EATALY Aficionada

I don’t even try to hide it. I’ve always been a Batali enthusiast. First came Babbo, Lupa, Esca, Otto, Del Posto… not necessarily in that order, but I’m such a sucker for his work that when I saw him pass me by in the village a couple of years ago (yes, in his orange clogs) I shamelessly saluted him with my right palm up saying “Ave Mario.”

When I first heard about the gourmet food emporium that would only sell Italian food I was uncertain. What? With all the open-air farmer markets, whole foods popping up around town, why would anyone go into a windowless mall to buy only Italian food and kitchen merchandise?

Then my mother in law went. She is from Milan and obsessed with food, like every true old school Italian mamma. “Incredibile”, she was so excited and impressed, I had to go check it out myself. Once again, hail Mr. Batali, the ambassador of Italian food, and now products, in NYC. Yes, incredible indeed. You have to go when you visit. I like the lack of a big fat sing at the entrance, love the food at Manzo, the pizza or standing up at the wine bar.

To get a feel for it, here is a little clip I made this week at my last visit:

Eataly

200 5th Avenue, entrances on 5th Avenue and 23rd Street

New Soulcycle on Union Square: Vacate notice?

Photo: Olivia Bam Olson

I've always been skeptical when my friends told me about how much they adore spinning classes. Their eyes would sparkle and the speech would quickly take on that preaching tone, which I immediately associate with obsessive cult followers. Now, yours truly will humbly admit it: I get it. I’ve taken four classes at the brand new Soulcycle in Union Square, just a few minutes walk from my apartment. With my post-pregnancy fat butt I had no excuse and let my friend drag me for a 20 dollar first-comer class (after that it’s 32 per class, or buy 10 for 31 each). After one minute of a deafening pop song drumming in my ears and the adrenaline starting to rise and sweat to drip, I felt how that could be addictive and creep under your skin. Yes, I drank the cool-aid of Soulcycle and understand.

So, to my shock this morning there was a city “Vacate” notice tagged to their front door. The staff assured me they have all the permits, but are ironing out some issues. “Does it have to do with the fact that there’s no egress or fire exit in the basement where you have your showers and locker rooms?” No answer to that specific question.

A New York Insider reveals:"We had a conversation with the firemen next door- they say that the residents in building and right next door complained as it wasn't really soundproofed for 6am classes- I guess that led to inspection...Got to think you're stupid not to check it out before you putyour studio there... Oh well..."

Whichever the reason is, I really do hope they fix this soon. Classes are still going on and the friendly staff is still chatting merrily behind the reception desk. And I’ll continue a happy bike rider, nasty notice at the door or not.

SOULCYCLE

12 E 18TH ST BTW. 5TH AND BROADWAY

Escape NYC to Saint Barthelemy

It's old news. It’s been a record cold and snowy winter in the city. For me, it’s about time to end this long hibernation. I would like to blame the winter storms, my newborn daughter, all of my three girls, or family matters for my hiatus, but I won’t. Truth is life dumped a lot of stuff on me - some sad, some good- and forced me to check out of this blogosphere. But now I’m back.

Talking about the cold, I did manage to escape it, as I traditionally do every January or February to Saint Barthelemy, a quick plane ride from JFK. This French island is my favorite in the Caribbean for several reasons: the food, the scene, the stores, the service. The latter comes as a surprise I know, (let’s face it, the combo service + French are not to be taken for granted), but compared to other islands in the Caribbean, they are so much more professional and friendly in Saint Barts.

This time we took a day trip to Anguilla, to Cap Juluca to be precise, and were greeted by the worse customer service I’ve ever encountered. Our concierge at Eden rock reserved tee times for our husbands at their property and made sure my friend and I could use their beach chairs while they played golf and before we had lunch there (awful, btw, or ok - if you go by Aruba standards.) We were treated as if we were fugitives arriving on an illegal boat, and had to beg to sit in one of their many empty chairs. And when asked for a towel, were told they were not authorized to do so. And that coming from the concierge! Wow. No comments.

Bad experiences aside, here are my top tips for St Barts, after a decade of yearly short visits:

Rent a boat: Best way to go snorkeling and visiting all the beaches in one day. Do NOT use Master Pilou, bad experience as well. This time we met the guys from St Barth Sailor. Our captain actually left Master Pilou because he “was tired of unhappy customers”. I have to second that. www.happysail.fr +590 690 18 60 66

My list is in order of personal preference. Everything on here is fantastic. You have to see for yourself.

Restaurants:

Dinner

Maya. The most authentic and delicious of all. My favorite by far.

Tamarin : magical atmosphere in the garden, have a drink under the tamarind tree before dinner

L’esprit de saline: nice outdoor seating, all open and relaxed

L’Isola: very good Italian, but feels like you are in a posh city restaurant

Le Gaiac at Le Toiny: formal, around the pool, romantic

Pacri: Italian in a cute villa (same owners as Villa Pacri in the Meat Packing District)

Dearly missed: Francois Plantation, which closed a few years ago. Is there a sign up sheet requesting resuscitation somewhere?

