Open Window

A New Normal

The New Normal

"Necessity is the Mother of Invention" and the need to create a new normal during this pandemic has led to some inventive and entertaining solutions. Outdoor dining is now "de riguere", with sidewalks and parking lots being converted to "patio-dining". Backyards have become gardens where one can relax in the fresh air and enjoy a cool beverage. "To Go" is now the thing to do with pick-up services having fancy titles like the Butcher Shoppe and Curbside Kitchen despite the backdoor delivery. "Cocktails to go" are even permitted with one restaurant loudly advertising in every window the location of a special "Fish Taco and Margarita Window". Plexiglass separates and "protects" us while giving us the illusion of being a part of a shared experience whether in restaurants or stores.

The special service introduced in New York City in the '80s of hiring a personal shopper is back, but this time it's free. Shopkeepers are cleverly creating the allure of catering to the elite amongst us given the limitations imposed upon them due to the coronavirus. One shop is offering FaceTime Shopping - anything to engage and encourage its customers. Stores selling items that appeal to children are posting signs asking the impossible of their young clientele "Hands in Pockets". I wonder how that's working out for them. Churches too are advertising, in their case outdoor services with one church welcoming its congregants to gather for worship under "the old oak tree". And everywhere there are signs demanding that we all wear masks, which now come in various forms from industrial hospital-style to fancy designer patterns. This is the landscape of the new normal and these are the new norms.

Photos and Slide Show © 2020 Claudia Ward
"Too Close for Comfort" by Jackie Gleason and His Orchestra from the Soundtrack of Hollywood ending

 

A Day in New York

A day in New York was "just what the doctor ordered" - literally. I had to go in to the city this week to see my doctor of 40 years, and in the process found Spring in full bloom. Spring on the East End seems to be in an arrested state. Daffodils were brutalized as soon as they showed their happy yellow blooms, with freezing temperatures and torrential rains, neither of which they could suffer without severe damage. Early hints of green in our endless hedge rows were stopped dead in their tracks and have remained suspended for weeks waiting for warmer weather. Apple and pear blossoms have refused to venture forth and the early harbinger of Spring, forsythia, is just now showing it's true colors. Everything is late here, but in New York the tulips along Park Avenue are standing proudly sharing their warm colors and optimism with us all.

Ambling along 61st Street, this dry cleaner's window caught my eye and made me stop to enjoy this caricature as well as the misspelling. Perhaps that was his ploy to get people to stop at his store - it certainly worked for me.

What's a day in  New York without a special meal and one of our favorite restaurants is located right between my doctor and my dentist.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the past couple of years, I've rewarded myself for going to the dentist with a meal at the bar of Il Mulino on 60th Street, and we've come to know the bartender, Mirsada, quite well. The food and service here are superb, but being greeted by a friend truly makes it a warm and memorable meal. When Peter joins me, he and Mirsada talk bartender to bartender, and she's introduced him to Il Mulino's homemade grappas, some vintage ports, and this time, a special small-batch bourbon.

After our leisurely meal, we climbed on the Jitney satiated and ready for the 2 ½ hour ride home only to find our coach had to wend its way through a very animated Trump demonstration in midtown.

For some reason, it seemed an appropriate end to our day in New York.

 

 

La Dame de Pic Restaurant in Paris

Before our recent trip to Paris which was also before the photography workshop in Normandy, I reached out to friends who know Paris well to get suggestions for a special meal in Paris, celebrating Peter's birthday. I am thrilled that they suggested the fairly new La Dame de Pic on the right bank in the 1st Arr., not far from the back door of the Louvre.

"Perfumes and flavours, the perfect pairing" - this is your introduction to La Dame de Pic. Anne Sophie Pic believes each stirs emotions in us and thus she has endeavored to assign a perfume scent to convey the essence of the three menus she has created - menu "Sous-Bois et Epices" (Undergrowth Spices), menu "Agrumes Aromatique" (Citrus), and menu "Terre Safronée" (Saffron). Peter selected the "Saffron" menu and I chose the "Undergrowth Spices" and thus a three hour adventure began.

First however I must try to describe the atmosphere of La Dame de Pic. As you enter the restaurant, you can look through glass on your right into the kitchen where the chefs are preparing today's meals. Everything is spotless against the pure white walls of the restaurant, accented, in the dining room, by large images of medieval maidens whose eyes you can very simply get lost in and bright red flowers. The staff are more than willing to speak English or French and also offer menus in both languages, and they make it very clear that they are there to guide you through this experience without any judgement, making recommendation for wines that will complement specific courses.

Menu "Saffron" included: Peas with a hint of vanilla as a first course,
followed by a soft egg with tomatoes, Blue Mountain coffee and saffron.
The main course of this menu was Veal which we followed with a cheese course.
Dessert was Rum Baba served in a strawberry sauce and was simply divine. 
Menu "Undergrowth Spices" began with smoked goat's cheese, basil, peas and lemon, followed by John Dory (a light white fish) flavored with cucumber and green anise.
The main course was a delicious pigeon after which I enjoyed the cheese course with Peter.
My dessert was a green tea (matcha) and hazelnut "opera" that simply worked on so many levels.

