As noted by Barrett in the article: “The product roadmap…includes the ability to upload user-generated videos. That’s something Lego Life will roll out at some point, but for now it’s focusing its video efforts on stop-motion.” So plenty of exciting things are ahead for Lego Life and its users.
To read the full Wired article, click here.
In most cases, a New York City hotel is not just there for hosting overnight guests. Plenty of New York’s hotels have top-tier restaurants, great live music options, and/or worthwhile shopping. With more and more boutique hotels popping up in New York in recent years, there is no shortage of hotels to look into for an entertaining evening stop-by.
Downtown caught up with representatives from three recommended New York City hotels:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g96Bdk726rk
What was the first restaurant you ever worked at?
The Williamsburg Hotel’s Adam Leonti: The first restaurant I ever cooked at was called the Italian Heritage Center located in Portland, Maine.
Marmara Hotels’ Luis Febus: Bayard’s on Hanover Square.
The Knickerbocker’s Christopher Engel: I have always dreamed of being a chef. I started at the age of 13, working three or four times a week after school in a little restaurant in Wilhelmsdorf, Germany called Taunushof. The first real restaurant I worked at after getting my culinary degree was at the Michelin-starred restaurant Tiger Palast in Frankfurt, Germany. Tiger Palast is one of Germany’s best restaurants, and the Executive Chef Martin Göschel is one of the most important people I’ve met during my career.
What is your favorite item on the menu there?
The Williamsburg Hotel’s Adam Leonti: My favorite thing on the menu back at Italian Heritage Center was the Roasted Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon. At my upcoming restaurant, Harvey at The Williamsburg Hotel, I love all the freshly milled pastas.
Marmara Hotels’ Luis Febus: The Curry was always my favorite, Everything from Arctic Char to Tasmanian Sea Trout was featured.
The Knickerbocker’s Christopher Engel: The restaurant has since closed, but one of Chef Martin’s signature dishes — and by far my favorite dish — was his Focaccia Wrapped Pauillac Lamb Loin with Eggplant and Gremolata. It was truly a perfectly-balanced and memorable dish!
Where’s the best place to keep warm in your establishment?
The Williamsburg Hotel’s Adam Leonti: The best place to keep warm at Harvey is by the wood oven.
Marmara Hotels’ Luis Febus: Right by one of the chic fireplaces in our OneOneFour Lounge.
The Knickerbocker’s Christopher Engel: The St. Cloud rooftop bar and lounge has transformed its indoor Club Room into Après at The Knick — an Alpine lodge — creating a cozy respite from the winter weather and providing guests with the opportunity to experience an urban retreat within its four walls. A special crafted menu includes cold weather-inspired favorites from Chef Charlie Palmer and myself, along with exclusive cocktails from Resident Cocktail Curator, Eben Klemm. Après at The Knick will transport guests from the cold New York winter to a plush European ski lodge. A custom-designed White Birch arch bids guests to enter and cozy up with faux fur rugs, throws and pillows, surrounded by faux pine trees for an intimate ambiance.
What is coming up for your establishment in the near-future?
The Williamsburg Hotel’s Adam Leonti: Harvey will be a grain and vegetable-focused restaurant, located on the hotel’s lobby level. Building upon the success of the recent pop-up, Brooklyn Bread Lab, I plan to focus on freshly milled grains for pastas, breads and pastries. A special daily selection of local meat and fish will continue the agricultural story from the lab. Harvey will also provide room service for guests and I plan to sell to-go flour and bread from the hotel’s bar.
Marmara Hotels’ Luis Febus: We’re teaming up with Cocktail Master Johnny Swet to create our seasonal, exclusive cocktail Program, and Joe Ginsberg will be furnishing our lounge and bar.
The Knickerbocker’s Christopher Engel: Après at The Knick is now open for the ski season and will close at the end of March. The Knickerbocker is also offering an over-the-top Valentine’s Day package. For $10,000, two guests can enjoy a romantic one-night stay in the hotel’s most luxurious suite, the Caruso Suite. They will be greeted with champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, and a bouquet of roses. For her, an in-suite blow-out with the hotel’s beauty team, NOMI Beauty, and an expert lingerie fitting will be arranged, and for him, a luxurious hot-towel shave. The couple will also be treated to dinner curated by Chef Charlie and myself in-suite, and breakfast in bed the following morning.
When not busy with work, how do you like to spend your free time?
The Williamsburg Hotel’s Adam Leonti: I usually spend my free time swimming.
Marmara Hotels’ Luis Febus: In the kitchen — I’m a chef at heart! When time permits, I love taking cooking classes and spending the day creating “edible art.”
The Knickerbocker’s Christopher Engel: During my free time, I like to spend time with my girlfriend. We like to do fun activities such as fishing, and go-kart racing, but sometimes we just stay at home. My favorite time of year is when I travel to Norway on a fishing trip with my brothers.
Other than your own, what is your favorite restaurant in New York?
