A WD Wednesday Post –
This past week was basically a rotation of leftovers, takeout, and eating out, not cooking, just collecting food memories.
Last week started with Christmas leftovers, pernil, baked mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, all boxed up and we were able to stretch across a few days. Then came Part Two of Christmas at my mom’s on the weekend, which meant another round of food: chicken, potato salad, rice, and a garlic salad that I was absolutely not mad about. Naturally, we took home enough leftovers to last another couple of days.
New Year’s Eve was its own chapter. Before heading to the show, we grabbed personal pizzas, not glamorous, but necessary and effective. Afterward, we went to my mom’s for chicken tacos, which are always a win. She does tacos right, all the toppings, a green sauce with actual heat, and zero restraint.
The next day was brunch for my mom’s birthday at a Spanish spot on the Upper West Side. We went all in, traditional paella, seafood paella, croquettes, calamari, “pan con tomate”, which is tomato on bread, steak with different sauces, and an assortment of desserts. Everything was incredible, and it felt like the perfect way to celebrate her.
The following day, it was time to pack up and head to the Hudson Valley for my birthday weekend. We intentionally kept it close, no long drives, no holiday traffic stress, just a simple getaway. Once we arrived, we wandered the hotel grounds, relaxed for a bit, then got ready and headed into town for dinner.
Dinner was at a steakhouse near by. The only downside? It was right next to a mall, which slightly killed the upscale vibe, especially since I was definitely overdressed. Still, the food delivered. We had great sangria, Prosecco, dessert, and made our way back to town afterward.
We stopped at a bar by the water for drinks and views, where I tried a coconut martini, something new and surprisingly good. Then we went somewhere closer to the hotel for an espresso martini (because of course), and called it a night.
The next morning, ramen was non-negotiable. It brought us back to life. After that, we walked around town, grabbed good coffee, pies, and bagels with a tub of cream cheese for the next day. Back at the hotel, we rested, watched some shows, and got ready for dinner at the hotel restaurant, Goosefeather.
Dinner there was honestly a highlight, salmon tartare, the fried rice with a mix of land and sea, and mains that did not disappoint, tuna steak for me, duck for my husband. Dessert sealed it: mango sorbet for me and a waffle situation with mango that I’m still thinking about.
The next day, we had our bagels, packed up, and headed home. No big cooking happened this week, just leftovers, takeout, and really good meals out. But it was the holidays, and honestly, that felt exactly right.