The Globalista Travel Journal » restaurant

Weekend travel press digest (5-6 June, 2010)

Globalista — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 10:38:27 +0000

Food, glorious food, is in abundance this week – the perfect elevenses in New York, ethnic cuisine in Washington, Raymond Blanc’s restaurants of choice and the Lazio region of Italy steps out of Tuscany’s shadow. For city lovers there’s Stockholm and Sarajevo, the best iPhone apps for New York and where to bathe in Aleppo. For something a little further afield The Independent explores Bahia in Brazil and The Guardian goes rural in Morocco. This week’s categories are City, Escape, Culture and Food.

CITY

“With its many riches (cultural, culinary, historical), New York is not the easiest city to navigate.” The New York Times shows you how to Tour New York City Like a Local with the top iPhone apps.
“I never thought I’d end up saying this: Brussels is cooler than Paris. Not that, as a middle-aged fogey, I have a clue about what is cool and uncool. But the teenagers who reside under our roof – a 15-year-old daughter going on 25, and a 17-year-old style-guru son – tell me so.” Mark Skipworth reveals the highlights of Brussels in The Telegraph’s Brussels versus Paris? No contest.
“Days are long and love is in the air in the self-styled capital of Scandinavia. Tomorrow, Sweden’s National Day, marks the start of a fortnight of Love Stockholm celebrations. Events build up to 19 June – the royal marriage of Crown Princess Victoria and the personal trainer, Daniel Westling.” In The Independent Sophie Lam brings us the best of 48 Hours In: Stockholm.
In The Guardian Sophie Cooke takes A new look at Bosnia Herzegovina in the city of Sarajevo and beyond. “The entire city, despite its battle scars, has a uniquely laid-back attitude to life, a love of food and friendship, a preference for music over materialism.”
In The Guardian Kevin Rushby reveals Why Syria scrubs up so well as he seeks out the best hammam baths in Aleppo. “I lie in a booth, empty-headed, skinless and blissful….I dress and leave, walking at the speed of a zombie on tranquilisers.”

ESCAPE

Sophie Lam gets a taste of the unique culture of Salvador, Brazil. From the Candomblé ceremonies to the art of capoeira, with some of Bahia’s famous coastline thrown in, this is Sun, saints and spirits in Bahia in The Independent.
Nicholas Roe discovers The forgotten islands off Sweden’s coast. “My cruise was a test-run for a new two-day boating experience that will operate this summer and may herald something even more interesting. Jump on, pootle a few miles, see somewhere you like, jump off, stay a couple of days, then climb back on board when the service next happens by.”
In The Guardian Paul Sullivan discovers three rural retreats Far from the medina crowd in Marrakech: Beldi Country Club, La Pause and Bab Ourika, which is perched above the exquisite Ourika valley and is the newest addition to Marrakech’s eco-scene.
In The New York Times Sara Dickerman is on British Columbia’s New Vine Trail. “Some of the breathlessness about British Columbian wine comes from the glory of the valley landscape, which marries broad-shouldered mountains, chalky cliffs and rock escarpments with the green corduroy regularity of the vineyards. It’s the kind of environment that affects your taste buds.”

CULTURE

In The FT Patti Waldmeir reveals How to make the most of the Expo which has just opened in Shanghai. From Madrid’s “bamboo house” to Hamburg “passive house” to the UK pavilion: “it may look a bit like an upended toilet brush, but at night, with all its 60,000 transparent rods lit up and waving, it is pure magic.”
“As well as giving new impetus to the already buzzing restaurant, shopping and nightlife scene, the coming of the Expo has prompted a raft of gallery openings.” In The FT Claire Wrathall reveals the best of Shanghai’s galleries, shops and secret bars.
In The Telegraph Susan Marling reviews Rome’s MAXXI gallery of modern art. “The opening of this, Italy’s first national museum of “contemporary creativity” (art and architecture) last weekend, brought out what looked like every camera crew in Europe and a few besides. It was an EVENT. Grandissimo.”

FOOD

“I have always said that food is the best healer. So when I smashed my leg in five places by falling down my stairs in March, I knew that I needed to find an hotel with a great restaurant where I could convalesce.” The Times discloses Where Raymond Blanc eats on holiday.
“In Rome, the capital of Lazio, a number of new restaurants and shops are dedicated to regional food and wine…the emphasis is decidedly on local ingredients from the Lazio region — one long overshadowed by its Tuscan neighbor to the north.” In The New York Times Katie Parla is In Rome, Really Local Food.
In The New York Times Sarah Wildman reveals that Four Restaurants Enliven Washington. “These new entrants borrow from the rigorous authenticity of the nearby suburban immigrant communities — Korean, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Burmese, Salvadoran, Cantonese and Thai.”
In The Guardian Geoff Dyer confesses to My obsession with a New York cup of coffee and a doughnut…”nothing was more urgent than the need to find a local cafe I could go to every day for my elevenses.” Dyer reveals the trials he undertook to find his perfect elevenses, which became tenses, then nineses…

Weekend travel press digest (7-8 May 2010)

jane — Mon, 10 May 2010 14:57:39 +0000

The discovery of hidden gems is a common theme that emerges from this weekend’s press. From the magical, shifting sands of Aswan in Egypt to the vanishing El Cabanyal quarter in Valencia, and as far off the beaten-track as the Amazon’s Orinoco Delta, there are many treats in store. One the most iconic cities of all time, Casablanca, gets a reappraisal in two articles – one seeking to redress its unpopular image, and the other showcasing its upcoming arts scene. Sailing in France, going wild in New England, and exercising your way to a facelift in Turkey are a few other highlights. This week’s categories are City, Escape, Outdoor/Adventure and Family.

