May 30, 2012
Philadelphia Trip!!
It’s my break so why not do some travelling. Philly is a close enough place that I initially planned for 2 days there, but 1 day should be fine. Stefan and Atron are down and I plan everything because I’m a boss like that. I mean everything.
I book the Bolt Bus. I go on Yelp and find the places. I look for the “best” places to x, y, and z. I post on Facebook for friends’ suggestions. I search forums for “1 Day in Philadelphia” plans. I look up the weather. I look for a nice, reasonably priced restaurant and make a reservation. I go all out, baby.
I book the bus for 8:15AM and Aaron is not happy about it. Granted, I’m even less happy about it because I don’t sleep at all. I try to sleep at 11:30, but that doesn’t work after 2 hour long nap. I try to sleep all night and then it’s 6AM and I just give up. I might as well not try anymore and just grab a breakfast a Dunkin Donuts. I sit in my car for 30 minutes as I wait for the LIRR. During this time, I text with Ela and figure out how we’re going to coordinate meeting up in Germany and such.
I meet up with Stefan and Aaron and we catch the bus. I get a bit of sleep, which is super helpful. Both Aaron and I aren’t sure how we’re alive because we both barely slept at night, but I guess travelling gets you through stuff. I’ve also had a sleep surplus as I’ve been on vacation.
It’s a quick ride and we get off the bus by 10:45. We grab some coffee and figure out the subway system. You buy tokens from this machine that has no screen. If you need change, there’s a change machine, like one from an arcade. It’s extremely old fashioned. I think the MTA easily does it better with our system.
The system is pretty shitty and we take it across town west, but we avoid taking a bus and need to walk alllll the way down south. Well it’s only 2 miles, so it could be worse, but it’s still a walk. We’re doing this because I wanted to go to Tony Luke’s and John’s Pork. I did the research.
However, he’s stuck on going to Pat’s and Geno’s, which I guess could be worse because they’re known in the city and I guess if you’re going to Philly in one day, it wouldn’t be wrong to hit those two up. I however was told how bad Jim’s was. However, we end up going there anyway because it’s on the way.
On the walk there, Aaron gets into a chat with a local and she suggests Cosmis’ Deli. He then wants to go there really bad because it’s a “local joint.” I make fun of him for going 180 on his original idea of avoiding what locals like and going with the tourist traps. We get to Jim’s before 12:00, grab a beer and split a single sandwich. We do that at all the places to allow us to try as many as possible.
As expected, it was fucking garbage. A dripping sandwich, uncooked onions, dry meat. Not gross because it’s bread and meat, it’s hard to fuck up the two best food groups. However, this tastes a lot like a sandwich I’ve had before. Mediocrity to its finest. Nothing exciting about it. Great that they have beer though. The iced coffee and an early beer, and some food, put a lot of mileage into our tanks.
We then walk even more south to Pat’s and Geno’s, which are right across the street from each other. It is in a very… Hispanic and not as nice as some other areas, but that’s not an issue for me. I love seeing the culture and would love if I had time to try out some of the Hispanic establishments. We go to Pat’s and Geno’s, which turn out to be way better than shitty Jim’s.
We then go to Cosmis, which is a straight up deli. However, they have by far the best bread of the lot because it’s a seeded bread with texture. A real bread instead of a plain Wonder bread tasting Italian bread. We then are in a crazy need for a bathroom. We walk into this place called Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar, what a wonderful place.
It’s a small bar and we chat with the bartender for a beer. We get Kenzinger, their local beer and darn is it tasty. You can also smoke in a bar, which I haven’t done since I was in Michigan years ago. There’s also a take out “menu.” There are pictures of beers, six packs, and 40s that you can buy and take out. That’s wild. Then again, convenience stores can’t sell beer, so it makes sense that you can buy it from a bar and then bring it home. The bar has this great divey feel and I probably would love to come here on a weekend night.
We then decide to go to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. They are lost about figuring out how to get there, so I take charge in looking up the number of a cab service, calling them, and telling them what corners I was. However, by the time I look around, Aaron and Stefan have walked a full block away. I call them and tell them to get back here. I’m not happy about it. I become the adult and take responsbility for the trip and figuring out how to get a cab. They then have the balls to wait around a corner by myself and even ask that I come meet them when the cab is coming to where I am. I feel like I’m dealing with children.
