Keeping Things Fresh

And.....my first year at Darden is over.  Just like that, nine months raced by and I now suddenly find myself packing up this week and heading back to the tri-state area for the summer.  I really feel like asking myself, what just happened?  Back in August I was asking myself if I was ready to be a student again.  Had I made the right choice leaving my job and forgoing 52 paychecks over two years to change my path?  Diana and I were leaving our friends and family behind and had really no idea what to expect.  Were we making the right decision?

I'm not sure when it happened, but at some point during the fall, Charlottesville began to feel like home.  Not that New York City did not, because it will always be a huge part of who we are, but C'ville became a 2nd home pretty quickly.  While we always thought of ourselves as city people, we quickly became suburban-ites.  We were wine tasting, hiking, and of all things, driving...what was happening!?!?

Not only that, but I came into Darden as an accountant who transitioned into corporate finance in the banking world.  That was my professional identity.  At Darden, I suddenly became a blank slate.  Now I am going to be interning in a marketing/brand management role in the CPG industry.  Me, who felt my entire career was already defined and felt trapped before school (at the ripe old age of 27), was becoming a marketer?  Talk about a change.

I still have an entire summer and another year of school to go, but if this experience has taught me anything it is that change is refreshing.  Even if it is not as dramatic as uprooting your life and moving to a new city, or changing your professional aspirations, opening yourself up to something new is invigorating.  Every once in awhile switch things up.  This is what keeps life interesting.

C'Ville Food Kick-Off

Diana and I have only been in Charlottesville for about two weeks now, but we have already managed to eat our way through the town (offset by a few runs, hikes, and squash sessions). Armed with some recommendations from friends and our own eagerness to explore, we set out to find some favorites. As per usual, I have posted the running list of the 10 most recent restaurants on the righthand side of the blog, but here are a few of the highlights:

The Local

This was our first dinner out in Charlottesville. Located in the Belmont neighborhood, this place features fresh, farm-to-table regional fare. The highlights included $3 bud lights (this will never get old), the burratta appetizer with heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil, olive oil, and crostinis, and a bacon wrapped meatloaf entree (how can that be bad?).

Mas

Also located in Belmont, Mas is a spanish tapas restaurant with a huge menu. Each dish can be

ordered as a tapas or full entree size and are great for sharing. The bacon wrapped dates (notice a theme here?), roasted and salted pequillo peppers, and roast pork loin were my favorites.

Peter Chang's China Grill

This is the #1 restaurant I wanted to try in Charlottesville. I had read about the chef, Peter Chang, in the following article. The guy is thought to be the best Schezuan chef in the U.S. and hops from city to city pretty quickly so you need to catch him while you can. We went with a large group and got a table with a lazy susan, so sharing was plentiful. Pretty much everything at this restaurant was a highlight, so I will just list out what we had ranked by how good they were:

1. Crispy pork belly

2. Hot and numbing beef

3. Garlic shrimp pot

4. Scallion pancake balloons

5. Twice cooked pork

6. Spicy fragrant duck

7. Hot and Sour Soup

8. Dan Dan noodles

Bluegrass Grill and Bakery

This is the best breakfast place I've ever been to. Located just off the downtown mall, Bluegrass is extremely casual and boasts a hearty country breakfast menu with a foodie twist. I kept things fairly simple with my order- two over easy eggs, virginia ham, cheese grits, and a whole wheat biscuit, and it was incredible. We also had an order of pig candy, which is essentially crispy bacon covered in syrup and cayenne pepper, served cold. I love bacon.

BBQ Exchange

BBQ Exchange is located about 30 minutes north of Charlottesville in a town called Gordonsville. It was a mix of wet and dry BBQ, and had an incredible selection. The meats by far outweighed the side dishes, but that is the way good BBQ should be. We tried all five meats (chicken, pork, brisket, ribs, and pork belly), and all were terrific but the pork belly was the best. For the sides, I would recommend the pickled green tomatoes and spicy pickles.

All in all, Charlottesville food has been excellent. I will continue to review some more favorite places as I identify them. A few on the list that I want to try are Duners, Continental Divide, and Mono Loco.

NYC Food Greatest Hits

My time as a New Yorker has (temporarily) come to an end. My investigation into the world of Charlottesville eats is already underway, but nothing can compare to the varied world of New York City food. Many people have asked me what my favorite eateries are for different neighborhoods, types of cuisine, or even favorite dishes I encountered over the past five years. Below is a comprehensive but non-exhaustive list of some of my all-timers:

Best BBQ: Dinosaur BBQ

Best soul food: Amy Ruth’s (fried chicken and waffles)

Best fancy Italian: Scarpetta

Best mediteranean: Karam (chicken shawrama platter)

Best deli: Katz's

Best burger: Zaitzef (add cheese and hot pepper)

Best sandwiches: Defonte's (hot pork sandwich)

Best cheap italian: Via Emilia

Best paella: Socarrat Pallea Bar

Favorite asian dish: Duck sausage with spicy rice cakes, Momufuku Ssam

Best cheap burrito place: Dos Toros

Best brunch: Noho Star

Best expensive American food: Blue Hill

Best tapas: Kuma Inn

Best chicken parm sandwich: Torrisi Italian Specialties

Best dumplings: Excellent Dumping House

Best steakhouse: Peter Lugar's

Best somewhat fancy mexican: Yerba Buena- West Village

Best Slice: Artichoke (plain slice)

Best desserts/cakes/bakery: Lulu’s Cake Boutique

Best fancy thai: Kin Shop

Boston Favorite in NYC

During my time at BU, my friends and I made fairly frequent trips to Harvard Square. I quickly discovered that the best part of these visits were our stops at L.A. Burdick, a small chocolate shop off the beaten path of Harvard Square. I thought that this was a small mom and pop shop, but a few months ago I discovered that they also have an outpost in NYC only a few blocks from my apartment. The store is located on 20th street between Broadway and 5th Ave.

