Toughest Doors in the City

1. Boom Boom Room at The Standard

The Standard’s glitzy penthouse bar sports views to rival the Empire State Building and offers a level of hospitality on a par with Ian Schrager’s Rose Bar. That’s if you can make it inside. The Boom Boom is hard on most comers, including celebrities and models. We hear that Agyness Deyn was rejected at the door last week when the bouncer didn’t recognize her. Ooops.

Who you need to know: Andre Balazs, Kamil Parchomienko

Civilian Chance of Entry: 0 %

The Standard Hotel

848 Washington St. (Meatpacking District)

2. Jane Ballroom

The former nautical flop house quickly became the hottest lounge in New York without ever really announcing that the place was open, attracting the hipster set to its sway (not dance - it's not allowed!) on its plush couches. But as the saying goes: Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems. The Jane’s issues with its neighbors are well known, and the club was recently visited by a number of New York City agencies, resulting in the Ballroom voluntarily restricting its capacity until the problems are addressed. Same demand with half of the space is never a good equation. Hope someone tells the kiddies before their cab turns down Jane Street.

Civilian Chance of Entry: 0%

Who you need to know: Eric Goode, Sean MacPherson, Matt Kliegman ( there are a few others but if you dont know them by now...you will never know them!)

Jane Hotel

113 Jane St. (West Village)

3. Simyone Lounge

Eugene Remm and Mark Birnbaum have expanded their mini-Meatpacking empire with the Simyone Lounge (SL), a tiny little lounge below their new restaurant Abe and Arthur’s guarded by former Tenjune doorman Aalex Julian. Simyone just recently opened to the public, but we hear they are going to keep things tight at the door for a good amount of time. Early reports say the room is “well done” and “kinda small”, but it looks like it could be a winner. But beware – getting inside means you are going to be dropping at least $20 for a whiskey. Exclusivity has a steep price!

Civilian Chance of Entry: 25%

Who you need to know: Eugene Remm, Mark Birnbaum, Aalex Julian

Simyone Lounge (SL)

409 W. 14th St. (Meatpacking District)

4. Rose Bar

The Rose Bar at the Gramercy Park Hotel is sticking to its guns. Nur Khan loves his little baby, and he and doorman Damian still delight at dropping the hammer on would be customers who think that enough time has passed to get inside. Think again. But it is a hotel bar, so the staff is often required to accommodate guests who wouldn’t get in if it was a standalone business.

Civilian Chance of Entry: 40%

Who you need to know: Nur Khan, Damian Luayie, Ian Schrager, the hotel employee who guards the bathroom door.

Gramercy Hotel

2 Lexington Ave. (Gramercy)

5. Aveune

New York's first gastro-lounge debuted this summer, but almost four months in, this place isn't known for its cuisine. Avenue has become New York's premiere bottle buying destination, as the biggest whales spend serious money to drink in the company of celebrities and their posses, and civilians line up to attempt to get past actor/hardass Wass Stevens. A major coup was hiring the homeless Beatrice crew to run Tuesdays and Thursdays, bringing their customers to a club that they normally wouldn't be caught dead in. Lucky for you, the place is nicely sized, giving you a better than average chance to get inside. Just remember that admission is never guaranteed.

Civilian Chance of Entry: 60%

Who you need to know: Noah Tepperberg, Jason Strauss, Wass Stevens, The Beatrice Crew

Aveune

116 10th Ave. (Chelsea)

Travertine

Last night I was going to go check out Joseph Leonard on Waverly Place and Grove but once I got there, we realized that this space is super tiny and they literally have one table that seats 4 people. So we turned our efforts to Travertine.

It took us a quick second to find this place but once you see the bright white wall, you cant miss it. Travertine is branded to the side of the marble wall and right next to it is a dark wood door. Upon entering the restaurant the hostess stand is directly to your left and you see the bi-level space in all its glory. Decorated in sea green mosaic tiles and champagne colored drapes and dark woods make the space very cozy. There will be a sub level to the restaurant come early 2010. Right down a decedent black chandler hangs over the stairwell downstairs.

