foodie finds :: basera indian bistro

basera indian bistro
745 9th avenue
new york, ny 10019

this is the newest location of this restaurant. i noticed it was opening a few weeks ago and decided to try it out. it was well worth it. i had the lamb-stuffed naan, mango chutney, and chicken saag with a large taj mahal beer. all were excellent. it's just around the block and they deliver - it's for sure going to be one of my staples from now on.

foodie finds :: yum yum bangkok

yum yum bangkok
650 9th avenue
new york, ny 10036

had lunch here today - have to say - not bad. i had their summer roll - very fresh - very light - perfect appetizer - the fried dumplings (not my choice but still very good) - and for the main course - their pho - very tasty - especially when i added the hot sauce. it's in my area - so i'm sure if i ever have a hankering - i'll pop on over and bathe in the pho goodness!

foodie finds :: empanada mama

empanada mama
763 9th avenue
new york, ny 10019

i just love hot pockets of goodness. empanada mama is exactly that - goodness in a deep-fried whole wheat package. um um good! you can't go wrong with these little guys - i've not had one i didn't like. they remind me of the little empanada stand that used to be outside of my apartment in buenos aires - but i digress. these little meat-filled pastries do pack a great punch for the buck - you can eat like a champ and not even break your wallet. they have dessert ones too - omg - elvis would have died for these - wait - he may have - they do have the peanut butter banana one! even better - they'll bring it to you so you don't even have to move (far - you have to answer the door) to have them any time!

thanksgiving with the boys :: season 4 :: buenos aires

man oh man alive - it's been a couple of unexpected days - well not so unexpected in the daytime but my god - the nights - well they have been spectacular. well - not every night - spectacular yes - but last night - let me tell you - i can sum it up in two words - foam party. that's right you heard me.

we all went to a spectacular steak dinner. i've never had a steak so tender and so good - and i never eat red meat - it melted in my mouth. we had two fantastic bottles of wine to boot. after - we went to search. walked in - typical night - drag show - ho-hum hum-drum. i honestly didn't think we'd last through the show it was that bad. when the show ended - it turned into a typical night of dancing. and we did.

the gogo boys mounted their boxes and all seemed right with the world and then someone handed them aerosol cans filled with some kind of foam. they sprayed themselves - they sprayed passers-by. innocent fun right? well - not so much. these cans began to appear in the hands of the patrons. suddenly - foam fights - people spraying people left and right. out of the blue and with no warning - the dance floor exploded in foam. evidently the event of the night was indeed a foam party.

normally a foam party would irritate the hell out of me - this however - was more fun than i could imagine. we drank - danced - and loved the night away covered in foam. it was great. what was a hum-drum night turned out to be a fantastic surprise had by all.

tonight was just a simple dinner and a few drinks. early morning tomorrow - going to colonia (uruguay) for the day then back to ba for thanksgiving dinner.

happy thanksgiving everyone!

ps - still no hot water - ugh!

thanksgiving with the boys :: season 4 :: buenos aires

what is it with this place and the hot water? it's a moody as a cat in heat - haha - i said heat - which is exactly what our water needs. it either comes out in trickles or in buckets - but never consistent. that's the only complaint i have for this trip. otherwise - it's been great.

last night we danced the night away at club amerika - a new place for us - i'm not sure it was even here last year. multiple floors of dancing and balconies on which to socialize and people watch - it was a great spot and the music and scene was much better than at palacio.

we also went to san telmo during the day to do some antique shopping. michael went crazy for the antique seltzer bottles. i think he's taking home three. i just took a picture of them. due to time issues - we skipped the tango class - oh well.

today was a shopping day - tons and tons of great shops in our neighborhood. i treated myself to some housewares and a few pieces of clothing. lord only knows how i'll get the leather rugs home. yes indeed - more hides for the house - they are beautiful here so i opted to get a few for the living/dining rooms.

