The Parker Meridien NYC knows how to serve a cheeseburger

by Tom Johansmeyer on

I know I’ve written a lot about hotdogs, but I’m also a big fan of burgers. I guess my true affinity is for anything that’s bad for you. Nothing beats a great dog, but I have room for variety and sometimes crave an amazing burger. In Manhattan, you should look no further than the Parker Meridien on W. 56th St. (or W. 57th St., you can enter from either side).

You’re probably thinking about a $20 hamburger (more with cheese), because nothing’s cheap at a Parker Meridien. Well, for this burger, you’ll have to pass Norma’s (which is a great brunch spot, but far from cheap) and look for the neon cheeseburger on the wall. Welcome to the Burger Joint! It’s hidden in a hallway next to the concierge desk, and if you ask for directions, the staff will direct you easily. They know what you’re looking for.

During most peak dining hours, though, the location will be obvious. Look for the incredibly long line and be prepared to wait.

When you finally do reach the Burger Joint, you’ll notice a substantial shift in the décor. Scrawled between the many posters on the walls are light attempts at graffiti (but lots of them). The signs are handwritten in magic marker. The upscale uniforms visible in the rest of the hotel are eschewed for attire that’s considerably more laid back. The restaurant’s name says it all. It’s a burger joint, nothing more. But, it excels at its one mission – putting an amazing hamburger between your teeth.

Read the menu before you get to the cash register, or you’ll probably be sent to the back of the line. Demand for the product will force you to wait for a while, so there’s no reason to make it worse by screwing up at the moment of truth. The sign provides strict (but easy to follow) instructions on how to order. Speak loudly and confidently.

The restaurant itself is usually crowded. It’s tough to get a seat, and there’s always an asshole or two who lingers after finishing. So, you’ll be crammed shoulder-to-shoulder while waiting for your grub to be cooked, bagged and handed to you. Deal with it; there’s no alternative. From time to time, one of the cooks will step from behind the counter and scream at loiterers to get the hell out. It’s not done delicately … and it shouldn’t be.

If the dining area is full, or you just don’t want to mess with the crowds, there’s a great inter-block alley between W. 54th St. and W. 55th St., and it has tables and benches. This is a great dining spot when the weather is favorable. Also, you’re only a short walk from Central Park.

So, what about the food? You can’t go wrong with the burgers and fries, which comprise the entirety of the menu. The burgers are tasty, but do benefit from a bit of ketchup. I’d be happier if they were larger. The fries are thin-cut and the best (of this style) in the city. I haven’t tried the shakes (not really my thing), but I can tell from how many have been ordered that they must be good.

The total cost for all this isn’t absurd. For three cheeseburgers, two generously-sized orders of fries and a drink, I dropped $31.50. You’re going to have a bitch of a time finding a deal like this anywhere else in the city, I assure you.

New York City’s summer street fairs: A guide and suggestions

by Jamie Rhein on

This past Saturday, I walked out of my brother’s apartment building near Stuyvesant Park in Manhattan to discover the 2nd Avenue Street Festival underway. Block after block, 2nd Avenue was closed to traffic and perfect for discovering those items I didn’t know I had to have while brushing up on my Wolof.

New York City’s street fair scene is one of the terrific pleasures of summer in Manhattan–if you’re a pedestrian. The taxi driver who took me to Port Authority where I caught my Greyhound bus trip home made a quick turn off 6th Avenue on Sunday in order to avoid a street fair up ahead. He recounted a time of going blocks out of his way in order to get where he needed to go because he was thwarted by a street fair.

Although some street fairs seem to spring up spontaneously, there is a schedule of where to find them. I just happened upon two of them because they were where I happened to be. Each of them had their own feel. Some fairs have music, some give a nod to a particular ethnic group, and some are a mish mash of a variety of influences. Here’s a guide to what to look for if you go and a brief Wolof lesson to add to the shopping pleasure.

The two festivals I happened upon were in very different neighborhoods which added to their distinctive flavor. The Stuyvesant area is a mix of gentrification, historic houses, ethnic diversity and people who have lived in the neighborhood for years. Because 2nd Avenue is a wide street, the fair had an open feel that looked like part flea market and part carnival with a festive aura of non-fussiness. People of all ages, several with kids and people with dogs milled about, enjoying the sunshine, the goods and each other’s company.

The first item to catch my attention was the large grill filled with mozzarepas, my new favorite street food. Mozzarepas are cornbread pancakes with mozzarella cheese sandwiched between. They are grilled until the cheese melts and the pancake is crispy. Mine wasn’t cheap, $5, but I shared with a friend and the $1 lemonade a block later averaged out the price.

On the lookout for earrings, I spied a booth that mostly caught my attention because of the baskets arranged in front–and the vendors selling the wares. Turns out, the couple is from Senegal and are Wolof speakers, the language I learned in the Peace Corps. Thus came a conversation that included me asking them to reduce the price of two pairs of earrings that, frankly, were already cheap-$5 a pair. Always excited to brush up on Wolof, this interlude was one of my most favorite parts of my street fair excursion.

