Tweaked

1 Tippling Place continues to serve up tasty cocktails. The prices have edged up with most cocktails now in the $15-$20 range. I enjoyed a concoction called the Bombay Moon: bourbon, masala chai syrup, orange bitters ($18). An enjoyable place to start or end your evening.

The Cherry Creek shopping area is much like, say Bethesda Row or Reston Tower Center, mixed used developments with a bunch of national chains mixed with local shops. We stopped in at The Pasty Republic for lunch, a small store front with a couple of tables serving up Denver versions of the great British classic the Cornish Pasty. They don't really have the pastry crust correct, but for a stuffed pastry they make tasty hand pies. They offer up a traditional version and what I call New World pasties. The New Mexico with eggs, bacon, cheddar, green chilies, onions, and potatoes hit the spot. They also make a great chocolate chip cookie. The Pasty Republic probably wouldn't pass muster with a Pasty purist, but you what, they are making a tasty product. Our wander around Cherry Creek also included a stop at Aviano Coffee. Hip cool vibe, the kind of third wave coffee shop you actually want to hang out in. The front is all glass with a garage door style wall for indoor/outdoor seating. The rest is tables and nooks for sitting, chatting, or teleworking. They are using intelligentsia beans and make a nice cortado. Perfect for a sunny afternoon in Denver.

A return trip to Urban Hawker. Unfortunately, Daisy's Dream is no longer operating a stall. The Filipino stall Tradisyon was running a laksa special, and being rather hungover I was craving a bowl. A Filipino stall doing a Malaysian dish might not be the best choice but it was solid, and by the end, when all the flavors had melded, rather delicious. I also got an order of lumpia that were excellent. They were standard spring roll size (not the monsters crafted by Tom Power) and stuffed with ground chicken and very flavorful. If you are looking for a snack or app order, definitely consider the lumpia at Tradisyon. The Kopi coffee from Kopifellas still very good. Urban Hawker should definitely be on your list for Midtown Manhattan.

Let's not mock the cakepops, as a nut free bakery, the pops are a great treat when the nephew with a peanut-allergy visits. Plus the entire business was built on cakepops...no pops, no Baked by Yael.

Some recent electronic mixes I've put together: Morsest Goodbye My Damaged Home

We were up in NYC and decided that even though this exhibit will be at the National Gallery next year, it was too good to pass up at the Brooklyn Museum. Plus the Brooklyn Museum was celebrating its 200 anniversary with events all weekend. Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies "A defining Black woman artist of the twentieth century, Elizabeth Catlett (1915–2012) has not received the mainstream art-world attention afforded many of her peers. The Brooklyn Museum, in partnership with the National Gallery of Art, closes this gap with Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies, an exhibition of over 200 works that gives this revolutionary artist and radical activist her due. A deft sculptor and printmaker, devout feminist, and lifelong social justice advocate, Catlett was uniquely committed to both her creative process and political convictions. Growing up during the Great Depression, she witnessed class inequality, racial violence, and U.S. imperialism firsthand, all while pursuing an artistic education grounded in the tenets of modernism. Catlett would protest injustices for nearly a century, via both soaring artworks and on-the-ground activism. Born in Washington, DC, Catlett settled permanently in Mexico in 1946 and for the rest of her life she worked to amplify the experiences of Black and Mexican women. Inspired by sources ranging from African sculpture to works by Barbara Hepworth and Käthe Kollwitz, Catlett never lost sight of the Black liberation struggle in the United States. Characterized by bold lines and voluptuous forms, her powerful work continues to speak directly to all those united in the fight against poverty, racism, and imperialism."

Long Island City keeps growing and growing. And really it's so easy to get out there on the 7 train from Mid Town Manhattan. If I lived in NYC, it would certainly be an area I would look at. Dutch Kills Bar is primarily know as a cocktail bar. The lower floor is all dark wood and dimly lit. The front room is mostly booths and the main room has a proper traditional bar feel to it. Debbie's is the name of the bar upstairs and has more of a divy townie bar feel. It also has a small DJ area and they were spinning classic RnB (using mostly old 45 records). We had our cocktails up at Debbie's. Like all things NYC, not cheap, but they made me a very good Boulevardier. Dutch Kills opened in 2009 by Sasha Petraske, the founder of Milk & Honey. BTW, Kills is Dutch for creek.

