yes, I have pictures.
2. Travel tips – info on some of the things I’m learning about eating and traveling, particularly around eating healthy on the move
3. Cheese plate guest reviews! (Perhaps most excited for this)

Up and coming trips:

1. Weekend trip to PDX, August 27
2. Secret September road trip that I’ll announce soon (!!!)
3. Minneapolis in October to see friends and attend the wedding of two of my dear friends

Busy fall?  Just you wait.

doniree

Doniree Walker is the Nomadic Foodie. She loves the exploration and community of food, and currently lives in Portland, Oregon, and loves the region's focus on local and seasonal food, daily farmers' markets and food carts at seemingly every turn. She's on twitter as @doniree and @nomadicfoodie, and blogs her adventures and life in general at doniree.com.

Nomadic Foodie welcomes Little Miss Obsessive to wax NYC here for us.  We were paired up as part of the 20-Something Bloggers Blog Swap, a great way to find, meet, and introduce yourself to new bloggers.  LMO’s spent some considerable time in NYC, so she weighed in her favorites and must-dos.  I visited NYC for the first time this past summer, and can not wait to get back to see and eat more!
Enjoy!

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

New York City Favorites

Well hello blog tarts, I’m Little Miss Obsessive and I’m invading Doniree’s blog today for the 20 something bloggers 6th Blog Swap! So don’t forget to head over to my digs today also, to get a dose of the lovely Doni talking about her city, Minneapolis.

Being a Jersey girl and all, I have been able to do my fair share of exploring the amazing city of New York. I still have SO MUCH left to cover but I thought I’d share with you some tips, favorite spots & adventures from my travels there.

My #1 Recommendation – Learn to use the Subway system

My college roomie and I use to travel to the city with her Dad for a few days every winter. We usually stayed somewhere in Midtown, as I’m sure most people do. During the day we would explore on foot, walking up to the Upper East side or walking around Midtown but walking can only get you so far (and taxi’s get expensive!). One year, we were gung ho about getting us some fake bags from Canal Street and realized to do this, we would need to conquer the Subway system. We really did not have high hopes for ourselves but we were pleasantly surprised (and proud) of how easily we were able to navigate our way. And once we did, we realized just how much more of the city there is to explore! An all-day unlimited pass is only $8.25. And for all the zipping around the city you can do – that is an amazing deal! You have endless possibilities for exploring if you can just conquer that silly subway system.

Canal St. – China Town

Speaking of Canal St, that was probably one of my favorite adventures in NYC. Now, I don’t know if you are into buying some fake bags but even if you are not, it is a sight to see. Located in China Town, a stretch of Canal St is store after store of all the same items – sunglasses, jewelry, scarves, hats, purses, purses & purses (mostly knockoffs of the real expensive stuff)! But not the blatantly fake stuff, the good stuff. With imperfections that are sometimes completely unnoticeable. However, the stores that you can see from the street are not where the good stuff is located. They have to hide the good stuff from public or they will get busted by the cops. Basically what happens is, as you’re walking down the street, people will be acting all nonchalant and as you walk by they will get really close and whisper, “you want Gucci, Prada, Coach, Louis??“

The first time we said yes, we ended up having to follow a lady 2 blocks to a convenient store and then down to the basement. Yes, it was just as sketchy as it sounds and you probably think we are crazy! Once downstairs, we found ourselves in a room filled with bags – Coach, Prada, Chanel, etc. – just as promised. We each bought a bag and that was about all the excitement we could handle the first year. The following year, a lady took us to a parked van which was filled with bags. There were three of us and we could barely fit in the van, there was a little bench big enough for barely two people so my sister ended up sitting on my lap as we scoped out the bags. It’s actually quite a rush, to be honest. Half the fun is definitely the adventure! By the next year, College Roomie and I were pretty much pros at how it all works, and would be able to spot the people who had the hidden stash somewhere. We went in the dead of winter, bundled up and literally spent hours walking around in the bitter cold. And we still had a great time. At one point, I turned to her and said, “man, I love this place.” To which she replied, “I really do too.”

