Excellent story, Anne -- thank you for doing it so that we don't have to. I also want to give a shout-out to Lucy. It's a great portrait of you at Dopamine Land. I LOVE her illustrations and love that a real live human being created them. Thank you, Lucy!!
Dopamine Land sounds like my living nightmare. I don't even mean the aforementioned germs. Just...a manufactured environment made to make you happy. That would immediately set me to my most critical levels and ensure I have zero fun.
And the janky broken stuff as a first impression? They've got to be better about that.
I agree Justin, the best kind of fun is accidental, not pursued or manufactured. I don't even typically like shows, concerts, movies, TV or games. I vowed when I turned forty: no more Shakespeare and no more Scrabble. I'd much rather chat with friends or walk around the city talking to people. But it can be fun to look at what other people consider fun!
I think I've read somewhere that one's sensitivity to germ situations is something you're born with. And it actually correlates with other characteristics including one's political leanings.
Do you know how often I think about germs? NEVER!
Question: how do human feces get into bowling balls? That is a real puzzler.
This may cross the line into TMI, but - I think that human feces is almost everywhere. The deal with bowling balls is that it is difficult to get debris out! Who washes the insides of bowling balls. "Nuff said. Once I arrived at the bowling alley wearing sandals and was forced to wear the rented bowling shoes WITHOUT SOCKS! Tops my list of random acts of stupid bravery.
"While it functions as a global pass to the Greatest City in the World, it looks like the membership card for a 1990s VHS rental service." Presumably with copious Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movies available. The name would fit: they called their color filmmaking process Metrocolor, and a short-lived subsidiary of their record label was called Metrojazz (native New Yorker Sonny Rollins being one of its artists).
It'd be nice- I could use my old TV with the VCR in it. But DVD has the advantage of having more carriage space; you can get a whole TV season of a program on one whereas on VHS you could only get a couple of episodes at best. VHS was made for movies.
Anne, thanks for providing us with this virtual experience in Dopamine Land. I very much appreciate an establishment that (checks notes), ". . .deep cleans the balls with a machine."
reports on his dopamine levels. And yes, tokens! Although I sometimes dream Im trying to catch a train and fumbling to get the right change to buy a token. PS. Happy Birthday!!!!!! We are glad you were born!!!!! PPS. Are you still looking for a paid subscriber?
Love that Aaron found Reality compares favorably to Dopamine Land. And how great that the people made the experience for you! That photo of you in the ball pit is art.
Separately, I've never been to a Fever event that I thought was worth my time, money, or attention... But in your newsletter I accidentally misread one of the events as "Hot Dracula," and 10/10 would go to that if it was a thing.
Happy Birthday Anne. My favorite part of the trek to Jersey was the failure of basic tech to enter or get a bag of chips. I figure anyplace that still can't figure out how to let people pump their own gas will always have their challenges.
Ballpits are awesome -- kindred spirits. No fear of whether those balls are germy or not is just great. This is the sort of good sensibility we all need. Maybe you should try to show solidarity and attend a measles party to show solidarity with the new intelligentsia since you're not afraid of germs and viruses.
What a great thing that your friend Aaron joined you. He sound like he enjoys a nice guardrail. You can measure true friendship by inviting him to skydive next year.
Thanks Mark! And can you imagine this story without Aaron's reactions? No fun at all.
On your other point, I remember covid parties from the pandemic, where folks would on purpose share their corona germs. I forget the reason. But "measles party" is new to me!
Aaron was a great foil. Your illustrator (Lucy Stafford) was great. No rats wearing a suit!!! Yeah, measles is growing again. I think since 2000 measles was not a thing in the US and we mostly focused on assisting 3rd world so we don't get broad outbreaks and epidemics anymore. One modest outbreak at Disneyland and then folks in 2019 with COVID stopped taking all vaccines I guess including the ones for their children. So far in 2025 looks like we are on track for the return of measles again. Maybe this will be a good year for infectious disease experts :)
Ohhh, this reminds me of my trip to the Sloomoo Institute in Houston (I think there’s one in NYC.) It’s a slime museum we took my stepdaughter to visit for a full-on sensory experience with lots and lots of slime. And honestly, the adults had just as much fun. We paid for the full slime experience like in the game show “Double Dare” that used to be on Nickelodeon. Something I never thought I’d do! We also found it was the people working there who helped to make the experience extra special. Sounds like they made your birthday wonderful! Here’s to having these kind of celebrations all year long, Anne!!
