The Five Stages of Living In NYC

I couldn't come up with seven, so here goes the five I thought of on my subway ride....

STAGE ONE: AWE
This is it. The Big Apple. The City That Never Sleeps. No more Second-City complex. You've got unlimited choices and unlimited potential.

It's during this stage that you're a little, well, in awe. You carry the Not For Tourists Guide around with you to figure out how to get around town. You watch your fellow straphangers a little closer to make sure no one looks shady or will steal your wallet. You're on sensory overload with all the people, restaurants, stores, bars, museums, sporting events, activities, etc. but you're enjoying taking it all in.

STAGE TWO: INDOCTRINATION
You're settling into life as a New Yorker. You may have stopped doing touristy things and instead have settled on a few neighborhoods to hang out in or maybe even limit yourself to the three-block radius around your apartment. You swear by NY 1, curse Duane Reade, avoid midtown at all costs and even begin to develop that smug sense of New York superiority (deserved or not) because you live among artists, writers, entertainers and powerful people. Because you can get bagels, bialys, samosas, sushi, foie gras, and a slice of pizza all on the same block. Because your subway ride to work is a venerable microcosm of the world. Because now you get the local references on Sex And the City. Because you're at the center of it all. You begin to wonder why you never lived here before and pity those poor bastards stuck elsewhere who will never experience this lifestyle.

It's also during this stage that you develop an unhealthy and warped perspective on money. When $100+ dinner for two is considered "not bad", $2000+ a month for a rental apartment is considered a "deal", and when you realize that despite the fact that you make good money it is never enough here and certainly insufficient to ever buy a home in this town. You're jaded, consumed with real estate, and aware of the constant presence (or absence) of money in this town. Nevertheless, you remain steadfast. You're officially a New Yorker.

STAGE THREE: BACKLASH (REBELLION)
This stage typically occurs during the months of July or August when the city quite literally smells like human excrement, when you're forced to pack into a subway car with people who don't share your same sense of hygiene, and when some facet of our city's infrastructure fails us (see ConEd's blackouts, the recent steam pipe explosion, the even more recent mass transit disruption due to rain, etc.). This phase may also be triggered by some random-ass event that could only happen in NYC, like the Yankee player who crashed his plane into an apartment building, which though not tied to terrorism, still reminded us of the constant underlying belief that we collectively share as New Yorkers: terrorists will strike this city again.

It is also during this stage that the characters you once found charming for their "New York-ness" are now simply just "assholes". You also realize that it is ridiculous how much you are paying for rent, how little space you have, and how "not normal" your lifestyle is. You realize how the "standards" for NYC apartments and landlords are so much lower than what's reasonably expected and are thus willing to put up with poor service and treatment because after all, it's New York and after all, it could be worse.

You recognize that it's not necessarily healthy for your ears to be exposed to the deafeningly screeching sounds made by subway cars while simulatenously your i-Pod blares to drown out the omnipresent subway preachers and panhandlers. Nor can it be healthy for you to inhale the stagnant, pollution-filled, humid air. Nor can it be good for the soul to not be near green grass or a clean body of water.

During this stage, it's best to avoid visiting other big cities like Chicago, San Francisco or Seattle - all of which seem to exhibit healthier lifestyles, more affordable housing, and an enviable quality of life - so as to not drive yourself completely crazy.

STAGE FOUR: ACCEPTANCE
The honeymoon now over, you begin to recognize that New York may not be the place you settle down in permanently. But you knew that all along, didn't you? This was the deal you struck. The trade-off you agreed to. You didn't come here to save money. You certainly didn't come here for the fresh air. You didn't come here to escape a rat race. You came here to experience this city, to pursue opportunities, to not have regrets. You remind yourself why you came here and how it never was supposed to be long-term.

STAGE FIVE: RENEWAL
This stage often coincides with spring (just in time for the release of Cadbury Creme Eggs) or perhaps fall (just in time for Back-to-School season). You begin to recognize that you might just leave NYC in a couple years and start looking at things with fresh eyes, as if it will be one of the last times you see those landmarks, hop on that 2 train, laugh with those friends. You realize that there is much more to see and do. More of New York to be experienced. More goals to be reached. More opportunities to be had. More memories to be created. Maybe you ought to make the most of this time in New York. To steal from The Lucksmiths, maybe you'll look back and remember this as The Chapter in Your Life entitled 'New York'.

Or maybe you will stay after all. Wait, I just remembered that rent check. Fuck it, I'm out of here in two years.

Summer in NYC: How Do I Hate Thee, Let Me Count The Ways

This morning I woke up to a torrential downpour in Park Slope. I needed to make it to work as I had a 9:00 am meeting. I decided to go early so I could prepare. I left my apartment at 7:00 am and headed to the subway station only to find out that the 2/3 trains weren't running. Okay, what to do? After an unsuccessful attempt to get a cab, I finally called Arecibo and took the car service into Manhattan.

Traffic was ridiculous and what should have taken 30 minutes or less ended up taking an hour. Even then, traffic was crawling and I eventually got out of the car and walked six blocks to get to the office. Some of my co-workers walked to work - one from Union Square, one from Grand Central, one from the Upper East Side. Others took cabs. Some didn't make it in at all.

It's amazing how some rain crippled the mass transit system. NY Times covers the story here.

UPDATE: More coverage on the chaos, the commuter frustration and the Brooklyn tornado?! from the Times here. And, uh, does anyone else notice that this extreme weather is due to the friggin' climate crisis????

It's Official. I am Lame.

FACT: Last night, A Camp (the side project of Nina Persson of The Cardigans) performed at Union Hall.



FACT: I had purchased two tickets to this sold out show way in advance.



FACT: I can walk to Union Hall in about 10 minutes.



FACT: Instead of going to see them perform in a cool setting close to home, I proceeded to lay on the couch and get sucked into trainwreck television like: Age of Love, Fat March, The Pick-Up Artist, and Man Band.



