Fall 'nom nom noms' at Num Pang Sandwich Shop

...because it's about time that someone incorporated the Fall season in to their everyday 'fast casual' menu.  Props to you, Num Pang Sandwich Shop!

Beverage: Hot ginger-apple cider with bourbon-infused Roma apple chunks

Platter: Maple BBQ turkey wings with spicy papaya slaw

Sandwiches: 

• Oven-roasted turkey breast with ginger-cranberry jam
• Spicy boneless pork spare rib with tamarind glaze
• Roasted kadota figs with bacon and chilis

Soups:

• Lemongrass beef stew w/ pickled soy sprouts
• Roasted pumpkin with coconut cream and basil croutons

~~~

Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle

A few of my favorite things: TLB's haute list for a cool summer

The Lunch Belle's list of summer staples & new finds.  What's on yours?

Apparel

Kate Spade: pricey?  Absolutely.  However, if you sign up for email alerts via the website, you will receive sale events.  Pretty often, in fact.  It's the only time that I shop at good ol' Kate Spade.  The reason that I love this brand so much, aside from her classic designs and unapologetic femininity, is because it fits.  I am shaped like a woman, not a stick-figure or a super model, and her clothes are very flattering and forgiving.  It's rare for me to find a clothing brand that I can speak so highly of but, I can say without a doubt that, everyone looks like a million bucks in Kate.  

Lululemon: Best. Workout. Gear. Ever. 

TOMS Shoes: they're affordable, comfortable as hell, are available in every color under the rainbow, and, for each pair that you buy, TOMS donates a pair to a child in need.  Plus, they're a much cleaner alternative to wearing flip-flops for the commute to/from work!

Edible

Foodsherpa: this website is like the "Groupon" for foodies.  Once you sign up, you then receive daily email alerts about fine artisanal food products - at a discount!

Sweet corn: raw, boiled, grilled, or incorporated in to Mexi-corn Salsa or Calabacitas, this is my favorite "summer staple" vegetable.

Nectarines: there's nothing quite like a perfectly ripe, non-mealy, juicy nectarine.  'Nuff said.  Only about 6 more weeks to enjoy them until next summer!

Pret-a-Manger

• Avocado Pine Nut Wrap: one of my go-to lunches during the work week.  I love the creamy avocado and crunchy pine nuts cut with the pungent cheese and toothsome veggies.  Filling, too!
• Edamame Bowl: perfectly salted and portioned.

Exercise

Beach cruiser (a.k.a. my $95 K-Mart bicycle): it's awkwardly wide, red, rusting from the elements, in need of some serious WD-40 love, and has only one speed but, at the end of the day, my "red rocket" safely gets me from point A to point B. 

Flywheel / Flybarre / Exhale: I have a *very* addictive personality - typically, to a fault.  Cigarettes?  Yep.  Food?  Double check.  Trust me, the *last* thing I ever thought I'd become addicted to was exercising.  Hell, I used to tell my friends that "I'd rather lick a toilet seat for 45-minutes than step foot in a f++king gym."  I'm serious.  Well, that was until my friend, Brette, introduced me to Flywheel back in January.  She begged me to take a class with her and, finally, after much persuasion, I agreed.  Having never "spun" before, I was instantly transfixed on the fact that the entire class was orchestrated in the dark.  That, to me, meant: no one had to watch me sweat and make weird faces, and I did not have to watch anyone else sweat/make weird faces/check themselves out in the mirror.  Also, having an instructor meant: I did not need to try to figure out what the hell it was that I was supposed to be doing at a gym, or have to keep up with the ever-changing "top 40" pop songs for my iPod.  Chuckle all you want, but those are two major factors that kept me far from the doors of any Equinox (even if gyms *do* offer classes...there's not a snowball's chance in hell that they're even half as awesome as Flywheel / Flybarre / Exhale).  I'm more than happy to have someone else take the guess-work out of my workout, even if that means paying a bit extra.  Thanks to Brette, that first spin class has turned in to a 3-4 day/week obsession.  On the days when I don't spin?  I treat myself to Flybarre, which is conveniently located within the same space as Flywheel.  I find 'Barre to be the perfect compliment to spinning, as it is a form of body sculpting that blends yoga, ballet, circuit training, pilates, and strength building.            

Exhale's Core Fusion: when I'm in the mood to change things up, I head to Exhale for their Core Fusion class.  Not only are all of their locations extra posh and zen, but their studios are sizeable.  My venue of choice in NYC?  Their fabulous space, Exhale Midtown, overlooking Central Park.  Nam-ahhhhh-ste.

Weekend retreat just a Metrocard swipe away

Rockaway Beach: an hour subway ride away from the heart of Manhattan - a boardwalk stocked with plenty of solid eats (not just fried clam bellies) - great people watching - and a little ghetto fabulosity make this my ideal stretch of, what I like to call, the "Queens Riviera."

~~~

Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle

Summer's here: lean back and do the Rockaway!

Earlier last week, my friend, Jeremy, suggested that we hit the beach at some point during the weekend.  Having just returned from Southern California, determined to maintain my subtle tan, I jumped at the idea of "picking up where I had left off," if you will.  We went back and forth between Sandy Hook (in NJ), Long Beach (on Long Island), Orchard Beach (in the Bronx), and Rockaway Beach (in Queens) before finally deciding on Orchard Beach. 

Both of us were looking forward to our beach excursion in the Bronx until we realized what a pain in the tuckus it would be to get out there - not to mention how long it would take (upwards of 2-hours).  The directions basically read like this, "take a subway to xyz...get off and walk 20-minutes to the bus stop.  Take the bus, then walk another 20-minutes to the entrance of the park.  Hop on the back of an orangoutang, who will take you to a tree swing and push you across a river.  From there, you will be met by a unicorn who will sprinkle fairy dust on your back and fly you over the Cross Bronx Expressway.  Finally, you'll hitch-hike to the beach..."

