• Thursday, November 19, 2009. 6:30PM – Lucy Liu and Bryant Gumbel at the 25th UNICEF Anniversary Lighting of the Fifth Ave Snowflake at the Louis Vuitton flagship boutique.
• Sunday, November 15, 2009. 4:00PM – Natalia Vodianova, alone, wearing a short black coat and black stockings, leaving The Bowery Hotel and jumping into a big, dark SUV.
• Wednesday, November 18, 2009. 8:30PM – Heikki Sorsa (with snowboard posse) dining at Gusto Ristorante e Bar Americano.
• Thursday, November 19, 2009. 8:00PM – Heikki Sorsa (with snowboard posse) dining at La Esquina.
• Tuesday, November 17, 2009. 8:00PM – Former Top Chef contestants Leah Cohen and Hosea Rosenberg dining with friends at Lure Sushi and chatting with Chef Josh Capon.
• Saturday, November 14, 2009. 3:00PM – Armin Amiri having brunch with a friend at Gusto Ristorante e Bar Americano.
• Friday, October 23, 8:57PM – "@ Blue Ribbon Sushi right now Chelsea Clinton sitting next table over!"
• Saturday, October 24, 10:00PM – Eric Goode and Emil Varda at The Bon Bon (née The Boom Boom) "just checking out the digs" and saying hello to Andre Balazs. When asked to confirm Artan Gjoni’s (earlier) assertion that Juliet Supper Club is housed "in the former Area" space, Eric Goode replied, "What? Where? Twenty first street? No way."
• Monday, October 19, 2:30PM – Sante D’Orazio lunching outdoors at Bar Pitti. Also, Merv Matheson (not together).
• Tuesday, October 20, 2:00PM – Mark Baker and Artan Gjoni lunching outdoors at Gusto Ristorante e Bar Americano.
HEY I DID TRY TO POST THIS RESPONSE AS A COMMENT DIRECTLY AT EATER BUT THEY HAVE A "CHARACTER CUTOFF" AND AFTER TYPING ALL THIS GODDAMNED RIGMAROLE I DIDN’T WANT TO HAVE TO GO BACK AND SHAVE OFF 403 OF MY CHARACTERS. AND I HATE SENDING E-MAILS CUZ I CAN’T STAND BEING PARAPHRASED.
SIGH.
Aww, I’m flattered, thank you. Technically however, I am not the official spokesperson for Centro Vinoteca, nor am I directly employed within the company. But, as I do consult for them on occasion, I guess I’ll just go ahead and explain as best I can, with the stipulation that none of it is to be construed as an official statement by the company.
1) As for Leah Cohen quitting, this was actually not considered a "problem" as much as a consequence of doing business. People leave. It happens. A chef leaving a restaurant is as much a "problem" as paying the rent and the electric bill.
2) I did tell Centro’s “PR person” she could address Gusto’s "on the market" speculation “off the record only” with Eater, because it was not deemed an important enough issue to warrant the possibility of attracting more attention to the stupid matter. In the exact words told to me, "Who cares? Nobody gives a shit anyway."
Well. As best I know, neither 60 nor 62 Greenwich Ave is "on the market" for sale. I must admit the explanation of the "mortgage holder’s risk assessment to gauge interest, value, and anticipated turnover time" sounds kinda weird to me, but maybe only cuz I never heard of it before.
Alls I can think is: If you REALLY think those buildings are for sale, then go ahead and make an offer and see what happens. Who knows? If you can come up with a really impressive non-refundable deposit fast enough, maybe you CAN buy those buildings after all!
3) As for the "shuttering" of Centro Vinoteca: Well, we did address this ridiculousness once before, with Gusto Ristorante. Here at —> http://pxthis.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=501
If you recall, Gusto was shut down by the DCA (for three days) for putting smoking tables out IN DECEMBER while the sidewalk permit was technically still in the PROCESS of being renewed, because apparently merely setting out TWO tables with TWO chairs (IN DECEMBER) constitutes "an intent to serve."
The DCA instructed Gusto it was NOT ALLOWED to post signage of any kind in explanation to the patrons.
BRILLIANT "punishment," no? No monetary fine imposed, just a slap on the wrist and a timeout to go sit in the corner wearing a dunce cap. Three days of lost sales tax income to the state of NY (not to mention lost income/income-taxes for the staff) and then some (seeing as patrons were not entitled to know when the restaurant would re-open). It’s PURE GENIUS I tell you.
As far as I PERSONALLY can surmise, Centro will re-open tomorrow.
4) As for an "experienced operator" (with no partners or other such investors) having such “problems”: yes, it does indeed get to be a handful for one person running multiple locations at such high volume. Which is why one might need to hire— say, an "expeditor" for example, to handle such bureaucratic tasks like permit renewals and whatnot.
Too bad sometimes some employees such as "expeditors" are fucking dumbasses. Yah, even when they’re paid, believe it or not.
Hope that’s some decent "intel" for you?
Thanks again!
:)
Oh P.S. — That’s actually pxthis.com rather than abbe-diaz.com, but whatever. Thanks anyway.
= "personne extraordinaire"