Author: Jason

Random Acts of Gnome

Back in 2010, Jason decided he had too many gnomes hanging around the house and wanted to start hiding them out in the world.

For the first, he decided to hide one in the courtyard of our apartment building in among ivy under the tree in the center of the courtyard.

Since the gnome was hidden, and because Jason placed him there in the cover of darkness, we decided to name him Sneaks. It was kind of comforting to see him peeking out from the vines when we’d leave in the morning for work.

And in the winters, when the vines would be pressed down by the snow, he’d be a bit less hidden.

A few years later the ivy had grown so much that it was hard to see him at all. Recently, though, something was amiss. Erin was convinced he had escaped his hiding place. Jason wanted to believe he’d stayed put. Did someone steal him? Had he magicked himself away? We weren’t sure. Until last week, when Jason confirmed he was gone. But where had he gone?! We were so sad to see our little guy gone.

But wait! Our story has a happy ending!

When we were leaving for the gym this weekend and something caught Jason’s eye on the other side of the courtyard. IT WAS SNEAKS!! Apparently, he wanted some sunshine (or someone had moved him from his hiding place and put him out in the open). Needless to say, this made us both smile! Sneaks is alive and well; perhaps it’s time one of his buddies joined him (we have 4 others to choose from).

April 21
Brisketlab

Science never tasted so good. Brisketlab came to the Foursquare offices, and our friends had an extra pound of brisket to sell, which we snapped up. We all snagged seats at a picnic table in the Foursquare cafeteria—along with a few hundred other hungry people. There was a choice of “fatty” or “lean” brisket, or both (Jason wisely got us half a pound of each rather than split our orders), and some sides: Whole Foods mac n cheese and jicama-melon salad. Those stamped with a blue cow on their hands were in the first wave; though our wave (red) wasn’t ever called, it was clear the crowd was managing the flow themselves. Both types of brisket were pretty tasty, but both of us preferred the fatty. The spice rub had a decidedly pastrami vibe, and don’t get us wrong, we love pastrami, but it wasn’t what we were expecting. Our friends, who’ve sampled Brisketlab before, tell us that last time it was unbearably salty on the outside and flavorless on the inside. I don’t think that was the case this time—go go experimental method!

Of course, because it was at the Foursquare offices there had to be some kind of perk for checking in, right? They didn’t disappoint, giving anyone who checked in a free can of Six Point beer (not a tiny thing). The cafeteria accommodates far more than the 110 employees we hear they have, and damn was it noisy. The band, Emily Asher, was fantastic though, and the music was a nice addition to the evening. Cap it all off with some great friends, and we had a fantastic time.

September 7
Park Avenue Armory

There are so many hidden gems in New York City. How is it that a block-large armory still exists on the Upper East Side? The Park Avenue Armory has been repurposed into a flexible exhibit space. We went there recently with our friend Holly to see a piece called The Murder of Crows, a musical experience unlike any we’d ever been to before. The three of us were completely blown away by the piece, and we recommend it if you get a chance to see it. Sadly, no photos were allowed within the main Drill Hall, so we couldn’t capture the cavernous space, empty but for the few chairs in the middle and the scattering of dozens of speakers. But oh, how we both wanted to sneak photos! Instead, we were able to explore the exterior rooms and hallways, all perfectly preserved. (Some events can be photographed, though, like the quilt installation Erin attended there last year, Infinite Variety.) We’ll be keeping an eye on future programs and will definitely be back.

August 22