Tancil Town

The LaMarque Challenge!

2008-02-26T09:46:00.000-08:00

Last night I made a dish that starred pork and kimchi. While fine, I wondered: what would Roger do with those ingredients?

THE CHALLENGE:
Make a dish starring pork and kimchi!

WHO DOES IT:
Roger...and maybe YOU! cmon, why not!

GROUND RULES:
You have two weeks to come up with a pork kimchi recipe.
Make anything you please--even pork-kimchi waffles!
Add any ingredients you please--even crushed Oreos!

Just document with photo and recipe and any taster comments.
I will post the recipe I made at the end of two weeks.

BRING IT!

2008-02-22T08:47:00.000-08:00

Last 10 books. Not the best. Not the worst. Just the most recent.

1. Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said by Philip K Dick: I think this is his best novel. Fast moving and paranoid. Tight, technical yet effortless sci-fi writing. And carting around a PK Dick novel bumps your cred with the Asperger's crowd in the programming department.

2. Steps by Jerzy Kosinski: I believe Kosinski actually wrote this one himself. A short, depraved collection of 1-3 page vignettes detailing the absolute worst in human nature. Bonus – includes beastial sex!

3. Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo: Crap. Eager, sentimental pap. Sucky characters. I liked some of his earlier books a lot – Straight Man especially. He toed the small town preciousness line with Empire Falls, and this time he just wallows around in it for like 500 pages.

4. Wind Up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami: I think everyone I know read this 10 years ago. I finally got around to it over Christmas. If you’re reading this, you probably already read it too and know it’s an excellent book, so that’s that.

5. Rabbit Redux by John Updike – I like Updike a lot. ‘Memories of the Ford Administration’ is probably my favorite, but this, the second in the Rabbit series, is right up there. Updike wangles you into liking a genuinely unlikable character. Difficult to reconcile the repeated use of the word ‘cunt’ with a guy who looks like this:

6. Black Swan Green by David Mitchell: So awesome. A vivid, comic, first person account of a year-in-the-life of a 13 year old boy in a shitty town in the English midlands in the early 80’s. For anyone who remembers junior high school fondly, this will help you recall the experience more accurately.

7. Falconer by John Cheever: Had read a lot of Cheever’s short stories, which are amazing. Listened to ‘Reunion’ on the New Yorker fiction podcast a while back (it's just 12 minutes, check it out), figured I’d try one of his novels. Falconer is set in a prison. Ass rape. And lots of it.

8. The Road by Cormac McCarthy: This is one of the best books I have read. Couldn’t put it down.

9. World War Z by Max Brooks: Mel Brooks’ kid. An historic retelling of the worldwide Zombie apocalypse. Despite the sophisticated subject matter, you may be shocked to find this isn’t particularly well written. Still, I have a weakness for this crap. Zombie fans, watch Italian gore-master Lucio Fulci’s Zombi 2 (note: there was no Zombi 1). It has a scene where a guy dressed in a zombie costume fights and actual shark.

10. Absurdistan by Gary Shteyngart: Liked it, didn’t love it. Very funny, just never really got into the book. I think the writing got a bit too cute for me. Includes some of the most carefully described portrayals of binge eating and morbid obesity you’re likely to find anywhere.

it's a man's, man's, man's, man's, man's...you get the idea

2008-02-17T10:37:00.000-08:00

RIGHT-CLICK & SAVE PLEASE: "It's A Man's Man's Man's World" by James Brown

Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings played a titanic soul review style show on Friday at the Beacon. Towards the end of a set that had most folks shouting, shaking and shimmying, Jones and co. busted out a fine version of the James Brown standard "It's A Man's Man's Man's World".

