More Proof That You Should Travel With Baby

I don't usually love the travel coverage in the NY Times, but this story, Traveling in Southeast Asia With a Rock-Star Baby, is great. It's not going to tell you where to go and what to do, but it should give you the confidence (and motivation) to take your baby to Southeast Asia. It makes me (almost) want to have a baby just so I can go and see for myself. 

(photo from article, taken by author, Jennifer Bleyer)

Better Late Than Never

I've been sick all week, and completely forgot to post about my husband's William Brown Project event TODAY at Partners and Spade . If you happen to be reading this, and are going to be in the lower part of Manhattan today, do stop by and say hello. He'll be selling his own red wine vinegar, lard from our pigs, and champagne sabreing kits. (12-6pm)

Ageism Jr.

Sam Sifton wrote a piece in the Times on Friday, about taking your kids to Peter Luger. His take isn't actually so interesting--what I liked reading was the comments from readers. I agree with the reader that said that it really depends on what kind of kid you have. You just can't make blanket generalizations about kids--Sifton's being that kids under 10 shouldn't go to Peter Luger. Here's Clara at one of our favorite steak houses in New York, Keen's, where they doted on her.

New Airplane Accessory

I just spotted these at our local food coop the other day. Turns out they have chocolate/peanut butter, chocolate/hazelnut, and a couple of other sweet options. Genius for traveling. 

Buenos Aires with Kids?

It's funny, in one week, I had two emails from different friends about what to do in BA with kids. I've never been, but since I did a little research, I figured I'd post what I found here. 

Travel For Kids 

Kids Can Travel 

Nile Guide 

Christmas Cheer

We did our annual trip to Rockefeller Center last week, and I think I've figured out the best way to do it. Always go on a weekday (way less crowded), go early-ish, know where you're going to dinner, and make it close and/or easy. The dinner nearby is probably the biggest challenge, since every Midtown place that you might want to go to is packed with theater goers at the hour you'd need to go. Or they're too expensive. Or both. You can do a couple of things--hop on the train and take it two stops down on the 6th Ave line, to 34th St. Walk two blocks to Koreatown, which is filled with fantastic Korean restaurants..my favorites are Kum Gang San at 49 W. 32nd, or Kang Suh. Just a block further, between 5th and Madison, on 32nd, is Hangawi . It's vegetarian Korean, and we love it for it's traditional approach--you take off your shoes when you come in. It's definitely more expensive and less raucous of an atmosphere as the others, so if your kids are wound up from too many Christmas cookies, don't come here.  For a more traditional Christmas vibe, there's the pub room at Keen's (on 36th St and 6th Ave), one of my all-time favorites. If you don't want to hop on a train, you could walk up to Menchenko-Tei, on 55th St, for some great Japanese noodles. (See my post on it here .) We were lucky enough to have Clara's grandma with us, and they went to Rockettes--so we took a break at Sardi's and had a drink upstairs. I love the bar up there--they have crocks of cheese and Ritz crackers that go perfectly with their delicious martinis. 

Seaport Without the Mall

We've always wanted to check out the New Amsterdam Market by the Seaport, but never made it there until this Sunday. It happened to be themed "coffee and chocolate" so there were all kinds of passionate coffee and chocolate vendors I'd never heard of, a porchetta sandwich stand from Porchetta (delicious and $5), Saxelby Cheese, and a duck farm from upstate . Of course there was more than that, but that was what we stopped at. It is outside and on the water, so it can be very cold, but the people are very nice and it has a nice vibe, and there is parking right there. Afterwards, you could head across the street to one of our favorite wine shops, Pasanella and Son , and pick up some lambrusco (there's one that has a cloth-like label and looks great--perfect for gifts) for the holidays.  

This Sunday our friend Anne has who has a farm upstate (Old Field Farm/Art and Agriculture ) will be there. I was going to edit down her list of everything they'll have there, but I decided to just cut-and-paste. That way you can see everything they'll have, and you can pre-order some of their amazing pork. I'm going if just to buy some pig-fat soap.

"This year's Humble cuts include our Bacon, Pancetta, Rillettes, Headcheese, Pate de Campagne and fresh Toulouse Sausage.

 We will be bringing a few Noble Cuts on pre-order, for pick up at the Market. $7.00 per pound

 Loin Rack (bone in) average 5 - 10 lbs.

Tenderloins 

Whole spare Ribs average 3 lbs

Whole Shoulder Roast, skin on, bone in, 10 - 15 pounds

Noble Cuts were deep frozen immediately after butchering last week.  They should be kept frozen until use, and then defrosted in the fridge.

Please email artandagriculture@gmail.com if you wish to reserve Roasts or Ribs for which we have limited stock.  We should have plenty of stock on the Humble side, but the Nobles are very first come, first served.

We have amazing ceramics from Natsuko Uchino and Paula Greif - trays, platters, water and syrup vessels, honey pots, bootleg cups, and terrine pots.

We will also be bringing in our honey, maple syrup, delicious and beautiful free-range eggs, tisanes, purification sets of home grown luffas, pig fat soap, smudge sticks, copper age brooms, a few radical books for your holiday enjoyment and more."