The entrance to the Tim Burton exhibit at the MoMA.

It wasn’t an easy reservation to get, but as luck would have it, this weekend I managed to secure a Saturday afternoon reservation to see the Tim Burton exhibit going on now through April at the MoMA. The place was packed, but even though we had to move at a snail’s pace to look at each piece, it was completely worth the time it took to wander through. The entire exhibit was perfectly curated, down to the Beetlejuice-themed entrance lined with HD-TVs streaming clips from The World of Stainboy. The coolest part about the exhibit? You really get to see Burton’s process, and understand how from the very beginning, his career was meant to be.

Up next for Burton? Alice in Wonderland opens this March.

Zoe Saldana and Sam Worthington in Avatar.

The nominees have been announced — including all 10 for best picture this year. I have to say, after *finally* joining the masses and seeing Avatar on Friday night, that film has got to be it. There’s no way James Cameron can lose. That film is a work of genius, from the story, to the cast, to the 3-D imagery, to the score. And let’s not forget Cameron’s unfaltering dedication to authenticity in his work: he hired Paul Frommer, a linguist at the University of Southern California, to create the Na’vi language spoken in the film. Like I said, he just can’t lose.

Cocktail hour at Elizabeth.

This weekend brought me into Elizabeth for Saturday night cocktails and dinner with a friend. Known for their drinks, I ordered the +64, a mix of tequila, agave nectar and kiwi. My friend got the Double Down, another tequila-based cocktail, this one with cucumber puree, lime salt and chili pepper, fixed to be as hot as your tastebuds can handle. The drinks were fantastic — the company, even better — but I couldn’t help but think back to my favorite place for cocktail hour in Boston: Eastern Standard. There, the Au Provence was my drink of choice. A vodka gimlet made with tarragon and lime, it is skillfully mixed at the hands of the restaurant’s staff mixologist Jackson Cannon. Sipping an Au Provence (or two…), to me, ES was always the place to be — for cocktails, dinner and more.

What do you mean Ugly Betty is cancelled?

After the news broke this week that Ugly Betty is no more, I thought it was only right to pay homage to the episodes of the show that I love the most. In random order, here goes:

• Fake Plastic Snow, Season 1

The office holiday party, need I say more? So much unrequited love is revealed. Amanda loves Daniel, Daniel loves Sofia, Betty loves Henry — and all is brought to the surface in, oh, the last three minutes of the episode.

• Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Season 1

Marc isn’t ready to tell his mom that he’s gay, so Betty subs in as his girlfriend when she comes to the city for a visit. A dinner party in Queens delivers some of the best one-liners the entire season has to offer, and introduces a softer, more forgiving side of Marc.

• Derailed, Season 1

This episode is filled with lots of Daniel/Betty goodness, but the scene-stealer for this one is Justin. An impromptu rendition of “Good Morning, Baltimore!” on the Subway reunites Hilda and Santos and solidifies their relationship for good.

• East Side Story, Season 1

Why is Ugly Betty fantastic? It all comes down to the last few minutes of this episode. While Justin plays Bernardo in a school production of West Side Story, Santos, Hilda, Betty and Henry get caught up in their own version of the acclaimed musical. The songs of WSS provide the perfect backdrop to Betty’s campiness and create a dramatic conclusion to the show’s first season.

• Something Wicked This Way Comes, Season 2

Betty and Henry’s romance continues with a secret date to see Wicked on Broadway. A love triangle between Betty, Henry and Gio unravels, all juxtaposed with the best songs from the hit Broadway show.

• Bad Amanda, Season 3

Amanda and Betty tag-team an article for Daniel about how to have a fabulous night out in the city without spending a dime. The pair’s love-hate relationship grows deep in this episode, as they each discover qualities about the other person that were previously overlooked.

• In the Stars, Season 3

As part of a final project for YETI, Marc, Betty and Matt team up to produce an important photo shoot with Grammy Award-winning singer Adele — and a breathtaking wedding for Daniel and Molly. This epitomizes what I will miss the most — how surreal meets real in every episode of the show.

Uva on the Upper East.

*UVA. Great wine, great ambiance, great pasta, great everything.

*BEYOGLU. Mediterranean cuisine, with some of the best hummus (and bread) I have ever tasted.

*AMBER, *SUSHI HANA. For sushi, these are my go-to spots.

*UPTOWN LOUNGE, *BOUNCE. Good bar food, with a few gourmet options to choose from too.

*SLICE, *AL FORNO. Thin crust pizza at its best.

*MXCO, *CANYON ROAD. Both places make a mean mushroom quesadilla — and their margaritas? Delish.

*JG MELON. For burgers and beer, this is the only place to go.

More recommendations? Send them my way!