We have toured through NYC by extended Chevy cargo van, ’95 Toyota Tercel, ’82 Weston, and now, most recently, by airplane.
I must say that I prefer the latter. No parking, driving, or towing.
Only walking.
Things I love about apples: Ma + pops, vegan foods accessible (like ramps everywhere for our appetite wheels), people of all kinds, professions, and non-professions all thrown together, subways and history. Brick, carts.
The things I don’t like are for our 1:1 in-person later.
Friday night, Rob and I trekked over to Harlem to find an allegedly “authentic” (debate) jazz club, which must have been somehow true because they were closed down Greek-restaurant style with a handwritten note on the window.
So instead, we hit the Lennox (with the infamous “zebra room” where Billy Holiday got her start) with much expense, but a lot of fun as well.
The second band’s drummer took so long to set up he even had a comedy routine about his speed. Something about drums should be in a can. We loved him.
Due to the air travel, I had almost zero in the way of a drumset. The Cake Shop had some equipment, but e still needed some kind of important pieces such as a high-hat, cymbals, and a snare drum. Luckily, not only did we get to visit with good friend and Occupier Loren, but he hooked us up with his friend Doug of Trucker’s Atlas Tour Management and Backline Supply in Queens for the remaining gear.
We all hung out in Williamsburg for awhile then headed to Queens later. The next day, we met up with Rob’s sister and her two friends who bussed up to NYC to hang out and catch the show. Awesome ladies.
Have I mentioned that walking in NYC is an all-the-time adventure seemingly set at the pace I’m somehow set at. If I’m a windup clock we’re both hitting a minute at 30 seconds. That’s usually good.
(Following I randomly insert a gallery of photos, much of it food ‘porn’ from NYC’s vegan underbelly, overbelly, and inyourbelly)
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- BB at the Cake Shop by Rich of the Magnolia Collective / Pneurotics
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- Frowny face.
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- Poingly!
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- Target free Fridays at MoMA
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- a good deal
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- Jazz & slow beautiful drums
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- Rob and L-slice with helmet shell
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- What I love about NYC: how these musicians pack their gear like this huge organ like they are tying shoelaces and head on out mobile-style
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- Jazz and slow beautiful drums
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- Sister Jaime!
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- Target Free Fridays at MoMA
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- Sewing Machines
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- Them carts saved our lives.
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- Sewing Machines
On Sunday night, Poingly opened the show. We were super excited to be playing the show with this odd n’ awesome man that we first saw at WE Fest in Wilmington. During his set, he had a dance contest + giveaway, some sing-a-longs, and a few melt downs.
We played next and were so happy to see Rich of our own Triangle-town in the audience (Pneurotics, Magnolia Collective).
The night ended with fellow-vegan Sewing Machines original one-man beard loop music that we just loved.
In truth, the night ended with some cake. Because all they got is vegan cake at the Cake Shop, and you can’t just leave that unsliced.
We proceeded to lose our way on the subway, complete with entourage and musical gear in cart and suitcase, showing the gang the glamour of the band world as we heaved the equipment up endless staircases.
The next day Rob and I walked from our hostel in midtown to the tenement museum (awesome tour of restoration of turn-of-century flats) where we booked a couple tickets, then walked across the Williamsburg ? bridge to Foodswings (vegan fast food!) where we met Max from Sewingmachines. Back in Manhattan we took the “Irish Outsiders” tour and headed back to catch our flight. Which I had mentally placed at 5:30 pm, but in real actual out-of-my-head time was at 3:30 pm. A late fee or two later, and we were on our way back home.
Someday, we’d like to live in NYC. There, it’s said.
