- omg I love city winery. ok that’s a dumb statement. I love wine.
- but seriously, those may have been some of the more amazing scallops I’ve had in my life. The buffalo pizza was kinda meh though.
- on the upside, I like goat cheese sometimes. Who knew! And the bread with it was outstanding.
- oh right, the show. it’s really cool seeing what is basically a live podcast. It’s a neat reminder that no matter how cool something is on the interweb or on headphones, a live performance will always take poignancy to that next level. Even (or rather especially) if the show is just someone telling a story onstage with simple lighting.
- poignancy is probably the word of the eve. even though I liked some of the stories more than others, each one definitely struck an emotional cord. This is particularly strong coming from me, as my emotional cord hasn’t worked since 2003.
- even though the theme was ‘new york stories’ (which drew me in) I felt like these stories could have taken place anywhere and that the location was just wallpaper. I think as new yorkers, we have this tendency to categorize things as either ‘new yorky’ or ‘not new yorky enough’. I love new york and do this more often than not. maybe it’s not that things are ‘new yorky’. Maybe it’s just the ‘human condition’. maybe my emotional cord is more defective/destructive than I realized.
- I think it’s safe to say that everyone’s favorite story of the night was stanley alpert. he was once kidnapped at gunpoint (on his birthday), held for several hours, threatened with his savings account getting emptied and more. It wasn’t so much that this happened to him, or how he told the story (really well). it actually changed him and made his life better (or so it seems). These are the stories I love to believe in. when the worst thing becomes the best thing.
- ugh, look at this list, I’m like 3 items away from joining oprah’s book club. gross.
- have I mentioned that I love the upright bass? Perhaps the only upside to the rash of old timey bands sweeping the nyc music scene is that people are playing the upright bass again. oh, yeah, the point being the bass player (keith) would start playing when the stories hit the 10 min mark. That was really cool. I almost wish that people rambled more so I got to hear more bass.
- oh, and big ups to paul, the wicked cool sound engineer who talked to us. you have a dream job and don’t live in Brooklyn and talk like a normal person. only in new york.
Fun review: new york stories: the annual MothShop All-Star Review @ city winery March 25, 2010
Bar Review: Studio Square (the new LIC beer garden) May 17, 2009
- it is on my street. sure, a few avenues away, but ON my street. i love my neighborhood.
- thank god, something to catch the overflow of the throngs of drunken buffoons that flock to the regular beer garden and lead to me getting body slammed.
- i think the ground here was cement cobblestones, so if i did get body slammed, it would probably hurt more
- there’s a pretty substantial indoor area making it seem like the kind of place i’d consider going to even when i can’t be outside. i like their old timey sign.
- they actually have covered outdoor parts, which is kinda cool cause you can be outside when it’s raining.
- the crowd seemed slightly more indigenous than the crowd at the beer garden on a saturday
- and my, was there ever a crowd
- i didn’t really eat, which was dumb, but the bits of pretzel that i had were awesome and so cheap
- the bathrooms are cool. weird UV hand dryer. i had watching my skin ripple under hand dryers. freaks me out.
- FIRE PIT
- abita light is a great light summer beer and i wish i could marry it and have like 10,000 of it’s fetal alcohol syndrome babies
- i’m not sure where the trend of really long benches at bars started, but i like it
- omg the music was so random. and by random, i mean awesome. i’ve never heard that much rod stewart at a bar ever. actually, i don’t think i’ve ever heard rod stewart at a bar.
- it brings me great joy that me and rachel’s game ‘guess the next artist in the queue’ has caught on
- no one won the game, but we all won at beer garden. though, i think i’ll still rely on the old trusty beer garden for happy hours during the work week.
Restaurant review: Acme Bar & Grill March 19, 2009
- this is my favorite place in the whole wide world
- for less than $15, you too can own the greatest po’ boy sandwich ever to grace our island. I am partial to the catfish usually, but last night I had the fried oyster variety, and I felt something deep within me that I suppose would be akin to human love.
