from somewhere in my imagination

NYC - Tips and To-Dos #BlogHer12

With only 9 sleeps until we fly out for New York I am getting so very excited that I can hardly sit still.  Our dance card for the two weeks we are away is quickly filling up and I can't wait to spend more time exploring this amazing city which has totally captured our hearts.  These are a few random tips from the various experiences we had in New York on our big American adventure of 2011.

If you want to see this lovely lady the Staten Island Ferry is free, cruises right past her and won't take up quite so much of your time as visiting the island as the lines to get on the boat at Battery Park.  Combine it with a walk up to Wall street and Ground Zero.  If you want to ride the bull it's much quieter after the working day than it is around lunchtime....don't let another over zealous tourist push you in to oncoming traffic just to get you out of their shot.

If you want to buy some prepaid mobile data without buying a whole new phone T.mobile is the place you need to visit.  I think it will be the first place Steven heads after we check in!  Rachel of Sesame Ellis explains some more about the how and where here.

Blocks up and down Manhattan are much closer together than the streets are as you go across the island.  The subway is easy to navigate, but I haven;t found an underground train system that has bested me yet.  Make sure you pay attention to where track works are on weekends.

Tiffany is on 5th Ave, just South of Central Park.  They are open until 7pm everyday except Sunday when they shut at 6pm.  We wandered in, looking a bit scruffy one Tuesday evening after a walk in Central Park to buy our Vegas wedding rings.  There are no toilets on the ground floor, it's a bit intimidating toting three children across the floor with all the fancy watches to take them for a wee, although that won't be an issue for us this time around but I don't think I'll be coming home with anything new off my wish list either.

If there is a relatively empty carriage on an otherwise busy train don't get on it, you'll be changing carriages again at the next station.  Trust me.

If you want to go to a baseball game at Yankee Stadium you can get tickets here.  Given the choice I'd take a day game at Yankee Stadium over a night, it's all about the YMCA.  The Yankees play a nine game home stretch in the lead up to BlogHer (they play pretty much every day, not once a week like the footy) finishing with a day game against the Mariners the day after BlogHer ends.  I'm going to four games, Steven is going to five.  I'm not sure whether he's more excited about the one on his own where he is sitting on the fence or the one where we are sitting with the bleacher creatures.

I think that Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square is probably the most expensive in all of the USA.  Their cocktails and food are still cheaper than you pay for them in Australia.  We love a good Hardrock Hurricane and we have the 20+ glasses from different locations to prove it.  I do believe Hurricane Philadelphia will be coming home with us this time.

There is a Starbucks within walking distance pretty much wherever you are in Manhattan, if your name is anything like mine they won't be able to understand it let alone spell it.  I ended up seeking out Starbucks because I knew what I was getting.  I don't love run of the mill American style drip filter coffee.

When it comes to outlet shopping, the tax rate is cheaper in Jersey than New York State so head West rather than North if you can.  It's 3.5% at Jersey Gardens which is right near La Guardia airport.

If you need food fast I recommend Chipotle all the way.

If you can, take a picnic to Sheep Meadow in Central Park and just sit and watch the world go by for a bit.  You won't regret it.

Do you have any New York City tips and to dos for me?

 Tatum xx

Brave

I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason but, as you might remember, I don't cope well with have decisions about my life being put outside my control.  It's a difficult combination of emotions to reconcile, trying to maintain the que sera sera attitude while my brian spirals out of control with worry and what ifs.

Last month Charlotte went to cub leadership camp.  It meant two nights away with a group of kids and adults she mostly had never met.  She was unfazed about this and excited about a weekend of fun and adventure.  She loves being a cub.  It wasn't until after we had dropped her off that it occurred to me how brave she was, it made me feel very proud.

With BlogHer12 imminent I know I am feeling quite intimidated by the fact I won't have met anyone there before but I need to suck it up, take a leaf out of her book, put myself out there, relax and enjoy.  I'll just remember not to be quite so bossy as she reportedly was on camp :)

I have been toying with some ideas and options for the future.  Slowly but surely I have been mapping out a plan.  There are a few things going on that may force my hand on this but they might not too, things may just stay the same but right now I don't know the answer to that.  To be honest I'm not sure which I'm more scared of, the fact I might be thrown in the deep end or the knowledge that I might have to make that decision on my own, with nothing forcing my hand.  One way or another it is going to take a big leap of faith on my behalf and trust there will be something at least a little bit soft to break my fall.

I need to be brave like my big girl was because life is too short to wonder about what could have been.

Do you think of yourself as being brave?  Have you taken a leap of faith lately?  Was the landing soft?

Tatum xx

Warm Grilled Vegetable & Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing

Sumo Salad is one of my go to choices for lunch if I'm out and about or at work without my lunch box.

One of my favourite choices is a roasted veg and chickpea number that is certainly not rocket science...I've been meaning to make a batch of my own at home for quite some time.  Last Thursday I got a decent block of time in the kitchen to do a spot of cooking while I chatted with a friend over a cuppa and our kids ran riot around the house.

I sliced and grilled my veg while we discussed all manner of things.  I have a large grill plate that I use on the long burner on the cook top but these veggies are perfect done on the BBQ too.  The whole process would be much faster than inside but right now I'm avoiding going out in the cold as much as possible.

Warm Grilled Vegetable & Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing - Serves 6

Ingredients

1 Large or 2 Medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2 cm rounds

2 Zucchinis, Ends Trimmed and sliced length ways into 1/2-1cm slices

1 Eggplant, Trimmed and sliced into 1/2-1cm slices

2 Big Red Capsicums

2 Cups Dried Chickpeas soaked and cooked or 2 x 400g tins drained and well rinsed

1 Bunch Asparagus, washed and ends trimmed

1 Tbs Olive Oil

3 Lemons

1/2 bunch Parsley, chopped

2 Tbs Tahini

200g tub baby bocconcini drained and washed

Method

Heat your grill plate and pop the 2 whole, washed capsicums on and cook until all the sides are blackened and blistered.  Throw the asparagus on the grill plate with the capsicums too. When they are done pop them in a bowl and cover with glad wrap.

While the capsicums are cooking peel and slice your veggies and put them in a huge bowl with 1 Tbs Olive Oil and the juice of a lemon plus plenty of freshly ground pepper and a little touch of salt.  Add some fresh or dried herbs like oregano or thyme if you like.  Some dried chilli flakes would be awesome too.

Grill your veggie slices, on an indoor plate it will take a bit of time due to size restrictions so feel free chop the veggies into chunks and roast them instead if you want to avoid the BBQ :)

As your veggies cook pile them into a dish and cover with alfoil to keep warm.

Once your capsicums are cool enough to handle chop off the top, pull out the seeds and peel away the skins.  Pop the flesh in with the rest of the veggies.

Once all the veggies are warm chop into chunky pieces, I actually kept the sweet potato rounds whole and combine with the chickpeas.  Stir in the 2 Tbs tahini and juice of 2 lemons together with the chopped parsely until everything is coated.  Finish by tumbling through the baby bocconcini and serve to the table.

I finished with a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds because I had them handy in the fruit bowl, a few halved cherry tomatoes would be a lovely way to top things off too.

As usual I am linking up with Veggie Mama for Meatless Monday.

Have a sensational week.

Tatum xx