May 2006 Archives
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What is it worth? - The Appraisal Business
The last few lines of an article in the NYT explains very well the appraisal business, which tries to answer the question, "What is it worth?" ...
For Michael Ochs, sharing his collection of rock 'n' roll photographs with the occasional stranger is his passion, but sharing it with millions is his life. Over the last 30 years the Michael Ochs Archives has grown to become the premier source of musician photography in the world, every day licensing shots of hayseeds and headbangers to illustrate books (about half of recent rock 'n' roll books have included photos from the collection), dress up documentaries (like Martin Scorsese's recent PBS feature on Bob Dylan) and otherwise adorn television programs and feature films (in "Ray," session sets were based on images from the Ochs Archives).
...
With tips from industry friends, he would save troves of photographs from labels going under, occasionally rushing to empty file cabinets before the wrecking balls arrived. (Once, when he arrived too late, he researched which garbage trucks went to which city dump.) As Mr. Ochs became more prominent in the field, music insiders made sure extra material would be sent his way. Similarly, several retired and aging photographers, rather than throwing the material out, turned to Mr. Ochs to give their work a proper, permanent home.
"They Had Faces Then: An Archive Keeps Stars Ever Young," by Alan Schwarz, The New York Times, May 28, 2006
Post by Peter
Big Apple Blog Festival (BABF) - May 29, 2006
Welcome to the Big Apple Blog Festival (BABF), an unrepresentative roundup of posts submitted by NYC bloggers ... to submit your favorite blog post about NYC, or if you have a NYC blog and want to see something in the next BABF ... use the Carnival Submit Form ...
The Big Apple Blog Festival likes to go on tour ... if you have a NYC blog or you blog about NYC and would like to host a BABF, let us know ... The BABF appears irregularly ...
- we added a new food blog, Word of Mouth ... check it out
- GrrlScientist presents Rigor Vitae: Life Unyielding posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, "A review of a gorgeous book full of nature-art, and this review including some stunning images as well."
- Chris asked us to check out Savory New York and its accompanying blog, Savory Tidbits ... and you should, too ...
- Mrs Mogul is homesick for NYC ...
- GrrlScientist presents Audubon's Aviary posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, "A review of the New York Historical Society's showing of 40 of Audubon's original watercolors, 'Audubon's Aviary'."
- muse presents That's not New York, C.S.I. posted at me-ander ... and also Best school? ...
- don't know how we overlooked Carmen's request to add A Chocolate Tour of New York to our food blogs ... we've fixed that ... the blog name that makes your mouth water ...
- Gerry asked us, twice, to let everyone know that "TrueGotham.com is the blog of Douglas Heddings, Founder of The Heddings Property Group, LLC, and a Senior Vice President of Prudential Douglas Elliman. The focus of TrueGotham.com is New York City real estate. I help Mr. Heddings run TrueGotham.com" ... we admire persistence ...
- GrrlScientist presents Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted): Club George posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, "a review of the book describing the adventures of a man who met and fell in love with an audacious red-winged blackbird, George."
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The Big Apple Blog Festival is listed on the ÜberCarnival page and in Carnival News.
To submit your favorite blog post about NYC, or if you have a NYC blog and want to see something in the next BABF ... use the Carnival Submit Form ...
You are free to repost the Big Apple Blog Festival so long as you leave this URL attached: BigAppleBlogFestival.com
Technorati Tags: big apple, big apple blog festival, New York, NYC, New York City, Manhattan
Soft-shell crabs
Yesterday, I purchased 3 plump and juicy soft-shell crabs from a Chinese super-market at White Plains, for $2.50 each. The first for this season.
Heat canola oil in warmed pan, add garlic and paprika-salt, add a crab at a time, I hate to watch them make their final wriggles. After a few minutes, turn them over and viola. I made a bed of bean-sprouts with cilantro.
Kam Sen Asian Market, 22 Barker Avenue, White Plains, NY, 914-428-4500
"Chinatown for suburbia," by Julia Bonar, The Journal News, March 1, 2006
Saturday catblogging
Luca wondering what is in that bag ... "I'll bet there is tuna fish in there" ...
