Seattle 2018 Trip

Huge shout out to my cousin Diana for being a fantastic host on my recent trip to Seattle. Feel free to use my travel notes as a guide for your future visitors (including myself!).

Fun

Starbucks Roastery (Seattle location), Capitol Hill)
I took a leisure walk to this place on my first full day. I ordered a coffee ((Pantheon 2018, pour over) and did some people watching (so much to see!). On my last day I went to the shop again and got some freshly roasted beans (also Pantheon). They of course also have food options, tons of coffee (made with your favorite brewing method) and plenty of Starbucks Reserve goodies. I can't wait for the NYC roastery to open up soon.



Seattle Center International fountain
Best place to enjoy a bit of sun (on those sunny days in Seattle, lucky me!) and people watching. and also a great place to snap a pic of the Space Needle.

I looked into the music a bit more when I was organizing my trip notes and found some great resources below:

• article about the DJ from the Stranger
• actual playlists!
• I haven't listened to this specific playlist but the date range matches when I visited the fountain. 

Tours

KEXP tour (Seattle Center)
Having listened to KEXP live in studio performances podcast, I was intrigued by the station tour and also the setup of the space. They have a rotating coffee place and also a record store in the lobby. The tour was clearly well-advertised because we had people from all over the world (including Scotland and South Africa). I haven't watched too much of their youtube channel but it is also very popular around the world. The actual studio had glowing, pulsating blue LEDs that are surprisingly calm (note for my future lighting project, ha). I was really impressed with the massive CD library. Each CD also had personalized notes from the DJs. The collection is already being digitized and everyone was relieved to hear that the CD notes will also be scanned and stored as part of the effort. The space had a lot of neat artwork, this one showing the skyline of Seattle was my favorite.


Mount Rainier National Park (2 hours drive from downtown)
Earlier this summer I went to the Grand Canyon and caught the national park fever. Given Seattle is so close to several national parks, I had to visit one! After searching, I found a tour group called Evergreen Escapes and went on a small group tour to Mt Rainier.

We got lucky with the weather and had possibly one of the best days ever for hiking. We were surrounded by beautiful colors of the fall and also amazing old growth trees/forests. I'm glad I took this tour closer to the beginning of my trip (since I traveled from East coast and still woke up at 3am on my first few days in Seattle). The tour specs included a round trip from downtown in a comfortable van. Our tour guide also provided water, snacks, and lunch so we didn't have to bring much. I would definitely do this same trip (perhaps a diff season) and other outings with this company again.





Underground Tour (Pioneer Sq)
I went on this highly recommended tour when I first went to Seattle but my cousin Diana hasn't experienced it yet (because tours are for tourists, not locals)! We joined a bunch of people during a weekend session and had fun walking around underground and looking for purple glass (skylights).  If you go on this tour, you will be causing sidewalk traffic jams like proper tourists. I enjoyed the storytelling part of the tour more so than the so-called 'relics' and 'artifacts' but decide for yourself! 

Theo Chocolate Factory Tour (Fremont)
On the last full day of my trip, I woke up to a gray and rainy day. I skipped my plans for the zoo/garden and ventured out to Fremont for a chocolate factory tour instead. The tour gave a description of the bean to bar process, a peak inside the factory through clear observation room, and of course chocolate samples. I picked up some bars at the store afterwards.

New York Winter Jazzfest 2017

2017 Map
Despite the heavy snow fall, I explored several new venues and bands this year on Jan 7 with my friend Iona and her husband Peter. Great way to start out the new year!

Venues highlighted in yellow were the places I visited. 

Overview

Last year I did not check out performances in the New School venues because I stayed in the village area. It was great to check out 3 of the 4 venues in the New School area this year. Both the 12th St Auditorium and Tishman Auditorium offer plenty of space and seating. Tishman has stadium seats while 12th St has a more gradual slope. The festival also increased the number of ticket/wristband pick up locations so I had no trouble getting my wristband. Iona and Peter joined me around 7:40pm for my first concert of the night: Ralph Peterson and Aggregate Prime (instruments featured: flute, drum, guitar, upright bass, piano). I enjoyed the lyrical phrases from some of the pieces (at times almost wondering if some of the pieces would nicely paired with a vocalist?) Or better to just let the instruments do their own singing/talking.

