Photograph-Illustration: Adam Mazur
Justin Peck, resident choreographer on the New York Metropolis Ballet, might be on a Citibike proper now. For months, he’s been splitting his days between rehearsals for Mystic Acquainted, his new ballet manufacturing, and the Broadway musical Buena Vista Social Membership, which he’s co-choreographing along with his spouse, Patricia Delgado. In between rehearsals, he’s discovered just a few dependable spots on the Higher West Facet and down close to the Public Theater, however on a time off, he’ll additionally often bike to Williamsburg for shellfish at Maison Premiere. (“I may eat, like, 50 oysters,” he says.) When Peck finds the time, although, he delights in making “a long-form meal that makes the entire home odor actually good,” just like the vat of ropa vieja he comprised of scratch over the lengthy weekend.
Monday, January 13
I at all times begin my day with a pour-over espresso. This week, the bottom beans are from Devoción Espresso. I was a giant bagel lover, and I nonetheless am, however I’ve not been liking how they’ve made me really feel lately. Turning into a mum or dad has me waking up earlier and burning extra power, so I’ve been attempting out protein-heavy breakfasts. In the present day, it’s scrambled eggs and half an avocado sliced up, salted, and peppered.
Impressed by The Bear, I’d made hen piccata with rigatoni, sautéed kale, and lettuce greens for my household the night time earlier than. It’s even higher the following day, so it doubles as lunch.
I’d by no means made piccata earlier than. I’m making a brand new dish, I’ll learn a number of recipes to get the lay of the land when it comes to what the elements are, after which I’ll simply begin to freestyle it just a little bit. You will be a lot looser with cooking than with baking. It’s an exercise that I discover actually calming — a sort of meditative, nearly therapeutic factor.
Between a brand new ballet and musical, I’m doing double responsibility. One is downtown — we’re rehearsing Buena Vista Social Membership on the Public Theater, and the ballet is at Lincoln Heart, so it’s plenty of jetting forwards and backwards. I snack on almonds and an apple from the farmer’s market all through rehearsals.
A bunch of household simply obtained into city, so for dinner we order a taco unfold from Tacombi. They’ve a fairly strong birria taco, which I inhale, together with their rice, beans, and guac with chips. I additionally love their agua de sandia.
Tuesday, January 14
On my method to rehearsal, I cycle by the Danish bakery Smør and seize a espresso and a tebirke, a poppy-seed pastry with a marzipan filling that I turned obsessive about after I was dwelling in Copenhagen — I like that it’s not too candy. The one from Smør is one of the best I’ve had exterior of Denmark. I pocket a pair extra to have at dwelling.
For lunch, a fast bowl of ramen from Ippudo, shut by. I swap the pork out for hen in my bowl — they’ve a very stunning poached hen.
On my means dwelling, I cease on the butcher Hudson & Charles to choose up some pork chops for dinner. I serve them together with roasted butternut squash, mushrooms in butter and toasted sesame oil, and sautéed spinach. Cooking is one thing that advanced in tandem with my work as a choreographer, actually. I began doing each in my early 20s, and there’s one thing very parallel to me about them — plenty of craft, plenty of element work, generally plenty of mundane exercise, and one last product, which you eat in a really brief period of time relative to how lengthy it took to make. I began engaged on the ballet in October, and I’ll be working by way of the premiere on January 29; it’ll be over for the viewers in lower than half an hour. A meal that took two hours to arrange might be gone in 5 minutes. I sort of love that.
For dessert, it’s a scoop of almond brittle Jeni’s ice cream. I’ve been obsessive about that taste these days. I additionally actually love their mint chocolate chip, which is de facto arduous to search out for some purpose. (I scored a pint from the Wegmans in Astor Place.)
Wednesday, January 15
Day-old tebirke, nonetheless good after 24 hours. And pour-over espresso.