I think I’d be way too overstimulated at dopamine land. Lol. But loved your story! P.S. I left NYC 5.5 years ago (after living there for 16 years). Now i’m hoping I still have a metrocard in my wallet as a souvenir. Haha.
I think you deserve another birthday celebration. That’s not enough happiness for another trip around the sun. But for readers, hearing about Dopamine Land is a bonus. Now I’ll never have to go; a thought that raises my dopamine level.
Excellent story, Anne -- thank you for doing it so that we don't have to. I also want to give a shout-out to Lucy. It's a great portrait of you at Dopamine Land. I LOVE her illustrations and love that a real live human being created them. Thank you, Lucy!!
Thanks Julia! I love Lucy's painting too. I'm so glad she offered to do illustrations. They are for sure ONE ZILLION times better than AI.
Dopamine Land sounds like my living nightmare. I don't even mean the aforementioned germs. Just...a manufactured environment made to make you happy. That would immediately set me to my most critical levels and ensure I have zero fun.
And the janky broken stuff as a first impression? They've got to be better about that.
I'm glad you went!
I agree Justin, the best kind of fun is accidental, not pursued or manufactured. I don't even typically like shows, concerts, movies, TV or games. I vowed when I turned forty: no more Shakespeare and no more Scrabble. I'd much rather chat with friends or walk around the city talking to people. But it can be fun to look at what other people consider fun!
That’s the Flaneur coming out in you. Welcome to the club
That's really true. The assumptions behind what makes people happy are FASCINATING.
Things that frighten me in amusement parks/arcades. (I am not a germaphobe, just realistic)
- Germs in a ball pit (never let my kids even think about jumping into a McDonald Pit)
- Potential head lice in shared hats, but a definite threat in your pillow fighting room). Also
beware of airplane headrests
Unrelated to your story but here are a couple more for an added bonus:
- Swill of bilge water in splash rides. Keep your mouth shut!
- Rented bowling shoes
- Debris in the depths of the finger holds in bowling balls (saw an article once that this was a
common place to find traces of human feces)
So funny, Liza.
I think I've read somewhere that one's sensitivity to germ situations is something you're born with. And it actually correlates with other characteristics including one's political leanings.
Do you know how often I think about germs? NEVER!
Question: how do human feces get into bowling balls? That is a real puzzler.
This may cross the line into TMI, but - I think that human feces is almost everywhere. The deal with bowling balls is that it is difficult to get debris out! Who washes the insides of bowling balls. "Nuff said. Once I arrived at the bowling alley wearing sandals and was forced to wear the rented bowling shoes WITHOUT SOCKS! Tops my list of random acts of stupid bravery.
Not every person washes their hands. Just a minute or two in a washroom teaches you that! 🐰
Well I'm never going bowling ever again.
"While it functions as a global pass to the Greatest City in the World, it looks like the membership card for a 1990s VHS rental service." Presumably with copious Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movies available. The name would fit: they called their color filmmaking process Metrocolor, and a short-lived subsidiary of their record label was called Metrojazz (native New Yorker Sonny Rollins being one of its artists).
Maybe VHS will resurge ala album vinyl, David?
It'd be nice- I could use my old TV with the VCR in it. But DVD has the advantage of having more carriage space; you can get a whole TV season of a program on one whereas on VHS you could only get a couple of episodes at best. VHS was made for movies.
Cafe Anne lets me live vicariously through experiences I can now check off my list! Although I do miss pillow fights!
I will pillow fight you any time, David!
You beat Aaron to a pillow pulp. I’m scared!
Anne, thanks for providing us with this virtual experience in Dopamine Land. I very much appreciate an establishment that (checks notes), ". . .deep cleans the balls with a machine."
LOL right? It checks ALL the boxes.
I really enjoyed Aaron's up to the minute
reports on his dopamine levels. And yes, tokens! Although I sometimes dream Im trying to catch a train and fumbling to get the right change to buy a token. PS. Happy Birthday!!!!!! We are glad you were born!!!!! PPS. Are you still looking for a paid subscriber?
