The wandering gentleman in New York City

A little of what I've been doing

2009-05-23T21:44:00.000-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=F789462311004CAE

I guess I live in a different world (surprise!)

2009-05-13T13:44:00.003-04:00

I was eating lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant today and all of the sudden "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" started to play. I stopped and looked around. Nothing. The rest of the diners were oblivious. Granted it wasn't CCR -- maybe "Run Through the Jungle" or "Fortunate Son" -- but still... "Where have all the young men gone? ... Where have all the soldiers gone?" Thirty people eating pho and

This weekend I ...

2009-04-28T11:27:00.003-04:00

got nagged, beaten and degraded for "art." How was your weekend?

So, how was your day?

2009-04-24T18:33:00.002-04:00

I spent a beautiful day in a luxury condo with a pen stuck in my neck. How was your day?P.S. I still have blood in my navel.

Black Power and Panhandlers

2009-04-12T13:28:00.004-04:00

Two young black men in PantherWear (complete with berets and buttons with pistols on them) were hustling money at the 42nd Street A/C station Saturday."Support Black Power", the one holding the cardboard box said.I waved him off, as I always do when approached for money. "Don't feed the pigeons" is my motto. When I was about 10 feet away, the kid muttered, "Afraid of Black Power, huh."First, I

Super dupper Easter eye candy, but not ...

2009-04-12T13:24:00.002-04:00

I think I saw the most beautiful woman in the world as I walked through the West Village --- someone named Gisele (no curly horns that I could see). I wouldn't have known who she was, but about half a block up the street there was this gay guy gazing toward her. As I walked by, he said, "Do you recognize them?""No. Do I have to?""That's Tom Brady and Gisele.""Sorry," I said, not recognizing

T-shirt quote of the day

2009-03-26T16:01:00.001-04:00

This guy walks up to an average looking woman in a bar and says, "You are unapproachably beautiful."So ..."Unapproachably beautiful"Bold, yet mindless.

T-shirt quote of the day

2009-03-24T06:22:00.001-04:00

For reasons of medical privacy, I won't mention the source of today's T-shirt quote of the day, but it came from a walk-in clinic."They treat me like I'm poor. I live in Manhattan!"Thanks and get well soon.

T-shirt quote of the day

2009-03-23T18:28:00.003-04:00

This one spilled from the lips of a young woman sitting at a table in a very tiny Indian restaurant. As she spoke, she was holding hands with a much older gentleman, but I don't think that's necessary."I guess this is what comes from not having a father."Well, I guess.

T-shirt quote of the day

2009-03-23T18:15:00.003-04:00

A bag lady shouted at me as I rolled a cigarette at the Sara D. Roosevelt Park (Chrystie and Delancy):"Lick those fingers and get busy!"I want to thank her for the first instalment of what I hope is an ongoing feature.

What I really need right now is more bagpipes

2009-03-18T13:49:00.001-04:00

Every bagpipe player (Pipest? Piper?) on the planet marched up 5th Avenue yesterday, a mile of them, showing their Irish pride at the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. I hope it was all of them because if there are more out there, this world is a dark and terrible place.I say this as a man who has “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” buttons for blood AND love in his heart for his people.Bagpipes sound like

Dogs and cats living together in my mind

2009-03-17T22:35:00.001-04:00

I didn’t want to think about animals Sunday. I just didn’t.I don’t usually want to think about animals at all – one reason I don’t own any – but I certainly didn’t want to think about them on Sunday. It wasn’t a religious prohibition. There is no “Thou shalt not ponder, nor shalt thou dwell upon puppies” in any of the world’s holy texts. It wasn’t a political protest, although I like the idea of

I just wanted a couple of t-shirts

2009-03-16T14:07:00.003-04:00

Spring is on the way and with it, almost whispered in the sharp breezes, is the call to restock my spring wardrobe. This, of course, means I need more t-shirts – colored t-shirts: no pockets, no slogans, no brands, no designs. Just t-shirts – plain and simple.I have five or six plain tees already (and a couple of branded t-shirts that fit and don’t offend too much), which would carry me through