Iona and I then made our way to Ravi Coltrane and David Virelles duo performance at Tishman (this show was written up in many 'must see lists' for festival previews) where Peter graciously saved seats for us before the venue quickly filled up. The ECM rep during her intro mentioned this was the first time the two took stage (in this combo, usually more musicians in the group) and that they hope to work on a future recording of the two! Ravi played several different saxophones during the performance. David played the piano and at times added percussion on or under the piano bench. The beautiful sound flowing from both instruments and the balance of the music dialogue between the musicians easily mesmerized the entire audience. I liked some of the lighter pieces where you can really enjoy the sound of the featured instrument with very light accompaniment from the other instrument. 

While the performance by Ravi/David was a difficult one to follow, we walked to New School 5th Fl theater to hear Edmar Castaneda World Ensemble. While researching the festival, I came upon this group and the harp jazz so had to check it out. Harp is certainly not a typical jazz ensemble instrument, But then again, this was not a typical jazz ensemble. Edmar welcomed his ensemble of musicians all hailing from different parts of the world, as one would introduce members of his family to a large crowd of guests at a house party. The warmth and hospitality was infectious. I also enjoyed the piece featuring his wife on vocals (they got married 20 days after first meeting at a Queens jam session!). The solo harp piece that Edmar dedicated to God was also awe-inspiring. I thought the New School 5th Fl theater was a bit on the small side (maybe around 100 seats seated) but it was also filled with a great audience that soaked up all the positive energy from the group.   

I ended the evening with a very high energy rock/disco/funk/jazz performance from Marc Ribot and the Young Philadelphians. Unlike the previous auditorium/stage/seated concerts, this was in the very crowded restaurant/bar called SOBs. Peter highly recommended this group so Iona and I took a quick cab ride from New School to Varick St to join him. What a crowd! Possibly the first time in the evening that I saw people moving and dancing (then again, I think Zinc Bar, Bitter End, and Django probably also had a lot of dancing from the more dancing friendly venues). The entire concert was basically a really fun jam session featuring fantastic guitars, bass, and strings. All attitude and all funk and probably the right way to end another year of a great winter jazzfest for me. Just keeps getting better every year!

Venues

listing of venues and their calendars so you can check a future concert.

• New School Events Calendar (will need to filter by Music School or other type). Would love to see a future show at the Tishman. 
• SOBs (Sound of Brazil)  (204 Varick St, near W. Houston)

Bands I saw

listing of bands that you can check out their music or in person at their future concerts!

• Ralph Peterson and Aggregate Prime (guitar, bass, piano, flute, drums) 
• Ravi Coltrane and David Virelles (sax and piano)
• Edmar Castaneda World Ensemble (harp, flute, harmonica, sax, trombone, keyboard, drumset)
• Marc Ribot Young Philadelphians (bass, guitars, strings, drums, more) Peter mentioned they are not always in this combo of musicians so look out for the various bands/groups.

Bands for next time

Particular bands I want to see at future shows

• Black String (jazz ensemble with Korean instruments)
• Claudia Acuna (vocals)
• Glenn Crytzer (hot jazz)
• Peter and Will Anderson (sax/clarinet)
• Scott Tixier (violin) with Tony Tixier (piano)

More Reading/ Listening

• My previous NY winter jazzfest posts: http://azuleteats.blogspot.com/search/label/NYWJF
• 2017 Jazzfest playlist research on youtube (this I put together while listening to bands and figuring out my lineup prior to the show, note some band members may have changed)

New York Winter JazzFest 2016

The best way to kick off the new year is to explore new venues and new music. Last night I went to a jazz marathon as part of the annual NYWJF (New York Winter Jazz Festival). As always, there is a lot to cover and I will try to break it up into three sections: Venues, Bands, and More Reading. A special shout out to my friend and fellow musician E. for exploring new music adventures together.

NYWJF added and changed a number of new venues this year. This meant some of the venues were farther away and made it harder to venue hop as before. Django at Roxy was particularly out of the way but they were hosting the French Quarter Jazzfest (cross-over with Winter Jazzfest) so I suppose concert goers just have to be aware of the risks of venue hopping and chance of lines. The festival had a page that posted live availability info which was helpful. It didn't stop us from trying to get into venues that were listed "full" since people would enter and exit in the middle of the show.

Venues

Greene Space this was a particularly small space which had a few seats and mostly standing room only. I listen to WNYC and am aware of the space for selected performances and shows but was happy to attend a live event for the first time.



Django is in the basement level of Roxy hotel (pic below with Samy). It had a cavern and cozy feel with a fun cocktail list. I would probably come back to check out future shows although the crowd noise level was a bit overwhelming. They do serve bites in addition to drinks. A lot of other venues as part of the festival do not offer food (probably because they are so close to other eateries in the village). This hotel was hosting day 1 of the French Quarter Jazz Fest (I like these cross-fest concerts). just wish they were better advertised...luckily they had a flyer because google search really didn't have a clue.


