Jeanne Wilkinson: Hot Town: Random Days in New York City

I'm all hopped up on Beest Juice this summer, so here are a bunch

of random things I've seen and done so far.

Speaking of beasts, this monster rises over the intersection of Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues.

Once the Russian-owned Nets start to play their basketball games inside,

the street will be a parking lot.

The only remaining remnant of the long-fought Atlantic Yards Project,

it's city planning at its worst and most cynical.

(photo from internet)

Frank Gehry's ill-fated absurdity, "Miss Brooklyn," was supposed to go up along with the

Barclays Center Stadium until the economy imploded.

On to more fun things: strange goings-on in the storage room at Kingsborough

during my summer drawing class.

Like a Fuseli painting...

(photo from internet)

In the 4/5/6 subway station, the 4/5/6 route is scratched out for no apparent reason.

In the 7th Avenue F train station, alien trains rumble through like out of a

steam-punk nightmare.

Our super's amazing patterns on the 3rd Street sidewalk,
done with a hose, outdoing mega-bucks artist Brice Marden in the process.

(Brice Marden painting, pic from internet)

Turns out that the super has been told by the building manager to get rid of the gum on the sidewalk,
a losing battle.

On this Flatbush Avenue sidewalk: the marks of some idiot spitting out his/her gum. Every sidewalk in the city is pocked like this.

Speaking of idiotic things, here's a brochure we received from "New Yorkers for Beverage Choices"

paid for by the freedom-loving American Beverage Association,

bravely standing up for the right to drink sugary toxic diabetes-producing drinks
wherever we want in whatever monster size we want!

For those of you who don't live in the great city, this outraged cry for freedom is in response to

that "health nut" Mayor Mike Bloomberg's latest broadside banning super-sized beverages.

(Photo from internet.)

Here's a subway ad for a healthy drink.

Bottoms up!

Or would that be tops?

Speaking of yummy stuff, here's Frank preparing dinner for guests,

making his famed "Cobb tower of power."

Beautiful!

I added the basil leaf on top...

...and set the table.

Lobster!

On 3rd Street Frank is fascinated by a large weed which he believes to be
milk thistle, the herbal supplement that aids liver health.
We contemplate harvesting it - taking charge of our own health needs,
making Mike Bloomberg proud.

At the 7th Avenue flea market I see the following:

but I end up buying these two characters for
a Hal Thompson goat-post:

Speaking of Hal, here's his friend Baby Cookie in her fabulous new outfit
(accompanied by Courtney Collins):

At the studio, another young lady assimilated into the Painted People.

She resisted for a long time, but now seems to be enjoying it.
This bath of creamy gesso actually looks quite cooling.

But not all the action is in Brooklyn.

In Manhattan on 14th Street and 9th Avenue, a David rises in spandex glory.

(by Spanish artist Demo and designer Luca Missoni)

Back to Brooklyn. Can't stay away. On the B67 bus, a guy with

a wire hanger tattooed above his right elbow. Creepy.

(I photoshopped the hanger for clarification. But it was really there.)
Strangely enough, I took this photo of a wire hanger recently because the
late afternoon light was so beautiful in the bathroom. This is not creepy.
Unless you don't care for our ancient flocked wallpaper.