Fighting the Droop: Scenes from an Impending Marriage at Strand

Available February 2011 from Drawn & Quarterly

My Formerly Dear Bridezilla(s),

A bit of advice: When planning your wedding, vow to keep your sense of humor. After all, who can tell the difference between lemon-yellow and splash-of-sunshine? In the end, you will still look better than your bridesmaids because you won’t be wearing a hideous yellow dress. And that chocolate butter cream cake you absolutely had to have? It’ll be stale by the time of your reception, and your guests will be too drunk to care. So, do NOT add your wedding cakester to your list of enemies. That list is long enough, at this point, don’t ya think? Stop. And giggle.

My early gift to you: Adrian Tomine’s Scenes from an Impending Marriage

The tender scenes in this little book of strips are an unexpected departure from the often cynical tone of Tomine’s work (the Optic Nerve series and his previous books, Summer Blonde, Shortcomings, and Sleepwalk). Many have sniffed out the autobiographical subtext in those previous works, but here, Tomine’s story is billed as his “first nonfiction book.” So, stop your guessing!

At the insistence of his fiance, Tomine is tasked with creating a wedding favor to end all wedding favors, something a bit more memorable than a matchbook  or couple’s mixtape. What started out as a simple, illustrated card soon grew into a full-fledged comic book: a collection of short strips chronicling the often absurd process of getting married.

Scenes from an Impending Marriage is a charming poke at today’s wedding planning,  including hiring a DJ, location scouting, trips to the salon, suit fittings, dance lessons, and registering for gifts.. This drawn symbol of Tomine’s love for his fiance (He must love her to go through this, right?) makes it a little easier for us to laugh at nuptial narcissism.

Adrian Tomine will appear at Strand Bookstore on Wednesday, February 9 at 7pm. Unable to attend? Pre-order signed copy here.

dish buzz: crack pie ain’t whack: momofoku milk bar

Posted in Food by Lara
January 13, 2011 No comments yet

Lara is also founder and editor of Grits in the City

I had been to Momofoku Ssäm Bar several times before I realized Milk Bar was tucked in the back, or outside and around the corner if you prefer that option. There’s usually a bit of a line, but not to fret. It moves quickly and, in my opinion, is well worth the wait and, these days, the additional time spent out in the cold. Anything like this which pops up in so many different places and endorsed by many big names (such as Martha Stewart and the Silver Fox, ehem, I mean Anderson Cooper) is something I’m curious to try if only to say no, so not worth the hype. I actually ended up back there at one point waiting to be seated for Ssäm Bar and (for shame) thought it was just their to-go/waiting area. So wrong! And yet I come back and continue to do so. I fear this one’s a keeper.

The first time I went, I felt compelled to have their crack pie, the selection which seems to be referenced in interviews everywhere. The tiny slices (when compared to the other pies) of which go for $5.25 closest resemble a Southern Chess Pie and not too far from an Ooey Butter cake a la Paula Dean. Don’t cringe, now. I’m agreeing that this is much better. It’s denser, yet not overwhelmingly buttery. I really like the toasted oat crust, just a slight variation in taste from the standard graham cracker option. If you’ve never been, it’s where you’ve gotta start.

Crack Pie – Momofoku Milk Bar

On subsequent trips back, I have branched out. Their soft serve is outstanding and the offerings change up regularly. One of their staples, cereal milk, is my favorite. Add cornflake crunch on top and you are set. I tried their pumpkin pie soft serve around Thanksgiving time and found it too be too pumpkin and almost not taste sweet enough. Lesson learned – back to cereal milk I go. I also tried their cinnamon bun pie, which to me feels like breakfast. It’s like a reconstructed cinnamon roll, with the icing layer falling in the middle and incorporating a generous helping of cream cheese. Warm it up, and it’s a dash of breakfast at any time of the day.

