June 10, 2011

Okay, I’m feeling kind of burned out tonight, it was busy at work and I just feel like having a bazillion few beers. My plan was just to wander around on my way and stop in a few places and get a beer. I’m just about to leave, but the only thing that could throw a wrench into that plan is the fact that there could be a major thunderstorm going on right now. I have no windows in the room where I work, so I’m not sure what it’s doing out there. If it is storming, I’ll have to take the subway home...and I think we all know what that means. Al, you better pray the weather gods are on your side. You’ll see in the first photo because I’m just getting ready to leave now.

Holy freaking guacamole, it's coming down in sheets out here...to the Fortress of Solitude!

I made it to the escalator, but I'm soaked. At least people are standing still on here for once.

Let's check that nasty card section at the Duane Reade and see if they've cleaned up their act.

I've got to talk to a manager about these things soon. The cards in here are really starting to personally attack me!

Almost there!

Ahhh...the Fortress of Solitude!

The beer is poured...

And it's time to settle in.

Gumby's comfortable and tonight I brought some paper to draw on instead of using the shitty napkins from here. I thought I'd draw a trilogy of rock stars and here's the results of tonight's Papaya drawings.

Uh, oh...they're bringing in supplies and look who's stowed away up there on the right...aaaahhh! Time to get out of here!

Up the escalator...

And out into the night where it's stopped raining! Hurrah! Goodnight everybody and see you tomorrow after dark.

Further reading: Spinner, Biography and Freemuse.

You also might like: Hot Dogs, Hot Sauce and Hot Snot.

Five Rainy Internet Places
Rain Pryor
Rainy Days and Mondays
Rain on IMDb
Rain
Wiki Rain

Wow man, it's a drag being a rock,
Help I'm a rock.

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Bonus Artwork!

MAD commenter csp commisioned a special piece of art for MAD from the artist, Blü. It's a sad portrait of the Cardboard Box Man and a hot dog. Check it out below.

I almost feel sorry for him now! And below is a piece of artwork from csp himself, hanging at the CMWHYKAY Gallery in the heart of the fashionable garment district in Manhattan. Fantastic work, csp!

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Bonus Photo From Jaws!

Jaws just sent in this photo and here's what he wrote: "In honor of your umpteenth visit to your Papaya heaven, I'm including my own tiki style concoction with (Ta-da) my very own steel swizzle stick! The Screwyapapa Royal...one part fresh squeezed orange juice, one part vodka, and one part Fanta pinapple soda...cheers!"

Looks delicious, Jaws! Cheers to you!

May 18, 2011

I’ve written before that I’ll never blog about my night job because I don’t want to get dooced and have to try and find another one. A lot of you don’t even know what I do to pay my rent and bills. Let’s just say what I do is about a half a step above a shit-shoveler, although on bad nights it can be a step below. When I came in, today I thought that due to a job we had to get out, I thought I was going to be stuck here till around six in the morning. But things happened and now I’m getting ready to go and it’s around 12:30 in the morning. And I’m dog-tired.

I could just say, “Fuck it,” go home and put up a couple videos or something, but I feel I owe it to you good people that come here and read this everyday to at least go out and try. So that’s exactly what I’m going to do, go out and try. Let’s see where the night leads this weary soul.

And here we go. It rained earlier and it's a chilly night for a mid-May evening/morning.

The sign says: "Walk this way," so I do.

Must...cross...street...

How odd, I feel like I have no control over my body. I pray I don't shit or piss my pants, that would be truly embarrassing.

Penn Station...I must enter...I don't know why...

Good Gods...I'm walking down the escalator...something I have railed against in the past...I shove past the blonde on the left and...

Head towards the second escalators. Must go down...I have no idea why...I just know I have to follow my impulses.

Down...down...down...

Must...turn...left...

Down the hallway...but...to...where? KHAN!

Of course, the Papaya in Penn Station! My Fortress of Solitude! The perfect stop on such a grueling night.

