Interviews

More Bricks for the Knicks?

Interviews, My Dudes, Sports

The New York Knicks have had a tough time winning ballgames the past few years.  It seems like forever since they were an actual threat to other teams in the NBA.  Tommy Dee, who covers the beat for SNY-TV’s theknicksblog.com, called a time out to tell us here at Westcheddar what to expect from our beloved Knickerbockers this season.  Check it out…

IP:  Ok, Tommy Dee, how bad are the Knicks going to be this year?  It’s been miserable trying to root for them lately.  Any hope?

TD:  This year? I would say no, but stranger things have happened. If they make the playoffs they lose a first round pick, and there are some solid point guards to be had in next year’s lottery in Ricky Rubio, who played on Spain’s Olympic team, and Brandon Jennings. Knick fans should hope for a competitive season without making the playoffs. Somewhere around 33 to 35 wins.

IP:  How’s this new coach Mike D’Antoni?  Seems like he could do a good job.

TD:  D’Antoni is an innovator, offensively, he’s a proven winner, despite falling short in Phoenix. He was cheated two years ago against the Spurs by referee Tim Donaghy. I love the combination of GM Donnie Walsh’s old school mentality, with D’Antoni’s new-school style.  When you combine his knowledge of the European game with the fact he hung with the Olympic team loaded with 2010 free agents, there’s no doubt he’s the right guy for the job. Their up-tempo style will be fun to watch.

IP:  Who do you see as the go-to guy on this Knicks team?  Who’s going to lead us to victory?

TD:  Victory? Well there won’t be many of them, but they are going to lean heavily on Jamal Crawford, who’s been improving year-to-year, to step his game up to an All-Star level. Not sure what to expect from Eddy Curry or Zach Randolph, but I’d expect nice years from David Lee, Nate Robinson, Wilson Chandler, and rookie Danilo Gallinari.

IP:  Did we pick up anyone good in the draft?  As far as I know, we didn’t.

TD:  We did in Gallinari, who was very impressive as a young buck in Europe’s top elite league. This kid is good and fits D’Antoni’s system to a tee. There are questions about his back, but I think he’ll be healthy heading into the year. Give this kid some time and he’ll take this city by storm.

IP:  What about the rest of the league?  Is it going to be Lakers vs. Celtics again in the finals?  Is Lebron ready to win a championship?

TD:  Not sure if Lebron has the horses to win it all, but you can bet he’ll bring it. He was awesome in the Olympics. The Rockets have improved with Ron Artest, but I’d say Kobe and the Celts would have to be the leaders going in.

IP:  If you could bring any of the big superstars in the league to New York, who would you want?

TD:  Lebron, of course. He’s Magic and Jordan rolled into one. He’s amazing. I was really impressed with Dwayne Wade this summer, but he has a history of injuries. They are the top two free agents in 2010. I’d take Chris Bosh from Toronto in a heartbeat, but for me it’s Bron Bron and Wade then Bosh.

IP:  Ok, let’s look back in Knicks history for a second.  Give me your all-time Knicks starting line up position by position.

TD:  Dude, what a great question. I go back to around 1984, I’m not one of those guys who pretends he saw players never saw, so players that I saw I’d go with are:

C- Patrick Ewing

PF-  Charles Oakley

SF- Bernard King

SG- Allan Houston

PG- Derek Harper

…with Camby and Spree off the bench…Can I do that?

IP:  Of course.  You know Sprewell is my favorite player of all time.  What about top five moments in Knicks history?  Is the John Starks Dunk on that list?  That was my birthday you know.

TD:  Again, that I’ve seen…

1. John Starks Dunk

2. Larry Johnson’s 4 point play

3. Allan Houston’s runner against the Heat

4. Patrick Ewing’s tip against the Pacers in 1994

5. This is a little known one, Chris Childs tried to dunk on Alonzo Mourning in the playoffs (maybe 97 or 98?), he missed and hit the back rim, but if it went down it would have stopped time.

