cherrypatter nyc

i have seen jenny holzer’s work on occasion but this whitney exhibit  “protect protect” looks great because it is pretty substantial and is her biggest retrospective in the united states in more than 15 years.  now since i could not understand a word of the whitney’s description (got to love how some people write about art), i had to turn to a more dumbdowned source, the new york times, which explained in more simple terms that holzer has been a leader in using accessible visual means like massive led displays, t-shirts, billboards and massive projections to then display fairly provocative statements.  this whitney exhibit appeals to me because it showcases only eight large pieces and i am always a sucker for those big impact contemporary works.  one of these called “for chicago” is made up of 11 48-foot long super thin led signs laid out on the floor recycling the holzer phrase “abuse of power comes as no surprise”  — do you think we could broadcast that statement in all politician and government offices?   jenny holzer protect protect, the whitney museum of american art, madison avenue at 75th street, manhattan, new york, .  exhibit runs through may 31st.

mini guide new york: whitney museum of american art: so yes, i realize i just covered the met a few weeks ago, and so need to make sure i don’t cover the same territory.   the whitney is a little bit further south so i’ll try to focus there, and i at least always find it useful to have a nice range of places on the upper east side because there are lots of art reasons to visit there but then i am nearly as often stuck for food and shopping ideas.  and i also now promise to hold off  on this neighborhood for a few months as summer is in fact coming soonish and with it many many fun things to do outside and in other parts of new york.

food:

the bar at etats-unis: we love, really love, this tiny place. a bit of a walk from the whitney, it is well worth it for delicious guacomole, an amazing toffee pudding and sorts of fantastic savory dishes in between let alone their superb wine list.   they have a fancier equally tiny restaurant across the street.   247 east 81st street between 2nd and 3rd avenues, manhattan, new york, .

payard pâtisserie & bistro: while i would not come here to sit down and eat (the service is snooty beyond belief and definitely do not bring kids who cannot sit still for an hour), they have great little treats and apparently even a good selection of bread.  payard pâtisserie & bistro,  1032 lexington avenue between 73rd and 74th streets, .

serafina: now not the best italian or even the best service, but in a pinch and if you’ve got hungry kids, parents or just a fussy group, this is a good affordable spot to fill up on decent pasta and pizza and it can be quite pleasant in the upstairs patio that is semi-outdoors.  1022 madison avenue at 79th street, manhattan, new york, .

shops:

roberta freymann and roberta roller rabbit:  shockingly affordable (for the upper east side) interesting and stylish women’s clothing and accessories collected from the shop owner’s worldly travels.  roller rabbit carries beautiful fabrics, bedding and pajamas.  153 east 70th street at lexington avenue, 585.3767 and 1019 lexington avenue at 73rd street, . both in manhattan, new york.

crawford doyle booksellers: yet another of one of my really favorite bookstores. have an excellent selection the latest fiction and nonfiction and just great ideas set out in their small shop.  crawford doyle booksellers, 1082 madison avenue between 81st and 82nd streets, manhattan, new york, .

z’ baby company: with a well-edited selection of childrens clothes from new york, france and italy, and really excellent sales, this is good place to check out occassionally.  they also have stores on the west side and downtown.  z’ baby company, 996 lexington avenue at 72nd street, manhattan, new york, .

we just came back from a super two-week family vacation in paris and london (it’s rough when you need to visit the rellies) – and yes, it is possible to visit paris with kids under six but be sure to have a dinner back up plan (prepared foods at bon marché were not ideal but not bad either) and be open to spending plenty of time at the luxembourg gardens.   so as we readjust to life in new york, i am missing lots of things: our luxurious days of waking up late, easily finding croissants better than any we can find in brooklyn (i still don’t understand why it is so hard to replicate those pastries), roaming beautiful streets, visiting  the rodin museum but spending most of our time there chasing children through the hedges, climbing on the lions at trafalgar square, and even managing an outstanding meal with the whole family in tow at petersham nurseries.  