We sat up on the "step up" second level. It was nice because we could see the entire space and watch people coming and going. The place was pretty busy the entire time we were there.

For appetizers we had the Crostini with mozzarella di bufalo, heirloom tomatoes and fava beans. Also we had the beef Carpaccio with bone marrow, goat cheese and roasted beets. Everyone at the table would agree that the Crostini was far better then the Carpaccio. The mozzarella is so creamy and fresh. Just delicious.

For our entrees, all of us stuck to pasta. I had the stuff Fagotini. It was a stuffed pasta, with sheep's milk ricotta, spinach with brown butter and a cauliflower puree. Very tasty and for a stuff pasta it was light. Also at the table was a paradelle with rabbit ragu and gnocchi with lemon zest. The paradelle was really nice and had the essence of the rabbit. It was done perfectly. The gnocchi was really different because of the lemon zest. It was surprising to get that flavor with the gnocchi. Really good but surprising. All were really good.

My one complaint about the entire evening was that it took a really long time in between courses. It was like...how long does it take to cook pasta? Gees! Besides that everything was really great. I liked the food, the space and the service. I would recommend this to a wide range of people. Young fashionisat, the blue button down types, date night couples, you get the idea.

Hope you enjoyed it!

Travertine
19 Kenmare at Elizabeth
212-966-1810

Le Cubain

I went to Le Cubain last night and I loved it. Its like a Pastis with a Lower East Side feel. Meaning slightly darker with more better music. Located right on the corner of Ludlow and Broome, this Cuban restaurant is a refreshing space for the LES. On the radio was everything from Nancy Sinatra and Roy Orbison to The Presets and The Tings Tings. It was a little early when we got there and we were the only ones there. However, as the night progressed the place started to fill up.

The food is not traditional Cuban food either. I think its more of Latin food in general and not specifically Cuban. I had chicken tacos, a side of yellow rice and black beans and a calamari appetizer. The chicken tacos were awesome. There were served with cilantro and the tortillas where homemade and grilled. The tortilla was so delicious. It set the tone of the entire taco. The calamari was really nice because it was fried and served with a spinach and mango salad. Hands down though the best thing I had was the goat cheese flan! It was the perfect texture and just oh so yummy. I could've had 7 of them, they were that good!

Also this place doesn't brake the bank. Its very reasonably priced. The appetizers are around $6 and the entrees around $14. The happy hour menu is prefect too. Its only drinks but its mostly $5 mojitos/ margaritas and $5 glasses of wine. Also happy hour goes until 7 PM. Moreover, there is sidewalk seating that's good for people watching.

Overall: I loved this place. The scene is very unpretentious and you want to hang out there. The food is good. Its not mind blowing but its good. The staff is an eclectic bunch. I plan to come here often and become a regular.

Le Cubain
81 Ludlow at Broome St.
212.677.9383

Hope you enjoyed it!

Ten Bells

After I went to Le Cubain, I wondered across the street to Ten Bells. The aromas of chorizo and the sight of oysters had me salivating even though I just came from dinner. The brick walls are covered in chalkboards with a list of the daily menu and wines. This is strictly a wine and beer bar. The dark nature of the space makes this a great date spot. Even on a Monday night, this place was full of people enjoying themselves. I ordered the only Pinot Noir by the glass they had. It was very earthly and light. In other words it was very nice, especially after a meal I just ate.

I really like this space for a wide range of people. Older couples, family visiting, girls night out...it works for all sorts of people. This isn't a place to have a full meal though. Its only small plates (think meats, cheeses, shrimp nachos, empanadas, etc.)

Overall: If anyone is in the LES or waiting for a table at Barrio Chino this is a great spot to sit, enough a glass of wine and listen to music like the Brazilian Girls.

Hope you enjoyed it!

Ten Bells

247 Broome Street at Ludlow

212.228.4450

http://www.thetenbells.com/the_ten_bells/index.html

Hotel Griffou

So the other night I went to dinner with my sister and her boyfriend to Hotel Griffou. Here is my overall thoughts of it...

