Musing on Politics

Politics is a dirty business, but its workspace is also spotless. I saw this firsthand while visiting Tweed Courthouse and City Hall for their free tours.



When I worked my first summer job at Surrogate Court in 1991, I'd spend many lunch breaks eating on the steps of these buildings. It's only fitting that these structures bring back such fond memories because they contain so much history. Patricia, the volunteer docent at Tweed Courthouse, spent nearly two hours exploring its past during my time there on September 25 -- starting with its namesake, William Tweed. The former Tammany Hall boss used the project to embezzle millions of dollars over several years; he was tried and convicted in 1873 in one of its 30 courtrooms -- even though construction of the building wasn't completed until 1881.



Tweed Courthouse continued to serve as a legal clearinghouse until 1961, when it became a municipal office building; it's now home to the Department of Education, with a school occupying the first floor. Also located there is Roy Lichtenstein's "Element #E," which cuts through the rotunda and rises toward the skylight. The fiberglass sculpture of bold colors juxtaposed against the stone carvings of Greek and Roman architecture made for a spectacular view.



Speaking of art, City Hall is another architectural masterpiece. Charlie, the volunteer docent, spent nearly 90 minutes touring its grounds when I went there on September 30. Unlike Tweed Courthouse, visitors weren't allowed to take pictures inside, which is a shame. City Hall's keystone-cantilevered staircase conjured up images of a wedding, while the Governor's Room served as a museum for housing artifacts like Fiorello LaGuardia's table. (Its name is derived from the paintings of historical figures that adorn its walls, including John Jay and Morgan Lewis.)



The Council Chamber is where the wheels of democracy turn as its 51 members draft and approve legislation on issues ranging from land use to public safety. (It's also where the City Council overturned a voter referendum on term limits in 2008, casting a huge shadow over the November 3 mayoral election between incumbent Michael Bloomberg -- see photo below -- and challenger Bill Thompson.) This spacious area with exquisite furnishings and historic artwork has also served as a backdrop for drama, whether it's fictional (City Hall) or all-too-real (the assassination of James Davis).



Abraham Lincoln once said that government is "of the people, for the people, by the people" -- which is why more people should take advantage of seeing it at work.

Musing on Pickles

A parking lot on the Lower East Side -- the corner of Broome and Ludlow streets, to be exact -- isn't the first place that comes to mind when one has a taste for free pickles, but it's where I found myself for the ninth annual New York City International Pickle Day Festival on October 4.





My first stop was the Whole Foods Market tent, where I had deep-fried pickled okra with remoulade sauce. I was surprised at how good the vegetable tasted, and the sauce was zesty without being bitter. Other treats that awakened my palate were the pickle truffle from Roni-Sue's Chocolates and feta cheese from Saxelby Cheesemongers. The delicacy made for an unusually pleasing treat, while the cheese had a vinegar flavor that was smooth but not overpowering. However, culinary discoveries were outnumbered by edible disappointments, with samples from China Food Import leading the way.





The pickled turnip was so nasty until my body wouldn't allow me to digest it, and the Chinese pickled turnip didn't taste any better. To make matters worse, the lime pickle with matzo toast was so dry until I couldn't bring myself to eat the rest of it, and the pickled ginger was spicier than my taste buds could handle. I also wasn't impressed with the daikon (an Asian form of radish) from Mama O's Premium Kimchee or the People's Pickle from Rick's Picks. (But I did like the catchy names they had for their products, like Smokra and Phat Beets.)





Just as good food was hard to come by, so were delicious cocktails. Mattebella's Famiglia red wine (a combination of Merlot and Cabernet Franc) tasted like watered-down Robitussin, and Pumphouse's white wine (consisting of Chardonnay and other grape blends) was more bland than white bread. I ended up walking down the street to 88 Orchard for a Frozen 88, a beverage made of milk, espresso, caramel syrup, whipped cream, and two scoops of vanilla Il Laboratorio del Gelato. The $5.36¢ I paid for it was the smartest decision I made all day.





Some lines at the festival were longer than others ... but they all moved pretty fast -- much like the speed of life in New York. Unfortunately, that's the only good thing I can say about the event.

Musing on Oysters

The perfect recipe for a good time is food and liquor, and one event that offered both for free was the Grand Central Oyster Frenzy.



Oyster Bar and Restaurant was the place to be on October 3 as dozens of people gathered for the annual celebration of the mollusk. I watched the shucking contest, which involved ten professionals trying to shell the most oysters in two minutes. Two competitors who caught my eye were Deborah Pratt and John Bil; she was the only female in the race and he was the only one who didn't wear gloves. (Both of them were eliminated in the first round.) After the contest was whittled down to two people, defending champion Luis Iglesias faced off against Marco in the four-minute finale. Both men needed two trays to present their handiwork after time was up, but it was Luis who walked away with the $1,500 prize.





Realizing that I'd rather eat oysters than shuck them, I checked out cooking demonstrations by Aaron Bashy and Fabio Trabocchi. The Pershing Square chef used the bivalve to make soup with bread, while the Four Seasons chef mixed it with chopped greens and olive oil before having it topped with caviar and served on ice. I enjoyed both appetizers, but they're not dishes I'd eat on a regular basis. Perhaps they would've tasted better if I'd washed them down with alcohol.





On that note, a "beer shucking" contest was held to see who would be the first to open all the bottles in a case of Blue Point Toasted Lager. Ivan from Mexico (on the right) blew away the other nine competitors, opening 24 bottles in 33 seconds. His quickness was appreciated by the audience, who got to drink the beer. (I passed on the temptation, figuring it was better to stay sober for the eating contest.) The hostess, Shelli Sonstein of Q104.3, kept things moving by asking trivia questions about oysters and sports; I won an Oyster Bar and Restaurant apron for correctly guessing which player left the New Jersey Devils on October 1. (The answer was Brendan Shanahan.)





The oysters I ate earlier proved to be a disadvantage in preparing me for the eating contest. When I took the stage with the other twelve contestants to see who would be the first to finish their plate, I'd only managed to put three of them in my mouth before a winner was declared. Eloisa from Queens finished her plate in 13 seconds, landing her a Q104.3 t-shirt and gift certificate from the restaurant. I was happy to see a woman emerge victorious at the end of the day, especially since females were underrepresented at the event (as professionals and competitors).



Win or lose, the Oyster Frenzy was all about having fun. In New York, you can't ask for anything more.