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Kiss my glass

The Phillip Glass classical music festival for new composers called MATA kicks off at Le Poisson Rouge March 31. 

Dance dance revolution

Sashe Frere Jones says this is a new moment in dance music and these are the groups doing it best:

London's Fake Blood

Los Angeles duo Acid Girls

New York d.j.s - Nick Catchdubs, DJ Ayers, and Jubilee (they play Flashing Lights party at Studio B April 3.) 

X

Dia Center for the Arts in West Chelsea ran from 1987- 2004 at West Twenty-second Street.

The avant-guarde museum has re-opened as X, a space holding weekly events with music, art, video and performance.

Word is to skip the elevator and take the stairs to see Dan Flavin's last light sculpture (on loan the Dia Art Foundation). It's a blue-and-green installation from 1996.

*** This info. from the New Yorker column by Andrea K. Scott

The web site is calling it Dia:Chelsea. Here's the link for more info. 

Korean Tacos

Kogi Taco Truck in LA twitters their location every night. People wait for up to two hours to get a kimchi taco. Now there are rumors it's coming to NY. Be on the look out...

Velcomen, Berliners to NYC

Several events to celebrate the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the city of Berlin in general will happen next week in  NYC - most taking place at the New Museum on the Bowery.  

New Museum Shin digs for art, film and fashion will be held April 1 -3

Club Night however will happen at APT Club Thursday, April 2. MUST GO SEE THIS! Germans know how to get down. 

Studio Boratto

Gui Boratto will play the Fixed Party at Studio B this Friday Night March 27. $15 advance tickets available, 20 at door. 

Brooklyn Restaurant Week

Dine in Brooklyn - Running March 23 -  until April 2.  Two and three (and some cases 4_ course pre-fixe lunch and dinner. First year places are offering brunch too. 

Some great places to check out:

Farm On Adderley- Ditmas Park, New American  

River Room- DUMBO, Romantic 

Aurora - Williamsburg, Italian 

Hibino- Cobble Hill, Japanese

Hit www.visitbrooklyn.org for all participants 

Me Want Food

So I talk to a lot of people about restaurants when I'm out on shoots for my NY1 Zagat Segments. Here's an updated list of what's out there: 

Defonte's: Sandwiches: Try number 34 - the pork hero. 

261 Third Ave. at 21st St. 212-614-1500 

Braeburn: quail sausage, lemon tarts. 

117 Perry St., near Greenwich St. 212-255-0696

Tanoreen: Bay Ridge, voted Best of Cheap Eats by NY Mag. Apparently out of this world yummy middle eastern food. 

7704 3rd Ave., Brooklyn. Take R train to 77th and 4th. Walk to 3rd. 

DiFara's: Pizza in Midwood. Apparently people traveling from Philly bought 4 pies and ate them all. Older owner makes all of the pizza on his own so they're closed on Mondays and 

Tuesdays (This is all hear say!?) 

1424 Ave. J at E 15th St., Brooklyn, 11230 

Una Pizza Napoletana - Open Thursday - Sunday - 5:00pm until sold out. Only 4 options on the menu so they better be good. 

349 E. 12th St., Manhattan

Aurora: Supposedly the best Italian out there. 

70 Grand St. at Wythe Ave. 

Motorino: In Williamsburg, voted best pizza by blah blah and so and so 

319 Graham Ave. at Devoe St. 

Little Owl: Alumni chef from The Harrison and Pace. 

90 Bedford St. at Grove 

Perilla

Market Table

Bar at Moma

Lupa 

170 Thompson St. 

Cook Shop: Recommended for brunch to try Semolina Raisin French Toast. Same owners of Five Points and Hundred Acres. 

156 10th Ave. at 20th St. 

Five Points

Casa Mono

Hecho En Dumbo: @ The Dumbo General Store.  This one has been on my list for years. What can I say - I love DUMBO and I really enjoy Mexican food. 

111 Front St. between Adams and Washington 

Ed's Lobster Bar: Ooops he's in trouble for infringing on the intellectual property rights of Pearl's Oyster Bar but I'll add Ed to this list regardless. 

