Gotham Gal

3 movies

It was movie kind of weekend. We are movie fans. We particularly like going the first weekend out of the box. So, off we went.

We first saw Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. I really liked it. It is so different which is probably what I liked. The movie is like reading a dark comic street that is campy at the same time. The cinemaphotography is incredibly cool. All black and white with computer graphics and a dark grainy feel. The main characters played by Gwenyth Paltrow and Jude Law are to save the day. The acting is fine. The lines are dry and silly like an old Perry Mason show. I'd recommend it just on the concept is so completely different than any other film out there. Supposedly the director wrote this over 10 years and a friend took it to a friend who took it to a friend and that is how the story goes. Getting the stars behind it was obviously the key but it is certainly better than the majority of stuff that gets green lighted.

We also saw Wimbledon. I was thinking it was going to be total Hollywood and it was but it regardless it was a cute film. Good lines. There has never been a movie actually made about tennis before. Lots of sports films but not of tennis. I really liked it. It is of course the perfect love story and happy ending nonsense but so what. I love Paul Bettany. We all laughed and enjoyed ourselves, so what else could you ask for?

Lastly, we rented The Man with the Golden Gun. We have been watching tons of James Bond films these days. This one is a 70's classic. Although Roger Moore does not get the new tech gadgets that Pierce Brosnan gets, it is still a great film to watch today.

It was fun watching James Bond after seeing 2 new films out this week. At the end of the day, The Man with the Golden Gun, is a classic. I am not so sure Wimbledon or Sky Captain will reach that type of status. I can hardly wait until our next line up.

Barbuto

Jonathan Waxman's latest venture is Barbuto on Washington Street. This place is completely different than his last venture, Washington Square Park.

The restaurant has a great vibe. It is enclosed with glass windows that open up like a garbage to the street so the air breezes through. The kitchen is open into the restaurant that internally has old brick. Very Italian. Inside the kitchen, there is a table for 8, so I assume you can reserve that table to watch and eat the food being prepared.

We just strolled in around 6:30 and got a table for 5. My guess is, the restaurant has a much later crowd. The hostess was sort of snippy. She wasn't so sure she was going to take us but wanted to make sure we'd be gone by 8:15. Almost 2 hours. We are standing there with 3 kids, do you think we want to stay more than 2 hours? If your service is any good, you can guarantee turning your tables. Interesting enough, by the time we left, there were still a lot of empty tables. So, get rid of the attitude and fill your seats or this restaurant won't be open much longer. You only survive when you are full.

They sat us at a small round table which I really liked. It was intimate and we could share. We started with 3 appetizers. All excellent. Proscuitto with long pieces of toast - delicious. Mussels steamed with a sauteed pieces of sausage and a gremolita over the top. An interesting combination that really works. Grilled octopus with a 5 bean salad. Large pieces of grilled octopus over a green salad with lima beans, fava beans, different colored string beans and a ranch type sauce. This was absolutely the best thing there. The different combinations and textures really made this dish good. I'd go back and order 2 of these.

Dinner was next. Mixed reviews on this. I had grilled sea bass over lima beans and a tomato salsa. It was cooked well, crispy skin and presented beautifully but not that tasty. It was bland. There was no punch. Very disappointing. 2 of us had the spaghetti with clams, shrimp and mussels. Again, no punch. This was made with a light olive oil and a fish broth. No taste really. It was unfortunate. One of us had the grilled hanger steak with a red chilli sauce. The sauce was supposed to be served on the side, as requested, but wasn't. We didn't send it back but it made the steak a bit too spicy and took away from the flavor of the meat instead of enhancing it. The last entree was the chicken which was excellent. The guy knows how to make chicken. Juicy inside, crispy outside. It was served with buttered long beans which were sort of bland too.

I loved the vibe there so I'd go back and just order appetizers which were hands down the best things we ate. Perhaps someone should help Waxman's kitchen. If this is to succeed, someone should try and give the food a little more depth in the taste department.

The Dumpling Man and Cold Stone

Dumplings are a true art form. My sister recommends we take a journey through Chinatown and taste dumplings at different locations. It is a great idea.

The Dumpling Man on St. Marks caught my attention so we made our way over there for lunch yesterday. Conceptually, great idea. It is a small shop in the East Village. Window for take out and stools inside. There is a sushi type bar with a glass partition so you can watch the 4/5 people making dumplings. That part was great. Making dumplings is a skill, so watching is an experience. We had steamed pork, shrimp and chicken dumplings. You can get them with different sauces like tomato sauce or parmesan but we had ours the old fashioned way. We also had the salad with a carrot ginger sauce and the edamame which was coated in pepper. We (my kids - jessica, emily and josh) rated the place when we left. We were consistent in our rating. We gave it a 4. Although conceptually very clever, the dumplings were not that good. Very garlicky, sort of spicy and not that interesting in taste. Great concept though.

