High Line is your line, too

Magnet #1280 - Locomotive on the High Line

Back in the mid-1840s, NY said ok to having a street-level railroad tracks on 10th Avenue, but so many casualties happened during the next several decades that it became known as Death Avenue.

By the 30s, they built the High Line - an elevated train that ran from Spring Street all the way up to 34th Street.

But, as with many great public works, it went through a decline and then finally in the 60s, they started demolishing parts of it. Sad.

Thank goodness for pictures - love this pin magnet because it shows a downtown train (because that's the ESB behind it) on the elevated tracks.

What I want to do is talk to someone who actually rode that train back in the day - I bet money when they walk around at the High Line park nowadays, they're totally amazed with what they've managed to accomplish up there.

And if you haven't been to the High Line park - go when it's not crowded. For sure, the park's been discovered.

Which is a good thing...I guess.

Not Leaving London

Magnet #1273 - Passenger to London

The new blog Not Leaving London is one of the best things to come out of the recent London riots. It's theoretically for non-Brit London-lovers - where you submit an image and a quote about why you'd never leave London.

Here's my entry, with St. Ethelburga the Virgin, the smallest church in the City, backed by the Gherkin, the 6th tallest building in town.

The other thing to come out of London during the last few weeks is their new Tube map that's sparked map vs. diagram controversy on Fast Company. While it may help our tourists a bit more because it maps a little bit more to street level geography, folks seem to be having issues with it for just that very reason.

To be honest, if I were a local, I'd be annoyed as well. Indeed, when NYC MTA redid our transit map last year, I was nervous - we'd had the other one for so long. Part of me feels like London waited to see how NYC would take it before implementing theirs. The other part of me thinks that they just wanted a new map in time for London 2012 Olympics.

Eh, however you feel about it, it's still a pretty, pretty map...and of course now I have a reason to head back to London - need to get the new Tube map magnet!

Oh, yes. This is number two of my 24-magnet London set. What? Yes, I might try and blog them all...remember, I can't see myself breaking up a set!

Escape home to New York

Magnet #1151 - Wall St

My last MTA magnet. I loved these little guys - so pretty, and such a good use for old subway maps. I wonder if they have more...I shall find out soon!

Yay, I'm comin' home to NYC next week! Mind you, it's just a short visit, and I'll have to come right back home to NC afterward (because they've finally decided on which course of action to take with my heart patient dad) but that's ok - I'm comin' home!

If you read this blog at all, or you know me at least a little bit, you know how much I love NYC. I don't even have to be outside of my apartment to love being in town, but it's truly one of my favorite places in the whole wide world. (Both my apartment, and my town.)

The first thing I'm doing when I get there is stopping at Perfecto's around the corner for a slice. I didn't think I'd miss NYC pizza all that much, but after stops at Pizza Hut, Sbarro's, and Cici's...plus frozen pizzas by DiGiorno's and CPK, I just want a slice. A nice, giant, greasy plain slice that drips over the edge of my paper plate, that will burn my mouth the second I bite into it. That's it. Oh. And maybe some garlic knots.

Then breakfast is totally gonna be City Diner down the block for my scrambled eggs, sausage and home fries, toast and strawberry jam - and coffee. Real and proper diner coffee. A real and proper breakfast. How I've missed it so. Not that it's all that bad here, but diner coffee can't be replicated by Dunkin or Krispy Kreme or Starbucks.

After that, I'm headed across the street to get my haircut by Autumn at Dramatics NYC. No, that's not her real name - they all use fake stage names (Rolex, anyone?), but she has to fix my hair. This dude mangled the heck out of it here in NC, and I can't stand looking at it anymore. I will be SO happy after she's done!

That will all hopefully be done in time for my jam-packed schedule of lunches, drinks, dinners, museums, and random events, etc. My Google calendar's already doing that annoying +2, +3 events thing in the month-view.

It's so funny, you can definitely tell I'm headed back to NYC specifically, because I'm already trying to overschedule everything and everyone - going from place to place, seeing as many people as I can see, and doing as many NYC things as I can squeeze in. (I can't help it, you try being stranded on 22 acres in the middle of nowhere!)

