For All Of You Young Parents Who Desperately Want Your Kids To Be As Cool As You Used To Be Before You Had Kids...

Habitat Threads is a brand new, eco-conscious kids' clothing line co-created by my brother-in-law, Nick. Their mission is to provide cool, earth-friendly and sweatshop-free kids fashions that are hand-printed right here in America using only environmentally responsible materials.

Their brand new website is up and you can CHECK IT OUT HERE. Whether for your own kid or as a totally unique Christmas gift for your niece, nephew, neighbor, etc. - the holidays are the perfect time to take a look. Everyone on your street will think you're the raddest.

Or, at least they'll think your kid is...

The Layer Cake is BACK!

We became big fans of this wine last year. In fact, I was just thinking about it over Thanksgiving and today I got the following e-mail from Crush Wine & Spirits. If you like really big, jammy reds- CHECK IT OUT. Even better, stop by Crush in person and pick yourself up a couple bottles. It's our favorite shop. (Food & Wine Magazine named it "Best New Wine Store In America" in 2005) Worth checking out next time you're in midtown. . .

2006 Layer Cake - The New Vintage of our Most Popular Shiraz, EVER! JUST ARRIVED!

The Secret Behind Layer Cake

Those of you who have sampled the highly sought after Hundred Acre know Jayson Woodbridge achieves such incredible results through a "money is no object, I just want to make the best damn wine possible" philosophy.Woodbridge has quietly and miraculously made a deal on the ultra-prime vineyards in the "Golden Mile." Located in the heart of the Barossa Valley, grapes from this hallowed parcel of land are selected for Australia's first and foremost collectible wine, Penfold's Grange ($200 - $700).Layer Cake starts in the vineyard with sustainable farming of the highest quality fruit from low-yield vines - 3-4 tons per acre as opposed to 7-8 tons almost everywhere else in the valley!The "Draconian" grape selection process is matched only by the fastidious attention to detail and uncompromising commitment to quality in the winery.

Where in the World:

Barossa Valley - Located 1 hour north of Adelaide in the state/territory of South Australia, the Barossa Valley is the most famous wine region in the country.Barossa is home to the famous Penfold's Grange, which broke the Australian wine scene with its first vintage in 1951 and historically has been known as the benchmark age-worthy Australian Shiraz.Despite the fact that Phylloxera ravaged other parts of the country in the late 1870s, Barossa vines were never infected.The valley itself is 40 kilometers (24 miles) in length and is filled with gently rolling hills. Because Australia is in the southern hemisphere its seasons are reversed and the harvest begins in March and continues into April.Settled in 1842 by immigrants of Prussia and Silesia, the name Barossa comes from the Australian Colonel William Light who took the name from the Spanish Barrosa Beach, the location of an Anglo-Spanish v. French battle in the early 1800s Peninsular War.

Layer Cake may be the most popular (and undervalued) Australian Shiraz ever.We featured the 2005 vintage in an email about a year ago and the response was overwheming. What was truly amazing was the incredible number of customers who must be called: Layer Cake Fanatics! While we are used to repeat orders, customers came back 3, 4 and 5 times to restock this Australian anomaly!Through the course of the year, Layer Cake has only gained momentum. Though the last vintage sold out sometime in the early Spring, the calls continued to roll in and customer reservations totalled in the hundreds of bottles - really just on the hope that a 2006 vintage would be produced! For a while it was not clear whether "The Cake," as the staff affectionately calls it, would be a one-off for New World Genius Jayson Woodbrige, or an ongoing project.About a month ago we received word that the 2006 was a reality - the "Layer Cake Nation" rejoices!

COULD YOU PLEASE JUST NOT?! Turns 1

...Hard to believe that tomorrow is the one-year birthday of The Little Blog That Could. Fitting that it falls right after my birthday and smack on top of Thanksgiving. Those of you who check in regularly may have realized, as I have recently, that what started out as merely a place to vent my spleen has actually become something a little more interesting than just a rant page. I think it has blossomed into a fairly dynamic and random and unhinged and all-over-the-place thing and I would expect nothing less from something I created. To be honest, I don't know what this blog is - or who it's for. And frankly, I hope I never do.

