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New York, 12:17 PM
Thu Nov 26
41 posts in the last 24 hours

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  • posts about #travel more →

    British Sunday Times Writer Who Thinks New York City Pretty Much Sucks: A Formal Response

    Just Take the Best Vacation You Can Afford, Which Goes to Hell

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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of b4nt4 b4nt4
    11/23/09

    In reply to British Sunday Times Writer Who Thinks New York City Pretty Much Sucks: A Formal Response
    all i know is in london they have one machine--one teeny tiny machine--that both washes and dries your clothes. i really can't tell you about the social scene because when i lived there a good 85% of my waking hours were spent doing laundry.
     Reply
    b4nt4 was starred b4nt4 was unstarred
    Image of BadUncle BadUncle
    11/23/09

    In reply to British Sunday Times Writer Who Thinks New York City Pretty Much Sucks: A Formal Response
    Foster, I love this sentence:

    You guys wouldn't know what to do with The Beatrice Inn if it crawled up your nose in a $100 bill.
     Reply
    BadUncle was starred BadUncle was unstarred
    Image of Bottle-Of-Smoke Bottle-Of-Smoke
    11/23/09

    In reply to British Sunday Times Writer Who Thinks New York City Pretty Much Sucks: A Formal Response
    Foster, try London You're a Lady by the Pogues when you get a chance. A lovely little whiskey-and-nostalgia-sodden ode to the Auld Towne.
     Reply
    Bottle-Of-Smoke was starred Bottle-Of-Smoke was unstarred
    Image of limber limber
    11/23/09

    @Bottle-Of-Smoke: I like Jamie Cullum's "London Skies".
     Reply
    limber was starred limber was unstarred
    Image of RollsRoyceRevenge RollsRoyceRevenge
    11/23/09

    In reply to British Sunday Times Writer Who Thinks New York City Pretty Much Sucks: A Formal Response
    How to fit in in London:

    Wear a smashing tweedy coat and yell "Monty, you terrific cunt!"

    Run around with blood coming out of your eyes and frothing at the mouth while chasing ethnically mixed plague survivors.

    Wear a cloche hat and squeal "Oh, Reginald!" periodically.

    Solve a murder involving curare, rare tropical fish, identical twins and someone named Colonial Ramsbottom.

    Travel through time in a public shitter or whatever that blue thing is.

    Say "Am I bovvered?" Say it again. And again. And yet again.

    Wear LaCroix and get drunk a lot.

    Say the word "pants" with a posh accent, wear a Nazi costume to a party and secretly feel smug that even though you're illegitimate, your dad was the better looking one.
     Reply
    RollsRoyceRevenge was starred RollsRoyceRevenge was unstarred
    Image of Bottle-Of-Smoke Bottle-Of-Smoke
    11/23/09

    @RollsRoyceRevenge: Trousers, my good chap. In London, fancy pants are called trousers.
     Reply
    Bottle-Of-Smoke was starred Bottle-Of-Smoke was unstarred
    Image of RollsRoyceRevenge RollsRoyceRevenge
    11/23/09

    @Bottle-Of-Smoke: Not in the context cited.

    #tips
     Reply
    RollsRoyceRevenge was starred RollsRoyceRevenge was unstarred
    Image of thatgirlinnewyork thatgirlinnewyork
    11/23/09

    In reply to British Sunday Times Writer Who Thinks New York City Pretty Much Sucks: A Formal Response
    berlin's getting really really hip? yeah, like 6 years ago.
     Reply
    thatgirlinnewyork was starred thatgirlinnewyork was unstarred
    Image of Foster Kamer Foster Kamer
    11/23/09

    @thatgirlinnewyork: That...was the point. Sigh.
     Reply
    Foster Kamer was starred Foster Kamer was unstarred
    Image of thatgirlinnewyork thatgirlinnewyork
    11/23/09

    @Foster Kamer: yes, yes--was just gobsmacked she dug that one up. friends there are sick to death of people believing it's "next"--not wholly unlike our snide comments to tourists who line up at magnolia for lardcakes.
     Reply
    thatgirlinnewyork was starred thatgirlinnewyork was unstarred
    Image of Diziet_Sma Diziet_Sma
    11/23/09

    In reply to British Sunday Times Writer Who Thinks New York City Pretty Much Sucks: A Formal Response
    I lived in London for over a decade and I've lived here in NYC for the past 8 years. Love them both. When in London, I miss the cheap taxis, 'brunch', the easy access to gin martinis (since 90% of bartenders here know how to make one) and the weather; when in New York, I miss Marks & Spencers, easy access to Indian Curries, free museums and art galleries and people who don't take themselves so seriously.

