Tuesday, April 17, 2007

The Lower East Side: It really sucks

Or, New York is a jerk, part 2.

I don't know if you locals noticed that it was Biblically raining for the past 40 days and 40 nights or so? But on one such day last week, my friend Jess was heading to her freelance gig in Midtown when she got into one of those awkward little "oops, how do we get by each other, our umbrellas are in everyone's way" crowded sidewalk dances. The stranger this happened with proceeded a few steps away from her, then turned around and quite deliberately kicked her in the shin, which was already bruised from a fall on the subway steps. Everybody else continued about their business. Jess describes herself as looking either like a little girl (I agree) or a cat lady (not as obvious), so this lunatic kicked someone who looks like she's 12.

Something similar is going on in a cooler part of town: I'm talkin' downtown. Corporations, which as Jess mentioned act like psychotic people, as demonstrated in the film The Corporation, are kicking the little guy. I know: shocking, right?

First, in addition to all the other recent rock venue closings (CBGB, Sin-e, the Continental, et al), we're now looking at the closing of the avant/experimental music venue Tonic, thanks to ultra-jacked up rents they can't handle anymore. (But you know who can handle those rents? More high-rise apartments for rich jerks.) An outraged coalition has formed to fight this, and on Saturday, they staged a protest.

As Rebecca Moore wrote in a letter on the group's site, "This is not culture formed by 'popular opinion' or by true market value: This is about developers running everything and everyone that is not wealthy out of this town."

Mmmmm hmmm! Preach on, sister!

In related news, there was also a recent benefit for the 4th St. Coop which will surely be crushed by the newest chapter of the Whole Foods monolith nearby. (Is Whole Foods owned by Wal-Mart yet, by the way?)

I've been kicking around the Lower East Side area fairly regularly for a decade or so, but it's only in the past year that its once low-slung skyline has started to get unrecognizable with glimmering high rises and boutique hotels.

So it goes.

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posted by Colleen @ 7:52 AM  

7 Comments:

  • At 8:34 AM, Blogger lioux said…

    I totally used to hang out on the LES all the time.

    Haven't so much lately though.

     

  • At 8:45 AM, Blogger Colleen said…

    Yeah, I had that phase, too. Then I realized it wasn't fun.

     

  • At 9:23 AM, Blogger Clinton said…

    See, this is the thing that made me so fucking crazy about working for Whole Foods. They're all, "We care, really we do!" and then, as soon as they've tricked you into letting them in your neighborhood, suddenly it's, "WE WILL DESTROY YOUR FARMERS MARKET AND INDEPENDANTLY OWNED HEALTH FOOD STORE! BOW BEFORE US OR BE PELTED WITH VEGAN BLUEBERRY SCONES!!!

    Bastards.

     

  • At 9:43 AM, Blogger Jeff said…

    I've been troubled for a while now that Manhattan will soon be nothing but corporate headquarters and homes for wealthy Europeans.

    I feel like we are living in the only city where government leaders put the needs of the residents third to those of tourists and corporations.

     

  • At 9:59 AM, Blogger julepandme said…

    Speaking of your friend getting kicked - did I tell you I got PUNCHED the other week on the subway? That's right, while trying to exit the nauseatingly crowded train at 14th to transfer to the nauseatingly crowded L train, some lady (and I use that word loosely) decided she did not need to stand out of the way of the subway door as people were attempting to exit the train. Consequently there was shoving going on, I probably got pushed into her a bit by people pushing me from behind and she turned around and totally punched me in the back! It didn't hurt because she hit like a girl but man, it took all I could do to keep my temper under control. I don't look like an innocent 12 year old but I bet I do like like some white girl who won't stand up for herself, which is why I was the target of said punching. I won't go into the ugliness that ensued but I am proud to say that I did not retaliate physically (and I definitely do not hit like a girl).

    Bah.

    NY is a jerk. The LES has sucked rotten eggs for at least 10 years. Perhaps I will become a hermit. Just call me the hermit of Williamsburg.

     

  • At 10:05 AM, Blogger Colleen said…

    Clinton, I wish Whole Foods would pelt me with vegan blueberry scones. I'd totally open my mouth.

    Jeff, this guy, this is the guy [pointing at you]

    And julepandme, : 0 !!! I believe it, though. The most rude rudeness that ever ruded happens on the NYC subway.

     

  • At 7:31 PM, Blogger Julie Klausner said…

    I don't know if it's Walmart or what, but anybody behind a grocery store that deliberately sets up shop across the street from me, just to make me fat, is EVIL.

     

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