Do as I do

Instead of going to work today, I had a whiskey with Maybelle at Five Leaves. She took this. Not bad huh?

Haiti Benefit: Amazing, even without Cold War Kids

Neil Young a.k.a Jimmy Fallon

Without being too cheesy, I have to say there was a really beautiful spirit at last night's concert. The venue was sold out and aside from the silent auction, Bell House raised $35,000.00 for Save the Children and Partners in Health. I missed the first hour or so because I had to stop by my place, but got there in time to see Jimmy Fallon do a Neil Young impression. Then Freelance Whales played. You all should check them out. They're getting crazy attention right now and they are based out of Queens. Now that's special! Anyway, it was good times all around. Cat Power and Pavement records and CDs were given away for trivia knowledge, Ted Leo who also has shows in town, was adorable and even though Cold War Kids pulled out of the show, the Walkmen did an amazing job closing the show.

Look how close I was to Ted's face!

Early February Concerts: Morning Benders, Xylos, La Strada and More

La Strada: some handsome gentlemen

Hey all,

January is almost done and here comes February with a lot of musical goodies. Below are some notable concerts for the first few weeks of 2/10. I posted on the Morning Benders yesterday and am pretty excited about them. I have a dinner the night they play, so chances are I won't make that show, but they're back in April.

I will probably catch Xylos, since I haven't seen them since early summer and if I get the chance, La Strada at The Bell House. One of the best concerts I went to last year was seeing them there with the Black Hollies. The space was perfect for them, totally old worldy, big and romantic. It was so fun to see BH give a tight high energy performance. Their drummer was so good it was nuts and then to finish with La Strada and happy dancing couples taking up the floor. It was a very good night.



Anyway, I will be back with more news and dates soon.


2/4 9:30pm Cold Cave and Nite Jewel, Mercury Lounge $12

2/6 7pm Screaming Females , Jeff the Brotherhood Bowery Ballroom $13a/$15d
2/6 TBA Class Actress and Morning Benders Glasslands TBA

2/9 8pm Xylos , Dinosaur Feathers, also with Blair and Sydney Wayser Pianos $5
Note: This line up is very cohesive, but leans too much into pretty feminine twinkly music with Blair and Sydney, but that might be your thing--and for $5 Xylos and Dinosaur Feathers are more than worth it.

2/12 7:30pm The Watson Twins and La Strada The Bell House $10a/$12d

2/13 8pm Magnetic Fields BAM $25

Pitchfork Loves Boat too!

BOAT!

Pitchfork gave Boat's Setting the Paces a 7.5. Nice! I have it guys. It is like the rainbow and rock candy, magical and delicious. You can hear it for yourself at Pitchfork. Just click on the link.

What Say You about The Morning Benders?

Hey, so don't these fellas sound like the Artic Monkeys? They're pretty good huh? What do you think?



This is their myspace.

Enjoy!

If you Dig Iron and Wine Check these Guys Out

Hey all,

I think you should check the following guys out. The last band is a project of my friend the very sweet David West.

Horse Feathers "Curs in the Weeds"



Sufjan Stevens "For the Windows in Paradise..."



My Light Sweet Fire "Airline"



My Light Sweet Fire is playing this Thursday, the 28th at Side Walk Cafe, for more inforamtion go to their MySpace.

Rain Machine and Antipop Consortium at BAM 1/30/10

Lunch. Yeah I made it. What? Yeah it does taste rad. Huh? No you can't have any.

Not everyone loves TV on the Radio. Bryan and Steve made fun of me for listening to them. Truth is though, a lot of people do. The lead singer, who I just found out is named Kyp Malone has a side project called Rain Machine. I think it's okay, not totally my thing, but worth checking out. Turns out he's going to be playing on Saturday the 30th with Antipop Consortium who I also don't know a lot about, but whose "New York to Tokyo" I dig. I know that's the day of Creatures of the Forest, but if you want to check this out, you totally should (and then stop by!).

BENEFIT FOR HAITI AT BELL HOUSE: GOOD ACTS (MUSIC WISE/HUMANITY WISE)

Cold War Kids, check them out the 27th!