Life in the City is good ... why is that bag moving? ...
Technorati Tags: catblogging
This Week in NYC Reviews - May 26, 2006
Each Friday, A Guy In New York publishes "This Week in NYC Reviews (TWIR)," with quick links to New York City restaurant reviews and mentions from the previous seven days in blogs, magazines, and newspapers.
Also see our roundup of Michelin 1, 2 and 3 star restaurants with links to reviews ...
For DC restaurant reviews, see This Week in DC Reviews at Hobnob Blog, and Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide ....
NYC Restaurant inspection results online
- Forbes gave 3 Green GOs to Philippe: "exquisite and unusual jade dumplings, great Singapore noodles, divine filet mignon and delectable Peking duck ... very expensive" (previous review: Moira Hodgson (TWIR, February 3, 2006)), web site, 33 East 60th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues, 212-644-8885 [MenuPages | NY Mag | Gayot | Citysearch] ... La Focaccia: "be sure to try the mushroom polenta" 51 Bank Street, at West 4th Street, 212-675-3754 [MenuPages | NYT | openlist | Yelp | Citysearch] ... Roberto Passon: "a charming spot at which to eat absolutely first-rate Italian fare before or after the theater." (previous review: Moira Hodgson (TWIR, Sept. 23, 2005)), web site (Flash and music), 741 Ninth Avenue, at 50th Street, 212-582-5599 [MenuPages | NY Mag | Village Voice | Yelp | Citysearch]
- foodite has no complaints about the food at Chickpea ... but reports that the service is sloooooooowwwwww ... web site, 210 East 14th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, 212-254-9500
- Robert Sietsema says the bean curd at En Japanese Brasserie "is indeed wonderful." ... "aji sashimi ($15) was the most remarkable special, a horse mackerel rearing up from a bed of ice, the flesh laid out in planks and curls along the length of its gray glinting body. And it's eyes were as clear as any in the former Fulton Fish Market." ... web site (Flash and music) 435 Hudson Street, 212-647-9196 [Citysearch]
- Peter Meehan says Jerk City "serves exceedingly moist jerk chicken, infused with and crusted in an aromatic, lightly sweet and assertively spicy jerk seasoning" ... 3402 Church Avenue, at 34th Street, Flatbush, Brooklyn, 718-941-3800
- Adam Platt gave 3 stars to Dona ... "the almond-crusted prawns and the octopus, which was simmered in red wine and served in little candy-size nuggets with peaches and salty wafers of crisped guanciale [is] exceptional" ... "The pastas are probably the weakest part of the menu" ... the "buttery, heavily truffled reprise of the tiresomely fashionable Florentine dumplings called gnudi drew gasps of wonder from the assembled gastronomes at my table and are, in fact, worth a special trip." ... web site, 208 E. 52nd Street, near Third Avenue, 212-308-0830 [Diners Journal | NY Mag | Citysearch]
- Gael Greene declares that the burger at Barmarché "is a juicy triumph" ... but says the food is "Not worth a long trip perhaps, but in tune with the hood." ... web site, 14 Spring Street, at Elizabeth Street, 212-219-2399 [MenuPages | NYT | Village Voice | openlist | Yelp | Citysearch]
- Andrea Thompson reviews Morimoto and Buddakan ... Buddakan: "At Buddakan, on the other hand, nothing could mitigate the unpleasantly garish atmosphere. The upstairs lounge is clogged with slick-haired men doused in cologne and young, look-alike women" ... (previous reviews: Frank Bruni (TWIR, March 24, 2006), Augieland (TWIR, March 10, 2006)) ... 75 9th Avenue, between 15th and 16th Streets, 212-989-6699 [MenuPages | Citysearch] ... Morimoto: "How much Morimoto actually contributes to putting food on the plate is unclear, but the kitchen deserves praise. The Japanese-fusion menu has its low moments: a tuna-pizza appetizer paired oddly tasteless, almost mushy fish with an unappealing anchovy aioli." ... (previous reviews: Frank Bruni (TWIR, March 24, 2006), David Rosen and Mona's Apple (TWIR, March 3, 2006), Steve Cuozzo and Augieland (TWIR, February 17, 2006), Augieland (TWIR, February 10, 2006), Augieland (TWIR, February 3, 2006)) ... web site, 88 10th Avenue, between 15th and 16th Streets, 212-989-8883 [MenuPages | NY Mag | Citysearch]
- Frank Bruni gave 1 star to Sascha ... and uses old emails to "write" the review ... web site, 55 Gansevoort Street, at 9th Avenue, 212-989-1920 [Urban Daddy | NY Mag | Gayot | Citysearch]
- The Bruni Digest looks at Frank Bruni's recent cross country trip ... and imagines Frank as "a pampered diner, my diet richer in squab and poorer in chili dogs than most Americans'.” ...
