Gotham Gal

Osteria Del Sole

Unfortunately, I think about dieting on a daily basis. I was a heavy kid so in essence I have a built in "fat personality". It has taken me years to realize that I am a small not a medium. But, I think about what I am putting in to my mouth all the time. I think about what I ate over the course of the day when I get into bed at night. It is unfortunate but it doesn't stop me from eating sweets etc. I generally make the right choice but believe me I make the wrong choice plenty too.

Today, I was walking by Osteria Del Sole on the corner of Perry Street and West Fourth. They have a small window on Perry Street that is like Italy. They serve pressed sandwiches, paninis etc. I never do this but decided a pressed sandwich is exactly what I needed. Wow!

What a great choice. Ham, fontina cheese, arugula and a spicy olive oil pressed in between two pieces of country bread for only $4.95. It was excellent! I got it "to go". Although everything there is "to go" unless u want to hang out in front and eat while talking to the other patrons. It is getting a bit chilly for that.

I'm definitely going back. Taking the family. It was such a treat because I never eat like that. Maybe that's a good thing. Now I'm home making curry butternut apple soup. It's one of those days...

Rubin Museum of Art

I have been reading and watching the old Barney's on 17th and 7th go under renovations in the past year. Finally, the Rubin Museum of Art emerged from underneath the brown paper windows earlier this month.

The reviews have been fantastic. So, I made it a point to get there this month. My friend and I did the full on tour. Supposedly this museum was started by 2 families of collectors. They began their collecting only a few years ago, bought the site and decided to create a museum. Pretty incredible. They have also done quite a beautiful job.

First of all, they kept the old Barney's staircase which is in the center of the museum. It was fun walking down and recalling the old floors and what was on them. The Barney's store on 17th and 7th was such a magical place. I always felt like a true NYer making my way through the floors. The Co-op at that time was prime with young designers that u could only find there. Anyway, enough about Barney's.

We started on the top floor, which I found to be my favorite. The art spans from the 4th Century to the 14th Century. Small intricate statutes that represent Indian Culture, yoga poses, etc. The canvases are intricate and with delicate workmanship. The collection represents the history of the Himalayan people. There is historical information surrounding each piece. I was taken back by the beauty of different pieces knowing that they are over 700 years old. Pretty impressive. Also, the restoration that has gone into each piece is quite amazing because they are so clean u can see every detail.

Downstairs the museum shows different exhibits. Currently there is an exhibit of photos from Kenro Izu of black and white photos through the Himalayan's.

There is also a nice restaurant with really interesting foods and a gift store with books, etc.

The museum is beautiful. I really enjoyed going. It is a small gem that we can only thank the collectors for giving this to New York.

Reckless

Reckless is being put on by the Manhattan Theater Club through 12/19. We saw it last night.

First of all, the new Biltmore Theater where a variety of the productions are being held has just recently been brought back to life from the MTC. It is a wonderful place to see theater. The seats are comfortable. You can basically see the stage from any seat. They did a great job.

Reckless is a quirky tale about a women whose husband tells her, on Christmas Eve, that he has taken a contract out on her life. The tale unfolds from there. The wife, who is brilliantly played by Mary-Louise Parker, bolts and ends up meeting some strange bedfellows along the way. Her new found friends have also dismissed their past and entered new lives. As a whole, the story is really quirky. The unraveling of the wife coming full circle over the course of the play.

I wouldn't say I loved the play but did find it entertaining. The acting is really good. Mary-Louise Parker is an incredible actress. Watching her is so much fun. Her body language, her eyes rolling, her hand movements, the way she delivers her lines. She is fantastic and worth going just for that.

I have been lucky enough to have seen her in past performances such as Prelude to A Kiss that brought her a Tony. I also saw her in Proof which brought her a Tony and an Obie and a variety of other awards. She continues to grow as an actress. Her onstage presence is electricifying. Your eye always wanders to her. I will continue to go see Mary-Louise Parker's performances over the years. She was so good last night that I can't even imagine watching her get better. My guess is that she is like a fine wine. She will just continue to get better with age and in her case, each show.

Eminem's Mosh Video

I have always been a fan of Eminem's from his first album. He is an incredibly talented guy. His music has made a big impact on the music being put out today. I downloaded his new video last night called Mosh. It takes a while to get it going and I have big fat pipes. Took me about 15 minutes but well worth it. This video is incredibly powerful. Although he is coming at his anger from a different angle than me, I am just as angry at George Bush, the man we unfortunately call President right now.