Hey all, I'll be there. How about you? Lot's of good acts. Some of my favorite: Ted Leo, Cold War Kids and Nicole Atkins. Go to Brooklyn Vegan for the details.



WEDNESDAY JANUARY 27TH

BELL HOUSE

6 PM

I Made Ramen and I Killed It; You Can Too (Maybe)

Ramen, Arlette Style

Ingredients

Udon noodles, cooked to package directions and set aside

beef brisket

salt

1/2 cucumber

1/2 carrot

two baby sour gerkins

one shoot of scallion

one clove of garlic

bunch of water cress rinsed and set aside

five baby portabello

rice vinegar

soy sauce

toasted sesame oil

one egg

Method

To make in advance: (it's worth it bitches, this is the soul of your soup): in a slow cooker place brisket and water to capacity. Place about a teaspoon of salt in it. Cook over night. If you go to the bathroom, check the broth and add water to keep the pot full. In the morning unplug slow cooker and place meat and broth in plastic containers. Bones will have fallen from the meat, throw them out.

When you are ready to make your ramen: cook noodles to package directions if you have not done so. Do not over cook them; it is better to leave them a tad al dente. run your container of broth under hot water to loosen frozen broth from container, then transfer frozen broth to a pot. On low to medium heat warm broth. In separate pot boil egg. Wash and slice mushrooms very finely. When some of the broth has dissolved dump in mushrooms. Maintain heat on medium. Julienne the cucumber, the carrot and slice the garlic clove and the scallion finely. When broth is all dissolved and the mushrooms are fragrant, turn off heat and dump carrots and cucumbers in and cover pot. Heat about a tablespoon or two of sesame oil over low heat. Peel your egg and set aside. Scoop out broth into bowl and fill three quarters of the way full. Make sure to fish out some hunks of meat, then add noodles. Raise flame on pan to brown the garlic and quickly turn off. slice your gerkins and add to bowl. Slice egg in half and place in bowl. Pour in a bit of soy sauce and rice vinegar to taste. Finish with the garlic and scallions. Serve ramen and the watercress as an accompaniment.

My beautiful belly bloated with ramen goodness

One More from Waiting for G

Here is another post from Waiting for G. I am posting it because I think it's true and insightful, and again general enough not to be to like I'm flashing my undies at you (metaphorically of course).

THE SPACE BETWEEN

Drunk dialing: don't do it. Drunk emailing: don't do it. Drunk texting: don't do it.
Sober words, no?
Why, however, is it that these rules of thumb get thrown out the window when a certain melange of alcohol and nostalgia become the puppet masters of tap, tap, tapping finger pads?

Here's the thing though, the content in those messages that slip through are not necessarily bad to get out, but one must know one's audience. A certain regret drizzles through your head the next morning when you realize you have wasted your words on stopped up ears.

***

Today I went for a walk and I came across a book of abridged Freud essays. I really enjoyed the seminar I took on Freud in grad school, so I stopped. I opened to a passage about some conference, German words, skip, skip..."Wait is this book in English?" I thought. My vision scrolled down and my language returned, but it was still of little interest. I opened to another place, where the binding had come undone. It seemed the owner had opened to this place repeatedly. It was a passage about hysterical women. The prevailing view of Freud, if you don't know, is that he was a misogynist. His writing on hysterical women is a great example of him at his worst.

In the passage he talked about how the physical behavior of hysterical women was actually an expression of a psychic drama. The behavior seems so aberrant to the common observer because they are watching a woman play two roles at once. Imagine you role played those conversations you have in your head with the imaginary version of a person who ticked you off. Of course, in this pretend conversation you've got a real zinger to zap him right up the crapper. Anyway, the line between sanity and hysteria is having the self-restraint to not play that out physically.

Why does the woman feel a compulsion to freak out? Well, according to F sexual energy needs to be released, but repression prevents the woman from a healthy release of energy so it comes out like that.

***

Drunk dialing is somewhat like that. One makes the rational decision that one will not extend one's energy into avenues that have proven unhelpful or even harmful. Yet, there's a reason you went down that road at some point and the memory of what originally took you there drives you to want to go back.

