It's been a long long time (apparently)

I stopped by the kebab vendor in Astoria for the first time in ages. George was so surprised to see me that he shook my hand and then kissed me on the cheek, proclaiming that it had been weeks.

Back to the usual

On The Queens-bound R train at 8:30 am, it definitely smelled like farts.

Sweet lavendar

I was on the Brooklyn-bound 4 Express Train at 10:45 pm, and I noticed the train smelled like lavendar talcum powder. It was really nice! There was almost no one on the train, so it is not like I was smooshed up against someone and smelling their individual perfume. The train car itself was smelling really pleasant.

Usually the only distinctive smell on the train is farts.

Fire Escape Escapades II

As stated before, I live directly below my landlord and his family, which includes two small daughters. (See "Fire Escape Escapades", Sept. 3, 2004)

Today, M, the very nice mother, knocked on my door. Apparently, the younger daughter is going through the terrible twos, and had locked herself in the bedroom and wouldn't come out. M needed to climb out my living room window and up the fire escape, open the window (they have window guards to keep the kids from falling out) and get the daughter.

Always happy to oblige, as good tenants always do!! Once everything was ascertained to be OK (judging by the kid's howls upon discovering her mother had outsmarted her), it was rather amusing.

A Starbucks debacle

I got out of the subway at 8th Street to meet CSF in Astor Place. He had told me to go to Astor Place (a subway station one block away from the 8th Street station.) He called my cell phone and said he was in Starbucks.

"Don't say that! There are 10 Starbucks here!" I said.

Annoyingly enough, there are 2 Starbucks diagonally placed from each other right by these subway stations. There should be a law that you should not be able to see another Starbucks when you are already in one.

So I walked into the Starbucks closest to me (as he said there was a KMart across the street from his. This unfortunately applied to both Starbucks.) I looked around but didn't see him. I described the Starbucks to the best of my abilities but face it, they all look the same.

So he described the statue outside in the square. This was also unhelpful as both Starbucks bordered the same square, and the statue was some symmetrical abstract thing so you couldn't differentiate the different sides.

"OK," he said. "I'll just come outside. Wait for me there."

So I go stand outside and what does he do but come out of the exact Starbucks I was in. And almost walk by me since he didn't recognize me with all my winter gear on due to the massive snowstorm.

Please continue to help tsunami victims

The tsunami is in the news a lot less these days, but as many as 5 million people remain injured and/or homeless. Rebuilding their homes, businesses and lives will take months, if not years.

It's not too late to give. Unfortunately, it won't be too late to give a year from now.

This blog will feature periodic updates on the tsunami victims, what they need and how you can give to them. Please pass it on to your friends.

Here are some groups accepting donations:
• American Red Cross: www.redcross.org; 800-435-7669
• AmeriCares: www.americares.org; 800-486-4357
• Global Fund for Children: www.globalfundforchildren.org; 202-331-9003
• Oxfam America: www.oxfamamerica.org; 800-776-9326
• U.S. Fund for UNICEF: www.unicefusa.org; 800-486-4233

You can't escape TV!

It is literally everywhere! In the tunnel of the PATH train between the World Trade Center site and the Exchange Place station, you see a flashing TV screen with an ad for a car flashing in through the subway windows.

I don't know how they did it, but they constructed it that you can see an entire TV commerical while on a moving train even though it is outside.

Good luck with the snowstorm

There is a snowstorm slated to hit New York and several ither states this weekend so stay warm and safe, everyone! Here are some tips I got form NY's Office of Emergency Management:

Friday, January 21, 2005 — With a winter storm and continued cold temperatures in the forecast this weekend, OEM urges New Yorkers to take steps to ensure their safety.

Tips for Staying Warm

Exposure to cold can cause life-threatening health conditions. Avoid serious conditions such as frostbite and hypothermia by keeping warm.

Wear a hat, hood or scarf, as most heat is lost through the head.

Wear layers, as they provide better insulation and warmth.

Keep clothing dry; if a layer becomes wet, remove it.

Winter Storm Driving

With near-blizzard conditions expected Saturday night, avoid driving if possible; use public transportation instead.

If you must drive, observe the following tips:

Avoid traveling alone, but if you do so, let someone know your destination, route and when you expect to arrive.

Listen to the radio for the latest information on road conditions.

Use major streets or highways for travel whenever possible; these roadways will be cleared first.

Drive slowly. Posted speed limits are for ideal weather conditions. Vehicles take longer to stop on snow and ice than on dry pavement.

