Boiler @ Pierogi

Maybe you're out of the Williamsburg Gallery loop these days, but no matter. That can be quickly remedied by reading this post, and perhaps a few other choice publications. Back in March, Pierogi Gallery opened Boiler, a satellite exhibition space just down the street in a former factory boiler room (boiler still included). The old giant boiler, a Type H Stirling Boiler built in 1937 by the Babcock & Wilcox Company to be exact, is a magnificent sculpture in itself, and worth a look. Recently on view at Boiler was Jonathan Schipper Irreversibility (through June 28) featuring an installation of a very slow-moving car crash entitled The Slow Inevitable Death of American Muscle which apparently began on May 15, the first day of the exhibition. We arrived on the last day. Very interesting.

So what's next at Boiler? Recent paintings by Yoon Lee in the Fall.

Jonathan Schipper, The Slow Inevitable Death of American Muscle

The September Issue Trailer on YouTube



The September Issue. A documentary about Vogue's Anna Wintour. A must-see on my list!!! U.S. Theatrical Release: August 28th, 2009

One Bryant Park
The new location of the new Aureole!

For some reason, I am very excited about the opening of Charlie Palmer's new location of Aureole this Saturday. I guess I am fascinated with One Bryant Park. I wrote about it before, here. And I am fascinated with the restaurant. I once checked out the menu at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, and for some reason it has stuck in my mind. The decor was so incredible. And the menu was pricier than pricey. The New York menu does not have the sticker shock as I recalled it. In fact, according to TimeOut, diners save 15% on all checks until September 15. All the more reason to give it a try.


Aureole
One Bryant Park
135 W 42nd Street (at Sixth Ave)
212.319.1660

Just where exactly is Aureole, you ask? I was wondering too, so I took a walk along 42nd from Broadway towards Sixth, and found it right next door to the Conde Nast Building!

See it? Aureole is to the left of the blue oxford shirt-wearing man.


Aureole on Friday at 5:15pm. Not quite open yet, but close!

So close to Times Square that you can see the Target campaign
reflected in Aureole's windows at right.

The intimate dining room just off the bar room.


The outdoor patio of sorts.


In the little alley between the buildings.

[pageprint from the WeFollow Twitter directory]
I am Foodie #218 out of 300. I wonder if I will move up or down?
Oh great, another stat to follow. Oy.

I am really getting into this Twitter thing. I figured out how to do so many more things on Twitter this week. Yes, I am hooked. I just joined WeFollow, a user-powered Twitter directory. It's free, so why not. I categorized myself (you get to pick 3) as a blogger, fashiondesigner, and foodie. I should have picked "fashiondesigners" b/c there are only 2 of them. Easier to find myself. There are 466,395 who categorized themselves as "fashiondesigner." Oh well.


***
Update: Of course I had to find out.

I am "fashiondesigner" #51 out of 466,395!
How did I get such a good number? gee.

Oh I see. The ranking is based on number of followers.

And "blogger" #1006 out of 25,491,839
Not so bad.

Thursday at the Southwest Porch. It was so dark at lunch,
due to the threatening rain, that the lights were on. Lovely!


It started to rain a bit. But we were undaunted.


Around eight people put up their umbrellas and kept right on eating.


Including me.

Yes it's true. I have eaten my lunch every day this week at the Southwest Porch. The fact that they do not serve lunch M-Th has worked out rather well. You can bring your own lunch and it is a very relaxed non-commercial atmosphere. It is really quite wonderful. People who frequent the Porch are very dedicated to it. We are getting to be a tight-knit group. Yesterday, it was threatening rain, but people still lunched. And then it did start to rain. It was a wonderful sight. About eight people, including myself, all put up umbrellas, and continued eating.

Perhaps that was one of my favorite moments in New York.




More posts on the topic:
The Southwest Social
Southwest Porch at Bryant Park Opens Today

Plus a bunch of Tweets.
Wow I talk about this topic a lot.
Follow me on Twitter




This post is featured on Southwest Air Twitter for June 25, 2009

Rose Bobby Pins from Just Peachy, $10 on Etsy

At last! I made my first Etsy purchase! These cute turquoise rose bobby pins from Just Peachy: Handmade Jewels and Treasures. I also had my eye on some really cute bird earrings that seem to be sold out now. Rats. But alas, I would have to get my ears re-pierced to wear them anyway. Perhaps I will do that. Get my ears re-pierced. I wonder if you can go swimming everyday with newly pierced ears? That is what prevents me. I don't want my newly re-pierced ears conflicting with my swim. In the end, swimming is more important to me. Anyway, I wear barettes everyday. It would be hard to coordinate barettes and earrings and a necklace and a belt. I don't like over-accesorizing. What a strange post this turned out to be. A ramble about accessorizing. Look I am still rambling about rambling. Ok, I will publish this now.

Alternately, these bird earrings are pretty awesome!
$11 from Crazy for Jewels


Wait, here they are, but by another designer!
$12 by Modern Trinkets
Hey, I could become that person that wears bird earrings everyday.
It's an idea.


And look at these beautiful ones also by Modern Trinkets.
Silver Branch Earrings, $20.
Maybe I should get my ears re-pierced.
These earrings remind me of this chandelier.


PS I just purchased this piece too. So delicate!
Sterling Silver Peace Dove Necklace, $15 from Hope on a Rope Jewelry

Hi-top socks, $7.99 on Modcloth

I can't get enough of Modcloth. This site totally suits my sense of humor. I have also been trying to work these funny little numbers into a Polyvore fashion collage. To no avail. Yet.

Happy Cactus Air Freshener, $5.99 on Modcloth

I have been trying to figure out how to work this happy cactus into my next Polyvore collage. I want to make it into an ironic necklace. But I think inhaling the air freshener smell all day would become a problem over time...

