Rob Tallia
Editor of:   CHELSEA, New York
via @notfortourists - NFT Member Profile - Rob Tallia Facebook Buzz this delicious Digg Stumble Upon

ROB Tallia has spent most of his life in a struggle for a normal cholesterol level. When he is not doing that, however, he helps produce the NFT Guidebook series with his partner, Jane Pirone, plays guitar, takes the occasional photo, and travels as much as possible with his wife Jodie and young son Miles. He thanks you for your support.

10 NFT Questions:
My Day Job:
     NFT Managing Editor/Garbage Removal
What I'm listening to:
     Fu Manchu, Interpol, ST 37.
What I'm reading:
     Thomas Bernhard, Jim Bouton.
What I've just seen:
     Sloths, monkeys, and a bar made out of a Fairchild C-123 in Costa Rica.
What I believe in:
     Bacon / Art.
What pisses me off:
     People who overpromise and underdeliver.
What I really think of NFT:
     It's okay for now.
The question I really wanted to answer was:
     Q: What is the frequency, Kenneth?
    A: 66.9 megahurtz
Further contact info:
     rob@notfortourists.com
What sanctifies me:
     Art / Bacon.

Rob's Photos


Rob's Features
48 Hours in Kansas City
See NFT Managing Editor/co-founder Rob Tallia fully clog his arteries in a 26-hour period by eating in five separate Kansas City barbeque joints. Funeral arrangements will be announced shortly. No flowers, please, just brisket.
   
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The Grandest Street of All
Join NFT head honcho Rob Tallia on an epic journey down the entire length of Grand Street in Manhattan. From the gritty to the sublime, Grand Street has it all.   
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City Life
What is city life? At its best, a seamless interaction of people, ideas, movement, culture, and solitude. Solitude, because behind every closed door is a family—perhaps of one, or two, or ten, occasionally a “manufactured” family of roommates—but even in the most disparate of circumstances, the occasional meal (be it take-out from the corner Chinese), shared television-watching experience (Oscars, Super Bowl, latest reality-TV finale), or communal party to celebrate a birthday, new job, quit job, return from abroad, whatever. And yet, solitude, since even one’s roommates and family members, being city dwellers, are at least occasionally on the move, away from home, traveling on business, visiting the ersatz family homestead in the ‘burbs, etc. leaving one to oneself.    
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Rob's Reviews & Comments
Topolobampo 7/22/2010
Two radars of Topolobampo within one calendar year? Yes, we're making up for lost time here, since we hadn't ever reviewed Rick Bayless's temple of Chi-Mex goodness before. And since Tatyana Zaprudskaya already talked about decor, appetizers, and soups, I can firmly focus on the fact that the ceviches--both the sunfish ceviche and the tuna ceviche (pictured)--were two of the best ceviches I've ever had. Add in a dozen raw oysters and then, well, any of the main courses, and you're in great shape. Just bring working plastic like a good American, and your meal will be quite memorable. Unless you drink too many mojitos.
Billy Goat Tavern 7/22/2010
We at NFT were glad to have watched the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup not from the safety of our own homes, or from the utter drunken revelry of a Blackhawks bar, but instead from the hallowed halls of the Billy Goat Tavern. And yes, all the patrons did indeed go properly apeshit, and we then had the bonus of being right on Michigan Ave afterwards for the impromptu car-honking celebration. But more importantly: this author downed two doubles in the space of about 15 minutes, because they were/are/will always be so FRIGGIN' GOOD. Who needs french fries? Just more room for another burger from one of the 8 places profiled on the great documentary Hamburger America (now also a book, a TV show, and a South American Cult). And with some dark beer to wash it down, life was good--and will be again, the next time I'm back at the Billy Goat.
Publican 7/21/2010
Yup. It's as good as everyone says it is. And louder. And busier. You can wait a while, even if you have a reservation. But so what? The beer selection is so friggin' good that we promise you won't care about waiting a while--it will take you 10 minutes just to decide on your first drink. You'll then also have plenty of time to strategize over the menu; how many pork dishes CAN we order given the number of people in our party tonight? Well...several, of course. But then how much seafood can you order on top of that? Well, you've certainly got to order some oysters and some octopus (because you pretty much have to order oysters and octopus whenever it's offered) to go along with the three-ham plate, the spicy pork rinds (just go ahead and order two of those to start), 1 order of pork schnitzel, and 1 suckling pig. And a sweetbread order. That's minimum for four people, really--I don't see how in good conscience you can order less than that here. Unless you want to live beyond 50. But really, wouldn't you rather eat now and hope for super-Crestor?
Willis Tower (Sears Tower) 7/21/2010
When we went to the Willis Tower, there was no line to get up to the skydeck--although the labyrinthine path we needed to follow to get to the ticket booth and the elevator suggested that many times, there would be quite a significant line. So, while the view from the top of the Willis is cool, I'd wait for low-tourist-season-random-weeknight-around-dusk to go (worked for us). But, without the line--very worth it, most of all for the insaner-than-insane glass overhangs (pictured) at the top, where you can actually see straight down to the base of the tower. The industrial sunset was also pretty cool, as was some of the history of Chicago and famous Chicagoans on the interior walls of the skydeck. But the view--quite a good one of many of Chicago's more architecturally significant skyscrapers and buildings, and coupled with the glass overhangs, worth the price. Do it in conjuction with the Chicago Architectural Foundation's great Boat Tour of Chicago, and you'll be an instant expert on Chicago architecture (and the boat tour serves alcohol--another bonus!).
Fuel City Tacos 4/29/2010

