How to get the most out of “The Great Googa Mooga”…

By: Jennifer Logue

So yesterday I was asked to cover the 1st Annual Great Googa Mooga in Brooklyn. Taking place in Prospect Park, this unique foodie/music festival showcased  75 local food vendors, 35 brewers, 30 wine makes, and 20 live music performances from The Roots, James Murphy, and many more notable acts.

Being both a musician and a foodie, the festival seemed like a dream come true. The concept was purely genius in theory. I went for a super early morning run, had a light breakfast, and then set off to Prospect Park to drink and feast.

But that was easier said than done.

When I got to the festival, The Preservation Hall Band from New Orleans was performing but not too many people were really paying attention.

Everyone was too busy waiting around in massive lines to get their nosh of choice. I had my heart set on Luke’s Lobster and waited in line for 30 min until I realized that it would be at least another hour until I got my hands on a Lobster Roll.

Scratch that.

Downright starving by this point (the trip into Brooklyn took a good 55 minutes for me, mind you), I scanned the massive park for the shortest line. I didn’t care what I would be eating, as long as it was quick.

And Eureka! Char No. 4′s stand had a line marked with the time, 10 minutes. I dashed over and paid $10 for a Pork Fennel Sausage. (think a big hot dog- sort of looked like this)

It was absolutely fabulous but would have been much better enjoyed with a beer in hand. I looked over at the line. Would easily be another hour and a half of waiting.

With the sun beating down on me and the prospect of hearing The Roots play in a few HOURS, I decided to leave.

On the plus side, all the time I spent waiting for the train and waiting in line, gave me time to think about how to make the most out of the Great Googa Mooga next year.

Here it is:

1. Bring a picnic blanket.

2. Bring a BIG Group. Put a few people in charge of getting beer, a few people in charge of getting the most desired food items, and a few people in charge of manning the picnic blanket.

3. Bring lots of water.

4. Bring cash.

5. Plan your Googa Mooga adventures around the bands you most want to see. Since most of the big acts performed later in the evening, head out to the festival later to avoid too much time in the heat, get some grub and drinks, and sit back on your picnic blanket to enjoy the free, fabulous music.

Side note: Waiting in line can be so boring! Talk to the people in front of you and behind you and at least make some new friends. In addition, it would be cool to have some sort of entertainment while waiting in line. Maybe food samples? Shots? Some street performers playing the ukulele? The possibilities are endless and if the lines are perpetually long, the wait could at least be made more enjoyable.

Tags: brooklyn, festival, first annual, googamooga, nyc, preservation hall, prospect park, review, superfly, the roots

Kicking some butt: My adventures with Kickstarter

By: Jennifer Logue

So here I am, singer/songwriter chic in New York City, whose been slowly making some career progress in between sips of vino at cocktail parties and drips of sweat at the Bikram studio. My band and I are growing our fan base (opened up for Jon Herington of Steely Dan, then opened up for Cee- Lo and the Black Keys at Virgin Mobile Freefest, performed at Sundance) and along the way, some pretty fantastic music has been written.

We’ve been playing the new material for months at our live shows and now we want to make a new album, “Draped in Green.” But how? How does an unsigned act get the capital to record a new project?

The answer for me was easy because I had been there once before- Kickstarter.

I funded half of my latest record, “The Split Sessions” through Kickstarter and decided to give it a go for this new record as well.

I played it safe with my first campaign and did everything I was told to do- keep your project under 30 days and keep your goals within reach because it’s “all or nothing funding.”

I played the game according to the rules and I was successful. I reached my $2,000 goal which was put towards my recording project. However, the funding wasn’t sufficient to cover all expenses. After the mixing, mastering, pressing of the album, and album cover design, I spent closer to $8,000 and that’s without any sort of promotion budget.

