Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Packing

Guidebooks, road atlas, GPS: check.
Hat, sunscreen: check.
Laptop, phone, iPod, various cords: check.
Books: check.
The rest of the wine collection, to distribute to my hosts along the way: check.
Cats, cat toys: check.
A deck of cards, Trivial Pursuit: check.
Camera: check.

I'm mostly packed, and while I'm anxious to get started, I'm a little scared, too. There are a lot of things that could go wrong. But I worry too much as it is, and I don't take enough risks. This trip feels right to me, even though--or perhaps because--it scares me. If I ever want to make money doing something I love, I will have to take risks. Failure doesn't scare me. Being trapped does.

So:
Emergency cash and roll of quarters: check.
Flashlight: check.
Emergency radio: check.
Band-Aids, Pepto-Bismol, Ace bandage: check.
Pepper spray: check.
Passport: check.
Listing of the US's best barbecue joints: check.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

The Great Road Trip of 2009

I'm behind on my blogging, I know. A situation soon to be remedied when I hit the open road. The cross-country drive has become a reality; I have a sublettor (sublessee?), a rental car, a GPS, a new camera, an iPhone, and the best road atlas money can buy. Plus an annual national parks pass that will get me into all the national parks for free. I figured out a route that will take me to all 48 states (plus Mexico and Canada!) and should deposit me back in New York at the beginning or middle of August.

I'll be updating from the road, natch; look for pictures from my fancy-pants new camera! I hope to hit the road next week--the first stop will be at my parents' for a few days, to drop off the cats, reacquaint myself with camping techniques, and attempt to talk my dad down off the ledge. He's freaking out--that's what dads are supposed to do, but I share all the same fears he has, which isn't so great for my peace of mind sometimes. However, everyone else thinks this is a fantastic idea (including me). I'm hoping I'll be able to shed some (figurative) baggage along the way, and come back to my life with a clear head in August. Wish me luck!

DLS at Allen and Delancey

Time Out New York was sponsoring a new DLS event last Monday at Allen and Delancey, featuring mixologist Alex Day (bartender at Death & Co). The menu consisted of six gin drinks, with food pairings, at one of the Lower East Side's finest restaurants. Now, I'm not a huge fan of gin. But Alex, true to form, made six gin drinks that tasted nothing like any gin drink I've ever had. Plus, the food was great, and it was actually possible to pair food with gin. The menu was:

Drink 1:
John Collins (Bols Genever, lemon, seltzer)
Spanish mackerel crudo, spiced yogurt, pickled cucumber

Drink 2:
William and Mary#1 (Plymouth gin, lime, yellow Chartreuse, maraschino, rose and lavender bitters)
Seared diver scallop, lemon confit, cauliflower puree

Drink 3:
William and Mary #2 (Martin Miller's gin, vermouth bianco, green Chartreuse, cinnamon bark tincture)
Testa, house-made mustard, fried pig's ear, frisee

Drink 4:
Hanky Panky (Beefeater gin, carpano antica, Fernet Branca, twist of orange)
Honey-glazed duck, wild rice, preserved cherries, hazelnuts

Drink 5:
Billy Penn Club (Old Tom gin, Dolin Dry Vermouth de Chambery, lemon, preserves, egg white)
Epoisses, apple butter, honey-roasted walnuts

Drink 6 and dessert:
Rhubarb-Gin Fizz Float
Anchor junipero, rhubarb sorbet, yogurt panna cotta, seltzer

We got a tutorial in the different kinds of gin (junipero tastes nothing like Beefeater, btw) and in Chartreuse. The Billy Penn Club was my favorite; it tasted like an alcoholic meringue, and paired surprisingly beautifully with the epoisses, my favorite stinky cheese. The rhubarb-gin fizz float was pretty exciting, as well. I'll definitely be going to more DLS events--when I return.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Theatre review: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson

Ah, Andrew Jackson. Our seventh president and the star of the first High School Musical.

While you probably never pictured Andrew Jackson as a singing, dancing emo maverick, you probably never thought of populism as hot and sexy, either. In Les Freres Corbusier’s latest production, now playing at the Public (for only $10!), you can see both.

Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, while packed with enough history to be an erstwhile history lesson, is more akin to Spring Awakening. The songs are raw and fierce (“Why wouldn’t you go out with me in high school?”), the characters throb with adolescent angst, and Andrew Jackson is, oddly, a natural choice for the play’s star—he was, after all, the country’s first experiment with electing a president based on his charisma and personality, rather than on his ability to lead.

