east village street art, april 2009

this is only my third time in new york, and though i'm not here for the nicest of reasons, i'm trying to make the best of it.  i've been walking everywhere (except yesterday when i went up to 93rd street to kitchen arts and letters, where i did my best to talk up veller's book), and eating so many wonderful things.  it's sort of overwhelming when you first get here, how much there is to soak in.  i'm perpetually amazed by how little space people make do with here.  it's incredible, actually.  i wonder, could i do it?  but already, after a few days, the idea of moving here (which must cross every visitor's mind) has all but disappeared from my thoughts.  

straight off the plane, we rushed to momofuku and got there right before it closed at midnight.  it was pretty delicious, and i decided i'd have to return before i leave.  we shared ramen, kimchee stew, the famous buns (shamelessly copied almost exactly by heaven's dog) and some crazy noodles with really spicy sausage and candied cashews.  they gave us some pb and stout soft serve with crushed pretzels and bar nuts for dessert.  

walking home at 1am was pretty amazing--so many people in the streets, so many businesses open (veselka is 24 hours!).  plus, jonas lives pretty much in the center of it all on w.13th street.   i feel so lucky to be staying here!  

i've also had the pleasure of eating at:

balthazar for breakfast--the best part was the incredible whole wheat bread

sara jenkins's porchetta for lunch--a great porchetta, comparable to CL's or dario's

il laboratorio del gelato and grom.  laboratorio was maybe the best gelato i've had outside of italy.  really great texture.  did i mention it's been over 80 degrees the entire time i've been here?

i returned to momofuku for another great lunch, and then went around the corner to the bakery, where i ran into david chang.  so awesome!  the bakery pretty much rules my universe, with soft serve, flavored milks, and amazing pies, cakes and cookies. 

i also stopped by kalustyan's to get some exotic peppers: urfa, marash, aleppo and kirmizi.  

pearl oyster bar where we got to sit at bria's bar.  that was pretty wonderful.

new day today.  i get to go to the nyt to meet with some peeps.  and hopefully, we'll have lunch at shake shack.  we're supposed to meet april for late dinner and i hope we get to see her.  we had fish last night, so i sort of want to go the the spotted pig.  i'll let you know what happens next....