Little Things in My Morning Commute

Day in, day out, same morning commute. Half-asleep, over-crowded L train. Who needs a cup of coffee? Not me! Get a little morning exercise, transfer to the 6 train. And, since April, no iPod. Just lots and lots of New York mag articles and attempts at writing in my journalist looking memopad. Nope, I'm not blogging about that dry doughnut at Peter Pan! But please, tall peeps, don't read what I'm writing in this thing! It's personal! After taking the same route for almost a year now, I find a lot of enjoyment in the small things that vary in my morning commute.

Anyways, I couldn't tell you why, but all too regularly, The Righteous Brothers' version of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" pops into my head as I'm climbing up the stairs at Union Square from the L train to the 6 train. There's no justification for this! I promise you, I don't listen to this song on repeat, like I have with other songs for which I'm infamous for. This loving feeling occurrence happens in the second set of stairs, right as I round that corner. Keeping my fingers crossed that I don't trip up the stairs, and hummin' this little diddy. That's my morning.

It wasn't until watching this Hall & Oates video that I appreciated the Hall & Oates cover of this song. I have it on one of their "Best of" albums, and always thought The Righteous Brothers do it so much better. Well, this video just proved that theory wrong.

I Want a House on the Beach...I do, I really do

Beach House. I've seen them live twice, both free, both in consecutive summers, both times finding myself bored, but really trying to like them. The only song that really grabbed me in the past was "Heart of Chambers," but gotta admit, the song is pretty heavy and sad. I also happened to favorite it on my hype machine right after Hall & Oates, which makes for an especially low, low. Maybe it's Ed Droste. Maybe he's the one making me feel guilty here for not coming around!

Anyways, I think the problem for me was that Beach House's music never syncs up with the picture in my mind, or my initial reaction, to hearing the term "beach house." Beach house makes me immediately think of some little bungalow on Rockaway or Fire Island on a hot, humid, sticky day; lounging around in yellow flip flops, wearing neon tobacco quit line sunglasses and a sun hat, going out for fish tacos and ice cream, and riding bikes. My mistake! This is more of a Beach Boys kind of fun in the sun.

It wasn't until this morning while listening to "Norway," off of their upcoming January 2010 release, Teen Drama, that I got the visuals right for this band. If you've ever been to the beaches on the Oregon Coast (Cannon Beach/Seaside), then it all makes sense. Or, if you've ever seen The Goonies - it's that beach with Haystack Rock on it. Every time I've been to the beaches in Oregon, despite going there in July or August, it's been cold, overcast at some point, melancholic, lonely, introspective. It's the kind of beach that's more conducive to kite-flying than beach volleyball. The mist sits on the ocean, the fog is dense, and the wind from the Pacific Ocean has permanently bent the trees lining the beachfront neighborhoods at a forty-five degree angle.

I think it's fitting that Beach House is now signed to Sub Pop (PacNW!). From what I've heard of the new album, it sounds like Beach House has found themselves more upbeat, with a stronger pulse. There's a soft energy there, maybe it's the vocals cutting through in a slightly forceful way, while still remaining dreamy and lush. If you can grab this mp3 of "Take Care" I have a feeling it will be my favorite on the new record.

The Modern Toilet, Please Come to NYC!

Today, my co-worker said, "Hey Alexa, I was watching the Food Network last night and I saw something that made me think of you."

What exactly made him think of me? Well, it was none other than THE MODERN TOILET, a Taipei-based restaurant with the over-arching theme of toilets. Of course, this sounds pretty repulsive. I could even go so far as to say VERY repulsive. The name of the restaurant itself is enough to make someone run to the nearest bathroom. However, I can't help but find myself completely intrigued with this restaurant AND hitting myself over the head for not leaving the Taipei airport last year when Gao Di and I were stuck there for 6 hours. We used our long-stop over trying to write knock-knock jokes that we now cannot even remember when we could have been fine dining at The Modern Toilet!

Is it just me or do those two dishes look absolutely delicious?!

