Hot Child in the City (cliché, I know)

When I landed on the tarmac at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Dec. 19, 2008 after having spent 4 months living in Prague, I had become accustomed to male – and specifically homosexual – prostitution. It was normal, nothing shocking at all.

I still remember the first time that I ever met a prostitute. After downing half a bottle of vodka, I left my apartment with my roommate and a friend, and we headed to Escape, what we assumed was simply a gay club. Wrong! As soon as we arrived, we learned that it was what the Czechs called a gay rent bar (a place where men go if they are specifically looking to find a prostitute). And on that night I met my first prostitute. He looked no different that any other student at N.Y.U. in Prague. He was 19 years old and a high school drop out, who made almost $300 per encounter.

After that, I began to see prostitutes more and more often. By simply walking down a certain street, I would have to struggle to avoid eye contact in order to prevent a hoard of teenage boys from running towards me, offering everything from oral sex to their virginity. On one occasion, I was actually mistaken for a prostitute and offered $400, because the man thought that I seemed purer than the rest. At that moment, I lost interest in Prague.

But upon my return to New York, I thought that was all behind me. That is until I downed yet another bottle of vodka – I should seriously consider switching to gin or rum – and headed off to a notorious, local gay bar (if you're really curious and want to know which one, send me an e-mail).

After getting my groove on to a handful of classics – Britney, Madonna, etc. – I wandered away from the dance floor and over to the bar. Standing there, looking right at me, was a god: a 6-foot-5-inch god. Persian. Wavy, brown hair. Blue eyes. Fantastic body. He ordered me a drink – Vodka again, ugh – and we talked for the next hour, about politics, restaurants, the Yankees, even the latest Kelly Clarkson song. Anything and everything.

When I finally got up the nerve to ask him if he was – and let's pray that my mother won't be reading this – interested in, uh, joining me for the remainder of the evening at my apartment, he moved closer, and whispered something in my ear.

"I'd love to," he said. "For $200."

I pulled away with a confused look on my face.

"Are you a..."

"Yes," he said. "Yes, I am."

I politely declined, and instead of admitting my disappointment, I simply blamed the economy and N.Y.U.'s hefty bill. He smiled, and was kind enough to buy me another drink (Rum! Praise the Lord!). And that was when I heard his story. He was 28 years old, a graduate of the University of Chicago and Columbia Business School, and a former employee of Lehman Brothers. After months of being unemployed, he wanted to return to his financial stability and used the only asset he had left: his body. After a few more drinks, I left the bar (with a dinner date I might add – bad choice?) and I went home to go to bed.

I was restless for nearly two hours however. In the wake of the economic recession, had prostitution crossed the Atlantic? I sat there wondering about prostitution in New York. This may sound naive, but while I was living in Prague, I had this image that New York was above Prague, and far too cosmopolitan for prostitution. I eventually decide to wake up my roommate and tell him my story. He chuckled.

"Haven't you ever looked at Craigslist? Loads of 'escorts' advertise on there all the time," he said. "And check out Rentboy too."

I spent the next hour realizing that prostitution had been surrounding me for longer than I had cared to imagine. In the deep corners of my mind I am sure that I knew that petty prostitution existed, but it was not until I had my first, one-on-one experience with a prostitute in America that I realized that it was indeed everywhere.

The next morning I headed off to brunch with several fellow "Chelsea Boys." It was eerily similar to a "Sex and the City" moment. We were all at Cafeteria, sitting around sipping mimosas and talking about life. When I brought up my night, I was surprised by the responses that my story received. My friends were not concerned with the fact that a smart, intelligent young man was selling his body so that he could simply get by. They were in fact more concerned with whether or not I would attempt to sleep with him after our date. It was in that moment that I finally realized Chelsea's biggest flaw.

For them, living in Chelsea is about the excitement and the glamor, the cheap thrills. If only they could finally take a step back, and see all of the flaws of the community that they have come to cherish and love so dearly.

(And for your information, the answer is no, I did not.) Read More!

Return to Radost - Prague

Just went to Radost again the other day, and I have BIG news! I tried something new! Well, not completely. As usual I got the Garlic Cheese Bread, but I decided to be adventurous and get a different entree. Still a salad, but at least I didn't get the Greek Salad yet again.

This time I was inspired to try Romaine Holiday. Why you ask? Well, my friend Katie tried it and loved it. My friend Abbey tried it and loved. And I love the movie Roman Holiday. So I decided to order it.