The space is great. Its very unique and sort of has an exclusive feel to it. There are 3 different dining rooms and a bar space. I had the Writer's Block to start off with before I had my wine with dinner. The drink was with pomegranate and champagne. It was really tasty. My sister liked it too.

The service was great. After all of the mixed reviews I was surprised. Our waitress was very attentive and so was the bussers and water guys. Overall, I thought it was way better then expected and better then...hmmm....other restaurants...wink.

The food was alright. The cauliflower soup was outstanding. I dont even like cauliflower but I wasnt feeling well so I wanted soup and ordered it. It was really great. Both Nick and I had it and it was yummy in the tummy. I had the scallops which was very mediocre. Not impressed at all. Nick had the burger and thought it was good. However, after having the mind blowing Black Label Burger at Minetta, no other burger will taste that good! My sister had the Griffou pork chops and peas. She loves peas and that sort of stuff and really liked it. Overall, the food was good but not WOW!

The crowd/scene was dynamic. Everyone from the blue buttons to Jonathan Alder himself. It hits a large group of people. I think thats what I liked about it the most is that you really couldnt be like....only finance guys or fashionistas or celebrities. Its a good change of pace compared to most restaurants that I have been to lately.

Overall, I liked the space and thinks its a great spot to get drinks. I wouldnt necessarily eat there again but I would definately go back!

Hotel Griffou

21 W. 9th Street

212-358-0228

Bryant Park Eats and Treats

Bryant Park Grill
I went here for a drink after work with a collegue and was shocked how many people were there. It was full of suits and women wanting attention from the suits. Great people watching and average prices for a glass of wine makes me want to go back. For a younger crowd, head upstairs where the average person is in their early late 20's- early 30's.

Southwest Porch
So cute! Its a great little spot to enjoy the afternoon. If you are up in the area, I highly recommend taking a look at it. There are hanging swings, lot so nice chairs and couches. You can grab a bite to eat or a beer at the bar. On the menu is little munchies---think cheese and meat plates, sandwiches and salads. You can also get a book from the readers corner and bring it over and to the "porch" and enjoy your day that way. Overall, great little spot and something not at the Bryant Park Grill or Cafe.

Of course you always have Koi at the Bryant Park Hotel and the little random deli's but these are the actual sit down and enjoy yourself spot.

Avedon at The International Center of Photography

I went to the International Center of Photography yesterday for the first time. It was really a site! It was quite busy for a Sunday afternoon. I was sort of surprised to see that many people there to be honest. The exhibit is for Richard Avedon's work from 1944-2000. My first thoughts was that have I had seen this at the same time or on the same day as Model as a Muse at the Met it would've been divine. The 2 go hand and hand. Some of the photographs are the same and a lot of the actual clothes photographed at the exhibit are actually at The Met. So to have seen both sides of it was really great. When you walk into the ICP there is an admissions desk to and the gift shop. Then you walk in and everything goes by decades. So you have the 40's, 50's, 60's etc. When you make your way downstairs there is a cute little cafe where you can get coffee and little munchies whatnots.

Looking at the photographs you really miss the days of glamour and it makes you want to have cigarettes and drink brandy. Everything was just so grand and divine. When ladies had manners and wore crazy hats. I loved it!

Overall: Its a great way to see a bit of history and I really enjoyed myself. Tell everyone to go if the mention Model as a Muse or want to go somewhere different besides a museum.

ICP FACTS:

International Center of Photography:

1133 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd Street

New York, NY 10036

Admission:

General: $12Students and Seniors: $8ICP Members: FreeChildren under 12: Free

Hours:

Tues–Thurs: 10:00 am–6:00pm

Friday: 10:00 am–8:00 pm
Sat–Sun: 10:00 am–6:00 pm
The Museum Galleries are closed on Mondays, holidays, and during installation.

Website:
https://mail.hotelsab.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=4b7504016f9a46efb0147df79b92ecc3&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.icp.org%2fsite%2fc.dnJGKJNsFqG%2fb.732135%2fk.D880%2fMuseum.htm

Hope you enjoyed it...

