Torches on the Hudson for Sunday Brunch!

What is a more fitting way to spend a Sunday (late morning into early afternoon) then with one's lady friends, river side and enjoying a classic brunch buffet?  It was a lovely experience and Torches on the Hudson has set the bar. We watched many visitors begin a day of Hudson Valley tourism with brunch and then set off on one of the river cruises, but it was also a great way for local friends, families or even those on a date, to get together and share a meal.

Brunch cocktails are not available until noon, so if that is a priority either plan accordingly or be patient.  Here are the Bellini, Bloody Mary and Mimosa.

I enjoyed the peach and champagne cocktail that is a Bellini.

The buffet also includes custom omelette's ordered via our server and/or Eggs Benedict.  Eggs Benedict are my favorite breakfast food - something about the lush feeling of a poached egg smothered in a well made Hollandaise that makes me happy. I have the egg with Canadian bacon or ham and over either a toasted English muffin or my absolute favorite is a slice of fresh, seasonal tomato.  I am almost giddy with food anticipation and brunch excitement.

We head to the buffet in shifts.  Some of the ladies stay at the table to both guard our bags and belongings (something our mothers taught us I suppose) and ward off the evil yellow jacket bees!

Mini-waffles are a popular item at the buffet and are served alongside bowls of sliced and fragrant strawberries as well as whipped cream.

Another beloved aspect of brunch is the availability of both breakfast and lunch menu items.  An antipasto platter is perfectly at home on the same serving table as a silver tray of scrambled eggs, baked pastries, and slices of quiche.

For those who prefer something with far less salt and exponentially greater nutritional value - a beautiful variety of fruit is nearby.

And of course, an assortment of cheeses...

My first plate (yes, that is the down side to a buffet - we tend to overeat) includes a few slices of salami, a single piece of ham, a portion of Chicken Marsala, a serving of the perfect texture and well seasoned breakfast potatoes with red peppers and onion, a small section of quiche and a few olives.  Salt heaven!

My second plate (I can tell you without shame because we are not making eye contact), includes a bit of Tilapia, fresh green beans, more of those heavenly spuds and from the carving station; a slice of roast turkey with gravy.  It just can't get any better than a waterfront brunch buffet with great friends and a Bellini, right?  

Maybe it can!  A dessert buffet is the cherry on the proverbial sundae or literal cupcake depending on your selection.

Bread Pudding

Yogurt Parfaits

A Tower of Treats

Sweets, sweets, everywhere!

Panna cotta with Blackberries and Cream 

 (Learn more about panna cotta by clicking here)

What did 5 women in their 30's - 50's talk about over brunch? Work, kids, the food, the bees, and the ladies from the Red Hat Society who were getting ready to board one of the river cruise boats.

Ok, about those bees...I was minding my own business and was stung on the back of the neck and then, the last precious sip I had saved of my delicious Bellini was ruined by a dive bombing yellow jacket who landed in the alcohol laced nectar I was thoroughly enjoying.  Hmmph.

The breakfast buffet at Torches on the Hudson would be great for catching up with friends or family and a great date for couples of all ages.  A great destination for being and feeling Fed Well.

The Continental - Atlantic City, NJ

Bags packed, car loaded, GPS set for the vacation rental and we (Mommy and me) are off.  We will be meeting the Mr., his mother and our yellow lab, Maddy, but first a stop off in Atlantic City.

 

Something about the frenzy and promise of listening to the electronic dings, bells and beeps as you walk through a casino floor.  People are both excited and disgusted as they sit in front of quiet machines.  Are they plotting how they will explain their losses or dreaming of ways to spend the days winnings?  What about those at the tables?  Are they losing their monthly mortgage or winning back the money they lost from their last visit?

 

We are ready for a bit of lunch and stroll out from Caesar's to the shops and this is the view of the beach:

It's just classic to me.  Timeless. 

 

The beach is where my soul wants to go to heal and refresh.  It is the place I imagine to be when people joke about going to their "happy place."  It is calming and soothing though I can get anxious if the water is too rough or intimidating. 

 

Ah, but I must pull my mind back and think about the mid-day meal.  We stop at The Continental.  It seems fun and has a bit of an old-school wink in appearance and feel.

 

The menu includes head shot photos of the staff.  Kinda cool.  By the way, the staff were all very nice and attentive without hovering.  I like to be seated promptly when possible, usually prefer time between ordering a drink and ordering the meal (I may sometimes be under a time constraint, but I will identify that rather than be impatient) and to receive the correct order.  I like to be "checked on" once during the meal and overall not feel like I am an inconvenience.  Pretty average standards.

 

Time to order and I opt for something a bit unusual for me and light.

 

Grilled Thai Chicken Skewers

with Jasmine rice and peanut sauce.

 

Delicious.  The chicken has a nice bit of charred crust but the meat is moist and flavorful.  I especially enjoy mixing the rice with a bit of the peanut sauce. 

