Sushi Samba

I usually don't go for large “trendy” restaurants, but I ended up at Sushi Samba on Halloween one year with some Belgian friends and New York friends. And so, with a great view of 7^th Avenue, we watched the Halloween parade begin.

The food is a wonderful fusion of flavors that really works. Japanese, Peruvian and Brazilian come together to create surprising and wonderful mouth combinations. It is worth it for the experience to come at least once. Come again for the atmosphere and the view. Be prepared to pay.

Vietnam? Misha asks. Of Course, I Say...

L'ANNAM

This is one of the best vietnamese you can find north of Chinatown without being vietnamese. Techincally, Republic is vietnamese, with a twist. This is vietnamese with more meat and less fresh herbs (by less, I mean - instead of a plate full, you get a handful - still good for me). But still superbly good and great for the price. You will have to take food home. I do not know who they are trying to feed all that food to.

Luckily, it's scrumptious mouth-watering food, and you can eat the rest the next day for lunch via your microwave.

121 University Place (between 13^th & 14^th Streets)

Where Noodles Come To Get Their Groove On!

REPUBLIC

How can I forget this?! One of my favorite spots and best eating in NYC!

I avoided going in for years, because it looked like a university cafeteria and just looked all “we are so cool, we don't have to decorate” - which annoys me. But...

It's great. Between Republic and Café Orlin it is hard to know which restaurant I go to most often. It's right on Union Square, so it has amazing train connections. You are quickly there and quickly home, and in between, you feed yourself well.

The soups are amazing. Brothy or coconut-milk-creamy, in large bowls filled with noodles, fresh herbs, lime or whatever fills you belly and soul. It will always keep you warm and fragrant... yes, fragrant.

They do pork, like no one else. Their grilled pork is succulent BBQ honey perfection served with rice or over cold rice noodles in a spicy-sweet sauce with carrots and apples, or some other slightly sweet fresh root vegetable.

And if you have time for appetizer – the grilled japanese eggplant is flavor layered on juiciness layered on smokiness good. But everything here is good, as far as I can tell. And if you can afford a cocktail, do! They are awesome.

You will be sharing tables that have hanging wire baskets underneath so you can put your coats, umbrellas and bags away. But the tables are spatious, wooden and support all your various plates and drinks well!

If you can get the green tea ice cream. Do! If you can get that anywhere, you must try. I think Beard Papa Cream Puffs also sells it. But Republic has such a nice communal atmosphere. It does sometimes feel like a club with the music, the lights and the beautiful people, but it's NYC. Sometimes you can't avoid the party scene. :)

37 Union Square West (between 17^th & 16^th Streets)

Potatoes Double Fried and Smothered in Sauce

Pommes Frites

If you're nostalgic for “frites” or “frietjes”, then go here. The best fries in NYC. They come in a paper cone and there are hundreds of sauces (or at least it seems). You can even get a simple mix of mayonaise, ketchup and finely chopped onions, as is done in Belgium.

I'm English, so I just dowse my fries in malt vinegar. But if you're Belgian, you'll feel almost at home. The wooden interior reminds me of those “brown cafés” in Gent. There isn't much place to sit, so wander outside, find a stoop and enjoy your “frites met mayonnaise”. Sorry, no stoverij...

123 2^nd Avenue (between St. Mark's Place & 7^th Street) – I go to this one. There are others.

To Truck or Not To Truck...

FOOD TRUCKS

When I lived in NYC, food trucks were just beginning to hit the "foodie" scene. There were a few good ones running around midtown feeding hungry, cheap and late office workers. Indian, Lebanese, Jamaican... pick a country and you could probably find your type of food - just like home... And isn't that what we're all looking for?

Now, they rival restaurants for norteriety, quality and “hip” points. It's practically all you need to become famous in the “foodie” world. Apparently, two years ago, a Belgian won with his food truck “Wafels en Dinges”.

Street Food meets Foodie and loves your portefeuille!

