Perfect Picnic, Birthday Edition

It's our second year that Perfect Picnic has created the most incredible spread for Hank's birthday picnic! He is so loved and is the most selfless person. He is always giving all of himself for Chase and I and I wanted him to have a beautiful day to celebrate him!

And you can see why I chose Perfect Picnic - their attention to detail is flawless and they really know how to make your day special. I love their classic blanksets, and the pillows make the long hours spent at the park much more comfortable (something you wouldn't normally bring out to the park yourself). On this hot Saturday, you can bet their fans and umbrellas came in hand - they thought of everything!

This was a customized event spread that was ordered for 20 people in mind, we had close to 30 friends and family show up with plenty of food still! Perfect Picnic has all sorts of picnics starting as low as $10 for a Kid's meal, $15 for an adult's Grab & Go bags, to delivery boxes and catering. My personal favorites are the Soppressata with Spicy Dilly Green Bean baguettini, Kale Salad, and the Fig Spread. Though honestly, they're all amazing! The baguettinis are unique and explode with flavor - you might remember that they happen to be perfectly Chase sized from this image last year:

When I'm walking around Central Park I'll see beautiful engagement spreads on the weekends, or people having a relaxing lunch~ If you're interested, it's really simple to use. We arranged a date and time, showed up, enjoyed, and left! They set up and clean up everything for you if you choose to do a spread. Here is their site for more info - Happy Picnicking!

PerfectPicnic.com

1. Make your picnic selection.

2. Pick your date and time to enjoy.

3. Choose delivery or experience location.

A day in Dumbo

Fun Fact: Hank and I had our first date in Dumbo Brooklyn - we went to the art fair in 2010!

Over the long weekend earlier this month I spent a fun-filled family day in Dumbo Brooklyn with my husband, son and sister. We left the house without eating breakfast so I quickly yelped brunch spots, and came across AlMar. The Egg in a Cloud dish sparked my interest, but being a family friendly restaurant solidified our decision. The restaurant has high ceilings and the food was as tasty as it looks. It was an ideal brunch! Next time I'd love to try Atrium.

After lunch we wanted Chase to run around so we headed to the nearest playground which was at Pier 5. He loved the sandbox shaped like a boat. Dumbo is a residential neighborhood so here is an extensive list of playgrounds in the area~ 

Then to relax, we picked up some snacks at Peas & Pickles for a picnic at Brooklyn Bridge Park. The views are beautiful right by the river and the iconic bridges. We strolled to Jane's Carousel and Chase (finally) fell asleep in his stroller (he was too excited and stayed up way past his usual naptime).

We figured it's a good time to grab an early dinner with Chase napping, and it's not often we come to Brooklyn so we headed for their famous pizza! We figured the lines wouldn't be too bad considering it's a holiday weekend and everyone was out of town, but both Juliana's and Grimaldi's lines were still too long. So we headed closer to the water where we can always rely on Luke's Lobster. We ate outside and I love that you feel a bit like you're on vacation.

When Chase woke up, we needed to find a bathroom so we got some treats from One Girl Cookies. We got a sample of flavors though Chase ate most of them. It was right by the park so we picnicked again to change his diaper. It didn't feel right to leave without checking out the shops so we went to a bookstore we saw across the street from the cookie store called Powerhouse and then Shibu, a Japanese furniture store. Sadly, both were going out of business.. and almost everything was on sale. I got a blank textbook from Powerhouse to use as a sketchbook which I'm excited to fill with designs and ideas.

We grabbed one last strawberry smoothie for the subway ride back home. It's unfortunate that none of the subway stops in Brooklyn have elevators! I suggested walking over the Brooklyn Bridge but by the end of the day we were all pretty pooped!

Outfits wise - I wasn't planning on blogging the day when we left, so it's simply weekend casual in a white top, denim shorts, and my most comfortable sneakers.

P.S. We stumbled upon this amazing flower garden! It is located by River Cafe between Luke's Lobster. Nothing is more soothing to me than the sound of trickling water and there is a lovely little stream by the entrance to the garden. It's a sweet spot from the urban environment when the flowers are in full bloom!

• Photography by Deborah Chang and myself

A taste of Rivington Street

My sister and I went to taste Morgenstern's coconut ash flavor ice cream. I was curious since I don't know that I've seen black ice cream before - it's more messy than it is tasty - prepare a napkin, maybe some water to rinse out your teeth and don't forget a mirror to reapply your lips because they will be messed up. I did enjoy the coconut flavor, but I'd probably order another flavor next time! We got some good laughs out of it though (at each other).

