Damn, the winter sucks.  And it's not like it only lasts for a month or two in NYC.  No, the bone-chilling temps hang around well in to April.  And the attire?  Don't even get me started on the unsexiness of it all.  With my floor-length black puffer jacket and furry ear muffs, I look like the Michelin Man directing air traffic.    

...and the air in my apartment is so dry that my poor dog has constant static-cling.

To further darken an already dark season, I took a bad spill a few weeks ago and fractured my hip.  "I've never heard of anybody under the age of 90 with a broken hip!  Hahhahhah!"  Said the resident office clown.  He does have a point though!  Doctor's orders are for me to modify my exercise routine so as not to further break the break.  Otherwise, I'm looking at surgery.  So, as you can imagine, I've been spending even more time doing what I do best:  Eating.  I've *tried* to cut back on my drinking to ward off extra non-exercisable calories. 

Without further ado, here's where and what I've been eating as of late... 

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El Maguey y La Tuna  Mexican food, Lower East Side

Verdict:  A little rough around the edges and the restroom gave me vivid flashbacks of Mexico (...you cannot flush paper down the toilet) but, all in all, I enjoyed a tasty meal paired with warm service. 

If you do find yourself at El Maguey y La Tuna, famous for their handmade mole sauces, make sure to try their phenomenal Chilaquiles Verdes.  Imagine, if you will, a mound of mild green mole sauce-saturated corn tortilla chips finished with melted white cheese and paired alongside eggs (cooked to your liking) and black beans  This is a truly transcendent dish that is destination-worthy in every sense of the word. 

Chilaquiles verdes con juevosTo help weather the frigid temperatures outside, might I suggest the sweet and comforting Mexican Fruit Hot Cider? 

Mexican Fruit Hot Cider.

La Cenita  Mexican food, Meatpacking District

Verdict:  Hated it, hated it, HATED IT!

What are the ingredients for a shitty restaurant?  1) 9 times out of 10, a location in the Meatpacking District 2) Wait staff that doesn't communicate with the busser staff 3) A manager that scans the room constantly for famous folks and only approaching tables that appear to be occupied by Greek shipping magnates 4) Charging $9 for a double espresso.  Yes, I said $9 5) A waiter that exclaims, immediately upon being seated, "Hayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy girls!  What kind of water are we going to have tonight?  Still?  Sparkling?  You'll want to make sure to hydrate yourselves in preparation for drinking!"  To his unfortunate surprise, neither Jean, Ceci, nor I was imbibing that night.  And to our unfortunate surprise, that's when service took a somber turn for the worse.  6) Must I go on?

Get here NEVER!

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Oreo's newest flavors!

Verdict:  Oreo sent me a brought a box of each, Cookie Dough and Marshmallow Crispy,so I brought them to work.  The winning flavor amongst my coworkers was...a tie!  I told folks to take one of each and then let me know which was their favorite.  There was no middle ground; my colleagues either loved one flavor and hated the other. 

Personally, I did not have a favorite.  I enjoyed both of the new flavors, though found their respective fillings to be too oily/greasy.  I also noticed that the actual cookie portions didn't stick to the filling/icing very well.  I will say that I did enjoy the generous filling-to-cookie ratio...

*These two new flavors hit the shelves on Monday, 2/3.*  If you happen to buy a box of each, let me know what you think, overall, and which flavor you enjoyed more.  Personally, I cannot wait until Birthday Cake, Lemon, and Peanut Butter flavors are debuted!! 

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Hu chocolate bars

Verdict:  Never was I EVER even remotely in to dark chocolate.  I passed it off as bitter crap that only snobby, skeletal wannabes and the men who love them ate.  That was until, out of sheer desperation, I succumbed to a Hershey's Special Dark mini.  And loved it!  Slowly, I began sampling various brands of dark chocolate and cacao percentages ranging from 40 to the mid 70s.  And then I stumbled upon Hu bars... 

Of the flavors I've sampled thus far, I'd have to say that my favorite is the Almond Butter & Puffed Quinoa.  I totally get that it sounds too healthy and too hipster, but it's fcuking delicious.  Imagine the crunch of a Nestle Crunch bar married with the sweet/salty/textural appeal of a Reese's PB Cup.  Bam! 

 

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Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle