Thursday, February 2, 2017

New York $3 PBR Pabst Beer

$3.00 PBR PABST BLUE RIBBON BEER New York and the $3.00 PBR, Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer has been a God-Send to many New Yorkers. As you all know, the US Economy has been in the Shitter for the past 3-Half years or so.
Many people are out of work, and many who are working, are taking home Half-as-Much Money or more of what they used to make. People have had to buckle down and give up or curb many things they enjoyed previous to the current state of our economy, which is in almost a Depression Era State.
Yes, everybody says that we are not in a Depression, we're in a recession. Those are the Rich and Well-Off talking. To many, the state of our Union and their feelings are of Depression.
So, because of the Terrible State of our Economy you have given up eating out 3 times a week, you buy less clothes, spend less on Entertainment and any number of things and you haven't had a vacation in the past two years, maybe more. You've given up a lot. We all have.
Now when it comes to socializing, going out for a few Beers or Cocktails with some friends, you've had to cut back on that too. But hey, you gotta draw a line somewhere, and everyone is entitled to a few drinks to unwind every now and then. But if you live in the Great City of New York this can be a costly undertaking, especially in this day, and of all times, to be having a Boom in The $14, Sixteen-Dollar-Or -More-Cocktail, "What The FUCK?" What is a Poor Working Guy or Girl to do??? Well Boys and Girls, let's Thank God for that great thing of wonder and the Bars and establishments who so graciously and kindly serve it, The $3.00 PBR, That's right, a $3.00 Beer in The Land of The Over-Priced $16.00 Cocktail, Manhattan, New York, NY..... It's quite Sad, Greedy too.
Yes, Thank God and let's thank the Kind-Heart proprietors who serve $3.00 PBR'S or any Beer for just $3 or $4 in a New York Bar. You are doing you fellow man a public service and we thank you for that. Whoever you are, you are to be commended, and Shame-On-You, all those places that serve $14 PLUS Cocktails. "RIP-OFF" !!! Wish the masses would Boycott these places and patronize places like Blue & Gold Bar, 7B, and anyplace who has a heart. Bars that serve 3 and 4 Dollar Beers.
I just have to say, it's great to go to a place like Blue and Gold Bar on East 7th Street and know that you can have 3 or 4 Beers for just $12 to $16, accounting for a Buck a Pop for the Barkeep. Now that's pretty good. I have had the best times hanging at Blue & Gold Bar (East 7th Street near 1st Ave.) with some friends. You sit at the Bar or get into a nice comfy booth, drink your Beers ($3 PBR'S), relax, listen to the Music, Chit Chat, and just enjoy, and it's not going to cost you The Shirt Off Your Back.
Yes, you can have 4 Beers, tip included for the price of 1 Rip-Off Drink at one of those Rip-Off Joints. And if you are Dumb enough to have four drinks in one of those places, guess what it's going to cost you? About $75 my friend.
Well, do the Math, and if you can afford $75 for only 4 drinks, God Bless You. And if you can't, you've got an alternative. Right, your local $3.00 PBR Joint. They're a God-Send.
 