CITY

“All regions of Morocco are represented in Casa. You can find people from the farthest reaches of the Sahara, from the Mediterranean coast, and from the High Atlas mountains. And where you find them, you find their cuisine and their customs. At the same time, there’s an intoxicating oddness about the city, fragments of life that many Casablancans hardly know exist.” Tahir Shah explains why he loves Casablanca in Of all the medinas … insider’s guide to Casablanca.
“While the Danish cuisine reflected in the capital’s restaurants 20 years ago could be labelled traditional at best and bland at worst, the ugly duckling has turned into a beautiful meaty swan.” Lars Eriksen shares his Top 10 guide to eating in Copenhagen.
“The future of El Cabanyal looks uncertain, but while it’s still standing, visitors have a last chance to explore this unpolished gem on the Mediterranean before it is destroyed for ever.” Jason Webster enourages us to Head for Valencia fishermen’s quarter – before the bulldozers get there …
In Now, Cultural Casablanca, The New York Times’ Marisa Mazria-Katz writes about the unique and chaotic contemporary arts scene flourishing in Casablanca.

ESCAPE

Anthony Peregrine of The Times learns to relax on an Ultimate chill-out on a posh barge in France – “I asked for a beer and settled back to the canal’s true pace — one that the rest of the world lost to steam trains, and I’d not experienced since my days in a pram.”
The Guardian’s Liz Boulter learns how to look Ten years younger in Turkey – “No Botox or face-lifts. No salon facials or £90-a-jar creams. All I need to do to look better and younger is spend 10 minutes every morning and evening doing the Les Dawson jaw thrust and the airy-fairy face tap…”
Anthony Sattin tells of his Adventures in Aswan. “Crossing back over the Nile from the ruins of Yebu to the centre of Aswan, from a world of rising rivers and animal gods to the rush of traffic and the call to prayer, requires another sort of transformation.”
The Independent’s Susan Griffith spends 48 Hours In: Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, for a month full of colourful festivals and parades.
Claire Wrathall discovers The striking mix of cultures of St Lucia – “Christopher Columbus may have claimed St Lucia for Spain when he happened on it in 1502 but the Spanish never settled here. And it’s not as if there’s a shortage of existing cultural influences to find inspiration in: Amerindian, African, French, British and even Indian…”
Maura J. Casey highlights “a handful of hotels that not only offer proximity to old ruins or historical excavations but also own them.” Here are her pick of Splendid Ruins: Hotels Built on History in The New York Times.

OUTDOOR/ADVENTURE

In The Telegraph Gabriella Le Breton tries her hand at archery, gourmet game cooking and orienteering in the wilds Vermont. “”This place is great,” says Nancy Crane, here with her mother and sister. “I now know how to render my soon-to-be ex-husband unconscious, chop him up with a chainsaw and kayak out to the middle of a lake to dump his remains.” This is New England: Girls go wild in Vermont
In The FT Benedict Mander discovers Orinoco Delta’s wildlife and water people: “There were sightings of river dolphins and capuchin monkeys. And the range of birdlife was stunning – swarms of scarlet ibises, squawking guacharacas, toucans peering down from stately ceiba trees, kingfishers flitting across waterways and guacamayas floating grandly by overhead.”

FAMILY

Mishal Husain enjoys a trip down memory lane as she makes a A return to the Emirates, journeying back to her childhood holiday spots with her own children in tow.
“Is it possible to walk in the Rockies without providing grizzlies with child-size snacks?” The Guardian’s Kevin Rushby writes about taking his family for a hike in Bear with me: trekking in the Canadian Rockies.

Weekend travel press digest (24-25 April 2010)

Globalista — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:18:00 +0000

There’s some new discoveries to be made this week: From the cities of Kyoto, Wroclaw and Damascus to the mountains of Cévennes, Umbria and Ladakh. We’ve also got Great Wall walkers, Tunisia by train and crewing in the Caribbean. And for those of you who’d like to fry fish and negotiate Class 4 rapids simultaneously there’s a combined whitewater rafting and cookery course in America. Nothing is impossible. This weeks categories are City, Escape, Outdoor/Adventure and Food.