FACT: I am officially old and lame.



For those interested in how the show went and how those who are young and hip live, Brooklyn Vegan posted this blurb and pics from Trent's Flickr.

It's Getting Hot in Here

It's beyond redonk in terms of the heat and humidity in this town. Tomorrow is supposed to be even worse with temps in the 100s!

As I descended into the stinky, humid, and appallingly uncomfortable abyss of the subway station, I'm pretty sure I muttered under my breath (to myself): "This city is f#cking bullsh&t!"

I then also decided that Chicago winters are worse than NYC winters (that wind goes right through those thermals!) but that NYC summers are way worse than Chicago's (thanks to the funky smells, the quantity of people and the unbearable subway stations).

Sunday in Coney

Tonight we went to our second Cyclones game of the summer.

Thankfully the weather cooperated with us and it was actually pleasant and comfortable out. Also, we lucked out with not having any annoying people sitting in the rows in front of us and behind us.

We got there fairly early and picked up the Marty Markowitz Bobblehead. The game was fun and we saw some good plays (including a few homeruns) and by the time we took off, the Cyclones led the Aberdeen Ironbirds by a score of 9-3 in the 6th inning. They ended up winning 12-6.

Summer Butt Kickin'

First we watched Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) kick some serious butt in The Bourne Ultimatum at the Court Street theater in Brooklyn Heights.

It was a great action film and even better than the first two in the series. Almost as fun as watching the non-stop action in exotic locales was the packed theater for the 11am matinee. Let's just say it was one of those typical "participatory" New York City moviegoing crowds. Whenever Bourne triumphed after an intense fight scene, there was applause and hollering in the theater which added to the fun of seeing it with a big audience.

Next, we got our butts kicked by the sweltering NYC heat. We made it down to Boerum Hill and Smith Street where we took refuge at an Irish bar called Ceol. I had a pint of Smithwicks and a California Wrap as we watched a little Man U on the telly, er, I mean television.

Bar + It Game = Potential Fun

It's hot as hell today but we were in the Boerum Hill area and walked down Smith Street. We walked by a bar called Camp and noticed that on August 28th they are hosting a Guitar Hero Tournament. Nerdy? Yes. Intriguing? Also yes.

Chocolate Rain

I saw this on Best Week Ever. Weird!

Love Me Some Samosas

We've been watching some episodes of Food Trip with Todd English on the local PBS affiliate and saw him cover the various interpretations of "dumplings" and "flat breads" of the world.

So, it was only a matter of time before we gave in and went to Amin in Park Slope to indulge in some samosas, chicken tikka masala, and naan.

Save Money, Save the World

The groundswell of support for the anti-bottled water movement is taking hold.

Here's a recent Op-Ed piece in the Times laying out their argument "in praise of tap water"...

And here's another interesting story on the topic from the folks at Alternet.

Ben Folds' cover of Such Great Heights

James - Say Something

And Then London Called...

On Monday night I met up with a friend in the West Village at a bar called Vol de Nuit (W. 4th and Ave. of the Americas).

It's a Belgian Beer lounge so naturally we had some Chimay and some pommes frites.

It was good to see her one last time before she moves to London.

BB8: Jameka is a Moron

She cannot distinguish between destiny and random chance.

So Sick of Subway Preachers

After a hard day at work and having faced the ordeal that is the humid deathtrap otherwise known as the NYC subway platform in late July, the last thing you want is to have someone preach to you about Jesus.

This woman seemed normal enough and was pretty well dressed. So it was not unusual that she actually grabbed our attention when at the Atlantic Avenue stop on the 3 train, she got on and announced: "Excuse me ladies and gentlemen."

What is this, I wondered? She went on: "I just want to remind you...." Where is she going with this, I thought? "....that Jesus died for our sins." Oh boy, here we go. That's when the iPod volume gets kicked up a few notches higher.

I don't know about her god but my god has some commandments and one of them is "Thou Shalt Not Annoy." I'm so sick of people on the subway exhibiting this antisocial behavior and telling us what to believe. What about the Jews and Muslims on the train who don't believe in Jesus? Not to mention it's just plain rude! Please shut up from now on.

Power of 10

Has anyone else been slightly annoyed by the promo spots running for the upcoming game show Power of 10?

In the ads, host Drew Carey asks inane questions like: "What percentage of Americans don't wear underwear?"

My question in return is: "What percentage of Americans will watch this crappy show?"

Maybe He Fell From the Money Tree

Just when you think you've seen it all on the subway...

I was riding the 3 train downtown to Brooklyn and saw a man who appeared to love money. He loved it so much that he wore a necklace whose links were made of dollar bills. He also had a drawstring bag that had images of hundred dollar bills on it. And he had both a wall calendar and monthly planner out on his lap on which he proceeded to write different dollar amounts out on different days.

What was he doing? Keeping a tab of expenses? Money owed to him? Or perhaps he is just crazy. Here's to you Crazy Money Man.

Sunday Afternoon Movie

It's raining in NYC today, so naturally we stayed in and watched a movie - Maxed Out.

It's a thought-provoking documentary that focuses primarily on the predatory lending practices of credit card companies and other financial institutions (including shady Providian, and the big banks like Citi, Chase, etc.)

The film at times seems a bit uneven in trying to tackle too much. For example, it touches on everything from controversial credit card marketing practices in wooing college students to tackling the U.S. budget deficit.

However, the poignant moments come when the film highlights individuals so caught up in debt that there is often no relief. And more often there are desperate and tragic results. Sadly, it also points out the increasingly widening gap between the have's and have-not's and the corresponding elimination of a middle-class. The bottom-line is to stay as fiscally prudent and knowledgable as possible so as not to fall into a debt trap that one cannot escape from.

Gathering in SoHo

Last night we headed to Kin Khao in SoHo (171 Spring Street) to celebrate my friend's birthday. It was a good sized group and we enjoyed each other's company as well as the tasty Thai food. I ordered the Pad See Yew with chicken and it was really good.