Oh, the warm winds blow

2009-03-09T16:24:00.004-04:00

The other night, the weather was criminally pleasant. Nice enough for me to park myself at a sidewalk cafe off Tompkins Square for a little catch-up people watching. I don't like winter. The people are in too bundled up and in too much of a hurry for good recreational observation. The first thaw came the other night, and with it, people.One of those people was dressed head-to-toe in black. Black

Take a walk on the wild side -- NYC

2009-03-06T16:18:00.000-05:00

Yesterday morning was a glorious morning for a stroll through Central Park. Snow from the storm a couple of days ago lay on the ground. The sun was out. The air, while crisp on my face, couldn't penetrate the layers of clothing. I was on my way to a rainwater harvesting seminar sponsored by the Council on the Environment for NYC.Basically, things were zippidy do-da-ing my way. I think I might

Acme -- Southernish food in NYC

2009-03-06T15:51:00.001-05:00

The sign outside Acme reads "Authentic Southern and Cajun Cooking". Proclamations like that make my Epicurean Security Administration terror alert system go to orange.The only thing that keeps me out of Red is that I automatically disregard claims of "authentic cooking". It has nothing to do with the tastiness of the food or the authentic-ness of the recipes and everything to do with the fact

Last night at Strand

2009-02-27T18:08:00.002-05:00

I don't get out and do the free stuff like I did when I first got here. I'm thinking that will change in a couple of weeks. Right now, the sun goes down and Bob goes inside. To freakin' cold ... unless there's drinkin' involved.Last night was an exception. There was a book talk at the Strand by science writer Jonah Lehrer who wrote the New York Times best seller "How We Decide."I decided to stop

The oddest thing happened on the way to ...

2009-02-22T15:37:00.001-05:00

I was wandering past Saks (on 5th Avenue, oddly enough) two days ago when I found myself inexplicably stepping inside. I don't know what came over me, but it may have had something to do with the head blow described in my previous post. The old Bob would only have gone into Saks if his bladder was full to bursting or his bowels needed immediate emptying in the "Men's Lounge", but this strange new

Knocking myself out

2009-02-19T14:23:00.002-05:00

I almost killed myself with an ancient NordicTrack machine a couple of days ago.Remember NordicTrack machines? They mimicked cross-country skiing and were all the rage in the late 80s.I was whining to a friend (Descarte said "I whine, therefore I am," so I must be ...) that I wasn't getting as much time on a bicycle as I was used to -- 17 degree weather here in New York, icy roads and no absolute

Underground New York

2009-01-29T09:08:00.000-05:00

Magic time on the subwayThere are multiple millions of people in New York City and multiple millions more who come from outside the city proper every day.A great deal of this flow of humanity, this ant-like thrum of activity, takes place below the city.I'm a fan of the subways ... I've even found myself riding them just to read (This might be only a couple of stops from Crazy Time Station, where

Snow day in New York City

2009-01-28T09:10:00.002-05:00

It snowed last night. Not a lot, maybe three inches, but it was enough to do what snow seems to do for me and that is kill time. I can't tell 5 a.m. from 5 p.m. in the snow. It all just sort of feels the same and my internal clock responds to the confusion in unpleasant ways.Time: 4:50 a.m.I was awake. "Blink, blink ... what the hell time is it? Shit, now I'm awake," awake. The odd light above

New Year's Day -- 2009

2009-01-02T09:45:00.002-05:00

2009 started with a hail of bullets -- apparently a longstanding tradition in my neighborhood.So, at 11:58 p.m. someone down the street emptied a clip into the air. Someone else joined in. And someone else. And someone else. At midnight, I drank a glass of bubbly with my roommate, listened to the shots and watched fireworks as they topped the trees between me and Manhattan. The fireworks stopped

Moments of clarity

2008-12-28T16:57:00.001-05:00

It was a beautiful day today. The sun hid behind low clouds and the temperature was in the shirt-sleeve range so I caught the train up to 96th Street on the West Side and walked downtown. At 66th Street, I shrugged off my pack and sat in one of the chairs under a tree.I was filled with life's joyous love, so I spread my arms, threw back my head and ... found myself looking straight up a pigeon's

Dog owners in the city ...

