Mitzie Mee Blog

Welcome to my personal blog, where I share notes from my everyday life. It’s about food and travel, but also about everything else I’m up to along the way. Small moments and big experiences, everyday snapshots and the occasional adventure. Here you can follow what’s happening behind the scenes, with new posts every day. A more personal space, updated daily, and shared while the moments are still fresh.

New York City: Georgian Comfort Food at Old Tbilisi Garden

Steve havde spist på Old Tbilisi Garden og haft en virkelig god oplevelse, så da vi et par dage senere var i Greenwich Village, var der egentlig ikke så meget at overveje. Vi vidste hvor vi skulle hen, og hvad vi skulle bestille.

Old Tbilisi Garden er en klassisk georgisk restaurant, og menuen er fyldt med den slags mad man har lyst til når det er koldt udenfor. Vi startede med khachapuri, som er en af Georgiens mest kendte retter. Der findes mange regionale varianter, men den mest ikoniske er Adjaruli khachapuri, som er et bådformet fladt brød med smeltet ost i midten, toppet med en æggeblomme og en klat smør. Man rører ost, smør og æggeblomme sammen og brækker derefter stykker fra kanten af brødet, som man dypper i blandingen. Det smager fantastisk, men det mætter også rigtig godt, så en khachapuri er rigeligt til to personer som forret.

Vi bestilte også en skål borshi, Georgiens version af borscht, som også smagte virkelig godt og havde en god dybde i smagen og med en fin balance mellem det syrlige og det søde. Suppen var fyldig uden at være tung, og smagte rustik og hjemmelavet.

Sidst Steve var der, havde han også fået Chakapuli som er en traditionel georgisk gryderet, men den var desværre ikke på menuen den aften, vi var der. I stedet bestilte vi Chanakhi som er en anden gryderet fra Georgien med aubergine og tomater. Den blev serveret rygende varm med friskbagt brød ved siden af. Mine erfaringer med mad fra Georgien er meget begrænsede, men alt vi fik smagte rigtig godt. Steve har lidt mere erfaring på området og han kan stå inde for Old Tblisi Garden som et af de bedste steder i New York hvis man vil prøve autentisk georgisk mad.

Indretningen er enkel og lidt gammeldags med murstensvægge, mørkt træ og hvide duge. Bagtil er der en lille overdækket have, som nærmest føles som sin egen verden. Her er havedværge, planter og farvet lys, og selvom det er kitschet er det også ret hyggeligt, så er der et ledigt bord derude er det der, man skal sidde.

Old Tbilisi Garden, 174 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012

FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinRedditStumbleuponWhatsappTelegramLINEEmail
Nw York City:  Mike’s Coffee and Deli - Small Place, Great Breakfast

Mike’s Coffee and Deli is little more than a hole in the wall, but they make really good breakfast, so if you’re in the area, it’s absolutely worth stopping by.

The place has been part of the neighborhood for years and functions as a regular stop for locals, people on their way to work, and the occasional tourist who’s been tipped off. There’s often a long line, but the vibe is relaxed and the staff are friendly and chatty, which makes the wait feel shorter than it actually is.

We ordered a classic breakfast sandwich with bacon, egg, and cheese. It was big enough to share and exactly what you want in a breakfast sandwich. Simple, but really good. We took it to go and ate it a little further down the street, sipping our coffee from Lucid. A great start to the morning and a solid choice for breakfast to go.

Mike’s Coffee and Deli, 44 E 32nd St, New York, NY 10016

Cuisinart Griddler Indoor Grill & Panini Press
$109.99

If you love kitchen tools that actually earn their counter space, the Cuisinart Griddler is one of those rare workhorses that does a lot without feeling gimmicky. It works as an indoor grill, panini press, full griddle, or a mix of grill and griddle, which makes it perfect for everything from lazy weekend pancakes to grilled cheese, panini, burgers, and even a proper steak when the weather isn’t cooperating.

What I like most is how straightforward it is to use. The dual temperature controls give you real control, whether you’re gently warming something up or going full sear, and the removable nonstick plates go straight in the dishwasher, which matters more than it should. It’s the kind of appliance you’ll reach for again and again, not just the first week you own it.