As we were heading to Black Seed Bagel for brunch, we got distracted by a shop next door called Leekan Designs - oriental bird cages with blue and white porcelain feeders in the window caught my eye. So we popped in and stayed for about 10-15 mins because there's a lot of things to cover. My sister left with a metal horse necklace charm with turquoise eyes. I'm trying not to be a hoarder anymore so I sadly left the cages at the store. Its always fun to explore and find new gems around town - which is endless here in NY!

I based my outfit around this dress that I was drawn to for it's simplicity with a twist (pun intended). It's more comfortable in person and under $100, which is a win win. I think it would be cute for early pregnancy, though my sister thinks it draws attention to the belly - what do you think? I'm wearing a size M here, and I am 5'5".

Once I wore the dress I was feeling monochrome vibes and opted for a gray bag rather than a pop of color. So I styled it with this mouse bag, which is a classic from my handbag line, but the metallic color is new and coming out any day now! Next, it was a no brainer to pick the shoes - a pair of neutral Josefinas sneakers. This style is also new, but you may recognize the furry pair from the same brand that I wore everyday thus far! Only after I put it altogether did I realize I had a bow-on-bow situation going on~ To keep the "simple" look a bit more interesting, I finished it off with pigtail braids and a rose gold choker for an edgy vibe.

• Photography by Deborah Chang and myself

Oasis in the City: 20 Ways to stay cool this summer

Summer has officially arrived~ It can get very hot and humid here in the city and everyone migrates to the park to laze under some shade. I personally get drained very quickly by the sun so I will grab a sun hat (with a wide brim), shades and layers of SPF before leaving the house. Here are more tricks to help beat the heat!

1. Wear loose fitting clothes
2. Wear lighter colors that reflect light, darker colors hold in heat
3. Wear cotton or linen
4. Tie your hair so heat doesn't get trapped around your neck
5. Avoid metallic jewelry
6. Keep your feet cool - wear breathable shoes
7. Iced beverage - don't wait to be thirsty to drink, drink every 15 mins
8. Put an iced bottle to your ankles, wrists, or behind the knees
9. Chrysanthemum tea lowers body temperature
10. Avoid caffeine and alcohol which dehydrate you
11. Avoid soda - your body will find it more difficult to store water
12. Eat frequent smaller meals instead of a big meal
13. Enjoy frozen snacks
14. Eat spicy foods: increases blood circulation and makes you sweat (which will feel cool as it dries)
15. Avoid meat - increases metabolic heat production (oops, I ate a hot dog)
16. Stay in the shade - feels 15 degrees cooler
17. Breathe deep, learn yoga's cooling breathing technique
18. Splash cool water on yourself - you can also bring a spray bottle
19. Use a cooling aloe vera aftersun product 
20. Plan ahead: 10am~4pm is the hottest time of day

Stay cool everyone!!

Packing: Beach Essentials for Mom and Toddler

My family and I just came back from the beach this weekend with my in-laws down in New Jersey. The water was still too cold for swimming, but the weather was perfect for beach bumming - breezy and not too hot. Now that summer is officially upon us I thought I'd share what I packed and hopefully save you some time & planning!

Let's start with this photo above of Chase's hands covered in sand and baby powder. For those of you who don't know this life hack: Baby Powder helps get sand off instantly! I learned this while packing last week and I'm thrilled to report that it really works. I started calling it "magic powder"! Chase would rub his eyes with his sandy hands which bothered him and all wet wipes did was waste time. I will never go to the beach (or sand box) without it from now on.

Many may brush off the 'First Aid Kit', but we did have a small incident where my husband cut his hand - so at minimum I suggest packing Band-Aids and Neosporin. 

Clothing wise, I forgot to pack long sleeves. I just thought 'hot beach hot beach hot beach'. Fortunately my husband was better prepared and I was able to borrow his during the trip. You will likely come across an air conditioned environment or a chilly night time, so it's best to bring a couple layers. Thankfully I managed to pack my toddler a hoodie and long pants which came in handy. While we are on the topic of baby clothes - pack double what you plan to! Their clothes are so small anyway, it doesn't hurt to be prepared for anything.

When we travel with our toddler I always bring a baggie and leave it out within reach. He tends to get nauseous quite easily especially if he just had a meal (he threw up twice on the bus ride home). If you plan on going on a boat or long car ride - you can salvage everyone's clothes and seat by having this and lots of wipes out.

