October 2005 Archives
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Big Apple Blog Festival - October 31, 2005
Last week's Big Apple Blog Festival was hosted by mister snitch!
This week's Big Apple Blog Festival is hosted by spinachdip nyc. Some excerpts:
- Last week started with the firing heard around the New York blogosphere, as Condé Nast freelancer/blogebrity Andrew Krucoff was escorted out of 4 Times Square. Krucoff tells his side of the story. Though according to the commenters on this Gothamist post, this news is only of consequence to the "blogger elite". There's a blogger elite? [Ed. "Blogger elite"? - Who knew?]
- This Overheard in New York entry finds two girls who really know what's important when you live in New York.
- New York hack, everyone's favorite cabbie/blogger (cablogger?) had a pretty rough Thursday night.
See this week's BABF for much, much more.
Next week's BABF will be hosted by Dave Friedman's Soul of Wit
To nominate your favorite blog post about NYC, or if you have a NYC blog and want to see something in the next BABF ... or you have a NYC-related blog and would like to host an upcoming BABF ... send us a short write up and a permalink to aguyinnewyork [at] gmail.com ... or use the Carnival Submit Form.
Happy Halloween
another haunted house in my zip-code ... East 74th Street, 10021 ...
Grand Sichuan International - Chelsea
We enjoyed dinner at the Grand Sichuan International in Chelsea on Sunday (Oct. 30, 2005) ... red spicey thin sliced tripe and beef tongue, cool cucumber salad, steamed crab and pork soupy dumplings, garlic stir-fried bok-choy and fish-head/tofu casserole ... Angela took this photo of the Empire State while we were waiting for a table ...
Previous post mentioning Grand Sichuan on Canal Street in Chinatown, which is not related to the Grand Sichuan International chain.
web site, 229 9th Avenue, at 24th Street, 212-620-5200 [MenuPages | NYT | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch]
"Crazy Russian Cats"
gothamist has a post, "Crazy Russian Cats," about the Moscow Cat Theatre appearing at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center through the end of December ... Loco and Luca can't do any of those tricks ...
Q: You keep saying "she." So which is easier to train—female or male cats?
A: Females are better. They're smarter. The boys . . . are not so smart. They do different things. The females know what I want from them.
"From Russia With Cats: Talking with Yuri Kuklachev, lead clown and creator of the Moscow Cats Theatre," by Rebecca Bengal, The Village Voice, October 13, 2005
Details
- Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 199 Chambers Street, (directions and parking info)
Tickets can be purchased through ticketmaster.com by clicking here: Moscow Cats Theatre- TicketMaster, or by calling Ticketmaster at 212-307-7171
- Moscow Cats Theatre
Also see
- "Moscow Cats Theatre: But Can They Sing 'Memory'?" by Michael Dale, Broadway World, October 11, 2005
- "Moscow Cats Theatre," reviewed by Brian Scott Lipton, TheaterMania.com, September 30, 2005
- "Moscow Cats Theatre," A CurtainUp Review By Eric Beckson, based on September 17th performance
- "Feline Acrobats Are The Cat's Meow," CBS News, October 19, 2005
Which City Council candidates in Districts 4 and 5 have the best looking volunteers?
Alarming News reports "If you're thinking about getting involved in a local campaign on the east side of Manhattan during this last week, this is what you need to know...." and lists the attributes of each campaign's volunteers ... if you want to know which campaign has the cutest guys, women "of far-above-average attractiveness," and "blonde guys with huge teeth" ... read the whole thing for real political reporting ...
"The politics of attraction," Alarming News, October 29, 2005
"Instant Period Costumes"
A trade secret from professional costume designers: throw out your sewing kit. The way to make quick and dirty costumes is to scrounge for old clothes, cut them up creatively with your scissors, and then instantly reassemble the pieces using a hot glue gun. No measuring, no patterns, no threads.
"Instant Period Costumes," by Kevin Kelly, Cool Tools, October 29, 2005
More
Saturday catblogging
Loco and Luca sleeping on the American Colonial-style quilt bed-cover ...
Life in the City is good ... good company ... great bed ...
This Week in Reviews - October 28, 2005
Each Friday, A Guy In New York publishes "This Week in Reviews (TWIR)," with quick links to New York City restaurant reviews and mentions from the previous seven days in blogs, magazines, and newspapers.
