Monday, May 5, 2008

*Everyday Chatter

Though I can't fathom why I never read him before, I just discovered Jim Knipfel. A recent Slackjaw of his gave me the chills--he seems to be reading my mind and telegraphing my thoughts--so read his so-crazy-it's-sane take on the Park Slope stroller madness. [Slackjaw]

NYU president: "My answer to people who want to cap or severely restrict the capacity of NYU or Columbia is... Maybe you should move to Sioux City..." [Observer]

Aristo-brat, nepotista, celebu-spawn--Radar coins some great new terms for the growing population of rich kids who are taking over the world. [Radar]

And, as a too-often rejected writer, it really irks me to see the children of the "publishing elite" get handed multi-book, mega-bucks deals for writing that is (in the words of reviewers) cartoonish, awkward, flat, and flailing. [Radar]

The SATC girls say it's not their fault that New York has been changed "into a real-life set for the show, with gaggles of cosmo-swigging young women chasing the lifestyle it depicts." [AMNY]


With all their over-the-top amenities, the new condos make people feel angry and robbed, even when they don't really want those amenities. Here's a sad statement: "Once our choice set has been expanded to include things that we never dreamed of that are gloriously better than what we have, it’s very tough for us to be content with the things that used to give us pleasure." [Times]

As plans for killing Coney turn away from luxury housing, they swing toward mall-trashy Times Square. Again, we're given two choices for the city: High-end luxury or middle-American garbage. It's no choice at all. [Brownstoner]

Disappearing affordable supermarkets--next step in The Big Plan to oust NYC's poor, elderly, and disabled? [Times]

Feeling depressed now? Take a ride on the Third Avenue El in this fabulous old film. [youtube]

6 comments:

L'Emmerdeur said...

A friend of mine was walking out of the Grey Dog on University one day last fall, and one of these androids tried to use her stroller to muscle her way in before he had made his exit. He simply kicked the stroller, child and all, out of his way, leaving her with a muted look of horror on her face. Bonus points: the little shit in the stroller must have been five years old.

When I asked him about how he felt kicking a stroller with a kid in it, he responded,

"Not my genes."

Anonymous said...

New York magazine also has a similar article on How SATC made Sarah Jessica Parker made the poster girl for the new Manhattan

http://nymag.com/movies/profiles/46660/

Jeremiah Moss said...

thanks anon for the satc link. i just wrote up my synopsis/response and will be posting it soon.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for bringing Slackjaw back to my attention. I used to read his articles in the NY Press back in the early '90s to early 2000's until I fell through the cracks when I moved away from NY for 4 years. Now that I am back, I've been searching for his articles in the NY Press(I thought his liver gave up on him and he passed away). Anyway, good to know that he now has his own website and has written memoirs and fiction. He was writing for NY Press at the same time Candace Bushnell (aka -- Carrie Bradshaw) was writing at the Observer. It's just sad that NYC ended up with the Carries instead of NYC remaining as the SlackJaws.

Speaking of NY press, if anyone ever feels nostalgic about the good old NY, peruse through articles and the ads of the back editions (10-15 yrs. back) of the NY Press and it surely will bring back memories -- all those music venues, restaurant reviews, etc... that have now disappeared or disappearing. Anyone knows where one can get copies of the old editions of the NY Press?

Mark said...

the 3rd Avenue El film is wonderful, but only leaves me want to see much, much more. what a tease.

Anonymous said...

you can can get a higher quality version of the 3rd ave el film here:

http://www.archive.org/details/ThirdAve1950