Overall slow day folks. I'll be working on some things over the weekend (including my taxes, ugh)
Obama food cart (near Fox News, no less)! [Grub Street]
Great slideshow on disappearing storefronts in NYC. [Daily Intel]
Showing posts with label Culture in the City. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Culture in the City. Show all posts
Friday, March 13, 2009
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Carnies
Yes, those. Small hands, smell like cabbage.
I went to Coney Island for the first time over the weekend and I've got to say, it was fantastic! Many memories from childhood came back to me walking amongst all the rides, games, food and big hair rock music (e.g. Journey, Warrant) but I found something knew that I don't remember as a kid: CARNIES.
Anyone that has ever gone to a carnival, either at a state/county fair or to Coney Island knows what I'm talking about. The sketchy, dirty, loud employees of the orgy of fun that is all around you. What's most interesting is why, as an adult, these people are much more noticeable than when I was a child.
For me, carnies were just people that took my ticket for the rides and gave me prizes for the games I won and nothing more. I was more interested in giant stuffed animals, going on rides that went upside down, and cotton candy. I was completely oblivious to the fact that the people selling me the candy and locking me into the rides were junkies, prostitutes, and overall, just plain weirdos.
Figuratively walking around in my childhood out at Coney Island this weekend put things in a whole different perspective. For example, the announcer of the game, "Shoot the Freak". This was a new game for me and it consisted of shooting a paintball gun at a live target approximately 100 feet away. As a child I would have merely been interested in shooting the paintball gun at this silly fool. Now, the Freak was just a guy in paint ball protection clothes that you could shoot paintballs at. The actual "Freak" was the dentally-challenged strung-out employee telling me to "step right up and shoot the freak". If I did that, then who would make the announcements?
And they all say the same thing, "step right up, step right up". I guess it has a nice ring to it but step right up to what? Laying down a devalued $5 to throw faux-softballs at milk bottles that have magnets in the bottom of them so that when you knock them over they don't fall off their metal stands? They make it sound like it's going to be some sort of life changing experience. Like somehow, by filling that clown's mouth with water and popping the balloon is equivalent to finding Jesus or something.
With all its idiosyncrasies, the carnival is a great place to go for some inexpensive fun. I would stay wary of seeking any employment opportunities with these merchants of entertainment, however. I mean, it's pretty obvious they don't even have a dental plan.
I went to Coney Island for the first time over the weekend and I've got to say, it was fantastic! Many memories from childhood came back to me walking amongst all the rides, games, food and big hair rock music (e.g. Journey, Warrant) but I found something knew that I don't remember as a kid: CARNIES.
Anyone that has ever gone to a carnival, either at a state/county fair or to Coney Island knows what I'm talking about. The sketchy, dirty, loud employees of the orgy of fun that is all around you. What's most interesting is why, as an adult, these people are much more noticeable than when I was a child.
For me, carnies were just people that took my ticket for the rides and gave me prizes for the games I won and nothing more. I was more interested in giant stuffed animals, going on rides that went upside down, and cotton candy. I was completely oblivious to the fact that the people selling me the candy and locking me into the rides were junkies, prostitutes, and overall, just plain weirdos.
Figuratively walking around in my childhood out at Coney Island this weekend put things in a whole different perspective. For example, the announcer of the game, "Shoot the Freak". This was a new game for me and it consisted of shooting a paintball gun at a live target approximately 100 feet away. As a child I would have merely been interested in shooting the paintball gun at this silly fool. Now, the Freak was just a guy in paint ball protection clothes that you could shoot paintballs at. The actual "Freak" was the dentally-challenged strung-out employee telling me to "step right up and shoot the freak". If I did that, then who would make the announcements?
And they all say the same thing, "step right up, step right up". I guess it has a nice ring to it but step right up to what? Laying down a devalued $5 to throw faux-softballs at milk bottles that have magnets in the bottom of them so that when you knock them over they don't fall off their metal stands? They make it sound like it's going to be some sort of life changing experience. Like somehow, by filling that clown's mouth with water and popping the balloon is equivalent to finding Jesus or something.
With all its idiosyncrasies, the carnival is a great place to go for some inexpensive fun. I would stay wary of seeking any employment opportunities with these merchants of entertainment, however. I mean, it's pretty obvious they don't even have a dental plan.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
An Unexpected Debut/TriBeCa Review
Hello and welcome readers!
This debut comes unexpectedly but due to the recent drought of activity at my job I have decided to start my blog today. Those of you that know me well know that griping is something that I excel at and I felt that most of my postings would probably center around that particular pastime.
