Monday, December 31, 2007
President Bloomberg?
Apparently our Mike, Mayor Mike Bloomberg that is, is seriously thinking about running for President. People are "talking" and Mike's aides are "laying the groundwork." Basically, he's gonna run but doesn't want to go on the record about it yet. How naughty of him.
Hmmmm ... so if it's Rudy vs. Hillary vs. Mike next year, it'll be a New York Subway Election, the likes of which American politics has never seen.
Can you imagine those three raging egomaniacs on stage during a debate? It might just cave in.
As a proud New Yorker, I'm not sure if I should be thrilled or scared by the prospect of this. We shall see.
Bloomberg Moves Closer to Running for President
Hmmmm ... so if it's Rudy vs. Hillary vs. Mike next year, it'll be a New York Subway Election, the likes of which American politics has never seen.
Can you imagine those three raging egomaniacs on stage during a debate? It might just cave in.
As a proud New Yorker, I'm not sure if I should be thrilled or scared by the prospect of this. We shall see.
Bloomberg Moves Closer to Running for President
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Times Square Ball Drop 2006-2007 New York City (Clean)
Hard to believe it but yet ANOTHER year is done and gone.
It's been a pretty good year for Mr NYC, after all, a year ago this blog didn't exist and the world was the less for it. (Wasn't it?)
Anyway, it wouldn't be New Year's in NYC without the Times Square ball drop so here's a great video of it from last year.
Why anyone would go to Times Square in New Year's is beyond me. It's an absolute mess. I was there on New Years 1993-1994 and 1998-1999, both times for reasons beyond my control. It's really better to watch on TV. It REALLY REALLY is.
Who knows who's poor? Why a billionaire of course!
Our lovely mayor, Senor Bloomberg the billionaire, wants to create a new "formula" for deciding who is truly poor in this town. Makes sense, since being poor in NYC is not the same as being poor elsewhere. Apparently the federal government formula just ain't cutting it. Big surprise I know.
Bloomberg Seeks New Way to Decide Who Is Poor
Bloomberg Seeks New Way to Decide Who Is Poor
Monday, December 24, 2007
WPIX Yule Log Intro (1986)
Ah, Christmas Day in NYC can only mean one thing - the Channel 11 Yule Log. Since 1966, this has become a city tradition. Since so many NYC families live in apartments and don't have fireplaces, this is their substitute. And at Mr NYC, we're bringing it to you a day early.
Here's the intro for the Yule log from 1986 - it vanished in the 1990s but it's back and now in the 21st century its probably more popular than ever.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
The Play's the Thing ... on Broadway
Interesting article in today's New York Times by Ben Brantley about the "comeback" of dramatic theater on Broadway this year.
A Dramatic Comeback for the Play
It's quite true: this has been a great year not just for plays but for serious, sometimes disturbing drama on Broadway. This year alone I saw "Journey's End", "Talk Radio", "Frost/Nixon" and "Cyrano", "Grey Gardens", none of which were feel good shows. And I still want to see "The Farnsworth Invention", "Rock N' Roll", and "August: Osage County."
If anyone out there has seen any really good plays this year, please let the Mr NYC readers (both of them) know about it.
Let's hope 2008 is as good!
A Dramatic Comeback for the Play
It's quite true: this has been a great year not just for plays but for serious, sometimes disturbing drama on Broadway. This year alone I saw "Journey's End", "Talk Radio", "Frost/Nixon" and "Cyrano", "Grey Gardens", none of which were feel good shows. And I still want to see "The Farnsworth Invention", "Rock N' Roll", and "August: Osage County."
If anyone out there has seen any really good plays this year, please let the Mr NYC readers (both of them) know about it.
Let's hope 2008 is as good!
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Review: "Cyrano"
Well it's been a while since Mr NYC went to the theater so it was a quite a joy to go back recently and see Edmund Rostand "Cyrano" at the Richard Rodgers Theater.
