vip in the city, page 37

Instead of the McEwan film, I hopped the G from Greenpoint Avenue to Carroll Street. In my decades of riding the subway, this was farthest I’d ever ridden on the G, which is the only line in the system that does not enter Manhattan. We emerged in front of the Gowanus Yacht Club, and as we made our way towards the waterfront, picture-perfect brownstones along familiar-looking streets gave way to warehouses, until at last we reached our destination: the non-profit Issue Project Room.

The performance tonight was a last hurrah of sorts for this entirely distinctive performance space off the Carroll Street Bridge; the IPR, which since June 2005 has been devoted to innovative projects and multidisciplinary, experimental art and cultural events, will be closing on June 30 due to landlord issues and a pending shutdown of the canal for cleanup. We entered in through an imposing black metal gate, hung with a wooden arts-and-crafts style sign and entered a field of gravel, grass, weeds and trees alongside the brown-green waters of the Gowanus Canal.

The performance space itself is a two-story converted oil silo; another adjacent silo houses artists studios. We entered the ground floor bar, past the large metal dumpster, where IPR volunteers were pumping out plastic cups of Brooklyn’s finest beer from a keg. No, we were informed emphatically: not Brooklyn Brewery, but Six Point Craft Ales – “We are 100% Brooklyn!”

It was still a bit early for the show, so we joined the others (including Reuters alum TN) in the waning sun.

Showtime: we climbed up an exterior metal staircase to reach a bare circular space, dotted overhead with the most unique sound set-up I’d ever seen. The 16-channel hemispherical speaker system is the brainchild of artist/composer Stephan Moore and tonight it served as the ultimate showcase for IPR’s final series: “Points in a Circle.”

Performing tonight were Ikue Mori (best known as drummer and founder of early 80s no-wave group DNA) and composer/performer Keith Fullerton Whitman (whom I knew under the moniker Hrvåtski from the first mix tape B ever made me.)

Over the next hour and a half, the ceiling-suspended speakers sent waves of familiar and unfamiliar electronic sounds bouncing and radiating through the room. About a hundred people sat immobile in the dimmed space, eyes closed, reveling in the aural experience.

Spent my lunch break at South Street Seaport for the FDNY Flag Day celebrations.

By the time CS and I arrived, we had just missed the bagpipe processional and the “Blessing of the Fleet” by Fire Department chaplain Monsignor John Delendick. The blessing is a centuries-old tradition originating in southern European, predominantly Catholic, fishing communities, to ensure a safe and bountiful season for the men at sea. The Fire Department began performing this yearly ritual over its fleet after the September 11, 2001 attacks. That day, the fireboats evacuated hundreds of people from Manhattan to New Jersey, then worked for days pumping seawater to fight the fires at the World Trade Center after a downtown water main went out. The FDNY Marine Division, now in its 130th year, is comprised of eight ships, which together cover 560 miles of the city’s waterfront, making it the largest division of its kind in the world.

The highlight of the afternoon: the Fireboats “Water Salute”. We gathered at Pier 17 among firemen, clergy, locals and tourists to watch as the marine fleet made its way from the Brooklyn Bridge to the seaport to give a Flag Day salute, spectacularly shooting streams of red, white and blue water 300 feet into the overcast sky.

Accompanying the procession was the retired John J. Harvey. The fireboat, which voluntarily returned to service for 72 hours after September 11, spends most days resting in a berth on the lower Hudson, at Pier 66 Maritime, which is also home to the National Register-listed Lightship #115 “Frying Pan”, which I visited last summer.

Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta:

At DiSalvio Playground on Spring and Mulberry:

Housing Works Bookstore and Café hosted the release party for the Summer 2007 issue of Alimentum, a New York-based literary magazine focused exclusively on food and eating. 32 writers and poets contributed to this fourth issue, which featured a special section devoted entirely to bananas.

Alimentum publisher Paulette Licitra, who launched the journal with her husband Peter Selgin, was at the event to introduce the readings by tonight’s featured writers: Joanne Jacobson, Diana Abu-Jabar, Robin Hirsch and Gary Allen.

