Good Old War, Good Old Time

Yesterday was a perfect day. I can't help but sit back after days like this and think, yeah, work may get on my nerves and I'm no millionaire, but when you can enjoy the free time you do have with friends and family, then that's what it's all about. Sorry for getting all sappy ... i just can't help myself :) So Keri came to my apartment around 1, and it was great because she hadn't been over since the winter. We chatted for a while and then walked down to Lindsey's, got snacks at the deli, juice box wine at the liquor store and headed to The Great Lawn to meet Roe. The 4 of us sat on a blanket, on a seriously beautiful day and talked for hours. Fun afternoon.




Around 8:30, me, Rob, Nicole, Lins and her bro Luke went down to Webster Hall to see Good Old War. I've anxiously waited to see them again for about a year. Last spring me and my friend Dan went to a Straight Light Run concert, and a fun trio of folk rockers from Philly opened for them. This fun trio of folk rockers, was Good Old War and a beautiful musical following was formed. My sister Kerry met us there with her friend Phil and his friend Chris, who is in a new wave band called TVTV. They're also playing Webster Hall in a few weeks. As we walked in we were greeted with the raw vocals of Audra Mae, who really looks like my friend Rachel from highschool! I ran into Audra in the bathroom and told her this more than once, lol, a few $3 PBR cans and I like to be friends with everyone! We were all blown away by the next band, Yukon Blonde, with hair all over the place they rocked the house down, in a classic southern rock way. Ironically enough, they are not even from the south, but way up north in Vancouver! They were incredible. They closed their set with all musicians from the 3 bands up on stage jamming together, a great thing to see.

Before Good Old War went on stage, I strolled over to the merch table to buy their latest album, and couldn't help but introduce myself to one of the band members, Daniel Schwartz, their unbelievable guitarist. He was super nice, even told me he liked my dress -- yeah, yeah I know, this isn't Almost Famous, but it was still neat! It's so cool when you actually meet and somewhat talk to members of a band that you listen to every morning on your commute, its a little surreal. They finally took the stage, and their performance exceeded anything I even remembered from last year. A nice mix of music from both albums & even a little accordion before getting off the stage to sing with everyone in the audience. Their sound is perfect for the summer, fun folk rock tunes that you want to sing out loud and dance around to. If that was the mandatory behavior of the evening, I think I passed with flying colors. All three of them are phenominal muscians. Daniel, not only plays acoustic guitar, but an electric guitar he has on a stand all tuned and ready for him to rip into during Weak Man, while his acoustic is still strapped to his body. I think my favorite song is either Looking for Shelter or Window, and I was happy to hear them both.



Right before we left, once again I couldn't resist the urge to say Hi to Keith Goodwin from the band, and snag a picture with my sister. It was a Kodak moment. One of the best/fun shows I've been to recently.




http://www.myspace.com/goodoldwar


After the concert I went with Rob to his cousin's apartment uptown, a dream apartment on the first floor with a patio and backyard, only few New York renters ever see. A nice place to unwind after an action packed day. I only hope that there are more weekends like this as the summer goes on. And even though I barely had enough strength to go food shopping today, it was well worth it.

Life Underground

The subway never ceases to amaze me. I was coming home from a concert last week at the Canal Room, so I got on the A train and took it to 14th and 8th to catch the L. I don't think I had ever been in that particular stretch of subway station, so as I walked the long and winding path to the L train, my eyes couldn't help but explore. A girl with pink hair over here, a woman eating a falafel over there and wait ... what's this ... a little bronze statue of a man with a money bag for a head?



As it turns out, there were many little statues all over the subway station; a bronze couple taking a stroll, more money bag heads, I was fascinated. I've been wondering about these little guys all weekend, so I decided to google "bronze statues at 14th and 8th," and lo and behold, they are part of a permanent art exhibit at that station called, "Life Underground," by Tom Otterness. They were commissioned by the MTA and were installed around 2000.



The pieces all follow similiar themes of corruption and an obession with money. Social commentary abounds, with one bronze police officer looking over the faceless body of a homeless truant. This piece in particular really exemplifies life underground for many people ...



Otterness also mananged to tie in functional aspects of the subway system with little statues of workers sweeping and holding oversized tools.



These pudgy little statues were a suprise to see in the subway as I was strolling along my way ... no matter where you are, there is always a form of expression where you least expect it.

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/artwork_show?21

Take a look, it's in a book ...

I really love to read. I think I always have. It probably explains why there was a summer in jr. high, when I read every single Danielle Steel novel I could get my hands on. While I don't read Danielle Steel anymore, I can't remember a time in the last few years when I haven't been in the middle of a book. Commuting definitely plays a roll in that, the train makes for a perfect read - except for when you're crying during The Kite Runner. It's comforting to me when someone takes out a book on the subway, kind of like you have a common bond. Even just plain old curling-up-on-the-couch-with-a-book is always great and lately reading before bed has crept into my nightly routine. There's a trick for insomniacs, try reading a few pages before bed and your eyelids will be drooping and your head nodding in no time!

