Wachtelhausen Brothers

Happy Thanksgivings You Little Stuffings...

2010-11-26T00:25:00.000-05:00

Wow! Happy Thanksgiving! What a wonderful year 2011 is going to be. What a strange beautiful holiday season we have all just begun.

I checked my analytics thinger-ma-bob and noticed a ton of people are still coming here. Rad. you should read the old shit. It's pretty good...

But, if you're looking for th real new high-power octane speed post go check me out at the tumble-spot - here - it jumps

PS Happy thanksgiving. You are so beautiful,

JW.

Portrait Project PL

2010-06-14T13:47:00.001-04:00

Portrait Project PL, originally uploaded by Project Luz NY.

Super DJ Otomi Yo!

DJ Miss Summers at LP!

2010-06-14T13:43:00.001-04:00

_DSC0592, originally uploaded by carolinastar.

_DSC0616

2010-06-14T13:38:00.001-04:00

_DSC0616, originally uploaded by carolinastar.

( I am not my history ). at Local Project.

Queens Saturday

2010-06-14T12:58:00.001-04:00

_DSC0657, originally uploaded by carolinastar.

This party was unreal good.

Portrait Project Luz

2010-06-14T10:21:00.002-04:00

Saturday!!

2010-06-09T11:11:00.001-04:00

Beginning Friday the 11th, as a part of the Queens Art Express, Local Project will be hosting their annual “Art on Vinyl” exhibition.

LOCAL PROJECT “Art On Vinyl 2010” Opening reception Friday June 11, 6:00pm - 10:00pm

Artists: Alejandra Villasmil, Alexis Neider, Annie Murdock, Amy Tamayo, Annie Murdock, Alberto Borea, Betty T. Kao, Calder Zwicky , Carolina Peñaffiel, Cristian Pietrapiana, Efrain Trujillo, Ivan Trujillo, Joe Loquirato, June Kosloff, Keith Pavia, Louise Weinberg, Marcelo Fazzalari, Maria Paz Contreras, Moses Ros, Natalie Gontcharova, Pablo Jansana, Paul Lambermont, Philippe Avila, Renzo Ortega, Rebecca Memoli, Rosario Llanes, Sarah Reynolds, Sebastian Loaysa, Sol Aramendi, Taylor, Trish Mayo, Yoon Choo and more.

- Special performance by Dru Barnes.

- Avante- gaurd turntablist( I am not my history ).

Saturday June 12 and Sunday 13 Local Project will be hosting DJ’s outdoors from 1pm on including:

DJ Miss Summers, Camaron Polar, Jason Orwell, Toby Tech, Jhonny Boy, JuanMapu, Wind-up Bird, Velvet (of super-duo Velvet and Vanity,) Mauricio Morales, DJ Otomi Yo! and many more.

ALSO Neighbors Project Luz will have a reception celebrating new works with a presentation on Friday evening, and events all weekend.

Friday

7:00 pm - Open House

8:30pm Students Projects Exhibition and Outdoor Screening

Saturday / Sábado

10:00 am - 7:00 pm - Open House

5:00 - 7:00 pm -Moma family workshop: wired sculpture jewelery.

-Free Headshots by Project Luz students

Sunday / Domingo

10:00 am - 7:00 pm - Open House

11:00am y 5:00pm free Intro to photography class

Local Project 45-10 Davis St.

Long Island City, New York 11101

Jugando con Lila

2010-06-08T14:22:00.001-04:00

Jugando con Lila, originally uploaded by carolinastar.

Carolina shoots Lila May

2010-05-26T22:42:00.002-04:00

Jugando con Lila, originally uploaded by carolinastar.

Migrating some stuff

2010-05-24T15:56:00.004-04:00

Lots of old stuff will be going up here from old sites, plus some new stuff. And yeah. That's dave Sweetapple of Sweet Apple with a bunch of Kangaroos.

Check it.

Morality Quizz

2010-04-13T15:00:00.001-04:00

Gary Carter Raw

2010-03-10T10:37:00.005-05:00

Wow...

Wow...

So, I am a crazy baseball person. We're Mets fans.

But I decided when I started this thing that I was going to keep baseball out of it. My crazy reasons are my own.

I'm letting this post slide on account of its significant cultural value. Even if you hate baseball, maybe especially if you hate it go check out Gary Carter Raw.

Just going to leave it at that. Go check it.

Thank you one ton,Thrillist, for the tip!

Will be here for the next few days...

2010-02-24T21:08:00.003-05:00

Looking forward to the semi-boneless duck and the big tubing hill. Jess doing a bunch of massage stuff. Will pump her for a report.

Sherry Weaver's SpeakEasy

2010-02-23T12:58:00.002-05:00

I'll be at one of the last the SpeakEasys ever. Ophira Eisenberg is on the bill too. She is amazing. Sherry has been doing this a long, long time, and is about the only person I know who could pull something like this off as well as she has for as long as she has in a crazier possible way. Bravo Strange Lady! If you've never seen one, you should come out and check it.

PS Dig the 800year old publicity shot (by Carolina Penafiel!)

Daniele Tamagni's Gentlemen of Bacongo

2010-02-21T16:53:00.005-05:00

Finally ordered a copy of Gentlemen of Bacongo by photographer, Daniele Tamagni.

I have been dying for a copy of this book.

The book delves into the culture of the Sapeurs in Africa. The word Sapeur comes from la SAPE, short for Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes, or the Society of Tastemakers and Elegant People, but I have also heard the phrase translated as the Society for the advancement of People of Elegance.

There is a strict code of conduct enforced among these African dandies that forbids any violence except for one dressed down night a week where rival groups will get together at local bars to fight.

Oh my God. I am in love.

Daniele Tamagni's Gentlemen of Bacongo. Grab a copy while you still can.

Seriously.

PS Jacked these photos from Synaesthetical. Good stuff there.

James Roday and Michael Weston in Extinction

2010-02-19T08:58:00.005-05:00

Saw Extinction last night, and I won't ruin the surprise ending for you, but I swear James Roday was pointing at me! I was like, "Oh my God! James Roday is pointing right at me!"

I love Roday. I'm down with his whole thing. That being said, I think the dude has spent too much time in California, and the absolute saddest thing in the world is that it kind of felt like he knew it. It felt like he he thought, "Yes! This is real! Something I can take back to NYC!," and then he got here and was like, "Oh shit.. I forgot that shit that seems cool and sophisticated in L.A. seems like it was written by a 9th grader in New York."

But he didn't write it.

The performances were just fucking great. Ro-to-the-day was as good as you would expect and even less annoying.

Weston was on fire. On fire. Totally just saying, 'Fuck if it's good or bad. I signed up. I'm going do it to 10.," and he did.

The dark haired chick, Stefanie E. Frame, was totally inoffensive and weirdly beautiful in a gigantic legged way, but not super convincing.

Amanda Detmer was absolutely totally worth the price of admission. Wow. Can't really explain her appeal without sounding like a retarded pervert, but if I could I'd be saying something like, "Where did this frightening, beautiful, hideous, wide-eyed-doe, whore, mother, friend, protector come from, and does she have an even older hotter sister?"

She really was the show and took it from a kind of brilliant, understated acting through facial expressions to a center stage, "Let me tell you a thing or two about men sister," Mae West thing and back in like two seconds, and it worked perfectly. Bravo Detmer. You rocked my nuts.