I most enjoyed Abu-Jabar’s story: a selection from her third work, The Language of Baklava, a culinary memoir of growing up in a bi-cultural Jordanian-American household — vignettes interspersed with recipes rich in memory. Through the frustrations and challenges Abu-Jabar encounters while navigating the murky waters of cultural identity, one constant remains: her love and appreciation for food. The format reminded me a bit of one of my favorite food story collections, Home Cooking, by the dear, departed Laurie Colwin.

Hirsch, who is part-owner of the Cornelia Street Café, read a story of restaurateur “Mr. S” who falls in love with his dishwasher — an excerpt presumably taken from the current issue of Alimentum, and not from Hirsch’s own memoir, Last Dance at the Hotel Kempinski.

Allen, educator, author and food history editor for Leite’s Culinaria, closed out the reading program with an amusing banana-themed story about his travels through the tropics, proving that there can be too much of a good thing. It was a perfect segue into the reception, featuring – what else? – banana splits.

This blog is one year old today.

Our event this evening, which originally had been slated for the W New York – The Court, was moved at the last minute a few doors west to the Audrey Lounge & Café at the W New York — The Tuscany. Yes: there are actually two W Hotels on 39th Street between Lexington and Park — a situation I imagine lends itself to occasional confusion. (I once experienced a similar mix-up over the two H&Ms on West 34th Street. Sorry, Aunt L!) The sister properties (formerly the Doral Court and the Doral Tuscany) were acquired by W Hotels in 1996, and reopened under their current names after The Rockwell Group‘s extensive three-year, multi-million-dollar renovation.

J and I were at the hotel for a Bacardi mixology workshop led by renowned sommelier/”cocktail stylist” Jerri Banks. Among her many wine consulting credits, Banks has created original specialty drinks for Indian-fusion lounge Taj, the Meatpacking District’s (now closed) Fressen, and Drew Nieporent‘s (also closed) Cinnabar. Hey, NYC is a tough restaurant town. Banks is also the consulting beverage director for the Upper West Side’s newest “wine and spirits boutique,” Pour.

We shook off the rains from outside and were welcomed with cool glasses of Bacardi Limón, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and club soda over ice – now that’s quality lemonade!

After some light bites, it was time for our informal cocktail class to begin. Our group gathered around the glowing bar, where Banks demonstrated a pair of her summery rum concoctions as two assistants shook and stirred rounds of the same for the rest of us.

Her “Sun Tonic” (Bacardi Limón, fresh lemon juice, grated fresh ginger and simple syrup, garnished with a lemon pinwheel) was a crowd favorite with its spicy, sweet and tart notes. The “Peach Red Cobbler” (Bacardi Peach Red, fresh lemon juice, POM Wonderful, simple syrup and muddled seedless grapes, garnished with slices of fresh peaches, nectarines or apricots, blackberries and star fruit) was described by Banks as an “inside-out sangria,” for reasons we didn’t quite comprehend. It was tasty, too, but seemed perhaps just a bit too complicated for the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.

Banks talked us through her recipes, emphasizing fresh ingredients and a proper balance of drink components: neither too sweet, nor overly alcoholic. J agreed, the results spoke for themselves: very refreshing!

Live entertainment, filled 46th Street with music. I’d read that the stars from “Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding” were to perform at the TOTS food festival, but I must have just missed them.

I did a doubletake as we passed this accordian player, propped up on a cement pillar at the corner of 46th and Eighth. For a brief moment, I thought were were revisiting the wild days of pre-Disney Times Square, but upon closer examination it seems the street performer actually was wearing a tube top underneath her instrument.

An ominously loud clap of thunder followed by a torrent of rain sent crowds scrambling for cover under the large Swing 46 tent on Restaurant Row, where swing band Double Down led by John Kozan entertained with toe-tapping tunes. Some impressive moves were on display on the dance floor, though I suspected most of the participants were ringers from the nearby jazz and supper club.

At the Times Square Alliance booth, festival-goers lined up for a chance to spin for fabulous prizes. When my turn came, I gave the cage a vigorous turn. As a bright blue ball rolled out, I was treated to enthusiastic whoops from the stall workers who bestowed upon me a black “Times Square Alliance”-logoed t-shirt like the one pictured here. It was a tough act to follow, but SYB did: improbably so, winning a white and pink “Taste of Times Square” apron (along with some unsolicited advice.) Sweet!

