Beauty Bargain/multi locations

Every Fall and Spring there is a spa week promotion offering beauty treatment basics such as facials and massages as well as scrubs and microdermabrasion etc. All of these treatments are offered at $50 bucks. There is a long list of spas participating and some are pretty posh such as the Great Jones Spa, Essential Therapy and The Red Door Salon. I have been to all three and recommend Essential Therapy for it's Moroccan themed treatment rooms and small but powerful Jacuzzi, hot sauna and steam room. Other states participate in spa week and it is a fun and reasonable way to try a spa and treatment. Spring Spa week is April 14- April 26. You can check out participating salons at www.Spaweek.org.

San Loco

At this chain of cheap Mexican joints the food is served fast and made to order. The vibe is collegiate hangout though the restaurant reflects it's Mexican roots with blue tiles and wood tables. Since 1986 San Loco dishes quality food at muy barrato prices. Using all fresh ingredients even with their guacamole which at $.80 as an add on that is pretty darn cheap. So the food does not taste processed here like it does at other bigger chains.
Quesadillas, enchilladas, and burritos top out at $7 with meat or less with veggies or just rice and beans. My queso loco with rice and beans which was a warm flour tortilla with melted cheese wrapped around a hard shell taco with the add on of guacamole was a cheap dinner of under $5.00. This place stays around and busy because plain and simple the food is good and cheap.

New York International Beauty School

Located in a busy office building on 8th Ave near 35th Street, this beauty school dishes up the usual services with an international flair. At this school of beauty a wash and blow is $10 and yes B.Y.O.B. of shampoo that is or suffer with the cheap stinky almond stuff. This place is no frill, but I have many a fabulous blowout here and usually tip well as the staff is very nice and the students pride themselves on your satisfaction with their work. This place is not too full of clients like the other beauty school in the area (Empire) so it's more relaxing and they even have magazines you can read during your service. Walk in without appointment Monday through Saturday till 2PM and at night Monday, Wednesday and Thursday for the usual services. I have had cuts and color here with fine results. Cuts run about $15 and single process color around $20.

Nail

Yes, this place is called nail and that's what they do here for $6 bucks again a bargain for Manhattan and this nabe with many former cheap spots renovating and charging upwards of $8 for a mani. Well here you get the bare bones treatment in not the cleanest venue, but still a bargain. A few OPI colors in the selection of lots of Esse colors and a pretty nice result for the price. Oh, and Nail is on Avenue A. between 13th. and 14th. Street.

Mark Garrison Salon

This sleek salon is located in a modern townhouse on East 60th. Street with five floors of salon luxury. The assistant program does both cuts and color. Mark Garrision himself is cutting king to many a celebrity cliente. My friend Andrew is the color guru who will whip your dull locks into color and perhaps highlighted perfection. A consultation begins the process with a look at the old color and decision for a new. Mixing done, color is applied and you sit and read all the latest mags while you wait to be done. After washing out and gloss applied Andrew will do a fabulous blowout of your updated color. Color is $70 for single process and highlights . Now that is high style for a song.

Village Voice Choice Eats/Blog Mention

Please check out the Metromix story on the Village Voice Choice Eats event where Frannyonthego was pictured and quoted. The exact link is www.metromix.com/photogallery/snapshots-choice-eats/3370971/content.

Barbounia

Barbounia is a newish greek, I have wanted to eat a for a few months and it sits in a great spot on the corner of Park Ave. and 20th. Streets. It is a cavernous space punctuated by cream stucco walls and hanging vines. Lots of banguettes at lunch created a comfortable dining space. There is an extensive menu and a $19.99 prix fixe for lunch as well extensive wines by the glass. A borek style bread baked on premises served with mixed olives was a good start. There were a few service faux pas starting with the hostess handing myself and another table the dinner menu. I ordered the special cream of asparagus which arrived with a swirl of creme fraiche and was very well seasoned and tasty. The second appetizer of charred octopus over greens with yukon gold potatoes was very good as well. Lot's of the usual mezzes(greek spreads) are available as well as whole or filleted grilled fish as well as souvlaki and greek pizza. A nice size hearth oven looks like it does baking well. Be forewarned, this is pricey spot. Next, the check arrived with the soup being charged at the dinner rate and took almost fifteen minutes to correct. While waiting, I visited the bathrooms which are pretty gorgeous with blue tiles (communal) and stone sinks that look like something out of Aladdin. Nice, frosted glass doors are cool too.

Gallo Nero Wine Bar and Grill

Little Gallo Nero which translates into black chicken is a new spot off ninth avenue owned by the restauranteur of Il Bastardo in Chelsea. Eating there last night at 6:30(Saturday) the first surprise was that it was empty as the restaurants in the theatre district usually clear out only about 15 minutes before showtime. The fact that not many people know about Gallo Nero will surely change as the Daily News was shooting for a review in the paper this week. Gallo Nero's space boasts warm white stone walls and a ceiling lined with warm wood. It is charming, but most important the food. Rolls baked by Sullivan Street bakery and a chickpea dip begin the meal. A very good choice made by the restaurant as some posher spots offer a lesser quality bread. The menu is divided into small plates all of which are pretty cheap and average about $8 bucks. My friend Karen and I shared three small plates. A salad with green apples and goat cheese with lemon vinagrette and balsamic- we asked for both. That dish was $7. The Japanese egglant parmigiana for $9. was truly delish and like the best eggplant parm with a slight twist in the flavor of the eggplant. Next was the porcini mushroom risotto which was also very nicely done with a stong mushroomy flavor. The dessert of banana mouse surrounded by a banana pulp was yummy. All in all this place truly boasts a bang for the buck.

