passionate_sense's Profile
wedding cake ideas (hudson valley)
Deisings is absolutely incredible. I got married in New Paltz in April and Deisings was one of the best and easiest decisions. We had a lovely tasting, with coffee and flavors and fillings. The told us the different prices, explained the reason for them, and we ended up deciding on a square cake. It cost us less than one dollar a person, the entire top layer was left for the staff, and it was absolutely incredible. We ended up choosing marble cake with cheesecake filling and a chocolate ganache top. We wanted it to taste good, not look good, but it did both. Five stars. Since we were on such a budget, they even allowed us to bring in our own decorations the day before. They were just really incredible.
Old world Food Market - Nyack - Any Opinions?
The lighting is atrocious and gives me a headache. Who picked that horrible yellow?
The selection is wonderful with some items (you can find Plugra butter!) but horrible with others (doesn't even carry Stonyfield yogurt). The prices are random (sometimes 5$ for a jar of peanut butter). There is a severely lacking produce selection, with almost no organics. The signs are all mismatched, the lights in this section are harsh flourescent, and when I went last time they didn't have garlic. They don't carry hot peppers. Some of the produce is competitive, and some is old, like wrinkled parsnips.
I haven't tried the prepared food station. I was happy to order a cornish hen from them, which was delicious. The fish station always smells fishy. They don't have bulk spices, but they have their own "store brand" spices in jars.
They still aren't organized and prices will vary greatly between shelves (one shelf will have Bare Naked Granola at 2.49, the other at 3.49).
It's another cute market in Nyack. Born of Earth, downtown, is better organized with competitive prices, more organics, and friendlier service. Looking forward to what the Chef's Market will be like: any idea on when that's opening?
Where do you eat at the Palisades Mall?
I work at the Palisades Mall (not in a restaurant) and the best places for a quick lunch are East & Qdoba. For something more sit-down, Bravo is okay (I worked there briefly), Fire and Ice is okay, but Stir Crazy is the best.
There aren't any exceptional dining options at the mall- although the sushi at East is delicious!
The last time I went to Cheesecake Factory, I ordered a green salad with grilled chicken. The chicken that came back was raw. Completely raw. I asked for the manager, he treated it like it was no big deal, said that mistakes happen, and asked if I wanted to fill out an incident report. Will never eat at that location again.
I recommend driving into Nyack and checking out Velo. The parking has gotten much better with the lot behind Riverspace.
Ethiopian Food in NYC? Preferably Manhattan?
I like Queen of Sheba, on 10th avenue near 47th (might be 46th..). The service can be a bit slow, but the food is delicious and reasonable for midtown. Often crowded on weekends.
In search of your favorite red borscht
Vselka has a great borscht with pine needles!
Plain Paper Bags for Roasting
With Thanksgiving coming up, I was hoping to roast our turkey in plain brown paper bags. They have to be grocery-bag-size. My regulars are unreliable this year. I'm loath to use Reynolds because of family members who take stock in the BPA scare. I'm in Rockland County, willing to travel to Orange, Bergen, or Manhattan to find these bags....any ideas?
Thanks!
Turkey Day on I-87
Slightly south of Kingston is New Paltz, Exit 17. There is an amazing restaurant there, The Locust Tree. They're serving from 1-6 on Thanksgiving. Website is here: http://locusttree.com/locust_tree_thanksgiving_menu.html
Beware of 87. It's going to be ridiculous. Today, Tuesday, it was crawling at 20 miles an hour between White Plains and Suffern (a long stretch an hour south of New Paltz).
If you can, I'd recommend taking the more scenic route. If the traffic's bad, you could take 87 to Exit 13N for the Palisades Parkway, and then follow the signs to rejoin the the thruway. Much prettier, and generally much less traffic.
Happy Travels!
May 2008 Wedding in the Hudson Valley
My Hudson Valley wedding was held this past April, at The Locust Tree (now sometimes called Stonehaus Tavern) in New Paltz. It was the best deal I found: amazing food, amazing service, flexible pricing and beautiful grounds. At less than 100$ per head including tax and tip and all the fees, it beat everything else by a landslide. The menu featured local, organic and small-scale producers. Highly recommend it!
