NYC

With a name like Dallas BBQ, you would expect authentic barbeque with Texas flair. Let me assure you that good barbeque is hard to find in Manhattan--and it's definitely not at Dallas BBQ.

You may want to eat at Dallas BBQ if you're seeking the comforts of the suburbs--big portions, big restaurant, and predictably boring food.

The Saigon Grill is a good neighborhood staple. There is one on the Upper West Side and one on the Upper East Side. It is an easy, low-key place to go that pleases a variety of people. When my dad, a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy, was in town for a visit, we went to Saigon Grill. His reluctance was met with juicy, grilled chunks of beef. He was delighted to find such good meat at a Vietnamese restaurant.

My favorite dish is the beef bun. The noodles are room-temperature rice vermicelli with skewered beef on top. The Nuoc Cham sauce is the key to adding flavor to this dish.

Smith & Wollensky is a classic steakhouse. The decor is traditional, with white tablecloths. The professional waiters are mostly men in their 50s. They take the food seriously and know how to create the right atmosphere for customers.

Everything is a la carte. The steaks were cooked especially well. My mom especially enjoyed the asparagus soup.

There are a few locations of Chevy's in Manhattan. It's primarily in tourist areas (Midtown, Battery Park). The food is actually pretty good for a chain. The lunch specials are reasonably priced at around $8.

Of course, there's the usual free, unlimited chips and salsa that complement the experience. Oh, and there are free refills on drinks (soda and tea). That's unusual in Manhattan, expect for chains like Chevy's.

If you're in NYC as a tourist, opt for a restaurant that's unique to the city. But, if you need to please a large group, Chevy's is an okay option.

Asia de Cuba is a fabulous restaurant. The chef has a great imagination for fusion cuisine. It's best enjoyed by a group, as the portions are served family style. The atmosphere is lively, with an excellent decor.

Take a look at the drinks menu. You'll find a creative twist on some old stand-bys and some inventive drinks to try. Look out for the fresh sugar cane as an accompaniment.

Bobby Flay's (a chef that appears on the Food Network) Bolo is a nice place to catch up with an old friend. Try the tapas sampler and enjoy a taste of several different dishes. A pitcher of sangria is a nice complement. Then you're all set for a relaxed, enjoyable dinner.

The decor is fresh and comfortable. There is usually a crowd, so it's best to make a reservation or try for an early dinner.

Cafe Luxembourg is a more formal place to dine in the city. Some of the reviews claim it's a place to spot celebrities. I have yet to see anyone there. I especially enjoyed the salmon tartar. It's a great date place, but come prepared to spend.

Carmine's is best enjoyed with a large group of friends. The portions serve 2 to 4, depending on your appetite. The dining room is large and open, which creates a noisy, vibrant atmosphere.

There is a range of classic Italian fare. The stuffed mushrooms are one of the better appetizers.

The food is pretty good and satisfying. Be prepared for inconsistent service if the wait staff is busy.

I met a friend for dinner at Sabor on Wednesday night at 9pm. There were only a few tables filled at that time. There was also a sign out front that offered a 15% discount for cash. We took advantage of the offer, but wondered why there was almost no one at the place. It may just be because it's a bit out of the way. So, we settled into our table by the window for a bit of people-watching.

The atmosphere at Sabor is quite nice - pretty colored walls, white tablecloths, and Caribbean-style fans up toward the ceiling. It's a great choice for a romantic night or hanging out with a group. Since it wasn't crowded, we felt like we could linger for awhile. However, they did close around 11:30pm or so.

The drinks are definitely the best part of the place. I ordered the sangria. By the glass, it was $7. My friend had a pineapple mojito. There were a few different flavors of mojitos and other specialty drinks and wine to choose from.

We decided to have a tapas-style night and order a bunch of little plates to share. We tried the salmon ceviche with avocado and citrus, but found that the fish wasn't as fresh as we had hoped. We also ate empanadas, which were quite flavorful. The skewers were surprisingly good and tender, with a spicy flavor.

All in all, the atmosphere and drinks are great, especially for the neighborhood, but the food leaves something to be desired. I think the discount brings the price more in line with what it should be normally, rather than actually offering a deal. Try stopping in Sabor for drinks and a few appetizers, but don't plan on being delighted with every dish.