This was one of the most unique, enjoyable, memorable eating experiences of my life and we both considered it worth every precious euro we spent on this three-hour lunch. We can certainly understand why the newly opened La Dame de Pic in Paris has earned Anne Sophie Pic one Michelin star. Pic and her family have earned three Michelin stars for their restaurant Maison Pic in Valence France and in 2011 Anne Sophie Pic was recognized as the World's Best Female Chef.

I will dream of this meal and experience for a very long time.

Paris Evenings

La Fontaine de Mars

Evenings in Paris are some of my favorite hours on earth. They always include a lovely walk along the boulevards of the right bank or the tiny streets of the left bank, or, in our case, under the Eiffel Tower. But they also include a lovely dinner and we were fortunate enough to find a number of special restaurants in our neighborhood - the 7th Arr.

Alan, the California-native handyman in our apartment building made several suggestions and we figured he knew what he was talking about since he once owned a restaurant in Carmel, before selling it and moving to Paris seven years. ago. Le Petit Cler on rue Cler was simple and unassuming. We sat outside on the cobblestones, watching the world go by as we enjoyed foie gras, steak and their pork special. La Fountaine de Mars was our favorite dinner as we ate indoors on a chilly evening on the second floor in a room papered in red. The food was divine, the service very friendly, and our three hour meal a simple joy. Au Bon Accueil on rue de Monttessuy was more formal than the previous two restaurants but the food was equally good. Peter once again had foie gras that was presented as two separate boxes made of wafer thin sweet crackers and packed full of homemade foie gras. I enjoyed a morel soup and later Poulet Noir, black chicken, that was delicious. All of these restaurants are on the other side of the Champ de Mars from where our apartment is, so - woe-is-me - we had to stroll past la Tour Eiffel, all dressed up in its lights, every night.

I hope you enjoy this quick slide show made of images from cameras and iPhones alike with lots of different apps for fun.

 

Photos and Slide Show © 2013 Claudia Ward
Music: Winter, Reading and Studying Music 

Enjoy Paris Evenings.

Cafe Sacher

Sinful Sacher torte in Salzburg, Austria.

Sent from my iPhone

Claudia Danforth Ward

Amen Street

There was once a street in Charleston called Amen Street, named, they say, because "amens" could often be heard there from two nearby churches. The street has since been absorbed into Cumberland Street, but a restaurant at the corner of Cumberland and East Bay Streets has resurrected the name - the Amen Street Fish and Raw Bar. 

After enjoying the sea breezes on a midday harbor tour, Peter and I had a hankering for some raw oysters and happily stumbled upon Amen Street on our way to pick up a carriage ride. The menu outside was enticing and the bar was warm and welcoming, so we found two seats and introduced ourselves to the bartendress, Rae. She couldn't have been friendlier and was well informed about the differences between all of the oysters.

We each started with something I'd never had before, an oyster shooter, which is a single oyster in a shot glass swimming in tomato juice, spiked with vodka and lemon juice with a dollop of homemade horseradish - wow what a sensory experience that was - spicy, hot and sweet all at the same time.

Peter and I didn't know it but oysters are a local specialty, and the ones from Capers Island, just north of Charleston, are now our favorites. They are long and thin, with medium brine and a slightly sweet finish. Rae explained that She Crab Soup is also a local delicacy, a description we agreed with the minute that velvety soup touched our lips. It's truly a little bit of heaven.
We finished here with an Oyster Po'Boy and a local draft beer for Peter, and Blackened Salmon with a wonderful Rodney Strong chardonnay for me. We thoroughly enjoyed the food and the casual atmosphere of this restaurant and hope to be back someday soon. Amen to that.

With a Name Like Co Co. ...

it's just got to be good, right? We stumbled upon one of the best restaurants Peter and I have ever eaten in, on F Street in Washington D.C., called Co Co Sala. I'd seen it from the double decker bus that we'd been touring the city on to get our bearings, and with a name like CoCo I couldn't resist. There were tables outside under chocolate brown umbrellas, but the day had heated up and we decided to cool down inside. Walking inside was like being transferred to another world. It was immediately apparent that this was no ordinary restaurant and that this was going to be an experience to remember. In fact, Co Co Sala isn't a restaurant in the ordinary sense of the word, it's a "chocolate lounge and boutique". The decor is comfortably modern with two rooms and we chose to sit in the one where we could watch the artisanal chocolates being made as well as the artistic dessert plates being prepared. The staff could not have been more friendly and our waiter guided us to selections we may not have made without his assistance. 

Peter photographed every aspect of this unique environment, including the four foot tall flower sculpture made entirely of chocolate that could be seen behind the glass, in the kitchen. Once we finally settled in, our waiter suggested that we might like to try one of Co Co's "Signature Sips" - perhaps an Alisar might quench our thirst, made with Grey Goose Le Citron, cucumber and fresh lime juice, or perhaps the Co Cojito, Van Gogh infused vodka, with fresh mint and limes, topped with dark chocolate flakes, the latter having been recently voted the best cocktail in D.C. We had one of each and my oh my what an experience in flavors!