And in the end, isn't it all gonna end up in the toilet anyways? 
I'll take Toilet #1 puh-leeeeeze (chocolate ice cream/aka poo).

"Who Knew Queens Could Be So Beautiful?"

I almost felt like I was living in California today. It was 73 degrees, and it's November 8th. After a gluttonous weekend, Char and I decided to exercise. Our initial Greenpoint joyride brought us to LONG ISLAND CITY!

Going to Queens was probably the second best decision I made today after picking Huevos Rancheros for brunch. We found these benches on the piers that were shaped like sine curves and I fell asleep with my sunglasses on to the backdrop of Manhattan, only to be woken up to the excitement of a boy who caught a two foot fish in the East River. I think they dumped it back because of laws...probably for the better. 

 To keep the 5pm sunset a little brighter, I've been listening to "Pet Sounds" over and over on repeat, as well as Hall & Oates "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)." Good for the soul? yep.  

So let me just slip into this lace catsuit...

Just now, I went to read This Recording, when I was distracted by this American Apparel ad for a "Lace Catsuit." I laughed out loud, showed this to Erin, and then we both wondered why it was called a catsuit. Upon further research (heyooo wikipedia) we were greeted with this definition:

A catsuit is a skin-tight one-piece usually stretch garment with long sleeves and legs. Catsuits can be used by both genders, and despite the name they do not in general have feline characteristics.

 I guess this pretty much sums it up. The new American Apparel unisex catsuit. Ayomp.

New York is Not a Pho Town, Unfortunately

Oh, Pho! Delicious, delicious pho! From Junior High through High School, I always crossed my fingers that Sunday lunch would be a pho lunch. My mouth would anxiously water as we drove out to Kent's Great Wall Mall, home to Pho To Chau, my Dad's favorite pho place. I'd order a #6 or #9, whichever is the one that has brisket and tendons (I never eat the tendons, I just like them there for flavor). Throw in some hoisin sauce, basil, bean sprouts, hint of lime, and you pretty much have the tastiest beef broth imaginable. I love noodles. Noodles and dumplings, and spring rolls. Probably my favorite things about Asian food.

After my pho high, I would immediately pass out due to a pho-induced food coma in our Honda accord, and after a 35 minute ride home, I drowsily moved from the car to the nearest couch, upon which I covered myself with big pillows to continue my nap to the sound of the Seahawks football game. My Dad was my twin across the family room, except that he snores, and I don't.

This was pretty much a typical Sunday for me as a teenager. Now that I've lived in New York for almost four years, I'm beginning to think Seattle must have something in the water, because I can't find pho in New York City that compares to the ones that I've had there. One would think, New York, the multi-cultural food capital of America would have the best of the best for each ethnicity, but this is not the case.

I've been to Nha Trang and Pho Bang, the new pho place on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg whose name I can't recall (I had high hopes for this place, and I should have known it would have to succumb to the trendiness of the neighborhood), and Saigon Grill. I've witnessed the grand opening of Pho 32 right across the street from Yoga to the People on St. Marks and have been skeptical to try it. The downfall of all of these places is either the broth isn't beefy enough, the soup is overpriced, there aren't enough selections of pho to choose from, or the ambience is way too fancy for a pho establishment. One could say my standards for pho and pho eating establishments are very particular, but as a simple lover of pho, let's use one of my favorite Seattle joints, Than Brothers, as a prime example:

1) Pho must be around the $5 price point for a small bowl. $7 is probably my limit. It better be damn good if it's $7+...or very large.

2) There should be upwards of 12 choices on a pho menu. Not 2. The soups should not be named "Pho Classic" or "Pho Special." The meats have names! The menu should include Pho Ga (although never order it). And never order the meatball one either...come on people, choose your cuts!  [Menu courtesy of Than Brothers, Seattle].

