And now, your featured food critic presentation: Tao

Hi everyone, amid my hectic daily schedule, brought on by the time known as the end of the semester, I decided to take a little bit of time out for some good eating. After my lengthy preparation for my weekly piano lesson, I once again enjoyed a wonderful meal at Tao. As some of my loyal readers remember, I have already experienced the great food of this “Pan-Asian” restaurant on a previous occasion, but please allow me to tell you about my latest gourmet feast:
Tao
42 E. 58th Street
New York NY
4.5 out of 5 stars:
My attempt to revisit Tao came at a perfect time, they currently have an excellent lunch special. I started by ordering their Peking duck spring rolls: these crispy treats were filled with savory and delicate duck and excellently accompanied by a sweet and tangy hoisin sauce. As an entree, I was excited to try their wok seared New York sirloin steak with shiitake mushrooms and Szechwan potatoes. The steak was expertly prepared, it was juicy and tender and I could tell that it was a high quality cut of meat. All that I can really say is that the sauce was extremely interesting: no, not “interesting” as in it was bad, or I didn’t like it, no I mean it was interesting in the purest form of the word. The sauce possessed elements of sweetness, spiciness, and a very unique flavor. If this description does not serve this dish justice, then I recommend that you try it for yourself! In addition, I sampled some of my friend’s kung pao chicken, which I found to be quite delectable: chunks of chicken cooked with peppers and onions in a sweet and spicy sauce. For dessert, I decided on the banana bread pudding which was really tasty but was different than I had imagined and not as I expected. (At the time, I devoured it and was thankful for the tremendous flavor and sugar rush, now after looking at the menu online, I can say that this dessert was accompanied by a tempura banana and fortune cookie crust, both of which were superb).
I can’t say enough about this fabulous lunch and plan to go back to Tao in the near future. It can be a little pricy for dinner, so my recommendation would be to go there for the out of this world lunch!
Dan

Brand new restaurant review: Zebu Grill

Hi, I have a unique restaurant review for you today: (although almost everything can be that way here, in unique New York, try saying that five times in a row)
Zebu Grill
305 E. 92nd St.
New York NY
4.25 stars out of 5

It is not often that I eat at a Brazilian restaurant, I am not an expert in their cuisine and there seems to be a lack of this type of food in New York City. Therefore, when I went to Zebu Grill, I had my mind open and was ready for a gourmet adventure. My friend and I split two appetizers: Enroladinhos (3 Brazilian spring rolls filled with shrimp and crab meat with a spicy mango sauce on the side), and
Costelinha de Porco (baby spare ribs with a blood orange, ginger & coffee bean glaze. The spring rolls were crisp and delicious, and were a perfect match for the spicy mango sauce. I really enjoyed the spare ribs, they were extremely tender and almost fell off the bone. In addition, their sauce was sweet with a little kick of spice and was very tasty. For my entree, I tried a tilapia special, sautéed and accompanied with an acai sauce, julienne vegetables, and yucca puree. The fish was great, it was seasoned just the right amount and the acai sauce surprisingly gave it a great flavor. (acai, for those who don’t know, is a South-American berry, which is small and black-purple, it resembles a grape and some say it has great importance for different aspects of health). While the vegetables were fresh and well-cooked, I disliked the yucca because it was very dense and dry. For dessert, I decided on passion Brulee topped with caramelized bananas. This was outstanding, the bananas were crunchy and sweet, while the custard was light with the definite flavor of passion fruit.
This restaurant was more expensive than I had thought, I would warn anyone going to Zebu Grill to consider that fact. The meal was truly superb for the most part, however I am hesitant to recommend it without the understanding that there probably are other Brazilian restaurants that don’t cost as much. For the record, my friend ordered Feijoada, which is Brazil's national dish: lean cuts of beef, pork & sausages in a black bean stew. He really enjoyed it, I even tasted a little and it was great, and I might try it at the next Brazilian restaurant that I try. Regardless of the price, I definitely recommend that you try out this restaurant, or at the least, have a taste of this delicious cuisine. Well, thanks for reading, please let me know what you thought of my review.
Dan

New York: it's where dreams are made of and there is nothing you can't do

Good evening:

I just finished listening to the magnificent game 2 of the 2009 world series where the Yankees beat the Phillies by a score of 3 to 1. I really feel proud to be a Yankees fan after watching that game, some of you might think that sounds silly but it is not. Ok, so this is just a sport played by millionaires, I’ll give you that one. However, the pitching was superb, Mariano was, well, Mariano, and we finally earned our first world series win in the last six years.
I feel lucky to be a New Yorker, no matter what anyone says. After living in different parts of the country, and trust me I have, I found that this is the best city for me: accessibility, convenience, and great food! This year alone, I have commuted to the Bronx on a daily basis from Manhattan, then to Brooklyn each day in the summer, and to another location for my internship. This city makes me feel very independent, which other cities can’t do because of either a lack of transportation, quality of transportation, or because they are suburban or rural and you need a car to get around. In my neighborhood I can locate restaurants of varying cuisines such as Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, and Italian. In addition, I really enjoy going to local businesses just by walking a couple of blocks from my apartment, I think you get my point.
My semester is just about half done and I am feeling positive but a bit nervous. I haven’t received grades for much of my work in different classes and so it makes it hard for me to feel certain about how I am doing. I work hard and always submit assignments on time, but I find myself going on blackboard (the college’s online system) almost every day to check for new grades that have been posted, maybe I should relax. (Insert sound effects of drinking cold water and taking a deep breath) Ahhh, that feels better.
This life is complicated, I don’t mean that in a bad way, it just feels sometimes like I am like the pre-2009 Yankees version of Alex Rodriguez. (And no, I don’t mean that I’m taking steroids!) I’m trying to say that I over think things occasionally, when what I really should do is go out there and just live my life. In any case, welcome to my diary, it’s almost midnight and these are my strange thoughts.
Stay tuned for clips from my next blog:
The Yankees did what?
There’s a new restaurant called:-----
Something something something disability.
Take care!
Dan

Welcome to Dan's first annual food awards

Hello world, well it’s been a great year for food, and I have been (thankfully and fortunately) able to eat at some of the city’s best restaurants. (Sorry McDonald’s, you didn’t make the cut this year despite all of your mcnugget goodness and crunchy fries). The Zagat’s food guide has recently created their 2010 ratings, and I have been very interested in their opinions of various restaurants. Therefore, I thought it would be time to review my gourmet adventures in a numerical way. The Zagat guide rates their restaurants in three important ways: food, décor, and service.
Now, we all know that only one of those numbers matter. I’m talking, of course, about food! (no offense to fans of service, and décor: I can take it or leave it, as long as the food is top-notch). However, I strive to be as official as possible, so the following list contains all three ratings of restaurants that I have reviewed since I started writing this blog:
(All of these restaurant ratings are out of a maximum of 30 points, and they rarely get beyond 27 or 28).
Restaurant name: food décor service
dinosaur's (One of the top two barbecue restaurants in New York City): 22 15 17
sandro's (scrumptious Roman cuisine): 25 15 20
primehouse (Go for the outstanding brunch, one of the top 5 hamburgers in New York City): 24 23 23
union square café (On one hand it’s a bit touristy, and is one of the most popular restaurants in the city, but has a very nice hamburger and fried (I know) calamari): 27 23 26
rare bar and grill (This place ranks among the top 10 for hamburgers in my opinion, for your information it is inside of a hotel): 21 14 16
socarrat (I am proud to be one of the first bloggers to write about this outstanding Spanish restaurant, their paella is top two in the city, long waits so get there early and enjoy!): 24 17 20
flex mussels (A fabulous restaurant offering big mussels with 23 different sauces, by the way, if you don’t like mussels maybe this is not the right restaurant for you): 22 17 19
sparks (Many say this is the best steakhouse in Manhattan, I liked it and think it is top ten but far from the best): 25 20 22
lucali's (This excellent restaurant is top two for pizza, great calzone!): 26 16 19

As I said, it’s been a great year for food, I guess you can understand why I am always complaining about the scale and how much I weigh! (Don’t worry, it’s actually alright, I just plan to continuously work out until I work off all of the bad stuff). (Side bar: I have been getting into eating more create your own salads at cafes and restaurants, it has not resulted in any weight loss but I do feel good after finishing a healthy salad). I want to thank all of my readers for this opportunity, thanks to my great family, outstanding friends, and any strangers who happen to be checking out my blog (advertising campaign to come).
Dan

diary of random thoughts

Dear diary:
I have tried to learn to live with regrets, with things that I have done wrong in my life, there are days when I feel that I make more mistakes than most. For example, on a day like today, I sit in front of my computer, thinking, wishing I had more friends. In a perfect world, I would have stayed in contact with friends who don't live in New York anymore, and I never would have ever done anything dumb to alienate anyone. Some people say that life is short, maybe even you think that. Right now, however, this adventure that is called life can feel awfully long. I never really understood how much friendship means to me until I almost didn't have any friends at all, and that was a scary place to be. So I just want to thank everyone who reads and/or comments on my blog: in one way or another, whether you are a friend, acquaintance, or robot?, all of you are meaningful to me.