The set and costumes sucked, and could have really cheaply and easily improved the experience for every one. No real other way to put it.

Over all. I give it five hamburgers. They were tasty, and I'm glad I ate them, but did I really need FIVE hamburgers?

One of the reasons I never get soopa-doopa skinny

2010-02-19T08:15:00.006-05:00

I order this sandwich sometimes when I'm... alone. It's also a humdinger if you are feeling sad, or confused by your feelings about a play.

I call it a Mechanical Bull. If you want to know why you'll have to ask the sandwich's creator Jessica Vulte. I can't tell you. The story is just too damn sexy.

It's not on the menu but if you're in the neighborhood call Tommy's and tell them you want a hero with egg and corned-beef hash that's what you get. It is perfect just like that. Maybe a little hot sauce. The whole bread weighs like an ounce and cracks like the last viable dinosaur egg when you chomp it, and then of course the hash and egg are like the dinosaur embryo or whatever.

Take that Godzilla!

The real version of this sandwich is as above with mayo, bacon and cheese, and every time Jessica comes to visit she eats one on on the couch in her PJs. The whole thing. It is crazy, unreal hot, and you know it. I can't even handle more than a bite, and look at me. I'm tougher than a biscut!

Seriously though, if you see Jessica, ask her about that wet T-shirt-mechanical-bull fiasco.

Tommy's. Check em' out!
3795 Broadway at 157
212-368-1837

Turns out Joey Doesn't like being called a Retard... Go figure.

2010-02-18T06:57:00.002-05:00

I also heard he hates that picture (below) so I thought I'd stick in this one where you can tell how ruggedly handsome he really is. Also I love this chick's glasses.

Crips & Retards Against Sarah Palin (It's ok, it's Satire)

2010-02-17T19:36:00.004-05:00

This is my good friend Greg Walloch and his boytoy Joey Hood. As you can see in this photo, Greg is a crip and Joey is clearly retarded. As such, they face many of the same challenges my parents faced as a German and a Jamaican trying to make it as a couple in the America of the sixties.
So, Greg started this Facebook Group called Crips & Retards Against Sarah Palin (It's ok, it's Satire), and I wanted to throw up a link because I think it's a good cause and because I mean... What if she stated presuming to speak for you the way she is for retards. That would suck. Also I like the picture. I'll stick in some info below, and if you give a crap you can click the link and join the group. I did. I don't know what happens after that. I think if like ten people join a bunch of rainbows break out over Alaska and some kind of demon will come out of the sea. Something like that

From the Facebook Page

Name:: Crips & Retards Against Sarah Palin (It's ok, it's Satire)

Description:: Disabled writer and performer Greg Walloch wants you to join him on Crips & Retards Against Sarah Palin (It's ok, it's Satire).

I have a special need... To stop Sarah Palin from speaking on behalf of people with disabilities. Who's with me? Make your voice heard and speak for yourself!

Please feel free to promote your disability awareness/pride events on this page. Speak up and speak out!

Anybody can join, "Because everyone of us is disabled... In our very own special way."; - Greg Walloch

All content is public.

You can also always keep up with Greg's gay, crippled machinations here.

Fused Super-Phenomena

2010-02-16T11:50:00.003-05:00

So, you know all these weird pictures of people's kids you end up having to see because... I guess because the whole world is just totally trying to freak you out.

And you know all those online mean-mags like Gawker and D-Listed?

I was thinking maybe there must be some way I could combine those two phenomena into one fused super-phenomena, and before it goes any further I think I should say the inspiration came entirely from this photo of my friends Bob and Eileen's son.

It might also be worth mentioning I was listening to Styx's Grand Illusion when I was slapped with this inspiration.

Across the street...

2010-02-16T09:20:00.003-05:00

... Just above the old Polo Grounds.

SHOT!

2010-02-15T23:52:00.002-05:00

Sweet! Found some still photos from this Play I wrote a while ago that was produced in Columbus Ohio last year. It was rad. The woman Katherine Oliva who directed it just started pre-production stuff on my new Play, Snake Dance. Gonna be the good stuff bro.

Low Rise

2009-11-24T09:32:00.003-05:00

Low Rise by Peter Root

Staples. Wow. Peter Root! Check him out here!

Seasoning Personas

2009-09-25T19:34:00.007-04:00

OK, these are the names and the labels from the new series of pizza seasonings. Each one has a little story to go with it that I think perfectly sums up the character of the seasoning.

There is nothing artificial in any of them. It's all just dried peppers and spices and chilies etc. and a ton of salt. They are delicious and available at Pizza Shop on 7th and A -- where the badasses go to eat pizza pie. I think all the info is below. Enjoy them responsibly. One of the varieties is only available after ten. I'll let you guess which one.

Some of the labels and copy from the seasonings.

Spices Dropped

2009-09-25T18:58:00.005-04:00

This is Pizza Shop on 7th and A. It's my favorite daily eating slice in the city. No offense, Ultimate, Two Boots, Patsy's, Alegria on 10th.

Kevin from the Turbo Turbo A.C.s runs the place and seems to know as much about making pizza as he does about making music and looking sweet!

He's also carrying my new line of pizza seasonings. That's right I have pizza seasonings now. They're like spicy bad tempered foster children to me. I love them so.

Check out these and Kevin's pecs at:
PIZZA SHOP
110 Avenue A
New York, NY 10009
(212) 614-9798

Alternate, with Lila May!

2009-09-17T12:41:00.002-04:00

Some of the Halloween Line up.

2009-09-17T12:28:00.005-04:00

Metroid!

R-Tronika!

DjZesto

Pistola!

This is Going to be Beautiful...

2009-09-17T10:19:00.005-04:00

So... This is a draft of one of the posters for the Halloween party I am doing with CarolaP, DacyD, Mapu and Alex Eyeball from Eyeball records. Normally I don't use the term off-the-chain, but I am in love with this new space, and have been wanting to do a party Uptown for ever-so-long.

If you live in the city, keep your eyes peeled for these cards:

They're good for free entry and a free drink.

In case you wondered...

2009-09-09T20:02:00.002-04:00

I'm doing just fine.

Trespass Magazine

2009-08-21T14:44:00.002-04:00

Me and Doug are in the new Trespass. Out Today in London, and probably some of your sweeter magazine stores right here in the city. You can also get it here.

PS. 28

2009-08-06T14:54:00.004-04:00

New mural at my daughter's school. Wish I would have taken a photo of the old one.

Eat This Society

2009-08-06T09:52:00.001-04:00

Classic from a bygone era.

2009-08-05T16:01:00.002-04:00

Wow! Just found this flier for me and Juan Mapu's old psychedelic rock night at the Monkey Room on 187th. That place was a lot of fun. Haven't been for a few years, but I'll try to get the camera up there soon and kick down a report.

Now for a true gem of a bygone era click let Josh Music and Early Mike melt your ears off with Spirits of Turpentine!

Katherine Sharpe

2009-08-04T19:39:00.003-04:00

Holy Modal Rounder! I just found out my good friend and occasional fencing partner Katherine Sharp is writing this thing for ReadyMade magazine. You should totally go check it out right now! It's about not using plastic for a week.

What does that mean? You ask. Go find out dude.

I wrote something for ReadyMade once. It was about this guy who made a wine-rack out of a box-spring for his cool, little coffee shop in Burlington Vermont. Never got paid. Could really use that $100 right now Shoshana.