I hope Eminem's video forces some of the non-voting population to get out there and cast their vote for John Kerry on November 2nd.

Mosh Video. You will find the video on the right hand side of this site. Again, it takes time but well worth it.

Joe's Pizza

What a sad sight this week. Joe's Pizza, a true fixture in the West Village on Carmine and Bleeker, is closed. The good news is that they have an annex a few doors down that has remained open. But, it just isn't the same.

Their rent went up to $15K a month, so Joe said enough. My kids are distraught. The kid's at our school always go over there to grab a slice and stand at the tables. They knew all the counter guys. The place was always hopping. The ice's were a fantastic treat to pick up in the spring and summer. Most of all, the pizza is so good. The mozzarella pizza is the best.

Most important, Joe's was the ultimate fixture in the village. It was a great hang out. The vibe was great. It was a true NY place.

I am so sorry to see Joe's move over to their other shop. That shop has a window to stand at and tables inside but it is a totally different feel.

God forbid a Starbucks opens up in that space. One of the best parts of the village is the wonderful singular food merchants that are supported by the locals. I hope that part of the village does not close, as Joe's did sadly this week.

Sideways and Motorcycle Diaries

Saturday night, we were on our own so we did a double feature. We started out with Sideways. This movie has been written up everywhere. It was written up in every single food magazine that I get, Food & Wine, Gourmet and Bon Appetit. It was also written up in every fashion magazine I get, Vogue and Elle. Very impressive buzz.

The reviews were fantastic. Metacritic gave the movie an impressive 93 rating. Three of our friends had seen the movie and didn't love it but the content appealed to us so we went.

We loved it. The premise is that 2 best male friends take off to Santa Barbara wine country the week before one of them gets married. The movie is about wine and relationships. There were some hilarious scenes. I loved all the wine talk. The difference between the two friends is so utterly diverse it makes for good comedy. The movie was just a slice of life film. Afterwards, we went to see another film although we were hankering for a Santa Barbara Pinot Noir.

Next film, Motorcycle Diaries. The cinemaphotography in this film is incredible. The story is of 2 friends, Ernesto "Che" Guevera and Alberto Granado, who go on a journey across South America to discover and see the the world at large. It is an interesting film because we all know what happens to Che Guevera so to see that journey through his eyes gives insight into the decisions he made in his life. The relationship of the friends, the people they saw at that time turned their journey into something more than they ever thought it would be. They saw first hand the political and social problems in the early 50's and it obviously made a huge impact on Che's life. It is slow but beautiful and the story has stayed with me. I took a 6 week trip with my boyfriend (now husband) through the US after college and it definitely made an impact in my life to see the rest of America. I'm glad I went to see this film.

After leaving the last film we walked over to Veritas. The wine selection is incredible there. There are literally wines on their list for $15,000. I am not sure who is buying it or for that matter how many bottles of that they have but we were hunting for a Santa Barbara Pinot. We ordered the Ojai which was delicious. The food at Veritas is excellent. We only ordered a cheese platter and a wild mushroom tart but it hit the spot. The tart was made of a puffed pastry and filled with a spicy sharp cheese and wild mushrooms. Small greens were arranged over the plate drizzled with a mushroom vinegarette. Really good! It made me want to return again for dins.

All and all, a good movie week since I had seen Vera Drake earlier in the week. Looking forward to the variety of other good films that are about to hit the theaters.

Blue Ribbon Sushi

I had not been to Blue Ribbon Sushi in about a year or so. The last time I went, I did not have such a great experience. It was a really warm summer day and nothing really sat right with me. But, I returned twice this past week.

I really do like the vibe in there. Small, asian accents, downstairs, a serious sushi restaurant feel. The bad part is the line. There always seems to be a line. No reservations.

I went for lunch this past week. We got a table, no problem. Lunch is always easier. The service was beyond slow. It was a bit frustrating. Eventually we got our tea and our food. The sushi was delicious. I was really glad that I had returned. The seaweed salad was tasty. The special sushi that was available such as Japanese Red Snapper was delicious. I left feeling so good. I also left wanting to go back for more. So, I did.

We were in Soho on Friday night picking up our son from a playdate and swung by Blue Ribbon to have dinner. There was no line, yet, and we got a seat. The waiter could not have been nicer and made sure our son got something to eat sooner than later. But, the food was not as good as it was as lunch the other day. Maybe it is the dinner thing? The last time I had the bad meal there it was dinner too. It wasn't that it was bad but it wasn't as high quality as I had remembered. Price wise, it should be just as good at Nobu. We had an assortment of sushi that we had picked, rock shrimp tempura and pork dumplings. The dumplings were really bland. My son didn't think they had any taste. The shrimp tempura was good but the batter was a bit thick. The sushi was good but the true test is the next morning. I woke up the next day knowing that I had eaten sushi. I tasted it. I didn't feel good. I didn't even use soy sauce.

