Nature Walks and Farmer's Markets

After summer classes were finished, I took out my hiking boots and joined my friend at her local arboretum, ready to stretch my stiffened back and work my slow legs. 
The day was gorgeous and the park was buzzing with activity: bees collecting their pollen, birds soaring and calling, and mushrooms straining towards the sunlight. 

 Look at those gorgeous clouds!

 Most beautifully colored peppers I've ever seen and recipes that involved produce the market supplied. 

 Summer=tomato season

Make sure to support local farmers and growers in your area at the Farmer's Market! Amazing produce and the friendliest people are a wonderful complement to the already amazing weather. 

A Summer Afternoon at Art Cafe

This summer I've been taking physics at Columbia and it required me to spend hours and hours at the library. Luckily, this cafe nearby eased my tired nerves and fed my soul.

 After an especially long study session, I took myself down to the park to sit in the sunshine and indulge in the best gf banana bread and capuccino in the WORLD!

Don't forget to enjoy the sunshine during the busy summer weeks!

EN Shochu Bar

As restaurant week rolled around in the steaming city, city dwellers flocked to restaurants for the amazing deals that were happening during the few weeks from July to August. Craving Japanese food, the family came into the city to meet me for dinner downtown at EN Shochu Bar. 

Being on a tiny overcrowded island, we weren't expecting such a huge beautiful space. 

We were seated at low tables, cushioned in big leather seats and chatted away next to the dim lights filtering through paper lanterns. Old wooden japanese doors were repurposed as wall art, adding a traditional twist to the modern space, just like the food's theme. 
Ordering from the restaurant week menu, we had their handmade fresh tofu, some appetizers of buna-shimeji mushrooms and miso cauliflower, and entrees of miso smoked sesame tuna, steamed assorted vegetables, and Wagyu beef.  

 These shimeji mushrooms are known for their cancer fighting abilities as well as their immunity boosting capabilities, not to mention their wonderful flavor and texture! 

The steamed vegetables were amazingly fresh and came with an oyster dipping sauce. Vegetables included purple and orange sweet potatoes, with two different kinds of white daikon carrots, spring onions, and root vegetables. 

The beef was simply prepared and extremely tender but the flavor department was lacking a bit, according to beef expert Michael~

The tuna was by far everyone's favorite: perfectly seared, giving the fish an almost meaty texture, coated in traditional soy, miso, and fish sauce blend.

Now, the dessert was the epitome of a modern take on something traditional. Black sesame is a huge aspect of East Asian cuisine and is usually made into a sweet paste that is then inserted into a rice cake. This time, EN decided to make it into an ice cream! 

EN Shochu Japanese Brasserie is located at 435 Hudson Street and is a great choice for guests that come in big parties. In addition to table service, you also have to choice to sit at the sushi/grill bar and watch the chefs do their thang. 

Look out for restaurant weeks in any city you're in! They're bound to have some during the winter as well.