Stuff to Do

AllNY.com's look at things to do in NYC written by New Yorkers for New Yorkers and serious New York tourists.

Here’s A Delicious Way to Celebrate the End of Summer: Resy Presents Off Menu Week NY, In Partnership with American Express

New York City has its share of restaurant weeks throughout the year, but now there’s a new one that has me quite intrigued.  Resy’s Off Menu Week NY gives you an insidery glimpse into how chefs create their next superstar dish. From September 16-22  Resy and American Express® give you a privileged look at some of your favorite chefs at work. It’s a delicious and exciting way to celebrate the end of summer.

Many of my favorites have extended invitations to experience their inner workings like Wayan, the new French-Indonesian bistro in Nolita from Cédric Vongerichten (Jean-Georges’ son), to Estela, also in Nolita where Mediterranean-influenced plates are popular along with bar seating; Loring Place with its veggie-forward choices; sleek, theatrical Chinese Tuxedo on Doyers Street; and the fiery dishes from Danny Bowien’s Mission Chinese Food in both Chinatown and Bushwick.  Wine lovers will want to reserve at Aldo Sohm’s tony Wine Bar in Midtown West. Master sommelier Sohm’s wine prowess at Le Bernardin is legendary.

Wayan

Mission Chinese Food

Aldo Sohm Wine Bar

I’m intrigued by the chance to try these restaurants’ experimental concepts and off-menu dishes. As usual with most NYC foodie-centric events, seats are very limited, so I suggest jumping on your computer to book now.  Don’t forget to read the fine print regarding cancellations so you won’t get charged if you can’t go.

Here’s the list of participants — click on the name below to make your reservation:

Aldo Sohm Wine Bar • Bar Beau • Tetsu • Grand Army • Celestine • Air’s Champagne Parlor • Loring Place • Estela • Shuko • Cafe Altro Paradiso • Di an Di • Wayan • Charlie Palmer Steak • Aureole • Ferris • Frankies Spuntino at Franks Wine Bar • Wayla • Chefs Club • Mission Chinese Food Chinatown • Mission Chinese Food Bushwick • SUGARCANE raw bar grill • Hanoi House • Chinese Tuxedo • Momofuku Nishi • Fedora • Simon & The Whale • Perry St • Miznon North

https://blog.resy.com/2019/08/resy-off-menu-week-ny-guide/?utm_campaign=Off-Menu-Week-Guide-NY&utm_source=simon&utm_medium=email

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Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Keep the Summer Vibe with a Hamptons Getaway

You may have missed the summer’s premier foodie events in the Hamptons, Dan’s GrillHampton and Dan’s Taste of Two Forks tasting showcases, but there’s still much to sample as the summer winds down and fall sets in. For many, this is the perfect time for a weekend to the East End of New York’s Long Island.

Starting with Art and the Great Outdoors

Bridge Gardens Photo: Jeff Heatley

The Hamptons have perfected the art of the garden. And while most of the mansion have theirs hidden away behind their unfriendly privets, the Peconic Land Trust has created one that’s open to the public at any time. Bridge Gardens on Mitchell Lane in Bridgehampton is the kind of oasis among the Hamptons scene that will make you rethink your plans, even on a sunny beach day. In this decidedly uncrowded setting of multiple flower and vegetable gardens you might feel that you’re in an English garden, one hidden and exclusively yours. In fact, you might have the gardens entirely to yourself, a rarity for New Yorkers. It’s a beautiful place to Zen out and ignore the Hamptons traffic.

Take Me Indoors, It’s Still Too Hot

The Parrish Art Museum

Museums also offer a respite from the heat, traffic and crowds. The Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill is one of the country’s finest, with a collection of art from local artists. The permanent collection is enhanced by frequently featured exhibits. You’ll want to check out the colorful collection of watercolors painted by abstract artist Helen Frankenthaler during her summer in Provincetown is on display through October 27. A café and bookstore are welcoming and creative as well. In Southampton, the Southampton Art Center offers changing exhibits as well as other performing arts programming.

So You Must Be Hungry

Shinnecock Lobster Factory

Dining is one of the pleasures of the Hamptons.  Each town has its local favorites, some with outdoor dining.  For a quick lobster fix, the Shinnecock Lobster Factory in Southampton, Ed’s Lobster Bar in Sag Harbor, and Canal Café in Hampton Bays have the best lobster rolls around.  At each, you can choose to enjoy your sandwich outdoors or indoors.

