Except for the sad fact that our lame duck President does a better job of dodging flying shoes (which has attracted bids from around the Arab world, already up to $10 million), than leading the country, there’s not much to read about in the headlines these days. Given that the economy is on the dive, let’s look for something to cheer us up, one that’s more civilized than the dehumanizing SNL strip which poked fun at our Governor Paterson who is blind. That was in poor taste, sick, cruel and indecent. And mean!@#$**
New York City is the place to be during the Christmas season. I’ve made it a tradition to hear mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral and make my rounds of the City with its festive decorations a week or two before Christmas Day. The aroma of Starbuck’s morning brew that filled the Rockefeller Concourse sure perked me up as I got off the train. It seemed pretty quiet as I walked the tunnel to get to the street level, it was almost eerie. There was no pushing and shoving. Three groups of about 30 little kindergarten kids lined 5th Ave. were led by their teachers as they get ready to cross over to Saks Fifth to watch the window displays. They were well-behaved. Something’s wrong here. The streets were navigable, a first for Manhattan; and the shops were empty, an almost impossible scene for New York City.
The Channel Gardens with its traditional horn-blowing Angels, which used to be the hangout for the wide-eyed, neck-craning tourists didn’t look the same. A section was barricaded and is now reserved as the Photo Location, where for a hefty fee I suppose one can get their photos taken. You’ve got to be kidding! What’s next? They’ll charge you for breathing within the Rockefeller Center area just because they have the “air rights”?
Why do they have the Top of the Rock Observation deck ticket sales right smack in the middle of the Promenade? It’s an eyesore. The flags of the UN member countries that used to fly on each pole around the plaza had been replaced with satin flags of red, green and gold? How tacky. Call me old-fashioned but I’m not happy with all these changes which I’ve noticed ever since the Rockefeller group of buildings was sold to the Mitsubishi Company. It has become so commercialized even the outdoor Swarovski display hut didn’t fit at all. Have they lost their mind?
Two things though remain in place in the Center, the sculpture by Isamu Noguchi (News) by the entrance to the AP building, and the mural by Jose Marie Sert (American Progress) in the lobby of Rockefeller building, which replaced the controversial Man at the Crossroads by Diego Rivera. They better keep their hands off these artwork because they’re part of the landmark.
Christmas in NY may have gotten a little austere than usual but the spirit is still there. We have some sensible choices to make: be extravagant and broke or be frugal but solvent.
New York City is the place to be during the Christmas season. I’ve made it a tradition to hear mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral and make my rounds of the City with its festive decorations a week or two before Christmas Day. The aroma of Starbuck’s morning brew that filled the Rockefeller Concourse sure perked me up as I got off the train. It seemed pretty quiet as I walked the tunnel to get to the street level, it was almost eerie. There was no pushing and shoving. Three groups of about 30 little kindergarten kids lined 5th Ave. were led by their teachers as they get ready to cross over to Saks Fifth to watch the window displays. They were well-behaved. Something’s wrong here. The streets were navigable, a first for Manhattan; and the shops were empty, an almost impossible scene for New York City.
The Channel Gardens with its traditional horn-blowing Angels, which used to be the hangout for the wide-eyed, neck-craning tourists didn’t look the same. A section was barricaded and is now reserved as the Photo Location, where for a hefty fee I suppose one can get their photos taken. You’ve got to be kidding! What’s next? They’ll charge you for breathing within the Rockefeller Center area just because they have the “air rights”?
Why do they have the Top of the Rock Observation deck ticket sales right smack in the middle of the Promenade? It’s an eyesore. The flags of the UN member countries that used to fly on each pole around the plaza had been replaced with satin flags of red, green and gold? How tacky. Call me old-fashioned but I’m not happy with all these changes which I’ve noticed ever since the Rockefeller group of buildings was sold to the Mitsubishi Company. It has become so commercialized even the outdoor Swarovski display hut didn’t fit at all. Have they lost their mind?
Two things though remain in place in the Center, the sculpture by Isamu Noguchi (News) by the entrance to the AP building, and the mural by Jose Marie Sert (American Progress) in the lobby of Rockefeller building, which replaced the controversial Man at the Crossroads by Diego Rivera. They better keep their hands off these artwork because they’re part of the landmark.
Christmas in NY may have gotten a little austere than usual but the spirit is still there. We have some sensible choices to make: be extravagant and broke or be frugal but solvent.
Call these the chain reaction or ripple effect the economists are talking about. The window displays along 5th Ave. are also scaled down. Pretty, but not as lavish and festive. Maybe this is a good thing. There's no crime in living within our means, but we do have some explaining to do to the kids when the display at FAO Schwarz reads: When Santa Turned Green.
My next stop - Grand Central Station.
