Even the Worst Is Good

On Wednesday, June 28, 2008, I wrote Insult to Injury. I had found what was to me one of the worst insults in the New York City dining experience - I enumerated 7 points outlining the transgressions.

But there is always room for improvement.

MacDougal Street is my least favorite street in the Village. It has a distinctly touristy feel and is gritty, dirty and congested. The shops typically cater to the lowest common denominator. There are a few things worthwhile, such as the Olive Tree Cafe and Mamoun's. But dining al fresco is an abomination and unthinkable.

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Best Pizza in New York

People love lists - top 10, top 100, 1001 things one must do, best this, best that, etc. - it's a staple of life, even a bit formulaic, but, like David Letterman's nightly Top Ten List, it's entertaining and fun. And in a complex world with so many choices, what better way to help make decisions than to quantify, rate or make lists?

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Mermaid Parade 2011, Part 2

This is Part 2 of the 2011 Mermaid Parade. See Part 1 here and my complete gallery of photos here.

Previous Mermaid Parade Posts: Mermaid Parade 2006 P1, Mermaid Parade 2006 P2, Mermaid Parade 2007 Part 1, Mermaid Parade 2007 Part 2, Mermaid Parade 2009, Mermaid Parade 2010

Mermaid Parade 2011, Part 1

This is the 5th year I have attended and photographed the annual Mermaid Parade on the boardwalk by the ocean at Coney Island. It is becoming larger and a little more difficult to negotiate through. This year, I spent my time at the exit area for paraders. An entire city block is closed off and with paraders milling about, it is much easier to mingle with and photograph parade participants. My favorite parade - highly recommended.

Previous Mermaid Parade posts: Mermaid Parade 2006 P1, Mermaid Parade 2006 P2, Mermaid Parade 2007 Part 1, Mermaid Parade 2007 Part 2, Mermaid Parade 2009, Mermaid Parade 2010

Leave the Driving to Us

There are a number of ways to approach driving a car in New York City. If you bring ideas of expediency and reliable travel times to the table, you are in for a very stressful time. Compulsive lane changing to gain small advantages, agonizing over every sanitation truck working ahead of you, screeching and lurching to maximize speed only to get to a traffic light earlier - all these things will just eat at your soul.

There are ways, times, and routes to minimize trip time, of course. However, one must always be prepared for one or even an unending series of traffic snarls, mishaps and poor choices which you could not have foreseen. These things are not incidents, they are a way of life. For those inclined to eastern disciplines, learning to live with New York City traffic and not get ruffled is one of most difficult forms of moving meditation and ultimate exercises in letting go.

I have owned a car for most of the 42 years I have lived in New York City, and I am not daunted by city traffic or driving. But if you value your time and your mind, the subway is the way to travel in New York City. The train traveler generally avoids the slings and arrows of outrageous traffic. There are subway delays, reroutings, dropped service, etc., but generally this will be the best way to travel the city.

However, sometimes you just don't feel like traveling underground, particularly on beautiful days like we have had lately, when it seems like a crime to descend to the subterranean depths. You have no car or access to one, and you do not want to break the bank taking a taxi. If you have the time, for destinations in a straight line within one borough (crosstown bus connections are free but add even more time to an already slow journey) and during daylight or evening hours, you can't beat a bus. Here, as in auto travel, your skills in letting go will also be tested - buses deal with the same traffic issues as cars and make stops every couple blocks, making what for many will feel like an interminable journey.

There are many reasons people opt for buses in New York City including safety and no need to climb stairs. But my biggest plus is the tremendous sightseeing for the cost of bus fare. There is probably no better bus ride in New York City than a trip down Fifth Avenue, any time of year.

I recently embarked at 80th Street heading downtown to the Village. North of 59th Street, on the left side, you are treated to the world of privilege with some of the world's finest apartment buildings and museums. On the right side, Fifth Avenue flanks Central Park. At 59th Street, we have the Sherry Netherland, the Plaza Hotel, the distinctive glass cube of the Apple store and the start of an endless parade of flagship shops of the some the world's finest retailers. At 50th Street, we have St. Patrick's Cathedral (see here and here) and Rockefeller Center. Later, we pass the Empire State Building, Madison Square Park, the Met Life Tower, and the Flatiron and New York Life Insurance Buildings. Evening is a great time to travel as the lights begin to glimmer and glow.

