Yes indeed, it's Lou Reed

And his wife Laurie Anderson.

Thanks Johnsons!

Thankful for: Roommates who cook

George & Tony

My friend Jas had an extra ticket to The Learning Annex expo yesterday so he took me along for the ride. I got to listen to boxing superstar/entrepreneur George Foreman and to life coach/human giant Tony Robbins. Call me Mr. Motivated.

I love Photoshop.

More from the rooftop

Cool places for the week

This week I got to work on a project at a production studio in the Graybar Building. It had great views of the Chrysler Building.

As it turns out, our production company occupies the same space that was once the home of William Van Alen, the chief architect of the Chrysler Building. The studio we were in was once his study. This is his old fireplace. The room still has the original marble and cork floor.

And this is his old office. It looks straight out at the Chrysler Building.

Coincidentally, Hillary Clinton's office is on the same floor.

Oh, and somehow later in the week I ended up at Google.

The view today from work

Hewitt, New Jersey

Saatchi Sunset 11/02/07

111 Central Park North

Walking home Tuesday night I was greeted by an unusual new sight: lights and music coming from the penthouse of 111 Central Park North, our neighborhood's new luxury landmark. Curious to see know what was going on, I asked the lady standing in front of the red carpet at the entrance if I could go in. Despite her rejection, she was at least kind enough to tell me what I was missing.

So get this...Esquire magazine has rented out the 8.5 million dollar triplex penthouse for the month preceding the building's official opening. In the coming weeks we'll see various promotional events for the lifestyle magazine as well as the brands it promotes. (Think Versace, Westin, Pioneer, Kenneth Cole, Intel, Hugo Boss, etc.). Part of the proceeds go to national and local charities. I was happy to see Harlem Village Academies in the list. It's nice to know they have tried to involve the community somewhat. Maybe someday they'll involve the people most immediately affected by the new building--we the residents of 110th and 111th Streets.

I have very mixed feelings about 111 Central Park North. While I am sad that it is making the community more expensive and pushing the real Harlemites away, I can't deny feeling excited about having such a prominent building on my street. I mean after all, I am blogging about it.

Check out the official 111 Central Park North website here. See also the special Esquire site dedicated to the building here.

Here's a video about the penthouse project...

Oh, and one more thing. Jay-Z just shot his new video "Blue Magic" there too. Where was I that day!?

A history of lolcats

The History of LOLCats - Watch more free videos

Troll 2

In 1989 a group of Italian filmakers came to Porterville, Utah in hopes of making a horror movie. What they created instead is a camp classic that is being lauded two decades later as one of the best worst movies ever made.

The other day a bunch of us Harleman Hallers got together to watch this piece of Beehive State history. Check out this trailer for a new documentary about the unexpected rise to fame of Troll 2!!!

The Dyckman Farmhouse 10/27/07