PDT... please don't tell: New York Fall 2011

New York ...New York...

It's Christmas in New York when you see a 1000 Santas cruising the streets Bar hopping for charity...Piers and friends!!!

Check out the Boom Boom Room on the top of the Standard Hotel where you could stay but beware the paparazzi have cameras trained on all rooms at night because the stars do it publicly...and not even they can hide on the top floors....the Standard Grill is great too and all right on the Highline...the place to be seen these days!!

cool architecture a high prairie....the highline in autumn

My new favorite restaurant is Buco Alimentari an offshoot of eponymous il Buco....

chef Jason Jones I think is the BEST chef in New York..bar none!!

check out the menu

Spit roasted shortribs Seared Vermont Quail

whole roasted chicken

Dovetail on the Upper West Side was another great find this trip...

here is their baked onion

check out Shawan Mushi ar Yasuda sushi on 43rd street...

i Sodi is where we have the best food memories...

here is the most perfect porcini risotto ever eaten out of Italy.. and then the ragu...aaahhh!!

We tried Ma Peche, the latest in David Chang's Momoland ...

WD-50, Wylie Dufresne's restaurant on Clinton street, I'm not sure ...I think my food was over-handled!!! ...

but Frank Bruni of the New York Times awarded him 3 stars!!

I ordered the tasting menu.... too much to record with anything but photos...not much looks like what was in it!

this is the famous ice cream shaped to look like a bagel

here the lobster sausage and sesame flat bread..

the maple old fashioned was the best cocktail

If you like cupcakes go to Magnolia bakery on Bleeker for The Original fashionista cupcake

and check out Marc Jacobs nearby...

I stopped for a pick me up at old favorite Cuban haunt Cafe Habana ....

for corn on the cob with chile and lime and an iced shot of tequila...

Gordon Ramsay at the London Hotel...

Just beware even though chef Markus Glocker does a fine job as chef de cuisine of the famed Gordon Ramsay restaurant at The London Hotel in New York...when we booked a private room for a special dinner during the Christmas Holidays we definitely didn't get his personal touch for the preparation of our dinner.. No comparison which was strange because I was invited into his kitchen after we ate to view him plating food for diners in the restaurant!!!

lamb en croute sea bass..somewhere in there

The Gramercy Tavern ...

is still very special for a birthday celebration or festive holiday parties because

they do such beautiful and elaborate decorations.

and the food is delicious.. carpaccio followed by fish then a wonderful selection of American cheeses and a plate of birthday cookies...ooooh

The best restaurant for brunch in New York

is Red Rooster it's in the heart of Harlem and

fried yardbird with grits are to die for...

Shop at Obscura for cool and unusual rarities...

Check out The Breslin in the Ace Hotel for a great atmosphere and it has fantastic french fries served with homemade mayo and pickles...interesting..

or The John Dory for cocktails and the best seafood in town right under the same roof...so stay at the Ace and never leave?

The highlight of this visit was the new Islamic rooms in the Metropolitan museum where I put together a wish list of bowls I would like to use to serve my dinners in....