Iñárritu is brilliant

10 Jun

I’m a huge fan of Alejandro González Iñárritu. Loved Amores Perros, loved 21 Grams, liked Babel a lot.

Rented Biutiful last night and it was also very good, even though difficult to watch. Lots of depressing, hopeless-seeming moments about a dying father agonizing his way though the Barcelona underworld. Not a perfect film (a little long and confusing in parts) but definitely has Iñárritu’s trademark depth and heart. And Javier Bardem gives an incredible, sad, soulful performance.

But what I almost liked more than the movie: the short, making-of featurette narrated by Iñárritu himself that includes his journal entries as well as Flip Video footage he captured pre-production and during filming. He explains why he made the film, the experiences of the people in it (many of them not actors) and reveals some upsetting difficulties behind the scenes. Even if you saw Biutiful on the big screen, consider renting the DVD and spend an extra 30 minutes learning what makes this guy so great.

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Not that I ever illegally downloaded music, but…

7 Jun

… a young person recently turned me onto something that has made my life a lot better since the suspension of Limewire. You can convert any online video to an MP3 for free… like, say, a music video on YouTube, perhaps? I will fully admit that I was not hip enough to discover this on my own but it comes in very, very handy.

Free. I swear. And no software to download—just the converted file.

http://www.video2mp3.net/

(Photo via flickr.com/Ferrari + caballos + fuerza = cerebro Humano )

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I ate a cookie and died

3 Jun

Usually I am kind of meh about sweets but last night at a party I had a cookie from the Upper West Side’s Levain Bakery and it pretty much rocked my world. (Levain is French for leavening.) The thick, gooey concoction was almost like a scone in consistency—so amazing that I forgave the nuts in the chocolate chip variety. (The only four flavors are chocolate chip walnut, dark chocolate chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and dark chocolate peanut butter chip.) Seriously, what do they put in those things???? Is it wrong to eat them for breakfast? Anyway, the place has been around for years and apparently I was the last one to know about it but never have I ever put something so yummy in my mouth. Order online here.

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$5 craft beer (where you least expect it)

1 Jun

Open since 2009,  The Pony Bar still surprises people when I tell them about it. The seriously solid selection of 20 American craft beers—drafts like Abita, Troeg’s, Ommegang and Victory—are just $5. Location is weird: the No Man’s Land where Midtown West meets Hell’s Kitchen. But it’s very convenient if you find yourself in the Theater District. Get a buck off during happy hour from 4:20-5:20 pm or go for the gold and become an official Pony All-American by completing a 100 beer cycle. (I dare you.)

Pony up!

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On Broadway: Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart

25 May

Sometimes you see a show on Broadway and think: This is why I live in NYC. This is why I go to the theater. And this is why art is great. That’s how I feel about The Normal Heart.

Set in 1980s NYC as the AIDS crisis is beginning to unfold, this revival is intense and upsetting. It is political, emotional, sexual. Ellen Barkin and Joe Mantello give particularly fierce performances, but the entire cast is great. What’s most impressive is how the play still feels relevant, even though the face of AIDS has changed. Unlike How to Succeed in Business..., which seemed antiquated in parts, Normal taps into feelings of frustration, lack of cooperation and resentment that can also be applied to other modern-day unsung causes. It is both rewarding and maddening to watch the characters spin their wheels without hope—fighting the mayor, the president and each other—as the epidemic spins out of control.

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Paulie Gee’s pizza in Greenpoint, plus Mike’s Hot Honey!

22 May

Finally made it to Paulie Gee’s in Greenpoint and am happy to say it’s totally worth the hype—and the schlep. First, the pies have cool names, like King Harry III, Cherry Jones and Anise and Anephew. Second, they taste damn good: Neapolitan style with a chewy, charred crust. It’s also a comfy space: rustic, with nice lighting. But back to the pies. Try the Hellboy with Mike’s Hot Honey. You think spicy honey sounds weird? Me too. But it’s yummy. Mike happened to be bartending the night we were there; buy a $6 bottle of the sticky stuff from him. (You can also get it online.)

Go to Paulie Gee’s, stuff your face, experience hot honey, thank me later.

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Eat at Recipe on Upper West Side

18 May

The dearth of decent restaurants on the UWS is matched only by that of Times Square (but at least that area is slightly redeemed by theater).

That’s why Recipe on Amsterdam and 82nd is such a lovely surprise. This charming eatery has about 25 seats and the ingredients are fresh, local and seasonal. Everything is made in-house, from the Tomato & Buffalo Mozzarella Tart to the salted caramel in The Best Dessert I’ve Ever Had (also known on the menu as Chocolate Pignoli Tart) with mascarpone gelato—OMG. The tables are tight because the place is so small but you’re likely to strike up a conversation with your neighbors over the food, anyway.

Bottom line: If you find yourself on the UWS, there’s at least one solid option. Just do yourself a favor and make a reservation.

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Champagne in the Powder Room at Beauty & Essex

5 May

A celebratory meal last night landed us at Beauty & Essex on the Lower East Side. Enter through a pawn shop into the foyer; the main seating area is a large, open space with a skylight. Expect Prohibition-era cocktails, small plates—and champagne in the ladies’ room!?!?!?! A little bit awesome. It’s scene-y and pricey but the lobster tacos almost made it all worth it.

Banana Sculptures?

4 May

© Keisuke Yamada

You have got to check this out. Japanese artist Keisuke Yamada uses a toothpick and a spoon to create these banana sculptures!

See more photos, courtesy of the blog Crooked Brains.

Say “I Do” to Bridesmaids

28 Apr

Hate to admit it since I usually steer clear of chick flicks, but Bridesmaids is freakin’ funny! Starring Kristen Wiig (who also wrote it) and Maya Rudolph and produced by Judd Apatow, the movie had our mostly female audience laughing hysterically. There’s even some un-ladylike scatological humor thrown in for the boyfriends/husbands who get dragged along. I hope this film proves that female-driven comedy can be refreshing, relatable and raunchy—and still do well at the box office.

Let the estrogen flow!

Watch the trailer.

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