Rainy Days in NYC

Rainy days can only be enjoyed from indoors, preferably under a tin roof and preferably at night. If we're going to be specific, wine should be in hand, fireplace should be crackling, guilty pleasure TV show should be playing, and godlike man should be near, pretending to enjoy said show. They absolutely cannot be enjoyed three days in a row in the middle of winter during the work week in NYC. I sit at my desk, peer out the window at the dismal world beyond, pout, daydream of summer and repeat. And once I've realized that I've forgotten my rain boots, the depression really sets in. Dramatic, I know, and exactly why I did some planning ahead for these very soggy days.

Combat again the rain began on Monday with a visit to the American Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side. I hadn't been in three years, and was pleasantly surprised with the new exhibits, most notably, the Titanosaur. At 122 feet long and weighing 70 tons, this thing was a beast. Its front tooth was literally the size of my torso. My favorite exhibit, however, has always been the fuzzy animals. There's nothing like a little taxidermy to lighten the mood. After the museum, I ended the night with great friends, good beer and free candy at Dive 75, and no thoughts were wasted on the rain.

Adventures on Tuesday came next, with a long overdue visit from a best friend. She was visiting with her boyfriend, so we started our double date night at a tapas spot, Donostia, in the East Village. The dishes were small, but the food was exquisite and the wine affordable. The Chorizo Picante Banderilla and the Plato de Charcuteria y Queso deserve a special shout out. Just say the words "salt-cured meat" and I'm sold. The real highlight of the night, however, came later. After a good two hours of eating and drinking, we headed to a comedy show in the West Village. The Comedy Cellar, on the corner of MacDougal and West 3rd, might be the best comedy club in all of NYC. While it's the only one I've been to, I have nothing but praise for both the venue and the performers, and mine seems a shared opinion amongst New Yorkers. The club seats up to 200 people in its cozy underground location, and it's slightly tiered tables guarantee all parties a great view. The brick walls, stained glass accents and the close proximity of the viewers and comedians help create a perfect ambiance. And then there are the comedians. Each show is comprised of roughly six acts, big names and rising stars, and every performance we saw was absolutely hilarious. Additionally, famous acts that aren't listed on the line-up frequently drop in. These surprise acts include Louis C.K., Amy Shumer, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle. We were lucky enough to have the host of The Daily Show, Trevor Noah, unexpectedly make an appearance. Thank you, Comedy Cellar, I've officially been charmed.

To conclude the week of bad weather, Max and I went to see Aladdin on Broadway. I have never seen so much glitter, and extravagant doesn't even come close to describing the show. The actors were phenomenal, the set beautiful, and the performance over the top in the absolute best way possible.

Here's to hoping this weekend can compete.



Beasts.

Unfortunately (but understandably) taking pictures inside the Comedy Cellar isn't allowed, but here are a few from their website:

Bill Burr 

Louis C.K. 

Judah Friedlander

Robin Williams

Jon Stewart

Also no pictures allowed within the theatre, but here are a few of Aladdin I found online:

Palazzo Chupi

    You can expect to see the unexpected in New York City; characters and stores worthy of second glances. I regret not taking a picture of the man dubbed Chandelier and his friend King Charles V…or was it the VI? Chandelier had a head full of dreads that he habitually spray-painted gold, and King Charles was a wandering man with nothing but a rocking horse and a portfolio of amateur photographs. I had been putzing around NoHo with a couple of friends and when we came across these two, a quick chat was too tempting to pass up. Before ending our amicable conversation, I managed to touch one of Chandelier’s metallic stalactites (I honestly have no idea what prompted me to reach out) and purchase a King Charles original print for $1. I asked the King if he would sign the back with a personal message and indeed he did: “I like pizza”.

But I digress, on a completely different note, while I was walking down W. 11^th in the far West Village, I was awestruck by the site of of a massive pink complex looming over its’ neighboring apartments. Palazzo Chupi, the name that is printed on the front of the building, is a set of residential condominiums designed by artist Julian Schnabel. Schnabel has received both praise and protest for his lavish design that is debated to be a work of art and a homage to himself. 

The 50,000 sq ft structure includes a triplex, two duplexes, two single-floor residences, an indoor parking garage and a swimming pool. Before Schnabel discovered the building through artist Roy Lichtenstein, it had acted as a stable and a perfume factory. These days, Palazzo Chupi remains relatively vacant save for the duplex that Schnabel occupies. Apparently Richard Gere purchased one of the single-floor residences for $12 million a few years back but never moved in...I think all that pink left him chupified.

Here are the shots I took:

And now for some Chupa Chup access only pics:

via here

Last but not least, the artist himself: 

Julian Schnabel via here