The Christmas bug

My Holiday series is a little sad; kind of like Charlie Brown`s christmas tree: it`s small and wilting just a little... I have the bug... I would write much more but for one i have come down with another nasty flu and therefore am running low on energy... I have a few updates but they will have to wait...

Second, i was not invited to any Hanukkah events therefore i will have to invent a little.

I hope to meet someone celebrating Kwanzaa.

Why hasn`t A emailed me?

I could be doing the nasty instead of going off about this nasty flu.

What about that fellow reading his hebrew bible (i`m not really sure it was a bible) who told me how to catch my subway?

I need to be out of my current residence and into a job by February 1st for my sanity. I `m hoping for a small studio in the west village.

Is anyone reading this?

Here`s hoping.

Post Thanksgiving post

Broke Woman Thrilled with Large Piece of Pie

- AP - BY Amy Tart

Broke woman is given very large piece of pumpkin
pie at free thanksgiving lunch and several pieces
at Thanksgiving dinner.
"I was so happy. I love pumpkin pie. I`m thrilled they
thought of me," said Fraise Erable smiling.

The man next to her was not sharing in her joy.
~These women always get the bigger pieces. Someone
needs to look into that." said Oliver Frown

The Advocates of MOREPIE said it would be a piece of
cake to get this injustice rectified.

The matter is being looked into.

Christmas streeter - Doing Xmas the (t)rad way

"What are you doing for the holidays?"

"We docorated the tree on the first and we are making gingerbread house (with family)..Making haitian drink similar to egg nog with sweet condensed milk and rum on christmas eve...Make popcorn and string them on the tree... watch Home Alone...On Christmas we wear matching pyjamas and open presents... (I came up with idea when i was 10)... Like listening to Winter Wonderland... "

"Hoping for a present?"

"I like to sew,(like) a bunch of fabric that come in rolls; a shipment."

Nathaly
Age 20
Millbasin, Brooklyn

I ask her what her position is at Blackhound and she tells me sales associate and i say they should invent a term for bakery - pastry clerks like they did for the coffee clerk (barista).. and she agrees...

Please someone, start a contest... invent a new word...


---------------------------------------

I have been asked what is Kwanzana ? To which i chuckle and then reply I will write about it when i have read about it in some books i saw on Kwanzaa in a coming post...

-----

I am now residing at a new residence... More good samaritans have taken me in...

-----

I simply forgot about Chrismukkah and Chrismukwanzaaka and was reminded by the Kosher Christmas happening at Comix on Xmas eve...

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I NEED to write about Christmas to lift my spirits and hopefully some spiked Egg nog will do the trick... Here`s hoping...

(Wishing you) A Funscientious Christmas - The Xmas stalker

Coming soon... and by soon, I mean before the end of the holiday season, I will begin a series of holiday (and by holiday i mean mostly Christmas with a nod to Hanukkah and kwanzaa) themed posts that consider the spirit of funscientiousness.

In the first post of my blog, i discuss my funscientious concept. It is a dance between having fun and being conscientious.

I will writing about..

* Holiday music: I already found a church with gospel music...more on that soon
* carols and choirs
* bazaars and fairs
* window displays
* food
* gifts
* performances, plays

* ...

The Etsy Holiday Cavalcade

A Saturday in Soho. A holiday bazaar on Mulberry. A group of indy designers cramped in a kind of warehouse space. What are they selling? I find out.

"What do you do?," I ask looking at the merch before me. "I`m a lawyer (for Etsy)," replies Sarah Feingold. I was expecting something like i design jewelry but curious i continue... "What type of lawyer?" "I do contract, copyrights, trademarks."

Several items lay in front such as a sticker with the now infamous use of the i heart... `I Etsy (etsy inside of a heart shape) handmade` sticker; some notecards, bookmarks..

I wasn`t expecting a lawyer to be the first person i talked to but i continued with a slight look of dismay on my face...

Then she looked over to the person to her right.

"He`s a designer."

"I`m a graphic designer.. i do interface and work with 3 others on the website," said KC Oh.

"Like the actress (the last name), i say.

"As far as i know we`re not related; i haven`t seen her at any family functions," he says.

I laugh.

"There are 195 000 active stores (on Etsy) and 350 000 signed up to sell on Etsy (globally), he says.

The next table: Nine cakes.com: Tiny cupcakes. French mousseline buttercream created by Betsy Thorleifson. Not heavy on sugar. Women owned says James. Taste spicy chocolate. On Today, Martha Stewart, In Style, Yelp. Strong focus on customer service. Emphasis on combining flavors. Fair trade and organic where possible. Based in Brooklyn.

Next: Raw and Fine chocolate: Truffle. Dairy free, sugar free, no additives. Wrappers designed by friends. Cowgirl my fave. Daniel tells me he`s got good stories about friends who created art work for his wrappers. Cowgirl could have been a model but now a construction worker. Funny. Certified fair trade and organic. He tells me he works with a cooperative in Ecuador. Use coconut oil. Brooklyn based. Talks about a Peruvian fruit. Tells me he is "Possessed by chocolate."

Next: little Bunny.etsy.com: Greeting cards and notebooks with bunnies and other animals and marine life. Christmas themed ones. Favorite creatures. Loppy eared.

Next: Roller derby gal with roller derby themed t-shirts, bags and art. Kelly. Don`t have exact site address. Lost business card. Kelly tells me she is a retired roller derby chick. `I will help you friend`. Derby expression.

Next: Saru Star by Sayo Granich-Lee: Jeweller. Rings made with dirt and resin and sterling silver. Coudn`t find diamonds. Jewelry made with vynil flooring, computer parts. Takes concept of recycled accessories to new level. ...

Next: Nordea`s Soaperie: 20 different scents. Made with beer instead of water. Cerveza con Lima very popular. Cucumber; pumpkin; felted soap wash cloth; fragrance oils; essential oil soaps;

Next: Beadscarf necklaces by Lorina. Made with vintage scarves. Debate over color of her necklace: chartreuse or mint?

And many more...

Look on Etsy.

Inna Sense - Let me eat cake

A while back i attended a little gathering to introduce Inna Sense`s new styles and looks in jewelry for the fall season.

The women of Inna Sense were friendly and helpful. I told them i was there to write a little story for my blog which i am only now doing.

Dina, an image consultant, did a skin tone and color analysis with me going over the range of colors and deciding i was a Winter. I always thought i was a fall. This will help in choosing jewelry, Dina explained. (insert sarcasm here) I didn`t mention to her that sometimes i wear socks that don`t match but i respect your profession none the less.

The women of Inna Sense were very generous with the champagne and it appeared to be another New York event where i was getting a little tipsy. For that alone, I love Inna Sense. I mentionned there was a hint of rose to it; very light to the taste.

The pastry was a fruit tart from Bindi which they fed me happily along with chocolate.

Dina took me around the shop and explained the different types of gems from amethyst to rose quartz, garnet, and the style of the season which is described in most fashion magazines as `smoky`.

My color vocabulary is limited to red , green, blue, black.... but stylists and artists will introduce you to a whole new spectrum of colors such as: citrines, chartreuse, fuschia...

My intro to gem stones ended on a political note: With the attention on the conflict diamond, have gems had the same kind of critique from activists as the diamond, i asked.

`It doesn`t have the same history as the diamond, known for healing properties, less targeted,` said Nadya the manager.

Next story: How do gems heal the world? An inquiry.

Inna Sense
West Village
New York

House of Art

Saturday night i attended the opening to the Frank Morrison, Jamel Shabazz show - two artists i had never heard of. It must have seemed to them like have been living under a rock to which i would reply: yes i have. Anyways, after much running running around trying to find Lewis avenue in Bed-Stuy, (Do you have a cross street? I was asked a few times, to which i replied a few times: no i don`t, a nice station agent knew where the house of art was and headed for Utica station.

I was approached by Rich`rd who said he was the gallery owner and explained that Frank Morrison is an illustrator who has worked on over 30 children`s books including one about a baseball player ( i should look that up) and Jamel Shabazz is an urban photo journalist who documents the life of the inner city. He said their work was important because he can see himself in the work.

I was taken by Morrison`s art which i would describe as whimsical and cute ( as i looked upon Specks, i said, this is so cute, it is so adorable, and then i thought i need to find another descriptor besides cute, so i will use the one they always use to describe this kind of painting : whimsical. ) Specks is a portrait of a young african american girl with big hair and big glasses. There was a red dot next to it which means that it was sold.

Gossip Girls and Like Father Like Son were also some of my favorites as they capture something very unique and charming.

Jamel Shabazz`s work is more immediate and has authored 3 monographs including `Back in the Days`, `The last sunday in June`, and `A Time before Crack` and is now working on a 4th book titled `The 90`s`.

I appoached the bar where i told Tiffany the bartender that the last time i had a cocktail that came out of a bottle looking like it was meant for perfume was at a shoecrush.com party. `What`s shoecrush?` she asked, `a website where you can buy shoes`, i said. `I have a crush on shoes,` she said. And then her friend next to her pulled up her pants and showed me these great big platform boots. Nuvo was what we were drinking; `I have that`, she said. Ty-Ku was what Tiffany was serving.

I`m hoping for egg nog at the next holiday party.

House of Art
373 Lewis avenue.

www.nychouseofart.com

Candy Ambusch

Candy Ambusch reported today according the the Morning Star:


The shrink -

D is soon going to need to find herself a shrink for all those shirts that have been shrunk. She is having an out-fit.

fashion`s night out update

Important update -

Many inquiring citizens have asked pinkgrapefruit `what type of cookies were you eating on fashion`s night out?`

The answer:
macaroons (and they were delicious and very colorful: pink ones, blue ones, red ones... )

Amy`s Bread - She`s frosty

She was frosty to the idea of kicking someone out who just sat there and had no money to buy anything.

We like that she is so frosty and understands the simple idea that many of us love cupcakes especially ones frosted with a chocolate icing that i would describe as `crazy, insanely delicious and out of control`. (Devil`s food cupcake - Because only a devil could love it! ).


Amy`s Bread is on Bleecker in west village.

Redemption

The only thing she was redeeming was her coupon for her free coffee.

`I reached new heights with my certified organic and fair trade coffee at Organic Heights in Park Slope (On Bergen off of Flatbush)`


You don`t have to be a vegan or a vegetarian to heart Organic Heights says a sign on their door.

TNT kitsch review coming soon

All they ever say...

She hated the place.. all they ever said was `I dont understand you`...

Hell-o

All i ever said was hello.

Candy Ambusch

The copulator -

In Personality Type, Candy does Dusty again...

The copulator sleeps with cops to get what she wants...

Relish the thought

The 5 star soup kitchen -

I hate this fuckin`... hot dogs! I love hot dogs !

I relish your hot dogs.

It`s getting hairy

Woman walks in to hair salon with a cleaning mop on her head and says: get this mop off my head.

Innu-end-o (The end)

`Your bread is oily.`

The End. Because, she will not be given any more bread.

...



Some day soon , these posts will be a little more elaborated on. I hope to get my mini computer soon and then i will have more time... right now i am in a library...

