"Hell's a mild climate. This is Hell's kitchen"

Screw Madonna, please stop the music!

2010-03-12T14:44:00.007-05:00

When did wearing headphones become so socially acceptable?

I started noticing this trend when I started working out of college at a consulting firm. My co-workers were rarely without their headphones when sitting at their computer. I quickly realized they are used, partially to break the monotony of IT Audit, but also to display a look telling others “I’m far to busy to be interrupted with what you have to say, please leave me alone.” After trying it out, and then forgetting my headphones one day, I understood its need in a workplace that doesn't require much interaction with others. It is a solid way to avoid distractions and focus on what you have to get done. I listen to Pandora most days while working (currently listening to a Talib Kweli 'station') and have found the practice very beneficial.

However, in NYC it is more rare to see someone not wearing headphones than those that do - in all phases of the day. A few examples that bother me, frankly more than they should:

1. When at a place of business trying to purchase something without expending the minimal energy to take out your headphones in order to hear the salesperson speak with them. Instead you would rather yell to compensate for your hearing defficiency and annoy those around you.

2. When on the subway, you feel the need because you must think those around must care enough to turn your music up to a volume that MUST be painful. This is the equivalent to those that roll the windows down in their car and play their music so loud while cruisin'. I must admit, I engaged in this practice when I was 16 and still occasionally when I am really feeling a song; however I don't make a practice of it to be noticed. There is a big difference.

3. People walking down the street, or anywhere for that matter, in a group talking to each other while listening to music (which I can sometimes also hear). Is the other person that boring? Are you playing the music so low it doesn’t matter anyway? Are your ears that developed to comprehend both stimulants that well? For those that will say it is easier to press pause or turn the volume down than take their earplugs out - it isn't! Also, your extreme lack of tact in the situation should overcome anything that may be perceived as too much effort.

ar

"Hi Andrew, I'm Garth"

2010-02-28T18:24:00.005-05:00

After a missed opportunity many years ago, Paige and her mother formed a pact to see Garth Brooks the next opportunity they had. Unfortunately, before that could happen he announced a hiatus from touring so that he could be at home with his kids while they were in school. He has only made two exemptions, once for charity, and now. Steve Wynn, of the Wynn Hotel in Vegas, convinced him to play 5 weekends a year for the next 5 years until he could begin touring again. This marks the first year of shows and we were able to get tickets for January 23rd. We went with Paige's mom, her boyfriend Todd, Paige's close friend from college Tina, and her boyfriend Andrew.

Now I'll try to set the stage for the concert – the show is in the Encore Theater at the Wynn Hotel which holds a little under 1500 people . It consists of Garth and his guitar on stage in blue jeans, sweat shirt, work boots, and a baseball cap. While this show lacks the theatrical elements he is well known for, it is a rare experience to witness his charisma and talent. The setting is very much a Storytellers (as David would say, TRUE STORY) of Garth Brooks. The first hour and a half or so is Garth telling stories about his upbringing and how music has shaped his life. He performed covers of James Taylor, Merle Haggard, George Jones, The Beatles, and so on. This was a treat for me because I am a fan of established artists performing covers so I can hear their take on music and what inspires them.

About an hour into the show he began playing his biggest hits and then, to our surprise, started taking recommendations from the audience! Andrew told us earlier of these rumors, but it was still quite a shock. The first person he selected was a young lady in the first balcony and she very wisely suggested Standing Outside the Fire. He then turned the lights up for another request ... As everyone was jumping up and down in their seats (including us with some restraint), he selected a gentleman on the left side of the house and took his request. I don't remember their conversation because at this point I began trying to devise my plan to be picked. I thought it would be awesome and quite memorable for Garth to speak with Paige and Bobbi since without them, I may not have made the journey.

