I’ve been to so many other events this week, that I didn’t even get time to eat! (Except at the opening night parties, that are in the theater column.) As Dame Edna says, I’m “practically wasting away.” So, I figured I’d give you quick tidbits of a few of my perennial faves.
Breakfast:
Back On The Beach 445PCH SM 310-393-8282
Sitting inside during the winter is almost as fabulous as being on the beach in the spring and summer.
Deli:
Nate ‘n Al’s 414 N. Beverly Dr. BH 310-274-0101
I have so many stories about this place, and hope to tell you some of them in an upcoming column.
Italian Food:
Dan Tana’s 9071 SM Blvd. WeHo 310-275-9444
Still the hippest place on a Sunday night.
Chinese Food:
Genghis Cohen 740 N. Fairfax Ave. 323-653-0640
And they have a music club, too.
Favorite Maitre D:
Tower Bar at the Argyle Hotel 8358 Sunset Blvd. WeHo 323-6677
Dmitri Dmitrov. Enough said.
For more, and the bigger picture on them all, you’ll have to wait for the book to come out. Or just read this column every week, print it out, and put it in a binder to make your own!
|
photos by Anna Kader
And lastly, I never reported on my latest visit to Nathan’s Coney Island because I was waiting for the pictures, taken by my friend, Anna Kader. Well, they’re here and Nathan’s never looked more gorgeous.
Anna and her boyfriend, Jeff Grandis, who’s Brooklyn’s premiere Real Estate agent and the title-holder of My New Best Friend in Brooklyn for almost 5 years now (a record!), are the most fun people. They’re always up for anything, despite working almost 24/7. (Brooklyn’s real estate market is booming.) It’s Jeff who usually has all the ideas, but I’ve been coming on strong recently.
So, when I was there in July, and noticed in the paper that the Parachute Jump was being lit-up for the first time in 40 years, (so I had never seen it like that), I knew that Jeff and Anna were the only people for the assignment. I orchestrated our entire night and it went off without a hitch.
 |
The evening started off on a high note, when Anna surprised me with a gorgeous pair of turquoise earrings, to go with the outfit I had on. (The rest of my friends might want to take note of that. Posts, not clip-ons.)
Then off to Coney Island we went. We found easy parking on the first try, and even had time to buy Jeff a sweatshirt at one of the many beach shops, which I’m sure he’s made good use of during this 4000-degree summer.
Next stop was Nathan’s. Still the best hot dogs going. And a nice eclectic crowd to boot. In all my life, I didn’t even know they had tables with umbrellas for our dining convenience! So, it was a new experience for me.
Not new was that I ordered a kids meal so I could add to my Frankster collection, that, fortunately for Mr. X, I leave at my house in NY. You also get smaller fries with that meal, which is good because I don’t think anyone has ever finished Nathan’s fries. (Except maybe Anna.) I like them for the little red fork you get with them. (Maybe I should just be telling this whole paragraph to a shrink.)
 |
Then, to the boardwalk, where I haven’t been since I was probably 17. (Hasn’t changed much in the 4 years since.) The lighting itself was basically much ado about nothing, but the subsequent fireworks on the beach were some of the best ever.
We finished up the evening with frozen custard at Denny’s Ice Cream Stand. Banana/Pistachio Swirl. Food just does not get any better than that.
Food and fireworks in Coney Island! You guys can’t even understand what that means to me. Thomas Wolfe was wrong--you CAN go home again! Especially if you’re Karen Salkin, the biggest harker-backer of all time.
Nathan’s Famous Surf Ave. at Stillwell Ave. Brooklyn, NY 718-946-2209-photo anna kater
Denny’s Ice Cream 1214 Surf Ave. Brooklyn, NY 718-266-9371
|
