A Local and a Chain

We ate at two very good places here in NYC over the course of the last few days. The one we went to on the Fourth of July was the more special of the two for various reasons, but they both deserve mention.

Since it was too hot and we didn't feel like grilling on the Fourth, we went to a barbecue place in Astoria we hadn't tried before. It's called Butcher Bar, though the sign on the building just says "Smoke." Small but comfortable on the inside, there's also a backyard garden for dining though too steamy that night for us. We were drawn to Butcher Bar because its website said all the meat is grass-fed, free-range, hormone and antibiotic free, etc., and everything they serve is organic. There were even vegetarian options like veggie burgers for the friend my son brought along, but I wouldn't go in there if I were a strict vegetarian, because they do have a meat-market case and there's a lot of red, raw meat on display. Well, it suited me fine, but only because of the afore-mentioned natural-ness of the meat. I ordered a 1/4 pound each of the pulled pork and brisket (I wanted burnt ends but, like most good bbq places they were sold out by that time of the day) and mashed potatoes. My husband got ribs and potato salad. Everything was divine - I mean scrumptious! And very reasonably priced. However, as friendly, kind, helpful, and fast the waitresses were, the kitchen couldn't keep up with the rush. We waited about a 1/2 for our food and my son and his friend longer, as they came in after us. The waitress said they were always busy on holidays, but if that's the case, the management should plan ahead for it. Oh, and it took about 15 minutes to get our check back after we gave them the credit card, so maybe the waitresses got overwhelmed too. Anyway, I love the idea of a local place that serves great, natural and organic, sustainable food in a nice and friendly atmosphere. For this I rate Butcher Bar:
Extraordinarily sincere!

The chain restaurant we visited Friday the Fifth for lunch in Manhattan was Chop't - a place many readers may already be familiar with. I hadn't yet experienced the chopped salad phenomenon, but it sounded good, and Jon and I just needed a quick, light lunch. Jon ordered a Cobb Salad while I was still deciding, but when we looked at the amount of food going into it, decided to split it. He asked them to divide it into two bowls and I thought they would quibble, but they did it ever so cheerfully, at no extra charge. They were patient as he decided on the dressing, and in general were very friendly - something you don't always find in NYC. At the cashier, we were thinking about getting a drink, and she offered us a free cup of ice water. Very nice. The place was cool and comfortable - we even got a booth, and best of all, the meats are all free-range and hormone free. The veggies are not necessarily organic, but they try to serve local foods as much as possible. The salad was delicious and half of it was plenty for lunch. The whole thing, at 670 calories would have been way over the top for me, but most salads there had way fewer calories - between 300 and 400 for the whole thing, which is more like it. And one more super-plus: you can recycle the plastic to-go bowls and all other plastics, except the forks. They also have to-stay bowls that they wash and re-use, but we didn't think of it in time. I try to avoid chains, though this one is only in NY and Washington D.C. so far. I have to say, Chop't is one I'd try it again. So, though I would rarely give a chain our highest rating, I'll certainly rate it:
Pretty sincere!

The Best Public, Public Bathroom in New York City, and Other Suggestions

Locals and tourists alike are often looking for the same thing, no matter what city they're in: a convenient, clean, FREE, public bathroom. I've heard that in some cities, like London, you pay for certain public bathrooms. In many places, we rely on McDonalds, Starbucks or other fast-food joints that we recognize. In New York City, McDonalds is rarely clean, and at Starbucks you have to ask for the key. Neither of those options work for me.

I like to know my bathroom choices, whether I'm traveling abroad, or traveling around my own city, New York. Here, I know where there's a bathroom I can use no matter where I am, though there are different levels of restroom preferences. Hands down, the best public bathroom in New York City, and by public I mean free and not on or in private property, is the bathroom on the 42nd Street side of Bryant Park, between Fifth and Sixth Avenue. Though a little small, only three stalls in the ladies room (and I'm afraid I can only speak to the ladies' side), as you enter, the first thing you see is a huge bouquet of fresh flowers. Inside, the room is spotlessly clean. An attendant, whom you are not pressured to tip, is on hand to keep things clean, and make sure people don't linger needlessly (I hate to say this, but let's face it, she keeps the homeless people from mucking it up, though I hope she allows them to use it.) There's even classical music playing! Sometimes there's a line, but it's usually not a long one. It's definitely a place for the quicker pit stops, and I don't believe there's a diaper changing table.

