mangia: I vs. "the spreadsheet"

Mr. Lippmann San is known for ranking the top Japanese restaurants in NYC by excel spreadsheet.

http://www.gothamist.com/food/archives/2004/09/23/sushi_excel_where_to_find_great_sushi.php

I have to admit, his top #1 choice Jewel Bako, I haven't been but will probably venture over sometime soon. The 2nd ranked-MASA, $300 per prix fix is intimadating, so I'll have to take his word.

The one's I agree with on his list:

Ranked @ #8 Sushi of Gari's this notes that the Ohmakase's were creative is on the money, & it's GOOD!

Ranked @ #11 one of my fave's Blue Ribbon Sushi... I will have to try their diverse Ohmakase, but their mushroom rib-eye steak entree is in my opinion-To die for!

Ranked #13 Bar Masa, is definitely a great place to try some inventive Japanese food. I would go back to this place!

Ranked #14 Nobu, now I'm not sure if I would put it 1 below Bar Masa, but Mr. Lipmann ranks in order of sushi qualitiy & taste, so I guess his refined tastes will put Nobu 1 below Bar Masa's, I prefer to reverse this ranking, their Rock Shrimps, Sashimi Salad, are all very yummy!

Ranked #21 Hasaki-My other all time favorite place for fresh sushi, like everything except their red miso, I guess I'm just not a fan of that type of miso soup.

Ranked #22 Mizu sushi, ah... just a new place I tried. Yes, agree it's below Hasaki's!

Ranked #26 Blue Fin, yes definitely a surprising place to get some good Sushi.

Ranked #27 Zutto, I will have to agree, this place is a sleeper, & a very good place for rolls

Ranked #28 Japonica I agree OVER RATED!

Ranked #32 Sushisay, now the sushi was very good. I don't know why it would be below Japonica's but sadly it is now closed so all debates are moot

Ranked #40 Yama- What? I have to disagree! Sushi quality is as fresh and the slices are so good! Hmm. maybe he needs to go back?

Ranked #46 Haru, Another low marks, but their seared tuna is really good! Oh well.

Ranked#57 Sushi Zen, now this is really low rating... hmmm really the food is excellent & it is true, it's hush & quiet.

& the last raiting Ranked at #91 Terriyaki Boy, the ultimate last. Well, he's correct, it's the Mc Donald's of Sushi!

I'll give him 1 thing, man does he take Sushi seriously! I have to say my standby's, my adventures, all are among his list! I'm impressed Mr. Lipmann San... If we ever perchance to meet, I'll treat you to a bottle of cold sake!

bevi: O what a night!

Mocca Lounge 78 Reade St (Chruch St) New York, NY

VIP Section on the upper room gave us great view of the Euro-party downstairs! We liked the vibe, the partying group was ready to drink & party the night away. The Euro-party brought their DJ, it was interesting, not our #1 choice, but then we have 2 parties with the young & the restless dancing the night away.

All in all, the birthday girl got her friends to boogie down, caught up with the old friends... & made the night one night to remember!

THANK YOU MOCCA!!!

mangia: 99 bottles of sake on the wall

reservations at 9pm we had the coveted long banquet seating. Very kitschy decorating. We arrived famished! So we ordered Shumai, Edamame, Sauteed Calimari, Steak, Age Tofu, & we are humming happily. Late-comers for my birthday pary were streaming in, taking in all the finger food, the rolls, the lively conversations.

I shared an order of Tornado, Spider Roll, & Electric Roll-packed with papaya! Yummy!

Definitely reasonable, dinner came out to be $37 per person as well as paying for the birthday girl (me =) )... we left very very full, very very happy, & looking forward to another visit!

So many people were surprised by how good the food was! I think we reeled in some more business as well as exposure for Zutto's! Yay! Tribeca ROCKS!

So overall-Great service, fun place, yummy food!

Zutto
77 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10013
(212) 233-3287

mangia: i wanna kalbi!

tonight I spent a beautiful evening avoiding the down-pour outside.

The place I dined at is called:

Korea Palace.
127 E. 54th St b/w Lex & Park
212-832-2350

The Korean BBQ, at such an elegant, non-pushy very civilized experience compared to their K-Town counterparts...

I was impressed & enjoyed all their side dishes as well as the main course-the Bar-be-que Kalbi!

It was moderately priced, our total came to $27 each... The highlight was the soothing pianist playing in the background. Definitely a place I will have to return too!

mangia: a roll, a gong, & a single candle

so my girls wanted to celebrate my birthday with a night out in the flat-iron district. They made reservations for 3 at Mizu Sushi. I got there uber early & just people watched. Throngs of people in large groups walked right on in. The manager immediately whipped out a reserved sign for our table, & shortly thereafter my girls showed up!