History remains undecided about Jackson—was he a great military leader and uniter? He brought modern-day Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama and Florida into the union, more than doubling the size of the US, and rousted British troops permanently from American soil. Or was he an American Hitler? He conquered and killed thousands of Native Americans, and signed the legislation that led to the Trail of Tears—in which the entire remaining Cherokee population east of the Mississippi was forcibly marched into Oklahoma, killing nearly a third along the way. His presidency was the first that championed the common man, and he was the first president not from the political elite. He created the Democratic party, and consolidated presidential power, transforming it into the most powerful branch of government.

Oh, and he was hot and sexy. Played by the equally hot and sexy Benjamin Walker, Jackson is equal parts High School Musical, “Saturday Night Live,” and Animal House. While he’s emo to the core (“emo” being both a rock genre and a lifestyle dedicated to wearing one’s heart on one’s sleeve), he’s also insouciant and defiant, taking pleasure in aggravating the Washington fat cats while he courts the populace—while singing and dancing, of course. His Oval Office is decorated with his initials separated by a lightning bolt, in an obvious homage to AC/DC, and at political rallies, his fans hold up signs that say “Jax Rox” (in sparkles) and “EMOcracy.” Need I say more?

Les Freres Corbusier is known for their insouciant productions, including an adaptation of Hedda Gabler involving robots. Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson does not disappoint—the ensemble is one of the finest in New York right now, and they’re all as happily hormonal and outrĂ© as Jackson himself. Look for finely caricatured performances of James Monroe (Ben Steinfeld), Henry Clay (Bryce Pinkham), Martin Van Buren (Lucas Near-Verbrugghe), John Quincy Adams (Jeff Hiller) and John Calhoun (Darren Goldstein). A delightfully cluttered set by Donyale Werle and extremely loud guitar (Justin Levine) and drums (Kevin Garcia) complete the party atmosphere.

Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson is the most fun I’ve had at a play this year, and at $10, is the best bargain in town. If only all our presidents could be as entertaining.


Written and directed by Alex Timbers
Music and Lyrics by Michael Friedman
With David Axelrod, James Barry, Darren Goldstein, Greg Hildreth, Jeff Hiller, Lisa Joyce, Lucas Near-Verbrugghe, Bryce Pinkham, Maria Elena Ramirez, Kate Cullen Roberts, Ben Steinfield, Benjamin Walker and Colleen Werthmann
Set Design: Donyale Werle
Lighting Design: Justin Townsend
Sound Design: Bart Fasbender
Costume Design: Emily Rebholz
Running Time: 90 minutes with no intermission
A collaboration between Center Theatre Group and the Public Theatre in association with Les Freres Corbusier, at The Public Theatre; 425 Lafayette Street, 212-967-7555
Tickets $10
Tuesday at 7 pm; Wednesday through Friday at 8 pm; Saturday at 2 pm and 8 pm; and Sunday at 2 pm and 7 pm
May 5 – 24, 2009

Theatre review: A Play on Words

A Play on Words is—well, a play on words (not to get too cute about it). It’s almost more of a discussion on semantics than it is a play. Fortunately, playwright Brian Dykstra and Mark Boyett are good enough actors to keep the heady dialogue from feeling bogged down.

There’s not much of a story. Two suburban neighbors greet each other and then spend the next ninety minutes debating various points of language: does axiom mean the same as maxim? From whence does the phrase “I don’t give a hang” come? Did Rusty (Mark Boyett) mean entomology or etymology? They both seem to thrive on the give and take; Rusty especially seems the garrulous type we all know, who’ll spend hours working a crossword puzzle or beating his friends at Scrabble with completely obscure words. While the entire play is essentially a discussion on semantics, it’s snappier than it sounds. The pace is quick, the exchanges are often humorous, and it turns out Max (Brian Dykstra) has an ulterior motive, involving an upcoming political rally.

Dykstra and Boyett have a great chemistry; they’ve obviously worked together before, and their energy keeps the play aloft. Director Margarett Perry has worked with the two before, as well; these three make a great ensemble, and I’m sorry I missed their previous efforts.

But while Brian Dykstra has a deft hand with dialogue, the play ultimately feels more like a clever classroom exercise. There’s not much weight to it, and even at ninety minutes it’s too long. Clever, yes; significant, no. Fortunately not every play needs to be meaningful. This one is content to be entertaining, and it does its job well.