Here is the list of the top 25: http://nymag.com/restaurants/cheapeats/2010/67139/ But feel free to discover your own. I have a few of my own...

Falafels, Dumplings and Taiwanese Fried Rice.... yum!!!

Chocolates Salted on Atlantic

Nunu Chocolates

Atlantic Avenue is known for its Islamic shops, antiques, and some of the best up and coming designers and clothing shops. It is also known for this...

A tiny chocolaterie on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, where the salted chocolate covered caramels are a revelation in tongue playfulness. The hot chocolate is liquid mousse and just the right kind of chocolate-y. Intense, but not too intense (you can get skim or 2% milk, but why would you?)

Cozy, friendly, wooden, home-y atmosphere, for a tiny factory on one of the busiest streets in Brooklyn.

Oh my, Zatar! How do I compare thee?!

Olive Vine Café

A small and non-pretentious restaurant, but with great, great food. The zatar bread alone is worth it. This pita encrusted with a dark green thyme-sesame-seed-olive oil rub always sends me into mini fits of delight (uh, huh – I said it.). Freshly made pita bread comes to you puffed up almost spherical. A bowl of their lentil soup with lemon always hits the right spot. And of course, the price is right.

They also have a back garden, which I think is wonderful. Its probably not special, but somehow it always makes me happy to walk into their garden, especially in the summer. In the winter they cover it in a tent and warm it up with those tall standing stoves and cover the walls in draping cloths. Atmosphere galore!

Not sure why this place has been overlooked. But if you're near Park Slope and need something to eat. Stop by here and then hop onto to Q train and watch as it rides over the East River.

54 7^th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11217 (nr. Lincoln Place)

[photo by Andrew Karcie as seen on NYMag.com]

Thai in Fort Greene Makes Me Happy Happy

National

Do you want great Thai in Fort Greene? GO here. GO here. GO here.

There is no name or sign (even though it is called "National"), just a glass facade angled askew.

Walk in for take out or eat in for curries, noodles and drinks at just the right spiciness to open you up.

723 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11217

On A Shady Tree-Lined Street in Brooklyn... A Wine Bar Grows

Stonehome Wine Bar

There is so much to Brooklyn, I almost don't know where to start, but let's start with michelin star quality food with superb wine in a place where everyone knows what to drink, at a price that's really easy on the wallet. This is the best kept secret... in Brooklyn, in NYC, in... well, you get the picture.

You can get a "flight" which is a series of three wines from a particular region or of a particular grape, and it is seriously a revelation... if you've never drunk actual good wine before. This will let you know what you have been missing, and explain why "sommeliers" go on and on about "the perfect pairing of food and wine". Wine and food can truly have a symbiotic relationship which takes the eating experience to another level.

Stonehome Wine Bar is the place to do this. The menu changes, but it is always delectable. The desserts are wonderful - the warm chocolate cake is a particular favorite. However a friend of mine had the buttersotch pot de créme, and even though he doesn't like desserts, he said "this is the perfect dessert".

'Nuff said

87 Lafayette Avenue, Fort Greene, Brooklyn

Dosas - Not Your Everyday Curry - courtesy of South India

A South Indian pancake served as a cone with a spicy Indian filling (or not so spicy) and a choice of several chutneys. They are huge and herald an adventure in flavor, texture and eating posture. The one place I know where to go is in Soho.

Hampton Chutney Co.

68 Prince Street

You can do all your shopping and celebrity hunting in soho and then go hear for a bite to eat. It's actually a bit price-y for me, but if you can, please do enjoy!

NYC Vegan Dosa Guy

Apparently a food truck. Food trucks are VERY popular in NYC. This is street food, but often some of the best and cheapest food you can get in the city. If you can find this guy, then you are in luck. Enjoy! Smakkelijk! Bon Appétit! I wonder how many ways you can say that in South India.

That's all I can say. No other info, other than that he is famous in “foodie” circles!

