Remember the Walkman?

This week we celebrate the 30th anniversary of one of the greatest musical innovations of our time-the portable/personal music player, the Walkman.
There's an entire generation of kids who have never handled a cassette tape, who don't know the joy of trying to tune in to a static-y tv frequency on their sporty yellow Sony (the one with the hand-grip). This BBC item offers a teen who's never flipped a cassette the chance to ditch his tiny iPod for a monster of metal (were they REALLY that big?) and see what he thinks. Truly funny.

Weather Update- Fireworks Edition

*4TH OF JULY EXPLOSION CAST: I know you are all wondering "Hey, is it going to rain Sat.? Will I get to light off the snakes, smoke bombs and bang-*snaps* I bought?". BIG APPLE, It looks like it's going to be a shadestastic 4th! Highs will be around 82 with mostly sunny skies. Pack up the wagon, get a 30pack and head to the beach...summer only lasts so long.

That Lean of MJ's? Patent Protected!

By far the most intriguing Micheal Jackson factoid I've come across is this tidbit- that gravity-defying 40 degree lean that he made famous in the Smooth Criminal video was made possible by a device that he decided to patent! If you want to keep the magic magical, stop reading here.
How does it work? Holes in the shoes, my friends. A peg inserted in the bottom of the shoe would rise up and offer support as he leaned forward, then retracted when he returned to the upright position. Pretty neat, huh?

Panda Elephants on Parade

Evidently elephants aren't getting enough love in Thailand- where they are the national symbol. In protest of a new $20 million panda house, staff members of the Ayutthaya Elephant Kraal painted the pachyderms like pandas for some attention. The trunks still give them away, in my humble opinion- but they are clearly labeled 'panda' in case there is any confusion.
Imagine being a 4 year old, taken to the zoo to see elephants painted as pandas. Most people need to take psychedelic drugs to go on a trip like that.

Weather Update

GOOD MORNING BIG APPLE! 66, sun and clouds. Today should be a good day with only a slight chance for t-bangers. The high should climb to 85. Looks like this week is going to be like the last few weeks, just a little warmer and maybe a little less wet. Highs each day will be in the 80's with showers and t-bangers each day. CRAZY HAIR ALERT MAY BE NEEDED.

" I Cannot Live Without Books"

This quote is only one of the reasons why Maira Kalman devotes her gorgeous illustrated column And The Pursuit of Happiness on the NYTimes site to Thomas Jefferson- polymath, educator, innovator.
He also wrote something called the Declaration of Independence, which you can probably get on your Kindle, if you are so inclined.

Weather Update- MJ Tribute Edition

WEATHER FLASH! 71F, 79% humidity. It's only HUMAN NATURE to sweat in this weather. Crazy hair alert in full effect! Tonight is going to be OFF THE WALL with a low around 69 so get out there and ENJOY YOURSELF. You can BLAME IT ON THE BOOGIE but tomorrow is going to be one THRILLER of a day featuring a high around 90 and t-banger galore. So big apple, DON'T STOP 'TILL YOU GET ENOUGH.

What's Blue & White & Striped All Over?

Answer- practically all of New York City. Nauticomania has swept the city, and in the interest of keeping it real, I thought I'd point you toward the truly authentic sailor stripe shirt from Saint James. They've been outfitting French seamen since 1889, and they get it right, every time. The stripes are the perfect weight, spaced just right. And, of course, the boatneck is right-on. So- if you're going for the stripe, keep it authentique. If you can't wait for mail order, Smith & Butler in Carrol Gardens stocks 'em, too.

Weather Update

WEATHER UPDATE! See the clouds out there? You can kiss them goodbye in a couple of hours. Currently 70, with 73% humidity. The high will top out around 83. The humidity will make ya sweat. There is a slight chance of t-bangers tonight. FRIDAY: Heavy duty humidity with a Miami style high of 90. Friday night could feature SEVERE T-BANGERS with gusty winds and hail all thanks to a cold front.

The Holy Grail from Domino Magazine

I've been saving this post for a rainy day- and well, that means I should have posted it three weeks ago. When Domino magazine sadly folded, the first thing I did was save all the links from their website 'directory', knowing the site would soon be gone, and then how would I find wallpaper? Or paint color inspiration? Or French Baroque four poster beds?

