Thoughts & Reflections

Author: karen

The Dessert Kitchen

I met up with my friend M for dinner on Friday and noticed there was a new dessert place that opened next door to the Indian restaurant we were visiting that night. Simply named, The Dessert Kitchen serves a variety of desserts, most of which have an Asian twist. To me, it’s like a cross between the Asian-style dessert places in the city (e.g. Chikalicious or Spot Dessert Bar) and those I find in Hong Kong or Chinatown that serve Chinese dessert soups.

After our unsatisfying Indian meal, we headed next door. The staff were offering samples of waffles to passersby, who mostly seemed to be local residents. There were balloons outside that heralded the restaurant’s grand opening; it had only been opened for about a week. When we arrived, it was still pretty early in the evening so there were no seated customers except for us.

The menu comprised of a lot of sundaes, parfaits, waffles as well a section of interesting Asian style desserts (green tea kanten jelly noodles anyone?) and Taiwanese shaved ice. I ended up ordering a strawberry sundae (I forgot what the fancy name for this was from the menu) and a hot fruit tea.

I love strawberry-based desserts and we’re at the start of the peak season for the berries so I thought this was a good item to try; other people had ordered strawberry desserts as well for takeout and I heard one of the staff members say that it’s been a pretty popular option so far. The strawberry ice cream was made in-house and tasted delicious. I’m unsure of the rest of the ingredients in it but there were some tapioca balls, lychee jelly and I think condensed milk. Overall, I liked it but want to try other things the next I visit. There were a lot more eat-in customers later on so it was nice to see what some of the other menu items look like. One couple who arrived just after us ended up ordering some of the ice cream cones which looked as fanciful as pictured on the menu; it’s definitely something I would consider choosing next time. The freshly made waffles smelled tasty too but I wasn’t really in the mood for waffles that night.

My fruit tea arrived in a very large glass teapot-cum-mug. Bonus points for the pretty presentation and how it matches my sundae. I thought it would be a fruit-based tea with leaves but it’s all fruit pieces which is nice too. As for the taste, it was mostly of a berry flavor though I thought I saw pieces of papaya in there as well. Not really sure what else was in there but it was good.

The best thing I liked about Dessert Kitchen so far is the lack of crowds since it’s still new and under the radar (for now). So many of the other dessert-only restaurants in the city are always packed and I don’t really frequent them anymore because there are rarely empty seats since people tend to linger. At least there is a to-go option here so that’s definitely a plus.

June 1, 2015
Tea Break at Chalait

I finally had an excuse to visit Chalait, a cafe that opened not too long ago that specializes in matcha-based drinks — my friend Queenie is working there and what better excuse to drop in, say hello and take a tea break. After dim sum earlier in the day followed by some window shopping, it was the perfect time to give my feet a rest. Thankfully, Chalait wasn’t too crowded when I arrived and after placing my order, I grabbed a seat at the counter so I could chat a little bit with Queenie.

I definitely wanted a drink and I ended up ordering a snack of Nutella toast as well. Instead of a simple matcha iced tea, I chose the special, a matcha spritzer made with cucumber and mint. It was the perfect drink, light and refreshing. The toast was simply two pieces of baguette slathered with Nutella and topped with pistachios and sea salt. Simple and very sweet; the Nutella was warm and very gooey, with my fingers leaving a sticky mess all over the napkin. There are savory options on the menu, too; the woman sitting next to me ordered the avocado toast and it looked tasty. I should definitely return and try it on my next visit.

May 20, 2015
Springtime at the New York Botanical Garden

With a free one-year membership to the Botanical Garden, I’ve been taking full advantage of it and heading up there far more often these days. My most recent visit was to check out the Antique Garden Furniture Fair that was held last month.

That weekend was one of the warmest to date. With the sun shining down from clear blue skies, the garden was a good place to spend time outdoors. The antique fair was interesting to browse (and imagine spending a ton of money on) but I was much more interested in catching the peak blossoms of the flowering trees, from cherries to magnolias and others.

A walk through the exhibits in the Conservatory revealed some very interesting specimens as well as more familiar plants.

I also took a stroll through the Rock Garden, one area I had somehow missed on previous visits. Since I took different paths around the gardens, I ended up finding the entrance to it this time. There were other people wandering around that area but even so, it was still pretty peaceful. I think the highlight for most people was the waterfall there.

Flowers were blooming everywhere and Daffodil Hill was probably the showiest area of all. Gently sloping hills were covered with hundreds (maybe thousands) of yellow and white daffodils. There were plenty of people—kids and adults alike—sitting amongst the flowers and taking pictures. It’s a little bit like Alice in Wonderland, sitting right in the middle and surrounded by flowers and leaves as tall as you; too bad the flowers can’t talk back.