Cinnamon Bun Pie – Momofoku Milk Bar

Recently @Catty was in town from London and showed up for brunch with some extra Milk Bar cookies, all which were new to me. My favorite was probably the Blueberry & Cream Cookie, which had dried blueberries and milk crumbs. It’s to the cookie selection what the cinnamon bun pie is to the pies. To me, it was like a cookie version of a blueberry muffin, and managed to somehow taste freshly baked even though it was several days old at that point. I was also a fan of their trademarked compost cookie, made of pretzels, potato chips, coffee, oats, butterscotch, and chocolate chips. A perfect balance of sweet and savory landing just a tad to the savory side.

Cookie Assortment – Momofoku Milk Bar

Finally, my current favorite (and probably most dangerous find) would be the birthday cake truffles. There are certain cakes Milk Bar makes which you cannot buy slices of. The chances of my needing a full cake? Slim to none. However, fear not! For just $3, you can get 3 truffles of each of the cakes. It’s sort of like an option to try. A snack in the grocery aisle. Just a bit of dessert – not enough to ruin your dinner, yet enough sweet to satisfy the cravings of your sweet tooth. It’s crumbled up rainbow cake, sprinkles, and vanilla frosting. If you have to get the Crack Pie on your first visit, okay, fine. If so, get the birthday cake truffles to go. Trust me!

Birthday Cake Truffles – Momofoku Milk Bar

Momofoku Milk Bar
East Village: 207 2nd Avenue @ E 13th Street
Midtown: 15 W 56th Street (between 5/6 Avenue)

Word on the street: Artichoke pizza

Posted in Food, Word On The Street by Admin
January 9, 2011 No comments yet

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.

Pizza may just be the most popular menu item in the Western world. Surely, I can lounge at a charmingly traditional Parisian bistro, immerse myself in a bouillabaisse flush with the sailorly, pungently salty flavors of Norman prawns — and look out onto a busy, gritty pizza joint peddling pies by the slice. As much a daily staple of modern life as is electricity and the Internet, Pizza proliferates notwithstanding of the ‘en-vogue’ ingredient or cuisine of the moment.

Although the idea — and fundamental recipe — of pizza is somewhat constant, variations on the dish are as myriad as are the nationalities of those for whom it is a culinary respite. In much of Italy, particularly the Southern regions to which many trace the origins of the pizza, toppings are taboo–indeed, regarded as an American bastardization of an Italian tradition–and cheese is used sparingly. In the United States–the home of the brave, and the land of super size portions–dough, sauce, cheese, and toppings are used with abandon; devouring a pepperoni pizza is as American a rite of passage as is seeing the latest Hollywood blockbuster.

Even within America, pizza preferences are regional. Californians often spread guacamole on their pizzas (weird), Chicagoans take pride in deep dish pizza, and New Yorkers tout the ultra-thin crust.

A new pizzeria in New York’s hipster-chic East Village brings a new–and tasty–dimension to the local pizza wars. Artichoke Pizza, owned by cousins and Staten-Island natives Sal Basille and Francis, is a neighborhood favorite quickly garnering a city-wide following. Open late so as to accommodate (often drunken) partygoers frequenting nearby bars and clubs, Artichoke is constantly abuzz with a crowd that is noticeably young, energetic, and ravenous. Lines are long — and waiting in them is fun; there is a palpable camaraderie and common purpose shared among the diners.

The big draw is Artichoke’s innovative staple: crusts that are thick, heavy, grainy, yet noisily crunchy; tomato sauce that is fresh and perfectly seasoned; and a unique artichoke dip that is slathered on every slice. Indeed, it is this dip — creamy and delectable even for devoted carnivores — that renders this particular slice of pizza singular, even in a city that, at times, seems to have one pizzeria for every two residents. The artichoke slice receives my most enthused recommendation, although of course, the pizzeria does provide margherita and sicilian slices that are sure to satisfy the culinary traditionalist.

