We may have had a few days of blissful cool, but the heat is definitely back on, full force. To help cope with the condensation radiating from your skin, we suggest splurging on a lovely summer treat: The Lily Lolly Ice Kitchen.  We discovered these homemade popsicles during a sweaty walk on the High Line, where two lanky Brits operated the charming, polka-dot decorated cart serving a variety of icy and milky pops, all handmade from fresh, natural, and local ingredients. Here you'll find flavors similar to the box of popsicles sold in your neighborhood supermarket (raspberry, orange and lemon, watermelon) as well as unusual ones like pistachio and rose, marionberry, and fresh ginger. And then there are the milky treats: caramel milk, sour cherry in white chocolate, the New York black and white.  CONT'D

Because I was hot and craving something semi thirst-quenching, I chose the simple orange lemon pop, the flavors of which were deep and lingering. You could taste the orange from which this ice-pop was born, the tangy squeeze from the lemon left my tongue tingling. Long after it was gone my mouth tasted delicious.  My more adventurous, less thirsty friend Oscar opted for a lavender and blueberry special, loaded with chunky blueberries.  I didn't try it, but it looked fantastic.

The Antlers at In Vino, photo from BrooklynVegan.com

Vivo In Vino is an "intimate wine salon" started by our good buddies over at In Vino (who you have probably seen at all of our parties) on the Lower East Side.  The restaurant pairs some of NYC's most interesting musicians with inspiring wines for a night of listening, chatter, and... tasting.  We sat down with the brains behind the series to talk about the artists, how this all came to be, and what kind of wine they'd pair with Lil' Weezy.

Tell us a little bit about Vivo in Vino. Where did the idea come from? How did it all begin?

David: Vivo In Vino came about from our love of music and our love of wine, and the bridge that exists between the two.  When you think about going to a show, you're often left with just a few options of domestic beer, and if you're lucky, some watered down mixed drinks.  We wanted to break that mold and highlight that wine and music is actually an ideal pairing in that they are two art forms that similarly benefit from creativity, experimentation and independence.  Additionally, we also want to show that you don't just have to listen to a symphony or a jazz trio if you're drinking wine.

How do you pick the artists? Do they typically know a lot about wine?

Adam: We pick artists we love that we think would do well in an intimate setting.  Although an artist's knowledge of wine is not a criteria for us booking them, every artist so far that has played Vivo in Vino has been very into wine and food and has had a blast at the event.   Nicole Atkins and The Antlers have both told us they'd play it again, it was such a good time.

Keith: Typically, when a band we reach out to wants to do the show there is a definite interest in wine there. The whole idea is very appealling to them because,  they get to show off there skills in an intimate environment. No big stage and haul ins and outs. 

Did you guys have anything special for the recent Vivo in Vino with Holly Miranda? 

Keith: BEAR FLAG! Love these wonderful Cali ladies! Hillary and Beth each make a wine( a white and a red) that they pour their heart and soul into. We have been carrying the wines at the shop for quite sometime now and when it was time to reach out and pair with Holly Miranda Bear Flag was on the tip of both mine and David's tounges… Beth and Hillary used this event to showcase their two latest wines. Sweet.

You've already paired wines with The Antlers, Nicole Atkins, and Holly Miranda - how about pairing a from your menu with them? 

Keith:

The Antlers: Porcini Ravioli with a truffle cream sauce

Nicole Atkins: Skirt steak medium rare finished with a balsamic vinaigrette served with sauteed spinach and roasted rosemary potatoes

Holly Miranda: Pappardelle Abrrabiata with shrimp in an aioli sauce.

Pair a wine with the following artists (and tell us why!)

LADY GAGA

David: Txakolina -- Effervescent and frothy, it's a wine that people love or hate.  Low enough in alcohol to keep you light on your dancing feet.

JAMES BROWN

Keith: The hardest working man in showbiz had a very strong type A personality. But those moves and that rhythm gets anyone shuffling their feet. So, Work Hard/Play Hard says to me celebrate with a bottle of grower's Champagne. It is full enough to compliment the attitude and bubbly enough to celebrate.

David: I'd go with a Fine Tawny Port for him.  High octane, intense, but still fruity and lively.

PASSION PIT

Adam: A really good rose cause they are poppy, fresh, young and make me think of summer. 

David: A poppy and energized music would pair well with zesty, gooseberry style New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. 

WILCO

Adam:  Man, I think depression and winter, a very heavy red

Keith: Brooding, cautious, slightly tortured. This calls for some serious good wine. These guys will think about whatever is put in front of them. Gotta go Vintage Bordeaux, specifically from the Medoc/left bank region where the blends are primarily Cabernet Sauvignon. Pop it, pour it and let it evolve.

David: A band with a long and evolving catalogue in music could match up great with a similarly long and complex wine like a Burgundy or a Barolo.

