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Winter Getaway from NY: Ski, Yoga and Culinary Retreat in Vermont

Yoga Ski Vermont GetawayHow rare is it when you find that one program that combines your passions all in one glorious weekend? Amy Leydon, yoga teacher extraordinare from Boston, has put together a ski, yoga, and culinary weekend March 12-15 at Good Commons in Plymouth, Vermont. For those of you who know me, I’m a committed yogini, who loves to travel and eat, and has spent quite a lot of time in Vermont, working with hotels, enjoying family retreats, and visiting my son at the University of Vermont.  Does this package have my name on it or what? Although I’m not a skiier, the retreat is close to Killington and Okemo where cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and other winter activities (like shopping in Woodstock!) and spas (again, Woodstock!) are offered.

Amy schedules a number of retreats over the course of the year, with the next one a warm-weather locale, Martha’s Vineyard in June.  I haven’t met Amy yet, but her acclaim as “Best Yoga Teacher in Boston” by Boston Magazine tells me that the six classes I’ll experience this weekend will all be fabulous.  And I hear that she plays great music, too. I wonder if there’s a piano in the house.

For more information, http://amyleydonyoga.com/yoga-ski-and-culinary-weekend-2015/

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Three Winter Dining Finds in Manhattan

January is a great time to check out NYC restaurants — it’s not tourist season and they’re a good reason to escape the cold. Happy dining!

GatoGato – Bobby Flay has gone international again!  New York City has missed this super chef whose well-loved  Latin restaurants Mesa Grill and Bolo have been absent for many years.  The original master of BBQ and Spanish cuisine, Bobby has created a menu of small plates as well as larger entrees, all designed for sharing.  In a room as beautiful and inviting as they come, Flay’s cooking stands out against the Rockwell Group’s gorgeous design.  With tile floors, suspended metal lighting, and warm woods, Gato’s central bar area and dining spaces are inviting. Even the bread brought out at the beginning is exceptional – be sure to try the olive bread.  A menu of bar “bites” is designed for ordering on a plank of threes – choose from bites like artichoke heart with sea urchin and quail egg, or chorizo crepinette with apricot mostarda and pickled Brussels sprouts, and the tangy piquillo filled with raw tuna, with a drizzle of saffron sauce.  The appetizers are equally satisfying.  Many Spanish restaurants offer octopus dishes, but no one prepares it like Bobby Flay.  The roasted octopus is crunchy and a tad sweet, covered with a tangerine vinaigrette and bacon sauce that is an absolute standout. Main courses like the red prawns beautifully presented with Meyer lemon and garlic are similarly delicious. 324 Lafayette Street, 212.334.6400.  www.gatonyc.com

CosmeCosme – There’s a reason that Enrique Olvera has the number 20 restaurant in the world, Pujol from Mexico City. His Mexican cooking is way beyond that found in the more typical taco restaurants in other cities including New York. While New York City has strong contenders in the more upscale category, like Alex Stupak’s three Empellons (Cocina, Taqueria, and Parlor), Olvera’s menu mixes up tastes that elevate Mexican to a fine dining experience.  Most ingredients are sourced locally, although some arrive from their original homes, including octopus swimming in briny water from Spain.  Dishes are unusual from appetizers to dessert.  For the adventurous, try the uni tostada with avocado, bone marrow salsa and cucumber; and the thinly sliced vinegary scallop aguachile appetizers, and the two-person duck carnitas with white onions and radishes as a main course.  Small plates are shareable as well, so plan so you have room the one-of-a-kind husk merengue with corn mousse and a chaser of the house’s special Mezcal.  The room is warm and sexy at the same time, a wonderful refuge from the cold outdoors. 35 East 21st St., 212.913.9659. www.cosmenyc.com

