SPOTTED PIG ....WHITE HORSE TAVERN ... GREENWICH VILLAGE, NEW YORK

Starting the week off good, as usual with a nice cup of Coffee at my daily coffee stop Once Upon a Tarte on Sullivan Street in Soho. Finished the week up pretty good,  trip to The Metropolitan Museum of Art (some Inspiration) and a night out for some drinks and a Spotted Pig Burger. Plan to meet up  around 8:15 at the Pig. Well as everyone knows, it can be a bit difficult to procure a table here, unless you come after 12:30 or so. But 8:15 on a Sunday Night, you're gonna wait. And wait we did. I figured I'd arrive early and scope things out. Got there at Ten Minutes to Eight. Talked to the Maitre'd, asked how long it would be for a table and that we wanted to sit upstairs. "Upstairs is going to be an hour or more," he stated and asked if I wanted to leave my cel number and he would call. Sounds like a plan. "OK." So I figured I'd head over to The White Horse Tavern for a beer or two while I waited.
     Now for those of you who don't know, The White Horse is quite famous. It's been around for some 130 years or so and is the place where famed poet Dylan Thomas drank himself to death. The place is has seen many famous patrons, including, Bob Dylan, Mary Travers, Jim Morrison, Norman Mailer, and famous Beats such as Jack Kerouac. Well, anyway I've had drinks at the White Horse many times over the years. And in the past few years of so many being out of work with our economy in shambles and little money around, The White Horse with $5.00 Beers and $6.00 drinks is not a bad place to drink if you need a couple pops but don't want to get Raked over The Coals as with $12.00 plus drinks. It's not unusual for places to be charging 16 and 17Dollars for one freakin cocktail, "A Travesty." So Beers and Cocktails at reasonable rates, but it is the History and the fact that it so old and of another era of which very little is to be found anymore, The White Horse Tavern is very attractive prospect.
    So i go into the White Horse and grab the last two stools at the bar. Order up a nice Rolling Rock tallneck and get myself comfy with Cel and Beer waiting to meet up with friend Joel. . Joel gives me a call,he just got off the train. I tell him to come on over to The White Horse. He asks if we're eating there? I retort "No" that we have to wiat for our table at the Pig.
       So now back to The Spotted Pig, The Burger, waiting for a table.. We're half way into our second beers and I get a call from the Maitre'd, our table is ready. We scoot over to the Pig. We get there and they go to give us a table downstairs, then the Maitre'd remembers we wanted to sit upstairs. He apologizes. "No big deal," and we end up having a couple more drinks at the Bar downstairs as we wait for our table. Thirty-five minutes later we get to sit down. "Finally!"
    We order a couple more drinks, Bourbon Old Fashion and Scotch on The Rocks. We put in an order for Deviled Eggs and Devils on Horseback, "Two Devils." Both are pretty good, as are the two Burgers we get, but guess how much it cost. Well we spent $30 for our drinks downstairs, then $110 for our drinks, Deviled Eggs and Burgers upstairs for a grand total of $140 for a few drinks and beers, a couple tiny appetizers, and the two renowned Spotted Pig Burgers. Was it worth it? Yes and No! No because if you consider that we could have had Burgers and the same amount o drinks at, let's say the equally or more famous Corner Bistro for about $60. Complete. We could have saved $80 and done this all over again, twice instead of once. Then again the Yes is that you've got to treat yourself every now and then. To some this $140 would be no big deal. They do it all the time and think nothing of it. To me it is a little bit of a big deal, and it should be. I don't do this everyday. Hey, i had a good time, and yes it was worth it. Oh yeah, didn't I say already it wasn't worth it, "Well Yes and No" it all depends on how you look at it, and we did have a good time, The White Horse Tavern and The Spotted Pig, two places worth checking out. And just one short block apart!





PS .... In the Info section of The Spotted Pig's website where they give you all sorts of info on the restaurant, "excuse me, Gastropub), where to park, hours of operation, etc.,. In the Info section there's a spot Who owns The Spotted Pig? answer they give is
April Bloomfield, Ken Friedman, and some pals. I'll fill in the blanks of "and some pals," in case you don't know, thee "and some Pals" are Mario Batali, Jay Z, and Bono. Yes Bono as in U2 Bono.... Just for your information.
  Later.