CITY

“Even if modern concrete now covers more of this fertile plain, there was a hint of paradise in the scent of jasmine and citrus flower that filled the streets during my recent long weekend in this evocative city.” Mark Archers discovers Damascus in The FT.
“This city of eccentricities and contradictions has yet to make a name for itself on the European travel circuit. But that may be changing…Wroclaw has become one of Eastern Europe’s emerging hot spots, primed for cafe culture and a vibrant night-life scene.” In The NY Times Charly Wilder reveals thatWroclaw, Poland Has Its Sights on Tourism.
“Kyoto the former imperial capital of Japan, is a vibrant mash-up, an ancient city electrified by the breathtakingly new. Cruise the futuristic food halls of a department store, before zipping up to the traditional floor, with its kimonos and tea ceremony implements.” Jaime Gross in the New York Times offers us the highlights of 36 Hours in Kyoto, Japan.
Susan Griffith gives us the best of 48 Hours In: San Francisco in The Independent. “In spring, San Francisco resembles an urban Garden of Eden: the southern magnolia, flowering cherry and a thousand others are in full flower.”

ESCAPE

In The Independent Andrew Eames is on A whistle-stop tour of Tunisia from Tunis to Tozeur by train. “…railways allow you to read, meet people, sleep, and be otherwise entertained, and they trundle their way across the land along uncluttered routes, so that you can easily find yourself gazing into a goat-herder’s shelter one minute and passing through strobing rows of olive trees the next.”
In The Guardian Lucy Wadham reveals Hidden France: the Cévennes mountains. “I found myself once again in the most beautiful landscape I had ever seen, one peopled with individuals who gave the impression that they felt lucky to be alive, today, and in this particular part of the world.”
In The Times Ian Belcher indulges in Luxury in spiritual Ladakh, India. “Ladakh, part of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of India, is part lunar landscape, part savagely beautiful postcard…I sit gazing across wheat fields and sunflowers to 6,153m-high Stok Kangri and enjoy the most scenic Scrabble game of my life.”
In The Guardian Fran Sandham gets stuck on Namibia’s Skeleton Coast. “If you are going to get stuck somewhere, Swakopmund is a very nice place for it to happen…rather than a wild, remote, frontier town, it feels more like a rather genteel European seaside resort.”
“A yacht sails into a Caribbean bay and drops anchor. A man and woman appear on deck, dive into the sea and swim towards the white sand shore. It is the sort of ostentatious display of wealth and luxury that one might see in the pages of Hello! Except that, in this case, the woman in question is me, I am there entirely gratis and the water, I can assure you, is delicious.” In The Times Catherine Nixey is Crewing the Caribbean on the cheap.

OUTDOOR/ADVENTURE

“Think of holidays in the Dordogne and you usually think of lazy picnics by the river, leisurely chateau visits, and indulgent foodie breaks…But up the winding river from these famous tourist spots lies the lesser-known, more rugged upper Dordogne…which is instead becoming a magnet for adrenaline junkies.” In The Guardian Joanna Walters gives us The Dordogne, but not as you know it.
Edward Bishop and friends get a taste of Umbria’s wilder side. “The plan was to reach the Lago di Pilato at a little over 6,000ft, camp the night there, stroll up Monte Vettore the next day and then around the Piano Grande for a final night in the hills before returning to Norcia. But the wind was making things hard.”
In The FT Peter Shadbolt Walks on the Great Wall. “We are to attempt the High Tower, having our lunch atop a Ming dynasty watchtower on a remote section of the Great Wall in Yanqing County…The entire walk is 14km and will take us along the 400-year-old ribbon of wall that once made up the defences north-west of Beijing.”

FOOD

“With its graffiti-covered facade and tiny lettering on an ugly security door, it’s easy to miss. But that would be a shame, given what awaits inside.” Michael T. Luongo reviews Tegui in Buenos Aires for The New York Times.
Bonnie Tsui discovers a new kind of holiday In the Wild, With Tent and Tablecloth on a ROW Adventures’ Culinary Whitewater Series – “a kind of “cooking school goes wild” for those with interests both active and gourmet.” In between rafting the rapids of Idaho or Oregon, discover how to cook wild salmon and Pacific oysters.
In The Guardian François Simon reveals his favourite restaurant in France. “Basically, La Beaugravière is one of those restaurants that I like – a bit of a pirate, sailing a lone course, full of chaos, passion and laughter.” Be sure to try Eating out in France: the basics of great food

Nathalie Hambro’s postcard from… Venice

jane — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 10:00:50 +0000

Owned by Count Brandino Brandolini d’Adda, Naranzaria restaurant and wine bar, on the Grand Canal in Venice, is utterly sublime. The restaurant’s Japanese-Brazilian chef Akira makes the most of being located near to the fish market and has created a simple menu built around fish dishes, sushi, sashimi and seaweed salads. The pancakes filled with gorgonzola and rustic bean dishes simply dressed with local olive oil are particularly delicious.

As expected from someone who owns his own vineyard, Brandolini’s wine selection is also excellent. Try the Rosé Merlot, Brut Pétillant, from his own nearby vineyard in Vistorta, Veneta and end the meal by dunking S-shaped Essi biscuits from nearby Burano Island into a glass of sweet Tokay Asu wine. Open from breakfast and serving food all through the day (except Mondays), by 11pm the tiny bar and upstairs floor are the meeting place for the Venetian ‘jeunesse dorée’.