2008-12-26T18:13:00.007-05:00

The weather was great on Christmas day so I took a looping bicycle ride through Brooklyn and the Lower Eastside. It has been a while and I was a happy, happy guy.Just before I started back across the Williamsburg Bridge, I stopped for coffee at New Punjab Deli on 2nd Avenue, just north of Houston Street. New Punjab was voted, according to the newspaper article taped to the window, to be the best

Been gone so long

2008-12-13T14:13:00.004-05:00

Been gone so long because I've been doing nothing worth reporting.Since I'm still doing nothing but playing in the dirt (the neighborhood community garden just got a whole lot of dirt that needs pushing around. I'm no gardener, but I can push dirt. Each according to his abilities, each according to his needs, eh?), reading and writing nonblog stuff ... which sucks, by the way. Thanks for asking.

Death wears a Christian face

2008-11-23T16:14:00.000-05:00

City officials in Brooklyn, like the rest of New York City, are making an active effort to create bicycle friendly streets. They are designating bike lanes and paths all over the place. These things are well marked and there is a map telling cyclists where the routes are. I follow them when possible, primarily because they are well placed to take you from one part of the borough to another.The

Ah, grandparents taking the babies to breakfast … how charming … urp.

2008-11-23T13:37:00.000-05:00

I stopped at Marine’s Coffee Shop (Bergen and 5th Avenue, Brooklyn) in Park Slope for breakfast yesterday. The menu on the window said they had a Spanish breakfast. I’ve never had a Spanish breakfast. It seemed like a prime opportunity to break two fasts at once, and at $4 it was cheaper than a plane ticket.I settled into the corner table – after stripping off three layers of bicycle gear – and

A bike ride through Brooklyn

2008-11-23T13:10:00.000-05:00

The weather was clear and cold yesterday, so I bundled up, hopped on the bicycle at 8 a.m. and took a ride through Brooklyn. I’m finding that the way to discover Brooklyn – even more so than Manhattan – is on a bicycle. And in the process, I’m starting to develop a deeper love of the borough. For one thing, more people live in Brooklyn (1.8 million) than on the island (1.3 million), and these are

Two-wheeling through Brooklyn

2008-11-04T21:39:00.001-05:00

Here's a birds-eye view of today's ramble.11/04/2008 Route round BrooklynFind more Bike Rides in Brooklyn, New York

Music to my ears

2008-11-03T15:00:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite things about wandering New York ... and anywhere people gather, for that matter ... is the music they make as they rub their collective body parts together (figuratively).All those voices melding, and serving as counterpoints, with each other; all those accents dancing in and out; all those fragmented conversations intertwined in a 300-square mile tapestry of sound makes me

Number 1 reason my mom needs to visit New York City

2008-11-03T08:03:00.004-05:00

If my mom ever comes to visit AND if she brings her heart pills, I'm going to take her to only one place, a place where every Asian piece of crap ever imported into our beautiful country can be found in a single Chinatown big-box store.Pearl River Mart (447 Broadway, in Soho) is the Wal-Mart of Asian crap. … Three floors of Buddhas, beaded curtains, Chinese dragons, tacky clothing, silly shoes,

Prix Fixeing food in New York City

2008-10-31T13:01:00.001-04:00

The phrase “Prix Fixe” scares me. Too French, maybe and it pushes my “too fancy” button.That’s exactly what restaurants want you to think, sans the “too” part. They want you to think “fancy.” But in fact, it’s really just the sit-down eatery version of the fast-food value meal.And, it’s all the rage in New York City right now. You’ll see “Prix Fixe” everywhere. And it can be some of your best

Bicycles in New York City

2008-10-28T17:58:00.003-04:00

If you are a fan of roller coasters, you might want to give New York City on a bicycle a try. Between the automobiles, the potholes, the construction, the pushcarts, the pedestrians, the cab doors, the delivery trucks in the bike lanes, the squeezes you get from buses, the side mirrors, the occasional cobblestone street and the other bicyclists, it never gets old.And, New York is trying hard to

Taking a week off the streets of New York

2008-10-25T10:09:00.004-04:00

Back in the day, when the backs of my ears were still wet and I thought life was spread out before me like some sort of birthday cake waiting to be wished upon, my dad told me he wouldn't pay for me to go to college, but he would pay for me to go to bartending school. At least bartenders can find work that pays is the way he looked at it. Bartending? That sounded great. You've got the keys to the

