Tag: New York

A Minute In Troy with Sean Rowe

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Welcome to “A Minute In …” — a BGS feature that turns our favorite artists into hometown reporters. In our latest column, Troy, New York’s Sean Rowe takes us on a tour of his favorite parks, restaurants, and beer bars. The songwriter just released New Lore.

I’m a Troy Boy, through and through. I was born and raised in and around these streets and have watched Troy, New York, go from being a rundown, forgotten city to the new “upstate Williamsburg.”  The streets I roamed as a kid, and my uncle’s restaurant where I washed dishes as a teenager, are now pretty damn hip — places with names like Peck’s Arcade and Superior Merchandise. And while I love to get a good whiskey on the rocks at Peck’s and a fancy cortado at Superior, my old favorites still stick with me, just like the old blues records I listened to while daydreaming of my rock and roll career as a kid on 15th Street. Here are a few of my old and current haunts.

Peebles Island State Park: Now, while this place is not in Troy proper, it’s close enough and so magical that I couldn’t leave it out. The three-mile island overlooks the place where the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers meet, and it’s an incredibly beautiful and historic place in the Mohawk creation story. The deer are everywhere here. It is my place of peace — where I go when I am road-weary and I need a way to reconnect. In early March of 2007, I found a young, lifeless buck lying in the walking trail. At the time, I was attending a wilderness survival school and I was eager to use my newfound skills to process the deer for food, tools, and clothing. Still got the deer hide with me to this day. This place, it’s unparalleled for me.  ​

Louis Rubin Approach (a.k.a. “The Steps”): Now this … this is classic Troy. It’s the view from the top of the “steps” at RPI (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) which were built in 1907. Over the years, the huge staircase has gotten several makeovers, and now it’s where I go to run, Rocky-style. I still dream that Mick will be waiting for me at the top with some sides of beef to punch, but … hasn’t happened yet.  

The Ale House: If you are a Trojan, as you would be called, then you’ve frequented the Ale House. It’s a classic, and it’s my Cheers bar … Ya know, everyone knows my name. The place is tiny — I’ve graduated from playing here to playing at their venue across the street called the Hangar — but it’s just that coziness that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. That might also be the amazing wings … or the beers … or the Hembold’s hot dogs … or the Mexican night menu on Wednesdays …

Muza: You know when you’re super hungry and you don’t want to risk going somewhere you might be disappointed, so you have your standby restaurant that you know is going to hit the spot every single time? That’s Muza. Every. Single. Time. This place is a Polish feast that I would eat at every night if not for pesky things like heart disease. The food is incredible — kielbasa, pierogis, and crepes. Oh my. They’ve recently opened up a Biergarten called the Hill that is for the fancy folks. And while I love grabbing a Zywiec porter and a mushroom toastie up there, it’s the original Muza that has my heart.

Get Off Your Ass: December’s Halls Need Deckin’

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Gary Clark, Jr. // The Theatre At Ace Hotel // December 1

Corb Lund // Resident  // December 7

The Wild Reeds // Echoplex // December 8

Lee Ann Womack // The Canyon // December 9

The Steel Wheels // Genghis Cohen // December 10

Tribute to Linda Ronstadt // The Theatre At Ace Hotel // December 11

Michael Kiwanuka // The Fonda // December 12

Sara Watkins // The Troubadour // December 14

Brothers Osborne // The Belasco Theater // December 15

The Dustbowl Revival // The Hi Hat // December 15

Cody Jinks // 3rd & Lindsley // December 2-3

Ruby Amanfu & Friends // 3rd & Lindsley // December 4

Billy Strings // The 5 Spot // December 7

Birds of Chicago & Michaela Anne // The Basement // December 7

Mary Gauthier // Bluebird Café // December 8

Shawn Colvin // City Winery // December 14

Brent Cobb // The Basement East // December 15

Luke Bell // Exit/In // December 15

Gillian Welch // Ryman Auditorium // December 27

Robert Earl Keen // Ryman Auditorium // December 28

Jason Isbell, John Prine, & Kacey Musgraves // Grand Ole Opry House // December 31

