Happy Birthday, Mr. President

I had such a lovely time over the President’s Day weekend I couldn't resist further shirking my responsibilities and extending it for a few more days.

I spent Saturday at Mos Def’s performance at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. I wasn't too familiar with his music prior to the concert (although I loved The Italian Job, mostly because of the speedy Mini Coopers). I had read a not-so-enthusiastic review of his recent Jazz at Lincoln Center performance, which was apparently uninspired. At BAM, he was inconsistent. Backed by an 11-piece brass menagerie and a slick rhythm section, Mos Def proved to be a charismatic performer, joking and chatting with the audience and periodically busting out sprightly dance steps. The high point of his set was his fantastic cover of Bell Biv Devoe’s “Poison”, a tune that every American of my generation inherently knows the lyrics to. Unfortunately much of his original material lacked the same energy, and halfway through the night Mos Def seemed to be losing steam. He further alienated his audience by taking some veiled shots at his home Brooklyn turf before a cover of Neil Young's “Like a Hurricane,” dedicated to victims of Katrina. Overall, there were a few magical moments that made the trip to BK worthwhile. The bar/lounge on the Opera House’s mezzanine reminded me that I should visit my second favorite borough more often.

Monday I had brunch at Pastis with a visiting friend from Tokyo. Due to the holiday, Eggs Benedict were still being served at 4 pm. One member of my party was over an hour late (which normally would have put me on the warpath), but by the time she finally arrived my other companion and I were well on our way to intoxication, contentedly sipping Les Vies en Roses at the bar.

Today I decided to could squeeze in a very quick trip to the North Country. Perhaps I was too inspired by Kevin Harvick’s win at Daytona on Sunday, because I was presented with a speeding ticket instead of a trophy. That never happens to Kasey Kahne.