MTA plans a brutalist, concrete "faux townhouse" for the former site of the Edward Hopper Nighthawks diner--perish the thought. [Curbed]
Thor keeps more amusements out of Coney this season. [ATZ]
Talking with the author of What We See: Advancing the Observations of Jane Jacobs. [Gothamist]
Answers about Robert Moses. [CR]
On the Upper East Side, we're about to lose another good old sign with the word "stationery" on it:
The pigs are still flying on 2nd Ave. [EVG]
What is "turning NYC into a Yuppie North Korea," in which "it is your DUTY to be HAPPY for the opportunity to trade your city and soul for the bland, ad-sponsored comfort of suburban emptiness"? [Restless]
It's spring and the sidewalks are louder and more crowded. Pulino's adds to the clutter. [BB]
Ray scores a Green Card! [NMNL]
May 23: Your last chance to enjoy Zoe Beloff's Dreamland at Coney, with an artist talk at 4:30. [CIM]
Congrats at blogging at Huff Post and thanks for keeping me updated and interested. Have a good weekend.
ReplyDeleteWow. Very cool on the HuffPo gig. I look forward to reading your essays there!
ReplyDelete@Mr. Moss:
ReplyDeleteI just came across your blog today.
Wow.
I'm a native teenager - born and raised here in NYC [...well, in a borough other than Manhattan].
Native Nyers try their best to avoid the whole Manhattan “Artsy Cosmopolitan City Life” masquerade.
My friends and I only venture into the city for the following reasons:
a. to go shopping.
b. to party without abandon.
There's really no other reasons to stick around [I've seen all the museums and touristy places].
perhaps if the hipster [?] locals were a bit nicer.
They're so pretentious, and try to belittle us non-hipsters into thinking we don't belong in the city.
...
I'm very ill, I suffer from an autoimmune disease.
When I first became sick, I began writing - it's a therapeutic, non-strenuous activity [I can't control my health; however, I can control words].
...I can barely tolerate a Manhattan writing class.
Hipster wanna-be-writers make snide, cruel, condescending remarks.
I attend writing classes looking for constructive criticism, or at least some form of genuine advice.
Instead I get called out for all the reasons why I'll never become a writer.
“You're just not serious enough. I moved here from blahblahblah, I graduated whatever University, I have a bachelors in creative writing.”
First of all, who gets a bachelors degree in creative writing? - talk about flushing your tuition payments down the toilet [...something said degree holder might as well do; it sounds like an fun situation to document].
Which brings me to an interesting observation:
If you possess something a Hipster cannot BS into existence, they lose it.
Talent, foreign language skills, personal experiences [- I'm serious, I've been reduced to tears by some jealous, hate filled comments about “not understanding pain.” I guess in Hipsterland, diseases don't cause pain]
- but I digress; it's not that awful.
My friends and I don't require the backdrop of this shiny plastic Babylon to make our lives meaningful.
We just wish that others could realize this. [i.e. I don't need the whole “NYC” atmosphere to become successful. I mean, if I moved to Timbuktu, I'd still be a writer - heck, even more so, a culture shock like that sounds like an exciting read! ]
Anyway, good luck with your blog and other pursuits [Huff. Post thing sounds awesome]; I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who thinks Post 9/11 NYC has become a real-life Mattel playset.
PS:
You're from Boston?
I visited Boston over a year ago; I found this terrific used bookstore there, it was my favorite part of the trip.
The owner knew everything about his inventory, and made great suggestions.
While I was paying I said to my friend “I wish there was more bookstores like this in the city.”
The owner looked confused. He replied “there's a much bigger used bookstore downtown.”
I told him I was from NYC. That made him even more confused.
It is kinda hard to believe. There's a small B&N on every other corner, but decent used bookstores are a dying breed. [Alternatively, my accent could have confused him. I speak with a slight Locust Valley Lockjaw/Prep accent, it a bit similar to the Boston Brahmin/Harvard accent. BTW, talking 'bout dying breeds, said accents aren't really that common anymore either]
Maybe I'll move to New England! [would that make me a hipster? lol]
Have you ever been to Ridgewood, Queens? I think you would love it... seriously.
ReplyDeleteYou are too good to write for HuffPo for free! Please tell us they are giving you something.
ReplyDeleteha, i do it for the fun.
ReplyDelete