And right before I left, I hiked up to the Rose Garden but there wasn’t much to see. It was off-limits to visitors during my visit but with nothing in bloom there just yet, it really didn’t matter too much. The roses should be popping up soon.

May 18, 2015
Open Studios at Industry City

Recently, there was an Open Studios event down in Industry City, a complex of large warehouses that have been recently renovated and revitalized thanks to the numerous small businesses that have made their home there. I’ve visited once before for a crafts fair about two years ago but all I managed to see was the ground floor of one building and its courtyard. Many businesses took part in the Open Studio day so we were able to walk around most of the buildings in the complex.

Our first stop was to the visitor center which fortunately was in the same building as what I really wanted to see, the Food Hall. Wandering around the corridors and looking into the various shops (bakeries, cafes, etc.) reminded me a lot of Chelsea Market, before all the hype and tourists took over. There was one particular shop I wanted to visit but alas, it wasn’t open that day so no sweets for me.

So instead, we began with the main building, headed up the stairs and worked our way down from floor to floor. There were plenty of artists’ studios spaces and many of them invited visitors in to come chat and have a snack or drink (there was plenty of alcohol available). For me, some of the more interesting tenants were Knot and Bow and Soho Letterpress; I loved wandering among all the paper, ink and craft supplies.

We went from one building to the next, though there were less open studios in the other buildings; many of them were still under construction in the courtyard and on various floors. Sometimes, we had to take detours within buildings to get from one end to the other due to all demolitions and renovations going on.

Even the exteriors of the buildings were fascinating to look at. On the roofs were the remains of old water towers, with only the bases remaining since there are more modern ways to extinguish fires. The fire escapes around the courtyard may or may not be in use (I read an article recently about trying to rid the city of them) but they looked lovely with fresh coats of paint and add to the charm of these buildings.

And one should envy the large windows. Though the view is less than impressive from the west, where one sees the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, there are fabulous views of New York Harbor from the east.

April 28, 2015
Lunch at Genuine Superette

At a corner where Little Italy meets Chinatown is a new eatery that is neither Italian nor Asian. I met M for an early lunch on Saturday at Genuine Superette before we headed for an event in Brooklyn.

The new downtown location is much more convenient for me to get to than their original spot at Gotham West Market. Having just opened a few days before, I thought Genuine Superette would be crowded but thankfully it wasn’t, with only about three occupied tables when we arrived.

I like that it’s counter service so it’s pretty casual. The menu is hung in large panels above the counter though I found it easier to browse a printed smaller version at eye level. After placing our orders and receiving a number, we grabbed a table near a window and waited for the waitress to bring the food once it’s ready. I was going to order the buttermilk battered chicken sandwich when something else caught my eye.

How can anyone say no to the “Left Coast Chicken & Waffles”? It satisfied my fried and waffle cravings perfectly and the portion was perfect for me, though it may look a bit small to others. I also ordered a side of fries to go with it and the one healthy part of my meal was a green juice. It was all very tasty and I ate it all, though it meant the waitress had to come back to our table a second time since I planned on leaving no leftovers.

M settled on the Portobello Mushroom Burger, a side of sweet potato fries (which I thought were pretty good and I’m not a fan of sweet potatoes) and a “Gold” juice; she originally wanted hot coffee but they don’t seem to serve coffee (or any hot drinks at all).

The time we arrived at the restaurant was also perfect; by the time we were done, more people had come in and in larger groups (there were a few families with children) so it would have been harder to get a table. It’s definitely a nice addition to the neighborhood since I do end up in Chinatown a lot and great for grabbing a bite to stay or to go.

April 23, 2015
Experiencing Engelberg

After a morning high in the mountains, the last group excursion of our trip was a journey to the Swiss countryside. Listed as “Swiss Heritage” in the travel brochure, it was an optional outing which I think everyone in my tour group took part in. After a short break back in Lucerne where we grabbed lunch, our bus drove south to the town of Engelberg.

In winter, most visitors come to Engelberg for the skiing; there is a cable car that takes people up Mount Titlis. Our driver let us off right in front of the cable car station where we would wait for our next mode of transportation. With the clouds and the rain, it was getting a bit cold and Kate handed out miniature bottles of schnapps to supposedly warm us up. I received a bottle of plum-flavored schnapps which tasted far too similar to cough syrup; after one or two sips, I capped the bottle and ignored it for the rest of the trip. Even Kate admitted that the brand she bought was not very high-quality.

After a few minutes, our ride finally came to pick us up.

