Archive for April, 2009
Thursday, April 30th, 2009
Hawthorne Getting a Wine Shop
After the closing of several storefronts along Radiator Springs’ Hawthorne’s tiny main drag, there’s a sign of life next to the train station: Hawthorne Wines & Liquors looks like it’s ready to open.
We first started seeing hints of a liquor store around December–a flier in the window showing an address for a “Hawthorne Wines”, in […]
No Comments » - Posted in Hawthorne by TJ
Thursday, April 30th, 2009
First Swine Mask Emerges
Saw my first swine-flu mask on the walk to Grand Central yesterday. It was an Asian woman of about 25, walking south on Park Avenue South around 32nd Street at around 5:35.
It’s worth mentioning that I sat next to a man on the northbound train Friday evening who wore disposable plastic gloves. I doubt it […]
2 Comments » - Posted in 1-3/4-Seater by TJ
Wednesday, April 29th, 2009
Commemorating ‘The Commodore’
There’s a new bio out about Cornelius Vanderbilt, the man who built the original Grand Central Terminal and amassed a fortune buying up railroads. “The First Tycoon”, written by T. J. Stiles (no relation to another notable scribe, TJ from Trainjotting), depicts Vanderbilt as something of a monosyllabic bridge-and-tunnel guy who relished his ruthlessness. Vanderbilt was […]
No Comments » - Posted in Vanderbilt Hall by TJ
Wednesday, April 29th, 2009
Subway Sketcher Gets Documentary
Underground artist Ami Plasse, who creates pretty cool sketches of his fellow subway riders while riding the rails, is the subject of a short film that airs in Brooklyn Monday.
The 13-minute flick airs at Scene: Brooklyn Independent Film Festival in DUMBO, which describes “Ami Underground” thusly:
NYC artist Ami Plasse’s subway drawings capture the distinct flavor […]
No Comments » - Posted in Amitai Plasse by TJ
Monday, April 27th, 2009
Farewell to Elwood Blues
Thank you to the fine fellows of the Mount Pleasant road crew for their stellar work in patching up the onerous potholes on Elwood in between the firehouse and the train station.
Motorists hit potholes and say, geez, that wasn’t good for my undercarriage.
Cyclists hit potholes and say, MOTHER%@*&%$#! THAT *&%$ING HURT!
So thank you for giving […]
No Comments » - Posted in Hawthorne by TJ
Monday, April 27th, 2009
New Jersey Transit Slammed for Foreseeable Future
Reason #3,461 Metro-North riders are glad they don’t take New Jersey Transit each day. Our Garden State caretaker JerseyJim informs us that select lines will see 10-15 minute delays for the next few weeks thanks to a fire at the Newark Broad Street Station over the weekend.
New Jersey Transit advises:
Customers on the Morris & Essex and Montclair-Boonton […]
1 Comment » - Posted in New Jersey Transit by TJ
Monday, April 27th, 2009
Il Drivatore
In case you missed it, the NY Times had a fun piece late last week about a city busdriver given to belting out opera at red lights. Christopher G. Dolan has been briving a dus, as Ralph Kramden so eloquently put it, for 27 years. These days he steers the M8 from West Village to […]
No Comments » - Posted in Bus by TJ
Friday, April 24th, 2009
Back in the Saddle
OK, back from that well-lit Loopyland that is Las Vegas.
One thing about endless American Airlines flights where you’re trapped in the middle seat for five years (that’s an actual Freudian slip of sorts–I typed ‘years’ instead of ‘hours’ and only noticed it when I gave a final proofread before publishing)–they really make you appreciate a […]
2 Comments » - Posted in Bus, Vegas by TJ
Thursday, April 23rd, 2009
JerseyJim: A Soccer Stadium Somewhere in the Swamps of Jersey
Swamp Thing
As the NJT train whips through the Meadowlands each evening, riders on the left side windows are treated to a view of the iron skeleton of the Red Bull Arena, a 25,000-seat soccer stadium in Harrison, NJ.
A full mile east of downtown Newark, and across the bending Passaic River, the stadium seems dwarfed by the freight […]
2 Comments » - Posted in New Jersey Transit, jerseyjim by TJ
Monday, April 20th, 2009
Planejotting: Vegas, Baby
Touched down in Vegas for the annual Work Trip last night. Normally I’d fly Jet Blue — the legroom, the TVs, the chipper crew — but opted for American to save my ailing company a few shekels.
American whacked me (well, my company) $15 to check a bag, which means almost no one checks a bag, […]