SMALL            $4.95

  MEDIUM                             $5.75

  LARGE                                 $6.25

  X-LARGE                            $6.95

 

  EXTRA MEAT                   $0.85

  EXTRA MEAT BALL       $0.85

  EXTRA NOODLE             $0.60

 

  EACH TO GO                    $0.60

A.    Pho Ga(Rice noodle soup with chicken)

B.    Pho Bo Vien(Rice noodle soup with meat ball)

C.   Pho Bo(Rice noodle soup with beef as follow : )

1.    Tai

Rice noodle soup with eye-round steak

2.    Tai Chin

Rice noodle soup with eye-round steak and brisket

3.    Tai Nam

Rice noodle soup with eye-round steak and well-done flank

4.    Tai Sach

Rice noodle soup with eye-round steak and tripe

5.    Tai Gan

Rice noodle soup with eye-round steak and soft tendon

6.    Chin Nam

Rice noodle soup with brisket and well-done flank

7.    Chin Gan

Rice noodle soup with brisket and soft tendon

8.    Chin Sach

Rice noodle soup with brisket and tripe

9.    Tai Chin Nam

Rice noodle soup with eye-round steak, brisket and well-done flank

10. Tai Chin Gan

Rice noodle soup with eye-round steak, brisket and soft tendon

11. Tai Chin Sach

Rice noodle soup with eye-round steak, brisket and tripe

12. Tai Chin Nam Gan - PERSONAL FAVE

Rice noodle soup with eye-round steak, brisket, well-done flank and soft tendon 

13. Tai Chin Nam Sach

Rice noodle soup with eye-round steak, brisket, well-done flank and tripe

14. Tai Chin Nam Gau Gan Sach

Rice noodle soup with eye-round steak, well-done flank, marble brisket, soft tendon, tripe

 

3) Pho restaurants should have glass counter-topped tables or plastic covering, as well as a wallpaper of mirrors around the walls. No need to make it classy. You know, half the people eating pho on a Sunday morning on the Ave in Seattle's U-District are there because they're hungover, and pho just happens to be the best cure.

4) Bonus points if the Pho restaurant name includes a pun.

5) Additional bonus points if the pho establishment serves free cream puffs at the end of the meal. (Thanks, Than Brothers!)

Perhaps with all these standards I should start a franchise in Brooklyn?!?

Shwood Shwades

As a sucker for sunglasses (who has the unfortunate luck of breaking almost every pair I have), these are brilliant! If only they weren't $95...

The Year of The Dirty Projectors

Jimmy Fallon's reaction to The Dirty Projectors' performance of "When the World Comes to an End" is exactly what I was thinking. "Yeaaas! How did you do that?!?" It's amazing how the girls just started this song off like a well-oiled music machine. It's like someone hit play and this three voiced instrument just up and went.

I was never really a huge fan of The Dirty Projectors' earlier work, but this seems to be their year. Bitte Orca has definitely grown on me. I believe "When the World Comes to an End" was originally a collaboration with Bjork performed at Housing Works back in May. Dave Longstreth has honed his skills at making amazing vocal arrangements (such as above) and showing off Amber Coffman, Angel Deradoorian, and Haley Dekle's capabilities as individual singers as well as their collective efforts to blend as one instrument. 

I also love the Dirty Projectors for the way they play with time. "Useful Chamber" is easily my favorite track on the album. The best part for me comes in around 3:10 with that well-oiled vocal machine moving from pure tone voice to the head voice. Moving from one section to another comes off so effortless for The Dirty Projectors and the 6 minute + song wouldn't be complete without all of them.

The Best Tuna Sandwich You Will Ever Taste

This is by far the tastiest Tuna sandwich you could ever possibly sink your teeth into. The combination of garlic and olive mixed with artichokes, tuna, and a kick of lemon really make for an explosion of flavors that pair very nicely together in your mouth. Introduced to me by the boy next door, (ay Ray Ray!) I went a whole summer without it until Sarah came back to NYC for a week and made it for dinner! 

The picture above (provided by Food Network) doesn't quite do the panini justice. The olive puree is much darker. Plus, you can't taste or smell that picture, either!

