sundries: cities edition

[rm]

I am so unprepared for class today it's not even funny. Luckily, this class is inadvertently a bit about "how to talk out of your ass about how clever you are" which I am very good at.

Realistically, I'll do the round-up of character death panel responses tomorrow.

Looking your friends up on Wikipedia is weird. I HAD NO IDEA.

Vatican City hit by gay prostitution scandal.

Someone linked me to this video of a day in the life of NYC in miniature. kathrynrose mentioned when she linked to it that she always imagined New York to be dirty and uncomfortable. It's really not.

The thing about New York, is we can't hide things because there just isn't enough space: you'll see garbage bags piled up high on the curbs and poverty even in the wealthiest areas. But it doesn't smell bad; it's not grimy; the light is really like that.

The other thing about New York is that it's feels like a 19th-century city (if you live on the West Coast, you live in the land of 20th-century cities, and it's different), so when it rains it can be very grim and in the winter the cold can feel like a personal affront. But we've also been building buildings to reflect light and parks to ease the people for ages. We know what we're doing, and we know how to do it and we do it well all in the shadow of a variety of cruelly gilded ages. People are always surprised by how many trees there are here.

New York also isn't dangerous; it's the safest big city in America. And the people aren't rude. And it isn't child abuse to raise a kid here. And yes it's expensive and difficult, but it's easier to find a place here than in Boston or San Francisco, I hear, and the cost of living is certainly cheaper than in Zurich or London.

This is my home. I'm a New Yorker before I'm a citizen of anything else. When I was in Australia, people said I must be arrogant because I'm an American. "No," I said, when I wasn't complaining about their tall poppy syndrome (they are so cruel to their successes), "it's New York. You've got to be as big as it to stick it out sometimes."

That's the NYC PSA. I know kathrynrose didn't say many of the things I've addressed here. But I hear it ALL THE TIME. I didn't really grow up in America, because I grew up here. I am vastly ignorant of what life is like for most people in most of the country -- I know nothing of the life of houses and high schools with campuses and I find suburban supermarkets really REALLY interesting. But this is a good place too. It would have to be, for people to want to tear it down so much.

So soon, it's time for me to spend some time in the UK, first with Patty and then I think on my own (her schedule for the summer is not locked in yet, so it's hard to know). I'll be, at various points, in London, Bristol, and Cardiff, and I have some questions.


- How easy is it to find free wireless or at least wireless I pay for but I can use with my own laptop? How expensive is pay Internet as a rule?

- Being gay in England: on one hand, I get the sense that it's politically much better than here. On the other hand, I get the sense you have more anti-gay violence. What can Patty and I expect? We tend to be pretty demonstrative (in a chaste, way, thank you -- we do have manners) in public.

- Being genderqueer in England: this almost feels like a stupid question; you people gave us David Bowie. On the other hand, I know that in the US I rarely pass for male in a suit, and in parts of Europe I pretty much always do in casual interactions. How will I be perceived/treated in the UK? Will people be hostile or mocking? Will they not give a shit? My beautiful suits are not costume, and I'm sensitive to them being perceived as such. Also, safety issues.

- Being gluten-free. I know the supermarkets are amazing, but how do waitstaff take to being asked questions about food or my needing to make small changes (i.e., "hamburger without the bun; I'm allergic to bread") in order not to die?

- I sort of hate the touristy part of tourist shit, but there's a lot of touristy shit I want to see (i.e., Buckingham Palace). Will I enjoy said touristy shit, or will I want to punch the ill-dressed tourists with the cameras they can't figure out how to work?

- Patty's conference is at the British Museum. I don't understand London neighborhoods for shit. Where parts of town do we want to be looking at lodgings in?

- Because I'm that asshole, I sort of want to have lunch or dinner at the Ivy. Funny and must be done, or not funny and totally stupid?

- Theater! We must see some theater. Sadly, it seems nothing that's going to give me fannnish thrills is on during either of my two trips there (April and July), but do you have any recs anyway?

