music, media & other random musings

blogging is like going to the gym

I've been completely caught up in a variety of activities lately. Although some of these activities have actually been post-worthy, somehow the ritual of writing has escaped me. It got me started thinking about the similarities between blogging & going to the gym, two completely different activities, but pretty identical when it comes to commitment. I can be active 3-4 times a week without it feeling like any effort at all. But if it starts falling off to twice, once or zero times a week, turning into many weeks of no activity, it takes a certain amount of energy to get back into the groove. Same holds true for both blogging and "gyming." So here's my attempt to get at least the blogging on the right course with a mini 2 week highlights recap. 

1) New Yorker Festival - I've been threatening to go to the New Yorker Festival for years and I finally did it. Not such an easy feat. Tickets went on sale on a Friday at noon and I was online right at noon with credit card in hand, but was only able to buy tickets for one out of the three events I wanted to go to. Literally by the time I bought tickets for the first event, the other two were sold out. Apparently pretty popular. The panel I did get to see was If I Were Running This Campaign. Jeffrey Toobin was the moderator. The panelists were Donna Brazile (Al Gore's campaign manager in 2000), Alex Castellanos (advisor to Romney this year), Ed Rollins (chief strategiest for Huckabee) and Joe Trippi (ran Howard Dean & John Edwards' campaigs.) Although it was somewhat like watching CNN live, it was incredibly interesting and thoroughly enjoyable - good people watching too! Joe Trippi was thoroughly unimpressive. Castellanos and Rollins, representing the Republic side of things were much more compelling. It wasn't a left vs. right scream fest though, just a group of really smart people reviewing the primaries and the general campaign from different points of view - pointing out the strengths, weaknesses, successes and failures of each of the campaigns. Donna Brazile, however, stole the show. She was a total trip - so smart and insightful, but also incredibly funny, passionate and a great story teller.

2) Glasvegas & Angela McCluskey - Coincidentally, reading through the New Yorker, I noticed that Glasvegas and Angela McCluskey were playing at the Mercury Lounge on Saturday night. Glasvegas is one of the "hot bands" of the moment & so it was a packed, sold out crowd. As much as I was psyched to see them, I was just as interested in seeing Angela. Angela is an old friend I met many years ago while living in LA. She had a band called the Wild Coloninals at the time. I hadn't seen her play live (or at all) in a long while and it felt like coming home. She has a crazy voice that just hits me in the right spot. Her husband Paul Cantelon, also on stage Saturday, is quite the talented fellow himself (understatement!) - a real musical prodigy who in recent years is best known for scoring films - W, Diving Bell & The Butterfly, etc. Angela has a new solo record that she passed along to me. (Sadly with no song titles that I need to get!). Although Glasvegas was head lining, Angela was the star for me. They're just young boys who don't have enough stage experience/presence to rock my world. Maybe they'll get there - but they weren't there on Saturday night. After the shows I followed the crowd & ended up with Angela, Paul and Glasvegas in the tour bus. I felt like I was either 12 or 27... either way, the tour bus hang was a long time ago for me, and I felt it then, and the next morning.

3) Jewish Holidays - I joke with my boss about the jewish holidays just being about food. But it's somewhat true. We may not be a religious family, and me probably least of all, but we always manage to get together for a meal. Rosh Hashana brisket dinner (yum!) at my mom's and Yom Kippur (standard fare of bagels, lox, cream cheese & kugel) at my sister's last night. Both traditional and tasty... Even though I don't do the temple thing, I still feel that this is a special time of year and take a few moments to ponder it all.

4) The Daily Show - And what would two weeks of politics be without Jon Stewart - his take on the 2nd presidential debate.

Person Alex Castellanos

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Tourists

They're everywhere. Walking through Flatiron these days feels like walking through Times Square. Well, almost.  But still annoying. I'm sure all of these visitors are a big boon for NYC's economy, and I'm all for that. But to me, who has a clear view of the now iconic Shake Shack right from my office desk and who navigates through these camera holding crowds 5 days a week, it is just a reminder of how bad our country's economy is - that they're here in the states on their August holiday and we can barely afford the cost to get to the next state.

Eisenberg's

Eisenberg's is a sandwich shop that's been around since 1929.  The food is mediocre at best.  Although the tuna, eggsalad and meatloaf are all pretty tasty.  But that's not what makes this place great...it's really about the atmosphere.  Once you walk in the door, you literally feel like you've gone back in time.  It isn't a new restaurant with the "faux-retro" look, but it's truly authentically old.  The counters, the grill, the growly waiters.. just takes you back to an era... well, one that I didn't live through.  But it's nice to visit once in a while..