I've already mentally written down grabbing a 7-day MetroCard the second I get in, even though I'm really only home for four days. I'm gonna need it with all the running around I'm gonna be doing.

Someone in New York already told me to slow down, that NY would still be there when I got back home, but honestly, if there's anything I've learned in the last year, it's to do as much as you can, when you can do it.

And nowhere better to do it in the world, than New York City.

Words by Rice, building by Piano

Magnet #1050 - Times Square/42nd Street

I once fell into the N/R/W/Q subway tracks in the Times Square/42nd Street station. This is not that magnetpost.

I'm just using it for today, because I just got back from Times Square, and seeing the Sir Tim Rice and Friends performance.

I've been looking forward to this event, mostly because of my obsession with watching all of those (very late to the U.S.) BBC/BBC-A, Andrew Lloyd Webber reality shows casting parts in the West End's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Sound of Music, then Wizard of Oz, and now Oliver! So when I didn't see any of Rice's work with ALW on the program, I was a little sad.

But, it was quickly explained by the funnier than I'd have expected Tim Rice, that the evening was being devoted not so much to him, but to Disney on Broadway's songbook. Being a Disney fan, color me sooo not disappointed!

And it was so much fun!

After Sir Tim did a tongue-in-cheek reading of all the not-so-great NYTs reviews of Disney shows, we were treated to fantastic numbers sung by seven original cast members of Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, AIDA, Tarzan, Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid, and King David (which you've likely never heard of, but the two numbers from it were fabulous, so I hope we will hear of them again).

The first song was Be Our Guest, and all I could think of was that it sure did not sound like when my sisters and I play Wii Disney Sing It. And for the whole song, all I could think was man, I bet that dude would rock out on Wii. What? It's true.

From then on, it was quite amazing watching these Disney vets as they performed their songs without sets, without costumes, with a two-piece musical accompaniment...and still they managed to place us in every single show. Maybe because it was on such a small stage, and we were all so close up, but it was truly uncanny how I felt like I was watching Belle and Mary Poppins and Rafiki and Ariel, and shoot, even Tarzan. In street clothes.

And now I finally understand what ALW and all the judges were trying to teach all those reality contestants - how to act out a song, feel the emotions, connect with the words. I had pooh-poohed that criticism, before but honestly, I got a little goosebumpy listening to several of the songs tonight. I guess that's how the pros do it.

But wait. There's more!

Last week, I used a magnetquote by architect Renzo Piano, where I surprised myself with all of the Piano museums/additions I'd been to. Tonight's NYTs Arts & Leisure Weekend event was held at TimesCenter, at Piano's New York Times building just off of Times Square.

I've been to TimesCenter before, but hadn't realized just how ingeniously multi-use they've managed to make this building. While I was sitting in the audience of a state-of-the-art, 378-seat auditorium, through the stage backdrop glass, I was able to see New York Times employees leave their office space across the indoor courtyard, dinner patrons dining at the gorgeous Montenapo Restaurant, and a chick shopping at supercool Muji.

All that, and, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the incredible performances of Sir Tim Rice's merry band of friends.

Pretty. Damn. Cool.

A whole city at your feet

Magnet #933 - Spring Street

Another one of my tile magnets from the MTA. Love them. They're so little, and cute! And you know someone's making a mint from a really cute idea. Plus? Hello! Recycling of old Transit maps! Green!

I've said it before, but I love this city's public transit system - yes, we're under budget cuts; yes, some of our bus stops are smelly and the trains can be unclean; yes, it's not air-conditioned. But, dudes, where else can you go anywhere in this city - anywhere in the five! boroughs! - for $2.50! Plus a transfer!

Like, today, there was so much going on in town - and most of it free. It's why I love this town.

The Brooklyn Book Festival would have been cool. Broadway on Broadway would have been fun, if not soggy.

But today, I went back to the Paley Center, for their Fall TV previews, and of course, now have a few more shows to add to the dance card below. Superslim pickin's this year, I think, and I can't really figure out why.

Possible additions emphasized below, based on yesterday's and today's screenings. And some shows look like they'll be relegated to online viewing, based on the latest TV Guide fall schedule. Sheesh.

