Friday Food-NYC Food Events for the Weekend

From Serious Eats NY by Tam Ngo, October 30, 2008

Photograph by Tam

Brewtopia: the Great World Beer Festival
Friday, October 31, 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Saturday, November 1, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Taste 2-ounce samples from over 100 breweries at New York’s longest running beer festival. Rabblerouse to live bands like Captain Ahab and the Sea Crackens. Tickets are $59/person, restricted to 21+ adults. (Note, the festival runs in three separate sessions.) Pier 92 (52nd Street at 12th Avenue), event website

32nd Annual Village Halloween Costume Ball
Friday, October 31, 3:30 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Shake your moneymaker at the 32nd Annual Village Halloween Costume Ball, featuring jazz bands, fire eaters, stilt dancers. Enjoy a buffet catered by East Village chefs, couscous out of a coffin, and cabaret shows. Over 450 sculptors, painters, scenic designers, and volunteers have transformed 30,000 square feet of multi-level space into a series of Halloween environments. Attendees in costume will be judged in such categories as “Most Mortgage-Defaulted,” “Most Severance-Paid Banker,” “Nastiest Soccer Mom,” “Most Botoxed,” “Most Deregulated,” and “Most Born-Again, and Again, and Again.” Costume or formal-wear required. Tickets are $20/person. Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue; East Village (bn. 9th and 10th Streets); 212.254.1109 event website

Swalloweenie
Friday, October 31, 8 p.m. onward
Bob for hot dogs and wash it down with blood-red beer. Barbeque and pumpkin ale are also provided. Compete in a costume party featuring such categories as “Most Gory” and “Best Look-Alike.” Free. Stain Bar, 766 Grand Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (nr. Humboldt Street); 718.387.7840 event website

El Día de los Muertos/Day of the Dead Celebration
Sunday, November 2, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Enjoy El Día de los Muertos as part of QMA’s First Sundays for Families. Explore Mesoamerican traditions and taste guagua de pan (a sweet bread shaped like babies) and cola morada (a drink made from berries, spices, and oatmeal). See dance performances by Ballet Folklorico Nueva Juventud and Ballet Folklorico Infantil Telpochtli. For the Day of the Dead, memories of deceased loved ones are honored by altars bearing their favorite foods, personal effects, and mementos. Participating artists will help you make your own artistic altars for communal display. Queens Museum of Art, Flushing Meadows Corona Park; Queens; 718.592.9700; event website

Street Fairs
Saturday, November 1
West 4th Street between Washington Square East to Lafayette; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Madison Avenue between 42nd and 57th Streets; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday, November 2
6th Avenue between 34th and 42nd Streets; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Broadway between 17th and 23rd Streets; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Rodney Dangerfield – Greatest Bits out Tuesday November 4th (Election Day!) on Shout! Factory .

Recently I received an e-mail in my inbox from the P.R. department at Shout! Factory heralding the release of Rodney Dangerfield – Greatest Bits on Tuesday, November 4th.  I asked for a copy as Rodney is one of the comedy heroes of my younger days along with Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy.

In this year of the McCain vs Obama election, it was refreshing (and hilarious) to listen to Rodney’s rants and jokes all over again.  Forget about Joe the Plumber, Rodney Dangerfield was the original everyman to me.  He was not perfect, always had some funny self-depricating story to tell and yet always seemed to be the guy who you could run into on the street or the local bar and share some beers and laughs. He was the party and the life of the party at the same time.  They just don’t make ’em like Rodney anymore.

Shout! Factory’s press release says it best:

It is an honor for Shout! Factory and Joan Dangerfield, to present the most hilarious selections from this late comic icon’s audio recordings. Each track has been selected to make the ultimate collection of the most popular bits from Rodney’s long illustrious career.

As the The New York Times’ assessed Rodney’s is “the rare comic whose popularity transcends generations.” His universal popularity and genius is apparent when you consider his record number of appearances on all of the following shows: Ed Sullivan (16 appearances); Merv Griffin (45); Johnny Carson (70), and Jay Leno. Rodney’s popularity came from his gift to personally connect with people and turn life’s lemons into lemonade. “I asked my old man if I could go ice-skating on the lake. He told me, Wait ‘til it gets warmer.” He could transform the pain of the world into precious and priceless humor. His legendary “No Respect” theme taps into the primal anxieties of humankind struggling to find a strategy for survival.

