The Year of the Monkey. What could be a more perfect metaphor for a year featuring a campaign, economy and insanely image-driven culture that's making so many of us go 'ape'?
'“Fourth Avenue could be the Park Avenue of Brooklyn,” said Mr. Scissura, who started a task force in 2011 that pushed for the revitalization of the corridor while he was chief of staff to Marty Markowitz, then the Brooklyn Borough President.'
I used to say the same thing about Fourth Avenue, especially given its nice broad center that I always imagined green with plantings and small trees (despite the subway running underneath).
But until the various developers scrambling to erect condos start building them the way Park Avenue's Candela did, they'll keep getting mold, wet drywall, and the myriad of troubles that have beset the ones already built.
I used to say the same thing about Fourth Avenue, especially given its nice broad center that I always imagined green with plantings and small trees (despite the subway running underneath).
But until the various developers scrambling to erect condos start building them the way Park Avenue's Candela did, they'll keep getting mold, wet drywall, and the myriad of troubles that have beset the ones already built.
Happy New Year! Welcome aboard -- and please don't forget about Soccer.
Wow! What a seamless sparkling transition Alexandra! Love that you're making the column your own but have kept the winter coat watch. It brings a guaranteed smile every weekday morning. I join the many other readers who wish this column also appeared on the weekends. Welcome to the beginning of our day! We're glad you've come!
1
Welcome, but in your sports recap, you forgot to mention that the Capitals stranded the Islanders, 3-2. :)
1
I could not help but notice that you and your partner have last names yet the people you replace did not. Just something to think about...
Captivating, auspicious debut, Alexandra! Love your style and love the accompanying photos, especially the weather one.
Never mind "monkeys"- Writers, you know who you are: Alex, Jonathan, Tatiana, Noah, Annie and my all-time fave, Andy.
Never mind "monkeys"- Writers, you know who you are: Alex, Jonathan, Tatiana, Noah, Annie and my all-time fave, Andy.
2
Welcome to Alexandra and Jonathan. In order to cover your beat most effectively, I suggest that you take a page from your associate Bill Cunningham and start doing it by bicycle.
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Dear Ms. Levine:
Welcome and best of luck to you and Mr. Wolfe. This column has become part of my daily ritual, and I hope to see it retain most, if not all, of its elements. Of course, there must be room for change and innovation. Perhaps you and Mr. Wolfe could include a section on important items that are coming up in the near future (votes/bills that might affect subway services, etc.), but I will leave it to you. Enjoy.
CP
Welcome and best of luck to you and Mr. Wolfe. This column has become part of my daily ritual, and I hope to see it retain most, if not all, of its elements. Of course, there must be room for change and innovation. Perhaps you and Mr. Wolfe could include a section on important items that are coming up in the near future (votes/bills that might affect subway services, etc.), but I will leave it to you. Enjoy.
CP
1
Welcome! You can roll me out of bed by teaching a little unknown fact, make the commute sweeter by revealing shortcuts, and I put a little cinnamon in my coffee to take away the bitterness.
3
Welcome Alexandra! I'm a daily reader and this is my first stop in the paper. Keep up the good work!
6
You burst right out of the gate, Alexandra, firmly grasping the baton...Welcome! I very much hope to see your walking adventures begin at the very edges that distinguish NYC from the rest of the world: start with the entire perimeter, then spiral slowly back to your office. THAT's a beat that might get us all out of bed a little earlier... Happy Year of the Monkey!
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Welcome! Looking forward to hearing about your walking adventures. In the meantime, you may want to mention (if you're allowed to edit during the day) that MOMA is open all day & night Saturday & Sunday for the final weekend of the Picasso show, and that it's half price after a certain hour (8pm?). They did the same thing for the Matisse show, and it was wonderful Saturday night excursion, with fewer crowds as it got later.
Also, for those of us who prefer not to watch men bash their skulls in, Super Bowl Sunday is the best day to get half-price theater tickets, especially to shows that are usually sold out.
Also, for those of us who prefer not to watch men bash their skulls in, Super Bowl Sunday is the best day to get half-price theater tickets, especially to shows that are usually sold out.
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Welcome. Off to a good start! I like the idea of trekking the city and posting the adventures. Please keep up the "special" sports score reports. ;-)
3
Good morning and welcome, Alexandra and Jonathan! I'm a twice a year visitor, but my daughter lives on the Lower East Side. I enjoy the column pretty much as is. I look forward to seeing you here daily.
3
Welcome, Alexandra and Jonathan! This column helps me roll out of bed every morning and keeps my mind from going straight to thoughts about work. As a New Yorker, there's nothing more enjoyable than reading about what's happening in our magical city. I'm excited to continue my beloved routine with you both.
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As a reader from Pomona, in Rockland county, I love this column. It brings back days when I lived in the City. I look forward to it daily and miss it on the weekends. Good luck on your ventures in the city streets. I'm sure they will bring a wealth of surprises.
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Dick Bumenthal wrote "I look forward to it daily and miss it on the weekends."