Afterwards, we did a brief stint at Blue Ribbon Bar in the West Village where I downed a pint of the Old Speckled Hen prior to heading to Daddy-O.

Aquafina = Purified Bullsh*t

The Times ran an article today about what we already know...

PepsiCo Inc. is the latest company to offer some clarity about the source of its top-selling bottled water as it announced on Friday it would change the label on Aquafina water bottles to spell out that the drink comes from the same source as tap water.

Dramatic Chipmunk

TV Disaster

Like watching an accident...

Latest iTunes Downloads

1. Grow Up Metric
2. Love You In The Fall Paul Westerberg
3. Smokers Outside The Hospital Door Editors
4. Goodbye The Postmarks
5. The Heinrich Manuever Interpol
6. Valerie Mark Ronson feat. Amy Winehouse
7. If You Fail We All Fail Fields
8. West Coast Coconut Records
9. Anniversary Suzanne Vega
10. Karaoke Plays Maximo Park

On Second Thought, Tap Water Is Just Fine

I read a thoughtful and eye-opening article about the bottled water industry in the latest issue of Fast Company.

Written by Charles Fishman, it essentially raises the following questions (taken from the article), once you understand the resources needed to deliver the water:
1)Does the value to me equal the 99 cents I'm about to spend?
2)Does the value equal the impact I'm about to leave behind?

Fishman points out some interesting facts, including:
-24% of the bottled water we buy is tap water repackaged by Coke and Pepsi
-More than half the people in Fiji don't have reliable drinking water
-We pitch 38 billion water bottles into landfills a year
-Tap water is impressively safe in the U.S.!
-Our consumption of bottled water is expected to surpass soda
-The environmental costs of producing bottled water: energy consumed through transportation/shipping, filtration processes, etc.

Princeton University professor Peter Singer puts it in perspective, saying:
"Where the drinking water is safe, bottled water is simply a superfluous luxury that we should do without....We're completely thoughtless about handing out $1 for this bottle of water, when there are virtually identical alternatives for free. It's a level of affluence that we just take for granted."

Whole Foods' CEO John Mackey believes purchasing bottled water is a choice (which it clearly is) for consumers to make. It's a choice that I'll have to think more about from now on.

Fuggehdaboutit

Last night we met up with a couple friends and made our way to Coney Island for the Cyclones game. We tried to get a hot dog at Nathan's beforehand but the lines were way too long. So, we walked around the boardwalk but it wasn't that enjoyable as it was more crowded (and dirtier) than we remember. Are we still trying to compare NYC to Cali? NYC will ALWAYS lose the cleanliness battle.

Thus, we went to KeySpan Park to take refuge. It's still a great park - good seats, affordable (compared to MLB), decent food options, and definitely fan/family friendly. Although it might be a little too family friendly as we had some annoying parents around us who pretty much let their kids do what they want. Hmm, that doesn't happen here, does it?

Nevertheless it was still fun to hang out, to see the Cyclones hand it to the Valley-Cats (score was 11-2), and, of course, there's the unintentionally funny local spot for Bay Ridge Toyota, which exclaims (to song), "We Deliver, We Deliver!"

Green Day

This morning we stopped by the green market at Grand Army Plaza. Besides picking up some fresh fruit and other treats, we got a couple free reusable grocery bags courtesy of One Bag At A Time and sponsorship by Sundance Channel's The Green.

Afterwards we spent some time at The Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

When we returned home I finally got around to watching my copy of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. Once again, he lucidly laid out his argument with a mix of charts, graphs and photos. One really gets to see the staggering damage global warming has done: melting glaciers, rising temperatures to unhealthy consequences, causing flooding in some areas and droughts in others, and in general, simply disrupting our fragile ecosystem.

Pleasant Weather, Finally

A brief respite from the heat and humidity is here with comfortable temps in the NYC area. Last night we met up with a good friend from college and his fiancee. We had some drinks and tapas at Sala One Nine in Union Square, where they have a "buy one round, second round is free" happy hour. Who knew?

Why Do I Live Here Again?

Because the stinky subways, humidity, long lines, mass of humanity, constant threat of terrorism, subway wackos, shady landlords, and ridiculous real estate prices aren't enough....

Ah yes, there's always our fair city's aging and dangerous infrastructure run by the dolts at ConEd. They've brought us such crimes as electrocuted dogs, manhole explosions, countless blackouts and now an exploding steam pipe that made Manhattan look like a disaster film tonight.

Interpol - Heinrich Maneuver

My current favorite song...

The 2 and 5-Year Plans

Things have subsided for now with crazy landlady so maybe we'll be in Park Slope for a couple years (while my wife attends grad school). If not, top prospects include: Washington Heights and Morningside Heights in Manhattan; Long Island City in Queens.

As for the longer term, who knows? Maybe we'll settle in Morristown, NJ.

Or maybe we'll embrace our West Coast bug and pick one of these two areas:

1)San Francisco, CA (Bay Area)

2)Seattle, WA

Guitar Hero

The Times did a piece on how Guitar Hero is the new karaoke...

Saturday in NYC

Yesterday, we made our way down to Windsor Terrace where we had breakfast at the Windsor Cafe.

Then we killed some time at the Barnes and Noble on 7th Avenue before watching the matinee of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I thought it was one of the better Potter films though in some ways old Harry is getting to be formulaic in that 24-Jack Bauer kind of way. For example, though Harry's proven himself time and time again, why does he continue to get picked on and why do people continue to doubt him? Nevertheless, it was good fun though I don't think really young kids should see it b/c it's pretty dark stuff.

Later we walked through Prospect Park and in the evening made our way to the West Village in Manhattan to celebrate a friend's birthday at Daddy-O, where they have some serious tater-tots.

Overheard in Park Slope

In Prospect Park around 2pm yesterday....

