A Night at Pleasuredome - July 2000 - Part One

Bye Bye Monkey

Director Marco Ferreri's Bye Bye Monkey was in the DVD player last night. I watched this 1978 dark comedy with the remote in hand and a quick finger on the pause button. The sweeping views of Tribeca and Lower Manhattan are amazing. A billboard that reads "Apartments Available" is planted opposite the still elevated west side highway that ran along the future Battery Park City. In the movie, a deflated King Kong lies in the middle of a sand field, but what is now Battery Park City. From the sand field are full views of the World Trade Center, the Verizon building pictured here on the movie poster, The Woolworth tower still dominates the City Hall area and very little of the skyline exists that we see now.

Other more intimate street views are the row houses on Harrison Street at Greenwich. These were boarded up at this time, but a few were used as the Roman Empyre Wax Museum as featured in the movie. Gerard Depardieu playes Lafayette, who adopts a baby monkey found in the hands of King Kong. He lives a few blocks at Hubert and Collister and walks, rides his bike through the streets. It's great to see how unpopulated our area was and what structures are still here. Another great scene was from the balcony of an upper floor apartment in the Mitchell-Lama apartments. The camera looks out and over for a sweeping view of everything South of Duane street.

At one point Lafayette rides his bike from the row houses along Greenwich and around the corner where Bazzini used to be and then down the Staple St. alleyway and walks into a theater from a doorway under that overwalk. Another point he is riding his bike along Duane St. Park and takes a left onto Hudson. He stops there and gets some baked goods at a bakery. I believe all of the exterior shots were what existed at the time. I wish there still was a bakery there.

The overall movie storyline is a bit strange and disconnected. The dialogue, the baby monkey, Lafayette and his whistle antics, I'm sure everything "means" something. But Bye Bye Monkey is either really 'artsy' and over my head,, or just one silly episode followed by another. I'm certainly not going to try and figure out what the movie is trying to 'say'. I'll just accept it at face value and for me, to travel around the streets of mid 70's Tribeca is surreally priceless.

TEXT TEXT

I was out walking along the Hudson River tonight to enjoy the sunset and had my camera with me... if you click on the picture to enlarge it, you will see what I believe is the Sirius star that I spoke of in my Dog Dayz of Summer post.

Chains Down

The chains are down in front of several 'lawn' spots at City Hall Park this Summer. I think they are encouraging people to enjoy the lawns,, but I really never see people on them. We are so used to not having access to them, I think it's a pavlovian thing.

Picture Tribeca - Beach & Hudson

265 Broadway

The architectural details I referred to in my last post that I was looking at before getting distracted by the AIDS Plaza sign is here at 265 Broadway. The "bobbin" shaped feature at the top center of the building always catches my interest as I walk by. I wish I had an architecture friend to ask about it's style and some thoughts about it. I also like the placement of the vent squares 2nd floor left. The gray slate siding and windows all make it look so cool. Art Deco?

People with AIDS Plaza

I'm walking along Broadway next to City Hall Park and I was looking up at some architectural details of another building when I noticed this street sign that said "People with AIDS Plaza". I'm on the sidewalk,, there is no plaza... as I walked around the park there were a few other oddly named street signs hanging from the cool street lamps. There is the Steve Flanders Square and Susan B. Anthony & Elizabeth Cody Stanton Corner. On the other side of City Hall Park on Park Row there is another sign that reads "People with AIDS Plaza", the two have no connection that I can figure out. I'm not sure if there are two Plazas or if there is something in between within the park. I couldn't find any plaque or stone or planting within the Park.

After a search on the web and on the nyc.gov website, I found no reference. People have written about this sign,, but there is nothing official I could find as to its origin. This will be a mystery.

Mocha Latte doodles

The humidity drove me to wander around Greenwich Street and into the Benvenuto Cafe. First order was a tall iced mocha latte. I then ordered up a salmon wrap and off to the window to write/doodle some. This heat has just worn me out. Now off to the gym, my local 'cooling' station.

...and the heat goes on

Our heat wave just goes on and on... and I am enjoying the nice warm later afternoons and evenings. So tonight, I took my ever so warm self up to the West Village to the Rockbar on Christopher Street. My hot Summer evening guilty pleasure is the ever satisfying beer blast and bar-b-que. .. there's nothing like a pint and a dog. Rockbar is right at the river.. nice breeze and a view of the river just one block away.

