Two years later

Image borrowed from a New Orleans blogger.

The cover story for the August 13 issue of Time magazine was about New Orleans. Here’s the opening paragraph:

“The most important thing to remember about the drowning of New Orleans is that it wasn't a natural disaster. It was a man-made disaster, created by lousy engineering, misplaced priorities and pork-barrel politics. Katrina was not the Category 5 killer the Big Easy had always feared; it was a Category 3 storm that missed New Orleans, where it was at worst a weak 2. The city's defenses should have withstood its surges, and if they had we never would have seen the squalor in the Superdome, the desperation on the rooftops, the shocking tableau of the Mardi Gras city underwater for weeks. We never would have heard the comment "Heckuva job, Brownie." The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was the scapegoat, but the real culprit was the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which bungled the levees that formed the city's man-made defenses and ravaged the wetlands that once formed its natural defenses. Americans were outraged by the government's response, but they still haven't come to grips with the government's responsibility for the catastrophe.”

Well put. Then the August 27 issue revealed readers' responses: over 60% of people who sent mail/email re: the August 13 coverage essentially said New Orleans will never be a safe place to live; therefore the federal government shouldn’t invest money in rebuilding the city. One guy even wrote that the government should relocate New Orleans residents, but not spend a penny more on the levees. Not great news, considering the demographics of Time's readership.

Everyone's entitled to his/her own opinions, though I don't follow the logic of these arguments. If an earthquake were to occur in San Francisco this week and badly damage that city, would America say, "Don't bother rebuilding; San Francisco can never truly be safe because it sits on a fault line"? Highly doubtful. It's so upsetting to me that a large part of America doesn't seem agree with helping New Orleans (and/or doesn’t mind ignoring what’s happening down there).

It's pretty easy for me to do a little blog post today and jump on the Katrina anniversary bandwagon along with all the presidential candidates, Anderson Cooper and Oprah. But the real issue is what happens in the coming months. And in the next few years for that matter. I've wished many times for a magic wand I could wave to fix New Orleans. But realistically, the city needs a lot of $ and a lot of leadership for the long haul. May it get both.

30-Love

Went to the US Open with Robyn last night. Saw Sharapova and Roddick play (same as last year). Much better energy to the crowd this year, though: Cheering for Vinci when she actually won one game against Sharapova; Enjoying the good-natured smack talk on the court between Gimelstob and Roddick after Gimelstob challenged a 2nd serve call, but then yelling for him to just shut up and serve when he kept running his mouth.

Spotted: Donald Trump. His hair is intense. Intensely out of control. The crowd totally booed him when he appeared on the JumboTron.

Good call

Aside from the day we shot TV in Sardinia, I haven't been to the beach this summer. Wound up being able to go to my friend Diana's house on Fire Island for the weekend at the last minute. Her house is in Kismet; I'd never been to this town before. Admittedly Kismet is less quaint/charming than Cherry Grove, but then again it's also a lot less gay. There are 2 "establishments" in town: the Inn and the Out. We arrived around 6:30pm Friday. Had seafood dinner at the Out, followed by a couple of beers at the Inn. Went to the beach for a few hours in the late afternoon Saturday, grilled out and went to a St. Patty's Day party at a house down the street. Must say, these guys did it up: decorations, corned beef & cabbage, and a parade with a grand marshal, bagpipers and several men in kilts. Not sure why they were celebrating St. Patrick's Day so earnestly in August, but apparently this is the 4th year in a row they've done it. (As long as I'm being given drinks, I don't ask too many questions.) After the party we went to the Inn, where a band was playing. Great time overall. Who can complain about a weekend at the beach?

Dunes with the Fire Island lighthouse in the background.


Major sandcastle (I didn't build this).


Diana's share house.

Tonight, tonight

Went to DUMBO last Thursday night for a screening of "West Side Story" in the park underneath the Brooklyn Bridge. Fun stuff. I'd never seen this film before. I'm not really into musicals, but I suppose there's something to be said when hundreds of people gather to watch a movie (and sing along) 46 years after its release. Nice to see the vintage Rita Moreno and Natalie Wood performances.

Waiting for the movie to start, with the Manhattan Bridge in the background.


Brooklyn Bridge at sunset.

