Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Pizza and Jazz

I've decided that I like Sam's Cafe.  As a former devotee of Bart's, which years ago (how many years?) rented that storefront, I've been reluctant about frequenting the various restaurants that have moved in (and out) since Bart's closed.  But Sam's is actually okay, even if it's not Bart's.  I was absolutely starving this evening (having gotten home from work and slept for five hours, right through even a sophisticated late dinner time), and decided that a slice of pizza would do the trick.  Sam's was rather empty at the time, but I brought a book and read while a couple of guys played jazz in the corner.  Even though they didn't have much of an audience, they were enjoying themselves.  Pizza and jazz seem at first like an odd combination, but I think they work together quite nicely. 

I do miss Bart's though-- they made an espresso milkshake that could whoop a frappucino's ass.  And that cookie dough pie... But I guess pizza and jazz are finally an ok substitute.

Update: the ball that rises

Hello Noho.

Well, the New Year's news is that there is a new New Year's ball.  A ball to rise (not drop) at midnight, that is, not a ball like the upcoming inauguration balls for Obama (although that would be something-- Northampton should have that kind of New Year's ball!).  According to my sister, who read about it in the paper, this ball is going to be so beautiful that it will be left up all year for us to admire.  Sure enough, while crossing at the "Ee-uu" yesterday ("ee-uu is what a friend of mine calls the main intersection in town with the crosswalk that beeps "ee--uu, ee-uu" when it's the pedestrian's turn to cross the street), I looked over at the Hotel Northampton, and there it was.  Perched on the roof, it looks rather like a spectacular UFO from a planet where they use Christmas decorations as spaceships.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Happy New Year Noho

Hello Noho.  

I am starting this blog about you.  I need something to write about, and you are here, and I am here (and we are all together... bad pun, sorry).  I am currently sitting in Haymarket drawing a complete blank on how to start this, but am boldly going forward with it anyway.  According to Goethe, "Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it"-- and who wouldn't want their blog to be characterized by genius, power, and magic?  So I'm following his advice, "Begin it now."

I promise, btw, not to post anything too compromising here.  Like you, I want to get a "real" job one of these days... and while paper crumbles and fades over time, things put up in cyberspace (like the subjects of Shakespeare's sonnets) are apparently immortalized... or so I've been told by people far more technically savvy than I. But if you pass my way and are fascinating or funny or somehow capture my attention (or if everyone else around is boring and you are thus captivating by comparison), than be warned: you are fair game.

On to the actual subject of this post.  I am excitedly looked forward to the day after tomorrow (which is New Year's Eve, by the way).  I love New Year's Eve in Noho.  Most places drop a ball to celebrate the New Year.  Not here in Northampton.  Here we are special.  We don't fall into the New Year-- we rise to the challenge!... or something.  

For those of you who have never experienced a Northampton First Night, it goes like this.  At (or somewhere near...) the stroke of midnight, a ball covered in Christmas lights rises, somewhat shakily, from the roof of the Hotel Northampton.  Hordes of people crowd the intersection of Main and King/Pleasant (which is closed off to traffic for about an hour).  Shortly before 12, a canon goes off, scaring the shit out of everybody:  I usually jump about five feet in the air and end up five feet over from where I started, looking around dazedly, not quite sure how I got there.  Despite the crowds, you always run into everybody you know, and there is a lot of hugging.  And a lot of champagne.  And it's generally very merry.  I can't think of a better way to bring in the New Year.

So.  According to what I've read about blogging (and yes, my dear mother gave me a book on blogging for Christmas... ), the secrets to good blogging are: write fast, be snappy, don't edit.....and just post the darned thing immediately... so here goes.....  

I now have a blog.