Trapped in subway with cereal killer - The Dusty story

Dusty picked up a copy of Morning City to find herself once again lampooned. Headline read TRAPPED IN SUBWAY WITH CEREAL KILLER. Suffocating passengers forced to endure Granola Girl, as she has been come to be known go on about unhealthy cereals. ` I dont know why they sugar coat these cereals and then feed them to kids` , one rider heard her say.
.....

I`m seeing stars (curphew!)

I ate chicken mcnuggets shaped like stars.

I had to hop the shelter express (the a train) to make curfew.

----

Ripped van off... Took name off a van Shelter Express for my story that is...

I was rescued by a corn muffin

Saturday morning , corn muffin morning at the shelter.

The razor bob

I am afraid of a hair cut.

Guerrilla scripting -

Friday, I went to a monster career fair, where i scored 2 purple pens , hot apple cider, chocolate, a notepad, but no job. These things are never really helpful, only crowded. I did leave my cv with 2 people. Will i hear from them? Rusty ( is that really your name?) the charming man who registered me offered me a coupon allowing me one free lemonade or ice tea. Lemonade? we want coffee. it is cold outside. I thought, If i wanted lemonade, i would go to the soup kitchen.

And in line waiting for entrance to the fair, i thought about a come back to my little joke: The employers thought, we could find someone with more skills than you at the soup kitchen.

Maybe that is why i have not heard from them. But, i surmise it may be for other reasons...

Soon, the composer i met at the fringe festival will be scoring the music to this story.

...

Action, Reaction - It`s a Cast(e) system (FICTION)

Where is the Robert Redford to my Michelle Pfeiffer in this very Up Close and Personal story. (And i am still debating whether i should put this story in the past tense but perhaps i can work that out in my novel.) It is not very feminist , but only a little romantic to think of an older professional man mentoring and (2 minutes left) mating with a younger, aspiring reporter - writer.


...

....

Guess where I am?

- Can you GUESS where I am living? -

By my last posts, have you figured out where i am living? I am now living in a shelter for homeless women.

To be contined...

Almost a success (story)

College white woman finally talks to shelter residents -


AP New York - By

After 4 weeks of living in a shelter for homeless women, Ivy leaguer finally talks to homeless women.

Some residents began to feel like she needed to come off her pedestal, but the real problem seemed to be she needed an interpreter.

"At first, I did not know what `it bounced` meant, so i felt a little intimidated," said Hanna Ivy, recent graduate of Barnard. "But then i found someone to translate, and i felt the road to discussion opening."

"She talks to us now, and we are all becoming sisters," said one resident.

stars and stripes

photo with halle berry on wall .... more to come

no time to write , sorry about the screaming...

but my life is very frustrating right now, and not being able to write and think in a room of my own is getting to me... help !

Made in the USA

This pumpkin pie not made for human consumption was proudly made in the USA.

sisterhood is a bitch

The one good thing about a shelter is you can say `bitch` pretty indiscriminately...

Dear psychos - a love letter

TO THOSE WHO MADE ME SICK;

YOU ARE PSYCHOS, PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE AND STOP STEALING MY IDEAS AND THEN HARRASSING ME WITH THEM. IF YOU ARE NOT SHARP ENOUGH TO COME UP WITH YOUR OWN, THAT IS NOT MY FUCKIN PROBLEM. ( THE ONLY THING THAT IS SHARP IS THE KNIFE THEY USED TO STAB ME IN THE BACK, THE KNIFE THAT I SHOULD BE USING TO CUT MY SIRLOIN STEAK WITH, BUT THEY KILLED THE FEED ME NEW YORK PROJECT, BECAUSE THEY ARE SPITEFUL SNATCHES WHO REALLY DONT SEEM TO HAVE MUCH ELSE TO DO WITH THEMSELVES)

I SPENT 2 DAYS THROWING UP AND YES WE KNOW YOU NOW KNOW HOW TO USE A DOUBLE MEANING, GOOD FOR YOU; HACKING INTO MY COMPUTER AND READING MY UNPUBLISHED STUFF AND READING MY BLOG AND THEN HARRASSING WITH IT HAS BECOME REALLY A PAIN IN THE ARSE AS MANY OF YOU ARE. STOP BOTHERING ME.

GET LOST ! I DID NOT ASK YOU TO COME INTO MY SPACE AND NOW I WANT YOU TO LEAVE.

SISTERLY YOURS,

DUSTY

what`s the difference ...

joke made up by me from info overheard on street .... (sort of)

What`s the difference between a homeless shelter and a hostel?

At least in the shelter, you get felt up.

- on security checks upon entering shelter facility.

Sweet Revenge - ecobaking - let`s get dirty

A couple of months ago, i interviewed Marlo Scott of Sweet Revenge, a bakery on Carmine in the west village that serves cupcakes and wine pairings. I was curious because she had a sign that read it served fair trade coffee. I wanted to know whether she considered using fair trade ingredients for her cupcakes: cocoa, sugar, flour, etc... or if she thought about it at all.

"No" was her reply. Mostly because of the "expense". A small business makes it more difficult. What brought her to sell fair trade coffee? I asked if she was approached by fair trade activists or wholesalers. "No". She tasted different ccffees at trade shows and thought it tasted the best.

She did convey to me that she wanted to be the ecofriendly baker in the neighborhood and showed me her ecostock: unbleached napkins, biodegradable cutlery, baking tissue by ecocraft.

Girl finally stops walking around talking to herself and gets a job

I wish.

I can always look to the Onion for sources of inspiration.
(snapple bottle finally rolls off bus - funny!)

Not yet, do i have a job; this is not frustrating at all!

It is very frustrating! i have been asked to take my stuff out of storage. not sure where i am going.

---
More mystery admirer...

last night i was walking on bowery and i saw a poster for a marianne faithfull show (oh i love her!) for that very same night at the town hall. so i asked someone at a coffee bar in the east village where the town hall was and he checked his trusted iphone and got the address for me. I went and stood by the box office until after the show started in the hopes of maybe getting a comped ticket. well at about 8:35, a man came up to me and asked me if i thought i was going to see the show and i said no because i did not have the funds and he said would you like to see it with me and i practically died and said yes absolutely and so i went to see Marianne Faithfull and almost died listening to her sing the ballad of lucy jordan, why`d ya do it, et al... anyways, thanks, Jim.

have to go again, 2 minutes left

will write about Inna sense shortly...

Have you made any friends? : mom

Mom worries about daughter`s social skills (there`s reason to fear) -


"Have you made any friends?" my mom asked in an email. The answer was "I`m not sure." It was better than "not yet", but not as good as "dozens, and we go out all the time."


---

To Josh and Adam who i thought were really adorable: why have you not emailed me with a friendly dinner invitation?

----

Finally got bed to sleep in the other night. But really don`t worry about me. A chair is just as comfortable as a bed.

pad thai - Mo-Ra-Kote Siam

Thai me up. Take me to your pad thai. Pad thai me and I`ll invite you to my pad. Call me a pad thai slut! But don`t call me while i`m watching Ugly betty...

Excellent "homemade thai cooking" can be found at

Mo-Ra-Kote Siam
35 Carmine st.
west village
NY
212-627-7745

No msg. free delivery.

Thanks for feeding me!

----

Soon, i will begin short story writing of this project. Presently, there is not enough time.

What brought you here? the free wine

Miz Metro rapped it best: "I don`t care what they say, i`m going to make it anyway"

-Curator for the trashion art show at gallery 151.

Rapped at closing party for trashion art show.

-----

I found black lace lingerie (bra and panty) in a box in a bag on a bench on Bleecker st. i opened it naturally. question: did someone leave it? or do i have a mystery admirer? exciting...

----

The chocolate hazelnut clusters samples at black hound made my day.

thanks!

Writer needs mini laptop

Have you seen those cute little mini laptops. Well , lucky for me my big laptop has mysteriously disappeared and now it gives me a reason to go out and get those cute mini laptops.. Sadly, i have no money for one. will try to barter. best buy are you reading this...

would love to blog about eli klein exhibition but no time left... 2 minutes remaining...

Fashists at fashion week NYC

After 5 days of lurking, begging, pleading and debasing myself, i finally got entry to the very guarded by almost armed security agents at what is fashion week or what i now like to call fashist week. I was going on about goon squads, and did these guys train in iraq, etc. ... It may sound harsh, but after they got my hopes up, i almost made it into a show thanks to a producer (Wasilios Kostetsos), security agents kicked me out. I did manage to grab myself 2 free mochas compliments of mcdo and now i am hooked on them. Haggling with pr people is really no fun and hopefully i will not have to go thorough this next season.

I was told i was too late in registering, perhaps this is true, and my portfolio was not good enough, well next season i"ll be ready to handle your handlers. I hope your open bar can handle me.

More on fashion week, but i have 6 minutes remaining. 12 minutes remaining. but still...

to come... shoecrush.com and bottled cosmos... so drunk i let unknown guy on street touch my boobs (well, my latest lust crush wouldn"t)

Jarluxe fundraiser event... My first red carpent event

My tongue suffered 3 rd degree burns eating taco at Cabrito"s (thanks for feeding me).

Met citizen journos who work for huffingtonpost at art gallery and became ecstatic.

Never think you have become too important because you were invited to a red carpet event, you may have to cut your own cheese at another event.

Need laptop !

Need portable lightweight laptop = at public library 27 seconds remaining ! must get off !

My afternoon coffee (2 days ago) was brought to me by...

Roast Bean coffee.

----
The hunt for fruit, yogurt and granola ended at 24 Prince and will be blogged about shortly.

Jar luxe foundation - fashion on a mission

The Jar Luxe foundation will be holding a fundraiser Tuesday, September 15 th at the Greenhouse (on Varick between Spring and Vandam) to raise money for minority students(the term minority may be understood as people of color).

"We work with designers such as Chanel and Louis Vuitton", says Alma Heredia who handed me a postcard in front of Bryant Park advertising Tuesday's fundraiser.

Founder, Anistia Phiaria, says the foundation provides scholarships for not only minorities in fiscal need, but all minorities.

"It benefits all minorities, including the female gender," says Phiaria.

Other designers working with Jarluxe include: Marc Jacobs, Von Furstenberg...

The money goes towards helping students pursuing careers in fashion. Many of the recipients attend fashion institutions such as Pratt, Parsons, Fit, Lim college.

Jarluxe was founded in 2006 and their latest program will benefit 2 students attending LIM college. They will both receive 8 000 $ each and will be honoured at Tuesday nights event.


For more info on foundation and fundraiser, visit their website at www.jarluxe.org

My morning coffee was brought to me by...

Prince st. cafe and catering.

Fashion's night out

"What do you do?"
"I'm a blogger"
"What's your take on fahions's night out?"
"My take....um...?"

I took 10 cookies, 2 champagne, 5 chocolates and a gift bag.

That's my take.



-------

On a more serious side, it raised some money for a good cause ( 911 memorial).

And it was fun!
Thanks to fashion's night out for lifting my spirits out of the dumpster ! (literally).

Cones - i scream for ice cream

"Raoul is the nicest guy serving the best ice cream," says Raoul of Cones on Bleecker in the west village.

All artisanal, fresh, daily.