Old Crow Medicine Show & Dom Flemons // Ryman Auditorium // December 31

Andra Day // PlayStation Theater  // December 1

Donovan // Symphony Space // December 2

Chris Thile // Town Hall // December 3

Steve Earle // City Winery // December 5

Kacey Musgraves // Town Hall // December 8

Cris Jacobs // Brooklyn Bowl // December 9

Steep Canyon Rangers // Town Hall // December 10

The Stray Birds // Rockwood Music Hall // December 15

Albatross // Rockwood Music Hall // December 16

Anais Mitchell // Rubin Museum of Art  // December 23

Tony Trischka // Joe's Pub // December 24

Nathan Bowles // Terminal 5 // December 28

7 of the Best Independent Bookstores in the U.S. of A.

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It's back to school season already, so your Summer reading days may be behind you, but there's still time to get some good reads in … even if they are for class. If you aren't into supporting Amazon, independent bookstores are a great way to find new reading material while supporting local businesses. Plus, the actual humans who work in those stores probably give better recommendations than some algorithm, anyway. Here are seven of our favorite independent bookstores in the U.S.

City Lights Books — San Francisco, CA

Photo credit: Mobilus In Mobili via Foter.com / CC BY

Beat Generation figure and poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti founded this bookshop, which is known for its progressivism as much as it is its poetry section, in 1953. You'll also find the most extensive selection of Beat literature and poetry around.

Faulkner House Books — New Orleans, LA

Photo via Facebook

Oxford may have Rowan Oak, but New Orelans has Faulkner House Books, an indie bookstore housed in — you guessed it — a former home of William Faulkner's. Located right in the French Quarter, this shop is a welcome breather from some of New Orleans' less book-centric activities.

Housing Works Bookstore Café — New York, NY

Photo via Facebook

Housing Works Bookstore Café is connected to Housing Works, a non-profit fighting both homelessness and HIV/AIDS. All of the profits from their bookstore benefits their mission. Books and a good cause? Sign us up.

Powell's — Portland, OR

Photo credit: dog97209 via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

Nicknamed the "City of Books," Powell's is the ultimate indie bookstore, offering used and new books by the thousands. If you can't find it at Powell's, you probably can't find it anywhere.

Sundog Books — Seaside, FL

Photo credit: Aprile C via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

Is there anything that sounds better than a walk on the beach followed by a trip to the bookstore? How about a trip to a bookstore situated directly below a record shop? Yep, that's what you'll find at Sundog Books, and it's pretty darn hard to beat.

Square Books — Oxford, MS

Oxford's Square Books has been around since 1979, a mainstay on the main drag of Faulkner's hometown, with a Faulkner section to prove it. Look for offshoots Square Books Jr. and Off the Square, both just short walks from the original, three-story location.

Parnassus Books — Nashville, TN

Photo via Facebook

Nashville's literary scene got a much-needed kick in the pants when renowned author Ann Patchett opened Parnassus in 2011. Five years later, the store itself has expanded, with the city's literary community following suit. Parnassus is your one-stop shop for books, author events, and, most importantly, shop dogs.

 

Because we know you also love music, check out our favorite indie record stores.

Lede photo credit: visitmississippi via Foter.com / CC BY-ND

Get Off Your Ass: August Is Upon Us

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Melaena Cadiz // Hotel Café // August 2

