NYC Cops Have Keystone Moment With Broadway Bomb

I came across this hilarious viral video recently of the NYPD trying to arrest skateboarders during the  Broadway Bomb. The Bomb is a 8 mile skateboard excursion down Broadway from Columbia University down to the Battery.

Of course, the police were not too happy about this and tried to set up a sort of moving dragnet on the Upper West Side in hopes of netting some of the renegade boarders. But as the video shows to humorous effect, it didn't quite work out as planned. Though the theme music here is Benny Hill which is pretty appropriate this reminded me more of the old Keystone Cops movies from the Silent Era, which were not sped up intentionally but were faster due to a lower frame rate in those days of 18 frames a second.

Anyway, in the end, police issued about 35 summons in the end for a group that was estimated at 1,500 skaters.

The LES Goes Back To Its Past, Courtesy Steven Soderberg

I saw this remarkable picture on Twitter yesterday, shared by the Bedford & Bowery Blog (there are a few more shots on their site as well). This is not a Hollywood set but the actual corner of Orchard and Broome Street, redressed with hay and dirt to look like New York City circa 1900. All this effort was done for a new miniseries that Steven Soderberg is directing about the Knickerbocker Hospital, entitled THE KNICKS. The show is about doctors and nurses at the hosptial and the then-revolutionary treatments they used in an era of disease and high mortality rates.

It's amazing they went to this all effort to recreate this old fashioned street but, in the end, it was probably cheaper than a) building this on a backlot and b) doing it as a CGI-genereated faux street scape. As the price of EFX has risen sharply, the new mantra in Hollywood these days is "don't fix it in post"--- whereas the old mantra used to be the opposite.  

Drawing in The Bronx & Drink'n'Drawing in The TIMES

On Sunday, I went up to beautiful Wave Hill in the northernmost section of the Bronx for an art exhibit and drawing workshop run by my friend Mia Rosenthal.  Mia specializes in drawings inspired by nature and had adults and children taking up pencil and watercolor to take in the unique beauty of this hidden jewel of New York City. Though spring was barely sprung, there were a few buds and flowers popping up despite the resistant winter. I drew a tree that had some blue flowers appearing around it's base, along with a friend of mine seated at the base of the tree. Here's my drawing and the picture below of what I was sketching in real life (after my model stood to stretch his legs!)

Also on the drawing front, I had a feature story that I wrote in this Sunday's NY TIMES which was also about drawing. I started actively drawing about 6 years ago after a bike accident laid me up for a couple months. I had noticed in the last few months that more and more "social drawing" events were popping up around the city, events that were equally about making some art and meeting new people over drinks, sometimes even in a bar.  So I went to a bunch of these earlier in the year and wrote about them for the Style section. Here's a link to the article if you want to give it a read. And if you're curious about drawing, the drink'n'draws are a great low key introduction to doing some casual sketching.

Old Times Square Photos Of Follies Burlesk And The Gaiety

One of my favorite blogs is Jeremiah's Vanishing New York where the motto is "A New Yorker is someone who longs for New York." Sometimes, when I'm walking through the super corporate, blazingly bright Times Square of today, I long for a time a few decades past when things were a little more run down and rough around the edges. 

Back when I first arrived in town, one of my favorite spots for drinks and "a show" was the old Howard Johnson's on 48th and Broadway where, on the second floor, you could see a classy male strip show at The Gaiety (a joint made famous when Madonna shot part of her SEX book there). It was classy in that there was seating, a runway, and even punch and snacks in the back. Ah those were the gays... 

Anyway, today Jeremiah features some great old photos that predate my memories of that corner, when the Gaiety was a female "Burlesk" joint with a crazy old neon sign that promised an "all-live whirly girly revue." You know, when they put it like that, I think that's even something I'd have been interested in checking out way back in the day. This is the kinda place where ladies who wanted to by Gypsy Rose Lee would have strut their stuff so I'm sure the place was chock full of characters, and a few New York nuts too. 

Country Music Returns To NYC With NASH-FM

It's been 17 years since you could hear country music on the radio in NYC. But, over the holiday weekend, WXRP or NASH-FM went on the air with an all-country format and yesterday, the station was featured today in the NY Times as well.

