You know it’s going to be the beginning of a great summer evening when it starts off with an icy cold “adult beverage” snow cone from the Pegu Club.

We were at the 26th Annual Chefs’ Tribute to honor James Beard & benefit Citymeals-0n-Wheels at Rockefeller Center with our “NYC-friends” Ken & Elyse.

Did you ever wonder what it would feel like to get a tasting from every great restaurant you could think of?  That’s just what this event was all about.  Great chefs gathered together for a great cause to benefit the Citymeals-on-Wheels in the fabulous gifted venue of Rockefeller Center.  The event themed “Taste of Home” featured the chef’s chosen flavors of home.

Here’s a bit of fancy food and fun we had that evening ~

One of the fun highlights was finding that Proof on Main from Louisville, Kentucky was present.  Kristin and I had recently enjoyed the restaurant while we on the GE Momsperience trip at 21c Hotel.  (Take note:  I did not see any red penguins by their table.)

One of my favorite stops was this delicious dessert from Daniel ~

The evening eventually sighed to a full finish, our senses were overcome with the sights, sounds and food stories of the passions of the artists that surrounded us.

We snuck in the last sip and dance of a wonderful event.

We tasted more favorite restaurants in one night than we ever thought we could.  It’s so fun to try new tastes and check out new talent.  What are some of your favorite restaurants?  Leave your comments below!

One of my favorite places to visit is New York City.  Last weekend we got a chance to visit our friends, Ken & Elyse.  They have taken us on many foodie adventures.  They first introduced us to many places in New York City that have become our favorites, places like Death & Company and Hearth to name a couple.  This trip they introduced us to a new favorite place for cocktails, Dutch Kills.

We spent a day walking down the streets in their Brooklyn neighborhood, to some of their favorite spots.  We started out with a hearty breakfast from Buttermilk Channel.  The pancakes at Buttermilk ~ swoon-able!

We got a chance to pop in and see the bakery, Baked we have written about here, here and here.  We strolled the park and took in the Renegade Craft Fair too.

Summer simple pleasures ~ a rooftop view of Manhattan, cold beers, sweet potato fries…

and good friends to share it with!  (We’re firm believers in the inspirational power of cold beer and sweet potato fries here at LoveFeast ~ you can read that story, here ~ Where It All Started…)

We ended the day in the artfully hobbled together funky restaurant, Vinegar Hill House.  This is where I made the faux paux of whipping out my super big lens and snapping a flashy pic of the kitchen from my vantage point of the bar stool, where we enjoyed expertly made pre-dinner cocktails.  The flash went off in a poof startling myself and causing the chef and practically everyone else in the kitchen to nearly whip their heads off their necks in my direction.  I had proven, Elyse joked, that you really can’t take a blogger anywhere.  So, I put away my camera and enjoyed.

We kept giggling over it in during our garden meal at the back of the restaurant.

The last picture I dared to take from the outside the restaurant as we were leaving ~ it’s a charming place to go even with a camera-wielding-tourist-blogger and especially with good friends ~ if you’re in the neighborhood.

For more good food savored and memories made in one of our favorite cities ~ New York City ~  visit the links at the end of this post ~ Fancy Friday Favorite City ~ New York City.

The foodie adventure continues tomorrow with a “Fancy Friday Favorite Restaurants” post sharing an evening at the 26th Annual Chefs’ Tribute to honor James Beard & benefit Citymeals-0n-Wheels, A Taste of Home, at Rockefeller Center.  We hope you link up and share your favorite restaurants and restaurant memories with us here at our table, LoveFeast Table.

Until two weeks ago, I had two ways of choosing the appliance that was right for our home.  The first (and most important in my book) was the look of the appliance.  Was it aesthetically pleasing and would it match the mood of the room along with the other appliances?

