Monthly Archives: June 2014

Pratt. 

Mini Ice Cream Waffle Sandwiches. Can you dig it?

(I knew that you could.)

Via Royalboiler here are 19 tips for comic artists from Moebius. 

Here’s some goodness from our chum Kevin Baker:

Many consider the destruction of New York’s original Pennsylvania Station in 1963 to have been the architectural crime of the twentieth century. But few know how close we came to also losing its counterpart, Grand Central Terminal, a hub every bit as irreplaceable. Grand Central’s salvation has generally been told as a tale of aroused civic virtue, which it was. Yet it was, as well, an affirming episode for those of us convinced that our political culture has become an endless clown-car act with the same fools always leaping out.

“In New York then, I learn to appreciate the Italian Renaissance,” said Le Corbusier of Grand Central. “It is so well done that you could believe it to be genuine. It even has a strange, new firmness which is not Italian, but American.” It was not seen as such by its owner, New York Central Railroad, which viewed it mostly as a cash cow. As early as 1954, the Central proposed replacing the terminal with something called The Hyberboloid — an I. M. Pei monstrosity that, at 108 stories and 1,600 feet, would have become the world’s tallest building at the time. There was enough public outcry that a scaled-down Hyberboloid was built instead just north of Grand Central, where it was retitled the Pan Am (later the Met Life) Building. Even at a lesser height, it proved every bit as grotesque as promised.

Still unsatisfied, New York Central proposed in 1961 to build a three-level bowling alley over Grand Central’s Main Concourse, which would have required lowering the ceiling from sixty feet to fifteen and cutting off from view its glorious blue mural of the zodiac. This, too, was stopped. Foiled again, New York Central resorted to plastering the terminal with ads and bombarding travelers with canned Muzak, complete with commercials, over the public address system.

[Photo Credit: Boris Yale Klapwald/Brain-Ink]

David Phelps was gritsy n gutsy last night. He got some big outs, escaped trouble and allowed just a couple of runs over 7 innings.

According to the intrepid Chad Jennings:

“It always feels good to throw well any day,” Phelps said. “But especially when it’s against the top teams in the league. It’s encouraging knowing that you’ve got their best hitters out there and you’re getting them out. You can see how quick the game can turn around with a lineup like that. It was 2-0 and all of a sudden, with one swing, it was tied up. I just had to stay aggressive, pick my spots that’s for sure.”

“It’s kind of refreshing seeing guys like Chase (Whitley) come up and the success that he’s had,” Phelps said. “Just being able to learn from him. I feel like sometimes as pitchers we try to make the game a little bit too difficult, try to perfect, and he’s just been throwing strikes – all of his pitches for strikes – and that’s one of the things I’ve learned from just watching him pitch.”

The Yanks scored in all but 2 innings. Sure, they only scored 1 run in each inning but it proved to be enough. Brian McCann had bad luck on two balls he squared up but I think he’s starting to come around.

Power didn’t help last night, speed did. 

Final Score: Yanks 6, Jays 4.

[Photo Credit: Nabil]

The Jays haven’t won in the Bronx in a long time. Let’s hope they don’t start tonight, eh.

Phelps is on the hill.

Brett Gardner LF
Derek Jeter SS
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Brian McCann C
Carlos Beltran DH
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Brian Roberts 2B
Kelly Johnson 3B

Never mind nuthin’:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Antoine Bruy via MPD]

“A demi déshabillée, devant la glace” By Pierre Bonnard (1905)

R.I.P. Horace Silver. 

And of course (Steely, Stevie):

We’ve been waiting, patiently, for Brian McCann to start hitting. To produce. Last night, he hit a line drive home run (a Yankee Stadium Special) and a fly ball in the right centerfield gap that dropped in and went for a triple. Yes, there was some good fortune with the triple as it landed just beyond Cody Rasmus’ glove, but McCann, who collected 5 RBI on those two hits, was due for some good luck.

Those two hits, combined with a decent outing from Chase Whitley, and a strong outing from the back end of the bullpen, was enough to give the Yanks a 7-3 win over the Jays.

It’s a start.

[Picture by Bags]

It’s hot in the Bronx. Tonight, Chase Whitley will try to hold down the Blue Jays’ potent offense.

Brett Gardner LF

Derek Jeter SS

Jacoby Ellsbury CF

Mark Teixeira 1B

Alfonso Soriano RF

Carlos Beltran DH

Brian McCann C

Yangervis Solarte 3B

Brian Roberts 2B

Never mind the heat:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Fo real? Say, whuut?

[Photo Credit: Todd Coleman]

“Interior of the Painter’s House, rue Carcel” By Paul Gauguin (1881)

Here’s some Mavis Staples goodness brought to you by Elon Green over at the New Yorker.

It’s rather warm out there. Rather.

[LIFE photo via: Well Plaid]

I’ll be interesting to see how Masahiro Tanaka handles the lead off hitter the next time he faces the Blue Jays. Jose Reyes hit a home run on the first pitch of the game last night and although Tanaka labored through the first three innings that would be the lone run for the Jays. Tanaka pitched six innings and struck out ten. On an off-night.

My favorite at bat was the second time Jose Bautista came up. He whiffed the first time and now, behind 1-1 he laid off 2 straight breaking pitches, not sure if they were sliders or splitters. They were good pitches, too, but it looked as if he finally got a good read on them. So what does Tanaka do but stay with the breaking stuff. Threw 2 more and struck Bautista out again.

Final Score: Yanks 3, Jays 1. 

[Photo Via: Let’s Eat]

The first place Blue Jays are in town for a 3-game series.

Tonight gives Tanaka and my gut tells me he’s gonna take a beatin’ tonight.

Hope I’m wrong.

Gardner LF

Jeter SS

Ellsbury CF

Teixeira 1B

McCann C

Beltran DH

Suzuki RF

Roberts 2B

Johnson 3B

Never mind the heat index:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Fred Stein]

“Pacific” by Alec Colville (1967)

Russ & Rye: Seriously.

Word up.

[Photo Credit: Terry O’Neill via Sunset Gun]

Cinephilia and Beyond has a good post on one of my favorite movies, Roman Polanski’s A Knife in the Water.