easy as ABC

We keep raising the bar and the roof on the Sunday brunch experience.  By the end of the year, I think this journey will end in two ways..a massive bloody mary coronary, or a rave picnic at Sheep Meadow.  Either way, this is happening, and it's real!

What a day! Of course, it began on Saturday nite, at Grotto, at the best underground party in the city.  DJ Wiseacre and Gusto rocked our asses off for eight hours straight, and the vibe was all family all nite long. It's definitely a recurring theme that we live big, work hard, and dance until the rays of sunlight inch their way through velvet curtains reminding us to get on it.

french toast face

So, I was kinda working on a no sleep situation and had to rally my own ass to get to brunch.  I was in a bit of an open-mouth kinda daze, ears still ringing from the funky dirty beats that were laid out earlier.  And yes, new folks and regulars met at ABC Kitchen, for some seriously deliriously delicious cuisine.

brussels

We have some new peeps gathering along with brunch staples, and membership cards have been handed out. The best thing about brunch? Getting to know the people we see all the time, usually in nightclubs or gatherings, that you  know just enough to have a facebook connection, but not enough to feel their heartbeats.  Well, heartbeats and smiles all around, at the round table of food and drink.


 ABC Kitchen is beautiful, the chandeliers glittering with light and laughter, and the service was impeccable.

Highlights? Creamy Brussels sprouts that make you want to be a farmer.
Lowlights? $16.00 meaty bloody marys with everything you might think you want in it, but somehow, not happening.

japan

The best thing about going to ABC was to support Japan, and 5% off our astonishingly large bill went to a great cause, so yes, it was worth it.

faces

places

However, we didn't want it to end,  so it was off to the ACE Hotel, and that's when the New York Magical Experience continued, and the day morphed into one of those daze.

Where else, but in this amazing city, can friends hang out in the chillest lobby, lounging on fur-covered sofas, talking for hours, sharing creepy movie trailers - centipede - do you really want to see it? - , finding out what penetration really means, and taking over the photo booth, and other peoples lives for hours, until for me, the wall was definitely hit, and home beckoned loudly and with great conviction.

The crew went on for dinner, but I made it home in one piece, warm and blushed from another amazing day. Gush, gush, gush.

BRUNCH #10

PLACE: ABC Kitchen

EATS: Lentil Soup, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, French Toast, Eggs Benedict, Carrot and Avocado Salad.. bloodys, rum, Bellini's, and everything else.
TRACKS :
Rebbie Jackson - Centipede
the doors - strange
SNL - dick in a box - don't ask
OUTSTANDING WORD:  Protein Penetration

mommy does new york

roasted red pepper omelete

Mothers can be a mix of emotions when they come to visit. For me, they bring all the baggage I've held on to my entire life, and every word may bring out the worst in me.  Yet, there's no-one I'm more comfortable with.  That's how my week was.  Spending each day with her, escaping every night, answering  mundane repetitive questions quietly, with blistering efforts made to not roll my eyes so far back that my eyeballs would dislocate themselves, all in a futile attempt to escape the quandary as to why I don't' have an iron or  black thread and needles.

In the best of words, she rocked out with me, and it was good.

Chouchou Salad

Now, a brief background.  My mother is VERY religious, and strict in what she will and will NOT do.  However, I'm kinda persuasive, and my boyfriend NYC lives in the forefront of my life, so with a little bit of spirit-fingers, he won her over, and we went from restaurants to parks to lounges where she danced until midnight, and got kisses on BOTH cheeks, that made her blush while she smiled.

And who else will wake up at 4:30 in the morning and come downstairs in her nightgown to open the door for you because you lost your house keys at a costume theme party called the Red Light District at Rebel? (picture costume here)

poached eggs with spirit fingers

By the end of the week, I was a bit surprised that she agreed to come with me to boozy brunch on Sunday.   Of course, there was the firm agreement that she would not bless the food, glare at the drinks being downed, or make any reference to Hell.  With that in Mommy-writing, off we went to Jules Bistro. And the crew came out to meet her!  I can't express how much I love my NY family.  I truly feel a warm and enveloping group-hug approaching whenever I see their shiny happy faces, and it makes living here the reason for living here. We had thirteen peeps in all, counting brothers, my chosen family and friends.

Cast Iron Baked Merguez & Egg

The restaurant made this the best brunch EVER!  Of course, we are only at #9, and spring right around the corner, but the day was beautiful, sun shining and everyone wearing the beginnings of summer gear.

So,  what makes a restaurant a jewel in the crown of the East Village:
 1) They took reservations for 10 people and didn't blink when more arrived.
2) They made us SIT at the table, before everyone had arrived...(let that sink in,  'cause it's true byatches!!)
3) LIVE Jazz music with a Latino rocking singer and CONGO drums!