Carry the spirit of the traveler or explorer who knows there will be obstacles, hurdles and other unexpected difficulties, but has no time table or tight schedules. If we meet and I have my car, I'll take you for a ride. Otherwise, jump on the bus and in either case, relax, let go and leave the driving to us :)

Related Posts: A Bottle of Schweppes, Shake Shack, Cello Class, Ice Skating in October, The Plaza, Stamp of Approval, When Worlds Collide, 23 Skidoo, The Sherry, Saks Fifth Avenue, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Apple and Sherry, Life at Night, Met Life Tower, St. Patrick's from the Rock, ESB Straight Up

Other Driving Related Posts: Nice Move, Kid, The Point of Impact, Flailing and Hailing, Sittin' on Top of the World, What numba Kissena?

Serenity, Tranquility, Peace

Although technically in the borough of Manhattan, I have always felt it was almost a little undeserving for any New York borough to take claim to something so special as the Cloisters - it is located at the northernmost end of the island, as far as one can get from Uptown, Midtown, Downtown or any other area of that one would typically associate with New York City. Apart from the small number of residents in Washington Heights/Inwood, this area is really a destination for New Yorkers and visitors alike.

The Cloisters is a museum of medieval art and architecture, a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Everyone loves this extraordinary complex - it's a close as you are going to get to genuine French architecture in the city. Germain Bazin, former director of the Musée du Louvre in Paris, described the Cloisters as "the crowning achievement of American museology."

The museum buildings were designed by Charles Collens and constructed from elements salvaged from five cloistered abbeys in France: Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, Bonnefont-en-Comminges, Trie-en-Bigorre, and Froville. The sections used were disassembled brick-by-brick, shipped to New York City and reassembled between 1934 and 1938. From the Cloisters website:

Three of the cloisters reconstructed at the branch museum feature gardens planted according to horticultural information found in medieval treatises and poetry, garden documents and herbals, and medieval works of art, such as tapestries, stained-glass windows, and column capitals. Approximately three thousand works of art from medieval Europe, dating from the ninth to the sixteenth century, are exhibited in this unique and sympathetic context.

Located on four acres overlooking the Hudson River in northern Manhattan's Fort Tryon Park, the Cloisters is a world apart from the glitter, glamour, hustle bustle and frenetic energy of the city. For most New Yorkers, Fort Tryon Park and the Cloisters is a country getaway, a mini vacation. Visit the Cloisters if you want a small vacation from the city and Serenity, Tranquility and Peace :)

Related Posts: Down to the Cellular Level, Le Petit Chambord, Fire and Ice, Affront to Dignity, Paraiso, Steps From Paradise, Belvedere Castle, Devil's Playground

Uptown

The territory north of 14th Street truly is a world apart. There is much behind the downtown mantra, I never go north of 14th Street. There is a stoic pride and conviction that virtually anything one needs can be found downtown and it is not far from the truth.

I cannot speak for other downtown residents, but I go north for specific purposes and so infrequently that going uptown is like a small vacation. I literally feel like a tourist. I walk a neighborhood, often craning my neck and standing in wonderment at the massive stone, steel and glass edifices built on the island's bedrock of Manhattan schist.

The advent of the Internet had greatly facilitated price shopping for most products and services, including New York City hotels. Since that time, my family has been able to snag deals at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, which has become their residence of choice when visiting the city. I enjoy traveling and visiting the hotel during their occasional stays.

Next door to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel is the General Electric Building. The building is sometimes referred to as 570 Lexington Avenue to avoid confusion with the GE Building built later at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. The 50-story, 640 foot Art Deco masterpiece was designed in 1931 by John W. Cross of Cross and Cross. Unable to lease the building profitably, in 1993, GE donated the building to Columbia University, gaining a $40 million tax deduction. Find more on the building here.

The base contains elaborate masonry, figural sculpture. On the corner above the main entrance, a conspicuous corner clock with the curvy GE logo and a pair of silver disembodied forearms. On August 25, 2006, I featured the lobby of the building - you can see it here.
Christopher Gray of the New York Times describes the building as a "suave fantasy of polished marble and modern metals."