All of NYC's parks have restrooms. Another decent one is in Central Park, along the stairs that are near the Bethesda Fountain. It's big, and usually clean, but there's no guarantee of that, and it's only handy if you're in the middle of Central Park. There are several other OK bathrooms in CP, but as in the other parks, none of them is great.

If you're not in the Bryant Park area or the vicinity of another city park when you need a bathroom, I recommend a few other options that don't involve going into a restaurant where you have to buy something or ask for a key:

1. Department stores - big, clean and you can generally take your time, but you have to be

willing to go in, find it, and get out without being distracted by shopping.

2. Sit down/take out cafes - I'm thinking of places like Europa Cafe, Panera Bread, or similar. Some are better than others. At most of these kinds of places, no one notices you coming in just to use the bathroom. However, some of their restrooms are quite small, and they're not always clean. Certain other places, like Le Pain Quotidien, are designed to make it really obvious if you're just going in to use the bathroom, so you have to choose carefully.

3. Churches. These can be iffy because churches in NYC are not always open to the public except on Sunday morning. However, a place like St. Patrick's Cathedral, which is a tourist attraction as well as a church, is a good choice - free, clean, and no one is paying attention to whether you are only going in for the bathroom.

4. Bookstores: same pros and cons as department stores.5. Pizza or bagel joints. Anything that is considered a restaurant is supposed to have a public bathroom, but in NYC these little pizza and bagel places, delis as well, don't always, and even if they do, they're generally disgusting, just to discourage you from using them. Same with Chinese take-out places. I once used one where I had to step over a huge hole in the floor to use the toilet. Ew. (However, this doesn't compare to the actual hole in the ground that passed for a ladies room at the train station in Chiusi, Tuscany. That one, however, was far superior to the filthy hole in the ground I once used at a "bathroom" at a beach in Acapulco.)

5. Whole Foods/Trader Joes, etc. Similar issues to department stores and bookstores.

6. Libraries. Passable, but you have to get well inside and be scrutinized by the security. (Another anecdote: I was in a small town in England and needed a potty. I went into the library, and politely asked if they had a restroom. The woman replied, "We don't have anything so fancy as that here, but there is a public toilet down the street." I can't remember if I had to pay for it or not.)7. Public atriums. They all have to have restrooms and they can be really nice, but they don't make them easy to find. There's a big, beautiful one in Trump Tower, 5th Ave and 56th street, but you have to go all the way downstairs, past the restaurants and down a long hallway. It's worth it when you get there though.

Knowing where these kinds of places are in relation to where you're shopping, doing errands, or site-seeing, can really make a difference. If I'm downtown in the Village, I might stop into the Whole Foods in Union Square for a pit stop. More preferable still is The Strand bookstore on Broadway and 12th, and there's a Barnes and Noble on Union Square North as well as on on 18th and 5th Ave. Around St. Mark's Place there's a pizza place on the corner of St. Mark's and 3rd Ave that will do, though it's not very clean, and the bathroom in Washington Square Park will do in a pinch. I don't go all the way downtown to around Wall Street very often, but there's a Burger King down there that immediately comes to mind. In Chelsea, there's Chelsea Market, around the FlatIron District I believe you can find bathrooms in Eataly, but that's the most distracting and fascinating place in the world, so be careful. Around 34th Street there's Macy's, then farther uptown is the afore-mentioned Bryant Park restroom. Midtown, there's a Whole Foods in Columbus Circle, several atriums - you can Google these just by entering "Atriums, Manhattan" - libraries, and of course Central Park. I have to say, I'm not that familiar with the Upper West Side, but tourists don't spend a lot of time there anyway, except in Central Park or the Natural History museum, which of course have lots of bathrooms. That brings me to museums in general. Even if they're pay-what-you can, like the Met or the Natural History, it's not worth that buck or two because they're hidden in the depths of the museum, and unless you have lots of time to spare, you really risk getting pulled into the wonders that lie within the museum itself. On the Upper East Side there's a Barnes and Noble on 86th & Lex, also a Bed Bath and Beyond around 63rd and 1st Avenue - they always have bathrooms. I once used a bathroom in Ralph Lauren around Madison Ave. and 72nd street, but I really had to pretend to be shopping. 

I hope this post helps you be prepared for your time in NYC. After all, these little realities of life are important when you're planning that dream vacation - especially with kids.

Evaluation of Bryant Park Public Bathroom and by default the NYC Parks Department: Extraordinarily sincere!

