Poetry Reading

Lucky me. I have talented friends. Allison Cobb and Jen Coleman are two friends from my EDF days in NYC. They live in Portland now and both were reading some of their poetry on the same night due to one poet having to drop out last minute. I went to Three Friends Coffee Shop to listen to Allison read from her book, Green-Wood and Allison read some of her unpublished work. Good evening with good friends.

Thank You

How cute is this? Seriously, I love this stuff. All you parents out there may not see the beauty but since I don't have kids of my own, I don't have colorful kid artwork plastered all over my refrigerator or spilling out of drawers and cabinets. I actually keep this stuff! And I actually like these expressions of creativity. Very kid-like and fun. As adults we forget the simple joys of coloring, using glue, playing with stickers, cutting out shapes from colored paper. Thanks, Chloe. I love your fish and bubbles. I love your handwriting - very nice and your 'e's are looking particularly good. This goes in my box of kid art along with a drawing of a dirty diesel truck (that one has stickers, too!), valentines, and a few creative stories. All of those little expressions of fun and love make me happy. Gifts that keep giving.

Paul and Leela visit Harlem

Harlem. Who wouldn't want to dress like this ? We walked down 125th St. and looped back to Grant's Tomb. The benches around that area were funtastical. We then hopped over to Riverside church and got caught up in the stained glass. We took a ride up to the 20th floor of the tower only to be kicked out by a security guard as Paul was trying to open a window so I could get a better photo. We didn't know it was a nesting perch for a redtail hawk.

Swung by Columbia University before grabbing a pastry at Silver Moon Bakery. I'm in love with their chocolate croissants. L&P are great walkers so we headed downtown via Central Park past the reservoir and Tavern on the Green. Sad that Tavern it will soon be closing.

Times Square & Rockefeller Center

After ICP, Paul, Leela and I headed to Times Square. We past a line of Model-T vintage Fords. Very neat. The crowds in Times Square weren't too bad but the line for TKTS was HUGE. I've never seen such a crowd but then I tend not to be in TS during the holidays or during morning half-price ticket rush. I recal standing in line with Dad once and I know it wasn't that long. Crazy, but good given so many shows are struggle.

I had tickets to see Ragtime on Jan. 9th but now those are useless. I'd seen the new production and just loved it. Guess historically set history lessons set to Joplin just doesn't bring 'em out like jukebox stuff like Jersey Boys.

After taking in all the retinal overload that is Times Square, we moseyed over to Rockefeller Center. Smart to enter from the northwest corner instead of 5th Ave. We swam upstream and I was able to get a good shot of the tree. I'm such a tourist when friends come visit.

Ex-Diss and Friend Bliss

Holy shit! An ex-boyfriend just tried to ignore me off as he walked to Penn Station. I just got back on the LIRR from Long Beach and was walking to the subway with my friend. I look up to see Tom walking straight towards me, eyes lock, recognition on both parts. He keeps on walking, right by me. I reactively break my conversation with Carol to say, "Hey that's Tom." to no one in particular and he hears this. He turns his head, not breaking his stride, to stumblingly say, "Got to catch a train." and he keeps on walking. I've just been hit by an ignore-excuse-and-run drive-by diss!

Afghan Yum and Run

Carol, Lisa and I went to Khyber Pass, an Afghan restaurant in St. Mark's. Comfy setting with maroon tapestries and pillows overflowing. We sat at a table, not the window floor seats. Teh place was rather empty around 8pm when we arrived. The waitress was helpful when asked for suggestions but nicely left us to our own with no annoying hovering or pressure to order.

Enjoyed a lovely selection of treats. Started with more of a dessert. The Boulanee Kadu consisted of fried pillows of sweet potato filling dusted with a sugar spritz. The yogurt dip helped smooth and calm the sweetness.

Carol has the Bouranee Badenjan, a nicely grilled eggplant with mint yogurt and spices. The edges of the eggplant were charred with a good flavor while the insides were soft yet not too mushy. The seasonings with their earthy accents didn't overwhelm the eggplant and its texture. The mint yogurt made this dish the standout for me as it brought the milky sour punch to the otherwise standard rounded, heavier flavors of typical eggplant recipes.

I had the Quorma Sabzee with lamb. It was good but the flavors didn't really distinguish. Instead of giving the dish a layered, exploratory experience of all the flavors, the taste was the same for each bit varying only the texture - meat flakes of lamb, soft spinach clumps, standard sauce. Perhaps the spinach could have been fresher. It as if it had been cooked or sat just a bit too long and all the flavors marinated into one note. But it was still a good one flavor.

