New York City Event
The First Annual Black Ivy Alumni Gala
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
6:00 p.m.
The Carlton Hotel
88 Madison Ave
New York, NY 10016
Between 28th and 29th StreetsFor the first time in history the Black Ivy Alumni League, in partnership with Columbia Business School 4A, Dartmouth BADA, Cornell CBAA, Princeton ABPA, will unite for a blowout celebrity fundraising gala. As there are special guests attending this event, the organizers plan to hire strong security services to keep everyone safe. This will make the celebrities feel more comfortable and it should also deter any troublemakers from ruining the event. Safety and security are top priorities for this event.
Walk the green carpet and mingle with VIPs.
Raise money for your black alumni association, student jobs on campus and ambitious NYC high school students who don’t have PTAs with deep pockets to help them get the resources they need and deserve!Semi-formal cocktail attire required.
Gala tickets are on sale now until July 3rd! Includes a one-hour open bar. Limited quantity available.
Gala VIP Tickets – show your Ivy Spirit, help fund even more students and jobs, meet + mingle with our VIPs, enjoy a two-hour open bar plus passed luxury hors d’oeuvres, a special VIP goody bag and skip the lines with a special VIP entrance when you reserve a Gala VIP ticket.For more information and to RSVP, go to:
http://www.theleagueonline.
org/20130717-nyc-fundraiser. php Proceeds from the Gala will fund projects posted by teachers in NYC public schools throughdonorschoose.org, an online charity to help students who are in desperate need. Only 60% of the black students in NYC public school system will graduate high school. So we really need your help.
When you visit New York City, you want to go somewhere that gives you the entire essence of the city. The bright lights, good people and a tasty drink here and there. You are looking for somewhere that says” Welcome to New York”. This place has been found.
Opened in 2012, the Haven Rooftop shows exactly what New York City is about. Filled with laughter and good times, the food is something to scream about. I had the joy of going and the experience was wonderful.
Starting with their signature Haven Mojito along with the smoking (literally) shrimp cocktail, I was pleased with the presentation and the taste. For the main course I enjoyed the Seafood linguine which included shrimp, muscles and scallops, the linguine is lightly tossed with a buttery sauce. This dish is to die for. 
If you are looking for a fun spot to hang out with friends or a significant other, than this is the place to go!!
Six East End Kids to Perform at Carnegie Hall….Greetings Hamptons MouthPiece Readers in early December 2012 at WestHampton Performing Arts Center, Camp Broadway held one of many nationwide open call auditions for an opportunity to perform at the New York Pops 30th Birthday Gala at Carnegie Hall on 4/29/13. Over 500 kids auditioned throughout the country 56 were chosen and six talented kids from the East End of Long Island were selected:
Jack Vicari of Remsenburg NY, Jacqueline Minogue of Southampton NY, Madeline Seitles of East Moriches NY, Meghan Renna of Speonk NY, Sarah Pierson of Southampton NY, and my daughter Allura Leggard of Sag Harbor, NY.
These six along with 50 other kids will travel to NYC on Friday and begin rehearsals on early Saturday morning for their big debut on the legendary Carnegie Hall Stage. What a once in a lifetime opportunity for these budding theater enthusiasts. How exciting for them to be on stage with some of their favorite Broadway actors. My daughter is over the hill about meeting Megan Hilty from the TV show “Smash”. Megan will also be performing at a already sold out performance at Sag Harbor’s Baystreet Theatre this Memorial Day weekend.
The Camp Broadway® Kids, is a musical theatre ensemble comprised of 56 theatre-loving kids, ages 12-16, are set to perform as part of The New York Pops 30th Birthday Gala on Monday, April 29, marking three decades of bringing music to New York City.. The Camp Broadway Kids, under the direction of Camp Broadway’s Artistic Director, Tony Parise (Broadway credits include Me and My Girl and 42nd Street), will make their sixth appearance with The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. The Cast Members were selected from a nation-wide pool of over 500 auditionees, and will perform alongside Broadway stars during musical numbers honoring the works of Frank Loesser, Jule Styne and Danny Kaye!
