Thank You, Mr. Dupal

I imagine that there are people who don't like butter. I am not sure I have met any, and I doubt that you will find many here at Ceci-cela. I love writing about a place like this - there is no worry that I will disappoint you. Along with other places like Cones, the Doughnut Plant, Eileen's Cheesecake, Raffetto's, and Il Laboratorio del Gelato, this place uses only the finest ingredients and is run by a hands-on, uncompromising artisan, Chef Laurent Dupal.

Ceci-cela is only a couple of blocks from my office - we began patronizing this pastry shop long ago, and it quickly became our regular place to get our cakes for birthday celebrations in our company.
Ceci-cela was started in 1991 by master chef Laurent Dupal, now partnered with longtime friend and celebrated restaurateur Georges Forgeois. Dupal is, as would be expected, a well-trained and experienced French chef - read about him here.

The shop is located at 55 Spring Street in NoLita (North of Little Italy). The secret of the survival of the character of neighborhoods like this is the smaller tenement buildings, which permit limited retail space and prohibit larger stores or retail chains. (although rents do escalate and there are changing tenancies)

The exterior of this patisserie is quaint but unassuming. Inside it is a tiny narrow place with a Parisian ambiance. Congestion is common as regular patrons jockey for position in line. There is a cafe area in the rear for those wanting to eat on the premises. The bakery also does a wholesale business.

Everything I have had here is superb. You will find a full gamut of French pastries, cakes and tarts: éclairs, Napoleons, crème brulée, tartes, chocolate truffles, all manner of croissant, brioche, danishes, and their classic tuiles. From the New York Times:

TRADITIONALLY, the tuile, the French almond cookie, is a curved concoction of butter, sugar, flour and almonds that is named after the rounded roof tiles found throughout France. The cookie bakes flat, and as it comes out of the oven, warm and pliable, it is wrapped around a rolling pin to give it the shape. But the tuile from Ceci-Cela is different.


''I make them flat,'' said Laurent Dupal, the chef and co-owner of the patisserie at 55 Spring Street, ''because they are very, very fragile.''


In the world of pastry making, fragility is often a sign of excellence.


The Ceci-Cela tuile is so buttery, and so delicate, that the moment you put it into your mouth, and touch it with your tongue, it begins to crumble into crisp, buttery, almond-flavored morsels. A near-perfect cookie, it can stand alone and be eaten by itself, one after another, until a half-pound box is suddenly empty, or used as an accompaniment to a simple summer dessert of fresh strawberries, mangoes or Asian pear.


The secret of its evanescence is to use ''as little flour as possible,'' Mr. Dupal said, adding, ''The way we make them is to whip the butter and the sugar and make them very light. After that we incorporate the egg whites, one by one, and then a little bit of flour, and finally the minced almonds.''

Our office favorite is the Paradise Cake - a lady finger and vanilla genoise cake with fresh tropical fruit mix. See the menu here.

I know after you sample their delectables, I will look like an expert in discovering the best kept secrets of New York City. However, let's give credit where it is due. Thank you, Mr. Dupal :)

Dwanna

Her name was Dwanna - a twist on Dwayne because her father had really wanted a boy. She was my sales rep for my catalog printing for some time and I had occasion to meet her once in person while she was on a business trip to the city.

When she called to tell me she was moving to New York City, I was quite happy. This could become a nice friendship. She would even be living with her boyfriend in my neighborhood. She had that southern charm but was also an aggressive business woman, and she had plans to make some serious money here.

But she was gone before I even had time to meet her here once. When I asked her why she was leaving so quickly, her answer could be summarized in two words - too hard.

I was shocked really - this was not an unambitious woman at all. But she said it was just too hard. Every little thing which used to be easy, whether laundry, getting groceries, traveling, etc. was just more work than she ever imagined. It wasn't worth it to her.

If you live in New York City, you know exactly of what I speak. If you want to live here, you had better be ready for an adjustment. Unless you have enormous wealth, you will be making a number of big changes - you will be walking and lugging. Unloading packages from a car or taxi in the rain, walking up flights of stairs, suffering unbearable heat on a subway platform in mid summer, worrying about your valuables wherever you go.

The typical, successful New Yorker who has adapted to life here is a survivor - resourceful, tough, able to switch gears quickly and turn on a dime. Someone who can see and leverage opportunity. That's why when the weather breaks for one day, musicians will gather in the park just like it's a summer day. We had a 50 degree sunny day on Sunday and these musicians turned up in holiday red. Today's photo captured them doing a spirited rendition of Jingle Bells.

The question is, not Clint Eastwood's "Do I feel lucky?" but rather "is it worth it?" Luck won't go that far here when it comes to day to day life.

When ever I have a tough time, tire of the machinations of ordinary tasks or think of leaving New York City for an easier lifestyle, I think of Dwanna...

Veterans Memorial Pier

The best views of Manhattan are from the boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island (including the ferry), the East River Bridges, Roosevelt Island (and Tram), and New Jersey. In Brooklyn, the BQE coming towards the city affords some of the most dramatic views of New York City, as does the promenade in Brooklyn Heights, which is cantilevered over the highway.