Daniel Bellino Zwicke

THE WHITE HORSE TAVERN

DYLAN THOMAS'S LAST DRINK

photo Daniel Bellino Zwicke

UPSTAIRS at The SPOTTED PIG

The CARLYLE and RENAISSANCE at The MET

  Took a trip up to the Metropolitan Museum of Art today. The World's Greatest Museum. "No Question." don't you agree? Well! There are always 3 or 4 Special Shows going on along of course with the vast permanent collection. The show I went to see today was of Renaissance Portraits. And what a show it was, with more pieces than I would have expected and more of one great artist in particular "Botticelli" the great Florentine with such Gorgeous works as Primavera and of course
The Birth of Venus. There were quite a number of Botticelli's in the show, as well as a number of Bellini's and I spotted a Carpaccio. The show was very enjoyable, but enjoyed even more some of my favorites in the museum after I went trhough the Renaissance Show, I browsed a few Caravaggio's,  a couple La Cranche's, some Titian's, Tintoretto's, El Greco's, Canaletto's (scenes of Venice) and even a couple famed Violin's of The Greatest Violin Maker Ever, Antonio Stradivari. Not bad?
 Well, after I left The Met I strolled down Madison Avenue for a few blocks, just enjoying a nice Passigiata down the way, and along the way passed beautifully appointed boutiques madison Avenue is famous for and at 77th and Madison, New York's Coolest most elegant hotel "The Carlyle" a luxurious hotel at its best complete with the renowned Cafe Carlyle where Bobby Short performed and held court for so many years, and my fave "Behmelman's Bar." Stop in and have a drink, "If you can afford it." Doesn't come cheap, but it's worth the Treat.




Daniel Bellino Zwicke

CARAVAGGIO

The LUTE PLAYER

Metropolitan Museum of Art

The CARLYLE

NEW YORK'S COOLEST HOTEL

     

THE DUDE ABIDES

 Thought I'd talk about something dear to my heart today. I have many. The Big Lebowski. Yes, The Big Lebowski, The Cohen Brothers Classic, Cult Classic starring Jeff Bridges as "The DUDE," a lovable "Pothead Slacker" living in LA, Los Angelos, The City of Angels as the Cowboy Drifter Storyteller (Sam Elliot) says, weaving the story throughout. The Dude is accosted by a couple of goons in a case of missing identity. These goons, hired by Porno Mogul "Jacky Trrehorn (played by Ben Gazzara) to collect on a debt to him by one of his Porn Starlets Bunny, otherwise know as Bunny Lebowski. Treehorn sens the goons to collect the debt from Bunny's husband Mr. Jeffrey Lebowski. The goons, instead of going to Bunny's husbands house and collecting from him, mistakenly end up at The Dudes house, trying to ruff him up.
    When of the goons states that your Jeffrey Lebowski and Buuny is your wife, The Dude clammers, "Doe's this place (his apartment) look like I'm Fucking Married?" Then for more proof that he's not married, The Dude says and points out, "Look man, the Fucking Toilet Seat is Up," proof enough to most in America that he's probably not married.
     More mishaps ensure, and the Dude is drawn into a Fake Kidnapping Sceam and other things.
One  of The Dudes great passions, along with Smoking Weed, Kahlua, Drinking White Russians, and listening to Creedance (Clearwater Revival), is Bowling, and much of the film takes place in a bowling alley, bowling with friends and Bowling-Mates Walter (John Goodman) and Donny (Steve Buscemi) as they BS, Drink Beers, and Bowl against Smokey and Arch-Enemies "Quintanna (John Tarturro) and "Liam."
     The Big Lebowski is a funny "Feel Good" movie that has gained astronomical Cult Status that
has garnered many fans who attend Big Lebowski Festivals several times a year in cities around the country. A great movie, if you haven't seen it, put it on your list, and you might become an "Acheiver."










Daniel Bellino ZWICKE

THE DUDE ABIDES

Jeff Bridges as The DUDE

IT'S NATIONAL PEANUT BUTTER DAY ! WHO KNEW ???

ELVIS EATS A PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY SANDWICH

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE?

National Peanut Butter Day, who knew? Not me! First time I ever heard of it. Yes today on my beloved 1010 WINS NEWS, All-News-Radio, you get a lot of great little facts from them, and I got this little tidbit this morning. I'll have to take note if this fact pops up anywhere else today; on CNN, local TV News, The Daily News or NY Post. We'll see.
     Anyway, yes today, Tuesday January 24 is National Peanut Butter Day in The Us of A. I guess you can say Peanut Butter is a National Treasure, an Icon and something dear to most Americans. Yes we all grow to love it as kids, beginning as toddlers, then on to Kindergarten when Mom packed Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches into our lunch boxes. We loved it then, and it stays with you throughout your life once deeply ingrained into childhood. Yes I eat them still till this very day, PBJ's, Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches. They taste good, and I always have Peanut Butter and Jelly on hand in the house. So if you run out of everything else, the cupboard may be bare, "You always have Peanut Butter and Jelly." It's not just for emergencies, but it's nice to know it's always there. It's great to eat when you're hungry and in a rush, takes just a couple minutes to make and Voila you've got yourself a tasty nutritious PBJ.
    Who was the Biggest Lover of the stuff himself? he loved PBJ'S but is really famous for his Fried Peanut Butter and Fried Banana Sandwiches. Yep! You got that right, "Elvis." God Bless Him.