The Williamsburg Hotel’s Adam Leonti: Bamonte’s Italian Restaurant in New York.
Marmara Hotels’ Luis Febus: Ahh, it’s a toss-up between Café Boulud and Il Pesce at Eataly Flatiron.
The Knickerbocker’s Christopher Engel: Easy question, quick answer: Restaurant Bâtard in TriBeCa.
Finally, any last words for the kids?
Marmara Hotels’ Luis Febus: “Learn compassion. We start life with a very selfish outlook — we want what we want. But compassion is about realizing we are no more important than everyone else, and we aren’t at the center of the universe. Someone annoys you? Get outside of your little shell, and try to see how their day is going. How can you help them be less angry, less in pain?” –Leo Babauta
The Knickerbocker’s Christopher Engel: Be passionate for what you’re doing and try to show what makes you special. Take risks, and when you fail you will only come back better and stronger. And one last “German thing,” since we are known for our punctuality, early is on-time, on-time is late — always be on-time and show your greatest effort!
A lot of people first took notice of Leah Cohen from the fifth season of Top Chef, but success did not come overnight for Leah. The New York native attended Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School — now the Culinary Institute of America — as a teenager before working for Chef David Burke at Park Avenue Cafe. The Michelin-starred La Madia in Sicily was Leah’s next destination, as followed by Eleven Madison Park. Next she was part of the team at Centro Vinoteca, starting as a sous chef and eventually moving up to Chef de Cuisine. Following her Top Chef exposure, Leah spent a year traveling around Asia, learning from top chefs in Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and the Philippines.
Less than five years ago, Pig & Khao is the product of Leah’s Asian travels, mixing her New York technique with traditional Southeast Asian street food. Pig & Khao has been voted “Best Asian Restaurant in New York City” by Zagat, and “Best SE Asian Restaurant in New York City” by the Epoch Times. New York Times food critic Pete Wells gave Pig & Khao a two-star review — which is harder to earn than it sounds — and Mario Batali recently named Leah as one of three on-the-rise chefs to watch. In turn, Leah has appeared on NBC’s Today Show and CBS This Morning, has been a judge on the Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay, and has been featured in Food & Wine, Saveur, and Harper’s Bazaar.
Downtown had the pleasure of speaking with Leah via e-mail. She not only opened up about Pig & Khao, but what it is like working with your husband. Leah can be followed on Twitter via @ChefLeahCohen, while Pig & Khao can be visited online at www.pigandkhao.com.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htTtCUVDzuc
You and your husband Ben work together in the culinary world. What are your specialties versus his?
Leah Cohen: I handle everything in the back of the house. Hiring and training the kitchen staff, all of the menu development and ordering. Ben handles more of the business side of the restaurant. He handles the day to day operations, paying bills, training servers and social media. Sometimes, we have to help each other out and cross over, but for the most part we stick to what we are better at.
How did the idea for you two to work together come about?
LC: Ben was actually hired as my line cook when we first opened and was quickly promoted to sous chef based on his skills. He was my sous chef for about a year until he made the switch to front of house. It’s much better for our relationship that we aren’t directly working together in the kitchen.
It’s known to be challenging to work alongside a spouse or partner. How do you manage to make it work so well?
LC: It can definitely be hard working with your significant other, but we do a good job of keeping business and personal lives separate. We try not to bring home any work drama, and if we do, we just let it out and then move on.
You are both a chef and an owner of a restaurant. How much time is usually spent in the kitchen versus working on the business end of the restaurant?
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LC: I would say I still spend a lot more time in the kitchen than I would like. Staffing is a huge issue — especially in New York City — and I have recently been spending more time in the kitchen than I have in the past. I would say I spend 70% of my time in the kitchen and the other 30% dealing with the business. And of course on my “days off,” I’m working on more business-related things.
Do you feel that there are any misconceptions about life as a chef?
LC: A lot of people think it’s a glamorous job, which it’s not. It’s a lot of long hours, hard work and dedication. And it doesn’t get any easier when you are an owner or your own boss.
How would you describe Pig & Khao to someone that has not yet been there?
LC: Pig & Khao is a Southeastern Asian restaurant which focuses on Thai and Filipino food. The dishes on the menu are inspired by my trips to Southeastern Asia and are meant to be authentic in flavor. The food is served family-style and meant to be shared. The vibe is super low-key fun and unpretentious.
As a chef, where do your creations usually come from? Is it word of mouth and suggestions from other chefs? Recipes from magazines and cookbooks that you adapt? Experimentation?
LC: I usually get inspired by my travels when I do my annual R&D trip to SE Asia. I also get inspired by eating out, reading cookbooks — I especially love David Thompson’s books — Instagram accounts and blogs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6qOfODpjn8
Do you have a favorite item on the Pig & Khao menu?
LC: My favorite menu item at Pig & Khao is a dish that has been on the menu since day one. The dish is called Khao soi, and it was the first dish I knew I wanted to put on the menu. I had it for the first time while traveling in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and I became obsessed.