The second factor for me in choosing an appliance was the price.  My contractor husband is always on the look out for “out of the box” deals at our local Home Depot and Lowes. We were told not too long ago by an appliance repair man that the life span of today’s appliances is five years.  He said, “In my opinion, it doesn’t matter how much you spend on an appliance, it will last about five years.”  To be perfectly honest, that has been our experience to a tee.  In fact, one of the things that bothers me the most about appliances that need repair work after five years is that,  it is cheaper to buy a new appliance than it is to repair the old.  Recently our dishwasher went up and I was just sick about what we were doing to our landfills.  Where do all the broken ones go?  Because my husband is in the business, we donated it to a friend who repairs appliances.  He’ll use the parts.

When GE invited Chris Ann and I down to Louisville, Kentucky to visit them at the GE Monogram Experience Center, I came armed with some of these concerns and questions.  GE not only addressed them, but gave us such a wonderful, “appliance-educational” experience, I left there a better and more discerning consumer.

From the moment we arrived, GE Appliances rolled out the red carpet and ushered us into a world full of modern day solutions.  We spent about two hours in each appliance’s home.  The range, the refrigerator, the dishwasher and the washer and dryer each had their own showroom equipped with experts ready to share and listen.

They wanted to hear from us, moms.  After all, we are the ones who know the purring sound each of our appliances makes and are the first to hone in on a problem.  We stock our refrigerators, make our meals, clean our dishes and do endless loads of laundry.  I think between Chris Ann and I we do about 20 loads (if not more) a week!

When we met with the experts, they had questions for us.  What would help make entertaining easier?  What features do you like in your dishwasher?  They even wanted to know our laundry confessional.

With each concern, they pointed to the appliance or feature that would take care of that.  For example, one of the main concerns of the “soccer moms” in attendance, was the need for a speedy meal.  Aside from installing an oven in our mini vans, how can we prepare a meal quickly for our families?  They introduced us to the Advantium Oven.

Have you ever heard of it?  Neither had we.  It can cook a 5 lb. chicken in as little as 33 minutes. It’s like a convection oven, meets microwave on steroids.  Seriously, it takes a lot to impress these mamas of 9, but we were impressed.

GE’s appliances are loaded with feature after feature to help make our lives easier.  They have a washer and dryer where you can digitally enter in “grass stain” or “sweat stains” and the washer will do what it needs to to get the job done.

One of the demonstrations I appreciated the most was the GE induction range.

I’ve seen them on TV.  The chef puts the magnetic pot on the burner and within minutes the water is boiling.  By the time the pot comes off the burner, the chef can touch the surface and not burn himself.  Clean up on these babies is a breeze as well.

When the tables were turned and they asked us to share some of our concerns, I asked about the longevity of appliances today.  They seemed shocked that word on the street is appliances have a “five year life”.  Now, they couldn’t give me a definitive answer on how long their appliances last.  They did say that all their appliances come with a 1 year warranty.  I have to say, it wasn’t exactly the answer I was looking for.  But, to address recycling questions, they are working hand in hand with Home Depot and Lowes to recycle the old appliances…and even old light bulbs! I’d say that’s progress.

They surprised us with the opportunity to a GE Range in the Monogram Experience Center’s professional kitchen with chefs Joe Castro and Brian Logsdon.

We had a blast preparing this breaded chicken dish.  It was beautiful and delish!

There are so many things to think about when it comes to choosing an appliance for your home.  Most of the bloggers in attendance realized we didn’t even know what questions to ask.

The GE team lives, breathes and studies all aspects of the appliance, from a producers view point.  We live, breath and use our appliances as consumers.  I think putting the two “experts” together, gave us both a new way of looking at how our appliance can serve us.  I walked away much more knowledgeable about what questions to ask when choosing our next appliance.  For sure, I will go with my husband and not let him settle for the “out of the box” cheaper model.  Having interacted with the GE appliances, especially the GE Monogram line, they feel sturdier, better designed and well thought out…not to mention, there were plenty that fit my “aesthetically pleasing” standard.

