From Music to Technology

It’s hard to distinguish actual talent from what is out there anymore. In an industry where bulimia and auto-tune prevails, does the main stream population even care about talent? I believe the music industry has spun off from its original motive of producing music to producing entertainment. Let’s be honest, who actually listens to Ke$ha for her musical abilities?

While I am losing faith in pop music, I have gained a deeper appreciation for live music. One of the places I like to check out is located in Flushing, New York at a pub called Sheehan’s. I prefer dropping by on Tuesdays for their Live Band Night. On these nights, people randomly take turns playing instruments and singing to form a combination of different bands. Even though they may be strangers to one another, I love how the participants all share a firm love of music.

These videos were taken a few months ago. Please keep in mind that these videos were recorded through a cell phone.

Video 1

Video 2

The Straw-Man

Unless you lived under a rock in the 80s-early 2000s, most people have heard about the Straw-man. Darryl Strawberry was an infamous bad boy who received as much attention off the field as on it. He helped lead the Mets to win the world series in ’86 and helped lead the Yankees to their victories in ’96, ’98, and ’99. Currently he owns a bar/restaurant called Strawberry’s Sport Grill.

After hearing great reviews about Strawberry’s Sports Grill, my curiosity and stomach got the best of me. I called up a girl friend last night and decided to check out the joint.

When we got there, we were pleasantly surprised. I was semi expecting a dive bar in a seedy location but instead I found myself entering a high end sports bar- at least when compared to other sports bars like First Edition. The staff was extremely friendly, the atmosphere was cozy, and the walls were speckled with Mets, Yankees, and Strawberry memorabilia. Aside from the ambiance of the place, the food was AMAZING!

Having gone on a Tuesday night, the restaurant offered a deal for $5 burgers with french fries. My girl friend ordered herself a plate while I paid my attention to the bar. I ended up ordering a plate myself after stealing a bite off of my friend. Our Tuesday nights are going to be reserved on behalf of that burger from now on.

I was rendered powerless against their drink specials.  Their Mets/Yankees game specials boasted of $4 well drinks, $10 pitchers. Two pitchers later into our night, the big cheese himself appeared! It was legend- wait for it – ary!

The League

First things first, let’s give a round of applause to the New York Knicks for cinching a play-off seat after last night’s victory against the Cav’s. It’s the Knicks’ first time since 2003-2004! Now please, play and not just play.



Who doesn’t appreciate a little friendly competition? I joined a fantasy league for the first time this year. In fact, I ended up joining two leagues against my friends for basketball. When my friends found out that I had joined a league, I got suckered into joining another one within the same week! What’s peer pressure again? (If you’ve never joined a league before and you’re considering joining a team, just take a minute to reconsider if time is something you don’t have enough of!)

Asides from dedicating hours of researching players, creating strategies, and watching basketball games, I found it to be a very rewarding experience. I obtained experience, a deeper appreciation for the game, and better yet, a whole summer/fall’s worth of bragging rights to the guys for winning second place.  Nothing beats posting smack talk, especially when I happened to be the only female playing in both leagues!

Now my friends are trying to talk me into joining their baseball fantasy league. To play or not to play, I’m still in the process of making up my mind!