Above is the bemused smile of a coworker-turned-friend. Today, she came from her home in Kew Gardens to explore my neighborhood of Astoria with me. (Apparently, it's getting more famously-talked-about). She brought a large canvas shopping bag because she wanted to stock up on the fresh affordable fruit at "30th Ave Fruit Market", below...
Strolling along the sidewalk, a summer breeze carried the ripe scent of peaches and apricots to us. It was heavenly! I introduced my Wisconsin-born (and unashamedly "uninformed of unique foods") friend to lychees--and showed her how to peel them. She bought fruit to make sangria. With her bag laden, we headed south to a Turkish bakery...
Jessica loves baklava (Yes, that one, she knows). The counter-girl was pleasant, giving us a generous tasting of a different pistachio pastry. Baklava is an old recipe that originated in Assyria and was updated in the 1400s by the Ottoman sultans.
From there, we proceeded to lunch at Bare Burger. Zagat rated them "Top 10 Burger in NYC". They open at 11:30am, so we had to politely wait outside for a short while. A public bench (artistically punctured) served its purpose for us. Even the restaurant employee who was rolling out the canopies (for outdoor seating) joined in our conversation about movies. I was urging Jessica to see "Chef"! (read about it in my previous blog post).
Once inside, I gave Jessica time to "digest" their detailed menu. She loved how they explain their efforts to sell organic food: the farms and dairies producing the items on their menu, how their ceiling was "reclaimed" from a barn at one of those farms, and why "Organic" & "Fair Trade" are important. They're menu is lively! Juicy burgers can be made of beef, turkey, lamb, wild boar, elk, ostrich, bison, and been curd. You can wrap it in lettuce leaves or put in on a whole-grain bun or brioche. All kinds of veggie toppings and farm-fresh cheeses and home-made sauces exist.
I ordered a wild boar burger with some Colby cheese--which you don't see often--on brioche. No bacon needed because I wanted to taste my boar and cheese. Our shared appetizer was a basket of cornmeal-crusted fried pickle spears. And a summertime Sarsaparilla! (which Jessica had never tried but equated to Root Beer). The soda is also organic, from Maine, with evaporated cane sugar in lieu of corn syrup. She had an old-fashioned milkshake.
I told her how much I enjoyed the Sookie Stackhouse Series, which she lent me: 14 books, and I've just started the last one! We've been adamantly in agreement that the books are UNIMAGINABLY MUCH better than the "True Blood" series (which was inspired by the books, and each book-jacket says so). The only thing that HBO did right was their casting of characters: they really do look like the image "painted" by the author, Charlene Harris. However, after the first book, the HBO TV show leaves the plots and ignores the rest of the incoming characters and storylines. Instead, it's totally different--and disappointingly so. Alas, such are the errs of TV production in America. And apparently, there are millions of fans who agree with us! After the 2nd season, "True Blood" steadily lost viewership.
After some very fun hours together, Jessica had to head to the city for more grocery shopping at Trader Joe's. (I wish they would FINALLY build one in my neighborhood!). So, with hugs and a kiss, I wished her well!
With the day being so bright and comfortable, I decided to head home and pick up that aforementioned book to read in one of the nearby parks. I chose Lewis' preferred park: Rainey Park along the East River.
I found a park bench--clean of fallen tree berries--and made myself comfy with a thermos of homemade iced tea. The wind rustled through the leafy trees above, and birds and butterflies frolicked nearby. 3 swings were in motion at the playground, across the park. Kids were avoiding the sun-heated metal slide. I've taken myself to use that slide a few times, and its such a childish rush!
A "Circle Line" sightseeing charter boat puttered down the river. I had my own sightseeing. In a corner of the park, a baby shower was set up: cloth-covered tables, folding chairs, a BBQ grill, and a banner… all in requisite pastels. Nearby, older gent was practicing his golf swing, while his doggie pranced around, trailing its leash. Suddenly, a husband/wife couple cut into the park through a gap in the fence, and their 2 dogs scampered over to "chat"/sniff the golfer's dog. All the adults waved and made salutations, as polite neighbors do. It was lovely to see how the couple took it upon themselves to pick up loose trash that they spotted. Pride in the community!
A jock was "shooting hoops", killing time while his girlfriend ran laps around the park. A gay guy ran in the opposite way, encouraging his petit doggie to keep up. We both allowed our gazes to admire the tank tops that sauntered by. More "pride" in the "community", ha ha! Well, at least a few people "dress to show off"… after all, that's what flâneurs do.
