Eating Beccare-Style At NYC's Becco

The name Becco is derived from the Italian verb, beccare, which means to peck, nibble, or savor something in a discriminating way. Renowned TV chef and author Lidia Bastianich and her son, Joe, opened Becco in 1993 and ever since then the restaurant in New York's theatre district on restaurant row (West 46th St.) has been hugely successful.
You're well advised to make reservations for a table at Becco up to one month in advance.
Inside the restaurant you'll find a narrow bar alongside dining tables and a series of  interconnected rooms than join in a sunny, airy larger area with skylights. Personally, we liked this larger, brighter section and that's where we sat.
We can kindly term the seating at Becco cozy -- and that means that you will be seated VERY close to other guests. In fact, if you are seated at a table for two you will be probably be close enough to chat with the other guest (if you're so inclined) and when the waiter takes their order you'll almost think he's talking to you.
We began with the caesar salad which was appropriately warm and tangy.
One of  Becco's specialties is the endless trio pasta plate. A server will offer you each of three pastas and dish them out tableside from a large serving plate. Be sure of this: You're not at the Olive Garden. These pastas are each lovingly prepared, carefully served and individually savored. And the server will be back to offer you more!
The bowtie pasta in red sauce was zesty and unique. The fettuccine with just a bit of crab meat and in a clear sauce was light and easy on the palate. And the ravioli with swiss chard in a creamier sauce proved to be full and distinctive.
The swordfish was grilled and served with fresh corn, mushrooms and tiny tomatoes. Delicious! The traditional veal pramgiania was a huge veal chop (still on the bone) with fresh mozzarella  and an inspired, reasonably thick, red sauce. I must say, the veal was wonderfully tender and the mozzarella was dreamy.
The eating can be hearty and the portions tend to be large here. The executive chef, William Gallagher has worked side by side with Joe and Lidia Bastianich, creating one of the most value packed and admired menus in New York City. There's plenty to choose from and (by Manhattan standards) you won't find yourself dropping a ton of money here, if you don't want to.
But you will become familiar with the other guests and you're well-advised to arrive hungry. There's a lively hustle and bustle about the place and it can become quite noisy when it's operating at full tilt, which is almost always the case. We also found our waiter to be somewhat bellowing and a bit dramatic (well, it IS the theater district). More specials are offered (verbally) than you can possibly remember. And on top of all that. service captains pace back and forth throughout, endlessly checking on everything.
But the food is good, the menu is extensive, the location is wonderfully convenient, the tariff is reasonable -- you can't always have everything, right?

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A VERY Special 'Thank You!'

Weather emergencies fray everyone's nerves.
And dealing with the public in such situations isn't easy.
That's why we want to send a special "THANK YOU!" to Herschel Waxman Senior Vice President of the Nederalnder Organization on Broadway.
Herschel was so kind in hearing us out and allowing us to quickly switch our tickets for Catch Me If You Can from Saturday night to Friday night. As it turned out, all Saturday and Sunday performances for the show were cancelled but Herschel didn't know that at the time as the decision had not yet been made. He was kind, gracious, funny and wonderfully accommodating. And on top of all that, the show was great!
We've long admired the Nederlander Group which operates the Brooks Atkinson, Gershwin, Lunt-Fontanne, Marquis, Minskoff, Neil Simon, Palace and Richard Rodgers Theaters on The Great White Way. Now we know why they're the best.
We'll say it again: New Yorkers are some of the nicest people, anywhere.
Thanks, Herschel!