Its signature crown of lacy radio-wave figures is a well-known midtown landmark, but the decoration of the lower floors is just as startling. Here a shrouded mechanistic figure huddles in a modernistic cloister, there an armored fist grabs an electric bolt. The entire facade is of a lightly variegated orange brick, which plays to St. Bartholomew's Church next to it on the Park Avenue corner.
See my photos of the church here.

When I visit the area, I am never able to resist stepping into Mr. K's restaurant, an upscale Chinese establishment located at 570 Lex. The plush banquette seating, the lush art deco interior, soft lighting all seem so befitting of the building it is in. For a little vacation, I just take the 6 train. Uptown.

Related Posts: The Last to Know, A Bottle of Schweppes, Cello Class, Ice Skating in October, The Plaza, Stamp of Approval, When Worlds Collide, 23 Skidoo, The Sherry, Saks Fifth Avenue, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Life at Night, Met Life Tower, St. Patrick's from the Rock, ESB Straight Up

Fort Schuyler

There are not a lot of forts in New York City and you certainly do not expect to run across a huge one, unbeknownst to yourself. It is unlikely you will ever run into this one by accident - Fort Schuyler and the Maritime College are not on the way to anywhere - they are destinations, located at the very tip of the Throgs Neck peninsula in the Bronx. On my recent excursion to the area, my intention was to explore Silver Beach. It is here by accident, that I discovered Fort Schuyler and the State University of New York Maritime College, founded in 1874 and the first of its kind in the United States.

I met a couple of cadets, and like all the military men I have encountered, they were very approachable. They answered a number of my questions regarding the Maritime College and explained the reason for small sailboats - there was a regatta under way, with the boaters undaunted by the cold weather. They also informed me that the entire area was open to visitors with the entrance way nearby.

I was surprised at how free and easy I was able to tour the area with no restriction and virtually no other visitors. Post-9/11, virtually everything in New York City has an added layer of security, including some of the most innocuous office buildings requiring photo ID. Places like the lobby of the Woolworth Building, one of my favorite spots to take visitors, is, sadly, completely off limits unless you have specific business in the building. As far as Fort Schuyler, however, I suppose a man in a small automobile armed only with cameras, poses little threat to a massive fort with military presence.

The location of the fort and college is at the very tip of the peninsula, where Long Island Sound meets the East River, affording sweeping vistas including Long Island, the Bronx, Queens and a panorama of the Manhattan skyline (essentially the same as that of Silver Beach). The Throgs Neck Bridge is ever present, juxtaposed against nearly every structure as can be seen in many of my photos of the excursion - see the full gallery here.

Fort Schuyler was one of many forts built along the east coast of the United States after the War of 1812, when it became apparent that the U.S. coast was poorly defended against foreign invasion. The French Style fortification was dedicated in 1875. The site also has a maritime museum, open to the public. Read more here.

Everything was pristine and immaculate - the grounds, buildings, roadways and artifacts. It was quite chilly, but this is the best of weather conditions for seeing New York City outdoors - crisp air, clear blue skies and greater visibility. Although the warmer months are preferable for walking and touring, the heat of summer also usually means hazy skies with poor visibility and, if you are taking photographs, poorer results. If you're looking for something truly off the beaten path, try the Throgs Neck peninsula with Silver Beach and Fort Schuyler :)

The Hungry Huddled Masses Yearning to Eat Cheesecake

I am not one to rule out well known establishments a priori - I am quite willing to try household names, and if a place lives up to its reputation, I am more than pleased. Although I am as interested as anyone else in finding that secret place that lies off the beaten path, I am not obsessed with that quest. My mission is not to prove that those small, special secret places are better than the well known restaurants. There is nothing wrong with tradition and an enduring legacy.

After hearing about Grimaldi's Pizzeria in Brooklyn for decades, I recently visited, knowing full well that it is heavily touristed, typically mobbed with long queues to get in. The pizza was excellent, and the overall experience was a lot of fun. My friend and I also met a number of extremely interesting people. See story here.

