Keith Birthday vs. Russia part V – Berlin: This Club is Legend/Disappointing Music/Grrrlz on E?
This is the first part in a (hopefully) ongoing series in which Keith Birthday will recount some of the more interesting moments of his recent travels through Europe. This post originally appeared on rubpawpress.com
the warehousey exterior of an otherwise famous Berilnese club
We had put on our ‘best threads’. We expected to stand in line; he had heard so much about this ‘awesome warehouse club’ and how it was the ‘best party in Berlin’. Located in East Berlin, near the Friedrichshain district, Panoramabar/Berghain had gained a reputation of being ‘super exclusive and totally rad’. So I had high expectations, as any person would after hearing such praise.
There were four of us, the two girls A. and AK (German), and K. my male traveling companion. I knew A. through my sister and through the internet; they had gone to school together in Germany (sister was an exchange student) and upon hearing that I was going to Berlin, A. took the liberty of becoming my ‘internet friend’ in order that we could establish some contact before I arrived. AK was A’s friend who was visiting from home. Maybe it was the constant switching between German (the Germans and I) Russian (A, K, and I) and English (everyone), but when the four of us had met for drinks earlier, the conversation had felt a little restrained and awkward, so I was slightly skeptical as to how the rest of the night would play out.
It had taken us a while to find the building (massive warehouse) where the club was located. We had encountered what AK had insisted was the Berlin wall (it wasn’t) and numerous drunk folks wandering about looking for the same place, it seems that everybody had been there once before but had absolutely no clue how to find it again, being that ‘a friend had taken me there’. We found it eventually (it was behind and to the left of the hardware superstore).
McJAWN Goes to 2009 CMJ
Words and Photos by Edgar Alan Dough
CMJ in New York is like all the things that make Philly better rolled up into one week – long lines, industry dickheads, overzealous scenesters and 7-dollar beers. But that didn’t stop McJAWN for stepping out and getting in on the action. Here’s a rundown of the things we saw, heard, and _______________
Speaking In Code | a Documentary film by Amy Grill
Described by the film makers as “a human movie about computer music”, Speaking In Code is about the techno scene across the world, and more-so about the people involved. Amy Grill and her husband, David Day live in Boston, where David is trying to ignite a fire in the Red Sox Nation, hoping to turn them into bass thumping club-going techno-heads. As hilarious as this premise sounds, it’s actually not. His struggles to transform his home-town are cut together with other stories of come-up and struggle in lands where techno does reign supreme. In Germany, the film follows dudes like Modeselektor, and The Wighnomy Brothers (apparently they are famous), and journalist-ternt-DJ Philip Sherburne in Barcelona. The movie’s pretty entertaining thanks to the characters, but much like the music it documents, too often over-the-top and self indulgent.
Watch the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy4uqwSxwfE
Bananas! | a Documentary film by Fredrik Gertten
A deeply disturbing and fucked-up tale of a lawsuit filed by the workers of Nicaragua against Dole Food Company over pesticides used at the banana fields causing sterility in the workers. In the second poorest nation in The Americas, agriculture work is the main source of employment, so when it was found out that Dole’s pesticides cause sterility, the number of affected men was in the thousands. Bananas! follows LA-based ambulance chasing lawyer, Juan Dominguez, as he preps the case, rallies the plaintiffs, and cruises down Sunset in his red Ferrari. The characters are rich, and the story is heartbreaking. Though, loose ends and the world’s inability to ever really get retribution for wrongs done by big corporations, ultimately makes it a dissatisfying film, unfortunately.
Watch the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VYPQ6jJKWY
Better Recognize Showcase | @ BB Kings
After standing in line for long enough to start talking to the police horses that make Times Square smell like the petting zoo at TKTKT Philly’s Zoo, the show, put on by Nah Right and OnSmash.com began. The first act we caught was Stalley, who was joined by Mickey Factz. The up-and-comer spit some knowledge-laden lyrics and put on a dope show for an opening act. Then came the main attraction for the night for many, young Atlanta trap-star Pill. After rocking the shit out of some new joints, bringing out Gary, Indiana’s own Freddie Gibbs, and delivering two renditions of his Pink City anthem, “Trap Goin’ Ham”, he left the stage a considerable amount more crunked than when he arrived.
A couple more dynamic duos followed afterward, Kidz in the Hall and Wiz Khalifa & Curren$y. Consequence followed with a short set, and brought out young Mr. Cudi, who proclaimed (as he usually does), “I’m wasted!!!” as he got the mic to perform “Make Her Say” and “Sky Might Fall”. What was supposed to be the highlight of the night was Gucci Mane protege and frequent money-getter, OJ Da Juiceman. But even as Miss Info was introducing him with lavish praise, the bridge-n-tunnel crowd was getting their Silky Johnson on (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Dzxef1muoQ). Even his biggest hit, “Make The Trap Say Aye”, couldn’t save him, and he was booed the entire 15 minutes he was on stage. Tragic.
The headliners did their damn thing. Rae, the supreme coke commander of the Wu-Tang Clan, ran through classics like “C.R.E.A.M.” and bangers off his new classic album like “Catalina”. Scratchy voice and all, dude still puts on a dope show. The homies from Yonkers also tore through LOX classics like “Money, Power, Respect” as well as solo cuts, like “Blow My Mind”, and “I Get High”. Too bad all that dope hip hop couldn’t make the hate in the room dissipate. Give love a chance, guys.
