Urban renewal sometimes does some great things. In a city where we abhor gentrification, the High Line is a welcome addition to the landscape and shows that a decaying piece of history can be reborn into something new for all to enjoy.

Coming here recently I had my reservations as to what was to be expected of this project as I had read some of the snarky reviews on Yelp and other websites, but kept an open mind as I ascended the stairs to this overhead park in the sky. I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed my visit here. With the addition of the 2nd stage this place is huge and you can walk for many blocks taking in the sights and foliage. Now, they are planning to expand it further to a 3rd stage which will complete the project and offer more space to meander about.

From my observations -

Plenty of foliage to see. Is it a major botanical garden? No. But they have done a great job with the space they had to work with. Well maintained and thought out.

Nice walkways set up. Yes, it’s a bit narrow at times, but again it is based on limited space to work with.

Lots of benches, and nooks and crannies to veer off the path and sit or take pictures. Great seating area by the public lawn, the bench – like seating through the looking glass area by 10th Ave, and the wooden lounge chairs by the sundeck and water feature are just a few of the spots to kick back and enjoy the sun, breeze, and sights.

Great views from all around. City streets, cool building architecture, Hudson River, hustle and bustle down below. Art installations also are featured. Each year they seem to have new seasonal eateries set up close by to fulfill those hunger pangs and quench your thirst after a day of walking around. This year it is “Terrior At The Porch” which is a wine bar and open air cafe’. Please visit this page to see a complete listing of food and drink options along The High Line - http://www.thehighline.org/about/high-line-food

Yes, it gets crowded on weekends. Better to visit this park when it first opens during early morning, or on a weekday when most people are at work. If you don’t mind a leisurely slow placed walk as I did it will not bother you. If you are the type that hates crowds, and needs to move quickly, then you will not enjoy it. Nice weather weekends are a mob scene here.

There are spots to grab a snack along the paths. Picked up a terrific People’s Pop by the Chelsea Market Passage, on the High Line near West 16th Street. They also have shaved ice. There is also a Gelato stand there. Water fountains and restrooms have also been placed along the park.

Overall, I enjoyed it. The weather was perfect when I was here. It seemed like the whole city was here. Sun on my face. Nice breeze out. Good way to enjoy a lazy Sunday. Is the High Line for everyone? No. There are those who will be bored and hate it. There are some that just can’t see the beauty of it. But for those who are looking for a little something different to do it is a welcome reprieve to the concrete jungle that we live in on a daily basis.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-high-line-new-york#hrid:TfDvkqpGLIKGl-dUvWAc2A/src:self

http://www.thehighline.org/

Why oh why do I see more and more people wearing pajama bottoms out in public nowadays? It just seems weird to me that people actually think this is an acceptable look. I just think they look like crazy people. Like “People of Walmart” crazy people. Now, I can understand if it’s the middle of the night and your dog has to take a crap, but seriously, don’t you have a pair of jeans or athletic pants lying around to throw on when heading out to the supermarket, local bodega, or resto to pick something up? This is becoming an epidemic as bad as the idiots I see wearing their pants halfway down their legs showing off their underwear. Is there an island or someplace we can ship these people off too? Oh wait, Manhattan is an island. I guess we are stuck with them and their dress code of stupidity.

Not kidding here but since when did this become an acceptable fashion style? Out to dinner recently we actually viewed some guy in the restaurant wearing lounge pants. Was he too lazy to put on a real pair of pants? Did he see his pajama bottoms and figure that they were stylish enough to wear out in public? Oh yeah, that fleece plaid design is so cool! Maybe I should wear my SpongeBob lounge pants to the movies this week. Even better, maybe I’ll wear my Batman pajama bottoms to work. When someone questions my attire I’ll just stare at them and proclaim “I’m Batman dammit”!

Now here is another mystery of life that I do occasionally view during my travels around the city and sold at some NYC gift and clothes boutiques displayed right outside on a mannequin in full public view – pajama jeans! What the heck? Really, why? The worst thing is when you actually encounter people wearing these pants in public! Do women really wear these things? I can totally understand wearing sweat pants, yoga pants, and athletic pants around the house so why bother wearing a fake set of jeans? What the heck! Is life so hard that people need to wear these when going out and proclaim in defense when questioned about it is that they “are more comfortable”? Hello, you’re not fooling anyone. You look like a clown!