Sundays in Williamsburg

Spent 2 back-to-back Sundays in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. A little background on Williamsburg for my GA readers: It's only one stop from Manhattan on the L train, and I can actually walk there from my apt. (you just cross the East River via the Williamsburg Bridge). During my time in NYC, Williamsburg has definitely evolved. 10+ years ago it was a place artists, musicians & poor, starving advertising folks lived for cheaper rents and/or larger spaces than Manhattan. Lately the neighborhood’s popularity has skyrocketed, and development has followed… many new stores, restaurants, bars & luxury apartment buildings have cropped up. Since I don’t live in Brooklyn, it’s not really my place to say whether the changes are for the better or worse, but the difference has been noticed. There’s even a parody musical now about Williamsburg.

Went to hear Stones in Pockets at Luna Lounge on Sunday, Aug. 12. Band sounded like a mellow version of Stone Temple Pilots or Chris Cornell. The original Luna Lounge was located on the Lower East Side, and it played a significant role in the NYC music scene. This 2nd generation Luna Lounge is brand-spanking new. Not all NY clubs are dives, but they usually at least having a lived-in, puked-on feel. The new Luna Lounge is a nice venue, but you could eat off the floors. After the show, went to Dumont Burger for a cheeseburger. PS - I had bloodwork done last week; I’m afraid to get the results cholesterol test.

Had brunch at Roebling Tea Room Sunday, Aug. 19. It's silly to think of Williamsburg with a tea room, but they served some really amazing grits. I honestly thought I was back in GA. Headed to McCarren Pool, a gigantic public pool that is now empty and used as a summer concert venue: bands are at one side and people stand in the empty pool in front of the stage. I feel comfortable using the word “gigantic” to describe the space because it’s a 6-acre pool that’s 3 times larger than an Olympic-size swimming pool. There’s a Slip ‘n Slide and some other water stuff for fun. However that Sunday was rainy and 60 degrees (not optimal for water sports or outdoor events). Headlining band was Ghostland Observatory from Austin. The frontman has a stage presence that's like a Mick Jagger - Rick James combination. Props to them for captivating a crowd's attention in the rain. After the concert, went to Matchless for a beer and ate dinner at a Polish place on Bedford Avenue.

The stage at McCarren Pool.

Perfect late night snack

Saw The Picture play at Crash Mansion Friday, Aug. 17. (I’m behind on blogging.) I didn’t have time to eat dinner before their show, so I wound up scarfing a pastrami sandwich at Katz's around 1 am. Probably not the healthiest food choice, but they do serve the world's best pastrami.

Just so you know, I wasn't the only person photographing the deli sandwiches.

More buddha, less khan

Following another fantasically frustrating day in advertising yesterday, I met the Fork Floozies for dinner at Buddakan. The entry hall looks like a hotel lobby when you walk in, ie the greeter/hostess station is structured like the front desk/check-in area of a major hotel. Had some wine in the bar area. Dark lighting, dark wood. The vases on the bar tables had deer/reindeer/elk on them, and there were some stuffed exotic birds in display cases. Are these Asian decorating elements I'm not aware of? After we were seated, ordering was a long, silly process, but thankfully the food came out right away. Disturbingly quickly, actually. We ordered a bunch of stuff to share: I especially liked the the short ribs and the Taro Puff lollipops with pork. Had a really refreshing margarita with cucumbers. The restaurant patrons were a mix of couples on dates, tourist families and groups of douchebag guys on business dinners. Overall it was a good dinner, but this won't be my new hangout.

Super-dramatic dining hall.

Spotted: Susan Lucci on 9th Ave. outside the restaurant after dinner. Apparently she’s 5’2” but she seemed teeny tiny.

On Sunday afternoon I bumped into an art director I used to work with. He gave me his band's CD and asked me to come to one of their shows Wednesday night. So I did. Ran into other ad peeps at the venue. I would say it’s a small world, but really, who else is going to be listening to bands in a club past midnight on a Wednesday other than creative types? Glad to see Geoff play, and also liked the earlier band Seems So Bright.

Spotted: Sean, the singer for Blip Blip Bleep, at Mercury Lounge. Not exactly on par with Suan Lucci, but probably a sign that I go to see way too much live music.

Ooh la la

I saw the movie "Amelie" Friday night (now that it's been out for over 6 years). Really cute film. It probably was even more ground-breaking when it was first released, but I'm glad I finally got around to watching it. Have never been to Paris’ Montmartre neighborhood. Now it’s probably packed with American tourists searching for the Two Windmills Café.