It's a little overpriced for a salad (195 Kč), but when you think about it, that really isn't bad. Less than $10 for an enormous salad. Basically the salad is a blend of lettuces (mainly Romaine) in a sharp garlic-Parmesan cheese dressing with croutons and slices of fresh Parmesan that is served on their homemade pizza bread (thin pita that has been covered in olive oil and garlic, and then roasted on a grill).

Essentially it is a Caesar Salad -- but where can you find a good Caesar Salad in the Czech Republic? NO WHERE! This is as close as you are going to get. But it's refreshing and fairly healthy, and the dressing is really delicious.

Yet another fabulous meal and one of my favorite restaurants in Prague! Read More!

Grosseto v. Overtime - Prague

Pizzeria Grosseto or Pizza Overtime?

There are two very similar Italian restaurants near my home in Vinohrady, and I am never sure which one I like better...

Let me break them both down! One thing however that I should definitely mention, which applies to both restaurants: the pizza is just blah. Especially if you compare them to Tacconelli's.

First of all, there is Pizzeria Grosseto near Náměstí Míru. It's a fun restaurant with a great atmosphere and it's awesome for people watching. Tiny but vibrant.

Here is what I always get:

Zuppa di pomodori
48 Kč
I have to say that this could quite possibly be the BEST tomato soup that I have ever had. It's like drinking tomato sauce that's been thinned out with cream and chicken stock. That may not sound too appealing, but it is to die for.

Penne con rucola e pomodori
135 Kč
Oh my god, I don't even know where to begin! First, a description: penne with sun-dried tomatoes, rucola, fresh basil and slices of Parmesan in a garlicy-olive oil sauce. The combination of the rucola and the sun-dried tomatoes, with the sharp Parm is refreshing and light. Get it! It really is one of my all time favorite pasta dishes, and you know what? I'm going to get it tomorrow for dinner!

In general, Pizzeria Grosseto is a great place, and the bread and butter (with tiny pepper slices in a garlicy butter) is out of this world. Negatives: slow service, and they don't refill your bread.

Okay, on to Pizza Overtime, which is just two or three blocks away from Grosseto. Again, the pizza isn't that amazing. It's equally as good as Grosseto... it is however cheaper, which is why I think Grosseto is a better pizza option.

Favorite dish?

Fusilli al Pesto con pollo
115 Kč
For those of you who do not speak Italian, or even restaurant Italian, let me break it down for you: Fusilli is the small, thick, corkscrew shaped pasta, and at Overtime, they serve it with small slices of chicken, and cover it with a pesto-olive oil sauce, and then they add slices of Parmesan on top. They are a little too excessive with the pesto-olive oil, but it's damn good. And fairly addicting. I find myself thinking about it often.

I like that Pizzeria Overtime is small and quaint, and the staff is ALWAYS friendly and attentive, but I not extremely impressed by their menu choices. And don't get the tomato soup unless you like tomato sauce soup. But their butter is equally as delicious as Grosseto (mixed with garlic and chives, yummy!)

I'm not really sure which restaurant I like better. When it comes to the atmosphere, I think I prefer Pizzeria Grosseto because it is more spacious and it is always filled with strange characters -- and people watching is VERY important! When it comes to food, I would again say Pizzeria Grosseto. However, I cannot bring myself to say that I like it better than Overtime because, well, I just don't. Know what I mean? Yeah. Read More!

Culinaria - Prague

So, I've yet to actually mention one of my favorite restaurants in Prague: Culinaria.

I am not even lying when I say that I come here almost every single day for lunch. Why, ask you. Well, it's cheap and it's damn good.

From 1pm until 3pm, you can get the lunchtime plate special for only 149 Kč. Each plate comes with a main course, a starch, a vegetable and a salad. What is really great about the food at Culinaria is that after I'm finished, I feel genuinely healthy. Unlike so many other places in Prague, where I feel as though I've just eaten my recommended daily intake after only two or three bites.

So, what's on my plate today?

First of all, I started with the Beef Stroganoff. Thinly sliced pieces of lean beef, in an amazing beefy-cream sauce, that has been filled with thinly sliced onions and shiitake mushrooms. Next, an amazing slice of quiche: filled with goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. The quiche is fantastic for many reasons, but what really makes it tower above the rest is the flaky pastry. It isn't too doughy, but at the same time, it doesn't crumble immediately, leaving you with what resembles a pile of rubble after an earthquake. For my vegetable dish, I chose to get zucchini and squash which had been stewed in a delicate marinara sauce.

The best part about my main plate is ALWAYS the combination of the flavors from the various meals. Today, for example, the sauce from the Stroganoff blended perfected with the quiche, transforming the strong goat cheese into a warmer and more delicate cheese, that had a new flavor, one that was slightly tarty from the goat cheese, but also filled with a creamy, warm blend of mushrooms, onions and beef. On the other hand, whenever the quiche touched the stewed vegetables, the goat cheese was transformed into an Italian heaven from the marinara sauce.

