16 Acres

I just watched this on Netflix and I thought it was really good. Not in an entertaining-good kind of way, but moreso in an I-didn't-know-any-of-this kind of way. And if you're like me and would watch anything 9/11 related (as I've stated before), then definitely check this out. It basically highlights the politics and drama surrounding the rebuilding of Ground Zero, and the 16 acres that now house 1WTC and the National September 11th Memorial and Museum. The trailer's above.

Also, this is what one of the proposed designs looked like, as shown in the film.

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Is it just me or is that one of the most beautifully complex buildings you've ever seen? Man. Anyway, lots of stuff is covered in this movie - if you have any kind of interest in architecture or anything September 11th-related, then you'll really want to see this one.

Walking To The Crown of The Statue of Liberty

I have wanted to walk to the crown of The Statue of Liberty since I was a little girl. I literally was informed about what New York City was (when I was about... 8 years old, I'll say) - heard about this grand statue, and DREAMT about getting to be at the top of it one day. Why? 'Cause it seemed to symbolize so much about this incredible city that everyone around me seemed to love and talk about so much. 

It was closed for many years after September 11th, then re-opened right before Hurricane Sandy last year. It was open for three days before that storm shut it down again. It just re-opened last month, and I finally got to go up it yesterday. It was glorious. Not really life-altering glorious, but the kind of glorious that I've been anticipating for a very long time.  

You have the option of taking the stairs or an elevator to get to the platform (we opted elevator, since I wanted to save my legs for the stairs to the top). Once you get there, there's an entrance to the crown stairs (these are the tickets you need to buy in advance of even getting to Battery Park in Manhattan, days/months in advance), and then you proceed through the coolest, tiniest, at-some-points-darkest spiral staircase that leads you to the crown. These are not a lot of stairs. A few floors basically. I could do it without too much aggravation, and that's saying something. 

The crown itself holds less than ten people probably. I had no idea it would be that small, I thought I'd be able to roam freely and widely - not the case. That doesn't mean that it's not amazing, though, 'cause it really is. And honestly, I don't know why. Just felt cool as hell to be inside that lady. I would've paid $100 for that ticket, so I'm thankful the city of New York doesn't know that fact. 

All in all, I loved it. It's something I wanted to do for such a long time and I'm so glad it finally happened. For sure, it's maybe the most touristy thing you can do in New York - but so what?! Tourists are people, too! They came to see stuff, leave them alone and let them see it! God. Makes me so mad when people are all, "Ugh. Tourists." Get over yourself, bud. You're not better than anyone.

You can order crown tickets at statuecruises.com for $20 each. They make you pick a day and time when you buy the tickets, so have an idea of when you're coming. Also, make sure you go with someone who doesn't complain about lines (not long lines, but lines) and security and such 'cause this experience is RIPE with that stuff. Thankfully I went with someone laid back, normal and great - and that's how this event should be experienced (thanks, Nathan!), so keep that in mind. 

Mike Reiss on Family Guy

All you have to know to read this excerpt is that Mike Reiss is a writer/producer on The Simpsons:
“I like Family Guy,” said Mike Reiss in a speech in 2009 at the 92nd Street Y in Tribeca. Reiss then related to a well-known story, how Family Guy’s creator, Seth MacFarlane, was scheduled to be on American Airlines Flight 11 on September 11, 2001. Because MacFarlane’s travel agent had given him the wrong departure time, MacFarlane narrowly missed the flight and watched on the airport TVs as his plane crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. “The point,” said Reiss, “is that I may like Family Guy, but God fucking loves Family Guy.”