Sinanation

After the 3,000 calories I happily devoured for dinner on Sunday with little discomfort and lots of regret, I feel obliged to put Commerce (50 Commerce St.) as one of the most delicious menus in New York. Located on one of the nicest and quietest West Village streets of the city, Commerce looks like a clumsy neighborhood bar/eatery from outside. Given its history as a speakeasy and tavern, the restaurant never really embraced a sophisticated look. Diner-style seating blended with ear-scratching rock music and somber figurine paintings overlooking the room, the place certainly does not do justice to whats being cooked in the kitchen. But when you are in New York, you have to know that looks are as deceiving as they get and surprises are a part of the daily routine. So, it is no wonder that I wasn’t aware of what was coming next while with a glass of Gaffel on the bar,  I kept asking myself the question “why my friends insisted on this place so much”.

The dinner started with a big bottle of Barolo and a selection of warm breads served with a creamy white butter spread. The rest was just too good to just stare at. Here are my musts from the menu:

• Sliced rare beef tataki with ginger, soy and shiso
• Mushroom and fontina ravioli with fall vegetables and red wine
• Marinated Hamachi ceviche with yuzu, tomato & chili

• Porterhouse for two with cippolini onions, creamy spinach and red wine shallot steak sauce

In my opinion, one of the most important aspects of cooking a steak is preserving its tenderness. Chef Moore at Commerce does an impeccable job at that. If after all this food, you have room for dessert, try the warm apple crumble served with vanilla ice cream or the dark chocolate souffle.

I have never been a Pepsi fan when it came to drinking Coke. Regular Coca-Cola was the way to go until I became clean of the carbonated wonder with an extremely strict diet. I never looked back. Given the legacy of these two world-wide known brands, we easily disregard the other products they have under their wings.

I recently found out that both the Izze Sparkling Juice and Stacy’s Chips are a part of the Pepsi family. I wanted to do some research to see if they could be ventured to Turkey with a franchise agreement and poof…PepsiCo proudly popped out.

The conglomerate bought Stacey’s in 2005, which then had USD 60m in annual revenues and paid USD 75m for Izze in 2006.  Since my abstinence from Coca-Cola, I found a better match with Izze,  sweetened naturally without any refined sugar or caffeine. Relying on similar reasoning, I switched to Stacey’s Pita Chips instead of the regular Lay’s or Doritos. Stacey’s Pitas were actually the byproducts of a Boston sandwich shop that baked its pita rolls into chips to keep the customers who were waiting in line busy.

Do not get me wrong. I have never been the type who can switch into something tasteless just because it is “healthier”. Both the juice and the chips are delicious with good amount of calories and I have been a fan of both for over a year. Although Izze has a low-calorie version, I always go for the regular Clementine or Grapefruit flavor. For Stacey’s, the best versions are the plain or the Parmesan & garlic.

Izze, Stacey, Quaker Oats, Tropicana…Who knew! I let go of Coca-Cola only to become a Pepsi fan.

Amazing effects bundled with unbelievable imagination. I admit that it is a must see. Yet somehow towards the middle of the movie I kept asking myself  “Isn’t this almost Pocahontas shot in the future in space?” If only Jake Sully lived in the ancient times, then he would certainly dig the exotic daughter of the Indian chief.

I have been questioned numerous times for having Meet Joe Black as my favorite movie. For those who have missed it, the story is based on Death disguised as Joe Black paying a visit to one of the wealthiest and powerful businessman in New York before it takes him away.  Death chooses William Parrish as his guide for his success, excellence, authority and strong principles in life. As it learns about the ways of human life, the audience delves into the exquisite life of a man who has achieved everything.

Many critics came out with the slogan that “death takes a long time to take care of business”. Although true, I look at the argument from another point of view and that seems to be the origin of my favoritism.  Unlike many, I do not take Death/Joe Black as the main character in this movie. I see him as the means to opening up the world of William Parrish. So instead of Joe Black, I watch the movie to meet William Parrish, a man of power and dignity portrayed exquisitely by Anthony Hopkins. From his penthouse in Manhattan to his vacation mansion in Poughkeepsie. From the pieces of artwork naturally displayed on the walls of his residences to the way he handles every conflict such as the speech on love and relationships to his daughter, Susan:

Not an ounce of excitement, not a whisper of a thrill, this relationship has all the passion of a pair of titmice…I want you to get swept away.  I want you to levitate.  I want you to sing with rapture and dance like a dervish…Be deliriously happy…Run the risk, if you get hurt, you’ll come back.  Because, the truth is there is no sense living your life without this. To make the journey and not fall deeply in love — well, you haven’t lived a life at all. You have to try. Because if you haven’t tried, you haven’t lived.

Parrish’s choices in every aspect of life reveals the traits of a man I would want to become in the future (most probably blended with my father’s principles). And maybe then I can make the genuine speech he makes at his 65th birthday party to a crowd that silently listens to whatever he has to say. As he puts it so intelligently:

What a glorious night, every face I see is a memory.  It may not be a perfectly perfect memory. Sometimes we had our ups and downs but we’re all together, and you’re mine for a night. And I’m going to break precedent, and tell you my one-candle wish that you would have a life as lucky as mine, where you can wake up one morning and say “I don’t want anything more.” Sixty-five years – don’t they go by in a blink?

Besides the fact that this rocky New York street in NoHo (North of Houston) now houses one of the most popular and expensive modern lofts on the island (40 Bond is one example), it is also the address of one of the best sushi restaurants in the city, BondSt. Sushi.

Like few other restaurants in town, BondSt. gives visitors two options: you can either make a reservation ahead to be seated in the minimalist, dark toned restaurant upstairs or choose a more casual and hip dining experience in the lounge downstairs, which doesn’t require a reservation. Nowadays I only go for the lounge. www.bondstrestaurant.com

Favorites from the Menu: Lychee Martini in a regular glass on the rocks, Spicy Crispy Shrimp, Big Eye Tuna Tarts, Miso Glazed Sea Bass Skewers, Spicy Tuna Roll, Sesame Crusted Shrimp Roll

Location: 9th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues in New York.

Type: 6,965-square-foot townhouse with 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 3 powder rooms, a family room and a separate dining room. Set on five floors the house comes with an elevator and 9 fireplaces.

Price Tag: USD 15m

Name: Defne Gunay

Nickname: Avukat

Notable Appearance: Hello ta-tas, curly hair and slim hands

Can’t do without: Blazers, high heels, belts

Notable Hobbies: Clubbing, traveling, drinking wine, contemplating

Notable Weakness: Demons, retrieving lost belongings, legal work

Last seen: Anjelique Istanbul, Southside NYC, Le Bilboquet NYC, Miami, Montreal, London