Rodney brought the party with him wherever he went and earned his famous party-boy image by indulging in various vices and, as always, making fun of them. “I joined Alcoholics Anonymous. I still drink. I use a different name.” He managed to parlay his indulgent “life-of-the-party” reputation into starring roles in a few decade-defining movies, most notably Caddyshack and Back To School, both of which continue to be cult favorites today.

Movies and television were fun, but stand-up was Rodney’s big love. He performed his one-hour Vegas act thousands of times over his 50-year career, offering more laughs per minute (LPM) than any other comedian. For generations, leagues of aspiring comedians have held Rodney in Godlike reverence, no doubt appreciating his eternal “coolness” along with his penchant for helping other comics make their dreams come true.  Dangerfield opened his own Manhattan comedy club, Dangerfield’s, in the late 1960s. It was there that he helped launch the careers of several comedians, including Tim Allen, Roseanne Barr, Jim Carrey, Sam Kinison, Jerry Seinfeld, Rita Rudner, Louie Anderson and many more.

Tracklist

01.   What’s In A Name (3:02)
(Rodney Dangerfield)
From the album What’s In A Name

02.   “Am I Too Fast For This Table?” (Excerpt from “No Respect”) (13:30)
(Rodney Dangerfield)
From the album No Respect

03.   “I Tell You With Bars I Am Never Lucky” (Excerpt from “Rappin’ Rodney”) (11:58)
(TK-Rodney Dangerfield?)
From the album Rappin’ Rodney

04.   “No respect At All” (Excerpt from “I Don’t Get No Respect”) (11:24)
(TK-Rodney Dangerfield?)
From the album I Don’t Get No Respect

05.   Finiculi Finicula (2:31)
(Luigi Denza/Peppino Turco)
From the Original Soundtrack album Easy Money

06.   Rappin’ Rodney (5:09)
(Rodney Dangerfield/D. Blair/S. Henry/D. Hoyt/J.B. Moore/R. Ford, Jr.)
From the album Rappin’ Rodney

See The Music XVII – Slickness & ProgRock

See The Music XVII – Slickness & ProgRock
Photos and Story by Beana Bern

Every now and again (more often than I ever expect) something rolls into this little Tyrolean Valley and brings the world I remember with it.  Last night the Adrian Belew Trio played a club called Komma in a little village about 30 minutes east of me.  I rolled into the club just in time to hear Eric kick things off and remembered how often I find myself in awe at his talent…His sister, Julie, is also quite a prodigy and when you glue those two together with Adrian’s style its a pretty amazing show.  The sound in the club wasnt perfect and there was one drunk doucbag who kept “conducting” the band as though he was driving but neither of those two things prevented me from enjoying myself.  For those of you not sure who Adrian Belew is, hes a rock legend whose played with plenty of amazing musicians among them King Crimson.  I first saw the Trio play at the 1st Annual Paul Green School of Rock Festival and knew they were worthy but enjoyed last nights show much more.  Complicated rock is more fun for me in a little room where I can concentrate.  After the show and a little QT they packed it in and so did I.  All in all, an exceptional night of rock in Tirollllll.

These are my favorite shots from last night but feel free to peruse the whole album right here.

Bruce Springsteen made the covers of both Time & Newsweek Magazines October 27th 1975

33 years ago today, Bruce Springsteen made the covers of both Time Magazine & Newsweek Magazine ON THE SAME DAY! A true turning point in rock history.