Well, sweets- I've just published it on the web, links and all. Click away.

Weather Update

WEATHER: GET YOUR SWEATBANDS OUT BECAUSE LIKE THE BUSTER POINDEXTER SONG, IT'S GONNA START FEELING HOT HOT HOT! Thursday should top 85 while Friday melts your soul at 91. CURRENTLY 67 and overcast in Central Park. There is a 70% chance that it will not rain today. The high will be 78. Weekend preview later today.

Dance Attack!

The highlight of a recent trip to Los Angeles was the discovery of a choreographer named Ryan Heffington. Dreamy, fun, and mischevious, he's the brain behind a series of guerilla dance performances that have seriously hooked underground Angelenos. Described by the LA Times a a "mad Bob Fosse with a sewing machine" (he also makes the costumes), Heffington is also the teacher of the aptly named Sweaty Sundays dance class- in a studio in hipster-hip Silver Lake, dancers of all levels congregate to literally dance their asses off. I've never had more fun- I returned to New York dreaming of ways to hook up some space here with a streaming video feed and a roomful of sequins and leopard tights. I've got to get on that! In the meantime- enjoy this cinema veritae video of a 'dance attack' outside of a multiplex in LA.

weather update

WEATHER OUTLOOK: CRAZY HAIR ALERT! POLLEN OUTLOOK: LOW FOR TODAY. Currently 67, cloudy, humidity 76%. 20% chance of a shower today with the high around 80.. 10% chance of wearing shades in summer sun today. Dear summer, Please give it your best shot. Thanks.

Water in a Box. Of Course!

It seems shocking that it took this long for such an innovative shift in ideas- we drink milk from cartons, wine from boxes. Why not water? TastingTable tells us about some smarties in Michigan are trying to turn the tide- read more here.

Red Panda Triplets in Fargo

Triplets? Now just picture Frances McDormand saying "yah, you betcha!". These tiny guys were born to the surprise of the Red River zoo in Fargo, ND. They're rare- the last triplets born in the Western Hemisphere 10 years ago. Here's the momma curled up with the tykes- they should be viewable in August.

Coney Island is Not Yet Dead

Nor will it be for a while- you can even roller skate on the boardwalk! Open for a second season, Lola Starr's roller rink is housed in a Deco building right on the boardwalk (there's even a parking lot) just steps from the Parachute Jump and the musclebound men cruising for ladies at Cha Cha's . Weekly themed parties and fun tunes make this an offbeat evening activity- just don't booze before you cruise.
If you go around mid-July, you could stop off at the newly renovated Totonno's for a pie to work off on your skates.

One Dress, That's All

Every now and then a fashion innovation comes along that sets the press on fire for a second- I'm pretty sure that this dress will be the talk of the town this summer. Called simply the 'One Dress', its a silk knit jersey tube that offers the wearer a million ways to tie it on. If you're a size 6 or a size 16, you can wear one, as it was collectively designed by over 1,000 women, all who have offered input to enhance the design. Seems like a kooky idea, but I think the fact that Angelina Jolie called the designer to order one herself means there's something to it. He reportedly hung up on her-twice. Proceeds of the dress go to aid the U.N.'s refugee effort- a good dress for a good cause.
Get on the wait list now- maybe you'll have yours by Labor day.

You: The Hacker

If you're a technophobe, don't get scared here. The following is a public service announcement intended to help you harness the power of Mozilla Firefox. (If you are reading this using Internet Explorer, please stop. Go to firefox.com and download the internet browser. Then come back to this post) With these small, easy tweaks, you can ramp up the speed of your internet browsing, among other upgrades. Which comes in handy if you're trying to, say, buy Springsteen tickets online, or something like that. And it really is a hack- so you can say, with full conviction, that you are a 'hacker'. Look at you, getting all techie! Click here for all the tips. Courtesy of unplggd.com.

Brooklyn, represent

A band of Brooklyn-based pirate artists, led by a Pippi Longstocking-like artist named Swoon shook up the Venice Biennale by drifting into the city on raftlike boats made from trash culled from New York City streets. They sailed from Slovenia, where they had to rummage for a bit more trash as their container of crap was held up in customs. The Daily Beast has a great slideshow, and Vanessa Grigoriadis covers it in New York Magazine this week.