Junior's, located at 386 Flatbush Avenue EXT in Brooklyn, is a diner styled restaurant, founded in 1950 by Harry Rosen. It is a full-service restaurant with an extensive menu, however their claim to fame is the cheesecake, based on a family recipe developed by Rosen with head baker Eigel Peterson. I was only in Junior's once, eons ago so I cannot speak to their quality. Reviews span the spectrum as would be expected, from those who adore to those who abhor. My hat goes off to Eileen's Cheesecake, a tiny cheesecake mecca at 17 Cleveland Place in Manhattan. Eileen Avezzano is one of the nicest business owners I have met, and her New York Style cheesecake is uniquely light and fluffy, owing to her own special recipe. See my story here.

Generally speaking, however, by the time a restaurant has achieved mythic, iconic status in New York City and it starts serving hordes of people, most likely the quality of food and/or service is likely to suffer. These places often become money machines with marketing, branding and even the opening of a small chain of shops.

In New York's harbor, Lady Liberty welcomed all, however, Ellis Island and now immigration services have controlled the influx of those with a ravenous appetite for America. At places like Junior's, however, no barriers to entry exist other than a few dollars for a slice of cheesecake. But to serve the volume, it has to step up production - how else to serve the hungry huddled masses yearning to eat cheesecake?

A Bottle of Schweppes

Generally speaking, finer things cost more money, with surcharges for cachet, panache, name and convenience. Some will say that these are not premiums but rather part of what makes them finer. However, these views are often held by those who find the greatest comfort in the greatest price and believe that quality is always measured in dollars. For those that feel this way, any world class city will be a good choice to divest of some cash. New York City comes highly recommended.

In most of the world, outside of large cities, if you have enormous wealth, you will find it difficult to spend enormous amounts of money on ordinary goods and services. So if you would like to spend $8 for an eight ounce bottle of Schweppes Ginger Ale or five dollars for a small bag of potato chips in a hotel room where rates range from $975 to $16,000 per night, I suggest a visit to the Peninsula Hotel.

These minibar prices seem a little high. But ultimately, this is only a New York City hotel renting rooms for the night, and there is only so much luxury that one can offer. So, in a place where everything needs to be special, perhaps everything has to be priced this way, even a bottle of Schweppes.

Admitttedly, the location of the Peninsula New York at 700 Fifth Avenue at 55th Street cannot be beat. The location on Fifth Avenue, often heralded as the world's most expensive street, is neighbor to many of the most recognized flagship stores, including Cartier, Tiffany's, De Beers, Fendi, Armani, Prada, Saks, Bergdorf and Abercrombie & Fitch. The Peninsula is also located near many well known attractions such as Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Radio City Music Hall and Central Park. The hotel has a 3-floor spa, outdoor terraces and a glass enclosed swimming pool.

I was privy to see a room facing Fifth and able to free a window, open it wide, stick my head out and get some spectacular views, up and down Fifth Avenue. As I turned back towards the elegantly appointed room, I glanced at the minibar where on top lay an unfinished ginger ale. No matter how I tried to justify it, there's still a thrifty New Englander inside, and it bothered me to see that bottle of Schweppes...

Zero Minutes!

Nothing can live up to years of expectation. I avoided going to Grimaldi's Pizzeria for eons, knowing that LINES were what it was best known for. Hours in line.

Recently however, I had a plan to explore Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn and schedule things around what I hoped would be the deadest time of day - the "lull" between lunch and dinner - 3:30 to 4 PM felt just about right. And better on a winter day, i.e., not a warm day (particularly not on a weekend in the summer). This formula worked well for my visit to Totonno's and Di Fara, two other legendary pizza emporiums in Brooklyn. I have been told both have tremendous lines in warmer weather as does John's in Manhattan (see Roots of Pizza here). Grimaldi's is one of New York City's few coal-fired brick-oven pizza parlors (John's on Bleecker Street is also.)

When you have this kind of following in New York City, like it or not, they set the terms and conditions. The signs on the door clearly proclaim the no nonsense attitude: "TAKE OUT IS THE SAME LINE" and "NO SLICES" "CASH ONLY." This type of scenario was well parodied on the TV series Seinfeld in an episode called the Soup Nazi - see my story here. Perhaps signs and policies like this may seem a bit harsh, but in New York City, mayhem would ensue were strict ground rules not enacted.

