We fly out of Orange County’s John Wayne Airport on a red-eye flight. Attempting to snore should prove “delicious” as I’ll be wearing a cervical collar. A very pleasant woman in a Volvo (a.k.a. “tank”) rear-ended my car while I was stopped at a traffic light last week.
We arrive at the Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, grab our luggage and head for the indoor shuttle pick-up area to wait for our driver. The skyline doesn’t seem as daunting as the last time I remember it at age 13 – shock-HER! We did a family trip when I was 24 years old but that was a fly-in to JFK, a quick stop for a rental car and hitting the interstate on our way for Connecticut.
By 6:45am we’re in bed at the Hilton Garden Inn Times Square (A: 790 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10019. P: 212-581-7000. W: hgi.com) and napping until 11am. We quickly get ready and hit the pavement for the subway.
Hilton Garden Inn: Room
Room: View out Window
Subway
After exiting the subway we’re walking along when a woman points at another woman’s belly (who is walking next to me) and in a sincere tone says “congratulations”. The expectant mother says “thank you”. I’d always thought that was a dangerous comment to make since some women might simply appear prego when they’re actually overweight. However, I’m even more surprised by the kindness shown to a fellow human being in the city which often gets hammered for their “rude peeps”.
Walk to the West Village
We’re meeting Bella’s friend Audrey at celebrity chef Mario Batali’s restaurant Lupa (A: 170 Thompson Street, New York, NY 10012. P: 212-982-5089. W: luparestaurant.com) located in the West Village. Bella earned her Master’s Degree in Violin at SUNY Purchase College in White Plains, New York, so she still has some friends in the city.
Lupa: Interior
We were unable to get a reservation at his most popular restaurant, Babbo so we settled for a strong alternate. I order an orange soda which surprisingly (but shouldn’t have been) was made with fresh squeezed orange juice and seltzer right in front of me. And I was expecting San Pellegrino Aranciata in a can. Forgive me Mario! I forgot where I was.
Lupa: Orange Soda
Lupa: “Wall of Sambuca”
I order the ricotta gnocchi with sausage and fennel. These fluffy “pillows” are baked, filled with ricotta cheese and resting in a lamb ragu. These are some of the softest, yet plumpest gnocchi I’ve ever consumed. The slices of lamb are small but delectable. And unlike many mediocre Italian restaurants in California the pasta isn’t drowning a slow death in sauce. Amen!
Lupa: Ricotta Gnocchi
Audrey selects the Martedi: crispy duck entrée in a bed of fettuccini egg noodles. The duck is light, tender and tasty. Bella devours her octopus mushroom linguini.
Lupa: Fettucini Noodles & Duck
Lupa: Octopus & Mushroom in Linguini
For dessert we share a pineapple ricotta panna cotta. A single chunk of pineapple didn’t look fresh but since the rest of “Mario’s meal” was delicious we’ll issue him a pass. The texture is very smooth and creamy and chock full of vanilla bean specks. This is the soft and delicate panna cotta that we adore.
Lupa: Pineapple Ricotta Panna Cotta
The coffee arrived after most of the dessert had been consumed which really shouldn’t occur at a four-star or better restaurant. The waiter’s assistant forgot our cream and is now pre-occupied with someone’s cappuccino order. I attempt to get his attention as he passes our table. He tries to dismiss me but I say “cream” so that it will arrive “while we’re still old”. If this weren’t NYC I might consider complaining. Again, this was still a pretty remarkable dining experience. Food and drink rating = A. We say goodbye to Audrey and make our way for the subway.
West Village: NYC Playground
We’re on our way to the meet Bella’s piano teacher and mentor Gail Niwa at her apartment in the Upper West Side. We meet for coffee around the corner at Patisserie Margot (A: 2109 Broadway, New York City, NY 10023. T: 212-721-0076). Gail treats us to an iced latte and the ladies get caught up while I mostly listen in.