The Time Magazine article was called The Backstreet Phantom of Rock and can be read here

Friday Food-Learn It, Don’t Burn It: NYC Food Classes for 10/23 to 10/31

via Serious Eats: New York by Allison Hemler on 10/22/08

‘Knife Skills, Deboning & Filleting’ at FCI
Saturday, October 25, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., $525
The first in a three-session class in the Italian kitchens at FCI explores knife handling and care with basic slicing and dicing technique. The other two sessions get into more sophisticated cuts and filleting fish and deboning chicken.
The Italian Culinary Academy at FCI, 462 Broadway (at Grand Street), Manhattan; 888.324.CHEF; italianculinaryacademy.com for info and registration

Hands-on Mozzarella’ at Artisanal
Monday, October 27, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., $125
This get-your-hands-dirty class is all about making the freshest of the fresh mozzarella from scratch. You’ll make, taste, and bring home the cheese, and you’ll drink some wine along with it.
Artisanal Premium Cheese Center, 500 West 37th Street (at 11th Avenue), Manhattan; 877.797.1200 artisanalcheese.com for info and registration

‘Really Great Wines for Under $20’ at ICE
Monday, October 27, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., $75
Resident Ron Ciavolino will cater to the everyday consumer who’s looking for a wine under $20–it’s not just crap anymore.
The Institute of Culinary Education, 50 West 23rd Street (at Sixth Avenue), Manhattan; 800.522.4610; web.iceculinary.com for more info and registration

‘Astor Trivia Challenge: Food Fight’ at Astor Center
Monday, October 27, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., $35
Hosted by Josh Ozersky, individuals or teams (of up to 6) will participate in a trivia game on food history and all things New York culinary, as well as a blind tasting round. Eats provided by Nueske’s Smoked Meats. Winner gets a $250 gift certificate to Nueske’s. Trivia held at The Gallery.
Astor Center, 399 Lafayette Street (at East 4th Street), Manhattan; 212.674.7501: astorcenternyc.com for info and registration

‘Succulently-Stuffed Vegetable Entrées’ at the Natural Gourmet
Tuesday, October 28, 6:30 to 10 p.m., $95
Healthy comfort food–think that would ever exist? Learn how to stuff vegetables with fillings full of flavor and complexity. Students will make: Mushroom-Stuffed Halupki (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls); Sweet Onions Gratinée; Baby Eggplants Duxelles; Cubanelle Chiles Relleños; and Chayote Stuffed with Whole Grain Pilaf of Garlicky Quinoa, Millet & Dried Fruit.
Natural Gourmet Institute, 48 West 21st Street (at Sixth Avenue), 2nd Floor, Manhattan; 212.645.5170; naturalgourmetschool.com for info and registration

‘Super Hot Spain’ at Hearth
Tuesday, October 28, 7 p.m., $150
The second of the Fall Series of Wine Dinners at Hearth kicks it up a notch with Spanish wines off the beaten path, which will be discussed, tasted, and paired along with mouth-watering foods. Wine Director Paul Grieco leads. Cost is all-inclusive.
Hearth, 403 East 12th Street (at First Avenue), Manhattan; 646.602.1300; restauranthearth.com for more info, call or email pgrieco@restauranthearth.com to register

‘Basic Knife Skills’ at Brooklyn Kitchen
Wednesday, October 29, 6:30 p.m., $25
Chef Brendan McDermott leads a hands-on class (up to 8 people, so register ASAP) on knife use, care, and safety. Please bring your own knife. If this class sells out, you’ll have another opportunity in November.
Brooklyn Kitchen, 616 Lorimer Street (at Skillman Avenue), Brooklyn; 718.389.2982; thebrooklynkitchen.com for info and registration

‘Donuts of the World’ at ICE
Thursday, October 30, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., $100
Ever made donuts at home? Now you’ll learn how, with recipes for tasty fried treats from all different areas of the world.
The Institute of Culinary Education, 50 West 23rd Street (at Sixth Avenue), Manhattan; 800.522.4610; web.iceculinary.com for more info and registration

‘Tea 101’ at Whole Foods Bowery
Thursday, October 30, 7 to 8:30 p.m., $25
Sip and talk tea with folks from The Republic of Tea. Processing, varieties, origins, caffeine content, health benefits, brewing techniques, and history will be explored. Prepare yourself for a fully relaxing and hydrating night.
Whole Foods Bowery, 95 East Houston Street (at Bowery), Manhattan; 212.420.1320 acteva.com for registration

