Homeowners

We finally closed today. Everyone at the closing was amazed at how easy it all went, but don't tell that to Nilda. We stopped by the new place tonight and finally opened that bottle of '98 Dom Perignon we got as a wedding gift. For me, tonight was a reprieve from the renovation hell I am about to enter. I'll take it.

Grey Gardens

Grey Gardens is the story of a mother and daughter in East Hampton, Long Island, who came from a wealthy depression-era family that, over time, lost all their money and retreated from the world into their house. They are cousins of Jackie O, but that is not the main part of the story. They've sort of become a camp classic about an isolated mother and daughter who think they're still high society. The daughter had dreams of becoming a performer, but ultimately stayed with her aging mother. The house became so filthy that it was literally rendered inhabitable, a condition that was captured in magazine articles and a documentary. Here's the really boring trailer for that movie:



I only bring this up to prove to Nilda that Grey Gardens has a lot in common with Gilmore Girls. Not that they're at all the same story, but there are certain significant similarities. Let's look at the facts:

• Both stories involve a mother and daughter relationship (although I'll concede that Gilmore Girls shows a far more positive relationship).
• Both mothers and daughters are Sr./Jr. (Big Edie & Little Edie v. Lorilai & Rori).
• Both engage in witty banter that drives away all the men in their lives.
• Both are families that came from money, but no longer have any.
• Both mothers are divorced and the closest relationships in their lives are with their daughters.
• Gilmore Girls referenced Grey Gardens on two separate episodes (thanks, Wikipedia!), proving that even the writers of Gilmore Girls saw a connection.

So you see, Nilda, I was right all along. And now it's written on the internet, so you know it's true.

Jeremy Maclin

Andrew's post of a Cowboys fan's disappointment in learning that the Eagles drafted Jeremy Maclin got me wondering about who this guy is. Check out his highlight reel. This guy is fast and strong, and he's a wide receiver can run out of the backfield. He's the perfect accompaniment for Westbrook. Yes, I'm ready for some football.

Football On The High Holidays

This interview encapsulates my feelings about the NFL games that were scheduled for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Sorry, no embedding available. This link came from Mom. Yes, Mom! I know!!

Stealing From Irene's Blog

Thanks, Desolution Boliviation!

Yankee Stadium

Andrew's in-laws sent Andrew and I and his brothers-in-law, Jon and Adam, to the Yankee game tonight at the new stadium, and it was sweet. Thank you, Neil and Paula! We had a great time. And surprise, I have a blog, read by millions of adoring fans all of the world. You're famous now. Here's a quick recap:

• It doesn't matter that the website specifically says that backpacks are allowed, you still can't bring in your briefcase. Why were you looking at the website when the little sign outside the stadium specifically contradicts it? Luckily there's a bar nearby that has made a very clever business as a bag check.
• When taking a walk around to check things out, you're going to need a beer for the walk. We recommend Heineken, which was surprisingly kick ass at the stadium.
• It's amazing how under the right circumstances, $11 for a beer is a reasonable value.
• Andrew and I tried to get away with showing only Andrew's ID by pointing out that we were identical twins. The woman looked at us, smiled and got really excited, then asked for my ID.
• Two sausage hot dogs with onions & peppers + large nachos with everything = good idea for Andrew and Brian.
• Apparently, Yankee fans do not like anyone wearing a Red Sox hat.
• Baseball games are a good opportunity for Andrew and I to talk about Battles BC, potential blog posts, and how we should play a show again.
• Johnny Damon hit a home run. This was a lot more exciting than it is on tv.
• Tonight was a lot of fun, but damn I miss football.

Obama's Handshake With Chavez

How is this not the exact picture we would want to have of Obama's first meeting with Chavez? I first saw this picture on Saturday morning and was elated to see how Obama is changing the US' relations with Latin America. Instead of a bully who refuses to listen, we have a President who knows that he will only be able to make progress with oppressive nations by being a friend, not an enemy. These countries obviously won't be pressured into granting basic freedoms, so it's time to try a different approach.

Only by shaking hands will Obama get any leverage to convince these countries, like Venezuela and Cuba, to show a real commitment to human rights. If that doesn't work, then we're back where we started (make the lifting of all trade restrictions conditional on certain benchmarks), but at least the US maintains the moral high ground. It's more of a start than anything Bush ever did.

Then this morning I have to hear Newt "the Dewche" Gingrich bitching about how Obama should not have shown the common courtesy of at least shaking the man's hand, and how we should continue the ridiculously stupid policy of demanding complete compliance with all US demands before giving any ground. Newt believes that we should stick to the policy that has proven to be an abysmal failure. He focuses on how the world will perceive Obama but ignores how now, Chavez will no longer be able to call the US the devil. The pressure is now on Chavez to change, not on Obama to do anything. Newt ignores all this and advocates a failed policy just for the sake of coming up with some kind of opposition.

