A café where you can drink your coffee and interact with a room full of felines. Does a place like this even exist?! Yes, it does and it’s not far from home. Beans Cat Cafe opened November 14, 2020. It is owned and operated by Jessica and Justin Strika who have partnered with Hudson Valley Animal Rescue & Sanctuary. Their goal is to have 300 cats adopted their first year. As of this past Friday, they have currently found homes for 169 felines! If you are looking to adopt a cat or kitten, please think about visiting Beans Cat Cafe!
Where is Beans Cat Cafe?
Beans Cat Café is located on 325 Main Street in Beacon. As if I didn’t love Beacon already, it’s given me another reason to visit again and again! Beans Cat Café is a coffee shop and cat lounge, They serve both hot and iced coffee and tea beverages and sell baked goods from Frida’s Bakery in Milton and Newburgh Flour Shop.
I enjoyed an iced chai latte and my son had a strawberry green tea. Even the drink cups are cute! The coffee shop is a very small, narrow space, with one table that seats two. You are able to bring your drinks into the cat lounge with you.
What is a Cat Lounge?
The Beans Cat Café lounge is a large room filled with all kinds of cat trees, beds and toys. The day of our visit there were 9 cats in the lounge. This is their room, where they are free to roam, play and sleep. As a guest, you can pet, play and take photos of the adorable cats and kittens. However, you are not allowed to pick up the cats.
The Experience
At your appointed time you are brought into the cat lounge. All guests must first wash their hands and read the rules. You are introduced to all of the cats in the lounge, and there’s also a board that lists the name, age and identifying info for each cat. Then you are free to interact!
The Cats
The cats and kittens are all adoptable, so you won’t see the same ones if you visit at different times. We had a 12:30 PM reservation and during our visit, many of the cats were sleeping.
I thought the cutest was 3 month old Daisy and her sister Rosey, who slept in the window our entire visit!
My son loved Itty Bitty, this shaved tabby.
Vlad reminded us of our own black cat at home.
I mean, this cuteness!
If you are an animal lover, a visit to Beans Cat Cafe is a must! Especially, if you are interested in adopting a cat or kitten! You will fall in love with the cats and the town of Beacon!
The Details:
Beans Cat Café 325 Main Street Beacon, NY 12508 (845) 440-8243 website
Hours: Wednesday – Friday, 9 AM – 6 PM Closed Monday and Tuesday
Parking: Street parking
Cost: $7/person for 30 minutes or $12.50/person for 60 minutes. The room can be rented for $40 for 30 minutes or $70 for 60 minutes for a group of up to 8 people.
*Walk-ins are welcome, but if you have a specific time that you’d like to visit, I highly recommend reserving online in advance.
Happy Friday! It’s been a regular work week for my husband and I. But the kids were busy too – my son has been taking two virtual art classes – game design and painting and drawing. My daughter went to a local field hockey camp this week in preparation for the season to begin soon. Here are five from this week:
1. Farmers Market – This past week was National Farmers Market week. Saturday I visited the Pleasantville Farmers Market for the first time. I’ve been trying to visit the different farmers markets in our area.
2. Reading – This week I finished Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo. This is a YA book written in poetic style verse about a tragedy that brings two girls together.
3. Cooking– this week I made Chili Garlic Tofu Bowls. I roasted some green beans instead of sautéing kale, like the recipe called for.
And I made Halloumi Hummus Bowls. Or tried to make them! However, I had to adapt the recipe quite a bit. Over the weekend when my husband and I were doing the grocery shopping, I put a box of couscous in the cart. I go to make this dinner earlier in the week and cannot find the couscous! We checked all the cabinets, I checked my car, thinking it fell out of a bag. Nope, couldn’t find it! Luckily, I had orzo, which I substituted for the couscous. Then the cucumber that I knew I had in the fridge turned out to be moldy. So I substituted in an avocado. Somehow, it all came together on the fly because I wasn’t running out to the grocery store mid-dinner prep.