Somewhere around Washington Square Park

My Local, My Spot, My Hangout... Quintessential NYC

Café Orlin

This is an East Village Institution. Superb Food. Great Drink. Great Service. Plenty of Room, but with a small restaurant feel. In my opinion, the BEST brunch in the city (and I've converted a few people), at a price that is practically stealing. The food will actually surprise you and satiate your inner child, and just make you happy you've found a place like this.

Go, Go, Go for the Brunch. Pick anything.

The Pumpkin pancakes with yogurt-cinnamon sauce. The free-range scrambled eggs with the best garlic potatoes and whole-grain toast. Quinoa pancakes with apple-chicken sausage, beetroot and feta cheese. Eggs benedict poached into creaminess and drizzled with hollandaise. Great coffee refilled and fresh-squeezed orange juice and tea in a teapot (very important). It's literally ALL good!

Apparently, it's middle eastern, but as far as I'm concerned, it's just great. If you want to make a bet about where I am at any one time, this would be a good bet. Their lamb panini is so simple with feta and mint, but fantastic. Their salads are drizzled just so. The desserts are always fantastic. Would I steer you wrong???

If you're looking for a late night meal around 2-4am, go here. They are open 24 hours on the weekends and open until 2am during the week.. They are located on the main strip of the East Village – St. Mark's Place (between East 7^th and East 9^th Street) and just off 2^nd Avenue.

41 St. Mark's Place

[photo by Gavin Thomas as seen on NYmag.com]

Comfort Food Central, baby!

S'MAC – Sarita's Macaroni & Cheese

This is comfort food like no other, and this place is committed to providing you comfort. Only Macaroni & Cheese in all combinations that you can think of. Bacon, Ham, Gruyere, Cheddar, Mozzarella... Try this, please. East village hunger pangs? Mac & Cheese!

Rice to Riches... or My Blissful Bermuda Triangle

If you love Rice Pudding, this is your heaven, your nirvana, your soulmate.

If you don't love Rice Pudding, be prepared to be converted.

I can never find this place though. Take a map. Write down the address. Because I can only find this place, if I'm not looking for it. It's kinda like some quantum fluctuation thing. As soon as I try to pinpoint it, it disappears. If I let go and go zen... well, that doesn't always work either. Just write down the address and bring a map.

They have dozens and dozens of flavors that you never thought could ever be imagine. They come in these cool bowls and spoons that you get to keep. And...

… it's just pure creamy blissful joy!

My favorite: Marscapone with sun-dried cherries (yep, that exists!)

Going here with a copy of Aphrodite by Isabelle Allende in hand and reading her rice pudding dream, then you get the idea of this place.

With flavors like "Cinnamon Sling", "Chocolate Chip Flirt", "Coconut Coma", "Fluent In French Toast", "Category 5 Caramel", "Take Me To Tiramisu" and "Sex Drugs and Rocky Road"... blissing out is your only option.

(Soon after I discovered the place 7 or 8 years ago, I found out that the owners were caught for running the biggest gambling ring in the Northeast. Me and the friend who I ran into this place with were wondering how such a place could possible make enough money to survive and we felt like that mystery was solved. A gambling ring to rival Al Capone. But it's still there, even if I can't locate it. It is still there.)

37 Spring Street (Nolita – North of Little Italy and East of Soho)

(There's also one of the best middle eastern food I ever ate nearby, but I never found it again... somewhere on Lafayette Street on a triangle corner. My personal bermuda triangle.)

If A Chocolatier Could Rival Belgium...

Jacques Torres Chocolatier

Coming from Belgium, you will have high expectations for chocolate. Neuhaus, Leonidas, Godiva, they are all there. But the best is this guy. His main factory is in the far west of Tribeca, and it is there you can get the most variety. Scrumptious!

However, the Dumbo shop is in the middle of this wonderful cobblestone neighborhood in Brooklyn nestled between warehouses just about renovated to lofts and around the corner from a view of Manhattan that would be hard to find otherwise.

What to get: The hot chocolate is fantastic!

