The Silent 'Avenger'
Flavorpill directed us to what looks like a pretty cool performance this evening at the Winter Garden of the World Financial Center. You can see Alfred Hitchcock's first film - a silent flick, who knew? -- but with a live soundtrack. It's free and starts at 7 p.m. Details:

Nationally acclaimed, Milwaukee-based new music ensemble performs their first full-length New York City concert and the New York premiere of the film score by Joby Talbot, from the British art-rock band The Divine Comedy. In this film, Alfred Hitchcock’s first full-length film and suspense thriller, an innocent man is mistakenly accused of being the murderous "Avenger."
- posted by Amy @ Friday, January 16, 2004

 
Loving the Space Heater
Something about 25 below zero with wind chill. Need I say more?
- posted by Amy @ Thursday, January 15, 2004

 
Changes to WTC Memorial
The latest design of the WTC memorial for Ground Zero will now incorporate twisted steel beams, a crushed fire truck and a park around the reflecting pools, according to this story from The Associated Press. Other stories available from the Daily News, Post, NY Times, NY1 and the Gotham Gazette. Full details of the modified design will be released today.
- posted by Amy @ Wednesday, January 14, 2004

 
New York Loyalties
Ben Stiller may be No. 1 at the box office this week, but you may have a hard time feeling good about that if you've read "Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live." Co-producer Marci Klein explains how Stiller screwed over SNL after Sept. 11:

Meanwhile, Ben Stiller was supposed to host the show the following week. Ben was a member of the cast, briefly, back in 1989. We had booked him the previous year because we knew he had a movie coming out in September. He had actually been booked eight months in advance. Now I didn't even know this, but someone in my office had been getting e-mails from Ben Stiller's office in early September with a lot of special requests for him while he was hosting -- things like 'a groomer' and other stuff. The Friday before Reese hosted, I got a call at 6:30 p.m. from Ben Stiller's publicist. Without a hint of apology, she just announced that 'Ben is dropping out of the show.'

Now I will admit I was still very shaken about September 11, in part because I lived so close to the towers, and I was scared out of my mind so maybe that helps explain why I just went crazy. I said, 'How dare you call and cancel like this? Ben is from New York. He should be fucking showing up with bells on to help the city through this! Haven't you heard what the mayor said?' She started saying he was canceling because of September 11th, and I said, 'Wait a second. Reese Witherspoon, who has never done the show, who doesn't even know if she can really handle this - and, unlike Ben, was never even a cast member -- is doing the first show. Don't you think Ben ought to maybe rethink for a second?' And she said to me, 'I can't believe you would be so insensitive.'

- posted by Amy @ Tuesday, January 13, 2004

 
If Monday is Florida, Thursday is Siberia
You may want to jam all your extra-curricular activities into one day this week: today. The weather's going to get nasty again. "Tomorrow night, a cold air mass the size of a subcontinent will surge back over New York, dropping temperatures back to the single digits and bringing heavy winds and as much as six inches of snow on Wednesday night and Thursday morning," the NY Times reports this morning. They quote a meteorologist who offers this sage advice: "Enjoy the next two days. Early Thursday could be a pretty nasty time."

NYC readers with tips on stuff going on today, please feel free to use the comment section.
- posted by Amy @ Monday, January 12, 2004

 
Cold and Colder
If you're not among the 3,900 people who called the city yesterday to complain about lack of heat in your building, it's a darn good day to stay inside.
- posted by Amy @ Sunday, January 11, 2004