Color Coordination

Since technology and it's devices have become such a part of our everyday lives, it only seems fitting that you should be able to customize your Kindle, flat screen TV, or mouse in custom color to match your life. While it seems frivolous, just think for a sec about how ugly those Kindles are- really, they're ugly. Now you can get one in hot pink! Or turn that sleek white Macbook into a neon orange beauty. Colorwarepc.com takes care of the whole shebang- you can buy it new from them, or send in your device and they'll swaddle it in color. Seems particularly smart for iPhones; you'll never pick up the wrong on again.

Our President Can Kill A Fly

Stealthily and calmly. And while cameras are rolling. For some reason- this says to me we have elected the right man for the job.

weather time

High clouds and sun at all stations. TODAY'S MATCH: Haze and Cloud team up against Sun. Who will win? Only time will tell. FOR TODAY: Partly sunny, high 70. Tonight clouds increasing with a chance of showers after 3am. Watch out night owls.

All Hail the Pantree

If you are anything like me, you nearly lose a finger every time you try to get a pan out of your pantry or cabinet. And you make a ton of noise, and you have to re-arrange all your pots and pans and lids every time you cook. Sigh. This vertical cabinet organizer seems like a genius idea- keeps everything organized, neat, and easy to get to. No more clattering!

weather update

WEATHER FLASH! The sun is out! The beams are hot! The UV is rising like the pulse of a human cannonballer! The sun does not shine often these days so treat your mind and body good by soaking up as much sun beams as you can. The temp is up to a sexy 72, topping out at a sultry 74 sometime soon. sizzzzzzzzzle sticks!43 seconds ago

COOL baby gifts

If you've noticed that nearly every single one of your friends is expecting, you'll need to be thinking about baby gifts soon. Check out Baby Rock Records for a cool gift--these guys take your favorite rock band- say, U2 or Queen or Radiohead, and babifiy the tunes so that little ears can appreciate them. So when babysitting time rolls around, you've got cool music to rock the little babe too, and Mom and Dad will likely tear up as they thank you for saving them from the Backyardigans or Baby Mozart. Because guns don't kill people, people. Baby music kills people.

A pretty way to get around

Hey city-dwellers! Check out triptropnyc.com. It's a really neat way to plot subway trips around the city- much more visual than the MTA's subway maps, and a lot more concise than HopStop.

Hibiscus Cooler

I bought some dried hibiscus flowers at Trader Joe's a few weeks ago and didn't know what to do with them- but June's Gourmet magazine brough a fantastic recipe for a hibiscus cooler that couldn't be easier- and sounds delicious! (it's part of a bigger Oaxacan party menu which is outrageous). It's also really simple- you soak about 2oz of the dried flowers in 3 cups of water overnight, then add 5 more cups and some sugar to taste. I intend to add some vodka or gin and a drop of St. Germain to make a delicious summer cocktail- but I think it'll be just as delicious as a booze-free libation, too.

Party Tracking- Summer Style

This neat service by Carlsberg beer supposedly helps you track your friend 'in real time' and helps you locate the best parties happening in your area all from your mobile phone. It's in Beta right now, but it's fully launching mid-june. Free to all! Seems like the best way to make sure all your friends wind up at the Yard this Sunday!

Happiness, graduates- that's what life is about!

David Brooks reminds us today that your GPA is but a tiny portion of your life's importance. Being happy- that's something that they should teach classes about.

it's high time for the high line

Go west, people- the first part of the High Line is open for business, from Gansevoort to 20th streets. (No dogs, bikes or skates, peeps). There are entry stairways every few blocks. Looks pretty neat!

That's a Fact!

ON THIS DAY IN WEATHER HISTORY: 1752 - This is believed to be the date that Ben Franklin did his famous kite experiment during a thunderstorm to determine if lightning and electricity were related. 1957 - A dust devil at North Yarmouth MA lifted a 1000 pound chicken house into the air and carried it 25 feet, depositing it on the ground with only slight damage.

