AWESOME ALERT: Star Chef's Rising Stars Gala

Out of all of the events I attend every year, there is one that has stood out as "my most looked forward to." That's a pretty high honor in my book since NYC is the land of fabulous events. I'll give you a little back story. After moving here in August 2008, I did a little soul searching and decided that Craigslist was the way to go for everything - an apartment, extra hangers, side jobs and whatever else I could find that seemed intriguing. I found a listing for volunteers needed at a food event. Sure, I say, and sign myself up figuring I'd meet some new people as well.

So I showed up for my assigned post at the Park Avenue Armory for the International Chef's Congress hosted by an organization called Star Chefs. I learned that it was a conference looked forward to every year by chefs from across the city where they can network, present cooking demos and walk through a gigantic trade show. I spent the afternoon putting together VIP gift bags, and what do you know, but there were extras at the end of the day and I got to take one home. BEST GIFT BAG OF MY LIFE. Honestly, I think this is when I started my infatuation with gift bags to see if any could ever measure up again. Here were some of the contents: Wusthof Chef's Knife (valued around $90), a container of Foie Gras, coupons for free drinks at Nespresso Cafe on Park Ave., a Microplane zester, and many other items that I was thrilled about. But the best was yet to come.

I had also signed up to work the Rising Stars Gala, held on a Tuesday night at the American Museum of Natural History. Basically, I stood in front of the giant front entrance pointing people the way to the VIP reception in the front lobby area for about an hour, and was then told to enjoy the event. (VIP reception = Petrossian caviar and Champagne by the way). If you've ever watched an episode of Top Chef, this event tops any of their tastings on that show. Walking into the enormous whale room of the museum, I was overwhelmed by the table upon table of gourmet tastings - pork belly, filet mignon, foie gras, tuna tartare, seared scallops - each paired with a different wine. Then there were mixology tables and several pastry chefs in attendance with some sweet samples. That was two years ago.

Last year, I again volunteered at the event, held on the top level of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel overlooking Central Park. And this year, I went a little further out of my way to Liberty State Park for my third Rising Stars Gala. Held at the venue Maritime Parc, the event honored some of the most promising young chefs in the city from some amazing restaurants including Craft, Sorella and Aureole. This gala is a way to showcase their work and sort of debut them to the supportive culinary community and celebrate their successes. The thing about volunteering, is that when you're done helping out, you get to enjoy an event with a $165 ticket price, gratis. Also, I met Tom Colicchio - pretty much the most exciting moment of the night! I'll note some of my favorite dishes below. I gave major props on the eco-friendly dish-ware! I included more pictures than usual in this blog, but words just can't describe the awesomeness of this event. Happy salivating!

I had to take the ferry to Liberty State Park and the view over the water was just too gorgeous.

Ms. Liberty and Ellis Island with a ferry in the foreground.

My requisite "I'm on a Boat" picture

Lower Manhattan from the ferry.

Approaching the New Jersey side

Champagne servers at the VIP reception

Petrossian caviar served at the VIP reception

Me with the program, Champagne in hand

Marina view from the event

Chris Siversen (Maritime Parc)

Brined New Zealand King Salmon, Fennel Kraut, and Mustard-Leek Risotto (Chris Siversen - Maritime Parc)

Rabbit and Hudson Valley Foie Gras Terrine, Candied Rhubarb and Shiso Vinaigrette (Brandon Kida - Asiate)

An amazing drink! The Strawberry Blonde (Brad Farran - The Clover Club)

Pate di Fegato: Chicken Liver Mousse with Candied Bacon and Fried Egg VOTED AUDIENCE FAVORITE (Emma Hearst  Sorella)

Mixologist Jason Littrell from Dram lighting things on fire.

Wagyu Strip Loin, Potato Terrine, Matsutakes, Black Garlic and Bone Marrow (Justin Bogle - Gilt)

Australian Lamb Neck, Pea Shoots, Syrian Aleppo Pepper, Greek Yogurt and Lamb Jus (Bobby Hellen - Resto)

Seared scallop with peas (Marc Forgione - Marc Forgione)

Greg Seider from the Summit Bar making my favorite drink of the night "She Loves Mei, She Loves Mei Not." It had rose petals in it! And pisco!

Definitely in the top 2 - Cauliflower custard, Santa Barbara Uni, Golden Trout Roe, and Squid Ink Emulsion (Jason Hall - Gotham Bar & Grill)

Me with Chef Tom Colicchio from Top Chef!

Thanks to new friends Lily and Jeff for some of those last couple shots after my camera died! Note to self: ALWAYS recharge camera battery before this event, and double check. If only the event wasn't on a school night, I would have totally hit up the after party at the newly-opened and buzzed about Nuela. Oh well. I'll definitely be back next year, volunteering of course. Let me know if you're interested in joining and I might be able to hook you up :)

AWESOME GIVEAWAY: 2 Tickets to Time Stands Still

Every so often there comes a play that really moves me. When I saw "Time Stands Still" produced by the Manhattan Theater Club on a limited engagement last spring, I was so mesmerized and amazed at how a story I had no connection to could really make me think the way I did. It also didn't hurt that Laura Linney, one of my favorite actresses, played one of the main characters.