However, this issue quickly becomes ignored as Aaron gets pissed off at Stefan. They had gone to a gun range and they wanted to go shooting. Stefan asked the guy at the range, “You have any Tec-9’s I can shoot?” We jump into the cab and they’re lucky that I’m in the middle seat because they probably would’ve fought. They’re shouting at each other because Aaron is annoyed that Stefan ignored how it embarrasses Aaron when Stefan asks a question like that. They get personal at times and they keep arguing as we go up the “Rocky” steps towards the musem.
They’re on the top of the steps when Aaron starts cocking back his arm and threatening to punch Stefan. I make sure that they two are separated and try my best to difuse the fight. We then go into the museum. We spend about 2 hours there. I absolutely love their Impressionist collection and think it might contend or be better than the MET’s. It’s crazy because I was just at the MET earlier this week. Loving art.
Aaron isn’t very fond of it all and I really wish I had more time checking out the Degas and Monets. Even right before we leave and Stefan ran to the bathroom, I sneak away to check the exhibit for only a few seconds before leaving. I’ll definitely will be back.
We then shmooze around. We catch a cab to Reading Terminal Market, but it’s closing. We also have dinner reservation so we can’t completely enjoy it. However, it’s like Chelsea or Essex Market. It’s huge, has great food stuffs, and just a cool place to walk around. After an iced coffee and a quick run, we just shmooze around the city. We realize that it really is not like New York at all. Even though it’s right after work, the streets aren’t crowded. We’re in the middle of the city, where the buildings and everythings are and things just seem slow. People are getting off work, but there just isn’t the kind of street or car traffic that I expect out of cities. I guess I’m too used to New York.
We then walk over to a less “city” part of the town to the restaurant. It feels a bit like Boston and is quaint and feels like somewhere that you’d want to live. We walk into the restaurant and it’s a great place inside. Nothing too formal, with wooded slabs at tables, big globes hanging from the ceiling for lighting, and on the right, a deli style set up of their meats, cheeses, and other foods. A inviting and informal place. We get seated at the first table, closest to the maitre’d. We ask to sit outside and get that. The restaurant is both relatively empty both inside and outside because it is just 6:30.
Aaron and Stefan continue to complaint throughout the dinner about how we were treated poorly by getting our initial table selection because we look young and are a bit less formally dressed. However, I don’t know what to say. First, it assumes that there is a “table hierarchy.” I personally don’t care. Nor do I think most people do. Unless there is a breeze from a door swinging right into you, I don’t have a problem with being closer to the front of house. Secondly, I do not know the norms of the business. I have no experience being a waiter or the service industry. I have no clue if they actually would do that to people based on what we looked up. Even then, the maitre’d would have to be so quick to just give us an “unfavorable” table with only seeing us for 2 seconds. Literally it was that fast. We did not wait a split of a second. I personally think people are dumb for creating a victim mentality.
It’s one thing to think that, but Aaron and Stefan keep complaining about it as the waiter walks by as he is serving us or other tables. I eventually bust out that I’m extremely uncomfortable with it. I mention that Aaron was pissed at Stefan for something a dumb joke, but this isn’t cool. This is a nicer restaurant and to say bad things about a restaurant as if the waitstaff was not there is just passive aggressive. If there’s a formal complaint, do it. Otherwise, do not talk as if people cannot hear you.
I even speak to my waitress friend later that night and find out that this “hierarchy” of tables does not really exist unless it is by request. Also, waiters take turns getting tables and have certain areas, so that probably is why people get certain tables.
The meal turned out amazing. Easily the best meal I’ve had of 2012 and one of the best I’ve had recently. I definitely want to come back to this place if I find myself back in Philly.
We wait around for the bus and we’re sitting outside their version of Penn Station and on the bus here, I see that Aaron is playing a game on his phone. He’s one of “those guys.” He does the same while we’re waiting and Stefan asks if he’s playing a game. Aaron, in the most honest voice and tone possible, simply replies, “Naw, this isn’t a game.” I notice this interaction and call Aaron out because it’s hilarious. It’s as if he has convinced himself that this “Sim” based tower/building game is not actually a “game.”
