Shake Shack's SmokeShack and Jelly's Last Donut

I tried.  I really did.  I continue to do so, actually.  After TheUnfathomableTruth's beefylicious review of Five Guys, I went out there and yet again, got another burger.  I've been trying for years to like them after everyone's constant ravings and still, my heart belongs to another and my brain just cannot grasp the Five Guys love.  I'm beginning to think there's something wrong with me.  Or maybe everything that's wrong with me can be summed up in that conversation and scenario I had with H1 the Swan that one day in December two years ago when Five Guys was voted Best Burger in NYC.  It went something like this: I raged on the streets that day.  How was that possible?! I foamed at the mouth.  I scoffed! I rolled my eyes! How? When there's damned Shake Shack in this city?! I eventually calmed down as I am calming myself now to write this Shake Shack review for you, SnackTAYKrew!

The Game of Thrones Exhibition Thing They Dragged Me To For My Camera.

Say what you will about New York City - that people in Midtown are a rude bunch or that our pigeons are fat - but there's one thing that cannot be said and that's that NYC is dull.

Truly, on any given day you can be walking around and stumble upon a street fair as we did last year.  Or you could run into Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth (as our co-workers did) on a Thorsday, no less.

With some money, you can probably enjoy the city in a whole different way but since I don't really have too much of that to be flailing about, I partake in the good, wholesome less costly things.  The kind of things that are free and for me.

And by "free", I mean standing in line for 2 plus hours is a small price of admission to pay while you wait to get into Westeros.

Spell "Free": T-w-o H-o-u-r W-a-i-t

I'm not one to complain about a line really, especially when you have such fun friends to stand in line with (as I did with Alex, Active Goat and Ces).  It truly was fun but there's only so much fun you can have to distract you from the cold April afternoon as the hours wore on.

I think the cold that crept into our blood made us a little bit on edge because near the end of our 2 hour waiting expedition, I'm pretty sure everyone in my group was challenged to duels.  Maybe it was the atmosphere of what lay ahead at the GOT exhibition but Monokuro Boo piggy mittens and gloves came off and everyone got a slap to the face.

Side Note: Duel Tickets going on sale soon - Date to be Announced

When we finally got in doors, the theme music to Game of Thrones was blasting loud all over that dark exhibit room as people chattered happily away about anything and everything Stark, Lannister, Dire Wolves, and Tyrion bitch-slapping Joffrey.

There was much "oo'ing" and "aa'ing" going on for the various set pieces used in Seasons 1 and 2, and there were some new pieces on display too (or so the exhibition page said).

What's this? Toys? Ooooooo.

Aaaahhhhh

These were behind some glass unfortunately, because our feet sure were cold...and those things sure could have come in handy.

Beautiful fan art.

More things to warm the body.  Curse the security eyeballing us.

Won't keep us warm but sekshi? Yes.  Yes, it would.

You don't say...

So, I guess *SPOILER alert* for anyone who has not seen the show and wishes to.  There are things ahead that you may want to avert your eyes from coming up...

like say, maybe this lovely thing right here...

Or this precious beast.

This was one of the most interesting things in the exhibition.

I mean, really.  Fantastic, yeah?

Perhaps the best part of it all, was the fact that a replica of the Throne was there in all its glory.  Better yet, willing participants could sit on the Throne and have their picture taken.

Those were some fabulous pictures we took but how come everyone was smiling when they got on the Throne? Rule with an iron fist!

Seriously.  Iron.  Fist.

I just don't know what's wrong with fools.

We had a great time and even though I have not yet watched the series and/or read the books, I will still forgive them for dragging me with them for the sake of using me for my camera.  But joke's on them because I ended up getting shitty pictures.  Ha!

Currently: feeling really sleepy.

Buns of Fun

July is just a memory at this point and all the food fun we had, I never posted.  I tend to slack in the Summer because the sun and hot weather addles my brain.  Yep, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Now that August is here, I'll just to stagger the posts of all the food (mis)adventures we had in July because goodness knows there will probably not be much to talk about in August.  Ha.

You'd be convinced I like July but you'd be incorrect.  It's still part of Summer and it's awful stuff as far as I'm concerned.

All of it!

But as I said, we did have some adventures in food.

Thanks to Alex for trying to photo-bomb my picture.

Saturday Disappointment, Part I: Mario 3D Land in Times Square

What can you say about people?

They're the scum of the earth!

Alright, so not everyone can be classed as scum but this past Saturday morning proved to be quite trying when The HOchieS' ventured to Times Square to attend Nintendo's Super Mario 3D Land Event.

I shaved all but my Nintendo of America? How...crude.

The End of Days, Part I: Four Days of Whirlwind Fun in Midtown

Summer is almost at an end.

I know, I know.  ::boohiss::

Or in my case, "Woo! Hooray! Good show!"