 Daniel Bellino ZwickeArticle Written March 2010 Hello my friends. I originally wrote this piece back in March of 2010 .. The country and the economy was really in the shitter, seeing one of the worst economic down-turns in the U.S. Economy since the Great Depression of the 1930's ... Many said we were in a Depression, while others refused to admit it. I bet if you asked anyone of Tens of Millions of people who lost their job, were out of work, or took a tremendous cut in their previous earnings, they'd tell you, "yes, this is a depression." Many who lost their jobs because companies just weren't taking in the kind of cash they once did, thus letting people go and trimming the fat so to speak. Some of these people lost their jobs, then went out and found a new one, but one big and excruciating factor, their earnings were cut by 25 to 50%, or even more. They may have gotten a new job, but they weren't making the kind of money as they did before. People had to seriously cut their expenditures. No more rampant spending of things they really didn't need, less or no more vacations, no more eating out 3 times a week or more, this-that-and-every-other thing. I think you get the drift? Guess what? We still have not recovered ... Well maybe a bit, but not very much, and many people's Psyche has changed .. People, myself included realized that we didn't need  a lot of the stuff we thought we needed before, like 10 pair of shoes instead of 4 or 5 or whatever. Again, I think you get the drift. So, even if you are making good money again, some are, some not, you may not be as free to spend as you were before. You'll get the essentials, things you really must have, not much more, and you might even splurge a little bit, but your splurging is way down. If you are making some cash, you want to hold on to it, as much as possible. You're not gonna go and throw it away as so readily as before .. Your gonnna, save, mainly with the fear that although you're doing fine now (Financially), you know all to well, that things can go sour in a hurry and you want to have a cushion, just in case it does. And so, if you're like me, though you can afford more, you're not gonna just go and throw it all away, Every dollar I save, is another dollar for me. Money in the bank, and I'm saving more than ever before. If some friend wants to go out for a few drinks, I'm gonna want to hang out and have a good time too, every now and then. But guess what? If I can get them to go to Blue & Gold or 7B, then were gonna do that. Hey, I can have 3 beers and spend just $15 or less. I'm not gonna go some place were 3 beers or drinks are gonna cost me two or three times that. If I was going to have 3 beers or drinks in another place, and lets say I was going to spend $33  ... But instead, we go to Blue & Gold, 7B or some other joint where we can drink cheap. I have just as good as a time, I spend just $15 and I have $18 that can go into the bank instead of throwing it away and paying that much more than I really need to. Multiply that by 35 times and you've got $630 in your savings account that you might have otherwise thrown away needlessly. I go to the supermarket and buy whats on sale. I hardly ever buy anything that's not on sale. This includes food, clothing, household goods, anything. As my Jewish friends would say, "Never Pay Full Retail." I don't!  Anyway, I guess I'm going on-and-on, so I'll stop .. So, you see, here we are in the Autumn of 2014, and approaching 2015, and the $3.00 PBR, the 3 or 4 Dollar Beer is quite relevant. Get em ($3 Beers), and enjoy them, and remember, you should "Never Pay Full Retail." Spend, just spend wisely, and all the surplus you save will make your Bank Account grow, and grow. Basta!
Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
[caption id="attachment_1572" align="alignnone" width="212"]THE BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK GOT ANY KAHLUA? Abide !!![/caption] THE BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Coffee and The CAFE





CAFFE REGGIO 
GREENWICH VILLAGE NEW YORK


Copyright 2016 Daniel Zwicke

May not be Re-Produced



Gotta have my coffee at the Cafe. There is not much in life that pleases me more drinking a nice hot tasty Cup of Joe in the warm welcoming invirons of a nice cafe. And I don't mean Starbucks. Yes I can have my coffee at home each day, and save quite a lot of money. Yes i could have it at home and instead of spending about $1,600 a year or $16,000 every 10 Years on the stuff, I'd just spend about $120 a year or $1200 in ten instead of that 16 Grand. Yes I could put a whopping $15,000 in my pockets every ten years or so if I wasn't so extravagant in my daily coffee habit, but it juts wouldn't be the same, I wouldn't be in a cafe which I love so dearly. I'd be at home alone with my coffee and no one else around. I'd have my coffee but I wouldn't have people nor the surroundings of a nice cafe like one of my favorites of all, the former Caffe Dante in New York's Greenwich Village where I had my coffee ( Cappuccino, Espresso, Caffe Latte) nearly everyday for 30 years.

You see it's not just about the coffee but about being around other people and the community and conviviality of this thing called the cafe, a place to gather and be among like-minded people, those who life the cafe life. I could just go there and burry myself in a book, do some writing, or converse with a friend, the waitress, or someone new who I just met, "you see I'm at a cafe," and this is what you do, you read, you write, sip your coffee, you relax, that's the essence of any good cafe, and I've been to many. I've been to Caffe Florian in Venice, Duex Maggot and Flore along with many more in Paris, to Greco in Rome, Gambrinus in Napoli, Biela in Buenas Aires, du Monde in New Orleans, Caravelle in Macau, and many more.