Upper West Side: Brownstone’s
Afterwards, we walk to Gail’s apartment where Bella’s student George Hu is meeting us to take a piano lesson with Gail. George, age 13, of Taiwanese decent, lanky and tall is polite and soft spoken. The lesson begins and I take some photos of the teachers and student, Gail’s apartment and the view out the windows. Gail’s apartment is probably 450 square feet with a monthly rent of $900 per month. This is courtesy of the current “rent controlled” status of NYC. There is talk in the city that rent control may be going “bye bye” within a year or two. Rent for Gail’s apartment would likely adjust to $3,500-$4,000 per month.
Gail’s Apartment: View
Gail’s Apartment: View
George Hu @ Piano
At one point Gail tells George “you have talent, so you have a responsibility, okay?” Teacher Bella is tough (believe me, I know) and chimes in now and then when George does something which Bella has previously taught him but hasn’t took. I wonder how much of this is posturing for her mentor and how much is true criticism of her pupil. Probably a bit of both as I know Bella has a lot of respect for Gail.
Lesson: Teacher Bella & Teacher Gail
Gail talks to George about the piece he is playing by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev. She asks if he knows what was going on in the Soviet Union at the time the piece was composed. “Have you learned anything in school about it?” As I expected he has learned nothing on this subject. Gail then asks if he knows what sarcasm is. “Do you like sarcasm?” George says “no, not really”. Gail says “well, you have to like it at least somewhat for this piece. It is like someone is sticking their tongue out at you on these notes.”
They talk of memorizing the phrasing, dynamics, character and mood. Gail emphasizes that it isn’t just about the notes. She says “you have to earn the right to have fun because you have to know the details and then the more fun you can have.” When George refers to a “piece” as a “song” Gail corrects him “refer to this as a piece, not a song. There is no voice attached”. I found it enjoyable from a creative standpoint as to how there are many parallels in how you think and approach various arts such as singing, painting, writing, playing an instrument.
After the lesson we walk back toward the subway. En route we experience some of the New Yorker hostility you hear about or view in movies shot in NYC. An out-of-state tourist (per the license plate) is taking a leisurely “Sunday drive” up the street when a tail-gating local lays on the horn dramatically for a good 30 seconds. Apparently receiving an unacceptable response the local aggressively veers over the median line and cuts in front of the out-of-towner and speeds up the street. This is not the first time I have heard a 30-second plus “horn performance” employed in this city. Another one occurred when an out-of-towner pulled an illegal u-turn on a red light forcing a local to come to a halt.
Times Square Area
Streets: Sax Player
Sbarro: Italian Eats in NYC?
NYC: Firehouse
Around the corner from our hotel is Carve Unique Sandwiches & Pizza (A: S.E. Corner of 47th Street & 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10036. P: 212-730-4949. W: carve.cc). We order a slice of white pizza pie and a cannolo pastry. The cheese on the pie smells better than any New York style pie I’ve had in Orange County. It may not be the best cheese I’ve ever tasted on a pie but it sure is delicious.
Carve Sandwiches: Bella & Our Pizza
The best cheese I can recall on a pizza was at Zorba’s Pizza in San Bruno. Eating there was the best thing that resulted from missing our connecting flight to Taiwan in 2008. The crust at Carve is crisp without being crunchy and still soft inside without being doughy. The crust is a tad thicker than the ultra-thin crust pizzas.
Carve’s: White Pizza
The cannolo has mini chocolate chips, a slight sour taste (a good thing), a soggy shell (which I toss), dense ricotta cheese cream, a sniff of cinnamon and a tiny waft of orange flower oil or orange zest. Food and drink rating = B+. We relax at the room before heading to the subway again.
We’re off to have dinner at Gusto Ristorante (A: 60 Greenwich Avenue, New York, NY 10011. P: 212-924-8000. W: gustonyc.com) located in the West Village. We open the meal with the grilled octopus with celery, black olives and sherry vinaigrette. The pieces are thick, fleshy and nearly as soft as sea bass. There is great smoke permeating my nasal passages and a fantastic charred look and taste. This is absolutely delicious and I love the chopped parsley in the vinaigrette. It reminds me a bit of Argentinean chimichurri sauce.