All that aside I do really dig the magazine, and Katherine. She publishes 400Words. It's sweet.

So is she, but her writing packs a powerful punch.

Katherine Sharpe. Check her out!

Carla Torres

2009-08-04T17:43:00.003-04:00

So, do you remember our friend who brought us the huge, mind-numbingly delicious Tiramisù a few weeks back. Well she moved into the building with an illustrator named Carla Torres whose illustrations rocked me from my neck to my knees. Her site is really worth a look.

They also had the best housewarming party I've been to in years.

Carla Torres. Check her out.

Wooster Collective

2009-08-04T08:15:00.003-04:00

Am I late on this Wooster Collective thing? I am? Awesome.

Renzo Ortega.

2009-08-02T10:05:00.003-04:00

This dude has quietly been building a pretty impressive body of work over the past several years.

Check him out here.

Update on Taqueria Alayna's

2009-05-30T23:31:00.007-04:00

Unbeknownst to me, pretty much simultaneoulsy as I wrote my review of Taqueria Alayna's, they were in the process of selling the shop and preparing to open an actual sit-down restaurant in San Antonio.

While I am, on the one hand very happy for their supposed upgrade, I also was pretty devastated to hear this news. After further inquiry, I learned that the owner's daughter was going to stick around to assist the new owners during the transition period. This gave me hope that at least they were going to try to stay true to Alayna's as best as possible.

Since the switch over, I have gone there a couple of times. The portions are still generous, the tacos are still tasty, and the hot sauce is... well it's good. It's not the same. It's close and it's good, but it's not quite the same. That extra little kick seems to have dissipated.

Overall, still a great taco stand. But a little of the something special has moved to San Antonio with the original owners. Oh, and now they're called Taco-Mex (lame).

Still worth the trip though. I'm getting a little hungry writing this...

Selections from my daughter's camera

2009-05-30T22:30:00.008-04:00

While at first these may simply be images taken from the point-of-view of a 4 1/2 year old girl, they do seem to hold a perspective on the world that delves deeper into the artisitc mind of said girl.

Without having any instruction other than "here's where you look and here's the button you press." she has frequently abided by the photographic composition Rule of Threes. That rule being that were you to split the photo into nine boxes, the subject of the photo should not be in the center box but rather just off center near one of the four hash marks created by the horizontal and vertical lines.

For the most part the composition and any artisitc merit could easily be written off as merely accidental or random. But at the same time one can't write it off alltogether as simply chance.

I'm not saying these are works of genius that should be on display in the Whitney (although should the curator of the Whitney happen to read this please feel free to contact me about working something out) but some of them are at least as good as any pretentious art school undergrad.

That being said, I did have to scroll through a lot (a lot (I mean a lot)) of pictures of the cat and close-ups of her brother's face where the flash completely blanched out anything that made him recognizable.

Look, the bottom line is I thought some of these were pretty cool to have been taken by a little kid. I like 'em, thought someone else out there might also. (But seriously, my kid's a badass photographer, right?)

Lila May is turning six

2009-05-22T13:03:00.002-04:00

Be Nice. Eat Good Food.

2009-05-20T13:04:00.002-04:00

A wonderful friend of ours stopped by the other night and proceeded to almost die for about nine hours. It was a tough night, but that's what you do.

Last night the same friend stopped by with a gigantic whole Tiramisù and a beautiful thank you card.

The Tiramisù was mind numbingly good. I have actually passed this place a few times and wondered if it was worth checking out. It is. Seriously, I didn't even think I liked Tiramisù. Wow.

If you decide to stop by and try a piece I recommend eating it to this jam by Comets on Fire.

So anyway, it's like I say... Be nice, eat good food.

Cafe Lalo. Check it out!
201 W 83rd St
New York, NY 10024
(212) 496-6031

Brooklyn Public House

2009-05-20T12:51:00.002-04:00

This place is about as good an afternoon beer and burger place as I can think of. Especially if you happen to be in Brooklyn in the afternoon for some weird reason.

The service was awesome. The bartender was friendly as hell and helpful and seemed to know what he was talking about. Three qualities bartenders often lack.

The burger he recommended was ridiculous and delicious, just the way I like them. The wings were ... well they were the kind my wife likes. Ten points. Everything was great except the homemade chips. they were seriously crap. Don't know if it was a bad batch or they were experimenting with using pine instead of potato that day, but it really didn't matter. Everything else was so good I just gave the chips to a jogger.

Brooklyn Public House. Check it out!
247 Dekalb Ave, between Vanderbilt and Clermont, Brooklyn

Josh Wonderful Josh

2009-05-20T12:37:00.004-04:00

Josh Musick took me out to see Star Trek the other day, the day it opened at 10:00 a.m. on the I-Max. That's right, I'm friends with Josh Musick, and I saw Star Trek. Then he took me to the Brooklyn Public House and got me that burger in the photo above.

What a great guy. Here he is pictured below with the New York monument that he says best sums him up.

My biggest mistake...

2009-05-15T09:21:00.001-04:00

... Was waiting so long to watch this video at Hey Future...

Eggs Horrible Eggs

2009-05-15T09:03:00.003-04:00

Rangers defender and former St Miren hotshot Kirk Broadfoot was injured and spent a night in the hospital after an egg he was microwaving exploded in his face.

Broadfoot scored on his debut for the Scottish national team in a memorable 2-1 victory over Iceland last September and has been a regular with the club ever since.

Eggs! Check 'em out!

ROSS MACDONALD

2009-05-06T20:44:00.002-04:00

Been more or less bragging to everyone I see about (more or less) finishing my book shelves. Seriously they look sweet. Pictures when I remember to get batteries. I've been particularly big headed about a new French collection I recently acquired. And Ross Macdonald (I'm reading The Underground Man) handed my butt to me once again with this beauty.

"The walls were lined with books,many of them in foreign languages, like insulation against the immediate present."

Asshead.

Hank Thompson

2009-05-06T12:26:00.005-04:00

Hank Thompson. 3rd Black baller in the bigz. Great in the field. Killer at the plate. Pretty darn good as a New York City cab driver. Crappy armed-robber. Model prisoner. Top notch playground director. And of course, all the rest...

My man.

My other man Ted Hamm wrote book about him that drops at the end of the month, and he asked me to read from it at the big release party at THINK! Sweet!

Thursday May 28, Think Coffee, 1 Bleecker St (at Bowery)

Demolition Depot!

2009-05-05T12:16:00.010-04:00

Some finds from a recent trip to Demolition Depot.

This boat shaped wet bar is sweet, but too big for our den.

Nuff' Said!

Demolition Depot
216 East 125th Street
between 2nd & 3rd Avenues
212-860-1138
Check it out!

Festo Aqua/Air Penguins

2009-05-05T10:27:00.003-04:00

Please check out the air penguins if you haven't yet.

Go!Festo!Go!Festo!Go!

Thank you

2009-05-04T11:08:00.002-04:00

Whoever first came up with the idea of making the Harry Potter movies pretty.

Can't wait for the new Star Trek!

2009-05-04T10:47:00.003-04:00

This looks pretty good too.

Hey Josh Musick thanks for reminding me how sweet the world is, again.