Ice cream has always been part of any type of Chinese food for me. When we were kids we always got ice cream after Chinese food. My step-Grandfather, Larry, used to think that it was bad for the digestive system. We used to laugh at him. Anyway, Cold Stone Creamery just opened on Astor place so we walked right over. Jessica and Josh have been to the one in Times Square. Emily and I were new comers. There are 3 sizes which are cleverly named. Like it, love it and gotta have it. The smallest size, like it, is plenty. Everyone had a different concoction. The concept is a knock off of Steve's ice cream (there was Dave's too and at one time they were partners) in Boston when I went to school. He was famous for mix-ins which is exactly what Cold Stone does. You pick your ice cream and your mixings. They lay the ice cream out on a cold stone and mush it all in. What could be bad? The ice cream is made on the premises. It is incredibly rich, guaranteed no air in there and only cream and tons of egg yolks. As much as I love ice cream, this is a bit too rich for my senses. Noone could even finish their small portion. They sing in there when you order or give a tip too. Very gimmicky. I am sure there will be a Cold Stone on every corner at one point. It is amazing the cost too. A small, Like it, with mix-ins, cost $5. So, for 3 smalls and tax it was about $17. What happened to B & R and the 75 cent cone?

Emily starts a blog

Our daughter started a blog yesterday. She was inspired. I think, then of course I am her mother, that she is a good writer. She has a voice. She writes like she speaks. Sometimes she gives more of herself in her writing than she does in person. I would gather that most true writers are the same.

Anyway, I am looking forward to reading her blog particularly her insight into the adventures, trips, movies, etc. we do together.

It is so incredible the technology available for this generation of kids. It will be very interesting to watch them all grow up.

Here is Emily's blog. I love the name. It's all about Emily, as it should be.

Touring your Own Town

The bad weather from the South is entering NYC, so instead of getting out of town this weekend, we have opted for staying home. Much more to do here.

After services yesterday morning, we had lunch at our favorite local haunt, Sant Ambroeus. We bumped into our friends there who had also just left services. An added bonus since the food is always good there. I prefer breakfast and lunch just due to the vibe but dinner is good too. There is where we plotted our day.

We walked home, changed and walked down to Soho. We are in the market for a new laptop so the Apple Store is the best place to go. The store is architecturally very cool. Also, there are classes to attend, advice to be had and information wherever you turn. Brilliant really. It was packed, as usual, so we just picked up a new Mac game for my son and decided to return early Saturday morning before the crowds start.

We jumped on the subway and hiked it up to Times Square. We went to Madame Tussaud's wax museum on 42nd street. The place is cheesy beyond and the cost to get in there is atronomical but there are some benefits. The kids love it. Also, the room where the historical figures are is actually educational. It is interesting to read about them, who the kids recognize, who they don't or who they now will recognize in the future. The game my son got is loaded with historical figures so now he knows who they all are if he didn't before.

It was getting late and we needed to eat dinner before our evening activity. We walked up Broadway to Blue Fin. Personally, I think Blue Fin is the best restaurant and least touristy in that neighborhood. We got a table and had the ceasar salad which is really good there and a variety of sushi rolls. Perfect.

We then strolled over to Radio City to see the Liberty play Indiana. The games have been played at Radio City since July. Last night waas the last one before they move back to Madison Square Garden. It is really wild to walk into Radio City and see a basketball game happening on the stage. It is pretty cool. As for the Liberty, if you have never been to one of their games, I highly recommend it. The crowd is fantastic. The fans are die-hard. To see the women play ball is inspiring. It was a great game. We went into overtime and Becky Hammon, as always, saved the day.

We left exhilerated and exhausted from the day. We walked through Rockefeller Center on the way to 5th Avenue. We got in one last bit of NYC before we grabbed the cab. The latest installation from the Public Art Fund at Rockefeller Center is Jonathan Borofsky's "Walking to the Sky". It is a large pole, literally jutting up into the sky with statues of people walking up it. He has done a variety of public installations. This one in particular, although it was not conceived with 9/11 in mind, it is very relevant to our times. If you are in the area, definitely go and see it. I really am glad we did.

It was a great day. The last glimpse of art before grabbing a cab is one of the many things I love about NYC. Everywhere you go, there is something to be discovered or something going on that you might not have known about. There is always a hidden gem right around the corner.

Super Scrabble

Love Scrabble! We even have a travel board. Last night, after ringing in the Jewish New Year by eating brisket and challah, we celebrated with a good game of Scrabble.

My sister was over and our friend Cory. She's really good and so was Cory. Cory had brought along the new improved Scrabble board. Super Scrabble. It was awesome. Big board, possible quadruple scores and bonus points.

I am buying one on the web today. It would have better if the board had a turntable underneath but you can't have everything. So, next week when we break the fast with kugel and bagels, we'll break in the new board.

