Umai...OH MY!

A Japanese restaurant, Umai, recently opened on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. I figured I would head over to check it out. When I got there I was pleasantly surprised. It was a cute and narrow building that was wonderfully decorated. It was such a beautiful little place. I kept having to remind myself that I was in the Bronx and not Manhattan. The service was great and the wait staff were very pleasant. I think my favorite thing about Umai was that it was BYOB.

When we sat down they immediately brought us free spring rolls that were delectable. We followed up with some nicely prepared soup and sushi rolls. As we chatted and laughed the night away, our waiter graciously refilled our glasses whenever we were low. I was thrilled with the service. While we wound down and prepared to call it a night the hostess brought out a small plate with an incredible snack on board. As she walked over I could not make out what the food was, but as she came closer the smell gave it away. She brought over a plate full of tempura fried Oreos on the house. My oh my were they good. I took an extra Oreo without the rest of my party even realizing it. I can still taste the soft, warm, crunchy texture of those delicious treats.

If you are looking for a nice place to go and are in the Belmont area of the Bronx I would suggest checking out Umai. I know I will definitely be heading back soon.

Picasso: Themes and Variations at the MoMA

I have always been fascinated by the work of Pablo Picasso. I admire the way his work distorts reality just enough to let the mind wonder trying to piece the work together.

There is currently an exhibit of Picasso's prints and illustrations at the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. The exhibit runs until August 30, 2010. I have not had a chance to visit the museum to check out the work, but I plan to in the very near future. The exhibit emphasizes the transformation of Picasso's work over time through print making and illustration. It is interesting to see the different techniques used to tickle the imagination. Some of the works are very dark and have a lot of stroke marks while other are light and clean. If you enjoy art of any kind you should check out the Picasso exhibit.


Picasso: Themes and Variations

ASTRO COAST

A few months back one of my friends told me to check out a new band named Surfer Blood. I thought to myself, "Surfer Blood? What kind of name is that?" Don't let the name fool you. These guys from Florida really bring it. They have an interesting sound that immediately drew me in. Their style is a mix of indie, surf rock, and pop. They have raw reverb driven guitar riffs accompanied by wonderfully pleasing pop melodies. The songs are arranged brilliantly. They lead you up and down and reward you with incredible hooks. Whenever my roommate and I are in the mood to get pumped up we just throw on their debut album, Astro Coast, and rock around the apartment. It's quite fun actually. It is a must have album.


Unfortunately, the band is currently touring the UK and does not appear to be heading to New York anytime soon. I guess I will have to catch them at a later date. I will be anxiously awaiting...

A C of B's

I just recently bought Bee Eee Pee an album by Sea of Bees. To be honest, I haven't stopped listening to it yet. The singer, Julie Baenziger, has a wonderful voice.

It is a great album to listen to while walking around the city or just relaxing in your room. It has just enough pace to keep you upbeat, but is relaxed enough to make for a good bedtime story. The California based band does not currently have any shows planned for New York, so I guess I will have to wait to see them live.

If you like folk or alternative music then you should definitely check them out to see what they are about. You won't be disappointed.


Sea of Bees

Sea of Bees on Myspace

Not So Trashy at the Trash Bar

One of my good friends from school, Greg, recently moved out to Brooklyn after graduating. It has been hard trying to get together due to busy schedules. But the other night he invited me to the Trash Bar to see one of his friends perform. I jumped at the opportunity. I enjoy checking out new places and I definitely enjoy checking out new music, so it was a win-win situation. Oh, and I was able to see my friend of course.

When I walked into the bar the first thing I thought was, "where is the stage?" It appeared to be a very normal bar, not a bar/music venue. That was until I followed the signs through large velvet curtains into the back room. "Ah! There is the stage," I thought to myself. The back room of the Trash Bar reminded me more of a furnished cave than of anything else. There was a bar and we were free to drink PBR and well drinks for an hour straight after paying a cover of $6. I thought that was a great deal to be honest. It all depends on how you manage your time.

Greg's friend was on first, so we assumed our positions in the audience and waited for him to begin. There was not much of a crowd that early on in the night, but a solid group of friends was there in support.

We enjoyed Greg's friend's set and slowly made our way out into the main bar area to relax. As you know I am a fan of cheesy games like pool, so I just had to take advantage of the Trash Bar's table. The atmosphere of the bar on a Thursday night was calm and relaxed especially with the blaring sound of guitars coming from the back room. A bunch of my friends were there, so we were able to make the best of it. I would definitely go back to the Trash Bar especially if they have frequent drink-ups.

The Trash Bar

The Trash Bar on Yelp

Titus Andronicus comes to Fordham University

Last year my friend (far left in the photo above) told me about this band called Titus Andronicus. He played me a couple of their songs and I instantly fell in love. It is an interesting love affair I have with them however. I thought I had left my lo-fi punk rock days behind me, but Titus Andronicus brought me back.

My friend brought me to a show of theirs in Brooklyn. I had only heard a few songs, so I was interested to hear what else they had to offer. From the second the guitars started screaming and the drums began rolling I was hooked. Their sound brought me back to a time in my life I thought was long gone. I was perplexed how they could sound so gritty yet so refined.

I was thrilled when I heard that they would be playing at Fordham University. The show was great besides being cut off short by Fordham University security. The crowd was excited and their slam dancing, crowd surfing antics proved it. Everywhere I looked I saw smiles and happy people, well except for the perpetual stone faces. But it was a great turnout. The band appeared to really enjoy the enthusiasm of the concert's attendees. After I left the show I kept thinking of how good of a show it had been and how proud I was that it went down at Fordham.

Titus Andronicus

Market Hotel Down For the Count

[{Deerhunter at Market Hotel}]

A great venue in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn has been shut down by the New York City Police Department. Unfortunately for the club's promoter many shows now have to be moved to other locations. It seems to be a mad dash because many venues have already been booked.

From the street, Market Hotel looks like vacant space in an old building. But on the inside vendors sell cheap drinks while people scatter aimlessly about. As soon as the band begins to warm up, everyone makes a move toward the stage. You are lucky if you get a good spot. I usually get stuck behind the tallest person on the planet.



It is a shame to see a great place like the Market Hotel close. I'll miss the place, but I hope for a reopening in the near future.