I hope you didn't mind my bending your ear

If you're looking for a slice of vintage New York, you need go no further than the corner of Third Avenue and East 55th Street, where you will find the original PJ Clarke's saloon.  There are other PJ's franchises dotted elsewhere around the City, but back in 1884 this Third Avenue treasure was called Jenning's Bar.  Then it changed hands and was called Duneen's, and they hired Patrick Joseph Clarke as a bartender in 1902.  He bought the place ten years later, and gave his name to the Third Avenue location, which has remained largely unchanged ever since. 

Legend has it that songwriter Johnny Mercer wrote "One For My Baby" while propping up the bar here, and it's the perfect tune for a place like PJ's.  The bartenders are friendly, the drinks are strong, and the patrons are the convivial bunch you'd expect from such a New York City icon.  Perhaps these are the same reasons that attracted the patronage of Frank Sinatra (who has a permanent table there), but also Buddy Holly, Jackie Kennedy, and Elizabeth Taylor?

But PJ's isn't just for history or booze buffs - they know their way around the pots and pans too.  When I moved to New York three years ago, PJ's sold me my very first bowl of lobster mac & cheese, and I have never forgotten that kindness.  It was so rich, so tasty, and I so didn't want to leave.  That I turned up post-theatre at 10pm tonight (on a school night no less!) I wasn't surprised to find the dining room full of people cramming in burgers, fish & chips, and all manner of tasty treats from the kitchen. 

I had to adopt the pointy "elbows out" stance I normally reserve for Christmas shopping at Macy's, just to edge my way through the crowd, past the squawking women and tipsy businessmen, to finally get to the bar and order my drink.

Word of warning though: don't get too distracted by the crowd or the menu at PJ's, because when you're jostling for a seat at their beautiful mahogany bar, you run the risk of missing the little quirks that make this place really fun.  Like the traditional red & white ginham tablecloths; or the old cash register and pay phone that broke years ago but nobody wants to throw away.  Old-world charm, right in Midtown Manhattan.

One of the reasons I think that PJ's has lasted so long (aside from the tasty food and strong drinks) is that they value their customers, and they reward loyalty with special treatment.  They've got photos all around the walls of customers and staff they've loved and lost, and the Third Avenue PJ's also has a members-only section called Sidecar, located upstairs in what used to be the Clarke family home.  See?  How could you not enjoy yourself here?

A Night in Billyburg

Most people know that New York is comprised of five boroughs: Manhattan; Brooklyn; Queens; The Bronx; and Staten Island.  While I've lived in Manhattan for a little over three years, I've only been to Brooklyn maybe 3 or 4 times.  I've visited Queens only to fly out of it (JFK and La Guardia airports are both there), and I have never once set foot in The Bronx or on Staten Island.  Seriously, what have I been doing with my time?

Last night, in an attempt to redress this imbalance and to broaden my horizons, I took off after work to Williamsburg ("Billyburg"), in Brooklyn.

One thing that always strikes me when I come to Brooklyn is the irrational fear that I am not now, nor will ever be, cool enough to be here.  Brooklyn, and Williamsburg in particular, has that reputation of being hipster headquarters and I am about as far removed from a hipster as it is possible to get.  But that insecurity is all in my head because in reality, Williamsburg is one of the most accessible and approachable neighbourhoods.

Sure, the streets are quieter than in Manhattan, and the architecture is very different, but every block is jam-packed with stores and restaurants that seem so interesting.  They're shops you actually want to go into - vintage bookstores sit next to dive bars, across the street from pierogi vendors and top-shelf coffee shops.  The stores are characters in themselves, to say nothing about the cheery people who run them.

As I walked along North 7th Street last night, shop owners and their customers were milling around on the footpath (sidewalk), taking full advantage of the mild weather.  There was real community there, far from Manhattan's yellow cabs and honking horns.  I felt comfortable there - not like a trespasser at all.

Random exploration would have to wait for another day though, as I had made reservations for dinner at a lovely little restaurant called Fat Goose.  Of all the restaurants in the area - and they are many and varied - I chose this one because the online reviews were excellent, but also because it is located halfway between the Bedford Avenue train station and the East River, a location I felt fairly confident I could find on my own.  Indeed I got to the restaurant very easily and was very pleased to realise that its online reputation is entirely justified.

