Hoosiers Ate My Brain

Flat, Cheap, and Not New York

So today I get a welcome call from an old San Francisco friend, Chris MacPherson. Chris moved to New York about the same time I moved -- in his opinion -- to a state, not New York. (We both moved from San Francisco, so what does that really make us.) Chris lives on the Upper West Side, 76th or so just 1/2 a block from the park. We were terrific friends in SF. He would drag me to art films and I would drag him sailing. We enjoyed lots of lazy days rummaging through bookstores in Mill Valley or cruising to brunch on a friend's J/35.

Chris actually has a pretty great place for New York -- tiny, but great. OK, his kitchen is the size of my walk-in closet. Not kidding. Small living room with a fire place that burns real wood but smokes like crazy, tiny bedroom, huge deck that his landlord sells as big extra bonus space. (Hey, I'm not saying anything I haven't already said to Chris -- as I tried to open the refrigerator and avoid the waffle iron at the same time during a brunch over the holidays.)

So, today, I was engaging in one of my favorite pastimes -- New Yorker baiting. It's easist to try this with rent. (Not kidding, I pay one quarter of what he pays for a place twice the size. Of course, I don't live half a block off Central Park either, so what do I know.) As we're enjoying our usual rent banter, Chris says, "Wait, here comes my landlord, Luigi, you tell Luigi what a great deal you have." After much laughing and on the street banter, Luigi takes Chris' cell phone and I get to have a conversation with Chris' landlord, in heavily accented English, about Chris' rent. Luigi thinks he has a great deal. Haha! Including the big back deck bonus space "for-ah when it bee-yuu-tee-ful outside." So, here's to you, Luigi! On a gorgeous day like today, you could almost make a case for how wonderful that big back deck is. Good for you for making it big in New York -- and give Chris a break on his rent, will ya?

posted by braingirl @ 12:20 AM