San Polo 130, 30125 Venezia; + 39 0 41 724 10 35; www.naranzaria.it
FYI: Contessa Brandolini d’Adda sells her Murano glassware from her palazzo on the Grand Canal. Worth checking out. Contact Laguna B: +39 0 41 523 30 35; lagunabb@tin.it

New York Cultural Weekend 15.01.10

jane — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:32:36 +0000

Lots going on this weekend with great exhibitions on Bauhaus and Velazquez at the Met and MoMA. If you like a little audience participation in your theatre-going, head to Broadway to see the recently transferred Fela! which has had rave reviews from the New York Times, amongst others, and for those who want to get out of Manhattan, consider going to Brooklyn – Monday sees the largest Martin Luther King Day celebration in New York at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and later in the week see Charlotte Gainsbourg singing at The Bell House.

QUICK LINKS: Brooklyn Academy of Music • Fela! • The Pride • The Met • MoMA • Cheim + Read • má pêche • Charlotte Gainsbourg

THEATRE

Fela! @ Eugene O’Neill Theatre

230 W 49th St,10019

Having made the move to the Eugene O’Neill theatre after a very successful run off-Broadway, the story of one of Africa’s most prolific musicians and activists brings the rhythms of Afrobeat to a wider audience. Audience participation (in the form of singing along) is encouraged and the theatre has been turned into a recreation of ‘The Shrine’ (Fela’s nightclub in Lagos). Whilst the play also explores the darker side of Fela’s political and personal journey, the overall experience should make for an exhilarating night. more

The Pride @ Lucille Lortel Theatre

121 Christopher St, 10014; +1 212 727 7722

British actors Hugh Dancy and Ben Whishaw are the stars of this off-broadway play which opens on 27 Jan. Directed by Joe Mantello, this examination of changing attitudes towards sexuality centres around a complex love triangle, tracing the story of the characters’ affairs from 1958 to the present time. Playwright Alexei Kaye Campbell won last year’s Whiting Award for the play. Book now

FESTIVAL

Martin Luther King Day celebration @ Brooklyn Academy of Music

Howard Gilman Opera House, 10.30am; 30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn

On Jan 18th Martin Luther King Day celebrations will be taking place all over the country, but the BAM plays host to New York’s largest public celebration. Danny Glover, actor and also a UNICEF Ambassador will be giving the keynote speech and there will be musical performances from The New Life Tabernacle Mass Choir and Kenny Muhammad “The Human Orchestra”. more

New York Restaurant week @ various locations

Jan 25 to Feb 7

260 restaurants will be taking in part in the 19th biannual restaurant week, which will see restaurants offering meals at 2006 prices – $24.07 for three-course prix-fixe lunches and $35 for three-course prix-fixe dinners. New restaurants The Breslin and SD26 are amongst those participating. The offer excludes Saturdays (participating restaurants will have the option to offer the program on Sundays). more

ART

Velazquez Rediscovered @ The Metropolitan Museum

Runs til Feb 7; 1000 Fifth Avenue, 10028

Inspired by the restoration and rediscovery of a work by Velázquez that had been previously attributed to his workshop, this exhibition shows the painting in question, Portrait of a Man, alongside the Met’s collection of other paintings by the Renaissance artist. more

Bauhaus 1919 – 1933 @ MoMA

Runs til Jan 25th; 11 West 53 Street, 10019; +1 212 708 9400

Marking MoMA’s first major exhibition on Bauhaus since 1938, this is the penultimate weekend to see over 400 works from the influential school. Focussing on the broad output of the avant-garde movement, the exhibition features art, architecture, graphics, design, sculpture and more. Big names such as Kandinsky and Breuer are on show but there are contributions from lesser-known figures. Get in before the last-minute crowds. more

Diane Arbus: In The Absence of Others @ Cheim + Read

Runs til Feb 13th; 547 West 25th Street, 10001; +1 212 242 7727

Best known for her portraits of New Yorkers during the 1970s, particularly in choosing subjects from the fringes of New York society, this new exhibition presents a different side. The gallery will be presenting a group of rarely-seen photographs from the 1960s; this time the subject matter is less personal, though no less emotive – featuring empty interiors and artificial landscapes, the photographs nonetheless manage to convey the same sense of intimacy that is encountered when viewing her more familiar street portraits. more

MUSIC

Charlotte Gainsbourg @ The Bell House

19th and 20th Jan; 149 7th Street, Brooklyn, 11215, +1 718 643 6510

Catch the french songstress and actress making a rare Stateside performance at The Bell House. For two nights she’ll be playing songs from her debut album, 5:55. Advance tickets are sold out, so get down early to buy tickets on the door. more

FOOD

má pêche @ Chambers Hotel

15 West 56th Street; +1 212 974 5656

The first midtown outpost of David Chang’s Momofuku empire, this time with a French-Vietnamese cast, has been so highly anticipated that Chang placed it in a culinary form of out of town tryout. If you’re staying in the Chambers Hotel, where the restaurant is located, you can order his version of the Vietnamese sandwiches banh mi, rice noodles with pork sausage and shallots or any of the other dishes in the abbreviated menu. Otherwise, if you can find a space in the lobby, they’ll serve you there. more

Globalista reviews… André at Opia Bar & Lounge, New York

jane — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 09:35:50 +0000

Unfortunately, André at Opia, in the Renaissance Hotel, does not live up to expectations set by the group behind it. Launched by Frederick Lesort and Antoine Bleck of Frederick’s and Jour et Nuit, with chef Ted Pryor of La Goulue and Les Halles, it’s all dressed up…with nothing to show.