Recently, ‘New York 1′ News taped a review of Artichoke Pizza. The producers of the segment were kind enough to put me on television. I’m the long-haired fellow who proclaims that the artichoke slice “satisfies those late-night munchies.”

dish buzz: buttermilk biscuits: the need to knead

Posted in Manhattan by Lara
January 7, 2011 No comments yet

Lara is also founder and editor of Grits in the City

Buttermilk Biscuits

One of the many things we made while I was home with my family in Alabama were homemade buttermilk biscuits. If you have never had them, they are simply the best. With the thicker, richer flavor of full-fat buttermilk, how could they not be fabulous? Sure – you can buy them frozen in the grocery store in a pinch, but it really is super easy to make them yourself, and the difference in taste is very noticeable. This recipe is great, yielding a nice pan full of fluffy biscuits. My mom copied this one down by hand, so we’re not exactly sure it’s origin.

Ingredients

• 3 C Plain Flour
• 1 TBSP Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 C Sugar
• 3/4 C Butter (1 and 1/2 sticks)
• 1 C Buttermilk (enough to bring crumbs together)

If you don’t want to cook them right away, you can place them on a sheet and freeze them for 35 minutes or so. Take them off and pace in a bag and return to the freezer. They will cook better later if you set them out a bit to defrost a bit.

Place on lightly greased baking sheet or pan. Brush with milk or put a bit of butter on each biscuit. Bake 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or lightly browned.

A little bee told me.. about Horse Trade Theater’s Spring 2011 season

Posted in Manhattan, Theater by Admin
No comments yet

HORSE TRADE THEATER GROUP

ANNOUNCES

SPRING 2011 SEASON

Horse Trade Theater Group (Erez Ziv, Managing Director, Heidi Grumelot, Artistic Director) announces their 12th season spring lineup, which will include Horse Trade Encores, the 2nd Annual Fire This Time Festival, the 2011 FRIGID New York Festival, and productions by Horse Trade’s newest resident artists, Little Lord, Wide Eyed Productions, and Animal Parts.

Horse Trade Encores

January 7-15

The Kraine Theater & The Red Room (85 East 4th Street)

Featuring encore performances of Legs and All, Summer Shapiro’s In the Boudoir, Martin Dockery’s Wanderlust, Tanya O’Debra’s Radio Star, Michael Birch’s One Man Hamlet, Radiotheatre’s The Time Machine, John Clancy’s The Event, and Man 1 Bank 0.

The Fire This Time Festival

January 17-30

The Red Room (85 East 4th Street)

The African American experience is not represented solely by one voice or one style. The Fire This Time Festival provides a platform for talented early-career playwrights of African-American descent to explore these new voices, styles and challenging new directions for 21st century performing arts, and move beyond common ideas of what is possible in “black theater.”

A Girl Wrote It

An Evening of One-Act Plays by Female Playwrights

Presented by Wide Eyed Productions

February 3-20

The Red Room (85 East 4th Street)

Because just 17% of America’s main stage productions are written by women, Wide Eyed attempts to tip the scales and expose eager audiences to more fantastic theatre. A Girl Wrote It is an ambitious evening of four dark, dangerous, and humorous plays with universal themes.

The 2011 FRIGID New York Festival

February 23-March 6, 2011

The Kraine, The Red Room (85 East 4th Street) & UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place)

An open and uncensored theater festival that gives back 100% of box office proceeds directly to the artists. Boasting over 150 performances and 30 shows over 12 days in 3 theaters, FRIGID New York will kick off the annual North American Fringe Circuit with a bang!

FRIGID Hangovers

March 7-12

The Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street)

Here’s your second chance to catch the best and the brightest shows from this years FRIGID New York Festival.

JewQueen

Presented by Little Lord

March 17-April 2

UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place)

Little Lord turns an irreverent eye towards the beautifully sincere but awkward rawness of faith-based community theater with a wild and wooly adaptation of the biblical Book of Esther. Probably not suited for the little ones

Hobo Grunt Cycle

Presented by Lone Wolf Tribe

April 7-24

The Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street)

A war and peace epic colliding connections between wounded soldiers, illegal dog fighting, and the hierarchies of circus performers and military personnel.

The Drafts Fest

May 5-14

The Red Room (85 East 4th Street)

The Drafts Fest is the collaborative effort of six playwrights, six directors, and ten multifaceted actors. Playwrights receive randomly compiled cast lists and create stories tailored to The Drafts and their invited Guests based on this year’s theme, Accidental Discharge Impossible.