Zinc Bar and Greenwich House School were venues I had visited during last year's Jazzfest and also subsequent concerts throughout the year.

Bands

Visual Electric Guitar

Kaki King with her beautiful white electric guitar. The guitar told a story with video / photos / music too! E. and I both liked the NYC cityscape piece and one of the ballad/slower jams (I don't know the name but the song featured small colorful bubbles in the background)

Kaki King - guitar

I first learned about Kaki King from a post to her Ted Talk/Performance. Her performances feature visual elements (projected colors behind her and also her guitar has images/colors that fit with the song). Try to get a glimpse of her and the guitar if you go see a live show.

Dream Pop with Indian Rhythms 

Tongues in Trees was playing in the Zinc Bar when we stumbled into this venue which was listed as "FULL" on the crowds page. Their website describes it as Indie dream pop, which is accurate. All they are missing is a flute, really! Unfortunately my picture didn't get the percussion player.

Samita Sinha - vocals / Grey Mcmurray - guitars, vocals / Sunny Jain - drums 

Gypsy Guitar, Clarinet, and Dance!

Tatiana Eva-Marie & The Avalon Jazz Band featuring Oran Etkin.
Guitar seems to be underlying theme of my jazzfet experience this year. In any case, probably the show with the highest energy and warm feelings. Guitar, clarinet/bass clarinet, and lovely vocals and some audience participation too (singing and dancing). NY Hot Jazz is such a great org/event and I'm so glad I found out about them during last year's jazzfest. Unfortunately due to crowd factor I was not able to get a photo of their performance. They probably have fit in with the French Quarter fest too, now that I think about it.

Piano and Guitar

Samy Daussat "Gypsy Tribute to Serge Gainsbourg"

Samy Daussat - gypsy guitar / Stéphane Cochet - Piano / Claudius Dupont - double bass / Vanina De Franco - vocal

Flute, Sax, Guitar and Music Box

Sylvain Rifflet
When I was researching groups with flute (NUWJF has a page outlining all the instruments and musicians in all the acts), I came upon this band and immediately wanted to put them on the list of bands to see. Of course Django is not close to the other venues by a long shot so I ended up taking a cab from Greenwich House Music over (worth it!)

Sylvain Rifflet - tenor saxophone, clarinet, music box / Benjamin Flament - percussions, processed metal / Philippe Gordiani - guitar / Jocelyn Mienniel - flute, kalimba

More Reading / Listening

• Takuya Kuroda http://www.takuyakuroda.com/
• Jay Rodriguez Evolutions http://jayrodriguez.com/
• Véronique Hermann Sambin http://www.veroniquehermannsambin.com/ (really wish I had seen her perform. love her voice)
• Miss Lily's http://www.misslilysnyc.com/home (remember to take breaks between sets with some yummy food!). I got the chicken curry patty and sorrel drink. 
• My previous NY winter jazzfest posts: http://azuleteats.blogspot.com/search/label/NYWJF

Crisp Autumn Notes

I am sure everyone has those moments when one is too busy having fun to write about how much fun they are having. Just came back from an active vacation in Colorado followed by a non stop weekend.

In any case, instead of staring at my list of backlog, I am going to try a weekend recap. (Pardon errors as I am using the ipad and needs to do more editing when back to computer.)

The Rise at Old Westbury Garden features 5000+ pumpkins carved into various jack o latern or pop culture icons. The event attracted people of all age groups. http://www.therise.org/site/index

My favorites below:

The show also featured a soundtrack that fit the mood in the garden. the ghost walk path was probably more romantic than scary (only path without a huge crowd). As estimated on their site, we spent about 40 min walking through it, with some photo ops.

Oyster Bay oyster festival http://www.theoysterfestival.org/

W. and I surveyed the ever growing selection of food and decided to stick to basics. We braved the line for 15 raw oysters (expert tip: each LIRR oyster fest package comes with oyster vouchers. And bring food / drinks while waiting for oysters or have friends bring food from other food stands). We also ate pupusas, Manhattan chowder (they ran out of New England style 1 hour into fest), and soft-shell crab. J. gave us his extra oyster ticket and also offered some hot funnel cakes (the best, just be prepared to be sacrifice your clothes to powdered sugar). After browsing pirates, fire boat, and art/food vendors, we grabbed hot chocolate and headed to LIRR home.