I think it’s just that we have become such a casual society now that many people have become “slobinized” and just don’t care about appearance anymore. Normally, I guess I could accept some of this look out in the suburbs where being a bit more relaxed is the norm, and Walmarts rule the land, but in a cosmopolitan place like NYC it just doesn’t fit. You will never catch me wearing pajama bottoms out in public, or sporting men’s pajama jeans at work.

Yet, I might consider wearing my Batman outfit if out of clean clothes one day…..

Just pray to God, Taco Bell, space aliens, and all things holy that this does not become the next big fashion trend -

There is just so much win about Bettibar that it astounds me since it’s located in the Theater District restaurant row area. Did we just happen to stumble upon a speakeasy type establishment in tourist central? OMG – this place is PURE WIN!

As we were proceeding on our night of drinking debauchery and were headed over to Hell’s Kitchen to bar hop a bit more and get a bite to eat I saw this hidden gem located next to the Hourglass Tavern. It’s actually owned by them. You have to ring the buzzer to be let in and then walk up a narrow flight of stairs to find Bettibar. You get the feeling of a secret little speakeasy that few people know about, and only those “in the know” really realize it’s there. I’m so happy to know about it now, since I love spots like this, and I am sure I will be there again soon!

You just can’t go wrong here. The owners have set up a killer intimate atmosphere with a speakeasy ambiance to it. Dim lighting with candles all around, small chandelier, old hourglasses decorate the walls, small bar area, classic jazz and old school tunes playing quietly in the background, a few turned off tv’s, and small tables with people conversing quietly. As it was a Monday night and Broadway was dark it was not too crowded with only about six other patrons in there. We easily found a great spot at the bar and took a few seats. The bartender, Kelly, welcomed us with a friendly smile and fun conversation. He told us that it does get crowded on show nights with many theater folk, stage hands, and musicians making up the crowd. We picked a good time to come here for our first visit.

OK – this might be crazy, but here’s my number, so happy hour me maybe? Yessss! Happy hour seven nights a week from 5-10pm. AWESOME! It was already after 9pm and we still got to enjoy this. There is a sign on the wall near the bar with the drink and food specials. What is this I see?

$8 MYSTERY BEER IN A BAG AND A SHOT! This is so up my alley. It was a must. Had to be done. What a terrific deal! You actually get served a bartender’s choice of a bottled beer and it’s placed in a brown paper bag. You can’t get more secretive than this. I felt like the place was going to get raided by the police as in the old time prohibition era movies. The beers you get are quality craft styles too. No Bud Light here. We took a few mouthfuls before sneaking a peek into the bags. RJ Rockers Ball Eagle Brown and Bell Ringer, Prohibition, and Shipyard. Good stuff! Also, Kelly hooked us up with delicious shots – vodka, creme de cocoa, triple sec – that tasted like cream soda. We did a few rounds of course! This whole deal is just so much fun!!!

Bettibar is a breath of fresh air among the touristy crowds, mediocre bars, and so-so restaurants in the area. There is nothing more enjoyable than a bar with a speakeasy vibe if done right. To me, Bettibar hits it on all points – terrific happy hour, drink specials, bartender, atmosphere.

We finished our drinks before bidding Kelly adieu and heading out into the darkness in search of more libations.

http://www.hourglasstavern.com/index.php

http://www.yelp.com/biz/hourglass-tavern-new-york-3#hrid:WykiWffYl7tS2vjkY3NchQ

We New Yorkers sometimes get a bad rap about being rude and ornery. There are actually some really nice and chill people who live in this monolith of a city. Albeit, we are an aggressive lot at times. We move fast, talk fast, and hold nothing back when getting to the point in discussions! Some of us can be a bit edgy at times for sure. Now that Spring has arrived and the weather has taken a nicer turn it seems that attitudes have changed along with the season. I see a lot more smiles lately. To help usher in this feeling of happiness and good will along comes Sweet Leaf Iced Teas to help spread the word.

