jazz + beer + dad = great sunday in belgium

my dad and i went to HOPPER, a local jazz cafe here in Antwerp this sunday. the jazz was good. a belgian singer with a small combo. always an interesting crowd at these places. older and VERY eclectic. but here's the big news : local Belgian beer : 1Euro 90cents!!!!!!!!!!!! needless to say, dad and i were a little tipsy walking out of there after 2 hours! the beer was excellent - almost too good. ask for it by name. (it's on the glasses in the photo). i really dig how in europe they serve the beer in its own branded glass.

sleepwalkers

another reason i love new york is the innovative art that is displayed throughout the city. here is an example. Doug Aitken shot 4 films about people's morning preparation before beginning their days. but that isn't the cool part -- the venue where these were shown was. MOMA projected them onto the side of their sculpture garden for all to see. each are quite long - but i found clips on youtube. enjoy!
SLEEPWALKERS AT MOMA 1
SLEEPWALKERS at MOMA 2

mos def @ BAM

last night i went to see MOS DEF at BAM (brooklyn academy of music). mos is one of my favorite artists. if you look back to my first blog site, you'll see what i mean. anyhow, i took sabrina, who lives in brooklyn - and got her graduate degree in music - but had never seen him live. we both got treated to a wonderful show. you can't beat a 15-piece band, including robert glasper on piano!!! mos only did a few of his own songs -- but a bunch of covers originally crafted by many of his friends/ partners. some highlights:

• 'chi-city' by common *great horns* -- into 'hiphop' - into 'hot music' by soho
  
• 'poison' by BBD *amazing!!!* -- with 1st verse from 'passin me by' by pharcyde
  
• 'i put a spell on you' by screamin' jay hawkins *this goes out to you* -- into 'kick in the door' by biggie
  
• 'stakes is high' by de la soul *dilla tribute* -- into 'umi says'
  
• james brown funk tribute
  

snowy v-day

it's valentine's day here in nyc. apparently mother nature has decided to show her love by embracing us with snow to celebrate. it's beautiful now, but as happens in the city, in a few hours it'll be piles of grey/ black messy slush. oh well - enjoy the beauty while it lasts. a good motto for life in general, i guess. happy valentines day, to all.

i love pizza...

if you know me - you know this already. when dan & i shared and apartment together on 14th & C, we discovered a brick oven pizza show on Ave B and 12th called GRUPO. cool lil place. great thin crust pizza -- with wonderful avant guarde toppings like merguez sausage. anyhow, then patti & i happened upon a place that looked similar near her place on 2nd ave and 18th, called POSTO. WELL - now I have the third in the chain just a few blocks away!!!! VEZZO on Lex. so excited! ordered a pesto & cheese pizza - with grilled chicken. yummy in the tummy!!!

rollin' on dubbs

dubbs (sp?) are another word for rims. formerly called hub caps... now people spend endless amount of energy and money coming up with interesting effects for the wheels of one's car. here is an example of a very creative guy - making his old chevrolet a MONSTER truck, basically. he also put spinners for rims. these give the illusion that you are standing still while you are driving -- and spin when you are stopped. i would never get them (even if i had a car) - but must admit - they are pretty cool. to see one family's spinners :: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mV6j7Jqdmsg

clean clothes > right to my door

i love new york city. you can literally get anything here. since i got a raise while working at GAP a few years ago - and calculated my spending, realizing that i could afford to send out my laundry, i haven't done so much as a load myself. the getting quarters, waiting for washers if others are using them -- stuff not drying all the way. who needs it?! so, when i moved to murray hill, i continued to bring my laundry to someone to clean. well, they changed ownership recently and service has been shoddy. missing my stuff, getting others people's clothes... etc. so i explored and found another place. -- NOW here is where the magic comes in...

they will deliver your laundry to your door when its done!!!! AMAZING!

this morning at 8am i brought my dirty clothes to them -- and like magic they arrived back at my apartment at 6:15pm tonight. joy!!! clean clothes right to your door - new york is a wonderful place.

bunny suit -- fit for a king

my good friend Ian and his wife Sophie recently became parents. their son, Henry, looks so precious in the photos i've seen. henry is one of those names fit for a king, i feel. very regal.

anyhow, a few weeks ago i was in the GAP, looking at their line of (RED) products -- a brilliant marketing effort that is delivering money and aid to africa. http://www.joinred.com/. so, i thought, i'll wander downstairs to see if babyGAP has anything cute for Henry -- be it red or not.

well...JACKPOT! fuzzy blue winter coat and pants -- with ears!!! too cute to pass up, right?! i hope, one day, i'll have a kid this adorable.

custom paint job

jenny's grandma and she were driving back from walmart (their favorite pasttime) a few days ago and spotted a cool truck. her Maw (as jenny says in he cute southern accent) said she liked the trucks cool custom paint job. ;) gotta love when the old-timers are hip! apparently it had a kind of wave pattern. anyhow, so i was walking home from a fashion week event last night -- and spotted this truck on Park Ave & 34th Street. coincidence - i think not. ha!!!!