Screw The Economy, Save Yourself!

It was through the wisdom of Fillmore Slim and the other pimps featured in the seminal (pun!) documentary, Pimps Up, Hoes Down, where I learned the art of stacking paper (get other people to give you money, repeat. See Enron for the corporate version). Unfortunately since I don't have a stable of hoes on the stroll, the knowledge is somewhat wasted on me. I have, however, adopted Filmore's mantra, never give a hoe shit! Om.

Sure I play Mega Millions every week, yet despite the words of encouragement I get from my landlady - you know David, I have a good feeling your numbers are going to hit - I'm still broke. Without pimpin' and lotto, what's a temp lawyer with zero inheritance potential to do to get ahead? It's probably dumb to admit this ... but, oh well, I bought a scale and some ziplock bags.** Yep, I'm slinging rocks bringing lunch to work and measuring all my ingredients carefully; can't be doubling up on that Manchego cheese yo, stuff is mad expensive! I'm saving roughly $50 a week/$2500 a year. I've cut corners on a few other expenses and feel pretty good not because it's going to drastically change my economic outlook, but because being smart with my money ... makes me feel good.

Anybody else cutting back these days? How?


**My faux drug dealing reference reminds me of the following true story. The fall semester of my senior year in college (1992) I worked in Manhattan through an internship program. My classmates and I stayed at the Cornell Medical School dorm on 69th and York. I was too broke to get a telephone in my room (sigh, some things never change) so instead for $10 a month I used an old pager given to me by a friend. One of my classmates, a sheltered and naive blond from the midwest Long Island saw the pager and asked if I was a drug dealer. Now granted, I am Puerto Rican, kept a Rottweiler in my room, and installed 12 dead bolts on my dorm door, but still, a drug dealer? If you're going to insult me, at least assume I would have been good enough in my craft to afford a cell phone!

¡Coño Goya, You're Looking Good Baby!

These Goya organic label Garbanzo beans caught my eye (saw them in a Duane Reade). Goya is a beloved company in many Latino communities; before the "international" aisle in the supermarket existed, Goya provided great quality, authenticity, and variety for not much money in, ahem, urban communities. This foray into organic products, however, seems aimed squarely at non-hispanic markets (even I rarely buy organic). Latching on to a rising food trend and expanding market share seems awfully smart. To my non-beaner bean eating friends out there, are you down with Goya?

Tanks Are Much More Kick Ass Than RVs

It's that time of year; If you look remotely Jewish you might find yourself accosted on the streets by Orthodox Jews doing outreach work in the lead up to Passover. As we've discussed previously, it's hazardous work. Perhaps this explains the alarming militarization in their transportation? Do not confuse Dov for Dove, homey. Beware the Mitzvah Tank. Happy Passover my Jewish Peeps!

Good To Know?

Starbucks is now displaying the calorie information of all of their food products. Don't know if this is in response to city legislation or voluntary. Faced with this information will people still consume at the same rates? A latte and one of these would amount to about 2/3 of an average sized woman's daily caloric intake. Yikes!
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Ever Been Hit In The Head By An Airplane?

I haven't, but the guy in this clip has.

Ever Been Hit In the Neck by A Paint Ball?

UPDATE: Junot Diaz (see last bullet) wins Pulitzer Prize for The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. I met Junot at Cornell and while we're no more than distant acquaintances, I'm feeling awfully proud of him right now.

Diaz's reaction as reported in the Miami Herald:

''I'm completely astonished,'' says Díaz, 39, who heard the news at his mom's house in New Jersey while holding his ''good luck charm'' -- his 2-year-old nephew. ``For a Dominican kid with illegal parents to win a Pulitzer, a kid who grew up in New Jersey in a neighborhood where nobody gave a sh-- about us, a kid who delivered pool tables throughout college . . . wow, man.''

Original Post: I have. It's not lethal but it stings!

Sup y'all. We're deep in the '08 campaign and I haven't said shit about shit. Too busy getting drunk. No lie. I don't know what's going on but I've been going through even the dusty bottles in liquor cabinet (liquor cabinet being the retarded cabinets above the fridge that are a pain in the ass to reach). Apple Bacardi (a freebie bottle from a distributor friend - I swear), Sambuca - (with three coffee beans per glass for good luck - as if I believe in luck), a bottle of Cabinet's Choice single malt scotch (which prominently features a portrait of Winston Churchill - a peaty reminder of the shortfalls of our current leadership), Grey Goose (a recent gift and one night project), a killer bourbon (Bulleit for those in the market), several bottles of wine including a 2002 Spanish Merlot that rocked despite its Merlotness, and which I have no recollection of buying, and some less than full bottles of Stoli and Jack. After all this boozing, things are getting pretty bleak. I'm down to some Martini and Rossi, Jose Cuervo, and a nice Tequila I purchased in Mexico but which I am finding hard to tackle (Aha Toro). Might be time for an intervention ...

