chinese fortune cookie

from tonight's batch of fortune cookies:

1. a lifestyle is what you pay for; a life is what pays you.
2. change is not merley necessary to life. it is life.

fortunes brought to me by mama buddha in the west village.

foodie finds :: spice market

spice market
403 w 13th street
(meatpacking district)
new york, ny 10014

i've been hearing rave reviews about this place pretty much as long as i can remember. finally got to eat here. it wasn't that bad at all.

i went in thinking it would be mad crowded (and i'm sure it usually is) but we were early enough and got right in with a table. the decor was pretty cool - multiple levels - very zen. the staff are made to wear ridiculous uniforms - all in orange - and especially for the women - not flattering at all. Some people should never wear a backless anything with straps - ever!

specialty cocktails were interesting but none really captured my attention so i just had an unfiltered sake - great choice in my opinion - but then again - you can't go wrong with a good sake.

spice market suggests that their portions and plates are 'family style' and are meant to be shared by all parties. so - we ordered a few things to share - and a few things to be greedy and eat on our own.

to start - vietnamese spring rolls and mango salad. both excellent - the mango salad has an unexpected 'kick' so watch out (i felt it was missing something but good nonetheless). for mains - the halibut and the chicken. both great flavors - cooked just right - something you definitely have to try to get the full effect.

i've never been a huge fan of thai food. this was different. it was better. it was something i could enjoy and go back and experience again. there were so many things on the menu - i'll have to go back and try other things.

price - a little up there - $100+ for two people - but not so bad it breaks the bank.

say something photo :: fat nap

you don't have to be 'fat' to have a fat nap. everyone loves a fat nap - i too am guilty of having one on occasion (even at work - shhh - don't tell my boss).

as seen here - sometimes - you just have to prop yourself up - even if you look like you are about to fall over. saw this guy - obviously he had a long day out doing 'sports' or something active - poor thing - couldn't quite keep his eyes open. as i recall - he slept through his stop. poor guy. subways make you sleepy!

wacky video :: dueling jennifers

from the 2007 bet awards - this is the song that brings the 'dueling' divas together - it's like scream-fest 2007 but damn the power - one won the oscar the other won the tony - of course i'm talking about jennifer hudson and jennifer holiday singing the hit from dreamgirls - 'and i am telling you i'm not going' - check it out - i like to call this clip dueling jennifers!

jennifer hudson & jennifer holiday @ 2007 bet awards
uploaded by phillips-entertainment

say something photo :: fat nap (the trifecta)

sleeping on the subway is known to be contagious. as seen here - it will attack mouth-breathing asian women, gay boys with man-bags, and yankees fans. i call this the fat nap trifecta. better watch out - you may be next.

chinese fortune cookie

yes yes - i'm guilty - i'm a huge fan of dirty chinese food take-out. i think it's high time to start documenting the fun fortunes found in my cookies (wow - that sounds sexual). anyway - here goes...

from tonight's cookie batch:
1. truth seeks and finds the light of day.
2. always remember where you are going and never forget where you've been.
3. always, always practice humility.
4. at the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet.
5. change is happening in your life, so go with the flow.

tonight's fortunes were brought to me by taste of oriental in brooklyn. why they felt the need to send me 5 cookies is beyond me - and no - i didn't eat them all - ok maybe just two - or three.

say something photo :: chicken head

be careful when eating chinese food in chinatown - it's about as authentic as you get. while celebrating a co-worker's birthday - we discovered that our chicken came with something extra. must be a cultural thing. it was good chicken nonetheless - just could do without the chicken head. also on the menu for the evening - intestines - um um - not so good. but definitely an experience.

this photo is from my archives - unfortunately i don't remember what the name of the restaurant was. humm - that may be a good thing.

say something photo :: fat nap (the tourists)

after a long day of touring this fabulous city - it's very difficult to keep your eyes open - even if you are hiding behind dark glasses. see - not all the fat people are from new york - as a matter of a fact - most of them are from mid-america - we'll just say these people are from michigan - yeah - michigan. did you guys enjoy coney island? better watch out mouth-breather - you never know what kind of things are flying around on the subway...

nyc gay pride 2007 :: photo recap

nyc's annual gay pride was held this past sunday in manhattan. hundreds of thousands of people gathered to celebrate their pride. of course i was there with my camera ready to take some photos. below are just some of the highlights. for more photos from pride - see my flickr page.

say something photo :: fat nap

what can i say - they keep on sleeping. coming home from work today on the r train in brooklyn - and here's a classic fat nap indeed! one and a half seats - ipod - and a bag! you go mr. fat nap for qualifying for the hall of fame.

