Brunching it at the Sacred Chow

Long, long ago (i.e. Memorial Day weekend), in a town not so far away (i.e. Manhattan), Sejal and I had a lovely brunch at the Sacred Chow. We were the only guests in the tiny restaurant and enjoyed a sumptuous vegan meal. Great taste, variety and oh yeh, it's healthy to boot!

The Sacred Chow opened in 1995, and focuses on kosher-vegan food. The restaurant is located in Greenwich Village and is pretty popular with veggies and non-veggies alike.

Here are some examples of the delicious fare:

**Toasted Sunflower Lentil Pate'
**Root Vegetable Latkes (Pancakes)
**Korean Tofu Cutlets
**Roasted Indonesian Tempeh
**Mama's Soy Meatballs
**Hummus Salad
**Banana Bread French Toast
**Soy Buttermilk Biscuit
**Gym Body Frozen Smoothie (Bananas, toasted almonds, cinnamon, flax oil, soymilk or apple juice)

OK, let me stop...drooling is just not attractive or appropriate for me right now.

Check out da Chow when you have a chance.

http://www.sacredchow.com/

The Night I Was a Drug Addict

We met at Cafe' Pick Me Up at 145 Avenue A in Manhattan. He spotted me by the color of my scarf. We walked to a table in a quieter section of the restaurant. We had been best friends for 20 years. Tonight I was Maddie and Johnny and I were both drug users. That was the script and we played along.

Me, a heroin addict? Only in NYC...and only for one night.

A few weeks ago, my friends and I went to see the play "Street Limbo Blues*". See is a definite misnomer. We participated, we acted, we laughed our heads off. I was Madison (Maddie) Jones and was given a 2 paragraph script informing me that the actor I would be paired with for the night, was my best friend, and that he - Johnny - and I occasionally used heroin together. Johnny came by a few minutes later to pick me up and then just like that, Keri left and Maddie took over.

I felt so sorry for Johnny. He was sitting in front of me, looking really troubled. He was wringing his hands, fidgeting, rubbing his head. Poor Johnny. He was stressed. He had not scored a hit in a while and was so tense. He said he just needed a little something to settle him down, to even him out. He asked me if I needed anything. I decided to go against the script and told Johnny that I had quit and that while it was tough, and withdrawal was a killer, I was making it through. Johnny gave me the obligatory "good for you" nod and smile and then asked me to accompany him to get some drugs from his dealer. Maddie said yes, and we exited the restaurant.

Johnny asked if we could stop for a bit, so he could smoke a cigarette. While we were standing outside chatting, Keri wondered what would happen if anyone she knew spotted her chilling in the streets of NYC with this random, stressed out guy. Maddie didn't care, she kept acting. Johnny was thanking me for introducing him to a photographer friend of mine, who had enabled Johnny to conduct his first photo exhibit. The exhibit was set to occur the next day. Johnny had given his pictures for the exhibit to a friend and needed to pick them up before the exhibit in the morning.


A few moments later, my friend (in real life - Sejal -who went to the play with me) was walking down the street with the actor she was paired with. They decided to stop and chat with us, all of us in character, and I went on to have one of the funniest 20 mins. of my life. Sejal's actor was a total loser. He was twitching, very high on something, and had somehow lost Johnny's photographs - the ones he needed for the exhibit - on the N-train. We gave the loser friend major grief about his mistake. I loved playing the role of Johnny's pissed off friend. I started to demand money to make up for the lost pictures. The loser friend dug deep into his pockets and came up with $5. The more we made fun of him, the more he twitched and said nonsense. Sejal and I were part seriously acting, part cracking up on the sidewalk. Johnny and total loser friend eventually had to laugh with us.

Our overlapping scenes quickly ended when Johnny remembered how badly he needed to get high and so we said our goodbyes and walked a few feet away to a dive bar, where Johnny was scheduled to meet up with his dealer.