I get some good sleep on the 9PM bus back. I then take the LIRR back to home. Immediately go for a shower because it’s been one of those gross days.
June, 1 2012
I thought it might have been a mistake to wear shorts yesterday, I was walking around and feeling the humdity and heat and ask Aaron about it. Both him and Stefan are wearing jeans and I think they know it was a mistake. I’m really bad at dealing with heat and I couldn’t imagine how much more gross sweating would be going on if I wore pants.
However, the cold of the bus, slack of sleep, being out all day for the trip, or whatever factors means that I have a serious cold. For today and and half the next day, I’m miserably sick. I’m extremely unproductive and can only sit there blowing my runny nose. I’m the worst sick person.
At least I get my postcards done though. I send one to Ela, Vanessa, and Jon. The one to CNF is sent with “Bets” of “Betsy Ross” crossed out and I wrote in “Rick.” The house on the postcard then has a “$” sign “graffitied” on the the side of building with a marker.
June 2, 2012
I’m finally recovered from my cold at night and Jenn is down to come over and watch a movie. We have a beer and decide to watch Girl with a Dragon Tattoo, the American version. We both haven’t seen it while Jenn has seen the Swedish one.
Bolanos barges in at some point, though it’s weird that he assumed that we were actually there and the plans didn’t fall apart. It’s during these really dark scenes in the film that involve rape or sexual abuse. Bolanos makes some comment about comparing other men to the fat rapist in the film as if that is funny. Yeah, lets actually entertain the idea that she’s having sex with a fat man, ignoring the fact that someone is being raped. Theres also some other comment make in jest. I don’t get offended often or rarely at all, but this is pushing the line. I let myself be heard and say, “Yeah, this is great stuff to joke about.”
I can somewhat understand the issue because this is really heavy and stuff and sometimes you want to lighten the mood, but it didn’t work out that way. This heavy, dark stuff and I’m sure everyone there was uncomfortable having to watch someone get brutally raped, so I don’t think there’s any humor to be made out of it. Jenn didn’t hear my comment and asks Bolanos what I said. He puts the blame on me as if I did not find it funny. Exactly, I’m the one with a stick up my ass for not finding childish jokes about rape like that extremely inappopriate.
It’s also weird that he grabs a cup and digs for some soda without asking. Well mentions it after it’s taken. Not that I care, but I always ask no matter where I am that’s not home.
Either way, Jenn starts passing out when I turn Ali G on. That show is so freaking good. It’s before he made a splash in the US and I recommend it to anyone, as it is one of my favorite comedies of all time. Bolanos and I really enjoy it whereas Jenn calls it a night after an episode.
June 3, 2012
I spend the day picking my guitar up and spending a few hours on that. I then book my flight to Budapest and flight back from Dusseldorf, Germany. It’s hella expensive, but what can I do. I guess I wish I booked it a month earlier and saved a bit. I still have to book my trip in Germany and my flights there.
At nigght I drive into the city for Scott’s bday dinner at Jimmy’s 43. It’s great to see Jonah and Kerri there. I haven’t seen them in forever and catch up with Jonah for a while. Would be great seeing him more. Nikki is there too, being nice and keeping the shindig rowdy.
Scott’s friend Jake is also having his birthday. He invites us to his sick sick apartment. He has this huge huge backyard, right in the East Village. It’s wild how good of a deal he has. I would throw parties out there all the time if I lived there. Jeez. I’m jealous.
We sit out in the back and chill out. I drove and can’t really drink. The two pints at the restaurant hit me hard because I hadn’t really eaten all day and then the dinner was pretty small. Bolanos, Evan, Kenny, and Avi show up. It’s great seeing Avi since I haven’t seen him in a while.
After a bit, we leave and we go to Shoolbreds. I go get some Baohaus with Jonah and Tom. After that, I’m still hungry and go to Artichoke and grab a large fresh crab slice. I then get a big water. I guess the buzz from the beer and then all the food and water got me feeling weird, so I avoid drinking more booze, especially since I’m driving too.