First, the plot: written by Edmond Rostand and set in 17th century France, nobleman solider Cyrano de Bergerac is a great wit ("My panache!") and ever greater warrior. He loves the beautiful Roxane but his unusually big nose makes him feel unworthy of her love. Roxane in turn loves Christian, another soldier, a sweet man but not the sharpest sword in the army. Sublimating his own desire, Cyrano helps Christian woo Roxane with beautiful words that Christian himself cannot conjure up. Cyrano's genius helps Christian win Roxane's hand in marriage but then war and personal tragedy intervene. In the end, we see what a tangled web love weaves.
Second, my review: directed by David Leveaux ("Jumpers"), this new Broadway version stars Kevin Kline ("The Big Chill", "A Fish Called Wanda") as Cyrano, Jennifer Garner ("Alias", "Juno") as Roxane, and Daniel Sunjata ("Rescue Me", "The Bronx is Burning") as Christian. It is a fun, rollicking, beautifully-staged production and the performances, including Chris Sarandon ("Dog Day Afternoon") as a scheming Count, are uniformly excellent. While Garner and Sunjata play their roles with great delicacy and respect, this is really Kline's show. It's the kind of big, scenery-chewing performance that he gave in movies like "Soapdish" and that won him an Oscar for "A Fish Called Wanda."
The play is a little long and the production is sometimes over the top but if a show makes you feel spiritually enriched when you're walking out of the theater, then it's a good show. This "Cyrano" does that.
Cyrano on Broadway
First, the plot: written by Edmond Rostand and set in 17th century France, nobleman solider Cyrano de Bergerac is a great wit ("My panache!") and ever greater warrior. He loves the beautiful Roxane but his unusually big nose makes him feel unworthy of her love. Roxane in turn loves Christian, another soldier, a sweet man but not the sharpest sword in the army. Sublimating his own desire, Cyrano helps Christian woo Roxane with beautiful words that Christian himself cannot conjure up. Cyrano's genius helps Christian win Roxane's hand in marriage but then war and personal tragedy intervene. In the end, we see what a tangled web love weaves.
Second, my review: directed by David Leveaux ("Jumpers"), this new Broadway version stars Kevin Kline ("The Big Chill", "A Fish Called Wanda") as Cyrano, Jennifer Garner ("Alias", "Juno") as Roxane, and Daniel Sunjata ("Rescue Me", "The Bronx is Burning") as Christian. It is a fun, rollicking, beautifully-staged production and the performances, including Chris Sarandon ("Dog Day Afternoon") as a scheming Count, are uniformly excellent. While Garner and Sunjata play their roles with great delicacy and respect, this is really Kline's show. It's the kind of big, scenery-chewing performance that he gave in movies like "Soapdish" and that won him an Oscar for "A Fish Called Wanda."
The play is a little long and the production is sometimes over the top but if a show makes you feel spiritually enriched when you're walking out of the theater, then it's a good show. This "Cyrano" does that.
Cyrano on Broadway
MTA Metro Card Price Hike
The MTA just announced that the price of the monthly unlimited Metro Card is going from $76 to $81. Let Mr NYC help you with the annual economics of this:
$81 x 12 = $972
$76 x 12 = $912
$972 - $912 = $60
So it's gonna cost us monthly unlimited riders an extra $60 a year - $60 we might otherwise spend on ourselves or those we love (or would like to love).
The regular fare for a single ride will remain at $2 so us NYC residents will basically be subsidizing the tourists.
Welcome to NYC 2008. Egads.
$81 x 12 = $972
$76 x 12 = $912
$972 - $912 = $60
So it's gonna cost us monthly unlimited riders an extra $60 a year - $60 we might otherwise spend on ourselves or those we love (or would like to love).
The regular fare for a single ride will remain at $2 so us NYC residents will basically be subsidizing the tourists.
Welcome to NYC 2008. Egads.
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