Keith Birthday vs. Russia Part IV: A Belated Letter To Moscow
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Dear Moscow,
I went to you about a month ago, and I know it’s probably a bit belated, but I wanted to let you know how I spent my time there.
I drank lots of Jaguar brand malt liquor/energy drink with other Americans. We then proceeded to get lost a lot while walking around/trying to find something we were looking for. We usually ended up finding an alternative that was twenty times better than we ever anticipated.
I went to the American embassy where I kinda met the ambassador. I had to be escorted everywhere and the Russian police check your passports before the embassy officials do. They have a nice swimming pool there. The meetings were pretty boring, though. I’m glad I’m not an American citizen living there, though. I think I’d go crazy.
Hotel room parties are always super fun, buying cakes from disgruntled ladies at corner stores is also fun. We gave Helen a sweet nickname but we forgot it almost immediately, and it still eludes us to this day.
There are way too many portraits of aristocracy in the one Tretyakov gallery. The other Tretyakov gallery had a lot of bad modern art, especially in the non-permanent exhibitions. You should make it clearer if we’re supposed to play with the radio controlled cars or not. We were afraid that one of the old ladies who mind the galleries was going to yell at us.
Seeing one old-lady-gallery-watcher aggressively on the prow was funny, especially when she would yell at little children for eating instead of yelling at the parent that was holding their hand. This became even funnier when juxtaposed with her coworker on the other side of the room who was sound asleep in her chair. I love foils.
I got to play the banjo, that’s always a plus, even if there now is somewhat embarrassing video footage of it.
Red Square is beautiful, but I don’t understand why everybody wants to stand in line for five hours to see Lenin’s preserved body. It’s pretty creepy to look at a dead guy. Most Russians seem to agree with me.
I’ve figured out your metro system. It’s a good one. I like the really long escalators. A lot of them make me think about space stations.
Visiting children in elementary schools is heartwarming, especially when they practice their English on you.
All of the old ladies selling things at subway entrances in a sort of slipshod flea market form is rather funny, until you learn that they are doing that because they invested their life savings in these products and they really have no other means of survival. Then it’s sad.
The fact that people can still smoke in hotel lobbies makes me think of movies with people smoking in hotel lobbies. Usually, they are black and white.
Your hotel receptionists are pretty and extremely helpful. They way they react when given flowers (even though they were given to us in the first place) is magical. I can’t remember the last time I saw someone tear up with surprise/confusion/happiness.
I was the last one to leave, so I got to ride with some folks to the airport I hadn’t seen since I arrived in Russia. I almost got nostalgic, it was where I first set foot here two point nine months ago. I then got to ride back to the hotel and then to the other airport. I feel like I covered a lot of ground.
Yours,
Keith Birthday
Keith Birthday vs. Russia Part III: (your predicate here)
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Are you the American? Would you like to
join my club/work at my school/translate this for me/tell me what this means/come to my class/speak at this conference/give me private english lessons/carry this up the stairs/eat dinner at my house/meet my parents/date my daughter/give me your phone number/tell me how i can go to america for free/get me a job in america/walk my dog/housesit for me/do my homework/say something in english/host me when i defect to america/have a drink with me/let me touch your hair/show me your passport/show me your driver’s license/give me this twenty dollar bill/teach me perfect english in three months/never leave/marry my daughter/tell me about america/text message chat with my friend who wants to practice her english/tell me what is different about russia/meet a nice russian girl/tell me what you think about russian girls/come over for dinner?
Keith Birthday vs. Russia Part II: Late Night Taxi Arguments
The other night (friday, after the boobie club) I had what was probably one of the most unique, yet retrospectively unnecessary arguments of my entire life. After departing from the club on Friday night, having quite my fill of fun, I began to walk home in what I though was the correct direction (later evidence proved that I was actually going the right way, even though one must not always trust oneself after considerable amounts of drinking).
Once I reached what appeared to be my street (it was), I realized that it was mostly unlit. I do not claim to be some sort of infinitely savvy urban dweller oozing savoir faire, but if there is one thing I’ve learned about traveling through urban environs on foot, it is that it is a big no-no to walk anywhere that lacks streetlights unless you are seven feet tall, extremely muscular and athletic, and armed to the teeth. So as a result, I looked around for alternatives. There wasn’t a bus stop in sight, and even so, I wasn’t entirely sure if they were even running at that hour (to be honest, I wasn’t even sure what time it was, although it did appear the sun was about to start breaking over the horizon). In addition, I had not yet (and still haven’t) ridden the bus in Tomsk, and therefore had little idea as to how the system functioned (although I was informed earlier that evening that it had something to do with getting on, announcing one’s desire to stop at the appropriate time, and then paying as one departed. I found this system to be intimidating and useless because:
- I wasn’t sure what bus to take [they aren't labeled with anything but numbers]
- I had no idea what stop to announce
- I didn’t have bus fare on me, and there was no way a driver was going to break a 500 ruble bill for a 12 ruble bus fare [I wasn't that far gone, you see])
All ridiculously long parentheticals aside (sorry about that), I ruled out the option of the bus. Therefore, there only remained one last option: a taxi. I figured this would be simple enough, there were plenty of legitimate looking taxis about (cars manufactured this century by recognizable makes), my consumption of mildly intoxicating amounts of alcohol convinced me that my knowledge of my address and Russian (ha) would be able to quite efficiently communicate my destination, and I had enough money on me to pay for a taxi.