I do know that tomorrow is Thanksgiving. And that despite my usual spew of bile and dissatisfaction, I have much to be thankful for. Outside the usual, familiar nag of dayjob and career bullshit, my life is a rich and abundant thing. So, thank you to all of those of you in my world who help to make it so.

Autumn (and more specifically - the birthday) has always been a hopeful and productive time for both me and The Missus. It has always felt like a beginning. Hence, it's when we traditionally mark the start of our New Year. And in that spirit, I proposed what would come to be known around our house as "The Chrysalis Year". A 12-month span between this November 18th and the next, in which we begin a developmental growth stage, ala the caterpillar into the butterfly. Flowery language for what will surely be a decidedly unflowery process. But, I think we've both reached a bit of a breaking point with certain aspects of our individual lives and are looking for something more, different, better, etc. We have some specific goals in mind and some specific ideas about how to attain them, but the rest is a gray area. We're heading into foggy waters and very much looking forward to the ride.

And hopefully you'll come along. Each of us has things brewing - both personal and professional - and I'll be keeping you up to date on them here. I can't say what it will entail exactly, but I promise it'll at least be interesting, if nothing else. ...Even when it's not.

It's Our Birthday

And as you can see.... She's still cute and I'm still a fan of pointy hats.

P.S. The race was a blast. Thanks to those of you who supported...

Our Times: ..........52:47.....................52:33

$ Raised: ............$190.......................$650

So.... The Missus beat me on both accounts. Which is awesome.

Next time, baby... Next time.

The Way ALL Dogs Should Be Treated

This was sent to me by a friend and it makes me smile every time I see it. Finally, someone gives dogs the props they deserve...

Nepal is celebrating the festival of Tihar, its equivalent of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. In Nepal, on the second day of the feast, special honour is bestowed on dogs.

Here at the Police Dog Training School, it's recognised that no animal has a closer relationship with people.

THERE'S STILL TIME...!

...To support me in this Sunday's GLWD Race to Deliver. (see previous post)

Click here to make your tax-deductible contribution to a great cause.

If you do, I'll think you're even more awesome than I already do.

Unless I don't think you're awesome, in which case you've got some catching up to do anyway, so get on the ball...

Since I Know You've Been Racking Your Brain About What To Get Me For My Birthday...

So... I am not a runner. I am not someone who, you know... runs. On purpose. Without being chased. And even then - unless it's a bear or something - it's unlikely. It's just not something I do. If I'm late, I'm late. My fault, I'll accept the consequences. But I'm not going to run. Got a mugger on my tail...? Here. Here's my wallet. You're willing to put out the effort, far as I'm concerned you've earned it. Fair's fair. But I'm not going to run.

What better way, then, for The Missus and I to spend our birthday ... than running! (Yes, my wife and I have the same birthday. Both cute and creepy, right? )

Kate told me about the GLWD Race to Deliver which was happening on our birthday and said she was going to register. And I thought, "What a great thing... for her to do." But the thought of standing on the sidelines with my hands in my pockets like a schmuck, cheering her on while she was out there doing something cool and challenging was just too much. PLUS, we'd be able to raise more money with both of us doing it. So, of course I chimed in... "Hey, Why don't I do it with you?"

SO... That's what I'm doing on my birthday. I'm running. Well, probably some running mixed with some walking. And a fair amount of panting sprinkled throughout.

Info on the race is below. God's Love We Deliver is a great organization and I've set a fundraising goal of $500. (The Missus has already raised $450, so - as I'm sure will be the case on the day of the race as well - I've got some catching up to do.)

If you'd like to sponsor me by making a contribution, you can do so by clicking on this link. If you were thinking of buying me a drink on my birthday, channel your dough here instead. (I'm sure I'll find a way to have that drink regardless.)

WISH US LUCK...

ABOUT GLWD
God's Love We Deliver's mission is to improve the health and well-being of men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other serious illnesses by alleviating hunger and malnutrition. We prepare and deliver nutritious, high-quality meals to people who, because of their illness, are unable to provide or prepare meals for themselves. We also provide illness-specific nutrition education and counseling to our clients, families, care providers and other service organizations

ABOUT THE RACE
HISTORY
Entering its fourteenth year, the Race to Deliver is God’s Love We Deliver’s largest annual fundraiser. Since its inception, over 55,000 New Yorkers have joined us in Central Park to raise nearly $8 million, providing more than three million meals for men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other serious illnesses. The Race to Deliver is an event for the whole family, featuring a 4-Mile Run/Walk and a Kids Fun Run with special distances for all age groups.