I'm sure that all of you are expecting me to go on some kind of enthusiastic rant about the Yankees and their success so far in the play-offs. Well, sorry, I'm a little more cautious than you expected.

Yes! We're going to the World Series, isn't that great? Ok, back to reality, we still technically have to beat the angels, but I am sure that we will.
Random thought of the day: Don’t let Braille die! (If that makes no sense, I mean to say that I believe that Braille literacy is very important and should not be replaced by electronic, CD, mp3, or any other formats).
Please stay tuned for my next blog, where we will examine the fascinating question: What makes my diary so dear?
Dan

Bringing it back to the best barbecue!

Hello ladies and gentlemen, I have recently returned from my favorite barbecue restaurant in New York City: Dinosaur’s. I have tried many different dishes there and like some more than others, which makes me wonder: what is the difference between my first-place choice, Dinosaur’s, and my very close second-place winner, Blue Smoke? Well, let’s get some of the obvious out of the way:
1. Dinosaur’s is an eternally crowded restaurant, with strange décor, in the middle of nowhere (in Harlem, which itself is not an isolated area; however the restaurant is on 130th street and 12th avenue). On the other hand, blue smoke is a fancier barbecue establishment easily accessible on 27th street between park and Lexington avenues.
2. Dinosaur’s allows you to create combination platters, with either two or three different meats (I pigged out and got 3 last time). Blue smoke only offers one item at a time, with the rare exception of a rib sampler and maybe one other such dish.
3. Blue smoke has better side dishes, however you pay for them separately while you get two free with your entrée at Dinosaur’s.
4. Blue smoke has a great selection of different ribs, while Dinosaur’s has only one kind, (oops I mean no offense to the Korean ribs, but I came to a barbecue establishment after all), but their one type of ribs happen to be very tasty.

Bottom line: you can’t go wrong with either one of these fabulous barbecue restaurants. If barbecue food is not for you, well… I guess you could order a salad, not my first choice but everyone is entitled to their own opinion (mine happens to be right, sorry).
The next thing that I will say might be a little controversial: I generally do not like cafeteria-style restaurants. You know what I mean: you stand in line, get to the counter, order your food get on yet another line to pay, then get your own napkins and utensils and sit down. I bring this up because I am noticing a trend towards creating new barbecue “restaurants” that are merely cafeterias: hill country, daisy Mays, and now the number 1 rated (according to Zagat’s) barbecue restaurant in the entire city, you guessed it, it’s a cafeteria too!
In closing, I apologize to any of you whom I have offended. In fact, if you prefer that I review a different kind of food, then please comment below. Next stop: Italian food, Yankees, college stuff, I have so much to talk about!
Let me know your thoughts, as always, take care.
Dan

NEW food critic review: Sandro's Restaurant

Hi everyone, I apologize for my delay in posting a new food review, but here we go:
Sandro’s
306 E. 81st Street
New York NY
4.25 out of 5 stars

It was certainly a unique experience to try the delectable Roman cuisine at this small yet comfortable restaurant. A friend of mine has praised this restaurant's cooking to me more than once, so I decided it was time that I tried it out for myself. I was warmly greeted as I entered Sandro’s, and the wait staff were extremely nice and courteous during my meal. On the table, I found long and narrow breadsticks, Sandro’s makes these in-house, which were crunchy and tasted just a little like rosemary. Sandro himself came out to greet us and he was a very charming and friendly person. For the appetizer, I tried a special: calamari stuffed with mushrooms and, surprisingly, more calamari! This dish was entirely new for me, so I did not know what to expect. I was very happy with the result: three pieces of calamari, filled with a calamari stuffing and accompanied by a few kinds of delicious mushrooms. This appetizer turned out to be quite excellent: the tender calamari were perfectly matched with the various mushrooms, (I liked the taste of each one) and the subtle sauce brought all of the dish’s flavors together. As an entree, I ordered a pasta that was recommended to me by a friend: Bucatini Amatriciana. This dish consists of a homemade pasta, which looks like a thick spaghetti with a hole in the middle, served with tomato sauce onion and pancetta. I really enjoyed this pasta, I especially liked how fresh it tasted, the menu even says that they use organic eggs. It is very difficult to describe the tomato sauce, it was a bit rich but also showed me that it was different from many other sauces that I have tasted before in other typical Italian restaurants. In addition, I found the pancetta to be particularly Delicious, this is another kind of food that I do not eat so often but its saltiness accompanied the tomato and onion flavors well. For dessert, I tried “Grandmother’s apple cake”. I was served a piece of hot cake, which seemed to have more apples than cake (which actually was a good thing), along with some slices of fresh strawberries and a little whipped cream. By this point, I was extremely impressed by this restaurant, so it should not be a surprise to any of you that everything about this dessert was superb. In addition, the waiter brought out some small hot cookies with the flavor of orange zest.
Finally, I was brought a tiny glass of a digestive drink called grapa.
Normally I do not like this drink because the taste is so harsh, but actually this kind of grapa was smoother and was a very nice way to end a great meal.
I would like all of my blog readers to know that Sandro's is not an inexpensive restaurant, the pastas, for example, can cost as much as $22. However, everyone deserves a nice meal, and if that is what you are looking for, then I definitely reccomend Sandro's.
Dan

chapter 51: yankees, dreams, and... read on!

If you didn’t come here to hear about sports, and in particular the New York Yankees, then I encourage you to press alt f4 and exit this page immediately.
Now, is everyone gone yet? Good:
How can I express my feeling of satisfaction due to the Yankees’ latest success? I am not sure, but I will start my story here:
Once upon a time, I had dreams of baseball. I spent time thinking about the day when I would be announced as manager and could pick my own line-up, one that would bring wins and a world series to New York City. I hoped that one day we would actually finish first or second In our division (I became a Yankees fan in the 80’s so that is where my frustration came from). When Torre started as the manager of the Yankees, he brought my dreams to reality and my thoughts soon changed: let this guy handle it, I no longer need to worry about being the manager. Long story short, I have been a huge fan of this team for my entire life. Therefore, I am extremely pleased with the way that the Yankees have been playing this year, especially after the all-star break.
There is another reason why I like this team so much. The following is a chart which explains how I rank my interest in each sport.
1. Baseball
2.
3.
4.
(just imagine pages of blank space)
(finally you will get to the bottom of the list and find everything else)
I really enjoyed “watching” the Yankees in the late 90’s because I felt they had a great team chemistry (this is when I began to route for Jeter and he is still my favorite to this day). Each player was not playing for his own statistics (can you say A-rod, oops), and I truly believe that this was missing for several years. However, presently, it certainly isn’t 1996 anymore, but we are improving.
Yes, I know some of you are wondering, do I really watch the game? (What I mean is, as someone who is blind, do I physically watch it?) I technically listen, but I find it so natural to say watch. Sometimes I use the television like the Yes channel or ESPN, sometimes on the radio on WABC, either way I tend to say that I watched the game.
This summer has been quite busy for me. In fact, Monday will be the first free day that I have had (besides weekends) since June 1! Take care everyone, the birthday blog will be posted around the 24th.
Dan

