I just had dinner at Han Bat, a 24-hour Korean restaurant a few doors down from the hotel. Meals served in stone bowls heated to near-incendiary temperatures, very exotic, many side dishes of pickled vegetables, almost all people eating there Korean. Like stepping into another country.
Upon the recommendation of Janice at the Spoonbill bookstore, I had dinner at Caracas Arepa, a Venezuelan restaurant a few blocks off Bedford last night. Hugely popular place, rightly so. Rum drinks. Their specialty is arepas, various fillings inside a wrapping made of white cornmeal, which is not fried, but grilled, then baked, making it crunchy. Wonderful food, wonderful place.
There were 4 girls having dinner at a nearby table. They had a pitcher of sangria and were having a great time. In the past week I've seen a bunch of girls-nights-outs at tables in various restaurants. So different without men. They're really connecting, sharing, tuning into each other, comfortable without the big T present. Harmony.
Then I went over to the Ragegast Hall (a serious beer bar) on N. 3rd Street to see The Baby Soda Jazz Band. The bass player is Peter Ford and he plays a box bass that he sort of invented. (A year ago I finally talked him into making me one -- I'd seen the band playing in Washington Square -- and I play it a little almost every day.) The band was in great form, doing '20s-'30s music like Baby Won't You Please Come Home and Struttin' With Some Barbecue. Peter's awesome on this one-string bass. A guest trombone player, who has played with Wynton Marsalis, sat in. Great dancing, wonderful to see young people picking up on songs from this era. Diga Diga Doo…
3 comments:
Was the trombone player Wycliffe Gordon?
I think it is Wycliffe Gordon. He's one of the foremost trombone players on the scene today. Super-versatile, and has brought a lot of the old sliding style of trombone into the modern idiom. Also does great gospel renditions on trombone.
Rick,
It was Wycliffe Gordon, I just found it in my notes. The Baby Soda Jazz Band had a female trombonist and a great trumpet player from New Orleans, and there were some smokin 3-horn moments. Take My Hand, Precious Lord.
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