La Côte Basque

What an unsophisticated, strong-headed, argumentative, ignorant fool I was - in my 20s, a radical vegetarian, and seriously trying to make a case that carob confections were every bit as good as chocolate. I was arguing with chocaholics - what lunacy. Today, I rarely even hear much about carob, and I have not had it in eons. Far fewer are willing to compromise their taste buds, and chocolate has lost much of its evil connotation, with dark chocolate even being seen as healthy.

My sister was a chocaholic and in the 1980s, she frequented the city with her husband. They both loved visiting here and savored the opportunity to indulge in the foods and restaurants of New York City. On one sojourn, I had booked them a room at the Plaza Hotel and made reservations for them at La Côte Basque. I had not included myself in the restaurant outing for a number of reasons, primarily because I was too cheap, particularly to pay for a vegetable dinner in one of New York City's finest restaurants.

However, as the hour of reckoning arrived, standing in my sister's hotel room, the conversation turned to their persuading me to accompany them. I had no wardrobe at the time other than elements of the uniform of the 1960s, so I rejected the offer based on my inability to make the dress code. My brother-in-law, however, always traveled armed with additional clothing and was virtually the same size as I was.

(read more...)

Pretty Rad, Part 3

Liliane Through Broken Glass

My occupation often affords me the opportunity for a bit of fun. I occasionally meet individuals using my product who have been to my showroom, know me by name, yet have never met me in person. Through a series of questions, I let them discover our connection for what I hope will be a very surprising first encounter. This was the case with Gaby Lampkey, whom I wrote about on September 8, 2010 in On The Road.

Recently, I met Liliane le Prévost, hooping in Washington Square Park. I asked about her equipment and where she got it, letting her discover that I was the owner of the manufacturing company who made her hoop. She basically went wild, even stopping passersby to let them know of my celebrity. A big fish in a very small pond, perhaps, but certainly not worthy of public announcements. However, my philosophy is to take your 15 minutes of fame when you can get it.

(read more...)

Pretty Rad, Part 2

A Slice of Charles Knapp

In Part 1 of Fairway to Heaven, I found myself unexpectedly immersed in a food emporium, the likes of which I had never seen. I traveled there with a friend who you will meet in Part 3 of this adventure in Red Hook, Brooklyn. However, the plot thickened, or perhaps I should say curdled.

(read more...)

Pretty Rad, Part 1

Fairway to Heaven

Don't you love a bargain, a deal? A two for one sale? How about three for one? Please come with me on an adventure in three parts and see why New York City is everything you were told it would be, and more.

(read more...)

Last to See the Future

The future is here at last. I hope. I was excited to see the demo bike station of the New York City Bikeshare program to be launched in the summer of 2012. I never thought I would see a bikeshare program in New York City. We hear of these things in places such as Portland, Oregon, considered to be a model city when it comes to progressive ideas and quality of life. Here in New York, these things are like faraway fantasies of tropical islands in the cold of winter. Never going to happen.

(read more...)

No Cannibals

In 1989, Daniel Rakowitz shocked New York City when he murdered and chopped up his ex-girlfriend Monika Beerle, made a soup out of her body, and served it to the homeless in Tompkins Square Park. Rakowitz, the "Butcher of Tompkins Square," was found not guilty by reason of insanity and moved to a state hospital for the criminally insane.

It is hard for anyone to imagine, even to those of us who lived in New York City, that not so long ago in the 1970s, the East Village was one of the most frightening areas to live in or visit. Extraordinary, because it was just a stroll away from the center Village and some of the most desirable and expensive real estate in New York City.

(read more...)

Off-White by Design

At the risk of sounding ungrateful, I must tell you that I really don't like being in my apartment much. I say ungrateful because although I have worked hard like many, I have also been lucky. And to live in an 1837 landmark townhouse on Washington Square is one of the rare privileges afforded very few in New York City.

(read more...)

Last Resort

Growing up at the time and place that I did, there was not much to do as a teenager and very little that was approved by adults. No Starbucks for us. One of the few activities that was considered "good, clean fun" was bowling. Of course, to bring a girlfriend meant no privacy, which is what made it good and clean, but not much fun.

(read more...)

Esai is Taken

Frequently I have been in a public space, perhaps a place such as Washington Square Park, when someone has pulled me aside and whispered something like "Do you realize who that guy is?" Of course, everyone has different standards as to what constitutes greatness and importance, so my initial reaction is to take these introductions with a grain of salt and do my research later. However, with current technology, later can be now if one has a portable device with Internet access.

On September 5th at 9:20 PM, Joe Rios (producer of the film documentary in which I was host - see here) approached me quite excited and whispered to me that this was ESAI MORALES, a lifelong idol of his. Apparently, this was a name I should have known but sadly did not. I did the prudent thing and took a handful of photos along with some video, just "in case" this person turned out to be worthy of a story.

(read more...)

King of Accordion

Barry does not ask for much. He only wants to be known as the King of Accordion. But the media attention he has received spins him the way it wants, so to the media, he is the King of whatever works best to suit their needs, including the front man to a recent Occupy Wall Street march. A little spin or artistic license often makes a story more enjoyable to read - I have been guilty of that myself. My writing has evolved from the fact-reporting style of the news journalist to one that is highly personal, weaving in connections from my life experience that are triggered by the place, person, or thing which I write about.

