You’d never know it was pouring outside Artists & Fleas. Thunderbolts and lightning dot the skies over Chelsea Market, but in here, the vibe is mellow. The DJ booth is blaring War’s Low Rider as shoppers mill about, heads bopping. At the helm of the turntables is Paddy Boom, greeting passersby with high fives.
“Check these out! Painted them myself,” he says proudly, pointing to his feet, shod in silver sneakers. “Gonna look cool when they start peeling.”
Paddy Boom, né Patrick Seacor, has been a fixture on the LES for three decades. The former Scissor Sisters drummer also plays with the legendary band Faith, and fronts a new experimental outfit called Death By Comfort, which debuted at Parkside Lounge in June.
“We don’t have actual songs,” he explains, “but I have a Gil Scott-Heron vibe. I’ll speak poetry while we jam. Sometimes songs are fourteen minutes long. Remember the kid’s show Wonderama? They’d ask someone in the audience for good news. I do that with my audience, but chant DEATH BY COMFORT. Every show’s an exorcism.”
Life took a U-turn for Paddy after his 2007 departure from Scissor Sisters to care for his mother. A series of devastating blows ensued, including his savings depleted by an investment fraudster. It speaks volumes that he has “I REFUSE TO LOSE” tattooed on his left arm. He is, however, embracing voluntary loss.
“I’m losing attachment and possessions; abandoning the idea of constant more, more more,” he explains. “I’m shedding everything. My apartment is so minimal now. Mom used to say ‘possessions possess you.’ I suddenly had to go from a big house to a one-bedroom. All I need is a place to put my book down. I feel free. I appreciate what I’ve got. Pared it down to special things with real meaning. You don’t have that perspective with a consumerist mindset; you get numb and hungry…death by comfort.”
“I’m losing attachment and possessions; abandoning the idea of constant more, more more.”
In addition to performing, Paddy Boom is often seen biking through Lower Manhattan, records strapped to his back for DJ gigs. Curious about the band he’s spinning? Get ready for a music history Epic of Gilgamesh. Dude knows his shit, AND half the performers. Which comes to his next adventure: event hosting.
Paddy’s next recording project is a DBC song with Sylvia Black, whose new album Twilight Animals (feat. Lydia Lunch) drops 18 October.
The other iron in the fire is an upcoming book about his Scissor Sisters days: “Most of it is already written! I kept so many journals when we were touring.” Paddy loves spinning yarns as much as he does tunes, so stay tuned.
This hustler of culture is ready to write the next chapter of life.
National Grilled Cheese Day is upon us! On April 12th we celebrate all things cheese between bread (not that we don’t worship the world’s best sandwich every day). Here are a few of our favorite places to get cheesy!
To wrap up their twelve days of specials, Murray’s will be offering their signature Murray’s Melt for just $1.12 between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM. Head to the Melts counter at their flagship store on Bleecker Street for a good, old-fashioned classic. 254 Bleecker Street
Looking for something super indulgent? Ed’s Lobster Bar stuffs their melty grilled cheese with fresh lobster for a can’t-miss treat. If you love to dip your sandwich, the lobster bisque makes a great accompaniment. 222 Lafayette Street
If you like your food to be a little extra, Clinton Hall has a showstopper for you. Their famous doughnut grilled cheese pairs melty mozzarella with a freshly glazed doughnut suspended above a bowl of classic tomato soup. Multiple Locations
This French onion soup grilled cheese at Mother’s Ruin will have you questioning why you don’t eat at bars more often. The inside is stuffed with the beloved combo of gruyere cheese and caramelized onions and the outside has crisped cheddar cheese and chives. There is a side of au jus for the soup component. 18 Spring Street
This ooey, gooey grilled cheese is made with aged cheddar, tarentaise, manchego, and roasted garlic for a gourmet upgrade and served with a cup of tomato soup. 19 East 26th Street
For something a bit more toothsome, BLACKBARN’S cafe has a brie and NY apple grilled cheese with watercress and jalapeño jam on toasted brioche. Weave your way through Chealsea Market for this flavorful combo! 448 West 16th Street
Le Croque Champignons is a truly glorified grilled cheese. The sandwich is stuffed with house made wild mushroom ragu and gruyere cheese with lots of extra cheese on top. There’s a mixed green salad on the side but you can totally ignore it in favor of more cheese. Multiple Locations
If you’re really ready to go all out, head to one of Melt Shop’s nine NYC locations for this month’s special: the Notorious CHZ. This triple-decker behemoth is loaded with muenster, pepper jack, brick cheddar cheese spread, and truffle mayo between three pieces of parmesan-crusted bread. Nothing has ever looked more indulgent! Multiple Locations
Trip.com is an innovative planning tool that tailors recommendations for places to stay, eat and play to your specific tastes. It also allows you to share your great experiences with people who have the same interests as you; people in your “tribes.” Trip.com’s TripPicks This Week feature empowers you to discover and take advantage of great events, openings and exhibits throughout the city each week.
