I'm happy to share with you the results of the Bally's Swing Dance Off, co-sponsored by Yehoodi.com, that took place yesterday evening at Bally's Casino in Atlantic City. From the reports I'm reading, it looks like an awesome event for everyone involved, including six hours of social dancing and competition, two amazing big bands, and…
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Worshipping with Quakers in Palo Alto : Red Means Ministry!
This morning I continued my "spiritual tourism" of the Bay Area, visiting the lovely Palo Alto Quaker Meeting. A number of Friends recommended this community to me, knowing of my plans to relocate to the Bay. While it's probably too far to be my main Quaker home here, I thought it was still worth a…
“Real Virtuality”: the Museum of the Moving Image Pixellates Reality with Mixed Results
The Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, is one of those New York cultural treasures that I've been hearing about for years and years and just never got around to visiting. First off, it's in Queens, which is still somewhat opaque and mysterious to me. Secondly, uh, it's been a busy 15 years. And…
Mole and I Chillin’ in Cali: From Snowstorms to Sunshine
So my cat Mole Negro and I took a fairly smooth and drama-free trip from Brooklyn to my mom's place in the Bay Area yesterday. Mole was a trooper, even when he had to be carried through the security scanner, suffered through a long and bumpy plane ride, and then a short drive to my…
COBU Japanese Tap-Drum Ensemble at PMT This Sunday, January 30!
I'm just a few hours in California, and I'm already missing two awesome dance events in New York City this weekend! For you tap / drum fans, the Japanese ensemble COBU is not to be missed on Sunday. Blending ear-splitting taiko drumming, funky rhythm tap, and hip-hop dance, COBU performances is a visual, aural and…
Thanks for the memories, New York! San Francisco, here I come!
Today at 4pm, Mole Negro and I board a flight for San Francisco, our new / old home! It's been a really fun last two weeks in New York, knocking out pretty much everything on my "Bucket List" and then some! The finale was an awesome last Frim Fram Jam at Club412, with a goodbye…
Rik’s Absolutely Brooklyn-Biased “Best of New York” List
As the final days in New York City for me wind down, I'm thinking about all of my favorite things that I've enjoyed in my 15 years here. I think I've learned a few things about how to live life to its fullest in gotham city. So here's my very subjective "Best of New York"…
Hand-pulled Chinese noodles from Lao Bei Fang Dumpling House in Queens
As one of my New York City "bucket list" items, my friends Dana and Arthur took me out for hand-pulled Chinese noodles from the highly regarded Lao Bei Fang Dumpling House in Elmhurst, Queens. Check out the noodle maker doing his thing above! The very definition of a hole-in-the-wall, this super tiny noodle joint…
Voon Makes Me Creme Brule at Frim Fram (video)
Here's some grainy video of my buddy Voon making me a homemade creme brulé at my Frim Fram dance last night. As one of the last Fram's that I'll be at for a long time, it was a lovely and delicious parting gift. In retrospect though, perhaps using a blowtorch on the bar near…
Lindy Hoppers Dax and Sarah on Semi-finals of “Live to Dance”! (video)
Check out this beautiful and flawless lindy hop performance by Dax Hock and Sarah Breck on the CBS dance show "Live to Dance." I haven't been watching the show, so I don't know what injury the judges are referring to, but they looked damn sweet. And the music choice I thought was perfect —…