Another bonus highlight of Sunday evenings at Rockbar for me is kicking back and listening to DJ Joe Fiore (joedeeohh@gmail.com). Joe Fiore (Furball, Drenched) hosts an all-request DJ/VJ night here that really gets people up on their feet and singing right along. He really seems to understand just what the patrons want to hear. Yes, feel free to request, mention your favorites, Joe is happy to spin.

The Stoning of Tribeca

I've noticed more and more streets in the North-West area of Tribeca 'proper' (as I call it) are taking on a new surface. Old pitted asphalt streets with large cracks and potholes are now being replaced with beautiful newly created flat cobblestones.

Pictured here is Harrison Street near Greenwich, which has been torn up for several long months now. But instead of paving the street back to asphalt, the city has resurfaced the entire stretch of Harrison  from Hudson to the West Side Hwy in cobblestone.

Tribeca is already famous for many original cobblestone streets from the turn of the last century, but this new refacing on so many streets I'm sure is a welcomed 'boast' to local residents, restaurants and land owners. I do wonder if this is a decision encouraged by local real estate interests or part of some historical restoration of the area (?).

For now, it's a great foreground for the traditional buildings in this area of Tribeca. The streets look great weather you are out for a walk or while dining outside at the many and varied restaurants along the way. Cobblestones generate a lot less heat than black asphalt. For a real 'feel' of old Tribeca take a stroll in the heart of cobblestone central.

Happy Bastille Day~!

Daily "Rounds"

'Making my rounds' as I call them are the daily stops I make around my neighborhood most every day. These often include one or more of the many 'fruit guy' stands, grocery stores, markets, discount stores and other 'stops of interest' in the area. My favorite and almost daily destination is the New Amsterdam branch of the New York Public Library System.

One of the features of the library I like and use the most is the DVD movie check out system. The library has a large supply of DVD movies on hand. I can check out up to 10 at a time. I often have several here waiting to be seen next to my TV at any given time. I can also search the NYPL website for movies and put on hold up to 10 additional DVD's. I'll receive an e-mail when these arrive at my branch for pickup. How great is that?

Another recent feature of the system is the availability of "e" products online; iPod®-compatible Audiobooks, eBooks, MP3 Audiobooks, Videos, Music and regular Audiobooks, all downloadable from the eNYPL website.

Beat the Heat Smoothie

Here we are at the start of another week long heat spell. I have been trying to stay cool by going to the gym (air conditioned) and making a nice frozen blender smoothie in the afternoons. 

I usually have several bags of fruit in the freezer; diced bananas, halved strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. When in season, I'll have frozen diced peaches and apricots as well. I freeze the fruit by first place the prepared fruit on a cookie sheet, stick it in the freezer, and then put the frozen fruit in zip lock freezer bags.

For this afternoons smoothie, I combined frozen bananas, strawberries and blueberries, a teaspoon of bee pollen and a squirt of honey. Ahhhhhhhhh

The Bastille Day Rendez-Vous at Cercle Rouge Brasserie

A dozen or more classic French Citroens lined up on West Broadway this morning in front of the Cercle Rouge Brasserie. Lucky to have my camera handy, I snapped away at all of the fine looking auto's. I love old cars and these were in such great shape. Also puttering around past me in the streets were several French Velosolex motor bicycles.

After doing a little web searching, I discovered that the Cercle Rouge Brassarie was the final destination of a rally of these classic Citroen cars and Velosolex motorbikes that started on 122nd St. and Riverside Drive. The rally continued through Manhattan passing several L'Occitane boutiques as well as the annual Bastille Day on 60th street fair before finally landing here on West Broadway.

The sponsor L'Occitane states that the founder, Oliver Baussan, made his start "traveling in his rattletrap Citroen 2CV, bringing his naturl soaps and essential oils to the markets of Provence". More information on the L'Occitanes facebook page and at Bastille Day Rendez-Vous.  ...and you don't need to travel to France to get a Velosolex motorbike of your very own.. just go to Steve's Moped.

My Dog Dayz of Summer

"Dog Days" are the hottest, most sultry days of summer. In the northern hemisphere, they usually fall between early July and early September. In the southern hemisphere they are usually between January and early March. The actual dates vary greatly from region to region, depending on latitude and climate. Dog Days can also define a time period or event that is very hot or stagnant, or marked by dull lack of progress. The name comes from the ancient belief that Sirius, also called the Dog Star, was somehow responsible for the hot weather.

