Being out of work for the holidays is a tinsey bit of a bummer.
But I am out doing free New York things. Openings!
Wednesday I went out with a friend to a BOOKSTORE opening, now if that doesn’t sound interesting! PowerHouse Bookstore, where people come to stand around tables, all dressed up, with little cups of wine to look at books. The store is in Tribeca, home of Bobby D! I didn't see him. But I did run into Arlene Gottfried. Which was a riot. She screeched, as she does, and gave me a big hug, the book lookers looked up in distress. I hadn't seen her in seven years, I interned for her when I was in college. Arlene is the oddest most wonderful person, equally both. I remember going to her house, petting her cat Ditty, and looking at the things on her walls. I can't remember specifics, but it was mostly old trinkets, collectables of a little girl. We'd go out for coffee all the time infact I don't remember doing much work for her at all. She'd bring her camera and take pictures of me drinking coffee or walking through the east village. I kept my youthful angst and shyness in full view for her, I’m not sure what she got out of it. There was one photo shoot; I think it was for People or the NYT Magazine. We went to a McDonalds in mid-town and shot kids eating, it was a "fast food nation" type article, only the McDonalds corporation thought it would be better if they included the old clown man himself. The look on Arlene's face! I almost dropped the slave laughing as she began to salivate. She kept shooting, yet waiting for the perfect angle as Ronnie force-feed little cherub children french fries sauced in ketchup. She got her shot, and we left feeling rather odd yet wonderful.