- Random advice for Cardiff (although Graeme Harper sort of planned the whole trip for me at Gally. So, I might be good there)?

- Bristol?!?!?!? I know nothing.

- Other random stuff you want to tell me.

Comments

[gina-r-snape.livejournal.com]

I can recall at least three distinct times, while at Gallifrey, of telling people holding incredulous looks that NYC is one of the safest cities in the country. Why is this still so difficult to believe?

[rm.livejournal.com]

Just the shit on the New Yorkers forum here periodically where people do the "I'm a small, young white girl, where would it be safe for me to live?" speech -- hi, racist. hi, safest big city in America. hi, have faith in your ability to function in society. Drives me mad.

[humascot97.livejournal.com]

Probably because the NYC of the 70's was so well publicized in literature and film, it's the only image that a lot of people have of it.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Avenues A, B, C, D -- Assault, Battery, Crime and Death

[emily-shore.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. I spent a week in NYC recently and, despite its manifold charms, I have to say that it felt both pretty grimy and pretty 20th-century compared to the other large cities with which I'm familiar. (Boston, London and various European cities.) I suppose it all depends on your perspective. It certainly isn't deserving of the bad reputation it has, though.

But we've also been building buildings to reflect light and parks to ease the people for ages. We know what we're doing, and we know how to do it and we do it well all in the shadow of a variety of cruelly gilded ages.

Is it bad that this makes me smile and think of the epic biography of Robert Moses that I just finished reading?

[miep.livejournal.com]

But New York IS dirty and uncomfortable in the summer. Having been there in all seasons, I would take winter over summer any day.

[emily-shore.livejournal.com]

Patty's conference is at the British Museum. I don't understand London neighborhoods for shit. Where parts of town do we want to be looking at lodgings in?

Bloomsbury.

[rm.livejournal.com]

It's not any dirtier in summer, you're just aware of it because of the heat. It's also much better than it used to be, now that they've switched to natural gas buses, which has really reduced the pollution.

[gina-r-snape.livejournal.com]

Yes. It was a largely angry/rhetorical question. But we just can't seem to overcome 1970s cinematic portrayals. :(

[gina-r-snape.livejournal.com]

:snort:

[smirnoffmule.livejournal.com]

I get looked at a bit, but very limited crap for wandering around looking gender-ambiguous in the UK, and I live in a much less cosmopolitan place than London. When I lived in London, I didn't really have a problem apart from the odd weirdo on the bus/tube moment, and I think that's just its own phenomenon. Obviously I can't guarantee you won't get anything, because some people are dicks (and also London is full of people who aren't Londoners, and full of dicks), but that's been my general experience.

Regarding being affectionate with same-sex partners, I have always exercised a certain amount of context awareness, which I'm sure you're used to, and have had some things said and shouted to me. It is probably worth bearing in mind that the liberal slant of our politics and media don't necessarily reflect a country-wide trend. But that said, I have been demonstrative in public without being hassled a lot more times than I have been hassled.

In Bristol, I simply advise you to wander around and listen to people speak all day because they have the best accent on the planet of earth.

[gina-r-snape.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

[kayleigh-jane.livejournal.com]

Random advice for Cardiff:

I pinged you before about the store in St. David's Mall, New Look, with the male shoes in female sizes, so that is tip number one.

Secondly, do go and eat at the Old Library (next to the visitor's centre). They are very friendly, very cheap and the food is fantastic. Let Patty try their fish and chips! Their menu is on their Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=251714415243). They're opposite the market, which is all fresh produce, for the gluten-free stuff.

I don't know in which hotel you are staying (I do not recommend the Royal Hotel, it was awful), but the walk from the city centre to the Millenium Centre is very nice. Do take your time to walk around, the architecture is stunning. Check out the Visitor's centre and the National Assembly building. Don't forget the Who exhibition in the Red Dragon centre!

For the touristy things I would recommend a private tour of Cardiff Castle. The guides are very nice and the mansion itself is gorgeous.

