Binghamton Restaurant Week

I ate altogether too much this past week.

As a poor 20something, allow me to elaborate how that's possible.

There are a few things I absolutely adore about Binghamton. One of these things is Restaurant Week. Yes, we stole the concept from NYC, but it translates in all of the best ways. 

Binghamton has a few really "fancy" restaurants [read: well made food, expensive, and in classier establishments than I frequent on the regular] and a few locally owned and run [borderline hipster] cafes of sorts that get together twice a year (which only started last year), once in the spring and once in the fall, to put together specialty menus at affordable prices. 

Lunch is 3 courses for $10 and dinner is 3-4 courses for $20, plus drinks, tax & tips. 

Not only are you getting to sample some of the best menu items at a discount, you're also helping charity - some or all of the proceeds, depending on the restaurant, go towards a local charity. Last fall they went towards our local CHOW bank, helping them stock up before the holidays, and this week was dedicated to the Boys & Girls Club (where my bestie has worked for many years). They recently established a new building, moving the Club out of downtown and to a more open area. They've since needed to replenish their funds, and it'll be announced how much was raised next week.

So I told Mom how interested I was in going to a bunch of the lunches because I worked most nights, and there's a few new places that sprung up lately that I was dying to try out. She was equally intrigued to join me & we had a few dates (ok we had more than a few).

----Disclaimer: all photos were taken on my cellphone, and some places are dimmer than others, making my pictures.. less than pleasant. I apologize for some not so tasty looking stuff  (and I have no shame for the amazing looking ones, because they tasted as good as they look)----

First up was Crepe Heaven, located on Main Street. I'd never eaten there but we've heard only good things about the fruit crepes (specifically the banana and nutella crepe). My specific goal was to eat things I'd never had before, so rather than try a traditional crepe, I got a MeatLovers, which was basically a dry stew inside a crepe. 

I also had the best chai I've more or less ever had. Foamy creamy and smooth.

Rating: tasty, but I wasn't bowled over. I regretted not getting a fruit one, but in that same vein, I have every reason to go back and try one for real some other time.

Next up was Remlik's. Remlik's has a story, but rather than type it all out, I'll just link you here, to Joshua B's blog (that you should follow religiously if you're local... or just really interested in where I'm from & want the highlights) because he already did the leg work for me. 

Any place that serves a fountain Coke this big, and has free refills, is a solid A in my book. Mom and Carin split a bottle of wine but some of us had to go to work right after and had to pass. 

I had never had spaetzle before, but the woman who sat us and our waiter (David, who was so attentive and funny, ask to be seated in his area) both recommended it so I thought why the hell not. I'd also never had a poached egg, which is the white thing leaning drastically on the side, but I was in heaven. So so tasty. 

My entree was the Cuban Sandwich, also having never had one before. The chips were fresh and home made, and the bread wasn't/didn't get soggy (that's my biggest sandwich pet peeve). 

Dessert rounded the meal with a coconut jasmine rice pudding. I've never had rice pudding, and the texture frightened me at first, but once I got over the texture, the flavor took over. It was rich and the coconut shavings on top were perfect.

Rating: delicious. My favorite eatery by far the whole week. I look forward to going back - don't let the decor fool you: yes it's a beautiful building with a long history of being very classy, but the food was very reasonably priced for the portion and quality, and I didn't feel under-dressed going to lunch in jeans.

Then we found our way to the Number 5 for dinner a few days later. Number 5 is the local place you take your girlfriend when you're going to propose sort of classy place; a special occasion place for most. Very dimly lit, the food is high caliber, and the decor feels regal. All that being said, I don't particularly love Number 5. I know I'm in the minority there, but I need to state that I keep giving it chances even though I haven't fallen in love with anything on the menu (except the French Onion Soup because that's perfection every time).

I started with the Coquilles St Jacques, basically cheesy scallops. The scallops were a wonderful texture, I would have liked the cheese to be creamier though. Mom has the soup, which was great as always, but I was branching out...

The entree I chose was the Greek tenderloin tips with feta cheese. I wasn't overjoyed only because they were cooked much more well done than I like, but I don't think with tips I got a whole lot of options. 

Even though I'd ordered a Coke float for dessert originally, our waiter decided to let us know that the cheesecake was sold out (note: neither of us had ordered cheesecake.) and to replace it for the night there was a coconut custard cake. I leaped at the opportunity. It started out amazing, but I found it to be too sweet for the size slice I got. But really, who complains about a big dessert? I told them it should have been on the menu in the first place. 

Rating: overrated. But that could just be me; others I heard who ate there loved their experience. Can't knock its reputation, it just isn't my cup of tea.

The next day, Mom and I went big: we hit up lunch and dinner. 

For lunch, I joined Mom & Carin at Little Venice, a place I always forget I like. I'm not crazy about their meat sauce, but their pastas are always a win. 

I started with Italian Wedding soup, always a favorite. 

For our entree, Carin and I split cheese raviolis and eggplant parm. The eggplant parm was so filling and so light, and the cheese in the raviolis was fluffy & overstuffed. Mom got the butterflied shrimp, which were perfectly crispy & I know I'll order in the future. 

