Music Monday: Youth Lagoon

Apologies to everyone for the shortage of new material. I'll spare you all the usual excuses and admit to a severe lack of motivation. That shouldn't suggest I haven't been eating well, I have, but a busier than expected schedule has put my blogging responsibilities on temporary hiatus.

A few weeks ago I managed to meet up with an old college friend of mine in Chicago. Considering he's spent the past few months working in Europe, it was especially nice catching up with him. Based on a recommendation of his I checked out the band, Youth Lagoon, who recently released The Year of Hibernation. A DIY project of Boise, Idaho artist, Trevor Powers, I immediately was hooked by the album's crude production and artfully arranged melodies. Below is a personal favorite of mine, "Montana," enjoy!

Music Monday: Matt Berninger and Annie Clark cover the Crooked Fingers

Having just celebrated the mid-Autumn festival and the Korean holiday, Chuseok, last Monday, we seem ready to bid adieu to summer and welcome in fall. But before we start thinking about daylight savings or unpacking that "autumn sweater" (sorry, I couldn't resist the obvious Yo La Tengo reference), I wanted to share one final summer-themed song.

Music Monday: Real Estate

To be honest, other than recently digging "It's Real," I know relatively little about the New Jersey based band, Real Estate. The quartet's second full length album, Days, was produced by Kevin McMahon (the Walkmen, Titus Andronicus) and its September 27th release seems to be generating plenty of buzz around the blogosphere. The combination of lead singer, Martin Courtney's warm vocals, catchy chorus line and breezy guitar driven melody, makes the song an ideal tune to ride out these last weeks of summer. Happy Music Monday!

Totto Ramen: Slurps of Satisfaction

"New York City is full of crazy trends..." sarcastically remarked a man walking past me last Friday evening. This comment, while not entirely untrue, was in obvious reference to the large crowd amassed outside of Totto Ramen, the popular Japanese restaurant in Hell's Kitchen. While it seems that virtually all of New York is obsessed with Ippudo's porky Hakata-style ramen in their sheik downtown digs, count me as part of the dissenting minority who believes that Totto's chicken-based ramen is consistently serving up the better bowl.

Rouge et Blanc: French meets Vietnamese in SoHo

Having heard few (but mostly positive) reviews and craving something original, MW and I found ourselves in SoHo on a rainy Friday evening. Our destination was Rouge et Blanc the relatively new French-Vietnamese restaurant by former Chanterelle and Beacon sommelier, Thomas Cregan. Given his previous role, it only seems fitting that the restaurant's name would be a nod to the restaurant's wine list comprised of French "reds and whites." Although we had made reservations, they hardly seemed necessary as the dining room was never more than half full throughout the course of our meal.

Music Monday: Vivian Girls and the Shangri-Las

A few weeks ago the Brooklyn band, the Vivian Girls dropped a new music video for their single, "Take It As It Comes." A track off their third album, Share the Joy, the video is a nod to the song's retro spoken-word aesthetic that depicts the band giving each other love advice and is one of my favorite videos of this year.

Alinea: Down the Rabbit Hole

From its disorienting red hallway to the meal's final dessert being plated and eaten off the dinner table itself, Alinea manages to throw all of the conventional rules of fine dining out the window. But with a trio of Michelin Stars and a top ten ranking on the San Pellegrino list of the worlds best restaurant, Chef Grant Achatz, alongside business partner Nick Kokonas, together stand at the forefront of modern American cuisine. Thus, there was almost no way that our vacation could be considered "complete" without dining at the best restaurant in Chicago, and maybe the entire United States.

Music Monday: Dum Dum Girls and The Jesus and Mary Chain

Today I'm featuring the new single from Dum Dum Girls, "Coming Down," off their sophomore release entitled, Only in Dreams. Listening to the song, I was immediately struck by the throw back vibe of the song; most notable in Dee Dee Penny's vocals which are striking similar to Hope Sandoval. The album is slated to release on September 21, 2011.

L2O: Life After Gras

It seemed too good to be true. One superstar chef (Laurent Gras) paired with Chicago's most prominent restaurateur (Rich Melman of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises) and voilà... Three Michelin Stars later and L2O was the talk of all Chicago. Of course, it was too good to be true. Gras abruptly departed the restaurant.

If Alinea is considered Chicago's preeminent restaurant, then its runner up was once again in question. Shrouded in mystery, relatively few reports surfaced on the status of L2O post Gras, making planning our vacation all the more difficult. Considering how fiercely competitive the industry is, losing a marquee chef such as Gras can be a defining moment for a restaurant; often forcing it into a sink-or-swim situation.

Graham Elliot: Deceptively Delicious

After being canceled on a second time by Schwa, MW and I were pretty disappointed, but not at all surprised. Fortunately, Chicago has many great restaurants and so I made a reservation at Graham Elliot. The self-proclaimed pioneer of bistronomy - the trend of combining causal decor with gourmet-level food - in Chicago, Elliot has earned quite the reputation for his oft-described "whimsical" creations. But behind all the clever descriptions and funky concoctions is a seriously talented chef who is turning traditional fine dining on its head.

