Manhattan Moments: Eating & Reading

Via Carota

For us, no visit to New York would be complete without at least one meal, and preferably two or three, at Via Carota.  This temple of rustic comfort food in the West Village doesn’t take reservations so we find ourselves eating at very unfashionable times.  We tried to have dinner here on a recent Saturday night, but it was Saturday, a lovely afternoon, and folks were out, so no luck even right at 5:00 when the menu changes from lunch to dinner.  Instead we opted for lunch another day and being early (before 11:30), we easily got a table.

Grilled artichokes with lemon and aioli

Some menu items are de rigeur; that means we began with grilled artichokes (exceptionally sweet and lovely this season) accompanied by a newer treat, ramps and prosciutto over a square of grilled polenta (perfect!), and followed by an all-time great, roasted chicken with lemon and herbs. 

Ramps, prosciutto and polenta

 These dishes beg lots of chewy bread and a crisp Italian white.  It’s a somewhat indulgent lunch with most everything bathed in olive oil, but life is short!

For another take on this marvelous eatery, here’s an exuberant essay from the New York Times’ Magazine about their towering green salad, which we’ve also enjoyed a time or two.

RECENT READING: MAIN LINE CLASS

The Beneficiary:  Fortune, Misfortune, and the Story of My Father by Janny Scott

If you lived in the Philadelphia suburbs in the 1980’s and 90’s as I did, you’d be hard pressed not to have read about Robert Montgomery Scott and the family’s palatial estate, Ardrossan, on the Main Line.  The house was storied and Scott descended from a family legacy of wealth and distinction marked by both achievement and failure.  

For fourteen years, Scott was president and CEO of the Philadelphia Museum of Art which put him regularly on the society pages.  And his mother, Helen Hope Montgomery Scott, was considered by many to have been the model for Katharine Hepburn’s character in the film, “The Philadelphia Story.”  Janny Scott’s memoir is a depiction of a monied American upper class in its heyday with multiple properties, horses, a multitude of servants, exotic travels, and an affinity for British manners and mannerisms.  Their grand mansions are almost as important characters as the individuals.

Beneath the polished surface, however, this is a generational saga riddled with alcoholism, suicide, and affairs.  Janny’s father was an alcoholic, but the extent to which this dominated his entire life, was something she only fully realized when she read his secret diaries. He bequeathed these journals to her, but they were stowed away and their location undiscovered until some years after his death.

Ms. Scott researched the family’s history, interviewed numerous relatives, and has written their collective story with tenderness and a clear eye.  She doesn’t sugarcoat reality, but she also states when she doesn’t know or what she didn’t appreciate at a particular time.  I found it all fascinating and very much appreciated the family tree at the front; with names repeated in successive generations this aid helped me keep straight which Edgar or which Hope was meant. (~JWFarrington)

Notes: Robert Scott photo from nytimes.com; other photos by JWFarrington.

Manhattan Nibbles: Art & Food

Snippets of Art

MoMA will be closing in June for about 4 months for a slight re-do.  We opted to take advantage of our membership and walked the 20+ blocks from our apartment. Since we like their café on level 2, we had an early lunch of paninis—an Italian one and the chicken with cheese one. 

Opus 217…Portrait of M. Felix Feneon in 1890 by Paul Signac

With little in the way of special exhibits, we headed to the 5th floor for a tour around some of the permanent collection.  New since our last time were some gifts from David Rockefeller’s estate including a whimsical, punchy one by Signac that caught my eye.  

Portuguese Market by Delaunay-Terk

I was also taken with one by Sonia Delaunay-Terk as well as The Olive Trees by Van Gogh.  

The Olive Trees

Also here are his Starry Night, some bathers by Matisse, and a gallery showing off Monet’s water lily panels.  It’s a veritable treasure trove!

Felice 64 Wine Bar and Restaurant

On First Avenue, this restaurant is small and a bit cramped in feel, but obviously popular as it quickly filled up.  The roasted tomatoes (instead of the usual sliced ones) with fresh mozzarella and basil were luscious, and the pasta dishes very satisfying.  The Chief Penguin tucked into gnocchi with Gorgonzola sauce and walnuts (one of his most favorite dishes) while I indulged in an order of pappardelle in a beef chunk ragu.  Thus sated, we appreciated the tiny plate of complimentary biscotti and cookies to finish.  There are a number of wines by the glass including some special pricier ones.

Note: All photos by JWFarrington. Header photo taken in Rockefeller Center.

Manhattan Musing: Film & Food

GRAND GIRLS

We left 85 degree plus temperatures and bright sun in Florida for the cool gray of Manhattan.  We’ve had several days of cool weather with one bright warm bit of sun on Friday.   

Tulips in Jefferson Market Garden

After settling in and purchasing supplies, we spent the next two afternoons with our granddaughters.  At their ages (3 and almost 7) seeing their grandparents is still a real treat.  F. danced and spun around and just beamed as she told Grandpa all about an adventure making pretend pizza for one of her dolls.  Later E. trotted down the steps of the school bus and leaped into my arms to give me a hug. What could be better than these greetings!  

E. loves art and is quite creative.  One project was creating a museum in a large empty carton to display all the furniture and other objects belonging to her Calico Critters collection.  Of course, F. had to assist, but I was impressed by how cooperative she was and how much more controlled in her efforts than several months ago.  It was a joint effort and only near the end did the older sister become a bit frustrated with the younger one.  

