Ode to Spring and Summer...

We spoke softly
underneath a pink sky
surrounded by wild flowers
and sunflowers
and heavy trees
some with figs
or almonds
and others with
apples
pears...and
the perfume of a hundred roses
got me drunk
even before my lips
had touched
a drop
of wine.

Priya Singh

(photograph and background by Antonio Petracca- Halloween 2008)

Magnolia Bakery

I could not resist capturing the smile of one of the servers at the Magnolia Bakery at Rockefeller Centre.......

Magnolia Bakery
1240 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY

Tel: 212 767 1123

Cho Dang Gol

Adventures in Korea town and within it's restaurants in New York City are quite a delight. And for those of you who do not live in New York city but follow my blog 'quite fervently' (I hope), the exact area that lends itself to the name of Korea town is 32nd Street and 6th avenue in Manhattan. Full of shopping, restaurants, coffee shops, clothing stores, hair salons, super markets, all catering to the Korean tourist, expat or your average aficionado -this street is always busy.

This particularly windy evening, it was suggested that we try one of the lesser known Korean restaurants on 35th street called Cho Dang Gol. The restaurant with its charming interior specialises in Korean cuisine based on the preparations of a species of legume native to East Asia known to most of us as tofu. The owner, Kim Bong Ok was born in a village in the South Korean province of Kangwon which is known for its tofu. As a child, she learned how to make more than 100 dishes using very tender bean curd and presently strives to preserve the authentic taste of regional Korean cuisine incorporating her fresh home-made tofu.

I highly recommend:

Fermented Tofu stew with anchovies
Seafood soup with Tofu

Both come with brown rice and a selection of assorted pickels. Delicious!

Where: 55 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001
Tel: 212 695 3797
cuisine: Korean cuisine with an emphasis on Tofu based stews and soups
cost: appetizers from $ 7.00 up. Main courses from $ 16.00 to $40.00. Soups and stews from $ 8.00 and up

d.b.a

My extremely broke friend and I decided to meet after 6 or 7 years during 'happy hour' at d.b.a. Being enlightened by dire straits and a healthy overdose of technology we looked up open bars in and around the city and found that d.b.a hosts an open bar on Monday nights. So while my friend sipped water (I assume he was more broke than myself) I ordered an Eisbock from Germany.

d.b.a is mostly a beer bar with a very notable selection of International and national beers. They also have an incredible array of bourbons, whiskeys and single malt Scotches. As it was a Monday night, the atmosphere was quiet, there were a few people around and the bartender Gareth was extremely attentive and knowledgeable about his beers, explaining each with the most incredible Australian accent. The space itself is the sister bar to d.b.a in the East Village which is always packed. This branch though has a lovely back garden which should do rather well during the hot summer nights.


where: 113, North 7th Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY 11211
tel: 718 218 6006
open bar: Every Monday with a rotating selection of beer and spirits
Can get expensive with certain beers going well up to $ 7.00 and up