Hot Diggity Dog

Along with pizza, we seem to also be experiencing a bit of a hot dog renaissance. Maybe it's just the start of summer that' s jump-started the craze, or the recession (they're cheap!) or a combo of both. Evidently, American diplomats have been using dogs as bridges of diplomacy for years and years.
This week sees the unveiling of Super Dog on MacDougal street-- entirely wallpapered with a comic strip featuring hot dog superhero. They're sure to tide over all the folks waiting for tables at Minetta Lane, right? And since today is Tuesday I should probably mention AsiaDog, a weekly event at Trophy Bar in Williamsburg-- expect kimchi and Thai mango salad instead of relish and onions.

I should make it clear that I absolutely love hot dogs. Love them. But for the record- I like 'em plain.

WHAT is that smell?

The spectacle of the 'Corpse Flower' or the Amorphophallus titanum is about to begin at The Huntington Art Collection and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, CA. This rare and smelly flower can grow up to 6 feet in height-- there have only been 50 documented flowerings in the United States. This Huntington bloom is an offspring of the 1999 bud, and it's set to burst open any moment now. Too bad we don't have scratch-n-sniff pics on the web, huh?

Weather Update/crazy hair alert

ELEMENTS UPDATE: I was just out in the elements on my way to work and realized a DRIZZLE ALERT IS NEEDED. Walking to the train I was covered in a fine mist of fresh water. It was not terrible but I would rather the sun be shining. The temp has jumped a whopping 2 degrees since my last report and now sits at 61F. AWESOME

CRAZY HAIR ALERT ISSUED!! With the current humidity levels you can expect your hair to do THE UNEXPECTED. BE WILD, BE UNRULY. FRIZZ OUT and make you CRINGE when you look in the mirror. Pull it back, tie it down just don't let it eat you alive. STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THE CRAZY HAIR ALERT.

** June Skywatch **

NEW* JUNE SKYWATCH! On the 19th, Venus and Mars, Earth's two closest pals, hover beneath the crescent Moon. Saturn remains nicely up until midnight. On the 23rd, Pluto reaches opposition. After angling from Serpens through Ophiuchus during the past year, it has entered Sagittarius, its new home until the year 2025. Summer begins with the solstice on the 21st, at 1:46 A.

We Make Your Dreams Come True!

There seems so be a bit of pop-up wedding chapel craze in New York right now. There's not one, but two planned pop ups, one on the lower east side at 139 Norfolk (of drive in movie fame) and another in Brooklyn at 303 Grand street. The Brooklyn spot has Martha Stewart on their side- it looks like it's a lot more polished. The avant garde set will flock to Norfolk for Vegas-style themes, custom murals and general wackiness in a 2x4 room. Both are sure to be way cooler than anything they're doing over at The Grand Prospect Hall.

What the Farve?

This is great. While Brett Farve makes up his mind about whether he'll sign with the Vikings (mortal enemies of the Green Bay Packers, to the uninitiated), his family is hogging a whole slew of rooms at the Best Western near Lambau field in Wisconsin for Nov 1, when the Pack is scheduled to hit it with the Vikes. Hotel Chatter has the scoop. Maybe this means you'll be re-arranging your fantasy football picks this fall?


PS. the photo of Tim Riggins to the right has NOTHING to do with this post (except that it's football related). But I have to keep the ladies interested.

Talk about Al Fresco

Apartment Therapy re-posted a NYTimes article from last summer on their site today. I remember reading it then and thinking about how cool it would be to take to the sidewalk or the Nethermead in Prospect Park with a full-on dinner party. Evidently, it's legal to do so, with a few restrictions. Where's the wackiest place to have a dinner party in New York?

wellie alert

UPDATE! T-BANGER SQUALL LINE CROSSING THE HUDSON...batten down the hatches. Secure your yachts! Put the cover over you lamborghini countach. WINDS COULD GUST TO 40mph with lots of lightning.

Celebrate Brooklyn Starts Tonight

For the first time, Celebrate Brooklyn's opening concert is FREE to the public! David Byrne is performing the music of David Byrne and Brian Eno, accompanied by a band, dancers, and probably about 20,000 concertgoers. Get there early- a pre-show private gala starts at 5:30, concert is at 8:30. Gates open at 6:30.
Bring a rain poncho.

weather update

CURRENT WEATHER: 70F Central park, mostly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower or t-banger this afternoon with the high trying to reach 77F. Tonight expect showers and t-bangers after 9pm. Looks like we are heading into a weather pattern similar to last week, so take VITAMIN D because the sun won't be around much.