Our luck did not follow us to the “Broadway Insider” booth where festival attendees were lined up for a chance at free show tickets. My wheel spin “won” me one of the consolation prizes: a “Phantom of the Opera” fridge magnet. No matter: we cashed in our remaining tickets for $1 NYC-partnered Snapples and went home winners anyway.

Along West 46th Street between Broadway and Ninth Avenue: the annual Taste of Times Square (TOTS), presented by the Times Square Alliance.

Over 50 Times Square-area eateries participated in the showcase, offering sample-sized dishes in exchange for combinations of $1 “taste tickets.” As with other outdoor food festivals around town, the combination of food samples and live entertainment drew people in droves. Here at the crossroads of the universe, the crowd was made up heavily of tourists, and the offerings represented the restaurants catering to their segment: Applebee’s, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock Café, M&M World (free samples, handed out by a giant yellow M&M)… there was even a Papa John’s (yeah, that  Papa John’s) stand, where inexplicably, they seemed to be doing pretty brisk business on their $3 pizza slices, matching DiFara’s in price, but nowhere near in quality. No Olive Garden presence, but nonetheless, there was no shortage of red-sauce pasta variations. The dueling pits of Spanky’s and Virgil’s kept clouds of barbecue smoke wafting through the crowded streets, as the threat of downpour loomed overhead.

As a whole, the prices were somewhat gentler than at Dine Around Downtown – most in the 1-3 ticket range; a few “big ticket” items like Gallagher’s steak sandwiches went for $5 – probably reflecting the less rarified offerings. No foie gras or kobe beef at this festival, but there were still good eats to be had. I steered away from some of the messier, more involved dishes – no utensils please – opting for the more easily manageable bites instead. I had a tasty, if tiny, pepper-seared beef carpaccio on toast with arugula, parmesan and truffle oil from – of all places – the Hawaiian Tropic Zone stall, eye-catchingly flanked by hot pink bikini and tank-topped babes. Classy!

And gorgonzola fondue ladled over bruschetta (to the puzzled man hovering nearby, I explained: cheese on bread) which was a filling bargain for $1.

One block farther west, on historic Restaurant Row, the scene was somewhat prettier and the offerings included crab cakes, paella and cheesecake. We even managed to drum up a little business for the friendly women at Social Bar Grill and Lounge: 2 beef sliders for $2.

After fighting our way through the parade crowds, we finally made it to the MoMA for the “Richard Serra Sculpture: Forty Years” exhibit which opened on June 3. New York media has gone wild over this much-anticipated show, which features 27 of the sculptor’s pieces, including three massive new works from 2006.

No photos allowed inside the museum. On the sixth floor: 22 of Serra’s early works made between 1966 and 1986. The pieces ranged from artfully hung discarded rubber belts (inspired by Jackson Pollock’s “non-compositional all-overness”) to entire room installations of rectangular steel plates. On the cavernous, reinforced second floor galleries, Serra’s three pieces from last year: “Torqued Torus Inversion,” “Band,” and the 65-foot-long “Sequence”. As the artist intended, we walked the length of these fortress-like sculptures, which drew us in through winding, sloping, folding plates of smooth, rust-colored Cor-Ten® steel, altering our perceptions of space, and conflating our sense of interior and exterior.

These three most recent works weigh in at a collective 550 tons, and just getting them into the museum gallery was an impressive feat of engineering.

We finished our tour at the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden where the two weathered steel behemoths from the 1990s were installed: “Intersection II” (1992-93) and “Torqued Ellipse IV” (1998).

In years past, there have been casualties in preparing these pieces for public view: in 1971, a rigger at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis was killed when a 2-ton plate fell on him; in 1988, a worker lost his leg while dismantling a 16-ton Serra sculpture at the Leo Castelli Gallery. Thankfully, there were no such mishaps this time around. YouTube has a fascinating time-lapse video, showing riggers and cranes carefully choreographing the hunks of metal into place on the MoMA sculpture garden’s marble floor.

B and I made our plans to check out the new exhibit at the MoMA before tonight’s housewarming party. Our path to the museum brought us within a block of the 50th annual Puerto Rican Day parade, presided over this year by parade king Ricky Martin.

The parade, which is held the second Sunday in June, marches a route along Fifth Avenue from 44th Street to 86th Street.

