July 25, 2007
First, there is nothing that can compete with the view across Central Park. No matter how long one has lived in this town, one never tires of gazing out across acres of greens and commerce, industry and art.
The Lobby Lounge at the Mandarin Oriental features these fantastic views and a nicely designed (if not exquisitely priced) menu of lounge snack foods. But rather than pop in after work for wine and cheese, it is much more fun to pop in during the day for Afternoon Tea. First, there is a wide selection of teas, but if you decide on tea for two, go with a robust black tea and enjoy the savory treats & buttery sweets that follow. Gaze out the window and enjoy your freshly brewed tea, a canapé, a crumpet and your own personal dreamy vision of the Empire City. You can most definitely feel Empire from here.
Ignore the loud and brash hotel guests who live in Suburbia rather than Urbia, and who therefore think everyone in town wants to know that they are “traveling on business”. Ignore them, sip your tea, speak in an indoor voice to your companion and revel in the fact that there is such a place to enjoy.
Tags:
afternoon tea, Cnetral Park, great city views, Lobby Lounge, Mandarin Oriental
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Posted on 7/25/2007
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July 25, 2007
The sometimes labyrinthine streets of Chinatown, long known to cater to the Cantonese, have recently been upstaged by the explosion of Mandarin, Cantonese, Malaysian and other many other Asian eateries all over Flushing in Queens. It is not unusual to hear some one in this fine city say, “If you really want good Chinese, you have to go to Flushing.” I find that the Chinese of Chinatown are just as good as those of Flushing and I wish them all the best. As for food, both neighborhoods have great things to offer – one just has to know what one is looking for.
The problem is that, as more and more of Chinatown real esate gives over to tacky tourist shops, suspect “Thai” restos, bubble tea joints and fru-fru boutiques, it is not as easy as it once was to find good Peking duck, tender fish balls or well-prepared seasonal dishes.
When my dear friend Ms. Tz called me to announce that soft shell crab and pea shoots were to be had and in goodly portions, I had to accept her invitation. We headed to Baxter Street, to Hsin Wong, a mostly working-class eatery for the old school Cantonese.
There are menus on the table, and these do have English descriptions and the requisite sesame chicken dish, but the real food – the reason the Cantonese go there – is posted (in Chinese) on the walls.
Ms. Tz, who knows how to negotiate the twists and turns of Cantonese slang, procured a platter of soft-shell crab dressed with chopped fresh peppers and greens, a platter of sautéed pea shoots and a whole steamed fish. (We also had a small plate of roast duck to offset the two items from the sea – good luck, you know).
The crabs were perfectly prepared – crispy but not oily, seasoned but not over-salted, fragrant but not over-powering. For those of you who have never had pea shoots, you really must. These are the tender green shoots of the pea plant. They are a lovely and appetizing color of green, lightly flavored like fresh spring peas, and are not bitter. Ours were stir fried in sesame oil and garlic. We also had a perfectly prepared steamed fish – a sea bass served over a shallow sea of soy sauce and garlic and dressed in hot, fragrant oil. It was the most delicious fish I have had in a good long time.
While it is not necessary to speak Cantonese here (the staff can negotiate in English), it certainly does help to get to the bottom of the specials posted on the wall. Nevertheless, let the staff know that you are looking for something more than the usual urban lunch fare delivered to offices all over town.
This a great place to go with a friend for a middle of the week dinner, or to take out of town guests who want to experience Chinatown and whose palates are too sophisticated for sesame chicken and hot and sour soup.
Tags:
Chinatown, Hsin Wong, Ms Tz, pea shoots, soft shell crab, steamed fish
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Posted on 7/25/2007
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July 25, 2007
For those unfamiliar with Ethiopian food, this traditional venue offers a peek into the cuisine, and into a culture as steeped in history as it is mystery.
Note: If you have never had Ethiopian food before, it is best to go with someone who has. Otherwise, you may be taken aback by the dollops of stewed dishes plopped onto a single tray, or the lack of flatware, or the questionable cuts of meat. But it is well worth the exploration to taste the many traditional dishes on offer at Queen of Sheba. Many of the “wat” (stewed meat) dishes (generally beef, lamb and chicken) are flavored with a “berbere” or similar spice mixture. These savory combinations include ajowan seeds (similar to caraway), allspice, cardamom, dried chilies, cloves, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, ginger, nutmeg and peppercorns - all roasted and ground before being added to the stew. The vegetarian dishes are often lentil or millet-based, or feature dried peas. The injera bread is a sourdough variety of flatbread and is used to scoop up the mostly stewed dishes.
And although there is a full bar, the Ethiopian beer pairs well with the food. Remember, beer got its start in this part of the world thousands of years ago, so they have had a lot of time to practice getting it right.
Tags:
beer, berbere, Ethiopian, injera bread, Queen of Sheeba
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July 25, 2007
Those of us who love to read know that the modern incarnation of the “Bookstore” seems to be the virtual behemoth that exists only on-line, with selections almost as vast as the Library of Congress and that ever-tantalizing guilty pleasure: overnight home delivery.
Still, there are diehard bookstore lovers out there who seek, find and shop at the very best bookstores - Canio’s Books in Sag Harbor is one of their destinations.
More than a bookstore, Canio’s is also a literary meeting place, art gallery and event space.
Canio’s is dedicated to the arts and literature, to discussion and inspiration, to the local and the distant. With one of the largest poetry selections this side of 1969, Canio’s is a great place to hear, read and buy poetry.
