The L Magazine - New York City's Local Event and Arts & Culture Guide: News & Features

Afghanistan? Problem Solved.

editor@thelmagazine.com (Paul D'Agostino) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0500

It's cheap, it's elegant, and if you're lucky, the new Sandy Bullock movie will be playing. You're welcome, Mr. President. by Paul D'Agostino Now that the American military has long since surged its way to victory in Iraq, it's high time for the cavalry to re-energize, refocus, reload and remount—and to replicate such swift success in Afghanistan. And if you find something egregiously wrong with almost all of that statement, you are, without doubt, quite right. Except for the implication that a cavalry might remount. Back in the earliest stages of our current fight against the Taliban, soldiers on horseback proved stunningly effective.…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Looking at the Past to Predict the Future: What's Next for Mad Men?

editor@thelmagazine.com (Mark Rowan) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:28:00 -0500

Mark Rowan investigates the year 1964 to see what exactly is in store for Mad Men's fourth season. by Mark Rowan With season three of Mad Men ending last week, last night's void leaves us with little to say to each other here at the office this morning. So instead of coming up with a new subject for conversation, here are eight events I'm predicting will be written into next season of Mad Men. The pattern so far has been to end a season in October-December and pick it up again in February-April. Matt Weiner did skip a whole year between…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

A Brief, Weird History of NYC Mayoral Shenanigans

editor@thelmagazine.com (Henry Stewart) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:34:00 -0500

Today, when you're pulling the lever to decide who'll be our next (ha!) municipal overlord, remember just how weird it can get. by Henry Stewart 1776: In his first year as mayor, David Mathews is accused of being part of a plot to kidnap George Washington. He is arrested for a short time but there's little evidence against him. When the Brits occupy New York later that year, he is restored to office; when they leave seven years later, he hightails it to Canada with other loyalists. 1844: Abram Hewitt, future mayor of New York, is shipwrecked on a return voyage from Europe with another…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

SLIDESHOW: At the NADA/L Mag Art Party!

editor@thelmagazine.com — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:30:00 -0500

Diana Levine's photo booth highjinks are always fun. As they were last Friday night... Always one of the best parties of the year, last Friday's NADA Emerging Artist's shindig (brought to you by Bumble and Bumble and The L) was no different, with the added bonus of costumes. Luckily, Diana Levine was on hand with her awesome photo booth set up. Our favorite may be the dude who dressed up like Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood. We bet he just kept saying "I'm an oil man" all night, which was probably pretty…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

The Preacher Who Would Be Mayor

editor@thelmagazine.com (Henry Stewart) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0500

On Election eve, Henry Stewart looks back at the gadfly campaign of Reverend Billy, and what it means to local democracy. by Henry Stewart The Reverend Billy mayoral campaign is locked out of its own meeting. It's a rainy spring night, and four members of the campaign team, including the candidate himself, are standing outside of an unremarkable building just south of Houston Street. The Reverend is almost unrecognizable; his trademark, platinum blond-streaked coif is hidden beneath a knit cap. In slacks, shoes and a dark waist-length coat, he looks more like a Midwestern preacher than the ersatz televangelist type he plays on the…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

The First Annual L Magazine Restaurant Awards

editor@thelmagazine.com — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0400

You could probably eat out every night in New York and go to a different restaurant every time. Start with these... [image-41] We are all foodies, now. The last decade has seen high-end food culture infiltrate every aspect of American life, with cameras in the kitchens of five-star restaurants, Michael Pollan writing kids' books, and fancy truffles on mac 'n' cheese. This is not a bad thing. Food is who we are, culturally and biologically, and as the focus returns more and more to eating local, we realize how lucky we are to live in New York, where great restaurants pop…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Dr. Dave Knows What's Wrong With Healthcare. And How to Fix It.

editor@thelmagazine.com (Henry Stewart) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0400

Dr. Dave Ores goes DIY on the health insurance industry... and scares the crap out of them with his sleeve tats. by Henry Stewart I am in Dr. Dave Ores' cramped, messy waiting room at the end of a work day, sitting next to a middle-aged woman in a headscarf. A dusty vacuum occupies one corner, a paint-stained ladder another. No receptionist greets you upon entering—just a paper sign hanging on the glass door that says "The Doctor is IN"—no nurse takes your name or hands you a clipboard. Muffled voices can be heard from the adjoining room. NPR plays out of an AIWA…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Halloween at the Sex Store

editor@thelmagazine.com (Lauren Wilkinson) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0400