Rob's Radars Amma
Midtown Dinner
8/13/2010 Restaurants, East Midtown — When you get to a certain age, you will need to find a restaurant in Midtown other than Black Gold
Worth Its Weight
8/11/2010 Coffee, BoCoCa / Red Hook — Even though I don't drink coffee, I know a cool coffee shop when I see one. Especially when it's fil...

a.o.c. bistro
Dreaming in French
8/4/2010 Restaurants, Park Slope / Prospect Heights / Windsor Terrace — Park Slope, restaurant-wise (and almost everything other-wise), is now an embarrassment of riches. N...

Calumet Fisheries
Smelting The Day Away
7/29/2010 Restaurants, South — We once again will give the nod to the great Anthony Bourdain for giving us a great south Chicago ti...

Issue Project Room
Courtyard Rock
7/28/2010 Nightlife, Park Slope / Prospect Heights / Windsor Terrace — Want to sweat like a pig outside in a totally enclosed, breeze-less outdoor courtyard near the Gowan...

Submitted Listings

New York
10 St. Parking Corp
14th St-6th Ave F Line,L Line,V Line
376 Lafayette St Henry Hardenbergh's NoHo masterpiece, circa 1888.
42nd St-Port Authority Bus Terminal A Line,C Line,E Line
65 Fen Great new Lefferts wine shop; very affordable.

Boston

Chicago
Central Purple Line

London
American Retro Random hipster Americana junk. Recommended.
Bargain Bookshop
Chowki Rotating regional cuisines of India; brilliant.
Inhabition
Lyric Hammersmith Hammersmith's hottest home of hentertainment.

Los Angeles
BKT Hollywood Thai dessert shopamazing visual!
Center for Contemporary Art Hip gallery in random location specializes in postmodern photography.
Gallery of Functional Art Super-cool design-y store in Bergamot Station.
Mel Pierce Camera & Digital Friendly local source for cameras, papers, printers, etc.
Morono Kiang Gallery Contemporary Asian art gallery in the Bradbury Building. sweet!

Miami
Delano Hotel Philippe Starck cool on the beach. Swank.

New Orleans
Franky & Johnny's Restaurant Down-home as down-home gets, y'all.

Other Cities
Amon Carter Museum Skip the western crap and check out the brilliant photography collection.
Angry Dog Excellent bar w/ even more excellent burger.
Angry Dog Dive bar w/ exceptional burger. Therefore, Heaven.
Arthur Bryant's Barbeque Burnt ends and killer brisket will save the world.
Boulevard Brewing Co KC''s ubiquitous microbrewery. Go for the wheat.

Paris
Champs de Mars
Champs de Mars Green haven up against the Eiffel Tower !
Ile de la Cité
Ile de la Cité Medieval flavour all around this island home to Notre-Dame...
Ile Saint-Louis

Philadelphia
Bindlestiff Books Tiny, cute, mostly new remainders.
Bindlestiff Books Tiny, cute, mostly new remainders.
Khmer Art Gallery Lovely Cambodian art and incredible instruments.
Rebekah Templeton Contemporary Art
Tequila Sunrise Records Highly curated, mostly vinyl, also a label; awesome.

San Francisco
Andy Goldsworthy: Spire Goldsworthy brilliance amongst (and with) the trees.
CocoaBella Chocolates Fabulous compendium of world-wide designer chocolates.
Indonesia Restaurant Friendly Indonesian; killer roti and beef rendang.
Sugarlump Coffee Lounge Insanely awesome coffee bar with killer mid-century furnishings. My god.
Vista Point Gorgeous pics of SF by gallery owner/photographer.

Seattle
Ballard Got a little Viking in you?
Capitol Hill Be yourself...together.