Cupping Room Cafe

Okay...normally I wouldn't review two restaurants in a row, but last week I was so disappointed in my meal that I wanted to give a good restaurant review this week! This past weekend I had a great brunch at "Cupping Room" on W. Broadway and Broome Street. I was with a big party and we didn't even have to wait that long. The atmosphere is very cheery and comfortable. The only problem...which wasn't really a problem...was that the menu had SO many great selections that it was hard to decide. I ended up getting an omelette with cheddar and apples. It was awesome! The potatoes that came with it were great too....and the coffee....well it did the trick since I was very tired. The great thing about the menu is that there is a wide variety of choices for every type of eater...you could get salads, sandwiches, or breakfast food. And to top it all off I had a celebrity sitting at the table near me...Claire Danes! So overall it was a great experience...and I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting a wonderful dining experience. It's not too loud either, so it would be great for a date or even a family meal. Talk to you all next week!

Click here to visit The Cupping Room website

The Spotted Pig

I'm having a difference of opinion with New York Magazine this week. They just recently posted their "Best of New York Eating 2007" list, and I decided to check out one of the restaurants listed. Under the category of "Best Comfort Food" was a place I have heard about numerous times called "The Spotted Pig." People are always recommending this pub-style restaurant located in the West Village as a great location for a weekend meal. However...I found it less than "comforting." Maybe because I am from Georgia I have a different idea of what comfort is...but when I saw this category I assumed mac n' cheese, mashed potatoes n' gravy, chicken fingers...etc. No- it was nothing like this. I found it hard to even find something on the menu I would be willing to eat, and I'm usually not a picky eater. I went for brunch in the mood for an omelette or something...and instead found items like "soft baked Duck egg with pancetta and endive." Everything on the menu had layers upon layers of ingredients and toppings...the menu was overwhelming...and even the burger came with too much on it...I never thought I would crave McDonald's until that moment. I ended up getting the french toast, which while very good, was still upwards of $12, and this was one of the cheaper things on the menu. The atmosphere was enjoyable though, and it's always fun to go to the West Village...but if you want a good Sunday morning brunch...and you aren't willing to try some unusual meal where the problem starts with pronouncing its name...than I would save your money and stick to a diner. "Best Comfort Food"???? I think not...I'd get more comfort inside my tiny apartment!

Click HERE to check out the Spotted Pig's Website

Family Pictures

Family Pictures, the new exhibit at The Guggenheim is amazing to say the least. Their newest exhibit features contemporary photography and video of families and children. Some of the pictures are a little odd, but they are also very real. One of my favorite artists featured was Anna Gaskell, who did a series of pictures called "Wonder," which was based on Alice in Wonderland. Also Loretta Lux was another artist who captured my attention. She photographed children in the most innocent way. One of her pictures, "Study of a Boy," was stuck in my mind for days after I left. Not only are all the photos beautiful, but they also all tell a story. They are not necessarily attractive either, in fact some are extremely unattractive, but it is the aspect of truth in them that makes them so interesting.

It is not hard to love this exhibit, considering it is surrounded by crap. Maybe that is harsh, but the main exhibit being shown at The Guggenheim I could barely walk through. For some reason the Spanish Paintings of "El Greco to Picasso" were of no interest to me. I found them annoying and pointless. I think this is because all of them were very dark, not necessarily in content, but in color. So if you are going to The Guggenheim to see "Family Pictures," which I very much recommend...just know you will be paying to see only that. Of course other people might enjoy Spanish art, but I found it Muy Malo!

If you want a sneak preview before you decide to trek to 89th and 5th...check out "Family Pictures" online. I'm sure it will get you interested right away!

And keep checking back in....to see what I will review next. :)

A Wordless Experience

"All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone," is Explosion in the Sky's newest album, and I was fortunate to be one of the first listeners last night at The New York Society of Ethical Culture. The concert was amazing! The songs have no lyrics but they speak for themselves. The song titles are extremely powerful. "First Breath After a Coma," "Your Hand in Mine," and "So Long, Lonesome" are some of my favorites. Their songs range anywhere from 4 minutes to 14 minutes in length. And their concerts are an experience in itself. They play through allowing no time for applause, and they do not do an encore even though the audience is usually begging for one. It's an incredible show to go to because since they are not a widely known band, everyone at the concerts are usually very big fans. Everyone takes something different from the show. The music makes you think and it makes you really listen. Go buy their music if you don't alreayd have it. Every one of their cd's are equally amazing. Or at the very least, check out their website at explosionsinthesky.com. It will probably change the way you view music...I know it did for me!

*Emily*

Oh- and watch for my next post. I am going to be reviewing the new exhibit at The Guggenheim, "Family Pictures."

Explosions in an Ethical Society

Hey Everyone! I'm going to post this week by Wednesday. I'm actually checking out a band called Explosions in the Sky at The Society for Ethical Culture on Tuesday Night. They are a Texas instrumental group who just recently released their 6th CD. Their songs are usually somewhere around 13 minutes in length and they are playing at a converted church that was renovated in 2003. The seats are all pews, so it should be an interesting experience. I look forward to telling you guys what I think. Until then....

*emily*

Sleepwalking at MoMA

Wake up people! If you've been hitting your snooze alarm too much putting off going to see MoMA's new exhibit "SleepWalkers," then you are out of luck because it ended today. "SleepWalkers" is Doug Aitken's newest art work and it's pretty incredible. Since January 16th, from 5-10 p.m. there have been 5 short films being projected on and around the museum. The films follow 5 different characters lives after 9-11 from the time they wake up at NIGHT, and follow them on their journey in to the city. The characters are a bike messenger, an electrician, a postal worker, a businessman, and an office worker. The stories are told in broken narrative, which really does make it all the more interesting to watch. Because the films are being displayed all around the museum, the viewers have to circle the building in order to get the full experience. You can actually call a certain number on your cell phone and get commentary as you are observing the 5 films (I chose not to do this though). These characters are not perfect, they are not models, they are just people. This outdoor exhibit was a great way of paying tribute to "the city that never sleeps." This became truly apparent, especially when at 10 p.m. there were still crowds of people surrounding the museum trying to get one last look at Aitken's amazing art work. Even though these past few weeks have been absolutely freezing, it was worth being cold to see this radical and unique display of art, and I'm sure MoMA's business went up a notch because of it. Stay tuned for next week...because you never know what I might review next!

Click HERE to check out a preview of the exhibit!

Rewind and Review

Hi everyone! My name is Emily and this is my first blog...ever. I have decided to review the reviews of New York Magazine. I always look at their online site to find good restaurants, new museum exhibits, or weekend events. Every week i will be picking some various place that has been reviewed by New York Magazine, go visit it myself, and then review it in my blog. I'm open to any suggestions about places or things I should review, and of course any one is free to disagree or agree with anything I say. I haven't decided where I am going first, but it will be within the next week...so be on the look out. Talk to everyone soon!

*Emily*