1. MAD. SQ. PARK SPRING EATS! (thru this weekend, Worth Square, NW Corner of Madison Square Park - The Flatiron)  Great options for lunch, a quick empañada or a cold craft brew.   Get there a little early to beat the lunch crowd and grab a table under the umbrellas — or venture back later in the day when the crowds have moved on.  The excellent MadParkNews.com has a full listing of vendors here along with other local news. The New York Times also ran a piece on Mad. Sq. Park a couple weeks ago…here.  The Spring food fest wraps up this week but returns later in the year. MAD. SQ. PARK SPRING EATS! (thru this weekend, Worth Square, NW Corner of Madison Square Park - The Flatiron)  Great options for lunch, a quick empañada or a cold craft brew.   Get there a little early to beat the lunch crowd and grab a table under the umbrellas — or venture back later in the day when the crowds have moved on.  The excellent MadParkNews.com has a full listing of vendors here along with other local news. The New York Times also ran a piece on Mad. Sq. Park a couple weeks ago…here.  The Spring food fest wraps up this week but returns later in the year.
    MAD. SQ. PARK SPRING EATS! (thru this weekend, Worth Square, NW Corner of Madison Square Park - The Flatiron)  Great options for lunch, a quick empañada or a cold craft brew.   Get there a little early to beat the lunch crowd and grab a table under the umbrellas — or venture back later in the day when the crowds have moved on.  The excellent MadParkNews.com has a full listing of vendors here along with other local news. The New York Times also ran a piece on Mad. Sq. Park a couple weeks ago…here.  The Spring food fest wraps up this week but returns later in the year. MAD. SQ. PARK SPRING EATS! (thru this weekend, Worth Square, NW Corner of Madison Square Park - The Flatiron)  Great options for lunch, a quick empañada or a cold craft brew.   Get there a little early to beat the lunch crowd and grab a table under the umbrellas — or venture back later in the day when the crowds have moved on.  The excellent MadParkNews.com has a full listing of vendors here along with other local news. The New York Times also ran a piece on Mad. Sq. Park a couple weeks ago…here.  The Spring food fest wraps up this week but returns later in the year.

    MAD. SQ. PARK SPRING EATS! (thru this weekend, Worth Square, NW Corner of Madison Square Park - The Flatiron)  Great options for lunch, a quick empañada or a cold craft brew.   Get there a little early to beat the lunch crowd and grab a table under the umbrellas — or venture back later in the day when the crowds have moved on.  The excellent MadParkNews.com has a full listing of vendors here along with other local news. The New York Times also ran a piece on Mad. Sq. Park a couple weeks ago…here.  The Spring food fest wraps up this week but returns later in the year.

  2. 42nd street 42nd street

    42nd street

  3. (via newyorksummer)

  5. BIRCH COFFEE (5 East 27th between 5th and Madison - Flatiron) The cold brewing process gives this iced-coffee a great, rich taste.  Birch sells it in growlers — perfect for the fridge all summer.  If you don’t feel like lugging a jug around on the subway, they deliver.  This is really a nice alternative to “the usual.”   I like the atmosphere here.  Tucked away on 27th under the Gershwin hotel, it’s cool and quiet with low-key and friendly service.  Great music always playing.  They also make a killer black iced tea with the perfect light touch of passion fruit.  Very nice.  Interesting menu too with lots of locally sourced products.  Next time.  www.birchcoffee.com BIRCH COFFEE (5 East 27th between 5th and Madison - Flatiron) The cold brewing process gives this iced-coffee a great, rich taste.  Birch sells it in growlers — perfect for the fridge all summer.  If you don’t feel like lugging a jug around on the subway, they deliver.  This is really a nice alternative to “the usual.”   I like the atmosphere here.  Tucked away on 27th under the Gershwin hotel, it’s cool and quiet with low-key and friendly service.  Great music always playing.  They also make a killer black iced tea with the perfect light touch of passion fruit.  Very nice.  Interesting menu too with lots of locally sourced products.  Next time.  www.birchcoffee.com

