Eliot Spitzer, What Were You Thinking?

Okay, this is my last post ever about our now former Governor. Mr NYC does not enjoy wallowing in muck, particularly when so many people have been hurt and embarrassed by this sordid mess. However, I'm sure many of you, like me, are still wondering how this highly-educated, uber-smart son of privilege managed to wreck his career, his marriage, his reputation, his life.

This article in today's Times tries to figure the man out: Sifting the Wreckage for the Real Eliot Spitzer.

The Times' theory: Spitzer found that he hated being Governor, couldn't stand that he couldn't get his way all the time, was miserable that his popularity was falling, and almost wanted to torpedo himself.

My theory: guys like Eliot Spitzer think they're smarter than everyone else and can get away with anything. Also, they're thrill seekers, they get off on doing inappropriate stuff and not getting caught ... until they do.

But who knows? I could be wrong. We shall never know. Maybe even Eliot Spitzer won't ever know. And that's that.

Rocco Ristaurante

In New York it's really hard to find a restaurant with good food, friendly service, and reasonable prices. However, my friends and I know of such place in Greenwich Village: Rocco Ristaurante at 181 Thompson Street, just off Houston Street (please, please DO NOT confuse this joint with that Rocco DiSpirito place on that failed reality show from some years ago; this Rocco's is a beloved institution dating from 1922).

When you go into Rocco, the friendly maitre'd will be shake your hand with a smile and hang up your coat. There's usually no wait or a very short one for a table. Then, while you're browsing the menu, the waiters will bring you an absolutely delicious bruschetta that you can munch on while selecting your anitpasti, carni, etc. The Italian food has a homecooked taste (I strongly recommend their veal dishes) and, for dessert, you MUST try the Tiramisu - best I've ever had.

Places like Rocco are few and far between in New York these days so I strongly suggest it if you're looking for a pleasant place for dinner with friends.

Cheating in New York is Illegal

Thanks to our two "Luv Guvs", adultery is much in the news here in NYC -- and apparently it's against the law.

Is Adultery a Crime in New York?

So to all you married guys out there: considered yourself warned!

Mr NYC Tries to Understand the New York Woman

Quite by coincidence, there were some articles today in different city papers that tried to psych-out what makes (some) New York women tick. These articles ranged from clothes to date etiquette to sex tapes, and the culminating effect these stories had on me was, "What's with you dames?"

First, the Daily News: this article is about how "going Dutch" on dinner dates usually kills the possibility that a guy will score. Yes, that's right, in the post-feminist 21st century in the most sophisticated city on Earth, New York women still expect guys to pick up the check. And Elliot Spitzer had to resign!

My advice to New York guys: DO NOT do dinner on a first date -- just meet for drinks. Offer to buy the first round. If she doesn't offer to get the next round, that tells you everything you need to know about her. (Cough-golddigger-cough)

Second, this New York Observer article is about the "urbane toyboy", city women who wear hoodies, t-shirts, jeans, and sneakers. They all aspire to look like Juno apparently, or Avril Lavigne (those darn Canadians!). My question: why?

My thoughts: I don't really care what women wear and I think women should wear whatever they're comfortable in. But if you look too masculine you might start attracting guys who aren't into ... girls. And I draw the line at back hair!

Finally, this nutty broad writes a whole article in the NY Press about making a sex tape with her "man". Hot, you're thinking, right? Uh, no. The way it turned out, apparently, was to descend into nothing more than awkward acrobatics and her shlub of a boyfriend was reduced to a trained seal. I really don't understand why people want to tape themselves doing the nasty. I don't see how it's either fun or sexy. Any of you out there done this? What's the thrill?

So after reading these articles today, Mr NYC can only conclude that today's New York women is a voyeuristic, sloppily-dressed cheapskate. God I hope I'm wrong.

Governor David Paterson Swearing-in

Here's David Paterson - New York and America's first blind, black governor - giving a hilarious and moving swearing-in speech. I've never seen anything quite like it and probably never will again.

