Still crazy after all these years

At last. Vuelvo a Nathan's Land. A pesar de que he perdido la cuenta de las veces que he visitado Gotham City -lo cual es rigurosamente falso- , nunca antes había sentido las ganas -con mayúsculas- como hasta ahora. Parafraseando a Morgan Freeman en Cadena Perpetua hago mío aquello de "I find I'm so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain". Pero lo curioso del caso es que no espero gran cosa. O tal vez sí... Espero que sus calles huelan a café y a pretzel todas las mañanas, y que en Sylvia's sigan sirviendo el Black Eyed Pea. Espero que no llueva el domingo en Central Park -you know why- y perderme una mañana entera -o dos- en McNally Robinson Books. Espero perder muchas partidas al ajedrez en el Village Chess Shop, de Thompson Street y después, sentarme en un taburete del Red Lion en Bleecker St. saboreando un gin tonic y no levantarme hasta que el último músico diga aquello de "Thank You , Good night, now it's time to go home". Y así cada noche. Quiero cortarme el pelo, pasear por La Marqueta y Chelsea Market sin comprar nada y cenar pescado frito en el más exclusivo cuchitril de Roosevelt Avenue , Queens. Espero hacer lo que me venga en gana a cada momento. Y espero que de una vez por todas los Yankees jueguen en casa un partido oficial, me lo deben. I Hope.

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Photo: Ned Flanders. Summer of 2006. Columbus Circle. NYC

My favorite girls

I've always thought that's the best song ever -In fact, and just like many other songs, it depends on the day- . Ladies and gentlemen, from the Motown Factory -Detroit- ....The Ronettes

REALLY?

Here's to you, Ehud and Eldad.

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom, for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

I see skies of blue, and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces, of people going by
I see friends shaking hands, sayin', "How do you do?"
They're really sayin', "I love you"

I hear babies cryin', I watch them grow
They'll learn much more, than I'll ever know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world ???

Rise and fall of Takeru Kobayashi

Nothing lasts forever. Durante seis años consecutivos, los que van de 2001 a 2006, el nombre de Takeru Kobayashi apareció en lo más alto del Nathan's Eating Contest Wall of Fame. Nadie le hacía sombra hasta que un 4 de julio de 2007 llegó Joey Chesnut, un desconocido californiano, y mandó a callar, cargándose de un plumazo uno de los récords más asombrosos de los registrados por la International Federation Eating, al comerse 66 hot dogs en 10 minutos, hazaña únicamente comparable al récord de hits de DiMaggio en 1941. El pasado 4 de julio, Takeru tuvo la oportunidad de redimirse, pero tras un disputado combate que acabó en empate a 59 hot dogs, fue batido nuevamente por Chesnut en una prórroga consistente en devorar 5 perritos en el menor tiempo posible. Y ahí, Joey, cinco años más joven y treinta kilos más pesado que su rival, no dió opcion a la vieja gloria. Renovó su título y con ello enterró a uno de los pocos mitos vivientes de la decadente Coney Island.

A pesar de la derrota y de su origen japonés, Takeru forma parte por derecho propio de la memoria colectiva americana. Solo los elegidos son capaces de comerse 8.03 kg de cerebros de vaca en 15 minutos, 100 bollos de pan chino en 10 minutos, batirse en duelo gastronómico con un oso de Kodiak, y establecer un estratosférico record mundial al zamparse 97 hamburgurguesas en quince minutos. Pero como ya hemos tenido oportunidad de ver, la vida es dura e ingrata, y todo lo que empieza tiene un final. Todos los analistas coinciden en que el Yellow Mustard Belt, el trofeo más preciado por cualquier competitive eater tiene dueño para años. Su nombre es Joey. Nothing lasts forever. Not even you, Takeru. Good Luck...

A sunny Sunday afternoon

New York is an ugly city, a dirty city. Its climate is a scandal, its politics are used to frighten children, its traffic is madness, its competition is murderous...

But there is one thing about it -once you have lived in New York, and it has become your home, no place else is good enough". John Steinbeck, New York Magazine, Feb, 1, 1953
Photo: Flanders, May 2007.Slow traffic at Central Park West, NYC

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA

to

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit oh Happiness

We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States... And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor. July 4, 1776

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To my country and its people

Photo: Flanders. August of 2006. Statue of Liberty . Liberty Island. Upper New York Bay. NYC.

IN THE EVE...

....
And I dreamed I was dying
I dreamed that my soul rose unexpectedly
And looking back down at me
Smiled reassuringly
And I dreamed I was flying
And high up above my eyes could clearly see
The Statue of Liberty
Sailing away to sea
And I dreamed I was flying

We come on the ship they call the Mayflower
We come on the ship that sailed the moon
We come in the age's most uncertain hours
and sing an American tune
Oh, and it's alright, it's all right, it's all right
You can't be forever blessed
Still, tomorrow's going to be another working day
And I'm trying to get some rest
That's all I'm trying to get, some rest

American Tune. Paul Simon 1973.
Complet Lyrics: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/s/simon+and+garfunkel/american+tune_20124677.html