This past June marked 10 years in NYC for me (same apartment in Astoria since 2013) but I would never fool myself into thinking that I had crossed the threshold into real New Yorker territory...
That is, until I SAW FRAN LEBOWITZ ON THE SUBWAY a few weeks ago while it was still boiling hot outside! I was flustered and sweating, waiting for the downtown F, and I see a person in a breezy, sage-colored linen blazer standing a few yards away. I look up and meet the gaze of Fran. Immediately, I put my phone away, as I know she hates technology and smartphones. We get on the same train, kind of stealing glances at each other, and then I get off two stops later. It turned my day — nay, my LIFE — around being blessed with a Fran sighting.
WHAT!!!! I did not know FRAN took the SUBWAY. Okay, now I'm on the train 24/7 the rest of my life. That's so funny you put your phone away. I'm sure I'd have done the same, and whipped out a book, and a cigarette, even though I quit smoking in 2015.
Anyhow CONGRATULATIONS on that. And on your ten-year anniversary Melanie!
ah...to have a smoke w Fran on a dark late-night sidewalk watching the nifties go by. I would definitely "unquit" for that moment. And, to make her laugh would be the ultimate! I once crazy-eyed Matthew Broderick - accidentally - like 20 years ago - and he ran away from me, so I would want to be cool w Fran. Very. Cool.
My proudest moment in life, A., may have been maybe ten years ago when FRAN followed my Twitter feed, and then remarked that my interest in mediation sounded rather dull. Of course, it was just that I had misspelled "meditation." Ah, those were the days.
Can you imagine meditating w Fran wreathed in a smoke cloud. Or! Mediation with Fran. She would win by virtue of being the best talker. (Definitely a Fran Follow would find me freaking out w joy :) But how could she Not follow you?!)
Mehran shows a bit of casual brilliance here. An inspiration for my winter prank offensive. It’s also deeply amusing that a tech type’s prank would snowball into pop-up sales.
I've been brainstorming/storing up ideas for some comedic posters. A little more range than usual--some vastly sillier, some way heavier. Either way, it'll be a lot of walking.
Oh lol. Did not realize that was in the pic. I was feeling very impressed with your psychic abilities! But am NOW very impressed with your backwards writing reading skills!
Other: I’d most likely sit still in my seat and watch the chaos unfold, hopefully eliminating the most unhelpful persons, such as the macho-men who watch WWE and old episodes of “Walker Texas Ranger,” the Karen’s, who at a crowded deli counter think it is their right to sample taste a slice of cheese or lunch-meat and then order a ¼ pound of about 100 meats and cheeses; you know, any human being, not me.
After a bit I would either pretend to be dead and wait for the all-clear, or try to encourage the maniac with a gun/knife/uranium to go ahead and kill me because I have a million dollar life insurance policy that pays triple for subway disasters and they’d be doing my family a huge favor. It’s just like when I was a hospital pharmacist and I often role-played that if I was confronted with a robber who wanted drugs that I’d act like I was expecting them; like I was in on the scheme! When pushed, pull, and when pulled, push. Throw them off!!
I'll bet you don't remember the Great Morganna, the Kissing Bandit. She chased Pete Rose all over. I had the remarkable good fortune to be at a bachelor party at an old time burlesque house in Dayton when Morganna grabbed me by the ears and proceeded to give me an other-wordly broadie! My ears are still ringing: https://youtu.be/CHulCk7VOFc?si=QDgevNPAknlCSqin
Could I have a slice of the Olive Loaf? -- The SuperMarket delis have dealt with the nonsense you describe by pre-slicing a mountain of chipped ham and turkey. Tasted side by side with a blindfold there is no difference, just a damp salty mush...my premise when it comes to delis is avoid ANYTHING that is wet-cured and pay the extra for dry-cured unless your doctor prescribed extra nitrates and nitrites :) -- I am SURE my favorite Italian Deli and Liquor Store is not offering the Karen's samples -- BTW they ONLY ACCEPT CASH -- YES!