Last November, the Race to Deliver was not just another walk in the park for the 6,000 participants. It brought over 1,800 supporters of God’s Love We Deliver to Central Park. The event was hosted by the ever-topical Joan Rivers. Sponsored by their friends and families, participants walked or ran for the benefit of God’s Love We Deliver. Blaine Trump, Fox 5’s Jim Castillo, Law & Order’s Annie Parisse, M.A.C Cosmetics’ President John Demsey, deserve extra kudos for helping to make this remarkable event a success.
___

P.S... If you still haven't figured out something fun to do this Friday night, see my previous post....

What are YOU doing Friday night...?

I'll be here:

...Watching my buddy Neil.

I'm even going to join in on electric on a couple of numbers.

It's going to be a good time.

You should come.

NEIL POYNTER @ BLAGGARD'S PUB
Friday, November 9th at 9:45pm
8 West 38th Street
www.myspace.com/neilpoynter

It's Ugly, But It's FINISHED...

Some of you may remember this post, which detailed much drama surrounding the stoop/porch/pain-in-my-ass project that has been going on since goddamn AUGUST.

Well... as of last week... It Is Finished.

It was really beginning to turn into The Money Pit around here, but we stuck it out and - now that it's basically winter - we finally have a place to have coffee on weekend mornings.

...

....Yay, us.

Full Disclosure

In the interest of blogoristic integrity, I feel compelled to add a footnote to my post of October 23rd.

Since that original post, The Missus and have actually gone ahead and visited the aforementioned Panera Bread Company restaurant that recently opened in our neighborhood.




3 times.







Man, that shit is good...


.

Huh?

Listen, let's first be very clear that I don't make a habit of Googling myself. I did it once, I know what's out there, end of story. Or at least I thought I did...

Someone from New York Magazine contacted me a couple months ago wanting quotes for an article they were doing on actors and residuals. They were given my info by One-on-One and wanted to ask me about my experience with L&O. We exchanged e-mails and that was that. I'd forgotten about it until the other day and decided to look and see if they ever ended up using it or not. Didn't find anything about that, but did come across this...

...
Omaha Benson High School Magnet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Notable alumni include actors Nick Nolte, Aaron Fili, Erich Hover, authors Terry Goodkind and Robert Reed, 1939 Heisman Trophy winner Nile Kinnick, ...en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omaha_Benson_High_School_Magnet - 24k - Cached - Similar pages

There are a couple things wrong with this listing:

.

A) I am not "notable". Yet.

.

2) Nick Nolte only went to Benson for two years before he was kicked out and ended up at Westside.

.

Another shining example of why the whole concept of a user-edited encyclopedia is ridiculous. Might as well just call it Wikimakesomeshitupedia.

.

Stupid.

What Tha EFF??

Much has been written lately regarding the ongoing suburbanization of New York, including a book by that very title. I've been ranting about it for years. It was the subject of several of the first poems I started taking to the mic at Bowery Poetry Club. It's almost become a cliche at this point. And by now most New Yorkers seem to be either resigned to it or just too overwhelmed to muster even another ounce of disgust.

For a long time, the worst of it seemed to be relegated to Manhattan. The idea, I guess, being that the best way to reward tourists for making the trek to the big City was by making sure they were never more than a block or two away from some little reminder of home. You know, in the event that they overdose on culture and experience and differentness while they're here, they can at least be comforted by the fact that there's a fucking Applebee's and a Starbucks and a Gap JUST AROUND THE CORNER. In case the four days they have before they go back to Ohio are just too goddamn long to wait to shove some Baja Potato Boats into their fat goddamn faces.

Well, until recently our little section of Astoria has been pretty devoid of this kind of lame Midwestern pandering. After all, Queens has never been much of a tourist destination. And even though the neighborhood has had quite a renaissance in the 10 years I've lived there, the new businesses that have come along have been largely independent. Great new resaurants and bars like Cup, Sunswick, Island, Locale, Cafe Valverde, Arepas Cafe, Aces and (before it got too big for its own britches and moved over to Ditmars) Bistro 33. All are new additions in the past 10 years, all provide great food and drink, all are independently owned.