Located in a tiny room set off from the sexy Opia Bar & Lounge, André is meant to offer a high end French dining experience but moving from the bar to the table is highly anti-climatic. Where is everyone? The décor, while attempting sophistication, is little more than a Ramada Inn with an upgrade from red vinyl to red velvet, and, in contrast to the group’s previous restaurants, the place is devoid of any atmosphere (maybe the succinct, well chosen wine list will help with this?).

Offering an enticing mix of French classics and American dishes, André ’s menu ignites optimism. For dinner there’s terrine de fois gras and fillet au poivre, as well as more contemporary dishes like roasted chicken breast with quinoa grains and whole fish a la plancha. The expanded daytime menu offers bistro favourites like grilled ahi tuna salad nicoise, moules merniere, and more American dishes like a burger and cobb salad. However, the only truly French aspects are the tasty rich sauces such as L’Ile Flottante, which is a must, and the excellent service.

While this may not be authentic French dining with exceptional food, if you can ignore the décor, and the occasional Hawaiian-shirted patron, it’s a good mid-town alternative for a business lunch. As long as the client isn’t too important…

André at Opia
The Renaissance Hotel
130 East 57th and Lexington Street
tel + 001 212 688 3939
www.opiarestaurant.com

New York Cultural Weekend 07.08.2009

jane — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:31:14 +0000

It might feel a little like the most interesting things on have decamped to outside of the city but if you’re in town, there’s still lots to entertain – try the James Ensor Retrospective at MoMA, or the ball game at Yankee Stadium. Foodies should check out the new Aureole before its official opening – New York fine dining at its best.

QUICK LINKS : Lincoln Center • Iridium • MoMA • Japan Society • Hong Kong Boat Festival • Aureole • Richard Avedon • Yankee Stadium

MUSIC

Mostly Mozart and Lincoln Center Out of Doors @ Avery Fisher Hall

Columbus Avenue at 65th Street, 212 721 6500; Damrosch Park, 62nd Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues

There’s a lot of activity at Lincoln Center this weekend both indoors and out. Inside Avery Fisher Hall, the month long Mostly Mozart Festival features Haydn and Brahms both nights as performed by the Festival Orchestra plus guest soloist Viennese pianist Stefan Vladar. Outside, the first weekend of Lincoln Center Out of Doors kicks off on Friday night with a free concert by jazz-inflected singer songwriter Raul Midon in the Damrosch Park Bandshell. more

Freda Sings Ella @ Iridium

1650 Broadway at 51st Street, +1 212 582 2121

Although she’s best known for the 70’s hit ”Band of Gold,” Freda Payne started out as a singer with music maestro Quincy Jones’ big band and has spent the last few years headlining in cabarets and on Broadway. This weekend, she performs in this popular jazz club singing the songs of one of the greatest, Ella Fitzgerald. more

ART

James Ensor Retrospective @ Museum of Modern Art

11 East 53rd Street, +1 212 708 9400

This Belgian avant garde painter of the late 19th and early 20th century, known for angry, surreal, swirling color paintings has been acknowledged as an influence on a range of artists from Twombley to Miro. This show traces his development from an early restrained style to the later, much more outrageous one. You’ll probably spend more time in the outrageous half. more

Buriki: Japanese Tin Toys from the Golden Age of the American Automobile @ Japan Society

333 East 47th Street, +1 212 832 1155

The setting itself is serene, complete with a waterfall and bamboo garden and this whimsical collection, perfect for a summer weekend. On display is a private collection from a Tokyo collector of intricate, handpainted tin toys, a specialty of Japan starting in the 20’s and 30’s. But these toys are later, detailed miniatures of the great American cars of the 50’s and 60’s, when cars were really cars and copied down to the door handles in Japan. more

FESTIVAL

Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival @ Flushing Meadows Park, Queens

+ 1 718 767 1776

New York’s sizeable Asian community is on display Saturday and Sunday in Queens when the annual festival pits 145 teams of elaborately crafted boats, complete with rowers and drummers, against each other in dramatic races. But that’s only part of it — there are concerts, dancers, warrior monks performing martial arts and, naturally, stand after stand of culinary specialties. more

FOOD

Aureole @ One Bryant Park

+ 1 212 319 1660

Its former townhouse in the East 60’s was charming but Aureole was looking to re-energize when it moved locations to a large airy space designed by Adam Tihany in midtown’s Bryant Park, and drafted critically praised chef Christopher Lee, formerly of Gilt. It’s doing a long, slow rollout before the official opening in September but dishes such as artichoke ravioli with Louisiana crayfish and black olive oil and olive oil poached Alaskan king salmon with pomegranate vinaigrette are already selling the room out. more