So this time around with the “Draped in Green” campaign, I wanted a real budget to work with so I could make a quality record AND promote it properly. After doing research and crunching some numbers, I learned that $25K at a minimum would be needed for me to achieve my goals. Despite many in my inner circle urging me to aim lower, I said “F**k it.” If my project requires $25K then that’s what I’m going for. Sure, there’s a greater risk that I won’t reach my goal by aiming higher, but as the saying goes- “Shoot for the moon. Even if you don’t reach it, you’ll fall amongst the stars.”

What’s more, I didn’t keep my project to under 30 days. My new campaign will last 55 days, ending on May 25, 2012.

At this point in my career, there’s no point in me starting another Kickstarter campaign with a tiny budget with the same tired time constraint. I’ll just record another album halfway without any means of promoting it. Been there, done that. It’s time for a challenge. It’s time to try something new and if it doesn’t work out, heck, at least I tried and broke out of my comfort zone.

The only limits we have are the ones we set for ourselves. If you don’t push and test boundaries, you’ll be forever running in place or moving sideways.

So I’m raising $25K in 55 days (times a tickin’!) to record my “Draped in Green” album. Will I rise to the occasion and kick some butt? We shall soon find out. But I feel positive vibes all around with this one. By aiming higher I am already seeing my campaign from a new perspective. Nothing new would be gained if I set about my campaign in the same exact way as before. And besides, if I’m going to put in my time and energy, it better be for something worthwhile and darn it, I better learn something.

So I’m ready! Bring it on, Kickstsrter!

If you’d like to check out the campaign page, see the video, and all of the fabulous prizes, visit: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1104624719/help-jennifer-logue-get-draped-in-green

Tags: draped, draped in green, funding, internet, jennifer logue, julia nunes, kickstarter, new york city, setting goals

It’s not easy being indie…

by: Jennifer Logue

Sometimes I just need to vent. Being an indie singer/songwriter in one of the most competitive, expensive cities in the world isn’t always a picnic, it’s actually quite a struggle most of the time. You wake up in the morning with this insatiable drive to create and share your musical visions with the world and every day it’s a fight against your rent, a day job, social obligations, the clock, and your own insecurities.

And wouldn’t it be nice to only worry about the music part?  Simply taking in new influences and putting out dewy- eyed audio gems, painted on the canvas of your own life experiences?  If you’re okay with no one ever hearing your work, this is still possible for you. However, most music is created to be shared, to connect and make sense of the world around us. If you want your music to be heard, time must be taken away from it to do the grunt work- booking shows, doing your own PR, handling the legal end, seeking out new opportunities. As an indie artist these days, you have to wear so many different hats because at the end of the day, no one cares about your music or your career more than you do.

So you work, work, work and more often than not, you don’t see the results of your labor. Or the rewards are so small compared to other industries, at least on the surface. Some days I wonder what it would be like to not be a musician, to not have melody swirling inside of me 24-7. Perhaps if I were an investment banker, the same amount of work and dedication would yield a penthouse in Soho, a chateau in France, etc… My fellow artist friends are some of the brightest minds I know. I’m sure if we took our energy and put it into more traditional careers; we’d have all of that too.

But you can’t judge the life of an indie artist in accordance with the same rewards system. Society equates “success” with money, power, and influence; however, there are a million other ways to define success. As a songwriter, I feel like the most powerful person in the universe when I have a blank sheet of paper in front of me. Anything is possible in that moment. Then to see a song being born, from a few chords and a feeling- well, there’s no better feeling. All the money in the world couldn’t match it.

As artists we are dealing with a different kind of currency- a currency of the soul. A vocal coach of mine, Craig Derry, always says, “The job of an artist is to render the ordinary extraordinary.” As indie musicians, we create the soundtrack to life. Sure, we’re struggling, but in one way or another, every human being on this earth struggles. We have been put here to transform that struggle into song, a tangible thing of beauty that transcends language, sex, race, age, and time. We are able to take the special moments of our lives and make them immortal.

