If you are looking for a perfectly preserved 1970′s style Italian restaurant experience, then Bamonte’s is your place. You may think you can find it in Little Italy, but you’d be wrong. It’s in Williamsburg of all place. You get what you pay for at Bamonte’s; great retro ambiance, curt service by seasoned waiters, and mediocre Italian American dishes. And I kind of like it that way. Don’t expect too much and you won’t be disappointed.
We only had a few hours on the ground in San Francisco so we cabbed it to the Mission and our driver deposited us at his neighborhood favorite El Farolito. Don’t take my word for it, there was a line out the door at three in the afternoon. Not too many white folks either. Chiles Rellenos and a Strawberry/Pineapple Aguas Frescas were my choices. You cannot get Mexican food like this in NYC as far as I know. The real deal and they have several Bay Area outposts.
Spotted this Hope & Anchor Flag in Nolita. It seemed to be in the window of an unused shop? Nice.
I love great design, and the Thai Zebra Camping Pot exemplifies simple genius. It is a secure little pot that you can pack a meal in, and the lids latch folds out into a pot handle that you can reheat over an open flame. Just one of the lovely things you can collect at Meat Hook in Brooklyn.
Found these lurking in the iPhone. A good fry up from the studio we were holed up at, and a bangers and mash homemade by Ms. Ursula Lake. And they say you can’t eat well in the U.K. Cheers my dears!
In Anchor related news, one of the greatest (comedy) films of all time “Anchorman” is returning with a highly anticipated sequel.
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I received a recent education on watch waterproof ratings after wearing a 30M watch in a pool and having it fog. Please see the info below and keep it in mind when buying a watch and when wearing a watch in any water setting. The following is from wikipedia:
Watches are often classified by watch manufacturers by their degree of water resistance which, due to the absence of official classification standards, roughly translates to the following (1 metre ≈ 3.29 feet):[5]
| Water resistance rating | Suitability | Remarks |
| Water Resistant or 30 m | Suitable for everyday use. Splash/rain resistant. NOT suitable for swimming, snorkelling, water related work and fishing. | NOT suitable for diving. |
| Water Resistant 50 m | Suitable for swimming, white water rafting, non-snorkeling water related work, and fishing. | NOT suitable for diving. |
| Water Resistant 100 m | Suitable for recreational surfing, swimming, snorkeling, sailing and water sports. | NOT suitable for diving. |
| Water Resistant 200 m | Suitable for professional marine activity and serious surface water sports. | NOT suitable for diving. |
| Diver’s 100 m | Minimum ISO standard (ISO 6425) for scuba diving at depths NOT suitable for saturation diving. | Diver’s 100 m and 150 m watches are generally old(er) watches. |
| Diver’s 200 m or 300 m | Suitable for scuba diving at depths NOT suitable for saturation diving. | Typical ratings for contemporary diver’s watches. |
| Diver’s 300+ m for mixed-gas diving | Suitable for saturation diving (helium enriched environment). | Watches designed for mixed-gas diving will have the DIVER’S WATCH L M FOR MIXED-GAS DIVING additional marking to point this out. |
Manufacturers water resistance classifications are interpretations and are not part of any ISO standard definition.
Read MoreNever one to pass up a good hat shop, I stumbled into Laird Hatters, London in Covent Garden. A nice collection of fine hats and accessories for the gentleman. I am giving them points for their keen displays as well.
The Land Rover Defender comes in all shapes and sizes. It seems to be the only part of the Land Rover range which has remained a truck and still feels classic. Can’t get these new over here in the States. Shame.
Part of my typical London exit strategy is a visit to Caviar House & Prunier at Heathrow (LHR) airport. The finest in smoked salmon, caviar, oysters, etc. The salmon tartare, pictured left side of the plate, is particularly good. The waiter told be it is made fresh each morning with salmon, capers, red onion, creme fraiche, a dash of hot sauce, salt and pepper (seems simple enough). I am going to try and whip up some of my own I think. Caviar House & Prunier is not cheap, but it is incredibly civilized, and it beats what they serve on the flight, even in first class (not that I was flying first class!)
