This winter, I am loving being in NYC on the weekends. A friend recently shared her experience at the Brooklyn Museum, an exhibit called Pretty Dirty by Marilyn Minter, pop art queen and queen of food porn. Doesn’t that sound like something I would like???

I took my husband and good friend Lucia who loves art and we had a wonderful colorful artsy Sunday.  Minter’s work is filled with dripping liquids, thick red lips, tongues, teeth and glitter. Her work makes you feel uncomfortable. It’s grotesque and beautiful all at the same time. It’s a turn on and a turn off.  We also saw on another floor of the museum, the exhibit Dinner Party by Judy Chicago  which is an important icon of feminist art.

It was an erotic playful afternoon. Check out these photos from the exhibit. If this interests you, the exhibit will continue until April 2nd.

This was Dinner Party by Judy Chicago exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum.

And of course, I always want to dine at new restaurants, so I recently tried a brand new place, Pig Bleecker and another not so new but new to me place, Garbriel Kreuther. These restaurants are complete opposites of each other in food, decor and service. So there has been alot of Flirting with Flavors this month!

Pig Bleecker, 155 Bleecker Street,  is newly opened.  It’s partially owned by my friend Michael Greenlee who used to be the sommelier at Gotham Bar and Grill. He has ventured out into being an owner operator with partners Rob Shawger, Ed McFarland, Shane McBride. It’s informal and fun, perfect for a trek to the village with a young hip crowd. I sipped on my smoky Mezcal cocktail all evening. The menu is filled with “refined smoke-centric comfort food” says Chef Matt Abdoo, and my Texas upbringing loves this. I ordered fried chicken and couldn’t stop eating the tasty and crispy bird.  I took my good friend Fernanda Payard who is a vegetarian to Pig Bleecker!  I promised her there would be veggies for her too and there were. She had the smoked vegetable plate, which was delicious.

Smoky vegetable platter

Smoked and Fried Whole Chicken w Cheese Grits

We also ate the warm oysters and lots of delicious sides like cheesy grits and brussels sprouts. Michael sent us this delectable Peanut Butter Sunday Milkshake for dessert!

Grilled Oysters with Spicy Garlic Butter & Bread Crumbs

Vegetable Crudite

Brownie Hot Fudge Sundae with Virginia Peanuts

The following night, our friends took hubby and I to Gabriel Kreuther for my husband’s birthday. First of all, I could not stop relishing the beauty of this restaurant and its art filled walls. It feels sleek and warm all at the same time. The service was perfection like you would expect for a Michelin starred restaurant.

Our friends really went all out and ordered… Each dish was a piece of art and our favorites were the risotto with truffles and the rack of lamb. However, I would recommend every dish!  We splurged and all shared the housemade schnapps after our decedant dinner. My husband loved the caramel chocolate birthday cake and of course we all tasted it too.

All in all, I think dining in NYC has reached new highs!

Caviar with parsnip puree and purple potato chips

Rack of Lamb

 

Grilled Maine Lobster smoked potato, mint, shellfish-coconut emulsion

Cherry Shnapps