All cities have their hidden gems. It's in a very old neighborhood in St. Paul. The liquor store has been in business over 100 years! Up until about 5 years ago their POS system was spitting out paper receipts you'd associate with a printing calculator. Not sure there was a lot of sales tax being collected. The absolutely best thing about the place (used to take the kids there on Saturdays to get something to grill) is it is next to an old school Italian place (Yarusso's) -- dark, crushed velvet, the whole schtick. Always a bunch of St. Paul cops enjoying lunch. Neither of those establishments were ever going to get robbed. There was a bar and a little 13" TV continuously playing one of The Godfather movies (probably only 1 & 2). Old Italian woman at the bar with a beehive. Character-laden. Morelli's is packed with old people around Social Security time of the month -- people watching extraordinaire. The only place in town to get great capicola. Once in a blue moon to scratch the itch we make Muffalettas. Only place I know where I can get everything. We use Soppresata, Salami, Mortadella & Capicola. They make their own olive salad. My kinda place even though I don't eat much meat anymore. Kids consider in the WORLD'S BEST SANDWICH (definitely top 5).
"There was a bar and a little 13" TV continuously playing one of The Godfather movies (probably only 1 & 2). Old Italian woman at the bar with a beehive."
(1) Voted Other -- Relieved I rode my bicycle today is the CORRECT ANSWER
(2) LOVED the Zoom split screen -- Mehran is a talk with your hands guy -- the best ; you look like you swallowed a secret and are fighting back laughter -- great
(3) <<Yeah. But the New York Post and Daily Mail had the most absurd, crazy comments like, "Oh, a bunch of liberals pranking a bunch of liberals—nothing better than that!” Or, "Oh, this is what a Biden country looks like!" Or, "This is being celebrated in the media because the media is also in the business of fooling people." How does everything become a proxy war for other issues?>> This brings to mind one of my favored observations -- anger and bitterness in the end destroys the source -- bitter is the worst of the tastebuds and holds true for the emotions also -- when you feel it gurgling up, it is time to check yourself and do something else!!!
(4) The handful of people who reversed their credit card fees -- brings to mind a number of years ago when the NFL instituted rules LIMITING CELEBRATIONS -- some of the pundits started referring to the NFL as the NO FUN LEAGUE -- haha
While neurology is a decidedly boring subject if you go too far down the rabbit hole, the angry and bitter thing is rear brain stuff. We go there often when we remain wedded to old ideas and our primitive selves take over to help us stick with stuff our front brain would be unlikely to want to bat around and think about -- how's that for an opinion??? In the end as you describe it sounds horrible to me. What I am fascinated with neurology is about our inability to avoid that primitive brain garbage unless we really work at it! Angry and bitter folks have probably been hacked with advertising and now doom scrolling. Today I will play tennis, go to library and a meeting tonight. Good to not prioritize the angry and bitter stuff! FINALLY, that bit of smile on your face reinforces your #4 response. Life is SHORT, eat dessert first and avoid the angry and bitter!!!
I will look for the source. It was mostly about our primitive senses like taste and smell which are hard-wired. Through evolution they have come to mix in our front-brains so there is a weird feedback we have to fight to think differently. Bitterness in the taste sense evolved to save us from eating stuff that is bad for us. A bad aftertaste seems to have a pattern across the senses! What I recall about the story I heard is you can see that brain activity gets WEIRD in the front when we eat something that is bitter for example and it imbues feelings of bitterness in us. Weird and fun!
Subway disasters spike my adrenaline. I'd be ripping out seats to repurpose as canes just in case, or fantasizing about the same while listening (key skill for this Quiet type) to another adrenalized NYer with a tendancy to talk their way through anything! And I would also question alpha orders I didn't agree with, and suggest alternatives, all the while appearing cooperative because at the end of the day I'm a pragmatist. And, I trust we would get enough of the right information between all of us to make it out.