A Russian Cab (not the one I was in)
So I hailed the next non-threatening cab I saw, and trotted over to the passenger side window. I inquired as to how much it would cost me to travel from my current location to my apartment, and he answered quite clearly «140 Rubles». I thought it a little on the expensive side, but I wasn’t going to argue with a safe trip home. He then drove as taxi drivers do (dangerously and unnecessarily fast) until we stopped outside my apartment. I handed him my bill, and he handed me what I assumed was correct change (think again). I then non-chalantly counted it and realized he had given me but 300 Rubles, and was (in my mind) trying to short me 60 Rubles (about two dollars). Not knowing how the tipping system worked in Russia, I inquired as to why he did not provide me with adequate change. «I don’t have it» he replied, to which I informed him that I did not believe him and that I was not going to get out of the taxi without the change that I expected. So we sat there and argued for a while, he claiming that there wasn’t a way for him to give me the money and me arguing that I thought he wasn’t telling the truth and that he should provide correct change to his patrons (it really was a lot simpler than that, I have no clue how to say «patron», or «change», or even «truth» in Russian. I’m pretty sure I just kept reiterating that I didn’t believe him).
Suddenly, the cabbie put his car into gear and shot off, away from my apartment. Slightly taken aback (really really scared) I asked him where we were off to, and he replied simply «to the store». Upon asking him why, he said «to get money». Simple enough, I suppose, but as far as I knew there were few stores that were going to be open at this hour (then again, I still wasn’t really sure what hour it was). So we pull up to the first store, and he departs from the vehicle and walks up to the door. At first I’m afraid that his main goal is to somehow gather a small army and have them physically remove me from the car and dumped out onto the street to find my own way home, but I see that the store is closed and he can’t get inside. Relieved, I watch him walk back to the car, where he emits a long sigh and drives on, presumably to another store. That store is also closed, so we move on to another. This one is finally open, and he goes inside and gets change from the cashier (this whole serious of events takes place over approximately 15 to 20 minutes, after just a four minute taxi ride). Finally he gives me my change, but we are about three minutes from my apartment. «Get out!» he says, to which I reply I have no intentions of departing the vehicle until I am deposited in front of my apartment (after all, it’s what I paid for) and he drives me back. Our social collision concludes and I safely arrive home.
Upon waking up the next morning, I began to really contemplate what had transpired. Was I a jerk for demanding that he give me correct change, or was he a jerk for not having correct change? Was there anyone who was actually at fault? Did he recognize my accent and as a result label me as an ‘ugly American’? Was I being ignorant? Was I an idiot for arguing in the first place?
I also realized how absolutely absurd it was for him to cart me around while getting the correct denominations with which to pay me back. Then again, it seemed almost noble to me that he was willing to go through so much to provide me with correct change, even though it was probably one of the most frustrating experiences he ever had.
In the way that stories often end, I think we both learned a lesson. I learned that whatever happened in that cab was unique and beautiful, that I will probably never have an experience like that again, and that in the end, it was quite amusing (I also learned that I can argue in Russia at least semi-successfully). I think he learned to carry more change.
Keith Birthday vs. Russia: part 1
So here I am in Tomsk, Russia, a city of relatively small size but of considerable (at least up to this point) latent Soviet charm. This is apparent through the statues of Lenin/ancient Russian little buses. All in all a pretty place.
I didn’t actually get any sleep on the flight from Atlanta to Moscow, although I did take some Tylenol PM and hope for the best. There are a number of factors that probably contributed to my lack of dozing:
- The fact that on my left was an old Russian man who needed a bath
- The fact that on my right was an American with an interesting life story who was morbidly obese and needed a cane to get up. (this seating situation made me feel guilty whenever I had to get up to pee)
- The terrible movie they were playing that I couldn’t stop watching (17 again). It made me feel very creepy via the 17 year old hitting on his wife/daughter trying to make out with dad’s 17 year old self. I can’t believe I watched the whole thing
- Nervousness, trying to wrap my head around the fact that I was moving to Russia.
Either way, we touched down safely in Moscow at 10 AM and I made it though passport control without a problem.
Next, I had to negotiate the problem of getting to the one airport at one end of the city to the other on the opposite end of the city. I had some instructions given to me by the former fulbrighter here, but that did little in preparing me for the actual execution.
Airport
Upon exiting the airport, I literally had to strongarm an army of ‘taxis’ who would follow/taunt/try to intimidate you as you tried to walk by them. It was pretty surreal, but an interesting experience nonetheless. Outside, everything smelled like hot electricity, and the place looked rather desolate, I convinced myself it was because it was an airport, and they’re generally dismal.