Cosi is a reliable place to stop in for a sandwich or salad. The atmosphere is very casual. You wait in either the salad or sandwich line, then wait in a separate line to pay, and then take your food to a table.

They make their own flatbread on the premises, so it's usually warm at lunch time. Sandwiches are served on the bread, and salads come with it on the side.

Their Signature Salad is my favorite. It comes with mixed greens, pistachios, dried cranberries, grapes, gorgonzola cheese, and pears. They also have several other salads to choose from, or you can select your own ingredients. Salads are priced at $7.69.

If you plan to go often, pick up their frequent diner card. After 10 purchases of salads and/or sandwiches, you get one free.

Eight of us met for dinner at 6pm on a Saturday night at El Quijote. I was expecting to enjoy it, but I was really disappointed by the food and service.

We ordered a pitcher of sangria for the table. It was okay, but it had very little fruit in it.

I ordered the mixed seafood paella to split with a friend. For an extra $6.50, we were allowed to share it and got an extra salad to start. The salads were small. However, it came with a selection of three dressings for the table to share. They were bleu cheese with lots of chunks, a version of thousand island, and a vinaigrette with chunks of onion. The paella was too heavy and left a pool of grease on my plate.

My friend ordered the baby salmon and was quite pleased with the texture and preparation of it.

In terms of atmosphere, the restaurant was way too crowded. Our table was shoved in a corner. The way it was positioned meant that I had to move to let people in/out from another table. It also meant that the server wasn't able to properly serve our food or refill drinks. He had to literally lean on me to reach my friends, and I tried to get out of his way as much as possible. I would have hoped that we wouldn't have had to help so much with the service in terms of moving things on the table to make room, reaching for our plates, etc.

The service was also poor. When we finished with our food, they came to clear the table. In addition to taking the plates, they also wanted to clear all of the water glasses. Basically, they were trying to get us to leave, and we hadn't been offered dessert or anything else.

I wouldn't go back to the restaurant.

I ate at Veselka with some friends on Sunday afternoon. The atmosphere is slightly nicer than a typical diner. Veselka is one of several Eastern European restaurants in the area, but it's known as one of the best. Upon entering the restaurant, you'll see a glass counter full of desserts. They make the desserts on-site. The portions here are big, so you'll need to save room. The focus is on Ukranian food. The menu has a broad selection of choices. There are breakfast options and hamburgers that are familiar to Americans. For more authentic food, the choices range from pierogi and potato pancakes to blintzes and borscht. I ordered the meat combination, which came with a couple of different types of pierogis (meat and potato), stuffed cabbage (which had excellent flavor), a choice of soup, and salad. All of that was priced around $10-11. A friend ordered a cheeseburger with sweet-potato fries. The service was excellent, despite the crowd, and there was no pressure to turn the table over. I would recommend Veselka for a different dining experience.

I met some friends for dinner at 8pm on Saturday night at Delta Grill. The restaurant was reasonably full but not too packed. It's important to note that they will not seat you until your entire party arrives.

The menu had a great variety to choose from. I had trouble deciding among all of the great options. I convinced my friends to order different things so that I could sample them.

We ate popcorn crawfish for an appetizer. I recommend dipping it in some Tabasco or adding Tabasco to the sauce for a little kick. One friend ordered the jambalaya. It was excellent but could have had more sausage in it. The chicken was fried and on top of the dish rather than with pieces mixed in. Another friend ordered chicken fried steak. Since it lacked seasoning, we added salt, but it wasn't enough to overcome the blandness. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich. I was surprised that it was served with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise right on the bread. It was quite tasty, but not what I'm used to. It came with fries that were perfectly cooked. Another friend ordered ribs. The meat was very tender and flavorful. It came with sweet potato fries that were so good, he refused to share. Entrées are about $10 to $20, depending on what you get. Appetizers are a bit less. A bread basket comes with the meal, which includes excellent cornbread muffins. Add butter and you're in for a treat.

For drinks, there is a full bar. I ordered the Hurricane, which is basically a rum punch. It was sweet and felt like a vacation.

