La Salsa: Eat Mexican Food.

(As published by the Fairfield Weekly, November 29, 2007)

Stop eating your leftovers! The turkey is shot, the cranberry sauce has turned to slop-juice and no amount of salt will cover the taste of the mold now caking your potatoes. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some comfort food. I recommend La Salsa Fresh Mexican Grill (580 Post Rd Fairfield; 203-256-8800). Can I do that? Recommend Mexican food in place of Thanksgiving leftovers? Of course. Just as with Thanksgiving, at La Salsa you can fill yourself to the point of self-disgust (and usually for under $10). Start with a Grande Burrito or a pair of shrimp tacos; those are my faves. If you’ve recovering alcoholics at the family table—hey, La Salsa doesn’t serve booze. No margaritas, no Dos Equis, but maybe you’ve realized that the only reason other Mexican joints sell booze is to hide the nasty flavors they pack into their chicken chimichangas. La Salsa has no such ass-nastiness. They heavily advertise their use of only “real chicken” (as opposed to…meow?), high-quality steak, fresh vegetables and no microwaves. The fried-chicken taquitos are delicious and most meals are served with a heap of rice-n-beans. Get the #2 special if you’re real hungry—a quesadilla, two taquitos, rice-n-beans-n-chips-n-salsa. Take-out’s available but if you can brave the tiny parking lot, push your way into the salsa bar for spicy or sweet takes on the recipe—not to mention a fine spread of onions, jalapenos, cilantro, etc.

Election Day Blowout!

(My part of the Fairfield Weekly's November 1, 2007 Cover Story. Intro by Tom Gogola.)

FAIRFIELD FIRST SELECTMAN

John Nelson is the youthful opponent of eight-year First Selectman Ken Flatto. Both are Fairfield natives and both are impressively concerned about the town’s well-being and quality of life. This year marks the first year in Fairfield history that the elected First Selectman will serve a four-year term instead of two.

Flatto has solidified over 500 acres of open spaces in the town, he’s doubled the traffic and safety division of the police department, he’s upgrade six public schools, the main library and the sewer plant and the state has recently approved permits and plans for building another train station in town. The station, to be located on lower Black Rock Turnpike by BJ’s Wholesale, will, according to a survey conducted by Flatto, relieve about a third of the traffic going to the Post Rd. station. This is arguably one of Fairfield’s major issues. Flatto said they’re looking to break ground on this project within a month.

Nelson, who seemed to at least have the slogan on his website memorized when we spoke with him (This town is at a crossroad…), is committed to improving the beach, making it a “first class beach area. No, a world class beach area.” (Let’s be clear on the distinction there.) He would like to place more of an emphasis on the town’s identity as “the intellectual and historical seat of CT” and also make more of a “walkable and lively downtown area.” He cites flooding, parking and traffic as hindrances in truly enjoying the area.

When probing for Nelson’s political competency as compared to Flatto’s, we found shaky ground. He wants to fix overcrowding in the classroom, but he wants spending to be the last resort. He instead proposes “scientific growth analysis” and “a thorough evaluation of available space.”

One thing Flatto doesn’t have on Nelson is a military background. Nelson explained what he took from the Marine Corps, as it’s applicable to being Fairfield’s First Selectman, “I learned to delegate authority and responsibility to those experts within the town” and also “to engage the resources, corporations, institutions and the spirit of volunteerism.”

Flatto, the favored candidate in this race, prides himself on his time and work spent on the public school renovations and the other local projects. “I feel very confident that we’ve done a good job and I believe the citizens feel the same way.”

Flatto’s biggest criticism of Nelson has been his voting record; that Nelson has not voted in local or state elections for the last five years. Nelson admitted that “that would be correct,” but that he does not think it hinders his chances to be elected. “I know how important voting is because I protected that right by wearing a uniform and putting my life on the line,” he said.

Democrats in Fairfield are also bringing up the fact that Nelson was not living in Fairfield as far back as 2004 and as recently as last year. Nelson said he lived in the house for the first and last of those five years, because he was overseas and was living in “any number of other places.”

