Sunday Game Plan: This Father’s Day, Check In on the Men You Love: A Gentle Guide to Men’s Mental Health

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Thank you, Mariana Lamar, creator of Whole Health HQ for contributing another article for the Sunday Game Plan. I am sure anyone who reads this will learn something from it.. Whole Health HQ is a blog designed to share and connect with introverts who want to achieve optimal health and wellness.  I am going to share this blog post that Mariana wrote, addressing the importance of Men’s Mental Health especially on Father’s Day.

June is Men’s Mental Health Month, and Father’s Day lands right in the middle of it. The dads, partners, and sons we love deserve to feel good too, not just to keep holding everything together for the rest of us. And here’s the hopeful part: most of what helps men feel better is ordinary, doable, and something we can encourage from right beside them. The hard part is usually just noticing. Men are far less likely than women to reach out for help when they’re struggling, often because a lifetime of “be tough, handle it, don’t burden anyone” makes asking feel like failure. Which means the people who love them are often the first to see it.

This isn’t about what’s wrong with the men in your life. It’s about what they might need, and the small, kind ways you can make it easier for them to feel like themselves again.

When He Doesn’t Quite Seem Like Himself

The picture most of us grew up with (someone visibly sad, tearful, withdrawn) is real but incomplete. When a man is struggling, it often shows up sideways. According to the Mayo Clinic, it can look like:

  • Irritability or a short fuse that seems bigger than whatever set it off
  • Throwing himself into work, using busyness as a way not to slow down and feel
  • Quietly pulling back from the people and the hobbies he usually loves
  • Drinking more, driving faster, making choices he wouldn’t normally make
  • Aches that don’t have a clear cause: headaches, exhaustion, a stomach that’s always off

You don’t need to diagnose anyone, and it isn’t your job to. Think of this less as a checklist to monitor him against and more as permission to trust your gut when someone you love seems off. Noticing is an act of love, not surveillance.

A Few Loving Things Worth Encouraging

None of these are dramatic interventions. They’re small, they’re backed by real evidence, and almost all of them work better when they’re not done alone.

Protect his sleep. A Center for Disease Control (CDC) study of more than 273,000 adults found that people sleeping six hours or less a night were about 2.5 times as likely to wrestle with frequent mental distress. Seven hours isn’t a luxury; it’s the floor everything else stands on. A wind-down routine, phones charging outside the bedroom, a quiet hour that isn’t more screens. Protecting his sleep usually means protecting yours in the same move, which is its own small gift.

Build in actual rest. Research summarized by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) suggests mindfulness may ease anxiety and stress about as well as proven therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy. But rest doesn’t require an app or a cushion. Fishing. A long drive with no destination. An evening on the porch. Whatever his version of winding down looks like, encourage it and guard it from being scheduled away.

Let him say no to something. The “I can handle one more thing” reflex is often what wears good men down, and accumulated stress feeds anxiety and low mood over time. Saying no to one optional obligation he doesn’t really owe anyone isn’t selfish. It’s how he keeps going. You can make it easier by saying it first: “You don’t have to go to that” lands very differently coming from someone who loves him.

Keep him connected. The U.S. Surgeon General’s 2023 advisory put real weight behind something we already feel in our bones: close connection is genuinely protective, on the level of the big health habits. Men tend to keep fewer close friendships than women, and those are usually the first to go quiet when life gets busy. So be a connector. Nudge him to text the friend he keeps saying he misses. Set a standing plan with another couple. Some of the most honest conversations in our house have happened over a cutting board, chopping vegetables shoulder to shoulder with nobody making eye contact, so a weeknight dinner you cook together counts more than you’d think.

Get him moving, ideally with you. One of the largest reviews we have, a 2024 meta-analysis in The BMJ drawing on 218 trials, found that exercise eased depression about as effectively as therapy or medication in many studies, though the researchers were careful to say the evidence isn’t airtight yet. A walk after dinner does it. A weekend bike ride does it. And movement with another person stacks the connection benefit right on top of the physical one.

Natural remedies, with a gentle word of caution. Some people add supplements or botanicals to their routine, and a couple are worth knowing about before he does. St. John’s wort comes up a lot for low moods, but the NCCIH is clear that it interacts with a surprising number of everyday medications, including antidepressants, birth control, and blood thinners, so it’s genuinely a check-with-the-doctor-first thing rather than a try-it-and-see one. Separately, some men reach for hemp-derived products to take the edge off after a hard day. If that’s already part of his routine, the kindest thing you can do is help him be informed about it, and it’s worth starting from a clean summary of what a product actually contains.

