Stylin' in Midtown

[catko]

I'm thinking of this as the JT day, because he lived in Midtown and would have liked all these things. Took the Uptown 6 Train, and had "breakfast" at one of those places that serves people who work in skyscrapers and are in a hurry, the Europa Cafe. Sat in the shadow of the CitiCorp building and mused on what it would be like to work in a high-rise. Consensus: it would suck.

But Bumble and Bumble is awesome. I love how they make a point to introduce everyone by name (Spencer, Roz, Joey), the free coffee bar, and the (new!) feature of the shampooing chairs that massage you. (See how relaxed everyone looks?) Got my cut from Spencer, who is planning to visit SF for the first time to attend a gay music festival, I can't remember the name, "Homo" something. (Heh, I just went to the SF Gay Travel site, and a lot of the events have funny names--"The Castro: San Francisco's Gay Village from Top to Bottom.") I gave him tips about the weather. He gave me a referral to his tattoo artist in Brooklyn.




Took our new haircuts to Takashimaya, which is like going to a museum. I like doing that right afer Bb because they are both tall, thin places, and it gives you that Tokyo feeling. Had a fancy snack at the Tea Box, where the service was poor but the ceramic creamers were lovely.



We decided we just had a tad of energy to see something more, not enough for MOMA, so went to the Avedon exhibit at the International Center for Photography. It was all fashion shots, from the 1940s on. The Dior and Balenciaga was amazing. I do like high fashion. (Just found this blogger who gives a nice description of the show.)


On the F train downtown, this guy got on with a skinny box that must have been 8 feet long. He fed it in thru the train door and laid it in the aisle with great aplomb. All Lori had to deal with was her cool triagular Takashimaya bag and iPhone.

 
Craving something with strong flavors, so had tapas at the Spanish place a few blocks away. I've decided that almost all the food in NYC is pretty wonderful. Bought snacks for the party tomorrow, and fielded emails from guests and potential guests. Chatted a bit with Karen, who was watching a show ("Mental"?) about an intersex kid, which is my excuse to use that tag again since I didn't meet anyone today that would qualify.

 

Comments

[utility-knife.livejournal.com]

i know i told you at least once about the scythe i used to take on the subway all the time, until i had to set it free somewhere on 23rd when i was moving. that got some fun reactions. but in terms of mundane things, my dad's worked as a stage hand for many years now and it's not unusual for union guys to lug construction supplies and props back and forth on the subway to give traffic a miss.

other funny, awkward things to have on the subway (never all at the same time): a half-assembled bookshelf from ikea; a mannequin fished out of a dumpster; half a dozen slinkies (for an art project! but spreading them out across the car is fun); a sculpture made out of twine and twigs; a book about north american birds that has a recording of each of their birdcalls.

people kept looking around the car, confused, for the apparently very diverse flock of birds trapped inside.

[catko]

--"a half-assembled bookshelf from Ikea": hah aren't they all.
--slinkies: would have loved to see that. One reason I like my blurry subway shots is it reminds me how rattly and jerky the ride is; I'm imagining you set the slinkies free to jiggle and wander with the movement.
--birdcalls: lovely.

[duhhhrama.livejournal.com]

europa cafe! i've passed by that restaurant before. i remember noticing it because dan worked in cafe europa on long island for a few months in the fall/winter. we've treaded on the same ground, cko!

[catko]

Yes, along with probably 6 million other people. Let's try to figure out something more, or I might have to go out there and brave the jager bombs, beer pong, and watermelon just to see you.