A GLEANER'S DINNER - Thoughts on Food Pt. 1

This holiday season we are thankful for:



1) DOSA GARDEN, 323 Victory Blvd (@ Cebra), Staten Island, NY 10301


This Indian restaurant, in the heart of the Island's Sri Lankan neighborhood, specializes in Southern Indian delicacies and does a magnificent job of preparing regional dishes such as vada, uttappam, and its namesake, dosa. Paper Masala Dosa is beautifully rolled and stuffed with a robustly spiced potato filling. More 'classic' Indian dishes are savory, rich and flavorful. Chicken Korma should be ordered with plenty of hot fresh naan bread to dip in this delectable sauce. Vegetarian dishes are outstanding, including some of the best palak paneer this side of the Pecos! And you can't go wrong with a samosa appetizer; the two veggie turnovers are richly stuffed and fresh. Did we mention reasonable? Decor could use some work but the service is always friendly and informed.


S61 S62 S66 S46 S48 to Cebra


2) PIER 76, 76 Bay Street, Staten Island, NY 10301


Heaven shone brightly on the North Shore of Staten Island this year with the opening of Pier 76. In easy walking distance to the ferry, this North Shore Italian eatery offers not only Joe & Pat's-style thin crust pizza, but inspired Nouveau Italian from its CIA trained owner. Call from the ferry and it's ready for pick-up by the time you walk there!! The 'fellas' did a lovely job of refurbishing the beautiful bar in the lovely appointed dining room. Check out the Caesar Salad pizza; sounds crazy, tastes delicious!!


2 stops on S46, S48, S52, S61, S62, S66, S74, S76 - Bay & Central




3) Pita Joe's, 2 W 14 St, New York, NY 10011


At the crossroads of uptown/downtown east/west this fab little eatery produces some of the best falafel I've had in NYC in years! Joe is a hard core Israeli and it come out in his falafel; crisp, flavorful & satisfying. Chicken cutlets, schnitzeled or grilled, are also available, along with salads and platters. Joe also offers an interesting selection of flavored lemonades. A fabulous, reasonable lunchtime treat!!


To be continued...

A WALK THROUGH CHELSEA

Dropping our postcard entry off at VisualAIDS, we took a quick peek at a few exhibits in Chelsea. Here's what we saw:

NORBERT SCHWONTKOWSKI "ANGSTRŒM" @ MITCHELL-INNES & NASH - A remarkably delightful show of paintings by this 60 year old German artist in his first New York solo exhibition. Schwontkowski has taught in Germany for years and he makes me want to enroll for my MFA over there. A gracious mix of fancy and simplicity, these are some of the most painterly paintings I've seen in NY in quite some time. A Balthus-like precociousness presents images that are disarmingly naive yet show a masterful hand in drawing and application of paint.

Up until January 9, 2010 - DON'T MISS!!

ANNA JÓELSDÓTTIR "priest chews velvet haddock" @ STUX GALLERY - A compelling installation by this Icelandic artist. A frantic, ecstatic energy charges through these works, especially the installation works that have a Mad Hatter quality. The work that provides the title for the show is a phantasmagorical cascade of mylar tattooed and tinted in a highly detailed fashion.

Up until January 9, 2010 - WORTH A LOOK!!




PETER FISCHLI/DAVID WEISS "SUN, MOON & STARS" @ MATTHEW MARKS - An encyclopedic work by the leader alchemists of the art world. A dizzying series of tables provide a chromatic study of magazine advertisements that also follow a bizarre uncanny narrative. Entertaining and engaging up close, I had wished there was a bit MORE room in the gallery to display their larger essence. "CLAY AND RUBBER" at the gallery's 24th St Outpost is another anthology, this of 24 everyday objects cast in one of the two title materials. Masterfully done, I couldn't help get the feeling I was in a really high-end Home Depot!
Up until January 16, 2010 - WORTH A LOOK!




LYNDA BENGLIS @ CHEIM & READ - Large scale bronze wall hangings and free-standing objects. I like the general drift of these pieces, especially the two "Swinburne" pieces which are cast in tinted polyurethane. I start to run into problems here with the general surface of the work, which can be best described as wormy scatological. The two pink pieces redeem an otherwise unremarkable show.
Up until January 2, 2010 - TAKE A QUICK PEEK!




Also seen:


CHARLES RITCHIE "BOOKS & PAGES: 2004 - 2009" @ BRAVINLEE PROGRAMS - A lovely show of works on paper. Beautifully illumined pages are peppered with spidery script-scrawl. Masterful watercolors. Worth a trip in the 526 W 26th St building. STRAIGHTFORWARD & HONEST.


MATTHEW RITCHIE @ ANDREA ROSEN GALLERY - A monumental multimedia installation. Ambitious in scope it doesn't hold together as well as ANNA JÓELSDÓTTIR Anna Joeldottir's installation @ Stux. Make a walk through to take in the small Gallery 2 show of Pop icons, most notably a soft Oldenburg clothespin! Philadelphia Freedom!! MAKE A WALK-THRU.


CLIFFORD ROSS @ SONNABEND - Ross continues his study of ocean waves, an oeuvre that I not taken to in the past. But the artist has given these new prints are wider horizontally, echoing a film screen, and printed the image with archival pigment inks which provie these works a depth and substance they lacked previously. AN IMPRESSIVE STEP FORWARD.


SEAN SCULLY @ GALERIE LELONG - Luscious unremarkable paintings by a major American painter. one painting, LANDBAR, struggles to break the mold. IF YOU MUST.


ERIC FISCHL @ MARY BOONE - An uneventful exhibition by a major player on the painting scene. Matadors and nemeses in flashy style. Wonder where Mr. F will vacation next. SKIP IT.