Matt & Kim Do Their Favorite Thing

Matt & Kim have something in common with Oprah: a list of favorite things. And I like Matt & Kim's better. The power-duo rocked Webster Hall on Tuesday and Wednesday (October 27th) harder than I've ever seen a pair rock before. They started the show by sharing with the crowd their favorite things:

Number 1: Playing shows.

Number 2: Eating burritos.

Number 3: Watching "Modern Family."

Number 4: New York City.

Towards the end of the show, lead singer Matt Johnson changed his mind, and added another thing above all others...

Number 0: Playing shows in New York City (and boy could you tell)!

I saw Matt & Kim live this summer at Lollapalooza as an afterthought. My friends and I walked past their stage as they were midway through my favorite song of theirs, "Good Ol' Fashioned Nightmare," and I made them stay before we headed to see another band. We weren't close at all, but even at the back of the crowd we all had one word to say about their set: ENERGY! We had never seen energy like theirs onstage, and it literally seeped into the crowd. They became one of my top three acts of Lollapalooza, and I vowed I wouldn't miss them when they came to NYC. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait long.

One of the best things about New York is that so many bands originate here, and so when they play shows in the city, they usually pull out all the stops. Matt & Kim's Brooklyn roots proved this true. My friend and I got to Webster Hall about 40 minutes early, later than I had wanted. He had not been at Lollapalooza with me, and didn't understand what I meant when I went on and on about the band's energy. I was upset we wouldn't be in the front row, but knew I'd still be closer than before. When the doors opened, I didn't hesitate, and ran for the front. Let's just say, I still have a bruise on my lower chest from being knocked against the barrier between the floor and the stage. Welcome to front row, center...

I have to give credit where credit is due: their second opening act was amazing. Rapper Donnis got the crowed pumped up, and even though I had never heard of him, I found myself jumping around and fully engrossed in the show, forgetting this wasn't the concert I had paid (a measly 20 bucks I might add) to see. Then he snapped me out of it: "Y'all ready to see the King and Queen, Matt & Kim!?!?" he asked...

There's a reason this concert will go down as one of the top five I have ever been to, and energy is only half of it; I have never seen a girl smile as much, and for as long, as Kim. When Matt listed playing shows as his absolute favorite thing (I mean come on, it was above burritos), some might have called it hyperbole...until they started playing. Anyone else at this show, or I'd bet any other show they've played will deny this. They LOVE being on stage.

They jumped on their instruments. Matt climbed the scaffolding. Kim "booty danced" in the crowd (RIGHT above my head, I might add). Matt tried to booty dance, and ended up just falling. Oh...and they played 24 songs straight. That might not sound impressive, but you have to realize this is a two-person band: drums, vocals, and a keyboard. My arms are getting tired just typing here...imagine how Kim must feel after banging some drums for that long.

I have about twenty pictures of the show, and the one here is the clearest. It's still pretty blurry, but you try to keep a band with this must energy still long enough to pose for a picture...this'll have to do. They played (they both played their songs and played on stage...at times it really seemed like they were just two kids on a playground) their way through old hits ("Good Ol' Fashioned Nightmare," "Yea Yeah," "Lessons Learned," etc.), shared some new ones off their upcoming album "Sidewalks," and lived it up while they could. Their second night at Webster Hall, they said they had had dreams that when they finished playing, the venue had crumbled from the energy. It didn't happen, but it wasn't because the band or the crowd didn't try.

They ended with their epic "Daylight," which I dare you to get out of your head. As they struck a final chord, the speakers erupted with Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind," and they stood together on stage. But not for long...as they quickly jumped down into the crowd for hugs and congratulations. In fact, Matt fell right on to me, and I'd be lying if I said I let go readily. I hugged him for probably 10 seconds until someone pulled him away. They managed to escape the venue from the back door, after hugging probably every fan there. Chants of "MATT AND KIM" ensued, and Matt was forced to come back on stage, and close the show with a short, heartfelt, breathless statement:

"We love you guys more than you know, but we played literally everything we could. I don't know anymore music...we love you. Thank you so so much."

Did I mention I also got a set list? And a drumstick? Well, 7/8 of a drumstick. Kim broke it about a third of the way into the show, but just kept playing...I guess almost a whole drumstick will do. My wall now has four setlists from this year alone.

We loved them too. Enjoy "Yea Yeah" below, recorded from my phone. If you follow the video to my YouTube page, there are five other videos from the show, including Kim's bootydance, Matt falling when he later tried the same thing, and a few other songs. Talk about a show.

P.S.: You readers are so lucky... I had an INCREDIBLY cool last three days, that will continue tomorrow night. So you get another blog on Wednesday from me, and (shock/ spoiler alert): there's no concerts involved.

I'll give you a hint: working as a news reporter in New York City during an election year gets you some pretty amazing opportunities. And Diane Sawyer, George Stephanopolous, and Cokie Roberts say hi...