My love of country music is maybe my most shocking cultural secret for a gay man who lives in Manhattan. But I have to admit that I used to be a regular listener of the last country station that operated in the city back in the 90s. I've also spent a lot of time at the Big Apple Ranch in Chelsea, where you can two-step every Saturday night with some like-minded country afficiandos (not to mention some professional dancers who put on quite a show!). And I enjoy stopping by Flaming Saddles, a surprisingly friendly nightspot in Hellsea, where they have guys doing the boot scootin' boogie on top of the bar.

My interest in country started accidentally, when I was working as a newscaster before I moved to NYC for an AM/FM station in Frederick, MD where the AM side was a country format (now it's gone country on the FM side).  Anyway, I got used to hearing it in the booth and really enjoyed it.  And now at least I can listen again by tuning my snooze alarm to the new 94.7 FM station. And you know what? I think I just might wake up a happier person.

Meatpacking District Part II: Time Traveling Photos From 1985

On Friday, I posted about ice skating in the Meatpacking District under the High Line in a rink sponsored by the Standard. Today, via my favorite NYC nostalgia site Jeremiah's Vanishing New York, I found some incredible photos of the same Meatpacking District taken in the mid-1980s in which the streets are practically empty and the area is downright desolate. But there is beauty in its desolation and the contrast to what you find today when walking dow the same streets couldn't be more severe.

The pictures (like the one above of 14th and 9th ave) were taken by photographer Brian Rose and you can see the full gallery on his website. They are a fun time traveling trip to lost era, beautifully enshrined in Rose's austere photos.

Holidaze Skating Through The Meatpacking District

There used to be a time long, long ago (okay, in the 90s) when the only thing you could get in the meatpacking district was a burget at Florent and a hooker to go. Now of course, post-SEX AND THE CITY, MePa (as it is sometimes unfortunately called) is a teeming urban district of high end shops, fancy-pants clubs/restaurants, and the neighborhood's hulking landmark, The Standard hotel.  

This winter, the Standard has created the most unlikely spot for ice skating on a temporary rink set up adjacent to the High line park. It's a cute little rink, about 3000 sq ft in size so not exactly ideal for a hockey game or figure skating leaps. But it is the cheapest rink in town, with rentals and admission at $15. And, even better, it is not nearly as crowded as the ones in midtown that get jammed with tourists and onlookers during this most wonderfully crowded time of the year. 

The hotel doesn't have much info about it on their website but there was a nice review with some photos from a real estate blog called GlenwoodNYC. Check it out and I'll see you on the ice-ice, baby!

NY TIMES Nightlife Review I Wrote For Les Garcons At Le Baron

A couple weeks ago, I got to check out a fancy new gay night called Les Garcons for the NY TIMES style section. I occasionally write bar reviews for thier Boite column and you can read my article/review online and in today's paper as well.

What made this night on the town different than the usual go-go boys and cocktails thing was the location. And in New York, it's all about location :) The party is at the previously uber-exclusive Le Baron, the New York branch of the nightlife empire of Andre Saraiva. The club is highly art directed/decorated, creating the feel of an unusually glamourous night on the town (in Chinatown no less) that felt like being in an old movie. I couldn't include this in the article due to length but one of my favorite quotes was a fellow patron, who said: "I didn't think this sort of thing existed in New York anymore." Neither did I.

LED Lights On Empire State Building Put On A Show

The Empire State Building got a lighting makeover which debuted this week. Brand new LED light banks have been installed for the building's exterior that now create a rainbow of millions of colors that can flash to a syncrhonized beat.

The premiere of the new system happened Monday evening at 9PM with a radio simulcast of Alicia Keys songs "Girl On Fire" and "Empire State of Mind". The new system is called the Philips Color Kinetic Lighting System and creates a whole new look for midtown's signature tower.

I have to say that as cool as it is it also reminds me of those kooky synchronized house lighting displays, which I've featured on here before. Is this new look too kitschy for the staid Empire State Building?