We walked into the bar (can't remember the name) and the stench was overwhelming. Stale air - stinking of alcohol and cigarette smoke. Johnny and I sat down at a booth near the door where the drug dealer had set up office. Mr. Dealer was a tall, fully tattooed, muscular guy in a white wife-beater. He was accompanied by his pretty girlfriend, who was chewing on a slice of pizza. I wasn't sure if the girlfriend was a real one, or an actress, but she didn't do much except nod, chew and swallow her pizza. Johnny immediately started to beg for drugs. He had no cash and tried to convince Mr. Dealer to loan him a hit until pay day. The dealer was having none of that and Johnny got desperate. So desperate that he looked over and asked me to vouch for him and to tell the dealer that he was indeed good for it and would pay for the drugs once he got his paycheck. Keri did a double take - what was going on here? Me, supporting someone trying to get a hit?! Maddie just nodded at Johnny and told the dealer that Johnny would get paid in 2 weeks. Mr. Dealer didn't care, and Johnny started to panic. He had to get his hit. Johnny ended up offering his favourite camera, which Mr. Dealer took as collateral. Once Mr. Dealer was assured of payment, he slid a clear packet of tablets across the grimy table into Johnny's hands.

Now armed with his drugs, Johnny couldn't wait to get out of the bar. We quickly left and crossed the street, so that we were again near the Cafe' Pick Me Up. While outside, we met up with another one of Johnny's psycho friends (an actress in the play) and they both went on and on cursing at each other about who was the more terrible friend. It was tedious listening to both of them bicker. Apparently psycho friend had begged Johnny for some drugs one night, and he gave her access to his stash. Then, while he was asleep, psycho friend completely depleted Johnny's entire supply of drugs and he had never forgiven her for that. Johnny himself grew tired of the yapping, especially since he really needed a fix, and so he and I walked further up the street, away from psycho friend, and Johnny started to ingest his pills.

What happened next? Of course Johnny boy overdoses and I am left staring blankly at him as he convulses on the street. Psycho friend sees us, runs up and starts screaming. She yells at me to call loser friend (actor from earlier scene who lost the photos on the N-train) and shoves her cell phone in my face. I am a bit shocked and begin to wonder whether now would be a good time to LOL at the ridiculousness of it all, whether this could actually be a true overdose, and I also think about what I would say to explain this noisy, messy, absurd scene to any unsuspecting passer-by.

Maddie takes control and I grab the phone from psycho. She's already dialled loser friend and so I talk to him, as I stare him straight in the eyes - he just so happens to be across the street, walking towards us. Maddie puts on a grand performance: I hear myself yelling to loser friend, that Johnny is overdosing and we need help - hurry!! Meanwhile, poor Johnny is sprawled out on the streets, shaking, vomiting (well, making the necessary noises) and doing all the things you would expect of someone who has just overdosed. Loser friend is now beside us looking scared, and psycho friend is kneeling on the pavement, frantically searching through her bag. She finally finds what she wants, looks up and then hands me a piece of paper - it is the program for the play - and just like that, our performance is over.

Strange, captivating, unique, and truly enjoyable. Only in NY. In character, thankfully, only for one night.




*Street Limbo Blues is interactive and environmental theater where each audience member is paired with one actor. There is no stage. The show is one-hour in the life of a drug addict as he/she attempts to score. You and your actor take a journey through Tompkins Square Park and neighbouring bars where you experience the world of the addicted. The show is produced by Honolulu-based production company, Cruel theatre, and is directed by Taurie Kinoshita.

Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood in Concert at Madison Square Gardens

Night 1: February 25th

Together again after ~40 years.

Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood initially collaborated in the late 60s through the formation of a group called Blind Faith. While highly successful, the band stayed together only for a short time, long enough to launch one album and a tour and to create an appetite for a new sound: the fusion of blues and rock music.

