To those of you reading this on your commute, or during your lunch break, or sneaking a peek during your 3 o’clock meeting, don’t worry, this will be a short one today.  Single Girl had a pretty quiet week this past week and in contrast, Renee has a busy one.  See how nicely life makes that work for me?

Let’s refresh our memories (it has been over a week since I last posted) about where the drop was, at Andrew and Frank’s Deli on 23rd Ave.  Most of you know that I live on the other side of the highway.  I almost missed dropping them off on Thursday because I was putting off the mile and a half walk that I knew I had to carve out at least an hour to do.  But I made it up there just before closing and left them with Benny.

As I mentioned before it’s been a pretty quiet week, but I did have some bright spots.  One of them being a meeting/chat session with some students from Parsons School of Design.

I may have mentioned this before, we met a while back.  Their class had assigned them a neighborhood (Astoria) and they were to do do their research then each week present something.  Through their research, they heard about me and we met to talk Single Girl Cookies and also the neighborhood.  It went over pretty well and their new focus is on a service of the neighborhood, and they chose Single Girl!  There are now new objectives to their project such as showing growth and making an impact on the economy of the neighborhood.  We had a great brainstorming session, and they’ve got ideas I’d never have come up with.  I’m looking forward to meeting with them again, they are such lovely and smart individuals!

I also met with the folks at Guideposts Magazine this week to talk about Single Girl Cookies.  And yes, this was Single Girl’s first official subway ride into Manhattan!

I had written a small piece for them a few years back and contacted them again thinking they might be interested in learning about SGC.  Turns out they were,  so I brought them some cookies and we had a nice chat about what I’m  hoping to accomplish with this.  It may be right for one or two sections of their publication, so I may be having some great news in the future!

Because Andrew & Frank’s is so far away, I had been putting off picking up my plate until yesterday.  I figured the gorgeous day deserved a bike ride, which made the journey quicker and definitely more enjoyable.  Going at prime lunchtime was a different experience than my last, I’ll tell you that much.  This was like stepping onto a 1980’s film set for the neighborhood cop lunch scene, complete with light wash jeans, moustaches, distinct accents, and being called “sweetheart”.  As a matter of fact, when I was telling my roommate about it later, she got super freaked out by my accent impression, both because it was so good, and because she didn’t want to know why it was so good.  I’m an actor, whaddya want?

I retrieved my place from Benny then asked him where he thought I should go next week.  He deferred to the gentleman taking a catering order from a customer, whose name is Johnny.  I waited while he finished up with that, then he started taking lunch orders from these other gentlemen that had come in.  The handcuffs and walkies gave away they they were law enforcement, and listening to their banter was priceless.  It was almost like I was watching this through the glass, or like I wasn’t there.  Turns out this isn’t far from the truth, because I’m pretty sure Johnny didn’t even register that I had been standing there for 5 minutes until he asked me if I had been helped and “what can I do for you, sweetheart?  You have my undivided attention now.”  I told him I had brought in the plate of cookies last week and – this is where he interrupted me and said yeah, his brother told him all about it.  I said, great!  Where should I go next week?  He looked a little confused and said, what do you mean?  Ha, I guess you don’t know after all!   (can you tell he’s not scoring big with me?) I told him the initiative of the project while I still had his undivided attention, and asked him again who he thought deserved the next round of cookies.  A voice from the peanut gallery shouted out “The ____Precinct in the Bronx!  I’ll drive you there!”  There was a collective, “Yeah/good idea, haha!”  to which my brain said, “Aw, HELL no!” but I cheerfully said, “Nope!  Gotta keep it in the neighborhood!” *pastes big smile on face*

Johnny said then suggested the 114th Precinct, and before I agreed to anything made sure it was, in fact, in Astoria.  He asked me what I thought of that and I kept telling him, I truly don’t care, it’s not my choice.  I will go wherever the project sends me.  So, he said to go there, and to “Make sure you tell’em Johnny at Andrew and Franks sent you”  Yep, I do that already, got it pal 🙂

And there you have it.  Thursday’s recipients of Single Girl Cookies will be the ladies and gents of the hardworking police force over at the 114th on Astoria Blvd.  As a community service, they are certainly ones that deserve a “thank you” and don’t often get it unless there’s something big or major happening.  And I suppose it can’t hurt to have one or two policemen/women on your side 😉

 

Copyright 2013, Renee Heitmann

Is it just me or does it feel like today is a new beginning?  Maybe it’s because yesterday was Easter, or that spring is finally starting to show it’s face or that I’m back from my break and am back to ‘real life’ but something definitely feels new.  This is the time when we clear out the dust from our homes, clean out the clutter and junk from our lives and start anew.  I did a similar version of that this week and weekend.  I  organized the closet and all my newly acquired baking supplies and implements and finally gave the kitchen a good ol’ fashioned scrub down.  Which is desperately needed after my weekend bake-a-palooza – it had been in a constant cycle of baking, cleaning, baking, cleaning since about Thursday 🙂  It’s been nice to actually put things away.