Dirty Little Machine

By Miranda Huba

Presented by Animal Parts

May 19-June 4

The Red Room (85 East 4th Street)

Dick and Jane have found themselves in an unfortunate turn in their relationship. Unable to afford couples counseling or pay the rent financial desperation spawns a low budget pornography project to help with their looming bills. Before they know it they are making big budget pornos and finding themselves moving further and further away from true intimacy. Dirty Little Machine is an investigation of sexual relationships and intimacy in an increasingly voyeuristic culture.

No Poem, No Song

By Jesse Alick

Presented by Subjective Theatre Company

May 31, June 1, 7, 8 , 14, & 15

The Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street)

No Poem, No Song explores the religious meeting place between West Indian folklore and East Indian Religion as we follow the lives of two sons – Mike (a 26 year old west Indian reincarnation of the ancient Indian poet Vyasa) and his patron saint, the Hindu god Ganesh.

Tickets to all shows are available online at www.horseTRADE.info or by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444.

HORSE TRADE THEATER GROUP is a self-sustaining theater development group; with a focus on new work, it has produced a massive quantity of stimulating downtown theater.  Horse Trade’s Resident Artist Program offers a home to a select group of Independent Theater artists, pooling together a great deal of talent and energy. It is also the home of FRIGID New York – the first and only festival of its kind in New York City.

“If it’s fun, funky, artsy, absurd and original, chances are it’s probably from the folks at Horse Trade Theater Group” The Villager

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A little bee told me.. about Rooftop Films offering a free show in the Bronx TONIGHT!

THURSDAY

Rooftop Films Heads to the Bronx: Status – FREE SHOW

Rooftop Films returns to the Bruckner Bar and Grill for a special FREE screening of short films from the inner-city. You’ll meet princesses and ex-cons, follow a girl from the Bronx as she travels to Africa to explore her legacy and a rapper from Africa who heads to the Bronx to track down the roots of Hip Hop. Featuring films by Charlie Ahearn (Wild Style), an award winning short from Yoni Brook and Musa Syeed, and a sneak preview of a new film by YouTube stars the Internets Celebrities, this program will change the way you look at your neighbors and think about your city.

WHEN:
Thursday, January 6, 2011

7:00 Doors Open
7:45 Films begin
9:00 Q & A with the filmmakers

WHERE:
Indoors at the Bruckner Bar and Grill (South Bronx)
1 Bruckner Blvd., Bronx, NY 10454

Subway: Take the 4, 5 to 138 St. Grand Concourse or the 6 to 138 Street 3rd Avenue

The Films:

BRONX PRINCESS <http://rooftopfilms.com/2010/films/215-bronx-princess>  (Yoni Brook and Musa Syeed | Bronx, NY | 38 min.)
Bronx Princess follows headstrong 17-year-old Rocky’s journey as she leaves behind her mother in New York City to reunite with her father, a chief in Ghana, West Africa. Filmed during the tumultuous summer between high school and college, this funny and touching documentary tells Rocky’s coming-of-age story. By confronting her immigrant parents’ ideas of adulthood, Rocky reconciles her African heritage with her dream of independence. Bronx Princess is the hub of an outreach campaign to improve access to educational resources for urban youth and bridge the educational divide in immigrant families. The filmmakers’ goal is to remove the obstacles that immigrant and low-income youth face when seeking post-secondary education. Bronx Princess is an effective way of promoting dialogue within immigrant families and guiding youth toward post-secondary education.

BONGO BARBERSHOP <http://rooftopfilms.com/2010/films/217-bongo-barbershop>  (Charlie Ahearn | Bronx, NY | 8 min.)
An East African MC, Balozi Dola, wanders into a Bronx barbershop on his pilgrimage to find “the real hip-hop.” The barber, Flash’s original partner DJ Easy Mike, calls out Grand Master Caz, who spits a rhyme on how we are in the place of hip-hop’s origins. Shop sweeper DOA adds vocal percussion to the mix and Balozi Dola rhymes back in his native African Swahili. “Bongo” is the Swahili expression for “brain” used in local hip-hop slang. Brought to you by the director of the hip-hop classic “Wild Style.”

