make-believe.org

NYC randoms

• Favourite building: the new NY Times premises, of which we obtained a private tour. It is very modern, designed to the hilt, and has a hushed atmosphere perfectly appropriate for the heart of the old Grey Lady. Walking through the newsroom was, well, kinda sublime, as was seeing the "Page 1 meeting room", where twice daily they hammer out the shape of the front page and the home page.

• Favourite quote from last night's Larry King Live that I can remember: "So, just how good a prostitute was she?" That's Larry talking to a pasty white guy who is called "the King of All Pimps". The Spitzer scandal seems to have got decent global coverage, but it's a supernova here. Larry in last night's hour interviewed two ex-prostitutes, two madams, and a former pimp. The glee is palpable. On the street people have begun to refer to things and courses of action as a 'Spitzer', although there's yet no consensus that I can tell. Seems like it comes up in 3 out of 4 conversations, mostly revolving around the tragic cut of his wife Silda, who is that rare bird: a pretty middle-aged woman, and thus stealing the show.

• New favourite thing: Ginger Altoids.

• Other new favourite thing: Ms.Shira.

Honourable mentions: MOMA, Midtown Comics, Tom Wolfe reading at Union Square.

Joseph | 15 Mar 2008