I had a starter of braised octopus cassoulet, and a main dish of NY strip steak with roasted vegetables.  Is it just me, or does everything taste better when someone else cooks it for you?  Our server had the most fantastic curly moustache, and he was a kind and attentive host who took very good care of us.

Another reason I chose Fat Goose is because it is only a couple of blocks away from the Brooklyn Winery, a wonderful urban oasis that is producing some delicious products.  The winery has only been open for 3 years, and I had purchased a couple of tickets to do a behind-the-scenes winery tour starting at 9pm.

Now if you're like me and you don't know Brooklyn very well, you would nevertheless be aware that in a concrete jungle like New York City, vineyards are not exactly plentiful.  In fact, they're bloody non-existent.  We don't have any space for vineyards here!  So the grapes that Brooklyn Winery uses for its red wines come from sunny California, but its white wine grapes are sourced more locally.  They come from the Finger Lakes region of New York and the North Fork of Long Island, where I had enjoyed a wonderful grape-grazing weekend in June.

As we learned about the wine-making techniques employed at the most urban winery I've ever visited, we got to sip some really tasty wines.  I surprised myself by really enjoying their chardonnay, which I normally avoid.  This one is fermented in stainless steel tanks (like the ones in this picture), so it doesn't have that buttery taste from the oak barrels that a lot of people like about Chardonnay, but which I cannot stomach.  The Brooklyn Winery's chardonnay is crisp and fresh, and much more reminiscent of a pinot grigio really.

Being from South Australia, I am also quite partial to those robust red wines that punch you in the face (you know the ones I mean).  The Brooklyn Winery makes a Petit Syrah, and their running joke is that there's nothing petit about it.  Sure enough, the rich red wine is full-bodied, powerful and quite frankly, really tasty.  These are fermented in barrels onsite.


The winery has a fantastic bar just as you walk in, and the wines they serve there are poured from kegs rather than from bottles.  The winery figures there isn't much point bottling the wine out the back, only to pour it into glasses in the very next room.  But they do bottle the wine they intend to sell, and each batch is numbered.  My friend and I certainly came home with some bottles, and our souvenir wine tour glass.  An excellent haul.

Williamsburg is just one of the great places to explore in Brooklyn.  It's easy to get there as well - the first stop off Manhattan on the L train, and even if you only have time to walk along Bedford Avenue (and the few blocks either side of it) you'll be amazed at the number and diversity of the treats on offer.  They shouldn't be missed.

Where Westeros meets the West Village

Every Monday night, talented Chef David Santos at Louro in New York's West Village hosts a multi-course supper club dinner.  I first read about these supper club menus in a New York Times article and I was curious to find out more, so I joined the restaurant's mailing list.

It turns out that each week, the restaurant puts away its a la carte menu and replaces it with special dishes on a particular, topical theme.  Reservations are essential, and diners can BYO beer and wine.

I was fortunate enough to snag two seats to tonight's amazing feast, which had a "Game of Thrones" theme, to capitalise on the start of Season 4 last night.

Miss Fitz did not need any coaxing to join me for dinner, which was just wonderful.  And I also need to thank her for encouraging me to indulge in the beverage pairing for our menu (an extra $45), which tonight was the brand new local "Game of Thrones" beers from Cooperstown, New York.  I confess that originally I was going to wimp out on the beer pairing, just because I wanted to leave plenty of room in my belly for the food.  But Miss Fitz was feeling brave, and I was too, so we jumped right in.  Other than not wearing stretchy pants, I don't regret a single thing.

Here's what we enjoyed (and thanks to Miss Fitz for the photos):

Amuse
Suckling Pig Fritter

After the glass of sparkling wine that I'd had at the bar before Miss Fitz arrived, I was raring to get the night underway.  My stomach was grumbling and when the amuse came out, I confess I stabbed it with my fork and stuffed it in.

I've only ever eaten suckling pig in full medieval-feast format, but this was elaborately laid out on a bed of something creamy and spicy and I'm not really sure what it was.  Nevertheless, it was tasty and by the time we were finished chewing, Miss Fitz and I were ready for the night to begin.  The amuse had done its job and set the scene beautifully.