Gusto: Bar
Unfortunately, we were once again subjected to subpar service. The waitress that took our order is now hanging out at the bar, apparently never to be heard from again. We do our best to make eye contact with someone as there has been a long gap since our appetizer was consumed. Finally, a woman approaches our table and apologizes for the confusion. Evidently there was a miscommunication amongst the staff as to who was taking over our table. I’m not sure how that resulted in a slow delivery of our entrees but “carp happens”.
My entrée is the black ink squid spaghetti in a lemon, white wine clam sauce. Such a rich almost creamy taste and a dish that is harder to find on Italian restaurant menu’s on the West Coast. Bella orders the organic spinach and ricotta dumplings (a.k.a. gnocchi) in a sage butter sauce.
Gusto: Baby Octopus Appetizer
Gusto: Spinach & Ricotta Dumplings
Gusto: Black Ink Squid Spaghetti
The woman approaches again and offers her apologies for the service error. This is another area where Los Angeles and NYC differ. In Cali this would surely result in a free dessert or two. In NYC it might garner a mere apology or two but surely nothing more.
For dessert I order the cannolo with ricotta cream, pistachios and chocolate crumbs. It is served in an ice cream cone cookie shell and has a fluffy, smooth and airy whipped texture to the cheese. The cheese has zero sweetness as I suppose the chocolate crumbs and nuts are to “sweeten the pot”. Between the nearly whipped cream consistency, the lack of “tang” (cream cheese sourness) and the lack of confectioner’s sugar I’ve tuned out completely on this pastry.
Gusto: Cannolo
My limoncello after dinner drink is of average quality but served barely below room temperature in a slightly chilled glass. Ideally this liqueur should be served immediately after being poured into a shot glass that came from the freezer.
Gusto: Limoncello
The vanilla panna cotta with blueberry compote, fried basil and strawberry sauce has only a very slight sweetness to it.
Gusto: Vanilla Panna Cotta
Again, the pastry chef is reliant on the sweetness of the compote and the sauce to sweeten this dessert. While I’ve adjusted my palate to enjoy less sugar (largely due to marrying an Asian girl) in my desserts this is a bit too low. Even the vanilla flavor is light which equates to these desserts not being standouts. Food and drink rating = B+.
We take the subway to Penn Station where we walk through the center of Times Square. Holy Be-Jesus! Anthony Bourdain was right. It’s like someone took Disneyland added in Vegas and for good measure shoved a roman candle up its ass and dropped the pile of these venues in the heart of NYC. It is crazy bright and there is so much “cattle” here I can barely move. Fortunately, we escaped this “un-amusing park” within 10 minutes and were on our way back toward our hotel.
Macy’s @ Night
Times Square “Cattle Call” @ Night
In the morning we hit the subway on our “Quest of the Almighty Cannoli”. Per Wikipedia, Cannoli is Sicilian pastry desserts. The singular is cannolo meaning “little tube”, with the etymology stemming from the Latin “canna”, or reed. Cannoli originated in Sicily and is an essential part of Sicilian cuisine. They are also popular in Italian American cuisine and in the United States are known as a general Italian pastry, while they are specifically Sicilian in origin (in Italy, they’re commonly known as “cannoli siciliani”, Sicilian cannoli). Cannoli consists of tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling usually containing mascarpone or ricotta cheese. They range in size from no bigger than a finger, to the fist-sized proportions typically found in Piana degli Albanesi, south of Palermo, Sicily.
Our destination is Brooklyn which is approximately 25 minutes away and should be well worth the lengthy ride. Bella and I have done a ton of research through Yelp.com and the bakery we’re venturing to is thought by the majority to be serving the best, most authentic tasting cannolo in NYC. On the way I spot a lot of graffiti and the grittier side of the city.
Transient with Packed Cart
Once off the train we hoof it many blocks to Villabate Alba (A: 7001 18th Avenue and 70th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11204. P: 718-331-8430. W: villabate.net). The look and feel as we walk down the stairs and onto the street is just as I recalled from watching classic NYC gangster or coming-of-age films such as “A Bronx Tale” or “Goodfellas”.
