NYC Food and Wine Festival 2012

  
I feel like the very bad friend that is about to let everyone down.  Instead of avoiding the situation I am just going to get it out there.  I didn't take pictures at the Food and Wine festival. 

This year it started at noon.  Noon is lunch time.  When we were let in Mr. J and I got right down to business and did a quick lap grabbing whatever looked best.  The first hour is the best hour. Those who haven't gone before normally go to the first demonstrations of the day and others just don't show up until later. Thus the first hour is the least crowded time all day. By three you are like a can of sardines barely able to squeeze through.

So we ate and drank....it was good.  Sorry no photos.  At 2pm, we decided to take a bit of a break and saw Anne Burrell make homemade pasta.  I now need to have the KitchenAid pasta maker attachment. She was very funny in the most inappropriate way, laid back, and was a great show.  I plan to make her pasta recipe as soon as I get my attachment. 

After her demo we headed back in for a few more laps of wine samples and our favorite food options.  In the four years we have gone, there seems to be a switch from restaurant based booths to food venders.  I am not sure how I feel about this change.  We had our fill by about 4pm and headed back to the hotel to rest up. 

During an evening stroll through Union Square we spotted, along with everyone else, a huge hawk.  These pictures aren't the best but this thing was massive.  We were surprised the little squirrels were still running around below him. I ducked for my life when he flew from the light post to the tree.

This morning we woke up and Mr. J refused to eat the Hampton Inn breakfast.  Now, its not the best thing in the world but I am perfectly happy with some cereal and coffee.  We do stay at Hampton Inns quite a bit though and after a while they get old.  Mr. J had his fill. I however, the practical one didn't want to get breakfast in the city when we could have it for free.  Eggs are like the cheapest things to make but in NYC you pay $20 for eggs, bacon and toast.  

Our compromise was breakfast at Le Pain Quotidian.  It's a Belgium chain I love.  Mr. J didn't like the whole coffee in a bowl idea.  

But he was happy with the eggs, bread, and meat we ordered.  
 

Some day I will need a lesson in how to eat a soft boiled egg.  Neither of us had any idea. 

Mustard for breakfast? Or pickles? I had two.

I wish we could have stayed longer but I think we would have broke the bank.  Now its back to the real world...errands and packing for next week's travels.