 

For Mommy:

 

A classic turkey club served with fresh fruit.

 

Wow.  No fries for either of us! It is our lucky day.

 

 

A short time later, I stood by the ocean.

It is a dream come true. 

"I am at the beach." 

I just want to skip or twirl or something to show the universe that I am happy and exactly where I am supposed to be.

Being able to share this vacation with a portion of my family and looking forward to a week's worth of fabulous meals are all I need to feel Fed Well.

 

Harry's Oyster Bar - Atlantic City Boardwalk

Just the names of some places evoke images we cannot control. Paris = Eiffel Tower, New York City may be the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building and for Atlantic City we think of gambling and casinos, right? For me, it is really a combination of casinos, boardwalk, the ocean and yes, shopping.  It is so unfortunate that recent news about AC includes the closing of multi-million dollar casinos and regardless of the fault or where you stand on the issue of gambling, the impact will be sizable.

This past summer I was lucky to go on a week long vacation with the Mr. and our mothers.  We stayed in a small beach town just south of Atlantic City.  The location was perfect and allowed us easy access to AC while staying in a nearby shore area.

One day, the Mr. and I took my Mommy out for a little morning one-armed bandit wrestling which worked up our appetites before we hit the outlet stores.  We strolled a bit and came upon Harry's Oyster Bar and I fell in love with the outdoor seating.  I knew I wasn't quite close enough to hear the roar of the waves, smell the salt or feel the sea spray, but I was nearby enough to soak in the atmosphere that was clearly saturated with beach vibes.

 

The generous sized umbrellas allowed guests to enjoy their dining al fresco without feeling the sun's wicked summer scorch.

 

 

The restaurant only opens at noon and we are in our seats by 12:05 as the other tables begin to fill up quickly.  Staff are wearing sunglasses and the guests range from tourists like us to what appear to be local business folks.

 

I begin with..yes, New England Clam Chowder.  I know, I know, but just as I would eat cold fruit in the winter, I am perfectly happy with soup in the summer.

 

 

No, my camera did not need adjusting, the soup did have a pale greenish cast.  Could have been the ton of celery or the fresh bay leaf - either way it was pretty good soup.

 

The lunch menu was straightforward and as other's received their food, I felt like a cartoon character lifted into a horizontal position and trailing behind the most heavenly of lunchtime food aroma's - the after scent of fried food, more specifically french fries!

 

(photo source unknown)

 

Before you know it, our food arrives and I forget that none of us won $10,000 in the casino. 

The Mr.'s grilled chicken wrap

 

Mommy's classic cheeseburger

 

My lobster roll

 

I almost never eat the roll the lobster roll is served in.  Mostly because I simply enjoy the flavor of the lobster salad, but also if I am going to eat those preciously deep fried and perfectly salted potatoes, I think that is enough carbs for one sitting.  Also, I never really understood the shiny coating of butter and grilling of the roll, but that's just my taste.

 

 

Harry's Oyster Bar provided us with a great and simple lunch.  We were ready to face an afternoon of outlet shopping (despite the Mr. feeling I had revoked his man card) and were certainly feeling Fed Well.

 

Mia's Kitchen in Suffern

My life is pretty compartmentalized between how I make a living (which has 2 distinctly different facets - the one I love and the one that pays the bills) and my personal life.  Sometimes it is best to think of the scene in Ghost Busters where the men are emphatically instructed, "DO NOT CROSS THE STREAMS," - this direction is mostly the rule but, yes, with a few exceptions. Click here to remember the scene from Ghost Busters  Trust me, for the most part it is best that I do not cross the lines between what is personal into professional, but making a few friends along any path in life is always a great choice.

I have made a few good friends at my day job and one of the best aspects is lunch. We have our favorites spots which include a Mexican hacienda, 2 different Chinese restaurants, a diner, a few pizza places for different reasons and now a new addition to the rotation is Mia's Kitchen.

I stopped in one day and picked up a menu the old fashioned way, but you can visit Mia's Kitchen by clicking here.

The options very vegetarian friendly, healthier and not typical. Many of us were looking forward to a visit, but as it happened, it was a lunch for 2.

The eclectic decor demands attention.  I was a bit distracted when I placed my order because I really wanted to take it all in and somehow have it make sense.  Elvis, Snoopy and the Wizard of Oz album covers (and the Partridge Family though it can't be seen in this photo) mixed various framed photos are hung on cheery yellow walls.

Behind the counter, Charlie Brown stretches his arms in anticipation of a big hug and offers visitors a smile.

While waiting for my food, I couldn't help but talk things over with my friend (sort of the investigative reporter in me - crossing the streams):  "I wonder who Mia is -his daughter or wife?"  "Do you think the album covers were his?"  

The next customer who came in went right ahead and asked the man behind the counter many of the questions I had and more.  I was able to satisfy my curiosity without driving anyone crazy, well, if you don't count listening to the not very quiet exchange the 2 men were having.  Mia is his daughter, the album covers were his and he still enjoys much of the music though no mention was made about the Partridge Family. 

