A few years ago a collective gasp could be heard from Manhattan.  BLT Burger (the BLT stands for Bistro Laurent Tourondel) had just opened and given birth to a real gourmet burger– a $62 Japanese Kobe beef burger.  Manhattan was left to ponder “Where does Chef Tourondel think he is?  Los Angeles?”    

Since then, the hype has died down and I decided to head up to West Village to have my first BLT Burger.  When I first walked in I thought I was in the wrong place.  The restaurant looked like it was in the midst of an identity crisis– 50s soda shop-meets-country kitchen.  This is the place that serves the $62 hamburger? 

I did have the right place and no, I didn’t have that infamous Japanese Kobe burger.  I decided on the more entry-level $11 “BLT Burger.”  In this case, the BLT does stand for bacon, lettuce, and tomato. 

To be honest the burger didn’t look like much– similar to what is pulled off the bbq every weekend– but once I tasted the heavenly creation I quickly realized that I had been missing out on the best burger in Manhattan.  It wasn’t the generic white bun, the iceberg lettuce, or ridiculously placed two slices of bacon that made it spectacular.  It was, without a doubt, the 100% all beef patty made with a mix of sirloin, short rib, chuck, and brisket, cooked exactly to my specification.  

For a place that is frequented by some of the “who’s who” of Manhattan– hello Mrs. Billy Joel!– the service was surprisingly friendly and the restaurant was in no way pretentious.  Seven types of burgers are on the menu, a variety of sides, as well as regular or spiked milkshakes.  Delivery is available with a minimum order to a limited area.    

Location:  BLT Burger,  470 Sixth Avenue (between 11th and 12th Streets)  map  212-243-8226

Subway:  F, L, V to Sixth Avenue-14th Street; 1, 2, 3 to 14th Street; N, Q, R, W, 4, 5, 6 to Union Square-14th Street

Hours:  Open daily.  Lunch 11:30am-3:30pm; Dinner 5-11pm; Delivery is available 11:30am–10:30pm. 

Photo credit: personal collection

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

I realized how dependent I was on the chain when, in February, every single Starbucks was closed for “emergency training.”  I didn’t get the memo and didn’t bother to read the small sign posted on the door of my Soho Starbucks.  That night, in a rainy and cold New York, I was on a mission, running around downtown trying to find a Starbucks that was open.  Unable to wrap my brain around the fact that every store could be closed, I took the train to Times Square.  It was then, as I was standing in the center of the universe in front of a closed Starbucks, that I realized, yes, every single Starbucks was indeed closed.

It was a harsh moment, perhaps brought on by lack of caffeine, when I realized how dependent I was on something that is truly mediocre.  The next day, I made a commitment to find a new neighborhood coffee shop.

Located on a quiet street not far from the bustle of Union Square is the sleek little cafe Everyman Espresso.  Forget the bossa nova and cushy chairs that is synonymous with Starbucks, Everyman Espresso is a nod to mod with Pat Benatar playing overhead and a handful of modern bar stools and tables.  It isn’t exactly a place to camp-out but it is a place to read the Village Voice.  Oh yes, and it’s also the place to get the the best coffee you’ve ever had.    

The entire process of ordering and enjoying Everyman Espresso’s coffee is unmistakably different.  Everyman Espresso serves Counter Culture beans, which are freshly ground for every order.  The menu is classically simple: Latte, Cappuccino, Americano, Mocha, Macchiato, Mezzo (a lighter espresso), and Drip Coffee.  There isn’t an blended iced green tea latte to be seen.   

In Everyman Espresso, I think I may have found my new neighborhood coffee shop… even if I have to take the train to get there.

Location:  Everyman Espresso, 136 East 13th Street (between 3rd and 4th avenues) (map) 212-533-0524 

Subway:  4, 5, 6, N, R, Q, W, L to Union Square

Hours: 8am-8pm

Photo credit: personal collection    

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

Tonight’s opening film, La Noche de los Inocentes (The Night of the Innocents) (Cuba/Spain/Italy), opens with a badly beaten man in the emergency room of La Habana hospital.  Everyone assumes that he’s been assaulted for being a transvestite, but as the night continues, mysterious characters “come out of the woodwork.”  The movie may sound suspiciously like a telenovela on Univision, but it won the prestigious El Mégano prize at the 2007 Havana Film Festival in Cuba. 

Other films in the 2008 HFFNY include:

Quien Soy Yo? Los Niños Encontrados de Argentina (Who Am I? The Found Children of Argentina) (Cuba)  This film introduces audiences to the children– now young adults– of the disappeared of Argentina’s Dirty War (1976-1983).  The children were kidnapped from their families and given to those that supported Jorge Rafael Videla’s military regime.  Of the over 500 stolen children, over 88 have been reunited with their real families.  Director Estela Bravo will be present and there will be a special appearance by Estela Carlotto, President of the Plaza de Mayo Grandmothers.

New Children/New York Youth Program (New York) is a collection of shorts directed by young Latinos in New York City.  They discover filmmaking as a tool to make sense of and communicate the experience of growing-up a Latino immigrant in the U.S.

Não Por Acaso (Not By Chance) (Brazil) follows two control-obsessed characters, Enio and Pedro.  Both live in their own worlds in order to find fulfillment in life until the day that Enio’s ex-wife and Pedro’s wife die in an accident.  Both men are in despair until Enio meets his long-lost daughter and Pedro meets Lucia, a young woman with whom he attempts to recreate the past.  Faced the decision between their obsession with control and new opportunities, the men must choose a path and learn that nothing is by chance.        

A number of screenings are free and will be open to the public.  Check the HFFNY schedule for more information.  The screenings will be at multiple venues in Manhattan, Bronx, and Queens.  For a full schedule of film, venue and ticket information, visit the Havana Film Festival website.    

I will be in attendance at this weekend’s screening of Fidel, a film which is part of the Estela Bravo Retrospective: Witness of Her Time program.  Check back Monday, April 14th for my thoughts on the film.

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

Marking the publishing date of her new book, Memo to the President Elect, Albright will be discussing the current state of political affairs in the United States.  Hint: She’s not too pleased with the way things are going.  

Albright made history in 1997 when she became the first woman Secretary of State under President Clinton.  Albright, the quintessential diplomat, was served as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations from 1993-1997.        

Location:  Barnes & Noble-Union Square, 33 East 17th Street (map) 212-253-0810

Subway: L, N, Q, R, W, 4, 5, 6 to 14th Street-Union Square 

Date and Time:  Tuesday, January 8, 2008.  7pm

Photo credit:  Wikimedia

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

Heartland Brewery

The award-winning beer, once brewed on the premises, is now imported from their Fort Greene, Brooklyn facility. One of the most popular brews, Farmer John’s Oatmeal Stout, won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival in Colorado. Most beers change with the season. This season’s beer, Smiling Pumpkin Ale, is on tap through the end of November.

Location: 35 Union Square West at 17th Street, (212) 645-3400

Getting There: 4, 5, 6, L, N, and R subways to 14th Street-Union Square

Hours: Sun-Thu 11:30am-1am, Fri-Sat 11:30am-2am

Cost: Dinner entrees from $10.95 to $22.50. Beer pints $6.00 and half pints $4.00

Heartland Brewery’s other locations include: Radio City, Times Square, South Street, and Empire State.

Photo credit: Flickr

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Post from: The New York City Traveler