Go Local

Capo Ristorante- Delizioso!

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Whether you live in GC or not, you should know that there’s a centrally located Italian restaurant in Floral Park called Capo Ristorante (fyi- Capo is short for the owners last name). We dined here recently and really enjoyed our visit. The decor is tastefully done and it’s very cozy inside with lots of warm, earthy colors. There’s a huge wooden wine rack built into the back wall and a charming tin ceiling that adds a nice, old-school touch. 


Capo boasts a comprehensive menu and I was tempted by nearly everything on it. Tip #1: Go hungry because there’s a lot you will likely want to sample! The panini pages themselves took up half of the menu. There was a nice, reasonably priced wine selection to go with all of the mouth watering food choices. 


Onto our meal: I loved the lobster risotto. I had it as an appetizer and if I hadn’t already ordered my entree, I probably would have doubled down for my main course. We also ordered the brussel sprouts with prosciutto and garlic. It was just right. 

For entrees, I had chicken sorrentino- chicken topped with eggplant, prosciutto and mozzarella cheese. So delish. IMO, fresh mutz just can’t be beat. (oops- “mutz” is a throw back to my days in Hoboken where everyone lovingly refers to mozzarella as “mutz”.)  The balsamic marinated pork loin was also a good choice. It came with a very tasty lentil salad and caramelized cipollini onions. You haven’t had caramelized onions until you’ve had them with cipollinis. Even you onion-haters might be swayed! I hear the fried calamari and the chianti braised beef short ribs are tough to beat but that the panini are the hidden gem of this place. Needless to say, stay tuned for another Capo panini post- Which gives me a great idea for my Superbowl menu and leads me to… Tip #2: catered panini platters… yum. And yes, they do cater. 

Can’t forget my favorite course- dessert. We had thick biscotti and a sweet cannoli in a crisp outer shell. I don’t know about you but I can’t enjoy a cannoli if the shell doesn’t crunch. Of course, this was washed down with a frothy espresso. The owner was very personable and the staff was attentive but not annoyingly so.

Overall, a delectable meal in a cozy, neighborhood ambiance. Perfect for date night or a meal with some friends. Next time I’d like to try a panini with a glass of wine. I can already hear it calling my name. 

See you soon, Capo! Have you been? 

http://www.capofloralpark.com, 516-216-5177 



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Events Guide for Your MLK Weekend

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Who doesn’t love a 3 day weekend? Inside Garden City has got you covered with some local and some not-so-local holiday weekend events:

Central Park Ice Fest- Celebrate the cold in Central Park on Sat 1/18 from noon to 3pm. Enter mid-park at 72nd St. Pack your thermos of hot chocolate (or buy some there) and see some very talented ice sculptors at work on the most amazing NYC sculptures.
http://www.centralparknyc.org/about/news/central-park-news/ice-festival.html

Broad Hollow Theatre Company 700 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont. (516) 775-4420
Don’t miss Shrek the Musical on Sat., 1/18 at 8pm and Sun., 1/19 at 2:30pm. Price: $14-$25

GC Public Library: I Have a Dream African American Stories in Art.
Dream it! Create it! Live it!  On Martin Luther King, Jr Day discover how dreams come true in artworks by famous African American artists. Create your own American dream collage under the guidance of Joyce Raimondo. 6:30PM-8:00PM Contact Marge Kelly: 742-8405 ext. 242. mkelly@gardencitypl.org 

Romeo & Juliet at Molloy College. Tel: 516-323-4444. Jan 18th. Show times: 2PM & 8PM. Enjoy the classic “Romeo & Juliet” with the International Touring Company!

Skating at Iceland in New Hyde Park. MLK Day Public Sessions: Ages 10 and under 11:30am-1pm. All ages 1:15-3:15, All ages 3:45-5:45.


Just For Kids:

Long Island Children’s Museum, Garden City, 1:30 and 3PM. $3 with museum admission, LICM members $2.
Dreaming with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Artwork has long been used to record historical events. Draw inspiration from the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King and create your own inspired artwork to take home.

Lil’ Athletes Sports Academy in West Hempstead is holding a sports camp for kids on Monday, Jan. 20th. Drop off your children for some sports fun!
Ages 3-5 9:30am-12pm, ages 6-10 1pm-3:30pm. Only $15 per child. 
**Remember to mention Inside Garden City for 10% off class packages and birthday parties!**

Broad Hollow Theatre Company 700 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont. (516) 775-4420 Winnie the Pooh is being shown on Sat., 1/18 at 2:00pm. Price: $10-$12.


