Dîner en Blanc - New York Style

On Wednesday, Manhattan island witnessed a stunning display of 4,200 ultrachic pedestrians, dressed in voguish white attire, navigating through the streets and subways during the height of rush hour – hauling tables, chairs, table dressings and food to the world’s biggest dinner party - hosted by Dîner en Blanc!

As is customary, Dîner en Blanc’s organizers kept the event's location a secret until the very last minute. Once the guests learned that they'd be dining in Bryant Park, the stylishly sophisticated crowd flooded into the venue, to kick off NYC’s highly anticipated Parisian influenced dinner party. 

The spectacular array of dinner guests ate, drank, laughed, conversed, mingled and partied until nightfall, surrounded by the bright lights of NYC’s iconic skyscrapers.

 

 

 

Dîner en Blanc: New York City thanks you for hosting such a fabulous dinner and dance party. 

See you next year!

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Images of Haitian Cuisine

New York City is home to a rich tapestry of authentic culinary traditions.  Although the Big Apple is bursting at the seams with exotic dishes from nearly every corner of the earth, Haitian cuisine is in a class by itself.

You’re in for a mind blowing experience when you bite into traditional Haitian delicacies from the island’s Creole fusion of African, French, Spanish and indigenous Taino dishes.  Their customary meals have been a popular staple in most of the NYC area's Caribbean communities for generations. But over the years, the island's amazing dishes have been popping up in the city's hippest enclaves.

Brooklyn's trendy Forte Greene area is home to La Caye Restaurant, located directly across the street from the historic Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM).  Every savory dish on their menu is an explosion of the rich and spicy flavors that are synonymous with authentic Haitian cuisine. Dining at La Caye is an unforgettable culinary experience! 

Shiktay (seasoned smoked herring appetizer)

Poisson Rose (red snapper) prepared in Creole sauce. 

 Creole seafood platter of lobster tails,
crab legs and shrimp.

The highly popular Kombit Bar & Restaurant  is another "must try" Haitian eatery - located a few blocks away from the new Barclay Center sports arena, in Park Slopes Brooklyn. They keep the culinary traditions alive by marinating, simmering, baking and / or frying every dish to perfection. Try Kombit once and you'll become a fan for life!

Lambi (conch meat) prepared in traditional Creole sauce 

with vegetables & side order of fried plantains.

Griot (fried pork) and black mushroom rice, with spicy pickled
cabbage-carrots and Creole sauce condiments.

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NYC's Maine Lobster

There's something to be said about people, with insatiable appetites for lobster, who take an annual pilgrimage to Maine for the sole purpose of consuming copious amounts of the freshly caught crustacean. Maine's iconic delicacy draws crowds from all over, because its distinctively sweet flavor sets it apart from lobsters of other regions.

 

New Yorkers, with a craving for Maine's highly favored lobsters, will salivate over ones being served at local eateries. The subsequent images offer a quick snap shot of the popular dishes in our area.

Biting into a lobster roll from any one of the +Luke's Lobster locations reinforces the reason that they were voted as one of the best of New York City.  They don't overpower the meat's heavenly sweet taste with tons of spices and mayo. 

Maine Lobster Roll

Anyone who is familiar with Brooklyn's mouthwatering +Red Hook Lobster Pound menu will warn you about the (out of the way) trek to the eatery's location.  But, patrons with discerning taste buds tend to embrace the experience. If you're not in the mood for a journey to "middle earth", you can catch the Red Hook Lobster Pound's food truck in the city.

Red Hook Lobster Pound Food Truck in the City

Maine Lobster Roll

The +Lobster Joint's menu has been a hit in trendy Greenpoint BK, for years.  To the delight of local lobster roll addicts, that yum factor was recently introduced to the Lower East Side, when a new location popped up near the iconic Katz Deli.  Their generous portions of tasty lobster meat coupled with an appetizing range of seafood options are a recipe for success!

Signature New England Lobster Roll

Lobster Claw Bloody Mary

Lobster Mac & Cheese

Lobster Omelet for Brunch

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Too Soon to Forget

Superstorm Sandy has remained on the minds of many, since the day she tore through New York's tri-state area, taking lives and leaving several communities in shambles.  It's impossible to forget the horrific footage of angry tides crashing into homes, destroying businesses, tossing vehicles around like match box toys and ruining countless lives.  In the immediate aftermath, we were astonished by the destruction and perplexed by images of subway stations submerged underwater, a roller coaster sitting in the Atlantic Ocean, a 700 ton tanker partially transplanted on a residential street and communities that were blanketed in darkness.  The multitudes who suffered through this catastrophic nightmare were left to rebuild their lives.  Many of the unaffected would occasionally think about the storm... others continued to work on assisting the victims... but, most just moved on.

6 months after Sandy, I was in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn and noticed that a nearly century old community staple was boarded up.  I stood on the corner of Surf & Stillwell puzzled by the sight of a lifeless shell that looked like the Original Nathan’s Famous hot dog eatery.  Anyone who was familiar with that flagship restaurant knew that it remained open for business 365 days a year, since 1916.  And, now it was closed!?!?!  Did I miss something?  Did they just go out of business?  As the endless questions raced through my mind, it never occurred to me that the iconic eatery was one of Sandy’s victims. Nathan's boards reminded me that it was too soon to forget Superstorm Sandy.

Desolate shell of Brooklyn's iconic eatery.

 

Busy scene that we remember and hope to see again...

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Travel & Portrait Photography

As a photographer, I enjoy capturing images that reflect a broad range of cultures.  The subsequent ones represent a small sample of regular portraits and global images that speak a thousand words.  Both genres are captivating because they personify the things that make the world go round.

Tradition

History

Religion

  Tranquility

Tragedy

Wonder

Symbolism

Industry

Admiration

Child's Play

Siblings

Friends

Family

 

Love

 Stay tuned for more images from Villa Décor Photography’s global archive!


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Religious Images of a Roman Holiday

The images of the enthusiastic crowds spilling into the streets of Rome and the Holy See, during the papal conclave, brought up a memory of one of my fondest trips to Italy. This particular vacation revolved around more than just gastronomic binges, great shopping, cultural exploration and the endless warmth of the Italian people. This holiday was also steeped in religious traditions and photography (of course).

Anyone who shares a great passion for photography and traveling can understand the need to capture the uniquely beautiful images of places that he/she visits. This is especially the case for anyone who sets eyes on Rome, the Holy See and every other Italian City. 

Visitors can’t help turning their attention to the intriguing cliques of clergymen and nuns, who casually stroll or rush through the streets, donning a wide array of religious vestments that either suit them the best or reflect the orders that they serve.  These candid images personify a country that is shrouded in strong catholic traditions.

Regardless of one’s religious beliefs, the sight of St. Peter’s Basilica invokes an unparalleled fascination with the seat of a 2,000 year old establishment. The sheer size of this iconic structure, the rich history, breathtaking sculptures and stunning works of art that cover every square foot of the Vatican, will leave a person in awe.

 

The greatest part of visiting the Holy See becomes evident when massive crowds of the faithful and / or the curious flock to St. Peter’s Square to catch a glimpse of the Pope presiding over a catholic service.

 

 

This week, as I watched the crowds anxiously waiting for the newly elected Pope Francis to emerge from the papal balcony, I thought about the day that I got an opportunity to see and snap pictures of Pope Benedict XVI, on the very same spot.

It was a moment in time that I will always cherish, but hope to repeat, someday, when I take another Roman holiday. *Fingers crossed*...hoping to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis, on a future trip.

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