turning thirty

What can I say? In two and a half weeks, on august 24th, I will be 30 years old. This feels like a very significant birthday for me, and it will begin a new phase in my life (not old, but headed towards middle adulthood in the Erikson’s stages of life). Depending on who you talk to, 30 can be viewed as young or old: last week a 23 year old girl at the VCB institute called me “over-the-hill”. On the other hand, people who are 40 or 45 years old thought that I was still pretty young.
Overall, I feel satisfied with the fact that I have done so much by the age of 30: I’m graduating from lehman in December with a BSW (and currently a 3.9 GPA, sorry I don’t mean to brag, actually yes, I do), , I owned a business, made a few close friends, and found and lost love. Isn’t that quite a lot of things to accomplish early in life?
I have big plans for the future: (trust me on this one, I wouldn’t just say “big plans” without really meaning it): first, I plan to get my masters degree in social work by the end of 2011. Next, I want to find a job where I can help people with disabilities like myself. Next, I will start hanging out with Bill Gates in order to try to get a part of that Microsoft fortune (just kidding, maybe).
All joking aside, I am proud that I am totally blind and totally independent (well, maybe not totally, but I can at least manage my little money, cook a little and be somewhat self-sufficient). I don’t want to become a statistic, one of those people with disabilities who is unemployed. No matter how long it takes, I have a firm belief that I can find the right job with ambition, motivation, perserverance, and connections? (For me, it’s not who I know but what I know, that’s why I watch Jeopardy).
Stay tuned for the next exciting and action-packed episode of: blind blog!
Dan

employment and technology institute: the good bad and strange

Hi everyone, well I recently came back from the Visions employment and technology institute. I had a great time despite the weather and food? (that question mark was intentional, not a typo) Anyway, I attended several workshops and seminars including confidence building, interview preparation, cell phone accessibility, and affordable assistive technology. I am very interested in technology, probably more than most people I know. Therefore, I learned more from some of these workshops than from others. In addition, I was able to network and meet new and interesting people with whom I hope to stay in contact with. The best part was that I won the highest merit award: (not bragging, sorry, just stating what happened) I won an ipod! Pretty awesome, I think. However, now I am returning to reality and I am back to work.
The Yankees finally lost! (I know, we had a great winning streak going there for a while) When I was young, I was a big fan of offense and of hitting, I always valued hitting more than pitching. However, now that I am more mature and grown up, I realize that maybe pitching is what makes the difference in the end. I noticed that during our winning streak, the thing that really stood out was our dynamite pitching staff! Yes, the offense helped us out, but what really won games was pitching.
That’s it for now, please comment on this blog and let me know your thoughts. Thanks. Dan

My top hamburgers in New York City in random order

Hey, well today I thought I would share some of the findings from the qualitative research that I have been doing lately. This is a very scientific study, you see, to determine the top hamburgers in my town. This is basically my opinion, but I wouldn't mislead you (or would I?). Here is a list of places I have tried which I believe to be tops:
(This list is in random order, not number 1 through 7 from best to worst, and please forgive me for any misspelled words.)
1. Primehouse: I went here recently, they make a great hamburger for lunch or brunch, the beef is very high quality, seasoned properly, with excellent fries.
2. Rare bar and grill: I like this restaurant, and they make an incredible, incredibly expensive, t-bone burger which is so good.
3. Shake shack: What can I say, I went from the expensive to the affordable. I prefer the newest location on columbus avenue (near my old internship, hint hint). Their burgers are nicely seasoned and their shakes are to die for (literally?).
4. Rue 57: This place is very touristy, but their burger is pretty good. Oh yeah, and the fries aren't bad either.
5. Ottomanelli's: A local favorite of mine, best burger in the immediate area. This restaurant is quality through and through, you can't go wrong with any dish here, although I am not telling you to travel from outside of manhattan to try it out.
6. Union square cafe: This is always rated as one of the top restaurants in the city, and their burger does not disappoint. (Their calamari is quite excellent as well.)
7. Peter Luger's: Now, I haven't tried this burger yet, but everyone puts it on their top ten lists. In addition, if the beef used for the burger is anything like their steak, then we have nothing to worry about.
8. Burger king: The wopper is... (just kidding, but did I fool you?)
A few popular places didn't make my list, and I am still anxious to try out other fine hamburger establishments. Let me know what you think about my first list, I have a feeling that it will be very contraversial.
Dan

back to work, summer 2009 edition!

Hi everyone, as I am typing this I am starting my second day of work for my summer internship. (no, i am not skipping work to do this, it's just that nothing is happening right now so I figured this would be the perfect time to blog) Anyway, I am working at the same agency as last summer, and I am enjoying it so far. The staff are very nice and we get along well. I really like helping other people with disabilities, I feel that I can empathize with them because we are in the same situation. Part of my responsibilities here is to do research for the staff, which makes me wonder: was there a time before google? I mean, I'm sure there was, and I was around during the days when you could do research in one of those places, you know, those buildings filled with various books, oh yeah, a library! However, today people have become so reliant on the internet as the only place to find out information. (Yes, I have done this a little bit too, but I never forget about growing up before the internet craze). I am not complaining, I just think it's beneficial to remember where we came from, and I wish I wasn't so attached to the net myself, but that's life.
By the way, I didn't spell check this, so if you find any errors, sorry! I am writing this blog quickly so that I have more time to work, or to google. Have a great day world, I'll talk to you soon. Dan

Advocating for more described movies for the blind

Hi there, what do you think people who are blind do when they want to go to the movies? (In fact, do we even go and “see” movies at all?) Recently we have been using technology called descriptive video services, where a prerecorded description of the movie can be heard, when in the theater, by listening to a special pair of headphones. However, today I am feeling very frustrated: I tried to “watch” a movie today at Lincoln Square Theater (68th street and Broadway in Manhattan) and the headphones did not work. I tried three different pairs and all I heard was static. This problem is compounded by the fact that the headphones don’t normally allow you to hear the description until the movie begins, so I am forced to wait through 10-15 minutes of previews and advertisements until I can figure out whether or not these headphones are functioning. This is not the first time that this has happened to me at this particular theater, but today I am feeling fed up with it: the employees are not knowledgeable about which theater has the described movie and the technology breaks down at times.
It is time to advocate for more and better services. I am very frustrated with this system and I intend to pursue this matter until I receive 100% accommodations. (I am not sure if this necessarily falls under the Americans with disabilities act, but at the very least it should be common courtesy in a society that praises itself for being politically correct and equal to all.) Who is with me? In addition, I am looking for your help: many of you out there are blind or know someone who is blind, and I would like to invite all of you to join me in my attempt to advocate for described movies. Furthermore, please spread the word and tell other people you know about these issues, word of mouth can be incredible! (This might be silly, but I even posted a short description of my problem to my facebook status).
Can I change the system by myself? Maybe, probably not, but if we all try to improve the status quo then I believe we can bring about a real positive change.
Dan

What is your motivation?