- eat drink one woman says "being critical of Sripraphai is no longer an option for me. When I eat there, not only do I get to eat delicious, authentic Thai dishes that I can't get anywhere else in town, but I also get to feel like a part of the New York Thai community." ... Sripraphai, 64-13 39th Avenue, between 64th and 65th Streets, Queens, 718-899-9599 [Citysearch]
- Twenty Bucks a Day says Rai Rai Ken is "significantly more homey and homely than most of the other NYC noodleries that I’ve been to recently" ... liked the Miso ramen with its "tender pulled-off-the-bone chicken" ... 214 East 10th Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenues, 212-477-7030 [MenuPages | IgoUgo] ... and did not like Isle ... "I’m here to tell you that I was wrong about Isle being possibly good. It isn’t. I’ve had more personable Thai food at Kai Kai, the excremental steam table chain, and at least that was cheaper." ... 282 Bleecker Street, at 7th Avenue South, 212-929-5699 [MenuPages | Citysearch] ... did like Himalayan Yak ... Samayabajee is "An excellent way to try several different Nepali appetizers" ... "My strategy for this restaurant will next time be thus: get a couple of the individual dishes from the Samayabajee platter, get the paytsel, and, if I’m dining with more than one other person, try some kind of dinner entrée from the Nepali menu. If there’s a sauce to be sopped, I’ll get a tingmo or two. I think you could keep the check near $10 a person this way, and at that price point, Himalayan Yak would be a delicious deal." ... 72-20 Roosevelt Avenue, Queens, 718-779-1119 [NYT | The Taste Land | A Year In Food]
- NYC Nosh ate at the new location of Vynl ... the butternut squash soup sounds fantastic: "the reason why I order this almost every time I come to Vynl ... is the very subtle spice, the heat that cuts through the sweetness of the squash, and the perfect saltiness of the broth." ... but it's still working through some post-move kinks ... 754 9th Avenue, at 51st Street, 212-956-9277 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- Salli Vates had "Breakfast Envy at Thomas Beisl" ... Thomas Beisl, 25 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-222-5800 [NYT | Citysearch]
- Rachel Wharton has a list of the top 10 Bronx restaurants in "Best bites in the Bronx: A food lover's guide to the borough's top restaurants" ...
- MUG says Jefferson Grill is too salty ... "We're no saltphobes, but almost every single dish here skews salty. The "too many ingredients stir-fried prawns," as the menu has it, is the worst offender: a salt lick with a seaside tang." ... 121 West 10th Street, at 6th Avenue, 212-255-3333 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- a friend of A Guy In New York had good things to say about .. Mishima ... Noodle Town´s steamed flounder was out of this world ... and I simply loved the Dan Dan Mien of Grand Szechuan ...
- Rob Patronite "asked several big-time chefs and restaurateurs to weigh in on the imminent arrival of" Michelin New York City ... coming next week ...
- Mona's Apple likes Land Thai Kitchen ... "the chicken curry puff ... was like firecrackers in my mouth, the flavors were bouncing around and I had never tasted something this yummy in my life." ... also good: massaman curry with lamb, wok basil with beef ... 450 Amsterdam Avenue, between West 81st and 82nd Streets, 212-501-8121 [MenuPages | NYT]
- The Food Section has a review published in The Washington Post of several food books ...
- eater likes Balthazar ... "The raw bar and bistro staples are first-rate; ditto for brunch offerings like eggs benedict and chefs Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson's crepe du jour." ... 80 Spring Street, 212-965-1785 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- CITYRAG has "East Village and Lower East Side delivery tips - if you're looking for some good food delivery in the Lower East Side or East Village, here are a couple of our favorites!" ...
- Nancy Franklin writes that "almost everything on the menu sounds like a welcome surprise, and yet, upon arrival, disappoints" at Chubo ... 6 Clinton Street, 212-674-6300 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld went to Fatty Crab ... and liked almost everything ... but we'll pass and eat good Malaysian food for less than one-half the price at Nyonya and Sanur ... 543 Hudson Street, 212-352-3590 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- Forbes gives green GOs to ... Mr. K's ... "traditional Chinese fare at its best, served in the most refined and pampering manner" ... 570 Lexington Avenue, at 51st Street, 212-583-1668 [MenuPages | Citysearch] ... Ono ... "tuna tartare, crab salad with soba noodles, crispy shrimp crackers, skewers of Kobe beef or chicken breast, tuna with peppers, sushi or rib-eye steak--all of which are delicious" ... in the Hotel Gansevoort, 18 Ninth Avenue, at 13th Street, 212-660-6766 [MenuPages | Citysearch] ... La Mangeoire ... "old-fashioned French bistro serving delectable Provençal classics" ... 1008 Second Avenue, at 53rd Street, 212-759-7086 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- eating for brooklyn says the burgers at Soda Bar are great and "is the perfect place for the day after a bender or perhaps for one as well" ... 629 Vanderbilt Avenue, 718-230-8393 [Citysearch]
- gothamist picked out some highlights from TONY's Essential New York ...
- David Rosen liked the "perfectly cooked whole red snapper slowly steamed in a tomato sauce enriched by fresh herbs" at Krik Krak ... and said the appetizers are "all fried, all greaseless, all delicious" ... 844 Amsterdam Avenue, between 101st and 102nd Streets, 212-222-3100 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- Frank Bruni rates Ninja "Poor" ... "Ninja acts like a Disney ride - Space Mountain under a hailstorm of run-of-the-mill or unappealing sushi - but charges like Le Bernardin." ... and it goes downhill from there ... you've been warned ... 25 Hudson Street, at Duane, 212-274-8500 [MenuPages]
... but liked the chicken at Cafe at Country ... "had crackling skin and wonderful meat" ... but the grilled lamb was "slightly overcooked and tough" ... 90 Madison Avenue, at 29th Street, 212-889-7100 [MenuPages | Citysearch]- The Bruni Digest notes that Frank Bruni is back from vacation (see above) ... and she promised "a 1996 Glamourshot of Yours Truly Insane, looking like a Brighton Beach madame who fell face down in a hot-pink blush quarry." ... we want pics! ... she also looked at Frank Bruni's review of Ninja, in "Ninja: Crouching Failure, Hidden Assholes" ...
