An Afternoon with Eastern Phoebes.

I love when an interview can be unscripted and totally candid. Sometimes in this line of work, its not possible to do so, especially when questions are sent via email. When I'm given the chance to sit down and shoot the shit for awhile, its great. Its even better when the folks you're interviewing aren't total strangers! Last week, I got to meet up with Eastern Phoebes, a band hailing from the South Shore of Long Island. We discussed the band, life without the 'net, the upcoming EP and plans for their next video shoot.

The band is comprised of Ry Smith and Meg Bayley, who also happen to be the most adorable couple I've ever met. When they play live gigs, they are joined by friends Rick Katterman and Gary Norton. I've known Ry for years, but this was the first time I had met Meg, but I felt as if I'd known her for years after I left that afternoon. We conducted the interview at their lakefront cottage, which was fantastic. The beginning of our conversation was essentially Ry and I catching up on our lives as of late - we had met back in 2007, when he was performing with the band, Camera-Head Shark. We have had brief encounters in the last year or so, but we haven't had time to sit and chat in years. I knew that he had a new musical project going on, but I didn't find out about it until a couple months ago. I know, I'm a horrible friend - I should be up on these things. I had listened to Lion Gardiner, which the band released this year, and fell in love with it. There are so many elements and facets to their music. It makes you feel happy, but not in a cheesy sort of way. Do yourself a favor and put on a pair of headphones and just listen. Don't surf the 'net, leave the land of Instagram for the next hour, and lose yourself in the music. Its free (just enter your price as $0.00), although it wouldn't kill you to pay a few bucks for the album.

Lion Gardiner is the first full-length album created since the formation of Eastern Phoebes, but the band prefers recording EPs. Working for an LP for months on end is far more tedious than banging out an EP in around a month. In fact, their next EP, Better People, will be out this October. Ry worked on most of this while Meg spent the month in San Francisco, completing her yoga training. I got to hear a few rough cuts, and I am really digging what Ry had been working on while Meg was getting her Ohm on in California. Meg's vocals need to be added in, along with whatever else Ry sees fit, but trust me on this, its gonna be good. We spent a good chunk of the conversation discussing the upcoming video, which will be for "I'm a Wolf," a song which will be on Better People. I can't spare details, but from the ideas Ry and Meg are swirling around, it will definitely be spectacular. 

As we sat in their sunroom, entertaining the pup, Penny Lane (yes, the same name as our cat), we discussed life and the lack of interaction we see between folks these days. It seems as if most people we know hide behind some sort of gadget, instead of going out and seeing the world. If most people we know go out to do something, the hot spot is almost always a bar, which is a scene that we really don't frequent much anymore. I'll be the first one to admit that I am totally guilty of zoning out on my computer (and my iPhone), but I do take time each day to spend time connecting with people and creating fun things. We all agreed that game nights are totally underrated and that we need to resurrect them, for the sake of humankind. 

You can find Eastern Phoebes on Facebook, Twitter and make sure to download their tunes [for free] over at Bandcamp. For even more fun links to Meg's yoga journey + Ry's artwork, head over to Eastern Phoebes for the links.

Talking with Tony Lucca.

At the end of May I was given the opportunity to get on the phone with Tony Lucca, the contestant who placed third on season two of NBC's The Voice. We discussed when he was bit by the music bug, what it was like participating on the show, and I even put him on the spot regarding his top Beatles tunes. We chatted for a few minutes prior to the interview, then got down to business.

Lucca in the studio. Photo credit: Tony Lucca, Facebook.

How old were you when you realized you wanted to be a musician?

Ah man, like right away. I actually have a picture of me standing outside, when I was three and a half, just strumming a guitar. It was about 7 or 8 when I got really bit by the bug. I picked up a guitar, learned to play songs, and fantasized about the life as a rock star.

Were you formally trained on guitar or piano, or did you start playing by ear?

Pretty much by ear, a few lessons here or there to acquire theory, but I was never able to lock into it. My mom was the tenth of twelve kids that all sing or played something, so really by osmosis. I learned quite a bit from uncles, aunts, and cousins. Its been a really blessed, blessed life, for sure.

No, that’s definitely awesome. I wrote something when I had heard the clip of you and Adam [Levine, Maroon 5 singer and Lucca’s coach on The Voice] performing [The Beatles] "Yesterday," and it was the second time I had seen you on the show. The first time was a fluke. I had the television on, and heard your name, and told my boyfriend that had watched you on the Mickey Mouse Club. I was floored, because I had heard bits and pieces of your work over the years, but it was always in passing. This time, I actually sat there and listened, and I was like “hooooollllllyyy shit.” 