NYRO concert - nyro.org

community orchestra concert set at very beautiful church in midtown. Suggested $10 tix totally worth the impressive program for every concert. Be sure to save the dates. the latest concert reminded me how much I liked Brahms yet how little of his work I know. Should also look into Virgil Thompson Louisiana Story. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana_Story

NY flute club concert - http://nyfluteclub.org/concerts-events-and-more/2015-2016-concert-season

I need to start a list of flute musicians and composer I hear at these concerts so I could follow their tours and listen more! Always more Bach esp for flutes (also need to play more Bach too). need to look more into Julius Baker and legacy. And wooden flute headjoint sported by Bart Feller. Look up Mimi Stillman in Philly.

Winter in New York City

We have had our share of cold and snow in New York this winter, but not enough to stop some recent visitors from enjoying the city. While my previous NYC guides and tips have been more summer and warmer weather focused, I thought I'd summarize some winter outing tips for future reference.

Top 5 picks for non-holiday season winter months in NYC (in no particular order):

• Museum: Metropolitan museum of art, (or other museums such as Natural history museum, Guggenheim museum, MoMa)
• Music: jazz bars in the village, or whatever type of music suits your mood. 
• City watching: pick any food and coffee place with a nice window and watch the snow fall. people watching is awesome too.
• Ice skating: Bryant Park, Prospect Park, Central Park, Rockefeller, etc. Tip: wear stretchy pants and finger less gloves! take a break with hot chocolate and marshmallows.
• Bookstores/Comic Shops: Strand is great for browsing/reading/buying. For comics I usually go to Midtown comics but Forbidden Planet is just a few doors down from Strand so good for a combination visit. Here's my bookstore list (which seriously needs to be updated. sigh)

Misc Tips

• weather tip: dress warmly and wear warm comfortable boots. if the weather is below 10, may be easier to plan your day around one neighborhood (food/drinks/music/fun) as to avoid too many cold subway transfers or walking.
• host tip: make sure to stock up on hot chocolate. my favorite is Godiva's hot chocolate (dark chocolate). I make it with hot water and add cinnamon/nutmeg. then add a bit of milk. You can also make this with hot milk (a min or two in the microwave). 

Q's visit notes

Q is a friend I met in Shanghai years ago. Despite the number of years that has passed, I'm glad we are still able to chat and catch up and hang out together. It was her first time in NYC. NYCGO has a nice list of top attractions here http://www.nycgo.com/must-see-nyc/

Fri - Jazz at Met museum (this was a special event organized by Jazz and Colors), starbucks under Rockefeller Center (the worst starbucks service I've seen in the city, but it is indoors and has seating and good for a chat), Q and her classment went to Top of Rock and Times Square afterwards.

Sat - Financial District - Charging bull, Battery Park sights, Wall street, New York Stock Exchange, Stone St for lunch at Ulysses burger and coffee. Excellent Statue of Liberty photo op on board the free Staten island ferry. Quick mid-afternoon snack break at Underground pizza. Another break afterwards for hot chocolate.
Artsy spiral building and ceiling photo shoot at Guggenheim (looks prettier during the day though). They have free Sat evening admission so we also looked through exhibits (mostly under construction though).
Metropolitan Museum visit to see more exhibits. Luckily they open late on Friday and Saturdays. Egyptian temple, armor wing, american wing. persian, islamic, chinese art exhibits (peking opera face paints). bus downtown then ramen break. Zinc Bar jazz concert (Monika Oliveira and the Brazilians. great flute and sax parts and of course singing).
we ordered birth of cool and A-train cocktails.

Sun - french toast with apricot/chocolate and genmaicha tea
Brooklyn Bridge. Seaport stationery shop and park for views of BWM (Brooklyn, Williamsburg, and Manhattan) bridges
grocery store challah adventures.
sesame bagel with veggie cream cheese

E's visit notes

E and I met in middle school and were penpals (yes real letters and stamped envelopes) when I moved out of state. We managed to stay in touch and I'm glad I got to visit her in SF a few times and soon in Philly too. 

Sat
Japonica - good tuna sashimi, Japanese pickles and green tea. we watched snow fall outside. it's very relaxing to watch snow.
origami meetup at Cosi- butterflies, modular origami
flamengo jazz guitar Andreas Arnold - Cornelia Cafe. For cocktails I ordered a madison manhattan and E ordered a sneaky ginger.
Rasa - Malaysian curry.
Dessert at Amorino. I had a gelato (cafe and hazelnut). E. and R. ordered very thick looking Italian hot chocolate.
We wandered through Strand bookstore until closing.

Sun
French toast brunch
brunch part two: Open door gastropub Caribbean wings and virgin bloody mary (tomato juice and hot sauce)
E went to catch a broadway show with family, I had flute ensemble practice followed by a flute concert.