and now that we’re back, we’re in the thick of work, coordinating playdates, doctors visits and afterschool activities, making shopping lists,  and of course making sure the fridge has enough milk.   as we make our reentry to our regular life, it is nice to have a few reminders that new york can be just as enticing as the cities we just left (though it does help to be on holiday).   one place that gives me that little “new york can be so great” feeling is greenwich letterpress.  i cannot believe that  i had never visited this fantastic shop before.  the store has the most amazing, well-edited selection of paper  and associated stuff that i have seen in one place in a long long time.   each item has clearly been chosen carefully and include all sorts of irrestible treasures –  cute packaging tape covered with farm animals, unique pencil boxes made from vintage yardsticks by perpetually yours co. (pictured below), wood block sets with birds, butterflies and the acquatic life (pictured above), and i was especially entranced by the cake toppers by the small object (also pictured below).

 

greenwich letterpress offers beautiful handmade letterpress stationery made using 75-year old heidelberg presses that use metal plates on the most luxurious papers (and when someday this blog stikes it rich i’ll be back for my fancy pants business cards).    in addition to their own line of retro-modern card designs, greenwich letterpress also stocks many of the wonderful independent stationers including stationery seltzer, superfine letterpress and pancake and franks.   i feel bad i wasn’t able to show more of their designs here but definitely go to their etsy shop to see their work.

on top of all that, greenwich letterpress is owned and operated by two sisters, and i had the very good fortune to meet one of them and she couldn’t have been lovelier.  greenwich letterpress is a real keeper, and i think i might have to come by periodically just to be reminded about how great new york can be.  greenwich letterpress, 39 christopher street between waverly place and 7th avenue, manhattan, new york, .

for those who love to cook or snack, sahadi’s is a fantastic brooklyn  market (kind of a sister shop to manhattan’s kalustyan’s though there is some debate as to which is better).  but there is no question that sahadi’s is the brooklyn place to go  if you need hard-to-find and super fresh spices  like halaby red pepper, fenugreek, asafoetida, juniper berries, dried chilies or three different variations of paprika. 

They also offer some interesting  spice mixes  like north african ros el hanout and their own yemen spice mix.  not surprising, sahadi’s grain selection is pretty incredible including three kinds of fava beans and at least three levels of salted chick peas and of course many many kinds of couscous.   their dried fruts and nuts selection is equally vast and cheap making this a place to buy in bulk.  lastly,  sahadi’s also has a bunch of other more random but what you might expect items like turkish delight, halvah, super affordable san marzano tomatos and imported licorice (even the salty kind).

while sahadi’s is not much to look at, the family-run shop is generally friendly and they even offer a kind of personal assistant service where if you grab a number, an assistant will accompany you throughout the store making recommendations and help you find things which can be a challenge.   in addition to the food supplies, sahadi’s offers some prepared foods like spinach and cheese pies, sandwiches as well as hummus and babaganoush that some people crave though i have not tried them.  their website, while not so great for spices, does includes some gift packs that might be a nice idea for mother’s day even (yes it is a only a few weeks away so i need to get my act together).  and despite the friendliness, it is good to try and avoid this market in the middle of the weekend when it can be swamped.    sahadi’s, 187 atlantic avenue between clinton and court streets, brooklyn, new york, .

 

 though it’s only been open since 2000, silver moon bakery definitely feels like an institution and ask anyone who lives even vaguely nearby this is the place to go to get your bread fix.  while i’ve never been that impressed with their sweets (though some people claim they’re great), i have loved silver moon’s boules, baguettes, ciabattas and challahs.  what’s particularly appealing is the tremendous variety silver moon offers though they don’t always have this full selection so be ready to be flexible. 