Ahem.  I will collect myself now, I promise.

I am still writing to you via magical mysteries and all that as my computer is still down, but there was much that happened in the past few weeks to close out the Summer.  For the next few days, I will be writing about all our other adventures had but today it's all about our time spent with Rennie Friennie.

On Thursday, Andrea Bocelli performed at Central Park for a free concert.  It seems that everyone and their mother got tickets for that thing except for poor H1.

But all was not lost because at least Rennie, her husband J.J. and her Mom got tickets to go and out of that - a four day hectic trip to Manhattan.

It was four days of fun for us from a dinner to Connolly's with drinks and great company (we got to see A & J, and A's Momma too!) on Wednesday night, Ruth's Chris with yummy ribeye steaks and amaretto sours on Friday night, Billy Elliott The Musical with some good ol' 2006 HOchie's favourite Ponsgri, and a massive ass Street Fair with some Shake Shack on Sunday (the last bit was unfortunately not enjoyed by Rennie Friennie & Co. but there's always a next time!).

Phew!

I didn't even show you pictures yet!

For the first day of our adventures, we did not get to see the Kirby Ice-Cream truck.  Apparently, it was driving around the city giving free ice-cream bars and a chance to demo the new Kirby game for the DS, Kirby's Mass Attack.

I may not have gotten some ice-cream or see the glory of the bright pink truck with lots of Kirbys all over the sides but I did get a slap in the face.

As I was leaving the office on Wednesday, I did encounter someone's tossed away Kirby's Mass Attack bookmark.  What?! Stop throwing freebies away guys! Stop it! I would have appreciated it, you ungrateful bastards!

So it was a little bit junky but dispose of it properly, why don't you?

After catching up with friends with burgers and beer at Connolly's on 45th, H1, Luuiiiiissss and I walked to the parking garage.  It was a clear night in the city - perfect for a stroll through the bustling activity of NYC under all the bright lights.

A beautiful night ruined by some white pants.  Ugh.

Summer Fun in Midtown 2011: The Tons of Buns Edition

Last year, The HOchieS ventured away from the desks at work to go the annual event for cheap sample lunches from the restaurant vendors in and around Rockefeller Center.

As with last year's event, the plaza was filled with green umbrellas, Midtown suits looking for eats, and a Super Scooper Ben & Jerry's man who scooped the good stuff out for $1.00.

In what may become a yearly tradition, we again went out to this fair to get our brains addled by the sun for a decent meal to fill our bellies.

This was not actually during lunch, but earlier in the morning.

Observations of the Past 2 Weeks

Do you see those trailers right there?

Those trailers contain the DNA of Matt Bomer or Tim DeKay.  Or possibly, Willie Garnet.  Maybe...Tiffany Thiessen?

Or even...! None of those people?

Whatever or whoever was in there, those were trailers set up for the filming of one of my favourite current shows, White Collar.

This Week: Killer Fritters, Fortune Cookie Madness, and Bathroom Blues

Did you want the unpleasant observation first, or the good one?

Let's just get the toilet talk out of the way, so we don't have an unpleasant smell in our mouths after reading.  Let's dispose of it, as you will!

Bathroom Blues

I am convinced that there is something written on my shoe that tells people upon entering the bathroom, to "please use the stall next to me".

Now, if people gotta go, then you gotta go but when there is one empty bathroom and I am the only one occupying one stall of ten, why do people think it is okay to take the stall next to mine? Are you lonely? Is my shoe directing you to do such thing? Because I know it isn't written on my face that you should join me since you can't see it.  It must be my evil shoe luring all like a Siren with its evil Siren song!

Killer Fritters

Earlier this week, we got wind (thanks to website midtownlunch.com) of something special being sold at Dean & Doluca near the job.  An apple fritter for $3.50 was the something special but not as special as it could be due to its not-hot-out-the-oil freshness, and warm goodness.

Adventures in Restaurant Week, Part 2: It's "Brasserie", and not that Other Thing

Faux pas, numéro un: The restaurant's name is "Brasserie", not "Brassiere".

I'm sure there was so much wrong about my above statement that H1 will have a field day with me when she reads it.  I am intent on proving either one of two things: that I am obsessed with undergarments or that I have no qualms showing just how much I almost failed French.

The point is, when inviting your frenemies for a night out to a French Restaurant for Restaurant Week, make sure you do invite them for the right thing.

Late Night Stroll

It's not often The HOchieS just get to walk around Manhattan at night.

These skyscrapers, the famous opal clock and the Secret Corridor at Grand Central, are all things that are so familiar to us that we are no longer fascinated by them as we were so many years ago.

Sometimes though, it's nice to just walk about, even if just to watch the streets glitter under the bright lights

It's especially nice when you make two new friends from another country and you get to show them just a tiny portion of NYC, its sights, good food and share personal stories related to the city.

