Eat, drink and hear good music

A few suggestions for travelers to NYC from a native Californian

Music and drinks: The Living Room


We saw Jesse Harris (known for writing songs and playing for Norah Jones) and a couple other good acts here. Generally a cool, but not pretentious, late-20 to 30-something crowd who likes decent music. We did encounter one or two weirdoes and bad acts, but great Lower East Side vibe, such a part of the neighborhood that Saturday afternoon it was closed for a kid's birthday party. (Coolest 5-year-old I know.) And if you need food, they even allow delievery from Grilled Cheese.





Someone impressed so many chicks in college with his mad sandwich press skills that he thought he could make a restaurant out of it. Well, it works. This place specializes in comfort food: various interpretations on the theme of the grilled cheese your mother made, only better, without the Miracle Whip. They also have all the games that you played when you were the age that your mom would still make you those cheesy concoctions. (We watched an excruciating couple of late-30-somethings on their first date flirt over a few games of Connect Four. He let her win. As if no one suspects the ol' diagonal approach. Dude—-it's glorified Tic-Tac-Toe.) But I digress. They also have sweet potato fries that were not greasy at all and my other new addiction, ginger lemonade. If you're in the area, it's cheap and good and near cool stuff—-all you ask for from a restaurant in NY.