While We're Talking Movies

Last night we were cruising in Red Hook and happened upon an ad-hoc drive-in movie theater at Van Brunt and Union streets. An overall-bedecked man was running a reel to reel and screening old silent movies. It appears to be a collaboration between media behemoth ClearChannel and WORK, a gallery in the Hook. An unlikely partnership, but one we were really happy to chance upon! Here's some video of a previous drive-in-- maybe it's something someone else wants to try to do out there?

NYC Food Film Festival

For all of y'all who like your flicks to focus on food, the NYC Food Film Festival is a 3-d sensory extravaganza-- they're screening foodie movies and then offering tastings of the food featured in the film. Go and see Big Night at the new South Street Seaport water taxi beach, and then pray that there's a timpano for you somewhere. But don't dare ask for pasta with your risotto.

Moon Update

MOON UPDATE: Currently the moon is in it's waxing gibbous phase meaning it's 98% full. Tomorrow night will feature a full moon. Pack your moon shades, as the nights will be bright this weekend. enjoy

weather update

12:15PM UPDATE! 59F, wind NE at 12. Thick clouds with persistent rain falling. So you may be asking who/what enjoys this type of weather? Well, fish enjoy it, frogs, salamanders, moss, ferns, people watching movies, reservoirs, streams, rivers, tomato plants, couch potatoes, good book enthusiasts, hermits, hermit crabs and some worms.

the perfect staycation spot

Sometimes I wish I didn't live in New York, so that I could come and visit and stay in a neat hotel.
A visit to the newly opened Ace Hotel on Broadway at 29th street nearly made me whip out my credit card and check in. Further investigation shows that this is truly a special spot- if you have out-of-towners coming to visit, send them here. It's a great location, and the rooms look dreamy. Unofortch there aren't any shots of my favorite detail- as you climb the steps from the restrooms on the basement level, leading up to the lobby, you see the words " Everything will be alright" on the riser of one of the steps. Such a subtle detail, so cleverly hidden. Sweet and charming- and stylish. And yes-- I think everything WILL be alright. Nicely put. HotelChatter has a neat Flickr slideshow of pics from their stay- looks like they got a sweet suite.
Amenities like Stumptown coffee, a cool photo booth in the lobby and an upcoming Ken Friedman resto pretty much guarantee this is going to be a neat hangout. Plus- some rooms have bunk beds!

food, incorporated

Last night was the NYC premiere of a powerful documentary film about our nation's food industry called Food Inc. We're messing with nature, big time, people. While I've always griped about the cost of organic food vs. non organic, I know completely understand where that cost is coming from- and I will gladly pay it. To put better food into my body, to keep illegal workers who slave away processing OUR food from being arrested by immigration police, and to try to minimize the amount of inhumane animal treatment that goes on every day. Every time you check out at the supermarket and choose something organic or an item from a small producer, you are voting for better health, better quality of life, and a better planet for all of us.

ok. i'm going to step off of my soapbox now. The flick opens June 12. It's not for the faint of heart, but it is educational, and, as you all know, knowledge is power. Huzzah!

friday sighday weather

UPDATE: CURRENTLY: 57F in central park with drops falling from the sky. Todays high will be a disgusting 61F with drops falling heavily at times. Park your loafers and pumps in the shoe bin and slip into a pair of rubber boots. Hang in there, tomorrow is going to blow your mind.

Torn about Twitter?

Maybe this idea from Sam Potts Inc. will sway you- they're taking it old-school and hand writing 'tweets' which they then send to you via snail mail. For free. It's all in support of the good old paper and pen (or pencil) partnership that seems to be slowly vanishing. It's art, it's sweet, and it's cool. Check it out here

fontastic!

Say NO to Scrunchies

Forget about writing to your local representative pleading for gay marriage rights. I say we start a letter writing campaign to American Apparel and demand they cease scrunchie production RIGHT NOW.