    The food thing is simple - for eating out, New York has more good places to choose from and is cheaper; for buying groceries, the quality of fruit, veg, cheese, meat, bread (basically everything) is far superior in the UK. The subway has aircon, is cheap, but is slow; the tube is expensive but fucking efficient - the Victoria Line has one train every minute, literally. Manhattan does feel a bit, I don't know, past it's best right now, though. Like it's stuck in the 90s. I hate to say it, but Brooklyn is way more interesting at this point in time, no?
     Reply
    Edited by Diziet_Sma at 11/23/09 1:31 PM Diziet_Sma was starred Diziet_Sma was unstarred
    Image of thatgirlinnewyork thatgirlinnewyork
    11/23/09

    @Diziet_Sma: no.
     Reply
    thatgirlinnewyork was starred thatgirlinnewyork was unstarred
    Image of Diziet_Sma Diziet_Sma
    11/23/09

    @thatgirlinnewyork: Ha ha.
     Reply
    Diziet_Sma was starred Diziet_Sma was unstarred
    Image of El_Gato El_Gato
    11/23/09

    In reply to British Sunday Times Writer Who Thinks New York City Pretty Much Sucks: A Formal Response
    Foster, excellent job on this. Both hilarious and so, so true. Gives me much pride as a lifelong New Yorker. I couldn't have said it better myself.

    Just one small thing. The Giants played in the Superbowl on February 3rd 2008, but technically they're the 2007 Superbowl champs. Cheers, and go Giants!
     Reply
    El_Gato was starred El_Gato was unstarred
    Image of Foster Kamer Foster Kamer
    11/23/09

    In reply to British Sunday Times Writer Who Thinks New York City Pretty Much Sucks: A Formal Response
    And Scottsdale. Fuck Scottsdale in the cactus.
     Reply
    Foster Kamer was starred Foster Kamer was unstarred
    Image of RollsRoyceRevenge RollsRoyceRevenge
    11/23/09

    In reply to British Sunday Times Writer Who Thinks New York City Pretty Much Sucks: A Formal Response
    By the way, I just read the article and it is incredibly stupid. Violence evidently equals creative and edgy to this silly middle-class bitch. And her points are the same ones that have been made over the last 15 fucking years without me noticing any slowing down in cultural development per se.
     Reply
    RollsRoyceRevenge was starred RollsRoyceRevenge was unstarred
    Image of chickachicka chickachicka
    11/23/09

    @RollsRoyceRevenge: Exactly. What the fuck is edgy supposed to mean anyway? Her article was beyond stupid. So SO stupid.

    I almost look forward to stupid people writing poorly-formed stupid articles like hers, just so that Foster or someone else on the Gawker team can tear it apart.
     Reply
    RollsRoyceRevenge promoted this comment chickachicka was starred chickachicka was unstarred
    Image of RollsRoyceRevenge RollsRoyceRevenge
    11/23/09

    @chickachicka: It's the London Times. I think they all pick cards out of a hat every week and whoever gets the one with the picture of the Brooklyn Bridge has to write the stupidest thing they can about New York.

    #tips
     Reply
    RollsRoyceRevenge was starred RollsRoyceRevenge was unstarred
    Image of Botswana Meat Commission FC Botswana Meat Commission FC
    11/23/09

    In reply to British Sunday Times Writer Who Thinks New York City Pretty Much Sucks: A Formal Response
    Fuck both NY and London. The best city ever is obviously Marseille.