Four-wheel drive vehicles may make it easier to drive on snow-covered roads, but they do not stop quicker than other vehicles.

If you skid, steer in the direction you want the car to go and straighten the wheel when the car moves in the desired direction.

Know your vehicle's braking system. Vehicles with antilock brakes require a different braking technique than vehicles without antilock brakes in icy or snowy conditions.

If you become stuck on the road:

Stay with your car. Do not try to walk to safety unless help is visible within 100 yards. You could become disoriented quickly in blowing snow.

Display a trouble sign if you need help; tie a brightly colored cloth to the antenna and raise the hood to alert rescuers.

Start the car and use the heater for about 10 minutes every hour. Keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Leave the overhead light on when the car is running so you can be seen.

Move your arms and legs to keep blood circulating and to stay warm.

Keep one window slightly open to let in fresh air. Use a window that is opposite the direction the wind is blowing.

Snow Removal Safety Tips

Stretch before you go out. If you go out to shovel snow, do a few stretching exercises to warm up your body. This may prevent injury.

Cover your mouth. Protect your lungs from extremely cold air by covering your mouth when outdoors. Try not to speak unless absolutely necessary.

Avoid overexertion. Cold weather puts an added strain on the heart. Unfamiliar exercise, such as shoveling snow or pushing a car can bring on a heart attack or make other medical conditions worse. Take frequent rest breaks, and drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

Keep dry. Change wet clothes frequently to prevent a loss of body heat. Wet clothing loses all of its insulating value and transmits heat rapidly.

Stay safe. Walk carefully on snowy or icy sidewalks. If using a snow blower, NEVER use your hands to unclog the machine.

Maintain an awareness of utilities when shoveling snow. Do not cover fire hydrants with snow when clearing sidewalks and driveways. Do not shovel snow into manholes and catch basins.

Help those who may require special assistance, including infants, the elderly and infirm, and people with disabilities.

Safe Home Heating Tips

Improper use of portable heating equipment can lead to fire or dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. Take precautions to ensure you are heating your home safely.

Fire Safety

Use only portable heating equipment that is approved for indoor use.

Keep combustible materials, including furniture, drapes, and carpeting at least three feet away from the heat source. NEVER drape clothes over a space heater to dry.

Always keep an eye on heating equipment. Never leave children alone in the room where a space heater is running. Turn it off when you are unable to closely monitor it.

Be careful not to overload electrical circuits.

Make sure you have a working smoke detector in every room. Check and change batteries often.
Carbon Monoxide Safety

Make sure you have a working carbon monoxide detector.

As of November 1, 2004, all residential buildings in New York City are required by law to have carbon monoxide detectors. For rental apartments, installation must be completed by the owner, while maintenance is the responsibility of the tenant.

Make sure your heating system is kept clean and properly vented; have worn or defective parts replaced.

Kerosene heaters are dangerous and illegal in New York City.

Don't heat your home with a gas stove or oven.

Do not use any gas-powered appliance, such as a generator, indoors.

Never use a charcoal grill or a hibachi inside your home.

Automobile exhaust contains carbon monoxide. Open your garage door before starting your car and do not leave the motor running in an enclosed area. Clear exhaust pipes before starting a car or truck after it snows.

Recognize signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. The most common symptom is headache.

However, symptoms may also include dizziness, chest pain, nausea and vomiting. In severe cases, people can become increasingly irritable, agitated and confused, eventually becoming lethargic and lapsing into unconsciousness.

If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, call 911, and get the victim to fresh air immediately, and open windows.

What to Do If You Lose Heat

Tenants without adequate heat or hot water should first speak with the building owner, manager, or superintendent. If the problem is not corrected, tenants should call 311.

If you lose heat, take measures to trap existing warm air, and safely stay warm until heat returns:

Insulate your home as much as possible. Hang blankets over windows and doorways and stay in a well-insulated room while power is out.

Dress warmly. Wear hats, scarves, gloves and layered clothing.

If you have a working fireplace, use it for heat and light, but be sure to keep the damper open for ventilation.

If the cold persists and your heat is not restored, call family, neighbors or friends to see if you can stay with them.

Open your faucets to a steady drip so pipes do not freeze.

For more winter weather tips and information, visit the OEM website.

Happy Inauguration Day!

So today is Bush's 2nd Inauguration. DC has the day off for it. My friend SSQ is home. The Inauguration in DC is for tourists, much like how New Year's Eve in Times Square.

It is certainly great and historical but at the same time, the crowds, closed down streets, packed subways and, this year, the snowfall do not add up to a great time to stand outdoors to watch the swearing-in of the same president.