- Veal Cheeks says his lunch at Roberto's "was hardly distressing, but the main course specials were undistinguished" ... "Entrees were moist flubs" ... "[Veal Scallopine] edged toward the sloppy and gloppy" ... 603 Crescent Avenue, near Arthur Avenue, Bronx, 718-733-9503 [NYT | NY Mag | Village Voice | Citysearch]
- Andrea Strong reviews Sfoglia ... "Pastas are also just plain old wonderful—they are truly al dente, firmer than most pastas in town. Capers are the high note in a glorious ragu of Apuglian lamb and tossed with chickpeas that coats pinky-finger sized ricotta cavatelli" ... web site, 1402 Lexington Avenue, at 92nd Street, 212-831-1402 [MenuPages | NYT]
- The Hedonista looks at toy food ...
- NYC nosh says the Golden King Bakery serves "traditional Chinese pastry-light spongey cakes, vegetable and meat buns, and a variety of sweet-ish rolls" ... did not like the steamed pork bun ... 92 Bowery, 212-680-0138 ... and sings the praises of Cincinnati’s Aglamesis Brothers ice cream and chocolates ... web site, 3046 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH, 513-531-5196 [Citysearch]
- Twenty bucks a day continues in his quest to try all the places on Tom Sietsma's 100 best and most inexpensive list ... wanted the chicken in palm oil at Fatima, but "ended up with the proprietor-recommended hacked up fish parts in a red-brown sauce (it had a little kick) with the most enormous plate of rice I’ve ever seen" ... "The sauce was excellent and the rice was fine - I’m just not that wild about bone-in fish chopped into large chunks" ... 789 Franklin Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-221-8681 [Village Voice | Citysearch]
- pushcart NYC recommends Moshie's Falafel cart on the SE corner of 46th Street and 6th Avenue ... "sit down to eat, and take the time to savor the complex layering of flavors" ...
- Slashfood is inspired by KFC's Cheesy Chicken Mashed Potato Bowl ... and comes up with several variations ... we like "The Bachelor Bowl: base of microwave pizza, then leftover Chinese take-out, then salsa, finally finished by whatever's still in the 'Crisper' drawer" ...
- slice has a pic of the "The coolest wedding reception EVER" ...
- snack plugged the Cans Film Festival ... "the Food Bank's three-day cinema event" ...
- Big Apple Dining Guide says the NY Culinary Festival was "The Story of a Disaster" ... "an awful event" ... "Truly the world's worst run event." ... but admits the food was "pretty good for the most part (of what I sampled)" ... and foodite agrees: "For the most part it was unexciting, unorganized, and most notably, not worth the $20 admission fee." ... The Girl Who Ate Everything: "If you went to the festival just to eat, your $20 were wasted" ... lovescool "was shocked at the lack of organization and selection of food vendors. Despite a few bright spots, the event was one that left more people disappointed than full" ... NY Culinary Festival web site ...
