March 2007 Archives
By the time I got there the thickest crowds were already gone but there was still plenty of good-looking produce to choose from. Best deal for apples? Four pounds for $2. I didn't get the name of the grower, but you'll know it when you see it.
Other delights:
- Long skeins of handspun, hand-dyed merino wool sold by a company that also sold goat's milk cheese.
- Pickled beets, onions, "smokra" and green beans from Rick's Picks.
- Lovely whites, reds and rosés by Finger Lakes winemaker Anthony Road.
- More honey and maple syrup than you could shake a stick at.
And this view (if you looked up):
Play "Beautiful Excuse"
by Melanie Horsnell
Walking by Central Park on a windy, cold and getting colder day, I stretched my chin toward the sky and spied a mosaic on tthe side of an otherwise nondescript building.
Funny where you find beauty around here.
Feeling a bit of wanderlust, I picked up PD James' novel "The Children of Men" (the edition without the movie poster on it, thank you very much: Amazon|BN|Powell's) and Alice Steinbach's "Without Reservations." (Amazon|BN|Powell's)
Not sure if I'll start the futurist fiction or the travel memoir first, but either way, these will be keeping me company for the next few days.
Purchases in pouch, I felt an unmistakable pull from the site of my first reacquiantance with this city, so I wandered off toward Central Park to pay tribute to the Helmsley Park Lane hotel.
Several years ago, I was in town to attend the wedding of a close friend. Most of the out-of-town guests stayed at the Park Lane, owned by Leona "Queen of Mean" Helmsley.
My room had an unobstructed view of Fredrick Law Olmsted's marvel, and I spent a good deal of time sitting at a small dining table by the window, dreaming of an older New York, trying to guess which buildings housed Leonard Bernstein, and which sheltered Betty Comden. All the while I heard jazz. And Tin Pan Alley tunes. And, for some reason, Salif Keita's rendition of "Begin the Beguine."
At night, the moon set the treetops aglow and apartment lights framed the park like candles floating on a river. From the 12th floor, I imagined a city that has long since morphed into something sleeker yet less glamorous.
But the days and nights I spent during that visit will stay with me, bound to this place and imprinted as part vision, part emotion.
Listen to Elvis Costello's "Pump It Up" from 1978.
Then listen to Escape Club's "Wild Wild West," which was released 10 years later.
Homage or ripoff?
• Monocle, March & April issues
Published by Tyler Brûlé, founder of the oh-so-chic-and-trendy Wallpaper magazine, Monocle is a mix of world news, fashion and culture. The website currently has a great video interview with the founder of Lego. At US$10, the mag is pricey but well-written, well-reported and best of all, interesting. (Read and watch the CBC interview here.)
• Women's Health, April issue
One of the newer titles from Pennsylvania healthy lifestyle powerhouse Rodale, Women's Health seems to cover the same handful of topics every month. Yet I can't stop reading this magazine. I'm not sure why.
• Livingetc, March & April issues
British shelter and home magazine Livingetc is like the carefree foodie cousin to Dwell. Yes, there are plenty of articles about modern design. Yes, there are plenty of Lucky-like product rundowns. But while Dwell focuses on the meaning of design in your life, Livingetc remembers that to live well, you've got to eat well, too. Speaking of which...
• Saveur, February & April issues
Every time I browse through the food mag section of the newsstand, it takes a lot of effort not to pick up Saveur. The photography is beautiful, the stories are personal, and most of the recipes are easy to follow. For those who understand what's meant by "food is love," this magazine is worth a look.
Toni & Ben, the couple behind the label, have been getting a lot of buzz, and their little store in Brooklyn's Greenpoint neighborhood is their first bricks and mortar establishment.
The space has been gutted, repainted, and refinished with a hammered-tin ceiling that had to be sealed by hand. The friend who did the carpentry and finishing work was "lying on his back like in the Sistine Chapel" dabbing polyurethane over each square, Ben said.
The shop is just big enough to comfortably display almost the entire line of clothing, handbags and accessories.
Veddy nice.
So when given the opportunity to attend a cooking lesson at one, I jumped. Today was schooling in high-end surf 'n' turf at Nick & Stef's at the base of Madison Square Garden, mere hours before Elton John rocked the house with his 60th birthday celebration.
The genial executive chef, Steven Stamm, had us gather in the cold prep area, where he introduced himself and his sous chef, Steve. He explained cuts of steak and the difference between fresh and aged meat. Then, he explained reductions. And finally, we watched the prep process for a side of exotic mushrooms and a separate horseradish sauce.
We moved on to the surf part — shrimp stuffed with Maryland crabmeat accompanied by citrus beurre blanc.
Some of the students' lips curled back, horrified at the amount of butter being incorporated into the liquid base. One student spent most of the lesson demanding to know what the lowfat substitute was for every ingredient.
It was slightly annoying.
But once the butterflied shrimp with their tails pillowed atop a crabmeat balls came out of the broiler; once the perfectly charred steaks — cooked on the outside, red in the center and hot all the way through — were sliced; once the dark, earthy mushrooms lightly coated with virgin olive oil were tossed one last time and all was beautifully presented, everyone shut up and started salivating.
