Posts Tagged ‘Grimaldi’s’

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Please Come to Boston

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Just had dinner. What else? Penne, pesto and chicken. What? It was on sale and it lasts for a few days. Don’t lecture me. Don’t look at me that way. That’s how it is.

I’m not complaining and neither should you. Plus I was on the phone a little while ago listening to Juan complain. He’s alright, I’m sure he’d be glad you asked. He was complaining though as only Juan could complain.

He was supposed to go to Boston this weekend with his boyfriend but with the major storm going on it was canceled. Juan was finally able to get the weekend off, but the storm wasn’t the only factor.

His boyfriend had 3 feet of standing water in his basement so that’s the official reason why they aren’t going. The snow is just gravy. White gravy at that.

Juan also asked me to come down to visit him but I couldn’t. Tomorrow my ersatz daughter is playing the Park Theater in Union City.

Lily Mastro is part of the Street Corner Mourners. Jim and Meghan will be there and I’m sure Ruby will be too. So I am looking forward to seeing those Mastro’s and also looking forward to seeing the Street Corner Mourners.

I would also be happy to see Juan but not this weekend. Sorry Juan.

Bill came back safe and sound last night. Three hours earlier than expected. He rented a zip car since it was he only way he could get to Wallington at 2:30 in the morning. So he was able to come home and not have to go crazy when trying to catch the train.

He had some gear that he left in the hallway on the first floor and asked if I could pick it up for him when he went to drop off the Zip Car. Last I heard he was on Washington Street and I thought he was in the car but he dropped it off already.

I called him and he was actually coming up on the third floor with his gear. I ran down and helped him the rest of the way. He also ordered a pizza from Grimaldi’s and that was very good.

He went to sleep halfway through watching Hellboy 2. I stayed up watching it. It was good, but not as good as the first one. Still I enjoyed it somewhat.

Woke up this morning and it was snowing. Big flakes, coming down in clumps. I made my way outside, ran some errands. Stopped by the Guitar Bar where I picked up my ticket for tomorrow night.

A trip to the supermarket where one of Juan’s former paramours was in a joking mood. Right now the snow fall seems to have subsided somewhat. It’s supposed to continue until tomorrow sometime.

I’m watching Katie Couric report the news. I like her. Nice change of pace from NBC news. I haven’t really been watching the Winter Olympics so I really haven’t been watching NBC.

That’s all I can think of for today. All is calm, all is bright.

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2.25.10 SNowstorm hoboken 007

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Posted in What's it doing outside? | 4 Comments »

Somebody Else’s Guy

Saturday, November 14th, 2009

Yesterday was definitely a better day than the sturm und drang of the days preceding it. Last night Bill came home from his deep tissue massage therapy and I was clearly in a better mood and happy to see him.

All the worries from the days before were talked about and resolved nicely. We watched some Herbie Hancock on Sundance channel and also enjoyed some Grimaldi’s Pizza. Also watched a documentary on Cary Grant which was very good. Bill once again went to bed earlier than me and I stayed up watching who knows what.

I do remember the Simpsons which was great as usual. After that, it was off to bed for me as well. Bill was up early, rented a Zip Car and drove out to Clifton NJ for a medical exam so he could change his license from New York to New Jersey. Since he’s a professional bus driver there’s a hoop he has to jump through.

I of course slept in. Rainy and gray outside. Bill was picking up the paper and the bagels so there was no need for me to go outside. Eventually I did go outside. I needed a haircut and walked by Mr. L’s. Of course my barber, Tony was busy.

Walked over to the library and dropped off some items. Did not bring and umbrella and I should not have been surprised that when I left it was pouring out. Once again Tony was cutting someone else’s hair.

I came home a little bit soaked. Bill came home from Clifton. Unable to get his exam completed since there were a few people ahead of him and he needed to return the Zip Car to Hoboken by 11:00. He took a nap and I watched a DVD about Beyond the Fringe. It was definitely funny.

Watching Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Jonathan Miller and Alan Bennett in the early 1960′s doing their final performance on the West End. Jonathan Miller and Alan Bennett are still alive perhaps they decided early on that the life of a performer wasn’t for them.

Peter Cook & Dudley Moore obviously thought otherwise and made big names for themselves but both came to untimely ends.

Bill was out on the road once again this afternoon and I sat and watched various clips about Peter Cook. I ventured out into the rain again, this time armed with an umbrella. And since I had an umbrella it didn’t rain.

