The Culture Mom - Page 2 of 166 - Adventures of a culture & travel enthusiast

29Jun

A Greek Taste of Astoria at Amylos Taverna

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NYC continues to excite my culinary senses. Last week I ventured out to Astoria for a Greek meal at Amylos Taverna. Other than a passion for Greek food and knowledge that the best Greek in NYC is found in this particular part of Queens, I knew very little and had low expectations. And, yes, the experience threw me quite a bit, in a good way. Owned and operated by the Arvanitis family (known for their involvement in the film "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" - the patriarch, John Arvanitis, also owns Omonia Cafe, which he opened in 1974. As a result, the Read More

26Jun

A Simply Sublime Israeli Meal at NYC’s BUSTAN

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If you're looking for an exquisite meal and you love Israeli food, you simply must visit BUSTAN. I was invited for a tasting recently, which I went in for with zero expectations, and I came out with a new favorite NYC restaurant. For one thing, I adore Israeli food. For another, I'm a vegetarian, and I love Israeli ingredients - the fresh vegetables, spices, and flavors. BUSTAN nailed all of my passions and desires. I am not necessarily a foodie, but after a visit there, I may be converted to one. I knew I was in for a treat from the moment I stepped Read More

10Jun

The 10 Best Quotes Heard Backstage at the 73rd Annual Tony Awards

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Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions This year the press room at the 73rd Annual Tony Awards was buzzing with excitement as news of the winning recipients flooded in throughout the evening. The room was full of reporters from around the world, writing for all kinds of publications from print to broadcast. It was an honor to be inside, and I relished my contact with the journalists and performers who came through to speak to us. These are people who love theater as much as I do, if not more. There weren’t too many surprises Read More

05Jun

An Italian Family Feast at NYC’s Senso Unico

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A few weeks ago, my family made the trip to Sunnyside, Queens for a night out on the town. Sunnyside isn’t an entirely new experience for us as we are huge fans of a Thai restaurant located here called Sri Pra Pra. Still, seeing that we live in Westchester, exploring the boroughs is always fun and a real treat. We love to eat and experience new places, particularly family-friendly ones, so when an invite came to experience Senso Unico, an Italian Osteria, I jumped. Owned by chef/Owner Vincenzo Garofalo and wife Laura, natives of Avellino, Italy, Senso Read More

03Jun

The Films We Loved at Tribeca Film Festival 2019

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The Tribeca Film Festival recently came to an end. While we didn’t get to see all of the over 100 films, we saw plenty of comedies, dramas, and documentaries. We’ve compiled a list of our favorites. Whether you’re a film buff or just like to watch the occasional movie, this is the list for you. Every filmmaker at TFF hopes to leave with a distribution deal so their work can be seen by a wider audience. We hope you get to enjoy many of these films at your local cinema or streaming platform in the near future, Feature Read More

24May

“Tootsie” is Bringing Me Back to My Blog

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I haven't written in a while, you may have noticed, call it blog burn out. I'm trying to figure that out, but in the meantime, I feel compelled to write today after seeing "Tootsie" on Broadway last night. The movie, which I saw countless times as a little girl, remains one of my favorites to this day. However, when I first heard about the play, I was skeptical. I wasn't quite sure how they could get it right on stage. But when the opportunity arose to see the show, I have to admit that I jumped and was bursting with excitement the day of the Read More

11Mar

Review: Ajijaak on Turtle Island at The New Victory Theater

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Beautiful and Elegant puppetry! My girls were mesmerized by "Ajijaak on Turtle Island," now playing at the New Victory Theater. If only I had been able to capture the amazement in their eyes and could show you their jaws dropped to the floor in wonder. They loved the puppets: the Turtle, the Whooping Cranes, the Buffalo, and the music! As a bonus, there was a song they taught us, a sure fire way into my kiddos hearts. We are just beginning our theater indoctrination and what a great way to start. The story looks to explain the Chaos Read More

15Jan

A Complicated But Hopeful Jewish New Media Summit

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It was the first night of the Jewish New Media Summit in Jerusalem. I had been invited as one of 160 journalists and bloggers from around the world to attend a three-day event hosted by the Israel Government Press Office for an up close and personal look at issues impacting Israel and the Diaspora. As both an American writer and liberal Jew, I was both anxious and curious to attend this Israeli Government sponsored event. Courtesy of Israel Government Press Office When I received the invitation last fall, I was pleased to be recognized as an Read More

24Dec

Celebrating the Holidays with Alvin Ailey During Their 60th Anniversary Season

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Yesterday I was fortunate to attend Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's special Family Matinee series in Manhattan at City Center. I took my 14-year-old son to witness the greatness that this group of modern dancers brings to their work and I hope he remembers it for years to come. The program was Timeless Ailey, featuring over a dozen treasures from Mr. Ailey’s wonderfully rich body of work, including highlights of seldom-seen gems Mary Lou’s Mass and The Lark Ascending. The result was electrifying. My son had never been to a modern dance Read More

08Dec

Review: “Mary Queen of Scots,” a Dynamic Dose of Gender Politics

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I was lucky to screen "Mary Queen of Scots," a film out in limited release now, last week right after returning from Israel. I was fearful I would fall asleep from a shot of jetlag that accompanied me back to America as the screening took place on an early Monday morning. I did not know much about Mary Stuart going into the screening, nor did I know much about her relationship with Queen Elizabeth. I was curious and quite excited to learn more about the supposed two rivals and real-life cousins, and I was also keen to watch two of the best actresses Read More