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Butter Makes it Better

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Some people have a sweet tooth and some have a savory tooth. Lucky (or not so lucky) for me, I have a serious sweet tooth. When I visited Buttercooky Bakery on Jericho Turnpike for the first time last weekend, I was very excited to try a variety of their sweets.


One of my go to desserts is always a cannoli. I chose the chocolate covered shell. Did I mention I had a sweet tooth? For some reason, I didn’t manage a picture of the cannoli… Let’s just say it was solid. However, if you’re into crumb cake or biscotti, I wouldn’t say Buttercooky is your first stop (more about that in another post). Can’t resist paraphrasing a Godfather quote to sum this up: “Leave the crumb cake and biscotti… Take the cannoli.” 
It seemed that people could not get enough of the cakes. They were coming in left and right to pick up cakes, order cakes, buy pre-made cakes and order wedding cakes. The pre-mades cakes in the cases looked fantastic, although I didn’t try them. At this point, my jeans were begging me to stop. Here are a few that are worth a return trip:

                          

I met a fellow GC customer at Buttercooky, who confessed to being a regular. He told me I couldn’t go wrong with the Grand Marnier Chocolate Mousse cake. I may have to come up with an occasion just to order this in the near future:

I spotted these on the way out and since Superbowl Sunday is coming up, you may want to order a few when you’re planning your menu:

Buttercooky’s cupcakes all looked picture-perfect. They would make a great addition to any party or shower. Who could resist these?

They also have a Manhasset location. But it’s time for a trip to the gym before I visit that one!

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Raising the Party Bar

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Moms and Dads are super busy these days and often don’t have the time, talent or desire (I admit to this last one) to plan a proper birthday party for their children. But they still want to give them an awesome party. What’s a parent to do? Well, hold onto your cupcakes and goodie bags because there’s a new player rockin’ the kids party scene in GC.

Ok, so Lil’ Athletes is not really a “new player.” They’re experts at running children’s classes and have been holding birthday parties in Huntington for eight years. But did you know they started hosting parties for ages 2-10 in West Hempstead in November? We were one of the first families to hold a birthday party there.


I was a little nervous since Lil’ Athletes Sports Academy just opened their doors at Island Garden Basketball (former home of the ABA NY Nets and Dr J back when he was dunking red, white and blue basketballs in the 70s), but I was assured that it would run as smooth as silk. And it did. The owner, Brett, and his wife Jennifer ran the show along with a great staff. I requested the party be run like one of their classes- lots of playtime, zero downtime, fun for boys AND girls. I got exactly what I asked for and saw nothing but happy kids laughing, running, playing, jumping, throwing, etc. What kid doesn’t enjoy pelting the coaches with rubber balls? 

There were plenty of enthusiastic staff members on hand to help out with activities and serve food/cake. We were never rushed. They were helpful when I wanted to take group photos. I got the feeling that the staff was enjoying the kids and party as well. I know from other children’s parties I’ve been to and even some of my own, that is not always the case. I often see uninterested “I’m too school for cool” young teenage assistants who would rather be anywhere than working a kiddie birthday party.


Another thing that distinguishes Lil’ Athletes is that the owners are very easygoing with how YOU want to run the party. If you want to have face painters, a bounce house, t-shirt airbrushing, characters, tattoo artists, etc…, they will likely say “Bring it.” I don’t know about you, but I love this can-do attitude from people I do business with.  


The best part– the kids had a blast. I heard from many of the parents that it was the best party they had been to and their kids were talking about it weeks later. So get your party on at Lil’ Athletes! 516-874-0345.


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Envie of Seventh

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It is pretty difficult to walk by Envie, a boutique on Seventh Street, without stopping by to see what unique items are in…and not very difficult to end up leaving with a shopping bag. Envie is neatly laid out inside and the items are fabulous. One thing I loved is the numerous pieces that are, as I call it, made with a conscience … for instance We Dream in Color is one designer you’ll see whose jewelry is handcrafted in the US “in a socially conscious fashion with minimal environmental impact”. And the pieces are awesome.