I also made a “crab cake” with the lion’s mane mushrooms I got from the Farmers Market. There was only enough mushrooms for one, so I didn’t bother with the red pepper and red onion that the recipe called for. But even this simplified version was so good!
4. Watching – I’ve still been watching the Olympics! And I’m almost finished watching the latest season of Real Housewives of Orange County! It’s such a guilty pleasure.
5. Cat Cafe – Sunday my son and I visited Beans Cat Cafe in Beacon. I already love Beacon, but this is another reason to love it! This is a cafe and cat lounge. You pay a small fee to sit in the lounge and interact with the cats and kittens, who are all adoptable. You can check out my YouTube video to see more!
6. Eating – When we were in Beacon we got to visit the Peaceful Provisions storefront. We picked up a Matcha Mixed Berry and a Banana Chocolate Peanut Butter Fritter. Yes, they were as good as they look!
My son and I also had lunch at One More Bite. This is a Korean fusion restaurant. My son had a fried chicken sandwich and I had this kimchi tofu bowl.
7. Drinking – Friday I had Thai for lunch and had to get a Thai iced tea. I love these and it’s been so long since I’ve had one!
Farmers markets are an integral part of the summer food scene. Heirloom tomatoes paired with fresh slices of mozzarella, drizzled with olive oil and topped with basil, ears of corn on the cob so sweet that butter isn’t needed, and juicy peach or cherry pies are just a few of the dishes that may grace many of our dinner tables this season. I have created this Westchester County Farmers Markets guide to help you navigate the many farmers markets held throughout the county. I have listed the farmers markets by day and have also tried to include the different vendors that you can find at each market. Besides fresh fruit and vegetables, you can find prepared foods, cheese, fish, milk, soap, crafts and so much more!
As always, please check websites for the most up-to-date information, as many of these vendors attend the markets on a rotating basis and are not at the markets every week.
WEDNESDAYS:
White Plains Farmers Market: Location: Court Street between Martine Ave. and Main St. Time: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM Dates: April 21 – November 24 *Pre-order and pickup possible from some vendors
St. John’s Church Farmers Market Location: St. John’s Church 1 Hudson Street Yonkers, NY 10701 Time: 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM Dates: July 8 – October 28
Fresh fruit, vegetables, rummage sale and other local vendors
FRIDAYS:
Market on Market Farmers Market (at Ridge Hill) Location: Ridge Hill Market Street Yonkers, NY 10710 Time: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Dates: June 4 – September 3
New Rochelle Farmers Market Location: Thomas Paine Cottage Museum 20 Sicard Avenue New Rochelle, NY 10804 Time: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM Dates: June 11 – November 19
Chappaqua Farmers Market Location: Chappaqua Train Station Allen Place, Chappaqua, NY Time: 8:30 AM – 1:00 PM Dates: May – December *8:30 AM – 9:00 AM – reserved for mask wearers
Hastings Farmers Market Location: Commuter parking lot across from the Hastings train station 134 Southside Avenue, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706 Time: 8:30 AM – 1:00 PM Dates: May 22 – November 20 *masks no longer required for those shoppers who are fully vaccinated *8:30 AM – 9:30 AM reserved for shoppers who wish to wear a mask
John Jay HomesteadFarm Market Location: 400 Jay Street, Katonah, NY Time: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM Dates: May 1 – November 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM – members only
You can expect to find certified organic and biodynamic produce, ethically-raised, organic meat and eggs, as well as a wide variety of artisan food items from dozens of weekly vendors. Subscribe to their newsletter to get notice of vendors.
