Pets and your new home

Smoothly introducing your dog to your new home

Moving into your new home is very exciting, for your entire family!! But did you know that introducing your dog into a new home can be incredibly stressful for them? Fortunately, there are a lot of things that we can do to make this transition easier on them, which in the end makes it easier on us!

There are a lot of things that you can do to make the move less stressful on your pet. When moving, if possible, it would be a good idea to leave the dog with a friend they know. This will keep the dog out of your way when you are moving furniture, and decrease the chance that any accidents may happen. You can also leave the dog in the backyard while you move, as long as it is fully fenced and they cannot escape! Can’t do either? Well then, the ‘least worst’ scenario is to crate your dog while moving the furniture into the home. Make sure the crate is large enough that they can stand up, turn around and lay down comfortably, and be sure to give them access to water and let them outside to ‘do their business’ every few hours. Doors will be left open, items will be dropped, there will be a lot of commotion, and the best way to keep your pet safe during this time is to keep them out of the way!

During the packing process, you can actually plan ahead to make this as smooth a transition as possible for your four legged friend. Instead of trying to cram the packing into one or two days, planning to pack over a longer period of time can reduce the stress on your dog (and probably yourself as well!). Make sure that you pack their water and food bowls, toys, and blankets/beds in a separate box that will be easily accessible once you are at your new home. Dogs do not like change, so the more familiar the setting, the better! One easy trick is to make sure that they have belongings that smell like you, their people! Having a familiar scent in a strange place can make the transition easier. All you would need to do is put their toys in your laundry hamper for a few days, and they will smell just like you!! And don’t feel embarrassed, this is like the sweet smell of roses for your dog. These are as important to your dog as your child’s teddy bear is to them.

For more great tips on a successful move with your pet, please visit The Humane Society of the United States.

Housetraining is always a big issue, and even well-trained dogs may not know where to ‘go’ in a new home. When you bring them to your new house, make sure that they are taken into the back right away, where they can ‘do their business’. It may sound silly, but it is always a good idea to reward them with praise, so that they know they did something good! It may seem odd to your new neighbors that you are congratulating your dog for successfully going to the bathroom (you may become the most talked about person on your street), but your dog will think that they just won a gold medal for it!! You will want to keep en eye on them to make sure that they are able to find the back door (or front door depending on the home) whenever necessary. Here is a good rule of thumb to remember: let them out after playing for a period of time (15-30 minutes depending on age), after they wake up, and after they eat!

For puppies, the rules need to be modified slightly. You still want to show them where the door is, and give them lots of praise when they go where they should (this should be a very exciting event for them, and remember that the gold medal they are winning can come in the form of a treat!). Be sure to let them outside as often as possible, especially immediately after they eat, wake up, and every 10-15 minutes during playtime! There will be accidents, no puppy is perfect (adorable yes, perfect no!), so be patient and keep it positive!

Another point to keep in mind is that a puppy can ‘hold it’ for approximately 1 hour for every month they are old. For example, a puppy that is only 2 months old, can generally ‘hold it’ for approximately 2 hours at a time! This may not apply to every puppy, as they are just as different from each other as we are from other people, but it does give you an idea of what to expect.

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Don't eat dinner at a lunch restaurant

Murano
207 West 36 Street
New York, NY 10018

(212) 695-5220

I love Italian food and I love American food. Murano seems to have confused the best of both.

Murano is quite clearly a business mans fancy lunch, a place were corporate high level gossip can be exchanged while the executives get thoroughly lubricated. Indeed Murano is not open on the weekends.

Italian food has wonderful distinct courses with its antipasti, pasta and secondi all with different tastes and textures. The antipasti is made to be eaten with bread. The pasta’s shape is made to enhance the flavors of the sauce; for example Penne will always be linked with vodka sauce and fettuccini with creamy Alfredo sauce. The secondi’s sometimes meat, sometimes fish are separate and distinct.

In American food, the courses are often combined, and the pasta or starch is served with the meat or fish, but they separate and usually un-sauced and easily identified.

But Murano serves Italian American food probably because American businessmen don’t have the luxury of time their European counterparts have.

Murano’s food has neither the grace of Italian food nor the straight forwardness of American food. Let me give you an example. I ordered fettuccini with salmon in vodka sauce. There was no Alfred available. I expected a filet of salmon with fettuccini on the side. Instead I got a mishmash of both; the filet of salmon was broken up and cooked with the pasta. The salmon was obviously the tasteless farm raised kind, and was made almost indistinct by the orange colored vodka sauce. I also ordered a cold mixed antipasti. Italian food has wonderful Capanata and Gardinera, but instead got olives and mushrooms straight out of a Costco giant jar.

A dinner of a salad, antipasti, two pastas and a shared dessert is approximately $ 100 and hardly worth it.

