Chelsea: From Aaah to Zzz

It's 1:15am on Monday morning and really, I should be asleep.  I'm supposed to be back at work tomorrow (well, today I guess) after a week's staycation but while my body is undeniably tired, my brain just won't relax.  Surely I'm not the only person to experience this unrest?

So I might as well make the best of this sleepless time and share with you the story of my wanderings through Chelsea the other day.  Named for an old English-style manor house that dominated this area in the 1750s, my neighbourhood is now home to some of the best art galleries, restaurants, and bars in the city.

The summer sun has been a firm fixture of my week's annual leave, and last Thursday was no exception.  I headed out into the hot sun early in the morning, in search of nourishment (my fridge and cupboards being predictably bare).

Not far from my apartment is a fantastic restaurant called Trestle on Tenth.  In fine weather they open up their small courtyard garden, and it was there that I sat and enjoyed a strong coffee and fluffy summer omelet with goat cheese, mushrooms, asparagus, and fresh herbs.  A decadent breakfast choice to be sure, but much better for me than the oozy, gooey and AMAZING pork sandwich from the affiliated Rocket Pig next door.  Rocket Pig opens at 11am and they close when the sandwiches sell out (which they do every day).   After all, the sandwiches were voted among the best in the city by Time Out New York so you must indulge at least once.

Belly full, I strolled a block over to West 23rd Street and climbed the stairs up to the High Line.  Now I've written about this elevated park before, and I've visited it many times too, but on this occasion I geeked out more than ever.  I actually had the presence of mind to download not one, but two podcasts about the history of the High Line, and I loaded them to my iPod at home.  As I wandered up and down the walkway, I listened to the official High Line podcast, and also the 45-minute historical and cultural podcast issued by the brilliant Bowery Boys.  Both are great fact-filled walking tours, and they kept me company as I wandered past the diverse blooms and public art, while I watched the Friends of the Highline maintenance teams at work, and observed the City construction crews all around.

It is really peaceful just walking back and forth above street level in this neighbourhood.  Sure it's a bit grimy and industrial over this side of the island, but there is something lovely about taking time out on the High Line to enjoy the plant life and colourful public artwork - even if plants and art aren't really your thing.

After my hearty breakfast, I wasn't at all hungry but my sunny cultural promenade had certainly made me pretty thirsty.  I headed down the stairs at West 14th Street and made for the beer garden at the Standard Hotel.  What I hadn't counted on was the hundreds of people who had camped out at the bar for the US versus Germany World Cup match!  GAH!  The bouncer looked weary and I wasn't about to add to his woes, so I cleverly ducked around the corner to the Brass Monkey.  More soccer fans!  Foiled again.  Doesn't anyone in this city have a job?!  I was never going to get anywhere near a cold drink at this rate.

Deciding that it was probably best to just steer clear of bars until the soccer was over, I sought refuge in Chelsea Market, arguably one of my favourite places in my hood.  This fantastic under-cover market is a block long and a block wide and used to be the home of the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco), makers of the delicious Oreo cookie.  Despite my best efforts to resist, I contributed significant funds to the US economy while I was under the Chelsea Market roof.  I mean, I couldn't very well just browse in Anthropologie, or Ninth Street Espresso, but especially not my favourite Posman Books - they all needed some love.  Sigh.

Iced coffee in hand, I was still keen to escape the summer heat, but not really ready to head home.  So I walked the few blocks east to The Rubin Museum of Art, a 6-storey treasure trove of art and sculpture from the Himalayas and the surrounding region.  The second floor gallery is closed until 2 July, but otherwise I was free to roam the exhibits and enjoy the bright colours and vibrant characters in artwork from Nepal, Tibet, and even a collection of sculpture from India (on loan from the Brooklyn Museum).

Of particular interest to me was the Rubin's latest exhibit entitled, Bodies in Balance: The Art of Tibetan Medicine.  I know very little about Eastern medicine in general, but this exhibit gave a great introduction to the history, theory, and practice of Tibetan medicine.

At the start of the exhibit, you are invited to do a quiz to determine your nyepa (or bodily force).  You learn that there are three nyepas in Tibetan culture: wind, bile, and phlegm and you need to maintain balance in all three to ensure good physical and mental health.  Once you complete the quiz and you determine your dominant nyepa (mine was phlegm - gross), you walk through the exhibit and learn more about your dominant force and how Tibetan medicine and the practice of balanced living would be relevant to achieving harmony.
Through a series of drawings, and little vials of roots, berries, and compounds, you quickly realise that a balanced life is really tough to achieve (even by Tibetan medical standards) and even if you're as healthy as a horse you'll still likely have a dominant nyepa.  But the whole point is to start to make choices about your body to help you move towards the ideal state.  The exhibition talks about good diet, conduct, medicines, and other therapies that a Tibetan doctor might recommend to help you.  Someone dominated by a phlegm nyepa is motivated by earth and water, and to keep that nyepa in check they should stay warm and engage in energetic activities.  Needless to say I took that as my cue to walk home under the hot summer sun.

With the exception of downloading the High Line podcasts,  I hadn't done much pre-planning for my neighbourhood stroll through Chelsea on Thursday.  But I came home really relaxed after being a tourist in my own hood - it was a day that proved very beneficial for mind, body, and soul.

The images you see here are just a sample of the ones I took - you can view the full album below.

Post by The ABCs of NYC.

Manhattan's little village is all grown up

Two hundred years ago, Harlem was a day's trip north of the hustle-bustle of New York City.  Harlem was just a small village at the time but even then, City developers saw the enormous potential in attracting residents and businesses to this quiet part of town.  So the City of New York set about building what became 125th Street, to link the East and Hudson Rivers and become a main thoroughfare across the island of Manhattan.  The train network followed and Harlem became an attractive spot for day trippers, but it wasn't until the late 19th Century that European immigrants moved in, mostly from Germany, Ireland, and Italy.