I tried mocha and hazelnut. Yum!

(The day before yesterday's) coffee was brought to me by...

Pick-a-Bagel
8th avenue at w. 53 rd st.

My morning coffee (2 days ago) was brought to me by...

My morning coffee (and bran muffin) was brought to me by cafe Forant. A little cafe - eatery situated in Hell's kitchen and on my way to the food bank(the church.) where i got a meat (not sure what meat) and cheese sandwich homemade one day and lovely gourmet sandwiches from pret a manger the other.

Looking for gourmet, q up at the soup kitchen.

Cafe Forant: west 51 at 10 th avenue.

Sullivan Diner - Sundae Dinner

Sullivan Diner located at 169 Sullivan is not your usual diner. It serves food resembling diner food, but with s fine food twist to it (you'll find things like meatloaf and porc chops). The restaurant inhabits the first floor of a house. There is a large front porch with a bench and wicker chairs, with candles and on Sunday, a chillier day than the usual scorchers we've been used to in NYC, the place had a nice warmth to it.

The owner (former chef) Richard Galcik was friendly and generous. I sat at a 4 top near the back and Maria, the waitress, was also really forthcoming as she explained various items on the menu.

My first item, a glass of red wine which i really needed at that point. Maria brought me a glass of Montelpulciano - a wine i am not familiar with. But i've read it contains flavours of black plums, black cherry, herbs, black olives.

She started with "The burgers are good here." But when i said I've had enough burgers, other items became the talk.
"Everything is homemade. The chicken is free rabge. The meatloaf is very good. There's beef and turkey meatloaf and it comes with 2 sides. The lamb is made well, marinated, tender. We have salmon, trout."

I asked about the fish and chips.
"The fish is tilapia and the fish is beer battered."

Feeling like a fall night, i went with the chicken pot pie ( 14 $ ) and the carrot ginger soup to start.

The bread was sweet and silky and Maria noted it was brioche bread.

The soup was hot and comforting.

The chicken pot pie boasted of veggies like carrots, peas and potatoes and was very creamy. The puff pastry was nice and flaky.

Maria described the desserts with equal professionalism.

"We have dutch pancakes. Like french, but crispy. You can have with apples...nutella. There is a chocolate macadamia fourless tart (which i really like) served with pistachio ice cream; warm banana bread pudding with chocolate sauce; the dessert of the day is apple pie. "

It was a tie between the pecan brownie sundae wiht hot fudge sauce and the tart. I ordered the tart. I was happy.

When done, I spoke with Richard. He told me this is the first time in 25 years he has not been in the kitchen. Now he designs the menu and trains his cooking team. He grew up in the Bronx and left when he was 17 and moved to Manhattan where he worked as a waiter and bartender. He studied at the French culinary institute in Manhattan and worked with Julia Child. He owned the Park Bistro. He often brings fresh produce for the diner from his house in Montauk. He Lives in Queens and does fundraisers for the Jackson Heights beautification group; plant trees for neighborhood.

I asked about Julia Child.
"It was a fundraiser cooking segment. She got a little bit drunk and I had to do it solo. It was her last public appearance," he said.

He mentionned a few famous people who have eaten at Sullivan's. Anna Wintour came in before a taping for Dave Letterman. She was wearing the same thing she wore on show...Whoopi Goldberg... They taped an episode of a reality show called Bank on Mom and Dad about college kids in debt. It will air September 30. They have to get a job and i hired a woman to work as a waitress. They were here 6 hours for a 20 minute segment," he said.

Thank you Sullivan Diner!

Sullivan's serves all day breakfast.
Available for private parties.
212-228-6091
www.sullivandiner.com

tempeh-r tantrum

Veggie burger denied -

Can not get a certain vegetarian restaurant on board.

Sumday night, was a little emotionally distraught as i was having trouble finding place to feed me which made feel like this whole thing is ridiculous and why do i not yet have a job?

If you were around Mcdougal in west village, you may have heard me getting a little excited. Someone was nice enough to eventually invite me into their restaurant.

But how long can this go on?

If there is a good reason as to why i am not getting hired (or even getting an interview) at Time Warner (or any of the other many places i applied to) , i would love to hear it.

Whatever you do, don't leave your lunch unattended.

Petite Abeille - Liege (waffle) under siege - Day 38?

I've learnt so much on my feed me NY adventure. Did you know there are 2 kinds of waffle? You most probably did. I did not. Binta, the lovely and talented bartender at Petite Abeille in Tribeca introduced me to the delectable world of Belgium waffles from the town of Liege.

After explaining my project to her,Binta offered a pastry and a latte. After asking me what kind of pastry i wanted»: "almond croissant, chocolate croissant,or cinammon danish", she looked over at a stack of smaller than your ueual waffle and said: "Oh no, I am going to prepare you a waffle - Belgium style. These waffles are from liège; they are imported. The larger waffles you make in a waffle maker are Brussels waffles." ... "Sit and watch some tennis."

The US Open wss on tv. Nadal was playing Almagro.

She really knew her waffles. She explained the origin of the name of the restaurant. "It comes from a children's book the owners read when they were kids," she said.
"Who are the owners," i asked.
"They are 3 Belgium brothers."

To my right was a book shelf with the Children's book series, Tintin.

"Do you want strawberry sauce or chocolate sauce," she asked.

"Strawberry."

But later, i ordered the chocolate as well."

Minutes later, she came out with a gorgeous looking dish with a mountain of whipped cream and strawberries atop the waffle.

Binta ssked me if i wss managing to keep myself fed every day.

"Mostly. But when I'm hungry, sometimes i try to get samples from markets." It takes the edge off.

"Trader Joe's on 14th has samples. There always giving stuff away."

There was ice cream hidden under that mound of whipped cream. I could not be happier. Court side seats at a Federer match might make me happier. And the chocolate mixed with the strawberry sauce was really good.

A waitress was wearing a t-shirt that read: Bienvenue chez les Belges. (Welcome to the belgiuns)

On the wall hangs a sigh: dry belgiun beer half price noon to closing.

Binta offered me water. "You need to hydrate."

A customer sitting at the bar explained the difference between malt and lager beer and the reason she loves Belgiun beer.

The guy sitting there before her said he ate the croque-madame and really liked it.

Binta said the bread and chicken were organic. The chicken is free range.

She too is from Montreal (born there) but left at a young age for Sénégal and then Toronto.

Thank you Binta and Petite Abeille!

Petite Abeille

4 locations:

54 west broadway (tribeca)

401 east 20th st.

466 Hudson st.

44 west 17 th st.

South Playa cafe at US open fed me around day 36

I'm still eating which is good news. i have not died of starvation yet which must mean that new yorkers are fairly decent people.

Looking for something fast (counter take out) at the US open. Look no further than left of the Arthur Ashe stadum near Cuppa spotta coffee to the South Playa cafe where you can pick up either paninis, quesadillas, salads, drinks.

Manager James Dellapace telle me "We're here from 10 am until the last event; 11:30 or midnight, he said. "Our quesadillas are popular. We sell a lot of salads. Paninis also popular."

Their paninis come in 3 kinds: ham, cheese ; tomato cheese; turkey cheese
Quesadillas in 3 kinds: beef; cheese; vegetable

They also serve chips, sodas, ice tea, beer, apples, oranges..

Thank you South Playa!

U.S. Open 2009 - Queens, NY - somewhere around day 36

I was outdoors in front of the Arthur Ashe stadium watching the match between Sharapova and Oudin yesterday. Crowd cheered each time Oudin made a point or out played Sharapova in some way.

The cheering is much like being on a rollercoaster; they get excited every time you go down a big hill. Every so often you hear (or boos) at the open. It is like a collective euphoria when the player the crowd wants to win actually wins.

When Oudin won, my crowd seemed visibly ecstatic.

I asked one woman: "Why are you happy she won?"
"She's 17,an american up and coming tennis star," she said.

I thought: Isn't Sharapova american? She's an immigrant; maybe that doesn't count . (think sarcasm here)

Or: the crowd is tired of her and the kournikovas being labeled the pretty ones (who get all the endorsments).

I asked another woman why she liked her:

"She's a nice player".

---

There are a lot of courts at the us open. i counted at least 13. Many players that i am sure i could not name. I went up to 2 people to ask them if they could name 10 players:

She began.. Sharapova, federer, rodick, nadal, oudin, one name i didn't know, another name i didn't know, murray, another name i didn't know, monfils...

"You're good", i said. "You're an avid fan."
"I play too."
"How old are you?"
!14", she said.
"Your name?"
"Sneha."

Oren's daily Roast -

The bean changes daily. This is why they call it Oren's daily roast. The day i sampled the coffee, it was brazil bean. they alos have a daily flavored and decaf bean. They are roasted - manuf. out in New Jersey.

Coffee is marketed as brewed ethically.

Many locations throughout New York.

Parlour - upper east side of aioli

of course it would have to get weird on the upper east side. I don't know what it is about rich people, but there is always going to be something that make's one pause and go "what's up with that?"

Asked to return the following day with a guarantee of we love it and you can talk to the chef, the chef lucas, said their policy was not to give away free food to bloggers. After clearing things up with the manager who i initially spoke with, i was treated to a gourmet burger. Being an upscale steakhouse, this was a little odd. But i am an open minded person. Perhaps the point of that night's meal was simply to get fed and not to learn about Parlour's cuisine.

Lucas informed of the "designer burger movement". Putting spin on a classic hamburger. I did not know there was a movement. "use a brioche bun instead of regular bun, home made aioli (like mayo), we make our own pickles, it is more refined. We use certified black angus beef."

BULL?

Any bull in what he was telling me? It's generous just to feed me a free burger. Expecting the 35 $ 3 course prix fixe may have been a bit much.

certified what?
The beef, i was told, is 80 -20 . Some kind of ration of fat which makes it a more balanced burger. Really didn't quite get that. I asked if it was hormone and antibiotic free, he said no.

I was allowed to order a non alcoholic beverage but then the bartender Frank offered me a glass of wine. "Do you have rose?" "Yes". He opened a bottle and showed me the label: Cassagne. A French rosé. A woman sat next to me and ordered the same wine. "Do you like rose?" i asked. "Yes, i really love french roses. Drink a lot of french wines. My husband owns a french restaurant."

The burger came with frech fries and very slim onion rings.

The woman next to me talked about the burger her husband serves at his restaurant and it is served with blue cheese and caramelized onions. Mine had american cheese and lettuce. Hers sounded a little more designer.

I mentionned this to Lucas and he said caramelized onions were more for winter. Hmmm...

No dessert.

On my way out, i said thank you for feeding me, it something to be proud of. He didn't look to sure.

Parlour
3 rd avenue at east 90 th st.
NY,NY

Bistro Le Steak - Conquering the Upper east side

Spending 5 hours pounding the pavement on the upper east side of Manhattan to get a meal may seem insane, but when the goal of the project is to get fed, one must not give up. After about 3 hours of rejections ( I need to look at your blog first and i'll get back to you), it became about conquering the upper east side.

Having just spent the last month mostly in the east village where i was greeted more with an open kitchen, the east side started to feel like a chore.