Although everyone is pumped up to see the Bush twins. Go, Jenna and Barbara!

Get a room!

My oh my, what people must do outside our office building when they leave work, because there was a black bra on the sidewalk there this morning and there is no laundromat for several blocks.

Tsunami toll now tops 226,000

Indonesia's Ministry of Health confirmed dead thousands of people previously listed as missing. This is horrible.

My father told me that, in 1971, there was a cyclone f some sort in Pakistan that killed 250,000 people. There were 3 islands off the coast that completely submerged and then came back up later. This is very scary.

I am also tired of hearing people say the tsunami struck non-Christian countries on purpose. Asa Muslim who attended Catholic school, I happen to know that is a very un-Christian thing to say.

From Palace to Mosque

Another thing my friend SSQ and I did down in DC is go to the National Gallery (www.nga.gov) to attend an exhibit on "Islamic Art: From Palace to Mosque". The items in the exhibit came from London's Victoria & Albert Museum and display centuries-old tiles, rugs, bowls, etc, many with calligraphy denoting verses from the holy Qu'ran.

I said to SSQ before we went to the exhibit that it would probably be a lot of SE Asians (much like ourselves) but were pleasantly surprised that it was not, it was tourists from all walks of life interested in Islamic art! I feel like writing the National Gallery a fan letter for having the foresight to put on such a great educational exhibit.

Some amusing things overheard: one guy saying to his friend "This is from the 12th century! I am amazed they were so developed!"

And a girl looking at an ornate fireplace with two protruding lumps near its top "it's very obviously supposed to be a woman's breasts and vagina". Give the woman's studies crap a rest, sister! Sometimes a fireplace is just a fireplace!

Now that's service!

At the Starbucks in Union Station, they were offering a free booklet on the upcoming Inauguration on Jan 20, complete with biographies on the President, Vice-President and their wives, details about the parade and Inaugural balls, and local attractions. I picked one up for posterity.

Union Station is DC's equivalent to NYC's Grand Central terminal, even though technically Penn Station provides service to Amtrak. Union Station is the train station that is architecturally-gorgeous, with a Great Hall that boasts real gold in its ceilings, marble staircases, a food court featuring international dishes, a movie theater that doubles as a church on Sunday mornings and many different shops and restaurants.

Directly outside is the Capitol. The view one sees from Union Station is the exact one that Jimmy Stewart sees when he arrives in the same Union Station in the movie "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington". The late Ronald Reagan has been quoted as saying that particular scene inspired him to change his career from acting to politics.

www.unionstationdc.com

A favorite neighborhood

I Love Georgetown, the DC neighborhood surrounding the university of the same name.

Georgetown was formed in 1751 on the banks of the Potomac River. It originally existed as a separate town with whom Washignton traded, but as urban sprawl took over, the town was annexed to Washington in 1871.

Attractions in the area -- besides the shopping, bars, restauramts and nightclubs -- include the Old Stone House which is a free museum preserved just as it was in 1751; the C&O Canal, where you can take a barge ride pulled by mules (yes, people actually do this, it is such a smelly ride); the Exorcist steps -- that long stone flight of steps which the priest fell down in the 1973 movie), and the spires of Georgetown University.

Bars I went to Friday night:

Mie & Yu on M Street (a very beautiful Morroccan-inspired restaurant)

Modern on M Street (I recall this used to be the sports bar "Champions", where I went to a party the night before Clinton's first inauguration in 1993. It's 12 years later, right before Bush's 2nd inauguration, and I end up at the same bar.)

Blue Gin on Wisconsin Avenue (which used to be SportsFans, where we had weekly reports of Marines getting into fights.)

www.georgetowndc.com

Some things to love about DC

I was back in DC this weekend and in Union Station, when I passed a store of the local tobacco chain "President's Cigars." I had forgotten about them (mostly because I don't smoke) but this chain appeared shortly after the Lewinsky scandal of 1998, in which it was revealed that she and then-President Clinton used one of his cigars as a sex object.

On Lexington Avenue last night ....

There was a bomb scare (which luckily turned out to be a false alarm.)

I walked into the Y around 5:20p for my shift, and apparently everything took place right afterwards. There was a suspicious package directly across the street by the dry-cleaners - I noticed the cops had it roped off. Within 10 minutes, a bomb squad had appeared, Lexington Avenue was closed off for several blocks, no one was allowed to leave or enter the Y (or any of the surrounding buildings; my coworkers was trapped inside the bakery where she had stopped for a snack for 2 hours.) They even stopped train service at 86th Street.

