Simply Amazing Cannoli!

Mmm! So-o good

Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

Indulge! Expect a little shiver of anticipation as the dessert fork lifts the rich luscious ricotta filling to your lips and eagerly awaiting tongue. Stop. Do not swallow before you allow all the flavors of the creamy custard to dissolve.

One luxurious cannoli is more than enough to leave you completely satiated; But, go ahead, be decadent, and have two.

By now, my guess is you have figured out that I have a wicked sweet tooth. My one cardinal rule: The sweets must be absolutely wonderful, never so-so or just okay. The calories have to be worth it!

Rocco's Pastry Shop and Cafe's cannolis, and all their desserts and cookies are worth every last calorie. A true Southern Italian pasticceria, the dolci (sweets) are never too sugary.

Friendly and slightly crammed, the shop's great to visit with friends for desserts or alone with a good book.

Most of the time I write about things readers outside New York must wait until they visit to experience. Not this time. Rocco's will ship anywhere in the continental US. Call 212-242-6031, order now, and you can enjoy these mouth-watering cannolis tomorrow. Don't you deserve a treat?

Buona fortuna!

Jacqueline Cable

For Postcards from New York

Address to remember: Rocco's Pastry Shop and Espresso Cafe, 243 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10014, 212-242-6031.

Directions: From Times Square MTA 1 to Christopher Street, short walk to Bleecker Street, N, R, and W to 8th Street short walk to Sixth Avenue, A, C, or E to West 4th Street, short walk to Bleecker.

Photo by Joseph Knight

©Copyright 2007 The Cable Group

A Walk in the West Village

A tree-lined Street in the West Village

Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

Please accept my apology for no stories last week. The many 911 ceremonies and solemn memorials dampened the city's spirits, and I was unable to write anything.

When I confided my writer's block to my friend, Lisa Cosman, who writes cookbooks, she instantly remarked: "Well of course you can’t write, we (New Yorker's) bare all the physicality of that day; we are too close and we will never get over it." I knew people who lost their lives that day, so please forgive my silence.

Let's change lanes and back track to the scene of our last article in August about a great place to enjoy gelato, Sant Ambroeus, in the West Village. This glorious late summer weather is perfect for walking. And, we know hitting the pavement is the very best way to truly make New York your own.

There are lots of green spots between and in the shadows of our dazzling high skyscrapers, as well as little known fountains and waterfalls, cobblestone streets and mews, tiny steeple churches tucked away in remote corners and 18th and 19th century buildings with endlessly interesting architectural features. I bet you thought I was describing some European city.

Have an hour? We'll keep it simple. Begin at West 4th and 6th Avenue, and find Bleecker Street. Walk north, just pass 7th Avenue to Grove, turn left, and continue walking until you come to Hudson Street.

Stop a moment to glance at the picturesque garden set back from the street at the Church of St. Luke's in the Fields on Hudson. Right out of a storybook, now notice the winding walkway leading to the entrance of the school not far from the church. Next, retrace your steps on the opposite side of Grove Street so you can take a close look at the brownstones and buildings across from you. When you reach Bleecker, walk to the next block, Christopher Street and repeat, then proceed to West 10th, Charles, Perry and West 11th Street.

Survey the unique character and architectural detail of the brownstones and low apartment buildings. There is an unhurried neighborhood feel here; people leisurely walk with little children and dogs, and sit on doorsteps and front stoops. You'll see ivy clad doorways and facades, well kept stone stairwells with exquisite wrought iron handrails. Dated plaques on many brownstones are proof they have been around since the mid 19th century.

Look up at the stairwells to find grand entrance doors; some carved with intricate designs or polished to a high gloss finish like the mahogany double doors at 70 Perry Street.

There is a lot to see. Bleecker Street has numerous small shops, cozy bookstores, intimate cafes and sidewalk restaurants. Your fingers will itch to touch the striking flower arrangements displayed at VSF 208 W. 10th Street. While the antiques in the window of Les Pierre Antiques beg to tell their stories, the colorful fabrics and smartly designed children's clothes at Bonpoint are impossible to resist.