Recently I was tipped off by a Brooklyn native of a spot relatively unknown to those in Brooklyn - the American Veterans Memorial Pier, aka the 69th Street Pier.
In 2005, a memorial was installed to honor the 283 Brooklyn residents who were lost in the World Trade Center attack. Soaring 25 feet in the air, the “Beacon” memorial is shaped like a speaking trumpet. The device was once used by the volunteer fire brigades of New York City to transmit warnings to the crowd and orders to firefighters, as well as alerting neighbors of a crisis in progress. Made of bronze, the memorial features a beacon of light shining from the top that will be illuminated from 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm daily. The design, selected through a competition, was designed and built by Brooklyn artist Robert Ressler and cast from bronze at Bedi-Macky, a foundry in Greenpoint, Brooklyn - the oldest in New York City, best known for having cast the Iwo Jima Memorial.

The pier is located opposite 69th Street in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn. Beautiful vistas can also be had from Owl's Head Park, perched on a hillside overlooking the pier and the water.

Fishing is a popular activity here. Unfortunately, with the downturn in the economy, many are fishing more for sustenance than for sport. Numbers of fishermen have increased substantially recently,  and some families are eating fish caught here several times per week - much more than what is recommended. Warnings have been made about the high PCB and mercury content in the fish.

For decades, there was ferry service from the pier to Staten Island - service ended after the Verrazano Bridge opened in 1964. The pier was originally built in wood but was rebuilt in concrete in the 1980s and again in 2000. The pier can also be accessed by the pedestrian/bike path which flanks Shore Parkway and the Upper Bay...

Substance Abuse

In a city like New York, there is a lot of substance abuse. But it takes many forms, and one that may not immediately come to mind are companies that oversell and underdeliver by taking what quality they have and abusing it through excessive marketing.

I want to believe that behind great companies lie great products. That reputations are built on merit. That marketing is a recent addition. That the maxim most businesses want to follow is the pithy undersell and overdeliver. That they understand the disappointment and bad taste left by a product where the operative was to oversell and underdeliver.

However, when a few raise their voices at the dinner table, soon everyone must do the same to be heard, and a screaming match ensues. And so it is with an overcrowded marketplace of products and services. To undersell is perhaps to risk not being heard at all, regardless of the quality you have to offer. Developing a cult following for a product through word of mouth and evangelism is not the easiest to orchestrate. Companies like Apple have done well, however, this approach is often initially an organic process, not part of a marketing plan.

Louis Vuitton is a company that was built on merit - quality of product and innovation. I cannot speak for the quality or durability of the products today. They are so pricey, and I would be frightened to use them - its stores display their wares more as works of art in a contemporary museum than as products to be used. Bags run $1000 to $2000 dollars, and their signature piece of luggage in leather is $6000. In my recent travels seeking out holiday windows, I decided to drop in to the Vuitton flagship store at 5th Avenue and 57th Street. The store is sleek and modern.

Louis Vuitton was born in France and began designing flat bottomed trunks in the 1850s. Even at that time, his distinctive designs were copied, and the problem of counterfeiting remains today. Vuitton employs a full-time team of lawyers and investigators just to curtail piracy. Read more about the company here.

It is difficult, if not impossible, to find any company that flies by the quality of their content or products alone. Marketing and branding is absolutely part of the business model today, even more so with a legacy brand name. The question is whether any product lives up to its marketing. Perhaps some of you have experience with Louis Vuitton products and can let us know - is this still a quality product or a case of substance abuse?

Have a Witty Holiday!

In New York City, the vast majority of residents are still largely Christian, but the percentage of non-Christian groups is quite significant and in numbers that translate easily to over one million people.

Outside of the city, (in New England, for example, where I am writing this), meet and greets with family and friends at this time of year always include "Merry Christmas" and a handshake. In the city, I try to be much more conscious of the implications of Christmas in my greetings and the possible religious affiliation of those I greet.

The increasingly secular nature of the holiday certainly makes this aspect of Christmas in the city more comfortable - wishing others a Merry Christmas without knowing their religious background is much less likely to offend. I am often inclined to use "Happy Holidays" in my cards enclosing the numerous gratuities I give at this time of year.

The festive nature of the holiday and time off from work is enjoyed by many. Although this may not be embracing the original meaning of Christmas, it is a reality that most practicing Christians accept in a country founded on religious tolerance.

The non-religious emphasis is particularly noticeable in the holiday window displays. The more traditional displays, such as that of Saks, Bloomingdales, Lord and Taylor, and Macy's, do show gifts and the occasional Christmas tree. Others, such as Bergdorf Goodman, have windows that are devoid of any holiday or even seasonal themes, using the holiday season as time for an extravaganza.

I had been told that Barney's at 660 Madison Avenue had a particularly creative window display. A trip there confirmed that, however, I was surprised to see such a non-Christmasy Saturday Night Live theme, with the greeting "Have a Witty Holiday!" In its heyday, this TV show was legendary and its relationship to New York City known to everyone. The opening of each show, "Live From New York, it's Saturday Night!" made it very clear. The windows were done by Simon Doonan, creative director of window dressing for Barney's since 1986.

As I write this, I look out to a snow covered landscape - the white Christmas that Bing Crosby and Irving Berlin dreamed of. The day ahead will be one of socializing with family and friends, exchanging gifts, and a holiday dinner.

For those of you who celebrate, I wish you a merry Christmas - for everyone else, have a witty holiday :)

Sun, Moon and Stars

This is Christmas Eve, and for many children, it is a time of hope for wishes to be granted. For so many, New York City is a place for adults to find their wishes granted too, or for some, as a place they hope to see or live in. On October 11, 2007, I wrote Beacon of Hope, about the Chrysler Building as a metaphor for aspirations, dreams and hopes.

While walking down Fifth Avenue, I was struck by this perfectly positioned moon, centered on the street above the baccarat crystal star designed by Ingo Maurer and complemented by the sunny gold of the illuminated Crown Building.

