The Great Googa Mooga

May 22, 2012
The Nethermead in Prospect Park is one of the most beautiful and amazing areas of this city and a perfect spot for a music festival. The 9th St. Bandshell is a wonderful music venue, of course, but The Nethermead is completely natural and out of sight to cars or buildings.  I had seen a Carribean festival there about 10 years ago, but nothing since, so when The Great Googa Mooga, a craft food, beer and wine music festival, was announced there, I was amped! I dutifully claimed my free tickets the moment they went on sale (80,000 sold out in…

THANK YOU!

May 10, 2012
It's hard to applaud anyone for saying something so obviously right but some people's voices just matter more, so when I read that Barack Obama came out supporting gay marriage, I smiled and felt a certain peace knowing that what I have always known was now confirmed by the most powerful human in the universe. This is a victory for Love, Freedom, and Justice. That is Truth, and progressively, Hate, Bigotry and Intolerance fade as people realize that Beauty, Fulfillment and Joy are infinitely better choices. Long Live Love!

Beantown Sports

April 28, 2012
The Bruins lost on a game 7 overtime winner from The Capitals' Joel Ward; a sudden, soul-sucking death that denied their Cup defense. The Celtics start the playoffs tomorrow as resurgent favorites to make a run at another Championship. The Red Sox started as abysmally as last year, Bobby V got booed, and since then they've won five straight and averaged 10 runs a game. The Patriots shocked everyone at the draft by trading up twice in the first round then selecting virtually unknown Tavon Wilson in the second round. It doesn't always involve victory, but as entertainment it is…

Kraftwerk

April 17, 2012
I'm pretty sure I laughed when I first heard "The Robots" for the first time in 9th grade. It was... ridiculous. I had never heard anything like it before and it truly seemed like a parody, yet there was something ingenious about it that I couldn't quite comprehend. When I finally came around and really started listening to electronic music ten years later, it dawned on me that Kraftwerk were true pioneers and far ahead of their time. I saw them perform seven years ago and they absolutely blew my mind with a triptych of video projections at Hammerstein Ballroom,…

Farewell Winter

March 30, 2012
I welcome the end of Winter because Summer is sweet, but I always feel a tinge of remorse to see the snow melt away and know that I won't be back on skis for another eight months. The season typically ends with some Spring slush runs and over the last 10 days I have experienced this transition at Stowe, where we were skiing over huge dirt patches in 70 degree sunshine in the brightest ski attire we could find, and in Whitefish, Montana, where I went to visit my college roommate, Marty and his family. The first day actually had…

Snowbomb!

February 28, 2012
When I read the first Winter Weather Warning for last weekend, I immediately sent an email to a few fellow snow worshipers and quickly had a party and location: Stowe, Vermont. The first wave of snow hit on Thursday, dumping 6" on the region. I drove up Friday morning and hit up the all-time classic Mad River Glen for some single chair and steep glade action. It did not disappoint with its perfect bumps and long, twisting, desolate runs. The second wave hit that afternoon and for the next 30 hours dumped two feet plus in some places, so on…

Maine Again

February 21, 2012
President's Day was a vacation, which meant a trip to Vacationland. I drove the 6 hours to Portland on Saturday and spent the long weekend in the company of amazing family. We dined the finest as Chefbro Andrew created some dazzling masterpieces at Hugo's, we played hard on the Reiche's Paddle Tennis court and enjoyed the company of parents and siblings and united families. I am always amazed by all of my relatives and lucky to be a part of their lives. On Monday, in celebration of Washington's Birthday, I drove up to Rangeley, ME to check out Saddleback Mountain.…

Annik

February 11, 2012
Last night was a delightful romp in room 3 of Radio Stars Karaoke in celebration of Annie and Erik's engagement. They met through mutual friends and made out for the first time in the dark corner of a karaoke room so it was appropriate that we would congregate in a similar studio and sing our faces off all night long. Singing together makes bonding stronger and we are lucky to have friends who appreciate this and love to let it out from time to time. I get to sing in my classes everyday, but singing karaoke brings out the real…

Good Grief

February 8, 2012
It wasn't a moment, but it happened fast Before the final seconds passed When the truth became the past Eternal facts will always last This can't be real so I deny it A cosmic joke A real riot To myself I'd rather lie Than know the pain I'd rather die And then I seethe in exploding rage The Beast is screaming in his cage My body clenches and thrashes inside Nothing stings like wounded pride I make a plea for simple perspective Seeking solace in the nice life I live A happy past and a hopeful future But the present…

Buster Keaton and Guitars

January 18, 2012
Buster Keaton films are the very definition of classic; they are time machines to an era of simplicity and authenticity, and I am always struck by how real it all seems, despite the obvious ridiculousness of the plots and slapstick. This was filmmaking in its purest magic, before special effects became the attraction. It is the characters and the core of their actions, be they brutal physical comedy or tender facial expressions, that hold our attention and connect with an audience a century later. Thia week I attended two evenings of the New York Guitar Festival featuring seven Buster Keaton…