City Cycling--Is The Boom Creating More Bangs?

An article from The New York Daily News:

http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/city-cycling-boom-creating-bangs-article-1.1457289

Ford Escape SE 2014

This is going to be worth looking at if you are looking for a vehicle that costs under $30,000 and gets decent fuel economy--I got 25.5 combined and the EPA posted fuel economy is 23 city/32 highway/26A combined.

My escape was powered by 1.6-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged, direct injection Ecoboost engine paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission.  Wheels--17"-- added plenty of bling for this baby, which behaves like a fun little hauler with enough of the proverbial connectivity to please the millennials.

The 2014 Ford Escape in Ingot Silver Metallic (people get paid good money to come up with these names).  Who looks at these descriptions when they buy a car? And whoever repeats them?  My guess is no one.  

 The Escape now has a hands-free liftgate.  The liftgate opens with a gentle kicking motion under the center of the rear bumper which, activates, unlocks and raises the liftgate when the driver has the Escape key fob.  (However, I was told by someone at Ford a year ago, that it doesn't recognize Ugg boots as a foot and I can totally sympathize with that.)  The trunk lift is such a convenience--you're not jostling packages or digging your keys out of the bottom of a purse.    The same process closes the hatch.  The technology comes from videogames.  The Escape now comes with a Class II trailer tow package that allows it to trailer-tow up to 3,500 pounds.

EcoBoost engines are further enhanced with twin independent variable camshaft timing. Ti-VCT offers up to a 7 percent improvement in peak power and a 5 percent improvement in low-speed torque for better acceleration, passing and merging performance, as well as up to a 4.5 percent improvement in fuel economy versus engines not equipped with the technology.

 Ford's torque converter gives a nice smoothness to the ride.  It's Intelligent 4WD system uses software and sensors to analyze data from 25 external signals, including wheel speed, accelerator pedal position and steering wheel angle adding to the safety of the vehicle in challenging driving situations

The car has active park assist in case you can't park your car yourself--what is that about?
It also has SYNC with MyFord Touch the communications system that allows voice commands.  It has an available sensor-based BLIS^® (Blind Spot Information System) with cross-traffic alert. BLIS displays an alert in the side mirror when a vehicle is detected entering a blind spot. Cross-traffic alert warns if traffic is detected approaching from the sides, such as when Escape is leaving a parking space in reverse.

Prices start at $22,700 plus $895 destination and delivery charges.  My vehicle, as equipped was $26,445 including destination and delivery.

Something Fishy Here

A story in The New York Daily News I wrote:

http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/driving-nemo-smart-fortwo-ultimate-clown-car-article-1.1473729

Diesel Sheds It's Dirty Image

 Here's my story on diesel in The New York Daily News:

http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/diesel-sheds-dirty-image-article-1.1481993

The Mazda Miata of Kimonos

The Mazda Miata of kimonos

One morning I woke up to yet another website trying to get me to sign up for daily emails.  And just before I put it in the trash, I clicked on it and there was this headline:  This Kimono is the Mazda Miata of robes.  I bought it.  I mean who could resist?
I owned a 1992 Miata and when people ask me what my favorite car in the world is, I  say it still is my 1992 Miata, which ended up totaled but that's a story for another day.  And I still miss it.
Has the bathrobe satisfied my longings for my lost car? No.  But it was $20, it fits like a Snuggie but it doesn't turn you into a block-of blue-lard-weirdo––one who loses her dignity when company's not around and it is the . . . well, and that's the other thing that struck me.  Remember when the gold standard was Cadillac?
Highly prized products that were the nonpareil of whatever were called the "Cadillac of ________________".
Cadillac is finally making the right moves. Could they regain that status?  It's unlikely that Cadillac can regain the title, given the extremely high standards throughout the automotive industry.  But I'd put Cadillac's ATS up against any other performance car available today any day of the week.  It's a killer and I mean that in a very good way.

Hope I don't look too smug here.

