j+m september adventures: noodles, art, tunes and cannolis

First off, this week was fantastic, with news that I would be starting an internship at a really exciting musical organization, and my first meeting with my thesis adviser. The ball is definitely rolling. Also, I got picked up by a street style blogger for this East Village Blog, put out by NYU and the NY Times. It was hilarious, fun, and definitely a bit awkward. Check it out here.

This weekend was Joe's first visit of the school year, and we did not hold back! Food, art, musical adventures abounded. Here is the first installment of weekend pics etc. Joe got in late Thursday night, so Friday morning we hit the Whitney Museum, which houses a nice, often changing collection of American modern and contemporary art. We followed up the Whitney with a nice walk in Central Park before running home to get ready for our dinner at Momofuku Noodle Bar. I have discovered the trick to eating at restaurants on weekends that are overwhelmingly popular with New Yorkers: eat early. Getting there before 7 meant we were seated immediately, which definitely took me by surprise. If anything was to discribe my Noodle Bar experience it would be "porky". Pork buns followed by the Momofuku Ramen, which represents all manner of pig products. By far the most interesting part of the meal was Chang's signature bacon dashi in the Ramen broth, which lends it an incredibly smokey flavor. Overall, the meal was excellent and the staff incredibly attentive, although I found, like many people, the pork buns to be overwhelmingly fatty. Still prefer Ippudos buns! But overall, a lovely culinary experience. We finished that night with some friends celebrating a buddy's birthday party uptown. A lovely day.

Very New York Cookies

Munching on snacks outside the Whitney

Central Park

Chocolate Babka (which I now know how to make!)

Coloured pull-tie art in Astor Place

Momofuku Noodle Bar!

Pork Bun. Ready to be folded up and inhaled.

Noodle Bar Kitchen

My Momofuku Ramen. You could really taste the Bacon Dashi. Super smokey!

Joe's Chicken Ramen

Saturday was shopping in SoHo where Joe and I bought an inordinate amount of flannel (Joe and I even bought the same shirt, pictured on me, below). We also walked around the 9th Street block party in my neighborhood, just one of the many neighborhood block parties that have been happening around me every weekend. But Saturday night was where it was at. Drew (roommate), Joe and I, hit up a "secret" show of the popular NY based band The Hold Steady at the Beekman Beer Garden, right by the South Sea Port on the water. Ping pong, great beers, light up sofas, an amazing view of the Brooklyn Bridge and fantastic tunes. Now that's a great NY way to spend a Saturday night.

Cannolis at the San Gennaro festival in Little Italy

Facepainting! 9th Street Block Party. Love East Village Block Parties.

Hipster Joe! At Caracas Arepa Bar

Me in front of the hard to see view at Beekman Beer Garden

The view

Roomies!

Ping pong.

Getting comfy on light-up couches

Rocking hard!

The Hold Steady! Craig Finn is so wonderful.

More from this weekend to come in a new post this week!