Monday, February 6, 2012

Monday,February, 06 2012


I've just moved to New York and I want to share  my adventures in this crazy city.
 I was born in Brazil in the 1974s, and I've lived in  two different country’s like Spain and France. I have a twin sister Regina, even if we grow up together we have a widely different temperaments and now we live in different country’s. I'm married with a lovely French guy named Xavier, and we have a bizarre language in home. I speak Portuguese with him and he French. We decided to speak each one the maternal language to not have the misunderstood. I'm here because my husband has been transferred from Paris to New York to assume a new position.

I'm a chef; I used to work in Paris in a Palace in Vendome square. I've worked there for 8 years and now I'm here for a new experience. I was very said to live Paris, because I've learned to love this city and I've just bought a new apartment that I've spent a year to renovate and I've lived there only 6 months and we received the news that must leave to 
New York. So in November 2011 we moved and now I'm here!!!
In the beginning was very difficult, "I felt like a fish out of water". We decided to bring with us every things like furniture’s, lamps, pictures, and we did by boat. The difficult was that we first put ours things in boat and after choose our apartment that was quite difficult because we needed an apartment that we can put all ours stuff inside. So, I've visited a 30 apartments and we loved just 2 of them. Then were in west side and another in uptown. In the process, for both buildings, they asked to provide letters of reference because these apartments were coop apartments, and this kind of rent is quite complex. We were lucky because we had a very good broker and very nice friends that made letters and in the end we were accepted. Now we are really new Yorkers and we live in upper west side, a quite nice neighborhood. 
   The next steep to live in New York was find the best places to buy food. Yes Food. To cook is a very important word for me so even if the kitchens in New York are small. The only thing I love as much as cooking is traveling. So something very important for cook is INGREDIENTS. We can’t do a great meal with second-class ingredients. We must seek out the best. So I started a new adventure, find the similar ingredients I had in French, here!!! I decided to follow the Zagat guide and try to find the best foods shops in New York. The idea was pretty nice because I found myself with a challenge, and for the first time I stopped to feel sorry to myself and now I try to get back my life. I explored every week one section, neighborhood. I was surprised that we can find very good ingredients in New York and the most surprising is that we can find every thing in this city. Nothing is impossible here!!!There are very nice places like “Lobel’s” a very nice to buy meat in upper east,” Raffetto's” a makers of fresh pasta in Houston street, “Murray's” a nice cheese market in Bleecker street, “Lobster Place” a seafood market at Chelsea market, a lovely place called “Eataly” a shopping center for Italian food in Flatiron neighborhood, “Fairway” and “Cittarella” in upper west, “Agate and Valentine” in upper east side, “Dean and Deluca”, “the Sullivan Bakery” in theater district 47th, “Petrosian” in fifty avenue, etc.... 
   So the next steep was learn English, so I went to explore the University’s like Columbia, Hunter and NYU. In the end I choose NYU so I'm here now writing this blog that is Homework for this school and a new challenge because I’ve never write a blog before. So here one last thing I'd like to mention. Enjoy your days in New York City.





The Bucher in New York

As a chef my challenge in the last 30 days was to find in New York the best place to by meat. Firstly it was hard because not everyone has the same taste as you. So I try to ask different people. The good think is that I learned a lot how worked the subway lines and buses in this city. One day I finally found the best butcher in New York, ''Lobel's" at Madison Avenue. Immediately I asked some information and I placed my order for the next Thursday. I asked for a Lamb saddle, a Veal scallops and some slice of Beef Carpaccio.

Thursday I was in NYU doing my test when my husband called. When I finished my test I called him back and he asked me "how I could spent a lot of money5 in a butcher store?" I was surprised because when I placed my order, I was so happy to find that wonderful store that I forgot to ask the price!! So I said I was very sorry but as Chef a need to use the best ingredients. He laughed and said, "Next time please ask the price before!!". The dinner was wonderful, the lamb was softy and very tasty. Everyone face was like shine. My husband was very happy and I was forgiven.
The next day, everyone writes to say how tasty was the lamb.
My conclusion is that is important know how to cook, but the most important is the good ingredients.


3 comments:

  1. U REALLY LIKE COOK!
    U R A HAPPY WOMAN!
    U HAVE PASSION TO DO EVERYTHING!
    I GUESS THAT'S WHY U LOOK YOUNGER THAN UR REAL AGE.

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  2. Renata, you know a lot of nice stores although you have been in NY for only 4 months. How inquisitive and energetic you are. I was really impressed. Your life in NY is full of adventure such as the quest for good food, ingredients and a nice apartment. I feel like I was in your adventure when I read your blog. It’s really great!

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  3. What a wnderful experience!
    I really envy you. Could you let me know that where the restaurant is located? I wanna taste the dishs they have, and I love lamb. Actually I have some chinese noodle made by lamb with Yang yesterday. It was also very nice.
    I could feel your happiness and love for your husband when I read your post,and enjoied pleasantly. Love forever, and make good memories!!

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