We got skills on having double-entendre heavy conversations with the Mommy present, using words like sleep instead of sex, and was the ice-cream cone big, you know the drill.  So when S. ordered another bloody mary to wake up from all the sleep and ice-cream she had last night, I heard my Mom's lilting accent clearly state "That's the beak of the cock!"  I quickly turned to see S. and K.'s blushing faces and Mom's proud stare for she'd remembered an old Jamaican saying.  I had to explain that cock was short for cockerel, and cockerel is another word for rooster, and what she really meant to say was "hair of the dog" or drinking to lessen the effects of a hangover...that she was NOT talking about a man's penis.  That made my Mommy blush.

I give the spot 4 out of 5 hey-girl-heys and 3 out of 5  duh-winnings! 

very very

Afterward, as the crew sadly disbanded, my Mommy went off to visit my brother, and a smaller group of us wandered into another joint for some Mojitos and sun-sitting.  This spot, Candela Candela,  was a lovely gift,  and our server, Roberto was on-point and very very very.  Another brunch spot perhaps?  Why not, with 43 to go!

BRUNCH #9

PLACE: Jules Bistro

EATS:  Chouchou Salad, Thin crusted pizza, Poached Eggs Benedict, Roasted red pepper omelet, Cast iron baked Merguez and Eggs and lots of bloodys..
TRACKS : James Brown - This is a Man's world
OUTSTANDING WORD: Unignorable

i'll take the cuban

Wonderful magic happens when you live in NYC, and this was another bright star-filled fireworks of a time had by all.  I can only say this,  deep breathing really works.

The sparkles began on Friday, when we joined the sweaty crowd of revelers to worship at the church of Nublu, with our preachers Nickodemus and Quantic bringing the sounds of samba, salsa, Africa and deep deep house to us to indulge in  non-stop movement of sound and our bodies.


 Then Saturday night,  on to Dominion for Tarantino's birthday bash, with thick beats until Daylight Savings Time made us feel that it was much later than it was. Bummer, but no worries, because Sunday was on it's way, and with it, another one off the charts!

 The Cuban restaurant Agozar brought it, and kept it spicy for us, with unlimited sangrias, tasty dishes and servers who were friendly, generous and holding pitchers.  The crew gained  two new brunchers, Australian lovelies who I connected with last week at Playa Del Carmen,  and it was family time.

The dishes were mouth-watering delicious, with corn tortillas, light and crispy on a bed of black beans, and yummy red sauce. Delicious fresh avocados, yuca fries, eggs and a fresh salad rounded up the meal, and several sangrias washed it down.

How do you end it, when it's this good? Never, we replied. Man, I wish I could share some of the hiccup-inducing laughs we had at the table, but damn, I have to protect the innocent  -   I just can't do it .  Karma is a hell of a thing that I don't mess with...


ANYHOW, we went shoe gazing at the funkiest shoe store this side of the pond, irregular choices. Yes, I want this one and this one and that one.  No more spending greenbacks though, so we parted ways, and made it down to OdeonRestaurant for one + one + one bloody marys, and I finally had to stop.


My oh my, I will have to take it easy this week, get my liver rested before our next brunch, this time  up in Harlem!

BRUNCH #8

PLACE: Agozar

EATS:  Huevos Rancheros, Eggs with Vaca Frita, Cuban Salad, Black Beans and Sangria.
TRACKS : Visti & Meyland - Stars
OUTSTANDING QUOTE:
me "I'd like us to friends."
him "That's cool....ah, how about friends with benefits?"
me "No, no benefits, and now no friend."

NEXT BRUNCH: Harlem.

pexico with the stars

As this blog unfolds, I do realize that every weekend, each brunch will carry a different story, and the blueprint has to change to accommodate this.  The past weekend was spent not in my beloved city, but in Playa Del Carmen, and the brunch on Sunday was not inside a dark and obscure restaurant hidden down a long winding cobbled street, but in a place I never thought I would experience - An all inclusive resort in sunny Mexico.

Now, don't get me wrong.  There is NOTHING wrong with being in a place that looks like the planners imported America - and not the nice part.  NOTHING wrong with having American food shipped into that other country overnight, so that one does not have to try another type of food, fruit or drink. (sigh).

Anyway, being in this place with over one-hundred and thirty close and new friends, I must say , the marvelous couple knows how to put things into perspective and bring about a new and beautiful experience,  and I was so happy to be there.

 Beautiful Blue-print for a magical wedding:

ALL-INCLUSIVE - so you don't have to worry about your wallet for a weekend, and your guests may concentrate on the art of drinking.

 NIGHTLY THEMED PARTIES:  Yes, bring over 130 of your friends into one place where people have never seen artistic types, then have us dress-up in Day of the Dead facial makeup, Hawaii five-o shirts and Moulin Rouge hats.....for the entire weekend. Play deep-house music and dub-step for hours.  Have their minds (and yours) sufficiently blown.

