Sunday, November 16, 2008

Looking at the South Bronx 1982-1984


The Museum of the City of New York has a new exhibition of interest.

Broken Glass: Photographs of the South Bronx by Ray Mortenson
Nov. 14 through March 9

Made between 1982 and 1984, the photographs in Broken Glass: Photographs of the South Bronx by Ray Mortenson focus on the burned out, abandoned, and razed structures of entire city blocks in the South Bronx, documenting the aftermath of a widespread urban economic crisis that plagued the United States in the 1970s.

Now and then at the Rainbow Room


The Rainbow Room, where the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie entertained well-dressed crowds on the 65th floor of 30 Rockefeller Plaza, is now in its 75th year of operations. The Post made note of what the United States was like when it opened:

When the Rainbow Room first struck up the band in 1934, the Great Depression was in full swing. Bank closings and home foreclosures were rampant and unemployment rates soared. The Giants had won the NFL championship by spoiling a foe’s otherwise perfect season. A Harvard-educated lawyer from the Democratic party had recently wrestled the presidency from the Republican incumbent with a message of hope — and, in doing so, secured House and Senate majorities. And, by no coincidence, strong yet fancy cocktails were all the rage.

Sound familiar?


The club, which is now only open two weekends a month, is awaiting word to see if they will get landmark status from the city.

Not ready for any of this

The Holiday Market at Union Square was being set up yesterday...



Duane Reade had their shit out in October.



Food Emporium had their stuff up the day after Halloween.




The holiday lights went up on 10th Street sometime this past week.



And 57th and Fifth?




I'm still trying to enjoy my Labor Day.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Last call for the P & G


Brooks has the bad/sad news that the P & G Cafe will close at the end of the year. There's talk of another P & G at another location some day.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The P & G Cafe: An appreciation

Related:
Alex has some more NYC-related videos...including one from Depeche Mode that features the P & G.

Five rather random photos taken around the vicinity of Penn Station last night





Important notice: We spent all your money



Thought that's what it said for a minute.

Clown rings opening bell yesterday; Post suitably outraged


The Post even devoted an editorial to the subject.

"Poison"

The Times checks in today with a piece on the East Village/LES rezoning battle. “I implore you to see the plan for what it is — poison,” said Malcolm Lam, who spoke on behalf of the Coalition to Protect Chinatown and the Lower East Side.