It was about eight people sitting in our carriage: six of us in the main seating area facing each other, and another two or three in the higher back row. Had the weather been better, I think the carriage ride would have been a bit more romantic and picturesque. Instead, the top was pulled up to shield us from the rain so the views were a bit more limited but we were all snug and warm with the thick blankets covering our laps.

We were driven around Engelberg to take in the sights, from shops in quaint buildings to views of the cable car and the surrounding mountains. As we drove past Engelberg Abbey, Kate (who was sitting in our carriage) mentioned that there is a cheese factory located at the monastery.

Eventually, we reached the end of the ride and our next destination, a working farm in the town. Ulli, our hostess was the owner and after welcoming us to her farm, we were ushered inside the barn. It was dimly lit but there were lights hung about around the small windows and along the wall. We were given cups of hot tea (with or without the schnapps) and then she spoke to us about the life of a Swiss farmer and the products they produced (especially the cheese).

After a quick Q & A, we feasted on some light snacks. There was a platter of cheese and slices of a beef that was thinly sliced and more reminiscent of salami; the cheese is one that is only available in the country and never exported. That was followed by homemade cheese pie and rösti; I ended up with a huge slice of the pie which I passed along but I did enjoy the rösti (one can never go wrong with any version of fried potatoes. And dessert was homemade gingerbread and Birnbrot/Birnweggen, a Swiss pastry with a pear filling from a local bakery. The former was fine, though a bit too spiced for my tastes but I loved the Birnbrot.

We were free to explore the barn afterwards and that included getting up close and personal with the bovine residents in the next room. The smell wasn’t too pleasant but everyone enjoyed getting close and personal with the cows, though it was hard to take photos of the animals since they kept moving around. In one area in the back were a few calves, and they were so cute that many people wanted their photos taken with them.

When I returned to the main room, Ulli’s son was preparing to play a little music for us. I think he played a few traditional songs and he was pretty good. We stayed a little longer after that and then made our leave after thanking both Ulli and her son for their hospitality. We walked from the farm back to the cable car station, where our bus was waiting for us. It was a long drive back to Lucerne in the rain and then we spent the rest of the afternoon preparing for our very early departure in the morning to Zurich airport. Dinner that night was at a local Italian restaurant along the Reuss River and then we all went our separate ways, either for a final stroll around Lucerne or back to the hotel to pack (for me and M, it was the latter).

And so our trip had finally reached the end. It’s amazing to look back and see how much we actually did in the span of a week. Here’s looking forward to my next getaway.

April 20, 2015
Queen of the Mountains

The last full day of our trip was one of more fun and exciting ones. After breakfast, we drove west to Vitznau where the views of Lake Lucerne were absolutely beautiful. The bus dropped us off at the edge of the lake, where one can take a train to go up Mount Rigi, also known as the “Queen of the Mountains”.

The train that ascends the mountain is a cogwheel train. The Vitznau route to Rigi is the first mountain cog railway in Europe, with service that began in 1871 and is still running well over a century later. We arrived early, so there was plenty of time to take photos at the base and do a little souvenir shopping at the store at the station. The train itself consisted of two cars and there were signs on the doors letting us know where to go since several tour groups had bookings for the first departure.

There were several stops along the way up to the summit. At every stop, one member of staff on the train would exit and make postal deliveries; their were mailboxes at every station shelter. Not only were people living on Rigi but we saw several hotels and even a ski-lift along the route. The higher up we went, the more the landscape changed–the blues and greens of gently sloping hills and the lake below us gave way to frost-covered grass, dark conifer forests and snowy trails.

It was a steep ascent but we reached the summit in about thirty minutes. Rigi Kulm is nearly 1800 meters (approximately 6000 feet) above sea level. It was white all around us and very cold, but everyone really enjoyed stepping out onto the snowy summit. There were plenty of photos taken as well as snowballs being thrown about. There was a path to go uphill where there is a hotel but everything was hidden beneath the snow and it was already a steep climb just up the small hill next to the train station.

Soon, it was time to warm up a bit. Fortunately, there was a shop and fast food restaurant right there so one could thaw with a hot drink, food or a snack. It was far too early for another meal (it was only 10am when I walked in) so I settled for lighter fare.

I ordered a cup of rosehip tea and from the baked goods on display, settled for a slice of a Swiss specialty, the Engadine Nut Tart. The tart was filled with nuts and honey, so it was sticky and a bit sweeter than I like but it was pretty tasty. There were other members of my group already sitting down at the tables when I carried my tray over to the seating area.