Music Monday: Amy Winehouse

Whether you loved her or hated her, there was no denying that Amy Winehouse was blessed with an incredible voice. Plagued by a lifetime of drug and alcohol abuse, news of her recent passing came as little surprise. So in her memory, I've chosen two of my favorite Winehouse songs. The first song, "Valerie," was a collaboration between Winehouse and producer, Mark Ronson.

Music Monday: Cansei de Ser Sexy (CSS)

I first caught wind of Brazilian band Cansei de Ser Sexy (CSS) in 2006 after listening to their single, "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above," off their self-titled debut. After hearing relatively little about the band I stumbled upon a new single that had been floating around the blogs entitled, "Hit Me Like a Rock." As per usual, Lovefoxxx's punky vocals grace the track over a keyboard driven beat, guitar breakdown and even features a cameo by Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie. While undoubtedly not reggae, there is no denying its influence, and seems like a great summertime jam.

Chicago Brunch Bets: The Publican

Having only one Sunday in Chicago meant that MW and I had to be especially discriminating when selecting our sole brunch destination. Fortunately for us, the decision turned out to be quite simple, as The Publican looked too good to pass up. Specializing in specialty suds, heirloom pork and sustainable seafood, Paul Kahan's take on an American bistro seemed like the perfect place to nurse our hangovers and fill our bellies. Of course, the fact that the restaurant accepts brunch reservations didn't hurt either, but ultimately, the food here is the main attraction and well worth the wait, even without one.

Avenues: The Best Seat in Town

Avenues is a restaurant that I've had my eye on for awhile now. The restaurant where Graham Elliot first made a name for himself is currently helmed by Chef de Cuisine, Curtis Duffy. Just like Elliot, Duffy boasts a stellar resume himself, having spent time in the kitchens at Charlie Trotter's, Trio and Alinea. Needless to say, I was more than intrigued, and booked a reservation with a request for seating at the Chef's Counter. All of six stools, these coveted seats give diners an intimate perspective of the kitchen, which greatly appealed to the both of us.

Topolobampo: Love at First Bite

In the hierarchy of American chefs, few are held in such high esteem as Rick Bayless. With the title of Top Chef Master, his own television show and multiple cookbooks, there's no doubting Bayless's success. But accolades and stardom aside, Bayless's greatest culinary contribution is introducing America to authentic regional Mexican cuisine when he opened Frontera Grill in 1987. Yet it wasn't until two years later when Bayless opened Topolobampo that Mexican food entered into the realm of fine dining, earning a Michelin Star earlier this year.

Music Monday: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

The story of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (CYHSY) is becoming an all too familiar tale in this modern digital age. An obscure DYI indie band produces an excellent, but obscure, self-titled album. Said band then becomes an instant darling among music blogs, and proceeds to capture widespread critical praise. For the first time in the band's history hype builds, and when their follow up has sounds differently, critics and fans alike drop the band like a bad habit. This takes us to the present, where CYHSY currently stand at a crossroads. Set to release their third full length album, Hysterical, sometime in September 2011, it seems that much of the band's future hinges on its success or lack thereof. Fortunately, if the band's new single, "Same Mistake," is anything like the rest of the album, then they can sleep easy knowing they have something good on their hands.

What's Old is New Again at Next Restaurant

Aside from the impending closure of El Bulli, no restaurant in the world has received the same amount of media coverage than Grant Achatz's last project, Next Restaurant. With a menu that will change four times a year, it was announced that the restaurant's inaugural menu would be fashioned after the cuisine of Auguste Escoffier when he opened the Ritz hotel in Paris, 1906. In an odd twist of fate, the chef who was renown for his futuristic food was suddenly recreating the classics of yesteryear.

Blackbird: Birds of a Feather Flock Together

While everyone (rightly) attributes the advent of Chicago's fine dining scene to Charlie Trotter, one must not forget the invaluable culinary contributions of Paul Kahan. While associated with several of Chicago's finest restaurants, including Avec, Publican, Big Star and The Violet Hour, Kahan's flagship remains Blackbird. Located in Chicago's West Loop, MW and I made our way to the Michelin starred restaurant for a lunch.

RIA: When Life Gives You Lemons...

So there we were, huddled in an alley with two bags of booze, attempting to escape the howling wind on a random street in Wicker Park. We were supposed to be eating at Schwa, said by many as one of Chicago's best restaurants, only to find its doors locked with a scribbled handwritten note apologizing for the closure. Sure, I had read all of the cancellation stories (let me guess, burst pipe?), but never did I think it would actually happen to us! But sure enough, there I was, simultaneously trying to hail a cab while scrambling on my phone to make alternative dinner plans. Fortunately, with some quick thinking on my part and a little bit lot of luck, we scored a last minute reservation at RIA and managed to enjoy an amazing meal.

Chicago Brunch Bets: The Doughnut Vault

After landing in Chicago and getting ourselves oriented with the city, naturally, my first order of business was to seek out sustenance. Having lurked on several Chicago food blogs in anticipation of our vacation, I couldn't help but notice the city's newfound obsession with doughnuts, particularly from Brendan Sodikoff's The Doughnut Vault. I'd heard stories about long lines and selling out within hours, so I initially doubted our chances of trying these doughnuts. But after frantically checking their twitter feed and realizing the vault was only a few blocks away from our hotel, I decided to wake up early and brave the line for some freshly made doughnuts.