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The Last Time 'Irene' Hit The Great White Way

They call it The Great White Way.
Not because it's white. They call it that because it's so full of light -- so much artificial light from all the mega-watt signage and all the theater marquees, that even at night, it seems like daytime.
It's Times Square, New York -- Broadway. It always looks that way.
But not tonight.
Tonight Broadway is closed. It's shuttered. It's dark. On Broadway's busiest day (and night) of the week there isn't a single curtain going up.
Because Broadway's sealed tight awaiting the wallop of Irene.
But this is hardly the first time Irene has ever appeared on Broadway.
In fact, Irene first appeared on Broadway in 1919 as a musical. It ran for 675 performances, made a star of Edith Day and became the longest running musical up to that time.
Irene returned to Broadway for a revival in 1923 and was even turned into a movie -- twice.
But then Irene disappeared from Broadway for nearly half a century.
The "new" Irene opened the Minskoff  Theater on Broadway in 1973 with a star-studded cast led by Debbie Reynolds and including Monte Markham, Patsy Kelly and George S. Irving. The New York Times critic Clive Barnes described the show as "raucous" and added that Irene was "the best 1919 musical in town." This time around, Irene ran for 594 performances.
The show won only one Tony Award -- George S. Irving for best featured actor in a musical. Irving was a veteran Broadway comic and a favorite.
Irene was a fluffy, silly show (though it featured some great songs) and never really became the darling of Broadway's elites. Though it featured Debbie Reynolds it became known as a mere "star vehicle" as she was considered more Hollywood than Broadway. The show never became a boffo hit.

Now Irene is back -- for revenge!Here's a synopsis of the story:
Irene O'Dare is a humble but ambitious, hard-working Irish girl from West Side Manhattan, who runs a little music store with her widowed mother. Irene is sent to tune a piano for young tycoon Donald Marshall III, a Long Island society gentleman, and they promptly fall in love, each captivated by how different the other is from their usual friends.
Donald's ne'er-do-well cousin Ozzie wants help to jump start a fashion business to be run by his friend, "Madame Lucy", a flamboyant male artiste. So Irene and her pretty best friends, Helen McFudd and Jane Burke, are recruited to model Madame Lucy's gowns, and Donald provides financing. Irene's mother and Donald's mother do not see eye-to-eye at first but grow to be friends.
Irene poses as a society girl who convinces everyone to shop at Madame Lucy's, but she becomes angry with Donald when he asks her to continue the ruse.
He finally relents, her true identity is revealed, and he sings "You made me love you."
But this time around, Irene doesn't care if she's loved or not.

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Catch 'Catch Me' Before It Disappears!

Maybe it was because we loved the movie on which it is based.
Maybe it was that we found ourselves mesmerized by the electrifying Tony Award-winning performance of Norbert Leo Butz.
Maybe it was because we finally got around to discovering one of the brightest, most talented, most appealing new leading men on Broadway -- Aaron Tveit.
Or maybe it was just the way Kerry Butler belts out a song or the mere presence of the great Tom Wopat.
For whatever reason, we loved the new Broadway musical Catch Me If You Can and we urge you to catch it on Broadway (if you can) before it closes on Sunday, September 4. Because, if you don't catch this show you'll have to wait till 2012 or 2013 to see a traveling production when the whole thing goes on national tour.
We had heard so much about "Catch Me" and we suspected that the show might be a lot better than some of the critics said it was.
We were right.
If you saw the 2002 movie (based on a true story) starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Frank Abingale, Jr. you know that Catch Me If You Can is a fascinating tale. So, the musical automatically benefits from a good, strong book -- and that's rare for a musical.
Plus, the adaptation for the stage is written by Terrence McNally and the words and music are by Mark Shaiman and Scott Wittman. This is a Tony-winning dream time that has given us several other blockbuster hits.
But this this show ain't no happy-tooting lark. This is a dark story -- a story of deceit, abandonment, crime and loneliness. Which makes it all the more incredible that the creative team and the fine company of actors and musicians on stage have still managed to send the show soaring with up-to-the-minute humor, retro sixties trendiness and a huge dollop of hope -- all based on fact.
Criticisms? Well, the show is way too loud at times. But most current Broadway shows are over-amplified these days and tunes (even ballads) are frequently oversold. And sometimes the breathlessness can't keep up with the sheer volume and weight of this stranger than fiction story. Plus, I wondered if the show might have been improved without the device of the full orchestra on stage. It seemed to cramp the production values at times.
But no shortcomings warranted the less-than-fair deal that this show got from some critics and the Broadway cognoscenti. Surely it was worthy of more than the four Tony nominations (and one Tony) that it received.
In many ways, this type of entertainment is (or should be) what Broadway is all about.
Catchy and notable songs include: Live In Living Color; Butler's magnificent Fly, Fly Away; Little Boy, Be A Man; the darkly humorous Christmas Is My Favorite Time Of Year; Seven Wonders and Norbert's show-stopping Don't Break The Rules.*
And we need to mention that from Tveit and Butz and Wopat and Butler right down to every chorus member the cast is wonderful. This too: Miraculously, the second act is even stronger than the first.
Catch it. Hurry! Or hope to see it on the road.
The touring company is set to open in Providence in fall, 2012.
*I've already purchased the album.