Tutto Il Giorno

If you like Italian food, you can go family-style at La Parmigiana or the casual Paul’s Italian Restaurant in Southampton, where the heroes are large enough to be shared and pizzas by the slice include interesting versions such as Buffalo chicken. Or choose to go a bit more elegant at Tutto Il Giorno in Sag Harbor or Southampton or at Doppio la Spaggia in Sag Harbor and East Hampton, each serving up crudo, pasta, carpaccio and other Italian favorites with a special farm-fresh twist. Note: sit outside if you’re sensitive to noise. The North Fork has two Italian eateries worth traveling for: Grana in Jamesport is a rustic, inventive trattoria which plates whatever vegetables are freshest of the moment. Chef Marco Pellegrini of Caci has brought his Umbrian savvy to Southhold to a setting on a farmstead. Here, Chef has a kitchen entirely devoted to pasta making. His green basil tagliatelle is as close to Italian perfection as I’ve ever eaten. Wines, if not from Italy, are all from the North Fork and menus proudly list the local purveyors of the proteins and produce.

The Hampton Maid

For breakfast, two standouts are Hampton Bay’s The Hampton Maid, an inn with a restaurant that only serves breakfast; nearby Azao Cafe adds a bit of Latin American spice to the dishes at this homey restaurant. Estia’s Little Kitchen in Sag Harbor is a popular choice for breakfast and lunch as well with Mexican-inflected dishes. Check their schedule as they serve dinner, too, on select evenings. And there are two new kids on the block for a morning feast. Hamptons Standard in Hampton Bays, is a sleek, inviting coffee bar, shop, restaurant, and outdoor dining area with gluten-free as well as vegan choices and fun distractions like an oversized Connect Four board for the kids. And, Silver Lining Diner, newly re-imagined in white and yellow tones and now open in Southampton, comes from the skilled folks at Bay Kitchen Bar and Restaurant in East Hampton.

Le Charlot

For a restaurant experience that’s more sophisticated, lunch at Sant Ambroeus, Le Charlot or Silver’s in Southampton is casually elegant with Italian, French, and American cuisines respectively. A true splurge and for the best water views, Le Bilboquet in Sag Harbor has cuisine that’s just as wonderful. Or, go the opposite super-casual route, at the new Union Burger Bar, adjacent to Union Cantina, also in Southampton.

T-Bar

Among the newest restaurants in the Hamptons, Calissa in Water Mill, Elaia Estiatorio in Bridgehampton and T-Bar in Southampton will keep you satisfied with their Mediterranean and American/steakhouse flavors, respectively. At New York City’s Hamptons T-Bar, the outdoor garden offers choice seating in a setting so lovely you’ll hope the warm weather lasts into November. Save these for a splurge, as the prices are as high as the quality. Book late for Calissa so you can dine to live music.

Wölffer Estate Vineyard

If you love wine, the Hamptons are New York’s answer to the West Coast. The North Fork has 43 vineyards, many of which offer daily tastings. Wölffer Estate Vineyard and Channing Daughters Winery on the South Fork offer two gorgeous settings where you can tour, taste, or enjoy an open-air yoga class.  Pick up a bottle of Wolffer’s acclaimed “Summer in a Bottle Rosé” at their Wine Stand if you’re short on time or plan to spend the afternoon at their vineyard and enjoy a charcuterie and wine lunch. Their newest chilled red from the finca in Mendoza is a blend of Torrontes and Malbec grapes. Wölffer also has two restaurants, Wölffer Kitchen in Sag Harbor and Amagansett, where you can sample their many varietals as well as enjoy their farm-to-table expertise.

The Maidstone Hotel

Don’t feel like driving? Have a taxi bring you to The Maidstone Hotel in East Hampton. The hotel offers a charming Scandinavian-influenced setting on the town’s historic mall. Here, you can spend the night, drink some fabulous wines and Aquavit, and enjoy the cozy hotel restaurant, all without worrying about joining the car parade on Montauk Highway. And where else but there could you enjoy Swedish meatballs next to a fireplace while in the Hamptons? You can bring your puppy, too, as they even have a doggie dining area.

Maidstone Gardens

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Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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A Hot Theater Opening and Plays about to Disappear

Quick!  These are shows that you need to pay attention to:  one has just opened and is hotter than hot. Two others are closing soon or have limited runs. I can only encourage you to jump on your computer and book any or all of these as quickly as you can.

