Hidden Treasures of the City

I went to New York last Thursday, where I totally got my lust for life back. It was one of my favorite new york times!

Zest!

This is from before I left. Luke and I sometimes sing together, while he plays guitar. He has the most beautiful voice in the world! I am somewhat mediocre, but it's just a nice thing to do.

Also from before i left. A country cat in the country. Bob Button's the name, get it straight.

And here is a city kitty in the city. Katie Cat.



Some gold frames in my old apartment in Brooklyn. My old apartment! I am always happy to see it.

My old train stop! On the stupid G. Nostalgia, everything through rose colored glasses.

Actually saying "My old this" and "My old that" I am kind of being a poser, because I lived in New York for less than a year. Whatever.

Jill and I went to this little cafe called Bruschetta Thursday night. I think it was on Rivington maybe? I don't know, I get so confused and overwhelmed in this city sometimes. Whenever I am in this neighborhood, it feels like I walk around for an hour looking for the perfect place to get a drink or a snack. There are just too many places.

But it was perfect here. We got wine and champagne and our waiter was very nice and friendly. Must not be from 'round these parts.

The whole reason I went to New York this weekend was to see my favorite band, the Cribs! They played the Bowery. I was excited and nervous, like it was a first date. It was my first time seeing them.

I think there is an indie band in the background here. Do you know which one? By the way isn't Jill so pretty? My muse.

Yay yay yay! Most of my pictures from the show are even worse than this one if you can believe it. Who has time to take pictures anyway? I just want to feeeel the music, man.

Brotherly love. This band consists of three brothers, did you know.

The crowd was going wild! Really, people were crowd surfing. I didn't know that still happened.

I can't really begin to explain what an extreme nerd I became at the show, mostly because I want to survive this post with a little bit of dignity remaining. Gosh, I love this band. And that's exactly what I told the drummer afterwards, saying it just like this, "I loooove you guys." Cringe-worthy fanning out obsess much-ness was going on.

Cribs fans. Get it?

We went to a bar afterwards. OK, so we went to this bar that the band was hanging out at because I thought that would be a good idea. It was supposed to be an after party thing, but it was pretty lame. Oh wait, I mean I was pretty lame.

So, Jill gave Erik a hair makeover to pass the time. This is the "before" shot, he looks so wholesome!

In the middle of Faux-hawking.

With sexy results!

Ummmmm. I think I was trying to get noticed. Yeesh. This move always works like a charm in Boston!

The next day I hung out with Ben! So, we haven't hung out since high school. We've had a few run-ins (including one famous time when we bumped into each other at the Dairy Twist outside of my parent's neighborhood), but we got back in touch the day before I left for nyc. Ben has been living in Brooklyn for the summer, but this was his last day. We went to Bliss on Bedford and got the Bliss Bowls. Too many B's in that sentence? Anyway, I recommend that you get something different if you ever go. I was less than blissed out. But, this place has really good Chai tea.

It was really nice seeing Ben again.

That night Gigi, Rick, and I went to Moto. It has this old-timey speak-easy vibe with a sea shanty feel. I have no idea what that means. I got mac and cheese and it was delicious.

Nice sign! So New York.

I hate my stupid flash so much.

But this pic is kind of cool, no?

There was a band playing. They were really the most perfect band I could imagine to be playing here. They reminded me of the squirrel nut zippers a little bit. There was a woman singing with them for most of the night, and she had this beautiful voice and a very charming way about her.


The next day the world was my oyster! So what did I do with it? Sat in Washington Square park of course. Mostly I people watched. You know in Lost in Translation when Scarlett J.'s character is talking about girls who always take pictures of their feet? Guilty!

I was just sitting there minding my own business when two men wheeled a piano through the park on a tiny wooden dolly and ker-plunked it down in front of me. New York, you know? So I sat and listened to them for a long time. They played some Sublime covers, which I found rather funny.

Then later that night I met up with Mike! We sat in the back patio of this bar Iona and watched people play ping pong. Whoa, alliteration. I'd never been there before, but it was a great spot. It wasn't too (please forgive me for saying this word in reference to Wburg) hipster-ish. Mike knew the name of the band that was playing at Moto, I think he said it's Hidden Treasures of the Sea. Perfect name. And it fits with my sea shanty description.

On Sunday the gang went to Uniqlo! It was my first time there, and I loved it! Seriously I would drive to Manhattan just to shop there. Then we went and got Bubble Tea (hold the bubbles) at our favorite place, Saint Alp's.


Tourists.

That night Jill and I put on our new Unilqo duds and went to...

...see the band of brothers again. Sweet.

They played the last show of their U.S. tour at Union Pool. It's a small room, so I was psyched. And yes, I was right up front.

Zest! Double Zest!