- Andrea Strong also ate at Café at Country and is now in love with breakfast ... "the reason I am in love with breakfast is the Café at Country" ...
- OK, this review is not of a NYC location .. but it is a chain that has a location in Westbury, which is close enough ... and being a chain the food is probably consistent from location to location, so ... James Lileks went to The Cheesecake Factory ... "Sweet smoking Judas" ... "We sat. Menus were handed out; they had advertisements. Tells you all you need to know. My meal was awful - bread whose crust resembled a PVC pipe, chicken cooked by pressing it under a red-hot cement block for half an hour, some sort of BBQ sauce made of sugar and hubris, and 23,192 french fries. I looked around and saw dozens of tables, all filled, everyone bent before ENORMOUS platters of crap." ...
- Big Apple Dining Guide ordered in from Bamiyan ... "Barg - tender pieces of filet mignon, marinated with saffron with white basmati rice ... was quite good" ... "Overall, I loved this place and look forward to staying there to eat. I like to pick up my food instead of relying on delivery. It makes me feel like I get it home quicker, I cut out a middle man thereby getting it to the table warmer than by delivery guy and it also allows me to get inside the restaurant to see what the 'terroir' of the food might be." ... 358 Third Avenue, at 26th Street, 212-481-3232 [MenuPages | Citysearch] .. and also went to Babbo ... "is just like the prep school kid of a conservative family that grows his hair long and starts smoking pot and listening to 60s psychelic rock and the Beatles but proudly adheres to Emily Post's guide on etiquette at the dining table during his trips back home to visit the family." ... 110 Waverly Place, 212-777-0303 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- we missed this last week: words to eat by says Kitchen 22 is the "Best Bargain in Town" ... "Three courses for $25, people!" ... "Kitchen 22’s menu changes frequently—each night there are five appetizers and five entrees to choose from, with a featured dessert." ... "these people know how to roast a chicken. It was so good, in fact, that I even ate some of the dark meat, and I don’t like dark meat." ... 36 East 22nd Street, between Broadway and Park Avenue South, 212-228-4399 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
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Did we miss your favorite review?
Let us know: aguyinnewyork [at] gmail.com ... we're especially interested in hearing from NYC bloggers ...Want to Link to TWIR?
If you want to place a TWIR logo with a review that was featured, feel free to link to one of the banners on the TWIR page.Haunted House
Oh yes, I was very spooked last Monday walking past this street from Sothebys! ... the most haunted house in my zip-code ... 332 East 69th Street, 10021 ... I saw the white long ghost in front of the door and my hair stood on ends! Meow!!!! ... did a double take to assure myself that it was not for real ... it's Halloween ... creepy, creepy spooky ghosts are all over this universe ... my two huge cats will protect me from all the flying ghosts ...
Michelin Guide (Red and Green) New York, Zagat NYC, NYT
The Appalachian Trail
Peter hiking along the Appalachian Trail ... high above the ridge-line looking south-west ... only 35 miles from Manhattan via the Palisades Parkway ... Saturday, October 22, 2005
To get on the Palisades Interstate Parkway (Nj 445), cross the George Washington Bridge, upper deck. The exit ramp is on the NJ side of the bridge, in Fort Lee Boro, NJ ...
Appalachian Trail and East Coast Greenway
- Overview Map of Area Served by the NY-NJ Trail Conference
- Palisades Interstate Parkway - from nycroads
- Pictures of the Palisades Interstate Parkway (PIP)
- "An Appalachian Trail Through The Heart Of NYC," by Dave Lutz, Gotham Gazette, June 9, 2003
- East Coast Greenway
- Appalachian Trail Database - NY
- "Make Tracks for the Appalachian Trail," by Bill Burnham, MetroSports NY
Put your money where your mouth is
Long Bets is a web site where you can bet money on your own or others predictions. All winnings are donated to a charity of the winner's choice. This page describes how to make a bet.
Here are some of the predictions on Long Bets.
- By 2007, the U.S. Government will intervene to prevent at least one of the Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs)/Regional Bell Operating Companines (RBOCs) (e.g. Verizon, SBC, Bell South, and EXCEPTING Qwest) from filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
- By 2100 a world government will be in place and in control of: business law, environmental law, and weapons of mass destruction.
- By the year 2020 solar electricity will be as cheap or cheaper than that produced by fossil fuels.
Impressionist Art and Good Chinese Food ... This Weekend
This week-end at Rockefeller Plaza, free to the public ... a very great show of Impressionist paintings from the Masters ... Saturday, October 29, 2005, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm and Sunday, October 30, 2005, 1:00 - 5:00 pm ... next door to Wu-Liang-Ye ... yummy dan-dan mein, ma-po tofu, etc.