As long as one has good judgement the road remains blocked off. Alcohol, though, is an agent that removes the roadblock, so you go trotting down that path again. How can one avoid this? I think in some ways by acknowledging that desire to go down that road in the first place, before you put yourself in a vulnerable position. One can say one will just not get drunk again, but if one is like this one, some night of too little dinner and one drink too many will undo weeks, even months of this resolution. The point is not to avoid all types of vulnerability, but to find a way to live with and express that energy.

One must become a sculptor of desire and love and passion, possibly even hate. The materials are really incredible if you think about it.

Anyway, one way to look at the finger tapping faux pas is that it was a BIG mistake and whatever it was IS OVER. You are done with that point and need to move to the next.

That's one way to look at it, but it's a very punctual perspective; it loses the space between.

***

This right here, right now, is an ode to the space between. It is a 'here here' to the fact that something sparked an electric vibration in the soul. Go make something thing with it. Thank the universe that you have the divine inspiration of being affected by another person. Don't leave it swarming inside so that it comes out when you are least able to make it beautiful.

If You're Curious about Waiting for G

So I posted a lot this past week. Most of my days were filled with the details of moving the office, and since I have focusing problems without the trees to begin with and I've been off trees for 'a minute' as some would say, I posted a lot this week about what has been filling up my head. Mostly it's just been the music that mirrors my feelings. Anyway, my plans fell apart last minute tonight and I decided to post again. Earlier in the week for about 45 minutes or 30 Waiting for G was open to the public. I doubt that anyone even read it. I opened it up again because after going to check it out because of boredum I realized that it was good, really good--not to be too pompous.

Anyway, I blocked it off again shortly after opening because it's also deeply personal and although I am now in a different place, It's not a place I can go back to without wincing. What I like about that blog is how raw, open and honest it was, that though, came from a difficult time in my life. I don't think I'll ever want that to be open for anyone to see. Yet, I want to keep it around to share, for some people. Maybe you'll be one of those people. Anyway, I want to share the first post, because I am proud of the writing and because it's general enough to convey where I was coming from without being cringinly honest.

WAIT...WHAT''S HE SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE AGAIN?

In popular culture you hear about Native Americans smoking up to be taken to another plane. My main frame of reference for this is when Native Americans invite Bart into a tent and he has a wacky dream. Anyway, my closest experience to that was one long night of extracurricular activity, where I only had one thrilling revelation: everyone has his or her own view of reality and its true at the same time as everyone else is experiencing their own view of reality, but none of them are true on their own.

Most of the time we walk around safely bundled in the drama of our own reality, which is a source of succor. Yet, it can be toxic when we focus too deeply on our own reality without acknowledging that there are other ways of conceptualizing the playing field. For a moment I saw: the pulsating twinkle of multiple dramas crossing planes of reality into another experience.

***

I have a yoga teacher who I really like because she's open and welcoming, the way you think all yoga teachers should be, but this one is for real. One day, in a class when I was struggling to hold a pose, breathing hard, she came up to me and hovered somewhere around my face. I tried to ignore her, blurring my vision, looking somewhere beyond her and waiting for her to move on, as yoga teachers are supposed to do. She didn't. I gingerly guided my gaze towards her, letting my consciousness graze over her face for a moment, trying to understand what was up. At the moment of contact she locked me in with her eyes. "No fear," she said and smiled. She walked on. No fear? I wanted to tell myself I was befuddled, but I wasn't.

On another day she said, "You are a part of the ever-pulsating universe, always." This also made sense to me and it made me think about twinkling realities and such. When I find myself getting stuck in a negative thought pattern I try to go back to that place where I had my novel thought. Its not alien to the best moments of my yoga practice. It was a moment when I felt attuned.

***

Today as I flipped through Facebook pages I focused on the Yale, Harvard, etceteras posted on my friends' and acquaintances' pages. My universe started to shrink. It wrapped itself around my neck and wrung the tears out of my face. How humiliating. Envy is ugly and when you see it flicker through yourself as you blow, blow, blow at it without blowing it out, it becomes distressing, monstrous, inevitable.

