Gotham Gal

When Strangers Click

Years ago I met Marc Weiss in my daughters Emily's class. He was the father of one of Emily's best friends.  We started to talk about the Internet industry.  What Marc was interested in was using the web as a platform to create discussions around social issues to create change and awareness. He had created an organization called Weblab.  I was intrigued and joined his board. He started this movement years before as the Executve Director of P.O.V. (Point of View) showcasing independent documentaries mostly dedicated towards social issues of the time.  Marc is dedicated to bring issues to the surface in a unique balanced way.  There is not only a need for people like Marc but his passion is something that you can't help but be impressed by.

After a few years I got off the board for a variety of reasons but have kept in touch over the years.  I recently bumped into Marc and he told me about two projects he was working on.  One called Gun Stories.  Certainly guns is a very controversial topic in our country.  Marc wants to hear both sides of the story.  He even became a card carrying NRA member to understand the mentality of a world that he him himself doesn't necessarily believe in.  Typical of Marc, dedicated to see and understand both sides of the issues regardless of his own feelings. 

The other project was called When Strangers Click.  When Strangers Click aired on HBO in February.  The show highlighted 5 relationships who met on the Internet.  Who knew that 22% of couples who met last year met online.  That is pretty amazing.  I remember when online dating started to happen.  It was and is an incredible phenomena. 

So this past weekend we watched When Strangers Click.  It is a really poignant piece of our times.  How people can find another person who is not necessarily located in their local community.  Through conversation online one can find a personal connection that they are looking for.  I really enjoyed the film.  If you get a chance, download it and watch. FYI - When Strangers Click has been nominated for an Emmy based on the fact that the stories were gathered online. Very cool. The trailer is below.

 

 

When Strangers Click: Five Stories From The... by HBO

The Hunger Games

It has taken me awhile to get some space between seeing the movie, The Hunger Games, and not being disturbed.  If you don't know anything about the movie, it is based on a popular series of books by Suzanne Collins.  I have not read any of the books but they are quite popular among teens and some adults.  After seeing the move, I am committed to reading at least the first book.  I have been told by several people that the books are amazing and much more violent than the film. 

A brief summary on the plot.  The setting takes place in a post-apocalyptic world which could be the United States.  Capitol is the city where the dictator of the Governnment lives who runs the rest of the country which is divided into 12 districts.  Capitol is futuristic and wealthy, the districts are not.  The districts are each different and it appears that one is for the coal miners, one is for the grain farmers, etc.  In order to keep the districts in line, each year a boy and a girl is picked at random (lottery style) from each district to be in the Hunger Games.  The Hunger Games is annual form of entertainment put on by the media almost akin to the survival shows we see on TV now.  The people who run the Hunger Games show also manipulate what happens during the live event with random fire, giving out life lines such a medication etc.

Bottom line, there are 24 kids (12 boys and 12 girls) who are randomly picked and thrown into a contained area where they are forced to survive until the death of 23 of them take place.  One person wins.  The people living in the Capitol as well as the districts watch the games as they are streamed live over large TV's throughout each area.  There are cheers when kids are killed as the game continues to the end. 

The main character, played by Jennifer Lawrence, is a smart and savvy hunter.  Girls are responding to the girl power part of her role as she is brave and tough.  Bottom line, there are kids killing kids for the decadence of the people in the Capitol...kind of reminiscent of the Gladiator but the characters in this particular plot look like us, dress like us and act like us not like Romans in togas.

In the world that we live in today where teens have access to guns and violence and bullying are top topics in schools and there is a growing divide between the haves and have-nots, this movie can certainly make for some interesting conversation after the show.  If you take your kids, there should be more than one conversation about the film.  I recommend going because the film in many ways defines the times as it is a huge hit but prepare yourself, I walked away upset and distrubed with the content particularly as kids in the audience cheered when another kid was killed because Jennifer Lawrence was still alive.  Ouch. 

stayinghomeandvacationing

I am basically letting my desk and email box just pile up for the next few days.  Fred and I have taken in three movies in two days, two delicious meals and one museum.  Today is another day.

We saw Hugo and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close on day one.  Hugo is amazing.  I read the book Extremely Loud and absolutely loved it.  They did a great job with the movie.  Both movies revolve around a key and hope for a message from each young boys lost parent although completely different films.  The young boys, Thomas Horn (ELIC) and Asa Butterfield (Hugo) were amazing.