A Little Boat Ride in Central Park

Just a few weeks ago, when the weather was a bit warmer, my friends and I decided to go to Central Park and go row boating! We had been talking about boating in central park since last year. Finally, we had all gathered and took the Ram Van to Lincoln Center. It was a beautiful day for a walk in the park. We passed people playing ball and tossing frisbees. We enjoyed some musical acts along the way and the typical Central Park scene. When we got to the Boathouse on 72nd street we anxiously lined up for our long-awaited boat ride. Each row boat is only $12 for an entire hour. We split into groups of three and went in two boats. I have to say, as a first time rower, it was quite the experience. After a few minutes of rowing in the wrong directionand hitting other boats (oops!), I finally started to get the hang of it. We had little races withour friends around the lake. It was a really fun experience, that was inexpensive and easily accessible. I would recommend it to everybody!

New York Film Festival

Just a few months ago, my Sunday nights were always a blur of studying and last minute preparations for the week ahead. But this past weekend, I spent my Sunday night at a movie premier seeing some of the most influential people in Hollywood.

A 17 day long event, The New York Film Festival showcases a mix of films--from famous filmmakers to indie artists and foreign films. This year, the event was held at Lincoln Center, just a few blocks down from Fordham's Lincoln Center campus! As a avid movie fan, this was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.

The conclusion to this year's festival was Clint Eastwood's new movie--Hereafter staring Matt Damon. Since the movie has been getting a lot of buzz and has big names attached, there would be two showings--one at 7pm for the press and those involved with the film and a second showing at 10pm for the public. With a quick trip to the box office my friends and I easily purchased tickets for the 10pm show and decided to go down early and spend the evening in the Manhattan.

We took the Ram Van from Rose Hill and arrived in Manhattan by 6:30 and walked the few short blocks up to the theater. We had arrived early in hopes that there would be a place to watch the stars walk in and our early arrival paid off. We got a perfect view to watch Matt Damon arrive and walk the red carpet!

After watching few more people in the film arrive, we grabbed something to eat nearby from one of the restaurants listed in The Passport--Fordham's student guide to New York City. By the time we were finished, it was time to return to the theater for the movie.

While waiting in the lobby to go to our seats, we met Ron Howard--the director of movies like A Beautiful Mind and The Da Vince Code. He was there to support his daughter because she was in the film. As we stood there with him, I just kept thinking how surreal this night had been. We were standing in a theater used by Juilliard students, surrounded by movie critics, actors, and famous directors waiting to see the premiere of a movie that is already getting Oscar talk. Only in New York can this be part of the college experience.

Finally, we made it to our seats and prepared for the movie to start. The New York Film Society said a few words and had a surprise for us--Clint Eastwood! We had not seen him arrive and figured that he left with the other stars, but he had stayed so that he could introduce the film to us. Seeing a Hollywood legend like Clint Eastwood was definitely the highlight of the night--and that is saying a lot because Hereafter was phenomenal! It is moments like this that make me so excited about my next four years in New York City.

Study Break: Indian Fusion Dinner

I was raised by an Italian mother who stayed true to her roots and cooked a pasta dish or something (chicken, eggplant, etc.) parmigiana practically every night for dinner when I was growing up. But despite being raised on meat sauce (or gravy), pasta, and cheese, I’ve always been adventurous when it comes to trying new food. However, up until yesterday I’d never tried Indian cuisine. Basera Indian Bistro was the perfect first step into my new found obsession. Located on 9th Avenue between 51st and 52nd, Basera offers a comfy environment, college student friendly price tag and delicious Indian American fusion food for its patrons. My favorite part of the meal was the garlic naan which was great for dipping in the chettinad chicken I ordered. Its sauce was very spicy, which I love, and the chicken was really tender (for under $15!). I was totally full by the end of the meal. After my friend and I could not stuff our faces any longer, we casually walked the 10 blocks uptown to our Lincoln Center campus and caught the 9 o’clock Ram Van back to Rose Hill. In 30 short minutes I was back to studying for midterms but at least got to savor a little break from it all with some yummy Indian American cuisine.

For Basera's full menu click here.

Improv Everywhere: Mp3 Experiment

On Saturday night, I waited inside the Bryant Park H&M with headphones in my ears. At 6 p.m. exactly, I and thousands of other people stationed in retail stores around Bryant Park turned on the exact same mp3 and followed its instructions. Unbeknownst to shoppers and store employees, these thousands of people were participating in an undercover mission for Improv Everywhere, called the mp3 experiment 7. Improv Everywhere is an organization that "causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places." Famous for their events such as Spontaneous Musicals and Frozen Grand Central, Improv Everywhere has quickly become a New York City classic.

