March Madness and Zagat

Its the last night for March Madness and you don't want to miss the action at either The Chester or Ainsworth Park. Not to mention, you must visit Ainsworth park and see how Executive chef Stephen Yen has updated and elevated the menus as mentioned on Zagat (http://www.zagat.com/b/new-york-city/21-club-gets-new-chef-more)

New York Post lists The Chester

NY Rangers players Ryan McDonagh and Michael Del Zotto were mentioned on Page 6 of the New York Post for their recent visit to The Chester! We love all of our celebrity visits!!

http://pagesix.com/2013/10/21/sightings-1550/

My Belly's Playlist

I want to introduce to you another restaurant in which I am partner in, My Belly's Playlist located at TRIBECA  57 MURRAY ST, NEW YORK, NY 10007

I am so excited to be able to show you what a great concept this is and the fabulous food these guys are putting out. Chefs Shawn Reilly and James Mather have this to say on their blog http://mybellysplaylist.com/blog/ "We love food and sharing it, and that's why we are in this business. When people talk about food being made with love, it may sound a bit odd or esoteric. What is really means to make food with love is to treat the food with respect, care, and attention and to be mindful of the fact that someone will consume it and be nourished by it, and to keep that person's heart, head, and stomach in mind as you prepare food for them. We make all our food with love in the hopes of sparking all memories and making new ones as you break bread with family and friends, old and new."

Here is a little about them: "We are an underground kitchen started in 2012. The founding chefs sought to fill a niche in lower Manhattan by applying restaurant techniques to an online food business. Our playlist of sandwiches and sides have become noteworthy because of our unique approach to everyday ingredients. We use freshly baked breads from our local bakery, veggies and meats responsibly sourced, and strive to reduce our carbon footprint in our packaging materials. It is our aim to test and flower as many ideas as possible. We change the menu as often as we feel necessary, keeping in mind customer feedback, seasonality, and new cuisine. From twists on classics, to ambitious new creations, we strive to provide the best and freshest food with a creative edge."

Salad chop box- this is a sandwich box's worth of our summer chop supreme salad. organic mesclun, cherry tomatoes, cucumber crescents, orange supremes, toasted pistachios and a mixture of bread crumbs, parsley, and pecorino. served with sherry vinaigrette and amusements.

Perfect Chicken Parmesan Sandwich-This isn't your standard parm: its fresher, lighter, and cleaner. What we love about this update is the fried zucchini. Instead of breading the whole breast, we sear it on the grill then finish it in the oven. We cut a thick slice of zucchini, give it an egg wash and panko/parsley/parm breading then fry it off. This piece of zucchini introduces a vegetable element to the sandwich and it also gives the breaded and fried texture and flavor into the sandwich without having to bread the chicken. We think it calls up those old memories of the local pizzeria's parm, but its on a daily fresh baked bread and you don't feel as heavy as a house after eating it. We put a little sauce on the chicken, some mozzarella and send it on its way.

Belly's Grilled Cheese- MUENSTER, CHEDDAR AND JACK CHEESE WITH CARAMELIZED RED ONIONS AND YOUR CHOICE OF BACON OR TOMATO, SERVED WITH OUR HOUSE MADE TOMATO SOUP.

Come back in the weeks ahead as I continue to showcase more of these guys great creations. And visit them at http://mybellysplaylist.com/ to see their full menu, pictures, and read more about what they are accomplishing with some amazing food.

The Grungy Gentleman Features The Chester

http://grungygentleman.com/post/view/the-chester

THE CHESTER

New Restaurant Opens in Gansevoort Meatpacking

By: Ben Mueller | Photographer: Courtesy of The Chester

September 30, 2013

​You may not know that Chester A. Arthur, our twenty-first president, was in fact an American party animal: he was known for his heavy drinking and lavish soirees thrown at the White House (take that, Rutherford B. Hayes!). So it's only fitting that the sleekest new eatery and bar opening this week in Meatpacking would take its name from the national playboy. The Chester, located inside the Gansevoort Hotel, offers nothing but freedom, including a wide menu of revamped American dishes and the choice of several diverse dining spaces sure to make any red-blooded American proud.

Inside, high ceilings and chandeliers make for a spacious dining room done up in slick black and white. The upstairs mezzanine is perfect for private dinner parties and VIP events…Mr. President, if you’re out there, take note. Outside, navy banquettes allow for crisp dining in the autumn air on one of the city’s busiest streets.