A trip to the supermarket was in order so I walked by Mr. L’s once again and once again Tony was busy. Dropped off the items in my hallway for a trip to Hoboken Daily News that has milk cheaper than the supermarket.

Walked by Mr. L’s and saw Tony was free. He was happy to see me. Hadn’t sat in his chair since July. No more monthly haircuts since I didn’t have any need for upkeep. Just a trim for me. My hair grows thick and not long so it was a few layers taken off which made everything lighter and cooler.

And a haircut will do me some good in case some job interviews appear on the horizon. Tony did his usual ace job, trimming most of the gray hairs from my goatee. I was growing a beard but shaved it the other day before the interview.

Bill is in Atlantic City leaving at 1:30 or so and coming back to Hoboken around 7:00. I’m laying low as usual. Planning on watching Adventureland and probably some more Beyond the Fringe clips online. It’s going to be a mellow, quiet Saturday night and I am fine with that.

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Posted in the day after yesterday | 2 Comments »

With a Girl Like You

Friday, July 10th, 2009

And it’s been quite a nice day spent with my sister Annemarie and her son Earl. Earl is now 6’1”. Almost as tall as me, and as tall as Bill. A not so angry inch on this end.

I met up with them last night. They stopped here in Hoboken where we had pizza at Grimaldi’s. They can’t get pizza like that in Arcata. It was a quick stop before they headed up to Garfield to my brother Frank’s house.

I stayed in Hoboken, eventually going out for a stroll, walking off the pizza I helped inhale. Nice night smoking a cigar, listening to some of the London Calling album up to Lost in The Supermarket before switching over to the first side of Talking Heads: 77.

Bill came home a little after that, watched Lawn hors d’œuvre Criminal Relent up to a point when Bill switched into stage manager mode and hit pause on the digital cable box for about 50 minutes. He un-paused it when the news came on and his phone call was finished. The news was nothing in particular, mostly bad.

Then the Simpsons came on and Bill was off to bed, me joining him a little while later. He was off in the morning and kissed me goodbye as I lay in bed.

No work today. Annemarie called a little while later, checking to see if I was awake and also to see if anything was planned for the day.

At that moment I didn’t have any plans but after a cup of coffee I had an idea. A trip to the city and visiting some art galleries. Always fun to do and also easy on the wallet.

Anne and Earl rode down to Hoboken and found a spot on my block and we walked over to the Path, riding to 14th Street and walking up Fifth Avenue.

I had hoped to go to the Not Fade Away Gallery to check out the New York City 1970′s photos of Allen Tannenbaum. Despite getting there after 12:00 on a Friday when they were supposed to be open, they weren’t. It was just a little bit disappointing but other galleries lay ahead.

We walked down 20th street and wound up having lunch at the Rocking Horse Cafe which was good as usual. Then it was off to the galleries, first stop was a Stephen Shore exhibition.

In the 1960′s, Stephen Shore was a young man in his 20′s and took a lot of classic photos of Andy Warhol and the Factory crowd. I had seen some of the pictures in books but it was great to see them blown up in a gallery.

Then it was a hodgepodge of gallery hopping mainly from 22nd street to 24th and 25th Streets. Earl had gotten a phone call from a friend back in Arcata about completing his college registration today so I made a call to Bill and the three of us hopped in a taxi and rode up to midtown where we met up with Bill.

Bill was kind enough to bring his laptop down to the street where Earl worked the wireless connection and my cellphone and spoke to Susan, the administrative help at Humboldt State.

The process didn’t go as planned and Bill needed to get back to his office so we meandered down Broadway, saw a big chess game in Herald Square and hopped on a Path train back to Hoboken.

We came back here where I set Earl up on Bill’s Mac and I played DJ while Annemarie read some magazines and eventually catnapped. After Earl completed his registration, they were going to get some food in Hoboken before heading back to Garfield so I joined them for dinner at the Karma Cafe.

After that a quick visit to Julio & Stine’s apartment where they were able to finally meet Alexander who clearly loved being the center of attention. Still an adorable lad, running around trying to communicate.

I sat in the next room and read to Alexander while Annemarie and Earl caught up with Julio & Stine. A perfect finish to a perfect day. Simply a nice, nice, nice day with some of my favorite people.

And now, the pics

en route to the Path

en route to the Path


Earl & Me. Missing from picture, Cornbread.

Earl & Me. Missing from picture, Cornbread.


