Kebabs and '90s Indie Rock Diners

Some Friday Diamond

I found myself going into Manhattan almost every day of the past week. It felt like old times. The only problem was I didn’t like the book I was reading on the trains, so I had to switch up and look at my phone for something to fill my time. I don’t love looking at my phone on the train and would rather not do it if possible. I like looking around and noting what people are doing during their commute.

But, like I said, the book I was trying to read was a stinker. So I read a handful of things I liked.

Starting with something I loved by one of my favorite music writers, Leor Galil. Jim’s Grill is one of those places that sticks out from my teenage years in Chicago because it was somewhere on this map of places I always heard you’d see members of bands that I only knew from old Fireside Bowl lineup flyers or from seeing their names in the alt weeklies. There were a few places like that and I’d love to see them all highlighted, but Leor goes deep on this one place and really does a great job of also writing about the Chicago indie scene of the ‘90s in a way I’m surprised more people haven’t done. There’s so much there, but if anybody is going to dig up the history, I’m glad it’s Leor. Speaking of Chicagoland indie: did you see the American Football guys bought the American Football house?

Read: “The accidental postrock diner” by Leor Galil at The Chicago Reader

Robert Sietsema on the hunt for perfect döner kebab in NYC is the sort of food obsession piece I love and can relate to. Not only that, but I think I need to try all of the places.

Read: “The Search for Real Döner Kebab at a Dozen New York Restaurants” by Robert Sietsema at Eater

Ever since Uncut Gems came out, I feel like people have become more curious by one of the strangest and most intense parts of Manhattan, the Diamond District. The Times has been paying attention to it lately, first, a piece on the watch dealing TikTok stars who work on the block, and now this piece by Corey Kilgannon with lovely photos by Dar Yaskil. And in case you’re wondering, I wrote my own little ode to it back in Feburary of 2020 (cursed time!) and focused on the only thing that interests me more than guys getting in my face going “My friend, for you I have good deal on Rolex. You like gold?”: Food!

Read: “Pre-Rolled Joints and TikTok Feuds: This Is the Diamond District?” by Corey Kilgannon at the New York Times

One of my favorite fiction writers had a story in The New Yorker this last week, and, man, they treated Rebecca Makkai real nice with the artwork for it. I’m almost as obsessed with the Joana Avillez illustration as I am the story.

Read: “The Plaza” by Rebecca Makkai at The New Yorker

I am totally fine admitting that the Aimé Leon Dore flagship looks sick as hell and I will likely never go inside of it because there are always lines, but the photos are nice.

Read: “Aimé Leon Dore's NYC Flagship Is Clubhouse Culture” at Highsnobiety

Finally, I posted something on Instagram about Frank Vincent and Joe Pesci’s 1970s band, and Mr. Bob Mehr, writer of one of the GREATEST MUSIC BOOKS EVER, Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements, linked me to this absolute banger that Joe and Frank did before they were Goodfellas.

Listen: Vincent & Pesci- “Little People Blues”