Decades ago, The New York Times had some choice words for this classy, Italian favorite. “From the outside, Ristorante da Umberto, hidden on an inconspicuous block off the Avenue of the Americas, has all the charm of a plumbing supply outlet,” Bryan Miller wrote, in 1991. Praise for the food tempered his view of the facade (an assessment, of course, that I would take issue with), and he gave the restaurant two stars. Da Umberto’s standards, it seems, have remained high. The Red Cat’s Jimmy Bradley pegged it as a favorite, in 2011, and The Infatuation currently lauds the Tuscan fare, the service, and, above all, the sweets: “Best part about this place? Dessert cart. Get some.” (107 W. 17th St. 212-989-0303.)

Signed fine art Giclee prints on museum-quality, one-quarter-cotton 280 gsm paper with archival inks are available in two sizes:

5 x 7 for $55 (email me about this size)
9 x 12 for $95

Editions are strictly limited to 365 copies, and each annotated print is a beautiful reminder that our days are numbered.