Archives for February 2008

The Associated Press reported yesterday that according to Rick Bell, the head of the Center for Architecture, the Empire State Building is not on his list of “10 great buildings to see in New York.”

However, the list “does include the Conde Nast Building in Times Square, which is considered the first green skyscraper; the Apple store in Soho, noted for its glass bridge and staircase; and the Seagram Building, the only design in New York by famed architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.”

Of the Brooklyn Museum, designed by James Stewart Polshek in 2004, Bell admires that the “glass and steel circular structure modernized the museum’s imposing 19th century Beaux Arts facade while making it inviting and accessible, a suitable centerpiece for Brooklyn’s burgeoning hipster art scene.”

Of the Chrysler Building, Bell writes it is “a phenomenal example of Art Deco architecture that is both elegant and fun, from the distinctive tiered crown, easily picked out from the city skyline, to the enormous gargoyles shaped like radiator caps.”

Considering it costs $10 to purchase a domain, $50-100 for a decent annual hosting plan, and minimal effort to create some HTML and upload pictures or scan PDF files, why isn’t every restaurant and bakery online?

Take a look at the blogroll to the right; There’s a simple explanation why the Thirsty Whale, Stella’s, Park Lunch, and the Finest Kind are missing: have no website. I’m all for restaurants thriving from word-of-mouth, but how would a tourist know of the delicious food at Stella’s if there is no online menu?

Surely, service industry venues have the capital so if it comes down to finding that time and effort, I’ll bet many high school students can do the work for cash or for free. If not, I will.

Maybe the solution is the Chamber of Commerce, if not an ad-hoc business association, should create a sub-folder on their website for this purpose. Call it chamberofcommerce.org/restaurants and list every restaurant with PDF menu.

I can’t accurately say my TV is on in the background as it sits some 10 feet in front of me. If anything, it’s in the foreground.

In either case, I have the E! Network on, half-watching the red carpet affair as actors and musicians make their way into the Academy Award show.

Granted, I watched less movies in the theatre last year than years’ past, but who are some of these people? And what’s with Ryan Seacrest interviewing people and not Melissa Rivers? Did she switch networks? When did The Rock revert back to Dwayne Johnson?

Looking again at the Oscar nominees, I really need to get out to the movies more. I saw “In the Valley of Elah” (Tommy Lee Jones for Best Actor), “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” (Makeup & Visual Effects), “3:10 to Yuma” (Musical score), and “Lars and the Real Girl” (Original Screenplay).

Everything else is on my, err, list of films to see. Based on what wins tonight, they’ll likely return to the theatres and I’ll get out for affordable matinees.

No offense to whoever owns this Salisbury farm, but when I drove by it recently, I couldn’t help but snap a picture. Any guesses what is, err, sold here?

Delicious enough for Universal Hub to appreciate.

Dr. Mitchell Bamberger joined the staff of Anna Jaques Hospital in November 2007, yet his smiling face continues to bless the advertising space of The Daily News’ website.

Moreover, clicking the ad returns an invalid link.

I know some folks who paid $200+ last year and went skydiving in Connecticut. I’d like to do that. I have no desire to go bungee jumping, though. Even though I would skydive in tandem with a certified instructor, I’d be in more control of my body than a rope yanking me around like a Barbie doll.

Maybe I want to skydive because I always wanted to fly.

Base jumping is like flying. It is the act of donning a wingsuit, tossing oneself off a high cliff or building, and pulling the parachute chord when about to land. Unlike skydiving, base jumping (featured in various James Bond movies, for instance) does not require FAA approval.

Check out the below video of some base jumpers, aka quote-unquote Supermen, who are flying in Norway.

Looks fun!

I vectored the video from Chief Magazine and Alan Lepofsky. There is a different version on this blog by Volker Weber.