First Course: King Joffrey
Skewered Hamachi and Radishes, served with a piri vinaigrette
Pairing: Ommegang Fire and Blood

Well, who doesn't want to skewer that little punk Joffrey?  An excellent place to start.  The slices of yellow tail (hamachi) were thin, but not falling off the wooden skewer.  The piri vinaigrette was spicy, but also acidic enough to coat the fish and even cook it a bit, a play on ceviche, I guess.  Plus the slivers of radish were a spicy, crunchy complement.

At this point in the evening, the representative of Ommegang gave us an introduction to the beer pairings, and particularly talked about the "Fire & Blood" beer that we had been enjoying with our fish. He commented that the beer had accents of ancho chile, which of course I couldn't detect until he said it.

Now I don't want to draw parallels where there aren't any, but I think this was a really clever food, beer & character pairing.  Spicy, flavourful, and really sharp.

Second Course: John Snow
Grain and wild greens salad, served with house cured venison lomo
Pairing:  Ommegang Hop House

Next up we had a more rustic, simple dish of salad greens atop some delicious and crunchy grains.  There were strips of what I thought was prosciutto but it turned out to be salty venison, served up in a way that resembled jerky (to me).  It was salty and crunchy and really tasty.

The Ommergang Hop House beer was very hoppy - and it made me appreciate the ancho chile flavour of the earlier beer a bit more.  I thought the beer was a really good contrast to the fresh salad and I really liked the crunch of the grains and saltiness of the venison.  Definitely something simple and tasty that John Snow would eat atop the desolate Wall.

Third Course: Arya and the Hound
Bacon-wrapped monkfish with clam chowder and herbs
Pairing:  Ommegang Wild at Heart

Befitting these two adventurers, this course was a delicate piece of monkfish encased in a firm, crispy piece of bacon - and all of it was sitting in about an inch or so of meaty clam chowder.  The sweetness of the monkfish and the beer complemented one another really well.

The flavours were pretty rich by this stage of the evening, and while I wasn't 100% struggling yet, I don't think I could have eaten too much more of the fish, bacon, and cream combination.  Fortunately Miss Fitz and I didn't shut up for the whole dinner, so we were burning calories with conversation.  I think that helped.

Fourth Course: Dragon Lady
Dragon's egg with wild mushroom, asparagus & shaved truffles
Pairing: Ommegang Wild At Heart

When the restaurant tried this dish it last year's supper club it was so popular, they had to bring it back this year - and I'm so glad they did.

While we were eating the John Snow salad greens and grains, the waiter circulated an emu egg around to each of the tables.  Of course I've seen emu eggs before - even beautifully carved ones in Australian souvenir shops, but I've certainly never eaten one.

Did you know that one emu egg weighs about the same as one dozen chicken eggs, and they feed about the same number of people? It was certainly heavy and cool to the touch, but I also thought it looked like it was coated in dark green glitter.  Gorgeous.

When the emu egg had finally been scrambled, it was served up in a tiny bowl with some mushrooms, truffles, and crunchy asparagus.  It was like the most heavenly brunch meal you have ever enjoyed.  But again, it was so rich that the tiniest amount made me very happy.

The beers were getting sweeter with each course too, and I really liked this pairing.  It was definitely an easy-drinking beer and cut through the richness of the scrambled emu egg and the beautiful, smoky flavour of the truffles.

Fifth Course:  Jamie
Beef Two Ways - first, a classic steak tartare a la crostini; and second, as braised beef shanks with toasted wheat cavatelli and arugula
Pairing: Ommegang Wild At Heart

To my mind, every good evening would start and end with Jamie Lanister, am I right?  Notwithstanding he's an incestuous murderer, he's pretty yummy.  And I have to say, the two beef offerings we had for this course were equally delicious.

First up, we had a small mound of steak tartare with a big crostini sticking out.  The steak had been ground finely, but not too finely, and I really liked the texture and the peppery taste.  I could have had a second helping of that one.

Then we had the most delicious braised beef shank that was swimming in a small bit of broth with some nutty whole-wheat pasta - it was like a miniature pot roast.  The meat was super tender and just flaked with the fork - so delicious and really flavourful.  If I thought the steak tartare was enjoyable, I hadn't seen anything yet.