The pizza was excellent - much better than I expected from a place that was so highly trafficked, touristed and written about. Legacy businesses like this can easily thrive on name alone with deterioration of product or food quality. There are naysayers, of course, many of them just wanting to show their New York City culinary expertise. But do not be deterred. Along worth so many awards and accolades, the Zagat restaurant survey rates Grimaldi's as one of the top pizzerias in New York City. If you can avoid enormous lines, it is worth the visit. The location is quite scenic - at 19 Fulton Street, under the Brooklyn Bridge, steps from the East River and Fulton Ferry landing.

A New Yorker is often as or more elated with tales of successful navigation or mitigation of typical, known obstacles. I'm not sure what was better - the pizza or my timing coup: Date: January 30, 2011. Day of Week: Sunday. Time of Day: 3:37 PM. Wait in line: Zero Minutes!

Toys "R" Us

Everyone has their comfort zones and for most, familiarity breeds contentment, not contempt. But I really have a difficult time with visitors who travel all the way to New York City and seek out the same shops and restaurants they have at home. Like eating at McDonalds after shopping at national chain retailers.

I am quite guilty myself of frequenting a small group of restaurants in a city with tens of thousands. When my stomach calls for refueling, this is typically not the time I want to become a risk taker. I want the tried and true - to eat the things I know are guaranteed to bring satisfaction. But there are limits to living in the comfort zone.

When I guide visitors brimming with enthusiasm for those things unique to the city, I am galvanized; when I find myself with someone looking for the places that are familiar to them, I begin to short circuit and lose voltage. On one occasion, I had in my custody a woman who rejected every cuisine I offered. She commented "At this point, McDonalds is starting to look good." When we finally agreed on Italian, she rejected every entree. The only pasta she would eat was not on the menu.

The most frustrating outing was one occasion when visited by my nephews when young. Knowing full well what I was dealing with, I put quite a bit of thought into what kids would want and geared the day towards the big and impressive - things like the Brooklyn Bridge and the new planetarium at the Museum of Natural History. What was requested, however, was a visit to the large Toys "R" Us at Times Square. I've been in a bad mood ever since.

If you are a shopper, you could be visiting places like the Morrison Hotel Gallery. There are two locations - the older at 124 Prince Street in SoHo and the newer (seen in the photos) at 313 Bowery, appropriately, the former location of the CBGB Gallery. In my recent visit, I spent some time chatting with Rick Edwards and Vicki Albanese, sharing stories of music venues and encounters with music legends in the past.

The gallery represents a bevy of renowned photographers, such as the legendary Jim Marshall who recently passed away - see here. The Morrison Hotel Gallery was founded in 2001 by former record company executive and producer Peter Blachley, former independent record store owner Rich Horowitz, and music photographer Henry Diltz. In 2008, a deal was made with Sony to sell photos from the archives of Columbia Records.

The Morrison Hotel Gallery has some of the largest collections in the world of historic rock photos. If you are downtown, I recommend you drop in to browse. If you prefer, I also know of another little known place to visit for a unique New York City experience, located in an off the beaten path location. It's in an area called Times Square and the place is called Toys "R" Us :)

Stability In a World of Change

Professor Gurland (see here) once commented that one of man's problems was looking for stability in a world of change. Perhaps he was right and this is the reason we find such tremendous comfort in those few enduring icons, legacy businesses, products, and annual holidays and celebrations. And why nostalgia is so strong that we build bridges in our minds between past memories and present experiences with connections as cables.

In spite of all the dynamic changes in our world, New York City is a mecca for durable icons. People come the all corners of the earth to see the same buildings, bridges, and attractions that millions have seen before them.

Over the years in producing this website, I have photographed and written about the fantastic Christmas displays in New York City, known worldwide. Rockefeller Center with its tree and skating rink, Santaland at Macy's and the store windows - Macy's, Bergdorf, Tiffany's, Barney's, Saks and Lord and Taylor. Amidst all the business failures, there really is a miracle on 34th Street, where we find Macy's year after year and and the same Christmas theme, Believe (see here), with the only change being a digital display.

