Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Posted on March 7, 2013 by TheFitzyreport

Stepping into Audrey Hepburn’s shoes would not be an easy task, but when you pair this with being upstaged by a cat as well as a veteran actor from Cheers, you would definitely need at least one of those martinis propped for the set. Emilia Clarke, a 25 year old English actress, plays the role of Holly GoLightly in the play Breakfast at Tiffany’s currently in reviews on Broadway. She is a tiny woman with a big voice and the signature ‘daaaarling!’ she drawled at everyone was impressive even to those of us up in the gods.

The director was apparently adamant that he cast a relatively new face for the role, and Ms Clarke definitely had the talent. But every time George Wendt appeared on stage the audience would burst into applause. He didn’t have such a big part ( he was the besotted barman as opposed to the drinker he was in Cheers ) but the way the audience acknowledged him endorses the trend for producers to cast film stars on Broadway. That doesn’t explain the cat of course. She had everyone laughing when she refused to leave the stage. Right at the moment when Holly Golightly told her to scat, she sat. I guess even a cat wants their 15 minutes of fame…

IMG_1172

Posted in events | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

United Enemies

Posted on March 7, 2013 by TheFitzyreport

The Public Art Fund has done it again with a magnificent exhibition of artwork at the southeast entrance to Central Park. German sculptor Thomas Schutte has created two pairs of intriguing characters that are at the same time regal, political, and theatrical. They appear to be at odds with each other, but then they are bound together by ropes and stand on stilted poles. No chance of escape. Being cast in bronze doesn’t help. But what a fantastic statement of character – and what a position, just outside the ‘scholar’s’ entrance to the Park. This will give us much pause for contemplation over the summer – because we know it’s coming, the art heralds the change of season – and even enemies are united in anticipation…

DSCN6000DSCN6006

Posted in art & inspiration | 4 Comments

Accommodation & Airbnb

Posted on March 7, 2013 by TheFitzyreport

Finding the right place to stay when you come to New York for the first time is a big challenge. There are many options available in both the style and location of accommodation and while the success of your choice may not make or break your holiday, it will make a big difference to your overall experience. I have recommended a couple of hotels in the past year, but increasingly I am being asked about private apartments and which are the best areas to stay.

I have written and rewritten this article trying not to be bossy about what I consider to be the best locations in the city. Wherever you stay, you will have an interesting experience of NYC and does it really matter if it’s not perfect? Well, the thing is I do feel a sense of responsibility, and want everyone who takes the time to listen to the ABC or read my stories here, to be rewarded and go home happy. So throwing budgets, prejudices and adventure into the mix, here are some suggestions….

NYC is changing constantly and there are great reasons to visit lots of different neighbourhoods. For example, I love to explore the East Village for eateries, Tompkins Square Park and vibe – but I wouldn’t really want to stay there. I enjoy the bike ride up the Hudson River on the west side, but much of the west side is miles from the subway and those Trump towers from 59th to 72nd are isolated and forbidding. So choosing an area comes down to what you want to do here, how fit you are and what your priorities are.

The subway map will give you a perspective of neighbourhoods and an insight into how easy it will be for you to get around by public transport. For example if you stay within walking distance of the green 6 line on the east side you will be one subway ride away from most of the city’s museums, Grand Central, Union Square, Noho, Soho, Little Italy, China Town, East Village and Town Hall / Brooklyn Bridge. Alternatively if you stay at Washington Heights on the Upper West Side you will have to change lines twice to get to the Museum Mile and you will certainly not be able to walk there with comfort.

For distance, when you look at a map of Manhattan, count about one minute per street ( if you are briskly stepping it out ) and about 5 minutes per avenue. Use this formula to know how long it will take you to get from the subway to an apartment. You can see that if you were considering staying on 11th avenue and West 29th street, you would have about a 20 minute walk to get to the subway. This may not be a problem unless you have been walking all day and are exhausted, and you decide to look for a cab around 3pm. Mid to late afternoon is changeover time for cabs and it can be a real test of skill, luck, or simple bloodymindedness to find one and grab it before someone else does.

Boroughs. I would always recommend that you stay in Manhattan first and only in Brooklyn if you are near the bridge. When you have put so much energy into getting here, you may as well be in the thick of it. When you step out of your front door that first morning you want to be able to say ‘Hello New York!’ without having to yell too loudly. Also, Manhattan is a walking town, so if you stay on the grid, you are giving yourself the advantage of time with the opportunity to make discoveries as you wander along.

