SHOW
The Road to Stardom
An Off-Broadway hit last winter, Douglas Carter Beane’s The Little Dog Laughed has come to the Great White Way; performances began in October at the Cort Theatre. The comedy about the price of fame revolves around four characters: a determined Hollywood agent (played by Julie White, who won an Obie last year for the role), a gay-but-closeted film star on the rise (Tom Everett Scott of TNT’s Saved), a male prostitute (Johnny Galecki of Roseanne), and his naive girlfriend (Ari Graynor). (Telecharge.com; group sales: Broadway Inbound)
CULTURE
Art on the Walls
The folks at Creative Time have partnered with the Museum of Modern Art to present new, site-specific work from contemporary artist Doug Aitken—but you don’t need to head into the galleries for this exhibit. MoMA will be projecting a film by Aitken—shot last summer and early fall with artsy heavyweight talent, like actress Tilda Swinton and musician Chan Marshall (aka Cat Power)—on seven of its outside walls every evening from 5 PM to 10 PM from January 16 to February 12. Do you need a better excuse to grab a drink or dinner at the Modern?
BITES
Indulge Your Sweet Tooth
The dessert chef from Spice Market and 66, Pichet Ong, is striking out on his own with an intimate spot in the West Village called P*ong, scheduled to open in early January. The menu has sweet and savory items—and some selections that meld the two. Yvan Lemoine designed the imaginative cocktail menu.
Just Desserts
It’s hard to escape the explosion of edible Japanese offerings, and the intimate Kyotofu in Hell’s Kitchen is part take-out joint, part dessert shop. Designed by architect Hiro Tsuruta (of Jewel Bako and Momofuku), the 800-square-foot space has 15 seats located within a cocoonlike area in the back of the establishment and a take-out area up front. There are a variety of sweet treats available, like poached pear tartlets, Japanese cookies dipped in green tea chocolate, vanilla-rich sticky rice pudding, and citrus-flavored tofu cheesecake. Catering and gift baskets are available.
From Across the Pond
Brit superstar chef Gordon Ramsay has made the leap to the States with a new restaurant situated in the London NYC hotel (the revamped Rihga Royal). Gordon Ramsay at the London serves an interpretation of modern French cuisine and is done up in shades of emerald green, adorned with decorative wood panels; the space seats 45. A more casual section—the London Bar—features a menu of small plates, patchwork leather furniture in shades of blue and green, and seats for 70. Within the kitchen is a private chef’s table for eight, and there are three private dining rooms, which hold 20, 50, and 80.
DRINKS
Imbibe in Style
On the ground floor of Ian Schrager’s newly refashioned Gramercy Park Hotel, you’ll find two stylish bars. Artist Julian Schnabel (who oversaw the renovations) has left his mark on both—with his “Blue Japanese Painting No. 3” hung on one of the Jade Bar’s namesake green walls. The bar also has green and black Moroccan tiles, rich blue velvet seats, and Venetian mirrored sconces. The neighboring Rose Bar includes custom furniture from Schnabel, a walnut bar, and rustic textured rose walls.
Toast a Bygone Era
Slated to open in January, the Volstead takes on tones of the age of Prohibition and the speakeasy. (The lounge’s name comes from the act that outlawed booze.) Heavy with mahogany and other dark woods, low tables, and ottomans, the space will be both lounge and restaurant, with a menu of small plates to share, as well as some salads and entrees. The Volstead will serve lunch and dinner and be open late into the night; the entire space will hold 350 for receptions. (Contact sister establishment PS450 for information.)
—Mark Mavrigian
Posted 12.06.06
Photos: Joan Marcus (The Little Dog Laughed), © Frederick Charles/Courtesy Creative Time (Aitken)
The Road to Stardom
An Off-Broadway hit last winter, Douglas Carter Beane’s The Little Dog Laughed has come to the Great White Way; performances began in October at the Cort Theatre. The comedy about the price of fame revolves around four characters: a determined Hollywood agent (played by Julie White, who won an Obie last year for the role), a gay-but-closeted film star on the rise (Tom Everett Scott of TNT’s Saved), a male prostitute (Johnny Galecki of Roseanne), and his naive girlfriend (Ari Graynor). (Telecharge.com; group sales: Broadway Inbound)
CULTURE
Art on the Walls
The folks at Creative Time have partnered with the Museum of Modern Art to present new, site-specific work from contemporary artist Doug Aitken—but you don’t need to head into the galleries for this exhibit. MoMA will be projecting a film by Aitken—shot last summer and early fall with artsy heavyweight talent, like actress Tilda Swinton and musician Chan Marshall (aka Cat Power)—on seven of its outside walls every evening from 5 PM to 10 PM from January 16 to February 12. Do you need a better excuse to grab a drink or dinner at the Modern?
BITES
Indulge Your Sweet Tooth
The dessert chef from Spice Market and 66, Pichet Ong, is striking out on his own with an intimate spot in the West Village called P*ong, scheduled to open in early January. The menu has sweet and savory items—and some selections that meld the two. Yvan Lemoine designed the imaginative cocktail menu.
Just Desserts
It’s hard to escape the explosion of edible Japanese offerings, and the intimate Kyotofu in Hell’s Kitchen is part take-out joint, part dessert shop. Designed by architect Hiro Tsuruta (of Jewel Bako and Momofuku), the 800-square-foot space has 15 seats located within a cocoonlike area in the back of the establishment and a take-out area up front. There are a variety of sweet treats available, like poached pear tartlets, Japanese cookies dipped in green tea chocolate, vanilla-rich sticky rice pudding, and citrus-flavored tofu cheesecake. Catering and gift baskets are available.
From Across the Pond
Brit superstar chef Gordon Ramsay has made the leap to the States with a new restaurant situated in the London NYC hotel (the revamped Rihga Royal). Gordon Ramsay at the London serves an interpretation of modern French cuisine and is done up in shades of emerald green, adorned with decorative wood panels; the space seats 45. A more casual section—the London Bar—features a menu of small plates, patchwork leather furniture in shades of blue and green, and seats for 70. Within the kitchen is a private chef’s table for eight, and there are three private dining rooms, which hold 20, 50, and 80.
DRINKS
Imbibe in Style
On the ground floor of Ian Schrager’s newly refashioned Gramercy Park Hotel, you’ll find two stylish bars. Artist Julian Schnabel (who oversaw the renovations) has left his mark on both—with his “Blue Japanese Painting No. 3” hung on one of the Jade Bar’s namesake green walls. The bar also has green and black Moroccan tiles, rich blue velvet seats, and Venetian mirrored sconces. The neighboring Rose Bar includes custom furniture from Schnabel, a walnut bar, and rustic textured rose walls.
Toast a Bygone Era
Slated to open in January, the Volstead takes on tones of the age of Prohibition and the speakeasy. (The lounge’s name comes from the act that outlawed booze.) Heavy with mahogany and other dark woods, low tables, and ottomans, the space will be both lounge and restaurant, with a menu of small plates to share, as well as some salads and entrees. The Volstead will serve lunch and dinner and be open late into the night; the entire space will hold 350 for receptions. (Contact sister establishment PS450 for information.)
—Mark Mavrigian
Posted 12.06.06
Photos: Joan Marcus (The Little Dog Laughed), © Frederick Charles/Courtesy Creative Time (Aitken)