Hello,
A wise professor told me in social work class one day: motivation is made up of two factors: hope and discomfort. In other words, when facing a problem, you can think about what if any discomfort it is bringing to your life, and what hope you might have of making a positive change for the future. I feel that this applies to my own life, as I am sitting here and pondering why I choose to address certain issues and not others that I am dealing with. I won’t venture into these issues, with an in-depth discussion, because I don’t want to complain too much or to bore my awesome readers. However, let it be said that I am human like everyone else; my disability does not keep my life problem-free; it actually provides me with more interesting subjects to think about. (Sometimes it feels as if I am becoming immune to some of these daily frustrations, but I do still get pretty mad occasionally. Yesterday I was walking with my mom down a New York City street as a few people started crashing into me because they didn’t look where they were going. She was annoyed; I just kept on walking as I explained to her that this is a daily frustration for me. In addition, I always notice when people don’t speak directly to me, instead they ask a question to my friend or family member who is standing next to me when they could have just as easily talked to me. However, these annoyances are just part of my existence as someone who happens to be blind)
Getting back to what I was saying before, I hope that this definition of motivation will enable all of us to see things from other people’s perspectives. Do you ask yourself why other people don’t change their habits or stay in a situation that you label as “bad”? I believe that it is probably: the person feels comfortable doing what he/she is doing, or he/she finds no hope for the future of change. Thanks to Lehman for teaching me this life lesson.
Dan

food critic review: perfect paella

Have you all heard about the great news? I am talking, of course, about my new food critic review! That's right, I'm back, and this time I would like to share with you an experience I recently had at an excellent Spanish restaurant:
Socarrat Paella bar
259 W. 19th St.
Food: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Décor: 2 out of 5 stars
Service: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Do you like dining at a restaurant with communal seating, uncomfortable stools, and no reservations? In that case, Socarrat is right for you. I figured I would speak about the negatives first, so that I could spend more time discussing the incredible food. As the name indicates, this restaurant specializes in paella. Socarrat serves paella for two or more people only, so I would recommend that you go there with at least one other friend.
My friends and I tried some “tapas”, which are Spanish appetizers: tortilla, which is a delicious and fluffy Spanish omelet, and croquetas del dia, which are flavorful oval-shaped croquettes filled with chicken. These appetizers were tasty but light enough so that they did not spoil my appetite. We then tried the Paella Socarrat: chunks of chicken, fish, beef, shrimp, green beans, mussels, and cockle clams. Before I describe the delicious paella, allow me to define the name of this restaurant, Socarrat: From the Spanish verb socarrar, which means to toast lightly. Socarrat refers to the caramelized crust of rice that sometimes sticks to the bottom of the pan when you are making paella. I found the paella to be unique, and I use this in the most extreme form of this adjective: crispy saffron rice, chunks of boneless meat, and a mixture of subtle seasonings that pleased my pallet. It was definitely one of the BEST paellas that I have ever consumed in my life, and I have eaten quite many.
I will honestly admit that I am a very picky eater. Many things will turn me off from eating a particular food: consistency, texture, flavor, spice, and temperature are all examples. My quest for the perfect paella has allowed me to sample this treat in many different areas, although I am biased towards a local favorite. With all of this being said, I believe that Socarrat paella bar makes one of the most scrumptious paellas that I have ever tasted! However, let me reiterate what I said in the beginning of this review: when you eat there, you sit next to other customers on a long communal table, you will be sitting on a stool for the entire meal, it takes 30 minutes for them to cook the paella, and they do not except reservations. I appreciate that these aspects do take away from the overall experience, and I would understand if they scared any of you off from going to this restaurant. Nevertheless, I was so impressed by the food that I would gladly go back to Socarrat in the future and I hope you all try it out too!
Dan (the food critic) man

A return to rare

Hi folks, last night I returned to one of the best hamburger restaurants in New York City: Rare bar and grill. The following is not so much a food review, it is a blog regarding my experience at Rare last night (also I am writing this blog spontaneously with no corrections or spell check, I just felt like being in the moment): I attended the birthday party of a friend there, and once again I was tempted by the t-bone burger: literally the meat from a t-bone steak which has been grinded and formed into a hamburger patty and then grilled. I will admit that this "rare" burger is very pricy, but I believe that you can't find a much better burger than this. It is juicy, seasoned properly, and tastes like a high quality steak in a burger form. I had a great time and I will definitely go back. In addition, I reccommend that all of you try out rare. I am willing to listen to suggestions about what you think is the best "burger" restaurant in the city, please leave your comments and I will share my opinions with you. Thanks.
Dan

I don't want to talk about it!

I am done talking about my weight: I like myself the way I am. I am done talking (at least for now) about the Yankees: I hope we win the World Series and I will support them forever (especially the captain Jeter) but I have my concerns.

Hello New York City, the world, and cyber-space:

Thanks to all of you who made my internship and semester go smoothly. This seems to have been a successful time for me, and I am appreciative of all of those who helped me along the way. I still have a long road ahead of me, but I feel that I am in a positive place right now. I am happy about who I am, hopeful about the future, and I am trying to be optimistic.
I experienced a very disturbing incident yesterday. I was walking down Lexington avenue (towards the Lighthouse for the blind on 59th street) when someone grabbed my backpack before I was about to cross the street. He didn’t really remove it from my back; he just took hold of it very strongly. When I asked the stranger why he would do such a thing, he replied “there’s a big puddle in front of you.” While I was a little glad that I avoided the water, I was more frightened by this man’s actions. Do people think that the only way to communicate to a person who is blind is to grab them or their belongings? I can’t tell you the amount of times that someone has either grabbed my arm or pushed me in order to “help” or “guide” me. Your intentions are good, but your actions have a negative impact.
I want to say this to all of you: (this will sound like a simple thing, but it is rarely done): If you would like to help someone who is blind, you should actually ask them how you can help! Don’t grab me, push me, or try to steal my backpack. I am a human, aren’t I? I am just like you, how would you like it if I grabbed your purse and then said “watch out for that puddle.” I think you get my point; this kind of thing really makes me frustrated. Sometimes I feel like I’M the only “normal” one, but then again, what does that even mean?
Your cliché of the day: do unto others as others would do unto you.
What should I talk about next? There are a limitless amount of possibilities. I would like your input on this please.
Dan

hello to all of my friends!

I would like to thank all of you for your many positive responses to my blog (I’m being sarcastic, of course, no one has commented in the last three weeks). I don’t expect any of you to agree with the things that I say, but I would at least like some kind of feedback on my postings. I know you are out there, and I know who you are! (Sorry, just kidding again)

As I head into my last week of college for the semester, I am not facing the normal amount of work to be completed. Instead, I am dealing with a constant nervousness regarding my grades. I have not received many pieces of work which I have turned in so far this semester, which worries me. How can I figure out what grade I will receive in any class if I have no grades from the semester to base my predictions on? Are these teachers overworked, underpaid, lazy, or a combination of all three? In any case, I am looking forward to the summer and to seeing how I did in my classes.

Please don’t be under the false illusion that I have any vacation this summer. No, my friends, I will be quite busy. In June, I am taking two courses at school and in July I will be working for some of that good old minimum wage money. I complain about this level of pay, but I am also grateful to even have a paying job at all. I like to be busy, and any long break would create some level of boredom for me, at least towards the end. Therefore, I will just continue to do what I do until I achieve my goals.

How are my Yankees doing? Answer: not well, not well. Yes, I said it twice; it makes me feel upset at our lack of success so far this year. My team is overpaid and under-achieves on a regular basis. It doesn’t matter to some extent, I still want to “see” the game in person, the atmosphere is incredible and I love the feeling when you are sitting among the crowd of fans.

Thanks for your time, I feel calmer now as I head out to my day of school, for more of my thoughts check me out at lcmeridian.com where I had two articles in last month’s issue.
Dan

the battle continues...

Hello, well I am off to Brooklyn in the pouring rain. I don’t feel very well, but I still want to support BCID, the organization for whom I worked last summer. In addition, I gained a few pounds and I am feeling guilty about doing that. The struggle to lose weight is a constant battle: sometimes I win and some other times I am conquered. I do love food, for those of you who don’t know, and it is SO hard for me to stop eating the things that I like. I have been on many diets in the past, and most of them just don’t work. I might lose two pounds but then I gain them back the next month, like a slight yo-yo, but not like Oprah. My philosophy is to try to lose the weight slowly, but this is not doing the trick. Perhaps it is a lack of motivation, do you think that maybe my love of food “outweighs” my ambition to lose the excess pounds? I just don’t know.
I am going now, as always, go Yankees and I just hope that I don’t let the scale dictate my life or happiness. Have a great day everyone.
Dan

Are you ready to Flex your Muscles?