We stopped into Gotham Bar and Grill for dinner and sat at the bar.  I love that the bartender has been there for fifteen years.  The decor could use a bit of a makeover but the food is always good.  I think of Gotham as one of those restaurants, like Union Square Cafe, that changed the way we eat food at restaurants.  The seafood salad is a classic and it is still piled high.

I also had the miso marinated cod which was delicious.  BTW, after all these years the restaurant was packed.

Day two began looking for a car.  We tried that on day one too with little success.  Day two was successful and by the time all our kids are driving we will need a serious parking lot.  After car shopping we had lunch at Via Quadronno.  I love this place for lunch.  Located on E 73rd between Madison and Fifth.  It is like going to Italy for a quick bite.  Always packed with locals.

We had made the "journey" uptown to see the Maurizio Cattelan exhibit.  A must.  The installation is brilliant and the Guggenheim was the perfect spot to show his work.  Amazing.

It was really nice out so we walked down to the Paris movie theater.  Have not been to the Paris in years but another classic institution on the UES.  We saw the Artist.  Very clever, another theme among the movies we have seen.  Washed up artist (Hugo and the Artist).  The entire movie is shot in black and white with no sound.  It is like watching an old film of the past.  Not so sure how much I loved it but certainly appreciated how clever it was. 

Last stop was Marea.  Yes, quite a journey being uptown and even eating up there too!  Marea is a gem.  Incredible customer service, beautiful decor, a feeling of elegance and everyone is dressed up.  We weren't but Marea is definitely a place to go and treat yourself. This is my second time back and certainly will not be my last. We began with a flight of crudo.

But the best thing, and the signature dish is the fusilli with red wine braised octopus and bone marrow.  It is insanely decadent and divine.  Still dreaming about this pasta this morning. We also split a whole branzino roasted in sea salt.  Perfect.  A worthy journey uptown.

Next couple days should we filled with more movies and an eventual clean up my desk before the new year begins. 

Midnight In Paris

I rarely write anything on movies but I can't help myself on this one.  Midnight in Paris is Woody Allen's latest film.  Over the past few years I have not really enjoyed his films but this one was like a return to the old Woody Allen.  It was obvious from the line last night waiting to get in to the film that I was not the only other New Yorker excited about this. 

He took Paris, instead of NYC, as the location.  As he has had a love affair with NYC through film for many years he has now done the same thing with Paris.  But the best part is Owen WIlson.  He has embodied Woody Allen.  Woody used to play himself as the title role in his films but this time has used Owen Wilson to be him.  He is fantastic.  You are watching Woody Allen of the past being recreated through Owen Wilson. 

Over the course of the film, Owen Wilson, who is a writer, returns to Paris in the 20's after the clock strikes midnight.  He meets and converses with all the significant writers and artists of those times.  Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, Picasso, Dali, etc.  During the day, he is living in the present with his fiance and her parents wondering if this is making him happy.  Embrace the day not the past is the theme here as well as do something that makes you happy. 

We walked out of the movie smiling and wandered over to a french bistro, Jean Claude on Sullivan street, for dinner.  Had to stay in the moment. 

Looking forward to spending some time in Paris this summer!

The Highline

Monday night was the annual Highline event where funds and glasses are raised to toast the transformation of resurrected piece of the city.  Walking the second half which runs from 23-30th Street is jaw dropping.  What is more amazing is when you walk from Gansevoort all the way to 30th Street on the street vs the Highline, you realize how far that walk is.  Not only has the Highline changed the West Side of lower Manhattan but it has changed traffic patterns.  You can walk through an extrarordinary park from the West Village up to 30th Street seeing beauty and greenery everywhere.  That in itself is spectactular.  NYC, an ever evolving city displayed so prominently by the transfiguration of a set of train tracks. 

One of my favorite parts of the evening besides seeing over 900 people gather under a tent, all dressed up, to celebrate the Highline was meeting Bill Cunningham.  If you have not seen the documentary on Bill Cunningham, go and see it.  A captivating movie about a unique man who has been living behind the lens and taking pictures for the New York TImes as far back as I can remember.  His eye for detail and fashion vs who and what is one of the things that really struck me while watching the film.  Cunningham has an archive on design in his brain as well as his endless filing cabinets in his apartment like no other.  He is a brilliant man and so absolutely adorable and charming.  Driving his bike around the city from event to event every evening as well as the constant standing on a street just waiting to take in the trend he sees of the moment is pretty amazing.  An incredible man. 