Bottom line, Newt heard all the chatter from last week about how he should run for President in 2012 and has decided to make a go for it starting this morning. By all accounts, he seems off to a great start for Obama.

My First Call To Andrew's New Job

I went over Andrew's place last night after work. On the way to his place, I called his new work for the first time to see if he was there. He does not have voicemail and someone picked up. I knew exactly what would happen the moment she heard my voice. Here's a transcript of that phone call:

"Hello (nice, British accent lady)."

"Hi... Is Andrew Heller there?"

"Nooo, I'm sorry, he's just stepped out."

"Ok... This is his brother Brian..." (wait for it).

"OHH!! I was about to say, isn't this Andrew? Are you sure you're not Andrew!"

"No, this is his brother."

"OH MY GOD!!! YOU SOUND JUST LIKE HIM!!! That's incredible!!"

"Yeah, that's what Mom says."

"OH MY GOD!!! That is amazing. You sound JUST LIKE HIM!!!"

"Yeah, that's what they tell me..."

"I can't believe this! I'm going to need to put you on speakerphone, so that everyone can hear."

"Ok..." (speakerphone didn't work out, but she tried)

"All right, I'll jut call his cell. Thanks."

"Ok, well you are definitely going to have to stop by so we can get a look at you. Wow, that is amaaazing!"

I never get annoyed when people who know only Andrew get weirded out by me, since I know how weird twins are. Then I finally got to Andrew's house and me the new babysitter Julie for the first time. She looked at me strangely and said, "Oh my God! I've seen identical twins before, but you guys are really identical!"

Mannahatta

NY Magazine had another article this week about what New York City looked like before the Europeans arrived, when it was known as Mannahatta:

• There was a deep fresh water lake downtown that was a main hub of native civilization. The lake was ultimately poisoned by the tanning industry and had to be drained by a canal (now Canal Street), after which the area turned into the slum neighborhood known as Five Points.
• The largest settlement of the Lenape Indians was in Inwood. Manhattan was used primarily as a summer residence.
• Here's a pdf showing the original borders of the island. Inhabitants would walk to what is now the Bronx by walking over "the Wading Place," near 220th Street and Broadway.
• Manhattan was almost a paradise, full of animal life (but not the wolves) and natural forest. Henry Hudson noted how suitable good the island was for ship-building.

I love this stuff and I'm not sure why. It's amazing to think that all the concrete and buildings that we all think of is new and, most likely, only temporary. It also helps to relieve those horrible, horrible kid's songs that have been stuck in my head since spending the weekend with my nieces. I don't know how Andrew can take it:

Thank You

This is the actual thank you card that I sent to Uncle Allan and Aunt Sheila after my Bar Mitzvah, when I was 13:

"Uncle Allan, Aunt Sheila, Lisa and Amy,

Thank you very much for your gift. I want you to know that I spent it all on drugs and whores. All of it. Send more if you got some. By the way, I hope you're enjoying my Bat Mitzvah cards as much as I am. Mazel tov on your achievement.

Love,

Brian"

Perhaps The Funniest Commercial Nilda And I Have Ever Seen

Phoenix

I saw this band on SNL over the weekend and was very impressed. They sound like the Strokes but seem to be less pretentious, even though they're...French. I wonder why I haven't listened to them before. They played these two songs, both of which should be on their new album coming out in late May. But since that will be right after we close on the new place, I, of course, will not be able to afford air.

The Burden Of Blogging Presses Upon Me At All Times

Yesterday, I had this great idea while walking outside for a post called "Live Blogging The Internal Monologue." I was going to have a rant of bullets like, "Is ER still on tv?" "I'm glad its Saturday," "I'll never not be into Phish," "Is it just me or is Lost really good again?," "Seaman and Dyckman (streets in Inwood)...hehehe," and the ever controversial, "I think they've made daylight savings time start too early because, among other things, (a) just when it starts getting light when I wake up, I suddenly have to deal with waking up in darkness and (b) I no longer get that sudden change where it's both warmer and lighter out after work." It was a good idea, but then I sobered up and it lost its charm.

Nilda and I checked out the beer distributor at 207th Street and the river today. It was heaven. Imagine a gigantic warehouse filled with not just beers from all over the world, but anything you can imagine. You want Strawberry Sunkist? They got it. They even have a room stocked with Sunny D, if you're into that kind of thing. Needless to say, Brian was very excited:

They even have every kind of Boone's you could hope for:

We picked up a six-pack of Leffe Blonde and a ceramic growler of Belgian porter, because you just can't walk out empty-handed. Then we took a look at the East River. Nilda, would you please model the river for us?

Thank you, sweetheart, that was wonderful. And happy 23-month anniversary. I'm getting you a case of Yoohoo.