AEROEXPRESS
Followed the signs to the AEROEXPRESS. Brand NEW! it takes you to the center of town in just 35 minutes! Acutally, this train service was pretty amazing, it was brand new and shiny and beautiful and comfortable and cheap (four bucks). Eventually this service will be able to take you directly from one airport until the other, but for now you have to navigate the subway in between airports, which turned out to be quite intimidating/fun.
Imagine if you will the New York subway system: hectic, bustling, intimidating, busy. Now imagine this same situation + prettier subway stations (in marble, but also dirtier) + everything in Russian. Getting a ticket was easy enough, but I was yelled at for not going through the turnstyle correctly (really?). I wandered around reading the signs in my painfully slow manner until I located the line I needed to find, grabbed the train and stared at the names of the subway stations until the one I was looking for appeared. I’m pretty sure this kid standing by the window thought I was some creeper staring at him because he eventually shifted nervously out of the way. Oh awkwardness how I never elude you!
Once I made it to the section of town where I needed to be to catch the train to get to the next airport, I took a look at the time and realized I had about 9 hours to kill. So I checked my luggage into the desk and wandered about to have a Moscovian adventure.
It took a while to guess what direction I should walk in, but then I decided to go with my boy scout survival instincts and decided to walk along the river (societies are generally there, you know). Lo and behold when about 20 minutes later I realized I was about a quarter mile from St. Basil’s cathedral in the flesh/brick. I commended myself for my accidental locating of Moscow’s most famous sites.
St. Basil's Cathedral
Another thing I’ve slowly come to realize is that I must look Russian/easy to talk to/knowledgeable because about 8 people asked me questions on the street that day. This never happens to me in Philadelphia, and suddenly I can’s evade it. Made me feel special/friendly looking though.
I also saw some guy from a wedding party jump off a bridge into the river while walking back. I thought that was special.
Probably one of the funnier things I saw in Moscow was the transliteration of this Irish name for a pub named Sally O’Brien’s (too many apostrophes in English)
Sally O'Brien's
another interesting thing was the theme of this fence.
It was also in Moscow that I had my first interaction with the local police force. Because of my extensive traveling/lack of sleep, I was quite tired. As a result, as I sat outside the train station for a few minutes waiting for the time to come for me to head to the airport. I dozed off on a bench for a second, only to wake up and realize that I was being watched by a passing Police officer (their hats are comically large). He kept on and I figured I was okay and read a little. Turns out, he went to get help from a real police officer (read: carries an AK-47) and they walked up to me. This is the conversation as follows:
Officer: Good Day!
Me: Hello
O: asdf;jhasdf;jkshdoiuwetndfv (for when I don’t understand something in Russian)
Me: [quizzical look] I don’t understand
O: kljghopinfgpoighbgjvbjltmubtmutpfoik
Me: My Russian is terrible, I’m sorry
O: passport
Me: Oh! Sure, no problem [hands him passport]
O: oooooh, American?
Me: Yep, I’m sorry I’m very tired and want to sleep.
O: What are you doing?
Me: Waiting for……suitcase…..train……to airport…..airplane…..Tomsk
O: Tomsk?! What is in Tomsk for you?
Me: Work, at a University
O: You’re a professor?
Me: Yes, of course
O: Well, okay, just looked cause you were sleeping\
Me: I know, thanks
Even though that transcript may not necessarily communicate it very well, he was very friendly and amiable and even walked by a few minutes later and tipped his hat and smiled. It made me feel better about some of the stories I had heard about Russian police.
So eventually I picked up my luggage and took the other leg of aeroexpress to the other airport, where I idled around and dozed for a few hours waiting for my plane. Embarked, immediately fell asleep for 30 minutes aka just enough time to miss dinner. Woke up and read the rest of the way.
Upon arriving at the airport, I walked into the terminal to see my name on a sign and felt special. The person holding the sign was Svetlana, my future boss and she and I had a short conversation while we waited for my baggage. She told me that a local band and a local soccer star were on the plane with me, so I was with a few celebrities. Then we walked out to the taxi, where a very disillusioned young man drove us in a very ancient looking Russian made car with hilarious upholstery to my apartment. He drove way too fast and I thought it was hilarious even though Svetlana was terrified.
This is the upholstry
Then I got to my apartment which was essentially as charming and as Russian as I would ever want it to be:
My living room
My kitchen
And this gem here, which I’m assuming was left by the former occupant (also an American fulbrighter). For those who do not know, this is the current president of Russia Medvedev. It’s on the inside of my bathroom door:
President of Russia Medvedev
I then went to sleep and woke up at night to walk around the city.
This morning, i decided to make myself breakfast out of the meager yet useful supplies left in the pantry. So I ended up making pancakes, a fried egg, and some homefries. As you can see, one needs more than flour, water, and one egg to make decent pancakes. I was still pretty satisfied with my ingenuity.
Pancakes, a fried egg, and some homefries
That’s all, I guess. Time to walk around a while. My internet expires in 10 minutes.
