I'm running late...of the pier

According to Late of the Pier's myspace, it's Latin/Glam/Thrash. How could I resist? 

But while I'm linking to cool new tunes. Here's MORE: Wye Oak 

Black Book Magazine and City Guides = YAY

Black Book Magazine and City Guides, just searched through the New York guide and it's awesome. They may try a bit too hard to be witty and irreverent but in NYC, you'll be hard pressed to find a publication that doesn't want to be hip and hot. 

Sharon Jones at South Paw: What did I do to deserve this treat?

Well I don't know what kind of mitzvahs I've done recently to deserve this but Sharon Jones showed up as the surprise guest on Thursday night at the Daptone Records Obama Fundraiser at South Paw in Park Slope. It was amazing. Not only were we treated to an already stellar evening of the Menahan Street Band, Budos Band and I missed Naomi Shelton but heard she was amazing, but to have Sharon Jones end the evening was a heart warming surprise. 

Check out the DAPTONE Label. 

And Sharon Jones encored with "This land is your land" off of her album Naturally. It was a beautiful moment in Brooklyn. And super duper funky. 

Devin the Dude and CMJ week in preview

It's CMJ (college music journal) week in NYC and there are shows everywhere either free or very cheap. Some things to see: Hollywood Holt on Tuesday 10/21 at Angels and Kings Bar, 500 E. 11 St btwn Ave. A & B. Madlib and Peanut Butter Wolf Wednesday at Gallery Bar, 120 Orchard St. The Fool's Gold Showcase at Webster Hall Thursday, 10/23 mindnight show. And an awesome band from CALI Friday, 10/24 at The Annex (Also on Orchard St.) This will be an amazing week of music!

An artist I just discovered in NY Magazine: Devin the Dude. Razor & Tie. New album: Landing Gear. Look out for it.

Daptone Records: You can do no wrong!

The Menahan Street Band performs tonight at Southpaw in Park Slope, Brooklyn. They will also play a show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg later this week. With members from the Dap Kings, Budos Band and El Michaels Affair how could this be bad??? IT CAN'T! In my humble opinion, Daptone Records can do no wrong.

The execs at AIG can go F-U-C-K themselves

I just cannot believe people everywhere aren't ranting about this. OK they are but so then where is the action by the federal government to punish these money hungry idiots who spent nearly half a million dollars on a California retreat vacation only days after recieving millions of dollars from the Federal Government as part of the $700 billion bailout??

Shortly, I will update this post with the name of the CEO of AIG and his email address. Sure they may have called him to capital hill and given him a time out or a mean, scary scolding but come ON! This guy should be in jail; if he didn't know how much his own company was spending on a conference he should be put away for idiocy.

Palak Paneer for Jews and Vegetarians

A recipe I tried today with much success to make Palak Paneer (Creamy spinach and cheese cubes.) I substituted the cheese with tofu and added feta cheese. The I put the whole thing in a whole wheat pancake. YUM.

For the main dish:
2 boxes of creamed spinach (we used the Jewish brand in the frozen food section.You know what I mean, Praegers?)
4 potatoes
1 package of firm tofu
1/2 onion
1 cup feta cheese

For the pancake wraps: (Makes 24-26 pancakes, read the box for appropriate servings)
1 box whole wheat pancake mix
2 eggs
2 cups of milk
2 tbsp of oil

1. Bring hot water to a boil, place potatoes and packages of frozen creamed spinach in water. Leave for 12 minutes.
2. Saute onions in a pan with olive oil or save calories and use water and a spray of Pam. Add salt and pepper.
3. Cut package of tofu into sheets and place in oven to bake. Turn over half way through.
4. When spinach is cooked place in casserole dish. Add tofu, onions and potatoes when they are done cooking. Add feta cheese and stir. Place in oven to reheat or to keep warm.

Wraps:
1. Mix pancake ingredients: milk, eggs, oil and pre-packaged flour.
2. Cook on griddle or in a pan.

Kayaking in NYC: The Downtown Boathouse

Kayaking in NYC? For FREE? YES! At Pier 40 on West Houston Street from May - October The Downtown Boathouse, a non-profit, volunteer organization, works to reclaim the East River for recreation and leisure activities. The nice people give their time and help you into a kayak for 20 minutes (they don't really keep strick track of the time) to paddle up to 75 ft. There are security risks ("If you go past the line the Coast Guard will think you're from Afghanistan," I was warned.)

Other ways to kayak in NYC?
NYC Kayak Company

Where I may put my next bed: Bushwish, Brooklyn

So I hear Bushwick, Brooklyn is the new place to live. Status-pushers refer to it as East Williamsburg but if you look on an MTA subway map, it's more like East Bed-Stuy. I sat next to a very charming academic woman on a flight from SF - NY and she told me she lived in Fort Greene before it was Fort Greene and that Bed-Stuy would never change or be gentrified like other neighborhoods. She told me it was safe but "busy" and that it would always be "busy."

Then I do my research as realize Bushwick, even my mom said it was becoming cool to live there, supports loft parties (like at the newish venue Market Hotel), art openings (Factory Fresh Gallery)

Jim James Goes Down Hard in Iowa

Jim James, front man of My Morning Jacket, took a spill early in the evening at a show in Iowa and had to go to the hospital. The entire concert stopped right there, only about 10 minutes in. If that happened at the Greek Theater when I saw them a few weeks ago, we would have been in tears. I guess the U of Iowa didn't exactly know what they were missing but they probably did.

I may catch MMJ as they play a New Years Eve show at Madison Square Garden. FUN!

Tell me you love me?

Lovefest. Techno, dance and drum N bass. The freaks came out in San Francisco on Saturday October 4 for a long day of partying and craziness.

Spundae hosted a parade and dance party that went through the night. I took some substances and danced my ass off in the main square of the city before heading home for an impromptu dance extravaganza, in sneakers instead of heels.

Then it was off to Mezzanine nightclub for a late evening of Mark Farina spinning mushroom jazz beats. Then I got sick and had to go home to bed.

All in all, I will be back next year. Links to follow.

Fat Beats

Hollywood Holt and Kid Cuti put in down at Vessel nightclub in San Francisco last night for free. It was a dance party. Kanye West has blogged about Hollywood Holt before. He took off his shirt and there was a whole lotta booty shaking. YUM. 

Here's Hollywood Holt's home page

and

Kid Cuti

North to Napa

Headed to Napa Valley on Tuesday night for wine tasting and R&R . We hit up the Robert Mondavi Winery, which I just read was the first upscale winery that inspired the rest of the region. Well, the wine was alright and it was cool to get a souvenir glass to take home but our pourer was rude and not helpful at all.

But the landscaping of the vineyard is beautiful and it was a hot day up north. Beautiful.

We stayed at the Candlelight Inn, which is one of the most romantic bed and breakfast inn's in California and possibly the United States. Wendy, the proprietor, was super nice. There is a huge pool in the backyard and breakfast is a three course delicacy of fruit, crepes and quiche. 

On Wednesday we headed even farther up north to Lake Berryesa to swim. We didn't rent boats but we should have. 

Amazing mid-week getaway online 1.5 hrs from San Francisco but it felt like another world.