Since our arrival on the summit, there hadn’t been much to look at. The skies had been cloudy all morning and we couldn’t see anything on the horizon. That finally changed and the clouds and fog slowly rolled out, giving us tantalizing glimpses of the mountains across the valley. By the time I finished eating and stepped out, I caught a brief glance of the mountains before they disappeared behind the cloudy curtains once more. This happened several times so one had to always have the camera at the ready but the clouds eventually moved on and we were given spectacular views of the alps in the distance and the forests below us.

The descent was slightly different. Instead of riding the cogwheel train all the way down, our group got off at Rigi Kaltbad to board a gondola/cable car to take us to base of the mountain. As we descended, the gray hues of the landscape around us slowly became saturated with color once more. We rode through thin clouds and so the views out of the windows were a bit blurry but very colorful. It’s amazing to see how green the grass is even in the middle of December! We landed in Weggis, which is another village on the lake and where our bus was waiting to take us back to Lucerne.

April 13, 2015
Last Stop: Lucerne

We were nearing the end of our tour and finally we’ve arrived in the last country, Switzerland. From Vaduz, it was supposed to be a non-stop drive to Lucerne. Instead of being welcomed with a view of Lake Lucerne, we were first greeted by members of the Swiss police.

The short version of the story is that we were on the highway, just a few miles outside of Lucerne, when we (and a truck driver) noticed there was something wrong with the bus. Our driver stopped and stepped outside with our guide and after taking a look, the conclusion was that our bus was breaking down. The goal was to try to drive slowly and make it into the city; we would not need the bus for the rest of the afternoon after we checked into the hotel. About ten minutes after getting back on the road, we were flagged down again but this time by the police. Apparently, they saw smoke coming out from the back of the bus and would not permit us to go further. Instead, they escorted us to the nearest police station.

In the meantime, our guide Kate telephoned the other tour group (they had already arrived ahead of us) and explained the situation. Once Dean’s group was dropped off in the city, their driver came to the police station to pick us up so we weren’t stranded for too long. Our luggage would follow later on and suffice to say, it definitely made for an interesting conversation with members from the other group when the two tours had to share one bus and one guide briefly in the afternoon on our way to the hotel.

There was no introductory tour once we arrived in the city. Those who decided not to participate in the optional lake cruise (M and I did not) were on their own for the rest of the day, including finding our own dinners. Since we were unable to check into the hotel just yet, we began to wander around the streets of city. Our first tourist stop ended up being a visit to the Lion of Lucerne.

The monument commemorates the deaths of Swiss Guards during a great battle at the Tuileries Palace in Paris, in 1792. It’s a magnificent sculpture though the scene is somewhat sad; the Lion isn’t sleeping but dying, a spear driven in its side.

We retraced our steps back to where Lake Lucerne meets the Reuss River. There are several beautiful bridges the span the river; the most famous and photographed one is the Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge). According to Wikipedia, it’s the oldest covered bridge in Europe, dating back to the 14th century. The stone structure in the middle of the bridge is the Water Tower, named for its location in the river and not as a building that stored water for use. And nearby is another old wooden bridge, the Spreuer Bridge, which was completed in 1408. Both bridges are decorated with beautiful paintings, in the towers and in the gable of the roofs.

We strolled through some of the narrow streets near the river but didn’t really venture too far. The skies were grey and the rain came down all afternoon, mostly a light drizzle though it was heavier at times and it grew dark very quickly

After checking in at the hotel, we ended up walking back towards railway station. I love wandering through train stations when I’m abroad because usually they are far more grand and stately than what we have at home (Grand Central Terminal being an exception). I can’t remember much about it, except that it was dark thanks to shorter daylight hours and there were plenty of people milling about at the time of day. There are shops in the concourse of the station, which were far more interesting, and a mini Christmas Market was set up as well. The holiday market did not interest me much but I very much enjoyed exploring the supermarket at one end of the concourse.

And it was at the market where we procured our evening meal. As I walked up and down the aisles of Coop, it reminded me of upscale markets like Whole Foods and other international markets I visit elsewhere (like the CitySuper chain in Hong Kong). Coop’s prepared foods section was pretty awesome; M and I both ended up with a quarter roasted chicken, while I grabbed a small organic salad (fresh veggies at last), a dinner roll, green juice and a chocolate mousse for dessert. Unsurprisingly, I bought quite a bit of chocolate as well.

We headed back to the hotel afterwards and it was nice to just plop down on the bed or at the desk and eat without making small talk with others. And out of all the meals we’ve had on this trip, it was one of the better and more pleasant ones. I really, really missed having vegetables and a simple salad was pretty satisfying. The chicken was delicious (I wanted seconds), the bread roll soft and tasty, but my dessert was a bit too boozy for me. I didn’t think to read the ingredients (in French no less) beforehand but I was drawn to it regardless. With the exchange rates nearly equal, my meal cost about $15 USD, which wasn’t bad at all and sadly, cheaper than some of my lunches in midtown Manhattan.

