Hotel Chantelle, NYC

As mentioned the other day, I was sitting having breakfast when some interesting folk came in. Conversation was struck up and I had me some new contacts. I was out last night with David my Canadian cousin. Splendid dude, fucking hilarious. Non stop cock gags all night (no pun intended).

Anyhoo, I got a text @ about 2am from previously mentioned contact who works at and is also a dj within Hotel Chantelle. There was a night happening. Unfortunately (is that my most used word on here?) I was smashed at the time and didn't see the text. I missed out on the party ;(

However, when I got up, I decided to see if there was any kinda happening breakfast-wise at Chantelle on Sundays. I'm glad I checked because there was live Dixie jazz & brunch billed from 12pm to 5pm. Decision made. It was beautiful day so I walked, the sun out, kids playing, loads of kirk's patrons spilling forth. Lovely walk.

When I got there, there were no tables but sitting at the bar was fine. it's a rooftop bar but with a roof on it so it was cozy. The Dixie jazz billed was not. What was, was the folk shown above. Mary Alouette and the band were amazing, beautiful, tight, excellent musicians and music. Going to try catch the guitarist who's playing again on Tuesday night.

So I sat and had about 8 mimosas (kinda like Bucks Fizz, not the band; the drink), then about 6 Goslings & Coke. I chatted with Mary & the band, bought a CD for $5 and dropped them $20 in their tip bucket. I wish they were playing again whilst I'm still here because it was the best jazz I've seen since, well, Friday. Seriously though, it's one of my favourite styles of jazz, very French, 1920s/30s although I'll admit when Mary asked me if I knew Django Reinhardt I had to say I didn't. The name rang a bell and now i've looked him up I remember. Their stuff was much more upbeat and after our conversation where I said the jazz I love is the brazillian style, melodic samba, I swear the tunes took on a distinct brazillian jazz samba hue in the subsequent set. I'll just credit that conversation with it whether it was an intentional twist in that direction or not...

I've created a set of the other pics from the bar: Mary Alouette @ Chantelle

After the music, around 5pm, I left and decided to pop into the cinema I'd spotted along the way. It was obviously a good one cause I didn't recognise any of the films. I plumped for John Dies At The End. Sounded mental and was completely mental. I laughed out loud a fair few times and came out the cinema with a smile on my face.

As Ice Cube once said; today was a good day.