"Making ESPRESSO"

Caffe Gambrinus

Naples, Italy

for the World's BEST ESPRESSO

Yes I could have my Coffee at home, but why would I when I can go to the cafe, for "It's an affordable Luxury, and one that I love so." Coffee.



Daniel Bellino Zwicke









CAFFE GAMBRINUS

NAPOLI









At Caffe Gambrinus, Napoli, Italy, you're served your Espresso in this beautiful cup.











CAFFE FLORIAN

St. MARKS SQUARE

VENICE ITALY Since 1720





COFFEE at FLORIAN'S


"Now THAT'S COFFEE" But For a PRICE !









WAITER SERVING BEIGNETS And CAFE CREME

CAFE Du MONDE

NEW ORLEANS

ONE of MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE CAFES


"I JUST LOVE IT" !!!!







CAFE DUEX MAGGOTS

St GERMAIN De PRES


PARIS








CAFE BIELA

BUENOS AIRES

ARGENTINA





CAFFE REGGIO

GREENWICH VILLAGE




The COFFEE MACHINE

CAFFE REGGIO

Macdougal Street GREENWICH VILLAGE New York

MY FIRST CAFE

Started going there when I was just 15 years old ...






Kerouac & Reggio

VILLAGE BEATS





PACINO - CAPPUCINO at REGGIO

CAFFE REGGIO

Macdougal Street GREENWICH VILLAGE New York

MY FIRST CAFE

I Started going there when I was just 15 years old ...







BELLINO at REGGIO

BESTSELLING author DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

At CAFFE REGGIO

He Started Going there When he was Just 15 YEARS OLD












PICASSO

He loved his Espresso

mostly at Cafe Flore in PARIS








The Classic Coffee to GO CUP

PICASSO would have Loved it !










MANGIA ITALIANO !!!

The Latest from Best Selling Cookbook Author

DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE



.


Saturday, November 19, 2016

Bourbon Old Fashion

 





An Old Fashion and New Orleans. Two things I Love dearly. And drinking Old Fashions in New Orleans and Bourbon Old Fashions to be more specific is a favorite pastime of mine, especially at such fine Bars as Napoleon House, The Long Bar at Tujague's, or at Arnaud's and Galatoire's.
The first thing i order from my waiter at my beloved Galatoire's is a Bourbon Old Fashion. They make them perfectly here, muddling an Orange Slice with sugar, Maraschino Cherry, Soda, and Angostora Bitters before filling the glass with Ice and adding my Bourbon. The waiter brings my Old Fashion and I'm in Heaven. I'm at Galatoire's in New Orleans. It's one of my favorite restaurants in the World. I have my drink, sitting in the main dining room looking the menu over. "Oh Bliss."
    What to have for lunch. Shall I get a Gumbo, Raw Oysters, or Oysters Rockefeller to start? Decisions, Decisions! And my main Course? Trout Almondine, Shrimp Clemenceau, or Filet Mignon topped with Fried Oysters and Hollandaise. Think I'll go for a Cup of Gumbo, followed by the Oysters Rockefellor, and Trout Almondine for my main. They should go with my Bourbon Old Fashion quite nicely.
    What, "No Wine with Your Meal," you ask. knowing what a Wine freak I am.
"No, not in New Orleans my friends." I do not drink Wine in the Cresent City. It's all pretty much Cocktails when I'm down there, maybe a Beer or two, but no Wine what-so-ever in New Orleans for me. Hey it's the way to go in New Orleans. That's what you do down there, Cocktails are preferred throughout the meal over Wine. And that's fine by me. It just seems to go better. My Bourbon Old Fashion and all the fine Creole Cuisine. I Love it.
So, if you're ever down there, in that wonderful city on the Mississippi, New Orleans, go to Galatoire's, Antoine's, Arnauds's. Order yourself a nice Lunch or Dinner, and don't forget to get a couple Bourbon Old Fashions to go with your meal. It's a match made in Heaven, Creole Food and an Old Fashion in New Orleans, Louisiana. "Do it."
by Daniel Bellino Zwicke




.