Megabus
Being a Chinatown bus Century 2000 regular, it gets pretty frustrating dealing with such ghettoness. Especially leaving from New York to Philly, when I do get the chance to go back home, I first arrive on Canal St and then get harassed by those aggressive Chinatown bus ladies with them screaming in my ear, “Where you go!?” The buses are also pretty unpredictable when they relocate their spots every three months or so. What’s worst is that there buses usually smells of piss or something really foul. And I always end up with a broken chair. Now, all the Chinatown bus companies have some pretty mean competition. I didn’t believe it at first when my friends, who also did the NY to Philly commute every weekend, told me that they would ride to New York for only $1.50, sometimes. The ride back from Philly to New York would be only $3.50. That’s amazing! Especially since Chinatownb bus company, Century 2000, just raised their prices from $10 to $12 for a one way fare.
Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York
It’s kinda of disappointing after having had watched The Whackness and later realized that you missed out on all the fun of the 1994 NYC griminess. Most of us have lived in New York for many years, but we can’t stop feeling like psuedo New Yorkers. Unlike NYC, Philly has a soulful vibe to it. If you want to experience real art, come to Philly. We still have all of our assholes and than some, most importantly we’re real about our work, without the fancy high-end price tags.
The famous Manhattan gossip blog, Gawker has been trying to revive the New York grimy art scene, since a lot of public speculation around the world has been noting about NYC losing its soul. One of their attempts is…
Gawker Artist, Billi Kid is collaborating with multiple graffiti and street artists to present the opening of Mom and Popism, August 15th. Kid is the curator who’s goal is to reinterpret Karla’s Murray’s latest book Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York. The collaborating graffiti and street artists are some of the most notable artists in the community, which includes Blanco, Buildmore, Cake, Celso, Cern, Chris (RWK), Crome, Cycle, David Cooper, Destroy & Rebuild, Enamel Kingdom, Goldenstash, Infinity, Kngee, Lady Pink, Matt Siren, Morgan Thomas, Peru Ana Ana Peru, Plasma Slugs, Royce Bannon, Shai R. Dahan, Shiro, The Dude Company, Tikcy, Under Water Pirates, Veng (RWK), Zoltron and Billi Kid.
Carnival Cruises at it again!
Remember when Carnival Cruises came to Philadelphia with promises of the GIANT Pinata and candy out the wazoo? Here is something to jog your memory.
I am sure you remember a whole different sequence of events happening then what they portrayed! WELL THEY ARE AT IT AGAIN! Tomorrow they are hitting up our fellow east coast city Baltimore to release a WORLD RECORD BEACH BALL (didnt they do this already?)
Also if you happen to be in Baltimore tomorrow, Mad Decent will be giving away goodies and prizes at Taxlo’s (Dance Party that have had the likes of Ninja Sonic and Plastic little pop in for a visit or 2) 7th Anniversary Party.
I coincidentally will be in the area tomorrow so I am going to try and peep the beach ball and uncover its lies! I will take pictures for you guys.
Burgers and Kebabs
Hello peeps! I’m finally back from Europa after missing my flight last night from London. I took the day off from school and work just to update on the new McJAWN blog. Please let us know what your thoughts are about the new look at webmaster@mcjawn.com. I’m definitely digging it.
Nothing too exciting happened while I was in London. Except I was hanging out nearby the Waterloo and spotted a sweet skate spot. Someone was tagging the wall, but I missed that; however, my friend Creegunit caught it on the SD card. More updates from Wen later this week…so watch out! For now, I need to catch up on my blogrolls and recover from a week’s worth of Indian food, fish & chips and Carlbergs drafts.
London’s First Snow Day (Chinatown Bus)
This past weekend, London experienced more snow than they ever have since February of 1991… and I was there to witness it.
Being from New York, I treat snow as an afterthought. When I was younger, I loved playing in the snow with my brothers, than coming upstairs to the hot chocolate my mom made. Since then, it has been just “something that goes on in the winter.” Tell that to London. For the city that never gets snow, Monday afternoon was a pretty amazing sight. I woke up discovered classes were canceled. London never gets snow, so it is not prepared for icy roads and frozen subway lines. My professor couldn’t get to school.
Celebrating London’s first snow day in years, I went to Hyde Park with a few friends. I can tell you first hand that I witnessed a winter wonderland. Thousands of people were out building hundreds of snowmen. Even the pond was frozen over (I felt bad for the swans).
I have lived in New York for just about my entire life, but I have never witnessed this much frenzy over a little bit of snow – okay, 6 inches.
Diptyque Store (Chinatown Bus)
If the city is smelling a little better these days, it could be because cult French fragrance house Diptyque has landed in the West Village, opening its first U.S. location. The store was designed by Benjamin Noriega Ortiz, and the best part about it is that the employees are so nice they don’t mind when you blatantly spray yourself with Tam Dao and walk right back out.
More Info: http://blog.urbanoutfitters.com/blog/diptyque_store/#When:17:37:00Z
Eat-Pisode A Bit of Thai in L.E.S. (Chinatown Bus)
I’m sure you guys are familiar with New York’s Lower East Side from all those long Chinatown bus rides. That’s right Canal Street and all.
And after a long commute from Philly to New York, you might be hungry. Instead of jumping on those side-street $1 wings vendors. Try Thai. The food is delicious, it’s a bit spicy, but sweet and tangy. If you like mangoes, bean sprouts, limes and coconuts, you’ll love Thai food.