Liz you probably know this but the NYC Transit Museum sells very cool token jewelry:
https://www.nytransitmuseumstore.com/jewelry-accessories/all-jewelry.html
And I am ALWAYS looking for paid subscribers! :)
I think a travelogue show with you and Aaron would be great, based on this piece 😊
I agree his comments added a lot Helen. And he's also fun to go around with because he is curious like me and asks a lot of questions.
“Booze Land” 🤣
Where ALL your dreams come true!
😂 🍻
Love that Aaron found Reality compares favorably to Dopamine Land. And how great that the people made the experience for you! That photo of you in the ball pit is art.
I loved Aaron's conclusion too, Courtney.
Should I make the ball pit photo my official headshot for Substack, LinkedIn, etc?
HELL YES! Can’t do it fast enough, Anne!
I love Lucy's painting!
Separately, I've never been to a Fever event that I thought was worth my time, money, or attention... But in your newsletter I accidentally misread one of the events as "Hot Dracula," and 10/10 would go to that if it was a thing.
LOL I think they are hiring EA!
https://careers.feverup.com/jobs/
Glad you loved Lucy's painting. I'm so happy she's doing these illustrations. Soooo much better than the AI!
Happy Birthday Anne. My favorite part of the trek to Jersey was the failure of basic tech to enter or get a bag of chips. I figure anyplace that still can't figure out how to let people pump their own gas will always have their challenges.
Ballpits are awesome -- kindred spirits. No fear of whether those balls are germy or not is just great. This is the sort of good sensibility we all need. Maybe you should try to show solidarity and attend a measles party to show solidarity with the new intelligentsia since you're not afraid of germs and viruses.
What a great thing that your friend Aaron joined you. He sound like he enjoys a nice guardrail. You can measure true friendship by inviting him to skydive next year.
Thanks Mark! And can you imagine this story without Aaron's reactions? No fun at all.
On your other point, I remember covid parties from the pandemic, where folks would on purpose share their corona germs. I forget the reason. But "measles party" is new to me!
Aaron was a great foil. Your illustrator (Lucy Stafford) was great. No rats wearing a suit!!! Yeah, measles is growing again. I think since 2000 measles was not a thing in the US and we mostly focused on assisting 3rd world so we don't get broad outbreaks and epidemics anymore. One modest outbreak at Disneyland and then folks in 2019 with COVID stopped taking all vaccines I guess including the ones for their children. So far in 2025 looks like we are on track for the return of measles again. Maybe this will be a good year for infectious disease experts :)
Ohhh, this reminds me of my trip to the Sloomoo Institute in Houston (I think there’s one in NYC.) It’s a slime museum we took my stepdaughter to visit for a full-on sensory experience with lots and lots of slime. And honestly, the adults had just as much fun. We paid for the full slime experience like in the game show “Double Dare” that used to be on Nickelodeon. Something I never thought I’d do! We also found it was the people working there who helped to make the experience extra special. Sounds like they made your birthday wonderful! Here’s to having these kind of celebrations all year long, Anne!!
Yep looks like we got a Slime Museum here, too!
https://sloomooinstitute.com/pages/new-york-2-0?utm_source=sloomooinstitute.com&utm_medium=referral
Yeah, I get it about it being something you'd never do. And having more fun than expected. Sometimes, though, it's the opposite!
Glad to see there’s one in NYC too! And I’m so glad the sliming wasn’t worse than expected. It was colder than expected though. ☺️
I think I’d be way too overstimulated at dopamine land. Lol. But loved your story! P.S. I left NYC 5.5 years ago (after living there for 16 years). Now i’m hoping I still have a metrocard in my wallet as a souvenir. Haha.
Alexis if you still have a Metrocard in your wallet after 16 years...what else you got in there?
Haha. Well I left 5.5 years ago (still too long to keep that ugly card). But I’m sure I’ve got plenty of other useless (to me) things in there too. ;)
possibly your finest! Jackie Gleason would be so proud of you Anne
how many flavors of gas?
Four flavors, Shenval. I did NOT try the chocolate cherry oxygen that sounded DISGUSTING.
I think you deserve another birthday celebration. That’s not enough happiness for another trip around the sun. But for readers, hearing about Dopamine Land is a bonus. Now I’ll never have to go; a thought that raises my dopamine level.
Judging from the comments, Toni, there are a lot of people who are glad I went so they don't have to. So funny!