Brrr

It's cold outside!

I think the low the other day was 9 degrees F (without wind chill - or whatever it's called now - taken into account).

I'm glad Winter is finally here, but it bugs me that I need to get some moisturizing cream for my cold, cracked hands.

New York Miscellany for Faraway Friends

Team nymiscellany! Yes, I'm becoming a bit of blog slut - kinda like a bog slut, but less okefenokee swamp.

Meatballs & Homemade Blueberry Ice Cream

I've decided to scale back my social activities this year. I was feeling a little overextended at the end of 2006, which might have had something to do with my recent illness. Anyway, no poker this year, and also smaller gatherings at home.

So we had a dinner party with the two friends who were there at the beginning of my culinary experiments (Summer 2004, mac & cheese!) I'd just seen an episode of Good Eats focusing on meatballs, so I had meatballs on the brain, this recipe in particular. Also wanted to whip out the ice-cream making machine that I'd bought years ago (in that initial surge of culinary experimentation) which was now collecting dust in the cupboard above the stove. Found my copy of Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book and settled on a sweet cream base for the blueberry ice cream. Yum-o! I cheated a bit by including my mom's curry dish on the dinner menu and also served some fresh bread from Parisi Bakery along with fresh ricotta from DiPalo Fine Foods. I love shopping for food in what's left of Little Italy.

JL arrived early with Bass and fruit in hand, VI a little later with the much discussed "nut milk". She quickly made the three of us (HYB abstained from the nut milk) some breezy, honeyed cocktails. I somehow managed to finish cooking the meatballs, curry, and rice before we settled in for some quality time in front of the boob tube. (Note to self, finish making ice cream BEFORE guests arrive, that Cuisinart machine is noisy as all getout!)

I've been sick

for the past three weeks. My doctor told me I have a double ear infection, not to mention infections in my sinuses, throat and lungs. I'm afraid of permanent damage to my hearing. Ugh.

Mozart at the Morgan

Met up at Murray's Cheese inside the Grand Central Market before heading over to the Morgan Library to view some Mozart manuscripts. The collection is completely insane, and by that I mean breathtaking. The Morgan owns three copies of the Gutenberg Bibles, more than even the Vatican! Here's a link for the lowdown on the history of the Morgan Library including some info on its recent renovation.

JL, and bro parted company, but not before running into an old Wes drinking buddy on the street. We'd better change our phone numbers quick! :)

Headed down to 14th to stop in on DF's birthday bash at Pizza Bar. Didn't we go to a pizza bar the other day? So we made a quick stop at the Dirty Bird to make sure there would be no repeat of the pain on New Year's Day.

Met the dancer girls and some out-of-towners and taught some dance moves and hopefully "demonstrating excellence" before calling it a night. Oh man, I need some rest.

I win

I won my first battle of the year.
I thought that Guillermo del Toro was the director of Pan's Labyrinth, since his movies tend to be fantastical in nature, but my friend got him confused with that other Mexican director, the one who did Harry Potter 3: Revenge of the Jedi, also not to be confused with that other guy, the one who did Babel.
Victory is sweet indeed.

Happy 2007

Started off 2007 full of food and drink, surrounded by friends, old and new. I was told I was the best dancer in the world (which is a slight exaggeration, maybe most fun dancer would be more apt.)
This is going to be the best year ever.
Can you feel it
Can you feel it
Can you feel it

All Roads Lead to Corner Bistro (& 94th Street)

Just home. This was an unexpectedly long night.