    They put the frisson in frisson of violence!
     Reply
    Botswana Meat Commission FC was starred Botswana Meat Commission FC was unstarred
    Image of snugbug snugbug
    11/23/09

    @Botswana Meat Commission FC: Eeentresting! Are you 1. a sailor 2. a hooker 3. a fan of bouillabaisse?
     Reply
    snugbug was starred snugbug was unstarred
    Image of elinorwhyme elinorwhyme
    11/23/09

    @Botswana Meat Commission FC: Marseilles is the secret city of France. I love it.
     Reply
    elinorwhyme was starred elinorwhyme was unstarred
    Image of Botswana Meat Commission FC Botswana Meat Commission FC
    11/23/09

    @snugbug: Bouillabaisse is the greatest thing ever. When they put the croutons in there... oh goddamn that is good.
     Reply
    Botswana Meat Commission FC was starred Botswana Meat Commission FC was unstarred
    Image of tongue-tied tongue-tied
    11/23/09

    @elinorwhyme: Can't be too secret with all those people in it. What is it, 2nd largest in France?
     Reply
    elinorwhyme promoted this comment tongue-tied was starred tongue-tied was unstarred
    Image of elinorwhyme elinorwhyme
    11/23/09

    @tongue-tied: Well it's no secret to the people who live there! I meant that when travel editors get around to put France on the cover, they sure as shit don't push Marseilles.
     Reply
    elinorwhyme was starred elinorwhyme was unstarred
    Image of RollsRoyceRevenge RollsRoyceRevenge
    11/23/09

    In reply to British Sunday Times Writer Who Thinks New York City Pretty Much Sucks: A Formal Response
    You left out their crap museum culture, their incestuous gallery world and their complete lack of civic philanthropy, to say nothing of vulgar motorcycle-stunt modern architecture and suburbs that combine the sprawl of LA with the dreariness of Kansas City.

    That said, London seems a city more supportive of the private moment than New York. What is good about New York is evident to everybody: what is good about London you have to discover for yourself.

    I feel it would be an excellent place to live while writing, because it's a city that, for all its size, doesn't pose immediate distractions.
     Reply
    Edited by RollsRoyceRevenge at 11/23/09 10:05 AM RollsRoyceRevenge was starred RollsRoyceRevenge was unstarred
    Image of elinorwhyme elinorwhyme
    11/23/09

    @RollsRoyceRevenge: I agree with you about their incestuous art scene--does one newspaper have to profile Tracey Emin every other Sunday? But that civic philanthropy is filled in large part by the government or council giving London free museum entrances and many other initiatives and programs the public enjoy. Whereas in New York, the private sector has to step up for a lot of that kind of thing.
     Reply
    elinorwhyme was starred elinorwhyme was unstarred
    Image of RollsRoyceRevenge RollsRoyceRevenge
    11/23/09

    @elinorwhyme: I ask this question: when was the last time the Metropolitan Museum issued an announcement that a major work of art in its collection was about to be sold unless a collection could be raised to keep it? Philanthropy is an important part of all museums everywhere and about 30% of private support to the major British museums comes from Americans. A British curator I work with has described the situation as being dire in part because Lord and Lady Shitforbrains already have a country place full of Rembrandts and don't care to save the one at the National for the proles. Granted he did not use those words.
     Reply
    Edited by RollsRoyceRevenge at 11/23/09 11:13 AM RollsRoyceRevenge was starred RollsRoyceRevenge was unstarred
    Image of elinorwhyme elinorwhyme
    11/23/09

    In reply to British Sunday Times Writer Who Thinks New York City Pretty Much Sucks: A Formal Response
    Oh Foster, come on now. I know this is all slightly tongue-in-cheek, but it feels like you are cranking up the isolationist factor in hopes it will get picked up by the Sunday Times: " New York Blogger Attacks."
    Yes, London has crap service and none of the convenience New York has, however it really is a more global city and has some gentle civilities that are usually lost on residents. Forgive me, but the difference between my minicab driver's courtesy on the way to Heathrow yesterday and the asshole cabbie who picked me up at JFK and then yelled at me for giving him a non-cash tip has left me feeling fragile.
     Reply
    elinorwhyme was starred elinorwhyme was unstarred
    Image of HeathenKiller HeathenKiller
    11/23/09

    @elinorwhyme: the asshole cabbie who picked me up at JFK and then yelled at me for giving him a non-cash tip

    So we haven't lost our edge. Nice.
     Reply
    marin79 promoted this comment HeathenKiller was starred HeathenKiller was unstarred
    Image of franimaljones franimaljones
    11/23/09

    @elinorwhyme: what's a non-cash tip and why would you do that?!
     Reply
    elinorwhyme promoted this comment franimaljones was starred franimaljones was unstarred
    Image of elinorwhyme elinorwhyme
    11/23/09

    @franimaljones: Debit card tip--it's not like I paid him with used gum wrappers.