Lastly, a cute scene emerged--the kind that you imagine could be used in a movie to describe the beginning of a love scene. A young woman in a shapely outfit was playing with her brown/white labrador. Suddenly, from behind me, a young man entered the park. Attired in black ensemble of T-shirt, pants and sandals, he led an equally black dog. He spent time teaching his hound tricks, with doggie snacks as reward. (just like I add an extra dash of vodka in a martini as reward for a day well-spent). At one point, his dog ignored the lesson in "fetch" and ran over to meet the girl's dog. The young man stayed behind, looking. The dogs got along swimmingly, chasing each other for quite some time. The young man kept watching but wasn't certain about retrieving his dog. The girl eventually began entertaining both dogs, throwing things for them to chase. This encouraged the young man to approach. You could imagine the 2 dogs bringing their owners together for a first date. But, the boy halted and soon his dog returned to him. The girl looked at them. Smiled. But as the boy returned his attentions to his dog training, she resumed exercising her own dog. Ah well! Maybe another time.
I realized that the sun had slipped down, after hours of its travel. It was a good time to saunter home, light my "Midnight Jasmine" candle, turn on some evening Latin-beat music (I love its percussion and brass), and get ready to welcome Lewis for cocktails and dinner. Earlier, I mentioned martinis… and what a good idea!
Lewis and I love going to see quirky indie films. Sometimes, its the Independent film that gets a great message out! This film, "Chef", does that. Its writer and director, Jon Favreau, captured the idea of "anti-establishment", "striking out on your own", "picking yourself up, dusting yourself and starting over again", and tied it in to the "food truck craze" thats enamored our nation in the last several years. And that was a pretty clever plot! He even threw in a dash (to use a cooking phrase) of "father/son bonding" theme to "spice" it up. Favreau reminded me of the fatherly characters played by actor John Candy in "The Great Outdoors" and "Uncle Buck". Listening to him, his dialogue speaking style reminds me of how Vince Vaughn stutters/pauses with the beginning fragments of sentences: a choppy staccato that eventually gets his assured point of view across. No surprise to me when I found out that they were childhood buddies. This movie also has amazing cameos by long-established/acclaimed actors. That could be attributed to Favreau's stupendous creation of the action-packed "Iron Man" film series.
So, the plot goes like this… Typical of current movies featuring mid-life parents in the doldrums, the chef's life has fragmented and stalled. He's not following his "inner voice" or his vocation. Ergo, he has divorced his wife (Sofia Vergara)--already a divorcé, he's not paying enough attention to his adoring only child (son), and he's letting his small-minded/tight-fisted restaurant partner (Dustin Hoffman) "box in" his expression of talent. Everyone knows that a chef is supposed to "create" art in the kitchen. Yet, Hoffman's character dangles the "carrot" over his chef's head: he's paid for the fancy kitchen and all its toys, so the chef must work strictly on the menu that Hoffman has issued. The breaking point quickly arrives when famous Food Blog Critic (Oliver Platt) plans to review their restaurant. Platt had adored the chef, when the chef was first beginning his career in Florida. At that time, the chef was "cutting edge", but now he's become outer-city/suburban "boring" and predictable--with a menu that lacks life or creativity. The funny thing is that the chef intended to create special menu--just for the critic! He even cut short his visit with his son, in order to buy the speciality fresh ingredients at the Farmers Market.
(In fact, this movie thankfully also highlights the supreme importance of Farmer's Markets, fresh ingredients and small-batch food sourcing). Sadly (or maybe not), Hoffman refuses to allow any new menu items to be presented that night--fearing that a full house of reservations may be scared off. (Sounds like my penny-pinching "limitation mentality" ex-landlord).
As you can imagine, the food critic degrades the chef for lack of creativity--comparing him to a boring out-dated old aunt. (Perhaps, the criticism was intended to jump-start the chef?) Upset and frustrated, the chef asks his pre-teen son how to create a Twitter account, so he can rebuff the review.
He unintentionally publicly insults the food critic… which escalates into having the critic return to the restaurant. But Hoffman won't let his chef alter the menu: the chef quits. He vents his anger at the food critic in the restaurant and then finds himself jobless and estranged from his coworker friends/team.
All along, "Life" has been hinting and suggesting different courses of action for the chef, which he hasn't listened to because his mind was too narrowly-focused. (We'd all LOVE to get such clear hints). Luckily, his ex-wife--who lives in a McMansion, employing 5 staff members--has a plan. (Those scenes seem befitting Vegara, since she IS the highest paid female actress nowadays, drawing $30 million a year).
She flies the family back to Florida, to visit her Mambo-playing father, and to connect her 2 ex-husbands into a business deal.
