Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Stanley Tucci Favorite Pasta Recipes of Rome

 



BUCATINI AMATRICIANA






ROMAN PASTA in LAZIO

Two Greedy Italians

with GENARO CONTALDO





"STANLEY TUCCI'S FAVORITES"


MANGIA ITALIANO

STORIES & RECIPES

ROMAN PASTA

And More ...







RIGATONI CACIO PEPE






RIGATONI CACIO PEPE







Sunday, February 18, 2024

Hotel Chelsea New York

 



The HOTEL CHELSEA

NEW YORK CITY

by Boray









The HOTEL CHELSEA




HISTORY of The CHELSEA HOTEL 


The Hotel Chelsea (also the Chelsea Hotel; colloquially the Chelsea) is a hotel at 222 West 23rd Street in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Built between 1883 and 1884, the hotel was designed by Philip Hubert in a style described variously as Queen Anne Revival and Victorian Gothic. The 12-story Chelsea, originally a housing cooperative, has been the home of numerous writers, musicians, artists, and entertainers, some of whom still lived there in the 21st century. As of 2022, most of the Chelsea is used as a luxury hotel. The building is a New York City designated landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places.

The front facade of the Hotel Chelsea is 11 stories high, while the rear of the hotel rises 12 stories. The facade is divided vertically into five sections and is made of brick, with some flower-ornamented iron balconies; the hotel is capped by a high mansard roof. The Hotel Chelsea has thick load-bearing walls made of masonry, as well as wrought iron floor beams and large, column-free spaces. When the hotel opened, the ground floor was divided into an entrance hall, four storefronts, and a restaurant; this has been rearranged over the years, with a bar and the El Quijote restaurant occupying part of the ground floor. The Chelsea was among the first buildings in the city with duplex and penthouse apartments, and there is also a rooftop terrace. The hotel originally had no more than 100 apartments; it was subdivided into 400 units during the 20th century and has 155 units as of 2022.

The idea for the Chelsea arose after Hubert & Pirsson had developed several housing cooperatives in New York City. Developed by the Chelsea Association, the structure quickly attracted authors and artists after opening. Several factors, including financial hardships and tenant relocations, prompted the Chelsea's conversion into an apartment hotel in 1905. Knott Hotels took over the hotel in 1921 and managed it until about 1942, when David Bard bought it out of bankruptcy. Julius Krauss and Joseph Gross joined Bard as owners in 1947. After David Bard died in 1964, his son Stanley operated it for 43 years, forming close relationships with many tenants. The hotel underwent numerous minor changes in the late 20th century after falling into a state of disrepair. The Krauss and Gross families took over the hotel in 2007 and were involved in numerous tenant disputes before the Chelsea closed for a major renovation in 2011. The hotel changed ownership twice in the 2010s before BD Hotels took over in 2016, and the Chelsea reopened in 2022.

Over the years, the Chelsea has housed many notables such as Arthur Miller, Bob DylanArthur C. ClarkePatti SmithRobert Mapplethorpe, and Virgil Thomson. The Chelsea received much commentary for the creative culture that Bard helped create within the hotel. Critics also appraised the hotel's interior—which was reputed for its uncleanliness in the mid- and late 20th century—and the quality of the hotel rooms themselves. The Chelsea has been the setting or inspiration for many works of popular media, and it has been used as an event venue and filming location.




NEW YORK HOTELS







The HOTEL CHELSEA






Inside The HOTEL CHELSEA










FLIGHTS & HOTELS

WORLDWIDE









POSITANO The AMALFI COAST

TRAVEL GUIDE - COOKBOOK









MICKEY MANTLE

JUST BECAUSE





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Thursday, February 15, 2024

Frank Sinatra Public Domain Free Picture

 



FRANK SINATRA

In The Public Domain - Picture








FRANK SINATRA

As a YOUNG BOY





The SINATRA COOKBOOK



NONNA BELLINO'S COOKBOOK

aka The SINATRA COOKBOOK

RECIPES From NONNA BELLINO

Of  LERCARA FRIDDI SICILY

FRANK SINATRA'S FATHER'S TOWN





The Sinatra Cookbook Interview Frank

 



Frank Sinatra with Walter Cronkite

Interview 1965






Frank Sinatra with Walter Cronkite

CBS TV Interview

1965





FRANK SINATRA

1965





RICHARD BURON Tribute to FRANK SINATRA









FLIGHTS & HOTELS

WORLDWIDE






Geraldo Rivera and Nancy Sinatra






NANCY SINATRA Defends Her FATHER

FRANK SINATRA






FRANK SINATRA Interview with LARRY KING

May 13, 1988





 