Just Opened and Hot, Hot, Hot

Moulin Rouge! The Musical is the Broadway extravaganza translation of Baz Luhrmann’s enormous film hit which starred Nicole Kidman as Satine.  With a playlist of 71 songs that extend into current music phenoms like Lady Gaga, Pink, Katy Perry as well as perennial faves like Elton John and the Rolling Stones, this show will have you paying attention as you play “name that tune” throughout. The set is gorgeous with the theater transformed into the Moulin Rouge that you’ll recognize from the movie.  As Satine, Karen Oliva wows as do Danny Burstein as Harold Zidler, and Aaron Tveit as the lovestruck playwright Christian. You’ll be covered with confetti before you leave.  Al Hirschfeld Theatre, 302 West 45th Street, 212-239-6200, www.moulinrougemusical.com

Limited Run

Oklahoma! is the re-imagined Rodgers and Hammerstein favorite, done up in a way that’ll make you look twice at the classics.  The band is on stage, playing a countrified version of singalongs like “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” or “Surrey with the Fringe on the Top.” The costumes are contemporary, and there’s a daring use of light and dark. Plus you’ll be treated to an intermission refreshment of vegetarian chili and cornbread. Ado Annie is played by wheelchair-bound Ali Stroker in a role that won her a Tony award for best featured actress in a musical. For a special experience, try to score a seat at one of the floor tables – you’ll be right in the center of the action. The show closes in January so you have a little time, but not that much.  Circle in the Square Theatre, 235 West 50th Street, 212-239-6200, www.OklahomaBroadway.com.

Closing Soon

The Cher Show is to Broadway what Cher’s Farewell Tour is to Las Vegas – a tribute to one of the greatest music divas of our times. Spanning Cher’s five-decade (or longer) career, The Cher Show has three Chers, each portraying a span of her life. Babe is the young Cher, discovered by Sonny Bono.  Lady is the Cher of Sonny and Cher and the solo Cher. And Star, in a tour de force Tony-winning performance by Stephanie J. Block, is the mature Cher who continues to find and re-invent herself.  Cher fans will know every song, while fashionistas will marvel at the array of Bob Mackie costumes. I wish this one were playing longer, as I’d really love to see it again, and I’ve already seen it twice.  Neil Simon Theatre, 250 West 52nd Street, 877-250-2929, www.TheCherShowBroadway.com.

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Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Dan’s Taste of Two Forks Guarantees One Hot Evening in the Hamptons This Weekend

Get ready for the Hamptons’ much-anticipated foodie event, Dan’s Taste of Two Forks. This year marks the ninth year of the delicious event which is held at Fairview Farm at Mecox in Bridgehampton, New York on the shore of Mecox Bay.

On Saturday July 20, from 7:30-10pm (VIP entry at 6pm), chefs from more than 40 restaurants and winemakers from more than 15 vineyards in the Hamptons will come together to serve up some of the best food and wine offerings from the East End. Both North Fork and South Fork establishments are represented, feeding hungry (and thirsty) guests who also enjoy music under the direction of DJ Phresh. It’s a chance to try out the creations from restaurants you may not yet have visited as well as from your favorites. I’m especially excited for tastes from some of the Hamptons’ newest venues like T Bar Southampton and Anker (Greenport) and the new team from Claudio’s (Greenport).

Participating restaurants and food purveyors include Anker by Wolfgang Ban, Backyard Brine by Cori Anne and Randy Kopke, Calissa by Dominic Rice, Chocology Unlimited by Linda Johnson, Claudio’s by Franklin Becker, Peter Ambrose of Events by Peter Ambrose, Fairview Farm, First and South by Mynor Ortega, Grace & Grit by Adam Kaufer, Green Hill by Wolfgang Ban, Insatiable EATS Catering & Events by Marco Barrila, Joe & Liza’s Ice Cream by Sean O’Donnell, Kontiki by Cheo Avila, Main Road Biscuit by Marissa Drago, Mirabelle Restaurant by Guy Reuge, North Fork Chocolate Company by Steve Amaral, North Sea Tavern by Michael Basta, Page Restaurant by Cleon Clarke, Paola’s by Stefano Marracino, PORT Waterfront Bar & Grill by Bruce Miller, Saaz by Sameer Mohan, Salt & Loft, Scarpetta Beach by Jorge Espinoza, Shinnecock Lobster Factory by Marco Barrila, Shock Ice Cream by Elyse Richman, Showfish at Gurney’s Star Island by Jeremy Blutstein, Shuckers Lobster & Clam Bar by John Heaney, Smokin’ Wolf BBQ & More! by Arthur Wolf, Southampton Social Club by Scott Kampf, Spiro’s Restaurant & Lounge by Spiro Karachopan, T Bar Southampton by Tony Fortuna, The Clubhouse by Brian Schlitt, The Frisky Oyster by Robby Beaver, The Garden at Water Mill, The Halyard at Sound View Greenport by Stephan Bogardus, The Tackle Box by John Saladacara, Topping Rose House by Drew Hiatt and Union Cantina by Scott Kampf.