I'll let you in on a secret, I have this fantasy of one day living in a great brownstown with my very own library, the kind that's built into the wall, and smells like old paper, maybe there'll even be one of those sliding ladders like in Beauty and The Beast ... Now, as much as I enjoy buying books to have, going to the public library is also a treat. Soon after I moved into my apartment, I realized there was a library on 96th and Lex. And, as it turns out in a crazy twist of fate, my dad told me that his mom, Jessie, used to go to that library as a kid! What are the odds. I never had a chance to meet her, but she is the woman behind my middle name, and I think it's so cool that we have this little connection.

96th Street's library is really small and the selection is missing some greats, but I've still managed good finds. The Color Purple by Alice Walker and Look at the Birdie by Kurt Vonnegut made my first round and now I'm reading The Wild Things by Dave Eggers. This novel is based on the screenplay he and Spike Jonze wrote for Where the Wild Things Are, which was based on the illustrated book of the same name. I haven't seen the movie yet, but after reading this book I'd like to. Dave Eggers is an incredible writer. (If anyone is looking for a great piece of non-fiction, please read A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius.)



I think what I love about reading, is getting lost in the book. The fact that this form of expression, which has no visuals except for what you create in your mind, can move you to tears or drudge up all kinds of emotions, speaks to the power of words. I am 24 years old and thoroughly enjoying a book about a boy named Max who runs away from home to be The King of an island of friendly monsters.

I'm glad I took this out of the library, but I think the next slew of books I get my hands on will be for keeps. I'd like to borrow a few words from Mr. Reading Rainbow himself as I finish, by reminding you all - there's nothing like a good book ... "but you don't have to take my word for it."

June is Busting Out All Over!

So me and Lins were on the same wave length (when are we not?) when we both decided to let the world know that June is here! For anyone whose ever seen the musical Carousel, "June ..." is a great little diddy, about the wonders of, you guessed it, June! And here we are :) I've been praying for this time of year for some months now. We had a brutal winter, and while the spring had its great days, it didn't want to commit and and stay warm. This Memorial Day weekend was really perfect, gorgeous weather all 3 days. Me and Roe traveled back to Long Island for a bbq at Nick's, complete with great food, a trusty keg and good old beer pong. Oh, & Lindsey introduced us to a great game, finger buster; get a few friends around a solo cup filled with beer, place all fingers on said up, show off those counting skills and you embark on a remarkable past time. I couldn't help from calling it ass buster, but either way it was fun.



A bunch of the old gang got together, both Copozzi twins and Ang, and like Chris said, Dave driving us home, felt like high school. Fun night. On Sunday, me and my sister went to the beach. Normally, its a 15 minute drive to Long Beach depending where you stop. After running into Dave and his jet ski on Merrick Road, it ended up taking us 2 hours to get to the beach. Mind you, every possible exit to the south shore was blocked off bc of that damned air show ... so I took a different route and called Marybeth for directions to Robert Moses, taking the back streets. Once we arrived to the beach the headache of traffic quickly faded. We had a relaxing few hours on the completely packed beach, and even got some color. For those that know me well, that means Ker got tan and I got red :P Our drive home was where the real traffic debacle awaited us. After getting over the bridge I saw that Ocean Parkway was open and cars were gliding right by. Thinking the airshow was over, I got on the parkway and drove over a half hour towards Jones Beach only TO BE TOLD TO TURN AROUND by state troopers! So me and a few hundred other cars U-turned around and drove all the way back to Robert Moses, over the bridge and onto another route. Now, all of this could have been avoided, had they put a lovely little sign that said, NO THROUGH TRAFFIC - IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GO HOME, DON'T GO THIS WAY! Oy, situations like these make me so grateful that I no longer have to drive and the MTA schleps me to and fro while I snooze or read.


Kerry letting the insanity of traffic get to her - quite entertaining!

Once we were home, me and Kerry took a bike ride, ate some Chinese food and called it a day. On Monday, Keri had a bbq and her grill-tastic boyfriend Paul whipped us up some phenomenal burgers. Bacon and cheese mixed into the actual burger meat. Genius. He also made some great corn on the cob with this spicy mayo sauce. It was good to be home, always special to see Amanda and Dee and of course Keri & the Ilasi clan. I didn't get to see my brother Matt's band P.O.O.P play at Spencer's bbq down the block, but I'll catch the next show. Oh speaking of shows, this weekend really kicked off with a tremendous performance at Local 269 on East Houston by The Asterisk. Rob, Paul, Ben & Brad, wonderful show, as always. A night filled with live music & friends, is always a great night. And fun to see Dan, even though I'm super jealous he's going to Hawaii soon!