"Impressionist & Modern Art - at Christie's," A Guy In New York, October 19, 2005
Wu Liang Ye, 215 East 86th Street, 212-534-6032
Big Apple Blog Festival - October 24, 2005
This week's Big Apple Blog Festival is hosted by mister snitch!. Some excerpts:
Lad tells Kip that China is no longer a communist wasteland. Kip disagrees, and coincidentally points out that, in this country, even the Amish will abide only so much government interference. (A Stitch in Haste)
If I'd known I was going to die, I'd have worn more comfortable shoes, the NYC horror festival, and another post involving a cheese grater, a garbage disposal, and severed limbs. (Bunniblog)
Karol declares Mark Steyn's piece on the Death of Russia a must-read. (Alarming News)
See this week's BABF for much, much more.
Next week's BABF will be hosted by spinachdip nyc
To nominate your favorite blog post about NYC, or if you have a NYC blog and want to see something in the next BABF ... or you have a NYC-related blog and would like to host an upcoming BABF ... send us a short write up and a permalink to aguyinnewyork [at] gmail.com ... or use the Carnival Submit Form.
Mondays
Cake or Death? had a "45 minute wait on the L train platform" last Monday ... "Mondays" ... but the best part of the post is the penguin video ....
Notes from a visitor to NYC - Mishima, New York Noodle Town, Grand Sichuan
Peter received this email from Angela's oldest sister, Maria, who owns a restaurant (Tin-Jo) in San José, Costa Rica, and who recently visited New York ...
I had the best meals yet during this trip. Mishima was delicately sumptuous. Noodle Town´s steamed flounder was out of this world and I simply loved the Dan Dan Mien of Grand Szechuan. Good thing I left afer 10 days or else I would gain at least 20 pounds.
Mishima, 164 Lexington Avenue, between 30th and 31st Streets, 212-532-9596 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
New York Noodle Town, 28 Bowery, at Bayard Street, 212-349-0923 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
The Grand Sichuan ... is still very good, which means very hot and spicy food ... a big plus, the restaurant has two big windows looking onto the Manhattan Bridge and Wall Street ... what a view, especially on a cold winter day with the sun streaming into the space ... try the hot/spicey tripe and tongue and an order of cool cucumbers ... 125 Canal Street, at Chrystie Street, 212-625-9212 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
email to Peter
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"Shirley Horn, Jazz Singer and Pianist, Is Dead at 71"
Shirley Horn, a jazz singer and pianist who drew audiences close with a powerfully confidential, vibratoless delivery, died yesterday at a nursing home in Cheverly, Md. She was 71.
"Shirley Horn, Jazz Singer and Pianist, Is Dead at 71," by Ben Ratliff, New York Times, October 22, 2005
I last saw and heard Shirley Horn perform in Paris ... how sad to read about her passing ... here's to life ... we will miss her ...
post by Peter
Saturday catblogging
Luca resting on the window ledge on a very warm Autumn day ... keeping an eye out for me ...
Life in the City is good ... the sun, fresh air, a lovely supercatastic Autumn ...
This Week in Reviews - October 21, 2005
Each Friday, A Guy In New York publishes "This Week in Reviews (TWIR)," with quick links to New York City restaurant reviews and mentions from the previous seven days in blogs, magazines, and newspapers.
- Zagat 2006 is out ... and MUG is not impressed ... "it contains its usual passel of formulaic assessments, dubious assertions, and basic inaccuracies. Having sat down and read it cover to cover, what's surprising is how out of touch and irrelevant it all seems." ... we haven't used Zagat for many years ... Michelin NYC is out next month (and Steve Cuozzo is "rooting for it to kick Zagat's burgundy-covered butt." (TWIR, October 14, 2005) and as he noted last month (TWIR, September 30, 2005), "Restaurant reviews are over. History. Outta here. It's time to report on restaurants in a new and better way, and this is why: More than ever before, reviews have a shorter shelf life than unpasteurized milk") ...
