APRIL 10, 2010

FUN STUFF 

April 10, 2010: "There is no accounting for taste."

MUSIC
Peter Gabriel - Scratch My Back - New CD.  

Genesis was recently inducted in to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.  Gabriel couldn't make it since he was rehearsing for a tour with an orchestra.  It's about this CD touring. 

Peter Gabriel, a founding member of Genesis, has always been the oddest of ducks although Roseanna Arquette didn't think so for a while.  His falsetto competes with Neil Young and Steve Winwood.  So his voice is frequently compared to fingernails on the blackboard.  However, for the genere of Prog Rock, I think he is perfectly suited.  

This CD is surely a departure for him. He uses an orchestra.  Think Phillip Glass, or Steve Reich (Music for 18 Musicians).  His concept is to make a CD of Cover Songs.  Nothing new here.  However, he enlisted the artists HE likes and asked THEM to do versions of HIS SONGS to be released soon as well.  Gets more interesting now.  Even more interesting since they wound up banning Guitars and Drums.  HERESY!  The liner notes are really fascinating.

This CD does tunes like David Bowies HEROES and renders them UNRECOGNIZABLE.  Using not his ROCK VOICE, but his whispery almost madman, introspective pleading voice, he turns out a "work."   I really thought it was #1, likable and #2, inventive.  I'll give this 4 out of 5 stars.  5 out of 5 in the Inventive category.  

Gabriel fans may not reflexively like this one, but it continues to grow on me.  Caution, many around you will ask that you use headphones.  "There is no Accounting for Taste."   www.petergabriel.com

DVDs

Yanni Voices DVD In Concert-  This is the Full Concert of the Set mentioned in the last installment of Fun Stuff.   Amazing.  With Latino special guests.  This is a Yanni / Wake version of American Idol.  Nathan Pacheco is without a doubt, my favorite Male Opera voice of the 21st Century.  RIP Pavoriti.   I am not a student of the art but I know greatness when I hear it.  Opera / Pop and versatile vocals.  5 out of 5 hands down.  "There is no Accounting for Taste."
 

Speaking of Peter Gabriel, I now needed to revisit the DVD Peter Gabriel  - Secret World Live.  This is a DVD remastering a 1994 concert that is a must for dyed-in-the-wool Gabriel fans.  Come Talk to Me, Steam, San Jacinto, Solsbury Hill, Sledgehammer, Don't Give Up and In Your Eyes are among the favorites. Bassist / ChapmanStickMan Tony Levin is featured.  I can't wait for the new tour.

TRIPS
MANATEES - North of Tampa, Florida
Florida is the home of the America's Self-Inflicted Lobotomy, that Entertainment Shrine to Passivity, Disney World.  

Aside from that, Florida still has a lot to recommend, including the Everglades, the Keys, Sarasota and the MANATEES of Crystal River.  We just got back from the Sunshine State and visited a few hundred of the Endangered Species in Crystal River, 90 minutes north of Tampa.  

Anyone who can pull on a wet suit can do this.  Go when it is cold in the Winter.  6 year olds to 100+years.  This is a snorkeling only trip. Go with www.Bird's Underwater.com

I wrote an article on this in www.DivePhotoGuide.com.  

See my BLOG for details and photos at: 

http://johnaresphotographic.blogspot.com/2010/04/manatee-article-published-in.html

FOOD
 Star scale borrowing from: NY TIMES 4 Star max to 0 Stars

Firebird NYC  Russian$100 per head plus tip.  Manhattan average is $75 per head.

Honey Vodka made on siteZakuska appetizer  with Blini
Tea Smoked duck
Venison with berry saucce
Good wine list
Vodkas over 150 wow.

Food: Three Star Russian with French influence.  Zakuska is a Russian Sampler of appetizers.  This one had Lox, Smoked duck, Sturgeon, pickled veg, blinis, and for sauces: eggplant, mushroom/parmesan, beet/walnut, sour creme.  You mix and match.

Service: Two star.  Two Very visible Captains were for show, and did nothing.  We caught one texting.  Absurd.  Thank God the Subway motorman rejects found their way here.  They overlooked wine service, overlooked when courses were done. Wait staff good, not overly attentive or exceptional but are polite. We poured the wine, above typical service for Staten Island, just not especially attentive.  Staten Island service is typically aloof, among the worst in the country: untrained and uncaring.



Periyali

Great Greek  

Still without a doubt, this is one of the best Greek Restaurants in the world.  From the moment you enter, the artwork reflects the best of their islands: Santorini.  Their Grilled Octopus is better than what we had in Greece.  No average taverna, the salmon in Phyllo and spinach was terrific.  Asking for Greek yogurt with Honey for desert was produced instantly without it being on the menu.  "They know."  Food and Service Three Star.  Service is three star if you ask about the Santorini art.  35 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011-3709, (212) 463-7890   After 20 years, reservations are still a good idea.

The Lobster Place 
- Fish Market in Chelsea Market

NYC has a lot of World Class food.  Staten Island has disturbingly little to spillover here.  But we are close enough to take advantage of this bonanza.  NYCs Best Seafood market is in Chelsea Market in the meatpacking district.  Whole Foods has a great fish market but Chelsea Market has better.  Whole Hamachi (sushi grade Yellow Fin Tuna).  Six kinds of Shrimp. Pastrami Style Lox like Garden oF Eden.  Mostly aware of declining species, there ARE exceptions like offerings of Chilean Sea Bass and Mako Shark. 

Got some LARGE prawns (10 count) recently that were not the absolute freshest. Some were and some not were mixed in.  Gotcha.  No fish market is perfect, but this one is really good. 212-255-5672

TUBE 
Big Love  HBO  Music score. New Philip Glass like soundtrack.  This is really new stuff and well done new intros by the "Engineers."  Download from iTunes the opening cut called "Home."

MOVIES

The Doors - 1991?  A film by Oliver Stone, Starring Val Kilmer.  Not normally a fan of Oliver Stone movies, this was good and Val Kilmer made you think you were watching Jim Morrison.  Meg Ryan is in a terrific supporting role.  Really creepy film but good. Since there is a new flick out about the Doors, this one was in revival on HBO.  Excavated with the help of Netflix.

FILM
Ingmar Bergman - The Seventh Seal  - late 1950's?

Speaking of the Doors, Morrison in the film above quotes scenes from this movie, so it appeared at the top of the Netflix queue.  This is not Buzz Aldrin Dancing with the Stars.  The Devil plays chess with a returning Crusader for his life.  A bit strange, in B&W, and with subtitles, you won't find this in the supermarket vending machine.  My introduction to Ingmar Bergman.  Patience.  Better to see this than not, but not necessary for the Bucket List however.  "There is no accounting for taste."