It was a fairly bold move, not just because of the gender winkyness: "It's A Man's(x5)" was a signature tune for JB and often climaxed his legendary love show. For all his kinetic funk tracks, the man was also a supreme balladeer who, before devolving in to a EddieMurphariffic grunting self-parody, could send a crowd in to a frenzy with a simmering slow tune. Yes, he tossed in all sorts of squeals and sandpaper shrieks, but they often served to heighten the song's aching tension and release, most often on It's A Man's(x6), which, live, not only showed off JB's voice and whatever supeforce band he had in tow, but let the man wax philosophical about the roles of dudes and dudettes in the free market economy.

ANYHOW, here is a primo "live" example of JB and band on It's A Man's (x7). Culled from the "Sex Machine" album (a largely faux live album that was in fact recorded in a studio and featured audience overdubs, hence my use of the otherwise twee quotey fingers), this track should have any right thinking person rendering their garments and shrieking with glee!

So download, rock out and enjoy THE MAN JB!!!!!!!

...And Now A Word From Our Sponsor

2008-01-26T09:43:00.000-08:00

A spot of yummy reggae courtesy of the reissue gods at Light in The Attic Records. Right click to save and enjoy!! Why NOT!!!

If This is Love (I'd Rather Be Lonely) by Eddie Spencer
Think urgent Motown, not stone n zone. I love this so much I pay you to listen!

Love Makes The World Go Round by Johnny Osborne
Sweet vocals, tasty drums and little else. A total yummy mindfuck, no bong needed!

POST YOUR TUNES! Drop a line to Jeff Tancil, (President and CEO of TancilTown Enterprises) to learn how!

Seltzer's Top Ten of 2007

2008-01-22T07:43:00.001-08:00

No order here either.

The Landlord.
Cuz Dick-in-a-Box was '06!

My Website.
Thank god my doppelganger, the Rebecca Seltzer of Baltimore, MD (I'm on to you, sweetie), didn't snatch up this URL before me. I finally got my act together and put some work up on the webernet.

Trip to Berlin and Helsinki.
Traveling alone is something I had never before done. Anonymity is refreshing condition. As is paying 160 euros/month for a room in a HUGE apt. in East Berlin. I rented a bike and found all sorts of cool places. By cool I mean abandoned!

Sunsets in My Room.
Pretty....

Absurdistan.
Written by this guy, Mister Hilarity himself, Gary Shteyngart. I implore you to drudge up a character in the history of 'lit-ra-ture' like Misha Vainberg. Mischa is a fat, fleshy Russian man who gorges himself on rap music, psychoanalysis, and top-shelf liquor. He's in love with Rouenna, a black girl from the Bronx, whom he met while living in NY. This is a girl who, while touring Post-Soviet Russia with Mischa, asks: "where the niggaz at?" The book is propelled by Mischa's desire to get the hell out of the Eastern Block and back to Rouenna and the U.S.A. I'm telling you: this is a very clever, and hugely entertaining story, with the most grotesque adult-circumcision scene ever to hit the shelves of Barnes and Noble.

Longford.
This is an HBO made-for-tv-film that is rentable. It is based on the true story of Myra Hindley, who with her lover, Ian Bradey, tortured and killed five children in Britain during the 60's. Lord Longford, a labor minister and noted social reformer, decides to campaign for Myra's release after meeting her. The movie is riveting, Samantha Morton especially. The relationship between Longford and Hindley is a notorious one in Britain's history. Perhaps in the same way that Dick and Perry and their slaying of a Kansas family is known in the US from In Cold Blood.

Rediscovering the Hammock.
It's a swing, it's a bed, it's swed!

Music I Obsessed About and Played Into the Ground.

