Where to Be in 2012

Music Hall of Williamsburg

According to the NY Times (it's totally a coincidence), NYC is the place to be in 2012, particularly for food and music. On January 8, a series of articles were written to prepare readers for the new year and what cool things to do all over the world. Varying from giving tips on where to see art to where to go to understand the world, these writers from the Times give us a glimpse of places they've been around the world that should be listed somewhere on our bucket list. For something a little more accessible, for some of us anyways, some music and restaurants are experienced best with a New York state of mind. As it turns out, I'll be at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on the 18th to see one of my favorite producers Madlib do a DJ set (look out for a post on that!), and that venue was one of the first ones featured in the long list of Brooklyn venues in article "Where to Hear Music in 2012" by Peter Edge. And New York Restaurant Week conveniently starts on Monday and I'm pretty sure I should put Kajitsu on my restaurant list..."Where to Eat in 2012" convinced me. Check out the parts of both articles after the jump. And hey, if you can travel the world like those authors...a) I'm jealous of your life and b) check out the full articles too. 

Music

       In terms of where to hear cutting-edge popular music today, your first stop might be Brooklyn, which, in my opinion, is definitely one of the hot spots right now. I’m from the U.K., and people there feel the same way, with groups like Vampire Weekend and MGMT putting it on the map and newcomers like Elle King making the scene now. The Music Hall of Williamsburg is probably the epicenter of the scene, along with Glasslands and theKnitting Factory. Bell House in Gowanus is worth a visit, too. I was in Paris a few weeks ago. As well as being historical and beautiful, is still one of the most vibrant, cutting-edge cities and has some of the best music. The hot club right now is the Social Club. You can hear a sound there — kind of an amalgam of funk and disco, though not specifically retro — that’s purely a creation of Paris. It’s electronic and based around that ’70s and ’80s funk. Hip-hop is also really big there. Kanye and Jay-Z have a song that references Paris right now. Another club worth noting is Silencio, designed in part by David Lynch. It’s more of a social club and a dance club — another place to hear the newest Paris sound.  

The Bell House

  via Where to Go to Hear Music 


Food

          In New York, you have to try Kajitsu in the East Village. I think, consistently, it might be the best restaurant in the city. And it’s totally a value; there’s an eight-course tasting menu for $70. The executive chef, Masato Nishihara, serves Shojin temple food, an ancient cuisine developed in Buddhist monasteries — sort of Japanese comfort food. It’s all vegetables, but you’re not going to miss the meat. And his pickles are so delicious. It’s a thought-provoking experience, but also incredibly fun and extremely tasty. 

          Mr. Nishihara is extraordinarily talented. When I was in Kyoto, where he cooked for years, the chefs there told me, “Even though he’s in New York, he’s one of ours.” That’s the highest compliment.

Shiro Tsujimura

The shapes "" were sketched by the Zen monk Sengai Osho to illustrate one of the most essential principals of Zen: the journey to bring meaning out of something that seems to have none. At Kajitsu we use this symbol to show our respect for Zen philosophy and the traditions of shojin cuisine.

via Where to Go to Eat in 2012