To prove I do have some cultural timeliness I saw "2 Days in Paris" Sunday during its opening weekend. I laughed out loud.. a lot! I like the writer/director/actress Julie Delpy, particularly her relatively recent film "Before Sunset" (in which she also acted and co-wrote the screenplay). Her new film was also very dialogue-heavy (like Before Sunrise/Sunset), but had a good helping of neuroses.


Spotted: Parker Posey on the corner of 12th Street & 1st Avenue Saturday. While not French, she does visit Paris in her latest movie "Broken English."

Celebrating New Orleans

Saturday's SummerStage line-up featured New Orleans bands. New Orleans’ music is always relevant and popular, but surely this event was planned to coincide with the approaching 2nd anniversary of Katrina and also to benefit musicians who are very much in the process of recovering like the rest of the city's residents. Saw the Soul Rebels Brass Band perform. They're a lively bunch, and I give them credit for making the crowd of jaded NYers dance and jump around in the blazing hot sun. One of the guys in the band recorded a video during their set, and the clip is posted on their MySpace page. The audience consisted of people who'd just wandered in from the park and/or people who go to SummerStage no matter who's playing, but there also seemed to be a fair amount of New Orleans expats. Some people carried second line umbrellas, and others waved fleur de lis flags. I wore my "Make Levees, Not War" T-shirt, and I met several people wearing the same shirt.

The Soul Rebels do their thing.


Bethesda Fountain.


Recently restored tile ceiling in the Bethesda Terrace Arcade.

Places & faces

Wednesday I went to the grand opening of the Volstead, a bar named after the Volstead Act that instituted Prohibition back in 1919. The newly-renovated space is well laid-out: clean lines and pathways with lots of room for sitting and mingling. The staff was very friendly and on point. Plus, I can't complain about a few hours of open bar with pass-arounds! However it's doubtful that I will return… The bar is located in East Midtown off Park Avenue (which translates into packs of ill-mannered male patrons wearing suits) and the DJ reminded me of a wedding DJ (playing some crowd-pleasing songs, but with no edge). Wasn’t a bad time, just wasn't my scene.

On Thursday I kicked things off at Bottlerocket, a fun wine store near Union Square. Thursday nights in August, they’re hosting "Get Some" wine tastings for singles. Grace and I didn't meet any new love interests, but it was a nice way to jump start the evening.

Went to Tara's birthday party at the Galway Hooker on East 36th St. FYI, a hooker is another name for an Irish fishing boat, so get your mind out of the gutter! Sadly, the Galway Hooker is one of those big, cavernous bars whose “ambience” consists of Top 40 music being played entirely too loud. But the trek was worth it because I was able to visit with Tara and a couple of her old roomies (one of whom now lives in Florida).

Dessa, Britta, Tara & me. Irish bar=pints.

One of Grace's co-workers was hanging out with his Ohio State friends at Tonic East, so we went there next. Tonic is a 3-story bar in Murray Hill. The lower levels were very frat-ish, but we were on the roof (less crazy and quite nice on a summer evening).

View of the Chrysler Building from Tonic's rooftop bar.

Does not commute

A storm passed over NYC early last Wednesday morning. I heard the thunder through my earplugs. When I actually got out of bed a couple of hours later, I happended to turn on NY1 and saw all this emergency coverage: the storm dumped about 2.5 inches of rain in an hour and the subways flooded. Basically none of the subways were running. MTA reps were on the morning news shows telling people to stay home. This was a difficult concept to wrap my head around. No subways? None at all? I can accomplish a lot via cellphone and Blackberry, but I did need to physically be in the office Wednesday. (Extremely crucial advertising stuff.) I ventured out of my apt around 11 am. Had it not been in the 90s and muggy, I might have walked to Union Square to attempt my usual commute, but instead I took the 14th St. bus across town. Thankfully it was an air-conditioned, efficient ride that day. Didn't see an Uptown bus when I got to 8th Ave. so I took a cab the rest of the way. The trains were running again for evening rush, but were pretty slow. I’m still reeling from the fact that rain completely crippled the NYC subway system for a day.