After World War 1, employment opportunities across the United States opened up and spurred what became known as "The Great Migration".  Thousands of African-American families moved out of the rural south and up into the urban north.  Many families were attracted to Harlem for its affordable accommodation, natural landscape, and a safe and welcoming environment.   Just like the Europeans before them, the African American families brought  their churches, their food, their culture and their music with them.  As a result, the area experienced what history calls "The Harlem Renaissance".  By the 1920s, with the formal establishment of entertainment venues like the Apollo Theater and the Cotton Club, Harlem had officially blossomed into New York's hub of multicultural music, arts, and commerce.

I headed uptown to the east side of Harlem today, to visit The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, an affiliate of the New York Public Library.  Throughout the year the center hosts art classes and exhibitions for children and adults alike.  But they also maintain an excellent online and hardcopy reference library of books, periodicals and other resources that catalogue the experiences of African-American and African expatriates in the neighbourhood.

There are a number of exhibitions currently on display throughout the Schomburg Center but the one I particularly came to see is called "Motown: The Truth Is A Hit" and it has been on my wish-list for a little while.  Motown music was always playing in my house growing up, and I still love it now.  So when I walked into the exhibition hall, and "The Tracks of My Tears" by Smokey Robinson was playing, I felt immediately at home.

You're not allowed to take photos in the exhibition, but you are given a great little pamphlet to take away which talks you through the history of the Motown sound; that soulful pop music that appealed to white and black listeners alike.

On the display boards around the room there are some great photos of Berry Gordy, the founder of the Motown record label and, incidentally, best mates with Smokey Robinson.  The exhibition takes you through Gordy's work to establish Motown, which he fondly claimed was comprised of "rats, roaches, soul, guts, and love".  From these humblest of grassroots, Gordy built up his cadre of artists and songwriters, and also ended up close to Dr Martin Luther King as the civil rights movement exploded across America's south and then beyond.  The exhibition says that at such a terrible time in US history, "Motown gave black Americans a sense of pride to see themselves in the spotlight" and it has become such an amazing and enduring legacy.

Magpie that I am, I was totally attracted to the sparkly silver dress once worn by Diana Ross, and I marvelled at just how tiny she must have been (and probably still is) to have poured herself into it.  I learned that in the early days of Motown, The Temptations were called "The Primes" and The Supremes were known as "The Primettes".  And I snort-laughed when I saw the cover for Stevie Wonder's 1963 album, "Talking Book".  You have to see it - he's so adorable and soulful and there's a caftan involved.  Click here for details.

The exhibition concludes with a bit of a plug for the current Broadway musical called Motown, which I'm really annoyed that I haven't seen yet.  Cheap ticket website, I'm coming for you.

By the time I left the Schomburg Center I was definitely ready for lunch, and ten blocks away is Red Rooster Harlem, one of my favourite haunts in the city.  The restaurant serves up amazing soul food and American classics, and indeed my catfish sandwich went down an absolute treat today.

Red Rooster is a critically-acclaimed restaurant on East 125th Street.  It is run by Marcus Samuelsson, who is an Ethiopian-born Swedish-raised Chef, who is one of the most vocal and recognisable advocates for Harlem that you'll ever see.

Red Rooster is always popular, so it's a good idea to make a reservation rather than just show up.  In the short time that I've lived here, the restaurant has grown beyond a dining establishment to become a bustling venue with a diverse event calendar, both in the main dining room and also downstairs in Ginny's Supper Club.  But you can get the same great menus (and a mean cocktail) in the front bar area too, so don't discount that as an option.

But the thing that made me smile the most today is when I went to the bathroom (bear with me) where I saw this wonderful hand-written letter in a frame on the wall.

Written in 2011 by a third grade student from a school in the neighbourhood it reads,

"Dear Marcus Samuelsson, thank you for bringing Red Rooster to our community.  I really enjoyed the potatoes and carrots.  They were the best thing I ever had in my life.  I hope you come back soon.  Your friend, Ataliyah"

I don't know if Ataliyah ever got to eat those potatoes and carrots again, but I sure won't be a stranger to the Red Rooster dining room.

It must be funny in a rich man's world

When you go to New York's Financial District, the imposing architecture and the matching NYPD presence are stark reminders that you are in the very heartland of the most powerful economy in the world.

On Wall Street, right at the centre of this commercial metropolis, you'll find the Museum of American Finance, the only institution in the United States that seeks to educate visitors about the country's finance and financial history.

Set in the former Bank of New York building (the oldest bank in the US), the Museum was founded in 1989 but was then known as the Museum of American Financial History.  In 2001 it became affiliated with the Smithsonian and 4 years later the Museum moved to its third - and current - premises, and was renamed to what we know today.

When I met my friend to tour the Museum this morning, I wasn't really sure what to expect.  The former Bank building looks quite sizable from the outside, and its entry way is very impressive.  Head up the spiral staircase and you're presented with a wide-open exhibition space that has been carefully curated to take you through the history of America's economy, from the very beginnings to its present day.  A collection like this sounds like it would take forever to absorb but really, unless you're enormously interested in stocks, bonds, and the way financial markets work, you can get a fair appreciation for the Museum within about 60-90 minutes.

We originally joined a free Museum tour, but it became quickly apparent that our guide was more inclined to mutter to the display cases than to clearly enunciate any trivia in the general direction of our small group.  Before long we made the decision to peel away from the tour, and this did not prove to be problematic, given that the Museum display cases and the little plaques/cards next to each one clearly explain what you're seeing in the exhibits.