Most people not only ate everything, they went back for seconds and thirds — with sauce.
Next cooking lesson: The cocktail party.
The morning was brisk and pleasant. By the afternoon, it was downright balmy. So it seemed like a good day to go to Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn to join the celebratory if delayed opening of the Ohio Knitting Mills Store.
For those who like the vintage look but don't like the thrift store vibe — some people believe that donated clothes bear the spirit of the deceased — this place is worth checking out. You won't find steals, but you will find interesting and quirky linens, Orlons, cottons and woolens. All new deadstock. (The mill that produced the goods closed shop in 2005 according to the Ohio Secretary of State.)
It was still light out by the time I arrived and walked a few blocks up to the store. Brooklyn, at least the few bits I've seen of it, reminds me of a small town. The buildings, usually no more than three stories, seem to cling low to the ground, perhaps prostrating themselves before Manhattan, or maybe turning their backs on skyscrapers that block the sun and stars.
By the time I was ready to head home the rains had come, drops falling lackadaisically on the unsuspecting masses walking in the warm, humid air.
I had struck up a conversation with a writer who felt he was in a rut. His professional work was going well but his private writing wasn't. He still carried around a journal, but he hadn't written anything in it for a few years, he said.
It was a typical story: After college, he got busy with the beginning of the rest of his life. Now he's in grad school and the pressures of homework, housework and life maintenance make the thought of doing anything requiring extra brain power and creativity exhausting.
Yet the need to write is still there, he said.
"What did you get out of keeping a journal?" I asked.
Writing is cathartic, he said. And it's a way to placate the need to create something original. When he rereads what he wrote, he can see the unconscious patterns and track the changes of his existence. And usually, writing and reading his own work give him a feeling of understanding himself better.
"Maybe you're putting too much pressure on yourself to produce something important," I suggested. "Maybe things will come easier to you if you just, you know, write."
He nodded. We then headed to opposite sides of the same subway station, me going uptown, he going down.
From across the tracks we could see each other. He waved, smiled, sat down on a bench and dug a pen and a small book out of his messenger bag. He then looked up, grinned and began writing.
Well, dear readers, you can put a stop to that if you live in the U.S. (international expansion coming soon). Sign up for the free Beta trial of Grand Central, a one-number solution that routes calls to your home, office and cell phones through a single phone number that's yours for life (or at least for the life of the company).
You can pick up from any phone you designate, and answering is supposedly seamless — let's say you pick up a call to your home phone on your cell, but because you've got bad reception, you want to switch to your land line. One push of the * button, and your call is transferred without the caller knowing (except that the sound quality will probably be better).
If you don't want to take a call or can't, Grand Central shunts the call to voicemail, which you can pick up from any phone or computer.
Concerned about privacy? The service has a host of spam blockers and other privacy-protecting features that could take at least half a day to explore. I should know 'cause I just did.
I blame David Pogue, though Rafe Needleman at CNet discussed it back in October.
Instead of staying indoors, I joined the city's masses and popped out to the Upper West Side to visit Crumbs, a kosher bakery that specializes in cupcakes.
It's a trend I never really understood when it broke in L.A., but my sweet tooth compelled me to pay a visit. Besides, it was a good excuse for a walk.
The shop was filled with young moms and little kids celebrating ... something. As I bent closer to the pastry case, the smell of superfine sugar combined with echoing peals of hyper tots to make me dizzy.
And suddenly, I didn't want the red velvet cupcake anymore. Oh no.
I also wanted the cappuccino.
And the carrot cake.
And the s'mores (unpictured).
Eyes wide, I eagerly asked for four to go and the woman behind the counter politely obliged.
Dozens of blocks later, I was home unpacking my treasure box, pouring a cold glass of lactose-free milk and trying to decide what would most delight my palate.
I'm limiting myself to just one today.
Just.
One.
...Bliss...
• "Eat The Document" by Dana Spiotta
(Amazon|BN|Powell's)
Admittedly, this was one of those books I picked up because I thought the cover looked cool. It also doesn't hurt that "Eat the Document" was a National Book Award finalist.
• "City Secrets New York" edited by Robert Kahn
(Amazon|BN|Powell's)
Still trying to figure out my new hometown. I liked this book because it includes short essays by people who live and work in New York, and because it's not a tourist guide (nor a Not for Tourists guide).
• "Margherita Dolce Vita" by Stefano Benni
(Amazon|BN|Powell's)
Years ago, I picked up a hilarious scifi satire by Italian author Stefano Benni called "Terra."
I've not read anything by him since. So when I was at McNally Robinson the other week and saw Benni's name on the cover of this book, I decided to give it a go. Besides, when a Nobel laureate in literature gives a book the thumbs up, you figure there must be something worthy in the pages.
Instead of enjoying the great outdoors as I did all weekend, I'm bonding with my iBook and doing my favorite thing: Reading.