We then move around and end up at Sly Fox, which turns out to be ridiculously cheap. After that, we split up. A good night seeing everyone around.
June 4, 2012
I get out of the house and drive to Willimsburg for the Grand Slam BBQ Party. It’s a block festival of local BBQ vendors along with live music. It’s not that crowded, maybe a 100 people or so. The bands are actually pretty good and I want to look into finding out more about their music. I’ve even paid for concerts that I’ve enjoyed less. They really picked bands that were fun and great for live performances. The highlight food wise Brooklyn Bangers with their merguez on a pita with white sauce and slaw.
This baned called Bugs in the Dark is really good. I got really into it while I was there and stayed for their entire set.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E74yJ8qLHJE
I then go for a walk because I want to find a bathroom. I end up going to this great bar called Lucky Dog. Fantastic place with an outdoor area and I try my first Michelada. Hot sauce, limes, iced, beer, and a salted rim. Turned out really delicious.
Then everyone is on the street having brown bagged beers. I go to the corner and grab me a Brooklyn Brewery Summer Ale, a fine crisp beer. I stay for this screamo/Latin/hardcore/hip-hop band. There’s a small crowd in front that clearly known the band already and really into it. I definitely have seen the type of guys that are into this kind of music. Either way, it’s lively and fun stuff to listen to live.
After that, I decide to drive back home. After dinner, at night, I set up my computer with my big TV. Turns out to be great. I watch “Crazy Stupid Love,” which has turned out to be one of my favorite movies. While I’m watching it, on my computer screem, I have Yelp up to I get a lot of writing done.
June 5, 2012
Eurovision time: I’m watching the Semi Final with BBC commentary. First, they play a “postcard,” which is a travel ad for the venue, Azerbaijan. The BBC commentators says that we will definitely see someone drinking tea and playing chess because there always is. They then make fun of Montenegro’s horrific song. It’s some skeevy guy with a really off beat song. They joke about his hair hygiene and then tell people not to go away because they shouldn’t rely on that as an example of what is to come.
The Iceland song is meh, but it’s called “Never Forget” and one of the guys says, “Yeah, I’m sure we won’t.” Then onto Greece, the guy is very honest about how a hot chick from Greece is performing the next song and that it’s for the “male viewers” out there.
It’s freaking refreshing, yet awkward and funny at the same time. American commentators never say shit like this. If anything, I would say they’re a bit too honest and sound like snobby Brits at times.
They also read crass comments from the British audience. “Greece is so poor that they couldn’t afford that poor girl a proper dress.” (Since she’s in a revealing outfit). The woman replies, “Oh, now that’s horrible to say!” The men quickly ignore her comment and move on.
First, that’s freaking racist to say! Second, it’s crazy that they actually read it, but then ignore the female commentator’s disgust of it. It’s wild I tell you.
They like Latvia for some reason. They then preface the Albanian song with, “If you have any animals, put them in another room.” I guess in fear that they will howl and be scared of the song. It’s a really weird song. Really slow song sung in Albanian, which is not the most attractive language. However, she’s just oversinging it. I feel like it’s almost a joke about how to over do a joke. She goes for these crazy high notes and doesn’t really hit them perfectly. I would imagine how shitty it must be for an animal to hear that.
The Romanian song has a hot chick, a Euro pop sound, and a weird band of 5 guys with huge instruments dancing around. Apparently they had 7 members, but the rules only let 6 on stage, so one of the members has to watch in the green room. They say his name is “Short Straw Tony.”
The Switzerland song is a shitty U2 cover band, but it’s fucking hilarious. The guy is oversinging this soooo bad. It’s trying to hard to do that “The Calling – Where You Will Go” with the low notes, but it’s just all over the place. Haha.
The Belgium song isn’t bad. A young girl singing a pop ballad, sounds like something off of American Idol. After the song, the woman says that she really enjoys the song and that it’s named “Would You?” She immediately says, “That’s a rhetorical question by the way.” It’s the unwavering quickness of the comment that gets me to pause the video, soak it in, and just die laughing. See, it’s funny because she’s a young looking girl…. Get it?! Har har. Anyway, I’m all about that kind of humor.
