It’s charmingly nostalgic to recall back when an early mainstreaming of Asian and Latin cuisine fusion here in Manhattan was represented by the string of Chino Latino walk-in diners that once populated a stretch of Eight Avenue in Chelsea. Serving hearty favorites of both Chinese and Cuban dishes, these places were always packed. As they caught on in popularity, the idea of an Asian-Latin fusion of flavors evolved and expanded. Today, chef and restaurateur Richard Sandoval is working it big time with his concept of the next generation of Asian-Latin cuisine in his midtown east eatery, Zengo.
Being a veteran of the Orange County punk scene of the late seventies/early eighties, I’ve seen my share of the cultural phenomenon known as the mosh pit. With his background as a musician in New York’s downtown post-punk noise scene of the early 1980s, the paintings of artist Dan Witz will surely strike a chord in the heart of anyone with a similar cache of experiences via his new exhibit, Mosh Pits, Human and Otherwise, up now at the Jonathan Levine Gallery. This vibrant collection features large-scale oil paintings on canvas produced by Witz over the past ten years.
