• On the way back from dinner at Cafe Leibowitz, we had to stop by Rice to Riches, a hyper-chic over-designed joint dolled up to look like the interior of the space station in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Rice to Riches sells only...rice pudding. "Doesn't it look like.... vomit?" Emily whispered. We tasted some and decided the Emperor had no clothes; it was like eating flavored cottage cheese. "A testament to the power of design," Miles concluded.
• We went and had pudding anyway -- not rice, not hasty, not My-T-Fine, but the yumyum banana bread pudding a la mode at Blue Ribbon Bakery. It was warm out and people were happy and Miles really really likes dogs.
• Then we attended the Gel Conference on Friday, of which there would have been much to say, except it has already been well blogged.
• I had lunch with Nick, who is completely obsessed with blogging, at an outdoor cafe on 77th, and we talked and talked and there was so much to say, a conversation that will be continued at length.
• I went back to the conference in time for the afternoon session. After the conference we went to another place that looked like the interior of the space station in 2001: A Space Odyssey, United Noodles on 12th St., where we argued about whether the new iTunes Music Store was going to save rock and roll or not (Jason said maybe, Anil said not. Jason wrote a whole piece on what is good about it, and also promised to sell me his old iPod as soon as he gets the new one. Rad!)
• We headed up to the South Bronx, one stop off the 1-2-3 and the 4-5-6, where Mitsu and Sue have been renovating a large and sunny loft in a neighborhood that had been less-than-safe only 5 years ago, but which is now very pleasant and unrushed, with residents sweeping their front yards and children playing in the streets. We went and had some delicious Mexican food. Looks like the next Williamsburg.
• Saw Golan, and wandered around Soho looking for a place to settle that was unhellish with Saturday shoppers. He told us about his latest work, which will be performed at Ars Electronica this year. He is going to be a prof at Carnegie-Mellon next year, which seems like an excellent gig. I was born in Pittsburgh; I like that town. "Steel City" I said, and Golan said I still have the accent. Drawr. Youse.
• Dinner with Jason and Meg and Lance at a little French place in the village, where we ate delicious things and planned a murder. Colonel Mustard. In the Pantry. With the Foie Gras.
• A lovely picnic in Central Park with Eric, Katrina and their two bambini, Jude and Phoebe. Tree climbing, rock-climbing, king-of-the-mountain, pouring rivulets of water down the rocks and choosing ice cream from the ice-cream vendor.
• Emily and I went to go see the Adolf Wolffi show at the American Folk Art Museum (next to the shut-down MOMA). If you're in New York you must go see this show. Here's the Google archive of Peter Scheldahl's article in the New Yorker about the artist.
• And more, even, but I am tired of typing now and there is much clutter in my brain.

LINK | 10:25 PM | TB

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