So much is happening in NYC this holiday season. A couple of weekends ago I went for a ride on the 'Nostalgia Train', a subway from the 1930's. They've got it operating on Sundays only and only for the month of December. Anyway, I've done my share of Christmas shopping, drank plenty of warming beverages ranging from cider to whisky, and eaten a very large variety of exceptional foods. All in all, I'm really enjoying this season.
For any Vampire Weekend fans out there (which you should all be since I blogged about them often earlier this year) click this link to hear a cover of 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa'. In this case, the song is sung by Peter Gabriel, which is extraordinarily exciting since Peter Gabriel himself is mentioned repeatedly throughout the song (okay, maybe not that exciting, but still fun). Fun times. I'd also recommend sifting through the site a little. Alternateside.org is a new indy-rock station put out by local NPR station WFUV. Enjoy.
Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Black Friday in Manhattan and Other Short Stories.
As I walked from my apartment towards the 4 train I was very aware of my connection to the city. It felt good, inspiring. I enjoyed watching the black Friday shoppers scrambling in and out of the crowded apartment buildings with bags in hand, most of them speaking varying indiscernible languages, something I’ve grown to appreciate about my neighborhood. As I rounded a corner leading to the last few blocks of my short stroll, I saw a commotion on the sidewalk ahead of me. It appeared that some kids had picked this very chilly November Friday to throw water balloons from their 5th story window onto unsuspecting shoppers below. As I walked closer, I noticed that some of the balloons had failed to pop on impact. Only then did I realize that they weren’t actually balloons, but condoms filled with water. I crept by, tactfully avoiding any projectiles from above, laughing to myself as I imagined these kids, left home while the parents went searching for the best Black Friday deals, discovering these balloons and putting them to such good use. I also chuckled as I realized these kids were also likely the reason their parents had this many condoms on hand. No one else seemed to see the humor in it, and many on the street were yelling towards the sky in mixes of English, Spanish and what sounded like Russian. I love living in New York.
I met up with Josh in Grand Central and we headed towards Times Square to grab some food. The day was out of control from there. Often I feel like the city is in control, telling me where I’ll go next or what I’ll do. The days come and go and I barely know what’s happened, but somehow I’ve got everything I wanted and I’ve circled the island multiple times over. This day was no exception. After enjoying a steak in Times Square we headed to Midtown Comics so I could fill my weekly comic quota and then to H&M for some gloves and a hat. The day went on, and we went with it, to Canal Street for new lighting, a new coat at a store in Union Square, new books from a Strand Books at NYU, alcoholic drinks on Ludlow St in the Lower East Side, toys in SoHo, desert at a famous pastry shop in Little Italy, and finally a bathroom break at the Charmin Experience back in Times Square. Considering it was the notorious Black Friday, the city was surprisingly free of the usual crowds and easy to navigate. I think we crossed the island three or four times before calling it a day. Still, with most of my Christmas shopping done in this one day, I find myself pleased with the trip.
See my video below of the Charmin Experience in Times Square. It was a little out of hand for me, and I think it was the only place I went all day that was actually busy.
(video coming soon)
I met up with Josh in Grand Central and we headed towards Times Square to grab some food. The day was out of control from there. Often I feel like the city is in control, telling me where I’ll go next or what I’ll do. The days come and go and I barely know what’s happened, but somehow I’ve got everything I wanted and I’ve circled the island multiple times over. This day was no exception. After enjoying a steak in Times Square we headed to Midtown Comics so I could fill my weekly comic quota and then to H&M for some gloves and a hat. The day went on, and we went with it, to Canal Street for new lighting, a new coat at a store in Union Square, new books from a Strand Books at NYU, alcoholic drinks on Ludlow St in the Lower East Side, toys in SoHo, desert at a famous pastry shop in Little Italy, and finally a bathroom break at the Charmin Experience back in Times Square. Considering it was the notorious Black Friday, the city was surprisingly free of the usual crowds and easy to navigate. I think we crossed the island three or four times before calling it a day. Still, with most of my Christmas shopping done in this one day, I find myself pleased with the trip.
