NYC lockdown, baby!

HEEEEEY!  Maintain your nerve, keep wearing your masks…we are almost at the finish line–jaaaaaa!

Dozens of companies are working hard to develop safe and effective vaccines for folks on the entire planet…they will get it done, without a doubt…we all just gotta remain chill, maintain social distance, keep our noses and mouths and eyes covered when out-n-about, and before we know it this thing will be done. . .another chapter that we look back on and say “wow, nature really is in charge here, and we are just along for the ride…as long or as short as it may be–WOWEEWOWOW!”

You stop at ‘Stop’ signs, you drive on the right side of the road, you use your turn signal, you wear a helmet on your motorcycle, you take off your shoes at the airport, you wear shoes and shirts to enter places of business, you wear a seatbelt, you open your bag for inspection when entering the ballpark, etc. and so on. . .you can wear a mask as well for a little while longer…eezy-peezy.

We send you relaxing and quiet vibes from some street corner in the borough of Manhattan in beauteous New York Citaaaaay. . .feel them. . .they are strange and character-building.

This, too, shall pass.

It’s lovely out there, still.

Start the year off right–

MMM!  The Year of the Rat has arrived, and we are doing our best to start things off right with magical Japanese cuisine served up by a master: Ichimura at Uchu on the lower east side of Manhattan. . .jaaaaa!!

Ichimura has two Michelin stars now, and it is easy to see why…his preparations of tasty tidbits are ethereal, and his sushi seems near perfect…can’t imagine what one can do to improve this experience.  “Nothing” is the only word that pops into my mind…nothing…no thing can improve Ichimura-san and his food–hai.

During this meal we are treated to a fish appetizer topped with gold and flowers and crispy bits of goodness…then a crab thing…then the famous uni cookie/cake thing…then more fish…then fish and veggies…then sushi and sushi and more sushi until we end with his famous double-slice toro–sublime.  The whole thing is washed down with a bottle of sake called Crane of Paradise–crisp, soothing, peaceful.

Dessert courses include tamagoyaki, berries, fruit sauces, and tea. . .mmmm, aaaaahh!

If everyone could dine with Ichimura once a year, then there would be no war…we would all be too soothed to destroy anything.  Eat here if you can…you will love–I gar-ron-taaaaay!

I send you happy-lunar-new-year vibes from Ichimura here in New York City…feel them…they will make you excited for the year ahead.

It’s lovely out there.

Top bar…NYC–

A place called ‘Dante’–the old Caffe Dante space down on Macdougal Street–was recently voted “Best Bar In The World” by some magazine or something.  It’s one of those joints where a host greets you as you enter to ask if you have a reservation…if you don’t, you don’t get in…can’t have people just popping into our bar for a drink and a chat…WHAT?!

My vote for ‘Best Bar In The World’ would be any place like Jimmy’s Corner on 44th Street just off Times Square.  This place is old…it’s still owned by Jimmy–an old boxing trainer who used to work with Ali, there’s a big photo of the two of them on the wall among many other pix and bits and baubles having to do with boxing…Jimmy’s son works here serving drinks…it has a great jukebox–possibly the best in NYC…and the clientele is varied and loaded at all times of day and night. . .plus, The Game is on. . .I love this bar–no reservations necessary–WOW!

Please pop in here the next time you visit New York City. . .grab a stool at the bar if one is open or just sit at a table in the back. . .order a beverage–Johnnie Walker Black on the rocks is still only five dollars. . .sit back, sip, relax, watch the show around you, and forget that you ever heard of a place called ‘Dante’ or some gimmick like the “Best Bar In The World.”

I send you great bar vibes from Jimmy’s Corner. . .feel them. . .they are as good as it gets, actually better.

It’s lovely out there!

Gobble THIS!

BAM!  Hangin’ out at Lure again here in New York Citaaaaay, and things could not be better.

I roll the dice and attempt to reserve a table at the last minute on OpenTable…BOOM, we are in.  We get lucky as we are seated at a cozy corner table in the front of the joint…jaaaa!

We settle in…order the Grand Plateau and a bottle of Chablis…lovely.

The Grand Plateau includes oysters, mussels, clams, crab claws, lobster tail and claws, shrimp, and a bunch of different seafood salads. . .mmm, aaaah!  All is fresh, all is delectable, and all is nicely washed down with our crisp white.

Never need to worry when ordering such a towering monstrosity because the shells all hide the fact that the amount of actual consumable meat is not overwhelming…you gotta dig and slurp for all of this goodness…the work involved with this really helps us enjoy the ongoing passage of time.

Lure is located on the corner of Prince and Mercer Streets in the Soho section of Manhattan. . .make your way down here some time for lunch, brunch or din-din. . .you will love it–I gar-ron-taaaaayy!!

It’s lovely out there.

People ‘n’ stuff…NYC–

POW!  Back here in da big citaaaaay things are ever-evolving and ever-happening.

Jonathan Waxman is closing his famous restaurant, Barbuto, at the end of this month.  Another wonderful icon of delightful dining disappearing because of rent being raised and inability to strike a deal with the landlord.  Great, there will soon be space for another CVS…blaaaaahh!