100 Days, 100 Nights, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
The In Crowd: The Story of Northern Soul, Various
The Scene of the Crime, Bettye LaVette
Piano Concerto No. 3 In D Minor, Sergei Rachmaninov (never knew I liked him)
In Case We Die, Architecture in Helsinki
Food & Liquor, Lupe Fiasco
Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, Spoon
Set Yourself On Fire, Stars
Blood on the Tracks, Bob Dylan
Tone Soul Evolution, The Apples in Stereo
The Fallen Angels Live 1973, Gram Parsons

Nimrod Nation, Season 1.
I downloaded the first season of this show and it made me strangely homesick for the Midwest but in a way that keeps me firmly planted in NY; a sickening sort of nostalgia. It's a documentary series about Watersmeet, Michigan, a tiny town obsessed with high school basketball. The team, and it's chance to make State, is the only current running through town. Think Friday Night Lights with snow instead of sweat, Native Americans instead of Blacks, and documentary footage instead of fictionalizing. Why should you watch? For the unintentional humor, the accents, and the father-coaching-son-on-basketball-team drama.

50 Books/50 Covers.
A juried exhibit at the AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) featuring a range of awesome book covers and interiors.

KT's Top 10

2008-01-18T06:49:00.001-08:00

1. Getting engaged
What else can I say?

2. Fez
We traveled to Morocco in February and I fell in love with this town. The tiny-winding streets, the markets, the smells, the people, the incredible tiled-treasures behind each door, the lovely people we met made it on one on my favorites place

3. Seeing the sun rise and riding with sheep in Amelego
This part of the trip to Morocco was one I'll never forget. After spending a couple of days in a tiny town in the High Atlas Mountains, we walked out of our hosts' home into the pitch-dark early morning, threw our luggage on top of a van along with chickens, sheep on their way to maket. We climbed into the front seat of a van packed with people, but no one spoke. The Arabic radio played and the sheep shuffled their feet above us as we made our way up the mountain road. With our faces pressed against the windshield, we saw the bright red sun come up -- it was stunning -- trust me.

4. 30 Rock
I do like this show!

5. The Erie Canal
Another trip. Riding our along the quiet tow-path of the Erie Canal this past summer was certainly a highlight.

6. Space
Michael and Matthew, two of my godchildren in Rochester, made this little film with their dad's camera while seated in their car-seats in the back of the car. I should say, Michael's 6 and Matthew is 5!

7. The return of CBS FM

8. Finishing the Vietnam exhibit

9. The Farm
I have enjoyed regularly meeting the Ace for what I believe are the best burgers in NYC at the Farm on Adderly.

10. Discovering the Wall Street Baths!
After years of (happily) going to the 10th Street Baths, the "Schviting Group" did some research and found the Wall Street Baths. It is clean, a little bit cheaper and has pool!

2008-01-11T09:02:00.000-08:00

Okay, okay, I'll share. This is in no particular order. In fact, it may not even be ten things. Nor are they necessarily on the top. It's just notable stuff, most of which simply amuses me and perhaps you too!

1) Getting my parents' old digital camera: So they got a brand, spanking new camera to go with their two laptops, scanner, photoprinter, regular color printer, and cable modem -- none of which they know how to use -- and I got their old camera. It's sweet! It's not so great at taking nighttime shots, nor does it boast a hell of a lot of pixels, but the number of strangers I've stalked and snapped and who have, in most cases, looked like they were about to chase me down the street and offer me a can of whoopass is impressive! I shall keep it.

2) Moving to Ditmas Park, USA: Now I have restaurants in my neighborhood! And there's a natural food market war going on just outside my window! And the roaches who used to tuck me in at night are marching over the heads of some other punkass fool on Albemarle Road! Rock.

3) Finishing but not yet defending my dissertation proposal: One day you will all hear the dulcet tones of the Ace on NPR talking about fucking (often literally) slummers on the Lower East Side of Manhattan between 1880 and 1915. Just you wait!

4) Romantic (?) adventures: Something about Ditmas Park or girls with brown hair and glasses or reading the newspaper or poring over a Saul Bellow novel or a bit of the old Marxist theory seems to set the hearts and loins of young -- or not-so-young -- men afire. That's why I've collected several phone numbers in the past few months and even went on a date with a dude who asked me to be his "fuck friend!" (I declined.) But it's all made for some stories to tell someone else's grandchildren.