In Ancient Rome, the Dog Days extended from July 24 through August 24 (or, alternatively July 23-August 23). In many European cultures (German, French, Italian) this period is still said to be the time of the Dog Days.

The Old Farmer's Almanac lists the traditional timing of the Dog Days as the 40 days beginning July 3 and ending August 11, coinciding with the ancient heliacal (at sunrise) rising of the Dog Star, Sirius.

I took my Dog Day afternoon to the Pecan Cafe and coffee shop on Franklin Street this afternoon. I had a healthy fruit mango smoothy and a not so healthy cream cheese croissant in honor of Bastille day. And since Bastille day isn't until this coming Wednesday, I suppose I'll have to have another croissant then as well.  :-)

P.S. I actually think I saw Sirius, the Dog Star, the other night when I was watching the sun set off of Christopher St. pier. So bright I thought it was an airplane, off in the western sky right at sunset.

Picture Tribeca - Sunset along the Hudson

Foley Square - early FALL?

It was kind of a windy day today as I walked through Foley Square on my way to Chinatown. The leaves covered the grass and blew across the sidewalks. If it wasn't the fact that it was July 8th and 87° out, I would have sworn it was October.

I'm not sure if it is common for these trees to have this many leaves fall this early in the season, but I have to wonder if this is a result of Global Warming? or if the trees are just thirsty.

These pictures are taken from the Thomas Payne Park area of Foley Square. There are dozens of trees here, lawns and plenty of park benches. The park is surrounded mostly by government and federal buildings and court houses. It is a favorite lunch oasis to the many who work in the area.

There is a memorial plaque placed at the entrance of the park placed there in June of 2009. At the bottom of the plaque there is a quote by Thomas Payne: "My country is the world, and my religion is to do good." Thomas Paine, Rights of Man Part Two (1792). Nice.

Samuel Jones at Tribeca Park

Writer and composer Samuel Jones, recently posted his very moving and inspirational improv performance at Tribeca Park of "You can Play Me, I'm Yours". His video was also listed as one of the "Highlights" at the Street Piano's website. I think it is THE highlight of the whole art event, capturing the spirit and essence of these past few weeks in song. It's all of what the Sing for Hope Organization could hope for. You can hear the studio version of "You can Play Me, I'm Yours" and learn more about the very talented Samuel Jones at 1creativesound.com.

And let's not forget the wonderful sound behind that great voice. At the pianos: Jerusha Ramos and Vaughn Moore.

Tripple Digits

It's pretty rare that I run the AC during the day, but I did today. The temperatures got up to 103° today in Central Park. Only six times has NYC broken the 100 degree mark,, last one was in 2001. This is/was a 5 day wave. What am I doing to keep cool? ...I'm not. If anything, I'm thinking of how nice it would be living in Northern Canada about now.

Picture Tribeca - Thomas & Hudson

Happy 4th of July~!

Up on the rooftop of my friend Mark's apartment building in Times Square. Here is a short film I took of the ending fireworks and cheers from the crowds below on the street. The fireworks went off on six barges out in the Hudson River this year. We could only see part of the show as we were looking between the buildings ha. All the best; great dinner, fun friends and fireworks.

Piano - Fin - I promise

Went out early this morning to put the final touches on my piano. All of the pictures are right HERE.

Final Day of Making: "Play Me, I'm Yours"

Having taken Luke Jerram's words to heart, "Piano's are a canvas for everyone's creativity", and "When the pianos land on the street they'll belong to the people of this great city".... I spent much of the day finishing the piano I had started to paint yesterday. By taking elements from Tribeca Park and creating a Narrative of forms and shapes this is what I have come up with so far:

UPDATE: I recently found out the talent behind these pictures. See my Samuel Jones post above.

more "Play Me I'm Yours"

I returned to Tribeca Park a few more times after last weeks post.. I had it in my head that I wanted to 'do' one of the piano's. It was the honey blond wood one, it has lots of discolorations and smudges and not much artwork on it at all. Another artist had painted where the sheet music goes a light blue.. and then drew over that.. but never finished. I left that portion of the piano as well as some of the original wood above the foot pedals.

For the base color on the piano, I am using some of the paint left over from my living room. I'll then use the surrounding architectural and floral elements in the park and create a narrative across and on all sides of the piano.