[Laughs] 

I heard that, I said, “This is gonna be it,” and told Erich that you were going to be one of the top picks. I’m honestly so stoked that you were given the opportunity to show the world what you could do.

Yeah, well I appreciate that. Definitely, that was the goal, to get as best an opportunity as possible and I felt like we capitalized on it in the best way, in ways that I didn’t even see coming. I thought it was really a good run.

I was wondering, because I remember when I was younger and was in marching band, I had a few things I always did before a show. Do you have any pre-performance rituals?

No, I really don’t - at least none that I do consciously. I know that I do slip into sort of a zone; people close to me have pointed it out, and they’ll recognize it before I do. There is a bit of a mental space that I get into and there are idiosyncratic vocal things I do, vocal warm-ups that make sure I’m good to go, or at least I know where I stand with my voice. Some days its totally there, and some days it is not there. But no, no rituals. I’m not superstitious. If there is anything I’ve learned over the years, its that you never know where and when you’re gonna need to just get out there and do it. It’s always been my thing to just always be prepared for whatever, and trust yourself.

Yeah. Now, you said before that you are really close with your family. When you were filming, how was it being away from your wife and kids? Did they stay home, or were they nearby?

 For the most part, they were here in Michigan while I was out in LA. We were apart for quite awhile, sometimes as much as four or five weeks. As the finale got closer, they were coming out once a week. Between the second to last episode and the last episode, they stayed in LA. We spent as much time together as we could while I was slaving away [laughs]. It was tough, it was really hard, but the further along I got in the competition, the more the sacrifice felt… worthwhile, you know? The sacrificing wasn’t made in vain. Its important that you have the support, that you're able to trust in the love that you have, and the dedication you have as a family to the common goal of succeeding. Obviously my wife is made of some serious stock [laughs], and my kids, they're wonderful as well. They loved the whole experience, it was really cool for them as well.

They could turn on the TV and see dad.

Yeah, and its weird that it sort of becomes the norm for kids, but everything is relative. Its like the kids of sports stars - daddy’s on the TV every Sunday, or every few days. Its life as we know it.

How was it working with Adam Levine?

It was amazing. It was everything I hoped it would be. People always ask “why him,” and truthfully, personally, I feel like he is the least affected of the four of them. Now I don’t mean that in a judgemental way, or being critical, but what you see is really what you get with him. Hes very straight to the point, and for someone like me, that’s what I want. I'm going to set my ego aside and open myself to criticism, and I want it straight. I figured if I could get on his team, that we would develop a pretty cool shorthand and really connect and forge a productive bond. To say the least, that’s pretty much what happened.

When you had decided to go with Adam, I told my boyfriend that was the perfect choice. I could see you two sitting down, fooling around on the guitar, bouncing ideas off each other – even writing a song together.

That really almost happened, to be honest. That’s how we came about doing “Yesterday.” We were going to do “Blackbird” originally. We went in to rehearse it on stage, and we were playing it, waiting for cameras or some technical thing. I was sitting there, with my guitar, and we started strumming through the better part of the Beatles catalogue. The two of us sat in The Voice arena, with the crew and the band sitting around in the stands, really just listening to us like brothers at sound check. It was really amazing and cool, and I started strumming “Yesterday." He started singing it, we started harmonizing it, and it was like, “Ohhhh shit – that’s the one.” So we switched the song last minute. It was very cool and I'm glad it worked out.

You would have never known that it was a last minute switch, either!

I know, it was really wild.

You’ve been a musician for most of your life – is there anything that you taught Adam?

I don’t know, maybe? There might have been things that I brought to his attention that he didn’t see happening, but I don’t know. That’s a good question.

Well, I guess we’ll find out when we hear the next [Maroon 5] album.

Yeah, exactly.

Regarding the other contestants. You're essentially stuck with the same people for weeks on end, and I guess in a way its almost like summer camp. Who did you connect with, and feel like you gelled with the best?