Daniel Bellino Zwicke

PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY

JFK'S FINAL RECORDINGS Being RELEASED

The SIMPLE PLEASURES of LIFE

 Oh to the simple pleasures of Life. Truly the best things, simple, inexpensive or free, uncomplicated too. They soothe and satisfy. What are they? Different for different people, reading a book, watching TV, listening to Records, or just rocking on a porch chair. Simple and satisfy.
    For me, living in New York's Greenwich Village and being way out of 20s and 30s, and pretty far into my 40's of learned to enjoy the simple pleasures of my life.
   I awaken each day. Rise from my and on my way to the bathroom hit the power button on my 1970's Weltron Space-Helmut Radio. It's tuned to 1010 Wins All-New Radio, and this is one of just a number of simple pleasures of my life. Yes, listening to 1010 Wins News Radio, "All The News All The Time" as they say. Their slogan. I commune with nature and listen to the News, all the news. I get the weather, local news, entertainment (the latest on Brad and Angelina, George Clooney, whatever happened to Charlie Sheen? Last years news.), World News and current events like like now the 2012 Presidential Primaries or the latest on the Costa Concordia Shipping disaster in Italy, they found 2 more bodies today, bring the death toll to 13 unlucky souls.
     I listen to the radio, it's old fashion and I love it. Old Tech that has been around since the early 1920's. And it's pretty much the same these days, in all its Wonderfulness. Yes I Love it. I remember loving it with great passion listening as a very young child, the Four Seasons driving around in the car (a Green early 60s Plymouth) with my Dad, or listening to the GE Radio at home, The Beatles, Supremes, Shirelles. Listening to the radio all my life, and never ever tiring of it through the years. How could you? Well if you listen to most of the crap music they make these days. But you don't have to. There is all sorts of choices; all Kinds of Music; like Classic Rock Stations, Jazz, R&B, Crappy Hip-Hop, Oldies Stations 101 WABC, Talk Radio, News Radio, this that and every other thing. Radio is great, and TV nor Computers nor anything have been able to kill it.
   Listening to the Radio, a simple pleasure of life.
Well back to the morning ritual, listening to the Radio as I commune with nature if you know what I mean. I have a great book that I read as I listen and _ _ _ _,  365 Days of
The Rolling Stones. 365 pages with 365 Wonderful pictures of The Stones and little tidbits of info. It's quite fun. 
      I wash my hands and brush my teeth. I watch a little bit of morning TV. Make a quick breakfast, Oatmeal, a couple Fried Eggs, Egg Sandwich, or maybe just a fresh Banana, very simple. 
     Switch over to music radio, the Oldies on 101 or some Classic Rock. Jump in the shower listening to some Stones, Beatles, Marvin, whatever. Get dressed, turn on the 
cel phone, pack my bag with Laptop, Hotspot, books, and what-not, and it's off to The Tarte, my daily morning pit-stop for Coffee, i read, I write, relax, chat with cafe friends. I just love it, a Simple Pleasure of Life, morning time at the local cafe, Coffee in hand, laptop, books, friends, yes it's good.
  Then it's back home, make a little lunch, charge the battery of the laptop, hang a bit, listen to the radio, the Simple Pleasures of life. Finish up and it's back out for my second cafe stop of the day, unless I have some running around to do, to the bank, by personnel or home essentials whatever.
    Then head up to work. Work and head back home, for some simple pleasures of life. Put on the PJs, put on the TV, lie back on the sofa, watch TV and relax, The Simple Pleasures of life.


PS  ... "Later that day," while at Corrado Bakery Cafe on Waverly Place in Greenwich Village, another Coffee and beautiful Brazilian Music on the stereo. 
Bosa Nova. Lovely songs sung by a young Astrud Gilberto. She sings Corcavado and it brings me back to my ex-girlfriend Dante. She was 10 years younger than me. A student at Columbia University. I was teaching her many things; about Music, food, different ethnic cuisines, art, literature, what-not. Well I was playing a Astrud Gilberto cassette and when Corcavado came on, she just melted hearing the words,    "This is Where I Want to Be In Your Arms Until Life Fire Lights its last ember," something like that, it's a lovely beautiful song sung by many Brazilian artists over the years but especially beautiful when Astrud sings it. "A Simple Pleasure of Life."






Daniel Bellino Zwicke

COFFEE a CAFE

The SIMPLE PLEASURES of LIFE

GIANTS GOING To SUPERBOWL .... GIANTS BEAT The San Francisco 49ers 20 to 17 .... .... January 22, 2012

ELI MANNING With VICTORY CHEER

as The NEW YORK GIANTS are On THEIR WAY TO 

a 4th SUPERBOWL APPEARANCE 

 Yes Giant fans, the Giants are on their way to their 4th Superbowl appearance and chance to Win a Fourth Superbowl and 8 Time NFL Champions after a dramatic Overtime Win.. Eli Manning led the Giants to Victory with 2 Touchdown passes. 












by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

The MORNING COFFEE ... In NEW YORK REGULAR COFFEE is KING

My Morning Coffee. Couldn't live without it. Get's me goin, hundreds of Millions a day. each and every day. You just gotta have that cup of Joe. For most Americans, it's in the house, though millions get it out. On the go, at the office, or if your lucky, you'll sit down and enjoy it leisurely at your local cafe, as I.

    I Love my morning Coffee, the Coffee itself, but it's not just the coffee, it going to the cafe, chit-chatting with the counter girls, maybe bumping into a friend, or having a conversation with a cafe regular like me.

I'm happy to get my Coffee, jump onto my Laptop, read the News, my emails, Surf, do a bit of writing, Or a lot!

