- Me: Ahh, I was wondering why there were so many news people set up in Times Square.
- Me and Jose: Facebook IPO.
- Jose: Silly rich people.
I’m back at MTV HQ project managing Fantasy Election ‘12 - an online game on top of Election 2012. I am super happy to be working on this project and love that I look out a window (whoo hoo!).
BUT. I am not stoked to be back in Times Square daily. And to top it off, there seems to be something going on with the building’s 44th Street exit at the end of the day, so we’re all forced to funnel out of the 45th Street exit even though my subway entrance is closer to 44th Street. Major bummer. Now you may think, “one block?! She’s whining about having to walk one more block?!” but here’s a little look into what the corner of 45th and Broadway looks like in the evening. Blargh.
P.S. Take a closer look at those faces. NOBODY seems happy to be in Times Square when it’s like this.
Back story: In the middle of 44th Street there was a divider of snow making two “lanes” of traffic. This NYPD patrol car came directly after a snow plow that should have put it’s plow down and cleared the snow divide… but didn’t. The patrol car followed the snow plow’s path (instead of going to one of the clear “lanes” on either side of the divide) and got stuck. This is a 1:34 of it’s struggle to get unstuck (condensed to :24), even asking a cab with a passenger inside to give it a little push. The patrol car finally got free after about 15 minutes of struggling and cars backed up for as far as we could see. It was all much funnier than this video, but here it is anyhow ;)
Family in town from California meant riding the Ferris wheel in Toys R Us. E.T. came along for the ride. Times Square, NYC. October 4, 2010
Midtown Manhattan, NYC. October 12, 2010.
Midtown Manhattan, NYC. October 12, 2010.
Ever since I read the NY Times article on the Pop-Tarts World pop-up store in Times Square, I’ve wanted to eat Pop-Tarts sushi while getting frosted.
Working in Times Square pretty much sucks, but sometimes we get some fun randomness (or random funness?). I recognize that I would never partake in any of it if I didn’t HAVE to go there daily, so sometimes the neighborhood is a’ight (it’s rare, but you get my point).
A group of us ditched work early and field tripped to Pop-Tarts World on 42nd Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. We got a sampling of carby goodness: Pop-Tarts sushi (ground Pop-Tarts wrapped in fruit roll-up which actually looked more like Pop-Tarts sausage, but guessing that would’ve been a harder sell), green apple wedges stuffed with Pop-Tarts (tasted like apple pie), a couple strudel things with Pop-Tarts baked in (they warmed them up, would’ve been killer with ice cream), and a Rice Crispy treat with Pop-Tarts chunks throughout that could be topped with various things like coconut, fudge and sprinkles. By the end, we were frosted (meaning we caught the light show with a booming voice over calling out the various stages of becoming a Pop-Tart, and employees running around cheering GET FROSTED! GET FROSTED!) and sugar sick.
Pop-Tarts World was everything I wanted it to be - a good old fashioned shit show of American gluttony with an 80s soundtrack and a legion of overly excited staff members. The experience was kind of like going to an amusement park or state fair - gross but good, you have to go with fun people who want to dive in (if only to mock it all later) and everyone leaves with a bellyache/dumbstruck at what just happened. It was surreal and totally weird, but what can I say? I loved it. Check out the Pop-Tarts World website if you can’t make it to Times Square.
Awkward Elevator Banter at Work
- Chick: Hiiii, how are you?!
- Dude: I'm good, I'm good. How are you?
- Chick: Good, good. You know.
- Dude: Good.
- Chick: How are things?
- Dude: Trucking along, you know.
- Chick: Good, good. Oh, I know. Your team is always trucking along!
- Dude: Yup. Just trucking. Big trucks. Lots of trucks. (both politely laugh)
- Chick: Oh, good to hear! It's been so busy.
- Dude: Yup, busy busy!
- Chick: Good, good. Busy is good.
- Dude: Yup.
- (Silence)
Ohhh, the joys of working in Times Square. This significantly less buff (but kind) Naked Cowboy is part of a franchise. That’s right, he’s #2 (seriously). This guy lives in the same town as The Official Naked Cowboy, and every day both of them drive into the city from Jersey. In an Escalade.
The Official Naked Cowboy has been gracing the streets of NYC for the last ten years, and (in case you were wondering) he’s also a reverend that will marry you in Times Square for the low starting price of $499. To book your wedding package and purchase other awesomeness (his books, album, autographed items, etc), check out his official website. Amazeballs.
Tribute to Edith Shain (the nurse in the post below). By the Creative Intelligence Agency.
The Times Square Alliance has organized a Kiss-In tomorrow, inviting people to recreate the moment after WWII ended, “in honor of the US Armed Forces and in celebration of the universal ideals of peace, love and hope.”
They’ve even brought in a 26 foot tall bronze sculpture called Unconditional Surrender. Located at 44th and Broadway, it’s “the exact spot the famous kiss took place” 65 years earlier on August 14th, 1945.
Awesome sight going into work.
The Unwind
When I lived in Manhattan, both downtown and uptown, I would walk home from work when I needed to unwind. Sometimes I wouldn’t get out of the office until late (9 to 11pm-ish) and walking home would be my outside time. My alone time.
Now that I live in Brooklyn, I take a train to walk home. But I have a pretty good path laid out. I’ve done it with Lex, but more often than not, I do it alone.
First I walk from Times Square to the the V train entrance on 6th Ave.