I particularly liked the US Treasury war bonds from WW2, with the little Disney characters on them, and (of course) the solid gold and jewel-encrusted Monopoly set, currently on loan to the Museum and worth somewhere around $2 million.

I was also pleased to learn about Alexander Hamilton, former Secretary of the US Treasury who established the US Mint, the Customs Department, the tax system, the US Coast Guard, the Bank of New York, and the country's first central bank.  The Museum also features bronze statues that memorialise the politically-motivated "pistols at dawn" duel of 1804 between Hamilton and then Vice President Aaron Burr.  The conflict ultimately proved fatal for Hamilton.

With our thirst for knowledge quenched, it became clear that we needed to do something about our empty bellies.  Finding ourselves in the Financial District around lunch time meant that I was able to tick off another item on my NYC bucket list.

The original Delmonico's restaurant opened in 1827 just off Wall Street, at a time when New York's financial heart had just started beating strongly.  Back then though, Delmonico's was just a small shop operated by two brothers, to sell pastries, chocolates, and bonbons.  It wasn't until 10 years later that the Delmonico brothers opened the very first fine dining restaurant in the whole country.

As soon as it opened, Delmonico's restaurant offered its patrons the very finest in luxury dining.  The brothers were the first US restauranteurs to offer a prix fixe menu to their customers.  On the third floor of their premises they had private dining rooms, and in the basement they boasted the largest private wine cellar in the United States (with capacity for about 16,000 bottles).

The house special, Delmonico Steak, was developed by Chef Alessandro Fellippini and is still available on the menu today.  Likewise in 1862 when Chef Charles Ranhofer was running the show, he adapted a recipe he had been shown for what became known as Lobster Newburg.  Both dishes have been replicated in restaurants around the world, but they were both created here and remain sought-after items.

I did not splurge on such fancy dishes today; however - partly because in my blue jeans, I didn't really feel worthy of the opulent surroundings.  Instead, we walked through the beautifully-restored restaurant and closeted ourselves in the bar/grill area off to the side.  We enjoyed burgers and a glass of wine, while the male patrons (who outnumbered us 15:1 at least) ignored us completely and watched the Italy versus Uruguay World Cup match.

I will definitely have to come back to Delmonico's and sample the main restaurant's signature dishes and impeccable service for myself.  Although I finally dined at Delmonico's today, I don't think I can firmly cross it completely off my bucket list until some of that tasty steak and lobster makes it onto my fork.

The photos on this site are just a small collection of the ones I took today.  You can see the rest of the album at the link below:

Post by The ABCs of NYC.

Tuning in to New York's largest music scene

From 10am to 10pm on Saturday June 21st, Make Music New York returned to the city for its summer solstice program.  Musicians of all ages turned over 400 public areas across New York into their own performance spaces.

I had a look at the website during the week but had no idea how I was going to make sense of a 1,300-concert program.  Should I confine myself to one particular neighbourhood or genre of music, or should I seek out the participatory gigs, the ones where I could actually join in and contribute to the noise?

Ultimately the event website made my decision for me, suggesting a "World Tour: By Sea" itinerary, with performers dotted along the East River Ferry route from Midtown Manhattan, across to Queens and Brooklyn, and then concluding in Lower Manhattan.  I could have done a different tour by land, of course, but Saturday's bright sunshine just seemed to lend itself perfectly to a self-guided East River cruise.

After a delicious diner breakfast back in my old Midtown hood, I wandered over to the East River Ferry terminal at 34th Street.  The queue for the ticket machine was already really long, but I could see the first band of the day playing for the small but appreciative crowd.  I couldn't exactly hear the band of course, owing to the jackhammers and construction activity across the street from the ferry.  But once I'd got hold of my ferry ticket, I came in for a closer look and listen.  Pangean Orchestra are a global ensemble based in New York that play instruments from all over the world, and they perform folk songs and traditional music.  Their rendition of "This Little Light of Mine" was a fun and bouncy start to my Make Music New York experience.

The first stop on our ferry tour was Long Island City in Queens.  I think South African performer Toya Delazy had the best backdrop of all, as she played her set in front of the sprawling Midtown Manhattan skyline.  The ferry terminal in Long Island City has a great little cafe and lots of seating right along the riverfront.  I have never disembarked the ferry in LIC before, and even though I was only here to listen to Toya's performance, I think it's definitely worth a visit back to look around (beyond the high-rise apartments going up).

Back on the ferry, we headed to Williamsburg in Brooklyn, where Jarana Beat had set up in the East River State Park next to Smorgasburg.  The band's Mexican tunes were lively, and upbeat - perfect for the young crowd, and somewhat of a subliminal influence on my dining choices (the beef and pork tacos were spicy and amazing).  As much as I like the diversity of the giant Smorgasburg food market, there isn't much in the way of shade there.  And with the Saturday sun at its hottest, I was more content to head back to the ferry and press on with the tour.

What a treat to pull up to the Fulton Ferry Landing in Brooklyn Bridge Park!  There were people everywhere, but unlike the congestion of Williamsburg, this crowd had more room to move and we were all taking full advance of the riverfront walkways, playgrounds, dining areas and some people were even having a go at canoeing.  But of course I was here for music, and so I peeked in at the unique Bargemusic venue to hear some classical music.  Known as "New York's floating music venue", Bargemusic really is just that: a barge that sways with the movement of the East River.  Throughout the year, the venue hosts a bunch of music concerts - mostly classical - and their Summer Concert series offers free concerts on Saturday afternoons at 3pm in June, July and August (though the catch is, you don't know what the concert will be until you get there).  I hardly think it matters though, because a free concert in a great venue like that, coupled with a refreshing glass of sparkling rose at the nearby Brooklyn Bridge Garden Bar will get your summer weekend off to an amazing start.