I knew Justin Hopkins before the show, we shared the stage before, and it was cool to see him again. It was sad to see him go, but he lost to my new friend, Tony Vincent. We were roommates through the blind audition phase. We got close and made lifelong friends, so that’s very cool. Jordis [Unga] was one of my closer friends on the show. I mean, gosh, after awhile, you really get your time with everybody. You really take to some people and people endear themselves to you. Jamar [Rogers] was another one that towards the end I became closer to, and developed a mutual admiration society with [laughs]. It was really a great crop of people.

Now, I know you had to work on material for the show while you were in LA, but did you get to work on any new songs while you were filming?

Here and there; I was rehearsing with my guitar a bit more. I would sit in my hotel room, strumming while watching television. Largely, surviving something like that requires a pretty intense head space that leaves very little room for free association and creative thought. Unfortunately, I didn’t get as much writing done as I had hoped I might. With that being said, I got a ton of inspiration. Just absorbing my surroundings and my personal trajectory on the show alone is quite a story that I look forward to getting at creatively and writing about, with some hindsight perspective to go with it as well.

Were there any songs that you wanted to perform on the show that were shot down?

No, anything he “shot down” was usually with good reason and his whole objective was to make sure whatever we did was bulletproof. Especially after we became aware of our critics [laughs].

Especially when you get that close to the top. I don’t want to say you have to pick something that’s safe, but you don’t want to go out on a limb where it could screw you.

Yeah, that was the thing. Do we lay it down the fairway, or do we go for something more cutting edge and really ruffle feathers? The difficulty [The Voice] runs into is that by bringing in pre-established artists, people that have history, is they open themselves up to the possibility of artistic vision, strong opinions, and strong personalities. They have a bunch of artists trying to do what artists do, like obscure songs, taking popular songs and making them their own, and really changing things up. That’s cool, but only so far; only to a degree, and then it doesn’t work well for TV, ratings and all that shit. You learn that people are as apt to vote for a song as they are the singer, which became apparent to me when I did the Britney [Spears’ "Baby One More Time"] thing. Again, the timing of it was spot-on, the context was there, it was great for my story; nonetheless, what made that so strong was that there are so few people, especially of the target demographic of the show, that don’t have some type of personal connection to that song. People voted for that; people purchased that. Obscure songs are like a one-way ticket home, and you have to try to steer clear of that if you can.

We briefly discussed tour dates, which are listed here. Tony will also be touring with The Voice contestants in early 2013, so keep your eyes peeled for those dates.

Now, I have a few questions that are a bit unrelated to the show. What would be your dream collaboration?

I would love to do a record with Bonnie Raitt, k.d. lang, and Paul Simon would be cool. I would love to tour with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. I want to write and produce a hit for Seal and Sade to sing together – I think that would be pretty cool.

That would be pretty badass.

That would be amazing. There's lots music I would love to make happen with [various] artists. Just having come from a pretty wide range of music appreciation.

What have you been listening to?

I’ve been driving around with the kids since I’ve been home, so we put a playlist together for them, and what they’re currently into. My little girl is a big Jessie J fan, so we’ve been listening to “Domino” and “Price Tag” a lot. My son is a big Maroon 5 fan now, so I’m getting my fair dose of “Payphone” and “Moves Like Jagger.”

So you leave Adam and you still can’t get rid of him now!

I know, exactly. Personally, I’ve been rocking out to [The Black Keys] El Camino record, and trying to get caught up on their stuff, because I’ve become a late-bloomer fan of theirs.

Any television shows you got hooked on while you were in LA?

I became a huge fan of Awake, and I'm a big fan of Parenthood (Tony made a cameo on the show in 2011).

This is an ever-changing list for anyone, including myself, but I had to ask: top five Beatles songs? I know its hard to answer off the top of your head.

“I’ll Follow the Sun” [long pause, its as if I could hear the gears turning in his head],“Here Comes the Sun.” Yeesh, anything off of Rubber Soul, and [more thinking and murmuring] I’m a big fan of Abbey Road as well. “Blackbird,” obviously… that’s too hard [laughs].

I know, I was contemplating emailing the question to your management, but I wanted to see how you’d answer under pressure.

[Laughs] My gosh, I could talk Beatles all day.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get to have an in-depth discussion on the Beatles, because he had another interview lined up. It was wonderful chatting with Tony. He's a down-to-earth guy who worked hard for the success that he has attained. I wish him the best.

If you want to hear some of the songs Tony would have liked to perform on The Voice, check out his Spotify playlist, Celebrity Sway (songs I would have LOVED to sing on The Voice).