And that first sip. Taste so Good. I just Love it, "warm and Comforting" that Morning Coffee is. Don't you just Love it? I do! How many Millions do? Americans, Italians, the French, Swedes, an-on-and-on, 1 Billion people every day, Two or Three, who knows. OK, I just did a little research (I wouldn't have been able to do this Pre-Internet Days). OK, about 150 Million Americans drink about 225,000,000 cups of coffee every day. Worldwide about 1.5 Billion people drink about 225 Billion cups of Coffee on a daily basis. Wow!

In Italy, your morning Coffee could be either an Espresso or Cappuccino, but after 1130 A.M. Italians no longer would drink Cappuccino or Caffe Latte any longer in the day, and they laugh at Americans who order a Cappuccino in a restaurant after Dinner.

      For me, my morning Coffee has just gotta be a regular. Nothing else will do. Well maybe an occasional Cappuccino which was my morning coffee for years at what used to be my favorite Caffee for a couple decades, Caffe Dante. I Loved my Cappuccino, but many a time, I sat there in Caffe Dante wishing I had a Regular Cup of Joe. The cappuccino doesn't last as long as that Cup of Joe, plus it's "Twice the Price," and when you go out for about 800 Coffees a year, as I do, the price of the Cappuccino plus tip can add up to quite a lot more Money. I've figured it out, to about $750 a year if I still had the same Cafe and Coffee drinking habits as in the past.

     A regular American Coffee is more satisfying, just the right balance of roast Coffee Beans brewed in the drip method with just the right amount of water. I add some Milk, no sugar, and for me, that is my perfect cup of Morning Coffee. You can keep your high priced Cappuccino, Espresso, and those ridiculous things they serve to Amateur Coffee Drinkers at Starbucks. It's all Marketing which most Americans are easily Brainwashed into. The same reason that "Ridiculous Sitcoms like Two and a Half men and other sitcoms are popular. And the same reason why that "Awful Garbage Hip Hop" is so popular. Most Americans have "Horrible Taste," are Followers, and easily Brainwashed. Sorry, but this could be the only reason why Millions would pay Millions of Dollars every day for "Abortionated Drinks" like Caramel Lattes and the like, and such "Awful Tasteless Noise as Hip Hop."

Ok, I've made my point. Back to my Morning Coffee, and it's just gotta be a "Regular." In New York, a "Regular Coffee" is King. No matter that many Cappuccinos, Espresso, those ridiculous Starbucks Concoctions are drunk everyday. In comparison they make up just a small percentage of the many various forms of coffee that can be made. Regular American Coffee is king, whether in your home, on the go from a Deli, after Lunch or Dinner in a restaurant, or even in, yes Starbucks. More than 85% of the millions of cups of coffee made every single day in New York, day after day, 365 of them a year, 85% of them are the good old American Classic, American Coffee. A Regular.


Daniel Bellino Zwicke

IN NEW YORK

REGULAR COFFEE Is KING

BROOKLYN BORN JOE PATERNO Dies at 85

Yes New Yorker's you read right, Joe Paterno was a native New Yorker. Did you know that New Yorkeer's? I didn't, and I'm sure that there may be some who knew, most New Yorker's like myself did not. Always associated with Pennsylvania and might have assumed Joe was born in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, or somewhere in rural Pennsylvania. No, it was Brooklyn. Read on folks. Joseph Vincent Paterno was born in Brooklyn, New York , on Dec. 21, 1926, and grew up in a neighborhood where, he recalled, “playing daily at sports was our work: not only touch football but also handball and Stickball" .

As a high-school senior, he was quarterback of a Brooklyn Prep team that lost only one game -- to St. Cecilia High School of Englewood, New Jersey , a team coached by Vince Lombardi before he began his Hall of Fame NFL career.

After serving in the U.S. Army, Paterno went to Brown University , where he played football. Paterno was Brown's quarterback and led the Bears to an 8-1 record in his senior season.  One writer wrote of Paterno that “he can’t run, can’t pass, just and win games.”

Joe Paterno Donated some 4 million dollars to Penn State, turned down numerous offers to coach in the NFL including job as Head Coach of Pats back in 1973 who offered Paterno 1.4 Million Dollars a year plus 5% ownership in the team. This when he was making $35,000 a year at Penn State.

Over his 62 years coaching at Penn State (46 as Head Coach) Paterno amassed more than 409 Wins, 24 Bowl Victories, 2 National Championships, and 3 Big Ten Championships.

   Let's hope that Joe Paterno is remembered for all the good that he has done over the years and not the Crap that was put upon this great man in the last few months of his life. Crap that some other Sick Individual committed, "Not Joe" but by association This Guy, The Press and others dragged Joe Paterno through the Mud, undeservedly so.

   God Bless Joeseph Vincent Paterno, may he rest in peace.

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

JOSEPH VINCENT PATERNO

NATIVE NEW YORKER

BORN in BROOKLYN NEW YORK

1926-2102

R.I.P.

JACK DANIELS and KEITH RICHARDS

BOYS and GIRLS 

because Just Like PARIS HILTON

or CHRISTOPHER WALKEN

"YOU CAN NEVER GET ENOUGH KEEF"

CLASSIC KEITH RICHARDS

with JACK DANIELS

a CIGARETTE

and "I DON'T GIVE a FUCK KEITH" 

 

.