So, imagine my dismay when I recently noticed the following signs on the corner of 38th St. and 35th Ave...

Um... Wha?

I mean, Applebee's is Applebee's. They're all over the friggin' place and they continue to spread like bird flu. Soon they will be in every corner of the globe and it will no longer be just us lucky Americans who have the privilege of partaking of such aggressively mediocre crap. But there's something even more unsettling about having one in my neighborhood.

Panera was a place I'd never heard of until a trip to Omaha a few years back. My mother loves to take me there for lunch whenever I'm in town. (Although, I only agree to do that after we've already been to Jim & Jennie's at least once.) I don't find it as offensive on the whole as I do Applebee's, etc. And, there's something acceptable about going there when I'm in Omaha, because I'm in Omaha.

But this isn't Omaha. Or Ohio. OR Manhattan.

This is fuckin' Queens, dammit.

At least for the time being...

An Entire SECTION....????

Sometimes I like to check the headlines at MSNBC.com over lunch. When I'm snarfing down a chicken salad bagel in my cube, I don't have time for anything other than what I refer to as "candy journalism". I get my headlines, maybe take a quick glance at a human interest story about who won this year's "Giant Pumpkin" contest, etc. And sometimes I'll check out the entertainment news.

So, I'm floating around the site and I come across AN ENTIRE SECTION of news dedicated SOLELY to Britney Spears. With its own banner and everything. I actually had to look at it again, because I didn't think that could possibly be right. It was.

I'm floored.

Why, America?

Why. Do. You. GIVE. A shit?

You've got to stop.

Get a fuckin' hobby or something.

Please.

Seriously....


Britney Spears News

Britney regains temporary visitation rights
Judge suspends Britney’s visitation rights
Spears turns self in to police
Spears gets small win in visitation rights
Britney Spears to be booked for hit-and-run
Spears passes court-ordered drug tests
Britney Spears to be booked for hit-and-run
Spears gets monitored visits with sons
PETA: Take Brit’s dogs away
Tatum O’Neal offers mom advice to Britney

Things You Need To Do

First, go see THIS.


It's only playing at the Film Forum and you should buy your tickets online ahead of time or you won't get in but GO SEE IT. The Missus and I are still trying to get over it. Even if you haven't been a Joy Division fan since you were 15 (as I have), it's brilliant and moving and perfectly handled. Samantha Morton is incredible as always and Sam Riley is (despite the overuse of the term in movie reviews) a revelation.

If you can't get tickets for "Control", go see this. It's also pretty great. Cronenberg's getting better and better.

Also... buy the new Radiohead. I'm going to give you a whole post about it later in the week because it's just fucking astonishing but in the meantime... Just. Go. Buy it.

Plus, if you're not watching Dexter, you should be. Awards shows are complete bullshit anyway, but HOW Michael C. Hall could not have won an Emmy for this is fucking beyond me.

Oh, and if you haven't picked up a six-pack of the Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale yet, it's only available through the end of October, so you better get on the ball. If you're in the 'hood, it's available on tap at Sunswick.

And finally... if you're in need of a laugh, watch this again. Yes, of course you've seen it. We've all seen it. But it's funny, dammit.

OOOH, AND... Gogol Bordello are playing The Terminal November 3rd. I can't imagine there are any tickets left but if you're interested in joining us, you should try to scrounge some up. It'll be worth it...

Head-Scratcher of the Day

Saw this in today's breakdowns.

Do we need this?

_____________________________
KNIGHT RIDER (Series Regulars - NY)
2 Hour Pilot
NBC/Universal Media Studios

Shoot/Start Date: 11/16 - 12/20/07
Location: California

STORY LINE: Following in the footsteps of his father, ex-army ranger MIKE TRACER is recruited by his childhood best friend SARAH KAMEN and her father CHARLES to join the Knight Foundation, a group committed to counteracting and preventing the damage done by private, covert military contractors. To that end, Charles creates the second generation KITT (Knight Rider Three Thousand), an artificially intelligent car that assists with all the death-defying missions and countless high-speed escapes..

How Much Are YOU Going To Pay...?

