The fireworks above Brooklyn tonight – thanks to the fine people at Macy’s. You’d never think some of those clerks in housewares could pull something like this off, but congrats guys and gals, you did it.
The fireworks above Brooklyn tonight – thanks to the fine people at Macy’s. You’d never think some of those clerks in housewares could pull something like this off, but congrats guys and gals, you did it.
Congratulations to our friends Phoebe and Drew (couple 2 of the 5 who got engaged after attending our Scottish nuptials!). We had a fantastic time at Phoebe’s mother’s farm in Freeport, Maine. The home of L.L. Bean, lobster rolls, and the best sausage and gravy biscuits I’ve ever had. I want to give a shout out to the Pitch Black Blues band, a hard to say name for a band of teens (sweet dancin’ Kyle and his buddy) who write songs that “match up with a beat” and may or may not include a recorder. We’re about to see a major resurgence in recorder made-music – mark my words. Next up on the same farm, is the wedding of Phoebe’s brother Rufus and the lovely Maura Madden.
Today sitting in the back of a tiny restaurant in SoHo, I watched as the heat of this unbearable early June firestorm was swept furiously away (along with several menus and a patio umbrella) in a dangerously strong wind. Behind the wind came the lightning, followed by the inevitable downpour. The sight was made all the more curious and stunning, because the only other people in the restaurant were comic legend Art Spiegelman and his wife New Yorker arts editor, Francoise Mouly. Another, only-in-New York evening.
O! I like it when an investment pays off! Wow. And this is history making, but after watching McCain’s sneering, yellow teeth during his speech against that green backdrop last night, (where was he? Did they even move the foosball table out for him to talk?) I’m ever more optimistic that January 2009 is going to be the most historic-iest time ever.
If you’re in New York by all means check out Playing the Building, a project by the marvelous David Byrne produced by my new best friends, Creative Time. Lauren and I went to see the installation right next to the Staten Island Ferry terminal in the crumbling-soon-to-be-boutique-condos Maritime Battery Building. The piece manages to be a truly satisfying act of participatory lo-tech art making, while being totally in line with everything Byrne has been predicting about the hi-tech future of the music industry.
We followed that experience up with a trip to the lovely home of Blakely and Jason in Scarsdale where I once again learned the hard lesson that red solo party cups are a too-strong vodka tonic’s best friend. Ouch.
Spending Memorial Day 08 on the Couch of the Unknown or Little Direction. K and I went down to West Chester over the weekend and enjoyed the 29th Annual Kimberton Antique Car Show. (This is a shot of Dad with his matching shirt/car combination- sweet!) The show used to be over at the Exton Mall (my place of employment through high school) and has now moved to a field with three picnic benches and no shade. But the streaky sunburns aside, it was a great day to sit out and see the friendly faces of the Chester County Antique Car Club. I grew up in the Club and I can attest, not only do they have the best picnics with the tastiest eggrolls in South Eastern PA, they also are among the finest souls that ever picked up a wrench. So while today I salute our men and women in uniform, I also salute the men and women of the CCACC. Here’s to the red, white, blue, green, and gold.
Just got back from visiting a top secret set for a top secret new reality series on Country Music Television. Being of CMT origin, it only made sense for it to take place in Music City, USA: Nashville. I learned a great many things down south and thought I’d share a few with you here.
1) Nashville is like 5% of what you think it’s going to be. Seriously it’s like one street with bars. Thayer Street in Providence may have had more to offer.
2) People are crazy for painting pictures of country stars. And they’re less crazy about being good painters.
3) Mother’s Day is not the day to go to Bob Evans outside of Opryland. Half hour wait? For biscuits?
4) I don’t think it’s a good idea to assume that every woman at Bob Evans wants to be greeted with Happy Mother’s Day. Not everyone is a mother. The carnation was nice, though.
5) Barbara Mandrell seems like she was a freaky bed time companion. Mirror on the ceiling of the canopy bed? I could see that for Irlene, but Babs? Shocking.
6) Charlie Daniels has a museum.
7) If you do paint Conway Twitty- it’s okay to leave out the chest hair. Yeuh.
8) Brisket Sandwich at Jack’s BBQ = Pork Bun at NY hotspot Momofuku. Fat + Starch + Sweet Sauce is a recipe for magic.
9) Newark Airport is far from Brooklyn.
10) Late night trains smell even worse than day time trains.
GO COUNTRY!