[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzyXtDVc_yw] This video of a duck relentlessly following around this puppy is so freakin' cute that I want to drop kick both of them into a vat of boiling oil and deep fry them both. That's how cute they are.
I discovered today the holy grail of all cheap lunches. The cheap lunch is a much sought after location in New York, where one's bank account, after subtracting rent and related expenses, can quickly deplete due to the 7 dollars and change spent daily for lunch (even if it does come with a "free" soda). Most weeks, it can sometimes seem really impossible to find a satisfying lunch in New York City for under 6 dollars. Today, thanks to an eavesdropping coworker, I had a gigantic lunch consisting of a sizable quantity of steamed rice along with three tasty sides and soup for a grand total, including tax, of $2.75. Yes, you read that correctly. $2.75.
One can choose from a variety of sides: I went with a chicken and vegetable dish, some bok choi, and hearty dumplings. Irregardless of the price, it was quite delicious, tasting more like home cooked Chinese food--meaning it was light on the grease.
That's about as close to a free lunch as once can get around these parts. Consider that the large ice coffee at the budget deli near work is $2.50.
Where is it? Just meander on down to Mott and Broome St. Just don't tell too many people.
Pictures speak louder than words, some say. I hate "some" but some speaks the truf "sometimes." So here's my weekend in a nutshell:
Holy cow! This is something that the people at Discovery Channel's Planet Earth missed out on: a cow doing a flying leaping kick straight to the face of a man. After this round, the score is decidedly in favor of the cow. Currently, Cow 1, Man 0. After seeing this clip, I for one welcome our kicking cow overlords.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2erbd6dMd4A]
God bless the Internets.
I just installed this AMAZING visualizer add-on for iTunes that uses a graphic style reminiscent of Lumines, a PSP puzzle game that I dearly love. It makes the default iTunes visualizer look like a n00b after-thought. To download go here.
Thomas is as close as modern football can come to an old-fashioned sleeper. In the past two years, his only playing experience was at Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia, Miss. He played in two games, both losses. Then he was arrested on a charge of conspiracy to commit robbery, according to the Tate County (Miss.) Circuit Clerk's office, and never played college football again. .Judging by his credentials, perhaps Thomas should not be drafted. Judging by his dimensions, however, Thomas has to be drafted.
Big Walt, as he is known, is a 6-foot-5 defensive tackle who wears a size XXXXXXL jersey. He bench presses 475 pounds and squats 800 pounds. Weight lifters at the Galveston Health and Racquet Club stop their workouts to watch him.
Football teams everywhere are filled with big men, but many of them can barely move. Thomas has run the 40-yard dash in 4.9 seconds, faster than some N.F.L. tight ends. He is the rare tackle who can catch a running back from behind.
''The guy is a dadgum Russian gymnast,'' said Randy Pippin, the head coach at Northwest Mississippi.
I was curious about what happened to this guy--turns out the Saints signed him up (Thanks Google!).
Bill Clinton came up with the clues for this New York Times crossword. I doubt the current occupant of the White House will be asked any time soon.
Well kids, it's yet another Sunday. Did you go out all Saturday night with nary a call or thought of your significant other? Well, ease the inevitable "why didn't you call?" fight today by taking some advice from Stevie Wonder in today's segment of Easy Listening Sunday. Go ahead and pick up your cell phone and give him or her a call just to say you love them. However, I strongly advise against drunk dialing such a message to those that are definitely NOT your significant other. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxwJjJq2GZk]
Walking back from Whole Foods today during lunch (Mango cilantro salad and a mishmash of Indian--What can I say? It was pay day.) I walked past the Don of Hollywood Hipsters aka Mr. Sensitivity aka The Guy Who Daydreams A Lot On Scrubs aka Zach Braff. Predictably he was walking with a gorgeous blond. Maybe they too were headed towards the new grocery mecca of the Lower East Side denizens.
And then I enjoyed my lunch in a nearby park. Afterwards I headed back to the office to make phone calls: the very sort of existence that I imagine Zach might play in a movie. I would title the movie Playground State.
Update: And of course here is the appropriate relevant YouTube clip that my short entry below refers to: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od4KKw8tp20]
This movie (Swingers) is definitely in my top three favorite movies of all time. I used to watch it with my friends in college as part of our pre-game ritual. Anyway, like I said: I got it under control.
