Esther and Eunice Celebrate Passover
7 years ago
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Rice Cream Cafe
I just tried some gelato, sorbet and rice pudding from a place here in Queens called Rinaldi's Rice Cream Cafe. The rice pudding was something I never had before. Usually rice pudding is either the typical vanilla or with Indian spices. This one was a chocolate hazelnut! WOW!! I tasted the blood orange sorbet and it tasted just like the blood oranges from Italy. Gelato flavor that I had was hazelnut. When I return from Hartford I'm going there (someone picked it up for me) to try their other flavors.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
My latest adventures
I went to Greenwich and Stamford CT to write about same sex marriages. Couples are either going over the border from NYC or traveling as far away as California to tie the knot. Some great spots to do so. Stayed at Delamar Hotel in Greenwich located on the harbor. Elegant small hotel. Ate dinner there (French style food) but had lunch at Morello Bistro in downtown Greenwich. Excellent Italian food. Checked out various places to have weddings and ceremonies.
Lots of articles to write for Edge Publications and New York Blade. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed. I will next be off to Hartford to check out the city as a travel and wedding destination. Will do my radio show after I get back.
I still need to somewhat plan my P'Town trip with my friends. Will be celebrating the big 6-0. Then when I get back I'll have a party at my house. Working on the recipe ideas. I would have the whole thing catered but I can't decide on what cuisine that I or everyone else would like.
Lots of articles to write for Edge Publications and New York Blade. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed. I will next be off to Hartford to check out the city as a travel and wedding destination. Will do my radio show after I get back.
I still need to somewhat plan my P'Town trip with my friends. Will be celebrating the big 6-0. Then when I get back I'll have a party at my house. Working on the recipe ideas. I would have the whole thing catered but I can't decide on what cuisine that I or everyone else would like.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
DANNY AND SYLVIA
I saw an off-Bway performance of Danny and Sylvia, The Danny Kaye Musical, depicting the life of Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine. Brian Childers portrays the comedian, singer, dancer, actor who’s best known for those fast and funny numbers like Minnie the Moocher. Danny Kaye, born Danny Kaminsky, met Sylvia Fine (Kimberly Faye Greenberg) at an audition. Sylvia wrote music and lyrics. The relationship moved on to manager and marriage. Show is being performed at St. Luke’s Theatre, 308 W. 46th St.
The book and lyrics for this show were written by Robert McElwaine and the music by Bob Bain. Fine’s songs are: Anatole of Paris; The Maladjusted Jester; and Melody in 4F. Those who are Danny Kaye fans (like myself) will love Childers’ recreation of the “tummler”. Expect to have Childers on my radio show this week.
The book and lyrics for this show were written by Robert McElwaine and the music by Bob Bain. Fine’s songs are: Anatole of Paris; The Maladjusted Jester; and Melody in 4F. Those who are Danny Kaye fans (like myself) will love Childers’ recreation of the “tummler”. Expect to have Childers on my radio show this week.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
NEW KITTIES
On Tuesday the 12th, Crystal Turpin, the Assistant GM or the New York Sharks, shows up at my house with two kitties from the same litter. Boy kitties. Not so easy to tell them apart. I think she said that they were 6 weeks old. After I saw the kitties Crystal told me to call Andra Douglas, the owner of the team. It appears that she was in on this as well. I think this was planned just about after my dear Mallory went to kitty heaven. Named one Theo (as in theobromine, if that's how you spell it...the chemical that's in cacoa beans that makes you happy. The other is Max, named after my father. They spend much of the time playing with each other...ruff housing. How come they don't bleed when they are scratched? Today I bought a few scratching posts. Better to scratch those then my limbs. I'll have them co-host my radio show in a few months...or maybe sooner. Max is the one on the top left and Theo bottom right.
Monday, May 11, 2009
YUUCCH! TO WOODHAVEN'S AVENUE DINER
Woodhaven had its claim to fame with Lewis of Woodhaven, Tony’s Meat Market, Jason’s Toy Store and the Forestview Diner. Nothing could replace Lewis’, Jason’s or Tony’s but Forestview had a few changes, the last now a restaurant called Avenue Diner, at 91-06 Jamaica Avenue.