KEEF

 

.

KEITH RICHARDS 

"WhoThe FUCK is MICK JAGGER"

The BADASS COOKBOOK

montage by Daniel Bellino Zwicke



.

Jan 21 and NEW YORK'S First SNOW of 2012 .... and a GREAT BAROLO Too !

A GREAT BAROLO

"CICALA" ALDO CONTERNO 2001

2001 ... ONE of BAROLO'S GREATEST VINTAGES EVER

photo Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Snow!? Yes Boys and Girls we finally got that first snow of the season. Yes we did get that snow unexpected snow back in October, but that was a freak, was in the Autumn of 2011 and not part of the 2011-212 Winter season. This is it. Been pretty lucky so far. Yes, a mild Winter it is. January is almost over and we have not had that many really cold days. January will be over in a flash, then February, and then it will be March, and although we can get some pretty nasty weather in March and we have in the past 12 or 15 years, in my mind with even these things considered, by the time March 1 rolls around, "Winter is Over." So Boys and Girls of New York, we've got just 38 days to go. A little over a month and the Winter of 2012 is over. Well, we'll see what's in store for the duration. More mildness, let us hope.
    What's going on today in New York? Not much other than the Snow of course. Having my daily morning Coffee at Once Upon a Tarte. Drank an awesome Barolo the other day, Barolo Aldo Conterno "Cicala" 2001, one of thee greatest Vintages for Barolo ever. And baby this Barolo was aged just right. The way a Barolo should be. They are made to drink aged and not too young. This Barolo was textbook perfect. The wine from this bottle was classic Barolo, tasting of the Earth, alcohol-soaked Cherries, and a treasured hint of Truffles. Every aspect of this wonderful Barolo was harmoniously integrated. The wine has aged well and is in perfect balance,  "a Joy to Drink." 






Daniel Bellino Zwicke

"The CHEW SUCKS" PLAIN and SIMPLE ...

  Yes I've been wanting to write about it, ever since I first saw it and almost gagged. Yes it is that Bad. These are the things I most write about, as do most; Things I passionately Love, Hate, or are of a Big Current News Story, or things of popular interest, whether the thing is of Celebrity, Food related, of popular culture, and other. Jeeze I'm passionate about "The CHEW." Yes We can' Boys and Girls "I Passionately HATE IT." It Sucks! Plain and simple no two ways about it. How the Hell can ABC or any other Network put such "SHIT" on TV? Well they do it all the time; Soap Operas, Shitty Sitcoms, Sandra Lee, Rachel Ray, etc., etc. Well another reason i can tell you why, Mario Batali said it himself, and is quoted in Grubstreet as saying that he expected getting ripped by the New York Press and stated "It is more Peoria than Manhattan." yes sir Bob, (Mario). And this explains why there is and has been so much Shit like "The Chew," Sitcoms, Soap operas, and most of what is on The Food Network, and that is that there are millions of brainless people in this country that will watch such crap and think it's good. That is what their intellect  consist of. But how bout the rest of the country? Those with a little more going on? Well, we've always got PBS, Documentaries, The Travel Channel instead of the Putrid Food Network. Thank Goodness for people like Tony Bourdain.
     You know, it's funny. The Chew could be good, dam good,great even. Just get rid of everybody on the show except for Mario Batali. Everybody else, "and i do mean Everybody" is DEAD WOOD. Give Mario the show to himself, maybe, excuse me for saying so, the same format or similar to Rachel Ray's current show where Mario is the whole show and he has one or two special guest. Just Mario cooking, "Not Six Incompetants" and Mario chit-chatting inbetween with, let's say his buddy Michael Stipes, Lawrence Fishburn, Christopher Walken, and Food & Wine Stars like; Chris Cosantino, Keith Mcnally, Riad Nasir,Keith Richards, and so on and so forth .... 
   Let mario cook and hang with Rock Stars, Movie Stars, Food Stars..  The Show SUCKS and the only thing to Save The CHEW Froma Certain Demise is to "FIRE Everyone Except Mario Batali." Thsi format will save the Chew, "Just Mario Cooking and Chatting with His Guest." Got that ABC. The CHEW SUCKS and you can save it if you want.

THE CHEW SUCKS

and here how to FIX IT !!!!

"FIRE EVERYONE EXCEPT MARIO BATALI"

MARIO is A STAR

"GET RID of ALL THAT DEAD WOOD"

Here is what GRUSTREET had to say about The Chew on September 27, 2011
   
 "We can't say we were surprised to find ourselves somewhat underwhelmed during yesterday's premiere of The Chew, but we weren't the only ones who felt that way: The Daily News takes umbrage  with the "overstuffed" show's too-fast pace, which "makes it hard to start relating to the panel." EW has the exact same complaint , and feels "overwhelmed by the pace of content." But these are both New York–based publications. Mario Batali himself told us yesterday that he expected to get ripped by the New York press: "[I]t is more about Peoria than Manhattan," he told us. Okay then. What do people in the middle of the country think?"