Around Chinatown, try Eat-Pisode it’s a small Thai bistro in the heart of L.E.S. You’ll be welcomed with a sweet aroma of home-style SouthEast-Asian cooking. The place is nicely decorated with steel decor and nice tea candles. The restaurant is very romantic for two.
Lunch is typically around $6.00 and dinner is around $10.00 for each person. It’s B.Y.O.B., so feel free to bring your own wine.
To get there, you should take the F, J, M, Z and get off of Delancey. It’s also walkable from the Chinatown bus.
For more info go to their website at: eat-pisode.com.
BBrother Sprays Politics in Taiwan
BBrother is one of the most controversial graffiti artist in the world. He’s known throughout the streets of Taipei. Taipei is a major city of Taiwan. Taiwan is a tiny island not too far from China’s mainland. Although the Chinese government would like to disagree, Taiwan is not really part of China; thus, Taiwan has their own government system.
Like China, Taiwan is a conservative country. Freedom of speech is a major issue. So graffiti was definitely unheard of, until BBrother that is.
Here is a quote from BBrother about his involvement with politics.
Format: Your work is frequently political. Can you talk a bit about the goals of your political work and the issues it addresses?
Bbrother: Right now there is an action in Taipei called the “Wild Strawberry Movement.” This movement is the biggest student movement after the Wild Lily student movement in 1990. Students are opposing police state and the Suppression of Human Rights by the Unconstitutional Assembly and Parade Law. Which can be better understood by checking out http://freespeechintaiwan.wordpress.com/
More Info: http://www.formatmag.com/art/bbrother/
Skate, It’s a Verb (Chinatown Bus)
It’s after new years and now that all the holiday bull crap is behind you, you have all this spare time before you go back to work and school. Well how bout skating? Below is a list of local skating rinks in your area.
The Pond at Bryant Park
The free rink in Bryant Park first opened in 2005. At 17,000 square feet, it is about half the size of the Wollman Rink in Central Park and twice as big as the rink at Rockefeller Center.
Open: 27 October 2008 to 15 January 2009
Location: Bryant Park
Hours: Sunday to Thursday from 8 am to 10:00 pm, Friday and Saturday from 8:00 am to midnight
Admission to skate: Free, skate rentals $8.75, lockers free, lock purchase $9.00, bag check $6.00
Webpage on Wired New York: Ice Skating in Bryant Park
The Ice Rink at Rockefeller Center
Location: Rockefeller Center
Admission: $14 on weekdays, $17 on weekends
For information on hours and admission fees call 212-332-7654
Wollman Rink
See Wollman Rink page
Open: 21 October 2008 to first week of April, 2009
Location: Central Park between 62nd and 63rd Streets
Admission: $8.50 on weekdays, $11 on weekends, skate rental $4.75, locker rental $10 ($6.75 refundable on lock return)
For more information call 212-439-6900
Website: CentralParkNYC.org
Lasker Rink and Pool
Open: 29 October 2008 to 2 April 2009
Location: Central Park between 106th and 108th Streets
Admission: $4.50, skate rental $4.75, locker rental $6.75 ($4 refundable on lock return)
For information on hours and admission fees call 212-534-7639
Website: wollmanskatingrink.com
Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers
Chelsea Piers, Pier 61, Hudson River and 17th St, 212-336-6100
Admission: $13.50, skate rental $6.25
Website: ChelseaPiers.com
Riverbank Ice Skating Rink
Location: Hudson River at 145th Street
Admission $4.50, skate rentals $3.50
Website: Riverbank State Park
Kate Wollman Rink in Prospect Park
Open: 24 November 2008 to mid-March, 2009
Location: Parkside Avenue/Ocean Avenue entrance of the Prospect Park, in Brooklyn
Admission: $5, skate rental $5
Rink Hours and Weather: 718-287-6431
Website: ProspectPark.org
Abe Stark Rink
Open on weekends only from October 8, 2008 to April 3, 2009
Location: Coney Island Boardwalk and West 19th Street, Brooklyn
Hours: Saturdays from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm, Sundays from 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm
Admission: $8.00, skate Rental: $4.50
Information: 718-946-6536
Worlds Fair Ice Skating Rink
Open: 8 October 2008 to 3 April 2009
Location: Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
Skate Rental: $4.50
Rink information: 718-271-1996
I guess this is good news?
Victorious anti-government protesters lifted their siege of Bangkok’s two airports Wednesday while leaders of the ousted government named a caretaker prime minister to lead the politically chaotic kingdom.
The country’s immediate crisis, which virtually severed Thailand’s air links to the outside world for a week, appeared to be over and the People’s Alliance for Democracy said it was ending six months of daily anti-government protests. But the alliance warned it would be on the streets again if a new government tried to return to its past policies.
A court decision Tuesday forced the country’s prime minister from office and disbanded the three top ruling coalition parties. But they quickly were reconstituted under different guises and leaders met Wednesday and named the deputy prime minister as the country’s caretaker leader.
A spokesman for the protest alliance, Parnthep Wonguapan, said protesters at Bangkok’s international and domestic airports were ordered to “clean up and pack their belongings” before leaving the two sites.
The first commercial airliner to arrive in a week — a flight by the national airline Thai Airways from the resort island of Phuket — landed at Suvarnabhumi international airport at 2.15 p.m. local time.