We had 12th row center aisle seats so the next time the lights came up I enacted my plan of standing up, moving into the aisle, and waving my hand while walking forward. The next thing I hear is “the gentleman in the white shirt walking down the aisle.” I definitely did not expect the nerves to kick in the way they did ... After asking my name, he replied “Hi Andrew, I'm Garth” (making the nerves worse) to which I nervously fumbled back “how are you doing tonight?” He humored me and took my request, The Red Stroke. Requesting this song was part of my master plan in having Garth talk with Paige and Bobbi, as The Red Stoke is Paige's favorite. My nerves caused me to question the title of the song: The Red Stroke or The Red Strike?? So, as I began speaking to him, I was also trying to quietly ask Paige the proper name of the song. In the end, I did manage to say the right name, but due to my paranoia of requesting the wrong title, I sat down and realized I completely forgot to introduce Paige and Bobbi to Garth. I tried standing back up, but he had already begun his story behind the song, thus the chance to redeem myself was gone. After many apologies and feeling like an idiot, I hope I am forgiven. At least I didn't butcher the name of one of his songs in front of 1500 people. That would have sucked!

Whether you like country music or not, I'm sure you can appreciate the experience.

Enjoy.

The bluebonnets are worth the drive...

2010-02-15T17:01:00.017-05:00

For the '09 holidays Paige and I decided we would celebrate the new job by taking a break from the extremely busy tourist season in NYC and head to her home state of Texas. Since we were both able to get a couple weeks off spanning Christmas and New Years we planned to visit her family for a week and take a week road trip ending in Austin for NYE. The night before our flight out we received the first snow storm of the season here blessing us with ~16 inches of snow. Luckily for us we were flying out of JFK as LGA was completely closed for 3 days surrounding the snow storm. Regardless we were delayed most of the day and got into Houston much later than expected.

Since this post is already going to be lengthy, here are just a few highlights of the trip:

1. It is always a pleasure hanging out with Paige's family and meeting the new additions along the way. There was a sibling rivalry competition between Paige and her brother building gingerbread houses which I somehow got roped into judging. We obviously know who one there, sorry Zach.

2. First stop out of Houston was San Antonio where we were able to hang out with a few of Paige’s college buddies, check out the River Walk (think a nicer/cleaner Savannah), and tour the Alamo. I'm sad to say that middle school history classes didn't pay off on this visit as I had forgotten most of the Alamo other than “Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the wild frontier.” And I'm not positive that song is directly rated.

3. The next day we drove into Fredericksburg which is home to wineries, antique shops, and a heavily German influenced Main Street. Being big fans of live music we were stoked to find out Cory Morrow would be playing The Auslander the night we were there. Unfortunately for Paige, I am OCD when it comes to being late for events, especially when there is not assigned seating. When I called The Auslander to ask what time we should get there to assure a seat the lady kindly said “Sweetheart, for Cory Morrow you better get here EARLY.” Being one to follow instructions we arrived when they said we could, 6pm. Paige won't let me live down that the next people didn't get there until roughly 7:15. However, there are worse places to kill time than a Biergarten. Our front row seats proved worth the wait, and we had a great time. A small video we took -

4. Our next stops were in Luckenbach and Gruene Texas. Prior to visiting Luckenbach all I knew of it was what Waylon Jennings had told me, that "out in Luckenbach, TX ain't nobody feelin' no pain". It took us a few moments to realize that the "Pop 3" sign was literal and the town in fact is made up of only three people. The next stop was in Gruene which is home to Gruene Hall. This is the largest dance hall I have ever stepped foot in and has hosted equal sized shows. This evening there was a gentleman performing mostly covers with a few originals to a packed house so we enjoyed a few Shiners and took it in. For dinner we went to a place that Paige has frequented many times with friends on rafting trips. It was a lot of fun being able to see the places she so fondly speaks of.

5. The next morning we toured New Braunfels, visited her Aunt’s almost ready for business Bed and Breakfast, and drove into Austin. After a brief rest in the hotel we picked up our friends, and travel partners Jonathan and Lindsey, from the airport and met a few of Paige's friends out for drinks. When visiting Austin you have to consent to the notion of eating a lot of good, dirty food. We had our share of Tex-Mex and BBQ, and then more. We were in Austin for 4 days, including NYE, so a great mix of debauchery and outdoor exploring ensued.
Here I am with Jonathan and Lindsey on a Wine tour before experiencing the wonders of Salt Lick BBQ -

Paige said along the way that she was hoping this trip would show me the different sides of Texas and influence me to want to move there someday. I can say she was successful. It was a pleasant surprise to see areas of such history, towns very culturally influenced, and become part of something she represents so well. It also could not have come at a better time than during the holidays in the city. While on the trip, I was ready to pack up and make the move. I began to remember what doing laundry was like in your own home, paying 2 dollars for a beer instead of 6, what good Mexican food tasted like, and hearing people say please and thank you. However, getting off the plane in New York we both feel back at home and don't plan to rush anywhere anytime soon. It is amazing how quickly you feel at home in a new place while at the same time finding new things to explore there every week.