We weren't as pressed for time by this stage in the day, so I might have squeezed in a couple of glasses of sparkling rose in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge.  I am not sorry for it.

But Manhattan beckoned, and we took the ferry over to Pier 11 (Wall Street) and the short walk to South Street Seaport for the final music performance on our itinerary.  The seaport took a real battering after Super Storm Sandy and things are taking time to return to normal.  But events like the Make Music New York Festival are a great way to attract people back to the area and keep the businesses bustling.  We arrived at the seaport just as Gamelan Dharma Swara was taking its break, but we had a great time watching young kids from the crowd jump in and have a go at playing gamelan (Balinese percussion instruments).  The noise was about as deafening and uncoordinated as you'd imagine.

Feeling very proud that we managed to tick off all the performances on our suggested itinerary without getting lost once, we rewarded ourselves with a few beers and some dinner The Beekman pub.  The Irish bar has been open in the Financial District since 1936, and the bartender was playing a great 1970s playlist so clearly we were not going anywhere else.  It was a lovely way to finish up our music-filled sunny day.

The Make Music New York winter solstice program will take place on December 21st, when a similar 12-hour line up will be organised.  I will be in Australia that day, otherwise I know I would be braving the cold to hear some more great tunes.  But if you're going to be in NY then, try and get along to some of the gigs.  You definitely won't regret it.

The photos on this page are just a small selection of the ones I took during the day.  You can see the whole album by clicking here.

A souk and songs for Syria

On 20 June every year, the world doesn't exactly celebrate World Refugee Day, but it does pause to recognise and honor the resilience of the men, women, and children who have fled their homes due to conflict, violence, or human rights violations.
 

On World Refugee Day, you learn that there are over 43.7 million refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) in the world. 

 

When you struggle to quantify that number in real terms, you're told that it pretty much equates to the entire population of Colombia, or even of South Korea. 

 

And just as that bit of trivia sinks in, you're informed that of those 43.7 million people, nearly 35 million are women and children, and anywhere up to 13 million are persons with disabilities.

 

I was confronted with all these sobering facts when I went along to two World Refugee Day events at the UN today, both of which were organised by the UN Staff Relief Committee (UNSRC) for Syrian Refugees, together with the support of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and the Women’s Refugee Commission. 

I have worked with UNHCR and WRC before, and I know their excellent work very well.  But until today, I didn't know much about the UNSRC.  The Committee actually formed in 2013 as a result of the informal fundraising efforts of Arab translators at the UN.  Like everyone, the translators had been watching how the crisis in Syria had escalated over time, and they could see the scale of the unmet humanitarian needs and wanted to do something about it.  So on their own initaitive, the translators and their colleagues started to raise funds for UNHCR, particularly to support the Syrian refugees and IDPs.   With the backing of the UN Staff Union, the Committee was established as a recognised volunteer group in May 2013 and they've been active fundraisers ever since.

One of the great events I attended today was a makeshift Arab souk (a gift bazaar) and amazing food festival which had been set up in the lobby of the UN Headquarters.  Culinary delights, bric-a-brac, jewlry and collectibles had all been donated from across the UN community and put up for sale, with 100% of the proceeds going to support UNHCR's humanitarian work for Syria, which includes providing the refugees and IDPs with tents, shelters, supplies and life-saving services.

I browsed the souk but didn't purchase anything.  I was too tempted by the ladies managing the Indian food stall - who were kind enough to sell me heaped helpings of home-made chicken tikka masala, delicious vegetable rice, and two plump samosas that I gobbled up in no time. 

With a full belly (and some chicken tikka masala predictably slopped down my cardigan), I waddled over to the second lunchtime event of the day, the "Concert for Syrian Refugees".   This music concert was held in the Dag Hammarskjöld Auditorium inside the UN Headquarters, which was named in honor of the Swedish diplomat, economist, and Nobel Peace Prize winner who served as UN Secretary General from 1953 until his death in a plane crash in 1961.
The Auditorium filled up quickly and it wasn't long before the UNSRC singers took the stage and worked through their first set - delighting the audience with a capella versions of songs from the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Germany, and even a tune from South Africa called "Sia Hamba" which I remember singing in choir at school.  Happy flashbacks.

The UNSRC Orchestra took over next, and they handled some classical pieces beautifully - some I knew (Bach and Mozart) and some I didn't (Britten and Casals).  I couldn't believe I was listening to amateur musicians - they were really great and looked very slick under the expert direction of their conductor.

A post on this site wouldn't be complete without some truly terrible photography, so please behold my Blackberry's woeful attempts to preserve today's performance:

Once the orchestra had concluded their set, we were treated to a special appearance by Filipina-American soprano, Kay Habana, who performed three solos including a very gentle version of Somewhere from "West Side Story", the lyrics of which beautifully suited the theme of the day.

The finale was a one-in, all-in affair, with the orchestra and the choir squeezing onto the stage to perform four songs together, including a folk tune from Zambia, a jaunty Latin-American number, "Moon River" from my favourite movie EVER.  The concert wrapped up with the very appropriate "Let There Be Peace On Earth", which I also used to sing at school, and which went over very well with the audience today.

It was really great to come together and commemorate World Refugee Day at the United Nations, and help the UNSRC raise money to support UNHCR's important work with Syrian refugees.  But it was also valuable to experience first-hand the wonderful musical talent that resides at the UN Headquarters, and the willingness with which the staff were prepared to share those talents with the rest of us.