I went back to work. I checked my scrabble games. I did work. I checked my email. I got a call. I waited for another call. A good call, a hopeful one. It did not come, but 5 pm did. I made my way to the train. I cried. "Don't look into peoples faces" I said. I got on the train. I acted normal. "I am a disgruntled commuter" I said. I am...I look into the reflection the glass makes. I look so normal, so mundane, so unbothered by the world, so neutral.

The weep came and went. Somehow I was home eating grilled cheese watching Angelina on the Actor's Studio. She's so beautiful. She seems to want to be shocking, different. I think of when she carried a vile of blood around her neck. I turn off the television. I go to my room. I said that I would clean it today. It really does need to be cleaned. I don't have comfortable underwear for tomorrow. I really should do laundry. I check Facebook instead. I check my email. I call L, not a good time. I call my cousin, get voicemail.

I google, "What career path should I take?" I am told I should write, be creative...blah, blah, blah. I take another quiz. My cousin is calling me back. I pick up. I talk. I talk about it all. I tell her that I'm distraught. Its all open before me and I don't know what to do. I don't have long term goals. I can't remember the last time I didn't have long term goals. I'm scared. I am unhappy. And I thought I had it all so together last month! Ha.

We commiserate. She tells me a story her friend told her. A woman in a cult, at least I think it was a cult, lived in a compound in Texas. She wanted to be rescued. She kept waiting to be rescued. Nobody ever came, so she was like, 'F it.' And she freed herself all by her lonesome. My cousin's friend thinks we, the late twenty somethings without a plan, should follow suit--quit waiting for Godot.

I've been trying to see. In some ways I haven't evolved away from that little girl who sat thinking, "What's it going to be like?," or more correctly "What's it going to look like?" The universe is shouting, "Its here! Its here!" and I'm not on a road with a friend. I'm in Grand Central and its rush hour and I can't remember if the universe told me what Godot would look like. I wasn't paying attention if she did, must have been daydreaming...always daydreaming. I'm spinning and I'm supposed to be balancing the future on my head! I'm spinning, spinning on my own head. One, two, six, seven, a thousand--uncontrollably spinning 'til it all fell down.

***

Anyway, according to P's friend, my cousin's friend, I'm not the only one waiting for Godot. Maybe the universe never told me what he was going to look like. You know? Well, so I was thinking, maybe instead of trying to figure out what G looks like, I should send this into the universe. I'm hopeful about what it will return.

Bye Bye to 275

Today PBG says goodbye to 275 Madison. We're moving into our own Suite on 38th and 8th. Woohoo! Moving. I'm waiting for everyone to get here so we can start taking out boxes. It's going to be a long day, but I'm excited. I like new beginnings like this, the kind where not much changes. When I moved into my own place in Memphis, I literally moved a block down the street from Bryan. Later when he moved into his own place he moved even closer to me, so we were only half a block from each other. Actually, there were a bunch of us who lived within a block of each other. It was nice to have friends so close. I really miss that about Memphis. I hope I eventually get something aproximating that in GP. I have Beth now and that's something!

Anyhow, back to the topic at hand. I wanted to post pictures of my office before we moved. I wanted to share my space with you guys because I always mention how I work alone in a room. Sounds terrible but it hasn't been all too bad. It seems pretty pointless now though, because I've taken everything down that kept it from being anonymous, so instead I'm sharing the view from my window. The woman you see is the lady that watched over me while I worked. My stone companion. Goodbye beautiful lady. Don't get too cold out there.

Pitchfork talks to The XX

Hey, I've posted on these guys on here before. They are great! To get to know them a bit better and hear their thoughts on things to read, see and do head over to Pitchfork.

Petunia Beats: Drink Up Butter Cup Video, Concert Dates and Free Mixed Tape at Insound

Yesterday while I was in the bathroom I was thinking how 'Petunia Eats' seems an ill fit for the blog these days. I've been posting way more about music than food. I did say, though, that I was going to expand the blog to all the things that I fancy, and music happens to be one of them that is easy to access and share with you while I'm at my computer and have a spare minute (or five).