I guess I'll start by talking about the TriBeCa Film Festival. I attended five films last week and while I enjoyed watching the movies very much I have come to find out that there are TONS of people out there that take movies WAY TOO SERIOUSLY. I seriously doubt Robert DeNiro had this seemingly bureaucratic and proper event in mind when he started it.
My bro Z came out to NYC to see a few films and we went into a latenight screening (a little late, admittedly) and we were informed that there were not two seats together left in the theatre. I noticed some folding chairs in the back and inquired about us using them. I received not a "no" but a "hell no" response to my query. Not literally, mind you, but I was surprised by the "program coordinator" (whatever the hell that is, there was a new one at each movie) giving such a straightforward refusal.
I mean would our use of the chairs breached some kind of quota for asses on seats for the theatre? Were there national security issues that were undislcosed to the movie patrons? Whatever the reason, the desire for two tall blonde men to sit together to watch the movie on cheap folding chairs couldn't possibly be accomodated.
AND, as a result I had to sit in the last seat of a row WAY down front. I had to climb over every person in the row, my ass bumping into the heads of each person I walked by. All that being said, the movie An Omar Broadway film was good but seemingly had mixed viewpoints. Z and I discussed at length and decided ultimately that convicted criminals belong in jail regardless of their ability to covertly become filmmakers.
One other note on another film, Empire II. I can honestly say that this was art on a level that I may not be capable of understanding or appreciating and I'd like to think that I'm not that aesthetically challenged.
I came up with the genre as possibly being an "art epic". THREE HOURS of the same 6-10 shots of Manhattan in various speeds, color schemes, time of the day and year. Does grueling do it justice? I don't know. I do admit, it could be considered, in the words of my friend that joined me, "avant-garde" but for me it was challenging (I only fell asleep twice and he slept through about half of it).
All in all, the festival was a good experience and I may attend again next year but I certainly won't dare to ask about the availability of any folding chairs.
For all readers, I would love to hear your comments and suggestions for topics. I've been told by more than one loved-one that I'm pretty opinionated so I imagine anything you suggest I will easily find that I am able to rant about it.
This debut comes unexpectedly but due to the recent drought of activity at my job I have decided to start my blog today. Those of you that know me well know that griping is something that I excel at and I felt that most of my postings would probably center around that particular pastime.
I guess I'll start by talking about the TriBeCa Film Festival. I attended five films last week and while I enjoyed watching the movies very much I have come to find out that there are TONS of people out there that take movies WAY TOO SERIOUSLY. I seriously doubt Robert DeNiro had this seemingly bureaucratic and proper event in mind when he started it.
My bro Z came out to NYC to see a few films and we went into a latenight screening (a little late, admittedly) and we were informed that there were not two seats together left in the theatre. I noticed some folding chairs in the back and inquired about us using them. I received not a "no" but a "hell no" response to my query. Not literally, mind you, but I was surprised by the "program coordinator" (whatever the hell that is, there was a new one at each movie) giving such a straightforward refusal.
I mean would our use of the chairs breached some kind of quota for asses on seats for the theatre? Were there national security issues that were undislcosed to the movie patrons? Whatever the reason, the desire for two tall blonde men to sit together to watch the movie on cheap folding chairs couldn't possibly be accomodated.
AND, as a result I had to sit in the last seat of a row WAY down front. I had to climb over every person in the row, my ass bumping into the heads of each person I walked by. All that being said, the movie An Omar Broadway film was good but seemingly had mixed viewpoints. Z and I discussed at length and decided ultimately that convicted criminals belong in jail regardless of their ability to covertly become filmmakers.
One other note on another film, Empire II. I can honestly say that this was art on a level that I may not be capable of understanding or appreciating and I'd like to think that I'm not that aesthetically challenged.
I came up with the genre as possibly being an "art epic". THREE HOURS of the same 6-10 shots of Manhattan in various speeds, color schemes, time of the day and year. Does grueling do it justice? I don't know. I do admit, it could be considered, in the words of my friend that joined me, "avant-garde" but for me it was challenging (I only fell asleep twice and he slept through about half of it).
All in all, the festival was a good experience and I may attend again next year but I certainly won't dare to ask about the availability of any folding chairs.
For all readers, I would love to hear your comments and suggestions for topics. I've been told by more than one loved-one that I'm pretty opinionated so I imagine anything you suggest I will easily find that I am able to rant about it.
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