Named to Bon Appetit's 20 Best New Restaurants of 2024

Does anyone know about this place? I randomly found it while scrolling around on Google maps. As far as I can tell it is a cottage bakery being run out of someone's house along Jones Mill Road in Chevy Chase. The website is minimal, and it appears you send an email to the owner for ordering and pick up is Saturdays at 3pm. The owner is named Michael and from the photos I found it looks like he has a wood fired oven in his back yard. "Freshly stone-milled grain, long fermentation. A neighborhood wood-fired bakery one house away from Coquelin Run." il mulino oltremare di sargasso

Dvořák Dreams: An Installation by Refik Anadol "Join the Kennedy Center and the 0xCollection for the U.S. premiere of Dvořák Dreams by internationally renowned artist Refik Anadol! The exhibit shows at the REACH from September 4 to 24. Dvořák Dreams is a monumental public artwork that blends contemporary art, music history, and cutting-edge technology. Anadol’s 32x32 feet immersive data sculpture utilizes artificial intelligence to transform the musical legacy of Czech composer Antonín Dvořák into a multi-sensory experience. Refik Anadol is celebrated for pushing the boundaries of creativity with his large-scale new media artworks, particularly through his use of data and machine intelligence to create public art. Dvořák Dreams was developed over two years, with Anadol using custom AI algorithms and data-driven processes to interpret Dvořák’s melodies, harmonies, and rhythms. This resulted in transcendent visualizations and a unique soundtrack that evoke the essence of the composer, incorporating elements of nature and cities that influenced Dvořák’s life and work."

ok, people, this is about blockbuster-y as you get. This year is the 150th anniversary of the First Impressionist Exhibition. Although the first exhibition was generally panned at the time, it is now considered the birth of modern painting. Paris 1874 is organized by the National Galley and the Musée d’Orsay and will only appear at these two museums. Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment "How did Impressionism begin? Discover the origins of the French art movement in a new look at the radical 1874 exhibition considered the birth of modern painting. A remarkable presentation of 130 works includes a rare reunion of many of the paintings first featured in that now-legendary exhibition. Revisit beloved paintings by Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot, Camille Pissarro, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir and meet their lesser-known contemporaries. See the art norms they were rebelling against and learn what political and social shifts sparked their new approach to art. Don’t miss the unique chance to immerse yourself in the dynamic Parisian art scene of 1874—we are the only American stop for this historic exhibition."

This is an excellent small exhibit in the Sackler building of what is now called the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art. We stumbled upon it while visit over the weekend and were blown away. A seriously good, flying under the radar exhibit. Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork "Metalworking is at once powerful and delicate. Immense labor and heat are required to extract pure metals from ore to form alloys that are then made into flat metal sheets. The technique of hammering introduces powerful blows to create a shape, yet it can also soften and refine metal through the gentle warmth of rhythmic strikes. Traditional Japanese metalworking evolved to produce functional items, such as vessels and tools. Hammering was primarily applied to create water containers for making tea, gongs for both religious and secular use, bells, swords, and armor. Over time, the development of alloys, patination methods, and the infusion of foreign decorative techniques, such as chasing and inlay, expanded the visual and aesthetic potential of hammered metalwork. Contemporary Japanese metalworking breathes life into traditional methods that have been passed down and practiced over generations. The artists featured in Striking Objects create masterpieces that combine tradition with creativity and innovation. The exhibition highlights works from the collection of Shirley Z. Johnson (1940–2021), distinguished lawyer, philanthropist, and former board member of the National Museum of Asian Art. Her passion for contemporary Japanese metalwork and her visionary gift have made the National Museum of Asian Art home to the largest collection of such works in the United States."