Co Co Sala has a three course prix fixe lunch which we had to partake in because it all sounded just so interesting and good. Peter started with Five Cheese Fritters and, believe it or not, I started with Rosemary and Parmesan Fries - the best fries I have ever had! Our entrees were Chicken Caesar Flat Bread and Artichoke Tart, and dessert was simply sublime. Check out the photographs in the slide show. Every plate was a work of art, appreciated by the eye as well as the palate. Needless to say, we didn't leave the boutique without a small sampler of Co Co's artisanal chocolates and of course Peter couldn't resist the chocolate cover, apple-smoked bacon! Mon Dieu!

This was such an unexpected surprise and an experience neither of us will forget. Co Co Sala is a must if you ever come to D.C., especially if you have a penchant for chocolate. It's located at 929 F Street, NW and you can call 202 347 4265 for a reservation.

Pittsburgh - The City of Bridges

Those of you who have been to Pittsburgh recently (and you know who you are) will recognize this perspective of Pittsburgh. It's from the Monterey Bay Fish Grotto Restaurant on Mount Washington in Pittsburgh. The food is wonderful but the view is spectacular during the day and downright breathtaking at dusk when the lights of the city sparkle.

 Photo by Peter Tooker 2010 All Rights Reserved

School's Out ...

After two and a half days of various classes and workshops in the city (New York City that is), Peter and I decided to reward the student body - literally. We went to one of our favorite restaurants in Manhattan - Balthazar - for lunch. Balthazar serves traditional bistro food in a perfect bistro environment. Tell me we weren't happy spending a couple of hours here!

Looking at the menu (and we recommend you do too), we grappled with our choices because there wasn't one thing listed that we didn't like. Peter decided to order completely off the appetizer portion of the menu and my eyes landed on Wednesdays' special, Koulibiac - a salmon dish wrapped in pastry with wild rice and spinach accompanied by sauteed mushrooms in a delightful white sauce. After sharing a sampler of east- and west-coast oysters and some delicious split pea soup with smokey bacon, Peter was served his "entree" - Chicken Liver and Foie Gras Mousse. 

Being a bistro, tables are quite close to one another which is cozy to the clientele but can be challenging to the wait-staff. As one of the waiters was delivering lunch to our neighbors, he accidentally tipped my water glass over. I successfully caught it before it emptied all of its contents in my half eaten lunch plate but some "damage" was still done. I mention this not to criticize but, in fact, to compliment the staff as they efficiently corrected the problem by whisking my plate to the kitchen, replacing the paper that covered our table cloth and delivering an entirely new entree - all within a matter of minutes. 
I certainly would have thought this would be enough compensation for what was obviously an accident, but not for the staff of Balthazar. Look what they brought to us ... homemade sorbets and assorted berries, "compliments of the house".

So our wonderful lunch became dinner for our last day in the city. For those of you who live in or around New York or plan to visit, we recommend you call to make a reservation at this very special restaurant. You'll probably have to wait to get through, but we assure you it's worth any amount of time.

For those of you who are interested, all of these photos were taken with the camera on our iPhone. 

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Restaurant Week - The 1770 House

It's restaurant week in the Hamptons and you can get a wonderful three course meal for $24.95 or less at a slew of restaurants all around the east end. Since the price was right, Peter and I decided to partake. We'd never eaten at  The 1770 House in East Hampton which is a lovely restaurant/inn that's been operating as an inn for 240 years.  Feeding all of my New England sensibilities, The 1770 House is charming in it's historic and beautifully maintained architecture - small rooms, lower than normal ceilings, and warm welcoming fireplaces. 

But ... we came for the prix fixe menu not the architecture. The choices on the Special Menu were diverse yet simple, all good combinations. Peter and I ordered food you'd probably say "don't get that you can have it at home" but what better way to test the real mettle of a restaurant - simple food for which your expectations are high!  We ordered roast chicken and meat loaf. Both were perfect and delicious, with accompaniments that reminded me of "the good old days", a little potato and some greens - delicious and comforting ... but the chef's version of this simple fare! To make something that's simple memorable is not that easy and I'm so happy we've found a chef who has mastered this art. 

And what about the service? The staff is friendly, knowledgeable and unpretentious, a perfect fit for this historic Inn. But there's one thing that the staff did that I feel compelled to mention. It was one of those small things that's the essence of simplicity, thoughtfulness and a touch of class. Peter and I enjoyed some wonderful cheeses for dessert served with the chef's homemade quince preserves and honey. We were too full to finish but loved them so much we didn't want to leave them behind, so we asked if could take the rest home. They agreed, of course, but they didn't deliver our parcel to the table, rather they handed it to us after we left the dining room on our way to the front door. I never knew that I was uncomfortable having my "doggy bag" delivered to the table until it didn't happen. It was such a small thing but so appreciated. 

The 1770 House is wonderful - delicious, satisfying, perfectly seasoned food, in delightful surroundings with a considerate, unpretentious staff. It's a winner and we can't wait to return, and we won't be waiting for Restaurant Week to do so.