Month: February 2017

Entertainment

Tribeca X Award

admin

Launched last year, the Tribeca X Award is a result of a joint partnership between AT&T and The Atlantic, presented at the annual Tribeca Film Festival.  It was established in order to give today’s “finest artistic voices” a way to be honored.  All story-driven works that are original which have been developed by artist-brand collaborations are considered.  This includes anything used for digital, film, TV of either feature and short length, that have received funding of a brand working with artists and filmmakers.

All entries receive exposure in a special section on TheAtlantic.com and as Tribeca Enterprises CEO Andrew Essex pointed out, this makes it “the only film festival that honors the best work from these collaborations and bring them to the same stage as filmmakers and creators in the entertainment industry.”

In addition, Atlantic Re:think (which partners with The Atlantic) is providing the opportunity for people to enjoy the “best of the best across the industry,” engaging with brand storytelling.  The jury will award the winners at the 16th annual Tribeca Film Festival on April 29, 2017 at the Awards Night Ceremony.

Restaurants

Euro Cuisine Arrives in Yonkers

admin

Le Moulin is its name, fresh is its game.  Yonkers restaurant owner Josyane Colwell does not believe in using food item from the freezer to prep for her catering company; she prefers aromas and fresh ingredients, something she learned while being raised by her grandparents in Cote d’Azur, near Cannes.

It seems very much like a back-to-basics kind of place as Colwell recalls her youth spent picking up olives and putting them in baskets.  It was a far cry from the iPads of today! The eatery – located at 1 Pier Pointe Street – opened in the summer for weekend business, just opening after 5pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.  With a chalkboard menu (which changes weekly), small menus are created by Colwell who “needs to make [herself] happy,” which means appealing to her sense of sight and smell, ensuring the dining experience she provides is “stimulating and not mindless.”

For other classic old school restaurants in New York, you can try: McSorleys Old Ale House at 15 East 7th Street, Patsy’s Italian Restaurant at 236 West 56th Street and Fraunces Tavern at 54 Pearl Street, the latter of which has been in business since 1762.

Entertainment

The Enigma of the East Village

admin

How is it that while so much of New York has become somewhat pretentious, there is a little pocket that has remained true to its core?  The East Village is something else and a place where you can really find old-school New Yorkness at its best.

Liz Boulter wrote on article on this recently in The Guardian, attesting to the area’s top funky bars and eateries including: Black Market (which has a killer cheeseburger and cool band guys hanging out) as well as Cabin Down Below (underneath Black Market, with the same owners and great indie music).  For those who want to find some picklebacks [whiskey followed by a shot of brine from a jar of pickled cucumbers], there is Sophie’s which is a cool pool bar and then right across the street is an offering of Jamaican-style jerk chicken at Miss Lily’s.

In addition to food items, there are the old old-school record stores and great parks (such as Tompkins Square Park), vintage clothing stores, Garret East’s BYOV (where you can Bring Your Own Vinyl to ensure a  perfect music selection) as well as a whole slew of theatrical performances including the weird and wonderful Snowkus Pocus at the Theater at the 14th Street Y.

East Village continues to be an enigma for those looking for some culture in NYC.

Restaurants

Flaky Pastry Comes to East Village

admin

Actually it is Patisserie Florentine that is making its way to New York for the first time. Originating from New Jersey, this bakery is best-known for its flaky almond croissant and now New Yorkers will be able to purchase fresh-baked pastries locally.

The bakery – to be located at 280 E. 10th Street – is being run by Itay and Tomer Zilkha who are hoping that New Yorkers will love their sweets as much as New Jersey counterparts have done until now. In particular, their almond croissant is extremely popular, having been its strongest product, being a major draw.
What is interesting about the patisserie is that its kitchens have ovens from New Zealand which use steam and a bi-directional fan system. Through this particular concept, a very specific desired flakiness is created. This is what the video in this article, shows.