The Building Vanishes

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How cool is this?

The See-Through Skyscraper

Once in a while…when the light and the angles are just right, a skyscraper can come close to vanishing.

That happened last Thursday, when the 52 floors of 7 World Trade Center faded into the cloud-flecked blue of a late summer afternoon. Its masonry neighbors (140 West Street and 90 West Street) stood out in contrast.

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That’s not Photoshop trickery, folks. It’s an unedited pic. I usually have nothing but distain for glass towers, but I have to admit that this is really nice.

Whores in the Museum

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People come from all over the world to visit the Museum of Modern Art. For some, it’s the only reason to visit New York. MoMA is just 10 short blocks from my office—a few minute jaunt up 5th Avenue. Benevolent Dictators, Inc. is a corporate sponsor and by showing my company ID, I avoid paying the $20 admission fee and I can jump the queue. I’m very lucky in that regard. If I don’t pop in for a visit every so often, I start to feel like a Big Loser who doesn’t take advantage of some nice things that are laid out on my table. Plus, I really like looking at paintings. Always have. So it doesn’t feel obligatory.
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I saw the Ernst Kirchner exhibit last night. I knew very little about him going in. I loved it. Do you know that thrill you get when you discover something new? I got it last night. I wish it occurred more frequently. It seems that the older you get, the less it happens.
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Kirchner was a German Expressionist who lived in Berlin around the turn of the century. The focus of the exhibit was a series of Berlin Street Scenes.
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The exhibit’s centerpiece was seven amazing works painted in 1914 that feature elegantly dressed prostitutes working the busy Berlin streets. He had a sharp, knife edge style that worked perfectly for urban images. The exhibit was padded with some studies and sketches, which I always think is such a cheap shot. What artist wants his working sketches exhibited? It’d be no different than authors releasing working copies of their manuscripts. It’s ridiculous. Stop it.
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I felt I should have a counterweight to all that high art so after MoMA, I ducked into a theater and saw Tropic Thunder. I paid $12 to get in and it was, at best, a $5 movie so if you see Ben Stiller, tell him he owes me $7 bucks.

Free Tips From the Buddah 6

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We who are like senseless children
Shrink from suffering, but love its causes.
We hurt ourselves; our pain is self-inflicted!
Why should others be the object of our anger?

Santideva, Bodhicaryavatara

Whiny Wealthy White Folk

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The Upper East Side of Manhattan is an enclave of astonishing wealth. They are the idle rich that you and I envy. One of the cultural epicenters of all this wealth is the 92nd Street Y. Every fall, the Y holds a series of lectures. It’s all very stimulating stuff and tickets can become a hot item, not necessarily because of the subject matter, but because of the unrelenting need for wealthy folks to feel like they’re a part of something exclusive. For instance, if rumor has it that Meryl Streep might attend the Sigd: Ethiopian Jewish Celebration, tickets will suddenly become scarce and sought after.

The midday lectures are the best. Who do you suppose is able to attend a midday lecture? Wealthy people who do not need to work a proper job, of course. These lectures are tailored to address the problems and challenges facing this exclusive clientele. They’ve just released the fall schedule and here, verbatim, are some of the lectures that address the more pressing issues facing those beleaguered souls:

Tue, Oct 28
When Your Grown Kids Disappoint You
[How sweet.
“Mom, do you want to come to dinner on Tuesday night?”
“I can’t. I’m attending a lecture on how to cope with my disappointment in you.”
I’ve noticed that there are no lectures for children who have been burdened with the failed dreams of their parents.]

Thu, Nov 6
The Truth About Why Women Lie
[That would be a paradox, right?]

Wed, Nov 12
Beyond Botox: Advanced Anti-Aging
[The audience is a room full of smiling stone-faced bitties clutching Hermès birkin bags.]

Fri, Nov 14
Salt
[Huh?]

Wed, Nov 19
Mothers-In-Law and Daughters-In-Law: Love and Hate
[I’m betting the emphasis is on hate.]

Mrs. Wife and I saw the Dali Llama speak at the 92 St Y. He’s a mumbley son-of-a-gun and because we were seated in the back, we couldn’t understand a single word he said.