Hey, It Happens. Just Wish It Didn't Happen To Me

I started this morning with the Temptations song "Ball of Confusion" in my head. That was what my evening was like.

Most times going into New York City and seeing a show works out just fine. The last time there was an evening I chose to forget was well over a year ago. Talked about that in this post "Oy What a Night." Last night was one of those nights where you shake your head and look for the Candid Camera.

Headed into the City a little after five yesterday, traffic wasn't bad, and got to Midtown right at six... when the parking on the street becomes available for the most part. The Other was waiting in a bar on 50th and he saw a parking spot across the street, as I approached. Very cool, grabbed it and proceeded to stick my card into the Muni meter to get the parking receipt. After hitting the button for additional time at least 327 times, I tried to complete my transaction but instead got the dreaded 'card unreadable' message. Damn. Knowing I don't have 632 quarters to reach the time amount needed, I call the Other and he brings his card...again unreadable. OK, time to put the baby in a parking lot.

As the parking lot attendant waves me through to drive down to the next level to park, two cars are coming up the narrow driveway. Sooo, I have to back up the incline and wait for them to pass. Already my aggravation level is going into overdrive. Fine, walk the block to the venue, get my pass for the show, the Other gets his ticket and we wait... outside....in the cold for them to start letting people in. At least a half hour later, they start letting people in a few at a time. Once inside they have to decide where to sit you. It's a lot of long tables and a few scattered individual tables.

Because I had a photo pass, I needed to be close to an end, so we got a table for two on a narrow aisle directly across from another table for two. The aisle was actually a ramp, in direct line of the kitchen. So not only did every bit of food come past us, the wobbly table sat at an angle making it impossible to put a drink on, if you didn't want it in your lap. It also had a tablecloth which under any circumstances would have been too large for this table, add in that the table was in a walkway, well let's just say more than one person dragged it halfway off. Really, I'm not making this shit up.

People who came in ten minutes after us received their drinks before we even saw our waiter. He took our order and that was the last we saw of him for the night... until we hunted him down for the check. Another server brought us our drinks, and the appetizer which we deemed easy enough to eat on a slanted table.

Opening act, intermission, main show... no waiter. Fine, whatever. At the end of the show we find him, get the check and not only is there a charge for the food/drinks but for the show too. I ask him why? Because we didn't give him the cards we were handed when we entered. Ok, the show is sold out... everyone had to have paid to get in. Or even if that wasn't the case, don't you think he might have asked "Do you have a prepaid card?" I explain our situation and yes he remembered I was on a pass and he would fix it but it would take a few minutes.

A half hour later, the Other tracks him down again and the Other comes back with a bill and the handbills for upcoming shows and what the hell is this? Someone's credit card. I look at the name, the check and realize the food on this bill is what the guy sitting in the table next to me had ordered... yeah seating is that close. I ask him, is this yours... yep. Holy Shit, they handed out someone else's credit card.

Again, back to find the waiter, this time we get the correct bill and we finally get to leave. The show was good. Maybe it was a bad night for the venue. Maybe it was just Karma catching up with me.

All in all, it was a night out, a night with music. And that makes everything alright.

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Rain, Wine, Music and Cupcakes... The Evening Begins

Went into the city last night, so there's always a little story to be told.

With a real crappy day of weather, there was a chance the drum-mama wouldn't be able to make it down from northwest Jersey. But apparently Mother Nature knows better than to interfere with these Jersey girls on a mission of music.

The ride into the city at rush hour was not great, but not as bad as it could have been. Had to drive way downtown for this show, a venue I hadn't been to before, but one I'll be going to again next week. Found on-street parking a block and a half away and went to grab a bite to eat.

There aren't a lot of places in the area to eat, it's a lot of commercial buildings, so many food joints are breakfast and lunch only. The show venue offered food but not what we were looking for. I had googled restaurants in the area and there was one called Mae Mae Cafe which was very close. Normally it's a breakfast/lunch place but on Wednesday they are open for dinner, with live music and with a liquor license. Perfect.

Basically a storefront restaurant, the walls were lined with bookcases with books. Yes, real books. And artsy, fartsy things and a bar. Limited menu but interesting. The parent company has an organic farm upstate so the meals have many home-grown ingredients. A delicious glass of wine was a good way to begin the evening.

A two piece band started to set up. A little live jazz before a night of rock & roll. It was an unexpected treat to hear these two musicians, and I can't remember their names, play their hearts out for a tiny audience. There were probably less than twenty people in the place... it's that small.

As we were about to leave, a fancy lady with a big red hat told us we couldn't leave yet. It was her sister's birthday and we had to stay and have cupcakes with them. In New York City, strangers inviting us to share in their birthday celebration... nice. Now I'm a cupcake girl from way back and they looked quite tasty, but it was time to head up the block to see the show. My waistline and cholesterol count are all the better for it.