An Asian assignment, with no filter

Daniel Berehulak is an award-winning Australian photographer whose first ever exhibition opened tonight at the Site 109 Gallery on New York’s Lower East Side.

Daniel first travelled to India in 2003 as a backpacker and a freelance photographer with Getty Images.  He’s just wrapped up 5 years on assignment in the region, where he and his lens have been on the frontline of some of history’s most incredible moments.

From the unique viewpoint of a photojournalist, Daniel’s images present both high and low moments from across the region, from the landmark elections in Afghanistan, to the floods that devastated Pakistan in 2010.

Daniel captured the festivities around the 2013 Kumbh Mela pilgrimage, where 100 million Hindus gathered to bathe in the waters of the Ganges.  For one particular image of this historical event, Daniel was recognised as 2014 Photographer of the Year (Freelance/Agency) by Pictures of the Year International.  But right alongside the stunning photos of these jubilant pilgrims, Daniel presents a decidedly different side of life in the country, capturing images of the child labour conditions in the deep mines of North East India.  A lady viewing the mine-related images next to me had closed her eyes and bowed her head in prayer, presumably for the safety of the kids in the pictures.  

The exhibition also features photos from Daniel’s most recent assignments with the New York Times, covering both child malnutrition in Afghanistan, and the recent historical elections in India.

I don’t know much about art, and I am a truly terrible photographer, but I do love travelling and learning about other countries and cultures.  I was so impressed with the way tonight's exhibition had been curated.  I think the photos in Daniel’s exhibition appealed to me because he didn’t shy away from presenting something unsettling.  I also think that by spotlighting just three countries in Asia, Daniel wants us to appreciate the diversity in the region and to understand the resilience of the people who live there.  With some black and white work, and many brightly-coloured (which pleased me), Daniel remains at a respectful distance from his subjects, but he still manages to deliver powerful social commentary.

The exhibition has been curated in such a way that there is a good mix of confronting imagery, right alongside more 'everyday' portraits.  I was grateful for the photos of kids just being kids, and even to see pictures of the Swat province in Pakistan, which I recognised as the one Malala Yousafzai grew up in.  To me, the whole exhibition felt like a warts-and-all travel guidebook, and I can totally get on board with that concept.

I was also really proud to realise that Daniel's exhibition was created by the Australian Consulate-General in New York.  Without their encouragement, Daniel might not have been inspired to share his amazing photos with such a huge audience.  Fortunately, Reportage by Getty Images was also behind the exhibition, supporting Daniel as one of their contributing artists.

Whether you're an art fan or not, you need to see Daniel's work.  His exhibition will be open to the public until 27 June so make sure you stop by.

Why fly to France when you can take the bus?

The United States requires you to have at least 6 months' validity on your foreign passport in order to come into the country.  My Australian passport will expire in 5 months, so I’m effectively grounded until I get a new one.

But New York would never let a trivial thing like immigration law stop anyone from experiencing international taste sensations.  Enter the Sud de France Festival, an annual event that is currently delighting the palates of New York's food, wine, and culture fans.

The spotlight for the 2014 Festival is on the Langeudoc-Roussillon region of France, a mountainous and sunny spot at the southern-most curve of the Mediterranean Sea.

Map of "The Languedoc" region - image credit here

Aside from the scenery, "the Languedoc" is famous for its food and wine - especially its wine.  They've been doing it well for centuries, but it wasn't until 2006 that the region adopted the marque “Sud de France” on their bottles so that customers could start to recognise and easily remember the varietals coming out of the area.  The Languedoc is also starting to label its produce (notably the seafood, cheeses and olives) in a similar way, which just helps to further brand recognition in the overseas market.

Carcassonne - image credit here

I’ve been to France a couple of times, and I came to the Languedoc in the middle of winter in 2005.  A friend had spent a number of happy years in Béziers with her family, and on her recommendation I visited the medieval, fortified city of Carcassonne.  I recall having dinner within the city’s ancient walls, at a cosy restaurant in front of a roaring fire and with minstrels playing music in the background.  And I will never forget the gutsy, rich red wine that we enjoyed with our hearty meal. 

So when the offer came up to revisit that delicious Languedoc experience, albeit under the hot sun of modern-day New York, and without any passport required, I needed very little encouragement indeed. 


Our evening started with a glass of wine at Alain Ducasse’s brasserie in Midtown called “Benoit New York”, where Philippe Bertineau is the chef.  Bertinau is also from Carcassonne and is widely recognised in the industry as the Ambassador to the Universal Cassoulet Academy (which I'm overjoyed to know is an actual thing).  Not surprisingly, Chef served up small but steaming bowls of this venerable and stomach-lining stew for us to enjoy.  I even got some crunchy bits of bacon in mine and I was so happy.  Chef's reputation for champion cassoulet is well-deserved, let me tell you.

Before long we jumped aboard a “Frenchified” open-roofed double-decker bus to start our Languedoc wine crawl across the city.  Local brass band “Lucky Chops” entertained us live the whole way, and they were amazing.  As we drove in bumper-to-bumper traffic, initially down Fifth Avenue, tourists and locals along the street were waving up at us, and dancing along to the fun party tunes the band was playing.  It gave the whole evening a fantastic atmosphere - and it was just the beginning.

We started weaving in and out of the city streets.  In just under an hour, we were in the Meatpacking District and we hopped out at Beaumarchais.  Taking the bus is thirsty work, so it was great that some delicious Languedoc-Roussillon wines awaited us at this pretty French restaurant and nightly entertainment spot.  I committed to some dry white wine and enjoyed the fresh air on the footpath of West 13th Street, rather than hiding out inside the restaurant itself.

