A perfect place to warm away the winter blues

According to the farmer's almanac, we are in for a long cold winter here in NYC.  So that probably means that you are going to want to have lots of hot beverages to keep you warm.  I have the perfect place for you.  Whether you are looking to have a cup of tea, lunch, a scone or a high-tea menu without all the fuss (and the price tag) of the plaza, go to Alice's Tea Cup.  Nestled into a downstairs restaurant is this absolutely charming, upper west side gem that is still a little bit of a secret I'm glad to say.

Their tea menu is quite extensive and they have every tea imaginable.  The menu has great descriptions of each kind of tea, so that by the time you leave you actually have a better idea of what the differences between all the teas are.  I had the coconut/vanilla, which is a Rooibos tea, otherwise known as an African red bush tea.  It was fantastic.  My server recommended this one, and what a great suggestion it was.

I decided that I would go all out and get "the nibbler".  For $23 you get a pot of a tea of your choice, a scone, one sandwich (not a half mind you) and a plate of cookies.  The menu clearly states that "the nibbler" is just for one, and there is no sharing.  They also have a version that you can share, but as I was by myself, it wasn't an issue.   I chose the pumpkin scone.  It was served warm with cream and jam and it was scrumptious.  I am not sure I remember ever eating a scone that was that warm, but I definitely recommend it.  I think it might have just come out of the oven!  YUM!!  I had the chicken sandwich with granny smith apple and goat cheese on seven grain bread, also amazing and the bottom layer of my tier was an assortment of cookies.  My favorite was the double chocolate cookie.  It was an indulgence well worth every bite.  

The service is fantastic and the place itself is just adorable.  The food taste like it just came out of my grandmother's kitchen.  (She was an amazing cook)  They sell all their teas by the ounce in the front where you can also purchase their scone cookbook or teapots, or even take home a cookie or piece of cake for later. I can't recommend this place highly enough.  It is one of my favorite little spots on the upper west side.  There are very few lunch or tea places I have come across that are as unique as this.   It's cold outside New York, but it's cozy and warm at Alice's Tea Cup.
They have 3 locations:
102 West 73rd
156 East 64th
220 East 81st
212-734-4tea

Be a tourist without looking like one! Getting around NYC with your iPhone

If you visit NYC, a great app to download for your iPhone is Exit Strategy.  It's the best NYC subway app I have found... and I have tried several!

It has local maps and all of the transit maps for New York (subway AND buses).  And it doesn't need access to phone service or internet connection to do it, which is great for when you are underground.

Not only does it have transit maps, but also has local maps of all of New York.  And the part I love is that you can tap on a station and it will show you which car you should be in to get out at the exit you want, so while you wait for the train to come you can walk to where that car will pull up and save time on the other end of the trip (we NYers call this "pre-walking")

It's only $3.99, which is less than a round trip subway ride, and totally worth it.  I use it almost every day.  Plus you won't be carrying around, and even worse UNFOLDING giant subway maps (why do they make them so big?).  You don't have to look like a tourist (even if you are one!)

2011: The year for making beautiful pictures! (with guest blogger Pam)

If there is one time of year that we can’t help but to embrace our inner photographer, it’s got to be the holidays.  Family, friends, travel, blizzards!  So many opportunities to record great memories! As we begin a new year, think back on the photos you took over the past weeks. What kind of reactions are you getting from family and friends? How do the pictures look to you? Do most of them make you smile, scratch your head, or groan? Are you thinking, "Why do I bother?" or, "Hey, that turned out better than I expected!" Or maybe somewhere in between--good enough to evoke memories of the occasions, but not worthy of matting and framing for posterity. 

Nelson (circa 2007, he's in doggie heaven now)
Photo by Skye's sister Kyle

 Your photographs are the products of two ingredients: you and your hardware.  A picture is like the end result of a recipe--some cooks just throw together anything in the pantry without looking at expiration dates or instructions, and cheerfully hope for the best. Others buy beautifully-illustrated and detailed cookbooks, the finest kitchen tools and cookware, the most precisely-calibrated commercial stoves, and shop specialty stores for the highest-quality ingredients, before using carefully-practiced skills to create culinary delights . Both can produce delicious results, although in the second example, they are more predictable, not necessarily because of the fancy pans, but because the cook cares more about the outcome.