Here are some exciting events and sites to check out this week in Downtown New York, courtesy of Trip.com. Visit the Trip.com site or download the app for more upcoming events.
1. Uptown/Downtown/Dance Schimmel Center at Pace University (Financial District) Friday, Apr. 28 and Saturday, Apr. 29 at 7:30pm
Audiences are in for a real treat when New York Theatre Ballet’s series Uptown/Downtown/Dance new season opens with two as-yet-untitled world premiers from Martin Lawrance and Zhong-Jing Fang. The program also includes Pam Tanowitz, whose works are set to live music by Lou Harrison, David Lang and Beethoven and Edward Henkel’s restaging of “Re-Vision,” with music by Edvard Grieg. Tickets $29
What’s better than a wine tasting event with over 200 wines from over 30 regions served by the finest New York sommeliers? A wine tasting event that gives 100% of the proceeds to Wheeling Forward, an organization that helps people with disabilities “experience life to the fullest and enable them to see possibility where others see insurmountable obstacles.” Tickets start at $99.
3. Indie Bookstore Day Check site for participate stores Saturday, Apr. 29 (Check site for times)
New Yorkers are independent-minded individuals and so it is our duty to defend independent business that have made this city what it is. Saturday is Indie Bookstore Day and we are going to be hitting one or two independent bookstores in our area to pick up a few reads, snatch up really cool limited edition art pieces, listen to live music and author readings, eat cupcakes and much more.
4. Pop-Up Chelsea Market 8th Ave. (14th St. – 23rd St.) Saturday, Apr. 29 from 10am-6pm
Pop Up New York returns to Chelsea, transforming 8th avenue into a hopping street fair block party. Count on live performances, entertainment, lots of yummy food, trendy goods, a few surprises and an all-around good time!
5. Bubble Tea Pop Up Exhibit 355A Bowery (East Village) Monday-Friday from 11am-9pm; Saturday-Sunday from 11am-10pm (through Saturday, May 6)
Continuing New York’s sugar obsession – seriously it’s a problem – is the Boba Room, a 3 week “pop up theme park for boba lovers.” Of course you’ll be able to have your fill of bubble tea from New York favorites like Tea and Milk, Pa Tea, Vivi Bubble Tea, and Gong Cha, but the real fun is the exhibit. It features giant bubbles, murals, sculptures, funky neon art and other artistic homages to boba. Tickets $10.
Too busy to cook gourmet meals? Too overwhelmed to stick with a diet? Concerned that a diet will mean missing out on great food? For all of these nutritional concerns and more, there is an easy solution in Zone Manhattan, New York City’s longest-running healthy meal delivery service.
In a few words, Zone Manhattan is essentially a diet-to-your-doorstep. The company offers ready-made chef prepared meals, as delivered fresh daily to each customer’s door. Ingredients are purchased daily at the Hunts Point Terminal Market and the New Fulton Fish Market, and every meal is crafted specifically for each individual customer. Dietary needs can be accommodated, whether the customer is gluten-free, paleo, sugar-free, vegan or vegetarian.
Zone Manhattan founder Steve Lindner is a chef by trade and has been in the food and beverage business for more than 30 years. He was schooled at the famed Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York before working at notable hotspots like Aureole, Aquavit, Sign Of The Dove and An American Place. He was also the proprietor of the Greenwich spot Café Alyss, which he had opened in 2000. Zone Manhattan was launched in 2005, and now delivers to all five boroughs of Manhattan, Westchester, Northern New Jersey, Long Island and Southern Connecticut. Expansion plans are underway to create Zone Los Angeles, Zone San Diego, Zone Miami, as well as Zone Vancouver.
Downtown had the pleasure of speaking with Steve not only about Zone, but life as a chef in both New York and Europe. For more info on all things Zone Manhattan, you can visit www.zonemanhattan.com.
Steve Lindner: Variety, quality, consistency and value. When you say “others,” as far as I know you would have to go to Philly or Boston to find something that compares to Hunts Point. In the Hunts Point area, not only do you have access to some of the freshest fruits and vegetables, you have the whole world of fresh fish and seafood. Yes there are chic micro markets bi-weekly around town. And yes we do frequent those as well to source local produce, but Hunts Point gives us the ability to operate at large volumes and at the highest level of quality on a daily basis.