Israel is playing the cheesiest song ever. It sounds like it’s out of a commercial from the 70s.
San Marino’s song is pretty good. It’s a catchy pop trap about social networking sites (Facebook). Granted, I have absolutely why there are men dressed as a doctor and pilot in the background as background dancers. The cheerleader is very hot though.
Cyprus is this girl in “hot” dress. She’s got this weird Cher low register though. It comes off manly at times and sort of ruins an already mediocre song.
Denmark has absoluetly blown away the competition so far. It actually sound professional and something that would be on the radio. She’s a really good voice and it’s a great sounding pop rock ballad, acoustic guitar, acoustic bass, keyboard, xylophone, heavy drumming, and cello.
Russian has this garbage song of 6 Russian grandmothers. They’re cute and all, but what a stupid gimmick. Then again, their song is actually a hell lot better than a lot of the ones from the night.
Hungary is impressive. An electro based ballad. The guy’s voice isn’t offensively bad.
Austria starts off with a warning. It’s in German, but the chorus actually sounds like they’re constantly repeating “Fucking Meet Them Poo Poo!” Caught me off guard too. It’s a douchey club song, sung by two douchey looking guys.
Then they keep making fun of the travel ads because everyone is drinking tea. Turkey has that too. Also, there are people jumping over a camp fire and the guy couldn’t be more sarcastic, “They having a lovely time aren’t they…”
I turn out sick and I spend much of the day sleeping. Along with the Eurovision, I get my geek on and read Extremis Iron Man. It was pretty and the movies were a bit based on this new origin plot. I wish there were deeper themes and more about certain characters. It felt a bit short even though it was 6 parts of 24 pages each.
June 5, 2012
The Netherlands are apparently the worst because they have never it into the finals despite 7 attempts. This chick goes on this year for them with a country tune and she’s wearing a Native American head dress. It’s got some banjo, fiddle, and a bit of an old fashioned country beat to it. It’s not bad, though I’m not sure if Europe is the audience for this sound. It also could use more of an emotional feel instead of a boring commercial pace.
Malta’s song actually sounds quite legit. It’s an uplifting rock anthem with synth and eletronic fixing. There’s some fancy footwork and dance moves that they do that don’t really fit.
Belarus does a similar thing, but it just doesn’t work as well. They’re dressed like a bunch of futuristic homeless assholes. They’re also all rocking guitars when it’s pretty clear that you don’t need three guitars for this song and there barely is any guitar in the song in the first place.
I love the Portuguese langauge, but their song sucks. It’s just boring as hell with two women singing their hearts out and being way too dramatic. I mean, it’s pretty romantic and all, but not something I want to hear on Eurovision. It’s also just too freaking depressing. It sounds like her husband died some horrific death and she’s suffering like there’s no tomorrow.
Ukraine’s got this woman doing a lively dance song with some real fucking pipes. It actually really reminds me of a more modern “Believe” by Cher. She has less of low register and more range to her voice. She really can sing. I really like this, a highlight.
Bulgaria is an example of them doing this kind of song wrong. It sounds very Eurotrash and has this really weird chrous where she’s doing this weird singing from her throat. After the song, they read a viewer comment, “I love Bulgaria!! I am drunk though…” I died.
Slovenia has a few really good looking girls, especially some really gorgeous blondes. Unfortunately, the song is rubbish.
Sweden is apparently favored to win the thing. The song isn’t too bad, but her dance moves are absolutely silly. She looks like she’s doing some weird performance art thing. Stop it with all the jagged bodily motions!
Georgia has this chubby and really flamboyantly gay guy with his sassy arm movements. At times it sounds like a Broadway showtune, but then has some Middle Eastern strings at times. It could be a decent song, but it’s too disjointed.
Turkey is amateur hour. Fucking Hasan, what the fuck. They mention it sounds a bit like the Inspector Gadget theme.
Estonia has this handsome fella with a really good voice. However, it sounds like his dog had just died. Calm down dude, don’t be so sad.