NYC winter jazzfest 2015

NYC Winter Jazzfest took place across several venues during Jan 8-10, 2015. On Jan 10, I braved the cold to choose my own adventure down in the village. This year there were 10 venues and 100+ bands which made itineraries and combinations a tricky affair. I tried the best I can to fit in different bands and different venues. Clearly, I can't seem to just sit still in one or two places (which would make things much easier logistically).  

The Prep

Prior to the weekend, I browsed through the bands' albums on the Winter Jazzfest itunes playlist. There I found I really enjoyed listening to Hadar Noiberg (I play the flute so always looking for flute performances) and marked her appearance on my prep list. I also think it's interesting to read through the personnel listing to find out what instruments / people are listed for the different groups. 

Check-in and Stop 1 - Piano

The check-in at the Judson Church was wrapped around two street block corners. I was in no mood to stand in line in the brutal, wind-chilled evening so opted to take my chances at the secondary check-in site at Subculture. Luckily, there was no line and I caught the end of a performance and grabbed a Crisp beer. While taking a break between acts, I took the opportunity to review the official program (paper is better than mobile phone) and mark up bands/venues with a small highlighter. Some of it is purely logistics (trying to make my way across the different venues) while others feature bands/instruments that I'm interested in (flute, cello, trumpet, etc). I also bookmarked the crowd report site which gave an indication of the space capacity at various venues every 15 minutes. 

Subculture http://subculturenewyork.com/

Alfredo Rodriguez Trio (band link)

I really enjoyed the ballad piece called veinte anos (20 years).  

Stop 2 - Electric Cello Hip Hop

Bowery Electric http://www.theboweryelectric.com/

Dana Leong Trio (band link)

I wish I had seen more of this performance. Very good crowd energy and really, what beats electric cello hip hop? have to look into more of their shows.

Stop 3 - Flute Melodies 

Now I know why there was a huge line last time I tried to go here. It's not a huge space and the immediate area next to the stage are sit-down seats/tables only (no standing). Luckily I got a seat not too far from the crowd and was able to enjoy the show. Very cozy space and good drinks, probably will come back for other shows.

Zinc Bar http://www.zincbar.com/homepage

Hadar Noiberg Trio (band link)

I enjoyed the piece called Persian love song. need to see what type of flute she has because it certainly sounded different. 

I ordered "the A train" with gin (with cucumber, lime, pimms, and white cranberry juice). 

Stop 4 - Sax Magic

Minetta Lane Theatre http://minettalanenyc.com/index.php

Rudresh Mahanthappa's Bird Calls (Charlie Parker project) http://rudreshm.com/

Stop 5 - Dancin' Good Hearty Warm Jazz

Greenwich House Music School http://www.greenwichhouse.org/music_school/index

David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band (David link) - they perform every Wed at Birdland!

I loved "Dream a little Dream", "Stardust" and really everything they played. The crowd loved them too.

of course after reading a bit more about them, I realized that the band does not always feature the same members. Listing some other performers and their site(s) so you can check them out too. I listed them according to order in pic above (left to right)

Clarinet/ Tenor Sax - Adrian Cunningham

Banjo / Guitar - Jared Engel

Trumpet - Bria Skonberg

Tuba/Lead - David Ostwald

Trombone - Dion Tucker (official site?)

Drums - Joe Saylor (official site?)

some other pics

previous Winter Jazzfest write-up [link]
look forward to the next winter jazzfest!

Flute and Music Resources

creating a list for myself as I’ve started to play the flute again and thought it’s good to get organized.

Flute

NY Flute Club  http://www.nyfluteclub.org/
monthly concerts, master classes, newsletters, events listing. ensemble program and annual flute fair
Flute World http://www.fluteworld.com/
sheet music, instruments, recordings, and more
Flute Associations (compiled by British flute society)
http://bfs.org.uk/page/flute-associations
Flute Lessons http://www.armyfieldband.com/pages/education/flute.html
Flute scales and many tunes http://www.flutetunes.com/scales/
Flute karate http://musictechniqueninja.com/flute-technique-karate/
good way to practice those scales and feel accomplished!

Play

Community Orchestra http://www.nyro.org/ one of my friends plays in this orchestra. weekly rehearsals and nice concert series.
Flute ensemble http://www.nyfluteclub.org/concerts-events-and-more/ensemble-program I attended this and really enjoyed playing in it with other flute enthusiasts (really cool to hear the diff types of flutes). look forward to the sconcert.
Greenwich House Music http://www.greenwichhouse.org/music_school/adult_programs looks like they have workshops and chamber music programs in addition to private lessons.