Old friends and new make the time go by too quickly but all time spent together is very appreciated, just as there is always something fun in NYC to appreciate.

Like this for instance: Wet Floor? Try flooded street.

Friday Evening with The HOchieS, Part I: A Story Told in Legos

If you have not yet visited the newly opened Lego Store located at Rockefeller Plaza, please add it to a list of things to do.

The store is crowded with tourists and New Yorkers alike, pricey and all this packed into a fairly tiny space but it does have its charm.

 I never liked that Orange Lego Guy.

Perhaps I have been here for quite the while now to no longer really appreciate Roc. Center with its influx of tourists, and the hell that is other people during Christmas time, New Year's, St. Patrick's Day and what seems to be most of the year now.

I will admit that the Lego Store gave me a little bit of the warm and fuzzy feeling to be a resident of the great state of New York.

For all the complaints of tourists and rudeness, The HOchieS are rather fond of our city of New York (with no smug attached as we say that).

 I mean, this is impressive.

But this is even more so...

Summer Fun in Midtown: Part II

Join Alex and I as we journeyed from our desks at work to get the coveted $1.00 scoop of Ben & Jerry's Ice-Cream: A Story in Pictures.

There was no surprise that the Thursday event was just as crowded as Wednesdays.  Like all Midtown workers, we like to take our break around 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., and like all Midtown workers, we like our ice-cream especially when it's $1.00 a scoop.

Needless to say the line was long.

 And full of Asians? Bwahaha.  I keed.

   Everyone loves ice-cream!

When we got to Roc. Center, it was just around 2 p.m.  

The tables close at 2:30 p.m. but Tri Tip were all out of meat.  

Such a sad sight that meat cutter is when it is not in use.

Alex sure could have used a bottle of bubblies

like that to keep her occupied while we waited.  

Alas, it was on the other side of where we stood.

This man was high up in one of the buildings overlooking the Plaza.  

He probably got some pretty good shots.  

I just hope I'm not in any of them.

If I stare at the umbrella, I can will it to give me shade! 

Clearly the sun was addling my brain at this point.

More smoke from Bill's Burger.  

And what's that? A creative use of post-it notes? 

Someone needs to call HR, me thinks.

Thanks to this man, though, the line 

while lengthy moved actually very quickly.  

He can scoop like nobody's buisness.

Finally! Some progress! 

The choices the day before were better...oh well.

Chocolate Fudge Brownie and Triple Caramel Chunk worked out nicely.

Summer Fun in Midtown: Part I

That's the most blatant lie I have ever written.  There is nothing fun about Summer!

I suppose there are some fun things that happen during those evil months though, that make you 'happy' to be working in Manhattan.

For instance, for three days the dark corridor restaurants of Rockefeller Center hosted $10 and under tasting lunches on the Plaza.

The thought of being out there with tourists and suits was almost too much to bear but what's more important? My anger or my need for a burger?

From past entries in this madhouse of a blog, it should be perfectly clear who the winner is.

So on Wednesday, the 21st of July, off we went with Alex to discover what goodness awaited.

With no line at Brasserie Rhulman, I went ahead and got a Kobe burger with everything, plus a mint lemonade.

Hooray for eating mushrooms 

and kicking them down 

in the Summer and Fall months.
Notice the potato chips on the side, too.

Yes, everything included onions.  

I was not about to be brave.  I removed them.
And yes, Frass.  I ate my lettuce and tomato.  I did.

You cannot really tell the high quality 

of the meat from the picture but it's wagyu.  

It's good stuff.  Really good.  

And do you see the size of that patty? It's not right.

Tart.  Refreshing? Yeah.  But tart.

I did feel as though it could have used a bit more salt but as I said, the quality was amazing and oh, it also came with blue cheese which is one of my favs.  The best part about this meal was what came after.  We discovered that if I were to have this meal at the actual restaurant, it would have cost me $23.00.  This burger, minus the fries (but replaced by chips) cost $9.00.  Good food for cheap is always welcome.  Of course, free and good is even better but I am thankful for the little things.

Alex and H1 went off to get Bill's Burger.  This place is supposed to be the 'rival' to Shake Shack.  I tasted a fail.  Shake Shack still rules.

 Check out the smoke.  That's Bill's smoke.

And this is Bill's Burger.

Looks harmless.  Tastes salt-less.

That Thursday, you know we had to go back for $1.00 Ben & Jerry's scoops of ice-cream, right? Yeah.  $1.00 a scoop.  Hooyeah.

The Ben & Jerry's Story will be in a separate Part II edition Bloggie Post, but be warned...there are offending images like this one:

 Surrounded by Suits!!!!!!!!

Currently listening to: "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.  Damned hippies.