NYC Street Art: 37th Avenue and 76th Street.

I'm just walking the street in Jackson Heights, New York and see this bright, beautiful and unexpected work of art.  Seeing it gave me a much needed jolt on a cloudy day.  This is the outside wall of a Foodtown supermarket on the corner of 37th Avenue and 76th Street.  It reminds me a lot of Keith Haring's work.

Movie Reaction: American Fiction

    Thelonious Ellison, whom everyone calls "Monk" starts a hoax when personal and professional pressures come together all at once.  Basically, his mother needs long-term care, and he is the only one of his surviving siblings in a position to help. To address the financial challenges and express his frustration and disdain as a writer for a publishing industry that he thinks kowtows to the lowest common denominator to sell books, he pens a novel that includes all the stereotypes of the life of a black man.  The movie has a satirical take on the state of current racial politics, but also incorporates the story of one family dealing with personal issues.  The effects of divorce, death, financial insecurity, coming out, solo living -- they are all touched on in this comedy in a sensitive way.  It has been a long time where I have watched a movie that was able to combine many issues in comedic and touching ways.

Reaction: Worth seeing    

Winter Restaurant Week 1: Empire Steak House

Interior of Empire Steak House - East

It's here and the good eats can begin!  It's the first week of Restaurant Week, a time when some of the best restaurants participate and offer a limited menu at a fixed price of $30/$45 (two courses) for lunch and $45/$60 (three courses) for dinner - a wonderful value for your money.  I love aged steak and going to a nice restaurant to enjoy that treat is very pricey, so one of my favorite places to indulge during Restaurant Week is at Empire Steak House at the East side location.  It always has a great 3-course dinner.  This past Friday, I enjoyed a tender but crispy calamari (sorry no picture because I ate it before I thought of taking a picture), Strip Steak (medium well) and it came with its own potatoes and broccoli, and for dessert, a tiramisu and coffee.  The fixed price menu offers alternatives if steak is not your thing.

Medium Well Strip Steak with mashed potatoes and broccoli.  I couldn't resist taking a forkful of mashed potatoes before remembering to take a picture.

Every part of the meal was well executed, and the service was attentive and wonderful.  I also enjoyed the house malbec during the dinner.  I thought I got good value for my menu.  The portions were generous compared to other places with a similar menu.

Tiramisu and coffee - I love the Empire bull in powdered in cinnamon.

The restaurant itself is beautiful.  It used to be a small opera house.  The chandelier is very grand.  Restaurant Week ends February 4, so if you are in town for the next couple of weeks, take advantage and enjoy a great meal at a good price.  Make reservations as soon as you can because some restaurants do fill up during this time.

Movie Reaction: Wonka

 It has been a while since I have been treated to a musical movie and Wonka sweetens the taste buds very well. It's not Oscar and Hammerstein (what is nowadays) but the songs are nice enough, the costumes are colorful, the sets are amazing and there is enough dancing to get your feet tapping.

The story is about a young Willy Wonka returning from adventures far away to learn all things chocolate.  His aim is to return and make chocolate and sell them in a shopping area known for its chocolates.  However, a trio of master chocolatiers have formed a cartel and are in cahoots with a chocoholic police commissioner to stop the new, ambitious chocolatier and his delectable treats from ever getting to the public.

Hugh Grant's Oompa Loompa and Timothee Chalamet's Pure Imagination songs are a nice nod to the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory musical.  Keep in mind that this Wonka presents itself as a prequel to the original.  Young Willy is naive, hopeful, and optimistic not sinister or world-weary as Gene Wilder's older and successful Willy Wonka.

It's worth watching and take the kids with you.

New Year 2024 at Bryant Park

I'm already missing these holiday scenes.  When I walked around Bryant Park, it was a little sad because a lot of the stalls of the Christmas Market were already empty and were in the middle of being taken down.  However, there were still many people enjoying the season and going ice skating.

The Christmas Tree was still up and a popular background for taking pictures.  It's not the biggest Christmas Tree but made everything so festive.