Headed out to The Gates installation in Central Park this morning, very early, to try to take some photos before there crowds arrived. I'll be putting them up on the photolog over the next week or so, but I've also posted some of the raw shots to flickr.
Recently in New York Category
Apparently I'm not the only one who really likes the new American Express ad, "Tribeca", featuring Robert Deniro talking about New York City, reportedly direct by Martin Scorcese. If you haven't seen them on television (I'm not sure they're running outside the New York media market) then you can watch them online here.
Took this while in midtown today on errands. Just playing around.
We've had thunderstorm after thunderstorm here in New York tonight, sweeping in from New Jersey. The two shots above are of strikes hitting on the NJ edge of the Hudson.
Photographing lightning can be amazingly fustrating. You're caught between issues of low light, high noise, and te need to both maximize the image but capture as wide an angle as possible (so you get it on film.) It took me forever to get a couple of strikes, I missed most, and now I have the camera set up taking photos once a minute automatically, just to see if it gets lucky.
Update: Chris Burrows from Gothamist Weather took a great multi-fork picture of the same storm. Shows what you can do when you're not too lazy to go outside.
The Times has a piece today on trailer parks being swept away by urban development.
Given that our apartment isn't any bigger than a mobile home, today is one of those times when I wish I could disconnect the utilities and drive it somewhere else. Our adjacent neighbor is having a loud and ongoing war with their upstairs neighbor, with one side's stereo matched by the upstairs side apparently dropping what sounds like a bowling ball on the floor to express their grievances. About a half hour ago, they escalated into face to face confrontation -- charmingly, in the hallway outside my front door. Ah, the joys of apartment living. Those trailer park residents just don't know what they're missing out on.
Yesterday's visit to Slate went well, although I once again proved that there's a negative correlation between my beer intake and my motor skills. (Surprise.) The food I sampled was fairly tasty too, and definitely above the standard pool-hall grub without being ludicrously expensive.
My only criticism: they might want to rethink their DVD movie choices for projecting on the translucent, 8-foot-wide screens... Clockwork Orange perhaps isn't the best movie to show. A great movie perhaps, but not exactly something you want as random background visuals. A little, um, freaky.
As I theorized previously, the no-smoking rule definitely improves the place, assuming you're not a smoker. Slate was a great place to shoot some pool, watch the Sixers-Pistons game, and have some beers, especially when you can breath freely. (I'm probably going to attrack the ire of some smokers on this one. If they can come in from outside long enough to post.)
One under-sung benefit of the smoking ban is that you can now shoot pool (ehem, "billiards" for the sticklers) at many of the city's fine establishments without contracting black lung.
I'll be trying out Slate on Friday night with some of my buddies. It's a step up from the "dive" parlors many of us frequented in high school (LeQ anyone?) and college.
Hopefully, my Amtrak train from Boston will arrive on time, or at least within an hour of when it's supposed to. I'm not betting on it though; I've watched them try to get things right on the Acela Northeast line for years, yet they've still only reduced the travel time from four hours to three-and-a-half hours, and if anything goes wrong, you're going to be late arriving. (Caveat: I did arrive 10 minutes early today. A minor miracle.)
Yesterday, about 20 of my business school friends and I mounted an expedition up to the Split Rock golf course, which sits along with the Pelham public course at the top of the 6 subway line. It was a beautiful day to be out and playing, even if my game isn't so pretty.
Many New Yorkers are unaware that a wide range of public courses can be reached by subway, and they're in better condition than past years due to a takeover by publicly-traded company American Golf a few years ago. Every borough other than Manhattan has a couple of courses. The fees have gone up since the company took over, but they're still within the $35-$50 range. If you can prove New York residency, they will give you cheaper rates.
I've played Van Cortland, at the top of the 1/9 line, as well. It's a little easier to get to (you can walk there from the subway station, while Split Rock requires a short cab ride.)
Both courses are generally in great condition in terms of the actual links. Unfortunately, the clubhouses are terrible, but these are public courses, not country clubs. Rent a cart or walk, although you should have a decent carry bag if you want to walk.
If you're a beginner, borrow clubs from someone or buy a cheap used set off Craigslist or Ebay (think $50.) It'll be worlds better than the rental clubs they offer and cheaper after just a visit or two.
The Times covers yesterday's decision to increase the cost of rent-stabilized apartments -- 8.5% for two year leases, and 5.5% for one-year leases.
What's not being said: many rent-controlled and rent-stabilized apartments probably are already going at about half the market value (especially in Manhattan.) I lived in Cambridge, MA when they ended rent control, and despite major protests, there was no mass rent hike, and no mass exodus.
New Yorkers want to simultaneously maintain low rents and see more apartment built. If you're not one of the 1 million already in rent-stabilized apartments, you're suffering from the result of this artificial depression of market rates. Putting limits on what some tenants can pay (rather than letting the market decide) makes the rent for everyone else higher, discourages new buildings and reduces the availability of apartments to those willing to pay market prices.
Yes, I realize the flip side of this -- that rising rents would force some people out of apartments if they can't pay. But I find it hard to listen to people claiming hardship for paying sub-market rents, while I have to pay some of the highest rents in the nation if I want to get a new place, simply because my needs in terms of apartment size change.
[Via Gothamist]
Television host Bill Maher from HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher will be performing at the Virginia Theater in midtown for two weeks, starting May 5. Should be interesting. Maybe they could get Jon Stewart from The Daily Show to open for him.
"BILL MAHER: VICTORY BEGINS AT HOME" - A one-man show with the political humorist. Virginia Theater, 245 W. 52nd St. (212)239-6200. (1:30) Previews begin Tue. Opens May 5. Closes May 18.