How to Actually Start the Conversation

Wanting to check in and knowing how to do it are two different things. Movember’s ALEC approach gives you a simple structure for when you’re not sure where to begin.

  1. Ask. Be specific. “I’ve noticed you’ve seemed a little off lately. Are you doing okay, really?” A real question, rooted in something you actually saw, opens a different door than “how are you,” which just gets a reflexive “fine.”
  1. Listen. Resist the urge to fix it on the spot. Let him say the thing without you jumping to reassurance or solutions. You’re making it safe to talk, not solving a problem yet.
  1. Encourage one small step. Once he’s opened up, suggest something doable: a doctor’s appointment, getting outside this week, a text to a friend he trusts. Keep it small enough that he can actually say yes. A whole new routine is easy to put off; one appointment isn’t.
  1. Check back. This is the step everyone skips, and it might be the most important. Follow up a few days later. “How’ve you been since we talked?” tells him the door is still open, and that your support didn’t expire when the conversation did.

If he shuts it down, that’s okay. Plant the seed, tell him once that you’re there, and then just keep showing up like normal. A lot of men respond to steady presence more than to a single earnest talk. And when you do bring it up, lead with what you’ve noticed rather than a diagnosis. “I miss you” reads very differently than “I’m worried about you,” even when they come from exactly the same place.

One Small Thing On Father’s Day

If this feels like a lot, it isn’t meant to. This Father’s Day, pick one thing. Hand him a genuinely plan-free afternoon. Take that first walk together after dinner. Or just ask him the real question over a meal and actually listen to the answer. The men we love rarely need us to fix anything. They need us to notice, and to keep showing up. That you read this far means someone in your life is lucky.

Sunday Game Plan: Mental Health Awareness with Ways to cope and upgrade your well-being

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Today is the last day of Mental Health Awareness Month, but Mental Health Awareness is an ongoing process especially for mothers.  As we enter Men’s Mental Health month, let’s address the issue that gets overlooked which is motherhood and mental health.  Marina Lamar, creator of Whole Health HQ recently share her tips on how to upgrade your well-being. After reviewing this article, I am glad to personally share that I am heading in the right direction and I would attempt/strive to apply other tips to further enhance my mental health and well-being.

Simple Everyday Tips to Boost Your Well-Being and Enjoy Better Health

NYC-area home cooks and food lovers often spend their days making nonstop micro-decisions, what to cook, when to move, how to unwind, until decision fatigue turns daily well-being into one more chore. That pressure doesn’t land equally on everyone, and this May, Mental Health Awareness Month, feels like the right time to say it out loud: for mothers, especially new ones, “feeling your best” can feel like the most out-of-reach idea imaginable. Time constraints in wellness don’t just limit workouts or meal prep; they fracture routines, drain energy, and make consistency feel impossible. Add social isolation and the pressure to keep everything healthy, productive, and enjoyable, and even a simple day can feel like too many choices. A steadier, whole-person definition of well-being makes it easier to move through the day with clarity.

Understanding Holistic Well-Being

Holistic well-being means your body, mind, and emotions work as one system, not separate projects. When you’re run down physically, it’s harder to think clearly, stay patient, or feel motivated. A simple mental health definition helps here because it includes how we feel, relate, and handle stress.

This matters because food choices, restaurant plans, and cooking habits are easier when you feel steady inside. Self-care definition makes it clear it is the everyday actions that support your whole wellness, not a luxury. When self-care is in place, changing meals or movement stops feeling like punishment.

Think of it like making a great dinner: you need a hot pan, prepped ingredients, and a calm pace. If you skip sleep, run on caffeine, and feel anxious, even a simple pasta turns chaotic. When you reset first, cooking becomes enjoyable again.

A Note on Motherhood and Mental Health

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and it’s also a month that tends to center mothers, the visible celebrations, the quiet ones, and the ones who are just trying to hold it together. So this feels like the right moment to say it plainly: your mental health is not separate from your identity as a mother. It’s the foundation of it. When you’re depleted, disconnected, or running on nothing, it affects everything. How you eat, how you move, how you relate to the people you love, how you feel about yourself at the end of the day.

A few things worth holding onto if you’re in it right now.

What you’re feeling is probably more normal than you think. Postpartum mood changes, anxiety, exhaustion, and even the strange grief of losing your old self are real and common. They don’t mean you’re failing.

You don’t have to earn rest. Rest is not a reward for finishing everything. There is no finishing everything. It’s a basic need, full stop.