DejustationDegustation – Not a newcomer like Gato and Cosme, Degustation is the most elevated of Jack Lamb’s restaurant group.  With 16 seats set around a U-shaped counter and open kitchen, Degustation shows off Nicholas Licata’s mastery of precision preparation and Iberian, French and American cuisine.  While you can order off the a la carte menu, it’s the $80 tasting menu that really shows off Licata’s talents.  Let him decide what to share with you, whether it’s his scrumptious Hawaiian blue prawn paella, or the wild boar ribs with romesco.  Or perhaps a serving of the irreverent Brussel sprouts dolled up with Funyuns and cashews.  A sophisticated wine list explained by knowledgeable servers matches well.  Cozy and small, Degustation will leave you feeling warm and satisfied.  239 East 5th St., 212,979.1012.  www.degustation-nyc.com

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Al Hirschfeld Exhibit at The Algonquin Hotel Through January 9

Algonquin HotelCurrently mounted in the recently renovated lobby of the historic Algonquin Hotel, Times Square is an exhibit you won’t want to miss. Closing on January 9 is a selection of Al Hirschfeld drawings honoring the renowned Algonquin “Round Table.” Titled the “Return of the Vicious Circle,” the exhibit is a collection of drawings of the members of the famed Algonquin Round Table and their friends. Twenty-five portraits adorn the walls in the lobby and dining area, reflecting more than fifty years of line-artist Hirschfeld’s career.  Some of the faces you’re sure to recognize are Dorothy Parker, the grand dame of the Round Table; Harpo Marx; Irving Berlin; James Thurber; and Helen Hayes.

Responsible for helping put The Algonquin on the map and securing its place as a historic and literary landmark, the Round Table – which later evolved into the Vicious Circle — was an eclectic group of New York City writers, critics, actors and pundits. The group, whose members varied over the years, met for lunch each day from 1919 until 1929, always at the Algonquin. Their witty conversations found their way into the newspaper columns of Round Table members, increasing the personal fame of its participants along with that of the hotel. If this pop-up exhibit looks familiar, it’s because you may have seen many of these drawings on the pages of the New Yorker magazine, a creation of Round Table member Harold Ross.

Included among the portraits on the wall are Al Hirschfeld’s celebrated group portrait of the Round Table, hanging directly above the historic Round Table itself, and a Hirschfeld self-portrait.

The Algonquin, Times Square, Autograph Collection, 59 West 44th Street. http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/nycak-the-algonquin-hotel-times-square-autograph-collection/

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Three Broadway Shows to See Before Mid-January

You’ve just missed your chance at seeing the last Broadway performances of Once, Side Show, Cinderella, Pippin, The Real Thing and This is Our Youth.

Before it’s too late, I suggest you buy your tickets for these shows which are scheduled to close (or move from their original home) mid-January:

It's Only a PlayIt’s Only a Play – An insider look at what happens on the opening night of a Broadway show, the title sums up how the characters are supposed to feel when the show doesn’t quite get the reviews hoped for. Now with Martin Short replacing Nathan Lane, Katie Finneran, F. Murray Abraham, and Stockard Channing, “It’s Only a Play” is a non-stop laughfest, poking fun at pretty much every major show on Broadway. It helps to see it with someone who is conversant with the current Broadway line-up, especially if you’re not a regular theater-goer. Now playing at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street), It’s Only a Play moves to the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 242 West 45th Street, starting January 23. Tickets: www.telecharge.com.

Rock of the AgesRock of Ages – Unbelievably, this long-lasting, feel-good rocker is about to have its farewell tour. Closing on January 18, the show will no longer bring you those familiar 80s faves like “Any Way You Want It,” “We Built This City,” “Wanted Dead or Alive,” and “Don’t Stop Believin.” Constantine Maroulis (sixth-place finalist from the fourth season of American Idol) leads the final line-up.  Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 West th Street.  Tickets: www.telecharge.com .