(white male to white female companion): "There's a difference between political correctness and being critically conscious of race."

The Final Countdown

I saw this on The Soup - hilarious!

SHOCKING NEWS: ADULTS ACTING LIKE ADULTS IN NYC

Was I the only one who found The New York Observer columnist Lizzy Ratner's piece "The New Victorians" pretty obnoxious? As in, it's obnoxious to put a label of New Victorians on this supposed segment of NYC society. Plus, what makes them indicative of Victorian ethos, anyway?

Imagine that - people in their 20's nesting, focusing on career, having pets, getting married, throwing dinner parties and actually caring about their future?

One of my favorite quotes is this one:
As one soon-to-be-married, female 26-year-old online editor who lives in Williamsburg put it: “It’s no longer cool to be a slacker and be living in your basement.”

Sorry, but when was living in a basement ever considered cool?

It reminds me of the old Chris Rock bit where he hates on people who congratulate themselves for doing what they are supposed to do:

"I take care of my kids." You're supposed to take care of your kids! OR "I ain't never been to jail." You're not supposed to go to jail!

It's the same thing with this bullshit article. "I'm in my mid-late 20's and I am starting to act like an adult." You're supposed to act like an adult!

What do you want, a trophy?

Subway Squeezer

Just when you think we've seen it all on the subway: the kids doing flips in the aisle, the woman cutting her nails, the preachers, the guy rapping/singing into a tape recorder, the belligerent teen girls picking a fight with a woman, the creepy guy touching himself, the silent Asian guy selling bootleg DVDs, etc.

Now there's the overweight, middle-aged "squeezer" - as in, he tried to squeeze his big butt into a tiny space between two subway passengers, one of them being my wife. The guy on the other end of the empty "space" incredulously asks "you're gonna squeeze yourself into that space?" As squeezer guy lowered his caboose, my wife got up to avoid being wedged in by him. Then the first guy says "look, you made that lady get up." So squeezer guy gets up and lets my wife sit down and proceeds to stand. Unbelievable.

Another Reason to Consider Getting Out of NYC

From Anthony DePalma's 7/11/07 NY Times Article: "Warming Report Warns of Increased Flooding"

One-hundred-year floods could come as often as once every 10 years by the end of this century, Long Island lobsters could disappear and New York apples could be just a memory if nothing is done to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new report on the impact of global warming by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

I Thought I Saw Him Walking Around Park Slope

Carl Newman, frontman for one of my favorite bands The New Pornographers lives in Park Slope.

I thought I saw him walking around 6th Ave. a few months back.

And apparently he likes drinking at Great Lakes.

And, by the way, when did NYC Metromix come out? We used to use Metromix Chicago all the time when we lived there....

This is Kinda Weird Yet Kinda Fascinating

I saw this picture of the world's biggest and tiniest men meeting each other on brooklynvegan.com.

Who's Pissin' Me Off Right Now

Once again, it's the Bush administration. This time for suppressing important public health information.

For the Hipper than Thou Set....

Check out this shirt on Threadless....

Things I Am Looking Forward To

I've been hatin' a lot lately, so here's a few things I am actually looking forward to:

• Going to a Brooklyn Cyclones game
• VH1's reality show on Scott Baio
• Watching Big Brother 8 unfold this summer
• A Camp and The Postmarks performing at Union Hall
• Feist and Broken Social Scene peforming at McCarren Park Pool in Billyburg, Bklyn

The Postmarks - Goodbye

6 Months from Jersey?

The old coot broke us down. From leaving messes in our apartment, not finishing proposed repair projects, a litany of irrelevant excuses, rude treatment and veiled (or so not veiled) threats, this crazy bitch has won!

Unfortunately, it's a fact of life that you will have to deal with difficult people. And actually, we had a very amicable relationship with her up until recently. But she has really shown her true colors lately and it's not really worth all the time and energy that has already consumed us.

It's a shame because we've really enjoyed living in this apartment, this neighborhood, this city. But as my sister said: "You can't fight crazy." Plus this lunatic has our security deposit, access to our mail, and access to our home.

For now, we have to once again take the high road even though we've suffered multiple transgressions. She really has caused us to think about moving when the lease is up.

The confluence of events of the last week: really enjoying our trip to Cali, the difficulty of dealing with a abhorrent landlady, and our personal need to look for a more economical (yet higher standard of living - is this possible?) may very well send us packing and seeking refuge in a Jersey suburb. Could this blog be renamed The Turnpike via the Slope? Or will things cool down and will we remain here? Maybe find a different place in Park Slope? Or make a move to Manhattan to be closer to my wife's graduate school? Stay tuned. These next 6 months will certainly be interesting.

So Friggin' Smart

I'm about a third of the way through reading Al Gore's brilliant The Assault on Reason. He lucidly and articulately lays out a reasoned analysis of the state of the U.S. political sphere today, particularly with respect to the current administration.

Among the culprits of a damaged democracy are:
-Lack of debate in America
-One-way feeding of information through mass media
-Centralized wealth and power
-The use of fear to overcome reason and logic
-The right wing coalition's coordinated effort to push a narrow ideology

Though Gore has clearly explained (thus far) the causes of what's taking place, I found myself questioning what we as individuals can do to combat this. Also, where are the checks and balances that our founding fathers implemented? How has Bush been able to get away with so much and not be held accountable?

Perhaps Gore will elaborate in subsequent chapters or perhaps I have even more reason to lament the current state of affairs and the seemingly irreparable damage done by Bush and his policies.

Who's Pissin' Me Off Now

1) President Bush for yet another blatant abuse of power.
2) Terrorists.
3) My landlady for being rude, cheap, lazy, and crazy and a general beyotch.

Albums I Am Interested In

Beastie Boys The Mix Up
Editors Smokers Outside the Hospital Door
Metric Grow Up and Blow Away
The New Pornographers Challengers
The Postmarks The Postmarks

PhotoBlogging - Northern Cal

Now that we're back from our vacation, here's some pics that we took....