Here are some suggestions from other sites:

http://gonyc.about.com/cs/atozinde1/a/bathrooms.htm

http://www.nyrestroom.com/

http://untappedcities.com/newyork/2010/02/07/i-have-to-pee-public-bathrooms-in-nyc/

Sugarfreak

We had been wanting to try Sugarfreak since it opened a few months ago, but Jon's gluten allergy, and my intolerance to sugar kept us away. When I first glanced at the menu one day as I walked by it on 30th Ave, all I saw were po-boy and muffaletta sandwiches (hence, the gluten), and that name...well it scared me a little. Still, I was intrigued by what looked like shower curtains covering the front window, and the New Orleans theme. Once my friend and co-contributor to this blog, Teresa Barile, reviewed it for the Queens Gazette and gave it a big thumbs up, we decided it was time, especially when, upon closer perusal online, we discovered buttermilk fried chicken and blackened catfish on the menu. According to Teresa, the name Sugarfreak came from the original intent to make the place a bakery. I'm so glad they decided to ditch that idea.

At any rate, when we dropped by for dinner last night. we were immediately charmed by the interior. The "shower curtains," as it turns out, are actually vintage tablecloths that are also used for dividers between booths and on comfy back-pillows. Even the furnishings themselves made us drool - gorgeous antique kitchen tables and chairs that we wished we could sneak out with. We also were tempted to pocket the teeny mason jars used as salt and pepper shakers. And I was so in love with the bathroom: a bucket for a sink, colorful mardi-gras lights strung all around and a pull string toilet, I actually stayed a few minutes longer than I needed to and tried out a few Charleston steps to the Dixie-land music that was playing on a taped-shut CD player hanging from a towel rack. Sounds too kitschy? It somehow manages not to be, but rather walks the line between friendly family place and hip hangout. There were lots of well-behaved babies with their young moms and dads there the night we went - the place so crowded by the time we left at 8:00 we were glad our grown-up family had dined on the early side.

The food was good, but I'm not gonna say great. I tasted the fried chicken but still think I make better. The catfish was tender and delicious but I sensed a pre-made spice mixture was used. The sweet potato fries were probably the same frozen  brand I use, though I bake mine and they fry theirs. The mac and cheese was outstanding, however, and the chocolate bread pudding for dessert was so decadent I only had to smell it to know how wonderful it was. For a more complete assessment of the food, go to Teresa's review: http://bit.ly/wVVLLF because she tried many more things than we did. The service, though friendly, was a little slow, and when my husband ordered a salad, the server might have mentioned that another one came with the dinner, but the prices are right. Anyway, we liked it enough to definitely go back, and are looking forward to bringing out-of-town friends there. In a city (Astoria, Queens) where you could go to a different, great restaurant every night of the year and still not try them all, Sugarfreak is definitely a stand out.

Evaluation: 
Very sincere

36-18 30th Avenue ASTORIA (718) 726 5850

Sugarfreak.com

Pita Hot...What?

Sometimes you just gotta put the spotlight on the little guy. I doubt anyone cares about a tiny gyro shop tucked away on a busy street in Astoria, Queens, NYC, but my son is such a fanatic about their shawarma (sliced, ground lamb in a pita) that I had to give Pita Hot a try. First of all, the name is awfully cute, don't you think? A little play on Pizza Hut except that it doesn't really make sense, since in English, of course, we would say Hot Pita. I'm sure the owner either doesn't know or care, and why should he?

But I digress. Anyway, I went in to order a felafel (ground chick peas and spices rolled in balls and fried, served in a pita with veggies and sauce) and found the counter man, probably the owner, a large, middle-aged, middle-eastern type, as friendly as could be. He cheerfully took my order, then proceeded to offer me hot pita triangles dipped in fresh hummous (ground chick peas and spices in a paste.) It was phenomenal. He offered the same to all the customers who came in, and knew some of their orders before they spoke. My son tells me this is true of his - the guy knows to add extra hot sauce but no veggies.

I got my felafel in about 5 minutes and took it home to eat instead of there in the tiny restaurant with just a smattering of tables and chairs. It was good. Not as good as the fresh hummous, but good. Good enough to remain impressed with Pita Hot's level of sincerity, and want to recommend it to others. So if you are in Astoria anytime soon, drop by for a cheap, satisfying, middle-eastern sandwich, made to order. It's the friendliest shawarma you'll find anywhere.