Nelson said of his campaign progress, “I’ve got my ear to the ground and I’m being told that my platform has got it.”
And what platform is that? From what we could find, it’s “Fairfield is a great town, but it could be a whole lot better.” That, and “I love the outdoor tables and the warm environment on Post Rd. That’s really what I’d like to see more of.”

Flatto recommends that anyone driving through Fairfield check out Las Vetas for a cup of coffee, Hobby Town for “a nice Mom and Pop feel” and Billy’s Bakery. Nelson prefers Chat N’ Chew for coffee, Fin for sushi and Royal Cleaners for dry-cleaning.

Oh and both candidates would entertain the idea of a John Mayer fund-raising concert.


GREENWICH FIRST SELECTMAN

An elected representative in Greenwich since the age of 18, Peter Tesei is the Republican candidate, as Jim Lash prepares to leave the office. Quick to point out his accomplishments as chairman of the town’s BET (Board of Estimation and Taxation), he told us the board is “very similar to Black Entertainment Television.” He’s kidding, of course. Or is he?

His Democratic challenger is Frank Farricker, and while most of his experience is in real estate and on the Planning and Zoning Commission, Farricker did run for senator last year in the 36th district. But he doesn’t consider himself a politician, adding that even if he is elected to be one, it’s a “good ethic to live by.” He said, “It’s the political version of ‘keepin’ it real.’”

Stop joking around gentlemen, please. Let’s get down to business here.

Tesei wants to “keep the community diverse,” “keep taxes at a modest and predictable level,” and keep improving the town’s schools. Farricker is often quoted as saying the “status quo isn’t enough” and so he believes he represents an important shift in Greenwich leadership.

“It’s about time we make some changes and move forward,” says Farricker, adding that Tesei believes that making changes in the town “would be like attacking his own record.” And with an emphasis on setting priorities for the town, Farricker said “too often, Greenwich has waited for the crisis before acting.” He wants to focus on the environment (the town has the state’s worst air and water quality), schools (too much time has been spent on ancillary issues instead of actual education) and getting projects completed (the Byram Library project needs a serious push).

Farricker, the real estate and zoning expert in the race, wants to speed the progress of the Byram Library project, which he says has not met any of its time targets. He has proposed a plan to jump-start a project that’s been delayed by unforeseen problems, that includes more funding and more resources while all the while “protecting the rights of town residents.” We’re not entirely sure what rights he’s referring to, but we’ll assume it’s their right to have a functioning library that’s not covered in scaffolding.

Farricker’s website reports that Tesei is misleading the public, pointing out problems with the completion of the town’s Public Safety Complex by saying the project is “on-time and on-budget.” Tesei told us that he stands by those comments because of feedback he’s heard from the project’s supervisors.

Then, Tesei pointed out that it may in fact be Farricker who is misleading the public. He told us that they’re both, by virtue of their respective offices, members of the Glenville School Building Committee and that Farricker only attended one of 19 of the committee’s meetings. Tesei asked, “Why isn’t [Farricker] willing to lend his expertise when his town really needs it?”

Despite their problems with each other, both men are committed to their hometown. Farricker is concerned that the lack of accountability and transparency in the town’s government has inspired “less and less good people” to run for office. Tesei said he too believes it is important to be open and accessible. “I enjoy that part of the service,” he says.

Asked about Greenwich’s local flavor, Tesei recommended the Bulldog Pub in Cos Cob for casual dining. Farricker, in a similar vein, said the town’s hidden gem is its chili. “Picnics, restaurants, Port Chester and all over town; we have the best chili.”

As for political idols, Tesei went big with Ronald Reagan and Farricker went small with 1980 independent (though historically a Republican) presidential candidate John Anderson, whom he met when he was 15 at the town library. “He was a very decent and motivated man,” he says.

Get Up, Pony Up: WPKN Reggae Benefit

(As published by the Fairfield Weekly, October 25, 2007)

Asking for money can be a tough thing to do. We owe starving artists and public radio stations a tip of the hat for their attempts, however un-inspired they may be from time to time. Telethons, radio-thons, begging: none of that stuff is naturally fun to be a part of. When someone does fund-raising right, it's refreshing.

