The meal was amazing: a no nonsense, pefectly-made burger on a home-made brioche bun topped with smoked bacon and frites. Union is one of the few places here that will serve burgers medium rare (that's how they come unless you request otherwise) - because they hand-grind organic, locally-sourced beef. It makes a huge difference to the taste.
That drink was a cocktail made with grapefruit, vodka and absinthe but I also had a glass of really terrific pinot noir. It was light but highly-acidic and it balanced the beef perfectly.
Dessert was awesome:
That's ginger cake coated in a salted-caramel sauce with home-made vanilla ice cream. It always arrives optimal-temp-hot and it's masterful.
The patio at Union is a private space, annexed from the outdoors with tall fences and lush trees:
It serves local food, primarily, so what you get is in season. It's not cheap but it's excellent and consistent and the service is great.
Since my goal is to rediscover a summer holiday state of mind, I'm trying to find the lovely in this landscape, hence a few shots the base of my street on the walk home:
These pics reminded me that I have returned to two rather overrun gardens and it's going to take a lot of the weekend to get them into shape. I've already put an hour into the front, but there's more to be done. Stay tuned for some photos when I've restored order.
Today's question: Do you ever take a vacation in your own town? You know, the kind where you imagine that you're in your fave holiday city only that city is also where you happen to live. Do tell...
Posts
I love stay-cations (not that I'm opposed to the other type at all).
ReplyDeleteI'm able to go to places that are, oddly enough, only open during (my) work hours.
There are also many touristy places that are over run on weekends but incredibly pleasant to visit during the week. The weekday staff are likely to chat more and tell you things that you wouldn't hear during peak times.
Plus, I get to sleep in my own bed.
I often find it difficult to turn off the "regular life" during a staycation but I'm getting much better at it. One of the purviews of age, I suspect :-) And sleeping in one's own bed is the best.
DeleteWelcome home! Sorry Ireland wasn't all you expected... I had a slightly similar experience at a cottage last week with my family. lovely place, lovely people, but so much more relaxing to be HOME!
ReplyDeleteSo glad for you that you still have so much vacation at home ahead. Can't wait to see how you do lingerie - I'm just going through a thousand posts so I haven't had a chance to read your latest one yet...
Deleteanswer: i don't, but after reading this post, i want to.
ReplyDeletealso, really? getting a medium rare burger is an issue in toronto? if i were looking to move to toronto i would have to seriously consider this point!!
Honey - you live in NYC?!?!?!? The best staycation venue on the planet! Please, do me / you a favour and take a staycation weekend. Then blog about it and make us all totally want to decamp to your 'hood.
DeleteBTW, getting a med rare burger is also impossible in most places in the US and, apparently, in Ireland too. I think e coli has scared the shit out of everyone (no pun intended) except for the restaurants who take their cooking very seriously. Sad, I realize.
I just read a post on Jane Brocket's blog where she tells us that vacation plans got changed last minute and they are staying home where they've discovered that they've lucked into rather luxury accommodation: the wine in the fridge is exactly their preference AND it's been pre-chilled for them, there are books about that seem to have been chosen with them in mind, they have "a big comfortable bed and personal pillows." In fact, she writes, it's as if "a holiday fairy had pre-empted our holiday needs." She also details all there is to do locally, and I know I could find almost as much right in my own backyard. It's all a state of mind, right? Your photos show that you've landed very well indeed! Can't wait to see your gardens (ours may finally get some rain this weekend and it's cooled right down to low 20s -- not complaining at all!)
ReplyDeleteHa! I LOVE this. It's so true. When you run out of that special bottle of wine, you know where to get another. And the cheese and crackers are curated. :-) I spent an hour on the front (it's 15 x 10 and it's still not finished - and it was in perfect shape 2 weeks ago?! This weather makes everything go crazy.) The back yard needs a couple of hours. Seriously, one of my rose bushes has taken over about 5 feet and I'm going to have to prune it pretty seriously to keep it from encroaching on my other plants. I've never seen a plant of any sort grow this quickly. It's freaking me out. Mind you, these are the problems to have!
DeleteI live in Santa Cruz, CA, rather than in Silicon Valley, where I work, so that I have a staycation every weekend. ;-) Ok, not quite, but instead of driving with the hordes of cars coming to my town for the day I'm already here. And can walk to the beach and drink my own wine at home. But even so, I still need to take more time to be on vacation when I'm at home, and not get overwhelmed by the to-do list...
ReplyDeleteYou're so right. That's the real problem with the staycation - it's getting out of your own at-home routines. I think that going away for 2 weeks first, made it pretty easy to leave routine behind when I got home. But I am getting better at overlooking the responsibilities.
DeleteIn a way my whole life is a staycation right now;). It makes going to Costco an adventure.
ReplyDeleteHilarious! And Costco is always an adventure (especially for this car-free person who never gets there but when a suburban friend offers the trip).
DeleteWe just don't seem to be able to squeeze a vacation in this summer other than visiting friends during the last week. I'm looking forward to exploring with the kiddos. It's going to be fun. Now...we just need the rain to stop!
ReplyDeleteYou may be very busy if you decide to move house! Keep us posted.
DeleteI like my steaks pretty rare, but not hamburgers. But then again, I have access to some of the best beef in the world for free, so there's no need to undercook it to have a juicy flavorful hamburger. <--That's the power of Herefords. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI concur with the staycations. We've done lots of those over the years (mostly because we're broke with kid(s)), and they are generally more fun than the places we've traveled to. But then, I am not a fan of car trips, and that's how my husband always wants to travel. This might change though, now that he's seen how cheap domestic flights can be...
Oh, I love a rare steak too! I won't eat the hamburger unless I'm in a place where I know they grind it, that's of very good reputation - and that also serves tartare. I don't want newbies half cooking a burger!
DeleteI'm really not into car trips - I get car sick easily and my body starts to hurt from being cooped up. But the train works well!