Off to costa rica! Pictures to follow next week!

Playigrl party at happy ending.

I just have to share this: Donate!

Mom and I headed here for Restaurant Week. o. my. god. With the wine pairing, my dinner went as follows: App: Butternut Squash with yogurt and chorizo. The pairing was aquavit and an imported beer. Entree: The dish they are known for: Swedish Meatballs with super creamy mashed potatoes and lingonberries. The pairing was a delicious French Merlot. Dessert: Another of their famous dishes: Arctic Circle: goat cheese parfait with blueberry sorbet and passion fruit curd. paired with a Muscato d'Asti.

This was one of the best food experiences for Restaurant Week. They sure as hell didn't skimp on any detail. They didn't minimize the portions and they didn't cut back on the quality. Good job guys! I'm in foodie paradise!

Just $5 gives you unlimited drinks at Park East Grill.
Park East Grill
1564 2nd Avenue,
btw 81st and 82nd Streets
Upper East Side

According to MOB, everyday there's a special. Tonight was supposed to be mojitos. they were out of rum. At least the bartender supplied house vodka. Poor place was empty otherwise, but who knew it was a Kosher place?!

Took my new setup courtesy of Burton Snowboards out on the hill Sunday. My last run of the day when some dickhead cuts me off. Guess he forgot that his little barely-five-year-old son was following right behind him. that little fucker stops dead right in front of me. Of course I had no where to go but right through his right ski. The kid flew one way, his skis the other, and I tumbled. I hope that kid is so freakin' traumatized that he never gets back on the slopes again. Look what he did to my beautiful board on its first day. Grrrr....

At 3:30 am, winter finally started.

1-18-07

Anytown, USA. An exhibit about gentrification in a gallery space in the middle of Bushwick. Interesting concept. Very dissapointing follow-through. Sipped on some licorice-flavored alcohol called Pernod, while watching four videos that didn't connect. Upon entering I saw two projectors in plastic bags duck taped to project downwards onto bricks of cornbread. One projector featured the "artist" making cornbread, while the other featured skilled workers making it in an almost factory setting. The most intruiging feature was a mini-shrine for Guadalupe that was in a background shot for about 5 seconds.

There were two TV sets side by side. I'm sure the point was to show the progression from the LES to Bushwick on the JMZ line. I watched the loop of train tracks and buildings trying to really grasp the full message. Was it that superfical? "Hey lookie!"

Another TV set shows the above poster wheatpasted in various spots in the neighborhood. Such a missed oportunity. It was supposed to be a forum for the public to remark on gentrification, but out of many posters in the video, less than half had some sort of commentary; either through words, or more intriguing, through the destruction of the poster. I would have opted to keep the posters on the wall of the space (which featured some very interesting persepectives from the attendees of the opening) and do away with the sad video.

The final piece took a lot of time for me to digest what the signficance was. A close up of the "artist's" hands as she was receiving a manicure. Was the nasueating process of watching her pick colors for her "localized" nail decoration the point? Was it to show how cheap the gentrifiers are with her $1 tip? Or was it to show how the gentrifiers are trying to support the local business because they think it's "so my neighborhood."

I'm not sure if some girl from the midwest who can afford to be an "artist", can really comment on the subject of gentrification in the light she wants to. There comes a point where the artist can no longer be neutral and as far as this exhibit is concerned, I think it's pretty clear what side she's on.

01-16-07

Happy Birthday Chops!

and hilarity ensues....

West End Café in L.I. Who would think to go to the end of a strip mall for some fine dining?Great presentation and the food is great. Plus, they had the most selections I've ever seen on a pre-fix menu.

Of course there's still Xmas decorations around my parents' house. It just looks too nice to take it down...

Wed. 01.10.07

Cold War Kids and The Harlem Shakes @ Pianos

Costa Rica! see you in two weeks!

The New Borders at MSG. This whole burning out thing sucks. I spent an hour flipping through books to get ideas. Nothing.

70 degrees and I'm hanging out in Central Park. Tshirt and a light sweatshirt. How awesome for Jan.!

Welcome.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!