Brooklyn Streets
I order one for starters. The girl that serves me could be my cousin Suzy B’s younger sister. The cannolo has a beautiful looking shell, is chock full of ricotta cheese and has a maraschino cherry stuffed into one end and a slice of candied orange peel stuffed in the other. The taste has a very slight graininess to it, is mildly sweet and tastes of straight ricotta cheese. The shell is probably the best I’ve ever tasted in 30 plus years of eating cannoli. There is serious crunch so even though these are pre-made it is clear they haven’t been sitting long.
Villabate: Display Case
Visually the cannolo looks like a ringer for the ones featured in “The Godfather” where the infamous line “leave the gun, take the cannoli” was used. At Villabate they import their sheep’s milk ricotta from Palermo Italy. Some bakeries use cow’s milk ricotta which is inferior to the sheep’s milk version.
Villabate: Cannolo
Villabate: Torrone Candy
I pick up two more cannoli to go and some homemade torrone candy. The torrone is the hardest consistency I’ve ever tasted and quite sweet with a mesmerizing roasted almond aroma. Food rating = A. Around the corner I buy a Ferrari espresso cup and saucer set for dad at S.A.S. Italian Records Inc. (A: 7113 18th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11204. P: 718-331-0539. W: sasitalian.com).
A couple stores down we get coffee and an egg and cheese breakfast wrap for Bella at Dunkin Donuts (A: 7123 18th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11214. P: 718-232-1522. W: dunkindonuts.com). It’s pretty good java and they’ll add the cream and sugar for you which surprisingly isn’t overdone on either condiment.
A cute black girl, mid-twenties, casually dressed, with funky hot pink earrings suddenly throws the staff and management into a panic. I watch as she flashes her city health inspector badge before immediately proceeding with an inspection of the premises. As a result, service becomes either slow or comes to a standstill. It appears we can’t buy a break in regards to “service” in NYC.
Across the street from Villabate I purchase another cannolo at Cristoforo Colombo Inc. (A: 6916 18th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11204. P: 718-256-3973). It has a significantly sweeter taste than Villabate’s with a slight touch of “tang” to it. I especially love that cream cheese “tang” that is sometimes present in this dessert. Rumor has it that this is how bakeries get the “tang” to these pastries but I’ve yet to replicate it in the kitchen. The shell is slightly soggy (clearly filled a long time ago). The cheese is dense, a tad too sweet and possesses a waft of cinnamon that I am not a fan of. That being said, it is plenty edible and enjoyable, albeit not memorable. Food rating = B-.
Cristoforo Colombo: Cannolo
We drop into Da Vinci Pizzeria (A: 6514 18th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. P: 718-232-5855). I order a slice of white pizza pie from an “all business” Italiano guy whose name I imagine is Vinnie. The crust is a tad thinner than last night’s pie and a little less firm. This slice is slightly greasier (I’m not complaining!) and built for folding “NY Style”. Maybe it really is all about the soft NYC water they use to make the pizza dough. We’ve picked two random pizza shops in NYC and both “BLOW DOORS” over and beyond our Orange County counterparts that claim to serve “authentic New York style pizza”. Food rating = A-.
Davinci Pizzeria: White Pizza
We’re back on the subway and heading for the East Side to 5th Avenue, Columbus Circle and Central Park.
Brooklyn: Subway Tracks
I spot the spectacular Plaza Hotel across the street from Central Park. There are hansom cabs everywhere and they don’t appear to be in high demand today.
The Plaza Hotel
Central Park: Statue
Central Park
Central Park: Hansom Cabs
We stop off at another Dunkin Donuts for a frozen blended “Coffee Coolatta” drink. It is a bit sweet for my tastes, albeit tastier than the Starpuke’s Frappucino. This is a very high-end pretty part of town where the rich and famous spend their duckets.
Christopher Columbus Statue
I’ve observed that nearly everyone in NYC ignores waiting for a crosswalk to alert them to “go”. Pedestrians simply anticipate when the light is close to turning green and they begin crossing. Also, on shorter blocks red lights on crosswalks translate to “yield”. One simply takes a quick look to be sure that no cars are coming and crosses the street quickly. This is all part of “big city living” and keeping the flow and momentum necessary in a fast-paced society.