A letter from Little Edie

HBO's feature film Grey Gardens has led to a resurgence of attention for the original Maysles documentary about dynamic Little Edie and her mom, Big Edie. I just saw this letter on the Times blog, (they used a neat technology called iPaper) Little Edie's response to the Times' review of the film. The letter was never published in the paper. Words from a staunch character, indeed.
Letter from Edie Beale

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Magazines & Newspape edie beale grey gardens

weather alert- there is a silver lining

55 Drizzly degrees. It's the kind of morning that makes you wonder if you just woke up in Seattle circa 1994 dressed in torn jeans, flannel and Dr. Martens. TODAY: The high will be 68, the clouds will persist but the rain should stop around 10AM. One good bit of news: THE WEEKEND SHOULD BE A BEAUTY!

it's like drinkability, but for reading

If you do a lot of reading on the web, you are familiar with the annoying interference of an onslaught of ads on every page. This applet streamlines your reading page to your specifications, and keeps all those ads at bay. It's pretty easy to install, and there are several templates to play with so you can control the visual layout. When you go to a reading page, you click on the 'Readability' link in your toolbar, and it takes it from there. You wind up with may more text on each page, and a lot less distractions. As Martha Stewart would say, it's a good thing. Yet another neat innovation from the smarty-pants over at Arc90.

picture day

I'm missing Domino magazine a LOT these days- i've got lots of time on my hands and I'm jonesin' for a project. So- in the spirit of Domino, I've searched the web for some neat Domino-ish inspiration sources that could have been featured in the mag. Number one is this amazing site, The Rasterbator (ha!) which rasterizes (translates your image from vector image to pixelated or dots, so it can be fed trough a digital display- a screen, or printer) any image you upload, and sends it back to you in digital files which can be printed and used for large-scale image creations. I LOVE these one, from their site's gallery. Who doesn't love Christopher Walken? And the other guy took a picture of his neighbor and photoshopped his head onto George Castanza's body, then slapped it up outside for all to see! I wish he was MY neighbor.
Oh, did I mention that it's free? You can use the service online or download it, without any resolution or file size restrictions. This is cool, peeps! Domino would be proud.

weather update

MUGGIES ALERT: 64F Carroll Gardens, 62F Central Park. Humidity is up around 80%. Clouds and sun today with the chance of sweat and stickiness, high around 74F. There is also a 50% chance for a t-banger or shower. Pack an umbrella and a bandanna.

Weather Update

3:15 pm UPDATE: It's like a humidor out there. 76F, 67% humidity. At this hour ominous clouds are building and the chance of a t-banger is increasing. A cluster of t-bangers is developing over Morris County NJ. They could clip the Apple, Brooklyn and Staten Island in the next 45 minutes. Keep your eyes to the sky.

veggie marketplace

TastingTable brings us news of a new site called Veggie Trader which allows all of us backyard gardeners (oh wait. I don't have a backyard garden. hm. ) to share in one another's bounty. Register for a free account (they had 3,000 registrations last week!) and let people know what you've got. For those of us with not much more than a few sprigs of basil, there is also the option of buying and/or creating a 'wish list' for those generous in spirit to spread the wealth. I'm picturing a first annual Veggie Trader picnic, featuring the world's best ever salad.

it's not just soap

This morning I picked up a big bottle of Dr. Bronner's peppermint castille soap, thinking it would be the perfect thing on a hot day to make the task of mopping my floors a bit more manageable- the scent never fails to refresh my senses. As I was checking out at the grocery store I read just a small snippet from the text that wraps around the entire bottle: "Do one thing at a time! work hard! get done!" Inspirational advice from the side of a soap bottle, no? A few years ago someone made a documentary about 'Dr Bronner' himself, called the Magic Soapbox. This guy held 13 birth control patents, 1000 acres of Rain Forest, and seemingly invented a new mineral salt. Curious.
I just added it to my Netflix queue, after reading a CBS radio critic call it "An inspiration for eccentrics everywhere!". I can't decide if I think the guy is a total freak-o or a humanitarian genius. We'll see. In the meantime, it's going to be my summer go-t0 all natural everything cleaner- floors, sheets, bathtub, outdoor furniture, etc. Hey-it tingles!