Last note - sun protection. I love the sunblock that you can spray - it's so easy to apply (especially on kids that don't sit still or can't be bothered) and applies much more evenly. Don't forget to cover your ears and feet and reapply every few hours.  I also recommend a canopy if you are going with a family instead of lugging multiple umbrellas. Tip: I got Chase to wear his sunhat by telling him he can only play in the sand if he wears it! 

Save this Check List - It's a printable image I made just for you!

Napping tip: Chase sleeps best if he eats and drinks after play time. Change them out of their swim diaper and put on normal ones - Chase once got a diaper rash because we didn't know that swim diapers don't breathe. Find or provide shade, then sneak on sunglasses since there are no black out shades on the open beach for a longer nap. Your little one will appreciate a small pillow if you can manage one (I used my spare dress and his small blanket). Now you can really kick back and relax!

If you're packing food - this chicken wing recipe and corn will be a crowd favorite for both kids and adults! My sister-in-law Linda is an amazing home cook and of course she would find this! From Bonappetit.com, serves 4 - marinade altogether for at least one hour or overnight and grill for 15-20 minutes on medium heat.

• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/4 chopped fresh oregano
• 1/4 chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt, pepper
• 2 pounds chicken wings

Now have a blast and make lots of memories!! Thanks for reading!

Paris: Eats

As you may know from Instagram, I just came back from Paris with my girlfriends! I was there for nearly a week and here are all the food spots we hit up - not one was a bust~ So I thought I'd share them with you! I will definitely be going to back to all these places if I'm lucky, and I hope you get to try them too. Special thanks to my friends Grace, Nancy, Jen, Hyunmin, Carol, and Carin (and even their friends) for the recommendations :) 

La Cuisine de Philippe

Restaurant, 25 Rue Servandoni

Hands down - I had to start with this gem that we fortunately discovered on yelp about an hour before we sat down for dinner. I find myself often calling places a "gem", but when I do I really mean it. The space is quite small and the chef, the sweetest old man, came out with a big smile and greeted every table which made the dinner more special. He must have known what he was doing because I felt like I experienced "made with love" for the first time from an establishment the way you would at someone's home. Once you take the first spoonful of the soufflé you will know what I mean even if you don't catch him. Just writing this makes my heart ache for one right now. I felt like I've never had a proper soufflé until now. Both the savory and sweet were the dreamiest things that ever touched my lips. The "salted caramel" I ordered for the sweet one may sound rich, but is light and elegantly not too sweet at all. The soufflés felt like eating a warm cloud that could cure anything. I would probably hop off the plane and go straight here next time. I also really loved looking at all the authentic posters on the walls. 

 

Little Breizh  

Restaurant, 11 Rue Grégoire de Tours

This is the spot my friend Hyunmin would "sing praises" about 5 times a day. She's been here before and I feel so lucky she brought me back with her for brunch! Gosh, writing this post is more difficult than I expected it to be as my mouth is drooling onto the keyboard. They got that perfect crunchy texture down and paired with a refreshing cider. I'm pretty sure I'll order cider from now on whenever I can with my crepes. We tried the egg and tomatoes - look at that presentation! Best part is, it tastes better than it looks. I'm pretty sure this is the epitome of the art of the crepe.  

Angelina  

Tea House, 226 Rue de Rivoli

Our hotel was on the same street as this cafe so we came every morning for a croissant, coffee, or a midday pastry to go. My personal favorite is the chestnut flavored, super smooth mont blanc pastry (though I'm biased since I haven't tried them all). On our last day we were about to have breakfast next door at Hotel Le Meurice (where the president of Korea was currently staying!) but once we got there, didn't feel that the menu or venue (though absolutely stunning and screams "Paris") justified the breakfast price. So we dashed to our now familiar cafe and were happy we did in the seated area. The fruit salad came with a perky sauce that I loved, the only flavor I could pinpoint was the lime zest which I detected with my eyes first. Please get this to share, it's so fresh and I would love to try to recreate it if I could for a picnic. The truffle eggs could have been amazing but I couldn't really taste the truffle, so you might as well just order the normal eggs and save the extra euros. The smoked salmon came in a croissant cut as a sandwich which I haven't really seen in NY (going to recreate this delicious idea as well!) They are known for their "famous" hot chocolate - apparently I tried it in their other location (just across the street from La Cuisine de Philippe - a more modern interior with beautiful gray chairs) last time, but to be honest I don't remember what it tasted like.