I would recommend Delta Grill. It has a fun atmosphere, and they can seat groups.

My friends and I stop in at Saint's Alp for a refresher. They have a full variety of bubble tea. For $3-4 each, you can choose a regular or jumbo size. You can either get it to-go or be seated at their tables. Most teas can be served either cold or hot, with or without milk. My personal favorite is the black tea with tapioca (the bubbles). The tapioca is either in cubes or balls in the bottom of the drinks. They are served with extra-fat straws and spoons so that you can eat the bubbles. My friends usually get fruit flavors, such as lychee nectar or honeydew.

They also serve food here--mostly desserts or appetizers. Most people stop in just for the tea or a snack.

Burger Joint is an unexpected discovery. To enter, you have to walk through the lobby of the Parker Meridian Hotel, which is very nicely decorated. Burger Joint is in one of the corners of the lobby and has been designed as a hole in the wall. There is cheap wood paneling, casual chairs and tables, posters and other memorabilia over the walls. It looks like it was somewhat planned and somewhat organically developed.

You stand in line to place your order at the counter and give them your first name. When it's ready, they call out your name, and you can sit at one of the tables. It tends to be very crowded, so it's best to scope out a table first and have someone hold it while another person orders. And it would be hard to go there in a group larger than four, due to the limited seating and that a lot of the seats are booths.

The menu is quite brief. They have one of the best burgers in the country. I heard it was rated in the top 10 best burgers nationwide. The burgers are cooked in front of you, so it can be a bit hot at the counter while you wait. You order how the burger is cooked (well, medium, etc.), whether you want cheese(for 50 cents more), and your toppings (the works means everything). You can also pick onions, pickles, tomatoes, and mayo. If you order the cheese, be warned that they put two slices on it, which can mess up the cheese-meat-bread ratio for some people. The mustard is Gulden's, so it's spicy and not the typical yellow mustard. There is ketchup and mustard on the tables, so you could add those later.

For $9, you can get the combo of a hamburger, fries, and a Coke. The fries are large enough to share with two people. The Cokes are small. Bottled water is overpriced, at $2. I hear that the brownies are excellent.

I definitely recommend checking out Burger Joint. It's a fun, casual place to go.

I went to Gramercy 24 on Sunday at around 12:30pm for brunch. It is a fairly new restaurant. There is a live three-piece jazz band (no vocals) that plays until 3pm. There are a few tables right by the band. I think that sitting there would be too loud to allow for conversation, so I requested to be seated further away. The atmosphere is pleasant and relaxed, with khaki tablecloths, hardwood flooring, and bright floral paintings.

The menu has a range of selections, with an emphasis on seafood, and a slight Southern flair. One friend got the biscuits with gravy. It was an excellent, creamy sausage gravy. There were two biscuits, and the gravy came in a large bowl. But, there were no sides of any kind served with it. Another friend got the crab cakes on biscuits with remoulade sauce. It was served with a small green salad. The crab cakes were excellent. They had enough crab and not too much filler. I ordered the garlic shrimp that came with some asparagus cuts, a light tomato sauce, and stone-ground grits. It was good, but lacked a deep flavor. Maybe it just needed some salt. Entrees ranged from about $8 to $15. They also offered pancakes, French toast, a frittata of the day, and more.

We all ordered Belize, champagne with peach juice. It was quite good. When the bill came, those drinks were not listed. The waiter confirmed that they were complimentary. I'm not sure if that's standard or just a mistake.

My friend ordered a cappuccino. She said it was good, but much more like a latte. It seems like the restaurant still has some kinks to work out.

The total bill for us came out to $19 each, including tax and tip. I thought it was a great deal for the atmosphere, live music, and good food.

I frequently eat at California Pizza Kitchen on Sunday afternoons. The atmosphers is very casual and open. It's pretty easy to seat groups, and it's a kid-friendly environment. I enjoy the view of the street from the 2nd floor dining area. One benefit of eating here is free refills on the drinks (priced at around $2.50). That includes fresh brewed iced tea and soda, but also specialty beverages like flavored teas (like peach), lemonades, and Italian soda. The service is pretty meager, so you'll probably have to request the refills or even flag down your waiter.

