Spotted, standing in line at the West 18th Street Post Office: Wallace Shawn

Heard, while shopping for used CDs at Academy: "She had the prettiest mudflaps I ever saw" -- a line from a country music song

I did one of my only "holiday" things today. James and I went to the New York Public Library's annual holiday open house: free wine and food, musicians, stilt walkers, dancers, and magicians were scattered around the main building at 42nd and Fifth.

Of course the musical highlight was the West Point Glee Club:

Mr. 3rd-from-the-left was wearing a Santa hat with little flashing lights -- and had the most stripes, whatever that means. He was a star, and he knew it.

The NYPL is a great organization, and a $40 donation gets you an invitation for two ($100 gets four people in). It's worth it!

There is a cool exhibit at the moment on the history of New York restaurants and food. It's up through March 1, 2003 -- and it's free.

I haven't seen it yet, but I plan to do so soon. Pete Hamill has column today in the Daily News that everyone should read before seeing the movie, reminding us that the history in the movie is bunk -- go see it, but don't think it's real.

Like Dan'l, I'm a big fan of Luc Sante's Low Life as a good history of the seedier sides of NYC. It's another thing worth reading around the time you see the movie.

From Crain's New York Business:

The city’s debt per capita has more than doubled since fiscal 1990, to $5,083 per head, according to a new report from the city comptroller’s office. The figure was $2,490 per citizen in 1990. That rate of growth exceeds the inflation rate by 63% and the growth in city tax revenues by 55%, the charter-mandated report said

In addition, the comptroller found that debt service costs will grow about 25% by fiscal 2006, reducing the funds available for city services. The costs are projected to approach 20 cents of every tax dollar, compared with 16 cents of every dollar today.

Aren't we glad Giuliani used the boom years of the 90s to get NYC in better financial shape, fix up all of the roads and bridges, improve public transit...