v. 2.0
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Look What I Made!
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The Power of Genetics
Both my sister and my brother forwarded me an action alert from Democrats.org this morning. I thought that was fabulous — the political activist twins to the rescue! Good thing that genetics (among other things) have made us all Democrats. On a side note, not sure what I think about the title of the DNC’s blog — Kicking Ass. Any thoughts?
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These Are a Few of My Favorite Things
Manhattan Users Guide interviewed a number of New York bloggers (some of whom are on my links list, on the left) to get lists of their top ten favorite things about New York. I agree with many of their picks. The Morning News ranks pizza as one of their favorites — it’s hard to explain to people outside of New York why their pizza sucks. Take our word for it, folks. It does. For a great slice, I recommend Joe’s. Remy Stern, (a fellow Jumbo) of NewYorkish, has a list that is almost identical to something I might put together, highlighting things like Chinatown, the Mud trucks, and Community Gardens. Maybe our time in Boston similarly shaped our opinions about what we love about New York. Amy Langfield ranks the Bistro Burger at Corner Bistro and dog runs as some of her faves, and they’d be on my list as well. Read Part 1 and Part 2 of the top ten lists.
Once again, it makes me thankful that I can enjoy so much of what NYC has to offer, and I realize each day how much I still have to explore. So, folks, what are your favorite things about NYC? What have they missed? One thing I’d add — a good neighborhood bar.
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Easily Amused
I know I’ve written an entire post on the topic, but I think I’ve come up with a new favorite search that has pulled up my blog: “free naked Italian buns e-card.” The first runner up is “do me sweet girls.” What kind of shady operation do they think I’m running here, huh?!
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What About Me?
I Am Woman, Hear Me Blog highlights ten female bloggers in New York City. Guess I haven’t hit the big time quite yet. Oh well! But — I will agree with my sisters on one point in the article: “Almost all those women interviewed said blogging facilitates social interactions with readers and other bloggers at local gatherings of online writers.” Well — I haven’t been to a “local gathering of online writers,” but I have met a bunch of great people through my blog so far. By “met,” I really mean “emailed with” (for the most part), with the exception of Erika, Adam, Kevin, Hugh, and soon, Hilary.
And an interesting counterpoint — Blogging Off, where the author has determined that blogs are ruining, rather than enhancing, her social life.
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Picks in the ‘Hood, Round 1
Here’s the substance of that email I mentioned in an earlier post. I was out for a drink with a friend who had recently moved to the neighborhood, and I was giving him recommendations for some of my favorite places nearby. Although some are technically outside of Greenwich Village (reaching into far off places such as the Lower East Side and Nolita), in my book, they are all within walking distance (at least for city walkers, who are used to half-hour walks). Why do I like these places? Overall, they are modestly priced, have comfortable atmospheres, and good-quality food. Each one has a little something about it that makes it particularly appealing. Check them out and let me know what you think!
Italian antipasti/panini
- ‘ino — Beford btw 6th Ave & Downing
- Bar Veloce — 2nd Ave and 12th St.
- ‘inoteca — Ludlow & Rivington
- Perbacco — E 4th btw A & B (I think)
Asian
- Taste of Tokyo (sushi) — 13th St. btw 5th & 6th
- Spice (thai) — University and 10th
Latin
- Flor’s Kitchen — Waverly Pl btw 6th & 7th Aves; also on 1st Ave & 9th St.
- Caracas Arepa Bar — 7th St btw 1st & A
- La Palapa — St. Mark’s between 1st & A
- La Palapa Rockola — 6th Ave. & W 4th
- Cafe El Portal — Elizabeth btw Spring & Kenmare
Seafood
- Pearl Oyster Bar — Cornelia btw W 4th St. and Bleeker
- Mary’s Fish Camp — W 4th St. btw W 10th and Charles
Indian
- Milon — 1st Ave btw. 5th & 6th
Other
- Westville (home cooking?) — W 4th St. btw Bleeker and W 10th
This is just the first installment. As I’ve said to those who have asked, there are plenty more where those came from!
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City Mouse and Country Mouse
I just returned from a long weekend in Lyme, New Hampshire, visiting my sister. She is 22, currently living in a house with five other people, most of whom are med students at Dartmouth, which about 20 minutes away in Hanover. I had a wonderful weekend, but it is almost laughable how opposite our lives are at the moment. We’re like the city mouse and the country mouse (yeah, we’re both shrimps. I think she towers over me at about 5’3″).