Come to think of it, this cactus wearing a beret reminds me of the pickle in the beret in this post!

click this link to get your free ticket to the Southwest Porch event

Garment District blog, 39th and Broadway featured my pics in their post about the Southwest Porch yesterday. So I took a gander. And found this link in the comments section. A party! At the Southwest Porch, this Thursday, 6-9pm.

Cookie Road on Oak Street in Greenpoint is now open for cookies!


We walked by these paintings for many months, fantasizing about
what the cookies would be like.


Cookie Road, located at the corner of Oak and Franklin Street
in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Entrance on Oak.


hooray!

If you live in Greenpoint, or on Franklin Street, and have walked by the mysterious hand-painted signs on the stone and concrete facade of a once-residential corner building for the past number of months, you will be extremely excited to know that today, Cookie Road -- yes a cookie shop -- opened! I could not wait to get home and run right over with my camera to confirm it with my own lens (and eyes). So of course, I had to buy a cookie to celebrate their opening. Spanish Peanut or Chocolate Marshmallow? I will have to try the Spanish Peanut next! The Chocolate Marshmallow cookie is definitely for the cakey-cookie lovers. Soft, rich, delicious. Very delicious. Two dollars. Very reasonable.

Cookie Road will be open this evening until around 7 or 8. The proprietors will be testing some opening and closing times for the next few weeks; but you can bet they will be open 6 days a week, Tuesday-Sunday (closed Monday). The hours will be around 8:30am - 7pm, give or take an hour or so, depending on traffic to their new spot. Cookie Road also has special iced cookies in various shapes, as well as savory treats like quiche and all sorts of coffee (including iced) and espresso. Prices are good old reasonable Greenpoint prices. Amen to that. Cookie and coffee fans, show your support for Cookie Road!

A new awning, and a very neigborhoody spot.


Taste of the case. My Chocolate Marshmallow cookie front and center.


Chocolate Marshmallow cookie, lit by the setting sun off the East River.

This post is featured on Greenpointers for June 19, 2009

The usual Bryant Park sandwich place, 'wichcraft is
renamed "Southwest Porch" today.


My seat of choice: a hanging rattan egg-shaped swing.
Complete with branded Southwest pillow. Which I am sure they
will sell along with a blanket and headphones. Haha.


Decor-wise, it's lovely! I love the hanging plants
and the lights.

The Southwest Porch at Bryant Park is slated to open today. At least that is what The Times blog article revealed three days ago. I stopped by the Southwest Porch at 10:30 today to check the progress. There was still a lot of work being done, probably due losing a whole day to yesterday's rain. But one person I asked confirmed that the Southwest Porch will still open today. Good, I am fixing to get a sandwich and swing on the rattan swing. Or perhaps try the beautiful Adirondack chair with carved out cup holder. Or the yellow-cushioned couch.

The setting is lovely. I am sad that it is likely temporary. As of now, it will only stay open through mid-September. In case you haven't heard, this gazebo area is to advertise Southwest Airlines' new service to LaGuardia. They will serve themed sandwiches like the New York Meatball and the Chicago Bratwurst, and the like. Perhaps there will be an Austin Veggie Taco? I can only hope. I will let you know more details after I go. For now, enjoy these pre-opening photos. According to The Times, the hours of the Southwest Porch are M-Th, 5 to 9 pm and F, noon-4pm. No lunch except on Fridays? Well perhaps things will change.

On a brighter note, I just read the following in New York Magazine's Grub Street:

A note from the Bryant Park Corp. clarifies that the 175-seat alfresco area, which includes porch swings and rocking chairs, is not actually a restaurant: “The Porch is a cozy lounge area open to all park visitors for relaxation, contemplation, people-watching, reading, etc. Those who enter the area are not required to place an order with 'wichcraft. Indeed, they can bring their own food and beverage if they wish.”

***
Update, 2:15pm
I went! It's open! I sat in the rocker with yellow cushion. Very comfortable. And then I sat in the Adirondack chair with cup holder. I didn't bring a cup. And then I got some time on the couch. Very very relaxing. I read Catcher in the Rye. It was heaven. And I just saw that Southwest Air Twittered my pics!!! That is very nice of you Southwest, thanks so much!

The Southwest Porch in the southwest corner of Bryant Park.


As of 10:30 this morning.

Before I found out this special area was sponsored by Southwest,
and part of a restaurant, I had visions of bringing my lunch and
camping out here. So comfortable looking. An urban retreat.
Well, I hope they have veggie options. I'll certainly buy a sandwich.


Have you ever seen an Adirondack chair with a cup holder carved into it?
Me either. Looks comfortable.


As you can see, the seating options are varied and pleasing.


The rolls are prepped. Could that mean lunch today?
Will it taste like airplane food? Sorry, I couldn't resist asking that.


The signage is up.

This post is featured on Southwest Air Blog for June 19, 2009





This post is featured on Southwest Air Twitter for June 19, 2009





This post is featured on Midtown Lunch for June 19, 2009




This post is featured on 39th & Broadway for June 22, 2009

Coffee Cookie Special at Cucina & Co.

I have been meaning to post about this since last week! Very sorry. Since June 9, there has been a fantastic afternoon cookie/coffee deal going on at Cucina & Company on 45th between Park and Lex. I feel very remiss not letting you know right away. I mean, 95 cents for a cookie and a coffee. For both! Now that is a deal. By the way their salad bar is very delicious with poached salmon, lentil salad, couscous, asparagus, artichoke, and more. $9.95 a pound. Expensive, yes. But very good quality. In the late afternoon, you get 25% off.

Cucina & Co. (to go) in the MetLife Building. Enter on 45th Street. On the left.

This post is featured on Midtown Lunch for June 19, 2009