As an audience, we were then starved for years, until we received another taste of the duo during the 2007 Clapton and Winwood collaboration at the Chicago Crossroads Guitar festival. And now, in 2008, there is finally more food to satisfy the craving. The superstars granted us a spectacular 3-night showdown at the Gardens in New York in late February.

Despite all the anticipation, the night started out on a slightly embarrassing note. Steve Winwood was on the piano and another guy was playing back up guitar. The guy on the guitar was really good. A few of us commented that said guy looked a lot like Eric Clapton. But of course it could not have been him…nobody puts Eric in the corner (shameless quote stealing from Dirty Dancing)! A while later, when this guy on the guitar started doing solo pieces, someone said that the backup guitarist got a great promotion. We all chuckled. How embarrassing for us, self-proclaimed fans, to realize that the guitarist was indeed Eric Clapton. Oops. We quickly and quietly got over our gaffe, and enjoyed the superb show.

It was wonderful to see such talented musicians, in no-frills attire, completely relaxed, sharing stories, and laughing, as they alternated between solo and combined segments. Clapton and Winwood performed hit songs from their own repertoire as well as from other greats. Winwood, on the piano, rendered a powerful vocal performance of “Georgia on My Mind”, and if you closed your eyes, you could almost think that you were listening to Ray Charles. Clapton displayed his skills on the guitar across many songs, including, “Presence of the Lord” and “Kind Hearted Woman Blues.” The Clapton/Winwood duo continued to rock the house for several hours, and we left the concert well-fed that night.

Today though, we are again hungry, and longing for the date and time of the next meal. Eric, Steve – we hope it will be soon.

Spice Girls in Concert, Madison Square Gardens

The Return of The Spice Girls, Madison Square Gardens, NYC

Feb. 18, 2008

We entered the room and the first row was filled with pre-teens. We were more than a decade older than this crowd, but we didn't care. We were here to see the iconic Spice Girls. So what if the majority of the adults there were parents of the tween set? Pride wasn't going to get between us and our girls.

The lights went out indicating that the show was about to start. The high-pitched screams - which were to be our constant companions throughout the show - started and increased to a deafening pitch once the Spice Girls appeared on stage.

Posh was in a shiny, skin tight, rubber outfit. Scary was in her typical leopard print. Ginger had on a cute, very short dress. Baby, was demurely attired in a girly dress which graced her mid-thigh. Sporty, I believe wore a pants suit. Everyone, except Sporty, had cleavage exposed. Everyone looked extremely hot - beautiful, toned and ready for action.

The outfits were one of the highlights of the show. Where can I buy a pair of Scary's red hot boots? Ginger's fitted dress, the color of the British flag, was stunning. Not to mention Posh's black lingerie-looking 'I am not sure what', with an extended train at the back.

Although a majority of the fans were part of the teen or pre-teen set, you really couldn't tell by some of the elements included in the show. For example:

• Scary's skin-tight leopard print outfit, which she accompanied with a mic-whip, i.e. a microphone with a whip-like extension, which Scary proceeded to swing like only a whip should be swung


• Scary gyrating and then straddling a ladder


• Screen shots of Posh in a bra and S&M looking black outfit


• Each girl holding the end of a dog collar, which was tied around a man's neck; said man happened to be crawling on all fours in front of each one of the Spices

Hopefully, the tweens won't understand?

Aside from (or because of??) those non-PG 13 episodes, the show was a lot of fun. Girl power was alive and breathing all over you. You became nostalgic of happy, simple times...innocence with shiny red boots.

Word on the street is that the girls are canceling their tour. The rumor says that their egos are too big for one show to contain. It's a pity, because the show was fantastic. Forget about the fact that only Sporty Spice can sing and that none of them can really dance. Those ladies put on a marvelous spectacle, full of glitter, sexy outfits and charismatic performances. Posh Spice even deigned to smile at the audience.

