HAS ANYBODY HERE SEEN LENIN?

Red Square, a 130-unit rental apartment house
at 250, East Houston Street, between Avenues
A & B, was built in 1989, the year of the fall of the Soviet Union. The 18-foot Lenin statue by Yuri Gerasimov, was originally a state-commissiomed work, but the Soviet Union's implosion prevented it from going on public display.

The statue was found by a friend of the developer of this apartment building in the backyard of a dacha outside Moscow.

The developers have made a postcard that reads "Greetings from Red Square" depicting Lenin with his right arm raised victoriously over the downtown skyline.

Notice that Lenin faces Wall Street, capitalism's emblem, and the Lower East Side, "the home of the socialist movement." The statue was voted "Best Homage to a Foreign Despot" by the Village Voice in 2003.

The numbers on the clock behind Lenin are randomly placed. The reason being that the design was based on the "Askew" watch featuring in the Museum of Modern Art Collection.

OH WHAT A NIGHT!

"the principal draw is the intimacy of the performance

Magic, absolute magic. An evening of fine music, usually chamber music but quite occasionally jazz, performed in the intimacy of a converted barge at the foot of Brooklyn Bridge with the backdrop behind the performers, a view across the East River, passing river craft and Downtown Manhattan. As the natural light fades away, the lights of the Financial District appear behind the musicians, creating an effect far more mesmerising and spectacular than anything the 'special effects wizards' of the Broadway stage industry can engineer.

"interval refreshments can be taken on deck and the view enjoyed"

Olga Bloom, gave up her career as a violinist in 1976 to found Bargemusic and for her "floating concert hall", she chose a 100-foot steel barge built in 1899 that had served much of the last century as a working vessel in the New York harbour, delivering hand-loaded sacks of coffee for the Erie Lackawanna railroad. Back then it was a sombre railroad green; now it is painted white, and the last vestige of its prior life hauling coffee is the "EL 375" embossed in the diamond plate steel deck facing the East River.

Olga discovered the barge moored near the Statue of Liberty and a tugboat captain told her about the free slip at Fulton Ferry Pier, that still houses the barge

"an evening of superb jazz with Ken Peplowski (clarinet) and Greg Cohen (bass)"

To make this unique musical experience available to as many people as possible, Olga presents 220 chamber and jazz concerts annually - four days a week, 52 weeks a year - with ticket prices at a very reasonable level.

FLEDGELING SKYSCRAPER?

In 1853, Elisha Otis introduced the safety elevator, which prevented the fall of the cab if the cable broke. He demonstrated it at the New York exposition in the Crystal Palace a year later.
The first Otis Passenger Elevator was installed at 488, Broadway (corner Broome Street) in March 1957 in the E V Haughwout & Company departmental store (now a Staples Office Supplies store).

Whilst this building was not a skyscraper, the successful installation of this elevator enabling people to be safely transported up and down great heights, was of great importance to architecture because it permitted the building of skyscrapers......and you saw it first here on Broadway!

BARS & BRAS

The Meatpacking District is one of the hottest tickets in town for swish money-guzzling boutiques, such as Stella McCartney, voguish eateries and trendy clubs and bars. Naturally the place is awash with the famous, the not so famous, the slaves to fashion, the wannabees and tourists. The whole area is designer engineered towards presenting the very latest perception of what the "in-crowd" are seeking.

It is surprising that, perhaps, the best known watering-hole in the district is "Hogs and Heifers", 859, Washington Street (corner of West 13th Street) a Country and Western biker bar, always packed, always crazy, where you are greeted by 'Hells Angels' doormen. Known for its energetic and sexy bartenders who encourage all females to dance up on the bar and donate their bra to the collection hanging above the bar. A favorite with bachelorette parties, tourists, locals and motorcyclists, there is no cover charge, cheap drinks and a great vibe.


a haven for celebrities in the mid-nineties (Brad Pitt, Gwenth PaltAfter becoming row, Daryl Hannah, Drew Barrymore, Harrison Ford) the bar skyrocketed to fame after a photograph was taken in September 1996, of Julia Roberts dancing on the bar and removing her bra. The New York Times featured this photo on its front page, and then it went around the world's press and television.

