Launch Audio Player

Popsicles | May 22 2010One of the stops on the trip was to the Food Network / Cooking Channel mothership in Chelsea Market for a rah rah siss boom bah party. Basically, everyone who has been working on the launch of Cooking Channel (it looked like about 200 people) all got together to celebrate what is about to be jumping off in just a few days.

I feel in love with these popsicles. In the middle of the office this dude was setup there with an ice cream cart and was offloading fresh popsicles. My fave was the Blueberry and Cream. Yum.

Food Network Mothership | May 21 2010Anyone who knows me well will know that I dont lose my cool very often. I have to admit touching down at Cooking Channel / Food Network head office in New York blew me away. It was one of those moments I am sure I will never forget. Not only because I know we are on the cusp of of releasing something really cool in the next couple weeks and this is where it is all happening but...Ive been watching Food Network since its inception and have always loved it. And now I am in the very same building where they launched the channel working with many of the same players who launched Food Network so many years ago now. It is a very exciting time and I am so proud to be a part of this new channel, Cooking Channel. The peeps are great, the hosts are all different and interesting (after having met a good bunch of them now over the last couple days), and there is a lot of excitement around the launch.

This moment will be locked in my memory forever. The only thing that would make this better is if my wife and kids were here with me. Next up is a tour of the Food Network test kitchen and possibly even The Iron Chef kitchen. Just thinking of all the legendary moments filmed in this building is giving me goosebumps. The last time I remember having this feeling was the first time I walked into the Def Jam offices with Bass is Base back in the day. These days are connected as being very similar.

Look out for more behind the scenes blogging, although I cant divulge certain secrets.

Japanese Brasserie | May 20 2010Needless to say it was the first time encountering a Japanese Brasserie. My homies girlfriend, who is perhaps the biggest foodie I have met to date, insisted on taking us to this spot called EN. The place was amazing, of course she knew everyone by name who worked there and we got the royal treatment. We sat at the bar and ate a whole bunch of dishes that were quite amazing and a couple that were left behind. The most memorable of all was this clam dish in a broth of Dashi, Soy, Cilantro and Sake; so amazing and so simple. For a school night there was a good vibe going and we had mad jokes.

Needless to say I ended up walking about 60 blocks back to the hotel, to work off that meal, before running into my boy Chuck Hughes who was doing some late night shoe shopping. We kicked it for a bit before heading back to the hotel. Long day tomorrow.

Ummm...you're joking right!?!?! | May 19 2010I was writing a song while walking down the street today, in my head, when I look up and notice this sign. The song instantly leaves my brain and there I am mesmerized by perhaps one of the least appetizing food ideas I have witnessed to date. Pizza roll, pizza shwarma, pizza wrap. Whatever you wanna call it, I certainly wasn't trying this one. This is New York, known for their pies and this???

Am I alone or is this just a bad idea?

This one is for my daughter!!! | May 18 2010Day 1 in New York was pretty crazy. After some meetings, meetings, and more meetings I ended up meeting up (another meeting hehehe) with some peeps for dinner. There will be lots of dinner blogs coming but...this moment has to kick off the New York blog festival. On the way back from dinner I ran into this fuzzy friend who is the most famous person around my house, needless to say he has a tv show too.

This one is for my girls. Straight up.

Daddy loves you.