Gotham Gal

The American Teenager, It's Complicated

Went to a book signing last night for the book, The American Teenager, Its Complicated by Robin Bowman.
What a great book.  Robin started out meeting friends kids, taking their pictures and then getting to know them.  She realized she had something there.  So, she journeyed across the country for 4 years taking pictures of random teenagers (and friends kids).  Taking their photos before she talked to them so the photos would be real vs. her opinion through the lens.  Then she asked them all a series a questions about life.  What are you fears, what is hard about being a teenager, do you believe in God, are you sexually active, are you in school, tell me about your family, do you work, where were you on 9/11, do you believe in the war in Iraq?  26 big picture questions then questions on those questions.  The answers are thought provoking and some of the pictures are haunting.

Pick it up.  Not only a beautiful book but a book that needs to be read. 

The band plays on...

Last night the band had a gig in Brooklyn prior to a book signing.  The new name of the band is White Label.  The 4 Fellas are history now that Taliana has joined the crew.  All good, all good. They announced the new name last night before they played their set.

As always, lots of fun to watch and hear.  Although, I felt like the crew shlepping the drums to Brooklyn with the amps and microphones.  Why couldn't he play the triangle?

Basketball Season has begun..

Yesterday I attended the first varsity game at the kids HS this year.  Emily and Jessica are on the team together and it was great seeing them out there on the floor at the same time. 

So, basketball season has begun.  I have four games to go to this week.  Josh's game start sometime in early January with inter-murals at school too.  If I am lucky, I could have 5 games a week. 

Wow.  The the season has begun...

Pamplona

My Mom told me about Pamplona, she has been there twice for dinner and suggested we have lunch there.  What a find!  Honestly, I found Pamplona to have the best Spanish food not only in the city but better than anywhere I ate in Barcelona last year.  We had an incredible meal from start to finish.  Also had a chance to meet Alex Urena, the chef, who couldn't be nicer and seems to be in awe with patrons beaming over him. 

Pamplona is located in a strange location although a location that perhaps over time won't be so out of the way.  28th between Park and Madison.  There a bunch of new apartment buildings cropping up, a huge condo opening over Madison Square Park and others have just opened.  The atmosphere is very simple.  Long bar, lots of tables, small to medium-sized restaurant. 

We began with 2 tapas..  Pincho de Datiles.  3 pitted dates wrapped in bacon and roasted and served over an oval slice of thin crispy bread smeared with a creamy goat cheese.  The dates were sweet and smoky at the same time.  Not over powered with bacon just perfect.  We also had Montado de Garbanzos y Guindillas.  Three cubes of lightly fried mashed chick peas that were thick yet light and beyond tasty.  Each was served with a spicy dollop of salsa on top and the place had a gindilla pepper emulsion underneath the fries.  Delicious. 

Then we had an appetizer and main course to split.  Mejillones y Chorizo.  Mussels steamed in saffron and and sauteed onions and tiny julienned pieces of chorizo.  Great to be sopped up with a chunk of bread too.  The best thing and most creative was Lasana de Txanguro, snow crab lasagna.  A very thin piece of pasta, like an extra long lasagna piece about 8" long and 4" in across.  He had taken half the pasta and then stuffed it with snow crab that reminded me of the fantastic blue sushi crab hand rolls we had in Echigo.  Then he had taken the other half of the pasta and folded it back.  So the crab was bulging out of the pasta.  This sat on top of a puree of salsa verde.  We both thought this was out of this world.  At this point, I asked the waiter if there was a cookbook.  We talked to the waiter for awhile about how fantastic the food was.  Two minutes later, out comes the chef to meet us.  What a treat. 

Dessert was delicious and I believe Urena makes the desserts too.  We had a chocolate almond tart with a small scoop of chocolate gelato on top.  The tart had a very hard crust of chocolate on the bottom, shaped in a square and the mousse like filling was so sweet I thought there might be condensed milk in there.  The gelato, all made on the premises, was rich and tasted like a hint of orange rind.  Then they brought out two desserts on the house.  One was a sorbet of star anise which was light and so tasty with a thin cranberry sauce underneath to dip into.  The coup de grace was the churros.  3 long churros that were browned and coated with cinnamon and sugar that were light and melted in your mouth with a small pot of Varhonna chocolate to dip each in to.

