Rain, Rain...

It rained.

And, while a gale blew outside, we shot a new Multigrain Cheerios commercial. The shoot wasn’t glamorous (we were in a laundromat in Jersey City), but all went off without a hitch. Keep an eye out for the launch next month!

The next day Pete caught a fish...



Back on dry land, it stopped raining for a few hours so I made plans to meet Steph at a wine bar in the LWS. Our perfect “lady date” of life updates, baba ganoush, and a bottle of Malbec was interrupted by an unexpected burlesque show. I suppose that's the risk you take in the Village.

Then, the rain started up again.

Sarah sloshed the four blocks to my apartment for the ceremonial booking of flights for our honeymoon (aka 27th-year extravaganza aka European adventure)!!! Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam. We have 4 months to plan the details…or just wing it – whichever our horoscope suggests.

Weather.com confirms that the city will continue to smell like loose change for a least 10 more days. While I dream of arriving at work without frizzy hair and wet pant legs, this view from my office is pretty amazing…

Band of Horses

It used to be that rockers had to be wrinkled and infirm before they ever got to play Carnegie Hall. But now, with nearly all of NYC’s art institutions struggling to find new/bigger audiences, contemporary acts like Band of Horses can get their moment while still in their prime. Perhaps they weren’t as polished as a typical Carnegie invite, but I thought their amateurism was endearing. There was real sincerity from these guys and you knew that they were as psyched to be playing Carnegie Hall as I was to see them there.

A band called Arbouretum opened the show. I’ll be honest -- I’d never heard their music before. They have an epic, folk-driven sound that was a nice compliment to what was up next. Good, but nothing to write home about. However, when Ben Bridwell’s craggy, pastoral voice filled the room about an hour later, I felt my eyes well up.

Here’s what it looked like:



Here's what it sounded like:



The show was sick. The setting was incredible. The company was the best. I can’t wait to see them again soon.

The List

Burn -- Lonestar Chili Cook-off
A couple of weeks ago, the New York Texas Exes hosted its annual chili cook-off. There was a roof top deck, an open bar, homemade cornbread, and perfect NYC summer weather. Stephanie still owes me pictures from the afternoon -- I’ll be sure to add them as soon as her busy schedule of designing Chinese skyscrapers lightens up.

Relax -- Memorial Day at the Shore
I was cautiously expecting Jaeger bombs and oversized hoop earrings. It ended up being more of a sweater vest and tandem bicycle crowd. I ate a mysterious New Jersey breakfast meat (Taylor Ham), embarrassed myself in a room packed full of 10-year-olds (The Show Place), and smeared Pete in a very serious game of putt-putt. I arrived at the beach with a pasty white complexion and left with a lovely splotchy red hue. I think I was genetically intended to live in the tundra.

Visit -- Greg and Amanda’s NYC visit
Greg and Amanda came to NYC for a whirlwind 1.5 days. I wish they could have stayed longer, but I’m glad we were able to pack everything in to the time they had. Highlights? Esca crudo, American Museum of Natural History personal tour, William Poll out-of-the-oven potatoes and Brooklyn Brewery Pennant Ale.

Reminisce -- Dinner with Mrs. T at Café Habana
Last week, I met Roxanne and her mom at this really great Cuban restaurant in Nolita. I haven’t seen Mrs. Tizravesh in YEARS! We talked about old times and chowed down on the most delicious, cheese-covered corn on the cob on the planet. In true Nolita-style, Sarah even spotted Mos Def across the street. Apparently, Def Poetry Jam left quite an impression on her.

People Watch -- Sussex County Crawfish Fest
I was certain that eating crawfish in New Jersey would be like drinking orange juice after you’ve brushed your teeth -- gross and disappointing. But, I was willing to take the chance because there’s nothing more that I love than that wow-this-is-so-hot-I-can’t-feel-my-lips-anymore burn. The festival was held at these picturesque fair grounds in Sussex County. When we walked in and I saw a sea of UT t-shirts, I knew that it was going to be a good day. After eating our body weights in crawfish, we listened to Marcia Ball (an Austin artist) perform and watched old people gettin’ down to some zydeco. Me oh my oh.