Winter Restaurant Week!

#11: Try a new restaurant every month
#12. Go to a restaurant for Restaurant Week once per year

It's that time again - NYC Restaurant Week! Last night, we went to the Russian Tea Room on 57th between 6th and 7th with Rachel, Dave, and Mike.



The atmosphere was definitely different than I've ever seen - so ornate, but very beautiful.

Here is the Restaurant Week Menu.

For starters, I had the Borscht. I'd never had Borscht before, so I figured this was the place to try it. It was very good, but admittedly after a few spoonfuls I didn't really want anymore. The best part was the Beef Pirozhki that came along with it. For entree, I had the Chicken Kiev - also something I'd never had before. It was really interesting and very tasty. The inside of the breaded chicken was hollow and filled with an herbed butter and the wild rice and fig and pear chutney were really flavorful. For dessert, the best part, I had the Chocolate Pyramid - which was chocolate mousse with a surprise raspberry filling inside. Mmm mmm good!

All in all, the meal was good, and definitely a great deal for Restaurant Week considering each entree itself would be more than the 3-course menu if ordered a la carte! Comparing it with our last RW meal at Fig & Olive though, there's no contest - I'd pick F&O every time.

Aruba, Jamaica, ooh I wanna take ya...

#22 Go somewhere warm in the winter

Aruba is just where I went for 6 glorious days to escape the cold cold NY winter. While I already fulfilled this 101Thing in November by going with Justin to Florida, I got to do it all over again, this time with my parents. And it was more of a true Winter escape with NY temperatures dipping way down while I was away. I got to spend everyday relaxing on the beach and by the pool, reading through chick lit and drinking tropical drinks, and spending each night eating delicious food and playing roulette at the casinos. Perfection!

Everytime a bell rings...

#4. Watch all of AFI's 100 best movies of all time



So what if I'm Jewish. It's a Wonderful Life (#11 on the AFI list) is one of my all-time favorite movies and I have to watch it every year. HAVE. TO. The holiday season is not complete without a viewing and I bawl like crazy every single time I see it (but in a good way!). For the past couple years, I've been trying to get Justin to watch it with me, to no avail. But this year, despite our AFI-quest slowing down after 5 less than stellar responses from J, I put my foot down. Even though he chuckled at certain parts, such as the evil seedy Pottersville filled with gambling and girl shows (as if that's not seedy enough for him??) the film ended with tears even in his eyes and he had to admit it was pretty good! :)

Reviews:
FilmSite.org
ReelViews
Roger Ebert