The Mott @ 173 Mott Street

+1 212 966 9293

This downtown spot operated by veterans of Bouley, Picholine and Town was the subject of revolving door gossip before it opened in July but it doesn’t seem to have suffered from the drama. The pared down menu—sea scallops with cherry tomatoes and basil, feathery gnocchi with artichokes and pine nuts, berry shortcake—is the way people want to eat now and the place is always packed.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Avedon Fashion: 1944-2000 @ International Center of Photography

1133 Sixth Avenue, +1 212 857 9700

In the classic Audrey Hepburn/Fred Astaire film “Funny Face,” the fashion photographer played by Astaire was based on Richard Avedon, who revolutionized fashion photography by making it both artistic and modern, and thereafter dominated the pages of Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue. This exhibition featuring 200 of his photos from magazine layouts to contact sheets is the most comprehensive retrospective of Avedon’s work to date and was so popular that the ICP extended it. more

SPORTS

New York Yankees/Boston Red Sox @ Yankee Stadium

1161st and River Avenue, Bronx, 718 293 6000 or if sold out, stubhub

Ali/Frazier, Borg/McEnroe…among the great rivalries in sports, few can match the intensity of these American League East baseball opponents or of their raucous fans. Even if you’re not a zealous fan of either team, it’s worth coming out to the Yankees’ new stadium to watch the battle because of the electricity in the air as they fight each other for the top spot in the division. more

London Cultural Weekend 24.07.2009

jane — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:00:03 +0000

Its an eclectic bag on offer this weekend; Gilbert & George take over both White Cubes, and it’s your last chance to catch up with the Tate’s Turner/Rothko exhibition. Discuss Hanif Kureishi’s new play over dinner at the latest Conran venture and make sure you book ahead for one of the hottest upcoming plays this autumn – find out which after the jump.

WHAT’S ON :
Gilbert & George• Tate Britain • Chelsea Physic Garden • National Theatre • Theatre Royal•British Library• The RSA • Lutyens

ART

Gilbert & George: Jack Freak Pictures@ White Cube

48 Hoxton Square, N1 6PB, and 25-26 Mason’s Yard, SW1Y 6BU, +44 (0)20 7930 5373

Gilbert and George’s latest (and largest to date) work has taken over both White Cube galleries this summer. With the aid of computers, the eccentric British duo have taken their technique of photomontage and collage to extremes. Each canvas is a complex kaleidoscope of overlaid images – the Union Jack, street signs, maps, buildings and the duo themselves, all feature heavily; the effect being described by one critic as ‘visually violent’.more

Turner/Rothko@ Tate Britain

Millbank, SW1P 4RG; +44 (0)20 7887 8888

The influence of the British artist JMW Turner on the abstract painter Mark Rothko is to be examined at Tate Britain in a show that puts the work of both on display together for the very first time. This is the last weekend before the exhibition closes. more

THE HIDDEN GEM

The Chelsea Physic Garden @ 66 Royal Hospital Road, SW3 4HS

+44 (0)20 7352 5646

An oasis of calm and serenity in the heart of London, The Chelsea Physic Garden was founded in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries. The location was picked for its proximity to the river which creates a warm microclimate and allows the survival of many non native plants. During July and August, the gardens will be open until 10.30pm every Wednesday night, allowing guests to wander through London’s oldest botanical garden with a glass of wine. There is also a different Darwin themed lecture every Wednesday from 6.45 – 8pm. Tickets are £15.more

THEATRE

The Black Album @ National Theatre, Cottlesloe

South Bank, SE1 9PX, +44 (0)20 7452 3000

Just opened at the National Theatre, the stage adaptation of Hanif Kureishi’s 1995 book charts the struggles of Shahid a Kent-born Pakistani, torn between the liberal, Western values of his fellow undergrads and that of his devout Muslim heritage. Written pre-7/7, it provides an insightful and witty take on questions about national identity and modern day Britain. Book now

BUY IT NOW

Breakfast at Tiffany’s @ The Theatre Royal

Theatre Royal Haymarket, SW1Y 4HT; 0845 481 1870

This stage production of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, based on the hugely popular novella and film, promises to be a deeply glamorous affair. British actress Anna Friel reprises the role of Holly Golightly, whilst Joseph Cross (Milk) and James Dreyfuss (Gimme Gimme Gimme) are also in lead roles. Directed by Sean Mathias who also directed the well-received Waiting for Godot, this one is sure to sell out. Get a ticket whilst you still can. Sept 9th – Jan 9th. Book now

TALKS

Not strictly this weekend but upcoming so note these in your diaries. For more info on London’s intellectual life, go to our Summer Talks listing.

