6/7/14 Skateboarding, exploring and improv theater in NYC!
Hello my inspired and inspiring friends!
I had two days without Wi-fi so I'm catching up with myself! I've got a light day today so here we go... I'd like to talk about my fun experiences in New York City with my friend Doug on Saturday! I may not report this in a linear way, rather cluster it into ideas and concepts to make it more cohesive....
A brief back story of Doug Widick
Doug is a really talented guy, a multi-instrumentalist, beat-boxer, comedic rapper, improvisational actor, teacher and writer among other things. I initially met him when Kaila Mullady, who beat-boxes for his hip-hop comedy improvisational group North Coast, brought him out to my February performance at Alphabet Lounge. He was really encouraging and generous with his emphatic support of my work. He wanted to introduce me to a lot of people and have me on his "positive hip hop mix-tape" (we did end up writing and recording a song about the literal and figurative importance of opening doors for people for the forthcoming project). He travels around the country with his group North Coast and is always busy but managed to make time for me whenever we are in the same place. I'm only just getting to know him but he has an alacrity for life and a humble immensity of talent and humor. He is not afraid to just freestyle rap anywhere, while we're on the subway, sitting at a diner eating, walking in a crowd of people, there are no rules and since I rarely have friends to improvise with, it's really fun for me to unabashedly practice my spontaneous rap skills in the most unlikely of environments! It was refreshing to travel around a bustling city that is conversely socially dormant with someone that is gregarious and welcoming.
New York City Morning (Thoughts on skateboarding!)
I got into New York at 10:30am and took the subway to Doug's new apartment. I saw an encouraging bit of amateurish graffiti on my trek through the city that read "A Thing Of Beauty Is a Joy Forever" After helping me navigate clumsily through the hot city streets lugging my luggage (so THAT'S why they call it that!) over the phone, he greeted me with homemade breakfast, pancakes, bacon, coffee, eggs and all! He showed me through his incredible new apartment that I explored covetously! In their finished basement (where I ended up sleeping) they effectively have an functional studio, computers televisions, book shelves and all sorts of fun gadgets and instruments (I borrowed the guitar and continued to try to learn Yes' "Roundabout")! I met Doug's very humorous and kind roommate, friend and North Coast cohort Boris. In a weird coincidence (we'll get to that later) Boris had a skateboard and he was gracious enough to let me borrow it. I say it was a weird coincidence because since I was in the city I'd desired to skateboard quite a lot, it's such a good city for skateboarding and I was thinking about how when I was a kid and it was all that mattered to me, I brought my skateboard literally everywhere. Once, my parents took my family on a Disney Cruise that went to the Bahamas out of Florida and I brought my skateboard with me, so it was obviously very cool that I got to act on my passion taking complete advantage of serendipity (and Boris' generosity of course). Doug and I road around the city for hours, once some of the rust wore off I was skateboarding really comfortably and doing tricks over manhole covers and cruising around people and obstacles and having a blast, I love skateboarding a lot and it is a part of me I don't get to exercise or express often as I've been so focused on music (aside from the weather having been terrible more often than not). It was really hot out and although I changed into shorts, it wasn't much help! We went over the Williamsburg Bridge which was killing my legs on the way up, but then I enjoyed the thrilling ride down on the decline, where I was going easily 20 MPH dodging cracks and people with the warm wind whipping past me. We filmed a silly freestyle clip (which I've included below). We cruised the city, which delighted me as there is NOTHING like skateboarding in the city, made me feel good because June 21st, summer solstice is Go Skateboarding Day and I figured I wouldn't get much of a chance to skateboard while I'm in Nashville! Also, one of the last times I'd skateboarded in the city was maybe 6 years ago on Go Skateboarding Day.
