KatieLoeb

The Mummer's Museum at 2nd & Washington. Doesn't get any more unique or any more Philly than that. The Archaeology Museum at Penn is a great suggestion. The Franklin Institute is a very cool place to have parties - I worked several in my years back doing catering. One of the most unique venues I've ever seen/worked at is the Mütter Museum Davio's restaurant has a private room with a gorgeous terrace. Amazing views of the city. The food is excellent as well. Restaurant XIX (Nineteen) on the top floor of the Park Hyatt Bellvue hotel has spectacular views of the city and is also a drop dead gorgeous space. There's a great deck at the Kimmel Center under that beautiful vaulted ceiling that is worth checking out as well.

It's Friday afternoon and tomorrow is my first real day off in almost two weeks. I'm sipping a Ti Punch made with the La Favorite Agricole Blanc and some of Ed's wonderful cane syrup as I type this. Great way to start off the weekend. It's almost like a little vacation in a glass.

Kretch, if you come into Amada (we serve lunch 11:30AM-2:30PM Mon-Fri), look for me behind the bar and introduce yourself.

Great scenery! Including all the handsome young men. :Sigh:

Tapenade and I need to compare notes. I've been making my Sephardic Charoset for several years now, so I think my friends and family are tired of it. I need to try something new. When Passover rolls around again remind Tapenade to share his recipe and add it to RecipeGullet for the rest of us! ← Here is a picture of Tapenade's charoset: He is a bit protective of this recipe. He won't even tell my family what is in the recipe. I will try a butter him up for you. ← Thanks Michelle! Tapenade's charoset looks very good, and fairly similar to mine. Lots more fruits, nuts and spices than the standard "mortar". I suspect our recipes have just a few variations between them.

Anyone tried the Baffert's gin or the Baffert's Mint Gin, which I have a sample bottle of in my posession? I'll go try mix something up with it and I'll report back. I'm thinking minted gin + pineapple might be good. edited to add: 2.5 oz. Baffert's Mint Gin .5 oz. Giammona Pineapple syrup 1 barspoon fresh lime juice A tasty and refreshing cocktail. The Baffert's Mint gin (and I suspect their regular gin as well) has definitely been formulated with the vodka drinker in mind. Nonetheless, this drink is a winner and would probably sell well in a commercial environment.

Michelle: Thanks so much for doing this blog. It's been like a mini vacation for me. So much to see and eat!! I'm jealous of the lovely fruits and vegetables - and those cheeses!! I drool and live vicariously. Tapenade and I need to compare notes. I've been making my Sephardic Charoset for several years now, so I think my friends and family are tired of it. I need to try something new. When Passover rolls around again remind Tapenade to share his recipe and add it to RecipeGullet for the rest of us!

This may be true in theory, but of course that's only if you get CAUGHT! Bubblewrapped bottles in plain boxes with lots of packing peanuts have made the trip before. Don't ask me how I know this. Yeah - me too, but sometimes it's nice to play around and find more ways to go through your supply faster. It just makes the next batch get started quicker.

I had the rare pleasure of being a guest at Amada last night, since I don't often get the chance to do that. I took my nephew for dinner after the afternoon performance of Cirque du Soleil and we had a lovely early supper together. The ham croquettes and two different kinds of oysters (Newport Cove and Cape May Salts) were a big hit with my date. Did I mention that he's nine years old and will eat anything that doesn't run faster than he does? He also really enjoyed the Hamachi special that was served with tarragon oil and watermelon foam. I turned my head for a moment to speak to one of my co-workers, and when I turned back, it was GONE! The lamb chops and garlic shrimp got two thumbs up too. And Chocolate Five Ways for dessert and a bite of my Banana Ice Cream sandwich were also well received. When I took him home the first thing he said to his sister was, "You gotta get Aunt Katie to take you to Amada too! You'll really like it!!". That's my boy!

Peanutgirl: Glad it all worked out for you. Nephew and I enjoyed the show too, although he thought that most of the music was "the wierdest thing he'd ever heard". Some of the Cirque music is like a cross between Enya and Klezmer music on acid, so I get what he meant. We were sitting over on the side by the orchestra so we got a good view of them playing and the singers too. Very cool show and I highly recommend it. On your recommendation I'll have to try Viet Huong next time I'm jonesing for pho. Sounds like they do it right. Nice that you found somewhere that could feed the whole family something they'd eat!

Heidi, your limoncello looks positively gorgeous! Great job. I hope your friends that are fortunate enough to be on your gifting list are appreciative. Perhaps you could add a tag tied on with a ribbon that has a few serving suggestions or cocktail recipes on it? There are some delicious limoncello cocktail recipes HERE.

So this obviously means that the Middle Eastern grocer is no more? Pity - they had some items in there that Bitar's around the corner didn't have. I'll look forward to checking this place out soon. Thanks for the report, Sandy.

