nostalgia

A Retrospective of Woodstock Retrospectives

John Cook · 08/12/09 04:00PM

This weekend marks the 40th anniversary of Woodstock, so it's time once again to remember how great things were, how different things are, and how they'll never be that good again.

New York's New Ghost Town

Richard Lawson · 04/13/09 02:45PM

Architecturally speaking, what will the bust leave us? Woolworth, Cunard, Standard Oil—their buildings stand even if their companies didn't. What do we get this go-around? Media- and finance-subsidized glass and steel, pretty much.

The Death of the Beatrice Inn

Richard Lawson · 04/07/09 12:58PM

If the Beatrice Inn were to close forever, rather than just temporarily, what would we say at its funeral? Because we're feeling wistful this afternoon, we're going to attempt something of a eulogy.

Who's In the Monkey Bar Mural?

Richard Lawson · 03/30/09 04:10PM

Wispily pompadoured Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter's new midtown venture Monkey Bar is a bar/restaurant for rich people. There's even a giant mural commemorating some of between-wars New York's bestest richies. So who's in it?

Maer Roshan, the Early Days

Richard Lawson · 03/17/09 01:59PM

Here's a photo, found on Facebook, of Radar founder Maer Roshan in... middle school? Ninth grade maybe? He looks to be about 14 or so. Anyway, just a funny trip back in time.

Watchmen's New York

Richard Lawson · 03/05/09 05:19PM

Just in time for New York to revert back to the mean streets of old, the blockbustery film Watchmen comes out offering us a reimagined 1985 cityscape. How does it compare to the real thing?

Laurel Touby: The College Years

Richard Lawson · 03/04/09 02:25PM

As we learned that her assistant was laid off today, our attentions were drawn to be-boa-ed Mediabistro founder Laurel Touby. Coincidentally, a tipster directed us to some nostalgic photos from her young, frivolous college years.

The Nude Photos That Nearly Destroyed New York

Ryan Tate · 12/09/08 09:34PM

Google somehow contrived to include full digital images of old New York magazines in its new magazine search service on Google Books. Sadly, the archive is missing key issues, containing such classics as "Radical Chic: That Party At Lenny's" and "Tribal Rights of the New Saturday Night." But both of those are available, albeit ripped from their original context, on nymag.com, and Google has one classic that isn't: Barbara Goldsmith's "La Dolce Viva," which revealed the seedy side of Andy Warhol's entourage through Viva, a shriveled one-name actress. "I had never seen anything like it," Tom Wolfe wrote of accompanying nude photos from Diane Arbus. But the article's appearance in the fourth debut standalone New York nearly ended Clay Felker's magazine.

Your Sick Boss Fantasies Acted Out On Stylista

Ryan Tate · 10/22/08 04:37AM

In its review of Elle-focused reality show Stylista, the Times finds plenty to like, surprisingly. It seems hippie editor Anne Slowey does a surprisingly convincing impersonation of Meryl Streep imitating Miranda Priestly standing in for mean old Anna Wintour of Vogue. (So much for those embarrassing preview clips from a few months ago.) The catfighting is inspired and "novel." And yet that's not what will hook you on the show. You'll watch because you are aching to pretend, for an hour each Wednesday, that the brutal hierarchy of yesteryear lent work an elegant simplicity. Writes the Times' Gina Bellafante:

One More Thing: Sex and Violence in Movies and TV

ian spiegelman · 10/19/08 06:13PM

Why else would we even go to the movies or turn on the television? Okay, there are a few other reasons, but mostly it's the sex and violence. So. What are you favorite scenes of people getting it on or having it out? Or both at once? Obviously, keep it tasteful and SFW. I'll get us going after the jump.

One More Thing: Rebels in Movies and TV

ian spiegelman · 10/18/08 06:53PM

This is certainly a scary time in America, what with the racist McCain/Palin fans and a liberal response that is still cringing and frightened to offend no matter what crazy shit the Wingers spew. But America has had scary times before—times when racists and rednecks and bullies and other pieces of shit went all out to stop the spread of progress and new ideas and common decency. And we have always stuck it to the man, at least in movies and TV. My opener after the jump.

One More Thing: Remembering the Suburbs

ian spiegelman · 10/12/08 06:35PM

Ah, the Burbs. So many good times. Sadly, with the collapse of the economy, they'll probably disappear along with the middle class. The rich will live in inaccessible luxury high rises like in Land of the Dead, or on well-guarded manses like in a Philip K. Dick novel. The rest of us will hunker down in urban hell-zones, disaster-prone trailer parks, and underground bunkers. Actually, no, that won't happen. But, still, the suburbs figure so prominently in so many fine movies and TV shows that they deserve a dedicate clip-fest. I'll get us rolling after the jump.

One More Thing: The Great Regression

ian spiegelman · 10/11/08 06:47PM

What do you do when the world's economy is falling apart and God only knows when things will get better? Duh! You get together with your friends, pretend that you're six, and start building some sofa-and-blanket forts stat! Dig deep into your memories for the days when food and shelter was someone else's problem, and find some clips that hearken back to those warm and cozy—and lost—times. They don't have to be cartoons, but they do have to be from childhood. That's all. I'll start with my biggest childhood hero.