Lucca at Spotify headquarters. Photo credit: Tony Lucca, Facebook.

For those of you who are on Long Island, Tony will be performing at the Tanger Outlets Sound of Summer Series this Saturday, June 23, at the Arches in Deer Park. Admission is free, so be sure to get there early. I will be there, along with my awesome photographer, Avalon. If you see us, come over and say hello!

Interview: Christina "Bean" Fiorino.

If I haven't typed this for all to read, I absolutely love Long Island. There is so much that this 118 mile-long island has to offer. Arts, culture, music, nature - Long Island has it all. Even though I moved away for eleven years, I came up every summer to visit, and dreaded going back to Florida. Through my various ventures, I have met many people who are doing awesome things. Last month, I interviewed Niko Krommydas, beer blogger extraordinaire. This month, I interviewed Christina "Bean" Fiorino, another short girl residing on Long Island. Bean is an artist of various mediums - she has an eye for great vintage finds, she makes killer creations, and is an excellent photographer. Like myself, she is often mistaken for a teenager, but that just means we've retained our youthful glow! ;)

Bean, wearing one of her cookie hair clips.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I come from a family full of artists- all different kinds.  I was lucky enough to be born with the same gift.  My imagination runs wild and it’s hard for me to stay focused on one type of art when there is so many to choose from. I’m a hands-on kind of girl and I don’t mind making a mess (although, I hate cleaning it up).  I was born and raised on Long Island.  There’s tons of competition here, but I learned that you can’t get discouraged by it and only learn and grow and become a better artist.  I’ve been told that in the art world “everything has been done” and that as an artist it’s our job to turn it into something special.  I sort of disagree with this…there are plenty of things that haven’t been done yet…we just aren’t using our imaginations to their fullest potential.  As artists, it’s our jobs to show the world something they haven’t seen yet and inspire future artists.

When did you decide to pursue photography professionally?

It’s never really been a “profession” to me, really.  I started my own business a few years ago, but it’s such a cut-throat industry that eventually I just found it more fulfilling to just photograph for myself.  There’s just so much you can do with photography if you’re not afraid of criticism and rejection.  However, if you start out shooting for yourself, you won’t be afraid to stray away from your comfort zone.

What was the first art medium you worked with?

Probably something made by Crayola.  Does that count? 

How did you come up with the names for your Etsy stores?

For my vintage shop, History, I was looking for a way to incorporate “vintage” without being too literal.  RABBITteeeth I recently confessed to my boyfriend that he was the inspiration behind the name.  Basically, he looks like a rabbit when he sleeps and I just liked the way it sounded.  I added the extra ‘e’ for no special reason.  Finally, I have SugarClips opening soon, which is my hair accessory shop.  I just thought it sounded cute.

Strawberry Glazed Donut, $10 at SugarClips.

When did you start making hair accessories?

Sometime between 2006-2008.  I honestly don’t remember exactly when, but it was my very first Etsy shop.  I sold feathered headbands.  I turned it into a print shop, but eventually closed it due to being too busy with school and work.

What inspires you?

A good song, childhood memories, nature, Disney World and Tim Burton.

Out of all of your art endeavors, which is your favorite?

I guess photography would have to be my favorite since I’ve been working on my skills since I was 15.

Where do you get your design inspiration?

Again I’m going to have to go with Disney and Tim Burton.  There are just so many elements to both.  Disney is extremely whimsical and Burton has a mix of both whimsy and creepy, which sums up a lot of my work.

Sugar Skull, $10 at SugarClips.

Do you plan ahead when you’re designing, or are most of your designs sponataneous?

A little bit of both.  For my hair pieces, I could be out shopping and have something pop into my head and I’ll spend hours planning it or I will be sitting at my desk kneading clay for however long until something strikes.  When it comes to my photographs, 99% of the time it’s planned ahead.

Do you prefer listening to music when working on your pieces? If so, what?

I do prefer it, but more often than not I’ll find myself working in silence.

What is the next step for you?

Most likely getting the hair accessory shop up and running.

What is your favorite piece(s) that you have in your store(s) right now?

My favorite vintage piece is a piece I just sold.  It’s Betsey Johnson dress from her 1980’s “Punk Label” collection.  It was one of those Little Black Dresses with a Betsey twist.    

Bean, wearing the Soft Pretzel clip.

You can check out Bean's photography at Christina Fiorino Photography and her Etsy stores can be found here: History, SugarClips, and RABBITteeeth.