Thai Airways said its flights will also take off from Suvarnabhumi for Sydney, New Delhi, Tokyo, Frankfurt, Seoul and Copenhagen on Wednesday.
Hand-over ceremony
In what was billed as a hand-over ceremony, Vudhibhandhu Vichairatana, the chairman of the Airports of Thailand, hugged and shook hands with alliance leaders in front of a Buddhist shrine as protesters danced to folk music and trucks loaded with their gear rolled out of the airport.“We want to clean up the airport before we leave. We want PAD (the alliance) to have a good image,” said Bow Piyapat, a souvenir maker, as she wielded her mop around rows of check-in counters at Suvarnabhumi.
A stream of cars, trucks and buses transported the protesters out of the airport.
“See you later when the country needs us!” one of them shouted, as protesters waved and honked.
About 700 soldiers inspected the airport for bombs and weapons, and airport security officials set up a perimeter around the airport as they dismantled blockades and checkpoints set up by the alliance.
But the image of the alliance as well as Thailand in general has been battered, especially among some 300,000 travelers still stranded by last week’s airport takeovers. The months of protests and political uncertainty is also hammering the economy and vital tourism industry.
At least six people have been killed and scores injured in clashes in recent months.
This is like when the Phillies won the World Series…not. What the hell is wrong with people? I just want the good old days back when tourists came and rode on elephants! If anti-government protesters strike again, the country will be kinda fucked. At least PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me go back there and gather my things for the holiday. Somebody give me a handkerchief to wipe tears off my face!
More Info: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28028803/
Bodega (Chinatown Bus)
A humorous yet searing commentary about the choices confronting people who live in “the poorest urban county in the country.” Under the yellow awning of the Bronx Bodega, all the important food groups are represented. Join Dallas Penn of DallasPenn.com and Rafi Kam of OhWord.com as they illustrate the finer points of the Bodega Food Pyramid.
This is the full version.
Directed by Casimir Nozkowski
Written by Dallas Penn & Rafi Kam
Chicago <3’s Philadelphia
It’s 4:30 in the morning and I just got back from my trip to Chicago. House mates are also unemployed, so we all took a road trip to catch up with a home away from home. We never thought we would be welcomed with such open arms and true love.
4 out of 5 Chicago residents that I met said they wished they lived in Philadelphia.
3 out of those 4 said they were moving within the next year to Philadelphia.
Half of those people seemed to be Philadelphia ex patriots abroad, taking some time to clear their heads with the intent of eventually returning to their homeland.
The two cities have a lot in common. There were points in time where I really thought I was driving down Aramingo Avenue, or Girard. We visited lots of kids living in warehouses and the actual houses and apartments were Philly style just more spacious and classy. I’ve played with the idea of eventually moving to Chicago for the last five years or so, falling in love with the idea of the city and then eventually from visiting it a couple years ago. Philadelphia has felt like my home at least since high school, but Chicago gives me that warm fuzzy feeling of a home away from home that would be nice to try out every once in a while. It was funny to meet people who were toying with the same idea about Philadelphia.
At every party, show, gathering, hang out, we met the same loving response to the fact that we were visiting from Philadelphia. Everyone wanted to know more about the City of Brotherly Love. We were treated like royalty. I ate like a king. Kids hooked me up with free CDs. Tim Kinsella winked at me during a Joan of Arc set. John Cusack bummed me a cigarette outside of his record store. Needless to say, it was a good stay, and I’m glad to be home where it’s cold, but not as cold and I just wanted to let everyone know that if they were thinking of visiting their midwestern brother, it’s a good idea, Chicago will take care of them, they just maybe should wait till summer when it’s a bit warmer.
Awesome Japanese Thrift Store: Tokio 7
Tokio 7
64 E. 7th St.
New York, NY 10003
(212) 353-8443
“Don’t let the funky green and gold paint job fool you: This East Village consignment shop is no polyester palace. Loyal customers come here to cruise the racks for gently-used designer apparel from Japanese labels like Issey Miyake and Yohji Yamamoto, as well as from industry standard-bearers like Prada, Gucci, and Dolce & Gabbana. Sharp-eyed shoppers quickly scoop up high-end staples and accessories in luxe materials for a fraction of the retail price but pieces from upscale denim brands like Acne and Diesel, for instance, rarely break a Benjamin. Though roughly equal space is devoted to men’s and women’s wear, many coats and basic shirts are labeled “unisex.” A warning to those who like to try before they buy: There are no mirrors inside the dressing rooms, so shopping with a trusted friend is the way to go.“
More Info: http://nymag.com/listings/stores/tokio7/
Credit(s): Photograph and Story by Alexis Korman
Means of Transportation: The Chinese Rivalries (Chinatown Bus)
Fuck the Greyhound’s overpriced one-ways, $23.00, compared to the Chinatown’s buses $10 (between Philly and NYC). The Chinatown buses are a convenient and inexpensive way of traveling between DC, Baltimore, Philly, NYC and Boston. Greyhound offers cheap e-savers tickets, but you’ll have to purchase it way in advance on their website, plus they charge an extra free of $3.00.
They are two well known Chinatown buses that takes you to Philly and NYC: New Century AKA Century 2000 (55 N 11th St) and Apex AKA Cherry Bus (121 N 11th St).
