Cajun Cookin' in the Shoebox

Casey and I try to cook from home as often as we can since restaurants here are crazy expensive. One of our favorite recipes is red beans & rice, which we love because it's simple, healthy, and (best of all!) inexpensive. Here are the ingredients (this makes about 4 servings):

1 lb kielbasa

2 cans red kidney beans, low salt

1 can diced tomatoes, low salt

1 large green bell pepper (or 2 small)

1 white onion

1 cup brown rice

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Ingredients for our red beans & rice recipe 

Back in Albuquerque, Casey and I would cook together... one of us would usually cut up vegetables and the other would measure spices and start cooking. Here, however, we have about 1 square foot of counter space to work with, making cooking more of an individual activity. Plus it can get dangerous having knives fly around in such a small space! I've developed other interesting habits after living here for six months, and not all of them are bad. For one, I wash dishes as I go, instead of after I'm through cooking - partly because there isn't any room for dirty dishes except the floor (which I have used in the past...) and partly because I would run out of dishes otherwise. I also have learned to use every surface as workable space, including the top of the microwave and fridge, the sink, and the stove top when it's not on. One habit that hasn't quite stuck yet is removing the dishes from the oven before pre-heating. I usually end up remembering about 15 minutes later, and trying to play Operator with the pans I've left in a 350 degree oven. Fortunately they are pretty durable! 

The one upside to having such a compact kitchen is that very little movement is required on my part. I can basically stand in one spot for a few hours and make an entire meal. Plus since I have to clean as I go, there isn't ever a huge mess at the end like I was used to last year. Lots of little interesting trade offs.

Anyway back to the recipe. The rice gets made separately and takes about 25-30 minutes, depending on how many people you're serving, so that goes on first. Next I slice the kielbasa and toss it into the frying pan for about 5 minutes, until the edges are slightly crisp. You can use turkey kielbasa to cut down on the fat content - I met in the middle and got a turkey / pork / beef kielbasa blend. If you use 100% turkey I'd recommend putting a little olive oil in the pan so the kielbasa doesn't stick.

Turkey / beef / pork blended kielbasa frying

While the kielbasa is cooking, chop up the green pepper and onion so they're ready to go, and toss them in with the meat. Cook until the onion has softened:

Next, add the remaining ingredients (kidney beans, tomatoes, and spices) and simmer the mixture for 20 minutes to blend the flavors. Serve the red bean and kielbasa mix over the rice, and enjoy!

The final product!

Oh and if you like it a little hotter, you can add 1-2 tsp of cayenne instead of just 1/2 tsp. The best part of the recipe is that all of the ingredients (excluding spices) were about $15 - less than $4 per meal. A total steal for NYC!

Dynamite

The public transit system in NYC is one of the best in the world. Here's a nice little stat: 2 out of every 3 people who use public rail systems live in New York. And there's a good reason for that: the system works. Besides the occasional machine that eats your metro card (or accidentally deactivating your $104, 30-day unlimited card on its first day of use by placing it next to your phone), and a few delays here and there, the system is amazingly seamless. The massive network of buses, subways, and trains allows you to get not only everywhere in the city, including the five boroughs, but also to tons of surrounding cities in the northeast. The list is a long one, and includes places like Boston, Philadelphia, Newark, Hartford, and Washington D.C., where Casey and I will be visiting this weekend.

Not only can you travel far and wide, but you can travel with efficiency. This is something that I never understood growing up in the south. In Austin, we had two options for getting from point A to B: either you drive yourself wherever it is you need to be, or you take a bus and increase your travel time by a factor of 5. Sometimes more. Taking the bus was a last-ditch option reserved for those who were desperate - their car was in the shop and 15 people had already given them the "prior obligation" excuse. But in New York City you can save money AND... wait for it... time (!) taking public transit. This lesson has only taken me three or four times to learn - after sitting in a taxi and watching the meter run up to $15, sometimes $20 to go fifty blocks (about 3 and a half miles) I finally learned that taking the subway is almost always quicker.

