Restaurants to Hit List

I've been so busy lately learning more about cooking I feel like I haven’t had a chance to actually cook OR eat at all the delicious new places popping up or offering “recession specials ”. I've started a list of all the places I want to try to hit when the opportunity arises. Here it is:

Dirt Candy
Owned and operated by a graduate of NGI, and an exciting new concept: vegetables are the focus and are prepared to maximize deliciousness but without concern for health or politics so there are some fatty rich morsels of delight. Can’t wait.

The Farm on Adderly
Ditmas Park may be the new Smith St. as far as restaurants go and this is the one that’s been around the longest. I can see making Ditmas Park being a regular summer excursion ‘cuz it’s so pretty.

Matsugen
All the Jean Georges restaurants are offering a “recession special” $24 lunch $35 dinner. Two of my classmates raved about the Matsugen one so I have to hit it before the recession is over? Will there be a depression special then?

Number 7
All the reviews have been stellar both from friends and the times. Seems especially inviting for brunch?

Scuderia
The more low key little brother to Da Silvano this place looks fun and yummy and worth checking out.

Socarrat Paella Bar
I haven’t been too lucky with most of the “authentic” Spanish restaurants in town but from the pictures and reviews this looks really good. The item in today’s serious eats sold me too. It’s like tapas bento boxes. PERFECTO!

Vinegar Hill House
Newish restaurant started by my buddy Sam Buffa and Chef Jean Adamson. It’s close enough to walk to from my house so why haven’t I gone yet? Cuz I’m an overscheduled maniac! Next time I go to St. Anne’s Warehouse I’m so there. Looks delicious.

FELICITACIONES MAURICO FUNES Y EL SALVADOR

Mauricio Funes was elected President of El Salvador yesterday. The first time the left leaning FMLN has won the presidential election in over 20 years. I dream that this could be the turning point for El Salvador, a nation which is so beautiful which has such strong people who deserve a new opportunity.

LA Times coverage here.

BBC World News coverage here.

Washington Post coverage here.

Tim's El Salvador Blog.

17dots radio show on EVR playlist

Today is my first 17Dots EVR show and it was super fun. You can stream it here. I was nervous because I have never pre-recorded a radio show and knowing that it was going to air later and be streamed almost forever made me a little more self concious. I got the hang of it about 1/3 of the way in and it was really fun. I tried to play songs I love, bands I love and songs that mean something to me.

If you have questions about any of these bands please let me know. I could talk about them for the rest of my life.



Otis Redding "Try A Little Tenderness (Live in London)"

Sam Cooke "I Have a Friend Above All Others"

Extra Golden "Obama"

Rare Essence "Lock It"

Chuck Brown "Back It On Up (Sho Ya Right)"

ESG "Dance"

Two Tears "To Be Alone"

Frumpies "Duvet Ta"

Beehive and the Baracudas "Are You Queer?"

Obits "One Cross Apiece"

Love Or Perish "La Zorra"

Jean On Jean "Hawaii"

Emily's Sassy Lime "There's a Snake in the Steakhouse"

Prima Donnas "Headfull of Pills"

The Donnas "Gimme My Radio"

Charades "Cuando Tu No Estas"

Grabba Grabba Tape "Dr. Groxtronix and Lil Kul Lo"

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists "La Costa Brava"

Campamento Ñec Ñec "Achicharra Tus Sardinas" (not available digitally)

Delorean "Big Dipper" (out soon!)

Requesters "Air Guitar" (gotta figure out how to get this on an album)

The Teenagers "Streets of Paris"

Coconot "Polen Muchacha"

Phoenix "1901" (available on their website www.wearephoenix.com)

Edwyn Collins "Girl Like You"

Comet Gain "Steps To The Sea"

Dinosaur Jr. "Little Furry Things"

Oasis "The Shock Of The Lightning"

Hot Snakes " Plenty For All"

Stereolab "The Seeming and the Meaning"

Beat Happening "Tales of a Brave Aphrodite"

Marine Girls "Love To Know"

(Tracks one and two are dedicated to SHR, DMR, OEHR and SMHR, welcome home guys!)

Cut Your Cold In Half (or sniff trying.)

So this cold season I've been pretty lucky. I had a cold in the fall but I was able to stay pretty healthy until last week when I ran myself ragged with school and work and work and school. I really had no time to be down or recover properly so I tried everything I could to get my sypmtoms under control. A year or two ago under the same circumstances I would have gone straight to the pharmacy and bought some antihistamines, decongestants and toxic throat spray but I'm not interested in that anymore. Based on some recommendations I tried a the following combination of treatments:

Flushing my ears with Peroxide (there are many theories that colds start in the ears and since the ears are connected to the nose and throat it makes sense that at minimum it should be treated!)

Saline Nasal Wash to remove impurities and keep the nose hydrated. I didn't get the neti pot but I will and use it to ward off future frustration.

Finally Oregano Oil. I had this recommended to me by two different people and I think it was the key to cutting my cold in half. You can feel it working as you swallow it. You put some drops under your tongue every few hours and let it work it's magic.

Feel free to share your tips with me!

The Dog in the Manger, Library of Congress and Hyperfast Hanging Out

On Tuesday night I had the great pleasure to have been taken to see A Dog In The Manger at the Shakespeare Theater in Washington D.C. My friend and colleague Portia Sabin, label dude at Kill Rock Stars and I were in town along with The Donnas and tons of other artists to lobby on Capitol Hill in support of the Performance Right. Our trip was coordinated by the musicFIRST Coalition and was extremely interesting and seemed very successful. Portia's father David Sabin was appearing in the production of A Dog In The Manger and invited us all to the show. It was such a treat and the play was wonderful. The lead actress was Michelle Hurd (Det. Jeffries from Law and Order) and David played two roles. As I'm obsessed/partial to all things Spanish (written by Spanish playwright Lope de Vega) this proved no exception. Set in Naples in the 1500's it fit right in with my Elizabethan era interests and was comic and passionate and just great. Afterward we continued our Spanish theme we went next door for drinks and tapas at Jaleo. Who could ask for more?

Earlier in the day we had a break between meetings and walked over to the Library of Congress and I couldn't remember ever really taking the time to walk around. The curse of growing up in Washington is you don't take advantage of all it has to offer. Like the amazing architecture and architectural details that many of the buildings have. We stumbled upon an exhibit called "Exploring The Early Americas" which had Mayan artifacts, maps from the Spanish conquest and some of Columbus' original texts written in Castilian that appeared to be a mix of Spanish, Catalan and Latin. I was in hog heaven and could have stayed there all day. I will definitely go back the next time I'm home.