Hey New York – lighten up and just Be Sweet New York City!

I was fortunate enough to be invited to an early morning media showcase to take a peek at the Sweet Leaf Tea event that was set up on the High Line. They had a very nice exhibit area featuring a life-size art installation made with their bottle caps that when pulled off shared a “sweet message” underneath and call to action encouraging people to participate in random acts of kindness. The cap I pulled off asked me to “bake cookies for my coworkers”.  Now, for fear of poisoning my associates I just might pick up a box of cookies on the way to work next week instead! Gotta do my part as a sweet NY’er!

Sweet Leaf Iced Teas used this event yesterday to kick off their summer campaign “Be Sweet Out There“. Their message is to encourage people to be kind, be a bit sweeter, help out one another. Sometimes it is just the little things we take for granted like holding a door open for people, giving someone some spare change, offering to share an umbrella when it’s raining out, saying thank you, etc. Actually, it’s meant for everywhere and not just NYC. I feel in this day and age with all going on in our country, and the world,  a little more sweetness can go a long way.

Sweet Leaf Iced Teas could not have picked a better day and location for this. It was a brilliantly sunny Spring morning, and the High Line was such a great choice to launch their day long initiative. Everything up there is in bloom and I was sure they would receive massive traffic and exposure in this location. Judging by the pictures I viewed it was a big success! Along with all the flavors of their iced teas they were handing out there were also giveaways such as bandanas, sunglasses, t-shirts, and lip balm flavored with their teas. Lots of fun stuff here today and the crowd was fully involved.

Now, I had never tasted their iced teas before and was curious as to how I would like them. Sweet Leaf is a company that started small in Beaumont, Texas back in 1998 and now is headquartered in Austin. They started out by basically filling the bottles with a garden hose and applied the labels by hand. Talk about a true backyard start up operation! Now they have a dozen flavors to choose from and can be be found around the country. You can find them in Whole Foods, Safeway, HEB, Publix, convenience stores, etc. I was told even some hot dog stands here carry them. My verdict? After taking home a few bottles I was hooked! Original Sweet Tea, Citrus Green Tea, and my fav – Mint & Honey Green Tea. All were very tasty and refreshing. Plus, I do like that their products are organic and all-natural. Reading the labels you can see that there are very few ingredients and the sugar content is very low as most are made with cane sugar. Good for those watching what they put into their bodies, and they also offer some diet and sugar free tea options.

This is definitely a company on the rise and one to keep an eye out for. I enjoyed their products and would recommend them to my friends and family. It doesn’t take all that much effort to be a bit sweet out there people. Spring is finally here and summer is on the way. Be Sweet New York City!

( I was in no way paid or compensated for this post, as I was invited to their event to actually experience their products and really liked them! )

PS – check out the Sweet Leaf website to win tickets to the upcoming Governors Ball on Randall’s Island June 7-9.

Sweet Leaf Iced Teas

High Line

I don’t normally post about politics as I constantly find the whole political process a mixed bag of infuriating mumbo jumbo along with a sack full of power hungry liars tossing mud at each other as if they are on a bad Bravo reality tv show. You can easily switch out the annoying do-nothing talentless housewives of “insert city here” with the candidates running for Mayor and get the same shrill characters screaming and slap fighting each other.  It’s a sad state of political affairs here in New York state being that arrests are seemingly coming every week lately over who embezzled what and stole from whom. Now on the horizon rising like a Phoenix out of the ashes comes disgraced ex-Congressman Anthony Weiner possibly ready to announce a run for NYC Mayor. Maybe “rising” is not a stong enough term to describe this vigilant sexter, but more like “ejaculating” would be sufficiently appropriate!

It just amazes me how these people/losers keep coming back and just won’t go away. Is this some sort of joke? Many have been outed as criminals, liars, sex pervs, and just basically inept. Yet, many of them keep getting voted back into office. Are we all that stupid? Or are we all just blind and dumb to the histories of these con-men and women? Maybe with all the trash tv, internet celebrity rag sites, and shows like TMZ we have all become desensitized to the vulgarity and criminality that many of them bring to the table. That, or just maybe we like viewing douchebaggery at it’s finest over and over!