tonight we have plans to dine on the river and visit the local casino for some light gambling. after we'll hit the bars i'm sure. tonight is joshua, ben, and billy's last night in ba. they head back home tomorrow.

this is definitely a city i could visit time and time again. next time we may try to find a different company from which to rent the apartment - grrr on the hot water.

say something photo :: buenos aires

here's just some fun pics from our time here so far - more to come - so stay tuned. none of these have anything to 'say' really - but they all have a back story.

thanksgiving with the boys :: season 4 :: buenos aires

yesterday turned out to be way much more fun than we thought. after everyone was showered and ready - we headed over to the plaza de mayo for the pride celebration. it was just like a typical small-town pride (only in spanish - we imagined the festival was like any border town pride in the u.s.). bandstand in the middle of the plaza with performers and people making announcements - booths with information and things that you could buy to support various local charities - food and beer carts - and the parade trucks parked over to one side that would eventually be in the parade later that evening. evidently it's tradition for everyone to meet and party in the plaza and then at 6pm the real party starts. this is when the parade takes off down the avenue and suddenly you are in a sea of thousands of people walking with and in the parade. it was fantastic. of course we walked next to the woman selling canned beers to keep us sufficiently hydrated for our long long walk down the parade route.

we met a 16-year old girl who's parents live in wisconsin. she's always lived in ba and refuses to move to the u.s. as a sign of rebellion to her parents. she's a fashion designer and wants to live in japan and become a harajuku girl. we also met a group of 4 older men who were from san francisco but had retired down in palm springs. they are here in ba to study spanish for a month. oh to be retired - lol. we saw trannies - hotties - freaks - and everything in between. typical pride really when you boil it down to the basics.

after we had walked the length of the parade route - we pulled off to the side for some port-a-potty action and put together a game plan for the rest of the evening. since we didn't think we were going to take as much time walking the route as we did - we had little time to get a dinner plan together. we chose to go back to mott because the food is good and we were certain they could house a party of 8. everyone went home to freshen-up and assemble back in an hour for dinner. i was able to sneak in a power-nap so i was good to go.

turned out that shawn stayed home to rest and catch up on sleep as did joshua. so our party of 8 is now only 6. anthony, michael, ben, billy, aaron (newest addition from d.c. who arrived yesterday), and myself. dinner was great - as always. anthony and i took aaron to sitges to get him acclimated to ba nightlife. we had a few drinks there then went dancing at glam. at 5am we decided to call it an early night and left - aaron decided to stay - hopefully he made it home in one piece.

i think today we are going to head to san telmo for some flea market shopping and a tango class. yes - this year i may actually dance instead of observing from the side-line. ooh - and the sinus infection seems to be on it's very last legs - fantastic. too fun!

thanksgiving with the boys :: season 4 :: buenos aires

well here we are on day 4 of our trip and the sinus are going hay-wire from all the smoke in the clubs. i'm hopped up on everything to keep it under control and so far so good. hope to keep it contained to less than 3 days. never fails!

the water issues from the previous days fortunately were remedied after 7 grueling hours with plumbers and contractors at the house yesterday. in the middle of the turmoil - i thought it was a good idea to buzz my head. so - i grabbed my trusty clippers - plugged them into the converter and went at my head. all was fine and good except when i was only a third of the way into it - there was a pop and a burn and boom - the clippers met an untimely death. see pic of 'cancer-boy' - not pretty. finally found a place that sold clippers and was able to finish the job.

for dinner it was back to bar 6 for a light meal where we met two people from nyc and they joined us at our table. we left bar 6 and headed to bulnes class for some cocktails. it was friday night so it's the start of the 3 day club nights at palacio - so we headed there for dancing. it was just as i remembered it - huge dance floor - very loud music - affordable cover charge - it's the roxy of buenos aires.

today is gay pride. we'll be heading to the plaza later and then at 6pm is the parade down the avenue. should be fun. tomorrow we'll start the hard-core touristy stuff. can't wait to hit the cemetery and say hello to evita!