LOL! Despite all the bravado displayed in my intital response to Rob S. in Brooklyn, I'd probably also find myself mostly listening and appearing cooperative, Anita. But I love the idea of you going RAMBO on the seats!
Omg I love this guy Mehran & his vision & his spirit is chef's kiss! As an old-timer who has spent a lot of time doing & thinking abt pranks, what Mehran & his friends achieved is next level & imho automatically places them in the pantheon of All Time Greats! And thank you Anne for bringing this story to life for all of us - pretty sure you're the only writer in the world who could've done this story justice & illuminated all the levels & joy & humanity in this unforgettable narrative. Bravo.✨
SUBWAY: Years ago I discovered it's not possible to hyperventilate and hum at the same time, so I'd be softly humming my fave hymns along w Leonard Cohen''s Suzanne. Great stress buster for me.
SUBWAY: I'd be softly humming my fave hymns, eyes open but not in focus. [Years ago, when very anxious about something, and thus hyperventilating making matters worse, I discovered it's not possible to hum and hyperventilate at the same time. Works like magic for me to this day.]
Wow your interview with Miss Dore was every bit as good as your newsletter. It really revealed you as a person, but it also reinforced the image of you that I gleaned from your writings. You are a very positive person, yet you can use the f-word as well as any sailor; and just as appropriately! That's a complete person in my book!
I'd have say that your smile is genuine and that opens the door to engaging with strangers.
"I just accept that I'm scared and do it anyway." Just terrific advice. Everyone is scared; so what!! Do it anyway!
"My intuition responds best when I try to consider every person's welfare." You're going to have change the name of the newsletter to "Cafe Mary Poppins!" Just teasing. Your consideration for others comes through.
"What helped me get over my shyness was drinking."
I swore no personal stories, but back in the day I had no problem phoning a girl I didn't know to go out with me. But I needed help from a shot of bourbon, first. I mean I'd be using the phone in the hallway of the guy's dorm, with all those Neanderthals listening in and laughing and sh-t; I mean that's pressure. They still tease me because my opening gambit was always the same: "Hi, you don't know me but we met at the (dance, cafeteria, library, AA Meeting, back of the sheriff's cruiser, yada, yada, yada...). Most times the girl pictured someone other than me, and that lucky mistake was just grand.
"But I'm not sorry about all the drinking I did!"
Me either; except if it was methanol or antifreeze.
"I'm on their side! I think people can sense that."
Yes!!!
"People live up to your expectations. If you expect folks to be decent and kind, that's what you get."
I'm skeptical, but I fear you may be right. I think you may have a way to go to convince Aharon.
"When you think about it, almost every occupation requiring serious focus and dedication—cop, nun, nurse, soldier—comes with a uniform."
I never thought about it but you're exactly right! You know, reading and commenting on Cafe Anne requires serious focus and dedication. Maybe your audience needs a uniform?! https://youtu.be/3bXEHGUvVrA?si=_B7Ft9FJKLJDz8oy
"When I am talking to a stranger, I have no idea who they are or what they might say. Anything could happen"
I totally agree. Usually a stranger will mention something that triggers a memory in me and that will trigger something conversational in the stranger. Like, "My mom made the best Sloppy Joes!" which could lead just about anywhere!
"My sister and I like to say, "A rich tapestry!" and we laugh and laugh."
Now that is amusing, and a tad sarcastic! My best friend and I like to say, "You gotta be nice to strangers even when they are the worst, because they don't know you well enough to understand how 'Shut your big face!' can mean 'I've missed you more than the whole world can know.'
The subway game is like an adult Eye Spy. Rob should package the idea and sell it to Hasbro. Maybe I missed this but did the department of health ever fine Mehren? I would think the fake steakhouse would have been a big ouchy for them.
Hi CK! One of the amazing things about the whole Mehran's caper is how they did everything by the book. One of Mehran's friends flew into the city a month before the event to take the Health Department's food handling exam and get certified. They also applied for and received a 24-hour liquor license. To me level of detail they attended to in their effort to look legit just makes it all the more funny, but also unimpeachable!