Small moments count more than you’re giving them credit for. A cup of coffee while it’s still hot. A meal you actually liked. Five minutes outside. These aren’t small because they’re trivial. They’re small because that’s what fits right now, and they are doing real work.

And if what you’re carrying feels heavier than just hard days, if it’s been more than two weeks of persistent sadness, anxiety that won’t let up, or thoughts that scare you, please reach out to your care team. Postpartum depression and anxiety are common and treatable, and you deserve more than being told it’ll pass.

Motherhood is one of the most demanding things a human body and mind can do. Taking care of yourself isn’t a distraction from being a good mother. It’s how you become one.

Try 10 Tiny Upgrades Today: Movement, Meals, Mind, Joy

Small, consistent choices support holistic well-being because your body, mind, and emotions all get a vote. Pick a few options below based on the day you’re having, then repeat the ones that feel doable.

  1. Bookend your day with a 10-minute walk: Set a timer for 10 minutes after breakfast or dinner and walk at a pace where you can talk but feel warm. The goal is “exercise most days” as a baseline, since research on most highly ranked well-being strategies consistently puts movement near the top. If you’re short on time, do two 5-minute loops, consistency beats intensity.
  2. Do a “kitchen-counter strength set” while you wait: While coffee brews or a pot comes to a simmer, do one round of 8–12 counter push-ups, 10 chair sit-to-stands, and a 20–30 second plank on the counter. This turns dead time into a daily exercise routine without needing equipment or a full workout block. Keep it easy enough that you could do it again tomorrow.
  3. Plan one “default” nutritious meal you can repeat: Pick one breakfast and one lunch you genuinely like and can make on autopilot (example: Greek yogurt + fruit + nuts; or a big salad with canned beans and a simple vinaigrette). This is nutritious meal planning for beginners: you’re reducing decisions, not chasing perfect macros. When life gets busy, defaults protect healthy eating habits.
  4. Prep one component, not an entire week of food: Choose a single 15–20 minute prep that makes the next three meals easier, roast a sheet pan of vegetables, cook a pot of grains, or mix a quick sauce. You’ll build flexibility: grain bowl today, veggie omelet tomorrow, stir-fry the next night. If you need a fast win, remember many meals can be made in 30 minutes or less when a component is already done.
  5. Use the “half-plate” rule at home and out: Aim for half your plate to be vegetables or fruit, a quarter protein, and a quarter starch, no weighing, no apps. At restaurant week spots around NYC, this can look like splitting an appetizer salad, choosing a veggie-forward side, or boxing half the pasta before you start eating. It’s a simple structure that supports energy and satisfaction.
  6. Try a 2-minute reset to calm your nervous system: Sit or stand tall and do 6 slow breaths, in through the nose for 4 seconds, out for 6 seconds. Name one feeling and one need (example: “I’m wired; I need a pause”) to connect mental and emotional wellness. This quick mindfulness practice is especially useful before snacking, pouring a drink, or answering another message.
  7. Schedule one small joy or hobby “starter step”: Don’t commit to a new identity, commit to 15 minutes. Examples: learn one knife skill, make one new spice blend, sketch one recipe idea, or visit a new produce stand and buy one unfamiliar ingredient. Starting new hobbies works best when the first step is tiny and repeatable.

Small Rituals for Steady, Feel-Good Health

Habits work because they remove guesswork, which helps home cooks and food lovers stay consistent while cooking at home and exploring local restaurant menus. Pick a few that fit your schedule, then repeat them long enough to feel the payoff.

Water-First Morning
Protein Plus Produce Anchor
  • What it is: Build one meal around a protein and one fruit or vegetable.
  • How often: Daily, at your busiest meal.
  • Why it helps: It supports steady energy and makes takeout choices simpler.
One New Recipe, One Repeat
  • What it is: Cook one new dish, then repeat it once unchanged.
  • How often: Weekly.
  • Why it helps: Repetition builds skill and turns favorites into easy defaults.
Five-Minute Kitchen Tidy
  • What it is: Reset counters, sink, and leftovers before you sit down.
  • How often: Nightly.
  • Why it helps: A calmer kitchen reduces stress and speeds up tomorrow’s cooking.
Two-Minute Grounding Pause
  • What it is: Practice mindfulness with six slow breaths before snacks or seconds.
  • How often: Daily, as needed.
  • Why it helps: It lowers impulse eating and improves satisfaction.