Between rehearsals for Buena Vista, I trot down the road to Electrical Burrito. They make the sorts of burritos that make me nostalgic for my time rising up in San Diego: fries in burritos! I order one with grilled hen. I grew up in North County, alongside the coast’s sleepy surf cities. Each city appeared to have a neighborhood with taco retailers and Mexican eating places on practically each block. In center and highschool, we’d get burritos from a neighborhood spot referred to as Rico’s — one of many actually good ones.
I bounce on a Citibike and head uptown for ballet rehearsal. The present is known as Mystic Acquainted, and it’s a wholly new manufacturing that expands on The Instances Are Racing, a ballet I choreographed for the Metropolis Ballet in 2017. It appears like our sophomore album. It’s a one act, loosely impressed by the 5 components introduced in 5 actions — air, earth, fireplace, water, and ether. The composer and DJ instrumentalist Dan Deacon wrote the rating, which makes use of our full orchestra.
We do a run-through with the total solid within the studio, and I invite just a few mates to look at so I can try to get a way of how an viewers would possibly take it in. They hardly ever get the prospect to sit down that near the expression of dance, particularly on the degree that occurs at New York Metropolis Ballet. So it’s at all times just a little bit like, “How’s this gonna go?” After which by the tip, it’s a giant launch.
After rehearsal, we roll over to Tatiana on the Higher West Facet. We order an excessive amount of as a result of every little thing on the menu sounds so tasty: the empanadas, the dumplings, the hummus. We attempt their well-known braised oxtail, and the branzino. Additionally they make a pastrami that’s fairly epic.
Thursday, January 16
I’ve ginger-turmeric bone broth for breakfast as I head out the door.
All week, I’ve been racing forwards and backwards between NYCB and the Public, however at present, I’ve sufficient time to seize a PB Açai Bowl from Juice Era, which is kinda my go-to. It’s gentle, however the banana and peanut butter sustains me. Throughout rehearsal, I’ve extra banana and peanut butter, a tried-and-true snack. All of the Cubans make cafecito within the afternoon, so I even have one. It’s like a giant caffeinated hug.
We’re in rehearsal on daily basis with these unbelievable Cuban musicians that the present has assembled; they arrive from all around the world, they usually’re simply continuously jamming, whether or not it’s a break in rehearsals or simply whereas they’re ready round for one thing. It places a smile on everybody’s faces. I’ve been to Cuba just a few instances, and that’s how I keep in mind it: music enjoying on each road, in each nook. In consequence, there’s additionally dance taking place in every single place.
For dinner, I prepare dinner once more. I’ve a fantastic recipe for a do-it-yourself Common Tso’s hen; I serve it with white rice and roasted broccoli and sprinkle sesame seeds on high. So good. A few mini black-and-white cookies from Orwashers for dessert.
Friday, January 17
I would like just a little additional increase this a.m., so I make a breakfast burrito: flour tortilla, two eggs, white cheddar, half an avocado. I wash it down with a grape-apple juice.
For lunch, I head to Librae Bakery, a stunning, family-owned bakery. It’s two blocks from the place I’m rehearsing for Buena Vista, and I simply stumbled into it in the future. I order their roasted beet sandwich, which has avocado, arugula, labne mustard, and pumpkin seeds all on cloudlike focaccia. I additionally seize a sage and yuzu shortbread cookie to carry again with me to the rehearsal room.
I’m co-choreographing the present with my spouse, Patricia. I grew up listening to the Buena Vista Social Membership album from the ’90s — my dad would play it within the automotive on lengthy drives — and I’ve at all times cherished it. It’s much more private for Patricia, who’s Cuban American; her mother and father have been born in Cuba and emigrated to America.
Our activity is bringing to life the spirit of historic Cuban social golf equipment, for which there isn’t a sort of video documentation. We’re continuously circling the questions: What’s that power, and the way is it expressed by way of motion and music? It’s concerned plenty of analysis, however even that solely will get us thus far. We now have to take a leap of religion and use our imaginations to finally outline the present.
I’m fairly drained from the extraordinary work week, so we splurge on takeout Blue Ribbon Sushi. A bunch of rolls, edamame, salad, and tofu. They make an excellent shrimp-tempura roll.
EAT LIKE THE EXPERTS.
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