Below is the secret recipe. Feel free to check out more multimedia (such as Giada showing you how to make this sandwich in a video) here: 

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 (6-ounce) cans tuna in olive oil, drained
• 1 (12-ounce) jar marinated artichokes, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (16-ounce) ciabatta bread, halved horizontally
• 1 tomato, diced

Directions

Puree the olives, oil, garlic, and zest in a food processor until smooth and spreadable. Blend in the mayonnaise. Toss the tuna, artichokes, lemon juice, and pepper in a medium bowl, keeping the tuna in small chunks. 

Hollow out the bottom and top halves of the bread. [Personally, this isn't really necessary.] Spread the olive puree over both cut sides of the bread. Spoon the tuna and artichoke mixture onto the bottom half of the bread. Sprinkle the tomatoes over. Cover with the bread top. Cut the sandwich crosswise into 6 pieces and serve. 

Toast it up in the oven on 350 for 5 minutes or less, and you've got a done deal. This sandwich is HUGE and can basically make for three meals. Guess what I'm bringing for lunch tomorrow? ;)   

Another Reason to Love Warp Records

Home to Aphex Twin, Autechre, Gang Gang Dance, Prefuse 73, and Grizzly Bear, Warp Records continues to be a home for fresh sound. In June, Bibio released Ambivalence Avenue on Warp. I can't seem to get enough of his two songs, "Lover's Cravings" and "Fire Ant," which I will most likely be eating oatmeal to tomorrow morning. With most of my song obsessions, I will have to let this run its course on repeat for at least a week...

Little Joy

Little Joy is too cute. They're playing in NYC at Webster Hall on October 2nd. Since Fabrizio Moretti's in the band, it does sound like the Strokes (and how can you not love the Strokes?), but maybe The Strokes on a Tropical island. Even though Little Joy wasn't around during my Cyprus 2007 trip, it takes me back to the Mediterranean. Oh, Limassol!

Dithering: Jonny Greenwood: Sasha Frere-Jones : The New Yorker

Dithering: Jonny Greenwood: Sasha Frere-Jones : The New Yorker: "MP3s might not compare that well to a CD recording of, say, string quartets, but then, that’s not really their point."

The New Yorker Dithering Series should be an interesting one to read. When my over-ear Phillips headphones gave out in March, I began coming into the office with my giant Sennheiser headphones connected to my iPod. My boss commented, "Why on earth would you connect those headphones to your iPod to listen to awful quality mp3s?" Well, mainly, out of convenience (because I had no other headphones and I hate the feel of ear buds) and secondly because they acted as ear muffs in the long winter. BUT, in reality, the sound quality of mp3s fare pretty well today.

When I'm commuting to work half asleep in the morning, I just want to zone out to the guilty pleasure that is Rihanna instead of acknowledging the fact that I'm squished between someone who just delayed our train by catching the doors as they were closing, and the people awake enough to yell at him. The combination of gigantic headphones and a pocket-sized device, complete with days of music longer than I would be able to survive in a desert, get the job done.

This isn't to say that I don't care about sound quality. I still prefer listening to CDs and Vinyl at home (oh, if I could only transport my record player from Seattle to Brooklyn with those huge old 1970s speakers!). When my iPod decided to stop working in April (2009 has proved to be the year that all the electronics I bought in 2005 are calling it quits), I resurrected my Discman. Connected to Sennheisers, the sound is full and enveloping. I was hearing things I didn't realize existed in Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest. Unfortunately, Senor Discman only lasted a week in my New York City commute.

So, we arrive back at the fact that convenience and portability play more of a function in the consumption of music than ever before. But, perhaps for those still nostaglic for days before, you can go with this?

New Find via Labor Day BBQ Soundtrack

HOLIDAY SHORES popped up as background music during the BBQ we had at the house yesterday. Hailing from Florida, it's no surprise that the band is light and carefree. Maybe I was the only one that noticed, but it seemed to complement my burger, mexican corn, and cranberry tart pretty well !

Everyone's told me how anticlimactic turning 22 was. I was pleasantly surprised! If the delicious food and warm company is any indication of the year to come, this should a very good year. :D

Sleep Warm

This is an odd, but somehow romantic combination.



Cornelius' version is like Disneyland. I particularly like the jagged synths in the background...