Annals of west 18th St.

[malsperanza]

I work with a graphic designer whose office is on 18th st., which gives me a convenient excuse to have lunch now and then at City Bakery (excellent salad bar; famous hot chocolate; decor by the architect husband of a friend of mine) and then spend money at Academy Records and Books of Wonder.

But for some reason, excursions to 18th st. invariably reveal that I am veryverynaive. (The vibe on 19th st. is totally different, probably because The Magickal Childe used to be there, store owned and operated by warlocks--goth avant la lettre--& put a permanent hex on the block.)

How naive, you ask?



Conversation at City Bakery

Friend: I have joined a new movement. It is called "Billionaires for Bush."

Me: I'm glad your freelance editing business is doing so well.

Friend: We stand outside of places where Bush and/or his Vulcans are speechifying-cum-fundraising, and we wear fur coats and garish jewelry and we hold up big signs that read "Billionaires for Bush!!!"

Me: You have a fur coat?
* * *


Conversation at Academy Records

Girl at bag-check: I am going to see "Dawn of the Dead."

Guy at cash register: Yah, a remake with good special effects this time.

Me: But, but, the original is a classic! How can you remake a classic? If you improve the special effects, it'll ruin everything!

Guy at cash register: Nah, they should remake all movies. Every ten years.

Girl at bag-check: They are remaking "Star Wars" with Brad Pitt.

Guy at cash register: And with improved special effects.

Me: "The Godfather"?

Guy at cash register: Yah, definitely, with better special effects. Corleone will be played by Andy Serkis. "Makess them an offer they can't refussse, preciouss."

Me: "2001 A Space Odyssey"?

Guy at cash register: HAL will be played by Keanu Reeves. "Dude! Don't unplug me, Dude!"

Me: And of course, better special effects.

Girl at bag-check: Of course. None of that puddles-of-colored-oil crap.

Me (finally grasping the concept): "Breakfast at Tiffany's" starring J-Lo!!

Guy & Girl: And with better special effects.

* * *


Conversation at Books of Wonder

Me: Do you have "Tithe," by Holly Black?

Saleswoman: Oh, gosh, we did... (checks computer) no, I'm afraid we have 0 copies in stock. We can order it for you, though. It'll be here by Friday.

Me: OK. Do I need to pay for it now?

Saleswoman: No, really we should get some copies in stock anyway.

Me: Yes, you should.

Saleswoman: Because otherwise the Thistlewitch will be veryveryangry.

Me: She will? (Yes: I did say that.)

* * *

Went to the Whitney Biennial opening tonight. Nice break from real life. I am probably the only person in America who always likes the Biennial and thinks most of the art in it is wonderful. Tons of good stuff this year. And (of possible interest to the LJ world) a lot of art with a strong fantasy/magical/fairytale streak. Gorgeous secret rooms full of twinkling lights, paintings with trees and birds and galleons, psychedelic glass flower chandeliers, strange crystal-coated glittering corpses...

And a nifty hack program art thing from Velvet Strike (http://www.opensorcery.net/velvet-strike/) for those of you who play Counter Strike (I am sure there are many on my flist) and have an urge to intervene in the game with some art of your own.

Comments

[idlerat.livejournal.com]

Your New York day was much more glamorous than my New York day! I woke up at noon, there's something wrong with the boiler so I couldn't have a shower, I drank some coffee and posted to LJ. I staggered (well, I took the subway in a staggery manner) to the NYPL to look at a book they don't have at NYU and discovered you now need an "access card" to use books at the main library. I've gained 3 dress sizes and aged 8 years in the last 3, and hadn't had a shower or anything, let alone makeup, so I scowled into the magic photo taking device to complete the effect. I could hardly keep my eyes open so I kept going and having more coffee. Then at 7 I too went to chelsea and met a friend and she yelled (not at me) and I cried (not because of her), and we scared the waiter and I had a very unearned margarita and she has started smoking again and then I came home and had a shower and did emaily stuff.

So I feel quite intimidated by your day, though 5 years ago I could probably have pulled most of it off. Except the Biennial opening. Someone I knew was in the Biennial once. To the opening she wore a fur halter top that she had custom made in Italy. Who *are* you?

[malsperanza.livejournal.com]

Hm, actually, that sounds a lot like my day, except for the fur halter top & the margarita.

[blackholly.livejournal.com]

Saleswoman: Because otherwise the Thistlewitch will be veryveryangry.
Me: She will? (Yes: I did say that.)

HAHAHAHAHA.

Also, the paperback is due in April, so maybe they are waiting for that to arrive? Thanks for asking, in any case. :D

Also also, I was AT CITY BAKERY today with Cassie from 3-5:45. I am deeply saddened that our paths did not cross.

[malsperanza.livejournal.com]

Also, the paperback is due in April, so maybe they are waiting for that to arrive? Thanks for asking, in any case. :D

You'd think, but no. They just keep running out & then forgetting to reorder. I seem to have made a habit of harrassing BoW about books they should keep in stock, as if they weren't doing a great job of singlehandedly maintaining the indy children's book market.

But nice news re pb. Will stick with hc though, as it is present for nephew, now old enough to read it. Must hunt you down (a) for signature on flyleaf, and (b) because I have something I've been meaning to give you (not a dead spider, not sparkly, not pink, not a big deal, but amusing).

Also also, I was AT CITY BAKERY today with Cassie from 3-5:45. I am deeply saddened that our paths did not cross.

Alas and Woe! Every time I'm there I sort of expect to run into you guys--it is a non-green outpost of the Avocado, after all. The fault, Dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that some of us have lunch at the decent hour of 5:00 pm, while others are forced to eat it in the dead of morn, ie, 1:00.