The moon has a lot of competition in New York City, but at times like this, it still manages to get the awed respect it deserves. Friends and I have commented on many a summer or autumn night about a beautiful moon over the city skyline.

This Christmas, I do not wish for things. There are so many larger problems that loom over and worry all of us all about our economy and world. But fundamentally, I am an optimist and have great faith in the resourcefulness of men and women to repair that which is broken, even in the eleventh hour.

So today, I wish and believe in better times to come. If you encounter those who say do not be foolish and reach for the sun, the moon and the stars, tell them you know someone who found them on Fifth Avenue :)

Fantastic Windows

On a recent second excursion to the Upper East Side to see more holiday windows, my travels took me back to 5th Avenue, across the street from Bergdorf Goodman's main store, where their men's store is located. These window displays were drawing the attention of passersby, virtually all of whom were compelled to stop and look with focused and studied attention. And for a good reason. Twelve windows are being used to feature these meticulously crafted, very detailed figures, which were used in the film The Fantastic Mr. Fox, adapted from the work of Roald Dahl. See my gallery of photos here.

The windows were a collaboration between 20th Century Fox and the Bergdorf design team. From the press release:

The holiday windows at Bergdorf Goodman, one of New York City's premier seasonal delights, will feature the sets from Wes Anderson's film, "Fantastic Mr. Fox," based on the children's classic by Roald Dahl. The windows will debut on the evening of November 10th. David Hoey, Bergdorf Goodman's Senior Director of Visual Presentation partnered with the film’s production team to adapt sets from the stop motion animation film for the windows. They will include the character puppets made by the UK’s acclaimed puppet makers, Ian MacKinnon and Peter Saunders. This collaboration marks Bergdorf Goodman’s first-ever partnership with a major film production for its holiday windows. The twelve windows of Bergdorf Goodman Men's Store located on Fifth Avenue and along 58th Street will feature the "Fantastic Mr. Fox" sets through January 4, 2010...

Mackinnon and Saunders was founded in 1992 and has since been responsible for some of the finest stop-motion puppets in the world - see their website here. Their award-winning work has been used in film and television, with the likes of Tim Burton on Corpse Bride.

Peter Saunders worked as a puppet maker on Jim Henson’s live action movie The Dark Crystal. Subsequently, he learned to adapt and miniaturize animatronic techniques, which enabled him to create highly sophisticated stop-motion puppets.

The display will be up until January 4. There is still time to view these Fantastic Windows :)

Shifting Gears

At one time I was just fascinated with learning to drive a manual transmission. My first inquiry into the subject was while riding in a car with a 4-speed manual transmission. When I asked the driver what I could learn as a passenger, she said that one of the keys was to work a gear, never lug it. Many neophytes, nervous about when to shift, will often shift too early, lugging and dragging the motor.

Some people say that they love four seasons and that they would not want to live in a climate which has little variation in temperature. I was never completely convinced, suspecting that these may be individuals who suffer the ability to admit that California is just a nicer place to live. I have known numerous people who have moved west or south and have expressed no desire to move back to the Northeast.

On the other hand, strongly delineated seasons do require shifting gears, and the change in weather conditions can be enervating - watching snow fall, drinking cider in Union Square in the autumn, awaiting spring's new blooms, and summer's outdoor activities. The difficulty, however, is getting through winter. I do not look forward to this season, and like many, my mind turns to tropical dreams when the cold hits. Rather than embrace the season, I resist it.

My business has brought me in contact with thousands of people from around the world, and I often indulge in conversations with those from remote locales. I once spoke with a woman who lived in the interior of Maine, where winters are harsh and long. This was of particular interest, since my family is from northern Maine and moved long ago to southern New England with no regrets.

I asked her how she could survive an environment where snow can fall in September and not melt until May, where sub-zero temperatures can run weeks and vehicles need battery heaters to start. She said that the secret was working on indoor projects. A good strategy if this is not just busy work to past the time and survive mentally.

Even in New York City, with all its distractions and easy access to places, the winter, with its occasional blizzard, does impose its will. Some will, of course, don the proper apparel and frolic in the snow, but for most, the winter means additional time indoors, a more shut-in lifestyle and degree of reflection and introspection.

So as we shift gears into winter, perhaps we can heed the advice of a woman from the depths of Maine and a driver teaching how to drive a with a stick shift - always work a gear, never lug it:)

Related Posts: First Snow, First Flakes, Winter Walks, Small Gestures

Not Good At All

I am extremely distracted today. Rather than feign holiday cheer and give a Christmas story with photos of holiday windows (of which I have many), I have decided it best to tell my tale of woe.
It is was not a good morning at all. My Macbook Pro desperately needed more storage, so I made the decision to replace the internal hard drive. This is not considered a user replaceable item by Apple, but thousands have done it and complete kits and online tutorials are available.

On December 11, 2007, I wrote Foolish Crash. I would say that today's event is far from foolish - my drive was completely cloned and backed up. This alone was a nine-hour procedure. To replace the drive itself, I worked with a kit purchased from an Apple Macintosh vendor who has been in business for years. Instructions in their online video were followed meticulously. I even drew a layout on paper indicating the location of every screw removed.
However, at one point, a cable needed to be removed from the motherboard. When attempting to reinstall the cable, it would not reconnect.

On close examination, I noticed some extremely tiny objects which appeared to be debris. On much closer examination, I noticed that these were, in fact, minuscule pins which were pulled out when the cable was removed. You can see the pins along with the socket showing the spots for the missing pins.