Similarly if you are walking in the subway and someone steps in front of you, you simply maneuver around them and keep on going as if nothing happened. However, manners still do matter in regards to exiting and entering the subway. One mother with a stroller spoke out when an “impatient puke” entered the subway car before she had a chance to exit. People in NYC tend to be pretty fashion conscious although you will even see young people choosing comfortable running shoes over a more presentable hoof-wear alternative.
As we get closer to our hotel we hit one of the “Famous Original Ray’s Pizza” (A: 736 7th Avenue, between 48th and 49th street, New York, NY. P: 212-956-Rays. W: rayspizzany.com). Per Wikipedia.com, as of 2009, there were at least 46 restaurants by some variant of the name “Ray’s Pizza” as noted by the telephone directory. Ray’s Pizza pizzerias were so numerous that one pizzeria owner opted to name his pizzeria Not Ray’s Pizza (located in Fort Greene, Brooklyn). The first and original Ray’s Pizza is located at 27 Prince St. in Manhattan’s Little Italy.
Famous Original Ray’s Pizza: Interior
I watched a show regarding this on the Travel Channel. This particular “Ray’s” was established in 1964. I order a slice of pepperoni, cheese and Italian sausage. I add an order of five of the “garlic knots” which are small “rope knot shaped” rolls smeared with basil, olive oil and garlic. They are tasty but could be a little softer. The crust of the pizza was perfect but the slice could’ve been heated a bit longer. The pie is less oily and light on tomato sauce which is much appreciated from this “heartburn victim”. Food rating = B+.
Ray’s Pizza & Garlic Knots
Back on the subway on our way to dinner we encounter our first real incident involving craziness. A tall, lean, curly haired Caucasian guy in his early forties stands up and delivers a fairly compelling spiel. He spins a yarn about his three kids, having no job, talks in specifics of the outstanding bills etc. He has a very dramatic “limp walk” and a few people give him a couple of bucks when he approaches them.
On the surface this doesn’t appear to be a living…especially when you add in the cost of a subway ride. I think whenever you give one of these people money you’re wondering if you didn’t just pay off an out-of-work actor. As a result, we donate nothing, and like it. An artsy type black guy with long hair and in his late twenties makes the rounds attempting to sell a pastel-colored paper flower bouquet. It is actually fairly nice but I pass. A woman graciously compliments his work but declines as well.
Cyclist: “Tunes in Motion”
Once off the subway we walk a half dozen or so blocks to arrive at Spina (A: 175 Avenue B, New York, NY 10009. P: 212-253-2250. W: spinarestaurant.com) located in the East Village. This is the kind of place where your hostess is also your waitress. The dining room is small and the place appears to be run by young twenty-something staff. The waitress/hostess brings me a glass of a recommended aromatic Italian white wine. The evening is a touch warm but a cool breeze is blowing through the largely open-air (indoor/outdoor folding door windows) restaurant.
Spina: Interior
Spina: Pasta Making…
The hostess/waitress brings bread and a sundried tomato paste with olive oil dipping sauce and a whipped ricotta spread. The sundried tomato paste is splendidly tangy. Bella’s face contorts with disgust as she eats the bread with ricotta spread. I know the waitress said something was in the ricotta but I didn’t catch the name of the mystery ingredient. Bella’s facial expression sure looks “awfully familiar”. Moments later we realize the missing ingredient when Bella says — “tire…smells like tire…tastes like tire.”
Spina: Dipping Sauces
To the layperson this equates to — “truffle oil”. On a Labor Day weekend getaway to La Jolla in 2008 we painfully learned that Bella ABHORS truffle oil, even though she loves mushrooms. It led to a ruined meal and a very unpleasant experience for all concerned. Such is life when two “foodies” come together. I order the orrechiette (“ear shaped” pasta) in a lamb butter sauce.
Spina: Orrechiette
We add the sautéed broccoli rabe and the sautéed spinach. Bella chooses the malloreddus: saffron infused Sardinian gnochetti finished in a veal, beef and pork ragu. Again we are painfully reminded how much better the Italian food is here versus Southern California. They use lesser used pastas, the pasta is almost always fresh and menus are typically quite creative. Food and drink rating = A.