2009-05-04T10:30:00.005-04:00

Polar Man shovels elders' steps and walkways, entertains children and prowls the streets some nights keeping an eye out for vandals

He models himself after a figure in an Inuit legend, an unknown white man, who provided food and clothing to people in need.

Thanks Hey Future. You saved my life!

But a prison is a prison is a prison

2009-05-04T08:09:00.001-04:00

Hey Jason,

Greetings, and apologies for having missed your show. Just spent five weeks as the guest of the Centers for Disease Control, Intensive Care Unit, located in the middle of St. Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital. Yeah, it was a trip. An itching on the left side of the face revealed a whelp that, upon inspection my primary care guy thought looked suspicious. He told me to get over to Emergency. Within 8 hours that itch had turned me into a candidate for the Elephant Man.

As emergency could not open what was now judged a viral infection, with their usual combination of medical horrors, as a precaution I was transferred to the ninth floor and the CDC. Public health hazard? Terrorist bio bomb? The Centers are now under Homeland Security......They too could not open the damned thing. It was responding to no known treatment when my white corpuscles suddenly headed for the floor. Radical treatment was called for. An induced coma did it, that deadly combination of morphine etc. The thing opened up, but for some five days I was on someone else's planet, incoherent yet aggressive, systematically ripping out all the tubes and IVs and the tracheotomy (that incision they make at the base of the throat to run an emergency tube down). They had to keep me tied to the bed for the first six days. When I did come around, I recognized only my kids and, eventually, my sister who had flown out from California, and her only after some several hours struggle.

The Centers performed every test imaginable. First, they thought that I had brought something back from Brazil; but the culture test quickly ruled this out. It turned out that I could have picked up the virus anywhere. It disappeared as quickly and as quietly as it came; my face returned to normal and the authorities admitted that they were none the wiser!

I have been home some ten days, trying to re learn to walk. My leg muscles atrophied to such an extent that I was given a care (giver?) to help me along.

The CDC can keep you tucked away indefinitely if it thinks that you might be a public safety hazard. I received excellent treatment and had a room, in an ultra modern complex, overlooking the Hudson, that we can only dream about. But a prison is a prison is a prison; and until they said "Lazarus, take up- your bed and walk," I was there at the CDC's good graces.

So, I am re learning to navigate the sidewalks of the neighborhood. Hopefully, I will be in working condition in a couple of weeks. Then we can get together for a long one.

Be well in the interim,

Bob

Friday's Report (from deep in the heart of Texas) #3

2009-05-02T00:21:00.007-04:00

I have often heard comparisons between country music (real country, not the pop country schlock that Nashville is expelling out its anus these days) and punk music (again, talking about real punk, not the poser pop punk drivel that abounds these days). The comparisons ring true in many ways. Both genres are gritty and honest and rebellious. Johnny Cash probably comes to mind most when thinking of a country artist with punk tendencies. Social Distortion’s cover of Cash’s “Ring of Fire” sounds as if it were meant to be punk. And when Cash covered “Thirteen” and “Hurt” they sounded just as natural coming out of his mouth as they did from Glenn Danzig and Trent Reznor.

So considering the closeness of punk and country, it only seems natural that the band I went to see last Thursday night at Trophy’s Bar and Grill should combine the two so expertly. ConvOi! has a very straight forward concept; they do punk covers of country songs and country covers of punk songs.

When I walked into Trophy’s (with my 79 year old father who was visiting from Philadelphia, who thought the whole scene was a hoot by the way) they were in the middle of their country version of “Too Drunk To Fuck.” Were I to not have known that this was originally done by the Dead Kennedy’s I might easily have believed it was always meant to be a country tune. It has drinkin’, fightin’, and guns in it. Aside from not mentioning a dog and a pick-em-up truck, what’s more country than that?

On the other side, ConvOi!’s cover of Johnny Russell’s “Red Necks, White Socks, Blue Ribbon Beer” is a veritable cover song masterpiece. The true brilliance of this song is that they set the lyrics to the music of the Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop.” When the first chords start playing it is easily recognizable but when lead singer Matt Jones starts in with the lyrics your surprise turns to deep appreciation.

Bassist George Schinler is the man behind the crossover arrangements and deserves a ton of the credit for the seemingly easy transformations of these songs. But drummer Marc Nelipovich and guitarist Hunter Powell also deserve much praise for their ability to change genres so flawlessly song to song.

Other highlights included Shania Twain’s “I’m Gonna Getcha Good” which, when you really listen to it, is somewhat disturbing no matter the genre, and The Clash’s “London Calling” which was done in a Tejano style with much of the song sung in Spanish.

But the best part of the whole experience was that there were at most maybe a dozen folks in the joint. And despite this rather meager turnout, ConvOi! played as if they were headlining the ACL Music Festival (That’s the Austin City Limits Music Festival for you Yankees out there). They were energetic during the songs and full of banter in-between them. And as any good country/punk show should be, it was loud as hell.

So check them out at the myspace (http://www.myspace.com/convoi) but if you really want the most bang for your entertainment buck grab a Lone Star Beer and check them out live.

Art Never Slept

2009-05-01T07:58:00.007-04:00

The Art Never Sleeps event was amazing. Those photos along the back wall are from Doug and I's series. The oil painting of the dude in a baseball hat is of Chris Spencer of Unsane and Celon. The real life guy in the baseball hat painted it. His name is Jasper Latane. I also see Jessica Vulte, Josh Music (sweet hair,) Robert Kastler and some chick named Lindsy (also sweet hair.)

Carolina Peñafiel dropped some bombs on the turntable and kept the art lovers dancing between performances by me,Alex O. Bleeker, Juan Mapu, Tyler Maas, Ophira Eisenberg and Vermont's Putnigs.

Of course the stairs fell off of the building the night after the opening and nearly crushed someone, so the building was closed for the remaining weeks of the show, but that's just the way it goes I guess.

The place was packed with soaring eagles of art and industry, and for some reason a bunch of male models.

James Hitt.

2009-04-12T09:07:00.002-04:00

Dude, we miss you THIS much.

Friday's Report (from deep In the heart of Texas) #2

2009-04-06T23:47:00.012-04:00

First I should give credit where credit is due and refer y'all to the Taco Journalism blog. It was they who first clued me in to the "Magic Taco Box" (their words not mine) that is Taqueria Alayna's on Manor Road in Austin.

I have since frequented Alayna's on numerous occasions since it is fortunately (or unfortunately) very close to my home. And I felt the need to share the joys of one of the finest taco stands around.

Alayna's is little more than a window in a wall of a strip mall. But what goes on behind that window can only be described as transcendent. The mysteries and witchcraft that take place can't possibly be fathomed by us mortal consumers. But one thing we can understand is that the resultant tacos that emerge from the window will delight and enchant us.

First off, every taco that comes out of the window is huge. Seriously, these are massive tacos. My favorite, bacon and egg, is so chock full of big chunks of glorious glorious bacon that I'd swear ther's no way they can make a profit off of the mere $1.75 they charge. But quantity without quality is no bargain. Luckily Alayna's packs all the flavor they can into the tacos too. Eggs and bacon may seem simple enough but through their wizardry they somehow make it extra palitable.

The clincher that really separates Alayna's from the multitiude of other taco vendors, however, is their amazing salsa. I honestly have no clue what's in it at all. I know that it's greenish in color and spicy as hell. And it's that great kind of spicy that makes you at first think, "Oh that's not too spicy" and then after a solid four count it hits you hard. But it's not just spicy. It has a great flavor that compliments the tacos without overpowering them.