It is small and so intense that it actually takes some work to finish it. There is regular, orange and wicked (read “spicy”). The chocolate popcorn is great. When it comes to his chocolates... I'm not so sure. I've been spoiled by Belgium.

But nothing can beat this hot chocolate! It's somewhere between melted chocolate ganache and chocolate mousse.

There are six locations. You can find them on the website. These are my favorite locations:

350 Hudson Street, NY, NY

66 Water Street, Brooklyn, NY

Cream Puffs Invade...

There are actually two places. I'll start with the one that I found first. Apparently this was a craze in Japan, and someone from Japan decided to bring it to NYC with GREAT success.

Do NOT go in unless you want to buy, because you will buy and eat and enjoy with a huge smile on your face. Whatever diet you thought you were on... gone.

Choux Factory

I had this temp job working for a pharmaceutical company near the U.N. Late at night, I would go for “choux runs” and bring them back to the team. This is how good they are.

Apparently they serve other things. I would concentrate on the cream puffs.

Beard Papa Cream Puffs

Voted best cream puff in 2009 by The Village Voice – which is extremely cool. Apparently the one downtown is closed, so visit the uptown ones if you can. Fresh pastry filled with unctuous cream. It's really how you would have dreamed them to be.

Here is the award-winning review: http://www.villagevoice.com/bestof/2009/award/best-cream-puffs-1436565/

Cupcakes Driving You Crazy? Well, If You Must...

Cupcakes have become this HUGE fashion that actually may be dying out. The original was a bakery called Magnolia on 401 Bleeker Street.

They have other shops around the city, but this one is on a really cool section of Bleeker street which still has small used & independently-owned bookshops, record (yes, vinyl) shops and cute little clothing shops.

So stop by, if you can. One downside – the line is always really really long, and I'm usually too hungry to wait. But you may be lucky.

401 Bleeker Street

Cupcakestop

Other cupcake places – a truck. Yes, you will have to find it, or perhaps it will find you.

They have things like Chocolate Caramel, Mexican Chocolate, Key Lime, Starry Night, Strawberry Lemonade and White Chocolate Raspberry Swirl. Really, really worth it – if you MUST have a cupcake.

Find it somewhere... wandering around via the website

High Tea & Deep Fried Mars Bars Come In Small Delightful Packages

Tea & Sympathy

Okay, if you come to NYC, you are usually not looking for English food, but this is the BEST of English food.

If anything, just go for their “high tea” complete with scones, clotted cream, strawberry jam, cucumber sandwiches and your choice of really English teas. You can get trifle, victoria sponge, strawberry and rhubarb crumble and a real lamb pie or beef and guiness pie, with peas and carrots. There is a superb beet salad and the welsh rarebit (basically the MOST AMAZING cheese-on-toast you will ever have).

So, have some tea!

It is tiny. Yes, I love tiny crowded places where you can practically jump into the kitchen and easily make a new friend. Everyone there speaks British English, and you will only be seated once your whole party is there. There are benches outside, if you need to wait for someone.

And if you're lucky, you'll get to meet the owner, Nicky. She's great!

108 Greenwich Avenue

Two Boots: An Italian-Cajun Play Date For Your Mouth

Two Boots Pizza

Pizza is a VERY touchy subject. And you may be able to find better pizza somewhere in Queens, but I don't know where that is yet. But THIS pizza is superb!

It's inspiration are two places shaped like a boot: Italy and Louisiana (read “Cajun”).

Just go and try their wonderful thin-crust. And if you're vegan, they have a superb, spicy dairy-free sicillian called Mother-Earth. They do cajun shrimp, and spicy chicken and real basil and mozzarella... and just go visit. There are tons all over the city. See website. I go to the one on Bleeker Street, the most. But just see if you can see one near you.

74 Bleeker Street

Check out the website for the other 10 locations!

A Patisserie Straight From Paris ... With A Slight, But Delightful Detour

Patisserie Claude

While we are in a French mood, Patisserie Claude is THE place for croissants, brioche, anything with cream, chocolate, coffee, strawberries or butter ... It is small, unassuming, no frills... but oh, the taste! There are no hydrogenated oils here.