Much has been written about the marketing model behind the new Radiohead album "In Rainbows", released today. For those of you who aren't in the loop, the band decided to release the album absolutely on its own terms, making it available only as a download directly from the band's site as a "Pay What You Will" offering. A bold, unpredictable and ultimately risky proposition and an obvious response to the sea change that has taken place in the industry over the past few years re: conventional music packaging, marketing, etc.

The market is different now, period. The way digital media is purchased and consumed is different, period. Labels and distributors have scratched their heads over how to keep up for years. And with the technology being what it is, there's simply no way to keep piracy and file-sharing at bay. So, what's an artist to do?

In Radiohead's case, we'll find out soon enough whether they've uncovered the Rosetta Stone or made the biggest financial mistake of their career. Frankly... my money's on the former. As it stands, even with a good record deal, most bands (even the huge ones) only make about $1 off of each CD they sell. Pretty pathetic percentage when you consider how much time and effort go into making a really great album.

So then, consider the Radiohead model: Spend as much time as you want making an album. No label pressure, no deadlines. Just make the album you want to make. THEN, instead of all of the time and expense that go into packaging, shipping, meetings about release dates, album art, merchandising, etc. - you just post it on your website. HERE YOU GO. And pay us what you think it's worth. Which means that if you decide to pay $10, the band gets $10 for their work. If you decide to give them $1, they get $1 for their work. Seems an honest exchange.

YES, there are going to be those who don't pay for it at all. LOTS of them. I get that. But in the end, with the money saved on all of the things that usually go into putting out an album and with the band seeing each dollar that is spent by the people who choose to pay, I think it's going to even out. We'll see. This is definitely a story I'm going to follow up on.

KEXP spent the morning previewing the album. Each hour, they'd play a new track. And I have to say, it's fucking brilliant. Granted, I'll have to spend some time with it to give you the full review but from what I've heard so far, it's their most focused and cohesive work since Kid A. I'm looking forward to buying it tonight.

Which brings us to the title question. How much am I going to pay? Well, I thought quite a bit about it. Started at $10, went down to $7, then back up, then I wasn't sure. It is, after all, a download. It'll therefore not be quite the audio quality you'll get with a CD. Plus, I'm a sucker for packaging, liner notes, etc. So, I wouldn't give them more than $10. BUT... I do want the model to work and I love the band, so I want to be fair. I ended up settling on... $9.

That's my number and I'm sticking with it. We'll see in the coming weeks if I'm one of the few who ended up being a good samaritan in a world full of pirates OR if I'm one of the many who ponied up for a band they love in a good faith effort to make sure the money goes right where it should have been going all along... the artist.

Couldnt've said it better myself...

Bushism of the Day

"You know, when you give a man more money in his pocket—in this case, a woman more money in her pocket to expand a business, it—they build new buildings. And when somebody builds a new building somebody has got to come and build the building. And when the building expanded it prevented additional opportunities for people to work."—Lancaster, Pa., Oct. 3, 2007

Click here to see video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at 4:02.

A Toast to The Missus on the Occasion of Our Second Wedding Anniversary

2 years ago today, one of the promises I made to you in our wedding vows was that I would never let you forget what a jewel you are. That when you were feeling dull, I would be there to make you shiny again.

Well, I think it's safe to say that the past few months have undoubtedly left us both feeling a little dullish.

___

So, here's a toast...

...To us.

-To surviving an impossible summer.

-To weathering uncertainty.

-To the promise of fall and all that it might bring.

-To standing on the doorstep of a decade of couplehood as two people who would still rather talk to each other at a crowded party than anyone else.

-To the glorious moments we manage to cultivate while digging through a knee-deep pile of shit.

-To making each other shiny again.

__

...And to you.

___

For being the only woman I know who'd be okay with her husband heading to the bar at 11:30pm on a Monday night to work on a blog post.
___

I love you endlessly,

-A

____________________

NOW... To mark the occassion, here's a home recording that JJ did of the song he wrote for The Missus and I and performed at our wedding. You know any wedding song that mentions the Grand Canyon is gonna be a winner. It's a beautiful song and he graciously agreed to let me post it. Thanks, J.

(right click on the link and select "Save Target As")

Jason Handy - "Love This Time"

____________

AND FINALLY... In the spirit of anniversaries, weddings and all things love, here's some pics from two recent weddings we really enjoyed.

