Blame it on Brazil

Brazil....the name conjures up the sounds of drums, gyrating dancers moving to the rhythm, costumes and glitter glistening in the street lights and flashlights pulsing to the beat. Or Brazil could mean going for brunch on a sunny Sunday afternoon, celebrating birthdays and friendship. Or maybe it's both!


 I love this spot, S.O.Bs. I remember hanging out here when I just moved to NYC, and dancing samba for hours on Friday night until I got all sweaty and sticky. There was no better way to spend a Friday nite. That was until I heard the same set from the same house band four times in a row, and I was tapped out...and gone.

the bloods

So, it was kinda nice to go back on Sunday with 16 of my closest friends to celebrate a birthday, a weekend, and a brunch. The re-visit was worth it. Sunny Sunday, a long table, and live Bassanova in the background. This brunch was a little difficult for me, since I was day 7 into my 10 day master-cleanse. Yes, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and maple syrup was all I had in my belly, so, I was HUNGRAY!

S.O.B didn't help in the hunger battle. The food looked divine, and everyone was super satisfied. First the deal - 29$ get you a three-course meal, with unlimited sangrias! SWEET! And totally worth it. Highlights were the Cheese and Spicy Beef Empanadas, Steak and Eggs, and Banana French Toast. For them, not for me! I enjoyed my liquid diet. Again. By myself.

Jena arrived for the birthday celebrations in her most Greta Garbo/Marilyn Monroe gorgeousness, and we sang many happy birthdays with the band playing along.

all the single ladies

Afterwards, it was off to wander the streets of the West Village, which led us to Cafe Noir for more cocktails and very raunchy discussions that only close friends can have. I don't know how we got on the topic of Tantra Workshops, but what started off as a simple question - would you go to one  - yes or no -  continued on to circumcision - good or bad, and ended up with, enhancing  staying power -  YES!

I learned probably more that I ever needed to know about my friends, and I'm sure they felt the same. Then, it was back to my apt, where we discovered peeps were hungry again, so back out to Lupa's for a final meal. And for me? Another glass of miracle lemon juice.

BRUNCH #43 - West Village

PLACE:   S.O.B

EATS:  Lump Crabmeat with Mixed Vegetables, Pepper Jack Cheese served with Sauteed Yucca & Onions and Grilled Linguica, French Toast with Streusel Topping & Warm Maple Syrup
DRINKS:  Unlimited Sangria!
TRACKS : Kansas - Dust in the Wind
OUTSTANDING QUOTE:  "Let's talk about sex"
OUTSTANDING WORD: HBP - High Brow Porm

Dim Sum for Jing Fong

we were hungry

I had to include Dim Sum in the mix, or else this would not be a project about brunches in NYC.   Although, since my criteria was BOOZY brunches, I don't really know of any booze dim sum affairs, but, oh well, we can always get the booze after, which we did!

Before we get to the Sum however, first, we must review the weekend, and the departing of one of our loved ones to Los Angeles.

Now, we know there has always been a competition between the Right Coast and the West Coast, from the beginning of time -  or at least Hip-Hop -  and there have been countless endless debates on which coast is the best. 

Far be it for me to even think of taking sides, even though I do currently live in the greatest city in the whole world, it's the only place where you say "the city", and everyone knows you are talking about NYC, and if they don't, then they don't know bupkis about said NYC...

Where was I?

That's right, our dearly departing friend had a blow out going way party on Friday, and we represented and hugged it out for a really long time.  It was great to be out earlier on in the weekend, as it still gives you enough time to recover and still be fresh and clean for brunch on Sunday, which we were!

yes, please

However, there were some of the crew who hadn't slept yet, and were very hungry for some Dim Sum.  I had originally chosen Nom Wah Tea Parlor because they have been around FOREVER, they offer lots of vegetarians dumplings AND it's pretty fucking cool... however, they don't take reservations... so when we started arriving, we were told that the wait was an hour! 

This did not sit well with the crew, so we took our cool asses somewhere else...  off to Jing Fong restaurant on Elizabeth St.  This restaurant had us seated and choosing unknown food items in less than 20 minutes, werd!  I'm telling you , this place is a story within itself.  First: it takes up a block in Chinatown.  Second: there is so much RED in there, that my eyeballs were burnt for days after.  Third:  smile, nod and point. 

steamy

Overall, Jing Fong delivered.  The table had to try the chicken feet, cause you have to try the chicken feet.  There were shrimp dumplings, and steamed chicken, and spare ribs and meat for daze.  For me? Over-fried spring rolls. Therefore, not a place for your veggie palate, but a place to sit quickly, to have nine - no, ten friends join, to not have a clue what you're eating, to think you have left NYC and ended up in HoiHai Lake in Beijing.   And with all that food we devoured, the meal was $18.00 each - yes -  that's right. 

We had the food on, had the crew, but not a bloody mary in sight.  After two hours of dim-stuffing, it was time to find a Bloody and we ended up at Odeon, where their bloodys are good, and not too expensive.  I could only stomach one though - what's happening to me? -  then it was homeward bound.

Got home, realised I was starving and ordered tacos.  Don't say it, think it, but don't say it.

BRUNCH #42 - Chinatown.

