Restaurant Review: Dinasour BBQ – NYC
October 26, 2006
Great location near Fairway at 125 street in Harlem, good vibe, atmosphere and decor. Yet, by comparison to its sister location in upstate New York (Rochester) this one falls short on food and significantly so. If you are looking for a good BBQ in NYC, we would instead recommend Virgil’s BBQ on West 44th Street near Times Square.
Restaurant Review: Poetessa, East Village, NYC
October 26, 2006
What looked like a promising location, good vibe and nice atmosphere are totally undermined by inadequate menu, poorly executed food, and spotty service. This could have been so much better if the owner just made a modest effort to improve the pasta dishes and main courses, not to mention the less than stellar wine list. There are many other good food choices in the area. Not Recommended.
Film Review: Marie Antoinette
October 26, 2006
Marie Antoinette dissapoints, – rather significantly. We are generally big fans of Sofia Coppola’s work, but this little flick leaves one wondering – What was she thinking???? Whatever allegorical plot lines were the intent of the film, the plot and the undercurrents do not really hang together at all. The film is a rather loose collection of period costume and interiors scenes mixed in with a rather good performance by Kirsten Dunst as the unfortunate Austrian princess. The film, whose underlying theme was seemingly aimed at the modern “Girls Just Want to Have Fun – With No Awareness and No Responsibility” slogan, – by itself seems a reflection of that very same philosophy. It must have been great fun to pull the film together, but it does not work. A Loser! Not Recommended.
Film Review: The Departed
October 26, 2006
Leonardo Di Caprio wins our respect as a serious actor! His acting carreer evolution is in some ways similar to that of Sean Penn who played lots of leading romantic male roles until he got into serious drama and discovered himself. Di Caprio should just stay away from “lover-boy” romance hearthrob roles which completely cover up his true dramatic talent. The Departed, – a story of Boston’s Irish mafia and graft within law enforcement, keeps you on the edge on your seat pretty much till the very end. There are elements of this work by Scorcese that leave one feeling – “I am being manipulated by the director”, but overall the film hangs together very well. Nicholson, Baldwin, Dammon, DiCaprio, Sheen – all pull through great performances with both DiCaprio and Nicholson as stand outs. Recommended.
Film: The Last King of Scotland
October 16, 2006
Forest Whitaker delivers an Oscar-worthy portrayal of Idi Amin – the late Ugandan dictator who has been rumoured to be responsible for nearly 300,000 deaths during his rein in Uganda. The film does a fantastic job of conveying the spirit of the time and place in the 1970s Africa. Parts of the film are quite gruesome. The main character, – a young Scottish doctor finds himself in Uganda during the early stages of the coup d’etat and face-to-face with Idi Amin who charms him into becoming his personal physician. The plot is a study in moral compromise. Recommended.
Film: Little Children
October 16, 2006
A grown-up tale of failed expectations, lust and adultery in a quiet New England suburb. Kate Winslett finds her bearing in her role in this film. Highly recommended.
Dinasaur BBQ – Rochester, NY
October 16, 2006
Honky Tonk Delight! Fantastic barberqued ribs, brisket (!!), great selection of beers. An NYC location in Harlem opened recently. We plan to visit there soon.
Dada Exhibit – MOMA, NYC
October 16, 2006
A great assembly of this early modern art movement that fed ideas into many other, perhaps better recognized modern and contenporary art strains.
Sfoglia
October 16, 2006
Nice deserts, but overall the place and the food lacks a theme. it is sort of Italian, but has a feel of a suburban eatery from either Westchester or Fairfield country. There are better choices for Italian on the Upper East Side. Not Recommended.
Thalassa – Tribecca
October 16, 2006
Wonderful Greek-inspired seafood. Similar in some ways to Milos (West 55 Street). Great party space. Pricey, especially on the drinks side. Recomended
Blantyre
October 16, 2006
Blantyre (Lenox, Mass) takes the prize for the most anticipatory, understated service in the world. Nowhere have we had service better than at Blantyre. (That includes Ritz in Paris.) Looking at the web posted photos of the hotel decor before the stay, we were a bit apprehensive, concerned that the place may be a bit too stuffy for our taste. But the rooms, service, setting, food, spa services – everything about this place has totally exceeded our expectations. Highly recommended.
Klimt – Neue Gallery – New York
October 16, 2006
The new Klimt painting is not the only reason to see Neue Gallery (86street and 5th avenue, NYC). The overall collection has gotten only better since the museum opened a few years ago.
Check the gallery hours in advance http://www.neuegalerie.org/enter.html - the place is often closed or filled with busloads of tour groups. Cafe Sabarsky on the 1st floor is a must, but pick the hours carefully. There is often a bigger line to get into the cafe, than into the museum. If you come during rain, the gallery staff will politely ask you to check your umbrella and you will be standing in line coming and going. The gallery does not welcome children under 16. Still, if you have a spare hour it is always worth a visit.
Frelinghuysen Morris House and Studio, Lenox, Mass
October 16, 2006
Frelinghuysen Morris House & Studio – RecommendedA Bauhaus estate in the woods right outside Lenox, MA. Very close to Tanglewood. Lots of hidden art gems – paintings by Picasso and Morris and his super-talented wife. Open in the summer. Highly recommended. It is the “Free Prize Inside” (even though there is cost to admission) when one visits Lenox. (413) 637-0166 92 Hawthorne Street, PO Box 2256, Lenox, MA 01240 |
Little Miss Sunshine
October 16, 2006
A gem – not to be missed!! Alan Arkin steals the show, but the entire cast is superb!
Bistro Zinc, Lenox, MA
October 16, 2006
Overpriced food serviced with way too much attitude. Waitress brought us a tuna that was not “rare” but more “directly from the freezer” and was completely unapologetic after a request to replace the item with something more edible. If you end up at Bisro Zinc, – do not experiement, just order a steak fritte.