I can hardly wait to go back.  Not only did I enjoy the creativity of the food but the subtle flavors throughout.  None of the flavors in the dishes overpowered the other flavors.  Instead, the flavors complimented each other to create something incredibly tasty .  For anyone who reads this blog knows that garlic is something I am not a huge fan of.  Spanish food, at least in the states, is generally overpowered by garlic.  If Urena uses garlic in his food, I would be surprised.  I didn't taste a hint of it.  Not afterwards or later in the day.  He used Spanish spices to create the dishes like the Spaniards. 

Urena studied in Barcelona and San Sebastian with some of the top chefs in the world today.  He is from the Dominican Republic and he can't be a day over 30.  A huge bravo.  One of the best places I have discovered in a long time. 

WD 50

I am stumped on this one.  We have all read about WD-50. Wylie Dufresne is brilliant, taking food to another level,  winning major awards, a must foodie place, etc.  Lower East Side.  So, after all, we all went. 

Here is what I like.  The service is fantastic.  This is the only restaurant in NYC that when they brought our bottle of wine out with 5 glasses.  One for each of the kids too which I couldn't agree with more.  How are they supposed to appreciate the enjoyment of food and wine at restaurants.  It surely isn't like they had 3 glasses.  Anyway, the seating is really comfy.  Big intimate booths.  The restaurant has an industrial feel but hip at the same time.  The kitchen is open to the restaurant in the back, very clean and simple.  There is also a nice sized bar so if you happen to be in the area with out a reservation.  The wine menu is extensive.  There is a variety of ways to taste from singular options to tasting dinner and desserts.  There has been much thought to every single thing. 

But, let's talk food.  I just didn't love it.  None of us did.  But I am not sure it is about that.  Emily said it best.  The chef obviously has a million things rumbling around his brain about what you can do with food and he is experimenting with it and we get to taste.  She is absolutely right on the mark.

The girls split the popcorn soup which was a very rich corn soup that literally tasted like popcorn with hints of jicama, tamarind and a shrimp.  Quite good.  They also have the grilled octopus which a few of us had.  The piece of the octopus was smooth, round and thick.  Two pieces served over a whipped avocado cream and some  lychee campari strands that were thick like octopus but textured like noodles.  Very strange and not that good.  Josh went with the corned duck that has been on the menu for years.  Three round tastings of corned duck (think thin corned beef) swirled over a rye crisp and served with a purple mustard and a heavy horseradish cream.  Hmmm. 

We went on to the mains.  I had the duck breast.  2 long slices of duck, no skin, served along side smoked hen o' the woods mushrooms over a snow pea and pomegranate mixture.  Fred went with the pork belly which I thought was the best thing we had.  Square slices of pork belly served with a roasted sun choke and a really good chutney like concoction of ancho pineapple over a green caper emulsion.  The pork belly was delicious.  The girls each went with the turbot which was sort of over cooked and too dense but the sides were interesting.  A cauliflower puree which was full of flavor and a thin chip of cauliflower chip on the side with barbecued lentils.  The lentils were really interesting and flavorful.  The last touch was persimmon which was soft like squash.  Josh went with the lamb which was interesting too.  Pieces of lamb served with potato noodles which were really weird texture and not that interesting in taste.  There were also mustard crumbs and the dish was sitting in a pretzel consumme. 

Ok, yes, yes, we did do dessert.  Toasted coconut cake which was really rich dense and delicious along side a carob and pecan mixture with a brown butter sorbet.  The cake was the best thing.  We also went with the grapefruit custard which had elderflower and blueberry and basil on the side.  That was given a resounding thumbs down and tasted like soap.  Lastly we went with the milk chocolate mousse which was strange and had a peanut covering with goji berry and a whipped soy milk on the side. 