A grand experiment on the mean streets of New York

2008-10-17T12:58:00.003-04:00

After considerable effort and no less considerable personal expense in this great city, I have come to a shocking conclusion of great importance to fellow wanderers.The only way to screw up a slice of greasy New York pizza is to charge too much for it.So, the results of my experiment have been input into the following chart (not much of a chart, really, because that would require graphic arts

Molly’s Pub on Third Avenue has no Molly (love ya, miss ya, Molly), but …

2008-10-17T12:02:00.003-04:00

In a town flush with the latest hot bars and coolest cool clubs -- all of which would bore me out of my mind if I didn’t have the game of “this is like being stabbed in the (fill in the blank) with a (fill in the blank)” to play in the wrinkled front part of my brain – Molly’s Pub & Shabeen isn’t unique, but it also isn’t common. It isn’t the club scene. It isn’t a tourist joint. It isn’t a

Yeah, I took the photo across the top of neoflaneur.blogspot.com.

2008-10-16T14:09:00.002-04:00

I rock. That's all I think needs to be said.

High culture and low class at Juilliard

2008-10-16T12:48:00.004-04:00

The thing about concert halls is they are designed to get sound from the front of the hall to the back. The thing about human beings is some of them don’t get this fact. The thing about free concerts is there is no barrier to entry.I took in a free concert by Juilliard Ensemble of a tribute to contemporary composer Luciano Berio (1927-2003) at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater on Tuesday night. It’s a

Fricking on a Sunday afternoon

2008-10-12T14:35:00.005-04:00

The Frick Collection (70th and Fifth Avenue) has Sunday "Pay what you wish" day, and while I wished I had the wherewithall to pay the $15 regular admission, I could only pay $5 and spent a couple of hours wandering yet another former abode of the very, very rich and very, very dead.This time it was the New York City home of Henry Clay Frick, who made his money in steel and union busting. His

A sad thing happened at lunch today

2008-09-30T14:32:00.004-04:00

Yatagan raised its falafel price to $2.50. It hit me like a fist as I crossed MacDougal Street. It is still the best falafel I've tasted in the city, but with the price gap closed I'm free to try others. Even with the culinary freedom this creates, my heart is broken.But, it does relive the time pressure Wally has been under.

Obscene wealth for the arts?

2008-09-30T10:59:00.002-04:00

Between 7 and 9 p.m. on Fridays, The Morgan Library is all kinds of free (for a listing of other free days at other museums, check the calendar at the bottom of the NeoFlaneur main page). I love free stuff and art stuff, so I packed up and hiked to Lexington Avenue and 35th Street.The place was built by J.P. Morgan -- a really freakin' rich guy back in the day -- to keep his books and other

I don't do the "Spot-a-Celebrity Freakout"

2008-09-26T13:17:00.003-04:00

"OMG! I just saw ..."Whatever. They are just people, doing a thing to make a living. I don't want an autograph. I don't want an audience with them. I don't want anything from them, except for them to get outta my way*.Usually.There are a few of exceptions (in no particular order):Winona Ryder (I confessed this years ago in a weekly newspaper column)Hillary Swank (You read it hear first)Kurt

Here's a fun game called "Follow the ..."

2008-09-25T15:46:00.004-04:00

It's harmless when you get beneath the creepy surface, but sometimes I play a game called "Follow the (insert occupation here)".This sounds pretty easy. Pick a stockbroker. Follow the stockbroker. Game over.But I like things to be more challenging so I modify the rules. I don't know what the person does when I start following. I just have a hunch."That guy's a college student.""That woman works

Race in New York City

2008-09-24T14:06:00.003-04:00

This is arguably the most global city in the world, with more measurable ethnic groups and countries represented. That should be enough to deflate the idea of "stranger" and "other". But race is always at the very tip of the frontal lobe, unspoken, but seemingly ready when the need arises.Today, for example, I was walking across the street at Allen and Stanton. It was a fine morning. The sun was

like Earth friendly, only not. ...

2008-09-22T13:33:00.003-04:00

Zen Burger, 465 Lexington Avenue, which pitches itself as Earth friendly with 100% meat-free burgers, will top that veggie burger with bacon for 79 cents."Any problem with that? Huh? Do ya, punk?"Kinda.