5) Many, though by no means all, 18-22 year olds: Most of you have heard me bitching about the college students I teach -- how entitled and egocentric they are, how shittily they write, how blase they are about education, how little empathy they seem to have, how badly behaved they can be. They deserve it completely. Kids these days, I tell you. But there have been several who've made me feel semi-secure about the future of the world and to them I offer praise. I won't tell you or them who they are, though. Hopefully, they'll make themselves known to you by being the cool people they are.

6) Engagements: Within two days of one another I got the jaw-dropping news that two of my closest lady-friends would be getting married within two months of each other. So many twos! And they're both marrying dashing, pulchritudinous, and witty young suitors. It's like a freaking Jane Austen novel. I couldn't be more excited -- plus, I get to be some sort of dude of honor in each of 'em, so more dress purchases for me!

7) Four different hairstyles in one year: From layered and professional, to cutesy and curly, to medium-lengthed and ratty, to its current short pixieish length, I have succeeded in making myself recognizable for no more than three months at a time. Quite an accomplishment. Call me Zelig.

8) My trip to Chicago in August: I met a lot of cool people, ate a lot of meat, and stared at the lake for a good long time -- the perfect itinerary for any trip to the Paris of the Midwest.

9) Some movies were pretty good: I especially liked the Joe Strummer documentary (why did I discover that The Clash was cool only after the age of 30?), Lars and the Real Girl (despite his stupid name, I think I would have a torrid affair with Ryan Gosling), Atonement (long chick flicks where British people die with their lover's names on their lips really get me in the gut), and No Country for Old Men (it made me long for revenge in the '80s). Plus, two druggie classics -- The Man with the Golden Arm and The Lost Weekend -- reminded me not to be a skid-row addict or drink too much rye.

10) Foodstuffs: Taking a class about cheese at Artisanal; eating a lot of Farm burgers at The Farm on Adderley; trying all of the arepas at Caracas Arepas; drinking an absinthe cocktail that destroyed me for two days; the Sicilian tuna sandwich at 'wichcraft; the scones at Paradis; the Greenmarkets; French radishes; being invited over for balls at Kate's and Jeff's; chowing on the sausage that Jesse ground, mixed, and grilled in his own kitchen; the lasagna at Christmas; the BBQ at Roger's and Keiko's; the re-opening of Second Avenue Deli; the new Eating and Drinking Guide; bacon.

Thanks for inviting me to post this year, dudes.

Top 10 (Roger & The Coops)

2008-01-10T09:59:00.000-08:00

In no particular order:

The Beasthead

Aruba with the K.

Halloween at the fake indoor drive-in on the LES

K. and I hanging out with whales in Mexico

the best of the rest:

Babbo
Transmetropolitan & Fables comics
sweet new office
Lucali
the Red Sox
Filling out Jeff's top 10 last year and him not doing anything with it

_______________________________________________

For posterity, I have also included the Beasthead Top 10

1. Keiko
2. treats
3. his red ball

4. the park
5. the dog run
6. sleeping

7. shakin' his rump
8. chicken and rice
9. drooling
10. Keiko
11. treats

Anna's A-List

2008-01-08T08:44:00.001-08:00

In no particular order...

1. France: In September Justin and I went to Couzou, a tiny town in southwestern France, for a week and a half. We stayed in a house that belongs to Justin’s friend, Thomas. We took hikes, cooked a lot, ate tons of pate and pastries, drank our fair share of wine, ate plums and blackberries right off the tree/bush. We slept 10 hours a night, the only sound being sheep bells in the distance. We danced to disco at the annual fete. I even had to brush off my French and communicate with the locals. It was an awesome trip.

2. Snails: While in France, I fell in love with snails. Yes, they are tasty to eat, but they are also pretty entertaining to hang out with.