Black Cafe aka Cafe Noir

I really like their burgers and cheese plate. I have been here a few times and its simple. No muss...no fuss. Good to go with a friend to chat and just be somewhere. It is a very local spot. Meaning you really dont deal with all of the idiots on the street reading the menu and blocking the door. They almost lost their amazing location but just resigned their lease for another 2 years! Yippie Skippy!

Cafe Noir

32 Grand St. Manhattan, NY 212-431-7910

Rare View at the Shelburne

Me...a girl took a guy on a date here because he lived right around the corner. I scored some serious cool points. Random crowd but worth dealing with them for the view. The crowd being typical Murray Hill. Think either jewish guys trying to hard or the really dorky finance type that is probably from Boston or Penn. This also means bring your own crowd or date so you dont have to deal with these blue button down shirt wearing fellas. Go during the week so its not too crowded!

Rare View

303 Lexington Ave., rooftop(37th St.)Manhattan, NY212-481-8439

Calling ALL Smokers

For a nonsmokers...this place is still a great time. The music selection is on point. Its a great place to meet friend after work to grab a drink. Their mini menu of munchies also provides something to nibble on while you are partaking in one of their concoctions! I recommend the spinach dip or filet mignon crossiants! Amazing!

Circa Tabac

32 Watts St.(bet. 6th Ave. & Thompson St.)Manhattan, NY212-941-1781

Zoos: Bronx vs. Central Park

The Bronx Zoo is the largest urban zoo in the world. It's like the Louvre of Zoos -it could take several visits to see it all! Whether you have kids or just like jungle animals (kevin) -the zoo is a great way to spend an afternoon and we often have guests asking about them. The set up of the viewing is exceptional -right over on the rock are lions sunning. Walking tall right next to you, giraffes and the indoor exhibits are amazing as well -obviously the baboon, ape exhibit being exceptional.

The Central Park Zoo is a faaaaar second. You could finish the entire thing in 20 mins, starting with the seals, then the penguins (lots to see but the enclosed viewing area is cramped and really hot. There's like one polar bear who you're lucky to catch and the red pandas are clandestine and you're lucky to catch a glimpse of their red hair. The bird section is well done and pretty large.Both places have amazing zoo shops that are ridiculously overpriced but you actually can't leave without buying some stuffed animal replica of your favorite animal of the day.If the guests are willing to take the extended trip the Bronx Zoo is much more of a sight to see. The Central Park Zoo is an extremely edited zoo suitable for those who are mainly headed to the park and want something quick to entertian the kids.

Courtest of M.E.

Brooklyn Museum

This was my first trip to the Brooklyn Museum and I must say I totally loved it. It was a Wednesday and I arrived around 2pm. It wasn't crowded at all, very spacious and easy to take in the work. It felt much different than the overly populated Met or MOMA. The foyer welcomes you with multiple Auguste Rodin bronze sculptures before you get to the ticket kiosk.

Admission: Suggested Contribution: $10; Students with Valid ID: $6; Adults 62 and over: $6; Members: Free;
Children under 12: Free
Hours: Wednesday–Friday: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Saturday–Sunday: 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Get detailed hours
Subway: Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum Get detailed directions

There is a substantial spread of art from all over the world. I didn't get a chance to check out the Chinese art but the African art section is full of tribal masks, headdresses and figures from all over the continent. There are also a few looping videos of tribal dances where you get to see the head pieces in action. These are fun to watch.

Decorative Arts floor was really intriguing. There were renovated parts of old homes from the late 1800's on display. The Moorish Room was one of my favorites. It was a section of an old 1860's New York town house with many intricate Victorian/Moroccan looking details on the ceiling and moldings. Another piece that blew me away was an old French iron gate from 1900. Wrought by hand these Art Nouveau styled butterfly wing gates are so complex I was thoroughly amazed with the precision.

