Posts Tagged ‘Upper East Side’

Bye, Bye 2016: Let’s Toast with a Hangover Brunch at Little Frog

There’s a new culinary force on the Upper East Side and they’re hoping to make your New Year’s hangover a little sweeter.  Little Frog, the new Parisian bistro, is debuting their New Year’s Day Hangover Frogger Platter on Sunday. The platter is a work of art: Rosti Eggs Benedict, boudin sausage, grilled steak, breakfast sausage, Vermont bacon, truffle egg en cocotte, jalapeño grilled cheese sandwich, papas bravas – yes, that’s all on one platter! And it’s only $20.17. Happy New Year!  Add beer for some ‘hair of the dog’, and the price rises to a whopping $26.17. I know I’ll be there!

Photo by Marzi Daoust (Little Frog)

If a more moderate hangover remedy is in order, Chef Xavier Monge offers you his Frogger Burger, a creation honed after a decade at Minetta Tavern which, in my opinion, still has one of the best burgers in the city with their dry-aged beef Black Label Burger.

Photo by Marzi Daoust (Little Frog)

Stayed out too late saying good riddance to 2016? Don’t worry if you’re not up early. Brunch will be served from 11:30-3:30pm. Bring the kids, too. There’s a special menu for them plus an à la carte menu for you so you can sample some of the other bistro fare.

Photo by Marzi Daoust (Little Frog)

Little Frog Bistro & Bar, 322 East 86th Street, 347-537-5786, www.littlefrognyc.com.

Whitney Museum and Jeff Koons Exhibit to Close October 19 – See It Now!

Whitney Museum and Jeff Koons ExhibitArt lovers, this is the last weekend to visit our beloved Whitney in its current location on the Upper East Side.  The museum will close its doors on Sunday, October 19, reopening on an unspecified date in the spring in its new Meatpacking District address.  So…. This is a no-brainer.  Take advantage of the ease of visiting the museum at 75th Street and Madison Avenue while you can.

Whitney Museum and Jeff Koons Exhibit

Jeff Koons, Tulips, 1995–98. Oil on canvas

There you’ll see the final days of the Jeff Koons Retrospective that has been thrilling audiences for the past four months with installations on three floors.  Some of his creations look familiar: the giant dog, for instance, that graced Rockefeller Plaza or perhaps his inflatables that include basketballs suspended in space, or the display of Hoover vacuum cleaners as beautiful as they are functional.  Koons spins American culture on its head, noting our fascination with mundane objects and our glorification of them.  You’ll see familiar faces from Popeye and Olive Oyl to Michael Jackson and La Cicciolina along with playdoh and mirrors, all crafted with precision and beauty.

On the top floor and mezzanine sit the museum’s permanent collection, for now, with works by Edward Hopper, Andy Warhol, Alexander Calder, Mark Rothko and Jasper Johns among others.  These are the classics that we’ve come to know and love.

Don’t miss the chance to see all of these in their original home.  The line to get in here can be long at times, but it moves pretty quickly. Doors open at 11am.

Whitney Museum of American Art, 945 Madison Avenue, 212-570-3600, www.whitney.org.

Beer Festival Takes on NYC: August 23-29

One Mile Bar

One Mile House

From August 23 – 29, Third Rail Beer will be introducing their craft brews throughout the city in a brew-centric party. Beer lovers should not miss these events which not only give you great drinks but also take you to some of the city’s finest watering holes.  Third Rail Beer is a New York City-based craft brewery. http://www.thirdrailbeer.com/about-us.html

The itinerant schedule of events:

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23OFFICIAL THIRD RAIL BEER LAUNCH PARTY |  5pm on

One Mile House on the Lower East Side is the setting for Third Rail’s official launch party. Both Bodega American Pale Ale and Field 2 Farmhouse Ale will be tapped that evening. 10 Delancey Street (between Bowery & Chrystie Street).

The Pony Bar

The Pony Bar

MONDAY, AUGUST 25 | THE PONY BAR UES – 6pm

Move on up to the Upper East Side for day two of launch week at the Pony Bar. (1444 First Ave. at 75th Street).

TUESDAY, AUGUST 26 | THE JEFFREY NYC -  6pm

Third Rail’s Midtown launch takes place at one of the best beer curators in NYC, The Jeffrey (311 East 60th Street).

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27 | TOP HOPS BEER SHOP – 7pm

The launch takes on a different twist on its fourth day, as it meanders back to the Lower East Side.  Enjoy Third Rail Beer and melt bakery ice cream sandwich pairings at Ted Kenny’s Lower East Side beer palace beginning at 7pm. Top Hops is located at 94 Orchard Street.

Pacific Standard

THURSDAY, AUGUST 28 | PACIFIC STANDARD – 7pm

Third Rail Beer’s launch party ventures into Brooklyn at one of the County of Kings’ finest, Pacific Standard (82 Fourth Avenue), starting at 7pm.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 29 | JUDY & PUNCH – 7pm

The final event of Third Rail Beer’s aunch week takes to Queens to visit NYC’s newest beer bar, Astoria, Queens’ Judy & Punch (34-08 30th Avenue), also beginning at 7pm.

Valentine’s Day Dining Choices – Manhattan

Manhattan is teeming with great Valentine’s Day dining options.  My suggestion?  Grab a reservation, pick up some flowers, and consider a great card and small gift as well.  A perfect evening that’s priceless, although not without a price.

For the 14th of February, take a look at 14 of these delicious and varied choices:

Sfoglia — A restaurant that’s a tough reservation to score even on non-holiday evenings, Sfoglia sits across from the 92nd Street Y and offers a “cupid’s arrow” four-course prix fixe celebration for $95.  I love this restaurant on a cold night.  It’s cozy with its white curtains, homey with its convivial vibe, and always pleasing with wonderful cooking from Chef John Carr.  On Valentine’s Day evening they’re only serving couples, no matter whether you’re sitting at a two-top or at the communal table, so you might actually have a better chance at scoring a table.  Both restaurant favorites and specials are on the menu with the likes of Maine uni with brown bread and house-made butter, buckwheat crespelle with celery root cream and caviar, and spaghetti and ruby red shrimp with Meyer lemon.

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Halloween Happenings in Manhattan

No matter what the weather brings, the Halloween season leaves NYC with nothing short of an endless list of spooks and spectaculars.  Whether you’re looking for a taste of artistic and ghoulish creativity, a good old-fashioned scare, or another reason to dress up your pooch in a costume, you have lots and lots of choices.  Also, check out the Botanical Gardens and the Zoo for other special offerings.  Be sure to keep tabs on the parade to see whether Sandy has caused any delays or disruptions.
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