Right? It was a competition she had going with a guy friend of hers who was doing the same thing, but sleeping with a one lady from all 50 states. Theirs was a platonic relationship but I always suspected they were secretly in love with each other. It was one of the strangest things I've ever seen.
I think we need a follow up with him and her. Did they get together, or are they continuing their relationship / competition on a larger scale by looking for partners from every country on Earth?
“…my NYU roommate who made it her business to sleep with one fellow from all 50 states. (She maintained a pin-cushion map over her bed to document her progress; we spent a lot of time scouring East Village bars looking for dudes from Alaska.)”
Hey, that’s a better reason to sleep with a guy than most. Reminds me of an old, ribald joke that vaudevillian Leonard Barr told at the beginning of the movie "The Sting": “Two women are sitting in a theater watching a movie when one says, ‘This guy next to me has a penis with two heads!’ to which her friend replies. ‘So what?! You seen one, you seen 'em all’ to which the other replies, ‘Yeah, but this one's eating my popcorn!!’”
Fantastic article and quarterly report. Congrats on your well deserved momentum! FWIW I thought the John Cats interview was your finest work. Here's another business owner you should interview - do New Yorkers understand the consequences of their actions? https://yuribezmenov.substack.com/p/how-to-escape-from-new-york-part-35b
Thanks Anne. It was bittersweet to leave. Feel free to use any of my 4-part "Escape from New York" series. Some may find it offensive, but we need to speak freely with harsh truths if NYC is to ever return to its full glory.
"Like any publicly-traded company, except that it’s just a goofball blog, CAFÉ ANNE keeps its stakeholders (haha, did I just use that word?) updated quarterly as to how the entity is performing."
Anne you have proved, conclusively, that a “goofball blog” can be a publicly-traded company!!! I mean, if you look way back, I’ll bet that Google, Facebook and even 3M started out as “goofball blogs.” Anne, I’m very honored to be one of your “goofballs!”
I'm almost personally offended! The Cats issue was GREAT! Thrilled about the wild success of this newsletter, which is always cheering and uplifting. Still amazes me you created the ideal job for yourself, AND THE UNIVERSE IS HEARTILY ENDORSING IT. If I lived in NYC I'd apply to be your photographer/videographer.
I started reading Cafe Anne after your NYC coffee cart donut story was shared on Reddit. I haven't turned back since! Anne, I love the quirky stories that make NYC great. I think we need an interview with your friend who tried sleeping with a person from every state. Which state was the best? Who was the worst? Who was the quirkiest? We must know!
I also eat kiwis with the skin on! The skin has a more tart flavor and it just makes the whole thing more enjoyable. And the furry skin along with the crispy seeds—a festival of textures!
I can't quite bring myself to try eating an unpeeled kiwi. Just imagine me in the kitchen with a kiwi acting like someone giving themselves an injection for the first time.
I'll be trying it myself this week, for the test. I am actually pretty excited...if I can enjoy kiwis without the bother of peeling them that would be so great!
Range of human behavior is the BEST Judge. Read a book about the Supreme Court. Author was talking about lunchtime at the Court. Rehnquist always had one can of beer and a cigarette. Another, I think Souter, used to eat an apple including the core -- New Englander
This begs the question is there a Gold Bullion bar registry out there??? Like from a sunken Spanish Galleon?? I would think all the Bullion bars at Fort Knox at spoken for.
I got spam that said I had an unclaimed Chicken Bullion cube....
I managed a project MANY YEARS ago to automate and improve processes for the Treasury Department -- the bureaucracy was deafening at the Mints. Not sure I will ever write about it but it was definitely absurd in so many ways. If Anne were ever to want a cross-post I have a rat story (perhaps works with her wacky Mayor) almost impossible to believe. It will remain a teaser for now.
Nick if I were smart I would spend more time investigating books in advance like you do, and less time checking them out of the library, reading one chapter and tossing them out the window.
It IS difficult! Mr. Ready, the visiting every bookstore guy, says that once he starts a book he ALWAYS finishes. I understand the impulse but have adopted the one chapter/first 50 pages rule. If it's not fun yet, out the window!
For real, is his name READy? Perfect for a bibliophile. If he levels up this quest to your roomie’s proportions, I’ll be waiting for him here in Arizona, a quick pitstop. We’re in a bookstore desert in this desert. No tote bag swag, just store-branded water bottles.
Really enjoyed this one Anne! As a fellow lover of books and bookstores, I want to join him in his quest!
Funny thing I noticed about bookstores here: There aren't any Arabic bookstores! There are a few 'Islamic' focused bookstores (the famous one is on Atlantic Ave DT Brooklyn), but don't think I've seen a bookstore carry any Arabic books.. If I'm not mistaken, The Strand has a tiny section.. But that's about it!