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Bloomberg Insists: NO Clergy At 9/11 Commemoration

New York Mayor Michael (The Imperious One) Bloomberg insists there be NO clergy at the event in lower Manhattan commemorating the tenth anniversary of September 11.
As you  might expect, he's come in for a lot of criticism over this. But he's not backing down.
It turns out that keeping this man in office is looking more and more like a dreadful mistake. As he has assumed more power he has become increasingly dictatorial. It's scary.
Here's an excerpt from a Fox News story:

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will not reconsider his decision to exclude clergy from the ceremony marking 10 years since the Sept. 11 attacks, a spokesman said Friday.
The statement comes despite increased pressure from religious and conservative leaders who say that even though the mayor has not allowed clergy at other services, he should make an exception this time.
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, said Americans "turned to God for solace" after the 2001 attacks, and clergy were intimately involved in helping the nation heal. 
"Unfortunately, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg would have us look the other way," Perkins said in a statement.

 Click here to read the whole story.

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Christie, Cuomo Permit Limited Toll, Fare Hikes

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo have issued a joint letter announcing that they have agreed to allow the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to raise bridge fares and tolls -- but not by as much as the Port Authority wanted and not as quickly as the Authority had hoped.
Also, the two Governors say that the increases (set to begin this September) will only be permitted once the commissioners of the Authority immediately approve and commence a comprehensive audit of the Authority. The Governors say this audit will be a "condition for not blocking the toll hike." The Governor's letter states: "reports of cost overruns, excessive overtime, and exorbitant spending must stop immediately."
Under the Governor's agreement, the first-year toll increase will be reduced from the Authority's proposed $4.00 to $1.50. And thr proposed $6.00 increase over four years will be reduced to $4.50 over five years.
Further details:
Tolls on cars using EZ-pass will jump $1.50 in September 2011 and then 75 cents in December of each year from 2012 - 2015.
Tolls on cars paying with cash will have the same increase but will be subject to an additional $2.00 penalty (rounded off to the nearest whole dollar).
Fares on PATH trains will increase 25 cents a year for four years.
Tolls on trucks will also rise accordingly.

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How About A Perry-Giuliani Ticket?

Texas Governor Rick Perry is supposed to announce his presidential intentions this Saturday in South Carolina.
To be sure, Perry is no newcomer to the GOP presidential nomination process.
In 2008 Perry campaigned heavily in Florida and other spots for his good friend, Rudy Giuliani.
And Giuliani has campaigned in Texas for Perry.
They would seem like an unlikely couple, this gun-totting Texan and this opera-loving New Yorker. But this is a real, live bromance.
Now that it's all but certain that Perry will be announcing a presidential run this weekend, one must ask: Would Perry pick Giuliani as his running mate? Would a Perry-Giuliani ticket fly?
One could argue that it would be a unifier -- balanced geographically and ideologically.
But we've got a long way to go yet in the presidential race.
Anyway, click here for more on the Perry/Giuliani bromance.

