Chumley's Reopening Behind Schedule; Ruth Reichl's Mommy Disguise

The West Village speakeasy won't open this month, ex-cons are hanging out at a 'Sopranos' actor's pizzeria in Williamsburg, and see what Ruth Reichl wore when she reviewed restaurants for the 'Times.'

Posted 05/06/08 in Grub Street : Mediavore

Tags: calorie posting, chumley's, gourmet, health department, lee schraeger, mediavore, ruth reichl, south beach wine and food festival

A Blurry, Pleasant Preview of the New York Wine and Food Festival

New York Wine and Food Festival founder and directing intelligence Lee Schrager writes us, outling his developing vision for the festival. Why paraphrase? What follows are Schrager's words, whispered into the collective ear of his mailing list: “Imagine if you can…walking around an event on a beautiful Friday night in the fall that is held in the historic and scenic Meatpacking District, that features wonderful sponsor buildouts throughout the area, special promotions going on in the many great clubs and restaurants in the area featuring guest chefs and winemakers, and wine and food samplings in the numerous upscale boutiques. Got the picture?” Schrager, having no doubt experienced blowback from telling the Times that he was planning on closing down Ninth Avenue, also asks us to pass along this very unequivocal fact: “We are not closing off any streets.” Related: Meyer, McNally, Nieporent Respond to New NYC Food Festival

Posted 03/14/08 in Grub Street : NewsFeed

Tags: lee schraeger, new york wine and food festival, newsfeed

New York Food Festival: If Not Meatpacking, Where?

The Times may have jumped the gun in pronouncing the New York Wine & Food Festival a done deal in the meatpacking district. Caryl Chinn, of event organizer Karlitz & Co., tells us that, Lee Schraeger’s statement in the Times notwithstanding, the festival has not gotten permission to close down Ninth Avenue, nor has it tried to: “It never was our intention to close down Ninth Avenue.” There’s still a good chance that the event will take place in the meatpacking district, but ideally along four contiguous blocks, much like at South Beach. “We’re also looking at different parks,” says Chinn. So there is a festival, and it is on Columbus Day weekend. But where should it be? Make your suggestions in the comments. Calling All Rock Stars in Aprons [NYT] Related: Meyer, McNally, Nieporent Respond to New NYC Food Festival All South Beach Wine & Food Festival coverage

Posted 03/03/08 in Grub Street : NewsFeed

Tags: lee schraeger, meatpacking, new york wine and food festival, newsfeed, the food network

Meyer, McNally, Nieporent Respond to New NYC Food Festival

The Times reported last week that New York will get its own Lee Schrager food festival this fall (as we predicted last year), but does the city’s food community really want one? We rang up a few people who we’d expect to be involved with such an event and got a mixed reaction.

Posted 02/28/08 in Grub Street : Back of the House

Tags: andrew carmellini, Back of the House, drew nieporent, keith mcnally, lee schraeger, meatpacking district, new york wine and food festival, sobe