For my salad today, I had the Greek Salad, which is easily becoming one of my favorite things from Culinaria. Filled with red, green, and yellow pepper slices, pieces of Bermuda onion, sliced Cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and pieces of feta cheese, and topped with a light dressing, the salad is always cool and refreshing. A prefect way to reminisce about those long summer days, despite the fact that it is freezing outside and that the sun is always gone by 4:15pm.

I have had so many amazing meals here at Culinaria, and I feel as though I need to recap some of my favorites:

1. Chicken breasts, stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes in a creamy basil, tomato sauce.
2. Sliced pieces of chicken chicken, served in a thickened soy sauce with onions and sliced red and yellow peppers, topped with Sesame seeds.
3. Small, roasted potatoes with Rosemary, tomatoes and black olives/
4. Beef Lasagna (almost as good as my mom's, but not quite)
5. Chili with shredded beef, corn, in a tomato sauce, with Cheddar and Monterrey Jack running through it like veins in a wrist.
6. An amazing salad with chick peas and tuna, in a vinaigrette dressing -- DELICIOUS!
7. Lentil salad with spinach and pieces of feta, in an oil and vinegar dressing -- again, DELICIOUS!
8. Sauteed mushrooms and onions in a thickened beef sauce.

And one thing that is not part of the lunch plate...

9. Chicken Toscana Sandwich (129 Kč) Smoked chicken breast, fontina cheese, sun dried tomatoes, lettuce and pesto mayonnaise. With the smoky flavor from the chicken, the nutty flavor from the cheese, the distinct taste of the sun-dried tomatoes, paired with the crispness of the lettuce, and the smooth but garlicy/herby flavor from the pesto mayonnaise. One of the best sandwiches that I've ever had!


And what is also amazing about Culinaria is the fact that you can get just about every great western snack... including:

- Nacho Cheese Doritos (known as Tangy Cheese Doritos in the UK where they are shipped from)
- Häagen-Dazs
- Ben & Jerry's
- Skittles
- Fruit by the Foot
- Kettle Chips
- Heinz
- French's Yellow Mustard
- Jelly Belly
- Arizona Green Tea
- Fiji Water
- Kellogg's Corn Flakes
- Betty Crocker Cake Mix
- Carr's Crackers

It's a fantastic place to go, and I cannot recommend it enough. The food is amazing. The restaurant is clean. And the staff are always kind and ready to strike up a conversation. Especially if you've eaten there at least four times for the past two months.



INFORMATION:
Address: Skořepka 9, Praha 1
Phone: +420 224 231 017

Hours: Monday thru Saturday, 10.00 - 19.00; Sunday, 12.00 - 17.00
Location: Staré Město
Metro: close to both Staroměstská and Můstek

Attire: Casual.
Payment: Cash or Credit. Read More!

The Best (and Worst) of Bohemia

While I am pretty much over the whole Bohemia Bagel thing, despite the fact that I was eating there at least once a day at the beginning of the semester, I've decided that I still like it enough to include it on my blog. I've tried so many things though that I cannot write about just one meal, or one experience. Therefore, I've decided to make a list of my five favorite dishes, and my five least favorite dishes.


Five Favorites:
(these are in no particular order)
1. I Don't Want To Go Anywhere After This Breakfast
Biscuits and sausage gravy, three fried eggs, American bacon or sausage patties, hash browns, and mini bagel. I admit the biscuits are a little dry, and the hash browns have some unidentifiable spice, but it's a damn good breakfast. And it's only 169 Kč.
2. Chicken Salad
Chicken salad, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, lettuce, and fresh vegetables. Okay, the tomatoes need to be cut into smaller pieces, but this salad is always delicious. I've never had chicken salad with sun-dried tomatoes. Good idea. A full-size salad is 135 Kč, and the half-size is 75 Kč.
3. Turkey and Swiss
Turkey, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise, and mustard... but get it without the mustard or else you won't be able to taste anything else. Only 105 Kč.
4. Hamburger
This is about as good as it's going to get when it comes to burgers in Prague. A plain burger comes with lettuce, tomatoes and onions, and only costs 135 Kč. But for 145 Kč, you can add melted American cheese, and for 155 Kč, you can add melted American cheese and bacon. They call it American bacon, but it's European bacon. The only place in Prague with good American bacon is The Globe.
5. Bottomless Fountain Drinks
It's probably one of the only places in Prague with fountain sodas, and drum roll ice! AHH! Only 49 Kč.