But we had lots more music to hear and wines to drink, and soon we were back on the bus and bound for Brooklyn.  I was so glad that the rain held off tonight, because it was heavenly to just sit atop that double decker bus, bustling over the Williamsburg Bridge and listening to the lively brass band, with the cool East River breeze on my face.  A full belly and a wine buzz didn’t hurt either.

We pulled up at Battery Harris in Williamsburg, which is a Latin American/Caribbean-inspired restaurant and bar.  I wasn’t really sure how the venue fit in to the French theme of the evening (and I'm still not really), but does it matter when they have refreshing white wines on the list just for you?  And besides, as we relaxed in the front bar area, we marveled at just how amazing Beyonce's "Crazy In Love" can sound when played by an energetic brass band.  The patrons who were already at the bar when we arrived couldn't believe their ears.

In no time at all though, the bus security officer and tour guide reappeared and invited us to either stay on in Brooklyn, or we could join him back on the bus to Manhattan.  Hmm, a boring yellow cab or a fantastic double-decker bus?  Not a hard choice really.

Leaving the band (regrettably) behind we made the journey back across the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge to Manhattan, and my fellow bus passengers and I were certainly a sombre bunch.  I think the festivities had taken their toll.  We had sampled some delicious cassoulet and tasty wine direct from Languedoc-Roussillon with no airfare, visas, or jetlag to concern us.

I wasn't able to capture any good photos of tonight's festivities myself, but I'll share them with you when  I can get hold of some.

Events for the remainder of the New York Sud de France Festival are selling out, but you should definitely check their website and see if you can squeeze in to some of them before the party ends on June 30. 

For my part, I've already pledged to don a pair of stretchy pants and show up to La Guinguette du Languedoc-Roussillon Block Party on Sunday 22 June (12-5pm, on 74th Street between 5th and Madison Avenues).  I'm told there will be a giant picnic table set up the length of the city block that day, covered in a red-check tablecloth and festooned with regional dishes available for immediate consumption or to take home.  YUM!  It's a kid-friendly event too, and it's open to the public.  Plus there will be live music playing, and a fantastic icecream truck on-site, offering "surprise" flavours of artisinal treats.

Leave your passport at home and join me, won't you?  Allons-y!

A conventional week at the United Nations

I was supposed to go on a boat cruise-slash-wine festival on Friday night, which I felt would be the most ideal way to relax after one of the busiest weeks on my UN calendar.   However, the weather on Friday evening had other ideas and I didn't end up going to the event after all.  The torrential rain meant I couldn't get a cab to save myself, but I also didn't really fancy the idea of being out on the Hudson River in thunder and lightning (even with all that comforting wine on offer).  So my friend and I were sensible enough to cancel our plans.  Having said that of course, my cocktail dress didn't entirely go to waste, because I headed downstairs to the tapas bar next door and sampled their rose wines instead.  Winner.

For reasons unknown I actually set my alarm clock on Saturday morning and when it finally went off, my body simply refused to budge.  Believe me, it wasn't the Spanish wine's fault either - I think my system had just finally shut down after a full week of meetings, side events, and after-work receptions.

The Conference Room filled up quickly on Day 1

The seventh session of the Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is more than just a mouthful.  It's a week-long assault on your brain and your body, and it's also an excellent opportunity to hear what countries around the world are doing to support people with disabilities, and the people who love and care for them. 

Running through all 3 days of the official Conference were the national statements that each States Party to the Convention (and some NGOs) had inscribed to deliver.  These 5-minute "interventions" were an opportunity for countries and organisations to talk about the progress they had made in implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  For many countries, these national statements are also a chance to announce new initiatives (or laws or policies) that they have introduced in the past year - or even to spotlight some ideas they have in the pipeline and will put into practice shortly.  The Conference may be a talk-fest, but there is something lovely about being in the UN Conference Room with your little earshell on, listening to the interpreters translate what is being said into the 6 official languages of the United Nations.

But if you miss something that has been raised, or you want to have a printed record of somebody's remarks, the UN has introduced an online "Papersmart" portal.  Rather than printing copies of their statements and distributing them in the Conference Room on the day, countries can upload their interventions to the internet for people to download and read at their leisure.  You can actually find a link to the Conference statements here (just be sure to click on the "Statements" tab to access the material).  The Conference sessions were also webcast too, and you can watch each day's proceedings on the Webcast archive here.

Like any conference you attend anywhere, meetings at the UN can often be dry - not boring, just routine.  It's when you get to the side events and receptions that things get really interesting and creative.

On Monday evening, I went to the Danish Mission for a reception to honour their candidate for re-election to The CRPD Committee, which is a body of independent experts that monitors how States Parties have been implementing the Convention.  Many of the CRPD Committee members were in New York last week for the Committee elections.  Monday's reception was hosted by the Ambassador of Denmark, and I met the Danish delegate Mr Stig Langvad (who ended up being re-elected for a four-year term).  After that I went to the Greek Mission for a glass of wine with the International Disability Alliance to formally celebrate the end of their one-day Civil Society Forum (which Australia co-hosted with a couple of other countries).

 

Funnily enough the Danish Ambassador and I were stalking each other last week, because I saw him again on the Tuesday evening at an amazing reception hosted by New Zealand and the International Disability Alliance in honor of Mr Lenin Moreno, the former Vice-President of Ecuador, who was recently appointed by the UN Secretary General to be his Special Envoy on Disability and Accessibility.  Aside from learning that Mr Moreno has a cheeky sense of humour and a great rapport with members of the UN community, I also learned that my colleagues at the New Zealand Mission (Ambassador McLay included) have great singing voices - as evidenced by the traditional Maori welcoming song they sang to all of us.