I began this blog post feeling a bit discouraged but now I’m ending it feeling more powerful than ever. As an indie artist, the work will never stop as long as the melody plays and the most we can ask in return is to connect with the world around us, one listener at a time. Life is never easy but at least we can say it is gratifying.  

Tags: craig derry, east village, indie, jennifer logue, new york, new york city, not easy, singer, songwriter, struggle

My Top 10 Superbowl Commercials of 2012

While I’m not the biggest football fan, I am a HUGE Superbowl fan. Aside from being a fantastic excuse to party, it’s also advertising’s biggest night, which isn’t hard to believe considering 111 million people tuned into Superbowl 2011. With that large of an audience, it’s no surprise that the commercials during the Superbowl are a treat to watch, at least for the most part. So in case you’ve been living under a rock or traveling to some exotic destination that doesn’t have cell reception, here is a play by play of my top 10 commercials during Superbowl 2012 along with links to view them on Youtube:

1. M&M’s- “Sexy and I Know It”

This was was definitely one of my favorite commercials this year. With Red M&M stripping off his shell and getting his groove on to the beat of LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It,” he is that guy at the party and I dare you not to giggle.

2. TaxAct- “Free to Pee”

The kid in this commercial is absolutely adorable. And I think we’ve all been in his predicament at one point or another. But what exactly is TaxAct’s message? That the anxiety of finding an available bathroom is the same as the stress associated with getting your taxes done? And that the relief when you do get to, well relieve yourself, is the same as getting a nice return that doesn’t break the bank, that’s FREE? Well, I really couldn’t tell you for sure. But the commercial is memorable and also “giggle” worthy.

3. Doritos- “Man’s Best Friend”

This commercial was one of the winning videos in Doritos’ “Crash the Superbowl 2012″ contest. And rightfully so! The premise is fantastic. A murderous dog with an appetite for cats is found out by his owner. Rover’s bribe to keep the crime quiet? You got it. A bag of Doritos. I love everything about this commercial- the rhythm, the music, the characters. It’s perfect.

4. Doritos- “Slingshot Baby”

Doritos wins once again with another video from their “Crash the Superbowl 2012″ contest. The entries they received are really impressive. I wonder what kind of effects were used for the “slingshot baby…”

5. Chevy- “Happy Grad”

This Graduate’s enthusiasm (for most of the commercial at least) is quite contagious. It’s a shame that his Chevy dreams will have to chill for a few years, unless he starts a successful dot com out of his dorm room.

6. Pepsi- “King’s Court”

I love Elton John, even when he’s playing an impossible to please “King” of the Court. Subjects perform for his majesty in the hopes of drinking King Elton’s prized Pepsi. Most fall flat and go straight down into the dungeon below, with the exception of X- Factor’s Melanie Amaro that is, who shakes up the castle with her rendition of “Respect” and causes a revolution of sorts when she banishes King Elton himself to the dungeon, where his only company is Flava Flav.

7. Sketchers- “Go Run, Mr. Quiggly!”

I don’t know what I love about this commercial most. Is it the adorable Mr. Quiggly, beating out all of the seasoned greyhounds for the top prize or is it the bubbly British announcers going wild when the unlikely winner races to the finish line and moonwalks? This commercial is too cute for words.

8. Volkswagen- “The Dog Strikes Back”

This may be my absolute favorite out of all of the Superbowl 2012 commercials. The message of product improvement is adorably demonstrated in the family dog, who whips himself into shape to keep up with the Volkswagen. The creators even go as far as to connect the ad to last year’s commercial, “The Force,” that featured a “Darth Vader in training.”

9. Dannon- “The Tease”

I don’t like Dannon Yogurt and I was never a huge John Stamos fan and I don’t love this commercial. However, it is memorable. And the head butt made me wince. It’s actually still making me wince. Ouch.

10. H&M- “David Beckham Bodywear”

Yum.

So those are my top 10. If you have your own favorites that aren’t on this list, please shoot me a message or comment below!

