Urban Cowboy, Intended Target, Rains that Never Fell, & Butterflies that Landed

Urban Cowboy

Cars attempting to cross the Queens-borough Bridge is typically chaotic. The bridge had been shut down for a bike race and Times Square had been closed to traffic the entire night before. This morning it was a particular mess.

Yellow cabbies were honking a symphony. A few local brave-heart drivers were weaving in and out. Traffic was moving, and there was a slight lag in one lane. Curiously, about three car lengths had been left by a cab driver in that lane. Windows down, he stepped on the gas and lunged forward, arm waved out the window and the man let out a "Yeee-Haw" like I had never heard before.

Intended Target

I was in Times Square on Saturday night. No one else was.

Rains that Never Fell

Chatting with a Slovenian artist in Central Park, I simply asked: "How long will you be in the park today?", she responds "Till the rains fall" -- the rains never fell that night.

Butterflies that Landed

There was a butterfly that we noticed on the Top of the Rock - 68 floors in the sky. The following day, I was basking in the park when a butterfly fluttered by, and landed atop my head. He stayed and visited a while. I think it

was the same little guy. He never said what he wanted.

Mary McMullen's Guide to New York City

Growing up in the suburbs of Northern California, "The City" meant San Francisco. Now it means New York City. Though it is 288 miles away from DC (where I live now), it is The City in my own mind. Some might say the New City. Get it? Anyway, in my time spent in The City I have gathered a collection of places worthy of visiting. Some are really really great, others are better than average and all will leave you wanting more.

And don't worry, my next post is going to be "New York City's Guide to Mary McMullen" as I am going this weekend. Hopefully that means I will update this list soon.

Here it is:

General Basic Overview

Frommers gives you a concise guide of what to do, how to orient yourself, blah blah blah. For a first time visitor it is quite useful and includes some good links and phone numbers.

THINGS AND STUFF TO DO

Bike Rental

$20 for 4 hours of bike rental. Great way to tour the city. You can google various self guided bike "tours" and trails (like the Hudson River). Turns out I don't (know how to) ride bikes... but, it seems magical and fast.

Central Park Summer Stage

Various cultural shows/concerts- free and in central park, one of my top five favorite places in the world, duh.

Staten Island Ferry

Lower Manhattan

Free. Just take the subway down to the Whitehall stop... the ferry takes about a half hour each way... but is a great view of the statue of liberty and of the skyline. People often just take it for the ride, and then you must disembark, but there is nothing to see on Staten island, so just turn around and go back to the city. Once in lower Manhattan you can tool around Battery Park and/or Wall Street if you want.

St. Patricks Cathedral

My second favorite Cathedral in the City, first being St. Johns . Sunday Mass is interesting & don't worry they are used to (read: rely on) tourists stopping in just to look is acceptable.

St. John Devine

Old. Neat.

TKTS Day-of Discount Broadway Shows (Times Square)

You stand in line, and they release non-sold out show tickets for half price.

Top of the Rock (Observation Deck)

Like the top of the empire state, but has a better view AND no lines. You get tickets in advance, or the day of and they are time stamped. This also means they limit the number of people so it is far less crowded. $21 for adults.

The Met

East side of Central Park. I like this place because of the variety. They also ask for a suggested donation of $18, but if I am not going to really delve in, I only pay partial.

The Natural History Museum

$15- worth it... but the Natural History in DC is by far my favorite... so I am biased.

The Guggenheim

Modern Art housed in a building that is more more interesting then the MoMA, but the MoMA has a way way better store.

PLACES TO EAT

Banh Mi Saigon

Vietnamese Sandwiches sold in the back of a jewelry store. Must get it to go. I suggest the spicy chicken, it's hot. $4 and a little adventure. 138 Mott St (between Grand St & Hester St, Little Italy/Chinatown/Asian Jewelry District)

Becco Italian

Home made pastas, they offer a great all you can eat family style meal. Reservations recommended. Theater District/Hell's Kitchen.

DhaBa (Indian)

They offer a lunch buffet that it fresh and tasty and perfectly spiced. 108 Lexington Ave (between 27th St & 28th St, Flatiron)

The Dumpling Man

I call these "pot stickers". I also call these "tasty". Technically they are also called "Dim Sum" or an appetizer, but order enough and make a meal out of it. 100 Saint Marks Place (The East Village)

The Garage

American- Often has live jazz, always has good food in a cool space. 99 7th Ave S (between S 7 Ave & Barrow St, The West Village)

Best Gelato Italian Ice Cream Ever

Best in America.. literally, it was voted on... and I have pretty much tried them all anyway and agree. Once I was at a fancy Italian restaurant and paid like $15 for a TINY scoop of gelato. I was very impressed and asked them who their supplier was. I chucked when they said "Laboratorio Del Gelato". Don't worry their storefront isn't that pricy. 35 Orchard Street Lower East Side (walkable from Little Italy, but not in Little Italy)

Halal Street Cart

Get the chicken platter- add white sauce. the hot sauce is FIERCE, just fyi. 53rd & 6th at the Ave. of Americas

Haru Sushi & Japanese

Excellent Sushi... and reminder, I am from SF bay area, so I would know. 205 West 43rd Street, Times Square

La Bonne Soupe

French- casual- no reservations needed for lunch- I have only gone there for brunch, get the quiche- I love it and I hate eggs. 48 W. 55th MidTown East (near 5th Ave)

Magnolia Bakery

Seriously, get the banana pudding. Do not waste your time with the cupcakes. Soho & Midtown locations.