From L-R: The Ambassadors of Kenya, Bangladesh,
Bulgaria, and Israel, and the Deputy Ambassador of El Salvador

On Wednesday evening, Ambassador Momen from Bangladesh put us all to shame by hosting a reception in his spacious Conference Room and laying out an amazing buffet of tasty treats from Bangladesh, Kenya, El Salvador, Israel, and Bulgaria.  The respective Ambassadors were all in attendance in their capacities as Presidents (and Vice Presidents) of the Bureau that effectively organised last week's Conference.  More food, more wine.

By the time Thursday evening rolled around, our energy levels were getting low, but we pushed on to a reception hosted by Mr Anthony Lake, Executive Director of UNICEF.  The event talked about the rights of children to play, and obviously had a particular focus on making sure kids with disabilities had the opportunity to come off the sidelines and get amongst the action.  The reception coincided with the start of the World Cup, and it was great to have the Special Olympics involved, advocating the participation of all children in physical activities, regardless of their abilities.  UNICEF had also set up an indoor soccer goal, and there were heaps of young people having a go at that too.

While the Conference of States Parties is a really busy week, it's also a very important one that gives me a greater appreciation of the unique challenges facing persons with disabilities.  I like that the Conference is truly international in nature, bringing delegates in from all corners of the globe.  But I'm also grateful that the Conference material encourages us to look at issues facing people of all ages with disabilities - from kids and young people, all the way through to the elderly.  There are lots of ideas floating around, and lots of really inspiring people to learn from.  But with so much on the program, during work hours and beyond, you've just got to remember to take your vitamins, and grab naps were you can!

I've only posted a couple of photos here - you can check out the rest at the link.

You can't prohibit this party

Nine years ago, about 50 people gathered on Governor's Island off Lower Manhattan for a prohibition-era party conceived by music maestro Michael Aranella.

Three years later, the Governor's Island Alliance officially handed the party reins over to Mr Aranella and his famous Dreamland Orchestra.  Next came the national media interest, and right behind them was St-Germain, who pledged to hydrate New York's "fops and flappers" with their bespoke summer cocktails.

Sunshine, music, and cocktails - what's not to like about the Jazz Age Lawn Party?  Indeed the annual celebration has grown from strength to strength, and now welcomes more than 20,000 partygoers each year.

You might recall that I've written about Governor's Island on this site before but until today, I'd never actually been there.  The ferry to Governor's Island leaves from a terminal in Lower Manhattan, right next door to where the Staten Island ferry departs.  I thought the ferry would actually cost me something (and perhaps it usually does), but everybody appeared to be traveling for free today which was a lovely bonus.  The ride itself only takes about 10 minutes and as the sun belted down, the cool breeze off the water was most welcome.

When I got to Governor's Island I headed straight for my VIP entrance (not because I am particularly important per se, but because I was clever enough to buy a "Bees Knees" ticket package that gave me express entry to the venue, and some drinks & food tickets in advance - a clever tip to save getting stuck on the end of very long queues).

Before we continue this story, you need to know that if you plan to come to the Jazz Age Lawn Party, do not shy away from dressing up.  Do not fear the feathers, sequins, or tassles - you must embrace them.  For if you do not dress up, you will be in the minority.  And while dressing up is actively encouraged, so too is dancing.  I absolutely LOVED how much everybody got into the spirit of the day - they all brought their A-games, and it was particularly great to see so much Daddy-daughter dance floor action, in honor of Father's Day in the US.

Watching your counterparts dance is one thing, but then we turned things over to the professionals and it was amazing.  Roddy Caravella and the Canarsie Wobblers are a group based in Brooklyn and they brought high energy and slick choreography to the dance floor.  Then it was time for The Dreamland Follies, who glided onto the stage as if in a dream - all beige leotards, flowing skirts, and the most wonderful feathered headresses.  As The Gelber & Manning Band took to the stage to serenade everyone with "Baby Face", I took off in search of food.

En route to the food tents it occurred to me that if you forget a part of your costume, or if you start to covet your neighbour's parasol, there are great little stalls set up around the Jazz Party that will sell you just the thing you need.  I had my eye on multiple pairs of vintage earrings but I did not give in.  Still, if you wanted to stock up on feathers and lace and beading, you certainly could have taken your pick.

After a tasty hotdog and salad, and a couple of sparkling cocktails, I listened to a few more musical acts before deciding to beat the crowds and head back on the ferry to Manhattan.

The Jazz Age Lawn Party has been on my NYC bucket list since I got here and I'm so glad I finally made it.  The good thing is that the second weekend of partying is still to come - August 16 and 17, which just so happens to be right around my birthday time.  I wonder if I should go again?  Next time though I think I would splash out on a much more sparkly costume than the dusty pink one I wore today.  I also think I could do with the peacock headdress I saw at the vintage stall.  You only live once, right?

I've only put a couple of my photos on this page, but you can see the rest by clicking here.

Diplomatic Incidents

So I promised you that this week I would take you to a Conference at the United Nations, and I'm here to deliver.  Official proceedings kick off tomorrow (Tuesday) for the seventh session of the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).  A mouthful, no?

In brief, this annual Conference is an opportunity for all of those countries that have signed and ratified the CRPD to come together and talk about how they are implementing it.

So that you're fully prepared to hit the Conference with me tomorrow, you might be keen for a crash course in the CRPD.  UNICEF has put together a great one and you can find it here.  Technically it's a presentation aimed at kids of course, but if you're looking for a "CRPD 101" tutorial, it will bring you up to speed straight away.