Jazz Stuff

Jazz Play-along series http://www.halleonard.com/search/search.do?seriesfeature=JZPLYA
L. and I enjoyed the Miles Davis (vol 49) book. Songs we played for family on thanksgiving: Autumn Leaves, Bye Bye Birdy, How Deep is the Ocean.
Jazz at Lincoln Center http://www.jazz.org/media/
Hot House Jazz Guide http://hothousejazz.com/
--work in progress--
Listing of flute concerts attended

• Nicole Mitchell http://nicolemitchell.com/
• Elena Pinderhughes http://www.jazzspeaks.org/elena-pinderhughes-group/
• Mark Sparks http://www.nyfluteclub.org/calendar/NY-Flute-Club/view/Mark-Sparks-flute/

Artists to Look up

Sam Most

Jazz Flutists

Monday Night Winter's Eve

Dec 1 was Winter's Eve, a fun evening celebration of music, food, and cheer around the Columbus Circle / Lincoln Center area. I have been to my share of tree lighting ceremonies in the past few years but was attracted by the sheer number of music groups advertised in this festival. and who doesn't love to go out on a Monday night!? 

Stars

After work, I took the subway to Columbus Circle. Got hit by the cold rain as soon as I walked above ground. Needless to say, I needed to warm up somewhere and headed towards Time Warner Center. Time Warner Center Stars are definitely crowd favorites around the holidays. Those spectacular stars change color and also dance to holiday music as part of a show. The best place to see them is on the 3rd floor. 

Eats

After warming up inside, I went outdoors again looking for food. Many local restaurants set up bite-sized foods in stalls around the center. I avoided the extremely long lines and still managed to have a 3 course meal courtesy of the following establishments. Total bill was $11. 

• appetizer - duck soup from Asiate
• main course - delicious pasta from Landmarc (also found a recipe online!)
• drink/desserts - mulled cider and ginger cookies from Whole Foods. 

Tree

After dinner and fighting the rain with my umbrella flipping open every second or two, I walked to Apple Store to check out Hot Sardines. Then on my way back, I heard a great brassy sound coming from the Christmas tree. The music from Raya Brass Band was so warm, friendly, and festive that most of the audience started dancing despite the rain. 

You know a band is playing well when people opt to brave the cold outdoors to listen instead of going to a dozen other indoor performance offered throughout the night. I'm actually listening to their album on spotify as I write this. I've discovered that I like anything with a good brass section (tuba gets bonus points).

Jazz

I met up with my friend D. near the Christmas tree and we walked towards Time Warner Center to see a jazz flute show I read about on the program. Elena Pinderhughes and her group gave a great performance. I recently got back into playing the flute again so was very inspired to hear her play. Everyone had a chance to show off their moves (bass, piano, flute, and drums).  

There are so many other bands to look up (and the website will likely get updated next year) but wanted to share the link anyway: http://www.winterseve.nyc/entertainment/

Broolyn Museum First Saturday

On Oct 4, I attended my first Brooklyn Museum First Saturday. For those of you unfamiliar with First Saturday, it's when the Brooklyn Museum opens its galleries for free from 5pm-11pm and throws a grand party with music, dance, and more events. Even special exhibits like "Killer Heels" and "Crossing Brooklyn" are part of this special deal. 

Music

I first heard Arturo O'Farrill's Afro-Cuban orchestra at Prospect Park as part of outdoor summer concert series and loved them. The youth orchestra Fat Afro Latin Jazz Cats were also insanely talented. They played right near the entrance way (the best concert venue I've seen around town yet)! The photo above was taken from the walkway above the entrance. The acoustics were better inside though. I'm so glad I took a jazz class one summer so that I can appreciate excellent improv a lot more. Check them out at their next concert! Practice your dance moves in the meantime.

Selections from Crossing Brooklyn Exhibit (until Jan 4, 2015)

Drew Hamilton Artist site: http://drewhamilton.net/home.html

This miniature street corner was made with incredible attention to detail. There was also a monitor nearby showing how the crowd reacted to this miniature corner when the artist left it on the same corner (check out more pics of the sculpture / video on artist site). I have not been to that street corner but now I'm curious about the grittiness (and that food truck, not pictured above). 

Paul Ramírez Jonas. artist site http://www.paulramirezjonas.com/selected/new_index.php

At first, it just looks like another statue. Look closer, you will notice it is made of entirely cork material and invites museum goers to participate by pinning something. I have to admit that I enjoyed reading these notes more than many museum exhibition notes. The experience is similar to reading people's messages in a guestbook at a coffee shop (I remember a really good one in Seattle) or graffiti on a random restaurant/cafe bathroom. and no, people did not censor themselves. 

