First off, welcome new readers and thanks to Blogger for picking JVNY out of the hat as New Year's Day's Blog of Note.
Goofy 2000's glasses on St. Marks: They'll be vanishing after this year:
Yesterday at Coney, Ruby's opened despite the shuttering, the Polar Bears swam, and a lot of people braved the freezing cold (including Reverend Billy and Lola Starr) to protest Thor.
See Love Saves the Day says goodbye on the local news. [NY1]
Mr. Kim speaks about his collection's move to Sicily and the words are heartbreaking: "I think my passion in loving film to share and introduce to New Yorkers is no longer valid...I now do not want to fight against the new stream. I just want to disappear calmly." [NYDN]
Steve Zeitlin and Brooks of Sheffield (Lost City) offer a radio broadcast on the city's 2008 losses. [WNYC]
The Knitting Factory moves to Brooklyn--Tribecans happy to have a sophisticated new wine bar instead. NYT via [Stupefaction]
An early casualty of the enforced digital "upgrade," an old TV gutted and junked in the tossed-out packaging of the new:
New York State steps in to evict remaining tenants of Carnegie Hall building--Editta, age 96, says they'll have to "drag me out" with "their bare hands." [NYP]
The Moondance Diner is set to reopen in its Wyoming home. [NYT]
But the Cheyenne Diner might be doomed--it's just too big to get across the river in one piece. [CN]
Ken says goodbye to the P&G. [GVDP]
R&L, formerly Florent, formerly R&L, reopens in Meatpacking. [Eater]
Enjoy some vintage Jesus neon. [EVG]
Take in the top scaffolds of 2008. [Restless]
Blue seats on the F train are freaking people out. [BBoogie]
There is such an irony to this blog. I could be penning its counterpart about urban living, and for the same reasons: migrating suburbanites. Your verb, "sanitize" is similarly apropos. They want lawns, lights, sidewalks, Starbucks. They are offended by the sight of horse run-ins and farm implements. They don't like the smell of livestock. They want everyone's fences to be pristinely painted.
ReplyDeleteSuburbanites are like immature, fickle lovers. They don't know what they want, so they keep jumping from one place to another. Rather than loving a place for what it is, they self-righteously force places to mold in their own homogeneous image. It's heartbreaking to watch your way of life suffer a fate worse than death — Stepfordization.
Congrats on blog of note. Happy new year, too!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on being a Blog of Note this week. I've enjoyed reading through your blog - as someone who grew up near NYC, I'm glad to see someone recording the changing nature and gentrification of the city.
ReplyDeleteJeremiah,
ReplyDeleteCongrats on making the blogs of note!
Happy New Year! ROB
Cool thing. Congratulations on blog of note! I know New York just from books, never been there - I live in Europe - and this blog really gives interesting angle of view. Broadens one's look and knowledge, and that is - cool!
ReplyDeleteJ, did you notice there was a previous Blog of Note about cupcakes?!
ReplyDeletecongrats, and happy new year!
ReplyDeletecongrats on being bloggers featured blog Jan 1st happy 2009
ReplyDeleteCongratulations , I love your blog. Happy New Year !
ReplyDeleteI can't believe "Love Saves the Day" is going. I could never pass that store with my son without having to go in. A visual delight for both of us.
ReplyDeleteI'm shocked that none of the Film Departments at the NYC colleges didn't jump on Kim's offer of his video collection. My son is a film major in NYC, and frequently buys films from Kim's that aren't available anywhere in Manhattan.
As more places like Love and Kim's close, the luster of NYC gets a little duller.
Always enjoy this blog. Happy New Year.
Ahh...an east coaster. Thank God!!
ReplyDeleteshatteredM, there are many, many blogs about cupcakes out there.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on being a blog of note! Well deserved, a great read.
ReplyDeleteJeremiah you are doing a great service to the city, holding up a mirror to all its diversity and its fading history. Your blog will end up as living history when everything has been homogenized, looking like a Disney film of itself. I live in a small town in Oregon that still enjoys leaving things as they are. Not that we are nostalgic, but we retired here to return to the ways things were, intimate and authentic. May your thoughts become fodder for good reflection by city planners.
ReplyDeletesixtyfivewhatnow.blogspot.com
I have fond memories of "the Village" and other NYC places with character and energy. (late 1950's) I'm sorry to see them being demolished rather than restored. Thank you for the memorial.
ReplyDeleteBarbara
Congrats and happy new year! I would wear those shades all year long, not just on Dec. 31st.