Posh appeared to be the most popular Spice - maybe one of the reasons for the tour cancellation? Each time the lights focused on Posh, the audience's screams rose to a volume higher than for any of the other girls. I am not surprised. Posh has made a name for herself as 1/2 of the great 'Posh & Becks' celebrity couple - most famous couple in Britain, and who are working very hard for similar fame here in the U.S. Posh can't sing to save her life, but that is quite inconsequential. She has created a phenomenon and you are entertained by just watching her strut and pose.

Cute moment of the night went to the portion of the show where all the ladies - sans Sporty - brought their children on to the stage and jointly performed "Mama". Posh had Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz. Baby had Beau. Ginger held Bluebell Madonna and Scary was with Eddie Murphy's, Angel Iris. Sporty shared kids with the Spice mothers during the song. Cruz - Posh's youngest - showed signs of being just like mom, i.e. craving the spotlight. Little Cruz wowed the audience with slick break dancing moves, a few hand stands and flips...all of this and he's only 3 years old. He had to be pulled off of the stage by his mummy.

Girls, please reconsider and continue with the tour. Each one of you rocked the house. You all look great. Your fans appreciate you and are in need of you. Get over yourselves and perform. You know you want to.

http://www.thespicegirls.com/

Butt Is It Really Appetizing?

I recently went out to dinner at a restaurant on the West Coast and saw the following meal listed on the menu:

Brasato - Braised pork butt, lacinato kale with garlic, tomatoes, and rosemary potatoes

I don't eat meat, but I was surprised that the chef thought that using the word "butt" to describe any meal would be appetizing. I dare say that even meat eaters would agree with me. Right, Donald? (http://kerijam.blogspot.com/2007/07/interview-with-meat-eater.html).

When the waitress came by I decided to get to the bottom (pun intended) of the mystery. She said that she would ask the chef and get back to me. A few minutes later she returned and explained that the chef hates the word "rump" and refuses to have that word on the menu. Hence, the use of the more acceptable "butt".

Go figure. Don't mess with an artist.

Can Rappers Act?

Rappers seem to be taking over a lot of the prime roles in movie land these days and some actors are upset! Upset enough to write a new play about it.

J. Kyle Manzay writes, directs and stars in a new play - The Actor's Rap! - a comedy focusing on who has the credibility: actors or rappers? The storyline centers around a "group of actors who are frustrated by the rappers turned actors who keep stealing their roles. Taking matters into their own hands, the actors kidnap today's hottest rapper in order to secure a coveted role in an upcoming film."

If you are in NY, go check out the play. For more details see: http://www.theactorsrap.com/.

Destroying Plates - Where can I go?

Anyone know of any place in the world (preferably NYC or nearby areas), where one can go to smash plates? That is, aside from Greece, or a Greek wedding.

Let me know. Thanks!

Laugh Lounge, NYC

My friend Nish and I, and a few of his friends, went to the Laugh Lounge in NYC on Friday. We got discounted tickets for the comedy show and figured it was worth a shot. The Lounge is split into two levels - an upstairs bar/lounge area, and a stage with seating for the comedy shows located downstairs.

We were assigned to table 19. There were not many people out that night and as I looked for table 19, I was "interested" to see that I would be sitting directly in front of the stage, right under the microphone. Wonderful. I took my seat and felt as if I was in one of the investigation rooms in a prison. Hot lights from above were shining down on me and I was literally underneath the comedian. Here we go.

The host was an African American guy, 5'6" with plaited hair. He made fun of the small number of people there: ~23 in a room that could comfortably fit ~60. He was pretty good and so were the other acts that night. With my front and center position, I had the honor of being teased about several things:

• Being happy that it was Friday. Apparently because I said I was glad it was Friday, that meant that I was pissed off with people at work and really needed a laugh or else I would wreak havoc on my colleagues on Monday morning. The comedian said he felt it was his responsibility to make sure that I laughed so that he could save lives



• Working as a Management Consultant. Comedian wondered what on earth that job meant. You walk into a company, ask someone where's management?, go to management, tell them you are here to consult, then walk out and your job is done



• Being Jamaican. Comedian mimicked my accent. Asked how on earth did I end up at the Laugh Lounge on a Friday night and what was I doing with the people at my table.