Pirouette  

Restaurant, 5 Rue Mondétour

Grace kept thanking us for coming with her here because she wanted to try it, but hello? We are the thankful ones for her finding it for us to try! Hopefully you will too! The ambience is all wood with large wine shelves which has a nice feel but casual at the same time. The price point reflects this at 40 euros for 3 courses. If you are a New Yorker like myself, this is amazing because the plates are equivalent, if not more interesting than the fine dining here such as Jean Georges. "On the bistro side for its prices and friendliness, while clearly gastronomic for its top level cookery." Worth every penny!

Carette  

Pastry Shop, 4 Place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre

This is a quintessential girls brunch spot right by the Eiffel Tower. Most of us will order the fluffy eggs again every time (make that extra chives) with juice and coffee. The salads here are a hearty portion and the presentation will wow you. I am a huge fan of their lovely plates and when you visit, do notice the sweet flower tiles on the entrance floor! I am reading other reviews online that the pastries are yummier at some of the other shops mentioned in this blog post - so go for lunch, pop over to the Tour Eiffel, and then get dessert at the next spot!

Sadaharu Aoki

Chocolate and Pastry Shop, 35 Rue de Vaugirard

This is the ultimate gift stop for friends, family and coworkers back home. I'm not particularly a chocolate lover except when it comes to this place! The texture is so smooth and really feels luxurious. I love that these chocolates have "flavors" besides the obvious chocolate flavor. I'm such a big fan of the yuzu that I got a package of just yuzu ones for us to snack on. Another stand out piece is their wasabi flavored chocolate which is surprisingly delectable, not too strong yet not too subtle! Their sesame pastry was a stand out for me and I have a new bucket list to try next time: the sesame noir macaron and green tea croissant. They have locations in Tokyo but there are items on their menu exclusive to Paris.

Le Clown Bar  

Modern European Restaurant, 114 Rue Amelot

When my friend Carol, who has been a chef for literally the world's best restaurants, suggested this charmingly small and whimsical restaurant for dinner I knew we would be in for a treat! Sure enough, it's one of those special meals I will never forget in my life, which considering my memory is saying a lot. During our meal I was made aware that it is run by Japanese chefs cooking French cuisine and won "Best Bistro of 2015 in all of France" which is pretty remarkable. Having known that, I could see the Japanese undertones which they worked beautifully into their dishes. Back home I am not the most adventurous eater but something happens to me when I travel and become more open minded, especially for local dishes. For instance, I figured as long as the cow brain was not served looking like one, it would be alright? Nope! It was presented looking exactly the way you would picture a brain - a whole cranium. There, sitting in a clear broth. You know what? Once I got passed that it objectively tasted very pleasant - perfect for the rainy night that it was (and we were sitting outside under heat lamps). After that, the pigeon dish (a dark meat bird) didn't seem very foreign at all and the claw didn't phase me as much as it otherwise would have. I believe that is one of their star dishes. We ordered many dishes to share and paired the meal with an orange wine (a type of rosé) which happened to be a live wine! (I just wrote about the first live wine I tried a couple blog posts ago in the South of France). It was fun to experience new things with friends and learn so much in one unforgettable dinner. We ended the meal with a few desserts where the plating was thoughtfully done until the end. The fresh strawberries were garnished with dainty local white flowers. The attention to detail all around is probably why they are so successful.

Café de Flore  

Cafe, 172 Boulevard Saint-Germain

Café de Flore is simply iconic and a full Parisian experience with big names associated with it. Apparently Karl Largerfeld is a frequent diner - check out Chanel Fall 2015's collection and you will see the inspiration everywhere right down to the green and red chairs as the texture of their boy bag. I even ran into Maya of 'Jack's wife Freda' (a charming restaurant in NY) in the bathroom stall last time I was here! It seems everyone comes here to be inspired! Food wise I found myself reordering the green beans and french onion soup, and shared what felt like everything on the menu as a table. The outdoor area is first come first serve - I wish you luck on a beautiful sunny day!

Colette  

Store, 213 Rue Saint Honoré

Under the "cool" (for lack of a better word) store, great for hip nice gifts, is a restaurant with very satisfying tasty food! The truffle risotto played a big role in that opinion. Anything bursting with truffle flavor is pretty much automatically amazing in my books, but the texture, temperature and marrying with the crunchy fresh lettuce was really excellent. I also loved that their salad was overflowing with fresh ingredients. Citron pressé (simply lemon juice where you add the sweetener and water as you please to make lemonade) is served in France, and I really savored it because the batch was extra sour and the portion was larger than I'm used to. Cute random note: the bathroom here is labeled "Pipi room" :)

Les Marquis de Ladurée  

Chocolate Shop, 14 Rue de Castiglione

Though I didn't buy anything this time around (last time I got a cat box for my Laduree box collection since it's cheaper here as a local shop than in the US), it's a stop I just need to make and pop in ever since I saw in on my friend Carin's Instragram page (@ParisinFourMonths). Though its another small space, the decor is SO MY JAM! The difference from the Laduree we are all familiar with is that this one specializes in chocolates and macarons.