There are exceptions to the rule, of course, such as when there are delays due to construction or (my personal favorite) an unknown incident involving a police investigation. They never tell you the details of any such investigations, but I always assume that it's something worthy of being on this show. It's more fun that way. Anyway the MTA's website is actually really good about reporting delays and has a trip planner that easily outperforms Google Maps, which I'm quite fond of using.

A question that people often ask me is how many people own cars in the city. According to Wikipedia, 48% of people in NYC own cars, but less than 30% actually drive them to work. Most car owners probably just use their rides to escape the city on the weekends and during the summers, when there seems to be a mass exodus of NYC natives to places like Nantucket and The Hamptons. So, if Wikipedia is correct that means that of the estimated 8.2 million people who live here, close to 4 million of them own cars. Which seems like a lot, considering that I only know a total of three people who own a car here, and I was a personal assistant for all of them. I guess I need to meet more people!

Now, back to the public transit system. Being that it is one of the best and most complex networks in the world, it stands to reason that it needs a little upgrading every now and again. As it happens, one of those upgrades is going on right now, just half a block from our little studio. The Second Avenue Subway project is expected to take 4-5 years to complete, and will bring a much-anticipated expansion of service to Manhattan's east side. I took a few pictures of the above-ground construction going on, and this guy has some awesome pictures of what it looks like beneath the surface. If you enjoy reading updates from the people doing the construction, the MTA has a blurb on the project that can be found here.

Oh, and finally, you may be wondering what "Dynamite" means. The construction crews have been doing controlled blasting for the past few months as they make way for the new subway line. As I said, we are half a block away from where that's taking place. The first time it happened I didn't know that the horn that went off a few minutes before the blast was supposed to serve as a warning, and I just about crawled under my desk / kitchen table in my office / formal dining room / breakfast nook, thinking NY wasn't supposed to get earth quakes. The dynamite blasting is pretty intense, but I admit I may have overreacted just a bit. And here are those photos I mentioned! Until next time.

Our grocery store is hidden behind this massive spread of equipment

Moving Again??

It seems like yesterday that I got a UPS shipment of 25 boxes to our little studio. And yet the time has already come for us to start packing up again. I can't imagine how New Yorkers who live in a one or two bedroom apartment move, much less an actual "house" or town home. Friends of ours recently found out that they were going to be relocated to Denver and had to pack up everything in just a week or so. It was super last minute. They have a one year old girl and a one bedroom apartment, and they had to hire a moving company to pack up and ship all of their stuff. Apparently movers in New York (and maybe in other towns too?) are a total rip off. No matter how good of a deal you think you got, you'll always end up getting screwed somehow. If they charge you an hourly rate, they drag their feet and take breaks every 10 minutes. If you are charged a flat fee, there are lots of hidden costs that spring up -- TV packaging cost, dining room table disassembly cost, mattress storage fee. Things that seem like they should be included in the initial rate, but which inevitably are not.

To avoid such frustrations (and because I'm a bit of a control freak) I decided to do everything myself, starting with finding a self-storage place. (Our current sublease ends before we'll get student housing, so we need storage -- standard minimum, one month). The first place I checked was Manhattan Mini Storage, a company with billboards plastered all over the city advertising rates as low as $29 / month. Awesome! I give them a call, ready for a great quote, and tell the guy I have about 50 cubic feet worth of junk to store. His lowest quote is $170 for a month ($159 if I sign up for 9 months!) which includes unlimited rides to and from the facility. It's worth the added cost, he says, because their units are clean and they are a family owned and operated company. Family owned? I don't care if it's my own family, I wouldn't pay close to $200 to store my junk for four weeks. Next.

After a few other calls (one had a $480 minimum for ANY storage) I finally found this great little place that brings the storage unit to you. They drop off these little closets, let you fill them with all your stuff, let you put your own lock on them, and haul them off to Harlem for storage until you're ready to get them. Then they bring them to your new place. One month for less than 70 bucks - done.