The concert begins at 7:00 PM and will be hosted by journalist and newscaster Paula Zahn, featuring a spectacular lineup of guest artists Nick Adams, Laura Benanti, Stephanie J. Block, Liz Callaway, Will Chase, Megan Hilty, Marilyn Maye, Rob Mcclure, Donna Murphy, Kelli O’hara, Laura Osnes, Leslie Uggams, Max Von Essen, Anthony Warlow And Betsy Wolfe under the baton of Music Director Steven Reineke. Additionally, Camp Broadway has created a special three-day program leading up to the performance, including a series of Broadway workshops, classes and rehearsals to prepare participants for this once- in-a-lifetime performance.
Single tickets to the concert-only are $62, $95 and $155. To purchase, call CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800, visit the Carnegie Hall Box Office at 57th St and 7th Ave, or online at www.carnegiehall.org. For dinner and dance tickets, visit www.newyorkpops.org or call The New York Pops office at 212-765-7677.
Founded in 1995, CAMP BROADWAY® is Broadway’s Original Summer Program for theatre-loving kids. Proclaimed “The Camp of Dreams” by Live Magazine, Camp Broadway has hosted nearly 20,000 children at its annual summer programs in New York City and nationwide tour cities. Camp Broadway has been featured on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® telecast; performed with The NewYork Pops at Carnegie Hall; and appeared in Broadway on Broadway®. Camp Broadway has worked with dozens of Broadway productions, estates and authors to develop interactive workshops that have enabled over 350,000 children to attend Broadway shows.
The New York Pops is the largest independent pops orchestra in the United States, and the only professional symphonic orchestra in New York City specializing in popular music. Led by Music Director Steven Reineke, the orchestra performs an annual subscription series at Carnegie Hall, enjoying one of their highest subscription renewal rates. The New York Pops’ annual birthday gala is celebrated each spring, raising funds for the orchestra and its education programs. Now in its 30th season, The New York Pops celebrates the diversity of popular music’s evolving songbook. Every concert is a unique experience, with influences ranging from Broadway melodies to film scores, jazz, rock, pop and everything in between. Under the leadership of dynamic Music Director and Conductor Steven Reineke, The New York Pops continues to re-imagine orchestral pops music.
Congratulations and Good Luck, Jack , Jacqueline , Madeline , Meghan , Sarah and Allura. I look forward to seeing all of you on stage. Have a fantastic time and take it all in, this is going to be a wonderful experience for all of you.
A Great Evening at Sen NYC with Warm Apple Sake…Greetings Hamptons Mouthpiece readers…I love good food, it makes me so happy. I love when I go out to eat and everything is right, the ambiance, the service, the drinks, the appetizers, the main course and finally… the dessert. I leave there wanting more, dreaming of my next visit as I am walking out of the door, not focusing on the cost only wanting the experience again. Do you know what I am talking about?
Friday I had the extreme pleasure of dining at Sen in NYC and it left me 
wanting more. Jeffrey Resnick, Toranosuke Matsuoka & Jesse Matsuoka have brought their very popular restaurant in Sag Harbor to Manhattan, with Chef Bryan S. Emperor behind the stove and Head Sushi chef Hiro Sawatari. This location opened in Mid September and is centrally located in Chelsea & Flat Iron district but also easily assessable to both uptown and downtown residents.
wanting more. Jeffrey Resnick, Toranosuke Matsuoka & Jesse Matsuoka have brought their very popular restaurant in Sag Harbor to Manhattan, with Chef Bryan S. Emperor behind the stove and Head Sushi chef Hiro Sawatari. This location opened in Mid September and is centrally located in Chelsea & Flat Iron district but also easily assessable to both uptown and downtown residents.