During the writing of this article, I have made calls to the best Mac repair specialists in the New York City. The news, as you might expect, is not good at all...

Bergdorf Windows 2009

One of the best places you can be in the world at Christmas time is New York City. There are endless things to do and see - the Nutcracker, the tree and gardens at Rockefeller Center, the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. Sometimes the best things in life are free, such as the window displays around town, particularly the Fifth Avenue flagship icons: Bergdorf Goodman, Lord and Taylor, Tiffany's, and Saks. Just a stone's throw away are Barney's, Bloomingdales, and Macy's. And although the draw is the window displays themselves, don't miss the interiors of the large retailers - it's a good chance to get out of the cold and see the spectacular work done inside the shops.

The concept of holiday window display goes back to 1870 with Macy's. The ne plus ultra has to go to Bergdorf Goodman, who have won design awards for their work. Their window displays are a year round endeavor headed by David Hoey, Director of Visual Presentation. The windows have three exposures: 57th Street, Fifth Avenue, and 58th Street. The theme this year is Curiouser and Curiouser, inspired by the works of Lewis Carroll, author of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. The detail work and artistry is phenomenal - it is a must-see. See my gallery of the windows.

Manhattan Island

One of my favorite t-shirts was designed with a tropical motif, including palm trees blended with a New York City skyline. Below it were the words Manhattan Island. Perfect. I love the tropics, islands, and New York City. The shirt is long gone, but the spirit of Manhattan Island remains.

However, there is always a price to pay for the island experience, and that is getting on and off, by bridge, tunnel, boat, or for those who can afford it, by plane. One of my favorite places in the Northeast is Cape Cod - including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. But the bridge to Cape Cod can be horrific during summer weekends, and smart travelers who drive there plan their vacation around bridge traffic.

Manhattan has limited entrance and egress from the west (via New Jersey): the Holland Tunnel, the Lincoln Tunnel, and the George Washington Bridge. The choices are further limited by destination in the city and place of origin. The GW Bridge is located at the northernmost tip of Manhattan and is not typically used coming into midtown Manhattan unless one is coming from a northern point. For most others, the Holland or Lincoln Tunnel is the only option.

At some point in a New Yorker's life, he/she will see and experience something that looks much like what we see in today's photo - waiting at the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel. 
Manhattan is an island. Four of the five boroughs of New York City are islands or part of islands - only the Bronx is on the mainland. Tunnels and bridges are a way of life here. Smooth sailing requires experience and strategy. A journey made easily without getting caught in traffic is a source of personal pride and justifiable bragging rights. People who drive into and around New York City becomes strategic planners, or they will, over time, slowly lose their minds.

The Lincoln Tunnel was designed by Ole Singstad and consists of three tubes - the first built between 1934 and 1937, the second completed in 1945, and the third in 1957. The approach roadway makes a full circle coming in, so the traffic congestion is a surprise for the motorist as her or she comes around the final bend. One of the busiest tunnels in the world, it sees approximately 120,000 vehicles per day. The XBL (exclusive bus lane) concept was one of the first.

They only thing missing for me is the tropical climate and palm trees. But better off without them - imagine the traffic trying to get into a tropical Manhattan Island :)

Pork and Power

When I was in high school, I was steeped in things which were perhaps considered nerdy - the math club, chess club, German club, and the classic game Wff'n Proof. I associated with friends of like mind, but I also had a friend who was very mechanically inclined and was pursuing trade school. He brought a mechanical mind to our relationship, which always gave me profound appreciation for craftsmanship and a good mechanic. There is often tremendous ingenuity and creativity in people like this, which often goes unseen and unappreciated by outsiders.
My friend had motorcycles. And a friend.

This friend, however, was large, fair to say quite obese. His presence was very imposing. I spent no time with him at all - his world was much more singular and focused. I knew he would also be going to trade school, so, knowing nothing about that world and stretching a bit for conversation on my introduction, I asked what his "major" would be. He answered with only one word: Power.

I ponder the meaning of that to this day - I assume he meant Power Mechanics. But somehow the very nature of the subject begs for one word, and I will always remember the power of his answer.

Many of the best shops in New York City are equally well focused, managed by people who have a narrow niche and do it superbly well. Frequently they are family owned, often multigenerational. At their best, you can not compete with them. I have written here of many of them - places like Rafetto, Eileen's Cheesecake, Economy Candy, Faerman's Cash Register, McNulty's, Vesuvio (now gone), the Doughnut Plant or Cones. But as consumers, we are eating, not competing, and we are the winners in any wars or contests.

Faicco's Italian Specialties at 260 Bleecker Street (previously Faicco's Pork Store) has been a landmark in Greenwich Village for over 100 years. This block, Bleecker Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, is a smorgasbord of great, legendary and iconic shops. Faicco's was opened in 1900 on Thompson Street by Edward Faicco. In 1940, the shop moved to its current location on Bleecker Street. The current owner is Eddie Faicco, the great-grandson of the original owner. They have no website or menu online, but review sites praise it to no end, so if you are looking for a butcher or Italian specialties, sausages, and the like, it comes highly recommended as one of the best in New York City.

Although I am not a meat eater and will likely never know Faicco's sopressata, I have to show respect for a job done well, whether with pork or power...

Bendel

Bendel's has been one of New York City's upscale retailers for over 100 years. In December 2008, I did a photo shoot of their windows at Christmas time.