- Twenty Bucks A Day liked the "Alomatic Beef with Wild Pepper" at Original Guilin Noodle ... " a fantastic stir fry of beef, cauliflower, at least two kinds of fresh peppers (one was red and green, not sure if that was the primary source of spice – it looked like there were some smaller, spicier ones), something that seemed almost like a cucumber but was crunchier, tiny onions, mushrooms that looked like they were out of a cartoon, and a black bean sauce." ... 118 Madison Street, south of East Broadway and east of Catherine Street, 212-608-8008
- A Guy In New York likes the "delicious whole fish" at J.M. Family Noodle Restaurant ... "the delicate flounder is so tender that one can eat the crispy dorsal fins and fish tail!!!" ... 19 Henry Street, between Catherine and Market Streets, 212-571-2440 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- eating for brooklyn ate at Nosh ... "the latkes with sour cream and apple sauce ... were too thin and overcooked, making them crunchy and almost burnt. The grilled footlong hotdog is a far cry from the regular boiled hotdog which I was served originally by mistake leading me to believe the kitchen staff is still catching on. The sauerkraut has a nice tang and reminds me of the kind you get at ballparks, an intentional effect I imagine." ... 214 Atlantic Avenue, at Court Street, 718-596 2328 [Citysearch]
- David Rosen gives 1.5 stars out of 4 to Uva ... "The dishes listed on the menu are prepared with first-rate ingredients and care." ... he recommends two types of focaccia: "stuffed with robiola cheese and black truffle" and "porcini mushrooms and montasio cheese" ... 1486 Second Avenue, between 77th and 78th Streets, 212-472-4552 [Citysearch]
- slice reports that on November 10 ... "Lombardi's To Offer 5-Cent Pies" ... "the country's first official pizzeria" ... 32 Spring Street, between Mott and Mulberry Streets, 212-941-7994 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- Forbes gives 3 Green GOs (RR) to ... Dévi ... "the kararee bhindi is extraordinary" ... 8 East 18th Street, between Fifth Avenue and Broadway, 212-691-1300 [MenuPages | Citysearch] ... Gobo ... "some of the most creative and delicious nonmeat fare around." ... 1426 Third Avenue, at East 81st Street, 212-288-5099 [MenuPages | Citysearch] ... Rocking Horse Cafe ... "some of the most delicious and authentic south-of-the-border specialties in town" ... 182 Eighth Avenue, between 19th and 20th Streets, 212-463-9511 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- Plate Of The Day says "The bowls of noodles here are a little more pricey than the Hong Kong station or Excellent Pork Chop House, but you pay for the fresh ingredients and it’s well worth it." at Foo Shing Hand Fresh Noodle Soup Shop ... "there’s a guy in the back of the shop that makes the noodles by hand. You can’t get any fresher than this." ... 2 East Broadway, 212-925-5425
- eater reports that The Spotted Pig will "open for business this weekend." ... 314 West 11th Street, at Greenwich Street, 212-620-0393 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- Eric Asimov writes that Il Buco "has put much effort, if not more, into creating a Mediterranean menu as beguiling as the antiques-strewn dining room." ... "The chef, Ed Winn, has an easy way of creating combinations that taste as good as they sound, especially in his short list of main courses, which change daily." ... 47 Bond Street, between Lafayette Street and Bowery, 212-533-1932 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- Amateur Gourmet says the sushi at Koi "was top notch--definitely as good as Tomoe, and more variety." ... 175 2nd Avenue, at 11th Street, 212-777-5266 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- Nick Paumgarten is not impressed with the food at Bruno Jamais ... "The Dover sole (a rather wan slab) and the short ribs (a sweet heap) were passable, but not at forty-two and twenty-eight dollars a pop. That their accompanying sides don’t always arrive might be a good thing. There’s a gloopy little dish of flavorless gnocchi, some limp green beans: fit for a four-year-old, perhaps" ... 24 East 81st Street, between 5th and Madison Avenues, 212-396-3444 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- Adam Platt went to Thor ... "the dishes at Thor tend to be reasonably priced, and there are an awful lot of them. The somewhat bewildering menu is divided into multiple sections, with names like “cold plates to start” and “warm plates in the middle,” plus two entrée subsections, one for meat and one for fish" ... "white-tomato mousse with a thin tuile at its bottom, which seems to dissolve like meringue on the tip of your tongue." ... "My duck breast, rolled in thin leaves of Savoy cabbage, was as tender and soft as fine Japanese tuna." ... "Best of all, though, is the monkfish, which Gutenbrunner wraps in big Christo-like strips of crunchy golden potato and plates on a bed of sautéed zucchini, tomatoes, and a hint of thyme." ... (Moira Hodgson reviewed last week (TWIR, October 12, 2005) and Andrea Strong last month (TWIR, September 30, 2005)) ... 107 Rivington Street, between Essex and Ludlow Streets, 212-475-2600 or 646-253-6700 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- Robert Sietsema compares jerk chicken from Danny Express, 771 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-940-9717 and Peppa's Jerk Chicken, 738 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, 646-644-0961 ... "The 10 guests, including myself, preferred Peppa's by a margin of 7-3."