Of course now there are lot of stories coming out that Governor Patterson "bedded" lots of women in the past. Who knew he was that cool?

Good luck Governor Paterson. New York needs it!

New Landmarks

As if the whole city weren't a itself landmark already, today the Landmarks Preservation Commission announced new structures in our city that will be saved from some developer's wrecking ball.

Some notables: One Chase Manhattan Plaza on Wall Street and Webster Hall in the East Village, the old ballroom-turned-speakeasy-turned nightclub.

I've never actually been to Webster Hall so I can't say whether or not it's really worthy of landmark status. But One Chase Manhattan Plaza? I worked in that building once many years ago and, call me a an architectural philistine, it never struck me as anything else but your typical 1960s pseudo-Bauhaus nightmare. What makes it so spacial, I don't know except that it has something to do with the Rockefeller family.

Tom Wolfe actually wrote a book in 1981 about the 1960s blight of boring architecture called From Bauhaus to Our House. Here's the original New York Times review. One Chase Manhattan fits the bill to me.

Alex's Barber Shop

Several months ago I blogged about Astor Place Hair, supposedly the cheapest place in Manhattan to get a hair cut. Well, I'm happy to say that here in Astoria I found an even cheaper place. It's called Alex's Barber Shop, located on 32nd street and 30th Avenue, literally two blocks from the 30th Avenue stop on the N/W line.

What's great about this place is not only that haircuts cost only $10 (at Astor Place Hair they're $14) but that the Russian guys who own it are very friendly and, most importantly, give a DAMN FINE HAIRCUT. This is definitely one of the beast shears I've gotten in a long while and it cost less than usual. When was the last time, particularly in this economy, that you got real value for money? What I also liked about this place was that it was an old-fashioned, no-thrills, salt-of-the-earth kinda Old New York barber shop, the kind fast vanishing from our city. Needless to say I'll continue patronizing Alex's until either move away or they close (pray they don't).

So seriously, if you've got some spare time and an unlimited Metrocard, it's almost worth trekking out here to get a cut at Alex's. Cheap and good? Who could ask for anything more?

What a Horrible Week!

Normally I like to keep Mr NYC upbeat blog but, since this last week has probably been the worst in New York's history since 9/11, it would be remiss of me to ignore its tragic events (not that much can come close to matching 9/11, thank God).

The resignation of our governor in an embarrassing scandal and now this horrific crane collapse on the East Side yesterday has created a palpable "Can it get worse?" feeling around town. If you haven't heard about this terrible accident, a 15-story crane at some construction site at 50th street and 2nd avenue cracked apart and fell to the ground. One part buckled against a high-rise building and another part smashed a four story building into oblivion. Four people are tragically dead and my heart goes out to their families. Let's hope the city never lets anything like this happen again. And of course, as mentioned earlier, we wish Mr Spitzer and his family the best.

PS. The 4-story building destroyed by this crane housed a watering hole called Fubar, where my beloved and I had our first date. Sad.

Wanna Park in Lower Manhattan? Ha!!

Within the last month, my beloved and I had to make business stops in lower Manhattan. She has a car and, for various reasons, it was easier for us to to drive there than take public transportation. Both times, trying to park there was, in a word, hell. The first time we parked there, we literally had to run in and out of a place but that wasn't enough time for us to avoid a ticket. The second time, after spending nearly 20 minutes looking for a spot, we had to shell out for a parking spot.

As this article in today's New York Times indicates, it's basically impossible to park in lower Manhattan without either going to an expensive parking garage or risking a ticket. And the reason? Well, as the article indicates, it has to do with all of the government-issued placards (many issued for dubious reasons, others outright frauds) that basically make it impossible for anyone else to park there. Needless to say, this is wrong. People have business to do in lower Manhattan and shouldn't be shut out of parking places. Fortunately it looks like the city is doing something about this. Let's hope it works.

Eliot Spitzer Resignation

Well at least this is over ... for now.

This is a very sad day.

Mr NYC wishes the soon-to-be former Governor and his family the best.