Enjoy!
ar

Looking forward to my next 30 years...

2010-02-10T13:06:00.001-05:00

In 2007 my brother, sister in law, Paige, and myself came to New York to celebrate my 28th birthday. I didn't know this, but at the time Kristi thought it was my 30th Birthday, otherwise this trip may not have happened. She was shocked to find out we went to New York for a birthday as insignificant as 28, ha. This was my first trip to the city and it definitely sold me. We did the standard touristy things, had a great meal at WD-50 (complete with birthday cupcake, thank you), saw Fuerzabruta, and witnessed the late hours of something we had never heard of, Santacon. One evening as we exited the train in Astor Place we saw ~100 people dressed in Santa Suits, clearly inebriated, running around spraying silly string on anything they could and singing carols. I looked at everyone and said something to the effect of we should have done that. Here is a picture of my brother and I in 2007 spinning the Astor Place Cube after it had been ‘tagged'.

Cut to 2009 and since we are now living here, I realized it was the perfect way to celebrate my 30th birthday. Partly to show that 30 year olds can still hang and also because why the heck not? Our day started with bagels and drinks at 10:30 while following Santacon on twitter to see where they were. By the time we met up with everyone (11:30 am) people had already taken it too far, others were getting started, and Harmon Killebrew didn't realize he was about to be in for a long day.

A few pictures from the day…

the starting group waiting on the train to debauchery

first bar stop well into Harmon Killebrew

Santacon brought the worst out in Jesus

for some reason there were 'spandex santas' climbing outside one stop

It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you...

2010-01-27T20:02:00.000-05:00

wow, i didn't realize it had been THIS long since I last blogged. I have kept up with things in the meantime, I just haven't posted them to the blog. Therefore, look for a bunch of posts to come over the next week or so. There are also new events on the horizon you can get excited about such as the Beer, Bourbon, and Burgers festival on Saturday.

i'll be back...

ar

NYC Marathon

2009-11-09T12:17:00.000-05:00

Sunday marked the 40th annual NYC Marathon. The marathon hosted over 40,000 runners starting at the Verrazano Bridge in Staten Island and went through all four boroughs. This year also marked the first time an American citizen has placed first since 1982. Some critics are saying since he wasn't born in the United States that this is not as big of an accomplishment as it may seem. It's a marathon, does it really matter?

We took the opportunity to go for a long walk through Central Park and cheer on the runners along the way. I thought it would be a good spark in my non-existent workout routine. Though I have no aspirations to run 26.2 miles. None.

Also, I made sure to give a few yells and claps to those on their morning runs not involved in the marathon. While they appeared shocked at first, I think they enjoyed it after realizing I wasn't going to attack them. After all, they must have felt left out. If people are there cheering on 40k runners, why not cheer for these extras? They are runners too.

Here are a few pictures we took in the park and of the runners.

Dun-na-na-na-na-na-na-na BATMAN

there were many costumes, though this rabbit mask was a crowd pleaser

I would have preferred the Spartans, but they were fine

Central Park in the fall

After watching an exhausting run, we treated ourselves to CRUMBS

Good music, cold beer, and fried chicken

2009-11-04T21:03:00.004-05:00

Zac Brown is someone I've been following since the college days where he played for free at Dixie's Tavern in Atlanta. He now has a full band and is making it big on the charts after "Chicken Fried" hit the radio last year. I first heard it in 2003 and was hooked on his style. He is a welcomed change from the overly 'poppy' country that monopolizes the charts these days.

We were able to see him at Terminal 5 only a few blocks from our house. This tour was in support of his new label and a way to introduce his new acts. His new artists (3) came out one at a time to play 3 original songs and then Zac joined them for 2 more. This took about an hour and a half, followed by the Zac Brown Band playing for the next hour and a half. The concert was amazing!

We were also lucky to be introduced to Clay Cook this evening. He is now a permanent member of the Zac Brown Band, and an incredible talent. His voice range was impressive, as were his skills at piano, guitar, mandolin, and fiddle. I look forward to seeing him on a solo project soon. The video below is a cover of Dylan's 'I shall be released'. Clay Cook sings after Zac Brown in the beginning, followed by Sonia Leigh and crew. I have a feeling his label is going to be successful.