Spina: Broccoli Rabe
Spina: Gnochetti
Another difference between dining in Cali and dining in NYC is to not expect anyone to ask you how your meal tastes. In Cali it is a question that is likely asked 95% or more of the time. In NYC, we were asked once so I’m guessing it is occurs around 15% of the time or less. And factor in that we are not dining at $10.00 per plate eating establishments. After dinner we trek back to the subway.
East Village: Children’s Garden
We exit the Carnegie Hall station which drops us right at Carnegie Hall (A: 881 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10019. P: 212-247-7800. W: carnegiehall.org). The exterior of the hall is under construction and not very appealing looking as scaffolding and tarps are abundant.
Carnegie Hall
The cost of the land and construction for Carnegie Hall was $1 million and it opened on May 5th, 1891. The design is Italian Renaissance, combined with architectural notes derived from various European models and the eclectic architectural tastes of the period. More than 46,000 events have taken place in Carnegie Hall’s three auditoriums since its origin. The youngest person to play in the Hall was four-year-old Lolita Val de Cabrera Gainsborg who played piano in Carnegie Chamber Music Hall (today’s Weill Recital Hall) on April 19, 1900.
We’ll be attending the “8th American Fine Arts Festival: Winners’ Concert Series” in the Weill Recital Hall. Bella’s student, George Hu, will be playing the piano piece Hungarian Rhapsody No.6 in F-sharp Minor by Liszt. George is playing last out of 32 performers. The competition is open to K-12, college-level and amateur adults although most of these performers appear to be high school aged and under.
In the reception area we chat with a parent of one of Bella’s former students. I’m guessing I haven’t seen her in about 3-4 years since our housewarming party in 2007. Later we are advised to enter the auditorium. Upon taking our tickets the ushers advise us that photography of any type is not permitted in Carnegie Hall. Once seated an Asian woman in front of us asks an Edward James Olmos looking usher about the use of video cameras. He sternly responds “use it and you’re out of here – it’s that simple”. Apparently looks are not deceiving with this — hard ass.
During George’s performance (2 hours and 50 minutes later) an usher “corrals” the performers who have already played to come down from the balcony. I swear a “cattle call” on a Montana ranch would have been quieter. Poor George received the double shaft tonight. The majority of the audience has shifted their attention to the balcony and several begin waving at their kids. “Good times”, as if playing last wasn’t bad enough.
During the ovation the two Asian mothers in front of us begin mad firing from their cameras as if they are spraying bullets from semi-automatic weapons. The Edward James usher walks over and scolds them like the children that they are. One of the “children”, I mean “parents” pauses for all of 3-5 seconds until Edward James has stepped a few paces away and she proceeds with “mad firing” her camera again. Un-be-live-able!
I understand that you may not agree with a policy, and you LOVE your kid (a.k.a. “The next Beethoven”), however, they have a policy for a reason and openly disregarding it in a venue such as Carnegie Hall is simply, “bad form”. Maybe Edward James is clairvoyant and thus the reason for giving these “ladies” the hard ass treatment from the get-go. After the concert we take pictures of various performers with teacher Bella.
Bella & Opus 119 Students
Then, we excuse ourselves and take a nice leisurely stroll back toward our hotel. I see what people are talking about when they mention the different type of “energy” in this town. It has a similar vibe to San Francisco or other downtown areas in major cities throughout the United States, but there is something extra here that is hard to explain.
I photograph some huge piles of filled trash bags on the curb of the street. This is a standard visual in the evenings in NYC and one of the negatives of big city living. Another con would be the cancerous wind that is ever present on the streets of the city. I’m guessing the Marlboro Man moves some serious product in this town.
Can You Smeeeewwwllll it?
We stop at a convenience store for beverages. These stores have self-service multi-cultural hot food stations (think Panda Express meets the United Nations) with great selections. Bella has used these places in the past to get a hot affordable meal to bring back to her hotel. Back at the hotel I drink milk in between devouring a Villabate cannolo. Yum! Afterwards, we pack up and turn in for the night. We have an 8am shuttle pick-up for the airport. I am going to miss this city and can’t wait for our next trip back.
David J. Evangelisti, II 