Again, this is basically what I can recount from the meal looking at the menu.  Nothing really made me want to go back.  Perhaps the chef wasn't in that evening. Interesting, yes.  Scientific kitchen, no doubt.  Would I rather have a dinner at Market Table?  Absolutely.  What can I say?  I love good food but I am not quite ready for 2015.

Things We Want

Things We Want is currently playing at The New Group.  The venue is very cool.  A variety of theaters throughout the building.  Things We Want was playing on the third floor which is a decent sized theater with nice sized seats (always a bonus at the theater). 

I read about Things We Want a few months ago and bought tickets.  Good thing.  The play was written by Jonathan Marc Sherman and directed by Ethan Hawke.  The actors are Paul Dano (remember Little Miss Sunshine), Peter Dinklage, Josh Hamilton and Zoe Kazan.  An all star hipster cast.  BTW, hipsters that can truly act and direct. 

Three brothers living in an apartment left to them by their parents where they all grew up.  Parents died.  Kids although adults now are not that stable.  They are all looking for something that they want or at least think they want.  Alcohol abuse runs through the play which supposedly the playwright had his fair share of.  As much as I did enjoy the story, I was just in awe over the acting and the direction.  Peter Dinklage and Paul Dano are so amazing the first act you can't imagine it getting any better and it does.   

I took Jessica and Emily with me.  They were also taken in with the acting and particular dialogs between the characters.

If tickets are still available, I highly recommend this play.  A total winner. 

Museums anyone?

Most Thanksgivings we find ourselves out at the beach doing a lot of nothing.  Fred and Josh were supposed to go away and leave me and the girls in town.  The girls decided we should stay in the city and take it in.  The trip was canceled for the boys and so I tossed out the beach idea one more time.  I got totally slammed.  So the city it is.  Museums anyone?

Yesterday we made our way uptown.  We started out at the Guggenheim where the featured artist is Richard Prince.  I have been watching Prince's art for about 8-9 years.  Too bad I wasn't smart enough to pull the trigger back then.  This is an exhibit absolutely worth going to see.  The curator did a fantastic job of showing his art from the early stages to now.  There are a range of photos he took in his earlier years which have women all looking in the same direction which was hung in a way that you probably won't see again.  Same shot, different women. His work is very layered.  The later paintings are thick with anything from checks to sponge bob underneath layers of colored paint and then the last layer of a funny saying that makes you think or laugh out loud.  The exhibit is only up until January 9th so keep that in mind or you can always watch it online through the Guggenheim's site.  My all time favorite painting was a large piece that was multiple layers of red that is part of the work from the late 80's until now.  They are called joke paintings.  It said "Two psychiatrists, one says to the other: I was having lunch with my mother the other day and I made a Freudian slip. I meant to say, "Please pass the butter" and instead it came out, "You fucking bitch you ruined my life."  I laughed out loud. 

Next stop, the Whitney to see the Kara Walker exhibit.   Dark, haunting and brilliant at the same time.  Her work is about race.  She has taken the art of cut outs and transformed them into paintings, watercolors, simple silhouettes on walls, videos and drawings.  She uses the technique to show gender issues, masters of racial supremacy, sexual issues, slavery etc.  Dark but absolutely worth seeing. 

Afterward, we went to dinner at Sushi Yasuda.  Total treat.  Listening to the kids observations afterward was interesting.  They all preferred the Richard Prince show.  At their school, one of the underlying themes of the schools mission is the understanding of racial and gender issues so in essence they felt that got enough of that on a daily basis.  Yet they made a significant point.  Prince's breadth of work is layered and has been different throughout the years where as Walker's work regardless of the different mediums she uses, the works is all about the same theme.  Good insight.  I might have to agree on that.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite American holiday.  There is something very communal about everyone in America celebrating this day eating turkey, watching football, sharing with friends and family.  Getting up in the morning and making the stuffing or setting the table. 