IP:  I remember that Childs play, it was crazy!  You’re a big time golf guy too.  Are there any NBA players out there that are known for their golf game?  I know MJ loves the links, but are there any current players that are nice?

TD:  Not Charles Barkley.  MJ brings it as does Jason Kidd, but my money’s on Allan Houston, he shot 83 when I played with him.

IP:  How good is Tiger Woods?  Greatest of all time?

TD:  Jack Nicklaus has GOAT status until Tiger gets to 19 majors.

IP:  You also help out coaching Stepinac hoops here in Westchester.  How are they looking this year?  Can they beat White Plains?

TD:  I give some time there, yeah. When I was at Stepinac playing, basketball was a privilege that had to be earned.  Coach Tim Philip has done a great job of bringing respect back to the program. This year they’ll be young, but fun to watch. The kids are working really hard so we’ll see. They’ll be okay. As far as White Plains, I’d love to see that but apparently the Tigers don’t have room on their schedule this year.

IP:  Are you a big fantasy basketball guy?  Any sleeper fantasy players this year to recommend to the bball nerds out there?

TD:  Take Wade, dude is ready to dominate in every category again. Lean towards guys that are good at a bunch of things like rebounds, steals, assists as well as points.

IP:  You’re also a guy with a lot of Irish Pride in his blood.  Who’s your favorite Irish basketball player in history?

TD:  Uh, Shaquille O’Neal?

IP:  Ha!  Ok, for my final question, draw out the play for this situation.  The Knicks are down 1 point at the end of the 4th quarter, you’ve got the ball at half court, 15 seconds on the clock with no time outs left.  You’re the coach.  What do you do? 

TD:  High screen/roll on the strong side with Crawford using David Lee and a shooter in the right corner. Crawford attacks the block as Lee rolls, if he has Lee throw the lob, if he doesn’t try to get fouled or make the corner’s man help then kick to the corner for a wide open jumper.  

Game over.

 

BONUS LINKS:

Tommy Dee on SNY-TV Sportsnite

Tommy Dee on with the boys from The Wheelhouse

Tommy Dee on CNN

Behind the Diss

Interviews, Stan Ipcus

Stan Ipcus’ latest song “The Great White Hope (Asher Roth Diss)” has been causing quite a stir online since its debut on nahright.com this week.  Westcheddar sat down with Stan to discuss how the song came about and some of the misconceptions surrounding the diss.  Check out the song first, then the interview:

Stan Ipcus- The Great White Hope ASHER ROTH DISS

wc-  ip, thanks for sitting down with us.  first off, you’ve never made a diss record before.  why asher roth?  he’s certainly not the first white rapper to come out since you’ve been recording.

ip-  well at first, i wasn’t even gonna do it, but then he just kept getting more and more gassed so i had to step up.  everyone was just jocking him too hard, and for someone like me who is unsigned, it was getting to be too much.  he’s corny, and i don’t want the general hip hop public to think the only voice of the suburbs is a cornball.  he sounds like eminem too which is unfortunate, like why does the next big white rapper have to be a herb and sound like eminem too?  i’m from white plains, new york and i have my own angle to share, and since i’m out here with no label or manager backing me, i have to put myself on the map the best way i know how which is to spit.  plus, it was fun.

wc-  in your interview with bombin magazine you said you weren’t going to diss him though.

ip-  i know.  i changed my mind.  he deserved it, and so did everyone who gassed him up like he’s the greatest thing ever.  sure he can spit, but let’s not get crazy.

wc-  so how did you come up with the lyrics?  and why that beat?

ip-  i was in bed the other night watching tv and my girl was asleep, and the first line came to me, “asher roth is a herb, i put my balls and my word on that…”  then i grabbed my laptop and reached for that beat, it’s off the latest prodigy album and i’ve had it for a minute.  i love that beat and i’ve been wanting to get on it for a while.  i thought it was perfect because it’s such a new york beat and it’s so hard, which are the kind of beats i love.  it got me excited and an hour later the rap was done.  that was monday night.

