More New York Shout-Outs

I occasionally like to do these shout-outs to give credit to people/places/things in New York that I feel particularly worthy of patronage. For example:

Russian Vodka Room: This place is not to be confused with the Russian Tea Room, or the Russian Samovar (which is across the street). Situated in the theater district on 55th St. between 8th and Broadway, the Russian Vodka Room serves a rainbow of home-brewed flavored vodkas (cranberry vodka being a particular standout) and authentic Russian food (try the caviar and blini, and the rocquefort cheese-and-pear salad). Happy hour, which is 4 to 7 daily, gets you $3 vodka shots and $4 cosmos.

Spring Awakening: Finally, Broadway without jazz hands. They herald this show as the next "Rent". Both are raw rock musicals marketing toward a distinctly 18-29 crowd, but the similarities end there. Spring Awakening's theme is teenage angst. Think "My So Called Life" set to punk music set in a provincial German town, say, 150 years ago. For some reason, this bizarre juxtaposition works. While the strength of the message in Spring Awakening is occasionally marred by lyrics that could have been written by Avril Levigne, the majority of the book is sumptuous, raw, melancholy and uplifting - often at the same time. It's not a particularly subtle show, and the "isms" the the teen characters explore (from social- to nihil- to hedon- to sadomasoch-) are sometimes glossed over with too facile a brush, but it's a good way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Eatery: I mentioned this earlier, but this brunch spot on 55th and 9th (or somewhere around there) warrants a second mention. Get the mac & cheese.

Kemia: Better restaurant than club. Get the burger. Yes, you heard me right. I'm not only admitting that I enjoyed a hamburger at an establishment other than D.B. Bistro, but am recommending that others order it, even when there are more "sophisticated" dishes on the menu. I know it's a middle-eastern joint and you think the couscous with the lamb might be better. It is delightful. But the Kemia Burger is the thing to get here.

Overlook: For a real burger (read: those that don't cost $20), go here. We randomly fell into this bar while meandering around midtown after a friend's concert one night. I got the blue cheese cajun burger (rare, of course) and it was surprisingly fresh and satisfying for something that only cost about $7.50.

Download Now:
-The entirety of the "Spring Awakening" soundtrack.
-Electric Blue (Mars & Mystre)
-Before I Fall To Pieces (Razorlight)
-Dakota (Stereophonics)
-Pretty much anything by Imogen Heap
-Red Barchetta (Rush)
-You Know My Name (Chris Cornell) (i.e. Casino Royale theme song)
-Romeo and Juliet (Dire Straits)