Written by Brian Dykstra
Directed by Margarett Perry
With Brian Dykstra (Max) and Mark Boyett (Rusty)
Set Design: Kelly Syring
Lighting Design: E.D. Intemann
Sound Design: Nate Richardson
Costume Design: Hannah Kochman
Running Time: 90 minutes with no intermission
A Twilight Theatre Company presentation of a Kitchen Theatre Company production at 59E59 Theatre; 59 East 59th Street, 212-279-4200
Tickets $18
Tuesday at 7:30 PM, Wednesday - Saturday at 8:30 PM and Sunday at 3:30 PM
May 13 – May 30, 2009

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

What I want to be when I grow up

To date, I have zero confirmed slots for Two Blind Cats' first dinner on Saturday. Now, I suspected that would be the case. These things take time to build, especially since the only advertising is through word of mouth. Worst case scenario: no one shows up, I have a lot of really good wine to get drunk on. Still. My self-esteem is taking a hit, and my self-esteem has already taken some major hits in the last few weeks.

Which is probably why I'm revisiting the perennial classic: What do I want to be when I grow up? Answer: I have no idea. I can't think of a single job that combines food, wine and theatre, unless I were to start the world's first gourmet dinner theatre, showing only non-crappy plays (actually, that's not a bad idea--but who would finance it? In this economy, especially). I'd hate to pick one to the exclusion of the others, and unfortunately, I'm not old, gay or male enough to be a theatre critic for the New York Times.

Periodically I think about going to law school to become an entertainment lawyer. Pros: I could make good money upon graduation, in a field I know and care a lot about, possibly in LA, which is much warmer than NY. Cons: racking up another six figures in student loan debt, so I can work 16-18 hours a day poring over intellectual copyright law for the first three years out of school. Pros: Using my brain at work. Cons: Using my brain at work. Culinary school costs just as much as law school--seriously, it does--and I'd be guaranteed nothing except working for $12 an hour for several years and never seeing a Saturday night again. Ditto sommelier training. Going back to school to become a winemaker would require an undergraduate degree in some sort of science and lots of classes in organic chemistry and botany--far less interesting than just drinking a lot of wine, and I have no aptitude at all for chemistry and advanced science. I'd love to work in theatre--except that it will never pay enough for me to be able to pay back the student loans I already have.

That's why I had structured my life the way I had--day job that makes enough to pay the bills, while I explore all the things I love on the side. But I'm having trouble finding another day job, and frankly, I don't want to be a corporate whore. I'd rather bartend than sit under flourescent lights poking at Excel spreadsheets all day, but I have no interest in working in the restaurant industry long-term. Besides, I like getting a regular paycheck. With health benefits.

I'd love to hear anyone else's thoughts on this matter--should I consider law school? Should I quit whining and go pound the pavement some more? Should I sell everything I own and move to Brazil?

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Finalized menu for May 16

Join us for our next feast on Saturday, May 16 at 7 pm!

Menu:

Amuse bouche

First course:
Chicken liver pate
Frisee with blackberry vinaigrette
Cornichons
Francois Chidaine Touraine 2007, Chenin Blanc

Second course:
Corn fritter
Bacon salsa
Muga Rioja Rose 2008

Third course:
Bitter greens ravioli
Sauteed collard greens
San Pietro Lagrein, Alto Adige, 2006

Fourth course:
Barbecued quail
Cheese grits
Green onions
Fleur Petite Syrah 2007

Fifth course:
Cheesecake
Blackberry syrup
Piasa Sanmaurizio Moscato D'Asti 2008

Coffee, tea, candied grapefruit peel

Lots of people have asked what exactly an underground supper club is. The Times did an article on this phenomenon last year; also check out www.theghet.com. Here's my standard spiel: underground supper clubs/restaurants are the latest foodie trend, hosted by talented amateur chefs and mixologists. Similar to paying to attend a dinner party, the events usually take place in someone's home and are advertised exclusively through word of mouth. The prearranged price (sometimes paid by cash, sometimes through Paypal) buys you several courses of restaurant-quality gourmet food with wine and cocktail pairings, but in a much more intimate and convivial setting.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Sweet Virginia, to quote the Rolling Stones

I had a nice long weekend at home, visiting the folks and old friends. I spent most of Friday eating my mom's biscuits and gravy, then went out to a wine bar in Roanoke I'd been meaning to try and had a fried oyster po'boy (which goes surprisingly well with Caymus Conundrum). Saturday I had dinner at the Inn at Riverbend in Pearisburg; I helped make truffle cream crostini, and we had a salad with warm bacon vinaigrette, crab cakes with a green chile chutney, beef tenderloin with a morel-red wine sauce, and dark chocolate mousse for dessert, along with two bottles of Stag's Leap cab and one of Acacia Pinot Noir 2006. It's always great to have dinner with old friends, but especially when the setting is that beautiful and someone else does the cooking.