Read all about it! My NYC book picks

7 Feb

Great NYC books I’ve recently found to be impactful, interesting or inspiring.

By Nightfall by Michael Cunningham (2010): The husband of an artsy power couple falls for his wife’s little brother.
Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney (1984): Peon in publishing is left by his wife and gets swept up in vapid ’80s hedonism.
The Submission by Amy Waldman (2011): The city freaks when the winning entry for the Ground Zero memorial is from a Muslim architect.
Dancer from the Dance by Andrew Holleran (1978): Gay men search for love and acceptance on the ’70s circuit scene.
Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann (2009): Interweaving stories surround Phillipe Petit’s tightrope walk between the Twin Towers.
Last Exit to Brooklyn by Hubert Selby, Jr. (1964): Heartbreakingly sad characters in lower class Brooklyn in the ’50s; taboo topics abound.
The Emperor’s Children by Claire Messud (2006): Three privileged Manhattanites in their 30s struggle with unmet aspirations.

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Video

Azealia Banks is the freshest.

6 Feb

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Who needs another Irish pub? Scotland’s where it’s at!

3 Feb

My cousin works at Mt. Sinai so sometimes I end up on the UES (boo). But this week we discovered a totally awesome spot up there (yay). Caledonia is the Latin word for Scotland, and it is also the name of a super-friendly Scottish pub on Second Ave between 83rd and 84th. You are probably thinking, who cares about another pub? Well, there are only 4 Scottish bars in Manhattan*, according to Mike (bartender/co-owner). Caledonia is tiny—maybe 15 bar stools—but its low-key vibe is the perfect escape from the sea of ultra-douchey bars around here. Not a frat boy in sight.

In addition to 10+ Scottish craft bottled beers, they have Belhaven on tap—both the Cream Ale and IPA—as well as Innis & Gunn cask (Rum Cask until March, when it will switch to Whiskey Cask). Draft beers/wines are $2 off until 7pm.

But onto the whiskey! I am not a whiskey girl but this place has about 130 of them! They also do whiskey tastings. And I am willing to bet the Old Fashioned is one of the city’s best.

You know what really made my night, though? When Mike told me he lived in Queens, I said, that’s funny—I know another Scottish bartender who lives in Queens. Um, yep. They came over from Scotland together.

Only in New York.

*St. Andrews near Times Square, and Highlands and Mary Queen of Scots.

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Two worthwhile movies you never saw

31 Jan

I streamed two very good films on Netflix last weekend.

1. Welcome. This fictional French film depicts the very real crisis of undocumented migrant workers in Calais (a port city on the north coast of France), where refugees congregate after escaping oppression in their home countries. Only 30 miles from the United Kingdom (where it is supposedly easier to obtain refugee status and receive aid), Calais is a magnet for people trying to sneak across the border. There is a Nazi-like atmosphere in the town, where anyone who is even suspected of helping “clandestines” can be prosecuted. Under these disturbing politics, even humanitarian workers come under attack. The main tale is told through the unlikely friendship between a French swim coach and an Iraqi boy who wants to swim across the English Channel. I felt real empathy for him—and others like him—who will stop at nothing to better their lives. Trailer

2. Lymelife. Set in the ’70s during a lyme disease scare, this indie dark comedy features a powerhouse cast: Alec Baldwin, Cynthia Nixon, Jill Hennessy, Timothy Hutton, Emma Roberts and Kieran/Rory Culkin. The plot is your basic coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of suburban angst, with unraveling dysfunctional families tearing each other apart. But I found it witty, thoughtful and full of black humour. Apparently, first-time director Derick Martini based it on his real-life experiences. Trailer

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Eat a home-cooked meal with cool strangers

30 Jan

What if a professional chef invited you (and a handful of other strangers) to her house and cooked for you at a very affordable price? Enter Soup Next Door, a newly formed eating community. “Independently minded” chefs create their own menus, people sign up and meet up (sometimes at venues, but more often at homes), and everyone eats. Most of the meals are BYOB and some are as inexpensive as $15 (max price is $40). The groups tend to be small—between 8 and 15 people; upcoming events include “Singles Mingle, Italian Style” and “A Valentine’s Dinner with Jack.”

Totally awesome way to meet new people in a low-key and comfortable environment.

Schedule of Upcoming Events

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SNL ladies dish about being in comedy, in love—and also, in labor

24 Jan

(This cover grosses me out a little.)

I may be the last person on Earth to have picked up Tina Fey’s Bossypants, a quick, enjoyable read with plenty of sarcasm and self-deprecation. To fully appreciate it, it helps to know a bit about SNL, 30 Rock and/or NYC. (It is also useful to know who Alec Baldwin is. Oh, and some lady named Sarah Palin.) But lest you think it is merely about Tina’s ascent to TV success, there are also some endearing chapters about her don’t-eff-with-me dad, her honeymoon on a cruise ship that almost went up in flames and her completely justifiable annoyances with Teat Nazis. Published in April 2011, it’s still on the NYT Best Seller list.