Skye's friend Janet Halpin took this gorgeous shot

Regardless of whether you are the Joël Robuchon or Rachael Ray of photographers, you don't need to invest a small fortune in your camera equipment (although it's easy to do, and you may ultimately want to, once your expertise warrants it) to get excellent pictures--I've seen amazing results from camera phones--but if you want to improve, and control the end product so that the picture you want is the one you get, you will need to spend some time and attention on using what you have. (Then work on upgrading!)

Think back again to those holiday pictures. If there is something you want to change, you have to decide what. Is your camera still pretty much a mystery, and you want to get control of it instead of letting it make all the decisions? Or have you learned everything in the manual and still can't get the results you want? Can you see that this year's pictures are better than last year's, and want to keep on in this positive direction? Or have you reached the point where you are picking apart each photo as far as composition, lighting, focus, detail, and content, and are continually setting higher standards for yourself? 

Skye's high school classmate, Maria Strinni Gill

No matter where you are along the spectrum, the answer to helping you succeed in taking better photos in 2011 is some kind of guided practice. Practice, practice, practice! Randomly snapping hundreds of shots without any assessment, while it may produce a few good results (and a comical candid shot or two), won't help much over the long run. It's an easy habit to fall into--I still find myself giving in to the impulse to click away--but taking a deep breath and giving some thought to getting the settings right, will probably make you happier at the end of the day.  

Skye's talented intern Phoebe Chung

In upcoming blogs we will discuss these things, sometimes addressing your hardware, and sometimes your knowledge, skills, and inspiration. Assessing those holiday pictures has probably nudged you in one direction or the other--you are ready to graduate to a new camera, or you want to spend some effort educating your inner photographer. Or both! Next time we'll revisit the ongoing point-and-shoot vs. DSLR debate, and maybe touch on style and subjects.

Every time you import a new batch of digital photos, or open an envelope of prints for the first time, there's that tickly rush of anticipation, whether you are a newbie or a pro. My resolution for the new year is to make that experience more enjoyable for everyone I can, including myself!

Meanwhile, have fun and keep snapping! 

Alma 33

Imagine a culinary combo of Italian and Argentinean.  Sounds good doesn’t it?   Go to Alma 33 and taste how delicious that combination can be.  The chef, Enrico Primarti,  is from Florence and spent time studying cooking in Argentina.  The combination is delicious and you will be delighted with every bite.

Alma had a soft opening last week featuring only items off the tapas menu.  They opened this week for dinner and will be serving lunch beginning the week of January 10^th.  The wine list by the glass is lovely featuring mostly Spanish wines.  I had the Priorat and it was a great value.  We then moved on to Tapas.  The Tartaf de terriera (beef Tartar) with a  raw quail egg is out of this world.  

The portion was huge, although I must say I could have eaten it all night long.  We then moved on to the Sardines on a crostini with goat cheese and pistachio cream that was possibly my favorite thing we ate all night.  

They were fresh, not too salty and none of the flavors overpowered the others.  We then tried two different types of empanadas, the chicken and the short rib.  We finished our meal with a delicious vanilla panacotta with a raspberry sauce that was so light that I didn’t feel once ounce of guilt.

The prices are right, the deco is sophisticated and beautiful and the food is sublime.  It is great for groups or just a quiet drink with a friend.  Go and experience all the flavors that happen when Italy meets Argentina.  It can really be quite something.
Alma
33 West 8th St. between 5th and 6th

Sometimes "Off" is the way to go

When visiting New York, one of the things that probably tops your list of things to do is to see a Broadway show.  There are many fantastic shows to see that range from the massive (yet seemingly dangerous) Spider Man, to shows that have big stars like Daniel Radcliff in How to Succeed in Business and then there are the shows that have been around for years like Chicago that are long-timers for a reason.  But if you want to treat yourself to something intimate and new, go see an Off-Broadway show.  There are so many theatres to choose from how do you know which one to go to?  Well topping my list of favorite companies is The Signature Theatre Company on West 42^nd between 10^th & 11^th.  I saw their production of “Angels in America” (Part I) last night, and what a great experience it was.