say something photo :: fat nap (buenos aires)

while dining at hooters at puerto madero, buenos aires (yes i understand i said hooters - yes i understand that's an american chain - yes - bad bad decision - but i digress) - i managed to find a fantastic fat nap. you know me - always looking for an opportunity to capture things on film - this was an excellent surprise to my vacation. aww - and she has a balloon!

thanksgiving with the boys :: season 4 :: buenos aires

well what can i say - when you find a good thing - keep it. last year we had such a fantastic time in buenos aires we decided to return this year for an encore performance. anthony is back for a 4th season of 'thanksgiving with the boys' - returning are shawn (amsterdam - season 1 and canary islands - season 2) and michael (canary islands - season 2). surprise guest stars are 2 friends from d.c. (joshua and ben) and their friend from nyc (billy). they just happened to be on the plane sitting next to shawn. joshua is an old friend from the d.c. days. they are staying across town but have been excellent additions to the cast.

we booked an 'amazing' place for our stay - beautiful - new - jacuzzi - and - no hot water - water pressure - heat control - oh - and the jacuzzi isn't working. we've been here for 48 hours and we are waiting for the plumber to work his magic so we can take an actual shower for a change. hopefully we can have the 'jacuzzi laundry party' after this is all done. the jacuzzi knocked out the power to the house for a good half day until they came to fix it. more concerning is the hot water situation - you know me - i do enjoy a hot shower!

we have returned to some of our favorite haunts already. dining at bar 6, olsen, and mott so far - and an unfortunate decision to have lunch at hooters at puerto madero. if you ever get the idea to eat hooters in argentina - don't - bad bad decision - not for the aftermath that usually happens with hooters - no no - this was just inedible freezer-burned chicken (pollo - pronounced here in buenos aires - pol'jzso) with no flavor, texture, or pop.

we've also entertained ourselves at some familiar nighttime haunts - sitges, glam, and titanic (now called something else but the name escapes me). as always - sitges had horrible drag shows and friendly people - glam was - well - glam - and titanic hardly fit it's new name since the murals from the movie are still painted on the walls.

so far we are off to a great start - well - assuming we get the plumbing issues taken care of. wish us luck!

wacky video :: jc survives

wtf :: fruity cheerios

um - maybe i'm missing something - but don't we already have this product? isn't it called froot loops? the only claim to fame for this new product from general mills is that it's made with whole grain. ok ok - so fruity cheerios has less calories (20 less to be exact) and less sugar (9g so says the nutritional information) - but come on - this is a ridiculous attempt to capture the tastes of american kids. maybe the parents should take the initiative and just give them healthier products in general. yeah - statistics on the box makes fruity cheerios out to be healthier - but is it really? buy responsibly.

say something photo :: god hate that

i don't know if god hates it when men sleep together - but i do know that bad grammar really pisses him off. poor guy - so confused. and he couldn't even find himself a big enough piece of cardboard in the garbage to write his message. crazy people - crazy times. just glad the man in the gray t-shirt was giving him a run for his money. the nerve of this foreigner - coming to times square in the heart of the nyc theatre district - hello - gays galore! oh well - just stupidity and hatred. so i snapped the pic because it's definitely a 'say something photo.'

the sign reads: 'no man is to have sexual relations with another man. god hate that.'

say something photo :: john's pizzeria

found written on the wall in the bathroom at john's pizzeria - evidently ads really piss off people in restaurant bathrooms. honestly - there are quite a few in there - but wow - the rage - lol. i just thought it was a funny way to express oneself - hope you do too. people graffiti the damnest things. enjoy!

foodie finds :: mee noodle shop at 9th avenue

mee noodle shop at 9th avenue
795 9th avenue
new york, ny 10019

i'm always on the never-ending search for good dirty chinese food. since i've moved into my new apartment in hell's kitchen - i have to admit - i've been cooking a lot more in my very nice new kitchen. however - the other day - i had a hankering for dirty chinese (a typical meal for me when i lived in brooklyn). i called up mees for some delivery.