Vineyards include Borghese Vineyard and the Montauk Wine Company. Beer and spirits will also be flowing.

Borghese Vineyard

The evening begins at 6:30pm with a VIP reception at the Waterfront VIP Lounge and special treats. General admission starts at 7:30pm. A portion of ticket proceeds will benefit All For The East End (AFTEE) that showcases and provides support to the more than 1,000 charity organizations in the five East End towns. Fairview Farm at Mecox, 18 Horsemill Lane, Bridgehampton, New York. #tasteoftwoforks

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Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Celebrate Bastille Day at the French Institute Alliance Francaise in New York City

The Fourth of July is over, but not the celebration.  On Sunday, July 14, Bastille Day will be commemorated  in the US with as much pomp and joie de vivre as ever.  It’s a wonderful time to bring out those red, white and blue colors again and add a French twist. https://fiaf.org/event/2019-07-14-bastille-day

In New York City, the celebration takes center stage at FIAF, the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) with entertainment, food and drink, and kids’ programs.

Some of the wonderful events that day include a screening at 5:30pm in FIAF Florence Gould Hall of thedelightful French comedy C’est la vie!, written and directed by Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache, the duo behind the award-winning film The Intouchables. The story involves a wedding planner/caterer who must pull off a magnificent wedding in a 17th-century French château while the celebration and his personal life descend into chaos. It’s a hoot, French-style. (In French with English subtitles).

Tickets are a mere $13.

Another entertainment favorite, renowned French singer Gérard Chambre, with Eric Breton at the piano, will perform French songs made memorable by singers like Charles Trenet, Edith Piaf, Yves Montand, Charles Aznavour and my two personal favorites, Jacques Brel and Johnny Hallyday, whose voices have left their mark on France and the world.  The “Si on chantait l’Amour” program takes place at 3pm in FIAF Florence Gould Hall as well.  And heureusement, it’s free!

If you don’t feel like sitting indoors, there will be entertainment all day long outside, and it’s all free, too.

Taking place from 12:35pm until 5pm, there is a line-up of performers sure to please everyone in your group.

On the Main Stage, at East 60th Street and Park Avenue, the music and dance are non-stop:

12:35pm – Can-Can: Joanna Wronska

12:40pm – Music: Chloé Perrier & French Heart Jazz Band

1:10pm – Music: The Love Show

1:25pm – Feather Dance: Joanna Wronska

1:30pm – Music: The Blue Dahlia

2:15pm – Music: The Love Show

2:30pm – Music: Les P’tites Ouvreuses

3:15pm – Music: The Love Show

3:30pm – Music: Rodeo Joe

4:15pm – Zouk Dance Lesson: Franck Muhel

On 60th Street, you’ll find a range from mime to marching bands:

12:50–4:20pm – Mime with Catherine Gasta

12:50–4:20pm – Live Art with COCOVAN

12:55–5pm – Citroën Car Show

3pm – Hungry March Band

Kids won’t be ignored either. If music and dance isn’t their thing, take them to the “Fly Away with Books Workshops for Kids” from 1-4pm in the FIAF Library Booth in front of FIAF. Here, French illustrators and authors will lead three playful and imaginative workshops designed especially for kids. Starting at 1pm, and appropriate for the youngest in your group (ages 4 and up),  there are three age-appropriate sessions with card games and art.

If you, like me , think France…. and Champagne, rosé and macarons immediately come to mind, you’ll be très contente as well with two indoor food and beverage fêtes.

A Champagne, cocktail and jazz party takes place in two sessions in the afternoon in the FIAF Skyroom, with Champagne from Besserat de Bellefon, Delamotte, Laurent-Perrier, Michel Gonet, and Pol Roger; cocktails from Gioffard; and treats from Jacques Torres Chocolate, Ladurée, and Maman. All this is set to music by The Avalon Jazz Band.  1:30pm-3pm and 3:30pm-5pm

Straddling this event is a “Summer in Provence Tasting”, proving that French rosés are equally as wonderful as those from the North Fork.  Accompanied by a tasting of cheese from Président, charcuterie from Trois Petits Cochons, beer from Kronenbourg, and cocktails by Ricard, you’ll sample wines from Château d’Esclans, Château La Gordonne and Château Miraval.  12-4:30pm in the FIAF Tinker Auditorium.