The most famous celebrity visit was on October 23rd, 2003, by the legendary Beatle, Sir Paul McCartney, who also proceeded to dance on the bar (whether he donated his bra to the bar collection is not known) and, again the photograph made its way around the world.

"Hogs and Heifers" was started by Michelle Dell's husband, Allan, in 1992, when the Meatpacking District was known for transvestite hookers and crack, not fancy restaurants, shops and clubs. Dell, with Michelle (she was his first bartender and soon became his wife) slowly built the business , and in the process helped to turn around an entire neighbourhood, turning "Hogs" into a major tourist destination, and the Meatpacking District into one of the hottest club and food destinations in the world.

Allan Dell, died in 1997, aged 31. Michelle Dell continues to operate the bar as its sole operator, as well as operating a much larger location, opened in 2005, in Las Vegas.

Get past the doormen, and a warm greeting is assured. Phew!

DYLAN'S VILLAGE DAYS

The cover photo for Bob Dylan's second album, 'The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, captures him in Jones Street in Greenwich Village, between Bleeker and West Fourth Street. The woman is 19 year old Susan Rotolo, an artist who was Dylan's girlfriend during his folkie days in New York and the reputed subject of songs as "Boots of Spanish Leather" and "Don't Think Twice, Its All Right."

The two shared an apartment at 161, West Fourth Street while Dylan recorded the album in late 1962 and early 1963.

Late one afternoon in February that year, a staff photographer for Columbia Records arrived and brought the couple outside to the snowy street for a photo session and told them to just walk up and down Jones Street. There was very little thought or pre-planning and with the sun low in the sky, and the two looking a little chilly standing in the dirty slush, it was a last glimpse perhaps of Bob Dylan leading the life of a relatively ordinary young man.

The album, which included "Blowin in the Wind" and "A Hard Rains a-Gonna Fall" was released three months later and catapulted Dylan into international stardom. Susan Rotolo, continued to live in the Village until at least 2000 and her book "A Freewheelin' Time: A Memoir of Greenwich Village in the Sixties," was published in May 2008. In it she describes her time with Dylan and the folk music scene of the Village.

Jones Street as it looks today.

CHEQUE or preferably CASH MATE

The colourful array of chess hustlers in Washington Square Park are the outdoor equivalent of pool sharks. But how good are they and should we chance our arm? "They're good enough to hustle, good enough to take the money off unsuspecting customers but not good enough to be professionals," says Victor Frias, an international master who has been watching the players in Washington Square Park for fifteen years.

Although, Mr Frias adds that of the 15 or so hustlers who frequent the park, probably three or four might be able to qualify as masters. But he also warns that the hustlers are considerably stronger when playing speed chess, where each player has only five minutes to play the entire game.

However, many who challenge the hustlers expect to lose. "The hustlers are funny, they talk well, and the challengers are playing for fun," says Mr Frias, who knows many of the regular chess sharks, like "Sweet Pea" and "Uncle Ralph," by name. "But they will never play me," he said.

I do not buy into the view that chess is a waste of time but am a fervent adherent of the belief that time is worth wasting sometimes and what more atmospheric and pleasant arena to do so than Washington Square Park.

MOBILE HOME?

At the corner of Greenwich and Charles Streets is a tiny white wooden house. Its got a wrought-iron double gate, a cobbled driveway and a white gazebo in its pretty green yard. A long standing fixture of the the Greenwich Village Historical Village? Wrong - whilst its been around since the early to mid 1700's, in 1968 it was trucked from 71st Street and York Avenue, a distance of 5 miles through city streets, after being threatened with demolition.

Originally built as a one-storey back house, it gained a floor after the move, along with the yard and its wild roses, but it remains in roughly the same condition as before.

BUT WE DO WORRY ABOUT YOU JOEY

"Don't Worry About Me" was Joey Ramones (born Jeffry Ross Hyman in Queens) first and only solo album and was released postumously in 2002 - he died in 2001.