See my video below of the Charmin Experience in Times Square. It was a little out of hand for me, and I think it was the only place I went all day that was actually busy.
(video coming soon)
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
We'll always have Madagascar...
Work has been great! Things have finally calmed down here making life more enjoyable. My hours have reduced from 90 per week to a mere 60 per week. I feel like I have all the free time in the world! I'd be able to do more with that time if I only had all the money in the world.
My sister visited New York last weekend. She was only here for a few days, but I think we managed to make the best of our time. A few of the sites we visited were the Botanical Gardens, The Bronx Zoo and the Central Park Zoo. I had never been to any of these three places, so it was a relief to finally have the opportunity to visit. The Botanical Gardens was one of the most boring places I've visited since living in New York. If it were cheaper, and if I were at all interested in flowers etc. I may have been more entertained. The Zoos were a different story however. I will definitely return to the Central Park Zoo, where for just $8 you can relax in an oasis in the middle of Manhattan. The highlight of the weekend however was my visit to the Bronx Zoo. It was amazing, and not just for the exhibits or the animals. While my sister and I were exploring the Madagascar Exhibit, watching the lemurs leaping between tree limbs, a woman with two young children approached the glass display and stopped next to us. Her kids were clearly thrilled, although she seemed more excited than they did. I glanced over and smiled at her acknowledging the joy her two kids were obviously experiencing. It took a few moments to sink in, but after a few moments I began to think to myself, "wait a second, do I know her?" A few moments later I looked again and my thoughts were confirmed. For those of you who know me well you likely know of the female celebrities I most enjoy. Gwyneth Paltrow, Rachel Weisz, Franka Potente, and this woman standing next to me with her kids. Jill Hennessy. Jill is slightly less famous than some of the others on my list, but she is likely my favorite. After years as Assistant D.A. to Jack McCoy on Law and Order,
followed by the leading role as Jordan Cavanaugh on the NBC crime drama Crossing Jordan, Jill has certainly made a name for herself and developed a strong following. Anyhow, I couldn't very well watch the animals after that. I'm fairly sure that my sister was more than a little annoyed with my ranting about how awesome Jill Hennessy is. I didn't talk to her. I thought it would be rude to intrude on her day at the zoo with the kids. I sent Jill a message on her myspace page complimenting her on her new musical career she has pursued since Crossing Jordan ended.
Later in the week, I had a dream that I found entertaining. It had nothing to do with Jill Hennessy (unfortunately) but instead was about my friendship with Norwegian singer songwriter Sondre Lerche. Sondre and I were hanging out at his house. This house appeared to be in Dearborn Michigan and I'm fairly sure it's the house that my good friends Mike and April live in. But in this dream it was Sondre Lerches house, or more accurately, his parents’ house; but we'll get to that in a minute. Sondre and I were going to play video games in his room because his dad was bothering him. His room was almost an exact duplicate of Zach Morris' on Saved by the Bell, with the addition of a really realistic red racecar bed, some guitars, and records on the walls. Oh, and for some reason it had classic 80s era additions like glass block dividers and some neon lightning bolts (Maybe Norway is behind in the times). Moments later we were leaving his house to go somewhere and his dad was mowing the lawn. The odd thing was that his dad was John Travolta. He smiled, nodded our direction and politely asked when we'd be back. Sondre became visibly agitated with Mr. Travolta's question and huffed past him without answering. I remember thinking to myself in my dream, "How'd I forget that Sondre Lerche's dad was John Travolta? His airplane must be in the garage." It made absolutely no sense at all which is why I loved it. I woke up laughing at my stupid dream, rolled out of bed and checked my e-mail, facebook, and myspace. Jill Hennessy had replied to my message. She said she was grateful for my compliments and that "we'll always have Madagascar." I wasn't dreaming. At the time, Jill's page had only 22 friends listed, she had joined myspace less than a week earlier. Coincidentally I was listed as #2. Who was #1? Sondre Lerche. How weird is that? Anyway, if you like Tracey Chapman’s style of bluesy folk rock, then check Jill’s page out. She should be releasing an album soon.