What are some of the recent additions to your menu?
LC: Some new specials that I have been working on are: Fried Pho, Sous Vide Lamb Neck with Coconut Onion Jam and Roti, Kalabasa Gnocchi with Ginitaang Sauce, Braised Pork Belly and Shoulder Bicol Express, and Crispy Pork Belly with Thai Three Flavor Sauce.
When not busy with Pig & Khao, how do you like to spend your free time?
LC: In my free time, I like to hang out with my friends and family members. I also am somewhat of a gym rat, so I spend a couple of hours a week working out. I also have somewhat of an online shopping addiction, which I’m trying cure. (laughs)
Other than Pig & Khao, do you have a favorite restaurant in Manhattan?
LC: Right now I’m hitting up spots in the outer boroughs. I love Lilia, Llama Inn, Casa Enrique, and Ayada.
With the holidays right around the corner, gift giving doesn’t only have to be for your loved ones — they can be for your furry friends, too!
Downtown spoke to Sarah Goldberger, founder of Lord Jameson Dog Patisserie, who is a proud dog-mom who has created a tasty and healthy artisanal treat for pups. The idea for the treat balls came to fruition from her loving dog, Jameson.
“[Jameson] is a 6-year-old cocker spaniel who became a professional certified therapy dog in New York City in 2012,” Goldberger shared. “I wanted to design a brand that would honor the love and devotion that dogs have brought into the lives of humans for hundreds of years and celebrate the incredible bond they share.”
Goldberger believes there is no better way to do so “than with a fancy culinary experience, that is healthy of course!”
The treat balls are made from 100% organic products that you can find on any Whole Foods shelf. Each treat is handcrafted by a professional pastry chef, ensuring that love and passion is rolled into every bite.
Coconut products are used in some form for every treat recipe, whether it is coconut oil, water or raw coconut. Using coconut is an important part of the Lord Jameson recipe because it’s great for dogs’ digestion, skin and coat and fights bacterial infections. Flavors come in Simply Coconut and Blueberry Bliss, with promises of other flavors soon on the way for the holiday season!
Goldberger has received great response ever since she launched Lord Jameson.
“We have had an overwhelmingly positive response to our recipes,” Goldberger said. “We receive communication from our customers — new and old– regularly sharing the excitement and addiction that their dogs have with the Lord Jameson product.”
Goldberger mentioned that pet parents have also sampled the treats, coined “crack for dogs” by some.
“If you read our Instagram captions, there are hilarious conversations about keeping [the pet parents’] hands off the treats!” Goldberger laughed.
Recently, Lord Jameson Dog Patisserie and the Gansevoort Hotel Group partnered to provide each hotel guest that stays with their dog a “turndown” service for their pups, accompanied by a treat ball. At the end of their stay, the guests will receive a complimentary bag of the delicious treats.
Goldberger has developed a delicious treat that simultaneously gives back to the community. Lord Jameson treats can be found online and in pet stores across New York City, including The Salty Paw, The Barking Zoo, Beasty Feast and more. Proceeds from every sale goes toward therapy dog associations and other services across the United States. But having Jameson as a therapy dog is the biggest gift of all.
“You can’t imagine the powerful emotions that you feel by watching your beloved dog delicately and sweetly brighten the world of others just by being himself—sharing love and affection for all those around him,” Goldberger said.
Lord Jameson Dog Patisserie treats are a great gift for the beloved pup in your life. You can find the treat balls embody a triple threat: they’re tasty, healthy and their proceeds provide a great service to those in need. What more could you want?
As discussed in a recent article by Jen King for Luxury Daily, Prada is creating more than just high-end fashion. The Italian brand is asking viewers to decode what is experience, what is memory and what is dream in its new David O. Russell-directed short film. Starring Allison Williams, Kuoth Wiel and Frida Pinto, Past Forward was first premiered via Instagram’s Stories app feature, targeted towards users in New York, London and Tokyo.
In analyzing why a brand like Prada would aim a new campaign at social media users, Vertic founder/CEO Sebastian Jespersen explained: “Social media, and specifically Instagram have a larger share of a user’s life…If you compare how much time you spent on Instagram for example compared to how much time you spent at a gallery, or at a movie theater, you would realize that a big chunk of your information needs is satisfied through social media.”
The Seaport District wants to make cinema social! They have created a film festival to launch iPic Theaters opening in October. Seaport Social Cinema is challenging the community to create a 60-second film with the theme of discovery.
Post your film on Instagram with the hashtag #SEAPORTSOCIALCINEMA and get likes — they help you win!
Your film will be entered for a chance at the $60,000 prize. This is your opportunity to showcase your talent, tell your story, or someone else’s story. From the serious to the sublime, or the highly-crafted drama to the comedic absurd, the sky is the limit!
Enter and learn more at www.southstreetseaport.com/socialcinema.