A few thoughts...

So for those of you who know Alex and I personally, we got married at City Hall in NYC in advance of our destination wedding in Aruba.  The time for Aruba is almost here and we're busy with a ridiculous amount of prep-work before we leave next week.  So I want to apologize in advance for what is sure to be a slow week on the blog this week, and then a nonexistent week of blogging next week.  We should be back from Aruba on May 25, 2010 after a week of sun, fun and a wedding reinvigorated and ready to blog again.

I am hoping to add one or two additional blog posts before we leave for Aruba, but at this rate who knows if that will happen.  In the interim, I wanted to share a few thoughts and other reading material with you.  Enjoy!

More after the jump!

Some thoughts for you:

1. For those of you who live on the UWS, I highly recommend Canteen 82, a new Chinese restaurant that opened in the old Watermoon space at 82nd and Columbus.  I just read the Dining Brief on Canteen 82 in the NY Times and I fully agree with everything they have to say, particularly about the wonderful $10 Slow Cooked Beef.  It is amazingly tender and flavorful.  The pork and crab soup dumplings (a dozen dumplings for $11) are great too.  Canteen 82 is our new favorite cheap dining option in our neighborhood.  Since it opened in April we have already been there four times, which is saying a lot.
2. One of my friends posted this Guide to 25 Things to Eat Right Now in NYC on Facebook and I can't wait to try more of their suggestions.  While Alex and I visit Fatty Crab at least once a month, we have somehow never tried their short rib rendang and it is on my list of must orders for our next visit.  Alex and I have been talking about heading over to the UES to try Cascabel Taqueria for some time now and after seeing it pop up on this list I am more determined than ever to try it out.  Perhaps we will make an evening of it and get tacos and then hit Flex Mussels for dessert.  Just a thought.
3. Another great list of must try NYC restaurants is the Eater 38 from Eater.com.  They update it periodically and it is meant to represent the 38 essential NYC restaurants.  Right now the list includes fan favorites such as Locanda Verde, Sushi Yasuda, Marea, Roberta's, Vinegar Hill House, and Sripraphai.  I have thoroughly enjoyed every single restaurant that I have had the opportunity to try on their list, and I think it's one of the best lists of this sort out there.  The list encompasses Manhattan and the boroughs, and is comprised of all sorts of restaurants (both in terms of cuisine and price).  I really respect that.  I have tried 14 restaurants on the list so far and would love to make it to all 38, time and finances willing.
4. Another of my favorite websites when trying to decide on recipes to make, or to cull some inspiration for dinner is Tastespotting - which describes itself as a community-driven, visual potluck.  Basically any blogger can submit a picture of a recipe they prepared or from a meal they ate at a restaurant and then hope to be featured.  Some of the pictures are unbelievably gorgeous and the recipes range from the incredibly basic, to the complexity worthy of a 4 Michelin star restaurant.