There are literally at least four other taco places within easy walking distance from my home. And in my opinion, Alayna's beats them all. Beats them to a pulp.

When Life Hands You Vinegar, Make Bread Salad

2009-04-01T07:39:00.006-04:00

Chard grapes from the Haut Poitou region

I'm broke. Hopefully that goes some way toward answering a question people have been asking.

What happened to all the food posts? The short answer is I haven't been eating. I've also been running my little buns for the show on Saturday, but mostly just haven't had the cash for food or batteries for the camera... Or a Metrocard. Wow.

Anyway, I scraped up some change yesterday and bought a big boneless chicken breast. I diced it then seared the chunks in a a little of Lila's famous hot rosemary oil just to get the kitchen smelling funky. I also had some juice orange peels and cloves boiling. Nice aroma combo.

Then I dumped in maybe a cup of this Haut Poitu Rose that I picked up from Patagonia on the corner of 159 and Amsterdam.

Patagonia opened about a month ago and has been a huge blessing for my wife. Jess hated the old liquor store that was here. It was kind of a dirty, bullet-proof glass encased crack den. It was also pretty dirty and they didn't really have anything there to buy except Hypnotic and Nutcracker, so I kind of see where she was coming from. But I liked the old dude. He had such soulful, wild eyes.

When Patagonia took over they set out a table with everything that was left from the old store for $2 pop. We got a few really nice Pouilly Fuisses and a nice Pouilly Fume. I also bout three bottles of this Poitu rose thinking we'd save them for Spring, but decided to crack one the other night and discovered it was vinegar. Awesome vinegar.

So, I dump a cup of this stuff on the searing chicken, and I throw in some salt and pepper and this salt-pepper-ground rosemary seasoning that Jess made a while back. I slapped in some cream and let it simmer for a while. My original plan was to add garbanzo beans, but the color was so bland, so I tossed in a can of mixed vegetables -- I told you we are broke -- and then hit the whole thing with maybe a tablespoon and a half of King Arthur wheat flour, and it thickened up so nice that I wanted to wrap it in philo and eat it in the bathtub. Instead I made Lila May a burger and adulted up the chicken with a little West African hot pepper.

When I made Lila's burger I made another little patty -- maybe a fifth of a pound and seared that while toasting some potato bread. Hit the toast with hot mustard, slapped on patty, cheese, mounds of yellow pepper rings, top toast then used the mixed-veggies can to cut the whole thing into a perfect circle.

Here's the awesome part. I cubed the left over toast , which was kind of saturated in the burger grease and had some of the cheese and mustard on it. I threw the cubes in a bowl with some diced raw onion, and then I ladled on just a little of the Haut Poitu gravy from the chicken and cracked in some coarsely ground black peppercorns tossed it and served it on a leaf of lettuce. Eat that health-crazed Republicans.

So, to sum up. When life hands you vinegar, make bread salad.

Snack

2009-03-31T18:27:00.003-04:00

"This will make you smile. Money back guarantee. " -Anthony Preston

You were right Ant. Pretty.

Welcome Grandma

2009-03-29T17:28:00.006-04:00

My mother-in-law dropped by for a visit last night. Jess decided to throw this outfit on to welcome her. I should also point out that Jess does not in actuality smoke cigarettes, nor does she condone cigarette smoking. She thinks it's gross. Also, she doesn't clean kitchens or do anything else for twenty dollars. The twenty was just a prop, and frankly, it had been a while since either of us held one. We just stuffed it in her tube-top so her mom would think we were rich.

We always tell her that we are.

Later the three generations of my bosses danced the night away to this jamming list.

Snack

2009-03-29T07:51:00.004-04:00

This is some story.

"My name is Orissa Arend. I have a friend, his name is Robert 'King' Wilkerson, who created the most amazing kitchen. He was in prison at Angola State Penitentiary in Louisiana for 31 years. Twenty-nine of those years he was in solitary confinement, "

"Somehow, in solitary confinement, he managed to create a kitchen -- and he did it out of a stove made of coke cans, and he burnt toilet paper rolls to get heat. And he made pralines, which we love in New Orleans. He made these delicious candies and perfected the recipe, hidden in prison."

Seriously, King's Candies, check em' out!

T.G.I.F. and Maas!

2009-03-28T07:11:00.005-04:00

Wachtelhausen Brothers is expanding with the addition of two new brothers. Sean Friday (pictured above with Sally Sunday) will be covering the Austin Texas beat and Tyler Maas (beaten by the Democrat) will be tackling tough issues like sugar-on-snow and all things maple in Vermont.

These are both guys who I believe have the same sort of honest dedication to the craft and the art of eating that I think I possess. It's probably also safe to say that taken together they are the voice of young America. They're both kick-ass writers who have made me laugh, and they have both taught me something once or twice. I hope you get as much out of them as I have.

I'm stoked on the Ace Bar Chief.

2009-03-28T06:14:00.006-04:00

So, Jasper Latane came back from SXSW the other day with a jaundiced eye and a big sack of woe. We met at the ACE bar, probably one of my two favorite downtown drunk houses. Justin OQ the happy hour king, served us Vodka and SevenUps in pint glasses. Just the way dad used to drink 'em. But then of course, his liver did explode...

The main attraction at ACE is the Skee-Ball machine. They have a league. This guy Cooper who once worked there recently bought a house in Austin, and took the idea of Skee-Ball with him. He started a league there. He's a cool guy. He used to play in a great band callede Made Out of Babies. I guess what I'm trying to say is that a lot of cool, smart, totally normal people love Skee-Ball.

Stop in and tell Justin OQ what up sometime on Thurs. Fri. Sun. or Mon between 4 and 9. Have a drink. Toss some Skee if that's your thing. They also have pool tables in back for us "Norms."

Ace Bar

531 E 5th St between A and B.
Check it out!

Friday's Report (from deep in the heart of Texas) #1

2009-03-27T15:30:00.011-04:00

So SXSW was last week down here in the 512. Seeing as how I didn’t go to any official SXSW shindigs I don’t have much to say on the subject. Let’s just say I was at one point wearing a glow stick necklace thingamabob. Yes, beer was involved. Followed by roller-skating. Which doesn’t sound like a good combination, but I came away unscathed. And my daughter finagled two free cd’s out of struggling bands who could’ve probably used the gas money had they been able to sell the cd’s instead.

I did however eat a lot of brisket over the same seven day span. My barbecue purveyor of choice these days is Mann’s Smokehouse. (Those of you who know me, please don’t be alarmed. The Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood, TX is still my favorite. But it is a 45 minute drive away.) The owners, Jim and Sallie Mann, (no, photography buffs, not Sally Mann) always greet you with big smiles and a friendly word. They make over a dozen homemade sides a day, which makes it very hard for me to choose just two. But the real reason to go is their brisket.

To properly judge a barbecue joint in Texas, you have to try the brisket. Ribs, sausage, and various feathered creatures are tasty as well, but brisket is what Texas barbecue is all about. And Mann’s passes the test with flying colors (which is a strange phrase that apparently derives from the practice of hanging colorful flags on sailboats in a race. I learned this through the magic of the global interweb, so who knows how accurate it is). The brisket has a beautiful smoke ring that shows it has been slow smoked for many many many hours. And juices flow out with each pass of Jim’s blade. There is lots of lovely fat on there that Jim will cut off for you but I prefer to keep on. I read a Texas A&M study that said brisket fat was actually good for you and I believe them. Sauce is served the proper way, on the side. If the brisket is truly Texas standards good, you shouldn’t need any. And at Mann’s, you don’t.