Here is a snippet of Chicken Fried to appease the masses...

ar

Tourist for a day

2009-11-03T17:05:00.001-05:00

Charlotte came to visit, so to fulfill hosting obligations I showed her around the city. She had only been to New York once before and hadn't done much of the 'touristy' stuff. Unfortunately, we didn't have a lot of time and didn't take many pictures. Here are some I did take ...

as you can see, we had different ideas for the bull picture

there hasn't been much progress in the construction that I can tell

'Bell of Hope' - St. Paul's Chapel presented this on the first-year anniversary of 9/11

It was fun pretending to be a tourist for a day and re-visiting these landmarks. I think I may propose we do 'touristy' things once every couple of months to refresh our appreciation of them. Whether it be a walking tour, museum, etc - when you live here you don't feel the urgency to visit them. I hear all to often from people who have lived here 5+ years expressing regret from not taking time to see the sights.

The Great Pumpkin

2009-11-02T17:55:00.002-05:00

Last weekend we decided to check out Old Navy's Urban Pumpkin Patch benefiting the Food Bank for New York City. The Pumpkin Patch was located in the Meatpacking district on Little W 12th Street and 9th Avenue. For a small donation you could take part in the pumpkin decorating contest, take pumpkins home for free, partake in some cotton candy, and enjoy the petting zoo.

A future post will document the pumpkin carving contest that took place courtesy of our visit here.

ar

honk if you despise those that ... honk??

2009-10-26T12:58:00.002-04:00

These street signs are placed all over the city in a feeble effort to deter drivers from honking their horns. It doesn't work. I'm actually not even sure I understand the brainpower that went behind this sign. It is about as ridiculous as Sonny Perdue (Atlanta governor) holding a prayer circle at the Capitol during a drought. I'm also confused on the separation of church and state there, but that is another issue.

In most situations it would become white noise, but I don't think it will because I take personal offense to it. In fact, I would support capital punishment on those that choose to honk in the most ridiculous of circumstances. The majority of time I see someone honking (especially the beloved prolonged ones) is in non-moving traffic. What is the end goal here?

Granted, I am a little sensitive to the issue because even when I drove I thought honking was a joke and saw no value in it. Alas, I'm not sure anything can be done to curb the issue. If it counts, my vote is for electric shock.

ar

International Market

2009-10-22T15:45:00.003-04:00

It's hard to find what I like most about living in the city. While showing our friend Charlotte around the city I caught myself saying "that's one of my favorite things about the city" a lot. So after thinking about it, I realized that I just like it all. So this post is on 'one of my favorite things about the city' - the Markets. You can find anything you want here.

The International Grocery is a place that we have enjoyed shopping in and know we will for the extent of our time here. While the store front leaves a lot to be desired, the inside is very inviting. The smells from all the fresh spices, grains, and coffees blending together provides a wonderful aromatic and aesthetic experience. They cater to all spice needs, exotic coffees, grains, cheeses, olives, and more. The store has a Mediteranean bazaar vibe to it which I appreciate, and that is most likely due to the Karamouzis brothers (one pictured below) running it for over 30 years.

bon appétit

ar

"next time i'm in church, please no photos"

2009-10-15T09:28:00.004-04:00

As a part of the OHNY weekend we were also able to tour the House of the Redeemer. I have a fascination with the grand scale in which religious buildings pride themselves on, and this one did not disappoint. However, this House was originally built as a personal residence and later deeded to the Episcopal Church.

Today it is noted as one of the finest Italian Renaissance revival-styled townhouses, and one of the most distinguished examples of early 20th century residential architecture in New York City. The house was designated a New York City Landmark in 1974.

Nevertheless, while touring the House I must admit I felt I was in a real life version of Clue, minus the murder of course. Miss Scarlet was responsible for our opening tour explaining the history and getting us eager for more. Mrs. White lived up to her duties of being an uptight maid of the manor showing us around the kitchen and maid quarters. Also, Professor Plum gave us a proper tour of the library (which was incredible and our favorite room) which he happens to be writing a book about. However, if there was a murder, I would put all my money on Mrs. White. After granting permission to take pictures she felt the need to give me, and others, a serious evil eye when we did so. Paige actually at one point told me to stop because she made her nervous.

