(all pics by Terry, BTW, this one shot at Pearl River Mart on Broadway)
With the snowpocalypse finally behind us (here's the view outside our front door after the second wave hit), we were able to get out for a trip to our beloved former city.
Luckily, we had my 4-wheel drive Honda, so didn't have to dig Terry's car out...
It was a family field trip, long planned by the girls with the express purpose of seeing the Tim Burton show at the Museum of Modern Art. Pictures were prohibited within the exhibition (I snuck a few) but it was OK to pose with the huge figure on the ground floor so, of course, I did. GO SEE THIS SHOW. It's amazing.
It was fashion week in the city and there were beautiful and well-dressed people out and about. We passed by the showroom of the late Alexander McQueen and noted the tributes left on the sidewalk outside.
That was the same day that Terry and I took a walk along the elevated Highline walkway, cool (literally) in the winter and I bet it will be spectacular in the spring. And you'll no doubt have to fight for one of these comfy chaises.
After the Highline, we stopped at a closet-sized coffee joint called DubSpot on 14th Street, where they offer DJ lessons and you sit/sip at tiny tables attached to drum kit stands.
A small shop with a big heart, the place was selling a compilation CD - FUNK AID FOR AFRICA – Various Artists (Dubspot) - for African relief, mixed and compiled by one their own, DJ Obah, for a mere $10. So, yeah, I bought one.
Alas, the huge record stores I once prowled are no more although, this being NY, there will always be small boutique places to buy. We walked past the former downtown site of Virgin Records, and stopped briefly in the old Tower Records building, where an artists' collective called No Longer Empty was holding a gallery showing/concert under the banner title of "Never Can Say Goodbye" (the signage was done in Tower's trademark red on yellow).
We considered stopping in Other Music to get the new Sade album, until I had second thoughts about buying such an MOR release in such a cutting edge shop and being mistaken for - gasp - tourists (yeah, I know that's silly).
The Strand, of course, is known as a book store. One hell of a book store, to be sure. But on a previous NYC visit, I'd scored some amazing finds at the Wall Street area Strand, where a table of cast-off/cut-out/clearance CDs netted me a Johnny Flynn advance and MGMT's debut at steal-deal prices. The Village Strand has only a few racks and fewer rarities, but I came away with:
BETH ORTON – Trailer Park (Arista/Legacy/Heavenly)
The sticker says “Indie-folk classic," here in a 2-CD set with B-sides, live and instrumental versions. (I have the original, but couldn't resist this two-fer at $12.) Listened to the first disc on the ride home and was reminded what a revelation Orton's mix of electronica and folk was at the time. And it still holds up, enough that Terry asked when there'd be time to hear the extras disc.
UP. DOWN. TURN AROUND (Circa 80) – Various Artists (Starbucks/Rhino)
More great car tunes, including a few obscurities I've wanted on CD (China Crisis' "Working with Fire and Steel," "So Alive" from Love and Rockets, "Six Months in a Leaky Boat" from Split Enz) and many fine favorites by Bowie, Talking Heads, Kate Bush and more.
Between those two albums and the fine sounds of radio WFUV and WXPN, we never got around to the final Strand purchase:
PATIO PARTY! – Various Artists (Starbucks/Universal)
There were a number of Starbucks samplers on sale for $6 each and, if money were no object, I'd had bought more, but this one made the cut for having artists I need to know more about - Miriam Makeba, Tito Puente (the original "Oye Como Va"), Mongo Santamaria - and some sweet oldies (Roy Head & The Traits' "Treat Her Right," Nina Simone's "Feeling Good"). It's not patio time just yet, but a musical hint of spring will help us get through this snowy month.
Add in some great reunions with old friends and family and the NYC trip was a hit on all levels.
YTD O/CD Tally: 44
No comments:
Post a Comment