Lastly, in Queen's Arcade (on Queen street) there is the Blue Dot Gallery. Very good affordable art, worth a look! Queen street itself is worth a few hours, with all the clothing- and bookstores. I came home with a suitcase full of books after my visit to Waterstone's.

Have fun and ask if you have any questions!

[starpaint.livejournal.com]

Amen to the nth power.

I understand that some people are intimidated by the crowds, the lack of personal space, and the casual self-absorption of locals who've learned how to tune things out because our brains would have exploded from over-stimulation otherwise. & it's hard to make sense of that if you're unfamiliar with it, because it's not the way most cities in the U.S. work. So unfriendly, maybe. But dirty? Sure as hell not anymore. And as for unsafe... yeaaaaaah, no. But it's going to be the prevailing image until pop culture catches up with the times. CSI does not count.

[schpahky.livejournal.com]

Will I enjoy said touristy shit, or will I want to punch the ill-dressed tourists with the cameras they can't figure out how to work?

Yes on both counts.

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

Agreed with the commenter who said Bloomsbury.

I stayed at The Harlingford Hotel on a "school" trip to London, and my brother stayed there when he came to visit me later that spring.

It's absolutely lovely, and I still think wistfully of their breakfasts.

[bethynyc.livejournal.com]

I grew up in suburbia/country and I'd take NYC any day of the week. Not that I didn't enjoy growing up where I did--because it was a good childhood. But for actual grown up living, I love it here in NYC.

* No need for a car, unless you really want one, and you aren't trapped if the car is out of gas.
* Many, many, many things to do for every interest, and ranging in price from free to far too expensive for words.
* Sometimes it is so beautiful my heart is in my throat.
* Seeing celebrities on the street or in a store and going "Meh. See them all the time." while squeeing on the inside. (I do that a lot.)
* You can get anything here. Sometimes you have to look, but I have found places to buy mead, Jaffa Cakes, and unfamiliar spices, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

It isn't perfect--I don't think any place can be perfect. But for those who love it, it really is the only place to live.

[contrarywise]

In Bristol, I simply advise you to wander around and listen to people speak all day because they have the best accent on the planet of earth.

Yesyes! It's one possible origin of the "pirate" accent, which is awesome, IMO.

[bodlon.livejournal.com]

Many folks I know who've visited Cardiff have stayed at Ty Rosa and really enjoyed it. Their website's gone a little bit silly (rainbowy borders, random sheep) of late, so brace yourself.

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

For some reason this reminded me of visiting you, and the man walking down the middle of the street with his penis flapping about one morning.

[pocketmouse]

I don't remember about wifi, since I didn't bring my laptop with me to London, and it was 4 years ago so likely a lot has changed. But there were internet cafes all over the place, and if you go to those, you'll want to shop around a bit, as the rates can vary. For instance, the hotel lobby had £1 for 20 minutes, but the cafe 12 blocks away had £1 for an hour. Also, the library had free internet, though you had to sign up for a temporary library card. They let me use the address of my hotel on the card (which was also what I used for my Oyster card).

I always recommend going to the Globe! It's awesome, and gorgeous. If you do go, as long as you don't have a problem with standing for the length of the play, I recommend you get groundling 'seats,' and stay as close to the stage as you can. The actors will interact with the groundlings a lot, it's an amazing experience. We gave up our seats and went into the pit for the one show we had seats for. If you do sit, sit center, since when I was there they really hadn't figured out how to use the stage in the round.

[delchi.livejournal.com]

The funny thing for me is that the old NYC I had no problems with, the current NYC has no place for me.

[sixteenbynine.livejournal.com]

As a fellow NYCer currently living in exile on Long Island (as I like to say), I applaud your sentiments. I get back there whenever I can, which is once or twice a month.

[laughingacademy.livejournal.com]

And the people aren't rude.

After my parents moved from NYC to Savannah, GA, Mom reported that people Down South were much ruder than the average Noo Yawkuh.

[angstzeit.livejournal.com]

Indeed. People will be surprised to find the trains aren't all covered with graffiti.