Explore Dark Alleys

Jeremy's parents gave us a sweet good-bye card when we left for New York extolling the virtues of exploring all of life's experiences, including dead ends and dark alleys. In the past four days, we've hung out in three new parts of town and explored some dark and interesting places. We went to galleries in Chelsea with Mike + Friends, and ended up in the Meatpacking District at a BBQ restaurant on the verge of bankruptcy. The Hog Pit reminded Jeremy of the Boulder Beer Bar, in Boulder Junction, Wisconsin, with plenty of boar and deer heads on the wall, and even the Buck Hunter II video game. The Hog Pit's been in the neighborhood forever, but the Meatpacking District became super trendy in the past decade (and for the first time in NY, I really thought we might see "famous people" as we walked past high end cafes on our way there). Their rent is increasing from $4,000/mo to $40,000/mo., so they are closing soon.

On Saturday we met our friend Susan in an area of Brooklyn called Gowanus where a new music venue (the Bellhouse) was opening for the first time -- some friends of Susan were one of the three bands we saw. The music was OK (terrible sound mixing), but the club was really nice, created from an old warehouse. Here's a photo of me at the bar. I ordered a Hot Toddy since I was sick all week. The walk from the train to the Bellhouse was definitely the sketchiest moment we've had so far in NYC (empty dark streets, under highways, etc...sorry Moms), but we're safe and sound.

We also got to meet a friend from Minneapolis - Brian - at a restaurant in part of the East Village where we've never been. Lil' Frankie's was fantastic -- Brian bought an appetizer made of delicious fresh ricotta served with unusual olives (see photo). You must go with us sometime. We sat in the "garden" - the dark outside area with space for four tables, created in the tiny backyard between all the buildings. Nice and dark, in New York.