I’m ashamed to admit that it’s been a while since I’ve tried a new place for brunch in the city. Usually, I’ve been sticking to the most convenient options for me (Eatery in Midtown), or the no-fail ones (Cafe Mogador in the East Village). It’s so nice to break out of that routine though, and upon the suggestion of my friend Sadia, we found another gem: Spoon. Spoon is the name of the family-owned restaurant, but they also have a takeout storefront they refer to as Tbsp (so cute).

The space is so cozy and feels like you’re eating in a country house (perhaps the point — owner Melissa Chmelar credits her mother’s country cooking as inspiration for most of the dishes). The farm-to-table concept results in really fresh, really delicious plates with seasonal organic produce delivered daily from upstate NY. We didn’t get to try too much of their sweet options (even though they sounded amazing — cinnamon brioche french toast!), but the eggs made all different ways were insanely good.

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As a move towards more healthier menu options, McDonald’s just launched their new, 250-calorie Egg White Delight McMuffin this week. To help celebrate the launch, the company enlisted 17-year-old gymnast and two-time Olympic gold-medalist Gabby Douglas — an appropriate “flipping” partner and longtime McD’s patron, interestingly enough.

I caught up with Douglas on the new partnership and some words on her climb to the top:

Beauty and the Feast: How did you decide to partner with McDonald’s?
Gabby Douglas: I’ve loved McDonald’s since I was little. I was always a big fan, especially now that they just came out with their Egg White Delight. For me, I’ve always loved egg whites — it’s a great source of protein and this just tastes so good.

BATF: Do you have a particular McD’s menu item that you’re partial to?
Douglas: I was always obsessed with their McFlurries! I still am. I mean ice cream and M&M’s – I’m in heaven! And to be honest, right after the Olympics, I went straight to McDonald’s and got an Egg McMuffin.

BATF: When you win the gold at 16, what’s next? You’re already at the top.
Douglas: One of my goals is definitely to go back and defend my title. Do it all over again. Just getting back into the gym. I start training again in May.

BATF: I read that you left home to start intensive training in Iowa. At what point did you know that this is what you’re meant to do?
Douglas: I knew since I was little that this was it. If you have a dream, that’s just what you have to do.

BATF: What advice would you give aspiring athletes?
Douglas: My advice is just fight for your dreams. I’m so honored and blessed to be in a position where I can help girls pursue their dreams and tell them to believe in themselves. If you do that and you have confidence in yourself, you can achieve anything.

BATF: What did you think the moment you realized you won?
Douglas: I just thought about all the hard work and dedication I put into the sport. It was all worth it and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

BATF: What are some of the sacrifices you had to make to focus and be the best?
Douglas: If you want to be the best, it’s really going to cost you. You have to make some sacrifices for sure. For me, it was not going out with my friends, the movies, not going to prom, not being a regular teenage girl and having a boyfriend. One of the biggest sacrifices was moving away from my family. But in the end, it was all worth it.


BATF: I’m sure a lot of cool opportunities have been coming your way. What were some of them?
Douglas: Meeting my fans and the celebrities. The fans are awesome! They always say very kind words to me. Yesterday, I went undercover and flipped in Times Square as a surprise [to promote the launch of the new Egg White Delight McMuffin] It was so fun – no one was expecting it!

BATF: You mentioned celebrities – were there any who you were particularly thrilled about meeting?
Douglas: The cast of The Vampire Diaries! I love that show. Meeting Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev was exciting — they were so sweet.

BATF: Part of my blog is beauty, so I wanted to ask: what’s the one product you can’t do without?
Douglas: Mascara. I cannot live without CoverGirl’s mascara!

The Egg White Delight McMuffin ($2.69) as well as the option of freshly grilled egg whites with white cheddar on any egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches are now available at McDonald’s nationwide. Thanks to Gabby Douglas for her time and McDonald’s for organize the interview!

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It’s delightful! It’s delicious! It’s de-lovely! (Has NO one here seen the Broadway Anything Goes? Because if you have, this song will be forever stuck in your head).

I digress.

So word on the street is Brooklyn Diner just unveiled their new spring menu options (read: I was emailed a press announcement about this and invited to check it out). My friend Mehreen came along to try some of them out…and she possibly ended up getting something from their regular menu, but at least one of us stuck to the task at hand.

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McDonald’s is making strides in a more healthy direction by launching their new Premium McWraps — a tortilla-wrapped entrée with fresh vegetables, grilled or crispy chicken breast sprinkled with one of their signature sauces: rice vinegar, sweet chili, or creamy garlic. The company recruited New York Knicks’ Steve Novak to partner up with them for the launch. I was invited to take a look and talk to Novak about the partnership, and of course, basketball.

Beauty and the Feast: I first wanted to ask how you got involved with McDonald’s. When you think of an athlete, you don’t normally associate that with fast food!
Steve Novak: I think that’s what’s so great about the Premium McWrap because it’s a healthy option and it’s not just a small portion — it’s an entrée. For someone like me, you go through the drive-thru and you want something that’s going to give you energy something that’s healthy: chicken, vegetables. I think that’s what McDonald’s is becoming more and more known for. That’s why they asked me to be part of this launch and I’m obviously I’m excited to be working with McDonald’s. More and more people want healthy and something more substantial, and that’s exactly what this is.

BATF: What’s your earliest memory associated with McDonald’s?
Novak: I remember where I grew up in Milwaukee, there was this brand new McDonald’s and they were building this huge Play Place — I felt like Great America was moving down the street! I had to be 5 or 6 years old.