#TheFoodGuy



#FoodGuy

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Rosso di Montalcino Good Times Curtis Stone

 
 
If a good or great Rosso di Montalcino is any indication of how good the Brunello of the same Vintage to be released 3 years later will be, and it usually is, then we are in store for some great Brunello 2009 when they are release in January of 2014.
At the recent "Brunello Tasting" for the 2006 Vintage Brunello's, the 2009 Rosso di Montalcino's that were on hand, where absolutely wonderful and the big surprise of the tasting held at The New York Hilton. Rosso's where on hand by some but not all producers of Brunello, and most that I tasted were outstanding. Some were just about close to perfection, with wonderful balance of an abundance of Fruit, against just the right amount of acid content, and tannic backbone. Some of these wines were an absolute Joy to drink as with examples by; Argiano, Fattoria Barbi, Il Poggione, and the
Rosso di Montalcino from the Castel Giacondo Estate of the Noble Florentine Family, The Frescobaldi's.
      I really loved the Rosso from Argiano which reminded me of the year of 2008 when my friends the Rozner Brothers Dave and Michael found ourselves quite a number of times hanging at the highly popular and one of New York's best Trattoria's "Bar Pitti" having some good ole times drinking
Rosso di Montalcino "Argiano" 2006. This was a good year for Rosso from Montalcino and we must of had at least 50 bottles of the stuff that year. One day we were joined by friend Curtis Stone. We had a wonderful 2 1/2 hour lunch that day, eating Tripp, Prosciutto, and Pasta accompanied by 5 bottles of Argiano Rosso which we thoroughly enjoyed. And this is all of what wines should be along with the food that goes with them and the restaurants or homes we share our meals in; good Friends, tasty Food, and great wine. That's the good life or as we Italians would say La Dolce Vital, "The Sweet Life." Enjoy!
 
 
 
 
by Daniel Bellino Zwicke
 
 
 
 
 
A bottle of ARGIAN ROSSO di MONTALCINO
 
 
"Yes we had many great times drinking this wine at BAR PITTI
 
GREENWICH VILLAGE,  NEW YORK
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SUNDAY SAUCE
 
 

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

TV DINNER FOOD PORN

 
 
FRIED CHICKEN
 
 

FOOD PORN ???
 
 
Or NOT ???
 
 
 
If you were a little kid in the 1960's, this Fried Chicken TV DINNER
 
may very well been FoodPorn to you ...
 
REMEMBER ???
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
WANT to KNOW HOW 
 
to MAKE AWESOME FRIED CHICKEN ???
 
 
 


RECIPES in The BADASS COOKBOOK
 
 
SECRET KFC KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN RECIPE
 
BADASS FRIED CHICKEN Recipe
 
and More ...









"TV DINNER" - ART




"TV DINNER"

Framed FINE ART PRINT 

by the ARTIST "BELLINO"

WARHOL INSPIRED "POP ART"

From FINE ART AMERICAN











FOOD PORN















 
 
 

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Daniel Bellino Zwicke and Galatoire's New Orleans

  screen-shot-2016-11-13-at-3-10-46-pm  

GALATOIRE'S RESTAURANT on Bourbon Street in NEW ORLEANS  ... Since 1905

One of Galatoire's long-time Waiters

screen-shot-2016-11-13-at-3-10-06-pm

John Fontenot  ... Since 1967

Yes I have a love affair with that storied old restaurant down in The Big Easy                          of New Orleans Louisiana ... The restaurant is Galatoire's, one of the Grande Old Dames of the great city of New Oreleans. Galtoire's is not the oldest of these grand old restaurants of The Cresent City, no Tujague's is the oldest and Antoine's after that. Then there's Arnaud's which I well love also, and the newest grande dame of them all, Commander's Palace out in the Garden District ...

