UNEXPECTED EXHIBIT
The exhibit was titled, “Los Alamos” and mentioned to us by a good friend. She has visited Los Alamos a number of times and was interested, but couldn’t get to the museum before the exhibit closed. We were also interested and so went to the Metropolitan Museum to see it. It’s an exhibit of photos by American photographer William Eggleston. 
Eggleston was an early pioneer in the use of dye transfer photography with saturated intense colors, and this collection of his work is a recent gift to the museum. But, although he named the collection, “Los Alamos,” it has nothing to do with that site. Rather it is photos taken in the south and southwest, Memphis, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Georgia, in 1965-68 and from 1971-74. They are a mix of stark urban landscapes and portraits of careworn individuals. These galleries evoke a different era, but not Los Alamos. While in the museum, we took a gander at some other art, hard not to, such as this Klimt of a 9-year old girl!
DINING DELIGHTS
We like this comfortable French restaurant so much, we’ve dined there three times. Our most recent meal began with oven-roasted bone marrow, not a dish we’d normally order. But the maître d’ was so persuasive (his French accent and charm didn’t hurt) about how delicious and delectable it was that the Chief Penguin surrendered. Said marrow was presented on a bed of wilted greens with a piece of toast on the side and for tools, a tiny fork and spoon. The idea was to scrape a bit of the marrow onto a bit of toast. It was actually quite good! 
Following that starter, I sampled the grilled large shrimp served with a spinach flan on a puddle of lobster sauce. The shrimp were excellent and the sauce rich while the flan would have benefited from a tad more nutmeg. The C.P. indulged in hanger steak with fries and a tangle of arugula. The steak was tender and tasty, the fried the perfect thickness and crispness. A lovely meal!
This Spanish tapas restaurant has become another favorite. It’s an attractive space and the staff are always most welcoming. You can order full size entrees, but we’ve stuck to the tapas and been sated and satisfied. The Serrano ham is lovely, the white asparagus a treat, the sea scallop treatment something different, and the patatas bravas (spicy potatoes) a must for the Chief Penguin.
If you have vegetarian tendencies or vegetarian friends, this contemporary space, which never seems to be crowded, is a great find. We went on our own and then again with visiting family. The samosas are some of the best I’ve ever had (the right ratio of flaky dough to filling), the saag paneer (spinach and that Indian cheese) silky and tasty, the potato stuffed peppers spicy, and the chicken curry, comfort food at its most soothing. Lots of choices on this menu from small plate tapas to entrees.
This is a 1940’s style diner on the Upper East Side. Formica tables, booths, and classic posters on the wall. Service is friendly and there are daily blackboard specials like the meatloaf sandwich that the C.P. dug into! 
It came with truffle fries, very au courant, while my open face tuna melt included tomato slices; smothered with melted cheddar, it brought back memories of tuna melts of yore. I think this restaurant rivals the Lenox Hill Grill and I’d be happy to return!
For elegant dining and special occasions, The Modern offers exquisite cuisine. You can dine in the restaurant proper, but we have usually opted for the Bar Room. Both are pricy, but the restaurant is pricier. The Bar Room is so popular, it is always full, and I have to admit, very loud at night. There is an actual marble bar, and then bar seating adjacent to it which generates some of the buzz, but the floor is bare, the surfaces hard, and there is no fabric to dampen voices.
However, the food is marvelous! We came this time for a belated birthday celebration and re-appreciated the quality. The lobster en croute with spinach and the chicken with foie gras tortellini were both delectable as was a starter of fennel and smoked salmon whimsically topped with chips.
ON THE SMALL SCREEN
Striking Out (Acorn)
We binge watched this Irish legal series. Tara Rafferty leaves the Dunbar law firm after she finds Eric Dunbar, her fiancé, in a compromising situation, and strikes out on her own. Her first office is the back area of a coffee shop. When that becomes untenable, she shares office space with George, a brusque, opinionated female lawyer. Although not her specialty, Tara takes up family law and finds herself in court, often opposing one of her former colleagues.
Figuring in the series are her mother, a former legal secretary; her father a judge; Ray, a petty criminal turned office manager for Tara; Richard Dunbar, Eric’s father and head of the firm, and Meg, a private investigator who doesn’t hesitate to work one side against the other. Set in Dublin, it’s an absorbing look at the law on the other side of the Atlantic, complete with romantic entanglements. Amy Huberman, who plays Tara, is likable and tougher than one might first think. There are only two seasons thus far and Season 2 ends with a cliffhanger during Tara’s good friend Vincent’s big corruption case. We want more!
Note: All photos by JWFarrington. Header photo is Medallion quilt (1960) by Loretta Pettway in the Metropolitan Museum.
