Street Music

New Yorkers have a Love/Hate relationship with street musicians.

I remember while I was still going to Mannes College Of Music, 3 friends of mine (all string players) traveled around Europe and payed their way by playing Mozart string trios on the streets of Paris, Salzburg, Dresden...etc.

Amazing, I thought. How great it was that European citizens supported young musicians so generously. How awful it was that New Yorkers didn't!!! But I was wrong. Musicians are everywhere in NYC. We have the largest theatre and Opera companies in the world, hundreds of smaller music venues, ensembles, troupes, studios and yes, we have street musicians of every kind around every corner. And without the love and support of the public, they would have been gone a long time ago.

Go to any park on a summer weekend, you can find talented (and not so talented) musicians entertaining the public for small donations. Some have found great success like Guitar Man in Central Park or that kid that drummed on upside down plastic buckets that was discovered and put in a Mariah Carey video. Some are singing for dinner, or their kids dinner, and are trying to make money the only way they can. Some others have no where else to practice. More than one musician started out looking for a little change and ended up finding the real meaning of music.

For every guy you find annoying on the 5 train singing badly for a few cents interrupting your precious reading time, there are 10 others out there with tremendous talent. And for every 19 year-old white kid with a $2,000 guitar begging for change while butchering his way through Dave Mathew's cover songs, there are dozens of song writers with no other place to play.

Do yourself a favor...stop and listen. It may not be long before that woman you passed by this morning on your way to Starbucks is selling out Madison Square Garden. And it may not be long before some dumbass politician writes a bullshit law and bans it all outright.

Music in Central Park

This is the first of what will probably be several posts about music and probably the first of many posts about central park.

On Thursday i went with 3 friends to go see a show at Rumsey Playfield, or better known as Summerstage. Of all the music I have seen and all the venues I've been to, this was only the second time i had been to summerstage. I have always found the contrast of Central Park and the surrounding city to be the kind of paradox that makes life here interesting. Add some music and a beautiful breezy summer night and life seems perfect.

The bands were two of my favorite; Grace Potter & The Nocturnals and Gov't Mule. I have been talking about these bands to everyone who would listen for years now. It was good to be able to bring some friends to some good music. They did not disappoint. Grace Potter, as always, came into the night largely unknown and left with a few hundred new die-hard fans and a few lifelong crushes. Mule, lead by the great Warren Haynes ripped through another amazing night of music anchored by an encore sit-in by Jimmy Vivino. I only wish they had been allowed to play longer...but alas, the central park curfew kept the show to 3 hours (4 if you include the opening act).


Besides the great concert, it was one of those great and memorable New York nights. We met some fun interesting people (one guy named Axl who just walked by and gave us a few beers), some crazy people who towed in a nitrous tank that turned out to be the life of the after party (i don't know how someone gets a huge nitrous tank past the heavy showtime park security (who vigorously stopped the crowd from getting to the port-o-potties after the show) and then a cartoonish cab ride downtown with a cab driver that kept amusing himself by repeating the phrase "chunky monkey" over and over again. I love it!

To repeat the slogan of one of my favorite websites, Jambase; GO SEE LIVE MUSIC!

Three Bridges on the Brooklyn Waterfront

After my lunch at the famous Grimaldi's Pizza, i went off by myself to explore the Brooklyn Waterfront. Explore is the right word. It is a maze of inlets, dead ends, bridge pylons, shipping outposts and warehouses that is unlike anywhere in city.


Standing on the Fulton Landing, if you looked south, there are miles of industrial land spotted with a few open public viewing areas like those in redhook (maybe I'll go next week). Looking north, there are the 3 of the east river's 5 main bridges. The Brooklyn Bridge (BB), Manhattan Bridge (MB) and Williamsburg Bridge (WB). Being a NYC cyclist, i have had a very intimate knowledge of these bridges for some time...that is i have crossed them many times. Under them however, especially on the Brooklyn side is very unique.


I set out to see the waterfront under these bridges at every possible opening on the water...most of which are legally available to the public. Right under the BB is a nicely developed public park that offers great views of the Manhattan skyline. Its a great place for a walk, a quiet lunch or morning coffee with your paper. But, i did not want to spend the day at another postcard viewing deck so off i went up river.