For many songs, there are lots of strobing lights and they give warnings. The Slovakian song is called “Don’t Close Your Eyes.” The guy tells us to please do close our eyes if we have issues with lights, heyohhh. This song is a bit weird. It has a pop punk/emo thing going on, but then the verses are really metal. The singer is dressed up as if he took a time machine from LA, year 1986. He’s got the whole big hair, light leather pants, make-up, etc. I’m surprised a song like this got through. I could imagine some young kids liking it, but it surely is not mainstream enough.
They make a joke about a game, “Gay or European.” “The great thing about this game is that you can play this for hours.” Norway’s singer… Yeah. I would go with gay. The song is a pretty heavy bass club track. The singer is very meh. They couldn’t done a lot better with a hot Norweigian chick with a decent voice. I do like the production though, it has some Middle Eastern drums and strings to it.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has some other boring ballad. It gets somewhere… Sort of, but it starts of painfully slow with her at the piano, just going on and on. Her voice is actually pretty good. They could’ve done better with her.
Lithuania has this guy singing with a blindfold, name of the song is “Love is Blind.” This guy has a really good voice. Something I would see on American Idol definitely. It’s a boting disco track that is mostly carried by his voice. I’m impressed.
They get some old winners back on to sing with Azerbaijani instruments. Lena Meyer-Landrut, a German performaner from 2010 is on. That is one beautiful gal, I would like to see some of that when I’m in Germany.
Ukraine gets through to the finals has the 4th choice.
Through my research, I find out that Lena competed in 2011, in order to defend her title. I watch that performance of Taken By A Stranger and darn is that girl mysteriously sexy. Her low registers are bit weird at time and her voice isn’t stellar. The song is also a bit mediocre. It’s professional sounded and everything, but it gets on and on for a while and doesn’t really go anywhere.
June 9, 2012
I’ve been working for the past few days at my mom’s friends medical supply company. Easy stuff, part time, could use some cash, etc. etc. I tried to get people to go Maison Premiere for happy hour oysters, but it seems like interest waned. I’m feeling sick so I decide to take a nap after work and ignore the plans.
By night, it starts hitting harder and harder. I don’t know how I got a cold, but maybe it was because I was out and about for Hester Nights yesterday. By the way, that is a must go. Beer, great food, seating, right in the middle of the city, just fun stuff.
Kenny and Bolanos come over for the night for a couple beers. I avoided going out because I’m not sure that would be the best idea. Then at night, it’s just the worst. I can’t sleep because of this constant runny nose business. It goes sleep for 2-3 hours, get out of bed for 2-3 hours, try to go back to sleep, back and forth.
Until night, it is one of the worst colds or whatever I’ve had in years and years. For 36 hours, I was a fucking mess. I’m so extremely miserable when sick. Can’t describe how much I hated that, especially since I wanted to be active this weekend, go out to some more food festival and explore the city.
By night, it’s Sam’s bday, which I didn’t think I could make, but I gather up my strength to do so. I’m feeling basically recovered and I would be even more miserable if I stayed home on a Saturday night. I gather the card I made for Sam and a beer for the train ride and off we go.
Into the city, I stop by Butter Lane for Sam and then meet up with Aaron and Tom at Taqueria LES. Fast, cheap, so delicious. I’m also crazy on micheladas these days. We then move to this meh bar, Agozar.
We then head into Bowery Electric, a place I’ve been wanting to go since I lived there. I meet some of Sam’s friends and some faces I’ve met before, Jules, Sydney, Michelle, etc. Stefan, Sara, and Bolanos show up. There’s a dance floor downstairs, we hang for a little bit for a few drinks. Eventually, the dance floor gets going and everyone is out there and boogying down.
There are these douchey guys that are dressed as if they were in a glee club. It’s funny watching them at the bar because there’s a camera pointing at the stage and the bar has a TV streaming that. There’s also some shitty 80s songs played at times, which really sucks. Then again, there are fun dance songs and we even depart when they play Jet and The Darkness. Those bands were my high school years man.
The dancing is a hot messy ordeal, but it’s so fun and reminds me of the good ol’ Prague days. A bunch of friends in a group on the d-floor, dancing until you’re a sweaty mess, singing your lungs out to the songs you know, and just everything exciting. Oh and pretty girls being around doesn’t hurt either. I miss that stuff man!