Enough of that pity party, I promised paint ball splatters:

• I caught the Amp Fiddler show at the Highline Ballroom Friday night and wouldn't ya know, Tortured Soul also performed. Both acts rocked and there was much boozing.
• Speaking of music, I was browsing through some of the 50 gigs of music my brother Dennis put on my hard drive when I came across It's Never Been Like That, the 2006 release by Phoenix. I likey. The haters would argue I like them because they're French ...
  
• Check out a new blog friend - the Supercynic - a voice of reason from below the Mason Dixon.
• Hey you poor people out there, will you be spending your stimulus checks, or paying bills/saving? Big D says that Louie bag you're eying was probably made in China so get it from Canal St. and save your money! The Iraq War and the expansion of the surveillance state are often cited as the signature policies of the Bush presidency but wouldn't you agree that this pandering third grade level stimulus package encompasses everything you need to know about our boy George? Depressing, I think I need to pour myself a Cabinet's Choice.
  
• I'm hoping to have enough Thank You points from Citibank to take a free trip to Buenos Aires this fall. Who's down? Argentina is one country that's still pretty cheap for us with Dollars.
• Speaking of Dollars, I was in Macy's today when a tourist from Australia stepped up to the cash register. The sales clerk informed him that as a visitor, he could save an additional 15% by getting a visitor's pass from the office one floor below. He considered for a split second and then responded he was saving plenty as it was. Oh mighty Dollar, how far you have fallen.
  
• On the cooking front I've been working on my braising technique - to great success I may add - the past few months. The latest, chicken with Rosemary and olives slow cooked in the oven with white wine and chicken stock until falling off the bone (a variation of this Rabbit recipe). Wow. I just realized that I may be the world's worst person; I regularly talk about my cooking but rarely share it. Take my word for it, if I ever invited you over for dinner, it would be pretty good.
• As this is a book review site (lol!), I may as well give a couple of recommendations since there is little chance of a review these days. First, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, the critically acclaimed novel by Junot Diaz that lived up to the hype. Some cute feminists I know recommended Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga and I am happy to spread the word. Great reads each of them.
  

Until the booze runs out ...

Right On Cue ...

The Onion reports on the grave threat facing Fort Greene.

Weekend That Was

Friday

Domino's pizza (bacon AND ham - so wrong but so right) and the Dog Whisperer. It was a long week and I was tired. Ok?

Saturday

As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, I've been going through the 50 gigs of music my brother Dennis recently "loaned" me. The band of the week this past week was Los Amigos Invisible and their 1998 release The New Sound of the Venezuelan Gozadera. Numerous friends over the years have raved about them but I hadn't given them much of a chance until now. It didn't take many listens for me to get hooked and I thought, I need to see these guys next time they're playing in the city (this thought occurred Thursday). Friday night I mentioned the band to a friend who though unfamiliar with their music, said "they're playing this weekend, this Venezuelan guy I work with is going to see them." No lie, this really happened. So Saturday night yours truly joined the amped crowd at the Bowery Ballroom and had a hell of a time (and one or two drinks ...) enjoying one of my new favorite bands. Visit their website for a nice selection of tracks. Requisite camera phone photo below:


Sunday

I decided the best way to deal with my hangover (might of had more than one or two at the show), was to get out of the house and check out the Brooklyn Flea. The Flea is the creation of the people behind Brownstoner. Dumb move on several levels. First, as we all know, only more alcohol cures a hangover. Second, and more important, browsing overpriced and overly precious second hand goods with hipsters has never helped anyone. I don't want to be that cynical guy who shits on a good idea just because it isn't my bag, but wow, it sucked. I zipped through the entire site in 10 minutes and left. I originally planned on hitting the gym after the Flea but truthfully, my headache and the sight of so many hipsters was too much to overcome. I ended up walking home - a hair under 4 miles according to map my run - passing a packed Olea on the way. Super hungry when I arrived home, I popped some popcorn on the stove while the rib eye I seasoned before leaving the house warmed up to room temperature. A simple side of sauteed onions, garlic, mushrooms and green beans, and a romaine lettuce and tomato salad rounded out the meal.

Planet B Boy - More Than Meets The Cardboard

Whenever I visited NYC as a kid in the late 70's and early 80's, I relished each subway ride for the opportunity to gawk at the wonderful graffiti artwork that covered trains in that era. It was so New York, so cool - I never doubted its artistic merit. Breaking was another NYC product that captivated my imagination - I could barely do the dolphin, but I could dream (add MCing and DJing and you have Hip Hop). Last weekend I caught an early screening of Planet B Boy at the Landmark Sunshine Theater. Planet B Boy is a documentary about B Boys, aka break dancers - from their South Bronx roots to an annual international competition in Germany where a kaleidoscope of humanity is brought together through a love of Hip Hop. The film is wonderfully shot and edited and is a showcase for much more than moves that will make your jaw drop. The director, Branson Lee, a Korean American former B-Boy himself, has true passion and respect for the subject matter and the film delves more deeply into its character's lives than you have any right to expect. Not unlike other urban art forms that preceded it, it's through the work of someone from outside the original community that the depth of Hip Hop is revealed. First below is the official trailer, the second clip is not related to the film but contains some dope footage so enjoy!