Originating from New York City in 1974, The Ramones were the first Punk Rock Band - members adopting stage names ending in "Ramone" although none of them were actually related. They performed 2,263 concerts, touring almost nonstop for 22 years. Joey Ramone was the band's frontman and with Johnny Ramone (lead guitarist) were the only two founder members who stayed with the band throughout.

Recognition of the Bands importance has built over the years, and they are now regularly represented in most assessments of great rock 'n roll music, such as Rolling Stones list of '50 Great Artists Of All Time' and in 2002 were voted in Spin as the second 'Greatest R 'n R Band Ever' trailing only The Beatles.

To honour one of its sons important contribution to popular music, New York City officially named the corner of Second Street and the Bowery as "Joey Ramone Place" during a ceremony on November 30th 2003. Ramone's corner is on the north side of the block that housed CBGB, the legendary club where the Ramones helped to usher in punk rock.

HUDSON'S VERY OWN GANG

Today, the stretch between Greenwich Village and The Meatpacking District, Hudson Street presents a relative picture of calm, tranquillity and even a hint of genteelness compared with other thoroughfare's in Lower Manhattan.

One cannot imagine this area being associated with the criminality and brutality that was rife in The Five Points, The Bowery and elsewhere during the 19th century and beyond.

However, this area had its very own gang which was called The Hudson Dusters.























The 'Dusters' did not designate a single headquarters but used a number of premises from which to operate, and had a den in Bethune Street and an apartment house on Hudson Street. Formed in the late 1890's by Circular Jack, Kid Yorke and Goo Goo Knox, The Dusters through ruthless brutality soon dominated most, if not all of the criminal activities, controlling most of Manhattans Westside as far as 13th Street, and eastern Broadway bordering The Five Points Gang of Paul Kelly to the North.

The photograph above is of Mulberry Street circa 1900 and is typical of most street scenes at that time in Lower Manhattan and shows the ease in which crimes could be committed and escapes made.

Many of the gang members, including its leaders, had become drug addicts and were known for their wild "cocaine parties" in which the gang wandered the city afterwards committing violent acts. One victim of these attacks was a rival Gopher gang member Owney Madden who was shot 6 times ooutside The Arbor Dance Hall, 7th Avenue at 52nd St, on 6th November 1914 resulting in the deaths of 3 Dusters less than a week later.

Typical of the crimes was the speciality of Dusters member, a legendary thief called Ding Dong, who had organised a corps of children who would assist him on his rounds by climbing onto express wagons and throwing parcels down into his waiting arms, after which they would disappear.

The Hudson Dusters dominance came to an end in 1916 when The Marginals, who had been vying for Duster territory, finally took control of the West Side Docks District.

PETIT FRANCE IN WEST VILLAGE

This cosy little restaurant situated twixt Greenwich Village and Meatpacking, is a neighborhood eaterie offering good food and wines that can be enjoyed in a relaxed atmosphere and at a reasonable price.

Jarnac is named after the town in the heart of France's Cognac producing area, in which the English Owner, Tony Powe grew up in. After managing Chez Bruce, which was one of London's top restaurants he spotted an opportunity in New York for adapting the same concept at the intersection of The Village and the Meatpacking District.

He teamed up with chef Maryann Terillo, former chef-owner of Cafe de la Gare, one of Manhattan's most successful French restaurants and not surprisingly they have built up quite an ardent following.

It is said that a good meal soothes the soul as it regenerates the body. From the abundance of it flows a benign benevolence. Our party were soothed, regenerated and benevolent after dining at Jarnac.

DYLAN ON DEATH

Dylan Thomas's contribution to the written word was immense as was his contribution to the income of The White Horse Tavern in Hudson Street. He must have anticipated his demise in his poem 'Do Not Go Gentle Into The Night'.

........"Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on that sad height,

Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

"Same again Sam and make it a triple this time!"