Highlight now thru Sept. 20th
Yinka Shonicare MBE:British born Nigerian artist (1962) works with diverse artistic mediums exploring ideas about African contemporary identity & the legacy of European colonialism. There are headless mannequins wearing traditional European colonial dresses & suits made from brightly colored fabric in an African palette. The opening piece is a headless female mannequin adorned in a vibrant dress with a big bustle, lead this headless mannequin are 3 ocelots on leashes.
Another remarkable piece is the The Swing: inspired by Fragonard's 1767 painting the swing. It' basically a 3D sculpture version of the painting with a headless woman in mid swing hanging from a lush tree branch kicking her shoe off.

The Museum of Natural History

Obviously all is still the same and awesome as far as the permanent exhibits -to be honest, I didn't even get through a 1/4 of them. I thought I should try and see the special exhibits.I saw the exhibits Climate Change and Journey to the Stars. Climate Change was somewhat boring -especially for kids. I thought it would have some sort of impact but it fell short. The most interesting thing was the globe of the world that turned and you could press a button to see the world at night. Not surprisingly the US shined brightest and it made me feel sad. They explored the polar bears and how global warming is melting the ice caps which makes the swim too long for them and they drown :(naturally they showed many large flourescent charts that highlight the warming of the earth as a whole and how that makes for more typhoons, hurricanes and overall storms. toward the end of the exhibit they gave the spectator a chance to commit to making efforts to improve these deteriorating circumstances by decreasing their carbon footprint. they also showed how we can use other means to create energy like wind turbines and how productive they are, etc.Journey to the Stars was much more interesting. What's not interesting about stars? This particular 'journey' (narrated by Whoopie Goldberg, who is great but I think Morgan Freeman would have been much more effective/appropriate) made you feel as if we humans were like The Who's in 'Horton Hears a Who'. It seriously opened your mind to the concept of us being tiny little specs in this grand universe the expanse of which we haven't even touched upon -our minds, are not even capable of comprehending. It absolutely blew my mind! It's not that I haven't explored this notion before and been blown away by it but seeing it in this exhibit just really reminds you that all of this is so insignificant. It's great and a great recommendation for those of all ages.

Courtest of ME

The American Museum of Natural History

http://www.amnh.org/

Flying Trapeze

I had a guest request two spots for a flying trapeze class this past week, so I thought it would be a great time to try it out! If you visit the website, it's pretty simple to book the class, they have various types per which level acrobat you are. They have about 10 people per class- and you can see how many spots are left on the schedule. There's a bunch of information to fill out- billing address, email, phone numbers, emergency contact..yadyada.. this also pertains to the "one time registration fee" which is 22$- you only have to fill this info out once, as well as pay that fee once.

They suggest to wear longer pants- more like spandex or yoga pants or my pants? And tight tops- anything loose on your body has the possibility of getting caught-so you have to take off jewelry too. The long pants are for not getting to banged up by the net- which I was bruised by.

The duration of the class is two hours, and you are with three instructors. The class begins with doing a simple swing across, tuck, and land. The whole class takes a turn going- so this takes about a half hour- you watch and cheer and the time passes- it's fun- but also because there is so much downtime, it makes a great date or friendly activity. The second go you get to do (or try) a back flip. This is fun because you get to actually just feel the power of the gravity you're playing with on the trapeze- some of the class wasn't able to do this, but everyone comfortably moved at their own pace. The last "trick" was the catch- they had the more advanced people in the class go first, about three of us were successful out of ten. The catch is when you have an instructor swinging on the next pole synchronized to when you swing, at a point, he grabs your wrists, your grab his, and release from the bar with your legs. It was a blast!

I think this is a great lil activity for a beautiful day- where you can go to their outdoor facility on houston/west st, or a rainy day one on 30th/west st. For a very active couple or an adventurous friendship, for experimental athletes, or has been dancers-I really think it could be a great challenge for any type of body- someone that isn't agym buff could still do very well- I wouldn't want anyone not to try this because they were afraid. There was one student who couldn't go up the ladder- so if you're afraid of heights, it may be a waste of money. Or if you're preggers- I wouldn't do it than either.