Unless you had a particular reason to stay, say, in Harlem or around Columbia University on the upper west side, I would look for an apartment from about 86th street on the east side, and 75th on the west side, down. Generally stay away from the edges unless you are athletic or have access to bikes. Remember that Times Square is noisy and sometimes crazy, China town is not great in the summertime and there is an intense tourist area on the southern side of Central Park. That leaves many options and a google-fest of cross checks for your areas of interest ( and just in case, bed bugs. Mid recession there was a problem, and even if it doesn’t exist now, it will give you a point of reference. )

The villages – East, Greenwich and West, are full of interesting restaurants and have a great atmosphere. Washington Park is close by, you have the Hudson and East rivers on either side, and tons of history. But apartments in this area will tend to be walk-ups ( no lift ) and no doorman. So if you don’t like stairs and want the security of a 24 hour doorman look to east midtown, upper east side, around Columbus Circle, the theatre district and the upper west side. Gramercy / Flatiron is a great area, parts of Chelsea are OK, and Tribeca, Soho and the Financial District are trendy and transitional.

Google satellite maps can give you lots of help with locations by providing a street view which can provide an insight into the character of the neighbourhood. Again looking at the 11th and 29th location, you can see in the photo attached that the area is industrial. This google view may be slightly out of date, but it nevertheless gives you a feel for the area. New Apartment blocks are set between nightclubs ( Scores is a block away ) and car parks. If you are looking to be surrounded by brownstones, or jazz clubs or restaurants, then keep looking.

About security with Airbnb, I have friends who have used this service with great success. What makes it a little tentative is that you are dealing with individual owners of apartments rather than a hotel where there is always someone on the front desk to answer your call or inquiry. But the internet is full of information so you should be able to check the people and place out first. If people don’t respond to your email, try the next place. If they are so bad at communicating imagine arriving at the front door after a 24 hour flight and finding there’s no-one waiting to meet you…!

I would really appreciate anyone having a great experience with Airbnb in NYC contacting me so I can pass the information on. Similarly if anyone in NYC has an apartment they want to showcase to potential visitors from Down Under, then please let me know. In the meanwhile I will continue to look for good value, central accommodation in the Big Apple and let you know what I find…

*** A regular Australian visitor to NYC kindly wrote to me and recommended Flipkey as being a very reliable source of good apartments. Thanks Heather!


11th and 29thManhattan_neighborhoods

Posted in accommodation | 26 Comments

Do you want pastrami with that?

Posted on February 24, 2013 by TheFitzyreport

A good pastrami sandwich has long been the calling card of a number of famous Jewish delis in New York City. Katz is probably the most well known, 2nd Avenue Deli is displaced but dependable, and Eisenberg’s, my unchallenged favorite until yesterday.  Now the ever evolving Chelsea Markets has a new tenant that is rivaling the old guard. Friedman’s is far from the traditional diner in appearance, looking very rustic with an open kitchen, a long wooden communal table and smaller tables at the back. There is usually a queue to get in, but this is a good thing as there are lots of wonderful distractions in close range. With a 45 minute wait, my lunch companion lured me to The Filling Station on the opposite side, a treasure house of oils, balsamic vinegars and salt – all for the tasting. The compact space is barrel to barrel temptation, with small taps and even smaller tasting cups to tantalize your taste buds. The dark chocolate balsamic was delicious and would be superb drizzled over perfectly ripe Port Lincoln apricots. But the expresso and and fig balsamics were also outstanding, and I didn’t even get to try the honey & ginger white vinegar… We had to drag ourselves away to keep our spot in the queue, leaving only a moment to taste the salts standing next to my pink Murray River favorite. No comparison!

The pastrami sandwich came highly recommended and being a substantial portion, it was perfect to share. So there was no doubt that this would be our choice. However, I was hugely tempted to order a couple of other dishes just to see what they looked like. Friedman’s is not a Jewish Deli ( although their matzo soup was also very good ) – it is homemade comfort food with inventive dishes, and some of the combinations were for me a gastronomic extravaganza. Chicken and waffles came together as one meal, and the special of the day had to be repeated a couple of times so I could record and share it’s uniqueness. Pulled Pork Flautas. That is, pulled pork wrapped in corn tortillas, deep-fried, and served with a smoked tomato chili Ancho sauce, topped with pineapple salsa, 2 poached eggs and gremolta ( lemon zest, garlic and parsley ). Wow!

The pastrami was an excellent choice – tender, flavorsome and succulent. I didn’t regret not ordering anything more flamboyant, and it was worth the wait with good company. But when I go back, I will certainly want to hear the specials again…

DSCN5994DSCN5995DSCN5996

IMG_1102IMG_1103

Posted in Food, markets | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

Essex Street Markets

Posted on February 23, 2013 by TheFitzyreport

After the extraordinary inspirational performance of the Stockholm Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall last week, I thought I should have a look at some Nordic nosh. Maybe the secret of the joyful dancing conductor was in the food he ate. So on a tip I set off to the Essex Street Markets on the lower East Side and found not only salty licorish but a Swedish reggae queen.

