The Gates (again)

Feb 28, 2005

—

This weekend Charlie and his wife, Kerry, came down from Buffalo to see the Gates and even more importantly, to have dinner with Toby Joe and me^ Many people reading this might know him as “GotJesus”. I’m not even sure where that name came from originally, but he’s been posting as GotJesus since as long as I can remember. It was excellent meeting him and his wife. Not only do the two of them have a biting sense of humor, but they’re excellent conversationalists as well. We had a great time.

On Sunday, Nico and George came back into town to see the final day for The Gates in Central Park. While kicking through the park, we saw numerous small children fall to the ground, screaming as they slipped on the black ice that was strewn all over Central Park. One little girl, wearing all pink, fell into a huge mud puddle. Toby Joe compared the act to something one might see from the movie Cary. It was disturbing and horrific and kinda funny, too.

We saw Martha Plimpton. We saw Christo drive by in some 400 thousand dollar car. (The dude so ain’t hurtin’ for money. I guess that’s not much of a surprise.) We saw the telescope people looking for Pale Male. Actually, this is almost this is almost exactly what we saw. (You may read more about the Pale Male situation here and here.)

We saw way too many fur coats. By the end of the day I was passive-aggressively muttering the words “You’re so disgusting.” to women everywhere. I truly find that practice appalling and can not believe it’s still legal. We can be thrown in jail for smoking marijuana. In New York, you can get arrested for sitting on a milk crate or smoking in a bar. Yet slaughtering fuzzy animals and then draping ourselves in their fur is deemed totally O.K. Seriously, it saddens me to no end. I wish I could make it go away.

I have veered off track again.

We saw The Gates and hundreds of SLRs. I took some pictures as well.

After The Gates, we headed to First Avenue for some Indian food. We picked the restaurant who used the most lights for their decor. It was a lovely day.

Today, there is work to finish and loose ends to tighten. Tonight, we get snow. Yay snow!

new york

Comments

23 responses to “The Gates (again)”

DonaldEugene

February 28, 2005

the snow is just beginning here in DC. it’s lovely…

LikeLike

Reply
GotJesus^

February 28, 2005

I wonder if the pelts on the furs you saw were farm-raised or free-range.

BTW, we talked about visiting Montreal briefly on Saturday. I’d stay away from there if you’re sensitive about furs. Remember, the city was built on the fur trade, and there are a LOT of furriers (and people in fur) there.

LikeLike

Reply
mihow

February 28, 2005

Yeah. Rome was smothered in fur, too. Actually, I seem to remember all of Italy being smothered in fur. I realize it’s just a personal thing. I will try and shut up about it. :]

LikeLike

Reply
Sarah

February 28, 2005

I love thoe photos you took…very nice shots. The photo of the painting of the gates is perfect.

Funny, just yesterday my best friend and I went to the opera in Philadelphia, and since we go on sunday matinee (we are so changing this next season), it is 90% old people. The amount of FUR was horrifying. I’m no vegetarian, but I think fur is a ridiculous ‘luxury’ item. I fantasized about tackling this one woman wearing a stoll that still had paws on it and when anyone said anything I would just say I thought she was being attacked by a vicious beast. ;-)

LikeLike

Reply
GotJesus^

February 28, 2005

Well, if you can’t voice your feelings about fur on your blog, where the hell can you? Thanks again for joining us for dinner. We had a fantastic time. BTW, did your legs break out in a rash?

LikeLike

Reply
mihow

February 28, 2005

I think it should be a prerequisite that these women who want to own a fur coat, watch their animals being killed and skinned. If they can see that and still wish to wear the fur, then let them have the fur.

LikeLike

Reply
Sherri

February 28, 2005

I think I’ve eaten in that Indian restaurant before. Not that they’re not all nearly identical in that little row, but the red, foil looking seats look familiar. Did the guy stand there and unplug, plugin, unplug, plugin the lights to create the disco effect? That’s the best (in an I’m-totally-about-to-die-in-an-electrical-fire sort of way).

LikeLike

Reply
mihow

February 28, 2005

I bet you have eaten there. It’s on a street with two other places that are almost identical. and the guys stand outside and basically BEG you to eat at their restaurant instead of the one right next door. I think one of them even shares a kitchen with their rival. It’s like Middle-East Side Story only without the singing and dancing.

LikeLike

Reply
Amanda B.

February 28, 2005

I LOVE the picture of the little old lady basking in the sun with her badass stockings on. That is classic. What a sweetie.

