American Traveler

You know what happens when you’re in a dark, cold, dry room and you rub a fat long-haired cat the wrong way? Right: sparks fly. And that’s just what happens in Venus in Fur at the Lyceum. The play opens as thunder and lightning boom and flash on a dark stage. What follows is an hour and a half of non-stop building sexual tension between Vonda (Nina Arianda)  and Thomas (Hugh Dancy). Just the two of them, a bag full of costumes dragged in by Vonda, a few pieces of furniture and a witty, edgy script full of twists and turns.With it’s play-within-a-play structure and 19th century shadow story, the play is quite Tom-Stoppard-esque. The plot is convoluted, the characters exchange roles, and, in the end, a bit more clarity would have been appreciated. But, when leaving the theater everyone can be hard exclaiming the same thing: Nina Arianda! She is a force of nature. Beguiling. Sexy. Dangerous. Eccentric. Endearing. As electric as the lightning that flashes throughout the show. Hugh Dancy does a great job just to keep up with her. Don’t miss it!

Lexington Avenue in the ’20s and ’30s is know as ‘Curry Hill’ for the plethora of Indian restaurants there. So i was surprised to find the new American-style bistro The Three Hens nesting right smack in the middle of the ‘hood at 115 Lexington Ave.

The small room sports a casual bistro decor. We were seated promptly and welcomed by Bob, our server, who doubled as bartender. Service was friendly and prompt. Lauren started with the warm lentil salad, which she thoroughly enjoyed. I had one of their specialties—the french onion soup. It was very tasty, though i thought it could have used a bit more cheese. We don’t eat a lot of red meat, but Lauren had a hankering, so she ordered the steak frites.The steak au poirve came out cooked perfectly, tender and juicy. She’s normally not a big fries fan wither, but she loved the ones accompanying the steak.For my entree, I went a bit lighter, choosing the skillet-roasted chicken with potatoes, leeks, and mushrooms. It turned out just as i had hoped—moist and flavorful.

The Three Hens is a delightful, inexpensive alternative to other restaurants in the area.