Evaluation: Very sincere
25-15 30th Ave
Astoria, NY 11102
(718) 932-8282

Word Books, Brooklyn

Luis Alberto Urrea signs Queen of America at
Word Books, Brooklyn. Photo courtesy of
WordBrooklyn.com

On a mild December night, I took my husband for a surprise visit to an independent bookstore in Brooklyn to give him his Christmas present: not just a hard-cover version of the recently released Queen of America by Luis Alberto Urrea, a book we'd been anticipating as the sequel to our favorite, The Hummingbird's Daughter, but a signed copy and a chance to meet the author.

Jon was delighted when he realized what his present was. We've been a fan of Urrea's for a long time and were both just thrilled to meet him. But we were also delighted with the venue in which this reading and signing were taking place - not a Barnes & Noble, not a Borders, or other Starbucks-ridden big-box behemoth, but a cozy, well-stocked bookstore in Brooklyn with a lovely children's section and a knowledgeable and friendly staff.

We were led into the basement where Urrea and his wife were setting up a slide show, we were offered refreshments and encouraged to enter a raffle for 18 signed books of all different titles offered by the bookstore. Then Mr. Urrea showed pictures of his real-life main characters upon which his historical-fictional novel is based. He answered questions, and finally did a memorized reading, more of an acting out, of a scene from Queen of America. The man should be on Broadway. Then my husband got in line to have his newly purchased copy signed and I had a great chat with a staff member about the book A Fearful Symmetry by another favorite author, Audrey Niffenegger.

And guess what...I won the raffle! However, that is not why I chose Word Books for this blog. They fit all the Sincerity criteria and then some (even providing lots of community outreach, according to their website). My husband came away feeling like he'd gotten the best Christmas present ever, and I walked off with a charmed impression of the shop. We don't have anymore independent bookstores where I live, Astoria, Queens, so Word Books is now my bookstore of choice. Merry Christmas to us!

Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!
126 Franklin Street Brooklyn, NY 11222 | 718-383-0096
www.wordbrooklyn.com

The Most Sincere Pumpkin Patch

Searching For Sincerity was inspired by the idea of Linus and his sincere pumpkin patch. Ever since our son was small, we've gone on "expotitions" (to quote Winnie the Pooh) each fall, to upstate New York, or Long Island, or some rural area in search of the most sincere pumpkin patch from which to choose our Halloween pumpkins. Forget the patches with the big, balloon pumpkins in front, the corn mazes, the haunted houses...we wanted the real experience, a farm with pumpkins that they grew, a place where we could choose the perfect specimens without the extraneous Halloween commercialism. Some years we had extraordinary success, other years our search ended at the handiest roadside stand available. We rarely went to the same patch...our purpose was to explore...to always be looking for the most sincere of the sincere. So obsessed were we, we began to judge everything in terms of sincerity: restaurants, shops, businesses of all kinds - hence this blog.

Finally, we have found THE most sincere pumpkin patch in the world. How do we know it's the most sincere? It's ours. I accidentally planted pumpkin seeds in our community garden plot, thinking they were butternut squash and they grew like mad. Sometime in July we realized they were pumpkins, not butternut, and we became excited at the prospect of raising our own Halloween pumpkins. Only once before did we manage to grow a pumpkin there, and that attempt ended in tragedy...see video: http://bit.ly/pmEluU

Jon with two pumpkins across the street from
Two Coves Community Garden

The only thing lacking today, this glorious September day that Jon and I went to our very own patch to pick FOUR beautiful pumpkins, was our son, who is now grown and no longer much interested in pumpkin patches. However, we gave one of them to our little one-year old neighbor Valentina, because we knew she'd like it, and the other three sit on our mantle awaiting carving, or eating, or whatever we're inspired to do with them. It's still a little early for Halloween, but they'll probably last 'til then. In the meantime, it looks like more pumpkins may still come out of our patch, and we now get to revel in our own supreme sincerity. Don't tell me that the fact that we deem ourselves sincere automatically makes us insincere. No, no. We've earned the distinction. Sincere we are indeed.
Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere! (of course)

Jon and Georgina's garden plot
Two Coves Community Garden
Astoria, NY

The Sandwich King of Astoria

Over the door the awning proudly informs us that this is Sal, Kris, and Charlie's Deli. More importantly it declares that this place is the the fabled Sandwich King of Astoria - which is what Georgina and I have been referring to since arriving in Astoria some 12 years ago.


