Guitar Solo Sunday (04/05/09)

And now it's time for everyone's least favorite recurring feature! (trust me, I have the numbers to prove it)

I recorded this last week when I was upstate. The typical disclaimers apply, those being that I suck and the sound quality is terrible. My Fender amp has a delay effect built in, which is where the echo comes from. The delay fills in the background when you are playing solo and gives it sort of an eerie feel. Using too many effects is a cop out, in my opinion (/nods towards The Edge), but whatever works, right?

Guitar Solo Sunday (03/08/09)

Unfortunately for you Fackers, I was not able to secure a solo from a reader/friend this week, although there are a few in the works. As a result I laid another sacrifice to the Guitar Gods upon the altar (terrace), this one acoustic.

For what it's worth, I'm a whole lot more proud of this than the 450Hz electric one I posted last week (plus, it's shorter!).




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Not sure where else this would fit, so here is a pretty sick picture of the San Remo:

One More

Finally [Part II]

I had this thought walking around this morning, but it didn't make it into the previous two posts.

Maybe the reason I like seeing the Manhattan covered in snow so much is that it gives you the chance to catch The City That Never Sleeps quietly nodding off.

The snow cover dulls the sounds that typically reflect off hard surfaces like streets and branches and buildings, so it's literally quieter. Parking is suspended and lots of people from surrounding areas don't come into work. I still walked here, but I can tell by the amount of pedestrain traffic on Central Park West that most people opt for the subway. Today, the infamous line at Whole Foods in the Time Warner Center was non-existent.

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Completely random food-realted aside: This is too good not to mention. At Whole Foods today, they have Creole Shrimp Fritters for $7.99 a lb. I got 5 for $2.88. If you are in the area, get 'em while they're hot, because if you ordered them in a restaurant, they'd cost $10 at least.

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The only wall hangings at the Lenny's location around the corner from our apartment (shown in the top picture) are pictures of NYC in the snow. I'm not sure if all their spots are similarly decorated, but it's really cool.

I wasn't down here for the 26.9" dumping in 2006, but I have been assured by Sampson and others that it was epic. Not everyone likes the snow as much as I do, and part of the allure for me was having to wait so damn long to really see it. I'm still holding out hope for one more shut-down-the-city style storm before I'm done with this place.

Damn, I'm going to miss you when that time comes, NYC.

Finally

[You can find Part II here]

This is the third winter I've been down in NYC and this is the first real snow storm I've had the pleasure of bearing witness to. Basically every time they've predicted any significant amount of snow, it turned into a wintry mix or missed us completely. I hate wintry mixes. I hate them so much that I think I also hate Christmas music compilations and the rapper Snow by association.

Although the possibility of getting a snow day has long since passed, I still get incredibly excited when we get a healthy ground cover. Far too often growing up, I would watch the weather before I went to bed, and hear Bob Kovachic talk about the slam dunk storm headed our way, only to wake up at 5AM so excited I couldn't sleep, look out, see nothing and cry myself back to sleep. It was soul crushing.

On the other hand, when we did get hit, Sampson and I would suit up and take to the streets. And by "the streets", I mean the 50 acres of common land shared by the residents of Riverview Landing, which borders on the Mohawk River. It is serenely beautiful even when it's not covered in 10 inches of snow. There are cliffs and waterfalls, a run-down pavilion, and paths connecting everything. It's basically fucking paradise to two kids with a couple of stolen cigarettes and a water bottle filled with about two fingers worth of six kinds of liquor (so we wouldn't take too much from one bottle).

Despite the fact that I don't have any boots or snow pants, today, I got up early and took a bunch of pictures in the park. Why? Because you only live once, Fackers.

I'd guess we got about 5 or 6 inches. It was windy, so the accumulation doesn't show up as much as you'd like it to, and my camera kind of sucks, but I still think they came out really well.

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I had to make these smaller because it would have taken me 9 years to upload them all. If you would like a full size one to use for a desktop background or something, email me. If your request meets my politeness requirements, I will send you a picture or two.

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On the way to the park. 75th street, I believe.

This dog was the only life form in Central Park more excited than I was.

The Dakota (and the tip of my glove)
Oops.

Strawberry Fields

You won't believe this, but I had a nice conversation with a girl who was walking her dog, standing right over the spot pictured below. Imagine that. For once, I didn't even throw up like Stan from South Park talking to Wendy Testaburger. If you are out there, you divine being, please identify yourself in the comments as "The Uncontrollably Hot Woman From The Park With The British(?) Accent". Your move.

Daniel Webster was feeling it.

Kind of cool with the statue in the background, no?

My camera doesn't do well with capturing colors, so you really had to be there for this one.

It's not Spring yet, brah.

In The Ramble. Same exact spot as the picture on that link, I believe.

View of the Buildings on Central Park South from the North end of the Pond.

Calling any part of Central Park "Forever Wild" is pretty laughable since it's all man-made and adjacent to one of the most densely populated places on planet Earth.

I have a bit of a San Remo fetish. You can see it from our terrace and almighty Jesus, it makes for some beautiful pictures. The one on the top of this post is of it too.

Looking down Central Park West.

Risked my life for this one. You're welcome.

Columbus Circle.

You know it's the real deal when they've got news crews out.

The snow almost makes our building not look like the shitshow it currently is due to the makeover. Apparently re-surfacing the building gives them the right to change the address. 3 Columbus Circle? We are a block away from the circle. It's 1775 Broadway, assholes. In light of this, I've decided to change our address to 2347 Central Park West.

Oh, you came to this blog to read about sports? Sorry. Maybe next time.