Five Least Favorites:
(these are in no particular order)
1. Bagels
They come in a variety of styles: classic, poppy, sesame, garlic, onion, cinnamon raisin, tomato basil, spinach, supreme, cheese, whole wheat, and chocolate chip. But no matter which kind you get, they won't be toasted properly. And the cream cheese won't taste like Kraft's Philadelphia Cream Cheese. And more importantly, they don't have sun-dried tomato cream cheese to put on their onion bagels. They are however only 11 Kč.
2. Chili
Specifically, the Vegetarian Chili with roasted vegetables. It's pretty much vegetables, and that's it. They aren't cut small enough, and it makes the whole thing WAY too overwhelming. Cost, 125 Kč.
3. Caesar Salad 65/119 kc
According to the web page, it has Romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, Caesar dressing, and croutons. But it's basically anchovies with a side of Caesar Salad. A full size cost 119 Kč, while a half portion only costs 69 Kč.
4. Healthy Hummus 105 kc
Hummus, black olives, olive oil, tomatoes, cucumber, and bagel chips. And let's not forget to mention garlic. Lots and LOTS of garlic. Yum? Only 105 Kč.
5. Philly Cheese Steak 155 kc
Grilled steak, onions and peppers, and melted cheese. Philly Cheese Steak my ass. It's all about
Dalessando's Steak And Hoagies, but I'll talk about cheese steaks once I get back to Philadelphia. Any way, this is NOT a Philly Cheese Steak.


(Just a warning, avoid the Quiche as well, and the desserts aren't so hot either) Read More!

Brunch and Booze at Radost (plus some Lily) - Prague

I love Radost. That's it. There is really nothing more to say. It's delicious. It's amazing.

After being here for nearly three months, I finally got up early enough on a Sunday morning to go to the infamous brunch at Radost -- Prague's most successful club/vegetarian restaurant.

First of all, let me inform EVERYONE that it isn't a regular vegetarian restaurant. Normally, if someone asked me to join them at a restaurant that didn't serve a) chicken, or b) steak, I'd say no. But the first time that I went to Radost, no one told me that it was a meat-free zone. Without realizing it until my third or fourth visit, I've come to love Radost. In fact, I've ordered take-out from Radost for five out of the past six nights... I always get the same time: the Classic Greek Salad and one FULL order of Garlic Cheese Bread...

Garlic Cheese Bread
Foccacia bread grilled with cheese and garlic-basil butter
half order: 60 Kč
full order: 90 Kč
with vegetables: 100 Kč

Greek Salad
Red and green peppers, cucumbers, olives, and onion, topped with feta cheese served with Greek dressing and pita bread
170 Kč

Order it. Eat it. Love it.

So... any who... my first time for brunch...

Let me give you the back story though. Last night I went out to Harley's with Sam, and our friends Evan and Dina. They were wasted. I was *drum roll* sober. A rare occurrence (if you're reading this mom, disregard what I just said). But they drunkenly decided that we were going to go to Radost for brunch today at 12:30. Well, I woke up at 12:11 after going to bed at 5AM. But, at 12:31, Dina knocked on our door and asked us if we were ready. Ha. After quick showers, we were up and ready. And off to Radost we went. They were hungover. I, I was tired. And there is nothing better than booze to wake you up...

We got there. We ordered. Service was a little slow at first. But it IS the Czech Republic after all. For drinks, I ordered the Sleeping Beauty which is a Mimosa, made with strawberry juice instead of orange juice. AMAZING! And it was only 70 Kč. For brunch, I ordered the Iron Man for 150 Kč. Basically it was just a regular old omelet with spinach, mushrooms, and Swiss cheese. It came with a side of AMAZING potatoes though. They were covered in a light sauce that was spicy, but not too spicy. And they didn't have a terrible seasoning that most potatoes in the U.S. have on them. The omelet also came with rye bread and an herbal butter. Bland, but okay. The meal was great though. Everything that I had hoped Radost brunch would be. I mean, it wasn't anything new or exciting, but it was a damn good AMERICAN meal, which is rare in Prague. And I think the fact that I didn't have one Sleeping Beauty, but six, really helped me out. After all that alcohol, the staff also seemed MUCH more attentive and friendly. So yay! But if you ever make it to Prague, GOOO!

And definitely go to Radost FX at night, especially on Friday or Saturday... although I've been on Wednesday and Thursday as well. I mean, it's awesome. Rihanna filmed her music video there for Don't Stop The Music. It's awesome. Although, I love how Rihanna totally uses an old New York City cab in the beginning, but in the background you can see a tram and Vodafone. Go though. It's one of the best clubs in Prague, and for less than 400 Kč you can be wasted, if you just keep ordering Absinthe and Soda (each 90 Kč). I normally pre-game with cheap wine, and if I order at least three, I'm gone. In fact, my friend Mark blacked out after two. They are potent. And amazing.