- Augieland reviews the bar food at Eleven Madison Park ... the Gougères "deserve to keep their place on the bar menu" ... the "Smoked Salmon Brioche and Horseradish Cream [is] a good, solid dish that plays on the lighter side of the menu" ... and the "Grilled Cheese Pork Belly and Gruyère Réserve [are] wonderfully tender, rich, and generally succulent. An order is five tea-sized sandwiches, but the sumptuousness made one or two enough" ... web site, 11 Madison Avenue, at 24th Street, 212-889-0905 [MenuPages | NYT | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch] ... gave Home 320 habitationillian stars and described it as "A humble neighborhood place you can stop by in your commuting clothes, sit down, and have a well prepared meal much like the one you would have made yourself had time and energy been on your side." ... web site, 20 Cornelia Street, at 6th Avenue, 212-243-9579 [NYT | NY Mag | openlist | Gayot | Yelp | Citysearch] ... and gave 471 brokerillian stars to Harry's Steak ... "Dry Aged NY Strip on the Bone: Aged in-house 28 days, this was a decent steak with nice browning, not overly charred. There were both sweetness and richness, good salt and pepper, and no need to do much more to this than apply a knife and fork." ... "If there are three levels of steak house in New York, on its first night Harry’s was solidly at the top of the middle -- far better than many, and only subjugated to a few." ... 97 Pearl Street, 212-785-9200 [MenuPages]
- megnut's recent dinner at Eleven Madison Park didn't start out too well: "no bread nor water nor even server for nearly fifteen minutes" ... but things improved: "The third amuse, and best presentation of anything I'd seen in a long time, was a beet and apple forest. Two kinds of beets and apples, carved into cylinders of various lengths, were standing on end, nestled together. Delicious and so artfully assembled, this was the highlight of the meal for me" ...
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Did we miss your favorite review?
Let us know: aguyinnewyork [at] gmail.com ... we're especially interested in hearing about mom and pop places from NYC bloggers ...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.
Technorati Tags: New York, NYC, Manhattan, restaurants, restaurant reviews, this week in reviews, week in reviews
New blog, new books, This Week in Reviews
Posting has been light at A Guy In New York the last few months as Chug has been working on some large projects and Peter has been very busy with his appraisal business.
But now we see light at the end of the tunnel...
Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide is now in blog format.
Next month, Chug will publish two new books and a new poster:
- "Legislative Drafter's Deskbook: A Practical Guide," by Tobias Dorsey, ISBN 1587330156, is getting rave reviews
- "Real World Research Skills: An Introduction to Factual, International, Judicial, Legislative, and Regulatory Research," by Peggy Garvin, ISBN 1587330075, is also getting rave reviews
- "Federal Regulatory Process Poster," by Ken Ackerman, will also be ready in June
Our weekly "This Week in NYC Reviews (TWIR)" will be back soon ...
Saturday catblogging
Loco looking blase ... "Just one more step pal, then SWAT!" ...
Life in the City is good ... my claws are registered as deadly weapons ...
Technorati Tags: catblogging
American Musical Theater Concert - FREE this weekend
The American Musical Theater Concert at the Manhattan School of Music, has a very exciting show this Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm each night.
Stephen Schwartz Revue: Defying Gravity. Ms Carolyn Marlow, directing. I have been going to this concert for the past five years and they are so very good, singing and acting all the Broadway show tunes.
Free concert, no tickets required.
Manhattan School of Music, 601 West 122nd Street, northwest corner of Broadway and 122nd Street, Concert Office: 917-493-4428 (directions)
Saturday catblogging
Loco on alert ... that dust bunny is so caught ...
Life in the City is good ... now that we've caught all the mice ... I'm reduced to chasing red laser dots and dust bunnies ... can't help myself ...
Technorati Tags: catblogging
Google's most expensive words
CyberWyre used Google's Keyword Tool to find the most expensive words in the Google program. Looking at the entire list of the top 300, it's dominated by personal injury lawyers, auto insurance agents, and lasik centers.
Here are the top 25. The figures are in Canadian dollars.