A pic of Bay Bridge from Ferry Plaza....

A view from the Powell-Hyde cable car....

A view of the Pacific Coast, driving down Highway 1....

One Good Meal

In an earlier posting, I mentioned our dinner at L'Auberge in Carmel. It was easily one of the best meals we've had (on par with Georges at the Cove in La Jolla, CA and Jean Georges in NYC).

I think afterwards I said: "Man, this place makes Charlie Trotter's look like Joe's Crab Shack."

It was so ridiculously indulgent that it reminded us of the over-the-topness of The Onion's Smoove B, like "the very finest chocolates in the world, etc." Seriously, read the menu below. It was good but when you step outside yourself, it sounds over-the-top.

Everything was first-rate from the intimate setting (about 12 people) to the exceptional service to the glass of Prinz Riesling and the outstanding food. We had the 10-course tasting menu, which included:

-Three different kinds of butter; three kinds of salts; and olive oil for dipping a variety of freshly baked breads
-Bacalao Croquette
-A three-part meal consisting of a bloody mary shot, a prawn, and an oyster
-Tuna tar tar (with white asparagus, chorizo and fennel)
-Spring pea Soup poured over tapioca, orange segments and scallops
-Poached fish with squash, verts, asparagus and chamomile emulsion
-Duck served with ravioli filled with duck-mousse, porcini mushrooms and applewood smoked bacon
-24-hour braised short-rib served with Hudson Valley foie gras
-A cheese selection with a unique pairing for each of the four types; served with walnut-raisin bread
-Berry cocktail with champagne sabayon and mascarpone sorbet
-Saturn peaches en croute (peche de vigne and honey ice cream)
-Banana flavored chocolate truffle

As we were departing, the waitstaff stopped us and had us meet the chef. We thanked and complimented him on the meal and found out that he was from Scarsdale, NY and was familiar with Park Slope, Brooklyn.

It was a phenomenal dining experience.

Final Day in Cali

Yesterday we started the day off by having breakfast outdoors in Sausalito, CA. Afterwards we checked out of our hotel, Casa Madrona and made a trek to Sonoma. On the way we stopped at an In-n-Out Burger.

We checked out the Roche Winery in Sonoma which was a really nice experience and took home a late harvest merlot. Besides the winery, we walked around downtown Sonoma and had lunch at Maya.

Unfortunately we had to leave and return our Toyota Prius before settling into our gate at SFO. Of course, there was a delay in which they made us board, depart and re-board the same plane! We took the red eye back to NYC and got back a couple hours past scheduled.

iPhone sightings

When we were in Northern Cal yesterday, I saw 4 dudes with iPhones: 1)guy in Sausalito; 2)two different guys in Sonoma; 3)guy at SFO airport.

They were all very popular yesterday.

Northern Cali Blogging: Nearing the End of Vacation

Yesterday we drove to Santa Cruz to see an old friend whom we knew during our Chicago days. It's a nice town - has a a downtown section and a boardwalk/amusement park area by the ocean. It reminded us of Coney Island, but nicer. Hmm, we seem to be using that phrase a lot: "like [insert NYC landmark for comparison] but nicer."

Afterwards we got back on Highway 1 along the coast and made our way to Sausalito, CA where we stayed at Casa Madrona. We had dinner at nearby Poggio Trattoria, starting with the goat cheese and fig and then the Spanish Ricotta Gnocchi and Ravioli as entrees.

Northern Cali Blogging - Backtracking Edition

It's been a couple days so here goes the recap of Wednesday and Thursday....

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 2007
We're settling into the peaceful life in Carmel, CA. Took it easy today with a walk down to the clubhouse on the grounds of Carmel Valley Ranch, took in a continental breakfast and proceeded to do a little shopping in town. Later that night we had a nice dinner at a local Japanese restaurant called Robata.

THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2007
This morning we went into Carmel by the Sea. Needless to say, it is one of the most affluent communities I've ever seen. If I ever need antiques, artwork, and a smoking jacket, I now know where to go.

After checking out the town, we hopped back into the Prius and drove the famed "17-mile Drive" - a scenic road through Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach. There were lots of great sites to be seen, including: 1)Huckleberry Hill: one of the highest elevations in the forest; 2)Spanish Bay: a scenic picnic stop; 3)Bird Rock: landmark and home to countless shorebirds; 4)and The Lone Cypress: the eternal symbol of the Pebble Beach Company.

Once we completed the drive, we traveled down Sunset Drive which turned into Ocean View Boulevard and made our way to the Cannery Row section of Monterey, CA. It was touristy, but hey, "When in Rome...". We had a decent lunch sitting outside at Lou Linguini's.

That night, we went back to Carmel by the Sea and had one of the best dinners I've ever had at L'Auberge, which will surely warrant its own blog entry.

Northern Cali Blogging - Backtracking Edition

I had not yet blogged about one of our most eventful days on the trip yet, so here it goes...

SUNDAY, JUNE 24th, 2007
We got up early and decided to do a 3.5 hour tour of the city. The tour bus picked us up at the Adagio and the driver was awesome - he had good info, was entertaining and it was sort of like listening to an oldies station as he played songs that corresponded with the moment/location that we were in at the time. For example, as we descended Twin Peaks and saw San Francisco laid out before us, he played Tony Bennett's "I left my heart in San Francisco". It's a little corny, but it was effective and we happy to play the role of tourists anyway.

During the tour, we saw many of the amazing sites that the city has to offer, including:
-Neighborhoods like Pacific Heights, Marina, Cow Hollow, Richmond, The Castro and North Beach to name a few
-The Presidio
-The Golden Gate Bridge
-Golden Gate Park
-Fisherman's Wharf
-Lombard Street
-Alamo Square famously shot for its scenic view, including the opening for Full House
-Coit Tower
-Chinatown
-Twin Peaks

It was a one of the better city tours I'd been on and afterwards we went to Chinatown for some dim sum. It was a good meal and we strolled around the streets of Chinatown thinking it was nicer and cleaner than the one back home in NYC. Hmm, "nicer and cleaner" seem to be a theme during our vacation in California.