Common Well-Being Questions, Answered

Q: What are some quick and effective self-care routines I can incorporate into a busy day to boost my well-being?
A: Pick two “micro” routines you can finish in under five minutes: drink water before coffee and take six slow breaths before you snack. Add a short walk while a pot simmers or during a lunch break. If your mood dips seasonally, knowing seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression can help you treat low-energy days with extra kindness.

Q: How can I overcome decision fatigue when planning meals and choosing activities that make me feel my best?
A: Create defaults: a short list of 6 weeknight meals, 3 go-to restaurant orders, and 2 relaxing activities you genuinely enjoy. Then rotate, instead of reinventing your plan daily. When you feel stuck, ask “What is the next easiest choice?” and do only that.

Q: What strategies can help me stay motivated to exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle despite a hectic schedule?
A: Lower the bar on purpose: aim for 10 minutes and allow it to “count.” Tie movement to cooking, like squats while you wait for the oven or a quick block walk after dinner. Track streaks, not intensity, so busy weeks do not derail you.

Q: How do I find balance and avoid feeling overwhelmed when trying to improve various areas of my life at once?
A: Choose one bottleneck, such as sleep, lunch, or clutter, and improve only that for two weeks. Use a “good enough” rule: one nourishing meal, one small movement, and one reset task per day. Progress feels calmer when you narrow your focus.

Q: How can I find guidance and support when I feel stuck or uncertain about making important life changes to enhance my overall well-being?
A: Start by naming your biggest barrier, such as time, stress, or low energy, then pick one realistic workaround you can repeat for a week. If work pressure is a major driver, 87 percent of employees choose employers based on health and wellness programs, so it can help to review your benefits and ask what support exists. When uncertainty persists, consider talking with a qualified professional for personalized guidance, or exploring University of Phoenix career services.

Q: I’m a new mom and I don’t recognize myself right now. Is that a mental health issue or just adjustment?
A: Honestly, it can be both, and that distinction matters less than you think right now. Postpartum life reshapes your identity, your body, your sleep, your relationships, and your sense of control all at once. Feeling lost in that is not a character flaw. What to watch for: if low mood, anxiety, or feeling detached from your baby persists past two weeks, gets more intense, or includes thoughts that frighten you, that’s a signal to call your provider today, not next week. In the meantime, the smallest things help more than they seem: one real meal, one glass of water, one person who knows how you actually are. Start there.

Turn Small Daily Choices Into Steadier Well-Being This Week

It’s easy for stress, busy schedules, and mixed advice to push well-being to the bottom of the list, even with the best intentions. The steadier approach is an ongoing health commitment built on integrated wellness practices, small, realistic choices that fit real life and support sustained self-care. When that mindset becomes the default, energy, mood, and well-being motivation start to feel less fragile and more dependable. Choose consistency over intensity, and your health becomes easier to maintain. Pick one simple focus for the next 7 days, note what helped and what got in the way, and carry the best piece forward. That’s how personal growth through wellness becomes stability, resilience, and better health over time.

Sunday Game Plan – Spring Restaurant Week 2026

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Long Island Restaurant Week returns to Nassau County with 68 restaurants participating this season. 

Long Island Restaurant Week literally last a week starting today 04/26/26 thru 05/03/26. They are offering the restaurant week menu on Saturday 05/02/26 until 7pm. Given the realistic time frame, and pre-planned dinners on Monday 01/27/26 and Tuesday 01/28/26, I’d be lucky if I make it to one. 

After reviewing the menu that I was able to view, I have my top 20 picks for this season’s restaurant week. Hopefully, I can dine at one spot during the weeknight after work. In the meantime, I’ll be checking their social media pages and hopefully I’ll be able to repost on my stories as my way of supporting small businesses and another restaurant week concept.