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Contents Of Elaine's For Sale -- ALL Of It

Now you can buy a piece of the legendary New York celebrity restaurant, Elaine's.
Everything from the now-shuttered upper east side restaurant as well as the items from owner Elaine Kauffman's co-op will be auctioned off by the auction house of Dyle New York.
Elaine passed away last December 3 of complications from emphysema. Earlier this year the restaurant was shuttered.
There are many notable items up for auction including art work by Andy Warhol and David Hockney, first edition signed copies of books by noted authors, posters that adorned the walls of Elaine's and Elaine's co-op  the papier-mâché carousel horse that was in the window of the restaurant for many years, copper pots from the kitchen and the vintage cash register from behind the bar.
Also up for sale will be the prized table number one -- the table (and chairs) that Elaine reserved for her most important guests.
For more information go to Doyle New York.

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Christie, Cuomo Wary Of Toll Hike Plan

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie today released the following statement regarding the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's proposed toll hike plan:
 
"The Port Authority has informed us of its proposal to dramatically increase tolls on its tunnels and bridges and fares on the PATH.

While we understand the Port Authority leadership's concerns about a potential downgrade to its bond rating if toll increases are not instituted, our primary concern with this proposal is its impact on our respective states' residents and commercial users of the crossings.

A downgrade of the Port Authority's bond rating does indeed pose a potentially disastrous result on a transportation network that millions of residents of the states of New Jersey and New York rely on and would be unacceptable.

We will review the proposal with that in mind but have obvious and significant concerns. The Port Authority is facing financial issues but so are families in the states of New York and New Jersey, and the answer cannot always be an indiscriminate and exorbitant increase in the cost to the taxpayer, or in this case, toll payer. As families must carefully and effectively manage their finances at this difficult time, so must government.

It is our joint intention to cooperatively address this issue without regard for partisanship or parochialism, as was the intention and spirit of the creation of the Port Authority as a regional entity in 1921."

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Naked Woman Video: On NYC Subway Car

It's been very hot in New York so this lady decided to travel around in the subway bottomless.
And being numb to almost everything, New Yorkers just turned the other way, looked the other way or sat somewhere else on the subway car.
But it appears as if at least one person did object and the offender decided to (mercifully) pull her pants up after all.
If you live long enough you eventually see everything.
So, be forewarned: You never know what you're gonna find when you take the subway in New York.

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Christie Won't Support Gay Marriage. And This Is News?

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie went on Meet The Press and was asked if he would sign a gay marriage bill if it came to his desk.
Christie said "no."
For the life of me, I can't understand why the media are trying to turn this into a major story.
It's not.
Christie's views on this subject have always been clear: He supports civil unions but not gay marriage. He believes marriage defines a relationship between one man and one woman. That's it.
Chris Christie made this very clear during his campaign for the office he now holds. And as many times as Christie has been asked about this, the answer has always been the same: no.
Chris Christie is quick to point out that he's vehemently opposed to discrimination based on sexual orientation. He supports equal rights and benefits for gay partners in civil unions and all other rights accorded to gay people. It's just that he draws the line at marriage.
Marriage is for one man and one woman,
Oh, I know that New York State recently lagalized gay marriage and that's thought to be a Big Deal.
But Christie's hardly out of step. As I understand it, New York state is only the sixth state to legalize gay marriage. That leaves 44 other states that haven't legalized it.
Like more than a few states, New Jersey permits legally-sanctioned civil unions. New Jersey took the lead on this and until very long ago such a move was thought to be enlightened. Now, in some people's minds, it's no longer enough.
But in Chris Chritie's world "no" means no.
If the State Legislature of New Jersey feels that strongly about legalizing gay marriage, they can do it. They'll simply have to gather enough votes to override Governor Christie's veto.
BTW: With all of the issues facing the State of New Jersey (not the least of which is the state's dire fiscal predicament) it would seem illogical if this became a defining issue in the upcoming legislative races or in the next gubernatorial campaign. But this issue seems to be all wrapped up in  passion and emotion (not logic) and key Democrats such as Senate President Steve Sweeney are already seeking to placate angry liberals by doing mea culpas about any doubts they might have had about gay marriage in the first place. So, expect this to be a rallying point for those on the left.
And, as Obama seeks to solidify his base while facing what appears to be a tough re-election battle, expect
him to move closer to supporting gay marriage as well -- he's already signaled as much.
To people like Sweeney and Obama and the Cuomos "no" can actually mean maybe or even yes.
But Chris Christie has thus far refused to operate that way.
What part of NO don't you understand?

