ashleyd /

There is a new hoe in my Spring garden

The other night, Bo and I decided that it was a better idea to explore SoHo and eat dinner out instead of rushing home to cook dinner before Phantom. We took this opportunity to visit Peanut Butter & Co and then discover a new bar. We stumbled upon Bar 108 in SoHo. Bar 108 was your typical chill bar that had amazing music, flat screen televisions featuring the Masters, and delicious sesame seed wheat pretzels. Our waitress tried to convince us that since they had wheat in them they were healthy. 🙂 It was at this bar that I discovered a new love.

Now understand, Bo is a beer snob. A PBR has not his lips ever- even in high school! He has always been that one weird guy who would bring imported or craft brews to share at a party. While I could spend hours in Whole Food’s grocery section, Bo spends at least 15 minutes in front of the beer planogram EVEN if he isn’t buying anything. You name it- chocolate beer, quadruple IPA, or home brew he has tried it. For years i’ve been “that girl” who makes Bo hang his head in shame when we walk into any respectable bar or pub and requests a Mich Ultra. I mean come on, one has to watch his or her calories!

After a day of adventures including Roosevelt Island (freaky and NO we are not moving there), Long Island City apartment hunting, running errands, and traversing through the city for four hours running errands I was ready for another adventure. I justified any caloric difference with all the activity we had done and quickly asked Bo for a “light refreshing beer” that would not be hoppy or heavy. The waitress brought out a divine glass of Hoegaarden complete with an orange slice. It was love at first sip. This was better than any other beer i’d enjoyed previously including Blue Moon! Even more, I actually enjoyed and savored the beer. During the hour that we watched the Masters and talked, I only had one beer. Normally I would have had at least 2 Mich Ultras.

I highly recommend this beer especially if you’re looking for a lighter tasting beer that is actually on tap most places. It’s a great addition to any spring or summer wardrobe!
My review:
Bar 108: It will definitely be a bear once their kitchen opens later this year
Hoegaarden: MOST DEFINITELY A WIT BEAR
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ashleyd /

Mighty Maple is Quickly Becoming a Staple

We hope that many of you have heard of Peanut Butter & Company (please note the awesome web address www.ilovepeanutbutter.com) because the culinary magic that they are able to create with a single nut (or legume if you prefer) is simply mind boggling. I have not historically been a nut butter fan although I got into almond butter when Whole Foods installed the fresh grinding machines. Still though, I never was able to develop a taste for Almond Butter’s more commonly ingested cousin Peanut Butter. The creations of Peanut Butter & Company have completely changed this. We’ve recently seen the jars on grocery store shelves (Gristedes, Kroger) but yesterday we found ourselves near Washington Square Park with some time to kill and realized that we were only three blocks away from the PB&Co “Headquarters.” This is really only a very small counter-style restaurant that serves the most creative Peanut Butter sandwiches of which you’ve every heard or fathomed. We didn’t indulge at the time as we try to limit our peanut butter intake but we bought a jar of Mighty Maple and it served its purpose to fuel us for the 10K that we ran this morning. Mighty Maple reminds me of peanut butter with maple candy blended in (this sounds horrible for you but (pause here to dip my paw in for a little taste (I’m horrible I know)) the simple all-natural ingredients contribute to this helping us be healthier, happier bears. Ash will now tell you all about the ingredients…

We both like that the ingredient list is short and sweet. It includes: peanuts, evaporated cane juice, maple syrup, natural maple flavor, palm fruit oil, and finally salt. There is no refined sugar, gluten or hydrogenated oil. While we realize this isn’t as healthy as our old freshly ground almond butter from Whole Foods we enjoy it a great deal more!

If you’ve never had the opportunity to sample this amazing treat then stay tuned. The bears bought two extra jars yesterday so that one of our lucky readers can sample it along with some of our other favorites. We’ll be posting the details for the giveaway this week!
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Hibiscus Margaritas and Chocolate (mole) Duck

Given our adventurous nature and love of food, returning to the same restaurant for dinner can only mean two things: its great and we’re starting to become NYC residents. Our first experience returning to a spot for dinner was on Thursday night when we frequented Papatzul for the second time in one month! Located in SoHo, this gem is a great value for any person or group who desires an evening with great atmosphere, drinks (the margaritas made with hibiscus and the sangria come highly recommended), and authentic mexican food without breaking the bank. This week we decided to share two appetizers and one entree which was the perfect amount when you also indulge in their amazing chips and guacamole. Our two favorite entrees are the duck enchiladas with mole sauce and the seafood enchiladas (see photo). The only negative thing we can say about this restaurant is that we feel for the poor soul each night who has the task of being the ONLY waiter/waitress in the establishment. Yes, you heard us right! There is one waiter and one bus boy working the whole restaurant which results in some drink orders taking longer than one would desire. That just means you should order a pitcher! 🙂

Our Review: Definitely a bear
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