Outside of the restaurant they have a blackboard sign, always with a wry, timely, relevant message that seems to change pretty often.  I pass by there every night on my way home from work & used to make a habit of taking a photo of the board, but then my camera phone died...  As I was able to get it up & running again last week (took out the battery for a reboot!)... I took this shot.

The owners are apparently well aware of what they are all about....

Live music weekend

Friday night I had tickets to see Joseph Arthur at Bowery Ballroom.  I wanted to get to the beach for what was supposed to be a beautiful weekend, so thought about bailing on the show... but in the end, decided to stay and catch an early train Saturday morning.  Glad I made that call.  It wasn't that the show was awesome - it really wasn't, in fact it was somewhat uneven.  He's a really weird dude who seems to be more into his own "art" than putting on a show for the audience... (In fact, played a brand new song during the second encore.) But it was still totally enjoyable.  Bowery Ballroom is so great to see a show - mellow, intimate, good sound.  And my friend Paula, who was unfamiliar with him, came along and she really dug it...  Sadly no pics.  I'm a shorty, which I originally thought was the problem.  And had a few very tall people offering to help me take a better one, which was quite amusing. But in the end, it appears my blackberry camera has lost its "zoom"... so all shitty pictures - too far away to matter. (more bummed that I'll have to deal with the broken camera issue this week!)... 

Went with Paula afterwards to our regular haunt (and where we first met), but since the bartender that brought us all together has left the place, it isn't the same - at all.  In fact, sort of gross...  I left fairly quickly so I could (easily) grab the 9:30 train in the morning... And aside from the fact that somehow I exited the subway outside of Penn Station instead of inside the terminal, and then had to schlep with my 20 lb. dog weighing me down, all in all, totally easy experience...  By 1pm I was in the backyard having lunch by the pool.  And it was an absolutely gorgeous day outside!  Although in the city I never listen to the radio, out at the beach I love to... so glad I turned it on. They announced that Rhett Miller was going to be in the studio playing a few songs - but also that he would be playing live at Stephen's Talkhouse that night - and that tickets were still available.  Psych!!  I called up and reserved one.  My mom was having a little dinner party with some friends at the house - which I was certainly more than welcome to join. But this was by far a more fun option for an evening activity! 

I got there early so I could get a stool (and a drink) and ended up sitting in the middle of some great people.  On my right were a couple (although it looked like she was his daughter, i don't think so!) who were way into Rhett Miller, Old 97's, music in general and regulars at Stephen's Talkhouse. On my left was a woman who was born and raised in Montauk and owns a "Wellness Center" out there.. Rhett's wife had been at her place getting a massage earlier that day and invited her and the masseuse to come to the show.  They never heard of Rhett before and were loving him...   He really was awesome!  He obviously loves playing, loves the audience & put on a totally dynamic show.  Played around 20 songs - a mix of his solo stuff, old 97's, old and new... In fact played a brand new one that he said he just wrote and was obviously having troubles remembering the lyrics to...  Great song, great live moment..  At the "end of the show," he left the stage for literally moments, coming back on and thanking the audience for playing along with the "encore game," fessing up that his exit was purely "fraudulent" as the next four songs were on the playlist...  Of course we all knew this already, but he was sweet and funny - it certainly got a laugh out of the audience. 

As my camera still failed (no matter how much I continued to fuck with it, wishing otherwise), my friends to my right took a few pics and sent them to me as we sat there.  Although this woman was no photographer & took all blurry shots, got to love the immediacy of technology..

All in all, a great musical weekend...

Person Joseph Arthur

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Summer in the City

It's hot and smelly in the city right now.  Or it seems that way to me.  After spending 10 days in Amagansett, I found myself walking around the neighborhood last night - some errands, but mostly wandering. I came upon certain corners that in seasons past I remember as having filled me with joy and an elation at just be lucky enough to live in New York and in this neighborhood. Breathing in the people and activity sending a surge of energy through me.  But not last night.  Not today.  Now it just seems incredibly loud, overwhelming, hot, claustrophobic and smelly.  Did I say hot and smelly?

I've never been a fan of the suburbs, having grown up in one.  But i do love the grass, (that too), the intoxicating smell of it being freshly cut, the flowers, the wind, the sun... driving with the windows down, the radio playing, the sound of water lapping against the shore.... the openness, the freedom.  That's the surge of electricity that fills me in summertime.  I'd really like more..... need more.

