Cross Town Thoughts
Wimbledon Men’s Final. A riveting rare classy classic. Could have gone either way. Djokovic and Federer beautifully played a 5-set 12-12 tie-breaker. First time in history. Didn’t get to the Park until after three.
Pete Buttigieg on David Axelrod’s great CNN show. It seems they’ve known each other for quite some time. At one point, Axelrod reminded Pete that his piano teacher told him not to just play the notes perfectly, but to make music. Axelrod as campaign maestro.
The biggest story of the night is not a tropical storm in New Orleans. Okay. The Rolling Stones had to move their concert to Monday.
The dominant national breaking news? A local blackout on the West Side of Manhattan. 42 years to the day since a 1977 event. So dire that Bill DeBlasio is jetting back to the City where he is still the Mayor. From Iowa where he is actually. Nothing.
When you watch Cable coverage, the greatest hardship in NYC besides people not being able to finish their steak at Del Frisco restaurant is the curtailed JLo concert at Madison Square Garden. Now that is a tragedy! Luckily we are just above the darkness. So far.
No more complaining. If scaffolding, census forms & hot weather is all there is to worry about, then it’s fine. Right? Look forward to next week when it’s Mueller Time (okay the week after now, maybe) and the British Open. So. Take a picnic and a new book to Central Park and shut up.
Bon Weekend!
When I moved back to the Upper West Side in 2016, ubiquitous scaffolding was the most jarring change I saw to my former ‘hood. Yes. From the 1960’s to 1980’s there were some pretty skeevy streets above 69th. But. At least the mom & pop shops were in plain view. As was The Museum Café, Victor’s Cuban, Ruskay’s, then Ruelle’s. Bustling with outside tables and windows for people watching.
In 2019, the scaffolding scourge continues to spread. It’s rare to find a building not shrouded by dark cobwebbed metal and wood. Obscuring business signage and entrances, leaving al fresco spaces too dank to dine under. Even the stately San Remo has a newly erected shed. Sad.
The Snakes, by Sadie Jones. A new novel which isn’t really about reptilia. Even if they are supposedly residing in the attic of a ramshackle hotel in the South of France. It’s more about the slippery slum-lord patriarch of an uber-rich British family and his slithery wife. Yes. Sounds familiar and cliché. But. Hey. It’s a summer read.
Big slimy monsters are no match for the horrifying writing and acting in this season’s Stranger Things. Unless you are trapped under a rock with a tv, don’t waste a minute on the vapid venomoid series.
Speaking of creepy crawlers. Today’s arrest of the Lolita Express’ Jeffrey Epstein. Extreme sequel to Anthony’s Weiner.
Knowing the Dutch well, surnames so familiar, this year’s Women’s World Cup final is fun. Survived a wild night in Amsterdam’s Leidseplein where pandemonium was an understatement as the Netherlands beat Germany in the ’90’s. But that was for the men.
Finally as USA has brought women’s teams to the forefront, the Orange also got their due. Especially Van Veenendaal. Prima.
An expanded bike lane running up Central Park West has been approved. Displacing parking spaces. Oy. Whatta mess.
I’m in the not so cute camp. USA World Cup Women’s Soccer player Morgan sipping tea seemed like cheeky unsportsmanlike conduct.
The Bernie lane may have narrowed, but added together with Warren’s poll numbers, leftest lane is the widest.
How does a mAd Man celebrate his 30th birthday? By Blading out to Montauk. As it should be.
No matter dodging thunderstorms and giving his Momma agita.
Happy to you mAd Ben!!
Chaotic mess. Advantage Trump.
Quote of the night. Biden- “MY TIME IS UP”
Breakout- Julián Castro
Stayed the course- Elizabeth Warren
Assertive- Bill deBlasio
Most improved- Cory Booker
Lost ground- Beto O’Rourke
Muddled- Amy Klobuchar
The other four
Side Trek . NYC 