Ok, The Allman Brothers Band

One of the things we planned to do was attend was the Allman Brothers concert at the Beacon Theater in NYC.  As most of you know the run at the Beacon is an annual event which started in 1989.  No serious fan would want to miss it.  This seems to be the last year for them and its finally my chance to go.

Our plan was to meet Lindsey at her work place and go to dinner from there.  Our cab became mired in traffic. The office visit became a no go. Her workmates will have to wait to meet joepecan.

Our dinner reservations are at The Smith, a restaurant near the Beacon.  We are meeting Tara, one of Lindsey's friends, for dinner and the concert.  While waiting Karen spots Katie Couric about 10 feet from us.  Like my friend Tommy says she "smelled better than a new haircut".   In a moment a black Escalade pulled up, her driver opened the door and off she goes.  Our only brush with greatness this trip.

Dinner was excellent, as expected.  The girls had filets and chops.  I went old school with a cheeseburger.  As a side note, discovering the world's best burger is a hobby.  This one gets very high marks. Impossible to top a Cove Burger.  You can always tell a good burger joint if they will cook it medium-rare, they did & it was good.

The Beacon is an old theater which seats 2,894.  Cozy, a great venue.  Check it out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beacon_Theatre_%28Manhattan%29 

The concert

 It was a great show with Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes doing yoemens work on guitar.  In my mind the band has always been a guitar band, the rest are just sidemen.  They brought the mail over & over.   It was a rockin good time.  Lindsey, Tara & Karen kept me busy answering who's who, what's what, and all the sordid history that goes with it. When I reminded Tara that Gregg was married to Cher she instantly began searching for pics.  She remembered they had a son, one that's really a son.  I told her she may still have a chance, he's on wife #6. 

Some say all the songs sound the same.  Why shouldn't they? Every band wants a unique sound that is instantly recognizable.  The Brothers do & I like it.

Butch Trucks was under the weather and absent.  Derek's brother Duane sat in on drums for most songs and did good work. Jaimoe was constantly fooling around with his kit and even left the stage for several songs.  I know he suffers from back pain.   Gregg seemed distant and had no interaction with the audience.  He and Warren shared vocal duties. 

Its all about the music and the music was good.

After intermission the band came out for the second set.  After the first song there seemed to be some confusion as to what was next.  They figured it out and soldiered on.  A roadie came out with new setlists and put them on the monitors.  Maybe someone was having some issues and they made a change?

The set list is here:  The date is March 11, 2014.

 http://www.allmanbrothersband.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Calendar&file=showCalendarMonth&tapers=1&showsetlists=1

My only complaint, no Whipping Post.

It was a great show and a memorable evening.  When the girls were younger I would always have a ABB CD playing.  They constantly complained as children do. "They never sing"  was the common theme.  Lindsey says it was always the Allman Brothers or NPR, not much has changed.  

As always Karen was most gracious and understanding.  I am now doomed to attend a Queen, Boston or some other 80's band as retribution.  Pray that I am as accommodating as she was.

Lindsey's friend Tara was a charming young lady and has been a good friend to my daughter.  We were honored to meet her.

Stay tuned for more on our cab ride home and drive back South.

	A pic is here:   https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153937680090571&set=pb.541010570.-2207520000.1394916902.&type=3&theater

A Special thanks to Karen

 

I owe a special thank you to Karen for this trip.  She has endured over 36 hours driving and 2,000+ miles in my old pickup truck, the Blue Steel.

This along with my utter lack of patience, and an innate ability to blame others when things don't go my way.  My childish temper and  uncanny ability to mumble sweet nothings to all who cross me are my special gifts.   Bouts with flatulence make it a special time for all.

She has forced her baby, Sadie, to 9 nights in Veterinarian jail.  As a small consolation she has my incredible good looks and charm to make the trip a bit more bearable..

For me this trip was to spend time with Lindsey which has been priceless to me.  I wanted to spend time in her neighborhood, eat in her favorite spots and go to her favorite delis.  Live her life.  Seeing the sights of NYC was not anything I wanted to do.  Karen has been most accommodating.

We top it all off tonight with The Allman Brothers at the Beacon.  

My friend Rick has a fishing reel he wants to sell, I think it would be a perfect way to repay her kindness.  

Thank you baby.

 

  

When Harry met Sally

We had lunch yesterday at Katz Deli in Manhattan. 

https://katzsdelicatessen.com/

We three shared a Reuben and a Pastrami sandwich.  More than we could eat.  The Pastami was the very best I have ever eaten.  Chappy's Rueben would give them a run for the $$.  We cook pastrami on the egg frequently and it is never as tender as this, not even close.  Need to work on my technique.

This place has been around since 1888. During WWII it was popular to "Send a Salami to your boy in the Army" from Katz.  Since I love all things WWII, you could be sure I would love it and I did.   Very busy with a typical NYC hurry.  Not impolite, just hurried.  

It was a nice mix of locals and touristos like us.  The famous scene from When Harry met Sally was filmed there.  There is a sign over their table.  Always worth a second look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-bsf2x-aeE

It was just down the street from Lindsey's former employer, American Apparel.  No fond memories there.  She was chasing her dream and starving to death at the same time.  She stuck it out even when dear old Dad thought she should come back.  She has accomplished a lot a long way from home.  Proud Papa here.

Afterwards we walked to another favorite deli of hers,  Russ & Daughters, to get Bagels & lox for breakfast.  It is an old established place and a NYC landmark.  A locals place. Filled with things this Alabama boy had never seen before.  Very busy and spotlessly clean.  Oh and the lox was outstanding.  Check it out.

http://www.russanddaughters.com/

This place obviously supported several families in a very small place.   Small local place, big business.  A recurring theme here. No big Wal-Marts.  I like it.