Commuting

I may live in the city but my day to day is more like that of life in a village. In addition to walking my dog, I also walk to the shops, to most of my eating and drinking spots, and most importantly to work. I just spent the day on amtrak. Three hours to DC and three hours back for a 15 minute meeting. For real. That adveture alone was bad enough, but the experience fighting the throngs of commuters through penn station is enough to make anyone want to quit their job. I don't know how - or why - people do it. It's a misery. Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

The Kids Are Alright

My nephew Josh is 12.  I absolutely adore him, could eat him up!   He is, and always has been a sweet, gentle soul, smart, insightful and loving.  And he's always good for a big bear hug and a kiss, which I love.  (I'll be very sad when he's too old for that!).  Although I don't get to all his events, I do love it when I can make it... Last night he and his band had a gig at the Bitter End. And I was there. 

He's been playing with this band for a few year now.  Originally called the Four Fellas, the band includes Max Fried (guitar), Will Balasam (keyboard), Ben Irving (vocals, guitar) and Josh Wilson (drummer.)  But when they brought in a girl for a lead singer, Taliana Katz (also on bass), they changed the name to White Label. They've definitely improved and I like the girl vocals - she totally nailed Pat Benatar's "Hit Me with Your Best Shot."  Their playlist also included Bowie's "Rebel Rebel," Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," Arctic Monkeys "Florescent Adolescent," The Who's "Baba O'Reily" and they bclosed with Journey's "Don't Stop Believing." Although they've got a laid back style, I'm pretty sure they were psyched... as they should have been.  The Bitter End is a great place to see a band - and I imagine a pretty cool place to play too!

Josh rocks... but the bummer part of being a drummer - hard to get a great picture! 

Another bar tale

Although I have many of them - and some, because of the amount of alcohol i consumed, have only been retold to me after the fact - but this bar tale is not about me. Today on the front page of the NYTimes Metro section was an article about a guy who got locked in a bar.  Maybe because I am completely amused by stupid slapstick humor, or because I could somehow imagine this happening to myself, but it completely struck a nerve, or at least a funny bone.  I'm sure the people watching me walk my dog, reading the paper & laughing out loud found it amusing...

Speaking of other stupid humor, having absolutely nothing to do with a bar or alcohol of any kind, a friend posted this on my Facebook Funwall.  I thought it was HILARIOUS!  (still do) I laughed so hard, I actually cried - more than once!  At dinner last Friday night, I showed it to my sister, brother-in-law, mom and nieces & nephew.  No one thought it was as side splitting as I did, but I did get a few laughs out of them by the end. My sister laughed the loudest, but I think she just found it funny to watch me think it was...  You be the judge. 

Ode to a neighborhood bar

A beautiful, calming soul stands behind a bar on w.10th Street.  Whether the bar is loud, crowded and boisterous or quiet and comforting, he remains the same. Always in control. The empty glass never neglected for long. Filled so smoothly that often times you don't even notice the drink being poured at all. And on a long, late night he knowingly provides a glass of water - whether you knew to ask for it or not. People can be jammed up, clamoring for his attention from every angle, but he's never shaken.  Ultimately he sees and hears every request - and strangely every conversation - so whether he acknowledges you immediately or not, you will most assuredly not be ignored.

I often times sit back and watch in awe and wonder. It is true there is a skill to everything. And he has his down. The producer in me has the utmost appreciation of efficiency and the ability to do many things well at once, so I naturally applaud the gift.  While simultaneously keeping everyone's glass full, he's also playing just the right song for that particular moment and crowd, and making sure that those who should know each other have been properly introduced. 

But the command of the bar is only part of it - the other is the adoration of his audience.  He is the rock star of all bartenders. The girls want to be with him, the guys want to be him (or at least share music or tennis with him.)  Every person who walks in is his friend, whether he's just met them or has known them for a long while.  His deep penetrating, sparkling eyes say "welcome, make yourself at home." So everyone feels special.  And I'm fairly certain he truly believes everyone is - even if he doesn't particularly like them.  It's the yogi in him, the calm breathing being that creates a sense of serenity even in the midst of a mad rush. 

It is rare to meet someone with as much magnetism as this one has.  He certainly has the looks, there is no denying that.  But it is far beyond that.  I've met and hung out with plenty of real "rock stars," but much of the time the energy emanating came from everyone else's thrill at being in the presence of fame, instead of from the actual star himself. But he has something different, something unique, that indefinable something that draws people in and keeps them there. I'm in constant amazement watching people's desire for his attention - not just for the obvious drink, but to connect with him.  I'd say it was inexplicable and maybe that kind of aura is.  But yet on the other hand, I completely get it and understand the draw, because I too, have been taken in. 

