One of the highlights of my job is to see how Russ & Daughters pops up into peoples lives.  This is one of my favorites, a letter and photos I received today. —Josh Russ Tupper

Russ & Daughters and Lox Populi represented on an adorable baby quilt.

Katie Stewart Sigler wrote:

“So my mom is big into quilting.  She makes baby quilts for every baby that crosses her path — her own grandchildren & her pseudo-grandchildren (her friends’ grandchildren, her children’s friend’s children, etc.).  She’s got a seriously high-tech quilting set  — multiple sewing machines, more fabric than she could ever use in a lifetime, computerized embroidery machines… the works.

Needless to say, the quilts she makes for her own grand kids are special.  She always puts a little bit of whimsy into them.  With (my son) Giuseppe’s quilt, she got seriously creative.  I picked this pattern with VW Vanagons and surf gear.  I thought it was cute but not too cheezy & VERY colorful.  Nana Stewart set to work and assured me that the finished product would have a few surprises.

The finished quilt has all the V-Dub’s in all their glory made up of crazy Hawaiian fabric that she had shipped in from the Islands.  But that wasn’t the surprise.  She modified one block to represent the Farm — owls in the trees & our wedding directional sign in the background — and one block to represent Giuseppe’s city life.

I have no idea how she got the Russ & Daughters/Lox Populi logos onto fabric.  Clearly she has some computerized magic that can burn images.  She claims that she tried to find a photo of you in profile so she could have you driving the bus, but she couldn’t find one with your face pointed in the right direction.  That might have been overkill, in any case.

Still, I thought you would appreciate that R & D is immortalized forever in my son’s baby quilt — the perfect metaphor for our newest little New Yorker.    — Katie Stewart Sigler”

In this week’s New York Magazine, Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld note the New Catch Holland Herring in their “In Season” feature. Note the fantastic illustration of the 3 steps of eating the New Catch in the most traditional way at the Russ & Daughters counter.

- Jen Snow

After almost 100 years, it was time for a Twitter. Follow us at http://twitter.com/LoxPopuli

Twitter has been great so far. We love hearing from Russ & Daughters fans and Lox Populi readers all over the world.  Note the exchange we had recently with swell website Foursquare (a site that encourages you to explore your city and share your locations with your friends).  One afternoon, we noticed that a customer at Russ & Daughters had checked in on Foursquare  and we posted this on Twitter:

Then, later on, we received this response from the guys at Foursquare. They “re-Tweeted” our post and added some commentary of their own:

- Jen Snow

It has been less than one year since Russ & Daughters relaunched our website and launched the Lox Populi blog.  We are excited to report that Russ & Daughters was chosen as an “Official Honoree” for the 2009 Webby Awards.

“Hailed as the ‘Internet’s highest honor’ by the New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites, interactive advertising, online film and video, and mobile web sites. Established in 1996, the 13th Annual Webby Awards received nearly 10,000 entries from all 50 states and over 60 countries worldwide. Winners are chosen by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences a global organizations whose members include David Bowie, Harvey Weinstein, Arianna Huffington, Matt Groening, Internet inventor Vinton Cerf, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, Virgin Group Chairman Richard Branson, and R/GA Chairman and CEO Bob Greenberg.

Of the over 10,000 entries submitted to the 11th Annual Webby Awards, fewer than 15% were distinguished as an Official Honoree. This honor signifies an outstanding caliber of work.”

We are happy to share this “award” with our designers at Curio, who submitted our site for consideration. We’ll be honest: we are still not totally sure that we know exactly what the Webbys are, or what this means, or what they honor.  But it is nice to be in such fine internet company. And, of course, it is an honor just  to be nominated…

For more information about the Webbys, read more from Brian Stelter at The New York Times‘ “Media Decoder” blog,  and Caroline McCarthy’s insightful summary/critique of the ceremony on CNET.

- Jen Snow

2009’s New Catch Holland Herring Season begins today. Join us for the New Catch at the counter at Russ & Daughters from 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

- Jen Snow

RUSS & DAUGHTERS: APPETIZING SINCE 1914. ONESIES FOR BABIES SINCE 2009.

- Jen Snow

In the June issue of Men’s Health, Anthony Bourdain writes about “13 Places to Eat Before You Die,” and he includes Russ & Daughters on his short list - among the likes of the esteemed El Bulli, The French Laundry, Per Se, St. John, Le Bernardin, Salumi and a few other gems around the world.

He writes:

Any seasoned traveler can tell you that the “best” meals on the planet are the result of an ephemeral confluence of circumstances. A table at the most expensive restaurant in the world does not guarantee a truly great meal. That said, if you’re planning on dying in the near future and want to knock off a list of final, glorious dining experiences, these places would make a very respectable binge. Start with one. Make a reservation today. Go on an empty stomach. Trust me: This is livin’.

8. Russ & Daughters
(New York City)
Russ & Daughters started as a pushcart nearly a century ago, and it now serves some of the last traditional Eastern European Jewish-style herring and belly lox, smoked sable, and sturgeon. And since you’re close, walk down a few doors to Katz’s to remind yourself how pastrami is done right. This is what New Yorkers do better than anybody else. And here’s where they do it.

The article gives fantastic reasons to try each of his picks. The complete list:

1. St John (London)

2. elBulli (Girona, Spain)

3. The French Laundry (Napa Valley, California)

4. Per Se (New York City)

5. Sin Huat Eating House (Singapore)

6. Le Bernardin (New York City)

7. Salumi (Seattle)

8. Russ & Daughters (New York City)

9. Katz’s Delicatessen (New York City)

10. Etxebarri (Axpe, Spain)

11. Sukiyabashi Jiro (Tokyo)

12. Hot Doug’s (Chicago)

13. Oklahoma Joe’s Barbecue (Kansas City, Kansas)

- Jen Snow

Shavout starts tonight at sundown and the Russ & Daughters kitchen is cooking lots of fresh blintzes, perfect for the occasion. (On this holiday, it is customary to eat dairy food and desserts.)

Stop by Russ & Daughters to pick up our Homemade Blintzes - light crepes filled with a sweet mixture of fresh farmer cheese, cinnamon, and sugar.

I had two for breakfast and, I admit, sort of want one for lunch too.  These blintzes are great warmed up and topped with a bit of sour cream or creme fraiche, or even a touch of fruit preserves.

- Jen Snow

It is exciting that Daniel Boulud is opening DBGB Kitchen & Bar in the neighborhood, on the Bowery, on June 8.  Joshua Russ Tupper was lucky enough to stop by a preview event last night; hear his thoughts and the assesments of other chefs and guests in a podcast posted by The Feedbag and look at Eater’s great photos of the space too.

- Jen Snow

Russ & Daughters welcomes the prized New Catch Holland Herring on June 9. After you’ve tried the New Catch at the counter, join us at the Roger Smith Hotel for A Festival of Herring & Aquavit.

This year, to celebrate the New Catch, the annual Scandinavian Mid-Summer Celebration, and the wonders of herring in general, Russ & Daughters and chef Ulrika Bengtsson will host a one-night celebration in the newly renovated penthouse of the Roger Smith Hotel. There, Russ & Daughters and Bengtsson will showcase a tasting of herrings from around the world and accompanying infused aquavits in an evening perfect for aficionados and for newcomers alike.

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