3. Travel: We also took trips to Southern Utah, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Austin, Virginia, Florida, and Spokane this year—certainly more travel than I’ve ever done in one year before. Each time I was reminded how sucky the actual travel part is (is there such a thing as an on-time flight any more?), but boy is it nice to get out of the city from time to time.

4. Right back atcha, Adit: In September, Justin and I moved in together, into the apartment beneath the one I shared with Amy and Adit. Yeah, they were good roommates, but they’re even better neighbors! J and I love having our own (catless) place. I love having an extra room I can use as a studio. I love not having to pay for an extra storage space, and even got rid of a bunch of shit in the process. And thanks to Justin, Amy, Adit, and Gillam, I didn’t even have to move my own stuff out of storage because I was sick. Bonus!

5. Etsy: Etsy is a website where people sell handmade stuff. I started selling scarves there this year. I have also bought lots of gifts from Etsy. It is a wonderful thing.

6. Freelance: 2007 was my first full year as a freelancer, and man is it THE LIFE. No longer am I an uptight insomniac stresscase. The time I used to waste in pointless meetings or bitching with coworkers, is now MY time that I can spend sewing, or reading, or collaborating with friends, or just chilling the fuck out. Sure, I have to pay my own taxes, and health insurance is infuriatingly expensive, but holy shit is it worth it. Yay freedom!

7. Sam’s visit: My little sister, Samantha (aka The Littler Raddatz), came to NYC for spring break. We did all the normal sisterly things together: shopping, brunch, beer pong... She’s all growed up!

8. Pacific Standard: Friends John and Jon opened their bar this year, around the corner from out apartment. It’s a cool place, quite conveniently located, and it’s nice to hang out in a bar where you always know people. But mainly I feel I have to mention it because we spend so much freaking time there!

9. The beach: This seems to be a recurring theme here, but we also spent several days at the beach this summer. While my white ass basically has to stay under an umbrella the whole time, Coney Island/Brighton Beach charmed us with 1. Possibly the most diverse people watching on the planet, 2. Surprisingly quick and easy access by train, 3. A wild selection of mystery foods (bread flavored soda?), and 4. A sand sculpture of a couple doing 69 being admired by a 4 year old. Here is a picture of a man with a snake and some parrots.

10. New camera: Justin gave me a new digital camera for Christmas, which I desperately needed. It’s a Canon Elph, and it is a sweet little brick of awesomeness.

2008-01-02T15:00:00.000-08:00

Harry Top Awesome Ten

10. Stealing Wireless Internet. Currently I am on a jacked connection that just crapped out. I'll just close the top of my brand new Dell Laptop Computer that I got for 430 bucks and it'll get right back on to someone's internet connection... and it doesn't cost me a dime. Yup, I got a laptop. So now I can move to the city and get a job at Dean and Deluca and have boyfriend troubles and wear big sweaters and tight, tight jeans and....

9. The fact that the chick from Felicity is back in the news for some reason.

8. My new bike... a 1957 Frejus track bike. Fuck you, it's a track bike, don't give me shit. I know Jeff is going to make fun of me for being a hipster and all, but my bike is from 1957, fuckwad.

7. Going to T-town - hit up T town and with my homeboy D. Rolled up in the 'buru (word- that's like swahili and shit). Chilled with the all bike massive and ran into J-George reppin' philly. Got hooked up with a fresh 'Ride or Die' t-shirt that I rock on the dilly, caus its so fresh. Clocked mad dollas and bounced back to the city. (I think I liked cycling better when it was for nerds)

6. The Beach - went to the beach a bunch.

5. Getting my 1990 Greg Lemond TSX dialed - My road bike is a stunning bike. I finally got all the right parts on it so it looks cool as fuck. It's pink to yellow to electric blue fade. The only thing that sucks about it is that the yellow is a fluorescent that has unfortunately faded a bit.

4. A slight... but ever so slight lifting of the feeling that the world is going to end. The Prognosis now is in a week, not overnight.