Flying Trapeze School
http://newyork.trapezeschool.com/

Courtesy of KH

The Modern at MOMA

My fellow concierge and I went to dinner at The Modern on Tuesday night. We dined like Queens. Seriously, it has the wow factor! I ordered the Chef's Tasting and Melissa ordered the Summer Tasting. Of course we shared everything, so we really got a feel for the cuisine. Some of the courses were absolutely mind-blowing and worth every penny. The foie gras tasted like Christmas and sort of looked like it on the plate. It was really fantastic. Another OMG food moment was the escargot ravioli! Jesus...if you don't even like escargot, this dish will change your mind. Its rich, creamy, full of flavor and the quail eggs are the perfect touch. But the Chorizo-Crusted codfish was a straight food-gasim. The hearty crispiness of the chorizo on top of the gentle codfish was perfection. You couldn't eat enough of this yumminess.

The service was also fantastic. The second you got up the waiter would come over and fold your napkin. If your water was halfway empty, someone would be right there filling it up. The manager, sommelier and reservationist came over to introduce themselves to us. Everyone was really genuine.

The atmosphere was very artistic. It is in a museum and all. You are looking at art. We sat in the main dining room. There is a lovely courtyard that has sculptures and little ponds in it. Really tranquil to look at. Also the main color palate of the dining room is black and white as it is not to take away from the art. In the bar room it was pops of lipstick red to accent the black and the white. It is a little less formal and doesn't require a pre-fixed menu. PLEASE NOTE: that if you are dining in the main dining room a jacket is required.

My one compliant about The Modern is that there is so much food and it never stops coming. There was at one point that I asked for a cigarette in the middle of dinner. It was like having really good sex and then not knowing what to do so you have to have a smoke break. Then I asked, is this the last course before dessert? They said, "Actually, you have 2 more courses before dessert." It was like please stop feeding me. Death by food came to mind and it was so good you couldn't stop eating.

When dessert came...it again, never stopped coming. And again it was so good. First came the planned dessert. It was a light and delicious panna cotta in a pineapple cup. So super yummy. However, the side part which was a cardamom sorbet with marshmallow fluff stuff on top was not as desirable. Then came a little glass box of some oh so delicious chocolates and little beet sorbet jelly type of shots. I am not a really big fan of beets but they it was actually quite delicious. Then came the mini- 2 bite sized ice cream cones with I believe it was a raspberry sorbet. Again very tasty.

Overall: The Modern is fantastic and the food is great. I would highly recommend this for people in the area, wanting something grand. Seriously, has the WOW factor!

Chef's Tasting Menu $125

Foie Gras Terrine Flavored with Juniper Marinated Raisins, Pistachio Joconde
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Tartare of Yellowfin Tuna and Diver Scallops Seasoned with Yellowstone River Caviar
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Ravioli of Escargot with Slow Poached Quail Eggs, Escargot Caviar and Mustard Greens
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Maine Lobster Cappuccino
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Chorizo-Crusted Codfish with White Coco Bean Purée and Harissa Oil
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Pennsylvania Duck Breast with Black Trumpet Marmalade, “Fleischschneke”, and Banyuls Jus
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Pineapple ‘Chartreuse’ with Fresh Herb Sorbet


Was it good for you...because it was so good for me!

Quinto Quarto

Last night I made my way over to Quinto Quarto in the heart of the West Village. I was really in the mood for candlelight, pasta, red wine and good conversation and that is exactly what I got! This cozy little gem will transport you Tuscany the second you walk in the door. Every staff member is Italian..think gorgeous, flirty with those dreamy eyes. When asking our waiter Manuelo what he liked, he didn't hesitiate to recommend his favorites. I had the Lombrichelli All'Estrusca -homemade pasta, tomato, chili peppers and pecorino cheese. The moment it was placed in front of me, I knew I was going to love it! It was perfectly cook al dente and the sauce made me feel like I was back in Veneto.

I highly recommend ordering the house wine in the carafes aka fojetta. It's $14 and you pretty much get an entire bottle. Go easy on it because Matteo, the GM, will most likely send over a complimentary glass of limoncello or sambuca.

It was raining but they have a garden in the back that I definitely plan on enjoying in the near future.

Quinto Quarto 14 Bedford St, near Downing St.