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03/25/05 The Missing Astor Place Cube; Peter, Natalie and I hang in Astoria; Natalie Bakes Pie, Wraps Birthday Gifts:
With both my Brother and Mother's birthdays coming up, and David's
right around the corner, there are a lot of gifts flying around. It's
like a little rider to Christmas.
Our Dining Room Table's centerpiece has become the three boxes that comprise our Mother's gift... a new stereo system.
Peter and I head up to Astor Place to meet up with Natalie, just out of work, and shopping.
I notice something funny on the concrete triangle in the middle of the
Astor Place intersection. Not only is the famous black cube sculpture
gone, but in its place, a neighborhood resident apparently has built a
replacement out of PVC pipes.
A galiant effort, if not a bit rickety and slightly smaller than the
original. And I wouldn't reccomend pushing on this one to spin it in a
circle as the old one would. Was this the end of the Astor Place
cube?!?!
This fake cube was still creating the much-needed "sense of place" that
the cube-less concrete slab never seems to be able to do on its own. I
had a feeling that as long as this cube lasted, people would still hang
out around it, as they did the old one. But the moment this collapses,
part of NYC's streetscape is lost. Not just a physical part, but a
social part as well. How could you meet at the information booth in
Grand Central if it wasn't there? Or, better yet, would you feel more
or less comfortable standing in the middle of Grand Central's cavernous
main chamber if there was no round booth in the middle? How would the
experience be changed if the booth were there, but the clock on top
were removed?
Random shot of a person on the 6 train who had done some major shopping, and was inundated with her own baggage.
Incredibles Pez Dispensers!!! Yeah! Peter, Natalie and I went to the
Japanese market on Broadway in Astoria near Natalie's place.
It looked appealing. But it tasted a little gross. The syrup was very sweet... but the balls were very... asian.
Cup-o-noodles with panda marshmallows in it! Or... Panda somethings. But in any case, PANDAS!!! Oh and dogs too!
In order to be "legally" sold in this country, a new sticker had to be
put on the back... which is a good thing, because the little bit of
english on that sticker is the only way we know what the heck it is.
We headed back to Brooklyn, having had our fill of Astoria for one
night. We got a train with a "railfan" window, or front window that we
could clearly see through.
Back at the Apartment in Park Slope, Natalie got to work baking a pie! Apple Pie!
She has some issues with the crust.
And finally, Natalie wrapped Peter and David's gifts.
