Tasty Tastings

Toured the LES with L from the restaurant in the afternoon, tasting product, then volunteered at Astor Wine Center for a cool intro to sake class in the evening. They seem to like me there, they held a volunteer spot for the pizza class & walking tour for me at the end of the month.

BREAKFAST: 7:30am, good yogurt with honey, raw cashews, vanilla, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5
I've missed this breakfast. It's good!

SOLO SNICKLE: 1pm, vegan Cesar salad, bowl of dahl, vegan chocolate chip cookie, 1.25 bowl, hunger 4/5
Made a noon yoga class, after spending the morning working on collateral for the restaurant. About half way through the class, found myself skipping positions I usually don't have an issue with -- my energy was tapering off quickly. I really enjoy the particular teacher, and I did not feel anxious to leave, but when my mind kind of wandered a bit, the first thing it said was, "DAMN, I'd love me some lunch right now! Me hungry!" So rather than fight it, I ditched class half way through and wen to the cafe there. It was the right move.

CHAMPAGNE & WINE TASTING: 2pm, equivalent of 2 glasses, small buffet plate, .75 bowl, hunger 2/5
Met L and a few restaurant peeps at Shang on Orchard Street, where a distributor was having a tasting of their full line, from fancy-ass french champagne Dom Perigon and Veuve Cliquot to a tasty organic Napa called Newton -- I would happily have a case of their chardonnay to have in my house as the only wine I drink until it's gone. I didn't enjoy the hard-sell elements of the event, and other than me and L's big ol' beard, the majority of the crowd were in suits and ties, high heels and a bit douchey. However, after, we walked down the street to....

GELATO TASTING: 3:45pm, equivalent of small serving, .25 bowl, hunger 3/5
Il Laboratrio del Gelato! Yaaay! We're carrying their line in the restaurant, so we went over to meet them, had a tour of their tiny factory space, reviewed flavors and tasted just about everything they had on hand. Unbelievable, all pure simple but non-boring flavors, the opposite of Ben & Jerry's. B & J's seems a bit consumer driven -- I could see a shmo on the street suggest, "Hey! I'd love chunks of brownie in my chocolate ice cream!" but at il Lab, you ain't gone find chewy chunks of ginger candy in their pristine ginger gelato. I have a price list for the 2.5 litre tubs, part of me wants to buy a case of them and store them in the locked fridge I got to tame B's lack of control....

SAKE TASTING: 6:30pm, equivalent of 1 glass of sake, small bowl of spicy crunchy rice thingies, .25 bowl, hunger 3/5

DINNER: 10pm, falafel sandwich on whole wheat pita, glass of apple cider, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5