The menu is pretty extensive. There is a range of salads, pizzas, and pastas. My friend and I usually order two of those and share. The portion sizes are more than sufficient.

For the salads, you can order either full or half sizes. All of them could be a meal by themselves. I like the Waldorf chicken salad, which is on a bed of baby field greens, with chicken, grapes, apples, candied walnuts, and gorgonzola cheese. There is also a traditional Caesar salad. The options are flexible to include different dressings (although the recommended choices are quite good), and a choice of protein (chicken or shrimp).

There is a range of pizza choices. They are about 10" in diameter and come on thin crusts. Some are more traditional Italian combinations, but others have Asian or Mexican flavors. I like the Thai Chicken pizza. Some of them can be too greasy - especially if you select one with meat.

For pasta, I recommend the Kung Pao spaghetti with shrimp. It has just enough spice but is not too hot.

Entrees range from about $10-15. The total generally ends up being less than $20 per person, including tax and tip.

I ate a pre-theater dinner at Don Giovanni on Thursday evening around 6:15pm. The restaurant had plenty of open seating, so reservations weren't necessary at that hour. It felt like a local neighborhood place, in the midst of a crowded area. The atmosphere is very casual and somewhat run down. It's kind of dark and the tables are fairly close together.

I found the service to be quite minimal. We had to ask for more water, and our waitress barely checked on us.

I enjoyed the bread and butter. The bread was fresh and had a nice, dense texture. I ordered spaghetti and meatballs. There was plenty of sauce, so it wasn't dry. But the sauce was a bit too salty. The meatballs were dense and flavorful. I would order it again. The portion size was adequate for my appetite. Had I been really hungry, I would have needed an appetizer or dessert. My friend ordered spaghetti carbonara. He really enjoyed the dish and finished it.

I would go to Don Giovanni again for a quick bite. But it's definitely not a destination for a long, enjoyable dinner.

I had dinner at Le Madeleine last night at 6pm. The restaurant was reasonably busy with the pre-theater crowd. I was delighted with the atmosphere. There are two dining areas. The inside area has charming brick walls with faded painted signs. There are white table cloths; large, fresh floral arrangements; and a brightness about the place. The other dining area is garden-style and outside. We had a reservation. I would recommend making reservations, since it can be busy because of the theater crowd.

They brought fresh bread and butter, which was quite nice. The water glasses were tiny, but they refilled them frequently.

The menu was fairly streamlined, with a choice of about eight appetizers and entrées. We just ordered entrées. I ordered the pork with creamy polenta, roasted plum tomato, and broccoli rabe. The pork was flavorful, but probably due to the high fat content. My friend ordered the veal pasta. He seemed to enjoy it. The entrées were priced at around $15 to $22. Other entrée choices included salmon with fennel and scallions, steak, and duck. Most of the dishes come with a starch accompaniment and a small side of vegetables. You can order additional sides at $6 each. They include french fries, haricot verts, spinach, and more.

For dessert, we ordered the caramel chocolate mousse. It was light and dense at the same time. It was fantastic! Other dessert choices include crème brulee, a cheese plate, or ice cream.

They are attuned to the need to finish eating in time to attend an 8pm show. They adjust the service speed accordingly. I would recommend eating here for a nice dinner with a friend.

I met a friend for dinner at Highline on Saturday night at 8pm. It's located in the Meatpacking District. We couldn't get seated upstairs, so we sat on the main level. Walking into the restaurant, I was impressed with the trendy decor. There is very low lighting and votive candles on the tables. You'll need the candlelight to be able to read the menu. The music was too loud, so conversation was difficult.

The service was good, with frequent water refills. They had a range of interesting cocktails for about $10 to $12, including mojitos and other fruity drinks.

The choice of appetizers was impressive. Most were priced at about $8 and included three pieces. I would recommend the foie gras turnovers. There wasn't a strong foie gras flavor, but the texture was smooth, surrounded by a perfectly breaded coating. The signature pad Thai spring rolls were just okay, so I would try something else next time. The appetizers come with a range of three sauces so that you can experiment with different flavors: sweet, sour, etc. We also ate the tequila lime beef salad. It was flavored really well.