Monday morning in Madison Square Park

2008-09-22T09:54:00.003-04:00

Good Monday morning from Madison Square Park. Actually, I'm just outside the park -- which as an FYI is blocks from Madison Square Garden -- sitting in the median between Broadway and Fifth Avenue. Its a lovely little spot, with cafe tables, decent chairs, umbrellas and FREE wireless access.The Flatiron building is 25 yards in front of me (facing Downtown). The Empire State Building is several

A tree? Really? In Brooklyn? No way?

2008-09-21T02:45:00.000-04:00

I don’t understand things sometimes. (BIG UNDERSTATEMENT) For example, Betty Smith, author of “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn”, made the statement like it was a shock.“Holy shit! A tree grows in Brooklyn!”Fact is, there are trees all over Brooklyn. I’m constantly bumping into them. Hell, I have one right outside my window, blocking my view.Just one more myth busted.

Let’s talk Yataganese

2008-09-19T11:26:00.000-04:00

I don’t give a tinker’s dam who you are, if you come to New York City and fail to avail yourself of the best value in falafel sandwich the world has ever known, I will show my disapproval by spanking the loved one of your choice with a weapon from the list below.* Yatagan, a sweatbox on MacDougal Street just off Bleeker Street, is THE $2 falafel place. It was $2 in 1982 and it is still $2. The

Everyone’s a copy editor

2008-09-17T13:50:00.003-04:00

Union Square hosts an open market several times a week. Fresh breads, cheeses, produce and meats are brought in from area farms and displayed in stalls from 14th Street to 17th Street along the west side of the park. For free things to do in the city, you can’t do much better than walk the market and enjoy the vibe coming off all that wholesome goodness.Today, I did just that. One of the stalls

And they said it’s a dog eat dog world …

2008-09-17T13:50:00.001-04:00

Apparently I live in a tough neighborhood. I had no idea. I mean, I knew it was economically depressed and I knew loitering on street corners and stoops was the way the locals spent their evenings. I knew there were young, underemployed pseudothugs roaming the area. I even knew that once upon a time this was a war zone. But, that was long ago and I’m a “‘let-bygones-be-bygones’ is my motto”,

Tying the tie

2008-09-16T11:07:00.000-04:00

Starting from the top and working down, the tie in this true story is setup. Working up from the ground, it is punchline. Worked in somewhere in the middle, allegory.I like allegory, so …I was on the subway, waiting for a train home after an evening of light drinking in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, when a commotion started down the platform.Subway platforms, whilst being the most impersonal of places,

Going back to my first NYC home

2008-09-15T19:00:00.004-04:00

On Saturday, a trip to Governor’s Island was free. Last time I lived in the city, it cost me 4 years of my life in blue coveralls and a lot of haircuts.Some things just get better with time. To be fair though, I have fond memories of Governor’s Island back in the day. The island got me to New York in the first place, courtesy of your tax dollars. … OK, your parents’ tax dollars. (Please give them

Escape from (to/both?) New Jersey

2008-09-13T12:01:00.001-04:00

Took a little jaunt on New Jersey Transit to visit friends in Maplewood on Thursday. Nice visit in a cute little town 35 minutes from Penn Station. I can see this being a “get away from the city for some rest and relaxation – for about three hours” destination. Maplewood Village, a 20-second walk from the train station, has about half a dozen restaurants from cafes to sushi, a bar and several

Going Goth, FIT style

2008-09-13T11:52:00.001-04:00

The Fashion Institute of Technology has three exhibits running right now. I happened to be in the area and decided to wander over and take a peek. What the heck? It was free.There were dresses, dresses and pics. In The Museum at FIT’s main gallery, “Arbiters of Style: Women at the Forefront of Fashion” was the fashion of the day (actually the exhibit runs until Nov. 8). There were bunches of

Geometry matters, or it should

2008-09-12T08:11:00.004-04:00

I strolled past Father Demo Square on Bleeker Street and Sixth Avenue yesterday and all of the sudden it hit me like a belly full of bad fish.Father Demo Square is a triangle.