Lisa has the Lubia Palow, a vegetarian entree of kidney beans in a tomato-based sauce with onions and spices. It worked nicely with brown rice given its more autumnal savory nature. Beans were perfect, no smushy-soft or hard ones. The sauce was spicy good.

Then the hookah pipes and teenage trash drove us out. There was one trampy 13 year old who came, a girlfriend and two boys in tow. She was a little Brittany wannabe dressing so whorish is seemed campy. I first mistook her micro-mini hot pink jean skirt for short shorts until she tried to ben and maneuver into the platform floor seating table in the front bay window. Well at least the view of her thong brings her up a notch from Lindsay. Her over-the-shoulder black tube top, wrapped around her neck into the boob-hugging main section, was soon wriggled off her neck and shoulder to reveal more flesh but strangely reducing the hooker appeal. Looking around the place at 10ish gives the impression that it is just a hookah place. Too much whore, hookah, and haze for me.

Surprise Visit

Lucky for me I decided to call Michelle. Turns out she was just leaving San Antonio heading home and was right near the exit for my parents' home. Chloe and Leila joined her in a quick visit. So good to catch up and play a little silly juggle ball with C.

Walkin' and Watchin'

Lisa came up to the Upper West Side to spend a lazy sunny Sunday with me. Started out with a nice breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien on 72nd - simple soft boiled egg with their great bread selection accompanied by hot chocolate. Their hot chocolate is the best, not too sweet and super smooth. They bring you a warm nowl of milk in which you drizzle the melted chocolate, stirring it into the milk yourself. The milk is served with a slight foam so the chocolate lays beautifully on top of the foam, making whatever pattern you'd like on the surface until you decide to whisk it into the cup - YUM. 

We walked through the rambles and various other places on my side of Central Park. The snow and icy walks didn't stop the tourists from picture taking at The Dakota and around the IMAGINE mosaic near Strawberry Fields - which, btw, doesn't have any strawberry plants and really can't be called a field, more like a patch of grass among foliage and a rock outcrop. The most fun was sliding on the Bow Bridge. Kid fun! Since there wasn't a line AND they had tables in the sunny sidewalk atrium, we stopped in to have a Shack Burger at my neighborhood Shake Shack - I love you Danny Meyer! $4.75 for a meaty piece of lusciousness. 

Afterwards we just hung out at my apartment watching two classically fun and funny DVDs - Ratatouille and Monsters, Inc.. Pixar is truly amazing and creatively talented. They always get the story right which keeps even the adults entertained. And I am constantly wowed at their advances in animation with each new film. Just watch the sewer and water-rushing sequences in Ratatouille to see some very, very impressive fluid dynamics that could make your head swim when you realize it is all animated.  Wow!

Di Fara Pizza

Trekked out to Brooklyn's Ave. J to see if Di Fara lives up to its reputation as the best pizza in New York. I'd like to take credit for this brilliant idea but it was my foodie explorer friend, Gwen, who suggested the idea. Brilliant idea!

Chaos at the counter. There really doesn't seem to be order, rhyme or reason to the queue process. It sort of has a mobbish piling sort of energy but everyone is rather civil. I grabbed two seats at one corner while Gwen waited to order a whole pie - mushroom - to stay. She picked up four of those cute little 8 oz cokes in the old fashion bottles and we waited, and waited, but oh, it was so worth it.

Or pie arrived, after a few false alarms, and the zen moment begins. It starts of with the adoring gazes from the crowd at the counter, all bowed in reverence to the pizza laid out before them awaiting final preparations. Domenico De Marco leans over our pizza and lovingly sprinkles on the herb, drizzles the olive oil, grates some parmesan, and using the world's best pizza slicer to cut the pie into eight slices of heaven. And he does this with, as my Gwen perfectly described, "wax-on, wax-off" skill that decodes of practices has reduced to perfection of not only skill but of execution. Wow. I'd go again just to see the man in action.

I savor the thin crust, the tomatoes bursting with flavor, the fresh and flavorful mushrooms all enhanced by the herbs, buffalo mozzarella and olive oil. Best dang pizza I've had since Italy. And now I can admit there is one more reason to venture out to Brooklyn. Thanks, Gwen.

Dovetail Brunch

yummyinthetummyblog

The Upper West Side is blooming in the brunch business. There are traditional standbys like Sarabeth's, Isabella's, and Cafe Luxembourg but some upscale restaurants like are now serving a very nice brunch for those wishing to relax and indulge the palate. 