since it was a new experience i stuck to the basics - general tso's chicken, steamed vegetable dumplings, hot and sour soup, and sesame wantons. in about 10 minutes - the doorbell rang and there it was - all this food in all it's glory (and cheap too - less than $25 for all that - and it served two of us).

i may have ordered things that weren't their specialty but what i had was pretty good and passable for good dirty chinese food. i was impressed with the sesame wantons which had a slight kick to them.

it'll definitely become one of my hell's kitchen stand-bys for when i don't have the urge to cook. a man is never alone when a dirty chinese delivery man is just a phone call away. um um goodness!

foodie finds :: le figaro cafe

le figaro cafe
186 bleecker st
new york, ny 10012

after i ran away from caffe del mare (see my review i wrote on that poop palace for the reason why one should run away) screaming for someone to feed me - i found myself across the street at this fine location. at this point of my morning - i was just dying to eat anything and had a very short amount of time. i ordered the eggs benedict and a bloody mary. the bloody was passable - not the best - not the worst - but packed a punch so it made me happy. the eggs benedict - nothing to write home to mom about but pretty average and edible nonetheless. i was concerned that they were unable to do any substitutions for egg whites or french fries - god help you if you want to go just a little on the healthier side. in all - it was average and not very memorable. the staff was at least present and seemed to care on serving you. doubt i'll ever go back - definitely wouldn't recommend it - but in a pinch - i guess it'll do.

foodie finds :: caffe del mare

caffe del mare
89 macdougal st
new york, ny 10012

run run run away - run so fast and never look back. this place was so bad i never even made it to the food. picture it - sunday brunch - peak time for guests - maybe 45 tables in the place - 10 of which are occupied - 20 of which are piled high with dirty dishes - of the 10 tables occupied - only 2 have food on the table. you look to the back - every order just sitting on the bar begging to be taken to their rightful place. hungry sad patrons patiently wait for what - who knows - no one was working! i think the entire staff up and left in the middle of their brunch shift and just said the hell with everyone else. i counted exactly 3 employees in the place. before i had wasted too much more time - i high tailed it out of there for somewhere more promising.

foodie finds :: georgio's country grill

georgio's country grill
801 9th avenue
new york, ny 10019

you know - i'm not one for diners - this is kinda what this place is - but different. it's not a typical new york diner - something a little more personable with this place. i had a bison burger with onion rings. um um - it hit the spot. it's definitely a place i'll revisit.

say something photo :: homeosexual

my friend jeannine alerted me to this photograph - it made me laugh. it is such a shame that the christians don't know how to spell. who's the moron now - huh? stop attacking the homos and get an education! just what is a 'homeosexual' anyway?

wacky video :: leave britney alone!

my goodness - this poor poor 'girl' has way to much time on his hands. and doesn't he remind anyone of someone - humm - cracked-out britney herself perhaps? you be the judge when you watch this video found on youtube.

west virginia quarters

hang on to any of the new west virginia quarters, if you have them. they may be worth much more than 25 cents. the u.s. mint announced today that it is recalling all of the west virginia quarters that are part of its program featuring quarters from each state. this action is being taken after numerous reports that the new quarters will not work in parking meters, tollbooths, vending machines, pay phones, or any other coin operated device. the problem lies in the unique design of the west virginia quarter, which was designed by a team of west virginians. apparently the duct tape holding the two dimes and the nickel together keeps jamming the machines.

wacky video :: teen usa 2007

oh so pretty - oh so dumb. take a watch as miss south carolina does her state proud as she fights for the title of miss teen usa 2007. may this experience and now the youtube video scar her for life. makes you kinda feel sorry for her - or not - blondes are like - smart and stuff - totally!

say something photo :: loopy nut

'hello, this is the department of redundancy department. we think you have tossed out our cereal. could you please replace it as soon as possible before our children go crazy? thank you.'