in wheat bread alone, they have whole wheat, rasin walnut, multi-grain, wheatberry, fig and pepper bread and health bread for the health nuts around.   other breads include a lovely, airy yet chewy baguette, a sourdough rye, a 7 1/2 percent white bread (not sure exactly what that is but it tastes good) and what looks amazing an apricot-hazelnut parisienne.  i also am super fond of  their old fashioned super soft and hard to find dinner rolls — if allowed, i could probably live on those for ages stuffed with high-end butter, cheeses or even just peanut butter.  silver moon can be packed so expect to come at odd hours, or wait in line (the service unfortunately is not always terribly friendly and can definitely feel rushed).  silver moon bakery, 2740 broadway at 105th street, manhattan, new york, .

this past march felt like we were in birthday party craziness.  i think we were going to a birthday party if not every day of every weekend, at least once a weekend, and what’s a poor parent to do.  fortunately we have a great little spot lulu’s cuts and toys that has every variety of plastic, metal and princess kind of toy for the children in our lives (or in our classrooms).  with friendly helpful staff, lulu’s has helped us successfully sort through exactly what would be the right present for a hannah montana loving, bead obsessessed soon-to-be six year old.  since our daughter has no interest in girlie things – focusing more on dragons and climbing adventures  – we definitely need the advice. 

though they used to be located just around the corner from us, lulu’sis now located further north along 5th avenue closer to atlantic avenue in park slope.  so it’s a bit of a walk, but somehow k. seems to manage it without much complaint.  going home on the other hand is another story.  and while we don’t use lulu’s for this purpose, they also offer kid’s haircuts complete with little cars and videos to provide distractions during even the most challenging trim.  lulu’s cuts and toys, 48 5th avenue at bergen street, brooklyn, new york, .

although for those of us living in brooklyn and reading the occasional brooklyn related paper or blog, the brookyn flea is everywhere.  i don’t think i have ever seen so much press on a market, let alone a flea market.    it seems that if you ever need pr, the brownstoner guys know how to get that done.  see here and here.  and this flea market definitely gives flea markets a better name for themselves, and as i am not really a fan of a jumble of stuff i don’t often visit typical flea markets. 

the brooklyn flea  is a destination and i definitely try to go a few times a year if not more.  the organizers behind the brooklyn flea makes an effort to showcase small, independent shops and designers of a variety of goods including stationery, fabrics, clothes (not too much in the nonvintage category), jewelry, furniture (i am a huge fan of greenjeans so i hope they’re back), and lots and lots of excellent food including whimsy & spice and yummy treats from the red hook ball fields and many others.  the brooklyn flea was especially great last winter for christmas shopping.  i got a whopping two hours out of the house, and i made out like a bandit with many prezzies in hand — definitely a score.  the outdoor brooklyn flea went into hibernation this winter (they did have an indoor dumbo flea market  focused more on antiques which i did not visit) but i am excited that they will be back in action this coming sunday.   the brooklyn flea, located in the yard of bishop laughlin memorial high school on lafayette avenue between clermont and vanderbilt avenues, brooklyn, new york.

 

mini guide new york: fort greene: since the brooklyn flea is located in fort greene which is not exactly easily gotten to via public transportation from park slope, we have gotten into the habit of making it into a family outing as we try to explore more of the neighborhood.  like prospect heights, i don’t think fort greene really has any destination restaurants but there are some decent ones (we have only checked out a few, and i have left off the list the few that have been hyped up recently but are not worth visiting), and there are definitely some cute shops nearby if the brooklyn flea is not enough. 

food:

general greene: a locavore’s dream, we have been happy mostly with our food here, and when it’s warm outside and we can sit out on their terraces a good time has been had by all.  229 dekalb avenue between adelphi street and clermont avenue, .

ici: this spot has been around for a while, and has gotten good reviews. i would like to eat there just to see and hopefully it will live up to its solid reputation.  246 dekalb at vanderbilt avenue, .

the smoke joint:  whenever we go by, this place looks like it’s hopping. while it may not be the best barbecue in the city, there isn’t that much choice in brooklyn so it’s probably good if you have that hankering.  87 south elliott place at lafayette avenue, .

