When things fall from the sky too close for comfort

by Jamie Rhein on

Once when I was with my mom going past Newark, New Jersey on the highway, (I can’t remember which one) there an enormous CRASH!!! near my head accompanied by shattering glass. Someone threw something off the overpass–we think. It happened so fast that we’re not even sure if there was an overpass or if someone lobbed something from the side of the road. Regardless, something came from somewhere to pulverize the back passenger window. I was in the front passenger seat. Glass flew far enough to land in my lap and at my feet. Neither of us were hurt–shocked, but not hurt.

I thought of this incident after reading about what happened at the St. James Theater in New York City last night during the evening show of “Gypsy.” A metal plate fell out of the ceiling, hitting a young woman in the head and just missing the neck of the friend of the article’s writer,Tara Parker-Pope. Tara goes on to think about other things that fall on us unexpectedly when we are out in the world and what we can do about it.

People are responding in the comment section to share what has fallen too close for comfort–either on them, or next to them. Here are some of the mentions:

  • part of a ceiling (more than one mention)
  • an apple
  • a slab of ice
  • a quart of milk
  • a gargoyle
  • an air conditioner (more than one mention)
  • a flower pot

And to anyone who happened to be walking past Carew Tower in Cincinnati, Ohio a few years ago. . . if there was a pair of black sunglasses that fell on you. They are mine. I was leaning over to look at the view. Sorry. [via New York Times]

Bathing in milk and cookies at The Plaza Hotel

by Jamie Rhein on

The opulent and famous The Plaza Hotel reopened in New York City on Saturday after a two-year long, pricey renovation. If you have $1,000 dollars to drop, you can stay here for a night. One person who is up on what justifies hotel costs said that the value of The Plaza is the experience. The time spent sleeping must be secondary then, otherwise I’d want the best dreams possible. If I were spending $1,000 a night (I wouldn’t, but let’s assume) I would check in at the first second I could check in, and check out at the last second before another charge kicked in. I don’t think I would sleep–seems like a waste of money to me.

And think about the monetary breakdown. Considering that most hotels don’t give a guest 24-hours in a room, even if you spent 20 hours in your room, that’s $50 per hour. That is cheaper than the hourly rate for most massages or a trip to many general practitioner physicians in the U.S. Still, that would mean you paid for twenty hour-long massages or visited a little less than twenty doctors in order to equal $1,000.

I would be so determined to make my $50 an hour stay worth it that I’d be flustered about what to do to maximize my optimum experience. Hang out in the lobby to be noticed? Walk the halls seeing who else can afford $1,000 a night? Swim? Work out? Can you swim and work out? I couldn’t find a pool listed on the Web site. What can one do at The Plaza without spending another dime? Can you bring in outside snacks and sandwiches? Perhaps, you could buy a knish or a hot dog from a street vendor hanging out near Central Park just before check-in to help with the budget.

According to the news about The Plaza, every guest can take a bubble bath with milk and cookies. At first when I read that detail, I pictured someone taking a bath in milk and cookies. Can’t you picture floating Oreos? There’s something that seems a bit gross and disgusting about the idea, though, since somewhere in Central Park that the hotel overlooks, homeless people are hanging out. But on the other hand, if you could drink the milk and eat the cookies while you are bathing in the tub with its 24-karat gold faucets, this type of bath would save you some money. You could have your bath for breakfast. I wonder if you just get one bath per visit, or could you slip in a few extra? [via AP]

JFK airport’s makeover: What to do with a stained glass window?

by Jamie Rhein on

As Terminal 8 at JFK is being taken down to make room for snowplow storage, figuring out what to do with its 900-pane stained glass window has been considered in depth. When the terminal was built in 1960, the window was a signature piece that pointed to the glory of air travel. Glory didn’t even last half a century.

There was an effort to save the window in its entirety, but that failed. For a mere one million dollars it could have been yours. Instead it’s being taken apart with sections of it being shipped to various locations. The folks who wanted to save the window aren’t too happy about it since the feeling is that has historic and artistic value. It might be the largest stained glass window in the world. It is the largest stained glass window to figure into a building’s design. Others believe that why save a stained glass window when airlines are struggling to meet costs?

Still, it’s too bad about the window. Although pieces of it will be quite lovely in their new locations, they won’t be the same as seeing the whole thing. One could also look at this change due to change as similar to a Buddhist sand mandala or a Native American sand painting. They aren’t made to last, but their beauty transcends. (Here’s a New York magazine post about former efforts to save the window. The photo is from 1961.) [via New York Times]

Top 10 New York buildings to put on the “to see” list

by Anna Brones on

New York is known for its skyline. Skyscrapers and notable architecture are what the city is made of, and although some of the city’s famous buildings leave much to be desired, there are a whole slew of them that are worth a visit.

The Center for Architecture recently came out with a list of 10 great buildings to see in New York. But the list doesn’t include more famous buildings like the Empire State Building; everyone knows what that one looks like. This list compiles the buildings that are a little more cutting edge, from the first green skyscraper to a store with a glass bridge and staircase. Here are the top five:

Conde Nast Building
Brooklyn Museum
Prada New York
Rose Center for Earth and Space
Apple Store Soho

Read about these and the other five buildings in the USA Today article.

The American Girls Revue shows to end after a decade run

by Jamie Rhein on

When my daughter was 3 1/2 she received her first American Girl doll— Bitty Baby, the Asian version. Then came outfits with their accessories. Then came the Just Like You American Girl doll version, the kind where you choose your hair color, eye color and skin tone–Asian. Then when she was nine, we folded and bought Josephina, the Hispanic version. My daughter never asked for anything. It was me. I was hooked. For a brief while, I was the kid who could afford (barely) a bit of the fantasy that American Girl sent my way with each new catalog and as long as my daughter liked her dolls. . .and there was a birthday or Santa Claus.

Alas, childhood is short. My daughter’s interest in her dolls stopped at about age 11. No point in spending the money on those ever so clever outfits with accessories to match even if Josephina’s led us through watered down Hispanic culture of yesteryear through the books that matched the outfits and accessories, and I never got around to buying the Chinese New Year outfit for Just Like You Asian girl. By the time I found out about an American Girl store had opened in Manhattan, my daughter was into the eye rolling phase.

Although Asian girl and Josephina are perched high on a shelf in her bedroom, darling Bitty Baby is in the basement in a box with all her clothes–carefully packed but moved over to make room for other phases in life. The American Girl company is also making room for other things.

The live shows, The American Girls Revue that started in the Chicago store and then was added to the Los Angeles and Manhattan locations are stopping. The L.A. version will close on April 1. The NYC and Chicago versions will close September 1. There’s still some time to see the characters the dolls represent sing, dance and act out aspects of the lives from history the dolls represent. The stores are staying open, and I’m sure out there there are mothers and grandmothers pouring through catalogs savoring those days of childhood. [via Chicago Tribune]