This Greenwich village institution is run, owned and served by a not very tall, round, red-cheeked French man, who is so sweet. But don't get on his wrong side, because he will curse in heavily-accented French with English profanity. I've never seen him do this to a customer. Not likely! But I walked in one day and he was talking to someone about... I don't know... some delivery guy trying to pull a fast one on him, or something. But it was quite strange and changed my image of him forever. He is a French pastry chef, but with a tiny New York chip on his shoulder.

One day, I went in and I wasn't sure what combination of goodies to get. I had ordered a few things and I was debating between the other 20 he had in his case. He suggested I try a hazelnut macaroon. I gingerly took one and put it in my mouth and, before I could stop myself, I sighed, "oh my god, I love you."

He was actually caught by surprise, but recovered in a hearty laugh with his cheeks all flushed. I would think he would get this kind of response all of the time, but I think I caught him off guard. So sweet! (This was before I heard him curse like a sailor.)

He is beautiful and his creations are delights.

Oh and get there early for the croissants or brioche. They are done by 10am, especially on the weekends!

187 W. 4^th Street

French Food Re-Discovered At Lovely Prices: Tartine

Tartine

This is one of the best French restaurants for a price I'm willing to pay. The first time I was there, I was blown away. Who knew a cream sauce could be so complicated and playful on the tongue? The next time, not so much. The chef changed. So, what can I say? It depends on who is the chef that evening/week. But there is almost always a line, because the tartes are also amazing.

This restaurant was a revelation for me about French cooking. It is, apparently, more than just adding a few teaspoonfuls of cream and serve.

It is also on the coolest corners in the NYC. It is at the intersection of W. 11^th Street and W. 4^th street. Yes, the streets are screwy around there. Have fun!

253 W. 11^th Street (& W. 4th Street)

[Photo by Shanna Ravindra from NYMag.com]

Petite Abeille - A little bit of Belgium

Petite Abeille

This is a Belgian restaurant. If you're Belgian, it might be redundant, but for me, it was the best place to have the perfect after-work dinner. Frites, Salad and warm oozing chocolate cake. There is also vol au vent, mussels and lots of Tintin/Kuifje decoration.There are three throughout the city. I always went to the tiniest one on the west edge of Greenwich village. It rivals Peppe Rosso To Go as the smallest and best restaurant in NYC, and it has a great cozy atmosphere for a dinner for you. But you can visit others in Tribeca and Chelsea.

They have a decent selection of Belgian beers. However, any decent bar in NYC will have a decent, if not great, selection of Belgian beers. Apparently, to drink like a Belgian is very much “IN” in NYC.

466 Hudson Street (the tiny one on the edge of Greenwich village)

134 West Broadway (Tribeca – always cool to hang out there.)

44 West 17^th Street (narrow, long and kind of crappy service. I would skip this one.)

401 East 20^th Street (This is new. I have no opinion on this one.)

Pepe Verde & Rosso: Brother's from Milan, Home-Cooking in NY

Pepe Rossi and Pepe Verde

This is a tiny chain of three tiny restaurants (one of them you could touch both walls if you stand in the middle and stretch your hands out to your sides) owned by two brothers from Milan, who were obviously missing home-cooked Italian food and decided to share a bit of it with the rest of us. Also ridiculously cheap, but full of flavor, texture, fabulous nuances and subtle punches. When my friend Lita wanted food as it was at home, she came here.

Her favorites being: Spaghetti Pesto with Potato and String Beans

My favorites being: anything! Penne with Spinach Ricotta Cheese Tomato Basil

My sister's favortie: Penne à la vodka, but I don't see it anymore on the menu. Maybe it will be there by the time you get there.

Go for the homemade foccacia, the $5 organic mixed green salad, for the eggplant breaded and fried to perfection, for the antipasti of peppers or calamari or olives or fresh, fresh, fresh mozzarella, the pastas how Italians like them, or for a full on meal that will do nothing but satiate every craving you ever had. Yes, you must go.