$78.30 chicago personal injury lawyer
$73.01 chicago personal injury attorney
$69.17 lasik new york city
$64.27 new york personal injury lawyer
$64.17 new jersey car insurance
$63.10 new york personal injury attorney
$61.64 chicago personal injury lawyers
$61.17 mesothelioma lawyers
$60.74 atlanta personal injury lawyer
$60.29 new york personal injury lawyers
$59.00 lasik dallas
$58.68 new york personal injury lawyers
$58.38 miami personal injury attorney
$58.25 what is mesothelioma
$58.08 best equity loan
$57.95 lasik new york
$56.88 whole life insurance quote
$56.75 new york car insurance
$56.55 the lasik vision institute
$56.40 what is mesothelioma
$55.98 mesothelioma attorneys
$55.39 peritoneal mesothelioma
$54.81 new york personal injury attorney
$53.74 lasik nyc
$53.46 whole life insurance quotes
Yankee Fog has put together some poems and limericks using the words. We like "A Song Parody On The Theme of 'Lasik New York City'"
Hat tip to BoingBoing
Summer on the Hudson - lots of free fun
FREE
Summer on the Hudson is gearing up for its 6th season of free cultural and recreational events in Riverside Park South. This summer we have a great line-up of world class musicians for Acoustic Sundays, river themed movies for Movies Under the Stars, special all-day events, including the 1st Annual Main Squeeze Accordion Festival on July 8th, plenty of activities and events for kids, including Mamapalooza on May 21st, plus, yoga, pilates and kayaking.
- Calendar of upcoming events
- Riverside Park South is located on the Hudson River from 62nd to 72nd Street (enter park at 72nd or 68th Street)
Saturday, June 10, 2006, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: The Rail Yard History of Riverside Park South, Riverside Park South - Pier I @ 70th Street
Saturday, July 8, 2006, 2:00 pm - 9:00 pm: 1st Annual NYC Main Squeeze Accordion Festival
Sunday, July 9, 2006, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm: Acoustic Sundays - Metropolitan Klezmer
Wednesday, July 12, 2006, 8:30 pm - 11:00 pm: Movies Under the Stars - On the Waterfront
Wednesday, July 26, 2006, 8:30 pm - 11:00 pm: Movies Under the Stars - The African Queen
AGINY Recommended
Saturday catblogging
Luca loves blue ...
Life in the City is good ... and this rug looks good under me ...I need a matching collar ...
Technorati Tags: catblogging
"Gas crisis"
The gas “crisis” reappears for the summer driving season, right on cue. Washington is naturally “shocked” at the obvious market manipulation and price gouging, and politicians stand in line for photo-ops at local gas stations, venting their righteous indignation and ignoring the fact that America has gone out of its way in the past to allow domestic drilling or the building of new oil refineries, so voila! Now they’re going to fix it with a rebate or some showy hearings where oil execs are lined up with their right hands raised (the ultimate photo-op).
It is all just too pathetically predictable to warrant serious comment. Our crisis is nothing more than the piling up of our consumer choices over the past several decades, our willingness to make investments within our own country (especially in refining), and this weird public sense we have that cheap gas is an American right.
So now the market corrects many of those assumptions with the same level of indifference we've long displayed on the subject. And politicians are going to make this process better somehow? Or are they just likely to confuse the issue, as they so often do?
"The gas 'crisis' won’t be solved by politicians," Thomas P.M. Barnett :: Weblog, May 5, 2006
Joe's Shanghai
The food at Joe's Shanghai in Flushing is very good and refined for a very simple reason ... pure Shanghai with no compromise because you are eating in the heart of Chinatown in Flushing ... their customers expect no less ... crab/pork soupy dumpling ... bowl of noodles with shrimps ... scallion pancake ... vegetables ...
Joe's Shanghai was superb, especially the crab and pork dumplings...one of the best Chinese meals I have had in the US...-- Tyler Cowen
Besides the crab/pork soupy dumplings, try the fish-head casserole, Lion's Head casserole, and pig shoulder stew ...
Joe's Shanghai, 13621 37th Avenue, Flushing, Queens, 718-539-3838 [NYT | NY Mag | Village Voice | openlist | Gayot | Yelp | Citysearch]
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Technorati Tags: New York, NYC, restaurants, restaurant reviews
Impressionist & Modern Art - Christie's
Exhibition of Impressionist paintings at Christie's, Rockefeller Centre, New York, tomorrow, 10:00 am - 12 noon ... worth a detour ...
Exhibition:
- Monday, May 1, 2006, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Tuesday, May 2, 2006, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Sale, No. 1655, May 2, 2006, 7:00 pm
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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