The road under the MB is Plymouth. It, like most in the neighborhood is crumbling cobblestone. But this street has old trolley tracks exposed. Its a nice aesthetic I'm sure the neighborhood likes and would defend in the face of any kind of modern paving. This is DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) a nice hidden niche of semi legal renovated warehouses that has become one of the most coveted neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Good bars, quaint cafes and amazing views of the city and very cool looks at the bridges from underneath. I once had an opportunity to live in a 2000 square foot space for under $700. Not anymore...but that's how that goes.


Just north of the MB is a hidden village...one of New York's few gated communities. I couldn't actually get inside any of the properties, but the area just outside on Hudson is very much like a small upstate New York river town. I took some nice pictures before getting stopped by a private security car hired by the neighborhood committee to keep out unwanted riff-raff. I, as you could imagine, was not pleased by this and stood my ground. I was actually done visiting these blocks, so after i successfully defended my rights and shued off the hired goon, i left...feeling rather proud of myself.


There is no public access to the water for most of the area between the MB and the WB. This is taken up by the Brooklyn Navy Yard. An old outpost, this facility has been used or almost used for many purposes over the years: shipping, power plants, garbage incinerators and even a giant old Hollywood style movie studio. The ride around the yard isn't very pretty but it is very interesting. Navy to Flushing to Kent is a bike ride filled with views of empty lots, great street art, old and current shipping ports and the Domino Sugar complex. A study in New York History is in part a study of the history of the U.S. shipping industry. The East river is a major part of that. But seeing as i don't really want to study the shipping industry and my few attempts to bypass various security messures on the river were thwarted...let's move on.


Along Kent is Williamsburg. This neighborhood is one of NY's most diverse, historic and interesting. I lived in 3 apartments here and will revisit this area later on my tour. Directly under the bridge are a few dead end water openings. Dirty, probably dangerous very small openings with good views. Good spots for graffiti and any sort of clandestine activity. just before the neighborhood gets hip and expensive, (maybe now just past that) is the Grand Street park. It is a great little spot on the river. Its got a few park benches, a grassy park and some nice crumbling cement dividers with rusty barbed wire.


This spot is a very well known (in the neighborhood) sunset spot. Unlike other spots further south on the waterfront, here the sun sets over the skyline and and some points of the year, almost behind the bridge. Get a good day, like Wednesday when i went and the whole bridge gets washed in orange. This spot is special to me because the days after 9/11, I went everyday with about a dozen friends from the hood to sit and watch the smoke lifting from lower Manhattan.


There are a few other very noteworthy spots along the river further north, but that is for another trip on another day.


For now, enjoy some pics from today's journey.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/82369865@N00/

Best Pizza In NYC?

New York is the pizza capital of the world, right?

Even if it wasn't invented here, it certainly has a high place of prominence on the mantle of New York culture. Everyone has a favorite pizza place. There are old family arguments over which restaurant does it right. Tourists clamour over getting that "authentic" New York style pizza. Former New Yorkers make it a necessary stop every time they visit, and brag about knowing a small hole-in-the-wall pizza spot that only they know about where some 105 year old, short Italian man hand makes every pie right in front of you from ingredients that was just airlifted from Sicily to Flatbush.

Where is the best pizza in New York?

I intend to do my best to find out. Like a lot of people here, I have eaten tons of pizza...but I have never traveled somewhere just to get a slice. Why should I, its everywhere. But this being my farewell tour to NYC, i will indeed make several pilgrimages to the spots engraved in pizza lore.

Stop #1 was yesterday: Grimaldi's Pizza in Brooklyn. Right under the Brooklyn Bridge by the Fulton Landing is the small Italian restaurant. As the sign outside says: NO SLICES. We went in sat down and ordered a small pie...perfect for 2 people (although I ate most of it). Pictures of famous patrons littered the walls. Cheesy enough as that normally is, here it is somewhat authentic. Grimaldi's was Frank Sinatras favorite place, which is probably why they have a separate spot in Sinatra's home town in Hoboken. Unfortunately we sat next to pictures of Danny Divito and Mike Bloomberg.

Verdict: Worth the trip for anyone in New York. It was a great pie. The Best? I'm not ready to call it the best quite yet. I spent the rest of the day exploring the Brooklyn Waterfront (I'll post about that later) but a nice after meal spot is the Brooklyn ice cream stand right by the landing with a great view of lower Manhattan.