The fare is American, but expect anything but the stuffy classics. Entreés include Montauk pearl oysters with Tabasco mignonette, Maryland lump crab cakes, buttermilk fried chicken, and long bone short rib pot roast. Brunch begins in October, so keep an eye out for raised waffles with maple ice cream and blueberry syrup. Then there’s The Chester Skillet, quite possibly the reason Mr. Arthur put on so much weight while in office: chicken sausage, herb roasted potatoes, roasted tomatoes, cheddar, and a fried egg.

You can make your brunch a boozy one, but in a joint this classy, be sure to be a gent about it. Specialty cocktails include The Anvil, taking Don Julio, passion fruit, and agave nectar for a refreshing finish that won’t hit you over the head. The Mine Shaft, features Dickel, apple juice, and ginger beer, a sweet sip that’s way less dank, dusty, and full of canaries than you may imagine.

Aside from its swank dining space, The Chester offers food at Plunge Rooftop bar and Lounge at the top of the Gansevoort and 24/7 room service inside the hotel. So you’ll be able to get some of your new favorites in bed, just like our founding fathers would have wanted. The Chester is taking reservations now. So go forth, Grungy Americans. Do your duty. 

NY Daily News mentions Ainsworth Park in Celebrity news

Ainsworth Park:

"Twisted Sister lead singer Dee Snider, radio host Elvis Duran and actor Dan Hedaya celebrating David Katz’s birthday party at Ainsworth Park"

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/confidential/accusations-fly-mondrian-soho-hotel-article-1.1471328#ixzz2gTh7hTTh

NY Eater Post

http://ny.eater.com/archives/2013/09/the_chester_sam_hazens_mepa_american_restaurant.php

Travel/Barcelona

The beauty of Barcelona continually pulls me back, There is something exotic yet comfortable and like home every time I come here. The friendliness of the locals, the hospitality of every restaurant and especially the incredible staff at my favorite hotel, W Barcelona far surpass anywhere else.

Every time I travel to Barcelona I stay at W Barcelona hotel. The location is perfect especially being right on the beach. The staff and their attention to detail is amazing. It is truly a first class experience and I am treated like royalty every time I stay here, that is just how they treat all that come through.

The restaurants, club, and bars are the hotel are perfect, no need to ever leave the property for anything! The pool is amazing with views to match; during off peak times, the beach and pool are very relaxing. However, during high season, it is packed! Lots of high energy and a tremendous good time! Somehow no matter how may people are around, the service that I receive here never waivers beyond extraordinary.

Waking up to these views every morning, definitely a must! 

Besides relaxing on the beaches, one of my favorite things to do in Barcelona is to explore the Gothic District.

Walking through the Gothic District and exploring all the hidden treasures is a relaxing way to spend an evening. There a many wonderful restaurants and bars along the way, stop in for a quick drink or bite before walking a bit more and moving onto the next spot. A great way to explore maybe for a first trip is to join a walking group/tour, so as to learn all the history and perhaps some insider tips, but then I suggest doing it on your own as well, as that is generally the most enjoyable to be able to stop and go as you please.

Now I'm not really one to do all the  tourists stops when I travel, I usually travel to spend quality time relaxing with my friends and family....but there are a couple places I do enjoy visiting when I head to Spain.

Basilica of the Sacred Family

This church has become the symbol for Barcelona and has even been called an unofficial wonder in the world. The building has been a continuous work in progress since 1882 and is not supposed to be finished until 2030, built purely on donations. Just being inside is an amazing experience and you seriously feel so small in comparison to the size of this architecture! This is a definite place to see on a first trip to Barcelona, a word of advice, buy your tickets ahead of time!

Passeig de Gràcia

Passeig de Gràcia is one of the major avenues in Barcelona and one of its most important shopping and business areas, containing several of the city's most celebrated pieces of architecture. I could easily spend an entire afternoon here browsing all the shops and having a nice meal and simply enjoying being outside in the atmosphere of this area. This is where you can really connect to the liveliness of the city and feel its heartbeat.

As I've mentioned my number one favorite activity in Barcelona is spending the time relaxing and enjoying  time lounging on the beautiful beaches and exploring all the wonderful shops and restaurants that this unique city has to offer. These are just a couple of other sites this city has to offer for those visiting for the first time. Plan to spend several days in Barcelona before moving onto other cities, for there is so much to enjoy about being here.

Stay tuned.....next up is one of my all time favorites, St. Tropez!