Evergreen Post Pre-Christmas Snowstorm

Okay, so there's no cellphone service within a quarter mile of my parents' house. But the views nearby make up for it.

Pour Over Coffee & The Smorgasm @Brooklyn Flea

Vintage Santas and the Poor Damned Elves of Salerno

Nowhere have I seen lovelier displays of Christmas cheer than in New York. Garish, dopey, comically inappropriate...nothing can put a smile on your face faster than a silent chorus of chipped and peeling carolers gathered round an air vacuum at the body shop. 

I confess to being gaga for Santa. More lights!

Salerno Service Station on Lorimer and Grand in East Williamsburg. Serving the public since 1959! I had to pull my bike right over. This is what Christmas is all about, and there's no snarky drift to catch from my tone on this one, pal.

Not a merciful air filter over Santa's mouth and nose. On closer inspection it's just the normal moustache and beard. 

 A less confused Santa at Brooklyn Flea on Sunday.

I swear I'm five again with this shit.

These three kings of Orient are...drawn here by a giant flaming Gulf sun. Awesome!

More than a one-man job, I imagine. So we'll just assume they all get into it and have a good time.

This elf is like, "My life is the blustery back end of a busted tail pipe for two weeks, and then back in the box. Every year since 1959." Just kidding! He's sweet.

"Ahhhhh!" 
No! I meant, "Awwww!"

La Virgen de Guadalupe Marathon and Parade, Manhattan Ave, Greenpoint

The same thing happened on Cinco de Mayo. Without an SLR camera, there's no way to get a decent shot of all the colors and movement in a good Latino parade. Here's my best effort:

Minamoto Kitchoan @ 49th & 5th

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Still no snow, but when darkness falls at about 4:30pm and shops light up across the city, I don't know about you, but at least I'm drawn to spend retail dollars.  

Take this shop on 5th Avenue. On a typical day, I'd hurry by without a glance, intent as ever on exercising the bulge that exists between when an appointment is scheduled and when I arrive. Time isn't money. Time is fat, and it should be flogged into obeisance and stripped or melted away. Occasionally, you may indulge in it. But don't go overboard, or you'll be labeled inconsiderate, or a lollygagger. I strive to be punctual like I strive to look hot in skinny jeans. 

But after work, after dark, after the 6 train left crowds of commuters and me stranded in midtown, what could be more inviting than a collection of serene, sculpted Japanese sweets?

I wasn't too lean on time, so I pushed open the door and walked inside...

Captions are courtesy of http://www.kitchoan.com/

Oh, and please forgive the crap photography. I only had a phone on me (an older model).

Ayashirabe: Milky flavor white bean paste(contains egg yolk)
wrapped in Japanese cake. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a caption for the little fish cake called Tenkataihei (but it's probably chestnut and red bean paste.)

This is Japanese style jelly made from fresh high quqlity white peach.
It gives light smooth texture to the jelly and brings natural white peach jelly.

Japanese Cherry covered with lightly sweetened jelly.
Packaged in Spring-like colors.
Brings you the natural Cherry flavor.

Below, Daikitchoimo: Fluffy sweet potato cake with Egg Yolk flavor bean paste.
And above, Oribenishiki: Japanese traditional Kurimanju, using chestnut and sweet red bean paste wrapped in Japanese cake.

Ante Meridian @ Parsons The New School for Design

The frequent opportunity to walk past somebody else's art project is part of what makes you love NYC even more...and those adorable kids! With faces like these, later your students can be forgiven for yawning in class.

Monday Brooklyn Snapshots

North 6th between Kent and Wythe, looking for Banksy...with no luck. 

Private recycling center this morning on Eagle

Couldn't find the folkloric Bansky pieces...

But I thought my students might be able to debate the value of this in class tomorrow morning.

Trash barge just passed under the Pulaski Bridge heading toward the East River

Restaurant Azurmendi, Bilbao, Spain

Oxtail "Ravioli" Wrapped in Bread, Sticky Broth, and Tahoon Cress

You can view more photos from my last trip to Spain by scrolling on the right sidebar under "Published Photography," or by clicking on "Spain" under Tags.

Gastronomika 2010: Restaurante Elkano, Getaria, País Vasco

Click sidebar to view this published gallery on StarChefs.com

photo credit: Jessica Dukes and Antoinette Bruno

  Big, beautiful wild Biscay clams on the half shell

  Grilled Sea Urchin, Calamar Caviar and Grilled Eggplant

  Kokotxas!! Lousy pic with a shadow in the frame...but,   kokotxas!!! Wild cod lymphnode glands, mmmm!

  Mediterranean lobster on the grill

 
   And on the plate ( :

  Grill Master on duty

 Wild turbot

Restaurateur Drew Nierporent, Gastronomika Press Coordinator Isabel Conde, and Gabriella Ranelli de Aguirre, Director of Tenedor, Culinary and Cultural Tours