I refuse to let you buy bread, pastries, rolls (and-pretty-much-anything-that-involves-gluten) from your local Whole Foods (supermarket) without knowing Breads Bakery has opened in Union Square.

Seriously, put down that semi-fresh baguette and take the 4, 5, 6, L, N, Q,or R train to Union Square for straight-out-of-the-oven, artisanal baked goods.

I repeat, Breads Bakery has opened shop and it will be worth the 20 minute commute from wherever you are to 16th Street (between Broadway & 5th Avenue).

Known for their babkas, sourdoughs, and rugelachs, Breads Bakery has been winning over New Yorkers with their sweet and savory creations every day since their grand opening three short months ago.

With origins in Tel Aviv, Master Baker Uri Scheft has personally brought his craft over to our fair city; and as a New Yorker, I feel honored to have direct access to Chef Uri’s quality breads which are made fresh on premise and sold at reasonable prices.

SIDE NOTE: I know I can get fresh bread in NYC, and yes there’s Balthazar in SoHo, Eric Kayser on the Upper East Side, and an Amy’s Bread here and there; but the size, space, and convenient location of Breads Bakery makes Breads so much more appealing to me.

Personally, I found out about Breads Bakery last month by a LML Reader in Milan, Italy and did not realize I had been missing out on this new establishment every single day, for the past three months, by one measely avenue. At first the bypass wasn’t big deal, but as soon as I entered the bakery and tasted their crossiants, cinnamon buns and babka… the remorse was overwhelming. I still think to myself, “If only I had a reason to cut through 16th Street….I would’ve smelled the babka…”

So please learn from my error and go to Breads Bakery for their quality sourdoughs, fresh-out-of-the-oven almond crossiants, muesli rolls, olive sticks, challah loafs, chocolate babka and sandwiches.

Oh and as someone who has experienced 30 minute lunch/dinner breaks in Union Square, Breads Bakery will be your saving grace… they even have sweet and savory specials too… just make sure to order quickly, otherwise I’ll regret telling you about this place.

XO, LML

PS: Open 7 Days A Week: MON-FRI – 7am – 8pm  SAT-SUN – 8am – 8pm

PPS: I will be writing about my bread-making experience with Uri Scheft following this post, so stay tuned!

The theme of the event was LIGHTS! CAMERA! TASTE! – a nod to food in film. Like the Oscars, the James Beard Foundation invited Oliver Platt as their celebrity host… and I got to meet him when he walked right into my shot- kinda love the photo, don’t you?

TASTING GALA EXPERIENCE: As you know, I was not in attendance for the actual awards due to culinary school obligations, but I did make it to the Tasting Gala at the end of the night. Each chef prepared a dish based on their favorite movie and below I’ve bolded my favorite dishes… but my absolute favorite dish was Marcus Samuelsson’s Jerk Bacon and Cow Peas- the dish was booming with complex flavor combinations that made my mouth go WOW.

You can take a look at all of the photos for the evening on my facebook account.

Awards Gala Reception  Menu

Grant Achatz
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Cocktail
Inspired by 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 

Nate Appleman
Royale with Cheese
Inspired by Pulp Fiction 

Jean-François Bruel
Liberty Farm Roasted Duck Breast with Turnips, Spinach, and Sauce au Sang
Inspired by Who’s Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?

Traci des Jardins
Tortilla Soup
Inspired by Tortilla Soup 

Todd English
Sushi and Sake
Inspired by Jiro Dreams of Sushi 

Gavin Kaysen
Sea Urchin with Banana, Coconut, Lime, and Cilantro
Inspired by Cast Away

Sarah Kosikowski and Derek Poirier
Presented by Valrhona North America
The Golden Ticket > Otucan Dark Chocolate Pot de Crème, Mango Pearls, Dulcey Almond Banana Rocher, and Coconut Opalys Whipped Ganache
Inspired by Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

Christopher Lee
smoky Baby Back ribs with georgia peach glaze
Inspired by Smokey and the Bandit

Frank Maldonado
Presented by Rums of Puerto Rico Green Pigeon Peas and Plantain Dumplings with Ron del Barrilito Rum Sauce
Inspired by The Rum Diaries 