Interview with Sharon Lee of Hello Cavities + A Special Discount!

While perusing Instagram, I came across this insanely awesome shirt, based off of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. It featured Ariel and her counterpart, Flounder. I fell in love immediately – I needed this shirt! After doing some research, I was led to Hello Cavities, the company that created this killer shirt, among other goodies. I wound up speaking with Sharon Lee, the gal behind these super cute designs. She’s an ultra sweet girl with an eye for kawaii. Sharon was gracious enough to be interviewed by short girl, long island.

Hi, Sharon! Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m 23 years old and I live in Los Angeles. I studied Graphic Design at FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising) and graduated last year.

When did you start Hello Cavities?

A few months after graduating, I decided to start the company, which consists of me and my boyfriend, James.

Sharon and James, the dynamic duo behind Hello Cavities.

How did you choose the name Hello Cavities?

It was a joke between my friend and I about the movie The Silence of the Lambs. When Hannibal says "Hello Clarice" I used to say "Hello Calories" (you know, because he eats humans, haha).  When it came to naming my brand, I decided to go with a spin-off of that phrase and came up with “Hello Cavities." I liked it because it sounded sweet, yet dark – a perfect reflection of my artwork.  The concept of our brand is to be overly indulgent with the sweeter things in life! 

What were some of the first Hello Cavities items you created?

The prints inspired by The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Minnie, and Snow White.

One of the first creations, inspired by The Little Mermaid.

I love the characters you have created. I’ve never seen anything like it before, which made me reach out to you. What inspires you?

Most of the designs I have right now are inspired by Disney – I am a HUGE fan!

Will there be seeing recurring characters, and maybe some new ones in the next Hello Cavities collection?

Starting with my next collection, I’m going to have more original characters and hopefully develop a storyline behind the girl you see in the designs!

Awesome, I can’t wait to see what’s next! As of right now, you sell a variety of items in your Esty store – postcards, sticker packs, prints, puffy bow barrettes and shirts. Are there any other items you plan on adding to the store?

PLUSHIES! I am hoping to have plushies of Gooey the Angler Fish within a few months! Other than that, we are a graphic tee based company, so many many more shirts!

Best of luck to you and Hello Cavities, Sharon. I can’t wait to see what you’re going to come up with next!

Check out Hello Cavities on Facebook, Blogger, Etsy and Instagram.

Special for short girl, long island readers: 10% discount in the Hello Cavities Etsy store when you use the code sgli10. 

Happy Shopping!

Michele

Creativity, Career Paths + Craft Beer!

This afternoon, I met up Niko Krommydas, staff writer for Long Island Pulse Magazine (Super Neat Beer Adventure, Yes!! is his beer blog, and The Red Zone is his monthly print column, but he’s also done some non-beer stuff, too, like interviewing comedian/writer Colin Quinn), to discuss creativity, career paths, and craft beer. We decided it would be appropriate to frequent Blue Point Brewing Company, which has a spacious tasting room and delicious beer.

I’ve known Niko for ten years, far before either of us had even ventured into the land of craft beer. We would play beer pong at house parties, using either Bud Light or Keystone Light. We figured all beer was the same, plus, it was easier to get our friends to throw down on a 24 pack of cheap beer. Older and wiser, we are still enjoying a drink together, but not in the hopes of getting smashed.

After carefully weaving out way through the crowd, as to not bump into anyone’s beers, we greeted Jess, a mutual friend and go-to gal at the brewery, at the bar. Niko chose a pint of No Apologies, a limited release Double IPA. I was unsure of what to have, so I told Jess to surprise me. She offered up two samples – No Apologies and Old Howling Bastard, a Barleywine Style Ale. We grabbed our cups and wandered to a spot in the tasting room that was quieter and less crowded.

Cozy outdoor area at Blue Point Brewing.

Michele: So when exactly did you get into craft beer? I remember going to Bellport Cold Beer & Soda with you, to pick up Flying Dog’s Gonzo Imperial Porter. That was before our San Francisco trip, so it had to be around… 2007?

Niko: Yeah, it was around 2006 or 2007, I think. During college [Niko graduated from SUNY Cortland], I just downed Milwaukee’s Best and Keystone Light. Tasted like my dog’s ass, but I consumed a lot of it. Made me hate beer, honestly. My senior year, I actually quit alcohol for six months. I just ate cans of soup from Dollar Tree.

