Bakeri

Bakeri was suggested one afternoon by an acquaintance who like me also happens to navigate the currents of the wine business. And yes,
one evening
I did trek
all the way
from Manhattan
to Brooklyn in
order to find this
place which promised
redemption in
the form of a
dark brew.

Bakeri was established in 2009 and has built a reputation for their tasty coffee, teas and wonderful baked goodies. The menu includes salads, sandwiches and a general joie de vivre amongst it's clientele.

150 Wythe Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
Tel: 718 388 8037

The Chatwal

In New York there is such an abundance of cafe's, restaurants, bars and bistros that many of us do tend to miss the hospitality aspect of the many hotels that abound in this city. This could be the reason why the Chatwal hotel, it's bar or even its top notch restaurant 'The Lambs Club' are far from the radar of most avid restaurant goers.

A dramatically re-envisioned "baby grand" hotel, the Chatwal has been restored and modernised by the architect Thierry Despont, a graduate of the acclaimed Beaux-Arts in Paris. Despont is an architect and interior designer, decorating houses for corporate barons, billionaires and fashion tycoons. Hence the Chatwal located in the heart of midtown is described as a 'glamorous toast to the golden age of travel.' The main entrance leads to a small but incredibly beautiful art deco lobby which also serves as a bar and cafe. Once inside the hotel, you are greeted by a tranquil oasis away from the humdrum of midtown traffic.

The usual hum of
afternoon business meetings
and the quiet sounds
from the reception.
The perfect place
for my rather
late afternoon cappuccino.

128 West 44th Street
New York, NY
Tel: (212) 764-6200

Barolo/Brunello Pre-Sale at Avoce

Two traditionally well known Italian varietals were being showcased at a pre-sale wine tasting at Avoce, a restaurant featuring Italian culinary delights located on the 3rd floor of the magnificent Timer Warner centre.

Brunello is an important clone of the Italian Sangiovese found exclusively in the Tuscan town of Montalcino and presently Brunello di Montalcinos are the greatest expressions of Tuscan Sangiovese. These wines can be huge, intense, complex and very expensive due to their their longevity and consistency. Barolo on the other hand is made with the Nebbiolo grape produced in the Northern Italian region of Piedmont and is often debated as being the finest expression of this varietal. Barolos can age for decades under the proper conditions and along with great Bordeauxs and Burgundies and some Super Tuscans are some of the most amazing wines on this planet.

Sipping all these
great wines
spitting
but more often
swollowing
with the magnificent
views of Central Park
and the intense power
of New York city
now
lying across my
vista
like an
ocean
on a placid day....