I ride down to Delancey St and walk over the Williamsburg Bridge.



(I love bridges)
Once I get to Brooklyn, I walk towards Bedford Ave/McCarren Park.


I stop at The Turkey’s Nest on 12th St and Bedford Ave and get a large to go cup of Miller Lite (cheap drinks served in styrofoam cups for the win). Note: when I’m with another person, I like to make a version of the beergarita by getting two large Miller Lites and one small frozen margarita, and drinking down the beers enough to pour half of the margarita in each. Yumski. (original beergarita recipe at the end)


I usually get my to go cup and sit in the park for a little bit of a break. (On this particular day, I came across another street piano - yay). After a couple songs on the iPod and my fill of people watching, I continue the walk home.

I try to find places I haven’t noticed before between Williamsburg and home. This place was cute (Goods) and busy. Wade and I ended up eating there a few days later. About an hour or so later, I’ve made it home and the unwind is complete. Thanks to Lex for introducing me to the Turkey’s Nest :)
Original Beergarita Recipe
- 1 can frozen limeade, defrosted
- 8 beers (can be totally crappy beer, i.e. Natty Light)
- Tequila to taste
In a large pitcher, mix the beer and limeade. Add tequila to taste. If it’s too sweet, add more beer or tequila. If it’s not sweet enough, add more limeade. Enjoy! (Recipe credit goes to Megan and Joseph’s friend, Polly)
Keys to the City
After work today, Lex and I spilled into the middle of Times Square, bleary eyed and ready to haul back to Brooklyn. In one of those large center sections, we walked by the small shack and tent with astro turf that’s been parked there for the month of June. It’s usually shut when I walk to work, but tonight was alive and busy with workers in Creative Time shirts and participators queued up, reading little passport sized books and chatting.
What the hell, we decided. Let’s get a key to the city.
I love NYC for its random and cool interactive/outdoor art. I don’t know if they crop up more in the summer, or if I run into/seek out more art in the warmer months. Either way, I find myself changing up my day and forgetting about the grind by participating (stuff like this also always makes me want to be an artist). The passport books we got have different spots in every borough which all have something to unlock with the key (it works!). Doors, boxes, and special rooms in churches, museums and restaurants all open with our keys.
The line was short and after impressing each other with all the ways we could use our new key (single dangling earring, reminiscent of the 80’s, for example), we were signing a public ledger and bestowing gifts upon one another. I gave Lex her key “in consideration of her love of cupcakes and chickpeas,” and she gave me mine for my love of unicorns and rainbow sprinkles. Worthy considerations, fo sho.
For now, my official key to the city (it really is for the month of June) shares a ring with my two house keys, making me smile every time I pull them out.







