The Queens Public Library - Astoria Branch

I go into the Astoria Branch of the Queens Public Library the other day looking for books on Italian history. It's just after school has let out and the place is packed with rowdy kids (the days of "shhh! this is a library!" is long gone). I look around for the research librarian to see him sitting at a table surrounded by children, patiently and kindly helping them with their homework. He's tall, thin and very pale - the perfect librarian. He looks too busy to interrupt. I ask someone else to help me but she directs me to him. I timidly let him know I don't want to interrupt and he says with a sweeping gesture, "This is my everyday existence. You are special today." I'm fairly certain they don't have what I want but he runs around looking anyway and we finally decide I should find a title online and see if they can order it. I take two books just to make him happy, check them out with the very surly librarian who's been there for 100 years and keeps the place from being too ridiculously sincere, and walk home musing about how I have that library to thank for helping me write my past two novels and will help me write my third. Little poor Astoria branch library, only open 1-5 Monday through Friday, has my sincere thanks.

Evaluation: Very sincere

Queens Public Library - Astoria Branch
Astoria Blvd. and 14th Street

 

El Boqueron Tapas Bar and Restaurant

El Boqueron has been on the same funky corner in Astoria for ten years. Right next to the elevated train, between two subway stops, it doesn't necessarily have the ultimate location for an upscale Spanish restaurant. Yet it's a well-traveled corner, and El Boqueron's beautiful awning catches the eye of the passerby. This is a place you go for a creative Sangria, delectable Tapas, and traditional Spanish main courses. It ain't all that cheap - yet priced within reason for a fancy Astoria joint. They've hung on through the difficult economy and have earned the distinction of a neighborhood institution. The owner and his kitchen staff pay fierce attention to freshness, authenticity and also innovation (I recently had a grilled mushroom and squid crostini-type tapa that knocked my socks off). And the garlic, oh, the garlic. Almost everything is infused with it in heady, magical ways. I cannot imagine finding better food in Spain itself though I've never been there. The staff is friendly and professional and the interior is gorgeous. Go hang out there for lovely wine and appetizers or a first class dinner - they even do lunch!

Evaluation: Very sincere!

  

31-01 34th Ave.
Astoria, NY 11106
718-956-0107
www.elboquerontapas.com

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

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

Mystic Pizza

Why evaluate a place that has been reviewed like a million times? Because my friend, this is not a review... This is an evaluation of sincerity.

The surprise was that this restaurant, as overloaded as it was with photos from the movie that helped make it famous - Julia Roberts pics, various other movie and music posters, and videos playing in every corner - turned out to be quite low key. Our waitress was friendly and laid back. Whatever our request, she was ready and able to grant it. the food was great and Georgina described it as possibly the best American Style pizza she'd ever tasted. It was a Sunday, so parking was not a problem (we parked in the bank lot next door in a spot that declared we'd be towed if we weren't bank customers, but then, by definition, banks are never sincere.) We went in and accepted that there'd be at least a fifteen minute wait. Five minutes later we were seated. The service was fast and casual, and we had a great time.

It must be said that the town of Mystic has very likely changed a lot since the time of the movie, since it's pretty much Disneyland Main Street USA all over again, with every emphasis on shopping and how to extract dollars from visitors, but the pizza of this all blown-out-of-proportion town was reasonably priced and delicious.

Evaluation: Very sincere


 
 Mystic Pizza
56 W. Main Street
Mystic, CT 06355
www.mysticpizza.com/restaurants.aspx

The New York City Tenement Museum

In the heart of the Lower East Side of Manhattan, where huddled masses of immigrants teemed a hundred years ago, a testament to their lives and their struggles beckons. It is called the NYC Tenement Museum. To go there is to time-travel to an era and a place which, if one had their choice via time machine, one would probably not choose to go. For it is at the Tenement Museum that you experience the cramped conditions, the lack, the desperation, but also the pervasive hope and determination of many of our ancestors and remember that, after all, we are a country of immigrants. 

