The video below started making the rounds back in April, and everybody and their mother was sending it to me, as it was yet another visual 'love letter' to NYC. There have been a bajillion of these over the years, and I've showcased many of'em here. In this instance, I didn't leap, as -- quite frankly -- I've honestly never given a damn about Cat Power. I don't wish her ill or anything, it's just that her music always seemed a bit precious to me (not that I'd ever really invested that much in her to begin with).
In any case, in the past few days, Manhattan has officially lost The Pizza Box, Max Fish and -- just over the water -- Hoboken's Maxwell's. Moreover, the European Waxing Salon that currently occupies the former footprint of the Cedar Tavern is now open for business. I'd post a picture of it, but I cannot bring myself to. That said, I did take the photograph above (heavily filtered via Instagram) of University Place the other evening.
Back during the week of July 4th, I actually found myself alone for an evening (with my wife & kids away), so I took a nostalgic solo bar-hop around the East Village and Lower East Side (as I alluded here). During the course of same, I naturally found myself at one point strolling down Ludlow Street. Knowing the impending fate of Max Fish, I figured I'd pop in for a beer and pay my respects. As mentioned in previous posts on the subject, Max Fish was a regular favorite of mine back in the 90's. But as I approached the place ... I stopped. I even had my hand on the door to pull it open, and I paused. I'm not entirely positive of what it was, but something told me not to do it. Maybe I just felt too old for the place (certainly a credible response by this stage of the proceedings), or maybe I just wanted to leave it in my head as I remembered it from my heady days of beery, punky singledom. But it just suddenly seemed like it would be a bad, depressing undertaking. I let go of the door and walked away, leaving Max Fish forever in my head.
So, while I was feeling all sorts of melancholy about my ever-changing borough -- specifically feeling like every place that I'd ever genuinely liked and/or cared about was either already gone or in the process of closing down for good -- my friend Drew re-sent me this Cat Power clip....and I suddenly appreciated it anew. Not only is it an actually great song, but the video is indeed a fabulous portrayal of the island in question.
And Max Fish -- and its storied juke box -- make a lovely little cameo.
Recent Comments