Sausage and Art

Doesn't a healthy dose of culture always go down easier with a fatty link of spiced sausage? The New York Times crowned Little Morocco's (24-39 Steinway Street, Astoria, NY 11103) merguez sausage sandwich the best in five boroughs in April 2008, and who are we to disagree with America's most respected news rag? Jen Lazzaro and Cafe Drake had appetites beyond a mere sandwich however, and opted for the Merguez Platter ($9) - a heaping portion of salad (greens, olives, red onions, cukes and unfortunately, mushy tomatoes), hot fries, 4 links of said sausage and an array of condiments, ranging from the typical (herbed mayo and ketchup) to the sublime (a chunky homemade hot sauce, blended from peppers and veggies and subtly tweaked with caraway - akin to harissa). All was quite good and the meal made even more colorful once the mosque across the street opened its doors and our patio dining area became flooded with hungry and devout Moroccan ex-pats.

After lunch Cafe D and Jenny L booked over to PS1, our fave local museum of contemporary art, where we grooved on a see-through, 2-story swimming pool installation (hard to explain further) and a major retrospective of Kenneth Anger's six-decade career in experimental film; the vast exhibition space has been transformed through wall coverings and tents of silver and red vinyl draping, conjuring an "immersive" viewing experience.