west village: fresh, new

between work and play, i've spent a lot of time this past week in my old, old neighborhood--the west village. i am starting to feel sorry for the people i go there with, who have had to listen to my laments about everything it once was (pretty, but a few faded and peeling facades shy of perfect): where's this place? oh?! gone! what's that over there? mama buddha's a bank now? where do people get their chinese food? biography bookshop is closed? (actually, no. it moved and was rechristened, bookbook. which is very filipino sounding. and not in a good way).

i really should get over it. what it is now is food-friendly to a degree that makes me daydream about living down there again (were it not for that stepford/mall-feel). but it's enough to just visit from time to time, for a little repast.

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where would i go?

my new favorite sandwich--turkey, danish blue, frisee, honey mustard, and lingonberries on a baguette-- is alive and kicking at the 11th street cafe (which i surmise is owned by the former proprietor of "bon signor" on my old street, jane street. there i go again with the nostalgia. but after being away from the hood for so long, it was comforting in a homey, small-town way to drop into a new place and see a very familiar face).

and there's a nice new little treat spot on carmine: popbar. my sister and i dropped in the day after it opened:

made fresh through out the day

coconut popbar with chocolate drizzle: mine. hand holding it: sister's

another new spot--just a couple of week's old--is il cantuccio. when my sister and i stopped in (a drive-by at 3, a sit-down at around 6) the tables were mostly empty. but a steady flow of patrons would stop in to check the specials, chat with the people there, and promise to return. it seems already they've made a real impression with the locals. and with sister and me.

this is one of my favorite shots from the day. meet one of the partners, ms. camilla bottari...

simplicity reigns. freshly baked schiacciata, with a bit of tomato and fontina cheese....