The cover story of this week's Time Out New York is about good places to go when you're stoned. That's right: high on marijuana, an illegal drug. And despite a loose tie-in to the new TV show Weeds, the article really is what it purports to be. Hooray for freedom of the press, I say. They can't take that away from us - not yet, anyway.
A sidebar notes that misdemeanor possession arrests are way down since 9-11, when the police discovered some (no pun intended) higher priorities. It also suggests that Mayor Bloomberg doesn't have a bug up his ass about pot the way his predecessor, the sainted Rudy Guiliani, did, and I'm inclined to agree. For a billionaire, Bloomberg's pretty laid back. For that, and other more serious reasons, his re-election bid may be the first time in my life I vote for a Republican (or, in Bloomberg's case, a "Republican").
In a related development, this morning the Libertarian candidate for Brooklyn Borough President, Gary Popkin, approached me on the subway platform to get my signature on his candidacy petition. I signed, of course, though I disagree with parts of the Libertarian platform. Popkin's website doesn't mention anything about his views on the drug laws, but I'm guessing he'd be in favor of decriminalizing marijuana.
Yesterday, Time Out New York's special pothead issue; today, Libertarian ballot petitions. Coincidence? You decide.
Article comments
1 - Aaman
So which are the good places to go?
2 - Jon Sobel
They list a bunch - including the Museum of the Moving Image, Governors Island, Jacques Torres Chocolate Haven, a reggae emporium called Jammyland, and the Hayden Planetarium. The article itself isn't that amazing. It's the mere fact of the article's existence that I found to be cool and interesting.
3 - Mary K. Williams
Damn, too bad Weeds will be on Showtime. I only get HBO.
Anyway, that is an interesting thing - the fact that the article was printed. Cool.
4 - Eric Olsen
hilarity, New York's a world unto itself - keep those reports coming Jon!
And we only get HBO also
5 - Mark Sahm
Aaman, here's the MofMI link for you. Which makes perfect sense for the article.
I'm not into the cannabis myself, but I'm told the IMAX theatre on Broadway and 68th is quite the treat for such indulgents.
6 - Cerulean
New York City itself doesn't seem like a good place to be when you're stoned, but I'm sure it's been done.