wc-  but the song came out tuesday morning?

ip-  i know, i went to sleep, and i couldn’t wait to wake up and lay it down.  i woke up, grabbed a glass of water, and went in.  it was done by like 11am.  i sent it to nahright, took a shower, drove to work, and when i got to my office i checked nahright, and it was up.  isn’t the internet amazing?

wc-  wow that’s hilarious.  there’s a lot of people commenting on the song.  someone said you should use a compressor on your mic, i guess they weren’t impressed with the quality of the track.

ip-  maybe i should use a mic then!  yo for real, i did that track on my laptop in my living room with no mic, i just spit into the keyboard and use the internal mic on the mac.  i do a lot of my tracks like that.  it makes the vocals sound gritty, plus i don’t even own a mic, so when i do tracks at the crib that’s how i have to go in.  shit, i did “my ferris buellers” that way too, and they play it on hot 97, shade 45 and all that.

wc-  that’s crazy.  you mention that in the song too, how you got your song and your video out there without any agent or label help.  how hard was that?

ip-  it was more strategic than hard.  i knew cipha sounds liked the ferris bueller dunks because i heard him talking about them on his podcast with rosenberg, the juan epstein shit.  so i sent it to his hot 97 email, and he hit me back like “yo that song is fresh, send me the radio edit i’m gonna play it on the radio”.  and he started playing it that weekend, which was crazy cuz i had never heard my shit on hot 97.  then after the song had spread a little and been getting some blog and radio love, people were telling me to do a video.  but i had no chips.  so on my day off from work while my girl was cleaning the crib, i made the video on my laptop and edited it up myself.  i sent it to nahright the next day and boom, it was all over.  shout out to eskay at nahright, he’s been posting my shit.  he hit me up after i thanked him for putting up the asher roth song and told me “i can’t front, you went in.”  i don’t know him personally, so for him to support my shit as an unsigned guy is a good look.  nahright is big.  and shout out to cipha sounds too, he played my shit and didn’t even know who i was.

wc-  i saw some people saying they thought you were making a reference on your song to your intro on the cipha sounds and rosenberg show.  i guess they didn’t understand that you were talking about “my ferris buellers”.

ip-  hey, i’ve had some small wins, but it doesn’t mean that everyone is up on me.  i’m still very unknown.  even being on matisyahu’s platinum album people don’t know me.  plus matisyahu is not in the hip hop world so much as he is in the reggae and pop rock world.  but yeah, me and matis did an intro for their show after they had us on as guests and they use it alot, almost everyday, which is a great look, but not what i meant by getting my shit on the radio.  i was talking about ciph breaking “my ferris buellers”.

wc-  i saw rosenberg co-signed asher roth and labeled you a hater.  what’s up with that?  isn’t he your boy from university of maryland?

ip-  yeah, rosenberg is my dude, he def looked out for me by having me on his show and has always been supportive of my music.  it’s funny cuz ciph played “my ferris buellers” before he even knew i was cool with rosenberg.  we know each other from maryland and have a few mutual friends.  i guess him and asher are new BFF’s, which is cool with me.  i’m sure asher is a great guy.  it’s all hip hop at the end of the day.  i discussed it with peter, he told me the song was hot but unfortunately asher was his man.  at the end of the day, i got love for rosenberg, but i let him know that he could have co-signed asher on his website without making it sound like he doesn’t fuck with me or that we’re not peoples, but it’s all good regardless.  i also told him i didn’t mean to put him in a tough spot.  we’re cool, he told me he didn’t mean it like that, he just meant that he fucks with asher and he disagreed with what i was saying about him on the song.  he knows i’ve got nothing to lose and that i’m in it for hip hop and nothing else.  and on the song at the end i said to asher “i don’t hate i congratulate, best of luck to you.”  that was my way of saying it’s nothing personal, it’s just hip hop.  whatever, if rosenberg and asher want to ride together it’s all good i understand, rosenberg doesn’t owe me anything.

