Friday, November 28, 2008

Man trampled to death by holiday shoppers

Disgusting.



Doesn't it make you proud to be an American?


Continued..

Two men shot and KILLED in Toy's R' Us, Southern California.
Here's the story ABC News

I also found this. Wal-Mart shoppers fight over XBox 360.



God bless American consumerism. All of this makes me so sick.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Transcendental

In the past week I've been in Asheville NC, Greenville SC, Atlanta GA, Philadelphia PA, New York City NY, and Brooklyn NY.


Starting with Asheville, I saw the Squirrel Nut Zippers play for the first time ever. I've been mildly obsessed with them since I was about 12 and was expecting a pretty damn good time. My expectations were enormously surpassed. My droogs and I were dressed to the nines and burning the floor all night. My friend Abbey and I were swinging hard and dripping with sweat. At the end of the show the band came down off the side of the stage, through the crowd and to the back of the audience all the while singing and playing their instruments ragtime marching band style. They open up a circle in the crowd and pull Abbey and I in. We did the best Lindy circle we could as they played and danced with us. After the show the lead man Jimbo Mathus tells me we looked great and asks if we'd like to perform on stage with them? Needless to say we generously accepted and met them two days later in Atlanta. My partner Abbey is actually a contra dancer and NOT a swinger but a great follow. So we were a bit nervous, but hey we were obviously good enough if they asked us to come dance on stage with them. So we get to the Variety Playhouse in Little Five Points and hang out backstage with thim for about an hour before they go on. We danced onstage three songs, the first two being fun flashy songs and finished with a slow sexy tango number Blue Angel. After the show we went down into the audience dancing, playin and havin a good ol' time, then out to the lobby and then into the street. It was a hell of a show and from what they said it was one of their best! There was a swing bar under their hotel so needless to say we had a late night. We crashed with them in their hotel room and I spooned with the tubist. Officially logged as one of my favorite memories.
Here's a video that I found of us dancing onstage Put A Lid On It
Not my finest hour of dancing, but fun nonetheless.
Catherine Whalen of Squirrel Nut Zippers, pretending she's not a foot taller than me.

As soon as I got back to Greenville I had to pack and get in the car to drive to Philadelphia with Barb and Adam. Adam and I drove through the middle of the night and arrived in Philly in the morning, just in time for the Phillies Parade, and it was obvious they had just won the World Series. I took the Chinatown bus to NYC and had a damn good Halloween that night!

I came to New York for two things. Halloween and to Vote! And with both I am well pleased. I voted in a gorgeous cathedral in my neighborhood in Brooklyn. It was great, granted it was filled with hipsters. I'm not judging, just saying that the overall juxtaposition of the setting was amusing.
Election night in New York was intense. Every bar, restaurant and club with a television was spilling with people. When it was finally announce the city erupted and OBAMA was shouted from the streets and rooftops. Seriously.

Row boating in Central Park was delightful.

I was so happy to see my gypsy lady Nino.
Election day was my last day there but I skipped Philly. Saturday I went to Philly to join Barb Adam and Liz to eat the best damn meal ever at Marrakesh! To find it you have to walk down this alleyway off South St. and knock on this huge wooden door and wait. They bring you in and you're lead from room to room and several floors of an old, dark and oddly proportioned rowhouse thats since been turned into a labyrinth of elaborate rugs, beads and tapestries. We lie in the pillows as Aladdin comes to wash our hands with rose water. We then enjoy the next 3 HOURS devouring our 7 COURSES which are all served on large brass platters and are eaten only with pita bread and your hands. All the while being mesmerized by an incredible bellydancer. This was my second and definitely not my last time to Marrakesh.
Many more things of the past week I could talk about but I think I'll sum it up there.
Although I will mention that I saw the Swedish child-romance/horror film Let the Right One In and absolutely loved it. It's playing at Angelika Theater in Soho and I highly suggest it.