3. Queens - Loving my adopted borough of Queens. Where else can you have Dominican food in the afternoon, Philippine line dancing at night, smoking in a shitty Irish bar later that night and the worst drivers on earth all in one smelly mish-mosh? Where else? huh? Maybe your mom's cunt, that's where.

2. Trying to be nicer to people.

1. Not joining the herd and getting engaged... SUCKAS!

Adit's top-ten

2008-01-02T11:22:00.000-08:00

OK, I'll acquiesce to Jeff's request for top-10 lists of 2007. I'm going to be a little more concise though (edit-No I'm not). And I'm going from 10 down to 1:

10. Movies! Pan's Labrynth (creepy and visually awesome), Knocked Up (hype shmype, I had a good time that's all that matters), All Bourne movies (after watching these I want to run through a wall, or maybe kill someone with some sort of office supply item), Golden Compass (I'm a sucker for talking bears), Zodiac (David Fincher), Transformers (the dialogue was so stupid, but it was fucking transformers man), Harry Potter and the Order (I know, I'm a nerd), Superbad (I think I could watch anything with Michael Cera in it) and The Simpsons movie (really, it was just a means to an end).

9. The beach! We went to the OC in the Summer and I finally got to introduce Amy to the beach West coast-style. We had a blast. Next time we totally should get boogie boards.

8. Liquor! This year I introduced myself to Michters Rye, Bookers Bourbon (so good), Laphroig Scotch (peaty! smoky! alcoholy!) and Talisker Scotch (Mmmmmm). I'm a lush!

7. My new laptop! I was stupid and I got Vista, but nevertheless I love my new laptop. I can surf for porn ANYWHERE now! Hooray!

6. Softball! I suck, but it sure was fun this year having a non-tenement/tenement team, right? One of these years I'm going to learn how to hit a ball and catch pop-ups and then just watch out!

5. Not having roommates! No offense to Anna. I think we can all agree that she's a pretty good roommate, but we finally took the leap and ditched all our roommates! We haven't lived without roommates for years and it feels great! (Except we have a temporary roommate at the moment. Old habits...)

4. Food! Nothing specific. I just love it. I love the way it smells, I love the way it tastes. I love cooking it. I love ordering it. I hope to eat more of it in 2008.

3. The Dallas Cowboys! It's no secret that I'm more-or-less obsessed with the Cowboys. This has been a very up and down year for them, considering it started with the notorious Tony Romo "drop" in their last playoff game. My sister got us tickets to see them play the Vikings at Texas Stadium this year. We tailgated for like 4 hours! Here's to an awesome playoffs! Go Cowboys

2.Getting fired! I recently was "let go" from my old shitty job at last month. I don't currently have much income, but at least I don't have to create ads using Times New Roman (centered) or design CD packaging for the crappy company smooth jazz band anymore!

1. Getting engaged to Amy! Truth be told I was considering making this like #3 or #4. I think I may have gotten more enjoyment out of the Cowboys in 2007, but what can you do? If you got engaged, it's got to be #1, right? Just kidding. I love you, Amy (seriously. like, no joke, dude). If you don't know about our upcoming wedding, we have a blog as well: http://aditandamyswedding.blogspot.com/

Peace.

Toppermost of the Poppermost (by Jeff)

2007-12-30T08:13:00.000-08:00

Here are my fave things from the year that's about to was. Why? Because the world needs more glib, self-serving summations of the past year!

1. Getting engaged--speaking of self-serving...screw it! What could be better than getting hitched to kt! (projectile vomit does not wash off monitors, ha!)

