Here I Am

Several thoughts, responses, updates re:
1. The Frames CD. On it are The Frames "Burn the Maps," "For the Birds," "Set List" (which is a live disc), "The Cost (much of which I think was on the movie), and "The Roads Outgrown" (which is like an EP). You will also find Sufjan Stevens' "Illinois" (one of a projected 50 albums devoted to the states of our country, though he's only done Michigan and Illinois so far, and which features the hit "Come on Bring the Illinoise" and songs about state luminaries John Wayne Gacy and Mary Todd Lincoln), Andrew Bird's "The Mysterious Production of Eggs" (Bird is a Northwestern alum), and finally Grizzley Bear's "Yellow House" (which being my new favorite album is currently wearing out the grooves in the tiny hard drive of my ipod.) I will make sure that those of you who weren't there this last Sunday get a copy.
2. My Flu. It's not an agonizing sickness. More the kind of thing that just gives me a sore throat, aches and swell my glands up. Mostly it's just made me sleep a lot. As far as being sick goes, it's not so bad, I just can't really do anything. Thank you all for your support though. I am fighting on with a steady barrage of OJ and tea and clementines and hope to join you all Sunday night.
3. Photos. Below you will find photos from our most recent SND, and also from a midsummer's SND, to warm us up in the face of the coming chill and snow (it's supposed to snow this weekend!). Enjoy.

Jackie has a pixie 'do?

I need photo documentation uploaded to the blog immediately. And since I also read on Sara's latest blog comments that Kyle has the flu, I say, "Feel better, Kyle!"

to Claude and Brekke...

I was totally hearing both of your voices in my head just now when I declined my dear brother-in-law's request for me to book a ticket on the same crack-of-dawn flight to Arizona with them for Christmas vacation. I do adore that baby, and them, but there is NO WAY I am sacrificing my delicious solitary reading time/peaceful Xanaxy Jetblue TV viewing/potential meeting of fabulous handsome stranger in the next seat, in order to play nanny. No way. No. Way. So thanks for your imaginary support!

why eating an apple can make you feel virtuous..and other bloggish thoughts...

Hi everyone.
I have a couple of things to say:
1. I am so sad to have missed last Sunday's SND. I was having Korean BBQ in LA, and I would just like to say that, although it was no SND, Korean food rocks and we should totally do that for one of our dinners. Delicious! Plus I can say three things in Korean, which is cool.
2. Brekke told me that Peter don't her I don't blog enough.
3. I am going to try and blog more, although I would also like to point out that some SNDers don't blog at all! Go for it!!!
4. I am going to bring something SWEET to Brek's SND Holiday Shindig. I am thinking about visiting THE CHOCOLATE ROOM.
5. I am eating an apple right now, and I am feeling virtuous, but it doesn't really have anything to do with the above post.
Miss you all!
See you Sunday.

What you can bring on Sunday

Things should get, uh, cookin' around 6:30pm. I'll supply all the food. You can bring...

1) Your sweet selves
2) Wine, beer or booze and/or
3) Something sweet for dessert

The menu:
Artichoke dip and baguette
Arugula and gorganzola salad
Sausage and sage pie
Tomato and goat cheese tart

The address:
333 E. 17th Street, #2B (between 1st and 2nd Ave.)
Cell: 347-819-3139

Comments vs. New posts

Sara - I was going to reply to your last post, but I get the feeling no one reads the comments - cause it's hard to see when something new has been posted. So I'm starting a new post. But in fact, no one is probably reading this either because it seems everyone is too busy for the blog except for Brekke, Sara and me. Anyway, I just can't bring myself to actually do my job today so here I am blogging away...to an audience of maybe 2.

I think the strongly worded letter is a good compromise. Especially since it's been, oh, 16 years since you last spoke to him. And I'm always up for new cluminary experiences - happy to go back to madiba - maybe it will be better than I remember from years ago. As for good chinese - does that exist in Brooklyn?

Kyle - thanks so much for The Frames CDs. I'm listening to them now. One question - was there another group (other than The Frames) on the CD? It uploaded into my itunes and now I can't find some of the CDs.

Brekke - can we bring you anything on Sunday?

Three unrelated thoughts

First: I have been trying to figure out a way to display the rules on the blog; I think it has something to do with putting them in the "About Me" slot but I can't figure out where that is. Will continue to futz around with it, maybe I'll stumble upon the solution somehow.
Second: thank you to last Sunday's group for listening to my tales of woe about my wine bar story and my irretrievably alcoholic high school friend. I've come up with an answer to the second one: a strongly-worded letter! Yes, it will probably yield just as much (read: little) response as any of my missives to various companies and local-government representatives over the years, but at least I'll have put my two cents in. Nathaniel, you'll back me up on this, no?
Third: in thinking about upcoming SND's, in December and beyond - I think we should broaden our culinary horizons a bit. Vietnamese? Peruvian? Even just good Chinese? We could start with South African at Madiba, which has already been floated as a possible destination. Other thoughts?

Bending the rules...

I just read Peter's post, and despite my general applause and aggreeance with his suggestions, I am already going to request that we bend the rules this Sunday and add an 8th to our holiday SND at my place.

Ali is a great friend and I would really like her to be here to share in the festive holiday spirit and delicious food and wine that will be served. Since it is at my house and there is no pesky table at which to get be stuck, I think we may alleviate the previously-experienced discomfort at not being able to communicate with the group as a whole. Ali was present at the 4th of July BBQ at Nathaniel's (during what I will term, the nascent phase of SND), and I think we an all agree that she's an excellent 8th, if an 8th can be allowed.