*We were invited to Louisville, Kentucky by GE Appliances for the GE Momsperience weekend.  All of our expenses were paid by GE.  But, there was no requirement for us to write this post, review or any recap.  We wanted to share with you our personal experience.  The opinions are all our own.

Lately we have had the travel bug bad.  Granted, we have had a get-away weekend with the GE Momsperience. But, for us that never cures the fever it actually infects us with more need to roam.  Kristin likes to think we’re nomads or gypsys at heart!  We don’t let much stop us from travel.  We have 9 kids between our two families.  Every couple of years we find time to go with just the 4 of us.  This past year we went to Cancun.  Did we ever tell you about the time we went to Italy with a baby?

Did we ever share about how we made it into Rome?  Even though Devon, Kristin’s husband promised not to go over 100 miles an hour?  Even though we didn’t know where our apartment was?  Even though our tiny car barely made it down the tiny streets?  Did you know that our inside joke is to hold your nose like this when you’ve just about had enough?

On that trip we found out that Devon is a multi-tasking driver that can ramp a curve to switch lanes, avoid crashes involving motorcycles and semis and site-see while driving fast enough to keep up with any Italian.  And my husband Todd, can pick up any language instantaneously and therefore can speak perfectly fluent Italian when seeking direction from locals.  Kristin and I can provide a sound track worthy of any high flying roller coaster ride.  It was a joint effort.

Our thrill ride into the city of Rome landed us with a lurch almost miraculously on a sidewalk of a street right behind this wonder at the perfect time to meet the landlord of our rental apartment.  It stands my hair on end just to think about it.

What are some of your favorite travel memories?

The red penguins are on the move everywhere at the 21c Museum Hotel.  They greeted us at the door, welcomed us to the GE Momsperience and loitered in the lobby, restaurant and everywhere in between.

They get around those penguins.  One night plumb tuckered out after some fancy hat making they wandered around (or were they carried?) until they found themselves a place to rest.

Meanwhile, while the penguins were getting comfortable, the LoveFeast girls were downstairs at the 21c Museum Hotel with Aaron, the evening security guard, enjoying the contemporary art museum and getting an escorted tour of art that might not be as handy to view if your are not of the right sex.  Such as, visiting the mens’ restroom to see art that can only be seen from the user-friendly side of the urinal.  Just sayin’, we needed an escort to feel OK about crashing the mens’ restroom and Aaron was our man.

We were getting to know Aaron as we walked the rooms and galleries at 21c and were exchanging the friendly facts that one exchanges in those situations, like yes, we have 9 kids between us, where you are from (Minnesota and Maryland) and yes we co-blog.  And, then from Aaron that he had been in the army, had lived in many places, and that Lady Gaga was a really a down-to-earth cool chick and that a red penguin almost made it onto Justin Bieber’s bus.  Then suddenly as we were standing there we saw something shift in Aaron’s eyes and his comfortableness with us dissipate.  Suddenly he began walking backwards away from us and we heard him utter, “oh, you’re thooossee bloggers” and disappeared leaving us to fall into the elevator laughing as the doors closed.  We head back to our room, amused and kind of weird-ed out.

Arriving at our room, this is what we found.  Birds in our beds.  Birds in our derby hats!!

OK, in a normal less sleep deprived frame of mind we might have thought other bloggers might have done this prank.  Maybe the sign about twitter attached to one penguin might have been a clear giveaway.  But, there were other facts to consider.  We had been tweeting quite a bit with 21c Museum Hotel and we had just been with Aaron the security guard who had backed away from us with some kind of secret.

At 2:30 a.m. our conclusion was drawn.  We had been punked by the 21c Museum Hotel!!  To our sleep deprived minds there was only one choice and one choice only…we must punk them back!

And, like anyone else would do, we spent some time (we could sleep later!) dressing them in something that would be appropriate if they were to visit the spa.  Again, this made perfect sense at 2:45 a.m.

