The Stories of our Lives

I gained 10 pounds. I don’t blame the NY trip solely – the end of breast-feeding and my own self-indulgence in sweets as of late haven’t helped – but that series of yummy meals… *sigh*

Here’s our menu. Why? Just so that I can take comfort in the memories of delicious food as I’m chewing away on celeri sticks for the next 12 months.

Friday

Brunch on the road at the Golden Corral
- Greasy breakfast buffet for us both

Dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe
- Shared appetizer: Garlic olive oil dripped on toasted baguette bread, topped with herb cream cheese and bruschetta
- Frank: BBQ Hamburger with bacon, and fries
- Émilie: California Club Sandwich (a good grilled chicken & bacon sandwich, but I ordered distractedly… what I really wanted was a grilled chicken sandwich with avocado, tomato and swiss cheese)

Saturday

Breakfast at the hotel (Newark Liberty Marriott)
- Buffet set up for our group: eggs, potatoes, oatmeal, yogurt, bagels, pastries, fresh fruit. It was good quality food, and it’s where we ate breakfast all three mornings.

Lunch at the Positano, pasta place in Little Italy
- Frank: Carbonara fettucine (incredible stuff) and a glass of wine
- Émilie: Bolognese lasagna (which arrived before me 5 minutes after ordering)

Dinner at Uno, South Street Seaport
- Frank: Breaded and baked chicken topped with salad.
- Émilie: Grilled chicken breast stuffed with spinach, tomatoes, brocoli, pesto and cheese; side of twice-baked grattin mashed potatoes, and grilled veggies.

Sunday

Lunch at 2:30pm (starving!), at Big Nick’s Burger & Pizza Joint Too
- Both shared a whole 16″ pizza with chopped beef, mushroom, garlic…

Dinner at Planet Hollywood
- Frank: Salad with grilled marinated chicken and blue cheese dressing
- Émilie: Bruschetta appetizer (which betrays my sweet spot for bruschetta, and which was quite enough – I was still stuffed from mi-afternoon pizza).
- Back at the hotel: Each a slice of strawberry cheesecake from Junior’s

Monday

Lunch at the Essex World Cafe
- Frank: Turkey Panini
- Émilie: Tuna melt sandwich
- Shared an Oreo Brownie for dessert

Dinner on the road at the Golden Corral, again
- Dinner buffet for both

——
That wraps it up for the trip – visiting and eating covers pretty much all we did during our stay. We might go back on other visits meanwhile, but we reflected that it would be neat to go back in ten years for (quick calculation) our 20ieth anniversary, with the kids aged 12 and 10.