I arrived around 6pm and was pleasantly pleased with the ambiance of the place, the colors are warm and intimate. Jesse greeted me and gave me a tour of the place as I waited for my cousin Deidre to join me. Located in the front is a lounge area that is very spacious and definitely inviting for an after work crowd who would like to just have drinks and socialize. If the bar scene is your thing than you would love this bar..it is the dominant focal point of the restaurant. It is a beautiful wrap around with real oak on the bottom that are also equipped with hooks for women to hang their bags. The back of the bar is a sushi bar, much larger than the Sag Harbor location, it reminded me of the Benihana’s restaurant. The bartenders are very good looking and for that reason alone is why I will be back. I loved the attention to detail in the design of the place, like the warm colors, the oak wood on the bar and the bark on the walls in the back of the restaurant. I personally found it extremely alluring.
As I continued my wait for my cousin to arrive, Jesse suggested that I try the Warm 
Apple Cider sake, I did and it was delicious. I was happy to hear that they were using products from Long Island, like the the Apple Cider, it also included cinnamon cloves, lemon & orange peel but the kicker was the spiked Brazilian rum…..YUMMMMMMMY…this totally warmed me up.
Dee finally arrived and we were seated at our table…our evening was going to consist of a variety of sampler dishes from the menu. There were items that I liked more than others and some that I personally did not care for, not that these dishes were not delicious my pallets just did not care for them.
We started our 1st course with Edamame & Tuna Tar Tar…I really liked the takuan pickle shallot & the spicy yuzu dressing in the Tar Tar.Jesse decided to bring us a sampler of 3 different Sake drinks….The 1st one was a traditional Sake..2nd one was a sweeter Plum Sake and the 3rd one was a more mature Sake with a definite hit….I went with the 2nd choice a more sweeter Sake….Dee went with the more traditional Sake.
Our 2nd course was a Salad with Daikon Sprout, Spanish onion & Sour plum sauce…I 
have to admit it was my least favorite because it contained a bitter taste but it was very tasty and one that many might like.
have to admit it was my least favorite because it contained a bitter taste but it was very tasty and one that many might like.3rd Course: We were brought a sampler tray of various items from the starter menu….Tatsuta, marinated chicken wings, Wagyu Croquette, “Japanese Meat Balls” with Katsu sauce, & Kinchaku “Miso marinated cheese with sweet red crab. It was delicious, I thoroughly enjoyed everything, it satisfied everyone of my taste buds. Unfortunately for you my readers this sampler dish is not on the menu, you would need to order every item individually. I recommend ordering all 3.
Our 4th course was a surprise array of sushi by the piece. I warned Jesse that I did not like raw food and I have to admit I was so scared of what would be brought out for us to sample, but to my delight it was rather good. Being the adventurous person that I am I tried everything. It included raw fluke, raw King salmon, BBQ Eel, cooked shrimp & Japanese egg…I did not care for the egg but that is because I really do not like eggs anymore, I was not in love with the Fluke either but Dee loved the fluke. I was surprised that I loved the salmon, it had a buttery taste and it just melted in my mouth, who knew this would be the night that I embraced sushi…I also liked the shrimp and the BBQ Eel, it was an interesting taste and one that I would experience again.
Our 5th Sampler was the Hawaiian Blue Prawns…these prawns are shipped overnight from Hawaii and I will say I loved it. The heads were included in this selection and this was my first time having the courage to taste one. It always felt creepy eating anything where the eyes were staring back at you. It was delightful and I think I enjoyed the head of the shrimp more so than the shrimp itself because it was full of amazing juices that captivated my taste buds. Dee was being a coward and refused to taste, but lucky for me I ate hers…yum yumOur 6th course was from Chef Emperor’s Specialty selection…Gyu Negima “Stone-fired 
dry-aged Prime Fillet Mignon cooked in Kani Miso Butter and mitsuba cress. I am not a red meat fan, but this presentation was so amazing and it smelled so wonderful. The flame was still burning under the pot as it was brought to the table, and you were in control of how you preferred your steak to be cooked. Our mouths were watering with anticipation of our first bite, and to our delight it did not disappoint. It felt like we were taking a bite of heaven, it was so succulent, juicy, seasoned to perfection, tender and I know I am saying it again but it really did melt in my mouth. I could taste the miso butter in every bite and I was in my fantasy world of food.