ReplyDeleteCan't buy sunglasses on E. 86th St. from the street guys till springtime, when I presume the sun comes back out. But you can still get $10 watches that last for 5 years. Also, Pashmina scarves(luxury goods on Lex. and 87 St.),and designer handbag knock-offs, are very big up this way. Fresh veggies on the carts...who needs stores? This is the ritzy Upper E. Side, where a zillion dollar building is scheduled to open this spring on 86 & Lex. Big money and peddlars. It works for me. We'll find a way!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on being selected for Blogs of Note, and Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI saw a piece on the nightly news not too long ago about the impending demolition of a building in which many Tin Pan Alley greats composed and played their music back in the day. The lack of concern for remembering a glorious past now long gone is just really sad to me. There are people trying to save it, but...
ReplyDeleteLeah Fry is the best post up here. What's ruined this city are people moving from suburbs in places like California. Especially California. I hear these "oh my god" and "totally" it sounds like surfer talk. I hear this more than the New York accent. I live in Queens and they are starting to move here as well, I can't stand these people. They are so loud and they way they talk is so annoying.
ReplyDeleteThey all dress the same to, wearing beat up Converse All Stars shoes.
They didn't wanna move here when it was dangerous, now that everything is safe as far as street crime goes, all of these so called "sophisticated" jerks wanna be here.
I will add it's mostly white yuppie people. There are some working class whites but they are as rare as a needle in the haystack.
The thing that really pisses me off is there disregard for New Yorkers.
I was out with my friend and told these people we were from NYC and these people said to us "my condolences" for growing up in NYC. My response "Than why the F did you move here"
"because it's sophisticated now".
i need to get a pair of those shades
ReplyDeleteIt's always since birth been my goal to live in NYC. When I was 8, I started a savings account for this purpose. It's 10 years later, I still put money in it weekly. I still do. I'm trying to go to school out there next year. I'm from unfortunately, eternally sunny, southern California--where what little cultural/quirky character was lost before I was born. It makes me sad to see these places go. When I go there--to live (fingers crossed), I don't want it to be anything like my life here. Target next to Starbucks next to Barnes and Nobles in patterns. I want to be thrust into something ridiculously unfamiliar. That would be far more comforting.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on Blog of Note! Definitely deserving of it. I'm just sorry there was so much sad news to report, but you covered the city like no one else. Thanks again for keeping us all informed and have a great new year.
ReplyDeleteK&T
Congrats and great job this year Mr. J!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
bulldog kisses,
Kirby
hooray for bulldog kisses!
ReplyDeletewhile i am in awe of the awesome 2000's glasses, i can't help but notice how many shudder shades there are as well.
ReplyDeletesweetest glasses ever.
hopefully your blog doesn't vanish!
ReplyDeletecongrats on becoming what all the rest of us bloggers hope to be some day, blogger of the day.
that's funny, my word verification word was "booti".
Check Out my blog please!
ReplyDeleteGlad I stumbled over through blogger--I was JUST thinking at 11pm on New Year's Eve how sad it is that this year was the last for 2000 sunglasses, and I've NEVER owned or worn a pair. Boo--a fashion experience I will never be a part of.
ReplyDeletecupcakez, is that you, shatteredmonocle, linking to a cupcakes blog on here? :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful blog. I dropped in after seeing it in "blogs of note."
ReplyDeleteThank you for your update on happenings in New York.
ReplyDeleteWith the rapidly changing technology that appears to be expanding and doubling at an unbelievable rate, the list of extinct technical species seems to be exploding beyond our wildest imaginations.
When I first started at university, I remember that the leading edge calculator was an expensive slide rule. In the ensuing period of thirty or so years, we have jumped ahead in quantum leaps.
The next twenty or so years should be interesting as scientists move us to the next level - nanocircuitry.
I have an uncanny feeling that today's generation will soon feel about their I-Pods and Blackberrys as I do, when I stare affectionately at my trusty old sliderule.
Keep up the good work.
I invite you to visit my site at garyross.ca.
Have a healthy and prosperous 2009.
Gary
To Elaine Kathryn-
ReplyDeleteLuv ya, luv CA. NYer's are generally pretty kind. Come on down!
Hate to break this to you though...I live in a high rise in NYC. Across the street, in this order..Starbucks, Staples, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy! The other side of the street has the little shops...that's NY.
Just happened to stop by this blog, wow! I love it.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading through more posts now!
Terrific blog! I have often thought about paying homage to some of Toronto's fraying best in the same way - but I can't keep up with all the destruction!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading your posts. You honour your city well.
Found you on Blogs of Note! This is awesome...a totally different look at New York for this Aussie. Happy New Year! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat happens when New York Vanishes?
ReplyDeleteWhat is there instead?
Will you still exist?
Will it be as if we live on the set of a romantic comedy about a fashion designer's attempts at finding the right guy?
Where will the world look for the edge, the dirty truth of society?
CONGRATS!! on being the Blog of Note :D
ReplyDeleteWhat a way to start a Happy New Year!