Who's Queenie?

Queenie is me (Meg Blocker)!

I've never been terribly good at the whole internet alias/handle thing, so when I decided to start my own foodblog in early 2007, I went with the nickname my mother gave me when I was little (and has been using ever since).

Queenie Takes Manhattan is dedicated to exploring all aspects of the food world: dining (fine and not-so-fine), cooking and recipe writing, sourcing ingredients, entertaining, great tabletop & kitchen design, and travel.

I've lived in Manhattan since graduating from Bryn Mawr (with a degree in Religious Studies) in 2001, so my writing tends to focus on New York's food scene, but I like to think I travel as much or more than the average bear. Since Queenie kicked off, we've visited London, Paris, India, Manchester, Edinburgh, Napa, Ohio, Sonoma & San Francisco, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Chicago, Maine, and Austin together.

So sit back, click away, and enjoy - and please feel free to get in touch if there's something you'd like to see me blog. I'm always up for an adventure.

Fondly,
Meg, a.k.a Queenie

P.S. - Follow me on Twitter, where I tweet food, technology and life as @queenie_nyc.

P.P.S. - Want to send me an email? I can be reached at megblocker at gmail dot com.

Screw dinner and a movie.

Some people think dinner and a movie is a great date. I don't disagree, but I think dinner and a trip to the theatre is even better - especially when the play is actually cheaper than a ticket to a movie. Seriously.

Some of you have already heard me go on and on about Babel Theatre Project's latest production, Christmas is Miles Away, and some of you have (thus far) been spared. No longer.

Christmas is, in a word, awesome. It's funny, moving, gripping and entertaining. In short, you should go see it, as soon as humanly possible. If you need some convincing, maybe you should check out last Sunday's NY Times feature about the playwright, Chloe Moss, and her collaboration with Babel? That's right - NEW YORK TIMES, baby!

Or, you could have a look at the review on TheatreMania, which calls the performers "excellent" and praises Chloe's "keen ear for dialogue." And I agree, heartily.

If you can't make it to the play, or if you feel moved to further support such excellent theatre, please consider making a donation (large, small, in between) to Babel - Jeremy (my little bro) and Geordie (his partner in this most excellent venture) work their butts off to bring you great productions, and we want to make sure they're able to keep doing so. To donate, follow this link and click on "Support Babel." You can donate online or by sending a check. You choose!

Finally, the moment you've all been waiting for. If you go to see Christmas tonight or tomorrow, you can get in for just $9. NINE BUCKS for a night of theatre? Can't beat that, can ya? To get your $9 tickets, just enter the code "milesface" when making your purchase.

For all tickets - regular or discounted - follow this link to the TheaterMania box office, and go nuts.

Next, a list of potential pre- or post-theatre dining options, for your date-making convenience.

Perbacco (East 4th, between A & B)
A small, regional Italian joint with an excellent wine list. Stop in for pasta - or for the delicious apps, including a ridiculously good crostino misto plate. Just be sure to bring either cash or your AmEx - the only forms of payment accepted.

Kasadela (East 11th, between B & C)
One of my favorite hidden gems, Kasadela is an Alphabet City izakaya. They serve small-to-medium size plates of traditional and modern Japanese food (but not sushi) meant to be enjoyed with a bottle of sake. Cheap, delicious, and you can pretty much always get in.

Death & Company (East 6th, between 1st & A)
One of the best places for a cocktail in the whole of New York - and possibly, the world. Hyperbole? Go see for yourself before you judge.

Last but not least, full details for Christmas. Don't forget to come back and leave a comment telling me how much you loved the show...

CHRISTMAS IS MILES AWAY by Chloe Moss

May 6th - May 23rd, 2009
Wednesday - Saturday at 8 PM
The Connelly Theater
220 East 4th Street
Between Avenues A & B

Can you grow up together or do you have to do it alone? Time just won't stand still for Christie, Luke and Julie. As the eighties turn into the nineties, foreign wars loom and the Smiths continue to dominate their tape collection, but maturity and wisdom seem to be forever out of reach. In her critically acclaimed new play, set against the backdrop of working-class, music-rich Manchester, Chloe Moss takes on the inevitable and involuntary process of growing up.

Processed foods in other countries, part two.

So, remember how I showed you pre-poached eggs from France a couple of weeks ago? Well, last week I was in England (Manchester, to be precise) for my brother's wedding.

The wedding was on Friday, so on Thursday we had a Thanksgiving-themed tea: turkey sandwiches with cranberry jelly, pumpkin pie, cranberry scones, and the like. My mom and I were put in charge of assembling the cucumber sandwiches, and I couldn't believe it when Gisela, my new sister-in-law's mum, handed me this:


Soft sandwich bread, made crustless. Amazing!!! It's billed as being perfect for those pesky, picky kids, but what it's really suited to is speedy finger sandwich construction. No crust trimming equals no torn bits of bread, and no ruined sandwiches.

Cheers, you crafty Brits.