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Video: If You Missed This, Here's A Second Chance

From the Tony Awards 2011 (aired Sunday evening) here are  Hugh Jackman and Neil Patrick Harris as Dueling Hosts.....Among the songs in the "Dueling Duet" were "Anything You Can Do," from Annie Get Your Gun; "A Boy Like That / I Have A Love," from West Side Story; "Make 'Em Laugh," from Singin' In the Rain; "I Hope I Get It," from A Chorus Line; "Don't Rain on My Parade," from Funny Girl, "You're the Top," from Anything Goes; and "Let Me Entertain You," from Gypsy. "How To Succeed" "from How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying.
If you missed the show, you missed a great evening on Broadway. And this was one of the best moments in the show.

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Groovy 'Shake Shack' Headed To Center City Philly

Shake Shack, the Manhattan sensation, is headed to center-city Philadelphia.
But cool your heels, the burger and shake master won;t hit town until the second half of next year.
Shake Shack will land above Rittenhouse Square at 2000 Sansom Street.
Restaurateur Danny Meyer (he of the famed Union Square Cafe) says he’s thrilled to add his “voice to the city’s vibrant culinary dialogue.” Philadelphia’s Shake shack will join six New York locations as well as branches in Miami, Washington D.C. Dubai and Kuwait City (what an eclectic list!)
Shake Shack features famous burgers, hot dogs, thick creamy shakes and frozen custard. And, the Philadelphia location is expected to offer beer and wine as well. So, if you're so inclined, you can have a beer with your frozen custard (aka soft serve).
The 2000 block of Sansom is already a VERY HIP corridor but it's about to become a lot more trendy and a lot more crowded!

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Complete List of 2011 Tony Award Winners

Here is the complete list of winners from last night's outstanding presentation of Broadway's 2011 Tony Awards presented by the American Theatre Wing:
Best Play: "War Horse."
Best Musical: "The Book of Mormon."
Best Book of a Musical: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone, "The Book of Mormon."
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone, "The Book of Mormon."
Best Revival of a Play: "The Normal Heart."
Best Revival of a Musical: "Anything Goes."
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play: Mark Rylance, "Jerusalem."
Best Performance by an Actress in Leading Role in a Play: Frances McDormand, "Good People."
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical: Norbert Leo Butz "Catch Me If You Can."
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical: Sutton Foster, "Anything Goes."
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play: John Benjamin Hickey, "The Normal Heart."
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play: Ellen Barkin, "The Normal Heart."
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical: John Larroquette, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying."
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical: Nikki M. James, "The Book of Mormon."
Best Direction of a Play: Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, "War Horse."
Best Direction of a Musical: Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker, "The Book of Mormon."
Best Choreography: Kathleen Marshall, "Anything Goes."
Best Orchestrations: Larry Hochman and Stephen Oremus, "The Book of Mormon."
Best Scenic Design of a Play: Rae Smith, "War Horse."
Best Scenic Design of a Musical: Scott Pask, "The Book of Mormon"
Best Costume Design of a Play: Desmond Heeley, "The Importance of Being Earnest."
Best Costume Design of a Musical: Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner, "Priscilla Queen of the Desert."
Best Lighting Design of a Play: Paule Constable, "War Horse."
Best Lighting Design of a Musical: Brian MacDevitt, "The Book of Mormon."
Best Sound Design of a Play: Christopher Shutt, "War Horse."
Best Sound Design of a Musical: Brian Ronan, "The Book of Mormon."
___
Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre: Athol Fugard, Philip J. Smith.
Regional Theatre Tony Award: Lookingglass Theatre Company (Chicago)
Isabelle Stevenson Award: Eve Ensler.
Special Tony Award: Handspring Puppet Company.
Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre: William Berloni, The Drama Book Shop, Sharon Jensen and Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts

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Weiner's Wife Is Pregnant

The New York Times is reportiung that Representative Anthony Weiner and his wife are expecting their first child. Here's an excerpt from the report.

