Saturday Splurge: Barbes (Manhattan, New York)

Image courtesy of yelp.com

I'm a gypsy in the worst way. I've lived in... (let me count)... 12 different places in 4 years! That's enough to make anyone tired. In the place before last (yes, I think that's the one), I resided on the corner of 36th Street and Madison Avenue in a very charming building just steps away from the Empire State Building, Grand Central, Herald Square... and dangerously close to the Korean fried chicken place in Koreatown (it's probably for the best that I moved).

Also very close to me, across the street to be exact, was Barbes. I was so close to this restaurant that I'm fairly certain their diners could see straight into my bedroom window. While most people would find this unsettling, I felt nothing but affection for this place. Every single time I'd been there in the past, I was treated like a queen... they greeted me with smiles, took my coat, even pulled my seat out for me! Now that will make a girl feel special!

Recently it hit me that I hadn't been to Barbes in FOREVER and that was just unacceptable. Is this how you treat your friends, Lauren? Really?!? So after (not breaking any bones) ice skating at Bryant Park with Adam, we concluded date night at Barbes. 

It was P-E-R-F-E-C-T. My favorite waiter was there. We were seated immediately. The lighting was just right. The space was as cozy as I remember. And let me tell you, the food was unforgettable. 

Barbes is a Moroccan-French restaurant, but manages to fuse the two together beautifully. We started with a nice (and reasonably-priced) bottle of Malbec. The intention was to warm up my toes after ice skating. 

...I'm happy to report that it worked.

For my entree, I chose to forgo my normal fare of brochette de merguez and try the kefta tagine instead. And I must tell you, a fine choice it was, as the tagine was just what I wanted - ground lamb balls, French green peas and Moroccan spices in a light tomato sauce. Sometimes I have to throw my vegetarian tendencies to the wind and really indulge. The lamb balls were not a waste of my splurge.

Adam went for the lamb as well, though he ordered his in the form of a shank, with onions, raisins and cinnamon over orzo. If I had to pick one dish that embodied the coming winter season, it would be this dish - such bold flavors coming together to create a true masterpiece. I had more than a few bites. 

Listen, maybe I'm partial. They've always been good to me, so good actually that they served us two glasses of wine and two glasses of champagne on the house just because 'it was the holidays' (or so he said).

Really though, Barbes = Love. Stop by if you're in the neighborhood!

BARBES

19-21 East 36th Street (between 5th and Madison)

New York, NY 10016

212.684.0215

http://www.barbesrestaurantnyc.com/

Weekend Wrap-Up: Birthday Camping in Beacon, NY

Birthdays are a serious business in my book. When I was little, I started planning my next birthday AT LEAST 6 months in advance. Hey, if you wanted it to be good, you had to plan, especially when it came to the guest list. My general rule of thumb was: If you wanted a lot of presents, you had to invite a lot of people. It was as easy as that. You didn't necessarily have to like all of them, you just had to extend the invitation and hope their mothers had enough sense to shop at Toys 'R Us.

Nowadays, not much has changed. I want people to know. I let my birthday slip into casual conversation months before the big day. The postman knows, the security guards at work know... even the guy at the deli knows. Call me silly, but... I just LOVE birthdays.

This year, I wanted to send off 28 and welcome in 29 in the middle of the great outdoors. Contrary to what you might think, New York is not all concrete and cabs. A 1-hour train ride north from Grand Central and you're in beautiful Beacon, New York. We've been hiking and camping in Beacon for the last 4 years, after discovering the gem that is Malouf's Mountain Camping. Dick Malouf, a true outdoorsman and Beacon native, picks you up from the train station in his 'nature van' (ie. a short school bus painted from top to bottom with a nature montage).

The only way to describe Malouf's is 'glorified camping'. It's a great compromise for the ladies (who'd rather not rough it completely) and the guys (who want to feel like they're camping in the middle of nowhere). Dick drops you off at the hiking trail of your choice (30 minutes, 2 hours, 3 hours or 5 hours) and then takes your bags up to the campsite for you. What a guy! All the hikes lead to fantastic overlooks where you can see the Hudson River. We did the 3 hour hike because we wanted to enjoy lunch by the reservoir. After hiking into the campsite, we built a fire, enjoyed a beer and grilled chicken and asparagus over the fire pit.

On Sunday (my birthday), we hiked, read by the fire, enjoyed a leisurely lunch from the grill and shared drinks with some of the other campers. Then Adam spoiled me with a 5-star dinner from the grill... steaks and marinated baby bok choy, with a bottle of French wine (which was actually purchased in France and carted over the Atlantic for me). Bonus points, Adam!

I'd say my birthday was a huge success. Going to Beacon always recharges my battery... there's just something about sitting by a campfire and falling asleep to the sound of chirping crickets. I may be a big city girl, but I'm still a Southern girl at heart.

Thank you to everyone who made my birthday extra special this year! Your calls, texts, emails and cards made me feel so loved!

Here's to a great 29th year! I have a feeling this one's gonna be great!


MALOUF'S MOUNTAIN CAMPING
www.maloufsmountain.com
845.831.6767
info@maloufsmountain.com


And now... a photo montage because I went a little camera crazy!