2/22/04 Brunch w/Natalie; Biking and H&H w/Peter and Bri; + LiCalsi with Car for Joe's, Marvin, Ice Cream, Deli, & Cards:

A few weeks ago I did a video job. It was for a parent whose kid was in plays at High School. I happened to tape all those plays, and so the parent wanted me to put together a demo reel of scenes that I had on master from the past few years, to send to colleges. When I finished the project she had me come to the restaurant in TriBeCa that she is involved with running/owning. It's called the Cupping Room Cafe, and she gave Rich (who came along for the delivery) and I a free brunch on the house. The Eggs Benedict and house Mimosa were amazing! So, when Natalie and I were trying to think of a place to go have brunch together, I thought of the Cupping Room, and we went.

The eggs benedict are divine:

Natalie had some sort of French Toast sandwich with fruit.

The Mimosa is $8 but it's huge and they use really good orange juice and champagne.

The restaurant itself is beautiful, with exposed brick walls, multiple cozy dining rooms, and, in one location, a sky light that brings in the sun during brunch time.

The sun shines on Natalie, as we got THE table in the natural light, which created a lovely effect. It's diffused enough that it wasn't too hot or too annoying. It was just right on this cold day. The waiters are extremely courteous all the time, the food is top notch ingredients, and the prices are moderate to high, but well worth what you're getting. I plan on coming back many more times, in the end, spending all the money the parent paid me for the video job. She was very smart to have given me one meal on the house, because it will pay her back many times over as I continue to enjoy her place!

In the afternoon, it was just barely warm enough to have the first biking of the new season! Yay!

Brian, Peter, and I meet at the fountain at the west end of Christopher Street. Brian has to bike across 10th street from his place on University. I have to bike up the bike path from the Financial District. And Peter is like 2 blocks away at his dorm. So it's sort of a neutral meeting place.

I told them both to over-dress because standing still in 50 degree weather is much nicer that biking through it. I said that hats, gloves, and scarfs were mandatory. I wore all three. Peter didn't feel the need for the scarf. Brian just wore a light jacket. He runs warm.

Brian has an air pump on his bike, which is nice to have. He pumps up before our first ride.

Biking past Chelsea Piers at 23rd street.

Brian's jacket puffs up in the wind. I think all of ours do. Peter rides ahead.

Or sometimes side by side.

Because of the cold, and being that we're all out of shape after the winter, we only make it up to 46th street. We stop for H&H bagels, as their big factory is on 46th and 12th. We're all starving even though we have dinner plans later at Joe's. So we go to nosh on a bagel.

Brian at the door to H&H. I watch the bikes as they purchase the goods.

I marvel at this evidence of a little accident.

I should have come back this evening and unscrewed the signs. Damn.

H&H.

Then we went up the pedestrian bridge that goes over West Street for tourists to get to the Intrepid Museum. This is far less efficient than using the crosswalk when the lights turn red on West Street (center of photo to the right) so there's not many people ever up here. But it's a cool cable-stayed pedestrian bridge. There's some extra space on the east side where we sat and dipped bagels in cream cheese.

My power shot.

Brian and the Intrepid and the sunset.

Then we met up with LiCalsi for a dinner at Joe's Shanghai. We got our favorite waiter, again, Marvin, who Brian and I have made friends with over the past few times going there. Marvin is the only one with good enough English AND personality enough to have a good time with. He takes care of us. Brian spent two entire visits asking for free dessert (red bean pancake) and finally on the third visit, we got it. It's sort of like proving to yourself that you're "in" at the restaurant. Brian has a particular knack for this. I took this photo when the oranges arrived with the bill:

Then I snapped one of Marvin, with a flash, which surprised him and made him giggle. He then offered to take one of us.

So here we all are. Not a bad shot, Marvin!

LiCalsi came down to Chinatown by car, so after getting ice cream at Haagen Daaz, we all piled into his car.

I sat in the back so I could needle LiCalsi as a true Back Seat Driver.

Peter laughs at something someone said in the car.

Waiting at a traffic light.

Peter with crosstown traffic shining their headlights on him.

Then we stopped at my local deli before heading upstairs to play cards for a bit.

Take note that the guy working the counter is someone that Richard and I will eventually get to know as Sam, the Egyptian late night guy at our deli. But, for now, I'm a stranger, and Sam happened to get into this shot of LiCalsi buying some Haribo.

Once again we make a disgusting saliva-mess with seeds. An old bottle of sprite is stuck shut, so Peter and Brian work to open it.

I had bought a whole bunch of supplies at B&H recently, and to show Brian, I handed him all of the items.

I bought my third TRV-950 video camera. I can't believe I own 3 of the same camera! I have a shoot coming up where I will be shooting two plays at once. I'll use my old VX-1000, and my three TRV-950's. Two cameras per show. It's a big deal as it marks a major step of expansion for my little company. I'm not as nervous about it as I thought I would be. I'm just doing what I need to do to get it done right.