Desert options sounded wonderful all in and of themselves, but I'd never had a cannoli (I know, for shame.) so I got the chocolate chip one and fell in love. 

Rating: I'll remember how much I like it there next time I'm craving Italian. It harbored some rough feelings/memories for me, but I think those can easily be overcome by butterflied shrimp and eggplant.

For dinner the next night, Dad finally got in on the fun, and we went to Tranquil Bar & Bistro. I'd been there for a beer before, but never for the food.

First course was pan-seared tuna, a fish I was aware I only liked raw, rolled in sushi. It was served cold which I didn't expect, and was laid over an avocado drizzle, which didn't taste a thing like guac, which I was also not expecting. It was still a very complimenting flavor, and the tuna was tender.

A spinach soup followed, an alternative to the otherwise sold out cream of mushroom. It has an unsettling color, but it tasted... well, like warm liquid spinach.

My entree was a Greek meal of lambchop and risotto. The risotto was too olive-y for my taste, but the lamb, especially towards the bone, was rare and (I'm gonna say it even though it sounds tacky) succulent.

Dad had three huge scallops that were superb as well (one seen on the side of my plate). 

Dessert was a chocolate mousse that I was too full to really enjoy. I'm also not a sweet & chocolate kind of dessert person, but as it's off-season, no one offered my preference of fresh fruit & icecream. I couldn't get a good picture of the mousse because it was simply too dark and the glass too reflective from my flash.

Finally, Mom and I rounded out our week having lunch at the Riverwalk Bistro in the Riverwalk Hotel. We met up with Lisa and her grandson Logan. The Riverwalk Bistro was recently renovated and I believe this week was one of the first full weeks it was open to the public. 

I strayed from the $10 BRW menu for the first and only time, opting instead for a half panini and tomato basil soup. The soup was creamy and warm on such a dreary rainy day, and the panini was caprese+, including red peppers and prosciutto to the average mozzarella and tomatoes. 

As delicious as it was, I was jealous of Logan's mac & cheese, so I ordered the 'adult' version to eat half then, half at dinner at work. It was definitely home made, made with white cheddar and topped with panko. An excellent addition to my meal indeed, I enjoyed it while everyone else had dessert. 

I'd like to note that Lisa got the seafood fritters as an appetizer, and if they'd been on the regular menu I would have ordered my own, but alas they were not. So so so tasty, and the cheese dipping sauce was just thick enough.

Rating: the food was enjoyable, but the lunch setting was very old-business man, and we felt ignored by our waitress. I can only assume it was because we had a small child who was making a mess the whole time:

But at the same time, it's not good manners to play favorites with mid-day customers, especially the ones that realize they're being a bit interruptive and intend to tip generously. Never underestimate customers with children. 

That leads me to my last point:

I'm not going to get into particulars because I understand how hard customer service is and how a bad mood can effect how you handle yourself at work & it all could have been flukes, but places with bad (read: questionable, unattentive, and gruff) service seriously downplayed how good the food could have been. It's tough to enjoy your meal when you were left without anyone taking your order for twenty minutes, you haven't had a water refresh since you sat down, or the waiter asks how your meal is without stopping for half a second to hear your response (all of which took place at various restaurants during the week at once time or another). 

I understand how hard it is to be a waiter, I get that it's fast paced, I've been there done that and been horrible at it myself. But some places that would have otherwise had a stellar meal rating left us with a bad taste in our mouths, so to speak.

There were multiple places I would have liked to eat at, but for the most part I frequent them already, and the Week's deal was too good to pass up to try new things.

And now it's back to being broke and hopefully losing all the BRW weight. 

In other news, I have big big summer plans. Expect a lot of them to be centered around the things about this town that make my heart go pitterpatter. Plans are only set to start in the summer, but they're a significant life decision I think. I can't wait to see how it pans out. More details when I can commit to them fully. 

Just know: I don't foresee this summer being boring. 

(edit: aw shit. I forgot my promised 'in my bag' post... it's coming. Soon. I promise a second time.)

This Is How We Finish A Quest In Nebraska

I'm all moved in, the dog is settling nicely, and everything is peachy except for my lack of internet. Casey's got a router, everything is hooked up, but it refuses to connect to my computer properly. This means I'm beyond far behind in catching up with all of you, facebook, my tumblr, and my Instant Queue. All will be remedied once I figure out the internet sitch.

Let's play what sucks about your new house? 

Answer: Not much.

More complicated answer: My light-sleeping roommate goes to bed anytime between 630-930, and I like to drink in bed later at night. My bathroom is one incredibly creaky flight of stairs away and I'm pretty sure I consistently wake her up every hour or so. Silly bladder.

I'm back to being a redhead & finally feeling like me again. I got a "promotion" at B, and I work about 30+ hours a week there plus another 8 or so doing freelance-y stuff. My coworkers were surprised when I told them I've been a traveling gypsy really for about a year now; that story came up because most didn't realize I had a 4 year degree, was 23, and they couldn't understand why I actually seem perfectly comfortable working a boring retail job and settling just a little in Binghamton. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was just me avoiding the inevitable, and that I made my most adult & beneficial decisions lately rather than sooner (read: last summer) like I thought I was. 

