I’m writing this on Sunday, a few hours after my friend (and fellow Brooklyn resident) James completed the 2008 New York City Triathlon. The race consisted of a 1.5 kilometer swim (in the Hudson!), a 40 kilometer bike ride around the Upper West Side, and a 10 kilometer run around the loop in Central Park
James’ wife, their families, and their friends joined thousands of spectators in unusually high heat and humidity to cheer him on. We were supporting him for two reasons: first, his amazing transformation. The James I knew from college was a beer-drinking foodie who spent many an afternoon doing nothing more strenuous than reaching for a bag of chips from his perch on the couch. Now he was swimming, biking, and running further and faster than I’ve ever attempted.
The second reason is more complicated. This contest wasn’t just about surprising his friends with his hidden athletic ability.
Hey everyone, it’s supposed to be 180balls outside this weekend, so try to stay cool. If the hype is to believed, the calendar changes this weekend to year 1 PDK (Post Dark Knight). I’m trying to contain my raging EVERYTHING until my ticket says I can walk in to the theater and see the film. In the meantime…
GO SEE THIS!
Tearing The Veil of Maya (Sunday July 20, 8:00 PM; Union Hall, 702 Union Street *BROOKLYN*) – Downtown comedy heroes Eugene Mirman and Michael Showalter celebrate the second anniversary of their always super-talented show.
EDIT: Sold out!
WHY YOU SHOULD GO
Since his long-running show in the East Village ended this past winter, Union Hall is the place to get your constant source of Mirman. His offbeat worldview and complete confidence in his odd ideas win nearly every crowd over. Showalter is amazing, as 10 years performing comedy on film (The State; Wet Hot American Summer) and live (the far-superior-to-the-show Stella tours) would lead you to believe. And the guests they get for their shows (David Cross, Aziz Ansari, Mike Birbiglia) are worth twice the price of admission themselves.
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
12 Seconds (written by Chris Kelly; starring Winston Noel, Andree Vermeulen, Nate Shelkey; directed by Mitch Magee)
Want to see your show or video featured in this column? E-mail me and let me know!
The schedule of summer events in NYC is like my group of friends on a bender: it just don’t stop!
August Activities Around NYC:
Monday, July 28th-Friday, August 1st
Restaurant Week
Enjoy prix fixe lunches at selected restaurants for $24.07 and prix fixe dinners for $35. Please your pals by scoring a great reservation at one of the more than 200 participating restaurants, but make sure they know to bring cash. Order the wine and tip the wait staff generously.
www.nycvisit.com/restaurantwee
July 22nd-August 17th
Shakespeare in the Park Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical featuring Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening)
Get up early and stand in line at Central Park, 81st Street entrance near the Delacorte Theater. Good luck!
www.publictheater.org/content/view/126/219
Surrounded by low-key restaurants, random shoe shops, and independent coffee shops, it is easy to walk by and fail to notice Eletteria altogether. However, tucked inside is a great little spot, regardless of the occasion for your visit.
With one owner from the Philippines and the other from India, the chef here has opted to take a new spin on American, subtly adding elements common to those two countries to the dishes. Be sure to note the temperature controlled wine room to your right as you go to your seat and to peruse their creative drink menu. I recommend the 8th Wonder, which is chai infused for a little additional kick. Read more »
In the true spirit of the The Boss, Sunnyside Gardens Park is offering the free S#*% to the workin’ man. So when you clock out from that 9 to 5, you can live out the song that plays in my head all day Friday — “Everybody’s Workin’ for the Weekend!”
Life is sweet! Taste the nectar! Smell the roses! Hear the music! And come on down to the only park in Queens (maybe the world) where you can buy a big ‘ol roasted chicken ($7), enjoy a cold Coors Light or Budweiser ($2) and listen to a badass Jazz band (freakin’ free).
Normally a private park, take advantage of this shindig every Friday through August 1st for a festive, laid-back hoe-down great for the family or just suckin’ down a cheap cold beer while you wiggle your toes in the grass. But bring your own bamboo umbrellas.
Sunnyside Gardens Park
Fridays at 7:00 p.m. through August 1st
718-672-1555
48-21 39th Avenue
Between 48th and 50th Streets
(7 train to 46th Street)
Sunnyside, New York
Q: My boyfriend and I have been together for three years. It’s about that time where I would expect him to be popping the question and, well, I know why he hasn’t. I’m a Catholic and he’s a Jew. His family is quite intent on him marrying a Jewish girl and even though he loves me, it’s a lot of pressure for him to deal with. I’m willing to convert, but his mother has suggested that even this is not an option. What do I do?
A: I appreciate that in an election year you have reached across the aisle and placed in my lap one of the foremost hot button dating issues. Religious differences and love, like water and gremlins, are a volatile mix.
This response needs prefacing with the fact that El Hans is not religious. My beliefs are firmly rooted in the divine absurdity of chemical/physical randomness and as such my opinions may come off to the faithful as disrespectful, but don’t worry, I’m sure the homophobe who lives with his son in their cloud apartment in the sky will punish me for all eternity for said disrespect.
Today, as I was satiating my daily fill of parenting goodness, I learned that Broadway sensation Bernadette Peters wrote a childrens’ book. Remember, oh two years ago when every celebrity decided to create a clothing line? Apparently the same has happened with childrens’ books. I glazed over when Madonna came out with her books a few years ago. And they weren’t that bad, all things considering. Julianne Moore. Jamie Lee Curtis. Brooke Shields. Tiki Barber. Then I just stopped paying attention. Whether you’re into celeb-written (or ghostwritten) books for yout tots or not, there are plenty of reading-related events coming up. Here are some literary events for the littlest members of your family.
Hey everyone, how was your Fourth? If you saw me on that day, please tell me how it was; the alcohol is hiding those memories from me like a rum-powered mental shield.
No vid this week; having some trouble getting them to post through WordPress. It’s things like this that make me feel like an Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer with certain aspects of the Internet.
GO SEE THIS!
I Eat Pandas: We Classy (Wednesday July 16, Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre; 9:30 PM; $5.00) – Comedians Eliza Skinner and Glennis McMurray do an hour-long set of improvised musicals. This is for real.
WHY YOU SHOULD GO
Aside from working together like chocolate and peanut butter, Skinner and McMurray create improvised musicals based off of audience suggestions that are funnier and have more heart than most off-Broadway numbers you’d pay too much money to see. Skinner creates beautiful, hilariously tragic characters with the drop of a hat, and McMurray plays off of everything in the room so well you’d think that the whole thing was scripted.
We’ll have more viddy goodness next week, your 86 year old Uncle Matt promises!
Want to see your show or video featured in this blog? E-mail me and let me know!
It’s been easy to come up with things to write about Brooklyn over the past few weeks. My Downtown Brooklyn neighborhood especially has seen an influx of attention from many sources. This attention has led to seemingly weekly articles on raising rent and purchase prices, gentrification, etc. Read more »
Surrounded by low-key restaurants, random shoe shops, and independent coffee shops, it is easy to walk by and fail to notice 