PLACE:  Jing Fong Restaurant

EATS:  Dim Sum - everything that had no name, and Chicken Feet.
DRINKS:  Tea.
TRACKS : The first, the last, my everything - Barry White
OUTSTANDING QUOTE:  Tony Dapaloto and his Happy Endings.
OUTSTANDING WORD: Yoganonymous

Harry loves Mappamondo

It was agreed upon indirectly yet quickly:   Pick a restaurant that is in the middle of Wall Street, say, Harry's Cafe, bring our motley crue to engage in unlimited drinks and savoir faire, then cruise over to OWS for a little protesting, while supporting with a bit of tongue-in-cheek action happening.

fontina

This did not happen, perhaps because the coordinator , me, didn't check to see that said Harry's Cafe - home to the Wall Streeters and general 1%ers, was actually closed on Sundays.  Yes, I don't get it either.  How can a restaurant be closed on Sundays?  I mean, this is New York City, you can buy pretty much anything at any time, and have it delivered to you, but a restaurant makes a choice to stay closed on one of the best days of the week.. Sunday? 

Oh well, a back-up plan had to be devised quickly, and before another email could be sent out, the choice was made: Mappamondo - chosen because I liked the look of the name, and also because it was close to my casa.

wheat

So, we were off like not-so-dirty underwear, to this charming Italian bistro in the West Village.  I must say, for the fast google decision, it wasn't a bad choice.  Lovely decor, a neighborhood feel, and a two-for-one drink special.

The challah french toast was decadent, the eggs benedict was unsurprising and  the spinach and goat cheese omelet was ok.  I will say this, the service was a bit spacey, let me explain.  Our group kept expanding and they said it was no issue, so they'd move us to larger area, being very accommodating, then they would forget to take our orders, to bring more water, or to stop by and say hello.  

a twofer

The conversations were much more interesting than the food, with talks about the latest DJs, Improv classes and Yoga Retreats.  We had some new additions, and I'm always good with that.


Finally, a smaller group of us went for tea, and talked about starting a business together of delivering wine and alcohol to homes.  We seriously discussed this, because it is another contention for me that you can't buy liquor after 11:00 pm in New York City.  Really crazy, because in Miami, they sell everything in supermarkets, and you get to drive home.

bene gangsta

At least in this city, if you go out an buy alcohol, you have a massive public transportation system at your disposal, or you are in your own apartment and not going out, just laying on your sofa, drinking wine at 5:00 am in the morning, by yourself.  What harm is that?  What was the question again? 

BRUNCH #41 - Greenwich Village

PLACE:  Mappamondo

EATS: Challah French Toast, Eggs Florentine, Mushroom-Bacon-Fontina Omelet,
DRINKS: 2 FOR 1 Mimosa Special
TRACKS : Brass Constuction - Movin On
OUTSTANDING QUOTE: Let's get our IPO on!

Yerba is Buena

Halloween is THE holiday for New Yorkers, not Christmas or Thanksgiving or even Independence Day. There really is no where else you would want to be, where you get a chance to really let your freak-ghoul-pervert flag fly along with all the other  freaks, ghouls, perverts, and pretty much all of New Yorkers to show who they really are, in full disguise, ya digg?

Photo by Nadak Havakook

This year's top creations ventured towards the one-percenters (funny) the two-percenters (cartons of milk...really?), Occupy Wall Street protesters, day of the dead aficionados, super heroes,  the Universe, and every other costume that was home-created, not duplicated and on display.

After much deliberation, I decided on Day of the Dead makeup, even though peeps kept telling me NOT to wear facial make up , cause who wants to make out with someone who looks like the living dead, and facial make-up tends to drip, and its just not sexy.  I think I did OK in that department.

Anyhow, Saturday nite was so much fun, with a pre-party at Fraggle Rock to celebrate a birthday, then off to Robot Heart for some ok music, but amazing venue... if you are in your twenties and/or needing to reminisce about that time you went to that rave and went home with that guy... but , yes, it was still a howlingly good nite.

Benedict Yerba Buena

It ended a bit early, around 6:00 am, then a quick snooze and finally, brunch at Yerba Buena.   Now, we knew it would be kind of a late start because of Halloween events, so I extended the brunch time to start at 2:30 pm, but didn't remember that Yerba Buena ends their brunch at 3:00 pm.  Great Scots!  What were we to do?  So, I arrived and had an amazing talk with the Manager who was so lovely, and so as we all arrived one by one, some in leftover costumes from the night before, some still looking ravishing, others tore up, we got to sit, eat, drink and yes, be VERY merry. 

The food is muy buena,  and the offer of unlimited drinks for one hour lasted as well.  I had the Huevos Rancheros, fast becoming a favorite meal, and the charred tomato sauce was exquisite.  Yes, also to the guac and arroz con frijoles.  Everyone was pretty satisfied, and the teeny weeny fries hit THAT spot alot.  On the libation side, I have to say the bloodys went down very well, as well as the sangrias, margaritas and mimosassss.

We got pretty loud, and didn't realise that the restaurant had no other clients, as they started to prepare for dinner menu.  However, no-one disturbed us, or asked us to leave, as if they could!

Huevos Rancheros

Anyway, our loud obnoxiousness demanded relocation and so we left, and descended (ascended ?) upon the James Hotel,  to the rooftop bar, where we continued our Halloween celebrations and bloody mary sampling, until I knew that stopping now was imperative to my health and non-smoking-ability.

And so it was, that I finally made it home and to bed, another Sunday brunch checked off.

By the by, quick note, Halloween was actually Monday , but I figured I had done enough damage to my liver, so I resolved to stay home.  I settled in to listening to peeps below my window as they stumbled by, their glittery hats, and tails and dress-up clothes in various states of disarray, and did not regret a thing.

Brunch #40 – East Village

Where: Yerba Buena

Eats: Huevos Rancheros, Benedict Yerba Buena, Frita Cubana, and Sangria, Jalapeno Margaritas,

Track of the Day:  Architeq - Daylight

Quote of the Day:

Word of the Day: J O fucking bravo B