On the way to board a plane that no longer bothers (now that I think about it thankfully so) to even pretend to serve food ? - Let's stop at the Sandwich King. Road trip? Sandwich King. Spontaneous picnic? Sandwich King. Etc..


Why is this place the stuff of legend? How do they have the nerve to self-declare that they are the Kings of the sandwich? The truth is in the fresh baked choice of rolls, the delicious deli meats, the available peppers, tomatoes, lettuce with a nice slathering of mayo. It is in the way the guys greet you and work together behind the counter in a dance of flying knives, happy banter and a concentration on making the best sandwiches one can possibly imagine. 


Hail to thee Sandwich King. Long may you reign! Huzzah!


Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!

33-12 23rd Ave, Astoria, NY 11102

(718) 278-9240

The City of New York - Money Woes Equal Unethical Behavior.

Georgina would tell me that everyone knows that the city is not sincere and would suggest that I chose some other place to write about... but Georgina isn't here at the moment, and I just got a notice from the city that has really gotten me angry. A while back, when there was nothing like snow on the ground taking up parking spaces, I received a ticket in Brooklyn for parking in a bus zone. The photo on the right is one that I sent along with my not-guilty plea. That's my white Honda in the distance. It was so ridiculous that I figured the cop had somehow lost his mind for a few minutes and had gotten it totally wrong. I took photos. My friend took photos. I sent in my obviously not-guilty plea.

Admittedly, I included the following: As is clearly shown in these three photos my car was not parked in the bus zone. I was parked legally in every way. If more photos are needed to prove my point they are available. With all due respect I consider this to be a waste of taxpayer money, a waste of paper, a waste of stamps and postal service gasoline, and a waste of time. The officer who issued this ticket might benefit from additional training.

Well, the judge found against me. I appealed that decision and received a form letting me know this" "upon review of the entire record we find no error of fact or law. The judge's decision is upheld." What can I do about it now? Nothing! Other than write about it here which does serve to make me feel somehow better. I mean, I get it - the judge didn't like it that I said what was on my mind. Still, judges are paid to uphold the law not make it up as they go along. If you're interested, this link Parking Ticket Blackmail contains all of my communication with them, and their automaton responses. Am I still pissed off you ask? Sure, I am, but you've made me feel so much better.

Be careful out there. The city of New York is raising money and they don't much care about how they go about it. To those in charge we represent dollar signs.

Evaluation: You need to ask? Really?

Subway System - Greatest-City-In-The-World

As Georgina and I troll the world searching for that somewhat elusive quality, we more often encounter its exact opposite. Such is the case when we use the subways here in NYC (practically every day). In the midst of what could be one of the least sincere business ventures around, there's something that stands out to me as being below and beyond the threshold of insincerity: the MTA escalators, carrying hundreds of thousands of commuters from one level to another, are equipped with speaker-systems presumably to keep travelers informed of delays, scheduling changes or whatever other important information needs to be conveyed. They are used more regularly however to deliver a message. A woman's mechanical voice repeats, "Have - A - Nice - Day" in an endless loop of disingenuous good wishes.
Although there is, of course no one there, I feel somewhat compelled to respond in kind, "Thank - You - Very - Much - For - Your - Thought-ful-ness. - By - The - Way - Your - Guard - Rail - Has - A - Terr-i-ble - Squeak."

Evaluation: No Comment

The Sock Man

Such a basic necessity, socks. Few businesses, though, specialize exclusively in that lowly commodity and related leg-ware. Enter The Sock Man - a tiny store and sidewalk table that has been a presence on St. Mark's Place in the East Village for as long as I can remember, and that's a mighty long time. Notable, when so many other St. Mark's institutions have gone the way of gentrification. Is it the cheapest place to buy socks? No, but some pretty good deals can be had on the sidewalk table where you'll find the more basic gym variety and such. Walk inside and you'll discover walls and counters crammed with every conceivable style of hosiery available, from the sexy to the hip. This is where I've encountered tights and leggings that, for about $10.00-$20.00 a pop, have lasted me, literally, for years (they sell these mid-weight cotton tights that are the bees knees). The help is super friendly, and the music, well, let's just say that if I don't know what's playing, I ask. Go Sock Man!