Now on to the next challenge: buying boxes. There are some companies that will rent you plastics tubs. They do everything, drop them off at your place and pick them up when you're done. Their service is a bit pricier than just buying cardboard boxes, but after my trip to Home Depot I realized why they can get away with it. New York is interesting in that, in a few square miles, you can literally buy almost anything in the world. Buying is not the challenging part. Getting it home is where the difficulty lies. I've needed to relearn this lesson more than once since moving here. I'll illustrate:

I show up to Home Depot to get my boxes as a conquistador would approach a new territory. I'm a little too confident. After all it's just cardboard, right? 

 I navigate my way to the basement (Home Depot has three floors. Or at least three that I found... probably more) and find rows and rows of storage boxes. I had done some searching online at different prices, and was delighted to find how inexpensive they were. Yes! I can get twice as many as I was anticipating. Plus, they buy back extras, and I don't want to make a second trip if I run out of boxes, right? Better get extras.

 After a few failed attempts to get the boxes to the cashier, I finally find a cart and load the boxes on. The aisles at this particular Home Depot are a bit narrower than in other Home Depots, so I almost knock over about 10 different items on my way to the register. But I make it! Someone helps me through the self-checkout, bundles the boxes together in two packs using twine, and sends me on my way.

 After knocking some woman's shoe off accidentally and stumbling down two flights of stairs, I am now at the turnstile entrance to the subway. There is, of course, a train about to leave as I approach. I stand there dumbly trying to figure out how to get my boxes through the turnstile as the train leaves. Briefly I consider chucking the whole package over the bars to the other side, but there were too many tourists around. Not that I didn't consider launching a package at one... but decided I couldn't make a quick enough get away. Anyway, the boxes were short enough to fit under the turnstile bar, but I didn't push them far enough and, after inserting my metro card and trying to squeeze through myself, ended up getting wedged in the middle of the two bars. I awkwardly moved back and forth, not sure how to get out, until someone finally pulled the boxes through for me (while laughing).

By the time I made it to the exit of the subway station, the boxes seemed like they had quadrupled in size. I lugged them up the last flight of stairs, tried to control them as they almost took flight in the wind, and squeezed them into our tiny elevator. And they have been sitting tied up since I got home, too lazy to start packing! Fortunately we don't have much stuff to pack, moving as often as we seem to.

Stay tuned for pictures of the storage closet, and eventually, of our new apartment! Always an adventure.

Fried Oreos and Mozzarepas

Yesterday Casey and I left our apartment with the intention of heading to Barnes and Noble to enlighten our minds and become more knowledgeable human beings. Before we got there (it's two blocks away), we stumbled upon the 3 Avenue Community Benefit Festival: over 20 blocks that had been shut down and devoted to local merchants selling everything from trinkets, clothing, and old New Yorker covers to homemade brownies, sham-wows, and, of course, fried food. There were an assortment of foods that weren't deep fried as well, such as grilled corn on the cob, and... well, I didn't take much notice of the foods that weren't fried. I was lost in a sea of fried calamari, gyros, corn dogs, falafel, funnel cakes, cheese steaks, sweet potato fries, kabobs, and yes, one vendor was even selling fried Oreos. Here are a few shots from the day:

All things fried

20 blocks is a bit too much for some pooches

Casey settled on a "Mexican Hot Dog" 

Eagerly waiting while the dog is on the grill

Loaded! Jalapenos, salsa, tabasco sauce, and a sprinkling of shredded cheese

FRIED OREOS!