FRANK SINATRA

Interview with BILL BOGGS 

1975 






NANCY SINATRA Talks About Her FATHER

FRANK SINATRA






FRANK SINATRA

TV Interview with EDWARD R. MURROW





The FRANK SINATRA COOKBOOK



NONNA BELLINO'S COOKBOOK

aka The SINATRA COOKBOOK

RECIPES FROM NONNA BELLINO

Of LERCARA FRIDDI SICILY

The SAME TOWN as The SINATRA'S





























Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Plan Your Positano Amalfi Coast Trip Early

 

          

         POSITANO

 


GOING to POSITANO ?  The AMALFI COAST ?


Positano ? Are you thinking of going there this coming Spring, Summer, or Fall ? Be prepared. Prepared meaning, make hotel reservations months in advance. "That's like Now" !!! Yes Now ! And if you want to stay in Positano, make sure you've got a good amount of cash. Most rooms, start at $600 a night, and go up from there. Yes, I'm not kidding.

You may one of millions who have seen the millions more pictures posted on Instagram, in blogs, or wherever? Maybe you've seen the gorgeous town of Positano and The Amalfi Coast on an enticing travel show like Rick Steves, Samatha Brown, or whoever? Yes, Positano and the Amalfi Coast are gorgeous, and on the Bucket List of many. Are you one? Well, again, "be prepared." Go on Booking.com, Expedia, or any of the numerous hotel booking agents on the web, and get yourself a hotel. Either in Positano (if you can afford it), Praiano, Capri (island), Sorrento, as many do, or any one of the other quaint towns on the Amalfi Coast, of Southern Italy.

Yes Positano is the dream town, and top of the list on places to stay for many. But not everyone can afford the high price of a hotel room in this Dreamlike town. In this case, many will opt to stay in the much more affordable town of Sorrento, and use it as a base to explore : Capri, Pompeii, Positano, Amalfi, and the rest of the Amalfi Coast. You can take a hired-car, buses, or ferry boats to get around, place-to-place. Yes, there are several options, but one is better than all the rest. Take a Ferry Boat from town to town, as the one and only road gets packed with traffic and it can take you a long time to get from place to place. So take the ferry boats that go to all the towns on the coast, as well as to the islands of Capri, Ischia, and the lesser known Procida.

Another good alternative place to stay as a base, and explore from there, is Salerno. Salerno is a lovely little city that is the most affordable place to stay in the area. More affordable than the touristy town of Sorrento. Don't get us wrong, Sorrento is quite nice and the most popular town to use as a base to explore the area. Salerno is another option, and is quite lovely on it's own. And not only that, my favorite restaurant and favorite Pizzeria in the whole area, which comprises: Naples, Positano and the whole of the Amalfi Coast, and island of Capri and Ischia, my number one favorite restaurant and favorite Pizza (including Naples) are in Salerno. What are they you ask? My favorite restaurant in the entire region is La Spagnola in Salerno, and for Pizza it's L'Archetto Pizzaria - Trattoria by Gerardo and his lovely wife. If you seek a true "Mom & Pop" place that's authentic and the real deal, go to L'Archetto, you won't be disappointed.






Le SIRENUSE

WORLD RENOWNED





L'ARCHETTO PIZZERIA TRATTORIA

SALERNO VECCHIA

SALERNO, ITALY


My cousin Memo who lives in Salerno brought us to Salerno, otherwise we might never have found it. La Spagnola is one of those Italian restaurants that is what one might say has caual elegance. It's not fancy and ostentatious, nor dowdy or common, but as I've said it's what some would describe as casual elegance. It's a first rate restaurant with great service and food, and ambiance. They specialize in seafood, as many restaurants do in the area. We especially love the Razor Clams, Fried Anchovies, and the Polpette di Alici (Anchovy Meatballs) are a must. And they have a really good wine list. My cousin Tony and I love drinking Ferrari "Perla" Sparkling wine,as it has been a tradition for us, ever since our first time ding there.






With My Cousin Tony (R) and Our Friend Allan (L)

Outside of La SPAGNOLA

After and AMAZING LUNCH

SALERNO - Spring 2018



HOTELS - POSITANO AMALFI COAST

WORLDWIDE






MY FAVORITE HOTEL in SALERNO



The HOTEL PLAZA

SALERNO, ITALY

"My FAVORITE HOTEL in SALERNO"



My Favorite Hotel in Salerno, and a great place to make your base, exploring the beautiful Amalfi Coast and beyond. Make it your base too. 