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In the presence of professionals

Padre Figlio
310 east 44 street
NY, NY


There is something about Padre Figlio, which just tells you they know what they are doing. It starts with the hostess, who greets you by name even though you have never been there before and have not announced yourself. The Maitre D’ proceeds to announce the voluminous specials of the day, including the ingredients and the method of preparation…just so.
We were not interested in just beef, I wanted to see what the chef can do and even this jaded New Yorker was impressed. Some of us started with a wonderful tricolor salad topped with slivers of Romano cheese. I had a pickled eggplant and mushroom mélange wrapped in radicchio with gobs of freshly made buffalo milk mozzarella, still warm and silky smooth. Ah…yes
Pasta is the reason for Italy’s existence and my judgment is strict and unforgiving. I am not sure what they called my dish. It was a variation of Spaghetti Matricana. Home made spaghetti perfectly al dente, with pancetta (unsmoked bacon), onion, and garlic with slices of filet mignon in an excellent tomato sauce topped with ricotta. The serving was so large, I cancelled my next course. Also at the table was home made lobster ravioli with large chucks of lobster and a perfectly grilled mediterrain sea bass.
It’s a rough life, but someone has to do it and I am volunteering for your share at Padre Figlio.
Dinner for four was $ 250 with a tip. But I noticed that they have a limited menu prix fixe dinner at $ 35. I am definitely going back to try it

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Another good meal on Cortelyou Road

Cinco de Mayo Taqueria
1202 Cortelyou Road
Brooklyn, NY 11218
718 693 – 1022


There are now several good restaurants on Cortelyou Road., but perhaps the most underrated is Cinco de Mayo.

This Taqueria appears as a simple working mans formica counter top dinner, but some one in the kitchen knows what they are doing. Perhaps, the true test of a great cook is that they can produce a variety of dishes at the same time and have all of them taste very good and very distinctive.

Mexican sauces are acknowledged to be among the most complex in the world. A mole sauce containing chocolate can have over thirty ingredients. Pepian is a green sauce made from the seeds of a Calabasa Squash, Green and Red Salsas can take all day to get right .Adobo sauces with a vinegar base can destroy a meal if not made right, but a Tingua with onions can bring even boiled till dead chicken back to life. I have many dishes at Cinco de Mayo and each sauce has been amazingly good, consistent and distinct.

Open seven days from 9:00 a.m. to 10:p.m. Don’t expect great service, but with great food comes prices that are almost embarrassingly cheap. Two main courses with a Guacamole appetizer and beers cost less than $ 40.00

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Poor Porter's Problem

Porter’s Restaurant and Lounge
216 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY

888-316-1028

I had checked out Porter’s restaurant on the web about a week before making reservations. The website was attractive, the menu tempting, and live music was advertised. When the got to the restaurant there was no live music or DJ and the menu had changed significantly. But we still started our dinner with high hopes at this tablecloth restaurant because it looked good and we actually found free parking very close.
We were greeted courteously and seated. The staff was friendly and had a real grasp of their duties. Daily specials were presented intelligently and in detail. Our party ordered mussels, crab cakes, onion soup and salad and except for the bready crab cakes all were good.
We ordered one Steak au poivre medium rare and another medium well, the steaks came out the without the typical crusting, and some how tasted sour. Eventhough one was supposed to be medium well, both were medium rare.
We ordered chocolate soufflés for dessert, which were served with vanilla cream and whipped cream and although they were light and puffy, they didn’t taste of chocolate, very strange.
During every course the wait staff was attentive and helpful, but the food was mediocre at best and at $ 200 for four dinners, Porters is overpriced.
Later, I rechecked the website and it was no longer available and with a sparse attendance, no music and mediocre food this restaurant may not be in business for long.

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Fino's Wall Street - a Restaurant Review

Fino’s Wall Street is mis-named, it should be Find if you can, Not on Wall Street. Look for this subterranean pricey restaurant off the corner (or maybe that should be under the corner) of Beaver and Pearl.
The décor of Fino’s reminds you of a 1940’s gangster movie, there is even a private platform where the shoot out can occur. We went on Friday night and discovered that we were the only patrons with a wait staff of about twenty.
Because we were a group of four we were able to sample a fairly wide range of their offerings. Fino’s is not an Italian restaurant from any particular section of Italy, unless you consider Jersey City a section of Rome.
The Papardelle con Funghi was very good, but the Lobster stuffed Ravioli came with a zesty tomato sauce and seafood stuffed Ravioli should always had a creamy white sauce. The Cesar Salad had almost no dressing, but the shrimp, chicken and Veal dishes were first rate. The cold antipasti plate was very good and lots of variety, but almost superfluous, because the table service includes a large plate of olives, salami, peppers and large chunks of Parmesan.
Dinner for four with appetizer, pasta, main course and dessert will run about $ 220
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A lively place in dreary downtown Brooklyn, NY

O.K. rainy weekday nights on Livingston Street, downtown Brooklyn, are hardly lively, but someone has taken a lot of time, care and consideration in the opening of Taino Soliel, an upscale Caribbean restaurant. You get into the festive mood almost immediately with live plants, a colorful and interesting décor and even livelier island music.
Starting up a restaurant is not easy and there have been some initial problems at Taino, but they seem to have really gotten their act together. From the first greeting, to the constant attention and straight answers to your questions, you have the feeling that you really matter.
In every restaurant what really matters is the food. Here Taino excels, try the Calamari ala Coco. You have to be careful with Calamari you can easily wind up with rubber bands. This Calamari was done and still tender, a coconut sauce with red and green peppers and cilantro made this dish a real standout
The main courses are done just so, although I admit that I went way out on a limb when I ordered the Mofongo (a pork or shrimp concoction with yucca). The chicken stew was tasty without being spicy and the fried meats tender and juicy. You had the feeling, that someone in the kitchen puts a lot of pride in his/her work. Most dishes come with two sides and the best are the sweet potato fries and the sweet plantains. A carafe of Sangria and I was looking for my sun block.
Look for their special nights. Yesterday, the Martinis were five dollars and Thursday is Salsa night with an excellent Salsa dancing instructor (Don’t drink and Dance!).
A full dinner for two is about $75
For more see www.ditmasestates.com