You’ll also find an array of jewelry that has an edgy vibe to it: think metals and leather. You can definitely stop into Envie after your outfit is set and tie it all together with any of these pieces. These cuffs are gorgeous and are a sneaky way to tie in some subtle chic to any outfit.
Envie boasts some vibrant necklaces and bracelets as well. Get one (or two) of these into your repertoire for a classy update to any outfit. It’s pretty hard to choose a favorite.
Accessories are truly a great way to test out a bold color or style without fully committing to it. Plus, who doesn’t love a big beautiful necklace? Envie has a number that will make a statement. This beautiful piece is what outfits are made around:
Envie has tons of amazing necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings and other great accessories that would make most anyone on your shopping list very happy. There are also some cute bags, hats and scarves too. Last but not least — I can’t forget to mention the Liquid Metal belts I spotted in a tucked-away basket. A must-have that would give any outfit just the right amount of swank. 
All in all – Envie is a lovely store to stop into as you’re perusing the boutiques along Seventh Street. There are a variety of quality accessories that fit the bill if you’re looking for something a bit edgy or if you just want to spice up a more traditional outfit. A perfect mix! Envie’s owner, Christina, is super sweet and the staff is equally gracious and professional. Worth a trip if you don’t live in GC, even better if you do!


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Fall Fun in GC

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It’s that time of year again: days are shorter, weather is colder, the windows close, the heat goes on, noses sniffle (particularly in the seat next to me when I’m on mass transit)… Oh the glories of fall! As I try to get into the fall spirit, I have to admit that it’s a real effort for me. I just can’t feel genuinely excited and happy about cold weather, jackets, no more days at the beach- especially when the only season worse than fall (winter) is right around the corner. I do get a small amount of pleasure from some fall-related indulgences though (leather boots for instance). However, the season is upon us and I am putting in a good effort to find and enjoy a few fall things in my new digs. Let’s face it. it’s either that or start looking at Florida real estate. Here’s my list of 5 ways to enjoy fall in GC:


Visit the pumpkin patch on Stewart Ave and Nassau Blvd. In addition to tons of pumpkins, there are flowers, scarecrows, pies, breads, lots of halloween decorations- all for sale. You can also catch live music on the weekends and activities for kids like “storytime in the patch”. The pumpkins are driven all the way from Navajo reservations in New Mexico. Each pumpkin purchased helps provide education and medical services to Navajo families. And you thought you were just buying a pumpkin!

Take a short drive to Hicks Nursery for lots of fall related fun. You can take a hay ride, feed the animals at the petting zoo or even buy a 10 foot inflatable black cat for a lawn ornament. Thankfully, it doesn’t look like any of my new neighbors own one of these!  

Have a fall-inspired cupcake (or any of the yummy flavors) from Honestly Delicious- Garden City’s newest bakery cafe.

Hang out at A New Leaf on Seventh St. and drink a cinnamon almond spice. Lots of delicious, warm drinks for the fall season are brewing at the tea emporium. Not to be missed. 

And the one must-have that I enjoy every fall: a pumpkin spice latte from… anywhere. This always makes me a little happy about fall!

How will you be celebrating the season?

Mmmm… Beer

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A friend once told me that it’s worth a trip to Belgium just for the beer. I think you can say the same for Waterzooi on Franklin Ave in Garden City: The beer alone is a reason to go. But the food doesn’t take a backseat to the beer. Picture buckets of mussels, an extensive Belgium beer menu and great “frites” served with real mayo.

The restaurant looks like it belongs in the West Village. When you look up at the garage door hovering overhead, you could also be in the Meatpacking district. The ambiance was great- cool decor and lighting. If you’re looking for a place to wear your trendier NYC clothes in suburbia, add Waterzooi to your list.

As for the food, there were so many combinations of sauces and toppings for the mussels, it was a tough decision. The bouillabaisse style- topped with shrimp and lobster in tomato/crab broth- was delicious. Of course they were served with crusty bread for dipping (not quite Dom’s bread in Hoboken, but who cares when you’re dipping into yummy seafood broth with a delicious Belgium beer on the side?). I drank the Sophie, which had a slight citrus flavor and was very tasty. It paired well with the Waterzoii entree- jumbo shrimp, lobster, little neck clams, mussels, sweet corn and yukon golds in a creamy broth- which was fantastic. I look forward to trying the escargot, oysters, steaks, lobster mac and cheese, and Belgium waffles for dessert… so many interesting options on the menu, plus friendly service, cool ambiance, Belgium beers… I will definitely be back.