Before a recent outing to the Doughnut Plant’s actual store down on Grand, I’d only had the offerings you are able to pick up atJoe the Art of Coffee. There you can usually find their coconut cream/coconut glaze donut and I’ve occasionally seen their blackout donut. And while I will agree it’s not a bad alternative, the real deal? Can’t be beat. Now I’ve talked about donuts before. I’ve talked about some I enjoyed as well as some I found to be incrediblyunderwhelming. Many sing the praises of Bouchon Bakery and while I enjoyed theirs, I still say (and now more emphatically) the Doughnut Plant is where it’s at.
So many choices…
When we arrived, we saw a sign proclaiming it was “apple day” in honor of fall, highlighting their organic apple cinnamon donut. Seeing as the entire place smelled of it from the moment we walked through the front door, I couldn’t resist trying. I don’t like donuts to be too overwhelmingly cakey (which is my main complaint against Bouchon, aside from the ridiculous waiting game/process required to obtain it as well), so I thought the thickness of the Doughnut Plant’s is just right. It tasted like you were biting into a fresh apple pie – like as in off the tree fresh – yet it was somehow a donut. Flavor nailed.
They also have quite a few other intriguing options i will be back to try. There’s the Vanilla Bean Glazed Peanut Butter & Jelly Donut (is there any better combo?) as well as their Valhrona Chocolate Donut. Oh my. See, I knew there was a reason I’d tried to avoid going as long as possible. This is one seal that’s dangerous once broken…
Highly recommend. (I now want a donut)
Their Donut Tile
Doughnut Plant – 379 Grand Street (at Norfolk Street) - 212.505.3700
CASTING, SPECIALTY COCKTAILS, AND MUSICAL GUEST ANNOUNCED!
TWO NIGHTS ONLY!
OCTOBER 28 & 29, 9PM @
THE DR2 THEATRE
Five of Chicago’s most twisted and original writers join five of New York’s most talented actors for two nights of Halloween tales. From getting freaked out to getting their freak on these storytellers tell twisted tales to get you in the Hallows’ Eve mood. These stories are accompanied by a live musical soundscape by Ryan Blotnick and are paired with a boozy drink, one that best embodies the theme of each story.
On Halloween night, a young hipster gets freaky with a hot DJ and wonders what happens when the costumes come off (Blood-Orange Martini); a homeless man jams to ‘80s rock with a broomstick (Jack-O-Lantern ‘n Coke); a backpacker finds herself surrounded by freaks in the Red Light District of Amsterdam (Green-Eyed Schnapps Monster); and a bike racer dons her superhero cape and rides for her life (Freaky-gin Fizz).
BOO(zy) will feature STEPHANIE BRATNICK(Nathan the Wise and Twelfth Night at The Pearl Theatre Company, Cherry Orchard at Steppenwolf Theater Company), JAMES RYAN CALDWELL (Dead Man’s Cell Phone at Playwrights Horizons, Ex-Antwone at P.S. 122, Both Sides and Don Juan at Classic Stage Company, Uhaul Trilogy at Philadelphia Live Arts Festival, and Johnny Apple@#%*er at The Ohio Theatre), LENA HART (veteran at regional theaters such as Chautauqua Theatre Company and Clarence Brown Theatre, Summer and Smoke at The Clurman Theatre, King John at Gorilla Shakespeare Project), NATHAN KAUFMAN (multiple roles at Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Bohemian Archaeology’s Time Flies and Others by Ives, Beyond Therapy and Holidays Uncorked), and KELLY WARNE (Aunt Bea in Ramona Quimby at Theaterworks/USA (tour), The Country Wife and Presence of a Man at Creative Place Theater).
The show, presented by Bohemian Archaeology Productions, will play a limited two-night engagement at the DR2 Theatre (101 East 15th Street), October 28 & 29 at 9pm. Tickets ($18, $15 students/seniors) are available by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444 or online at www.smarttix.com. Halloween cocktails ($4-$8) and a variety of specialty beers ($4-$6) will be available for purchase in the lobby before the show and during intermission. Drinks will be allowed (and encouraged!) in the theater.
BOHEMIAN ARCHAEOLOGY PRODUCTIONS is committed to creating effervescent theater by digging into new and established work. Their theater process is like an archaeological dig. They start with a script (the bare bones, so to speak) and extrapolate meaning to create a social, human environment for the script to thrive. By working directly with playwrights and involving them in the rehearsal process, they strive to breathe new life into their work
It’s about 6:30pm on a quiet street in Greenpoint Brooklyn and I’ve just devoured a slice during a break from my four-hour tattoo session. Every third to fourth Saturday this summer, I ventured out to the private studio of Picasso Dular, world class tattoo artist, musician and painter, for continued work on my ink.
