Another Year Sexier

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Last night I spent hours smiling, laughing, sipping, and eating with some amazing friends! I initially thought that hosting a holiday party next weekend and the Miami work travel would make things too hectic for a birthday party but I’m thankful that Bo convinced me otherwise!

We me the group at the Hurricane Club at 9pm for a dinner of tropical shared plates and fun rum punch drinks!

008The first to arrive, we had just enough time to grab a fun drink at the bar. Bo started with a Manhattan and I went with my standby, vodka soda with a splash of cranberry. The fun and slightly kitschy decor immediately put us in a party mood!

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010  012For anyone who has yet to enjoy drinks or a meal at the Hurricane Club, the atmosphere is not the only amazing part. The owners really have mastered all three aspects of a restaurant experience: atmosphere, food, and drinks.

These pictures, while devoid of people, give you an idea of the decor and interior. The restaurant was packed last night, but at 5:30 this evening when I showed up to pick up my camera which had been left behind, it was completely empty.

022 023 Upon being seated, our party was ready to dive into the food and drinks!

We started with two Brazilian punch bowls and the Pupu appetizer platter.

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014 The highlights of the platter were the tuna tartare cones, coconut shrimp, and the PB& Guava Jwith prosciutto and Thai basil.

After enjoying some sweet drinks and appetizers, we ordered a number of main dishes to share:

  • Honey-glazed baby back ribs
  • Bangkok chicken stir-fry
  • Filet mignon w/shiitake mushrooms
  • spice-crusted shrimp with coconut cream
  • scallops a la planch
  • Shanghai lobster noodles
  • steamed baby bok choy

020 017 021 The food was even more amazing than I remembered, especially the lobster noodles and the scallops!

No birthday celebration is complete without dessert, so our table shared two different desserts, the chocolate kill devil’s food cake and a peanut butter sandwich. The devil’s food cake was like an uptown, grown up version of a Little Debbie Swiss Roll.

022 After dinner the majority of the group ended up at Cibar where we enjoyed our version of bottle service, compliments of our fine gentleman escorts!

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019002Needless to say, after a fun evening with lots of bubbly, I’ve spent the day in bed, on the couch, and in the kitchen baking. I didn’t shower until 5pm and have only left the apartment once all day. The lazy recovery day felt wonderful, complete with homemade pancakes, miniature red velvet cupcakes, and healthy Chinese dinner to complete the day!

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Have a wonderful Sunday evening and here’s to hoping the painters will be finished tomorrow and that our life can return to normal.

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Long Run #4 and The Hurricane Club

I think Theodora says it best in her post today, but she’s right, I really do love the internet. Most of my friends in New York City were originally met through the blog or a blogger meet up. In two weeks, Bo and I are spending three days in Vermont for a long weekend with 15 other friends, 9 of whom we originally met through the blog.  It really is an amazing way to make connections which can sometime evolve into deeper friendships.

This morning I spent an hour catching up with these lovely ladies (Theodora and Emily) while completing the first half of long run #4. Central Park’s path was still a bit slushy and the hills were tedious, but the company made it all worth it, including the early start which was even more difficult due to last night’s spontaneous plans.

After a long week of stress, Bo surprised me with a dinner date last night. He took the initiative, found a restaurant, and made reservations for the two of us which was the sweetest gesture. I’m so glad I was able to get excited about the evening. At first, I told my friends at work that it wasn’t the best idea since the restaurant he chose is known for their drinks which wasn’t a perfect match due to my early morning running date. Luckily, my friends quickly knocked some sense into me and we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the Hurricane Club.

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The restaurant’s decor immediately transports you to the South Pacific upon entering through a huge wooden door. Through palm frawns, contrasting wood, and beautiful floral arrangements, the space quickly made us forget the cold New York City weather outside. We arrived a few minutes before our reservation which gave us time to enjoy their bar area. In fact, I think the bar is their waiting area as they directed everyone in the same direction upon arriving.

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Unfortunately the bar area was too crowded to snap a picture of our cocktails but Bo enjoyed a dark and stormy while I sipped on a Corona Light. It was the perfect way to toast a Friday night. I want to return to the Hurricane Club just to enjoy some of their liquor based drinks as each of them looked amazing!  Just check out the drink menu below. While it looks like something you’d find in a Florida tourist trap, it features everything from drinks served in hallowed coconuts, adult Jell-o shots, and tropical beers.

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By the time we were seated we were both famished but happy to be in the main dining room versus a bar area two top. The main dining room was decorated with mirrors, tropical flowers, and dark leather, reminiscent of something you’d see on a cruise ship.

The menu was absolutely gorgeous and every item sounded more delicious than the last.

We had read in reviews that Chef Koketsu wants to allow New Yorkers to enjoy his take on Polynesian cuisine and the menu reflected that perfectly. Each pupu (appetizer in Hawaiian), wrap, salad, and entree took the Polynesian theme on a fresh trip, bringing back a delicious bite of textures and flavors.

We chose quickly, due to our hunger levels. Luckily, in our haste, we chose well!

We ordered 1 item from the pupu platter section, Peking Duck sandwiches for Bo. They were rich, crisp warm sandwiches. I chose the flowering shrimp wraps from the summer wrap section and was thoroughly impressed.  These could have easily come out looking and tasting like a P.F Chang wrap but instead they were deconstructed and the shrimp, or prawns, were huge and fresh!

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We shared our main course, the 20 oz miso glazed lobster tail. I was shocked when they set it in front of us due to the sheer size. Cooked shell-on and then finished with a sweet mizo glaze, it looked delicious. Needless to say, a few bites later we were thankful we took our waiter’s advice when we ordered. This was cooked perfectly and some of the best lobster I’ve ever enjoyed! 

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Next time you’re looking for a place to escape the hustle of New York City, grab a group of friends and enjoy a fun dinner at The Hurricane Club. Warning, if you go any later than 9pm you want to dress for the occasion. When we entered at 8pm my jeans and sweater were perfectly acceptable attire. When we left the bar and lounge were definitely a scene!

The Hurricane Club

Location: 360 Park Avenue South (Flatiron District)

Price Range: Most main dishes under $40 (large portions)

 

Last but not least, congratulations #34:

liane Says:
28. January 2011 at 11:56 AM e

I love Jo Malone I have a few different of her fragrances and I mix and match and layer them!

Please email me your mailing address (healthyhappierbear at gmail dot com) and I will send your new DDF Revolve 400x your way!

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