Later in the evening, we took a cab to the Marina/Cow Hollow/Pacific Heights neighborhoods and walked around. It's really nice there and we eventually took in some great sushi at Ace Wasabi's Rock n Roll Sushi.

We hopped in a cab back to Union Square for an after dinner drink and then had our Norah Jones sighting.

Northern Cali Blogging: Backtracking Edition

TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2007

Yesterday was our last day in San Francisco before heading to Carmel, CA. We had a nice breakfast at Sears Fine Food, a historic local restaurant known for its little pancakes. We then went back to the Ferry Plaza for another look at the farmer's market/gourmet marketplace and one final glimpse at the Bay.

We did a bit of shopping on Market Street and then had a quick bite to eat, indulging in some fish tacos at Rubio's.

Next, we went to Avis to pick up our rental car. We decided to embrace our eco-friendly Cali attitude and rent a hybrid car, the Toyota Prius. We hopped in the Prius and drove along the Pacific Coast down Highway 1 which offered spectacular and scenic views of the Pacific Ocean and its surroundings.

After a few hours of driving, we reached our destination at Carmel Valley Ranch and had a great dinner.

CHOICE CAN SUCK TOO

When we were at Borders in San Fran the other day we came across a book called The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less by Barry Schwartz.

We're both interested in reading it as the author goes into explaining how more choice actually erodes one's psychological well-being.

It made me think about why NYC can be so stressful - because living there is about constantly making choices and about having limitless options. Even dining out can be a chore - what neighborhood, what type of cuisine, what subway line you will take. It's both the blessing and curse of living there...

Northern Cali Blogging - Backtracking Edition

We're currently in Carmel, CA and still on vacation. I'm trying to catch up with a little blogging of our journey....

SATURDAY, JUNE 23rd
We arrived with no problem at SFO. Our room wasn't ready yet at the Hotel Adagio in Union Square so we took a walk and ended up at Ferry Plaza, a really nice upscale indoor gourmet marketplace and farmer's market that's located right by the Bay. It reminded me a little bit of Chelsea Market back home in NYC but perhaps a little nicer?

We walked along the Embarcadero and made our way to a nice lunch at Waterfront Restaurant - I had the fish and chips and my wife had pasta. After lunch, we continued on and ended up checking out Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf . They're both big tourist traps and akin to Chicago's Navy Pier and NYC's Southstreet Seaport. Which then prompted me to think, why do tourists always visit these areas when they have the exact same stores/restaurants in every tourist city (Hooters, Hard Rock Cafe, Joe's Crab Shack)?

We eventually got tired and caught a ride back to our hotel. We checked in and pretty much passed out after all the walking, the 6-hour flight and the three-hour time difference.

Celeb Sighting: SF Edition

The Celeb: Norah Jones

Why She's Famous: Songs like "Don't Know Why" have made her a favorite amongst the latte-drinking crowd at Starbucks.

The Sighting: It was on Sunday, June 24th at around 9:30pm in the lobby of the Hotel Adagio where we were staying.

The Scenario: We had just finished drinks at the hotel bar and approached the front desk to ask for an adapter for the i-pod. I saw her talking to another lady at the front desk and I must have been staring at her trying to figure out if it was her 'cause she made eye contact with me a couple times. My wife and I then pretended to read something while waiting to see Norah's next move, which was to leave the hotel with her boyfriend and skip down the street.

The Proof: She played in Berkeley the night before.

Best Part of the Giants Game

Since I haven't uploaded our pics yet and we are still in Cali, here's a pic I found of SF Giants mascot, Lou Seal.

But why is his name Lou Seal? Doesn't that sound like he should be female (as in Lucille)?

My vote would be for something like Sid the Sea Lion (since there are a lot of sea lions in San Fran) but nobody asked me....

Monday Recap (SF Edition)

Yesterday, we got up early and headed to Lori's Diner in Union Square for a good old fashioned eggs/bacon breakfast. Then we took an early morning cable car ride (Powell-Hyde Route). It was nice since the car was not packed and we took in some amazing views of the city as we went from Union Square to Fisherman's Wharf.

Next, we rode the Muni from Fisherman's Wharf to the Castro and walked (and I mean walked) to Noe Valley. There were some incredible homes and views of the city in both of these neighborhoods.

Needing to return downtown, we hopped back on the Muni and then made a stop at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. To be honest, I was a little disappointed with our $12.50 per person fee as the collection wasn't that extensive. They had a Matisse as sculptor exhibit that was less than thrilling. Plus, I think there's a fine line between art and crap (or piss) when it comes to modern art. For example, on display at SF MOMA was Duchamp's "Fountain", which is basically a urinal that he wrote "R. Mutt" on. Seriously, how is that art?

Afterwards we had a great lunch at Thirsty Bear Brewing Company - a local brewpub that serves tapas! Weird, right? But the tapas were good including: spanish artisan cheeses, poached pear, candied walnuts, olives & crostini; gambas al ajillo. shrimp, garlic, chili flakes & olive oil; and empanadas. lamb, spinach, idiazabal cheese, peppers, potatoes & cilantro mint sauce.

We then took in some shopping in Union Square and later that night headed to AT&T Park for the Giants/Padres game.

There's Obnoxious Fans in San Fran Too

Last night we made our way to AT&T Park to watch the San Francisco Giants play the San Diego Padres. It took no time to get from our hotel in Union Square to the ballpark (about a $10 cab ride) and it was a breeze getting through the turnstiles. It was probably one of the nicer, if not the nicest, ballparks I've been to (yes, I've been to Yankee Stadium and Wrigley Field) but neither one of those is located by the Bay. Also, the surrounding neighborhood looked decent and there were bars/restaurants in the vicinity in case you want to hang out before/after the game.