Hello everyone, I have a great new food critic review for you today about an excellent new restaurant:
Flex Mussels
174 E 82nd ST
New York, NY
4.5 out of 5 stars
This is a rather new establishment which has been serving high quality muscles, in twenty-three different sauces, and French cuisine to the upper east side of Manhattan for the last four months. I wouldn’t go as far as saying that I am a muscle connoisseur, but I have certainly tried these delicious seafood delights in many different restaurants. The staff was very attentive during the entire meal: the waiters kept asking how the food was, two people greeted me on the way in and three wished me a good night when I walked out. The bread which was served was quite average, and did not impress me when I used it to taste my sauce for the muscles. I started with an appetizer of crab Cakes: this consisted of two crisp Maryland lump crab cakes, a very flavorful vegetable slaw, and a cool and tangy citrus aioli. I particularly liked the crab cakes because I could taste that they were mainly made with crab and very little filler. However, I still enjoyed the seasonings and diced vegetables which were mixed with the crab.
Finally, (I say finally because I have wanted to try this restaurant for a long time), It was time for the reason why I came here in the first place: the muscles. I remembered to have lowered expectations about the quality of the food, figuring that I could not be disappointed this way. My friend and I selected two different kinds of muscles. I tried the San Daniele muscles: accompanied with prosciutto, caramelized onions, white wine, and garlic. These were simply delicious: the muscles were particularly plump and the sauce was extremely tasty and could have almost been a soup by itself. Each of the ingredients created a layered sauce which perfectly matched the seafood flavor of the muscles. My friend chose the Maine muscles, which were cooked with a sauce of lobster, corn, white chowder, and parsley. I found these muscles to also be very large and tasty, and the sauce was chunky, fresh, and savory. We tried some French fries, which were above average. However, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend these because you will probably be full from the appetizer and muscles alone. Our meal was completed with two Swedish fish candies which were served to our table.
There is a word which I rarely use in life. I don’t like using it because I do not appreciate the meaning that is attached to it, but I will say it anyway: Flex Muscles has the BEST muscles in this neighborhood, and probably in all of Manhattan. You are welcome to disagree with me; however, this has been my experience. I recommend that all of you try out Flex Muscles, just remember to skip the bread and the fries. If you are looking for a taste of the sea, then Flex Muscles is the place to be!

I can't sleep, is anyone awake out there?

Hey, I can’t sleep tonight, my apartment is way too hot, and so I am hanging out and writing my latest blog. I am very disappointed with my Yankees, but you probably already know what I mean. Anyway, it is a great time to be alive: spring weather, baseball is here, school is almost over, and anticipation of summer time.
Speaking of which, I will be 30 soon. Really? You asked yourself: is that true? Will he really turn 30 this year? Well, I don’t know how to put this, but yeah, it’s kind of a big deal! A little nervous, a little excited, and ready to party: this would represent my emotions about this issue.
If you could eat only one food, what would it be? I am thinking about chocolate, especially dark chocolate, no matter how irrational that may sound. (Don’t forget about the flavanoids!) I am searching out new restaurants to try out, in my everlasting mission to become a famous food critic. If you have any suggestions, please pass them on to me: I am very independent and would travel to any borough if the food was right.
Friendships are hard: hard to make, hard to maintain, and very hard to improve. I am lucky to have the opportunity which has allowed me to know all of my friends in my life, but sometimes I wish I was a little more social, my network is more like a square or pentagon than a full-blown circle of friends.
Until next time, stay positive, safety first! Dan

random thoughts: think before reading this

Hello everyone, well with the end of spring break, I am realizing that my graduation is not so far away. I don't know how my free time flew away so quickly, but in a way I am looking forward to returning to school tomorrow. At the same time, I am having mixed feelings about my internship: it can be boring at times, even tedious, and I will admit that I get into an occasional argument with the staff. That being said, I have established a kind of rapport with the residents there, and in a way I will miss them when I leave next month. It is a shame that a place like this, where people with more than one kind of disability live, is not serviced by at least one social worker. No one is paying attention to how the residents are feeling; all staff there are service based. In other words, there is one to cook, one to clean, one to give out medications, and one to fill out paperwork. I am looking forward to the day when people with disabilities are looked at as more than just statistics or people that you want to fix. We want services, but we equally want to be seen as regular normal people.
Speaking of things needing to be fixed, did any of you hear about that Yankees game yesterday? In case you did not, which is fairly unlikely considering the final score, the Cleveland Indians beat the New York Yankees by the score of 22 to 4! No, I didn't make that up, don't try to adjust your monitor (or, for those of you who are blind, don't try to reinstall JAWS or whatever speech software you are using!). The Yankees really lost by 18 runs. Now, where do I start? Was our pitching staff drunk? Was Wang using some kind of steroids that actually make your pitching worse? I don't know, but I am shocked and appalled! Did you know that we gave up fourteen runs in one inning? I think when something like that happens, there is no coming back from it. It's not as if you can say to your team: "good job, we are only down by fourteen runs, now go out there and tie up that score!" Therefore, we now have 6 wins and 6 losses, which is great for a team with a 200 million dollar pay roll. (Sorry, I am just frustrated, I still love the Yankees, but with our new acquisitions over the off-season and our new overpriced stadium, I was mistakenly hoping for positive results).
Will the Yankees turn it around and earn a trip to the World Series? Will people with disabilities finally get the respect that they deserve? Tune in next time to: the blind blog.
Dan

Do not read this.... well, I warned you!

Hello and good evening:
I thought I would tell you all that I am probably going to start writing for the Lehman college newspaper starting this month. They want to use my food critic reviews, which I figure is a start. Now, don't be upset, I am not leaving you; I am just expanding my horizons. I plan to continue blogging, however I feel like I need my voice to be heard by a wider audience.
Sometimes when I speak my mind, and no one comments on my postings, I feel like I am talking to myself. I was hoping that, in part, this blog would help me to interact with friends and the public, but people generally tend to read it and move on. I also have posted two polls which not one person has voted on, this makes me slightly upset.
Let's talk about something different, ok?
The other day on the 4 train, I was approached by a lady who wanted to know how to deal with vision loss. She told me a long-winded sad story about her life and asked me a bunch of questions relating to my disability. Let me break this one down to you for a second: First of all, I always like to answer questions when I am outside because I feel like I am educating others about my disability. At the same time, why do you assume that you and I are going through the same thing? Just because both of us are blind, that does not mean that we live through the same experiences. I am not Stevie Wonder, nor am I Ray Charles. (For that matter, I never did figure out how he got around by using the soul of his shoe. I tried it out, but found my cane to be more effective.) (By the way, I also fold my money and don't just use single dollar bills.) So please ask your questions, but do not assume anything. For the record, I had a brain tumor at the age of three, and to make a long story short, I had my optic nerve removed, which is why I am blind. Simple, right?
Spring break is coming up, and I can really use the rest. School plus my internship have been stressing me out and I would like some time off. Until next time, take care.
Dan

If you like steak, then you will love my new steakhouse food critic review

Hello and welcome to my first official food critic review for the spring of 2009. I know that some of you have been eagerly awaiting my next restaurant critique, so it is my honor to present:
Sparks Steakhouse
210 E. 46th St.
New York NY
4.1 out of 5 stars
I have been enthusiastic about going to this steakhouse for a long time. It is a top rated establishment and for a good reason. In addition, many people have told me of their high quality dishes. Although I was thoroughly impressed, I cannot honestly say that it is the best steak restaurant in New York City.
I was seated along with four other people; these were friends and friends of friends. The staff seemed nice enough, but the service was nothing more than above average. I ordered the filet mignon with a side of hash browns. Let me first say that this establishment is quite expensive, it requires the kind of money which normally only gets spent on very special occasions. However, I do realize that all of the top ten steakhouses here charge similar prices, so in that aspect, Sparks is not so unique. My steak arrived, and I remarked on the fact that it was a reasonably large cut of meat. It should be noted that Sparks only has one size for their steak, so you don’t select a small or large cut of meat. I found the steak to be well done on the outside but a little too undercooked on the inside, so I sent it back. (I ordered the steak medium, this was my fault, I should have and normally do order it medium well done). When it arrived, it was much hotter. It had a very nice flavor with a touch of seasoning. It cut very easily, however, not as smoothly as in other steak houses. It had a rich flavor, and was very filling. As a matter of fact, I took some home with me so that I could compare the food quality on the next day. I particularly enjoyed the hash browns: they were crispy (a must for me), and seasoned well with spices and a little salt. Furthermore, the next day I ate the rest of my steak, which raised the level of my rating because it passed the test for next day quality. (Yes, I do have a test, and no it is not multiple-choice, more of a pop quiz).
Therefore, the food part of my experience was very positive. The service, on the other hand, was spotty. Our waiter gave us a problem when we asked to pay for the meal with credit cards; he said two credit cards maximum could be used per group. I just found the staff to be adequately nice, but nothing that made me feel really welcome. Nevertheless, and especially if you have ever read my reviews before, you know that I value food over everything else including décor and service, so I mostly based my rating on the quality of the food.
Recommendations: Try it for yourself! As I said, it's pricy, I'm sure someone like the captain (Derek Jeter) could easily afford it, but for a colluge student like myself it really hurts your budget. I am still on a quest to find the best steak in the city, but I can only freach my destination by trying one place at a time.
Until next time,
Dan the food critic man