The festivities – in my mind, at least — are almost always associated with the infamous Seinfeld episode, in which our favorite foursome run into troubles after getting caught up in the parade mayhem. The chaos culminates with Kramer (Michael Richards) getting chased by an angry mob (led by a couple of gay street toughs) when he is caught stomping on the Puerto Rican flag after accidentally setting fire to it with a sparkler. Later, as wild revelers descend upon Jerry’s abandoned Saab, Kramer remarks, “Well, you know, it’s like this every day in Puerto Rico.”

“The Puerto Rican Day” was the last half hour episode before the hour-long series finale. When Latino groups and their supporters protested over the episode’s portrayal of Puerto Ricans, NBC issued an apology and pulled it from the re-airing schedule. It was returned when the series went into syndication, though it still remains one of the series’ least frequently shown episodes.

I arrived in Sunnyside early for SYB’s pot luck dinner party, in time to catch the tail end of the annual Strawberry Fair that had taken over 46th Street, north of Queens Blvd. Though small in scale, this was one street fair that had a distinctly local feel — not a mozzarepa in sight! – setting it apart from almost every other street fair in New York City.

There were fold-out tables and wheeled racks ladened with clothing, accessories and assorted knick-knacks, but strangely enough, not a strawberry in sight. (Sunnyside also hosts a “Pumpkin Fair” in October for which, presumably, there may or may not be pumpkins.)

That warm, sugary smell could only mean one thing: cotton candy! (Maybe we should try renting a truck like this for the August road trip.)

Inside the courtyard of the All Saints’ Episcopal Church, which offers Sunday services in 4 languages: English, Spanish, Korean and Hindi. Despite the conspicuous yellow banner outside, there were no strawberries to be found there either.

We did get our berries eventually, compliments of JD who brought a quart, hand-dipped in dark chocolate, as her contribution to tonight’s red-themed dinner. (New friends SH and AP wowed us all with a delicious and beautiful homemade cherry pie.) Chocolate is always delightful, to be sure, but one of my favorite treatments for the season’s fresh strawberries is drizzled — or better: marinated — in aged balsamic vinegar, topped with crème fraîche, mascarpone, or fresh ricotta. Or perhaps over scoops of olive oil gelato?

Or simpler still: dusted with cardamom sugar?

Critics’ favorite new restaurant Sfoglia, located across the street from the 92nd Street Y, is owned by husband-and-wife chefs Ron Suhanosky and Colleen Marnell-Suhanosky. (The pair met as line cooks in 1994 . “One look at her, he says, and he saw it all: marriage, a restaurant of their own. It took him about six months, he says, to bring her around.”) The trattoria – their second – is renowned for Marnell-Suhanosky’s house bread and Suhanosky’s simple, yet sophisticated take on Italian comfort food, as in Sfoglia’s signature pasta, an unusual-sounding dish of Spaghetti with Strawberries.

In their recipe, the berries are cooked with balsamic vinegar and tomato puree, and tossed with spaghetti. Not a flavor combination that would have come to my mind readily, but the intriguing mix of savory and sweet, and the seemingly straightforward preparation, makes this one to try at home.

I’m late to the game in posting about this — it’s what comes of being consistently behind on the blog — but I started noticing these controversial Virgin Mobile ads around my neighborhood the last couple of weeks. Richard Branson’s media conglomerate (via their Durham-based ad agency Havas’ McKinney) began rolling out its $15 million “You Rule” campaign in late May to tout its pay-as-you-go cell phone service. Seems the ads are everywhere now: 350 neighborhood-tailored spots around the city – the national campaign launches in July – riling locals in Bed-Stuy, Chelsea, the Lower East Side, Chinatown and others with their neighborhood and borough-stereotype-promoting copy. Love ’em or hate ’em, people are talking. And that’s the point of advertising, no?

So how do those North Carolinians characterize the Upper West Side?

The New York Times reported on how New Yorkers are responding to the ads. (Not so well.) Virgin Mobile’s chief marketing officer is quoted saying, “We’re either equal-opportunity celebrators or equal-opportunity offenders. The reality is that we’re stirring up a dialogue and people are talking about our services.” Unfortunately, some of that talk was over amusingly misplaced ads; the one above, mocking our across-the-park neighbors as “tied down and uptight,” was inadvertently plastered on a few streets on the Upper East Side. Whoops.

Yep, we liberal-thinking, stroller-pushing, moment-siezing Upper West Siders love our parks — even the tiny ones.