I arrived in New York City at the turn of the century, and I’ve been writing professionally—or at least for pay—ever since. In the decade-plus that I’ve been fortunate enough to make a living as a writer, I’ve seen scores of publications fold up like origami cranes and fly away. Some vanish in the night Read More
While it’s not particularly our forte, The Observer fasted on Monday. Mostly fasted, rather. It was a religious holiday of sorts, indeed more of a pilgrimage, for which we practiced the ancient art of self-denial. Relais & Chateaux’s Dîner des Grands Chefs was our evening’s sacrosanct destination, and we intended to arrive with a pilgrim-pure palate.
As we approached Gotham Hall’s regal colonnade, we were beginning to feel slightly faint. Swaying ever so slightly in our heels, we dashed upstairs, past the congested red carpet, for some sustenance, which, before we could object, came in the form of a flute of 1999 Cuvée Louise Pommery Champagne. We weren’t alone in our pre-sunset indulgence: after a lap around the room, we noticed 25 empty bottles of bubbly neatly (and proudly) displayed at the bar. But a few minutes later, the tally was trente-cinq. At that point, we stopped counting. Read More
A signed photo of Regis Philbin in his pre-retirement years of taut jowls and salt and pepper hair greets guests near the entrance to Rao’s on East 114th Street. Next to him the top half of a dutch door is open, drawing the eye into the steaming kitchen of the legendary Italian eatery, a Read More
Jim Lahey, the charismatic chef and owner of the hugely hyped, high-concept pizzeria Co. at 230 Ninth Avenue, has some advice for New York Times food critic Frank Bruni:
“Ray’s is right down the block!”
On Wednesday, April 8, the influential Times critic awarded Mr. Lahey’s stylish new eatery, backed by the formidable Read More
Graydon Carter told a bunch of American Express executives that he created the Waverly Inn for the "non-Sex and the City and nonhedge-fund crowd," and that he oversees the restaurant’s table assignments. Also, he hires people who "walk with purpose." [P6]
Macaulay Culkin‘s older sister Dakota died on Wednesday after being struck Read More
An anonymous restaurateur dishing to Vanity Fair on developer El-Ad’s efforts to drum up interest in the Plaza Hotel’s swank Oak Room and Oak Bar [via Eater]:
“They said, Well, if you don’t take it, Danny Meyer [owner of Manhattan’s Union Square Café and Gramercy Tavern] is going to take it. Read More
“Where’s the noodle man?”
When my son was a boy, he loved to watch the noodle man at Honmura An, the only authentic soba restaurant in the city. The noodle man worked in a glass booth in the dining room, where he’d pummel the dough, toss it in the air and Read More
Following his departure from the Daily News, former Gatecrasher columnist Ben Widdicombe took off for Istanbul for a much needed gossip-free vacay. But his job followed him!
"Having run away to Istanbul to try and start enjoying life it’s funny how NYC comes with you," he writes to The Daily Transom. And: Jean-Georges Vongerichten is Read More
Welcome to Tribeca.
The New York Times is reporting that Scarlett Johansson recenlty dropped $1.95 million on a Leonard Street condo.
Built in 1901, this former textile building was converted to condos and brought in some notable tenants; including, Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Ms. Johansson’s duplex loft includes 22-foot ceilings, Tuscan walls, Read More