Free (Or Almost Free) Tastings, Lectures, and Workshops

Culinary Careers Workshop’ at FCI
Saturday, October 25, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., free
The French Culinary Institute is one of the most well-respected culinary schools in the world–this workshop provides an answer to the question “what can I do when I graduate?” Anyone even remotely interested in becoming a chef or going to culinary school should attend to get answers to questions about financial aid, switching careers, and staying employed after graduation.
French Culinary Institute, 462 Broadway (at Grand Street), Manhattan; 888-324-CHEF; frenchculinary.com for info and openhouse@frenchculinary.com to reserve a seat

Divine Chocolate ‘Pop-Up’ Shop at Art in General
Monday, October 27, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., free
Fair trade brand Divine Chocolate transforms an art gallery into a chocolate store and workshop, featuring samples of plenty of chocolates and opportunities to buy for the holidays.
Art in General, 79 Walker Street (b/n Broadway and Lafayette), Manhattan; 212.219.0473 artingeneral.org for info

‘Beard on Books: Greg Patent, A Baker’s Odyssey‘ at The Beard House
Wednesday, October 29, 12:00 p.m., suggested donation
This literary series features conversations with notable culinary authors: this month’s features A Baker’s Odyssey, a collection of recipes from home kitchens of American immigrants. Illy coffee and Green & Black chocolate will be served, but bringing along a brown-bag lunch is suggested.
The Beard House, 167 West 12th Street (at Seventh Avenue), Manhattan; 212.627.2308 to reserve seats, jamesbeard.org for more info

Food and Science discussion with Grant Achatz and Nathan Myhrvold at NYPL
Wednesday, October 29, 7 to 8:30 p.m., $10 for live telecast
While tickets to this discussion are sold out, you can sit in on the live telecast in the South Court Classrooms for $10. Alinea chef Grant Achatz and Intellectual Ventures CEO Nathan Myhrvold are joined by Wired senior editor Mark McClusky to discuss how science and technology are transforming the way we look at food. Is the kitchen becoming synonymous with a laboratory?
New York Public Library (Humanities and Social Sciences Library), 42nd Street & Fifth Avenue, Manhattan; 917.275.6975; nypl.org for more info, smarttix.com for tickets

The 4th Annual Arrival of the Brooklyn Brewery’s 2008 Black Chocolate Stout at The Chocolate Room
Wednesday, October 29, 7 to 9 p.m., free
Brooklyn Brewery’s Garrett Oliver speaks about the Black Chocolate stout alongside plenty of delicious desserts. No reservations necessary.
The Chocolate Room, 86 Fifth Avenue (at Prospect Place), Brooklyn; 718.783.2900; thechocolateroombrooklyn.com for more info

Wolfgang’s Vault Concert of the Week-Derek and the Dominos at The Fillmore East 10.23.1970

(Text courtesy of Wolfgang’s Vault)

This is a complete recording of the late show Derek and the Dominos played as headliners over Ballin’ Jack and Humble Pie at the Fillmore East.

After months touring with Delaney and Bonnie and collaborating with them on his first solo album, Clapton took the nucleus of his band – Whitlock, Radle and Gordon – and formed Derek and the Dominos. By 1970, Clapton had amassed an impressive catalogue on which to draw, and these musicians jelled in a way that certainly brought out the best in the material. For many fans, this quartet was the most consistently exciting group Clapton ever toured with, and these concerts feature some of the most passionate live playing of his career.