Ugh.  No thanks.

Ultimately, we chose Rockaway Beach, instead of Orchard.  Not quite the shortest of treks, either, but the directions were definitely less intimidating and our mass transit options were more concise and familiar (subway, that's it). 

Here are my personal directions, which have been tweaked per my experience.  This will get you to Rockaway Beach quicker and leave you in the best possible span to begin your day on the water:

*We left Manhattan just before noon and arrived at the beach at approximately 1:30pm.

• Take the FAR ROCKAWAY - MOTT AVE bound A train to BROAD CHANNEL STATION
•  Get off of the A train @ BROAD CHANNEL STATION and transfer to the S train
• Take the ROCKAWAY PK-BEACH 116TH ST bound S train to BEACH 98TH ST STATION
• Get off of the S train and exit the station
• Walk to Beach 96th Street - head in direction of the ocean
• Walk towards water or, if hungry, to Rockaway Taco :)
  

Our first order of business upon arrival?  Lunch at Rockaway Taco, conveniently located on Beach 96th Street, of course!  See, there was a reason behind my "tweaked directions," above!

"Cukes," or cucumbers and, in this instance, jicama and mango, are marinated in a spicy bath of chile and limeTaco duo (one beef, one crispy fish), plus homemade chips and salsa, soda popAfter a great lunch - Rockaway Taco isn't Southern California, but it's about as good as a beach-side taco shop gets in New York - J and I headed towards Rockaway Beach's boardwalk and, ultimately, the beach.  I was incredibly surprised to pass the likes of Caracas Arepa Bar, Blue Bottle Coffee, and Babycakes, among other off-shoots of reputable, established restaurants and bakeries in Manhattan and Brooklyn.  You know, places where you couldn't find a "fried clam" on the menu to save your life.  Is it just me not having been outdoors in a while, or are beach side kiosks - serving high quality, edible food - just an isolated phenomenon at Rockaway Beach?  Whatever the case may be, this is reason enough to warrant many return visits this summer. 

If you're used to the Hamptons and/or have an aversion to children, teenagers, or being adjacent to one of the world's busiest airports (ahem, JFK), then you'd probably hate Rockaway Beach.  However, if you have somewhat of a tolerance for the above and are able to see a beach for what it is - sand, water, sun - then you'll be A-OK.

Shell-strewn sandWhat's not to love?~~~

Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle

NYC tourist-tip of the day

Summer is upon us even though it's only 55 degrees and rainy!  Are you in need of ideas for where to grab the city's hottest outdoor table, whether it's for drinks, snacks, or a meal?  Here are two great guides to help get you started:

• NY Magazine's Alfresco, All The Time
• NY Magazine's Take it Outside
• Zagat Buzz's 7 New Outdoor Dining Options to Try 

~~~

Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle

The summer is slowly upon us: are you gellin'?

To gel or not to gel? That is the question.

Despite the grim forecast (the weather is supposed to be cold and wet all week here in NYC), summer really is upon us.  It may not feel like the middle of May but, come June, we'll all be complaining about the heat and humidity.  True story!  Regardless of which coast you reside on or vacation, this upcoming season will, without a doubt, be filled with an abundance of sun, sand, and sea (water)...three of mother nature's ingredients that, especially when combined, can wreak havoc on a mani/pedi.

That was before Shellac / Axxium, the beauty industry's answer to a polish that can last the test of time. 

I was hesitant at first.  Hell, I almost laughed in the face of at least three aestheticians who each quoted me "$70 for a 'Shellac pedicure.'"  After all, this would be quite a big investment for a gal who has always done her own.  But as I began to recall how much of a beating my nails always took when they came in to contact with sunscreen and salt water, I decided that, just maybe, I wasn't above a Shellac-ing.

So what I did next was nothing short of wallet-savvy genius: I headed out of Manhattan and in to Brooklyn - right over the Williamsburg Bridge, in fact - and got my Shellac pedicure done at a fraction of what it would have cost in "the city."  Primp & Polish is the name, $40 is the game: that's right, folks, $25 for the pedicure and $15 for the Shellac-ing.  And the part of this story that's almost as sweet as saving $30 by getting my pedicure done in Brooklyn?  The fact that, with gel manicures/pedicures, there is virtually no polish "drying-time."  I walked out of the salon with socks and sneakers just minutes after my toes were painted.  What could possibly be more fitting for a hurried, impatient New Yorker?  Um, nothing.

Drumroll please.

The test: as you know, I spent a week in Belize, 1-day post Shellac pedicure.  With all of the sand, salt water, and SPF that I came in to contact with, not once did my polish chip or dull.  In fact, it was not until this past week - almost 1-month after the fact - that the gel began to slowly pop off.  So, would I recommend investing in gel Shellac / Axxium mani/pedis this summer?  Absolutely!  Heck, if you play your cards right, you'd only have to visit a salon three times over the the course of the season (considering that each pedicure lasts for virtually 3-4 weeks).  Win win.

The inspiration behind sunburned foot-fetishes everywhere. ~~~

The Lunch Belle       

Allow me to introduce: Artisanal's Summer Fish Shack menu

Sure, they may be famous for extravagant cheese platters, hearty fondue, and traditional French bistro fare - but in 100-degree heat, the last thing us New Yorkers want is to eat something warm and heavy. 

And so, in taking the smoldering temperatures in to account,  Artisanal Fromagerie, Bistro & Wine Bar has recently introduced a "summer fish shack menu."  Harpoon Summer Beer and a lobster roll, anyone? 

*Click the menu to view in larger format*

Artisanal's Summer Fish Shack menu