CONEY ISLAND

Coney Island is as New York as pizza, expensive broker's fees or developing needless sports arenas in residential neighborhoods. Unlike the latter however, Coney Island is a great place to go on a hot, beautiful labor-day weekend.

Me and several of my friends went early to catch a minor league baseball game (Brooklyn Cyclones 5, Staten Island Yankees 0). After the game we hung around old Astroland and I took photos as 4 of the 6 of us went for one final twirl on the legendary Cyclone roller coaster. For 6 dollars you can ride on the wooden dinosaur and then stay on for another ride for just a buck.

They are closing down the ride after the season. Next year they are knocking down most of Astroland and the buildings lining the oldest boardwalk in the country. I don't exactly know what the area is gonna look like when the development is finished, but i can guarantee it will not be nearly as fun or as affordable. Most of the Coney Island boardwalk amusement is free...that is, it doesn't cost anything to sit on the rail and people watch, or lay on the beach and catch some sun and watch a sunset, or enjoy seeing all the tourists throw their money away on carnival games like "Shoot The Freak."

We didn't go in the water (I wouldn't recommend it) and we didn't eat at Nathan's. We did see some fun baseball, drank a few fruity drinks on the pier and caught a few street acts along the way. Good day...good day indeed.

THIS IS BROOKLYN

CRITICAL MASS BIKE RIDE

One of New York's most environmentally friendly traditions goes under attack...and still prevails!!!

Last night was the 3rd anniversary of the August 2004 Critical Mass bike ride. Why is this significant? That is when a great worldwide tradition was turned into a political standoff in New York.

Critical Mass is a monthly celebration by cyclists in cities all over the world. On the last Friday of every month at a traditional location known to all, people who want to go on a large community bike ride will meet and ride around the city in celebration. They celebrate their communities, healthy living, cycling. They promote alternatives to gas-powered vehicles and promote safer streets for pedestrians of all kinds.

Here in New York, it had been a tradition that went back for decades. The monthly ride has included people of all 5 boroughs, many visiting guests, famous writers, singers and even sitting mayors have taken part. That is until the summer of 2004, when the Republic National Convention came to town.

Because of all the attention put on the city and the thousands of people in town, the ride grew to over 5,000 at least. It was a glorious ride. It was inspiring, fun, amazing and safe...until the NYPD with a brand new fleet of Vespa scooters attacked the ride at several points, injuring riders and onlookers. More than 200 people were arrested and brought to jail. Arrested for riding their bikes!!!

Since then, the mayor and several high ranking police officials made it their mission to stop this "Criminal activity." Over the next year 700 people were arrested on the rides and arrested for parading without a permit, blocking traffic, disorderly conduct and several other absurd charges. Many have speculated why? The mayor couldn't stand people having fun without permission or city sponsorship, the republican-turned democrat-turned republican mayor was embarrassed at that many people opposing the RNC he brought here, or maybe it was because they needed a reason to justify spending so much money on a fleet of shiny new scooters.

Before august 2004 it was just a nice thing to do on a Friday evening. After, it turned into a political brushfire. Once you tell people they can't do something, especially without cause, it then becomes a act of civil disobedience to defy the unjust order by the city. So, most of the family riders and happy onlookers stopped attending and just the diehards stuck around. All those willing to take a hit to defend their rights ride strong and proud.

After nearly all the arrestees were exonerated by the courts and after a short court battle ruled in favor of the riders, the city still refused to let the ride happen without incident. Arrests still happened...arrests, jail, for bike riding?

Bikes don't block traffic...they are traffic.

Bikes get hit all the time in this city and the drivers barely ever get a ticket. Riders have died by drivers going through red lights, by driving drunk, driving reckless and even by driving on the westside bike path. Only on the most egregious of these crimes do the drivers get criminal charges.

It is time to let the bikers go. Bicycling is the best way to get around the city. For many of us, it is our main source of transportation. It is clean, good exercise and cuts down on pollution and congestion. The city should be promoting more bike rides, make all streets bike friendly, promote bike safety classes and crack down on unsafe drivers who don't consider bikes to have rights of the road. At the very least it should allow bicyclists to ride without getting arrested and their bikes inpounded!

Last night's ride was yet another example of what is great about New York and how many great people there are here, continuing to ride in the face of government sponsored discrimination. Check out some pictures of the city: http://www.flickr.com/photos/82369865@N00/