Audio Memory

When brainstorming ideas for the audio project, Joe and I agreed to the idea of going to a cheap concert. We both have a mutual love for music, him especially, so I was down to opening my eyes to an upcoming band in the lively city of New York. However, ideas got shifted and persuaded to one that I was uneasy about: going to a place that separated and highlighted our emotional/spiritual differences and lifestyles, instead of being unified as one. As the week progressed and the new experience becoming closer, the more I felt uncomfortable about all of it. I didn’t want to go to his experience because of staying true to my faith (not my closed mind-ness), but I also didn’t feel comfortable about him experiencing “my” lifestyle location because I too, haven’t felt quite comfortable with it wholly. Therefore, I felt that it created emotions that I didn’t want to encounter, but also meant creating two memories than one.

So, last minute we agreed on doing a food tour at an Indian Restaurant, Panna II in the East village, a food type we both had never had. After spending a weekend with my family who are foodies, I thought this would be exploratory as I did my own food critiquing without them. Initially, we started walking, but I wanted to be a flaneur instead by just impulsively find a restaurant since all restaurants have to serve good food in order to stay afloat in NYC. But once we arrived, it became a physical fight between the surrounding restaurants for our service. After hastily being shoved into a cramped, disco-injected, stimulating sense type of environment, we could finally “relax” and admire the atmosphere around us.

Cramped like an airplane, the decorations danced above our heads, while we rushed to order our 5 course meal. The food had so many unique flavors (but I’ll save that for the actual audio project). We even encountered two disco moments with the entire restaurant, caused by celebrating a birthday. During our time there, I did feel however, that we were so busy narrating with what occurred that it didn’t feel as comfortable, relaxed, and casual. It made me wonder if we stuck to the second idea of drawing out uncomfortableness that it would actually just make the feelings even worse.

Haphazardly, as we were leaving I attempted to put on my jacket without knocking over the water from the table behind me (since we were literally on top of the next couple over), and instead I turn around to have my own water knocked over by Joe accidentally. It was quite hilarious since it epitomized the claustrophobia that ensued. By the end, I just wanted to escape so I could breathe for once.

On our way back, I wanted to keep things sort of spontaneous. So I promptly decided to enter a thrift store near home. The place was extremely overpriced, and they kicked us out despite there being 15 minutes before closing time. Ridiculous. But anyways! Overall, Panna II (not sure what happened to the first one exactly….) was a great restaurant, but I definitely would recommend it for take out only. The thrift shop may have had unique and sporty finds, yet the pricing was too unrealistic for a broke college student.