First, the theater is so intimate that there really isn’t a bad seat in the house.  The acting was superb and the sets were amazing.  3 hours at the theatre flew by without once thinking that this was long.  The Signature dedicates a season to one playwright and this season they have brought in Tony Kushner.  They keep extending Angels, so try and get a ticket if you still can.  I can’t wait to see Part II next week.  

There are many great companies out there.  Here are a few of my favorites:  Playwrights Horizons, Keen Company, Barrow Street Theater, BAM, St. Ann’s Warehouse (more of a venue, but they often bring in really interesting shows and companies) and the Mint Theatre Company, just to name a few.  There are many more, but here is a place for you to start.  If you want to get a first rate theatre experience for a fraction of the price of a Broadway show, go see an “Off-Broadway” show.  You won’t be sorry you strayed.  

9th Ave – the real restaurant beat of Times Square

Times Square is a tourist destination, and let’s face it a restaurant trap.  Most of the restaurants that are a stone’s throw from the glamour and lights are not worth the trip.  However, when venture a little East or West you walk into an oasis of great restaurants.  That is what 9^th Avenue is.  One of my favorite haunts is Bocca di Bacca.  

It serves up Italian cuisine and offers 45 Italian wines by the glass and over 500 hundred by the bottle.  You can choose to go all out on their “reserve list” by the glass or just go for the regular list.  Both are exquisite and the bartender or server will help guide you through the list.  Ask for a taste before you commit.  They also have a full bar if wine isn’t what you are in the mood for.

The food there is fantastic.  I brought my friend from Italy there and he loved it.  I recommend getting the Bruschetta al Funghi with Truffle oil.  

It will melt in your mouth.  I have on many occasions had their cheese and meat platters and they should be on the top of your list as well.   Last night we had the Scallops with celery root puree

and the Garganelli Ossobucco.  

They were divine!  The pasta was cooked to perfection and the scallops and celery root were just lightly seasoned so that you were able to taste all the flavors in the dish.  I recommend the risotto if they have one available.  The décor is rustic and cozy and the service is great.  The prices are very reasonable (especially the wine list).  If it is good Italian you are after and you are in Midtown, don’t miss out on this fantastic gem.  It will not dissapoint.

829 9th Ave betweeen 54th & 55th

212-265-8828

Great Italian for an unbeatable price

Sometimes you just want a great dish of pasta.  You want to go all out, screw the low-carb diet and indulge.  But you want it to be good and fresh and worth it.  When I get that urge and I want to stay local, I go to Celeste, on 84^th and Amsterdam.  They don’t take reservations and there is always a line out the door, but eat there once and you will know why.  Chef Giancarlo Quadalti hails from Italy and the food is so authentic it makes you feel as if you were in Italy and not the upper west side of Manhattan.  The pastas are made fresh daily and you can taste the difference in every mouthful.   Each dish is full of flavor and cooked to perfection.  Two of my favorites are the Linguini Vongole:

and the Arrabiata:

I ventured out and had Salmon when I was there last week and it was fantastic.  And if you like pizza you can’t go wrong with the thin crust pizza from their wood burning oven and what Italian meal would be complete without a little homemade gelato?  (Yes I went all out and had the dessert too – but real gelato?  So good!!)  We also had the Lemon Pie.  It was fantastic!

The wine list is very good and the prices are more than reasonable, as are all the prices on the menu.  It is probably one of the best values you will find in Manhattan.  The portions are huge and the prices are small.  They are no longer a secret (at least among the upper west siders) so be prepared to wait a bit, but if you call ahead they will let you know how long the wait is.    Also it is cash only.   It is small, but cozy and the service is warm and friendly.  They pack them in every night, but boy do they get it right.  Every night.   Now that’s amore!

502 Amsterdam (Between 84th & 85th)

212-874-4559