Eventually Bolanos and I head out. I plan on going to the Madison Square Park BBQ huge thing the next day, but that does not work out. Turns out my cold comes back to bite me in the ass and this time it’s a sore throat. Unable to sleep, I do the on/off sleep thing until around 4:00PM. I then grab dinner with mom. What a waste of a day. Freaking cold ruined most of my weekend, despite the blast at Sam’s b-day.
June 12, 2012
I have so much music to catch up with.
King Fantastic was alright. I liked it, but nothing I would listen to on a consistent basis.
Laura Gibson is really good, but I’m feeling really picky these days. On the verge of being a keeper, but still thinking I’m getting rid of it in the end.
I tried Theophilus London because I love the Big Spender song. Neither do I like ASAP Rocky. I guess this is one of the examples where I find a song that is straight up fire and that’s it.
June 14, 2012
Today’s a day off, the weather is great, and what a fine day to get some stuff done. Get my ass into the city, Georgia’s Eastside BBQ for a pulled pork sandwich and a PBR. Then off to SoHo. I find broski a hoodie for his b-day that I’ll ship to him and then some shopping for me at H&M. Glad to see some of their tees fit. Their X-Small is actually what it’s meant to me. Then again, I would like some flannels and casual dress shirts, but those sizes don’t cooperate.
Then onto Russ and Daughters for a sandwich and a whole herring. I look like a weirdo chomping at a small fish on a bench on Houston. I then go off to meet Stefan at Ten Degrees. Jonah is free too, it’s great seeing him so recently since the last time I saw him at Scott’s b-day.
Place is too crowded, we stop by Belgian Room and then Hop Devil. Jonah has to split. Busy busy guy. Going to BK to see an outdoor film and then Eleven Madison the next day for Kerri’s b-day. What a champ.
Stefan meets this weird guy and we chat with him for a bit. We then meet up with Sara so we can go to Nikki’s birthday. Sara has moved into the East Village and before we go in, Stefan mentions that if I’m in the area and need somewhere to stay, I should just press on her apartment’s buzzer. I laugh because it’s him offering her place up.
When we go in, it’s a nice new place. We tell her this story and she’s obviously nice enough to extend her offer personally, which I will never ever need to take, but the sentiment is kind. The funny part is just the offer coming from Stefan.
We mention Nikki and Stefan mentions that she’s a pretty girl, “What’s not to fuck?” I’ve never heard of a compliment that way and it’s freaking hilarious. I died.
We cab off to Fat Cat, a place that I love and haven’t been to in a while. We play ping pong and I see Nikki’s friends and meet some new ones. A great time.
We some new friends enter, there’s this pretty cute girl and I’m standing next to Scott. He whispers this creepy “Nice…” in a low voice. I died. Hey, I’ve been there too, so I can’t blame him, but it’s much funnier hearing that from a third person point of view.
Bolanos ends up showing up after watching the game. I’m disappointed with myself at one point because we’re outside and Eliza is joking around and squats for a second. This homeless guy comes from behind and thrusts at her. I’m standing in front of her and thought he was joking around and being a creep. How I usually deal with stuff like that is just ignore it and not say anything. If you don’t interact, they don’t get off, they just continue on. However, I did not know what he actually bumped into her. Nikki sees his and tells him THE FUCK off. She gets him to quickly walk away or her wrath will arrive.
As a man there, I felt I should have been there to say that. That kind of stuff should not occur in public and its our obligation as a society to shame these motherfuckers. Fight on. Later on, there’s a guy that’s just creepily standing behind the net and watching the girls play ping-pong. I stand there in his way, obscure his view, and passively let him know that he is not welcome to creep. If he continues, I’m going to fucking get up in his face.
We eventually split after a great day and a fun ending with the night.
June 15, 2012
After work, I head home for a quick nap. I then meet up with Luna in Flushing, she’s planning to stay the weekend. We grab some food for the go and then off to home. After dinner, it’s late and I’m skeptical about going all the way into the city for Murray’s bday. I would drive, but mom has my car and I really don’t like driving her Mercedes SUV. However, Bola is willing to drive so we hitch a ride with him.