Sixth Course:  Tyrion
Lemon Cake, served with lemon curd and oat ice cream
Pairing:  Ommegang Three Philosophers

A tart finish, packed with loads of attitude. Appropriate, no? And pairing a dessert with beer seemed really weird to me at first, but it totally worked.  Despite my love of all things Jamie, in my view Chef Santos really did save the best (Lannister and dish) till last.

The oat ice cream was pretty savoury and kind of bland, but against the tartness of the lemon curd and the sweetness of the cake, it all really worked.  A very simple and uncomplicated end to a rather fancy (and very filling) menu.

I was actually really pleased that I could go along to tonight's supper club dinner.  Far from being kitsch, it was a clever and delicious opportunity to pair food and beer together.  You didn't need to be a fan of "Game of Thrones" in any sense, but you definitely needed to have a healthy appetite and the courage to try new taste sensations.

I'm not sure I'd go out and buy the "Game of Thrones" beers myself; however, I am glad that I can now say I've tried them, and I also got to have a fantastic evening and catch up with a good friend I haven't seen for a really long time.  And that's what nights out in New York are all about.

Parks, polygons, and prosecco

When you live in a really small studio apartment in New York, you need to be ruthless about your belongings.  If clothes don't fit, or there's too much clutter, you have to get tough about it.  There's literally no room for sentimentality.

And so it was that I took a huge garbage bag full of clothes and books to my local Goodwill store this morning.  The last time I did that, a crazy man out the front threatened to stab me, though the security guard had been watching and just rolled his eyes.  I guess he says that to all the girls.  Today however, there was no such threat of violence, and so within just a few minutes I had deposited my worldly goods into the donation bin inside the store, and I was on my way.  There are loads of places like the Goodwill in New York, and they are life-saving way to get rid of stuff, but also a terrific source of inexpensive stop-gap clothing and furniture to see you through your settling-in period in the City.

Spring has definitely sprung in New York and I loved the sunny walk past the Flatiron Building this morning, and into to Madison Square Park.  It may not a private oasis, but this has always been one my favourite places to have down-time in New York.

As you can see from my photos, the trees still have some catching up to do before they're lush and green, but already the squirrels are out, digging up the nuts they had hidden during the winter, and posing genially for the cooing tourists.  The dog park and the children's playground were hugely popular, and the lines at the famous Shake Shack were typically ridiculous (but the smell of grilling meat was so good).  All around the park, visitors just like me clambered for sunny spots on the benches, to watch the world go by.

 

Just next door to the Park on East 26th Street is the National Museum of Mathematics.  The Museum opened in September 2012 and I only just realised it was even there.  I was always a terrible maths student of course, so I wasn't exactly looking for a place like this.  But when you walk inside, you quickly realise that this one of those off-the-beaten-path treasures of New York that inquisitive kids and adults just love.  Firstly the ticket booths are all automatic, and they spit out guest passes like ID cards that you have to wear clipped to yourself at all times.

The museum is very spacious and modern, and the exhibits are very much hands-on.  I should not have come here on my own though, partly because I looked ridiculous, but also because so much of the fun of the exhibits comes from your interaction with other people.  What is the point of playing with puzzles if you can't make jokes with others, or ask people what they did, or how things work?  Coming here on my own was a bit of a mistake, because I just felt out of place interacting with things solo.  Maybe that's my own insecurity talking, but it's certainly how I felt - and it made me just want to rush through the place rather than really take my time to explore.

Before long though I found myself back at the entrance and by the gift shop, and that's one place I never feel weird.  Indeed I judge museums and other cultural institutions by the quality of their gift shop.  And in the case of the gift shop at the Museum of Mathematics, what it lacks in size it makes up for in variety.  There are maths-themed books (for adults and kids), jewellery, clothing, and the usual kitschy key rings, postcards, and desk accessories.  I did not leave empty-handed.

All this brain strain had worked up a bit of an appetite though, so I walked north a few blocks and called into the John Dory Oyster Bar, which is part of The Ace Hotel on Broadway.  Every time I have tried to come here, the place has been packed.  But today I was lucky enough to find a colourful barstool upon which to perch and enjoy a half-dozen oysters (3 from the West Coast, and 3 from the East Cost), and a delicious bowl of spicy kedgeree, complete with tasty and flaky smoked haddock.  The ice-cold glasses of  Gotham Project prosecco didn't hurt either.