wc-  are you a hater?

ip-  i don’t think so, though alot of people might call me one.  a real hater just talks shit and doesn’t do anything about it.  me, i went in.

wc-  there’s alot of haters on the internet huh?

ip-  the funniest thing i saw someone say about me is that they wish there was still a draft so i could get sent to war and and get shot in the face!  hilarious.  but hey, even kanye west, jay-z, nas, and all the greats have tons of haters.  it comes with the territory.  it’s much easier to be a hater than to actually be an artist.  but there’s some people out there that are definitely with me, a bunch of them.

wc-  in that bombin interview you also mention charles hamilton as someone who is gassed.

ip-  yeah, but i also said i like the kid, he’s a weird guy with all the sonic the hedgehog shit but i feel him, he keeps it real.  he is too gassed, as a fan of hip hop and an artist i’m not sure his music deserves that much credibility just yet.  but i’ve been knocking this one song he has that pete rock did called “stay on your level”.  that shit is fresh.  plus the kid can freestyle his ass off.

wc-  just to clarify, you don’t rap full time right?

ip-  not at all.  that shit is a hobby to me.  i work full time with the youth, i direct a cultural arts center in northern westchester, doing art, music, dance, photography, stuff like that with kids, all ages from little dudes up to high school.  most of the people that work with me don’t have a clue i rap.  some of the kids know the deal though.  i’ve got some young kids that come to my center that can spit.  we make tracks, i put in a little studio up there and they make their own beats and all that.

wc-  word?

ip-  yeah, my dude sosa, he’s dmx’s son actually.  kid is nice, he one takes everything and is a beast.  they just did a story on him in xxl.  him and his boy young 1 have a group called hood legacy, they’re honestly real sick, and they’re only like 14, 15.  they got songs with hooks, and they do shows and all that.

wc-  that’s crazy.  what about you, what’s next?

ip-  not sure yet.  i’m still waiting for people to catch on to my last couple mixtapes, especially my latest one bachelor party.  i’ve got a ton of dope songs on there.

wc-  yeah, i saw the cover, i saw you used the john belushi college picture, same as asher roth.  i like how you changed the college letters to ipcus.

ip-  yeah that was a coincidence.  true story, i had that out before he came out.  i’ve had the idea for that since i was in college.  actually, seeing dude wearing the college shirt on his site is what made me check him out in the first place, i thought it was cool that we were on the same page.  i even hit his manager up scooter to see if he was interested in another whiteboy, but he never hit me back.  i mean, if he got asher a meeting with jigga i thought maybe he could get me one too.  i’ve always wanted to spit for jigga, i know exactly what i would spit for him too.  it’s all good though.  anyway, i was going to use the cover for an ipcus greatest hits or something, but it seemed appropriate once i got the idea for bachelor party.

wc-  why bachelor party?

ip-  well, i’m about to get married next year, i’m engaged, and all the songs on that cd were recorded when i was still living wreckless.  it’s kind of my last hurrah.  listen to the cd, you’ll understand.

wc-  no doubt.  yo, do you think asher is gonna respond?

ip-  not sure, he’s big right now, i don’t think he needs to, i’m basically a nobody to him in the industry, though he does know i’m cool with rosenberg and my shit is up on nahright and a bunch of blogs.  it’s not like people aren’t checking for the diss, but for most people it’s their first introduction to me.  i wonder.  i’d love for him to, it would be sick.  it probably would be my new favorite song.

wc- i’m sure if he does he’ll find a way to make fun of your name.  it’s such an easy target.

ip-  well the truth is i didn’t make the name up, my boys gave me that nickname after the mask came out back when i was in high school, and it just stuck like crazy.  people who don’t know me personally sometimes think i gave that name to myself as a stage name, but actually it was given to me.  bring it on though.

