I just had dinner at Han Bat, a 24-hour Korean restaurant a few doors down from the hotel. Meals served in stone bowls heated to near-incendiary temperatures, very exotic, many side dishes of pickled vegetables, almost all people eating there Korean. Like stepping into another country.
Upon the recommendation of Janice at the Spoonbill bookstore, I had dinner at Caracas Arepa, a Venezuelan restaurant a few blocks off Bedford last night. Hugely popular place, rightly so. Rum drinks. Their specialty is arepas, various fillings inside a wrapping made of white cornmeal, which is not fried, but grilled, then baked, making it crunchy. Wonderful food, wonderful place.
There were 4 girls having dinner at a nearby table. They had a pitcher of sangria and were having a great time. In the past week I’ve seen a bunch of girls-nights-outs at tables in various restaurants. So different without men. They’re really connecting, sharing, tuning into each other, comfortable without the big T present. Harmony.
Then I went over to the Ragegast Hall (a serious beer bar) on N. 3rd Street to see The Baby Soda Jazz Band. The bass player is Peter Ford and he plays a box bass that he sort of invented. (A year ago I finally talked him into making me one — I’d seen the band playing in Washington Square — and I play it a little almost every day.) The band was in great form, doing ’20s-’30s music like Baby Won’t You Please Come Home and Struttin’ With Some Barbecue. Peter’s awesome on this one-string bass. A guest trombone player, who has played with Wynton Marsalis, sat in. Great dancing, wonderful to see young people picking up on songs from this era. Diga Diga Doo…
Was the trombone player Wycliffe Gordon?
I think it is Wycliffe Gordon. He's one of the foremost trombone players on the scene today. Super-versatile, and has brought a lot of the old sliding style of trombone into the modern idiom. Also does great gospel renditions on trombone.
Rick,
It was Wycliffe Gordon, I just found it in my notes. The Baby Soda Jazz Band had a female trombonist and a great trumpet player from New Orleans, and there were some smokin 3-horn moments. Take My Hand, Precious Lord.