better to have blogged without comments then not to have blogged at all

Where are you, world? Haven't I posted stimulating topics for you to vote on and to discuss? And yet, still, no one comments or votes on this blog.
I would like to see this site become a portal for people, both with disabilities and without, to chat about current issues that are affecting their lives. I do feel, strongly, that people with disabilities are especially alienated from each other, and I was wishing that this blog should be a place for us to unite.
However, I can not help others if they don't help themselves. So, with that being said, come one, come all, and post comments, thoughts, or propose a subject for me to blog about.
Side note: it's 1 am, I have a test tomorrow, and I can't sleep, which has absolutely nothing to do with what I just said, but it does worry me. If you are not already aware, people who are blind can sometimes have a particularly tough time with sleeping. This might be due to a lack of melatonan which regulates all of our sleep cycles.
If you want to comment, please click on the link with the title of the blog posting, and on the next page there should be a box in which you can place your thoughts.
On that note, I am going to bed. Thank you all for your ongoing support, you can always count on me to take the non-A-Rod route, in other words: integrity, honesty, and never choking.
Dan

It's time for dan's new food critic review: Dumont Burger

Hello, I have a food critique review which I think will stir up some controversy:
Dumont Burger
314 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn NY
3.8 out of 5 stars
Rule #1 of Dan’s food experiences: “Lower your expectations!”
I will admit that I was expecting an epic meal when I traveled all the way from the upper east side of Manhattan to Dumont’s. After all, it was rated number one in this year’s Zagat survey. Well, I can’t say it is the best burger around, but I certainly had a very nice experience. My friends, on the other hand, were influenced by the hype and, in my opinion, didn’t truly appreciate the hamburgers.
Here is what Zagat’s survey had to say about Dumont’s:
“Williamsburgers can “stop cooking at home” thanks to this “easygoing joint” serving “artful” yet “cheap” New American standards; a “hip crowd” convenes in the “inviting” interior or “Zen-like garden”, or hits the Bedford Avenue mini spin-off for “awesome” burgers and sandwiches.”
This review is somewhat accurate, but it slightly differs from my experience. When I entered this establishment, it felt small and crowded, which was the reality. It is much smaller; at least I imagine it is, then the actual Dumont’s restaurant. After a long wait for a table, I was greeted by a stool and, essentially, a counter to eat off of. I thought we were getting bad seats, (I am totally blind of course so I couldn’t see where everyone else was sitting). However, this is the set up for the entire restaurant, which makes it even worse. There was not much ambiance to speak of, however there was a large party present, therefore I can’t necessarily judge it just on this night. I found the wait staff to be above average, nothing really special but more than adequate.
Now, on to the food: I ordered a hamburger with mushrooms, onions, and gruyere cheese. First of all, let me say that it took a very long time for the food to arrive. Granted, once again, that there was a party which I’m sure occupied the cooks, but this still cost Dumont some points. I must say that the burger was very good: the patty was well-seasoned, the bun tasted homemade and fresh, and the toppings were very tasty. The French fries were very delicious, I suppose I was expecting frozen fries but these were crispy (almost fresh?) and salted perfectly. I tasted my friend’s onion rings, and those too were excellent. The waitress said that they use secret seasonings and hoi sin sauce with the beef that is formed into patties, and she might be correct. The hamburger definitely had a distinct flavor, but I could not tell what spices it contained. Dan’s rule number 2: every food critic review must contain a formulaic calculation:
Here is how I rated Dumont: I started with 4 stars for the food by itself, and then I had to figure how much to discount for all the negative factors:
1. little ambiance 2. Long wait time for food 3. Expensive ($17 for a burger, really?).
However, food is king, and all of these factors only lowered my score to 3.8.
Recommendations:
This restaurant is very good and definitely makes a high-quality hamburger. However, I am hesitant to recommend that you should travel from outside of Brooklyn to go there, and I definitely disagree with Zagat’s “number 1 burger” label. I still think that Rare bar and grill (see previous review if you missed it) makes the best burgers in the city. Some say that award should go to shake shack, and maybe that is true, but only because of its value. Feel free to disagree with me, no; in fact, I encourage this discussion!
Which restaurant in New York City makes the best burger?
Dan

read this, comment on this, or else!

So why is it so hard to meet new people and make new friends? Some of you might say that we live in a huge city which makes the friendship process extremely difficult, and you may be right.
However, for my part, I have the extra issue of being blind. Now, no, this is not a pity party. I don't want, actually I really never want, to be pitied as someone who has a disability. For the same reason, please don't look at me as some kind of hero. "Oh Daniel, you can dress yourself? You can cross the street? How do you do that?" I'll answer all of your questions, then that's it.
Who am I? I don't know, but on my list of characteristics (American, New Yorker, Jewish, Yankees fan, etc), being blind ranks close to the bottom.
Anyway, for all of these reasons, it is difficult for me socially. I just hope that the world understands this, I have tried going to bars, joining clubs, going to meet up groups, and all of these techniques have their benefits. Furthermore, don't think that I will stop doing these things; you will still see me at the bar, in a Lehman club, or hanging out with a meet up group. However, I have yet to find a solution.
Sometimes I feel like people don't, can't, or won't get past the exterior. Will I forever be that guy with a cane in his hand, or will I be,...
Just Dan.
I don't know, I have more questions than answers, but my plan is to stay positive about life. I think as soon as I start thinking negative thoughts, then bad things can happen.
I use this blog to express my deepest feelings, so let me be honest. I didn't like writing this blog today. I feel like I am preaching, like I am whining or complaining. I like to have a sense of humor in all things and now, looking over this Microsoft word page, I see none of it. Therefore, let me end my statement as follows:
In these hard times, let's try to keep a bright outlook. Don't lie to me, but I feel that if I think positive then positive things might happen. After all, if I got bogged down with all the nonsense going on right now, I would not be as productive. (I do have a full load of classes and 240 hours of internship to complete, that's busy enough for me) I would be interested to hear all of your comments on this, if you are reading this on facebook, please remember that you can read my entire blog at
www.blindblogny.blogspot.com
Tomorrow is the start of a new week, spring is around the corner! Good night New York City, and I will talk to you soon.
D

guess who's back?

Greetings to all:
I have been sick for the last week and a half, so excuse me if this blog comes out a little random.
1: Please comment on the blog, otherwise how will I know who is out there?
2. The A-rod "injury", and note that I used quotes around that word, might be devistating for my team the yankees, but I am just about fed up with all of the a-rod headlines.
3. If you learn one thing today, it should be to mind your own business. Today at my internship, I had an "incident" with a staff member who decided that it was her job to monitor me, and to judge me regardless of what the facts were. I admit it: I got frustrated, and yes, a little angry. Excuse me for saying this, but don't tell me how to do my job, especially if you are not my supervisor. I think that nurses and doctors should stick to medicine, lawyers should continue doing work related to the law, and leave the counseling of people with disabilities to the real social workers, even if that means letting a soon-to-be college graduate take control over a situation which can be tense or challenging at times!
Ok, that was a bit harsh, sorry. I just had to say it, regardless to the consequences, I hope someone understands or has gone through the same thing before. I hate to end blogs on a negative note, so let me say this:
I miss Mtv. Yes, I mean the old mtv. Not the current channel with so many reality shows, I mean to say "music television", with actual videos. I prey that this country gets on the right track, and I wish the best for all of you.
Sincerely,
Dan the man

I think it's time for a new food critic review: Rare bar and grill!