Tags: 2012, commercials, dannon, david beckham, doritos, elton john, h&m, john stamos, melanie amaro, pepsi, sketchers, superbowl, taxact

Best in the City: Sushi Samba

 

By: Jennifer Logue

It was a long day at work and a cold night in New York City. My tummy needed sustenance and my soul longed for an escape somewhere exotic, someplace…warm! While a spontaneous trip to Latin America was out of the question, albeit tempting, an evening at Sushi Samba was within reach and provided just the escape I needed.

Upon walking through the doors at the Park Avenue South location, I was immediately immersed into a world of color and Latin rhythms. The crowd was polished, energetic, buzzing. Every order, every drink being prepared seemed to move along to the beat of the Bossa nova pumping through the sound system,

I met up with the Grinding NYC crew at the lounge area reserved for us in the back. We started off the evening picking lovely cocktails from Sushi Samba’s signature cocktail tree. Tonight a selection of Japanese chu-hi’s were ripe for the sipping, my favorite being the Chu- Cumber, made with shochu, St. Germain Elderflower, and cucumber.

Shortly after, head chef Fernando Navas joined our party to chat about Sushi Samba’s unique fusion of Japanese, Peruvian, and Brazilian cuisine as well as the food he had prepared for the evening. We began with Shishito, grilled spicy peppers with sea salt and lemon, Portuguese Octopus a la plancha with potatoes confit, aji panca, and botija olives, Yellowtail with jalapeno and lemongrass and the Crispy Taquitos served with fresh lime. These dishes complimented each other beautifully and I highly recommend enjoying them with Sushi Samba’s fantastic Caipirinha.

Perhaps my favorite dish of the evening was Sushi Samba’s creative take on Gunkan, a nigiri sushi dressed in many different ways including the Wagyu, with quail egg yolk, potato paille, and sea salt, the Salmon with ikura and cilantro, the Scallop with tobiko and jalapeno, and finally, the Foi Gras, with nashi pear and eel sauce. Never in my wildest dreams would there be Foi Gras wrapped in a nori sheet, but at Sushi Samba anything is possible I suppose.

Finally, we ended the night with a delicious stew of Moqueca Mista, made with shrimp, squid, sea bass, crayfish, coconut milk, roasted cashew, dendê oil, and chimchurri rice. This was perhaps the best moqueca I’ve ever had in New York City. The quality of the ingredients and the sheer beauty of the dish amounted to a sensory explosion.

I look forward to my next visit to Sushi Samba on Park Avenue, perhaps for the Happy Hour Special with $6 bites and $6 cocktails. Who knew such a magical place could exist in Manhattan?

Tags: brazilian, chef max, cocktail tree, col, cuisine, fernando navas, grinding nyc, japanese, jennifer logue, new york city, peruvian, sushi samba

A Very Spice Market Thanksgiving

Breaking with tradition, I decided to stay in New York City for Thanksgiving this year.  I don’t know where the idea came from exactly, but it felt right and upon mentioning it to a few friends, the plan became etched in stone and it was decided we would all rock Turkey day together.

The only problem was…

Where would we feast?

Being the ringleader, it was up to me to choose a location.

At first I thought, “Wouldn’t it be lovely to have a dinner party at my place?”

But then it dawned on me that the mini oven in my cramped East Village kitchen- wait, “kitchenette,”—would barely fit a brownie sheet let alone a turkey for 7.

And then I would have a mess to contend with post- feast and let’s face it, on Thanksgiving, all I want to do is eat carbs and drink unhealthy amounts of red wine.

No, the feast would have to be prepared by someone else, someone fabulous- an expert.

As I was pondering this, I received an email from the Grinding NYC crew:

“Finished the Spice Market Video. Check it out!!”

We had just shot an episode for “Best in the City” at Spice Market the week before.
The food was adventurous and exotic but at the same time familiar. Not to mention, the restaurant itself was mesmerizing, resembling a South Asian temple with its height, color, and warmth. I couldn’t think of a better place to have a hedonistic Thanksgiving feast.