As you know, I was home visiting my family in the beginning part of the week.  It was only for a few days, way too short but it was a time of recharge for me.  I stocked up on some affordable supplies at Wegmans (You think Disney is the happiest place on earth?  You’ve never been to a Wegmans) and my mother let me raid her cookie cutters.  I’ve got some new fun shapes that actually would work pretty well for a baby shower, and the perfect  cutter for cookies for the reception of my concert next week.  Oh, plus I spent time with this guy:

I came back Wednesday night as not to miss the grand unveiling of the reader chosen We Heart Astoria ice cream flavor at Malu in LIC. I’m so glad I didn’t miss it because 1. the ice cream was delicious, Baklava flavor, 2.  I got to meet Meg in real life (finally!) and get a copy of her book The Food Lover’s Guide to Queens (get one), and 3.  I met some really lovely people there, one of them being Jennifer, owner of Malu.  Such a sweetheart and great ice cream maker. I told her about Single Girl and she immediately thought of a few ways we could partner and give back to the community.  I think maybe this week I could make an unscheduled stop with some cookies to thank them for their hospitality 🙂

I said that I’ve been on a constant baking cycle since Thursday, which was cookie drop day.  If you recall, this week’s drop was at the New York Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing.  It was a quick drop this time, for one, there’s nothing to patronize, and I was double parked.  21st Street is somewhat of a crazy strip and I feel lucky to not have been ticketed.  The gentleman at reception seemed appreciative and more of the pick up and reveal of this week later.

On Thursday, I also swung my Michael’s and picked up a few things from Wilton to help with my actual decoration of things.  I’m still working on it, but here are some cupcakes that I made for Kickshaw’s 2nd Anniversary on Thursday.

Now, for those that follow me on Twitter and Facebook have seen some ideas I’d been tossing around involving cookies and bacon, or cookies and smoked salt.  My Twitter followers may have also seen some communication with Maker’s Mark.  I decided that this weekend, being on break and having my roommate gone (free to make as big of a mess as I want), would be the perfect weekend for experimentation.  I gotta say, what a success!

I know that putting bacon in things and combining bacon with sweet things is not a new idea, and I know that there are probably plenty of recipes out there.  But I decided that I was going to go rogue and just mad scientist this whole bacon cookie idea.  I figured a shortbread cookie would be the perfect vehicle for bacon because they’re not that sweet, and are a bit more on the savory side thanks to all that butter.  I was right.

First thing I did was cook up a package of bacon so it would be ready when I made the shortbread dough.  The second thing I did was eat half of the bacon.  It’s shocking how little a full package of bacon actually yields, after I ate half and crumbled the other half, it was only a little over a quarter cup.  All I did was add that quarter cup to a classic shortbread recipe and voila!

                          

Bacon Shortbread Cookies!  There are so many variations you can make with this, maple syrup instead of sugar for maple bacon shortbread cookies, adding some Maker’s Mark into your dough, drizzling the finished cookies with chocolate.  And you’ll be pleased to know that I’ll be posting the recipe on the coming-soon recipe page!

Next up on my experimentation list was prompted by my conversation with Maker’s Mark.  I told them I bet Maker’s Mark would make a great substitution in the Irish Car Bomb cupcakes I made a few weeks ago.  They emailed me and said they’d love any recipes and pictures from my experimentations, so I got to thinking.  Using Singlecut Milk Stout, of course, for the cupcakes again, but using Maker’s Mark in the chocolate ganache and Kahlua for the frosting, topped by a red glaze to mimic the signature wax seal that tops Maker’s Mark bottles.  Here is the final product:

                                  

I must give credit where credit is due and thank my mom for her genius in this.  We had been brainstorming about what the cupcake would be and how to tie it to my project of Single Girl Cookies.  She called me back 15 minutes after we had hung up with this idea, “What if you called it ‘Make Your Mark'”?  Pure brilliance!  That’s certainly what I’m trying to do with SGC and also part of what Maker’s Mark’s philosophy is.  I took some up to Singlecut, and took the rest to my church choir for Easter and the response was an overwhelming “AMAZING”.  I must admit, this is perhaps one of the best things I’ve ever made.  I emailed the recipe to Maker’s Mark and I hope to hear from them what they think!  I was thinking I may also include this on the new recipe page.  Whaddya think??

