Bonnaroo & Burgers in Sag Harbor

Madison Square Eats. visit Asia Dog and buy a Soju & Watermelon 

It's been the summer of music...and burgers. new soundtracks, playlists, free music in prospect park, summer stage, festivals. something about the summertime despite working long hours, the sun and the beach, cognizant or not, that wakes up the inner music fan in each of us. almost like being a fan of a sports team. keeping up on the stats. as a music lover, why am I just now discovering this?!? The giddiness of following bands around online. tracking and hoping they'll hit nyc soon.  which they frequently do. 


Phyre called and said that Laura Marling, Michael Kiwanuka and Willy Mason were playing prospect park for free in about 2 hours...


'we're going!.


I'd just seen Michael Kiwanuka at Bonnaroo. Think Otis Redding mashed with Van Morrison seasoned with a little Randy Newman. A Brit from Ugandan parents. I'll admit I'm embarrassed to say so but proud that I'm a fan.  


Mostly I'll get texts from my brother Patrick telling me about newer artists from around the map. Patricks a music supervisor for Go Music [True Blood, Dexter, House and a new show called Longmire]. leaving me to mooch off the new music that passes through his ears. I can't quite grok his knowledge of music available and how it can all fit together.  He's the real deal. 


If your in LA and you need a dj he's at dubgypsy.com 


to learn more..


go to his personal music supervision site offtherecordmusicsupervision.com or gomusicsupervision.com.

dj Patrick Belton of dubgypsy entertainment

'Look up Lianna La Havas and the new Edward Sharpe album'
 There's so much good music coming out it's difficult not to be a little ADHD on the subject. 


Laura Marling, another Brit, reminds me of Joni Mitchell in the body of Jewel :) I compare them to their great predecessors because they're following an old pattern from the music makers before them that works and they're making it their own. look up Marlings Devils Spoke  ft her, Dharohar project, and Mumford and Sons. Your hearing two separate sides of the world combining their great styles. 




And Willy Mason's this scruffy guy with a big ol jaw. Guthrie-esque. 


when the river moves on...




brother brother please forgive me
your woman loves another
and I fear that I am he
we grew up in the same woods 
and we fished the same pond
if ever our lines tangle 
we'd cut em before dawn
will you hold on to what is gone?
will you hold the rock when the river moves on?

After Mondays burger night at my house mid May, Jen announced she was going to Bonnaroo and proposed that Phyre & I come this year. 


'I wouldn't ask if I didn't think you'd be a perfect fit to the group.. So come!


And so we did

It's hard to describe Bonnaroo with out hitting a few details. every June for 4 days, 80,000 music freaks trek to this 700 acres of dusty patchy grassland in Manchester TN. some of the most incredible musicians playing back to back. Alabama Shakes, Radiohead, Temper Trap, Chili Peppers, Phish, Beach Boys, Bon Iver, The Roots. And newer artists like Yuna, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Gary Clark Jr., Michael Kiwanuka, Charles Bradley who's this reinvented James Brown.

Charles Bradley

3 years ago this guy was homeless. a James Brown impersonator from Brooklyn. Dap Tone Records found him, as they do other artists (he's 61) of that generation, slapped him on their label and the rest is history. Incredible to watch.

food trucks. silent disco's. comedy, craft beer tents, water slides, art installations.  the bad management, even the awful smells of port o' johns wafting over the audience couldn't hush the mood that took place. Everyone is on their own experience. Definitely a thrill to watch ...and partake. I even saw a few parents with their 3 year olds. I hope they take them in before the second set of major lazer at midnight. the glow sticks and wafts of pot were out. we camped to get the full experience but next time we'll be where the family probably is...in an RV.  Phyre & I bought some peach moonshine from an old bearded man who hid behind the ice vendor....


and we took some shots along the way


contributing photographers Jen Sese and Rachel Kozlowski

8:03 pm 6.7

let it begin

Jen had an old devoted group of friends who all came here a few years ago, a mix of Canadians and West Bloomfield Michiganites. doctors, lawyers, psychologists, broadway royalty:)  It was a good group. Phyre & I met them and we all formed... the amoeba! 

Rachel & Phyre

Natalie

the amoeba

Centeroo. Time to rinse off the dust!