Evaluation: Very sincere
 
 www.thesockman.com
 27 Saint Marks Pl
New York, NY 10003-7813
(212) 529-0300

VestaTrattoria and Wine Bar

Recently, two lost, bedraggled Texan ladies staggered through the streets of Astoria, Queens, trying to find their way to the home of their sister/step-aunt who cruelly was not answering her cell phone. Determined to be strong, they found refuge in a quaint wine bar called Vesta until said sister/step-aunt could be reached. There they found sustenance in a couple of lovely glasses of wine and, lo and behold, a friendly Texan bartender. They had miraculously stumbled upon one of Astoria's little treasures.

They had no way of knowing that they were only two blocks away from me, sister to one, step-aunt to the other, who's cell phone had died. But as soon as I got home and plugged it in, I was able to guide them on their way. Well, they were in no hurry. Vesta is cozy and pretty: dark woods and cheery windows, not more than ten tables in the whole place. If they'd stayed for dinner, they would have been treated to fresh, seasonal food, much of it locally grown, Italian in theory, but with an international flair. The menu is small and changes now and then. The staff is indeed the friendliest you'll find anywhere in NYC and the prices are affordable.

Jon and I were thrilled to see a place like Vesta open in our humble neighborhood, and other like-minded establishments soon followed. Yet somehow we don't feel we're being gentrified, just grateful to have such a nice place within walking distance. Those two Texan ladies will attest, Vesta is:
Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!

21-02 30th Ave
Astoria, NY 11102
7 1 8 - 5 4 5  -5 5 5 0
http://www.vestavino.com

Sandra Cameron Dance Center

When we first started taking Swing classes at Sandra Cameron Dance Center, we weren't compelled to comment on its sincerity or its lack thereof. I mean, we immediately liked the teachers, but otherwise it just seemed a business like any other: good service, but dedicated to the dollar - not that there's anything necessarily wrong with that. Our one month of "Basic Swing," a terrific deal for $80.00, was so much fun we repeated it a second month. Then, we were hooked. We went on to pre-intemediate, when the price jumped to $90.00 for one class per month, and you have to take, like, 6 sections of pre-intermediate before you move up to intermediate/advanced, but they do give various discounts which helps. We're now into our fifth month of classes and have found that we love Swing dancing on about the same level that we love kayaking - which is a lot. The good thing about dancing is that there are a lot more opportunities for it in NYC than kayaking. I mean, you can't kayak in your living room. There are, however, lots of cheap or free venues for Swing dancing in this town.

But I digress. I now feel Sandra Cameron Dance Center deserves an evaluation.

The teachers are beyond dedicated. They've invited us to participate in performances, giving extra time and energy to working with us, and at the same time they're fun and funny and superb, superb dancers. I get the sense that the same applies to the Salsa, Tango, Ballroom, (etc.) teachers there (though I haven't taken those classes) because the place is so dang popular. Once a month, they have a guest night and invite the public to take free Salsa and Swing classes, view performances and attend practice dances. When we checked out another school's guest night recently, we were struck by its lack of sincerity as opposed to SCDC. First, they charged $10.00. Second, it was all sell, sell, sell, and third, the music stank. So, especially after having had a chance to compare SCDC with another studio, we realized that it's indeed worth evaluating and deem it:
Evaluation: Very sincere

Sandra Cameron Dance Center
199 Lafayette Street
NY, NY 10012
212-431-1825
dance@sandracameron.com

Governor's Island, NYC

The blogosphere is abuzz with comments on the disaster that was the Parked Food Truck Festival at Governor's Island, NYC, September 5th, 2010. My job, however, is to comment on the sincerity or lack thereof of the experience. Until that fateful Labor Day weekend, I had never been to Governor's Island but had heard a lot about the events there and how nice they all were, though from whom I can't quite remember. So Jon and I, in the interest of having a new adventure and not sitting on our butts all weekend, decided to check it out. My assessment is as follows:
The ferry ride to Governor's Island at approximately 3:30 p.m. was spectacular and we didn't wait long to board though there were tons of people (which should have given us a clue as to what awaited us). I love a good boat ride, so I was a happy camper. It takes about 10 minutes to get there from South Ferry - there's also a Brooklyn Ferry. Evaluation of the ferry: Very sincere

Once we arrived on the island, we discovered that The Parked Food Truck Festival we'd come to enjoy was a horror-show: hundreds of people in each line, the vendors and promoters, MeanRed, obviously overwhelmed, and many visitors ending up not eating at all - including us. Evaluation of the festival: Not even in the ballpark
Governor's Island as a whole was not as lovely as I'd expected - just kind of a big park with lots of official-type buildings and...tons of people. We did end up going to an art fair there, a kind-of multi-tiered gallery with some rather good art displayed, but in general, I felt my Sunday afternoon was wasted. That and the lack of food made me way crankier than I like to be on a beautiful long weekend. It made me wonder: when is a good time to go to Governor's Island? When would it not be crowded? On a weekday? It's only open Fri-Sun. When the weather's bad? Why bother? My overall evaluation of the Governor's Island experience so heavily promoted by our fair city: Not sincere at all