For many of you, yesterday was Easter Sunday, it was for me.  It’s a time to spend with family and those you love, or for those like me whose family is far away, doing something you love.  I thought it was the perfect day to stop by NYC for Rehab and Nursing to pick up my plate and see where they send me.  I spoke with a young man at reception named George who told me he had a few cookies himself and that they were really good.  I asked him for the recommendation for this week and he asked me what I was looking for, to get my name out, to start a business, what?  I explained to him the whys of what I’m doing; he was going to tailor his recommendation based on my needs.  I said that’s sweet but the nature of the project calls for your input as well.  That seemed to make him uncomfortable, as if this were a big decision.  Which, upon reflection, it kind of is.  Each person’s decision changes the course of where this is going and who feels the impact of this kindness.  His answer, in the end, was as appropriate as I could imagine.  He told me to go to Andrew & Frank’s Deli on 23rd Ave, that they used to “take care” of him when he was a child and feed him.  I’d say that’s pretty deserving.

And so we’re back to food places.  It’s funny when you ask people who they think deserves an act of kindness like this, how often it comes down to food.  Food, that which nourishes our body but also the act of sharing food that nourishes our soul.  Have you fed your soul lately?

 

Copyright 2013, Renee Heitmann

Spring break!!!  This is coming to you from my parents’ couch in the house I grew up in, with the original baker, my mother.  You know, the recipe I use for the chocolate chip cookies is hers and I’ve sworn an oath to never reveal it to anyone or risk punishment of death.  Ask around, people have tried to get it out of me, but to no avail.  I swear, Mom.

It is so good to be home and taking a break from the city.  Everyone needs that now and then and I’ve come to look forward to Thursdays for just that.  Maybe not a break from the city exactly, but a break from the pace and sometimes stress of my “other” life.  This week I took my break at William Hallet on 30th Ave.  I came in, introduced myself, yada yada yada, and found myself in a brief conversation with one of the owners, George.  I told him the parameters of the project and that he had to recommend the place where I go next.  Usually I give the place a few days to decide but I knew that I’d be visiting home and unable to come back in before Thursday.   He thought about it. and thought about it, and thought about it, and finally said, “I got it, I know”.  Kristin, behind the bar, chimed in with, “Oh, is it that spa and salon?  Is it ____?  Maybe____?”  I could not have been more pleased and surprised by his answer – New York Center for Rehab and Nursing.  He went on to explain that they were somewhat like a hospice and act as a place for people to go when they have no place else to go.  His father was there in 2008 and the nurses were caring, kind and really good to his father and just the sort of place that deserves an act like this.   I love that he is using this opportunity to truly give back to the community, to his community to a cause and to a place that touched his life.  I’m really looking forward to my drop on Thursday.  I know that nurses in general are pretty hard workers and don’t have it easy, but I can only imagine what it must be like caring for the patients they surely have.  I’m hoping my cookies will be a bright spot in their day.

Now, I debated on even sharing this part, but it was too fun not to.  Also as part of this cookie week, I was commissioned to bake cookies for a birthday party for the lovely Miss Jenny.  Commissioned, you say??  But I thought you didn’t want anything from this project!  Now you’re selling them???  Ugh!  Ladies and gentleman, save your skepticism of my intentions and further intentions.  My goods are not for sale, per se, this doesn’t change anything about Single Girl Cookies, what it is and what it stands for.  And Jenny understood that perfectly when she approached me.  As a native New Yorker and an Astorian for 13 years, she understands the value of a neighborhood, and she saw this commission as an act of contribution to help keep what I’m doing going.  Which meant a lot to me, plus she gets to eat Single Girl Cookies.  It’s a win/win for all parties involved.  Now that we’re all cleared up on that, how about, YAY! somebody actually likes my cookies enough to buy them!  This is totally my Sally Fields moment, just bear with me.  They like me!  They really like me!  Ok, I’m done.  It was such a great experience,  I’d be open to opportunities like this in the future.  I’m still holding true to the original mission (One girl, one Mission, smiles, happiness, you get the point), spreading love and kindness, passing it on and I made a lot of new friends this weekend at her party.  Also, be on the lookout, lucky Astorians.  Part of the Single Girl Cookie experience is keeping the plate that the cookies came on with the intention of the recipient passing on the goodness by filling it with something else and giving it to someone else.  The plates are tagged, so keep an eye out – let’s see how far and wide we can make Single Girl reach!

Now the fun part – pictures!

The pay-it-forward plate

Beautiful almond buttercream icing

The treats I made for the birthday girl, it was a Jackie Robinson theme

 And the birthday girl herself enjoying a Single Girl Cookie!

I leave you now with a different perspective, one of the Single Girl, my writing companion, Cooper.

 

 

Copyright 2013, Renee Heitmann

Boy, have I got a lot to say today! Clear your schedules, cancel all your meetings, put down the General Hospital, cause it’s cookie time!

This week’s (and by this week, I really mean last week) drop spot was Pachanga Patterson. Have you been there? I’m sure most have, because I’m generally behind the eight ball with most things, but if you haven’t, stop reading this and go right now.

Are you back? Ok, good, let’s continue.

