“Essentially, the [New York] Philharmonic is just like any other orchestra-they all have the spirit of kids, and if you scratch away a little of the fatigue and cynicism, out comes a 17-year-old music student again, full of wonder, exuberance and a tremendous love of music.” IfsYearsLittlesKidsSpiritWonderNew YorkStudentsCynicismOrchestraScratchesFatigueMusic LoveCynicExuberanceOld Music Author:Zubin Mehta
“New York, home of the vivisectors of the mind, and of the mentally vivisected still to be reassembled, of those who live intact, habitually wondering about their states of sanity, and home of those whose minds have been dead, bearing the scars of resurrection.” MindHas BeensStillsStatesHomeWonderNew YorkSanityScarResurrection Author:Muriel Spark
“I wonder if I ever thought of an ideal reader... I guess when I was in my 20s and in New York and maybe even in my early 30s, I would write for my wife Janice... mainly for my poet friends and my wife, who was very smart about poetry.” IfsWritingWonderWifeNew YorkPoetReaderSmartIdealsMy WifeVery Smart Author:Kenneth Koch
“I found cause to wonder upon what ground the English accuse Americans of corrupting the language by introducing slang words. I think I heard more and more different kinds of slang during my few weeks' stay in London than in my whole "tenderloin" life in New York. But I suppose the English feel that the language is theirs, and that they may do with it as they please without at the same time allowing that privilege to others.” ThinkingFeelsKindMayDifferentWholeFoundLanguageCausesWonderHeardWeekNew YorkPleasePrivilegeLondonAllowingDifferent KindsIntroducingSlang Book:The Essential Writings of James Weldon Johnson Source: The Essential Writings of James Weldon Johnson
“For most visitors to Manhattan, both foreign and domestic, New York is the Shrine of the Good Time. "I don't see how you stand it," they often say to the native New Yorker who has been sitting up past his bedtime for a week in an attempt to tire his guest out. "It's all right for a week or so, but give me the little old home town when it comes to living." And, under his breath, the New Yorker endorses the transfer and wonders himself how he stands it.” GivingLittlesHas BeensHomePastWonderWeekNew YorkSittingGive MeTownsBreathsNativeGood TimesGuestsTireManhattanTransfersNew YorkersVisitorsBedtimeShrinesHome TownSitting Up Author:Robert Benchley
“When you go apartment-hunting in the South, you encounter little old ladies who ask you if you use strong drink. In New York you encounter paranoids who wonder if you will commit suicide--not that they care; what they worry about is blood on their fresh paint, a dubious smell in the hallway, or a hole in the awning as you pass through on your way to the sidewalk. The Southerner who moves to any part of the country has problems, but the culture shock that attacks the Southerner who moves North is almost indescribable.” IfsWayLittlesCountryUseProblemCareMovingCultureAsksStrongWonderWorryBloodNew YorkDrinkSuicideSouthPaintSmellHolesCommitEncountersShockHuntingApartmentOld LadySidewalkDubiousHallwaysIndescribableSouthernerCulture ShockStrong Drink Book:Southern ladies and gentlemen Source: Southern ladies and gentlemen
“I don't go to an office, so I write at home. I like to write in the morning, if possible; that's when my mind is freshest. I might write for a couple of hours, and then I head out to have lunch and read the paper. Then I write for a little bit longer if I can, then probably go to the library or make some phone calls. Every day is a little bit different. I'm not highly routinized, so I spend a lot of time wandering around New York City with my laptop in my bag, wondering where I'm going to end up next. It's a fairly idyllic life for someone who likes writing.” IfsWritingMindLittlesI CanDifferentEndsHomeMightNextBitsHoursCitiesWonderMorningNew YorkCoupleOfficePaperLittle BitLibraryPhonesLikesWanderBagsNew York CityLunchPhone CallsLaptopsWandering AroundIdyllic Author:Malcolm Gladwell
“Marg Helgenberger and I were waitresses in the same restaurant in Evanston, Illinois. I'm happy to say that that restaurant has since been torn down. [...] We both had an audition for ABC soaps - different soaps, but we auditioned at the same time, and she got the part and went off to New York. Three years later, I went to L.A. So she was kind of an inspiration to me. And it makes sense that we will both be in Wonder Woman together, because we ARE Wonder Women.” YearsKindDifferentInspirationTogetherThreeWonderNew YorkMake SenseRestaurantsThree YearsAuditionsTornSoapWaitressIllinoisWonder Woman Author:Virginia Madsen
“On some summer days in New York City, the air hangs thickly visible, like the combined exhalations of eight million souls. Steam rising from vents underground makes you wonder if there isn't one giant sweat gland lodged beneath the city.” IfsSoulCitiesWonderMillionsAirNew YorkSummerEightGiantsRisingVisibleNew York CitySweatSteamSummer DaysGlands Author:Diane Ackerman
“As always, I wonder if I'll get through the winter. Then when winter is over, I wonder about the summer. But that's because the system decided which author shall be commercially successful. As I said, the most vicious of them all is The New York Times, because it pretends to be literary and impartial, and it's really this opinionated, myopic, stupid giant of incompetence.” IfsSaidWonderSuccessfulStupidNew YorkSummerDecidedWinterGiantsViciousNew York TimesIncompetenceOpinionatedMyopic Author:James Purdy
“The greatest inspiration I draw upon is, is this city (New York) and riding the subway and watching people and I find that's kind of like the best, the best acting teacher. You know, I wonder, like people who have huge celebrity, sometimes I feel bad, should this be one of their methods 'cause I don't know how they can observe life anymore, because they become the observed. So, I, I appreciate that New York can still do that.” PeopleKnowsFeelsShouldKindStillsSometimesInspirationCausesActingCitiesWonderKnow HowTeacherNew YorkHugeDrawsAppreciateMethodRidingSubwayBest ActingActing Teachers Author:Amy Ryan
“Hillary Clinton began a New York thank-you tour Friday by calling for the abolition of the Electoral College. No wonder Arkansas never liked her. She hasn't been in office three days and already she's an abolitionist.” ThreeWonderNew YorkCollegeCallingOfficeClintonFridayAbolitionArkansasAbolitionistElectoral College Author:Argus Hamilton
“I think the nice thing about showing work in New York is that other artists come to see it. When you show work in Switzerland or somewhere else, everywhere else seems to be the provinces in a certain way. You wonder what your paintings are doing on the walls and you wonder who's looking at them.” ThinkingWayShowsSeemsArtistCertainWonderNiceNew YorkPaintingWallSomewhere ElseNice ThingsProvincesSwitzerland Author:Julian Schnabel
“Being from New York, I wonder why am I inspired by bluegrass and Earl Scruggs? But when I look at the whole history of the banjo, I feel really good about it, including the Earl Scruggs part.” FeelsLooksWholeWonderNew YorkInspiredIncludingBanjosBluegrass Author:Bela Fleck
“When I'm in New York I love to stay at the Mercer Hotel, and the C. Wonder store was so part of my New York experience from staying downtown. What I love the most about the brand is the enthusiasm that the customer has for it.” WonderNew YorkCustomersStoresEnthusiasmBrandsHotelStayingDowntown Author:Brad Goreski
“Honestly, I'd love to think I was in a position where I had that decision. But last year I worked on a movie in Bulgaria, now I'm in New York or LA. It really sounds jet-setting when you say it, but there's lots of down-time where you wonder what you're doing or you wonder about life.” ThinkingYearsLastsSoundDecisionWonderNew YorkPositionHonestlySettingSettingsLast YearJetBulgariaDown Time Author:Sean Mahon