First a quick drop of joe and an orange envelope tucked in a pocket with a message for the front desk.

The penguins leave our room…

and wait for the elevator to take them downstairs to the lobby.

They seem to be getting along, although they are quiet in the elevator.  We speculate they might be a couple.

Turns out that we found out via twitter our real pranksters were the bloggers of Mommy’s Camera and Creative Kristi with a little help from Aaron, the security guard.  But, again, like I said at 3:00 a.m. there was no turning back.  We were headed for the front desk.

Here’s where we show the 21c Museum Hotel how to punk and what real-art-meets-pop-art-meets-real- tired-mama-fake-performance-art is all about.  Take that!

Word is they are training other birds in so the penguins can go on vacation.

Can you spy who with your little eye?

This is where we’ve been hanging around the last few days.  It’s the stables at Churchill Downs where we’ve been sipping on mint juleps.  Well, not just that, lots of other things too~

We’ve also been hanging out with red penguins, GE Appliances and other bloggers this past weekend for the first GE Momsperience.  GE Appliances hosted a fabulous weekend for a group of bloggers and their guests.  It was a time to learn more about the brand, share ideas and start a conversation.  We had a creative itinerary full of time to meet, mix, share and learn.  We had a wonderful time and have stories to tell!

We stayed at the 21c Museum Hotel.  The hotel was just the right environment to feel that perfect mix of being well taken care of and getting your creative juices charged.  The hotel holds a contemporary art museum that is open to the public 24/7 and a wonderful restaurant called Proof On Main.  We fell in love with the red penguins which are the the hotel’s “mascot” of sorts.

Kristin flew in from Baltimore and I flew in from Minneapolis.  As soon as we arrive we settled in the bar at Proof for lunch.  It was good to be together in real life again!

The LoveFeast gals took a little break that afternoon to work on their brand new web site.  We were multi-tasking to the max, catching up, meeting new friends, making plans, reviewing fonts and meeting with our graphic designer.

The official GE Momsperience began that evening with introductions and apps’, art, drinks and hat-making!

Tomorrow we will share what the next day’s agenda brought us…time at the GE Monogram Experience Center and Churchill Downs.  With hats in tow the evening ended…it was going to be a whirlwind of an experience and we had just begun!

We’d love to hear your GE Momsperience story too!  If you were on the GE trip link your post and share your story!

The LoveFeast girls have found themselves in Louisville, Kentucky.  We’re here at the inspiring and modern 21c Museum Hotel.  The hotel is truly a place to get your creativity peaking.  We’ve had delicious meals at the hotel’s restaurant Proof on Main, lively conversation with smart women, fine dining, hat making and interacting with the art that surrounds the spaces.  We’ve got some stories to tell already. We’ve friend-ed one of the bartenders who has spilled some restaurant cocktail recipes for LoveFeast ~ perfect timing with our summer “theme-making” underway.  We can’t wait to have our Monogram Experience tomorrow!!  We’re already amazed at how GE Monogram has tapped into such creativity and  inspiration to provide such a memorable experience ~ filled with possibilities!  So ~ hold onto your hats and keep and eye out for red penguins!!  With those two combination and the LoveFeast girls in town ~ anything can happen!!

That’s were you can find me ~ under the umbrella over to the left on that bank of lounge chairs.  It’s one of my favorite spots in the world.

Poolside at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel is one of my favorite places to rest and relax.  It seems to be the only place where I can get a book read or be caught red handed with my own plate of wings.

One theory for it’s high ranking in my places of zen, might be due to the architect who designed this place or the relaxed and intimate yet luxurious vibe.  Another theory is, I’m usually san kids and my husband is in business meeting.  So, it’s just me, the sun, a good book and time.

Sometimes I change locations to be closer to the music and the action ~ the action being the waterfall off the pool slide.

The rooms are lovely.