Here are some pictures we took while taking a tour of the House. For more feel free to check out my FLICKR set for more.

The UES is like Merlot

2009-10-13T12:28:00.004-04:00

For no specific reason, other than opinions of others (and the movie sideways), I've never been too interested in trying either. However, being open to all things new, I've now tried both. As a part of OHNY we were able to sign up for a free tour of the Carnegie Hill neighborhood. The neighborhood is on such a grand scale it's impossible not to appreciate the beauty.

Carnegie Hill is named for the mansion that Andrew Carnegie built at 91st and 5th in 1901. The neighborhood is home to the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, The Jewish Museum, the National Academy of Design, the House of the Redeemer, and the Dalton School. Our tour took us by these sites and provided a brief history of each.

Here are some pictures taken on the tour. For more, feel free to check out the FLICKR set on Carnegie Hill.

the other white meat

2009-10-13T09:27:00.000-04:00

After the last two experiments in cooking pork were making barbecue and carnitas, I decided to respect the flavor of the pork and make a tasty sauce to accompany it. We are fans of horseradish so I thought it would be a natural pairing.

1 lb Pork tenderloin
2 tb of butter
4 green onions, minced
1/2 c mushrooms, chopped
1 1/4 c light cream
2 ts lemon juice
2 ts horseradish
2 tb sour cream
2 tb fresh parsley, minced

1. Sauted tenderloin in large skillet with butter for 2 to 3 minutes on each side
2. Moved tenderloin to dish and cover with foil
3. Sauté green onions and mushrooms till soft
4. Add cream, lemon juice, and any pork juices accumulated on the platter. Simmer until thickened.
5. Stir in sour cream, horseradish, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.

While I am a big fan of the carnitas and barbecue I've made, this was quite tasty.

bon appétit

ar

'In music the passions enjoy themselves'

2009-10-10T10:00:00.001-04:00

As someone has pointed out, the blog has been heavy into Theatre the past couple weeks. We have been fortunate lately by scoring many free opportunities to see some great shows. However, we do enjoy other arts. We are big local music fans. In Atlanta we frequented and enjoyed shows featuring The Goldest, Jupiter Watts, Envie, Water Liars, and those departed (not to name drop some killer bands I happen to know people in).

So in New York we had to find good spots for local music. After a few searches, I had a list of several bands that I wanted to check out. Great article on some of the top New York bands to see here.

On this evening we went to The Living Room in the Lower East Side. The band was pretty interesting. The lead singer had a deep funky voice, though it seemed like he wasn't a fan of remembering lyrics. Also, there were 2 piano players in the band, which i enjoyed, however they seemed to struggle with who would play each part before the song. I couldn't tell if this was a new band, or if they had a few subs on this evening. Somehow, even with what appeared to be a lot of stress on stage, the set was pretty good.

However, our night at the Living Room was made a success by these ladies below. They were quite a crew. If you look, the one on the left has her arm in a sling and she was walking with a cane, while the lady on the left clearly had a neck brace and had an arm in a soft cast. Either they had 'join a fight club' on their bucket list, or they are still hoping for that workers comp settlement to come through. Either way, I had to look, laugh, and of course take a picture

"If my life wasn't funny, it would have to be true"

2009-10-09T10:51:00.010-04:00

After not having been to the theatre in the first several months since moving here, we have now seen our 3rd show in 2 weeks. However, this one is set apart from the others because it was Opening Night. This meant the red carpet was rolled out, the paparazzi had us pose, and diet cokes were $4.50.

Wishful Drinking is Carrie Fisher's one woman show based on her own life, after her memoir of the same title. The show is a dark comedy that covers a wide range of topics including hollywood inbreeding, her diagnosed manic depressive disorder, alcoholism, divorce, death, and of course Star Wars.

Carrie Fisher opens the show singing 'Happy Days are Here Again', throwing glitter on the patrons seated in the front row, all while negative tabloid headlines are broadcasted on the screen behind her. Making fun of the 'tragedy' was definitely the common theme. The wardrobe department also did not have to stretch with this show as her dress for the entire evening comprised of pajamas, a robe, and slippers.

