From the NY Times:
They have no children, no linear career histories, no readily disposable savings. The four men, all heterosexual, approaching 40 and never married, have lived together for 18 years, give or take a revolving guest roommate, cohabitating in spaces like an East Village walk-up, a Chelsea loft and, now, a converted office space in Queens.
Their latest home, which they have nicknamed Fortress Astoria, takes up the second and third floors of a slate gray concrete block building with floor-to-ceiling windows on 31st Street. The setup is ideal for four bachelors. Bedrooms do not share common walls, and there are communal spaces both upstairs (huge television, sofa) and down (kitchen). There is a lovely garden out back tended by Mr. Theerakulstit.
The apartment presents itself as a mix of man-child fantasy and discerning urban sophistication — Peter Pan meets the man cave. Action hero figurines, many still in their boxes, are displayed over the doorways, while film snob DVDs (by directors like Akira Kurosawa or Preston Sturges) line the shelves. There are expensive Mac computers in the bedrooms, and the kitchen holds an impressive array of spices (turmeric, pink peppercorns, cardamom), not one but two mortars and pestles, designer Japanese knives and a seltzer-making machine.
But dinner on a recent night was takeout pizza and garlic knots, served on paper plates. And in one of the downstairs bathrooms, a chopstick serves as a toilet paper holder.
Sociologically, the men represent the apotheosis of two trends in American life. While Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg may be promoting the idea of tiny apartments for singles, the most recent census figures suggest that many people do not want to live alone; they prefer or need the company: The number of roommates in nonfamily households in New York City increased by more than 40 percent between 2000 and 2010.
In NYC, it actually is illegal for more than 3 unrelated people to live together. Whether this makes sense or not, I'll let you decide.
16 comments:
three or more unrelated people are living in every neighborhood in two family homes in Queens. the D.O.B inspectors leave two call flyers and never return again.
enforcement by city agencies stinks.
the garbage cans are over loaded, street parking spots for 4-5 people in one apartment are scarce. driveway blocking is common. homeowners have no idea who is living NOW living on the block. the absentee landlords only want the cash rent and pay no extra property tax.
overpopulation of a neighborhood is no quality of life .Home owners pay property taxes for QUALITY
OF LIFE living spaces.
That's what happened during the "Great Depression".
Homes were turned into boarding houses.
I know someone who already takes in a "renter" to help pay the mortgage.
This is just another sign of the times and America dropping a wrung down on the ladder as "world power."
It will get worse.
Our national egotism (coupled with our self-absorption) and our exportation of jobs will bring us down into the cellar in about 3 decades.
You see idiots spending big $$$$$ for i.e. vintage Star Trek action figures instead of gold.
When they try to sell these out of fashion "collectibles" years later, they get "Bupkas" (beans).
They're lucky if they break even.
Is this adult thinking?
NO!
you've got it right...MAN-CHILD" is more like it.
Nothing new..
"hippies" were living in urban communes during the early 1970s.
These are a more upscale species.
They're fudge packers, and in NYC you can't criticize that segment of the population. No one is going to come after them.
This is not a great example of how to live for our coming of age children - my kid is 22yrs old. You do this for a year or two after college - if you want to live in Manhattan, elsewhere no.
The NYT writers born in Iowa, gets suckered into this hipster stuff and my thought is that these guys are gay and wanted to not be outed during this story. One individual had a girlfriend as a cover. This roommate living wrecks havoc on residential neighborhoods and should be disallowed.
It looks like the Hotel in Albany that Mike Giannaris, Harry Giannulis, Mike Sais and Evan stavisky all shack up in together without the dog collars and spiked bracelets.
Hey - lets not insult great directors like Sturges and Kurosawa just because these jerks like them!!!
Whats wrong with the NY Times falling for this BS story.
I don't believe one word of it
These jerks don't represent Americans.
What you have there are perhaps euro-trash and a jerk from Boonsville here for jolly's.
Where is the NY Times getting its journalists from NYU ?
I've heard of 3 ways (menage a trois)...LOL...but this is some foursome.
Bridge anyone?
With sharply rising rents in most important American cities, this will become the norm soon, Joe.
Doubling up ain't enough to pay the greedy landlords any more.
It will soon take four to tango.
I know of 4 Nebraska girls who are sharing a one bedroom apartment on the lower east side of Manhattan...hoping to break into the New York "big time".
So if 4 guys do the same doesn't mean that they're asshole buddies any more then those girls are kitty lickers.
It's modern economics.
If you want to live well these days the average Joe or Josephine has got to learn to share their living space.
Either that or they continue to live at home with mom and dad until they reach fifty and get tossed out (if ever).
You really should read the whole article before typing. These chaps are in their 40s, and at least one of them has never had steady employment.
Time to grow up, guys.
"So if 4 guys do the same doesn't mean that they're asshole buddies any more then those girls are kitty lickers."
Are the girls in their 40s? Women don't do this at that age.
"the average Joe or Josephine has got to learn to share their living space"
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Nonsense, I own 3 houses and only use 1 at a time.
The reason these kids need to live like a Bangladesh family is because they don't have a pot to piss in.
BECAUSE THEY ALL expect to be big time artists or musicians. Wake up call...ART DONT PAY IN 2012 !!
The closest thing to fame or "big time" those 4 girls from Nebraska are likely to see is the floor of tourbus, director's office or casting agent. They are easy meat for the creeps that call the shots in NYC. I bet they are waitresses or escorts already correct ?
These people did not do their homework before coming here.
The **paying** art, music world in NYC is all IATSE, SAG unions and corporations selling their own product. Artists are no longer "discovered" they are custom built to fit the marketing.
Actors on SNL or any other NYC based shows cant even do there own jokes-- they MUST use IA writers material. (another closed union unless your proven to be from the liberal and gay side of the block)
TV in NYC has become a private a clubhouse
About other Unions related to art:
The only way into a NYC IATSE union is if your related to a current active family member who has retired or died. And that's only if other members give "the nod".
Its like trying to be "made" the MAFIA only harder.
All these self titles "artists" coming to Queens are going end up our future population of welfare recipients and drug addicts. No different then NYCs East village piss in the street "artist" population of 1985.
SAG, modeling, photography
--I wont even get into those cesspools. People not in the business refuse to believe what goes on anyway
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