For the entrées (priced around $12), we had chicken, hard-boiled egg, onions, and peppers in a peanut sauce. It was also quite nice. It came with rice, but the portion size was laughable. It was maybe the size of a third of a cup. We had to order more rice. Maybe they are conscious of those watching their carb intake.

The food was filling, so three appetizers and one entrée was plenty for us.

I would recommend eating at Highline to enjoy the trendy atmosphere and some people-watching.

I had lunch on Sunday at 1pm with a group of eight friends at Cafe Mingala. It's a local Burmese restaurant. There was almost no one there. At times, we were the only group in the restaurant. There was a guy sitting at one of the tables in the back who was preparing fresh herbs (pulling them from the stems) to be used in their cooking.

The service is a bit scattered. It appears that there is mainly just one waiter. We had to ask for refills of water.

The big draw is the lunch special, which is even good on the weekends, at a price of only $5.50. You have to pay cash to get that price. It comes with either salad (iceberg lettuce and ginger dressing) or soup (pea with a clear broth). Then there is a large range of entrees to choose from, across categories - chicken, beef, vegetarian, noodles. The portion sizes are plentiful, but not large enough to yield leftovers. Most entrees come with yellow rice that has chickpeas sprinkled throughout. I ordered the curry potatoes that come with naan (bread) instead of rice. I've also tried the spicy beef, which is mixed with a range of vegetables. I was pleased that it was genuinely spicy.

Most of the dishes are tasty, but they all have too much salt in them. If you only have moderate expectations, you can enjoy a meal here.

I met a friend for dinner at Puttanesca (in Hell's Kitchen) around 6pm. It was reasonably busy, but not too crowded. The decor is impressive. It has a fresh atmosphere, with white tablecloths, small votive candles, and high ceilings. Upon entering the restaurant, there is a table of pastas, bread, and spreads. It feels like an Italian cafe with friendly Italian waiters.

The menu was pretty extensive. There was a range of antipasti to choose from, including the usual fresh mozzarella and calamari. The salad choices were also impressive. I ordered the spinach salad, with fresh mushrooms, cheese, warm bacon and a lemon dressing. I also ordered the minestrone soup. The vegetables were fresh carrots, potatos, and green beans. It was a lovely, filling soup. The soup and salad was enough for a meal. Prices for salads were about $6-8. They are fairly substantial in size, especially if you plan to order a full pasta. My friend ordered the bolognose. It came with beautiful, one-inch wide ribbons of freshly made pasta. There were more than a dozen pasta dishes from which to select. The prices were about $11-15 for pasta.

The dessert menu seemed promising, although we were too full to order from it. Choices include warm apple pie a la mode, flourless chocolate cake, a selection of sorbets, creme brulee, poached pears, ricotta cheesecake, and more.

You can check out the full menu before you go at www.puttanesca.com

It's important to note that they only accept cash or American Express.

I've dined at Nobu in Tribeca many times. Most recently, I met a friend for lunch there around 12:30pm. We made reservations, which are necessary at that time. The crowd is a mix of business lunchers and tourists.

If you haven't eaten at Nobu before, it's a good idea to have the waiter introduce you to the menu. The portion sizes will be key as you order. We shared the yellowtail tartar with caviar in a wasabi sauce. It was beautifully done and just on the cusp of too spicy. That was priced around $15.

For our main course, I ordered the lunch special of a selection of sushi and one roll. It also came with a small salad with ginger dressing and miso soup. They do not bring spoons with the miso soup, as you are supposed to sip it out of the bowl. You can use your chopsticks to eat the tofu from the bowl. The sushi was wonderfully fresh. The yellowtail had the smoothest texture. All of it was flavorful. That special was around $20.

My friend ordered the lunch special as well, but got the salmon in pepper sauce and vegetable tempura. The tempura was perfectly light. It was a full salmon filet (I estimate 6 ounces) with a subtly flavored, creamy pepper sauce. The salmon was excellent, although not really exciting.