Aura Restaurant – $46 per person – meal for 1

Cassarino – $39 per person – dinner for 2

5 de Mayo – $24 per person – lunch for 3

Apertif Bistro – $46 per person – dinner for 1

The Chef’s Table – $46 per person – dinner for 2

City Cellar – $24 per person – lunch for 3 and $39 per person – dinner for 2

George Martin The Original – $24 per person – lunch for 1

Harley’s American Grille – $46 per person – dinner for 1

Joey’s Bold Flavor’s – $46 person – dinner for 3

Library Cafe – $24 per person – lunch for 4

Mangia e Bevi – $46 per person – dinner for 2

Matteo Roslyn – $39 per person – dinner for 2

Nomiya – $24 per person – lunch for 1 and $39 per person – dinner for 1

Off the Hook Raw Bar and Grill – $46 per person – dinner for 2

Plori – $24 per person – lunch for 2

The Harrison – $39 per person – dinner for 2

Thom Thom Steak and Seafood – $46 per person – dinner for 3

Vincent’s Steakhouse – $24 per person – dinner for 2

Volpe – $46 per person – dinner for 1

West End Cafe – $46 per person – dinner for 4

Sunday Game Plan: Uncomplicating Health: Simple Shifts for a More Resilient Life

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Image: Freepik

A few weeks ago, Mariana Lamar, creator of Whole Health HQ.  Her blog is designed to share and connect with introverts who want to achieve optimal health and wellness.  After publishing two game plans for NYC Restaurant Week and Long Island Restaurant Week, I am going to share this blog post that Mariana wrote, which highlights ways of maintaining a healthy lifestyle through awareness and shifting habits such as scrolling late at night or early in the morning instead of resting.  Thank you Mariana for contributing another article for the Sunday Game Plan. I am sure anyone who reads this will learn something from it.

Move Your Body Daily

You move more than you think — you just stopped counting it as exercise. That stretch you did getting out of bed? That counts. The walk across the parking lot because the close spots were taken? That too. Bodies don’t need perfection. They need participation. Keep your limbs in the game and your joints from stiffening. Don’t worry about tracking steps — worry about forgetting to step. Make movement part of the background, like music you forget is playing until it stops.

Prioritize Rest and Recovery

Rest is too often the first thing we trade and the last thing we protect. But sleep isn’t an accessory. It’s core maintenance. You can survive without it — people do — but the cost builds quietly. Your decisions start to wobble. Little annoyances start to feel heavier. There’s no medal for exhaustion, and nobody’s handing out trophies for burning out. Reclaim bedtime. Build a shutdown habit that doesn’t involve a screen glowing inches from your face. You don’t have to be perfect — you just need to be consistent enough that your brain knows when to quit for the day.

Connect with Others

You can do a lot on your own — but you weren’t built to go it alone. Humans regulate in pairs. We soften through conversations, even short ones. A quick check-in. A joke in a text. Shared silence on a walk. It’s not about having deep talks every day; it’s about staying tethered. You’re not bothering people — they’re waiting, too, for someone to reach out. Don’t let isolation sneak in under the disguise of “being busy.” Connection doesn’t require a big gesture — just a nudge that says, “I’m still here.”

Align Your Career and Purpose

What you do all day feeds back into how you feel — and not just when the paycheck hits. If work is draining you dry, it’s going to show up everywhere: in your body, your relationships, your sense of possibility. Sometimes the answer isn’t quitting. Sometimes it’s retraining. Shifting. Giving yourself permission to grow. For example, you might explore a healthcare administration degree — something fully online, flexible, and accredited. It won’t fix everything. But it can remind you that you’re allowed to evolve, and that your well-being includes your work, not just your weekends.

Reclaim Attention with Nature

Your nervous system knows what a tree is. Even if you don’t think of yourself as “outdoorsy,” your brain recognizes sky, leaves, shadows shifting with the wind. That recognition slows you down — not in a bad way, but in a reset way. You don’t need a trailhead; you need a window. A pause on a walk. Something real to look at that isn’t pixels. Let your eyes stretch past the screen. Let your breath catch up. Nature doesn’t demand anything of you. That’s part of why it works.

Create a Daily Structure

You already have routines — they might just be accidental. Checking your phone first thing. Skipping breakfast. Checking emails before dressing. What if you picked one piece to do on purpose? Wake up, open a window, drink water before caffeine. Something repeatable, something grounding. It doesn’t have to be a ritual with candles and affirmations. Just something that says, “I’m starting now.” When your day has edges, your mind can settle in the middle. Otherwise, it spills everywhere.

Cultivate Emotional Habits

Most people think emotions just happen to them — but the truth is, we rehearse them. Bitterness, stress, hope, appreciation — we get good at what we repeat. Gratitude doesn’t mean pretending things are fine. It means learning to hold two truths: some things are tough, and some things are still okay. Saying thank you to no one in particular. Writing down one sentence before bed. Giving yourself a break for not doing more. These aren’t tactics — they’re survival skills. You can still be angry. You can still struggle. Gratitude just gives the struggle somewhere to breathe.

Most people think they need a reset button. What they really need is a few things to stop breaking. You don’t have to start over — you just need to start smaller. Put one thing back in your own hands. A walk. A meal. A better bedtime. You won’t feel the change in a day, but you’ll feel it later when you haven’t fallen apart. That’s what health really is. Not optimization — orientation.

