Papabubble opens up in NYC

by Grant Martin on

My favorite candy store, Papabubble, just opened up an American branch in the great city of New York. In a way it’s a little bittersweet for me; I used to be able to bring this unique fun candy back from Barcelona whenever I went to share with my friends. Now all I have to do is go to 380 Broome St on my semi-weekly trip into the city. But oh well — I suppose I had to share at some point.

The fun thing about Papabubble is that they formulate, cast and prepare all of their candy in-house, in front of your eyes. It’s fun to watch them roll the huge cylinders of hard candy down to a fine bar, then methodically chop them into shorter pieces. In the end they collect the pieces into jars and bags of various sizes, ripe for sale to the salivating public.

Papabubble has several stores scattered across the world. From their headquarters in Barcelona (pictured above), they have now expanded into Amsterdam, Tokyo and of course, into New York. Give them a try next time you’re in the city.

Art Asks: Are We There Yet?

by Kelly Amabile on

I’m especially drawn to art that is influenced by the travel experience, or aims to make a statement about location, landscape or place. A new exhibit in New York asks the question: Are we all in need of a new frontier? The artists involved in this project all say yes, and seek to demonstrate their concern for our constant need to “expand our boundaries, extend and streamline the form and function of the natural landscape and adapt it to the speed, depth and quality of our daily life.”

This “anti-monumental approach to Land-Art” is a collection of works that show concern for the power, agency and increasing responsibility of humankind for the environment. From the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts:

“Are We There Yet?” the child’s obnoxious road-trip refrain, is a question/statement that implies a mix of excitement and inherent dissatisfaction with whatever place the parents might be driving to. Kids (…and artists?) are constantly expanding their knowledge of the natural world and raising the bar for future experiences. In short, they are perennially one step away from their own personal “frontier,” a place of learning as well as a physical threshold.

The show features the work of six artists and runs through February 2 at the EFA Gallery on W. 39th in NYC.

Dumpling Redux – From Shanghai to Queens

by Kelly Amabile on

It’s midnight and my mouth is watering for some soupy dumplings. World Hum points me to Disanne McLane’s search for the best dumpling in Shanghai. Which takes me back to my own encounters with the darling dumplings of Shanghai — I ate at two of the places McLane reviews in her quest for the perfect soup dumpling, and agree with her that Din Tai Fung’s are the best tasting, although the atmosphere at Nanxiang suited me better and felt more “authentic” — catering to tourists, the pace is faster and the decor not as pretty, but the dumpling sure do hit the spot.

Since my return from China I’ve yet to seek out similar soupy goodness on the streets of New York. When time allows, I’ll do some research and head straight to Chinatown in search of some Shanghainese authenticity in the heart of Manhattan. But Gothamist alerted me today that a detour to Flushing may be in order. Seems there is a Nanxiang noodle house in Queens with a reputation for serving up delicious dumplings. They go so far as to label them “the best in the city.” Seems worth a trip to me…

New Maps and Subway Sketches in New York

by Kelly Amabile on

Two new travel-related items out of New York this week, that I discovered over at the always resourceful NewYorkology:

First up, a new map that charts Jewish New York, the result of a collaboration between the New York Board of Rabbis, Jewish New York History & Heritage Project and grants from the City of New York. Locations plotted on the map include NYU, Temple Emanu-El and spots associated with folks like Woody Allen, Sarah Jessica Parker, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Marx Brothers, Simon & Garfunkel and Dr. Ruth Westheimer. The map is on sale for $6.95 at the Brooklyn Tourism and Visitors Center and will eventually be available online as well.

And an artistic travel-inspired exhibit to check out later this month:The Transit Museum will display the subway-inspired sketches of Marvin Franklin, a former track worker who was killed in an on-the-job accident in April. Franklin’s watercolors, oil paintings and etchings will be showcased through the end of March at the museum’s Brooklyn location, which is housed in a former subway station.

One for the Road: Crying with Cockroaches

by Kelly Amabile on

South African born Marianne Du Toit had limited equestrian experience, but that did not deter her from embarking on a journey that would take her – and two horses – almost two years to travel from Argentina to New York City. Crying with Cockroaches tells the story of her undertaking, one that many considered downright mad. She titled her trip TATA: Travels Across The Americas, and from her home in Ireland, began planning this trek of personal discovery. But as the project evolved, she realized that she could also use the adventure as a way to raise awareness for the need of therapeutic riding facilities in Ireland.

The book is over 400 pages, and includes over 100 color photographs, mostly from the author’s collection of her trip, which was inspired by the writer, Aimé Tschiffely, who undertook a the most famous equestrian journey of the 20th century. Marianne’s expedition took place from May 2002 through March 2004. This fall, she’s been touring the US, and will appear in Rochester next Saturday, December 1. She’ll give a lecture at the George Eastman House, complete with photos and stories from her amazing solo adventure through the Americas, with two horses by her side.