Hi Abdulrahman! Hmmm. Your comment got me thinking about the shops on Atlantic. it is curious that there are no stores that carry Arabic books, given the huge population in NYC. What I did notice is that most of the foreign language bookstores are in Midtown. So maybe this depends more on tourism trends than population trends?
It is truly fascinating and commendable that Jacob Ready has embarked on this remarkable journey to visit and experience each bookstore in New York City. The sheer diversity and specialization of bookstores in the city is astounding, and his dedication to chronicling these visits in his newsletter, "Bookstore Quest 2021," piques my interest.
As a supporter of physical bookstores, I am delighted to learn that New York City continues to nurture such establishments in the digital age. Mr. Ready's newsletter provides not only a valuable resource for fellow book lovers but also a charming account of his adventures. The variety of bookstores he has visited, from those focused on specific genres to ones offering unique combinations such as books and beauty products or books and pickles, demonstrates the thriving literary culture in the city.
I must commend Mr. Ready for his passion for bookstores and his ability to engage readers through his writing. His commitment to visiting and documenting each bookstore in New York City is genuinely inspiring, and I am eager to explore his newsletter further.
"I'm a big book reader, but prefer the library, where you can collapse in a chair and read all day for free. Plus, you can eavesdrop on the interesting conversations your fellow patrons are conducting with themselves."
I agree!! I have the best memories of walking over the Oak Street Bridge to the Main Public Library, right next to the YSU campus in Youngstown, Ohio, as a 6 year old and reading mythology books in a big chair while I looked up at the vaulted ceilings.
I'm getting jealous about people's goals! There's a guy in Vilnius trying to run all of its streets (2500+) for example, and there are birdwatchers with enormous lists of species they want to spot. I need a list of my own!
Oleg, now I'm thinking this would be a good issue topic all by itself! I'm sort of on a quest to sample all the places in NYC that serve high tea but I'm also brokers so it's not going very well.
Your roommate's story should be a series on HBO!
Right? It was a competition she had going with a guy friend of hers who was doing the same thing, but sleeping with a one lady from all 50 states. Theirs was a platonic relationship but I always suspected they were secretly in love with each other. It was one of the strangest things I've ever seen.
I think we need a follow up with him and her. Did they get together, or are they continuing their relationship / competition on a larger scale by looking for partners from every country on Earth?
I am so sorry everybody, but my former roommate is not available for an interview. Believe me if I could I would!
The suspense is killing me!
Begging, BEGGING, for an in-depth interview!
“…my NYU roommate who made it her business to sleep with one fellow from all 50 states. (She maintained a pin-cushion map over her bed to document her progress; we spent a lot of time scouring East Village bars looking for dudes from Alaska.)”
Hey, that’s a better reason to sleep with a guy than most. Reminds me of an old, ribald joke that vaudevillian Leonard Barr told at the beginning of the movie "The Sting": “Two women are sitting in a theater watching a movie when one says, ‘This guy next to me has a penis with two heads!’ to which her friend replies. ‘So what?! You seen one, you seen 'em all’ to which the other replies, ‘Yeah, but this one's eating my popcorn!!’”
When I read this Anne, I immediately imagined a Craigslist Ad from the era : Mattress for sale, works great, sacrifice price, moving to Alaska
"Sacrifice price!" HAHAHAHAHA!! Well played!!
There are GREAT NUGGETS of humor in the Craigslist classifieds.
Fantastic article and quarterly report. Congrats on your well deserved momentum! FWIW I thought the John Cats interview was your finest work. Here's another business owner you should interview - do New Yorkers understand the consequences of their actions? https://yuribezmenov.substack.com/p/how-to-escape-from-new-york-part-35b
Yuri thanks for your kind words. I liked the CATS interview too!
Just checked out your link. LOVE the Walgreen's contest.
And zowie you left NYC! I am planning a leaving NYC issue, so I'll have to include you for sure.
Thanks Anne. It was bittersweet to leave. Feel free to use any of my 4-part "Escape from New York" series. Some may find it offensive, but we need to speak freely with harsh truths if NYC is to ever return to its full glory.
"Like any publicly-traded company, except that it’s just a goofball blog, CAFÉ ANNE keeps its stakeholders (haha, did I just use that word?) updated quarterly as to how the entity is performing."
Anne you have proved, conclusively, that a “goofball blog” can be a publicly-traded company!!! I mean, if you look way back, I’ll bet that Google, Facebook and even 3M started out as “goofball blogs.” Anne, I’m very honored to be one of your “goofballs!”
