Seven Things That Happened This Weekend

Inspired by Tina’s morning post, I thought I would use the same format to share a bit more details behind my weekend.

In short, my weekend was exactly what I needed after a busy work week in New York City. The week was really productive on the work end but the busy days and evening work dinners meant that there wasn’t much spare time for friends. Luckily I was able to fly back to Geneva Sunday evening so I could squeeze in time with friends Friday through Sunday.

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1. The weekend began with a manicure and pedicure date with Liz at my favorite nail spot in New York City, Blooming Nails & Spa. If you live or work near 20th and Park, this spa not only gives phenomenal manicures and pedicures which last longer than average, but also the most incredible deep tissue chair massages while your nails dry. Man do I miss NYC manicure prices and those quick chair massages! IMG_31752. Agave never disappoints for delicious margaritas and reliable Mexican food. I love that you can book a table ahead of time on OpenTable which means you don’t have to worry about waiting in line for hours. I don’t have time for that when I’m only in the city for a few days. Theodora, Liz, Kristine and I enjoyed one too many agave nectar margaritas during the course of the evening but life is all about moderation! We had such a great time and our table in the back of the restaurant allowed us the privacy to hear our conversations without having to yell, which is often the case when you’re in the front of the restaurant near the bar area.

IMG_31853. Meg and I snagged a spot in Michelle’s 9:30am Uplift Strength class, which was a favorite of mine when I lived in the city. Uplift Studios has received a facelift since I was last there back in January and looked amazing! The studio was buzzing with personal training appointments, packed classes and lots of coffee induced chatter Saturday morning. Michelle’s class packed a TON of new to me moves into the 55 minutes. I am hoping she will share a few of them with me so I can include them in a new workout for you guys soon.

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4. I reunited with the girls of our supper club for a Brooklyn based afternoon on Saturday. There has been a lot of exciting news and change between the four of us – Meg received a promotion, Elizabeth and Geoff are expecting in a few short weeks, Brad & Margaret have both changed jobs over the past year.  We meandered through the Brooklyn streets, popping into shops and cafes before settling into a late brunch at Vinegar Hill House.  A cozy restaurant with reasonable prices and delicious comfort food, this was the perfect spot for a casual brunch. If you are local, definitely go there for brunch or dinner as the food was terrific and the service was also great! Each dish was a unique twist on a traditional comfort food such as pumpkin, sage grilled cheese.

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5. Saturday night was low-key and relaxed, exactly what we all wanted. Due to the late brunch, we enjoyed some cheese, crackers and pumpkin beer while watching college football and then renting the movie Begin Again. If you’re looking for a movie that will leave you feeling good while also making you question the characters decisions, this is a perfect pick! The soundtrack is equally wonderful and includes tracks from Adam Levine and Kiera Knightley, two of the movies main characters. IMG_3250 IMG_32516. After 9 hours of sleep we enjoyed a coffee from Van Leeuwen while running errands and picking up ingredients for brunch. Russell and Meg whipped up Paleo Pumpkin Pancakes while I packed. I am in love with this healthier version of the seasonal favorite!

IMG_31957. We used the final few hours before my flight to explore Brooklyn. As mentioned in yesterday’s post, I’ve never spent much time in Brooklyn other than long runs and an occasional dinner. We walked through Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights and Carroll Gardens stopping to explore Smorgasburg, do some shopping in boutiques such as Duman Home and Community Bookstore. In addition to its regular Saturday location in Williamsburg, Smorgasburg is in Brooklyn Bridge park every Sunday until November 23rd?  I ended up adding Amy Poehler’s Yes Please, 6 placemats and 4 egg everything bagels into my carry on bag!

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Wordless Weekend – Brooklyn Edition

I spent 24 hours in Brooklyn this weekend and may have just fallen in love with the new to me neighborhoods of Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights and Carroll Gardens.