They have beer in here! Four bucks for a 32 ouncer! Perfect.

And it's served up with a smile!

The joint is empty except for the workers.

My dog and drink. And this can only lead to...napkin drawings!

The body of work, an empty hot dog holder and half of my second 32 ounce beer, on such a tired evening.

And suddenly the escalator to...

Gumby! Goodnight everybody and see you tomorrow after dark!

Further reading: Tired, Shit Shoveler, What A Crappy Job and Smoking Hot Waitress.

You might also like: Diet Cocaine, A Cocaine Diet and Cocaine.

Three Happy Wanderer’s Clips
One
Two
Three

I guess you can call it the “Cuddly Toy Song.”
Why not?

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Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Papaya @11:25 pm
Penn Station/Herald Square
One of the many blogs I follow and comment on is New York magazine’s Grub Street. They announced in a post today that the Grays Papaya in Hell’s Kitchen is shut down due to high rent. If you followed the 365 blog you know I love the Papaya dog places. I was just in this one the first week of this blog, before I went to Show World. I had no idea that would be my last dog at that location. There’s been several of these fine institutions celebrating low-priced, great tasting dogs for years in New York City shut down in the last couple of years. I think there’s only a half dozen Papaya places left, so I thought I’d start documenting them in pictures here at MAD, every Monday. The first one I’m going to is the Papaya Dog in Penn Station. I stopped there once already for this blog, but I only got a couple photos, so I want to do it up right. Now I don’t know if it’s an official Gray’s Papaya dog, but they have corn dogs and beer, so it’s close enough for me and it’s just a couple blocks from work, so it’s off we go.

Update: Fat Al blogged about this yesterday at the fine blog, The Half Empty Glass. I just saw it now and you can check it out here: Bastards.

I thought we'd go to the shuttered Papaya Dog before Penn Station to pay a last respect. It's just seven blocks away.

Oh, shit, what a shame.

Just a little over a week ago it lit up the corner like this.

And now this is all that's left.

I tried to look through the windows, but they're covered in paper. Another local business done in by high rent.

And across the street is the future. Dunkin' Fuckin' Donuts. Fuck.

And a block away stands the evil 7-11. You know how in the movie "It's A Wonderful Life," it explains that every time an angel gets its wings, a bell rings? Well, every time a Papaya Dog closes, one of these monstrosities pops up on the block.

Fuck it, let's go to Penn Station, I need a beer.

And here we are. Let's go down.

What's funny tonight is that no one's running down the escalator...

And the stairs are closed because they're working on them. So you'd think tonight would be a nightmare on the escalator, but no, it's calm. You never know.

And here we are at the Papaya. Let's take a look around while this one is still alive.

Here's the front counter where all the food and grills are housed in.

The Breakfast and daily specials.

Some of the display meals...

But this is a Papaya and this is what you should be eating here. I suggest the corn dogs. Outside of street fairs in the summer, the corn dog is a rare commodity in Manhattan. You don't see them for sale at too many places.

And this is the only Papaya in town that has another wonderful commodity...beer.

The employees here are friendly and the service is fast.

Within minutes, Ramy has my corn dog and a large beer ready for consumption.

We'll load the corn dog up with a liberal dose of Sabrett's spicy mustard and we're good to go.

In addition to beer and corn dogs, this is the only Papaya place that has a seating area to enjoy your meal and chill out. Let's grab a table.

Now that's a fine looking meal indeed!

The corn dog is crunchy and delicious.

And before I leave, the obligatory Papaya mirror shot. Goodnight everybody and see you tomorrow after dark.

Papaya
Penn Station
Lower level
This isn’t a review, but a recommendation. This is my favorite Papaya. They have beer, corn dogs and a nice little seating area to chill out in. And you can get a giant beer and a corn dog for under five bucks. Who could ask for anything more? It beats the shit out of a 7-11.

Further reading: Wikipedia, New York Times, Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York, Eater NY.

Nightcap

Love your makeup, love your nose.

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