may 2023 - Wanderlogue

05.2023

May is a month of celebration. Of sunny days, the first taste of the grueling humidity that summer will bring. The first use of the air conditioning. Flowers in full bloom. Tables and buzz spilling out from restaurants and bars into the sidewalks. Walking home at night because it’s a perfect 70 degrees. May is a month of events and activities. A trip across the country for a grand party. Back to home base for more parties. Celebrating heritage, birthdays, mothers and the beginning of summer.

la, again

Started the month in LA, less than two months since the last trip. This time for a shorter trip. Actually, the shortest period of time spent in California. A little for business, but mostly for play.

Stayed at the newly revamped Hotel Per La, formerly the Nomad. Much of the previous grandeur was kept with only some minor aesthetic updates. The iconic rooftop pool with a new rooftop bar. A convenient and comfortable home base.

While on the best coast, lived the best east side life in the simplest ways. Like stopping by Cookshop, grabbing a coffee at Canyon, and joining a friend for a lap around the reservoir.

And of course also immersed happily into the other end of the aesthetic spectrum. SGV delivered impeccable vibes. I mean, just look at these 99 Ranch finds: star shaped tofu, lipstick shaped chip packaging, the genius branding of MY POTE and WE POTE potato chips. Celebrated the opening of Bafung in Temple City, completing a Taiwan trifecta with Sunmerry and MeetFresh. Everything about Delicious Food Corner.

And a new discovery in Ktown of COIN DE RUE, a perfect bakery cafe that brought out the college student in me with their wifi, ample seating, and even study rooms upstairs. And I mean, the view says it all: HK Market, parking sign perched on a fake palm tree, a billboard for soju, and of course the come and go traffic on Western Ave to stare at.

NEW FIND

Greenpoint never disappoints, but it also seems to just keep getting better.

Radio Bakery is a long awaited new addition to a growing bakery scene in north Brooklyn and it is worth the hype.

Edy’s Grocer has been around for a while but the recent makeover makes it even cuter. The spices and mezze and little pastry case makes it the perfect neighborhood shop.

basking in the glory of spring

New York really sent me off in a 50 degree storm and welcomed me back with the truly unforgiving 80+ humidity before I even had a chance to swap wardrobes. Spring is finally here, but we may have skipped straight into summer.

I really drank the kool-aid this year, feeling compelled to add rhubarb to my farmers market haul, even feeling compelled to buy rhubarb for the first time in my life. And then trying to figure out how to do it justice.

After finding some puff pastry in the back of the freezer (oops), decided to make cheater rhubarb danishes with roasted rhubarb, jasmine cardamom strawberry jam and topped with candied chopped pistachio.

Regardless, warm weather means trips to the farmers market, cooking with seasonal produce, the switch to iced caffeine, and extravagant picnics that are worth trekking all the way up to the northern end of Central Park.

It’s picnic season. Which honestly means I’ll probably picnic once all year. Maybe twice if I’m lucky. But when the urge hits and when there are willing participants, I’m obliged to go all out. The vision was afternoon tea, something that felt fancy enough to be worth trekking up to the Conservatory Garden, a medium brow version upgrade from the typical Trader Joes to Sheeps Meadow habit. Did a quick round in Greenpoint to pick up some carbs and dips, and also brought some homemade treats.

— black raspberry sable with lemon glaze and cornflowers

— matcha yuzu swirled mini pound cake with matcha glaze

— orzo salad with snap peas, breakfast radishes and dill

current obsessions

Nail art. Went a long time without giving into a salon habit but the floodgates have been opened and now the monthly expenses have increased. JennPaint Nail Salon in LA did a great job for gala-worthy nails but alas now it’s impossible to go back.

culture fix

brain candy, and it truly never disappoints

peacock may have a chance yet with this one

end of an era

good bites

Ate rly well this month. Especially in LA.

01 | obligatory mezze spread at marouch, which continues to be one of my all time favorite restaurants

02 | regular programmed meal at bottega louie (gotta say it’s strange to go from thinking of it as a destination restaurant to now being the go-to neighborhood haunt)

03 | finally made it to yang’s kitchen, which was good, but honestly if I’m all the way out in SGV, I would actually rather be eating other things

04 | all vibes but also a remarkably good DineLA menu at farmhouse kitchen, which recently moved into west adams with a rather obnoxious “LA” glow up (but srsly the food is good)

05 | immaculate rooftop vibes at cha cha cha, which might just become a new go-to brunch spot in arts district (sry manuela)

06 | finally finally made it to guelaguetza, which was everything I wanted and more with the mole flight and individually portioned hot chocolate to buy for home

07 | and the most finally first ever meal at hanbat SLT, which truly made me question why I ever left this perfect food city

But wait, there’s more. Main stage headliners aside, the side and in between meals were just as good.

08 | first landing meal, like usual in Sawtelle, feat this tempura bok choy accompanying marugame udon and the latest new flavors at wanderlust

09 | pieced together a meal and a rainy morning walk with coffee at aquarela and a sandwich from eggslut

10 | walked by the pie hole and couldn’t help stopping in for old times sake, and inflation aside, the earl grey pie is still one of my favorite things in the world

11 | the hwoo special bowl at sweetfin tastes like working summer lunches but less depressing

12 | quick brekkie at eyes peeled, and a side quest of tracing past commutes

13 | croft alley in weho is enough of a scene, but in beverly hills was even more of a scene

14 | final meal at rutt’s before reluctantly heading back to LAX

Chapter 2, NYC

A | post show dinner on the UWS meant straight comfort foods only at chama mama

B | really did a three act session starting with reception bar (after giving up on the double chicken please line), then hitting hot pot at da long yi and finishing with ice cream at soft swerve

C | al fresco dining at fish cheeks

D | astoria on a rainy as hell day but arepas cafe made up for it

E | al fresco again, this time at saigon social

F | post massages ramen at wanpaku really hit on a grey muggy day

Monthly matcha check

— Sunright: low brow, low concept

— Alfred: high brow, low concept

— Kettl: high brow, high concept

what's cooking

Fresh, modular, produce-forward was the theme of the month.

01 | pesto grain bowl pt 1 with spicy tahini roasted broccoli, sugar snap salad, pickled onions, herbed yogurt and fried egg

02 | pesto grain bowl pt 2 with herbed slaw, roasted brocolli, pickled onions and a poached egg

03 | fixation meal of colorful vegetable slaw with a spicy almond butter and ponzu dressing, doubling as an excellent noodle salad with the addition of crunchy roasted peanuts too

04 | spicy cold sesame udon with bok choy

05 | pesto pasta with blistered snap peas and tomatoes

06 | spicy chicken “liang ban” salad heavy on the cilantro and scallions