Andy

Andy


Edie Sedgewick

Edie Sedgewick


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Gallery hopping

Gallery hopping


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Cedric Smith

Cedric Smith


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Cedric Smith

Cedric Smith


Cedric Smith

Cedric Smith


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actually photographed this once before in a previous entry

actually photographed this once before in a previous entry


this one as well...

this one as well...


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Tough Titty

Tough Titty


Anne, Bill & the college registrant

Anne, Bill & the college registrant


my homage to Mapplethorpe

my homage to Mapplethorpe


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Us 2

Us 2


big chess match in Herald Square

big chess match in Herald Square


a mom and her son

a mom and her son


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he usually smiles.

he usually smiles.

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Posted in Wonderful World Beautiful People | 1 Comment »

Here Comes The Moon

Thursday, July 9th, 2009

Today is Thursday. Been overcast most of the day until I headed out and then it was quite sunny. I slept until 9:00 and that was great. I was so tired yesterday after skipping lunch and the dinner I had last night barely kept me awake.

Still I got myself together and wrote. I was thinking about having a cigar and checking out the music at Church Square Park down the street, but Rand called and asked if I wanted to join him and Lisa on a walk over to the 13th Street pier.

Apparently they too were having live music. That sounded more enjoyable, what with the company I would be keeping and the fact that it sounded like some turgid blues were being played at Church Square Park.

I met up with Rand & Lisa outside their building and the three of us having a few laughs courtesy of Lisa, ably reprising her role as Lady Gigglepuss. It actually would have been ideal if our friend Lois would join us, but she was in for the night, which was too bad since this was right up her alley.

It was a beautiful night on the pier and a good way to enjoy a cigar and have some beers.

It’s actually a private pier, but someone finagled it for the night. Four musicians playing separate sets on acoustic guitars. I don’t know if calling them ‘folk’ would have fit, more like ‘emo’. It wasn’t bad though Rand and I had a few laughs comparing one of the musicians to Yusef Islam nee, Cat Stevens.

Saw some familiar faces from Hoboken, but none more familiar than Alice Genese. It’s always a pleasure to see Alice. Last time I saw her, she was giving me a ride home a few years ago from Chaz’ holiday party, when she told me she thought my former roommate William and I were a couple.

Oh no, I quickly dissuaded her of that thought. Too damn skinny for my appetite!

I had a few Heinekens with Alice, Rand and Lisa had Vodka Tonics. The music was ok but it was more about the atmosphere, being out on the pier on a beautiful summer night.

Came home, Bill was watching a marathon of Entourage and wishing he had an agent like Ari Gold. He soon went to bed and I stayed up later than usual since I didn’t have to get up early.

Like I said, it was a gorgeous day, enjoyed a cigar as I walked across town to the office. Vivek was in doling out Kinematic T Shirts and I duly collected my share. Also did some things that needed to be done, things that no one else would think of doing.

Apparently I’m only in for 3 days a week, which is better than nothing and I could always use the Kinematic T Shirts

It seemed like a bus dropped off a lot of good looking men as I walked around midtown. Almost got whiplash turning my head so fast.

I did track Annemarie’s flight from San Francisco and it was on time, so now I wait for her and her son Earl to arrive so we could get some pizza at Grimaldi’s in Hoboken.

I’m looking forward to seeing them since it’s been a couple of years since we last spent time together. And I’m hungry.

The Lady Gigglepuss

The Lady Gigglepuss


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7.8.09 007

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Posted in the day after yesterday | 1 Comment »

M386

Sunday, May 10th, 2009

It’s Sunday and though it’s beautiful day, there is a feeling of anticipation in my gut. More like anxiety. It comes and goes, not a constant thing. As long as my mind is occupied I’m fine.

Last night I watched discs 3 & 4 of a series from the 1970′s called ‘All You Need is Love- The story of Popular Music’. It went back to the beginning of the 20th century with vaudeville and Tin Pan Alley up to about 1975 with the cutting edge music of Black Oak Arkansas.

It did have a lot of footage that if I hadn’t seen before, then I saw it when this series was first broadcast on PBS in the 1970′s and if that’s the case, I had forgotten I had seen it.

3 hours each disc. I watched disc 5 this morning into the afternoon, so ask me anything about Black Oak Arkansas. You’d still get the dumbfounded look that I would have given you then. I’m glad I watched it, but it was a bit much.

I gladly walked to the Post Office, enjoying a cigar to drop off the Netflix discs. I actually bought a book the other day, I couldn’t resist. I was reading somewhere about a biography on Brian Eno and ordered it promptly.