Bendel's was established in 1895 by Henri Bendel, a milliner. They were originally located at 10 West 57th Street and moved to their current location at 712 Fifth Avenue near 56th Street in 1990. The store occupies two landmark buildings, the Rizzoli Building (712 Fifth Avenue) and Coty Building (714 Fifth Avenue), along with a new five-story building. Lalique windows were discovered during the restoration. The store has four stories, a lower level and an atrium with balconies. See the view from the top down here.

However, even quality products and a legacy can not stop changes in consumer habits or a poor economy. in 2009, Bendel's decided to stop selling clothing. According to the New York Times:

Several employees briefed on the plans said on Thursday that they were told that Bendel had decided to eliminate the fashion departments because there was no sign of a turnaround in the sale of high-ticket items, but that beauty and gift products were selling well and typically with much higher margins. About 8 percent of the employees will be laid off, including sales clerks and executives in its buying office, these people said. About 250 people work at Bendel.

Luxury stores like Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Barneys New York have all eliminated hundreds of jobs and scaled back their orders from designers in reaction to the economy. Sales of $1,000 dresses and cashmere sweaters began to plummet last October.

Bendel's, famous for its "store of store" shops and signature brown-and-white striped shopping bags, hatboxes, and matching line of cosmetics bags, will focus more on branding and merchandising. They have been opening stores nationwide since 2004 and currently have 10 locations, many in upscale shopping malls.

I have never shopped at Bendel, but it is rather saddening to see a historic company go in this direction. In 1986, the store was sold to Limited Brands. What worries me most is that at the rate of change we are seeing in stores here, New York City's merchants will become less unique every day. As one reader commented recently, it is the amalgam of all things in New York City that makes it unique. I hope he is right and we do not just become the biggest mall in America...

Note: Henri Bendel has a special significance to me - the reason will be revealed in a future story, if I can get the interview and photo opportunity with a particular individual. Look for Because I'm the Best.

SantaCon

It was red Santas as far as the eye could see, and fair to say that this was not a typical sight at Christmas time. This was the 2009 annual SantaCon in New York City, and some say this humongous gathering of Santas in Washington Square Park may be the event's largest. See my gallery of photos here.

If you were in the city on Sunday, December 12, you may have run across groups of Santas roaming the streets. Washington Square Park was one of the stops on the convention - a flash mob of sorts which includes meandering the streets and spreading yuletime cheer. Creative costuming is encouraged, as well as gift giving.

There is a debaucherous tone to the event, through intent and their own admission. There are naughty Christmas carols and other mischievousness. However, four rules are to be observed:

Don't mess with kids.
Don't mess with cops.
Don't mess with security.
Don't mess with Santa.

There are no organizers, and revelers need to be connected for the whereabouts. The NYC SantaCon website does give starting locations and times.

The event started in 1994, sponsored by The San Francisco Cacophony Society, which held the first Santarchy. The original inspiration came from an earlier SF adventure club called the Suicide Club. The Founder and Avatar of the Suicide Club, Gary Warne, decided to organize a non-political, purely surreal Santa prank event after reading a Mother Jones article about a Danish political group dressing as Santas and mobbing a Copenhagen department store just before Christmas. Read the history here. The event is celebrated in cities worldwide - New York City has been involved since 1998.

According to the SantaCon website, the event is a convention, not a bar crawl. There is a lot of non-alcoholic celebratory activity. But libations are encouraged, and by late evening, the streets of the Village start looking more like a Santarchy :)

Agony and Ecstasy

This is the view of Manhattan while traveling on the BQE. If you examine a map of Brooklyn and Queens carefully, you will find that there are not really a great number of highways, particularly in light of the fact that there are nearly 5 million residents between the two boroughs combined. For the highways that do exist, of course, that means TRAFFIC.

I have written before of the fear and anxiety that many have of driving in and around New York City. The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway justifies those fears - it is everything you don't want in a highway. It is not pretty, it has sharp curves, it's dangerous to drive on, it's confusing, there are no shoulders or places to stop, and for most of the roadway, the speed limit is 45 mph - if you're lucky. It divides, connects to, and blends with other highways, bridges, and tunnels. You had better know what you are doing, or you may be going where you don't want to go and/or miss where you intended to go.

The construction of this highway dates back to 1937 with the Brooklyn-Queens Connecting Roadway. The highway is 11.7 miles long - extending from the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel in Brooklyn to the Grand Central Parkway in Queens. It was built to accommodate both commercial and non-commercial traffic and was intended not only to relieve congestion on local streets but also to aid industry and business by shortening transportation time between the boroughs.

The project was fully completed in 1964 under the helm of controversial urban planning czar Robert Moses (1888–1981), chairman of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority.
In the 1980s, the roadway was under construction. For long time residents, the BQE has had a history of agony. But there are pleasures in riding the BQE, such as the vistas of Manhattan, by day or night. The nicest stretch is driving north under the cantilevered section of the expressway, which forms the Brooklyn Heights Promenade above. Here, the views of Manhattan are magnificent, both from the highway and from the esplanade above. Perhaps it is a bit of a stretch of road, but can we call the experience agony and ecstasy?

Photo Note: This image was taken traveling south on the BQE in the central section near the Long Island Expressway. Looking west in the evening light, you can make out the outlines of the Empire State, Chrysler and Citicorp Buildings.

Pull Ahead

Sooner or later, a visitor or resident of New York City, regardless of whether they own a car or not, will most likely have to deal one of the least favorite activities here - parking. Visitors unfamiliar with the situation should be ready for sticker shock.