I've always been a big fan of the bar and felt very comfortable sitting at one, with or without someone else.  There's something so honest and strangely pure about a group of people sitting at the counter with a drink in hand.  I love watching the people interact, listening to snippets here and there, figuring out their stories, possibly joining in and chatting with someone next to me, or the bartender if he's interesting, or cute - if both, even better.  Everyone's there for the same purpose - to escape, to relax, to have a laugh.  But as I've found with the neighborhood bar, a whole other level of intimacy and intricacy enfolds.  In truth, I've only read about it, seen it on TV and in the movies, and thought how cool it would be to have that kind of place to go to, but never actually experienced it myself.

And then on one of my darker days, I happened upon it. I wanted to be out, to embrace the sweet heavy summer air.  But I was also in no mood for the company of anyone I already knew.  What I wanted was a place to drink in solitude and anonymity, a place to get lost.  To sit, read a magazine and listen to good music and the buzz of conversation - without engaging.  To be a part of something without any required participation.  But what I mostly craved was a strong salty margarita, and not far from home.  And what I found, aside from that drink, was something I never expected - a local.  A place where being alone ultimately isn't an option.

Maybe these little universes actually exist on every corner, and it is just me who never found it.  But I'm fairly skeptical.  I think there are some things that are so unique and special, created only when all the stars align that are just simply hard to replicate.  And like anything in life, through chance or luck of the draw, you find the gems.  And when I walked into this place for the first time, took in the energy, heard the great music mix and met his eyes, I knew I'd found one.  That first visit has let to almost two years later of many drinks, many meals and many new friends.

So what is it about this particular place?  Why is it that when I look forward to a drink at the end of the day it isn't for a drink just anywhere, but here?  In doing a highly sophisticated survey (Read: with drink in hand, talking to only those in my "circle" of friends), I tried to decipher what it is about this place that is so attractive, so magical - and if it is in fact as special as I think it might be.  What I've found is that people are as weirdly connected to this place as I am.  And all answers were eerily familiar.  Yes, naturally it was all about the individual elements - absolutely the music, the warm inviting atmosphere, the unique mix of eclectic people who frequent here, the restaurant/bar staff, and for many the fish tacos and/or the famous Rickeys. But no doubt about it, this particular barkeep standing on the other side of this long narrow divide was the driving force, the glue that made it all work.

For me, it is all those things too (although I'm a purist and prefer the straight tequilas and lean more towards the steak tacos), but it also something else.  If I was to give it one word it would be safe.  There is something about this place that feels like home base, the calm in the storm.  I don't find myself naturally opening up and letting people in.  And initially, part of the draw for me, no matter how many people I'd meet, was the ability to be anonymous in the crowd.  This, of course, is a statement more about me than anything else.  But as I continued to show up, many of these people have actually become more than just people I can hide in front of.  And this, is more of a statement about this place.

Here in a city, and even in a neighborhood, where you could get lost eating and drinking somewhere new every night, here I find a core group of people who continue to return night after night, week after week, sometimes just monthly - but they keep returning.  They come to see him, or to hear the music, or they come to see their friends.  But inevitably they come to be part of this family that continues to grow.  Tonight as I was dropping off a few CDs I thought he'd appreciate, he asked if I was staying for a drink...  I paused, thinking to myself, staying?  I'm never leaving. 

Celebrity Sightings

Celeb sightings are everyday common occurrences in New York, especially in the West Village.  Usually you just do the double take, and if you're with someone, get confirmation you "spotted" correctly.  But sometimes you come face to face and feel compelled to say something - well, I do, when it's someone that I actually have something to say to. 

Recently I ran into (or rather spotted) Josh Charles.  Not a completely recognizable face to many, but I'm a fan and had literally just finished watching (and writing about) the series he was in, "In Treatment."  I was in Westville, a restaurant on w.10th, having a late brunch.  It is a very tiny place and when he walked in, standing there waiting to sit down, he was literally right beside me.  So naturally I felt compelled to let him know how wonderful I thought he'd been in the series. He was incredibly kind and gracious, said thank you and that was it. He sat, I continued my meal and conversation with my friend.

Today's sighting, similar circumstances.  I was crossing 7th avenue, walking my very slow moving, old dog, going east on 13th street. It is a bit rainy today, so she was covered up in raincoat and boots.  But when I reached the corner, after the quick double take stare, her hair and face were undeniable.  Sarah Jessica Parker.  "Great sighting!" as i can imagine sharing with my sister and nieces.  There she was standing right there on my corner, on the curb, with her son, waiting for their friends who were walking down 7th to meet them.  And so naturally, the words came out.  "We loved the movie, we all really enjoyed it, lots of fun!"  (somehow felt compelled to speak for all of us who saw it.) She too, was incredibly kind and humble, saying thank you many times.  Her friends arrived and me and Harry continued walking the last few steps to our front door.  Big day in the neighborhood!