If you ever get the chance to have even a bar bite at this restaurant, you definitely should.  Their seafood is great, and so is the service.  But if time permits, you also need to head next door to the adjacent Breslin lobby bar and partake in their amazing cocktails.  Guaranteed to make you forget any inadequacies of high school maths classes, or weekend hands-on museum exhibits!

Musical fairytales, old and new

A native of Brooklyn, Avery Fisher was a talented violinist and a life-long philanthropist.  When he died in 1994 at the age of 87, he left $10.5 million to the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.  In tribute, the Orchestra’s home turf is now the beautiful hall at New York’s Lincoln Center that bears Fisher’s name.

I came to Lincoln Center this morning to see The Little Orchestra's production of "Hansel and Gretel".  I can't lie - even though I knew the show is meant to be for kids, I really wanted to see it.

The music is by Engelbert Humperdinck, but I quickly discovered it was not the Humperdinck that I was originally thinking of - and I needed to get it sorted, pronto.

Will the real Humperdinck please stand up?

Alright, enough silliness.

I think we all know that "Hansel and Gretel" would not have been written by Englebert Humperdinck (aka Jerry Dorsey), or Prince Humperdinck (aka The King's Stinking Son).  It was, in fact, composed by the handsomely-mustachioed Englebert Humperdinck, who was born in Germany in 1854.  He wrote his first composition at seven, and had written 2 operas by the time he was a teenager.  He studied at the Cologne Conservatory under several famous composers, including Wagner.

Before we go on, I also feel obliged to confess that even though I was keen to see the "Hansel and Gretel", I wouldn't say I'm a huge classical music fan.  I don't know much about it, and I don't really know what I like.  But I will say that the times I have experienced live classical music (see my write-ups on the Lyric Opera House in Chicago, Royal Albert Hall, The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall), I've really loved it.  But I think it's the combination of the music and something to watch on stage that I really like, or perhaps that I really need in order to sustain my interest.

That certainly seemed to be the case for the kids today too.  The production of "Hansel and Gretel" was totally charming.  There was dancing, singing, bright costumes, and lots of activity happening all across the stage.  I'll admit I was more taken with the reaction of the kids around me - some restless, others totally spellbound and on the edge of their seats.  I think it helped that the production had also cast kids to play the roles of the gingerbread children who had been trapped by the witch's spell.  Seeing people their own age in the production helped keep the kids in the audience transfixed and in a little over an hour, we were all cheering and applauding for Hansel and Gretel's safe return from the haunted forest.

Emerging into the warm Saturday sun, I crossed the Lincoln Center courtyard, walked past Juilliard, and into the "Ladies and Gentlemen...The Beatles!" exhibition in The New York Public Library's Donald and Mary Oenslager Gallery.  

The exhibition runs until 10 May and is totally free.  It is pretty comprehensive too, and includes photographs, news footage, and other assorted memorabilia curated from a range of sources across the country.  The exhibition also includes some free public programs about The Beatles, including film and documentary screenings, and public lectures.

When I went today, the small gallery was pretty jam-packed with people of all ages, but I still managed to see everything.  I particularly liked the diorama of a typical teenage girl's bedroom at the height of Beatlemania, walls plastered with posters and bookshelves crammed with LPs.  I also enjoyed watching the black & white TV footage, strapping on some headphones and listening to a couple of live performances and interviews, and seeing the collection of instruments and autographed concert books.

Just like "Hansel and Gretel", the legend of the Fab Four well and truly lives on.

A welcome pond-crossing

This year marks the 9th annual Brits Off Broadway festival and I still don't know how it has escaped my attention all this time.  Having lived in both Scotland and England before, and being from the Commonwealth myself, shouldn't I be somehow attuned to all things colonial happening in New York?  But what's that they say, "better late than never"?

This year's festival opened yesterday and will run until 29 June, which sounds like a long time, but it's really not when you consider how many plays they're staging - and how good so many of them are likely to be.

I got to the 59E59 theatre about 20 minutes early tonight, so I had a bit of time for a cold glass of bubbly before the show started.  I took a seat at the bar next to a little old lady with cotton-ball hair and we got to talking about the theatre shows we'd seen in the City, and she confessed a love of thought-provoking productions that made her grouchy for days.  "I like thinking pieces," she admitted.  I liked her immediately.