Although I looked over the paper menu, it is helpful that many items are available for visual decisions in glass coolers.  My friend and I both decide on the eggplant, roasted red pepper and fresh mozzarella with pesto panini.

As  you can see, the eggplant is quite meaty and generous in portion.  The sandwich was a pleasant diversion from our usual fare, tasted great and didn't leave us hating ourselves for overeating.

I also ordered a small side of sweet potato salad with pecans.  I was surprised for some reason that it was served cold though a salad by it's very name implies "cold." I guess it was my lack of experience with eating this particular potato chilled.  I was in love. The sweet potato is meant to be paired with pecans and though I'm not a fan of the pie (I think it is a texture thing) I imagine this dish is very much based on those tastes with the healthy dial turned way up.  No mayonnaise, no fats, just sweet potatoes and pecans.  Yum.

Mounted on the wall next to our tables was a framed photo of Lucy and Desi that looked like this:

Posed or not, under protest or in the middle of a fight, it doesn't matter - they were married for years and years and worked together.  Was it the crossing of the streams that contributed to their divorce? Doesn't really matter.  I prefer to simply think of them as a couple in love when I see this image.

Mia's Kitchen brought the eye down memory lane and gave the taste buds a memorable and healthy treat.  My friend and I were fed well and will return with more of our friends, or are they co-workers?Sometimes you have to mix it up and cross the streams.

Mariner's on the Hudson and Walkway over the Hudson

Take off on a workday for a date! Yes, do it!  Just once.  Make it a sunny day if you can help it with some real "date like" plans.  The Mr. suggested the Walkway Over the Hudson and we couldn't have had more perfect weather.  The picturesque cloud cover and breeze were just enough to keep us from melting in the June sun as we walked from the Highland to Poughkeepsie side then back on the Walkway.

We've yet to master the art of the "selfie" and after a few poorly cropped shots, I am forward enough to ask total strangers to take our picture.  I feel it is the era of capturing as many of our life events as possible and so it is not unusual for strangers to hand over their trusty electronics.  I am sure many have fancier/newer/upgraded devices than we do and I can tell from scrolling through social media that others have certainly mastered the art of the "selfie."  For now, I will keep it old school and ask for help when needed.

Though I don't usually share many of those personal shots here on the blog.  The Mr. is shy.

The shot above is looking out over the Poughkeepsie side.

This one is the Highland side.

Something about being near the water for me.  I love it in all forms, still, salt, running, from brooks or streams to lakes, rivers and oceans.  I feel calmer, relaxed and at ease.  I don't always have to be in it and in fact have been a bit cautious with a bit of anxiety since I was crashed down by a wave in the ocean a few years ago.  I felt like salt water burned my nose for a solid day after my face plant in the sand.

A view of the entrance.  The water, the walkway, the sky...

Plenty of room during the off hours (my new secret for getting a great table) during the vast space between traditional lunch and dinner.  I think it may drive the Mr. a little crazy because he is either starving from breakfast or joking that we are rushing into a senior citizen lifestyle by having dinner at 4.  

The view during lunch from the Highland side looking over the Hudson to Poughkeepsie.  Lovely.

A cocktail menu is starting to become a prerequisite for me.  I NEVER had an alcoholic drink with a meal while raising our sons.  Now that they are 21 and 25 years old, well, if I'm telling the truth - it's been a few years - I feel free to indulge every now and then.

A sunny day, dining al freseco, a Mojito seems in order.  The drink was crisp and refreshing, not overpowering without feeling weak.

Soup in summer? Yes, soup all year long and especially when it is clam chowder!  The broth was flavorful and the bowl had plenty of clams, potatoes and celery.  We shared the serving so we would have room for lunch.

For the Mr., a steak sandwich and fries.  He actually tossed a fry to the ducks! Can you believe it?  My favorite food of all time was flung out into the water for the fowl!?  

"If you must feed them," I said, "how about giving them pieces of your roll and if you don't want your fries, I will be happy to have some."

The seafood salad was my entree.  The shrimp were of medium size and fairly tender.  I should have asked for the dressing on the side since I usually prefer it without any dressing.

The ducks were happy to have a few french fries and bits of bread.

Entertainment? Sure, in addition to the ducks, a loooooong freight train went by and we were mesmerized like children by the cars and length of the train.

What else happened? Well, a woman was having soup and salad on her own just a few tables away from us. I asked our server if she thought I could pay for the woman's dessert without saying anything.  The server advised me she didn't think the woman would order dessert and so I anonymously paid for her soup. My first random act of paying it forward for a stranger.  We were gone long before the woman found out half of her bill was paid and no, it wasn't about whether she seemed in financial need or not.  For me, it was about stepping up and just doing something nice for a stranger.

You know what?  It kind of leaves you feeling Fed Well.