Seeing some NYC marvels
We ended up at the beautiful High Line park, which is a mile long recycled over-ground railway that, once abandoned, was converted to a beautiful and different linear park that was almost like a floral boardwalk. There were wooden benches and lounge chairs build into the area where people were sunbathing and reading, kids were playing in these little fountain-like waterways that lined the sides of the middle part of the bridge, it was merry and excellent. There were hip vendors under a bridge of sorts (where Doug got me this incredible Red Jacket apple juice...best apple juice I think either of us have ever had...highly recommended!) and interesting plants and dozens and dozens of people all of them with a sort of expression of wonder and enjoyment on heir faces that the beautiful sun inspired. There was a nice spot where there were sort of staggered wooden bleacher benches in a bridge where people were sitting and talking, one guy was filming an interview with a rapper, there were some models taking photos, it was fascinating! I highly recommend you go, maybe take a friend or loved one with you and enjoy the park, it's a unique experience that is worth having, definitely one of my favorite city attractions I've attended. We grew weary and hungry, we stopped at a fruit stand where we both bought four bananas for a dollar (two of which I ate ravenously, two I froze later...DO THAT!). Washington square, a pretty area with a fountain for a centerpiece where people bathed, busking musicians performed at a distance, people were sitting on the marble benches and the lawns bordering the square were stippled with various people. A lesson indeed, though that regardless of the greatness of the surroundings I was experiencing, what was also excellent or just as important was all of the in depth emotional and philosophical and entertainingly humorous conversation Doug and I shared. One thing he can't Perhaps we weren't just open and good conversationalists but were revived by the physical activity and inspired subconsciously by the surroundings..who knows?! I felt it was noteworthy to consider that it isn't just where you are or who your with, it might be a fusion of both, on top of a consideration with how you are in general, though those prior two environmental and social conditions certainly assist in influencing how one is doing.
Serendipity and Celebrity in NYC
Around 3pm we went to a place called "5 Napkin Burger" where there was a good vibe and light bulbs dangling from the ceiling like some kind of potential AllOne album cover juxtaposed with creepy aesthetic thematic meat hooks alongside them! We ended up sitting two tables away from Donald Glover, some of you know him as Childish Gambino, others of you know him as Troy Barnes on Community. We had NYC is a cool place for moments like this, Doug was a little starstruck because he really respected this multi-faceted artist. This was weird because Owen was talking about him just the day before, especially in relation to Ph (whom Owen loves, as does Doug, who randomly brought up Pharoahe Monch in a freestyle that morning!). Some days seem to contain more odd and jarring Twilight Zone-esque serendipity than others. Saturday seemed to be one of those days. When I got to Doug's apartment that morning, there was a flyer on the door advertising a show that Cornelius Eady was performing. Doug did not know this person, but I had his download card of his album in my wallet, given to me by my friend Concetta (whom I met for the first time at the very same Alphebet Lounge Show I met Doug for the first time, though they barely know each other) becuase Concetta performs/records alongside Cornelius, as well as on my new album! Totally weird! Also strange, Later that night after the improvisational show, Doug took me to the expensive but delicious Lyric Diner, which was the place that Concetta took me and my friend Kelly the first time we hung out...so strange!!
