Travel Countdown / Paradise... Is it the real deal?

So I'm a bit of a Travel Channel Fanatic...
I have my favorites and these are (in no particular order):

1. Anthony Bourdain "No Reservations"
2. 101 Chowdown Countdown
3. _____________ Paradise
4. Man vs Food

Since I now live in the USA, my husband and I plan to tour every last town/city... even if we're old with no teeth, and on wheel chairs/walkers (due to recent hip replacements)... we plan to travel... hehehe...We had an epiphany or as the great Oprah would say the "AHA" moment... We came up with the most brilliant plan... Tasting / Trying out those mouth watering, saliva dripping, delicious, delectable, succulent, scrumptious, tantalizing, food that Travel Channel always promotes... especially the ones Anthony Bourdain & Chowdown Countdown and whatever paradise always show...

We have tried a couple places already, but I really can't recall them so well... So, I have decided to start fresh, and blog about our Food Tasting Paradise Travels... (I am more than happy to try again... hahaha) I HAVE FINALLY FOUND MY NICHE... I'm so excited to tell you about our experiences...

I believe that each person has their own opinion about food... but I have never been a picky eater, although I won't eat certain weird food (even though I am filipino, I haven't tried most filipino delicacies)... So I've decided we only try the ones that look appetizing, and what everyone would eat... So please if you, want to suggest something for me to try... Think about this, if you won't eat it yourself, Don't think I'll do it for you! hahahaha...

Ok... to continue... I was a former New Yorker (now a New Jerseyean) so I thought I'd start from the beginnings...

New York BREAKFAST:
TIME: 9:00am
DATE: 6th March 2010
LOCATION: 401 East 20th Street (corner 1st ave) New York, NY
RESTAURANT: Petite Abeille
SHOW: Breakfast Paradise
Website: http://www.travelchannel.com/Places_Trips/Travel_Ideas/Food_And_Drink/Food/Breakfast_Paradise

Hubby and I ordered the original Gaufre Au Sirop D'erables. In other words Waffle with real maple syrup... hahaha... It was crunchy yet soft, light and fluffy yet very filling... the whipped cream was homemade (best whipped cream I've ever tasted), and maple syrup was homemade, so it wasn't too sweet and not too filling... And the square things on the waffle held the syrup really well... Perfect for breakfast (I hate sweet stuff for breakfast). My verdict... Yummiest breakfast waffle I've ever had, although the coffee was a bit strong... Here is my rating





Why not 5 stars... just coz I don't like sweet stuff for breakfast, and $8 for 1 waffle is a tad bit expensive, and the coffee was strong...

I LOVE LOVE LOVE MANHATTAN in the morning!

Here are some pictures...
PETITE ABEILLE


<----------- Here is Mark enjoying his Gaufre Au Sirop D'erables



















And here is Gaufre Au Sirop D'erables close up ----------->

















Ok, so on that day we had somewhat of a pig out... Just coz we haven't been in Manhattan for like 2 months!!! So after breakfast, walking 2 blocks to our car... Mark decides he's still hungry...







New York SNACK:
TIME: 10:30am
DATE: 6th March 2010
LOCATION: 379 Grand Street, (corner Norfolk Street) New York, NY
Somewhat near chinatown
RESTAURANT /STORE: Doughnut Plant
SHOW: Donut Paradise & 101 Chowdown Countdown (No. 89)
Website: http://www.travelchannel.com/Places_Trips/Travel_Ideas/Food_And_Drink/Food/Donut_Paradise
Website #2: http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Chowdown_Countdown/Episodes_Travel_Guides/ci.Chowdown_Countdown_101_81.map

The man who first started the Doughnut Plant, passed the recipe down to his grandson.

The donuts here are unlike Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donuts... They are very gourmet-ish... So in other words you get weird flavors like Sunflower filled with sunflower seeds... As I had said previously I will only try things that I think sound wonderful to me. So here is what Hubby and I ordered:
2x Valrhona Chocolate
2x Creme Brulee
2x Original Glaze
1x Coconut Filled & Coconut Glazed.

What I tried is the Valrhona Chocolate & Creme Brulee... Didin't want coconut coz I don't like coconut on food... I only like to drink coconut juice... if it is on food & chocoloate, its just gross... Anyway so the Choco Donut was very yummy, and the Creme Brulee tasted SOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD... Its like Creme Brulee in Donut Form... However, I think due to the fact that it is quite gourmet-ish, I think I still love my original glaze Krispy Kreme Hot off the oven... YUMM!!! Anyway here is my rating...
Yes 4 Donuts... Just coz I couldn't find a picture which has 3 1/2 Donuts... hehehe anyway The Creme Brulee made it 4 Donut Ratings out of 5... It was just too Gourmet-ish for me... I like original and simple donuts... Dunno about hubby, but he seemed to love it very much!!! And might I add these Donuts are MASSIVE!!!




Anyway, Here are some pix...








































So anyway I hope I had given you some insight to these few Restaurants/Shops which travel channel promotes... and I do suggest that you try these out on your next travel to New York City!!! Until next time!!!

xoxo

I am so upset...

I wrote such a lovely blog yesterday... I had finished my blof and was in the process of publishing it... When suddenly the internet was blocking blogger.com. I had saved my blog prior...

Today, I used another computer, coz my computer is still blocking it... I saw that my blog didn't save... Only the first line and title...

Someone help me please?

I don't think I can bring that moment back...

What do i do????



Xoxo

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

New Beginnings... Pt. 2

Ok... So I haven't been blogging everyday as I have promised on my previous post... so shoot me!
Is it really a requirement to blog every day of your life?

Anyway, to continue on my new beginnings chapter... and I think that chapter will end with this post... coz I want to move on... =)

I have just realized yesterday, that I have now lived here in New Jersey for 2 years... And the outcome of this 2 years...
* Married to Mark
* Gained weight (in other words fatter)
* Highly Skilled in Snow Shoveling
* Career (what career?)