DYLAN'S FINAL WATERING-HOLE

The White Horse Tavern at Hudson Street and 11th Street, built in 1880, has been a home-from-home for New York's literary community since the 50's when the bars most famous patron, the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, was introduced to this longshoreman's haunt. The White Horse holds the dubious distinction of being the place where Thomas drank his last whiskey. In November of 1953, Thomas beat his own personal record by downing 18 shoots of whiskey and soon after stumbled outside and collapsed on the sidewalk. He was taken to the Chelsea Hotel and there fell into a coma; the next morning he was transferred to St. Vincent's Hospital where he died. In addition to the many portraits of Dylan Thomas that adorn the walls, a plaque commemorating his last visit to The White Horse Tavern hangs above the bar.

The bar soon drew more literary figures as patrons including James Baldwin, Norman Mailer, Anais Nin, and James Laughlin, the founder of The New Directions publishing house. In addition it was a gathering place for both the beat writers like Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, as well as the New York School poets, such as John Ashbery and Frank O'Hara.

Recorded causes of Thomas's death included pneumonia, a result of a coma, pressure on the brain and emphysemia (possibly due to his smoking habit and intake of morphine). Eventually, "Chronic alcohol poisoning" was ruled the official cause of death.

Oft quoted he observed that "An alcoholic is someone who you don't like who drinks as much as you do." He was also aware of the adverse effect alcohol had on his life when he said, "A horrid alcoholic explosion scatters all my good intentions like bits of limbs and clothes over the doorsteps and into the saloon bars of the tawdriest pubs."

ABINGDON SQUARE PARK

Occupying approx 1/4 acre of land originally part of Sir Peter Warren's - a vice-admiral in the British Navy - 300 acre farm in the area known as Greenwich which extended along The Hudson River from what is now known as Christopher Street, north to about West 21st Street and bounded on the east by Minetta Brook and Bowery Lane (now Broadway). His eldest daughter Charlotte married Willoughby Bertie, the Fourth Earl of Abingdon, and a share of the Warren Estate was part of her dowry including what is now Abingdon Square Park. The City acquired this parcel for $3000 in 1831 and 5 years later enclosed it with a cast iron fence.

Parks Superintendent Samuel Parsons Jnr. and renowned Central Park Architect, Calvin Vaux collaborated around 1886 on the current design of the square.

In 1921, 20,000 spectators gathered in and around the small park to hear former and future Govenor Alfred E Smith present The Abingdon Square Memorial (also known as The Abingdon Doughboy) in memory of local men who fought in World War 1.

Today the park is a haven of tranquility from which to reflect on the transition from Greenwich Village to The Meatpacking District.

AN OUTSIDER'S VIEW INSIDE

In the 80's I visited New York fairly frequently on business. My London based employers had an associated company based in the Financial District which involved my visiting Manhattan nearly every month over a period of 5 -6 years, each trip lasting for 4 to 5 days.

During these trips I formed a great attraction to the people of New City whom I found to be the complete opposite that portrayed generally in the UK and World media at that time. Warned of hard-nosed, rude, aggressive Gothamites, I usually only found a warm, caring, and often very interesting people whether it was Taxi Drivers, Hotel and Restaurant workers, Street Vendors or more or less just about everyone I came across.

I did take basic sensible precautions and avoided certain areas at night and certain areas 24/7 and went most places by cab but then the same applied to most if not all large cosmopolitan cities worldwide. The problem with business visits is that you are not left much time to actually get to know the city you are in beyond, hotel, offices and restaurants/bars and I harboured a great desire to get back to NYC and spend meaningful time learning more about it, its history, buildings, culture, entertainments and people.

My dream was fulfilled when my eldest son came to live and work in NYC, 3 years ago which gave my wife and I the strong reason to get our backsides off the proverbial sofa (having retired from work in the meantime) and hotfoot it across the Atlantic twice a year, staying each time for the best part of two weeks, and taking in as much of the city as our bodies will physically permit.

This blog is an attempt to pass on to others our experiences and sheer delight, gleaned through our endeavours to learn and see as much of this wonderful city as we can.