Greg & Tom’s Excellent Adventure

On Sunday, Tom and I will be flying to New York to attend Monday night’s “Bush in 30 Seconds” awards ceremonies. I don’t have any details about the ceremony, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the entertainment will include Gallagher smashing watermelons with Saddam’s face on them, the guy who can fart the national anthem, or Toby Keith singing “Iraq and I Roll”.

Seriously though, I’m pretty excited about this trip, since the only other time I’ve been to New York was in high school when I flew out there to attend a computer programming contest. (Keep your hands to yourselves, ladies. I’m taken.)

I’ve made the mistake of looking at event listings and I’ve seen two different shows that conflict with the awards show (Les Paul’s residency at a local jazz club and a “secret” They Might Be Giants show). I’m starting to think that the next time I plan a trip to New York, it should be for longer than 36 hours. Although our free time will be pretty limited, any ideas what we should do/see while we’re there?


posted by greg on January 9, 2004 @ 11:28 am

15 comments

  1. Take the ferry out to Ellis Island. You go right past the Statue of Liberty and there is something really spiritual about being that close to it. Ellis Island is very cool and a wonderful reminder that we are all immigrants and privileged to live in this country. And, oh yeah, we liberals are the ones who want to make it a better place to live. Mom

    Comment by Becky — January 9, 2004 @ 3:02 pm

  2. This might seem inappropriate, but you aught to go by Ground Zero.

    Also: Good luck on the Animation Award.

    Comment by Rook — January 9, 2004 @ 5:06 pm

  3. Have you seen the hippodrome?

    Comment by Earnest — January 9, 2004 @ 7:44 pm

  4. i hear it’s 15 degrees there… i’m not sure if i wanna sit on a ferry for a couple of hours in 15 degree weather. yikes! i might have to just stay huddled up in my hotel room.

    Comment by tom — January 10, 2004 @ 9:18 am

  5. You know, if the Bushies weren’t such tight fisted class warriors who want to punish all states who vote against them, you’d be able to visit the Statue of Liberty, but it’s still closed because they can’t afford security for it.

    I think you should go on a 80′s TV tour of New York. Try to find the “Park Avenue” building where the Drummonds lived, the Courthouse where night court was held, the Queens brownstone where the Cosbys lived, and the Deluxe apartment, in the Sky-hi-i that the Jeffersons called home. You could even search for the women’s only apartments that Kip and Henry snuck their way into.

    Comment by The Eligible Ross Lincoln — January 10, 2004 @ 12:12 pm

  6. Hey, I voted for your ad! Good luck! And enjoy NYC! I miss my hometown…

    You should go to the West Village and just walk around and eat in a little cafe that strikes your fancy. I used to love The Olive Tree Cafe on MacDougal St. (between W. 3rd and Bleecker), because they screen old Charlie Chaplin movies on the big-screen TVs and the tables are made of blackboard with jars of chalk for you to draw on them with.

    And take the Staten Island ferry on a round-trip from Manhattan — it’s free, and the best boat ride views in the city. If you time it just right around dusk, you get the sun setting over Manhattan on your trip out, and then when you return the city is all lit up against the night sky. That’ll beat paying for one of those Circle Line tours anyday.

    Comment by wildsoda — January 10, 2004 @ 1:09 pm

  7. Isn’t the Staten Island ferry the one with drunken pilots who like to get their crash on? Zing!

    Didn’t Peter Parker live with Aunt May on Staten island?

    And who was Staten?

    Comment by The Eligible Ross Lincoln — January 10, 2004 @ 3:05 pm

  8. “Try to find the “Park Avenue” building where the Drummonds lived, the Courthouse where night court was held, the Queens brownstone where the Cosbys lived, and the Deluxe apartment, in the Sky-hi-i that the Jeffersons called home. You could even search for the women’s only apartments that Kip and Henry snuck their way into.”

    and don’t forget Central Perk! i’ve always wanted to get a coffee there and sit on the same couch that Joey sits on! EEEEEEEEE!

    i think all those places are in L.A. ross… probably on the WB backlot somewhere in storage waiting for a reunion special.