M: Was this after the baby powder incident [Niko and his housemates had gotten drunk and had a fight with baby powder]?

N: [Laughs] Yeah. We completely trashed our third floor with dish soap and baby powder. A lot of naked dudes. But after I came home, I started to try different beers. A lot of Blue Point Brewing Company, Brooklyn Brewery, and Stoudt’s Brewing Company. I remember drinking a lot of Tröegs DreamWeaver Wheat, too, and thinking it was amazing. I was really into that.

The infamous dish soap + baby powder incident, circa 2006.

M: How exactly did you start writing a beer blog?

N: When I came home from school, I started to mess around with writing again. I had some websites in high school, and worked on the school paper in college, but I was covering Halloween festivals and shit, so, I stopped after my second semester. I always enjoyed writing stuff, though. Anyway. I graduated school and went to Europe for a bit, and tried to figure out some stuff. Writing was one of them. When I got back, I applied to some places, and Long Island Pulse hired me.

M: Writing for Long Island Pulse Magazine isn’t your only venture at the moment. What other adventures have you embarked on?

N: I work full-time in New York, as a personal trainer. I love my clients, and I see them more than my family. They keep me sane.  I’m fortunate to have such wise people in my life, honestly. I also bartend at The Good Life in Massapequa Park, and screen print in Brooklyn with means of production. Umm. Drums. I really like taking pictures. I also did some stuff recently for Edible Magazine, which is cool. I like writing stories.

M: That’s insane! When do you sleep?

N: I don’t really sleep more than three or four hours each night. Trying to change that. I know that’s cool to say, but I have major problems with relaxation.   

M: Are you still residing on Long Island or have you made the move into New York?

N: My situation is weird. I live at home, and have lived at home, aside from a brief stint in Brooklyn, for my entire life, but I’m not there more than once per week. I crash at my grandmother’s place in Queens, or at work, or on my client’s couches. I live out of a bag. Like, really.

M: Do you ever feel like you’re stretching yourself too thin?

N: Always.  My family and my clients are constantly yelling at me to chill, and to have some structure, but it’s how I’m wired, I think. For me, it’s easy to sleep for two hours, work for twelve, and still handle the blog, and everything else.  I don’t know. I was watching this documentary on Basquiat, and he didn’t mind sleeping on floors and doing whatever. I can relate.  For some reason, as long as I’m doing shit I like, and just making stuff, I’m okay with having nothing but some shirts, my computer, and my camera.

M: That’s a great way to look at things. Now, speaking of living out of a bag, you backpacked in Europe a year or so ago. How was that experience?

N: Pretty insane. It was my third time in Europe. Went to Belgium and France for two weeks. Just biked around and wandered. Walking alone is my favorite activity.

M: Any upcoming trips planned for the year?

N: Yeah. Going to San Francisco in March.

Niko, enjoying No Apologies Double IPA.

As we chatted, we made our way back into the more crowded area of the tasting room. Another mutual friend, Tara, greeted us. While we chatted, Niko, being the gentleman that he is, went up to the bar to grab a few samples. Upon his return, he had two different samples of Sour Cherry Imperial Stout. The tasting room offered both draft and cask versions of this delicious beer, which is anything but sour.

M: Okay, explain the difference between how these were processed, please.

N: Kegs use carbon dioxide to dispense beer. Kegs also prevent the maturation process. This allows beer to last longer. Casks, however, enable beer to condition, because the yeast is still active.  Casks are usually served at a warmer temperature than kegs, too.

Niko had me take a sip of each beer to note differences, and explained what notes should stand out in each.

M: I like the cask version better.

N: Ditto. The taste is mature. Like an adult, or something.

After about ten minutes, Niko had me taste both samples again, as the temperature of the beer had changed, and some flavors were more prevalent.

Patrons enjoying the favorable February weather. 

Shortly after saying our goodbyes to friends in the tasting room, our faces met the crisp air outside. Catching up with Niko had been wonderful. With conflicting schedules, responsibilities and just life in general, we don’t get to do this as often as we’d like. I was grateful to be able to spend this time with him, for I’m sure this won’t happen again until Summertime – Spring if I’m lucky. After I embraced my friend and wished him well, I drove off and watched Niko in my rear view mirror - knapsack in tow, walking toward his next adventure.

The works of Niko Krommydas can be seen at nikokrommydas.com and The Dream People.

The man, the myth, the legend.