BONUS: “GEORGE MUSH” VIDEO VERSION

and here’s the link to the Bombin Magazine interview too:

Stan Ipcus Bombin Magazine Interview

Highlands to Hollywood

Interviews

A month and a half ago, I posted an entry on Sloane Crosley, a former White Plains High School classmate of mine, and author of the successful book I WAS TOLD THERE’D BE CAKE.  Her collection of essays was receiving quite a buzz nationally, especially after the news broke that HBO was turning it into a TV series.  But the buzz back home with the fellas focused more on her BUTT, and the rumor of how shapely it had gotten since her days roaming the halls of WPHS.  She actually had even written an article for The Village Voice about her “phat ass”.  Well, it turns out Sloane got a kick out of WESTCHEDDAR’s take on her local celebrity (props to my boy Mark Grimaldi aka “Gippamaldi” for sending her the link!!!), and agreed to do an interview with me.  Check it out…

ip:  Ok Sloane, let’s get right to the important stuff.  You have an essay in your book about one night stands.  Would you have a one night stand with former White Plains High School classmate Matt Barrett?  He had a major crush on you a couple years back and he wanted me to ask you.  And if not him, is there another White Plains High School class of ’96er you always wanted to get it on with?  Keep it real.

sc:  I like how Matt’s title is so official, like, “Former WPHS Classmate and Generally Awesome Matt Barrett.” I must say I would not have a one-night stand with him.  Partially because it would be impossible (I’ve technically known him for about 20 years so he doesn’t fit the profile) and partially because I respect him too much to use him like a piece of Matt-shaped meat.

Meanwhile, of course I had a few mild crushes in high school. But it’s funny how everything works out as it’s supposed to. I wound up studying abroad with a girl who went to college with one of said crushes and the stories she told me made me realize I had dodged a bullet. But the biggest recipient of my teenage affections I don’t feel that for anymore – though knowing him very vaguely now, I do regret that we weren’t just closer friends when we were passing each other in the halls.

ip:  Do you more often fancy jocks or artists as male companions?  Explain.  

sc:  Nice, I feel like this is an interview for Tiger Beat. Usually artists. Okay, always artists. But functional ones who don’t blame the faults of their life on being an artistic.  I think there’s a lot of that in New York.  There’s a lot of that everywhere, I guess. And it’s the only quality I think I’d prefer in “jocks” (assuming that means lacrosse players-turned-investment bankers?).  You don’t see them prone to mood swings, eviction notices or reckless drug use because “of all that squash I’ve been playing, baby.”

ip:  In your book, you dive into lots of topics pertaining to life in NYC, like losing your wallet in a cab and tales of upper west side moving.  What was it that initially made you want to live Manhattan after growing up in Westchester? 

sc:  This is an excellent question which, oddly, I don’t think anyone’s ever asked me when talking about the book.  It’s hard to go back and remember what you wanted if what you’ve gotten isn’t too far off. Growing up, I definitely had – and still have – dreams of living abroad.  But in terms of cities, I always loved coming into New York either with my parents or for concerts with friends.  It’s hard to pick it apart and say “this is why I wanted to live here.”  It’s too big for that. But it’s difficult to imagine living in another US urban center  (Maybe LA or Chicago but doubtful). Sometimes it’s difficult to imagine even living in Brooklyn.  I think that’s because I spent the first 18 years of my life doing the  “just outside Manhattan” thing in White Plains.

ip:  Will you ever return to the ‘burbs? 

sc:  No, not anytime soon but maybe down the road.  And definitely if it was someplace like White Plains with all the tree-lined streets and none of the Stepford-ness.

 ip:  In the essay “Bastard out of Westchester”, you talk about how you came close to moving to Australia with your family during high school, and what your life may have been like if that actually happened.  Looking back on it all, do you wish you did have that experience as a teenager?  Or do you cherish your high school memories too much to even ponder the question? 

sc:  Oh well, naturally, I think of the glory and magnificence that is WPHS everyday. But really – in the essay I do wonder what my life would have been like. That essay is about longing for identity and I thought a move to Australia would give me that more easily.  Honestly, it probably would have. Instead I stayed put and had to figure everything out for myself . Which sounds like what you’re supposed to do anyway, right? Not let some outside force define you? Still, I would have liked more kangaroo in my life.  Also, I tan well. And I still can’t surf. So yeah, screw the self-evaluation, I wish I had in Australia.   

