Wednesday, June 22, 2011

*Everyday Chatter

How long will the tourist machine tolerate this industrial view from the High Line's new "viewing spur" before the Firestone Bear Auto Center is suddenly put out of business? Not that anyone's actually paying attention to the view, since they're all fiddling with their digital life-support systems:


What is the narrowest house in New York City? [OTG]

Enjoy those Coney Island mermaids while they're still legal. [TGL]

Sam's in Carroll Gardens "is 81-years-old. Do you go off on your 81-year-old grandfather? No. And that’s because your grandfather is who he is. Call him set in his ways. Call him a tough nut to crack. The point is, he’s not changing. And he shouldn’t have to." [CGP]

W. 3rd gets a frat-themed burger joint. [EVG]

What color is the New York City sky right now? [Gothamist]

LES BID pushes hard to remake the neighborhood: "We are also heavily involved in long- term planning for the neighborhood, advocating for new commercial space along Delancey Street, the addition of 1,000 new housing units and the scheduled building of four new hotels with over 500 rooms." [BB]

Finding salvation at Penn Station. [Restless]

The I. Miller shoe shop in better days--before TGI Friday's. [LC]

Take a look into the weirdness of urban camping. [Kensinger]

Zoot suit outlawed, Brooklyn tailors wait for ban to lift. [WWIB]

Artisanal everything: "Yearning to soar above its tired, rote roster of hot dogs and pretzels, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation put out a call five months ago for the food vendors of New York 'to propose your most inventive, exciting food idea.'" [NYT]
at

11 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 22, 2011 at 1:27 PM

    The tourist machine for now at least loves the view -- it's akin to the cherished "slumming" that Europeans enjoy on their Sunday bus tours of Harlem churches. Here they can see a greasy auto mechanic live at work (Tweet it! Post it on Facebook!) as well as "how the other half lives" in the projects across the street. Why else would the High Line demigods put a big old picture window there?

    Next year after Benno Schmidt's Avenues school opens right across the street at a rumored $40,000 per student, wanna bet that The Bear is forced to relocate? Because a tony boutique with adjacent overpriced cafe will be needed there to accommodate all the precious princelings and their mommies who drive Cadillac Escalades to drop off junior at school.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jeremiah MossJune 22, 2011 at 3:28 PM

    wow--you are so right. look at this thing:

    http://www.luxuryloft.com/blog/tag/259-tenth-avenue/

    says the blogger:

    "This is a MAJOR addition to the West Chelsea neighborhood: combined with the High Line Park, the substantial new development in the area as well as the Hudson Yards to the north and the # 7 train stop coming to 34th Street at 11th avenue, this all adds up to a NEIGHBORHOOD REVOLUTION."

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mitch BroderJune 22, 2011 at 6:27 PM

    "Digital life-support systems" — the perfect term. Not only will our heritage be gone but we will be a race of humpbacks.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Marty WombacherJune 22, 2011 at 10:32 PM

    "Digital life-support systems"

    I too loved that terminology!

    ReplyDelete
  5. JAZJune 23, 2011 at 9:51 AM

    "Digital life support systems" is quite appropriate.

    A trend that seems to be gaining steam at an alarming rate: people coming off the train and stopping on the middle of the subway stairs on their way out of the station (or barely moving) in order to type something into their DLS's. It is almost like these things have magical powers that make the holder forget that there is anyone else around.

    You really can't just wait 20 seconds until you are not on the stairs any longer? Really?

    ReplyDelete
  6. FilmatixJune 23, 2011 at 11:47 AM

    DLSS: Digital Life Support System is absolutely the nail on the head. Love it.

    As for urban camping, I can imagine readers of this blog might have mixed opinions on this. My inner hater comes out. Seriously, camp upstate, in the mountains, where that is meant to happen. Like Ft. Tilden, which was a secluded city destination, Floyd Bennett Field really doesn't need an influx of Portlandians turning it into a tent city.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Jeremiah MossJune 23, 2011 at 2:59 PM

    DLSS--love it.

    ReplyDelete
  8. ShawnJune 23, 2011 at 11:46 PM

    Let me pull a Sean Parker here from "The Social Network" and chime in that "Digital Life Support System" is fantastic, but "Digital Life Support" is cleaner.

    And I love it.

    ReplyDelete
  9. sslrJune 25, 2011 at 2:30 PM

    6/22 1:27pm: it would not matter WHAT was outside that picture window. they would take a photo of ANYTHING. dont you get it? its what they "do". havnt been there looks boring. not convenient, let the tourists go.

    ReplyDelete
  10. esquared™June 27, 2011 at 11:54 AM

    more on artisanal fad

    "As the age of excess fades, a band of nomadic tastemakers crazy for souk shopping and far-flung treasure hunts anoints all things artisanal and handmade the next big thing"

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303936704576398252476999080.html

    ReplyDelete
  11. Jeremiah MossJune 27, 2011 at 11:59 AM

    oy: "the emerging class of creative types living the jet-set-meets-gypsy lifestyle."

    ReplyDelete

Comments will no longer be published. Too much spam, not enough time. Thank you.

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.