April 9, 2015
Eats at El Rey

After a round of last-minute emails back and forth with my friend Queenie, I suddenly had brunch plans for Sunday. It’s been a long while since we last met and our schedules just hadn’t worked out for a meet-up earlier this year. There was an errand I needed to run in Chinatown that morning so she suggested a restaurant (that won’t be named here) in the general vicinity. We were planning to meet just before noon so lines to get into this restaurant were to be expected, but it was absolutely ridiculous to find out the wait time for a table for two was an hour.

Absolutely not. I don’t mind waiting for things at times but not for this. And yet, there were plenty of people who had put their names down and didn’t seem to mind standing outside in the cold to wait for a table. Since I had arrived early, I let Queenie know and met up with her at the train station and we went looking for a different restaurant. The night before, I did some research and came up with a list of back up places in case things didn’t work out but we didn’t use the list at all. Instead, she suggested a few places on the Lower East Side so we just began to walk over; there are plenty of good restaurants in that area so we were bound to find something decent. Where we ended up was El Rey Coffee Bar and Luncheonette.

El Rey is one of those places I’d always wanted to visit but promptly forgot about. It wasn’t even on my current “to visit” list (yes, I do have a list saved in Google Drive), so I’m glad that Queenie suggested it. And we were fortunate enough to arrive and snag two empty seats in the really tiny café.

There aren’t many items on the lunch menu but most of the dishes looked pretty good. It was easy for me to decide what I wanted: the Avocado ‘Del Sur’ with poached eggs and flatbread. Queenie settled on the Kale Salad with egg and avocado, and we both ordered hot tea to go along with our food.

Not only did my dish look pretty but it was so damn tasty! I especially loved the za’atar bread, especially when dipped into the runny yolks and chimichurri sauce on my plate. I almost considered ordering an extra side of the flatbread—that’s how much I liked it. And extra bonus points for being a healthy dish that sated my hunger but not leaving me overstuffed.

Queenie’s salad looked delicious too. The salad comes in two sizes and she chose the large. Several people who came into the café after us eyed her big bowl and ended up ordering it as well.

There was a display case on the counter full of baked goods that looked interesting. I didn’t get close enough to see the labels but it seemed to be mostly slices of tea cakes or pound cakes. The ironic thing is that by the time we finished eating and getting ready to leave, exactly an hour had passed since I put my name down at the other restaurant. And look what we accomplished in 60 minutes: crossing from the west to the east side, sitting down and finishing a meal. I’m kind of glad things turned out the way they did and I would very happily return to El Rey for lunch again.

April 2, 2015
One Hour in Vaduz

We finally said farewell to Austria and were on our way to Switzerland. But first, we made a stop in one of the smallest countries in the world.

I’ve always been curious about Liechtenstein; back in school, we were told that it was the smallest country (though that’s not really the case) so I wondered just how big (or small) it actually was. Our guide, Kate, didn’t even have much to recommend about the country, which is more known as a place where companies are set up thanks to very generous tax laws.

It was raining most of the morning as we drove west and across the border from Austria. And really, there wasn’t even much to see. We headed straight for Vaduz, the capital of the principality, and somehow our driver made a wrong turn somewhere and we drove right out of the city and had to turn back. For the record, Vaduz isn’t even the largest city in Liechtenstein; its total population is about the same as my high school (which to be honest is very large).

We were dropped off at a bus station right next to the main thoroughfare in the town center. The rain was still coming down and it was foggy above so we could barely make out the outline of Vaduz Castle, perched high on the hill above us. The Castle itself is home to the ruling family and no tours are allowed. Instead, we admired a brightly colored facsimile near the bus stop.

Kate gave us about an hour to explore, which meant mainly walking up and down Städtle, the main street. I think we may have been more slightly impressed if the weather was better and we could see our surroundings in a clearer light.

Other than shopping for souvenirs, the only other advice that was offered was to hit an ATM; neither Liechtenstein nor Switzerland belong to the European Union so we’d be spending Swiss Francs for the rest of our tour. I did some research before the trip and noted that the only souvenir I was interested in was getting my passport stamped at the Tourism Office. It cost a few Euros or Francs (both currencies were accepted) and such a memento takes up no extra space in my luggage. After that, we just walked up and down the street taking a few photos before heading back to the bus stop.

As we left the city (and the country), we crossed the Rhine, which was just as blue as the Inn when we were in Salzburg. And as soon as we crossed the river, we found ourselves in another country.

March 31, 2015