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Why is it that every Saturday I find myself porking at the hearth of every restaurant in TriBeCa. Last week it was Bouley Bakery, which got a repeat appearance from me today since they began serving sandwiches with lobster to complement their baked goods (PS- counter staff still clueless). Today it was the Taste of TriBeCa.

If you chose to part with a bit of cash

I’ve been gone, visiting my folks back home for the last two weeks but upon my return to this fair city, I was welcomed by the scooter my boyfriend recently acquired from BrooklynBretta.

This zippy little vehicle presents a whole new way of experiencing the city. The best part is the cooling air rushing into the helmet and the worst part is waiting behind stinky cars at red lights. With a scooter, one is more free to explore New York City. One is not dependent on subway lines and service changes, metrocards, and long travel times. One can just go. Scoot!

Of course, operating a vehicle that, by emissions standards, is not legal in California, produces some doubts about the efficacy and ethics of vehicles powered by non-renewable resources. I am afraid that I will stop riding my bicycle in favor of the easy quickness of the scooter. Then again, I love my bicycle and I love getting around with the power of my own muscles. Prospect Park is awesome on a bike.

I promise, I will not get lazy. But holler if you want me to take you for a ride around the neighborhood!

SomeJo asks – “where should we go if we fully support the war and the military?” I think it would be terrific if SomeJo would come right here to Metroblog and engage in a conversation, for starters. I also would love it if Somejo would write a letter to his or her newspaper of choice, and give his or her position. I’m not trying to start another war, between regular folks who have differences of opinion. I think it’s much more important that people talk to each other, demonstrate heartfelt respect for differences of opinion, and try to at least understand why someone might feel differently than they do. There is too much personal vindictiveness associated with politics in our country. There is far too little actual discussion and analysis among citizens.

It really upsets me, for example, when college students, or citizens in general, shout down a speaker with whom they disagree. I would much prefer to hear what someone has to say, even if I disagree with it. I don’t think that we all need to agree on the political direction of this country. I just think that people are so angry, Left and Right, that they won’t even listen to one another.

In a class I took at Queens College, called Media 701, the teacher sent a substitute one week. This “substitute” actually had a particular agenda that she foisted on the class, and it was completely left wing. She read her papers and articles to the class for 90 minutes. After the class I protested that she read to us, citing her opinions as fact, rather than engaging the class in discussion. Her response, “I give this lecture all over the country and I’ve never had any problems.”

It made me angry that she simply stated her beliefs as truths, rather than opting to present them as her own gathered evidence, and then invite the other students to critically research and analyze all of the facts.

So – to end this long answer to SomeJo – I would rather hear more about what you believe – and why – then for you to equate my post yesterday with shunning your opinion.

I don’t. I’d like to hear more.

A transplant to our fair city once ragged on me for being less than cordial to strangers (oh the irony: I was, at the time, speaking to him and he, at the time, qualified as a stranger), and noted that this was typical of people “from here.” I’m so sick of people saying how mean New Yorkers are; its not exactly Southern Hospitality, but we do what we can.

Yesterday, walking by Avalon (formerly Limelight), a friend and I reflected on the name change, and a man who was walking ahead of us turned halfway around and – without stopping – told us the whole sordid story, from the drugs to the hit-and-run out front. Later that evening, a friend and I met a student from Oxford in the subway – she was completely confused by the Lower East Side, so we deposited her safely at her destination and even exchanged numbers to get together before she leaves in June. And a street vendor even followed me halfway down the block, asking for my hand in marriage and even offering to pay for a divorce (whether it was mine or his, I’m still unclear), before running back to work.

So you see, New Yorkers aren’t unfriendly; we’re just efficient.

As you may be aware, the Army is taking a day off from recruiting today, to examine its recruitment practices. Allegations, and firm evidence have surfaced recently that some recruiters have illegally threatened potential candidates with indictment and/or arrest if the candidates do not agree to be interviewed. Additionally, as you probably know, students at City College, and across the country have been arrested for legally protesting the presence of recruiters at campus job fairs. A demonstration today at the close of business brings together several groups who oppose campus recruitment. I don’t know these groups personally, and I’m not acquainted with all of their positions. But if you are at all concerned about the war in Iraq, and the mounting deaths and injuries this protest is worth attending.
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Wireless Access in New York City is certainly not a given. Many people manage on an ad hoc basis or pay exorbitant monthly fees to companies like T-mobile. I’ve had the use lately of wifi from an unknown source. But I’d rather pay a community group for access. what’s your story? Where do you get wifi? Would you support low-cost municipal access? Please join in.
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Habana Outpost opens tomorrow as the city’s first ever solar-powered restaurant. That’s not the only thing that makes this place green – food wastes will be composted, paper materials used are 100% post-consumer waste recycled material, soaps are 100% biodegradable, non-toxic, phosphate free, and never tested on animals, they use bioplastics and 100% bagasse-sugarcane fiber plates which are 100% biodegradable and will be included in their food waste composting program. There’s more, but I won’t bore you with that – you can read about the rest here.

If you show up this weekend, you’ll be a part of their kick-off party with live Mexican music, DJ’s, an outdoor movie screening and the start of their weekend Flea Market on the patio (which supports local artists). The menu is pretty simple and apparently, the same as the owner’s other restaurant – Caf

Friday is the one-year anniversary of my graduation from college, so it’s been on the minds of my friends and I, as we take stock of our lives at this point and if we’re where we thought we would be, etc. etc. So this morning I am thinking about all these things and trying to have a positive outlook despite the fact that I work a boring office job that utilizes basically nothing I learned in school, when,

right in front of me some guy empties his nose into a trashcan. One finger closes one nostril, then he loudly expells the contents of the other nostril into the trashcan. Switch finger/nostril, repeat. It was like something from a movie – a really bad movie – and made me think that perhaps I shouldn’t try to have serious thoughts – shouldn’t try to have ANY thoughts – as I am getting off the subway at 34th St. At least, not first thing in the morning.