You had to be there to get some of the jokes. I got them and probably laughed the hardest at the Keri jokes.

Here are some of the non-Keri jokes that I liked (and can remember):

• Comedian was making fun of people who dress their small pet dogs in sweaters. The dog is a sweater - why put one on him? That is like putting a bathing suit on a fish or a viking helmet on a rhinoceros



• George Bush is like a colour-blind kid with a Rubik's cube



• Children who are working in sweatshops are not trying hard enough to get out. There is not even a "Help Me" sign embroidered on the back of the clothes they make. No map, no directions. Nothing. Come on little buddy, you gotta help me find you



• George Bush cutting health care for kids may not be such a bad idea. Kids are stinky and silly. My nephew said to me he loves the colour blue forever. Really, forever? Stupid. I am going to take away your health care



• However, prisoners have health care. So, if you are sick, go rob a bank and don't try to get away. Get caught, so that you ensure that you end up in prison. You survey prisoners about why they are in the joint: "I killed someone", "Armed robbery", "Kidney transplant"

http://www.laughloungenyc.com/

Cafe Wha? Funk Band

I am a big fan of Cafe Wha? in NYC. The live music is really good. I had only enjoyed their Cafe Wha? band to date; however, last night I heard their funk band, disFUNKtion, for the first time. If you are ever in NY, this is a must see event. The performance was extremely enjoyable. Talented people...great vibe...wow!

Funk band night happens on Tuesdays; Wed-Saturdays you can enjoy the regular band. Both are great, but I am a bit biased towards Funk at the moment.

Check it out, folks!

http://cafewha.com/

Tuesday with Alan

Event: Alan Greenspan in Conversation with Andrea Mitchell, Tues, Sept. 18, 2007

Event as Advertised

Former Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan, who helped shape the nation’s economic and monetary policy for almost 19 years, talks about the people he met, the issues he faced and the crises he helped manage during five different administrations. Greenspan discusses the world we now live in, with a global capitalist economy that is more flexible, resilient, open, self-directing and fast-changing than ever. Greenspan is the author of a new book, The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World, to be published by The Penguin Press on September 17. He is interviewed in this rare public appearance by the person who knows him best, his wife, Andrea Mitchell, who covers politics and foreign policy for NBC News.

Event as Experienced

Sejal and I had an enjoyable Tuesday night last week. We went to the 92nd Street Y to listen to Alan Greenspan speak about things important to him, as reflected in his "life's work", his new book The Age of Turbulence. Alan was interviewed by his wife Andrea. They both sat in comfortable seats in the middle of the stage, and created an environment where you felt as if you were a special guest invited into their homes for an evening of stimulating conversation.

Alan has a dry sense of humour, which I love. The jokes are often times unexpected. He considers himself to be an introvert, and stated that in some ways being introverted is a pre-requisite for the job of Fed Chairman. Alan gave highlights from his book and also took the opportunity to correct some inaccuracies about himself that have been floating around the press for years. He has a great recollection of history and peppered his conversation with rich details from his past.

His wife, Andrea, did a great job as interviewer. She said she was trying to balance between being a good reporter and saving her marriage, as she pushed Alan on some of the tougher topics. The event lasted for about 1.5 hours, of which about 20 mins. was dedicated to Q&A. I was shocked to see how quickly the time had passed. It was truly an enjoyable night.