We were S T A R V E D! So we ordered a yellow-tail tartare, hamachi cheeks, & miso cod. We were feeding our starving bodies with all these tasty appetizers! Then we proceeded to work on the red dragon roll, the electric roll & the chicken noodle that was pan fried. (the noodles were instant noodle types but the dish itself was YUMMY)

The service was attentive, the surprise was that in CELEBRATION of my day, they rang (very loudly) their Gong! While bringing out an ice cream sundae complete with a single candle!

I think the other people enjoyed the gong so much they notified that they had 3 birthdays on their table, & the gong rang two more times!

I had lots of fun, we had good food, great ambiance, despite no A/C-warning don't come when it's HOT! The food is moderately priced.

Mizu Sushi
29 E. 20th St (btw Broadway & Park Ave South)
(212) 505-6688

Definitely make reservations so you don't have to wait!

love: words that express L O V E

so you find yourself racing down, rushing around the city... once in a while you glance up & catch the subway's poetry in motion... & this poem written by Bei Dao, this was written in 1973, the first time the poet fell in love! & is really beautiful:

Between me and the world,
You are a calendar, a compass,
A ray of light that slips through the gloom,
You are a biographical sketch, a bookmark
A preface that comes at the end.

Between me and the world,
You are a gauze curtain, a mist,
A lamp shining into my dreams
You are a bamboo flute, a song without words
A closed eyelid carved in stone. -- A Bouquet, by Bei Dao

life: oh what a wireless world we live in!

How to Text Message Anyone!

Communications these days has been really easy. Let's say you want to tell your friends to meet you at the Virgin Megastore at Union Square. You probably would either call their cell phone number, send them a text message, instant message them on their computer or phone or simply send them an e-mail.

Now, if you are sitting at work, where you have access to the internet, just log into their cell phone carriers site and send them a SMS or a text message. I've included the major phone carriers text web sites.

All you need is to log on to their carrier's website messaging page. Enter their cell phone number. Include your name, & type out a message. Note: this is for short messages, if you have a longer message you need to send a second message.

Make sure your recipient has a text message function & subscribe to the text messaging services on their phones!

Also, this is a great way to communicate with someone who is at work, in meetings, and just needs to glance at the phone to get your MESSAGE! You can also find out more info on your cellular phone's website on text messaging international phones! So you can "talk" to your friends and family while vacationing!!!

T-Mobile
http://www.tmobile.com/messaging

Cingular
http://www.cingular.com/sendamessage

Verizon
http://www.vtext.com/customer_site/jsp/messaging_lo.jsp

Sprint
http://messaging.sprintpcs.com/taextmessaging/compose;jsessionid=BBNoskCpQOE4aF1Yz3Hp1aE17UTAx2Ymfg1rQ92Mty5HWKpqzHen!964969116!182751416!5070!7002


Nextel
http://www.nextel.com/

AT & T Wireless (merged w/ cingular) (2005)

shop: a hop, skip, click away!

Why is it that you are always trying to get ideas for the perfect gift?

Online stores have been such a life saver!

I also love to go to athleta.com for some cool gym, outdoor living, hiking, snowboarding, active wear clothes, sneakers, yoga equipment etc.
www.athleta.com

Luxury Gifts: I come here for some inspirations!
www.vivre.com

Perfect Couple Shower or Bachlorette Party Gifts, as well as gifts to the loves of your life! Mom, Dad, Significant Partner, Siblings, Friends, Pets! I find their stuff well edited.
www.redenvelope.com

Very New Age-ish type think Yoga, comfortable clogs, just some amazing stuff and new way of using materials
www.vickerey.com

This is the epitome of cool with clear burnable discs! & much much more! Think James Bond-ish Boyfriends
www.fiveinch.com

For those of us who are camera happy, into family trees, & just has tons of photos... I recommend Exposures! Very nice & thoughtful gift for anyone!
www.exposuresonline.com

Fifth Avenue Cruisers will love:

www.net-a-porter.com

www.eluxury.com

www.neimanmarcus.com

What to purchase for babies, or new puppies & kittens? check out:

www.pearhead.com

Martha Stewart types have to check out her site. Tons of thoughful gifts!

www.marthastewart.com NO LONGER AVAILABLE 6.9.2005

I hope this helps! I'll add more as I find them... Happy online shopping!

shop: wishy washy results

I went ahead using L'Oreal's Feria in Ruby Red. Warning, it gets messy, all that red dye all over the place! The color came out nicely, so no real complaints, I probably was a little off with the timing, I started timing with the first application with this stuff. Over-all it was pretty much a success. Although, in my dark roots, no color came out, which means... I should have left it on longer. Anyways, I guess it's all good, and I'm happy not to have green or orangey hair!!!

shop: to color or not to color?

recently I've been debating on coloring my hair with a home kit or just getting it done professionally. My problem is:

1. my hair is growing out of the coloring
2. the coloring is brassy & obvious =(
3. I have Asian Hair which puts me in the minority of what products show up & work & what doesn't
4. this is my first time to try a home kit.