Anyhow, what I'm posting today is a holdover from yesterday. Drink Up Butter Cup, a band out of Philly that I really like is playing a concert this Thursday the 14th at Cake Shop and Friday the 15th at the Bell House in Gowanus. They rock so hard and oh so good. I've been to a few of their concerts and the last one I went to, at Union Hall, they got off the stage and did their last song in a circle right in the middle of the crowd and all they used as instruments were drum sticks and the tops of garbage cans. It was so much fun! Anyway, if you're free you should totally go see them. Also, the Bell House is a pretty sweet venue. I am always looking for an excuse to go back and if I can swing it, maybe I'll see you there.

In other music news, you can go to Insound and get a free mixed tape. You know I love those things. I am not too familiar with the bands on the tape, but I'll check it out. If there's anything I am into, I'm sure you'll hear about it soon. Of course you can always download it yourself.

Go to NPR to Hear Spoon's New Record!

I went to a Spoon concert in New York. I don't remember the name of the venue but it was near Time Square. It was sort of supposed to be a date-y kind of thing with this dude and his roommate and the roomie's ex. The hillarious thing was the extreme lack of chemistry between us and the intense flirty chemistry between the two who had broken up. It was an omen: I fell out of contact with him and last thing I heard before I did, was that the roommate was back with his girl. Go figure huh?
As for the concert it was kind of lame for me. We got there so late I was too short to see anything and Spoon was already in the middle of their set. They're coming back to the city though and I hear that they are playing at Radio City Music Hall. If you're a spoony (and I am in every sense of the word), go to NPR to listen to their new album 'Transference.' They'll have their new record up for free for a week before the record is officially released January 19th. For tour dates and more info on Spoon go The Alternate Side.

Iron and Wine covers Wild Horses

I love this cover of The Rolling Stone's Wild Horses. I think Cat Power is amazing at covering other people's songs, but this really is one of my favorite performances of a cover.
When you get to The Hype Machine click on the arrow at the bottom of the page to play it. It's not in the most obvious place.

Ta ta Tuesday

I swore it was Wednesday this morning, but of course it's not. I'm trying to bull-bump my way to the weekend I guess. Anyway, I decided I'd post something during my lunch hour today because I left my knitting at home. As Em would say, it's one hot mess. I love that expression!

So perhaps out of laziness, or because I had planned on posting this all along, I'm putting up my birthday invite it seems fitting since it is a common theme on the blog these days. What am I going to plan for after January? I'm taking suggestions people!

New Year

Not so long ago we bid a decade a dieu:
goodbye to ten, hello to new.
When twelve kissed one, time dashed forward--
yet like thread, merely circled over.
And so darn thread darns through every day
until one will be only what we knew.

But this beginning for all is to every one again,
new again, so...
on the eve of its end, when its glow may be dim,
come revel with me on my brand new year
with the same electric glee
as when this first month was wee.

Costume party: Creatures of the Forest
Why? My birthday
When? January 30th (Saturday) 8pm
Where? Lulu's (Greenpoint)
Dress code? No limits (Get crazy )

Have you checked out 'Brothersport' music video yet?

According to Stereogum Animal Collective dropped the music video to 'Brothersport' on January 7th. I think it's cool beans--amazing colorful jelly beans that is.

This is your inspiration.

Okay! If you've been keeping up with me here you'll know that I have been feeling that winter downer thing that can come from short days and basement living, but January is not all about the blues. It's one of my favorite times of year! It is, after all, my birthday month and you all know i've been talking about this costume party forever, so just play this catchy tune while you work with your tulle and paper bags or whatever it is you're doing to transform yourself.
The song, by YACHT, gives this great narrative of living in these imaginary awsome cities. The video is also somewhat apropos since I myself have been feeling both the dark and bright spots of the burgeoning year. Anyway, the song is great. I hope you find it inspiring too. I wish my kitchen would bake me a cake!

BOAT update! See 'Name Tossers' video here!!!

Hey there! I was cruising BOAT's myspace when I came across a clip from the concert that I was at. This song is pretty sweet, one of my favorites, along with 'I'm a donkey for your love.' The lead singer's voice is a bit strained in the video, but cut him some slack. It's hard to be on the road. You can see the apple that dances in the background if you pay attention. Enjoy!