TV Dance Card
ABC (5)
Private Practice, Brothers & Sisters, Grey's Anatomy, Castle, V, No Ordinary Family, Better with You (a possible, but only because it's Joanna Garcia and Jennifer Finnigan)

CBS (4)
NCIS, Flashpoint, NCIS: Los Angeles, The Good Wife

NBC (3)
Chuck, Friday Night Lights, Parenthood, Undercovers (because who can resist a JJ show?)

FOX (3)
Fringe, Bones, Lie to Me, Lone Star (until I can't handle the con anymore, but yay for Tyra and Coach Kyle-lite)

The CW (6)
90210, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, Supernatural, Vampire Diaries, Life Unexpected, Hellcats (yes, I'm surprised, too)

TBS (3)
The Closer, Rizzoli & Isles

USA (5)
Psych, Burn Notice, In Plain Sight, Royal Pains, White Collar

BBC-A (3)
Doctor Who, Merlin, Being Human

AMC (1)
Mad Men

ABC Family (2)
Greek, Pretty Little Liars

Syfy (2)
Warehouse 13, Haven

FX (1)
Sons of Anarchy

Lifetime (1)
Army Wives

A&E (1)
The Glades

Total: 43

Change is good

Magnet #835 - Grand Central

Or so they say.

This little tile magnet is one of a really cool MTA map set that I picked up from the Transit Museum Annex at Grand Central Terminal.

The MTA has revamped our subway transit map, set to be released next month. It's like the first time in several years they've redone it, but it kinda makes me crazy.

I mean, it's not like they're renaming subway lines, or making superdupermajor changes to it. (Unless you're from Staten Island, in which case I have to wonder how ya'll feel about being shrunk superdupersmall.) And, at least they're making big announcements about it. When they dumped the 9 line, I was like the last person to hear about it. I didn't even notice they'd eliminated the line until months later. And that's one of my major lines!

So, yeah, when I actually notice it, I get a little unnerved by change. I should be getting used to it, given the year I've had. I dunno. All I keep hearing change is good, and I've yet to see how that's truly the case.

But who knows, maybe this map will keep me from getting on the wrong lines - I'm still always the one who has to double-check my lines when I'm headed to Queens or Brooklyn...otherwise, I head to both.

The wheels on the bus

Magnet #817 - MTA Bus

I picked this up at the Transit Museum in Grand Central. I've yet to head out to Brooklyn to the real Transit Museum (I promise, this summer!), but I do like visiting the annex in GCT. It's fun, and they have really in-depth exhibits, plus a great Christmas train set, and a great store! A store that takes up like half the exhibit space, which is probably why I love it so much.

Anyway, when I saw this magnet I had to get it, because I love riding the bus. Love it. People always mock me because I'm like the little blue-haired ladies who ride the bus, rather than take the subway.

It's true - if given the choice between taking the bus and taking the subway, I'd rather take the bus. Even if the bus takes forever and a day, if I have that time to lose, I'll take it.

First, I love that the buses provide the best way to connect me to places that the subways can't easily do - that's uptown trying to cross through the parks. Plus, transferring bus to train and vice versa is way better than forking out another $2.25 to get the rest of the way somewhere - or worse, having to walk the long avenue blocks.

Second, I love that it stays aboveground, and I can see the world driving by. It's the same reason that I love the train. I'm travelling, comfortably, lost in my own thoughts, and not having to pay attention how I'm getting somewhere.

Third, people are so interesting on the bus. Random conversations, random fights, random people. Mind you, I once saw a guy board with a foil-wrapped cardboard box backpack, complete with a foil-wrapped cardboard satellite dish and video camera. Still to this day, the oddest person I've ever seen on a bus.

Fourth, way more disabled-friendly than the subways could ever be. I love when the bus dips for the senior passengers, and I don't mind waiting while the lifts unfold for the wheelchair passengers, and I don't mind getting up for them when they lift up the seats. Yes, it sounds crazy, but it makes me feel better when I see it. (Even though I get so angry when the drivers clearly resent getting out of their seats!)

Anyway, I owe a lot to the bus system of this town. It sustained me for over a year while I refused to go down into the subway after falling into the subway tracks at Times Square. So, yay, buses!