Do you remember last week how I mentioned a very generous guy named Joe came into Fatty’s and gave me a whole bunch of Ghiradelli chips to bake with? Well, holy crap, I will say without a doubt these were the best Heitmann cookies I have ever tasted. Ever. And for those of you that know me, know that’s a pretty big claim to make. They were larger than the ones I usually use so I thought it would be good if I chopped them up into smaller chunks. Brilliant idea on my part, that meant there were little flecks of chocolate floating around the rest of the dough making for an extra decadent and savory cookie.

Tell me that’s not the most beautiful cookie you’ve ever seen. I dare you.

I dropped them off at Pachanga Patterson, who was not actually open when I swung by (lesson #83762 – make sure the establishment you’re going to is actually open) but luckily they were having a meeting and I was able to speak with Leo, the owner. I started to explain who/what I was and he stopped me and said he already knew what it was all about – YES! Elation! I told him I’d be back to pick up my plate in a few days and sit down and have a meal when I do.

Because these cookies were so amazing, I wanted to spread ore cookie love around town and stopped by Singlecut after rehearsal that night. I had decided to spend my St. Patty’s Day there on Sunday, they were having a bluegrass band, good beer, that’s my kind of low key celebration. We got to talking and I said I’d take requests for goodies on Sunday, what do you want? Andrew had a genius (but glaringly obvious – how did I not think of this??) idea to bake something with their beer. David already had this genius idea already that night:

I was sent home with a growler of Eric “More Cowbell” Milk Stout and a promise of Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes for Sunday.

I could tell you the story of what happened on Saturday when Rulpsen, Singlecut’s good friend and mascot (he’s a fermenter, this is an interspecies relationship) came over to help me bake, or I could show you.

What you’re looking at is a chocolate cake with milk stout, a whiskey chocolate ganache filling and a Bailey’s Irish Cream buttercream frosting. If you want more details you’ll have to ask Rulpsen (twitter @Rulpsen). A true lady never reveals her secrets.

Sunday Funday was St. Patrick’s Day! Don’t you remember? If you can’t, that’s ok, I’m sure you’re not the only one. I headed to Pachanga Patterson to have some lunch, pick up my plate and drop off a few cupcakes before heading up to Singlecut.

I ordered a pretty standard pulled beef taco that was out of this world delicious and a not so standard Jameson margarita, also surprisingly yummy! I chatted with Leo for a bit and connected the dots that Vesta is a sister restaurant – I’ll have to head there right away as well. I also got a chance to speak with Michelle, the chef at PP, and to tell her just how many more tacos I think I could put away. Both Leo and Michelle were so complimentary and generous then in offering me the use of their kitchen if I needed in the future. We also talked about an exciting new venture for them, Van Alst, a catering company and some possibilities of a collaboration. Lots of good things coming out of Pachanga people! Leo also gave me the official word for who gets a visit tomorrow, William Hallet up on 30th Ave. Yet another place I’ve never really been but am really looking forward to visiting.

I headed up to Singlecut with my cupcakes where I learned the lesson of how small the world really is. Not only were the cupcakes a hit, but I had someone approach me and ask if I was Single Girl Cookies. If that weren’t awesome enough, it turns out I had given a cupcake to the husband of Judith from We Heart Astoria and she was putting the pieces together! How nice to put real people and faces to the avatars and personas of the cyber world we all live in. She’s lovely in person and I’m excited to announce that I will be a guest blogger on weheartastoria.com! We Heart Astoria is one of my fav go-to sites for what’s happening in the neighborhood from real people that really live here. They’re going to syndicate my posts and help spread the word about my kindness revolution! If that isn’t the best news I’ve heard in a long time, I don’t know what is 🙂

I feel like I’m probably leaving out so many things that happened in the Single Girl world this weekend, but I know this is already pretty long and if I remember anything big, I’ll let you know. For now, let me leave you with a small word of thanks. Many of you know my deep, deep love of Mumford and Sons and recognize the heading as modified lyrics to their song Below My Feet. That song keeps coming up in my Pandora, ITunes and Spotify radio and is one of my favorites from their newest album. It speaks to staying grounded and rooted in your purpose with faith and trust. To me, it relates to what I’m trying to do with Single Girl Cookies, learning about others, serving a higher purpose of kindness and charity with my gifts, and trusting that I’m on the right road. Thanks to all of you who believe in this as much as I do and especially to those who have lent their own gifts to the project, Shaun, Lisa at http://www.thrive-style.com, Mackenzi, Judith and Meg at weheartastoria.com, Jeanmarie Evelly @DNAinfo, Ryan at ryancmiller.com, Jeremy at jeremybales.com, @astoriahaiku, the team at Singlecut, my mom and dad, the team at Pachanga Patterson, @teamGREASE, @j-la. This whole thing is just proof of positive attracts positive. When you bring goodness to others, goodness will come back to you. Wishing you only good things until we meet again 🙂

 

Copyright 2013, Renee Heitmann

I had a few illuminating conversations last night, one that frustrated me, and another that reinforced what the first person said, much to my chagrin.  The topic: promotion.  My response: hell no.  We all have that friend on Facebook or that person that we follow on twitter that is really into self promotion, or everything they post says “please RT” or “like my page” or something equally as irritating.  And chances are we only follow them because of some real life entanglement or the rest of the content keeps us there.

