vw ad

The suicide ad reminds me of the bicycle I had in college. It was a Diamant. German make. After the bombing of a Hanoi warehouse the only item left standing was a Diamant and every viet student at my college wanted to buy my bike.
At the end of my last year I sold it to one of them. He was so determined to seal the deal that he insisted to buy me a shot of vodka over the deal. Someone had taught him that such was our custom. Only after a vodka drink the deal woul become inexorably final.
This guy who had not gone in a bar outside Vietnam took me in a bodega and we drank. Diamant forever.

history of the city...

Went to New York Historical Society to see the Hamilton exhibition. Not much of an exhibition but surprised by the large attendance. At the library, an 1880s article discussing the city grid established in 1810s.... Complaining that the the blocks are shorter along the length of the island. They should have been turned 90 degrees since circulation is North South.
Still cannot figure out how it would have matter...Maybe it did before the subway.

parking

Today I decided to explore my neighborhood with the AIA guide in hand. Looking at buildings two blocks away from where I live, on a street I used to park everyday six, seven years ago, I discovered a ten feet wide park tucked between brownstones. Had been there for twenty years...How many tickets did I get on that street?