5 hours later, and almost on my out the neighborhood, Nikki at Bistro le Steak, invited me into his restaurant. "Can i buy you a drink? and ""Welcome to my home." He seemed rather amused by my tale of pitching and rejection to get myself fed and my assertion that i think people might be less generous on the upper east side.

I sat at the bar, and the bartender, whose name i never got, poured me a glass of chardonnay. It didn't seem like the bartender and I were going to become bffs. Professional, however. Nikki was off greeting patrons.

Its website describes it as a Parisian style steak house and indeed you will find things like frogs legs and escargots on the menu. The interior is very bistro like. I ordered the onion soup gratinée as an appetizer and the sirloin steak for the entrée. There was an option of a naturally braised sirloin steak. The cheese on the soup was abundant. The steak came with fries and a sauce which i think was bearnaise and was juicy and thick. I asked the bartender if it came with vegetables. He said no. I ordered a second round of bread. All was very good.

I WAS DESSERTED -

When time for dessert, i inquired about a menu but my bartender said "that's crossing the line". Had i offended someone?

5 hours of pitching and no dessert, the upper east side was not going to earn the name the supper east side.

The meal however was very good and it was generous of Nikki to offer it.

As i said goodbye to him, thanking him, leaving Le Steak, i was still trying to squeeze dessert out of him. I was halfway out the door, "so, what do you have on your dessert menu?" i asked. "Okay, thank you, goodbye," he said half smiling.

I took a peak at the dessert menu. Your standards: chocolate mousse, valrhona chocolate cake, creme brulée, chocolate truffle sundae, lemon tart, white chocolate cheese cake and the dessert du jour: profiterolles.


Bistro Le Steak
1308 3 rd avenue at 75 th st.
NY,NY
212-517-3800

It was bleak until i found John's of Bleecker st. pizzeria

Pitching feed me NY is time consuming. It seemed as though i was not going to eat yesterday until i walked into John's of Bleecker st. pizzeria in the west village and Lester, the night manager, told me to take a seat.

When perusing the menu and attempting to choose a pizza at John's of Bleecker, we are faced with several choices. No.1: the size. There is a medium, 14 inch, 6 slices (12 $) and a large, 16 inch, 8 slices (14 $).

No.2: the toppings (2 $ each). Large choice.

I went with the medium and selected tomato slices and sausage as my topping for a cheese and tomato sauce pizza.

Lester took my order. I later asked him what type of sausage garnished the pizza and he explained that it is an Italian pork sausage from Florence the meat market, "just over there," he pointed to a street that I later learnt is Jones street.

A sign on the wall near the counter reads "No slices". A huge mural depicting a sea side looks over a small dining area.

The menu proudly boasts of the thin crust, coal fired brick oven nature of its pizza.

Another waiter (who later i learn is named Silvio) approaches me. "What pizzerias have you eaten at?" he asks.
"Arturo's," I reply. "The one over on 7 th avenue."
"Lombardi's on Mulberry in Little Italy is the oldest pizzeria," Silvio says.

Silvio asks how my pizza is. "Good," is my reply. I ate all 6 slices. I was hungry.

"I've been working here since 93," Lester says. "I feed my wife and 3 kids off this place... it's a fun place; good family; generous people."

Lester explains that the owner has not raised prices in 5 years even though price of flour has gone up. "Wants to keep families coming."

Established in 1929, i ask if John is the original owner and whether he was a first generation immigrant from Italy.

"Yes," He replies. "He started working at Lombardi's from 1905-1928 and then opened up here."
"what part of Italy?"
"Naples."

The menu has other offerings like calzones, meatball sandwiches, manicotti, a house salad. No credit cards are accepted and t-shirts are for sale. Small beer and wine selection. Not much by way of dessert.

Final thoughts, a glass of chianti might go nicely with a John's of Bleecker pizza.

Thank you! John's of Bleecker Pizzeria

278 Bleecker st.
New York
212-243-1680

Good morning!

My rant may have been a bit harsh. but it felt good to get out. are we done? I'm not sure.

so good!

Getting this off my fucking chest

The only thing I'm getting off right now is the fucking frustration i am feeling with someone who has turned out to be the biggest fucking jerk the female population has ever encountered. Let's start with : Don't start something you can't fucking finish and if you're going to flirt with a woman - fucking finish it. At least fucking talk to them and stop acting like a fucking 16 year old teenage boy whose got a hard on for anything in a fucking skirt.

Like i said it was my fucking missfortune to have met a guy so totally fucking clueless he can't even act like a decent fucking human being, or even like a friend.

You suck, you big jerk!

He's a fucking asshole!

He's fucking someone's asshole, it's not mine!

He can't make a move or doen't want to, well whatever it fuckin is - don't ever fuckin flirt with me again (you know you did, you big fuckin jerk) - we are done!

If you want a fuckin come on over- well say anything - like fuckin hello - for a fuckin change - you big fuckin jerk - it's fuckin hard enough ( and i know, it's not your fuckin cock that's hard around me) to move to this fuckin city, i don't need this fuckin shit - you fuckin womanizing pighead! Long live Beyonce (she sings that doesn't she?)

"I'm trying to upload"
"It's not that hard on!"

You fucking jerk!

You're a pig and i hate you.!

Trashion Part 2 - Gallery 151 on Bowery

Walking down Bowery, i noticed an exhibit in the window of a gallery and a huge title: Trashion.

The art piece was a mannequin with a dress made out of metrocards. (i've seen dresses made out of soda can tabs). Ecoart. I love it. I had to go in.

I asked a woman (who turned out to be a sonic masseuse) whether this was artists making fashion out of trash. She said i could talk to Jennifer, one of the artists.

I then heard Jennifer talking to a couple of people (about her work):
"All made out of found objects; found books; people leave lots of things on the street," she said.

From her artist's statement: She uses discarded debris, "urban artifacts, as i call them, ...reflect the progress and careless freedom challenging today's consumer culture."
Jennifer Harris.

I approached her.
"Did you study art?" I asked.
"I have a poli sci degree. but i took art courses at (the art school) at Rutgers."
"Are you an environmentalist"
"Totally...I started small scale. ...i started collecting stuff.. found wood... live near a wood shop. ...(with) books, i find volumes on the side of street...it is a slowly evolving process...

"I just was out for 6 days (at Naraganza bay) collecting new garbage. I had a crew of people help me pick up stuff," Jennifer said.

"I sold 7 pieces out of 20 last show."

---

I was treated to a sonic massage which was initialy reffered to as a performance. It was in a way a performance but it was also an aural experience. Kenny,calls them sonic masseuses and they walk around with instruments made mostly by him and brush by you playing them as you lie down with eyes closed.

It is a touchless massage. "You might get touched, but we're not going to hurt you."

"It is a heightened aural experience when your eyes are closed. Every sound is part of massage. Start with gong and end with gong. "

The sonic masseuses were wearing lab coats.

The end gong sounded.
"You can take your time getting up."
And everyone got up at once.

I met a guy named earnest who had a zine you can check out at efashiontraders.com

--
I asked Kenny if he named the instruments and he said yes they all had a name. There are made from everything, found objects, unrespected materials. The waterphone is made by Richard Waters. There is a balloon grinder, windbike, lionsroar, angelic grinder, thunder drum, bell carousel, heliaphone.

----

I talked to another artist a part of trashion: Walker Fee. He is using tape in all his works. Asked to explain, he said: "Trashion is about using everyday material to make something beautiful. Tape is overlooked. You can make complex images with tape. See logic and beauty in colored duck tape...Redemptive quality... solid color on bottom with 2 layers,make opaque, value changes, ...influenced by japanese woodwork prints, medieval manuscripts for their bright colors and 2 dimentions."

"Did you go to art school or are you self-taught?"
"Both. My parents are artists. Live in Queens. Grew up in Queens. Started painting young. Started at cooper union but left after 1 year and 1/2. "

On his pieces: "Seasons is one of the first i did with tape 6 years ago," Walker says. "Had a job moving boxes and on down time doodled with tape, made tape designs."

He points to one: "This one is 2000 $. (Cigarette break) is 600 $."
web: walkerfee.com

...

The exhibition is on until the 22nd of September and the closing reception is on the 18th. Sonic massages on Tuesdays.

The walking lubricant

I've had the missfortune of meeting a walking, talking lubricant in this hostel. Seriously, there is no need for KY jelly when one is in his presence.

----

Will i get nailed?

By a man? doubtful. By the cops? - maybe.

----


I paid my bill at bbq and retrieved my id for all those sitting on the edge of their seats wondering - what is going to happen next?

I was westerned unioned a 150 $ emergency bail out which will be all spent as of tomorrow.

i ate at bbq again (the one in the east village) - 5 $ early bird special.


---

I've been drooling a lot lately. Mostly in my sleep. I awake to a wet spot.

New York Fashion week - Will i be covering it?

I have just been made aware of the start of New York Fashion week (Sept. 10). It was suggested i should register myself as a reporter via Mercedes Benz fashion week New York.

I will be covered (meaning i will be wearing clothes unlike some of the models at fashion week) but will i be covering it?

I will try to register myself. So maybe my next reporting event will be NY fashion week. ( i got the tip from someone at meetmrfashion).

Fringe-

The fringe is over. The closing party did not have an open bar, so therefore, i left early. I left as Elena Holy (one of the founders of the fringe fest) was making a speech about the success of this year's fringe and all those (staff and volunteer) alike who made it possible...

I ran into a musician from Zipperface waiting outside who was meeting his friends ( an the rest of the cast) in Chipotle mexican grill. Zipperface is doing the fringe encore, i was told.

Maybe i'll get to see them.

The gramercy theater (where the closing party was held)put one of those fluorescent green wrist bands around our wrist which got me excited about the possibility of an open bar. but no can do.

I was hoping for a fringe t-shirt since i did do like 12 volunteer shifts.Okay, so maybe the box office managers and venue directors will go on about how i showed up late for one shift, took a few shifts to figure out that there is one line for ticket holders and one line for ticket buyers, you have to tell people to pipe down when there is another show going on, you have to let the theater goers know 5 minutes prior to the house closing, that the house will be closing in 5 (theaterspeak for: house = theater), ...

By nect year, i should have the hang of it.

Thanks fringe, it was fun. ( i met lots of cool people!)

---
overheard at fringe power hour:
by The australian ( i wish i knew this performer's name):
a line from a song:

"You're so hot you make thai food seem bland."

----
If i can get a metro card, i am heading over to the Arthur Ash stadium to cover US open.

September: Hire me NY month starts now!

Mary Ann's Mexican homecooking - In search of mole

I stopped by Mary Ann's in search of mole and i found it. Mole in spanish means ssuce, but in emerican culture, mole can mean the (warm) spicy chocolate sauce that is poured over chicken. The name of the dish at Mary Ann's is chicken poblano ($ 12.95)and it is served with 2 tortillas which i filled with the chicken and then poured the sauce over them. This is what i ordered from my waiter Ariel.

I told the bartender: "I'm on the hunt for the inventor of the mole."
Wisegeek.com credits the mole to a sister Andrea of the Santa Rosa convent as a thank you to archbishop for convent at Puebla de Los Angeles (Mexico) and dates its invention at around the late 17 th century. Is this true?