I have never been totally comfortable with the phrase “melts in your mouth” when used in reference to food unless you’re talking about ice cream or some other food that literally melts. But the brisket at Mann’s comes as close as I can imagine to melting as I’ve found. Chewing is still necessary, and enjoyable. The brisket is nice and smoky. And it isn’t overpowered by too much dry rub. Just enough spice to bring out the natural flavors of the meat. It’s delicious and (according to A&M) nutritious.

I do have one issue with Mann’s. I favor a more traditional approach to smoking meat. Meaning a big ol’ smoker powered by wood and wood only. Mann’s uses one of these new fangled gas powered industrial smokers. They use wood too. And they certainly make things easier on the pit master. But there’s no true replacing the heart and soul that go into more traditionally smoked meats. That being said, the true test is taking that first bite. And as I said before, Mann’s passes that test with flying colors.

Snack

2009-03-26T16:27:00.003-04:00

Truly, art never sleeps. Wait until you hear what the kid's punishment is going to be.

Recent Acquisitions

2009-03-26T11:28:00.003-04:00

Eat that French-hating media giants.

I know, I know...

2009-03-26T11:21:00.001-04:00

But come on...

Josh Musick

2009-03-25T19:13:00.005-04:00

Sketch of Josh, $cott $mith, Eric Allhusen, Me and Guillermo by Josh Musick circa '92?

Wow! Almost forgot. Josh Musick and I are doing a piece for the show too, but he doesn't know it.

Here's the REAL Good News -- Art Never Sleeps

2009-03-25T17:08:00.009-04:00

This is a piece Doug and I did.

On Saturday April 4^th a show I’m curating for Local Project opens at their space in Long Island City. I’m pretty amped about it, and just generally stoked that I could bring this group of artists together. I’m doing some stuff with photographer Doug Dacy where I’m using quotes from my IMs with some of his photos. I’ll also be doing a reading at the opening and probably DJing towards the end of the evening. Here's some of the other stuff you can expect.

Alexis R. Brown.

Jasper Latane

Beccy Memoli

Juan Mapu

The Putnigs

It's going to be a blast.

Sirprise!

2009-03-25T16:42:00.004-04:00

Oh my god! Did those GazillionMillion guys bust a surprise on Jessina! Oh my other god! Did she wear that duck mask out again. Oh brother. This is going to end up like that time she wouldn't take off this Nike sweatsuit I bought her. I think there might be a shot or two of me getting surprised on in there too.

Snack

2009-03-25T14:48:00.004-04:00

I would be remiss if I didn't give you advance notice of this.

Another Reason You Probably Shouldn't Murder that Dude

2009-03-24T08:15:00.006-04:00

A very good friend of mine recently got out of prison in D.C. I hadn't seen the guy for a few years and we shared a great brunch at Coral on Broadway and 158th. Not a bad place, but the only thing they really have of note is the nachos. Seriously. Not only do they they take the same amount of pride in these that people used to in the eighties, but apparently they use the same recipe.

This time-machine to an era of high-carb decadence can be had for about eight bucks and pairs equally well with either depression or elation.

While we ate, I picked my friends brain about his time in the joint, especially about the food. I guess in all my fantasies about going to jail the food is awesome like hospital food. I love hospital food and have even gone into hospital's just to eat many times in my life. I guess the food is crap though. Also he said they only give you the smallest legal portions, so if you want anything more or better you have to buy it, but you have to be careful because regardless of how much cash you have, you can only spend a certain amount per week, and you don't want to run out all your allowance on Snickers bars and then realize you don't have toothpaste later in the week and not be allowed to buy it.

Makes sense.

He also said if chicken is on the menu three times or more a week that means stay away from it. For real!

The more questions I asked the deader his eyes got, so I figured I better lay off for a bit. I mean, the guys one of my best friends, but after someone has been inside who knows who their next victim will be, right?

Jail food! Don't check it out!

PS.8 the Welcoming Face of Education

2009-03-19T15:35:00.003-04:00

I love this building but it scares the hell out of me, and I don't know what's scarier, it's imposing exterior or the fact that Franz Kafka's spirit was somehow imprisoned inside years before the place was built. Creeeepy.

Yes. It Really is This Good.

2009-03-19T13:10:00.002-04:00

I've seen a lot of sweet, sometimes almost unbelievable, spontaneous gatherings in my neighborhood. The one that comes immediately to mind is the time I saw a huge group of people betting on something at the corner of 161 and Amsterdam. I pushed my way through the crowd and there was a rat fighting some kind of a huge snake in a glass aquarium. Wow.

This isn't quite that sweet, but this group jamming their butts off in the rim store at 164 and St. Nick that we happened upon the other day kicked butt. Kick butt everybody. Kick butt.

Welcome Jackson

2009-03-18T16:16:00.003-04:00

Weighing in at a stately 8lbs.5oz Jackson Hue Kastler does a wicked frontside air into existence on his imaginary skateboard.

I'm thinking singer. Like an Enrico Caruso type singer.

Look! It's That Thing!

2009-03-18T11:47:00.004-04:00

This thing! I love it. It's next to the GWB on the path in Riverside park. What is it?

Yesterday I ran down to 145th and across to Riverside Park. It's the place to be for the Spring-minded smart set, which happens to be my set. I ran up along the Hudson towards the George Washington Bridge and was feeling strong enough to push on a little further than usual. I ended up in the maze of NYC Greenway and GWB offramps where, not surprisingly, a pretty thriving hobo village has grown up.

I'm a sucker for the particular sort of charm these little communities possess, and I tell myself every time I happen upon a new one that I am going to go back with a camera. But I never do. Cameras slow you down.

I made it back to conventional society somewhere up where I guess Riverside Drive sort of ends around 178 or 181 and I saw a burnt out car. The thing was still warm and stinky. I checked it out and found a new clean white card from an insurance company on the drivers seat with the name Anthony written on it and a phone number. Weird. I also found a sweet flask on the passenger seat. Stratosphere baby! I've been looking for one, but everything I've found seemed too cookie-cutter. No one has one like this!

I was about to leave, and this old Polish (I think) dude with a beautiful, gigantic pit-bull comes off the path onto the street. I told him he had a beautiful dog. We chatted, and then he pointed to the car, shook his head and said, "Every day."

I asked him what he was talking about, and he told me that the little area we were in was the place people took cars to burn them. He said he'd been living in the neighborhood for years and just about every day there was another one burnt out there. He said it had something to do with insurance. Weirder and weirder.

The flask is pictured with a glass artichoke from DOMUS in Hells Kitchen. That place should totally be on your list.

Massive Cover Up!

2009-03-18T10:46:00.007-04:00

We used to walk past the store that was here before this sometimes, and Jessina and I would wonder what the hell happened inside. I can't remember what the place was called or if it even had a name, I just remember it looking like a place where assassins picked up scented oils and incense between hits. There were always four or five guys sitting around inside of various ages doing something mysterious. In fact it reminded me a lot of the way a friend described the WU store on Staten Island except the dudes weren't the Wu-Tang clan, so it wasn't really worth going inside and being scared by them.

