Sunday, July 26, 2009

A Long Beach Day

I've been falling for New York since day 1.
However, there was this little potential deal breaker nagging me...What is the surf like and exactly how hard is it going to be to get off of this concrete island, to feel the sand between my toes and subject myself to getting thrown around by some legitimate waves.     
? ? ?

I set off on a Saturday journey to find out just how 
long my relationship with New York could last.


my conclusion: a very very long time. 

Long beach impressed me to say the least. Its a thick and crowded wave but pretty fun and the crowd is good company, which can really make or break a session in my opinion, especially when your as hazzard prone as I am. A simple  "my bad" did just fine. 

Incase you are new to Manhattan: take the Long Island Railroad from Penn Station to Long Beach - its less than $20 round trip and under an hour, plus it comes with a beach pass.  

Just watch out while traveling through Penn Station with your board, on Saturdays its: Bring-your-litter-of-slow-children-to-the-city-and-make-sure-to-hold-hands-at-all-times-Day injuries are likely to occur, make sure to protect your fiberglass pride and joy. 

Also, get ready to become more of a tourist attraction than the bright lights of times square. You will kind of stand out, just don't make the mistake of wandering too close to the Quicksilver store in times square (like I did) , you may as well be dressed up like a Disney character in the presence of midwestern children who have never seen the beach never mind a surfboard. 
 

Speaking of Disney characters - I ran into an old friend, Mickey Mouse, its been years! He seemed a little more dodgy than I remembered though. I don't recall him ever holding out his white gloves for a five dollar bill back at the Magic Kingdom...and worse, he's got his women working the streets... this damn economy, sucking the innocence out of every last creature...what a shame.


Good place to eat while you are waiting for the train back into the city:





( relatively affordable despite the look of things )


Sunday, July 12, 2009

Hitting Home


I made a very last minute trip to my hometown for the weekend because there were a few things that had to be decided for the family business (easiest explanation of family business: products of my dad's crazy inventions) On the train there, all I could think about was everything I was going to miss by leaving the city. Now, on the train back all I can think about is how much I would have missed if I hadn't left. I enjoyed my family's company in a way that reminded me of a time in my childhood when I couldn't possibly fathom a life a stale as mine is threatening to become. For the first time in years, days seemed endless, like weeks almost. Even though New York is full of so many possibilities and inspirations, I was astounded at the creative charge I got from tapping into the people and places that make up who I am today.








I visited the lake house I grew up in, and I actually even hung out with my dad. I still can't figure out how 18 years of being raised by one of the best banjo players the world has seen, and never once did I ask him to teach me. Maybe I was too cool for bluegrass back then.




I'm returning to the craziness with a calm head, yet not calm in a complacent sense. I feel refreshed by a quick sip of my past with a new thirst for creating something, anything until the specifics find me.








-- Post From iPhone

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Goddamn Right, its a Beautiful Day

The perfect summer days are piling up. Ever since the rain stopped I've been on a constant adventure non-stop with great people by my side. I've tried to capture a few moments that lack the "you had to be there" factor. So here is a mash-up of random moments from one perfect Saturday in New York. The main event was a party at P.S.1. MoMA in Queens. I picked the song before I downloaded my camera and realized that I actually had footage of things like "a clown with a frown" as mentioned in Mr. E's Beautiful Blues a song by Eels which fit the day with disturbing perfection. Listen to the song closely while you watch and you will see what I'm talking about.




A few things I've noticed this week: girls around here wear boots year-round. This is very new to me... must be hot and sweaty in those boots in the summertime. I refuse to take part, no matter how cute those boots look with a sundress. (Maire-Louise, your thoughts? By the way my friend Marie-Louise has a great fashion blog that gets pretty addicting if you follow it: Marie-Louisespulse.blogspot.com ) Another thing I've noticed; just because New York is a big city, doesn't mean you won't be running into the same people again and again, or even random people from your past on the streets. This happens to me almost every day and it freaks me out every time.

Last week I went to see MGMT in Prospect Park. The giant dance-party aspect of the evening was great but I wasn't that impressed with their stage presence, seriously lacking on the energy up there. But overall not bad. I didn't really have a chance to judge their new stuff which they played because I was too busy dancing with a bunch of friendly New York girls. (New York girls are SO much nicer than any other girl breed I've met anywhere else, besides Australian girls, they are the best.)


Thanks for reading :o)