Impressive! So many people start a food biz out of their kitchens before taking a class in glove-wearing or filling out a form that’s probably 30 pages of nonsense questions. Go Mehren.
A GREAT caper requires planning. Maybe that's why the movies of capers are ALWAYS fun. I feel like Mehran is destined to land some big fish in the VC game in San Francisco. Maybe next time it can be seafood!
I’m already thinking 🤔 about who will play you in the Mehran movie 🍿 😂
Haha Jolene! I am willing do a cameo if the $$$ is right!
You must be in the movie, Anne!!
😂 💴 Yes!
Emma Thompson
Amy Poehler.
Anne should be played by- Emma Stone or Sandra Bullock
This past June marked 10 years in NYC for me (same apartment in Astoria since 2013) but I would never fool myself into thinking that I had crossed the threshold into real New Yorker territory...
That is, until I SAW FRAN LEBOWITZ ON THE SUBWAY a few weeks ago while it was still boiling hot outside! I was flustered and sweating, waiting for the downtown F, and I see a person in a breezy, sage-colored linen blazer standing a few yards away. I look up and meet the gaze of Fran. Immediately, I put my phone away, as I know she hates technology and smartphones. We get on the same train, kind of stealing glances at each other, and then I get off two stops later. It turned my day — nay, my LIFE — around being blessed with a Fran sighting.
WHAT!!!! I did not know FRAN took the SUBWAY. Okay, now I'm on the train 24/7 the rest of my life. That's so funny you put your phone away. I'm sure I'd have done the same, and whipped out a book, and a cigarette, even though I quit smoking in 2015.
Anyhow CONGRATULATIONS on that. And on your ten-year anniversary Melanie!
ah...to have a smoke w Fran on a dark late-night sidewalk watching the nifties go by. I would definitely "unquit" for that moment. And, to make her laugh would be the ultimate! I once crazy-eyed Matthew Broderick - accidentally - like 20 years ago - and he ran away from me, so I would want to be cool w Fran. Very. Cool.
My proudest moment in life, A., may have been maybe ten years ago when FRAN followed my Twitter feed, and then remarked that my interest in mediation sounded rather dull. Of course, it was just that I had misspelled "meditation." Ah, those were the days.
Can you imagine meditating w Fran wreathed in a smoke cloud. Or! Mediation with Fran. She would win by virtue of being the best talker. (Definitely a Fran Follow would find me freaking out w joy :) But how could she Not follow you?!)
Mehran shows a bit of casual brilliance here. An inspiration for my winter prank offensive. It’s also deeply amusing that a tech type’s prank would snowball into pop-up sales.
WINTER PRANK OFFENSIVE say more!
I think if I had something like this up my sleeve I'd be feeling far more psyched for winter...
I've been brainstorming/storing up ideas for some comedic posters. A little more range than usual--some vastly sillier, some way heavier. Either way, it'll be a lot of walking.
I hope you write about it!
Loved getting to know Mehran a bit better! What a cool guy. I'd see that movie for sure!
Thanks Jillian! The truly cool part, I think, is that he is still cool after all the nonsense!
Totally! Let's see if it lasts when he's a hollywood big shot (haha)--I bet it will ;)
Okay to relax - problem is inside you 😂
BA how did you see that?!?!
It's not exactly hidden, haha
Oh lol. Did not realize that was in the pic. I was feeling very impressed with your psychic abilities! But am NOW very impressed with your backwards writing reading skills!
Ha ha---ME SMART
We all saw it. The crutch too, or is it a prop? Take care.🐰
Real crutch! I tore a calf muscle a few weeks ago playing pickleball!
Pickleball is an orthopedist's dream, I hear. Hope you recover soon.
It's true! My sports medicine doc says that since the start of the year it's been nothing but pickleball accidents!
Eaten by fellow passengers (unrelated to disaster).
