Since the entire art world has pretty much abandoned their weekend hours for the next month and a half, I thought I'd show a fairly often visited location in the Chelsea art scene.
It's value is far under-appreciated.
Yes, I'm talking about the Kwik Farms gas station/convenience store.
Since the city of New York and the developers who have overtaken Chelsea have decided that we continuously need more galleries and more living space, but apparently do not need FOOD, this is where we buy our iced teas, our sodas, our emergency gallery toilet paper supply and snacks.
After all, Prada doesn't make a size 12--Who needs to eat?
In all actuality, we really only have Bottino's as an actual take-out lunch option.
Everywhere else is sit-down.
For every "commercial space available" advertisement I see on the cross streets, I cross my fingers with anticipation-- maybe... just maybe... a coffee shop???
How about a bagel place?
I mean... crap... even a STARBUCK'S?????
Do I ask too much?
Of course the same holds true for many other areas-- Long Island City, for example.
Realtors and developers clamor for space-- then the new residents move in, but there's nowhere to shop, to eat, to LIVE.
District zoning is fine-- but why is it that NYC has to cluster everything in one area-- i.e., galleries must be in Chelsea, Indian food can only be found from Park-Lexington, 26th-29th streets, retail clothing stores must be on 5th Avenue?
Barry Hoggard and James Wagner were mentioning the other day on their blogs regarding an added benefit to an opening in the Lower East Side... "at least there's places for us to eat."
Wouldn't that be nice?
All they have to do is build one take-out eatery and I promise you us gallery workers and artsy types will patronize your establishment.
Oh, and need I say how convenient it could be for those with art blogs to have a location other than the cave that is Chelsea Market to write in? I promise I'll buy a coffee to usurp your bandwidth.
And don't forget your wasted 27th Street club hoppers-- they need food to absorb the alcohol STAT.
But please hurry-- I'm starting to feel like Britney Spears with all her gas station visits (but of course I wear shoes).
Oh, and here's the 100% abandoned 24th Street yesterday.Banks Violette exhibit, I guess I will have to wait for thee....
1 comment:
hmm, i think this isn't really chelsea you're talking about. you're talking about 9th avenue and west. there is a supermarket on 9th between 23rd-24th, and a bodega at 9th and 17th, oh and a grocery store at ninth and 22nd. 8th avenue has even more places. the neighborhood is still a wasteleand as far as population goes. and gallery people tend to not shop. artists tend to buy food near where they actually live.
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