Housing Works … and so does this coffee shop

2008-09-11T14:50:00.002-04:00

With apologies to those who are about to hear the sounds of music, these are a few of my favorite things:a) drinking coffeeb) sitting around in air conditioningc) looking at used booksandd) helping people – so long as it doesn’t inconvenience me to do soCorrespondingly, then, Housing Works Bookstore Café has been one of my favorite places in the city since I stumbled upon it several years ago.I

Breakfast at Papaya Dog

2008-09-11T14:38:00.001-04:00

In a city where a diner breakfast can set you back $6, Papaya Dog on 14th Street and 1st Avenue is a welcome find. If you get there while the banner is still flying on the storefront, you can avail yourself of one of the specials – either two eggs on a roll, or … and this was my find of the day … two eggs, a mound of potatoes and two pieces of toast (white or wheat, because Papaya Dog cares about

A little bit of Broadway about getting to Broadway

2008-09-11T14:31:00.001-04:00

Took in a Broadway show Sunday night, and had a great time.I know that’s what you are supposed to do at a Broadway show, but I usually just have an OK time. My fun center can be a little atrophied. Part of it, I’m sure, is that I look for the wires and mirrors while the magician is performing. But part of it is that I like my theater a little less slick. If it flows too well, or, if you can tell

Walking through Greenwich Village

2008-09-10T15:29:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was a rainout, so I stayed in and did some must-do work, but today the highs are expected in the mid-70s, the sun is out and the air is scrubbed. It’s time for a walkabout. This morning I decided the thing to do was wander across town from the Lower East Side to Tribeca then up Greenwich Street, into the West Village until I hit Bleeker Street. Then I wanted to go East to the end of

The fall of Astroland

2008-09-08T16:41:00.002-04:00

I’m not a huge fan of Coney Island. For one thing, it takes 40 minutes to get there on the yellow line. For another, I don’t eat hot dogs, not even Nathan’s Famous Hotdogs (gifted though they are with capital letters). Finally, it gives me the same sad stomach I get at casinos when I watch empty lives pass in front of insatiable slot machines.But, Sunday was the last day of the last season of

Hanna leaves me a present

2008-09-08T16:35:00.001-04:00

My first Saturday night in the city in a very long time was cut short by a raging tropical washout called Hanna. Some people have all the luck and I wasn’t feeling like those people, but when I woke up Sunday morning early, it was like a grateful Hanna had left me a couple hundred bucks on my nightstand for my efforts the night before. (“Thanks, sailor. You be sure to remember me the next time

Getting my fix in Chinatown

2008-09-08T16:34:00.000-04:00

Saturday was a quick, very wet, “get reacquainted” day with the city. I dropped my bags at the crib and set out to meet KC for a little food in Chinatown before being driven off the streets by Tropical Storm Hanna.I’m pulled to Chinatown like shoppers are pulled to Harold Square or Saks or 14th Street and theater geeks are pulled to theater geek stuff.No single group in New York lingers and mills

Confessions of a Jetblue pervert

2008-09-08T16:30:00.001-04:00

I left Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Gustav … on time – despite his best efforts to keep me in the state – and intact, and was greeted in New York City by a weeping Tropical Storm Hanna. Wandering from one natural disaster into another seems to be a good way to start, or a start, anyway. I’ll leave the morality of nature to the philosophers.Besides, this is a confession of my love and sick

Gustav sets rambling course

2008-08-29T22:32:00.003-04:00

Gustav was making a beeline to Louisiana, but started wandering around Jamaica. Now, no one is certain when he will make contact with these American shores. I like the fact that the weather has chosen to define me. It is an auspicious beginning to the trek.

And then, along comes Gustav

2008-08-27T07:03:00.007-04:00

So, that's how it's gonna be, huh? Make nautical references in a blog post, get a hurricane in real life?Well, alrighty then. Bring it, Sister Earth.I'm flying out of Louis Armstrong (I see skies of blue, my ass) International Airport, New Orleans, La., on Sept. 6, but Gustav -- sitting on Haiti right now as a tropical storm, but expected to get back up to fighting weight and onto attack

Waiting for high tide

2008-08-23T20:40:00.004-04:00

This project is all about slowing down and taking time to see a world most people fly past, and yet I'm willing to confess it is taking way too long for the boat to Ellis Island to sail. I've been pressed against the railing for five years, and it is time to go. Now!What the heck. Contradiction is the human condition and I'm only human -- all too human sometimes. It will all happen. I'll land on