2. Van Fucking Halen Reunion Show in Philly--Guh! Leaving aside his eminent ability to shred, Eddie Van Halen is still a total rock god...HE WAS SHIRTLESS AND HOT!!!! Eddie and Alex are stone cold performers, undeniable dudes you just want to watch rock out. And EVH is (erm, was) a totally underrated songwriter (Little Guitars mofos!!!). Yes, Dave's singing went off the rails from time to time and yes he looks like a buff version of Uncle Morty...but his mere presence meant that Eddie couldn't do any of that Hagar or Cherone shit. SHOW YOUR LOVE!!!

3. emusic--Call me a shameless shill, but I am surprised that more people don't pony up the 10 bucks per month or at least try their omnipresent free trials. emusic runs deep and diverse, going from the big indie stuff to cratediggers delights and adding healthy dollops of world music yum, way good jazz and good good classical. Oh my god, I am such a fucking shill! Word of caution on the free trial: if you want out after the 25 freebies, opt out! otherwise they will start charging your card. punk move from an otherwise fine site.

4. My Surly CrossCheck--This was a big, spastic splashout for me. Not an ounce of buyer's remorse thus far, which, given my eminent ability to feel guilt for most any minor anything, is a good sign. Good rides rule, go out and get yourself a fun bike people!

5. Movies--I have yet to see many of the big hyped xmas oscar bait that i will of course like and that will bespeak my awesome taste. But I have seen and I really did like The Camden 28, Knocked Up (resist the backlash haters, it was funny!), No End In Sight, The Earrings of Madame De (an oldy but goody!), anything not named Spider-Man 3.

6. Tunes I liked this year are below. Right click and save if you want to preserve your taste of tancil. Um.

Betty Davis--Shoo-B-Doop And Cop Him
Wilco--Impossible Germany (Nels Cline for best guitar player in the worwho wears a shirt while playing!)
Marnie Stern--Put All Your Eggs in One Basket
Jorge Ben--Apareceu Aparecida. If you like Jorge, go and buy Forca Bruta and support Dusty Groove!
The Superlatives--I Don't Know How (To Say I Love You).
Spoon--aw, the whole album is really tight and yummy. Though I still don't know about that second song. Ok, I pick Don't Make Me A Target.
The Budos Band--Chicago Falcon.
Dinosaur Jr.--Almost Ready .
Jean Sibelius--Karelia Suite. CLassical music is definitely the tits and this piece is really quite stirring!

7. 30 Rock & Friday Night Lights--I am such a sucker for the pleasant and what could be more pleasant than 30 Rock! As for Friday Night Lights...weekly stories of pretty people finding redemption? cmon! color me a sucker! FNL has no right to work as well as it does. And if you want to hate it, I cannot defend it. But I love it utterly and truly (and if you watch it, get the reference to Street? Seven! Got it? I am so cool!)

8. Lucali's Pizza--Maybe not the best pizza in NY. But better than that overpriced pizzxa nazi dude in the east village, nice and low on bs given the vast potential for bs, cheaper than other tutti frutti pizza places and the calzone IS the best in ny by a lot.

9. Random Moroccan BBQ Joint and Medina Stone Farm B& B --Vacation experiences rarely seem to make good stories, so I will spare you. Simply put: we ate succulent, cuminy bbq with a handsome Moroccan man on a terrace that was wedged in to the side of a snowcapped mountain. THAT is the tits my friends!

There's really no reason to go to the Medina NY (though it's not an awful little town), but I heartily recommend biking about the Erie Canal (aka the mellowest bike tour you could ever do). So, if you find yourself biking about the Canal and need to take a day off, you could do far worse than the Medina Stone Farm B&B. Big rooms, hay rides and great baked goods!

10. Since I am a spazz and can't quite limit myself to just 10 items, I also say viva to: The Treats Truck, The Erie Canal, seeing the Budos Band's play by the Gowanus Canal, the absurdly nifty concert series in McCarren Pool (hipster this, give me free rock in the sun!) , Fette Sau (it has more varied meats n spices and even with the teeming masses of twerps it is still less icky than Hill Country), the comics exhibit at the Jewish Museum and of course my cats.