I read that the region of Oaxaca specialiazes in (7 different kinds of) mole.

One version of mole called for tomatillos, chillis, mexican chocolate, cinnamon, while another ommited the cinnamon.

I am not sure what Mary Ann's calls for, but when i asked the bartender, he joked "I think it is a secret recipe."

Anyway, I am taken with the chocolate-chicken-tortilla combination.

I started with a (large) lime margarita (Happy hour 2 for 1) and tortilla chips with salsa (the starter you don't have to order - we like that.

I ended with flan; nice and light. Ariel seemed like he really wanted me to try the flan. "There's only one dessert:flan."

I asked the bartender when Mary Ann's opened. He said sometime in the 80's.

The menu includes many other dishes like: burritos, tacos, daily specials, specialty drinks.

Mary Ann's

east village : 86 2 nd avenue

In chelsea: 116 8 th avenue

In Tribeca: 107 west broadway





ended with flan.

Ruben's - I have now tried their mini-empanadas

Thanks to some nice counterguys over at Ruben's empanadas in the east village, i ate 3 mini-empanadas last night around 7 pm which kept me going until i got fringe pizza at midnight.

Juicy Lucy - I have now tried acai

Juicy Lucy on ave. A in east village gave me a sip of one of their smoothies. (about 3 weeks ago).

I am pleased to report that i have now finally tried acai and can now count myself as one of the self-actualized. Acai, I am told, is some kind of anti-oxidant berry. I heard it makes you randy.

Anyway, i have noticed that no 2 people pronounce acai the same way.

thanks, juicy lucy.

They don't need to Bully me (at Bully's) - Deli-cious

You won't have to bully me into the chicken pesto sandwich on a baguette, the ceasar salad or into the blended ice coffee with dulce de leche because all were fresh and for deli food, this is sometimes a challenge.

Louie, part owner of Bully's on Broadway, was friendly, yet a little questionning about how my one story for one meal worked. "Speak to Junior," he told me. I explained how it worked to Junior who then reported back to Louie who then gave Junior the go ahead.

I had come in wanting only to try a muffin and a blended ice coffee and left with a berry muffin, an ice coffee with dulce de leche, ceasar salad (7.30$), and a chicken pesto on a baguette (7.95$). All were scrumptious.

The homemade (large) croutons and cherry tomatoes might explain why the ceasar was so good. The fresh baguette, pesto mayo, tomatoes and arugula combo explain why the chicken sandwich was so good.

The Frappuccino may have some competition with the Bully blended ice coffee.

What made it all the more yummy was the fact that i was eating a first meal of the day before 9 pm. I generally have not been eating by noon.

Bully's has an extensive menu including: entrees, soups, paninis, bagels,wraps, burgers, salads, pasta, veggie section.

Free delivery and they cater.
759 Broadway at w. 8th st.
212-254-9755
fax: 212-979-9118

Pinche Taqueria - She got grill

Authentic Mexican Rancho Grill -

Normally, i often ask many questions about the produce of an eatery. Is it organic? Do you use fairly traded Ingredients? With Pinche Taqueria, I didn't really have to as the menu explains that they use only fresh, organic produce; line caught mahi-mahi; make their salsas and sauces by hand and do not use microwaves; everything is fresh. There is a certain awareness on the part of the Taqueria that the owners feel a need to share with their customers.

The first Pinche taqueria was started in Tijuana in 1973 and the ones located on Mott st. and lafayette are modelled according to the ones in Mexico.

Eric, who was working behind the counter when i went in, was really open to my feed me NY. "I'll make you something."
"What are you making me?" i asked.
"one fish taco, one carnitas (taco with braised pork), chips, rice and beans."
"Do i get something to drink?"
"Ya, a horchata," Eric said.

A horchata (2.75 $)is a cold drink made with organic rice milk, cinnamon and sugar. I was happy. I had never had one before. Refreshing and succulent, yet not too sweet.

Tacos come with cilantro, guacamole, onions on soft corn tortillas. (2.95 - 3.95 $)
Rice (2.50 $)
Beans (2.50 $)

"What do you do outside of the taqueria?" I asked.
"Play rock and roll, drums out of Brooklyn," he said.
His band is called the balishag Vipers. They are on myspace.

Pinche also serves breakfast plates, breakfast burritos, cerveza (beer), salads, yucca fries, combos, nachos, quesadillas, ...

To my dismay, there were no desserts the day i was there, except for little candies (which were really good.)

Cute shack. Good food.

Pinche Taqueria
227 Mott st.
Between Prince and Spring
212-625-0090

333 Lafayette
Between Houston and Bleeker

Jen and Angie at the Actor's Playhouse

Laura Buchholz and Christina Casa take it up a notch (or two) with their parody of the Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt love triangle.

Casa is hysterical as a very self-actualized Angie and Buchholz is a scream as a 'walking in the shadow of' Jen.

I laughed all the way through this show. The writing was smart and their parody was spot on. Angie, especially, was a knee slapper.

There are many funny lines (Angie: "I'll entertain myself by reading the map of Uganda") and the opening slide show sets the tone for the show.

Entertaining!

Caracas - Venezuelan Homemade Arepas - Somewhere around day 21

It was love at first site -

Somewhere around day 21, i ate at Caracas. It didn't take me too long to fall in love with the places (they own 2 small spaces which sit nearly side by side one another). Milvia is the manager and upon returning a second time, she invited me to sit down. I sat at the bar and was greeted by Alejandro, who didn't waste any time and poured me a drink right away. "natural juice," he said. "Passion fruit". Then he poured another,"tamarind with (it sounded like pinata). I looked inquisitve. "pineapple," he clarified. On the menu, under beverages, they were listed as jugos naturales (3.75 $)

"Are you Venezuelan?" I asked. "No, I'm from Colombia." I told Alejandro that i looked up Arepa and the internet explained it as corn based bread. "it is corn flour, salt oil, like a dough," he said. The Caracas website explains it well and neither of us were far off in our definition. Dense, yet spongy corn flour rounds which can be either crispy or soft. They can be stuffed and are at the center of every meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner,snack) in Venezuela. They are a little thicker than a taco. They have a golden, yellowish color.
However, some of this can vary depending on the region.
Alejandro suggested the De Pabellon (7.25 $), which he said was the Venezuelan national dish stuffed in an arepa. I ordered it. It consisted of shredded beef, black beans, white salty cheese ( which later Milvia explained was Age(Ano), a Venezuelan cheese) and sweet plantains. Amazing! Mine was crispy. Really enjoyed my arepa! Thank you. There are about 14 kinds of arepas to choose from. They are only slighly larger than a taco, so you might want to order 2.

As a starter (which they call a sidekick) I had the Quasacaca & chips (Venezuelan style guacamole and chips - 6.25 $.) I, not knowing the difference between Mexican and Venezuelan had to ask Alejandro. Spicer was his answer but upon one look at them the difference was apparent. It is the chips. The chips (all homemade) consisted of green plantains and another kind which Milvia explained to me were tarot chips. Very nice.

I'm a gusher. I can't not gush at great food. It's such a treat to eat!

For dessert, i had the marquesa de chocolate (5.25 $): thick chocolate mousse with maria cookies in between. Alejandro called them margarita cookies; a type of Venezuelan cookie. Rich and amazing! Can't get enough!

To finish, Alejandro served me a coffee with steamed milk.
---

Milvia came to talk with me. "I am from Caracas. I moved here 4 and 1 / 2 years ago."
"Why did you move here?" I asked.
"I am a dancer."
"Do you have anything coming up?"
"A showcase on September 20 at the Greenspace. It is 14 minutes, in Queens...I've been working here since i moved here. I didn't speak any English. I learned to speak English in the restaurant."

"The chef is Ilse Parra Venez. Juan is no. 2. He's been working in the kitchen since the moment it opened. He's like a godfather. Maribel and Gato are the owners. They are a couple," Milvia said.

Lunch special weekdays noon-4: any arepa plus salad or soup for 7.95 $

Caracas
east 7 th st. at 1 st avenue
east village, NY

291 Grand st.
Brooklyn

Maracas - Mexican bar and grill - Somewhere around day 20

Let the fiesta begin -

And with Maracas, this would not be too difficult. There is no shortage of specials at this casual west village eatery which offers both traditional mexican and nuevo latino dining options.

Get saucy -

Walk by any monday night and you will see a large crowd of people both inside and outside on the patio. Margarita Monday is the big attraction. For 3 bucks, you can start saucing yourself (responsibly, of course) with a regular lime marg; for an extra .50 cents, you can add a flavor: strawberry,raspberry, mango, prickley pear, and passion fruit). If you like your margs sweet (the lime one is the least sweet of them all), these are the ones for you. if you're trying to pick up the guy standing by the bar, a few Maracas margs will definitely loosen you up and at those prices, you can afford to get saucy.

My fiesta began with a frozen lime margarita which i enjoyed. The lime ones are my favorite (with salt around the rim); and they come with little animal toys. Sabina, my waitress, suggested the salad camerones de mendez: a salad with shrimp, jalapenos, cilantro, mayo, avocado,pepper, with pico de gallo and chipotle sauce. Sounds good doesn't it? Next time, i shall have that. I chose nachos mostly because i love them and was in the mood for them. I asked to add a little guacamole on them. Really enjoyed them.

Next was the main course. I ordered the chicken suizas enchiladas (with cheese and tomatillo) accompanied by rice and refried beans. Good.

I asked the women sitting behing me what they liked here and they replied they like weekend brunch because it offers unlimited margaritas. Unlimited, wow! I exclaimed. "That's quite a brunch." "I like the chickenn bacon melt," one of the women said.

The women sitting in front of me seemed to be very friendly with people who worked there. "Laura used to work here," the other woman said. "THe mango and raspberry margaritas are flavorful. I like the prickley pear, " she said. The busser, whose name was Octavio, took a sip from Laura's drink. "here, you want to try," she offered me a drink, "It's a diablo roja."

I looked up diablo roja in the menu: vodka, slo gin, triple sec, amaretto, southern comfort mixed with cranberry juice and o.j.. (little red devil).

Next, Sabina suggested dessert and i accepted. Sopapillas. "Very popular," she said. Crispy fried tortilla strips with cinnamon,sugar, and topped with vanilla ice cream, honey and whipped cream. Great combination!

The menu includes a variety of dishes.

A few day later i went back and spoke with Fabian, the barback, who explained more specials. "there's a happy hour. today it's frozen cosmos.Tuesday, pina coladas. Tuesday night, there's gringo bingo. David is the host."
"Are there prizes?," i asked. "3 prizes. Shots, brunch for 2, huge margarita," he said.

Maracas
on Greenwich st. near 6 th avenue.

Sunday Best - at the Dixon theater

Sunday Best is up there as one of the best the 2009 NYC Fringe has to offer -

It's another rave. I loved Sunday Best. Laura Canty-Samuel is fabulous as she brings to life characters from the Mount Carmel church in her ensemble gospel comedy sketch show. She has a sweet charm about her that is a little intoxicating.