you would think i found this in the garbage in some foreign country - nope - on 23rd and 8th avenue in new york city. just thought it was funny. must be one of those brands kellogg's decided not to develop.

hottie-crush :: dale levitski

so i'm obsessed. i'm obsessed with the reality television programs on bravo - but more specifically - i'm obsessed with this season of top chef. when i first heard that this concept was coming to life (2 seasons ago) - i have to admit - i didn't think it would work. it's amazing. the people they've pulled together to compete keep you coming back every week to see what's cooking.

my obsession with a contestant has been a common theme around my other friends. we are all obsessed with the cutie with the mohawk - dale levitski. this guy is from chicago - he's gay - and he's nothing short of awkwardly cute. i hope he makes it through to the very end. i do know he's one of the reason i come back for more every week. so - i am choosing to feature him as the first hottie-crush. we'll see who else makes the list from here on out. good luck dale!

foodie finds :: brgr

brgr
287 7th avenue
new york, ny 10001

i didn't hate it - didn't love it either. i decided to go the healthy route and got a turkey burger. i just felt it had little flavor really. it was paired with goat cheese and bacon (i mean how can you go wrong with both of those) but on the whole - nothing sang to me. i'll go back for sure - it wasn't bad - just wasn't over the top either.

foodie finds :: maroons

maroons
244 w 16th st.
new york, ny 10011

oh where to begin really? all around - this place is consistently a great spot for the not-so-healthy but definitely filling and satisfying heaping hunk of comfort food. well - comfort food for me - grits, collard greens, fried chicken - i mean - what can be bad about that?

southern soul food and caribbean food at it's best. i particularly am fond of the fried green tomatoes as an appetizer. the stuffed porkchop is to die for but it's enough food for 12 armies. the staff is always nice. the drinks are always fantastic. and the cornbread - oh my god the cornbread.

it's a jem - it's amazing - a slice of 'goodness' right in chelsea.

foodie finds :: hell's kitchen

hell's kitchen
679 9th avenue
new york, ny 1003

i'm torn. based on last night and last night alone - 4 stars is a stretch. it should be getting 3 in my opinion but i'll give it 4 by reputation. i'll break it down:

1. service: this is a key thing for a great dining experience. we arrive - hostess says 45 minutes for a table. my friend said 'totally worth the wait' - so we did - and popped over to another place for a drink while we waited it out. when we arrive back on the scene - hostess informs us that we are indeed the next to be seated and that they were cleaning off the table (as she points to it) and we'd be sitting shortly. we cried an internal 'yay!' at this news - and then - the hostess sat other people at that table - um, what? her response: 'oops, i'm sorry. you are totally next.' we grab seats a the bar - order drinks (as the bartender spills an entire pint glass of ice on me - i get another 'oops, sorry' from him - thank god it was just ice - that could have been messy) - 15 minutes later (on top of the hour we've already been waiting) - we finally sit. mind you - i would have left an hour and 15 minutes ago but my friend insisted we stick it out.

then - our waiter came. to call him a dumb-ass would be nice. this guy's head was anywhere but in the game on this night. slow - inattentive - forgetful - not good qualities to have in this job (or in any job really). my friend - still sticking to his guns - insists 'it's all worth it.'

2. food: i love's me some mexican food - so internally i was very excited. externally i was still a little miffed by the wait and the experience thus-far.

appetizers included duck confit empanadas with pineapple mole sauce, chorizo sopas, and seared tuna medallions with a chunky mango salsa. everything had heat, sweet, texture, and great flavor combinations and compliments. my personal favorite was the tuna but the empanadas were a close second - but all of them i could eat again.

for mains we sampled the halibut with yucca cakes, sweet plantain mash, and salsa verde; sea bass (it escapes my mind what it was covered with - let's just call it 'goodness') so that's sea bass covered in goodness; and a chicken quesadilla. again - very impressed with the flavor profiles and interesting combinations of sweet, savory, and heat. the sea bass was cooked perfectly while the 2 of us that got halibut had issues that it was overcooked and a bit dry (but the yucca cakes and sweet mash with the salsa - so good). the quesadilla was declared 'the best i've ever eaten' by my other friend - it was indeed tasty.