Just want all you skeptical bitches to know that I've GOT IT UNDER CONTROL!
I wrote a review awhile ago of the new N trains where I expressed my generally pleasing experience on these shiny new trains. I'm glad I savored that experience, because I haven't had many opportunities to ride it since. After a long day at the office followed by an exhausting post-work session at the gym, the D train is the primary chariot on tracks that delivers me home.
Leaving the gym and walking outside where the brisk Soho night air immediately cools me, I cross the street against the oncoming traffic towards the subway station, while holding my palm out at the taxis and cars that boldly inch closer to my biological body than I preferred. That action is silly, because it's an inherently flawed act of self preservation. A gym might provide the milieu and means by which one creates a stronger body, but that body is no match against the physics of the force a metal moving object exerts against a fleshy object that stands in its way. (Insert Krytonite footnote.) And yet, my palm acts as an urban amulet that compels even the most sadist cab driver to slow to a halt. Or so I hope. A friend of mine, born and raised in New York City, is an expert in this and has perfected it to practically an art form, or what I call, "Extreme Walking."
Extreme Walking is walking from point A to point B by the shortest route possible while ignoring street signs, moving vehicles, and construction.
Try it.
Just make sure you have health insurance first.
Yes, people. You read that headline correctly. In this entry you are getting a double header, a two-fer, a two for the price of one special: I'm posting a Weekend Update entry AND a classic Last Night's Party entry.
On Thursday afternoon, I get a message from my buddy Clay in DC asking me to call him back ASAP. Not "asap." But ASAP--in caps. "Yo, I got tickets to the Red Sox/Yankees--I'm coming to New York!" This is his buddy Ben. He and I chilled out in the bleachers with the rest of the hoi poloi while Clay sat elsewhere.
We were seriously surrounded by douchebags. Peanut throwing, "faggot" yelling, and cursing at old men qualifies them as douches in my book. The kid sitting next to us actually got kicked out by the cops.
The game was entertaining otherwise. I was bummed the Sox lost, but it was still an enjoyable game.
I was worried earlier in the day because of the threat of rain, but the night turned out to have really great weather. Look at that blue sky bitches!! Perfect baseball weather.
Afterwards, we kicked it back in Park Slope style at Cherry Tree for some beahs and pizza. Clay rocking out.
Ben is pensive.
Check out Ben's hat. I think it belonged to his grandfather. That is some quality baseball hat gunk. They had to head back to DC that night. Although they had an interesting drive back.
At midnight Chris and I motivated ourselves to go to a party in freakin' Williamsburg (place is FAR from Park Slope ya'll) at Chris's friend's apartment. Here's the decidedly unhipster-like host surrounded by his lady friends.
On the rooftop, it's Tze the adorable partier extraordinaire, Jeff the fun loving party guy, and Nate the good guy who'll dance with any girl to make them happy.
Hey, it's Cyrus and his tie dye Africa shirt! "It's not tie dye dammit!"
Finding the roof a bit chilly, we headed to the party downstairs and sat down in the living room to find that our minority presence...
...cleared the dance floor. *Insert crickets chirping.*
I need another drink. My plastic cup (classy) is empty, ya'll.
Chris concurs. "Yea, you need another drink bro...and get a classy one like mine."
What's a night with a jump I ask? NOTHING!
So we went back upstairs and helped ourselves to a couple bottles of wine.
Cy and Chris are talking, talking, talking. Talk talk talk. "Yea, I need to do some laundry. I could use some quarters--oh wait. GOT IT."
Ingredients for a solid Saturday night.
Me and my new friend.
Yea!
Getting my dance on.
She thought she was getting a nice smiling photo but instead it's just me and Chris ruining yet another nice moment. Party on, Wayne.
Chris and Jeff discussing duck genitalia.
HAHA. Chris, Jeff, and Nate showing the camera love.
This guy (Rob?) was INSISTING that Jeff punch him in the face.
"PUNCH ME!" I'm sure he's a nice kid...but I kinda wanted to see Jeff or someone or ANYONE smack this guy only because he was so freakin' insisting about it.
"We do need some paper towels..."
And then people just started jumping everywhere. Jumpfest 2007.
Cy gets in on it.