eartha kitt's 80th birthday celebration :: carnegie hall

where to begin really - i mean - last night - to have the absolute pleasure to sit in one of the most prestigious concert halls in the world (carnegie hall) - and watch one of the most iconographic women in cabaret - perform for her 80th birthday - i'm telling you - it was truly an experience of a lifetime. the woman in question is none other than eartha kitt. i've been loving this woman for as long as i can remember. from watching old episodes of batman when i was a kid - to singing along to her disco hits in the 70's. this woman has seen and done it all. and for 80 - my god - still giving most people half her age a definite run for their money.

last night - it was all about eartha. simple stage set with a usual jazz band as a backdrop - 2 spotlights illuminating this timeless woman for all to see. i lost count at 12 standing ovations. the crowd absolutely loved her - as well they should. she opened with the sondheim classic 'i'm still here' from follies. she of course adapted it in her own eartha way - touching on her u.s. exile during the vietnam war from presidents johnson and nixon all the way through her comeback from the 70's and beyond. very fitting to open the show.

without missing a beat - eartha went onto sing some of her most known hits including my personal favorite - 'come-on-a-my-house' - sung in japanese and adapted from the original work by rosemary clooney! always a flirt - this night was no exception - purring at the men (and women) in the front row - commenting on how she needs to change the lyrics in 'just an old fashioned girl' from 'old fashioned millionaire' to 'billionaire' to raise the stakes a bit. i was quite happy when she staged her version of 'le danseur de charleston' - something i've been waiting for most of my adult life to see live (the link is an example when she did it in australia many years ago). for an 80-year old woman - she could charleston without missing a beat! i was impressed. the only number missing from the night was 'champagne taste' but the above totally made up for it. she closed out the first act with the disco favorite 'i will survive.' another fitting tune for this triumphant woman.

in the second half of the show - her special guests performed with her: tonya pinkins (tony winner - jelly's last jam & tony nomination - caroline, or change), lachanze (tony winner - the color purple & tony nomination - once on this island), and ben vereen (tony winner - pippin & tony nomination - jesus christ superstar). tonya and eartha brought the house down with a duet inspired by eartha's hit 'monotonous' while lachanze and eartha paired up for a rendition of 'santa baby'. ben vereen saluted eartha with a jazz inspired free-form version (including soft shoe dance) to 'my funny valentine.'

several times during this segment of the performance - eartha broke down into tears of joy - and you could hear her sobs throughout the rest of the show. she once stopped to simply say 'thank you - thank you to each of you for making me live so long.' it was truly a touching moment and one i'll never forget. after the music had died down and the ovations were had - the fabulous woman that she is - took time to shake people's hands as she moved from one end of the stage to the next - audience members showering her with flowers and cards - and ms. kitt taking time to sign an autograph or two.

breathtaking performance. absolutely stunning.

fortunately for us all - she'll be headlining at the carlyle hotel in new york city starting on september 18th through october 27th. i'm already in line for my tickets!

foodie finds :: max restaurant

max restaurant
51 avenue b
new york, ny 10009

fantastic food - friendly staff (even in a down pour). i had the gnocchi - ate every bite - the fennel salad for starters coupled with pate on the side - yumm! great space - nice outside area - just watch for rain clouds - we totally got stuck in it - but it was fun nonetheless. a definite plus in my book - will totally go back. it's cash only - so don't forget to go to the atm.

theatrical thoughts :: spring awakening

spring awakening
eugene o'neill theatre :: new york, ny
attended :: june 19th, 2007

stand up an cheer - this theatrical experience was definitely one i'll remember for years to come. at first - i didn't know how i'd like it - modern music - 1890's book - modern adaptation and staging - from the sounds of it going into it - there was a lot of 'stuff' going on. of course with the tony buzz and the ultimate win for best musical - i had to go see it - so glad i did.

the show itself is amazing - well written book with music by duncan sheik. all they really had to do was put together a great cast. that's just what they did.

the cast - comprised mainly of people under the age of 30 - and i'd imagine most are under 25 - were quite possibly the most talented group of young people i've ever seen assembled for a show like this. the energy and accuracy of each performance mesmerizes you. i kept asking myself how could these kids be so good?

it's emotional - it's ballsy - the story will grip you - and you'll walk out humming a few bars. definitely deserved the tony. definitely a must see for anyone who loves a great show (that isn't a recycled disney or hollywood movie).