Chelsea Market

I am always shocked when people who are foodies have not been to the temple of all markets, Chelsea Market. Housed in an avenue block long space that once housed a sugar factory and now houses multiple food purveyors as well as the Food Network, Oxygen and NY 1 upstairs. This is one of my favorite places in all of NYC. All senses are awakened in the industrial urban space where the sugary, sweet, goodness entices your nose to walk further along the glazed concrete walkway. Passing the now empty Chelsea Florist on the left, continue into the market and stop for a gaze at the Fat Witch brownie shop surely considered the premier brownie baker with multiple flavors and samples on the weekend. Further up the food chain is Amy's Bread which is baked at the market, and has tables for munching. Ronnybrook Farms Milk Bar which sells their products as well as cooks up some great comfort breakfasts, lunch dinners all with the Ronnybrook milk served at the old fashioned dairy counter. Their ice-creams are quite good and their chocolate chip cookies are a personal favorite. One of the larger purveyors in the market is the Buon Italia Company. This store imports the usual and unusual Italian cheeses, olive oils, breads, jarred goods and pastas. They also have a food section outside of the store with authentic Italian offerings cooked there, and using many imported products. The food is quite authentically Italian, though not cooked to order. More goodies abound with Sarabeth's further on the left which houses their kitchen. Late day half priced specials are usually available after 5PM. There is also a small space for eating inside cooked or baked goodies. Other good dining options include the Thai restaurant which was one of the original tenants and still serves up fresh, food made to order. There is a seafood purveyor in the market selling high quality seafood and some made to order seafood salads, and chowders. Another fave is the Chelsea Market Basket which stocks very cool baskets and small food items, including chocolates and other unusual sweet and savories for very reasonable prices. For fun shopping there is the Bowery kitchen supplies and Marakesh imprts. One last food mecca is the Manhattan Fruit exchange which sells the fruits and veggies and stocks some exotic stuff like passion fruit and unusual varieties of oranges at somewhat reasonable prices.
Check out the website for up to the minute events at the market like salsa on Tuesday evenings and Tango on Friday evenings, yes you read that right. http://www.chelseamarket.com/

Dice Thai Cuisine

So many Thai's so little time. It can be hard to find a truly great Thai among a sea of so many. This little jewel opened a few years ago is one that is truly flavorful and well done. Sitting at the edge of Prospect Park West in Windsor Terrace where many new food spots are popping up quite often in what was once barren of decent chow. Every dish is made fresh and to order. I enjoyed the duck salad of roasted duck with tomatoes, pineapples, cashews over lettuce doused in chili lime juice. The tom kah gai arrives in an earthenware dish with handle which the owner said is from the famous central Bangkok market. The Pad Thai's are all very good here. I especially like the cashew nut entree with cashews, your choice of meat with scallions in a cashew nut sauce, now that's cashewy good. A Monday-Friday lunch special offers a variety of opetions compared to other Thai's and include a spring roll and salad for $5.95 for chicken, veggies or tofu and $6.95 for beef, shrimp or vegetarian duck. Walk it all of a few blocks away in lovely Prospect Park.

Via Emilia

At Via Emilia the cuisine of Modena is spotlighted. Before you walk in you notice the red door to the right of the restaurant beckoning you with it's many written accolades. This modern, space with brightly colored art, red banquettes lining the wall, was an instant hit when it opened some months ago. Located on East 21st Street between Broadway and Park Ave South, I dined there for lunch. Now this spot is cash only and being pretty reasonable that works. Lovely thick, dark, salty focaccia is served right away. I opted for a grilled shrimp salad served simply over arugula with hearts of palms and pieces of parmigiano reggiano. This was a lovely light dish with the shrimp nicely charred and ready to eat. Costing $12.50, it was a nice balance of flavors and definitely plated to order. For lunch many there are many pastas from $8-$15 are available as well as comparably priced panini. Some tempting paninis included chicken and eggplant alla parmigiana served on stirato bread. A panini called Big Luciano is a pressed sandwich with fried gnocco and procuitto- very interesting. The small staff simply consisted of a waitress, busboy and the chef came out to help and brought me the check. There will definitely be a return trip here to try the pastas which are hand made daily except penne, spaghette and farfalle.

Hot Chocolate

I have been meaning to blog this up before our thoughts turn to fiending for ice-cream instead of hot chocolate. I have been sampling many a restaurant's offerings all over town and found some spots offer such a dissapointing weak brew. On the upside some Mexican spots offer a very servicable hot chocolate spiced with cinnamon, something the country is famous for. Anything made without milk is almost not worth drinking. Here are my picks for the standout hot chocolates I have tried around town. Number one, would be the Shake Shack version which is rich, dark and thick with toffee marshmellows. This hot chocolate is almost a meal in of itself, and the lines are shortest in Gramercy Park on the coldest days. My second fave this season is at a charming little bakery on Allen Street on the LES called How Sweet it is.....remember Jackie Gleason's famous line. This is a pink dot of a bakery with artisan baked goods and pastries. The hot chocolate is just the right amount of chocolately goodness and is heaven with a baked accompanyment. Of course, City Bakery deserves an honorable mention, but it is frankly just too rich for my palate.