Cheryl’s Global Soul

September 26, 2009
Yum. I ate some of the greatest comfort food that i've ever eaten tonight. Cheryl's in Prospect Heights BK delivered heaping portions of absolutely delicious down home cooking that I had been desperately craving after a day spent in the agony of a hangover -- last night involved epic and gluttonous consumption of every type of alcohol imaginable at a wedding celebration for my father-in-law and his bride (my step-mother-in-law?) at The Bowery Hotel and a late night at Last Exit. Six hours later I awoke in my bed in anguish and have been looking for help ever since. Cheryl…

My Phone Is Instrumental!

September 25, 2009
It must be incredibly annoying to hear iPhone users constantly raving about how amazing these little devices are, so I'm sorry that you need to hear more about it from me, but without any hyperbole, I can say that this is the most incredible anything that I've ever owned. It would be pretty lame and pointless to describe everything I love about this machine, so I will limit myself to fawning over the instrument apps... Drums, piano, guitar, ukulele and synths all in my pocket and I am never bored again. I make music anywhere. Though I have never owned…

Circle Mirror Transformation

September 24, 2009
I had the pleasure of attending a dress rehearsal of Alaina's new show at Playwrights Horizon last night and it is excellent. Sure, I give all her shows great reviews (she is the Production Stage Manager) but it's only because she works on great projects! This show takes place over six weeks in an acting class in rural Vermont and features five extremely talented actors playing five unsuccessful actors searching for their role in life. Yeah, it's meta... The characters all face serious emotional baggage and end up tearing each other down. It is heartbreaking on some levels, inspiring on…

Music From Maine

September 11, 2009
I am so incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to spend time at the cabin in Maine. It is such an inspiring place. Most of my time there is spent outdoors, on the water or in the woods, walking the beach or scrambling up boulders, but I do spend some hours inside making music. Here is some work from my vacation. In The Pines Acadian Hikes Kayak To The Sun Mussel Beds The Ovens Rogue Wave Night Sky Night Water

Andrew and Rachel are married!

September 9, 2009
My younger brother is now a married man and he did it in spectacular fashion, producing all the food for the event himself. He had incredible help from many people, but it was his vision and he executed it perfectly. He was insistent (old Andrew stubbornness...) on not only doing it but not cutting any corners (growing vegetables, fishing for seafood, butchering whole cows and pigs). It was an amazing process to be a part of and I learned so much over the 10 days spent with him prior to the wedding. His wife spent most of that time at…

Vacationland

August 27, 2009
Maine. I sit on the deck of Eventide, the Taylor cabin on the cliffs of Frenchman's Bay and I have found what I was seeking. It is calm and quiet, the gentle lapping of the water, rustling of leaves and chirping of birds creating the soundtrack... Peace and Tranquility are profoundly important aspects of life that can be truly hard to find. In this spot they come in abundance. I don't need to go far to chill, the deck will do fine, but I have been exploring Mt. Desert Island in depth the past few weeks, with hikes and bikes…

Milk

August 7, 2009
Following our San Francisco theme, we watched the amazing Gus Van Sant film about gay rights activist Harvey Milk. His dedication to the cause is truly inspiring, fighting endlessly to provide a voice for his people in government. Though ultimately tragic, his life represented hope and love in a world of intolerance and hate. He may have spoken loudly for a small minority, but anyone who desires freedom and justice should consider him a true hero. Amazingly, he fought the beginning of the gay rights movement around the time of my birth and here we are, thirty years on and…

San Francisco Treat

August 4, 2009
Having completed our work obligations for the summer, Alaina and I decided to fly west to San Fran for some playtime. The four-day weekend could not have been more action packed and gave me an entirely new appreciation for this amazing city. While the focus of the trip was spending time with our friends, it turned into a major music festival with delicious food complements. Arriving Thursday evening, we were greeted at the airport by our gracious hostess, Alaina's college roommate Rocky, who drove us to her apartment in The Mission and set us up with a bed for our…

Oh Papi!

August 3, 2009
Who was I kidding, thinking that the Red Sox would stay clear of the steroids mess? Today the news broke that David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez both failed drug tests in 2003. Manny, of course, just served 50 games for taking a female fertility drug but I still hoped that it was just a Dodger problem... Looks like that's not the case. The Sox' run to the World Series in 2004 was one of the most thrilling sports adventures of my life and it will forever remain so, even under clouds of allegations. Falling asleep during Game 4 of the…

Baseball on my phone

July 30, 2009
This is amazing. I could have been watching it on my computer, yes, but instead I watched tonight's Red Sox game on my new telephonic device. Honestly, I don't mean to brag about how cool my phone is but it is just too rad to not mention something. I am just getting started with the apps so please let me know if there is anything I need to try...