So I reached out to Head Chef Anthony Ricco and made it happen.

Food Porn

We began our meal at 3PM with some liquid nourishment at the bar. Our poison of choice? Spice Market’s Signature Lychee Raspberry Bellini. Pretty, bubbly, and pink. The perfect beginning to what would be an absolutely perfect meal.

At around 3:30PM, we sat down to our table, all of us choosing to order the Thanksgiving pre-fixe meal.

 (Chef Anthony was even able to modify the menu slightly for Inessa, who is a vegetarian. How’s that for fabulousness? :-) )

As an appetizer, we were served the Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger and Pumpkin Seeds, accented with fresh whipped cream and chives. I love Butternut Squash soup, and Spice Market dished up the MAC DADDY of Butternut Squash Soup. The crunch of the pumpkin seeds with the spice of the ginger added an exotic twist to this holiday standard, creating something truly extraordinary.

Now that our appetites were piqued, the parade of platters began:

Roasted Turkey Breast with Confit Turkey Leg- The plate was piled high with lovely, succulent white and dark meat. Just like home only minus the carving.

Gingered Cranberry Sauce- Fresh Cranberry Sauce of course, with a slight touch of Ginger. Paired perfectly with the spice of my Chilean Pinot Noir.

Roasted Baby Sweet Potatoes with Gula Jawa Glaze- These sweet potatoes had a gorgeous golden color to them. Also, the Gula Jawa Glaze is actually a palm sugar. Works in a similar way to the traditional brown sugar coating of sweet potatoes, but with a sweet smoothness.

Crispy Brussel Sprouts with Lemongrass, Honey, and Mint- I died and went to heaven with this dish. Enough said. I may never be able to eat a mushy, flavorless brussel sprout ever again!

Chestnut Sausage Stuffing- Mounds of bready goodness with bits of sausage and chestnut thrown into the mix. Once again, a little extra crunch and a little extra spice to something familiar goes a very, very long way.

Snap Peas and Shiitake with Water Chestnut- This dish is insanely fresh, crunchy, and satisfying. Luckily it’s on the main menu.

Sweet Potato Pie- Compliments of Chef Anthony! This was INSANE! Sweet potatoes topped with perfectly roasted marshmallows. I could have had this for dessert…

…but then there was THE PUMPKIN CHEESCAKE-
This slice of heaven was topped with a egg shaped spoonful of vanilla ice- cream, pumpkin seeds, and I’m pretty sure some candied ginger.

This lovely meal lasted until 8PM when our party decided to burn off a few calories with a night of dancing.

All in all, Spice Market served up a traditional Thanksgiving with a crunchy, spicy, ginger- touched twist. The coziness coupled with the incredible cuisine made Thanksgiving 2011 one to remember.

Tags: alternative, fine dining, ginger, inessa kovaleva, jennifer logue, meatpacking district, new york city, spice market, thanksgiving

Counting My Blessings ;-)

 

 

By: Jennifer Logue

Thanksgiving.

What does it all mean, really? Simply saying the word out loud conjures images of oven- roasted turkeys and crimson cranberry sauce, aromas of pumpkin and cinnamon spice, and that warm fuzzy feeling of being with the people you love.

It’s being at home, sprawled out on the floor with your mom, dad, brothers, sisters, aunts, and uncles, wearing your worn out jeans and knit- sweaters, watching football, arguing about politics, whilst getting embarrassingly hammered. (Well, that last bit is for my family. We like to go all out.)

Life in the big city has been so busy as of late that I haven’t had much time to reflect. Sitting here, on the eve of Thanksgiving, sipping a fabulous Bordeaux, it finally dawned on me- “THANKSGIVING.”

All of the turkey and pumpkin pie aside, what an amazing occasion for a holiday.

An entire 24- hours dedicated to being humbled and grateful for that which we have in front of us. Right here. Right now. In this moment.

I wonder how many of us will actually give thanks without being caught up in all of the extras.