Some people had more interesting items from their pockets/bags. I only had a receipt from the cafe (pulled pork, rice, and plantains). Would love to see this sculpture toward the end of the exhibit cycle. 

Cynthia Daignault artist site: http://cynthiadaignault.com/

According to exhibition notes, this is not just a beautiful collection of clouds and skies. Beautifully done. 

Permanent Collection

Fred Wilson artist wiki page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Wilson_(artist)

Sanford Biggers artist site: http://www.sanfordbiggers.com/index.html

I thought it was strange to see this piano/tree sculpture so went to have look at the exhibition notes. You have to read it and visit it yourself to feel the power and horror. 

Ai WeiWei Arist site: http://aiweiwei.com/

I missed his show at Brooklyn Museum earlier this year but will have to be on the lookout for future shows.

Tips

• Enjoy the music and don't be so set on those ticketed events. I enjoyed roaming about the gallery and lobby / concert area more than doing anything else.
• Take in the view from the walkway above the lobby. Gorgeous!
• First Saturday is totally free (not a "suggested donation" thing) and no lines (except for certain craft events / lectures with seating limitations). Check out the event line up and bring your friends!
• Cafe is quite good and reasonably prized. Hey, if you're saving on admission might as well support the cafe!
• Museum is right outside 2/3 subway station for Eastern Parkway/Museum. it's next to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and fairly close to Prospect Park Zoo so you can plan for a full Saturday afternoon/evening out of it!
• Bike lovers will love the museum shop

Plan

Find out more about the next First Saturday event here: http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/visit/first_saturdays.php

Artist or perfomer should check out their proposal application and sign up!

https://brooklynmuseum.wufoo.com/forms/adult-program-artist-and-performer-submissions/

Japan Day in Central Park

Japan Day 2014 look place this past Sunday in sunny Central Park. I’d heard about this culture event previously and was glad I had the opportunity to go this year. My friend L. recommended JERO, who is an enka style (a traditional Japanese genre) performer and well beloved in Japan. Below is a pic of the stage where JERO performed enka style songs. I loved his outfit, his vocal chops, and his overall performance. You can read more about him here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jero.

Other festivities included food stands, activity stands such as origami, calligraphy, and kabuki facepainting. I mostly looked at the stage performances: Taiko drumming, fashion show, JERO, and an audience participation dance number by AK848 called something Fortune Cookie. Not quite the macarena or gangnam style but still an international sensation.
Selected photos from my walk around the park. Say hello to Shakespeare.

I’ve always wanted to try the model boat. Aren’t they pretty? The reflections came out perfectly.

The red floor near Bethesda Fountain contrasts well with the green trees.

Bowery and Delancey

Below are some pics from the St Paul and the Broken Bones show at Bowery Ballroom. It was my first show at the Bowery and I loved it. It is conveniently located to a variety of food choices and transit options (subway, bus, etc). Makes me wonder why it took me this long to see a show there. Some additional notes about the venue: it has 3 levels, all equipped with a bar or two. When you enter, you are on the lowest level (find your bathrooms and coat checks and couches here. Rest up before the show! I heard the opening band Dough Rollers play (more on their site) but I couldn't find the entrance to the main area. Turns out it's right next to the ladies bathroom. Just head over there and you'll find a way to the main area. After you scope out the stage and the surrounding area, you can find another set of stairs to the balcony. The bar on the balcony was the least crowded so I got a brooklyn lager there. 

For the duration of the show, I actually stayed on the main area, about 10 rows of standing people away from the stage. The crowd was responsive but they should have danced/moved a bit more (the music demanded real gospel style participation!)

Get tickets quick before they sell out! I always find it interesting to see which shows sell out vs not. Give those sold out bands a try on spotify. and see what all the fuss is all about!

bought swag for my next concert, since the coat check line was long as expected. 

To find out more about the band, check out their Call me youtube video. This song was the one that got me curious. What a voice! Then I listened to the entire album on spotify and decided I needed to see them live.

You can also read a nice write-up on the band NPR.

Watch this band in the upcoming months. I have no doubt lead singer Paul's voice will reach other fans looking for a bit of that southern sunshine, warm cheer, and that rock and soul from the talented musicians in the band. I also highly recommend Bowery Ballroom as a venue to see great shows. Already got tickets for another show in a month!

