April 15, 2008 | Manhattan

After sleeping in late and barely getting out the door by noon, we made our way to the upper west side to visit the Frick Art Collection, set inside Mr. Frick’s private residence on East 70th. (That’s a lovely magnolia tree in his front courtyard.) The tour is short and the headset tour provided as much interesting information about the rooms and the residents as it did the art work housed there (which includes original by Manet, Monet, Renoir, Whistler and a host of others).

We then grabbed a quick lunch at Burger Heaven (an old diner in the city) before wandering down Fifth Avenue to shop a little and see the renovated Plaza Hotel. The trees off the patios are Trump Tower, which happens to be the set of The Apprentice.

My friend’s sisters from Manhattan and upstate NY joined us for dinner and I was quite excited to snag a reservation at BLT Market, Laurent Tourondel’s latest in a string of Bistro restaurants in NY, this one focusing on seasonal and market fresh ingredients. The light was very low (nice) so it was tough to get decent shots, but this will give you an idea.

Amuse Bouche – small hot dogs in puff pastry topped with mustard

I was inspired by the seasonal theme, so selected the Morel & English Pea Arborio Risotto with “Petit Gris” Snails and Coach Farm Goat Cheese . The buttery foam and zesty olive oil were the perfect complement to the dish.

We shared 3 desserts – something chocolate-y that I can’t recall (a special), Coconut Pain Perdu / Macadamia Crusted Ice Cream, and this Cranberry & Homemade Granola Tart / Blood Orange Sorbet offered to us as a gift by the waiter:

But honestly all I remember is the incredible complimentary doughnuts that were delivered to us still hot, with a slightly doughy center that tasted of brandy or rum…YUM!

To round out the local theme I selected a chardonnay from Connecticut, recommended by the sommelier as it wasn’t overly oaky but would still pair nicely with the dishes we ordered. You gotta love a restaurant that begins the meal with a hot dog and ends it with a doughnut!