Waxman is well-known as an early proponent of California-style Italian cuisine…his roasted/grilled chicken with salsa verde is legendary…Google him to learn more.  We are honored by the opportunity to pop into Barbuto one more time, sip some rose, and share our respect with this bad-ass chef.

He says we should not be sad that he is closing…he says that there will be a “reprieve” in another space just up the block…we sip our rose and do our best to believe him.  Let it be so. . .saluti!

Oh, and Pharrell is in town, too. . .over at the Parsons School of Design benefit.  He says, “say ‘yes’ to creativity!”  We concur. . .YES!

I send you invigorating vibes from Barbuto and Parsons and all of the streets of New York City. . .feel them. . .they will help you keep your mind open real wide…jaaaa!

It’s lovely out there.

Spectacularly bland…Hudson Yards–

KABOOMY!  We are checking out the new mall/shopping/office/apartment complex on the west side of Manhattan here in beautiful New York Citaaaaay called Hudson Yards, and it is not doing much for us at all.

The whole thing reminds us of a shiny Asian mall in Hong Kong or Ho Chi Minh City or Taipei or Beijing, etc.  Lots of tall glass-enclosed buildings where people can work and sleep and park their money. . .lots of standard shopping fare inside the mall building–nothing exciting at all, really.

Lots of folks are agog over the Escher-like shiny stairway-to-nowhere thing sitting in the center of the pedestrian mall. . .see our obligatory photos above. . .come here and see it once. . .then move on with your life because you will never want to visit it again.

This complex is located between 31st and 34th Streets right on the Hudson River. . .well, not really right on the Hudson River because the West Side Highway is between us and the river…and the Hudson River walkway/parkway is also between us and the river.  So you can see the Hudson River out there…you can also see New Jersey across the water…but the Hudson Yards complex itself feels disconnected from nature and the surrounding environment.  Strange.  This is the first structure that I have ever visited in Manhattan in over 30 years of living here that makes me feel like I am not in New York.  Hmmmm…not good, methinks.  Or maybe real good for the next generation of New Yorkers…we shall see.

Come and visit this thing, and you decide. . .would love to hear what you think.

So, here’s to progress. . .upward and onward, biatches!

It’s lovely out there.

Walk and partaaaay…NYC–

The polar vortex is gone…time to walk off the winter blubber and then head out for drinks and din-din–mmm, aaaahh!

The best spot for walking in Manhattan these days is the Hudson River Park.  This thing runs from northern Manhattan near the George Washington Bridge all the way down to Battery Park at the southern tip of the island.  You can walk, run, or bike the whole thing, or you can just walk a little bit like us–from the West Village down to the North Cove Marina and back again. . .perfect!

Then we head on over to Morandi on Seventh Avenue where they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner…pop on in at any time of day for a beverage and some snacks, and you will be good-to-go.

I send you warming vibes from the walkways and restaurants of New York City. . .feel them. . .they will get you to spring with no problem at all.

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.

A play and paella…NYC–

BOOM!  Back in the big citaaay for a few days and nights…so we gotta take in a show and gobble some grub.

Two good current samplings include a show called “Harry Clarke” playing over at the Vineyard Theater on 15th Street just east of Union Square. . .Billy Crudup is rockin’ it in this one-man show written by a dude called David Cale.  I am usually not a fan of one-man shows, but this is a good one. . .fun tight little 80-minute piece…well-written…amusing…intriguing…mildly diverting.  Plus, Billy is very good…makes it all look so easy…and I am not just saying this cuz we were classmates down in Chapel Hill, North Carolina back in the 80s…damn, THE 80s??!!  Yes, the 80s. . .sheesh, time is just a-flyin’!

Then it’s time for some tasty grub at Boqueria located on Spring Street near West Broadway. . .mmm, aaaahh!  Lotsa fine tapas like Serrano ham, tomato bread, olives, and seafood paella. . .all of it washed down with a white Albarino–delicious and muy bien!!

Please keep gettin’ oot ‘n’ aboot to enjoy all that you can NOW. . .I send you stimulating and comforting vibes from the theaters and restaurants of New York City. . .feel them. . .they will help you enjoy the passage of time ALWAYS.

To see more magnificent 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.

Oh, the things you’ll see…

…oot ‘n’ aboot in NYC.

When travelling to New York City the most dramatic views can be seen by flying into La Guardia Airport.  Sometimes the plane flies directly over Manhattan while making its approach to the runway. . .sometimes the sun is shining brightly. . .and all of the time this makes our hearts beat just a bit faster as the city snaps and crackles and pops below us. . .mmm, aaaahh!

Then when on the ground the sights and flavors remain as alluring and delectable as ever. . .sidecars, circus bikes, art by Ai Wei Wei scattered here and there, delicious glasses of Sancerre, bees and things and flowers, etc.. . .it’s all available to be enjoyed and savored.

The next time you find yourself hangin’ in the big citaaaay–aka, New York–be sure to get away from midtown and make your way to some new ‘hood that is calling your name. . .Soho, perhaps…Greenwich Village, even. . .we’ll all leave a light on for ya. . .jaaaa!!

To see more magnificent 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. . .dive on in. . .you can hug just about any part of the globe that you like right here, right NOW.

It’s lovely out there.