Green-Wood Cemetery Damaged Severely By Sandy

Continuing with the Sandy aftermath stories, there were some photos on the TIMES City Blog over the weekend showing how the superstormstorm did some serious damage at Green-Wood Cemetary in Brooklyn. I've written here about Green-Wood a couple times before and my visits to this beautiful resting place for thousands of New Yorkers, including famous folks like Leonard Bernstein, George Tilyreou and Jean-Michael Basquiat. Located  on the highest landpoint in Kings County and overlooking the harbor, the cemetery took a severe hit from Sandy with nearly 300 trees felled. In addition to that, many headstones and statuary (like the headless angel above) were damages by the falling trees and high winds.

The cleanup is expected to cost nearly half a million dollars and the cemetery, which is a national landmark, is having it's finances strained. Insurance will not cover the headstones and statuary, which are not owned by the cemetery but whose families they commemorate are long gone. So they are seeking donations via their website if you want to check it out. This is one of the most beautiful spots in the city so hopefully they can reach their goal, plant new trees and restore some of the monuments.

200 Year Old Tribeca House Is No Match For Sandy

The TIMES this week had the sad but incredibly detailed story of a 200 year old house (only about 6 blocks from my place) that has not survived Superstorm Sandy. The house, located on Canal Street at Greenwich and less than two blocks from the Hudson, was flooded during the storm and it's already weak structure was further compromised  The city has condemned it and it will now have to come down.

This story is a fascinating look at the history of the city as seen through this one little house. Worth reading if you are an urban history buff, like myself.

NY Artist Gives Time Lapse Photography A New Twist

There was a story on the CBS's Sunday Morning news magazine about a local photographer Steven Wilkes. He has an unusual approach to photography which creates stunning photos like the one above. Wilkes rents a Condor crane and sits atop it for 16 hours, taking hundreds of photographers of a New York City scene both during the day and night. Then he composites all these pictures into one super-sized photo in which day transitions into night, from left to right. Though it takes one day to take the pictures, it takes months to paste them together and recreate a "time-lapse" photo of, as is the case above, a day in the park. Gorgeous.

It's The New York City Doughnut Map

This is something I've been waiting for--a map of the best donut spots in New York City.  This map of 35 shops is put out by a small Brooklyn press and costs $8. They had a launch party for the map last Thursday up at the Ace Hotel which I missed due to a late posting on Papermag.com.

Still I would like to check this guide out and see what I'm missing other than my go-to faves like Peter Pan, Donut Pub and Doughnut Plant. I wonder if someone would like to organize a "donut crawl" in the tradition of the "pub crawls" that are popular here in the Village? That would be awesome!

Mayor Bloomberg Donates 250K To Marriage Equality In MD

When New York City's activist Republican mayor tries to limit the size of soda cups, I get a little embarrassed for him. But when he uses his personal fortune to make a bold statement in favor of marriage equality, all is forgiven....except maybe the 2004 Republican convention.

Anyway, the TIMES City Blog reports today that Bloomberg has donated 250K to the fight for marriage equality in Maryland where the state faces a ballot measure after legislation was passed and signed by the governor earlier this year allowing the state to be the 6th in the nation to legalize same sex marriage.  Bloomberg is by far the largest single donor to the cause there and his money will hopefully spur on other big-name donors in the run-up to election day.

What impressed me most, though, was not Mr. Bloomberg's money but his simple but eloquent statement about this hot-button issue.  For those Republicans constantly complaining about government meddling in people's lives, take note:

“I do not believe that government has any business telling one class of couples that they cannot marry. The next great barrier to full equality under the law is marriage equality. There is no doubt in my mind this barrier will fall, just as so many others have.”

Celebrities Ride The Subway Too

Whenever I think I see a famous person on the subway, my next thought is  that it can't be them because if you're famous why would you want to take the subway. I mean, that's what limos are for, right? However, apparently there are a decent number of celebrities who ride the rails here in ol' New York.  

Paper Magazine, which always has fun online features, has a photographic survey of 15 celebrity subway riders.  Some are truly regulars, like Mayor Bloomberg who is known to take the 6 every day from his manse on the UES to his office down at City Hall. Others, well, are a bit of a surprise....like Keanu Reeves! There's also a shot of Anderson Cooper taking the C to W. 4th (I'm assuming this because he lives in my neighborhood). 