‘On Tour with the Queen’ @ RSA

Monday 27 July, 6.30pm

8 John Adam Street, WC2N 6EZ

On 1953 the Queen set off on a 6-month world tour. This was a royal charm offensive to persuade countries seeking their independence from the Empire that Britain was worth staying attached to, in the form of the Commonwealth. Over half a century later, actor and playwright Kwame Kewi-Armah retraces her journey. more

The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn with Alison Weir @ The British Library

Tuesday 28 July, 6.30pm

96 Euston Road, NW1 2DB

Alison Weir’s forthcoming book ‘The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn’ is a detailed account of the controversial imprisonment and execution of Anne Boleyn. With a Q&A session chaired by a historian (tbc) and Tracy Borman, author of ‘Henrietta Howard: King’s Mistress, Queen’s Servant’ and a forthcoming biography of Elizabeth I. more

FOOD

Lutyens @ 85 Fleet Street, EC4Y 1AE

+44 (0)207 7583 8385

Following the opening earlier this year of Boundary in Shoreditch, Lutyens is the latest culinary venture in Sir Terence Conran’s renewed empire. The French brasserie, housed in the former Reuters building (and so named after its venerable architect) has the look and feel we’ve come to expect from a Conran establishment – large windows, understated tones (pale green, light wood, art-deco inspirted), stylish decor – whilst the Fleet Street location ensures a steady whir of bankers, lawyers and journalists make up the clientele. Head chef is David Burke, whose Irish heritage is evident, with crubeens and champ on the menu, but with a crustacean and sushi bar the emphasis is on fresh, simply prepared seafood. more

New York Cultural Weekend 17.07.09

jane — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:20:24 +0000

It’s a great weekend for music lovers in New York this weekend; choose from Paul McCartney, a sure to be star-studded Mandela Day, or open concerts in Central Park. If comedy’s more your thing, Amy Poehler and the gang from SNL are performing improv all weekend. Laurie Werner, our US Editorial Director has the low-down on what to do if you’re in New York this weekend.

QUICK LINKS: New York Philharmonic• City Field • Radio City Music Hall • Joyce Theatre • New Museum • The Met• SNL improv• Sho Shaun Hergatt

MUSIC

Concerts in the Park @ Central Park

Central Park West at 81st or 86th Streets

Perhaps because it rained torrentially all through June, New Yorkers are taking every opportunity to spend an evening outdoors. This Friday, they have a particularly special reason to do it. The New York Philharmonic, which traditionally performs free concerts rotating between the parks in the five boroughs every summer, settles into Central Park for the second time this week. Expect a huge crowd with alfresco banquets spread out on the Great Lawn and a program including Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 and Copland’s “Old American Songs” with baritone Nathan Gunn. 8 PM, enter from Central Park West at 81st or 86th Streets, or Fifth Avenue at 79th Street or 85th Streets. more

Paul McCartney@ Citi Field

Roosevelt Ave. at 126th St., Queens, + 1 718-507 6387

Hard to believe but 44 years ago, McCartney and his former bandmates performed the first concert at Shea Stadium, the recently-built former home of the Mets baseball team. Obviously, he’s nostalgic or loyal because his concerts on Friday and Saturday are the first ones to be performed at the Mets’ new home, Citi Field. In the past, he’s done tributes to George Harrison and John Lennon in concert; it’s likely that he’ll do something this time in tribute to Michael Jackson, even with their rift over Jackson’s purchase of the Beatles’ song catalogue, after McCartney suggested that buying publishing rights was a good investment. more

Mandela Day Concert, Saturday 8 PM@ Radio City Music Hall

1260 Avenue of the Americas, +1 212 247 4777

Paul McCartney may be sorry to go up against this lineup: in honor of Nelson Mandela’s 91st birthday, a pop world/Hollywood Who’s Who is gathering to pay tribute. Among the stars: Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Cyndi Lauper, Alicia Keys, Susan Sarandon, Sharon Stone and in a rare U.S. concert appearance, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy who might bring her husband along. more

DANCE

Redline @ The Joyce Theatre

175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street, + 1 212 691 9740

The acrobatic, immensely theatrical Pilobolus Dance Theater settles into Chelsea’s Joyce Theater this week for its annual four week summer season. This weekend, the dance on display is “Redline,” a particularly athletic one that explores the intense choreography but futility of physical battle. Friday and Saturday 8 PM. more

ART

Intersections Intersected: The Photography of David Goldblatt @ The New Museum of Contemporary Art

235 Bowery near Prince Street, + 1 212 219 1222

Goldblatt, the son of Jewish Lithuanian immigrants who moved to South Africa, has been photographing that country’s seismically shifting society for the last 50 years; this powerful exhibit of those photographs opened this week. In contrast to the black and white shots of the country’s white and black populations during apartheid are color photographs of social scenes in recent years, tracking progress but continuing problems. more

Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul @ Metropolitan Museum of Art

1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street, + 1 212 535 7710

Collected with the aid of the National Geographic Society and a consortium of museums, this rich, diverse exhibition showcases Afghanistan’s position as a crossroads of trade routes and conquering civilizations. Gold vessels from the Bronze Age, turquoise inlaid gold jewelry from 1st century tombs, architectural elements and sculpted plaques are just a fraction of the extraordinary objects on display. more

THEATRE

SNL improv group @ Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

West 26th Street near 8th Avenue, +1 212 366 9176

This improvisational troupe, co-founded by Amy Poehler, formerly one of the most revered members of the long running TV sketch variety show “Saturday Night Live” and now a sitcom star, brings together performers and writers from other comedy shows such as “30 Rock” and “The Colbert Report.” On Saturday, a group of them are performing a long form improvisation called “Let’s Have a Ball.” Apart from that, we, and they, have absolutely no clue what they’ll come up with. But that’s the whole point. 7:30 PM. On Sunday, Poehler and her “Saturday Night Live” castmate Horatio Sanz are performing another improv called “Asssscat 3000.” Advance reservations for the 7:30 show are sold out but there will be a standby line and there’s also a free show at 9:30; tickets will be distributed outside the theater at 8:15. more

