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Don't forget about the farmers' market at the Red Hook farm/Added Value on Saturdays! It's directly across the street from Ikea, you can even see it in the Google map posted above.

So now you can pick up an Expedit bookcase, fresh locally grown vegetables and a yummy taco all in ONE trip. sweet.

crispy crispy

I LOVE doubles. There's a great place in Brooklyn off of the Nostrand stop on the A - when you get off of the stop, cross over Fulton and walk up half a block, it's on the right (it has a bunch of AAs in its name and the place proclaims itself the Doubles King, but i can't remember exactly). They make the best doubles ever. But make sure you get there early, they close when they run out.

i like using grapefruit instead of orange slices, that's yummy too

thanks for all the suggestions! we ended up mostly eating at my in-laws', which was also cool. first off, we unexpectedly had our first meal in austin at el sol y la luna, i had migas with chorizo. i've never had migas before and i loved it. the outdoor patio space was also really nice. we also stopped at guero's taco bar before our flight back to NY, the enchiladas were so good - really fresh tasting.

my father-in-law made some awesome brisket, and provided some barbecue sauce from cooper's. it's a vinegar based sauce - pretty good, but my personal preference is for ketchup based.

we also stopped by Liberty Bar in SA - i had the achiote chicken salad special - would have been almost perfect (moist, spicy chicken, slightly bitter/chewy dried peppers with a complex flavor, fresh bell peppers, lettuce) if it wasn't for the feta, it just overwhelmed all the other flavors. The chilled avocado soup was heavenly.

we did end up going to rudy's bbq in new braunfels b/c we had to run an errand there. definitely better than anything i can get in NY. maybe some of the places y'all mentioned are better? next time i guess.

and we went to some new belgian place in southtown, i don't remember the name of it - we had some friends who live in the area that wanted to check it out. I had the vol au vent with chicken - the chicken was slightly on the dry side, but the dish had a lot of flavor and the pastry crust was super light and flaky.

there was a great ice cream place in fredericksburg, i think it's called Clear River Creamery or something. Wow. I had the peach sorbet and lavender ice cream, they were both outstanding. My husband got all inspired so he broke out the ice cream machine at his parents', and made two batches - peach/lavender and kaffir lime/lemongrass (yes, we found those plants in their neighbor's yard and she didn't know what they were!!).

OK now i have to lay off the ice cream for a bit.

i'll post some pics in flickr when i get a chance -
the other thing i can't believe is how inexpensive it is to eat in texas. woo!!

i remember when i was a kid there was a guy who made them on the bowery, near canal...but that was like twenty years ago. they're the best when they are freshly made!! perhaps i'll take the minibus on division st. out to flushing and check that out...

I agree with the eggs benedict suggestion...but it's really hard to find a place that makes it right. sometimes the eggs are overdone (or underdone! yuck!), or the hollandaise sauce is too runny. so if you can make really great eggs benny, i think you'll be set. oh, and variations (i.e., with smoked salmon, spinach, etc.) are good too.

and yea the bloody marys at stone park cafe in brooklyn are killer!

guacamole flavored doritos. for some reason i have a hard time finding them nowadays.

my husband...uh, i can't compete against the knife skills of a professional chef. but I make a pretty kick-ass banana bread.

The tempeh reuben sandwich at Angelica Bistro in Manhattan. I am an unabashed meat eater, but for some reason I'll catch myself thinking about that sandwich at random moments and thinking, I need to get over to Angelica Bistro!!

for a super cheap lunch in Florence i would definitely check out Bondi, it's on the same street as the central market (it's on via dell'Ariento, past the market on the left if you are coming from the direction of the river). They serve these sandwiches that are sort of like panini, but they put this yummy cheesy/buttery mixture on the bread and then pop it in the oven with your chosen ingredients (ie, prosciutto, sausage, artichokes, sundried tomatoes, etc). It gets all melty and hot. Much fresher and tastier than the panini that are served at the tourist traps all around Florence - avoid those at all costs! They have tables with benches you can sit at, or just take the food with you and stroll around.

Dropping into the central market is a must, even to just see all the ingredients that come in, and there are places that you can stand and eat at as well.

for dinner, Il Cinghiale Bianco was one of my favorite places to go when I lived in Florence....but I haven't been to the restaurant since before the changeover to the euro so I can't tell you if it's still cheap or not. But I suppose it's worth checking out.

if i think of more i'll post them...

banana ice cream at christina's. earl grey (when you can catch it) at tosci's. i miss ice cream in boston...i still haven't found anything decent in New York.