Jazz in Autumn Central Park, New York

Jazz and Colors was advertised on many NYC event guides as a great way to take a stroll around Central Park while listening to classic jazz performances. I was surprised this was only the second year for the event. Just to note, I didn’t research the set list or the bands. Sometimes it’s better to just walk and enjoy and see what’s playing. I started out with egg/cheddar on a sesame bagel for breakfast (prepared for walking!) and headed to Columbus Circle. A banner indicated the band/location: ELEW and Nature of the Next / Columbus Circle. They had a huge crowd probably because Columbus Circle gets quite a bit of foot track. I wonder if most people just walked by and learned about the event. Maps and pamphlets were available at the information table.

While I walked to nearly 7 or 8 bands, the only three I remembered were Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra (Bandshell, not pictured), Jason Marshall Quintet (Pineband Arch), and Frank London’s Klezmer Brass All Stars (Olmsted Bed on the Mall).

I know I had a perfect autumn day/weekend in Cambridge [blog entry] but New York also has its perfect autumn days. With foliage all around me in orange, yellow, red, and some greens too, I just wanted to keep walking and taking pictures. Dark branches with character spiraled out of nowhere. Ginkgo, maple, and pots of chrysanthemum looked even more lovely with the various sculptures / buildings inside the park. I also liked Central park’s benches, pools, lakes, bridges, and reflection of the leaves and buildings. Even more pics on shutterfly.

Other highlights from the weekend

Go go Curry http://www.gogocurryusa-ny.com/ typical comfort food. Try the chicken katsu or pork katsu and you won’t be disappointed.

Jiro dreams of sushi movie. http://www.magpictures.com/jirodreamsofsushi/
A movie about work and passion, with just a dash of sushi food porn in the mix. Linda and I both agreed that the food critic was awesome. He’s able to articulate just what sets Jiro’s sushi place a step or two above others. The movie was also a keen study on father/son relationship as well as the relationship between sushi chef/customer and sushi chef/fish market/fish dealer. I don’t think I’ll make it to Tokyo’s Ginza district any time soon, but may check Sushi Yasuda because it’s well regarded in the city.

Dim sum in 8th Ave Chinatown (Brooklyn Sunset Park) for the first time with friends was great. I didn’t get the name of the place but am sure we’ll go back there. Good service and very delicious shrimp dumplings. Pretty cool to have had dim sum in Manhattan, Queens, and now Brooklyn!

Windy Sunset Park made it difficult to take a picture of the gorgeous skyline. I recommend people take a trip out here though. http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/sunsetpark

Whole Foods almond milk latte. Yes it’s not a secret that Whole Foods has almond milk available if you’re not interested in milk or soy. I like to switch it up a little and find it fun to get an almond milk latte whenever I’m in a Whole Foods. In this case, we were waiting for the movie to start so had some time to chat and sip coffees.

Miyazaki movie Wind is Rising or Wind Rises. I don’t know what the movie is called but it was a sold out crowd (possibly because everyone heard the ad on NPR or because it’s only playing at the Landmark Sunshine theater for one week). I enjoyed the visual effects but found the love story a bit difficult to relate. I did like the main character’s pursuit of his dream though. That was powerful.

Speaking of jazz, there is also an excellent jazz anime called “Kids on the Slope”. It’s currently available on stream on Crunchy Roll. I found it because I heard Yoko Kanno also worked on the music. There were a few love triangles but the overall character interaction was genuine and relatable. Best part was of course the music but it’s rare to find anime more focused on friendships and growing up than the regular school romance. Who is your favorite character? It’s a toss up between the two male leads at various points of the storyline.

Of Montreal at Music Hall of Williamsburg

Music Hall of Williamsburg is located close to the L stop Bedford Ave. I don't usually go out on Monday nights but a last minute concert idea was suggested by Vin and I decided to try it out. (who really does anything fun on Mondays!?)

We have the tradition of meeting up for food before a concert. This time I met up with Vin and Laura at Baoburg, a block away from the concert venue. There were half a dozen restaurants/bars in the area so I'm sure everyone can find their choice of food and beverage. My favorite dish from Baoburg was the duck noodles. Please beware the place is cash only (for now, maybe they can look into Square payment in the future), which I learned the hard way. 

The band we saw was Of Montreal. I know I've heard of band but post concert still have no recognition of their songs. Clearly I need to refresh my music library. 

The venue is cozy and the best feature is a bar on each floor (three floors total) and plenty of couches and seating. During the opening act Luz, we lounged around the couches on the top floor balcony near the bar. According to the bartender we had a happy hour deal for drinks. Maybe because it was Monday. Most of the crowd was on the lower floor. 

During the main act, we ended up on some bleachers on the top floor. Relatively good view and a back to lean against. 

New band, new venue, and new restaurant, all on a Mon night. Hard to top that for the rest of the week but anything is possible in New York.