Affiliate link: I might earn a commission if you make a booking, at no additional cost to you.
01/26/2026 08:06 pm GMT
FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinRedditStumbleuponWhatsappTelegramLINEEmail
Bangkok: Madam Zabb - Fried rice for lunch

The last time I flew out of Don Mueang in Bangkok, I stayed at an airport hotel in a really pleasant neighborhood. Small cafés and local restaurants sat side by side, and there was life in the streets from early morning until late at night. I walked around for a bit, checking menus, before eventually stepping inside Madam Zabb.

Right by the entrance was a large wok where the food was being cooked. I stopped by in the early afternoon, in that quiet window between lunch and dinner, so the small restaurant wasn’t very busy. I ordered fried rice and asked if I could take a photo of the cooking. That was no problem at all, and I was even asked if I wanted to film it. Yes, please. Thank you!

Rice and eggs went into the wok, were tossed quickly, and a few minutes later the dish was served, topped with a little scallion, and served with cucumber slices and a lime wedge on the side. With a bit of the homemade chili sauce from the table, it tasted even better A good, inexpensive meal in a very local and genuinely cozy neighborhood.

Madam Zabb, 371/72 สรณคมน์ 3 แยก 18 Si Kan, Don Mueang, Bangkok 10210, Thailand

FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinRedditStumbleuponWhatsappTelegramLINEEmail
Ubud: Bebek Bengil - Crispy Duck and Beautiful Surroundings

Bebek Bengil is something of a classic in Ubud. The restaurant has been around since 1990 and is best known for its Crispy Duck, but duck is clearly their thing, with several different versions on the menu, along with a selection of sides and small dishes.

I went in the middle of the afternoon, so it wasn’t very busy, and I was lucky enough to get a table in one of their saungs. These are small, open pavilions with thatched roofs, and they are without a doubt the best place to be and being seated in a saung makes a huge difference to the overall experience.

I ordered the Crispy Duck and a glass of pineapple juice. The duck was surprisingly small, smaller than most Danish rotisserie chickens, and the meat was quite dry. I assume it’s deep fried, as the skin was very crisp, but that also meant the meat lacked juiciness and depth of flavor. The sides worked much better. Rice, vegetables, and several different sauces came together nicely and made the dish filling enough for one person.

If I were to come back, I don’t think I’d order the Crispy Duck again. I’d be much more tempted to try one of the marinated duck dishes, which looked noticeably juicier and more interesting on the menu.

That said, the setting is fantastic and undoubtedly a big reason why Bebek Bengil remains so popular. The restaurant is surrounded by rice fields and water lilies, and there’s a calm, almost meditative atmosphere that makes it a very pleasant place to linger.

Bebek Bengil, Jl. Hanoman, Ubud, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia

FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinRedditStumbleuponWhatsappTelegramLINEEmail
Ubud: Meet Mie - The Casual Noodle Spot I Keep Coming Back To

Meet Mie was right next door to my hotel, and after walking past it several days in a row during my last stay in Ubud, curiosity finally got the better of me and I went inside. I didn’t regret it for a second. It was a fantastic little place with friendly service and good, affordable food, and after that first visit, I found myself coming back almost every day.

The menu at Meet Mie focused on small bowls with noodles, soup, and different toppings. There were also a few more random items on the menu, like sushi and cheesecake, which I politely ignored and never felt any real urge to explore.

Most days, I ordered one of the small noodle bowls that came with soup on the side to pour over, and every single time it was really good. To drink, I usually went for pineapple juice or lemon juice, though they also offered more elaborate drinks if that was your thing. The atmosphere was relaxed, the food came out quickly, and the portions were just right. You left satisfied, but not weighed down.

It was often busy, and when it rained, getting a table right away could be a challenge. The crowd seemed to be mostly people like me, staying in Ubud for longer stretches of time. On rainy days, if it was packed, I would usually just head back to my hotel room and wait until the worst of the rush had passed.

Meet Mie, Jl. Monkey Forest, Ubud, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia

FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinRedditStumbleuponWhatsappTelegramLINEEmail
New York City - Cannoli King in Little Italy

When we go out to eat in Little Italy or Chinatown, we often skip dessert at the restaurant and walk over to Cannoli King instead. Cannoli King is an Italian dessert café right in the heart of Little Italy. Yes, it’s touristy, but we don’t really care, because their cannoli are genuinely good. They’re big, the shells are crisp, and the filling is rich and creamy without being too sweet. You can also get mini cannoli in different flavors, but I always go for the full sized ones. The ratio of shell to filling is just better.

Over the years, we’ve tried several of their other pastries as well, and everything has been consistently fresh and really well made. I suspect the high turnover helps. Nothing has time to sit around for long before it’s eaten.