Larchmont Farmers Market Location: Metro North Upper Lot – Chatsworth Ave./Myrtle Blvd. Larchmont, NY 10538 Time: 8:30 AM -1:00 PM Dates: April 24 – December 18
Ossining Farmers Market Location: Parking lot on the corner of Spring St. & Main St. Ossining, NY 10562 Time: 8:30 AM – 1:00 PM Dates: May 8 – December 18
There is a textile recycling program, compost collection (9:30 AM – 11:30 AM) If not fully vaccinated, please wear a mask
Pleasantville Farmers Market Location: 10 Memorial Plaza (Metro-North Parking Lot) Pleasantville, NY Time: 8:30 AM – 1:00 PM Dates: March – November Vendors include:
Rye Farmers Market Location: Parking Lot on Theodore Fremd Avenue (directly behind Purchase Street stores) Rye, NY Time: 8:30 AM – 2:00 PM Dates: May 9 – December 5
Irvington Farmers Market Location: Main Street School Lot 101 Main Street Irvington, NY 10533 Time: 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM Dates: June – December *9:00 AM – 10:00 AM reserved for those who want to wear a mask
SundayMarket On the River (Verplanck) Location: Cortlandt Waterfront Park 45 Riverview Avenue Verplanck, NY Time: 9 AM – 1 PM (May – August), 10 AM – 2 PM (September/October) Dates: May – October
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Happy Friday! Can you believe that tomorrow is the last week of July?! We are half way through the summer. Saturday we drove up to the Adirondacks to pick our son up from Boy Scout Camp. Sunday was spent running errands, cleaning and doing some food prep for the week. Here are five from this week:
1. Farmers Market – Last Friday after work I visited the farmers market, Market on Market, at Ridge Hill in Yonkers. I ended up getting empanadas for lunch from Leila’s Empanadas.
2. Reading – This week I finished The Other Wife by Claire McGowan. It was an okay suspense book. I am almost finished reading the YA graphic novel When Stars Are Scattered.
3. Cooking– this week I made a corn quiche which I served with this avocado arugula tomato salad.
I also made this overnight blueberry French toast which was a hit!
4. Watching – The Olympics! My favorite events are always swimming and gymnastics. But I’ve also really enjoyed watching skateboarding and beach volleyball! What events have you been watching?
We also got a subscription to Hulu to be able to watch the Olympics so I am catching up on ALL the Real Housewives! We haven’t had cable in years so I’ve missed my reality TV!
5. Eating – Saturday we took the kids out to celebrate my daughter getting a 3 on her AP world exam and my son returning from camp. We went to the Mt. Kisco Diner, which is known for their outrageous, Instagram-worthy dishes. My daughter had the Godfather wrap which is penne vodka and mozzarella sticks in a wrap. But she was especially excited about this salted caramels milkshake that she had!
On a recent Tuesday night my husband and I ventured to New Rochelle to enjoy a 3-course fine dining experience. You wouldn’t know there was a restaurant here if you drove by because it is hiding inside the local college. Monroe College has a culinary program and a functioning restaurant, The Dining Lab at Monroe College. On select Tuesday evenings throughout the year, they open to the public for a fine dining experience.
How do you get reservations?
You can call or email to get reservations. There are three seatings, 6:30 PM, 6:45 PM and 7 PM and they are only booking parties of four or less. I emailed my reservation request a couple of weeks in advance. A few days after I emailed, I received a confirmation phone call.
What exactly is The Dining Lab?
The Dining Lab is a student-run restaurant. Dean Constantino oversees the kitchen during dinner service. However, the senior culinary students are the ones preparing your dinner while the hospitality students are the ones taking orders, bringing dishes out, clearing the table, etc. The dining room has a partial view of the kitchen, depending on where you are seated, so you can see the students hard at work.
The dining room has twelve tables that seat up to four guests and they were all filled the night of our visit. I will mention that the acoustics in the space aren’t great. With the dining room filled with guests, it did get fairly loud.
What type of food is served?
The Dining Lab serves Contemporary American cuisine. The menu changes monthly and utilizes farm-fresh produce. While the Dean creates the menus, the students learn to execute it.
Prior to making reservations, I did make sure to check the menu out. While there were several vegetarian starters to choose from, there were no vegetarian main courses. Although I am a pescatarian, my husband usually follows a vegetarian diet. This was one of the few occasions where he decided to eat seafood. And boy did we enjoy a seafood dinner!
I chose the Lobster Risotto to start. This was my favorite dish of the evening! Not only was the portion large, but the risotto included a generous portion of lobster pieces.
