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Published: November 28th 2011
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Note: All the events mentioned in this entry occurred back in March 2011. For more updated trips and entries, please refer back to this blog at a later date. An updated trip or entry will NOT include a note like this. Thanks and enjoy!
We wake up at about 11 AM. After taking a shower, I put on my new blue jersey dress I had purchased at French Connection located on Newbury Street in Boston during a Black Friday 2010 sale and silver peep-toe pumps I had purchased a week ago from Aldo. Bineta so impressed with my new clothes, gives me a baby blue bracelet to borrow and accompany my ensemble. The reason why I dressed up was because Matt and I had reservations to dine at Public, a Michelin-star rated restaurant serving New Zealand and Australian inspired fare with an international twist. We were going to the restaurant right after our visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, so I wanted to make sure that I was dressed appropriately for our first true taste of New York City nightlife.
However, I begin to realize by the time we arrive to 5th Avenue
in Manhatten that I am not going to survive the day wearing my pumps. Therefore, I encourage Matt to allow me to go into a nearby H & M and buy city flats. Once I'm equipped with my city flats, we begin our walk to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The first thing we do is leave our coats and bags with the coat check. Second, we go to information to exchange our e-tickets for tangable ones (I had purchased our tickets online from the Metropolitan Museum of Art two days before our departure from Boston.) Third, we started to plan what museum exibits we were going to see first. The museum is divided into three floors; most exibits are found on the first and second floors. There are also several cafes and I think a fine dining restaurant. After looking at our map, we first decide to tour the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts, which contains collections of furniture sets from American, French, German, Italian, Austrian, Swiss aristocratic homes dating from the 16th century to the 19th century. I remember seeing several lovely examples of King Louis XIV, XV, and XVIII style chairs and couches from former French aristocrats.
We also spent a lot of time in the American Wing, which had an extensive collection of New York artists from the 19th and early 20th centuries. There was also a huge collection of Tiffany stained glass that is comprehensive and informative for the novice. I recall seeing in particular, for example, this gorgous stained glass window of a waterfall displayed in the indoor courtyard across from the American Wing cafe. We also tour the Medieval Art section as well as the Arms and Armament exhibit. The Medieval Art wing had a huge 12th century gate from a Spanish cathedral that was quite memorable. The Arms and Armament Wing contained guns, swords, unusual military weapons and armor from all over the world and time periods. For example, Matt and I saw Samurai armor, Ancient Chinese armor,15th century European armor outfits as well as guns from the 16th century to the early 20th century. I also remember that Matt and I look at some of the European paintings,and we saw the Temple of Dendur in the Egyptian wing, however our visit was cut short because the museum started to close at 4:30 PM.
Matt and I
now were rushing through the museum in order to exit, give me enough time to buy an art book at the Met Store, grab our coats and backpacks and then head out. We leave the Metropolitan Museum of Art right at closing time, 5 PM. Therefore, we decide to walk through some of Central Park and down 5th Avenue leisurely because our dinner reservation at Public is not until 8 PM.
It is finally 7 PM and Matt and I decide to head towards the restaurant via subway. Forty minutes later, we arrive in the restaurants neighborhood, Nolita, and walk to Public, which is about a block away from the subway stop. Matt and I chose Public because we wanted to experience the New York City fine dining scene, however wanted to pay under $30 per plate. We found Public on www.nymag.com, a website which features reviews of New York City's restaurants, stores, bars, entertainment, and fashion by its top journalists and critics. According to the critic who reviewed Public, he rated it four stars I think, recommending highly the seared kangaroo. The fact that the chef, Brad Farmerie, was influenced by his travels through New Zealand and Australia
to create the menu but also won a Michelin star told us that this was the place to go. Let's also not forget that the menu a la carte had dishes that were between $8-$30 dollars! Our meal was fantastic and we went all out: first, we enjoyed two cocktails at the bar. I drank an apple brandy manhatten and Matt drank a basil, ginger and I think also lemongrass or chili infused drink with vodka as the base. Whatever it was, his drink was very spicy, fragrant and refreshing. Mine had a strong apple as well as carmal, spicy strong flavor from the brandy. We then sat down at our table, and ordered two appetizers: the first was the seared kangaroo with falafel cake and a green pepper relish, and the second was seared scallops with some sort of sauce that came with it. The kangaroo was very tender; it was cooked rare and melted in my mouth like a fine piece of filet mignon or lamb. The scallops were also sweet and tender and I remember that the sauce was very good, and I want to say that they were accompanied by a cauliflower puree i don't remember.
Than our main dishes arrive: I ordered the Tazmanian trout with hibiscus braised fennel, carrot puree and I think arugula while Matt ordered the New Zealand venison with chimichurri sauce and dumplings. My trout was tender, with nice crispy skin-the fennel had become sweet from its braise in the hibiscus which added a nice floral flavor, and the carrot puree was lightly seasoned with some cumin which added a nice kick to its creamy, silky texture and savory flavor. Matt's venison was also very tender, cooked medium rare I think and melted in one's mouth- the chimicurri sauce was nice and tangy and fragrant from the herbs. We had our dessert at Rice to Riches, which is a rice pudding counter service restaurant located just down the street. Matt and I ordered the espresso flavored and the marscapone raisen one, which were both creamy, flavorful and amazing. It was the best rice pudding that we had ever had.
We had enough to take home to Bineta, who was also enamored with the quality of the rice pudding from Rices to Riches. We spent the rest of the evening talking to her and playing pattie cake with Jaada, her daughter.
Matt also made Jaada an origami hat, which he placed on her head. Jaada wanted to play with us all night, however Bineta picked her up and carried her to the bedroom to prepare her for sleep. She cried the entire night, demanding that she especially see Matt, whom she now referred to as "Uncle Mac." Despite the crying, Matt and I slept peacefully and dreamt of our third day in New York City.
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