ALWAYS
CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING WHEN YOUR MOUTH IS FULL.
“In an underground subway disaster I'd be...”
Other: I’d most likely sit still in my seat and watch the chaos unfold, hopefully eliminating the most unhelpful persons, such as the macho-men who watch WWE and old episodes of “Walker Texas Ranger,” the Karen’s, who at a crowded deli counter think it is their right to sample taste a slice of cheese or lunch-meat and then order a ¼ pound of about 100 meats and cheeses; you know, any human being, not me.
After a bit I would either pretend to be dead and wait for the all-clear, or try to encourage the maniac with a gun/knife/uranium to go ahead and kill me because I have a million dollar life insurance policy that pays triple for subway disasters and they’d be doing my family a huge favor. It’s just like when I was a hospital pharmacist and I often role-played that if I was confronted with a robber who wanted drugs that I’d act like I was expecting them; like I was in on the scheme! When pushed, pull, and when pulled, push. Throw them off!!
Glad you've thought this through as thoroughly as I have, JRB!
comment #2,436 at this rate you are gonna break pete rose's record!@!
You mean his losing streak at the ponies or his losing streak with ex-wive's alimony??
haha thats a pick 'em
I'll bet you don't remember the Great Morganna, the Kissing Bandit. She chased Pete Rose all over. I had the remarkable good fortune to be at a bachelor party at an old time burlesque house in Dayton when Morganna grabbed me by the ears and proceeded to give me an other-wordly broadie! My ears are still ringing: https://youtu.be/CHulCk7VOFc?si=QDgevNPAknlCSqin
Channeling Pete Rose...wanna bet?
Could I have a slice of the Olive Loaf? -- The SuperMarket delis have dealt with the nonsense you describe by pre-slicing a mountain of chipped ham and turkey. Tasted side by side with a blindfold there is no difference, just a damp salty mush...my premise when it comes to delis is avoid ANYTHING that is wet-cured and pay the extra for dry-cured unless your doctor prescribed extra nitrates and nitrites :) -- I am SURE my favorite Italian Deli and Liquor Store is not offering the Karen's samples -- BTW they ONLY ACCEPT CASH -- YES!
I am SURE an Italian boy from Youngstown would LOVE THIS -- https://www.morellismarket.com/
Any store, deli or bodega that has a "Monday Madness" sale is in my wheel-house!!
All cities have their hidden gems. It's in a very old neighborhood in St. Paul. The liquor store has been in business over 100 years! Up until about 5 years ago their POS system was spitting out paper receipts you'd associate with a printing calculator. Not sure there was a lot of sales tax being collected. The absolutely best thing about the place (used to take the kids there on Saturdays to get something to grill) is it is next to an old school Italian place (Yarusso's) -- dark, crushed velvet, the whole schtick. Always a bunch of St. Paul cops enjoying lunch. Neither of those establishments were ever going to get robbed. There was a bar and a little 13" TV continuously playing one of The Godfather movies (probably only 1 & 2). Old Italian woman at the bar with a beehive. Character-laden. Morelli's is packed with old people around Social Security time of the month -- people watching extraordinaire. The only place in town to get great capicola. Once in a blue moon to scratch the itch we make Muffalettas. Only place I know where I can get everything. We use Soppresata, Salami, Mortadella & Capicola. They make their own olive salad. My kinda place even though I don't eat much meat anymore. Kids consider in the WORLD'S BEST SANDWICH (definitely top 5).
Mark you outdid yourself!!
"There was a bar and a little 13" TV continuously playing one of The Godfather movies (probably only 1 & 2). Old Italian woman at the bar with a beehive."
Perfect!!!