Back for a more permanent run, "Time Stands Still" started previews at the Cort Theater on Sept. 23rd and opens Oct. 7. It tells the story of a war photographer dealing with the realities of real life back at home. It's a very poignant and intelligent story that gives another whole perspective to the politics and realities of war and brings a personal angle to it.

One lucky reader and a guest will get to attend the Yelp night at "Time Stands Still" at 7 p.m. on Tuesday October 12th. You must be able to attend this showing so please do not enter if you are not available that night. There are 4 easy ways to win. Please include your email in any comment so I know how to get a hold of you if you win.

1) REQUIRED - Follow this blog by clicking on the button on the right panel and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.
2) REQUIRED - Leave a comment below letting me know why you want to go to this show and how you heard about this contest.
3) Follow me on Twitter @yaelleah and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.
4) Tweet or blog about this event and let me know with a comment below with a link to your tweet or blog.

A winner will be chosen using Random.org on Thursday 10/7. You have until Thursday 10/7 at 10 a.m. EST to enter this contest. The winner will have to pick up his/her tickets at the box office the day of the show. Good luck!

A winner has been chosen! Congrats Jessica who writes the blog See Jessica Go! Jessica was the 5th commenter and was chosen using Random.org. I hope you like the show. Let us all know how you enjoyed it!

Queens in a Banquet Hall

As a contributing writer for NYC Recession Diary, I sometimes get asked to cover different events around the city that scream awesome. Last week I had the pleasure of attending Dish du Jour Magazine's "The Cuisine of Queens" tasting event at the Astoria Manor with my friend Amanda. 

You may recognize this location as the scene of Dorota's wedding in Gossip Girl and Hilda's wedding in Ugly Betty. With wall-to-wall mirrors, larger than life chandeliers, sparkly pink paint in the girls bathroom,  gaudy statues and fake flowers galore - it's probably the most unique venue I've been to in New York, but I loved every minute of it. 

Scroll down to find the link to my full review on NYCRD, but I wanted to share some pictures with my awesome readers.

The banquet hall where all of the amazing food was served.

One of my favorites - garlic shrimp from Cafe Ole

Another favorite - Sweet Potato Gnocchi from Manetta's

The vat of caramelized onions at 5 Napkin Burger - delish!

Amanda with Dino from Dino's Restaurant - he made the sausage!

Delicious rum drink with OJ and nutmeg

One of the smoothest beers I've ever tried

Some of the wine selection

All I can say is AWESOME! (Lulu's Bakery's spread)

Cooking competition

Me with Andrea Beaman (Top Chef Season 1)

Amanda and I enjoyed a final glass of sake before heading home

To read my original announcement of the event on NYCRD, click here!

To read my review on NYCRD, click here!

Definitely the Summer's Classiest Evening

Concerts in the park just scream summer don't they? I've just been so busy this summer that it's gone by and I had yet to go to a single one! Thanks to the folks at Bryant Park, who hooked me and my friend Jana up with VIP seats to the last concert of the Bryant Park Fall Fest via a Twitter contest, I now feel my summer is closer to being complete.

We arrived at the lawn at about ten minutes until six, just in time to take our seats WAY in front of everyone else who had to get there an hour or so early to snag the best regular people seats, and we found a cute little paper bag full of goodies to satisfy us through the concert. You know it was classy because we got the cute little carrots you only find in fine French restaurants and a glass of red wine.

Our classy array of fruits, cheese and the fancy carrots.

I had fun with the fruit.

The food was courtesy of Bryant Park Grill, which bakes THE best chocolate chip cookies ever. Honestly, you think you've had a chocolate chip cookie, until you've had one of theirs. I'd highly recommend the experience.

Jana posing with the AWESOME cookies.

After the initial culinary excitement passed, the sun faded and the show began. We had the pleasure of listening to the Orchestra of St. Luke's: Baroque and Romantic chamber music by the Grammy-winning ensemble. Now, I've never been one for classical music. It could be that I never played an instrument (barring a huge effort at guitar) or that I just don't know that much about what there is to appreciate. But there was something about listening to the three pieces by this orchestra that tugged at me and made me really embrace the emotion in the music. I left feeling the same way as I do after a wonderful yoga class and I could not have been happier.

The Orchestra of St. Luke's

Behind us, the heads of the audience under a beautiful sliver of sunset

The Best Lunch Hour Ever

Ah, dessert. Just the word makes me happy. Put the word free in front of it and add an "s" at the end and hot dog! I'm a happy camper.