Dovetail is secretly tucked away on 77th right around the corner from Columbus Ave's AMNH and Danny Meyer's newly opened Shake Shack. I've been for dinner and loved the choices and refinement that the clean, simple space provides. Under the harsher glare of daylight, and without the softness of dimmed lighting, the oak tables and grass-green upholstered chairs take me back to the décor of a 1970s Denny's diner. Not my style but some may enjoy the retro feel. Luckily I'm more interested in the food, and both John Fraser and Vera Tong deliver.

The brunch menu is truly impressive offering traditional staples like steak and eggs, slight variations on themes with crab benedict and fun adventures like shirred eggs with truffles. To start the day off right, we had some of Vera's fabulous pastries - a savory corn top with perfect buttery edged crispness, an onion focaccia, and a sweet crumb muffin. Next was a sampling of canapés - yogurt parfait, parsnip soup, cucumber tea sandwich, and a duck meatball. They were amusing, my favorite being the parfait topped with granola crunch and a sour zing provided by the pomegranate seeds. 

Next up was an amazing spread of selections. The first smell that caught my attention was the truffles beautifully shaved and generously topping the shirred eggs. Fabulous earth flavor. The cavatelli with duck goulash was richly topped with a freshly poached hen's eggs, perhaps a little under-poached but since it was so fresh, I'd rather have it served that way then overcooked. The patty melt madame was one of my favorite, balancing the lean and succulent vela burger with egg and provolone smartly layered over a bed of bread cubes seasoned and flavored with a light vinegar flavor allowing the acidity to nicely cut through the richness of the egg and veal. Yummy balance. What really surprised me was the french toast. I'm not a sweets person but this was superb, more and interpretation of a bread pudding. The airy and soft center of the french toast melted in my mouth while the crusted edge was crunchy perfection. Accompanying apples were tasteful and flavorful, not overcooked or overly spiced, allowing the apple essence to shine through. Just a drizzle of maple syrup was just right; we only used half that served. A side of thickly cut Nueske's bacon complemented the main courses nicely. And we finished off with a luscious assortment of Vera's desserts. The palate cleanser of aloe with a touch of rose petal was divine. Who knew aloe could taste so fresh and lovely? Balanced and wonderful - one of the best ways to spend a Sunday in New York.

Saying Goodbye to 2008!

Welcome to my lame attempt at one of those yearly wrap-ups. I’m not sure if this is a unique experience, but when faced with the prospect of writing about what I did over the last year and what I was grateful for, I draw a blank, expect on the biggies that happened. There was fun in the dark at the Seattle International Film Festival, my first Orca pod sighting in the San Juan’s (whose name still confuses me as I think of the Caribbean), and beauty among cacti in Arizona. Some things, like the Orcas and the Dolomites at sunset, were moments of majesty. Other moments, like the old man in San Francisco’s Chinatown blowing snot booger globs out his nose, burned horrid images on my retinas that no alcohol binge could remove from memory. I hope you, like me, however, have more grateful, beautiful, and joyous moments in your 2008 than mucus moments.

So, instead of boring you with scary stats on how many operas, plays, and musicals I attended, (which could also scare me ‘cause all that money could add up to a trip to Barcelona) I will hit the Top Ten Reasons 2008 rocked my world:

10 .  Admitted that I can’t make it through Wagner’s Ring series without caffeine; and that Russians should never stage his work without warning the audience of sets designs that will induce suicidal thoughts … and you will have to look at those sets for four nights straight!

9.  Reaffirmed my resolve that food at sports stadiums will always suck.

8 .  Learned that having older friends makes me look younger; thanks. 

7.  Learned that my younger friends bring me knew experiences; thanks, too.

6 . Realized that sometimes it is the destination, not the journey, that matters.

5.  Recognized that who’s greeting you at your destination can matter more than the destination itself.

4.  Loved playing with other’s people’s children - I got all the fun of a convertible sports car with no real ownership responsibilities.

3.  Walking neighborhoods or nature with a friend was the best way to spend a free day as long as I wore the right shoes.

2.  Realized there are fates worse than unemployment … like moving to W’s new hometown or having a former Alaska beauty queen second-in-command.

1.  Felt truly blessed (as any secular humanist can be) to have fabulous friends ... and time to spend with them.

Let’s hope 2009 holds just as many memorable moments. I hope to spend more time with friends and reconnecting with those I’ve neglected due to time or distance. And if anyone knows of someone looking to hire a eco-pitbull looking to save our planet, and us, from our wasteful, polluting ways, send ‘em my way. Really, my bark is worse than my bite … and I look good in lipstick.