DIY Brick Oven Pizza

Wow. This is above and beyond anything I've ever attempted at home -- I'm in awe.

pengiun poop (this is not a hockey post)

This from the Huffington Post- Scientists have decided that following a trail of poop is a great way to track Emperor Penguins-- the stuff is noticeable enough to see from space! Scientist Peter Fretwell, who wrote a paper on the subject called "Penguins From Space" (coming to a theater near you, Summer 2012) says "It's a very important result scientifically, even though it's a lighthearted method." Now they just have to get Morgan Freeman to do the voice over for the poop-tracking. Science, people. It can be lighthearted! Tell that to my high school chem teacher, Mr. Brunetti!

time to make MORE donuts

I've been watching a construction site at 8th street and 7th ave in Park Slope for the past few months, and just recently some work permits were posted that indicated a new food establishment was on the way. This morning, Eater.com informs us that the 7th Avenue Donut Shop is movin on up and taking over the corner spot, from just a few doors down. And, evidently, the lowly launderette that was there previously was a HUGE deal in the laundromat world. Who knew? And who would put a kid on the Cyclone on their first day in America, after a loooooong boat trip from Ireland? Those peeps knew how to par-tay!

your weather NOW

61F in central park, 65F in Carroll Gardens. I take it back, I take it all back. Well, I take back what I said about the the high temp last night. I THINK WE MIGHT HIT 80F TODAY. Expect sun and clouds today with a chance of t-bangers after 12PM. It's gonna be a muggy one. Hang tough.

you know it's summer

When the Crab Chips come to town. (along with pizzatime, there will be in depth crab coverage on joie de beeb as well. Clemente's, here we come!)

I just snagged these babies at Fairway in Red Hook. If you are unfamiliar with these lovely chips, let me introduce you. Utz Crab Chips? Meet my reader- reader, meet Utz Crab Chips, a delightfully crunchy potato chip dusted with glorious Old Bay-like Chesapeake Bay seasoning. They're difficult to find, so when you track em down, buy three bags! And let me know where you spot them-- I'm working on a Google Map.

(disregard the 99c price stamp. this is obviously an outside of NY photo. At Fairway they were on sale for $1.19)

word on the street// pizzatime

ok pizza hounds- I'm gearing up for a total pizza avalanche in just a little while- NYC pizza listings, at-home pizza recipes, and general pizzaness all around. To tide you over I'll dangle this little piece of hot-out-of-the-oven news-- the chef at Motorino in Williamsburg is playing around with corn. CORN! This afternoon I saw, with my own two eyes, a blistered corn cob, husks intact, extracted from the wood fired oven. Unable to contain my curiousity, I walked right up to the counter, rested my elbows on the cool marble and asked him just what exactly he was up to-- there was no corn on the menu, I said. He remarked that he had just received the delivery of corn and wasn't exactly sure what would come of it, that he was just 'playing around'. Yum. I'm picturing smoky corn kernels and speck, sweet kernels drizzled with balsamic......... the possibilities are endless. Get thee to Motorino. They've got a $10 lunch prix fixe during the week!

the softer side of iron mike

Only 4 short days until The Hangover opens in theaters. Ironically, the trailer for the flick was shown before Tyson (Iron Mike makes a cameo), which I saw this weekend. The guy is a a hot mess. While you contemplate the idea of him getting back into fighting after three years in the clink just to mess with the 'erudites and the bourgeoisie'(NOT just for the money, as he tells a sportscaster after losing his last fight), check out what is probably the funniest 30 seconds of the Hangover right here. Somewhere Phil Collins is cowering, terrified.

monday morning inspiration

Ok- it's a new week and a new month! thought I'd start the day off with something beautiful. This painting (yes- it's a painting!) was done in 1771 by Swiss artist Jean-Étienne Liotard-- it's part of the Frick's collection here in New York, and when I saw it for the first time a few months ago I was awestruck by how modern it was- totally revolutionary, the mixed media effect, the raw wood grain backdrop, the delicacy of the colors and the crinkly realism of the little slips of paper. Truly visionary-- borne from someone's imagination, inspiration, and two human hands-- no digital assistance here, folks.

June Weather!?

FOR TODAY: Blue skies, high around 72. Chance of showers tonight after 3am, otherwise a fair night with the low around 59. Buckle your seat belts, the weather is going to be all over the place this week. Happy Monday.