Before long though, the usher was calling us all to our seats, and the cotton ball lady and I went our separate ways.  When I sat down in my row, I was next to an ancient woman who was complaining to her younger companion that she was stuck on Level 52 of "Candy Crush".  Old people.  I don't even know anymore.

I had bought tickets to see a double bill tonight, "Clean" and "A Respectable Widow Takes to Vulgarity".  I knew nothing about either play, other than the fact that "A Respectable Widow" had been part of the Edinburgh Fringe and was being staged here in New York as part of Scotland Week.  I was hopeful for accents.  I got them.

As the lights dimmed and the actors took the stage, Mrs Candy Crush leaned forward in her seat for the first 10 minute or so, and I knew she was struggling to comprehend what was going on.  Not so for me.  I soaked it all up - it was far too familiar.

The lyrical, slick production of "Clean" only went for about 45 minutes, and in the 10-minute intermission that followed I read the schedule and determined which plays I would come and see next.  I think I settled on six, including one about a mother of a boy with disabilities (which I will probably bawl the whole way through), and a rather mysterious one called "Peddling", which was written by (and stars) Dudley Dirsley from "Harry Potter".

When "A Respectable Widow" started, I was overjoyed to hear the thick Scottish brogue - memories of a very happy six months spent in Scotland back in 2005 came flooding back.

Again, about 45 minutes later the house lights went up and the audience scattered.  On our way out we were treated to the wonderful sounds of a very talented jazz trio playing in the downstairs lobby.  A great touch.

While the plays I saw weren't necessarily "thinking pieces", I still wanted to reflect on them so I took myself for a glass of wine at the famous "Monkey Bar" inside the Hotel Elysee on East 54th Street, just a few blocks from the theatre.  With kitschy monkey murals on the walls, monkey lamps on the bar, and red leather booths with vinyl gingham tablecloths, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the bar had seen better days.  But the cocktail list and food menu are amazing, and its history goes all the way back to the repeal of Prohibition.  The bar and adjacent restaurant (with amazing Jazz Age mural) was Tallulah Bankhead's hangout for a while, and Tennessee Williams apparently died there in the very front bar!  It was like stepping back in time to Old New York, and it was perfect.

All good in the 'hood

Whenever New Yorkers start looking for somewhere to live, by and large they end up caring more about what's around their apartment than what's in it.  In random order, you start ranking apartments you can afford by how close they are to a coffee shop; dry cleaner, subway station; Law & Order police precinct; and, in my case anyway, 24 hour diner.

Even when I lived in Chicago for four years, I was right around the corner from a 24-hour place.  I have been known to consume late-night nachos or even scrambled eggs after a big night, desperate to fend off any hint of a hangover.  Even in this blessed age of online food ordering at all hours, I don't think I could live far from a 24-hour diner in Manhattan and still be a happy girl.

While it's not so common these days, the wait staff in diners once had their own vocab.  My standing order is always "Adam and Eve on a whiskey raft and wreck 'em, plus a coffee high", but I'm too chicken to order it like that.  The wait staff at my nearest 24-hour diner have trouble understanding my Australian accent at the best of times.  How would they cope if I started throwing around the 1970s jargon too?  Chaos.

When I came back from Australia at Christmas time, jetlag hit me really badly and I was awake at odd hours for days.  It wasn't unusual for me to call into the 24-hour diner at 5am for an early breakfast.  You can imagine the sorts of people who were in there at that hour, right?  Shudder.

Some of the diners you'll go to in New York are licensed too, which can be handy if you're already a few beers into the evening.  But for the most part, diners (24 hours or not) are just great local spots for a cheap and fast feed.  Very few of them take credit cards though, so it's a good idea to have cash in your wallet - including some singles to leave on the table for the busboys who keep you topped up with coffee and water. 

Having said all that, there are occasions when you want to branch out and try somewhere new, particularly if you have friends come to stay.  In times like those, and if you're brave enough to face the tourist crush, you might like to visit a couple of New York's more famous diners including The Brooklyn Diner (with two locations, neither of which are actually in Brooklyn), and the Carnegie Deli, which prides itself on its "gargantuan" sandwiches (so wear stretchy pants).

Whether you go local or celebrated, during business hours or beyond, your neighbourhood diner will treat you right.  And if you try out the 1970s jargon, let me know how it goes!