Jed Hilly, head of the Americana Music Association in Nashville, had a homework assignment for me. He was trying to explain what it was about Americana -- an eclectic gumbo of indie American roots music from bluegrass to folk, blues, rock and country -- that puts it in a class...
Posted January 2, 2012 | 14:09:59 (EST)
Around the world, 2011 was the year the dog barked, and no one did it better than Loukanikos, or Sausage, the Greek Riot Dog. Honored with his own photo gallery in Time Magazine's "Person of the Year" issue, Sausage is finally getting his due.
This stray yellow mutt...
Posted October 23, 2009 | 11:44:40 (EST)
Today I wrote a check for $400 to the New York State tax department and I'm not sure why. The form says "Estimated Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax," and it requires me to pay 34 cents on every $100 I earn above $10,000. Ouch!
Apparently the cost of the MTA's...
Posted July 13, 2009 | 23:52:55 (EST)
The other day I was leaving a store on Manhattan's Upper East Side, excited to be wearing the strappy new pair of sandals I'd just bought. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a woman taking her Pomeranian for its daily constitutional. The dog did its business by...
Posted July 7, 2009 | 09:48:18 (EST)
For this year's summer vacation, my partner and fellow blogger Nelson Montana and I decided to venture outside of our Manhattan bubble and head for a little getaway - far away as it turns out. We embarked on a road trip to the South. That's right, two liberal New Yorkers...
Posted June 26, 2009 | 16:00:00 (EST)
New Bike Paths and Pedestrian Zones are Swell, Mr. Mayor, but Free Bose Headphones Would Get My Vote
The other day I tried a little experiment. Between my trumpet playing neighbor practicing his scales and the drilling being done to the exterior my building, I was feeling the need...

6 Comments | Posted January 2, 2012 | 14:22:20 (EST)