We go to Crocodile Lounge and have a few beers. We hang with the crew and Corrado is an interesting guy. I’ve met him maybe once before, heard a bunch of him, an outgoing, nice dude. They eventually split and “our crew” is still there. Sara is pumping a shotgun from Big Buck and makes a suggestive joke about it. I mention that Stefan has rubbed off on her. She refutes that she was always a little like that and that’s how Stefan and her get along. Very sweet. Power couple, some of my favorite people around.
We go to Ninth Ward and have a drink until we all split.
June 16, 2012
Today is a sleep in day and then Smorgasburg. We drive in and there around 4:00. I rock mad chicken and they now have a beer area. Perfect. I thought it was a mistake that they didn’t have this. It’s an almost perfect day because it’s under 80 degrees, clear skies, though a little warm.
We then check out Artists and Fleas. I’m a bit tired and eventually give up on sitting around Williamsburg for another 3 hours, expecting people to show up to Tom’s housewarming in Williamsburg at 10:00.
A day in the sun is an exhausting ordeal, especially after a bit of dehydration and some greasy ass chicken. After a quick nap, we head off to Brooklyn, second time for the day and it’s also Spamps’ welcoming party. It really is a situation. Alon, Spamps, Caroline, Linnea, Reigler, Chris M., Kenny, Tom, Scott (Tom’s roommate), Bolanos, Stefan with a 40 of Olde English, and loads of other people. It’s a great situation and they have a sick sick apartment.
There’s a great roof view and we jump between the two. I try to hover around, catching up with Caroline, Linnea, Spamps, etc. We eventually are the last group to head out.
June 17, 2012
It’s a city day and we get into the city by 3:00. Traffic is a bit of a bitch, but parking is easy peasy on a Sunday afternoon on Father’s Day. We head into Essex Market for some bites. That’s breakfast for us and it is much needed to at least get some food in as I usually eat within the first 30 minutes of waking up, forget about hours into the day.
Economy Candy is a crazy cool place, but I don’t end up getting anything. I want to, but I wish I could get a sampler of some of the old/foreign candies that I never have tried. I’m also still on my summer diet, so it’s probably good to turn down some gluttony.
We then go to Pok Pok, after it finally opens at 4:00PM. Pretty good stuff.
Then into the East Village for some bites and shopping. Some coffee, grabbed a random assortment of beers from the incredible Good Beer store, some dumplings and then on the way back home. I drop Luna off at the station that night and then a whole group comes over for a bit. I reflect on the “Major suffering” story night with Spamps. I died. Look back for it at December 3, 2010. Maybe it’s not hilarious if you read it and it was a “had to be there” thing, but I sure has hell had a laugh about it and its great that Spamps was there so we can share that laugh.
June 18, 2012
I have an interview today for the only scholarship I’ve signed up for, being a Nassau resident. I suit up and head to CW Post. There were supposed to be 5 people interviewing me, but they’re late and it’s only two. While I’m waiting, I meet this 3L from Brooklyn Law. It’s fun chatting with a stranger about her job, school, etc.
I’m not sure how it’ll turn out because CUNY tuition is a hell lot lower private schools and most of their questions where about finances. I wish there were more people so I could answer more questions and show off more about myself. I walked away not confident about it, but hey, it’s a crap shoot. They only give $1000 to one person and I’ll never know. Just a wait and see.
I’m watching “ The Best Thing I Ever Ate” and damn is this a fun show. Even if almost all of them aren’t in NY and I will never go to them, this is just straight food porn. The enthusiasm these people have is something I share with them. My passion for food parallels their’s as their eyes and face just transform with happiness and food memories.
I’m watching Al Murray’s trip of Germany during the winter. It’s not exactly what I’m looking for because it’s really about the history with a few of the landmarks. Not really about the sites exactly or the food, culture, nightlife, etc., which is what I plan on researching soon. It is absolutely beautiful though. I enjoyed it.
With my beer run, the first I try is the Rogue Juniper Pale Ale. I love the juniper in Taqueray, but this doesn’t have that. It’s definitely a pilsner if I wasn’t reading the label. However, it has a bit more flavor than that, but it really just cuts off the tongue really quickly. Not a great beer for me.