Little off topic, but I am currently listening to a song from Lily Allen's upcoming album, "It's Not Me, It's You." The track is "Everyone's At It," and I lovvvve it. It's a commentary on the drug culture, and people seem to either love it or hate it. For example, the the world's biggest, and fattest waste of life does not like the song, because he says that the chorus isn't catchy enough. Well, he's fat, and no one cares what he has to say. So, to Lily: I love your song, and the chorus is great in my opinion...

I'm not trying to say that I'm smelling of roses,
But when will we tire of putting shit up our noses?

I don't like staying up, staying up past the sunlight.
It's meant to be fun, and this just doesn't feel right.

Why can't we all, all just be honest,
Admit to ourselves, that everyone's on it.

From grown politicians, to young adolescents,
Prescribing themselves, anti-depressants.

How can we start to tackle the problem, if you don't put your hands up,
And admit that you're on them.

The kids are in danger, they're all getting habits,
Because from what I can see,
Everyone's at it.



INFORMATION:
Address: Bělehradská 120, Praha 2
Phone: +420 603 193 711, +420 224 254 776

Hours: 10:30AM to 3:00PM, 5:00PM to 12:00AM
Location: between Náměstí Míru and I.P. Pavlova
Trams: metro or tram to either Náměstí Míru or I.P. Pavlova

Attire: Casual, but chic.
Payment: Cash.
Price: Drinks are between 100 and 150 Kč, but at brunch, a Mimosa is 70 Kč, a Sleeping Beauty is 70 Kč, and a Bloody Mary is 100 Kč). Most meals are between 100 and 200 Kč, with side dishes between 50 and 80 Kč. Read More!

A Czech Delicacy

This following piece was written for a course that I am currently talking at NYU in Prague, Travel Writing.

It was a Saturday afternoon on Wenceslas Square, the commercial center of Prague, and as usual, hoards of tourists filled the street as they listened to their tour guides, who spoke just about every language known to man. I pushed and shoved my way through, heading towards my goal. It was so close that I could almost smell it. Almost.

After working my way through the “CONNOR FAMILY REUNION 2008,” according to their lime green t-shirts,

I spotted it: a small silver kiosk with bright red signs lining its top. It may have seemed like a typical New York hot dog stand, dingy and greasy, but it was different, special somehow.


Fodor’s and Frommer’s have called it a “hot spot,” and “a place not to be missed.” Or as Dorling Kindersley put it, “a slice of culinary genius, for the late night connoisseur.” Oddly enough, however, the tourists in the large group surrounding the kiosk were all ordering the wrong delicacy that day.

“One hamburger,” cried a Brit.

“Jedna sausage,” shouted an American. I chuckled; American tourists always pretend to be “fluent” in the native language. But I should not have laughed since that was exactly what I did next.

“Smazeny syr, prosim.”

Before coming to Prague, friends had told me all about the infamous sandwich sold along the square. And not once did it sound appetizing. Where to begin? Essentially, Smazeny syr, fried, cheese, is a thick slice of cheese, preferably edam, covered in egg and breadcrumbs, deep-fried, served on a hamburger bun with tartar sauce – I prefer it with ketchup – and purchased in droves by tourists and Czechs alike. Even though the current kiosks only date back to 1998, the stands have actually been located on Wenceslas Square since the late 1940s.

“They first appeared after the second World War,” said Jana Novakova, 49, a lifetime resident of Prague who runs one of the smazeny syr kiosks on Wenceslas Square.

“People come from all over to buy them,” she added. “One of my very best customers, he will drive here three times in one week from Brno.” Located two hours south of Prague, a drive from Brno shows true commitment to the fried cheese cult.

“Mothers and fathers bring their children here,” said Martina Janku, 38, who works at the same kiosk as Novakova. “And when the children grow up, they bring their children, and their grandchildren.”

“It’s a tradition,” she added. “People feel comfortable when they eat smazeny syr.”

I tried one on my third or fourth night in Prague. After stumbling out of the infamously wild nightspot Chapeau – or is it Chateau Rouge? – I found myself passing the kiosk on my way back to Vinohrady.

“Jedna smazeny syr.”

One minute and 35 crowns ($1.75) later, the warm oozing cheese fell upon my tongue, and I knew that I had found something truly amazing. The sandwich climbed to the top of my list of favorite Czech dishes, clogged arteries be damned! Read More!