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Brunch in Notting Hill

This weekend Bo and I had the opportunity to spend a few hours discovering a new neighborhood, Notting Hill. Our friends Casey and Joel just moved to the neighborhood and insisted that we stay in their flat versus getting a hotel for the Thursday and Friday.

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The area was just as charming as the movie Notting Hill made the world believe over ten years ago when Julie Roberts and Hugh Grant charmed its streets. Coffees in hand, we spent a few hours wandering through the famed Portobello Market on Portobello Road, tucking into antique shops and consignment shops in between exploring the market’s many food and antique stands.

IMG_3009[1] IMG_3022[1]IMG_3028[1] I gave into the many trends, buying a black wide-brimmed, felt hat that will make me feel perfectly chic when Bo and I explore Florence in a few weeks. I fell in love with Jonathan Adler’s bright decor, trying to convince Bo that we needed everything in site, especially the vibrant cashmere throws. Bo and I both were in awe of the meat and produce selection at Daylesford Organic Market. We decided that a pheasant, four sweet potatoes, fresh bacon and some pumpkin needed to make its way back to Geneva, thanks to the friendly staff who helped vacuum seal it for the trip.

When we weren’t shopping and exploring, we were spending our time in a few of Casey & Joel’s favorite neighborhood restaurants and coffee shops.

Eat:

Granger & Co.

Walmer Castle

Mike’s Cafe

Sip:

Talkhouse Coffee

Each of these spots was delicious, though Granger & Co was the only one at which I remembered to take pictures to document the experience. I’ve become so accustomed to using my regular camera when we travel that these days I forget to take pictures altogether if I don’t have it with me.

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Granger & Co was recommended to us by four different people who knew we were staying in the Notting Hill area this weekend. The Australian restaurant has a reputation for serving a mix of delicious, healthy dishes alongside Australian favorites. Upon walking through the doors at 9am on Saturday we encountered a restaurant whose warm, bright colors lit up the gloomy day and was popular enough to draw a crowd even on a rainy, early Saturday.  Bo nor I have ever been to Australia, so we didn’t know what type of food to expect for Saturday brunch. After being escorted to two seats at the bar, we realized that making just once choice would be difficult. Everything on their menu sounded delicious!

IMG_3017[1] We decided to order a few different dishes to share so we could taste something for each part of the menu. We started with coffees and a Bills Beet to share. The juice’s combination of beets, carrots, fennel and apple was unique due to the fennel. Gone in seconds, we both loved the combination and vowed to add it to our home juice repertoire back in Geneva.

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Neither of us could be decisive so instead we splurged with a combination of savory indulgence and healthy. After a week of travel I was craving lots of fruit, so the chopped fruit bowl was an easy decision. Loaded to the brim with fruit and finished off with a dollop of Greek yogurt, Bo and I decided to share this as an appetizer.

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For our main brunch dishes, Bo ordered the Full Aussie while I chose avocado toast. The Full Aussie left us wanting more, bringing together traditional breakfast staples such as scrambled eggs, with Australian spices and techniques. The eggs were so fluffy they were served as a tower and the mushrooms and tomatoes both included hints of cumin and miso. Unfortunately, the avocado toast was a disappointing choice, lacking flavor and so crispy I could barely bite or cut into it. In addition, the avocado was not ripe so spreading the slices was virtually impossible.

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While I wouldn’t order the avocado toast again, everything else at Granger & Co. was delicious. There were so many great options on their menu that the corn fritters and ricotta pancakes, just two of the dishes that caught my eye,  have us yearning to come back soon. Whether you’re looking for a quiet breakfast or a group brunch spot, Granger & Co is perfect for all ages and dietary needs. As the restaurant doesn’t accept reservations unless you’re a large group, going early is a great option. They’ll gladly serve you a juice or coffee from their bar while you wait!

Return or smile politely? When you order something that ends up being so bad you barely eat it, do you return it when the waiter or waitress questions you or smile politely, stating that you just aren’t hungry?

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