L'Opera

On Saturday night I went to the opera at the Met-I have to say the Lincoln centre is an impressive building. This was my first experience of the opera and I held no expectations, my mother loves it, my father hates it, I was just going to see what I thought. It was fun getting all dressed up and drinking champagne in the interval but was the experience of 'going' to the opera better than the opera itself? I went to see the barber of Seville-a comedy, it was funny I thoroughly enjoyed it for the first hour and a half but then I started to think-do they have to sing about that again? Ok we get the idea that you love her now-2 and a half hours later I have to admit I might have dozed off for a second. Don't get me wrong I was really impressed by the staging and the singing but it was very long and when we hit midnight I found it hard to keep my eyes open! The subtitles on the little screen in front of your seat I found distracting, I would often be looking a that than the action on stage. I think I need a tragedy, something that will sweep me up in the emotion and have me so enthralled I don't look at the subtitles. As we left the Met it started to snow-I have to say it was incredibly romantic and getting a taxi back home through the city was lovely, a truly enjoyable experience but a tragedy for me next time I think!

Go Giants!

So as an English woman I've never really been into American football-why would I be? Its not like its rugby! That it is definitely not-I don't mean to be a traitor now that I'm living here and all but is it not really boring? It is so stop/start I just don't get it-at least rugby is exciting, and I'll tell you what really irks me the countdown clock-so it says there is 10mins left of the quarter-yeah right that could last an hour-what's the point-at least in rugby and football you know how long you have left! So what happened on Sunday then when I couldn't stop watching the Superbowl? It was like I got swept up in it all and I actually cheered when the fat guy sat down into his touch down-is that what its called? Then on Tuesday I watched the parade on TV and the Rally (Rally? is this Grease?) and somehow couldn't help feeling emotional (maybe its my hormones) then the presenter says-'the World Champions'-hang on isn't it 'American' football as in its only played in America? Ok insanity over-I don't get it!

The meatpacking experience

So I thought I had been to the best restaurant in the meatpacking district when I went to Buddakan which is an amazing place. The place had a very 'cool' vibe, large space with plenty of seating yet somehow felt intimate. The food and wine was gorgeous. Asian food is one of my favourites so I was blown away, I recommend the salt rock prawns and the steak. The wine was also excellent although the entire night was rather on the pricey side, or so I thought until I went to Villa Pacri. Villa Pacri is an Italian restaurant in the same neighbourhood. I love Italian food and have certainly tried my fair share of Italian restaurants and food as my sister used to work for an Italian food company. I have to say it was incredibly expensive but worth every penny. The Burrata was to die for-like no mozzarella I had ever tasted before so creamy it just melted in your mouth and the tuna tartare was amazing alongside the thinly sliced prosciutto. For main I definitely recommend their house speciality of the ravioli with truffle-so gorgeous and my husband's Veal Milanese was also delicious. The setting was romantic and yet at the same time 'trendy'. At the beginning of the evening all that was on my mind was god this place is pricey and the people are way too cool for school but after I started eating and drinking (the wine was also very good I recommend the Macon Village) I forgot all that and got transported to heaven with every mouthful!