Where did the idea for Zone Manhattan come from? Had you offer ordered food from restaurants online?
Steve Lindner: Necessity. I needed a job in 2004. So I took my knowledge of the restaurant business and applied it to food delivery. At the time, food delivery was just in its infancy. We didn’t offer online delivery at Café Alyss. We just weren’t tech-savvy enough at that time. We didn’t even have a website.
You studied at the Culinary Institute Of America. How did you wind up working at the Bayerischer hof Munchen in Munich?
Steve Lindner: Yes, I attended the Culinary Institute Of America and shortly after graduating, I traveled to Europe. I was hitchhiking around Europe when I ran out of money and knew of some other culinary graduates that were working in Munich. I was fortunate enough to get a job with them.
Is there anything you miss about living and working in Germany?
Steve Lindner: I enjoyed my time there and loved the culture of Europe, but no, I don’t miss it.
Your credits as a chef also include Aureole, Aquavit, Sign Of The Dove, and An American Place. Is being a chef in New York especially different than elsewhere?
Steve Lindner: Yes, the level of competition is on steroids here. There is an energy that exists in New York City that doesn’t exist elsewhere. Now, I believe the culinary competition and quality is at a very high level from coast to coast. However, in this industry, that is constantly evolving with new technology and innovations, New York City still stands out as the culinary mecca of the world.
You also owned Café Alyss some years back. Is there anything you miss about owning and operating a restaurant?
Steve Lindner: Sure, direct contact with the customers, and the energy and excitement of the restaurant business. And then I realize I have to pay bills and don’t miss it as all.
Beyond picking out the food every day, what’s a typical day like for you in running Zone Manhattan? How much time are you actually in a kitchen?
Steve Lindner: After 12 years in business and continual growth, I oversee all aspects of the business. Yes, I am directly involved with the selection and quality control of the food and meals, but I also have loyal and reliable chefs and staff to oversee the production.
Steve Lindner: I love our rack of lamb and lobster dishes and what we do with salmon is amazing. It all relies on the quality and freshness of the produce we select every day. I thinks what we do is the simplest form of cooking. We are selecting the highest quality product and extracting the most flavor from the fish, meat, vegetables and fruit without using salt, sugar and fat.
Is it true that Zone plans on expanding beyond New York City?
Steve Lindner: Yes, growth to other markets is always the goal.
When not busy with Zone Manhattan, how do you like to spend your free time?
Steve Lindner: I love to ski, sail and I am a “car guy.”
Aside from Zone, do you have a favorite restaurant in New York?
Steve Lindner: The restaurant scene in New York City is in constant flux. To pick one to be my favorite would be a crime. My tastes change like the weather. One day I am feeling a pork taco from Taco Primo from Chelsea Market or Crispy Chicken Sandwich from FUKU and the next it may be high end from Gabriel Kreuther. One thing is for sure is next year it will be different. The only thing that doesn’t change is the level of quality.
Do you have tickets to any upcoming concerts or events?
Steve Lindner: My wife Alyssa loves the shows and I love the restaurants in the area. A Bronx Tale is the next show on our list and we will be eating at Aureole.
Focused on innovation, Fridababy aims to provide parents with the tools to simply and efficiently care for their babies. Since CEO Chelsea Hirschhorn joined Fridababy in 2014, the company has expanded into a 15,000 square foot facility. That growth has led to Fridababy’s geographic presence expanding from 5,000 doors to over 25,000 doors across North America. In turn, accolades have come from NBC’s Today (“Stuff We Love”), BuzzFeed (“47 Parenting Products That’ll Make Your Life Easier”), and Vogue (“The Ultimate Baby Registry Master List”) alike.
Prior to taking over Fridababy, Chelsea was a New York City-based bankruptcy attorney at Weil Gotshal & Manges, in addition to a role as Director of Ancillary Revenue for the Miami Marlins. Her J.D. was earned from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. In turn, Downtown asked “the Baby-Gadget Guru” — a mother of two — for some New York restaurant recommendations.
After a session with the boys at the Chelsea Piers driving range or carousel, we walk over for lunch then stroll the Highline with our dessert in-hand.
For very sentimental reasons — it was where my husband and I went on our very first date. It was pouring rain and the taxi pulled up to the corner and I looked at him like, “Are we really eating tacos in the window?” I’ve since learned to trust him implicitly!
On the corner of 73rd & Madison, where I spent a lot of time escaping the downtown grind during law school; my parents were on 73rd between Park and Lex. Truly a more perfect cappuccino does not exist.
An eclectic mix of styles and aesthetics come together in this hot Downtown destination. From Preppy to cutting edge to Grunge we selected this week’s top looks outside Chelsea Market.