I hope I will hear a resounding chorus of YES! to this request. If not, well, I'm not really hungry anyway. No wait, that's how my family handles conflict. So if not, well, no biggy.

Despite it's having absolutely nothing to do with anything buy my pride and vanity, I attach here a photo of my nephew Fletcher and I in San Francisco yesterday. He is a precious child who is only able to speak coherently when giving me directions to the new toy store not far from his home. I think we look like a Patagonia ad.

Let the group blogging begin!

P.S. I just ordered about $40 worth of Indian food from Baluchi's because I couldn't decide what I wanted. I am expressing my shame here as this feels somehow like a confessional. Okay, byeeee.

Rules, rules, rules...

Hello there to SND'ers! Brekke and Claude - you were both much missed last night at Amorina. Very tasty pizza despite the fact that there was an apparent arugula shortage.

We decided that the "rules" of SND should be posted on the site in a place where one will always see them upon entering the site. Maybe not front and center, but off to the side. I have no idea how this will work but trust that someone does.

A couple more rules were proposed:

1. All communication for SND will now be exclusively on the blog - no more group emails. This way we will be able to look back and see everything we have said (for better and worse). so perhaps someone will post on Monday as the main post for the week, and then everyone else will comment there. Of course new posts can be added at anytime

2. The SND group shall never be too big so that the table can't have one big discussion. I proposed that we always stay at 7 or under - thus guests may only come on a night where one of the core will be absent. Exceptions can be petitioned for and made - but looking back I don't think our dinners with 8 or more have worked out well so i think this may be a good rule. Or maybe not a firm rule but a suggestion? Thoughts?

Lots more to discuss but I have a 2:30 meeting. Can't wait to see you all Sunday night!

SND - post Thanksgiving edition

I figured out how to blog! Sadly, I don't really have anything interesting to say except I hope all of you SNDers have a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you eat (and drink) as well as we do each Sunday night.

Now - to those of you coming on Sunday - any suggestions?

Peter learns to post

I am pulling for Peter to be the next poster to the blog!

As we approach the big 2-5...

I suggest a round of BEST OF/FAVEs. We're coming upon a big anniversary and the close of a calendar year.

No need to do them all-- but if you have a particular memory to share, go for it! And add additional catagories, of course!

Some suggestions:
BEST APPS (passed or otherwise, Brekke)
BEST ENTREE
BEST DESSERT
BEST AMBIENCE
BEST SURPRISE
BEST REASON TO TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
and of course, the struggles....
WORST SURPRISE
WORST SERVICE
WORST DIGESTION

Remember this?

Pursuant to our conversation re: porn (whether they're actually doing it in Tell Me You Love Me) at dinner last night, I remembered this instant classic of a photo from our wonderful Coney Island outing during the summer. Sara and I and the sea of Short Buses. I recall something about a picture being worth a thousand something-or-other...

Happy Birthday to SND #20

Yes, agreed, the conversation was nearly as tasty as the food. And as proof that it all really happened I offer the following photographic evidence from the honorary sixth member of last nights meal: my new Iphone:

In case we haven't praised the cake enough...

I'm going to go ahead and say this was one of the tastiest SND's ever. Still thinking happy thoughts about that chocolate mousse. A few superlatives from last night's feast-
Conversation most likely to be parlayed into a Sunday Styles-esque article: Jackie's musings on the lack of social construct for dealing with the loss of friends who disappear into baby-land (or general domesticity) never to be heard from again.
Most fruitless iphone online search: Kyle's ten minutes spent looking for pictures of Josh Brolin's galpal, "Diane Lang."
Most likely to never actually kiss a woman: the painfully awkward teacher in Jersey who never moved beyond fleeting eye contact with Claude.
Most deserving of an honorary martini at next week's SND: Brekke, for making the formerly imaginary blog a reality. The internets will never be the same.

Noodle Pudding

Dinner was a revelation. A scintillating Nancy Meyer's-helmed delight replete with excellent conversation, BIG questions (babies change everything? power corrupts?), obligatory drooling over Kyle's iPhone, and one hellofa flourless chocolate cake. Need I say more? Now chime in, people.

dreams of chocolate cake...

Tonight we experienced a truly extraordinary dessert-- the flourless chocolate cake at Noodle Pudding. Lest you shrug it off with a "yeah, yeah, chocolate's always good...had one cake, had them all", let me just say that one SNDer was struck DUMB by this taste sensation. (It's true: Jackie stopped talking, stopped listening, just stared out into the lights for a few secons while she tasted it.) Light yet buoyant with flavor, amazingly rich but not too sweet-- and with a delectable homemade hazelnut gelato on top-- this dessert took the cake-- and our collective breaths away.

Also of note: this was numero 20 for SND! Three cheers for our longevity! May there be many many more (chocolate cakes)....

xo

We obviously need a group photo!

Outside Pacifico

In the garden at Alchemy

SND...A History

At last we have a blog. Below is the history up to tonight. Now feel free to post and comment.

6/24 – Bogota

7/1 – Sheep Station

7/8 - None

7/15 – Gowanus Yacht Club

7/22 – Pacifico

7/29 – Grimaldi’s

8/5 – Alchemy

8/12 – Cyclones/Coney Island

8/19 - Robin des Bois

8/26 – Smoke Joint

9/3 – Flatbush Farm (special Monday night edition!)

9/9 – Donna Da Vino

9/16 – Emmys

9/23 – Black Mountain Wine Bar

9/30 – Graziella’s

10/7 – Union Hall

10/14 – Barfry (special Manhattan edition!)
10/21 - Song
10/28 - Franny's
11/4 - Bonita Billyburg
11/11 - Noodle Pudding