The service has always been great too, even when the place is packed. There’s one woman working there who seems to be there every time we stop by, and she’s always friendly and patient, no matter how busy it gets.

Cannoli King isn’t exactly a hidden gem, but if you’re craving something sweet in Little Italy, it’s absolutely worth a visit. And if you don’t feel like cannoli, their pistachio profiteroles are excellent, as is their sfogliatella, a classic Italian pastry made with flaky dough and a soft, creamy filling.

Cannoli King, 152 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10013

FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinRedditStumbleuponWhatsappTelegramLINEEmail
Scrapple, Served With Opinions
This blog post is written by my fiancé Steve

I grew up in eastern Pennsylvania, just outside of Philly, which means I grew up eating scrapple. It showed up on breakfast tables and restaurant menus. When ordering breakfast at a diner, the normal question was “do you want bacon, sausage or scrapple with your eggs?”  It was everyday, good food.

It wasn’t until years later that I realized not everyone knew what scrapple was, let alone loved it. For people unfamiliar with it, scrapple can sound like a challenge. It is a meat loaf made from pork scraps, cornmeal and spices, sliced and fried until it develops a crisp crust with a soft, savory interior. It is polarizing. People either love it or are horrified by it. Our family loves it.

Scrapple comes from the Pennsylvania Dutch, German-speaking immigrants who settled in the Mid-Atlantic centuries ago. As with all agrarian cultures, nothing was wasted.  When a hog was slaughtered, the prime cuts were set aside. Sausages were made. What remained (head, bones, trimmings, and offal) was simmered into a rich broth.  Bones and other inedible pieces were removed, the meat ground or shredded and returned to the broth, then thickened with cornmeal, seasoned, and poured into molds.  Once cooled, scrapple could be stored for an extended period.  Perfect food for frugal families, then and now.

Scrapple is not unique. In North Carolina, there is livermush. In Ohio, goetta. In Scotland, haggis. In France, pâté and terrines. In the UK and Ireland, black pudding. Different ingredients and preparations, same philosophy: respect the animal, waste nothing, feed people well.

My fiancée is from Denmark, and when I first prepared scrapple for us, I expected her to be dubious. Instead, she devoured it. Denmark has liverpostej, a rich liver pâté that shows up on breakfast tables and open-faced sandwiches (smørrebrød, a word I still can’t pronounce).  Scrapple made immediate sense to her.  She loved it from the first bite, earning her a permanent place in my family’s heart.

Scrapple is not something I left behind when I moved away. There is always a brick (or two) of it in my freezer in New York City. My California brother keeps it in his fridge. Every summer when we visit family in Michigan, we bring our mystery meat food culture with us. Our cousins may think we’re nuts, but we are who we are.

In our family, scrapple is not just food. It is an ongoing argument.

Is turkey scrapple worthy of the name? Some say yes. Others are correct.

Should scrapple be cut thick or thin before frying? I am firmly on the side of the thick cut. I want a real interior. Something soft and rich beneath the crust. My California brother, on the other hand, prefers thin-cut scrapple, which makes him wrong and, frankly, a little suspicious. He wants maximum crisp and no softness. I do not understand this man.

One of my sons does not eat scrapple.  Fortunately, I have two sons.  One of my nephews was caught putting – gulp – ketchup on his scrapple.  There are things in life that cannot be unseen…

For a family that loves its porky mystery meat, cooking scrapple in our house is a treacherous undertaking.  How thick are the slices? Are you using the right pan? Is it too crowded?  Is the heat too high, burning the crust?  Are you flipping it too early, making it fall apart?  The trademark sizzle and peppery, spicy smell fill our family kitchens with armchair cooks.

Cheesesteaks may be the famous Philly food, but for me, scrapple is the real heart of our food culture.  It’s something we cook, eat and argue over as a family, no matter where we congregate. It is as much of a tradition for thanksgiving weekend as devouring the turkey and commiserating over the Eagles (Go Birds!).

So here’s to scrapple. The thrifty, misunderstood, crispy-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside breakfast of champions.  You do not have to love it, but I do.

Habbersett, Pork Scrapple, 16 oz

If you want to try scrapple at home, Habbersett is a solid place to start. It’s a classic pork scrapple with a well balanced seasoning and the right texture for frying. You get a crisp crust in the pan and a soft, savory interior, which is exactly what good scrapple should be. Slice it thick, be patient with the heat, and let it cook until it earns that crust.