Here are some highlights:

*Bill Clinton has a reputation of being late for meetings. This is typically because he becomes engaged in discussions, and hence meetings will run over time, causing a spill on effect for the rest of the day

*Alan felt that Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon were - by far - the smartest US Presidents. They both had an ability to quickly understand complicated topics and spent time to educate themselves on the important concepts. Alan gave an example of Bill Clinton giving a speech on an intricate topic, and for the first 10 or so minutes the teleprompter was showing the incorrect content. Bill was able to expertly ad lib until the teleprompter situation was corrected and then seamlessly switched from ad lib mode back to leveraging the prepared materials

*Richard Nixon was like a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He was extremely articulate and polished, but could digress oftentimes into a ruffian, using extremely foul language, particularly around those he felt comfortable with. Alan originally felt that the reason there was push back re: releasing the Nixon tapes, was because the Nixon camp did not want to sully his reputation by allowing the public to hear his potty mouth

*Alan intentionally allowed the media to interpret his words in different ways, e.g. on similar topics, The New York Times would represent Alan as having a different stance, than say the Wall Street Journal. Alan did this intentionally, as his comments had significant effect on financial markets - and so if people were not completely clear on what he was saying, this effect was somewhat mitigated

*Alan felt a refreshing freedom when writing his book - finally, he was able to freely express himself, to give opinion/conjecture - without objectively proving every thought and without fear of potential impact

*The Medicare issue is not being addressed by anyone - and the situation is dire. The potential result of the current 'do nothing' attitude is that higher income persons will be saddled with the majority of the costs - in some cases likely paying 100% on co-pays

*Alan said it has been a great experience being married to a reporter :)

I plan to buy the book and hear more from this witty, experienced, and highly-intelligent leader.

Market

Market

15 Avenue Matignon

75008 Paris

After a long, fruitful day of recruiting, the team went out for a fun dinner in Paris at the Market restaurant. Fun atmosphere, good food, nice location.

Grilling after the Red

Gauchos Grill Restaurant, Damstraat 5, Amsterdam

http://www.gauchosgrill.nl/

After my 10-minute exploration of the Red Light District in Amsterdam, it was time for...you guessed it...a late lunch!

I decided to eat at Gauchos Grill Restaurant - The Ultimate Steak from Argentina. As a pescatarian, I entered not because of the thrill of eating meat (Sorry, Donald! http://kerijam.blogspot.com/2007/07/interview-with-meat-eater.html), but because the restaurant looked classy, clean and was near-by.

The food was pretty good. I enjoyed a leisurely lunch of Ceviche Tiger Prawn & Tuna (appetizer), Fish (can't remember any other details!), Corn on the Cob, French Coffee and Red Wine. Yum!

Yes, I would recommend the restaurant. Not a must-visit, but definitely way above just being edible.

Bateaux Mouches - Cruising the Seine River in Paris

One night in Paris (sounds romantic, right?!), I went down to the Bateaux Mouches pier near the Pont de L'Alma and took the 9:30pm sight-seeing cruise - an hour-long excursion along the Seine River.

The boat was crowded with tourists. We had an automated voice navigating us along the river and providing historical information in French, English, Japanese and Chinese (I think?!). I sat on the upper deck and enjoyed a wonderful view of the city - including the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Louvre Museum, the Orsay Museum and much, much more.

We also cruised past several evening activities along the river: groups of people enjoying dinner with wine, salsa dancing, friends playing instruments seated on blankets near the water, and pockets of people standing on the bridges above the river, gazing out into the beautiful night sky.

I love Paris!!!!

de Silveren Spiegel, Amsterdam

http://www.desilverenspiegel.com/

One night in Amsterdam we had a team dinner at de Silveren Spiegel, the self-proclaimed "most famous Dutch restaurant since 1614". We were seated in the private dining hall upstairs and had a pre-fixed menu.

Before dinner, our waiter gave us an overview of the history of the restaurant, including rationale for the architecture and the sloping of the building. The restaurant has a very rich history - it was a popular haunt for German soldiers during the war, but also hid several Jews. There are not many glass windows in the building, because the more glass windows you had, the higher the tariff. Owners typically built houses with deep interiors. The floor upstairs sloped to the left - this was more due to age than anything else. The front of the building slanted forward, it was intentionally constructed this way to enable packages to be lifted up to the upper rooms without destroying the front of the house. You can click on the link above for more details.