The Wood Brothers // Fig at 7th // August 5

Alabama Shakes // Greek Theatre // August 9-10

Robert Ellis // Standard Hotel // August 10

Indigo Girls // The Fonda // August 11

Gregory Alan Isakov // The Fonda // August 12

Hard Working Americans // El Rey Theatre // August 13

Mavis Staples // Santa Monica Pier // August 18

Mary Gauthier & Dave Alvin // McCabe's Guitar Shop // August 19

Chris Pureka // Bootleg Theater // August 26

Claire Lynch Band // Ford Amphitheatre // August 28

The Hillbenders // The Mint // August 31

Charlie Worsham // The Basement East // August 1

Buddy Guy // Ascend Amphitheater // August 3

Patterson Hood // City Winery // August 4

Sam Lewis // The Basement East // August 4

case/lang/veirs // Ryman Auditorium // August 6

Kim Richey // City Winery // August 6

McCrary Sisters // 3rd & Lindsley // August 10

Elise Davis & Becca Mancari // Tomato Arts Festival in Five Points // August 12

Dixie Chicks // Bridgestone Arena // August 17

Tim McNary // The High Watt // August 18

Cale Tyson // The Basement // August 26

Uncle Earl // City Winery // August 29

Mark O'Connor Band // Joe's Pub // August 2

Anais Mitchell // City Winery // August 3

Aaron Neville // Apollo Theater // August 4

Lori McKenna // City Winery // August 4

Buddy Miller, Lucinda Williams, Patty Griffin, Mary Gauthier, & Dr. John // Lincoln Center Out of Doors // August 6

Elizabeth Cook // Bowery Ballroom // August 9

Junior Brown // City Winery // August 11

The Avett Brothers // The Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk // August 13

Jon Stickley Trio // Joe's Pub // August 17 & 25

Buffy Sainte-Marie // Highline Ballroom // August 21

Carrie Rodriguez // Joe's Pub // August 24

Benjamin Booker // Commodore Barry Park // August 27

A Minute in Brooklyn with Victoria Reed

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Welcome to "A Minute In …", a BGS feature that turns our favorite artists into hometown reporters. In our latest column, Brooklyn's Victoria Reed takes us on a tour of her favorite haunts, from a late-night taco spot to her own living room.

Marlow and Daughters
This is the best little grocery store just a few blocks away from my apartment. I cook all the time, so I'll stop here a few times a week on my way home to pick up something delicious to make. I've also recently become helplessly addicted to their fresh chocolate chip cookies. They're insanely good!

La Superior
This is the first place I ever ate in the neighborhood and it just kinda stuck. They're open late, which is crucial, and the tacos are delicious.

Catbird
I think it's a special thing to work in the neighborhood you live in. I started working at Catbird a couple of months after I moved to New York and I feel like I lucked out big time. The girls I work with are so magical and amazing, and I get to play with beautiful diamonds and jewels all day long, which is a definite perk! It's the only part-time job I've ever had where I find myself consistently excited to go to work.

Main Drag
This is where I found my 1960 Premiere Bantam Special that I play. I've also probably purchased about a dozen last-minute replacement capos from them because I can never hang on to one for more than a couple of weeks … pretty much as a rule.

Norman and Dobbin
It's where I first landed in Brooklyn and it kind of represents a major turning point for me. The studio that we recorded Chariot at is on this block and it's where I first made the decision to move from Chicago to New York. I love this block.

Fuego 718
This is arguably the coolest store in Williamsburg. It's packed to the gills with Mexican wall hangings, worry dolls, and incense, and it's nearly impossible for me to walk past without going in. The owner, a Barcelona native, is really sweet, too!

Bembe
This late-night, Latin vampire bar is just a few blocks from my apartment. It's one of the few places in the neighborhood that's really good for dancing, when you feel like really getting down.

Nitehawk
Nitehawk made me appreciate going to the movies alone, which is a great thing to do when you first move to a new city and find yourself not quite as socially stacked. They play new releases and awesome independent/cult films, and the truffle popcorn makes my mouth water just writing about it. It's also walking distance from my house, and they serve wine, so I don't know what more you can ask for. Sometimes I'll go see movies I don't even like just to eat the popcorn, drink some wine, and daydream in a dark room.

My living room
I'm always writing songs in my living room. I live in a pretty classic artist's loft building so no one ever complains about the noise, and it looks out on a beautiful view of the bridge and city that's pretty inspiring. It also doubles as a rehearsal space with just a few slight furniture rearrangements which is super fun and convenient. We'll even host concerts here from time to time!

Grand and Berry
Another one of my favorite corners. It's right in the center of all my spots, in what's become my favorite neighborhood that I've ever lived in. Work and some of my favorite restaurants are all just a few blocks away, my two life-long best friends live a block over, and it looks really nice at sunset.

Victoria Reed is a Brooklyn resident and musician. Her debut album Chariot is out February 26. Follow her on Twitter at @victralia.

All photos by Victoria Reed, except lede image by Shervin Lainez.