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YO
YO YO DECEMBER MAGIC The Palladium was designed in 1926 by Thomas Lamb on land that had previously housed the American Academy of Music. The name was taken from an opera house of the same name across the street. It was originally a movie palace seating 2,600, and later became a concert hall. In 1985, Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, former owners of Studio 54, revamped the Palladium after their prison release for tax evasion. (Ian Schrager now owns hotels and restaurants that we can't afford, everywhere in the world.) Japanese architect Arata Isozaki redesigned the concert hall, and other contributing artists included Kenny Scharf, Francesco Clemente, Keith Haring, Jean Michel Basquait, Michael Schmidt and Andy Warhol. It featured a 3,200 square foot dance floor and drew over 20,000 people a week. Remember college night (maybe on Wednesdays?). By the late 80s the Palladium hosted Club MTV and business was down. If you were a Club MTV dancer, please come scantily 80s clad and show us your groovy moves. The building was demolished in 1998 and the space was converted into NYU dorms. Gross. But we will dance, Palladium style, at the December MAGIC GARDEN, and think about our native predecessors. MAGIC GARDENERS, I think it's time we faced the facts: we are not the only Native New Yorkers. Before us, NYC was inhabited by the truest Natives - the Lenape Indians, part of the Algonquin civilization. At the time of the Dutch arrival around 15,000 Lenape lived in the area now known as New York Friggin City. After the Dutch invaded, many Lenape moved into the area that is now Pennsylvania and Delaware. Many of those who remained were driven out or killed by smallpox and other diseases. The old Lenape pathways on Manhattan island eventually evolved into modern streets: Broadway, used to be the Mohican Trail; Greenwich Village was a Lenape village on the banks of Manetta Creek; Sacred council fires were held at Bowling Green; and Franklin Square and Cherry Street were the site of vast Lenape cherry orchards. In addition, Kings Highway, Flatbush Avenue, Jamaica Avenue and Amboy Road all follow Lenape trails. Many place names come from Lenape groups, among them: Canarsie, Gowanas, Rockaway, Masapequa, Hackansack, Merrick, Raritan, and more. I though t it best to expand your vocabulary, so here are a few phrases, incorporating Lenape terms: Didn't you love it when Times Square was like a mechouteney (old, dilapidated town) filled with tangawachto (cheap, low-priced) porn and the oversized amangachpoques (rat)? Ihih (exclamation of grief)! I just got shat on by an amemi (pigeon) or memakochkus (woodpecker). On the first day of Mechakhokque (the month when cold makes the trees crack, December), by attending the MAGIC MENENACHKHASIK (GARDEN), you will no longer be stuck in a ktemakauchsoagan (poor, miserable life); rather you will be surrounded by ahoaltowagan (love) and achgiuchsowagan (drunkenness). And some words for everyday use, particularly around this time of year: Tschikenum - turkey
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