We then proceeded to enjoy a wonderful meal, which included warm fish-based pureed soup served in a glass cup with sealed cover (you could use a small spoon to eat or drink directly from the glass), cold cucumber based broth(?) with shrimp, veal and potatoes, fish and potatoes, profiteroles with raspberry sauce and red wine.

All in all the dinner took about 4 hours. Kudos to the team for making it a fun night even though almost everyone had arrived on overnight flights from the US that morning.

Scenes at Cafe' de Flore, Saint - Germain Des Pre's

Lunch at Cafe' de Flore on Saint-Germain Des Pre's, Paris

Cafe de Flore is a historical landmark in Paris. See http://www.cafe-de-flore.com/htma/histo.htm for more details. I had the pleasure of lunching there before I left for New York. I had a great lunch and wonderful time observing....

The Scenes at Cafe de Flore

• Man wearing a pearl necklace


• Barking dog under the table


• Two waiters running up and down narrow, winding staircase


• Artist sketching scenes of restaurant in pen in her notebook


• Under the table exchanges of caresses


• Jamaican reading D.H. Lawrence's "Women in Love"


• Woman in a pearl necklace


• Aristocracy


• Ladies who lunch


• Man on cell phone for long time finally being reprimanded by wife to get off. He wraps up and does hand holding with wife for a while


• Blackberry searches to ensure "crevette" salad was something I could eat


• Patiently waiting for bill - trying not to think of sprint to airport


• Waiter throwing salt on ground - this is after he spilled liquid on floor and wiped up with napkin


• Ladies with ostentatious jewellery


• Dejected barking dog lying under seat with head on paws. After each bark his collar is tugged and he is pulled closer to owner's feet and under the seat


• Lady in ostentatious jewels gazing hard at me - did she know I would write about her on blog? The jewels look good - even though a bit over the top. Good, she stopped looking


• Man with pearl necklace moving even closer to dining partner


• Crowded rooms upstairs and downstairs, bustling waiters, yet leisurely dining atmosphere

Monique, thanks for the recommendation! I had a great time :)

Tea & Sympathy

Yesterday, Sejal and I enjoyed a wonderful July 4th late lunch at Tea & Sympathy in the West Village, NY. Tea & Sympathy is a highly-rated British restaurant. It seats only 23 people and therefore - as per the sign on the door - the restaurant has strict rules about punctuality. They will not seat you until all members of your party arrive; and woe to any late comer, under no circumstances will you be allowed to join your friends for any lunch/dinner already underway.

We sat in a very cozy room where you really had to be careful about making sudden moves - you could inadvertently kick your neighbour's chair or bounce the waitress. I was positioned right in front of the door, and so enjoyed many chair kicks and bag bounces from the entering and exiting patrons.

The food was great. Sejal had baked beans on toast with cheese. I had salmon salad, gunpowder green tea and butternut squash soup. We both shared scones and jam. Oh, and of course I had to have a glass of one of my favourite drinks - Ribena. Yum. Actually, it was a yum, that first started out as a yuck, when the waitress forgot to pour the right portion of Ribena into the water - we quickly sorted that situation!

When next you are in NY, I recommend that you visit the restaurant. It's a fun, character-filled experience, and the food is delicious.

Happy Belated July 4th!

The Color Purple - A must see!

Saturday June 2nd was Novelette's birthday and to celebrate we (Novelette, Stacey, Brian, Sejal & I) went to see The Color Purple - The Musical about Love. Oprah Winfrey has outdone herself (again). I strongly recommend that you see the show. It was entertaining and impressive from start to finish. The music, story, and cast were all stellar. Sejal said it was the best play she had ever seen. Special kudos to former American Idol winner, Fantasia. She put on an Oscar-worthy performance.

The show ended with a multi-minute standing ovation - it was that good. So good in fact that I volunteered for high-way robbery and bought the $25 soundtrack. It was a great night.

Happy birthday, Novelette!