The book actually just came out there this month and I tried to get the publishers to send me on a book tour down there. No dice.

ip:  It’s Friday night in Manhattan.  What are you doing? 

sc:  This Friday? I have drinks with a friend and then I’m going to a party. I try to go out on Friday nights because I have this theory that if you have a big Friday, then Saturday feels like Sunday and Sunday feels like a bonus day.  But it’s hard to put into practice since I’ve gotten old and decrepit.

ip:  How do you feel about HBO turning your book into a TV Show?  Are hip authors like you into that sort of thing or is that considered selling out?  Regardless, the money must be cool. 

sc:  I feel pretty awesome about it. It is beyond strange to meet with TV writers who may soon be imitating a character named “Sloane,” but otherwise, it’s amazing. And not considered selling out. Sadly, we don’t live in a world where writers get very public opportunities to truly sell out because they’re not in the public eye the way actors and musicians and even visual artists are. So in writer-land, I think the definition of selling out is more nuanced – it’s just people who say yes to everything.

ip:  Is the show going to be more SEX AND THE CITY or CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM? 

sc:  In the end, neither. It will be its own animal. I can’t speak for HBO, but I don’t think they got where they are by just aping their past successes to death. But since those are the two of their shows that come up when talking about this book, I guess I would say I imagine it having more quirk and realism than the former and more heart than the latter.

ip:  Speaking of HBO shows, do you have an ENTOURAGE?  How deep do you roll?  Do your friends tag along with you to your book signings? 

sc:  I have a handful of friends I see on a very regular basis – the ones you don’t have to give background to on any given situation at work or in my personal life because they’ve been there from the start of it. But no, I went on book tour solo (except for New York, which is different). But I went to bigger cities where it was great to see people come out who I hadn’t seen in years.

ip:  Of course one of the standout essays in your book is the story of how your schoolgirl friend asked you to be in her wedding even though you hadn’t really been in contact with her in quite a while.  I noticed you changed the name in your book, but I’m sure that didn’t stop her from finding out about it.  I mean hey, I found out about it through the good old WP rumor mill, she must have too.  What was her reaction?  Tell us!!! 

sc:  I would classify her reaction as “not good.” I don’t think we’ll be having sleepovers and doing each other’s hair anytime soon.  But it’s also a very complicated situation involving events that happened in between when I handed in the book but before it was published.

ip:  Have you established a celebrity fan base?  Any crazy letters or emails from obsessed readers, or movie stars spotted reading your book in the pages of US Weekly? 

sc:  A few celebrity-types but other writers mostly, which blows me away.  Someone told me that Tina Fey was a fan, a fact which I chose to believe when I feel like believing. Yes, I have gotten a few crazy letters but they’re just crazy enough that I won’t give details here as those people are prone to Googling. Oh!  I got my first prison letter the other day.  That was kind of a milestone.

I haven’t seen it in US Weekly, but I’ve seen people reading it on the subway, which always makes me giddy.

ip:  You’ve been compared to David Sedaris.  How does that feel?  Have you read alot of his books?  

sc:  I’ve read all of his books except a few stories in Barrel Fever.  It feels pretty amazing.  It’s a strange genre, the personal essay. The reader trusts you so much and you’re giving them an entire personality (to accept or disregard) as much as you’re entertaining them with a book.  So any comparison I take really personally and, in this case, it’s a very good one. He’s an unbelievable talent, especially Me Talk Pretty One Day.  It can have a dark side, though, when people expect me to be an exact replica of Sedaris and I’m not.

ip:  Besides working on developing the HBO show, what’s next for you?  Are you working on anything new? 

sc:  More essays, a novel, my day job (I still work for Random House)….and maybe a nap.

ip:  And finally, how “phat” is your ass? 

sc:  I have no idea. Ask Matt Barrett?