Sarahbeths

American Cafe- prob my favorite brunch spot of all time. My faves: Lemon Ricotta Pancakes or the Goldi Locks omelet. Various locations

Peanut Butter & Co

P'butter is my favorite food & I am recommending this place, so there you go. 240 Sullivan Street, Greenwhich

Pomodoro Ristirante Pizza

Creamy, perfect pomodoro tomato sauced pizza. 51 Spring St, Nolita

And if you ever find yourself in Brooklyn, I am truly sorry, but will offer up two small glimmers of hope:

Ana Maria's (Brooklyn Pizza)

Pizza by the slice. No frills establishment. 179 Bedford Avenue in BROOKLYN, Williamsburg

Baked (bakery)

Get thee a p'butter candied rice krispy treat. Thank me later. 359 Van Brunt Street in BROOKLYN, Red Hook

Hotels:

Moderate priced accommodations with good locations and most of all, they are CLEAN.

The Pod (European Style, meaning bathrooms/showers are single people, lockable, one person at a time, but they are shared among four or five rooms)

230 E 51st St

New York, NY 10022

(212) 355-0300

The Paramount NYC (note: beds are low, like, on the floor)

235 West 46 Street

New York, NY 10036

(212) 764-5500

Just Beiber & The Olive Garden

Justin Bieber's on the cover of People Magazine this week with the caption "World's Biggest Pop Star"; when I read that I immediately thought "worlds best publicist". I too run around declaring all sorts of grandiose things about myself, and let me tell you... I can make a cupcake that rivals Georgetown. I shock myself regularly with how good I am at my job. And the list goes on and on and on. But that doesn't make any of them true (they are though). The point is people buy it, usually just because they want to.

This doesn't mean I don't have Bieber Fever. I do. Let me tell you why. And, go ahead, allow yourselves to love that kid (because you do anyway).

It seems everyone has Bieber Fever. As they should. He has all the ingredients of a greatness: just your average kid who happens to be talented and beautiful with a charming personality and discovered on youtube with the exact look that is bottled up and sold to the masses of middle class american teens with disposable income.

I love him for the same reason I love the Olive Garden. Please, don't pretend you don't love the Olive Garden. The reason that restaurant is so popular is because people go there. Is the Olive Garden the best restaurant in America? (Nope, Per Se is). Is Justin Bieber the worlds biggest Pop Star? (Nope, Michael Jackson still is- and for arguments sake, Lady Gaga is at the top of the Billbard Pop charts, not Justin).

The Olive Garden has over 700 restaurants in the US, including some of the most sought after retail locations. They are not this big or popular because they sell gross food no one wants. They got where they are because they offer food people buy. People buy it, not because it is the best, but it is exactly what they want and a lot of it.

Justin Bieber is not the best singer. My favorite music video of his is the one he is singing to another teenage girl, something about having "one less lonely girl tonight" in the world. She is at a laundry mat, going about doing adult like errands, as if she is some 35-year-old-single-cat-lady. It's just absurd. It's also calming the fear of every woman in the world. It's also catchy.

Here you go:

Ha, ha. Yeah "How many start overs and shoulders have you cried on?" he asks her. Let me tell you, probably one, right after that embarrassing breakup on the playground during recess last year in 6th grade. Other than that, she is fine.

Anyway, I still love it. It's not only greatness, but it is a lot of greatness. Over the top and in a large dosage. Justin is exactly what we need want.

BIEBER FEVER Fever fever!

Nom Nom Nom

This one is for my NYC friends (or those going in the next few months)... If you are in search of some Girl Scout Cookies, but haven't found a girl scout, you can show up at the NYCGS council office and they will sell them to you directly. For the suckers in DC, they claim they will be at the Giant on S. Glebe every weekend till they sell out.

Original info found here.

This year's Cookie Cupboard will run from Tuesday, March 16th through Thursday, May 6th. As in years past, each of the five boroughs has their own cupboard. Here are the dates and times for each--note, as of today the Bronx council hasn't settled on their location and times.