Being a painter myself, finding the right tattoo artist for my piece was an undertaking in itself. I searched many parlors and looked at tons of portfolios of many great artists. It was at the New York Tattoo Convention that I found Picasso. The work in his portfolio was incredible, the color, line and detail blew me away.
Over the many visits with Picasso, I’ve gotten to know his work in greater detail. The passion and mood that he brings to a piece rivals that on any wall of a gallery and is admired by all that view it. Truly one of the hidden treasures of the NYC art scene, I’m pleased that Picasso will talk with me about his work.
As the tattoo needle buzzes… CEC – Tattooing has been around almost as long as people. Over time, many things have influenced the art, be it culture religion, war and more recently, personal expression.
Where do you draw your influence from? Picasso - “ I draw a lot from my personal experiences – from art and life and things I see. I try not to get inspired by other’s work and rely on what I can create. How do I see it? How does it make me feel? I tend to look at other artists work as competition. I have to be just as good! I have to be just as creative and thought provoking on my own without outside influences.“ CEC – Your work is very sophisticated in its execution. Clearly you’ve been inspired by other artist throughout your career ~ which artist has had the biggest impact on you? Picasso – “I got started about 11 years ago. To be honest, I’ve always been creative. I was a dancer for years and didn’t think twice about tattoos. I was into music and dancing, and when I was 20-21 I wanted to find a job that allowed me to be my own boss. I couldn’t do corporate America or restaurants. I wanted a job that would utilize my artistic skills. I was more interested in everything else I was doing and I thought ‘hey, I should get into tattooing’.
I met a guy, Rob Hickson, who was at the time working in a small private studio in the Flat Iron building in Chicago. I was inquiring about tattoos and he had time to teach me. He told me to come and sit and watch so I did. The more I watched the more I saw a trade that I could take with me and not work for someone else”
CEC – Tattooing has grow in popularity in the last ten years with TV shows and stars showing their colors. Do you think the added exposure has increased the quality of the tattoos being created or has it diluted and cheapened the art form?
Picasso – “Both! I try to stay out of the who’s who, but it has made people aware of what level of intensity goes into tattoos, what’s involved, the commitment, the price. People get afraid about how much they cost, but it’s an investment. Tattooing is a tedious job and when it’s done, well it’s worth the money. It’s an investment you’ll have for life.
On the other hand, I’m not down with super pop-culture and the fame behind it. Then again, it makes people aware of what to bring to a tattoo shop – the references and ideas they should bring to the table and how to let the artist do their thing. It doesn’t really bother me that it’s gotten famous, it helps, I’m not gonna hate on it.”
My wife and I attended two childbirth classes with Chitra Moses, a baby nurse from Mt. Sinai Hospital. The class was held in the waiting room of my wife’s doctor, OBGYN Westside, which is part of a Mount Sinai group. So, the hospital sponsors the class.
Child birth class is basically a crash course on what to do when a woman is in labor and what to expect after the baby is born.
As you may know, there are two ways a woman can have a baby – natural childbirth or a Caesarean section (or C-Section). My wife is planning to deliver naturally, which means that we have to let nature decide when the baby comes as opposed to scheduling a C-Section in advance.
We were at the doctor last week (we go every week now that she’s considered full term), and the doctor basically said that she can go into labor tomorrow or three weeks from now. Although I am hoping she’s born on Halloween, babies are rarely born on their due dates. Ultimatley, they come out when they’re ready!
Back to birthing class. Chitra’s class was excellent – we attended two, three-hour sessions but you can enroll in classes that are longer than that. She gave a lot of information. For example, did you know that 80% of women don’t break their water? Or that women sometimes fall asleep during labor? I also learned that according to the Patient Bill of Rights, a woman can get an epidural administered anytime. The only exceptions are that sometimes it may be too late in the process or woman should not have it for medical reasons, but the doctor will advise.
Chitra also provided some “worst case scenios” that were pretty disturbing. Picture a room full of pregnant women. In this disturbing example, Chitra talked about how a woman can experience massive tearing of the “you know what” during natural childbirth if the baby comes out with its hand on the side of its face.
So of course the woman sitting next to me went pale and almost began crying. She raised her hand and said with her voice cracking, “Chitra, every sonogram we’ve had the baby had his hand on the side of his face. Does that mean the chances are good that my boy will have his hand against his face during childbirth ?” Yeah, she wasn’t happy with the answer.