LIL WAYNE

Keith: Lil Wayne is the kind of entrepreneur that will stick his toes in all kinds of stuff, hip hop, sports, rock, possession. I can totally see him making his own wine one day. But for now this dude is a big, oaky, Cali Chardonnay. I am not sure why. It just feels right.

Adam: He would only ever drink Champagne, so I'd switch it up and give him a lambrusco. 

David: He says he only drinks pink champagne, but I agree with Adam that a lambrusco would be a perfect match for Lil Weezie.

Anything else our readers should know about the series?

Keith: One thing to point out is that David and Adam and I truly enjoy organizing these events. I can't tell you how much fun it is to get wine and music into our little cave and all hang out with common interests. When I watch a Vivo In Vino event go down it just feels so good and so right to be doing this.

Adam: Wine and good music to the people.  No pretension at all.

527 Henry St. (Between Carroll and Summit Sts.)

(p) 718-858-4086

We can finally call ourselves true residents of  Broolklyn Heights/ Cobble Hill now that we've eaten at Lucali.  At the request of an adorable young married couple who swear it's their "favorite restaurant, not just favorite pizza, in the city" we decided to brave the wait and test this shiz out.

This is how it goes down: Someone makes the call and is given an estimated wait time, usually between one and two hours.  You'll then have to kill time somewhere in the area. We opted for Bocca Lupa. Eventually you'll get a call from Lucali telling you that your table is ready. CONT'D

It was almost 10pm by the time we sat down. The only light in the place is from candles scattered around the room — Not exactly your standard pizza spot. The staff is young, hip, and attractive.  The kitchen (if you can call it that) is right in the middle of the room – basically just a table in front of an oven.  The owner and pizza maker stands there with his arms crossed (unless he's tossing dough) and watches the restaurant with an extremely serious expression. Kind of awesome, no?

The menu, too, is unusual. There's a standard plain cheese, 18'' pie, with new toppings every night.  When we went there was pepperoni, sausage, basil, mushrooms, peppers, garlic, and onions.  The pizza only takes ten minutes to cook, and comes out thin and charred from the brick oven.   There's a good two inches of just plain, crusty perimeter; our friends (veteran Lucali eaters) ordered a side of sauce to dip it in.  Smart move. The toppings were fresh and tasty, with particularly large leaves of green basil.

So is it the best pizza in Brooklyn? In New York? The world? Jay Z and Beyonce have been known to enjoy a pie here, so what does that mean? Here's my two cents: The pizza is straightforward — there's nothing about it that signifies Lucali necessarily (like a specific sauce or the creamiest burrata). Instead, it's all about execution. Lucali's thin crust pies are a lot like all of the others you've had in your life, but for some reason, they're just better.

JBM

Tuesday 7/27

JBM / Sondre Lerche @ Mercury Lounge

Wednesday 7/28

Robyn @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Thursday 7/29 

Chromeo @ Bowery Ballroom

Friday 7/30

The Swell Season / The Low Anthem @ Prospect Park Bandshell

Saturday 7/31

Body Language / Savoir Adore @ Mercury Lounge

We're happy to report that on the Entertaining Scale of 1-10, this week's episode of Top Chef clocks in at precisely 7.5 which is a whole 7 points better than its previous rating of just 0.5. I'm sure even the TC-bashing critics over at Time would agree.

So what made this episode more blood rushing than most?  For starters, the chefs had to cook with nasty ingredients for the quick fire which is always interesting. But on top of that, Andrea had to cook for guest judge, Michelle Berstein, whom she views as an equal back home in Miami.  It even got down to, "I decided to have kids first."  Yes — this is what we want!  And to top it all that, Kelly (our favorite chef) took the win. CONT'D

For the elimination challenge the chefs had to prepare a cold meal and then had the opportunity to taste and critique some of their competitor's dishes. If this doesn't make for ripe food TV that I don't know what does.  The theme of this episode — actually this entire season — is strategy. If everyone had to take a shot of tequila every time the word "strategy" was said, you'd be shit-faced. (First Top Chef drinking game, anyone?) It's actually getting to be a bit much. I can just hear the producers asking the chefs during their confessions, "What's your strategy for the elimination?" And then the chefs casually repeat the question making it seem like they are asking themselves this aloud which no one ever does in real life, as in, "What's my strategy for the elimination challenge? Well.."

But ultimately this worked out to be quite entertaining as we got to decide whether or the not the chefs were critiquing the dishes based on their quality or whether they were trying to frame their toughest competitors.  Tamesha's dish sounded downright nasty — half cooked scallops and, what was it, long pepper? – but was Kenny's dish really that much worse than Amanda's with cartilage in it?  And isn't it a little peculiar that Kevin, who has been consistently on the bottom, came out winning this challenge? Now this is good food TV.