We travel, we search, we comb the recesses of our minds for the enduring constants. There's no better place and time than New York City at Christmas to find those very few things that allow us to Believe there is some stability in a world of change :)

Bergdorf Holiday Windows 2010

Although quite non-traditional, my favorite holiday windows are those at Bergdorf Goodman department store, with three exposures along Fifth Avenue and 57th and 58th Streets. They are highly imaginative and superbly crafted. The window displays are illuminated so they can be seen day or night. See my gallery of photos here. This year's theme is Wish You Were Here. From Bergdorf's website:

"Appropriately titled Wish You Were Here, this year’s 2010 Holiday Windows invite its audience to join David Hoey and his talented visual team on a journey through fantasy travel, sly visual wit and far-flung places. With an array of wild mash-ups of unexpected arrivals and departures, each window features visual influences as diverse as Roman mythology, 1940s Hollywood musicals, the original Penn Station, and the very first science fiction film."

This year Bergdorf also has provided a short behind the scenes video on the production - "Follow Me: the Making of Bergdorf Goodman's 2010 Holiday Windows." You can see the video, read about the window theme and its creation here and here.

See my previous postings of holiday windows and Christmas postings: Bergdorf Windows 2009, Witty Holiday, Bendel, Christmas 2008, Fifth Avenue Windows, Tiffany's Windows, Saks Windows, Santacon, White Christmas, Christmas Trees, Comfort and Joy, Believe, Nested Embraces, Dyker Lights, National Tree, Saks Fifth Avenue, Surly Santas.

Everything is Going To Be Alright

I was surprised yesterday to hear two young coworkers in their 20s listening to and enjoying the holiday tunes of Bing Crosby. I commented on how there was an extraordinary soothing quality to his voice that just made you feel that no matter what, everything is going to be alright. At my family holiday gatherings, Christmas isn't Christmas without the White Christmas of Bing Crosby.

Whether you see New York City as a melting pot or a salad bowl, pluralism is the reality and tolerance is what holds it together. New York City is where you will find the world's largest public menorah, located in one of the most prime locations in the entire city - 59th Street and Fifth Avenue, just a few blocks from Rockefeller Center's national Christmas tree and St. Patrick's Cathedral. In today's photos, the Christmas tree at the Washington Square arch (with views of the Empire State Building in the background) is just a short distance from a menorah, also located in Washington Square Park.

On one hand, pluralism has become much more prevalent in the United States and, in tandem with the doctrine of separation of church and state, it is not unreasonable to revisit the issue of public displays of religious symbols. Bing Crosby or not, we can't shut our eyes and sweep everything under the umbrella of the "holidays" or the "winter/holiday season" in an effort obfuscate the very divergent religious practices. Efforts are made to link Christianity and Judaism in an attempt to demonstrate that they are just two sides of the same coin.

On the other hand, as I wrote in Let's Have a Parade, celebration is part of the human condition, and to become a curmudgeon during the holidays and dismiss the entire season as nothing but crass commercialism (or to aver how many of the symbols and customs that are associated with Christmas were originally syncretized from pre-Christian pagan festivals and traditions) does nothing to enliven and uplift the human spirit and spread proverbial love and joy throughout the land.

Managing religious pluralism is difficult. Even the Supreme Court of the United States was very divided in County of Allegheny v. ACLU, where the court considered the constitutionality of the annually recurring displays of a nativity scene (crèche) and a Hanukkah menorah, both placed outside the City-County Building in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

I don't want to bury my head in the sand in an effort to oversimplify reality, be disrespectful and lump everyone together or paint the entire season one color. But for just a moment, please forgive me. I'm just going to relax, let Bing Crosby's voice wash over me and feel that everything is going to be alright :)

Walk Like Di Fara

I first learned of Totonno's while visiting the hobby shop Precision RC in Bath Beach, Brooklyn. A number of regulars were socializing and I told of a recent visit to Di Fara Pizza in Brooklyn - see here. They were familiar with the place and queried me about the current pricing of slices. When I reported $5 each, the room was abuzz with incredulousness as one repeated my findings to another. I was advised to visit Totonno in Coney Island where, according to them, I would find better value and pizza. So the name was filed away for a future excursion.