The Asterisk*

In keeping with this music thread here, before Rob's show, me and Lindsey ate at Moby's vegan/organic cafe on Rivington St, Teany's - really tasty, and for the non vegans, they have a really cool chicken salad sandwich and lentil chili. yum!


As I'm sitting here writing this, Nicole's fan is peacefully blowing air my way, and I know I'll have to get an A.C. soon, and that's the greatest news! Good night and happy June!

Champagne is great for all occasions ...

This past weekend was one of beginnings and endings. On Saturday we toasted Danielle and Christian’s upcoming wedding with Dee’s bridal shower at The Knoll Country club in Jersey – girl made out like a bandit with every possible home accessory you could dream of! It really was a great surprise for her, and all of us, as we reunited with friends we don’t see enough! We’ve been friends since 5th grade and I still can’t believe she’s getting married, their new life together starts July 24th and I'm happy to be a part of it!

Get a load of these delicious engagement ring cookies Nicole made for us, they were a hit. And like she says, we may never actually have rings this big, but at least we can eat them!


http://www.thedessertmaven.blogspot.com/

Switching gears to the endings part of the weekend, the Lost Series Finale. Roe, Nicole and I popped open a bottle of bubbly to drown our sorrows for a show we all grew to love. The finale was a 2 ½ hour blubber fest, filled with touching flashback montages that really pulled at the heart strings and made me realize how devoted I was to these characters. You couldn’t help but find yourself rooting for (or against) these people as if they were real … my Tuesday nights will surely feel an emptiness. I urge you to read Doc Jensen’s weekly recap for this episode. It became a tradition in my week, after watching the show, I would read the 12 page recaps to help wrap my mind around whatever crazy theory the show threw our way. I’ll miss that. I will say that I was ultimately really satisfied with the shows ending. Throughout the last few years, so many questions/issues were posed, and while the finale didn’t resolve them all, it really didn’t matter. The show ended on a note of spiritual enlightenment and, I think, left a lot up to interpretation, which the show has had a knack of doing all along. The ending scene came full circle to the first, with Jack closing his eyes lying broken on the ground. Vincent came to his final resting place beside him, and I don’t know of anyone who didn’t choke up seeing that image. Amazing show, and a beautiful ending.

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20313460_20387946,00.html

The Black Keys and Pearl Jam rock MSG

I'm a few days late with this posting, but I'd still love to share the magic that was experiencing The Black Keys and Pearl Jam at MSG last Thursday night. In 2008, my friends Ang, Nick, Korn and I got tickets to my first Pearl Jam show at The Garden. Our seats were behind the stage, which was surprisingly incredible. You were able to get an especially candid view of the band in btwn songs. (They have a way of making the people behind the stage feel as important as those a few rows from the front.) I did notice something particularly different from that last show, when, during the really heavy songs like Porch and Spin the Black Circle, you actually felt the whole stadium shaking beneath your feet. It was awesome, I think there must be something about the seats behind the stage that is less stable than other sections? Maybe its just me, but thanks Nick for that observation.

I'd never seen The Black Keys live, but over the past year Pandora, before they cut you off after 40 hours a month, opened me up to a new world of music, The Black Keys included. They are a 2 piece band, Dan Auerbach on electric guitar/vocals and Patrick Karney on drums. Their minimalistic presence and the rawness of their sound reminds me of The White Stripes. I recently bought their 2008 album Attack & Release - I highly recommend a listen to the song Strange Times. They have an incredible bluesy southern rock feel and for 2 people on stage they have a huge sound. They brought out 2 friends to back them on a few songs, which was great. Brothers, their latest album, just came out this past Tuesday. I still haven't gotten it, but after seeing them, I can't wait.


picture courtesy of The Brooklyn Vegan

The Main Event:

Pearl Jam played 33 songs at this show. It's what fans love about them, the fact that they play such a long set including 2 encores. This is just a side note, but when I go to a concert I usually like to have a beer or two, and in MSG's case the beers are these huge 22oz cups, so I always end up having to pee so bad! At the last show I remember holding as long as I could, but after I thought I would bust, I made a dash for the bathroom and barely made it back to my seat as everyone was belting out "I just want to scream Hello!" from Elderly Woman ... I was so pissed at myself for missing the song. Thankfully this time around I was able to hold out to hear it in it's entirety. They played a few songs in the first set from the latest album Backspacer, including The Fixer, Force of Nature and Unthought Known. That song has such an amazing build, by the time Eddie screams, "Feel the sky blanket you, with gems and rhinestones," the entire place is under his spell. This song is really inspirational, and the lyrics are true, "dream the dreams of other men, you'll be no ones rival."