He took a picture of us last night and I got to meet him, ever so briefly, and it was exactly like the film.  His warmth and goofy grin is endearing but he just laughs and does his thing and moves on.  You can connect but you don't. 

Things to do:  Go walk the entire Highline when it opens at the beginning of June and go see the Bill Cunningham documentary.  Both are winners. 

Bridesmaid, Ssam Bar and ITP end of year presentations

Of course I had to see Bridesmaids this weekend.  It was a must.  What I loved about the movie more than anything is that the writers created a film that had never been done before.  A peek into women, their relationships, their fears and their humor.  I took Fred and Josh.  Emily and Jessica had already seen it.  Bravo. 

After the movie, we popped into the Ssam Bar.  Wow.  That place always kills it.  The pork bun is absolutely the best pork bun I have ever had and I say that every time I eat it.  SImple roasted pork belly lying on a fluffy Chinese bun with a little hoisin, a few slices of cucumber and scallions.  Can't be beat.

Also went for the Duck Sandwich.  Wow.  A crispy roll stuffed with thinly sliced duck, a little foie gras, chopped iceberg lettuce, spicy mayo and cut up peppadews. 

We also split two main courses.  The first was spicy pork sausages crumbled and crispy mixed together with pieces of Chinese broccoli, Sichuan peppercorns and crispy rice cakes topped with crispy shallots.  Super spicy and just damn good.

The other course was sliced rotisserie duck, please do not cut off that fat over rice, with chive pancakes, bibb lettuce and on the side there is reduced duck fat with scallions, ginger and a bit of garlic.  I also love their pickled radishes and daikons.

We then went over to see the ITP end of year design presentations.  The entire fourth floor is devoted to every students project.  The place was jammed.  Many interesting ideas and artistic creations but I happen to love this seat sitting in one of the rooms.  Nobody was there to explain it but it just called out to me ITP, ITP, ITP.

catching up

I am in the process of going through emails and the variety of notes I have written to my self under the "to do" heading.  I finally got around to seeing this video that was sent to me from Nancy Hechinger, one of my co-chairs at the Womens Entrepreneur Festival in January.  Nancy is a professor in the ITP Department at NYU.  This video was made by a group of first year ITPers.  It takes about seven minutes and there is something touching, simple and beautiful about this film.  If you have seven minutes, it is worth the watch. 

 

 

The Aperture from Alvin Chang on Vimeo.

mini banana muffins and a weekend of stuff

friday afternoon was spent having lunch at jeffrey's grocery with a few friends and catching up. always nice. 

met fred for a movie.  we saw it's kind of a funny story.  really liked it.  a total feel good movie that definitely hits on the topic of insane pressure that high school kids go under because of who they are and expectations that their parents put on them.  zach galfianakis is hilarious and keir gilchrist we will probably see more of in the years to come.

after the film we walked over to prune where we actually grabbed a table for two.  love that place.  makes me feel like i am in paris. 

speaking of zach, i love that he lit up a joint on the bill maher show.  it's absolutely fantastic and worth the watch.

saturday was spent doing errands and nonsense and of course finishing sundays crossword and saturdays.  saturday night we went to an annual halloween carving party.  great concept.  everyone carves a pumpkin while drinking and eating an incredible spread of food cooked over an entire week by our hosts.  been doing this party off and on since the 1980's. 

today was purely relaxation.  got up and noticed 6 rotten bananas.  made mini muffins for the 6 kids that spent the night in random places around the house.  not a great recipe so i won't share but nobody seemed to mind.  finished a book, read another while watching the jets game. 

halloween in the village is a time you either join in the party or hunker down indoors.  we are going for the latter.  i figure saturday night was our halloween. 

 

the weekend wrap-up

Due to very early planning, I completely missed the boat on Yom Kippur this year.  A big shame on me. 

Last March we were with friends skiing and randomly purchased tickets to see Vampire Weekend for this past Friday night.  Wasn't checking the Jewish calendar, obviously.  Fred's family planned to have a birthday party for his Mom on Saturday months ago which sounded perfect.  Again, not checking the Jewish calendar.  Regardless of not sitting in services, atoning and fasting, I kept thinking about where I should have been and enjoyed the weekend as it was. 

On another note, our friend gave us Ween tickets on Friday night which I wasn't aware of until sometime mid-week.  Fred totally spaced on our Vampire Weekend tickets for Friday night.  So unaware that we couldn't find the tickets until we showed up at dinner and our friends had the tickets for us.  Good news is Josh took the Ween tickets and enjoyed himself. 