- Andrea Strong describes Mo Pitkin’s House of Satisfaction as "an absolutely fabulous trip of a Judeo-Latino brasserie" ... the "Mo’s Pickins" appetizer is "awesome" ... "The potato latkes ($8, with sour cream and homemade apple sauce) were honestly the best I have had." ... "we could not get enough of The Mo Burger" ... (Peter Meehan reviewed last month (TWIR, September 30, 2005))... 34 Avenue A, between 2nd and 3rd Streets, 212-777-5660 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- Gael Greene likes the "luscious chicken-curry salad plate" at the Garden Court Café at the Asia Society ... and "can’t get enough of the spicy Thai dip served with fabulous pastry crisps" ... 725 Park Avenue, at East 70th Street, 212-570-5202
- Marian Burros gives 2 stars to Abboccato ... "a bit of a jumble, but often a pleasing one, like the heavenly buffalo milk ricotta soup with tomatoes, corn and crisp pancetta. I could eat it every week. Or the perfectly roasted black bass that is served with seared escarole stuffed with a zesty caponata" ... "There is not always a steady hand at the stove. On each visit some dishes tasted as if the chef had stock in a sea salt company." ... 136 West 55th Street, in the Blakely Hotel, between 6th and 7th Avenues, 212-265-4000 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- NYC Nosh likes the no-corkage policy at Tartine ... and the Salad Basquaise ... favorite dish was "the Pissaladiere ($10.25), a Provencal tomato tart that bears no small resemblance to a pizza" ... "The bill was small in comparison to what we would have spent at many other French restaurants in the city" ... 253 West 11th Street, at West 4th Street, 212-229-2611 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- Twenty bucks a day was going to eat at Cong Ly ... but ended up at Broomedoggs ... had the currywurst, "a specialty of the fast food trucks almost everywhere in German-speaking Europe" ... "it was tasty, if not quite what the German in me was expecting. The German sausage is infused with its curry flavor, and this one was basically a knockwurst tossed with curry sauce." ... 250 Broome Street, between Ludlow and Orchard Streets, 917-453-6013 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- Moira Hodgson writes that D’Or Ahn "uses French techniques with traditional ingredients, reinventing Korean cuisine in playful and intriguing ways." ... 207 10th Avenue, at West 22nd Street, 212-627-7777 [Citysearch]
- Kara Newman reports on the kosher game ... like venison, quail, bison ribs ... at Levana ... "Game is best served rare, and although all kosher meat is drained of blood, the juices of rare meat can appear 'bloody,' an off-putting sight for observant Jews who are prohibited from consuming blood and have become conditioned to prefer meat cooked medium or well-done. However, for game meats like bison and venison, which are lower in fat than beef, too much cooking time equals tough, leathery meat." ... 141 West 69th Street, between Broadway and Columbus, 212-877-8457 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- WhiteTrashBBQ says "it looks like New York is finally getting some respect in the world of barbeque. Adam Perry Lang of Daisy May's BBQ took 1st place in the Invitational Pork category and Rob Richter of Big Island BBQ took 1st place in the Open Chicken category of the American Royal - the world series of BBQ!" ...
- Peter Meehan says that Waverly at IFC Center "is nearly always empty, although it's hard to know why." ... "offers an appealing solution to the time-tested combination of dinner and a movie." ... 327 Avenue of the Americas, at West 3rd Street, 212-924-8866 [gothamist]
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Did we miss your favorite review?
Let us know: aguyinnewyork [at] gmail.com ... we're especially interested in hearing from NYC bloggers ...Want to Link to TWIR?
If you want to place a TWIR logo with a review that was featured, feel free to link to one of the banners on the TWIR page.How to keep your apartment heat just right this winter
deadprogrammer's cafe has a good article on steam and water heat ... and a tip on how to adjust the temperature ... "Deadprogrammer Visits The Radiator Planet" ... using a "regulated thermostatic valve" with pics ... and help from Gary the cat ...
The kit usually consists of three parts: a temperature control device, an adaptor and a Hoffman-type valve. This will run you about $100 altogether. I have one on two radiators, and let me tell you, these are worth every penny.
MTA "Fare Holiday"
Having solved all the other problems with New York's subway system, the MTA is looking into granting a fare holiday to riders of the subway and local buses on weekends between Thanksgiving and the New Year. The fare holiday is in lieu of improving weekend service, which is particularly abominable during the holiday season when trains are cramped with midwestern tourists in cowboy hats.
"MTA Gives Tourists Fare Holiday, Promises Locals To Get Fare Hike," new york's sixth, October 20, 2005
The search for the perfect restaurant whole fish ... Nice Restaurant
... to the folks at eGullet looking for the perfect whole fish ... please go try the crispy pan-fried whole flounder at the Nice Restaurant on East Broadway ... with a bottle of chilled sauvignon blanc! ... for a balanced Cantonese meal, order the Beijing pork-chops ... the shrimps with garlic chives, pea shoot tips in garlic ... beef and scallions ... and a bowl of the complimentary "house" soup ...
35 East Broadway, between Catherine and Market Streets, 212-406-9510 [Citysearch]
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Hainan Chicken at Sanur
Last Saturday, we enjoyed a delicious plate of Hainan chicken at Sanur ...
... in addition to a plate of the best roti canai in NYC ... a bowl of laksa ... Hokkien noodle soup ... and fried stuffed bean curd ... all types of Nyonya street-hawker food ... yummy ...
Sanur, 18 Doyers Street, 212-267-0088
post by Peter
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Impressionist & Modern Art - at Christie's
Calling all art lovers ... Clear your calender for this wonderful exhibition! ... "Impressionist & Modern Art (Evening Sale)" auction, November 1, 2005, 7:00 pm ... open for viewing October 28-November 1, 2005 ... at Christie's Rockefeller Plaza location ...
- Sale 1570, Lot 11, Henri Matisse (1869-1954), Les marguerites, 1919
- Sale 1570, Lot 16, Claude Monet (1840-1926), Route à Louveciennes, effet de neige
- Sale 1570, Lot 7, Edgar Degas (1834-1917), La danse espagnole
- Sale 1570, Lot 3, Auguste Rodin (1840-1917), L'éternel printemps, premier état, taille originale, variante
- Sale 1570, Lot 22, Claude Monet (1840-1926), Nymphéas
Christie's, 20 Rockefeller Plaza, 212-636-2000
Please note that links to auction items usually stop working within 30 days after the auction concludes ...
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Julie and Julia - not all enthusiastic
Too Many Chefs says about "Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen" by Julie Powell ... "Julia, Si! Julie? No." ...