dry-aged Prime Fillet Mignon cooked in Kani Miso Butter and mitsuba cress. I am not a red meat fan, but this presentation was so amazing and it smelled so wonderful. The flame was still burning under the pot as it was brought to the table, and you were in control of how you preferred your steak to be cooked. Our mouths were watering with anticipation of our first bite, and to our delight it did not disappoint. It felt like we were taking a bite of heaven, it was so succulent, juicy, seasoned to perfection, tender and I know I am saying it again but it really did melt in my mouth. I could taste the miso butter in every bite and I was in my fantasy world of food.Wow we were in overload and everyone of our taste buds were definitely being fulfilled. I thought our meal was coming to an end but Jesse came over and spoke to us about the tradition of a Japanese Restaurant and how the rice and soup are typically served at the end of a meal. I guess the best are saved for last and maybe this metaphor might make sense, at the beginning of an exercise regime you start with the warm-up, then you transition into a more aerobic high impact exercise and at the end you finish with a warm-down. Such is the case with my meal…we started with appetizers*salad*sushi*main course*rice*soup…..
It was suggested that we try the Shoyu Truffle Butter rice with mixed mushroom, soy sauce & truffle butter. The rice is cooked per order in a cedar box and I was anxious to taste it. This was different for me, I was not use to eating the rice at the end of a meal. Rice by itself is very filling and to wait until the end to have the rice is a new and interesting concept for most Americans. I have to tell you my friends, I loved it.
We ended our meal slightly nontraditional for me, instead of dessert and coffee we had a red miso soup with mushroom and tofu topped with a umami foam. I have to admit the presentation looked like a cup of cappuccino so it was a little weird. If you are a creature of visual presentation and prefer your soup in a bowl then you might be somewhat turned off. As for me I base my decisions on taste, and that is what this entire evening was for me, taking risks and trying new things. I loved it, the tofu was delicious and being in a cup was not a deterrence for me.In Japanese tradition the evening ended as it began with Sake…but not just any Sake 
the “creme de sole”…The Japanese rendition of an after dinner cognac…it warmed my body as the warm sake at the beginning had warmed me.
the “creme de sole”…The Japanese rendition of an after dinner cognac…it warmed my body as the warm sake at the beginning had warmed me.Hamptons MouthPiece readers, as you can see I enjoyed my Sen NYC dining experience and I recommend this place the next time you visit the city or if you live there. They will be looking to add some entertainment to the place, I personally think that would be a really nice touch. The restaurant is moderately priced, they are located at 12 west 21st Street, between 5 & 6th avenues. I would suggest calling for reservations.
Don’t forget to visit their Sag Harbor location next time you are in Hamptons..As always Hamptons MouthPiece keeping you in the know!!!!!
Don’t forget to visit their Sag Harbor location next time you are in Hamptons..As always Hamptons MouthPiece keeping you in the know!!!!!
Greetings Hamptons Mouthpiece Readers...coming to you from Harlem, NY…I am at the ever Popular Red Rooster with my BFF..Pat…I have heard about this place because apparently it is the place for thirsty Thursday. Friends it is everything and more…this place is a magnet for BEAUTIFUL people. I sat at the bar with Pat and we had drinks and ordered appetizers…I recommend the crab cakes and the Shrimp with dirty rice appetizers they were delicious. I look forward to visiting this place again next time I am in NYC to have dinner. I grew up in Harlem and this new Harlem is fascinating. I am told that Harlem is home to some of the best restaurants in NYC. People from all over the world, all ethnic groups are traveling to Harlem to hang out and to get a good meal. You know things have changed when you can catch a yellow cab on 126th street and Lenox Avenue. So friends if you are traveling from the Hamptons to NYC, you might want to consider Red Rooster for dinner plans….It is moderately expensive. You can either take a cab or take the #2 or #3 subway to 125th Street, restaurant is on 126th Street Lenox Avenue. I might suggest making a reservation, place gets very busy.
Tomorrow is my last day in NYC…I have been here since Monday for a New Media Summit… I will see you guys out east tomorrow night.
Keeping you in the know in the Hamptons and beyond….