A careful and resourceful individual can shop most any commodity or service in this city and find a broad range of pricing. However, anything requiring the rental of SPACE is going to cost you dearly here - there is only so much to go around. The garage in today's photo is $400 per month, with an additional $422 per month for exotic cars. See the rate sign here.

One fascinating development is automated parking garages. Manhattan's first is in Chinatown, at 123 Baxter Street. Here, beneath 24 condos, are 74 parking spots in an automated garage. The system is the work of AutoMotion Parking Systems, an American subsidiary of Stolzer Parkhaus of Strassburg, Germany, which has built 28 automated garages in 11 countries since their first in 1996 in Kronach, Germany. Benefits include reduced cost due to reduction of personnel and more efficient packing of autos. See the New York Times article here.

The wildest twist on parking is a German company, CarLoft (carloft.de), which is building an apartment tower in Berlin that permits residents to park their cars on their balconies. Similar ideas are brewing Manhattan. From the New York Times article:

A German company, CarLoft (carloft.de), is building an apartment tower in Berlin that lets residents park their cars on their balconies. A New York architect, Annabelle Selldorf, has offered a similar vision for a Manhattan building with elevators that would let tenants drive their cars into garages next to their high-rise apartments.

There are many other recent developments in the city to reduce cost, increase efficiency, and provide consumers with more information. There are Zipcars for short term rentals, Internet sites to find parking spots, websites for comparison shopping, and competitive bidding for monthly garage space.
Some may argue for elimination or drastic reduction of cars altogether. Within city limits and nearby suburbs, the subway or train system is the best method of travel.

One problem lies with travel to areas outside New York City with no public transportation at all, which is quite common in the United States, even in parts of the Northeast with a high population density. For example, I grew up in Bristol, Connecticut, with a population over 60,000 (the eleventh largest city in the state), but there is no public transportation. Getting there will require car travel at some point in the journey.

Rail travel is much more deeply implemented in many developed countries outside the US. Here, buses are, by default, the public transportation of choice for many destinations. The Chinatown bus revolution, led by Fung Wah, has brought pricing to much more attractive levels.

Personally, I always thought a good online rideshare/carpool system would be useful for trips out of the city, not just for commuting to work. There are so many people who travel alone by car - it seems such a waste of resources. My online searches, however, yield few promising results. I think there is a critical mass at work here - without a substantial number involved, there just isn't enough momentum to make it viable. The websites I found had a serious dearth of rides offered or wanted. Safety with unknown passengers is a big issue here - perhaps one of the biggest impasses.

There are many problems with automobiles, parking, congestion, and public transportation. There are also many proposed solutions. I hope for successful implementation in the near future, so we can truly Pull Ahead :)

Worth Seeing Again

A good friend and colleague, well known for his indulgence in the performing arts, will typically see multiple performances of the same show. I questioned him once about this and his response was, "Anything worth seeing once is worth seeing again." He is the dream patron of the arts.

To some extent, our rituals and customs follow the same logic, and Christmas is perhaps one of the best examples of lavish ritual in this country. New York City is renowned for it Christmas displays and ornamentation, which draws people from around the world to see the tree at Rockefeller Center, the store window displays at Macy's and along Fifth Avenue, and performances such as the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall.

I have featured many of the window displays yearly on this website. Some, like those at Bergdorf Goodman, are extraordinary design works and are a must see if you are in the city at this time of year.

One of the most lavish displays of Christmas lights is the annual extravaganza in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. See the article and gallery of photos from 2006 here. The luxury homes, many of which cold be considered min-mansions, are decked like no other neighborhood at Yule time. See my gallery of photos here.

I have not made it a plan to visit the neighborhood every year at Christmas, but it has turned out that way. I frequent Bay Ridge regularly to visit my favorite restaurant, First Oasis, and it is only a short jaunt by car to Dyker Heights. The lighting displays are typically up from after Thanksgiving until the New Year, affording over one month of opportunity.

The start of the over-the-top tradition is generally credited to Lucy Spata. The Spatas' residence is located at 1152 84th Street. This block, 84th Street between 11th and 12th Avenue, is the epicenter of the displays, with the homes of the Polizzottos (Toyland) (1145 84th St.), the Rizzutos (1062 84th St.), the Lambrones (8304 12th Ave.), and Jerry Bonanno.

Donations are collected for various charities such as St. Anthony's and the American Cancer Society.
For those without the means or inclination to go out on their own, Brooklyn native Tony Muia now offers a Christmas Lights & Cannoli Tour, leaving from Union Square every weekend in December. Perhaps I'll go back - after all, anything worth seeing once is worth seeing again :)

Note: Our patron of the arts, loosely quoted at the beginning of this story, is Hovey Burgess. During the writing of this article, I called to verify the actual language of his statement. He pointed out that his sentiment is that anything worth seeing once is worth seeing repeatedly - i.e. again and again.

Childhood's End

There are innumerable things that children misjudge, misunderstand, misstate, and misinterpret, often with humorous or hilarious results. If you have never seen Kids Say the Darndest Things, hosted by Art Linkletter, I would highly recommend viewing this classic TV show which ran 27 years. On it, Linkletter interviewed more than 23,000 children from all strata of society, with some of the most outrageously funny yet innocent commentaries on countless subjects.

However, this worldly naivete is not the exclusive domain of children. I knew a young boy who grew up outside the city and had a very sheltered youth, with no exposure to many things so common in the city. Coming to New York City was a profound culture shock in many ways. He was unfamiliar with things such as bagels, delis, Yiddish, con artists, greasy spoons, subways, and skyscrapers. Virtually everything was foreign.