(That's how Robert Downey Jr. comes into the movie--still playing his rich carefree playboy personality from "Iron Man"). Everyone thinks that the chef should "return to his roots" and cook up Cubano sandwiches, among other spicy/perfect cooked meaty goodies. Downey Jr. give the chef an abused "Grumman" food van (the Grumman plant wasn't too far from where I grew up on Long Island). The chef has some bonding with his son, as they revamp/clean the truck. Suddenly, his perky sassy sous chef (John Leguizamo) arrives--having run away from the old restaurant to "follow his buddy/master" in the new venture. The male trio decide to drive the revitalized food truck across the country, back to Los Angeles!
As such, a great "road trip" ensues! With lively soundtrack music (that accentuates the spicy ingredients), the chefs "find themselves" again, and find love in life. The father and son bond again, as they learn about each other. The son plays an amazing role--rolling up his sleeves to get dirty and help prepare the food. The unlikely trio each bring unique qualities that make the traveling food truck a major success… which acts like a suspense building for folks in LA. Chef's son--with his Twitter talents--cleverly promotes the truck and its development. AND its current locale and intended destinations. Thus--just like we see in Manhattan--there are lines of anticipating patrons awaiting the truck! (The chef's earlier Tweeted fight with the famous food truck had garnered the chef with a HUGE number of followers).
Pausing along their travels, the movie shows why its significantly important to buy ingredients locally and from organic & local-sourced purveyors. It showcases the traditional recipes of New Orleans, while mentioning how they were conceived in the "melting pot" of the city's founding culture. It shows the hard dedicated work of small-batch food makers. There's a great scene where the chef is buying smoked meat from a Texan smokehouse BBQ place--where they do everything by hand, using correct hardwood. (Never judge a book by its cover, you know. And "Bigger isn't always Better).
Having worked for several years amidst a Long Island restaurant and a catering hall--coupled with my knowledge of restaurants and my friendships with chefs/waiters/managers/owners/bar tenders--I know that many kitchens (but not the really good ones) can easily fall into buying all their ingredients from conglomerate corporations like Tyson and Marriott Foods. However, this film only highlights the chef's desires to get fresh ingredients "on the day of cooking". He buys fresh seafood from the fishermen in the morning. He hand-selects the veggies and spices and fruits from the markets--thus helping local farmers. He gets freshly baked bread. And he spends the time to make each dish perfectly. In one admirable scene (which I'm sure we'd all look for in our favorite chefs), the chef reprimands his son who wanted to give a slightly burned Cubano sandwich to a waiting man. But, he just doesn't scold the boy; he stops everything and takes his son aside to make it unerringly clear that "they don't do that". The father wants to be sure his foundation of Good Service is properly understood… for everything is built on that. Yay!
The young boy also used his iPhone talents to capture 1 second videos/"pans", each day, and he strung them together to create a short movie. He showed it to his father and the sous chef, as a memento of their journey. After all, "Life is a journey, not a destination. Enjoy the ride." Its a good reminder of the positive results from taking pictures, using social media, keeping a diary/blog: to capture the beautiful moments and learning curves that you've experienced, which make you the person you are today.
The cost, the effort and the cooking method are requisite to making the delicious end product… which all the customers' palettes unanimously recognize. Which is how the food critic approaches the chef in LA and apologizes. They both apologize. Echoing the finale of the other great food film, "Ratatouille", the critic has sold his internet interests and offers to "financially back" the chef for a new restaurant--letting the chef do whatever he wants! Yes, its a feel-good ending. And yes, its a really fun movie--full of male antics, challenges, and showing that Second Chances are always available. Second chances with loved ones, with careers, and with your soul's connection to your life's journey. Just listen to the hints.
On this sunny summer Saturday, as I sipped soothing sweet tea, these were the News items featured on TV:
NYC Assemblywoman arrested for fraud: getting her citizenship by false marriage. Before declaring false bankruptcy, she failed to tell a judge that she had just bought a co-op with cash and under-reported her current husband's income. She apologized to the media, saying that only her personal life was fraudulent but her professional (political) life was upstanding. (Yeah right!)
The last Holy Roman Catholic church in NYC that still says mass in Latin (thinking that they're being "true to the faith") is going to be closed, along with many Catholic schools. Speculation involves the value of the land where the structures are.
NYC's Dept of Education will finally get rid of School Trailers (like the kind found in a typical "Trailer Park") in Washington Heights (thanks to protesting parents who pointed out mold/mildew). The trailers were put there to deal with over-crowded schools in 1990s. Intended for only 10 years, they are finally being removed after 20.