On Sunday, I made the journey out to 1524 Neptune Avenue on Coney Island. Timing, hunger and circumstance found me there early evening between shifts, so my first experience was an unusually quiet one. They are often mobbed with lines. I was privileged to have nearly the entire place alone.

Totonno's began in 1905 when Anthony “Totonno” Pero distinguished himself as one of N.Y.’s first Master Pizziolas. In 1924, he opened his own pizzeria in Coney Island. The establishment is currently run by three individuals who operate it from Wednesday to Sunday. Michael, Maddie and Totonno's niece, Louise Ciminieri. Learn more at their website here.

The service was a bit cool, but I knew that this was likely just a little armor that comes from working for decades in a retail environment in New York City. I surmised a little lubrication would release the humanity.

I began taking photos - it was clear from the walls of articles, awards and photos, that Totonno's was a mecca and photography was standard fare. See my entire photo gallery here. I began to tell the story of my visit to Di Fara, my subsequent visit to the hobby shop and the recommendation I was given to seek out Totonno's. I also told of the crowds and lines at Di Fara and how at $5 per slice, that little old man must have accumulated some serious money by now.

Louise was unimpressed - she quickly retorted that Di Fara insists on doing everything himself, accounting for much of the slowness in service. Apparently a demonstration was needed and Louise cajoled Michael: "come on, walk like Di Fara" Michael obliged, as seen in the photo.

The elixir of humor was flowing now, Michael and Maddie took a seat in a booth next to us. I asked Michael what he did outside of Totonno's, to which he replied he did standup in Rockaway two nights per week. He laughed and I realized I had been taken.

A new customer walked in and ordered a small pie. Louise asked how many were left, to which Michael answered, "two." I asked the meaning of this. Did they make dough DAILY and sold until they ran out? Louise said yes and I asked do others do this?

"No one does what we do." She followed with a discussion of ingredients and the pains they go to get them and maintain the same quality pizza made in 1924. They still use a coal oven pizza with coal deliveries made every two weeks. Louise also told me how Totonno was now a destination and how travelers from around the world visit the Neptune Avenue pizzeria.

I told them of this website and that I would be featuring the pizzeria. I left in a great mood, so fortunate to have a New York City moment in an iconic restaurant. It all served as a good review in basic science, that a little warmth melts any ice and a little oil unhinges any armor. Out comes humanity, and if you're lucky, a little free theater entitled "Walk like Di Fara." :)

Paused and Poised

I read articles, one after another and yet I still have no idea what exactly is planned for Coney Island or what will actually come to fruition. Apparently, wide scale development is coming. And, as might be expected, the sentiment is all over the spectrum - the detractors, the disgusted and the hopeful.

The passions are completely understandable. Coney Island is a very important piece of real estate and it is amazing that beachfront property in New York City can sit fallow in such a disgraceful state for decades.
You are also not just dealing with a piece of real estate here. Coney Island is for many a world of nostalgia, childhood memories, sights, sounds, smells, play, a world renowned boardwalk and for some a neighborhood to call home. Many have memories of it as a world class resort. And this is New York City, where multi-generational family is heralded and neighborhood pride runs deep.

I visited yesterday, a somewhat bleak but clear November afternoon. It was like a ghost town before sunset. A few photographers were setting up tripods for a sunset shot. Seagulls soared overhead. A few food concessions were open with a handful of patrons. The boardwalk was free of debris. The beach was empty as far as the eye could see, less one woman. The rides were eerily quiet - the various parks closed, the Cyclone and Wonder Wheel idle. Everything paused and poised...

Halloween Parade 2010

Each year since 2006, I have attended and photographed the annual Village Halloween Parade and posted photos here. The event continues to overwhelm in every way - size, creativity and attendance with every imaginable costume theme - fanciful, whimsical, horrible, ghoulish, political or inspired by current events or products. It is only possible to see a tiny fraction of the myriad of costumes even when present. I have selected from the over 400 photos I took at this year's parade - additional photos are located here. See the links below for the previous years - these postings have parade information, photos with the posting as well as additional galleries for each year.

