That Girl Orange dancing my ass off at The Museum of The City of New York
Let's face it; there is always something hip, hot and happening in New York (especially in the summer). If you're hungry forget it, New York is Nirvana! Here are some stand out experiences while you are in the Big Apple.
The W Hotel has always been a favorite go-to-spot around the world because of its unique merge of pop-culture and a quality stay. First the introduction of the W Insider, which is like a private tastemaker/concierge (uniting fashion, music, and pop-culture to the mix) when you visit for a unique experience all-around-town. As of late, the W has introduced a yet another truly unique concept with their inaugural in-house tattoo artist series. World celebrated tattoo artists create a new one-of-a-kind experience for its guests, with this artist-in-residence series. Hotels will offer a select artist for 5 weeks to work exclusively from the hotel's Extreme Wow Suites at all New York City W Hotels. Artists in this series includes Tuki Carter, Chris Garver, Jack Rudy, and Sara Fabel.
W Hotels Marketing manager Pablo-Andres Lopez had this to say:
“The W’s original property was inspired by the chaos and culture of New York. This visionary series is iconic of the city’s 24/7 energy and the W brand”.
Extreme Wow Suites/W Hotel
Tattoos not your thing? Stop by the W Hotel and experience a signature cocktail inspired by this unique series made with Espolón Tequila. The bottle has a ‘Day of the Dead’ inspired imagery on its label, an homage to the famous Mexican artist Jose Guadalupe Posada, says Christina Moll, marketing director for Tequila at Campari America. “More than 100 years ago, Posada captured the real lives of the Mexican people in his paintings. Today tattoo artists are creating just as powerful images in their work, which makes us very proud to be part of this program.”
Rhythm and Power: Salsa in New York is the first ever museum exhibition that traces the unique history of salsa as a New York City cultural movement. The exhibit features artifacts of musicians and dancers from predominantly Cuban and Puerto Rican descent. Salsa, which is a very unique and distinct genre was developed by experimenting with a fusion of musical traditions from the United States, Cuba, Africa and throughout the Americas.
“The mercurial rise of salsa in New York was made possible only through the combination of an unprecedented cultural movement and the unbelievable diversity of the city’s musical scene,” Curator Derrick Léon Washington had this to say:
“The mercurial rise of salsa in New York was made possible only through the combination of an unprecedented cultural movement and the unbelievable diversity of the city’s musical scene. At a time when multiple Latino communities sought to assert themselves socially and politically, New York City provided a setting for different sounds and styles – including the musical virtuosity of the Cuban rumba; the raw energy of Puerto Rican bomba; the communal solidarity that arose in the charged spaces of the plena from Ponce, Puerto Rico; the velvety smooth harmonies of Latin boogaloo; and the growing presence of Dominican palo – to fuse together and become a new creation that would change the course of music history.”
So far we have given you hot happenings surrounding music, cultural arts, and body art. This New York City list would not be complete without food. From 'down home' Southern Cuisine to beautiful birds, New York is the place to be if you are hungry.
Last week Coyote Outdoor Living teamed up with Sylvia’s Restaurant for a Grill Skills Show-Down which was a true Harlem-style culinary experience. The Show-Down participants were amongst Harlem’s hottest and most diverse restaurants including Corner Social, Cove Lounge, Babbalucci, and Red Rooster. The restaurant chefs teamed up with an invited guest to create the ultimate pro-am grilling duo (and yes there were prizes) This was all done to celebrate the Queen of Harlem whose establishment paved the way for them and many others. Sorry, you missed the grilling get down, but it’s worth taking a trip to 125th street and Malcolm X Boulevard to experience the cuisine at Sylvia’s Restaurant.
Who doesn’t love a restaurant that pays homage to one of our favorite proteins: the bird. Whether it's the chicken or the duck, Le Coq Rico pays tribute to whole-animal poultry raised responsibly. Antoine Westermann, a three-star Michelin chef, opened the bistro last March (The original Le Coq Rico is located on Montmartre’s Rue Lepic in Paris). Westermann took the time to explore the Northeast and meet a new generation of American farmers, learning about their work and products. The result is the very special poultry that is served currently in the bistro, hailed by the New York Times as one of the top New York City restaurants in 2016.
The ambiance is upscale but not pretentious, and the host and wait staff are very knowledgeable about the sustainability of the food and the farms they represent. Le Coq Rico features a commissioned work by the celebrated polymath American visual artist Doug Fitch. According to the restaurant:
’The multimedia representation of a rooster, forms an “altar” for the restaurant. Fitch recently updated the restaurant’s interiors to interpret the story of its namesake rooster, “Rico.” Fitch installed delicate white feathers in frames around the main dining room, along with feathers and glass egg shells catching the light and seeming to fall from the ceiling. The feathers are meant to evoke a feeling of protection, as if diners are safely "nestled under Rico's wing". Additionally, new blue lights now frame the bar and show kitchen, suggesting the presence of Rico in each section of the bistro’.
Stand out dishes include:
Brune Landaise: 120 days: whole bird selected in partnership with Ariane Daguin.
Strawberries Melba: strawberries, pistachio ice cream, gooseberry jelly, roasted almonds, whipped cream
The Egg-Bow: A special brunch menu item, allowing diners to choose, table side, from a rainbow selection of heritage-breed, Hudson Valley pasture-raised eggs hand selected by Michelin Star Chef Antoine Westermann. The rare brown and blue pastured eggs will be offered sunny-side up au naturale, or served with mushroom fricassée and angel-hair potatoes. Both come with your choice of heritage breed.
The adjoining Le Coq Rico Bar also respects the bird with signature house drinks like “Coq’tale,” and the "Duck Fitch" (featuring The Botanist gin, turmeric, ginger, and mint).
I hope you are having a great Summer! Don’t forget to take advantage of what’s hip, hot and Hungry. Until next time.
Blogger Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with nor have I received any monetary compensation for any of the companies mentioned. My involvement was the following: The W Hotel, Silvia’s Restaurant and The Museum of The City of New York invited me to a free event. Le Coq Rico invited me to a complementary dinner, and was not promised a review. All opinions are my own.