Serendipity – The East Side

It’s become our tradition to go to Canal Street every winter followed by a trip to one of our other favorite spots in the city – Serendipity – famous for its desserts and especially their frozen hot chocolate. I especially love it there around the Holidays. They do an amazing job with the decorations and create an amazing ambiance (and I’m allll about the ambiance of a place). There is almost always at least a 2 hour wait. The one time we did not have to wait, we went right when it opened at 11am. But I’m guessing not everyone wants to eat dessert at that time. So here’s what I suggest: you get there and put your name down. Then head over to Patsy’s Pizzeria across the street to have dinner. It’s awesome! I promise. Now – here’s the important part, DON’T FORGET TO LEAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT! After you eat, you will have killed at least an hour or an hour and a half. That’s when you head back over to Serendipity and check on how much longer a wait you have. Probably only 15-30 minutes. Then enjoy the lovely ambiance and a DELICIOUS dessert. I’m craving their famous FROZEN hot chocolate just thinking about it:

Central Park – Upper East Side/Upper West Side

Another favorite spot of mine is Central Park. I kind of can’t believe I’m in the city when I’m there. It’s so beautiful and even, relaxing! It’s such a contrast to the hustle and bustle of the streets. During the spring you will find the grass covered with people lying out, reading or getting a tan. There are great restaurants like Tavern on the Green and The Boathouse to have lunch or dinner at. There is also a really cute, small zoo that I’m not sure that many people know about – The Central Park Zoo. You can cover the whole thing in only an hour or two which is perfect for an afternoon in the park.

Central Park – May ’09

Times Square

Of course, no trip to the city would be complete without spending some time in Times Square. Sure, it is the most touristy part of the city – but that’s ok. I think everyone should see it at least once in their life. There is really nothing else like the hustle and bustle of Times Square. Mostly all the Broadway shows are located in this area. If you do not have a specific show you are dying to see then I suggest visiting the Ticket booth in the middle of Times Square (located “under the red steps” In Father Duffy Square on Broadway and 47th Street). Basically, they sell discounted (up to 50% off) for that night’s shows. You have to wait in line but if you don’t mind and you don’t have your heart set on a specific show then it’s a great deal!

So, those are just a few of my favorite places to go to in the city. The amazing thing about New York is that it is filled with endless possibilities. You don’t even always have to have a plan. You can just wander around and see what you end up finding.

Have you traveled to New York? Where are some of your favorite spots?

doniree

Doniree Walker is the Nomadic Foodie. She loves the exploration and community of food, and currently lives in Portland, Oregon, and loves the region's focus on local and seasonal food, daily farmers' markets and food carts at seemingly every turn. She's on twitter as @doniree and @nomadicfoodie, and blogs her adventures and life in general at doniree.com.

My first trip to NYC was a short, but dizzyingly wonderful one.  I spent about thirty-six hours there and managed to sightsee more than I’d expected.  And naturally, I ATE.  In fact, the only thing I think I had on my to-eat list that I didn’t get to was the pizza.

Don’t get me wrong.  We tried.  We walked all the way across the bridge to Brooklyn for Grimaldi’s pizza.  Except that it was 90somethingfucking degrees outside and the line THAT WENT OUTSIDE was a good 45 minutes.

Hell no.

So, we ventured to the South Street Seaport instead.

NYC has SO MANY food options, and with the exception of Times Square (ick. boo.), most seem to be authentic, local, amazing little eateries.  Here’s what I DID manage to nom:

• a bagel in Brooklyn.  To be honest?  It was TASTY, but the bagels at East Coast Bagels in California were better on the sheer principle that they had CHOCOLATE CHIP bagels and this little shop in Brooklyn did not
• popcorn shrimp at the Heartland Brewery at the South Street Seaport.  Popcorn shrimp is ALWAYS a win.  I also enjoyed their Summertime Apricot Ale with my Fish and Chips.  Seafood?  Always good.  FRIED seafood?  EVEN BETTER.
• Then there was a CHEESE PLATE and TIRAMISU at Bar Baresco.  I think that the best way to enjoy a cheese plate – at least for me, while I’m learning what I like and don’t – is to ask the server for a good variety of different levels of soft and hardness and intensity.  We got a beautifully diverse array of soft cheeses, red wine infused cheeses, and delicious nuts and honeys to accompany the cheese.
• And the tiramisu? OH MY GOD.

Now, I just need to get back to that fine city and have a piece of greasy pizza!

doniree

Doniree Walker is the Nomadic Foodie. She loves the exploration and community of food, and currently lives in Portland, Oregon, and loves the region's focus on local and seasonal food, daily farmers' markets and food carts at seemingly every turn. She's on twitter as @doniree and @nomadicfoodie, and blogs her adventures and life in general at doniree.com.