Pharoahe Monch
North Coast at The PIT
The P.I.T. (People's Improv Theater). The environment at the theater was laid back and yet professional, encouraging and inspirational stories, quotes and photos lined the walls of a red-hued bar that lead into a theater. Doug used his star power to get me on the guest list to save my precious and frugal tour budget! While I waited for the event to start I just absorbed the atmosphere and the open and jovial demeanor of the bar's clientele. Finally the show started and a really talented comic named Sabrina Jalees opened for North Coast. She was vulgar, she was personable and able to adapt to all of the silly things going on from the crowd and in her own head...definitely check her out. She had cunning and shameless jokes regarding everything from her life as a married lesbian hunting with her father in law, to improvising her way around fumbling and accounts of her journey to the venue. Excellent person, very obviously innately funny in and out of her "bits" or "routines", check her out! An abridged four actor cast (Doug, Boris Khaykin, Rebecca Siegel and Evan Kaufman) edition of North Coast, assisted by the beatboxing rhythms of Mandibul. They performed a long-form improv show which mean several segments/acts weave in and out of one another based on one suggestion. The suggestion of the night was "Google Chrome", which rapidly evolved (or devolved?) into all sorts of funny songs and skits about the ills of the internet, the dangers of becoming inhuman and ruining social interactions through the dependence on Google Glass, moderating censorship and the extreme sexuality and vulgarity encountered without safe-search, to random moments where people absurdly transformed into horses to be put down by breast pistols and all sorts of spontaneous and strange but brilliant comedy rarely missing a beat swapping between synchronized freestyle rapping and singing and improvised skits. I can't stress how highly recommended it is from me, I enjoyed it thoroughly! Afterward, Doug performed in a musical parodies group called Pop Roulette that sang wonderfully and did some really funny songs commenting on hipsters, about naive young people in our "YOLO" culture. (here's a live clip of that "Young and Beautiful" song, in the first three minutes). They opened for a group called The World's Fair that were funny and did some skits about Octopus and Ape wars from a crowd suggestion! The whole improv theater scene seemed really interesting and supportive and open and someday I may try to become involved in it. Afterward Doug and I made our aforementioned stop at the Lyric Diner, and soon after, retired back to the apartment, where I got ready to head to my 8:30 am bus to Boston across the city in the morning!
After sharing some guacamole and nachos at the 5 Napkin Burger, we went back to the apartment. We were both exhausted, sore legs and beat from the heat! We watched some humorous rap battles, I read and wrote and Doug and Boris got prepared for their now-every-Saturday-night North Coast long-form improv event at (most of which were probably comedians/actors and improvisers themselves. I seriously believe it is an ambiance and venue for everyone and you need to go see it ASAP.
Try to spend time with people you don't necessarily know, their inquisitiveness about you and your life may help you realize you are a person you don't know as well as you thought! I'd like to close this post out with a quote some homework... please watch this Commencement Speech by Jim Carrey that Doug recommended to me, it is brilliant, beautiful and encouraging...countless noteworthy words to live by, but here's one of my favorites:
"I learned many great lessons from my father, not the least of which was; You can fail at what you DON'T want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love." -Jim Carrey
I had two days without Wi-fi so I'm catching up with myself! I've got a light day today so here we go... I'd like to talk about my fun experiences in New York City with my friend Doug on Saturday! I may not report this in a linear way, rather cluster it into ideas and concepts to make it more cohesive....
A brief back story of Doug Widick
Doug is a really talented guy, a multi-instrumentalist, beat-boxer, comedic rapper, improvisational actor, teacher and writer among other things. I initially met him when Kaila Mullady, who beat-boxes for his hip-hop comedy improvisational group North Coast, brought him out to my February performance at Alphabet Lounge. He was really encouraging and generous with his emphatic support of my work. He wanted to introduce me to a lot of people and have me on his "positive hip hop mix-tape" (we did end up writing and recording a song about the literal and figurative importance of opening doors for people for the forthcoming project). He travels around the country with his group North Coast and is always busy but managed to make time for me whenever we are in the same place. I'm only just getting to know him but he has an alacrity for life and a humble immensity of talent and humor. He is not afraid to just freestyle rap anywhere, while we're on the subway, sitting at a diner eating, walking in a crowd of people, there are no rules and since I rarely have friends to improvise with, it's really fun for me to unabashedly practice my spontaneous rap skills in the most unlikely of environments! It was refreshing to travel around a bustling city that is conversely socially dormant with someone that is gregarious and welcoming.
New York City Morning (Thoughts on skateboarding!)
