Cafe Vivaldi, Greenwich Village

Last night, John's Pizza on Bleecker was way too crowded so we fell back on our contingency plan and headed for cute little Caffe Vivaldi on Jones Street. This tiny cafe oddly seems to attract budding hedge fund types (or as Peter calls them "ledge fund types," as in, if the economy tanks anymore they'll be jumping off the window ledge in high numbers!). Oddly, because it's a real down-to-earth kind of joint with live music, not the kind of meat market faux-techno shithole these assholes usually flock to.

Last night's snow kept the mood subdued, and complementing the mood was singer/pianist Jess King, whose Tuesday night residency continues at least until the end of February. King has a kind of sad, sweet voice that works well with her intimate original music about broken hearts and the self-commitment to dreams that generally seem to cause them in her songs. Blend Fiona Apple with Carole King and you get a pretty good of the style (maybe she's related to the latter?). It was perfect for the weather. And when she brought out a friend to join her on guitars and harmonizing, it was hard to believe that the song they came up with was written in the past three days via text messaging and email! 

The food at the Caffe varies widely in quality. Last time I was there, I had the ravioli which was nothing to write home about. But last night, I opted for the cheaper ($10) Herbed Chicken Panini, adding roasted red peppers ($1). Served with a salad, it's quite delicious. And considering there's no charge for the entertainment, I consider Caffe Vivaldi a Tuesday night haven. Maybe I'll see you there next week.