(This cover is just a little weird.)

Now her compatriot in comedy Rachel Dratch is coming out with her own book. On sale in late April, Girl Walks into a Bar… Comedy Calamities, Dating Disasters and a Midlife Miracle may have been inspired by Tina Fey’s memoir just a little.  If you didn’t know, both women got their start doing improv in Chicago before making their way to SNL (along with Amy Poehler, who apparently has no plans for a tell-all book). But Rachel’s chapters detail her dream of becoming an actor, her bad luck with dating and her ultimate acceptance of never becoming a mom … right around the time she gets unexpectedly pregnant. At 43. By a guy who lives across the country with whom she’s in the early stages of a “long-distance, fun, casual, not-defined relationship.” You may guess there was a bit more cursing in this book. It made me laugh out loud. (I’m immature.)

Just two good reads by successful women in the male-dominated field of comedy peppered with reflections on life and motherhood.

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Guess what, dudes? Whole Foods has a real bar!

13 Jan

116 Bottles of Beer on the Wall

Living in NYC means being annoyed often. And always within a two-block radius of Whole Foods. (The people! The lines! The prices!) So imagine my delight when I popped into the Whole Foods at Columbus Circle to buy a baguette and stumbled upon a cozy bar in the spot designated for the ne’er-meant-to-be WF wine shop. On Tap elevates the growler service of other locations by inviting shoppers to sit for a sip. There are 10 draft beers (and 116 bottles) starting at $6, plus 8 local wines (around $7 a glass). A locally inspired menu features treats like pickles, pretzels, housemade potato chips, cheese (full plates and ricotta) and curry macadamia nuts. They also tease with cheese curds but are apparently always sold out. Who cares, though … after a beer and a snack, shopping in that crazy place is soooo much more tolerable.

Food Menu Nom Nom Nom

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Employees share OMG trade secrets in NY mag

12 Jan

The cover story of this week’s New York mag is The Classifieds: A Workplace Confidential, in which workers from all professions anonymously spill their trade secrets. I experienced nearly every human emotion within a 10-minute span of reading. Here’s what you may have missed…

Do you want to feel …

ANGRY? The Legal Aid Lawyer Who Tells the Innocent to Plead Guilty

GROSSED OUT? The Bikini Waxer With an Aversion to the Female Anatomy

HOPELESS? The Bronx High-School Teacher Who Says It’s Not Just the Students Who Cheat

MODERATELY HORRIFIED? The Transsexual Escort With Married Clients Who Know Exactly What They’re Buying

SAD? The Parole Officer Who Thinks Parolees Are Doomed

HUMORED? The SNL Writer Who No Longer Fears for His Job

NOT AT ALL SURPRISED? The NYPD Officer Who Says He’s Not the Only Cop With a Drinking Problem

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Chinese-Korean Fusion is a real thing

11 Jan

No, it’s not a gimmick. Yes, it’s good. And in this case, it’s also cheap and centrally located. The new Dong Chun Hong is a sit-down, worth-the-effort, Chinese-Korean spot on Fifth Ave in the low-30s serving signature noodle dishes and more. True—the lighting could be dimmed, but overall this place seems promising. I tried the Ja Jang Myun noodles with black bean sauce (with tiny bits of potato and pork). Apparently it’s a traditional Korean comfort food (my stomach certainly felt comfortable—but not uncomfortably full—after eating it). Bonus: This is one of the few places I’ve been to that serves OB Beer, a rare Korean lager. But back to the food. Even the seemingly boring Soo Cho Myun (a light, stir-fried noodle dish with veggies and seafood) was tasty and satisfying. Walls are adorned with art from local artist Joo hyun Kang, who creates her pieces using beads and sequins. This is an affordable, interesting, filling lunch or dinner option in midtown—with decor and quality to match.

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Page One: Inside the New York Times

10 Jan

Finally streamed Page One: Inside the New York Times, one of the more interesting documentaries I’ve seen in a while. It’s not without its flaws–disjointed in parts and lacking explanation in others. Still, I’d recommend it to anyone who cares about the media even a little. An examination of the journalistic landscape in the face of the Internet, the film offers unprecedented access to the NYT‘s Media Desk, as reporters and editors navigate the paper’s response to—and responsibility in—the digital age. Appearances by David Carr (he’s sort of weirdly positioned as the hero), Bruce Headlam, Brian Stelter and more. It thought-provokingly juxtaposes traditional, institutionalized legacy reporting with Twitter, blogs and aggregate sites, while reminding us that publishing is a business—one we hope the Times survives.

Check out the trailer.

And just because it’s fun (although not very flattering), here’s the NYT review of its own movie.

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