My sister visited New York last weekend. She was only here for a few days, but I think we managed to make the best of our time. A few of the sites we visited were the Botanical Gardens, The Bronx Zoo and the Central Park Zoo. I had never been to any of these three places, so it was a relief to finally have the opportunity to visit. The Botanical Gardens was one of the most boring places I've visited since living in New York. If it were cheaper, and if I were at all interested in flowers etc. I may have been more entertained. The Zoos were a different story however. I will definitely return to the Central Park Zoo, where for just $8 you can relax in an oasis in the middle of Manhattan. The highlight of the weekend however was my visit to the Bronx Zoo. It was amazing, and not just for the exhibits or the animals. While my sister and I were exploring the Madagascar Exhibit, watching the lemurs leaping between tree limbs, a woman with two young children approached the glass display and stopped next to us. Her kids were clearly thrilled, although she seemed more excited than they did. I glanced over and smiled at her acknowledging the joy her two kids were obviously experiencing. It took a few moments to sink in, but after a few moments I began to think to myself, "wait a second, do I know her?" A few moments later I looked again and my thoughts were confirmed. For those of you who know me well you likely know of the female celebrities I most enjoy. Gwyneth Paltrow, Rachel Weisz, Franka Potente, and this woman standing next to me with her kids. Jill Hennessy. Jill is slightly less famous than some of the others on my list, but she is likely my favorite. After years as Assistant D.A. to Jack McCoy on Law and Order,
followed by the leading role as Jordan Cavanaugh on the NBC crime drama Crossing Jordan, Jill has certainly made a name for herself and developed a strong following. Anyhow, I couldn't very well watch the animals after that. I'm fairly sure that my sister was more than a little annoyed with my ranting about how awesome Jill Hennessy is. I didn't talk to her. I thought it would be rude to intrude on her day at the zoo with the kids. I sent Jill a message on her myspace page complimenting her on her new musical career she has pursued since Crossing Jordan ended.Later in the week, I had a dream that I found entertaining. It had nothing to do with Jill Hennessy (unfortunately) but instead was about my friendship with Norwegian singer songwriter Sondre Lerche. Sondre and I were hanging out at his house. This house appeared to be in Dearborn Michigan and I'm fairly sure it's the house that my good friends Mike and April live in. But in this dream it was Sondre Lerches house, or more accurately, his parents’ house; but we'll get to that in a minute. Sondre and I were going to play video games in his room because his dad was bothering him. His room was almost an exact duplicate of Zach Morris' on Saved by the Bell, with the addition of a really realistic red racecar bed, some guitars, and records on the walls. Oh, and for some reason it had classic 80s era additions like glass block dividers and some neon lightning bolts (Maybe Norway is behind in the times). Moments later we were leaving his house to go somewhere and his dad was mowing the lawn. The odd thing was that his dad was John Travolta. He smiled, nodded our direction and politely asked when we'd be back. Sondre became visibly agitated with Mr. Travolta's question and huffed past him without answering. I remember thinking to myself in my dream, "How'd I forget that Sondre Lerche's dad was John Travolta? His airplane must be in the garage." It made absolutely no sense at all which is why I loved it. I woke up laughing at my stupid dream, rolled out of bed and checked my e-mail, facebook, and myspace. Jill Hennessy had replied to my message. She said she was grateful for my compliments and that "we'll always have Madagascar." I wasn't dreaming. At the time, Jill's page had only 22 friends listed, she had joined myspace less than a week earlier. Coincidentally I was listed as #2. Who was #1? Sondre Lerche. How weird is that? Anyway, if you like Tracey Chapman’s style of bluesy folk rock, then check Jill’s page out. She should be releasing an album soon.
Friday, July 25, 2008
George.
This short cartoon from Disney's animated release Fantasia 2000 pretty much sums up everything I thought New York would be. After 14 months here, I'm happy to say this is exactly how it is, just with less of the Gershwin soundtrack. I'm putting more Gershwin on my iPod today, then it'll be EXACTLY like this.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