The place got shut down a while ago and had those big bright stickers pasted all over it by the city. Shut down for illegal gaming, I think, is what they said. Then this aptly-named boutique opened up in its place like four days later. Suck on that pigs.

Now the mysterious dudes hang out in a back room I think, so it's totally cool to go in. They've got some pretty sweet stuff in there too, and the prices are reasonable. Lila and I have bought Jess a few rad items there including an amazing red and gray ankle length spaghetti strap number that's all tuned up for spring ($25 on sale!) But I'm not getting Jess anything from the Cover Up again, because she keeps making fun of my feet.

The Cover Up 158 between Amsterdam and St. Nick. Check it out.

Snack

2009-03-17T12:37:00.006-04:00

My Man! Neil deGrasse Tyson will be talking about Pluto - the annoying little brother that all the cool big kid planets were forced to take with them to the game tomorrow night at Secret Science Club, and it's only $3 bones!

I was lucky enough to meet Mr. Tyson (I wouldn't say we're quite on a first name basis yet) once at a party that I was lucky enough to be at with Makers author, Bob Parks. When I met Mr. Tyson he was rapping with David Byrne. It was a cool party. Bob and I would have been the only exception to the cool rule, but there were actually a bunch of other writers there. Wow! Nerds!

Here is a podcast of Bob Parks speaking with good folks at GeekSpeak that will take you back to the heady summer of 2006.

And, here is all thye info you need to go check out Neil deGrasse to-the Tylson tomorrow night in Brooklyn! Splash!

I'm Stoked on the High Bridge Chief

2009-03-16T11:44:00.010-04:00

High Bridge park is probably the first place we ever came in Washington Heights. We came up to go to the pool one summer when Lila was like one, but it wasn't open for the year yet so we hung around the park and started falling in love with the place. We walked over to the old High Tower, and looked at the bridge. There were photos from the late eighteen-hundreds there at the time showing old-time swells and their dames strolling in the parks on both sides of the bridge. I remember reading somewhere that the parks had many secluded areas for the exchanging of familiarities and other sorts of general getting down. It looked like a dream. A good one. The High Bridge is the oldest bridge connecting two boroughs. It was completed like 40 years before the Brooklyn Bridge.

I'm just sayin.

So when I heard that Bloom-dog and the posse along with the Divine Miss M. wanted to spruce up the place and restore the High Bridge to it's former glory as both a destination in itself and a gateway between money-making Manhattan and the boogie-down Bronx, I was all like, "Word." But I didn't expect that things would actually get done.

Yesterday we walked up Amsterdam to the High Bridge for the halibut, and were surprised and delighted to see that work had been done. I think it might even be fair to say that butt-loads of work have been done up there, and it looks like the High Bridge itself could open again soon.

The High Bridge and High Bridge Park 175 and Amsterdam. Check em' out!

Tapas

2009-03-15T21:47:00.004-04:00

The Manual of Detection - Jedediah Berry. I was skeptical, but digging it so far.

Lady Tasting Mexican Crema - Jessina Wachtelhausen. Love it.

Pizza Contest Party

2009-03-15T12:24:00.013-04:00

Celebrity Judges MiraSlava, Carolina and Aura express contentment.

Pizza contest night last night, and the competition was hot like Andy Cap Hot Fries. Lila pimped out a pie with breakfast sausage, mozzarella, and Trois Petits Cochons Saucisson Sec sliced about nickle thin. It was bumpin. Jess got in the mix with Zucchini, diced onion, seasoned ground sirloin, taco sauce and fat blops of Mexican crema on a hot mess of tomato sauce and mozzarella. It turned my mouth out with a mixture of exquisitely convincing decadence and equally convincing brute force. Poof! (As they say in France.) I slapped together a zuccini, onion and ground beef joint and then tossed whatever was left on a thing with chedda. Blagoing!

It was a toss up between that one and Jessina's crema blop masterpiece according to the judges who brought along some deadly, but deceptively light mojitos, and shared gladly from our supply of Cachaca (Thanks Bob!) and Mexi-Coke.

Later the girls disappeared to the 15th floor and listened to Carolina spin some new wax and do another round or six of mojitos. I thought about putting on a fake mustache, dressing as a pizza guy and taking the girls a "special delivery," but quickly remembered that it's not 1976 and icky is still the new icky.

Nautical Themed Breakfast

2009-03-14T10:42:00.006-04:00

Smacked it out of the park this morning deep sea style. Red snapper cake - just snapper a few bread crumbs salt, pepper, cumin, not much else. I usually do these with a bunch of finely chopped onion and red and yellow pepper and all kinds of crap, but today I kept it simple. To complete the nautical theme I paired the fish cake with a dollop of Sponge Bob macaroni and cheese. And I finished the whole thing off with an olive salad (three olives. $18.99 at my restaurant)

I sauced the snapper up good with a jalapeno ranch sauce that I invented when I accidentally knocked some El Pato into a bowl of ranch dressing that Jess was planning to dip carrots into.

Some guys like a challenge. Me, I just want a good breakfast.

Morir Soñando

2009-03-13T12:21:00.006-04:00

This modified shopping cart is tricked out for one purpose Morir Soñando. If you live, love and learn in the Heights, then you are as familiar with these as you are with white tees. I can only handle about one a year, but I see homeboys drink them like water, and you almost never see a cart empty like this, maybe this is the dude who sucks at making them or uses poison oranges or something.

If you've never had one, a Morir Soñando is basically fresh squeezed orange juice and evaporated milk. Seriously. The literal translation is,"to die dreaming," and it's not far off. The experience is basically like drinking a cream-sickle, but like, the orgasm version of drinking a cream-sickle.

Here's a recipe I straight jacked from Aunt Clara in case you want to try making your own, but I really, really recommend you squeeze your juice fresh. Also, be careful, this is definitely a, "no swimming for at least twenty minutes after" type treat.

Ingredients:

2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup of sugar
4 cups of evaporated milk
2 1/2 cup of ice cubes

Preparation:

Mix sugar and milk and stir until all the sugar has dissolved. Add the ice to the milk and stir. Slowly pour the orange juice in the milk stirring constantly. Serve immediately.

Mulatto Thyme Oil --Totally Burned by My Own Hubris

2009-03-13T11:37:00.005-04:00

Lila trims out only the choicest Thyme for our oil.

We finished off a small bottle of balsamic vinegar last night. It was nuts. When the dust cleared we decided to use the bottle to make another oil. Lila was in charge, and she decided to go with some of those dried mulatto peppers I mentioned last week and some fresh thyme we picked up around the corner.

I cut up the dried mulattos for her, but other than that she did it all, and she did it well. All I had to do was heat it up in the pan and we would be home free, but I think I thought because I have this blog or something I can just heat oil as long as I want and as hot as I want, and I found out that I was wrong. Dead wrong. I think I left this on the stove for close to twenty minutes, and the water came pretty darn close to a boil once or twice.

The photo here is fuzzy, but you still get an idea of how cloudy my oil turned. It still tastes great sure, but I can't serve it to anyone, not all cloudy like that. I'd be laughed out of Washington Heights!

The combo of dried peppers and thyme though was amazing. The aroma was incredibly rich and a little earthy. If you cant find dried mulattos, I think dried anchos will give you something pretty close. I think I'll use my muddy looking oil tonight for red snapper tacos.