Yes! Now there's one improvement you could make! How about a shorter, maybe somewhat different version for the weekend??? I miss the column on weekends so much, too!!
Yes! Now there's one improvement you could make! How about a shorter, maybe somewhat different version for the weekend??? I miss the column on weekends so much, too!!
7
Looking forward to reading about your walks through the City and the stories that you compile.
Happy Lunar New Year! Kung Hei Fat Choy!
Happy Lunar New Year! Kung Hei Fat Choy!
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The sports puns frequently give me my first smile of the day.
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Alexandra-
恭禧发财.
This was a nice touch.
Thank you and right back at you on your new beginning as well.
恭禧发财.
This was a nice touch.
Thank you and right back at you on your new beginning as well.
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To all my fellow Monkeys, Happy Chinese New Year!
Thank you for a great first column Alexandra. I must say that I admire your ambitious plan to walk the streets of New York. It reminds me of William Helmreich's "The New York Nobody Knows," which was inspired and based on his traversing each and every street and block throughout the five boroughs.
What makes the start of my day special is the sometimes trivial facts that about our neighborhoods, which remind us of our city's mythology and compelling history. That being said, I always look forward to the end of this column. Itnwould be great to observe a greater focus in the outer boroughs. Being from the Bronx, it seems that my hometown of the northern borough is perpetually overlooked. It is in my opinion, the neighborhoods outside of Manhattan (with the exception of Upper Manhattan) that truly define the unending diversity and the resilience that characterizes New York City!
Thank you for a great first column Alexandra. I must say that I admire your ambitious plan to walk the streets of New York. It reminds me of William Helmreich's "The New York Nobody Knows," which was inspired and based on his traversing each and every street and block throughout the five boroughs.
What makes the start of my day special is the sometimes trivial facts that about our neighborhoods, which remind us of our city's mythology and compelling history. That being said, I always look forward to the end of this column. Itnwould be great to observe a greater focus in the outer boroughs. Being from the Bronx, it seems that my hometown of the northern borough is perpetually overlooked. It is in my opinion, the neighborhoods outside of Manhattan (with the exception of Upper Manhattan) that truly define the unending diversity and the resilience that characterizes New York City!
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A salute to that promising walking plan!
(And does the headline on your Twitter feed mean almost everybody you meet sings “You can call me Al” to you?)
Tune of You Can Call Me Al [a short version]
Reporter walks across each street
Says: What will catch your attention,
Now, what will catch your attention
When you’re grumpy at six a.m.?
Is that a story opportunity
To cause accord or dissension?
Something to wake you up -
Or just worthy of a mention?
(chorus)
You can fill the comment box
On what might help your morale
Or check the feed on twitter
The twitter feed will tell how to write to Al
Says you can write to Al
(And does the headline on your Twitter feed mean almost everybody you meet sings “You can call me Al” to you?)
Tune of You Can Call Me Al [a short version]
Reporter walks across each street
Says: What will catch your attention,
Now, what will catch your attention
When you’re grumpy at six a.m.?
Is that a story opportunity
To cause accord or dissension?
Something to wake you up -
Or just worthy of a mention?
(chorus)
You can fill the comment box
On what might help your morale
Or check the feed on twitter
The twitter feed will tell how to write to Al
Says you can write to Al
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Al dressed up and somewhere to go!
Welcome to the virtual NYToday community. :)
Welcome to the virtual NYToday community. :)
I love this one, Freddie!
Nice to have a little faux Paul Simon in the morning!
Good job!
Nice to have a little faux Paul Simon in the morning!
Good job!
1
Great read. Bring this to London please!
3
Welcome to the start of my day! Your walking plan is brilliant and will certainly generate lots of interesting stories. Maybe you should start someplace other than Manhattan.
10
Yes, totally agree with Karen. Walk the boroughs.
3
I agree.
The way you talked about East/West streets and North/South avenues certainly sounds very Manhattan oriented. I noticed that, too. Hopefully, you'll be mindful of all the boroughs in your column.
But I loved the Chinese greeting! And I wish upon a happy, heathy, productive stay at NY Today.
The way you talked about East/West streets and North/South avenues certainly sounds very Manhattan oriented. I noticed that, too. Hopefully, you'll be mindful of all the boroughs in your column.
But I loved the Chinese greeting! And I wish upon a happy, heathy, productive stay at NY Today.
4
Karen is correct.
The column is "New York Today" - not "Manhattan Today."
The column is "New York Today" - not "Manhattan Today."
What a lovely voice on this snowy Lunar New Year Eve. Clearly a beautiful passing of the baton from the old to the new. Best of luck to all.
12
What a wonderful first column Alexandra. congratulations. It went down extremely smoothly with my morning oatmeal and coffee. Keep up the great work!
15
Happy year of the Monkey,
The one not at the zoo,
The simian who insists
He's much more gifted than you.
This monkey did two years
In the Army, like you, alas,
Except that he rose from Private
To Primate First Class.