    BIRCH COFFEE (5 East 27th between 5th and Madison - Flatiron) The cold brewing process gives this iced-coffee a great, rich taste.  Birch sells it in growlers — perfect for the fridge all summer.  If you don’t feel like lugging a jug around on the subway, they deliver.  This is really a nice alternative to “the usual.”   I like the atmosphere here.  Tucked away on 27th under the Gershwin hotel, it’s cool and quiet with low-key and friendly service.  Great music always playing.  They also make a killer black iced tea with the perfect light touch of passion fruit.  Very nice.  Interesting menu too with lots of locally sourced products.  Next time.  www.birchcoffee.com

  6. Central Park Central Park

    Central Park

  7. LOISAIDA FESTIVAL (Avenue C between 6th and 12th streets — Lower East Side).  The annual Latino community pride festival featuring music, food and the arts returns this Sunday, May 29th from Noon - 5pm.  After last week’s kinda lame 9th Avenue Street Fest that felt like it was produced by Walmart, I’m looking forward to la cosa real.

    LOISAIDA FESTIVAL (Avenue C between 6th and 12th streets — Lower East Side).  The annual Latino community pride festival featuring music, food and the arts returns this Sunday, May 29th from Noon - 5pm.  After last week’s kinda lame 9th Avenue Street Fest that felt like it was produced by Walmart, I’m looking forward to la cosa real.

  8. Here comes MANHATTANHENDGE.  This is the coolest thing and I hope we get some clear evenings to enjoy it.  Sometimes referred to as the Manhattan Solstice, this happens twice a year as the sunset aligns with the East-West streets in Manhattan’s main street grid blasting sun rays through all of downtown.  Usually happens around May 28th and again on July 12th, fairly evenly spaced around the summer solstice.  Grab a beer, some shades and park a seat right in the middle of 42nd street.

    Here comes MANHATTANHENDGE.  This is the coolest thing and I hope we get some clear evenings to enjoy it.  Sometimes referred to as the Manhattan Solstice, this happens twice a year as the sunset aligns with the East-West streets in Manhattan’s main street grid blasting sun rays through all of downtown.  Usually happens around May 28th and again on July 12th, fairly evenly spaced around the summer solstice.  Grab a beer, some shades and park a seat right in the middle of 42nd street.

  9. Behold the BEER-ITA.  On the bar menu at BENNY’S BURRITOS (113 Greenwich Ave. @ Jane St.— West Village)  Benny’s calls it The Bulldog.  But it’s essentially a combo that a few great friends I know refer to as “the Beerita.”  A simple mix of high grade Tequila and a highly concentrated margarita mix with a little Corona tossed in to fizz up the citrus.  Love Benny’s, but mostly for the bean burritos in the oh-so-soft tortillas.  Not sure exactly how they do The Bulldog other than the obvious upside down Corona plunge into a cup, but  here’s my Beerita: 1 can frozen Limeade in a pitcher, fill that same can with white tequila and add to the mix, follow with 1 or 2 cold Coronas…stir it up till limeade dissolves and pour over ice.  Hola, summer, hola!. Behold the BEER-ITA.  On the bar menu at BENNY’S BURRITOS (113 Greenwich Ave. @ Jane St.— West Village)  Benny’s calls it The Bulldog.  But it’s essentially a combo that a few great friends I know refer to as “the Beerita.”  A simple mix of high grade Tequila and a highly concentrated margarita mix with a little Corona tossed in to fizz up the citrus.  Love Benny’s, but mostly for the bean burritos in the oh-so-soft tortillas.  Not sure exactly how they do The Bulldog other than the obvious upside down Corona plunge into a cup, but  here’s my Beerita: 1 can frozen Limeade in a pitcher, fill that same can with white tequila and add to the mix, follow with 1 or 2 cold Coronas…stir it up till limeade dissolves and pour over ice.  Hola, summer, hola!.

    Behold the BEER-ITA.  On the bar menu at BENNY’S BURRITOS (113 Greenwich Ave. @ Jane St.— West Village)  Benny’s calls it The Bulldog.  But it’s essentially a combo that a few great friends I know refer to as “the Beerita.”  A simple mix of high grade Tequila and a highly concentrated margarita mix with a little Corona tossed in to fizz up the citrus.  Love Benny’s, but mostly for the bean burritos in the oh-so-soft tortillas.  Not sure exactly how they do The Bulldog other than the obvious upside down Corona plunge into a cup, but  here’s my Beerita: 1 can frozen Limeade in a pitcher, fill that same can with white tequila and add to the mix, follow with 1 or 2 cold Coronas…stir it up till limeade dissolves and pour over ice.  Hola, summer, hola!.