Wisconsin Rapids area (Central Wisconsin) Sand Valley Golf Resort: There's pretty much only one reason to visit Central Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Rapids area and that is Sand Valley Golf Resort. Part of the Keiser family Dream Golf portfolio, Sand Valley has four 18 hole courses, a short course, several restaurants, lodging, and more golf on the way. The Keiser family has pretty much revolutionized destination resort golf, building courses in partnership with the top talent on the day and fully embracing "if you build it, they will come." Dream Golf also owns Bandon Dunes (Oregon) and the underdevelopment Rodeo Dunes (Colorado) and Wild Spring Dunes (Texas). I played Mammoth Dunes (David McLay Kidd, 29th ranked public course in the country) and Sand Valley Course (Coore-Crenshaw, 18th ranked public course). Mammoth was a fun course to play but with a couple of quirky holes, and I'd say David's Gamble Sands course (Washington State) is better. The Sand Valley Course was amazing, beautifully sculpted in the landscape of rolling sand dunes and pine forest, amazing views, perfect conditions, and just a ton of fun to play. Mammoth Bar: Located in the main lodge, Mammoth Bar is a casual bar area for post round drinks and dining. I had very nice house made focaccia with whipped ricotta and a tasty fresh salad with grilled salmon. The Gallery: Sand Valley's latest restaurant addition is located by the newly opened Sedge Valley course. A very nice open restaurant space with plenty of wood for a contemporary rustic feel. The crispy calamari was perfectly cooked, the Caesar salad was solid with the dressing needing more anchovy punch, and the crispy roast potatoes just needing a sprinkle of chunky sea salt to elevate it from good to great. The walnut budino was a tasty creamy finish. Craig's Porch: A glorified snack shack perched on a hill overlooking the 1st and 10th tees of the Sand Valley course with amazing views of the resort, the play here is the $1 pork tacos. Bill's BBQ: Food truck style BBQ overlooking the short course. Objectively, not the best pulled pork I've had, but after a round of golf and facing a 3.5 hour drive back to Chicagoland, it hit the spot. If you are serious about golf and want a great golfing experience, Sand Valley should be on your list. Great golf courses, super laidback, very friendly and helpful staff, good dining, and for destination golf, relatively easy to get to from the DC area. (I was already in the Chicago area for a family reunion so driving up was a no brainer, but otherwise, it's an easy flight to Chicago Midway and from the airport a four hour drive to SV.)

We spent four days in Chicago, staying at an airbnb in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. This was a family trip and we had several young kids with us so we didn't really do any fine dining but did hit up some neighborhood joints. Wrigley Field: We caught a Cubs game at Wrigley Field. From Lincoln Park it's about a 10 minute trip on the L to the stadium, with the stadium stop dropping you off a block from the stadium. So very convenient. The concession prices were outrageous, but I did enjoy an Italian sausage with onions and mustard. I'm not much of a baseball fan, but Wrigley is iconic and with the new pitching clock the game moves along. Fun night out at the old ballgame. Art Institute: We had lunch at The Cafe at the Art Institute. It can get busy at peak hours but the line moved along. You order and then get seating and they bring the food to you. Art museums generally have some of the better museum food, and the Art Institute definitely does a good job. We were able to get an outdoor table on a beautiful Chicago summer afternoon. The avocado toast with various pickled summer vegetables was tasty, good house made potato chips, and a delicious chocolate chip cookie. The Cafe is not inexpensive, but if you are going to eat at one museum, this place should be on the list. Cedar Palace: A small family run Middle Eastern place near Oz Park. We placed a large take out order and everything was fresh and tasty. Not really a destination restaurant but very much a good neighborhood restaurant if you are staying in Lincoln Park and want something casual. elephant + vine: Fast casual 100% plant based doing big sloppy burgers, wraps, and bowls with Impossible and Chik'n products. For this genre of veg/vegan fast casual they do a good job.

Philz Coffee (multiple locations, currently camped out at the Lincoln Park branch). Thank the maker, this Ambrosia is going to taste so good. It was a shame when Philz left DC. The only non-California locations are in Chicago. I'm returning every day.