It's the most wonderful time of the year: slutty costume time! by Lauren Wilkinson The crazies remained at bay this week except for one old woman with drawn-on eyebrows, who came into the store just to inform my coworker Adriana and I that, "this will all be rubble," when Jesus returns. She was mumbling, it took me a while to work out what she was saying, so she was already out the door by the time it occurred to me to roll my eyes up into my skull and shake like I was being…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Can Sex Toys Save the Economy

editor@thelmagazine.com (Lauren Wilkinson) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0400

In which Lauren has some very good investment opportunities for those of you willing to take a risk. by Lauren Wilkinson Despite that depressing article in the Times a few weeks ago about our fair city's unemployment rate hitting 10.3 percent, I'm uncharacteristically optimistic right now. Sure, I can't get a job interview to save my life and the same article said that New York still has a year to go before we're out of the recession, but the weather's been great, my job hasn't been taxing at all (largely because I'm rarely there) and I have a houseguest with whom…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

The Heroes and Villains of New York City

editor@thelmagazine.com — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0400

We look at who is saving this city... and who is destroying it. We are all familiar with the larger-than-life characters who exist in New York, rare creatures of shrewd vanity who, with chameleonic guile, rise to a certain kind of prominence--in the tabloids, on the blogs, on TV--and then descend just as quickly. These are not heroes; nor, really, are they villains. Heroes, to us at least, are those who make sacrifices (money, fame, security, time, in some cases, sanity) to make the world a better place. Villains, then, are the inverse,…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

An Endorsement of Reverend Billy for Mayor of NYC

editor@thelmagazine.com — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0400

This candidate espouses the same principles we've held dear over the last 10 years. You should vote for him. It is unlikely that any of the candidates running against Michael Bloomberg will prevent the billionaire incumbent from winning a third term as Mayor of New York City. Bloomberg is rich, inoffensive and radiates an uncontroversial managerial competence that is, if not compelling, at least comforting to a city less interested in policy details than its own financial future. This is benevolent despotism at its finest. But this is an endorsement, not an indictment. Green Party candidate Bill Talen, aka…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Raising Money in a Recession: The Life of an NYC Canvasser

editor@thelmagazine.com (Lauren Kelley) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:16:00 -0400

Stop being a jerk to those people on the street with clipboards who ask you for money. What have you done lately for a good cause? by Lauren Kelley Sara steps out of her office onto Fifth Avenue. It's 1:30pm, and she only has half an hour to eat, go to the bank, and get back before her afternoon meeting. Walking briskly, Sara turns the corner, only to lock eyes with a young man in a pale blue t-shirt. He's holding a clipboard and smiling. A lot. Sara turns down her gaze and picks up the pace. She starts rummaging through her bag, looking for her phone, her sunglasses�anything…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

I Work in a Sex Store: Am I a Sex Worker?

editor@thelmagazine.com (Lauren Wilkinson) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0400

In which Lauren wonders deeply about her role in life, and if she'll ever have as much fun as Jean Genet. by Lauren Wilkinson So fashion week happened, which try as I might, has very little to do with working in a sex toy store. We�ve had a couple of models come in, but none of them were famous, none of them bought anything, all of them were being squired around by loud blowhards (it was uncanny, actually) and all of them seemed uncomfortable handling vibrators. Fall is (sort of) here, which means business is slowing down and I�m making less money. But on…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

The Whitest Neighborhood in New York City

editor@thelmagazine.com (Henry Stewart) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0400

Welcome to Breezy Point, a beachfront conservative enclave right here within the city limits. Just don't try to visit. by Henry Stewart It�s probably New York City�s only Republican-friendly parade. Breezy Point�s Mardi Gras celebration, held during the last weekend before summer unofficially ends, is a family-friendly burlesque, an amalgam of Labor Day, Halloween and the Fourth of July, filtered through the sensibility of the city�s right-leaning tabloids. �It�s like the Halloween parade� in the West Village, one visitor tells me�but instead of political lampoonery from the left (and bare breasts), it�s like a best of the New York Post headlines. Aside…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Who You Should Wear

editor@thelmagazine.com (Laurel Pinson) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0400

The city's coolest boutiques give tips on who they're most excited about this fall. by Laurel Pinson The people responsible for selecting only the most stylish duds for the top boutiques in the city reveal their ultimate fall must-haves. [image-1] Nadine Farber, Mick Margo "Alexander Wang 's Betty Flap Bag!" [page] [image-2] Candice Waldron, Jumelle "Gary Graham's collection this year has been exceptional. He's been designing since 1999 and has a cult following, though likely that will change as he was just selected as a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist. Known as a master of construction, his collections…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Ten Fall Trends and How to Wear Them

editor@thelmagazine.com (Laurel Pinson) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0400