Mayor de Blasio

Bill de Blasio was elected mayor of NYC and began serving in 2014.  He is the first Democratic Mayor since 1993.  He was formerly a City Councilman, they have 51, and was elected the Public Advocate of the city.  He won the Mayor's race in a landslide, 73%.

He has been an advocate for public housing, more rent control and ending the "Stop and Frisk" policy of Mayor Bloomberg.

One of his latest objectives is ending the horse drawn carriages in Central Park. It seems the PETA folks think having these horses pull a carriage constitutes cruelty to animals. The Carriage folks say the horses are treated grandly and it is a tradition in NYC.  de Blasio wants to replace them with electric cars.

One of his most vocal opponents on the ban is Liam Neeson.  It seems Neeson has friends in the carriage biz.  He alleges that the stables are located on prime real estate the developers are salivating over.  Jimmy Fallon has also jumped into the fray with Neeson. Methinks you don't mess with Liam..

The PETA folks say "It’s inhumanity of horses working in dangerous midtown traffic. Horses are easily spooked, and forcing them to work in loud, congested Lincoln Tunnel traffic is cruel and unsafe,

We are a long way from Sweet Home Alabama in more ways than one..

I Wanna be a Hipster.

Saturday was spent with Lindsey and recovering from our two day drive.

I have noticed the reactions to our driving almost always goes along gender lines.  A women's  reaction "You're going to do what?"  Men, "Wow, that sounds like fun!" The truth lies somewhere in the murky middle. 

Lunch on weekends in the city is always Brunch. After a late start we had brunch at Enid's, one of her fav places.  We had  Huevos Rancheros.  They even had Grits on the menu.  It is a little neighborhood cafe, that reminds me of New Orleans.  The rest of the afternoon we spent time with Lindsey in our hotel and her apartment.

http://enids.net/ 

For dinner we went to Calexico's a Cal-Mex resturant near Lindsey's apartment.  It was great!   We dined on Fish , Pork Chipolte and Hanger Steak Tacos.  Awesome!  

http://calexico.net/location/greenpoint 

If you want to blend in here, become a hipster. 

First of all a black wardrobe is essential.  You can mix in a little gray but don't go overboard.   Blonde hair, dye it black, with a shaggy cut.   Even if you don't need glasses find some black ones with big plastic frames.  Shoes, black Converse or Keds.   No baggy jeans allowed here, skinny black jeans for men, girls wear leggings.   Beards, pity the poor Hipster wannabe with a scraggly beard, you need a thick, full one.  A scarf is the essential accessory for a winter day in black or gray only. To top off your new look a toboggan is the go to item.   

It is much cooler here today, not good for a stroll in the park.  Monday promises to be better.  We plan to go into the city for lunch at Katz Deli and dinner later. 

Our room was paid with my Amex points which took years to accumulate.  Between toll roads. New York meals and cab rides I will soon have enough for a return visit....

 

The Journey North

 

Our trip begins Thursday, March 6. 

Karen takes Sadie to the Vet for boarding Thursday morning, she must drag her out of the car, heartbreaking  We all hate going to the doctor don't we?

After a quick trip to Camden we load the truck, turn the wipers on and head North about 1pm. We will not turn the wipers off until the next day in northern Virginia.

My friend Jim Taylor, a Pennsylvania native, has advised not take the route our GPS will recommend.  In the rush to leave I have left my printed map and now we must rely on the GPS.  Big mistake.  

Atlanta,  we hit town during rush hour and suffer though the afternoon congestion. One wasted hour on the books.

Its about 9pm and Charlotte is our stop for the night.  We are hungry, tired and irritable.  Several exits go by until we find a suitable place to stay for the night, an old Marriott Courtyard with a lumpy bed. 

The weatherman predicts an ice storm the next morning, he's right.

After a few hours of fitful sleep we head north pointed to Greensboro, Petersburg and Richmond.  Most of it at slow pace in the ice. Upon arrival in DC what Jim has recommended becomes even more apparent. Construction everywhere and traffic blocked for miles.  Making it worse are the many twists and turns the GPS cannot account for.  We are hopelessly lost.   Our drive now takes us through the bowels of Washington to get back on our route.  Two more wasted hours in the books.  They run our country from this place?  No wonder the Dems & Repubs hate each other.

Baltimore is another city to avoid  but we arrive during rush hour.   As our gas gauge creeps toward E we are stuck in a tunnel under Chesapeake Bay.   The low fuel light comes on and fuel is available at the next exit, the first in many miles.

Now we are on the home stretch to NYC.  After many toll booths the city lights appear.

 The GPS again becomes our best friend and worst enemy.  With so many quick turns the GPS is slow to react. A few missed turns later we motor over the Williamsburg Bridge to pick up Lindsey.  This city was not designed for Alabama boys and their pickups. The taxi drivers love their  horns and all want to send me back down South quickly.

Our hotel is a "boutique hotel" in Brooklyn near Lindsey's home.  Trip Advisor had high recommendations for The Box House Hotel, an old warehouse converted into a hotel.  Roomy, affordable(for NYC), friendly and charming.   The reclaimed wooden floors are beautiful.  We have done ourselves good here.

www.theboxhousehotel.com 

      

Today we are spending the day with Lindsey and her fav restaurants, no tourist traps allowed. The local weatherman is excited about a clear 48 degree day.  Your faithful scribe will report in later.