picture courtesy of The Brooklyn Vegan

I love this picture because it gives a glimpse into Eddie's performance traditions. *Please see wine bottles by his feet. This 45 year old has more energy than most his age. Singing, playing the guitar (and tambourine) and rocking out all over the place, is only intensified by his penchant for enjoying fine wines onstage, I'd love to know what he prefers? I'd venture to guess a nice Merlot or Chianti. He also takes a few smoke breaks, the only bastard allowed to smoke in the whole place! I love it. He is such a wonder to behold on stage, telling funny stories in btwn songs and giving a lucky few some sips of his wine. I couldn't help but think, "take this cup and drink from it," bc I'm sure those fans were having a religious experience! A really lucky fan even left with Stone Gossard's sweaty t-shirt. They ended the first set with Do the Evolution, a song whose lyrics should really be taught to school kids as a sort of "look back on the history of man, and where he's fucked up and what he deems important," really, such a smart song. The first encore included Love Reign O'er Me, a cover of The Who classic, dedicated to Mr. Pete Townshend on his birthday. They ended with Porch, and, during a jam break, Eddie performed another tradition, taking his guitar and holding it above his head like a sacrificial object, which reflected the spotlight onto every corner of the audience. Talk about religious experiences ... when that beam, directly from him, comes your way, you feel like your the only one getting bathed in light. Just Breathe during the first encore, was truly beautiful and only made better with string musicians onstage to flesh out the song. They opened the last encore with Jeremy, which was just perfect. Crazy Mary and Alive also made the last encore, and just when you think there is no energy left, Indifference ends the night on such a great note. It's almost like having a great workout, your heartbeat is up, your all sweaty, and then you have a great stretch and cool down. They do a body right.

Check out the full set list here:
http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/pearl-jam/2010/madison-square-garden-new-york-ny-23d4d083.html

Tasting the Nation

On Monday, I attended my very first event with SUSHISAMBA. I was pleasantly surprised to find out I'll be able to attend a few foodie events with the Marketing/PR team, and in my ongoing theme of Cultured Youth, this event fit the bill! Taste of the Nation is run by Share our Strength, an organization that raises money to end childhood hunger. Some of the best restaurants around participate and offer guests tastings of their signature dishes. SUSHISAMBA's dish was King fish crudo with heirloom tomatoes, white grapes, red shiso and yuzu juice - try saying that 5 times fast! We arrived at The Grand Hyatt hotel around 6 and started setting up our table in one of the Grand Hyatt's grand ballrooms. As soon as people started coming in, we got to work replenishing plates and explaining what the dish was.



The chefs were set up behind us preparing the food, but since we were interacting with the guests, on more than once occasion we heard "you girls are the best looking sushi chefs around!" We politely smiled and grabbed more chopsticks. I guess there's a market for blond sushi chefs! The best part of the night for me, however, was getting a chance to do some tasting of my own. Curiosity got the best of me and the first dish I tried was Marseille's yellow tail and mushrooms in a bone marrow sauce. Yup, bone marrow. It was my first and probably last time trying that! I'd like to know how one came across the notion that the jelly-like marrow inside a bone could taste good? It was surprisingly sweet, but definitely not my cup of tea. One of my favorite dishes was a quesadilla with mushrooms and ramp (a very popular veggie I discovered) from Centrico. The very charming Chef Aaron Sanchez was there rounding up the crowd at his station, and posing for a picture or 2 with some fans. The spicy pulled-pork corncakes from Yerba Buena were delicious, and made even better with the avocado puree served with it. Two of the most interesting things I ate were noodles served in a Chinese take-out container with a Greek yogurt sauce from Ilili and a veggie salad with croutons and a poached egg on top from Rouge Tomate. The poached egg salad was really tasty, the refreshing salad and the warm egg was an interesting mix. I wasn't a fan of the noodles, they were a little soggy, but the packaging concept was original. Unfortunately, I have no self restraint and kept on eating and trying everything I could from dumplings to chicken meatballs ... there was no other way! While we ate till we thought we couldn't eat anymore, we realized there was a whole other room filled with ... desert. We took a quick reprieve at our table and set out the remainder of the king fish. Then, it was time. We entered the desert room and it was everything I expected, blueberry crumb, Italian panna cotta, tiramisu and cupcakes galore. The creme de la creme of dessert, however, was Grammercy Park Hotel's Monkey Cake. It reminded me of a warm, gooey cinnabon. Simply perfect. Next to Grammmercy Park Hotel was coffee from Stumptown Coffee Roasters of Brooklyn, good solid coffee and great vintage NY post card marketing material. By the end of the night, I was stuffed to the gills. Getting unleashed in a place like this is dream come true to someone who loves food like me. And while I probably won't be able to buy a $400 ticket on my own, I will gladly work the event so I can sample the goodies.