Day of rest (sort of)

The week's heat and shenanigans caught up with me. I was really beat on Sunday. Thankfully it was a good 10-15 degrees cooler Sunday than it had been Wednesday - Saturday. Got bagel, coffee and read the paper in Tompkins Square Park. Also stopped by 6BC Botanical Garden for a bit. This is a very beautiful neighborhood garden that I stumbled upon when I moved downtown 3 years ago. The neighbors have really turned it into an oasis. You almost forget you're in Manhattan when you're sitting inside.

Saw "Broken English," a film starring Parker Posey about a 30-something woman dating in NYC. It was depressingly accurate. Her French love interest reminded me of Kevin Federline, but he came across as a lot less skanky.

Walked all around the Lower East Side. Met up with Grace for afternoon drinks at Luna Park and dinner at Coffeeshop.

View of Empire State Building from Water Taxi Beach.

Powering through the heat

Saturday was another super-hot day. Walked though Essex Street Market and hit 3 art galleries on the Lower East Side with Grace. Most provocative was Sunday, which is currently showing sculptures by a NYC artist and posters by a folk artist from Louisiana.

Headed to PS1's Warm Up with Enda and Niall. Actually didn't check out any of the exhibitions (I was a little art-ed out after going to the other galleries earlier in the day). The installations in the courtyard are not so great this year. Last year's looked more modern, and back then there were misters, a wading pool and an igloo-like room full of ice for people to cool off. This year the courtyard looks like a flamingo threw up in it (pink canopies); there are some hammock-like seats and a weird platform where buckets of water periodically tip over to douse whoever happens to be under/near it at the time.

Ran into Ab and Malinda at PS1. Hung out there til 8 pm. Took a gypsy cab to Water Taxi Beach, which ultimately we couldn't enter because 3 of the 5 of us didn't have ID. Took a water taxi back to Manhattan and had dinner at Rodeo Bar. Enjoyed yummy margaritas and some live country music. Yodeling was involved. (The band's singer yodeled, not me. I swear.)


Pink installation in the PS1 courtyard.


Overcompensating for buying too much beer.


WTF? Members of the chorus backing up the band Flaming Fire.


Graffiti-covered building in Long Island City, Queens.

Mellow Friday

Friday evening I went to Turntables on the Hudson at Pier 17. It was a launch party for a Billie Holiday remix album, which reworks Billie Holiday's classic songs into more modern, groovable tunes. A couple of DJs were spinning, there were also musicians playing live. This was my second time at the Seaport in 4 days. Lots of tourists, but really nice views of the Brooklyn Bridge and the East River. It was also noticeably cooler down there than the majority of Manhattan. I'd discovered a side street with quite a few restaurants and bars on Tuesday night, so we returned there and had a glass of wine outside at Bin No. 220 and called it a night.

Hot as balls

Let’s go Yankees! (clap – clap – clap clap clap). Was offered tix to the Yankee game Thursday afternoon. I haven’t utilized a “Summer Friday” at work yet, so why not take a Summer Thursday? Went to the game with Charles. I haven’t been to Yankee Stadium in a really long time, easily 10 years. A new stadium is being built across the street from the existing one, so it’s just a matter of time before the original one gets knocked down. It was in the 90s and humid, so thankfully our seats were covered/in the shade. Even though I like hot weather & can deal with the heat, it was still really hot. The Yankees lost to the White Sox, and A-Rod didn’t hit his 500th home run. However both teams scored 8 runs in the 2nd inning, which made it the highest scoring 2nd inning in MLB history.

Action on the diamond.


Who are all these people? It’s the middle of the day on a Thursday! Doesn’t anyone work?


Very tiny Yankee fan.

Unexpected

Tuesday night I went to Absinthe, a show down at the Seaport. Pretty entertaining and somewhat bizarre. It takes place inside a Spiegeltent. I would describe the show as a vulgar/raunchy Cirque du Soleil, with some cabaret thrown in for good measure.

Acts included:

• A drag queen who juggled knives while bouncing on a pogo stick
• A roller-skating Elvis impersonator
• A Borat look-alike doing interpretive dance to “I Will Always Love You”
  

You too can get married in a minute or less

My poker buddy Mike married Andreea during a trip to Chicago over the long 4th of July weekend. Hey, why not? Beats hanging out at the Navy Pier. You can view their very brief ceremony here. No fuss, no muss. And no awkward bouquet-catching moment for the single girls.