 |
| Boris lent me his Enjoi skateboard. I certainly did! Hope he doesn't mind the Aesthetic upgrade! |
I got into New York at 10:30am and took the subway to Doug's new apartment. I saw an encouraging bit of amateurish graffiti on my trek through the city that read "A Thing Of Beauty Is a Joy Forever" After helping me navigate clumsily through the hot city streets lugging my luggage (so THAT'S why they call it that!) over the phone, he greeted me with homemade breakfast, pancakes, bacon, coffee, eggs and all! He showed me through his incredible new apartment that I explored covetously! In their finished basement (where I ended up sleeping) they effectively have an functional studio, computers televisions, book shelves and all sorts of fun gadgets and instruments (I borrowed the guitar and continued to try to learn Yes' "Roundabout")! I met Doug's very humorous and kind roommate, friend and North Coast cohort Boris. In a weird coincidence (we'll get to that later) Boris had a skateboard and he was gracious enough to let me borrow it. I say it was a weird coincidence because since I was in the city I'd desired to skateboard quite a lot, it's such a good city for skateboarding and I was thinking about how when I was a kid and it was all that mattered to me, I brought my skateboard literally everywhere. Once, my parents took my family on a Disney Cruise that went to the Bahamas out of Florida and I brought my skateboard with me, so it was obviously very cool that I got to act on my passion taking complete advantage of serendipity (and Boris' generosity of course). Doug and I road around the city for hours, once some of the rust wore off I was skateboarding really comfortably and doing tricks over manhole covers and cruising around people and obstacles and having a blast, I love skateboarding a lot and it is a part of me I don't get to exercise or express often as I've been so focused on music (aside from the weather having been terrible more often than not). It was really hot out and although I changed into shorts, it wasn't much help! We went over the Williamsburg Bridge which was killing my legs on the way up, but then I enjoyed the thrilling ride down on the decline, where I was going easily 20 MPH dodging cracks and people with the warm wind whipping past me. We filmed a silly freestyle clip (which I've included below). We cruised the city, which delighted me as there is NOTHING like skateboarding in the city, made me feel good because June 21st, summer solstice is Go Skateboarding Day and I figured I wouldn't get much of a chance to skateboard while I'm in Nashville! Also, one of the last times I'd skateboarded in the city was maybe 6 years ago on Go Skateboarding Day.  |
| Mid-skate view from the Williamsburg |
Seeing some NYC marvels
 |
| Workin' hard on the Williamsburg Bridge |
We ended up at the beautiful High Line park, which is a mile long recycled over-ground railway that, once abandoned, was converted to a beautiful and different linear park that was almost like a floral boardwalk. There were wooden benches and lounge chairs build into the area where people were sunbathing and reading, kids were playing in these little fountain-like waterways that lined the sides of the middle part of the bridge, it was merry and excellent. There were hip vendors under a bridge of sorts (where Doug got me this incredible Red Jacket apple juice...best apple juice I think either of us have ever had...highly recommended!) and interesting plants and dozens and dozens of people all of them with a sort of expression of wonder and enjoyment on heir faces that the beautiful sun inspired. There was a nice spot where there were sort of staggered wooden bleacher benches in a bridge where people were sitting and talking, one guy was filming an interview with a rapper, there were some models taking photos, it was fascinating! I highly recommend you go, maybe take a friend or loved one with you and enjoy the park, it's a unique experience that is worth having, definitely one of my favorite city attractions I've attended. We grew weary and hungry, we stopped at a fruit stand where we both bought four bananas for a dollar (two of which I ate ravenously, two I froze later...DO THAT!). Washington square, a pretty area with a fountain for a centerpiece where people bathed, busking musicians performed at a distance, people were sitting on the marble benches and the lawns bordering the square were stippled with various people. A lesson indeed, though that regardless of the greatness of the surroundings I was experiencing, what was also excellent or just as important was all of the in depth emotional and philosophical and entertainingly humorous conversation Doug and I shared. One thing he can't Perhaps we weren't just open and good conversationalists but were revived by the physical activity and inspired subconsciously by the surroundings..who knows?! I felt it was noteworthy to consider that it isn't just where you are or who your with, it might be a fusion of both, on top of a consideration with how you are in general, though those prior two environmental and social conditions certainly assist in influencing how one is doing. |
| Washington Square Entrance reminded me of my Rome trip. |
 |
| Washington Square Fountain! |
Serendipity and Celebrity in NYC
Around 3pm we went to a place called "5 Napkin Burger" where there was a good vibe and light bulbs dangling from the ceiling like some kind of potential AllOne album cover juxtaposed with creepy aesthetic thematic meat hooks alongside them! We ended up sitting two tables away from Donald Glover, some of you know him as Childish Gambino, others of you know him as Troy Barnes on Community. We had NYC is a cool place for moments like this, Doug was a little starstruck because he really respected this multi-faceted artist. This was weird because Owen was talking about him just the day before, especially in relation to Ph (whom Owen loves, as does Doug, who randomly brought up Pharoahe Monch in a freestyle that morning!). Some days seem to contain more odd and jarring Twilight Zone-esque serendipity than others. Saturday seemed to be one of those days. When I got to Doug's apartment that morning, there was a flyer on the door advertising a show that Cornelius Eady was performing. Doug did not know this person, but I had his download card of his album in my wallet, given to me by my friend Concetta (whom I met for the first time at the very same Alphebet Lounge Show I met Doug for the first time, though they barely know each other) becuase Concetta performs/records alongside Cornelius, as well as on my new album! Totally weird! Also strange, Later that night after the improvisational show, Doug took me to the expensive but delicious Lyric Diner, which was the place that Concetta took me and my friend Kelly the first time we hung out...so strange!!