BROTHERS FANTASTIC <http://rooftopfilms.com/2010/films/218-brothers-fantastic>  (Charlie Ahearn | Bronx, NY | 7 min.)
Set in the Bronx home of two MC’s from The Fantastic Five from Wild Style, Master Rob and Waterbed Kevie Kev. Rob has recently returned home from a six year stretch in an upstate correctional facility to resume his creative life. The brothers trade classic harmonies and rhyme about their frustrations and their dreams for the future.

INTERNETS CELEBRITIES SNEAK PREVIEW <http://rooftopfilms.com/2010/films/216-internets-celebrities-sneak-preview>  (Casimir Nozkowski | Bronx, NY | 19 min.)
Rooftop veterans the Internets Celbrities head to the Bronx for a very special sneak preview of their latest project.

More information at:
http://www.rooftopfilms.com/2010/schedule/74-status

THURSDAY
The Tillman Story

Please join A&E IndieFilms and Rooftop Films as we present one of the most critically acclaimed documentaries of the year, The Tillman Story.

An exclusive screening at 7pm EST on Thursday, January 6, 2011 at BAM Rose Cinemas, will be followed by a special Q&A with director Amir Bar-Lev, moderated by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Morgan Spurlock.

A reception for ticketholders will follow immediately afterwards at BAM. For tickets, please visit: https://www.movietickets.com/purchase.asp?perf_id=627279674.

To RSVP for the reception, please email tffr...@aetn.com <mailto:%[email protected]> .

WHEN:
Thursday January 6, 2011

7:00 PM Film Begins
8:30 Q and A with the Filmmakers
9:00 Reception following the screening

WHERE:
Indoors at BAM Cinematek (Fort Greene)
30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn NY 11243

Subway:
2/3/4/5/B/Q to Atlantic Ave or D/M/N/R to Pacific St.

The Film:

THE TILLMAN STORY <http://rooftopfilms.com/2010/films/220-the-tillman-story>  (Amir Bar-Lev | USA | 90 min.)
“Documentary filmmaking at its finest”
- Steve Zeitchik, LOS ANGELES TIMES

When Pat Tillman gave up his professional football career to join the Army Rangers in 2002, he became an instant symbol of patriotic fervor and unflinching duty. But the truth about Pat Tillman is far more complex, and ultimately far more heroic, than the caricature. And when the government tried to turn his death into propaganda, they took on the wrong family. From her home in Northern California, Pat’s mother, Dannie Tillman, led the family’s crusade to reveal the truth beneath the mythology of their son’s life and death. The Tillman Story resounds with emotion and insight, and goes beyond an indictment of the government to touch on themes as timeless as the notion of heroism itself.

“Succeeds on so many levels that its full impact doesn’t hit you until you have time to register its aftershocks.”
- Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE

“‘The Tillman Story’ is a masterful, unsettling documentary.”
- Ann Hornaday, WASHINGTON POST

WINNER
Best Documentary 2010 SAN FRANCISCO FILM CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS
Best Documentary 2010 FLORIDA FILM CRITICS CIRCLE
Best Documentary 2010 ST LOUIS FILM CRITICTS

Bee Strong – A NEW YORK CITY PHYSICIAN TALKS ABOUT THE AGING PROCESS

Irene Ross is a NYC-based Health Coach, CHHC, and AADP.  For more information, visit her website at www.eating4achieving.com

The numbers always vary slightly, but it’s estimated that there are now about 79 million baby boomers in the United States.

And I’ve never met a baby boomer who wasn’t interested in fighting the aging process!  So, that said, New York City physician Dr. Steve Tsoutsouras ([email protected]) , says there are some critical points that everyone, without fail, should keep in mind.

DIET: Everyone needs to consume plenty of fruits and vegetables, not just because they’re so packed with vitamins and minerals, but because they also contain antioxidants.  Antioxidants are the substances that destroy free radicals, those things responsible for disease, wrinkles, and lack of skin elasticity.  The best way to think of a free radical is to compare it to rust.