- whatever you order, get bbq sauce on the side
- the mac n cheese is small but mega dense with deliciousness
- no matter how much you eat, you will have ordered too much
- the mashed potatoes are amazing. They are creamy and smooth, yet lumpy where they should be. how is that possible?
- they sell Abita Purple Haze. Sure, sometimes they say they think they are out of it, but if you give them the puppy dog eyes, they find a way to make it happen.
- and they make a mean Lynchburg Lemonade which looks like some sort of baby fetus drink
- no matter how much I drink, and how weird the seafood that I order there is, I have never gotten sick
- I have always gotten really happy
- oh yeah, free cornbread. And it rocks also.
- they have a small club downtstairs where bands play and it rocks too
- I saw this guy last night who was totally a whirling dervish on the drums
- and I’d just gotten a haircut so I was all sexified
- though it was probably nullified by the fact that I had just eaten my weight in n’awlins barbeque and really wish I’d worn my thanksgiving pants
Possible Reasons why the slow gin fizz had so much fun last night February 19, 2009
- Rachel, lisa, jian and lori are really good drinkers and Turtle Bay appreciates that about us
- bill the bartender test drove a new bourbon shot on us. Runs smooth my friends.
- dj brian did not play the one song I requested (feel good inc), but he played a lot of others that were awetastic
- the night before I went away to college I remember listening to ‘here I go again’ by whitesnake and the last song I remember of my last night at college (and one of the best nights ever) was ‘real love’ by mary j blige. I heard both last night.
- the bar was actually a slightly nicer version of the ratt from bing. Same music. Same shot girl with test tuby things.
- we saw commercials for both the shamwow, and yes, you guessed it, the <3 snuggie <3
- every time I went to the bathroom, there were two girls having a hilarious and viridescent conversations (thanks word of the day!)
- I feel like I haven’t slept well in years and delirium is awesome
- not doing shots is a lot harder than doing shots
- some girl high fived me twice in a row for referencing the show ‘a different world’
Jian’s all-inclusive holiday blogging extravaganza December 23, 2008
So, I finally felt the need to guest blog cause the holiday season is upon us and i’m highly unmotivated to do any kind of real work.
Firstly, I need to talk about shopping.
- Why the hell is there a velvet-roped off line outside of the A&F store on fifth avenue? Supposedly, the models from the catalogs work there, but my question is: if you’re a model for A&F (which means you have a 12-pack and you’re hot), why the hell are you working retail? Also, if you’re anything like zoolander, i’m not sure you’re going to be much help to me and my 7 kids from nebraska. well, at least you’re really, really, ridiculously good looking.
- Macy’s at herald square is where the apocalypse will surely begin. Someone should tell the people that we’re in a recession. Crowd-surfing would be the easiest way to maneuver through that store right now. what are people buying there and if they have a sale everyday, is it really still considered a sale? I wish I could remember that stuff I learned in that one econ class i took. Also, if you value your life, don’t go to the Victoria Secret on 34th street. You might get trampled by someone holding ten lace peignoirs.
- After going to Woodbury Commons on that horrible Sunday where there was a ton of snow and no shoppers, something i always knew was confirmed: stuff was horrendously overpriced before this recession hit. I am never paying full price for anything designer ever again. If you can sell an $140 dress for $45 bucks now, that means that it’s worth $45 and you were ripping people off this whole time. Gucci is 70% off, so those $500 shoes are now $120. Go get ‘em ladies!
Secondly, I need to talk about a bar.
Aspen Social Club. Go. Go there now. Wait, go before 6pm or else you won’t have a decent place to sit or stand. I went to grab drinks and a snack with my friend before seeing “The Seagull” with Kristin Scott Thomas (AMAZING), so we sat at the bar. Once you get there, check out the awesome wood action on the ceiling. The place is cavernous and rustic, much like my friend’s vajine that we always talk about. The food is awesome – lots of game (venison and bison!) and many references to the famous journalist, Hunter S. Thompson who lived and died in CO. Johnny Depp played him in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and paid for his funeral. I have to stop thinking about Johnny Depp. The bar. The bar is great. The drinks are strong and they’re huge – the Wild Turkey and Ginger martini was awesome, but I had a headache for 2 days afterwards. Why are you still sitting there? Go.
