I'm pretty sure they'd find a fair amount of fuzzy dice at a Jersey Shore cleanup, though...

So we were walking, on this gorgeous day, on Lafayette today in the E. Village and we see a black Rolls Royce convertible (!) (Rolls Royce! Convertible!) pull over and stop for some dude ahead of us who they start talking to. Must be a friend of the driver or the passenger. Who's the guy in the passenger seat in a pink baseball cap and pink polo shirt, all preppy-lookin? Russell Simmons! Hairless wrinkly man in his own weird ass get up (so strange to see an old man in preppy boys' wear), most likely from his very own Phat Farm. In a Rolls Royce convertible! (HOLY SHIT! The car, not Simmons). We couldn't make out who the driver was though -- we didn't look again. Had to be unfazable New Yorkers who after recognizing who it was, ignore the whole thing -- we had places to go...on our way to have a Japanese snack, octopus in dough fritter thingy -- and keep on walking (and then gush about it later in a blog).

Another celebrity sighting about a month ago, on the way from friend's apt. to Gray's Papaya (I'm still all class) on the Upper West Side: Steve Martin covered up in baseball cap and sunglasses, and I think dog. Much more exciting than Russel Simmons.

And every Friday at work, Simon Schama, a man who does not stop talking (really really loud, almost announcing) or cracking jokes. I have the glorious administrative task of helping him open his classroom door (old lock, old key).

While we're on the topic, I have a new way of cooking corn on the cob, which is everywhere in all stores now that it's warm. A few weeks ago, craving summer and grilled food in our little apartment, I decided to broil the corn. Nothing wrong with regular boiled corn, but I just don't like the sogginess and excess water. The same way boiled lobster, as opposed to steamed or baked, gush out water when you crack into a claw, which I think is kind of nasty. Without a barbeque (or a back yard...or a terrace...or a barbeque...or someone with any of those nearby), I had started wrapping corn in aluminum foil and just cooking it in the oven, like a baked potato but of course for much less time (I guess I could have also just cooked it in it's own husk, but I pictured a burnt-black husk and a big mess in the oven and lots of smoke). This is good too, but i decided to take it to the next step, in my own little makeshift grilled way. You really have to pay attention to the corn in the broiler (the risk of burning) and keep on basting it (I used butter), and rotating it as if it had four sides. It doesn't come out as plump or juicy, but it's quite tasty.

OK. Back to Sunday night pre-work week dread.