  11. website: new york - ology

    Here’s one worth bookmarking.  newyorkology.com - A great resource for all kinds of things happening in NYC.  The NYC Calendar is updated regularly with tons of fun details, exhibits, things to check out around town — big things, small things.  Interesting updates for what’s filming in town and where — so next time that little punk P.A. asks you to stop and wait on the sidewalk while they finish the shot…you’ll know what’s up.  

  12. [Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]
    Album: Hope Folk
    Artist: Thomas Wesley Stern
    Song: Fish
    Plays: 2
  13. Stumbled on these guys playing under the Washington Square Arch.  Back a week later and there they were again.  Nice vocals, strings and really good songs.  They passed me a CD and it’s getting a lot of play around here (and by “here” i mean my iPods).  The band goes by the name of Thomas Wesley Stern.  Check ‘em out.  Fun to discover great new music right in your back yard. Stumbled on these guys playing under the Washington Square Arch.  Back a week later and there they were again.  Nice vocals, strings and really good songs.  They passed me a CD and it’s getting a lot of play around here (and by “here” i mean my iPods).  The band goes by the name of Thomas Wesley Stern.  Check ‘em out.  Fun to discover great new music right in your back yard.

    Stumbled on these guys playing under the Washington Square Arch.  Back a week later and there they were again.  Nice vocals, strings and really good songs.  They passed me a CD and it’s getting a lot of play around here (and by “here” i mean my iPods).  The band goes by the name of Thomas Wesley Stern.  Check ‘em out.  Fun to discover great new music right in your back yard.

  14. Chaat-Wala (street side favorites) from The MasalaWala a great relatively new casual Indian restaurant on the Lower East Side.  Very interesting dishes, many with wonderful spice profiles that you will remember and crave.  The chef/owners at MasalaWala describe their menu as a tribute to the street foods of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka — “where tradition and culinary art meet hypnotic aroma and taste.”  Pictured above are Dahi Puri, hallow “puri” stuffed with spiced tamarind and yogurt.  They look like sweet pastries, but are actually very light, wonderfully spiced savories.  Check out the menu here for even more delicious offerings.  Great lunch, dinner, and late-night destination.  The set-up is high tech and environmentally-friendly — a nice source of pride for the owners.  I like that the food surprises here — new things, new flavors, new spice combos.  Can’t wait to get back.    www.TheMasalaWala.com Chaat-Wala (street side favorites) from The MasalaWala a great relatively new casual Indian restaurant on the Lower East Side.  Very interesting dishes, many with wonderful spice profiles that you will remember and crave.  The chef/owners at MasalaWala describe their menu as a tribute to the street foods of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka — “where tradition and culinary art meet hypnotic aroma and taste.”  Pictured above are Dahi Puri, hallow “puri” stuffed with spiced tamarind and yogurt.  They look like sweet pastries, but are actually very light, wonderfully spiced savories.  Check out the menu here for even more delicious offerings.  Great lunch, dinner, and late-night destination.  The set-up is high tech and environmentally-friendly — a nice source of pride for the owners.  I like that the food surprises here — new things, new flavors, new spice combos.  Can’t wait to get back.    www.TheMasalaWala.com

    Chaat-Wala (street side favorites) from The MasalaWala a great relatively new casual Indian restaurant on the Lower East Side.  Very interesting dishes, many with wonderful spice profiles that you will remember and crave.  The chef/owners at MasalaWala describe their menu as a tribute to the street foods of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka — “where tradition and culinary art meet hypnotic aroma and taste.”  Pictured above are Dahi Puri, hallow “puri” stuffed with spiced tamarind and yogurt.  They look like sweet pastries, but are actually very light, wonderfully spiced savories.  Check out the menu here for even more delicious offerings.  Great lunch, dinner, and late-night destination.  The set-up is high tech and environmentally-friendly — a nice source of pride for the owners.  I like that the food surprises here — new things, new flavors, new spice combos.  Can’t wait to get back.    www.TheMasalaWala.com