What a nice recap --
(1) Voted Other -- Relieved I rode my bicycle today is the CORRECT ANSWER
(2) LOVED the Zoom split screen -- Mehran is a talk with your hands guy -- the best ; you look like you swallowed a secret and are fighting back laughter -- great
(3) <<Yeah. But the New York Post and Daily Mail had the most absurd, crazy comments like, "Oh, a bunch of liberals pranking a bunch of liberals—nothing better than that!” Or, "Oh, this is what a Biden country looks like!" Or, "This is being celebrated in the media because the media is also in the business of fooling people." How does everything become a proxy war for other issues?>> This brings to mind one of my favored observations -- anger and bitterness in the end destroys the source -- bitter is the worst of the tastebuds and holds true for the emotions also -- when you feel it gurgling up, it is time to check yourself and do something else!!!
(4) The handful of people who reversed their credit card fees -- brings to mind a number of years ago when the NFL instituted rules LIMITING CELEBRATIONS -- some of the pundits started referring to the NFL as the NO FUN LEAGUE -- haha
1) Haha why didn't I think of that?
2) Glad you liked the screen shot! I sent a bunch of options to Mehran and was very happy he picked the one that was my favorite.
3) The odd thing I think some people derive a strange satisfaction out of being bitter. Yes? No?
4) No fun is right! Imagine going through life like that. Love the NFL thing!
While neurology is a decidedly boring subject if you go too far down the rabbit hole, the angry and bitter thing is rear brain stuff. We go there often when we remain wedded to old ideas and our primitive selves take over to help us stick with stuff our front brain would be unlikely to want to bat around and think about -- how's that for an opinion??? In the end as you describe it sounds horrible to me. What I am fascinated with neurology is about our inability to avoid that primitive brain garbage unless we really work at it! Angry and bitter folks have probably been hacked with advertising and now doom scrolling. Today I will play tennis, go to library and a meeting tonight. Good to not prioritize the angry and bitter stuff! FINALLY, that bit of smile on your face reinforces your #4 response. Life is SHORT, eat dessert first and avoid the angry and bitter!!!
Wow that is fascinating that bitterness is back brain stuff. Anger I'd have guessed, but not that!
I will look for the source. It was mostly about our primitive senses like taste and smell which are hard-wired. Through evolution they have come to mix in our front-brains so there is a weird feedback we have to fight to think differently. Bitterness in the taste sense evolved to save us from eating stuff that is bad for us. A bad aftertaste seems to have a pattern across the senses! What I recall about the story I heard is you can see that brain activity gets WEIRD in the front when we eat something that is bitter for example and it imbues feelings of bitterness in us. Weird and fun!
I'd absolutely watch that movie. What an amazing slice of life I wouldn't have ever known about otherwise. Again, thank you for sharing that story.
Thanks Justin! Its should at least be an after school special!
Subway disasters spike my adrenaline. I'd be ripping out seats to repurpose as canes just in case, or fantasizing about the same while listening (key skill for this Quiet type) to another adrenalized NYer with a tendancy to talk their way through anything! And I would also question alpha orders I didn't agree with, and suggest alternatives, all the while appearing cooperative because at the end of the day I'm a pragmatist. And, I trust we would get enough of the right information between all of us to make it out.
LOL! Despite all the bravado displayed in my intital response to Rob S. in Brooklyn, I'd probably also find myself mostly listening and appearing cooperative, Anita. But I love the idea of you going RAMBO on the seats!
Omg I love this guy Mehran & his vision & his spirit is chef's kiss! As an old-timer who has spent a lot of time doing & thinking abt pranks, what Mehran & his friends achieved is next level & imho automatically places them in the pantheon of All Time Greats! And thank you Anne for bringing this story to life for all of us - pretty sure you're the only writer in the world who could've done this story justice & illuminated all the levels & joy & humanity in this unforgettable narrative. Bravo.✨
Awww thanks Mr. Hudson! Very glad you enjoyed. It's great to have this story endorsed by an experienced prankster!
SUBWAY: Years ago I discovered it's not possible to hyperventilate and hum at the same time, so I'd be softly humming my fave hymns along w Leonard Cohen''s Suzanne. Great stress buster for me.
An excellent strategy, Ms. Larson!
