An Italian Soul Sendoff

That's what my mother calls it when Michele and I do a mash up like we did last night: We made fried chicken and pizza. Brought an overflowing tray of drumsticks and thighs and a cutting board full of all kinds of mini pies over to our favorite neighbors' to celebrate our move in the next couple of days. 

They took care of the booze: Red wine and tequila made the perfect pairings. The kids had their own bottle of sparkling cider. 

Easy breezy, we just stood around their kitchen noshing on our favorite finger foods while the girls ran in circles around us and through the rest of the house, tiny triangles of pizza in hand. 

No better way to mark our move than to do the things that we have always done together. It was a good send off. Gonna miss walking home barefoot and happy, after a fun night with the Austin's, but something tells me there'll be plenty more   good times to come. 

A Bag of Lentils and A Bunch of Beets

You can make this happen with a bag of lentils and a bunch of beets. 

Who wants to go outside in ten degree weather to find lunch? Or order bad Chinese? Instead, open your pantry, pull out some lentils. Soak them while you saute diced onion, garlic, carrots and red pepper in olive oil. Add the lentils and chicken stock to your pot. Season. Simmer. Done. 

While your soup is coming together, pull a bunch of beets out of the fridge. Break them down and slice them in to medallions. But don't throw away the greens. Clean and chop these too. Throw it all in to a saute pan with olive oil and shaved garlic. Season. Stir. Done. 

If you have a brick of cheese to throw on the table for good measure, do it. We had some robiola and drizzled it with olive oil. 

Warm some frozen bread. Pour some red wine. And have a hearty, healthy lunch that will beat anything you will find outside in the cold. 

"Red, Red Wine" and Reggae at the Barclay's

Last week, UB40 headlined the first reggae concert at The Barclay's. Michele had ordered premium tickets for us before the arena even opened so he was super excited. He has always loved reggae. It is his favorite music. Me? Not as much, but like a good wife, I went along for the ride. 

And what a ride it turned out to be! Maxi Priest opened the show and warmed up the crowd with classic songs like "You're Body Can't Lie to Me" and some of his new material, which was actually very catchy. Shaggy went on next and ripped a hole in the place. He literally changed the energy in the room with strong performances like "It Wasn't Me" and "Boombastic" sprinkled with funny, dynamic interludes. Even I was on my feet.  He was charismatic and  funny and entertaining and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed his set. Beres Hammond came on next.  He's an old-timer.  His set was more subdued with classic loves songs, but full of energy and emotion. Couples were slow dancing in the aisles. 

By this time, it was 11pm. The concert was an hour behind because of technical difficulties and too much time taken between set changes. The crowd was coming down from their high and many were  walking out of the arena before the headliner, UB40, even got on stage. It was a shame because the band bore the brunt of the production issues. Their set began abruptly and was shortened dramatically and their unhappiness about this was clear. They rushed through their material without any real attempt to engage the crowd. The more they sang, the more people left until there was a continuos stream of folks heading towards the exits. I have never seen anything like this at a show, a headliner crooning not just to an uninterested crowd but to a crowd that was leaving in droves as he sang to them. It felt like that last, never-ending song at the end of a church service that gives everyone permission to say their "God bless you's" and head out. We walked out at the start of "Red, Red Wine", their last song.  It was a sad, colorless version of the dynamic song that we all grew up hearing on the radio. 

Later, we sat over our own glasses of red wine at Blue Ribbon Brooklyn, subdued and puzzled about how a show that had started so strongly could end so dismally. Still, we had a great time and I ended the night liking reggae a little bit more.