Being a diner, the cuisine falls toward mostly American, Italian and Greek cuisine. Convenient but what about the food and prices? Let’s begin with breakfast. With McDonald’s just across the street how do you command the price of two eggs, toast and homefries for the price of $3.75…then adding tax and tip? A sandwich of just one egg is $1.75. If you’re hungry you can always splurge for eggs benedict at $8.45. Add a few extra bucks for juice. Coffee? $1.00 for a small but $1.25 if you don’t want the caffeine.
Let me tell you about my own experience. I thought that since they deliver locally it would be a change from the usual Chinese or Italian. I ordered an appetizer of Buffalo wings. Six small wing pieces for $5. There was a blue cheese dressing with no sign of chunks and not even a few pieces of celery. Quite bland for Buffalo wings…not spicy at all, no sauce, and it’s not as if they ask if you want it mild, hot, etc. What a ripoff! I mean cross the street to the Chinese restaurant and five whole fried wings are less than $3!
I wanted to try one of the Greek Specialties. Forget the gyro as they don’t have the facilities for the real thing. For $5.50 you get thawed out strips of a combo of beef and lamb. I figured I’d be safe with the $8 Greek Souvlaki platter of marinated pork cubes and small Greek Salad. Safe it wasn’t. I don’t know who cut up the cubes but I found slivers of bone that I almost choked on. I’m not even sure what it was marinated in but the overpowering garlic in the homemade cucumber sauce might have covered it up. The entire meal, came to $14.10 plus tip and one of the worst meals I’ve tempted to eat. Hey, even a Nutrisystem dinner would have been better!
I called to Michael, the owner, to complain about the bones. He couldn’t understand and asked if I wanted something else as they would have the guy pick it up to return. I certainly didn’t want to chance eating anything from this joint….which all arrived luke warm. He asked if I wanted my money back. Now, you’d think that after discovering the bones that my entire money would be returned.
The delivery guy brings me $8.00! I had to call back! They charged me tax…so why don’t I get that back as well. Michael had stepped out and the co-partner Paul was there, asking about how much of the food I ate. Can you believe that? It turns out that the delivery guy came back with change in his hand saying that he was to give me another 25 cents, but had 70 cents in his hand. What does that say about the delivery guy? So now get this. It cost me $5 plus the tax and tip that I gave for the whole meal for 5 tiny pieces of wings!!! That's more than $2 for a whole wing!!!!
Right now I am experiencing an EXTREME DIGESTIVE UPSET. Perhaps it’s time for the health department to make a trip even though they recently opened. Whoops! I guess they did. On 4/03/09 there were 26 violation points…you’d think they’d learn after Forestview closed because of the extreme failure that led to its closing. Over 25 demands another inspection.
I want to add that Michael said that he would speak with the person that does the butchering to see that it doesn't happen again. My guess is that it had nothing to do with the butchering but the state of the kitchen and that these bone slivers were on the counter and somehow got tossed into the food. Come on now...pointy slivers of bone? Who's to say that it even came from pork? Unfortunately I didn't examine the rest of the pork sitting atop the Greek salad.
Cross Woodhaven Blvd for a sure thing at Mama Meena’s Family Restaurant at 94-20 Jamaica Avenue. Maybe you have pictures of what you think is Filipino cuisine. Fried Calamari at the Avenue Diner will run you $6.95 vs. Mama Meena’s for $5.50. You’ll certainly taste the difference in freshness. Or how about three full grilled squid for only $8!!! So why didn’t I order from them? Unfortunately they do not deliver. Why? The prices are too low. Now, you may think that low prices means low quality….not! They just want to be affordable and serve fresh and tasty food. Check out their blog at www.mamameenas.blogspot.com
Being a diner, the cuisine falls toward mostly American, Italian and Greek cuisine. Convenient but what about the food and prices? Let’s begin with breakfast. With McDonald’s just across the street how do you command the price of two eggs, toast and homefries for the price of $3.75…then adding tax and tip? A sandwich of just one egg is $1.75. If you’re hungry you can always splurge for eggs benedict at $8.45. Add a few extra bucks for juice. Coffee? $1.00 for a small but $1.25 if you don’t want the caffeine.