So from here on out, I will not discount my celebrity sightings on the MTA. In fact next time, I might even have to take a photo.   

Siri Thinks New York City Is In Texas

Apple has been getting a lot of bad press recently in regard to its Internet-based software (see disastrous Maps app). Well, Siri has a huge glitch of its own which is not even something due to IOS 6.

This has been a problem w/Siri since last spring where if you ask for the weather in New York City, it will usually give you the weather for New York, TX.  How Siri could confuse these is a bit bizarre given that the other New York is hardly even a town; it's more of a crossroads about 80 miles southeast of Dallas.

Siri is supposed to be able to learn from its mistakes but not in this egregious case of error. There have even been a number of threads on the Apple website discussing this with people talking about going to the Genius bar.  But still there is no solution yet.  It seems like this is something that might be a priority given the thousands of iPhones in NYC. But months later, it remains unfixed. I love Apple products but Apple software? That's a whole other story....

The New Barclays Center Goes Up In Record Time (2:28!)

Last week, the new Barclays Center opened in Brooklyn marking the beginning of a massive transformation of the Atlantic Yards into a retail/entertainment/housing complex. It took more than 4 years from ground-breaking to Jay-Z's opening night show last Friday. But you can see it all happen right before your eyes in this cool time-lapse of the site's transformation.  They even do a little detour to show the building out of the arena's interior.

After 36 Years, Village Club "Kenny's Castaways" To Close

In yet another sign of the times (and rapidly rising rents), a landmark Village nightclub is closing this week.  Kenny's Castaways, just around the corner from me on Bleecker Street, will shut its legendary doors tomorrow night after a final show featuring some of the rock acts it helped make famous. Though I have not been there in a while, I saw many a friend's band play there over the years. But still the place gave Bleecker Street and the "entertainment district" section of the Village it's unique character.

Today's TIMES has the full story which feautres the sad detail that this rock 'n roll dive bar will be turned into a "gastro-pub". Well, I guess at least it's not going to be a bank or a Duane Reade! One interesting item in the article notes a previous incarnation in the building's 120 year history; in the 1890s it used to be a gay bar called The Slide. The name and concept of this bar was revived a few years back with a location on the Bowery and many rumors as to where the original Slide had actually been located. (I will take the TIMES (and Village preservationist/historian Andrew Berman) on their word.)  Anyway, fascinating to know that a little bit of infamous gay history happened in my 'hood as well.

Staten Island Will Soon Have World's Tallest Ferris Wheel

Big news for NYC's forgotten borough today--they are getting the world's tallest ferris wheel over 680 feet in height. It should have some truly spectacular views of the entire harbor and, in one place, provide a view of probably all five boroughs of the city.  And, finally, there will be a reason for tourists to take the Staten Island ferry other than the view.

It always seemed like a missed opportunity to just have all those people get off the boat and loop back around. Now they will have somewhere to go, along with the usual planned hotel/retail complex. The whole project was announced today by Mayor Bloomberg and, if all goes well, will be completed in 2015.

There's a great quote about the whole thing today from the Borough's shockingly honest president, James Molinaro.  "We've gone from having the world's biggest dump to having the world's biggest wheel."

Woman Needs iPhone 5 Now...But Not Sure Why

This is a real video of a woman who was sitting on line in New York last week waiting for a new iPhone 5. It seems that maybe she had been on the line a bit too long perhaps as she appears to be delirious, disorientated, almost brainwashed with a generic excitement about a phone she doesn't seem to know much about.  They are those who refer to the folks who go bonkers for the Apple hype as "drinking the Kool-Aid".  Well, this woman is not just chugging that stuff...she is apparently swimming in it.

As this video spreads virally, there have been some questions online about whether this woman was an actor or the whole thing was a comedy stunt/sketch. However, the guy who does these videos "Prime Time Sam Roberts" seems to specialize in finding real-life oddballs and drawing them out of their shell in ways that are bizarre and hilarious. Check out his video with a packing David Bowie from a recent ComicCon.