Keep Calm and Carry On: The Diary of Foodie and Gourmet

Over the holidays, my parents and I went to see the new Disney film, Saving Mr. Banks.  Wow. What a fantastic film. Saving Mr. Banks  tells the story about how the beloved Disney film Mary Poppins  came to fruition, but on a deeper level, it is a story about fathers and daughters. The trailer makes this movie out to be a feel good family film, which it is, but it neglects to inform you about the strong emotional component of the story. (I found myself crying several times throughout the movie!) I don't want to give too much away, so I will do my best to give you just enough information so that you know what I am talking about, whilst still keeping some of the film's secrets. On the surface,  Saving Mr. Banks  focuses significantly on the battle between Walt Disney and PL Travers, who refused to sell Disney the rights to her novel. A tumultuous relationship from the beginning, Disney pulls out all of the stops to impress Travers, and ultimately wins her ov...

My family and I spent the beginning of January vacationing in our favorite island (and no, it wasn't the Bahamas or Hawaii). As crazy as this sounds, we love vacationing in Manhattan! Sure, I technically live here, since I am a student at NYU, but it's different when you are having fun with your parents. My family and I have been vacationing in Manhattan for as long as I can remember. It's a fun family tradition and hey, it's kind of practical. (1) no need to worry about traveling --- Manhattan is a 30-45 min car ride from our house, (2) we know the city very well, (3) everyone speaks English and no need to exchange currency, and (4) the restaurants are delicious!  Although we were on vacation, it wasn't all fun and games. My dad was busy with office work, whilst I was kept busy with MCAT stuff. On one of the evenings, I met my parents in Chinatown after MCAT tutoring and we dined at our favorite restaurant -- Hop Kee (21 Mott St).  I think I have mentioned...

In between Christmas and New Years, my parents and I visited some friends out on Long Beach Island. This past September, to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary, my parents decided to vacation in Barcelona and the South of France on a Viking Cruise ship. On the cruise, they met many couples, including Mr. and Mrs. S. They became fast friends and the S's invited us to spend the weekend with them at their shore house.  I will admit, although I have lived in Jersey all of my life, I have never really been to the Jersey Shore before! (Shocking, I know). That fact alone was enough reason for me to be excited to visit LBI. Sure, it was December and it was cold, but we had so much fun! The S's are such lovely people, their home is gorgeous, LBI is wonderful, and we had so so much fun! The family cat, Romeo. He was so fluffy, friendly, and affectionate.  The family dog, Lady. She was also very cute, very sweet, and really loved getting her belly rubbed! When...

I recognize that this is incredibly delayed, but I wanted to wish every a very Happy New Year! I hope that 2014 is treating you all well so far and I hope that this coming year will be filled with good health and happiness! Here's hoping for another year of interesting blog posts! My family spent New Years Day in the traditional manner, at home. My mother, bless her, worked tirelessly in the kitchen on both New Years Eve and New Years Day, preparing a traditional Japanese feast. In Japan, New Years Day is THE MAJOR holiday and each dish is symbolic. For more information on the symbolism of Japanese New Years food, please check out my post from last New Years . Since we would be vacationing in the city for five days, my mother claimed that she would not make much food, however, I think she completely outdid herself, yet again! Thank you mother dearest! May the New Years feasts never end! Our New Years feast My very full plate

So, I realize that this post is rather late…but I figure, better late than never, right? Over New Years, I was searching for recipes online, when I stumbled upon a new Gordon Ramsay recipe. As we all know, I LOVE Gordon Ramsay, in fact, I should probably just change my username to that.  Chef Ramsay has a recipe for a deliciously decadent, but oh so easy truffle cream cheese spread, and I couldn't resist. The ingredients are simple, you may even have most of them, and it takes no more than ten minutes to make. Oh, and it's delicious.  Whether you are entertaining guests or spending time alone, this spread is perfect for all occasions. It's great with bread and crackers, it's also delicious with grapes. The fluffiness of the cream cheese/sour cream, coupled with the decadence and amazing aroma of the truffle oil makes this a really luxurious spread that everyone will love! For Gordon Ramsay's video, please click this link .  Ingredients: - small con...