Counting the empty storefronts on Avenue A. [EVG]
Demolition on Essex, former typhus quarantine. [BB]
Penny Arcade from New York Values: "The ten most popular kids from every high school in the world are now living in New York City. Those are the people who most of us who came to New York came here to get away from."
Americans less likely to move away from their hometowns in this economy. Does that mean fewer most popular kids seeking out Applebee's in NYC? [NYT]
"In the many years that George has worked at Kramer’s, Brooklyn has transformed around it: high-rises have shot up, new immigrant populations have swept in, and most of the people who grew up with him have died or moved to the suburbs. Old businesses are forever 'going out,' in George’s phrase, and he announces the passing of each with a staccato shout: 'Brandz for Less 1351 Coney Island Avenue is going out December 31st!' 'Bargain Hunters 1605 Avenue M closed up for good!'" [NYT]
An Englishman in New York--was this ever released into theaters? Anyway, here's John Hurt playing Quentin Crisp in...guess what now-vanished Manhattan diner:
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDo'h! Union/Cooper Square Diner? I think that was it, I met Mr. Crisp there years ago, when he held Court there.
ReplyDeleteCrisp did hang out at the Cooper Square Diner, but that's not the one in the photo...
ReplyDeleteBack in the day--I would see Quentin Crisp walking through the EV--I always said hello and he always returned the greeting. He was nice.
ReplyDeleteCheyenne.
ReplyDeleteRE: The proliferation of the "popular" kids...
ReplyDeleteI've been saying to friends for a while now that our entire pop culture is/has become gentrified. Witness the youth films of the past decade, for example. The contributions of actor Michael Cera notwithstanding, many of the decade's films have starred the socially adjusted, good-looking popular kids. The heroes of teen/youth films used to be the outcasts, the nerds, the smart ones. Now it's essentially the exceptionally handsome/pretty who are celebrated, like in European pop culture. They have no sense of cynicism because life has basically been handed to them on a platter. The 20-somethings today don't even appreciate irony. Everything is so straight and bland for/from them.
The fact that these films made lots of money says a lot about our current cultural values. But are things really going to shift?
Given the cyclical nature of things, and the oncoming "90s revival" (which was virtually a "70s revival itself) one would think (hope?) that the current economic downturn replay itself in the same way that some yuppies at the onset of the 90s renounced the material excess of the previous decade.
I'm not so sure.
I recently visited (by chance) a club on Varick called Greenhouse, where a rum and coke cost a whopping $18(!), and the room was filled to the brim with admittedly attractive but self-entitled young adults. Maybe only 10 years ago, the types of people who went out clubbing in New York actually cared about the music the deejay was spinning. Whether the type of music was your cup of tea or not, it still had a point of view. The patrons had their own developed senses of *taste*. Now, going out isn't about the music, at all. There are a handful of exceptions, but it's not the norm, as it used to be. It's about the exclusivity of being in a room with other people who value exclusivity over individuality, and will pay high prices to do so.
After leaving there you wouldn't think that we're in a recession. Partying, spending, and acting like rockstars seems to be ingrained in their psyche. So, as an admittedly bitter Gen-Xer, I've had to put aside my dreams that the economy would be a splash of cold water to the "popular" kids.
For now.
Ten years ago, I was going out to hear live music, not a dj!
ReplyDeleteI"m also a Gen Xer, and it could just be me getting old, but I've noticed for the past few years that the "cool" parties here have started to look like country club cocktail receptions. Just a bunch of attractive, well dressed people chatting with drinks in their hand, without any evidence of life or spontaneity. And no, no evidence of a nationwide recession at all. But remember where the bailout money went.
ReplyDeletenot to mention to death of the dj as a source of music knowledge, and djing as an art/skill. now any schmo can download a million songs and scratch (badly) with a serrato. serrato democratizes the game but also enables those people looking to exploit a culture for fame and $ rather than participate, create something new, and add to it. sounds familiar?
ReplyDeleteyes, that's the Cheyenne.
ReplyDeleteas for those popular kids, yes, Anon, i have noticed this weird thing about teen movies celebrating the characters who used to be jerks. it's a disturbing shift for sure.
ReplyDeletewhat changed?
what changed is that money is making movies now, not artists making films.
ReplyDeletei was an aspiring film student, but had to give it up for wage slavery. the rich kids from school are still making movies.
maybe i didn't have enough chutzpah, but i'm busting my ass just to keep a rent stabilized apartment in brooklyn - with a roomate!
can i add that bloomberg sucks?