I was at a wedding in Brooklyn last night which was an eclectic mix of hassidish, yeshivish, and bucharian sephardi. Some interesting tidbits which get their own bullet points:
- I counted at least four different dialects of Hebrew spoken under the huppa.
- It’s apparently not frum to order a “Sex on the Beach” in Brooklyn. Instead you have to ask, more appropriately, for an S.O.B.
- Incidentally, there were at least 3 gallons of vodka.
- The band was split between Ashkenazi and Sephardi musicians for a very interesting mix of musical styles.
- On that note, the hatan walked down to Stairway To Heaven, and I’m debating whether or not it merits being listed as a Weird Wedding Song. On one hand, a resonable interpretation of the lyrics might warrant its inclusion. On the other hand, Robert Plant, who has come to hate the song, refers to “Stairway” as a “bloody wedding song.” For now I’m putting it in with a footnote.
And in other news:
- I can understand people not being familiar with P.D.Q. Bach, but it doesn’t seem right that I need to compare him to Weird Al or Shlock Rock. If you’re interested, he’s playing at Avery Fischer Hall January 3rd.
- Prime Grill just opened a new store in Beverly Hills. I’m guessing business has been going well enough to justify the investment. Plus I give them credit for steadilly improving their health code records up to their most recent perfect inspection. Well done, indeed.
- On the flip side, Circa Meat just closed last week.
- There was some positive feedback from the devar torah, but I inadvertently telegraphed the Rabbi’s derasha. I went to hashkama and missed what was said exactly, but it was supposedly amusing. (It happened last time I wrote as well, but then at least it was Parashat Shelach where it’s hard to avoid talking about the meraglim). In any event, I’ll be speaking this week at seudah shelisit and I’ll have a backup drash just in case.