Thanks for stopping by, ladies and gentlemen, and please allow me to welcome you to:
Dan the man's newest review!
In my ongoing attempt to be a full-time food critic, (are you listening New York Times and all prestigious magazines?), I present this review of what might be called the best hamburger in New York City.
Yes, I said it.
The best hamburger in New York City:
Note: Do you know how sometimes the restaurant reviews, like in Zagat's guide, give you an idea of how much a meal would cost in each restaurant by saying what the price is? (For example: $, $$, or $$$?) Well, here is my take on that:
$$$
Rare bar and grill
303 Lexington avenue
New York NY
4.25 stars out of 5
Rare is a high-end hamburger restaurant located in the Shelburne hotel. After reading the menu online, I found that anything you could imagine on your burger is here, including foie gras, fried eggs, Portobello mushrooms and five dipping sauces. However, Rare differentiated itself from many other similar restaurants that I have visited in the past with similar claims of many different toppings, here at Rare it does not detract from the quality of the hamburger itself. Based on the recommendation of my friend, I tried the T-Bone hamburger: this features a blend of sirloin & strip steak, topped with cheddar cheese and onions. It sounded really great, however I didn't want to be disappointed. For the record, I was not.
The burger arrived, and it was thick! I have never "seen" a hamburger, with no fillers like lettuce or tomato, which was as thick as this burger. The first bite was a delight: I found it to be juicy; tasting many tempting flavors at the same time, and perfectly cooked. The actual "burger" was seasoned perfectly, cooked until medium but not "rare" in any place, and was a highlight of the meal. I also tried the French fries: on one hand, they were homemade, fresh, and delicious. On the other hand, I also felt that the portion was small for the price.
I considered writing this review immediately after my meal; it was that excellent of an experience. However, I then started looking back and questioned the merits of the meal. What I mean is that there is an ongoing conflict which is rarely resolved: quality vs. value. It is very hard in life to ever get both, and more and more I find myself sacrificing one for the other. Rare turned out to exemplify outstanding quality, but the value was not there. On the other hand, my review summarizes the quality of my dining experience and not necessarily the value.
Therefore, let me conclude by saying the following: by all means, go to Rare for a special occasion, or for a high quality meal. However, if you simply want a hamburger that is a good value, I would sooner tell you to try out Shake Shack. That being said, my hamburger at Rare was possibly the best burger I have enjoyed in New York City, ever!

I can't wait to hear your comments about this one, I have imported my blog to facebook so feel free to comment here, there, or in both places.
Sincerely,
Dan

welcome to the world of Dan: food critique review #4!

Hi and welcome to
Dan’s Blind Blog
My food critic review of the week comes with some significant history:
I used to eat at a restaurant called Vincent’s in long island when I was younger, and I still remember the experience. As it happens, many years later, meaning last night, I finally had an opportunity to go to their prime location in Manhattan’s famed Little Italy.
So, I humbly present my review:
Vincent’s
119 Mot St.
New York NY
4 stars out of 5
This restaurant harkens back to the days of when Sinatra and the gang would hang out in these classic Italian eateries. As a matter of fact, my extremely friendly waiter, Nevan, related a story to me of when Sinatra ate there and paid for every single customers’ bill! Anyway, back to the food. This place is known particularly for one thing: the sauce.
Yes, the sauce! There is sweet, mild, and (oh boy, watch out) hot sauce with an extra kick of pepper and secret spices. The owner is the only one who knows the recipe, but he plans to pass it down to his grandson.
My experience at Vincent’s was highlighted by the service and the sauce. My dish of linguini and calamari with sweet sauce was quite delicious, of course, mainly due to the sauce. The pasta was fresh, may I say aldente, and so was the calamari, and although I enjoyed both I believe that neither made this restaurant a 4-star establishment. The magic is in that sauce! What’s in it? Wouldn’t you like to know? (Perhaps it is one of those Kentucky fried chicken secrets with the 11 herbs and spices) (Note to self: did I just mention KFC in the same review as Vincent’s? OOPS.)
Our waiter, as I mentioned earlier, also contributed to my high praise. He was knowledgeable about many things: at first, he spoke extensively about the menu and history of Vincent’s. After I paid the bill, he spoke to me for at least 10 minutes about celebrities who love the restaurant and who have dined there over the years.
Therefore, I will summarize my visit in the following way: go for the service and the sauce and you won’t go wrong!

when I can't sleep, I eat?

Hey folks, well I have had a long weekend of eating out at nice restaurants, why am I celebrating so much?
No reason, of course, each occasion has been special on its own. However, in the back of my mind, I keep thinking that it is a victory lap after enduring what they call a
"sleep study".
That sounds nice, that terminology puts it in a welcoming frame of reference. My experience differs slightly:
I arrived at a "sleep study" center on friday night and within a half of an hour I was being hooked up with wires and tape to a large monitoring machine. Let me say, first of all, that the technician had no idea how to deal with a person who is blind. He was treating me as if I had a psychiatric disability, or as if I was extremely dependent. So, where was I? They taped up most of my body with wires and monitors, and then told me to go to sleep. Great! That's exactly what I wanted. Did I tell you about the wires on my head?
They put some kind of goop or cream on my head and then taped down several wires to it.
To make a long story short, when I woke up, I had already laid in bed for 8 hours but I probably got five hours of sleep. While this is normal for me, it feels very uncomfortable doing so in that position. Finally, the technician untaped me, which is painful by itself. The bottom line: I have to wait a month to figure out why I don't sleep well at night.
So yes, my weekend was worth every calory.
Update: I am nervously awaiting the results of that sleep study, I can't wait to find out what is really happening with me. Now that I wrote that, I am going to bed.
Dan

food critic review: Dos Caminos Park

Hello everyone, I bring you today my latest and greatest food critic review:
Dos Caminos Park
373 Park Ave S
New York NY
4 Stars
This is one of the city’s best Mexican food establishments and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. The ambiance was excellent and I also liked their selection of music. I started with a tequila called siete leguas. My server explained that it was made by the same people who make Patron, but that they created it earlier than Patron. It tasted a little smoky, but I drank it as a margarita so it was perfectly accompanied by the lime juice. As an entree, I selected FIDEOS DE MARISCOS, which consisted of lobster, mussels, clams, red snapper and toasted Mexican vermicelli pasta in a roasted tomato lobster broth. I found this dish to be delicious: the seafood was cooked until tender, the sauce had a very nice spice to it with various seasonings, and the vermicelli made a nice addition to the flavor. In addition, I really liked my side dish of SAUTÉED SWEET PLANTAINS. For those who are not aware, there are two different kinds of plantains: the green kind taste like potatoes and the yellow kind taste like bananas.
These were the sweet yellow kind, and they were cooked until the sweetness was revealed.
In response to a comment that I received, I must honestly say that I do not always love mexican food, but this was a totally different experience. A good friend of mine did recommend Rosa Mexicano, however I have never been there before but I am sure I will go soon. (When I do, of course, you will hear about it!)
Overall, I had a great experience at Dos Caminos and I would like to return in the future to try some of their other dishes. I would recommend this restaurant to all of you.
Dan

A-Roid?

