Diggin’ da pub grub–

MMM!  It’s late night down here in the Soho section of Manhattan in New York City…I’m wanderin’ around hankerin’ for somethin’ tasty to jam into my gullet…so I head on over to The Ear Inn on Spring Street and find total satisfaction…jaaaa!!

The bacon cheeseburger cooked medium rare is delectable…comes with lettuce, tomato and onion…also comes with sauteed potatoes and a salad with secret house dressing–very nice. . .I also ingest a cup of lentil soup just for kicks, and it is extremely tasty…mmmhhmmm!

All of this is washed down with a pint of Brooklyn Lager. . .wow, it’s so good that I think I will have another. . .and another. . .and. . .

The Ear Inn has been in operation since 1817…201 years now…and I don’t think that she will be closing any time soon…so, there is still time for you to make your way into this joint at some point before you move to the other side. . .do it…visit here or wherever your local pub may be, have a burger and a pint, notice how lucky you are to be alive wherever you are doing whatever you are…take another bite, have another sip, and go, “YAAAAAY, BABY!!”

To see more magical images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive on in. . .you can go just about anywhere that you like right here, right now.

It’s lovely out there.

Satan & Adam–

POW!  It’s time for the Tribeca Film Festival here in New York City…cherry blossoms are in full bloom and my favorite pizza place is still knockin’ out delicious 29-inchers for all of us to enjoy…mmm, aaahh!

The reason that I mention the Tribeca Film Festival is because a little documentary called “Satan & Adam” has just premiered here.  Full disclosure: I donated cash to the production team via their Indiegogo page a couple years ago as a contribution to their ongoing efforts to finish this film. . .23 years after the director started making the film it is finally finished and being marshaled along by the folks at Kennedy/Marshall Productions–yes, big Hollywood is now involved. . .mmm, aaaahh!!

Satan & Adam are a blues duo…Satan: a black blues man from Mississippi who ended up playing music on the streets of Harlem back in the 80s…Adam: a white ivy-league-educated harmonica player from upstate New York who sat in with Satan up in Harlem one day…keep them together and stir, and the rest is fun and magical musical history.

The documentary, made by a dude called Scott Balcerek, chronicles the lives and times of both Satan (real name is Sterling Magee) and Adam (full name is Adam Gussow) as individuals and as the musical duo known as ‘Satan & Adam.’  Really fun movie…powerful message in favor of racial cooperation and admiration and appreciation that could be a good antidote for some of the troubling racial issues occurring right now.

Please see the movie called “Satan & Adam” if it comes to your town, or you see it on Netflix, or wherever…learn the story of these two musical powerhouses and how they came together, wandered apart, and came back together to reach the stars and back. . .you will enjoy it–I gar-ron-taaaayy!!

Now I’m gonna get back to breathing in the sweet fragrance of blooming cherry blossoms…taking in the crisp and sparkling sunsets over the Hudson River…and I’m gonna eat some more delicious pizza from a place called No. 28 over on Carmine Street in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan here in beautiful New York Citaaaayy!

I send you dreamy and magical vibes from NYC…feel them…they can fuel you through your day today and every day.

To see more amazing images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it. . .so much to see and soooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.

Sunrise to snowfall–

WOWEEWOWOW!  January, February and March we had nuthin’ out here in the wilds of Wiskonsen, and now this…ugh!

April showers are falling as expected in temperatures that are far below what is expected. . .perfect time to reflect on the magic of being alive.

What a joy to behold the sunshine in the morning as it breaks through the trees and reflects off the windows in surrounding houses…what a joy to see the sky turn deeper shades of blue as the day progresses only to be superseded by clouds and storms and precipitation…ah, what a joy to feel the cool breezes on my face. . .

. . .oh, the hell with this already, let’s get to Spring, dammit–jaaaa!!

I send you warm thoughts and chilly vibrations from our midwestern outpost. . .feel them. . .they will keep you lookin’ ahead to better things today and every day.

To see more stupendous images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive on in. . .you can go just about anywhere that you like right here, right NOW.

It’s lovely out there.

Room service…magical–

The Ironhorse Hotel in Milwaukee, Wiskonsen knows how to make us feel right at home…a coupla bloody marys with Spotted Cow chasers and a bowl of housemade potato chips with green onion dip. . .mmm, aaaahh–we’re gonna stay the whole weekend!