The Mp3 experiment on Saturday was the seventh they've done, and each one attracts more and more people. Anybody who was interested in participating was told to download a 53 minute mp3 (and not listen to it beforehand) and bring with them a roll of toilet paper, a marker, two sheets of paper - one with a vowel and one with a consonant written on them, and a wrapped gift. Armed with these tools, my friends and I stationed ourselves inside H&M. At 6 o'clock we started our iPods. The first instruction was to scratch our heads so we could identify who else was participating. Probably a hundred people around the store suddenly had a head itch. Then we were informed that the whole event was planned in honor of "Steve"'s birthday. We were in the stores to find him a gift. We all held up an item in the store and acted amazed by it, petted an item like a cat, and then tidied up the store. The mp3 then told us to exit the store to the sidewalk, saying good-bye to the store employees as we left. Once on the sidewalk, we marched as if we were in a marching band, practiced our best silly walks, froze in place for a minute, high-fived strangers, and followed someone who was not participating.

After fooling around on the sidewalk for a bit, all the people participating walked to Bryant Park to start Steve's party. People who were unsuspectingly picnicking near the park had no idea what was going on, as a mob of people appeared around them, all listening into headphones. To surprise Steve we sneakily headed to a location around the park. We had a speedwalking race around it, then gathered in a mob on the green space. We graciously sang "Happy Birthday" and then the party really started as we played some games. We took out the two pieces of paper with letters them. With those we formed words, sentences, and poems. My letters, a Z and and E, where somewhat unpopular. We were then instructed to find a partner and draw a portrait of each other. The one of me is actually a pretty good likeness. One the other sheet of paper, we drew a continent and exchanged it with people to form a map of the world. Mine is missing Australia and North America looks like somebody forgot the continent included more than the United States. After this we exchanged gifts. In return for my stationary set I received three pencils. My friends received gum, a candy cane cookie cutter, and a CD labeled "Koob Christmas 2009: vol. 4." Looks like people were in the Christmas spirit. After this we got out our rolls of toilet paper and wrapped each other like mummies (back to the correct season - Halloween). We ended Steve's birthday with a big mummy dance party - shown in the picture. I'm somewhere in the top right, wearing toilet paper - can you find me?

The Mp3 experiment was everything I love about New York. Huge groups of people of all ages and backgrounds, coming together to have some fun and go a little crazy. Some people don't like crowds, but I love them. I love being around all the people, having a certain bond with them, even through our headphones. It's the open excitement, energy, and creativity of the city.

photo (c) of Chad Nicholson

Biking NYC

Photo courtesy of Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Everything was looking up when the day started. After my music class at Lincoln Center (in Manhattan), I walked down to Central Park Bike Shop and rented a four-hour bike for $30 (only $5 cheaper than renting it for the entire day!). I then proceeded to walk my bike to the Hudson River Greenway, a charming path next to the Hudson River on the West Side. A word to the wise: if you are ever biking in NYC, this is a beautiful place to do it! You can even check out the gorgeous boats on the Hudson as you whiz by!
You can check out the scenery, that is, unless you're me and you're terrified (as your life is contingent on the mere two wheels on which you're not balancing well). And if you're decent at steering. And if you're not bothered by constant visions of yourself drowning pitifully in the Hudson. Maybe I'm offering a little too much detail here, but I can't be the only one with these biking concerns, right!?!?

Needless to say, my four-hour rental quickly dwindled to two hours. I rode past 104th St, then back down to 45th, then I walked the bike back to the shop because, alas, I could bike to no more. Surprisingly, even my halved biking time bore benefits. There were occasions when I dismounted and actually enjoyed the waterfront view. I also slept remarkably well that night (though I'm still in mild pain). In the end, I would even recommend biking in NYC, as long as the biker is slightly more agile than I am. Chances are, this applies to you. Because, let's face it, just about everyone (everywhere) is more agile than I am.

Best Pizza on Arthur Ave

Sometime last Saturday between dusk and nightfall, my stomach starting wailing for some TLC, Naples-style, so I booked it to Trattoria Zero Otto Nove for some melt-in-your-mouth, nothing-in-life-can-be-this-good wood-oven pizza.


Usually, I'd sit down in a room decorated to resemble the quaint streets of Naples to some of their buttery focaccia and sinful homemade cannoli sandwich. But my growling tummy wasn't interested in niceties, so I ordered a margherita (pizza, that is) from the bar, in and out in 10 minutes flat.






(All photos (c) Zero Otto Nove web site.)

If you're new to 089, ease into the wonders of margherita pizza's flaky crust and sweet sauce. Afterwards, try the Quattro Formaggi with smoked mozzarella, gorgonzola, provolone, and fresh mozzarella, or a spectacular 089 special like La Cirilo with butternut squash puree, cream of truffle, mushrooms, and fresh mozzarella.

Salivating yet?

Don't worry, you can wash all of that down with the Pizza Alla Nutella for dessert. Just be sure to tell them it's your birthday for a unique, 089 surprise.

So I'll see you there next weekend, then?