Happy Friday!
Illustration by Lindsey Frances | Prints available here
Things that happened recently:
This is a fascinating look inside of the Westbeth Artists Housing complex, the last remaining artists’ housing in New York.
In preparation for the State of the Union Address, a giant inflatable Trump Rat (a nod to the infamous union strike rat, Scabby) was erected in Columbus Circle. I didn’t watch the SOTU, but I did love Stacy Abrams’s response and it’s hard to decide who had a better reaction: the Democratic women, 11-year-old Joshua Trump, Nancy Pelosi or this woman.
Billy Eichner is writing and starring in a new romantic comedy and I wish I could buy tickets already. Speaking of strike rat, I miss Difficult People (RIP).
Things to do in New York this week:
Saturday is the Flushing Chinese Lunar New Year Parade (it’s the year of the pig!) and while I’ve never been to the one in Flushing, the Chinatown celebration is one of my favorite parades in the city.
Sunday is the Til Death Do Us Part oddities market hosted by JC Oddities in Jersey City. This is the market where I found Flapjack and some other great pieces for my curiosity cabinet and it’s usually much better than the overpriced and overhyped Oddities Flea Market in Brooklyn.
The 143rd annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show takes place Monday at Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. My mom and I went last year and it was really fun but you can also watch the live stream here.
Things that I’ve discovered recently:
When I’m old and racked by dementia, I’ll still be able to sing Stick Stickly’s address (which apparently isn’t valid anymore, sad!) and I laughed out loud when I saw this tweet.
I love making fun of millennials as much as anyone (submitted for your approval: a yacht influencer) but I recently finished this book and it was a fascinating and sobering look at all of the factors that have made us the way we are.
We’re finally going to see They Shall Not Grow Old (after seeing the trailer ten thousand times, it finally has a wide release) on Saturday and on Sunday I’m trying to decide if I want to go to IKEA or to the Jersey City oddities flea market—either way I’ll probably be buying things I definitely don’t need and can’t fit in my tiny apartment. I’ve been rearranging some things in my apartment in anticipation of some new projects, so I might do an updated apartment tour post when that’s all finished. Next week I head to Mexico City for a few days and I’m being uncharacteristically loose with my itinerary but I’m sure it will be a good time. After a January that seemed to last for much longer than it was supposed to, February (the most expensive month to live in an apartment) seems to be speeding by. Have a great weekend and happy Lunar New Year (I’m an ox, but the pig is my favorite of the Chinese zodiac signs)!