Luke Jerram, the artist behind the street piano project, had this to say about the piano installation here in NYC:

“I’m so excited to see what will happen. The pianos are a blank canvas for everyone’s creativity so it’ll be interesting to see just how much talent is out there. I’ve always had the feeling that this artwork was meant to be presented here. When the pianos arrive on the steet they’ll belong to the people of this great city. Enjoy!”

After reading Luke's intent, here is the beginning of my piano canvas. A nice clean coat of Benjamin Moore orange. I've been at the park since 6pm... I'll return in the morning and apply the pattern.

to be continued...

Picture Tribeca

Still Life: Pear

Stonewall Inn Riots Anniversary

Forty one years ago today marks the anniversary of the night the gays fought back against the NYC police raid. Our rights that we have today, we thank all of those who fought for those rights that day and since. We celebrate that night each year with Pride. The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City...

This is what the Stonewall Inn looked like back "when":

Marching on - NYC Gay Pride 2010

Such a great day. I marched with the Gay Community Center this year. A very large and fun group of people and families. We pushed off of 40th Street onto 5th Avenue around noon and finished the whole route thru Midtown, the village and onto Christopher St. by 2. The Centers School bus had speakers blasting dance music out the back door the whole route and kept the marchers and the cheering crowds up and dancing.

Later in the afternoon I walked up to the Pridefest street fair on Hudson. There was food, a variety of booths including 3D Porn, Zipcar, Undergear, G-vacations, local organizations and entertainment. The line to the Ben and Jerry's ice cream stand went for days. From past experience, I've learned to restrain from gathering up all of the free giveaways. I did get a Pride handkerchief from Macy's.

As the sun was getting low in the sky, I made my way up to 28th street to the Eagle for a burger and a pint on the rooftop. Perfect sunset and ending to a very long day.

Play Me, I'm Yours

Earlier this evening as I ran along the Hudson river, I noticed a nice line up of handsome bears for tonight's Muscle Bear Cruise on the "Sea Tea", Now that would have been fun to go to. But since tomorrows night out will be more than enough for me, I thought I'd do a quiet evening close by.

Having been so intrigued by this whole piano in the park thing I saw early this afternoon, I walked back up to Tribeca Park and sat and listened to people play the piano. Several people stopped by to play (and well, I might add), and chat, and listen, have a smoke.. all the while, it's a very warm and humid evening,, the Empire State building aglow in lavender far in the distance.. how nice is this? How very New York.

My post earlier in the day:

New York City is placing pianos in 60 parks and other public spaces throughout the city and inviting anyone to decorate and play them.


The two-week project, dubbed “Play Me, I'm Yours,” kicks off June 21 with a one-day music festival to feature 1,000 free performances citywide. Artists, volunteers and any member of the public may decorate the street pianos and will be encouraged to play them, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s office said in a news release.

I've seen the news coverage of these piano's in the parks. So, I'm walking home today and there were two piano's right here in Tribeca Park, that little triangular park at W. Broadway, Walker st. and 6th Ave.. just below Canal Street. I see one of the piano's is empty, I sits me down and remembered a childhood nursery song "Hello, is this Aunt Sarah?" I'll blame my bad playing on that broken lower "C" key.

"Play Me, I'm Yours" is the program, dial 311 or go to NYStreetPianos to find a piano near you.

Happy Gay Pride Weekend

I've never liked most any adline that starts or ends in "for the children" until I read this comment in last weeks JMG annual post "Watching the Defectives", enjoy:

Every year I take my teenage son and his boyfriend to SF Pride. It's 4 hours each way and we have to rent a car. Once we get there I have to stay at least two blocks away from them (they check in by cell phone every hour).

I don't know how to put it in words but the 8 hours in a car with two teenagers controlling the music is worth it for the difference I see in them when we get out of the car. It's like they're coming home. It gives them something I can't, no matter how supportive I am.

My son needs that day when they can hold hands and feel 'normal'. He needs one day a year to feel like he's part of the majority. Give him one day he doesn't have to hide and blend in. Please.

Even if the flamboyance makes you cringe, get out there and support my son. Do it for the children.

Happy Gay Pride to one, Happy Gay Pride to all! For a listing of all this weekends New York City Pride happenings go here=> Gay Pride

Candlelight Vigil, tonight, Sheridan Sq.

Tonight was the 25th anniversary of the AIDS candlelight vigil starting at Sheridan Square and moving down Christopher street to the pier. There were talks and prayers, song and a flowered wreath was dropped into the Hudson river. Dan Choi, one of our grand marshals of Gay Pride was there.