shops/to do:

stuart and wright: run by two former alumns of steven alan, the store focuses on clothes for men and women from independent, crafty and detailed designers.   i keep reading about this shop and definitely need to make my way for a visit to see if all the good things are true.  85 lafayette avenue at near south portland avenue, brooklyn, new york, .

thistle & clover:   with a fantastic selection of up-and-coming designers, the women’s clothes shown here are extremely appealing and the store is worth a visit every season.  for more info see this post.  221 dekalb avenue at clermont avenue, brooklyn, new york, .

root, stock & quade:  this lovely plant and flower shop used to live in park slope and moved to clinton hill last fall.  a huge loss for us but we still occassionally get a beautifully designed arrangement from them just for fun.  471 myrtle avenue at washington avenue, brooklyn, new york, .

bespoke bicycles: looks like this cute bike shop just opened last weekend and will be the first for fort greene.  they plan to offer a range of raleigh bikes and repair services, and as soon they get settled in they’ll be building custom bikes as well.  66 lafayette avenue at south elliott, brooklyn, new york.

 i have an enormous sweet tooth. i don’t know where i got it, but i definitely know that i have unfortunately passed down this trait to at least one child so we’ll she if she is as crazy as i am.  as a result, i am constantly on the search for the best brownie, the best cupcake, the best ice cream — whatever  — and i will hunt for that item as long as i need to and the more difficult to find the more obsessed i become.  take for example, my obsession with rocky road ice cream from edy’s.  granted, this ice cream really is nothing special and if we lived in ohio i am sure that i would be all over it by now because i could get it every single day.  but for whatever reason, new york supermarkets do not carry it on a consistent basis and i have even gone so far as to email edy’s to understand why and of course got a completely nonresponsive answer.  to solve my problem, i convinced j. that we really needed a second freezer in our tiny apartment  so that we could store extra tubs of this stuff when we found it.  j reluctantly agreed so now this baby freezer lives in our bedroom along with the garage of tricycles, scooters, and bikes from the kids. very romantic i know.

now, getting to the point of this post is that i have found my favorite bakery in all of brooklyn and maybe all of new york at least for the basics like cookies and cupcakes.  baked, located in red hook which is also one of my favorite neighborhoods, has extremely delicious goodies.  while i used to adore the cupcakes at magnolia bakery many moons ago pre sex and the city madness, i have somehow outgrown that sweetness (and way less than pleasant service), and now appreciate slightly more interesting flavors like baked’s sweet and salty version that combines dark chocolate with a salty caramel frosted with a caramel chocolate ganache and sprinkled with fleur de sel. i also like their malted cupcake with a white cake flavored with malt and then covered with a malted chocolate ganache and topped with a malt ball.  they have a bunch of other nonchocolate flavors too like caramel apple, citrus coconut and hazelnut kiss.  we have had their cakes and cupcakes at both kids birthday parties where they are always a hit with parents and kids.

 baked also has great brownies. unsurprisingly, i am quite addicted to the sweet and salty dark chocolate version and these i can get fairly easily in other parts of brooklyn including grab and blue apron so i’m all set there.  they have lots of other treats including grasshopper bars, and lately they have been making these “baked” cupcakes which look like the packaged version of the hostess cupcakes but they say baked in cursive on top and have lovely fillings inside in different colors like pink and a special green on st. patricks day.  these have become my latest obsession and of course they don’t have them every day keeping them just out of my reach to be sure they are on my must have list.   i have already had two of these in the past few weeks (and i do not live anywhere near red hook) so needless to say i will be back for more of those.  if you don’t live nearby, they have recently published a cookbook that looks delectable so i may have to try that out.  now my only wish is that they would upgrade their coffee machine.    baked, 359 van brunt street between wolcott and dikeman streets, brooklyn, new york, .

so i am loathe to admit it, i cannot claim to be an expert vintage shopper as i am often times turned off by the musty smell and often the super cramped quarters where tons of dresses, shirts and shoes are all shoved together.  so when i find a vintage shop that is appealing that is saying quite a bit.  franny and roey is one of those shops.  designed to look like a teenager’s bedroom from the seventies, the cozy shop offers one of a kind vintage clothing for women (and even some men’s things) from the likes of ferragamo, london fog, givenchy and oscar de la renta as well as a bunch of carefully selected jewelry, hats, wallets and odds and ends like suitcases, men’s barbershop accessories and old records.  as an added service, franny and roey’s offers free alterations on everything both old.