3 judges in Florida were arrested for DWI, another one in FL was disbarred for texting a prosecutor about a case they were both involved in, and yet another was suspended for threatening a public defender.
A handcuffed thief escaped in a NYC police car that had been left running. The perpetrator was arrested a week later for shoplifting.
Leonard Bernstein (former NY Philharmonic conductor)'s daughter conducts a Youth Orchestra--made up of underprivileged kids.
A citizen-created "Coalition for Homeless" gave out more meals than NYC's Homeless Shelter in the same neighborhood. (So, those taxpayers had to give extra just to get something accomplished).
Thanks to ex-NYC Mayor, Michael Bloomberg's "Anti-Obesity Campaign" the Rockaways neighborhood (which is perfect for them because they're such a "green"/"small-batch" community) created "Edgemeer Farm". Nestled among the beach houses and bungalows, you can buy fresh eggs and 24 kinds of freshly-grown vegetables. They also supply local restaurants. It's one of 2 farms built there, as part of the mayor's initiative.
The Long Island Railroad (monopoly)'s union workers threaten to Strike if they don't get another raise. Recent news articles showcase many of their bloated salaries and overtime pay that is already in place. Yet, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority still offered a 17% wage increase--retroactive (of course) to 2010. Yet the Union says that it isn't enough, and they plan to go on Strike on July 20.
John Brown, the "outed" gay CEO of BP Oil (who resigned shortly afterward) wrote a book about why there aren't any gay C-level officers in Fortune 500 companies and why "coming out" is good for business.
Famous Hollywood star, Shia Labeouf, was arrested for Disturbance and Trespassing at the Broadway Musical "Cabaret". He was videotaped yelling at cops, using gay-slurs and saying, "I've got millions of dollars and lots of lawyers and I'll ruin your careers". (Maybe he was admiring Justin Beiber's recent "drag-racing while under the influence of drugs" antics--and who got away with it).
NY State Senator John Sampson, who was indicted last year for Embezzlement, said just 1 word amidst 460 legislative bills that went through the system. (!!!!!) (There's your naively-paid tax dollars at work--with nobody overseeing it to make sure that the work is getting done). Another NY State Senator missed 900 votes (he was just too busy). A NY Assemblyman missed 947 votes... and is suspended for "inappropriate behavior with staffer".
Miss Delaware was over-age when she won the Beauty Contest and was stripped of her crown. (Obviously, the same people who initially "researched/verified" ponzie-scheme/finance thief Bernie Madoff as a "safe trustworthy" man MUST ALSO be verifying the Beauty Queen applications).
NYC Pride Weekend (to celebrate "accepting" homosexuality in an assimilated culture of tolerance with equal rights) only showcased drag-queens, 20-year old pole-dancers, twinks with facial piercing & rainbow-dyed hair, and muscular men wearing glitter and speedos. Most of their intentions include "visiting the city to find orgies". (Sarcastically, I think that's a GREAT way to show what we're like as "out" gay men--nothing that would stereotype gays!) The rest of the gay population wasn't represented.
And the Weather Forecast foretold a sunny breezy weekend in the mid-80s… which I'm going outside to enjoy now! (taking a thermos of this peach iced tea)
"The body of Benjamin Franklin, like the cover of an old book (its contents torn our and stripped of its lettering and gilding), lies here… food for worms. But the Work shall not be wholly lost. For it will, as he believed, appear once more in a new and more perfect edition--corrected and amended by the Author." quote from a B. Franklin memorial.
Having read numerous biographies on Franklin, I can attest that he was an amazing gentleman (google some of his accomplishments). Of significance (for today's post), is that he sought to cultivate his character by a plan of 13 Virtues… which he developed at the age of 20 (in 1726)! He supposedly continued to practice them--in some form--for the rest of his life (considering that he assimilated with the "late night" "salon life" of the French, during his years as a diplomat). I list them here, as "food for thought". Franklin's autobiography lists his 13 Virtues as:
1. Temperance - Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. Silence - Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. Order - Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. Resolution - Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. Frugality - Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e.: waste nothing.
6. Industry - Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. Sincerity - Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. Justice - Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. Moderation - Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. Cleanliness - Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes or habitation.
11. Tranquility - Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. Chastity - Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
13. Humility - Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
While I personally think that Dance is the greatest art (because of its complexity, required skills, form and limited span), I think that all the Arts are imperative to a healthy society. Why? To me, the Arts mean:
Community
Friendship
Passion
Expression
Imagination
Soul
Connection
Escape
Inspiration
Love
Creativity
Joy
Courage
Life
Go create and enjoy!
