cityrag

a tree grows in Brooklyn

traveling to Carroll Gardens/Brooklyn for brunch with friends, we're pleasantly surprised to be given a table beside a unique waterfall sculpture that's recently been added to the garden. mounted to the wall and set in a pool of water is a giant cooper tree. the massive limbs fill with water from above and then slowly tumble down to release the water back into the pool below. as various limbs fill and release water, musical patterns are created (as well as a light mist.) beautiful to look at, with the interesting texture and natural patina of the rough metal. we watched as other tables sat mesmerized taking it in.

adding to the experience was seeing the artist Chico at a nearby table watching his work and making slight adjustments. we took the opportunity to say hi and found out that this is the first piece in this style that he's done. he was commissioned by the restaurant, and contemplating a water-wheel type sculpture when the inspiration for this piece hit him. he's planning more and interested in using brass in a future work.

a few notes on the restaurant Le Petit Cafe - tasty pancakes, great burgers, panini looked good, and a beautiful garden with decks at various levels, nice plantings, umbrellas - almost a beachie feeling. enjoying a leisurely meal beside this amazing waterfall fountain is lovely. a great find, and well worth the short ride on the F train.

Bonus link - you'll find more info on artist Chico MacMurtri on this awesome website Amorphic Robot Works

are we there yet?
the city dog goes to the country...

Beware of The Man in the van
what the fuck?... another friend was busted this week for smoking a joint. went down the same way someone else we know was arrested - by the NYC pot and beer van squad. for the uneducated, undercover police ride around in vans looking for people smoking weed or drinking alcohol in public. reports from both people we know who've been busted by "the van" are that:
- after you're arrested you have to ride around in the van for several hours while the cops look for more petty misdemeanors
- the van and holding cells are packed with small violations, pot possession, open beer in public, etc.
- both people spent 24-48 hours in jail to have the charges dropped when they came before the judge (neither had any prior offenses)

organizing police efforts to hunt down, arrest and detain people for smoking a joint is a ridiculous waste of police resources and tax payer money!

so cityrag is holding a blog smoke-in - over the next few weeks we'll be smoking weed around NYC in open places, taking pics and posting them here. if you feel the same way please join us. post pics on your sites or send them in and we'll post them here. smoke up NY!

Update: CityRag Smoke-ins:
"Handoff"
"Rebel with a Cause"
"smoking-up for Martha"

must...find...fireworks...
we've been getting a lot of search engine action from people trying to find fireworks in new york! so we thought we'd post a link to the info with a few more key words to help out :-)... click here for information on: where to buy fireworks close to new york city (2 hour drive) - fountains, roman candles, rockets, sparklers, firecrackers, and more

Times Square Smack Down
Oops they did it again - these are not more photos from the security drill we shot last Wednesday - there's another massive drill going on right now. live from Times Square...

"just a drill"

mayhem x 2 = peace of mind?...

teach-her sex
all over the news this week is the story of the teacher having sex with her 14 year old student. this actually happened to me when I was 14 - here's the story (in first person)...

first, since I haven't included much bio stuff, and have been writing here in the editorial "we" format, let me say that I'm 44, and a lesbian. when I was 14 there was this teacher's aid, Susan (20-ish, attractive blond) who was very friendly with me and my little gang of friends. we were pretty much all about drinking, drugging and getting in trouble back in those dayz. so when Susan asked where we were going to be hanging out one Friday we thought "cool, she can buy us beer". in the mean time we're all like "why does she want to hang out with us?" and our group decided she had the hots for our friend Jerry. Friday night comes and she's not around. so we get a friend's older brother to score us a case of Rolling Rock ponies (we loved those little beerz.) around 9:00 Susan shows up in her car. we load in and drive around with her until we all start hitting our curfews. Susan offers to give us all rides home, but strangely leaves my stop for last ("strange" later reveals itself to be "strategy".) we drop the last person off and she pulls over and starts that intimate drunk sex talk... (boyfriend? experience? stuff) we're laughing and getting closer and then WHAM she's all over me - tongue down my throat, hands on my tits, biting my neck. we engaged in what was the heaviest make out session I'd yet to have in my little 14 year old life (all above the waist.) it was f'ing HOT but oh so confusing. I didn't really know who I was yet, this was my first lesbian experience. but I knew not to tell my friends (and avoided Susan forever). I was a bit fucked up and confused about it for a while. but now I only have fond memories :-)

Buddy Facts

1 - we first saw Buddy when searching Petfinder.com. he was up for adoption at the NY Center for Animal Control and Care, his name was listed as "Yum-Yum".