Pharoahe Monch
North Coast at The PIT
The P.I.T. (People's Improv Theater). The environment at the theater was laid back and yet professional, encouraging and inspirational stories, quotes and photos lined the walls of a red-hued bar that lead into a theater. Doug used his star power to get me on the guest list to save my precious and frugal tour budget! While I waited for the event to start I just absorbed the atmosphere and the open and jovial demeanor of the bar's clientele. Finally the show started and a really talented comic named Sabrina Jalees opened for North Coast. She was vulgar, she was personable and able to adapt to all of the silly things going on from the crowd and in her own head...definitely check her out. She had cunning and shameless jokes regarding everything from her life as a married lesbian hunting with her father in law, to improvising her way around fumbling and accounts of her journey to the venue. Excellent person, very obviously innately funny in and out of her "bits" or "routines", check her out! An abridged four actor cast (Doug, Boris Khaykin, Rebecca Siegel and Evan Kaufman) edition of North Coast, assisted by the beatboxing rhythms of Mandibul. They performed a long-form improv show which mean several segments/acts weave in and out of one another based on one suggestion. The suggestion of the night was "Google Chrome", which rapidly evolved (or devolved?) into all sorts of funny songs and skits about the ills of the internet, the dangers of becoming inhuman and ruining social interactions through the dependence on Google Glass, moderating censorship and the extreme sexuality and vulgarity encountered without safe-search, to random moments where people absurdly transformed into horses to be put down by breast pistols and all sorts of spontaneous and strange but brilliant comedy rarely missing a beat swapping between synchronized freestyle rapping and singing and improvised skits. I can't stress how highly recommended it is from me, I enjoyed it thoroughly! Afterward, Doug performed in a musical parodies group called Pop Roulette that sang wonderfully and did some really funny songs commenting on hipsters, about naive young people in our "YOLO" culture. (here's a live clip of that "Young and Beautiful" song, in the first three minutes). They opened for a group called The World's Fair that were funny and did some skits about Octopus and Ape wars from a crowd suggestion! The whole improv theater scene seemed really interesting and supportive and open and someday I may try to become involved in it. Afterward Doug and I made our aforementioned stop at the Lyric Diner, and soon after, retired back to the apartment, where I got ready to head to my 8:30 am bus to Boston across the city in the morning!Try to spend time with people you don't necessarily know, their inquisitiveness about you and your life may help you realize you are a person you don't know as well as you thought! I'd like to close this post out with a quote some homework... please watch this Commencement Speech by Jim Carrey that Doug recommended to me, it is brilliant, beautiful and encouraging...countless noteworthy words to live by, but here's one of my favorites:
"I learned many great lessons from my father, not the least of which was; You can fail at what you DON'T want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love." -Jim Carrey
Become yourself, it really becomes you!
-AllOne
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| The enviable basement in the works |
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| Doug n Boris' Studio in the making! |
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