Enter Bridgeport's WPKN and its Reggae Benefit on Oct. 27, a ready-steady night featuring performances from, among others, local reggae acts Anthem, Fresh Band and Mystic Bowie. Starting at 8 p.m. and rollin' on through 2 a.m., the Reggae Benefit was put together by Tony Kosloski and Dave-O of the Tuesday morning show "Irie Feelings" on WPKN, with help from Café Nine in New Haven. The benefit will be broadcast live on WPKN from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

"These are the local cats who stop by the show whenever they've got a new joint they're looking to promote," said Kosloski. "Part of our job as local DJs is to celebrate local musicians."

WPKN is a diverse and completely listener-supported station offering programming that ranges from talk to jazz to blues to live broadcasts of local events like the Gathering of the Vibes. The station puts all funds raised into the common fund to pay the bills, according to Kosloski.

"Were a collective of volunteers," he said, "If we're going to be true to our philosophy, which is to not take any money from the government or corporations, then we need to turn to our listeners. And most of our listeners don't have large checkbooks, so we have to step outside the box to think of benefit ideas that appeal to the listeners."

"Coozie," lead singer for Anthem, was driving with his band from Arkansas to Chicago for a gig when I caught up with him, and he had nothing but positive vibes to send PKN's way. "They're more like friends than any sort of business associates," he said. "If it wasn't for the 'Irie Feelings' show, we wouldn't really get any airplay." And just to show how much this benefit concert means to a band like Anthem—which this year has played in Guam, South Korea, Japan and Hawaii—they cancelled a show they had booked in Ocean City, MD to come home.

"When you get a project like this," says Kosloski, "people just jump in ask, 'What can I do?' And then we get a big wheel rollin' and it's all good."

Kosloski (or I-Tone, as he's known on the air), and Dave-O's show "Irie Feelings" broadcasts Tuesdays from 6 to 10 a.m.

Girls (Not) Against Noise: Eula

(As published by the Fairfield County Weekly, October 18, 2007)

New Haven indie rockers Eula take the Acoustic Café stage this Friday as part of what they're calling "An Evening of Noise." And all the bands except one have at least one female member, according to Eula singer Alyse Lamb. "It's all completely selfish," she says. "The show is bands that we like to listen to and like to go see."

Eula, a trio, is a fun, hard-hitting rock band with an eerie twist—Lamb's voice can sound distraught even as the music remains upbeat. She's backed by Jeff Maleri on bass and Nate Rose on drums, and, the weird thing is, as you listen to the EP "Up in Arms," it sounds as though Alyse sings her songs with a permanent smirk on her face.

Smirks are the shit. Sarcasm, satire, not taking yourself too seriously, the whole deal. And Eula agrees. There's an overwhelming feeling of playful anxiety in the music. But no matter how distressed they sound, it's still upbeat. Alyse lets out the sadness through fun riffs, a rockabilly style and a friendly punk feel.

The key is that Eula does a good job of balancing contrasting emotions; this emotional control defines the band as one that, while an "up-and-comer," can lay claim to some songwriting maturity.

You relate to the sadness in their music with a smile as you ride the driving bass line. You like the lovely little torn voice and you love that the music is loud and kick-ass. It's not foolish and it's not exactly dark. You feel it when you watch a love story like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and realize that it's not at all cheesy. I'm not saying Eula is the musical equivalent of the visual masterpiece that is Eternal Sunshine, but their ability to mash the eerie with the adorable, sans cheese, is as important as it is impressive

My favorite Eula song is "Rosie the Riveter (Single Barrel)," for which Nate wrote the music and Alyse wrote the lyrics. "I just wanted to think of something that was as ballsy as his riff...I guess," says Alyse. "So I was thinking of guns and shooting and—I don't know." The result is a creepy and noirish surf-rock riff and lyrics that shine a strong spotlight on the strength of women; "Take the path unknown/tread it 'til it's sore/I promise not to make a sound/as she hits the ground/one of these days, she'll learn/she'll learn the hard way/HEY!"

Eula often wonders what it means to be identified as an as "indie rock" band. "It was about independence, and now it's like the cool thing," says Nate. "It's hard to describe some bands without saying indie, and then everyone says 'oh, I don't like to be labeled.' It's cool to be on stage with eight people, switching instruments. But what's next?"