Discover the ultimate dining experiences with Tablespoons and Teaspoons, your go-to guide for navigating NYC and Long Island Nassau County’s vibrant restaurant weeks and replicating recipe adventures

Sunday Game Plan – Winter Long Island Restaurant Week

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Long Island Restaurant Week is back in Nassau County with 81 restaurants participating. Last winter, we only participated in one restaurant week, which also coincided with NYC restaurant week. We dined in Luigi’s for lunch and for $24 we got a generous portion of food that we took it home and it took 2-3 days to finish. All of these dishes will be offered for this season’s restaurant week: the Meatball and Meatball Parm Hero for lunch and the Fried Calamari and Salmon Peperonata for dinner.

Long Island Restaurant literally last a week starting today 01/25/26 thru 02/01/26. They are offering the restaurant week menu on Saturday 01/31/26 until 7pm. Given the realistic time frame, recovering health issue and current weather conditions, I’d be lucky if I make it to one. In the meantime, here is my list of five restaurants I would go to:

  1. Iavorone Cafe & Kitchen
  2. Luigi’s (Dinner)
  3. Park Place
  4. The Harrison
  5. Morton’s The Steakhouse

Check out my game plan for NYC Restaurant Week which is currently ongoing thru 02/12/26.  In the meantime, I’ll be checking their social media pages and hopefully I’ll be able to repost on my stories as my way of supporting small businesses and another restaurant week concept.

Sunday Game Plan – NYC Winter Restaurant Week 2025 and game plan for 2026.

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NYC Restaurant Week is back! From 01/20/26 to 02/12/26, 653 restaurants have signed up, which was 56 more restaurants than last year’s restaurant week. A year ago, I devised a game plan of my top 10 restaurants I would dine based on convenience. The first restaurant I dined for NYC restaurant week last year was Lure Fishbar which was not on my list, but I left work early that day and they were still offering the lunch menu. It was my first time in over 15 years that I step foot into this restaurant. The ambiance remained the same. To celebrate I order the rock shrimp tempura and salmon with two wine pairings, which at that time was about $60 plus tax and tip. Lure Fishbar is participating in this season’s restaurant week and are serving the same dishes for lunch, but the total cost is now $75 with the wine pairing plus tax and tip.

Rock Shrimp Tempura
Miso Glazed Salmon

We ventured into New Hyde Park for lunch at Luigi’s Restaurant for the two course $30 lunch. We ordered fried calamari and meatball for appetizers, which were already filling. I ordered the salmon peperonata and meatball parm hero as the main entrees. We ended up eating half of the entrees and taking the rest home, but the zucchini chips had to be consumed fresh. Luigi’s Restaurant is participating in this season’s restaurant week and are serving the same dishes for lunch for $30.

Fried Calamari
Meatballs
Salmon Peperonata
Meatball Parm Hero

A friend of mine recommended Lincoln Ristorante especially their rigatoni dish. The restaurant has an open kitchen, which was cool because the diner can observe how the dishes are being made. I ordered a glass of Gavi to pair with my meal. The server provide a complimentary focaccia. For my three course meal ($60) I ordered the sunchokes and puntarelles which was refreshing. Then I had the rigatoni amatriciana, which tasted great and ended dinner with the chocolate tortino. Lincoln Ristorante is also participating in this season’s restaurant week, but their menu this season does not offer the dishes from the previous year. However, the rigatoni amatriciana and chocolate tortino are still being served as a la carte dishes.

I met with my friend in Long Island City to dine for restaurant week at Jiang Nan. We arrived right before happy hour ended and started off with cocktails. Then we ordered our five course meal which included a glass of red or white wine, dim sum, vegetable dish, appetizer, a main entree and dessert.

For appetizers we chose the boiled chicken with chili sauce on the side and the homestyle crispy fish. We enjoyed the crispy fish. The boiled chicken platter was beautifully presented and interactive. For vegetables we chose the baby cabbage in chicken broth and stir fry string bean. For dim sum we had a sampling of steam pork soup dumpling and a peking duck spring rolls, both tasted good when consumed fresh. For the entrees we chose the sweet and sour pork tenderloin and the crispy shrimp with honey walnuts. The Crispy shrimp with honey walnuts were our overall favorite. To end the dining experience we ordered the gluten rice cake with brown sugar and the mango Pomelo with sago. We were not impressed with the mango Pomelo but we did enjoy the gluten rice cake with brown sugar. Unfortunately they are not participating in this season’s restaurant week, but have expanded their franchise in the last year.