So far, up to chapter 2 and it’s a very entertaining and informative read. Brian Eno has always been a fascinating person in my world. I even had the pleasure of meeting him when I worked at Skyline Studios and he was producing some things for Laurie Anderson.

He was a nice guy, very quiet and startled me a few times when he suddenly would be standing right next to me. He was also quite kind enough to sign his first 4 solo albums and Ambient Volumes 1-4 and a book.

Still within reach and in good condition too. Last night, Saturday Night Live was really funny, excepting the Jimmy Fallon guest spot as Barry Gibb which was about 25 years too late and 10 minutes too long.

I doubt that the 20 somethings that watch it or are the target demographic would actually get the joke.

The stand out bit was the digital short with Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake reprising their roles from Dick in a Box and becoming Mother Lovers for Mother’s Day. Susan Sarandon and Patricia Clarkson played the mothers. It was very laugh out loud funny.

I was up until 1:30 reading Uncut magazine. Did not want to get out of bed this morning, just so comfortable. Bill was off to get his mother and bring her to church. I eventually did get out of bed around 8:30 and was soon getting the Sunday morning supplements.

Then after reading the papers I watched the discs and headed out to mail them back. And after enjoying a cigar I met Bill on the street and we just enjoyed a pizza from Grimaldi’s courtesy of Bill’s largess.

Now he catnaps on the couch and I sit a few feet away writing this and playing selected ambient Eno tracks for his napping pleasure.

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Posted in Abstract Absurdist Otherness | No Comments »

Kooks

Monday, August 4th, 2008

As expected, going back to work after such a grand time on Saturday was dreary. The weather was great and I listened to some tracks that I bought for the wedding but never played. Songs like Never Let me Down Again by Depeche Mode and I Got A Man by Positive K. We rapped along to I Got A Man on the way up in a driving rainstorm.

I bought it not only because it’s a funny song, but Lois had written a song called I Got A Man and I initially thought it was the same song. It wasn’t. Lois’ song was just as funny and fitting the occasion perfectly.

The bus ride was fine, sat and talked with Casey. Great guy. Really a chatty guy too and I’m surprised I could keep up despite the fact that I usually don’t talk to anyone in the morning, on the bus. We chatted about death this morning. His wife’s mother as well as my mother. Who knows what the people crowded around us think of our little chats. A few weeks ago it was political, today was death.

We parted ways at the bus terminal, made some loose plan to have drinks with him and his wife at McSwells someday, and I journeyed across town listening to ‘Heroes’ by David Bowie, another song I could have played at the wedding.

Got to the office, right on time and no one else was in the office. I did my drudgery which I don’t mind since they pay me nicely to do such things. People came in in dribs and drabs and soon I was off running to the bank and returning some audio cables that I bought to DJ with which I didn’t use. Luckily I kept the receipt and was able to get a full refund. Yay!

Another bright and sunny day and me trying to find shadows to walk down the street in. The morning passed and I remembered I was going to have lunch with Christina, my assistant from my Wanker Banker days.

She’s been having a bad year, unemployed and made some bad decisions employment-wise leaving her and her son to live with her mother in the Bronx. She showed up around 1:00 and I actually had lunch outside of the office which I rarely do.

We walked over to Second Avenue and decided on pizza which I really don’t eat as much as I used. Bill was going to order Grimaldi’s last night. They make the best pizza in Hoboken, but they were closed for vacation. A few years ago I would have known that.

Christina and I sat and ate and caught up. I told her to email me her resume and I would do my best to clean it up and make it look better. Working at a few staffing agencies helps with the resume game. A little padding here, the right turn of phrase there. It’s a lot like cruising sans sock in the pants.

The afternoon flew by and I was soon listening to Bowie singing Fame with John Lennon on backing vocals while I enjoyed a Padron. Walked through Bryant Park and saw hundreds of people on the edges of the lawn waiting to be able to stake out a spot to watch Lifeboat by Alfred Hitchcock.

Julio and I tried going to the film series there a few years ago but found it too crowded and I was snubbed by a neckbone giving free stuff away from City Search.com so we left with me grumbling. Never tried to catch another film there again.

And why should I? You have to wait there for three hours for the sun to go down so the movie could begin. And I have better things to do with my time.

Like writing this blog.

Yesterday’s clouds

The crotch to car trick

Archeology Today

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Posted in Yesterday's News Tomorrow | 5 Comments »

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