This is, however, the first time I've ever seen anything called the Mazda Miata of . . ..  And since I love Miatas and have always loved Miatas I bought the robe.  And let me just say that it is a perfect analogy.  The robe fits my personality to a T.  It manages its flair by balancing it with pragmatism, it fits perfectly, the materials are good quality. There's only one thing wrong with it--the belt loops don't have any relationship to my waist.  My Miata had only one thing wrong with it––manual side mirrors.  The mirrors are automatic on later models.  I can't speak for the belt loops.
I deleted the shopping website even though it has the best copy I've ever read--better than J. Peterman.  I cut and paste the bathrobe copy here for your enjoyment.

Me in the Miata.

"The Kimono is the Mazda Miata of robes. Take that as you will.  Listen, we're not here to be overly judgmental. And we're not saying you don't look good in that zippy little kimono. We're just saying, maybe you shouldn't act so proud of it, because it gives off the wrong impression.

What you want people to think is, "That person is super fun and quirky!" Not "That person is clearly overcompensating for shortfalls in other parts of their life."

So next time you slip into that something-more-comfortable, here's what to do. Own it, but with a quiet confidence. Don't go strutting around with a smug look on your face, winking and shooting your finger guns at everyone who glances your way. Because people WILL make fun of you. And you'll be too wrapped up in your damaskness to even notice."  The website name is Woot.com.

And Miatas still rule.  I drove the 2013 MX5 around the Cape this summer top down.  What a blast.  Plus I gained so many points with the great nieces and nephews, it was, um, like, awesome.

Robert Motherwell Collages Guggenheim Museum

Opens September 27th.

I  went to the press preview of the exhibit at the Guggenheim of Robert Motherwell's early collages.  Susan Davidson, the curator of the exhibit spoke lovingly about this period in Motherwell's development as an artist.  She noted that in this period, which covers about a decade from 1941-1951, he was probably the most connected to the materials he used.  The materials include paper he bought on Canal Street--5 sheets for $1.50.  And one of the reporters asked what one of the works was bought for--$150.  Makes one wonder how to value the contributions of artists in our world.  Today that collage would be worth . . .  but what is the worth . . . it inspired me, so that is its worth to me.


Motherwell grew up on the West Coast, graduated from Stanford, went to graduate school at Harvard, and attended Columbia where Meyer Schapiro encouraged him to devote himself to painting instead of scholarship.  Motherwell was influenced by his time in Mexico, he he had his first solo show
at Peggy Guggenheim’s Art of This Century museum/gallery in 1944.  He lectured widely on abstract painting, and he founded and edited the Documents of Modern Art series.

 In 1948, he began to work with his celebrated Elegy to the Spanish Republic theme, which he continued to develop throughout his life.  Robert Motherwell died in Provincetown, Massachusetts on July 16, 1991.






Robert Motherwell: Early Collages
Venue: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue, New York
Location: Annex Level 4
Dates: September 27, 2013–January 5, 2014

The First--and Possibly Only--Bacon Theatre Festival

Sometimes I do other things besides cars.  And the" thing" this week is The First--and Possibly Only--Bacon Theatre Festival.  I'm partnering with some of the coolest playwrights in New York and we've all written six-minute plays, musicals--and in the case of Kate McLeod and Rob Hartmann, an opera.  The festival is being hosted by Wes Klein, the genius behind The Baconery restaurant on Columbus Avenue between 104th and 105th.  Everything in the restaurant has bacon in it.  What's YOUR definition of paradise.  We're holding it at the Ding Dong Lounge, presided over by the incredibly cool (as in, if I had strived everyday to be that cool I couldn't get there) Adrianna Ault Nolan.  Then we have the playwrights  David Johnston, Athur Giron, DeLora Whitney, C. S. Hanson, Lucile Lichtblau, Byron Nilsson, Tzila Levy, Rob Hartmann, Rob Ackerman, Nick Myers, Christie Baugher and Kate McLeod.  The performances take place from 6:45-8:30.  There's bacon mac and cheese, a bacon dessert and wine.  Tickets are $25 and can be bought at 

https://bacontheaterfestival.eventbrite.com/

We have talent coming out of the woodwork for this.  Singers, actors, directors.  No choreography for this one:  it's a reading and the space is, let's just call it limited.  It is, by the way.  Get tickets if you want to be there.  Like today!