The City Winery is a decent sized venue, open, with crowded tables. Sat down, ordered a glass of wine and waited for the show to begin. We were seeing an artist I interviewed on Monday, and both the interview and a review of the show are on their way.

The rain held off, my car was still parked where I left it... always a good thing in the City, and the show was wonderful.

I think I'll do it again next week.

The show we were seeing was Marshall Crenshaw. Review to come, but have a look at my interview with him here: Marshall Crenshaw Interview
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The Bus, The Bugs and Other Things

Roaches in your hair, roaches everywhere.

No, it isn't an updated version of the 60's song by the Cowsills "The Rain, The Park and Other Things," it's a real life experience for Greyhound Bus riders.

As if the recent problems occurring on Carnival Cruise ships weren't bad enough, now another form of public transportation is producing an extreme cringe factor. Apparently forty-eight passengers boarded a NYC Greyhound bus on Friday, filled with the expectation of an uneventful two+ hour ride to Manhattan's Port Authority Bus Terminal. About fifteen minutes into the trip, the passengers realized there were a few non-paying riders on the bus.

Without warning roaches began appearing on the walls, the ceiling and coming out of every crack and crevice.  The roaches were probably asleep and missed their original destination of Atlantic City. One of them woke up and said "Holy Shit, we missed our stop, everybody get up, we gotta get off the bus." Or something like that.

You now have hundreds of roaches (exact number is uncertain, but seeing one is enough to make you start scratching every part of your body) running all over the inner frame of the bus and falling from the ceiling. Passengers began to scream as they started falling into people's hair. Can you even imagine?

The bus driver quickly pulled the bus over and one can only imagine the orderly way the freaked out passengers got off. Somehow I don't think the "all women and children first" rule was in effect. Another bus was dispatched and the passengers resumed their journey to New York, most likely in a state of constant inspection of themselves and giving the hairy eyeball to the person sitting next to them, for any creepy crawlers intent on completing their relocation process.

For their trouble and the absolute terror inflicted upon them, Greyhound has given the passengers a full refund. WooHoo. Let the lawsuits begin...extreme psychological trauma and all that.

Now I don't know about you, but I feel like taking a shower. I'm having the phantom bug itches.

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Could You Do This Job?

The Wild West has officially returned to New York City.

In what has become the latest in shootings of New York police officers, off-duty cop Ivan Marcano was shot in the chest as he attempted to stop a crime in progress.

From his car, Marcano saw three men robbing a man on the street. He exited the car with his gun drawn, identified himself as a police officer and was shot by one of the robbers, who then fled in their white Mustang.

As the cop's girlfriend began to drive him to the hospital, Marcano spotted the getaway car. The gunmen's car then crashed and a second gunfight occurred. While still holding his bleeding chest, Marcano tracked the suspects, trying to find cover behind parked cars.

As bullets flew, Marcano got off a shot that found its mark. One of the suspects lay dead next to the white Mustang, with a bullet in his head. The other two men are still at large.

Seriously, you can't make this shit up. Want to take bets on how long before this story finds its way onto one of the TV crime shows...ripped from the headlines.

Thankfully, it seems Officer Marcano will recover from his wounds and deservedly receive medals and accommodations. Unfortunately, the New York City area had three police officer incidents in the past week. Besides Officer Marcano, one cop was killed making a traffic stop and another was killed by a passing car, after he responded to a crash involving a drunk driver.

Under the best of circumstances being a police officer is hard way to make a living. When we get caught speeding, we think it's the cop's fault. If we see some maniac weaving through traffic, we bitch there's never a cop around when you need one. And day after day, they leave home and family behind to report for duty...knowing any day might be their last.

Just a simple Thank You doesn't seem to be quite enough.

But it's a start.

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RUN..............

People from outside of the area think New Yorkers are rude, crude and uncaring. Well, some are...no doubt about it. But for every story of bad behavior there are ten stories of courtesy going unmentioned.

So here's just a short fun story, giving a shoutout to a security guard.

This past Friday, the 'uncle' left Queens to join us at the weekend house later in the day. Before starting the trip, he needed to drive into Manhattan to pick up a winter jacket he had ordered. He found a parking space on the street, fed the meter...allowing a half hour to run in, pay for the jacket and get back. That should have been more than enough time...except it's the 'uncle.'  Shopping for him is not exactly a quick in and out procedure.

Because clothes shopping for him is always a hit or miss thing, he tried on the jacket to be sure the fit was acceptable. hmm, maybe I should try the next size for comparison? Can you hear the minutes ticking? Yes, the next size was better, so he pays for it and realizes he is now 3 minutes over the time limit.