They're motto, in case you want to know:

“NO DIET COKE - NO SKIM MILK - NO DECAF COFFEE - ONLY GOOD FOOD”

I recommend the tiniest one off Houston Street on the border of Soho and West Village (Pepe Rosso To Go), just because... it's tiny, but still fabulous!

Pepe Giallo (this is the expensive one, which we never went to... but it looks nice!)

253 Tenth Avenue (& W. 25^th Street)

Pepe Verde (the one we used to go to when we were deep in the West Village and hungry! Here you can sit and eat and you won't knock your neighbor's plate off their lap)

559 Hudson Street (between Perry & 11^th Street)

No real website, but I'll include the link from their other websites

Pepe Rosso to go (good things come in small packages! --- Pastas are $7-$10!)

Frank's: "A Place to Eat"... Ecstatically

This is my favorite section. Eating is such a part of how I share, communicate and bond with people and, frankly,... myself... that I cannot do less than adore this section! I love exploring flavors, learning tastes and passing food around.

We can eat food just to survive... but why??? Enjoy, indulge, be moderate, splurge, listen to your tastebuds, listen to your body, listen to your stomach.

There are going to be all kinds of tags to clarify what you're looking for, but... I am going to begin with the last place I ate.

Frank Restaurant

An Italian restaurant in the East Village with no name on the outside, and so I can only describe how to find it. In fact, I thought it was Frank's Place until...

Wait I found the website: http://www.frankrestaurant.com/

which says it is called Frank Restaurant & Vera Bar, but the only sign you will see is a hanging placard saying:

“A Place to Eat”

I love them... I digress....

2^nd Avenue between 4^th and 5^th Streets with a white facade and usually a long waiting line and completely packed. Or you can try to find the official address 88 2^nd Avenue – but I could never find the number.

I was shown this restaurant by my Sicilian friend, let's call her Lita. We are no longer friends trough a fluke of weird decisions by each of us – she's in california, I'm not... but let's leave that behind. She was the best thing to happen to me in NYC. She made the city my home. And she was constantly on the search for the next best place to eat authentic, scrumptious, carefully made and simple food like her own mother. A lot of these places are thanks to her. If we get back in contact, and she wants her name posted, I'll do so. Otherwise... life and friends leave wonderful memories for you to decorate your battle scars with.

Frank's place is one of those beautiful memories that you can keep on going back to. Someone's grandmother is in the kitchen, that is for sure. And it was just as I remembered. An orgasm of scrumptious eating. The olive oil alone is still as delectable and fresh as I remembered. I still wanted to drink it like cold lemonade on a sticky hot summer's day. It is also great on their juicy, glistening, garlicky crunchy, ruby-bright tomato bruschetta. Yes. Perfect.

The first time I was there, cramped in between two other couples at their two-person tables, we were shared our food with each other across tables. We didn't know each other, but we had to share. Strangers feeding each other meatballs, bruschetta, pannecotta, fish, linguini.

Did I say I adore New York? Now you know why.

Frank's Place in the East Village on 2^nd Avenue between 4^th and 5^th Streets.

Get off at Astor Place on the 6-train, or walk down from 14^th Street/Union Square on the 4, 5, 6 trains and the Q, R, N, M and L trains. Or take the F, V to 2^nd Avenue and walk up (that is North, according to me).

Or just make a tour of the East Village and stop here when you get hungry. I promise it won't break your budget. We used to eat here when we were unemployed – although, I'm not quite sure how we pulled that off. $11-$15 for main course, and $15-$25 for the specials.

Enjoy!

Museum of Arts & Design (“MAD”) - The perfect first date

What a find this museum was! The Museum of Art & Design is on Columbus Circle, so at the grand south-west entrance to Central Park towered by gilded statues, the Trump Towers (which does nothing for me, but if you're a tourist that might be interesting) from the quite high-end skyscraper mall beautifully done and lit (btw: in its basement is “WholeFoods” – a delectable food shopping establishment. More on that later...)