I also bought a T-shirt, a multi-colored artsy item that looks like it would be in an upscale boutique in a small college town. I noticed a $115. 00 original price on something else. I paid $15. The brand is Windspirit, Wind Song. . . It’s Wind something, but I can’t remember exactly.

At the fair near Christopher Street in Greenwich Village, as a reflection of the more upscale neighborhood, there was more of an art festival feel, although some of the items were similar to the one on 2nd Avenue. The African jewelry showed up several times at both locations. At this fair there were more booths that fit a fine arts to high end crafts category.

There was one booth at the Second Avenue fair that was one-of-a-kind. I only saw one booth total selling very cool wine bottle gift bags. They were lovely and had an Asian look about them, however they weren’t kitschy, but something you could give someone with good taste. A great way to dress up wine if you don’t want to spend a fortune, but want to look like you’ve put effort into a hostess gift. They were $10 for three. What a deal and I passed it by. Rats. I also passed up a chair massage. Too bad.

If you do come across any Wolof speakers, and I bet you will. Here’s a way to make a great impression.

Say “Nnga def?” Which means “How are you?”

The response to this is “Jama rek” which means “Peace only.”

If you think something is expensive say, “Defa ser.” (That’s expensive) “Wanil co tuti” (Reduce it a little.)

“Dee deet” means “No.” “Wow” means “yes”

“Mangee dem” means “I’m going.”

“Jeri jef” is “Thank you.”

Such words can get you far. Maybe not a reduction in price, but a good time. By the way, I spelled the words the way they sound to me. That’s partly how I learned Wolof.

Here are three sites I found that list festivals. My suggestion for deciding which one to hit is to see where you might be in New York City and use the street fair as a draw to a particular neighborhood. The great thing is that they go on all day, you don’t need to pay admission and there are not lines to tie up your time. Plus, they’re free and wonderful for people watching. Dogs, children, the elderly, and people with weight problems are more than welcome to join in the festivities.

I’m very grateful to Ed Yourdon who snapped these wonderful pictures last October at the street fair on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. I didn’t have my camera. Click through Yeardon’s street fair gallery and you’ll feel as if you’re at the fair.

New York once again safest city in U.S.

by Tom Johansmeyer on

New York was once again the safest city in the United States last year, according to Federal Bureau of Investigation statistics Michael Bloomberg. Well, in fairness, the mayor did cite stats from the FBI. And, he wasn’t shy about pointing out that crime fell another 12 percent in the first five months of 2009. New York is tops among the 25 largest cities in the country.

Stretch the standard to cities with populations of over 100,000 (261 in all), and 245 cities have higher crime rates. So, a city of more than 8 million people compares with Torrance, California and McKinney, Texas.

Last year, murders fell 21 percent (43 fewer slayings), and rapes declined 17 percent. 491 fewer cars were stolen, and there were 1,415 fewer robberies. The city’s murder count in 2008, 523, was the second lowest since 1961 … when New York started keeping track.

So, come to New York. Crime is down, and hotels and flights are cheaper than ever!

Francis Bacon comes to New York’s Met

by Tom Johansmeyer on

If you missed the Francis Bacon exhibit at the Museo Del Prado in Madrid back in the early part of the year, you have a second chance this summer. The reclusive artist, who produced only around 1,000 paintings in his 83-year life, is well represented at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, with a large show that traces the artist’s career from a false start in 1933 through his twilight in the 1980s.

The collection is, to say the least, extensive. Each room highlights a period in Bacon’s life, from his haunting work in the 1940s to the “man in a cage” theme that followed. The exhibit also tracks Bacon’s love life, with paintings of George Dyer and John Edwards, for example, in abundance. Surprisingly, the breadth of the New York show is even greater than that of Madrid.

The true success of this show, however, is in the targeted success the Metropolitan Museum of Art realized in securing related paintings. Several of Bacon’s interpretations of Velazquez’s Pope Innocent X work can be viewed side-by-side – a rare treat for Bacon fiends and art lovers in general.

If you can’t make it to Manhattan this summer, don’t worry. The Bacon centennial celebration will continue later this year at the Tate in London.

Bouncing Brit babes help hotels launch free nights offer

by Tom Johansmeyer on

InterContinental Hotels kicked off its biggest free nights promotion with a hell of a bounce. Around the world, the hotel chain invited people to bounce on oversized beds in an attempt to set a world record. In all, more than 20,000 bouncers bounced in Paris, New York, Shanghai and London for 16 hours.

The highlight for most was probably the presence of Olympic gymnasts at each of these locations, but it’s hard for anyone to compete with The Sun‘s famous “Page 3” models, who made an appearance at London’s Covent Garden for a bit of bouncing.

In New York, the crowed gathered in mid-town’s Bryant Park (which I walked by, but didn’t see any Page 3-caliber hotties).

Why all the fuss? InterContinental Hotels was just psyched to dish out 4,000 free room-nights at its hotels. Scoring with a Page 3 girl would have just been a bonus.

To see all the bed-jumping action in one place, click here.