Now, ticket agents in NYC are like vultures smelling a dead carcass...they appear from out of nowhere and will swoop down and slap a ticket on your windshield at the exact moment the time expires. Fully aware of the looming $65 ticket which will be appearing at any time, the 'uncle' runs out of the store. As soon as he goes through the doors...beep, beep. The cashier forgot to take off the security tag.

No time for that, he keeps running...now with a security guard on his tail. As the guard yells to him to stop, the 'uncle' turns around and tells him he needs to feed the meter and laterals the shopping bag to the guard. After a complete catch by the store security, the 'uncle' continued to his car and the security guard went to check the package and have the tag removed.

As the 'uncle' returned to retrieve the jacket, he was met halfway by the security guard. Nice. He explained that he was only doing his job. That he was and it was done well. 

And no $65 ticket on the windshield.
Life in the big city...sometimes it just makes you smile.

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Over The River...

There is something so life-renewing about spending the evening in New York City.

While I will eternally consider myself a Jersey Girl (thank you Tom Waits and Bruce), I have spent quite a lot of time in NYC.  First as a kid, when mom would take me to Broadway shows, then later as a early teenager sneaking into the city for nothing more exciting than to walk the streets and be intoxicated by the dynamic which surrounds you.

Later, there was school, work and living in the city. But the one thing which drew me into New York more than anything else was the music. The venues, both large and small offered an overflowing bounty of sounds from every genre. It still does.

Last night I was able to spend another night in the city with the end game seeing a new band. But as always, getting there is half the fun.

An easy drive over the George Washington Bridge, as well as non-existent traffic down the west side, put me in one fine mood. And the view of the sun going down over Jersey as you ride parallel to the Hudson River, always puts a smile on my face.

Getting across town can get pretty dicey sometimes, especially when the POTUS is in town. Thankfully, I missed him by one day and, even getting from one river to the river on the other side of the island, was smooth. Finding a parking space not too far from the venue was even smoother.

Meeting up with the rest of the crew, a great dive bar with $3 beers was the first destination. And the great thing about this place is they don't serve food, but you can order some in. So that's what we did...ordered delivery from a Korean restaurant, and drank our $3 beers. For those not from the area, a $3 beer in NYC is something like the T-Rex....extinct. Double that is the going rate...I know it sounds crazy, unless you've paid $17 bucks for a Cosmopolitan or fancy Martini. That's when a $6 beer seems like a bargain. But I digress.

With the temperature as close to perfect as you can get, the walk from the bar to the venue, Webster Hall, was easy and enjoyable. Now it was time to breathe in new music. Worthwhile...definitely, but more about that later.

Heading back to Jersey was pretty easy as well. Passed through the Meadowlands before the traffic from the Springsteen concert at the stadium let out. I hear Bruce was rockin' it pretty good last night too.

All in all, a good night. When it includes music, they usually are.

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Crime Is OK, Large Drinks...Not So Much

I don't live in New York City...I did for a while. I grew up a Jersey girl and for the time being...here I am again. However, I do venture into the City often enough to make the latest crime statistics a bit unnerving.

Growing up almost in the shadow of Manhattan, the pull of the city was strong. So much to explore, and I did. Actually, my mother first nurtured my love of the city when she would take to to Broadway matinees and lunch at a nice restaurant. As I got older, the music scene lured me, and I found myself at clubs where I shouldn't have been...at times when I should have been home. But that's just a part of growing up.

In all those trips into the city, never did I feel unsafe. Maybe naive, I always trusted my gut...and it never let me down. If you were smart, you were safe.

So now the third term Mayor of NYC is getting a rude awakening, and no matter how he tries to spin the numbers...violent crime is up in the city. Everyone who goes into the city with any regularity has seen the change over the past several years. While the Mayor has been focusing on salt content, smoking in the parks, trans fats and putting outdoor seating where cars used to drive...he has lost sight of the big picture.

While I'm not a smoker, it seems to me Central Park is big enough where if someone is offended by the smoke...they can move a few feet away. His latest crusade has been about oversized drinks. Again, not a fan, but when the hell was he appointed god of all things being consumed. And apparently, because a store like 7-11 is in a different category than a diner, you can buy a big gulp but not a large soda at the diner next door.

The real problem right now is people are getting shot...a lot of people. It's bad for business, it's bad for your health. While the Mayor may talk a good game about the increase in shooting as a 4th of July carryover, the fact remains that compared to last year, there is a 28.3% rise in shootings for the holiday period. The Mayor gets a little testy when asked about the rise in crime. He is so much more comfortable talking about taking away our right to choose what to eat.

This has been a hot summer, we still have a lot of summer left. Going forward, this rise in crime cannot continue. It's time for Police Chief Kelly and Mayor Bloomberg to get the police back to where they are needed and stop policing things like our civil rights.

By the way, can you take care of this real soon...I plan to be in NYC tomorrow.
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