I've been all around the World, several times at that, and I've eaten at many famous and wonderful restaurants, and ones quite low-bro, yet great all the same ... Galatoire's is not low-brow by any stretch of the imaginations and along with the more so-called well-heeled tourist who make it there Galatoire's is a bastion of the those in-the-know and those of whom might be considered well-heeled and educated .. The restaurant was a bastion of the likes of; Tennessee Williams, Huey Long, and other luminaries .. Tennessee Williams even included Galatoire's in a funny passage in his great play A Streetcar Named Desire ...

“Galatoire’s is a restaurant with traditions that have been preserved with little change through the decades. There has, however, been a slight modification of the restaurant’s once impenetrable policy of no reservations. Known for years by its characteristic line snaking down Bourbon Street, patrons would wait for hours just to get a table — especially on Fridays.”

The folks at Galatoire’s love to tell the story of the Friday when President Reagan placed a call to Sen. J. Bennett Johnston, who was waiting in the line outside. The senator went in, took the call and then returned to his place in line.   screen-shot-2016-11-13-at-1-15-47-pm  

Me in one of my Happiest kind of moments. Eating Lunch at Galatoire's

February 2007

Shane Mitchell wrote a piece for Saveur Magazine that goes like this; “No one hands me a menu. It’s just not done on Fridays. Friday lunch at Galatoire’s … starts in the morning, with bourbon milk punch at the upstairs bar. One floor below, a congenial crush of locals clutch cocktails in the foyer. They wait until manager Melvin Rodrigue, in pressed powder-blue seersucker, opens the doors to the dining room of the 105-year-old institution. It’s 11:30 a.m. “He guides the crowd to their regular tables. The gentlemen hang their Panama hats on brass hooks beneath forest-green wallpaper flocked with fleurs-de-lis, the revived symbol of the city’s fortitude since Hurricane Katrina. A table of ladies in dime-store tiaras and serious diamonds toss confetti into the air. Jacketed waiters bear large platters as they weave between bentwood chairs. “One of them, Peter or Homer or John or Shannon, recites the specials and brings, without anyone seeming to have asked, orders of the twice-fried souffle potatoes, puffed like starchy zeppelins, with a dose of tarragon-scented bearnaise. Next, a side of fried eggplant sticks.” Mitchell goes on to describe Friday lunch at Galatoire’s as a “genteel riot.” That’s as good a description as any.

Moon Light Wine Tasting NewYork







Went to the Moon Light Wine Tasting at Panebianco Wines the other night and it was one of my most enjoyable wine-tastings in quite some time. It was more like a wine tasting of friends that are not in the business of buying or selling wine than the many tastings I go to that are more businesslike, though I always make the tastings I go to somewhat of a social event, more so than business. When I go to these numerous tastings held for professionals in the business I always go to have a good time, taste, learn, and socialize. Well at Panebianco's Moon Light Tasting the other night I didn't need to try very hard to relax and enjoy it purely as a party, for that what it was and the evening was most enjoyable, starting out with a nice refreshing glass of Prosecco (actually two), moving on to some Greco di Tufo and Fiano d' Avelino before tasting the fine Pugnane Barolo and La Togato Brunello before moving on to the main event of a vertical tasting of some 8 vintages of Venturini Amarone which was hosted by M. Venurini of the Venturini Family of San Foriano, Italy in the heart of the Valpolicella Classico Wine Region of Italy, which is the zone that produces; Bardolino, Valpolicella, Recioto di Valpolicella, Amarone and other wines.






A bottle of Venturini AMARONE della VALPOLICELLA 2009

One of 8 wonderful offerings of Venturini Amarone we drank that night.

Just Yummy !!!





Our Host for the Evening M. VENTURINI telling us about her family's wines ..