Lunch:

1 Nikki Beach on a Sunday. Party time.

2 La Plage

3 La Case at L'Isle at Isle de France

4 Do Brasil. Casual and beachy

Hotels:

1 Top $tars:

2 Eden Rock

3 Le Toiny

4 Isle de France

5 Le Sereno

6 Guanahani

Chic décor, lovely properties:

1. La Banane

2. Christopher

3. Emeraude Plage

There are more than words to express what St Barth represents. I made a small movie that tries to capture the unique ambiance of this special piece of heaven in the ocean. I hope you enjoy it.

Buddhist Treasures in New York

Maggie Nimkin

Hakuin Ekaku, Seated Daruma, Seen from the Side (detail). Ink on paper, 42.5 x 14.7 in. Ginshu Collection

by Camila Viegas-Lee

The Fall season brings the best cultural events of the year and two exhibitions about Buddhism are a must. The Japan Society shows The Sound of One Hand: Paintings and Caligraphy by Zen Master Hakuin until January 9th. And The Rubin Museum of Art shows the Alice S. Kandell Tibetan Shrine and Embodying the Holy: Icons in Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Tibetan Buddhism through 2012.

Hakuin Ekaku (1685-1768) is widely acknowledged as the leading Zen master of the last five centuries and this is the first exhibition in the West devoted to him. According to the curators Audrey Yoshiko Seo and Professor Stephen Addiss, Hakuin was also the most significant Zen artist of his time. “He not only expressed the mind and heart of Zen for monks and lay followers – it was he who first asked "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" – but also reached out to the entire population with his painting and calligraphy. You will be able to see 78 of his scrolls gathered from collections in the United States and Japan.

The Rubin Museum of Art

Folding Iconostasis with Jesus and the Twelve Apostles; Russian; ca. 1780; Tempera on wood; 15 x 60 x 1 1/12 in.; Museum of Russian Icons, Clinton, MA

The Alice S. Kandell Tibetan Shrine Room has been tucked away in a New York City apartment for decades until last year when it debut at the Sackler in Washington, DC, to rave reviews. The Shrine Room will found a home at the Rubin Museum of Art as part of the Gateway to Himalayan Art exhibition. More than 150 sacred objects are packed into the room and allow the visitor a rare glimpse of how these works would be found in a private Tibetan shrine.

The Rubin Museum of Art examines intriguing correspondences and differences between Eastern Orthodox icons and Tibetan Buddhist thangkas (paintings on cloth) in Embodying the Holy: Icons in Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Tibetan Buddhism. The exhibition establishes parallels between the Western and Eastern sacred traditions in function, subject matter, composition, and storytelling strategies, pairing some 63 icons from The Museum of Russian Icons, Clinton, Massachusetts, and private collections, with 26 from the Rubin Museum of Art and other collections.

The Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenues). Tuesday through Friday 11am to 6pm; Saturday and Sunday 11am to 5pm. Closed Mondays and major holidays.

The Rubin Museum of Art, 150 West 17th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues). Monday 11am to 5pm; Tuesday closed; Wednesday 11am to 7pm; Thursday 11 am to 5pm; Friday 11am to 10pm; Saturday and Sunday 11am to 6 pm. The museum is closed on Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year's Day.

Haunted Hunts for Halloween

Camila Viegas-Lee

by Camila Viegas-Lee

If you are looking for something beyond trick or treating, something that both you and your kid can enjoy this Halloween, check out the Watson Adventures Scavenger Hunts. The group organizes guided tours with funky narratives all over the city – from Central Park to Chinatown, Greenwich Village, Grand Central Station, the Museum of Natural History, you name it. An extra benefit is that you won’t have to deal with your kid in a sugar high.

Armed with a flashlight, you’ll visit ghost-plagued buildings and secret cemeteries while learning the stories of the restless souls you might disturb. According the website, The Ghosts of Greenwich Village, for instance includes the spirits of Mark Twain, Aaron Burr, Edgar Allen Poe, Washington Irving, Thomas Paine, artist John LaFarge, The Shadow, Clement Clarke Moore, Mayor Jimmy Walker, Lee Chumley, Patrolman Schwartz, a few skeletons and various other apparitions, sudden chills, rustlings and knockings.

There is a version of this hunt for adults only and another for families. They were all recommended by Time Out New York, the New York Times, The Daily News and NY1 and require advance purchase. Tickets cost between US$ 24.50 and US$ 18 depending on the program.

Flickr/Tomas Fano

If you want to try another theme, and enjoyed Ben Stiller’s Night at the Museum, try the Fright at the Museum Family Scavenger Hunt. It features exhibits in the American Museum of Natural History that inspired scenes in the hit movie.

