EMBRACING THE “GOOP” & Midtown Lunch
I RECENTLY JOINED ZACH BROOKS’ MIDTOWN LUNCH team to write about, well, the best lunch in Midtown Manhattan. I’m super excited to cover ground so close to home and am also kicking myself for not trying $6 spicy chicken biryani from street carts til now. But better late than never I always say.
Zach moved to Los Angeles earlier this month (to take over the world one blog post at a time), but I was able to catch him on his Farewell Lunch Tour at Kwik Meal and Trini-Paki Boys Cart to say good luck and goodbye.
I’ve always been fond of “dirty water dogs”, especially during summer when I’m wandering about hungry in Central Park, but I’m not so adventurous when it comes to ethnic street cuisine. But that changed after sinking my teeth into spicy lamb from Kwik Meal and the chicken biryani Zach got at the Trini-Paki Boys Cart. I was surprised it was so…satisfying. Pungent, for sure, but flavorful and cheap. Much more gratifying than a cold bun and $3 weenie.
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Without further ado, I present my first piece on Midtown Lunch! It turned out more amusing than intended, but I guess we can count that as a success. Thought I was talking about a gooey Japanese ingredient, but actually made an exciting sexual reference instead. Read it all on Midtown Lunch: Embrace the “Goop” of Onya’s Bukkake Udon.
SHORTY AWARDS • Earning My Fruit Stripes
IT’S BEEN A GOOD MONTH despite the glum weather and slow starts to new projects. I once spent two months in a hospital bed so if there’s a prize for playing the Waiting Game, I think I’d win it. But while some parts of life have been dragging along, other bits have been speeding ahead, diving off cliffs, and plotting great adventures (like a food-fueled blogging excursion in Atlantic City) for the days ahead.
The Shorty Award finalists were determined earlier this month and, thanks 
to the support of my twitter-ing alma mater and freakin’ incredible Twitter friends, I made the food list. To be frank, I didn’t even think to celebrate until my favorite food blogger, Melody of Gourmet Fury, yelled in caps: CONGRATULATIONS! Melody learned of the news via Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch. Only then did I realize the value of Twitter to businesses hoping to connect with customers. Naturally, they will pay attention to a social media contest even if my friends still have no idea why I’m trying to tweet and beat Anthony Bourdain.
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I nearly forgot to share the Shorty Award finalist results here after my Please Vote campaign. After talking about the “Twitter Oscars” for over a week, I was just relieved
to stop harassing my friends. I doubt I will take the crown from the top five finalists, which include Food Network celebrities and last year’s winner – the encyclopedic Foodimentary with 114,150 followers – but I achieved one small feat none of the above did. I invoked the relationships I’d built with 20% of my 1,000 followers. My math skills are pitiful, but I know this much is true: Twitter allows you to connect with great people behind those thumbprint-size avatars. And when you have positive relationships with people you’ve never even met, that should count as Something Good: Achieved.
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My digital media-savvy friend Bryan was appalled when I told him I didn’t have Amy Blogs Chow business cards. I haven’t needed them til now, really. Being the generous creative spirit that he is, he created a rainbow batch for me.
The Shorty Awards party will be held next Wednesday at the New York Times building. (You can still buy tickets here). One shouldn’t plan to lose. But, if I do, at least I’ll have some colorful new card sticks on which to chew. amy • february 23, 2010
VILLAGE TART • Pastries Short Ribs FREE TIRAMISU
VILLAGE TART • 86 Kenmare Street, New York City, 212 226 4980. Follow them on Twitter @villagetart
I TEND TO AVOID NEW YORK CITY RESTAURANTS WHEN THEY FIRST OPEN, unless I’m required to go for an assignment. Thus, I wasn’t in a rush to dig a fork in Nolita’s Village Tart til opening ceremonies were over and chatter had subsided. I always get there eventually so it doesn’t matter much to me whether I take the first or 55th bite. (more…)
Good Friends & GREEK SALAD
I RANG IN MY 21st BIRTHDAY IN ATHENS on a hospital bed. (I got in the way of a Greek driver so he fractured my pelvis with his car.) (more…)
No Such Thing As A Free Lunch
I’M RASH. I don’t like the word but, sometimes, that’s what I am. I also tend to arrive ten minutes late for personal appointments and have a death-grip on what some regard as unrealistically high expectations. To top this toxic cake of bad traits, I’m guilty of cynicism too. For that, Conan, I’m sorry.
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Knowing my own shortcomings, I decided to wait two weeks before writing about my January 21st restaurant outing with the Wandering Foodie, Hagan Blount. (more…)
STUPIDLY SIMPLE Dexter SANDWICH
HAPPY FEBRUARY! I’m not one to indulge in wistful reminiscing, but it feels like just yesterday I spent seven nights in a row catching up on four seasons of Dexter. (more…)
amy blogs chow 