L’Eclair de Génie  

Pastry Shop, 32 Rue Notre Dame des Victoires

Also one I spotted from @ParisinFourMonths' instagram feed - I must be a sucker for yuzu flavors because I keep getting that one even though some of the others are more beautifully decorated. I always think I wont be able to eat an entire eclair and then am surprised how quickly they disappear into my tummy without making me feel a thing - it must be because the pastry is airy and not too sweet. They are perfectly portioned delicious treats! 

Café Pouchkine  

Restaurant, 2 Rue des Francs Bourgeois

We popped into a different location across the street from Café de Flore, but that one was darker and moodier so I tagged this location for you guys. Though it's in a department store and not quite a sit down cafe I prefer that it's much more charming and over the top fabulous. I regret not trying the rose shaped pastry pictured above - I always admired it's beautiful craftsmanship, I wonder how it tastes!

Relais de l'Entrecôte Saint-Germain  

French Steakhouse Restaurant, 20 Rue Saint-Benoît

It seems like everyone already knew about this place for its steak frites. There was a long line - probably the only line we waited on even considering the rain. There's only one thing on the menu. I absolutely love places like that (Korea has a bunch of those joints whereas I can barely think of in NY). You KNOW it's going to be good. I licked my plate. If I had a photo of my plate - it was white after. Their dessert menu was much more extensive which was fun. The atmosphere is similar to an American diner, but obviously French. I loved the experience, probably more than the food. If I had eaten it elsewhere I wouldn't have thought it was something extraordinary. Who am I kidding though - like I said, I licked my plate clean! (There's a location in NY but I don't think it's as popular here).

Kunitoraya  

Japanese Restaurant, 5 Rue Villedo

I remember Grace ate here multiple times and I did not want to leave Paris without trying it. It seems the Japenese really know how to do it well in Paris. The udon noodles had that perfectly chewy texture. The decor was creative for such a small space with the large kites (?) running across both sides hanging from the ceiling. Decor can have a tremendous impact because the ambience would have been ordinary without them. (The photo above does it any justice - it's much more vibrant in person). Maybe it's because I'm Asian, but I can have Asian cuisine anytime anywhere. The broth and beer was equivalent to a spa treatment - soothing and relaxing, especially on a rainy day. (It rained pretty much the entire time I was there, but it was romantic)

Michel Cluizel

Chocolate Shop, 201 Rue Saint Honoré

Jen and I were scurrying down the street when we halted in front of the window display. The adorable miniature baguettes caught our attention when we immediately realized they were chocolates! I was so distracted by the chocolates disguised as baguettes and sardines that I didn't bother to look around the rest of the shop. This is a really cute place to grab some gifts as well - Nancy had left Paris by then and regretted not being able to buy some after seeing our finds. Well! Great thing I am writing this post because while researching, I found out that NYC has it's very own - baguettes, sardines and all! On 199 Madison Ave 35th street! Pst - you can just buy some here and pretend it was from Paris if there were any gifts you forgot. ;)

Paris is one of those cities you can keep going back to and not have enough days to eat (and see) everything. Please feel free to add more recommendations in the comments below! 

• Photos are both my own as well as found images from the internet

Feature: JencooksKorean Egg Muffins

One of my dearest friends and home cook blogger, JencooksKorean, is always making me drool with her amazing recipes. She often invites us for a love-filled homemade dinner at her beautiful home. Here, we'll share an easy yet impressive snack with you straight from her kitchen. We chose to make egg muffins as #yolkporn has been blowing up on social media and thought you'd probably love to try this! 

Jen is an excellent hostess, and she without fail goes above and beyond. There's always cheese and crackers as well as a glass of wine when she and her husband welcome you. Their place has a beautiful view of the river and there's constant laughter as she keeps it as real as it gets. I feel like you can sense that kind of warmth in a person's cooking. Bon appetit!

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• ½ cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon cooking oil

Mix together ingredients and cook in a 400 degree Farenheit oven for 10-15min depending on the size of the muffin. Pour the muffin mix into the pan, about halfway crack an egg and cover the rest with mix to the top. Check to see if the egg is cooked through after 10min and continue cooking until the egg is firm. Garnish with scallions and/or peppers if you please.