I would go back for lunch but no more for dinner. At those prices, it should be spectacular every time.

Mercer Kitchen

In 1999, my family had the pleasure of living in the Mercer Hotel for 6 weeks. Although, at that point in our lives, it was an adventure but a bit on the stressful side. We had moved back to the city from the suburbs (after living there for 5 years), with 3 kids in the tow (ages 8, 6 and 3) and couldn't move into our place until mid-October. School starts in early September so the Mercer Hotel was it.

We look back at that time period and laugh. First of all, the Mercer is a fantastic hotel. The service is great. The rooms are wonderful. The towels, the showers, the bathtubs, the linens...can't say enough. I'd stay again if I had to. But best of all is the restaurant.

Mercer Kitchen makes simple food with a nouveau twist. Each meal is delicious since we had the luxury of trying breakfast, lunch and dinner. One of my favorite nights there was during the hurricane in the fall of 1999. The entire city was closed down. It was incredibly eerie. I had a meeting to attend and the kids were hanging in the hotel room all day. I got on the internet first thing in the morning and ordered a bunch of stuff with Kozmo. For any of you that remember, Kozmo was the best delivery service in town for movies, ice cream, vcr's, you name it. I loved that company. It saddens me to even say the name out loud. Regardless, Kozmo came through and the kids were set for the day. That night, I came back to the hotel and our family went downstairs to eat. We had the run of the place. They let us in the actual kitchen which is open and brilliantly layed out. The fire for roasting on the wall is very cool. We all licked our plates clean.

We continue to go back to the Mercer for dinner on special occasions. Our middle daughter believes that the Mercer Kitchen has the best chicken ever. The tuna spring rolls that are surrounded by a edamame paste and spicy soy is one of my all time favs. The hanger steak is always good. The wasabi tuna pizza which sounds disgusting is awesome. Bottom line, I have never been disappointed at the Mercer Kitchen.

I prefer sitting upstairs during the day for lunch but downstairs for dinner is perfect. The raw fish bar is always an added bonus downstairs too. I happened to eat at the Mercer twice this week, once for lunch and once for dinner. I was thrilled to do it. I could eat there again next week.

So, if you happen to be in Soho, you will not go wrong at the Mercer Kitchen if it is just for a glass of wine and an appetizer or a full on meal. The food is always good and the atmosphere is warm and modern...right up my alley.

Vera Drake

Vera Drake is one of the most powerful films I have seen in a very long time. Physically drained would be the best description of how I felt when the film ended.

The cast is superb. The camera work made me feel as if I was watching a play more than a movie. The sets are apartments in London of both the wealthy and the working poor. Before I even knew the exact time the movie was set, I figured it out from the colors, clothes and details of each set. This is a perfect film.

The story is of Vera Drake, who is an absolutely good hearted soul who is and has been performing illegal abortions for the past 20 years. She does it to help young girls in trouble. She doesn't take money. She does it because she cares. Imelda Staunton plays Vera. She is incredible. Vera has been performing these services without the knowledge of her family. Imelda plays her character to perfect detail. Her body language changes as the movie progresses and she is discovered.

I could go on and on about the film. Each cast member was fantastic. The screenplay was full of emotion even down to the last clip of the film. It is truly brilliant but most important, this film should be seen by everyone regardless of your belief in abortion or not. Vera Drake is proof that Roe vs. Wade should never ever be overturned. Even in post WWII, when abortion was illegal in London, the rich could always have an abortion with the finest care for the right price which is one abortion depicted in this film. Vera Drake was helping young woman who had no money but had got themselves into trouble. Unfortunately, one of these women almost die. It is a woman's right to choose. This woman chose, with her mother by her side, to have an abortion. Unfortunately, she could not afford to do it in the finest facilities but in her own bedroom without proper medical equipment.

Abortions are like basic economics. Supply and demand. If someone wants or needs to have an abortion, they will regardless of the circumstances. There will always be someone in need of an abortion and someone will supply the ability for them to have one. Educating people to be safe is a given. This should be taught through the school systems if parents are unable to have these conversations with their children. Sex education is key. Yet, not having sex is not going to happen. Get real.