Something else not to be overlooked is that the show is playing at Studio 54, which itself holds a lot of history. So, to sum it up - free opening night tickets to a Broadway show staring Princess Leia at Studio 54. It could not have scripted better. Well, i should have walked away when they said $4.50 for a coke, but other than that...

(since there is no photography allowed during the show, this picture has been borrowed from Jan Marcus via Broadway World)

NY Pizza

2009-10-07T16:48:00.016-04:00

A common theme of New York is the quality of their pizza and how fond folks are of it. I consider myself a big fan of good pizza, but I will admit that I wasn't impressed after moving here. Some of the places that came highly recommended I found dry and just not that flavorful. This was until the day we signed on our apartment. We were getting the run around at our credit union trying to get an official check so we went for a quick bite while we had to wait. Thankfully we were on 31st and 8th avenue and stumbled upon the NY Pizza Suprema.

NY Pizza Suprema was established in 1964 by an Italian immigrant, Salvatore Riggio, and is still owned by the Riggio family. Salvatore's motto was "Do one thing and do it better than anyone else." He felt this way about the plain cheese slice, so that was all they served until 1988. Now the menu has expanded from the cheese slice to supreme pizzas, broccoli rolls. and calzones.

I find myself happily sticking with a slice of pepperoni and a slice of sausage. I am just thankful I live a little too far away to convince myself to walk there more often. It could get bad.

bon appétit!

ar

Adultery, Betrayal, and Alter Egos

2009-10-07T14:15:00.004-04:00

Paige found out that a close girlfriend of her's was in a play just across the river in Jersey, so we went to check it out. Paige has been friends with Rachel since middle school, however they have lived in different states since graduating high school. It was a great reunion, and it will be fun getting to know her since she now lives on the island as well.

Passion was written by Peter Nichols in 1981 and originally performed at the Royal Shakespeare Company. The play is about a middle aged couple that must come to grips with adultery and betrayal. The ensemble cast is comprised of 6 actors and live music performed by saxophonist Kevin Gosa. The play uses alter egos in the way that I have not seen before. There are 2 main characters in the play, and 2 additional characters that serve as their alter egos. The alter egos can sometimes only be heard by their other half, and in other instances the alter egos can interact with themselves. It was a great mechanism to give the story more depth.

I greatly enjoyed viewing the play and welcome future opportunities to see Rachel's work!

ar

Lady Liberty

2009-10-02T15:44:00.004-04:00

Moving to New York was partly an investment in memories. We wanted to be sure and do anything we could in order to get the full experience. That being the case, when I read that the Statue of Liberty, for the first time in history, would be open to tour for one night I had to jump on it. It was touted as a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity according to The Gothamist. I try not to miss those.

The occasion was in celebration of National Park Week and also to bring awareness to Ken Burns' new documentary on the history of National Parks in the United States.

Neither Paige or I had ever been to the Statue, and to be honest, did not have a major drive in visiting. However, after this visit I am definitely glad we did and am looking forward to visiting again so that I can go into the crown. Tickets for the crown are currently sold out through November.

Here are a few pictures, however viewing on blogspot doesn't really provide justice as the quality is affected.

Hakuna Matata

2009-09-30T00:14:00.027-04:00

September hosts Back 2 Broadway in NYC to welcome the new season. The event allows free tours in select theatres, a festival in Times Square where they preview shows, concerts, etc. We were out of town or busy for most events, however we were able to tour the Minskoff Theatre.

The Minskoff Theatre, designed by Kahn and Jacobs, was built in 1973 and is located on 45th and Broadway. It has been the host to musicals, dance companies, concerts, and even the Miss Universe pageant in 1981. The Minskoff is a post war theatre and built on the premise that what is on stage should take, well, center stage. The walls were left white and bare. The only design element were the silver domes for the lights. In fact Kahn and Jacobs specifically requested it remain this way and for interior "desecrators" to never touch his design.

However, their wishes had to be ignored when the theatre began housing The Lion King. According to our proctor it took six months to refurbish the theatre in order to house the show. The main lobby now features hand painted, gold-leaf sculpted tablets and large colorful murals. On the escalator wall there is a large (~30 feet tall) wooden lion face on a red wall. The theatre is no longer void of decorations, completely the opposite.

Personally, I still prefer the character and charm of an old theatre. But it's all the same when the lights go down right?

