Amazing Baby & Bloc Party

My friend, Matt, plays drums in a hot new band called Amazing Baby. Last night Amazing Baby opened for Bloc Party for a free show at Roseland Ballroom. I love Bloc Party, I love Amazing Baby, and I love free things. Even better? Matt was able to give Margot +2 guests so Piper and I didn't have to wait in line and got to hang in the VIP section with all the elite fans. We even got to hang backstage, but that mostly involved Margot and I stuffing our faces with chips and salsa so we'll just skip over that part.

Piper and I had a marathon day together. She was sent home sick from work so I went to her house for lunch. After work I went over her house to get ready for the concert and then we met Margot on 52nd Street. We decided to first go have a drink at Russian Samovar. I was a little nervous about sipping on vodka, but their fruit infused vodka selection was incredible. Piper chose ginger and Margot and I got apple cinnomon. It was actually really good and easy to drink.

An array of vodka deliciousness.

Getting into Roseland - even with our names on the guest list-was a total crap show. We got frisked and there were lots of older, roadie-type men shouting about forming lines. We eventually made it upstairs to the VIP section and got us some brewskis. Amazing Baby went on at about 8:15 or so. Here is Matt just before he got on stage:

These two got the rock & roll look.

They were awesome! The place was packed - it was kind of insane. I was so happy for Matt and the rest of the band - it was really impressive.


Amazing Baby on stage.

I was really into Bloc Party when they first made it big in like 2005. I even went to a show all by myself and rocked out. I still really like them a lot, and they played a great show, but I think the last show I went to was better. There, I said it. The music sounded great, but they were less animated on stage. Oh well, still awesome!

After the show we went to someone's fancy townhouse for a party. The part of the basement rec room we were was easily twice the size of my apartment. Piper and I didn't stay too long. What can I say? I like my 8 hours of sleep. So sue me.

Congratulations, Matt and everyone in Amazing Baby!!

Labor Day Weekend 2008

Nothing like a long weekend to make the first week of non-summer seem extra depressing. Oh well, I am happy that this means we have fall weather ahead of us and can wear my new jacket!

Friday afternoon I had lunch with Siobhan and Meredith. Siobhan was in town for a few days from London. It was awesome to see her and drink rosé, but I wish we had more time together.

After lunch with Siobhan I scurried off to the 7 train to meet Abe. We were going to the U.S. Open! This is our second year going and we freaking love it. Who knew we would like watching tennis so much? We saw Andy Roddick play against Ernests Gulbis.

Andy Roddick warming up.

Tennis luvers

I forgot I got an ice cream cone.

Abe found a ball over by the warm-up courts.

Saturday we drove up to Massachusetts and on the way I took Abe on a quick tour of UConn (my alma mater).

Saturday night we went to the Picadilly Pub on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester. It was surprisingly good. Then we went over Dave & Brit's house and hung out with them and Dennis.

French onion soup.

Abe did not like me taking photos during dinner.

Sunday we drove into Boston and met up with Allyson. Allyson is the most wonderful person in the world and got her hands on 3 tickets to a Red Sox game!


This was Abe's first trip to Fenway so it was pretty exciting. It was also really awesome to spend the day with Allyson, who I don't get to see as often as I'd like. The Red Sox lost, but it was a really fun game.

Me and Al

Craft Sunday :: Volume 2 & McCarren Pool

Yesterday my friends and I had our second installment of Craft Sunday. I decided that our craft of the day would be to make dream catchers. The prep was pretty easy (the supplies can get pricey - but you'll have leftovers), and the craft itself was good for all levels.

Colleen telling us how she once tickled a llama with a peacock feather while at marine biology camp.

Colleen was the star of the day - her precise knitting fingers definitely gave her an advantage. However, the great thing about dream catchers is that they look awesome even if you don't do everything perfectly so really everyone left with a really awesome hippie craft.

After 4 hours of booze, bagels, cupcakes and cookies we decided to go to the last concert ever at McCarren Pool. I guess the city is turning it back into a public pool next year. Yo La Tengo was playing so the line to get into the concert was completely insane and wrapped around the park.

Somehow Jane got a secret password from a friend and so we went to the VIP entrance and told the guard "We are here for the naked dodgeball." and all 8 of us slipped right in.

My Friend the Model

On Saturday my friend, Margot, was kind enough to lend her modeling skills so I could take some photos of some of my bags. Doesn't she look awesome!? Margot is a fantastic model because not only is she beautiful, but she also has an amazing wardrobe and knows how to put together an outfit.

It was a quick shoot - we just went to a few places right around my apartment in Greenpoint.

El Sloucho :: Military Olive with Enchanted Forest print in gold

Tote :: Camouflage with Mr. Paws print in white

Thanks, Margoogle! I owe you an ice cream float.

080808

Last night Abe and I met up with friends (Matt, Margot, Colleen, Piper, Ari...), and what seemed to be every stylish person in Williamsburg, at the East River State Park for an event called 88BoaDrums. Honestly, at first I wasn't sure what the deal was. We got tickets a few weeks ago - it was free admission, but the tickets let you in without having to wait in line.

88 BoaDrums was promoted as a wild drum event hosted by Japanese psych-noise-crazy-genius-types Boredoms. This event revolved around the number 8 - on August 8 at 8:08 p.m., 88 drummers performed for 88 minutes.

We got there and the light from the sun setting behind the Manhattan skyline was just beautiful. It made you completely forget that we were all standing on a toxic dump. I suppose it is fine as long as you don't have pica - or if you do make sure to bring your own soil.




So it sounded kind of weird and I wasn't expecting it to be too mindblowing, but it was something free to do. Well...I could not have been more surprised. Basically, I was psychedelically transported back to my days of weekend-long Phish shows. About 20 minutes in and all of a sudden my friends and I were talking about how we were on an alien planet after leaving our metropolis planet behind. The show ended with free ice cream. It was a pretty incredible night.

After the show we met up with more friends at Nita Nita. Piper has an adorable new hair do (she went to the same stylist at Mousey Brown!) so Colleen and I decided to try it on for size.