    “The Olive Tree Cafe on MacDougal St. (between W. 3rd and Bleecker), because they screen old Charlie Chaplin movies …”

    Charlie Chaplin films and chalkboards to draw on! that sounds great! and i like the village a lot, too. i’m just scared of the cold weather reports i’ve been hearing. after living in california for the last 5 years, i don’t have the wardrobe for it.

    anyway, we’re leaving in a couple of hours… this might be the last day to vote, so send out e-mail to everyone you know. and keep your fingers crossed for us.

    oh yeah- apparently there’s going to be a live webcast of the awards ceremony on MoveOn.org (monday at 8 pm eastern) so check it out and let us know if you see us hanging out with Chuck D and Janeane Garafalo.

    Comment by tom — January 11, 2004 @ 11:10 am

  9. Remember that tax-funded ‘art’ exibit in NYC a few years ago that included a portrait of Jesus’ mother, Mary with cow manure smeared all over it?

    Remember how Governor Guillani tried to close the exibit down, and Hillary claimd that would be a violation of freedom of expression, and to hell with the Christians if they’re offended?

    I think the ‘artist’ called the display Shit-Mary.

    Considering the nature of the awards ceremony that you’re attending while in NYC, I think it would be appropriate if you also took in a viewing of the Shit-Virgin.

    Comment by jmenga — January 11, 2004 @ 1:53 pm

  10. The exhibit you are referring to was actually called “Sensation” and was up at the Brooklyn Art Museum from 10-2-99 through 1-9-2000. The artist in question is Chris Ofili, one of the 42 different young British artists that were featured in the exhibit . His piece was entitled “The Virgin Mary”. He didn’t actually use cow manure, but elephant dung, which is considered sacred by many African groups. When asked about it, Ofili said he uses elephant dung as a way of incorporating Africa into his work. So really, if Guilianni had done a little research he would have figured out that what this artist was doing was not trying to piss off the Catholics but bring his own heritage into his work.

    Comment by Kathrine — January 14, 2004 @ 12:14 pm

  11. i’m familiar with Oliffi’s work… and i’ve never liked it. he can say all he wants about elephant dung representing his african roots, but i call it a shitty gimmick that gets his bad paintings more credit than they deserve.

    but that’s typical of the artworld of today- a bunch of bad artists hiding behind “conceptual” gimmicks.

    Comment by tom — January 14, 2004 @ 12:57 pm

  12. Either way, Ofili should be allowed to show his “shitty” paintings without being censored by the former mayor of New York City.

    And I am interested to know, who do you consider a good artist?

    Comment by Kathrine — January 14, 2004 @ 2:02 pm

  13. LOOKING FOR NEAT PLACES TO SEE WHILE IN NEW YORK?New York City’s Original Rock and Roll Walking Tour -Lower East Side neighborhood.. Cool Place!
    Tour departs from the S.W. corner at East 9th St. and 3rd Ave., East Village, NY. Think it’s about $25.00 for a 2 hour tour.

    Try Little Italy for GREAT italian food! Cafe Sorrento, Cafe Napoli (for incredible pastry & espresso) Canal Street. While there Chinatown is fun too!
    Central Park, Empire State Bldg, Ellis Island are all pretty touristy places.. Watch your wallet, don’t wear a lot of jewelry and most of all, bring home LOTS of souvenirs!
    But most of all, enjoy your east coast visit!

    A former Jersey gal

    Comment by Barbara — January 14, 2004 @ 2:44 pm

  14. “Either way, Ofili should be allowed to show his “shitty” paintings without being censored by the former mayor of New York City. ”

    i agree…

    “And I am interested to know, who do you consider a good artist?”

    well, i used to like most art, until i went to art school. ignorance is bliss…

    who do i consider a good artist? well, i could list lots of them… my taste tends to lean towards the old masters, particularly the flemmish and the pre-raphaelites. i’m also a big fan of early 20th century art- i like most art up until warhol- who, almost single-handedly, destroyed the art world- and it hasn’t recovered since.

    i’ve all but given up on the contemporary “fine art” world. though i occasionally see something i like, most of it has just turned into a big fashion machine that’s more concerned with money, trends and stars than it is with actual Art.

    my interests have moved more into the “alternative” arts of comics and crafts. there is a lot more interesting, genuine Art going on there, than in any gallery in New York. but then, it’s only a matter of time until all that gets exploited by the gallery system as well- the last Whitney Biennial did include a few cartoonists.

    Comment by tom — January 14, 2004 @ 5:04 pm

  15. i love this siteoooooooo

    Comment by mugu — June 11, 2004 @ 1:51 am

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