Birthday

                                                                         With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come. 
                                                                William Shakespeare

My tiny tree!

After being on my feet for many hours over the weekend at the Grand Central Holiday Market, I gave myself the day to relax on Monday.  I was then ready to be surrounded by friendly faces, and headed over to Sojourn for my Monday night dose of music.

Alice and Her Friends in the snow

The Boathouse in Cenral Park

Tuesday, being my birthday, became a true gift.  I began by having a wonderful massage at Serendipity Spa right around the corner on 3^rd Ave.  I had a new massage therapist, Coco. Excellent.  It was snowing again, so I headed to Central Park for a nice walk.  I found my way to the Boathouse and treated myself to a glass of Proscecco.  Happy Birthday to me!

While there my FFF friend texted me about a Fundraiser for the Philippines he was going to that night with a friend at The Woods in Brooklyn.  What a treat.  I used to work late on Tuesday nights, so really couldn’t do anything, never mind spontaneously!  I went and it was a great time in yet another new neighborhood for me, Williamsburg.  Before that, I met my Library Friend at Harney & Sons in Soho at for a lovely spot of tea, and scones.  Finally, I made it back to my “hood in time for the last set at Sojourn.  (Where, unbelievably, a kind man bought me a glass of wine, and asked if we could hang out..I declined, graciously, I hope..).

Fletcher eating Balut..

From the invite for the Fundraiser:  An Adventurous Eating Foodraiser for the Philippines  Brooklyn, New York

Presented by Liza de Guia (http://foodcurated.com) and Curtiss Calleo (http://gastronauts.net).

Your donation includes all of the below menu items, complimentary bar, karaoke, prizes, theater tickets, beauty queens, live DJs and more!

Your donation will benefit the victims of the typhoon in the Philippines, give relief, and help devastated communities recover and rebuild.

Fanny Gerson, Liza de Guia, and Fletcher

                                                The Menu

First Course

Landhaus Tacos: Pork Sisig, Goat Longaniza , Oxtail Caldareta

Entrees

 

Ain't 2 Proud 2 Brunch: Venison Adobo & Bone Marrow Fried Rice, Engeline's Whole Roasted Pigs ,Truffle Adobo Mushroom Fried Lumpia

Desserts

Mini Calamansi Ice Cream, Leche Flan, Bibingka , weet rice and coconut cake, Mamon, Filipino sponge cake, Salty Road Salt Water Taffy, Butter & Scotch Specialty Cocktails and Desserts

"Liza de Guia (SkeeterNYC) is a prolific name in the food world. Video handler and story wrangler; you'll find her discovering meaningful tales wherever she roams. http://foodcurated.com."  My FFF Friend knows Liza as she was Filmmaker of the Year a few years ago at the NYC Food Film Festival.
"Gastronauts, founded by Curtiss Calleo and Ben Pauker in 2006, stepped on the NY scene as an eating club for the brave and adventurous. They are now the largest dining club of this sort in the nation; find their monthly meals in NYC, LA, SF and DC.  http://gastronauts.net"

           Thursday as I was catching up on emails and Facebook, I saw that Rooftop Films needed some last minute help writing thank you notes;  good hand-writers need only apply.  I shot off a note explaining my 12 years of Catholic school, and my experience as the blackboard Lady for the Food Film Festival! (not explaining my love-hate relationship with that position!)  So, off I went to Park Slope to write notes for a few hours..the director of the Summer Series thought I had the best hand-writing she had ever seen!  The Executive Director of Rooftop wanted to pay me, especially as the work was mundane.  I said simply to put it back in the kitty.  It was nice being there with them, quietly writing cards. And, I am grateful to be part of yet another great NYC organization!

From Rattlestick's website: Some of the Playwrights

Cafe Condesa

From there I headed to the Village to meet Kristi at Rattlestick Playwright Theater  (224 Waverly Place) for a reading of a play from the F….. Good Plays Festival, “After the Tornado.”  It was excellent, and free!  We then went into a tiny Mexican restaurant, Café Condesa on W 10^th (just off 6^th Avenue) and shared a delicious dinner.  Lovely evening.

Friday had me restless for some Christmas music.  I wasn’t in the mood for the size and pageantry up to the Cathedral of St John the Divine.  I turned to my trusty play by play and found the perfect thing.  Subculture is a newly opened venue at 45 Bleeker, downstairs at the Lynn Redgrave Theatre.  It was just what the doctor ordered. 

 

 

On the way down to the show I poked around the Union Square Holiday Market and had a first course of dinner from Mighty Balls which was excellent.  I tried a turkey with cranberry chutne relish, a pork, and a beef, I forget their sauces!.  From its website: It is a partnership between Dina Williamson and Kerri Brewer, women who both come from families of small restauranteurs, placing them in the food industry from young... But back to the balls. We specialize in all things balls. We strive to create a unique food experience, bringing together slightly esoteric sauces as compliments to our exceptionally delicious balls. Our sauces are influenced from our experiences with cultures around the world. We want to stand apart from the crowd at your average street fair. But most importantly, we want people to have fun with their food… we are a mobile vending company, based in new york city. contact us to find out where we're at today!  www.mightyballs.com.

Bottega Organica

With still some time to kill still, I decided to have course two and went into a cute little place on Bleeker St. near the theatre (between Bowery and Lafayette).  I had a lovely avocado salad and glass of wine and thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance with a small fire at Bottega Organica.  A perfectly lovely evening.

Empire State Building dressed for Christams

Saturday morning my Philosophy Friend and I headed up to Spanish Harlem to spend some time at NY Common Pantry (E 109 between 5^th and Madison Aves).  We worked with a varied and interesting group of people bagging all sorts of produce.  Our work that day helped fee 500 families!   Took a blessed siesta and headed to to Village again.  This eveing it was to the Duplex to enjoy “Valentine’s Day in December”, a Cabaret that a dear friend of Kristi’s was in.  It was such a mild evening, I just meandered the streets of Greenwich Village for awhile, then headed home, and found myself in Sojourn.  Chatting with new friends, we then went over to Pig Heaven for some of its live rock n roll!  I do manage to keep busy, blessedly!