"The DUDE ABIDES" ..... BIG LEBOWSKI

BIG LEBOWSKI .......

"A Movie Everyone Needs To See"

THE BIG LEBOWSKI, Jeff Bridges Opus as "The DUDE." A movie everyone should see sooner or later. Better sooner, as it will enrich your life. A Funny "Feel Good Movie" about a Funny, Feel Good, happy, Carefree Guy, Jeffrey Lebowski, better know as "The Dude." Don't call him Lebowski as he meets-up and has a conversation with another Jeff Lebowski in the city of Los Angeles. The Dude says to him, "Don't call me Mr. Lebowski! You don't call me that! I'm The Dude. So that's what you call me, or you can call me Dudster, His Dudeness or El Duderino if not into the whole brevity thing!"

Well, no, this movie may not be for everyone. I can see that, but it is to millions. it's actually a Cult Movie that has a legion of Fans who absolutely Love it and of course El Dudeness himself, "The Dude." What's not to Love. A wonderful Cohen Brothers film with John Goodman as The Dudes main sidekick Walter, co-starring Steve Buscemi as Donny another friend of The Dude, Tara Reid as the nymphomaniac Porn Star wife of the other Jeff Lebowski, the Millionare handicapped one and Julianna Moore as the Millionare Jeff Lebowski's Left Wing Artist Daughter Maude.

The Dude is a Happy Go Lucky 70's Leftover Hippy former Rock-Roadie Unemployed Slacker of the First Degree who is a Fanatical Bowling Pot Smoker who Loves White Russians or as he calls them, a "Caucasian," (a Cocktail made with Kahlua, Vodka, and Milk).

The Dude happens to get into all sorts of misadventures that intertwines him with "Bunny" the nypho Porn-Star, her Husband millionare Jeff Lebowski, Jackie Treehorn the Porn King, The Malibu Sheriff, Maude, and a Gang of Bumbling Extortionists.

Are we makinmg any sense? Take my word for it and that of Millions of others! See The Big Lebowski, it'll change your Life! For the Better!

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

"The DUDE ABIDES"

Jeff Bridges as The DUDE in The Cohen Brothers 

"The BIG LEBOWSKI"

Jan. 18, 2012, NY NY

PERCY'S PIZZA .. BEST DOLLAR SLICE in TOWN ... NY NY

  A SLICE of PIZZA that's easily equal or "BETTER Than JOE'S PIZZA" just a block away, and just a $1.00 a Slice to boot. This is just phenomenal. PERCY'S PIZZA ROCKS !!!

The Pizza at PERCY'S is as good as it gets. It's doesn't get any better. It's "Better Than Joe's Pizza" which many people "THINK" is the Best Regular Slice in Town. It is not. It's Percy's, especially when you factor in all the facts; 1) Percy's Pizza Superb (Better Than Joe's)  2) Made with High Quality Cheese, Tomato, and Flour (not Cheap inferior products like most $1.00  3) Yes! It's Only a $1.00 a Slice  ...  You would have to be "Out of Your Mind" to go to Joe's Pizza for 2 slices of Pizza that will cost you $5.50 for for 2 slices, when you can walk a block away to Percy's Pizza, get the Best Pizza Possible (for a gas fired stove) and pay Only a Buck a Pop. That's just $2.00 for 2 slices, a SAVINGS of a whopping $3.50 .... If you're someone who goes to Joe's Pizza twice a week for two slices, if you switched and went to Percy's instead for equally or better Pizza, in the course of one year, you'd Save yourself 
a whopping $364 ... Nothing to sneeze at.








Daniel Bellino Zwicke

BEST DOLLAR SLICE in TOWN

BETTER Than JOE'S 100 Feet Away !!!

PERCY'S PIZZA ..MacDOUGAL STREET .. NY NY

photos Daniel Bellino Zwicke

The WORLD'S PRETTIEST BARISTA ...STUMPTOWN COFFEE and SHOPPING .99 CENT STORES

The WORLD'S PRETTIEST BARISTA ....  Stumptown Coffee.. New York, New York 

NEW YORK CITY                                                                                                                                 Jan. 16, 2012






     Yes, went to the new STEAK'n SHAKE up on Broadway yesterday. Something to do along with my usual Sunday Morning Coffee at Once Upon a Tarte, it was a Double Cheeseburger with Fires and a Coke for lunch. Yes, at Steak'n Shake. The down to the Ace Hotel for some Stumptown Coffee, lounge chillin. reading, mostly writing, sippin my Stumptown Coffee, a bit of Web Surfing, relaxing, just enjoying my day off. Cold but good. The day off. Pick up a few items at Jack's .99 Cent Store on 32nd Street, another usual Sunday afternoon occurrence. For me, that is. After my Sunday morning Coffee at The Tarte, it's off to lunch, then possibly a trip up to the Ace to hang in the lounge wit ma Coffee, my Laptop, iPod Touch, and my Razor, Cel-Phone that is. I usually couple the Sunday afternoon trip to The Ace Hotel with a trip to Jacks's, this .99 Cent Store is just three blocks from the Ace, so I do my thing there and when done, head over to to Jack's to see what they've got. I'll pick up, maybe; a Loaf of Bread, some Cheese if they have some real stuff (not fake cheese product), get some Ramen, Glass Cleaner, hand soap, Little Debbie's Nutty Bars, Pretzels, and what-not. All depends what they've got on hand. It's forever changing. I pick up as many things as I can and I usually save two to three times as much money as I spent. That is, if I spend $15, then those items probably would have cost me about $50 elsewhere so I just saved $35. Multiply this by 52 weeks and I save about $2,000 a year by buying things at .99 Cent Stores instead of foolishly throwing my hard earned money away for overpriced items elsewhere. Pretty good, huh?  
   So, I had my coffee and a nice little time at the Ace Hotel, ran over to Jack's and saved myself 35 Bucks, I hop on the F Train right there at 32nd Street and ride it down to West 4th, three blocks from my house. Not bad! Just Killed Two Birds with 1 Stone. Awesome!