    #tips
     Reply
    elinorwhyme was starred elinorwhyme was unstarred
    Image of Phyllis Nefler Phyllis Nefler
    11/23/09

    In reply to British Sunday Times Writer Who Thinks New York City Pretty Much Sucks: A Formal Response
    Whatevsies, Foster, the people have a right to know that last time you came back from London you were all best weekend of my liiiife and I'm in lurv with a girrrrll and ooh I recorded a Vimeo of me singing and strolling down the riverrrr and also you went to some market with fruits and veggies that you were all into but I'm more hazy on those specifics.

    But don't deny your true feelings. All the Jay Z YouTubes in the world can't change the forces of nature.
     Reply
    Phyllis Nefler was starred Phyllis Nefler was unstarred
    Image of snugbug snugbug
    11/23/09

    @Phyllis Nefler: Tsk-tsk, I can't believe you outed the poor brother like this..
     Reply
    snugbug was starred snugbug was unstarred
    Image of Foster Kamer Foster Kamer
    11/23/09

    @Phyllis Nefler: Of course! I had a great time in London. I had this incredible mushroom pate at Borough Market, made a bunch of rap videos, and pissed on everything in sight. I even went to The Ivy and had Eggs Benedict for dinner. And I bought a poster from the Tate Modern, which is the best museum evar. I could give a shit. Are you watching how crazy people are getting about this? It's hysterical. Please note the

    #iactuallyquiteenjoyedboroughma...

    tag. I forgot to put the #desperateforalastpost tag and the #thingsicouldgiveashitabout tag. I was sad that St. Johns was closed when I went though. Oh well. New York sucks, London sucks, the only nice place left in the universe is Asheville, North Carolina and The Maldives, which I recently learned I've been pronouncing wrong for the last four years. Whoops.
     Reply
    Edited by Foster Kamer at 11/23/09 11:28 AM Foster Kamer was starred Foster Kamer was unstarred
    Image of limber limber
    11/23/09

    In reply to British Sunday Times Writer Who Thinks New York City Pretty Much Sucks: A Formal Response
    Everything is higgly-piggly or whatever dumb word you have for it. We live on a grid. A grid.
    Yeah -- every fucking corner in NY looks like every other fucking corner. I can ID my location in London within two seconds, but New York remains a mess of 90 degree angles to me.

    Booooooring!
     Reply
    limber was starred limber was unstarred
    Image of tongue-tied tongue-tied
    11/23/09

    @limber: Yeah, the grid isn't the greatest thing about Manhattan.
     Reply
    limber promoted this comment tongue-tied was starred tongue-tied was unstarred
    Image of bowleserised bowleserised
    11/23/09

    In reply to British Sunday Times Writer Who Thinks New York City Pretty Much Sucks: A Formal Response
    I live in Berlin.

    Not a WEEK, not a fricking WEEK passes without some by-numbers article in the NYT or elsewhere stating that Berlin is hip. These articles are usually written by people who don't even speak German and wouldn't know what the actually scene here is like if it bit them on the arsch. Often the jist of these articles is: "Berlin! It's just like New York with cheap rents! There are artists here! And internet startups!" as though that weren't the case in every bloody major city in the Western world.

    I love this city, but it's ludicrous to say it's outstripping New York.
     Reply
    bowleserised was starred bowleserised was unstarred
    Image of transomist transomist
    11/24/09

    @bowleserised:

    But Berlin has Berghain!
     Reply
    transomist was starred transomist was unstarred
    Image of bowleserised bowleserised
    11/24/09

    @transomist: True. But that doesn't make it a multi-kulti WeltStadt.
     Reply
    bowleserised was starred bowleserised was unstarred
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