Check out the above video of Sloane reading her essays for the Google Authors series, live from Mountain View, California.  And stay tuned, she’s doing BIG THINGS!!!!

 

Into the Wild

Fly Spots, Interviews, My Dudes

My Dad Dr. Jim Isenberg aka “Izo” and his BFF (BEST FRIEND FOREVERRRRRRR!!!!) Larry Boxer aka “Box” just got back from a ten day excursion to Alaska, a trip they had been planning for a couple months and awaiting their whole lives.  Both in their mid-60’s, they have been friends since their hippie days in Berkeley, California, roughly 35 or 40 years ago.  Now in 2008, they live on opposite coasts but still maintain their BFF status.  Check out the post-trip interview…

Ip: Why Alaska?

Izo:  I always wanted to go to Alaska since I was a little kid.  Living in LA, there was (I think) a TV show about the ALCAN highway which ran up to Alaska.  I was entranced with truck driving and the long ride to a very cold place.  When I read Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild, I was again taken with the Alaskan wild.  Though, I’m basically a “wuss”, I thought it would be worth the challenge.  So off to Alaska!

Box:  It’s different and unique. Called “The Last Frontier,” it has that about it. Hippies and gun nuts, the whole spectrum of the disaffected.

Ip:  I notice neither of you married men wear a wedding ring.  Did either of you get hit on by any Alaskan women during your trip?

Box:  I’m sure you are familiar with the expression, “Had to beat them off with sticks.”  No wedding ring and I don’t wear underwear, either.

Izo:  No hits by Alaskan women as our age is the issue not the rings!   Still we did have some great conversations with young women who delicately gave us guidance and a pat on the head!  And I loved Humpy’s in Anchorage and was prepared to dance all night and “enjoy” the pleasure of this great food and bar scene.

Ip:  What are the major differences between the Alaskan lifestyle and living in the suburbs?

Izo:  First of all the style of dress was shared by all of us.  By that I mean, Box and I were quite comfortable with our stained t-shirts as we were considered well dressed in Alaska.  I haven’t seen many bears in Westchester, but the deer and worms keep me jumping, at times.  I loved the wilderness and I couldn’t say that there’s much of that in the White Plains world.  Still, the people in both Alaska and the suburbs can be wonderful, but the Alaskans win out as they made choices to be there even when it’s incredibly cold or daylight all day and night.

Box:  No difference at all. The similarities abound: same wild bears in the garage, same 8-inch thick parkas, same groups of 12 sleeping together foot over ass, same risk of being eaten while on a shopping adventure,  same remodeling problems (except ice is easier to deal with), same trouble starting the older dogs in winter.

Ip:  What was the best meal you had on your trip?

Box:  Moose ass, hands down. Succulent and aromatic. With a side of frozen everything (the locals just go out and pick it up off the ground).  Nice balance.

Izo:   Best meal goes to Homer’s Sourdough Cafe.  Great atmosphere, down home, halibut omelette and one of the sweetest tastiest date/pecan bars ever eaten by man or bear!   I also loved the Anchorage breakfast spot as I’d like to be transported there daily with the NY Times and a cup of decaf.  Very cool atmosphere that goes beyond anything in WP.  Finally, good halibut all around though one meal in Seward had coconut sauce which was a bit too “chefy” for my taste!


Ip:  Did you FIND YOURSELF on this trip?  Any major life breakthroughs?

