New York, New York VI: NYPD

(This is the final installment of New York, New York)

I stood on the corner for an eternity and listened to the hum of New York City. A wave of relief washed over me as the all-familiar flashing lights came up the street. I walked into the street to flag the police car down, but a few taxi cabs drives got excited and immediately pulled up next to where I was standing. I shook my head and tried to shoo them away.

“No, no, I don’t need to go anywhere, I need the police, I-“

“Police? Is someone hurt?” a random jaywalking lady asked.

“No, nothing like that, there were these kids with fruit and-" I stopped because I sounded crazy. I wondered whether or not I should have gotten involved. Was I making too big of a deal? Did this stuff happen in New York all the time?

“Hey, Steph!” A familiar voice said from behind me. I spun around to see one of the people in my group. “I’ve been looking for you, what the heck is going on?”

A crowd had quickly formed around me and the police car started to travel past...
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NY, NY V: Sour Lemons

My friends and I traveled to New York City a few weeks ago not just for the pizza, but to see the work of Joe Simko, a talented artist that specializes in colorful illustrations, paintings, and even giant inflatable monsters.

I looked all over the block for some sort of snooty art gallery - you know, the kind that hang a bunch of solid-colored square paintings on the wall for $10,000 a piece. Instead, I spotted a piece of graphite with a pierced eyeball, which happens to be Simko's signature icon. It pointed to the doors of Live Fast, a boutique chocked full of rock & roll fashion and vintage accessories. The entire store was covered in a mural that reminded me of the Garbage Pail Kids at a Punk Rock concert. I walked up to a striking young woman that resembled Betty Paige.

"Um, I'm here for the art show..."

She silently pointed to a door leading to the basement while adjusting a pair of bloody knife earrings in the display case. As I descended the narrow staircase, I was distracted by a picture of flames and a half-naked devil lady, so I smacked my head on the...
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