More Halloween (sans dogs)

Here is a picture of my super lame Halloween costume that I assembled at the very last minute. It involved an ill-chosen hat (wide-brimmed hats are not a practical accessory in a crowded bar) and a pair of orange-and-black striped tights. Pictured is my roommate, Lyndsay, who managed to put together an amazing, perfectly coordinated costume.

The Halloween Dog Parade

Even though I am not the biggest animal fan (this does not apply to Melon or Iris, of course) I had to check out the 16th annual Tompkins Square Park Halloween Dog Parade, because it seemed like it would be super cute and ridiculous. I have noticed that a huge number of people in New York have dogs, and I think I have figured out why. Mice! Many apartment buildings (including mine, gross) have mice, and dogs probably scare mice away. Anyway, New Yorkers seem to be exceptionally nuts about their dogs (there's an article in today's Times about doggie play dates and the increasing tendency of dog owners to coddle their pets like children) . But I digress...

There were hundreds of people and dogs at the dog parade. There was an incredibly wide variety of costumes: bees, cowboys, witches, skunks, Marie Antoinette, Carmen Miranda, hot dogs, Chinese take-out (see photos), Ipods, Siamese twins, seals. Some dog owners had even created elaborate floats, creating costume "scenes", such as the pirate dogs who paraded around in a pirate ship as Canines of the Caribbean. There were also owner-pet costume combos, such as the owner who dressed up as a zebra carcass, while her dog was the predatory tiger. Macabre!

The parade was pretty good but very slow-paced - it was like a university graduation, where you have to sit through an endless number of names being called, and it is the rare person (dog) that stands out. Many of the dog owners were a bit manic, running around with their dogs in their arms or nipping at their feet, taking hundreds of photos. It was a bit overwhelming to be surrounded by all of that puppy love; I felt like a bit of a fraud in the dog run, smiling tightly at the owners every time I felt a little dog nose butt against my calves. But, I do have to admit that I was especially won over by the little Oscar the Grouch dog, pictured above, and for a few minutes I understood why people find dogs so loveable. If they were costumed every day of the year, I just might be converted into a dog fan...

The Cupcake Wars

Ever since I moved here I have eaten two cupcakes a day, every day, no joke. I also joined a gym - one month ago - but I haven't been there yet. New York has AMAZING cupcakes. There are a few very popular bakeries that specialize in cupcakes: Magnolia, in Greenwich Village (the Sex in the City bus tour stops here, because the cupcakes were mentioned on the show once), Sugar Sweet Sunshine, in the Lower East Side, Buttercup (various locations), Billy's Bakery, and Cupcake Cafe. I have been to all of these except Billy's.

The first time I went to Magnolia I was very excited, due to all the hype. I went on a bit of a whim - I hadn't been to Greenwich Village yet (or West Village, that's what everyone calls it), and I went exclusively for the cupcakes. It took me forever to find the place because Bleecker Street is an insanely long street by New York standards. I had heard that there is usually a line up outside the door, and that it is not unusual to wait 30-40 minutes to buy one cupcake. I am serious. I was lucky because I got there late at night (it's open til 11) so there was no lineup, but it was still very hectic. It's a tiny shop, and the cupcakes - vanilla and chocolate - are laid out on trays in the front window. I bought 4 (3 vanilla vanilla, and one chocolate vanilla) and immediately rushed to a bench outside to devour one. It was....good, but not amazing. If I hadn't had such high expectations it wouldn't have been such a blow. The cake part was excellent, and the icing generous, but it was very sweet and not as creamy as I like.

I have been to Magnolia several times since, because I just don't have the willpower to pass by a bakery without buying something, and each time the cupcakes grow on me a little more. I witnessed the infamous line one Saturday afternoon as I passed by with Sabrina; she refused to wait (smart!) When my brother visited, we did wait in line, and it was crazy. We bought 7 cupcakes between us just to make us feel like it was worth it. Joseph was an instant fan (he has less discriminating tastes than me). The second he bit into one, he said "I am so glad I bought 4 of these."

My latest bakery of choice is Sugar Sweet Sunshine, just because it is much closer to my apartment. Too close, actually. It, along with Buttercup (the original) are operated by people who defected from Magnolia, so their cupcakes taste very similar. Sugar Sweet Sunshine is my favourite so far of all the bakeries listed above. They have a wider variety of flavours (pistachio, lemon etc) and the place has a more relaxed atmosphere. No frenzied lines! You can actually sit down there. The coffee sucks though, which is, surprisingly, often the case in New York. The worst cupcakes are at Cupcake Cafe, on 18th Street (top picture) because they are extremely dry, hard and overpriced, although they are decorated so beautifully with the most intricate flowers that I have still been there 3 times.

