nyc: the only geometry i'll ever understand

“This is the purpose of New York’s geometry...that each individual should be poetically the owner of the capital of the world.”... Roland Barthes

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is there any city in the world that is easier to traverse than new york? i have been partly around the world, and still haven't found a place with such a logical way about it. maybe cities like buenos aires and paris, where one neighborhood or district slips into the next are more sexy, romantic, or more mysterious. but new york, she is smart.

today is the 200th anniversary of the grid--certainly worth commemorating, so cheers to the nytimes for the quick history lesson and the interactive map .

i like to (try to) imagine what it was like to be the person whose job it was to survey this town. it took john j randall three years of walking up- and downtown, to determine the grid (a seven mile hike a day isn't too bad--it's about the distance i run from home, through the long loop in central park, and back) but having to ax your way through the trees and shrubbery along the way? that is wild.

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if you're interested in expanding your sense of the city, i'm going to suggest "mapping new york" (on my wish list). more than street plans, it offers clues to its social and cultural developments, dating back to the 16th century, and some fun artistic renderings.

the guardian published 15 maps from the book: have a look.

I'm going to leave you with one of my favorite aerial views of ny, circa 1961, courtesy of daniel l. fapp, the director of photography for west side story. the nyc views start at the 5:42 mark.

hear a little song/the kids are alright

i think we need to liven up this dreary wednesday with a little west side story/bernstein mambo, courtesy of gustavo dudamel and venezuela's simon bolivar youth orchestra.

i first caught this on ovation in january--and it's on again now, which is what inspired me to share this today--and i could not contain myself. i was dancing around and applauding as if they could hear me.

a few notes: the musicians in the simon bolivar youth orchestra were trained in "el sistema"--a music program established in 1975 by the economist jose antonio abreu. it is a state funded program, which as of 2007 included 102 youth and 55 childrens orchestras. roughly 250,000 children participate, 90% of them from poor socio-economic backgrounds.

mr. dudamel himself learned to play the violin through el sistema--and eventually studied composition and conducting. he began conducting the youth orchestra at 15, was appointed its musical director within a few years.

in 2009, at the age of 26, he began his tenure as the musical director of the los angeles philharmonic.


(the nj all-state children's band, circa 1980, could offer up a solid version of macarthur park and the liberty bell. but we didn't sound like this.)




this is the finale, that made me go bananas! love everyone whooping it up at the end.