There's lots of food (including the popular Gilroy garlic fries) and lots for baseball fans and kids to do. But the star of the show is really the location and fact that the Bay lies just behind the park and the fact that you can walk around the perimeter of the park (at least on the lower box level) and just hang out.

We stayed until the 7th inning (Giants were up 2-0 at that point and ended up winning 4-3 in the 9th) and the only negative was an obnoxious woman who sat about three rows up from us. She constantly yelled about 3-4 statements repeatedly: 1)"Padres Suck."; 2)"B-a-r-r-y!"; 3)"Sucks to be a Padres Fan."; and 4)"Let's Go Giants!"

It's a shame that all of us in Section 132 had to be subjected to this for a majority of the game. Could I have yelled back: "Redundancy Sucks"?

Who Knew They Were the NY Giants?

I've seen more than one person wearing a baseball cap here in San Fran with the interlocked NY logo and the San Francisco Giants colors. I was wondering what it was and did not realize that the Giants were once based in NYC until 1957. There's lot made about the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn but I hadn't heard much about the Giants leaving NYC too.

The New York Times ran an article earlier this week explaining the saga...

Blogging From San Francisco

It's our last morning in San Francisco before heading to Carmel today and continuing the rest of our trip. It's been a fun few days and I have to admit that despite how much I love NY (and in particular, Park Slope, Brooklyn), I've made many a comment to my wife during this trip about how it would be cool to live here someday. Could this blog eventually be renamed "The Bay via the Slope via the Lake"?

Although NYC is still the center of the world and there's nothing quite like it, there comes a point where it sometimes wears you down and you get tired of the effort of it all: always having to be "on", competing in the rat race, fighting for physical space - in apartments, in restaurants, on subways, etc.

Of course, SF is not perfect. Their mass transit is not always best explained and certainly not the model of efficiency that ours is, there seems to be a more tangible presence of panhandlers (who are quite able-bodied!) than NYC (though that may have to do with SF's great weather and fact that it's smaller than NYC), and the cost of living is just as expensive if not more than New York's. For example, we checked out a neighborhood called Noe Valley yesterday, which seems to be comparable to Park Slope, Brooklyn and picked up a copy of the Noe Valley Voice. The average condo price in April 2007 for Noe Valley was $1.2MM!!!

Not cheap at all but things appear easier in SF - you get more space, you're close to parks, the Pacific Ocean, the Bay, etc. Maybe after my wife's done with grad school, we'll embrace our inner-hippie (or is it yippie for yuppie/hippie?) and get our hybrid car and live by the Bay. Or maybe we'll stay in Park Slope. Or maybe we'll just move to Jersey.....

We're Heading to San Francisco Tomorrow....

Sala One Nine

Last night after running an errand in Union Square, we went to Sala One Nine (35 W. 19th St.). The atmosphere was good and tapas were tasty. We ordered the patatas bravas, gambas al ajillo, and datil. But the best of all was the queso de cabra con miel (fried goat cheese with honey and carmelized onions).

Chicago

On Friday, we went back to Chicago to meet up with my parents and attend the graduation ceremonies.

We got to O'Hare with minimal trouble but en route from the Avis Rental Car pick-up to our hotel downtown provided a disturbing glimpse into the plague of the cicadas. They were pervasive outside the rental car building and on 90/94 heading downtown, as they swarmed towards the speeding cars.

We made our way to the hotel fine and had lunch at Kamehachi. Afterwards, I showed my parents the downtown campus of my school. Then we did a little window shopping on Michigan Ave. before retiring for a brief nap. Later that night we took in some tapas in our old 'hood Lincoln Park at Emilio's Tapas. Still later, we met up with some old friends at Galway Arms for drinks.

The next morning we took in some sites in our other old 'hood Lakeview and then spent some time on the lakefront. We also stopped by the Green City Market and walked around the Lincoln Park Zoo. Although we really like living in New York (and in particular, Brooklyn), we couldn't help but miss old Chicago and be taken by how much more spacious, clean, and (judging by the prices we saw) more affordable it is to live there. You don't really appreciate those things until you live in NYC.

Eventually we made our way back to the hotel and then got ready to attend the commencement exercises. They had a nice luncheon for family, friends, and guests and the food was surprisingly good. The ceremony was held in a non-air-conditioned gym so I suggested my parents and wife stay in the air-conditioned building that was simulcasting it. It was great to finally get the diploma and even better to get out of the uncomfortably hot gym. I met back up with my family for the post-commencement mixer and then we headed to Erwin for a nice post-graduation dinner.

On Sunday, we went to Millennium Park which was a lot nicer than I remembered. We saw the Pritzker Pavilion, the Lurie Garden, the Crown Fountain and, of course, the Bean.


Afterwards, we went to Blue Water Grill for a nice Father's Day brunch.

Data Geeks Unite

I read an interesting article in New York Magazine about Edward Tufte. The NY Times describes him as the "Leonardo Da Vinci of data."

Wikipedia describes him as "an expert in the presentation of informational graphics" and among other achievements, he is known for pretty much ripping PowerPoint a new a-hole.

Um, certainly he does so with more eloquence than my vulgar brain can muster at this hour.

I'm not entirely sure what to make of it all but he appears to do a better job than anyone else of merging the seemingly disparate fields of statistics and design.

For more on Tufte, check out his site.

Back to Chicago (for a weekend)

We're going back to the Windy City where it's supposed to be in the 90s! We're very much looking forward to the heat and humidity. Okay, maybe not so much. But we are looking forward to seeing old friends, family, our old haunts and picking up that grad school diploma.

Plus, maybe we'll get to spend some time by Lake Michigan.

Disturbia

I saw a piece on BBC World News the other day that talked about the new Creation Museum in Kentucky.