Being married to Mark is wonderful! Gaining weight is not... I am losing self-confidence in myself... I am determined to enroll in a gym and exercise my fat ass off, sometime this month. I am shopping for gym memberships as we speak...
This snow storm, blizzard thing is driving me nuts... I first thought it was exciting but now, it is ridiculous! The highest the snow fall in our area has reached 18inches (conversion approx. 5.5 meters). Reason I haven't made a snow man, is coz of all the damn shoveling makes me tired. I am not the tallest person in the world, so walking in 5 meters of snow is not exactly easy... I am tired of it... I am now looking forward to the warm weather... So now I am working on my beach body... on the plus side, at least my arms had a bit of a work out from shoveling all that snow.
And it is pretty to look at...

I wish I had an awesome career right now... from all the moving countries, and jobs (coz companies are closing here) I am just getting by... I am looking forward to a career, hopefully I get my big break soon!

Well to all those in Australia who are reading this... I miss you all very much!

I will just keep this short... my back is aching from all the shoveling...

xoxo

New Beginnings... PT 1

This year is somewhat a "new" beginning for me...
Hence, the blog... I've decided to join the "blogging world" and just type my thoughts, rants, complaints, raves etc... and just let it all out there...

Growing up, I've never really been a computer chatting, friendster, icq, messenger, myspace junkie... Quite frankly, I couldn't stand the thought of sitting for hours in front of the computer, chatting/looking at pictures/sending emails or junk emails to friends & strangers a like... I thought it was boring and weird... I really never understood how Lucy was addicted to this back in High School... (no offense babe, you know I love you)

Now that I am 20... ok... plus... I admit I have become a Facebook Addict. (I have yet to discover twitter) I have yielded into the cyber world of sharing irrelevant details of my life... with Facebook updates, constant chatting on MSN, Yahoo, AIM, Skype (yes I have more than 1 account, its of course to keep updated with my friends & family in Australia, HA!) I, however, have yet to master the "lingo" of the cyber world, coz I don't understand one bit of it!

Now, here I am, starting my FIRST EVER BLOG!!! (Hi-5's all around) I somehow believe (in my own world) that someone out there cares about my ranting and raving... and will encourage me to continue with this Blog thingo... I hope to CONQUER this and actually be committed to blogging!

I have to give credit to those who have inspired me and introduced me to the cyber world of blogging, my best friends Lucy, Ting, Juan and the movie "Julie & Julia"
This is actually quite a hard thing to do for me coz usually there's nothing in my head... hahaha
I just hope that I can be a fantastic blogger just like them...

Anyway, on I go with my blog... There are a number of reasons why it is somewhat the "new beginnings" for me...

1. Newly Married
2. I am now officially living in the USA
3. New found friends
4. Recent Chef (haha trying)
5. Looking to do something new in my life
6. What is my future going to be?
7. Being an "Official blogger"
8. New Year

The day before I got married, (1st January 2010) I was walking down the street of Manhattan, with my dad, we were on the way to Duane Reade (a chemist) to buy some toothpaste hahaha... when my dad and I were stopped by some news reporters... Yes I was actually interviewed on MSNBC... it was about swine flu... hahaha well for the whole night I was actually waiting to see myself on TV, but I was disappointed coz I wasn't there... But my friends in NJ actually saw me on the news on the morning of my wedding (02/01/2010)... How funny right? So that in itself is a first for me... being Stopped in Manhattan and interviewed... You can say for that day I was a Celebrity!

I've just been recently married, 2nd January 2010 (01/02/2010) to my handsome and lovely husband "Mark"... wait... actually, that date was our church wedding, we had a a civil wedding in Manhattan, City Hall 04/22/2008.

But anyway I'll just call our recent wedding our official one...just for the sake of my blog title...

We got married in St Paul's German Lutheran Church here in New York, and had a lovely reception at a small restaurant called Trattoria Dopo Teatro. We had family come from all parts of the country/world... It was such a hectic day, but I loved every minute of it... I wish I can do it all over again. I love planning events! We had about 100 guests, 30 of them were my students and their families... others were the friends we have acquired here in the US, and the rest our families... The only people that were missing were my besties Lucy, Ran & Ting... I miss them terribly... Since I have no sisters all three of them would have been my MOH's... (its not traditional but its MY wedding) hehehe

So alot of people have Facebooked their congratulations... along with their good wishes, there's always the partnering question of "how's married life?"
And to be honest, I really don't know how to reply to that.
All I can reply is Brilliant, I am euphorically happy, in love etc...
I mean what do people really expect me to answer???
Do I describe in detail what goes on in our everyday life? Am I to tell them if I think our marriage will last??? oooooooorrrrrrrrrrrr do they really want to know if they in turn should get married??? hahaha... for me, that question is like "how's life treating you?" I mean how do you really answer that...

But honestly, Mark is the best thing that has happened to me... I am excessively spoiled, pampered and loved!!! Although at times he seems like he's such a "freshy" its what makes him, him... wonderful! I can't imagine myself being married to anyone else except him...

I just informed my "husband" that I am starting a blog... he looked at me and... Laughed... yes he laughed... and he said "are you trying to be like Julia?" and then he says, "I wonder how long that will keep you entertained..." hmmm... Thanks for the encouragement lover! I will show him that I can do this!!!

I shall continue this blog tomorrow... due to my head starting to feel light headed... hahaha

I have learned something new today... you can actually save and edit the blog you start... continue on the next day... GREAT!!! I thought you have to write everything in one go... hmmm...

Anyway, here are some pix of the wedding... Enjoy!!!
(if you want me to post more pix I will... just lemme know)