Thomas McNaughton
Goat Curds and Whey with Spring Vegetables, Herbs, and Preserved Lemon
Inspired by San Francisco

Michael Mina
Chilled Maine Lobster in Edible Shell with Uni and Kanzuri
Inspired by Splash

David Myers
Candy Bar with Magic (Hinoki & the Bird Version)
Inspired by the Harry Potter Movies

Melissa Perello
Butter-Poached Chicken with Spring Onion and Crème Fraîche Soubise
Inspired by Napoleon Dynamite 

Nicole Plue
Saltine Cracker Toffee
Inspired by Jaws

Douglas Rodriguez
Crispy Foie Gras and Duck Cigars
Inspired by Scarface

Gabriel Rucker
Acorn Crêpes with Buffalo Heart and Corn
Inspired by Dances with Wolves

Marcus Samuelsson
Jerk Bacon with Cow Peas
Inspired by Django Unchained

Aarón Sánchez
Lamb Enchiladas with Mole Negro
Inspired by Like Water for Chocolate

Mindy Segal
Brown sugar Tcho Chocolate Chip Cupcake with Vanilla Bean and Malted Milk Liquid Center
Assorted Variations of Chocolate Chip Cookies
Inspired by Stranger Than Fiction

John Suley
Presented by Celebrity Cruises®
Hamachi Crudo with Osetra Caviar, Cauliflower, Shiso, and Lemongrass
Inspired by Eat Drink Man Woman 

Chrstina Tosi
Cake Truffles: Popcorn, Pretzel, and Birthday
Inspired by Movie Night

Allison Vines-Rushing and Slade Rushing
Crispy Alligator with Blood Orange Marmalade and Mustard Oil
Inspired by Beasts of the Southern Wild​

OVERALL: The James Beard Awards are the food equivalent to the Oscars, and now that I have attended, I totally understand what Jennifer Lawrence meant in her acceptance speech (just google 2013 Best Actress at the 4 minute mark). I was surrounded by the biggest names in the food industry and it was intimidating, exhilarating and delicious. Such a privilege to be among the culinary stars of today. Looking forward to attending in the future when I have made a name for myself in this ever-growing industry.

PS: If you weren’t in attendance, JBF provided live streaming of the awards, so grab your favorite bag of popcorn and a pair of 3-D glasses (not necessary but there were 3D effects as noted by JBF President Susan Ungaro)!

Hosted by SELF Magazine, Workout in the Park is a full day of fitness, pampering, consultations, and giveaways! SELF celebrates its 20th Workout in the Park this year and is hosting the event in NYC, Chicago and Washington DC!

RELATIONSHIP WITH SELF: I started with SELF as a freelance model when I was in college. And if I was in the country, I always attended the annual Workout in the Park Event in NYC. Aside from NY, I’ve also attended Workout in the Park San Francisco and this year I will be at the Workout in the Park Chicago on June 3rd!

NYC SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

• 9:30am: I arrived in Central Park to model with all of the sponsor tents for SELF Magazine!
• 11:00am: The park opened to the public and I started off the event by practicing yoga in the quiet zone with Taj for Sun Salutations.
• 11:30am: I picked up a ton of swag from LeSportsac (purses), Keurig (waterbottle), Skinnygirl (treats), Garnier (eye pillow), Reebok (socks) and many more!
• 12:15pm: I was introduced to Event Emcee Danielle Monaro of Z100 and Bethenny Frankel of Skinnygirl Daily #HOLLA

OVERALL: Sweat, smiles, and swag!

The morning of the event, I honestly thought we were going to get caught in a downpour, but the rain clouds really pulled through- they held in the rain and spit out every last drop at 4pm when the event was cleared out (…I kid you not). With that said, SELF Workout in the Park NYC was a success! I had a blast modeling in the morning, working out with the Crunch instructors, and hanging out with Bethenny and Danielle. Looking forward to attending Chicago Workout in the Park on June 3rd this year so I can exercise with the Pound Girls and the Masala Bhaga crew! #YAY