Manhattan Office Cupboard
Girl Scout Council of Greater
New York
43 West 23rd Street 6th Floor
New York, NY 10010

Hours:
Tuesdays: 12:30pm-4:30pm
Wednesdays: 2:30pm-6:30pm
Thursdays: 12:30pm-4:30pm

Brooklyn Office Cupboard
St. George Episcopal Church
CDC Building
452 Gates Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11216

Hours:
Tuesdays: 3:30pm-7:30pm
Wednesdays: 3:30pm-7:30pm
Thursdays: 3:30pm-7:30pm

Queens Office Cupboard
Holy Trinity Evangelical
Lutheran Church
246-55 87th Avenue
Bellerose, NY 11426
(entrance on 86th Rd. at
Commonwealth at rear of
building)

Hours:
Mondays: 10:00am-2:00pm
Tuesdays: 2:30pm-8:00pm
Thursdays: 2:30pm-8:00pm

Staten Island Office Cupboard
613 Midland Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10306

Hours:
Tuesdays: 10:00am-7:00pm
Wednesdays: 12:00pm-4:00pm
Thursdays: 10:00am-2:00pm

No appointment is neccessary, you can buy just one box or several cases. If you are planning on a larger order (think a couple cases or more) it is best to phone in advance.

National Parks: America's Best Idea

We (the global society) need to pull ourselves together and get over somethings. Namely, two things: the Gold & the Cold.

As I sat watching a man screaming in a commercial about cash for gold (or more often seen in print as, "Ca$h 4 Gold") my mind started to think there must be some more advanced system for value and currency. I mean, gold, you dig it up and find it in the ground. It's just there. This is crazy/stupid. And, yes, I understand the market and how it has evolved into where it is now. I get the gold standard and silver backing, or at least the reasoning behind it. But, we as a society should be beyond this. We can do better. Doesn't everyone agree that gold (or any thing for that matter) doesn't actually, intrinsically hold value. It is just what we place on it.

Anyway, if gold is valuable to you and you want to sell it, go ahead, but the notion of gold as a reserve today is ridiculous. Again, let me remind you- with gold (and diamonds for that matter): YOU FIND IT IN THE GROUND. IT IS JUST THERE. And it is not, in any real way, useful. To base our currency around this stuff is just silly. We need to move past it all. We are getting there, but we are not completely torn away from the gold standard and the exchange.

Along the same lines, another thing I can't get over, is why we live where we do. This is the royal "we". Basically, why are our world hubs in places like NYC/St. Petersburg/London/Tokyo/Cold/Frozen Tundra'd/Polluted/Dirty/Falling Down Cities? Back whenever, big cities were near ports. It was necessary for trade and made sense. But now, we are mobile and we can go wherever we like. I can not understand why we all don't live in lush lands of milk & honey with perfect weather. We live where the jobs are, but the jobs are where we live. So much of livelihood is based around services for one another. It might take, at most, two generations, but we need to start settling places that are a little more desirable. Tropical paradises.

(And yes, I get places don't start out looking dire and that our societies are responsible for the [insert whatever the physical problem is here], as we raped the land. But, can't we all agree that it is time to throw the towel in and jump ship. Thanks Beijing, you were great while you lasted, but now you are grimy, gross, riddled with infrastructure problems and the pollution is unbearable, so peace out. )

A visual argument:

Here are places where we should all be living...

Compare all that, to where we all live now:

(if you can't tell, they are cleaning the city grit off the side of that building)

Collectively, as a society, we can do better.

Not only have I the complaint; I have the solutions. Or actually, the singular solution to both the gold and the location problems.

America needs to start invading, moving in & taking over again. What places you may ask? Well, those with great natural resources. And beautiful, desirable locales. Because although gold holds no real value, oil does. So does fresh drinkable water. The way I figure is if we control all the places where everyone lives, we will also control the money. The money we set and the money we decide is in no way tied to useless shiny things you find in the stream.

And before all you environmentalist start freaking out (I am talking to you mom). Realize that America had one great idea once: National Parks. And when we take over all these new perfect places, and settle them, we can continue and expand our National Park System. For proof, please, again, see a visual argument:

Because, we can do better (obviously) & we should be doing better.

In Search of Summer

Dear, sweet, sometimes-intolerable, lovable, adorable, perfectly flawed, amazingly jaded, exemplary season, Summer,

Please, I beg of you, return. Forever.


XOXO,
Mary

Say It Ain't Snow

This snow storm is the devil in sheep's clothing. Hear me out:

1.) The rest of America will soon begin to wonder if they even need the feds. The federal government has basically stopped. I expect fights to break out soon regarding if this is costing us or if it is saving us (fiscally, and politically).

2. ) IT'S A TRICK. Just like everyone else, I was excited about these Snow Days. Unscheduled leave. Days at home by roaring fires. BUT WE GOT IT ALL WRONG. Today I had to sign in to remote access and do a touch of work... and it hit me: oh my, I am going to have to deal with all this everything when I get back... I will have to work double as hard for double as long to catch up. What a nightmare. This is going to bite us all in the ass.

3.) Where is all this snow going to go? It was pretty for about an hour. And now its melting. It is dirty. It is going to flood things. It's a mess.

The moral of the story: Fun while it is happening, but then nine months later you have a big problem on your hands. Stay safe out there DC.