Hell's Kitchen Getaway

I am apartment sitting for a few days at my sister’s apartment in scenic Hell’s Kitchen while she is away doing something in what I believe to be Canada. I guess calling it apartment sitting is kind of stretch as there aren’t any animals or plants here that need tending to or really anything else that might require sitting of any sort in my sister’s absence. Also, “apartment sitting” sort of implies that the person to whom the apartment belongs knows that there is someone staying there while they are away. Without really talking about it with my sister at any point, I just kind of showed up here a few days ago and got the key from the guy at the front desk, who- like most people- just can’t say no to my boyish good looks and way with a knowing glance. I’m pretty sure my sister won’t mind though. I do plan on airing the place out for a bit before she gets back. Then again, last time I tried that while “apartment sitting” for a friend, I ended up dropping an air conditioner out the window and sending it crashing to the ground four stories below. Oops. Life is funny sometimes. And I still owe that friend a new air conditioner. Here’s to fall (and sweater weather).

The next block over from my sister’s apartment is a bakery or bread factory of some sort. As a result, my sister’s apartment tends to smell like fresh-baked bread and/or burnt toast pretty much 24 hours a day. It is a smell that is at once charming and annoying, reminding me both of simpler times I’m too young to remember and also why I’m not allowed to make my own toast anymore. Sometimes I feel like lighting some incense to combat the festival of smells coming from the bread factory, but then that presents a whole other set of charming/annoying attachments, like the fact that I somehow recently ended up on some group mailing list through which friends of friends have been circulating photos from Burning Man, some sort of outdoor festival I have never attended and- if everything goes as planned- never will. None of the pictures even include any naked people. To use the language of the Internet types, WTF? It’s all pretty confusing when it gets right down to it.

In other news, this past Saturday the new rock band that I play guitar in, Heather played our third Saturday show in our month-long October residency at Arlene’s Grocery. It was really crowded and I think I finally got the hair right, so I’m pretty excited about that. Nothing much else to report other than the fact that we totally rocked ass and hearts were touched in general. If you find yourself in scenic New York City either this Saturday or the next, you should come check that shit out. I also encourage you to come see my unstoppable rock band Valley Lodge as we rock balls at Sin-e on November 2. It should be pretty incredible. Brace yourself. And be sure to tell all the kids. Life is short- rock often, mofo. What are you running from?

Dave Hill