Let me tell you about my own experience. I thought that since they deliver locally it would be a change from the usual Chinese or Italian. I ordered an appetizer of Buffalo wings. Six small wing pieces for $5. There was a blue cheese dressing with no sign of chunks and not even a few pieces of celery. Quite bland for Buffalo wings…not spicy at all, no sauce, and it’s not as if they ask if you want it mild, hot, etc. What a ripoff! I mean cross the street to the Chinese restaurant and five whole fried wings are less than $3!
I wanted to try one of the Greek Specialties. Forget the gyro as they don’t have the facilities for the real thing. For $5.50 you get thawed out strips of a combo of beef and lamb. I figured I’d be safe with the $8 Greek Souvlaki platter of marinated pork cubes and small Greek Salad. Safe it wasn’t. I don’t know who cut up the cubes but I found slivers of bone that I almost choked on. I’m not even sure what it was marinated in but the overpowering garlic in the homemade cucumber sauce might have covered it up. The entire meal, came to $14.10 plus tip and one of the worst meals I’ve tempted to eat. Hey, even a Nutrisystem dinner would have been better!
I called to Michael, the owner, to complain about the bones. He couldn’t understand and asked if I wanted something else as they would have the guy pick it up to return. I certainly didn’t want to chance eating anything from this joint….which all arrived luke warm. He asked if I wanted my money back. Now, you’d think that after discovering the bones that my entire money would be returned.
The delivery guy brings me $8.00! I had to call back! They charged me tax…so why don’t I get that back as well. Michael had stepped out and the co-partner Paul was there, asking about how much of the food I ate. Can you believe that? It turns out that the delivery guy came back with change in his hand saying that he was to give me another 25 cents, but had 70 cents in his hand. What does that say about the delivery guy? So now get this. It cost me $5 plus the tax and tip that I gave for the whole meal for 5 tiny pieces of wings!!! That's more than $2 for a whole wing!!!!
Right now I am experiencing an EXTREME DIGESTIVE UPSET. Perhaps it’s time for the health department to make a trip even though they recently opened. Whoops! I guess they did. On 4/03/09 there were 26 violation points…you’d think they’d learn after Forestview closed because of the extreme failure that led to its closing. Over 25 demands another inspection.
I want to add that Michael said that he would speak with the person that does the butchering to see that it doesn't happen again. My guess is that it had nothing to do with the butchering but the state of the kitchen and that these bone slivers were on the counter and somehow got tossed into the food. Come on now...pointy slivers of bone? Who's to say that it even came from pork? Unfortunately I didn't examine the rest of the pork sitting atop the Greek salad.
Cross Woodhaven Blvd for a sure thing at Mama Meena’s Family Restaurant at 94-20 Jamaica Avenue. Maybe you have pictures of what you think is Filipino cuisine. Fried Calamari at the Avenue Diner will run you $6.95 vs. Mama Meena’s for $5.50. You’ll certainly taste the difference in freshness. Or how about three full grilled squid for only $8!!! So why didn’t I order from them? Unfortunately they do not deliver. Why? The prices are too low. Now, you may think that low prices means low quality….not! They just want to be affordable and serve fresh and tasty food. Check out their blog at www.mamameenas.blogspot.com
Sunday, May 10, 2009
McCormick & Schmick's Preview
top left Atlantic Salmon stuffed with crab, bay shrimp and Brie. Top right Chocolate basket filled with fresh berries and white chocolate mousse. Bottom left Large Sampler of oysters on the half shell - oysters from: James River, Ware River VA; Carlsbad Blonde, Carlsbad CA; Duck Island, Long Island Sound NY; Kumamoto, Baja Mexico; East End, Peconic Bay New York; Lasquiti Island, British Columbia Canada.
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