You have to make an appointment to visit the Tenement Museum and you go on your tour in a small group. You choose the experience you wish to have - to learn about one particular family, be it Irish, Jewish, Russian, Greek or Italian, and their struggles. In my experience, the best one is the Confino Family tour where you meet a young actress, flawlessly portraying a Greek/Sephardic immigrant from early in the 20th century, see her home and ask her questions, which she answers completely in character. On the other tours you go with a guide through a family's restored apartment in this once condemned building and he or she explains the family's history and the artifacts therein.

Admission is a little steep: $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors, but they're pretty generous with discount coupons. They also do public school tours for a much lower price and they provide free tours to ESL groups. For all the grand museums in New York City, this small, rundown brick building on Orchard Street is for so many reasons, in my opinion, truly the most sincere.

Evaluation: Very sincere



http://www.tenement.org/ 
108 Orchard Street
New York, NY

Viva El Mariachi - restaurant

Over dinner last night, Georgina and I were talking about this project. We realized that the idea of searching for sincerity is really as much about stumbling into a place that somehow delivers that extra something that compels us to want to share its existence here, as anything else. Clearly, we've been very lucky in our encounters. The place where we were eating last night (a "Latino" restaurant in Jackson Heights) actually had very good food, our waiter was pleasant, and the atmosphere was nice enough, however it just didn't deliver the goods. On the other hand, Viva El Mariachi, little dive that it is, does. Why is that? Well, that's always the point on this blog isn't it? - We really don't know the answer, but we do  know when it's there and when it isn't. Mariachi is a place that very often has loud Mexican rocanrol, delivered via jukebox, blasting from big speakers at either end of the place, and simultaneously broadcasting an ongoing Spanish language soap-opera on each of the big flat screens that adorn the front and back of the dining room. The food is stunningly good, reasonably priced and nicely presented. The waitresses bemusedly tolerate my bad Spanish, and delights at Georgina's perfect Mexico City accent. There's no host nor hostess, and everyone just chooses a table that they feel comfortable at. Coming from the Southwest, we're always on the lookout for good, authentic Mexican food, and trust me this place is the bomb! Service is quick and friendly and no question about it, Viva El Mariachi is decidedly sincere.

Evaluation: Very sincere

 

www.astoriamexicanrestaurant.com/
3311 Broadway, Long Island City

(718) 545-4039

Bisbee, Arizona

Yep the entire town. For anyone who's touristed around Arizona you know that there are a couple of things you can count on all over the state, especially in towns like Sedona (a well known "arts" community). The first thing is that everything is somehow related to cowboys, or to be more accurate the media myths of cowboys. You know, god-like men of honor in white hats protecting the local village from black hatted villains? And secondly trinkets... from  gee-gaws that resemble saguaro cacti to over-the-top turquoise or lapis jewelery and, of course, bronze sculptures of - you know it - cowboys.

And then there are other towns, like Bisbee, where the focus is not on what they can sell you, but rather how to make your visit there memorable. The place is not fancy. In fact it's just a little run down. There are certainly a few places that would perhaps be better located in Sedona, but overall, this is a community that has been locked in time. The time that it is locked into is one of a less consumer oriented point of view. There is a ride you can take but it is not a roller coaster nor is it on a scenic railroad. Rather, it is down the mine shaft. This was a mining town that ran out of copper, but the area was so beautiful that folks decided to stay around. Those early settlers built their homes on either side of this tiny valley, and that's exactly what you encounter today. There is clearly a historic oversight committee that makes sure that even if McDonald's wanted to open shop (I can't imagine why they'd want to since there aren't enough people around to attract them, but you never know) they would be met with solid resistance to all that such a mega-corp represents. The 16 or so restaurants that are there have for the most part been around for a while, and the food they serve actually has some character that has nothing to do with extracting the tourist from every dollar they have, and everything to do with the simple pride of a community that has the integrity to care about itself.