Backed up by 3 very talented vocalists: tenor (Xavier Rice), alto (Kimberly Crane) and Soprano (Fuln Azuli Vann), we are transported into a world of uplifting soul feeding anthems and inspirational aphorisms. Lines like "Don't let the enemy win"
(the enemy being life's failures), and funny bits like It's Destiny about 2 women who think the same guy is her destiny make this an easily relatable story ( for me anyway) and one that is most endearing. And I am not a religious person.

In between the songs (there is a live orchestra), Canty-Samuel tells us stories about the people she knows and the grandmother she loved.The music is get-up-and-dance, clap your hands, feel good and the end of the show is very touching.



Canty-Smauel plugged a smoke house in fort greene called The Smoke House (in case you like BBQ) and the box office manager at the dixon said she ate there and it was really good.



,

Frank - A Place to eat

Frank is my new lover. He tastes good. He smells good. He looks good. Dinner's on him and I can see other people.

Frank is not a man, he's a restaurant in the east village where i ate somewhere around day 16.

Mel said it sounded like an interesting idea and he was doing his good deed. The bartender made a joke about how i could try his knucklesandwich. I asked for water and he gave me a San Pellegrino.

The other bartender's name was Ryder and i thought to myself your girlfriend must love that name.

I left my info and went back on a saturday night. As usual, it was very busy. It is a very popular place. My bartender - waiter's name was Christian and after the good deed comment, I thought Mel said, He is a christian. Christian was tall and handsome and very aloof. I don't think I was his type. Aloofness can be a bit of an aphrodisiac, so you use sparingly. If i can land a boyfriend in this town, it is going to be a veritable coup. Looking around Frank, i noticed the entire staff was in fact cute men. This was going to be fun. Mel (Frank) uttered the words that a girl loves to hear: Order whatever you want.

Lettuce feed you a great ceasar -

My decision was quick. One look at the hand made ravioli on the menu and i made my decision. As a starter, i ordered the black kale ceaser salad. I had no clue what kale was but later discovered reading a New York Times article that kale is a type of lettuce (some of which farmed organically by former addicts upstate as part of a project called Renewal project). I loved the ceasar; it's all about the dressing and fresh croutons and lettuce and they know how to do it.

Ravioli with me -

The ravioli's filling and sauce change daily. On my day, it was potato and I have to check this - Pocini? it's a cheese but i think i have the name wrong - made with sage and parmesan. Incredible.

Lucia, the busser, dropped off exquisite bread served with oil and olives. At this point, I'm thinking, this place is magnificent. Loud but magnificent. Get ready for a very talky crowd and some loud (but good) music.

I asked Christian for a glass of chardonnay and he poured me Charmy.

For dessert, i ordered the chocolate cake. It was served warm with fruit and whipped cream. Rich and lovely.

------

I came back another day to ask Mel about Frank and he said Frank was opened by Frank 11 years ago. It's about family. Most of the recipes were passed down from his mother and grandmother and he twesks them. After a while, people know each other; everybody who's everybody comes in here. It's an east village eatery. The photos on the wall are of his family. Some of the furniture in the restauant belonged to his grandmother.
"Are you a tatoo artist?" i asked Mel. He was covered in tattoos from head to toe.
"No." He replied.
"I think you were a tattoo artist in a past life," i said.
"I'm a family man; I'm raising a kid." ...

Everything is market fresh and the specials change daily.

Unfamiliar names like Branzino come up on the menu and I ask Mel what the dish is.
"It's fish with tomato sauce, onions, tomatoes.."

"What dish do you like at Frank»'s?"
"I like the ragu."
"I really liked the ravioli," i comment.
"It's different all the time..sometimes it's with meat or vegetables...today it is with spinach and ricotta... the one with butternut squash is good," Mel said.

Before Frank, there was a candy store. He bought it and opened a bar - Vera's bar -and later extended it and opened the full bar and restaurant that is now Frank's. A few dishes are named after family: rigatoni al ragu - grandma Carmella's tomato and meat gravy. Uncle Tony's Gnocchi.

"We have regulars from day 1 and they know everyone who works here." Mel said.

--
I talk to Christian, my waiter - bartender.

"I live in Brooklyn but i may move to Chinatown, for all the single ladies out there... just joking," he says with a smile.

"What do you outside of Frank's?" i ask.

"I'm a photographer and photo assistant," he says.

"What type of photography?"

"I do mainly portraits." He says.

He says of Frank's, "it's a mixing pot, get all types from wall street to artists."


Frank
88 second avenue, between 5th and 6th street.
212-420-0106
212-420-1232
www.frankrestaurant.com
Open everyday except Christmas.
delivery: 10$ minimum

Soho Park cafe - D. Chop -ra (somewhere around day 14)

Manager Joy of Soho Park cafe got very philosophical with me. "There is another path," he began saying about my project. "You should be able to find another way as a writer than what you are doing." Just when i thought he was mad at me for my business proposition-project (feed me ny), he said "it upsets me".
"Do you know Deepak Chopra?" i asked. it was all sounding a little spiritual inspirational. "I know him" and he went on. It's not about the money he said. He could feed me; it was about finding another path. "You want a burger?" "We're the best burger in Soho."

"i finished my masters, public policy. A writers' life should be more fulfilling than this," he said. "I know Fareed Zakaria well." He went to order my burger.

He went on. "a writer's life should not be about looking for food." I had to interrupt to ask "Did you give me fries?" "Yes," he replied. Good thinking. It would upset me if he didn't.

He gave me my take out bag and asked me to come back so as to continue our conversation. I said i would.

Not only did i get french fries; i got a soda and i didn't even have to ask. I love that.

A good solid burger (on the smaller side) with lots on it.
Did not inquire whether grass fed hormone free beef.

Soho Park cafe
Prince st. at Lafayette
Soho,NY

Also on the menu: sandwiches, salads, shakes, desserts.

Somewhere around day 12,, cafe Yaffa fed me

Cafe Yaffa. Most food writers would probably describe yaffa as a hip,ecclectic very east village kind of space. It has a real artsy (kind of bohemian) feel to it from the busy decor (leopard skin tables, kitschy wall hangings) to the lights in the garden. The hostess directed me to Nisha, the manager who was pouring sangria into glasses. "Take a seat", she said warmly after she heard my story.

I sat out in back on the patio. Augustina, my waitress had to come back a few times because i was taking so long to make up my mind. I waa really tired and hungry.By that point, it was about 10 pm and i had approached several restaurants who either told me to come back another time or who were not interested. So, sitting down felt like a bit of a gift.

I finally made of my mind. It was crazy hot that day so the chilled cucumber soup made sense. Cold soups are perfect for anything above 90 degrees. There was lots of it. I am not even a fan of cucumber - it is my least favorite vegetable - but i liked this soup. The yogurt gave it a creaminess.

Next was a green salad with carrot dressing (which came with the main course). Good size portion and excellent carrot dressing. I think the lettuce was ice berg which i thought was funny. Maybe it was a boho snub of arugula.

For the entree, i ordered the swordfish with mango salsa and quinoa. Again, my food blog could be called a beginner's guide for the uneducated foodie because I have eaten neither swordfish , nor quinoa.

I loved the fish. The texture was thick, like a meat. The quinoa is like a round rice with a slighly more pungent taste to it. I liked the quinoa too.

With that I had a glass of chardonnay.

For dessert (yes, there's more), i had the (chocolate)mud cake with whipped cream. Like mud pie but with texture of a cake. You can't go wrong with chocolate unless you've got some kind of political squabble. One of best chocolate cakes i've eaten.

I asked for coffee and Augustina brought me an americano.

One of many satisfying dinners i've eaten. I was on cloud 9.

When done, i asked Augustina a few questions. "I started as a bostess," she said. "I love working ere. It is multicultural. You hear a lot of languages. I live a few blocks away."

She told me she was from Buenos Aires, Argentina and she held a Masters in global fashion management. "Back in BA, i had my own company, i was a designer," she said. Now, she wants to combine accounting and fashion and reopen her company.

I went inside to find Nisha and found the hostess giving a back massage to a co-worker. "on the job perk?," i joked. I asked the bartender which chardonnay he poured me: "Hanging Vine," he said showing me the bottle. "From California," i asked. "Napa Valley," he answered.

I sat with Nisha. "Did you start as a manager?" i asked. "I worked my way up from cashier to manager," she said.

"Is anything on your menu organic?" i asked. "Not too much, the soba noodles. The yogurt..."
I commented on the swordfish. "We get our fish from Chinatown."

Nisha told me she moved to New York from San Francisco to finish an acting degree.
"A lot of artists come in here. The writer ...Musto from the village voice comes in."

Are you going to be performing sonn?
"In January, at the Crown, I am a Woman: monologues by 15 different women," she said.

I asked her to email me about it.
Yaffa cafe also serves breakfast and brunch on weekends.

Yaffa cafe
east village

Day 27 (or somewhere around there)

Yesterday, Bully's deli fed me. (story soon). Arturo's was somewhere around day 10, but not sure. i got my scone that i was hoping would simply land my way. i bumped into a shopping cart on the sidewalk last night, "there a donation, take some", the nce guy said (who mentionned god, but that's okay, i got fruit and chocolate chip socnes. "I'm not very religious" was my reply. I looked on the package of the panini bread : whole foods.

Arturo's - restaurant and pizzeria

I walked into Arturo's at 106 w. Houston to find Matt and Tommy, 2 Arturo regulars, at the bar. They were visiting from (just outside) Philly to see Steely Dan perform.
"We come here a lot, we love it," Tommy said.

I explained to them my feed me NY project and they loved the idea. They were really getting into it. "You could take it city to city," Matt said with smile on face.
"Cross country across the United States, i love it," i said. Indeed i was thinking of getting hotels involved. Tony, the bartender, overheard my pitch -conversation and asked me to leave my blog info (which i did) and said to come back and talk to Scotty.

I went back the following day and Scotty was receptive and invited me to come back around 6 pm for dinner.

I did and was treated to some great pizza and atmosphere. The live jazz music in Arturo's really makes it a very enjoyable and fun place to eat. There is entertainment nightly and a sign outside the restaurant indicates which musicians will be playing.

Alex, the host who first talked to me about Arturo's, said it was one of the last pizza places that uses a coal oven in New York. It opened in 1957 by Arturo himself and has been passed down to the kids.

I ordered the small (8 slices) Diavolo with sauce 21$ (which was actually quite large; i ate 3 slices the following day for lunch). It has tomatoes, onions, ham and pepperoncini. It was a little hot (as in spicy) and really really good.

Tony asked me how it was and i said delicious and then he poured me a glass of red wine: Primativo. "It is from southern Italy," he said. I quite liked it.

"How long have you been working here,?" I asked. "17 years," Tony replied. Wow, that's loyalty, I thought.

The jazz trio stopped playing to announce the last tune was a Cole Porter track.

The couple sitting next to me asked what pizza I was eating and I told them 'the Diavolo' and told them it was very good. They ordered the same thing and I asked them if it was their first time here. "No, but we usually have the pasta.I recommend the carbonara; and the arugula salad with cheese," said the woman.