Jump jump!
Haha. This photo will make Jeff so happy.
While waiting for Chris as he talked to his friend...
Cy and I took photos in the hallway.
HIHIHIHIHIHI
Sunday morning, er late morning, er early afternoon, I met up with Cy for our weekly brunch strategizing session. Henry was there along with his old cell phone.
The latest in cell phone technology, ya'll.
After food and five cups of coffee, we brought the party to the steps in Union Square.
Henry and his ever present hat.
The pain on Cy's face is the inevitability of the fact he has to go into work on Sunday.
Monday, on my way home after hitting the gym I receive a text from Chris asking me how I felt about going to a party in LES with him and Jeff because of the nice weather. I responded that I felt good about it. We got there and it was literally a party of three. So instead we headed over to the ol' standby, Pianos. I was expecting a relatively low key night. Little did I know.
And we found ourselves in the early stages of a karaoke party there that night. Chris and Jeff seem initially skeptical.
I mean, they were REALLY gawd awful sounding. REALLY AWFUL. But what turned us from haters to...karaoke lovers?
Total Eclipse of the Heart! Jeff is LOVING it. LOVING the Total Eclipse of the Heart.
Wow. Chris is pulling "raising the glass" move early...
THIS photo would go into the Last Night's Party Hall of Fame. Haha. Jeff is studiously examining the Good Book of Songs for song options while Chris looks at him like an insistent wife. "Jeff, we're going with Sinead O'Connor."
Hmmmm. So many options!
And then things really got hot with "Intergalactic...planetary..." (say it out loud like a robot).
Here's a no-surprise: This 'stached guy sang Johnny Cash.
We're lovin' it! (No--no one did Justin Timberlake.)
YEA!
This girl was the star of the night. 1) She was the nuttiest dancer on the floor highlighted by the fact she was practically 7 feet tall, so she kinda stood out to say the least. 2) When she went on stage and looked kind of nervous and suddenly sober, Chris or Jeff said "this is either going to be REALLY amazing or REALLY terrible." If you're wondering what the result was, just look at the picture. LOOK at the mother fucking picture! It was AMAZINGGGG. Possibly one of the greatest thing I've ever seen--along with a guy singing word for word "Gasolina."
The switch to the bottle beer which lessens the spillage possibilities on the dance floor.
If you want to catch the next karaoke session, check it out at karaoke killed the cat.
Are you nursing such a serious hangover that death or at the very least, coma is preferable to your current pounding headache? Never fear--your easy listening sunday is here. Today, it's Lionel Richie. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDZcqBgCS74]
I don't like to editorialize too much on the "Easy Listening Sunday" entries (it should be about the music...), but I think this video tops what I thought couldn't be topped--and that was Elton John's music video from last sunday ("Nikita"). Consequently, I'm compelled to jot a few words.
There's so much to be said about Lionel Richie's "Hello" music video--or should I say short movie? Is it a music video? Is it a short movie? I don't know!
Thesis: "Hello" is actually seminal because it created its own genre: the music video-short film-musical. Michael Jackson's "Thriller" gets a lot of the credit for reinventing the music video format (and Jay Z's "Big Pimpin" gets a nod in music video history primarily for the most gratuitous spillage of Cristal on curvy sun-bathing women), but I think "Hello" is a sleeper gem that music historians and Vh1 "I love the..." and "Top 101..." shows have unfairly overlooked.
In addition to its technical merits, Hello is also pioneering for the positive social message it broadcasts. The video and Lionel Richie sends (sings?) a powerful voice that addresses the public's misconceptions and prejudices about the blind: Blindness is not a disability nor a hinderance. It may prevent being able to tell the difference between a single and a hundred dollar bill (as Chris Rock said), but in matters of significance, consequence, and weight blindness is as much an obstacle as cake is to a fat, hungry kid. This is not to suggest that blindness is delicious.
This video humanizes the blind. It shows that a blind person can be a captivating actress, graceful ballerina, AND a master sculptor. A blind person can be beautiful, popular, intellectual, and posess a warm personality. A blind person can also make their acting teacher fall in love with them. The message is that a beautiful actress/dancer/sculptor who also happens to be blind can find love! Blind people love, too. What a powerful film. It's too bad the blind can't see it.