While my husband ordered the House-made Swedish-Cured Salmon. This was delicious too (because, of course, we shared!); I just wish they served it with more crackers.
For our main dishes we shared the Squid-ink Spaghetti a la Chitarra with stuffed calamari, fresh tomato passata and garlic and herbs. Although it appeared my calamari were unstuffed, with the stuffing on the side!
My husband ordered A Tasting of Low Country Gullah Cuisine which included a piece of striped bass on a fish and grits cake. It had a shrimp sauce made with fresh tomatoes, okra, hot and sweet peppers, simmered cabbage and onions. This dish had some heat to it!
These were the only two non-meat main dishes (the other choices included a chicken dish, pork milanese and a duo of duck). Both of our main dishes were excellent as well.
Once your main course is finished, your server will bring you the dessert menu.
I ordered the Matcha Strawberry Tiramisu.
And my husband had the Poaches & Herbs. This was sous vide peaches served with a peach lavender jelly, herb honey, whipped ganache and a peach sorbet. This was on of my husband’s favorite dishes of the evening!
The Experience
Upon entering the restaurant, the host pulled out my chair for me. I first sat with my back to the kitchen. Our table had a partial view of the kitchen, so I switched my seat to get a better view of the action. Once we were seated an amuse bouche was brought out.
Our server, Anna, introduced herself and brought us our menus and a basket of homemade bread.
Alcohol is not served at the restaurant, however guests are invited to BYOB. Red wine is kept at the table, while they have an ice bucket to chill your bottle of white wine. They have a variety of non-alcoholic beverages including different sodas, sparking water and apple juice.
I have to admit that there was a long wait time between courses. Service was great, though, and Anna came out to apologize for the delay with dessert. Although they try to stagger the arrival times so they don’t get backed up, it seemed like the kitchen was very backed up the evening of our visit.
After our dinner, the check was brought with a mignardise (a plate of bite-sized cookies to enjoy). Professor Luna supervises the dining room during the evening and is the one who processes the credit cards.
Some Final Parting Thoughts
My husband and I had such a great time at The Dining Lab at Monroe College. Our dinner was delicious! And it is a steal at $29.95 each for a 3 course dinner!
However, please only visit this restaurant if you have patience and an open mind. These are students who are learning via hands-on experience. These students are paying in both time and tuition to “work” in The Dining Lab. However, they don’t get the financial satisfaction of earning a paycheck or bringing home tips after a very busy night’s work. But please do tip and tip generously. Gratuities support the Monroe College foundation which helps fund the college’s study-abroad programs to Italy.
The Details:
The Dining Lab at Monroe College 434 Main Street New Rochelle, NY website
Hours: Dinner is served on Tuesday nights There are 3 seatings – 6:30 PM, 6:45 PM and 7:00 PM Dinner is by reservation only
Parking: Guests can park in the Monroe College Franklin Parking Lot (directions are on the website) There is also paid street parking available
Price: The current 3 course Pre-Fixe menu is $29.95
Other info: *They are currently taking reservations of a maximum of 4 people per table.
*No alcohol is served, but you can BYOB.
*Coffee, tea and other beverages are available for an additional cost
*The last service for the summer was July 27. However, reservations will open up again in the fall, once the semester starts.
*Although there is no dress code, be mindful that this is a fine dining experience. Although guests weren’t super dressed up, I would recommend not wearing jeans.
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Hooray for Friday! Some family highlights this past week include my son getting dropped at Boy Scout camp in Brant Lake, NY (the Adirondacks) last Sunday. He’s been there all week and we go pick him up EARLY tomorrow morning. After being together so much from the pandemic and summer, we have really been missing him! My daughter got CIT of the week last Friday at camp. She also got her AP World History score this week and she got a 3! This is huge considering she’s one of only a handful of kids in her class who earned a passing score. This was a busy week and today I’m sharing ten from this week:
1. National Ice Cream Day– National ice cream day was this past Sunday. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to visit the new to us rolled ice cream shop that I had wanted to go to. Instead, I enjoyed a Haagen-dazs matcha green tea cone at home. One food that we always have at home is ice cream!