Friday night we had dinner at Ma Peche.  A constantly changing menu and always interesting.  One of the highlights Friday night was definitely the uni.  Pieces of uni with tiny pieces of apple and a citrus sauce.  Wow.  The one bite was like heaven.  Sorry for the blurry pic.

The concert was at Radio City.  Three bands that night.  We got there in time to see Beach House who has been top on my listening chart these days.  The main act was Vampire Weekend.  The first time we saw Vampire Weekend was at the Bowery Ballroom years ago and have continued to see them at different venues including an outdoor concert outside Paris.  I am impressed that they were able to sell out 3 nights at Radio City.  They have definitely grown-up.  They know how to put on a show in a large venue and the audience was thrilled. 

For the birthday party, we drove up to Highland Falls where Fred's brother lives.  We all brought food.  I made brownies (I thought I had posted them before but haven't so I will make them again and post) and a cauliflower/potato salad.  My brother-in-law made pulled pork that he had slow cooked in root beer for six hours.  It was awesome.  Who knew?  A really nice family event celebrating my mother-in-laws birthday.  Good genes, she looks great and has aged really well.  

We got back in time to catch a film.  We saw Leaves of Grass.  A silly film but the performance from Ed Norton playing a twin brother, the brilliant pot head and brilliant academic, is fantastic.  He is such a good actor.  The highlight is the cameo from Richard Dreyfus. 

On the way home we stopped by Zampa right off Hudson.  It is not easy finding a seat at a bar on Saturday night where the sound level is low.  A nice place.  Lots of wines by the glass.  We had a few appetizers.  Ricotta, spec and figs was one.  Three small toasts; one with tuna and spicy olive oil the other with chopped liver mixed with vin santo and asparagus with shaved pecorino and truffle oil.  The main course we split was a mushroom lasagna which just wasn't that great.  I'd stick with the tiny plates (cheeses and meats galore) and a few glasses of wine.  

Today is a total catch-up.  Need stuff framed, need to clean up my email, need to clean up my desk, need to get to Citarella.  Lucky, I made dinner was made a few nights ago.  Brisket.  Then another week begins...

national portrait gallery and dinings

I just can't be in London and not visit the National Portrait Gallery.  Just a great museum.  Right now the annual BP Portrait Award winners are up.  This year there were 2,177 entries from 69 countries.  Narrowed down to a few rooms, about 55 finalists and a few prizes.  All painted portraits.  Worth clicking through to the site and scrolling through all the finalists.  

Here are some of my favorites.  Prize winner Elizabeth McDonald

Daniel Enkaoua

Michal Ozibko

Brian Shields. 

We returned to Terroir for lunch.  Right in the neighborhood and we knew it.  Another round of artichokes.  Yum.

Went over to Leicester Square to see Get Him to the Greek.  I swear.  Josh loved it the first time and wanted us to see it too.  No comment. 

After a run and a shower, I met up with Fred and an old friend who has been living in London with his wife and baby for the past year.  We had a pint at The Audley in Mayfair.  Haven't done enough pubs since we have been here.  I did a pub a day when I lived here in college.  Pubs define London.  People gathered at corners having a drink or possibly eating and drinking inside.  A neighborhood joint.  Cafes in Paris, Pubs in London.  Might return today for lunch and another pint.

Last night's dinner was in Marylebone at Dinings.  A small intimate Japanese restaurant.  Some of the food was really good.  The service was seriously abysmal.  The food came out so slow, we had to flag them down for water or more alcohol (isn't alcohol where 50% of the profits are made), for rice, for anything.  On one hand, it was fascinating how terrible the entire staff was because it just wasn't the one main person waiting on us, it was the whole crew.  If I lived in London, I'd never ever go back.  Service is so important.  It creates a vibe and makes a patron feel welcomed.  I wish Dinings well but they need to fix how they roll out the food (kitchen) and the staff.  It is terrible.  It took almost an hour and a half before we saw the first dish.  Above is sashimi yellowtail with different sauces.

Sashimi highlights.  Sea bass with summer truffles.  

Sushi.  This came out as a big plate and nobody could remember what they ordered at this point. 

Rolls and special scallop sushi with a sauce.

Best thing.  Crispy pork skin on outside and braised in the inside with a ponzu and soy sauce dipping sauce.  Delicious.

We left, we sighed and we went home to bed.