And, last time this delicious box of chocolates was given to me ~ best chocolates ever ~ happiness in a box.

I’m going to be having this for breakfast at least one morning.

This salad is definitely something to look forward to.  It is a bowl full of health ~ so delish and satisfying.

Even though I was dining alone, I didn’t hardly mind or notice.  (Picture by my waiter at Frank & Alberts.)

Which I really kind of wasn’t, because the staff at Frank & Alberts is so personable and attentive.

Another reason I didn’t feel alone ~ I as twittering the whole meal.  When you’re dining alone, you tend to turn to your twitter peeps.

Yes, I’m looking forward to a little R & R and wonderful poolside refreshment.  If you need me ~ I’m only a tweet away!

Do you have a spot that you really like to unwind at?  A favorite hotel, restaurant, coffee shop or place to visit?  What is your favorite getaway?  We’d love to hear your get-away ideas!

On our family’s spring break vacation we got a chance to go back for a short visit to the Children’s Home & Community Center.  Kristin,  Devon, Todd and I got a chance to visit the Center back in October of last year when we took our trip to Azul Sensatori.  You can read a little about the history here.  Then, a few months later, Todd and I, along with some of the folks from the company he works for, came back in February and shared a wonderful meal of empandas and gave away some books to the surrounding community.

On this visit, I was anxious to show my kids a little bit of what we had experienced.  We had brought some books, toys and candies to give away.  I wanted to be able to give them an opportunity to see what we had gotten to see, expand their understanding and maybe get a chance to do the same.  I wanted my kids to remember their full stacked shelves of books.

When they saw this.

When we got to the Community Center, we discovered that the local pastor who oversees and works on this project, was there.  He gathered the chairs around and began to tell our children about the history of the area and this project.   Part of me was anxious to get going.  I had heard this story before.  I was anxious for an experience.  Something more tangible for my kids to do.   It didn’t quite work out that way.

Part of coming to another culture is respecting it.  Of listening.  Of knowing.  So, my kids listened to the stories of this elder.  Stories about the jungle and machetes, tigers, people and how he came to share his story with the people who lived in this area.  This was not a movie.  This was someone’s life.  This was about someone who has given up his life for greater purposes.

After we listen to the history and story, we got some refreshments from the canteen by the pool.

The pastor walked us around the grounds so that we could see the progress.  This center is going up year by year, brick by brick as funds are available.

We stopped for a picture.

We looked at the upper level addition, on top of the future kitchen.

Can you imagine this is a kitchen for a community?

This is the blank canvas waiting to be made into something.  This is what Kristin and I see when we look at this.  We know, step by step, anything can happen!  That has been our journey on this blog.  When we see this empty cinder block shell, we see potential, we see ideas!  We hope you stick around and dream with us!!  It may be some time down the road ~ but we hope to help see this room through, into it’s future!

Then, we took a walk around the shanty town.  There is rubble from the clearing and building everywhere.

We didn’t have time to give out our books or toys.  That wasn’t what happened this trip.  They would be given out by the Mexican church that reaches out to this community.  That wasn’t my original plan.   Turns out this visit was about looking, listening and learning.  And, it was about knowing.  And, even if that wasn’t my plan.

I am sure it was meant to be.

Just a couple of weeks ago our family went on Spring Break in Cancun, Mexico.  We made it there in first class style although we almost didn’t make it on the plane.  After a long day at the Minneapolis airport, flight delays, potential missed connections and several phone calls our family went from a flight through Detroit in coach to 6 first class seats on a direct flight to Cancun.  Oh, and did I mention that after we got our direct flights my husband briefly misplaced his brief case with all our passports in it?  What a day!

All to finally get to a place where we could get a little sand and sun, smiles and splashes!

And, a little time for some hammock blogging~

That’s not all we got to do ~ we stopped for a visit here!

Did you go for a Spring Break trip?  Where does your family like to get away to?