2. Reading – I finished The Kindred Spirits Supper Club by Amy E. Reichert. It’s a contemporary romance with a supernatural aspect. At first I didn’t think I’d enjoy it, but I ended up liking it.
3. Cooking– This week we made broccoli rabe and provolone grinders, adapting the recipe slightly.
4. Watching – This past week we watched Minari. This movie was nominated for several Academy Awards. I really enjoyed it! I also watched the entire season of My Unorthodox Life on Netflix. I find the Orthodox Jewish community fascinating and Julia Haart’s story is pretty incredible.
5. Dining Lab – Tuesday night my husband and I had a date night at The Dining Lab at Monroe College. It is a restaurant run by the culinary students at the school. It was a unique dining experience and the food was delicious! A blog post will be coming soon!
6. Exercise – this week I finally joined our local Planet Fitness after a several year gym hiatus! I went for the first time yesterday….baby steps! I also played Just Dance on my son’s XBox and got a really good cardio workout in!
7. Eating – I finally tried The Halal Guys at the White Plains Galleria. I had falafel over rice and it was good. But I think my favorite falafel is from The Falafel Place.
8. Drinking – My husband loves craft beer and is always looking for new beers to try. He really enjoyed this UFO Georgia Peach, which smelled like peaches but tasted very wheaty!
9. LEGO Flowers – My daughter’s boyfriend bought a LEGO flower kit. The two of them made the flowers and they split them so they each have a bunch. I thought this was such a clever idea – flowers that will never die!
10. Mall Jogger Mile Run – Last Saturday, PB Pizza and Beer held a Mall Jogger Mile Run race at the Jefferson Valley Mall. My husband and daughter decided to participate, while I watched (because I don’t run for fun!). They got free pizza and my husband got a free Mall Jogger lager, which they were promoting. It was a fun way to start our weekend!
Everyone knows about the famous Woodstock festival of 1969. But did you know that the concert didn’t actually take place in Woodstock? You can visit the site in Bethel, NY and walk the grounds where the concert actually took place. Plus, the Museum at Bethel Woods is located there and is dedicated to everything Woodstock.
Where is the Museum at Bethel Woods?
The Museum at Bethel Woods is located in Bethel, NY at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. Bethel is a small town in Sullivan County, a little over a 2 hour drive from New York City. Not only does this site host the museum, but they also have music concerts, workshops, outdoor movie screenings, farmers markets and other fun experiences throughout the year.
What Will I Find at the Museum?
The Museum at Bethel Woods takes you back in time. The exhibit opens by setting the scene of the 1960’s. It showcases the political and cultural events taking place that led up to famous music festival. You learn about the planning of the concert, see actual artifacts and read and hear actual accounts from attendees.
There is even a giant bus on display, where in non-COVID times you can sit and watch a video.
There are many videos throughout the exhibit and several interactive experiences that were turned off, due to COVID, during our visit.
You could spend hours just reading about all of the artists who performed and seeing their set list from the Woodstock concert.
The museum is two floors with the bottom gallery reserved for special exhibits. Currently on display is Lights, Color, Fashion: Psychedelic Posters and Patterns of 1960’s San Francisco. The exhibit includes displays of clothing, posters and more.
The museum also has an outdoor Woodstock Festival Augmented Reality Tour Experience for an additional $5 with a museum ticket or $8 as a standalone experience. It was pretty chilly the day of our visit and we weren’t dressed to spend a lengthy amount of time outside, so we did not do the AR experience or hike on the trails.
Is the museum kid-friendly?
The museum has a scavenger hunt booklet for children to help keep their interest. Kids will likely enjoy the the bright colors of the exhibits and the music from the videos.
How Long Should I Plan My Visit?
If you are bringing children, your visit will likely be shorter than if you are visiting without. Timing really depends on whether you watch all of the videos playing, including the 21 minute Woodstock: The Music in the theater. You may also want to make more of a day by walking the outdoor Bindy Bazaar Trails. I’d recommend planning a minimum of 1.5 hours for a visit.