A lot of places do this, most famously I think is Capital Grill who calls it a Stoli-doli martini, since they (claim) to make their pineapple infused vodka with Stolichnaya. It's quite tasty. I prefer pineapple infused cachaca myself, but the vodka is pretty good and it's very easy to make.

I learned that not everyone will look at me as though I had three heads when I get excited about muddling or making wild syrups and tinctures with which to flavor my creations. It's nice to hang out with like minded professionals and swap some information, learn a thing or two from each other and generally just have a few drinks on the other side of the bar for a change.

My best friend's boss just came back from a trip to Italy and brought her a box of real Perugina chocolates. I got to have two of them earlier tonight. That was absolutely exactly what my crampy bloated disgusting self needed. Nectar of the Gods.

Awesome. Very happy for Colin and Renee, two of the harding working folks I've met. The space issues were the only bad thing I could have said about the old place because I always loved it, but the addition of a bar doing retro cocktails is a major plus and right up my alley. I'll definitely check out the new digs on my next trip to NY.

As much as I love the sound of this tart, I have to agree that it sounds a bit rich and autumnal for such warm weather. How about a small individual ricotta or goat cheese/gorgonzola dolce cheesecake garnished with the port poached figs for something a bit more summery and tangy??

Dennis was kind enough to forward this link to me. The article isn't new news (MAy 2005), but it is quite interesting. CA Wines Cost Less Back East

Hey! I'm taking my nephew to that show as well! We're heading to Amada afterward, but only because he always likes to see where Aunt Katie works. If we were sticking around that area I'd probably take him to Sabrina's, La Lupe or Plaza Garibaldi (9th & Federal and 9th & Washington, both Mexican), International Smokeless BBQ (6th & Washington, Korean BBQ and other Asian), or Marra's (Passyunk Avenue - really great Pizza).

I don't think your problems at Marrakesh were the result of it being restaurant week. That place has been appallingly bad for a very long time. They've been coasting on a reputation earned back in the eighties when they were the first and only Morroccan restaurant in the city. Try Fez on 2nd Street, both the food and service are much better than Marrakesh. I do agree with you that restaurants shouldn't participate if they can't handle it.

On a more topical note: Tonight's effort: The Cuban Manhattan (a faked up version of a drink served locally at The London Grill, one of my (many) former employers) 2.5 oz. Appleton VX Rum 1 oz. Cherry Kijafa .5 oz. Martini & Rossi Bianco Vermouth Shake vigorously over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry*. * I have three dozen fresh dark Bing cherries soaking in 16 oz. Gosling's Dark Rum to (hopefully) make Cherry Dark 'n Stormys in a few weeks. When done soaking I intend to save these cherries to garnish this drink.

Thanks for reminding me! I actually did know about that so I definitely need to send the recipe to Gary.

HD73: If any restaurant is charging more than normal on a "special" promotion evening then that's just wrong. The fact that it leaves you feeling ripped off doesn't surprise me in the least. I'd feel exactly the same way. I appreciate your theory regarding the high end "special occasion" restaurants. You'd be surprised I think, that although they are special occasion places for most of us mere mortals, those sorts of places survive because they actually do have a regular clientele. Probably no one we hang with, but a regular clientele nonetheless. No one at the high end can survive by merely being a special occasion restaurant. Too many bills to pay what with the expensive stemware, expensive ingredients, fine china and tabletop accoutrement, those big assed flower arrangements everywhere, etc. The impetus for the restaurant behind participation in Restaurant Week or Book & Cook or whatever is the big promotion, PR and advertising that's paid for by the Center City Proprietors Association or whomever else. Book & Cook is a pretty big tourist attraction. Back when it started it was begun as a way to get out of towners into the city to fill up the hotels and restaurants during a traditionally "dead" time in early March. Restaurant Week, in theory, is to get new potential clients in your door and wow them. Problem is, they aren't wowed because you can't afford to do your best work for them. To have a place that normally has a $50/person check average (before beverages) give an effective 40% discount for a full week is really cutting into their usual revenues. The restaurants start to overbook the instant the schedule and participating restaurants are announced. Add in the bad attitude customers and overworked and undertipped staff and it's a recipe for disaster. No good can come of it. I suspect we're both right to a certain degree. If Restaurant Week had been your first experience at Lolita, by your own admission you'd have never gone back. But hopefully, you're a person that goes out more that four times per year. Twice during Restaurant Weeks and once each for a birthday or anniversary.

Yesssss! Pure genius.

Meg!!! So sorry I missed you! I've heard nothing but wonderful things about your restaurant too, so I promise I'll come down and introduce myself on a night other than a Monday. I have several friends that live in Wilmington and rave about your place and have even offered me a couch if I get too tipsy, which given what I've read/heard is highly likely to occur. <hic> So which sangria did you try, the red or the white?? And let me second Philadining's congrats on the Best Wine Bar award from Philly mag. That's wonderful recognition for the hard work that I know goes into doing what you do. Looking forward to seeing you sometime soon!