Single Girl Cookies has now been happening for over two months and is starting to show signs of what it really is and take on it’s own life, much like a child around the age of two (speaking from nephew experience).  All of which is great and I’m loving every minute of it.  I still get to bake and deliver cookies and make people happy and life is good.  With this growth has also come some small amounts of notoriety, which is great; I figure the bigger this things is, the more people it can affect and the more change and kindness that can happen, right?  I find myself walking (or at least trying to) this thin line between feeding the project and promoting it.  I’d said from the very beginning that I want whatever happens with this to be organic and on it’s own.  If you create likeable content, people will like it. (Sorry, Jeremy, I stole that one)  I never want to be that annoying friend promoting their home business/show/spouse’s company/etc.  I also feel slightly awkward sending links to someone saying, “Hey! Check this out, look how awesome I am!”, because if you don’t know me personally, that’s how it could come across.  And those of you that do know me personally, know that’s not me.

But I do want this to grow.  It’s bigger than cookies, it’s bigger than me and I want to help it get there.  How do I get the message out and promote Single Girl Cookies the right way?  I like relying on my fans and have been telling people, “If you like it, do whatever you want with it, tell whoever, share whatever” and so far it’s yielded positive results.  What are good ways and avenues for me to share this while maintaining my humility?

All these people saying I should contact this person and that thing also (inevitably, now) come with the questions, “what do you want from this?” and “what’s the cause?”  The first one I know how to answer, I want people to be kinder, change the way they look at people in their world, etc.  But the second one is a bit trickier.  Usually it goes like this, “Uh, the kindness is the cause?”  palms up with me looking slightly bewildered when people can’t comprehend I’m not asking for money for something, be it myself or a charity.  And honestly, f there was a charity or some other monetary funded cause, I think it would feel easier for me to promote because then it wouldn’t be about me, it would be about something else.  Which it already is (kindness) but that seems to not be enough for some.  In a flattering light, it can be said that they are just seeing the potential for this and how much more could be done with it.  But I’m also mindful of stable and sustainable growth and would like this thing to be more than just a flash in the pan.  (metaphor for a relationship?)  This week alone i had a guy open up his wallet and try to hand me cash before he even knew what it was.  All he knew was people have causes, they cost money, how much do you want?  Uh….come again?  And last night another outline three different (and easy) ways this could become a charitable and money making for me venture to support my other goals and aspirations.  I don’t know what to do with that.  I could, and it would be fairly easy, but it seems wrong and not true to the spirit of Single Girl Cookies.

I guess all of this is to say HELP!  I don’t ask for help much and have  a stupid amount of pride when it comes to accepting it.  I have always taken care of things myself and take pride in being self sufficient.  I’ll even be that idiot walking down the street with 12 grocery bags because I can do it on my own.  I know, I’m dumb.  But as a woman, this is a very important to me.  So you know how hard this is when I admit to needing help.  I’d really love any feedback or advice or suggestions or anything you can think of.  How do I help this grow into the movement that it can become?   I think a good start would be for all of you to tell me how this has positively impacted your life.  Have you performed any acts of kindness as a result of Single Girl Cookies?  I know of two already and they warm my heart 🙂  That’s the whole point of this, right??

Drop me a line on twitter, facebook, or comment below.  Your feedback, promotion and help is greatly appreciated, and I am really looking forward to hearing what you guys have to say!

 

Copyright 2013, Renee Heitmann

So, I’m probably not supposed to publicize good news that hasn’t actually happened yet, but darn it, this is my blog and I will share what excites me!  Although I will save all specifics, names, dates, links, etc until they have actually happened.  Come on now, I wasn’t born yesterday.

Last week I was contacted by a photographer offering to do a cookie themed photoshoot, to which I did an excited dance in my apartment and then graciously accepted.  I had some ideas which (those of you that know me will undoubtedly agree) capture the chaos of life (me) while presenting a cool, calm and collected exterior (what I hope I pass as.   on a good day.).  I decided to incorporate my love of vintage and antiques and give it a Mad Men-esque vibe.  I met with the photographer this morning to talk details and he loved the idea too, so we’re just looking to get a date on the calendar.  Pictures coming soon!

Then as I was walking home tonight, I got an email that was a forward from my mother.  She had shared my project with a well known NY radio station that loved the idea and now wants to do a phone interview with me sometime this week!  Also the station name, channels and time to follow.