Back to the Museum of Arts & Design. It has also a new building. One of its main pluses is that it can be done in 2-3 hours. You can spend more time, especially on the lower floors, but you would have basically experienced it. Other plus – Start from the top and work your way down. Take the elevator. I love an establishment that creates a spiral for you to work your way through.

The Art – You know how you leave some art museums and you wonder what you were supposed to get out of it, or if it has really added any beauty or depth to anything. This museum leaves you with no doubt. It is utterly satisfying, while being surprising and weird. Everything is beautiful, but done in ways that make you spin, laugh or gasp – usually gasp and tap your friend and say: “you have to come and see this”.

There are optical illusions, weird and grotesque materials made stunning, stunning materials made grotesque. Politics made visual and the visual made political. Commentary on our world via how we use and consume. On how we can express more deeply through how we design, how we build and create for ourselves and for others.

There is even a space where you can see artists work or participate yourself. A sort of atelier for us all to visit.

Love this museum.

Thursdays are open late and between 6pm and 9pm it is “pay-what-you-wish”, and not that crowded. But, do support it, if you can. The MAD shop is filled with exquisitely hand-crafted objects by artists and not by a factory. It does happen to include some work from the father of a friend of my sister – which shocked us, as she had given us a piece, just like that. We knew it was beautiful, but this put a price tag on it. Good to know... and Great To Visit. Please do see this museum. It's a treasure.

New Museum - Literally

There's a new museum on the Bowery – that great street of the Lower East Side that is almost forgotten but had its golden era which is no being resurrected partly by this museum. And its name is appropriate in many ways. New Museum.

Apparently the museum has been around since 1977, but I (and many New Yorkers) only heard about it with the opening of the new buiding for which the architectures won the 2010 Pritzker Architectural Prize. The building is definitely to be experienced, but the exhibits are also fascinating.

Unfortunately, I haven't been there yet (going back and forth between Belgium and New York), but I am dying to go. It doesn't seem to have a standing collection, but just showcases a variety of thought-provoking artists who I really can't wait to see... but I must.

There is also a café, which is better than most museum cafés. It's still not great, but it's nice and if you're in the area and want a coffee and something sweet, you can stop by here without paying for admission to the museum.

The Brooklyn Museum - Where the Beautiful People Go

The Brooklyn Museum is not a small museum, but it's also slightly off the beaten path. It is a mixture of “The Met” and MOMA for Brooklyn people. The building was renovated in a few years ago and is now filled with a exploratory sense of light and space. As for exhibits, It is actually hard to pin-down. It can be anything, from Japanese architecture to hiphop tapestries to Native American Art. You just have to go to the website and see what you like.

But one thing you don't have to hesitate about: First Saturdays!!!

If you are in NYC on the first Saturday of the month, you are almost required to go to First Saturdays at The Brooklyn Museum.

THE place to be. Period.

The Museum becomes a club where all the beautiful people from Brooklyn come to meet and dance. I do not exaggerate. Whenever I am there, I fall in love with Brooklyn and its range of hair styles, skin tones, clothing and accessories. Just be who you are and love someone else for who they are and rock out to hiphop, house, rock, blues or whatever mix is on offer that night.

Remember first saturday of the month, the museum is also open to browse the collections, but the glass foyer is where the stage is – oh, and it's free. Don't tell me I never gave you anything. :)

Guggenheim - A Confection for the Eye... from the outside

I have to put the Guggenhiem in here, because the building is awesome. I have yet to experience an interesting exhibit INSIDE the museum. So, I can't recommend it as a place to see great art. It just seemed pretentious. But, oh well. I have only been there twice. So perhaps I need to have more of an open mind.

But the building is beautiful – more from the outside than the inside, especially if it is one of those bright sunny New York days. It is on Fifth Avenue, so you stand with your back to Central Park looking at this spiral of a building winding light into the blue sky. Really do love this building!

