During our bus tour of Manhattan yesterday, we saw this symbol hanging along the streets of Chinatown.
The tour did not comment on them, so I don’t know what they are…but I love the colors.
Any ideas, my super smart Eggers?
During our bus tour of Manhattan yesterday, we saw this symbol hanging along the streets of Chinatown.
The tour did not comment on them, so I don’t know what they are…but I love the colors.
Any ideas, my super smart Eggers?
Posted in Design, Humor, Life, New York City, tourism, Travel
Tagged bus tour, design, Humor, life. tourism, Manhattan, New York City, symbol, Travel
I had appointment after appointment today, so I was walking through the streets of Manhattan for hours….which meant I overheard a lot of chatter.
My favorites were between kids and their parents.
Child: Mom, can I get a smoothie?
Mom: I don’t have any money.
Child: Well, can’t we just buy some?
EAVESDROP #2
Child: …we saw Adrian afterwards.
Grandmother: It’s nice that he lives close by.
Child: Yes, right by the sewer.
EAVESDROP #3
Child in Stroller: Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo…
Dad: Do you simply have to be heard all the time?
Child: (silence) Yes. Woo Woo Woo Woo
You’re welcome.
Amazon one-hour delivery lives in Manhattan!
I learned that my neighborhood qualified for Amazon Prime Now a few months ago, and downloaded the app on my phone.
But today I took it out for a test drive.
I placed my order at 3:35pm, with guaranteed delivery by 4:35pm. At 4:11pm, the items arrived at my door.
It is as fast as my local pizzeria!
There is a minimum order of $15, and a $7.99 delivery charge for Amazon Prime customers…but for things you need right this minute —
It’s a deal!
I live across from a police precinct in Manhattan.
Could there be a safer location?
I’ve always felt safe here. Police are on the street around the clock….and within reach at a moment’s notice.
But since the two grand jury decisions not to indict police officers in incidents in both New York City and Ferguson, it feels somewhat less so. Granted, demonstrations in Manhattan have been organized and peaceful to date — and none have ventured down my side street — but you sense that police are in a heightened state of alert.
Case in point, the station across from my building has their flood lights on every night, so our street is always daylight-bright. When my dog and I go out for a walk at 7pm or midnight — or 3am if necessary — it looks like the middle of the afternoon.
So in a sense, I guess it’s even safer now. And probably keeping the people on the front of the building awake at night.
Posted in Commentary, Humor, Life, News, Politics
Tagged bright as daylight, commentary, demonstrations, dog walk, Ferguson, floodlights, grand jury, Humor, life, Manhattan, New York City, news, police, police officer, police precinct, politics, safety, street
After my friend Kathy saw the Broadway play This Is Our Youth a few weeks ago, she quipped on Facebook:
Well, this isn’t my youth.
After seeing the show myself yesterday, I agree and disagree.
The pre-show literature had warned of some drug use in the show, which centers on 24 hours in the lives of three privileged kids on New York’s Upper West Side in the early 80’s. What it should have said is it’s about drug use. And drug dealing. And stealing for drugs. And selling your possessions for drugs.
Not my youth at all.
But the friendships and budding (and then dying) romance between the characters is very familiar and well-acted by the cast, which includes Michael Cera, Kieran Culkin and newcomer Tavi Gevinson.
They may have been fumbling around onstage in a fake stoner haze, but I’m not sure I was anymore self-assured as a clear-headed teenager back in the 80s.
That was my youth.
Posted in Humor
Tagged 1980s, Broadway, commentary, drug dealing, drug use, entertainment, friendship, haze, Humor, Kieran Culkin, life, literature, Manhattan, Michael Cera, New York City, play, pre-show, review, romance, stealing, stoner, Tavi Gevinson, theatre, This Is Our Youth, Upper West Side, wasted on the young
Living a block from Central Park in Manhattan, I’ve been known to get a bit grouchy come Saturday morning when yet another group of runners clog the streets and walkways and generally disrupt my morning walk.