Please include the Ironhorse Hotel in your plans the next time you pop into Cream City/Brewtown. . .the staff are friendly and helpful, the location is kinetic–right in the center of the ‘istoric Third Ward, the Menomonee River is right outside our window, good bars and restaurants are just up the block, and the Harley Davidson Museum is just over the bridge. . .can’t beat this spot at all.

I send you soothing and homey vibes from a vital area of Milwaukee. . .feel them. . .they will make your heart go vroom!!

To see more fabulous images from around our teeny tiny planet simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it. . .so much to see and soooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.

 

Osteria Morini…delicioso!

MMM!  We keep returning to Osteria Morini on Lafayette Street in the Soho section of Manhattan here in New York City, and this place keeps making us go, “mmm,” “aaaahh,” “WE LOVE YOU!!”

A guy called Michael White owns this restaurant…his organization, the Alta-Marea Group, owns the tastiest Italian restaurants in New York and in various other locations around the world…and there is one simple reason for his great success: his pasta is more delectable than anyone else’s, period.

Michael White is from Wisconsin, played college football in Minnesota, got injured, and decided that cooking would be his future.  He made his way to a restaurant in Imola, Italy called San Dominico, one of the world’s outstanding dining establishments.  Michael worked there for about 8 years learning EVERYTHING about pasta making, Italian cuisine, and the restaurant business.  His mentor was a dude called Gianluigi Morini…Morini treated White like one of his sons…White has never forgotten this. . .and Osteria Morini is Michael White’s homage to his teacher, mentor, father-figure, and friend, Gianluigi Morini.

All of the love that Michael White has for Gianluigi Morini can be felt and tasted in every bite of food in Osteria Morini. . .for example, tonight we are gobbling sauteed brussels sprouts, duck fegatini toast, prosciutto, mortadella, parmesan gelato–YUMMY!, candy wrapper-shaped pasta, lasagna, and baked cod with fresh tomatoes…all of this is washed down with an Etna Bianca from Sicily. . .mmm, aaaahh. . .everything is wonderful–we love eating here.

Please pop in here some and check it out. . .you will love it all, too–I gar-ron-taaaayy!

To see more amazing images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it. . .you deserve a virtual trip right here, right NOW.

It’s lovely out there.

#1 standard burger…NYC–

As a regular go-to everyday burger, the bacon cheeseburger at Fanelli’s Cafe over on the corner of Prince and Mercer Streets can’t be beat.  It is substantial, it is fresh-off-the-griddle, it is loaded with cheddar and greasy bacon, and it slides right down my gullet with no problem at all. . .mmmm, aaaahh!

I like to wash this thing down with an icy-cold pint of Six Point Pilsener…crisp, soothing, and delectable.

When in New York City you gotta make your way down to Fanelli’s…it’s old, rustic, sassy, loud, and welcoming. . .perfect for daytime gobbling and sipping. . .late at night it gets crowded with locals and tourists alike–so beware–daytime is best if you wanna avoid this.  Either way a good time will be had no matter when you arrive. . .enjoy!

To see more stupendous images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive on in. . .you might learn a thing or three.

It’s lovely out there.

#1 new burger…NYC–

BAM!  New York Magazine recently named this thing the tastiest new hamburger in New York City…soooooo, I gotta check it out–jaaaaa!!

The joint is called Cafe Altro Paradiso…it’s located near the corner of Sixth Avenue and Spring Street down here in the Soho section of Manhattan.

The burger is simply called the Wagyu Burger on the menu…it’s freakin’ delicious!

The meat is juicy and cooked a wonderful medium-rare…it is topped with caramelized radicchio, gorgonzola cheese, a small pickled onion, and fish sauce…the bun quishes down and stays together nicely to allow me to jam this entire baby into my gullet–mmm, aaaahh!!

This burger ultimately is a kooky bunch of ingredients that come together to make it mouthwateringly good.  I gobble the whole thing in a matter of minutes…meat juice dripping down my hands and onto my wrists…my taste buds dancing with pleasure. . .totally wonderful!!…I want another one right NOW.

Please consider popping into Cafe Altro Paradiso the next time you find yourself wandering around in the Soho section of New York City. . .have the burger. . .enjoy the chill vibe of this place. . .you will love it all–I gar-ron-taaaayy!!

To see more amazing images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it. . .so much to see and soooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.

