east village idiot

Hi there, folks. It’s been a while since I’ve posted of substance here. Miss me much? Yeah, I didn’t think so.

Okay, so, I’d love to tell you some crazy stories or share some pretty pictures with you, but instead, here’s some words.

What I’ve Been Up To

- In what is becoming a dangerous trend among my friends, I got mugged. It happened a block from my apartment. Dude pulled a knife on me, got away with my backpack with my iPod and gym shoes, and took my debit card and license. New Yorkers welcomed me to the club. ”Future New Yorkers” were scared off and don’t want to come here anymore. If I kept one slow tourist off the sidewalk, I am satisfied.

- I went on vacation to Seattle and Portland. I drank coffee, explored the local culture, and appeared on local Seattle radio (fast forward 21 minutes in). I tasted a total of 94 beers in 7 days. I promptly returned home and vowed not to drink any beer again for a long time. By “a long time,” I apparently meant 48 hours.

- In the span of the first 24 hours back in New York after vacation, I had my luggage misplaced, lost my phone, got a jury duty summons, and got into a car accident… coincidentally, on the very same block where I got mugged. You couldn’t make this stuff up.

- I’ve discovered that a lot more people know of this blog than I first thought. This was especially true after three people at work, upon learning of my association with this blog, exclaimed, “you’re the East Village Idiot?” This was after not posting for several weeks.

- I started another blog, where I’ve already managed to drum up controversy and a response from a prominent New York City lobbyist.

- I complained profusely about the rain. I grew a beard in early June, pledging not to shave it off until we had two consecutive days without rain. I didn’t get to shave it until June 30th, and I was quite grateful when I could, because I was starting to look Amish.

What I Recommend Doing

- Go to Destination Bar & Grille at 13th and A. It just opened a couple weeks ago and it’s become my new favorite spot. It’s an unpretentious kind of place without the quirks that some bars find necessary to draw people in. The vibe is great, the jukebox can please everyone without offending anyone, and there are lots of nooks and crannies for hiding from that ex-girlfriend who just walked in. Plus, soon, there will be a bacon-heavy food menu. Did I mention they have jello shots? The kicker: there’s a postcard on the wall in the men’s room of a building in Warwick, Rhode Island that my grandfather built. Fate brought me and this bar together, friends.

- Visit the High Line. Look, I know a lot of people think this is going to turn into some private park debacle in a few years. But as someone who volunteers for them, I can assure you: not over my dead body. If you’ve heard stories about people waiting in line to get up there, we’re not doing it to spoil your fun, there’s actually a maximum occupancy that was required because of fire codes. And the wait in line is well worth it for such a unique perspective of the city.

- Go to The Pony Bar at 45th and 10th. Yes, it’s a haul to go all the way to 10th Avenue. But the payoff is some great beer. With 20 drafts and 2 casks, all priced at a meager $5, it’s well worth the trip. Plus, if you drink 100 different beers, you get an embroidered shirt and the opportunity to do video beer reviews for their web site. That’s a lot of beer to try, but I’ve managed to work my way up to 25 already.

Okay, I promise I won’t neglect this blog as much now that it’s summer time. Also, you can follow me on Twitter if you’re really dying for your East Village Idiot fix.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 10:01 am and is filed under Odds and Ends. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.