I know I’m guilty of it. Our society is built on the desire to acquire.

This year, however, I’m giving thanks AND what’s more, I’m writing it down.

Some of these may overlap (forgive me!) but right now, I am thankful for…

1. LOVE
I may not have a steady man, but love is oozing out of every facet of my life. Amazing family, amazing friends, amazing people who inspire me to inspire every person I meet with a smile, with a laugh, with an idea, with a word, with an action.

2. FRIENDS
And I include my family in this one. Friends who are like family and family who are like friends. Being able to say anything that’s on your mind to someone who won’t judge you for thinking differently or for being completely open. For me, when I’m playing a show for a crowd full of strangers, knowing that there will be a few familiar faces that I can always count on, who always have my back, whether I ask them to be there or not.

3. MUSIC
The energy of my life. Listening to it, discovering it, enjoying it, creating it, performing it- there is no end to the possibilities. The chills a good song can give you, how it can touch your soul in such an unearthly way, a good song is a window to the heavens. A world without it would be unthinkable, monotone.

4. NEW YORK CITY
Sure, sometimes it’s crowded and sometimes it’s smelly. Sometimes it seems overwhelming and sometimes it leaves you feeling empty on the inside. But like a fiery lover, NYC has its good and bad days. And when you think of all of the art, music, culture, fine dining, and crazy, unforgettable nights this city has to offer, well, you forgive it for not having more greenery or for refusing to buy a house and get married.

5. A JOB
To enjoy this city, you need a steady income. I’m lucky enough to have a full- time job that gives me the stability to pursue my creative projects. Sure, I’m stuck in an office for most of my waking hours, but it’s a damn nice office. And I actually like everyone I work with. This year I’ve come to a pretty big realization- a career is only as fulfilling as you want it to be. How you make your money does not define who you are. I’m sure many people out there will disagree but I don’t care. I can honestly say that at this juncture in my life, I am happy and I feel fulfilled. No, I’m not the CEO and I’m not Lady Gaga, but I am happy, and that is definitely something to be thankful for.

6. BEING HEALTHY
Something we take for granted everyday. Being able to walk, run, dance. Getting through a day without feeling aches and pains. All that we’re ever really sure of is the present. We may not have 10 years from, we may not have 10 months from now, we may not even have tomorrow. Every precious second we are here on this earth is a blessing. Don’t waste it!

7. THE LITTLE THINGS
A pack of new guitar picks; the yellowed pages of a used book; the smell and sound of coffee being made at the crack of dawn; the still of the night writing by candlelight; talking for hours with an old friend over a bottle of tempranillo; fuzzy slippers; a witty text; every bikram yoga class; finding that butterflies in your stomach can still exist, even at 26; giving a piece of yourself with every song; home- baked pumpkin bread; golden retrievers; making new playlists with silly names (Nothing but a G- Thang!!) on Spotify; Audrey Hepburn movies; and on and on and on…;-)

8. KNOWING THAT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOMETHING MORE
That’s part of being human. We always want more but this is ok. Life would be incredibly boring without dreams and ambition. I am thankful that I’m a dreamer. It may not be the most practical or the most rewarding in the short term, but it could be incredibly rewarding in the long run. As the saying goes, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it, you’ll fall amongst the stars.” It’s okay to want more because it keeps us pushing forward. However, at the same time, we must stay true to our core- being present and thankful for all that is.

And on that note, I am stuffed. The chills and warm fuzzies I felt writing this post are more satiating than turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie combined. That being said however, I CANNOT WAIT TO STUFF MY FACE TOMORROW.  Just because I’m feeling philosophical doesn’t mean I cannot be thankful for the little things, which include many exquisitely fantastic carnal pleasures.

Note–If you have something to be thankful for that you would like to mention, send me message! Or comment below

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!

 

 

Tags: blessings, content, east village, happy, holiday, jennifer logue, musician, new york city, reflection, society, thanksgiving