Izo:  Well, when I returned, my friend Lenny Hamm had a good laugh about my “bucket list”.  I’m getting older, so this was one of my personal dreams.  No breakthroughs, a bit of mortality thinking, a few fears of flying and boating during the trip, but overall just good fun all around. I’ve got some new dreams so the Alaska venture just reminds me of my own mantra that is “you’ve got only one life to live, so live it!”   Alaska reminded me of that mantra and the fact that the word “fun” has to be brought back into my lexicon.  As to finding myself, I don’t think I was lost, but I sure could see how one could drift “into the wild” forever in Alaska.  Amazing place!

Box:  I find myself wherever I am. Usually at night. Snuggly under the covers.

Ip:  Tell us about your flight to the top of Mt. McKinley.  Walk us through it.

Izo:  Well it was the flight to Denali, not Mt. McKinley, as the Alaskan state legislature has formalized Denali as the official name for this Alaska mammoth mountain.  It’s actually a good story about the naming as President McKinley never went to Alaska only named it because of a political gambit dealing with the gold standard.  Of course, this has nothing to do with the remarkably fun flight.  It was a perfect “10” day and we flew in a small plane with four other folks and a wonderful pilot.  We had a ball and did not even feel an air bump, though we were able to reach out and touch the summit of Denali….not!  We could have if the windows opened.

Box:  I haven’t been that high since Woodstock. The plane took off and started to gain altitude immediately. Two-prop, 8-seater with me in the front seat. About the time we felt like you could reach out and touch the side, we were informed that it was two miles away. Tremendous views of the snow. It’s white.

Ip:  What do old friends like the two of you talk about when you’re traveling?  Chit Chat?  Bullshit?  Your wives and kids?  What?

Box:  Mostly about world affairs and “to die for” shoes (mostly that’s Jim.) Sometimes we went off on Heisenberg’s Theory of Indeterminacy or the rectitude of Kantian Categorical Imperatives but that was mostly just before dropping off to sleep.

Izo:  We talked about Boxer’s driving habits and the constant fear that he might try to pass someone on the highway without much forethought, but loads of bravado!  We talked of family, stories of other friends alive and dead and most about what we should do for our next meal.  I did a few imitations of our Denali park tour driver and tried to imagine Box in this “service-type” role.  He of course laughed about my daily calls to your Mom and we actually just enjoyed the extended time together.  It was a pretty easy partnership in spite of the fact that we’re both basically husbands tied to our wives whom we love beyond any reasonable doubt!  Sad, but true.

Ip:  What was the ultimate highlight of your “Into the Wild” adventure?

Box:  The sight of an animal, way off in the distance. A grizzly bear or a mountain sheep, I could never tell which, so far off were they. At one point we saw a moose (or a cow…hard to tell) without any ass. Chefs say they grow back. Now that’s renewable resource management.

Izo:  I loved Homer and catching all of those halibut.  For a true novice fishing guy, the catch of a 30 pound fish pulling on you is really amazing.  I also loved being outdoors for so many hours of the day, it was really great.

Ip:  What’s next?  Will you two travel together again?  If so, where?

Izo:  Hopefully a trip to Turkey with your Mom for our 40th anniversary and a lot of racquetball with Box when I’m home in Oakland. 

Box:  I cannot travel with Jim. I can only travel behind him. In 15 steps he’s 8 feet in front of me, and still talking.

Young Ip with Izo and Box back in the day.  Here’s my Alaska music picks…

I didn’t read the book Into the Wild, but I saw the movie, and it was incredible.  The soundtrack features a bunch of acoustic songs written by Pearl jam frontman Eddie Vedder, who is a legend around my way.  Here’s my favorite off the soundtrack, “Society“.
And here’s one more.  I sent this to my Dad and Box upon their return home, it’s a great song that I heard first on WFUV 90.7FM.  It’s by Dr. Dog, an indie band out of Philly.  It’s off their last album We All Belong (pictured above, new album Fate just dropped), and it’s fittingly titled  “Alaska“.  Aiight, chill.