Brunch Anyone?

When in The Bronx don't miss M and G restaurant.   Meg and I stumbled upon this treasure.   Great homemade flavor and  unbeatable prices.   It is located at 2390 Arthur Avenue.    

New Friends

When I stood in front of the Time Square movie theatre and asked then stranger Fraser New what he would watch I didn't expect that he would be meeting me at Gatwick airport upon my arrival in London 8 months later.     We resolved to keep in touch after watching Will Smith save the world.   We too often underestimate the wealth and potential friendship of complete strangers.

Doomed Zoom flight 002

Zoom Airlines=Worst discount airline i have ever taken

If the internet was scratch and sniff friendly I'd instruct you to catch a wiff of the rancid smell of this Luz Air plane that Zoom rented when their own plane broke down.    Aside from the stench, no in-flight entertianment and the food that was just shy of being the daily rations from an Ethiopian village the flight crew appeared to be enjoying their first flight ever.    I fell asleep an hour after take off.    We did make it over the Atlantic

Hitting the road: Destination Europe

Delta airlines charges for $25 for you second checked bag and American Airlines charges $15 for the first bag.  On a Zero budget trip it is recommend you purchase a bag that can fit in the overhead.

Couchsurfing.com

When Evan Dekaser signed up for couchsurfing.com he probably didn't expect to get a call from Bermuda 4 hours after creating his profile.  Couchsurfing is the brain child of Casey Fenton who has created a forum for a small intimation of international reconciliation and cross-cultural understanding.    In english that means that I needed a place to crash and Evan opened up his Bronx apartment to myself and my buddy Stefan.   Evan is an eclectic young man from New Hampshire whose time is spent between surfing on the ocean,  reading, going to school at Fordham, working at THOR, making music, forming deep relationships, and just having a good time.    Evan not only shared his apartment but his friend Meg and roomate Skulls.   Traveling for me is as much about the people as the distinctive locations.      My time with Evan, Meg, and Skulls was hands down worth more than any building or park that New York had to offer.

Roach City

Brooklyn hip hop mogul Will Taubin once again had me over his crib to do what we do best together: make some phat beats.     On this trip I only had one day to spare but we tried to make the best use of it.    I would say our process started with one year of conversations about life, truth, the nuances of American values, hip hop culture and the trend toward mediocrity, abortion, God, relationships, and Norway.   I think all great art and other goods that are shared are deeply rooted in a personal philosophy.    We had no differences to iron out not because we were in complete agreement on everything but we have a symbiotic friendship that allows for divergent ideas and beliefs.    Worldviews aside we come together in a non-threatening atmosphere and get to work.    While drinking some diet beverage Will puts on a track that either he's worked or one of his talented mates have put together.   Once inspired I get my violin out and start flirting with the track.    After the courtship I head into the "booth" and the process is in fool gear.   We hope to have a CD out in about a year and half.

Leaving Paradise

I've never believed that utopia could ever be achieved in this present world therefore leaving "paradise" was not something I thought would create some cosmological meltdown in my world.   On July 31st I once again set out to head off "the rock" but was greeted by a call from American Airlines stating that my flight was cancelled.  They had some baggage system failure at JFK and of course needed to cancel MY flight.   I was cordial and told the woman my needs.  Ten minutes later my phone rang again and i had been switched to Delta Airlines.    The adventure beginneth.