Nine Days in NYC - A Joy Smorgasbord Before The World Went To Shit (Again)

All I want in life's a little bit of love to take the pain away
Getting strong today, a giant step each day
All I want in life's a little bit of love to take the pain away
Getting strong today, a giant step each day

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Last month I took what I thought was a gonna be a quick dip into NYC for some meetings and greetings and a show or two but fortune smiled and I was able to eke out my longest city-romp in ages. Vax card in hand, I saw/ate a bunch of things and managed to open doors to all sorts of new mini universes. Fortuitously timed it seems as I made my exit just as Miss Omicron was being crowned “Most Likely To Kill Fun.” Hell of a run though. Check it:

Nene’s Taqueria - Bushwick

Weird/Wonderful:6/9

Birria is having a moment. My first experience was at my buddy’s Mexican joint in Richmond, Vermont and I have been obsessed over since. Authentic, off-avenue storefronts dotting the boroughs have been around for ages but, ironically, it was the TikTok algorithm (#tacotok) which led me to one of the OG joints, Nene’s. They were absolutely slammed at lunch so I pulled a few laps around the neighborhood while I waited for these beauties. Four ingredients and absolutely stunning, a must stop every visit. Long live #tacotok.

Carthage Must Be Destroyed- Bushwick

W/W:8/8

Fun origin story: I was scrolling Google Maps in Brooklyn and the words “Carthage Must Be Destroyed (Restaurant)” kept popping up. Carthage must what? Okay, fine, I’ll bite.

Of course “Carthage” is hidden in an unmarked building in an alleyway deep in industrial Bushwick. And double of course there is a “no photo policy” (oops). I paid a lot for scrambled eggs that were absolutely perfect, lost myself in the Pantone pink everything and had a peak “we’re not in Kansas anymore” breakfast. Self awareness goes a long way and I wasn’t mad at all. Fun stuff.

Electric Citi Bike- All Boroughs

W/W:3/8

Citi Bike arrived just as we were moving out of NYC over a decade ago and even then I knew these would transform the city. But the electric bikes?!? GAME CHANGER.

Earlier this summer, the electrics were in short supply. Someone in corporate must’ve gotten the memo because now every bike rack has at least a few that are charged and operational. And, whoa, once pedal-assist kicks in there’s no going back unless it’s Back To The Future hoverboard vibes. I opted out of Ubers and taxis and the MTA and went everywhere (over bridges!) in less time for less money on miles and miles of separated bike lanes. A tiny workout, ultimate flexibility and a completely immersive vessel for exploration.

Alex Edelman’s Just For Us - West Village

W/W:7/9

Alex’s Birbiglia-produced one man show recently posted up at Cherry Lane Theater which is on my favorite corner of the entire city (Grange Hall next door was my local during my decade in NYC). He’s a star and I hope Covid doesn’t kill this run because the show is hilarious and pithy and poignant and tells his true story of an Orthodox Jew crashing a white power meetup in Queens. A delight I tell you! (The New Yorker agrees). Alex asked for this photo after the show because it turns out he likes my band and of course I obliged because sometimes the universe works out that way and now we’re pals and how fun is it when that happens SUPER FUCKEN FUN is the answer.

Xi’an Famous Foods - Manhattan/Brooklyn/Queens

W/W:2/7

I dunno, I debated putting this on here. It is a local chain after all and I’m certain there are way more delicious mom-and-poppy noodle joints all over town. But this was my first ever exposure to “Spicy Cumin Lamb Hand Ripped Noodles” long ago and so it will always have my heart. No real vibe to speak of (hospital lighting, plastic tables with a semi-permanent gelatinous sheen) but the chili oil is write-home-to-grandma stuff. Dumplings too.

Do Or Dive- Bedford Stuyvesant

W/W:6/7

Spied this on a walk one sunny day- the awning said “Do or Dine” but they crossed out the “n” and replaced it with a “v” and that was good enough for me. I was the only customer here at 2pm, asked for a cup of coffee and Captain Hirsute Harry (not his real name) didn’t even charge me for it, super rad move CHH. Velvet Underground on repeat and there was a dookie in a bathroom which itself was a museum-level recreation of the can at CBGB’s. If you lived here you’d be home by now!

don’t look down

Little Island - West Side Highway

W/W:7/7

The actual experience here isn’t out-of-this-world but it’s fine by me when a billionaire funds a park where we unwashed masses frolic. Better than a Swiss bank account I guess? I do love love the mushie supports and it’s a super charming efficient amble right over the Hudson river. A fun little side hatch if you’re tripping along the west side with a few minutes to kill.

Katana Kitten - Manhattan

W/W:8/8

I was staying a few blocks away when I read that a website called The World’s Best 50 Bars named Katana Kitchen the best bar in America (and number 10 overall). Of course this is totally arbitrary (and also bullshit) but how could I not. I only poked my head in (there’s was a pandemic raging and I wasn’t in let’s-hang-out-in-bars-with-more-than-one-person mode) but I’ll be back in brighter days. The vibe was palpable.

Skinniest Storefront in History - West Village

W/W:9/1

I walked by this “tobacco shop” about 10 times a day– it never seemed real. I mean, what? It’s not even 3 feet across. Is this some kind of mob front like Rice to Riches? A portal to Narnia? An 86-esque entrance to Marie’s Crisis? I was scared to go in, not gonna lie. Bad things happen in here, I’m sure of it.

American Utopia - Midtown

W/W:9/9

You may find yourself sitting nine feet away from David Byrne caterwauling through one of the most indelible and important catalogs in modern music. And you may ask yourself, “well, how did I get here?” Somehow, the planet spun and plunked me down in row two at the St James Theater on a Friday night. The narrative interstitial bits kicked me out just a little bit but MAN OH MAN this was an absolutely glorious production. And what a thrill to bask in this energy vortex. A restrained but insanely innovative permutation of one of our most guileless American artists.

The End Of History - West Village

W/W:8/8

A shambolic West Village storefront from another time and place. Color-coded mid-century ceramics and glass vases, ash trays and lamps line every available surface with some pieces dating back 25 years ago when EoH first opened her doors. Leave your fidgety toddler at home for this one, I mean, it’s like a human version of Operation: kiddo nicks the 50-year-old vase and “OOPS YOU OWE ME $6,999!” Hooray for this time machine at the corner of Hudson and Perry, everyone wins, especially interior designers with blank checks from their billionaire clients…

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NYC was/is amazing and I’ve missed it so much and can’t wait to do all the things again when this wave crests. I’m feeling cautiously optimistic about the spring and beyond and sincerely hope you are feeling that too cause it sure does feel nice to daydream about the future again…

Thanks for reading, more soon, as the universe unfolds…

Love you bye

RM