I thought we'd be spending time in and around Union Square capped off by another night of gustatory confabulation, but affairs of the heart trump food cravings so we stayed in the UWS and had sushi. (I know, me and sushi, what world is this?) CS joined us at the end of dinner and we wandered around the neighborhood. I was enjoying the music which seemed not unlike the sets heard at my old high school dances, when I innocently suggested an alternative venue. CS became very determined and we trudged all the way down for a dancing good time. But there would be no dancing. I really wanted to dance, I was also completely exhausted. I could barely stand at the next no-name bar in hell, but we somehow managed to score a ride on a jet plane or something. Getting out into the stale night air with the clicky-clak of ill-shod women (on cobblestones) all around, I felt pangs of hunger and steered our group to the Corner Bistro. It ended up being a mini-high school reunion of sorts when I recognized little brother David ('93), Erica ('93), Jeff ('97) & late arrival MaryAnn ('95). We also shared our booth with K-van and L-sey. She was really cute, it's too bad she didn't speak more German, I could've asked her out right in front of her boyfriend.

Evil Dead

I got a text message in the afternoon. Would I like to see Evil Dead (the musical) tonight? Yes ma'am!

Champagne & Ragu Redux

Went to another performance of Rigoletto last night, this time at the Met. But it was chilly just like the last time I heard Rigoletto. Sometimes hearing those beautiful songs of love and betrayal are almost too much to bear, but any feelings of melancholy were allayed by all the champagne before and during the performance.

The best part of the evening, or at least the part that generated a fist-pumping celebration, was during the beginning of Act III. I'd wagered that the audience might break out into smatterings of applause when the Duke began his famous La donna è mobile (A woman is fickle) aria, V thought otherwise. A tasty morsel from Dom's was at stake!

I lost the bet, but my friend's wide, easy smile and look of joy were my consolation prize.

I'm Killing

Went to Carnegie Hall tonight, to see Josh Bell. He would be performing the Brahms Violin Concerto, but we'd have to wait until after the intermission to hear it. I knew it was the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra tonight, but I wasn't sure about the conductor. Looked inside the Playbill and noted that tonight's conductor was Sir Andrew Davis. I turned to V and said something like, "Is he Sir Colin Davis's brother?" She replied, "I was just about to say that." (I win, this one time, I actually win!) So far that was the highlight of my night. (Though the free booze and MarieBelle chocolates at our pre-concert stop weren't bad either.) But there's more, because tonight I was killing. After the Coriolan Overture was finished, there was a brief pause while additional musicians piled onto the stage for the next piece, Sofia Gubaidulina's Feast During a Plague. There were at least four percussionists on stage, not including the pianist or the two harpists. I cracked, "What is this Mahler?" and the woman to my left thought it was pretty funny. I would've walked out right there (to leave on a high note), but the music was about to start again and I still had to stick around to retrieve my new baby.

Sunset

I realize now that the main reason I enjoy playing Civ4, actually all the Civ games, is the music. I'm not the only one that loves the Civ4 soundtrack.

from the review on ActionTrip

In light of that, I should also mention that the soundtrack in Civilization IV is one of the most soothing, fulfilling and fitting I have heard in a video game yet. This was clearly a labor of love for Firaxis Games, and this is reflected in so many different facets of game design.

I'll always associate Frederick the Great with Goldberg Variation #4.

Day Break

I think it's already past sunrise, but I can't see the sun. Too cloudy overhead, in my head. Blasting Ma's take on the Bach Cello Suites in my cube, #s 2 & 5 are my favorite (D minor & C minor, no surprise there). I'll listen to the Bylsma recording next.

One (Dame's) Furtive Tear

The Elixir of Love was wonderful last night. But now I'm off to North Carolina...

(Edited to add the following)

It certainly was one hell of an elixir! It's the most fun I've ever had at an opera. The '50s era costumes, sets, and most specifically the tongue-in-cheek "translation" of the libretto made it much less of an ordeal than one sometimes encounters at THE OPERA. The "Una furtiva lagrima" (one furtive tear) aria sung by Nemorino is one of my favorite and the tenor did a fantastic job. The heartache and longing behind the song is almost too much to bear. And it was the only time during the performance that I did not glance at the supertitles.

Waiting on the subway platform I was treated to a busking flutist's rendition of "Caro nome" (dearest name). There must have been a performance of Rigoletto at the Met that night. I whistled that song of love all the way home.