Monday, October 20, 2008

*Everyday Chatter

On 1st Ave, the new Kim's is making us excited with a "30% off Grand Opening" sign as they keep their gates closed. As this peek inside shows, it's stocked and swept--should be opening soon:




Meanwhile, the Post catches up with Kim's closure news--didn't know "Mary-Kate Olsen was a customer until she refused to return several out-of-print Jane Campion films." Maybe she'll volunteer to sponsor the collection for us all. [NYP]

On a sidewalk book vendor: "Some local residents see the books as an emblem of the Upper West Side’s rich intellectual and cultural history. Others see the assemblage as a case of one man taking over an entire stretch of public sidewalk." [Times]

Recession prices at Gray's Papaya going up. [Times]

A visit to the Domino Sugar refinery. [EVG]

Feisty Carnegie Hall tenant wants a bunch of bucks before she'll be booted. You go Editta! [Curbed]

A close-up of Nicola Verlato's public art at 14th and 9th: A "Sleeping Monster" of heroes amassed from some not very imaginative imaginations of Chelsea residents--it includes Mickey Mouse, Derek Jeter, and SpongeBob Squarepants:

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ahhhh! That "Sleeping Monster" really gives me the creeps. And what is Mickey doing to Jeter? (Or is that Arod?)

Anonymous said...

I once frequented Gray's in the WV; think the original "recession special" was $1.50.

ArtBlog said...

I've lived around the corner from Gray's for at least 17 years. I used to eat there all the time, I remember nights when my brother and I would go there with our friends after some late night partying and ordering hot dogs in multiples of 10.

They never used to have soda but they used to have french fries, those fries were so freakin good, they blew McD's out of the water.

I also live across the street from the guy that sells the books outside of the Chase Bank, he's been there as long as I can remember. Both the books and Gray's are remnants of the old UWS, a neighborhood of families and elderly folks.

There was a time when you'd hear music playing, singers practicing in their apartments, people selling things on the street, and you'd find the best damn pizza in the city at the now gone Vinnies.

God, I miss my old neighborhood. All we have now are wine bars, high end Crepe places, organic juice bars, Starbucks and our crowning jewel, the rubber shoe store "Crocs"