Vanishing New York Backup

Last month we heard that the Paris theater might be closing . Now we hear it's staying alive. Deadline first reported that the theater, "the last great single-screen prestige picture palace in New York," was "expected to shutter in late July or August." Indiewire seemed to seal the deal when they reported: "sources confirm that the Paris will likely close next month," meaning July, because that "marks the end of the lease currently held by City Cinemas." They added, "alternative uses are considered likely for the street-level space at W. 58th and Fifth Avenue." The Paris is one of the last places (on the planet) that doesn't cater to short attention spans. The purple curtains stay closed while the speakers plays jazz, Louis Armstrong, big band. There are no riddles or word scrambles on the screen, and very few commercials. It's pleasant to be there. It would be a terrible shame to lose it. When I visited the th...

Support the great Gem Spa by buying a t-shirt! From Gem's Instagram : "T-shirts can be purchased at paypal.me/gemspa on PayPal and picked up next Thursday evening after 5 PM. Or they can be shipped worldwide at an extra cost. Be sure to include your size." Gem is struggling these days , so even if you can't buy a shirt, go by and grab a coffee, egg cream, Juul, anything and everything helps.

Michael Seidenberg, the proprietor of the great Brazenhead Books , has passed away. According to Facebook updates, he was in recovery from a heart attack and a bypass operation. Family, friends, and fans are sharing memories on Michael's Facebook page . Their words say more than I can about a man that many remember as a one-of-a-kind New Yorker. Brazenhead was a "secret" bookshop housed in an undisclosed rent-stabilized Upper East Side apartment, complete with a twice-weekly salon, open to all who could find it. I was fortunate to visit once before it closed in 2015 . It was a truly magical place.