When travel throws a wrench at your plans, make the most of it.
Last night was my last full night in Queens/Manhattan doing some business with Dan Beimborn and making visits to Retrofret but mostly a getaway for my second passion which is dining on exotic/bizarre foods.
On the #7 subway headed into Manhattan when a train ahead has problems and we're stuck in an area I know nothing about. After 30 minutes I exit along with others and start walking. Find another subway stop, check... oh, that single malt bar in Williamsburg I'd decided I wouldn't visit is 20 minutes away. I'll start there. I switch trains a bit later to catch another, step off the subway at Metropolitan Ave. in Brooklyn and there's a guy holding an F mandolin with a spectacular Torch & Wire inlay. He's busking, he's pretty good! I drop a few dollars, chat, give him my business card--he's amongst us, though doesn't do the forum.
We chat, he's having a crappy night on tips. "Want to get a whisky and dinner on the Cafe?" And so starts a pretty long evening chatting general music, living in Queens, Monroe, various mandolins, busking, his fine sounding Stiver.
So, if you see him on the subway, drop a few dollars. Also plays dobro, pedal steel and guitar. A fine guy and a fine evening that ended late.
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