we passed on dessert as it was rounding 11:00. keep in mind - we started this dinner experience around 8:00. yes - that's right - 3 hours later we are paying. it took nearly 20 minutes to do that. evidently the hostess's birthday was going to require the entire staff to ignore the diners and serve cake and sing and all the things you'd expect for a birthday. while sweet for her - every single table in the place was left unattended to for another 15-20 minutes so they could have their party. my feelings is that it was so close to quitting time - the staff could have waited until after they had closed to do this. several tables were trying to flag down anyone to refill drinks - or in our case - just pay our check and go! the entire process to pay took just under a half an hour - um - is it hard to press print - i mean we were sitting right next to the computer?

maybe it was an off night. like i said - i would give them 3 stars (or less) from the service which spoiled my entire experience overall. but - the food did make up for a good deal of it (excluding the overcooked halibut). i live in the area so i'm sure i'll go back. maybe next time will be an 'on' night - and all will be right with the world.

say something photo :: fat nap

so it's been a while since my last fat nap post. i just happened to be on the subway the other morning and saw this one and could not resist. so - out comes my treo 680 and 'snap' - sleeping jewish man with a 1990s cd player. haha - so peaceful - so sleepy - i wonder what he's listening to - fiddler on the roof?

foodie finds :: frank restaurant

frank restaurant
88 2nd avenue
new york city, ny 10079

fantastic food - reasonable prices - cash only so go to the atm before you get there. they say they aren't related to max over on avenue b but the similarities are uncanny. you be the judge. small and loud - yet cozy and intimate. pleasant staff and great wine.

chinese fortune cookie

from tonight's batch of dirty chinese food - here are the fortunes:

1. be brave at heart. take that chance it's been there all the time.
2. your problem just got bigger. think, what have you done?
3. perhaps you've been focusing too much on spending.
4. it's over your head now. time to get some professional help.

is it just me or was this some kind of twisted therapy the chinese place was trying to push on us?

wacky video :: dee ranged

this video is from youtube. it features dee ranged - the newly crowned entertainer of the year. it's just a quick example of her twisted mind!

personal update

well - i'm home from my fabulous trip to louisville, ky. this weekend was truly exciting. i do love going to the entertainer of the year pageant. this year was no exception. the winner was dee ranged from florida. she's one of the most twisted individuals i've ever had the pleasure of knowing. i'm sure she's going to have a fantastic year.

now - back to reality - i've been continuing the packing and organizing for the move. hopefully the movers will be able to get me over sometime next week - i'm waiting for their confirmation. then - it'll be me - my new place - in manhattan - can't wait!

personal update

so i'm all packed (well just about - a few more things to toss into the suitcase) and i'm heading for the entertainer of the year pageant in louisville, ky. i've been honored for the 3rd year in a row to sit on the judge's panel on what is (in my opinion) one of the most unique and most entertaining pageants for female impersonation.

this year is extra special - you see - most of the staff of carriefairfield.com will be attending and we are hosting a meet and greet with the membership on sunday afternoon. it should be rather festive and i'm genuinely looking forward to meeting some of the members!

i hope to be giving updates while on my trip - it's always a good time to be had in louisville!

when i return - it'll be nose down and nothing holding back from the big move back to manhattan. yes indeed - i'm leaving brooklyn and moving back to manhattan - this time in hell's kitchen (clinton). i've found a fantastic one bedroom apartment and i am excited to make it my new home. i'll miss living with nick (not necessarily the 2 other cats - woodward and bernie). nick has taken on a new roommate who will be moving in on or around august 15th. that's right around the corner.

where has the summer gone?

more later from louisville! time to finish packing!