As a new dad, I wanted to understand the childbirth process better, because being ignorant to it provided me with anxiety (as it does to most people). Let’s face it men, we’re there for one reason – SUPPORT! So, it’s better to know what to expect, right? The goal is for us to be a strong support partner.
The birthing class was also very helpful for how to take care of the baby after it’s born. We learned the general steps to swaddling, changing a diaper and some other important things. One tip she gave us was to make sure you ask the nurse at the hospital to demonstrate these things, since they obviously know best.
Childbirth class is great for first time parents and I highly recommend Chitra’s class.
Please share any childbirth class experiences you may have, or ask any questions by leaving a comment or emailing me at anth...@neighborbee.com.
I always get excited when new food options open in Long Island City around work, because, as I’ve noted before, the pickings are slim. Though recently a few things, such as Burger Garage, have come onto the scene – and LIC Market unbeknownst to me recently opened. Currently the restaurant is open Monday through Friday, 7AM to 4PM. They have a full breakfast and lunch menu, as well as daily specials. They are doing brunch on Saturday only, with their hours being 11AM to 4PM. They’ve noted they will be adding dinner to the line-up as well as beer and wine later this Fall. Unlike some of the other options in the area, they actually have a full separate dining area in the back, which is a nice alternative when you want something a little nicer.
Roasted Chicken Sandwich
I was torn my first time there as I looked through their sandwich options. Roasted Chicken … grilled cheese … shredded brisket … slow cooked pork. All sounded intriguing, and ranging from $8-$9. I first tried their roasted chicken, which was served on souman bread topped with caramelized onions, provolone, arugula, and a roasted shallot dressing. The bread was perfect – not so stiff as to hurt to eat (you know what I’m talking about – I’m sure you’ve been a victim of vicious bread at least once!). The caramelized onions in particular paired nicely with the roasted shallot dressing. Roasting the shallots gave it almost a smoky flavoring. The only thing which surprised me was that the sandwich came solo – no accompanying salad, chips, or the like. It was sufficient on its own though for the meal.
The second time I visited, I tried their “grilled cheese”, opting to pay the additional $1.50 to add ham. The sandwich was prepared using port salut, a mild white cheese, which was nice and melted. I think it was a good addition, as it was not so strong to take away from the remaining ingredients. It was topped with apple, endive, honey-dijon, and a truffle oil. My only complaint (see above, think reverse) was the bread was extremely stiff. I was committed though and didn’t let that keep me from enjoying the sandwich.
Market Burger
My friend ordered the Market Burger on one trip, which is served on a brioche bun with cheddar cheese, sliced tomato, greens, and aioli. It’s also accompanied by potato salad. The burger was a nice size – on the bigger side, but not ridiculously ginormous. Another trip, my friend tried their Roasted Chicken salad. The portion sizes on their salads are definitely generous and not bad with a price in the $9-$10 range.
LIC Market also has a market area in the entry which is not only where you pick up any “to go” orders but is actually a decent sized market featuring house made items and gourmet ingredients used in their menu selections. Excellent addition to the neighborhood dining selection. If it says anything, my visits were actually two days in a row.
LIC Market – 21-52 44th Drive (at 23rd St – Long Island City) – 718.361.0013 No Reservations Accepted/Required
When last we spoke, I was just saying goodbye to ShouldBee and heading off on yet another work related trip to Salt Lake City, Utah… or as I now affectionately refer to it as SL,UT. I had my reservations about heading to the land of the Brigham Young being an out gay male, but as I soon discovered it wasn’t difficult to find my kind of people. I arrived at the Salt Lake City International Airport and quickly discovered free WiFi.
For not having an iPhone, but rather an iTouch, this has become a bit of a treasure hunt in order to access important networking applications, such as Grindr. While awaiting my shuttle to the hotel I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of locals that were plugged into Grindr, though I’m spoiled living in New York as the nearest guys are generally 100+ feet away when I’m working in Chelsea and in SL,UT they were a few miles between me and the nearest suitor. But what’s a few miles when they have a car and I have a hotel room, right? Guess what though, that’s not where this story is going…
“De-Coherent Histories” is an exhibition produced by artists PeterGregorio and Austin Shull, which will include photography, video, paintings, and sculpture. The exhibition merges historical and futurist ideas to confront the viewer in the present, leaving mysterious questions unanswered and perpetuated.
Usually here on Neighborbee I let you know of the source of my fight against my own droopy eyelids, reading all those delicious tales stacked high on my nightstand before bedtime. Sometimes, I even manage to squeeze in a couple of heads-up to meet the brilliant minds behind all the must-read novels and short stories at events that won’t bust your wallet.