Little Giant

Orchard and Bloome gem. I can't believe it took so long to make it here. Jeremy raves about the food and the recent article in edible Manhattan auspiciously showed up before our Saturday reservation.

I started with a lovely pomegranate martini - perfect, not too sweet with a touch of lemon to balance, and no floating ice to ruin the expert shake. Appetizer was a lovely lobster ravioli which was actually one large light pasta layered piece with firm chunks of lobster tail placed in the lovely herb-infused broth topped with some great greens. Main course was the suckling pig butt cooked in a sweet bean sauce balanced with an acidic carrot slaw - great balance to the fatty and luscious pork.

Jeremy had the cauliflower salad, braised with greens topped with with a perfectly poached organic egg - again, delectable. He had the lovely seared duck pared with a light spread of whipped potatoes and a balancing vinegared variation on collard greens. Again, great balance of flavors to the palate so the tongue isn't coated in the heavier flavors.

Ended with the egg cream - yum and simple way to end a soggy weather night.

Clay's Surprise!

Headed down to C&D's in Sheridan Sq - yes, the historic area near the Stonewall Riots, early draft protests in the 1800s, etc.. Took awhile to find the address but now I know where Philip Seymour Hoffman lives - no, I wasn't stalking him. Finally found the address after getting accidentlaly wandering down Washington Place. SURPRISE! It was a bday party for Clay - a friend from way back during those high school days. Clay's dad and two brothers flew in as did an old friend from Texas so it was great. Food was fabulous. Went up to the rooftop to look around - I missed the lover's window show but Tory caught it on her camera. So New York.

Mazel Tov

Lou and Charlie1
Originally uploaded by peffs

Welcome to the world

I feel rather privileged. I attended the bris for Charles Newton Richmond. Here he is sleeping with his grandfather. Adorable, isn't he?

Tory and Clay have been such a comfort to me here in New York. They are friends from back in childhood days. When I bought my little place on the UWS, they were kind enough to give me a reference letter. Turns out we also became neighbors ... my building is only a few doors down from theirs! From Texas to NYC and now we're closer in distance than when we grew up.

So here I will share a few photos of the Richmond family in hopes they don't mind me charing with the world the joy little Charlie brings.

Brunch and Steps

Erica's Brunch
Did a stop-by at Erica's for some good grub and conversation. Jeremy's carrot cupcakes were delish along with his chocolate hazelnut cookie/tart things. Quite the mix of folks from various fun connections.


39 Steps
I'm in heaven! A fabulous cast adapted a classic Hitchcock film, The 39 Steps, into a fun, furious, and fabulous play. A chaotic and thrill-filled romp through the English county side is promulgated by the simple act of going to the theater. Shots are fired, Richard takes a mysterious woman home, a murder occurs, and he finds himself on the run. All the parts, some 80 or more, are played by a small cast of four - Cliff Saunders, Arnie Burton, Charles Edwards, and Jennifer Ferrin. Edwards does a marvelous job as the jaunty and sometimes befuddled Richard as he stumbles along trying to avoid the police and solve a murder. Burton and Saunders are the frenetic and physical comedians, bouncing from one roll to the next, sometimes by simply donning a different hat and speaking with an absurdly funny accent. And Ferrin rounds out the group with style and feminine balance. There's even a cameo from Hitchcock during one hilariously staged chase sequence. What a wonderful way to spend a night at the theater ... so long as you don't have to figure out Mr. Memory.

Pineapple Joy

Friend Power!
I'm so lucky to have my New York pseudo-family.

I was feeling a bit better today and took a walk to Pioneer, my retro grocery store know in the UWS neighborhood for cheap beer. Since I'm not a regular beer drinker, I go for the cheap specials. This week, Florida's Natural for $2.99, five boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix for $2, and three cans of chicken broth for $2. What-a-deal! Add my ultra-pasteurized milk and I was good to go. I think the check-out gals are all from Niger and they speak French which is fun. Sunshine and wind felt good on my walk.