Jessica came up this morning and said "Happy Thanksgiving, so what are you thankful for"?  I am thankful for my life.  Maybe it is getting older or just where I am on the journey of life but Fred and I have been together for over 27 years and not only have we had fun, we have built a wonderful life together and have three great kids.  I really can't ask for more thanks than that.  We are happy and healthy which hopefully will continue for many many Thanksgivings to come. 

Thanks to everybody who reads my blog.  Enjoy your day and of course, the annual binge on stuffing. 

Ben Lee

I was a bad Mom.  Josh was totally under the weather yesterday.  He slept 13 hours the night before.  He stayed home from school.  Fred and I went for dinner with friends and the kids were supposed to hook up with us about 930/10 to see Ben Lee at the Blender Theater at Gramercy ( a terrific new venue ).  I called home around 915 and spoke with Josh.  I asked him how he was feeling.  He said much better so I said, get dressed, you can't miss this concert.  And so, we all went.  What a fantastic concert!

As Jessica pointed out, she has been listening to Ben Lee since she was 4.  So true.  We have been listening to Ben Lee since his first album back in 1995 and have been following him ever since.  Never heard him in concert before and what a treat it was. 

The venue is small.  Most people knew his music intimately.  He is a wonderful performer.  Talks to the audience, makes jokes, gets the audience to sing along, etc.  I particularly liked when he sang a song from a band he likes and wasn't sure he knew the words so he sang them while reading them on his blackberry.  He even called a friend who usually plays with him but happened to be home sick that evening.  Put her on speaker and then played a song for her.  It was hilarious and intimate at the same time. 

The last song of the evening was We're All in This Together which was a big group sing.  Such a talented individual who is incredibly comfortable in his own skin.  An added bonus is he uses Facebook, his website is smart and seamless and he uses a blackberry.  Our kind of guy. 

When we left the concert I was exhilarated.  It is one of those rare concerts where after you leave, you just feel like skipping down the street.  So glad we all were there, Josh would have been bummed if I had made him stay home because we will certainly be talking about this show for years to come.  Also, Josh got to go in back with me and meet Ben.  That in itself is a treat. 

Smith's

Smiths, the latest addition to MacDougal street in the village just opened a few weeks ago.  Will MacDougal street be the next street to undergo a restaurant transformation? 

I really loved the decor of the place.  I felt as if I was on a high end deco European train.  The restaurant is very long.  At first glance it appears to be very small, just a room open to the street but then once you step in you notice the long hallway with booths all the day down on the left and then you continue to walk down the hall and off to the right, tucked in the back, is a fantastic bar.  Very quaint, very masculine with a good vibe.  The booths are a bit tight but so is a train. 

Acoustically, I found Smith's a bit loud but not that bad.  It was also nice to see a variety of families in the front room who are locals just out for dinner.  I hope that continues. 

The menu is very nouveau.  I began with one of the "seasonal starters".  Roasted baby beets layered horizontally across the plate over a mixture of balsamic and a creamy horseradish sauce covered with a walnut powder.  Very good, small amount.  Fred went with the Artichoke Pasta which was excellent.  Creamy and rich with just a hint of black truffles, crispy prosciutto and parm cheese.

Seven dinner entrees to choose from.  They are still tweaking the menu (so says the waiter).  I went with the boneless pork chop.  A large white rectangular plate.  On one end a boneless pork chop sitting on a celery root and apple puree with braised pork cheeks sitting solo on the right.  It was good but not great.  The pork was juicy but not that interesting.  Fred went with the Dorade that was boned for him before serving that was served with a simple Meyer lemon vinaigrette.  It was good.  I also ordered a side of glazed veggies which were rich and good.  There are a few options for sides.

For dessert, someone had the pumpkin panna cotta which looked beautiful.  We split a warm apple cake with ginger ice cream and dots of caramel sauce around the plate.  Moist and flavorful.

I liked the place.  The food is simple, nothing to write home about but Smith's is a nice addition to the neighborhood.  Loved the bar.  You can see the picture of Fred at the bar doing his usual thing, checking email.  I hope it becomes a great local haunt which would be perfect.