But this time, I’m a little preoccupied with current events, particularly the recent happenings – and protests – in Lower Manhattan. Better yet, the quickly approaching 10-year anniversary of September 11th. Even more precisely, the press-worthy coverage of Park51, the proposed mosque to be built at 45-51 Park Place two blocks from the World Trade Center.
For now, I’ll leave the freedom-of-religion rants to the watercolor cubicle of my idealistic, non-profit workspace, and hopefully without making too light of the genuine concerns of those opposed to Park51, I invite you to lighten up, laugh, and perhaps even enlighten yo’self next Friday at Housing Works Bookstore Cafe with Aman Ali and Bassam Tariq, two gentlemen whose calling card is the promise of tales better than fiction.
30 Mosques, 30 States
August 11 began 30 Mosques, 30 States, with the men tasking themselves to spend each night of Ramadan at a different mosque in 30 states around the country. Naturally, their 12,000-mile trek began in New York City with stops in Boston, Philly, Atlanta, New Orleans, Denver, Salt Lake City, Chicago, and a few smaller cities in between. Finally, on September 10, they cooled their heels in Dearborn, MI, the home of one of the largest Muslim populations in the country.
Mission accomplished! Throughout the trip, the pair faithfully blogged about the sites they saw, the people they met, and the beautiful spots of worship where Ramadan is held sacred. Now, Aman and Bassam are back in NYC, one stop on their national speaking tour, to give us a closer look at the good (Aman gets to visit his family – and geese! – in NOLA), the annoying (the repeated hacking of 30Mosques’ blog site), and some videos of their adventure.
Aman Ali and Bassam Tariq discuss 30 Mosques, 30 States at Housing Works Bookstore Cafe (126 Crosby Street.), on Friday. October 22nd at 7:00 p.m.
The selection of top-notch developments will offer something for everyone, from studios to four bedrooms, townhomes and lofts, high-end amenities, private outdoor space, FHA financing, immediate occupancy and more. Mortgage brokers will be on site at several developments as well. Open houses at all developments will run from 12 PM to 4 PM on both Saturday, October 16, 2010 and Sunday, October 17, 2010.
During the open house weekend, visitors will be the first to tour the two brand new penthouse model homes at Toren in Brooklyn, the fully completed construction at 58 Metropolitan in Brooklyn and the new model apartment at 208 West 96th Street (open house on Sunday only) on the Upper West Side. Buyers can also view two new rooftop gardens that opened this summer at The 505 in Hell’s Kitchen and new model apartments at 88 Morningside in Harlem.
roll over Snickers and tell 'the Sitch' he's a b*tch
This post is courtesy of our guest blogger, Daniel Dolicer. Daniel is a Holiday Gift Specialist at CUTCO Cutlery . Feel free to email him at DGDo...@Gmail.com.
I arose on that typically lazy Saturday morning, just shy of lunchtime. My hair was frazzled, my eyesight was temporarily blurry. A breakfast of hothouse cucumbers and a spread of crumbly white cheeses suggested the Mediterranean. Of course, being as wired as the next Generation X’er, I munched in front of the computer screen, browsing Facebook and checking e-mail.
At first glance, it seemed as though I had been spammed en masse, perhaps a practical joke orchestrated by playful friends or a misdeed by bitter ex-girlfriends. The subjects of the e-mails were of uniform theme: “CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO,” “FUNNY AS HELL,” “WATCH THIS THRICE.”
Embedded in each letter was a YouTube video, one that was resonating with those in and around New York City. A video of the most humorous disposition, it was. A parody of Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind“, this video playfully jeered at the life and times of those around the affluent communities of Nassau County. The lyrics brought to light the abundance of augmented breasts around said parts, and the propensity of those with said breasts to gossip about this and that; the wealth of lawyers and doctors, and their habit of bribing teachers on behalf of their ‘JAP’ daughters.
Those involved with the video? Four college students wanting to pay tribute to their former stomping grounds. Evan Krumholz and Tyler Gildin wrote — and acted out — the lyrics; Nash Prince handled the music; and Cody Milch made sure that the video looked professional (indeed, it looks hardly different from a music video one might see on VH1).
Within a few days of unleashing the video on YouTube, Nassau (County) State of Mind surpassed 500,000 in hits (now rapidly approaching 900k) and the young fellows responsible for this hilarious piece of cinematography appeared on WNBC!
Daniel Dolgicer is a Holiday Gift Specialist at CUTCO Cutlery and can be reached by emailing him at DGDo...@Gmail.com.
The selection of top-notch developments will offer something for everyone, from studios to four bedrooms, townhomes and lofts, high-end amenities, private outdoor space, FHA financing, immediate occupancy and more. 