Lionel Richie, on the other hand, demonstrates how easy it is to stalk a blind person. Because they CAN'T SEE YOU--or so he thought! The ending is the coup that elevates this video from "good" into the pantheon of greats. I hope someone from VH1 sees this penetrating analysis and argument and devotes an entire marathon to Hello, like they do with Thriller...which doesn't have one iota of social redemption and if anything only generates and fosters fear mongering among the general dominant populace towards the much maligned zombie community.
I'm very hesitant to discuss work here for obvious reasons, but I wanted to share this harmless anecdote which struck me as being quite funny. On friday, the sales director walked over to us with a quick question. "You guys are hipsters" she stated, ignoring my bemused puzzlement at her declaration.
"So what are some cool and nifty websites out there?" she asked.
I rattled off a few websites that I liked such as Gothamist, Gawker, Boing Boing and Flickr which she jotted down.
Thanking me for my help, and before walking back, she laughed and said, "I still like weather.com."
What I love about fridays after work (other than the occasional post-work drinking session) is unwinding at home from a hectic week in the office and then remembering to turn off my alarm for the weekend. Conversely, what I hate about Sunday evenings is...
Ever wonder how all these "competitive" eaters down eye popping amounts of food? It's kind of obvious, but maybe they all just have freakishly gigantic stomachs.
Before eating and uh, after eating.
It's been awhile since I've paid homage to the crooner that is Aaron Neville. I'm rectifying that situation with this entry of a clip from Family Guy. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se4z0P1YBOY]
If someone actually invented the Aaron Neville megaphone...well, lets just say that I wouldn't be opposed to waiting in line overnight for one.
I admit the headline makes no sense; I just wanted to channel Coolio for a moment. This past weekend the Red Sox hosted the Wankees, and I'm sure most of you have all heard or seen it by now, but during the Sunday game, the Sox slammed four home runs off one Yankee pitcher. Correction: Four consecutive home runs off one pitcher. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAGTfFJFsfA]
What a thing to see and experience for those people at the game who'd never been to a baseball game before. Now they're going to expect that at every game henceforth.
Oh yea, and here's some Coolio. You know you want it. 1,2,3,4 get yo woman on the floor ya'll:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNj3IFkKCOw]
Update: ESPN's Bill Simmons made a funny about ARod:
A-Rod is like pollen -- you can always count on him to make an impact in April and May.
Friday night was uneventful. Post work drink (Yup! Just one, seriously) followed by dinner/strategizing session with Cy at the diner. Ran into one of Chris's friends. She said she remembered me as the guy with a hispanic last name and it scared her. I wasn't quite sure how to interpret that one. And I was in bed and out by 10 pm.
If my life was a serious of websites, then Saturday would definitely be one to bookmark. Woke up, and got our usual at Bergen Bagel with Chris. The leisurely 10 minute walk there in the perfectly warm Brooklyn morning was fantastic. It's been awhile since I've been able to walk around in just my t-shirt. Afterwards, I went to Central Park to meet up with Viviana for some QT. Chris, Mike and Jeff showed up later. People watching; throwing a frisbee (and looking away innocently when it hit someone); drinking a beer.
Chris looking pensively sober outside of Moe's to celebrate a very belated birthday for Annie.
Two thumbs up and "ARRRGGHHHHHH"
Haha. The "insert hot chick using Photoshop here" pose.
Matching shirts and cigs?
A plate of leftovers left behind by a couple girls we kicked out so we could sit there.
Jeff is mesmerized by the incredibly graphic violent film that is playing inside the bar.
Reena trying to avoid a wayyyyy too friendly drunk stranger. Personal space, buddy, personal space.
Later, we went to a diner (Cy was STARVINGGGG). Look at Cy's head!
Haha.
Mmmm, coffee at 4 am. Or was it 3 am? This is a guy who knows how to rally. Damn.
Sunday, I met up with Cy at Tompkins Square Park. Flipped the ol' disc around. Cy almost got run over by a skateboarder.
I took photos. Weekends are never long enough, especially when they are as bookmark'able as this one.
Did you see the girl of your dreams and let her slip away this weekend...because you were too busy running to the bar bathroom to throw up? If so, let Elton John ease your heart...and morning hangover on this easy listening Sunday.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3dkVFQdza0]