Until recently, Sarah Jessica Parker called this area home. If you are a fan of Sex and the City join the line trailing around the block at her favorite place for cupcakes, Magnolia Bakery, or you know where to stop for gelato. Better yet, be really decadent and have a "to die for" cannoli. I'll tell you where next time.

Jacqueline Cable
For Postcards from New York

P.S. Speaking of Sarah Jessica Parker, shooting begins on the much anticipated movie any day. Stay tuned for details of the 1st Postcards from New York tour "Their Town - Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda's New York."

Address to remember: West 4th Street and Sixth Avenue.

Magnolia Bakery, 401 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10014, 212-462-2572.

Directions: From Times Square MTA 1 to Christopher Street, short walk to Bleecker Street, N, R, and W to 8th Street short walk to Sixth Avenue, A, C, or E to West 4th Street, short walk to Bleecker.

Photo by Joseph Knight

©Copyright 2007 The Cable Group

Remembering Princess Diana

Althorp - Princess Diana's childhood home

Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

In memory of the 10th Anniversary of Princess Diana's death, A Postcard From New York Encore published May 2, 2007.

Princess Diana will always hold a special place in my heart since she died on my birthday. So with sadness, I paused a moment when I saw the book, Althorp Living History, lying casually on a coffee table in the Antique Galleries at ABC Carpet and Home.

But then, how can one remain sad when you think of Diana's beautiful laughing smile and her shy mischievous eyes?

Soon after she and Charles were married, I had the good fortune to finagle an invitation for art collector clients to visit Althorp for a luncheon with her late father and the Countess of Spencer. The long drive on the estate's gravel road to the mansion remains a vivid memory.

If you have lived in or visited the British Isles, you are familiar with the sight of herds of sheep as they graze in lush green fields and meadows throughout the countryside. In a city like New York, we are completely isolated from such bucolic scenes right out of an 18th century novel. What made the drive to Althorp unusual was, not only were there sheep grazing, but a herd of Black Angus cows as well. Holding my breath to avoid the pungent odor of manure nearly made me gag; I had never seen such massive animals outside of the ones at a zoo, so close-up.

We quickly forgot the unpleasant aroma outside as we stood in the elegant guest entrance hall surrounded by great horse portraits by the artist, John Wootton. With the magnificent collections of paintings, silver, antique furnishings, Persian carpets, decorative art, porcelain, and objects of art, great country houses like Althorp are a pleasant reminder of a time and a past way of life.

In today's world, these homes present a real problem. The cost to maintain such properties is staggering, as repairs and upkeep never end. No matter the resources of the owner, they are a constant challenge.

Anyone who owns a home knows the time and money required to stay ahead of repairs and maintenance; There's always something, the boiler, the gutters, the ceiling, the roof, the plumbing, the wiring, or the vents; Now, image your home has over 100 rooms!

How clever of Diana's brother, Charles Edward, Earl of Spencer, to collaborate with Theodore Alexander to create exquisite reproductions of Althorp's extraordinary antiques. He has found a way to finance the maintenance of his ancestral home, while he shares Diana with all of us, at the same time.

We can imagine her as a youngster running and playing games like hide and seek, peeking out behind a high-backed wing chair, or on her knees under a great desk or table.

Take a walk through the Althorp Collection and live the dream of being lord or mistress of the manor. Then go home and rent a movie like "Remains of the Day" or "The Queen."

Jacqueline Cable
For Postcards from New York

P.S. Those of us who share a particular affection for Diana will enjoy Mario Testino’s beautiful photographs of her at home in his recently published Diana Princess of Wales by Mario Testino at Kensington Palace: Princess of Wales.

Address to remember: ABC Carpet and Home, 888 Broadway at 19th Street. New York, NY 10003. 212-473-3000.

Hours: Monday - Friday 10 AM - 8 PM, Saturday 10 AM - 7 PM, Sunday 11 AM - 6:30 PM.

Directions: From Times Square MTA, N, R, or W to 23rd Street. Bus M2, M3, and M5.

Address to remember: Althorp, Northampton, Northhamptonshire. England, UK NN7 4HQ

Directions: From London M1 North Exit 16 or 18

Photo courtesy of Beric Tempest & Company

©Copyright 2007 The Cable Group