Blogging has clearly been very good to Ms. Powell. She received a reported six-figure advance on the book and has a movie option as well. You'd think she'd be pretty up on the food blogging world, wouldn't you?I'm a terrible blogger and a terrible citizen of the blogosphere. I'm going to get in a lot of trouble, but the truth is, I actually find most food blogs really boring. I try to look at other people's blogs and they have pretty pictures and they're so proud -- but really, I just don't care. I don't know anything about that person, and I don't know why it's important to them. Food in itself becomes just a mass of prejudices and snobbery and everyone looks like a prat when they write about food.
Source: Salon Premium interview link
And so a "star" forgets "the little people". Ms. Powell, maybe you're unable to appreciate the appeal of food blogs, but there seem to be plenty of people who disagree with you. (And what's up with the word "prat", anyway? You're from Long Island City, not London.)
via Mona's Apple
we haven't read the book ...
Prague, The Crown of Bohemia, 1347–1437 - at the Met
Charles IV sought to make his capital city - Prague - the cultural rival of Paris and Rome. The remarkable flowering of art that resulted is being celebrated in an exhibition that draws together some 200 stunning examples including panel paintings, goldsmiths' work, illuminated manuscripts, sculpture, silk embroideries, and stained glass. These little-known masterpieces attest to the wide-ranging achievements of the hundreds of artists affiliated with Prague and the Bohemian crown during the reign of Charles IV and his two sons, Wenceslas IV and Sigismund. The exhibition draws on numerous collections in the Czech Republic as well as other European and American collections.
Attributed to Master Theodoric
Prague
Paint and gold on panel; 45 1/4 x 37 in. (115 x 94 cm)
Národní Památkovy Ustav, Uzemni Odborné Pracoviště Střednich Čech, Prague
We saw this very enlighting exhibition of art history last Sunday ... this is a "must see" for every visitor to NY ...
"Prague, The Crown of Bohemia, 1347–1437," September 20, 2005 – January 3, 2006, Special Exhibition Galleries, The Tisch Galleries, 2nd floor, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue, at 82nd Street
- "Bohemian rhapsody in NYC," by Deanna MacDonald, The Globe and Mail, October 1, 2005
- " A Special Exhibition Review," by Stan Parchin, Art History, about.com
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Best value for Beijing "hot-and-sour" soup - Fried Dumpling
the best value for Beijing "hot-and-sour" soup ... I vote for the Fried Dumpling at Allen Street ... $1.50 for a full plastic container ... also, their fried sesame bread and fried spring rolls, 50 cents each ... one can never go hungry in the Big Apple ... lunch or dinner for under $5.00! ...
Fried Dumpling, 99 Allen Street, between Delancey and Broome Streets, 212-941-9975 [Citysearch]
AGINY Good Value
post by Peter
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"umbrella etiquette"
Cake Or Death? is giving lessons in "umbrella etiquette" ...
Vincent van Gogh: The Drawings - at the Met
The first major American retrospective devoted to Van Gogh's decadelong achievement as a draftsman, featuring more than 100 of his finest works in pen and ink, graphite, chalk, charcoal, and watercolor.These graphic images, lent by the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and from 50 other public and private collections, brilliantly illustrate Vincent's own dictum: "Drawing is the root of everything."
Cypresses, 1889
Oil on canvas; 93.4 x 74 cm (36 3/4 x 29 1/8 in.)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Rogers Fund, 1949 (49.30)
I went to see this exhibition last Thursday and I was so happy ... what a great artist ... we are so fortunate to see such a retrospective in one place! ... I went back with Angela on Friday ...
"Vincent van Gogh: The Drawings," October 18, 2005 – December 31, 2005, Special Exhibition Galleries, 2nd floor, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue, at 82nd Street
- "Van Gogh: Expressive With a Brush, or a Pen," by Carol Vogel, The New York Times, October 11, 2005
- "Scribble Scribble: How Van Gogh rendered his flickery world in the hard lines of pen and ink," by Mark Stevens, New York, October 24, 2005
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"The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow"
Although its run at the Atlantic Theater Company is over, we saw "The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow" last week ... the acting was straight and to the point ... excellent staging and props ... very thoughtful and well written ...
"The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow," by Rolin Jones [New York]
SAFE: Design Takes On Risk - at MoMA
Just in time for the wave of catastrophes plaguing our fragile planet, some top designers unveil a series of aesthetically pleasing objects that could be handy in dangerous situations, from the banal to the apocalyptic. . . . Directly inside the entrance to the exhibit stands a paper home that could withstand the huffing and puffing of the breathiest big bad wolf. Two people can assemble the fire-resistant Global Village Shelter in 15 minutes, unfolding it like a giant work of origami.
"Designer Gear for the Apocalypse," by Aaron Dalton, Wired News, October 17, 2005
From MoMA:
SAFE: Design Takes On Risk, the first major design exhibition at MoMA since its reopening in November 2004, presents more than 300 contemporary products and prototypes designed to protect body and mind from dangerous or stressful circumstances, respond to emergencies, ensure clarity of information, and provide a sense of comfort and security. These objects address the spectrum of human fears and worries, from the most mundane to the most exceptional, from the dread of darkness and loneliness to the threat of earthquakes and terrorist attacks.