I must admit I had a good laugh when Weiner’s weiner was the talk of the town. Every media site covered it and left nothing to the imagination. We do get a thrill seeing stuff like this – well, not his weiner – you know what I mean! How do these fools not realize that putting up images like he did on Twitter end up going viral and seen by millions? I am surprised his wife did not dump him, but it also makes me wonder about her and why she would choose to stick with him. He will forever and ever be known as the manscaping “Weiner Twitter Sexter” and she as his wife is now part of that. Who knows what goes on in the minds of those working in government in high profile positions. To me it’s all about the power and greed. Don’t forget stupidity. All I know is that I would never even consider a life in politics. I never want to be called to the mat for anything I do when having fun!

I thought up a few campaign slogans for Weiner-boy for when he officially throws his “manhood” into the Mayor’s race hat. What do you think of these?

“Weiner says – If you are a bit iffy vote for Stiffy!”

“I have a hard-on for Weiner!”

“Sexting is the new way to expose myself to the public – vote Weiner!”

“Don’t be a loner vote for Weiner’s boner!”

“Manscaping NYC to new heights with a Weiner!”

“I won’t play “Hide The Weiner” with your tax dollars!”

“I won’t divulge just go for the bulge! Weiner 2013!”

“I’ll be up working hard for you even earlier and harder than morning wood!”

“There’s nothing finer than a good tasty Weiner -NYC Mayor 2013!”

This should be an interesting Mayor’s race if he really announces a bid to enter it. It will be like a “money shot” of Viagra into what has been a limp campaign so far!

Would you vote for him?

Peanut Butter and Banana cupcake, Cream Cheese and Chocolate cupcake, Cinnamon Honey and Banana cupcake, and a French Chocolate and Vanilla cupcake.

OMG! Peanut butter frosting with mini marshmallows on banana cake cupcake for the win!

Yeah, this was another of my many drunken excursions while stumbling around the East Village. I figured if I brought some home I would not get into too much trouble. Thank goodness these Butter Lane cupcakes rocked, as my plan worked perfectly. Heh-heh-heh!

As I walked past this small little shop of sugary goodness I was drawn in by the aroma of baked glorious-ness! The concept is pretty simple when ordering up your treats – you choose a cupcake base and then choose a frosting. Cake bases are vanilla, chocolate, or banana. Frostings are a pretty wide range from vanilla, blueberry, raspberry to cream cheese, peanut butter, cinnamon honey, etc. So many choices to mix and match that I needed a little help putting my cupcakes together in the buzzed state I was in by the friendly counter lady.

Peanut Butter and Banana cupcake, Cream Cheese and Chocolate cupcake, Cinnamon Honey and Banana cupcake, and a French Chocolate and Vanilla cupcake. Wow! Wow! Wow! By the time I got this box of deliciousness home it was well past 10pm and they were all surprisingly fresh and moist. AH-MAZING! My favorite was the Peanut Butter, a la “The Elvis”. I am a peanut fanatic and that frosting with the mini marshmallows was Heaven. The cake was soooo moist and tasty. In fact, each cupcake was unique and had their own flavor sensation. The Cinnamon Honey actually had a dollop of sweet honey on it. The Cream Cheese was incredibly rich and creamy. I have to admit that they are on-point with their frostings here. At $3 a pop they are a bit pricey but pretty much the norm when it comes to NYC cupcake shops nowadays.

They also offer “icing shots” for $1, just in case you have a sudden craving for a certain flavor of icing straight into your mouth. You can also get a free frosting shot if you like them on Facebook! Boy oh boy, your tastebuds will thank you!

The location itself is small and quaint. Really nice and helpful staff, small counter to knosh at, and a wooden bench outside to kick back on and enjoy a treat. Plus, they play some good music here too. I really have to go back here to try out more cupcake concoctions, but I’m not sure if my ever expanding waistline will allow it!