foodie finds :: taboon

taboon
773 10th avenue
new york, ny 10019

unbelievable - some of the best food i've had in a while. the service was excellent and very accommodating. we unfortunately didn't have a reservation but was able to squeeze us in for a 45 minute window which meant we got our food fast and with plenty of attention. i had the halibut - fantastic - just the right amount of spice. i tried the lamb kebabs - oh wow! i'm not a fan of humus - but i'd bathe in theirs it's so good. their drinks and bread - fantastic additions to the meal. so glad i'm going to be moving a block away - i'll be eating there often - yummy to my tummy i can't wait to eat there again!

foodie finds :: zen palate

zen palate
34 union square
new york, ny 10003

ok so i don't get it...

you have a cafe - you have fine dining - but it's really the same menu just with an added charge and a $15 minimum - that's fine dining?

back when i first move to manhattan - i lived just a few blocks from this place and ate here often. it was cute. it was consistent. it didn't break the bank to eat here. it was very good vegetarian food with no attitude. in the warmer months - you could sit outside and enjoy a great meal and watch the people walk by.

i have returned a couple times in recent months to discover that they have 'upgraded' themselves. now - i may have never clued in on the fact that they had fine dining - it could have always been there - it could have just been added - but my experience this last time was less than desirable.

the hostess right away asked if we wanted cafe or fine dining - i was like 'how interesting' - we looked at the two menus and decided there wasn't that big of a difference and just said we'd take cafe service instead. we were then told there would be a 20 minute wait - but fine dining would be immediate seating. we declined and waited. at least 6 more parties came up and were given the same pitch. every party declined the fine dining option. am i missing something here? this was peak dinner time - and no one seemed to want fine dining from this place. i'm not even sure how it could possibly be economical of them to have the option if time and time again - people decline to take them up on the offer to go upstairs and eat.

am i crazy?

am i missing something?

when we finally were able to take a seat - the service was very slow. the food actually came out at 3 different times therefore throwing off the time it was taking for us all to collectively eat. if we were to wait - all of the food would have been cold (to recoup the timing issues the waiter gave us drink tickets - which i will no doubt lose - for the next time we dine - i wonder if it's for the cafe or for fine dining - he didn't say).

the food - still good - just feel like there's some kind of pretension has moved in and they are suddenly bigger than they appear to be. maybe i should try the fine dining option to see what the fuss is about - wait - no one fussed about it - that's right - it's a vegetarian cafe - nothing more - nothing less.

but hey - they must be doing something right - they continually get voted best vegetarian restaurant in new york - they have their awards table right there as you walk in to show off (just in case you were wondering).

say something photo :: the ass midget

ok so now i think i've seen it all - thanks to my friend michael in london. michael sent me this lovely picture of a product found in the prowler sex shop off of old compton street in soho, london. an ass midget. as if sex with toys wasn't sordid enough - now you can cram an entire travelocity gnome up your bum and use it to get off. i mean really - how do you explain that one when your mom comes to clean your room. or better yet - when you want to get your 'groove' on with another person - what do you say - 'gnome me - let me feel his point!' - not for all the lube in lube-land (it's a great place the roller coasters are fun!)

foodie finds :: go sushi

go sushi
759 9th ave
new york, ny 10019

it is what it is - a run-of-the-mill sushi place. nothing fancy though their spicy shrimp tempura rolls are a nice twist. i've had much better but i've had much worse too - it's average - sometimes that's good enough.

foodie finds :: hooters

hooters
211 w 56th st.
new york, ny 10019

well if it weren't for the wings - there really wouldn't be a reason to go to this cheese-fest of a restaurant. but hey - if you need some slumming and a reason to prove your masculinity - then this is definitely the place to go. just beware of the fat tourists and lonely suit guys out looking for some 'action' - i feel like i have to shower after walking in this place - but man - they are good wings.

chinese fortune cookie

from tonight's batch of fortune cookies:

1. a hunch is creativity trying to tell you something.
2. an investment in yourself will pay dividends for the rest of your life.
3. a mentor is someone whose hindsight can become your foresight.

words to live by!

foodie finds :: boqueria

boqueria

53 w 19th st.
new york, ny 10011

what a find - what a treasure - what a gem - what an experience - what a blessing - finally - a new alternative to the usual digs in the chelsea/flatiron area! i can't even begin to tell you how much my mouth danced for joy over the foods i had this evening.

i wish i had had a heartier appetite as i wanted to sample everything on the menu. the lamb - melts in your mouth - the bacon wrapped almond stuffed dates - unbelievable - the wine and cheese selection - out of this world. the sangrias were a nice touch - 3 kinds to chose from - i got the good old classic red variety - um um good!

price - not too bad - under $100 for 2 of us including wine. the staff - very nice - very attractive - very knowledgeable of the menu and the features. the scene - kinda rockin' for a monday but not too over the top.

I walked out of there pretty full - very happy - an very very eager to go back again. since my usual spot for monday happy hour is splash (just around the corner on 17th and 6th) - it may become my monday tasting menu on a frequent basis.

yummy to the tummy good!

foodie finds :: pop burger

pop burger
60 9th ave
new york, ny 10011

eh - yeah - eh.

one word - dry. i'm not sure if it was just a slow day - a fresh factor - or what - but everything i had was void of moist. i'm not a huge fan of fries with texture - just give them to me as god made them - only fried with salt and mayonnaise on the side. next time i'll try the onion rings - if there is a next time.

not a lot of satisfaction for the hype. the decor was about the only thing going for it but trendy is as trendy does - if the food ain't good - i can go lots of places for a trendy atmosphere. it's hip but overrated.

foodie finds :: breeze nyc

breeze nyc
661 9th avenue
(bet. 45th & 46th)
new york, ny 10036

for what it was - it wasn't bad - i will say this - for a place that touts every accolade it's ever gotten in it's menu - you'd hope that the 'good' things live up to the hype. i figured i couldn't go wrong getting two of the 'most popular' dishes.

starter: tuna tar tare - overall - it was edible but there was way too much going on - crunch - sour - sweet - fish - spice - it was all over the place. some say that stimulating each of the senses in each bite is a good thing - i think it's confusing - each bite was inconsistent and some were just 'off' - occasionally - all i got were grains of coarse sea salt. i left a good bit on the plate for when they took it away. this was a recommended favorite item.

main: grilled chicken breast - not bad - the inside was moist but the outside was tough and over-cooked. the sauce was good and the veggies were a nice touch. i've had better - i've had worse - i mean after all - it was just chicken.

drink: i had the cucumber sakitini - yumm yumm - definitely the highlight of the meal for sure.

maybe i just made the wrong decisions - there were several items on the menu that looked like it had possibilities - maybe i'll give it another chance. i am moving into that area so the chances are good. i guess i'll play it by ear.

say something photo :: no more nails

my friend michael (the one from london - hi luv) sent me this picture today - it's so freaking hilarious i just had to say something about it. sick and twisted - my god i want the t-shirt! haha - i just said god - i'm so going to hell - fun!

foodie finds :: pardo's

pardo's
92 7th ave
new york, ny 10184

for a no nonsense quick and easy meal - this is definitely a win! definitely a tapas-feel to the presentation - the chicken is always cooked to perfection and the yucca fries are excellent. try everything with the peruvian sauces - not too great for the heart (just flavored mayonnaise) - but definitely great to eat - and who doesn't love mayonnaise!

happy hour offers cheap beer and other alcoholic creations. great outdoor area for the right day in the sun. in a perfect location for people watching too!

this will totally be a place i'll return to often!

say something photo :: ride that pole

i mean really - how could i resist this one - man's arse wrapped around the pole of the subway - i mean it's just too hard to pass up - so - a quick snap from the treo - and here it is on the blog for all to see - god i love technology and random people - places - and things!