Ok, so I won't pretend to know all of the facts and truths in this situation. Furthermore, I question the truthiness of Mr. Rodriguez. I would like to weigh in like this:
I think it is great that A-Rod finally came clean, but what is up with waiting three days before commenting? In addition, since 2003 he still has been producing excellent numbers, so apparently his statistics are not steroid-based overall. I just don't know what to say, am I supposed to forgive him? I forgave Pettit, but I have been a fan of his for years. A-rod, on the other hand, is not a favorite player of mine, he is No Jeter, and to some extent he is just a free agent with little team loyalty. Therefore, after days to consider this situation, I have come up with a list of pros and cons.
Should I forgive A-rod?
Yes: He admitted to the steroid use, his performance since then has been great, it was the "culture" of baseball at the time (104 other players also tested positive).
No: Taking performing-enhancing drugs is wrong, he took a long time to come clean, just because other players took steroids does not mean that you should.
Conclusion: I forgive him, but he still needs to do more to convince me that he truly means his apology.
Now that this issue is done, let me say a couple of other things:
I sat through almost 3 hours of the Grammy's and was not impressed, I don't know who decides the winners but maybe they should get some fresh blood (me perhaps?).
I went to ohio last weekend to see my great uncle, he is a great man and an inspiration to me. I really enjoyed my time there, however I came away from that experience with another unrelated thought: I love New York City (no offense to the buckeyes.) I love living in a city where I don't need a car, where there are diners on every other corner, and where places don't close early. Go NYC!
Dan

Dan is done with the frustration of facebook

Hello to you all, as I sit in my room typing this message on the first day of february, I am feeling very frustrated. This is not a funny blog entry, I have no review or critique to write of. However, please stay tuned, those will come in the future, and I think you will want to hear about what I have to say.

I would like to emphasize the importance of unity among the community of people with disabilities. The key word in that sentence was "community", is there one? We must come together to fight the discrimination which is still out there (despite what the Americans with disabilities act might say). I say this for two reasons: First, because I find that people with disabilities tend to be isolated from one another with no real network, either for advocacy or socialization, to bring them together. The second reason deals with the topic which I would like to speak about. This topic of which I speak, of course, is facebook. I'm done with it.

Can you remember the last time you tried to sign up for some online service or some website and before you could registered it said something like "please enter the text in the box"? Well, I sure can, and here is the problem: this text is shown to you in the form of a picture. Therefore, when my speech software tries to read what is on the screen, it skips over the picture because it sees it as not text. There is no way for people who are blind to access this information, and this is why I am done with facebook. Every time I try to send a message or post on someone's wall, it keeps telling me to enter the text in the box, which I can't do. (Ironically, blogspot.com asked me to do the same thing when I signed up for this blog, but I got help for that one instance)

It is time for us to make our needs known. In response to any site that asks for us to enter in text in order to sign up, it is my belief that we should contact them and explain that this represents a lack in accessibility. I am hoping for the day when no site asks for this meaningless piece of information, but I am also realistic so I know that this day may not come so soon. Until then, please contact me directly, comment on this blog, and please be alert to gaps in accessibility.
Dan the man

first movie review: Notorious

Hi and welcome to:
My first movie review!
Notorious (Rated R)
3.75 out of 5 stars
Featuring: Jamal Woolard, Derek Luke, Angela Bassett, Anthony Mackie, Antonique Smith, and Naturi Naughton.

Notorious tells the story of murdered rapper Notorious B.I.G, from his beginnings as a Brooklyn crack dealer to an East Coast hip-hop sensation. The movie is narrated by the man himself, who was, along with Tupac Shakur, one of the best rappers of all time. However, this film also depicts the true events of his life, many of which were negative including selling drugs--apparently even to a pregnant woman, doing time in prison, getting women pregnant, cheating on his wife Faith Evans, and getting into a seemingly pointless East Coast/West Coast beef with one-time friend Tupac. That being said, this movie did an excellent job of showing off his unmistakable vocal style. I feel that this movie came out way too late, after all BIG passed away over a decade ago. However, I am still grateful to finally discuss this film and it did not disappoint. It was so well done that I was brought back, in my mind, to that day in march of 1997 when I heard the bad news. It was all over the radio, and I was thoroughly shocked, I just couldn’t wrap my head around what had occurred.

A few have argued that “Notorious” did not accurately describe the life of Notorious B.I.G. There even has been a law suit filed regarding the validity of this movie. Nevertheless, when I listened to this film, I didn’t rate it upon how truthful it was, my opinion is based on its quality and how captivating I found it to be. Newcomer Jamal Woolard carries his screen time well, and although I was disappointed in the beginning of the movie (no one can exactly duplicate B.I.G.’s voice) he won me over about halfway through. He makes notorious feel somewhat approachable which is no easy feat considering the reality that he might not have been the nicest guy when he was alive. I also thought that Naturi Naughton did a fine job as Lil' Kim, and the actors and actresses in this documentary seemed to be well-cast.

The bottom line is that hiphop has not been the same since it lost one of the greatest, BIG of course. I encourage all of you to see this movie, however I would advise you to watch it with an open mind: Put aside any issues you have with how true it is, how certain characters are depicted, and your personal judgments about Notorious B.I.G. (I would never condone selling drugs to a pregnant woman, cheating, ETC) I simply say to you: go to watch this movie for educational purposes, the experience, and to share in the life of a very interesting man. (Note: if you dislike violence, drugs, and/or hiphop, this might not be the right movie for you). If you have seen this film, please let me know how you feel about my first movie review.
Dan

Keens steakhouse food critique

Hello world and welcome to my inaugural food critique column. Today I will be reviewing:
Keens Steakhouse
72 W. 36th St.
New York NY
Food Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
I appreciated the atmosphere of this steakhouse upon arrival, it has been previously described to me as an "old boys club". I started with the Maryland lump crab cake appetizer. This tempting dish was prepared with just enough spices as not to overwhelm the pallet but definitely was an adequate accompaniment to the luscious crabmeat. For my entre, I ordered (of course) the prime filet mignon with a savory mushroom sauce. The texture of the filet was smooth and I easily cut into it with my knife. The sauce which was served with the steak had the flavor of a fine white wine and flavorful mushrooms. In addition, the steak, which I order red medium well done, had a very nice taste which reflects the cooking time as well as the quality of the cut. As a side dishe I enjoyed crispy hash browns which were fresh and delicious. I give Keens Steakhouse a rating of 4 stars because I truly feel that it provided me with an excellent experience. I have been to several steak house establishments and I feel that Keens measures up to some of them, however I have enjoyed slightly better food in other restaurants. That being said, I encourage all of you to try it for yourself and express your opinion in the comments section!
Dan

first food critic review: Lucali's

Hi everybody, well it occured to me today that it might be a good idea to start posting food critic reviews for the restaurants where I have had excellent meals. Guess what? I have one for you today. Now, I am an aspiring food critic, so this might not necessarily sound professional yet.
Lucali's
573 Henry St.
Brooklyn, Ny
Rating: 4.25 stars (out of 5)
I traveled through the snow to try Lucali's with four of my friends last night. I was initially worried because of all the hype regarding this restaurant; after all it was the number one pizza restaurant in this year's Zagat survey with a rating of 27/30. However, Lucali's did not disappoint. The ambiance was of a much higher quality than in most pizza establishments. Our waitress was quite helpful and she explained our choices in terms of pizza and toppings. I am personally a fan of mushroom pizza, and when it arrived at our table, a mere 25 minutes later, I was impressed. It started out with a thin crust, and very light as far as pizza is concerned. The crust was extremely crispy and melts in your mouth. Lucali's uses a very nice mix of cheese on the pizza which tasted fresh and flavorful. In addition, the sauce had a great flavor with just the right amount of spices and tomatoes. Overall, I really enjoyed this experience. I have been to a few of the city's best pizza restaurants, and this is comparable with any of them. I had a great time and I would really like to return.
Dan

cultural competence

Hello everyone, today I wanted to talk about respecting other cultures. As a future social worker, it is very important to me that I am culturally aware and competent. However, as a human, I feel that this is also very necessary. I am not sure why I am bringing this up tonight, perhaps it is due to all of the racism and cultural conflict that is presently taking place in this crazy world, but it is definitely on my mind.
It is my belief that every person is unique, we are all the same in a certain way but on the other hand each culture is different and should be understood as such. People from Spain are different from those from Puerto Rico, who are different from those from Albania or Iran. I am talking idealistically, I know this, and I do understand that there is no such thing as a perfect world.
But I feel that I can still dream of that kind of day.
I am a positive person, but I also try to be realistic, the glass is half full but at the same time I see that either way it only contains 50%.
Dan