FOOD

Sho Shaun Hergatt @ Setai

40 Broad Street near Exchange Place, + 1 212 809 3993

There’s an overall feel of pre-recession luxe and grandeur in this rarified restaurant inside the not-yet-open deluxe condo development, the Setai in New York’s Financial District. The mother of pearl counters in the lounge, deep red and gold silk walls and an infinity pool in the hall are more elaborate trappings than usually seen in new restaurants these days but the menu doesn’t go over the top. The Australian Hergatt, who previously cooked at the Setai in Miami, composes dishes with the freshness of Australia, the classicism of France and a jolt from Asia in dishes such as zucchini blossoms filled with blue prawn, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf and scented sambal and Tasmanian trout with nashi pear and Kalamansi dressing. more

Paris Cultural Weekend 10.07.09

jane — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:06:15 +0000

As Paris brings its Couture shows to a close, the summer season really gets going. The Tour de France kick starts the proceedings. Bastille Day fireworks and parade will bring the city to a standstill on July 13th-14th and if that all sounds like hard work, you could always head for the beach…

QUICK LINKS: Paris Plage • Musee D’Orsay • Louvre • Musee du Luxembourg • Jazz Festival • Henri Cartier-Bresson • Spring restaurant • Film Festival•

OUTDOORS

Paris Plage @ various locations

For one month every summer, Parisians take beach chic to the shores of the Seine and the Paris Plage, a man made beach replete with white sand, palm trees and sun loungers. Instituted by the city fathers in 2002, the Paris Plage has been embraced by Parisians and visitors alike. Starts July 20.more

ART

Max Ernst, ‘Une semaine de bonté’ — the Original Collages @ Musee D’Orsay

62, rue de Lille 75343; +33 1 40 49 48 14

A prolific artist, Ernst is considered to be one of the primary pioneers of the Dada movement and Surrealism. Here, the Musee D’Orsay focuses on 184 collages, ‘Une semaine de bonte’ or ‘A week of kindness’. Inspired by wood engravings from popular illustrated novels, the collages were produced during the summer of 1933 whilst the artist was staying at Vigoleno, in northern Italy. more

Filippo and Filippino Lippi: The renaissance in Prato @ Musee du Luxembourg

9 rue de Vaugirard 75006; + 33 1 42 34 25 95

This exhibition brings together some fifty paintings and sculptures created between the 14th and the 16th century in Prato, a city which incontestably was an important artistic centre during that period, thanks to the stylistic innovations bought about by respected artists of the era, Filippol and Filippino Lippi. more

MUSIC

Paris Jazz Festival @Parc Floral

Esplanade du Château, bois de Vincennes, 75012

Running every year for the past 16 years in Parc Floral, the jazz festival undergoes somewhat of a revamp this year. The new team in charge has decided to run each weekend’s concert according to a new theme. This weekend it’s ‘Gypsy Land’, which aims to explore the empathy between gypsy music and the music of black America, in relation to ideas of independence. As well as intimate recitals, there will be performances from talents such as Costel Nitescu and Bireli Lagrene. more

PHOTOGRAPHY

The Louvre during the War: Photographs 1938-1947 @ The Louvre

Rue de Rivoli, 75001

Through a remarkable grouping of 56 photographs, this exhibition invites visitors to discover the life of the Louvre during the Second World War. Bringing together French and German images taken between 1938 and 1947, many of which have never before been on public display, it offers a new perspective on the evacuation and the later re-installation of works amid the upheavals of war. more

Henri Cartier-Bresson à vue d’œil @ Maison Européenne de la Photographie

82 rue François Miron 75004; +33 1 44 78 75 00

Timed to coincide with the centenary of the Bresson’s birth, the MEP presents an exhibition of 340 photographs from their collection, based around the topics of ‘Paris’ and ‘Europeans’ and echoing earlier exhibitions he put together in the 70s and 80s. Mixing well-known and more obscure photographs, the exhibition gives insight into the dual approach of one of the world’s most influential photojournalists. more

FOOD

Lobster Sandwich Saturday@ Spring

8, rue de la Tour d’Auvergne, 75009; +33 1 45 96 05 72

The original restaurant closed earlier this year but the move to a bigger and better premises has been slow, so chef Daniel Rose has decided to reopen for the summer. In addition to weeknight dining, there’s a new concept, in the form of Lobster Sandwich Saturdays. From 12 til 7 (or until the lobsters run out) Rose only serves the sandwiches, accompanied by freshly cooked goose fat fries and good wine. Reserve your lobster early. more

FILM

The Paris International Film Festival @ various locations

2 – 14 July

Chaired by Charlotte Rampling, the ever popular Paris Film Festival takes place between the 4th and 14th July and features over a 100 different films at five different cinemas across the capital. This years festival pays tribute to Italian actress Claudia Cardinale as well as celebrating the work of director Tsai Ming-liang. more