For dessert, we shared the bento box. It comes with a small chocolate souffle and green tea ice cream. The price is $8. The desserts are beautifully presented and are worth the price.

Although the food is excellent, the service is a few steps behind. You would expect them to be really on top of the service, but we found ourselves repeatedly asking for things we ordered. Eventually, they did bring everything, but we were a bit annoyed, especially given the prices.

We left Nobu feeling full and satisfied, but not weighed down with heavy food.

Based on other trips to Nobu, I'd recommend the yellowtail with jalapeno for a nice amount of spice. I also really enjoy the black cod with miso sauce. It is one of their signature dishes. The texture of the fish is unbelievable!

I think it's definitely worth the trip. You can spend as much as you have in your wallet on dinner at Nobu.

Spice Market, located in the Meatpacking District, is another extension of restaurants by Jean Georges. The atmosphere is warm and lovely, with two levels and outdoor seating. The lighting is low and the decor draws from a blend of modern Asian influences. The waiters are dressed in orange shirts, adding a pop of color to the interior. The service is efficient, but not rushed, allowing you to linger for conversation.

The menu is an inventive blend of tastes from Asia. They recommend sharing dishes, since each dish is brought out just as it is prepared. Therefore, they don't guarantee that entrees will be presented at the same time. Almost every dish used a variety of textures and flavors to increase the depth of the experience.

The menu offers a nice range of appetizers, mostly priced $8-15. The portions are reasonably large for this type of establishment. I would recommend the chicken samosas with chipotle yogurt dipping sauce. I also enjoyed the thinly sliced tuna with tapioca, Asian pear, and chili sauce. It was a perfect blend of sweet, spicy, tart, and salty.

For entrees, we ordered the cod with chili and basil sauce. The fish was lightly fried, adding another textural element to the dish. The Shanghai noodles failed to meet my expectations considering the thoughtfulness to detail in the rest of the dishes. It lacked complexity and was much too greasy. Even the jalapeno slices didn't enliven this dish.

For dessert, we shared the Ovaltine kulfi. I was amused to see a dessert prepared with Ovaltine on an otherwise upscale menu. This was a playful combination of an Ovaltine flavored bar (a dense ice-cream, much like the texture of a candy bar), caramelized banana, salty caramel popcorn, and cream.

To truly enjoy the sensory experience of Spice Market, order a range of dishes and keep your eyes open for some interesting people watching.

If you like ABBA's music, you'll like Mamma Mia! What's difficult about this type of show is that they attempt to weave unrelated songs together into a comprehensive storyline. Mamma Mia is an okay execution on this type of musical. At the end of the show, people will stand up in their seats and dance/clap to the music. It's a festive atmosphere.

Ticket prices vary, depending on where you buy them. Check out playbill.com and theatermania.com to see if there are discounts available. For same-day tickets (if available), go to the TKTS booth in Times Square for what is usually a 50% discount.

I love the music from Phantom of the Opera. I grew up knowing the songs, so I did enjoy that part of the show. There are a few dramatic elements related to the chandelier and the phantom that make the show memorable. However, the execution is a bit hokey.

Center orchestra seats are fairly close to the stage and offer the best vantage point for the show. This show is not worth full price tickets. Check or to see if you can get discount tickets in advance. Or, go to the TKTS booth in Times Square the day of the show to see if tickets are available there. Tickets from TKTS are up to 50% off.

I absolutely love The Lion King. The show is definitely worth seeing and can be enjoyed by children as well. Excellent costumes that transform the actors into animals make the show stand out. The actors come down the aisles, so it's best to sit on the orchestra level so you'll have a better view. This is one of the few long-running shows that is worth the full ticket price. However, if you're on a budget, check theatermania.com or playbill.com to see if you can get discount tickets in advance. Or, go to the TKTS booth in Times Square the day of the show to see if tickets are available there. Tickets from TKTS are up to 50% off.

This off-Broadway show, a "long-running musical comedy revue about everything you have ever secretly thought about dating, romance, marriage, lovers, husbands, wives and in-laws, but were afraid to admit." It packs in the laughs during the first act, but they seem to run out of material for act two. If you're looking for a couple of laughs with the girls, this would be a good pick. But, if you want real theater, this won't fit the bill.