This was all good and everything. However, the merchant who most quickly caught my gaze was selling something I had never heard of before: the Mozzarepa. According to their signage, the Mozzarepa is "fresh mozzarella cheese stuffed in sweet tender cornbread, grilled (in butter) to perfection." Holy smokes, people, this had to be tried. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint. I could feel my blood turning a creamy white color as the fat coursed through my veins, but in that moment, it was all okay. I know what you're wondering... How can I get my hands on one of these?? The good news is I found their website. The bad news is that it's under construction. BUT, the good news is I'm pretty sure that if one were so inclined, one could make a Mozzarepa at home without much difficulty.

In all of its glory

Probably a little too excited about this...

 We did eventually make it to Barnes and Noble, but I'm not sure how much material I retained as most of my thoughts were consumed with the glory of the street fair. I'm glad these don't happen that often, or else I'd need to find a good cardiologist!

NYC Parks

Most of our weekends are filled with strolls around different neighborhoods and through the various parks in the city. Even a small gathering of trees gets me pretty excited these days. Before moving here, I didn't realize how much I would miss green space. I actually thought that everything being made out of concrete and steel would be a positive, mostly to relieve my allergies. But as it turns out, there are enough other particles in the air that the good ol' allergies are still in full swing, leading me to the realization that there is probably no city on Earth where they will totally disappear. 

Anyway, we love finding new parks, even if they are only one block wide. I'll cover my favorites in this post, all of which are totally free! (the best part!) 

The High Line

From their website: 

"The High Line is a public park built on an historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side. It is owned by the City of New York, and maintained and operated by Friends of the High Line. Founded in 1999 by community residents, Friends of the High Line fought for the High Line’s preservation and transformation at a time when the historic structure was under the threat of demolition. It is now the non-profit conservancy working with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation to make sure the High Line is maintained as an extraordinary public space for all visitors to enjoy. In addition to overseeing maintenance, operations, and public programming for the park, Friends of the High Line works to raise the essential private funds to support more than 90 percent of the park’s annual operating budget, and to advocate for the preservation and transformation of the High Line at the Rail Yards, the third and final section of the historic structure, which runs between West 30th and West 34th Streets."

This is one of my all-time favorites. Raised up a few stories and extending over more than 20 blocks, the High Line is definitely one of a kind. It's adjacent to the Hudson River on Manhattan's west side and gives you great views of some of the trendiest parts of town. It's great for a stroll during a hot summer day, as there are tons of scattered vendors selling ice cream and other frozen goodies. Personally I like the park best at night when you have views of Manhattan's skyline lit up and sparkling. 

Carl Schurz Park 

At the entrance to the park

Casey and I explored this little gem last weekend, and loved it! We even checked out apartments close by afterwards, only to find that they are just as expensive as living right near Central Park. And here I thought we were the first ones to realize that living close to Carl Schurz Park would be awesome. Blast. 

Anyway, this is much smaller than the High Line, but is unique in that the trees are old and huge, and you feel like you have escaped the city once you enter. It overlooks the East River and you also have views of Roosevelt Island and Queens right across the river. From their website, here is a bit of history about the park: 

"The Carl Schurz Park Conservancy is the oldest community-based volunteer park association in the city of New York. In the 1970s, concerned parents banded together and organized a funding campaign to supplant drastic parks budgetary cuts and save the Carl Schurz Park playground from further ruin.  Working in close partnership with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, the Conservancy has become the citizen caretaker of Carl Schurz Park, allocating its operational and capital funds as the City and the Conservancy assess the state of the park, and the programs the community will enjoy and value."

We actually saw a volunteer working on the weekend, pulling weeds and digging for new plants - not a bad way to spend an afternoon. There was also a dog park and basketball courts! The walking path also extends south beyond the park along the East River, following the FDR freeway - it's a bit more noisy there but still a nice view for a job, for those who are so inclined. Here are a few more pictures from our tour: 

One of the buildings overlooking the park

Escape from the concrete jungle

The East River and northern end of Roosevelt Island

The East River and a view of a bridge going to Queens

John Jay Park

The first accessible pool I've seen in NYC!!! It was nestled right in John Jay Park, a few blocks south of Carl Schurz and also situated near the East River. This park also has basketball courts, outdoor squash, and vendors selling tasty snacks. Not to mention-- a POOL! 

