The greatest views of NYC are not at the of top of the Empire State Building, nor on The Edge observation deck at the Hudson Yards. The greatest views of New York City, are shockingly on the opposite side of the Hudson River . . . in Weehawken, New Jersey! Yes, it's true. A less than ten-minute ride from Pier 79 in mid-town Manhattan, will lead you to the most intoxicating views of the city that never sleeps. And the best part, there's food involved. Delicious, finger-licking, yet sophisticated, Southern cuisine. The moment you descend the fairy and exit the Port Imperial terminal, there is no ..read more

October is my favorite month of the year. Extended nights, cool afternoons, and the yearning for comfort. Comfort food, to be exact. It is Sunday, and on this fall afternoon, the weather in New York City is perfection; sunny with a mild breeze. These are the best days to be a New Yorker. As I stroll down Houston Street on the lower East side, I am reminded of other foodies who seek comfort as well, hence the ridiculously, long lines at Russ and Daughters, and Katz's Deli--two of the best Jewish Deli's in the city. Yet, I am not deterred. The comfort I seek is not savory. I'm chasing the dragon ..read more

As human beings, we are all susceptible to addiction: Drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling etc. But how does one cope, when your addiction is food? We need food to live. Without it, one can not survive. You can forgo going to the pub, and walk past the liquor store. You can flush your pills down the toilet; rip up your dispensary card, and block your dealer. You can drive past the casino and delete your gambling apps; you can even abstain from sex (if only for a short time), but how does one avoid food? How does one cope with an addiction that is impossible to avoid. You can't. After all, food is the ..read more

In the expansive world of fast-food culture, New York City is infamous for two of its greatest contributions: The New York hot-dog, and . . . pizza! Similar to the all-beef frankfurter, pizza is savored everywhere. With the NY hot-dog, it doesn't matter if you patron the corner, street vendor with the familiar blue and yellow umbrella, or a brick and mortar location, with a cult-like following, such as Katz's Deli (where Meg Ryan faked the orgasm heard around the world, in When Harry Met Sally). And, the dueling enemies and imitators of the wiener; Papaya King vs. Gray's Papaya vs. Papaya Dog ..read more

It is the month of June, and New York City is officially back! Restrictions have been lifted, vaccines have been dispensed, and masks are slowly disappearing. All the defectors--who made a grand exodus due to the pandemic--are running back to the city with their tails between their legs. These weren't real New Yorker's by the way; these were the naysayers and transplants who abandoned this great city once the going got tough, such as James Altucher. He was the "putz" (named appropriately by Seinfeld), who wrote the viral op-ed, "NYC is dead Forever. Here's why." Altucher was weak. Jerry Seinfe ..read more

Recently, I had to go to the doctors office for my yearly check-up. After two trains and 45 minutes of travel time, I was starving. (Damn my freakin' insurance company for making me travel so far!) As I descend the subway steps at Westchester Square, I take a moment to explore my surroundings. Am I going the right way? I scan the streets carefully contemplating my next move. I see an American flag blowing in the distance. Directly underneath, is a faded blue flag with a familiar logo. I do a double-take and squint, believing my mind is playing tricks on me. Is it . . . no. It can't be. Is that ..read more

I've never been to the '21' Club. And now, it looks like I never will, at least not in its current form. LVMH (Louie Vuitton Moet Hennessy) the worlds largest luxury goods company that owns Christian Dior, Fendi and Givenchy, acquired the historical speakeasy as part of a $2.6 billion deal. The somber announcement was revealed in December of 2020. Why am I mourning the closure of a restaurant I've never been to? Because, like Charlie in Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, you needed a golden ticket to get in, and I wanted in. That elusive "golden ticket," was wealth. Although the '21' Club ..read more

My love affair with the Jewish Deli began when I was 14 years old. For four years (five days a week) I would take the subway into Manhattan to attend high-school at East 33rd and Park Avenue. Once the train would pull into Grand Central around 7:40 a.m., the countdown began; will I make it on time? I was one stop away from my morning delight: A fresh, warm bagel with melted cream cheese. Sometimes, I would switch it up with melted butter, but cream cheese always prevailed. I never knew something as simple as fresh bread with a melted topping could give me such joy and set the tone for a produc ..read more

East Side Sushi is the culinary journey of a single mother who strives to leave her dead-end jobs and aspires to be a sushi chef. Juana is a Mexican-American who lives with her father and young daughter in inner-city Oakland. Hers is a hard-knock life; overworked and under payed. Yet our heroine has a fierce work ethic: She wakes up everyday before dawn to pick and prep fresh fruit to sell on a street corner with her families fruit-cart. At night Juana works maintenance at a local gym, cleaning bathrooms and gym equipment. One day, while selling fruit, she is robbed and attacked by two thugs ..read more

In the culinary world when you hear the name Grant Achatz, immediately you are hit with his trail-blazing accomplishments: Named one of the best American chefs, master of modernist, avant-garde cuisine, winner of four James Beard awards, and Alinea; named one of the 50 best restaurants in the world. All were accomplished under the age of 40. Life, on the Line is Grant Achatz's memoir, along with business partner Nick Kokonas. It is "A chef's story of chasing greatness, facing death, and redefining the way we eat." Yes, death. In the midst of achieving great success, Achatz was diagnosed with c ..read more