Screen Shot From Homemade Pizza. Go to FrankieCooks.com for video

He cooks. He plays music. He dresses up. And he edited this entire video. You can't say the kid isn't talented.  It's been a while since a new episode aired on Frankie Cooks and You Can Too. Marking his return, in typical Frankie style, is an over-the-top video that you can laugh and learn from.  And you better believe that pizza tastes even better than it looks.

Top Chef is up to its old tricks again, trying to get us to like it by showing us those two minute clips in between commercials when we get a glimpse of life in the house: A possible budding romance between Tiffany and Ed (remember the awkward, awesome crush Leah had on Hosea?). A faux sexual relationship between Tamesha and Angelo (who's gay, right?).  Also, Tamesha says that she sees Angelo as a mentor, which just doesn't make sense to us. If you view one of your competitors as a teacher shouldn't you just pack your knives and go? And did you pick up on the fact that Kenny IS "THE ALPHA MALE PRESENCE." Don't forget.  CONT'D

But it's not working as successfully as it has in the past because this cast is lacking any redeeming qualities. We're particularly fed up with Amanda, not just because she can't cook (and pronounces minestrone, minestrone-ee") but because she reminds us of shit-dumb NYU girls we've finally gotten away from.  Also, their confessionals are increasingly more infuriating as everyone continues to botch the English language.  Maybe a good pool of people for Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader.

Our favorite so far is Kelly, and only because she seems legit enough to have made it onto other seasons, where she would have been a mid-range fan fave. 

Props to Eric Ripert for always looking so cool, saying mean things in a charming French accent, and stomaching minestrone-ee soup.

231 Mott St. at Prince St.
(p) 212-966-123

You probably haven't heard of Emporio. It hasn't received much press, save for its un-hyped inclusion in New York Mag's Top 20 Pizzas of the Moment last June, but that doesn't mean it's not packing some serious heat. And thanks to the lack of buzz, you can expect to be seated right away, sans reservation — something to be cherished in this city.

Designed to look like a twenties-era Roman grocery – white tile, rustic wooden paneling and bags of pasta stacked high on shelves — Emporio has a relaxed, welcoming feel strengthened by affectionate Italian staff. CONT'D

Though known for their pizzas, I wouldn't stop there. The gazpacho with watermelon, cucumber, basil and cheese managed to be supremely refreshing, even in the 90+ degree weather.  A delicious fava bean salad, garnished with shaved fennel and mint, and enlivened by a fresh squeeze of lemon and good Grana Padano, pleased all.  The pizza was light and crisp, with a brilliant sauce and creamy, irresistible burrata cheese. For entrees, the chicken under a brick was another goodie.  A moist, crispy skinned chicken sat atop a flavorful mound of charred broccoli rabe with a hint of applewood bacon — no complaints there.

From start to finish this place impresses, so much in fact that I considered not writing this review. I'd rather it stay a secret.

What could be better then gorging on guacamole, cruising around Manhattan, and listening to some of Brooklyn's (and Philly's) best bands?  On Tuesday July 19th, our friends over at NachosNY.com are inviting you on a booze cruise, where you can sample some of NY's finest homemade guac while doing the limbo to North Highlands, the Beets, and Dry Feet.  Get tickets HERE.   

Dear Top Chef Season 7 Casting Directors, 

You've pulled your weight in the past: Last season we enjoyed the sibling rivalry between the Voltaggio brothers, the red in Kevin's beard, and Jennifer's tough-girl 'tude. Before them was cocky Stefan,  Italian Fabio and owl-hooting Carla. And before them was Stephanie, Richard, Ilan, Harold, Tiffani, Marcel, Hung.

But this season, you've disappointed us.  The competitors are annoying, unprofessional, and unattractive. We can't foresee a midnight romance in this house, let alone a Stefan and Fabio worthy man-love.  After every confessional, instead of feeling closer to the contestants, we squirm at the ridiculous things they say, or at the sound of their nasally, effeminate voices. CONT'D

Take this week's episode, for example.  While wandering the maze of Whole Foods, we switch to a confessional of Amanda, admitting, "I used to have a big problem with coke, pills, and then anything I could get my hands on."  I can see how the casting directors thought a drug history may have worked for reality TV, but here's the thing: unless Amanda  starts asking the other competitors for valium or sneaking lines of blow in between dishes, we don't care.  We're also wondering how Tracey made it on the show at all, and why Arnold is the least funny gay man we've ever seen. 

On top of this, there are two guys who look exactly alike — Stephen and Ed— and Angelo, arguably the best one of the bunch, may be the most aggravating. It's something about the way he speaks; instead of being impressed by his self-assurance I want to slap him. 

What happened to the talented, emotionally destructive, sexually promiscuous chefs of past seasons? Are they all signed up for Top Chef Just Desserts, or what?

To save this season, we offer a solution: send two chefs home at the next quick-fire challenge and bring in a more interesting one in his/her place.