Their marriage has become the subject of intense speculation and scrutiny amid an embarrassing online sex scandal.
Now, Representative Anthony D. Weiner and Huma Abedin are about to make news of a different kind: they are expecting their first child.
Ms. Abedin, 35, is in the early stages of pregnancy, according to three people with knowledge of the situation.

Click here to read more on this story.

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Weiner: Not Thinking About Election

Weiner says the "last thing" he's thinking about today is the next election.
"This is a deep weakness that I have demonstrated."
Weiner says that some of the online relationships have "gone back for the past few years."
Weiner says that what is paramount now is taking care of his problem and "amking sure that this absolutely never happens again."
Weiner says that his wife has known about some of the online relationships since before he married her. "We spoke frankly about it," Weiner says. But he says his wife did not know all of the details -- the full story -- until this morning.
"I treated this as a frivolous thing and did not acknowledge that it was causing harm."
He says his wife was "not happy" about the situation but that she loves him and she very much wants to see them "pull through this."
His says there was "no physical relationship" involved in the online dalliances.
"I don't believe that I did anything that violates any law or violates my oath to my constituents."
Weiner repeats: "I've never has sex outside my marriage."
He adds: "I'm not making any excuses for my behavior." He says there was no substance abuse involved. "This was me doing a dumb thing."
"My wife is a remarkable women. She's not responsible for any of this. This was a personal failing of mine."
He says that his actions do not "reflect on my official duties."
He says his constituents will have to decide whether he remains in office. He says that all of the women that he chatted with "were adults and were engaging in consensual behavior."
"I wasn't telling the truth. I lied. It was dishonorable."
He describes the situation as an "aberration from what I learned."

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Weiner Admits He Lied; "I'm Sorry."

Weiner admits he lied.
He says "The picture was of me and I sent it."
"Never actually met any of these women," though.
Congresmman is choked up.
"I'm deeply sorry. I apologize to my wife, family, friends and supporters.
"I accept full responsibility. I deeply regret what I've done but I am not resigning."
Weiner says he trusts the people of his district to make their own judgment about him. "I should not have done this. I should not have done this."
"It was wrong. I regret it."
Weiner cannot deny that x-rated photos of him are out there.
"I love my wife very much and we have no intention of splitting up over this. I love her and she loves me."
"This was a very destructive thing to do. But it wasn't part of my plan to be deceitful to you," he tells the media.

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Weiner Will NOT Announce Resignation

Still waiting for Anhtony Weiner to hold his news conference and make his statement.
But Fox News is now reporting that Weiner will NOT resign today.

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Bare Chested Photos Prompt More From Weiner

New York Congressman Anthony Weiner has now scheduled a news conference for today at 4 p.m., apparently in response to a series of photos of the congressman without his shirt posted on the conservative website BigGovernment.com this afternoon.
According to the site, the photos came from a woman who now says it was the congressman who sent them to her.
Here's part of what Big Government says:

"The [photos] reminiscent of that posted by former Rep. Chris Lee (R-NY) on Craigslist earlier this year, was allegedly sent to the young woman on Friday, May 20, 2011 via a Yahoo! email address that she claims was an alternate alias for Rep. Weiner:"

Click here for more on this story.

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NYC Eatery Serves Up 'Anthony's Weiner'

The New York Daily News is reporting on a Brooklyn eatery that wasted no time in capitalizing on the Anthony Weiner (wiener-in-the-undershorts) scandal. Here's an excerpt:

Anthony's weiner never tasted so good.
A Brooklyn sausage joint is serving up a special entree skewering scandal-scarred Rep. Anthony Weiuner.

Dubbed Anthony's Weiners, the dish by Der Kommissar in Park Slope features two beef hot dogs on two slices of French bread brushed with olive oil.
Sauerkraut and a pickle come on the side. It costs just $6.

Click here to read more.

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