Alyse has a possible answer: "I heard Matchbox 20 is coming out with a new style. I read it on CNN.com."

On Friday Eula will be joined by Saint Bernadette (who'll have a new CD for sale at the show), Electric Bucket, Electrajet and Fay Rey.

Every band but the last has at least one woman in it. "I thought it would be cool to get some girlies up in there," says Alyse.

And yet another installment of FCW's "Bands to Watch"

(As published in the Fairfield Weekly, September 20, 2007)

This year's Grand Band Slam, which we wrote about a couple of weeks ago, brought back a bunch of repeat offenders—Jen Durkin, Mystic Bowie, the Zambonis, Larissa DeLorenzo, Elvis McMan—and not much in the way of new talent. That's cool: We were happy to coddle the winners as much as we could without totally blowing our credibility—but what about the other guys? The just-starting-outers, the we-almost-have-an-albummers. This is where we talk about them. Submit your friend's band (with a picture) for review here and maybe they'll make the cut. The entirely biased and wholly subjective cut, that is.


Delta 9 and the Flo is a psychedelic quintet built on the assumption that what's missing from Life these days is well-written, intricate and improvisational music to dance to. And if they're right, your next stop at a Fairfield Avenue bar this fall will be really freaking groovy. After a short tour earlier this year, with headlining stops at the University of Vermont and Southern New Hampshire University, the Flo has a new drummer and is happy to welcome a kickin' keyboardist into the fold. Along with original songs, Flo takes classic rock gems and adds complex vocals, impressively tasteful lead guitar playing and their jam-band instincts to let the songs expand. Think Miles Davis, Phish and Pink Floyd's "Echoes" and you've got a rough idea of their sound. Check out www.myspace.com/delta9andtheflo.


Dave Grazinski is a one-man banjo-centered project named Monitor and the Merrimac with a focus on the American history that keeps the banjo alive today. Grazinski emphasizes the storytelling aspects of his songs by playing "at almost any location, with or without a public address system, with or without a floor or a roof or walls or electricity." Microphone? What? Just give him a stool and a beer and he'll make you feel like you're siting around a campfire in the Wisconsin wilderness. Bob Dylan did that kind of stuff once. Monitor and the Merrimac is a local American poet with a banjo who's catering to the People's need for something very real, a little "different" and a lot old-fashioned. Grazinski is working on a fully instrumented album, Grandma's Old Couch, with Mates of States' equipment and musicians from Titles—Titles? whodat?—and he'll be playing all around the area while it's being completed.


Titles is a New Haven indie rock band getting ready for their first big tour of the Northeast. And yeah, we're going to celebrate one of our own: Singer/guitarist/heartthrob Brad Amorosino is a graphic artist at the Weekly—and he's a good singer who's a frickin' awesome graphic artist at the Weekly. The music? The teetering bass line on "Wait I Don't Know," paired with slide guitar playing and casual, witty vocals make for an wholly original, minimalist sound. While many indie bands nowadays ride the folk-country wave or do some kind of emo or post-emo thing, Titles ain't having it. They recently played with Aloha, and they've got a seven-inch vinyl out with Mountain Movers' songs on the backside. Titles will play Fairfield County later this fall; their schedule is at www.listentotitles.com, and so are the pictures. Brad: Don't quit your day job just yet!


Young Souljahs is a raucous hip-hop group from Bridgeport (which they've deemed "the Big City of Dreams") and they're trying to put the city on the map. Forget hot dogs and Robert De Niro sightings; these guys are using their YouTube video "Bridgeport Anthem" to remind everyone about Bridgeport's positive attributes—violence and drug-running, namely. If you live anywhere near Bridgeport, check this out. If you don't, check it out. It's kinda priceless. Laugh all you want but don't hate on it, son. They're even gaining followers in the 'burbs with user comments like "Ha! I'm a rich asshole from Fairfield. Messed up shizznazz. Thankyou BPT for all the 40's and glassware. You may hate me but I'm feeling what you guys are up to." The Weekly covers enough rock bands to know that this certainly is an under-represented viewpoint, so we're spreading the good word about Yung Souljahs. You can say that rap is crap all you want, but this kind of confidence and foul language is at least worth a YouTube search.