Orchard

Ino'teca

Pearl's Oyster Bar: Man I met today eats here at least 4 times a week 

Baby Bo's Cantina: Mexican Food 

627 2nd Ave.  nr 34th St. 

The Grocery: Carroll Gardens restaurant for New American eats (with the obvious Brooklyn organic, local etc. etc. etc)

  

Breaking Bad

Sunday Nights: AMC at 10pm

Amazing television. Am I watching actors or am I really in New Mexico in this winnibego meth lab? Bryan Cranston from Malcolm in the Middle took home an emmy for his performance in season 1 and season two just started  a few weeks ago. WOW. Why are you not watching?! Go here to experience this feat of acting prowess. 

Go Go Music

The Bay Area has hyphy music. DC has go go. 

Go go is a mix of African derived rhythms, loud brass and bass drums, audience call and response and sometimes a swing beat. 

Chuck Brown is called the "Godfather of Go Go." He's now in his sixties, but this African American jazz guitarist and singer still performs in D.C. to this day. 

Music to Listen to:

The Junk Yard Band: Single "The Word" 

Rare Essence 

Chi-Lites - "Are you my woman?" 

Rich Harrison - Produced "Crazy in Love," recommends Beyonce's 2006 Album "B'Day"  

The Scene:

Used to be popular at Club U - Corner of 14th and U St. NW but closed in 2005.

Now largely moved to the suburbs: Check out Prince George's County, MD

Check City Paper for shows

Jessica Takes the Nation's Capitol

This weekend I ventured to Washington D.C to celebrate a friend's birthday. Here's where I ate and what I saw: 

1. Took the Bolt Bus down there for $25 each way. Leaves from 33 and 7th (right next to Sbarro's) and dropped me off in downtown D.C. 

2. Got off the bus, headed to Chinatown for Dim Sum (Obviously, I love me some Dim Sum). Had delicious stuffed fried tofu at Szechuan Gallery at 617 H St. NW. Twenty percent off dim sum and a beer to start me sight seeing. 

3. Headed a few blocks south for some classic American history. First off I hit the National Botanical Gardens right next to the Capitol building. Then I was off the short distance to the National monument, National Sculpture Garden, Lincoln Memorial. The I went and said hello to B and M at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

4. Ali and I drankity drunk at the Black Rooster Pub at 19th St. HW between L and K 

5. Had yummy pizza at Red Rocks near Columbia Heights.

SATURDAY:

1. Sampled the famous Half Smoke Chili Dog (Bill Cosby's favorite) at historic venue Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street. Fell asleep against the mirror waiting and waiting for my delicious meal. 

2. After a brief nap, headed to dinner :) Went to Vegetate by Howard University.

3. A wonderful evening of dancing and wigs at Wonderland Ballroom. 

SUNDAY:

1. A HUGE lunch that reminded me of Grandma Birdie's Chicken in the East Village at D.C soul food institution Oohh's and Aahhs. Had some amazing baked chicken, mac and cheese and iced tea. Cornbread, salmon, green beans, lemon cake - what didn't I get? 

Next time I'm in DC I will: 

1. Hit the National Art Museum

2. Visit Du Pont Circle and 

A. Cue Bar: 1115  U St. NW

B. 9:30 Club

C. Fight Club Punk Scene: 10th NW between L and M

D. DC Blues Festival: www.dcblues.org - Sept. 

E. Adams Morgan Festival: www.adamsmorganday.org - Sept.

F. See Rock Creek Park 

Hit up Shenendoah National Park, get some white water rapids in and camping in West Virginia. 

 

I dreamed a dream...

The Dream -  producer and now solo artist. Check out some funky beats. 

Penal Code

Will Arnett is in "Let's Go to Prison" a comedy movie from 2006 directed by Mr. Show's Bob Odenkirk. Discovered this in the Vanity Fair article about Arnett in the most recent edition. 

Here's the trailer on youtube. It looks ridiculous, I'm not sure in a good way, but in a "I'd definitely watch that" way.