These might not sound like huge ‘breaking news’ to some people, but in my world, all this buzz for cookies, I’d say that’s pretty good 🙂

Oh, also, you guys know that Pachanga Patterson is my drop spot for this week and here’s the best part – they know I’m coming, they already know about the project, what it is and are excited for it!  Single Girl Cookies’ reputation has preceded her in the best way possible.  Could it be true that my days of being met with skepticism are coming to an end?

I shall leave you now with this picture of my Lemon Blackberry Cupcakes.

 

 

Copyright 2013, Renee Heitmann

That pretty much sums up my experience last night at Fatty’s Cafe and Crescent and Vine on Ditmars and Crescent.  I had such a great time and was crafting my blog post in my head last night as I was falling asleep, knowing full well I wouldn’t remember a word of it when I woke up.  But upon waking up, I’ve since decided a better title for this post would be “Holy Sh*t, My Life is Awesome”.  Why, you ask??

http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20130308/astoria/single-girl-cookies-shows-love-for-local-businesses-one-batch-at-time

Da dada DAAAAA!!!  Here is the exciting news I had mentioned earlier in the week.  On Tuesday I was contacted by Jeanmarie Evelly, reporter for DNAinfo.com.  She had heard about my project through the magic of the interwebs and wanted to get together to talk about it, take some cookies pictures, and write an article.  I, of course, was thrilled and squealed YES!, all the while leaping around my apartment.  The natural, organic process by which this came about says to me that yes, this one, small thing can do real good and maybe if more people know about it, more good will happen.  So, thanks to Jeamarie for being the first one to get it out there and crafting such a well written article and story.

Now back to last night.  In a word: warm, inviting, friendly, honest and real.  Oh, I’m sorry, was that more than one word?  Well, I can’t fit all the awesome of Fatty’s Cafe into just one word, so sue me.  As I walked in, I was surprised by a familiar face of Rodrigo, who I’ve gotten to know a little bit while he was working at TQK.  Funny thing is, I saw him just this weekend at The Strand and said, Hey!  It’s you!, not knowing I’d also run into him just days later in a completely unrelated manner and venue.  Reason #5697 why I love Astoria.

So after I said hi to him and explained the real reason why I was there, I sat down to have a bite to eat and enjoy the gently falling snow outside.  Also working there last night was Morgan, great girl who I hope makes her Jamaica plans soon.  And why do I know about those?  Cause that’s just the way Fatty’s rolls.  Customers are people, not just dollar signs, as further supported by my conversations with the owner, Fernando, later on that evening over wine next door.

I had the chicken pressed sandwich and a side of grilled asparagus, which is off the chain.  Not a phrase I say often, but seems appropriate at this moment.  I had finished up and a gentleman named Joe came in,we got to chatting and apparently he is a regular there.  Nice guy, does sketch comedy, outgoing personality, the whole bit.  Morgan gave him one of my cookies and he asked me what kind of chocolate I used.  I use plain old chocolate chips, usually store brand or Nestle.  He then said, “I work for Ghiradelli and have some sample chocolate in the car, hang on, I’ll go get some if you want.”  IF I want??  Oh brother, I always want good chocolate.  Which is how I ended up with these beauties.

60% Dark chocolate baking chips.  So a huge thank you to Joe and I’ve got enough chips for a few batches!

I popped in next door to say hi to Fernando and introduce myself when I was finished with my meal at Fatty’s.  I thought I’d just pop in and be in my way in 3 minutes, then maybe make my way up to Singlecut while I was in the neighborhood.  How would I know I’d be sharing bottles of wine with these guys (Fernando, Dan the bartender, and their friend Matt) and leaving at 12:30??  We talked about personal philosophies, business philosophies, backgrounds, life, stories were shared, and friends were made.  I found out that Fernando’s view on business was different than some other business owners I’ve encountered.  They’re not out to try and be “cool” or to make millions, or to dominate a market.  He just wants to contribute something back to the neighborhood, and that is reflected in every aspect of his businesses.  He said to me, “You didn’t have to bring us cookies to be our friend, for us to be sitting here, sharing wine and company, we do that anyway”, to which I replied, “But that’s exactly what makes me want to bring cookies and good will here, and why you deserve it”.  They are both definitely places I will go again and will look forward to going.

For those of you in NYC, be careful amidst the snow out there but don’t let it get you down.  I challenge everyone to find 3 positive things in their ‘everyday’ today.  I guarantee a brighter, happier day if you do that, and maybe you might just be the positive thing for someone else.

 

Copyright 2013, Renee Heitmann

What a fun, eventful, cookie-ful, positive-vibes-ful weekend I’ve had over here at Single Girl!  First of all, I cannot tell you how excited I am with the progress of this project and how well it continues to be received.  All y’all that are supporting, tweeting, FaceBooking and talking about this are making this the positive movement that it’s becoming.  So, thank you, I’m sure I will write something like this many more times in the future 🙂  Now onto the fun!