First off, some highlights from last weekend's Cox/Jenkins nups in Denver. Who's the chick in white with the champagne? YUM...

And next, a couple gems from last month's Fagan/Schreck shindig in DUMBO...

U2ube Video of the Week #7: "Exit"

So, there's enough going on personally right now that I could probably fill 5 very long posts, but I just don't fucking have it in me. I know I've been spotty lately and you'll just plain have to forgive me. In lieu of anything clever, well-thought or insightful, here's an entry in the ongoing U2ube series...

"The Joshua Tree" was an album so Side-1-heavy with miraculous singles and unforgettable tunes that by the time Side 2 came around you were almost too spent to continue. Sticking with it, however, delivered the greatest rewards of the album as well as the defining moments of what would become (arguably) the band's greatest work.

For years, even with exceptional bands, the content of the flipside of a record (or cassette) sometimes seemed like an afterthought. Most often the singles were the best songs the band had to offer and they were almost always loaded disproportionately on the album's first side. Not so with U2. In fact, I think most die-hard fans would agree that U2 are truly an album band. That the front-to-back journey is greater than the sum of its parts. And I think they would also agree that many of their greatest achievements wait patiently for attentive listeners on the other side.

This has always been the case with me at least. I can't help but think of Side 2 masterpieces like "Electric Co.", "40", "Bad", "Acrobat", "Love Is Blindness", "Please", "In a Little While", etc. as being where the true gems in their canon really lie. And that they are often the songs that best exemplify why we listen to the band in the first place.

This was never more true than on "The Joshua Tree". Both lyrically and sonically every song reinforces and expands on what was only hinted at on Side 1. Side 2 puts you in that desert. Metaphorically and spiritually, yes. But, physically. It dries you out and fills you up all at the same time. And for me, "Exit" has always been the penultimate track from that leg of the journey.

On the album, it often gets overlooked. The murky, muted, barely-there production and nearly gothic lyrical content - something about a wayward preacher with a pistol in his pocket and a sky full of nails - were a little abstract and confounding for newer fans. But the furious, bombastic payoff at the end makes that black desert trek worth every step.

I was 13 and already a hardcore fan when the band rolled through the only "nearby" town that was big enough to host them, Kansas City. My brother was a freshman in college and promised me early on that he would take me. He ended up going down on a bus with a bunch of college friends instead. (Don't worry, bro. It's not like it's something I'll NEVER GET OVER or anything.)

Luckily for me, the tour was captured in the concert-film-cum-documentary "Rattle & Hum". I went to see it on opening night with a girl I totally had a crush on at the time. (Remember that, Akerberg?) I was nervous and self-concious as the movie started, but everything changed at the point in the film when I heard the first dark, slinky, tremoloed strains of "Exit". The song became an entirely different beast live. I remember the thrill of seeing that performance like I remember my first orgasm. (Remember that, hand?) It nearly lifted me out of my seat. To this day, it remains in my top 3 all-time favorite U2 tracks.

The band hasn't played the song live since the "Lovetown" Tour in 1989 and probably won't any time soon. Which is a real shame.

Thank God we have this to remember it by...

>

Re: Another Door Slamming In Loudly In My Face

An e-mail I received yesterday from the agent I met with recently who was very excited about having a "more formal" meeting with me once pilot season started:

"Hey Aaron ,

Thanks for so diligently checking back in with me. I’m sorry to keep you holding but we have just finished the long and arduous process of evaluating our roster. I like you and your work very much but I just don’t have a place for you at _________ right now. I will certainly hold on to your material should our situation change.

I want to wish you the best of luck with your search.

Sincerely,

____"

...

I don't even know where to begin with that one.

So, I won't...

I'll just shake my head in disbelief and feel awful for a week.

I'll try not to count how many years I've been here.

I'll try not to throw things at my TV every time I see a crap actor who's somehow managed to make a living at this.

I'll try to keep from sighing heavily when I see something in the breakdowns that I'd be perfect for.

I'll try not to cringe inside when someone tells me about a really cool project they're working on.

I'll try to keep my heart from sinking when this goes to Sundance after I suggested (rightly) that my scene be cut.

I'll try to keep... Trying.

To do this.

And I'll try to be thankful for the struggle.




Just not this week...