Riverside Park

Riverside park is located on Manhattan's upper west side, and is one of the most spectacular places to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon. From the NYC Parks website: 

"Stretching four miles from 72nd to 158th streets along the Hudson River, Riverside Park is widely regarded as Manhattan's most spectacular waterfront park. As one of only eight officially designated scenic landmarks in the City of New York, it has a long and storied history.

Since 1875, the landscapes of Frederick Law Olmsted have offered escape from the city and opportunities for people of all incomes to relax, play, and socialize in tranquil settings. These landscapes contain rocky precipices, sylvan lawns, and groves of mature elm trees. From Riverside Drive, the land terraces down steeply in three levels to a manmade shoreline and promenade, constructed between 1937 and 1941 under the administration of Robert Moses. The designers, Gilmore D. Clarke and Clinton Lloyd, added 134 acres to the park and twenty-two modern recreational facilities. They wove through this extraordinary collection of active recreation and scenic areas a vital north-south automobile artery and a railroad running in a tunnel under the entire park."

We have a couple of friends who live on the upper west side, less than a block from Riverside, and we never miss an opportunity to visit the park when we see them! 

Central Park 

The Great Lawn with a shot of one of the T-ball fields

 And who can write about parks in New York City without mentioning this little guy? I can't even begin to cover everything that this magical place has to offer, so I will just leave you with a brief description of our favorite spot so far. There is a set of benches just south of the Great Lawn that are completely covered by a canopy of interlacing trees. From here, you can hear the seemingly far away cheers from proud parents watching their child's first T-ball game. You can also hear the soft melodies from a jazz group that sets up in the same spot every week, and it is as if the park itself is playing a song, just for you. There is the laughter of the child set free to run on real grass, and the tears from the child who has to go home, always too soon. There are people sitting silently, lost in a good book, and people talking too loudly into their phones about some important deal that needs to be reworked. From our bench, we have a glimpse into so many human lives - the joys, sorrows, and anticipations that constitute people's days - and we always seem to lose track of time here. So, Central Park, and all of the parks in NYC that remind us that there is more than just cabs and skyscrapers in the city, here's to you!

A spot where you can rent paddle boats and tour the pond

The Bronx Zoo

As promised, I will continue in the blasting of new posts. Last weekend Casey and I went to the Bronx Zoo for my birthday. It was awesome! We just took the express subway train north for about 25 minutes, and walked to the zoo from there in about 5 minutes. Living on the upper east side makes getting to the Bronx super convenient, and super cheap! Plus tickets were only $16 per person, which is one of the cheapest ways to spend an afternoon outdoors (besides Central Park) in NYC.

I was amazed at how enormous and green the zoo was. Casey said it's the largest urban zoo in the world, and I totally believe it. We were there for over 3 hours and probably got to only two thirds of the exhibits. Highlights included the polar bears and regular bears, tigers, giraffes, a reptile house (from which a Cobra escaped a few months ago!), the rodent palace, a section devoted to animals from Madagascar, and lots of other interesting creatures. And of course, no zoo trip is complete without a stop at the ice cream stand! Here are a few photo highlights from the day:

So much green!

Glorified donkeys. Still awesome. 

Felt like I could almost reach out and touch the giraffes.

Failed attempt to get a giraffe in the background.

The only animal that seems to be allowed to roam all over every zoo. Too fat to fly, maybe?

Explanation for why peacocks stick around: Sun Chips. 

I think this guy is from the Madagascar exhibit. 

Snoozing polar bear

The bears were super active!

Favorite image of the day - he was trying to scratch his chest!

I think this would be my dad's favorite critter...

Pretty lawn / hang out area

More dudes from Madagascar 

Lemurs!

Sea lions in the distance

Another favorite - Tiger mountain