John Erlich - 8-9-2010 at 05:52 PM
Greeting Fellow Oudies,
I will be in New York City for a couple days in the second half of this month. I may even have a couple days without the family!
Is there anything I shouldn't miss? Music venues? CD shops? Middle Eastern restaurants?
I am already considering a "pilgrimage" Brooklyn to shop at Rashid's music store and eat at Yemen Cafe.
Nothing listed during 2nd half of August on Alwan's web page. 
I haven't lived in NYC since 1987 and haven't spent much time there since becoming a serious oudist and M.E.N.A. culture vulture. Any advice?
Thanks, you'se guys!
Peace,
John
Brian Prunka - 8-11-2010 at 05:51 AM
Yemen Cafe is great! Rashid's is worth a trip, too.
Send me an email when you're coming, and I'll let you know if I've heard of anything going on.
John Erlich - 8-11-2010 at 08:59 PM
Hi Brian,
Will be in NYC & on my own in Aug.: eve. of 22nd, all day 23rd, & morning+ on 24th. If you don't have my email, U2U me!
All the best,
John
John Erlich - 8-17-2010 at 05:54 PM
Have arrived in upstate New York. Anyone know if Yemen Cafe closes during the day during Ramadan? 
Peace out,
John
bibo10 - 8-20-2010 at 02:43 AM
where are these places??
do you have the address?
Thank you very much
John Erlich - 8-20-2010 at 06:26 AM
Hi Michael,
Yemen Cafe on Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/yemen-cafe-brooklyn
Rashid Sales: http://www.rashid.com/about.htm
The restaurant and music store are practically around the corner from each other, near Atlantic Ave. in Brooklyn.
Peace out,
John
Brian Prunka - 8-20-2010 at 12:44 PM
Hey John,
I don't know if they close for Ramadan . . . I do know there's another very good Yemeni place nearby on Court street. Hopefully at least one will be
open. I'm sure you could call and ask.
John Erlich - 8-20-2010 at 05:43 PM
Hi Brian,
Thanks for the tip!
Best,
John
John Erlich - 8-24-2010 at 06:50 PM
Reporting back:
Rashid Sales is closing its retail store in Brooklyn next month. They have put
their retail stock on sale for the time being.
Yemen Cafe and the other Yemeni restaurants around Atlantic Ave. in Brooklyn are CLOSED during the day during Ramadan and open for dinner around 5PM.
I ate last night at Yemen Cafe. The food was quite good, and the restaurant was pretty quiet until Iftar time.
I enjoyed exploring the Arabic groceries around Atlantic Ave. (even finally scoring some more decaf Arabic coffee!). I finally found a few recordings
of traditional Yemeni music on CD (Fuad Al-Kibsy & Ayyub Tarish), though the production looks about like bootleg quality. My visit to the
Sephardic Judaica shop in the Midwood section of Brooklyn was a little disappointing (few CDs on offer), but I did buy a new "Sefer Pizmonim" (book of
Hebrew song lyrics, many of which are written to popular Arabic song melodies) which includes maqam scales and discussion of the maqamat (in
Hebrew).
We liked the food at Hummous Place, and felt that the quality at Hoomoos Asli had slipped a bit from out previous visit. I had a nice Bukharan pilaf
at Taam Tov in the "Diamond District" today (recommended!).
Peace out,
John
(back to chillin' in Woodstock!)