It took 2.5 hours but they examined it and ascertained that it was not dangerous. WHEW!

and then a fuse blew at the gym and some lights and treadmills went out as a result. We got it fixed though. Add all this to the fire of a few weeks ago and this gym has more crap happening it than all of the gyms in which I have worked since 1996. And that doesn't even take into account annoying things like lost pantaloons. (hee hee - pantaloons!!!)

That's no bull!

I walked the wrong direction in lower Manhattan this morning when I was trying to get to City Hall and I passed the famous brass bull statue on Wall Street. This bull is always photographed from the front. I wondered what it looked like from the back so I checked it out.

The statue is anatomically correct. Remember, all bulls are boys.

what the hell are pantaloons?

I was at the Y last night and some nasty old woman held out a nylon jacket and barked at our nice locker-room attendant, "It's the same material as this, but it's white. If you see them, hold on to them, because they are my pantaloons!"

I have never heard anyone say that word seriously in a sentence.

Then we all proceeded to talk about how nasty that woman was right in front of her. Stop losing your crap at the gym!!! We aren't your babysitters!

architecture notes

The Empire State Building, The Chrysler Building, The Flatiron Building

The Empire State Building
350 5th Street at W. 35th Street
www.skyride.com. www.esbnyc.com.
COST: $11.
Daily 9 AM-midnight; last elevator up leaves at 11:15 PM.

The Flatiron Building
175 5th Street at 23rd Street

Winds gushed down this trianguar-shaped building to its 23rd Street tip, billowing up the skirts of women pedestrians on 23rd Street, and local traffic cops had to shoo away male gawkers -- coining the phrase "23 skiddoo."

The Chrysler Building
405 Lexington Avenue

The Chrysler Corp. moved out over 50 years ago, but the building still retains its name (as immortalized in the play "Annie" -- "Get down on your knobby little knees and clean this dump till it shines like the top of the Chrysler Building!") Gargoyles can be seen on the 31st and 61st floors. The Chrysler Building was the tallest building in the world for 40 days before the Empire State Building got the title when it opened on May 1, 1931.

Cost: Free. (The Empire State Building can't claim that.)

Just got this from a real friend

Everyone can't be in the Front Row

Life is a theater- Invite your audience carefully. Not everyone is healthy enough to have a front row seat in our lives. There are some people in your life that need to be loved from a distance. It's amazing what you can accomplish when you let go, or at least minimize, your time with draining, negative, incompatible, not going anywhere relationships/friendships!

Observe the relationships around you. Pay Attention. Which ones lift and which ones lean?Which ones encourage and which ones discourage? Which ones are on a path of growth uphill and which ones are going downhill? When you leave certain people, do you feel better or feel worse? Which ones always have drama or don't really understand, know, or appreciate you?

The more you seek quality, respect, growth, peace of mind, love, and truth around you, the easier it will become for you to decide who gets to sit in the front row and who should be moved to balcony of your life.

You cannot change the people around you.... but you can change the people you are around.

Sancho Panza under Times Square

I was walking through the massive underground tunnels that is the 42nd Street - Times Square subway station to find the N and W trains to Astoria.

This guy wearing a sombrero and a costume that made him look like he was riding a burro was walking in the opposite direction.

That's one thing I have noticed in New York -- some people get dressed. Others get costumed. Ah well -- to each their own!!!

Subway book club

I was on the 5 train to downtown and was reading Jack Kerouac's bok "On the Road". A guy next to me said "Excuse me, I noticed you are reading "On the Road". Dean Moriarty [a character featured in the book] was a real guy and he is also in this book."

He then shows me that he is reading Tom Wolfe's "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test".

"So if you like that, you might enjoy reading this too."

I thanked him for the tip. I am going to get that book next too, because "On the Road" is great!!!

Rats vs Rabbits

Another "talent" of CSF is no matter where we are in New York, he can always spot a giant rat. I will be admiring the architecture and he will be yelling about rats.

Like, last night, we were in Washington Square Park and I was admiring the lit-up Marble Arch and the Christmas tree that was still up and he starts pointing out an admittedly huge old rat. It was the size of George, my 8-lb Dutch rabbit. CSF had a rabbit when he was in high school himself. so I asked him why he had such a problem with rats when they were rodents just like rabbits.

He got all mad and said "so what! that's like saying a doctor and a murderer are both human beings! Rabbits are cute! Rats are gross, they invade people's homes and eat their food and spread disease. You never see rabbits doing that!"

