Thursday, December 20, 2012

*Everyday Chatter

The East Village's Whole Earth Bakery to close December 31 after 34 years in business. [EVG]

Coney Island's Surf Avenue to become a miserable, soulless chain-restaurant mecca--"the zoning was written to attract" Hooters, Outback Steakhouse, Applebee's... [ATZ]

Berliners use bricks and anger to fight back against gentrification--and get called fascists for it. [Guardian]

Who are the people who can't live without chain stores? Ben Katchor puts them in a comic strip. [BK]

Locals responding to Santacon in the East Village. [HNY]

Pop quiz: Identify this sad and faded bit of street art...


"Is Manhattan’s literary night life, along with its literary infrastructure (certain bars, hotels, restaurants and bookstores) fading away?" [NYT]

Enjoy the latest chapter in Karen Lillis' bookstore memoir. [KSPL]

Go see "My Brooklyn" in DUMBO. [MB]

Tribeca then and now, the 1980s and today. [TC]

Remembering the Penn Terminal Hotel. [NYN]
Riding the Nostalgia Train. [Gothamist]

7 comments:

randall said...

APPLEBEES!?!?!? YES! I ate at one of those once when I was in the suburbs of Phoenix AZ while I was driving across the country. I was wondering when they'd make it out here. Awesome. Merry Christmas to me!

Marty Wombacher said...

Sad news about the chain gang invading Coney Island, but thanks to ATZ for the update.

Laura Goggin Photography said...

I actually like that Hank's face has disappeared from the sidewalk and all that's left is a faded vortex.

James C. Taylor said...

Looks like the sidewalk outside the former Mars Bar.

Jeremiah Moss said...

yes, it is the sidewalk outside the former Mars Bar! thank you for playing.

laura said...

coney island & "chains": the whole world will look alike (& not very attarctive @ that), so much for globalization. why go anywhere, if its the same b.s. why go to coney island, except to go into the ocean? i wonder has anyone been to manhattan beach? that was my favorite one. did they build chain stores? is brighton beach still russian? are there chain stores, or russian independent businesses? i hate big chains on every level, especially middle class & lower class ones. thats it for today, ive had it!! im reading this same stuff in international newspapers, but worse. get ready.

glamma said...

"because they cannot bear what is happening to new york...."
Jeremiah please for the love of buddha, keep doing this blog!
We must all use our voices, now more than ever, to try to stem this awful rising tide.
There is so much we CAN save....