Is there food available?
Yasgur’s Farm Cafe is located in the building and serves a limited menu of prepackaged soup, sandwiches and salads, 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM daily.
The Details:
The Museum At Bethel Woods 200 Hurd Road Bethel, NY 12720 (845) 583-2000 website
Hours: Open 7 days a week 10 AM – 5 PM, April 3 through December 31
Parking: Free parking
Admission: Tickets purchased in advance online are cheaper than purchasing at the door. Online: $17/adult, $15/senior, $8/youth (6 -17), $5/special exhibit only In-Person: $19.69/adult, $17/senior, $10/youth (6-17), $5/special exhibit only *Guided docent tours are available Friday – Sunday for an additional $5/ticket
*There is a gift shop where you can buy apparel, memorabilia and other gifts
*Masks are required during your visit
*Most of the interactive displays are currently turned off
*While you are there, be sure to take a picture with the Peace Dove, one of the 50 painted doves located throughout Sullivan County!
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Happy Friday! It has been a super busy week around here! My son turned 13 on Wednesday. We officially have two teenagers in the house! We had a family party and his birthday dinner this week. We drive him up to the Adirondacks on Sunday for a week of sleep away Boy Scout camp. My daughter has been busy CITing at our local camp. Then she plays in a field hockey league two nights during the week. Everyone is busy and the summer has been flying by! Here are five from this week:
1. Family Party – Last weekend we had a family party for my son. Since his favorite meal is breakfast, we did a brunch. He was so happy to eat a bagel with cream cheese and lox! And I made a peach cobbler for dessert served with vanilla ice cream (along with cheesecake which was not homemade!).
2. Reading – I had to return The Things We Cannot Say to the library before I got to finish it. So I’ll have to wait for it to come in again. In the meantime, I finished You Knew Me When by Emily Liebert. This was an older fiction book about friendship that I thought was an okay read. I’m currently reading The Kindred Spirits Supper Club by Amy E. Reichert which I’m enjoying.
3. Cooking– This week I made a watermelon gazpacho that was tasty! I used the leftover watermelon from my son’s family party. It was a perfect hot summer night’s dinner since no cooking is involved.
We also enjoyed these Zesty Black Bean and Rice Burgers for dinner this week. The original recipe has them made as sliders, but I made burgers. They were delicious but took awhile to make with so many different components!
4. Watching – My husband and I finished the last season of Bosch. It’s been a favorite of ours to watch together. We are looking forward to the new, not-yet named spinoff with Bosch as a private investigator.
5. Puzzle – Last weekend I did this candy puzzle. I started it Friday afternoon, not remembering that I needed my dining room table for the family party. So it was a rush to get it done, but I did it.
6. Birthday Dinner – My son chose The Melting Pot for his birthday dinner. This has been a favorite with the kids! I even wrote a post about it.
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I can’t believe that we are halfway through July! Summer is in full effect and I’ve been all about light, fun reads. In June I only read 5 books, but the majority were great, 4 star reads! I’m sharing this post with Steph and Jana’s monthly Show Us Your Books linkup. Here are my June reads:
3 Stars:
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid – (Historical Fiction, June 2021) Nina Riva holds an annual epic end-of-summer party at her house in Malibu. However, her August 1983 is one for the books for Nina and her three siblings. The story takes place over this one August 1983 day with flashbacks to her and her siblings past, showing the events that lead up to this one particular, unforgettable evening. I found this book to be enjoyable enough but not my favorite of hers.
4 Stars:
The Life Intended by Kristin Harmel – (Contemporary Fiction, April 2014) Kate has been a widow for 10 years and is newly engaged. But then she starts seeing her late husband in her dreams and their possible future if he hadn’t died. These dreams lead her to make decisions that shape her current reality. This includes taking a sign language class and getting involved in the foster care system, both which have huge impacts on her life. I had never heard of this book until I found it on my work’s “Free Book Shelf” and thought I’d give it a try. I’m glad that I did because this was a great read. After reading it, I saw on Goodreads that I have a couple of the author’s other books already on my to read list, which I plan on reading sooner than later.