I hadn't heard from Andrew in a few years and just about the time Josh and I were kicking Groundburgers into full gear with a supper club, Andrew Buffalino called me up and asked if I'd come out to Sag Harbor in Southhampton and help out on the line, prep food, meet his sous chef Jake. I had my weekends free  so we agreed that I'd come out to Southhampton on weekends starting in June and I'd help out where they needed. 

'I'll take you fishing before service' he says 


That morning before service, he hauled over 140 lbs of striper bass, porgies and blue fish. all this fish will be turned into specials today...we used the fat stripers for ceviche for Pedros going away party tonight [simple recipe from his home in Peru-where ceviche originated] and some extra for the fish of the day, grilled striper with homemade tartar. in the evening we set up a taco station and used the rest of the tuna for tar- tar tacos. not complete without the last drop of tangy mirin dipping sauce. So good. 




Pedro's ceviche.


2 pounds striped bass, sliced bite size 1/4 inch thick
1 cup lemon juice (or lime)
1/2 red onion, halved and finely cliced
1 teaspoon sea salt (I use flaky Maldon)
1 fresh thai chili, deseeded and minced
half bunch cilantro, roughly chopped




throw everything together and let it chill for at least a half hour. I'd even throw in a little Sambal Olec, which is a slightly less hot sriracha. Ceviche's perishable after a day so plan ahead. drink the juice and tuck in and enjoy. Pedro's aunt said drinking the lemony brine will make you a true Peruvian aphrodigiaco! 






Andrews special today at LTBurger is called 'Bake and Shark', which sounds like he's saying 'Bacon Chalk' in his thick Long Island.  Its a popular Caribbean sandwich he had in Trinidad. Instead of doing his own fry dough, which we tried-it was fine, like a jamaican patty ,he tried it over fry bread which is panini that he beer battered in between a lightly fried chunk of mako and a douse of coleslaw for some sweet tang. If you haven't had mako, you can buy it for $4 a pound out here. cheap and incredibly flavorful. its like a slightly more meaty and spongier swordfish. 

Its moments like this that make me fall in love [again] with local cuisine. you catch, you filet, you bring it back to serve that night. moments where you watch someone bite into something timidly and right after see them grinning with delight. the salty sea smell and peanut oil aroma's alone as they passed the Bake and Shark around to sample, turns you greedy. starving or not. 


Andrews the executive chef at LT Burger, a perfect Hampton burger joint whipping up diner comfort food as fast as the Hamptonites can fly in and out. LT is Laurant Tourondel, the chef and businessman who created the menu along with Andrew. Come out to Sag Harbor for a day in Southhampton, pack a lunch, grapes & some Bluepoint IPA beer. right before sinking your feet underneath the sand, stop into LT Burger. its on the way.  order a side of fried pickles and a puff shake. vanilla ice cream, cocoa puffs, and Reeses peanut butter cups.  

I  met Andrew after I left The Spotted Pig, when i first started dabbling in cooking. somehow I ended up helping him out at Permanent Brunch. Andrew was the chef and faced with the difficult task of trying to revive this poor place in the LES, as it was clearly bombing when I set foot there. restaurants are difficult. Even if your reviewed well at the start, if there's not 100%  consistency and lines out the door, you're in for trouble unfortunately. 

fillet lesson off Montauk

LT wasn't so unfortunate. Largely due to Andrew 


he'll be showcased in the next issue of Edible East End, which is this great food magazine I discovered. Its got a very Jaime Oliver feel against New England cuisine. stories of old school clammers, striper fishermen, recipes. good stuff.


sometime this weekend if your around the city, do yourself a favor and look upward and slightly over. if you haven't noticed the amount of apartment windows with masking tape still on from Hurricane Irene last summer take a look. Its pretty funny. speaking of...


I'll leave you with this picture. Julian took it on his iPhone  and I'm almost tempted to blow it up and frame it and sell it at the Union Square Market. This was his text...May 30th


[9:30am] Union Sq Fountain. Crackhead got ahold of Mr BUBBLE. 
I guess its great to see that there is truth behind the slogan 
MAKES GETTING CLEAN ALMOST AS MUCH FUN AS GETTING DIRTY!