It’s been a long time since I’ve moved apartments — five and a half years to be exact — and I can’t say I missed the process. Sure, I still haven’t decided if I’m going to move or not, and that changes almost daily, but after making a few inquiries Thursday with some agents, I’m definitely erring on the not moving side.
Why is it that speaking with a real estate agent makes me feel like I’m 23, stuck in the herd, and just a quick buck? Probably because for at least two of those things, it’s true. Continue reading →
How much do I love discovering great new artists? Only a smidge more than I love telling y’all about them. Most recently, I did it with Amy Winehouse, Jon McLaughlin, and James Morrison, but there have been others. And now I’ve got another one for you. On Monday I got an advance copy of Jeremy Fisher‘s debut CD, Goodbye Blue Monday, in the mail at work. Intrigued by the press materials, I loaded it up and was instantly captivated by the breezy hooks and Paul Simon–like sound. Jeremy’s a singer-songwriter whose music is an appealing mix of folk, soul, blues and pop — kind of like a cross between Van Morrison, early Bob Dylan and, yes, Paul Simon — which makes him something of a throwback to the ’60s folk revival sound. Whatever you call it, I really like the CD.
As it turns out, Goodbye Blue Monday is only Jeremy’s U.S. debut — he released his first CD in his native Canada in 2004, and Blue Monday was released up there in March. The video for Jeremy’s song “Cigarettes” has already been viewed on YouTube nearly two million times. Personally, I prefer the song “Scar That Never Heals,” and the video for that is below for you to sample. The song is like a cross between “Me & Julio Down by the Schoolyard” and the Violent Femmes’ “Blister in the Sun.” If you want to download those two tracks and three others, you can do so at this site. The full Blue Monday CD won’t be out stateside until August 28, so those five tracks should tide you over until then. Actually, I’m kind of surprised the CD isn’t being released sooner; “Scar That Never Heals” is a perfect summer song. It’s one of the catchiest tunes I’ve heard in a long time, particularly that tongue-twister of a chorus with all those “doo doo doos.” I expect to play it many times in the coming months. And maybe you’ll be doing the same.
For months and months, I’ve been teased by the ad in the Improper Bostonian for Ruth’s Chris Steak House that features a perfectly cooked filet. (It’s the one to the left.)
Just seeing the thing practically makes my mouth water (so does writing a blog post about it).
I’ve been to Ruth’s Chris a handful of times (last one was December 2005), and have always loved it.
So this year there was only one place I wanted to go with my family to celebrate my birthday. And when my juicy filet mignon arrived in front of me Saturday night, I was practically in heaven.
Let me get this out of the way right up top: Ocean’s Thirteen is not the best movie in the series; that would be Ocean’s Five, when Danny and Rusty broke out of prison together so they could steal a diamond from a billionaire real estate developer.
But it’s still better than Ocean’s Nine, undoubtedly the worst movie in the series.
But seriously … and that’s not exactly a bad way to begin … Ocean’s Thirteen is not the movie I was hoping for.
I happen to love the other two (Eleven more than Twelve), mostly because they’re so cool and breezy, and the chemistry between the whole group is so strong that watching the movies is like being one of the boys for two hours.
I say finally, but it only took me a month to read (which, believe it or not, is really quick for me).
As I’ve said before, I don’t read books. It’s not that I’m against the medium, but I just don’t seem to have the patience for anything longer than a typical magazine article. And maybe it’s because Mix Tape is written by Rob Sheffield, a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, but damn if I couldn’t put this book down. Continue reading →
Thought I’d share what Andrew (he of the Miami bachelor party fame) and his fiancee did for me today. At around 10:30 this morning, I was told by our receptionist that I had a visitor, and when I went to the front desk there was a guy in a gorilla suit who proceeded to sing and dance his birthday wishes to me. Suffice it to say, it made an already happy birthday even happier — and it drew a lot of laughs from my coworkers. I said I wanted attention on my birthday, and Andrew sure made good on that. Nice work, my friend, but know that you’ve raised the stakes and one day I will reciprocate. The rhythm is gonna get you, too!
One day I’ll outgrow the idea of celebrating my birthday … but not yet.
Today, as I turn the big three-three, I still like making a big fuss about it.
And more than that, I like having other people make a big fuss about it. It’s the one day of the year when I get to act like a 7 year old (at least officially) when it comes to looking for attention. Continue reading →
According to Wednesday’s New York Times, the meatball universe is expanding. It reminds me of that scene in Annie Hall, where Alvy Singer’s mother says to young Alvy (and I’m paraphrasing here, of course), “What has the universe got to do with it? You’re here in Brookline! Brookline is not expanding!” Still, I’m a bit worried about a meatball universe expanding. That just can’t be good.
Birthday dinner at Masa: Mmmmmmm Steak frites: Mmmmmmmm Dos Masaritas: Mmmmmm Mmmmmmm Dessert at Picco: Mmmmmmm Good friends to celebrate with: Perfect. Happy birthday to me!
It’s been a long time since I’ve moved apartments — five and a half years to be exact — and I can’t say I missed the process. Sure, I still haven’t decided if I’m going to move or not, and that changes almost daily, but after making a few inquiries Thursday with some agents, I’m definitely erring on the not moving side.