Kids and adults work together to take on Dexter’s capuchin monkey cousin, a not-so-woolly mammoth with tooth trouble, personal items that belonged to Teddy Roosevelt, a dance that Sacagawea would have done, a scary Easter Island statue, an attack by a monster whale, a slice of a giant tree, humongous warring mooses, Aztec and Incan warriors, dangerous dinosaurs and more. Tickets cost US$ 31.50 for adults and US$ 27.50 for children and teenagers ages 7 to 17.

Happy Halloween!

TOP FIVE: best things to do on Columbus Day Weekend in New York City

By Camila Viegas-Lee

I love holidays in the city. The stressed-out New Yorkers tend to travel upstate and the streets become calmer and joyful. Even the cab drivers seem to be in a better mood and drive slower. The fall brings a romantic, invigorating chill in the air. Here are my five recommendations for a playful, off the beaten track holiday in the city:

Park Avenue Armory Carnival

The Park Avenue Armory hosts a fantastic carnival anchored by an impressive 50-foot ferris wheel. Go for rides, performances in a specially-designed theater, magicians from the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus (no typo—that’s how the Germans spell it), stilt-walkers, jugglers and contortionists, traditional carnival concessions and a lesson in the "circus arts" (feel like twisting yourself into a pretzel?). Park Avenue Armory, 643 Park Ave. Through Monday Oct. 11, from 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM. General Admission is $5 for adults (14 and up) and free for kids. Rides and games are $1.25 per ticket (each ride or game requires 3-5 tickets). $20 unlimited ride wristband also available.

Openhousenewyork

This is one of my favorite activities in the city—you get to walk through buildings and structures all over New York City that are normally closed or hidden to the public. Many of these are real hidden treasures. This is the largest architecture and design event in the US and it includes talks, tours, performances and workshops - all free of charge! Check their website for a full listing of places, but here is just a tantalizing sample:

Central Park's Arsenal, the Federal Hall National Memorial, the Residences at 36 Gramercy Park East (the apartment building with the knights in shining armor stationed in front), the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden, Marble Cemetery, the 69th Regiment Armory, the Salmagundi Club, Frederick P. Rose Hall, the Center for Architecture, the Islamic Cultural Center, and the American Irish Historical Society. Some workshops and tours require advance registration, so do check the official website for details.

Randall's Island Golf & Sports Center Fall Festival

The Fall Festival, held only one weekend every year, is worth a day trip to Randall's Island. If you think you’re too grown up for a pumpkin patch, pony rides, hay rides, haunted mini golf, batting cages, gags, a pumpkin and craft station, carnival games, Halloween puppet shows, at least you can eat from carnival food concessions selling popcorn, pretzels, cookies, cupcakes, caramel apples, jelly apples, a variety of old fashioned pies, apple cider, hot chocolate, pizza, chicken fingers, hamburgers, and hot dogs… I have a thing for carnival as you can tell. Randall's Island Golf Center. Take a shuttle bus ($11 round trip) departing from various stops along 3rd Avenue or take the M35 bus from 125th St. & Lexington Ave. Through Sunday, October 10, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM. $9 per person.

Boo at the Zoo

The Bronx Zoo organizes "spooktacular" activities inspired by Halloween every weekend until the end of the month. There are hay mazes, hayrides, pumpkin carving demonstrations, puppet shows, animal-themed magic shows and live music. Don’t miss the six tiger mountain cubs that were just born – three from Malayan tiger family and three from the Siberian tiger branch. Bronx Zoo, 2300 Southern Blvd. The best ride from Manhattan is via the BxM11 express bus, which makes stops along Madison Avenue between 26th and 99th Streets. Through Sunday, October 10, from 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM.

New York Comic Con

Everything Comic and Pop Culture – and a chance to get more miles from your Halloween costume. I’ve been to the mother of all Comic Cons in San Diego, and still the NYCC is formidable. It’s over the top, perfect to indulge your inner superhero and to hang with your favorite characters. Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 655 W. 34th St. at 11th Ave. Through Sunday, October 10, from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM. $30 for adults.

NYC Wine & Food Festival October 7th-10th

To get into the fall mood, what better program then to eat and drink super well from the best New York has to offer? Spend the long weekend enjoying several events showcasing culinary celebs cooking for YOU.

You can still get tickets for the following highlight moments during Columbus Day weekend: closely watch Masaharu Morimoto doing his sushi magic at Whole Foods Culinary Demonstration, learn with Blue Hill’s Dan Barber how to bring the principles of good farming to the your table, or if you are eager to become a better wine connoisseur, join the masters at the first ever Sommelier Showdown. Still hungry for even more culinary star power? For only $30 I suggest watching Frank Bruni interview three of the city’s most celebrated 3- and 4-star chefs Daniel Boulud (Daniel, DB), Jean-Georges Vongerichten (Jean Georges, Perry St., Mercer Kitchen, Spice Market, Mark and more) and Michael White (Convivo, Alto, Marea) on getting to the top and staying there.

And much more: there are 200 chefs and 100 wineries participating of this indulgence fest.

For tickets and info go here