I too find fur abhorent. Why in today’s society would you actually wear fur? And all of those stupid models who were against it a few years ago are wearing it again! What?? It’s beyond me.

LikeLike

Reply
andrea

February 28, 2005

There are literally about 6 people at work who were gigantic fur coats. Staying away from a “is it right or wrong” conversation, they certainly look ridiculous and tacky. Not to mention it’s a little odd attire for people who are supossed to be bargaining for the increasing of teacher salaries. (but thats a whole other conversation)

LikeLike

Reply
mihow

February 28, 2005

Toby will probably not like that I’m going to write this. However, I found it interesting and funny. When I asked him why it was still legal to kill animals solely for their fur, he said, “Because the men who pass the laws wives’ like to wear them.” Heh.

LikeLike

Reply
GotJesus^

February 28, 2005

I don’t know what’s more appalling. The fact that THIS exists, or that they’re currently sold out. Moreover, did you realize that farm raised mink are fed by-products of the meat, poultry, egg, dairy, and fishing industries?

LikeLike

Reply
mihow

February 28, 2005

A well-oiled machine, I see.

LikeLike

Reply
mihow

February 28, 2005

Holy shit! You have got to be kidding! That thing costs nearly 1500 dollars and the stupid infant will outgrow it in less than six months. People are really weird.

LikeLike

Reply
tobyjoe

February 28, 2005

Someone is gonna put that on their baby and stumble across a near-sighted trapper whose excitement over the size of the mink before him will be dwarfed in comparison to the satisfying ease with which the beast can be skinned once killed.

I think the whole thing reeks of entrapment.

LikeLike

Reply
GotJesus?

February 28, 2005

I wonder if skinning mink is like shucking corn. Do mink farmers sit in the back yard on a warm summer evening with their kids and a pot of salty water and just shuck minks? We used to stop at the roadside farmer’s stand and buy big sacks of corn on the cob that we would go home to shuck and boil.

LikeLike

Reply
ian

February 28, 2005

i am wearing a mink loincloth.

LikeLike

Reply
Sherri

February 28, 2005

I guess I don’t have a huge moral opposition to fur (don’t hate me; I have my reasons), but I just think it’s gauche. I associate the wearing of fur with the wearing of electric blue eyeshadow and metallic pink lipstick. It’s just butt-ugly.

LikeLike

Reply
GotJesus?

February 28, 2005

I understand that Victoria’s Secret has a line of fur thongs, including mink, fox and sable.

LikeLike

Reply
ginar

February 28, 2005

I have a fur dilemma… and thank god it has nothing to do with a mink thong. Seriously, they spend good time and money waxing their crotches bare naked and then but on a fox fur?! But I digress… my Great Aunt, whom I met only once, gave me 2 fur coats and a fur hat on her death bed. (OK, she was actually carting an oxygen tank around her condo and not literally in her bed dying but she did ask my husband to be a pall bearer at her funeral.) So the dilemma: I hate fur coats. What do I do with them? Am I under any obligation to hang onto the family jewels? Please advise.

LikeLike

Reply
MSZZZ

February 28, 2005

I love NYC. To bad it is so close and I have only been ONCE!

LikeLike

Reply
GotJesus?

February 28, 2005

Ginar: the problem with heirloom furs is that they’re indistinguishable from new ones (some in the fur industry would say that’s a good thing-they often tout their durability as a selling point), and wearing them gives tacit approval to the continuation of the industry (at least to an uninformed observer). On the other hand, there is an issue of filial piety-the proper reverance of one’s ancestors and respect for their wishes. Now, (imho) I don’t believe you’re under any obligation to destroy the furs, but I don’t believe that it would be unethical of you to sell your bequest to someone who would have no problem with wearing fur. You could use the proceeds to purchase something that reminds you of your great aunt, something that is similarly valuable, and which could ideally be handed on to some other family member in the future. This way you could continue to honor and remember your great aunt, and her furs would continue to be worn by someone who valued them for what they are. (look out Randy Cohen, I’m gunning for your job)

LikeLike

Reply
ginar

February 28, 2005

Thanks, GJ.
PS: I had to look-up Randy Cohen b/c I am not up on my NPR references. Did you actually hear that show?! or do you just channel his spirit? Spooky!

“October 17, 2004: A listener can’t decide what to do with an old mink coat given to her by her mother. NPR’s Jennifer Ludden and New York Times ethicist Randy Cohen discuss a question of guilt by inheritance.”

LikeLike

Reply