So I went to Makeup Alley:

L'Oreal's Excellence Creme Haircolor

http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showreview.asp/ItemID=11348/Excellence_Creme_Haircolor/L_Oreal/Hair/

One review sounds promising! Like her, I have very damaged hair & my roots are Jet black also & my coloring is also lightened with highlights and the color makes it look terrible. She used the Dark Brown & L'Oreal's Excellence cream, her hair had Shine & Vitality, so her reivew was a 5 lipstick/ 5 stars!

But, another had tried Dark Brown & felt that the chemicals were very thick, creamy, texture. She found it hard to blend in, & tricky to apply evenly. Her results were Black hair front, Brown hair back

Garnier Nutrisse Permanent Hair Color

http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showreview.asp/ItemID=3572/Garnier_Nutrisse_Permanent_Hair_Color/Garnier/Hair/

This reviewer says that her natural hair color is black, with brown highlights that were growing out & fading into an ugly brassy orange color. Mine is just fading to an ugly brassy color. She used Black Currant but found that color came out with every wash & now it's back to what she started with. She had success with Blueberry, a blue black color. She found them easy to use, & minimal mess-wise i.e.staining on skin, bath tubs, sinks, & floors

L'Oreal's Feria Power Reds

http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showreview.asp/ItemID=26997/Feria_Power_Reds/L_Oreal/Hair/

This reviewer has Asian hair. She tried the Ruby Rush & found that the color lasts for 1 1/2-2 months. She found that when the color fades, it has a nice color, which is what I have because my color was originally coloured red so this option is very tempting! She found the system easy to use, good quality gloves & really likes the conditioner. She found the scent pleasant & the chemicals texture coats the hair well. Only cons was to pay attention to staining the skin which I've found that Vaseline wiped on the nape and around the face by the hairline would help minimize the accidental staining.

Another reviewer had tried it for the claim that this product is visible on the darkest hair- her Asian hair. She found that it was easy to use, smell wise was tolerable, and the instructions were clear & easy to follow. She also picked the Ruby Rush color. She found that it faded after 2 weeks.

I'm still be debating... so we shall see!

bevi: tea for you & me

my new favorite drink is by Inko's! They make white tea which aren't sugary a la snapple or nestea, & I've tried peach & blue berry & have really found it to be really refreshing! White tea has the same properties as green teas & Inko's is being marketed for it's antioxidant properties. Also to sweeten the tea they don't use corn syrup and they use fructose crystals which really make a difference-I hate the over sweet taste of the other teas, and only tolerate them because they are what's available. The diet ice teas are less sweet, but sometimes hard to find.

so now I am on a look out for Inko's teas. This is my zen break & it really is refreshing as well as good for you!

mangia: nostalgia in a can-I mean bag

so today I was craving a good boar's head sandwich. Lo & behold, I was standing next to boxes & boxes of Charles Chips. If anyone has ever experience Charles Chips, they probably remember their trucks going door to door selling large canisters of Charles Chips in original & my favorite-sour cream!

The one I bought was in a bag. Still, looking like the familiar cream colored packaging, and tasting these yummy chips... I'm like 6 years old again. Then S tells me that you can find cans of Charles Chips at Restoration Hardware! Who would have known?

I guess this is my temporary fountain of youth... Viva Charles Chips!

mangia: celebration two out of three

on my list of restaurants to try C, S, wanted to celebrate a promotion at either Kitchen 82 (461 Columbus Ave) or Basta Pasta. Feeling lazy, I voted for Kitchen 82, noting that I haven't explored that area too much. It was a slow Tuesday, & the restaurant confirmed that we should just come reservations unnecessary.

Kitchen 82 CLOSED operates as a $25 prix fix dinner menu. The decor was contemporary with lighted globes at the bar & outdoor seating option was nice. We noticed that towards the entrance they had the dessert section set up as a dessert bar for the wait staff. Interesting.

Tuesday night was really nice, the place wasn't packed, we appreciated the low level of noise and noted the prompt service of their staff.

The 3 of us tasted a sampling of each other's orders:
Appetizer-heirloom tomato with tasty vinegrette, salmon prepared in different styles, & beef carpaccio with watermelon chunks. All were tasty & whetted the appetite!

Then came our entrees: Roasted Chicken, Fish & Chips, & Pan seared Salmon.
The chicken was very tender! The fish & chips were good-taro chips were tasty, & the pan seared salmon was good, overall the chicken was agreed as the best entree among the 3.

The dessert was disappointing. We rated the desserts as the chocolate mousse the best-and even then it was average, the lime pie 2nd and the pound cake was way to dry!!! that was the worst among the 3 desserts.

Coffee was good for a wrap up & the night was special considering we were celebrating!

Overall we'll probably return.