Picture Tribeca - Hudson & Worth

eat Tribeca - Benvenuto Cafe, 369 Greenwich St. @ Franklin

87 humid degrees today so I thought I'd take an afternoon 'vacation'.. So I walked over to the Benvenuto Cafe and settled into some air conditioning with a side of iced mochachino and a very good chocolate chip cookie. Had a good write and draw in my sketchbook all which made for a nice break in my afternoon.. now off to the gym.

Why didn't I think of that? wait, I did!

I think the Tribeca area of Manhattan has more day care centers than any other part of the city. There is at least one to three of them on each and every street. So, last year when this Director neighbor of mine was between jobs, I mentioned to him that he should develop a program for kids and work right here in the neighborhood. He could develop classes on the different elements of theater, like musicals, dance, drama, tumbling, revivals, 'off' broadway, Summer camps, comedy, history, etc. He poo poo'd the idea. Well, here we go,, right down the street at FasTrac Kids is "Little Director".. how cute is that?

PS: I wrote FasTracKids to inquire about the program "Little Director". After all, maybe it's not about theater classes(?) no response.

Folsom Street East

Pride week begins with last nights "Leather Pride Night" and todays "Folsom Street East" leather street fair. THE best street fair in NYC and a great fundraiser for organizations such as The Gay Community Center The Anti Violence Project The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom. I worked the door last night and my shift today at Folsom is 1:45 to 3:45.... I look forward to these events every year. It seems like there are some friends I only see once a year at LPN and Folsom East. Come out and have some fun.. Happy Fathers Day~!

Art Tribeca - Hot Pink in the Summertime

This Summer's art "Statuesque" at City Hall Park really punched up the colors. Hot pink and lime green. Best enjoyed with ice cream! Great bright cheery colors and animal shapes right alongside and in contrast to some blobby "anyone could do that" sculptures (I'm just jealous), and thrown in are some 'big foots'. Six artists in all from various countries.

City Hall Park pops a Boner

Several months ago a building started going up on the other side of City Hall Park. It just kept going up and up and up until finally, being so out of proportion to all the surrounding neighborhood, I decided to find out what it was. So, I Googled "Big tall building, City Hall Park" and got introduced to The Beekman.

Now how something so 'out of place' got put in the middle of these tiny streets and short buildings is odd. 77 stories of luxury apartments, a school (now that's forward thinking), and part of the NY Downtown Hospital.

Flat on one side,, and 'swirvy' on the other three, the building is silver. Like silver painted cars, that always look dirty to me, the Beekman, with more than half the facade almost up, is completely muddy, dirty,,, from the air, rain, pollution. I only hope they give it a good 'car wash' before opening day.

May Flowers...

Birthday wish...

OK, so I can dream, can't I?

Springtime in Toronto

I did take a long weekend and visitited Toronto. This was my first trip to Canada and I quite enjoyed myself. I saw most every museum, district of the city, and with the assistance of my "Fun Map", I enjoyed Toronto's Gay Village most every night.

Calamus at 150 - Opening Tonight

Walt Whitman's 'Calamus at 150', is a group exhibition inspired by and celebrating the 150th anniversary of the publication of the Calamus edition of Leaves of Grass. This exhibit opens tonight at the Hudson Guild Gallery on W. 26th street in Chelsea and runs thru June 1st. Organized and curated by Jim Pavlicovic and Jim Furlong, this exhibit is part of several events in conjunction with the Walt Whitman Project. From the Projects website:

The "Calamus" edition of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass caused a sensation when it appeared in 1860. This exhibition celebrates the 150th anniversary of the publication of this revolutionary work of art, whose impact is still felt today in many artistic media. Leaves of Grass was revolutionary in its bold use of free verse to declare openly and loudly the wonder and physical joy of the body and its sexuality. The "Calamus" poems celebrate homoerotic love, opening cracks in the stranglehold of Victorian mores on public expression of sensuality and acknowledging it as a basis of the happy and well lived life.

My submission is a watercolor/collage painting, 22x30, entitled "Portal". To create the painting I put down a very wet pigment on 300# watercolor paper, and then layed ginko leaves and twigs onto the pigment and then covered it and let it dry. I then removed the covering to reveal the leaf textures. The collage was then added.

Here is a detail of my painting "Portal":