It is absolutely mind boggling to me that anyone would want to illegalize abortion. Families with means will continue to have an abortion if need be. Families without means would have to revert to what Vera Drake was providing for young girls in this film.

Every person who has an abortion, as shown in this film, has given thought to the decision they have made. Whether it was rape, too many children already, an affair, too young, or whatever, it is upsetting but necessary. Do people who want to take away a woman's right to choose not believe in the human spirit? Or that people would be so callous not to have any feelings about choosing to have an abortion. I certainly don't believe that. It is a difficult decision that stays with a person forever.

As we are undergoing a wave from the Religious right thanks to our President, this particular issue concerns me. It is apparent that the Bush administration would be thrilled to overturn Roe vs. Wade. It scares me. Yet, I would guarantee that if one of George's daughters got knocked up, an abortion would be had, with the best doctor available and then swept under the carpet. This is case and point on why anyone in this country, regardless of their economic status, should be able to choose to have an abortion with the best medical services available to them. We can't afford to go back to a time when Vera Drake had to exist.

Without a Doubt

I read an article in Sunday's NYTimes written by Dan Suskind called Without a Doubt. It not only made my blood boil it also made me freeze in my footsteps. Should I be surprised by this article? No, not really but you have to wonder after reading this why any intelligent minded human being would cast a vote for George Bush is beyond me.

I was sent the article by a woman who reads my blog. Even though I had already read it, she encouraged me to share. So, I am.

Question - Is there that many religious fanatics in this country that are voting for Bush because he is supposedly down with the Lord? Are there that many people that are one issue voters such as abortion.
Do people not read between the lines? The Republican's campaign has been not one praising their last four years but slamming Kerry. Hello! The economy is shit. The deficit is out of control. The job market is poor. The environment is a side note. I'll stop ranting.

There are few quotes that are a must read from the article. One is from Bruce Bartlett who was the domestic policy adviser to Reagan and treasury official for the first Bush, #41.

''Just in the past few months,'' Bartlett said, ''I think a light has gone off for people who've spent time up close to Bush: that this instinct he's always talking about is this sort of weird, Messianic idea of what he thinks God has told him to do.'' Bartlett, a 53-year-old columnist and self-described libertarian Republican who has lately been a champion for traditional Republicans concerned about Bush's governance, went on to say: ''This is why George W. Bush is so clear-eyed about Al Qaeda and the Islamic fundamentalist enemy. He believes you have to kill them all. They can't be persuaded, that they're extremists, driven by a dark vision. He understands them, because he's just like them. . . .

''This is why he dispenses with people who confront him with inconvenient facts,'' Bartlett went on to say. ''He truly believes he's on a mission from God. Absolute faith like that overwhelms a need for analysis. The whole thing about faith is to believe things for which there is no empirical evidence.'' Bartlett paused, then said, ''But you can't run the world on faith.''

Remember, this is from a moderate Republican. He's frightened. This is not a liberal Democrat speaking.

Ok, next quote from Joe Biden.

Forty democratic senators were gathered for a lunch in March just off the Senate floor. I was there as a guest speaker. Joe Biden was telling a story, a story about the president. ''I was in the Oval Office a few months after we swept into Baghdad,'' he began, ''and I was telling the president of my many concerns'' -- concerns about growing problems winning the peace, the explosive mix of Shiite and Sunni, the disbanding of the Iraqi Army and problems securing the oil fields. Bush, Biden recalled, just looked at him, unflappably sure that the United States was on the right course and that all was well. '''Mr. President,' I finally said, 'How can you be so sure when you know you don't know the facts?'''

Biden said that Bush stood up and put his hand on the senator's shoulder. ''My instincts,'' he said. ''My instincts.''

Instincts? You must be kidding? Have u ever known a CEO of a corporation not to make decisions based on factual information? If they were going by pure gut, my guess is that they would not be in the job for long. This guy is making gut decisions with people's lives.

Bottom line, the Republicans, such as John McCain, better take a good look of what they have been party to for the past four years. Politics my ass. Make a stand and stand up for your country and the future of America. They all know that another four years with this President is a huge mistake. If, god forbid, Bush is elected, everyone of those Republican quasi-supporters are going to have to look at themselves in the mirror and say shame on me. Politics must change. Support your country and your countrymen. This guy is an all out disaster on every front. Guaranteed that history will not be kind.

One other thought, if Bush has four more years, I will make a side bet that we will have a scandal that will make the Nixon administration look like honest men.

I hope that we see some Republicans break rank in the next 2 weeks and state the reality. I believe Kerry will reward them in a government that will be united not divided.