The Met - a bit of Louvre, a bit of The British Museum

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, also known as “The Met” by New Yorkers

This is the equivalent of the British Museum in London. It has everything. It is the perfect incarnation of what a museum should be. It has amazing special limited exhibitions, but their stock exhibits are also fantastic.

So, what do you want to see: Ancient Egypt, Ancient India, China, Japan, Monet, Manet, Rodin? Do you want to see Jade and Gold in ridiculous proportions, God-sized buddhas, intricate brass astronomical instruments from Ancient Middle East, Pyramids, Babylonian Cuneiform, Celtic warrior adornments?

This museum has everything, beautifully. Just take a look at the website, and see what interests you the most. This museum can take a life-time to see. You will come out a better person for having visited (assuming you like learning from the past and all the beautiful things made).

Do NOT try to do it one or two days unless you have some sort of wormhole time machine to warp the space-time contiuum to your will. It will always be here. Come back another time.

The American Museum of Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History is located across from a beautiful section of Central Park (not that there is an ugly part), but if you happen to love Shakespeare – it's across from the entrance of the park for “Shakespeare in the Park” open air theater. But more on that later...

This Museum is in a grand building and even if you're not intersted in dinosaurs and far-flung creatures with fantastic colors and sci-fi characteristics, this museum is just a sensory experience. The exhibits are all around you, above, under that you must look as if you're an explorer. The best part, while many people would say that it is the dinosaurs, I would say... the life-size whale in the “Ocean” section. That alone is worth it.

There is a planetarium that has won many awards. And while I am a science nerd, espcially when it comes to galaxies and the cosmos, I find it way too detailed and hard to take in for an afternoon visit. If you're doing research, it's great. There is a planetarium show, which they have updated so it is actually good (instead of suck-y). I still want something more, but perhaps I shouldn't compare it “Avatar and the Pandora sky mountains”

If you have a citypass or a museum pass and you don't have to pay extra and you still have energy after the rest of the museum, then by all means. If you don't have a citypass, I'm not sure its worth the money they ask.

Btw: AMNH is publically funded so the “suggested price” is just that... suggested. You can pay $1 or $5. But if you have one of those “passes” then it shouldn't matter.

The MOMA - A MUST Experience

The best thing to do in New York is whatever you want to do. The best thing about New York is that if offers you everything. Literally. Do not limit your imagination or desires.

But I'm going to start rather sedately. My shortest list: Museums

MOMA – the Museum Of Modern Art

It was newly renovated a few years ago and so the building itself is something to be experienced as well as their amazing collection of modern art from impressionists to today's newest artists from sculpture to photography. This will take more than a day, so pick your exhibits. Their special limited-time only exhibits are also always very impressive.

Special Note: For summer visitors – MOMA is open until 8:45 pm every Thursday in July and August.

See the website for details on free evenings (which are great if you're on a budget, but can be REALLY crowded), address and exhibit information.

This should be your FIRST museum. Just saying.

Beginning of Retro

I LOVE New York. Adore would perhaps be a better word.

But I no longer live in New York. Having lived there for 25 years or so, with breaks living in London and California, including travels across other continents, I still love the fact that this city will not only surprise you, it will blow you away and... inspire you.

Food is my main tour medium. I will show you New York via the best places to eat, snack, drink for the least amount of money, but for ridiculously huge gastronomical pay-offs, i.e. the stuff tastes exactly as you would have dreamed it, if you could have dreamed it.

I also like a museums, galleries, exhibitions that expand your sense of humanity and transformation.

I also like shops to buy cool things that you need... yes, you do NEED them.

But, I will probably always talk about food.

Why am I writing this? Wherever I am, people ask me - I'm going to New York soon, what should I do??

Wow, how to answer that one! Do whatever you want is the short answer. It's all there for you.

The long answer... is this blog.

Told from a New Yorker who was born in London, but grew up in and fell in love with the city (as if she was a... man - hmmm, mixed metaphor, but work with me), because it is this amazing spontaneous, self-regulating experiment in humanity living and eating together.

Eat - being my operative word.

Indulge!