SUBWAY: I'd be softly humming my fave hymns, eyes open but not in focus. [Years ago, when very anxious about something, and thus hyperventilating making matters worse, I discovered it's not possible to hum and hyperventilate at the same time. Works like magic for me to this day.]
Wow your interview with Miss Dore was every bit as good as your newsletter. It really revealed you as a person, but it also reinforced the image of you that I gleaned from your writings. You are a very positive person, yet you can use the f-word as well as any sailor; and just as appropriately! That's a complete person in my book!
I'd have say that your smile is genuine and that opens the door to engaging with strangers.
"I just accept that I'm scared and do it anyway." Just terrific advice. Everyone is scared; so what!! Do it anyway!
"My intuition responds best when I try to consider every person's welfare." You're going to have change the name of the newsletter to "Cafe Mary Poppins!" Just teasing. Your consideration for others comes through.
"What helped me get over my shyness was drinking."
I swore no personal stories, but back in the day I had no problem phoning a girl I didn't know to go out with me. But I needed help from a shot of bourbon, first. I mean I'd be using the phone in the hallway of the guy's dorm, with all those Neanderthals listening in and laughing and sh-t; I mean that's pressure. They still tease me because my opening gambit was always the same: "Hi, you don't know me but we met at the (dance, cafeteria, library, AA Meeting, back of the sheriff's cruiser, yada, yada, yada...). Most times the girl pictured someone other than me, and that lucky mistake was just grand.
"But I'm not sorry about all the drinking I did!"
Me either; except if it was methanol or antifreeze.
"I'm on their side! I think people can sense that."
Yes!!!
"People live up to your expectations. If you expect folks to be decent and kind, that's what you get."
I'm skeptical, but I fear you may be right. I think you may have a way to go to convince Aharon.
"When you think about it, almost every occupation requiring serious focus and dedication—cop, nun, nurse, soldier—comes with a uniform."
I never thought about it but you're exactly right! You know, reading and commenting on Cafe Anne requires serious focus and dedication. Maybe your audience needs a uniform?! https://youtu.be/3bXEHGUvVrA?si=_B7Ft9FJKLJDz8oy
"When I am talking to a stranger, I have no idea who they are or what they might say. Anything could happen"
I totally agree. Usually a stranger will mention something that triggers a memory in me and that will trigger something conversational in the stranger. Like, "My mom made the best Sloppy Joes!" which could lead just about anywhere!
"My sister and I like to say, "A rich tapestry!" and we laugh and laugh."
Now that is amusing, and a tad sarcastic! My best friend and I like to say, "You gotta be nice to strangers even when they are the worst, because they don't know you well enough to understand how 'Shut your big face!' can mean 'I've missed you more than the whole world can know.'
"That's a complete person in my book!" Haha!!!
And I love the image of me and everyone sporting the DEVO look!
Thanks for taking time to read the interview JRB!
As Cindy Adams says: Only in New York, kids, only in New York.
CINDY! I just Googled to see if she is still doing her thing. Looks like she has a radio show! I'll have to tune in for sure.
The subway game is like an adult Eye Spy. Rob should package the idea and sell it to Hasbro. Maybe I missed this but did the department of health ever fine Mehren? I would think the fake steakhouse would have been a big ouchy for them.
Hi CK! One of the amazing things about the whole Mehran's caper is how they did everything by the book. One of Mehran's friends flew into the city a month before the event to take the Health Department's food handling exam and get certified. They also applied for and received a 24-hour liquor license. To me level of detail they attended to in their effort to look legit just makes it all the more funny, but also unimpeachable!
Impressive! So many people start a food biz out of their kitchens before taking a class in glove-wearing or filling out a form that’s probably 30 pages of nonsense questions. Go Mehren.
A GREAT caper requires planning. Maybe that's why the movies of capers are ALWAYS fun. I feel like Mehran is destined to land some big fish in the VC game in San Francisco. Maybe next time it can be seafood!
Wow!!!