Nobu and Nobu Next Door

I can't remember exactly when Nobu opened but I believe Nobu Next Door opened up around 5 years ago. Same concept as Nobu but no reservations.

We wandered into Nobu Next Door last night. The place was jammed. One hour wait for a table at 9pm. That is pretty impressive after 5 years. We tryed our luck at Nobu (next door) and they said 15 minutes so we took a table. It was jammed over there too. We actually saw Mary Kate or Ashley walk in with some friends. It has always been a great place to see a celebrity or two.

Years ago we had gone to dinner at Matsuhisha in Los Angeles. A true religious experience. We had the chef just bring it on. One of the most memorable meals I have ever had. I have also been to Sushi Yasuda which in my opinion is the absolute best sushi ever.

I know Nobu is rated top dog among the Sushi experts in the city. I had sushi last night and I also had their array of appetizers. The hamachi with yellow tail is always delicious. The white fish with ponzu was really delicious. You can't go wrong with the tiny shrimp tempura with the spicy sauce. But, it is not as good as I remember. The last time I went, it was very disappointing. This time I went it was good but not Sushi Yasuda and not Matsuhisa. I admit it, I'm a sushi snob. I used to go anywhere for sushi but no more. I hate that feeling of waking up the next morning and feeling like I ate sushi the night before. Bloating, soy saucey etc. I don't do the soy sauce anymore but there is something about the neighborhood sushi joints that don't sit right with me.

Regardless, we had a great time with our friends. I love the bamboo pieces they serve sake in. The atmosphere is great. But, in terms of a top 10 food experience, I can't give it the nod.

Jack Johnson

The last concert at Summerstage was last night. We saw Jack Johnson with the warm up band of G. Love and the Special Sauce.

We have been incredibly lucky this year. All the concerts we attended did not get rained on. The weather was magnificent each night.

G. Love and the Special Sauce are a mix of rap, reggae, r & b and cajun. Very talented group. Jack Johnson is a super dude from Hawaii who was making cd's of his own and someone decided that he should be under contract somewhere. Personally, I loved his first album, Brushfire Fairytales. Perfect summer music.

Last night we sat in the bleachers, as always. Our kids came too. We talked about the music we saw there this summer. I happened to agree with them. They said Jack Johnson would have been more fun to listen to if we had sat on the lawn, brought a picnic and listened to instead of watching him live. It wasn't necessary to watch him live. Too mellow. The Strokes, on the other hand, were awesome live. They just rocked.

After being at many outdoor concerts over the years, the kids have it right. Seeing a real diverse band that sounds different on stage than in studio is absolutely worth seeing live. For instance, I saw the band Modest Mouse this summer. I had not really gotten into the music but after I saw them live, I could hardly wait to hear them again and again. Jack Johnson, as much as I enjoyed his music for months on end, it didn't have a different appreciation for him after I left the concert.

So, next year we might have to figure out who deserves the green grass picnic and who deserves standing in the bleachers and rocking out.

Steak Marinade

For years I have used this marinade. Kids come over and love it. I never measure and it is always good. This marinade came from a neighbor growing up. I must have told my Mom to make it. It is easy and always a hit.

soy sauce
cooking sherry vinegar
honey

Equal parts are fine, more soy sauce is fine, more sherry is fine, less honey is fine. It always works. I grew up using this with flank steak. Now, we generally use hanger steak. Marinate all day. I put it in the frig in the morning in a large zip lock bag and take it out for dins.

Enjoy!

National Design Museum

It was time for everyone to take in a bit of culture so we ventured uptown to museum row. We were planning to get into the Jewish Museum and see the last few days of the Modigliani exhibit. Unfortunately the line was about 2 blocks long. Not happening.

We opted for the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. The museum is housed in the Carnegie mansion on 91st and 5th Avenue. You can close your eyes and think about what it must have been like living there years ago. There is a tremendous yard adjacent to the Museum that is prime for enjoying the fresh air.

What a great place. Only 2 floors so the exhibits are small. We saw the Design/Art exhibit. The kids were into the fact that the majority of the original work in the museum had been knocked off a variety of times so they recognized the design. We are all fans of modern art and design so it is always fun to hear the kids comments and reactions. The museum had put quotes on the walls from Thoreau and Wilde and other people which were fun to discuss. Wilde said "it isn't what you see but how you look at it." Thoreau's quote which I can not remember exactly was about what is art? If you sit in it, it is a chair, if you walk around it, it is a sculpture. So, again, what is art?

Outside on the lawn was a FutureShack. A small home/room that was built for Architecture for Humanity which is a nonprofit organization that promotes design solutions to global, social and humanitarian crises. This small house can be erected in 24 hours and lived in. It was very cool.

I will absolutely get back to this museum. We all loved it. In the end, everyone was glad that we had pursed a day of culture. There is an exhibit of Albers coming up in October which I won't miss.