BATF: Were you still the tallest kid in the playpen?
Novak: Absolutely. Didn’t fit in any of the tubes or anything. [laughs]

BATF: If you had to split a McWrap with one of your teammates, who would you pick?
Novak: I would definitely split it with J.R. [Smith]! Everyone thinks ‘How can they be friends?! They’re so different from each other!’ But really, basketball brings worlds together. Maybe we’d get a McWrap but wouldn’t agree on which one to get…but you know…I’d definitely split it with J.R.

BATF: As one of the best shooters in the NBA, what are some of your tips for aspiring athletes?
Novak: MY M.O., what I truly believe is out-working everybody else. When I was in 8th grade, I realized how many basketball players there were in the country and the world…I started going to tournaments and seeing how many people were playing basketball. So I set a goal for myself to make 300 jump shots every single day after school. I’m just a big believer in, no matter what anyone tells you — You’re not strong enough, You’re not tall enough, You’re not athletic enough– you can out-work all those people who are more gifted than you. I think that I’ve been able to be successful because of my work ethic.


BATF: Wow, so you did that every single day?
Novak: I would make 300 everyday until high school. I did it consistently for 8th grade and freshman year and as the years went on, the practices became more intense and the routine changed a little bit, but that’s what started me on a goal and routine mentality.

BATF: I guess that shows hard work pays off!
Novak: No question. It has a lot to do with what I am.


BATF: I have to ask: where did the belt move [aka discount double check] come about?
Novak: Well I’m from Wisconsin and I’m a huge, huge Packers fan. I have been since Don Majkowski was the quarterback, and then Brett Favre took over, and now Aaron Rodgers is the quarterback. And Aaron Rodgers does the belt. I’ve been such a huge fan of his that in one game last year, when we were playing against the Dallas Mavericks…it literally just came out! I don’t know where it came from, but it comes from my love for the Packers. Every time I do it, it’s kind of like a shout out to all my Milwaukee, Wisconsin people.

BATF: Whose career would you most like to emulate if any?
Novak: Your career really is your own footprint. But there’s so many guys you look up to and want to be like growing up, like Ray Allen who’s still in the league. The way he carried himself when he was in Milwaukee, the way he played, and just the man that he is I think is someone that I really looked up to.

BATF: What’s the best part about being a Knick?
Novak: There are so many! I think the best part is when I was little, to think that one day I’d be playing for the Knicks in New York – truly the best basketball city, the best arena, the best team in the world in I think all basketball people’s minds – it’s such an honor. To be part of that legacy, that tradition…it’s something I’ll forever be proud of.

Thanks so much to Steve Novak for his time and McDonald’s for inviting me to the launch! The Premium McWraps are available nationwide at McDonald’s for $4 (each range from 300-600 calories depending on what options you get with it!).

x
Shy
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ABC Kitchen, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways:

1. The rustic and warm settings, beautiful light fixtures and placement, cozy wooden furnishings, and mismatched antique plates gives me a peaceful escape from the bustling city outside.


2. Your fresh, farm-to-table, organic, gorgeous food keeps me coming back for more (note: I can’t wait for you to bring back that seasonal juicy, organic strawberry salad back!).



3. THIS Roasted Kabocha Squash Toast. I didn’t even know what kabocha was, but I learned from your flannel-wearing waitress that it’s a winter squash that tastes like heaven. Paired with ricotta and apple vinegar cider, it’s perfection (trust me on this, and order this for sure!)

4. Your healthy food options that make me feel like I’m a better person overall, or at least a little more conscious about slightly surpressing my inner-fat girl urges when I dine with Cali natives like Sadia and Mehran. Mehran works out before and after dinner and often brings his gym bag to place on the designated chair next to him. Sadia is a regular kickboxer (you may also find her doing strange plies and other ballerina-esque split moves at the gym while holding her phone in safe distance, but don’t ask why). She also carries a bottle of water wherever she goes. In comparison, I like to pre-game with pizza and stare at the ceiling thinking about how much food I’m going to consume while I count down the minutes to dinner.


5. And then I order more pizza. But I digress…

6. The cheeseburger is one that only a friend like Mehran can mess up by ordering with jalapenos on the side. WHO puts jalapenos on the side? The rosemary fries though were beyond perfection, and even such an insolent patron as he could not mess this up.

7. THE BRUSSELS SPROUTS. Do any of you understand how much I LOVE brussels sprouts? I legit fantasize about them throughout the day, and ABC is another culprit as to why. I’m a horrible person and fake offer these to people, which after they have their bite, I carry on to inhale the rest. As I did that night..cooked to perfection on a bed of chipotle-type mayo sauce.

Mayhaps the only time we were underwhelmed was dessert: The apple pie with cinnamon ice cream wasn’t special or memorable enough (maybe warming the apple pie part would help) but we at least got our sweet fix in.

This place is quite special. Jean-Georges, we tip our hat to you.

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If you’re a massive basketball fan residing in New York, I’d predict you will at some point end up at The Barclays Center (if you haven’t, you should see a game there — the arena is pretty sick). And if you find yourself in a position needing comfort food (team not so hot that day?), make a pit stop at Elbow Room, a haven for the mac and cheese enthusiast. Don’t confuse it with typical stadium-eating fare though — they give a gourmet spin to the traditional dish with 12 masterpiece varieties.

As you can tell, I didn’t hold back. With choices like Mushroom Mac (crimini mushroom, spinach, Vermont gruyère, crispy shallots), Margherita Mac (San Marzano tomato, housemade mozzarella, and fresh basil), and Lobster Mac (lemongrass, ginger, and roasted red pepper), why would you?

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