Happy hour cocktails
Sweet and sour pork tenderloin
Boiled Chicken
Stir fry string beans
Baby Cabbage in Chicken Broth
Homestyle crispy fish
Peking duck spring roll
Crispy honey walnut shrimp
Steamed Pork Soup Dumplings
Gluten rice cake with brown sugar
Mango pomelo with sago

My friend visited me at work and we dined in Delmonico’s for dinner. We started off with the sake and an espresso martini. For our appetizers, we had the Yellowtail crudo and the burrata. For our entrees, we both got the steaks (the steak did not come with a side) so we shared a side order of mashed potatoes. Finally, for dessert, we got the chocolate cake and cheesecake. Everything hit the spot. Delmonico’s is participating in this season’s restaurant week and are serving the same dishes for lunch and dinner for $60. Drinks are additional.

Espresso Martini
Sake
Yellowtail Crudo
Burrata
Delmonico Filet Mignon with a side of mashed potatoes
Chocolate cake and cheesecake

During my commute since 01/07/26, I’ve developed a bucket list of restaurants I want to dine and support new restaurants especially the ones with the best deals. Unfortunately, I won’t be participating as much as I would have liked due to the upcoming Long Island Restaurant Week, life and priorities. Here’s the my wish list for this season’s restaurant week:

  1. Mokyo
  2. Sake No Hana
  3. La Baraka
  4. Le B
  5. Red Room Bar (Printemps)
  6. Koi
  7. House of Red Pearl
  8. Tuome
  9. Crown Shy
  10. Sea by Jungsik

Long Island Restaurant Week also starts on 01/25/26 to 02/01/26. Stay tuned for the game plan/wish list.

Sunday Game Plan – Family homecooked meals in lieu of Restaurant Week

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The first Sunday Game Plan of 2026 is another dose of meal prepping for the upcoming week. Thank goodness for the extra day off due to MLK. We have the momentum of an overall successful New Year’s traditional meal fest and I finished before 11pm, which was a record. I actually worked half a day on New Years Eve and upon arrival at home I went straight to work putting the traditional lucky foods menu on the last day of 2025. There was a hiccup where I completely forgot to thaw the cedar planked salmon that I had to go to Whole Foods to pick up some grilled salmon in Asian chili sauce, which worked out really well. I also purchased a can of lentil soup and Jiffy cornbread mix to expedite the process due to time. I also discovered that I ran out of the chili crunch and ended up making my carbonara without it and bought a small round cake with champagne.

Now I am working on my meal prep for the upcoming week. I was reviewing the items on the refrigerator and pantry to see what dishes I can make that will stretch for about 4 days.

  • Sausage and White Bean Soup with Kale
  • Cabernet Braised Short Ribs
  • Tuna/Salmon Patties
  • Cottage Cheese Egg Bites
  • Fruit Cottage Cheese Parfait
  • Plant Based Grilled Swiss Cheese Sandwiches

Check out my posts on Instagram at @tablespoonsandteaspoons. Stay tuned for my ideal wish list for the upcoming NYC Restaurant Week starting on Tuesday.

Flashback Friday – Best Dishes of 2025

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Happy New Year 2026!! Happy 10th Anniversary of Tablespoons and teaspoons. The mission shifted from creating economic friendly and healthy dishes using only a tablespoon and a teaspoon to restaurant recommendations based on the support received. I struggled getting legitimate followers while blocking spammers. Upon entering the 10th year of this blog, I am happy to share my top dishes of 2025, some of which are the best dishes that I’ve had at least the launch of this blog.

Best dining experience – Bridges – One star Michelin

This restaurant was one of the hardest places to get into. There was a cancellation for one person and I received a phone about 30 minutes prior to opening to ask if I was able to dine in on the spot. Thankfully this place was a bus ride away that I was able to capitalize on the opportunity. This tiny restaurant is address hidden in the middle of businesses in Chinatown. No wonder why it was one of the hardest spots to get into.

I started off with a mock sparkling wine called the Muri Yamile from Denmark. Then I had to have to their infamous Comte tart and it was my lucky day because this dish was topped with lots of Perigold truffles and mushrooms. One of the best dishes I’ve had this year to date. For my entree, I got the grilled king crab with lime leaf and daikon. I also paired this dish with an orange wine called Autre-Chose Les Calots. One of the best wine pairings this year as the buttery juices of the crab was chased and balanced with the chenin Blanc. To end the night I had the vin jaune gelato and it was amazing, absorbing the chenin blanc flavors. Service was amazing here. Staff were knowledgeable and proactive in making me feel welcomed and upselling wine lol. 