2 - the NYCACC took in over 60,000 animals last year (12,000-14,000 animals were killed). animals are given a limited time in the adoption facility before they are euthanized. Buddy was rescued the day before he was scheduled to be taken out of the adoption program by a group called New Yorkers for Companion Animals that fosters animals who are about to be killed until they can find them homes. this group relisted Buddy on petfinder.org, and through them we were able to schedule an appointment to meet and adopt him.

3 - Buddy was in poor health. he hadn't been fed well. his body shape was strange and his teeth were rotting. he would not eat dog food and he would not eat off a plate (he'd only eat scraps and would push them onto the floor with his nose.)

4 - he had also been badly abused and was extremely defensive (and would attack everything.) we would not look at you and always cast his eyes sadly at the ground.

after a year and a half in our home, Buddy is Mr. Happy Pants! he eats everything (loves a green bean), had some training sessions, is loosing his defensiveness and loves people. he's our little prince and knows it. and he's always lookin for eye contact, now the little guy just won't stop staring at us.

oh you beautiful city...
manhattan and brooklyn bridges glimmer through beer goggles as we find our way home last night...

ESPN Dream Job open casting call - live from Times Square...
this morning ESPN kicked off a month long, 8 city casting tour for "Dream Job" at their Times Square Zone location.

turn out was much better than the Virgin Billionaire casting call last month. good sized crowd, mix of interesting people, this one looks hopeful...

open casting call continues tomorrow from 8am - 6pm at the ESPN Sports Zone on 42nd and Bway!

New Vu
have ta laugh when we see the beat-up remnants of the crappy TaxiVu systems. seems every NY publication and taxi driver predicted its fate the day the idea was launched. last week this cab driver took the tip, with his homegrown improvement… Monsters Inc playing on a crisp little LCD screen with surround sound! (and pumpin’ air conditioning)

Youth gangs return to the lower east side...
but don't worry, Buddy has it under control

The Big Cherry?
it’s cherry season in NY. sure NY grows some of the best apples in the world, but our cherries are ripe, juicy and delicious! grown in various areas throughout the state and close-by, these cherries arrive almost warm off the trees and have a taste and texture all their own. crops are hitting local produce stores and green markets now!

Hot Tip! The Dutchess County Fair schedule has been announced – Charo returns!
For those who don’t know – County Fairs are THE BOMB! and, NY State has 2 of the best in the country. county fairs remind us of the EV/LES in some ways - a beautiful world of wonderment, thrills, oddities and amazing eats. It’s hard to describe all the f’ing fantastic reasons to go… here’s a quick recap of last years highlights…
- tractor pulls, classic cars, bands & mummer parades
- cute & whacky animals, arena after arena, 4-H shows, petting zoos, pig races, huge cows, canine tent
- exhibits: old tools, baking, jarring, knitting, gardening, cow milking, sheep sheering,
- the Mid-Way (Carny games and rides galore!)
- tons of tacky souvenirs, skull rings, trucker and vintage car t-shirts, all kinds of leather goods
- 4-H milkshake tent, lime fizz stands, homemade pierogis, snow cones, fresh candy apples and corn dogs, fried dough, kettle corn. a giant stand charbroiling roast beef on the spot then slicing paper thin and piling on a fresh roll (some raw onion, horseradish and a little beef juice) – great stuff
- free Charo show! walked in 10 minutes before the start and grabbed front row center seats. what an amazing performer! had her whole Vegas act with her, danced, sang classics, told her story, worked the audience (even kissed my girlfriend) and played the most beautiful flamenco guitar. she’s coming back this year – yeeehaaa! (along with the Bacon Brothers, Oakridge boys and others) DOES IT GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS?!

held in Rhinebeck, NY, less than a 2 hour drive outside the city up the beautiful Taconic Pky (might be accessible via public trans, bus or train, there’s a contact number on the site Directions page)

and that’s just the Dutchess County Fair. in a couple weeks we’ll post the highlights of the Columbia County Fair, a little north of Dutchess county and a whole different fair scene (held labor day weekend)