Previous postings on the annual Village Halloween Parade:
Halloween Parade Preview 2006, Halloween Parade 2006, Village Parade 2007 Preview, Village Halloween Parade 2007, Village Halloween Parade 2007 Part 2. Halloween Parade 2008, Halloween Parade 2008 Part 2, Halloween Parade 2009.

The Dark Side

One of the biggest problems with the Internet is cut and paste journalism. The ease of which information can be copied and recycled is unprecedented, whether it be general information, reviews, press releases or buzz. In the case of online news content, as in print media, there is always competition to cover any new event, product, service or retailer. But with online content, the ease and temptation is just too great.

Dead Apple Tours is certainly a clever concept. Started in 2010 by Drew Raphael, the 2 hour tour of the macabre is conducted from a 1960 Cadillac Crown Royale hearse (at $45 per person). From their website: Witness the final address of Heath Ledger, Keith Haring, Sid Vicious, "Crazy Joe" Gallo, Thomas Paine and more. Learn the dark secrets of iconic landmarks: Empire State Building, Washington Square Park and the Brooklyn Bridge.

In going through pages of early reviews, however, apparently none of the reviewers in the major media had actually taken the tour or availed themselves of reviewers who had. All of the reviews appeared to essentially parrot back the buzz and tour information provided by the tour operator.

The most useful reviews were those at Yelp.com, by three individuals who took the tour and reported their experiences:

The narrative descriptions of dead locations were read from a book by our guide in a flat monotone, with all the enthusiasm of an MTA announcement.

Many times we drove up to an approximate area but not to the actual site of the morbid event.

A nice touch would be to drop people off at the train station at the end of the tour, at Fulton Street. The 3 stranded tourists had to ask us for direction to the train in the dark.

There are a staggering number of things to do in New York City, and before spending time and money doing any of them, I would highly recommend looking at the reviews or talking to those who have actually been there and done that. Filtering the reviews and reading them closely is an important part of the process to ascertain why a review is actually positive or negative and relevant to you or not.

If someone is marketing the dead, it's fair to examine not only the light side but also the dark side of the dark side :) :(

Caught in the Riptide

Have you ever been caught in a flow of traffic so strong that you feel you can not exit? And to do so would not only be dangerous but you also fear the ire of those who may be inconvenienced and slowed down by your exit, even for a nanosecond? Or perhaps you have avoided swimming at a beach where dangerous riptides exist.

Unfortunately, I am very narrow minded when it comes to mob scenes. And there are plenty of mob scenes in New York City, driven by the buzz of the powerfully connected. It is a deal breaker for me. So, regardless of how wonderful and amazing Eataly may be, I can not tolerate being in a place that is like being on a freeway with no exits. I am not afraid of traffic - I have driven in New York City for my entire life here and was a taxi driver for nearly 2 years when I first moved to the city. But I try to avoid crowds and find a little respite when it comes to food shopping. This is why I also tend to visit Whole Foods Market in the city infrequently.

Eataly is the brainchild of restaurateurs Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich, Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Eataly founder Oscar Farinetti who created the Eataly food emporium in Torino, Italy, opened in 2007. You can read more about them here at their website.

Eataly in New York City occupies 52,000 square feet on the ground floor in the toy center at 200 Fifth Avenue at 23rd Street. It features multiple restaurants, a Neapolitan pizzeria, and retail shops featuring every imaginable food item from Italy, along with Italian housewares and a cooking school. There is a year-round rooftop beer garden and microbrewery.

Mario Batali is no poser. He knows his food, and his tremendous success is not smoke and mirrors. I did not examine any of the goods, but I am confident that everything is as represented as far as foodstuffs for sale. The philosophy here is not only to bring in the finest goods direct from Italy, but also to embrace the Slow Foods concept on which the original Eataly is based and which I heartily support.

Restaurants are, of course, another story entirely. Good service is not a given, particularly in a place overwhelmed with patrons. There are so many negative online restaurant reviews regarding the places in Eataly, that I would have to assume at best that the experiences here will be uneven.

However, I do plan on going back to look a little more closely, brave the crowdsa and give the place a chance. See you there, caught in the riptide :)