SAFE: Design Takes On Risk, MoMA, October 16, 2005 - January 2, 2006, 11 West 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, 212-708-9400
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Delicious Whole Fish - J.M. Family Noodle Restaurant
for delicious whole fish ... I suggest the J.M. Family Noodle Restaurant for their pan-fried flounder ... the delicate flounder is so tender that one can eat the crispy dorsal fins and fish tail!!! ... or ginger/scallion steamed flounder ... whole fish ... I took a whole gang of friends there on Sunday night ... Maria, visiting from Costa Rica raved about the whole steamed flounder ... the restaurant's secret is that they are located next door to a fish market ...
J.M. Family Noodle Restaurant also creates delicious stir-fried spinach, water-cress or Chinese broccoli with garlic ... very fresh silky tofu and shrimps ... eggplant with garlic sauce besides their wonton noodle soups, thousand-year old egg and roast pork congee, and ginger/scallion lo-mein ...
J.M. Family Noodle Restaurant, 19 Henry Street, between Catherine and Market Streets, 212-571-2440 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
post by Peter
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The mums haven't bloomed yet ...
A Guy In New York at the Conservatory Garden in Central Park ... the mums have not bloomed yet ...
Conservatory Garden, east side of Central Park, from 104th-106th Streets, enter at Fifth Avenue and 105th Street, or 106th Street gate inside Park
post by Peter
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Robot parties!
BoingBoing has a post on Robot Village ... "New boutique for robophiliacs opens in NYC" ... robot parties ... robot rentals ... robot classes ... robot toys ... we want a window crawling Tarantula:
... and we all know someone who could benefit from having a few hundred of these around ...
Robot Village, 252 West 81st Street, 212-799-7626
Consistently good Vietnamese restaurant - Cong Ly
went for a quick dinner at a Vietmanese restaurant on Centre Street before the play last week ... Nha Thrang had very good reviews but the food was a disappointment ... too sweet and no taste of chili, lime or cilantro ... the Vietnamese spring rolls were not fresh and I suspect they were re-fried ... the restaurant looked very bad ...
a consistently good Vietnamese restaurant is Cong Ly ... next to the bus-stop for the $15 bus to Boston ... a cheap bowl of pho and a cheap fare to Boston for all the Ivy League students ... only in the Big Apple ... Angela loves the Xe Lua Pho rice nodle soup for $5.00, the Bun Bo Hue beef soup with vermicelli for $5.00, and the Che Ba Mau (rainbow ice with coconut milk dessert) for $2.00 ... I enjoy the Bun Thit Heo Nuong (grilled pork with rice noodles) for $4.50 ... and Cha Gio (Vietnamese spring rolls) 8 rolls for $6.00 ... sorry, I did not take any photos ... 124 Hester Street, at Chrystie Street, 212-343-1111 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
post by Peter
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Big Apple Blog Festival - October 17, 2005
This week's Big Apple Blog Festival is hosted by Englishman in New York. Some samples follow:
Welcome to the first EiNY-hosted Big Apple Blog Festival -- a round-up of the best New York bloggers had to offer during the wettest week in 102 years when broken $3 umbrellas clogged city sewer gates. A dark, damp seven days during which:
Tessa at NYC Metblogs got mugged by a Fresh Direct [food] delivery man.
Yanks fan and Sox fan provide a list of excuses after their dismal showing.
Baby frustration spilled over in the messageboards at Dailyslope. "It all started innocently enough, with Carnivore suggesting that aggressive baby-pushers install "cow catchers" on the front of their monster-strollers before they begin plowing down 7th Avenue [in Brooklyn]."
See this week's BABF for much more.
Next week's BABF will be hosted by mister snitch!
To nominate your favorite blog post for the next BABF, send your nomination to aguyinnewyork AT gmail.com
Classic subway photo
Express Train has a classic subway photo ... Union Square ~ 6:42pm ...
Mugged by Fresh Direct Delivery Driver
Tessa at NYC Metroblog reports ... "I just got mugged by my Fresh Direct Delivery Guy. It's true. And I'm not talking metaphorically about the delivery fee. My Fresh Direct delivery guy mugged me." ... hope she called the police ...
How old are you?
we like this joke ... adding The Anonymous Blogger to our list of NYC blogs ...
I just finished Yom Kippur services, and I even noticed this attitude with our rabbi, who is a transplanted native Californian. He peppers his sermons with jokes. My favorite from today was this: a boy goes to his grandmother and asks what her age is. She responds "I'm holding at 39". He then asks, "What age would you be if you let go?"
The Anonymous Blogger, October 13, 2005
Mothers flying all over the globe
Our mothers are flying all over the globe ... this morning, my girlfriend spoke with her mother who is visiting Hangchou, China from Costa Rica ... I spoke with my mother who is visiting her Hungarian sister in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from Malaysia (her flight was delayed because of the bad weather and she arrived very late, but safe and sound) ...
Saturday catblogging
Loco and Luca ... can sleep anywhere ...
Life in the City is good ... our very own mid-Fifties modern "Eiffel" chair ... and my brother to keep me warm! ...