PS ... "I Saw The WORLD'S PRETTIEST BARISTA at Stumptown Coffee. She made me my Coffee. Check her out below. Do you Agree?  




Daniel Bellino Zwicke

LISTENING To RECORDS

STICKY FINGERS

A GREAT ALBUM From The WORLD"S GREATEST

ROCK & ROLL BAND

The ROLLING STONES

LISTENING To RECORDS

Got off work last night and headed down to Guitar Teacher and Buds place for some Records, wine, and chit chat. It's a favorite pastime, and it is quite a lot of fun. You need a couple bottles of wine and a good record collection. We had both. You gotta have some good Classic Rock records,  R&B, and a little bit of Blues doesn't hurt; Albert King, Stevie Ray, BB King, Muddy, you know. Rock, you gotta have The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, The Who, Hendrix, The Allman Brothers, Eric Clapton and such. Some good R&B like Marvin Gaye, Harold Melvin, through in Willie Nellson and some Patsy Cline and you're set.
   Yeah we sit around drinking wine, last night a couple different Cote du Rhone's, and a Malbec. We often drink Chianti, Bordeaux's, stuff from the Loire, a Beaujolais, Red Burgundy. We listen to the Stones "Get Off of My Cloud," Under My Thumb, Waiting on a Friend, the wine and chit chat flows. Often the talk is of the great bands and musicians we listen to. Not a bad way to pass the time. conversation may go to the sad fact that nobody makes any good music these days. They are no great artist like there was back in the 60's, 70's, even 80's. There are no great musical artist these days, "The MUSIC SUCKS!" Very sad. i can't believe it. All those great bands that I was listening to back then; The Stones, The Beatles, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, The Stylistics, The Doors, Led Zeppelin. There gone. The Music is gone. Nothing is made today. Nothing good anyway. The music sucks. What they call music. They don't even have musicians any more. A singer samples digital music and sings over it. Shit! What's the World coming to? Help! Please! Can't they start making Rock again. Classic Rock, like The Stones, Jethro Tull, Alice Cooper even. The good old days. Well at least we've got that. We've got our old records; The Allman Brothers Live at The Fillmore East (Awesome), Jimi Hendrix, Alice Cooper's Killer, Sticky Fingers, Joe Cocker and Mad Dog Englishmen, The White Album, Zeppelin, and on and on. And R&B? All the great artist who produced The Philly Sounds.
    Will days like those ever come back? Let's hope so. Pray. Well we've always got our Records, LPS, 45's, and ........




Daniel Bellino Zwicke

STEAK'n SHAKE COMES to NEW YORK But SHAKE SHACK STILL TOPS

 

SHACK BURGER

at SHAKE SHACK

SCECRET SHACK BURGER RECIPE

NEW YORK CITY  

                                                                                                                 