PARTY FAVORS: Give your guests sparkly parasols, blinky lights, and large colorful flowers, so you can tell who your guests are and who the others are...yes, the ones staring at your guests with mouths agape, while taking pictures.

FLOATIES:  The beautiful endless pool with waterfalls and a swim-up bar got to experience plastic swans, dolphins, tires, beds, and all other kinds of floaties, attached by hands and feet filled with half-naked bodies.

STILT WALKER FLOWER BEARERS.  (nothing more needed to be said here).

By the end of the weekend, we had stranger peeps coming up to us, wishing us well, dancing with us, joining in and taking the love to a whole other level.

Brunch was in one of the many restaurants on the property, and with a couple mimosas in hand, chips, salsa, eggs, beans and fresh fruit, we fed our over-tired bodies well.  After brunch, it was a walk on the beach, then a jaunt to the pool for more mimosas, and chips, and more mimosas!

A beautiful time was had by all.  I have to say I love my boyfriend, NYC, but it was fun cheating on him with Mexico. besos, Mejico, besitos!

BRUNCH #7

PLACE:  Valentin Imperial

EATS: Mexican omelet, black beans, fresh fruits, and mimosas.
TRACKS :
Hey Hey - Dennis Ferrer
Moloko - Sing It Back
Ralphi Rosario - You Used To Hold Me (Kenny's Mix)
George McCrea - I Get Lifted
OUTSTANDING QUOTE: "My Lord,  y'all sure know how to live life or y'all are on drugs."
NEW WORDS:   Pexico - PEX Mexico

*pics by Eric Tucker.

NEXT WEEK'S BRUNCH:  Agozar Cuban Restaurant, 324 Bowery..

Brunch #6 with a birthday twist

no idea

I don't know whose hairbrained idea this was to do 52 freaking brunches in 52 weeks.  It's Brunch #6, and it feels like a month of living was crammed over three days,  which,  when you look at that, sounds kinda....awesome.  It WAS!  If I were to write everything that happened over the weekend, it would be a freaking epilogue and no-one wants to read all the nitty-grittys, so I will try to...summarize, best I can.

protest = good

ftf, it was my birthday weekend,  so it started off with an impromptu party at Les Enfants on Friday nite..which led to a dance-off with lovely strangers until it was time to go home...for a nap, then up for the pro-choice march in front of city hall.

Listening to Chuck Schumer tawk like a politician from the 60's, is like being transported there.  Ask not what you can do for condoms, ask what condoms can do for yoooou...(finger pointed to crowd)...ok, then it was off to Canal St for some dim sum - btw, they put meat in everything...even the fried tofu had petrifried dried shrimp in the middle and the sticky rice had a boiled little piece of hot dog in it....just saying...

i give this one a aiitt

then, back home to immediately change for birthday dinner at the Grotto, and my friends are truly lovely peeps... so much fun was had , dancing to the sounds of DJ Sabo and DJ Wiseacre alll nite long, until I look up and it's 7:00 am, so again home for a 3 hr power nap, then FINALLY, it's time for brunch.

Now, let's try to get the crew on the phone, shall we?  Oh, you can't come to brunch because of my party last nite?  Right, of course, no worries... (what else can i say? good reason!)  so, we chose Nero for brunch, however, when we almost got there,  we realized Nero had gone bye bye... no more 15$ brunches in the meatpacking.

new gunkle?

So, Christine and I were the only ones standing and we were on the hunt to find a brunch, and we did...Philip Marie.  My brother showed up with my niece...and finally we begin.  The food was unremarkable, typical brunch without a pop.  The service was incredible, and the bartender, Paul was from Strongg Island, yup yup, insert any reference to the Situation you can..

Then, we just HAD to go back to Paradou, pick up some red-bull on the way, check out the music, get some more Bellinis,  then up to the Shangri-lai to watch the Oscars.   I sort-of made some Gin stu-ter-ter-tinis, took two sips, and finally, was unable to see.

My good friend Christine was given the honors of escorting me home..... ok, I was begging her to take me home, because I was close to the edge.  Which i finally crossed over and indulged in a good old-fashioned meltdown complete with drunken tears, living the dream of being a puddled mess on the floor until I eventually passed out.

Happy Birthday to ME!!

BRUNCH #6

PLACE: Philip Marie 

EATS: BLT sandwich, Vege Omelette, Eggs Benedict and ok bloody marys.  also, red-bull,
TRACKS : Woman of the World
OUTSTANDING QUOTE: "urban myth dispelled...they have red bulls in those marketing cars."
NEW WORDS:   vajayjae - plural of vajayjay .   congunkles - confused gay uncles.