foodie finds :: jane

jane
100 w houston st.
new york, ny 10012

ladies and gentlemen - we have a winner! this is my new favorite brunch spot! extremely friendly (and attractive) staff. i ordered my usual brunch beverage (a bloody mary) - right then and there - I was sold. absolutely fantastic bloody mary. just spicy enough and just absolutely tasty. we ordered out meals (for me: asparagus egg white omelet with mozzarella cheese and roasted red peppers, side of maple chicken sausages, biscuits and jam). in no less than 5 minutes - we had a plate of their vanilla crme brle-dipped french toast (compliments of the chef) - well well well - ain't that special - and oh my god - so amazing. absolutely melts in your mouth.

our plates arrived at the table - everything was perfect. it's definitely a place i'll go to again and again. we never had to flag down anyone who worked there - water was always full - plates were delivered and removed in a timely manor - our waitress was fantastic - checking in enough to be helpful but not too much to be annoying (you know how that can get). and this was a busy brunch - every table was occupied.

price was reasonable and for what we had to eat - so well worth the money spent. my only regret - not trying the cheddar grits - next time i will.

foodie finds :: stout

stout
133 west 33rd street
new york, ny 10001

my god this place keeps going and going and going and going...it's huge! it's like the haufbrauhaus of irish pubs in nyc. however - if i were to break it down (and you know i'm going to break it down) there's not much to it - just an average beer bar / sports bar with an irish theme - it's size is the only thing unique about it.

it has everything you'd expect it to have - a wide range of draught beer coupled with the usual bottles. interesting thing is - most of the beers were the usuals - nothing special - nothing out of the norm. there's larger international selections of draught beers at places like ginger man or croxleys - but i digress.

the place has a menu - though i didn't eat (this time - i mean i had been there before for a work peeps thing and had a burger that i recall there was nothing special to recall about) - the thing that interested me - or really - frightened me - this place has a raw bar. here we are - in a place that's just steps from penn station - not the cleanest place - 8,000 people - and they want to serve raw or partially cooked shell fish - um - if that's not a recipe for disaster - i don't know what is. but - i wasn't there for the food - i was there for the beer and friends.

let's talk about the friends (not mine but the ones that i didn't make from the 'interesting' crowd). take a frat party or a sorority party (not the best one on the campus - but just an average one) - mix in a lot of new jersey - dress them in sports gear, work clothes, and top with bad hair and too much cologne and perfume - and that's what you have drinking it up from happy hour till close! i couldn't help but continually think that most of them were there because it's so convenient to the path train just a few steps outside the door. does any woman in this bar not buy their clothes from forever 21?

the staff - a mess - took forever to get a beer (though i was given free shot of jameson for a cracked pint - that was cool) - the bar back staff were rude and pushy - granted - there's 8,000 people in the place but my god - i am a solid object - you can't move through me - the phrase that works the best is: 'excuse me.'

in the end - i did have a great time with all of my friends (it was their graduation from med school and most are not going to be in manhattan after this weekend) - will i go back - sure - it's a place i could easily go out with people from work - or people who live by the path train - but it'd have to be very special circumstances before i make a conscious decision to go back on my own.

say something photo :: miss funky toes

while riding in the subway in new york city - you see some pretty crazy things: people sleeping, passed out homeless people, bad hair, great bods, people from all over the world and even worse - jersey, and then there's this woman - we'll just call her miss funky toes. i don't know - call me crazy - but not everyone should wear flip-flops and sandals - no matter how hot it is outside. people with cute toes and feet i think are the best candidates for flip-flops and sandals.

if you look closely at the pics - you'll see that 3 of her toes - are - well - one. there's the tiny toe growing out of the top of the other two. just kinda freaky. the thing that made me laugh about the whole situation is that they have been painted - professionally - so that means a person in a shop had to get them that way. i guess if that's your trade you have seen it all - i just have not and thought - wow - funky toes - something to grab and blog about.

foodie finds :: st marks ale house

st marks ale house

2 saint marks place
new york, ny 10003

just an average experience - average bar - interesting people - didn't eat the food (not sure if i ever would) - but for a couple of drinks - not a bad place to hang your hat. i found the staff to be friendly and the customers - well - let's just say some were so drunk they were holding onto shadows to stay standing - thank god for the bouncer. it is what it is - nothing more nothing less.

foodie finds :: gobo

gobo
401 6th avenue
new york, ny 10014

if you are hankerin' for a fantastic vegetarian plate of goodness - gobo is definitely the place to go. there's not a thing on the menu that i've had that i didn't like - for many reasons. every plate is fresh and bursting with flavor - something that in generally missing in most vegetarian restaurants. there's no wonder why it's been noted as one of the top vegetarian restaurants in the city! the prices aren't going to break the bank - and they are reasonable enough so you can sample many items for your meal.