Mapu. Juan Mapu

2009-03-12T17:50:00.005-04:00

So, yeah. That's the Heights. Lila May was was hitting old school poses with Fab5 the other day, and here she is yesterday getting frosty with Juan Mapu of ManzanaPecosa and *Juan Mapu* fame - not to mention all those GlideDance Parties.

And somehow we still manage to keep it real up here.

Weird

2009-03-12T10:27:00.008-04:00

Just realized I was reading that (looking for tips on how to politely deal with an occasionally difficult mother-in-law) while watching that.

Weirdness.

Freeman Feeling Beautiful

2009-03-12T09:34:00.007-04:00

How is that Freeman Feeling Beautiful Facial Clay Mask Avocado and Oatmeal? You ask.

Love it. Love the new easy squeeze tube. We have family mask night pretty regularly. Lila's face gets dirty a lot. She's a kid, and me well, you know how it is.

So, we put on masks and tell each other scary stories while it hardens, it's fun, and this particular mask honestly leaves the gigantic, disgusting pores on my face feeling clean as puddles in a field after a fresh Spring rain. Which is kind of clean I guess. Better than they were anyway.

Freeman Feeling Beautiful Facial Clay Mask Avocado and Oatmeal! Check it out!

This is Lila May's Personal Playlist!

2009-03-11T18:02:00.001-04:00

Enjoy some of her favorites!

Along the Broad Way

2009-03-11T17:17:00.007-04:00

Lila wears a modified PLACE hoody and signature Mets cap.

I hooked this hoody up pretty sweet with a patch I ripped off of an ice-cold pair of fake True Religion jeans I picked up off a dude around 125th and Lex. Sweet neighborhood.

The jeans are sweet too, but, who in the hell would think that sewing that GD patch onto the right thigh would somehow make them seem more authentic?

Fortunately it just about vomits class when sewn on Lila's joint.

Lila May's friend Jose joined us for the stroll.

Saw some slammin' dragon kicks out side of El Mundo between 157 and 158. They also had a pretty comprehensive collection of pirate themed Bras as well.

We walked past a huge crew filming a scene from the new Angelina Joli film Salt. I guess they're blowing all of the windows out of a building around 157 and Riverside tonight. I also heard she just bought a place right around the corner.

If we walk back over I'll try to get some pictures

Bio/Photo Contest Winner

2009-03-11T11:47:00.007-04:00

Could you have better character attributes?

Check out the dulcet jammers her band unleashes too.

Snack

2009-03-11T10:30:00.002-04:00

Snack

2009-03-11T10:15:00.002-04:00

Laurie Green Opera singer. I enjoyed these during my morning ablutions, and may enjoy them again during my midday ablutions.

Radiolab Radio show. I enjoyed this (totally PG) story about sperm, especially the part about the dude getting some to his microscope to checkout within, "six beats of the pulse" in 1667.

Insectavora

2009-03-10T16:33:00.004-04:00

Just found this in my phone. It's Insectavora, I think at Niagra's anniversary a week or so ago.

She was super cool about listening to me ramble on about how she's one of my daughter's idols.

Lila loves the Coney Island Freak Show. She's been going since she was a baby, and everybody there has been cool to her at one time or another.Here Jess and Lila May are three or four years ago with this nice dude. Man, I hope they don't screw Coney up.

ThruYOU

2009-03-10T15:47:00.005-04:00

Feel like I'd be remiss if I didn't throw up a link to this.

If you haven't seen/heard it, check it out. I was impressed.
What you think?

Thanks to Josh Musick for the tip.

Josh Musick think he raw

Recent Acquisitions: Series of books that aims to teach kids the harsh realities of life.

2009-03-10T12:48:00.010-04:00

Butt-ero??!!

2009-03-10T10:02:00.005-04:00

This is Lila's favorite sculpture. I think she likes it because of the huge butt. See this and another gigantic Fernando Botero sculpture with its butt hanging in the breeze at Columbus Circle.
Here the Colombian born artist brings his butt-out aesthetic into a much more serious arena with this piece from his 2008 Abu Ghraib series.

When questioned about painting obese figures Botero is said to have responded, "An artist is attracted to certain kinds of form without knowing why. You adopt a position intuitively; only later do you attempt to rationalize or even justify it." I feel this same position can easily be adopted when it comes to an artists choice to cover or expose an exaggerated human ass.

There are many who consider Fernando Botero something of a cultural anomaly in that he seems to be the only Colombian in the annals of history to be interested in, or in drawing attention to the butt area.

And just to keep it all real and balanced,
here's a picture of Colombian cycling sensation Santigo Botero getting kissed by a couple of cycling enthusiasts.

I'm at the SoHo Playhouse Tonight

2009-03-09T14:00:00.007-04:00

I suppose I should mention that I'll be reading a piece at HR Britton's Tammany Moday tonight.

HR Britton is sweet like a plum. His facial expressions hit you the way an intense odor might and sort of force an immediate reaction. It's a good thing.

I'll be blowing it up with:
Carlo D'Amore
Marlene Nichols
Rajeev Varma
Jennifer Glick
and :
Chris Lowe will be providing some sort of soundtrack for the evening.

It's free so, so come have a drink, and enjoy!

Monday March 9th, 8pm * The Huron Club at The SoHo Playhouse

15 Vandam St Between Varick St & 6th
E or C to Spring St or 1 to Houston and walk 3 blocks south

Hot Rosemary Oil

2009-03-09T10:23:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I dropped a piece with the unshakable, unbreakable title, "Egg on a Bed of Cubed Pork and Asparagus." Ouch.

This morning I got a note from writer, performer, producer and Harlem character of note Greg Walloch asking about the hot rosemary oil I mention.

So, basically Greg Walloch reads my blog. I'm as happy as the drunkest girl at the dance!

I think there are a few ways to infuse oils with different flavors, but what I always do is take an old bottle and clean it out real clean like. I usually try to find a cool looking bottle and remove the labels and stuff so it looks pretty when I'm done, because I like to look at pretty things.

I use a cheap olive oil usually or a canola. I think I may have even mixed the two once because I ran out of olive oil or something like that.

Just fill the bottle up, and drop in whatever you want, and then stick the bottle in a pan of water, I usually use something deep enough that about half of the bottle is submerged, and simmer the whole thing for about eight or ten minutes with the bottle uncorked and voila.

You should be able to smell the combined aroma of whatever you added coming off the warm oil.

If you boil the water, I think it can make the oil cloudy, so don't do that. I try to simmer it just below a boil.

I've had awesome luck with lemon, grapefruit, basil, rosemary, chilies and peppercorns.

The specific hot rosemary oil Lila may and I made had fresh rosemary, a bit of lemon peel and some dried chilies. It's good with about anything, but I dig it the most with pork.

Scarface

2009-03-09T10:13:00.003-04:00

I assume I don't need to say this to a reader with your class, but just in case... Don't hate.

This bad boy was double parked in front of my daughter's old preschool when I walked by this morning.

Yeah, those are stills from the guy's favorite scenes in Scarface along the sides.

I'm thinking about hooking a Toyota Camry up like this, but with stills from Miller's Crossing.

Snack

2009-03-09T10:10:00.002-04:00

Ben Underwood - Just wow.

Jessica Alba - Just figured out why they use her for those skin tone commercials.