Haha thank you JRB! And never mind "one of." You are sure the ultimate CAFÉ ANNE goofball!
"In other news, huge CAFÉ ANNE glitter-horses-dancing-at-Studio 54 shoutouts to new paid subscribers..."
https://www.grunge.com/142918/messed-up-things-that-happened-at-studio-54/
If I could go back in a time machine and see anything it might be that.
Take me with you!! Plus let's go to Truman Capote's Black and White Ball!
https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/a32972194/truman-capote-black-white-ball-oral-history/
Shocked that the Catsimatidis interview came in last! I loved that one.
Me too Andrew! Well I'm happy at least we enjoyed it. :)
Books!
I'm almost personally offended! The Cats issue was GREAT! Thrilled about the wild success of this newsletter, which is always cheering and uplifting. Still amazes me you created the ideal job for yourself, AND THE UNIVERSE IS HEARTILY ENDORSING IT. If I lived in NYC I'd apply to be your photographer/videographer.
Awww thanks for the encouraging words, Courtney. I DO feel I sort of created my ideal job with this thing, and wish the same for everbody.
If you're ever visiting we will have to team up on a little bonkers mini project.
😂 I’m in!
I started reading Cafe Anne after your NYC coffee cart donut story was shared on Reddit. I haven't turned back since! Anne, I love the quirky stories that make NYC great. I think we need an interview with your friend who tried sleeping with a person from every state. Which state was the best? Who was the worst? Who was the quirkiest? We must know!
That would be for sure a great interview, Justin. Alas, she is definitely not available.
"I will probably skip the Hudson News type spots at Penn Station or LaGuardia,” he added, “despite my love of $20 M&Ms.”
THAT’S HILARIOUS!!!
I also eat kiwis with the skin on! The skin has a more tart flavor and it just makes the whole thing more enjoyable. And the furry skin along with the crispy seeds—a festival of textures!
I am definitely planning to try this Jenne!
Ditto Jenne B -- I eat the skin also! -- kiwis are pretty low in pesticide use and are not a pain to just rinse off as a result!!!
You take the little strings off. It’s fun if you’re obsessive.
I can't quite bring myself to try eating an unpeeled kiwi. Just imagine me in the kitchen with a kiwi acting like someone giving themselves an injection for the first time.
I'll be trying it myself this week, for the test. I am actually pretty excited...if I can enjoy kiwis without the bother of peeling them that would be so great!
😂😂😂 I hear you
Ditto.
“When eating an apple, she has been known to eat the stem, core, seeds, and all.”
Hey, apple seeds contain cyanide; which makes deep-kissing more interesting by interjecting an element of danger!!
Range of human behavior is the BEST Judge. Read a book about the Supreme Court. Author was talking about lunchtime at the Court. Rehnquist always had one can of beer and a cigarette. Another, I think Souter, used to eat an apple including the core -- New Englander
I wonder if either of the Justices wore trousers during lunch or stripped down to their skivies??
Another story not to tell
Ha!!
I loved this issue Anne!
Oh yay that makes me so happy. Thank you Julian!
"SPAM OF THE WEEK unclaimed Gold Bullion bar..."
This begs the question is there a Gold Bullion bar registry out there??? Like from a sunken Spanish Galleon?? I would think all the Bullion bars at Fort Knox at spoken for.
I got spam that said I had an unclaimed Chicken Bullion cube....
LOL now I'm jealous!
Another story for another day -- more gold at West Point than Fort Knox b/c of coin collectors
I NEVER KNEW THAT OR REALIZED IT! I never knew that there was a mint at West Point...keep the information coming, Mark!
I managed a project MANY YEARS ago to automate and improve processes for the Treasury Department -- the bureaucracy was deafening at the Mints. Not sure I will ever write about it but it was definitely absurd in so many ways. If Anne were ever to want a cross-post I have a rat story (perhaps works with her wacky Mayor) almost impossible to believe. It will remain a teaser for now.
"He got so busy last year he had to take six months off from his bookstore tour. "It was a sad time in my life,” he says."
We all have to take those breaks…I’ve even considered heresy…taking a break from Café Anne!!
I doubt that I will because the gottdamned thing pulls me back in every week!!
And if I did take a break, I deserve to be "anchorited" and walled-up outside a monastery!
I am SO happy to know about Mr. Reddy's newsletter! Also, excited to see he's covered my favorite bookstore (Unnameable).
It's so wonderful to watch your continued success, Anne! Thanks for this special peak behind the curtains!