Full description can be found here on Wolfang’s Vault

Tracklist

01. Got To Get Better In A Little While 14:21
02. Key To The Highway 7:31
03. Tell The Truth 11:56
04. Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad? 14:48
05. Blues Power 11:01
06. Have You Ever Loved A Woman 8:59
07. Bottle Of Red Wine 6:29
08. Presence Of The Lord 6:36
09. Little Wing 6:20
10. Let It Rain 20:15
11. Crossroads 8:25

Eric Clapton – guitar, vocals
Bobby Whitlock – keyboards, vocals
Carl Radle – bass
Jim Gordon – drums

Click here to play this amazing concert

You can also find the following night’s show here

Limited Edition Beatles Box & Custom 120GB iPod at Bloomingdales

Thanks to New Music Tipsheet for the info

Limited Edition Ultimate Collector’s Box: Beatles iPod Set. The ultimate Beatles collector’s gift. Includes a numbered 120G iPod in classic black etched with the Beatles’ logo on the front and Abbey Road on the back. Includes 13 original Beatles’ CDs, plus two masters and the “Love” CD, all with an engraved guitar pick. Packaged in a box designed by Psycho Bunny. Only 2500 available.

• Catalog Item Number: 64934
• Exclusively at Bloomingdale’s
• Limited Edition. 2500 available. Each iPod is etched with a number.

Price: $795.00

You can find the box here at Bloomindales website

October 20th 1977, The Day of The Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash

Free Bird

If I leave here tomorrow,
Would you still remember me?
For I must be traveling on, now,
‘Cause there’s too many places I’ve got to see.
But if I stayed here with you, girl,
Things just couldn’t be the same.
‘Cause I’m as free as a bird now,
And this bird you can not change.
And the bird you can not change.
And this bird you can not change.
Lord knows, I can’t change.

Bye bye baby, it’s been a sweet love. Yea.
And though this feeling I can’t change.
But please don’t take it so badly,
‘Cause the Lord knows I’m to blame.
And if I stay here with you girl,
Things just couldn’t be the same.
Cause I’m as free as a bird now,
And this bird you’ll never change.
And the bird you can not change.
And this bird you can not change.
The Lord knows, I can’t change.
Lord help me, I can’t change.
Lord I can’t change.
Won’t cha fly high free bird, yeah.

Lynyrd Skynyrd  – Free Bird July 4th 1977 Oakland California

Friday Food-NYC Food Events for the Weekend

via Serious Eats: New York by Tam Ngo on 10/16/08

Vendy Awards. Photograph by Adam “Slice” Kuban

2008 Vendy Awards
Saturday, October 18, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Nine finalists offering the best of New York’s street food will compete in sweet and savory categories at the fourth annual Vendy Awards. Tax-deductible tickets are $80 in advance, $100 at the door, and the price includes food from all the vendors. Proceeds to benefit the Street Vendor Project, a nonprofit organization supporting New York City vendors. Tobacco Warehouse (Empire-Fulton State Park), Dumbo, Brooklyn; event website

Apple Day Festival
Sunday, October 19, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Come celebrate apple season! Along what used to be the Delancey Apple Orchard of the 1700’s, this street festival will feature an old-fashioned cider press, a live honey beehive, historical walking tours, and apple foods, arts, and crafts! Free. Orchard Street (b/n Broome and Grand Streets), Lower East Side; event website

Enid’s Apple Pie Bake-Off
Sunday, October 19, 6 p.m.
Bake your best apple pie for Enid’s annual Apple Pie Bake-Off. Categories include “prettiest pie” and “most like Mom’s”. Sample entries with Enid’s drink specials. Sponsored by Enid’s and Brooklyn Kitchen. Free. Enid’s, 560 Manhattan Ave (nr. Driggs Ave), Williamsburg, Brooklyn; event website

Street Fairs
Saturday, October 18
Waverly Place between Broadway and 5th Avenue; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Greenwich Avenue between 6th and 7th Avenues; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
3rd Avenue between 149th and 156th Streets, Bronx; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday, October 19
Bleecker Street between Lafayette and Laguardia Streets; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
3rd Avenue between 23rd and 34th Streets; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Radiohead’s Real Rainbows Data Revealed???

The report claims the band made over $3 million and goes on to say it proves the business model is successful with the right band with the right content. I don’t buy it…this stunt could never work again, I don’t care who the band is.

Warner Chappell, Radiohead’s distributor, is announcing that the band “sold” 3 million copies of In Rainbows, the album that they essentially gave away online in a pay-what-you-want scheme. The reports are that they made more on the album than they did on their previous dumpling, Hail to the Thief.

Read the rest of the article here.