Then he said "I don't think there is anything more innocent than a rabbit."

I said "A newborn baby is innocent."

He mulled this over and says "But then they grow up to be tyrants and shit!"

This highly amused me as well. I was once a baby and I am not a tyrant "and shit" as he most eloquently put it. In fact, almost none of my friends are! so there goes that theory.

Jersey City Fun

I was hanging out with my friend CSF in Jersey City (just barely over the state border from Manhattan) and we were walking by this girl who gave us a snotty look --- for NO REASON, I might add -- before getting on her cell phone.

"MAN!" yells CSF loudly as we pass her. "I don't like it when girls are on top because then I can't control the pace!!!!!"

I was highly amused by how mortified she looked. heh heh

Yay for New York!

I just learned that the City of New York is donating a few earth-moving and debris clearing vehicles to Southeast Asia to aid in rebuilding the communities struck by the tsunami. Wonderful!!!!!

The tsunami victims now top 150,000 and they predict they have lost an entire generation of children. This is devestating.

Best hot choccy

I found a new place that has great hot chocolate and is more than 50% cheaper than Starbucks. It is called "Beyond Bread Bakery & Cafe" and it is so delicious!

1596 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10128
(212) 426-6607

The small hot chocolate is just $1.50 and so creamy and good! Try it and see!

The Watchtower

So at the Brooklyn end of the Brooklyn Bridge is the office for "The Watchtower", the publication of Jehovah's Witnesses. Some Jehovah's Witnesses were passing out free copies at the Steinway Street station today. And every day, come to think of it.

Mr Huggy is waiting for you!

In Times Square the other day, I saw a man holding up a cardboard sign with the words "Hugs - $1.00 Donation" written on it in magic marker. He kept yelling "Everybody needs a hug!"

Alas, there were no takers.

Brooklyn Bridge

JAO and I moseyed across the Brooklyn Bridge today. It really is an amazing piece of architecture. For one thing, these tons of masonry rest upon a caisson of wood over 140 years old. I found the following item on the Bridge's website http://www.endex.com/gf/buildings/bbridge/bbridge.html:

Q. If the caissons were made out of wood, wouldn't they rot/decay after years of being submerged in mud?

A. Wood decay is caused by aerobic insects and bacteria, ones that need air to stay alive. When wood is submerged where there is no air, it remains in good condition indefinitely. Cities like Venice in Italy are supported on wood pilings that are, in some cases, 1000 years old.I get this question several times each year, some times from visitors who insist that the information is wrong, but the fact is that tens of thousands of tons of masonry rest on a 140 year old piece of wood at the bottom of the East River.

Brooklyn used to be a separate city from New York, decades ago. The bridge connects the two boroughs, and at the time, was the biggest suspension bridge in the USA (that honor now goes to the Verazzano-Narrows Bridge, which connectes Staten Island to Brooklyn.)

The Brooklyn Bridge opened - May 24, 1883, 2:00 PM. The toll was 5 cents. I bet people complained about that too. It's all about proportion and inflation, friends!

Dracula - the Musical!

JAO and I went to see "Dracula the Musical" at the Belasco Theatre. It was a great play, despite its corny title. We both really liked it.

Basically, we all know the story of Dracula. He is immortal and stays that way by sucking the blood of mortals, thus turning them into vampires as well.

The stage crew did a great job making all the actors fly. It was incredible! And the actors had some of the best voices I have heard in ages. I liked it even better than "Phantom", perhaps because I had never heard any of the songs before and so it was all fresh and new to me.

The theatre was also beautiful -- we sat up in the balcony where we could admire the murals.

Belasco Theatre
111 W. 44th St., New York, NY

Belasco built in 1907 with sophisticated lighting system, studio, and elevator.
In 1931, leased to Katharine Cornell, Elmer Rice.
The Shuberts bought it in 1948 and leased it to NBC to be used as NBC Radio Playhouse 1950-53.
Then, went back to legitimate theatre in 1953.
Built: 1907

Happy New Year again!

JAO and I were on Steinway Street in Queens when it was actually midnight. He came into Port Authority at 10:30 pm -- Port Authority being one block away from Times Square at 42nd Street and 8th Ave! And you can't even access 8th Avenue until the cops have directed you 10 blocks out of your way to 33rd Street.

So we braved the party-goers (luckily we were headed to 33rd Street and they were headed to 42nd, so we were like salmon swimming upstream).

Then we took the R train to Steinway and walked home!