Thank you Jillian! And yes, there is for sure something especially great about Unnamable. It's got a vibe!
what? would you guard the names of your favorite substacks as well?? hmmmmm lol
My book hack is to head over to Goodreads.com and stalk the book like a cat 😼.
-How many people have rated it, what is the average rating, what else has the author written.
Life is too short to read bad books... in fact life is too short to just read good books.
I want to read GREAT BOOKS!! 🥰💫
Nick if I were smart I would spend more time investigating books in advance like you do, and less time checking them out of the library, reading one chapter and tossing them out the window.
You get a gold star for giving yourself permission to quit a book and move on. That is brilliant and difficult. 🙏🏾
It IS difficult! Mr. Ready, the visiting every bookstore guy, says that once he starts a book he ALWAYS finishes. I understand the impulse but have adopted the one chapter/first 50 pages rule. If it's not fun yet, out the window!
Maybe a good trash heap photo below your window?
How does one peel celery??
At a house party I once saw a man eat an entire key lime - he just threw the whole thing in his mouth and chewed it up.
LOL now THAT'S a party!
My nose hurts imagining it!
A little off topic, but I once saw a first time sushi eater mistakenly pop the whole ball of wasabi into his mouth.
For real, is his name READy? Perfect for a bibliophile. If he levels up this quest to your roomie’s proportions, I’ll be waiting for him here in Arizona, a quick pitstop. We’re in a bookstore desert in this desert. No tote bag swag, just store-branded water bottles.
READy! I did not think of that Amie.
Interesting about bookstore deserts. Sort of like food deserts. Maybe they could give tax breaks to book sellers who open shops in book-starved towns!
Book Drought is real. Even our libraries suck.
Really enjoyed this one Anne! As a fellow lover of books and bookstores, I want to join him in his quest!
Funny thing I noticed about bookstores here: There aren't any Arabic bookstores! There are a few 'Islamic' focused bookstores (the famous one is on Atlantic Ave DT Brooklyn), but don't think I've seen a bookstore carry any Arabic books.. If I'm not mistaken, The Strand has a tiny section.. But that's about it!
Hi Abdulrahman! Hmmm. Your comment got me thinking about the shops on Atlantic. it is curious that there are no stores that carry Arabic books, given the huge population in NYC. What I did notice is that most of the foreign language bookstores are in Midtown. So maybe this depends more on tourism trends than population trends?
Thank you for the quarterly report. As a stakeholders (🤣) I’m thrilled....
Yay thank you for stakeholding Jolene!!!
Great post Anne as always.
It is truly fascinating and commendable that Jacob Ready has embarked on this remarkable journey to visit and experience each bookstore in New York City. The sheer diversity and specialization of bookstores in the city is astounding, and his dedication to chronicling these visits in his newsletter, "Bookstore Quest 2021," piques my interest.
As a supporter of physical bookstores, I am delighted to learn that New York City continues to nurture such establishments in the digital age. Mr. Ready's newsletter provides not only a valuable resource for fellow book lovers but also a charming account of his adventures. The variety of bookstores he has visited, from those focused on specific genres to ones offering unique combinations such as books and beauty products or books and pickles, demonstrates the thriving literary culture in the city.
I must commend Mr. Ready for his passion for bookstores and his ability to engage readers through his writing. His commitment to visiting and documenting each bookstore in New York City is genuinely inspiring, and I am eager to explore his newsletter further.
"I'm a big book reader, but prefer the library, where you can collapse in a chair and read all day for free. Plus, you can eavesdrop on the interesting conversations your fellow patrons are conducting with themselves."
I agree!! I have the best memories of walking over the Oak Street Bridge to the Main Public Library, right next to the YSU campus in Youngstown, Ohio, as a 6 year old and reading mythology books in a big chair while I looked up at the vaulted ceilings.
Yessss.. Book Club Bar on 3rd St ftw. I love those guys. They busted their asses to get that booze license.
If you love bookstores, you'd like Bob Eckstein's book: https://bookshop.org/p/books/footnotes-from-the-world-s-greatest-bookstores-true-tales-and-lost-moments-from-book-buyers-booksellers-and-book-lovers-bob-eckstein/11440625?aid=15534&ean=9780553459272&listref=bob-eckstein
He has a substack at thebob.substack.com
A book about bookstores! Genius! What bookstore wouldn't want to stock that?
I'm getting jealous about people's goals! There's a guy in Vilnius trying to run all of its streets (2500+) for example, and there are birdwatchers with enormous lists of species they want to spot. I need a list of my own!
Oleg, now I'm thinking this would be a good issue topic all by itself! I'm sort of on a quest to sample all the places in NYC that serve high tea but I'm also brokers so it's not going very well.
Hahahaha