The market has been around for 70 years and has evolved from being the heart of an immigrant community in the earlier days to now being the centre of a neighbourhood in transition. The lower east side has old Spanish bodegas next to modern art galleries, yoga schools next to fortune tellers, and the people on the street reflect the trendy and the traditional. Maybe that’s why the market is so interesting, it feels like there are fresh faces appearing without the whole market being stripped down and gentrified. You can still buy 10 varieties of yam, get a haircut for $7, find gooooooey cheese or buy one perfect cookie for $3 apiece.

The Nordic Preserves, Fish and Wildlife shop was full of Scandinavian treats, all pickled, salted, smoked or preserved in some special way. Maybe that was the conductor’s source of joy last week – it was a special night – much as was the promise from the Swedish woman behind the counter about her reggae debut in New York. I am still waiting for the invitation – it may not be in Carnegie Hall, but it will definitely be interesting! Watch this space….

DSCN5969DSCN5971DSCN5976DSCN5970

DSCN5985IMG_6587IMG_6594IMG_6598
DSCN5988

Posted in Food, markets | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Cheesy language

Posted on February 18, 2013 by TheFitzyreport

Slooshing through the snow on our bikes last weekend, Sean and I slid to a stop at the Bedford Cheese shop in Grammercy Park. At first glance it looked like a premium gourmet deli, and once inside, the sight of all that fabulous cheese immediately made our pockets feel lighter and our hips much heavier. But that was before I realised this was no ordinary cheese shop. Bedford is a place where both the original Monty Python team and the most discriminating cheese maker would feel equally at home. There is as much wit as there is choice, and the staff are happy to accommodate – they even offer classes, sharing the pleasure of pairing cheese with champagne, whiskey or beer. The shop is a library of lactic laughter, and in this exclusive genre the owner seems to have set a new standard for cheese appreciation. Charlotte Kamin is a tough act to follow – a visit to Saxelby Cheesemongers down the road did reveal something of the same vein, although I’m not sure what the big cheese would have to say….
IMG_6183DSCN5959DSCN5960DSCN5962

DSCN5984

Posted in Food | Tagged | 7 Comments

Viva Carnegie

Posted on February 16, 2013 by TheFitzyreport

There is a reason Carnegie Hall is one of the great artistic destinations of the world. Even though I considered myself very fortunate to have tickets for the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra last night, I could never have expected to enjoy myself quite as much as I did. Anticipating musical mastery was not out of line with the environment, but I was thinking formal, reverent, even stiff music. There was much more. There was the greatness of the orchestra of course, there was an astounding soprano, there was the extremely gifted violinist, and there was the happiest conductor I’ve ever seen.

The program was a mixture of contemporary and traditional compositions, with Swedish songs and German inspiration, but it was the emotional quality of the performance that made it so great. In the first place, the orchestra radiated a sense of wonderment at being in Carnegie Hall. When they took their positions they looked out into the audience as though to say – wow, we really are here at Carnegie Hall! Who could not but wonder at the gilt grandeur of the hall, with the tiers of people overflowing from the packed balconies. The special location, the special event, the very special opportunity . For me this launched the mood of the evening.

The soprano, Elin Rombo, was Swedish, and could have walked straight from Fashion Week hosted up the road at the Lincoln Center. She wore a fabulous green dress, her manner was elegant, and her voice transposed you to the joy and tragedy she sang of.

The orchestra reassembled for the performance of Ray Chen the Taiwan born, Australian raised violinist. He was young and relaxed, and stood at the front of the stage with an eye to the conductor, but with all his energy channeling through the music, a Max Brunch Concerto. His violin was a 1702 Stradivarius and he played it as though it was a living being, as though the strings were my very own heart strings. It was an extraordinarily emotional performance, fervent and alive – no wonder he is introduced as one of the most compelling young violinists today.

At the heart of the whole evening was the conductor, the Finnish born Sakari Oramo. If we were all rather pleased to be there in the atmosphere of Carnegie hall enjoying magnificent music, he was the one who expressed the best. He beamed throughout the entire performance. His eyebrows seemed to give as much direction to the oboes and the violins as did his baton, rising and falling to garner tender responses from the players. He was a Pied Piper purposefully dancing in shiny black patent shoes. As Mr Oramo gestured through the air even silence had it’s own key, although just at that moment when you thought it was over, a perfect vibration from a gentle bow would bring life back to the stage. Magnificent. It was a joy just to see the pleasure of music in his being, and then at the end flopping like a rag doll at the podium, bowing with a perfect mix of humility and melodrama.