Affiliate link: I might earn a commission if you make a booking, at no additional cost to you.
FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinRedditStumbleuponWhatsappTelegramLINEEmail
Review: MoonBrew Hot Cocoa

I generally sleep really well. I always have, and I usually joke that it’s one of my superpowers. Because of that, I’m probably not the most obvious target audience for MoonBrew, which claims to help improve sleep quality. Still, I was curious, so when they offered me to try their MoonBrew Hot Cocoa, I said yes.

MoonBrew Hot Cocoa is a magnesium based drink designed to support better sleep. You mix the powder with warm water or milk and drink it before bed. The blend includes magnesium in easily absorbed forms, along with ingredients like L-theanine, reishi, zinc, and chamomile, all associated with relaxation and winding down.

I recommend that you only make half a cup, so you don’t drink too much liquid before bedtime and end up waking during the night to go to the bathroom. The taste is really good and reminds me of hot cocoa. I use a milk frother so the milk gets extra creamy, which makes it feel like a cozy little bedtime treat rather than a supplement.

I didn’t notice any clear change in my sleep, but that doesn’t surprise me since I already sleep very well. My parents tried MoonBrew for about a week and felt that their sleep improved. MoonBrew is meant to be taken over a longer period of time, and you can only expect results after four to six weeks, so it’s not a quick fix. I enjoyed drinking MoonBrew and I genuinely liked the flavor, so I can easily see how it could make sense for people for whom good sleep isn’t always a given.

MoonBrew - Your New Nightly Ritual

Curious about MoonBrew? MoonBrew is designed as a nightly ritual rather than a quick fix. It’s a magnesium based hot cocoa drink meant to be taken consistently over time, with the idea that better sleep comes from supporting the body night after night. The formula combines easily absorbed magnesium with calming ingredients like L-theanine, reishi, chamomile, and zinc, all chosen to help the body wind down before bedtime. It’s caffeine free, gently sweet, and made to feel more like a cozy cup of hot cocoa than a supplement, which makes it easy to stick with as part of an evening routine.


Use the discount code MITZIEMEE for 30% off through January 2026


Affiliate link: I might earn a commission if you make a booking, at no additional cost to you.
FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinRedditStumbleuponWhatsappTelegramLINEEmail
Bangkok: Brunch at Gigi Eatery Asoke

The hotel I was staying at had breakfast included, and it was actually very good, but it was the weekend and I felt like treating myself to a proper brunch. Gigi was right down the same soi (side street) as my hotel, so that’s where I went.

I ordered the Vegetarian Breakfast with scrambled eggs, cheese, fruit, grilled tomatoes, baked beans, plus coffee and juice. The coffee was excellent, and the scrambled eggs were soft and creamy, just the way I like them. The rest of the plate was solid too. Simple, well made, and exactly what I was in the mood for.

Gigi Eatery is an Italian restaurant known for modern Italian food with a strong focus on good ingredients. The space itself is beautifully done, and there’s a small terrace out front if you want to sit outside. It’s a very popular spot, especially in the evening, when people come by for wine and pasta and the place really comes alive.

A lot of people are surprised by how good the brunch scene in Bangkok actually is, but the city is really strong on that front, and Gigi is a great example. It’s expensive by Thai standards, but if you’re in Bangkok for a longer stay and start craving a good Western style brunch, there are plenty of options. Gigi is definitely one of the better ones.

Gigi Eatery Asoke, 28 Soi Sukhumvit 19, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand

Bangkok Hotels

Bangkok has some of the best hotel deals out there. Whether you're in the mood for a fancy rooftop pool and five-star service, or just need a clean, cheap place to crash, you'll find it here. The city really delivers when it comes to value for money—whatever your budget.

Affiliate link: I might earn a commission if you make a booking, at no additional cost to you.
FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinRedditStumbleuponWhatsappTelegramLINEEmail
Ubud: Chicken in a tree

I had been to a morning yoga session and was standing outside Yoga Barn, waiting for my motorbike taxi back to the guesthouse, when I suddenly heard a strange, clucking sound above my head. I looked up, and there it was. A chicken, I think. It definitely had chicken vibes, though it might have been a rooster.

It was strutting around on a branch high up in a tree and looked like it was having a great time up there.

I tried to get a selfie, but she wasn’t interested, so I took a video instead, and she was fine with that 🙂

FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinRedditStumbleuponWhatsappTelegramLINEEmail