And yes that's a picture of a fully-clothed kid playing side by side with a T-Rex. Umm, yeah, humans and dinosaurs were separated by about 60 million years so this is pretty much, how do you say....IMPOSSIBLE! Oh, why let facts get in the way?!

Networking

Last night I went to a grad school alumni event hosted at The Williams Club.

It was pretty good but I would recommend some changes:
1)Name Tags (pretty basic)
2)Open Bar all night - not just for an hour!
3)Better communication of alumni happenings

Sheeesh...

Bo Knows Legends

A friend of mine turned me onto this cool T-shirt by No Mas titled "Tecmo Bo" based on the early 90's Nintendo game Tecmo Bowl and the ridiculously good virtual version of Raiders running back Bo Jackson.


How good was Bo? Check out this YouTube clip someone posted...


And who can forget those Nike commercials like this one and this?

Eat. Drink. Blog.

On Wednesday, we had dinner at Peperoncino and then indulged in a $6 fresh mint-chip shake from The Chocolate Room. Though initially taken aback by the steep price, it was perhaps the best mint-chip shake I've ever had.

Last night we met up with some close friends who were in town and sat outside in the beer garden at Flatbush Farm.

From Beneath Us, It Devours

Okay, now I totally get the "point" of this T-shirt from Brooklyn Industries, especially after reading the New York Magazine article by Daphne Eviatar regarding the ten million gallons of toxic gunk trapped in Greenpoint, Brooklyn...

Gene- Sleep Well Tonight

These Smiths-like blokes were pretty good back in the day....

Green TV

I came across a program called The Green on The Sundance Channel. It's pretty interesting and you can watch old episodes On Demand on your local cable system. It's described as "television's first regularly-scheduled programming destination dedicated entirely to the environment."

Google Street View

Anyone else both fascinated and creeped out by Google Street View?

Ida - Shotgun

UnFun Fact

From The Big Green Apple: Your Guide to Eco-Friendly Living in New York City by Ben Jervey -

*In 2003, 61% of ConEd electricity flowing into New York City was being generated by power plants using nonrenewable resources such as coal, petroleum and natural gas.*

**Electricity generation throughout New York State releases an average of 129 billion pounds of carbon dioxide annually, the most notorious of greenhouse gases.**

Sebadoh Rebound

I had this song in my head today....

Sunday Errands & Always Room for Ice Cream

We went to Brooklyn Frameworks (169 5th Ave.) to get a picture framed and then checked out the new patisserie called Trois Pommes, headed up by ex-Union Square Cafe pastry chef Emily Isaac.

We tried a scoop of their homemade pistachio ice cream which was delicious but came at the hefty price of $3 for barely a scoop. As my wife, said, however, "hey, Baskin Robbins doesn't taste like this." Touché.

Speaking of ice cream, we picked up a pint of 5 Boroughs Ice cream at Union Market - trying the SoHo flavor - cappuccino ice cream with hazelnut biscotti and chocolate covered espresso beans.

Jazz in Park Slope

Last night we made our way to the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music to see The Steve Turre Quintet perform.

Steve is a preeminent trombonist and seashellist (yes, this dude plays seashells!) and was joined by a talented group onstage including Brooklyn native Ronnie Matthews on piano, Gerald Cannon on bass, Dion Parson on drums and Akua Dixon on cello and piano.

Besides being a member of the Saturday Night Live Band, Steve has played with a variety of jazz legends and has released a number of CDs.

The atmosphere at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music was great last night with lots of locals and the definite feel of a Brooklyn community coming out for some great live jazz. With the exception of one woman who was eating Cracker Jack during one of the slower tunes, the crowd was well-mannered and treated to nearly three hours of music! And yes, Steve called the woman out by saying that it was "annoying" and that she should at least wait for a faster song so no one could hear her eating and rustling with her bag.

The quintet performed a mix of originals and classics and provided a great night of entertainment for those in attendance.

Nau seems so Now

I read an interesting article in Fast Company about a new outdoor apparel company called Nau. Based in Portland, OR the management team consists of some ex-Patagonia folks looking to merge "beauty, sustainability, and performance." It's an interesting retail concept in that they encourage customers to try on their clothes in the brick-and-mortar stores but have them shipped to their homes (using a 10% discount and free shipping as incentives). Their goal is to keep the physical stores smaller, thereby cutting down operating costs like real estate and inventory. Meanwhile, they promise to send 5% of their sales to customers' preferred charities (which they can select through kiosks in their stores). It's a cool concept and I already like one of their jackets, though it's a little expensive.

Sustainability and Fair Trade Coffee

I've heard these terms before and continue to see them being used in the media, but what was wondering how they were defined exactly.

Wikipedia describes sustainability as follows:
"Sustainability is an attempt to provide the best outcomes for the human and natural environments both now and into the indefinite future."

And Ben Jervey (author of The Big Green Apple: Your Guide to Eco-Friendly Living In New York City) writes: "Sustainability, from a human standpoint, is reached when an activity or system can be sustained over the long term without harming, degrading or diminishing the conditions - environmental, economic or other - necessary to support those same activities or systems."

Meanwhile, the organization Global Exchange defines fair trade coffee as such: "Fair Trade means an equitable and fair partnership between consumers in North America and producers in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The chief concern of the Fair Trade movement has been to ensure that the vast majority of the world's coffee farmers (who are small holders) get a fair price for their harvests in order to achieve a decent living wage."

For more on sustainable development and corporate social responsibility, check out these links on the Kellogg School of Management's Social Impact Club website.

Star Wars

I watched an interesting 2-hour special on The History Channel called Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed. It chronicles how the films pulled from various sources: history, mythology, religion and literature.

At one point, they describe the Evil Empire as such: "....disguised as kindly Senator Palpatine who uses the republic's fears of rebellion and war to gradually seize absolute power...."

Hmmm, why does that sound familiar?