 

in addition to the old, franny and roey also stocks some limited new items.  many of the new dresses and skirts are vintage-inspired, designed by coowner ilyane roey under the label doll & dame.  produced in the shop, these pieces show a mix of old style combined with wearability and elegance that can sometimes be hard to find these days.  i also really loved the beautiful headbands and especially the turbans (so needed these days) made from vintage silks by mela. i didn’t succumb on my last visit, but i might have to make a return trip since i have been thinking about those hair pieces since i left.  with a regular rotation of goods, this is a shop to stop by frequently and it doesn’t hurt that it is on a very fun and maybe a more up-and-coming part of williamsburg.   franny and roey, 252 grand street between roebbling street and driggs avenue, brooklyn, new york, .

to get the best pulse on what is cool and fun and modern, and for gifts for young and old, i always go to mxyplyzyk.   while i am not really a fan of the service (they have gotten a bit too fancy for their britches) the quality and range of what they have is excellent.  their curatorial skills are truly amazing. they always seem to know what is happening in the small item design world and are able to squeeze it into their not too big shop in the village.

 

 

i also like their sense of fun from the mr. p dispensing tape which i really do need to get for my desk, the mr. and mrs. jones squeezer set to the topiary frames in the shape of a pug, a chihuahua or a labrador (if only i could figure out how to grow anything).   they also have lots of useful and adorable items like a picnic back pack needed very soon i hope, lots of games, a good selection of placemats and my beloved confetti bowls made by zak designs out of recycled melamine.  other useful items  include stylish wine racks of chrome, the nutty squirrel nutcracker, great looking door mats, lots of sweet smelling soaps and another must have, an owl tape measure — who doesn’t need one of those.  while i don’t recommend going at christmas time, the rest of the year this is a good spot for ideas and fun. mxyplyzyk, 125 greenwich avenue between horatio and jane streets, manhattan, new york, .

 

well, tabla’s bread bar has been around for more than ten years, and so it’s probably not the place to take your  celebrity friends, but it has continued to be a really excellent place for delicious and interesting indian food in a great setting.  now it’s not the indian food of 6th street either, but something a bit in between, and some even describe it as indian fusion.  since i’ve never been to india, though it is very very high on my list of places to visit, i cannot really say for sure, but i can say the food is almost always delicious.  the space is also great, sitting right across from the amazing madison square park, and in the warmer months — coming soon it seems — they have outdoor seating, and the service is usually solid too being it’s a danny meyer restaurant and all.   the inside space has a soaring ceiling with beautiful tiled mosaics throughout, a great vibe and excellent cocktails like the tamarind margarita. 

some of the menu items have stayed the same all these years including the fabulous cheese naan (a huge favorite of j’s) which we often get with a tomato kalonji chutney, as well as the saag paneer pizza. (both of which are pictured above) and the chicken tikka.   i am also partial to the bombay bhel phuri, which they don’t seem to have on the menu right now, and the bengali chani chat.  since most of the items are small and for sharing, it’s a great place to try out a bunch of different things like the tandoori black pepper shrimp, goan pork sausage and the kichidi and tuscan kale.  tabla bread baris more expensive than the usual  local take out indian though lunch is more of a bargain.  they are offering a 3-course prix fixe lunch for $29, and dinner is definitely pricier but in my opinion once in a while well worth it.   tabla’s bread bar: 11 madison avenue at 25th street, manhattan, new york, .