Crazy shoulders, huge platforms, draping... BEST. FALL. EVER. by Laurel Pinson [image-1] Depending on how you saw the Fall 2009 runway presentations earlier this year, we are either going to be living in the chic 1940s (pleat-front pants, peplum skirts, statement accessories) or flashing back to the glam 1980s (power suits, studs, shoulder pads, and over-the-knee stiletto boots). Fashion�s funny that way: Much like people, it can seemingly hold two completely contradictory ideas in its glossy little head at the same time�sometimes, in fact, blending the two together in an I-can�t-believe-this-look-might-actually-work…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Seven Long Days in Skinny Jeans

editor@thelmagazine.com (Daniel Nester) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0400

Daniel Nester throws himself into the skinniest pair of pants he's ever worn�and tells us all about it. by Daniel Nester [image-1] My thighs are still tingling. It�s been seven days since the new pair of black skinny jeans arrived in the mail. Seven days of stretchable denim vacuum-sealed around my shins, thighs and the area of my body most sensitive to pressure. Seven days wearing what was once part of the hipster uniform, and is now the standard-style of pants for men of all stripes, according to no less august a source than the Wall Street Journal. According to that…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

How I Kill Time at the Sex Store

editor@thelmagazine.com (Lauren Wilkinson) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:21:00 -0400

Thirty percent of the time is basically given over to sexually harassing my coworkers, so there's that. by Lauren Wilkinson When you work in retail, they want you to bust your ass with busy work when it�s slow, but c�mon. You can look busy in an office job by chatting on gmail all day, but I�d actually have to dust and move shit around on the shelves and that�s actual work, which isn�t really my bag. So here is the definitive list of What I Get Up To at 10am on a Sunday morning or when it rains, or in…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

20 Must-See Fall Art Events

editor@thelmagazine.com (Benjamin Sutton) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0400

We're so excited for Fall, and with all these dance, theater, visual art, opera, classical and experimental music events coming up, you should be too. by Benjamin Sutton [image-1] Theater Kill Me Loudly: A Clown Noir Triskelion Arts, September 16-25 The latest clown theater production from Fools On Fire is just what it sounds like: a film noir narrative performed by clowns. Beyond manipulating some of our favorite genre conventions (two femme fatales are better than one), director Eric Davis also plays with gender (neither is female, and the token P.I. is a woman), not to mention the familiar subjects and stories of clown performance. Comme Toujours Here…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

New York�s Next Generation of Cultural Heavyweights

editor@thelmagazine.com — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0400

Art, theater, dance, classical music... Meet the household names of the future. Every day of the year, ambitious young artists come to New York with big dreams�most don�t quite achieve them, but a select few do. We thought we�d take a look at some young New Yorkers whose rare combination of talent and drive has seen them move to the fore of their particular disciplines (theater, art, dance, classical music). Catch them while you can. [image-1] [image-2] [image-3] [image-4] [image-5] [image-6] [image-7] [image-8] [image-9] [image-10] [image-11] [image-12]…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

The Next Ones: Slideshow

editor@thelmagazine.com — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0400

see more... Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayervar so = new SWFObject("http://www.db798.com/pictobrowser.swf", "PictoBrowser", "500", "500", "8", "#DDDDDD"); so.addParam("quality", "low"); so.addParam("scale", "noscale"); so.addParam("align", "mid"); so.addVariable("ids", "72157622091857057"); so.addVariable("names", "The Next Ones"); so.addVariable("userName", "The L Mag"); so.addVariable("userId", "27613694@N06"); so.addVariable("source", "sets"); so.write("PictoBrowser090902114614");]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

A Traveler's Nightmare: Couchsurfing in NYC

editor@thelmagazine.com (Peter Geoghegan) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0400

What happens when a mild-mannered Irish journalist picks the wrong couch to crash on? Bad things. by Peter Geoghegan Tourists, like neo-liberals, are all for doing more with less. It�s a natural human impulse to want to see the world, and to do it as cheaply as possible. Parsimonious traveler that I am, New York�s vertiginous hotel prices long kept me away � that is until I heard about a new travel craze that puts would-be visitors in touch with like-minded people and their spare beds (or, more precisely, couches). �What�s the worst that can happen?� I wondered as…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

When Sex Stores Are Bad for Your Relationship

editor@thelmagazine.com (Lauren Wilkinson) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 04:00:00 -0400

Sometimes you say things you don't really mean. In sex stores, though, you usually mean them. by Lauren Wilkinson I�ve been with my boyfriend for four years and I�ll readily admit that our longevity is chalked up to his patient, tolerant nature. A fair number of readers might assume I say that because I work in a sex toy store and therefore am sexually indiscriminate/a cheater, but that is not the case. No, I�m just neurotic and a bit of a loner. Even though I can be emotionally taxing, our relationship is a cakewalk compared to what goes on…]]> [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]