Cookie Thursday is rapidly becoming the highlight of my week, and as if that wasn’t enough awesomeness for one day, this week there was more – my cousin Brianna came to town!  I love this girl like a sister/bff.  She’s the greatest.  She happened to be in town to audition for my alma mater for grad school and make a weekend out of it and I was all too happy to show her the power of what a cookie can do.

If you remember, this week’s drop was Hell Gate Social  on Astoria Blvd over by the water.  Another place I had been meaning to try but never gotten around to.  If I’m being honest, my lack of going was out of sheer laziness, being that it’s so far away, but it is worth the drive!  Or, as the weather gets better, the bike.  (Omg, I canNOT wait to start biking again, and this is why:   Yes, that baby is mine, thanks Mom!)  But I digress.

I came in at about 10pm after a rather unusual (read: stressful) day and was very happy to be doing something that I knew would make me feel better.  I started to approach the bar at one end, but heard “Come down over here, I’ve been waiting for this all day!” YES!!!  I tweeted about it, word got around and they knew I was coming, and what it was all about!  You know when the Grinch’s heart grows three times it size?  That.

I officially met John, who manages the bar there, and it turns out he is the brother of someone I met at Sparrow.  He had a cookies last week and couldn’t wait for Thursday to come around for their turn.  I had a great time chatting with him and a patron Rebecca, and also another patron, Rene, who I guess teaches cooking classes out of his apartment and wants to buy my bread.  You really never know where life is going to take you.  There was also a hip hop showcase (who knew??) going on, and I gotta say, it was not too bad!  All and all, it was a fantastic experience, a great night and connection with Hell Gate Social and I’ll be back in on Tuesday to pick up my plate and get the official word on where I’m going next week.

While my cousin was here, I wanted to show her a good time and all my favorite Astoria places, and to us, that mainly revolves around food 🙂  So on Friday night I took her to Singlecut (among other places) to introduce her to the greatness of their beer and the people that work there.  We had a great evening with Amanda, Mike and Sam, although Sam informed us that he hadn’t had ANY of the cookies that I’d brought in over these past few months.  How is this possible??  Thanks to the couple of beers we had had and my excitement to get more people on the SGC Bandwagon, I promised Sam, “Don’t worry, we’ll be back in tomorrow and I’ll bring you guys some cookies!”    Also as a side note, I was recognized there as the cookie lady 🙂

Saturday came far too soon, as we spent quite an evening out at Strand after we left Singlecut.  As I thought about what cookies to make, I remembered Amanda mentioning that the general consensus regarding their favorite cookie of mine was the almond cookie.  Now, thus far in my Single Girl journeys, I have been pretty adamant about sticking to the secret family recipe for chocolate chip cookies when I make drops.  They are pretty beloved across the board, don’t have any nuts for those folks with allergies, and also the thing I have been making since I was probably 4 or 5.  I can whip up a batch while I practice my juggling.  But I have been known to have fun with a cut-out cookie recipe that my family makes generally only at Christmastime because I like the artistry of decoration.

Exhibit A – Hipster Cookies.

They are also my favorite cookie OF ALL TIME and I only make things I like.  That way when I “accidentally” break 3 (or 5) of them, nothing gets wasted.  So I decided to use a new cookie cutter I’d been wanting to break in and ended up with these:

TURTLES!

By the time I got done frosting them and then finishing up dinner (a homemade ricotta gnocchi with spicy sausage red sauce), we got to Singlecut pretty late, around 9:40ish and they’re only open ’til 11 on Saturdays.  Imagine another Grinch heart-swelling moment when the minute I walked in the door, Amanda double fist pumped the air and Sam said something like, “I was wondering if you were coming!  I was waiting!” 😀

Bri and I had a great time talking with Mike, Dave, and Eric and really enjoyed getting to know them for the people they are, not just the things they do for us.  We stayed until closing and went home happy and full, not just with food and drink, but with full hearts as well.

 

Copyright 2013, Renee Heitmann

As I entered the gym this morning, I was greeted by an open door (they have a very gentlemanly manager) and was told that the Mo’s Southwest Grill next door was open today from 11-1 and 6-8 treating their new patrons to a free meal and drink.  Um, say what??  My day just got better.  Not only do I love free food (who doesn’t) but mexican-ish yummy food that prevents me from having to make a lunch when I got home?  We’re talking genius levels.  So, anyway, I went I after my workout and got a burrito bowl for lunch that I devoured when I got home.  Everyone there was really friendly and happy, so I thought I’d pay them back for their generosity and general good spirit.  I came back tonight and brought them some homemade vanilla cupcakes with blackberry buttercream frosting.