Ad Hoc Art

This is perhaps one of the more challenging evaluations I've posted, the reason being that Ad Hoc Art is something more ethereal than what we usually address on these pages. Ad Hoc Art is the organization we originally contacted to assist us in making the Welling Court Mural Project happen. When Georgina and I were originally introduced to the gallery owners, Garrison and Alison, also known as the art entity Buxtonia,  there was a physical location for their highly creative endeavors, but now that earth bound caterpillar (though quite beautiful and compelling all on it's own), has become more than the sum of  its parts. It has gone thorough a synchronistic metamorphosis.
Alison and Garrison continue to do exactly as they have always done, in that they are a focal point and a guiding force for the creation of public art by both up-and-coming and internationally recognized artists. They have an uncanny ability to bring disparate people and thoughts together into works far beyond what might occur without their subtle intervention. They are organizers and soothers in a highly chaotic and tumultuous world through which artists pass, create within, and are free to explore their newest visions. Ad Hoc assists in making it safe to be an artist in a consumerist environment that has identified this particular art style as having no value: works on the bricks of the local bodega cannot be monetized (OMG!) and are possibly even a bit dangerous. This sort of art often pushes people's buttons, though to my mind that's what art should be doing.

So it is that with the help of Ad Hoc Art, the world is slowly coming around to the understanding that there is a significant difference between the thoughtless and angry expression of gang-taggers, and graffiti artists. This art form originated here in NYC, and has since expanded onto the international stage with massive gatherings in Paris, Rome, and Amsterdam. Ad Hoc has very quietly allowed and encouraged many of those same artists, who now display their works on walls as well as in major galleries around the world, to return to where it all started, to pay homage to their beginnings, and it has done so with utter and complete sincerity.

Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!

 

http://adhocart.org

Whiskers Holistic Pet Care

We live with two cats, Thisby and Renfield. Thisby we retrieved from a cat-lady out near Coney Island. She (the cat) tends to be heavy, and occasionally resembles a wedge when she sits in the kitchen staring at us with that look of disdain. Or is it reproach? Renfield was found one Halloween night several years ago. Renfield is a cat completely at home with himself in the belief that he is the king of all things. He is also the creature who has incurred a couple of medical bills that caused a certain vet to rub his hands gleefully together whenever he saw us come in the door. This is how and why we discovered Whiskers Holistic Pet Care. The vet, in his great wisdom, had prescribed a particular dry cat food (Hill's Prescription Diet® k/d® Feline) that could only be purchased from him, or as I discovered after paying that exorbitant price a couple of times, through an online source that nevertheless insisted on seeing that damned prescription (clearly someone was afraid that I might eat that very special food for the high!). So Georgina and I asked a woman at Whiskers what could be done. The first thing she said was "don't feed your cats dry food." What do you know? It turns out the cats have been correct in their assertion that they are just smaller versions of their ferocious-snarling-beasts-of-the-jungle cousins. They need meat. They are thriving. We don't need prescription cat food. Whiskers gave us straight from the hip knowledgeable information. The cats are happy. We are happy. The vet? His Mercedes payments are late.

Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!



Two locations:
235 East 9th Street, New York - (212) 979-2532
1925 Ditmars Boulevard, Astoria - (718) 626-8590
whiskers.com

Cure Thrift Shop - Manhattan

A few months ago, I was sitting around having a high-flown discussion with a group of friends and artists around the theme of Value and what it meant to each of us. We came to the question, what is the one thing you wish you had but you would never buy for yourself ? My answer was: a really, nice bag, one of those purses that costs hundreds and ends up being a staple for years to come. I don't care about designer labels, but I've always thought that a really high-quality bag would be a classic addition to my vintage-based wardrobe. With the Value and Vintage themes in mind, I went with my husband to Cure Thrift Shop in the East Village, a place he had stumbled upon in his wanderings around town. He remembered what I'd said about the bag and he noticed they were having a big sale on purses. With very low expectations, I went, and there I found maybe a hundred bags of all kinds. I sorted through them, again with low expectations, until I began to notice that there was genuine Prada and Coach (even used out of my price range), but I realized that my chance was within reach. And then there it was. A brand new, pristine, Via Spiga bag, reddish brown leather, simple, understated, elegant, just the right number of pockets and just the right size. It was 35 bucks. I snagged it. (Later, I checked on line and found that the value of the bag, even on e-bay, was around $250 - very insincere of me, I know.)