SUPPLEMENTS: Since today’s soil is often depleted of minerals, and since our foods are often highly processed, with hormones, chemicals and artificial ingredients, it’s vital to fill the gaps of your nutrition with a good supplement.

“I personally take a whole food/all-natural supplement because the absorption is often better,” says Dr. Tsoutsouras.  “Some supplements have delivery systems that don’t create easy absorption by the body.”

EXERCISE: “Taking care of yourself in all aspects is important, and exercise is at the top of the list,” says Dr. Tsoutsouras. ”It releases endorphins which can make you feel better and reduce stress.”

SKIN CARE: “The latest research shows that the skin actually ages itself,” he says.  “Everyone’s skin contains an enzyme called Arnox, and it’s Arnox that produces free radicals. The skin aging process really begins in our 20′s and, as we get older, cells don’t turn over as fast; elasticity and moisture lessens, and the skin takes longer to heal itself. So when we don’t take care of our skin–whether it’s smoking, drinking to excess, or being less-than-thoughtful about our skin care routines, the aging process accelerates even more.

Irene Ross, CHHC, AADP, is a NYC-based health coach who works with people to help them achieve their wellness goals, whether it’s increasing energy, reducing stress, losing or maintaining weight, etc. She specializes in eliminating/reducing cravings; emotional eating; balancing hormones naturally, through nutrition; fighting the aging process.

Gay Life – The Paulinator: Bee Still My Heart

Posted in Dating, Manhattan, The Paulinator by paul
January 5, 2011 1 comment

Having moved to New York City nearly 10 years ago I remember thinking people were crazy when they would call NYC a small town. Having grown up in an actual small town in New England, I think I would know the difference. As the years passed and my circle of friends, acquaintances and one -night-stands expanded so did my understanding of New York’s small town appeal. Recently I was getting on the N train and a friend of mine was getting off, we hadn’t seen each other in months, so I let the train go and we caught up for a bit on the subway platform. Walking down West 20th street to Boxers I ran into a former teacher from college. And just the other day I asked my future husband’s ex-boyfriend out on a date. Wait, did you know I had a future husband? Let’s back up shall we…

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Fighting the Droop: The Melting Season & Roadtrippin’ at WORD

Celebrate the paperback release at WORD this week!

New Year’s resolutions are for suckers, but I’ll bet I’m not the only one itching to hit the road for change this time of year. Of course, the beginnings of 2011 could be worse: I could be stuck in broken marriage, smack dab in the boonies of Nebraska, with nowhere to go except…Vegas?

Author of The Kept Man Jami Attenberg tells the jagged road story about a woman desperate to escape her past in The Melting Season. Jump starting her quarter life crisis, Catherine Madison runs away from her smallish-Nebraska-town existence with a suitcase full of her husband’s money, ending up in Las Vegas, where she finds, Valka, a much-needed ally who, like her, is looking for escape. Throughout the story, we learn of Catherine’s backstory via flashbacks, but not too many, as the fun for this protagonist is had in Sin City.

If you’re down for some good-time tales of roadtripping, join Jauntsetter, the travel site with a particular affinity for travel-loving New Yorkers, at Greenpoint’s WORD to celebrate the paperback release of Attenberg’s The Melting Season. This “roadtrip extravaganza” will feature Attenberg and five-minute road trip stories from The Daily Beast contributor Renata Espinosa (Fashion Wire Daily), Ron Currie, Jr. (Everything Matters!) , Emily Flake (The New Yorker, Lulu Eightball), Jason Diamond (Jewcy, Vol 1. Brooklyn), Sarah Glidden (How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less), Lisa Hanawalt (I Want You), Maris Kreizman (Slaughterhouse 90210), Rosie Schaap (This American Life contributor), and Emma Straub (Fly-Over State, Other People We Married).

Every vicarious roadtripper this evening will receive a free Jauntsetter tote bag, and refreshments will be served.

Jami Attenberg reads The Melting Season at WORD (126 Franklin Street, Brooklyn) on Thursday. January 6 at 7:30 p.m. RSVP here.