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.

Happy 4th - Hotdogs for All

If it's the 4th of July, it's Nathans Hot Dog Eating Contest. Real American Stories tells how this tradition began. This year, an even stranger contest, Elephants versus humans in Coney Islands contest where three elephants ate 505 hot dog buns while three people ate 143 hot dogs. OK, pass the ketchup please.

Leather Pride Night, NYC

Tonight is Leather Pride night, 7pm at SPLASH bar. LPN is part of the Folsom Street East weekend. Enjoy the huge streetfair tomorrow afternoon, June 21st in front of the EAGLE bar on 28th street off of 10th avenue. ENJOY~!!

Expensive Tastes

Since 1994, the Taste of Tribeca street fair has been a neighborhood favorite with local families and visitors. You can enjoy a sampling of some of the best restaurants in Tribeca like the Blaue Gans, Bouleys, Chanterelle and the Tribeca Grill. The cost is $40 and includes 6 tastings. The event ends at 3pm, classifying it as more of a 'brunch' of sorts. So, come early! I personally feel it should be unlimited tastings, but I'm a pig. It all looks so good!

There are various events throughout the afternoon. You can download a Taste map and the Wine Tour Map here on the Events page. Some of the events include a free culinary history walking tour of Tribeca by Liz Young Tours. Steve Olson will be leading a Wine Tasting tour for 20 participants. Enjoy.

New York Street Fairs

The cornerstone of all New York Street Fairs is the Italian Sausage stand. It is always the first stand that you see on the way in and out of our Street Fairs. This photo was taken at the Civic Community Day Fair on Murray Street here in Tribeca. The same street as the NY Public Library I go to quite often. I did have a chicken gyro at another stand and it is not sitting well with me right now.. ekkkk.

Tribeca "Family" Film Festivasl

If it's April, it's time our little neighborhood swells by thousands for the Tribeca Film Festival.

I remember my first year in the neighborhood and how impressed I was with the street festival that ran along Greenwich Street the second weekend. All the major films had tents with information and promotions. There were street artists, entertainment stages and all of the restaurants along Greenwich Street had outdoor takeaway food stands. Really great stuff.

But a few years ago, they changed their theme from "Film" to "Family". Now the street festival is billed as the Family Festival. So, in comes the strollers and thousands of kids and parents and all the clowns and messy craft stands; sticky candy and painted faces, games, crap after crap after crap all for "the kids".

I don't understand what an adult film festival has to do with kids and families. Huh? What used to feel like "Cannes" now feels like a bad tailgate party in the parking lot of Disney.