For the shoppers among you, you’ll love the “Côte d’Azur France Village” marketplace on East 60th Street from Fifth Avenue to Lexington Avenue.  Along these three blocks, you’ll find more than 40 booths with all sorts of French food, culture, travel and other items.  “The French Garden” showcases premium French fashion, accessories, food and travel brands as well as treats from Strasbourg.

Captivated by all the wonders of France?  You can sign up for FIAF membership and French classes while you’re there, too, at a special price. And don’t miss your chance to win a trip to Cannes. You can purchase tickets in advance here, and you don’t have to be present to win.

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Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Two exciting exhibits are currently on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The first, “Play It Loud” is a must-see for anyone who fancies himself or herself a rock ‘n roll fan. The exhibit consists of rooms and rooms tracing the history of iconic instruments of rock ‘n roll from 1939-2017 with many used by musicians like Chuck Berry, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley, Joan Jett and Lady Gaga. While there are more than 130 instruments on display, the exhibit is not surprisingly guitar-heavy.

If you’ve been curious about the origin of the electric guitar, the evolution of Stratocasters, and other guitar paraphernalia, the exhibit gives you more information than you’ve probably ever imagined. It’s all an interesting path through one of the most important artistic movements of the 20th century, and the videos with explanations of the power of guitar work and music by Keith Richards and Eddie van Halen add some real-life star power to the show.

Music plays in each room, illustrating the time period shown. In the first room, you’ll need to pause a moment to take in the actual Beatles drum set and guitars dating from 1963, a powerful trip down memory lane. Many of the display items representing instruments from more than 80 musicians are on loan from notables like Paul McCartney, so it’s a rare chance to see these up close.

There’s a lot more than guitars, although the guitars on display are pretty fabulous. You’ll see costumes worn by Prince and Jimmy Page. There’s a sculpture made from pieces of the smashed remnants of Pete Townshend’s electric guitars, the purpose-built multi-neck guitars of Don Felder and Jimmy Page, a Moog synthesizer customized by Keith Emerson along with his electric tone-wheel organ, an electric piano, and the pianos played by Lady Gaga on the Jimmy Fallon Show and a vintage gold-painted one played by Jerry Lee Lewis. Design fans will love the psychedelic hand-painted guitar from Keith Richards who admits to have painted it while high, St. Vincent’s personally designed guitar, Bo Didley’s red “Twang Machine,” the drums from Keith Moon’s colorful “Pictures of Lily” drum set and Jimi Hendrix’s notable “Love Drops” electric Gibson. Concert fans have a treat in store. The room of vintage concert posters spans the globe. It’s almost inconceivable to note that the Rolling Stones played at Carnegie Hall and tickets cost a mere $3.50. Or that there was a concert with a lineup of The Who, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, and the Rascals, all together at Flushing Meadow Park, again for only $3.50 per ticket.

And, of course, there’s a room with footage of a variety of important concerts where you’ll want to soak in the atmosphere and stay and watch multiple times.

A special MetFriday evening celebrating rock and roll will include performances, talks, lectures, screening and workshops on September 13. Organized by The Met Museum’s Department of Musical Instruments and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, “Play It Loud” is the first major exhibition in an art museum dedicated entirely to iconic instruments of rock and roll. “Play It Loud” runs through October 1. #MetRockandRoll.

Before you leave the museum, head up to the Cantor Roof Garden where the new outdoor installation has just been unveiled. Named ParaPivot I and II, the massive dual pieces were designed by Alicja Kwade, a well-known artist from Berlin who exhibits regularly at Gallery 303 in New York City and has shown at exhibitions such as the Venice Biennale.

Set against the backdrop of Central Park and Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, Central Park South and Central Park West skyline, the site-specific sculpture makes a dramatic setting for a day or evening out, particularly in the warmer months when the roof turns into a cocktail party in the evening.

As described by the artist herself, the installation is a consideration of the world, noting how “it’s amazing that we are a full world spinning on a ball.” Thinking about that, she added nine spheres as key elements to her powder-coated steel frames. The frames intersect at oblique angles, creating transparent boxes through which you can contemplate the world as well as the New York cityscape beyond. The placement of the massive globes on the frames gives the impression of looking at the orbital pathways of the globe.

You have until October 27 to take a look.

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Posted by lricker
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