Photo credit – MKristine D – Yelp

http://www.yelp.com/biz/butter-lane-new-york#hrid:C9WrqRIuouvYVKuHbMM6rQ

http://www.butterlane.com/about.php

What is up with all the dudes I am seeing in NYC lately wearing wigs on their heads? I mean really guys you are fooling nobody. Some of them look like you should have a chin strap attached to it. Others look like a dead animal is perched atop your noggins. Then there are those that just make no sense such as the older guys with grey hair peeking out under a dark brown/black hair piece and they look like hair helmets. Are men in this city so vain and insecure that they feel the need to modify what nature has given them in their DNA? We all know that most times male pattern baldness is caused by genetics and there is no real way to change that unless you go for the expensive hair follicle replacement procedures you see in all those infomercials. Men just seem to have such an inferiority complex when it comes to the hair thing. Those commercials do crack me up.

“Yes, with my new hair it feels totally natural and now I can go jet skiing, mountain climbing, and even hang gliding without ever worrying that my wig will fly off!”

“I feel and look twenty years younger with my new hair. Now I can creep on single women and not feel insecure when stalking”

“It feels like my real hair and now I can stop masturbating to internet porn and actually speak to real live women!”

Maybe it’s just because NYC is a singles paradise and men need to up their game here. As a guy I will admit it is nice to still have a full head of hair, no doubt, but if I did all of a sudden lose it there is no way I would glue a fake doo on my cranium. You ever see what happens here during hot humid days on those dudes? The glue starts melting and you can see it oozing out from under their rugs. It’s too funny, and sad at the same time. Guys here all want to appear young and youthful. The dating landscape is competitive and it’s almost like a sport here in NYC no matter if in the straight or gay scene. I get it, but it’s the extremes that some of these guys go to that is pathetic and borderline crazy. I see the younger guys who are receding and thinning out doing the “brush forward and flip in the front” thing that has become the uniform hairdo rage for balding men the past few years. There are those that wear preposterous looking toupees as if they are not really trying anymore, but think no one really notices. They actually think it looks natural. Then there are the “comb-over” gents that can both horrify and amuse at the same time. They part their hair right over their ear and comb it over the top to the other ear. Or part it in the back and comb it to the forehead and off to the side. On a windy day it always offers a few good laughs! I don’t want to sound mean here but it just does look ridiculous. C’mon guys! Give it up aleady.

The best bet is to just shave it off, or keep it close cropped and buzzed for a clean look. That’s the way I would go if I lose it. Hey, some of the biggest stars out there now have went for the chrome dome look. In this day and age it seems to not matter that much when it comes to the hair thing on guys. Yet, so many just can’t let it go. To the point of hilarious absurdity.

Is it really that big a thing for you guys out there?

What about the ladies? Is a guy not having a full head of hair a deal breaker?

Would you date a guy with an obvious toupee?

I swear to God this place is the mastermind of some evil genius that is working behind the scenes at Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers to make us all fat so we have to use their programs! What other sick and twisted mind could come up with these monster sized concoctions of sugary awesomeness?

Seriously, these are cookies on steroids!

None other can compare. Oreo’s? Nice try loser. Chips Ahoy? Outta my way wimp. Levain’s cookies are the big bodybuilder guy that kicks sand in your little cookies’ faces on the beach, and then makes out with your girlfriend right in front of you!

Levain’s cookies eat other less worthy cookies for breakfast!

Walking down into this small shop of cookie magnificence there were only two that I wanted to consume on this day – the chocolate chip walnut cookie and the dark chocolate chip peanut butter cookie. As the friendly counter person placed them in the bag and handed it to us I could not wait as resistance was futile. We headed straight to the counter, and went at it right then and there.

Photo credit – Levain Bakery website

All I can say is – OH MY GOD!

Biting into these cookies are like a religious experience. Ridiculously large, crunchy on the outside, amazingly gooey and rich on the inside, party in my mouth flavor explosion! I wanted to curl up in a ball in the corner of the shop and cry as these were so freaking amazing!

Do not even think about the amount of fat, calories, and sugar that are in these Frankenstein like cookies. Just open your mouth and enjoy. Amazing chocolaty taste, sweet and delicious – just simply wow! Totally worth the trip to the west side, Harlem, or the East Hampton locations to sample these beauties.

