Upright & Stowed

Empire Falls. ('bout time)

The Empire Diner is a New York dining legend.  For 35 years it has occupied one of the city’s most perfect corners (22^nd and 10^th) while preserving its most iconic railcar diner.  Alas, for most of those years it has also served some of the city’s worst food and possibly its very worst service.  Appallingly rude, 24 hours a day.   It’s a dining buzz-kill. 

I’ve been closely following the rumblings that the Empire’s lease is about to change hands.  Today I was delighted to read that the owners of Union Square’s Coffee Shop are taking over the Empire.   Chelsea Today has the story.  Photo credit here.

Coffee Shop has itself delivered questionable service over the years -- at least to the less than hip and lovely … not me, of course.  But nothing compared to the rudeness of the Empire staff.  I’m happy to see the change of hands, and even happier to know that the good ol’ diner is not becoming the first Capital One branch-in-a-railcar.

If We Knew Summer Was Gonna Be Like This...

I scanned this image from the paper the other day.  It shows NYC temperature and precipitation deviations from average for the past 10, 30, 90 and 365 days.  I post this as NYC has its first true hot spell of 2009.

Looking at the chart above, I'd like to draw your attention to the "90 Days" vs. average line.  The one where the temperature is on the far left (way below) of average and the precipitation is on the far right (way above) of average.  Yep.  That pretty much sums up the summer 09 in the Big Apple. 

Knowing what I know now, I might have chosen to spend the summer in, say, fog capitals like wintery San Francisco or chilly Seattle, since both have enjoyed unusually delightful summers this year.  But I stuck it out in NYC, as I always do, and I've enjoyed the real riches of summer in the city:  a never ending performance of street theater, more cultural events than you can shake a stick at, and my garden, which has never looked better.  A great summer so far ... though I'm rooting for hot and sticky dog days before it all ends.

Reeling in the Years

If you’d told me in 1978 that I would be attending a Steely Dan concert in 2009, I’d have looked at you funny.  Who can imagine being 48 years old when they’re 17?  Who wants to think about a favorite band – at its peak – playing well past its prime?  And who, at that time, would allow that Steely Dan would ever perform live again, given their move towards becoming the ultimate in-studio recording artists?

But there I was last night – in 2009 – with my college friend Rob (acclaimed music critic and Brown freshman year dorm mate from 1979) listening to Steely Dan play the entire Aja album (in order), plus 15 or so other classics.  This most fastidious of studio bands delivered a terrific live set, with all the complex jazz, rock, R&B and other influences sounding as smooth as I remembered.  Donald Fagan’s vocals were painfully strained, but his enthusiasm and commitment made up for it.

Memories of another time in music flowed:  Listening to an album as an entire composition … reading lyrics on the record sleeve … sitting in my bedroom with my Sennheiser headphones on… anticipating a band’s new release.  

What do ya know?  Thirty years later and there I sat, reeling in the years.  It felt good.

I Heart NYC, 32 Years Running

I've been dreaming about my nephew Jeremy's first trip to visit me in NYC since the day he was born.  This weekend that dream came true, and here we are in the heart of Times Square having a great time.

I first visited NYC in 1977 with my high school drama club (shocking news, right?), and it was the most influential week of my life.  At the time, the Big Apple was at its low by financial, crime, infrastructure, and many other measures.  But by its most important measures – creativity, energy, adventure – it was at a frothy peak.  This is a picture I took of my cousin Laurie and friend MaryAnne on that trip.  A lot has changed in New York in those 32 years, but the essential ingredients are all still there, and my love of New York has not diminished one bit.  Here's to you, New York, New York.

"The smaller the dress size....

... the larger the apartment."  That is the money quote in an article in today's NY Times about the greater thinness of Manhattanites.  Probably true, and definitely hilarious.   When I moved to San Francisco in 2000 and began to drive instead of walk, I gained five pounds that I did not shed until I moved back to The Thin Apple.  Sadly, I'm carrying around an extra five now, which today's article made me realize is probably because I now bike everywhere rather than walk.  My mountain bike is faster for getting me from A to B, but I barely break a sweat riding it.

Above is a shot of three friends, taken at my house over gay pride weekend.  I can't imagine why any of them would want to be seen with their shirts off.  But I'm glad they did, so they could reinforce the point that, when it comes to waist size, the Big Apple ain't so big.

Christopher Street

Blog devotee (and dear friend) Scott did not like the Jesus-y black and white photo that marked yesterday's return to blogging.  So here I post an alternate picture of me that is very colorful and energy filled.  Oh, and blurry too.  I hope Scott is happy now.

This shot was taken on Sunday night at my friend Steve's birthday bar crawl in the West Village.  Specifically, it is right in front of classic gay bar/dive Ty's, and across from the Lucille Lortel Theater.  I love this picture because it captures the color and energy of the West Village, my first and favorite neighborhood in NYC.

The Screen's the Thing

One of the great New York happenings I've never attended is the Monday night Bryant Park outdoor summer movie screening series.  This year, I will change that attendance record.  The season opens on June 15th with a screening of The Sting, which I've wanted to see again for years.  So bring a picnic and join me.  Here's the full schedule of Bryant Park screenings for summer 2009.

Cyprien Gaillard: Worth Your 30 Minutes

The New Museum – on Manhattan's Lower East Side – is one of those places that makes you realize how rich in culture the city is.  We have so many major world class museums here, you'd think there'd be no room for a smaller institution to survive or thrive.  But New York draws such a massive audience for culture that most quality offerings can find an audience.  For more than 30 years the New Museum has pushed the envelope in promoting contemporary art, and if you haven't checked it out in awhile, you should.

Its current exhibition is called "Younger Than Jesus", featuring only artists under 33 years old.  It's an uneven show (as might be expected from such a concept) but it presents some absolutely captivating pieces/projects.  In my opinion, the best of them is a 30 minute film by Cyprien Gaillard.  Here's what New York Magazine said about it:

Desniansky Raion, with its pulsing soundtrack by the amazing French musician Koudlam, gives us beautifully choreographed footage of two huge gangs of Russian “underground fight clubs” squaring off and charging, then beating the crap out of one another, in a St. Petersburg housing complex. Next, in a public-housing project on the outskirts of Paris, we see a fireworks display over a building that is then blown up. Finally, we see footage of an ugly, snow-covered Kiev apartment block shot illegally from a miniature airplane. It’s an amazing video, a harrowing record of ancient rituals’ being revived in new ways in unexpected places, and a picture of our new cities of ruin.

The film is totally mesmerizing, and you should see it if you've got 30 minutes to spare.  You'll find much else to ponder on the New Museum's 5 floors.  And if you're bored, the view from the top is worth the price of admission.

Look What's Landing at LGA

That's right.  Finally, after all these years, Southwest is set to begin flying into the capital of the Northeast (and the world), New York City.  My fervent wish is for nonstop flights to St. Louis and to Albuquerque.  Alas, she'll only be making no-stoppers to Chicago Midway and BWI.  Still, it's a start.

A Good Commute

I've been feeling cranky lately.  In part because I'm not traveling, for either work or play.  And in part  because I am so OVER winter.  Today, however, I was reminded that life ain't so bad.

I followed a link to an article in AM New York – a periodical I never read, even when I'm desperate for something to read – about a woman with the worst commute in New York.  She lives in Brooklyn and commutes to Dix Hills.  Both are on Long Island.  But somehow, the commute takes nearly four hours and costs $26 R/T. 

This urban horror story reminded me that my commute take 4-6 minutes by bike and it's free.  The MapQuest image above details my complex route. 

Okay.  I'm smiling again.