Don’t they know we dog people own the park?
But today there was a run that even I can get behind —
This 5 kilometer (3.1 mile) race for people of all ages challenges participants to go the distance while stopping to eat three cupcakes at checkpoints along the course. Tasty!
Plus, a portion of the proceeds benefits New York Cares.
And if that isn’t reason enough to love this non-traditional charity event, here’s one of my favorites —
It’s run in Astoria.
Posted in Commentary, Food, Holiday, Humor, Life, Walking
Tagged Astoria, candy, Central Park, charity event, checkpoint, commentary, cupcakes, dog people, Dogs, food, go the distance, how sweet it is, Humor, life, Manhattan, morning walk, New York Cares, New York City, New York City Cupcake Run, proceeds, race, runners, running, Saturdays, walking
I’m watching Food Network Star right now, which has been in Las Vegas for the past couple of weeks.
But it certainly doesn’t look like Vegas.
Every time Bobby, Alton or Giada — the show’s three hallowed hosts — stand before this season’s contestants to set up a challenge, it looks like they are shooting the episode in an empty room. Or vacant parking lot.
Food Network goes to such great lengths to clear out the ‘normal folk’ during production, Vegas looks nothing like the manic city I have experienced every time I’ve had the chance to visit.
Why go to the expense of using Vegas as your backdrop if you’re going to make it sterile and still? You might as well fake the whole thing at the Food Network studios here in New York City.
The show’s producers must have heard me. They just announced this week’s survivors are coming to Manhattan for the remainder of the season.
That will probably look like Cleveland.
Posted in Commentary, Cooking, Entertainment, Humor, Restaurants, Television
Tagged Alton Brown, backdrop, Bobby Flay, challenge, chef, Cleveland, contestants, cooking, entertainment, episode, food, Food Network, Food Network Star, Food Network studios, Giada de Laurentiis, Humor, Las Vegas, life, location location, Manhattan, manic city, New York City, production, restaurants, show host, show producers, Survivors, Television, Vegas
I was very excited to attend today BookCon at Javits Center, the publishing conference for us non-industry folk.
The organizers had put together a great schedule of panel discussions, author appearances and book signings, and had even created a designated BookCon show floor separate from the BEA Expo, the industry event that has been going on all week.
But then they oversold it. A lot, a lot.
There were so many people trying to get into the show that security had to limit the people who could enter each half hour. People (like me) missed events because they weren’t allowed in due to traffic congestion.
Once I finally was inside, every session I wanted to attend was either already over, closed to additional participants, or had a two-hour line that snaked around Javits and back.
The feed on the BookCon app was filled with derogatory comments from disappointed fans, many of whom had traveled hours to attend. I realized fairly quickly that we had all been ‘conned’ and left.
Manhattan was right outside, and can be fairly entertaining.
Posted in Books, Commentary, Entertainment, Humor, Life, Travel
Tagged author, BEA Expo, book signing, BookCon, BookCon app, books, commentary, conference, entertainment, Humor, Javits Center, life, Manhattan, New York City, overbooked, panel discussion, publishing, security, show floor, Travel, writer
City chick
‘The big, bad city’ — Manhattan has been been hit with this label from time to time.
But the more I watch shows like Pretty Little Liars, the more I’m convinced the suburbs are the real danger zone.
Those big backyards where murders are plotted and carried out, and bodies buried. Ginormous homes where secret assignations are simple because there is so much space. And parks that serve as conveniently creepy venues for the local lunatic to hunt you down.
Times Square? Piece of cake.
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Posted in Commentary, Entertainment, Humor, Television, Travel
Tagged assignations, backyard, big bad city, bury bodies, commentary, entertainment, Ginormous homes, Humor, Manhattan, parks, piece of cake, Pretty Little Liars, suburbs, Television, Times Square, Travel