Wow I can't believe I just wrote so many words about cupcakes. Now if only I could write that many words about symbolic anthropology, which is what I should be doing right now instead of boring you all, my audience of five (thanks audience!) with cupcake tales.

My New Hat

My new hat! (that's the rink at Rockefeller Centre in the background)

The Brooklyn Bridge

So far one of the best things that I have done in New York is cross the Brooklyn Bridge at dusk. I have done this twice so far. The views of the Manhattan skyline, the Manhattan bridge and the Brooklyn skyline are unbelievable. Also, the Brooklyn Bridge itself is a really impressive structure. It looks a bit rickety and unsafe, like those old wooden rollercoasters at the Ex, but of course it is not. It was built between 1869-1883, and on the day of its official opening, 150, 330 people crossed the bridge. That is a phenomenonal number! The bridge was considered an emblem of national prowess, because at the time of its completion it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. The building of the bridge also captivated the nation with its endless disasters - about 27 people died during its construction. John Roebling, the principal architect, died of tetanus soon after construction started. His son Washington took over, but he soon came down with decompression sickness (aka the bends). Confined to his bedroom, he continued to supervise construction, using a telescope! His wife Emily served as a vital link between Washington and the builders, transmitting messages and acting as on-site engineer.

The pedestrian and bicycle lanes are above the traffic lanes. The New Yorkers who ride their bikes across the bike lane have an extremely low tolerance for strolling, photo-taking, lane-crossing tourists.

An Important New York Message (for the kids)

Pictures of my Apartment!

Here are a few pictures of my apartment. I took these pictures yesterday, after our landlords had the place professionally cleaned (!!) for an open house (they are selling it). The cleaning lady used to work as a medical assistant in a STD clinic and she had some pretty interesting stories.

East Village Community Gardens (and a portrait of Avenue C)

I live in the East Village, at 4th and C. It is quite possibly the best address in the city. Here is a good website that illustrates, in photos, what Avenue C (also known as Loisaida) looks like: http://www.bridgeandtunnelclub.com/bigmap/manhattan/villages/east/avec/index.htm

The fourth picture is of La Plaza Cultural (also the insert picture) , a community garden which is absurdly and amazingly decorated. East Village has the highest concentration of community gardens in Manhattan, with perhaps 30-odd gardens (this is a rough estimate, please do not take my word!) These are spaces that were previously empty, barren lots, reclaimed by
neighbourhood residents. In the early 1970s, a local resident named Liz Christy began throwing water balloons filled with seeds into some of these vacant lots. Christy has a namesake garden at Bowery and Houston (110 E. Houston). This garden has a pond stocked with fish (much like Zoran's front yard!) The city has turned some of these spaces over to resident groups, while retaining legal possession of others. They are interesting spaces because they are typically run by a community collective, and are governed by strict rules and open only at certain times. Some of these gardens are administered by a board of directors. At the same time they are very democratic spaces; residents within a certain geographic range can join the collective and participate in the garden's upkeep. Some gardens allow people to host plots of land where they grow vegetables, and other gardens hold community events (theatre productions, yoga classes, etc!)

Here is a link to an interactive map that lists the community gardens in East Village (it includes pictures): http://www.evpcnyc.org/secret/index.html This is a very valuable map because it describes in detail the different themes and characteristics of each garden. I live near the Secret Garden, which features a fountain with Godzilla at its base, and a regular assortment of men playing cards under a canopy. Many of these gardens are very tranquil places (such as El Jardin del Paraiso), and they are often venues for interesting art installations, such as the infamous 37-foot sculpture of street treasures (incorporating innumerous stuffed animals and Santas) in the Sixth and B garden.

I will devote future posts to East Village gardens as my photo collection grows, and as I learn more about them. Something to look forward to!

Some Faces on the Street

Soho art parade, September 9 2006

The Inauguration of my New York Blog (for Zoran)

I am dedicating this blog to my good friend Zoran, the father of my best friend Nada. He loves New York passionately and excessively, and since I am currently living in New York this will be a way to document my year for at least an audience of one! Most likely I will use this blog as a way to post pictures, and maybe some anecdotes, although I am not so good at anecdotes. So, hopefully it is not too boring! At least I know that my target audience (Zoran!) is easily entertained.