There are many things in business done the same way for good reason or due to custom, usually for both. Some of the reasons are easy to guess, others not so easy, and others could perhaps have a number of reasonable explanations. And the lack of life experience and imaginative mind of a child can improvise some crazy explanations.

Eating in restaurants was a rarity for my family and consisted of the occasional fast food place or, once in a while, a trip all the way to the famed Chicken Coop in Hartford, CT. Growing up out of the city, I never once was privy to seeing a restaurant after closing, so when I first arrived in New York City, the night time ritual of chairs being inverted and left on table tops was quite new to me and puzzling.

It may or may not have occurred to me that these chairs were placed this way for cleaning, but I had never witnessed such an event. And what really puzzled me was why they would be left like this all night long. With the naivete and wild imagination of a child, I mused that there was another reason, finally concluding that it must be to keep something from crawling up the legs of the chairs, making their way to the table tops.That had to be rats or mice. Most restaurant tables had center pedestals, so without the use of chairs, mice or rats would need to crawl upside down under the table top to complete their journey to the top itself. I was satisfied with this explanation for some time until I finally witnessed floor mopping.

Although I am still no stranger to foolishness, that was perhaps the last foolish thing that I believed with childlike naiveté. It ended as part of my ongoing education in the university of life known as New York City. When I see chair legs upright on tables at night in the darkened light, I can't help but think of childhood's end...

Babies

I once asked a friend living in California, transplanted from upstate New York and who had traveled extensively, whether he found that the perception of weather was a relative thing - i.e. did Californians appreciate their mild weather, or did they adjust and reset their thermostats? He answered that it was absolutely relative. He found that those living in California for some time became babies in regards to weather - a slight chill was as daunting to them as a cold Arctic blast was to us in the Northeast.

I have long claimed that one of the things I like about living in New York City is that the winter does not affect our lifestyles as greatly as it does our suburban and country brethren. That philosophy was tested this weekend when winter finally hit. Until then, New York City has not yet felt the slap of winter's hand.

I confess that I had become quite accustomed to our pleasantly warm and very tolerable autumn. I was a bit of a baby this weekend, not wanting to go outside anymore than someone living in Maine.  Perhaps less so, because those environments do not tolerate babies.

Peering out my window, it is bleak, dreary, windy and cold. People are wearing down coats, hoods, gloves and scarves. There is no stroll or whimsy in their gait but rather a sense of purpose and direction. In fact, because New York is such a walking environment, something I have long championed and loved, it makes it all the more difficult to brave and acclimate to the onset of winter. Nearly everyone here does substantial walking, even in the winter season - I walk nearly one mile to work daily, irrespective of the season or weather. Even those taking the subways daily must walk both to and from the stations to their destination. There are no autos to shield the wind, garage door openers, or heated seats.

Winter has not officially started yet, and I certainly cannot stay indoors until the start of spring. I don't want to be slapped going outside - I prefer the caress of blankets, the sizzle of steam, and the cozy atmosphere of home. But I have some work to do. I need to go out there and demonstrate how this city is just as robust, dynamic, and fun to explore in the winter as any other time. And, it wouldn't hurt to stop being a baby :)

Gotham City

It is harder and harder to find products and shops unique to New York City or any other. The architecture of the city itself, of course, cannot be duplicated.

But as I endeavor to ferret out things unique about this city, I am often surprised when it comes to merchandise and food. The influences have become a two-way street. Many of the products once exclusive to this city are often available in the suburbs or countryside. And New York City has seen the influx of stores which are now part of the national landscape. Places like Whole Foods Natural Market are no longer the exclusive domain of the urban dweller. A quick search online will show how many of their stores are now located in the suburbs. I am careful to boast about any services, products, or restaurants that we might have in this city - all too often, the response I get is that "we have that too."

The world really is becoming smaller. The Internet and electronic media have leveled the playing field for nearly everything and everyone. New products, information, music, film, and TV no longer take years to seep out from cultural centers in a slow migration. People are instantly informed of anything. I have met people across the world who watch HBO regularly and are familiar with programs like Sex and the City.

I thought that this enormous Korean supermarket in Flushing, Queens, Assi Plaza, most certainly had to be something exclusive to New York City or perhaps a city in California. Flushing has a large Korean population, estimated at 10%. However, visiting the Lotte Assi Plaza website shows 13 stores nationwide, with the company having been established in Maryland in 1976. Of course, overall, this is not to say that neighborhoods like Flushing, or even Assi Plaza, are going to be an everyday experience for the average American, but this is everyday life for someone living in the city.

When you narrow the focus, that's where New York City shines brightest. But it is still quite a challenge to find food products and restaurants that are very special and unique to this city. Even looking at a very specific ethnic group such as the Korean Americans, I was surprised to find a list of over 200 Korean supermarkets in the United States, not all of them in large cities.

But I will continue to narrow the focus as tightly as necessary and, in that light, illuminate the unique things I find that either loom large or hide in the cracks and crevices of Gotham City...

Help From My Friends

Wouldn't you like a stadium or sports complex named after you or your company? Perhaps your immediate thoughts are, "At what cost?" In the case of Citi Field, the answer is $400 million dollars - $20 million dollars per year over 20 years. That's a lot of money, but nothing to worry about with a little help from your friends - the U.S. Taxpayers in the form of a $45 billion dollar bailout.
This is what prompted New York City Council members James S. Oddo and Vincent Ignizio to propose the new park be named Citi/Taxpayer Field. The cheeky remark was circulated and commented online.