Many people prefer Century 2000 because they run more frequently with extended hours. I wouldn’t recommend buying online tickets, just because it’s so easy getting a ticket in person. If you’re in Philly just show up at the ticket counter, it’s $12 for a one way from Philly to NYC or $20 for a round trip. Arbitraily, it’s only $10 for one way in NYC. Anyway, you can practically use these tickets any time (there’s like a one year expiration date). They’ll give you a stamped purple index card with a schedule on the back (these cards are meaningless). Or you can just pay or buy tickets on the bus. They don’t accept credit or debit cards, if don’t have any cash with you, they’ll just point you to their high-fee ATM. I usually just walk over to the WaWa (which is like a store down away), there’s no surcharge, plus it gives me a chance to pick up some snacks for the ride. When you get on the bus, make sure you’re on the right one, otherwise you’ll end up in DC. Occasionally they’ll have signs.
The ride is about two hours long. The NYC drop off is usually on 88 E Broadway for both bus companies. Century 2000 makes a quick stop before, at the 1 train (uptown) on Franklin Street.
Once you’re in NYC, walk towards Canal, there you’ll find the subway, your 1, 2, 3, A, B, C (West Side) or the 4, 5, 6 (East Side) or the N, Q, R, W (Middle). It’s kind of a little walk, they’re other ways, but if you’re an infrequent visitor then this is the less confusing and easier way of getting around.
Coming back to Philly, expect to be bombarded by really loud older Chinese women, sometimes attacking you with pots and pans shouting at you to buy tickets from their bus companies. If you already have your ticket, make sure you get on the right bus. If you’re unsure, ask someone. If you ask one of the loud Asian women, I wouldn’t be surprised if they physically pulled or pushed me to the bus.
Ok, I could go on and on about Chinatown buses, but I’m just going to end here and wish you a nice and safe travel.
Credit(s): By Wen Vo, Photograph Provided By The Pop Box
Two Way, 20 Dolla, You Go Now! (Chinatown Bus)
Hello Everybody,
Welcome to McJAWN’s new blog: Chinatown Bus. We’ll be bringing you NYC related articles with Philly intentions. This blog is an aggressive, fast and cheap guide to the NYC lifestyle. I, myself, a fellow-Philadelphian, and my other native New York friends are going to share with you what we think are the best eats and the best parties to go to in the big apple. So, next time you’re in the city, you’ll be running around like a true broke New Yorker, but waaaay cooler because you’re no spoiled So-Californian psuedo New Yorker. You’re a Philadelphian who’s just trying to make extra dough, because we know Philly can sometimes have its limitation.
So enjoy! If you have any ideas or questions, especially questions about the best way to get to places and how to spot an express train (so that way you don’t end up in the Bronx all of a sudden), please e-mail me at: vo@mcjawn.com.
Wen
Meet the NYC McJAWN Staff
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Wen Wen is one of the co-founders of McJAWN. She’s worked for Dennis Publishing, one of the largest publishing companies in the world that owns Maxim, Blender, The WEEK, etc., for about a year in the marketing/sales department. |
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Jon Jon was born and raised in Brooklyn. He’s written for many publication, which includes Fordham University’s The Observer. Jon will be studying in London in the spring, we’ll miss him dearly. |
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James Born in Stillwater, Minnisota, James went to University of Colorado before he moved to New York. His dad is the CFO of one of the largest health insurance company in America, yet, James aspires to be a ski-bum. BTW, he’s an excellent skier. |
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Rob Robert lived on the UWS of Manhattan his entire life. He really loves baseball so much that he attempted to marry it a few times. Rob is known to be Manhattan’s Teriyaki Bitch, a nickname that was given to him for his generous patronage at the Japanese Fast Food chain, Teriyaki Boy. |
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Nick Nick is a well-known sexy man. He is simply awesome. |
Credit(s): Photograph Provided By lastnightsparty.com
Fool’s Gold CMJ Showcase & 1 Year Anniversary Party
Hey Everybody!!!
It’s been awhile since the last time we’ve spoken, but I’m back and this time I’ll be updating you with the latest news from the sister city, NYC.
Tomorrow, if your in the big apple be sure to come out to the Fool’s Gold party at Webster Hall. Performances by Kid Sister (debuting tracks off her new album Dream Date), A-Trak, Treasure Fingers, Jokers Of The Scene, Trackademicks, Nacho Lovers, Sammy Bananas, and Nick Catchdubs, as well as a special DJ set from Fool’s Gold big bro Dave 1 of Chromeo… and perhaps a special guest or two?!?
If you’re not in NYC tomorrow, don’t worry because next week, October 28th, Fool’s Gold will be at the Barbary. And McJAWN has your free tickets to enter, but you’ll have to RSVP, to RSVP e-mail me at: webmaster@mcjawn.com.
Don’t Travel with Bananas
Bananas might seem like the best idea. They are high in potassium and all of these other explosive ingredients, but under no circumstances travel with bananas they will rot and otherwise go bad, making all of your clothes you had packed smell like banana bread (which isn’t so bad and might earn you some brownie points when meeting all of the strangers of this new foreign land. They’ll want to eat you up, you smell so sweet).
