Car parked somewhere in upstate NY.

Last thing’s first…

Went to Le Poisson Rouge to see Jokers of the Scene, Catchdubs & Star Eyes. Familiar faces in strange cities are always nice – particularly when spending about a quarter of each day driving. (Love to drive.)

This was my first time really hearing Star Eyes and I left feeling pretty psyched so she’ll get some special attention here. Not long ago, MISHKA released a dark mixtape she made with Dust La Rock called Ov Cvrse. It really has been a few weeks but I’m still taking it in.

Also, here’s a video for her song Disappear. Her close up shots are awesome.

Le Poisson Rouge. This wasn’t even the actual exit.

Photographers

Inevitably, I did my best to squeeze in some cultural activities. This included hanging out with people like Ryan Foerster & Naomi Harris as well as checking out the Ryan McGinley exhibit at Team Gallery and finally milking my MoMA membership by paying a visit to Tim Burton’s show there. The Marina Abramovic retrospective was great too. Daring, even.

This June, I’ll be showing some work by Ryan Foerster in Ottawa with some other photographers from Detroit and Bermuda. Stay tuned for more info on that.

Food

As a vegan, every time I travel, eating is typically pretty high on the list of things to do. My needs are basic but I appreciate when food is done properly. The stand out meal for me would have been the falafel I had at Azuri Café in Hell’s Kitchen. I knew this spot was well known but when I got there, a food tour on its way out. “You make me nervous! I can’t make that many falafels so quickly,” says the man at the counter to the arrogant tour guide. A close second place would go to NY Dosas outside Washington Square Park. Truth be told, I had been trying to eat here for four years (and about as many visits to the city). Finally getting a chance was like finding a unicorn. I regret not trying Meskerem Ethiopian but I’ve got to give myself something to look forward to for the next trip!

Meaghan Tsaacs in line at BabycakesNYC.

Photography

In exchange for accommodations in Brooklyn, we worked out a deal to provide content to Pomp and Circumstance’s website. My first entry showed Coney Island in all it’s glory on opening day, Sunday, March 28, 2010. The second was a series of black and white cell phone photos of discarded umbrellas ruined by wind and rain. Barter system for life. Need photos and got something awesome to trade? HIT ME UP! Come to think of it, last year, I traded for a week in a Vancouver condo and I have yet to cash it in. To date, I haven’t had a reason to but perhaps it’s time I make a reason.

Coney Island topless jogging.

Cell phone photo of a busted umbrella in NYC.

Of course, nothing of what I have written about so far actually motivated my week in the state of New York. While I cannot yet speak in too much detail about my motivation, I will say that my experience rates high as one of the most profound I’ve ever had. It was challenging and I don’t yet feel fully accomplished but I feel positive and hope to continue later this year. Thanks to everyone I spoke to and everyone who in some way helped facilitate this trip. I put about 2300km on a car that was neither mine nor a rental. Sometimes, generosity of individuals can be amazing. Distance between Ottawa and my destination outside New York City: 666km.

Here are two glimpses…

This photo is a crop of about 11% 0f the total photo it belongs to. Stay tuned to eventually see it in its entirety.

One of the most amazing hours of my life. People were very curious too.

Merci.

I took Sam’s photo in 2007 at the first Canadian Regional Barista Championship he entered, about six months after he started working as a barista. After sitting through most of the day-long contest, Sam was finally up I found that, even as a rookie, compared to his overconfident and/or underexperienced competitors, he had a sort of cool yet modest finesse to him. There was a lot of pressure but he kept it together and even cracked a few jokes during his “performance”.

Sam didn’t win the competition in 2007 but I hear he’s gone on to win a bunch more. Check him out on the internets.

Here’s Sam in 2007. As seen in the reflection, his Montréal Expos cap-wearing coach, Nick Brown, carefully watches his protégé get to work. A few more on Flickr.

Anyway, if you’re in town and looking for an awesomely intense dessert, check out Indian Express for real. They sell sweets by the pound and don’t really taste like any same old same old cake or pie or cookie you might normally have. Tonnes of dairy-free options too. 1104 Somerset St. W near Wellington.

Hugh MacLeod of gapingvoid.com wrote a list of ways to be creative that can be applied to nearly all “artforms”. It doesn’t pretend to have all the answers but it is a great list to start with and if you want more, he goes into detail further into the article.

PS: I found it on another Ottawa photographer’s blog.

• Chocolate chip cookies of varying chewiness
• Chocolate pie with an improvised coconut & oatmeal crust
• Roasted roots
• Basil and green onion potato salad (oil dressing, not creamy)
• Red peppers and vegetarian mock duck in black bean sauce (big ups to the local AZN grocery)

Basil is your new best friend.

Now I am back in Århus with a sleeping bag that smells like beer and forced to use dull knives and the most pathetic cutting boards you’ll ever see.

In any event, a can of Canada’s finest sirop d’érable was the only food item I brought with me from Canada. After corrupting my roommates with its delicious qualities, I am not running dangerously low and refuse to pay the exorbitant prices for this important wonder-juice.