Cure Thrift Shop doesn't always have that "bag event," running, but it's always a cool and interesting place to find clothes, furniture and other stuff. I found a beautiful Italian skirt there for $20, a linen blouse for $15, and though the selection isn't huge, I'd say they have just the right idea of the word Value. And your purchases go towards the cure for Diabetes. You can't beat that.

Evaluation: Very sincere

 

www.curethriftshop.com

111 East 12th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 505-7467

Wo Hop Chinese Restaurant

This is one of those places in the city that you just have to go to in order to understand the allure, and strangely there are two uniquely different locations in the same spot. There is the upstairs restaurant - on the street level where you can walk in - sit down and and have some average Chinese food that you can probably get just about anywhere, and then there's downstairs where the food is freakin' amazing! The waiters are not all that friendly, but the service is good and the kitchen is fast. We've asked about the difference in food quality only to be stoically informed that everything comes out of the same kitchen!

I kid you not - the guy at the cash register, who passed us this bit of information, didn't so much as grin or blink at the blatant lie, but I'm telling you - the truth is in the chop-sticks. Whether you take my word for it or not - upstairs and downstairs the prices are the same - which is to say very reasonable. But the thing is - if you do go downstairs you will most certainly want to write home and tell mom about it. Also, one other thing: in the world of home town sincere advertising you can buy a Wo Hop t-shirt in white or black sporting a v-cool red dragon on it (next best thing to a red dragon tattoo without the needles) for a mere $6.00

Evaluation: Pretty sincere

 

17 Mott Street, New York - (212) 566-3841

Starbucks in Capital One Bank in Starbucks in Capital One Bank

When I was about ten or so my friend and I (both of us avid Mad Magazine readers) laughed uproariously as we speculated on a new business we called, Bob's Bank and Grill. 

Evaluation: Words Fail Me (WFM)

 

Village Style Vintage Clothing Store, Manhattan

 Buying used or vintage clothes is not only good for the environment but it's a way to support local businesses and have great style on a budget. Enter Village Style, a terrific little vintage shop in Manhattan's East Village that not only has lots of good stuff but prices it appropriately. Let's face it, vintage clothes, are still, after all, used clothes, and I object to places that price vintage items like they're made out of gold. At Village Style, you can find the cutest 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's dresses you've ever seen priced from about $20 to $40.00, plus skirts, blouses and plenty of great men's shirts, T-shirts, belts and pants. They also sell a handful of accessories like hats, shoes. cowboy boots and purses. It's not a huge store so you don't spend a lot of time pawing through rack after rack, but can find what you're after quickly and easily. Sizes vary too - they aren't all just teeny-tiny. I wouldn't exactly call the staff friendly; after all, they do have to maintain a certain level of cool, but they're nice enough, and once gave me a discount just because they recognized the dress I was wearing as one they'd sold me.

Evaluation: Pretty sincere

 

It's located at 111 E. 7th Street, between 1st Ave. and Avenue A. Even knowing the address, it's oddly hard to find, but don't give up! It's worth the effort.

Build It Green - Building Supplies - Astoria, NY

This amazing place is right around the corner from my house and I'd heard about it for a while before taking a walk over to see what the buzz was all about. There was no way the buzz could possibly do justice to this handy-person's paradise. I started by wandering around open mouthed at huge lots of doors, windows, bathtubs, sinks, dressers and all sorts of other things that very few people outside of studio prop-masters could possibly have an interest it... I kid you not, the last time I went in there were like six coffins available. Were they used? Recycled? I dunno I never asked. So, Georgina and I decided to replace our medicine cabinet because the one we had was made of plastic, falling off the wall, and generally crappy. We wanted something like the sort of cabinet we grew up with - you know, those solid metal things from the 50s and 60s? Well, we found just the one - exactly what we wanted. It cost 20 bucks and the super helpful guys who priced it for us - asked it as a question. $20 okay? OMG - this is so not Home Depot.

Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!

 

www.bignyc.org

317 26th Avenue
Astoria, NY 11102
(718) 777-0132