Came home. Did some work via the web connection - gotta love telecommuting. Around 6pm my doorman delivered a surprise. A friend from work lives on the UWS and her son is having his Bar Mitzvah this Saturday and she dropped off an invitation. So nice! A lovely triple-matted gold, bronze and dark blue card with embossed modern lettering on a cream cotton paper - so regal and beautiful. But to my surprise, she also dropped a fabulous pineapple! Makes me think of the song from Cabaret:

If you brought me diamonds,
If you brought me pearls,
If you brought me roses
Like some other gents
Might bring to other girls,
It couldn't please me more
Than the gift I see;
A pineapple for me.

I'm so happy!

Mariners Game

Went to the Mariner's spring training game against the Rangers. Why do they start these things at 2 pm - the hottest time of the day! I was melting. The Ms lost but the crowd was white-trash funny. Guy behind us just kept going on and on to this cougar about how he could have gone semi-pro, how Clinton was the cause of our current financial woes, and how many stadiums needed more sports bars located in their neighborhood vicinity.

So this gave me a great idea for a new reality show, sort of like wife-swap. Take opera fans and baseball fans and make 'em switch venues - and force them to stay a whole game or oprea, and they can't nap during the performance. My friend suggested a blended crowd so the torture could go both ways - let the audience feel the pain of the 'other' demographic. Champagne, sushi, and chocolates get replaced by bad burritos, hotdogs, and stale beer. Evening wear replaced with tube tops, wife-beaters, and shorts that are way too tight. Oh the fun!

Arizona Bound

Orange Blossoms and Quail

Love the smell in the air when I arrived in Phoenix. The wonderful scent of orange blossoms filled the air. Don't know why they paint the tree trunks white. I do think the topiary way of trimming the trees makes the lanes look like something from Dr. Seuss.

70s Flashback

Lynda Carter serves it up in Brooklyn

I hopped a subway over to Fort Greene in
Brooklyn to have dinner with friends and watch a classic and cheesy two-part show of Wonder Woman. Stopped by Thirst on DeKalb to pick up some wine to go with the veggie lasagna. Wowza, great selection and a really cute guy to help me out. Maybe I should move to Brooklyn. Oh yeah, I can't pass the hipster test.

The lasagna was great and we had a fun time watching "The Boy Who Knew Her Secret" - not a really allegorical or symbolic title. We all had a hoot adding an occasional joke or comment here and there. The clothes were super hilarious, such high waists, big hats, and what an amazing boob support system. Nothing bonds friends more than 70s television. Isis, however, is still my favorite superhero.

Turtles and Guinea Pigs

Kid Time

Popped over to the Upper East Side to see my friend and her two girls. They are living on E 69th and walking about the neighborhood is so different than the Upper West Side. I went into the lower entrance and met the security guard but my friend hadn't gotten back from her eldest daughter's haircut. It was poring down rain but I felt it would be better if I just walked around the block. Madison Ave. still had the occasional refined couple or person heading who knows where.

I do love Wellies. Mine are simply dark blue with pink trim but I feel so comfy in them. In New York City I get to see all types - Pucci color waves, Paul Frank monkeys, polka dots, Burberry plaid, and everything else fun under the rain.

My friend called; they were home. I headed back and met her up in the place they were living while renovating their new place on Central Park West. It must be hard living in a temporary place. My friend has had to borrow a winter coat that engulfed her in quilted padding, large enough to fit the both of us, because her clothes are still in storage. The kids had happily taken over the living room with their toys and pets. Two guinea pigs were roaming their pen, well, one was bouncing around while the other searched for cover to avoid being picked up by those hovering giants in the sky who could, at any moment, pick you up and love you to death. The turtle, Speedy, had his own pen elevated on a table. He was looking so green and happy, growing so much he was shedding some neck skin. The simple joy of watching two girls have their small version of a pet zoo.

Artisianal

Brunch with the Gals

Met up with V and C at Artisanal. Brunch is rather difficult in New York City. Unlike Seattle, there are fewer good weekend brunch places per neighborhood and many any places don't take reservations. Luckily this place does, probably because it is in foodie wasteland - Empire State Bldg. region.

I was a tad bit late so V and C, who didn't know each other, had to meet without me ... I'm such a bad hostess! Damn weekend subway schedules throw me off; no local 1 was heading downtown from my local stop :(

Great conversation over mimosas, bellinis, breakfast medleys, and a nice cheese plate to finish. Artisanal is known for its breads and cheeses. Lovely. V was wearing her Obama t-shirt so she had a couple of guys ask her about it. Strangely enough, we were joking about them earlier as they were sharing a pot of fondue so we questioned whether they might be Chelsea boys. I think there was some flirting with V so perhaps they weren't. I'm so lucky to have fun, and funny, girlfriends!