l love the Manhattan part of New York, but it has certainly got a lot more upmarket since l first started going there. One thing l liked about it was it had lots of dodgy places that stayed open late (which were relatively cheap). Now it is getting way too gentrified and expensive, which to me is summed up by the closing of CBGB's as the rents became too high. It is now a John Varvatos fashion outlet, which makes me want to puke. Where the fuck the character of New York is going to be in the next few years is anyone's guess, it will of course still have The Empire State building, The Statue of Liberty, Central Park etc, but be inhabited by posh bastards and students (and maybe the Mexican workers sleeping 20 to a room). Everyone is getting pushed out to the suburbs, but these will suffer the same fate unless there is stronger rent controls both for shops and apartments (or lots of aggressive squatting). If l remember correctly, the only way that Monica from friends could live in her apartment was because it was rent controlled. l know it's a new country, but have a sense of history and try to think of the ordinary working man/woman. Mind you, l still don't think Monica could have lived it an apartment that size!toodle pip.
No comments:
Post a Comment