More seafood…NYC–

POW!  We hit the ground running here in New York City…retrieve bags at airport…cab into town…drop bags…splash face…head out for delicious seafood at Lure Fishbar down on the corner of Mercer and Prince Streets–mmmm, aaaahh!!

Lure Fishbar is in a basement space that is tricked out to look like the interior of a sea-going vessel. . .wood floors and ceilings, cozy lighting, portholes here and there, lively vibe, and outstanding grub. . .we can hang here with no problem at all.

During this meal we gobble a dozen Bluepoints, a bowl of New England Clam Chowder, uni rice cakes, hamachi, red snapper, and crab/uni bucatini–all totally delicious. . .and all of this is washed down with a tasty bottle of Chablis. . .DAMN, it’s good to be back in the big citaaaaayy!!

Do consider dining at Lure the next time you find yourself hanging out in the Soho section of Manhattan. . .you will love it–I gar-ron-taaaaayy!!

To see more tasty images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive on in. . .so much to eat and sooooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.

Fine dining…Portland, OR–

BAM!  Here we are puttin’ on a feed at Roe in Portland, Oregon…some folks rate this as the top seafood fine dining spot in all of Portlandia. . .let’s have a look and see what we think.

We are greeted by a hostess in an antechamber of sorts upon our arrival. . .we are offered champagne…we take it…it is ok.  We are then whisked to our seats at the chef’s counter. . .a waitperson asks us if we would like more champagne…we say ‘yes’…he pours champagne into the wine glasses at our place settings…hmmm, at this point I know that we might be in trouble here. . .cheers!

The only option at Roe is to do the seven course tasting menu…so we do it.  It includes a small portion of caviar on little disks of toast…a seafood consomme thing…some fish things…some shellfish things…an uni foam thing…and some desserts. . .we wash it all down with a tasty bottle of something white. . .BOOM, finished.

We don’t mind Roe so much, but Portland is really not about a restaurant like this.  Portland is not a high-end place…it is much more casual and scruffy and earthy than this place is presenting itself to be.  Andy Ricker is right when he recommends hearty Asian places and oyster houses and bars that serve fabulous food with no attempts to rise above something that doesn’t need to be risen above.  But we have to try Roe because of all the things we have read about it and because the photos on the website are delightful…and the experience ultimately has us saying, “eh, it’s ok” to ourselves.  Ok but not great…that’s our assessment.

The owner of Roe is the only person cooking in the kitchen, and his partner is assisting…plus a few other folks…we watch from the chef’s counter as the high target they are aiming for slips away in a feeling of exhaustion and loss of focus as the night wears on.  The owner–Trent Pierce is his name–can clearly cook and has a vision, but the food slowly falls below our expectation with each arriving course, and we leave feeling that this place doesn’t fully deliver considering the price that is being paid to dine here.

So, Roe is good but not great. . .we will continue to eat in the oyster houses and bars of Portland because that is where the tastiest food is being served at the best value in this fun town.

Please eat at Roe and tell me what you think. . .I would love to hear other thoughts on this.  Cheers!

To see more wonderful images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it. . .you can go just about anywhere that you like right here, right NOW.

It’s lovely out there.

Rockin’ sammiches…Portlandia–

MMM!  We are strolling through the ‘Chinatown’ section of Portland, Oregon…it is run down and most of the Chinese restaurants have moved out–they can now be found down on 82nd Avenue in southwest Portland. . .but we are hungry and stumble upon a place called Charlie’s Deli that professes to serve the “best sandwiches in all Portland”. . .hmmm, we gotta check this out.

We order up a Cuban sandwich cuz we love Cuban sandwiches. . .throw them a curve ball and see what they come up with. . .and what they come up with is an extremely delicious Cuban–the meats, the cheeses, the pickles, and the bread are all tasty…the sandwich is warm, just made for us…we gobble it with no problem at all and proclaim to all who will listen to us that we will come back to Charlie’s Deli again and again if we ever find ourselves in these parts in the future.

People are poppin’ in and out of this place picking up orders to-go…delivery guys are picking up orders to be delivered…and other folks are sitting inside just like us waiting for their precious meats and cheeses served up between fine breads and rolls for immediate consumption…this place is busy–jaaaa!

Please visit Charlie’s Deli the next time you find yourself hangin’ in Portlandia. . .you will love it as much as we do–I gar-ron-taaayy!!

To see more stupendous images from around our teeny tiny planet simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it. . .you know you want to.

It’s lovely out there.