The naming deal was made in 2006. However, by 2008, with the banking/economic crisis in full swing, Citigroup was in dire trouble as a result of heavy exposure to troubled debts in subprime mortgages. A government rescue ensued.

Citi Field in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park was completed in 2009, built as a replacement for neighboring Shea Stadium as a new home for the New York Mets. It was designed by Populous and featured elements of the legendary Ebbets Field (1913-1960), located in Flatbush, Brooklyn, and home to the Brooklyn Dodgers. You can see the design influence here in the photo of the exterior entrance to Ebbets Field. See Citi Field here, as viewed from the Roosevelt Bridge overlooking Willets Point.

Shea Stadium was built in 1964 (dismantled in 2008) and funded primarily by the 1964 World's Fair. It was used as a multi-purpose arena and had numerous rock groups and events. Pope John Paul II made an appearance there in October 1979. Perhaps its most legendary claim was the 1965 Beatles opening of their 1965 North American tour. Two years later, in 1967, the Beatles wrote With a Little Help from My Friends. Apparently someone from Citi was listening and later took their advice :)

A Different Dictionary

I was prepared for the worst. I had been told that Willets Point was what Mayor Bloomberg called "another euphemism for blight" or what Robert Moses once described as an “eyesore and a disgrace to the borough of Queens.”

But these were understatements of what I saw when I actually paid a visit by car. As I turned onto Willets Point Boulevard from Roosevelt Avenue, I felt like I was entering another world. Willets Point is far and away the worst looking neighborhood I have seen in the five boroughs.

I initially also found the place menacing, as I was immediately accosted by gangs of men who blocked my travel, at first not realizing that these were efforts by workers to negotiate deals for auto repairs.
I was, however, not in need of repairs but photos. The Hole, which I wrote about in September 2009, was a pastoral sleepy backwater in comparison.

I pressed onward through the neighborhood - the absolute grit of it all just drew me in, and there was no way to turn around anyway. The streets are heavily rutted and flooding is common. Even on a sunny day when it had not rained for two days, the potholes were filled with water, making navigation akin to walking a minefield.

There are no sewers or sidewalks. I saw roosters walking the streets. The area is highly polluted with the buildup of years of oil spills, which has also contaminated Flushing Bay and Flushing River.
The neighborhood is dominated by 225 auto parts and repair businesses, many of them operating out of shacks built from corrugated metal or cinder-blocks. There are over 1,200 people employed in those businesses. The area is unique in its concentration of vehicle repair shops, and people travel from afar for parts and/or repairs.

Efforts to revitalize the area have been proposed and thwarted for decades. There is a redevelopment plan for the area, an extensive ten-year project. This will, of course, require relocation of all of the businesses, if suitable places can be found. The most recent plan was also fraught with difficulties and threats by the Bloomberg administration to use eminent domain, if necessary, to remove the businesses. Things appear to be on track now for the project. “After a century of blight and neglect, this neighborhood’s future is very bright indeed,” Mr. Bloomberg has said.

The area has only one resident, Joseph Ardizzone, who has lived in the area since his birth in 1932. He is opposed to the new plan. I sympathize with Joseph Ardizzone's nostalgic feelings of his youth growing up in the area, but his claims that blight is not the correct word puzzle me a little. I guess he must be using a different dictionary...

Note about the areas location: Willets Point is part of Corona, Queens, and is sometimes known as the Iron Triangle. It is bounded on the north by Northern Boulevard, to the west by 126th Street and Citi Field, to the south by Roosevelt Avenue and Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, and to the east by the Flushing River.

Surrounded by Fur

In the 1980s, I was a strict vegetarian. One day, I met a friend and his girlfriend on the street. I am sure my friend's girlfriend anticipated a chilly comment as I stroked her fur coat and asked what it was. It was not a rhetorical question at all nor meant to be sarcastic. I really had very little experience with fur, and this was the most remarkable thing I had ever felt.

She told me it was seal. I don't recall how I responded, but I said very little and tried to be as diplomatic as possible. I am sure she was well familiar with the the anti-fur sentiment and did not need any education concerning animal rights on 8th Street in Greenwich Village.

It could be worse. During the same period, I met a woman at a vegetarian restaurant who showed up in a full-length fur. I was aghast - this was the closest I had ever come to testing the limits of free expression. I warned her to be prepared for some form of verbal assault by any of the customers who would certainly find the wearing of fur offensive. Fortunately, and to my surprise, there were no accusations or wars of words.

Furs and the fur industry are a highly contentious matter. I recently photographed an anti-fur protest outside Max Mara in SoHo, but I decided not to post them on this site because the posters being displayed were so disturbingly graphic.

Kaufman Furs is located at 232 West 30th Street in the heart of the fur district and is one of the larger and older furriers in the city. On their website I see a "Dare to Wear" link soliciting models. One way to handle the fur controversy at this point in time, I suppose, is by offering a challenge to models willing to brave public anti-fur outcry. In the August 2008 issue of French Vogue magazine, there was an anti-fur backlash editorial piece called "Fashion Reality," featuring sexy and semi-nude models in furs, apparently echoing the "fur is back" campaign of the 1980s.

Some countries, such as the United Kingdom and Austria, have banned fur farming altogether. A lot of fur farming has moved to China, where there are essentially no regulations. Some reports appear to indicate that fur sales are on the rise and are at all time highs. One way or another, I feel surrounded by fur...
In 2006, I took a photo of a series of Barbie dolls in furs on Houston street in SoHo.