i finally made it to scarpetta for a lovely dinner with my beau.

these are the accompaniments to the bread.  i accidentally took a bite of the eggplant before snapping this pic.  sorry (not really.  it was really good). the spaghetti, which is possibly the most famous dish on the menu.  and may have been the reason we were there in the first place.  if a bowl of spaghetti was ever worth $23, this was it.  it was light and yet filling, and had so much rich yet fresh flavor.  mmmmm.

the special that evening – mushroom ravioli. budino for dessert.

on a recent (relatively) warm saturday, i finally took a trip down to red hook, brooklyn and toured the cacao prieto distillery.  cacao prieto is both a chocolate factory and a whiskey distillery, so it is basically heaven.  although they make one of my favorite bourbons, widow jane, it wasn’t until a friend told me that i realized that the distillery was a subway ride (an short uber) away.  and the chocolate?  that was the cherry on top.

$20 gets you a tour of both the chocolate and whiskey-making facilities, and tastings of both. the most beautiful wrappers i have every seen.  sorry mast brothers. old school chocolate making machines.the whiskey distilling machine.  meeting the individuals who make these goods by hand gives you a good sense of the skill, care, and time it takes to make artisanal, local products. my leopard isabel marants were key for standing during the 1 1/2 hour tour.raw cacao nibs.
they had chickens and a peacock in the courtyard.  because why not?

if anyone is looking for a fun and interesting excursion for a few hours in new york, i highly recommend the tour.  plus you can get some goodies to enjoy long after its over.