Thirdly, I saw the most romantic thing ever at the airport while waiting from my relatives to come in from Michigan. I actually started tearing…well, immediately after this scene a bunch of soldiers flying back from Iraq came down and started hugging people, so it was like an onslaught. Let me replay this Love Actually moment for ya’ll.
This guy comes down the escalator with a big “Honey, I bought you a Lexus” bow on his head. I’m like what the –
This girl runs towards him and they embrace. She starts crying and laughing.
Girl: OMG you look completely ridiculous, but that’s the best bow ever, EVER.
Guy: I just wanted to make you laugh.
Girl: It’s awesome. Thanks for wearing it. XOXO
This was the feel good moment of the year.
Lastly, I have to write down 10 reasons Rachel and Lisa will NEVER fight:
- Rachel just straightened her hair and doesn’t want to ruin it; lisa concurs
- They decide to focus their energy on hating new jersey
- They’ll get into a heated debate about where to put their shoes and pocketbooks
- One of them wasn’t really listening when the challenge was being brought on
- Rachel will trip over something and knock herself unconscious, therefore saving lisa the trouble
- Lisa/Rachel will decide that beer/whiskey is more important to her than fighting
- They will both decide that brunch is more important than fighting
- Neither one wants to start, so they just keep procrastinating
- Rachel doesn’t want to do the clean up, so they decide to watch center stage instead
- No actual contact will be made because they’re breakdance fighting
Happy Holidays!
bar review: weather up, prospect heights December 21, 2008
the basics: speakeasy motif, bartenders wearing vests and suspenders with handlebar mustaches, kinda oddly located on vanderbilt ave, specializes in epic mixed drinks based on very classic recipes.
cons:
- i don’t drink mixed drinks, so paying $11 for the privilege, especially in that neighborhood, stung a bit
- the space was too small but this might have been less of a problem if it weren’t the coldest day in the history of time and the backyard area was open
- they’ve been opened a while, and ok, there’s no kitchen. but given the motif i think they could easy track down some basic nostalgic snacks to offer. i just really hate when bars have absolutely no food to offer. OOH, they could have that dried corn they serve in peruvian restaurants. yum.
- the menu was easy enough but did not give descriptions of what i felt were fairly obscure beer offerings
- how can you have a cash only bar when drinks are more than ten? and i don’t think they had an atm.
- one bathroom
- each drink takes a long time to make so you kinda end up waiting a while which could get rediculous when its crowded
- i hate when they don’t have a sign. i mean, there’s nothing around there. come on.
pros:
- extremely classy but not pretentious vibe. the kind of place that just lends itself to feeling cool and having a really good time with your real friends.
- mellow period music that allows for conversation and doesn’t get annoying, rather enhancing the chill vibe. (if lisa can go a night without hearing old school hip hop, anyone can)
- visually perfect. there was some wall stucco technique that kena explained to me that looked cool and is apparently hard to do. there were real candles in sconces on the wall, an awesome broken piano piece hung up like a painting, and my fave were the tiled ceilings giving it the look of a rich european subway.
- if you tell the bartender what you like, he will concoct something awesome out of it
- they don’t have a phone
- they do have rock candy (but only for the drinks)
- saved this for last. the drinks. sheer perfection. i have had many pisco sours in my day and this was one of the best, though i kinda wish it was in a bigger glass. i followed up with a gin fizz which may become my new go to drink when i want to be happy. it was perfect. i don’t know how else to say it. it lent itself to slow sipping and had a cool block of ice. everyone else at the table loved their drinks too.
verdict: from a business standpoint, poorly executed. however, the vibe is perfect and the drinks were amazing. prolly not a place to go often, but a solid special night out go to bar for when you want to class up your life. make sure you go with people you like and know you can carry on a conversation with (like kena and terrence who rock!) because the low voices, mellow vibe and slow jazz will not pass the time for you and distract from someone annoying. don’t waste your time with the back of the menu, there is a mixed drink for everyone. oh, and if you see a guy who looks like the guy from the flaming lips, its not him, so its ok to insult his hometown of boston.