I live alone in a studio apartment with a kitchen the size of a closet. She lives with five people in a bright, airy house with a huge kitchen, and has a closet the size of my kitchen. I shop for one, cook for one, or more often, eat out. She and her roommates shop at Price Club, buy enormous amounts of food, and cook and eat meals family style — we had lasagna, waffles, and tacos while I was there (no low-carb diets in Lyme, NH). Katie plans her days around her outdoor activities. I try to squeeze in the gym when I can (at least in the winter — it’s different in the summer, I swear). I am addicted to my high-speed internet, cherish my cable TV, and use my cell phone incessantly. At her house, they have dial-up internet service, a TV, but no reception (it’s only for movies), and no cell phone reception whatsoever. And then, there’s Jack, her boyfriend’s chocolate lab, who is being trained to be a hunting dog. Sadly, I have no dog, let alone one who I’d take hunting. As my dad likes to say, when he is asked if he’s going to take his German Shorthaired Pointer, Lucy, out hunting — “Jews don’t hunt.” (or at least he thinks that. I don’t think he’s ever said it out loud).
Anyway . . . on Saturday we went cross-country skiing, something I hadn’t done since I was about fourteen. Despite that small obstacle, I managed to ski a 15-kilometer loop and not fall asleep during the party they had back at the house that night. The party was nothing like parties I go to in New York. First of all, everyone was a decade younger, trying to relive their college days by playing beer pong, and flip-cup. Second of all, there was a bonfire outside. Don’t see that much in Manhattan.
All in all, I had a fantastic, relaxing weekend, and I fell in love with Jack. And the dishwasher. And having people cook for me all weekend. Sigh. Thanks to the gang back in Lyme — you can see pictures here.
JACK!
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So Where Should I Go?
I always seem to be that person. You know — the one that people ask when they’re looking for a restaurant or bar recommendation. Since my Chinatown post, a few friends have asked me to post more restaurant picks and recommendations. And as you know, your wish is my command. Now granted, my knowledge fades dramatically above 14th Street, but I promise to do my best.
I’m exhausted at the moment, have a busy day at work tomorrow, and then I’m headed out of town for the weekend to visit my baby sister (who’s taller than I am, I might add), but — I promise my first restaurant pick list is already in the works. It’s based on an email I sent to someone after we discussed restaurants over a drink one night. Coincidentally, I ran into him on a bus last night, and that email came up in conversation. So — I’m planning on passing it on to you.
Stay tuned, and have a fantastic weekend!
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Chinatown*
I got an email on Friday from a guy who had stumbled across my Daisy May’s chili cart review. He was saying that he was going to keep tuning in for more reviews, so here goes another one! Today’s review is Great NY Noodletown‘s salt baked shrimp. Good stuff. Despite the name, I’m pretty sure they’re fried, but not greasy in that deep-fried way. They’re light and flavorful and yes, they’re salty, but they’re damn good. When they’re back in season, they also make salt baked soft-shell crabs, but I prefer the shrimp. If you don’t tend to visit Chinatown that often, you are missing out on some of the city’s great treasures. Here are some of my favorites:
- HSF for dim sum.
- Pho Bang for Vietnamese Pho
- Joe’s Shanghai for soup dumplings
- Fuleen Seafood for dungeoness crab
- Fried Dumpling — just what the name says. They sell 5 of the most succulent fried pork dumplings for $1. I stumbled across this one with my sister one rainy day. Incredible, and great for a non-profit budget.
Plus, there are plenty more I haven’t made it to yet, including a bakery that’s supposed to have fantastic pork buns — one of my favorites. If you’ve been there and can report back, let me know. On a side note, I noticed on NYC Eats’ posting of Ruth Reichl’s 25 favorite restaurants, that she includes Fried Dumpling and Great NY Noodletown on her list. She also includes Pearl Oyster Bar, which as you may recall, won my lobster roll-off. Great minds, and stomachs, think alike!
*No, not the movie, the neighborhood.
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The New Zoo Review*
I’m back from my jaunt to Washington DC. Not only was it a good trip work-wise, but I got to spend the day on Saturday with a friend from college and his wife, and their son, Andrew, who I hadn’t seen since he was about two months old. He’s now three, so we spent the day at the National Zoo. Now, due to the fact that I don’t have any kids of my own, I don’t tend to go to the zoo that often, but I’m starting to realize that I should — it’s a pretty cool and educational way to spend the day. I saw some of the more “standard” zoo animals, like the lions, giraffes, tigers, elephants, and monkeys, but also got to see some animals that are more unusual — a capybara (basically a humongous guinea pig relative that reminds me a little of the ROUS’s from The Princess Bride), a pygmy hippo, naked mole-rats and, of course, the pandas. You too can see Mei Xiang and Tian Tian via the magic of the Panda Cams [on a side note — the folks at Gothamist are a tad obsessed with pandas, so you can find plenty more panda-fun there]. The best part of the zoo, however, was having the experience of sharing it through the eyes of a three-year-old, especially one who calls me “Miss Laren.” Thanks, Andrew!
(this, my friends, is a capybara)
* A nod to the New Zoo Revue, available on DVD!