The TV network Bravo decided to make the day of thousands of dessert lovers across the country last week by partnering with bakeries, patisseries and ice cream parlors to give out free sweets and promote its new show Top Chef: Just Desserts. Of the 69 participating locations in NYC, I mapped out the closest five to my office and my coworker Andy and I headed out for the most perfect afternoon adventure you could possibly fit in a lunch hour.

First stop was the Little Pie Company on Greenwich Street for a bite of their signature Sour Cream Apple Walnut Pie. When I used to work in midtown, I belonged to a gym just down the street from the Hell's Kitchen location and I would smell the heavenly aroma of fresh baked pies to and from a workout. Some might call it torture, but I found it a wonderful exercise in self-discipline. Sometimes. Anyway, this pie is divine and I would highly recommend picking up one of their self-proclaimed "little pies," popping it into the oven for a quick warm up and enjoying it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the couch with your best bud. 

Next we visited Duane Park Patisserie for some brownie goodness. Even though it was only our second stop, I had the forethought to be excited about the fact that all the goodies were wrapped in plastic. I saved my cherry dark chocolate brownie for the next afternoon and it was truly scrumptious. Andy got the espresso brownie and I'm pretty sure it was gone in two bites, so it was probably wonderful as well.

Me with my brownie in front of Duane Park Patisserie

Duane Park Patisserie

A sweet spot I discovered only a few months back, Tribeca Treats was our third dessert tour stop and after reading about their samples on Twitter, I was most excited for it. We walked into the store and saw a beautiful display of mini s'mores cupcakes. I appreciated the size, only two regular or three small bites, but the flavor lasted. The cake was light and the frosting not too overly sweet. Yum!

Mini s'mores cupcakes at Tribeca Treats

Feeling the sugar rush start to take hold, we turned south to visit Takashi Bakery on Murray Street for some Asian-inspired treats. I snapped up the last strawberry choux, a sort of cream puff-like pastry filled with a custard made with real strawberries and topped with strawberry sugar. Andy tried their chocolate chip cookie and we were off to freebie #5.

Strawberry Choux from Takashi Bakery

Our last stop is world renowned for its truffles, elite chocolate confections and window-dipped chocolate covered strawberries. A total of 13 Godiva locations throughout NYC participated in this sweet promotion and we stopped at the Maiden Lane outpost for a sample of their Chocolate Lava Cake Truffle. As part of their limited edition of Bakery Dessert Truffles, this small ball of chocolate surprised me as it gave me the same experience as enjoying a real chocolate lava cake, complete with the ooey-gooey center.

We made it back to the office in just under an hour, but I was satiated and content. If I hadn't been full of dessert from the afternoon, I would have participated in the evening's events, which included free desserts at hundreds of nice NYC restaurants with the purchase of an entree. As for now, I'm excited to watch Top Chef: Just Desserts to see what kinds of innovative ideas they come up with. Who knows, maybe the finalist will create some concoction for another Free Dessert Day in a couple of months. One can wish. 

Grab Yourself Some Free Museum Cultcha!

Want to go to a museum this weekend without the guilt of not paying the suggested admission fee? With so many great institutions around the city, it's a shame not to explore once in a while and the Smithsonian Magazine is giving you the chance to check one out for free this Saturday! Good news for my non-NYC readers, this promotion is good on hundreds of museums around the country!

You can see the Notorious and Notable exhibit at my favorite Museum of the City of New York or spend the afternoon in the mesmerizing building of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. The majority of the major NYC art museums have tickets up for grabs as well. So clear out your Saturday and grab some cultcha - for free!

Click here to get your tickets.

AWESOME GIVEAWAY: 2 Tickets to Love, Loss and What I Wore

I'm very excited to announce my first Awesome Giveaway on the blog. You know how much of a fan I am of winning things and it only makes me happy to spread the wealth :)

With that said, I'm giving away 2 tickets to see the fabulous show Love, Loss and What I Wore by the Ephron sisters. I had the pleasure of seeing the show in August and I left feeling uplifted and inspired by the stories in the show. With an amazing rotating cast including Stacy London, Brooke Shields and Jamie Lynn-Sigler, the show is based on the book by the same title and is playing at the Westside Theater on W. 43rd Street. 

To enter the giveaway, you have a couple of options (please leave your email address on one of your comments so that I can let you know if you've won):

1) Comment on this post letting me know why you want to see this show and who you will take.
2) Follow Awesome in New York by clicking the "subscribe" button on the top right side and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
3) Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with your Twitter handle.
4) Follow me on Twitter @yaelleah and leave a comment saying that you're a follower.

The winner will be randomly chosen using random.org and will receive two tickets for any Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday through October 3rd. The giveaway will run until 5p.m. EST on Wednesday 9/22. The winner will have 24 hours from when he/she is announced to claim their prize, otherwise I'll choose a runner up. Good luck!


A winner has been chosen! Congrats to Katharine from NYC Recession Diary! She was the 9th commenter and wins two tickets to see Love, Loss, and What I Wore! Thanks to everyone for entering and I hope to see you back here soon!