Comté tart with chanterelles and black truffle
Grilled King Crab
Vin jaune gelato

Best Red Meat Dish – Short Rib Pastrami Suya – Tatiana by Kwame Onwuwachi

The pastrami melted in your month. The dish was deconstructed to make a pastrami slider with the cabbage and coco bread. Everything put together made it a perfect slider bite.

Short Rib Pastrami Suya

Best Seafood Dish – well I have a top 3:

1) Khmer Fish Cakes at Bayon – these fish cakes tasted better than most Thai restaurants I have dined and I am half Thai. Flavors were pronounced and balanced, it is definitely worth ordering.

2) Seafood Wellington at Le B – this dish was served during the NYC Summer Restaurant Week. It is literally the seafood version of a beef wellington. Beautifully presented this dish has me wanting more and wishing that it was on their regular menu.

3) Txangurro at Chez Fifi – this Basque deviled crab served as a shared appetizer is to die for at one of the hardest restaurants to get into. I would return to this restaurant just for this crab dish alone.

Seafood Wellington
Txangurro
Khmer Fish Cakes

Best Desserts – another list of my top 3:

  1. Coconut Pandan Chiffon Cake at Bangkok Supper Club – this cake was presented inside a young coconut. It is one of two desserts served at this restaurant and it is worth ordering.
  2. Chocolate chantilly mousse at Chez Fifi – this mousse is actually very light and the chocolate shavings adds another level to the consumption experience. This dessert is made for two people.
  3. Corn Ice Cream at Konban – this unique dessert is worth trying once. This is corn ice cream mixed with white chocolate. I loved the presentation in the form of a corn cob despite waiting a while to cut through the corn the flavors together in one bite.
Coconut pandan chiffon cake
Chocolate Chantilly mousse
Konban corn ice cream

That is all for now. Stay tuned for more dining adventures and homecooked dishes containing evidence based research.

Sunday Game Plan – New Year 2026!!

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This is the last Sunday Game Plan of 2025. 2025 was a busy year filled with energy shifts, closure and acceptance to where I stand with certain family members, some friends and coworkers. I’ve been active on Yelp writing restaurant reviews and hitting up hard to get into restaurants. I’m also mindfully posting on Meta, which consists of Facebook and Instagram.

Since 2026 is only five days away, I have planning the New Years Eve Dinner 2025 with my traditional lucky foods menu. This time is going to be a challenge with working thru New Years Eve. Thanks to Stop and Shop, Whole Foods, and Lidl, I was able to achieve that. 

To start, I obtained the traditional 12 round fruits platter. I was able to obtain:
Oranges, blueberries, lemon, lime avocado, grapefruit, apple, strawberries, grapes,  persimmon, kiwi, and mango. I also have 1 banana to make it 13.

For my meals, I searched recipes online to find inspiration with the ingredients I had to work with.  So I plan on cooking the following:

  • Chili Crunch Carbonara (bacon and noodles)
  • Sausage, black eye peas and kale soup
  • Cornbread (Jiffy Cornbread Mix)
  • Cedar Plank Bacon Bourbon Salmon
  • Lentil Soup or stew (I have yet to purchase lentils)

Check out my posts on Instagram at @tablespoonsandteaspoons. Stay tuned for an exciting 2026.

Sunday Game Plan – Thanksgiving Leftovers

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Happy Holidays!! I can’t believe we are entering the last month of 2025. This Thanksgiving holiday we split our day(s) with both sides of the family. On Thanksgiving Day we celebrated the holiday with my husband’s side of the family with Di Palo’s specialty salami with pecorino cheese, roasted chicken, mac and cheese, stuffing, cranberry jelly, mashed potatoes, carrots and sweet potatoes. The following day we met with my side of the family for old school Italian lunch at Vincent’s in Carle Place, NY. Between yesterday and today, we are consuming leftovers. The leftovers we still had was roasted chicken, salami, cheese and mac and cheese. Here’s the game plan for utilizing these leftovers to stretch through this week without getting sick.

Chicken Pancit

Baked Mac and Cheese Cups

Salami and cheese with crackers

Hopefully I can be consistent to post this week on at least two of the dishes listed above. Since we will be entering the last month of 2025, I’ll be sharing my top dining experience and/or best dishes cooked/consumed this year. Stay tuned!!