The story about Berry Gordy’s creation of the Motown sound, starting in 1959, is a bit too long, with too much crammed in, but it’s still a crowd pleaser. Starting January 18, Motown: the Musical is concentrating its focus on its tour companies. This is your last chance to relive those Detroit phenoms like the Supremes, the Jackson Five, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Smokey Robinson. The young Michael Jackson is a knockout. Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 205 West 46th Street.  Tickets: www.ticketmaster.com.

For more detailed information on these and other Broadway shows, a good source is Playbill,  www.playbill.com, where you can sign up for a newsletter of upcoming theater events.

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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New York City Fireworks for New Year’s Eve (not Times Square)

Times Square isn’t the only place to watch the fireworks on New Year’s Eve. If you’re in Brooklyn, you might want to head to Prospect Park. http://www.prospectpark.org/news-events/events/2014/12/31#new-years-eve-fireworks. Live entertainment, hot chocolate, and fireworks at Grand Army Plaza set the stage for a fun night, sponsored by the Prospect Park Alliance and Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams.

In Manhattan Cherry Hill in Central Park is the place to be…. without the crowds.  It’s a fun party, with music, cider toasts, fireworks and, of course, the annual Midnight Run. This year’s pre- and post-race festival takes place from 10pm until 1am with a dance party featuring a DJ and live performers at Central Park’s Naumburg Bandshell. Runners and spectators alike can take a stroll down NYRR’s special blue carpet and commemorate their experience at the end of the runway at the Resolution Photobooth. The pre- and post-race festival is free and open to the public, and all are welcome to view the fireworks display just south of the 72nd Street Transverse.

As 2014 comes to a close, thousands of New Yorkers and runners from across the country will dash into 2015 at the stroke of midnight at the 36th annual NYRR Midnight Run in Central Park on New Year’s Eve, sponsored by New York Road Runners, www.nyrr.org. American road-racing power couple Cole Atkins, the defending champion, and Esther Erb, the 2014 USA Marathon champion representing the local New York Athletic Club team, lead the pack of runners.  A new addition to this year’s race is the New Year’s Resolution Bib, a back bib for runners to write what they will be running for in 2015.

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Bryant Park’s Winter Village is a Christmas Market Winner in NYC

Bryant Park's Winter Village is a Christmas Market Winner in NYCSome of the merriest Christmas shopping options can be found at the various Christmas markets throughout the city. Modeled after Christmas markets that  are the rage throughout Europe, these markets bring people together to eat, drink gluhwein (hot spiced wine), and shop for local trinkets from now through the end of the year.

After returning from visiting the Christmas markets in five European cities, I was eager to check out the ones here. Of them, my favorite is the Winter Village at Bryant Park. It may not be as large as the one by Columbus Circle or the one at Union Square but it gets my vote for its variety of attractions.  When you’re tired of shopping, there are many eating outlets, a convenient restroom, and there’s an ice skating rink that’s FREE. (Take that, Rockefeller Center!).

Another plus: pretty much every form of transportation is nearby, from myriad subway lines to the bus down Fifth Avenue, and easy access to the trains from Grand Central Terminal.  Among my favorite shopping booths, there are the unusual ones like “Don’t Chew” for all forms of melt-in-your-mouth chocolates, things made out of coins, and Brazilian home décor.  You’ll also outfit yourself to the nines with everything warm with flannel pajamas, scarves, gloves, and hats galore.  I also love the fact that Sabon has a branch here so I can do some quick shopping without having to find a storefront, and that you can stare up at the Christmas tree with a backdrop of the skyscrapers on Sixth Avenue.

Bryant Park Winter villageFood choices are pretty varied with Waffles and Dinges for those craving a sweet fix, or grilled cheese, arepas, and ‘wichcraft sandwiches to keep you satisfied.  Although I didn’t find the alcoholic gluhwein that’s ubiquitous at European Christmas markets, there was a Bavarian stand with Sigmund’s Pretzels and another that sold a non-alcoholic version of hot wine and hot apple cider.

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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