(no subject)

[doyle]

1) The things you learn while making last-minute changes to your Yuletide sign-up: a Noel Streatfeild book I haven't read, White Boots, features a character called Lalla Ward. Imagine my disappointment when I remembered how many years ago it must have been written and that it couldn't possibly be strange Doctor Who RPF. (ETA: okay, my final requests were two f/f and two m/m. I pruned some of the fandoms I wasn't certain I'd be able to come up with a story for but have a feeling I'm going to regret rashly offering 'any' for RPF - Historical. Eep.)

2) A cultural difference that has me stumped: we're watching Sex in the City and Carrie is moaning about having to move because her building is becoming a co-op. Assuming she hasn't been bought out by the UK supermarket chain, what's she on about?

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

One more bit of trivia about co-ops: in most of America, owner-occupied shared housing is managed as condominiums, and co-ops are quite rare. In New York City (and this might be a primarily Manhattan phenomenon), I believe that co-ops are the norm and condos are the exception. A friend of mine was recently trying to buy in Manhattan and had a very hard time finding a condo. Most of the places she found for sale were co-ops.

I suspect part of the appeal of co-ops is that a new member needs the approval of the rest of the members to buy in. That makes it very easy to control who your neighbors are, at least within the building. It doesn't matter how much money a prospective buyer has; you can turn him down if he isn't "the right people."