I swear I thought I saw Richard Simmons mixing cookie batter in the back of the shop making an evil sadistic laugh. Muahahahahaha!

Photo credit – Levain Bakery website

http://www.yelp.com/biz/levain-bakery-new-york#hrid:0xjkuk5DwbzP2wrYxf0loA

http://www.levainbakery.com/

I really think the “GODS of FATTYLAND” are conspiring against me by constantly inventing new ways to keep me ingesting calories of delicious goodness closer and closer to where I live on the Upper East Side.

Now along comes Le Churro. C’mon, you know I can’t resist hot, crispy, sweet, sugary, crunchy churros! With dipping sauces too? This is just not fair! NOT FAIR!

Photo credit – Le Churro website

This place is tiny and has that “uptown mommy” coffee klatch vibe to it. Bright, colorful, and cheery. Only a few small tables and chairs with some counter seating by the front window. Assortment of chocolates and candies to purchase on shelves along the wall. The menu offers coffee, iced drinks, juices, oatmeal, hot cider, yogurt parfaits, and smoothies too. Also has a bunch of tempting goodies on the register counter.

Photo credit – Le Churro website

Let’s be real though, as the main reason to go here are the CHURROS. Yes, I went here just for that after standing in line for an eternity at the bank the other morning to make some transactions and I wanted to reward myself with something sweet along with much needed caffeine. They have about 4-5 churro items to choose from but I ordered a standard basket of the good old fashioned sugared kind. Four different dipping sauces here too – chocolate hazelnut, raspberry, milk caramel, and passion fruit. Went with the chocolate dip. Also grabbed a cup of hot coffee. For the UES prices are not too bad.

The verdict? DE-LISH! The churros are perfectly made – light and warm with a perfect balance of sugar and crispiness. Dammit – now I will have to go back to try all the others!

I will be buying new pants.

That, and a larger belt. Life is cruel.

I need an intervention. Soon.

Photo credit – Le Churro website

http://www.yelp.com/biz/le-churro-new-york#hrid:kL9BB0lc4UAZiiQvAIrT-w

http://lechurro.com/

Finally! Spring has decided to show up around here in NYC. Sunny days. Warmer weather. Drier air. People making out. Yup, Spring also seems to bring out the lovebirds sucking face and playing tonsil hockey in all their spit swapping glory! Hey, I’m all for showing love and caring for the love of your life but sometimes the public displays of affection are a bit much. Spring is also PDA season around here. Kissing, cuddling, touching, licking, nuzzling, groping, and wrapping of limbs around each other, among other things being done to select body parts and orifices. All in public view to the dismay of many passerby.

Just why do couples seem to ignore everyone else around and give in to their lustful desires while we are all watching? Sometimes it is just comical, and at others it’s kind of vomit inducing. Do we really want to see two young people entwined and basically dry humping each other out on the streets? Even worse is when you see two people your parent’s age going at it and slobbering all over each other. Ewwwww! I don’t really even want to see anyone my age going at it either. Get a room you two! There is a time and place for everything. A little smooch here and there, some affection, and the such is always cool, but all out grinding and deep kissing like they are trying to dig out the food particles stuck in their back teeth from breakfast is just plain nasty.

Also, what the heck is that moaning noise? Do you have to make these sounds like you’re in the middle of watching a porn flick on full volume? The swapping of saliva noises is like listening to fish flapping around out of water. Hearing this on the subway or on the park bench across from you when you’re trying to eat lunch makes your appetite totally disappear. Sure, there are those voyeurs and select creepers out there that get off on observing people going at it in public. Yet, the rest of us really don’t want to see it. Some couples I have observed are pretty much cringe inducing anyway.

Also, what is up with those that have to feed each other? The guy sitting on his girlfriend’s lap? The couple making googly eyes at each other on line at the supermarket? The two that need to suck face while out eating dinner? Damn, there’s a time and place for everything. Back in the day we used to have our hidden spots to park the car at for some “intimate time”, or save it for the darkness of the movie theater among other places we all knew. Nowadays some people just have no cares about where they get a bit down and dirty.

OK, we all get it. You can’t keep your hands off each other. Get a room people!