All made from scratch, of course; I don’t like using things from a box when I can just as easily make something fresh and even better!  Anyway, the staff there on the night shift were just as friendly as the day crew and seemed pretty happy to be getting cupcakes 🙂

So, welcome to the neighborhood, Mo’s, one good turn deserves another.

 

Copyright 2013, Renee Heitmann

Wow!  Only one hour after publishing my first post and the response has been great!  Now that everyone is up to speed about what this is, let me catch you all up on where I’ve been.

When I got to thinking about places I enjoy going to and that would be receptive to something like this, I thought The Queens Kickshaw was the perfect place to start.  But because it was opening night, I thought there needed to be a big splash, i.e. many recipients for a grand kick, if you will.  Another place that I adore and think is very deserving is the brand new brewery, Singlecut Beersmiths.  I had also been taking things to Sorriso’s Salumeria for many months and included them in my big start.  And what a perfect representation of myself and my loves: good coffee, good beer, and good food.

I was uncertain how this would shape up and asked Jennifer at TQK who she thought would be appreciative of something like this.  I had already anticipated that people might be a bit skeptical (they are, more on that later) so I needed someone with an open mind.  It seems that Jennifer read mine and sent me to SITE, adorable boutique on 34th Ave where I has purchased a bunch of Christmas presents.  I had a great conversation with Makenzie there and decided to make this part of the project, that this week’s business has to recommend the next place to go.

She sent me to Astoria Wine Bier and Cheese on Broadway, a place that I’d been meaning to try for months but hadn’t gotten around to it.  Did you know they not only have a fantastic selection of cheeses and beers, but they also have a case of cured meats with SPANISH SERRANO HAM.  I love almost all cured meats, but this one has been my favorite for years.   I used to have to go to this little hole in the wall cheese shop in Manhattan in the 60’s off of Lexington to get it, but no more!   Not only did they love the cookies, but the project was working already for me personally – I now have a place to get my ham.

The folks there thought that my next stop should be Il Bambino on 31st, a kind of panini place.  Here is where I first started to encounter the skepticism.  I swear, the girl that I dropped them off to thought I was the Una Bomber, or that the cookies had anthrax in them.  I honestly would not have been surprised if they threw them away after I left.  But I went in with a friend a few days later to grab my plate then head out for brunch, but we decided to stay and give them a fair chance.  The food was, of course, delicious, and after speaking with manager for a bit, I left with a much better feeling about it and realized that what I’m doing really might be somehow off putting and strange for people to accept. That I don’t want anything from this, I’m not selling anything, there’s no catch.

The next stop was Sweet Afton on 34th Street and 30th, a bar known for their fried McClure’s Pickles and pickle martinis.  Dropping off there also gave me an unsettled feeling, like maybe this wasn’t being viewed how I thought it might or that people didn’t really understand.  It also made me say, Ok Renee, you’d really better get this blog going so that people have a way to let it sink in what this is all about.  Really people, it’s not complicated 🙂  I came back on what i thought would be a good time, Monday night around 8, but they were pretty slammed.  Timing is everything.  I got blank stares from a few people working there and when i did explain to one person, she said, Uh, I don’t get it.  Riiiight….I finally got to speak with the guy I dropped them off to who told me they broke my plate.  Not really a big deal, it’s a plate.  I can get another one.  But it was the manner in which the conversation took place, Whoops, we broke it, sorry.  Not sorry, can we replace it, sorry how about have a beer, just, we broke it, sorry.  The rest of the conversation was pretty unproductive (there was not a lot of listening and much of my repeating going on) although I finally got my next location out of them.  My lesson learned was time my drops and pick ups better – long days and busy establishments make for the staff not listening to or caring about what’s happening in front of them if it’s not a money/business related matter.  Although TQK was pretty busy when I came in and Jennifer still took the time to be a gracious, normal human being.  That place is just above awesome in my book.

So, regardless of my experience at Sweet Afton, I came to this week’s drop with a hopeful excitement that maybe it would be different here at Sparrow Tavern on 29th street and 24th Ave.  And it was!  At first, they thought I was a new bakery promoting an opening or selling something but after I sat down and order a beer (Singlecut’s Mahogany Ale) and had a chance to explain it, they realized there was no catch and enjoyed the cookies!  That’s definitely a place I’ll be back to, even though it might as well be in Brooklyn as far as I’m concerned for the distance it is from my apartment.  It has a vibe mixed between a bar’s bar and a cozy establishment.  And next time I go, I will definitely be trying the food.  Lamb chorizo tacos?  Yes please.

I’ll swing by in a few days to pick up my plate, and they’ve already given me my next assignment – Hell Gate Social.  Also a place I’ve been meaning to try for forever…noticing a theme?  I’m sure there will be a lot of that.  But for now, I’m looking forward to spreading more joy, trying new places and changing the tide of our thinking.

 

Copyright 2013, Renee Heitmann