Join the staff Canio's, along with fans and the crews of WPKMof Montauk,and WPKNof Bridgeport, CT, who will be broadcasting live from bookstore. One of our favorite poets, Sandy McIntosh, will be reading from his recent collection, 49 Guaranteed Ways to Escape Death.
Saturday, July 28th,6:00 P.M.
Canio’s Books 290 Main Street (Three miles north of BridgehamptonVillage, via the Sag Harbor/Bridgehampton Turnpike). Sag Harbor, NY11963 631- 725-4926.
http://www.caniosbooks.com
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Canios Books, poetry, Sab Harbor, Sandy McIntosh
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Posted on 7/25/2007
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July 19, 2007
Dojo is a college-kid hang out with a nicely designed interior, clean & tidy dining room, and an Asian-inspired menu. The prices here are fit for a student who will no doubt soon graduate at least 50K in debt, and thus the place is crowded with them for a greater part of the day.
The food can be very bland, so best to order anything that promises a little spice. The best dishes feature the least complicated list of ingredients.
A good place for a cheap brunch, or to watch the youth lovingly admiring Youth in their own personal mirrors. A good place for aspiring writers to eavesdrop on the current conversational slang.
Tags:
Dojo, NYU area
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Posted on 7/19/2007
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July 19, 2007
Ono, in the Hotel Gansevoort, has many things going for it: location, garden, interior design, eccentric service staff, talented sushi chefs, tables for groups of eight or more, something to remember New York by. It is what the current trend-watchers call “big box sexy”, “glitterati appealing”, “new urban”, and so on.
It is a big space, it is modern, and it does throb with the current vibe so popular in the Meatpacking district. There are also hundreds of things on the menu, as though a typical diner menu gone upscale madcap in a flurry of Asian ideas. To be sure, the sushi is good, and for anyone visiting the city, this is as good a spot as anyway to try something you can’t get back home. There is better sushi around town, but perhaps not with the kind of theater and color that one finds at Ono.
Go with a group of friends, splurge on the Surf-n-Turf, have a designer mixed drink, laugh as loud as you want. Then head outside to view the madness that is the nightlife in this part of town.
Tags:
Gansevoort, glitterati, Ono, sushi, trend setter, urban sexy
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Posted on 7/19/2007
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July 19, 2007
Dining Review: Metrazur
Location, location location! In this city, location is everything. For Grand Central - not so long ago made over from a decaying relic into the Grand Dame of the EmpireState - there is nothing so complimentary as a finely designed space with a product to match. Charlie Palmer has added a touch of elegance to what is otherwise a stone temple to the urban commute. While not a destination dining experience, Metrazur does offer fine Mediterranean inspired fare and a very pleasing wine list. This is a great after-work for a glass of wine and appetizers, for resting the feet after a day of sight-seeing, or for a business dinner. It is not hopping with the scantily clad youth that prowl the Meatpacking District, nor the glitterati that pervade the city from 14th to Wall Street. No, this a place where the better-heeled can sit in relative calm and enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Go here was a drink after work, with friends from out of town or with business associates trekking in from points north. Expensive for what it is, Metrazur nevertheless lets one breathe in the aromas of Capitalism without the kitsch. Caution: Lots of photo ops can make one feel like a victim of the paparazzi.
Tags:
after work, Charlie Palmer, glitterati, Grand Central, Metrazur New York
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Posted on 7/19/2007
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July 17, 2007
Each, year, Marsh Hawk Press awards one of the grandest prizes in poetry: $1,000 plus the publication of the winning book, a collection of poetry. The contest is judged by a poet of national stature, and the winner's name and the title of the winning book are announced nationally.
Not a bad deal!
This year, the winner is Karin Randolph, an ex-painter turned writer. She has had one-person shows of her art work in Chicago, New York and Germany. She was founder and editor of the poetry journal, Mind the Gap, which featured British and American poetry. Most recently she was a finalist in the 2007 National Poetry Series. This year, she celebrates her role as winner of the 2007 Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize for her manuscript Blitz.
Please join us at Biscuit BBQ in Park Slope Brooklyn as we celebrate this Grand Prize!
When? SUNDAY: July 29th, 6-8PM
Where? BISCUIT BBQ, 5th Avenue @ President, Park Slope, Brooklyn How to get there? N, R to Union Why go? Because this is a triple header of fun! And also, all aspiring poets will have a unique opportunity to speak directly to a prize winner, her editor, and the editor-in-chief.
What’s the Prize? Karin Randolph, an in vivo prize winner who will be giving us all a sneak preview of her upcoming collection.
What’s the Surprise? The editor of Karin Randolph’s new collection, Thomas Fink, will also be reading from his upcoming collection, Clarity and other Poems.
What’s the Reprise? Beloved poet Sandy McIntosh is back with us for the evening, and will be reading from his upcoming collection. Sandy is the Editor-in-Chief of Marsh Hawk Press.
This is an opportunity for all aspiring poets to speak directly to an editor and to a prize winner.
The Winner, the Editor, the Editor-in-Chief! What a Triad of Literary Opportunities!
Tags:
Biscuit BBQ, Brooklyn Poets, Karin Randolph, Marsh Hawk Press, Park Slope, Poetry, Poetry Contest, Poetry Readings New YOrk City, Sandy McIntosh, Thomas Fink
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Posted on 7/17/2007
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