Seven years ago today, the world stopped for the city. The greatest city in the world was hit the hardest it has been in its 400+ years of existence. The city that never sleeps, was brought to its knees. Only momentarily though. Like only New York can, it rebounded, kicked back and was its alive self in a few hours. The blood in its veins, cut off at the time of the airplane attacks, started flowing…the subways were back on line at 7 pm.

A lot of people will say we need to move on, and yes we do. Therefore we are not in perpetual mourning for 364 days. However this one day we need to stop and think of what happened and what has collectively changed for the citizens for this city and as a matter of fact for the whole country post 9/11.

Surprisingly, the NYTimes does not have a single mention of today on its front page. Wonder why. I am really disappointed especially as a long time reader and fan of the NYT.

I leave you with this image from the NYT, and the knowing that you will be thinking about the same issues that I am in this election year.

As some of you already know, in the past I did some work with a group called ecoagents. (go to their site to learn more)

Recently, I’ve been slacking (bad Melissa) but I’ve been asked to plug their latest and greatest effort… Eco-To-Go. It’s actually a really great idea - and for those of you that are looking for easy ways in NYC to be eco-friendly, this is it.
Spread the word!

Here’s a little something from one of the founders to tell you more about it.

Everybody’s doing it! Eco To Go.
We all want to do something for the environment - now here is a way, and it’s easy!

Ecoagents is responsible for a unique initiative called Eco-to-Go. This green program speaks to NYC restaurants that offer in-office and at-home delivery service. Those restaurants that are enrolled in Eco to Go have made a conscious and serious effort to do away with all of the unnecessary plastic and paper that traditionally comes with take out orders.

Eco to Go is an easy way to help save the environment! Eco to Go is available at any local restaurant or deli! Just remember to tell them, Eco to Go!

Growing Restaurant Participation List.

Anna

So we had our Metroblogs meetup recently as you may have already read. I’d just like to talk a bit in detail about my dish of food…it looks good, doesn’t it?

There are a few things in material life better than a hearty meal prepared with love & care. The latter portion of it playing a big role in what makes food actually “good.”

I personally have a lot of dietary restrictions when dining out but tonight I was treated to something unusual; a meal prepared to my diet with love, attention and even a personal visit from the chef.

It was at Counter - a vegetarian/vegan restaurant with a pricey menu and fully loaded bar that & variety that attracts omnivores and fruitatarians like yours truly alike.
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Today, the three queens of Cunard came together in New York Harbor for the first and last time in the company’s long history. QE 2, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria were together in New York Harbor this Sunday evening before setting sail for their respective destinations. As I had written earlier, the QE2 shall be retired this year after nearly 40 years in service.

The QM2, berthed at the Red Hook Piers in Brooklyn was the first to arrive at 7:00 pm. An hour later the Queen Victoria sailed down from the 42nd St. Terminal followed by the legendary QE2. This was the last time the QE2 would be calling port in NYC and she got the greatest cheers amidst the fireworks display in the backdrop of the Statue of Liberty.

The rain started falling around halfway into the event, but that did not deter the fairly large crowd at Battery Park. As the ships sailed into the mist and disappeared on the horizon, one could not but stop and wonder at the age of luxury cruiseliners of which the QE2 was the epitome.

Below are some images from the event. The entire set is on my flickrstream.

Leave comments.

I was at a Halloween party this evening and I saw one of the greatest NYC subway tattoos that I have ever seen. My friend Joy Rumore, The Milkmaid, inked this piece on her own leg. Joy is a very talented artist who owns her own shop in Williamsburg. She is also one hot Marilyn Monroe!

The photo to your right is a live capture of Bryant Park on July 25, 2007. Why is this place the greatest? I went by today and I think I’ve nailed why it’s by far my most favorite park in NYC. All elements that make a great park are inside of it, what are they?

- Great people watching
- Carousel
- Free WiFi
- Free Classic Books & Modern classics and newspapers & magazines
- Great chairs & seating
- Beautiful view of classic New York (NYPL) alongside new construction

It has everything that NYC means and stands for to everyone who comes here. It offers you peace and calm and a great place to have lunch. It offers a lot of free things while having a great view of everything. No, Bryant Park didn’t pay me to write this. I just am in love with the place. It’s also great when you can catch a botchee ball competition or an intense chess match.

I’m sure by now you’re familiar with HopStop.com, the online directions website that blindly guides a traveler from point A to point B. It’s the greatest thing that’s happened to lazy, disoriented people since adderall.
But did you know that HopStop also rates all our wonderful buses and subway lines?

Here’s the rundown:
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With Spider-Man Week on the horizon I thought I’d put together a guide to some of the other great Marvel Comics locations that a fictional tourist within the Marvel universe might want to check out.

What the hell am I talking about? One of the great things about Marvel Comics is that they use established places, mostly within New York City, to tell their stories. DC Comics (home of Superman and Batman) use fictitious cities as homes for their heroes. Though you could argue that Metropolis and Gotham City (maps at the links) are both based on New York City, (both cities have island portions for instance) Marvel goes one step further and uses actual locations for their stories. Spider-Man has had many fights atop the Roosevelt Island Tram, and suffered one of his greatest losses on the Brooklyn Bridge. His Aunt May raised him in Forest Hills, Queens. Daredevil patrols and protects Hell’s Kitchen. The X-Men live in Westchester, etc. etc.

This map of Manhattan was included a few years back in their “Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe” and tells us many things about Marvel’s NYC environs, so I decided to take my camera out for a spin and to see some of the locations of the Marvel Universe. (By the way, you can see a MUCH larger version of that map here.)
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I’m writing this not because of Metroblogging doing the challenge for WNYC today. But because this is as good a time as any to talk about one of the greatest living radio hosts of our time; Jonathan Schwartz.

On Saturday afternoons I am usually on my drive to Brooklyn at a friend’s house or going to Queens for bubble tea and veggie sushi. On these 20-30 minute drives, I tune into nothing but the Saturday/Sunday Show with Jonathan Schwartz. If you are not from NYC you can still catch the show on podcast.
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As far as neighbors go, I’m lucky. I don’t have to deal with loud, middle-of-the-night drunkenness, garbage in the hallways, or yapping dogs. In Westchester I lived under a family who apparently wasn’t aware that I existed below their jumping-around kids. In Boston I first lived next to two college girls who’d get into screaming arguments, calling each other names like “vindictive cunt” and throwing chairs, then down the street from a couple who fought at least once a week due to the husband’s gambling problem. In my current building, there’s just one quiet kid and no screaming couples who aren’t have sex.

But that’s not to say that my fellow walk-up dwellers don’t have their quirks.
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