(read more...)

Sorry About That

On September 21, 2011, I wrote Not Under the Gowanus about a church which had nagged me as an enigma for years. Or so I thought. Our Lady Of Czestochowa / St Casimir, located at 183 25th Street in Brooklyn, can be seen from the Gowanus Expressway.
However, on a recent excursion through Brooklyn, I realized that a much more imposing structure closer to a highway is what I had seen so many times on this stretch of highway and that this was the image that was stored in the recesses of my mind: the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary – St. Stephen Church, located at Summit Street and Hicks Street, fronting the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway before the Gowanus Expressway.

(read more...)

I'll Kill You

Children soon learn the power of words, even if they do not know the full meaning. Take the ever popular "I'll Kill You." Adults often dispense with the words and just perform the act. Particularly when angry. And nothing enrages a New Yorker more than a breech of certain types of urban etiquette, particularly street parking etiquette. And yes, there is such a thing.

(read more...)

General Malaise, Part 2

It's a music festival, political protest, slumber party, social club, and bookstore. A place for the activist, party goer, malcontent, happy hippie, angry man, disenfranchised, frustrated, and defiant. It's Occupy Wall Street. And there, you will find a General Malaise.

Related Posts: General Malaise Part 1, Eyes on the Signs, False Assumptions, Fall Out Against the War

General Malaise, Part 1

I generally avoid "covering" news events - a short blog article rarely does a subject justice. And there are certainly better sources for such topics, as well as news journalists qualified to do the investigatory work.

But Occupy Wall Street has become such a phenomenon that even in the city with all that goes on, the demonstrations, marches, and occupation of Liberty Park is a topic of conversation amongst almost any group of people. I have been asked by virtually everyone I meet whether I have been down to the demonstration area, as well as whether I would write and photograph about this demonstration.

(read more...)

Quest For Pizza

During my visit to Grimaldi's on February 9, 2011, with friend and photographer Bill Shatto, a couple was seated next to us. I began chatting with the man. We spoke on many subjects, and when I learned that he came from Staten Island, I discussed this photoblog, my exploration of Staten Island, and the numerous places I had visited, many virtually unknown to the outsider. I mentioned the enigmatic Kirschner Mansion, and in another occurrence of Only in New York, I learned that this man was involved in real estate and had previously OWNED it. Amazing.

(read more...)

Come Back For Jupiter

If you spend enough time on the streets of New York City and mingle, you are going to experience a depth and breadth of humanity that boggles the mind. Not only will you find an absolutely astonishing number of people with incredible talent, but likely, you will on occasion find the serendipitous meetings to be even more amazing.

On Saturday night, I ate dinner at my favorite local Italian restaurant, Trattoria Spaghetto (as mentioned in my story, Donato), conveniently located on Father Demo Square. It was an exquisite evening. Strolling out and through the small park, I saw a man with an enormous telescope, welcoming all to observe and partake in the wonders of the universe for free. There were no shortage of lookers.

(read more...)

Hey, Thanks Steve

Please Click and Play Audio Clip to Accompany Your Reading: 

Around 1980, a close friend suggested that I get a computer to run my business. He explained why I should get one with not just a floppy drive but also a big hard drive. It would take removable floppy discs. "What's a floppy disc?" I asked, and why were they floppy? A few years later, I bought my first PC - a DEC Rainbow running CP/M. Some time later, I got an IBM PC running MS-DOS.

(read more...)

Legacy

They're All Around

No one likes liars, but I have been assured that everyone lies a little bit some of the time. Fine. But I prefer not to do business with someone whose factory is a shrine to lies and deception. I was attempting to "keep it at home" and design and manufacture carrying bags for my product line right here in the United States. Specifically, New Jersey. The company I targeted looked very promising. Their webpage showed bags with the logos of many well-known companies. Certainly if it was good enough for the Wall Street Journal, Revlon, and Ferrari, it would be good enough for us. Or so I thought.

(read more...)

None of Us Go

You can read tomes about Italy, look at photos, see videos and films, and speak to native Italians, but you will never know Italy until you finally get on that plane for the first time and go there. When you arrive, you will have that Aha! experience that I am sure you have had in other ways before - so this is Italy.

Like an old friend not seen in decades, you will recognize many familiar things in his face, but the essence of the man himself is much more than a few big pieces. The image you have conjured prior to visiting Italy will be seriously devoid of the many, many things which will never be written of - the mundane, the inconsequential, the trivial, the ubiquitous, the details, the customary - yet these are the things which comprise the bulk of day-to-day existence.

(read more...)

Man Peruses Queens Confuses

For ease of navigation, it does behoove a large city to establish a numbered grid. However, this does come at an expense - the lack of soul or identity. It will be difficult for a numbered street to carry panache or to conjure images or historical links. (There are notable exceptions, such as Fifth Avenue.) This is why, when the street grid for Queens was developed in 1911 by Charles U. Powell, it was met with resistance, and many named streets remain, mixed in with numbered streets.

(read more...)