IMG_6509IMG_6538IMG_6536

Posted in art & inspiration, music | Tagged , , , , | 16 Comments

Breads Bakery

Posted on February 10, 2013 by TheFitzyreport

After today I can relax. The quest to find great coffee in NYC has been met. Australians can come to Manhattan without fear – you will not only not be flat-white deprived, but you will have the culinary advantage that visitors of only 2 weeks ago did not have. Just opened on 16th street near Union Square, is Breads Bakery, a Danish / Israeli partnership that not only serves exceptional coffee, but has pastries and breads to die for. (I don’t say this lightly, apparently they use real Danish butter….)

Lucky for us today, there were lots of tastings – the cheese sticks were the best, so light and tasty. Close behind were the olive alternative, which would be delicious at tipple time. But the chocolate almond croissant and the rugelah were also amazing and no wonder. Everything is made right there on the premises, it’s a brand new fit-out and visibly squeaky clean. Danish design, Israeli detail. Anything left at the end of the day is collected for the homeless by City Harvest. Although I don’t think there will be the need for them to call by very often…

The staff smile. When you live in New York you notice these things. In fact the interview process for staff involves a commitment connected to the ‘true love’ slogan on the back of the worker’s t-shirts. This is not a passing Valentine’s sentiment. Management only want staff who want to be there, who care about the product and the process. ( They are particularly interested in hiring good Aussie baristas… ) Of course these are early days, but having spoken to the managing partner today, I get the feeling these guys are the real deal. I’ll just have to go back regularly and monitor the development. And have a flat white, and a treat or six…

DSCN5958DSCN5944DSCN5946DSCN5947DSCN5948DSCN5949DSCN5954DSCN5951DSCN5957DSCN5955

Posted in bakeries, coffee | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Black History Month

Posted on February 10, 2013 by TheFitzyreport

Gordon Parks is a hero to many people, not just because of his amazing artistry with photography, film, music and writing, but also for the example he set by tapping into his genius and owning his place in the world. He fought racism throughout his long life and advocated freedom through the breaking down of barriers and creating new horizons. He was the first African American to work at Life Magazine, and the first to write, direct and score a Hollywood film. No wonder he was the focus of celebrations for Black History Month this week, coinciding with what would have been his 100th birthday.

Sean and I have Park’s portrait of Malcolm X, and were very happy to be invited to the Black History event at Macy’s. It seemed an unusual venue for what we thought would be an exhibition – but then the last collection of his work we saw exhibited was at Hermes, so why not? As it turned out, viewing photography was not the purpose of the evening. On the 9th floor of the super store a large area was dedicated to hosting an evening with a Hollywood panel – Kenny Leon ( director of ‘Raisin in the Sun’ & ‘Steel Magnolias’ on Broadway ), Omari Hardwick, Malik Yoba ( New York Undercover ) and Malinda Williams ( Soul Food ). As we do not have television, much of the resume of the panel was lost on us. But the sentiments were not. At times, in an audience largely composed of African Americans, I felt we were part of a revival group. Honest and emotional comments by the panel were met with waves of affirmation by the audience. The atmosphere was fantastic. Murray talked about chasing the purpose not the paper, about how you can’t be an artist without being an activist, and Malik said you can’t change the game unless you’re in it. They talked about the need to be consistent ( Melinda said 80% of her career was auditions ) and to be relentless. Many young people in the audience were actors and their questions were about rejection. It could have been heavy and ministerial, but mostly it was funny. At one point Malik sprang through the audience ( channeling Oprah ) to hand someone Kenny’s business card – then when another aspiring actor moaned, Malik put him on the spot. ‘You have everyone’s attention and 21 seconds to audition. Go for it!’ Amazingly, he did.

When the panel wrapped, the music started and that was another surprise. Chelsea Green  and her jazz violin lead a soul group that had everyone tapping. There were drinks and canapes, and the party was just getting started. Sean and I headed home. We took the express lift to the ground, feeling inspired by an unexpected evening in a department store, and some lingering words of wisdom… ‘You didn’t have to compete with anyone to be born. When your time comes, be ready’!

IMG_6055

Posted in art & inspiration, events | Tagged | 1 Comment

Well heeled and Havaianas

Posted on February 10, 2013 by TheFitzyreport

Our neighbours upped the ante. It is common practice to leave your wet boots outside your apartment door rather than drip them inside on wintry days. So there can be an interesting assortment of foot wear and umbrellas along the corridor – a reflection of both the weather and the wearer. But when I saw the skis posing at the end of the hall this morning, I couldn’t resist a little showing off of my own….

January 201301January 201302IMG_6125

Posted in Fun, the view from here | Tagged | 3 Comments