It's worth knowing that once a country signs and ratifies a UN Convention, that country is known as a "States Party"to it, and they're legally bound to implement the contents of the Convention. So far, of the 158 States Parties that have signed the CRPD, 147 have ratified it.  There is also an Optional Protocol attached to the Convention, so not everybody has to sign that (and indeed not everybody has - only 92 States have signed the Optional Protocol, and 82 have ratified it).

The CRPD is a really comprehensive document.  The Articles inside it cover a whole range of issues that are relevant to the everyday lives of persons with disabilities - things like participation in decision making, international cooperation (how countries work together), access to health, full and decent employment, access to education etc.

But you don't really need to know much more about signing and ratifying UN treaties to get the idea that this coming week is going to be a very busy one.  There will be lots of countries down at the United Nations Headquarters wanting to speak about the things they're doing for people with disabilities in their own country, as well as the work they're doing to help other countries implement the Convention.  There will be lots of side events taking place, and plenty of opportunities for countries to learn from one another.

The Conference officially starts tomorrow, so while the UN was relatively quiet I took the time to wander through an art exhibition that Israel and Argentina have presented in the UN lobby.

Called "Speaking Colors" this exhibition displays some amazing artworks by young people with autism.  The little caption cards explained that many of the young artists are prisoners in their own minds - unable to verbally communicate, and unwilling to leave their homes and face the world outside.  But what these young people also possess is an exceptional capacity to express themselves through lines, colours, and shapes.

Now I'm a total sucker for anything bright and colourful and these artworks are certainly that.  It must have been so liberating for these young artists to discover a way they could finally communicate with people around them (and vice versa).  Can you just imagine how the world must have opened up for them?

This is just a small selection of the artworks, of course.  You can view my other photos here.

Get a good night's sleep tonight, gang - because the rest of this week is going to be non-stop.

Wandering Williamsburg

When it's a warm, sunny day and you don't have anywhere in particular to be, it pays to get outside and just walk this amazing city.  But if randomly roaming is not your style, you can always latch on to a professional tour guide to shepherd you along and help you explore.  Such was my experience today over in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

I was up early this morning and walked over to the subway station at 14th Street and 8th Avenue, and took the L train over to Brooklyn.  My ears popped as we left Manhattan behind, and sped far under the  water of the East River.  Surfacing at Bedford Avenue, I walked on the sunny side of the street  until I arrived at the meet-up point.  Before long, Jeff Stirewalt from Brooklyn Unplugged Tours arrived and our small group set off on the company's signature two-hour walking tour of the area.

Joining me on today's adventure was a friend from home who works for a travel agency, and neither of us know Brooklyn very well at all.  Under Jeff's guidance we wandered the streets, and heard stories about the demographics of early Brooklyn (before it was officially part of New York).  We learned about "The Great Mistake of 1898" which resulted in the merger of the five boroughs to comprise New York - refer the great article here.  We talked about the opening of the Williamsburg Bridge in 1903, which finally made it possible for thousands of impoverished immigrants from the Lower East Side tenements of Manhattan to get to the rich, gentrified neighbourhoods of Brooklyn - and neither place was ever the same again.

 But we also celebrated the modern-day artists, artisans and craftspeople of Williamsburg, passing by some great street art.  Jeff told us that there are three types of street art in the City:  no-permission, which is the illegal graffiti; permission, which is when a building owner gives an artist approval to paint their mural on the building's facade; and commission, which is when the building owner actually commissions the artist to put some work up, and then pays them for it.  Jeff showed us examples of all three types of street art today, but my friend and I agreed that the "permission" works were our favourites.  I just loved all the colours - some people are so clever.

Speaking of clever artwork, we called in to the sculpture workshop of Israeli-born artist Boaz Vaadia who does some really impressive work with pieces of slate (many of them life-size, but also smaller ones that I think might look just right on my mantlepiece).  By chance, we found the artist in residence today, and he was kind enough to share some of his memories with us about what it was like to live in the neighbourhood when he bought his building in the 1980s.  We talked about the Mob dumping bodies nearby, that prostitution was everywhere, and drug use was rampant.  What a difference 30 years makes!

We had some tasty chocolate treats at Mast Brothers Chocolate, who hand-craft their delights on-site.  I chose this moment to use the restrooms at the fantastic German restaurant and beer hall next door (of course). This place only has a narrow frontage, but is really sprawling inside and is a wonderful vintage throwback to the original German immigrants who settled here and kicked off the craft beer-brewing industry that is now so popular in Brooklyn.

As we headed towards the East River, we passed the fantastic Brooklyn Brewery, and found ourselves opposite an old barrel-making factory - a cooperage - which  has now been restored and repurposed into the Wythe Hotel (with a great restaurant downstairs and fantastic rooftop bar upstairs).  To our left we could see the old Domino sugar factory which is currently home to an amazing art installation by Kara Walker, but which will soon be turned into a hideous modern apartment complex (trust me - I saw the artist rendition drawing).

Before we knew it, we had arrived at the waterfront, bustling with people enjoying the tasty delights of the outdoor food festival, Smorgasburg.  When our tour ended and we said our goodbyes, my friend and I found a shady spot along one of the brick walls and enjoyed some delicious treats and refreshing lemonade from one of the nearby stalls.

With the sun warming me all the way down to my bones, we finally parted ways at the East River Ferry and I made my way back to the subway.

It was great to have Jeff walk us around the Williamsburg neighbourhood, giving us the inside scoop on places I've only ever walked past before.  Jeff has lived in Brooklyn his whole life and his expertise is obvious - we really enjoyed the visit.

I've only posted a couple of photos from today's walking tour on this page, but you can see the other ones in the photo album here.