Ace of Cakes

2009-09-27T09:50:00.000-04:00

On Friday evening I went to meet a buddy for happy hour at a bar in Times Square. It just so happened they were hosting a party for the Anime festival in town. It definitely provided an excellent opportunity for people watching. At one point I saw a bunch of folks taking pictures so I walked over to see what the hoopla was about. I came back joking with my buddy that they were taking pictures of books and figurines on a table and that people will take pictures of anything.

Well we come to find out that what they were taking pictures of was a cake made by Charm City Cakes. Charm City Cakes is home to the Food Network television show, Ace of Cakes. Ace of Cakes is a pretty cool program where they make very intricate and specialized cakes for events. If interested their web site is - Charm City Cakes. I honestly did not think it was a cake and was very impressed to learn it was. Good job Duff and crew.

ar

After Miss Julie

2009-09-24T13:57:00.001-04:00

After Miss Julie is currently in previews at the Roundabout Theatre in Times Square and will be showing through December 6th. We were fortunate enough to receive comp tickets to last night's performance and had excellent seats. It was also special because it was the first show we've been able to see since moving to New York.

After Miss Julie is set in a large country estate outside of London in July, 1945. The British Labour Party had just won their famous landslide election victory over Winston Churchill's Conservative party promising radical change and reform. The production features Sienna Miller as Miss Julie, a young woman who seduces her wealthy father's chauffeur, whom is soon to marry another woman. (Personally, I found this somewhat ironic because this isn't too far from her recent paparazzi captured rendezvous with a married Balthazar Getty) The chauffeur is played by Johnny Lee Miller, whom you may recall as Sick Boy from Trainspotting and the lead in the sitcom, Eli Stone. Marin Ireland, a Tony Award nominee, plays the scorned woman and has been in numerous theatre productions.

We really liked the play and were really happy we were able to see it. It was nice to see formal theatre as the last shows we've seen have been musicals and theatrical displays (i.e. Stomp, Avenue Q, Fuerzabrutta, etc). Here there was nothing to hide behind and talent takes center stage. I found Sienna's performance very honest and believable for her largest theatrical role. I thought Marin Ireland shined in her role, with her experience being very evident in her facial expressions, tone, and stage presence during silent scenes.

(pics to be uploaded soon)

ar

VMAs return to NYC and welcome the drama

2009-09-23T15:52:00.000-04:00

I know this is late, but I was waiting for all the Kanye drama to die down. want the media or other blog sites snatching my exclusive photos. These were taken just hours before Taylor Swift was famously interrupted on stage at the VMAs.

back story...

Paige and I were walking back from Rockefeller Center when we heard Taylor Swift, and while it sounded live we dismissed it as someone playing a live cd from their car. I also joked to Paige that if she really was performing live this close the little girls around us would be running. Well, as we hit broadway we did see people running north and looked up to see Taylor Swift performing outside of Radio City Music Hall. It was definitely cool to be walking around and then all of the sudden you see a pretty famous singer performing 80 feet in front of you.

Here are some quick pics I took, though her spot lights were so bright the shots were affected.

the crowd at Radio City Music Hall at 1pm. VMAs didn't go on until 8pm. nuts

standard pose

her band heading down from the roof.

Congratulations to the Gerndt's!

2009-09-22T10:07:00.001-04:00

This past weekend we flew into Atlanta to witness our good friends Callie and Andrew get married. It was a beautiful ceremony and we felt honored to be there. We wish them the best of luck!

Unfortunately I didn't have our camera, so i borrowed these pictures.

reception pic

Callie walking down the aisle

it's official!

"dirty"

heading to st. lucia

ar

Parklife

2009-09-17T11:06:00.000-04:00

One thing that I thought I was going to miss most about Atlanta was the greenery and park space. I lived in Inman Park, frequented Piedmont Park, and ran on freedom park. I took it for granted. As a tourist I thought the greenspace was severely lacking in NYC; however as a resident I've realized if you want green space, you have many options. There is, of course Central Park, Riverside Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, community gardens in the East Village, etc etc.

The inspiration for this post came while listening to an old Blur cd and Parklife came on. It is a pretty cool song and for those interested you can hear it here: blur: parklife video.

One of my favorite quotes from the song is: 'Confidence is a preference for the habitual voyeur of what is known as parklife'

here's to parklife...