Any seat in this small theater is a good seat. Check or to see if you can get discount tickets in advance. Or, go to the TKTS booth in Times Square the day of the show to see if tickets are available there. Tickets from TKTS are up to 50% off.

This place serves Guinness on tap - that's the only kind of beer on tap there. You can opt for a small selection of other bottled beers or a drink from the full bar.

The draw for Paddy Reilly's is the live Irish music that begins around 10pm. However, it drew almost no one. I enjoyed having the place almost to myself. I could really hear the music and enjoy a leisurely conversation without having to shout.

It feels more like a neighborhood spot than a destination. The place is extremely casual, so you'll feel right at home in a pair of old jeans.

Check out for more information. Also you can call ahead at 212/686-1210 to find out show information.

After a long awaited reconstruction, MoMA has finally returned to Manhattan. There is a range of modern art from the usual suspects - Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, etc.

If you want to see the entire museum, expect to spend several hours there. With the $20 entrance fee, you'll want to get your money's worth.

On Saturdays and Sundays, you'll have to compete with other art appreciators to get an up-close and unobstructed view of the most popular works.

If the weather is nice, grab a chair and plan to linger outside in the garden.

The Constant Wife is a surprisingly witty play about a woman in 1920s London who is covering up her husband's affair. Despite the seriousness of the subject matter, the intelligence, logic, and quickness of the lead (Constance, played by Kate Burton) makes for a thoroughly enjoyable evening of laughter. The plot twists and rationale that Constance offers are thought-provoking and quite modern for the '20s.

Lynn Redgrave offers a stellar performance in the role of Constance's mother. Her dramatic qualities and facial expressions bring about laughs and build on Burton's exuberance.

The diaglogue is a bit brisk at times - especially given the slight accents and formal sentence structures. So I'm sure I missed out on some clever banter. I think it's worth seeing again.

In terms of seating, try to sit close enough to the stage to catch facial expressions - although most are strong enough to be seen from a distance. In addition, the performance is mostly geared toward the left.

Look for discount tickets at theatermania.com or playbill.com.

I went to Plunge, on the penthouse level in the Hotel Gansevoort in the Meatpacking District. We showed up there around 11pm on Saturday night. It is a stylized bar/lounge. The summer is the perfect time to go. Their indoor area has tons of seating areas, with floor-to-ceiling windows.

The outdoor area sports 360-degree views of the city. The outside is nicely landscaped with flower boxes and plants. There is also seating outside. Some of it appeared to be reserved seating for larger groups who order bottles of liquor.

There is table service, or you can go to the bar to get drinks.

They are especially good at making French martinis. I would highly recommend them, although there was some variation in them from the bar to table service. The specialty cocktails run about $15. You can pay cash or use credit cards. That's helpful given the steep price.

They also serve some food. I saw people eating fries and a sandwich that looked like a BLT - hardly finger food for a lounge setting.

I enjoyed the people-watching at Plunge. People are dressed in trendy clothes but don't seem to be pretentious. They may be trying a bit too hard.

When we left around 12:30pm or so, there was a big line waiting outside to get in. I would suggest arriving a bit on the early side or planning to wait.

The atmosphere makes it worth the trip to Plunge.

The musical revival of Sweeney Todd has been getting fantastic reviews across publications. I was very much looking forward to seeing the show. I knew some of the songs, and have enjoyed music by Stephen Sondheim in other shows.

The plot line of the show involves a deranged barber who selectively murders his clientele by slicing their throats with his straight razor. Although there is some comedy inherent to the music, the show mostly uses a very dark interpretation of the story. This show is definitely not a traditional, fun-loving musical. You should check out some of the photos online if you're not sure if it's for you.

It is a wonderfully orchestrated show, with the cast skillfully moving between dialog, singing, and playing various instruments. Most of the cast is on stage for the entire show. The actress who plays Johanna is so convincing that I sometimes wondered if she truly was acting, or if she herself suffered from some sort of mental illness.

Sweeney Todd is in a relatively small theater, so most seats are good. However, this show relies on subtle facial expressions which would be best viewed near the center aisles toward the front of the theater.