West Side Rag
  • TOP NEWS
  • OPEN/CLOSED
  • FOOD
  • SCHOOLS
  • OUTDOORS
  • REAL ESTATE
  • ART
  • POLITICS
  • COLUMNS
  • CRIME
  • HISTORY
  • ABSURDITY
  • CONTACT
West Side Rag
No Result
View All Result

Get WSR FREE in your inbox

Search the site

No Result
View All Result

Get WSR FREE in your inbox

AVAILABLE NOW!


HERE

THE UPPER WEST SIDER’S GUIDE TO THE END OF THE WORLD

August 11, 2011 | 12:01 PM
in ABSURDITY, COLUMNS
2

By Maria Gorshin

The economy is rallying, plunging, rebounding or in freefall. The news changes moment to moment and each statistic is analyzed to the edge of confusion, madness or maybe just comedy. All the news is good on the one hand yet bad on another but could be worse and might get better soon unless we’re headed for disaster. It’s enough to drive you to head-smacking mind-bogglement.

As news about the market and our economic future see-sawed on Monday, Paul Krugman at the New York Times put it most eloquently: “Aaauuuggghhh…they really are trying to make my head explode, aren’t they?”

Even as I write, headlines about S&P downgrades are being continually updated, changing, this time from bad to definitely worse. The fonts over at MSNBC and CNN are getting bigger, bolder. All an Upper West Sider can do in the face of all of this is eat drink and be merry (on a newly-tightened budget) knowing doom may be drawing closer…maybe.

Here are a few ideas for Upper West Side life on the cheap. Read, then add your own ideas to the list via comments:

Stay home, read and watch Hulu. Life outside is expensive.

Stop grocery shopping until everything in your kitchen cabinets and refrigerator is gone. Macaroni with butter. Nutella on everything. Ask yourself, “Does cream of wheat go bad? What about grape jelly?”

Don’t go out for drinks. Everyone has loose bottles of non-favorite beers, cheap champagnes and re-gifted wines lurking in their apartments. Have a BYOUB (bring your own unwanted bottles) party because your friends are broke too.

Dare to go outdoors but leave ALL your money at home. Experience the discipline of walking when you would rather ride and drinking tap water when you’d rather have gelato.

Get spiritual. Learn to let go of Iced Coffee envy as you stroll beverage-less. Send love and joy energy to diners at sidewalk cafes as you carry your Trader Joe’s budget carbs back to your apartment.

Buy a scratch off lottery ticket for a weekly rush of hope. Daydream about paid bills and vacations for the two minutes you have between buying the ticket and finding out it’s another dud.

Attend every free event in the city.

Become a master of wine and cocktail disguise to make the aforementioned free events even more festive.

Picnic in parks. Workout in parks. Meet, entertain, study in parks. Who knows, you might decide to live in the park. Get to know the best spots.

Ok neighbors…your turn.

Photo by Ed Yourdon via flickr.

Maria Gorshin, who runs the blog City Girl Writes, is a West Side Rag columnist and native Upper West Sider.

Share this article:
guest

guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

2 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
mary jones
mary jones
11 years ago

good ideas except for buying a lottery ticket

0
Reply
Mitch Broder
Mitch Broder
11 years ago

I suggest hiking to Hell’s Kitchen and visiting Rudy’s Bar and Grill. They serve free hot dogs. That would take care of at least two meals a day.

0
Reply

YOU MIGHT LIKE...

Openings & Closings: Ever/Body; Bardolino 2; Intimissimi; The Jewel Boutique; Barnes & Noble; Fashion Nail and Spa; Steps New York
COLUMNS

Openings & Closings: Ever/Body; Bardolino 2; Intimissimi; The Jewel Boutique; Barnes & Noble; Fashion Nail and Spa; Steps New York

March 22, 2023 | 5:44 PM - Updated on March 23, 2023 | 11:33 AM
Here’s the Dish: Shalel’s Lamb Kofta Tagine 
COLUMNS

Here’s the Dish: Shalel’s Lamb Kofta Tagine 

March 21, 2023 | 9:55 AM - Updated on March 23, 2023 | 4:36 AM
Previous Post

MORNING BULLETIN: THE SKETCHY UPPER WEST SIDE LIBRARY CLERK

Next Post

MORNING BULLETIN: ZABAR’S STORY IGNITES A FIRESTORM, ALEC BALDWIN FIGHTS BACK AGAINST CLAIMS OF ELITISM

this week's events image

Explore Your Favorite Subject

20th precinct 24th precinct american museum of natural history animals art bicycling bulletin central park closings columns community board 7 coronavirus crash crime development dogs events fdny fire food gale brewer helen rosenthal history jcc lincoln center monday bulletin morning bulletin nypd openings pedestrian safety photography photos politics public schools pupper west side real estate restaurants retail riverside park silver stars fitness snow sponsored subway upper west side uws

CITY NEWS

Brick Underground
City Limits
Eater
Gothamist
NY Daily News
NY Post
NY Times

LOCAL RESOURCES

Bloomingdale Neighborhood History Group
Central Park Conservancy
CB7
Community Education Council 3
Assembly District 67
The New York Historical Society
Riverside Park
West End Preservation

UWS Blogs

Bloomingdale History Central Park Blogger
North River Notes

Next Post
MORNING BULLETIN: ZABAR’S STORY IGNITES A FIRESTORM, ALEC BALDWIN FIGHTS BACK AGAINST CLAIMS OF ELITISM

MORNING BULLETIN: ZABAR'S STORY IGNITES A FIRESTORM, ALEC BALDWIN FIGHTS BACK AGAINST CLAIMS OF ELITISM

LANDMARK WEST PROJECT BRINGS OLD SNAPSHOTS OF CENTRAL PARK TO LIFE

LANDMARK WEST PROJECT BRINGS OLD SNAPSHOTS OF CENTRAL PARK TO LIFE

WEEKEND BULLETIN: ROCKABILLY INDEED

WEEKEND BULLETIN: ROCKABILLY INDEED

  • ABOUT US
  • CONTACT US
  • NEWSLETTER
  • WSR MERCH!
  • ADVERTISE
  • EVENTS
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS OF USE
  • SITE MAP
Site design by RLDGROUP

© 2023 West Side Rag | All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • TOP NEWS
  • THIS WEEK’S EVENTS
  • OPEN/CLOSED
  • FOOD
  • SCHOOLS
  • OUTDOORS
  • REAL ESTATE
  • ART
  • POLITICS
  • COLUMNS
  • CRIME
  • HISTORY
  • ABSURDITY
  • CONTACT US
  • WSR SHOP

© 2023 West Side Rag | All rights reserved.