Life’s Too Short by Abby Jimenez – (Contemporary Romance, April 2021) Famous travel YouTuber gets unexpected custody of her half-sister’s infant daughter. Her neighbor, who happens to be a wealthy, good-looking lawyer, ends up helping her out in this new role and the two become friends…..and maybe more. I liked the book’s message about living for today. I also liked Adrian and Vanessa’s characters and chemistry! This is the third book in The Friend Zone series and I’ve enjoyed each of them. This can totally be read as a stand-alone though without having read the first two.
The Soulmate Equationby Christina Lauren – (Contemporary Romance, May 2021) Single mom, Jess, is genetically matched with a 98% compatibility to Dr. River Pena. He just happens to also be the founder of the matchmaking company. Are the two destined to be together? I had taken a Christina Lauren break because I found the books becoming too formulaic. However, I really enjoyed The Soulmate Equation. I found it to be a lot different than their other books and I really liked Jess and River’s characters. This was a light, fun, easy read, which I read in a day (haven’t done that in forever!).
That Summer by Jennifer Weiner – (Contemporary Fiction, May 2021) Two women with the same name but very different lives, have their paths crossed when one keeps receiving the misdirected emails of the other. The two women end up meeting in person and form a fast friendship. However, we soon learn that one of the Diana’s has a motive for meeting the other. The story moves between the past and the present, detailing the events that led to the present. This wasn’t a “light” read, despite the cover making it appear so. I did enjoy the book but wasn’t a fan of the ending and would have liked more aftermath story.
Did you know that 1/3 of all food produced globally goes to waste each year? Too Good To Go is an anti-food waste mobile app that is working to combat the surplus food waste in restaurants and stores around the world.
How does Too Good To Go work?
Too Good To Go is an app that you can download for free in the iTunes app store. The company was founded in Copenhagen in 2016 and recently launched in the United States. Too Good To Go has partnered with restaurants and food stores to provide “surprise bags” of surplus food to customers. Normally, this unsold food would get thrown out at the end of the day. Via the app, consumers can purchase this surplus food at a deeply discounted price.
After downloading the app, it finds local restaurants and eateries that have “surprise bags” based on your location and distance you are willing to travel. Living in Westchester County, I discovered that there are not as many Surprise Bags available as there are in New York City and other larger cities. The Surprise Bags available to me have been priced at either $3.99 or $5.99 and have included bakeries, chains and restaurants.
My Experience With Too Good To Go
Baked By Susan is a popular bakery located in northern Westchester County. Since it is one of the few locations in my area, I have made it a “favorite.” Due to being busy, conflicting time pick-ups, and the Surprise Bags selling out, I only recently got to finally try the app out.
I placed my order with Baked By Susan on Saturday evening for a late afternoon Sunday pick-up. The cost of the bag was $3.99 which was payable on the app by either credit card or PayPal. Once the order was placed I got an email confirmation with the date, address and time frame of my pickup.
Since we have previously visited Baked By Susan, I was excited about the “surprise” aspect of the bag. I knew that whatever we got in our bag was likely going to be good! Pick up was super easy. I arrived during my designated window of time. The bakery was empty, as it was near closing time. I only needed to show my phone to the employee and swipe the pickup bar. The bag was already packed waiting for me.
There were four baked goods in the bag including a scone, a doughnut, a croissant and a cinnamon roll. Each item was individually wrapped in plastic wrap.
I found the scone to be a bit on the dry side. Otherwise, everything else was delicious!
The pumpkin sugar doughnut was moist.
My favorite was the cinnamon bun. I heated it up in the microwave for a few seconds before eating so it was warm and gooey.
Will I Order From Too Good To Go Again?
Yes, I definitely will! I am hoping that Too Good To Go gains a larger presence in Westchester County. Currently, the lack of Surprise Bags in my area and time pickups that conflict with my schedule have prevented me from using the app more. However, I think that the app is a great way to try new food establishments and I feel good that I’m helping to combat food waste.