Evaluation: Very sincere



Bisbee Chamber of Commerce

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

The Modern Snack Bar - Aquebogue, New York

You know that fork in the road we wrote about earlier? Well, eventually those two roads come together continuing on into the North Fork of Long Island, and one of the great things about that drive (and there are many) is The Modern as we are fond of calling it. What you need to know is that the lobster-salad rolls are the best, there's a great kids menu (along with plenty of crayons), and that the ambiance of the place is worth walking in the door for. There is that sense of walking back into the era when places like this were commonplace, where waitresses wear white uniforms and stiff hats like old-time nurses. The place was perhaps quite modern when it first opened its doors 60 years ago. but what has happened since that time is a kind of stasis... What was truly modern at the time is now quaint and interesting: it's a visual pleasure, the waitresses are friendly, service is good and the selection of pies is beyond belief.

It's a local favorite haunt that we stumbled into by chance, and now feel inclined to go back to whenever we're out that way. A couple of times we've ended up out there when the Modern happened to be closed, so we went to other seemingly likely joints that for all appearances looked comparable. That has never turned out for the good (with one notable exception that we discovered recently) which will of course show up in a later posting. Sorry, you'll just have to wait.

There is one thing to watch out for - and that's ordering stuff that is clearly out of season (don't do it!) since they continue to serve it because people (not those in the know) ask for it and the Modern folks want to be helpful... But hey - that's not the reason to go to this place. Really - go for the lobster rolls, and maybe an old-fashioned-modern root beer float.

Evaluation: Very sincere

 

Route 25 * Aquebogue, New York 11931
(631) 722-3655
http://modernsnackbar.com/
Tuesday - Thursday.. 11:00 am - 9:00 pm Friday & Saturday.... 11:00 am - 10:00 pm Sunday..................... 12:00 noon - 9:00 pm Closed Mondays, Easter Sunday, & Thanksgiving Day

The Tai'r Bull Inn - Brecon Beacons, Wales

The evening Jon, our son, Josh, and I went to the Tai'r Bull Inn, in the mid-Wales county of Powys, it was on a recommendation from the hostess at the B&B/Sheep Farm we were staying at. It was spring, and we'd been wandering around on the farm all afternoon, looking at the adorable little lambs, so when we arrived, good and hungry at the Tai'r Bull, (vegetarians avert your eyes) all Josh and I could think of was a nice roasted lamb on a platter - and that's what we had - the most sublime shank of lamb you could imagine.

We don't expect you to be running around in the wilds of Wales anytime soon... necessarily. But if by some chance you find yourself in the mountain region of Brecon Beacons, you must, must, must go to the Tai'r Bull. I have to admit, it was a few years since we were there, and in that time they've changed management, so their website says. But let us assume that they still serve, as their site confirms, the freshest, local lamb and other meats, roasted vegetables in season and an array of Welsh cheeses that will blow your mind. You will find a setting that is quaint and comfortable, attentive service, a full bar and a great selection of wines.

So, hie you to the motherland, well, my motherland; find the Sheep Farm if you can, (we found it by asking at the Brecon tourist information center - the owner's name is Mary) and make the Tai'r Bull the centerpiece of your visit. Mmm, those yummy little lambs.

Evaluation: Very sincere

 

Libanus, Brecon, Powys LD3 8EL Tel: 01874 625849
www.freewebs.com/tairbullinn

Ristorante La Giara, Sarteano, Tuscany

When you just happen to be out town-hopping in Tuscany, don't forget the lovely, ancient town of Sarteano, near Chianciano. Lots more to be said about the town in general, but for a great eating experience, go to La Giara on Viale Europa, basically the main drag in Sarteano, for everything from pizza to delicious main courses of meats, fish, and pastas in the typical Tuscan style, including a wonderful list of native wines.  Indoors is a bit cavernous - fine for parties and events, but like us, when we went a few years ago, you probably will be a small party looking for a wonderful meal in a friendly atmosphere, and if the weather is warm, will want to eat outside on the patio. It's not fancy - just comfortable - and they don't mind a few loud Americans. The owner, whose name I wish I could remember, a charming Signora, personally took our order and catered to us. I think she appreciated that I spoke Italian, but her English was quite good and she was just as kind to those who didn't speak her native tongue. The only issue we had occurred on our second visit, with some German friends: their teenage daughter wanted the prosciutto and arugula pizza with the toppings cooked, which isn't how they serve it, and they didn't want to do that, but she insisted, we were embarrassed, and they did it. It didn't prevent them from effusively urging us to come back someday, which we assured them we would - and we will.

