Supper for brunch

Supper, located at 156 E. 2nd St (between Avenue A and B) is an EV staple for consistently delicious Italian food.

So you might not necessarily think about going there for brunch. Especially with so many other brunch options and brunch specials in the area. But the french toast at Supper is out of this world. I'm much more of a savory breakfast sort of person, but this stuff is goooood. Thick beautiful pieces of bread with fresh berries and powdered sugar. I have turned many a friend onto Supper french toast and no one has left disappointed.


Since you can't really see into the windows of Supper, it's hard to anticipate the magic that's waiting for you inside. The best way to spot Supper is probably to look for the black awnings as you are approaching from a distance. On the left is the entrance to the restaurant and on the right is the adjoining bar. Once you get up close, maybe not all of the time, but most of the time there is a sidewalk sign that says Supper.

Once you get inside, it's very inviting and cozy. Definitely one of my all-time favorites, and a bit nostalgic since it's on my old block. I don't live there anymore. Sorry stalkers. But really it's a shame for me to be so far from that french toast...

Cha cha to the rum bar

Is there anyplace better than Cuba? Alright, I've never been. But I have been to Cienfuegos, which is pretty much the same thing in my mind.


From the outside of 443 E. 6th St (between 1st and Avenue A), Cienfuegos sort of looks like a diner, except that there an inordinate number of people hanging around outside, but not many people sitting at the bar.

But then, you look a little closer and realize there's a line in the back to talk to the host.

(This picture above is sort of strange because it's really just of the ceiling. But you can get an idea of the decor upstairs, which really transforms the space.)

Cienfuegos is all about rum, rum punch specifically. I've never put much thought into punch before, but believe me, somebody did. Because the punch list here is extensive. For $14 you can get an individual glass of punch, or you can get as much punch as you can afford in a silver punch bowl to share with friends. My punch was fantastic and worth the splurge.

I didn't know at the time, but the place just opened in April. I would recommend it for anyone who wants to get punch-drunk or for a group of friends who have something special to celebrate.

It's especially appealing for a girl gathering. There's something girly about the colors and all the punch I think. And there are some good areas for group seating that looked like fun. Just please, please don't eat the food. I didn't think you could mess up sliders or cuban sandwiches. But you can. Oh, you can. Let's cut them a break since they just opened. At least they got the drinks right. Sometimes, that's all you need.

A good hair stylist is hard to find

When it comes to hair stylists in the EV - Ken is the man. That's all you need to know. Ok, you might want to know where to find him.


Ken is the owner of Pirka, a hole is the wall salon at 233 E. 4th St between A and B.


Here are some tips for finding the salon. (I've been to this place maybe 10 times and I still manage to walk past it). Look for the orange. Sometimes there is a chalkboard either on the sidewalk or a chair outside the salon with the name of the salon and the prices.

Ken is an extremely skilled and precise hair stylist from Japan. This man has literally spent 2 hours working on my hair on more than one occasion, just to make sure it's perfect.


Now when I say Pirka is a the hole in the wall, what I mean is that it is tiny. Truly tiny. There are 3 chairs in the salon, and many times you might be the only customer. What this means is you can avoid any of the attitude offered up by so many other salons and that you will always have Ken's full attention. And he's always got cool music playing, which is a bonus.

And for the million dollar question, how much is this gonna cost you? $60 for a women's haircut and $50 for men's. Not bad at all. Actually, quite good for NYC. Especially when you take into consideration that Ken gives you an insanely good back massage at the end of your haircut. And that makes for a very happy haircut.