My room makes me happy (pictures to come shortly) and I sleep weirdly on my bed; weirdly being more or less well, but I sleep a little like you do on hotel beds. It doesn't quite feel like mine yet, but it's comfy enough that I sleep through most of the night. Casey leaving for work super early usually wakes me up (those effing stairs) but I fall right back to sleep for about an hour before I'm up with the dog before work. 

Speaking of Sway, we're having a whole lot fun with his new training. By fun I mean he's catching on slowly and he's incredibly defiant, but when he does something like lay down without correction, it's kind of amazing. He's also getting better at not freaking out at the cats - they, however, still wanna puff up and hiss at him. It's all about being patient at this point...

Next post, I promise to include a 'what's in my bag' moment because I've been carrying about 15 pounds of stuff lately, as I live out of my purse most days. Also, more pictures in general because I want to play more with my new lens, it's a 50 mm and makes my heart swoon.

In lastly news, no grocery shopping this week: tonight is a roomie*love date with Case after work to Olive Garden (craaaaving those new puff pastries), and starting Wednesday is Binghamton's Restaurant Week, where you can get a 3-course meal for $10 at lunch and $20 at dinner at some of the finest (and usually most expensive) establishments Bing hast to offer, and it's all for charity. Sometimes, I really love this town. 

Now if only I could get connected to internet without going to my parents living room...

Life Happens

I have moved everything but my work clothes, desk, camera gear & dog into the new house. Working nearly every day is both exhausting and feels good in my bank account. 

Then I got sick. 

I've never called into work for being sick (once to Sears for a migraine) & I had to call earlier this week because I came down with a ridiculous head cold. I have since been destroying it with overdoses of Advil Cold & Sinus. The aggravating part of the cold is over, and I'm left with lethargy and a cough. Put a damper on my ladyvisit and the moving process, but I have since picked back up.

The place is nice, we just need to figure out how to reset the heat system and actually settle the pets in. Swayze loves the place already; there's so many low windows and he's allowed to just run in endless circles. There's currently nothing for him to get in to & I don't worry while I put clothes away upstairs. 

And the backyard? Oh my goodness. Introducing him to being off-leash for the first time ever to run free in the backyard the other day was like telling a 5 year old that you're going to Disney World. He was nuts with excitement, and promptly found a dead rat under the porch to play with... which we promptly took away. It's going to be a wicked hassle when it gets muddy out there, but that's a worry for later. 

So until further notice, I'm working, recovering, moving, and feeling unsettled and a little displaced, but that should work itself out before next month.

Gotta christen the new bath tub with red hair dye. 

I also got my new 50mm lens in, and I can't stop thinking about what to shoot with it & playing around. I'm totally smitten and no one is to touch it; I want it to remain perfect for as long as humanly possible. 

How are you all feeling these days?

Not Having A Smart Day.

He usually jumps right into the passenger seat, but not today. He just... sat there as if he was going to push the pedals for me. 

"Ok now move... but seriously, get in your seat? Come on move..... ok wait, let me take a .... hey, hey hey hey, hey Sway up here! *snap* .... Ok but can we go to the park now? Scoot."

Long Time No Type.

Oh hey little bloggity blog - I'm so sorry, my desires to tell the world my mundane life details have been overshadowed by a desire to stare at awesome pictures on my Tumblr dashboard all day every day in my spare time. That and very little has happened even remotely note worthy.

I did, however, buy a bed. I pick it up Tuesday & literally move it straight into the house because we are officially in the house on Monday. I couldn't be more excited.

I should note also that yesterday was an ungodly stressful day, and I was full of win; I handled everything I needed to get done with more or less flying colors, if I do say so myself. [[WINNING.]]

B keeps giving me more opportunities which include dental benefits & more "job responsibilities." It's no career but it certainly doesn't suck for part time. I could use more pay, but I'm making ends meet the best I can. 

I booked my first dudoir shoot and it's set for April 21st. I got a great deal on the location and I'm beyond excited to do something creative again. I haven't even touched my camera in months. How depressing. My equipment has been a major source of aggravation lately, and I'm just disgusted with how much of a pain it's been so I haven't bothered. However, to remedy this funk and to make sure I have the best gear possible by my next shoot, I have finally taken my dad up on his IOU birthday offer of getting me a new lens and I'll be purchasing it Monday (if all goes as planned). I also have my eye on a Mark II, but that isn't set in stone yet. I don't really have the money, so I'm hoping for some good bartering deals. 

Finally, I'm going to go to bed. I haven't been sleeping well, but I come home from work exhausted all the time 

(more reason why Tumblr has been my main internet squeeze lately - less typing, more picture looking).

It's finally a little warm here. I hear it's gonna get cold again, which I loathe, but I hope you've enjoyed the weather in your neck of the woods lately!