This article was originally written and published by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke on January 16, 2012      Yes Boys and girls, we've got a Steak'n Shake. In new York that is. Not that very many of you have ever been yearning or heard of it. The popular Mid-West Burger (Not Steaks) and Shake Joint. Well I guess they must be thousands of native Mid-Westerners living in New York who've been dying for one, I'm sure at least 98% of New Yorker's ever heard of these guys. Until I saw them featured on a Food Show once, I'd never heard of them.      Anyway, they opened on Broadway and 53rd Street the other day. Went up there today to check them out.  Was checking out SeriousEats Burgers when I saw the piece and was reminded of them. Since I was just about to finish up my ritualistic Sunday Morning Coffee at Once Upon a Tarte and was thinking about what I was going to do for lunch, here it was. I'd jump on the 1 Train and take it up to 50th Street and try me one of those Steak'n Shake Burgers. A Original Double'n Fires to be exact, as I read in the SeriousEats piece that this was one the thing to get, and for just $3.99, a nice Double Patty Cheeseburger with Lettuce Tomato and onions, along with some Hand-Cut Fries. Got a Coke to go with that. I'll try a Shake on the next visit, along with their other signature Burger the 6 oz. Organic Beef Burger with Fries.     So I get to the Steak'n Shake and I'm happy to see there is no line, and not crowded. Just 1 customer ahead of me. I get to the counter and am greater by a tall Pretty Girl. Wonder if she's a Mid-Westerner? Well, she sure is pretty, and friendly to boot. I order my "Original" Double'n Fries and a Coke, and it comes to just a little over 6 Bucks. Not too bad for a Double Cheesebuger with Fies and a Coca-Cola to boot. And how will it taste. They say they're good. I believe them, and I'll find out soon enough. My buzzer lites up and vibrates, signaling that my order is ready. I get it.      Pull it out of the bag. It looks pretty good. Guess what? It is, pretty Dam Good that is. I like it. Not the best in the World, but very good. The Fries are excellent, Fresh, Crispy, seasoned properly, cooked just right. Yummm, I love em. And as for the comparison to my own top, New York's Best Burger (my Opinion and personal preference), it's the other Shake in the name Burger Joint that for me is new York's Best, and that's Shake Shack. Well, Shake Shack's # 1 Spot is intact. That's my top spot. Hold on now, stop your yelling and screaming. That's my own personal preference. I'm not saying they are the Best in New York, though for me they are the Best, and give me a minute and I'll tell you why. I know some will say Minetta's Black Label Burger get's the Top Nod (I like the Minetta Burger BETTER), some might say The Luger Burger at Peter Luger is Best and I love this one as well, New York's Best Burgers are many, but although I love the Burgers at Peter Luger, Minetta Tavern, The Spotted Pig, even The Corner Bistro now and then, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I really like McDonalds now and then. Yes I do. Hey i have the Balls to admit, they're actually better than many a "So-Called" renowned Burger of much higher prices and supposed High-Quality and Goodness. "Not!"     Now as to why I choose The Shake Shack Cheeseburger as New York's Best, # 1, First Prize, Champ, and I know I'm gonna get flack, hey this is my personal choice. But I'll tell you one thing about Me and Burgers, and this is fact. I know a hell of a lot more than most about this great American Invention. For one, I'm a food professional and former Chef. I have not recently jumped on the Burger Bandwagon in the past few years or so. I've been eating these bad boys for forty years and along with Sunday Sauce and Cannolis, I was weened on these things. My Dad took us to Diners Hot-Dog and Burger Joints all over the North East Coast of the United States chopping on Cheeseburgers and Dogs all along the way.      Now, let me tell you what, without question thee Best Burgers around are 4-6 ounce Patty's 1/2 to 3/4 inch think, no more, can be less. Big Fat-Ass 8, 9, 10 ounce Burgers are over done and plain just don't taste as good as a ones made of 4-6 ounce patties and no thicker then 3/4 of an inch. Also, they must "Cook in Their Own Fat" on a Flat-Top Grill, not a grated grill that lets the fat get lost and creates hard unappetizing grill marks. These Burgers that are usually about 4-5 ounce (can be 6) and that are cooked in their own fat on a Flat-Top Grill and served on a soft either Sesame Seed or Potato Bun, or regular seedless soft bun with White or Yellow American Cheese are tops and these kind of Burgers are known as  Diner Burgers. Forget those Thick-Ass 12 and 12 oz. burgers cooked medium-rare. They are too thick and too much rare ground beef just doesn't taste good, and especially if the meat is Dry Aged Ground Beef. Do you know what Dry Aged Beef is Actually? It's meat that is slowly under control deteriorating, and this kind of meat just doesn't taste good in ground form cooked rare or medium rare. Thick Burgers that are under cooked, do not have near the great taste of thinner burgers cooked through or close to thoroughly cooked at medium-well. Reason being that thinner burgers have a high ration of browned-meat to the whole total some of meat, and this is where the great flavor comes in, the two outside sides of a burgers patty that is browned, 90% of the flavor is here, and the thicker the burger the smaller the good  ratio of browned meat to not-browned is, thus making for a less tasty burger, a half inch  to 3/4 of an inch is best for the Tastiest Burger possible. These are just facts people, not opinions. This is the reason why a Shake Shack Burger taste better than a Black Label Burger at Minetta Tavern. For what a Burger is (Ground Beef) and for the BEST way to cook it for Best Tastiest results, the burger should not be too thick, and it should be cooked on a Flat Top Grill to at least Medium or Medium-Well, not rare or medium rare. So there you have it, The Shake Shack Burger is the Best in Town, and the TASTIEST BURGERS all across America are these types of Burgers, about 4-5 ounces, not too thick and cooked on a flat top grill. Basta.    Oh, what about the burgers at Steak'n Shake. Well, they get high marks. They are very tasty, good quality beef, cooked on a flat top grill. Get em. Daniel Bellino Zwicke BEST BURGER in TOWN .... SHAKE SHACK BURGER "SORRY BLACK LABEL ....IT'S NOT YOU"  

MINETTA TAVERN, Macdougal Street GREENWICH VILLAGE New York

photo Copyright Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

   

The PERFECT BURGER Recipe

in The BADASS COOKBOOK

also

Recipe to Make The SHAKE SHACK BURGER

 

RECIPE ... The PERFECT BURGER

RECIPE for The IN-N-OUT Double Double

in

GOT ANY KAHLUA ?

The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK

RECIPE for The IN-N-OUT Double Double

in

GOT ANY KAHLUA ?

ABIDE in IT !