menu recommendations: vietnamese spicy stir-fry rice noodle with bean sprouts (just the right amount of heat and tang), sesame protein braised in sweet & sour sauce (looks like dinner - tastes like dessert), edamame with five spices (they really do taste better than your average edamame), and spinach wonton soup (i could bathe in this stuff).

say something photo :: sneaker friends

so yeah - this is totally an ad for adidas but i think it also says something profound. being that i live in new york - a good pair of shoes does completely make or break your day. since most of us here do no drive around in cars - a quality pair of shoes are essential to anyone's wardrobe. so i can see why some may think of their sneakers as being their friends. way to go adidas!

this picture was taken somewhere in soho - the sticker was attached to a light pole.

say something photo :: fat nap

i guess everyone takes a nap at work from time to time - but when you are supposed to be driving the train - i don't think that's a very good idea. this mta employee was totally grabbing some z's between stops on the m train running into manhattan from brooklyn. just when do all of the trains go automatic anyway?

foodie finds :: posto pizza

posto pizza
310 2nd ave
(bet 18th st & 19th st)
new york, ny 10003

i'm so not a fan of pizza on a normal day. i feel like next to fast food like mcdonald's - it's an american cop-out for good food. last night - however - chris had a little impromptu gathering for the tony awards and 'sopranos' final show (what a bummer ending by the way - but i digress) - anyway - pizza was ordered from posto and let me tell you - i'm a changed man - bring on the pizza!

we ordered cheese and the meat-lovers. the meat-lovers is a heart attack on a thin crust of goodness - i mean really gluttonous which is a fantastic thing to be on occasion! 4 or 5 kinds of italian meats - how could that be bad - add cheese and out of this world sauce and um um good times all around!

took a little while to be delivered but well worth the wait - and it wasn't too too expensive either.

way to go!

say something photo :: paris hilton

while standing in union square this weekend - i snapped this pic of this 'say something' someone. now - i'm not sure exactly how paris hilton's crimes have anything to do with a woman's rights - but this man evidently thinks there is indeed a tie between the two. i feel like - if you do the crime - you do the time - even if you are an heiress with too much lip gloss!

say something photo :: man or memorex?

ok wow! my friend scott has taken on the art of mass transit 'gotcha' photography. seen here in these pics is a man? a woman? a fill in the blank - who knows - my god? these pics were taken on the orange line to vienna in washington, dc. what do you think? is it a man? a woman? or something only a nightmare can conjure up? and get this - it wasn't even gay pride - just a random night on the metro...maybe (s)he's going to catholic school somewhere in virginia?

theatrical thoughts :: 2007 tony award recap

well well well - gay christmas has come and gone. in all - a great show - can't wait for the clips to be shown on monday nights at splash!

some shocks though - biggest one being david hyde pierce's win for 'curtains.' poor raúl esparza - i don't think he saw it coming - quite frankly - i don't think any of us did. after his nearly flawless performance in the show last night (raúl sang 'being alive') - you would have thought the tony was a guarantee - but alas - no. big sad face for raúl. on another note - at least we know now that david hyde pierce is a gay homo! not that that's really a shock - but he announced it on the microphone last night by giving kudos to his partner of 25 years - good for him! but then again - who isn't gay on broadway these days?

as much as i hate to admit this - i felt so bad for 'kiki and herb: alive on broadway' - i mean to lose to a guy and a puppet - must have felt like 'wicked's' loss to 'avenue q.' even though i hated kiki and herb's show - i definitely thought it would be the winner overall in a category that had only two running. it's ok - kiki and herb are going on the road this summer and i'm sure the audiences will love them regardless.

the big winners of the night were definitely 'spring awakening' (8 wins out of 11 nominations) and 'the coast of utopia' (7 wins out of 10 nominations). honestly not a big shock for either - they were definitely in the front running for this night.

my favorite win of the evening had to be julie white as best performance by a leading actress in a play for 'the little dog laughed.' i literally jumped out of my chair when they called out her name. one of the best speeches of the night - she clearly didn't expect the win and was sincerely gracious giving many props to the veteran actresses who were also nominated in that category. she was definitely the underdog - but her fantastic performance truly rose to the top of the list for her - well done!

other no-brainer wins were christine ebersole's and mary louise wilson's wins for the actress categories both lead and featured in a musical for 'grey gardens.'