Lo and behold, the Bloggies were announced today. Many of the nominated blogs I either read currently or let fall by the wayside. But reading this year's winner of "best writing of a weblog" is like getting reacquianted with a person you initially disliked a few years ago and finding that you're warming to them because you've both changed.
I'd started reading Waiter Rant in 2004, but after a few weeks I gave it up. Like most single-author blogs, the writer, known as The Waiter, was using the site for catharsis. Unlike some single-author blogs, Waiter Rant read like an opportunity to beat people up. The posts appeared to come from yet another angry New Yorker and as an Angeleno, I wasn't interested in that negative vibe.
But how time changes things. Not only has The Waiter gotten perspective and inner peace, he's also landed himself a book deal and the attendant buzz.
And as someone who eats out in New York, I find the less hostile posts more relevant.
I can't do that anymore.
My dilemma: Groceries are heavy and expensive, but eating out all the time is too, though in a different way.
The other night, as I wondered how a chocolate egg cream, excellent chicken noodle soup, and a side of polenta at the Brooklyn Diner managed to cost me about half a week's worth of groceries, I decided it was time to get serious about finding cheap produce.
Yes, this mission's going to take legwork and a bit of muscle, but what the hell. Besides, as a friend who spent a year living in NYC once told me, "You can get anything delivered to your door if you're willing to pay for it." And as far as I can tell, he's right.
So here's the rundown so far:
Whole Foods has a wide selection and beautiful produce, but there's a reason why it's known by the epithet "Whole Paycheck."
Citarella is more specialized, a grocery that focuses on Italian fine foods. It's almost as expensive as Whole Foods, but they've got a better butcher.
The vaunted Fairway Market has good prices, but too many people. Never before have I suffered claustrophobia, but I came pretty close last time I was there. A local said prices in the organic foods section on the top-secret second floor of their Upper West Side store converted her. "I'll never shop Whole Foods again," she said.
Zabar's, a wonderful family-run place is especially good for finding Jewish specialties, fresh fish and a variety of cheeses. Its housewares department ain't bad either. But once again, produce, well ....
Which made this weekend's venture all the sweeter.
I'd read that Bowery Kitchen Supplies is one of the best places in the city to find affordable kitchenware. Because I needed new flatware I decided to head over (the trusty set I'd had since college was given up during the move in a moment of very unclear thinking that I'm deeply regretting now).
The store is inside the Chelsea Market, a great example of an old building revitalized — or a terrifying example of gentrification. The landmarked former Nabisco factory now houses nearly 30 food-oriented shops, stores and restaurants, as well as headquarters of NY1, The Food Network, and some post-production facilities.
Bowery was disappointing, and made me miss my beloved Surfas restaurant supply in Culver City all the more. But I did make several wonderful discoveries:
• L'Arte del Gelato. Gelato connoisseurs must pay a visit to Francesco Realmuto's little shop. The gelato is so smooth, the fruit, chocolate and nut flavors so intense, that even the $3.50 piccolo cup is very satisfying.
• The Lobster Place, which claims that by moving 1,000,000 pounds of live lobster a year, it's the city's largest seafood and shellfish purveyor. Though I've yet to learn all the secrets of selecting fish, there was something about this place that told me it was the real deal. Maybe it was the smell, maybe it was the fact that so many of the fish were skillfully gutted and had their heads still on.
• Manhattan Fruit Exchange, where finally, finally, I have found good prices for fresh, great-looking produce. The only black spot is that last year, the company was ordered to pay $183,000 in back wages to its employees. Maybe that's why things are so cheap.
Nevertheless, I now know where to go for romaine, onions, mushrooms, citrus, olives and peppers at all points of the Scoville scale. (Though for hard to find spices, including the elusive aji amarillo used in Peruvian cooking, I recommend ordering from World Spice Merchants in Seattle.)
And holy cow, I think I've hit the jackpot:
It has just dawned on me (Yeah, yeah, I know. Late to the party.) that nationally famous School Products is right here in the city.
Sadly, they're not open on Sundays, but you can bet I'll be making a visit there soon. They have cashmere. In bulk. For less than $35 a hank/skein/ball.
OMG.
One of the most fascinating things I learned is there's an extensive network of private libraries on this island. And the nice thing about these private libraries is that they are philanthropic institutions, that is, tax write-offs for the rich. Which means people like me are welcome to wander around and wander for free if you know when to go.
Friday was free day at the Morgan Library & Museum, which holds one of the city's largest private collections of rare printed works.
Not knowing more than the fact that Friday was free day, a friend and I made a discovery in the tony Murray Hill neighborhood. The Morgan's Annex, seen in the photo, has only been open since last year. If you love minimalist architecture, the space is a grand prize. Designed by Renzo Piano, Wallpaper magazine named it best new public building of 2006.
It is a pretty cool space in itself. But better yet was a special exhibition of whimsical, childlike drawings and artwork by Saul Steinberg, who perhaps is best known for his New Yorker cover illustrations.
I'd like to go back for another look, but it turns out our luck ran only so deep: we were there on closing weekend. Fortunately, though the halls were full, they weren't so crowded as to make it impossible to take time to examine each piece on display.
Happy circumstance indeed.