Evaluation: Very sincere

 
Viale Europa, 2
53047 Sarteano SI, Italia
0578 265511

Barb's Veggies - Rt. 25, Long Island's North Fork

 When you get beyond Riverhead, driving along the North Fork of Long Island, you pass numerous vineyards and farm stands between little towns such as Aquebogue, Cutchogue and Mattituck. Great is the temptation to stop at any or all of these during the warm months and check out their sumptuous local produce. But beware - not all are sincere - nor even totally local. We became aware of this on a pumpkin picking excursion one year. Yes, we were searching for, "the most sincere pumpkin patch." Those that boasted Corn Mazes and Haunted Houses were to be avoided. They were essentially tourist traps for people with little kids that needed entertainment. Fortunately, all our little kid wanted to do was find an exceptional pumpkin. So after a few run-ins with these insincerities, we were attracted by a humble little stand on the side of the road with no gigantic Halloween decorations - just vegetables, and an impressive line up of pumpkins. Behind it stretched the empty furrows from whence they came. Delighted, we chose just the right pumpkins at just the right prices, along with some sweet corn and other succulent items, and the friendly owners helped us without a lot of unnecessary gab.

Now, child all grown up, we still make it a point to stop there in the summer for melons, berries, lettuce, squash, corn or whatever else entices. No home-made pies, no pots of chowder, just fresh, homegrown produce. Amen. 

Evaluation: Very Sincere

  
Located between Pindar Vineyards and the Southold Police Department after the town of Cutchogue, on the left, heading south (or the east side of the road).

A Fork in the Road on the Way to Riverhead, NY

Everyone has a choice about which way to go. We all make these choices every day. In this case the choice is car dealerships, fast food restaurants, strip malls, Walmart, K-Mart and all sorts of places with one thing in mind - how to separate the consumer from their money with high level marketing expertise, going-out-of-business sales, fast talking sales clones and anything else that can be thrown into the mix, or a quaint little main street where they recently held an event titled the Street Mosaic. You choose.

Oh right - that big red circle in the middle of the forks... that's the Tanger Mall.

Note: we know that there are a couple of banks etc on the sincere route, but overall it's just so much more...well, sincere.

Evaluation: Depending on your choice - from Get Me The Hell Out Of Here! to Very Sincere

  

Dave's Not Here - Restaurant - Santa Fe, NM

 Right, so we don't live in Santa Fe anymore, and have not lived there for like eleven years. Nevertheless some things endure in memory (and taste buds), and this is one of those places. The burgers are big and sloppy. The fries are exactly what you should never put in your body. The service is fast and generally friendly. However some-days you'll have to stand in line outside in the warm New Mexico sun to await a table. It's not a tourist destination. The green chili is, of course, a must and a small amount of blue cheese on that burger is always a good idea.


The Dave Story: Dave was a beloved local chef who worked for another restaurant in town who branched off to claim his own small bit of local fame with this little place formerly called - you got it - Dave's. Unfortunately, with instant fame came a growing habit that got him in deep trouble. So deep that he had to give the place up. The folks who took it over however paid deserved tribute to his ground work by keeping everything the same but for that slight alteration of the name.

Evaluation: Very sincere

  

1115 Hickox St, Santa Fe, NM 87505
(505) 983-7060 

Arturo's Coal Oven Pizza - Manhattan, NYC

I first starting going to Arturo's in the mid-80's. It was the first place I ever had fried calamari. Even though their standard Italian fare is a little lack-luster, their pizza is mind-blowing, especially the pepperoni. They have a terrific wine list, which is the only thing that adds to a slightly higher bill, because the food is totally reasonable. The atmosphere is funky, super-casual and a little noisy It's often crowded but not with tourists and they usually seem to be able to find you a table. In the evenings they have a bluesy piano going which adds to the over-all downtown, bohemian atmosphere. And yes, the staff is friendly, but in that New York City kind of way.


Evaluation: Very Sincere

 
Houston and Thompson Street