Author: patmcg

Travel

The McKittrick Hotel: Not a Hotel

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The McKittrick Hotel in the Chelsea neighborhood of in New York City is not actually a hotel (as far as I can tell). It’s more of a bizarre collection of venues and edgy entertainment.

👉 The McKittrick Hotel

Their about page sets the tone…

Completed in 1939, The McKittrick Hotel was intended to be New York City’s finest and most decadent luxury hotel of its time. Six weeks before opening, and two days after the outbreak of World War II, the legendary hotel was condemned and left locked, permanently sealed from the public. Until now…

This “hotel” features the creepy and insanely immersive Sleep No More, a bar on the roof, a bar in the basement, magic shows, cabaret, anything weird and especially 1930’s-themed.

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This may be the weirdest and most fun place in NYC (that I know of). I’m definitely going back if I ever get the chance.

Austin · Music

Hello Again, KUTX

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For the last couple of years, I’ve been relying on Apple Music for all my of musical needs. It’s great. It has absolutely every song I ever want to hear, instantly available in my car, while out for a walk, at home, on my laptop. Anything anywhere any time! And I have dozens of my own purpose-built playlists (Springsteen Covers, Dance Party, Garage Rock, more). Plus they provide a ton of their own playlists. (Same for Spotify, I’m sure.)

So online music streaming is perfect, right? Well, yes, but also no. 🤷🏻‍♂️

My playlists had became too safe and predictable. And it’s weird that I never ever ever listen to the local radio. So today I suddenly had the urge to listen to my favorite local Austin radio station: KUTX. So I streamed it (seriously, I don’t have a radio). And it was great!

KUTX

KUTX will constantly surprise and delight you with music that you don’t control. I have unwittingly discovered some of very favorite bands here (The XX and Tinariwen for example). And btw, KUTX is a public radio station. No ads or BS. It’s basically a community service by music fans.

If you’re not in the mood straight-up KUTX , which is geared towards indie rock, they have other streams like Old School Dance Party, Eklektikos, a soul and R&B station, a jazz station, and even a kid-friendly indie music station.

This doesn’t mean I’m dropping Apple Music, which is still great when I want music to help me concentrate, or to listen to my favorite album. But I’m glad to remember my old friend KUTX as a way to mix things up a bit.

You

Happily Married Couples Exhibit Best Friend Behavior

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I almost dismissed this article outright when first I saw the title because I thought it was going to be overly-simplistic.

👉 The #1 Thing All Happily Married Couples Have in Common

But it’s a good article and hella inspiring! It talks about positivity bias, productive fighting, and the benefits of being married to your best friend:

  • Nobody cares who makes the money
  • Vacations are easy to agree on
  • Chores are divided evenly
  • You have incredible sex
  • You feel understood
  • You fight productively

A friend is someone who knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow

⚠️ Just be sure to contrast this with What You Lose When You Gain a Spouse. 🤷🏻‍♂️