For dessert, I ordered the chocolate cheesecake 5.75 $. "Chocolate sauce, whipped cream,the works?" Tony asked. "Yes," I replied a little too excited. I told Tony and my neighbors next to me, it was one of the best chocolate cheesecakes I had ever eaten.

Music wss momentarily replaced by a crowd of waiters singing Happy Birthday to a nearby table.

Tony wrapped up my leftover pizza, I thanked him and off I went. Outside, I saw a sign on their window: Eileen's cheesecake. I no longer was asking myself where this great cheesecake came from.

Another great New York city meal in another great New York city restaurant. Thank you Arturo's!

Arturo's
106 W. Houston
NYC
212-677-3830
212-475-9828
Open at 4 pm.

World March for Peace - Bowery poetry club

I walked past the Bowery Poetry club last night and noticed a group of people standing outside. A flyer was stuck to the window: World March for Peace and Non Violence. Tamara informed that it takes place over several months and involves many cites. It starts on oct. 2 in Wellington, New Zealand and ends on Jan.2 in Punta des vacas, Argentina with a stop in New York on Nov. 30. It has the support of the Dalai Lama and Bob Dylan (what a surprise) and has as its mandate: withdrawal from occupied territories, anti-nuclear proliferation.

It is sponsored by World without Wars. Last night was their fundraiser.

The W. Kamau Bell Curve - at the Players' Loft

Ending Racism in About an Hour -

"I've thought about racism my whole life'" says Stand up comic, W. Kamau Bell three quarters of the way through his one man comedy routine - personal narrative: Ending Racism in About an Hour. Indeed, he has much to say about racism and most it (if not all) is very funny.

The show opens with a slide show with Bell still behind the stage and the audience is invited to ponder certain questions like: What is a post-racial America? the top 5 ways for black people to end racism (his answer seems to be 1-4: BET) He takes issue with BET a few times during the show as he does with Fox news, Glen Beck, the republicans...

His insights into race in america are very smart and laugh out loud riotous. He talks about Obama and the first black presidency often citing that when (racist) americans finally got over the fear of his blackness, it had to focus on his middle name Hussain and his possible tie to muslim culture.

"Who do you thank for the Obama presidency?" His answer: Oprah (among many). "Look under your chair, you'll find Barack Obama."

"i wanted a first black president who wanted revenge," he told the audience.

Penumbra - at the Actor's Playhouse

Penumbra is a one man autobiographical hip hop musical written and performed by Anthony Fascious Martinez about growing up in the Bronx,a jailed father, an abused girlfriend, manhood and coming to terms. It feels as though it is something very private and cathartic that he is sharing with the audience which is undoubtedly why Kamilah Forbes (from Def Poetry) has praised it as 'bold, daring and fearless'.

My one main problem with this show was that i had trouble understanding the words to the first few raps. I think technically there may have been a problem with this performance. Correcting that for futur shows would be good.

Like many hip hop rap musicals and poetry slams, Fascious comes off very forcefully and powerfully. It's non stop and several parts are notably poignant like the reading of his father's letters from prison, and his questionning of what it means to be a man in a society where masculinity is often associated with violence and men are not encouraged to open up. "I was looking for a male figure to look up to."

His Puerto Rican culture is also touched upon as are politics and family.

A compelling and engaging performance.

Too bad for the tech problem.

Venue Director - Cherry Lane studio Fringe

Hannah is the venue director for the Cherry Lane theater studio for the fringe. I asked her why she wanted to be venue director. "originally, i wanted to intern; we discussed and venue director was what was decided," she said. "I am an actor and wanted to see the other side of the stage, get familiar with other workings of theater."

I noted she used the word actor as opposed to actress and asked if there was a reason? "Don't associate with gender; think of as person," she answered.
Are you concerned with feminism, i asked. "Yes," she answered. "Everyday, we are affected by gender, affected by how gender norms are projected on us... gender is a role, performance."

It made me think of Judith Butler, a theorist i read way back in grad school.

"Do you know Judith Butler?" i asked.
"Yes, i wrote a paper on her for a class," Hannah replied.

What does the venue director do? I asked.

"Oversee that things run smoothly in space," she said.

You work with performers, tech? I asked.

" Ya, make sure that shows get in and out on time and work with back of the house and front of the house. It's challenging. I've learnt so much the last couple of weeks... actor process separate from space... It is important to develop an appreciation for everything that happens around you."

A little after our interview i heard someone ask Hannah:

"We need toilet paper in the bathroom".

Maybe things didn't run so smoothly in the john.

Brief interview with Camille Harris - Muffin Man

Q: Why did you write Muffin Man?

A: It was my honours thesis in college. I wrote the song Muffin Man and performed it at every venue. I worked in a coffee shop.

Q: Is there a real Justin?

A: It is based on every crush i ever had. I never had this (support group for love) in high school. (I wanted to get how )Teenagers are so angsty (about love), it's hilarious. It's mundane but it's hilarious. (There is humor in the mundane)
A lot of people get involved in her love for him; I never had that in high school,
if i had these people.

I wrote Lyla for Samantha (Blain); she's so on . She has similar sense of humor. My friend Sara ( Dobrinich) is a good character actress.

i wanted it to be cute and funny; there is extreme value in the silly. It is a challenge to find happiness; my passion is making silliness.

Muffin Man (a barista in love) - at the Lafayette street theater

How cute was Muffin Man - a barista in love? Way cute. The musical was put on by the Silly Jazz company and written, directed and produced by Camille Harris, a graduate of the BFA program at Emerson college.

As the title suggests, it is about a barista in love and being a musical, she (Lila) sings her way to admitting and declaring her love for Justin, the muffin supplier for the coffee shop she works for. The songs are all fun and there is much humor sprinkled throughout.

The entire cast is impressive as they belt out one cutesy number after another and not a beat is missed.

"Do you know the muffin man? muffin man, I love you so," Lila sings at the beginning. Lyla is shy and the goal of the musical is for her to 'make him fall in love with you by end of day' declared forcefully by Sadie, her co-worker. Customers, parents and a love interest for Sadie make an appearance singing their needs and wants.
"I'm not steady until I've had my fourth (coffee)" one customer sings.
"Her first bra, her first day, wish it would last and last" sings her parents on an (embarassing) surprise visit at Lyla's barista summer job (before college).

Look forward to a feel good ending.

Day 24 - art and struggle fed me on day 23 and fringe

last night, out of a play and on my way to fringe central i walked into an event at the space of an artist»s' collective which is now the office of rev Billy Talen (church of stop shopping) who is running for mayor of nyc. "Is that a joke?" i asked. No it is not. He is running for mayor. This should be interesting. Anyways, hungry, i was excited to fing a full spread of lovely rolls, crackers, nuts, olive and wine. They were very welcoming and didn't mind me nibbling on their treats. My saying "I'm so hungry" every 2 minutes probably worked in my favor.

Anyways, thank you . I grabbed some flyers, looked at the photos on the wall, ate and then headed for fringe where to my chagrin, there were no wraps. A mini-crisis set in, "I need those wraps", i must have those wraps; i have been looking forward to those wraps all day. Thankfully, 10 minutes later, 2 people dropped 2 trays on the table and off i was like a bloodhound searching for coke.

I do enjoy those wraps! Again, thanks fringe cafe.

Day 24 -

I am hoping i can land a scone and or a muffin along the way today. As for dinner, those veggie burgers at Quantum Leap look pretty good. So does their pancake breakfast.

Day 23 - who's gonna feed me?

Will it be the fringe? This is what i have been surviving on for the last couple of days. Chicken, hummus wraps and pizza. And let's not forget about the gin and tonics.

---

De Robertis - Pasticceria and caffé - I cannoli have one cause i'm broke

John was at the counter when i went to De Robertis, a pastry shop specializing in Italian sweets on 1 st ave. in the east village. "Are you the owner?" "No, but it's a family business."

I told him i heard their cafe is like a New York institution. I had heard a lot of things about it. "How long have you been around?" i asked.

He pointed to the words on the front door. "Since 1904; 105 years," he replied.

Wow, "I'm impressed, that's a long time," i said. "So, like you're grand or great..."

"My great grandfather opened it."

He offered me a few things to try: a cannoli, a pignoli (almond and pine nut cookie), a regina cookie (sesame), a rainbow cookie and a chocolate buttercream cake.

- I canoli have one cause i'm broke, but i may try another -

I usually love canoli and i am willing to try another; i felt the cheese was a little thick. If you like your cheese thick, then i guess this is the cannoli for you.
The buttercream was rich and good on the cake.
I liked the pignoli. (Never had it before)

They have a lot more pastry to choose from and there is a cafe in the back so you can order yourself a cappuccino.

I asked if there were any celebrities that came in (I'm not sure why). He pointed to the photos on the wall and then he said, "Meadow from the Sopranos was in here last week, they are shooting a scene for Ugly Betty, i guess she's going to be in season
4."

"As a guest star?" i asked.
"I'm not sure."

"Does Robert De Niro ever come in?" i asked. I was channeling my Perez Hilton all of a sudden.

"Sure, he's come in."

Medina - Bangladeshi, Indian , Pakistani cuisine

Medina, located at 210 first avenue between 12 th and 13 th st. serves up cafeteria style preprepared food in a modest setting. A variety of South Asian dishes are on the menu and when i was there as part of my feed me NY project, Rahman was kind enough to let me try the chicken tikka masala with rice, spinach, cabage, green beans. A nice salad came with it as did a dressing mixed with mint and yogurt.

I started with a vegetable samosa which as far as samosa's go, could be a runner up in a samosa competition. And by this, i mean i liked it. Seeing as it is counter food, hotness is not guaranteed. Microwaving the entire dish is a good idea.

There was an abundance of lovely orange colored mango lassis in the fridge which i unfortunately did not sample. A mango lassi is like the indian equivalent of a mango smoothie.

The one dish i was looking for, butter chicken, they did not have. But my main dish was flavored with a variety of very mild spices and if you want something fast, you can probably find something at Medina.

The nan bread compared to most nan i've had. It is simply yummy. It is ironic that i forgot to order it and was reminded when other customers ordered it. Muhammad was sweet enough to prepare it for me.

I heart nan!

Medina
Open 24 hours - 7 days a week.
Catering for all occasions.
eat in and take out
212-982-7470

Fringe cafe update - catering (organic local )

I wrote (raved) about the meal that John and Jeff fed me at the Fringe cafe, well here is their info on their catering business. (story will follow).

If you are looking for a great caterer, look no further:

Jeff Loshinsky catering
Full service catering
Custom meny consultation
private and corporate events

www.jeffloshinskycatering.com

Box office manager

Jauna is the box office manager for the Manhattan source theater. I asked her why she wanted to work for the Fringe and she said she wanted to see what the fringe experience was like. Her mother was a venue director at the players loft 2 years ago. What"s it like being a box office manager, i asked. It has its ups and downs, she responded. Some ACR"s are easier to work with. Some rush the box office manager. Apparently, that is not a good thing. The other day she thought she was short 10$ but she was not. Had a crisis. The venue director (Sketkh) interjected and said some people say they are press when they really only have a luatic pass. One in particular was rude. I said i was a blogger with no vip press pass.