It’s a routine that the girls read or are read to while they eat their dinner.  F. enjoyed hearing her new train book again and again while E. could easily have read the Clementine chapter book herself, but preferred to have Grandma sit next to her and read it aloud.  Being a grandparent and being able to spend lots of time with them several times a year is a gift and a pleasure at this stage of life.

NEW KIND OF ROM-COM

This is not the best season for catching new movies.  The available crop is not as appealing or wide-ranging as is the case leading up to the Oscars.  That said, “Long Shot” had good, if not stellar reviews, and seemed like it could be fun to see.  We showed up at a nearby theater for the 9:15 am show only to discover that it was truly upscale, and also that since it was Saturday there was no senior rate. Nixing tickets at $25 each, we opted to wait and go to Union Square for an early afternoon showing.

Long Shot is silly, funny, preposterous and a mixed bag.  First the good stuff:  Charlize Theron as Charlotte Field is wonderful as the immaculately groomed, exquisitely turned out U.S. Secretary of State.  And the scene of her in the situation room high on drugs sitting on the floor dealing bluntly over the phone with a foreign leader is priceless.  The romance between her and Seth Rogen as Fred Flarsky, a schmo of a journalist in cargo pants and a turquoise windbreaker, is improbable.  I think the filmmakers realize this since there is a very long lead-in before these two encounter each other as adults.  

But the film does turn the usual trope of the successful man and the less achieving, less talented woman on its head.  Charlotte is clearly the “alpha male” here, and that’s fun to watch. The dubious elements:  the F word embellishes or degrades every line, depending on your perspective; I found its overuse tiresome.  Also, the humor is often sophomoric, particularly related to a video used to mock Fred as a suitable mate.  Overall, I’d give the film a B, but then I’m probably not the target audience.

DINING OUT AT OLD FAVORITES

Highlands

At Highlands, a Scottish-influenced restaurant in the West Village, the bar was packed with a noisy crowd watching the lead up to the Kentucky Derby.  We were gratefully ushered to a quiet table in the empty dining room.  The very pretty coral sea trout mousse was a tasty and different starter and the beer brined chicken breast with grilled asparagus and artichokes delectable. Their penicillin cocktail was a hit as well as a glass of Central Valley chardonnay.  Less memorable was the fish and chips.  

Beer brined chicken breast

El Porron

This Upper East Side tapas place is very popular and always excellent.  This time we sampled the roasted red peppers and asparagus (wonderful!), smoked salmon fillet, and the chorizo sausages plus the Chief Penguin’s customary order of patatas bravas.  

Under the Bridge

On First Avenue at the Queensboro Bridge, this cozy Greek restaurant is also a favorite of ours. Service is efficient to brisk, but once you have all your food, they don’t rush you out the door.  We generally order small plates rather than entrees and again enjoyed the shrimp in tomato sauce with feta crumbles, a tomato and cucumber salad topped with a nice-sized wedge of feta, grilled halloumi cheese, and plenty of crusty bread.  We liked the complimentary strips of honey cake so much, our waitress brought us another plate!  Wines by the glass and also cocktails are available. 

Note: All photos ©JWFarrington.

Tidy Tidbits: Reading & Dining

RECENT READING

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

I purchased this novel since I had recently visited Cuba and figured I would like the setting.  Cleeton has written several contemporary romances, but this book and her newest, When We Left Cuba, take place in Havana and were inspired by stories of her own family.  Adopting the popular trend of parallel plotlines, the book focuses on Elisa, a young woman in Havana in 1959, and on Marisol, her 30ish granddaughter who visits Havana in 2017, ostensibly to scatter her grandmother’s ashes.  Each woman meets and is attracted to an unconventional man, either not of the right class and/or involved in politics she doesn’t fully comprehend.  

I recognized many of the Havana streets and monuments and enjoyed reading about them and the city’s natural beauty.  I also appreciated the author’s weaving in detail about the current state of Cuban society.  The plot is somewhat predictable, but overall, it’s a good read, perfect for the beach or a long flight.  So much so, that I’m ready to read the new novel too! And for those who might care, this title is one of Reese Witherspoon’s picks for her book club.  (~JWFarrington).

SOPHISTICATED DINING

Indigenous in downtown Sarasota has been on our list for several years and, in celebration of my birthday, we dined there this week.  The gray wooden building is somewhat rustic in appearance with a welcoming wraparound veranda for outdoor dining.  Not knowing what to expect, we had requested inside and were taken to a small adjacent structure called the wine cottage.  It had a small bar in the back and just a few tables.  One wall was attractively paneled with sides from wooden wine cases showcasing a variety of different vineyards.  Chad, our waiter, was both experienced and very knowledgeable about the menu.  It’s built around seafood and is both innovative and sophisticated.  But for diehard meat eaters, there’s also an elaborate burger.  

Pork Belly Kimchi

We sampled the pickled peppers to start and then the Chief Penguin enjoyed the wild mushroom bisque (robust and rich), Thai green curry fish dip with crackers and veggies (nice tang to the dip!) and the pork belly kimchi (he’s a devotee of kimchi). I ordered the ocean crudo appetizer which had cobia as the base and elements of vanilla, some crunch, and a bit of hot pepper.  It was interesting, but I thought there were too many flavors competing which made the overall effect a bit muddy. 

Red Snapper

 For my entrée, I tried one of the fish choices of the day, delicate red snapper on a bed of peapod risotto with some tiny cherry tomatoes and micro greens.  It was exquisite!  Other entrees include baked scallops and a shrimp dish.  For dessert, we indulged in a dish of their milk chocolate ice cream, smooth and soothing to the palate—the perfect finish.

Note: Photos ©JWFarrington.