i was very happy that 'company' won best revival of a musical. down with 'a chorus line' - it'll run for a while - but 'company' needed this and got it. too bad raúl wasn't able to take home his - but i'm glad that this fantastic show got the recognition it did.

an interesting tid-bit about the show itself - hollywood was definitely in attendance this year. most of the presentations were made by people more familiar as being movie or television personalities. even 'american idol' winner fantasia performed a number from 'the color purple' which wasn't even nominated for anything this year. fantasia is starring in the oprah winfrey produced musical - but it seems as if the star power appeal of fantasia, usher, and 'ugly betty' star mark indelicato, was used ony as an attempt to boost television ratings or to attract a younger crowd - interesting indeed. the american theatre wing has been struggling to keep ratings and rumors have been around town stating that they may have no choice but to go to a cable network if they wish to continue to broadcast. oh well - i guess we should welcome anyone with open arms who is willing to support the theatrical arts.

can't wait till next year!

to see a complete list of the winners - check out the american theatre wing's website.

say something photo :: elderly protest

while doing a little post-brunch shopping in the upper west side at one of the usual summer street fairs - i happened to capture this old man with definitely something to say. thought it was appropriate to feature in one of my 'say something photo' segments.

i've never quite understood why people walk around with signs preaching 'god's word' - but then again - i'm the one that takes pictures of them and puts it on a blog for all to see. at this guy's age - i guess he has to do anything that will help him get into heaven. i wonder if he's doing this now to pay back for bad deeds done in his youth? humm - maybe i should make some signs of my own - all these bad deeds add up you know!

foodie finds :: washington square diner

washington square diner
150 W. 4th street
(between 6th ave & macdougal st)
new york, ny

don't even bother - this dump should be closed. been here 3 times and never once has the staff really cared to assist me and the food - crap - there's 5,000 other diners in nyc - this one can go by way of the dodo bird!

say something photo :: fat nap (great pumpkin)

oh fat man oh fat man - why do you sleep? did you stay up too late last night? need to catch some extra z's on the r train from brooklyn to manhattan? are you a party animal? i mean you do look festive in your orange shirt - it screams to me - you're a great pumpkin, charlie brown! what's in the bag - lunch?

rufus wainwright :: gramercy theatre

i was fortunate last night to be able to attend rufus wainwright's show at the gramercy theatre on 23rd street on the east side of manhattan. as usual - i attended with my concert-buddy ames (aka tixgirl - read her review of the show). it was nothing less than a family affair!

opening this glorious night was his cousin - lucy roche - playing numbers from her first and only ep (8 songs) just released to u.s. audiences that night. lucy was a pleasant start to the evening not only with her own works but with recreations from musical theatre and other songs from the fantastically talented wainwright clan.

in the audience - many members of the wainwright clan. too many to mention but they were in full force to support their own. mysteriously absent (at least from my seat) was rufus' sister martha. nonetheless - this was night one of what will be a 4 night gig at the gramercy theatre.

present in the crowd: golden globe nominated actress maggie gyllenhaal, rufus' boyfriend jörn weisbrodt, former ny club kid walt paper, tony nominee justin bond of kiki and herb (who actually did a cameo performance in the show seen in the pictures below), mike furey of dangerous muse, and if not her a very good carbon copy of fashion designer betsy johnson (we could not confirm if it was indeed her - now with jet black hair and conservatively dressed for the typically wild betsy.)

after a 20 or so minute break between sets - rufus (and band) mount the stage and in true rufus fashion - the fashion was as much a part of the show as the music. everyone in the band was wearing some form of stars (sparkly bangles) and stripes in honor of his new cd release the stars and single 'going to a town.' rufus told a funny story about how the black and white flag he created didn't make it through customs in time for the show but would be there for the shows the following nights.

the show consisted of a lot of music from his new cd - which makes sense - and mixed in here and there were hits from previous cds - definitely crowd-pleasers. i always like seeing him with a full sound including his amazing brass section - and in that venue - wow - what an impact - intimate and brimming with quality. i could hardly believe i was in a renovated movie theater.

another break - had a beer and a wee - then back for the second part of the show. rufus this time had changed into german lederhosen. gotta love a man who can pull off leather shorts in june. the second part of the show was more of his older hits and great energy throughout as always.

encore - of course there was an encore - like 5 to be exact. rufus came out in a bathrobe and later did his tribute to judy garland in heels, hat, tuxedo jacket, black hose, lipstick and rhinestones - simply stunning with a dance break to boot.

in all - super fun - great energy - fantastic show. can't wait to see him again (and i will - central park - august 19th.)

for more photos of the performance check out my flickr account.