Jauna then counted her box office money and noted that there were all 1 $ dollar bills. "Singles, we can go the strip club," she said.

"You"re funny," i said.

Singin wid a Sword in ma Han - Players theater

An Underground Railroad Love Story

2 words for this musical. Gorgeous and Beautiful. The lead actress,who is also the playwright and lyricist(Vienna Carroll) plays Topper,the narrator of the story of a family attempting to escape slavery to find freedom via the underground railroad without getting caught by the Gap Gang.

Their struggle is sung mostly through African American Spirituals by a griot chorus that is enchanting. Carroll has a real gift for writing music and especially these spirituals because as an audience member I really felt transported into another time and place.

It"s a Must see. I was enthralled.

You can visit her website :

ViennaCarroll.com
A cd of her spiritual songs is available : Singin wid a sword in ma han

Peace Warriors - Players theater

I must admit that i was nodding off during this play, (because of lack of sleep). I am soon going to need one very good night sleep on one comfortable bed (or sofa).

Peace Warriors, starts off political and ends personal (melodramatically). The dialogue - conversation between the 4 academics and the student were stimulating and comical in the first act but then the play took a less challenging turn and became a relationship drama about cheating spouses and broken marriages. Although the reason the wife is cheating is because the husband is no longer a left wing radical but has become right wing as evidenced by jokes like: the palestinians want peace and quiet so they can organize more bombings (right wing or simply very sarcastic),, this joke makes him a righty in the eyes of his radical wife.

It definitely attempts to challenge the status quo on middle eastern politics, but only peripherally. It ends as the audience only begins to become engaged in the topic; you want to hear more about what these characters think about this subject but then we get to hear them talk about why they are sleeping with one another ( or not).

The husband has definitely strayed from his left roots. Jokes like how he wore condoms only to prove his feminist credentials make hiim not a very likable character.

The wife seems to be the voice of the radical pro palestinian movement as we listen to her deliver a line in which she argues that holocaust demagoguery has prevented palestinian freedom.

I am wondering what the playwright"s position is on all of this; whether he agrees with the wife or the husband; or whether the playwright thinks it is a littlle more complex..

The acting was respectable.

Day 22 - the momentum has been broken (slightly)

Day 22 of my feed me NY and the momentum has been broken slightly. 2 days, i went without food. If you have never gone without food or drink, i can tell you that it is most excruciating. I"ve slowed down my pitching due to fatigue, fringe . Encountering staff who tell me come back another day and speak to an owner or manager also slows things down and therefore does not guarantee a same day meal.

It would be nice if someone simply slipped a smoothie, ice coffee or frappuccino in my hand on these hot days as i walk down the street.

Hopefullly, i will get the momentum going again.

Fancy Footwork: the Irish Boxing Play - Flamboyan theater

45 minutes feels like 25 in this fast paced packs an emotional punch 1 act play written by Irish playwright Miriam Gallagher and directed by American Rich Johnson. It went by so quickly, i needed to interview the director about the larger theme of this play/

Q: why did you choose this play

A:(RJ - Rich Johnson) I thought it would be a good fit for the Fringe; there is a little set, not a big set. Good script.

Q: What about the theme

A: how athletes get manipulated, take drugs, whether they are aware of it (renders play relevant) or not. I cast the black actor because it seems like he"s washed up, but he"s not; he overcomes it and retains his title.

Talk back on friday the 28 at 2 pm
fringe high: suitable for teenagers
visit high5.org - ticket for high school students: 5 $



Surviving and Overcoming:

Speaking of surviving and overcoming: WHile i am being fed by very generous people, i still have to spend a significant amount of time pitching my iproject and there were a couple days where i did not eat at all. Also , i need a bed to sleep in tonight and it would be great if someone would be so generous as to offer that.

Also, so i do not have to begging via my blog, If anyone who has received my CV could possibly call me about an interview, that would be spectacular!

F(r)eed me NY: Maracas, Fringe cafe (John and Jeff)

As you can read, i have a back log of feed me NY stories that i will updating shortly (probably after the Fringe. Right now, things are a little hectic. People are keeping me fed and you will be able to read about all of them sometime near the end of August, Beginning September.

I wanted to mention them now as a Thank you! I have not forgotten about you. I am simply consumed with the Fringe and surviving!

Medina (Rahman, Muhammad)
De Robertis ( John)
Yaffa cafe (Nisha, Augustina)
Arturo:s (Scotty, Alex, Tony...)
Soho Park cafe (Joy)
Frank (Christian, Mel, Therou...)
Maracas (Sabina, Octavio, Hugo, Fabian...)
Fringe cafe (John, Jeff, Wild Hive farms, Dutch desserts, Strongtree coffee)


A mention about what i ate at Fringe cafe: chilled carrot and ginger soup with cheddar biscuit , dhal samosa with chutney, all prepared to perfection. And a cup of Strongtree (fair trade) coffee and a brownie (Dutch desserts). Their lime rickey, hand squeezed by Jeff himself, is really yummy.

America"s Next Top Bottom - Actor"s Playhouse

Who will outsass and out bitch one another to become America"s Next Top Bottom in this improv comedy produced and directed by Efrain Schunior and now playing at the Actor"s Playhouse as part of the New York international Fringe festival. 6 drag queen and Village peoplesque contestants and a hostess (Trina Sugg - a Franzia loving bitchy wisecracker who makes jokes) and her co- host (who asks the contestants in the 3 rd challenge to do the "Jean Benet") make up the cast of this mildly wild search for America"s nest top bottom. A Hair like character, a prebuscent Star Trek Fan with a girly side, Brian Boitano like, Tony Manero Saturday Night Fever like character (my own interpretation), and 2 others costume their way, dance their way, and crack their way to the top (really the bottom). Questions like what makes a good bottom are asked and answered with "soy milk", "sequenced knee pads" .

You the viewer get to vote on the winner at the end and being improv, there is a different show every night. "The 3 challenges remain the same but the lines change every show; it is structured improv," says Schunior, the show"s producer - director. The personas "are extensions of themselves" , he replied when i asked if the characters were based on TV and film personalities.

It is a fun ride.

cast:

Fringe: And Sophie Comes Too - The Cherry Pit theater

With a title like And Sophie Comes Too, I was expecting a you go girl play about women yet again talking about how to have orgasms, how to give orgasms... Thankfully, this was only a (very) minor topic of conversation. I was expecting something stale, but instead I was surprised by the freshness of the story as well as the freshness of the acting by the 7 actresses.

3 sisters ( 2 lesbian - one closeted, one not) and a comatose mother make for some good comedic fun in a family comedy drama written by Meryl Cohn and directed by Mark Finley. There is a punchline around every corner and you feel as though the humour is very well rehearsed. The women next to me could not stop laughing.

Motherhood, adoption, dating and getting desires met are examined with a zany flair and swift pace. Lines such as : "You say the word cunt like you are ordering a latte from Starbucks", are delivered. And Sophie Comes Too is entertaining.

Time":s scream and hurry (cherry lane theater)

I want moments that rise above -

I attended the performance after my volunteer shift. 3 long monologues ( 2 by women and 1 by a man). very dramatic. Not too many light moments. Performed well and engaging. Could wrap them up a little sooner.

too be continued...

Fringe Voluntear

The inner workings of the Fringe -

As a Fringe volunteer, i am learning the many exciting inner workings of the theater. On my first shift at the Connelly theater on East 4th near ave. A, i met the box office manager, Flor. She is in charge of ticket sales and my job was will call: distributing tickets to patrons who have already purchased them. Although not complicated, it's amazing how something simple can become not so simple.

The font -

I was handed a list with names with a font size of about 1. Minuscule would be an understatement. Flor had to write them out for me. Next, i was introduced to the venue director (in charge of the venue) and the ACR who is the one who hands out the playbill as you walk in to the theater. I kept referring to the ACR as the CPR.

Flor and i talked and i learnt that she is an actress and she said that it is difficult to land roles because she is a latina with an accent and if you're not equity, it is difficult. I asked if she was performing in the fringe and she said no but she was performing in the Strawberry festival in a play called Business or Pleasure at the St Clemens on 423 46 th between 9 th and 10 th avenue on monday, aug. 17 at 7 pm. She plays a spanish teacher. I would love to go and see it but i will probably be fringing. I enjoyed talking to Flor.

The theater critic from Time Out New York did not pick up his tickets and i got a little excited as i thought, maybe i could use the ticket and review the play for my blog but i did not. The will call was pretty relaxed as the house did not sell out.

The venue director, Nicole, asked me if this was my first time volunteering for the Fringe and i said yes and she responded with a : "fun for everyone" which i thought was funny.

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My next shift was at the Milagro theater on saturday morning and although i left early, i still found myself scrambling to find Suffolk street. I let out a few curse words but i managed to still get myself there early. I met Kathleen, the show's ACR. She said she worked for Universal and i bit my lip. She fed me Munchkins but i really wanted a coffee and i still hope a coffee purveyor is going to donate coffee for the hard working volunteers.

Krystal, the box office manager then showed up, and i learnt that she also is an actress ( not being gender neutral). I told her i studied journalism along with women studies and liberal arts and she said she also studied women studies at Smith and is concerned with feminist post colonial narratives. I perked up as i think that is interesting. I asked her what her upcoming plays were and she said she was assistant directing a play called Post No Bills written by a friend (Mando Alvarado) put on by raddlestick playwrights. She said she was concerned with multicultural, asian american and hispanic theater. In the Spring, she will be involved in All american gender fuck cabaret.

When the house lights went down, both the venue director, Jenny and the ACR, Kathleen said i could watch the play if i wanted. Home is the Sailor, Home from the Sea was the show and as i had had only 2 hours sleep the night before, paying attention was a real challenge. I kept nodding off and i thought, i hope it doesn't give the actors a complex. As i came in 10 minutes late and was drifting off, i am not sure what this play is about. It is a drama. 3 characters hit a deer and they are quite traumatized (i'm thinking, Peta must be in the picture somewhere as i don't think any normal person would spend that much time agonizing over a deer but some of the dramatic delivery was engaging and one actress gave a fairly believable emotional crying scene. There were some funny moments and then the deer seem to be a catalyst for something else but i really can't tell you what this play is about. I will have to get a full night sleep for that. But i do appreciate having seen it. It was my first play at the NYC Fringe.

My volunteer voucher allowed me to see a play so i chose to see The Green Manifesto, a very green musical written by Anne Berlin and Andy Cohen(lyrics).

I loved it. From the moment i heard the actor sing (at the fringe teaser) What does it mean to be adam green..." i knew i was different, use tom" s of maine toothpaste, eat organic"... i was hooked. A couple Adam and Madison, eco conscious, sing each other love serenades about meeting in Whole Foods and eating DDT free and pesticide free lettuce while working to save rainforest everywhere and gazing into each other:s eyes (while serenading). The whole foods song is hilarious and catchy and the musical follows the conventional musical path to conflict ( madison meets patrick, a conervationist which makes her question her relationship to adam) , they sing more songs ( some sad), they gaze into each other:s eyes, they get through it and then they get energized again pushing to the climactic song of loving the earth.

Nice work!

to be continued...