In my opinion, L.A. Burdick has the best drink in New York City- an Iced Chocolate. It is essentially a rich, creamy hot chocolate poured over ice. The chocolate is incredibly rich, but the ice cuts the sweetness and makes for a refreshing snack. It is a bit pricey at $5, but in my opinion well worth it as I have not had anything comparable anywhere else. I recommend you try one.

The Best Show on TV

Last Friday night, The Best Show on TV returned from a long hiatus (satellite TV does not count). Believe it or not, The Best Show on TV does not involve fat people or dancing. The Best Show on TV, at least for the next few months, is Friday Night Lights. And it isn't even close.

I haven't loved a show and its characters this much since The O.C. and Sandy Cohen. It captivates me for a full hour each week and always leaves me wanting more. Most other shows I watch with a laptop in my lap, and iPhone in my hand, or a magazine in front of me- not FNL. FNL deserves me undivided attention because each episode feels like a masterpiece.

The show is in its fifth and final season, which honestly just baffles me. How was this show cancelled when terrible and unwatchable shows return season after season? I just picked up the Entertainment Weekly next to me, and here is a sampling of the top watched shows from last week: American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Undercover Boss, Amazing Race 18 (18?!?!?), and Secret Millionaire. At times I have enjoyed the Amazing Race, but CBS has no interest in holding off on Amazing Race 19 next year in order to show a sixth season of Friday Night Lights? Like most quality programming, it has a loyal audience that swears by the show, but I guess that wasn't enough. Maybe it should have been called Thursday Night Lights so it could be aired on Thursdays?

Here are the top few reasons why I love the show:

1. Small Town Life- I love the depiction of what life is like in small town Texas, particularly the scenes at the beginning of each episode with the local radio host narrating. I also love the shots of the town shutting down on game day. The scenery is beautiful and transports me to another part of the country.

2. The Characters- The show has done a great job developing new characters and making the audience truly care about them. A few of my all-time favorites include Eric and Tami Taylor, Tim Riggins, Matt Saracen, Buddy and Lyla Garrity, and Vince Howard.

3. The Camera Work- Extremely creative camera shots and angles. My favorite technique that they deploy is zooming in on a character's face who isn't the focal point of the scene. It provides prospective on what is occurring and enriches each character's personality

4. Goosebumps Factor- The show consistently gives me goosebumps. Whether it is a huge win, an inspirational speech, or a sad or emotional moment, the show really hits a nerve. Peter Berg, the show's writer for all five seasons, combines great sports stories with human emotion and life cycle events, and always leave me wanting more.

The show seems to be finishing up almost as strongly as it began. These first two episodes have been some of my favorites of the series. I plan on enjoying the show over the next few months, and once the series finale airs, I plan on rewatching all of the episodes over again, starting with season 1. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose!

Playing for Keep(er)s

Most people do not understand fantasy baseball. They ask, "How can you spend 27 hours a week managing a fake baseball team?" I just shrug and laugh it off. It is my national pastime, my #1 hobby, and the primary way I spend my non-working and non-sleeping hours. I'm not asking you to understand, but rather only to tolerate my obsession.

In my fantasy league, you are able to designate 3 "keepers", or players that you can roll-over from your previous year's team to your current year's team. This year, I selected Josh Hamilton, my namesake, to be one of my keepers. He is the reigning AL MVP and a 5 tool player, all for a 4th round fantasy value! Today, Josh Hamilton hurt his shoulder, and it turns out that it was a small displaced fracture of the "humerus" bone. Well I don't think there is anything "humorous" about this. He is out 4-8 weeks, and I am going to need to piece together a solution.

Hamilton is the type of player who is fun to watch (or a pleasure to own as I like to say), and it is disappointing to know I won't be seeing him for a few months. It is like a friend going on an extended vacation or moving away- I am going to miss him. So this post goes out to Josh Hamilton- get well soon my man, the Amazin's need you back ASAP.

Home Sweet Home

I love going out to eat more than anyone. I love researching restaurants, studying menus, and just enjoying the food. However, nothing can compare to a home cooked meal in my apartment by Diana. Personally, I think Diana is an amazing cook. She does a great job of mixing it up while still always cooking delicious foods. In no particular order, here are the ten best things that Diana cooks:

1. Thai chicken pizza- so many complex flavors and textures (thai chicken, sprouts, peanuts, veggies)

2. Eggplant parmigiana- baked in a glass dish so the eggplant gets crispy

3. Turkey meatballs- combo of turkey meat and sausage (thanks Carabelli!)

4. Brisket- I think it involves ketchup and brown sugar

5. Healthy cookies- I don't know what goes into them, but they taste great

6. Penne with sausage- sauteed with oil and crisps up the garlic pieces

7. Brussel sprouts- with shallots, crisps up the leaves

8. Sea Bass- cooked with squash and red pepper

9. Buffalo chicken dip- best superbowl food that is out there

10. Mondel bread- I like the chocolate chip ones, but cinnamon/sugar are pretty good too

As long as we are on the subject of home cooked meals, I should tell you about a dish that I cooked recently for Diana's birthday.

As much as I love food, I am really not much of a chef (more of a sous-chef/dishwasher than

anything). However, I cooked Nobu style Miso Black Cod for Diana, and it was incredible.

In fact, we went to Nobu a few weeks later and ordered the dish and could barely taste the difference between what they served and what I cooked. I recommend it to anyone who is not

much of a cook but is still looking to make a high-end type meal. It was easy to make (once you track down the somewhat exotic ingredients). Refer to the recipe here.