I was quite Lucky to stumble upon the Hotel Plaza back in the Summer of 2015. I had just stayed for 3 days at the awesome Lemon Farm Agriturismo Villa Maria, and was looking for a hotel to make my base on the coast, before heading to Capri for a few days stay. I looked on Booking.com and came up with the Hotel Plaza. The price was right, and I thought that it was the place my cousin Tony had said he stayed at the year before. I was wrong about that, but right about staying at the Plaza. It has turned out to be one of my favorite hotels of all-time. And I've done a lifetime of travel in my day. 

I checked-in but my room wasn't ready. So I went out exploring Salerno. I made another lucky discovery. Walking around Salerno Vecchia, I stumble upon L'Archetto. It looked good, so I went in. I had a wonderful lunch of Seafood Salad, followed by Spaghetti a Mare, with Mussels and Clams/ I drank a small carafe of Falanghina with lunch, and finished up with and Amaro d Capo. Needless to say it was a wonderful lunch, and I have been back to L'Archetto many times, and have sent friends there, who love the place as well.

Now back to the Hotel Plaza.

I had lunch and walked back to the hotel. They brought me to my room, I took a shower, and then walked over to the Marine Ferry Terminal. Caught a ferry to Amalfi. I figured I hang out there a bit. Of course I made my way to Pasticceria Pansa for an espresso and the World's Best Sfogliatelle. Absolutely fantastic. I walked around Amalfi, looked in some shops, and had an Aperol Spritz, before heading back to Salerno.

When I got back to the hotel, the owner Gaetano greeted me and started up a conversation. He apologized (no need) that my room wasn't ready when I arrived, and so my room was upgraded, compliments of the hotel. "Grazie Mille Gaetano."

For the rest of my stay at the Hotel Plaza, I got to know Gaetano a bit. He's a real gentleman. Every day when I got back to the hotel from a day of activity Gaetano would greet me, make me an espresso and sit down and chit-chat with me. So nice. I really enjoyed my little talks with Gaetano.

Besides having such lovely people as owners, the Hotel Plaza has a number of things going for it, that make it a desirable place to stay, especially if you want to use it as a base to explore the Amalfi Coast. Number one is its ideal location for ease of getting around. The hotel is directly across the street from main train station of Salerno. Many people taking a vacation in the area have a flight into Rome. If you have a flight to Rome, and want to go down to the Amalfi Coast, and you want to take public transportation down to the Amalfi Coast, the easiest thing to do is to take a train from Termini Station in Rome to Salerno. Express Trains take only i hour and 15 minutes to get from Rome to Salerno. If you are staying at Hote Plaza (Salerno), when your train arrives in Salerno, you get off the train, walk out of the station and it takes you 2 minutes to walk to the Hotel Plaza across the street from the station. It couldn't be easier. Not only that, the Marine Terminal where you catch ferry boats from Salerno to Capri and anywhere on the Amalfi Coast is just 3 block from the hotel, and 4 blocks from the train station.

If you are staying in another town, like Amalfi, Minori, or Positano, you just walk from the train station to the ferry terminal (10 minute walk), and catch the next boat going to your destiantion. Simple as that.

The Hotel Plaza - Info & Reservations

MORE HOTELS - SALERNO, CAPRI, NAPLES, POSITANO, The AMALFI COAST.


To be Continued ...

Daniel Bellino Z







POSITANO






FLIGHTS & HOTELS

WORLDWIDE







"DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT" !!!

POSITANO The AMALFI COAST

TRAVEL GUIDE - COOKBOOK






POSITANO



The HOTEL Le SIRENUSE




HOTEL BUCA di BACCO

POSITANO



HOTEL CASA ALBERTINA

POSITANO


"Been staying here since 1986. My favorite. Love this place"

..... Best Selling author Daniel Bellino Zwicke





The HOTEL POSEIDON

POSITANO



"They've got the Best Pool in Town"



Il San PIETRO



IL San PIETRO

POSITANO

"One of The WORLDS TOP HOTELS"

CHECK AVAILABILITY





POSITANO CAPRI The AMALFI COAST







HOTELS CAPRI AMALFI COAST

And WORLDWIDE









POSITANO

The AMALFI COAST

ITALY





















Bourdain and Ozersky at Keens Steaks