If you go to You Ain't No Picasso you can hear a studio cut of this song. Dude who runs that blog thinks there is a better song on the album too. I wonder if we think it's the same one. Again, please enjoy!

Youtube binging on E. Smith

I tend towards excess in some things like, Bravo shows, HBO series, and playing the same artist for an insanely long time. Freud would say that this is a sign that I peaked at infancy. Oh Freud! You're probably right.

Anyway, I'm not so blue today. In fact I'm very excited for the weekend ahead. I'll be seeing many of my favorite people (you know who you are!) and there is ramen in my near future. Despite, this I'm still hooked on some moody-ass music, but it's great music! Well, at least I think so. Today, I am posting Elliott Smith's "Say Yes." This is the first song I ever heard from him, which I discovered through my old roommate in Memphis, Bryan. I am so very infinintly grateful to you my dear (pun intended, for any philosophers reading).

Inevitably, of course, I fell very deeply in love with Smith's music and got a couple of records, including his last record From a Basement on the Hill, released after his death in 2003, which was and still is very tragic. So, about this video that I want to share with you,I like it because you get to hear him chat it up a bit, something I always like. I've spent the whole day listening to various versions of his songs. All day people! And, well, I liked this video the best for that small snippet of a conversation. Okay, enjoy, maybe catch the bug and binge a little on E. Smith yourself, but whatever you do, definitely have an awesome weekend!!!

Gougelet's Scarf

This is Gougelet's scarf. I finished it at lunch. I still have to weave the threads in, but that won't take long. Don't mind my anemic smile or the boxes in the back. My company is moving to a new location near Time Square next week. Hello lights and hapless tourists!
Anyway, if you remind me what your birthdate is and tell me what you want I'll do my best to knit it up and get it to you. I'll need a mailing address from those of you outside of NYC.
I only ask that you think hard before you ask for a scarf. I'm a bit tired of knitting scarfs. I can make all sorts of things! You could have mittens, or slippers, or a hat or even a sweater, so let me know. I love doing it!

This is my pulse: part II

January blues? I don't know, but my pulse is still low. The scientists say the cold lowers the heart rate, so maybe that's why. I'm posting Cat Power's Metal Heart. The first version she released in 1998. The video plays a collage of what she looked like back then. I'd only ever seen her with the long hair. She looks so young in these shots. Anyway, I saw her play "Metal Heart" live in 08 for the Jukebox tour up at Terminal 5. It was a trying concert, there were a lot of sound problems, but she made it work. The venue isn't great for her, it's too gigantically cavernous. I wish I'd caught her when she played at the High Tone in Memphis. I totally regret it. It's the perfect space for her. Anyway, to get back on topic, this is my shade of blue today:

This is my pulse

Perhaps I am the only person in the world, but New Years, and this one especially, doesn't leave me elated. I am feeling spent, melancholic, and exhausted. Maybe it's because we completed a decade. Anyway, the Artic Monkey's Riot Van is my speed right now.

Cat Crazy

I am on record as saying some bat-crazy things involving my cat. For example, a few weeks ago this came out of my mouth with complete sincerity, "I believe my cat might have been a human I knew in a past life," which I tempered by saying, "I also think I might have been an antelope in a past life, I can feel it when I run. I feel like an animal." Nuts? Un peu. It's not that I'm willing to bet my life on these claims. It's more like eccentric ideas I wish were the case. After all, my parents do ask about Ada, the feline I am speaking of, as if she were my life partner.

"Y la gata Arlette? Como esta? Anything new?"

"Oh yes, how is Ada?"

"She threw up a hair ball this week, but she's good"

And only half mockingly, "It's too bad she can't be here."

"Yes, it is"

It's not completely absurd that my parents are so interested in my cat. She's quite the social kitty. A real conversationalist. My cat does 'talk' to me, or at least sounds come out of her mouth as she stares me down intensely. I think though that there is a line between at times anthropomorphizing a pet farther than one should and falling into an abyss of unholy animal/human confusion. Folks this is what it looks like on the other side of the chalk streak: