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Things To Do This Weekend in NYC & Boros
American Craft Festival Returns & NY Film Festival Begins at Lincoln Center, the Fall for Dance Fest Continues, the Pulaski Day Parade Returns all in Manhattan; Oktoberfest and Durga Puja Begin and the Fall for Arts Festival in Queens; Downtown Brooklyn Arts Festival, the Zum Schneider Fest and the Atlantic Antic in Brooklyn; Hip Hop Museum Open, 'Monster' Play at the Bartow Pell Mansion & Stage Garden Rumba in the Bronx; New Comedy Opens and the Lighthouse Festival on Staten Island; Yom Kippur Tuesday Evening, also Farmers Markets, Street Fairs & more ...
Hi, this is a WORK IN PROGRESS. Most of the major events are listed for the weekend below. We'll fill in the details by tonight.
The photo at right was taken at the Zum Schneider Fest in Manhattan in 2018. They've been on hiatus since 2019, but are returning - at a new location in Brooklyn - beginning tonight.
Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan NYC
The Fall for Dance Festival began on Wednesday, September 21 at the NY City Center at 131 West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. The program runs through Sunday, October 2, 2022. Performances begin at 8 pm each night, except this coming Sunday & Monday, September 25th & 26th. Tickets are $20 and performances last about an hour and a half. For details and tickets - https://www.nycitycenter.org/
The NY Film Festival begins today, Friday, September 30th at Lincoln Center and runs through Sunday, October 16th. Details coming.
American Craft Festival Returns to Lincoln Center - details coming.
The Pulaski Day Parade returns to Manhattan on Sunday, October 2nd. Details coming.
Comic Con returns to Manhattan on Thursday, October 6th. Details coming.
Things To Do This Weekend in Queens NYC
The Fall for Arts Festival returns to Roosevelt Island on Saturday from 9 am - 5 pm. Details coming.
Oktoberfest begins this weekend at the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden in Astoria. Details coming.
Durga Puja begins this weekend at various locations throughout NYC, but most notably in the Woodside, Jackson Heights, Jamaica and Richmond Hill neighborhoods in Queens. Durga Puja celebrates the goddess Durga, who is a motherhood figure representing the victory of good over evil. The celebrations, which cover a week of activity, are also something of a Hindu harvest festival. Details coming.
Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn NYC
Friday & Saturday , September 30 - October 1 2022 from 4pm - 8 pm and 11 am - 8 pm respectively - Downtown Brooklyn Arts Festival. In the Plaza at 300 Ashland Place at the corner of Lafayette and Flatbush. This event will feature live music, dance, talks and theater. There might be some shopping, but that doesn't appear to be the focus. Downtown Brooklyn street fairs / festivals nyc. www.dbartsfestival.org/
Zum Schneider Fest returns this Friday and runs through Sunday October 9th. They're in a new locations. Details coming.
On Sunday, October 2, 2022 the Atlantic Antic, billed as the largest and oldest street festival in Brooklyn, returns. Details coming.
The Pulaski Day Parade returns to Manhattan on Sunday, October 2nd. Details coming.
Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx NYC
Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday, September 29 - October 2, 2022 beginning at 7.30 pm except Sunday when it's from 2 - 3 pm - Monster. At the Bartow Pell Mansion at 895 Shore Road in Pelham Bay Park. The play is an adaptation based on the book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. The play will take the audience through the Bartow Pell Mansion and include themes of humanism morality, science, death and horror. Tickets are $30 - $35 which you may find at https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org/events/monster/
Piazza di Belmont has ended for the season.
Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island NYC
Clever Little Lies is a comedy that opened at the Victory Theater on Staten Island. The play runs from September 29th thru October 9th on the weekends. For details see - http://www.littlevictorytheatre.com
The Lighthouse Festival returns on Sunday, October 2nd to the National Lighthouse Museum. Details coming.
The Staten Island art, craft and gift show returns to the Staten Island Mall from Wednesday, October 5th thru Monday, October 10th. Details coming.
Also see updated Weather on Friday afternoon by clicking the header above to go to the Front Page for Weekend Update.
This report contains a listing of some of the things to do in the Bronx over the Columbus Day Weekend including art museums, theaters, live music / comedy / dance venues, sporting & social events, and restaurants for the Bronx NYC.
Bronx Weather. As of September 27, 2022, the Temperature highs will be in the high 60's all four days of the long weekend. The temperature lows will be in the low 50's throughout the weekend. There's a chance of a small amount of rain, but the probability of rain as of this writing, is in the low double digits. Winds will be about 5 - 10 mph Friday and Monday and between 5 - 10 mph on all weekend. The Humidity will be between 55% - 70% throughout the weekend. Click for Bronx Weather.
Little Italy in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx, near the Bronx Zoo, NY Botanical Garden and Fordham University, is hosting an event this weekend. Details coming Friday.
There's also the 45th Annual Bronx Columbus Day Parade which starts at 12 noon on Sunday 10/9/22 at Barnes Avenue [near White Plains Rd] and Morris Park Ave, then turns left on Williamsbridge Rd, and eventually ends at Lydig Avenue [one block shy of the Pelham Parkway] in the Morris Park neighborhood of the Bronx.
Bronx Public & Private Parks & Public Indoor Swim Pools
The Bronx several parks of which a few include public indoor swimming facilities. Click here for a listing of the Bronx Parks including maps showing their locations along with a bit of park history.
There are a couple of indoor public swimming pools in the Bronx. One is at the St Mary's Recreation Center at 450 St. Ann's Avenue in St. Mary's Park and the other is at the Hansborough Recreation Center in the Howard Bennett Playground at 35 West 134th Street.
NYC public indoor swimming pools are now open.
NYC Golfing In The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan & Staten Island
The Bronx has four public golf courses: Mosholu, Van Cortlandt Park are accessible via the MTA / subway. And Pelham Bay Park and Trump golf links are accessible via subway and a brief bus ride. The Trump Golf Links are an NYC golf course owned by the city, for which Mayor Bloomberg had cut a licensing deal with Donald Trump in 2012 to rename and manage it. Since the Capitol Riot / Insurrection, the City has decided to terminate that deal and rename the golf course, but Trump is suing to keep the contract.
Queens has four golf courses and all of them are open this weekend. Click here for details about Queens Golf Courses including maps and links to the operators' websites.
Manhattan doesn't have any golf courses per se, but there is a driving range at 62 Chelsea Piers at 22nd Street and the West Side Highway. There are also three simulated golfing centers in Manhattan that operate under the Five Iron Golf name at 22 Stone Street [at Broad St] in the Financial District, at 138 5th Avenue in the Flatiron District and in the Continental on the third floor at 883 6th Avenue near Macy's and Madison Square Garden.
Brooklyn has a couple of golf courses including Dyker Beach golf course which is accessible via subway and Marine Park golf course which is accessible via subway and bus.
First Day of Autumn began Thursday Evening, Global Citizen Concert Returns Saturday, Fall for Dance Celebration Begins, Feast of San Gennaro ends Sunday; Great Irish Fair, Oktoberest at Fort Hamiltion & Local Play in Brooklyn; Hispanic Day Parade, Bell Blvd Stroll & Oktoberfest and Durga Puja Begin next weekend in Queens; Hip Hop Museum Opens, Native American Festival, Bronx Night Market, Stage Garden Rumba in the Bronx; Local Play on Staten Island; Rosh Hashanah Begins Sunday ... also Farmers Markets, Street Fairs & more
NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the mid 60's on Friday, about 70 on Saturday, rising to the mid 70's on Sunday. The temperature lows will be around 50 on Friday, rising to the mid 50's on Saturday and to about 60 on Sunday. The winds will be about 15 mph on Friday, falling to 5 - 10 mph the rest of the weekend. The humidity will rise from 40% - 50% on Friday, to 40% - 60% on Saturday, and then up to 60% - 80% on Sunday. No rain is in the forecast until after 4 pm on Sunday, when there's a 50% chance of about a tenth of an inch of rain.
The photo at right was taken earlier this week at the United Nations while President Biden was delivering a speech about protecting our democratic institutions and rule of law. This means helping other democracies, in order to preserve and protect our way of life from autocrats and dictators who inevitably steal power and wealth away from everyone else in society.
The first day of Autumn began Thursday evening 9/22/22 around 9 pm.
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins Sunday evening and ends Tuesday evening.
Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan NYC
The photo at right was taken earlier this week at the United Nations. Those two people traversing the rooftop of the building aren't roof repairmen.
On Saturday, the Global Citizen Concert returns to the Great Lawn in Central Park which lies between 5th Avenue and Central Park West and between 72nd Street and 86th Street. The gates open at 2 pm and the concert begins at 4 pm. You must bring printed tickets as mobile tickets are not being accepted. Admission $250 - $299 via www.ticketmaster.com. For further details on the concert see https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/festival/nyc/2022/
Thursday - Sunday, September 15 - 25, 2022 times vary - The San Gennaro Festival. This is an 11 day Italian festival that runs through Sunday, September 25th. There's a canoli eating contest today 9/16 beginning at 1 pm and tomorrow 9/17 there's a procession through Little Italy that starts at 2 pm. See their website for details of all events - https://sangennaronyc.org/
The Fall for Dance Festival began on Wednesday, September 21 at the NY City Center at 131 West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. The program runs through next week, ending Sunday, October 2, 2022. Performances begin at 8 pm each night, except this coming Sunday & Monday, September 25th & 26th. Tickets are $20 and performances last about an hour and a half. For details and tickets - https://www.nycitycenter.org/
The NY Film Festival begins next Friday, September 30th at Lincoln Center and runs through Sunday, October 16th.
Things To Do This Weekend in Queens NYC
Sunday, September 25, 2022 from 12 noon - 5 pm - Bell Blvd Stroll - A food and shopping festival with music and entertainment along Bell Blvd from Northern Blvd to 45th Avenue. Street fairs in Bayside Queens NYC.
Sunday, September 25, 2022 beginning at 11 am - Hispanic Day Parade. Begins along 37th Avenue from 69th Street to 86th Street. Parades and street fairs in Jackson Heights Queens NYC. https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Nonprofit-organization/Desfile-Hispano-de-Queens-920602374687827/
Athens Square Park continues to have Greek Tuesday night music, dance & theatrical performances thru September. Athens Park is located at 30th Avenue & 30th Street in Astoria.
Oktoberfest begins next weekend at the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden in Astoria.
Durga Puja begins next weekend at various locations throughout NYC, but most notably in the Woodside, Jackson Heights, Jamaica and Richmond Hill neighborhoods in Queens. Durga Puja celebrates the goddess Durga, who is a motherhood figure representing the victory of good over evil. The celebrations, which cover a week of activity, are also something of a Hindu harvest festival.
On September 28, 2022 is the Chocolate Factory first Annual Gala Fundraiser. The event begins at 6 pm at their new theater at 38-33 24th Street in Long Island City. Gala tickets are $250 and after party tickets are $30. For details see - https://chocolatefactorytheater.org/gala-2022/
Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn NYC
Saturday, September 24, 2022 from 11 am - 9 pm. Annual Great Irish Fair.NEW LOCATION - At the Holy Name of Jesus Parish at 245 Prospect Park West in Prospect Park. Brooklyn fair with an Irish flavor. Tickets are $28 on Eventbrite. This is a Brooklyn street fair with an Irish flavor including music, dance, theater, food and shopping. Organized by the Irish American Building Society.
Saturday, September 24, 2022 from 4 to 9 pm - Oktoberfest. An authentic German Oktoberfest with food, a biergarten & live music. There will be contests including a Stein Hoist, a Bratwurst Eating Contest, a Best Dressed Dirndl and Lederhosen and a Keg Toss. It's open to the public on the Fort Hamilton Army base, but walk on access only. The event is sponsored by St. Joseph University, which does not imply any Federal Endorsement. Admission $5. For details, tickets and registration which is required see - https://hamilton.armymwr.com/calendar/event/oktoberfest/5649924/71185
Friday & Saturday , September 30 - October 1 2022 from 4pm - 8 pm and 11 am - 8 pm respectively - Downtown Brooklyn Arts Festival. In the Plaza at 300 Ashland Place at the corner of Lafayette and Flatbush. This event will feature live music, dance, talks and theater. There might be some shopping, but that doesn't appear to be the focus. Downtown Brooklyn street fairs / festivals nyc. www.dbartsfestival.org/
Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx NYC
Saturday, September 24, 2022 from 12 noon - 3 pm - Bronx River Alliance Community Paddle - Enter Concrete Park at the Westchester Avenue Park entrance in Longwood. This is a three hour opportunity for adults and kids to try their hand at paddling a small boat on the Bronx River. Free. Not a street fair, but rather community activities - just north of Hunts Point and just west of Soundview.
The Hip Hop Museum is now open Tuesday through Saturday from 12 noon - 7 pm and on Sunday from 12 - 6.30 pm. Their entrance is located on the ground level at 610 Exterior Street, next door to Hostos Community College Media Center. You may also enter from the Lower Level in the parking garage next to Pizza Studio. Proof of vaccination, or a negative COVID-19 test within 24 hours is required for entry. Space is limited.
Saturday, September 24, 2022 from 1 to 8 pm - Bronx Night Market in Fordham Plaza just south of the train station. It's a diversified food fest.
Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays in September of 2022 from 6pm to 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 1pm to 9pm on Sundays - Piazza di Belmont - Outdoor dining on Arthur Avenue which will be closed to vehicular traffic from East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue during the above mentioned times.
Saturday & Sunday, September 24 & 25, 2022 and Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday, September 29 -- October 2, 2022 beginning at 7.30 pm except Sundays when it's from 2 - 3 pm - Monster. At the Bartow Pell Mansion at 895 Shore Road in Pelham Bay Park. The play is an adaptation based on the book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. The play will take the audience through the Bartow Pell Mansion and include themes of humanism morality, science, death and horror. Tickets are $30 - $35 which you may find at https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org/events/monster/
Sunday, September 25, 2022 from 12 noon - 4 pm. Bronx Native American Festival - In Pelham Bay Park in the south picnic area. Master of Ceremonies Bobby Gonzales [Taino], The Silvercloud Singers and Thunderbird American Dancers [both of latter groups are inter-tribal]. Food, music, dance and storytelling. Street fairs & festivals in the Pelham Bay Park neighborhood of the East Bronx. For details see - https://www.pelhambaypark.org/events/bronx-native-american-festival
Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island NYC
Saturday, September 24, 2022 from 11 am - 5 pm - 72nd Fence Show at Snug Harbor. At the Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden at 1000 Richmond Terrace in the Randall Manor neighborhood of Staten Island. This is a long-running tradition featuring 140 artists who sell their creations on the Snug Harbor lawn. This year they've added a biergarten, where you can pay $25 for a couple of brews, a German pretzel and and homebrew club tastings [whatever that means].
Saturday, September 24, 2022 from 12 noon - 7 pm -The Rolling Thunder Oktoberfest celebration is being held at William H. Pouch Camp at 1285 Manor Road in the Greenbelt just south of Manor Heights. It was formerly held in Historic Richmond Town. There will be food, beer, rides, games, shopping and live entertainment. Admission is $10. Proceeds go to Veterans in Need and it's organized by Rolling Thunder and the Rotary Clubs of Staten Island. For details see - https://sioktoberfest.com/
Clever Little Lies is a comedy coming to the Victory Theater on Staten Island from September 29th thru October 9th on the weekends. For details see - http://www.littlevictorytheatre.com
NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the low 80's on Tuesday & Wednesday, dropping to the low 70's on Thursday and the mid 60's on Friday., The temperature lows will rise from the mid 60's on Monday & Tuesday to the low 70's on Wednesday, and then fall into the mid to low 50's on Thursday and Friday. The winds will be 10 - 15 mph all week. The humidity will be 55% - 65% all week, except on Friday when it falls to 45% - 55%. There's a small chance of a small amount of rain in Thursday, with the probability gone by mid afternoon.
NYC White Collar Office Workers Continue to Resist a Full Return to the Office
As we noted last week, in our update, people are returning to mass transit. While weekend ridership on the subways has reached about 90%, weekday ridership lags behind at about 65% of prepandemic levels. One of the main drivers of the lower weekday ridership is that folks haven't yet resumed embraced a full return to the office at anywhere near prepandemic levels.
For about the past six months, only about 10% of white collar office workers in Manhattan, go to the office daily. But the number of people in the office each day has risen from about 38% to 49%, according to Parnership for New York City, a non-profit dedicated to primarily promoting the economic interests of NYC. Also, the percentage of workers staying fully remote dropped from 28% to 16% over the same six month period [April - September]. Nearly four out of five employers [77%] indicated that the preferred business model [demanded per employees] is now ready to accommodate folks who only want to travel to the office three of the five days in a work week.
Nobody is yet saying this, but it's my guesstimate, that over time, employees who are in the office more frequently are going to win out over those who are working remotely. And because of that phenomenon, I also guesstimate that over time, more folks will start spending more time in the office. But this may take years to play out.
There's a flip side of the coin above, which is that employers who accommodate remote workers, especially women who want to spend time rearing their children, could, over time, attract and retain some of the best and the brightest, even if they don't pay top dollar. For some, including myself, money matters - but it isn't everything.
As I look at what I've just written I see a potential lawsuit - discriminatory pay based on gender. But could it be discriminatory pay based on remote working? This discussion might have some parallels to the discussion below about dictatorships vs democracy and about valuing loyalty over talent.
Ultimately, time will tell, and it will be interesting to see how this all plays out. One thing is clear, many of us - if not all - are not going back to the status quo.
Speaking of Working Remotely, How about the United Nations in General Assembly?
Since 2019, the United Nations has met primarily remotely. They missed 2020 and 2021, but this year, they're back in session live. So for the next nine days those who travel up and down the east side in the 40's and above and below, will be heard complaining of the traffic jams. The jams will be most pronounced this week, particulary starting Tuesday, when all the dignitaries travel from the funeral of Queen Elizabeth, to the UN General Assembly Session in NYC.
On Wednesday, President Biden will address the United Nations, to talk about many things including the Ukrainian War and the ongoing threats to democracy worldwide. It is my opinion, that the threats to democracy include most - if not all autocrats. Dictators by any name [such as the Russian and Chinese 'presidents'] are a destabilizing x factor in the world today. Thus, it's no surprise that the two most powerful dictator presidents [how's that for an oxymoron?] won't be in attendance at the United Nations General Assembly this year. Those are Russian dictator president Putin and Chinese dictator president Xi Jinping. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the President of Ethiopia will also not be in attendance. On the latter two, no reasons have been given.
Dictatorships vs Democracies - Sociopathic Loyalty vs Unfettered Talent
I think it's worth noting here, that the difference between dictatorships and democracies is that democracies operate under rule of law, while dictatorships operate under rule by one man's or a few men's decree. In a democracy if someone has a point of view that resonates with the general public it can be heard, while in a dictatorship only a few people's point of view is given any attention. So what happens in a dictatorship is that the truth is suppressed, oftentime by harsh or violent measures, because it lays bare the idiocy of the dictator. Because of that, loyalty - not talent - is how people are evaluated in dictatorships, oftentimes leading to the promotion of the most brutal people in society instead of the most intelligent, most learned, most experienced and most talented. Sad, but true. In dictatorships the morons and the psychopaths are elevated to positions of power.
If you want to know why, for ten million years, mankind lived pretty much similar lives [meaning hand to mouth], and then suddenly in the 1600's onward, mankind flourished, you need only look at the people wresting power away from monarchs, who were and oftentimes still are [Saudi Royals], brutal dictators who hoard all of their society's resources.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday the past few years I began cataloguing the accomplishments of those in our free societies. Their accomplishments represent most of mankind's progress the past few centuries, and one might even say progress the past few millenia and beyond. Copy and paste this link for the full story -
Why did the American TV Networks Behave like a Sycophantic Royalist Clique?
The past week of the network TV news organizations' coverage of Queen Elizabeth's death and funeral made me - as I said last week - feel a need to barf. If they spent that kind of money, that kind of energy and that kind airtime on things that really matter, this world wouldn't be as messed up as it currently is. What the TV newsfolks presented this past week was a lot of fluffy pageantry and obsequious nothingness, for a extremely wealthy old woman and her 'royal' family. A family that has so much wealth, that they took from so many of their fellow country[wo]men [and others via the colonial empire], and with which they have done so little that really matters.
That said, I must applaud former Prince Charles for his support in pursuit of remedies for climate change. But Queen Elizabeth seemed to do nothing at all for mankind, and I saw nothing on TV [no facts] that convinced me otherwise.
I reckon the TV announcers have forgotten that this is the same family that America had to go to war with, to obtain its freedom about 250 years ago. King George III, who was defeated in the American Revolutionary War, was the great, great, great grandfather of Queen Elizabeth. Little mention was made of the British royal family's centuries long exploitation of others, while amassing so much of that nation's and their colonies' wealth. Instead of talking about the reality of royalty and royal families, the TV broadcasters gushed with a lot of read-and-repeat, mindless gossip.
Stay tuned. We have some interesting, real news, stories coming your way this fall.
In the meantime have a nice week.
Things To Do This Weekend in NYC & Boros
The Feast of San Gennaro, Steuben Day Parade, African American Day Parade & Mexican Day Parade in Manhattan; the Feast of St Markella, Queens United International Music Fest & Jamaica Harvest Fest in Queens; the Holy Cross Greek Cultural Fest, Flatbush Frolic & a Couple of Local Plays in Brooklyn; Bronx is Rising at BMHC, Stage Garden Rumba & Boogie on the Blvd in the Bronx; and the 1776 Peace Celebration, the Westerleigh Folk Festival, the Fig / Ficus Fest and a couple of Local Plays on Staten Island ... also Farmers Markets & Street Fairs
NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be around 80 on Friday and Saturday, climbing into the high 80's on Sunday. The temperature lows will be in the 60's climbing from the low 60's on Friday to the high 60's on Sunday. Winds will range from 4 - 9 mph all weekend. The humidity will climb from 30% - 60% on Friday, to 60% to 70% on Saturday, falling back to 50% to 60% on Sunday. There isn't any rain in the forecast for this weekend.
Things To Do in Manhattan NYC
Little Italy _ Thursday - Sunday, September 15 - 25, 2022 times vary - The San Gennaro Festival. This is an 11 day Italian festival that runs through Sunday, September 25th. There's a canoli eating contest today 9/16 beginning at 1 pm and tomorrow 9/17 there's a procession through Little Italy that starts at 2 pm. See their website for details of all events - https://sangennaronyc.org/
UES _ Saturday, September 17, 2022 - Steuben Day Parade & Oktoberfest. The parade begins at 12 noon from 5th Avenue at 68th Street and marches up to 86th Street. Following the parade there's an Oktoberfest at the Rumsey Playfield in Central Park that runs until 7 pm. Enter Central Park at 72nd St & 5th Avenue. Admission $50, but tickets can sell out by early Sept. https://www.facebook.com/steubenparadeny/
Harlem _ Sunday, September 18, 2022 beginning at 1 pm - African American Day Parade [preparade events 11 am - 1 pm] - The parade begins on Adam Clayton Powell Blvd at 111th Street marching north to 137th Street. Street fairs in Harlem NYC. For details see - https://africanamericandayparade.org/.
UES _ Sunday, September 18, 2022 beginning at 12 noon and followed by a festival in Madison Square Park until about 6 pm - Mexican Day Parade & Festival after parade. The parade begins along Madison at 38th, marching south to 26th Street at Madison Square Park where there's an after parade celebration / social. FB - https://www.facebook.com/Mexican-Day-Parade-Comite-Civico-Mexicano-de-NY-115773021139217
Things To Do in Queens NYC
Thursday through Sunday, September 15 - 18, 2022 from 6 - 10 pm Thursday & Friday, 5 - 11 pm on Saturday and 1 - 10 pm on Sunday - Hellenic Orthodox Traditionalist Church of America [St Markella] celebrates patron feast day with traditional Greek food and unique arts and crafts. Along 22-68 26th Street between 22nd & 23rd Avenues in Astoria.
Saturday, September 17, 2022 - Jamaica Harvest Festival - From 10 am to 4 pm - Along Sutphin Blvd from Hillside to 88th Avenue and from Jamaica Avenue to 89th. Jamaica St Fairs.
Saturday, September 17 2022 from 3 - 9.30 pm - Queens United International Music Party - At Sunnyside Gardens Park at 48-21 39th Avenue. Music, beer, wine food trucks, crafts. Open to the public with suggested donation $15. St fairs in Sunnyside Queens NYC.
Sunday, September 18, 2022 from 12 noon to 6 pm - Carnaval De La Cultura Latina (Queens Edition). A street fair celebrating Hispanic culture including food, shoping, music and dancing. Just off the #7 subway line at Junction Blvd and Roosevelt Avenue in Corona. https://www.facebook.com/events/mta-junction-blvd-station-7/carnaval-de-la-cultura-latina-queens-edition-2022/4318630531539873/
FYI - Athens Square Park continues to have Greek Tuesday night music, dance & theatrical performances thru September. Athens Park is located at 30th Avenue & 30th Street in Astoria. The photo to your right shows Athens Square Park in the fall in Astoria.
Possibly more Queens coming Friday night.
Things To Do in Brooklyn NYC
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, September 16 - 18, 2022 from 2 - 10 pm, 12 noon - 10 pm & 12 noon - 7 pm respectively. Holy Cross Greek Cultural Festival [please note that these times are from last year and may have changed / no update has been provided prior to this post]. At 8401 Ridge Blvd between 84th and 86th Streets. This is primarily a Greek food and cultural festival. Brooklyn street fairs in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn.
Sunday, September 18, 2022 from 11 am - 6 pm. Flatbush Frolic. Food, music, arts, rides and local shopping. Along Cortelyou Road between Ocean and Coney Island Avenues. Flatbush Ditmas Park. Brooklyn street fairs in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn. https://fdconline.org.
LAST WEEKEND SOLD OUT - Sunday, September 11 - 18, 2022 - Rent. Rent is a musical based on La Boheme, an Italian Opera written in the late 1800's and set in Paris about the life of struggling artists. In the play, Rent, Playwright Billy Aronson wanted to replace the aesthetic of 19th century Paris, with the grit and HIV epidemic of the late 1990's. He also morphs a traditional opera into a rock opera. He died of an unusual health condition [not HIV / AIDs] before the play became a resounding success. At the 14th Street Y at 344 east 14th street in Manhattan. After Work Theater Group is a flexible, multi-space, traveling theater group that both produces and performs in a mix of free / not free productions, and they also do classes. www.afterworktheater.org / Tickets are generally about $25.
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, September 16, 17, 18, 2022 beginning at 8 pm on Friday & Saturday, and at 2 pm on Sunday - The Wizard of Oz. An adaptation by the Narrows Community Theater. The performance take place in the Auditorium of Our Lady of Angels Church 7320 4th Avenue in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn. Tickets $25 / $20 / $15 at www.nctheaterny.com / www.narrowscommunitytheater.com
Things To Do in the Bronx NYC
Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays in September of 2022 from 6pm to 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 1pm to 9pm on Sundays - Piazza di Belmont - Outdoor dining on Arthur Avenue which will be closed to vehicular traffic from East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue during the above mentioned times.
Saturday, September 17, 2022 from 12.30 - 5 pm. Bronx is Rising Discussion of the film Fort Apache the Bronx - Discussion begins at 12.30 pm and from 3.30 - 5 pm there's a meal. At Bronx Music Hall Plaza at 438 East 163rd Street [at Washington], which will be the new home for Bronx Music Heritage Center in Morrisania just north of Melrose. Rsvps not required. Not a Bronx St Fair, but a community event in the Morrisania neighborhood of the Bronx.
Saturday, September 17, 2022 from 2 to 6 pm - Stage Garden Rumba - At Maria Sola Community Greenspace, at East 134th Street and Lincoln Avenue in the Port Morris neighborhood of the Bronx. They describe the event as: "... Presented in partnership with Pregones / PRTT, Stage Garden Rumba is an open invitation for all New Yorkers to experience the cultural riches, regional community gardens and green spaces, and vibrant Casitas of the South Bronx ... The series will again feature extraordinary Artists - actors, singers, dancers, writers; Activists with the pulse of local, national, and international struggle and social justice; and Community Members ... Hyperlocal and universal, Stage Garden Rumba brings together voices of joy and revolution to fuel our collective imagination and propel us into a self-determined future ... " At the following locations primarily in the South / Central. Free.
Sunday, September 18, 2022 from 2 to 4 pm - Boogie on the Blvd - Along the Grand Concourse from 165th - 166th Streets. Music, arts & crafts and possibly some shopping. It appears to be a scaled back version of prior similar events. Bronx street fairs organized by the Bronx Museum in front of the museum.
Things To Do on Staten Island NYC
Saturday, September 17, 2022 from 12 noon - 4 pm. 1776 Peace Conference Celebration - There's an historical reenactment of the effort made by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams to obtain peace with Britain as the war for indepence was breaking out. At the Conference House in Tottenville on Staten Island. Admission $5.
Saturday, September 17, 2022 from 11 am - 7 pm - 15th Annual Westerleigh Folk Music and Art Festival. At Westerleigh Park off Jewett Avenue at the corner of Neal Dow and Maine Avenues in the Westerleigh neighborhood on Staten Island. This Staten Island festival in Westerleigh Park centers around live music on three stages, and includes 40 arts & crafts vendors, an art expo and smart food truck vendors will likely show. Free.
Sunday, September 18, 2022 from 2 pm - 6 pm. Annual Fig / Ficus Festival - At 200 The Promenade at Lighthouse Point in the St. George neighborhood. The festival includes all things fig / ficus related. It's a quirky food festival centered around the fig, but includes music, arts, crafts and other foods. Staten Island street fairs / festivals in St. George. $5 suggested donation.
Saturday & Sunday, September 17 & 18, 2022 beginning at 2 pm - Staten Island Shakespeare Theater presents Troilus and Cressida. Performances will take place in Battery Weed in Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island. The play is about a mix of love and military brinksmanship about in ancient Troy. Tickets free to the public with reservation at https://sishakespeare.org/
Saturday, September 17, 2022 beginning at 2 pm Teacher! Teacher! or P.S. I love you. In Tappen Park at Canal, Bay and Water Streets. They describe the play as follows, " ... a rip-roaring original musical which tells the story of a struggling teacher in an underserved neighborhood who puts her life on the line for her kids ...". Organized by the Parks Dept & Theater for the New City aka TNC at ww.theaterforthenewcity.net. Free summer theater on Staten Island NYC.
NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the high 70's and the temperature lows around 60. It will be sunny the rest of the week, with humidity ranging from 40% - 60%, which is fairly dry. Winds will be 5 - 10 mph, falling as the week wears on. No rain is expected between now and Friday evening, nor through the coming weekend.
So, a lot has happened since we last posted a news update. At right is a photo of one of the outer borough subway stations this summer. As you can see, mask wearing compliance has diminished.
MTA: Ridership Hits Post Pandemic High of 3.5 Million Weekday Riders on the First Day of the Reopening of NYC Public Schools & Governor Hochul Drops the MTA Mask Mandate
On Thursday, September 8th, the first day of the NYC public schools reopening, the MTA transported 3.6 million people. That's the highest ridership number since the pandemic began two and a half years ago in March of 2020.
In our August 9th report [see below] we suggested the MTA drop the mask mandate or enforce it. At the time we noticed that less than half of the passengers on the subway seemed to be adhering to the mask mandate. On September 7th, NYS Governor Hochul rescinded the mask mandate on the MTA, making masking optional, but still recommended that we continue masking on the MTA as we enter the colder months, when folks go indoors, where the probability of infection by airborne viruses like CoVid and the flu increases. The guidance is particularly relevant to those who are older or have underlying conditions, but it's also not unwise for everyone else too.
Shootings Down in NYC in August - In August 2022 There were 115 Shootings vs 165 in August 2021
This Follows the Passage of Federal Gun Restrictions by Congress in June, Biden's April Executive Order in Requiring Ghost Gun Sales be Handled in the Same Manner as Gun Sales & Mayor Adams & the NYPD's Effort to Remove Illegal Guns from NYC Streets
On June 25th, President Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. This is legislation that passed both the Senate and Congress earlier in the month. A number of moderate Republicans crossed the aisle in both the House and Senate to vote with the Democrats, on reigning in the gun violence free-for-all that we've been witnessing the past couple of years.
The federal gun legislation was the first of its kind to pass both houses and be signed into law in about 30 years. Among other things it enhances background checks for younger gun owners [under 21], and provides law enforcement with additional authority and responsibility to thwart potential shooters by empowering them to curtail a gun owner's rights if there's reason to believe that person poses a risk to the general welfare of the community. Added funding was also provided to incent law enforcement to pay more attention to problematic gun owners.
The Biden Ghost Gun sale regulations went into effect on August 24, 2022, following a failed court challenge to block the President's April 2022 Executive Order requiring ghost gun sales to be treated the same as other firearm sales.
In addition to the actions taken at the federal level, Mayor Adams has been working with the NYPD to reduce shootings through changes in NYC law enforcement to take illegal guns off the street. Year to date [as of end of August 2022], the NYPD had removed 4,880 illegal guns from the streets of which 405 of them were removed in August.
Other NYC crime statistics rose 31%. And NYS Governor Hochul passed a number gun regulations in response to the Supreme Court ruling overturning a century old NYS gun law.
We'll have a few more items to add, including on NYC public schools, on Wednesday 9.14.22. In the meantime, I hope you're having a nice week.
Things To Do This Weekend in NYC & Boros
Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit & Labor Day Parade in Manhattan, U.S. Open ends this Weekend in Queens, City Island Art Fair & Ferragosto Celebration in the Bronx, Afro Punk Fest & Fort Greene Jazz Fest in Brooklyn & Pig Island Festival on Staten Island, 911 Anniversary Weekend in NYC ... also Free Outdoor Concerts, Movies & Theater, Farmers Markets, Street Fairs
NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the low to mid 80's and the temperature lows will be in the high 60's. The humidity will be 50% - 70% on Friday, dropping to 50% - 60% on Saturday, and rising again to 60% - 70% on Sunday. Winds will be about 5 mph [gentle breeze] all weekend. Mostly no rain expected, but there's a 75% of about a quarter inch of rain falling late on Sunday. The rain will continue and drop a half inch on Monday.
The photos at right show the World Trade Center / 911 Memorial in downtown Manhattan. It's been 21 years since two hijacked airplanes hit the World Trade Center buildings, toppling both of them, and killing thousands of innocent people. Many more died in the aftermath due to asbestos inhalation. This year is the 21st anniversary of 911. I've heard of one or two small localized events commemorating the date, but I couldn't find the details online. You can always make your own sojourn visit to the WTC memorial in downtown Manhattan which is shown in these two photos.
Opinion: Queen Elizabeth - Had so Much, Gave So Little, Did Nothing
What is wrong with Murdoch's Fox News and the corporate TV networks?
They fuss over a woman who had everything, did nothing, and gave little.
Queen Elizabeth reportedly shirked her daughter-in-law Diana, seemed to nearly disown her grandson Harry when he decided to marry an outsider and forge a new life for himself.
She did nothing to earn her wealth, lived her life amidst fabulous wealth and luxury, and seemed to do little to nothing to better the world. Given all the power and wealth Queen Elizabeth inherited, 'her majesty' is, in my mind, one of the greatest travesties of all.
So why are the corporate TV networks fawning all over that rich, nasty, old woman? Elitest Oligarch Rupert Murdoch - who is constantly calling other elitests - had Fox News and ABC so obsequiously cover the Queen, that it almost made me barf.
Things To Do in Manhattan NYC
Saturday, September 10th, 2022 beginning at 10 am, the Labor Day Parade in Manhattan. It marches along 5th Avenue from 44th Street to 64th Street.
Saturday & Sunday, September 10 & 11, 2022 from 12 noon to 6 pm - the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit. The show runs along University Avenue from 13th Street down to Washington Square in Manhattan.
Things To Do in Queens NYC
The biggest Labor Day event in Queens, is of course, the U.S. Open which began this week and runs through the Labor Day weekend and following week [see photo at right].
Saturday, September 10 2022 from 10 am - 5 pm - Flushing Street Festival. Along 40th Road and Prince Street in Flushing, Queens. Arts, crafts, music, performance, food and shopping with an Asian flavor. Organized by the Flushing BID.
Things To Do in Brooklyn NYC
Saturday, September 10 from 4 - 7 pm there's the Fort Greene Jazz Festival. Free.
Saturday & Sunday, September 10 & 11, 2022 from 12 noon - 12 midnight - Afro Punk Fest. At Commodore Perry Park in Brooklyn - along Navy Street between Flushing and Park Avenues in the Wallabout neighborhood of Brooklyn. Tickets are $110 - $185 at https://afropunk.com/festival/brooklyn/
Things To Do in the Bronx NYC
City Island _ Saturday & Sunday, September 11 & 12, 2021 from 11 am - 7 pm - City Island Arts & Crafts Fair - Along City Island Avenue between Fordham and Carroll Streets. Hawkins Street Park is the epicenter. Street fairs festivals in the City Island neighborhood of the East Bronx.
Belmont / Bronx Little Italy _ Sunday, September 11, 2022 from 12 noon - 6 pm. Ferragosto Festival. Along Arthur Avenue between Crescent and 187th Street, and along East 186th Street between Arthur & Hughes Avenues. It's an Italian harvest celebration & celebrating 100 years of Arthur Avenue in the Belmont section of the Bronx. Bronx St Fairs in the Belmont neighborhood.x
Things To Do on Staten Island NYC
Saturday, September 10, 2022 from 12 noon - 4 pm - Pig Island Festival - "... this pork-laden festival [includes 20 chefs who] compete for the most delicious porcine dishes. There will also be craft beer, hard cider, spirits and other food offerings – all-included with a general admissions ticket ... " In the South Meadow at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden at 1000 Richmond Terrace in the Randall Manor neighborhood on Staten Island. Staten Island street fair / festival in Randall Manor - Admission $59 & up. See www.snug-harbor.org for details.
On Wednesday, September 7th the Catholic schools in NYC reopen for the new school year.
On Thursday, September 8, 2022 NYC public schools reopen. Many of the CoVid guidelines of the prior public school year have been modified, so copy and paste the following link for an update. https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/health-and-wellness/covid-information/health-and-safety-in-our-schools.
Thinking of Those who Made a Difference
As I contemplated the upcoming school year I thought back to all of the great teachers who made a difference in my life. And so it is to them that I dedicate this column. Generally I'm going to discuss the school teachers as they chronologically entered my life, and discuss the other teachers in my life who taught me things outside of school, in reverse chronological order. Also please note that this is by no means a complete list, but really rather a first attempt at thanking some of the teachers who made a difference in my life, while passing on a few of the golden nuggets I learned from them.
The High School Teachers Who Made a Difference
It started at Abbott Pennings high school in DePere, Wisconsin where I grew up. Father Frigo was our freshman or sophomore history teacher. He was also a coach of the football and basketball teams which won state championships, and as such, was perhaps treated a bit too familiarly, even irreverently, by some of the star athletes in our class. What Father Frigo taught me was that historical narratives change over time, and that, " ... you have to pay attention to whether you're looking at primary sources or secondary sources ... " to truly understand the nature of events.
He taught us that, " ... revisionist history is a secondary source, but also plays an important role in our understanding of the past ...". He noted that pressure to conform to the prevailing cultural norms and narratives of those in power at a given time can distort and obfuscate the truth. But cultural norms and those in power change over time, so that oftentimes, at least in a free speech democracy, the passing of time permits a more honest appraisal of past events. We can see this playing out currently, as the Civil War 'heroes' of the Confederate south are more appropriately treated in historical terms as traitors to the republic, and as champions of a harsh, cruel system of enslavement of a large portion of the American population at the time. Likewise, in dictatorships, narcissitic despots often use and distort history to provide support for their violent aggression. We saw this scenario play out in Nazi Germany in the 1930's and 1940's, and we're witnessing it today in Putin's Russia.
My junior year I came up against a tough nun, Sister Janet, who for some god forsaken reason, took it upon herself to make sure that I understood algebra. I fought her tooth and nail throughout the year, but over time she broke me down and taught me the beauty of the logic inherent in algebraic equations, for which there is no wiggle room between getting it right and getting it wrong.
And lastly, at Abbott Pennings high school, I was taught an even larger lesson by Father Meehan, in religion class. I questioned some of the basic beliefs of Catholicism in class. He patiently answered my questions, and in the end told me something that I will always remember, when he said, "don't stop questioning ... question everything". Little did I know that that was both a blessing and a curse, as I have continued to question everything ever since.
The College Professors who Made a Difference
I first attended college at St. Norbert College, also in DePere, Wisconsin. In what was my first junior year, I ended up in a history class with Doctor Jonathan Webster. At first I found it unfortunate that I was one of only two students in the class, so this meant I actually had to do all of the homework every week, because while Professor Webster lectured us, he also engaged me and the other student in conversations about what we read in each and every assignment. The class was about Tudor Stuart England, and perhaps for the first time, I walked away with a true appreciation for the study of history at a very in-depth level. We had to read about two dozen books during the course of the semester, and during those three person classes, Professor Webster imparted his knowledge of the period, and helped us more fully understand what we were reading.
Here the lesson was that learning things helps you, and oftentimes when you least expect it. My in-depth understanding of history from that class, came up in an interview when I applied to transfer to the University of Chicago, which was then ranked the #3 college in the nation. In a robust, spirited and terribly intellectual conversation with the interviewer, Michael Walker, I was able to handle my own and was subsequently accepted into the University.
The University of Chicago has a well-deserved reputation as a rigorous academic institution. Two professors from there, left indelible impressions upon me. The first was William H. McNeil, also a history teacher, who over the course of three trimesters - a full academic year - took us, his students, through the history of the world. His classes were on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Tuesdays it was primarily a lecture where he laid out what was happening in various regions of the world during specific periods of time. On Thursdays, he presented slide shows where he showed us photos of art, artifacts, architecture and other cultural and historical items from that time. He would use a light emitting pointer to draw our attention to various details of each artifact that supported his narratives about what was going on during that time. It was through this class that I developed a broader appreciation for the importance of art, culture and architecture; and the important role they play in our understanding of not only our past, but of ourselves.
This was in addition to learning about the history of the world.
But perhaps the most important part of McNeill's teaching happened after class, when I visited him in his office and peppered him with questions, troubled that what he was presenting in class appeared to differ from my understanding of the world, which up until that time, had some religion mixed into my understanding of the world and how it worked. Professor McNeill was a very patient, avuncular man with a good sense of humor, and so while we discussed many things, ultimately he let me make up my own mind about what I wanted to believe, but he also didn't give any ground when it came to the facts. He was an exceptional teacher, and I am sorry that I was never able to properly thank him, nor for that matter, any of the other teachers mentioned herein.
Professor Sam Jaffe, also of the University of Chicago, taught the Humanities. In this class, Jaffe seemed enthralled by James Joyce, an Irish author, whose use of allegory seemed to enthrall Professor Jaffe. Professor Jaffe had us write a short paper every week or two. Somewhere in the early part of the trimester, one of my papers came back covered with red ink. Professor Jaffe told me he wanted me to re-write it, but also told me I didn't have to complete the next writing assignment given to the rest of the class. So, I re-wrote the paper, taking into consideration Professor Jaffe's comments.
My second rendition also came back covered with red markings, so I asked to meet with the professor to better understand what I had done wrong. He made me aware of how I used my words, phrases, (dis)organized my thoughts and paragraphs, and went off on side tangents [like my father] and sometimes repeated myself. He wanted me to eliminate the deviations from the main argument and to stay focused on the primary subject in one continuous flow. I tried to comprehend his guidance as best I could, and made use of his comments in my third try at the same paper which he found to be much improved. But there were still a number of markings on it, so we met and went through it again. On my fourth try, the paper came back fairly clean. And by then I was on my way to understanding how to write a well-organized, well thought out, articulate paper; which if I recall correctly, was about James Joyce's book, The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.
I never properly thanked any of them, which shows us two things - one is how important a profession teaching is, and two how thankless a profession it is. My sister is also a teacher who consoled me, telling me that teachers derive satisfaction by seeing their students learn. She said that seeing their students grow through learning, is how they know they've made a difference, regardless of whether the students ever actually circle back around to thank them.
Our Lives are Filled with Great Teachers
But teaching isn't just done at the academic level, so while I'm on the subject I want to share a few other lessons I learned along the way, again recognizing that this is a very incomplete account. As mentioned above, here I'm going to tell the rest of the story in reverse chronological order.
I had a longstanding girlfriend, Karen Cortell, who taught me how to grocery shop by focusing on natural fruits, vegetables, meats and breads, while pointing out the importance of reading the nutrition labels on packages, when we did buy processed / packaged food. And then she taught me how to cook. I cannot tell you how invaluable these lessons have been to my enjoyment of nightly meals, my good health, and enduring financial standing.
I used to have lunch periodically with Bill Peick who was the Director of Facilities at OSI Pharmaceuticals on Long Island. He was a bit of a corporate senior statesman and would periodically tell me, "The world has changed today. Did you notice it?" At first I thought this query was whimsical nonsense, because very little changed from day to day. In fact there were some weeks when life seemed a bit like it was portrayed in the movie 'Groundhog Day' ... meaning terribly uninteresting, and more of the same. But over time I came to realize and appreciate what Bill was saying, which is that the world is constantly changing ... bit by bit and day by day ... and while we may not notice it on a daily basis, the seven billion plus people on the planet, including ourselves, are all doing something that will either benefit or harm humanity over time.
David Sharpe the VP of Marketing at Lever Brothers [a multi-national consumer products company] in NYC, told me that, " ... managing the process of business, is as important as getting business results ...". When he told me this, I had just come off a successful packaging launch where I pushed people hard, so I was feeling pretty good because we accomplished what we set out to do. When he told me that process was as important as results, I resisted the notion at first, as I had grown up near Green Bay, Wisconsin where famed Packer coach Vince Lombardi was often quoted as saying "Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing."
But Sharpe was right, and over time I found what he had told me was true, because one victory is only good for that day / week / month or year. Ultimately you have to keep doing it over and over and over again, and if you don't manage the process well each time you go through it, eventually things will break down and / or people will resist helping - let alone give you their all.
One of my best friends in business school, Michael Murdoch, taught me the importance of friendship. I was at Midway Airport in Chicago - this was near the end of business school - and on my way to an interview with CBS in NYC. I was flying to NYC to pitch the only job that I really wanted, and I had forgotten my plane ticket. On a moments notice, Murdoch dropped everything, took a taxi to the airport and enabled me to get on that plane. It was a heroic deed that I will never forget, because he could easily have talked his way out of making that trip. And as fate would have it, I got the job. Here, it is important to remember that, sometimes, the memory of a heroic deed can last a lifetime.
We can Even Learn from Family Members
My brother Pat would also periodically remind me that, "It's a people world." He would say this because I tended to be more book smart than people smart. I found this pithy advice insightful, as knowing and getting the facts right, oftentimes isn't enough to win the day - as people, with all of their emotional and psychological complexities - are the decision makers. And thus knowing the people is at least as important as knowing the facts, as to crack, hack or make a deal, you have to break the people code in order to achieve your objectives.
And lastly, but not least, there were my parents, who imparted countless important lessons to me throughout my life. Many were conveyed, most assuredly, through their actions as I was growing up. Two of the top verbalized lessons by my parents, were the following.
My mother used to say, "Every generalization is wrong, including this one." This means a lot of things, but the one most appropriate for this day, is that just because someone does something tremendously good or bad, doesn't mean their whole family or whole race or whole gender or whole political party or whole religion deserves the credit or the blame.
And my father would tell me, "Democracy isn't perfect. Democracy takes time. And so far, it's the best system of government we have that works." Papa has been right thus far. Let's hope he continues to be.
So as we enter the new school year, I want all the great teachers out there, to know that while you may not have been, or may not be, properly thanked for all that you do, there are those of us out here [I'm sure I'm not alone in this] who are grateful to you, even if we never made the time to circle back around to properly thank you.
Ultimately in life, we are all both students and teachers. We learn by observing and we teach through what we do or not do, and by what we say or not say. Our presences - good or bad - can make a big difference to others, and oftentimes when we're not even aware of it.
Have a good week.
Things To Do This Labor Day Weekend in NYC & Boros
Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit, Free Nightly Opera at Lincoln Center, West Indian American Day Parade Festivities all Weekend in Brooklyn, U.S. Open all Weekend in Queens, in the Bronx Salsa at Orchard Beach & Yankees Home Game, Concert & the Fabulous Richmond County Fair on Staten Island ... also Free Outdoor Concerts, Movies & Theater, Farmers Markets, NYC Public Outdoor Swimming Pools, Street Fairs, Public Beaches
NYC Weekend Weather. The temperature highs will be in the low to mid 80's all weekend. The temperature lows will be around 70 all weekend. The humidity will be between 50% - 70% on Friday, rising to 60% - 70% on Saturday and Sunday, and rising again on Monday to between 70% - 80%. Winds will be a very steady 5 - 7 mph all weekend. There's a 50% chance of a third inch of rain beginning Sunday afternoon and 50% chance of two thirds of an inch of rain throughout the day on Monday.
The photo at right was taken at the West Indian American Day Parade in 2019 where we were rained on pretty hard with pretty warm water. It's possible the same may happen Monday in Brooklyn.
Things To Do in Manhattan NYC
One of the biggest events over the Labor Day Weekend in Manhattan include the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit which runs from 12 noon to 6 pm on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, as well as the following weekend. The show runs along University Avenue from 13th Street down to Washington Square.
Also, from Friday, August 26th to Monday, September 5th, there are nightly high definition screenings, beginning at 8 pm, of Metropolitan Opera performances shown in the plaza at Lincoln Center at Columbus and 68th Street on the UWS. Copy and paste this link to see what's playing each night - https://www.metopera.org/season/summer-2022/summer-hd-festival/.
And it's worth mentioning that on Friday and Saturday, September 2nd and 3rd, the Metropolitan Museum will host its two final rooftop concerts of the season going from 5.30 - 8.30 pm. Free w/ admission to the Met.
Ironically, the Labor Day Parade in Manhattan is held Saturday, September 10th, after Labor Day in Manhattan. It begins at 10 am on 5th Avenue at 44th Street marching north to 64th Street.
Things To Do in Brooklyn NYC
One of the biggest events of the Labor Day Weekend in Brooklyn is the West Indian American Day Parade and Carnival. While there are events all weekend, the parade begins at 11 am on Monday along the Eastern Parkway departing from Schenectady Avenue and marching down to Grand Army Plaza near the Brooklyn Museum. From 10 am - 6 pm you'll also find food stalls and shopping along the parade route along Eastern Parkway in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn.
Things To Do in Queens NYC
The biggest Labor Day event in Queens, is of course, the U.S. Open which began this week and runs through the Labor Day weekend and following week [see photo at right].
Another of the biggest Labor Day weekend events in Queens are the Rockaway Bazaar concerts, that begin at 5 pm Friday and at 4 pm Saturday, Sunday and Monday at Beach and 97th Street in the Rockaways in Queens.
Things To Do in the Bronx NYC
The Sunday afternoon of Labor Day Weekend, from 1 to 6 pm, is the last Summer Salsa event at Orchard Beach, in Section 5 between the clubhouse and the water. It's casual and free.
One of the biggest event over the Labor Day Weekend in the Bronx is that the Yankees host the Twins beginning at 11 am on Monday, September 5th at Yankee Stadium at River Avenue and 161st Street.
Next weekend, September 10th & 11th, 2022 from 11 am to 7 pm, is the City Island Art Fair. It's held along Main Street, with the epic center at Hawkins Park.
Things To Do on Staten Island NYC
The biggest event of the Labor Day weekend on Staten Island is the Richmond County Fair in Historic Richmond Town which runs from 12 noon - 7 pm daily on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Sunday, September 4, 2022 from 4 - 6 pm. Music in the Park with the SI Philharmonic - At the Conference House at 7455 Hylan Blvd in Tottenville on Staten Island.
Have a good Labor Day weekend, and the following are links to all sorts of late summer activities in all five boros. Enjoy.
FYI - We update our front page on the Friday before the Labor Day weekend, with an up-to-date weather forecast, as well as additional Labor Day Weekend events and updates. So please come back to visit us over the weekend.
The photo at right shows a golfer at the Pelham Bay / Split Rock Golf Course in Pelham Bay Park.
Special Events on Labor Day Weekend in the Bronx NYC
The Sunday afternoon of Labor Day Weekend, from 1 to 6 pm, is the last Summer Salsa event at Orchard Beach, in Section 5 between the clubhouse and the water. It's casual and free.
One of the biggest event over the Labor Day Weekend in the Bronx is that the Yankees host the Twins beginning at 11 am on Monday, September 5th at Yankee Stadium at River Avenue and 161st Street.
Next weekend, September 10th & 11th, 2022 from 11 am to 7 pm, is the City Island Art Fair. It's held along Main Street, with the epic center at Hawkins Park.
And it's all happening right here in our favorite borough - the Bronx. So take your time to sort through the days and locations and start planning your weekend. Click here to obtain information about other things to do in the Bronx beyond the Labor Day Weekend. This events calendar is updated monthly with between 50 - 100 different Bronx fun / cultural events.
Bronx Public & Private Parks
The Bronx have a number of public parks of which a few include swimming facilities. Click here for a listing of the Bronx Parks including maps showing their locations along with a bit of park history.
The photo at right shows Orchard Beach in the Bronx in August. On Sunday afternoon they have a salsa concert where folks also dance if it's not too hot.
NYC Golfing In The Bronx & Queens
The Bronx has three public golf courses and all of them are open this weekend. The golf courses include Van Cortlandt Park Golf Course, Mosholu Golf Course - also in Van Cortlandt Park and Pelham Bay / Split Rock Golf Course which are in Pelham Bay Park in the eastern Bronx. All of these golf courses are accessible via the MTA / subway.
Click here for details about Queens Golf Courses including maps and links to the operators' websites.
1) Charlie Parker Festival, Shakespeare in the Park & new Play in Washington Square in Manhattan;
2) U.S. Open Trials end Today, PS1 Warm Up Party Today, 3D Movie, Modern Play in Travers Park Sunday, U.S. Open Tournament Begins Monday in Queens;
3) Revolutionary War Reenactment, Brighton Jubilee, Feast of Saint Rosalia ends Sunday, Burlesque at the Beach in Coney Island in Brooklyn;
4) Baad Dance Performance, Stage Garden Rumba, Family Arts & Crafts, Bronx Night Market, Dinosaurs at the Zoo, Piazza di Belmont & Subway Series in the Bronx;
5) Shorts Film Fest & African Festival & Carnegie Hall Concert on Staten Island;
6) also Free Outdoor Concerts, Movies & Theater, Farmers Markets, NYC Public Outdoor Swimming Pools, Street Fairs, Public Beaches
NYC Weekend Weather. The temperature highs will be in the mid 80's and the temperature lows in the low 70's. The humidity will be about 60% Friday, rising to 70% Saturday and peaking at 80% on Sunday, before falling back a bit on Monday. The winds will be about 5 mph all weekend. There's the possibility of a tenth inch of rain Friday.
The photo at right was taken at the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival in Tompkins Square Park in the East Village in a prior year. The festival returns to Washington Heights and the East Village this weekend.
Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan NYC
Tuesday - Sundays, August 10 - September 11, 2022 beginning at 8 pm [no show on Saturday, September 10] - As You Like It - By William Shakespeare / Adapted by Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolery. This adaptation of the Shakespearean classic romantic comedy addresses love and gender. Free Shakespeare in the park at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park in Manhattan NYC. Free theater but you need to rsvp a ticket online at least one day prior to performance. For details see www.publictheater.org.
Friday, August 26, 2022 from 7 - 9 pm - Charlie Parker Jazz Festival - featuring Jazzmeia Horn and Her Noble Force / Calvin Booker On Tap & Friends in tandem with the JazzMobile. Marcus Garvey Park at 18 Mount Morris Park West in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan. No rsvp needed. First come / first serve. Organized by SummerStage - www.cityparksfoundation.org.
Saturday, Aug 27 @ at 2 pm - - Teacher! Teacher! or P.S. I love you. — Washington Square Park. They describe the play as follows, " ... a rip-roaring original musical which tells the story of a struggling teacher in an underserved neighborhood who puts her life on the line for her kids ...". Washington Square Park is located between 4th Street and Waverly and between MacDougal and University Place in the Village. Organized by the Parks Dept & Theater for the New City aka TNC at www.theaterforthenewcity.net. Free.
Sunday, August 28, 2022 from 3 - 7 pm - Charlie Parker Jazz Festival - featuring Archie Shepp and Jason Moran featuring Cecile McLorin Salvant / Melissa Aldana / Bria Skonberg / Pasquale Grasso - perform in Tompkins Square Park located between Avenues A & B and between 7th Street & 10th Street in the East Village. . No rsvp needed. First come / first serve. Organized by SummerStage - www.cityparksfoundation.org.
Things To Do This Weekend in Queens NYC
Friday, August 26, 2022 from 5 - 9 pm - MoMA PS1 Warm Up Party Replacement. They'll have a few DJ's playing tunes in their back courtyard. PS1 MoMa is located at 22-15 Jackson Avenue in Long Island City, LIC Queens.
June, July, August & September 2022 - Every Hour from 11 am - 4 pm Daily - Wings Over Water in 3D. This is a 22 minute long 3D movie about the migratory patterns of birds. The film follows a number of different species as they do their annual migrations through mountains, deserts, cities, and forests along hidden waterways left behind by the melted glaciers. The NY Hall of Science is located at the western end of Flushing Meadows Corona Park at 47-01 111th Street at 47th Avenue in Corona / Flushing Queens NYC. Admission $4 / $5 / www.nysci.org
Sunday, August 28, 2022 beginning at 2 pm - Teacher! Teacher! or P.S. I love you. They describe the play as follows, " ... a rip-roaring original musical which tells the story of a struggling teacher in an underserved neighborhood who puts her life on the line for her kids ...". Free summer theater in Travers Park at 34th Avenue Between 77th and 78th Street in Jackson Heights Queens NYC.
The U.S. Open Tennis Tournament begins Monday.
Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn NYC
Thursday - Sunday, August 18 - August 28, 2022 from about 6 - 10 pm and probably starts earlier on the weekends - The 40th Annual Feast of Santa Rosalia - Along 18th Avenue from 68th to 75th Streets in Bensonhurst. Rides, Italian food and shopping and live entertainment. Processions at 3 pm on both Sundays at 18th Avenue and 72nd Street. Organized by FIAO Brooklyn. Brooklyn street fairs in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of BK.
Saturday & Sunday, August 27 & 28, 2022 from 11 am - 3 pm - The Battle of Brooklyn - Revolutionary War Commemoration - 500 West 25th Street at Greenwood Cemetery. There are three trolley tours scheduled on Saturday beginning at 10 am, 1 pm and 3.30 pm which cost $30 / $25. The Sunday events are free with a suggested donation of $5 for the cemetery. In the past the Sunday program includes an interactive program about life on the battlefield at 11 am, a parade at 12.30 pm, and a commemoration ceremony at 1.15 pm - THIS IS LIKELY THE 2022 EVENTS SCHEDULE BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN CONFIRMED. This is an historic festival in the Greenwood Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. Space is limited so it's recommended that you get your free tickets now [recommended donation $5] at https://www.green-wood.com/calendar/list/?tribe-bar-date=2022-08-26
Sunday, August 28, 2022 from 10 am - 6 pm. 45th Annual Brighton Jubilee. Along Brighton Beach Avenue from Corbin Place to Coney Island Avenue [has bathrooms] turning down toward the beach. There's live entertainment stages at Brighton 11th Street & at 14th Street, as well as food, shopping and kiddie rides. By the Brighton Neighborhood Assn. Brooklyn street fairs / Brooklyn St Festivals in Brighton Beach & Manhattan Beach. For details see - http://brightonbeach.com/jubilee-festival.html
Friday & Saturday nights, July & August, 2022 beginning at 8 pm on Friday and 9 pm on Saturday - Burlesque at the Beach. A new burlesque related show each Friday and Saturday night throughout the summer. Coney Island Side Show and Coney Island Burlesque. At the Coney Island Museum at 1208 Surf Avenue [at Stillwell Avenue] in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn. It's adjacent to Luna Park, which stands between it and the boardwalk. Admission is about $20.
Daily August 2022 - Coney Island Museum. They describe the museum as follows, " ... For over a century, the Coney Island amusement district has represented the changing face of American popular culture. A source of wonders, thrills, and larger-than-life spectacles for many generations, Coney Island has also been the site of a wide range of historical innovations, including the hot dog, the first escalator ride, and the introduction of the infant incubator as a tool for neonatal care. The Coney Island Museum is the only accredited institution singularly dedicated to preserving, protecting, and interpreting the unique history of the People’s Playground. It houses the world’s premier collection of Coney Island photographs, paintings, ephemera, amusement-related objects, architectural elements, and vintage signs on view to the public. In addition to the permanent collection, the Museum also hosts special exhibitions and lectures on Coney Island’s history and impact. The Museum’s archives are available as a critical resource to researching scholars and its public displays support educators from local schools ... ". Admission $3 / $5. Note - They periodically close for special events so you're advised to check their website before planning a visit - www.coneyisland.com
Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx NYC
Saturday, August 27, 2022 from 1 to 8 pm - Bronx Night Market in Fordham Plaza just south of the train station. A diversified food fest.
Friday, August 26, 2022 beginnning at 8 pm - STAYCEE PEARL DANCE PROJECT​... ALL NIGHT LONG (Working Title). A staged installation celebrating house music and culture. At the Bronx Academy of Arts & Dance located at 2474 Westchester Avenue in the Westchester Square neighborhood of the Bronx.
Saturday, August 27, 2022 from 1 - 4 pm - Family Day - This is described not as a street fair, but arts and crafts workshop, " ... a day of art making, music and celebration as well as the debut of Abigail DeVille's oral history space capsule project, where a sculpture taking the form of a space capsule outfitted with sound recording equipment will be used to collect and share personal stories and alternative narratives of the Bronx ... ". At the Bronx Museum 1040 Grand Concourse at 165th Street in the Bronx NYC.
Saturday, August 27, 2022 from 2 to 6 pm - Stage Garden Rumba - They describe the event as: "... Presented in partnership with Pregones / PRTT, Stage Garden Rumba is an open invitation for all New Yorkers to experience the cultural riches, regional community gardens and green spaces, and vibrant Casitas of the South Bronx ... The series will again feature extraordinary Artists - actors, singers, dancers, writers; Activists with the pulse of local, national, and international struggle and social justice; and Community Members ... Hyperlocal and universal, Stage Garden Rumba brings together voices of joy and revolution to fuel our collective imagination and propel us into a self-determined future ... ". At the Bronx Sunshine Community Garden at 1768 Bryant Avenue at 174th Street near the New Horizon Shopping Mall in the West Farms / Longwood / East Tremont neighborhoods in the Bronx.
Fridays and Saturdays from 6 pm to 10 pm, and Sundays from 3 pm to 9 pm - Piazza di Belmont - Outdoor dining on Arthur Avenue which will be closed to vehicular traffic from East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue during the above mentioned times. Ends Sept 25, 2022.
Daily thru October 30, 2022 - Walk Among Dinosaurs. This isn't a movie per se, but perhaps even better than one. The Bronx Zoo has an exhibit of 52 life-sized dinosaurs, some of which have animatronics in them. The Bronx Zoo is located at 2300 Southern Blvd in the Bronx. You will need to rsvp a timed ticket and check their website for the latest CoVid guidance - https://bronxzoo.com.
Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island NYC
Saturday, August 27, 2022 from 12 noon - 7 pm there's the African Festival at 450 Front Street, just across from Maker Park in the Stapleton neighborhood of Staten Island. They describe the event as follows, " ... The 2 day event is the celebration of African Culture and showcases African music, fine arts, literature, drama, dance, and fashion ...". While this is primarily a cultural festival, there will also be opportunities to purchase African food, clothing and art. Entrance Free. Organized by www.africanfestnyc.org. & http://www.nigeriancommunity.org/aboutus.html
Saturday, August 27, 2022 from 5 - 6 pm - Jayme Stones Folklife. This group performs an eclectic mix of North American folk music. At the General Store in Historic Richmond Town on Staten Island. Free, but you're encouraged to rsvp at https://www.historicrichmondtown.org. This is a Carnegie Hall Citywide concert - https://www.carnegiehall.org/Events/Citywide.
Saturday & Sunday, August 27 & 28, 2022 from 5 - 10 pm - Staten Island Summer of Shorts Film Festival. At the Old Dutch Church at 54 Port Richmond Avenue in the Port Richmond neighborhood on Staten Island. Opens at 5 pm where you can meet and greet the film folks. Screenings begin at 6 pm. Admission $10 / Tickets on eventbrite / http://www.olddutchchurchnyc.org.
Have a good weekend, and in the meantime here are links to all sorts of summer activities in all five boros, which include further details to many of the events above. Enjoy.
The second NYS primary election is on Tuesday, August 23rd. On the ballot are the U.S. Congressional races and the NYS Senate races, which were not on the ballot on June 28th.
Reason for the Second Primary this Summer & Races to Watch
The reason there were two NYS primaries this year is that the electoral districts drawn up by the Democrats were so gerrymandered, that an upstate court ordered the NYS Legislature to redraw them more fairly. The decision was upheld on Appeal, but due to the timing - the Appeal decision came down in April - there wasn't enough time to redraw the maps in time for the June primary. Hence a second primary today.
The biggest contests to watch coming out of this election is the one pitting two longtime Congresspeople against each other in District 12 - Jerry Nadler of the Upper West Side and Carolyn Maloney of the Upper East Side. And there's a tight race just north of the city in Westchester where Alessandra Biaggi is challenging Sean Patrick Maloney in District 13. Earlier this summer, former Mayor de Blasio dropped out of the congressional race in the newly redrawn 10th District which encompasses part of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Click on the image above to access the poll finder website, so you can easily find where to vote in your neighborhood. Remember this is the land of the free and the home of the brave, and many of our ancestors died for our right to elect our leaders. A similar struggle for freedom from oppression is going on in Ukraine right now. So in as much as you can, do your homework before voting for those you choose to represent you / us. There's still time to do some research on candidates on the web.
The New York State election is Tuesday August 23rd, and polls are open from 6 am - 9 pm. Click on the graphic above, to find your poll site.
Things To Do in NYC This Weekend
1) Indian Parade, Baand Dance Festival, Last Weekend for Summer Streets NYC, Macbeth in Manhattan
2) Summer Theater is in Full Swing, Free Fan Tickets to U.S. Open Trials Next Week in Queens,
3) Feast of Saint Rosalia in Brooklyn;
4) Salsa Fest, Dinosaurs at the Zoo, Piazza di Belmont & Subway Series in the Bronx;
5) Summer Concert on Staten Island;
6) also Free Outdoor Concerts, Movies & Theater, Farmers Markets, NYC Public Outdoor Swimming Pools, Street Fairs, Public Beaches
NYC Weekend Weather. The temperature highs will be in the high 80's Saturday and the low 80's on Sunday. The temperature lows will be around 70 all weekend. There will be a gentle breeze between 5 - 10 mph all weekend, descending as the time passes. The humidity will rise throughout the weekend, from 50% - 70% on Saturday to 60% to 80% on Sunday. There's a slight chance of rain late Sunday, and about an inch of rain or more starting early Monday.
Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan NYC
On Thursdays thru Sundays, July 28 - August 21, 2022 from 6.30 - 8.30 pm / Macbeth - A Shakespearean classic. On the north patio of the Soldiers & Sailors Monument which can be accessed at West 89th Street and Riverside Drive on the Upper West Side. Take the steps behind the monument down to the large patio. CoVid Guidelines. Proof of vaccination and the wearing of a mask are still required. Also attendees must be seated before the 6.30 pm opening. Free.
Beginning Wednesday, August 17, 2022 and running through the weekend the BAAND Together Dance Festival will be held in Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center on the Upper West Side. It's billed as, "... an unprecedented celebration of dance, [with] Ballet Hispánico, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and Dance Theatre of Harlem sharing the spotlight for the 1st time ...".
Saturdays, August 6, 13 & 20, 2022 from 7 am to 1 pm - NYC Summer Streets - There will be street closures to autos and trucks along Lafayette starting at the Brooklyn Bridge, going north to 4th Avenue in the Village, which merges into Park Avenue at Union Square, ending at 72nd Street. People are welcome to bike, stroll, skateboard and whatnot. Motorists will have access to some major cross streets which you can find listed by cutting & pasting this web address into your browser - http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/summerstreets/html/about/neighbors.shtml.
On Sunday, August 21, 2022 beginning at 12 noon, the India Day Parade marches south along Madison Avenue from 38th Street to 27th Street. The parade is followed by a food and street fair in Madison Square Park.
Use the Manhattan free summer theater, concerts and movies links below to get further details on many of the above events as well as to obtain information about upcoming theater, dance & concert performances and movies at various locations in Manhattan including free concerts / performances at Lincoln Center on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, Salsa dancing / instruction in Washington Square Park on Tuesday evenings, free SummerStage concerts weekly, free Naumberg Bandshell concerts on Tuesdays in Central Park, Thursday or Friday morning concerts at Rockefeller Center, Friday evening concerts in Bryant Park, Wednesday afternoon concerts near Grand Central Terminal, Wednesday films shown in the evening at the Cafe at Pier I in Riverside Park, Monday evening films in Bryant Park, Wednesday evening films in Washington Square Park, Thursday or Saturday evening films at the Westfield World Trade Center, Laughter in the Park performances on Wednesdays at Lincoln Center, and the Harlem Meer Performance Festival on Sundays in Central Park.
Things To Do This Weekend in Queens NYC
Check out the summer theater page link below for a full list of summer outdoor theater performances happening this month in Queens.
Use the links below to see details about the concerts, theater and movie events above, as well as for details on the freesummer concerts, theater and movies for the rest of this summer in Queens. For example next Monday free summer movies in Astoria Park, free performances of Shakespeare in Queens parks, a concert and fair in Rufus King Park in Jamaica, a paid movie with workshop at the Queens Botanical Garden on Saturday, free concerts and dance performances in Athens Square Park in Astoria on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, live music and dance in Travers Park in Jackson Heights on Sunday, and a free concert in Gantry State Park in Tuesdays. Also a 3D movie at the NY Hall of Science in Flushing.
From Tuesday through Friday, August 23 - 26, 2022 beginning at 11 am the U.S. Open Qualifing Matches are open to the public for free at the USTA in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Register for a Fan Access Pass at https://www.usopen.org/en_US/about/us_open_fan_week.html
Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn NYC
Thursday - Sunday, August 18 - August 28, 2022 from about 6 - 10 pm and probably starts earlier on the weekends - The 40th Annual Feast of Santa Rosalia - Along 18th Avenue from 68th to 75th Streets in Bensonhurst. Rides, Italian food and shopping and live entertainment. Processions at 3 pm on both Sundays at 18th Avenue and 72nd Street. Organized by FIAO Brooklyn. Brooklyn street fairs in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of BK.
Use the links below to see details about the concerts, theater and movie events above, as well as for details on the freesummer concerts this Fridays at Brooklyn Bridge Park, on weekdays in Downtown Brooklyn, also at the Industry City Bandshell. And there are free summer weekday movies in the parks including Transmitter Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Fort Greene Park, Prospect Park and on the Coney Island Boardwalk.
Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx NYC
Thursday, August 11 - Sunday, August 21, 2022 from 6 pm - 10 pm St Helena Summer Fair. Times may vary on the weekend. It's an old fashioned carnival with rides, games, food and beverages. At the Church of St. Helena in the Parking Lot at 1315 Olmsted in Parchester, near Castle Hill in the Bronx. For details see https://www.churchofsthelena.com/.
On Saturday, August 20, 2022 beginning at 4 pm there's a Salsa Fest at the Bronx Music Hall Plaza at 438 East 163rd Street [at Washington]. These events generally last about one to two hours.
Fridays and Saturdays from 6 pm to 10 pm, and Sundays from 3 pm to 9 pm - Piazza di Belmont - Outdoor dining on Arthur Avenue which will be closed to vehicular traffic from East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue during the above mentioned times. Ends Sept 25, 2022.
Daily thru October 30, 2022 - Walk Among Dinosaurs. This isn't a movie per se, but perhaps even better than one. The Bronx Zoo has an exhibit of 52 life-sized dinosaurs, some of which have animatronics in them. The Bronx Zoo is located at 2300 Southern Blvd in the Bronx. You will need to rsvp a timed ticket and check their website for the latest CoVid guidance - https://bronxzoo.com.
Use the links below to see details about the concerts, theater and movie events above, as well as for details on the freesummer concerts, theater and movies for the rest of this summer in the Bronx.
On Monday & Tuesday, August 22 & 23, 2022 the second half of the Yankee / Mets subway series begins at CitiField at 7.05 pm. I found tickets going for $99 to $475 for regular seats. Or instead of paying what seems an outrageous amount of money to a billionaire in order to sweat profusely through a three hour local baseball game, you drop in on your favorite air conditioned sports bar and watch it there, with drinks and food and air conditioning, for less than the price of a ticket. But you're advised to check that the bar is showing the game, as the TV / video rights can be a complicated maze, when it comes to figuring out what services will carry the games.
Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island NYC
On August 11, 2022 beginning at 7 pm - Sounds of Summer Concert. Hughie Lynch / Joan Caddell & The Midnight Choir. Free summer outdoor concerts at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, 1000 Richmond Terrace in the Randall Manor neighborhood in the northern section of Staten Island NYC. Details at www.statenislandusa.com
Use the links below to see details about the concerts, theater and movie events above, as well as for details on the freesummer concerts, theater and movies for the rest of this summer on Staten Island.
Have a good weekend, and in the meantime here are links to all sorts of summer activities in all five boros, which include further details to many of the events above. Enjoy.
NYC Weekend Weather. The temperature highs will be in the low 80's and the temperature lows in the mid 60's all weekend. The humidity drops to 40 - 50% all weekend except Sunday when it begins rising again to about 60%. The winds will be 4 - 10 mph all weekend. No rain is in the forecast.
In the photo at right is a hip hop performer who is a part of a troupe that performed outside the entrance at Christies New York [an auction house] last weekend. The performance was part of a citywide dance festival [we only posted a couple of events], and also a tie into Christies' current online auction of early Hip Hop memorabilia which expires on August 18th, 2022.
Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan NYC
Saturday, August 13, 2022 from 1 - 9 pm - Blues BBQ Festival. Free summer concerts at Pier 76 near Chelsea Piers in Midtown Manhattan NYC. Free admission, with food not included. For details see - https://hudsonriverpark.org/visit/events/event/blues-bbq-festival-2022/
Saturdays, August 6, 13 & 20, 2022 from 7 am to 1 pm - NYC Summer Streets - There will be street closures to autos and trucks along Lafayette starting at the Brooklyn Bridge, going north to 4th Avenue in the Village, which merges into Park Avenue at Union Square, ending at 72nd Street. People are welcome to bike, stroll, skateboard and whatnot. Motorists will have access to some major cross streets which you can find listed by cutting & pasting this web address into your browser - http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/summerstreets/html/about/neighbors.shtml.
On Sunday, August 14, 2022 beginning at 1 pm there's a Dominican Parade that marches up 6th Avenue from 38th Street to 56th Street in Manhattan.
On Thursdays thru Sundays, July 28 - August 21, 2022 from 6.30 - 8.30 pm / Macbeth - A Shakespearean classic. On the north patio of the Soldiers & Sailors Monument which can be accessed at West 89th Street and Riverside Drive on the Upper West Side. Take the steps behind the monument down to the large patio. CoVid Guidelines. Proof of vaccination and the wearing of a mask are still required. Also attendees must be seated before the 6.30 pm opening. Free.
Thursday, August 4 - Sunday, August 14, 2022 - The Little Shakespeare Festival. It's called 'little' because each production contains only four or five actors. 1) August 4 & 6 - As You Will - at 9 pm and 7 pm respectively, 2) August 5, 7, 11, 12 & 14 - Romeo & Juliet - at 7 pm weekdays and 5.30 pm and 4 pm respectively on Sundays, 3) August 6, 10 & 13 - Unspoken Garden - at 2 pm Saturdays & 7 pm weekday, 4) August 9 - Fights of Shakesepeare & As You Will [double feature] - at 7 pm and 5) Brawls & Burlesque, August 13 at 7 pm & 14 at 2 pm. At the Frigid Theater NYC which performs at Under St. Mark's Theater which is located in the basement at 94 St Marks Place [=8th Street] at 1st Avenue in the East Village - www.frigid.nyc / Tickets are $25 / $20.
August 3 - 13, 2022 - Asian American International Film Festival. This year [2022] they're back with live events and in person screenings at the Asia Society & Museum on the Upper East Side. The Asia Society & Museum is located at 725 Park Avenue at East 70th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan NYC. Tickets are $16 / $10 - For details see www.aaiff.org.
On Saturday, August 13, 2022 from 4 - 7 pm, Great Jazz on the Great Hill [enter at 106th Street & Central Park West] in Central Park. Organized in a collaboration by the Jazzmobile and the Central Park Conservancy. Free.
Use the Manhattan free summer theater, concerts and movies links below to get further details on many of the above events as well as to obtain information about upcoming theater, dance & concert performances and movies at various locations in Manhattan including free concerts / performances at Lincoln Center on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, Salsa dancing / instruction in Washington Square Park on Tuesday evenings, free SummerStage concerts weekly, free Naumberg Bandshell concerts on Tuesdays in Central Park, Thursday or Friday morning concerts at Rockefeller Center, Friday evening concerts in Bryant Park, Wednesday afternoon concerts near Grand Central Terminal, Wednesday films shown in the evening at the Cafe at Pier I in Riverside Park, Monday evening films in Bryant Park, Wednesday evening films in Washington Square Park, Thursday or Saturday evening films at the Westfield World Trade Center, Laughter in the Park performances on Wednesdays at Lincoln Center, and the Harlem Meer Performance Festival on Sundays in Central Park.
Central Park Film Festival begins Monday, August 15, 2022 on the Landscape between Sheep Meadow and the 72nd Street cross drive. Free.
Beginning Wednesday, August 17, 2022 and running through the weekend the BAAND Together Dance Festival will be held in Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center on the Upper West Side. It's billed as, "... an unprecedented celebration of dance, [with] Ballet Hispánico, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and Dance Theatre of Harlem sharing the spotlight for the 1st time ...".
Things To Do This Weekend in Queens NYC
Sunday, August 14, 2022 from 2 - 6 pm - India Day Mini Parade & Celebration - At 244-44 87th Avenue [between 87th - 88th Avenues] in Bellerose in Gregorian Hall. A mini indoor parade, dignitaries, entertainment including song and dance, and food and shopping stalls. This is organized by the Bellerose Indian Merchants Association. For details see FB - https://www.facebook.com/indiadayparadequeens/photos/a.851141258371065/2276180899200420/
Friday - Sunday, August 5 - 14, 2022 beginning at various times - Festival of Cinema [formerly the Kew Gardens Film Festival]. They're showing a mix of independent films including documentary, drama, shorts and comedy. At the Regal United Artists Midway at 108-22 Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills. Ticket prices are $10 / $25 / $50. They also offer packages which you can purchase online at www.festivalofcinemanyc.com.
Use the links below to see details about the concerts, theater and movie events above, as well as for details on the freesummer concerts, theater and movies for the rest of this summer in Queens. For example next Monday free summer movies in Astoria Park, free performances of Shakespeare in Queens parks, a concert and fair in Rufus King Park in Jamaica, a paid movie with workshop at the Queens Botanical Garden on Saturday, free concerts and dance performances in Athens Square Park in Astoria on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, live music and dance in Travers Park in Jackson Heights on Sunday, and a free concert in Gantry State Park in Tuesdays. Also a 3D movie at the NY Hall of Science in Flushing.
From Tuesday through Friday, August 23 - 26, 2022 beginning at 11 am the U.S. Open Qualifing Matches are open to the public for free at the USTA in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Register for a Fan Access Pass at https://www.usopen.org/en_US/about/us_open_fan_week.html
Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn NYC
August 13, 2022 beginning at 12 noon - the Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest begins on the Beach at West 12th Street in Coney Island in Brooklyn. It's the 30th year. https://seasideparkconeyisland.com/coney-island/events
Saturday, August 13, 2022 from 3 pm - 8 pm. 2nd Annual Brooklyn Rum Festival. At the Brooklyn Monarch at 23 Meadows Stret in the East Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. Sample 50 rums from the Caribbean Islands as well as food, entertainment and dancing. Street fairs in BK. Tickets $60 - $80 for 21 + and no tickets sold at door - see eventbrite. For details see - www.irumtheworld.com.
August 11 - 14, 2022 - Hip Hop Film Festival - This Moved to Brooklyn from Harlem - The annual Hip Hop film festival in Harlem. Tickets run from free to $20 and some go up at www.hiphopfilmfestival.org.
Use the links below to see details about the concerts, theater and movie events above, as well as for details on the freesummer concerts this Fridays at Brooklyn Bridge Park, on weekdays in Downtown Brooklyn, also at the Industry City Bandshell. And there are free summer weekday movies in the parks including Transmitter Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Fort Greene Park, Prospect Park and on the Coney Island Boardwalk.
Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx NYC
See Brooklyn above for the Hip Hop Film Festival.
Thursday, August 11 - Sunday, August 21, 2022 from 6 pm - 10 pm St Helena Summer Fair. Times may vary on the weekend. It's an old fashioned carnival with rides, games, food and beverages. At the Church of St. Helena in the Parking Lot at 1315 Olmsted in Parchester, near Castle Hill in the Bronx. For details see https://www.churchofsthelena.com/.
Thursday - Saturday, August 11 - 13, 2022 - Times Vary - Abdul Latif D2D/T Matched: An Extension. A three day dance performance event taking place in various spaces around the BAAD facility. BAAD is the Bronx Academy of Arts & Dance is located at 2474 Westchester Avenue in the Westchester Square neighborhood of the Bronx. I believe it may be a paid event - www.baadbronx.org / as of this post it seems their ticket check out isn't working so just in case here's a telephone number - (718) 918-2110.
Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday, August 11 - 14, 2022 beginning at 6 pm - SummerStage Concert Series. Free.
Thursday, August 11, 2022 beginning at 6 pm - Tony Vega I George Lamond / Uptown Vinyl Supreme. Free.
Friday, August 12, 2022 beginning at 6 pm - Urban Bush Women / Cheri L. Stokes. Free.
Saturday, August 13, 2022 beginning at 6 pm - Shatta Wale / Wiyaala. Free.
Sunday, August 14, 2022 beginning at 4 pm - Kid Capri's Block Party Live feat. Vina Love and The Hoodies. Free.
Saturday, August 13, 2022 beginning at 4 pm - Sabado de Rumba con Gene Golden - Musical performance at the Bronx Music Heritage Center outdoor plaza at 438 East 163rd Street in Morrisania at Washington Avenue. NOTE. Many of the performances are outside at 443 East 162nd which is outside the southern entrance, so you might have to look around. Free. https://www.facebook.com/bxmusic/
Sunday, August 14, 2022 beginning at 4 pm a concert by the Orchestra of St. Lukes at the Bartow Pell Mansion at 895 Shore Road in Pelham Bay Park [across from the golf course].
Fridays and Saturdays from 6 pm to 10 pm, and Sundays from 3 pm to 9 pm - Piazza di Belmont - Outdoor dining on Arthur Avenue which will be closed to vehicular traffic from East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue during the above mentioned times. Ends Sept 25, 2022.
Daily thru October 30, 2022 - Walk Among Dinosaurs. This isn't a movie per se, but perhaps even better than one. The Bronx Zoo has an exhibit of 52 life-sized dinosaurs, some of which have animatronics in them. The Bronx Zoo is located at 2300 Southern Blvd in the Bronx. You will need to rsvp a timed ticket and check their website for the latest CoVid guidance - https://bronxzoo.com.
Use the links below to see details about the concerts, theater and movie events above, as well as for details on the freesummer concerts, theater and movies for the rest of this summer in the Bronx.
On Thursday, August 18, 2022 from 5 - 8 pm there's an opening party for the unveiling of the Sweet Gum Community Garden at 995 Summit Avenue in the Bronx. The event is organized by the Coalition for Immigrant Freedom.
Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island NYC
On August 11, 2022 beginning at 7 pm - Sounds of Summer Concert. Hughie Lynch / Joan Caddell & The Midnight Choir. Free summer outdoor concerts at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, 1000 Richmond Terrace in the Randall Manor neighborhood in the northern section of Staten Island NYC. Details at www.statenislandusa.com
Use the links below to see details about the concerts, theater and movie events above, as well as for details on the freesummer concerts, theater and movies for the rest of this summer on Staten Island.
Have a good weekend, and in the meantime here are links to all sorts of summer activities in all five boros, which include further details to many of the events above. Enjoy.
Weather. The temperature highs will be in the mid to high 90's today, falling into the mid 80's for the rest of the week. The temperature lows will be around 70 all week. The humidity will rise from the mid 50's early Tuesday to the mid 70's by Wednesday, falling back to about 60% on Thursday and a comfortable 50% on Friday. There's a 50% chance of a 1/10th inch of rain between 5 - 10 pm Tuesday, and a 50 - 75% chance of about a half inch or more of rain between 11 pm Wednesday and 9 am Thursday. By Friday it's a very nice day, leading into a very nice weekend.
CoVid Containment in NYC - MTA Should Either Enforce the Mask Mandate or Withdraw it
This past weekend I noticed that half or less of the passengers on the subway appear to be following the mask mandate. To the MTA I suggest either enforce the mandate, or withdraw it. You weaken the government's credibility and ability to enforce compliance, when you mandate something and then do not follow through by properly / evenly enforcing it. Every good parent knows that.
The BA.5 variant of CoVid grew rapidly from under 10% at the beginning of June 2022, to above 80% by the end of July. Cases rose briefly during that period, before falling back again. About 79% of all Americans have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while about 68% have received two or more. In NYS 91% of New Yorkers have received at least one dose, while 78% have received two or more doses. Because the population has finally come around to getting vaccinated, the hospitalization rates for CoVid are fairly low, with only a small percentage of hospital beds being utilized for CoVid patients, most of which are occupied by the non-vaxers.
Bear in mind that it's the summertime, which is the off season for the disease, because folks are outdoors.
Monkey Pox Declared a Public Health Emergency - New Cases in NYC Plummet
On Friday, August 5, 2022 President Biden declared Monkey Pox a public health emergency. According to the CDC, monkey pox cases have risen to about 8,934 as of Monday, August 8, 2022. The first case reported to the CDC in this country was on May 17, 2022.
In New York City, monkey pox cases have risen to 1,965 according to the NYC government, so NYC represents between a fifth and a quarter of the total in the U.S. About 90% of the cases have been found in the gay community, but like HIV / AIDs, while it appears to be predominantly transmitted between gay men, anyone can catch it.
Monkey pox has been spreading primarily through sexual contact, but it can also be spread through bodily fluids like saliva, and via clothing or bedding, and in a few cases it was even spread via prolonged, close, face-to-face contact. It becomes manifest as a rash, and can take as long as four weeks to go away. There are treatments to help get through the disease once you have it, but getting vaccinated, particularly if you're a gay man, is your best bet. To date NYC has received 79,000 vaccination doses, and it is estimated that there are about 150,000 New Yorkers in the highly susceptible monkey pox group.
While monkey pox vaccination doses are being manufactured to ramp up to demand, authorities have been devising strategies to mitigate the spread by prioritizing first [of two] doses and evaluating the possibility of reducing the size of each dose, in order to increase the number of doses available.
The good news, is that because of the rapid spread of health information surrounding the disease, how and where it's spread, and the fairly rapid response in distributing and administering vaccines, the new monkey pox case count in NYC has already plummeted, as you can see from the chart I found on the NYC government website.
There are monkey pox vaccination clinics in all five boroughs which you can find, along with more information about the virus, at
Tourism Bounces Back in NYC, but Foreign Visits Lagging Domestics, Likely Because of the Strong Dollar & not Crime as Many News Outlets Suggest
Over the course of the past few months, I've noticed a healthy return of the tourism trade based on what I've been seeing and hearing as I walk the streets and take public transit.
In 2019, prior to the pandemic, NYC welcomed about 65 million visitors, of which about 13 million were from foreign countries. The foreigners generally stay longer and spend more than domestic tourists. This year, 2022, it is estimated that NYC will welcome about 56 million tourists, of which about 8 million are expected to come from other nations. This means about 95% of the domestic tourism trade will return, while only about 60% of the foreign tourist trade will return this year.
While many news outlets appear to hype violent crime as the culprit in discouraging the foreign tourist trade, I think the fact that the Euro has fallen about 20% versus the dollar is more likely the cause. Because the Euro currency fall, visiting New York is more expensive by about 20%, to Euro currency visitors, who comprise a large share of our foreign tourism.
The tourism trade contributes between 5% [wages] to 8% [employment] of NYC revenue.
The pandemic changed most of our lives in some fashion, while turning many people's lives completely upside down for a while. Many service businesses, like restaurants and hotels, saw a huge falloff in business. The airline industry and other transit businesses took a huge hit. The live entertainment industry, such as we see on Broadway, faded to black - meaning it nearly completely shut down.
So while the service businesses were getting hammered, the goods businesses were thriving. Consumers shifted their spending from doing things related to the service businesses identified above, to buying more goods, particularly those that would make staying at home more comfortable or pleasureable. This put added pressure on the demand for goods, while manufacturers were having trouble keeping their workforces healthy enough to continue producing and shipping their goods. Bottlenecks cropped up.
Conversely, as the pandemic has unwound, service businesses are bouncing back. We saw this in the huge employment increase in the July jobs report, where the economy added over a half million new jobs. A healthy normal monthly number of new jobs is somewhere in the neighborhood of 250,000 to 300,000 new jobs. So, now we're working through a backlog of pent up service demand.
What's my point in all of this? It's that we all need to stay calm and remain patient, as the boat / community collectively rights itself, returning back into some sort on new normalized equilibrium.
I believe this is also true, in part, of violent crime - although one can't help but talk about the 50 million plus new guns sold in America during the pandemic, as also contributing to the violent crime problem. During the pandemic violent crime has risen - not just in NYC - but all over America. According to a June 25, 2022 report by NPR, there have been at least 281 mass shootings in America this year to date; and 27 shootings have taken place in schools, so far this year.
The Supreme Court didn't help things any, by striking down a prior, century-old court ruling enabling NYS to screen folks who want to walk the streets armed. Governor Hochul responded fairly quickly, by proposing legislation that will make carrrying a weapon inside government buildings, schools and so forth illegal.
The bit of good news is that on June 25, 2022 President Biden signed a gun safety bill into law. It was the first in 30 years. The bill included: 1) federal incentives for states to pass red flag laws, which would enable petitioners to ask the government to take firearms away from folks deemed dangerous, 2) it expanded background checks of people aged 18 - 21 who wish to purchase weapons, and 3) prevents people convicted of domestic abuse from owning a gun, whether that abuse was directed at a spouse [in prior law] or a dating partner [new law change / addition]. While many, including the President, didn't feel the new legislation went far enough, it does move the gun violence needle a little bit in the right direction.
Have a good week.
Things To Do in NYC This Weekend
1) Giglio Festival in East Harlem, SHENYC & Mostly Mozart Festivals Ending, Macbeth, Little Shakespeare Fest & Asian American Film Fest continue in Manhattan
2) Ecuadorian Parade, Festival of Cinema and Jamaica JAMS in Queens,
3) Shakespeare in Fort Greene Park, Hindu Lamp Festival at BK Bridge Park, Last Weekend of the BRIC Concerts in Prospect Park in Brooklyn;
4) A Contemporary Play Performance, Old Timers Music Festival in Crotona Park, Kids Theater at Lehman, Dance Party, Dinosaurs & Piazza di Belmont in the Bronx;
5) Mame Continues at the Victory Theater, Dance Festival at Snug Harbor on Staten Island;
6) and Free Outdoor Concerts, Movies & Theater, Farmers Markets, NYC Public Outdoor Swimming Pools, Street Fairs, Public Beaches
NYC Weekend Weather. The temperature highs will be around 90 and the temperature lows around 80. The humidity will be around 70% all weekend and winds will be 5 - 10 mph all weekend. There's a 40% - 50% chance of one to two tenths of an inch of rain each day, with the best chances on Friday evening between 7 and 8 pm, on Saturday between 12 noon and 5 pm, and on Sunday between 12 noon and 2 pm.
The photo at right was taken at the Ecuadorian Parade in Queens in a prior year.
Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan NYC
Saturday July 30 - August 7, 2022 - The Giglio Festival in East Harlem began last week between 448 - 456 East 116th Street between 1st and Pleasant Avenues with a church service and a few festivities, including the dressing of the Giglio on Saturday, July 30, 2022 beginning at 8 am, followed by the Annual East Harlem Giglio BBQ. The celebration then resumes in earnest Thursday evening, August 4th between 114th and 116th Streets along Pleasant Avenue, with food, music and dance, which continues on Friday, August 5th, until about 8 pm. On Saturday, August 6, there's the Children's Giglio at 7 pm at Pleasant Avenue and East 115th Street, which is preceded by food and performance events beginning at 12 noon, including a singing performance by Biagio. On Sunday the fun continues between 12 noon and 7 pm, with the Giglio lifts beginning sometime after 1.30 pm until about 7 - 8 pm.
August 3 - 13, 2022 - Asian American International Film Festival. This year [2022] they're back with live events and in person screenings at the Asia Society & Museum on the Upper East Side. The Asia Society & Museum is located at 725 Park Avenue at East 70th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan NYC. Tickets are $16 / $10 - For details see www.aaiff.org.
Saturday, August 6, 2022 from 11 am - 5 pm - Rockefeller Block Party / Christies Auction House / Hip Hop. The focal point is the skating rink at Rockefeller Plaza, but we're informed this event consists of 100 blocks in all five boroughs. It's free, but an rsvp is required - https://www.rockefellercenter.com/events/christie-s-block-party-and-festival-of-new-york-dance-party/
Thru Sunday, August 7, 2022 at various times - SHENYC Festival - at Connelly Theater at 220 East 4th Street in the East Village of Manhattan NYC. This festival showcases women / gender marginalized writers, composers and directors. Paid summer theater in the East Village in Manhattan NYC. Tickets at www.shenycarts.org / $35 per show or you can obtain a discount of $10 or $30 by buying 2 or 3 shows for $60 or $75.
Thru Saturday, August 6th, 2022 - Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra - This part of the program is pay-what-you-will and indoors. This is NOT the Mostly Mozart Festival as it was in prior years, but rather a group bearing the name with some connections. These are paid summer outdoor concerts at Lincoln Center on the Upper West Side of Manhattan NYC.
On Thursdays thru Sundays, July 28 - August 21, 2022 from 6.30 - 8.30 pm / Macbeth - A Shakespearean classic. On the north patio of the Soldiers & Sailors Monument which can be accessed at West 89th Street and Riverside Drive on the Upper West Side. Take the steps behind the monument down to the large patio. CoVid Guidelines. Proof of vaccination and the wearing of a mask are still required. Also attendees must be seated before the 6.30 pm opening. Free.
Thursday, August 4 - Sunday, August 14, 2022 - The Little Shakespeare Festival. It's called 'little' because each production contains only four or five actors. 1) August 4 & 6 - As You Will - at 9 pm and 7 pm respectively, 2) August 5, 7, 11, 12 & 14 - Romeo & Juliet - at 7 pm weekdays and 5.30 pm and 4 pm respectively on Sundays, 3) August 6, 10 & 13 - Unspoken Garden - at 2 pm Saturdays & 7 pm weekday, 4) August 9 - Fights of Shakesepeare & As You Will [double feature] - at 7 pm and 5) Brawls & Burlesque, August 13 at 7 pm & 14 at 2 pm. At the Frigid Theater NYC which performs at Under St. Mark's Theater which is located in the basement at 94 St Marks Place [=8th Street] at 1st Avenue in the East Village - www.frigid.nyc / Tickets are $25 / $20.
Sunday, August 7, 2022 - Doors Open 6 pm / Short Film 6.30 pm / Movie 7 pm - Inside Out + You Are Not Alone short film. Free movies / foreign films at the South Street Seaport in the Financial District / FiDi / Downtown neighborhood of Manhattan NYC. Rooftop at Pier 17 at 89 South Street in the Downtown / FiDi neighborhood of Manhattan NYC.
Sundays, August 7, 2022 - beginning at 6 pm. Jazz Underground. Performances by various jazz musicians and genres around the city and beyond. Free. At Lincoln Center.
Use the Manhattan free summer theater, concerts and movies links below to get further details on many of the above events as well as to obtain information about upcoming theater, dance & concert performances and movies at various locations in Manhattan including free concerts / performances at Lincoln Center on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, Salsa dancing / instruction in Washington Square Park on Tuesday evenings, free SummerStage concerts weekly, free Naumberg Bandshell concerts on Tuesdays in Central Park, Thursday or Friday morning concerts at Rockefeller Center, Friday evening concerts in Bryant Park, Wednesday afternoon concerts near Grand Central Terminal, Wednesday films shown in the evening at the Cafe at Pier I in Riverside Park, Monday evening films in Bryant Park, Wednesday evening films in Washington Square Park, Thursday or Saturday evening films at the Westfield World Trade Center, Laughter in the Park performances on Wednesdays at Lincoln Center, and the Harlem Meer Performance Festival on Sundays in Central Park.
Things To Do This Weekend in Queens NYC
On Sunday, August 7, 2022 assembling at 11 am and beginning at 12 noon - The Ecuadorian Parade kicks off at 68th Street and Northern Blvd in Jackson Heights and marches down to 87th Street. The parade / celebration is expected to last until about 4 pm.
Friday - Sunday, August 5 - 14, 2022 beginning at various times - Festival of Cinema [formerly the Kew Gardens Film Festival]. They're showing a mix of independent films including documentary, drama, shorts and comedy. At the Regal United Artists Midway at 108-22 Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills. Ticket prices are $10 / $25 / $50. They also offer packages which you can purchase online at www.festivalofcinemanyc.com
Friday & Saturday, August 5 & 6, 2022 - Jamaica JAMS Music Festival runs from 6 - 10 pm Friday, and the Jamaica JAMS music festival and street fair runs from 11 am to 7 pm Saturday - Friday evening from 6 pm - 10 pm in the northwest corner of Rufus King Park for the music festival. On Saturday from 11 am - 7 pm along Jamaica Avenue from Parsons Blvd to 170th Street. Music, food and street shopping. The biggest street fair in Queens. JAMS stands for Jamaica Arts & Music Summer. Jamaica JAMS Rufus King Park is at 153rd Street and Jamaica Avenue in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens NYC. For details see - https://www.jamaicajams.nyc.
Saturday, August 6, 2022 from 6 - 7.15 pm - The Queensboro Dance Festival runs on a Saturday or Sunday or both nearly every weekend in June, July, August and September at a myriad of venues around the borough of Queens. It generally includes / showcases performances by local dancers and choreographers. And it's free. This weekend its at Travers Park, 34th Avenue Between 77th and 78th Street at Travers Park in Jackson Heights Queens. Organized by the Parks Dept & the Queensboro Dance Festival - https://www.queensborodancefestival.com.
Saturday, August 6, 2022 beginning at 7.30 pm / Hip to Hip Theater Free - Pericles - This Shakespearean play has a dramatic mix of tragedy, romance and comedy, all rolled up in one. It opens with Pericles life in danger as he is asked to decipher a riddle, the answer to which will result in his death. So he asks for time to think about it and then flees. In the course of his flight he wins a contest and the prized princess, impregnates her, loses her in childbirth, and goes on to other adventures before reuniting with his daughter and wife [who was found alive swept to shore]. Gantry Plaza State Park is located at 4-09 47th Road along the East River. Free.
Use the links below to see details about the concerts, theater and movie events above, as well as for details on the freesummer concerts, theater and movies for the rest of this summer in Queens. For example next Monday free summer movies in Astoria Park, free performances of Shakespeare in Queens parks, a concert and fair in Rufus King Park in Jamaica, a paid movie with workshop at the Queens Botanical Garden on Saturday, free concerts and dance performances in Athens Square Park in Astoria on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, live music and dance in Travers Park in Jackson Heights on Sunday, and a free concert in Gantry State Park in Tuesdays. Also a 3D movie at the NY Hall of Science in Flushing.
Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn NYC
Friday, August 5, 2022 beginning at 7.30 pm / Pericles - On the Monument steps near the Myrtle Avenue entrance in Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn NYC. This Shakespearean play has a dramatic mix of tragedy, romance and comedy, all rolled up in one. It opens with Pericles life in danger as he is asked to decipher a riddle, the answer to which will result in his death. So he asks for time to think about it and then flees. In the course of his flight he wins a contest and the prized princess, impregnates her, loses her in childbirth, and goes on to other adventures before reuniting with his daughter and wife [who was found alive swept to shore]. Shakespeare's Pericles performed by Hip to Hip Theater. Free summer outdoor theater in Fort Greene Park in the Fort Green neighborhood of Brooklyn NYC. Free. Contact. www.hiptohip.org
Ending Saturday, August 6, 2022 - BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn Festival. BRIC stands for Brooklyn Information and Culture and was founded in 1979 to revitalize Brooklyn through arts and culture. The festival runs from June 24 - August 6, 2022. Free. At the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park at 62 West Drive in Brooklyn. For details see www.bricartsmedia.org. This is the last weekend and the following performances are scheduled.
Thursday, August 4, 2022 from 7 - 9 pm - BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival: Khruangbin.
Friday, August 5, 2022 from 7 - 9 pm - BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival: Erykah Badu.
Saturday, August 6, 2022 from 6.30 - 9.30 pm - BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival Closing Night: Yemi Alade and Amindi.
Use the links below to see details about the concerts, theater and movie events above, as well as for details on the freesummer concerts this Fridays at Brooklyn Bridge Park, on weekdays in Downtown Brooklyn, also at the Industry City Bandshell. And there are free summer weekday movies in the parks including Transmitter Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Fort Greene Park, Prospect Park and on the Coney Island Boardwalk.
August 11 - 14, 2022 - Hip Hop Film Festival - This Moved to Brooklyn from Harlem - The annual Hip Hop film festival in Harlem. Tickets run from free to $20 and some go up at www.hiphopfilmfestival.org.
Things To Do This Weekend in Bronx NYC
Sunday, Aug 7, 2022 @ 2 pm - Teacher! Teacher! or P.S. I love you - Pontiac Playground at St. Mary’s Park, 350 St. Ann’s Ave. They describe the play as follows, " ... a rip-roaring original musical which tells the story of a struggling teacher in an underserved neighborhood who puts her life on the line for her kids ...". Organized by the Parks Dept & Theater for the New City aka TNC at www.theaterforthenewcity.net. Pontiac Playground St. Mary's Park at 450 St. Ann's Avenue in Mott Haven. Free.
Thursday, Friday & Saturday, August 4, 5, 6, 2022 - SummerWorx 2022 / The Three Little Pigs, The Big Bad Wolf & Kung Fu. They describe this event as follows, "... The Children’s Theatre Company at Lehman presents, the Three Little Pigs in “The Big Bad Wolf and the Kung Fu Caper”. Kids nearly free theater / outdoor summer plays at Lehman College in the Bedford Park neighborhood of the Bronx. The Lehman College Performing Arts Center is located 250 Bedford Park Blvd West in the Bedford Park neighborhood of the Bronx. The kids theater event is being held in the Lovinger Theater. www.lehmanstages.org / The Three Little Pigs event costs $1 and requires an rsvp.
Saturday, August 6, 2022 from 3 - 4.30 pm - Citywide Dance Party. Dance to the tunes of D.J. Stormin' Norman, as part of the Festival of New York that day. Free, but rsvp at www.wavehill.org / Note - Severe weather cancels. Registration required, online or by calling 718.549.3200 x251. Questions? Please email them at information@wavehill.org or call the extension above. Wave Hill is located along Bingham Road between 249th and 252nd Streets in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx. The Riverdale Parking lot is located west / behind Wave Hill, adjacent to the Hudson River if you can't find a spot at the parking lot on site, as generally the onsite parking lot closes late afternoon.
Fridays and Saturdays from 6 pm to 10 pm, and Sundays from 3 pm to 9 pm - Piazza di Belmont - Outdoor dining on Arthur Avenue which will be closed to vehicular traffic from East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue during the above mentioned times. Ends Sept 25, 2022.
Daily thru October 30, 2022 - Walk Among Dinosaurs. This isn't a movie per se, but perhaps even better than one. The Bronx Zoo has an exhibit of 52 life-sized dinosaurs, some of which have animatronics in them. The Bronx Zoo is located at 2300 Southern Blvd in the Bronx. You will need to rsvp a timed ticket and check their website for the latest CoVid guidance - https://bronxzoo.com.
Sunday, August 7, 2022 from 11 am - 5.30 pm - Old Timers Music Festival - This festival has apparently been running for over 50 years. They describe the event as follows, "... For decades the first Sunday of August people gather in Crotona Park in The Bronx to cookout, spend time with family and to catch up with old friends. This annual tradition brings thousands of people out to have a good time listening to music, dancing, eating, playing cards ... this year Forest Playground Neighborhood Association (F.P.N.A.) and CTS Productions is teaming up to bring some of the hottest local entertainers ... at the Crotona Park Amphitheatre located at 559 Claremont Pkwy, Bronx, NY 10457..." Crotona Park is located just south of the Cross Bronx Expressway [east 174th Street], east of Fulton Avenue, north of Crotona Park South and west of Crotona Park East in the Crotona Park neighborood in the center of the Bronx. The concert(s) take place at the Crotona Park Amphitheater / Bandshell which is accessible via 172nd Street from the west and Charlotte Street in the east.
Thursday, August 11, 2022 beginning at 6 pm - SummerStage Concert Series begins with Tony Vega I George Lamond / Uptown Vinyl Supreme and runs into the weekend at the Crotona Park Amphitheatre [see location info above]. Free.
Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island NYC
The following free Summer Concerts will be performed at Corporal Thompson Park in Port Richmond SI. Off Richmond Terrace at Broadway and Henderson Avenue in the Port Richmond neighborhood of Staten Island.
Thursday, August 4, 2022 beginning at 5 pm - Budos Band / Roge / hosted by Tom Ferrie - Free.
Friday, August 5, 2022 beginning at 6 pm - Maimouna Keita African Dance Company - Free.
Saturday, August 6, 2022 beginning at 5 pm - Ana Tijoux / Meridian Brothers/ Bembona (DJ Set) - Free.
Sunday, August 7, 2022 beginning at 4 pm - Staten Island celebrates Jessie Lee Daniels with Force MDs & Friends DJ Sl and Fred ·Bugsy· Buggs - Free.
Saturday & Sunday, August 6 - 7, 2022 begins at 11 am and runs to 7 pm on Saturday and until 8 pm on Sunday - Snug Harbor Dance Festival. Many different classes ranging from one to two hours by various instructors, many of whom are local. Free / Pay What You Will. The event is being hosted at various buildings at Snug Harbor on located at 1000 Richmond Terrace in the Randall Manor neighobrhood of Staten Island. The buildings includes the Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art, Cottage Row, the Snug Harbor Wetlands, Building G / The Dance Center, Leah Mitchell Studio – G202 on 2nd floor. Free.
The Little Victory Theatre is located at 4089 Victory Blvd in the Travis Chelsea neighborhood in the central western section of Staten Island opens Mame -The Hit Classical Broadway Musical. The show will be performed on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays, July 29, 30, 31 & August 5, 6, 7, 2022 beginning at 8 pm on Friday & Saturday and at 2 pm on Sunday. Tickets are $25 / $30 at www.littlevictorytheatre.com.
Use the links below to see details about the concerts, theater and movie events above, as well as for details on the freesummer concerts, theater and movies for the rest of this summer on Staten Island.
Enjoy your week, and in the meantime here are links to all sorts of summer activities in all five boros, which include further details to many of the events above. Enjoy.
1) Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival, Greek Festival, Pow Wow & Jamaica Jerk Festival in Queens, 2) Shakespeare at Bronx Music Center, Bronx Night Market, Piazza di Belmont & the Bronx Dominican Parade returns to the Bronx; 3) Gallery Players, Piper Theater Performances, Burlesque at the Beach and BRIC Concert Series continues in Brooklyn; 4) Songwriters Showcase, Ailey Moves & St. Lukes Concert, Mame Opens at the Victory Theater, Much Ado about Nothing, Final Movie / Concert at the Lighthouse Museum on Staten Island; 5) SHENYC continues, Dance Intensive, Twelfth Night & NY Asian Film Fest ending, Movies and MacBeth Begins in Manhattan, and Free Outdoor Concerts, Movies & Theater, Farmers Markets, NYC Public Outdoor Swimming Pools, Street Fairs, Public Beaches
NYC Weekend Weather. The temperature highs will be in the mid to high 80's and the temperature lows will be in the low to mid 70's. Winds will be 5 - 10 mph all weekend. The humidity will fall from 50% - 70% on Friday, to 50% on Saturday, rising to 50% - 65% on Sunday. There's a chance of about a quarter inch of rain sometime between 10 pm Friday night and 4 am Saturday morning. All in all not a bad weather weekend.
The photo at right is of the dragon festival in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. The festival returns this weekend.
Things To Do This Weekend in Queens NYC
Thursday - Sunday, July 28 - July 31, 2022 - Thurs / Fri / Sat / Sun - 5 pm to 11 pm - St Irene Chrysovalantou Church - This Astoria street fair is along 23rd Avenue from 36th Street to the Amtrak trestle. Traditional Greek food, music, and folk dances every night, as well as rides for the kids and a marketplace. The feast day celebration starts with a mass on Wednesday at 7.30 pm inside and continues with various religious services through the end of the feast on Sunday.
On Friday, July 29, 2022 beginning at 7.30 pm / Hip to Hip Theater Free - Pericles - There's a performance of Shakespeare at The Voelker Orth Museum is located at 149-19 38th Avenue in Flushing.
On Sunday, July 31, 2022 from 2 - 5 pm - there's a performance by Ballet Folklorico Mexicano de Nueva York Guelaguetza Festival at Socrates Sculpture Park which is located at 32-01 Vernon Blvd at Broadway in Astoria / LIC.
Friday through Sunday, July 29 - 31, 2022 - There's a Pow Wow at the Queens County Farm at 73-50 Little Neck Parkway in Bellerose Manor / Little Neck neighborhoods of Queens. Performances run from 7 - 10 pm Friday; 12 noon - 5 pm and 7 - 10 pm Saturday; and from 12 noon - 5 pm Sunday. The Grand Entry of tribes is at 7 pm Friday, 1 pm and 7 pm Saturday and 1 pm Sunday. Gates open at 6 pm Friday, and 10 am on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets run $15 / adult and $8 / kids 12 and under [discounted rates for full weekend passes].
Saturday & Sunday, July 30 & 31, 2022 - from 9 am - 5 pm - Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival at Meadow Lake in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Live boat races, food, shopping and entertainment. Free admission. www.hkdbf-ny.org. Free admission.
Sunday, July 31, 2022 - Jamaica Jerk Festival - From 12 noon to 8 pm - Carribean Food Festival with music at Roy Wilkins Park 177-01 Baisley Blvd at Merrick in Jamaica. Admission $45 advance / likely more at door / Children under 10 Free. Tickets at www.jerkfestivalny.com.
Use the links below to see details about the concerts, theater and movie events above, as well as for details on the freesummer concerts, theater and movies for the rest of this summer in Queens. For example next Monday free summer movies in Astoria Park, free performances of Shakespeare in Queens parks, a free movie in Rufus King Park on Friday 7/29 in Jamaica, a paid movie with workshop at the Queens Botanical Garden this Saturday 7/30, free concerts and dance performances in Athens Square Park on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in Astoria, live music and dance in Travers Park in Jackson Heights on Sunday 7/31 and a free concert in Gantry State Park in Tuesdays.
We've mostly been trying to stay abreast of all the summer events this past month. Event schedules changed, some schedules have been reduced, and some venues have closed or remain on hiatus. But by and large, most venues are back up and running on some kind of level, while trying to protect the health and safety of their associates as well as the general public vis a vis CoVid.
So as we remained focused on staying abreast of the many summer events easily accessible to most of the denizens of NYC and NYS, we did not take our eye off of the more serious issues swirling around us. The following is a list of events we've been monitoring and researching along the way, which we intend to delve into in the coming weeks, and perhaps months.
Untimely Death: Two Russian Oligarchs Live on Ivana Trump's Block
I have a few unanswered questions regarding Ivana Trump's sudden, unexpected, accidental death.
Ivana Trump lived in a building in Manhattan on the Upper East Side in which Donald Trump reportedly still owns a total of five units. It just so happens that Ivana's residence is also on a block where two Russian Oligarchs own large residences, and for a time, where the divorced wife of a third Oligarch, lived. The wife of the third Oligarch is Dasha Zhukova who was married to Roman Abramovich. Zhukova became fast friends with Ivanka Trump, after being introduced by Wendi Deng, the former wife of Rupert Murdoch [Fox News / WSJ / NY Post] sometime around 2007.
The Russian Oligarchs who own residences on the same block where Ivana Trump lived, are Oleg Deripaska and Len Blavatnik. Deripaska's residence is just across the street from Ivana's residence, which if he were to be a spy, would be an ideal a location. Dasha Zhukova [the former wife of Abramovich] lived in Deripaska's residence in 2018, apparently departing from that residence sometime before September 2019.
Zhukova moved ten blocks north of Ivana's block into a large four townhouse development upon which Zhukova's former husband, Roman Abramovich was working. According to a March 12, 2022 report in the Mercury News, Abramovich transferred the real estate, valued at $92 million, to Zhukova in 2018. In 2022 the Russian Oligarch sanctions hit, and now there's a question of whether transferred wealth to relatives [like former wife Zhukova] should also be sanctioned.
According to a March 17, 2022 report in the New Yorker, "... [Russian Opposition Leader Alexei] Navalny has described Abramovich as “one of the key enablers and beneficiaries of Russian kleptocracy...”. Abramovich is considered one of Putin's most trusted Oligarchs, having survived Putin's Oligarch purge after Russian President Boris Yeltsin's fall.
Abramovich must be an incredibly skillful manipulator - not just of Putin - but Abramovich was also the only Russian Oligarch who Ukrainian President Zelensky asked the U.S. not to sanction. Zelensky claimed it was in order to unencumber Abramovich to broker a Russian / Ukrainian peace deal in Turkey [see link below for further details]. The pact never even came close to happening. Separately, the two nations recently cut a deal to allow free passage of food through the Black Sea and Bosporous Straits, which less than 24 hours later Putin 'honored' by bombing the Ukrainian port of Odessa, from which the Ukrainian food is to be shipped.
The deal providing two of the world's largest food producers [Russia & Ukraine] safe passage of food through the Black Sea and the Bosporous Straits was brokered - not by the Russian kleptocrat Abramovich - but by the UN and Turkey. The Bosporous Straits is a Black Sea bottleneck, which is controlled by NATO ally Turkey, per an international agreement made decades ago.
Back to Ivana's Trump's residence and her sudden, unexpected and accidental death. So Ivana's daughter, Ivanka Trump, became quite friendly with Abramovich's former wife, Dasha Zhukova. They became such good friends that they began interacting socially at very public events well over a decade ago. The first social event I found documented was in 2014 when Zhukova reportedly invited Ivanka and Jared to a fundraiser organized by her husband, Roman Abramovich, for a Jewish Museum he founded in Moscow. In 2016, as Donald Trump was running for President, Ivanka, Wendi Deng and Zhukova were also photographed at the the U.S. Open in Queens. And in 2017 Dasha Zhukova was reportedly invited to the Trump Inauguration weekend celebrations. Apparently there have been many other interactions, in between those public appearances and since, including some Abramovich investments placed in Jared Kushner's brother's [Josh] company.
My point in all of this, is that the Russians could have had social access to Ivana Trump's residence and / or were in a position to have access to Ivana Trump's residence via more nefarious means. Given Trump owned so many units in the building, and probably owns the building management company, a lot of the independent context surrounding Ivana's death would be hard to obtain by the authorities without strong cause. I heard nothing about any review of any building video footage on the property itself, nor from the surrounding buildings. After the funeral, Ivana's body was subsequently delivered to a Trump golf course in New Jersey, which is private property, owned by Donald Trump.
The details of Ivana Trump's autopsy were scant. The reporting of them had an uncertain quality to them. None of the reports indicated who called in the death. Not by name, not by association and not by any role. I find that odd. The first cited cause of death was "cardiac arrest" and then later the cause of death was said to be from 'blunt' injuries suffered in the fall. Ivana Trump was an athlete, and only 73 years old, so falling down the stairs, and dying from the fall, while believable, is also unbelievable.
It's worth noting here, that accidental deaths are reportedly a Putin specialty. A Russian media baron, Boris Berezovsky, who was on the outs with Putin, reportedly suddenly, unexpectedly and accidentally died in his own bathroom at the age of 67 in 2013. The police determined that the cause of death was "unexplained", but it was surmised that it could have been caused by chemical, biolgical or nuclear material.
The timing of Ivana's death, coincidentally worked in the Donald's favor, as the NYS Attorney General was about to follow through with depositions with the Trump children. Because of Ivana's death, all of the Trump children depositions were postponed by the NYS Attorney General. The Trump family funeral also provided an opportunity for Donald Trump to meet with his children without being asked any questions. I mention this because it's been suggested that Trump may have tried to tamper with a witness for the Congressional Hearings on the Trump Insurrection.
We know from Trump's campaigning in 2016, as well as from the January 6 Congressional Hearings of the Insurrection, that Donald Trump is not above encouraging others to do violence, when it serves his purposes. Ivana Trump reportedly kept contact with the Donald, even after their marriage ended, but the divorce was reportedly fairly hostile, although it also appeared that their relationship settled down, and might possibly have healed, over time.
Ivana and Ivanka Trump were reportedly close, as the only two women in that iteration of the Trump family. So, given the above as backdrop, what I found of particular interest, was the body language between the Donald, and Ivanka and Jared, at Ivana's funeral. They did not look each other in the eye, and Ivanka and Jared seemed to flee the rest of the family immediately after the funeral. Given the many funerals I've attended, that didn't strike me as normal.
These are just some unasked and unanswered questions that came to mind while I watched the Trumps mourn one of their own. I suspect neither Trump nor Putin will let up with their shenanigans, because right now both of them are losing, and by the time the 2024 election rolls around, both of them might become desperate. Stay tuned.
Summer is in full swing. A number of community groups in collaboration with the NYC Parks Department and frequently some measure of government funding, have put together a summer full of free summer theater in the parks. The free theatre events listed below are designed for young and old alike and they're FREE.
Editor's Note - Note that only ASTERISKED LOCATIONS have been updated. Pay attention to the movies dates / years. We will be updating / adding a few more movies between now and the end of September. So check back periodically for updates which you can note by the date changing above.
July 4th Weekend Weather. As of this post 6/28/22, the temperature highs will be in the high 80's during the day and around 70. There's a 50% - 60% chance of rain on Saturday [over a half inch] and a quarter inch of rain on Sunday. The humidity will be 50% - 80% Saturday, falling to 60% on Sunday and down to 50% on Monday. Winds will be 5 - 10 mph throughout the weekend.
July 4th 2022 and Independence Day Fireworks the Bronx
Typically there are a number of July 4th fireworks displays that are viewable in or from the Bronx. While 2020 was a wash, and 2021 wasn't fully back to normal, it seems in 2022 we're back to having what were the prepandemic fireworks display options. The Orchard Beach fireworks is in the Bronx, and the Astoria Park fireworks in Queens are viewable from the South Bronx, and the Macy's July 4th fireworks is remotely viewable from the southern Bronx. The Coop City fireworks continues its hiatus and at this point seems to have discontinued its effort. And for those who wish to travel to Long Island, the Jones Beach fireworks continue in 2022.
Click here for a report about the 4th of July Fireworks in Bronx NYC & surrounding areas, including times and locations for the Orchard Beach fireworks 2022, the Coop City fireworks 2022 [none known to be planned at this time], the Astoria Park fireworks 2022, the Macy's 4th of July fireworks along the East River in NYC, and the Jones Beach fireworks on Long Island.
Things To Do in NYC in June - Weekends
Things To Do in NYC by Weekend in June
June 30, 2022 / Things To Do NYC / Gotham Buzz. This section contains our Weekend Things To Do reports for the month of June 2022.
Gay Pride Parade & PrideFest in Manhattan, the Jamaica Dance Festival Continues and the Astoria Park Fireworks Returns to Queens, the Gowanus Art Festival, Funday Festival, Midwood Mardis Gras & Tastes of Crown Heights in Brooklyn; Bronx River Sounds Art Fest & Bronx Night Market in the Bronx; Polish Festival & Free Concert for Ukraine on Staten Island; NYC Public Outdoor Swimming Pools Open Next Week, Early Voting Ends Sunday & NYS Primary Election Tuesday
Weather. The temperatures will be about 90 degrees this weekend, and the lows about 70 degrees. The humidity will be between 50% - 60% all weekend. Winds will be about 12 mph Saturday and about 17 mph Sunday. No rain is expected over the weekend, but about a 1/2 inch to an inch is due to arrive on Monday.
The photo at right was taken at the Gay Pride Parade in the West Village in Manhattan prior to the pandemic.
Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan
Saturday, June 25, 2022 from 10 am - 6 pm - Little West 12th Street Block Party - Along Little West 12th Street between 9th Avenue and Washington Street in the West Village.
The Gay Pride Parade returns to the West Village on Sunday, June 26th beginning at 12 noon at Madison Square Park at 26th Street and 5th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. The parade turns west toward the West Village at 8th Street, continues onto Christopher Street before turning north on 7th Avenue, ending at 15th Street.
Also on Sunday, June 26, 2022 there's also a Gay Pride street fair along 4th Avenue between 8th and 13th streets in the Village. It begins at 11 am and ends around 6 pm. The fair includes entertainment, food and wellness booths.
The NYS primary election is on Tuesday, June 28th. On the ballot are the following races: U.S. Senate, Governor, Other state executives, State Assembly, Special state legislative, School boards, Municipal government and Ballot measures.
Click on the image above to access the poll finder website, so you can easily find where to vote in your neighborhood. Remember this is the land of the free and the home of the brave, and many of our ancestors died for our right to vote. A similar struggle for freedom from oppression is going on in Ukraine right now. So in as much as you can, do your homework before voting for those you choose to represent you / us. There's still time to do some research on candidates on the web.
The New York City election is Tuesday June 28th, and polls are open from 6 am - 9 pm. Click on the graphic above, to find your poll site.
FYI - July 4th Fireworks celebrations coming later tonight.
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Bronx - Free Summer Concerts 2022
Free Things To Do In the Bronx - Free Summer Concerts in NYC
Editor's Note - Note that only ASTERISKED LOCATIONS have been updated. Pay attention to the concert dates / years. We will be updating / adding a few more concerts between now and the end of September. So check back periodically for updates which you can note by the date changing above.
Summer is in full swing. A number of community groups in collaboration with the NYC Parks Department and frequently some measure of government funding, have put together a summer full of films and free summer concerts in the parks. The free concerts listed below are designed for young and old alike and they're FREE.
Summer is in full swing. A number of community groups in collaboration with the NYC Parks Department and frequently some measure of government funding, have put together a summer full of free summer theater in the parks. The free theatre events listed below are designed for young and old alike and they're FREE.
Editor's Note - Note that only ASTERISKED LOCATIONS have been updated. Pay attention to the performance dates / years. We will be updating / adding this summer theater report between now and the end of September. So check back periodically for updates which you can note by the date changing above.
Some summer theater programs in the Bronx have been curtailed or cancelled, many in part due to the ongoing CoVid threat. We'll continue to update / add to this schedule of free theater in the park in the Bronx, as we become aware of additional productions.
Current Bronx Things To Do. Click here to view a listing of current Bronx things to do.
NYC News Updates June 2022
CoVid Guidelines Issued by State & Federal Govt Sometimes at Cross Purposes, NYC Tourism Coming Back, Why There are Two NYS Primaries in 2022, Former Mayor de Blasio Running for Congress, Inflation & Wages are Up but Expected to Slow, Public Schools End School Year on 6/27/22, Will the Rangers take the Stanley Cup, Will the Celtics Win the Championship & Will the Mets & Yankees hold onto their Leads?
This report is a catch up on some of the key local news items over the past couple of months. Our last news update was at the end of February [2/22/22].
CoVid Regulatory Guidelines Differ at Federal & State Levels
On March 17, 2022 the NYS CoVid general restrictions under the H.E.R.O. Act expired. The expiration did not include the masks mandate requirement on NYC & NYS public transit.
On April 18, 2022 the CDC / Federal rescinded their mask mandates on federal transportation, while - as noted above - NYS has kept its mask mandate in effect. As one might expect, this has led to some confusion. So to be clear, when using the MTA, LIRR or Metro North trains, masks are still required.
Be advised that local businesses have the right to decide what rules apply to customers who enter their facilities. For example, Broadway theaters and many other entertainment venues still request proof of vaccination and / or masks indoors. Broadway theaters extended their mask mandate requirement of attendees at performances through June 2022. Conversely, most NYC restaurateurs no longer check vaccination status, let their customers decide whether or not to wear masks, and most restaurateurs provide the option of indoor / outdoor dining, which was established as an economic response to CoVid, in support of local restaurants by the de Blasio Administration.
Vaccination rates for NYC and NYS continue to inch up quite slowly, but that's now a somewhat dated metric, because if one is not boosted, the CoVid immunity and protection fades over time. The CoVid vaccination protection generally recedes significantly while approaching 6 months after the first two shots, so getting boosted is important, particularly if you are immuno-compromised, have an underlying condition, or fall into an elderly age group [over 50 years].
NYC Tourism Bouncing Back
NYC tourism is coming back and the city economy is picking up. The past month or so, we've been inundated with notices of public events and entertainment venues coming back to life. We've not yet gotten back into the full rhythm to accommodate as many as we'd like, but we're getting there. Our monthly things to do calendars will be coming back to life bit by bit, starting this weekend. The calendar is accessible from the top tool bar, by clicking the first button from the left.
Mayor Adams said yesterday [6/6/22] that NYC hotels are booking at 95% of pre-pandemic levels. The NY Post stated in an April 20, 2022 report, that the NYC hotel business would be down 55%. We'll see how this plays out by the end of the year.
The Unofficial Start of Summer Comes with Memorial Day Parades in Brooklyn, Queens & Staten Island; Fleet Week is Underway & the Intrepid is Hosting Events, Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit, Losaida and LES Festival in Manhattan, BAM Dance Africa Festival in Brooklyn, Sunnyside Gardens Park Fair in Queens, National Puerto Rican Day Parade Festival at 152nd St in Bx & Bronx Arts Ensemble & Night Market, Staten Island Mall Carnival Began, Golf Courses have been Open & it's the Opening Weekend of NYC Beaches, Farmers Markets, Street Fairs & more
Weather. The temperature highs will be near 80 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, rising to the mid 80's or higher on Monday. The temperature lows will be in the 60's all weekend. Over a half inch of rain is expected between about 2 pm Friday and about 4 pm Saturday, and the rest of the weekend will be dry. Winds will be 5 - 10 mph on Friday, Saturday and Monday, falling to 3 - 5 mph on Sunday. The humidity will be 80% on Friday, 70% on Saturday, and 60% on Sunday and Monday. All in all a pretty fair weather for the three day weekend.
The photo at right was taken at Coney Island in Brooklyn in 2019 prior to the outbreak of the CoVid pandemic. While CoVid hasn't gone away [and may never], it seems the worst of it is behind us and folks are beginning to return to what used to be their normal lives. Coney Island opened in April this year.
Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend NYC
In the photo at right is just one of thousands of artworks for sale in a prior year at the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit which begins Saturday and runs through Monday.
On Monday, May 30, 2022 the InwoodMemorial Day Parade begins at 11.30 am at Dykman Street and marches up Broadway into Inwood Park where a short flag raising ceremony will be held.
The Lower East Side Festival runs Friday through Sunday from 6 pm to 1 am [and Saturday also from 12 noon - 6 pm] at the Theater for the New City at 155 East 10th Street in the East Village. The festival includes theater, music, dance, film and kids stuff. Free.
The Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit begins Saturday and runs through the weekend. The art fair runs from 12 noon to 6 pm daily along University Avenue from Washington Square Park South to 13th Street in the Village.
The Losaida Festival is on Sunday, May 29, 2022 from 12 noon - 5 pm - Along Avenue C and 8th Street [Losaida Street] in the East Village. The fair celebrates Puerto Rican food, music and culture. Free.
It's Fleet Week in NYC and the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is hosting a number of activities, topped off on Monday at 10 am with a Memorial Day Closing Ceremony. See www.intrepidmuseum.org/fleet-week for details.
This is Fleet Week and a number of U.S. Navy ships are docked in Manhattan and Staten Island. A number of events are planned in both locations. For details see http://militarynews.com/app/fleetweeknewyork/events.html
On Memorial Day, I decided to make a trip to the First Calvary Cemetery to visit the graves of those who gave their lives defending this nation because the founding charters promise all [wo]men the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They fought for a noble cause I thought as I made my way, on a beautiful day, to the Calvary cemetery in Queens.
The First Calvary cemetery opened in the late 1840’s [circa 1847 – 1848] and was located only a short ferry ride away from Manhattan, up Newtown Creek. A couple more cemeteries were opened as the 19th century wore on, as most of Queens was still rural farmlands and woodlands. Many of the burials of the first century of operation were of Catholic Irish, Italian and Polish immigrants - many of which were children who died because of poor living conditions and medical care. Many soldiers had been buried here as well, many of whom were from the Civil War era.
As I was viewing a collection of the tombstones, reflecting on the lives sacrificed in the war over slavery, as well as the more recent wars that pulled nearly the entire planet into battle, a figure in the distance caught my attention. They appeared to be making their way in my direction, in this lonely empty section of the cemetery. I pulled out of my musings, and began to focus on this emerging presence as they made their way up the hill.
As they came closer, I could see that it was an old man, of medium height, with long black and grey hair and a weathered, leathery, tan skin. He was wearing an old brown work shirt and khaki trousers and beaten leather shoes. No, they were mocassins.
I'm not sure why I thought of this, but his countenance resembled that of a legendary American Indian: Chief Joseph. Chief Joseph was a tribal leader of the Nez Perce tribe in the Wallowa Valley in northeast Oregon. Chief Joseph was born in 1840, only years before this cemetery was founded. He had actually visited New York City in 1897, to march alongside Buffalo Bill in a Wild West Parade.
The man slowly raised his right arm, palm open and fingers standing straight up like the Boy Scout salute, and in a deep full voice he said,
“How.”
I stood a bit at attention, as I returned the greeting.
“Hi. How are you today?”
He spoke again, this time in a language I did not understand.
“Mumba goycha tay.”
I looked at him and shook my head back and forth indicating that I did not understand what he’d just said.
Bronx offers easy access to a wide range of recreational swimming pools. The following is our first attempt to provide you with a view of the range of public swimming pools available in the parks of the Bronx. We encourage you to make use of these facilities because they provide healthy, fun, and frequently free or inexpensive entertainment for both individuals and families with children.
Bronxoutdoor public pools will open beginning Tuesday June 28th, 2022. A few of the indoor pools will be closed this summer to allow for construction and improvements.
Generally pool hours are from 11 am - 7 pm daily, with a one hour break between 3 and 4 pm for cleaning. Bring a padlock for your locker and proper swimming trunks are required [for boys this means not shorts as trunks must have liners]. Don't bring food, glass bottles, newspapers, electronics, floaters and no or as few valuables as you can bring to minimize your risk because the park isn't responsible for your losses. Free sunscreen will be made available while supplies last.
As of this posting 5.25.22, masks are NOT required for indoor activity including in the locker rooms, but stay tuned as it's possible that could change.
Last Saturday there were a few Pro Choice rallies in NYC. Most notable among them were the one that started at Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn, marching across the Brooklyn Bridge to Foley Square. And there was another group that gathered in Union Square which also marched to Foley Square.
I have some video and photos, but possibly the most interesting part of this report are the perspectives I picked up along the way, which provided me with a deeper understanding of the issues, primarily from a women's point of view.
First there's the science ...
Hi. Following up on the conversations I had and overheard led me to a lot of new information that I'm still processing. I hope to return to finish this sometime in the summer.
This is a report containing things to do in the Bronx over the Memorial Day Weekend.
This was first published when Memorial Day Weekend was a few weeks away. But given New Yorkers' interest in resuming some level of normalcy post pandemic, I thought you might want more time to figure out how you're going to spend the weekend.
Weather. The temperature highs will be near 80 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, rising to the mid 80's or higher on Monday. The temperature lows will be in the 60's all weekend. Over a half inch of rain is expected between about 2 pm Friday and about 4 pm Saturday, and the rest of the weekend will be dry. Winds will be 5 - 10 mph on Friday, Saturday and Monday, falling to 3 - 5 mph on Sunday. The humidity will be 80% on Friday, 70% on Saturday, and 60% on Sunday and Monday. All in all a pretty fair weather for the three day weekend.
The things to do in the Bronx on Memorial Day Weekend include art exhibitions, theater, live music, comedy, dance, shopping, outdoor activities such as soccer, kyaking, baseball, parades, street fairs, museums and dining in the Mott Haven, Fordham, Port Morris, Concourse, Bedford Park, Norwood, University Heights, City Island, Riverdale, Melrose, Morris Park, Westchester Square & Parkchester neighborhoods of the Bronx in NYC.
Be sure to check our Memorial Day Weekend things to do post mid afternoon Friday of Memorial Day Weekend. The photo at right was taken in May of a prior year at the Bronx Museum in the Concourse neighborhood.
Brief History of the Memorial Day Holiday in the Bronx
Memorial Day first started out as Decoration Day in Waterloo, New York on May 30, 1866 - a year after the Civil War - to honor those who fought in it. In the 1880's the day came to be known as Memorial Day.
According to a May 25, 2012 report in Time Magazine, ten states - Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee also officially observe some version of a Confederate Memorial Day, sometime between late April and early June [in Texas it's in January]. It's been reported that unofficially most of the former Confederate states still commemorate it, but not without some controversy as to the former Confederate diaspora it's to honor their ancestors, while to the former diaspora of the slaves it seems a remnant of these states racist past.
About ten percent of the nation travels more than 50 miles over the weekend. Memorial Day differs from Veterans Day which is held on November 11th of each year. Veterans Day began by honoring those who fought in World War I which ended on the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. Both honor those who served in the U.S. Military. Veterans Day coincides with a similar holiday in Europe for the same reason, which is called Remembrance Day and Armistice Day.
Last night I went to see the red carpet arrivals at the Met Gala. The Met Gala is considered to be one of the most fashionable events of the year. It's by invitation only, costs between $30,000 and $35,000 per ticket. The event is generally said to run from about 6 pm to about 9.30 or 10.30 pm.
This year the fashion theme was of the opulence, fame and excess that accompanied the Gilded Age. But you'd never have known there was a theme, because the rich and famous of today - as back then - pretty much do whatever they want. And many of their outfits said just that.
Many observers think that the red carpet arrivals are the height of the show ... but then many observers likely never make it inside the museum to see how the other half parties.
Since this was my first time covering this event, I arrived unfashionably on time, around 6 pm, taking the subway to 86th Street as my limosine driver had the night off, and it really didn't matter, because my limosine has been in the shop for repairs for pretty much my entire lifetime.
Nice Weather Weekend for the 5 Boro Bike Ride NYC, Yankee Peddler Day at Historic Richmond Town Staten Island, Night Food Market & Orchid Show in the Bronx, May Day Festival & BAM Queer Film Weekend in Brooklyn, International Cultural Festival Queens & Dance Fest at Wolman Rink & Met Gala Monday in Manhattan ... and more ...
Weather NYC. The temperature highs will rise from the low 60's on Friday to the high 60's on Saturday and Sunday. The temperature lows will rise from the low 40's on Friday, to the high 40's on Saturday to about 50 on Sunday. The humidity will be very low on Friday, ranging from 10% to 40%, rising to 30% - 45% on Saturday and then 35% to 55% on Sunday. The wind will finally settle down to 5 - 10 mph throughout the weekend. No rain is expected this weekend.
In the photo at right are cyclists participating in the 5 Boro Bike Ride as they make their way through Queens in a prior year. The cycling event returns Sunday. See details below.
Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend NYC
There's a Coney Island Polar Bear Club event on Saturday & Sunday at Wolman Rink in Central Park from 2 pm - 10 pm. It's a charity event and tickets aren't cheap at $191 / person. See www.wolmanrinknyc.com for details.
The 5 Boro Bike Ride returns to all five boroughs of NYC on Sunday. Details in Manhattan street fairs.
The Met Gala returns to the Metropolitan Museum on Monday.
Mothers Day Restaurants in or near Mott Haven, Fordham, Port Morris, Concourse, Bedford Park, Norwood, University Heights, City Island, Riverdale, Melrose, Morris Park, Westchester Square & Parkchester Bronx NYC
Mother's Day will soon be upon us. It's a good time to let your loved ones know you care. Flowers, gifts and brunch or dinner are always welcome, as is any thoughtful gesture that provides some measure showing your appreciation of your mother or the mother of your children. After all, without mothers, we would all cease to be.
It's best to book a restaurant reservation early for Mother's Day brunch, as on Mother's Day in the Bronx, many restaurants are full. So if you're thinking about eating out at a restaurant this Mother's Day in Mott Haven, Fordham, Port Morris, Concourse, Bedford Park, Norwood, University Heights, City Island, Riverdale, Melrose, Morris Park, Westchester Square & Parkchester; it's best to do your research early, and call ahead to book Mother's Day restaurant reservations.
Remember, restaurants also have additional capacity since the pandemic began, via all of those outdoor shanties built during the pandemic, which greatly increased overall space / seating capacity. And with the weather warming - the temperature is expected to be near 70 degrees on Mothers Day without rain, so outdoor dining is a pleasant, even welcome option.
But as the saying goes, the early bird gets the [worm] better seating, so book early.
Mother's Day History - Restaurants In the Bronx
The origins of Mother's Day in the United States began with the efforts by Anna Jarvis in honor of her own mother. According to Wikipedia, Anna began the campaign in 1905 - the year her mother died - and in 1910 West Virginia was the first state to adopt it as a holiday. In 1914 Woodrow Wilson made the second Sunday in May as a national holiday to honor mothers.
Click this link to view a brief guide of Mother's Day restaurants in the Bronx where you will find links to Bronx restaurants we've visited in the past or have reviewed. The restaurants we've reviewed include a mix of high, medium and budget priced restaurants that are spread throughout the borough and offer a large variety of ethnic cuisines.
See HOURS, MAPS, ITEMS / SELECTION of the 23 BEST Farmers Markets / Green Markets in Bronx, w/ savvy shoppers' tips. This report includes the Mott Haven Farmers Market, Concourse Green Market, Coop City Farmers Market, Fordham Manor Green Market, Parkchester Farmers Market, City Island Farmers Market, Hunts Point Farmers Market, Claremont Village farmers markets and in between.
In the photo at right you see a group of Yankees fans on their way to the game on Sunday, April 10th. While the game was scheduled to begin at 8 pm, these super fans were on their way to the ball park at 4 pm.
They were brimming with enthusiasm, as the Yankees' 2022 season was off to a good start, beating their arch nemesis, the Boston Red Sox, in the season opener on Friday and again on Saturday. Unfortunately, the Red Sox rallied late in the game and won 4 - 3.
The video shows a few scenes of this group's talent and enthusiasm for the Yankees.
Russia Ukraine War Report Series - March - May 2022
Updated April 4, 2022 / International News NYC / Gotham Buzz.
This section contains our Russia Ukraine War Report Series which we began in March of 2022. We hope it will end by the end of May, but who knows how long it will take the Russian people to rise up against the oppressive Putin dictatorship / regime.
How Mentally Ill is the Australian Born Oligarch Rupert Murdoch?
Murdoch & his Rubber Stamp 'WSJ Editorial Board' Continue to Push the Bounds of Indecency with this Image
A Former Prime Minister of Rupert Murdoch's Native Australia called Murdoch a 'Cancer on Democracy', Murdoch was Called 'Unfit to Run an International Company' by a Member(s) of British Parliament, Murdoch's Company was Alleged to have Hacked the Phones of the Victims of 911 for Headlines, as well as the Phone of a Mother Whose Daughter was Murdered [also for headlines], he's been Accused of Government Corruption Many Times, and for Inciting the U.S., Britain & Australia to Invade Iraq for [Oil and] Ratings
You don't have to have a journalism degree to see what's wrong with this image.
You don't have to be a member of an Editorial Board of one of the nation's three daily newspapers to see what's wrong with this image.
You don't need to be an editor to see what's wrong with this image.
What you do need is some sense of decency.
Which is what is totally lacking in the character of the man who controls the Wall Street Journal and it's Editorial Board - Australian born Oligarch, Rupert Murdoch.
After researching and watching him since 2015, I have come to the conclusion that he is easily a sociopath [weak moral compass], and more likely a psychopath [unstable and aggressive personality disorder].
See for yourself on these two WSJ pages before they hopefully have the decency or shame to take it down.
It's worth reminding people that this man, Rupert Murdoch, controls or wields incredible influence in about half of our daily national news media [Fox, NY Post, WSJ & ABC News], which is why things have become so messed up since he arrived on our shores. But the TV newspeople who do and don't work for him, fail to inform the nation, by calling him out.
I believe most Americans don't even know who he is [somebody needs to conduct a poll]. And he greatly influences - if not controls - the national conversation.
Part VI of the Ukraine series coming this week.
Weekend Things To Do NYC - March 2022
This section contains our Weekend Things To Do reports for the month of March 2022.
Ukraine Part V: Adding Context to the Shallow Reporting of TV News
In Part V We Delve into the Russian Politics Leading up to the War in Ukraine, the Role of the Russian Mob and Oligarchs and a Look at NATO Expansion & What's Happening at the Peace Negotiation Table in Turkey
To Understand Russia Today, a Little Background is in Order - Unfortunately the Incredibly Lame TV News is Failing Miserably at Providing it
In the graphic at right is the head of the Russian mob, Semion Mogilevich. Mogilevich, a Ukrainian, rose in the criminal world in Russia reportedly starting in the 1980's. In the early 1990's as the government of the Soviet Union was collapsing, Mogilevich and Vladimir Putin became fast friends.
At that time, the Russian mob began spreading like cancer to the nations of Eastern Europe, as well as to Britain and the U.S.. The spread of the Russian mob was fueled by disgruntled Russian veterans from the Afghanistan War, and by ill-gotten gains, some of which allegedly came from an incredibly corrupt Russian government which was first headed by Boris Yeltsin, and then his hand-picked successor, Vladimir Putin.
One of Mogilevich's under bosses met with Donald Trump as early as 1984. According to a January 12, 2019 report by Vox,
"... The very first episode that's been documented, to my knowledge, was in 1984 when David Bogatin -- who is a Russian mobster, convicted gasoline bootlegger, and close ally of Semion Mogilevich, a major Russian mob boss -- met with Trump in Trump Tower right after it opened. Bogatin came to that meeting prepared to spend $6 million, which is equivalent to about $15 million today ... Bogatin bought five condos from Trump at that meeting. Those condos were later seized by the government, which claimed they were used to launder money for the Russian mob ..."
The Primary Differences Between a Free Society & a Dictatorship - Truth & Transparency vs Deception & Corruption
Except for the most corrupt of people, most humans - given the choice - would like to live in a democracy: 1) in a society governed by laws, 2) where free speech doesn't get you 15 years in prison or a death sentence like it does in Russia today, 3) in a nation where you get to choose your leaders, and 4) can non-violently fire your leaders when they implement bad policies for the nation. That's what we have here in America, and that's what most of the other NATO countries offer their people.
At present Russia is the bizarro rendition of the free, democratic nations of NATO. Putin's changing of the Russian Federation Constitution in 2020 essentially enables him to hold government power for the rest of his life [until 2036, when he's age 83]. And the imprisonment and multi-year sentencing of Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny in 2021 / 2022, shows that Russian rule of law is merely a charade. Reportedly between 13,000 and 15,000 Russian peaceful protesters have been jalied since the Russian Invasion of Ukraine began in late February of 2022. Unfortunately, aspirations of becoming a free society, where the people are able to pick and choose their own leaders, continues to elude Russia, as the corruption in the Russian Federation electoral process, makes voting seem a useless waste of time.
For these and other reasons, Ukraine embarked on the path toward joining NATO since the collapse of the Soviet Union. And, as described in Part II of this report series, that's also why the Ukrainians have been seeking independence from Russia for at least a century - if not longer - prior to this most recent Russian invasion.
From Gorbachev to Yeltsin - Before, During & After the Fall of the Berlin Wall
Mikhail Gorbachev was the Secretary General of the Communist Party from 1985 to 1990. During his terms in office, he was a reformer who advocated for glasnost, which was the opening up of Russian society. Through glasnost, the government was more consultative with the people with respect to the policies it pursued, and there was wider dissemination of information. For the first time in about two thirds of a century [since the Russian Revolution] the Russian government loosened its restrictive control over the populace. Gorbachev also decided that Russia needed to withdraw from Afghanistan in 1989 [see our report on Biden's withdrawal from Afghanistan which compares the two], since it was a winless war. In 1979, Secretary General Leonid Brezhnev had also expressed an openness to reforming the Russian government's role in society.
In November 1989, the Berlin Wall fell. Germany and Russia negotiated for East Germany's independence from the Soviet Union. In March of 1990, Mikhail Gorbachev became the first President of the Soviet Union. He continued trying to move Russia into the modern world via Perestroika, which at first was about automation, but grew to entail economic and social reforms. Some of the Eastern European nations, like Lithuania, began to push for greater autonomy from the Soviet Union. To continue on the reform path, Gorbachev needed money, and this is where the west failed Russia during this transition.
By failing to help Gorbachev, by keeping Russia frozen out of the G7 which would have given him access to the liquidity of global markets, things worsened in Russia. Eventually a group of eight leaders of the Communist Party held Gorbachev under house arrest while he was vacationing near the Black Sea, in an attempt to stage a coup. Gorbachev refused to make / legitimize the governmental changes they demanded.
Back in Moscow, Boris Yeltsin, President of the Soviet State [which if I understand this correctly that Soviet state is now Russia], stepped in with troops loyal to him and protesters to stop the storming of the Russian Parliament and to save the government of Gorbachev's Soviet Union [which included all other Soviet republics at the time as well as Yeltsin's Soviet State]. By beating back the coup initiated by the members of Gorbachev's own Communist Party, Yeltsin ascended to the top spot. But not until after some changes were made.
Daylight Savings Time - Spring Ahead Sunday - Deepfake at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, Orchid Show & Storming of the Capitol in the Bronx, Andy Warhol exhibit in Brooklyn, Cicadas on Staten Island & Photo Exhibit in Manhattan
Time Change. At 2 am Sunday morning, we move our clocks ahead by an hour to 3 am. Daylight Savings Time kicks in and henceforth the sun sets an hour later and we have more daylight to enjoy ourselves after work.
Weather. Rain and / or snow on Saturday from early morning to late afternoon, with about an inch [if snow] of accumulation expected. The temperature highs will be in the mid 50's on Friday, dropping to the mid 40's on Saturday, and then to the mid 30's on Sunday. The temperature lows will fall from the mid 40's Friday, to the low 20's on Saturday, rising to the low 30's on Sunday. The humidity will rise from 40% to 80% on Friday, falling from 70% to 50% on Saturday and then settling in between 50% - 60% on Sunday. Winds will be 5 - 10 mph Friday, rise to 10 - 20 mph Saturday and fall back a bit to 10 - 15 mph.
In the photo at right you can see folks out and about, near Times Square, on an unusually warm Sunday evening, when temperatures topped 70 degrees the first weekend of March 2022.
Things to do in Queens This Weekend
The Museum of the Moving Image is hosting an exhibit that began December 18, 2021 and runs through May 15, 2022 entitled Deepfake: Unstable Evidence on Screen. The exhibit explores how fact becomes distorted and fictionalized via the moving image screen. At the centerpiece of it all is the distortion of the Apollo 11 moon mission. The museum is open Friday from 2 - 8 pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 12 noon - 6 pm. For details and tickets see www.movingimage.us. Admission $15 / $11 / $9.
Bars, Restaurants & Historic Irish Pubs in the Bronx
Bronx St Pat's Day Pubs, Irish Bars & Restaurants On St. Patrick's Day in the Bronx Neighborhoods of Throgs Neck, Kingsbridge, Fieldston, Bedford Park, Mott Haven, Norwood, Woodlawn Heights, Westchester Square [near Morris Park], Middleton Pelham Bay [near City Island], Williamsbridge and one in Yonkers
St. Patrick's Day is upon us once again and it's time for one and all, regardless of genetic history, to don their green clothing and head out to the Irish bars for a pint of ale or to the Irish restaurants for some down home Irish fare ... or something like that.
This report is about some of the Bronx Irish bars and restaurants that have survived the test of time, and likely a might bit ... more. The Irish pubs include Irish bars and restaurants from Throgs Neck, Kingsbridge, Fieldston, Bedford Park, Morris Park, Mott Haven, Norwood, Woodlawn Heights, Westchester Square, Middleton Pelham Bay [near City Island], Williamsbridge and one in Yonkers.
St Patrick's Day is on a Thursday this year.
While St. Patrick's Day is one big party, it's important to keep in mind, that like New Years Eve, all the amateurs come out to play [it's not just the Irish who are out drinking on St. Patrick's Day]. So some measure of caution is advised and you have to be careful.
At a later date we'll add a bit of history of St. Patrick's Day.
This report is a catch up on some of the key local news items over the past couple of weeks.
MTA Ridership Slowly Inching Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels / Hochul Announces Fare Capping Program / MTA Crime not as Huge as the Corporate Broadcast Media Sensationalizes it
In the photo at right are a number of Chinese American women, who participated in the Chinese New Year Parade celebrating the year of the Tiger in Chinatown in Manhattan, were out to see and be seen last Sunday.
We've been tracking MTA ridership since the pandemic began. The subway ridership plummeted down 90% when the pandemic broke in the Spring of 2020. By the fall of 2020 MTA ridership had risen to a loss of 80%, rising to a loss of 50% - 66% in the Spring of 2021, and then a loss of 35% - 55% in the Fall of 2021. As of this week, the MTA subway ridership losses were in the range of 28% - 43% versus pre-pandemic.
On February 7, 2022, NYS Governor Kathy Hochul announced a new 'Fare Capping Program' whereby passengers would only have to pay for 12 full fare rides in a week [but using the same device / MetroCard] and after which the rides for the rest of the week would be free [Monday - Sunday]. The program begins Monday, February 28th and is expected to run for four months.
The corporate broadcast media seems to sensationalize everything these days in order to ratchet up their ratings, revenue and profit. MTA Ridership during the winter a year ago was about half the pre-pandemic level, and today it's about two thirds the pre-pandemic level meaning it has risen about 50% vs a year ago. According to NYPD Compustat, crime in the subway during the past 28 days is up 33%, so crime isn't rising as fast as ridership.
Nonetheless, crime in the subways is up by about the same percentage versus the pre-pandemic levels, so it's a bigger problem than it was before the pandemic started. It is believed, that the reason for the higher transit crime rate, is that as fewer people rode the rails during the pandemic, the homeless moved in and were able to use the subway as their shelter.
Late last week NYC Mayor Eric Adams and NYS Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the city and the state would collaborate to increase the NYPD presence in the subways to remove and / or assist the homeless from making the MTA their home by offering them an option to leave or an option to get medical, psychiatric and social services help. To that end it was noted that the NYPD upped the deployment of NYPD [about 1,000 officers] into the transit system, focusing - it seems - on the major hubs, and the Governor was working on multi-billion healthcare plans which would include provisions for helping the mentally ill and homeless.
NYC & NYS Vaccination Rates Well Ahead of National Rates
The current NYC vaccination rate is 77%, with another 9% having received at least one dose [86%]. The current NYS vaccination rate is 75%, with another 12% having received at least one dose [87%]. The current U.S. vaccination rate is 65%, with another 12% having received at least one dose [77%].
As a result of the vaccination rates, and with the passing of the Omicron super spreader holiday season, CoVid Omicron new case growth, hospitalizations and deaths have been declining at the NYC, NYS and USA levels.
For New York City the weekly, daily average, test rate of 1.7% for new cases, with only a weekly, daily average new case rate of 707 reported, a weekly, daily average rate of 35 hospitalizations and a weekly, daily average rate of 17 deaths.
For New York State the same weekly, daily average rates are 2% positive new test cases, about 1,750 daily new cases, about 200 daily new hospitalizations and about 35 daily new deaths.
For the United States the same rates are 8% positive new cases [this is a week old number compared to the others herein], about 84,878 new cases, about 8,642 hospitalizations [this is a week old number compared to the others herein] and 1,964 daily deaths.
NYC and NYS are leading the rest of the U.S. in pulling out of the pandemic, as the southern and central states are lagging behind. If you look at a map showing vaccination rates versus a map showing infection rates, you can see that they are inversely related.
Are these maps indicative of the intelligence, or how well informed the people of each state are? Do the smart people live in the states with the higher vaccination rates, or are the people who got infected with CoVid at higher rates [because they didn't get vaccinated], living in states where they have fewer or less reliable information sources, like Fox News? Studies have shown that Fox News enhances people's ignorance of the facts. Look it up.
Presidents Day Weekend Weather as of this post 2/15/22. The Temperature highs will be in the high 50's on Friday and Monday, dipping into the 40's on Saturday and Sunday. The temperature lows will be in the mid 20's on Friday and Saturday, rising to the mid 30's and 40's on Sunday and Monday. Precipitation - There isn't any rain forecast for the Presidents Day Weekend, but at present there's an inch of rain forecast Thursday night starting around 9 pm. Winds- on Friday winds will pick up from 10 mph to 20 mph. On Saturday winds will peak at 20 mph and then fall back into the 5 - 10 mph range for the rest of the Presidents Day Weekend. The Humidity will range between 40% - 50% on Friday and Saturday, rising to 40% - 60% on Sunday, and 60% - 70% on Monday. Click for Bronx Weather.
The image at right shows Wave Hill, where President Theodore Roosevelt spent a couple of summers. Wave Hill is a horticultural enclave and Teddy Roosevelt was an American Conservationist. I imagine if alive today, Roosevelt would certainly being doing whatever he could to combat climate change.
Presidents Day is a federal holiday when all local, state and federal government offices are closed, which generally includes public schools - unless the district uses the holiday to make up a snow day.
Presidents Day is a time to reflect on the performance of our current presidents and legislators, and how they stack up against their historical peers. And in that reflection it's worth asking ourselves what we've done to contribute or detract from the national conversation.
Brief History of Presidents Day Holiday in NYC
A day commemorating Lincoln's birthday was first passed in Buffalo, New York in the early 1870's. Presidents Day originated as Washington's Birthday which was a holiday narrowly prescribed for federal government offices in Washington, D.C. in 1879. The holiday was dedicated to honoring the memory of the first American president, George Washington who was born on February 22, 1732.
In 1885 the holiday was expanded to include all federal government offices around the nation. In 1951 there was a push to create a Presidents Day holiday [vs a George Washington's birthday holiday] to include President Lincoln whose birthday is February 12, 1809 and was also celebrated by localities, but it didn't pass.
In 1971 the holiday was moved off of George Washington's birth date to being the third Monday in February. Thus while it never falls upon Washington's birthday 2/22, the official name of the holiday remains Washington's Birthday. But today, most folks refer to it as Presidents Day and to recognize the presidents who honored the U.S. Constitution and served the interests of the people.
On Wednesday morning I made my way into Manhattan to observe the funeral of slain NYPD Officer Mora. To be sure, it was a solemn occasion. I got off the subway near 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue. Once above ground, I made my way to Fifth Avenue and 42nd where I came across the largest gathering of police officers I have ever seen in my life [see photo at right].
As I walked up Fifth Avenue, I could hear the eulogies over the loud speakers, echoing in the street. I took a few photos and some video of the gathering which spanned all the way up to 50th Street by St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Eventually I had to detour off of Fifth Avenue, make my way down to Sixth Avenue, and then cut back in at 50th Street to get close to the cathedral on Fifth Avenue.
A Communal Gathering of Policemen from the TriState Area and Beyond, at Officer Mora's Funeral at St. Patrick's Cathedral on Wednesday, February 2nd, 2022
As I walked and listened I looked around at all of the policemen gathered in honor of a fellow member of the fraternal order of policemen – not just of New York City but of NYS - and for that matter - the U.S. All of the police men and women were standing, some standing silently listening to the speeches, while others made small talk with each other, between the speeches, about their kids, their families, their jobs, their departments [homicide / detectives / street patrolmen], cars and boats, as well as chatting about which police department or organization they represented.
It reminded me of other funerals I had attended, which it’s been said, are for the living – not the dead. Yes, we come to honor the dead, but they have since gone. And it is left to us who are left behind, to make sense of things. It is our job to figure out how to take the lessons their lives and make them work for us, so that they will not have died in vain.
The expansiveness of the showing of support was somewhere between impressive and overwhelming, as I walked silently through this sea of dark blue, which filled over 8 city blocks on a wide avenue - and which spilled well into the cross streets both east and west of the entire eight blocks. There were thousands of police, mostly men with some women, mostly white but also many minorities, who had come to pay their last respects for a member of their ranks who had made the ultimate sacrifice. A sacrifice that all of them know they must be ready to make each day as they don their dark coats to serve and protect the community. Us.
I noticed the badges sewn to their coats, representing Trenton and Teaneck New Jersey, Suffolk and Nassau Counties, New York State, and of course the NYPD, as well as a smattering of policemen from more distant communities. They projected a sense of sadness and courtesy, as I made my way through the crowd. I sensed that they must also have felt some measure of comfort, standing there, side by side with others like themselves, knowing that they are supported by so many others who share their sense of duty, ready to face down danger.
This seemed a bit like a George Floyd like moment for the police in the city and perhaps the nation. These two young officers, were senselessly murdered, while responding to a domestic violence call within a few blocks of the 32nd precinct Harlem police station where the two police officers worked. Shortly after the policemen entered the apartment, the assailant shot them down with a barrage of bullets from a semi-automatic gun which the assailant had stolen in Maryland.
As I came upon St Patrick’s Cathedral, surrounded by the police, it seemed like a fortress with its big, thick church doors closed, to keep out the noise and cold air while the mass continued inside. A coterie of media people were on a platform across the street from the front of the cathedral, waiting for the doors to open. The Mayor, Police Commissioner Sewell and Wilbur Mora’s brother and sister gave speeches. Karina, Mora's sister, gave her speech in Spanish, as the Moras immigrated here from the Dominican Republic decades ago.
The graphic at right is a Vox headline that asks why the diverging trends in crime vs violent crime.
Australian born billionaire Rupert Murdoch controls about half of our daily national corporate news media, including Fox News, the NY Post, the Wall St Journal and - along with two other Fox News investment funds - controls the largest share of ABC News stock.
For decades now, in English-speaking nations around the world, the propagandists posing as journalists who work for Murdoch, appear to distort the news so that Murdoch's favored politicans will get elected. Once elected, those pols seem to grant Murdoch huge tax breaks, regulatory changes and legislative favors in exchange for his propagandistic support of their candidacies.
The cost to us, the American people [the British and Australians as well] is that many critical issues are never properly addressed by the government officials selected by Murdoch, because his favored pols are generally chosen and supported based on what they will do for the totally self-serving billionaire - not the public. Hence Murdoch pols don't appear to reflect the people's will, but rather are chosen because Murdoch mass media outlets have manipulated the views of enough voters via their distorted daily Murdoch mass media 'news' intake, to enable Murdoch's favored pols to get elected. Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels employed these same kind of tactics, on an unsuspecting public, back in the early 1930's, in Germany.
At right is a graphic showing one of Murdoch's mini-Goebbels, pushing a false narrative that is designed to enrich himself and his billionaire boss by demonizing Democrats. The goal seems to use these issues promote false narratives that favor their pliant pols into powerful positions in government so that they can change policies to pump up the billionaire's propaganda profits. One such example is that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis gave ABC / Disney a half billion dollar tax break last summer and thereafter he appeared to have an open mic on Fox News with propagandists like the Tucker shown above.
To Rein in Guns & Violent Crime, We Must First Rein in Murdoch's Fox, WSJ, NY Post & Increasingly ABC News Distortions & Disinformation on the Subject
Reining in the guns used in violent crime in NYC, is one of many such issues that seem to be given Murdoch's special brand of propagandistic 'news' treatment. Murdoch's news outlets' reports appear to pander to gun owners and the NRA [5.5 million members], who are outspoken and generally against gun control. According to a November 13, 2020 report by Gallup, about 32% of Americans own a gun and about 44% live in a household where there is a gun owner. Hence, gun owners represent a fairly sizeable block of Murdoch's mass media audience, and his news reports pander to them, just as the pander to other voting blocks that Murdoch media seek to manipulate.
At right is a map showing which states have the highest homicide rates. Note that the states with the highest homicide mortality rates are governed by the Republicans - the ones who claim they stand for law and order. But what many of the Republicans in these states really seem to stand for, are the special interest groups like the gun-promoting NRA. Urban police forces, which are generally found in Democratically governed cities, are finding that the guns used in the murders in their cities, are coming from the Republican states. Republican governed states have the nation's highest murder rates [see graph above] and most lax guns laws. I don't think it is helpful to policize this issue by demonizing the other side, but given Rupert Murdoch's grip on our national discourse through his ownership, control and influence over half of our daily national corporate media, somebody has got to push back with the truth.
Valentines Day / Romantic Restaurants in or near Mott Haven, Fordham, Port Morris, Concourse, Bedford Park, Norwood, University Heights, City Island, Riverdale, Melrose, Morris Park, Westchester Square & Parkchester Bronx NYC
Valentine's Day is less than two weeks away. It's a good time to let your loved one know you care. Flowers, gifts and dinner are always welcome treats, and / or some thoughtful gesture that shows that the lady [or man] you're with, still means a lot to you.
All events have been updated and are asterisked.
This report provides an update on who's open and taking reservations, but also highlights quite a number of local restaurant closures.
Like last year, this year it's especially important to make restaurant reservations early and be sure you're prepared to meet the state CoVid guidelines for indoor dining.
Given Valentine's Day is on a Monday, it may be fair game to make your VDay reservation on Valentine's Day or any day of the preceding weekend. Also, restaurants have outside dining capacity - so depending on the weather - NYC restaurants may have additional capacity [versus prepandemic] Valentine's Day weekend. But many restaurants have been casualties during these pandemic times, so for dinner in or near Mott Haven, Fordham, Port Morris, Concourse, Bedford Park, Norwood, University Heights, City Island, Riverdale, Melrose, Morris Park, Westchester Square & Parkchester in the Bronx; it's best to do your research early, and call a week or at least a few days ahead to make the reservations.
Valentine's Day History - Romantic Restaurants in the Bronx
The origins of Valentine's Day are not well documented. It's believed to have been named after Saint Valentine who was apparently a Catholic martyr who died over 1500 years ago. Today the holiday is not associated with religion so much as flowers, candies, cards and romantic dinners. And the holiday spokesperson is now Cupid, a Roman god of desire, and quite a mischief maker.
UPDATED FOR COVID. Click this link to view a brief guide of Valentine's Day restaurants in the Bronx / romantic restaurants Bronx NYC where you will find short descriptions or links to Bronx restaurants we've visited in the past or have reviewed. The restaurants we've reviewed include a mix of high, medium and budget priced restaurants that are spread throughout the borough and offer a large variety of ethnic cuisines. Enjoy.
Weekend Things To Do NYC - January 2022
This section contains our Weekend Things To Do reports for the month of January 2022.
The TV newspeople appear to hype weather systems, to keep viewers inside all weekend, so they'll watch TV, and boost the corporate TV ratings to generate more revenue.
You can see an example of this in the graphic at right which shows a June 13, 2019 Washington Post report where a weatherman was fired by Sinclair Broadcasting, at a Murdoch ABC News station affiliate, because the weatherman wasn't going to use 'Code Red' to hype inclement weather systems, if he didn't think they merited such labeling.
This weekend the weather system coming in this evening is expected to end by about 3 pm Saturday, so while there may be an unknown number of inches of snow on the ground in NYC in January [what a concept], it shouldn't prevent New Yorkers from enjoying at least part of the weekend. But that said, be advised that while the snow should end by 3 pm, the winds die down more slowly, lasting the remainder of Saturday. And these comments apply to activities within NYC [not Long Island nor New Jersey] as public transit may be used in lieu of an auto, and as of this report, the MTA has no plans of shutting down.
The weatherman mentioned in the graphic above, was fired for not distorting the truth, in a manner not unlike what one would expect at a state-controlled media outlet in Russia or China. Hyping weather systems out of proportion, like distorting the proportions of other stories, appears to be one of the Murdoch mass media trademark ploys to deceive / fear monger the viewers in order to win higher rating$$$, take control the national conversation and tip the scales in favor of the pols he favors and against those he does not.
Rupert Murdoch is an Australian born billionaire press lord who controls about half of America's daily national news media including Fox News, the NY Post, the Wall St. Journal and increasingly ABC News where he and two funds control about a quarter of that company's shares.
While Weather Sensationalism is Dishonest Truth Distortion, it's Relatively Harmless vis a vis Most Other News Distortions which can be Dangerous to Democracy
In Australia - where Murdoch has been operating all his life - former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd described, "Murdoch's media empire as a cancer on democracy" because of Murdoch media news omissions and distortions.
And in Britain, a Spring 2012 Parliamentary Report stated that, [Murdoch] "was not a fit person" to exercise stewardship of a major international company] because his company broke the law by tapping British citizens' private phones to get racy stories and the details of their personal tragedies in order to generate higher ratings and sell more newspapers. Murdoch denied he knew anything, blamed his underlings and then reportedly Murdoch's [Fox] Newscorp spent $1.6 BILLION in legal fees and payouts -TO DEFEND THEIR INNOCENCE?
In the graphic at right is a July 28, 2011 Guardian report stating that people working for Murdoch's company were believed to have hacked the phone of Sara Payne to publish her anguish over her daughter's murder at the hands of a pedophile. Murdoch reportedly spent $1.6 billion in settlements and legal fees to extricate the company and its officers from the corruption and scandal. But money can't buy Murdoch out of what Newscorp's actions say about his and his companies' moral compass.
Did You Hear the One about a Staten Island Ferry, Two Comedians, an Architect & a Night Club Owner?
Updated January 26 from 1/24/2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC News / Staten Buzz NYC.
Weather. The temperature highs will be within about 5 degrees of 30 throughout the week, except on Tuesday when it will be in the low 40's. The temperature lows will be between 20 and 30 degrees, except on Wednesday, when it will drop to 12 degrees. The winds will be 5 - 10 mph Monday & Tuesday, rising to 10 - 15 mph on Wednesday, before falling back to 5 - 10 mph Thursday & Friday. Humidity will be 50% - 70% on Monday, dropping to 50% - 60% on Tuesday, and then 40% - 50% on Wednesday & Thursday, before rising back to 50% - 70% on Friday. No precipitation is in the forecast until Friday afternoon / evening at which time it looks like we're going to get several or more inches of snow.
As the new year begins to unfold, we encounter a mixed bag of news that has already made it out onto the public stage. Let's start with the purchase of a de-commissioned Staten Island Ferry, the JFK. The photo above right was taken in January 2020, likely near the end of the JFK's life of ferrying passengers to and from Staten Island. You can see the 'JFK' in the upper right corner of the photo below the black circle and with a bit of glare obfuscating part of the 'F'.
They may be Laughing Now, but ...
SNL Comedians Pete Davidson & Colin Jost, Architect Developer & Contractor Ron Castellano and Night Club Owner Paul Italia Buy the JFK Staten Island Ferry Boat
Last week, after several rounds of bidding, a consortium of investors, including SNL Comedians Pete Davidson & Colin Jost; Architect, Developer & Contractor Ron Castellano; and Night Club Owner Paul Italia purchased a 2,100 ton de-commissioned Staten Island ferry boat - the JFK - for $280,100. The purchase prices was only $100 above the next nearest bid, after the price doubled during the bidding process - up from $125,000 - after the starting bid had to be lowered from $250,000 because of a lack of early interest.
At right are Pete Davidson [left] and Colin Jost [right] announcing their new acquisition on SNL's News update. This project is likely to get a fair amount of publicity given the fame of these two owners and Jost's famous wife and Davidson's famous girlfriend.
De Blasio Decides Not to Run for NYS Governor, Hochul's Fundraising Haul, NYC Violent Crime Up Slightly in 2021, but NYC Homicides Still Below the National Average & To Be or Not To Be - do we want to Politicize the Guns / Violent Crime Problem or Solve it?
This morning, January 18, 2022, former NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that he will not seek the Governor's office on Twitter.
De Blasio mentioned some of his accomplishments during his eight years as Mayor including Universal Pre-K, building hundreds of thousands affordable housing units, implementing some police reforms at the NYPD to make policing fairer, and efforts to transition NYC to cleaner energy. He didn't say what his future plans were, only that he would be announcing them from his neighborhood in Brooklyn.
Governor Kathy Hochul is well positioned for the NYS Governors race this year. Hochul received the very early endorsement of the NYS Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs in October of 2021, and has raised $21.6 million since she announced her candidacy in August of 2021. It's a record for the five month period, and about the same amount of money that former Governor Andrew Cuomo had to ward off challengers in 2018. NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and 3rd District [Nassau County] Congressman Thomas Suozzi have announced their candidacies. In December of 2021, Attorney General Letitia James withdrew her candidacy, in favor of running for reelection in her current post.
On the Republican side of the race there's former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, who is running against newcomer Andrew Giuliani, who's primary claim to fame is that he is the son of Rudy, the former NYC Mayor with the same surname and Lee Zeldin, a Congressman from Long Island.
In fundraising as well as in polling, Hochul seems to have all the advantages at this point in the campaign. Her nearest competitor in polling recently done by Siena would have been de Blasio, who had 12% of the vote versus Hochul's 46%. NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams was next with 11% and Suozzi with 6%. The Suozzi campaign has about $5 million in campaign funding, $2 million of which was transferred from his congressional campaign. Republican Astorino has about $1.3 million, and none of the other contestants released their funding.
A number of snide comments were made in the wake of Hochul's record haul and competitive fundraising position for the upcoming June primary. She was compared to Cuomo with allusions to the possibility of corruption, but nothing specific was provided to support those insinuations.
De Blasio's announcement came as I was working on an update report on NYC crime. Unfortunately, the NYPD doesn't publish a December monthly report, like they do every other month, so it's more challenging to do a year end tally. Hence, this report won't be as comprehensive as some of the others I've done the past couple of years, and will instead focus mostly on shootings and the murder rate.
NYC Crime Statistics for 2021
Thefts Down Significantly / Murders Up Slightly & Still Below the National Average / Most Other Crimes up in Low to Mid Single Digits with Some Exceptions ...
The outlier in the year end crime stats, which were up slightly from 2020, was that thefts were down almost 19%. This may have something to do with the fact that fewer people are out and about, so thieves have fewer to prey upon and the victims have fewer distractions and events where thefts may occur.
As for other salient changes in the main categories, Grand Larceny was up about 12% while Grand Larceny Auto was up 14%, Other (than rape) Sex Crimes were up 30%, Misdemeanour Assault was up 10%, and Hate Crimes were up 93%. It's worth noting that only murders and hate crimes are counted in the hundreds - not thousands.
The murders in NYC were up slightly in 2021 versus 2020. Note that the graph at right is for the entire nation and in 2020 - not 2021. The purpose is so that you can have context in evaluating where we are and what's going on.
In 2021 the preliminary murder rate in the U.S. was about 6.6 per 100,000 people [21,750 / 330M], while the murder rate in NYC was 5.5 per 100,000 people [485 / 8.8M]. Prior to the pandemic, in 2018, the murder rate in the U.S. was 4.96 per 100,000 people [WorldPopulationReview.com], and the murder rate in NYC was 289 victims [8.4M population] or 3.4 per 100,000 people, which was the lowest on record. In 2012, during former Mayor Bloomberg's last year as NYC Mayor, the murder rate had fallen to 414 [8.2M] or about 5.0 per 100,000 people.
So with our larger population [8.8M vs 8.2M], NYC experienced a bit higher murder rate in former Mayor de Blasio's last year in office, versus former Mayor Bloomberg's last year in office. And for de Blasio this was in the midst of the pandemic amid record gun sales.
Weather. The MLK Weekend forecast as of January 10, 2022. The Temperature highs will range from 20 to 30 degrees through the long weekend. The temperature lows will range from 10 to 25, rising as the weekend progresses. As of this post, no precipitation is expected over the MLK Day Weekend. Winds will be about 10 mph throughout the long weekend, except Friday when they'll be a bit higher [13 mph]. The Humidity will be between 30% - 60%, dipping on Saturday from the highs on Friday and Monday. Click for Bronx Weather.
Brief History of Martin Luther King Holiday in NYC
Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist Minister who became the leading voice for African Americans' non-violent civil rights movement beginning in the mid 1950's through to his assassination in 1968. In 1983, the third Monday of every year was set aside to honor Martin Luther King for his service to the nation. The third Monday was chosen, as it was the nearest Monday to the anniversary of King's birthday, which was January 15, 1929.
Martin Luther King Day has grown to take on an even larger meaning, as it is oftentimes referred to as a day on, versus a day off. Organizations around the city and nation have used the day to call people into action to address the needs of the community through volunteering and service.
Martin Luther King Holiday Special Events in the Bronx NYC
On Saturday and Sunday, January 15 & 16, 2022 from 10 am - 1 pm there's a workshop entitled Freedom Quilters of Gee's Bend at Wave Hill at 4900 Independence Avenue in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx. It's Free w/ admission to the grounds. Registration not required, but CoVid protocols in effect. Questions? Please email them at information@wavehill.org or call 718.549.3200 x251.
On Monday, January 17, 2022 from 9 am - 4 pm, there's an MLK Day of Service at the Riverdale Y. While the Riverdale Y is located at 5626 Arlington Avenue in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx, the day of service efforts to tackle various social and community problems is not only there, but done in collaboration with three other organizations / sites in the Bronx. See www.riverdaley.org/mlk-day-of-service/ for details.
On Monday, January 17, 2022 from 10 am - 12 noon the East Bronx IPC [Episcopalian / Anglican] at 781 Castle Hill Avenue in the Bronx invites folks to attend their MLK Day of service and social gathering VIRTUALLY. They collect donations for scholarships, some of which I believe are awarded on that day [unconfirmed].
This weekend between January 15 - 17, 2022 there are multiple opportunities to help with food distribution through non-profit panties throughout many neighborhoods in the Bronx. Here are a couple of suggestions - www.foodpantries.org/ci/ny-bronx AND www.foodbanknyc.org/get-help/
On Monday, January 17, 2022 from 10.30 am 12 noon and 1 pm - 2.30 pm there's a VIRTUAL Teachers Workshop for MLK Day of Action hosted by the Bronx Museum. See - https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/calendar and click on the link at right or the day along the tool bar.
The Great Supply Chain Crisis 2021: Hype vs Reality
TV & Murdoch News Sensationalized the Great Supply Chain Crisis of 2021 - Telling us for Months on End No Pumpkins for Halloween, No Turkeys for Thanksgiving, No Trees for Christmas & No Cream Cheese in NYC
But How Much of that Hyping was a Murdoch Inspired Perspective in Pursuit of Political Profit & Fear Mongering Ratings at the Expense of Reporting What's Really Happening?
The closer I pay attention to what's happening in our mass media, the more concerned I get. Nearly half of our daily nationally branded news media is controlled by one man, Australian born billionaire Rupert Murdoch - who strikes me as either a sociopath or psychopath. Based on the seven years I've been covering Murdoch, it appears as if he doesn't care about anything other than enriching and empowering himself, even at 90 years of age [his mother lived to 103 so he's likely going to be with us for a while].
What Those Who Know Murdoch Say About Him
In Australia - where Murdoch has been operating all his life - former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd described,
"Murdoch's media empire as a cancer on democracy".
And in Britain, a Parliamentary Report stated that,
[Murdoch] "was not a fit person" to exercise stewardship of a major international company].
Keith Rupert Murdoch, controls the Wall St. Journal, Fox News, the NY Post, Harper Collins Publishing, MarketWatch, Barrons - and along with two of Fox News largest shareholders - Murdoch appears to have a controlling interest in Disney / ABC by virtue of what seems his proximity to their relatively new CEO. Murdoch's influence appears to be manifesting itself in personnel moves being made since he became one of their largest shareholders in March of 2019. The personnel moves are in their news and related programming areas, and ultimately impact what ABC News presents to the public. I just witnessed one of many subtle changes on Sunday, while watching This Week with George Stephanopolous. I'll say more about this at the end of this report.
Fox News Lyin' Laura Ingraham, earned that moniker, as you can see in the image above. Fox News has repeatedly used misleading photos and images to lend deceptive and misleading support to their news accounts, which appear designed to influence the unaware and low information voters, in order to get them to vote for billionaire Murdoch's favored pols and against the very government officials who are trying to help the manipulated victims.
For all of us, today starts the beginning of a new year.
If we stay the course with vaccinations, masks, social distancing and hand washing, we should be able to make the transition from pandemic to endemic - at which point things begin to really change to a better normal, but likely not back to a pre-CoVid normal.
A year ago I thought by now we would have mostly normalized, but I had failed to take into consideration the significant resistance to vaccinations by the people who rely upon Rupert Murdoch's overwhelming share of nationally branded daily mass media 'news'.
Rupert Murdoch controls Fox News, the NY Post, the Wall St Journal and he, along with the two largest investment groups owning Fox, control Disney / ABC News. So that's half of U.S. network news and two the largest daily newspapers in the nation. He controls other media outlets as well, like MarketWatch and Barron's and Harper Collins Publishing, but the first four mentioned above are instrumental in shaping Americans' view of things. And the unsuspecting members of Murdoch's audience aren't aware enough, nor paying attention enough, nor educated enough to detect the very sophisticated news manipulations that Murdoch and his minions seem to do every day to sculpt and present the reality they want their viewers to see - which is not reality at all, but a VoldeMurdoch version of it.
Other media outlets and moderate Republicans and pretty much all Democrats need to start calling Murdoch out into the public space so people can see who he is and what he does and what he takes in exchange for it. They need to do it, because regardless of whether they do or not, Murdoch's incessant media attacks will keep coming, so by not addressing him and it, they are only aiding and abetting it, like all those who let Goebbels do the same in Germany in the 1920's, 1930's and 1940's.
The rest of this report is about some of the things you can do personally - not politically - to make 2022 a better year for you.
NYC News Update With as little CoVid Omicron Specific Info as Possible
This Report includes the Over Hyped 'Supply Chain Xmas Tree Shortage', Broadway Show Cancellations & Postponements & Economic Impact, MTA Subway Trains & Airline Flights Cancellations due to Staffing Outages, the Tug of War between Office Workers & their Companies, JFK getting New Terminals & Staten Island getting New Ferries
Weather. Temperature highs are between 40 and 50 degrees each day, and the lows are about 40 each day. Humidity will be between 60% - 80% all week. And the wind will be fairly steady at 5 - 10 mph daily. There's a chance of showers around 8 pm tonight and a chance of a tenth inch of rain on each day - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Given the low amount of precipitation and that it's spread out over the entire day, each day, I'd say your chances of getting very wet are pretty slim.
CoVid, CoVid, CoVid ... How We Moved Beyond it as a Conversation Centerpiece at an Xmas Party
So I attended a Christmas party a couple of weekends ago, and at one point someone asked is there anything else to talk about besides CoVid? This was near the end of the party, so there were only about a dozen of us there. So, someone asked, how about those Nets? And of course, Kylie Irving soon came up, and his anti-vax stance on CoVid, and that the Nets had to postpone a number of games because of ... CoVid.
Someone else asked, whose traveling for the holidays? As you can imagine, it wasn't long before CoVid came up and how it was going to affect everyones' holiday travel plans. Another asked, whether people were going to see their kids over the holidays. And of course, the discussion about vaccinations, testing and masks ensued. And then someone asked about gifts being given this season, and eventually the impact of CoVid on shipping and supply chain ensued. How about going out to dinner ... and so forth.
Actually, it turned out to be kind of funny, in an ironic sort of way, as the pandemic was still touching most parts of people's lives.
But the good news is that we eventually did move on past CoVid. Onto what? Well that's personal and thus not going to be shared here publicly, but we did eventually make it past the CoVid goal line ... but it wasn't as easy as one would think it should have been.
So the rest of this report is going to be about other things affecting our life, but recognizing that the pandemic and our community health affects just about everything else.
How Real was the TV News Hyped Supply Chain & Xmas Tree Shortage?
Retail Sales Hit a Level Not seen in 17 Years in Spite of "No Supply"?
How is it that network TV news, still a primary source of information in this nation - and the only source by many of the uneducated - can get a story so wrong?
For months they've been hyping the SUPPLY CHAIN SHORTAGE, SUPPLY CHAIN SHORTAGE, SUPPLY CHAIN SHORTAGE. I've seen little on TV news saying anything else to the contrary, and yet somehow, retailers magically had the best holiday sales season in 17 years, with department store sales up 21% [that's huge] and online sales up 8% [also very solid performance].
Did retailers MAGICALLY turn in their best performance in 17 years without any inventory? Come on.
People need to start questioning the information they get on TV, because too often, it's so distorted in order to generate an emotional or fearful response that's good for ratings and profit - but not in the public interest.
A December 26, 2021 report in Politico provided the following update on retail sales,
"... By category, clothing rose 47%, jewelry 32%, electronics 16%. Online sales were up 11% from a year ago and 61% from 2019. Department stores registered a 21% increase over 2020 ..."
Bronx New Years Eve Parties & NYE Restaurants 2021 / 2022 NYC
New Years Eve Parties in Mott Haven, Port Morris, Melrose, Fordham, Concourse, Parkchester, Bedford Park, Belmont, University Heights Neighborhoods in the Bronx NYC
New Years Eve occurs on a Friday this year. While New Years Eve is one big party, it's important to keep in mind, that like St. Patrick's Day, all the amateurs come out to play [it's not just the Irish who are out drinking on St. Patrick's Day]. So some measure of caution is advised and you have to be careful.
This year we also have the lingering effects of the pandemic to contend with, and a mandatory mask mandate goes into effect in NYC and NYS from December 13, 2021 until January 15, 2022 - at which time it will be re-evaluated. An early rsvp is highly recommended where possible, given the environment and some, if not all, places want proof of CoVid vaccination.
The following are a number of different New Years restaurants in the Bronx NYC where you might consider booking a reservation.
NYS Hit its Highest Number of New Cases Friday 12.17.21, Omicron Now Dominant Strain in America [73%], Breakthrough Infections & Need for Boosters, Multiple Measures of Vaccine Effectiveness, NYS Governor Hochul Foreshadows Change to Definition of Fully Vaccinated Likely Coming Soon, NYC Mayor de Blasio Offers $100 to those who Boost Before Year End, False Positives Coming from Some Testing Kits, Hospitalizations Trending Toward Younger Age Groups & Kids Getting Infected at Higher Rates
It's Not the Omicron Virus that is Dividing Us. It's the Manipulative Murdoch Mass Media, that Continually Misinforms its Audiences. The Highly Paid Propagandists do This in Order Enrich Themselves & Empower the 90 Year Old Multi-Billionaire by Undermining the Government Officials who Won't Give Rupert what he wants out of the Public Purse & Domain
So the Omicron variant represents the third wave of Corona Virus sweeping the land. First it was the original CoVid 19, then the Delta variant and now Omicron.
The Omicon variant spreads far more easily and hence far faster than the prior two variants, which spread around the globe in a matter of months. Omicron is beating them hands down in terms of spreading, even in nations that have some good measure of vaccinations - but nowhere near the two thirds plus needed for 'herd immunity'. Reportedly, the Omicron is spreading 2x to 4x faster than the Delta variant which reportedly spread faster [by about 50%] than the original strain of CoVid. As of the last week of testing, Omicron represents 73% of all new cases in the U.S.
In the graphic at right you see a headline from FT, which is the Financial Times of London, noting how something that should be common sense has become a political hot potato. At the end of this update on the Omicron variant, we'll take a look at how science and the truth are being distorted by millionaires and billionaire(s) in what appears an attempt to manipulate voters perceptions. The goal is to change the perceptions of their viewers enough, so their viewers will vote for the candidates chosen by the propaganda billionaire and his friends. The end game is, of course, getting the billionaire / propaganda machine selected pols into office, so they can fill their pockets with the taxpayers' money, and obtain legislative changes that are anti-democratic.
Oftentimes reports like that found in the Financial Times fail miserably to call out media mogul Rupert Murdoch, who controls an overwhelming share of the daily national news media in the U.S., Britain and Australia. For my money, Murdoch [not Trump] is the root cause of so many of our current problems by virtue of the disinformation he spreads, which is inserted into many of the news reports that his organizations deliver to well over a hundred million people each day. Murdoch hides behind his media brands, propagandists and favored pols, while the other media and government officials seem either: 1) ignorant of his incredible influence on our daily news, and thus a huge swath of American people's views, or 2) are unwilling to do the right thing and call Murdoch out into the open so the public can get a closer look at who's dominating the national conversation.
The last point made is an important one for the Smartmatic and Dominion Voting Systems lawsuits [more on this below]. My advice to their attorneys, is to hire a great public relations firm to publicize the hell out of each case, making damned sure to include Keith Rupert Murdoch in EVERY news release / update as the slithery Murdoch - like Voldemort in Harry Potter - doesn't like the light of day. And then ride the case to the end, because you're in the right, and what you're fighting for is - in part - the heart and soul of America.
NYS Sees its Highest Number of Daily New CoVid Cases Since Pandemic Began
In NYC New Infections Double in 3 Days & in the U.S. Omicron is now 73% of New Cases
A testament to the Omicron variants transmissibility is that on Friday, December 17, 2021 NYS saw its highest number of new CoVid cases [21,027] in a single day since the pandemic began according to an New York Times report. In NYC the infection rate nearly doubled in just three days, rising from 3.9% to 7.8% from Thursday, December 9 to December 12, 2021 according to a December 16, 2021 NBC report.
I checked the NYC website a couple of weeks ago and found the chart at right, which - to my surprise - showed Whites as the second slowest group to vaccinate. Hispanics were a full ten percentage points ahead of them, and African Americans were only three percentage points behind them. I interpret this as the power of Murdoch's media in NYC as he owns / controls Fox News on WNYW [channel 5], WWOR [channel 9], the NY Post, and the Wall Street Journal.
This section contains our Weekend Things To Do reports for the second half of the month of December 2021. Click into this link to see second half of December 2021 weekend reports.
December 6, 2021 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Social Issues Health News / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.
The first Omicron virus case was first detected on November 8, 2021 in South Africa. The first case detected in the U.S. was in San Francisco on November 22, 2021. Four days later, on November 26, 2021, the World Health Organization [WHO] designated Omicron a CoVid variant [B1.1.529]. As of December 5, 2021 there were eight Omicron cases in NYS, most of which were found in NYC.
Early Precautions in the Face of Omicron’s Rapid Spread
On November 26, 2021, President Biden instituted a temporary travel ban on South Africa and neighboring countries including, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe. He also shortened the CoVid testing time from three to one days, for those traveling internationally. The passenger must test negative for CoVid. And he extended the mask mandate for those using public transit domestically to March 15, 2021.
The reason for taking these early immediate precautions is that the Omicron variant appears to be spreading at twice the rate of the Delta variant, which overwhelmed this nation within about 3 - 4 months [May - August 2021].
The Omicron variant was also detected in Belgium, Hong Kong, Canada, Australia and Israel at the time the news broke regarding the rapid spread of the new variant at the beginning of the Thanksgiving holiday. As of this writing the Omicron variant has been found in 15 states including, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin, according to a Reuters tally on December 5, 2021.
Vaccine Efficacy vis a vis Omicron Variant
The Omicron variant is known to be more transmissible, but it’s health impact is still being studied. Most of those who contracted the Omicron variant had been vaccinated, and hence it is believed that most suffered fairly mild symptoms because they had CoVid antibodies in their systems. By the end of this week [12/10/21] or sometime the following week, early test results on vaccine efficacy vis a vis Omicron are expected.
One health official noted that efficacy isn’t measured as a simple yes or no, but rather in degrees. The strongest efficacy prevents one from catching the virus, the medium measure of efficacy is how troublesome the symptoms - ranging from mild to hospitalization, and the weakest efficacy – meaning no efficacy is death.
CoVid prognosticators believe that the current vaccines will continue to offer some measure of protection / efficacy, but they caution that at some point it may be necessary to create a separate vaccine for new CoVid variants.
*** For links to holiday events and markets in all five boroughs of NYC scroll down to the bottom of this report.
EDITOR NOTE. While it seems we've turned the corner on the CoVid pandemic, it's after effects still linger. Hence a number of holiday markets we saw in 2019 may not yet return in 2021 for reasons related to CoVid, or possibly finances, or perhaps an assessment that the rewards of a holiday market at this time aren't worth the risks of operating one. Lastly, shopkeepers / market makers still have to operate knowing there remains some uncertainty in being able to obtain the selection goods you want in the time frame you want because of lingering issues associated with the supply chain. So while they may not return this year, they might make a comeback next year.
The holidays are a special time of the year. In ancient times there were harvest celebrations to give thanks and enjoy the bounty of the year after a long season / year of work.
There were also winter solstice celebrations to commemorate the end of the darkening of the skies. Many cultures celebrate with a festival of lights, and in Christian cultures the holidays are marked with holiday lighting, tree lightings, candle lightings - as well as the celebration of giving through the most well known and most generous man in the world - Santa Claus.
The photo at right shows the Christmas tree at the three corners plaza at Third Avenue, 149th Street and Willis / Melrose Avenue in the Mott Haven and Melrose neighborhoods.
Meanwhile, back in the Bronx we celebrate in a number of ways, which carry on some of these ancient traditions. The following provides the dates / times / locales and some details regarding many of the various Bronx holiday markets for folks to enjoy shopping between now and the end of the year.
Well, it's been some year thus far. And the good news is that there is much for which to be thankful.
Thanks #1 - We're Still a Democracy
A lame effort to overthrow our democracy failed. This is in spite of seeming to have the support of the best propagandists on Fox News, in tandem with what appears to be the involvement of some of the key players of what seems to be an emerging ideology I'd describe as American Fascism or the 'New Trump Republicans'.
The key players of this new brand of Republican ideology seemed to include the likes of Steve Bannon, Rudy Giuliani who Murdoch's Fox News labels as America's Mayor, Sydney Powell, as well as Trump wannabee's - Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley. This attempted coup, appeared to be incited by none other than former President Donald Trump, who seemed to be aided and abetted by Rupert Murdoch's Fox News propaganda coverage, in what I can only hope will be their final swan songs. But that's a super optimistic wish.
In any event, members of the House and Senate, did not allow themselves to be intimidated and continued to finalize the electoral process, with the final tabulation of the Electoral College vote count, certifying Joe Biden as the 46th president of the United States.
CoVid Vaccinations, Emergence of the Delta Variant, & as goes CoVid, so goes the Economy
The next crises to be dealt with, included a languid economy, handicapped by a vividly voracious virus. Thus the vaccines, created to address these microscopic monsters, did a fairly good Julius Caesar imitation of "veni, vidi, vici" which means "I came, I saw, I conquered".
But the Corona Virus, ever the able and nimble survivor, said "not so fast", and proceeded to spin out numerous variants - one of which was called the Delta variant. Delta is the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet which carries a number of meanings, one of which is about 'change'. And change it did. During the Spring CoVid was on the run as more and more Americans were inoculated. But by early Summer, CoVid was once again on the rise, driven by the Delta variant.
Naturally, as goes CoVid, so goes the economy. And thus the economy, strongly on the mend in the Spring, started to stall by late Summer, as the CoVid Delta rise took hold. I'll come back to this in a minute.
Thanksgiving Day Gourmet Food & Grocery Stores & Restaurants in the Bronx 2021
Thanksgiving Day Gourmet or Specialty Food Shopping & Restaurants in or near Mott Haven, Fordham, Port Morris, Concourse, Bedford Park, Norwood, University Heights, City Island, Riverdale, Melrose, Morris Park, Westchester Square & Parkchester Bronx NYC
Thanksgiving Day History - Thanksgiving Food Shops, Dinners & Restaurants in the Bronx
The origins of Thanksgiving Day in the United States began with one of America's first settlements, founded by the risk-taking, resource-pooling, hardworking, spiritual community of Pilgrims. The Pilgrims were early English settlers who arrived on American shores in the early 17th century [1600's]. They came here because they wanted a measure of freedom and self-determination that they were forbidden in Europe or what was called the 'old country'. The Pilgrims wanted to practice their faith, unencumbered, in a way that differed from the established Church of England. They pooled their money to obtain a ship, the Mayflower, to cross the Atlantic in mid September of 1620, landing on America's shores at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts on November 9, 1620.
The Pilgrims Receive Help from the Native People of a Strange Land
Per Wikipedia, the Piligrims survived a hard winter in 1621 with the help of the Wampanoag, an American Indian tribe. The Pilgrims were the immigrants, and the first Americans, the Indian natives, welcomed them. The Wampanaog taught the Pilgrims how to catch eels, and how to grow and harvest corn. Thus the Pilgrims ended 1621 with a good harvest which they celebrated and shared with their new friends, expressing their thanks to a higher power, aka God, for the success of their endeavors.
Thus it was that the first Thanksgiving celebration happened in America. There's some dispute to this account, which we'll address in a future post, near Thanksgiving Day.
COVID protocols remain in effect per NYC guidelines. Rsvp is recommended.
*** For links to holiday events and markets in all five boroughs of NYC scroll down to the bottom of this report.
EDITOR NOTE. While it seems we've turned the corner on the CoVid pandemic, it's after effects still linger. Hence a number of holiday markets we saw in 2019 may not yet return in 2021 for reasons related to CoVid, or possibly finances, or perhaps an assessment that the rewards of a holiday market at this time aren't worth the risks of operating one. Lastly, shopkeepers / market makers still have to operate knowing there remains some uncertainty in being able to obtain the selection goods you want in the time frame you want because of lingering issues associated with the supply chain. So while they may not return this year, they might make a comeback next year.
The holidays are a special time of the year. In ancient times there were harvest celebrations to give thanks and enjoy the bounty of the year after a long season / year of work.
There were also winter solstice celebrations to commemorate the end of the darkening of the skies. Many cultures celebrate with a festival of lights, and in Christian cultures the holidays are marked with holiday lighting, tree lightings, candle lightings - as well as the celebration of giving through the most well known and most generous man in the world - Santa Claus.
The photo at right shows the Christmas tree at the three corners plaza at Third Avenue, 149th Street and Willis / Melrose Avenue in the Mott Haven and Melrose neighborhoods.
Meanwhile, back in the Bronx we celebrate in a number of ways, which carry on some of these ancient traditions. The following provides the dates / times / locales and some details regarding many of the various Bronx holiday markets for folks to enjoy shopping between now and the end of the year.
Also see updated Weather on Friday afternoon by clicking the header above to go to the Front Page for Weekend Update.
This report contains a listing of some of the things to do in the Bronx over the Columbus Day Weekend including art museums, theaters, live music / comedy / dance venues, sporting & social events, and restaurants for the Bronx NYC.
Bronx Weather. As of September 27, 2022, the Temperature highs will be in the high 60's all four days of the long weekend. The temperature lows will be in the low 50's throughout the weekend. There's a chance of a small amount of rain, but the probability of rain as of this writing, is in the low double digits. Winds will be about 5 - 10 mph Friday and Monday and between 5 - 10 mph on all weekend. The Humidity will be between 55% - 70% throughout the weekend. Click for Bronx Weather.
Little Italy in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx, near the Bronx Zoo, NY Botanical Garden and Fordham University, is hosting an event this weekend. Details coming Friday.
There's also the 45th Annual Bronx Columbus Day Parade which starts at 12 noon on Sunday 10/9/22 at Barnes Avenue [near White Plains Rd] and Morris Park Ave, then turns left on Williamsbridge Rd, and eventually ends at Lydig Avenue [one block shy of the Pelham Parkway] in the Morris Park neighborhood of the Bronx.
Bronx Public & Private Parks & Public Indoor Swim Pools
The Bronx several parks of which a few include public indoor swimming facilities. Click here for a listing of the Bronx Parks including maps showing their locations along with a bit of park history.
There are a couple of indoor public swimming pools in the Bronx. One is at the St Mary's Recreation Center at 450 St. Ann's Avenue in St. Mary's Park and the other is at the Hansborough Recreation Center in the Howard Bennett Playground at 35 West 134th Street.
NYC public indoor swimming pools are now open.
NYC Golfing In The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan & Staten Island
The Bronx has four public golf courses: Mosholu, Van Cortlandt Park are accessible via the MTA / subway. And Pelham Bay Park and Trump golf links are accessible via subway and a brief bus ride. The Trump Golf Links are an NYC golf course owned by the city, for which Mayor Bloomberg had cut a licensing deal with Donald Trump in 2012 to rename and manage it. Since the Capitol Riot / Insurrection, the City has decided to terminate that deal and rename the golf course, but Trump is suing to keep the contract.
Queens has four golf courses and all of them are open this weekend. Click here for details about Queens Golf Courses including maps and links to the operators' websites.
Manhattan doesn't have any golf courses per se, but there is a driving range at 62 Chelsea Piers at 22nd Street and the West Side Highway. There are also three simulated golfing centers in Manhattan that operate under the Five Iron Golf name at 22 Stone Street [at Broad St] in the Financial District, at 138 5th Avenue in the Flatiron District and in the Continental on the third floor at 883 6th Avenue near Macy's and Madison Square Garden.
Brooklyn has a couple of golf courses including Dyker Beach golf course which is accessible via subway and Marine Park golf course which is accessible via subway and bus.
FYI - We update our front page on the Friday before the Labor Day weekend, with an up-to-date weather forecast, as well as additional Labor Day Weekend events and updates. So please come back to visit us over the weekend.
The photo at right shows a golfer at the Pelham Bay / Split Rock Golf Course in Pelham Bay Park.
Special Events on Labor Day Weekend in the Bronx NYC
The Sunday afternoon of Labor Day Weekend, from 1 to 6 pm, is the last Summer Salsa event at Orchard Beach, in Section 5 between the clubhouse and the water. It's casual and free.
One of the biggest event over the Labor Day Weekend in the Bronx is that the Yankees host the Twins beginning at 11 am on Monday, September 5th at Yankee Stadium at River Avenue and 161st Street.
Next weekend, September 10th & 11th, 2022 from 11 am to 7 pm, is the City Island Art Fair. It's held along Main Street, with the epic center at Hawkins Park.
And it's all happening right here in our favorite borough - the Bronx. So take your time to sort through the days and locations and start planning your weekend. Click here to obtain information about other things to do in the Bronx beyond the Labor Day Weekend. This events calendar is updated monthly with between 50 - 100 different Bronx fun / cultural events.
Bronx Public & Private Parks
The Bronx have a number of public parks of which a few include swimming facilities. Click here for a listing of the Bronx Parks including maps showing their locations along with a bit of park history.
The photo at right shows Orchard Beach in the Bronx in August. On Sunday afternoon they have a salsa concert where folks also dance if it's not too hot.
NYC Golfing In The Bronx & Queens
The Bronx has three public golf courses and all of them are open this weekend. The golf courses include Van Cortlandt Park Golf Course, Mosholu Golf Course - also in Van Cortlandt Park and Pelham Bay / Split Rock Golf Course which are in Pelham Bay Park in the eastern Bronx. All of these golf courses are accessible via the MTA / subway.
Click here for details about Queens Golf Courses including maps and links to the operators' websites.
July 4th Weekend Weather. As of this post 6/28/22, the temperature highs will be in the high 80's during the day and around 70. There's a 50% - 60% chance of rain on Saturday [over a half inch] and a quarter inch of rain on Sunday. The humidity will be 50% - 80% Saturday, falling to 60% on Sunday and down to 50% on Monday. Winds will be 5 - 10 mph throughout the weekend.
July 4th 2022 and Independence Day Fireworks the Bronx
Typically there are a number of July 4th fireworks displays that are viewable in or from the Bronx. While 2020 was a wash, and 2021 wasn't fully back to normal, it seems in 2022 we're back to having what were the prepandemic fireworks display options. The Orchard Beach fireworks is in the Bronx, and the Astoria Park fireworks in Queens are viewable from the South Bronx, and the Macy's July 4th fireworks is remotely viewable from the southern Bronx. The Coop City fireworks continues its hiatus and at this point seems to have discontinued its effort. And for those who wish to travel to Long Island, the Jones Beach fireworks continue in 2022.
Click here for a report about the 4th of July Fireworks in Bronx NYC & surrounding areas, including times and locations for the Orchard Beach fireworks 2022, the Coop City fireworks 2022 [none known to be planned at this time], the Astoria Park fireworks 2022, the Macy's 4th of July fireworks along the East River in NYC, and the Jones Beach fireworks on Long Island.
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Things To Do Memorial Day Weekend in the Bronx NYC
Things To Do in the Bronx Over The Memorial Day Weekend
This is a report containing things to do in the Bronx over the Memorial Day Weekend.
This was first published when Memorial Day Weekend was a few weeks away. But given New Yorkers' interest in resuming some level of normalcy post pandemic, I thought you might want more time to figure out how you're going to spend the weekend.
Weather. The temperature highs will be near 80 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, rising to the mid 80's or higher on Monday. The temperature lows will be in the 60's all weekend. Over a half inch of rain is expected between about 2 pm Friday and about 4 pm Saturday, and the rest of the weekend will be dry. Winds will be 5 - 10 mph on Friday, Saturday and Monday, falling to 3 - 5 mph on Sunday. The humidity will be 80% on Friday, 70% on Saturday, and 60% on Sunday and Monday. All in all a pretty fair weather for the three day weekend.
The things to do in the Bronx on Memorial Day Weekend include art exhibitions, theater, live music, comedy, dance, shopping, outdoor activities such as soccer, kyaking, baseball, parades, street fairs, museums and dining in the Mott Haven, Fordham, Port Morris, Concourse, Bedford Park, Norwood, University Heights, City Island, Riverdale, Melrose, Morris Park, Westchester Square & Parkchester neighborhoods of the Bronx in NYC.
Be sure to check our Memorial Day Weekend things to do post mid afternoon Friday of Memorial Day Weekend. The photo at right was taken in May of a prior year at the Bronx Museum in the Concourse neighborhood.
Brief History of the Memorial Day Holiday in the Bronx
Memorial Day first started out as Decoration Day in Waterloo, New York on May 30, 1866 - a year after the Civil War - to honor those who fought in it. In the 1880's the day came to be known as Memorial Day.
According to a May 25, 2012 report in Time Magazine, ten states - Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee also officially observe some version of a Confederate Memorial Day, sometime between late April and early June [in Texas it's in January]. It's been reported that unofficially most of the former Confederate states still commemorate it, but not without some controversy as to the former Confederate diaspora it's to honor their ancestors, while to the former diaspora of the slaves it seems a remnant of these states racist past.
About ten percent of the nation travels more than 50 miles over the weekend. Memorial Day differs from Veterans Day which is held on November 11th of each year. Veterans Day began by honoring those who fought in World War I which ended on the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. Both honor those who served in the U.S. Military. Veterans Day coincides with a similar holiday in Europe for the same reason, which is called Remembrance Day and Armistice Day.
Presidents Day Weekend Weather as of this post 2/15/22. The Temperature highs will be in the high 50's on Friday and Monday, dipping into the 40's on Saturday and Sunday. The temperature lows will be in the mid 20's on Friday and Saturday, rising to the mid 30's and 40's on Sunday and Monday. Precipitation - There isn't any rain forecast for the Presidents Day Weekend, but at present there's an inch of rain forecast Thursday night starting around 9 pm. Winds- on Friday winds will pick up from 10 mph to 20 mph. On Saturday winds will peak at 20 mph and then fall back into the 5 - 10 mph range for the rest of the Presidents Day Weekend. The Humidity will range between 40% - 50% on Friday and Saturday, rising to 40% - 60% on Sunday, and 60% - 70% on Monday. Click for Bronx Weather.
The image at right shows Wave Hill, where President Theodore Roosevelt spent a couple of summers. Wave Hill is a horticultural enclave and Teddy Roosevelt was an American Conservationist. I imagine if alive today, Roosevelt would certainly being doing whatever he could to combat climate change.
Presidents Day is a federal holiday when all local, state and federal government offices are closed, which generally includes public schools - unless the district uses the holiday to make up a snow day.
Presidents Day is a time to reflect on the performance of our current presidents and legislators, and how they stack up against their historical peers. And in that reflection it's worth asking ourselves what we've done to contribute or detract from the national conversation.
Brief History of Presidents Day Holiday in NYC
A day commemorating Lincoln's birthday was first passed in Buffalo, New York in the early 1870's. Presidents Day originated as Washington's Birthday which was a holiday narrowly prescribed for federal government offices in Washington, D.C. in 1879. The holiday was dedicated to honoring the memory of the first American president, George Washington who was born on February 22, 1732.
In 1885 the holiday was expanded to include all federal government offices around the nation. In 1951 there was a push to create a Presidents Day holiday [vs a George Washington's birthday holiday] to include President Lincoln whose birthday is February 12, 1809 and was also celebrated by localities, but it didn't pass.
In 1971 the holiday was moved off of George Washington's birth date to being the third Monday in February. Thus while it never falls upon Washington's birthday 2/22, the official name of the holiday remains Washington's Birthday. But today, most folks refer to it as Presidents Day and to recognize the presidents who honored the U.S. Constitution and served the interests of the people.
Weather. The MLK Weekend forecast as of January 10, 2022. The Temperature highs will range from 20 to 30 degrees through the long weekend. The temperature lows will range from 10 to 25, rising as the weekend progresses. As of this post, no precipitation is expected over the MLK Day Weekend. Winds will be about 10 mph throughout the long weekend, except Friday when they'll be a bit higher [13 mph]. The Humidity will be between 30% - 60%, dipping on Saturday from the highs on Friday and Monday. Click for Bronx Weather.
Brief History of Martin Luther King Holiday in NYC
Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist Minister who became the leading voice for African Americans' non-violent civil rights movement beginning in the mid 1950's through to his assassination in 1968. In 1983, the third Monday of every year was set aside to honor Martin Luther King for his service to the nation. The third Monday was chosen, as it was the nearest Monday to the anniversary of King's birthday, which was January 15, 1929.
Martin Luther King Day has grown to take on an even larger meaning, as it is oftentimes referred to as a day on, versus a day off. Organizations around the city and nation have used the day to call people into action to address the needs of the community through volunteering and service.
Martin Luther King Holiday Special Events in the Bronx NYC
On Saturday and Sunday, January 15 & 16, 2022 from 10 am - 1 pm there's a workshop entitled Freedom Quilters of Gee's Bend at Wave Hill at 4900 Independence Avenue in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx. It's Free w/ admission to the grounds. Registration not required, but CoVid protocols in effect. Questions? Please email them at information@wavehill.org or call 718.549.3200 x251.
On Monday, January 17, 2022 from 9 am - 4 pm, there's an MLK Day of Service at the Riverdale Y. While the Riverdale Y is located at 5626 Arlington Avenue in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx, the day of service efforts to tackle various social and community problems is not only there, but done in collaboration with three other organizations / sites in the Bronx. See www.riverdaley.org/mlk-day-of-service/ for details.
On Monday, January 17, 2022 from 10 am - 12 noon the East Bronx IPC [Episcopalian / Anglican] at 781 Castle Hill Avenue in the Bronx invites folks to attend their MLK Day of service and social gathering VIRTUALLY. They collect donations for scholarships, some of which I believe are awarded on that day [unconfirmed].
This weekend between January 15 - 17, 2022 there are multiple opportunities to help with food distribution through non-profit panties throughout many neighborhoods in the Bronx. Here are a couple of suggestions - www.foodpantries.org/ci/ny-bronx AND www.foodbanknyc.org/get-help/
On Monday, January 17, 2022 from 10.30 am 12 noon and 1 pm - 2.30 pm there's a VIRTUAL Teachers Workshop for MLK Day of Action hosted by the Bronx Museum. See - https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/calendar and click on the link at right or the day along the tool bar.
Around the beginning of the summer I had the pleasure of attending the 112th annual Feast of St Anthony at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church at 627 East 187th Street in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx. The affair began on Wednesday June 13th and ran through Sunday, June 17th.
I arrived on a Saturday at the triangle of streets joining Cresent Avenue, Cambreleng Avenue & 187th Street in the Little Italy section of the Belmont neighborhood in the Bronx. I shot some video capturing some of the rides, games, raffles, food and entertainment, which was present every night of the fair.
Last year I had the pleasure of attending the 15th Annual Hunts Point Fish Parade. The parade returns this year on Saturday, June 15th.
The Hunts Point Fish Parade is a community parade, celebrating the history and ongoing revival of the Hunts Point neighborhood in the Bronx. The parade begins at Hunts Point Riverside Park, which is periodically used as a landing and / or launching point by the Bronx River Alliance. The Bronx River Alliance is a green kyaking, canoeing and sailing organization, that conducts many of its events along the Bronx River.
The Hunts Point Fish Parade is organized by the Point Community Development Corporation - or Point CDC - which is a non-profit dedicated to the cultural, economic and youth development of the Hunts Point neighborhood. To that end they march down to Barretto Point Park, which is a recently refurbished NYC Park that has something of an incredible view looking south along the East River into Manhattan and Queens.
In Barretto Park I found a number of tables set up, many of which last year contained political candidate information, but also information on healthy eating and exercise, generally tied to local organizations within the community offering such products and services. There were basketball games held in the park, as well as impromptu pick up games being played by some of the children, and down along the waterfront there was entertainment by a number of different local groups.
I'll try to post a bit more about this later today / this week. But again note that the 16th Annual Hunts Point Fish Parade is on Saturday, June 15th, with the parade registration beginning at 10 am, the parade beginning about 11 am - both at Hunts Point Riverside Park. And the parade ends at Barretto Park, where the festival begins at 12 noon and runs until a quarter to 5 pm.
Bronx Farmers Mkts, Street Fairs, Member Events Calendar
One thing you could never accuse New York Puerto Ricans of, is a lack of pride in their cultural roots. On Saturday there was a huge street fair in Spanish Harlem, lasting most of the day, along a nearly 20 block stretch of Third Avenue between 103rd and 122nd streets in east Harlem.
East Harlem used to be the destination for Puerto Ricans coming to New York. And while there's still a large Puerto Rican community there, I think there may be an even larger community in the central Bronx whose Borough President is Ruben Diaz, whose father, NYC City Councilmember Ruben Diaz, Sr. came from Bayamon, Puerto Rico. So while some of the population may have moved, Puerto Ricans came from around the city and far beyond, to congregate on Saturday and Sunday, and the bask in the atmosphere of their cultural roots.
Puerto Rican Parade on the Upper East Side Manhattan
There was food, shopping, music, entertainment and dancing at the street fair on Saturday, and minus the food and shopping, the music, dancing and entertainment were also on display at the huge Puerto Rican parade in Manhattan on Sunday. Numerous floats as well as marching groups of dancers and musicians and social groups joined together to make the parade one long display of Puerto Rica's eclectic mix of African, Latin and American cultures.
American Puerto Ricans call themselves Boricuas and everything else is just Bochinche [gossip]. We'll delve more deeply into the Puerto Rican community in Manhattan and the Bronx as time passes.
Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade 2019
Video & Short Report on the Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade
This video provides a good look at many of the performances included in the Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade. We'll add more to this report on Monday.
Boogie on the Blvd by the Bronx Museum
September 16, 2019 / Concourse Neighborhood Bronx NYC / Bronx Things To Do NYC / Bronx Buzz NYC
The Bronx Museum hosted Boogie on the Blvd last weekend. The following video shows a bit of a prior Boogie on the Blvd in the Bronx, along with some clips of other Bronx Museum programs and events over the past couple of years.
Central American Independence Parade After Party in the Bronx
I attended the Central American Independence Parade after party in Crotona Park in the Bronx on a Sunday a couple of years ago. Last Sunday 9/8/19 the event returned and there were food stalls selling various delicacies representing the cuisine of many of the nations that make up Central America - but primarily the Honduras. There were also shopping opportunities for arts, crafts and cultural objects, as well as clothing.
On Sunday the parade started on a somber note, departing at 12 noon from East Tremont Avenue & Southern Blvd, which is the site of the Happy Land Fire Memorial, where in 1990 about 100 people lost their lives - mostly Honduran Garifuna people who were celebrating carnival. The parade celebrates Central Americans, most notably the Honduran Garifuna, and winds its way down Boston Road, and then Charlotte Street to Crotona Park East - ending between Crotona Avenue and Claremont Parkway.
Bronx Central American Independence Parade After Party in Crotona Park Bronx
At the after party in Crotona Park there was main stage set up not far from the Crotona Park amphitheater located along the southwest corner of Indian Pond. The amphitheater was built with stone seating embedded into the landscape and is reminiscent of the ancient amphitheater ruins at Delphi in Greece, but it wasn't used by the event organizers. On the main stage there were numerous musicians, dancers and performers, who entertained the crowd, and representing many Central American nations - but as noted above - mostly from the Honduras.
The video below captures some of the flavor of the Central American Independence Parade after party in Crotona Park in the Bronx a couple of years ago. Enjoy.
St Anthony Festival in Bronx Little Italy
Next Week the Bronx Little Italy Festival of St. Anthony Returns to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in the Belmont Neighborhood of the Bronx
Next week on Wednesday, June 12 from 6 pm to 10 pm - The Feast of St. Anthony. begins in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx. It's the 113th annual Feast of St Anthony at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church at 627 East 187th Street. The festival includes a number of religious and church services, beginning on Wednesday and ending on Sunday with a procession that begins at 5 pm. The general public is welcome to attend the church services as well as the Italian flavored festival in the Little Italy section of the Bronx, located just south of Fordham University, adjacent to Arthur Avenue in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx.
The St. Anthony festival includes rides, games, raffles, food and entertainment every night. We attended last year and put together a short video to give you a sampling of what rides and games to expect when you attend, which has been posted below. The food is not really shown very much in the video, but is a bit in the report, but it's generally a mix of Italian, Latin and grilled fare.
Festival Location / Hours. The festival runs from Wednesday, June 12th through Sunday, June 16th and the hours are Wed & Thurs from 6 - 10 pm / Fri until 11 pm, Sat from 2 pm - 11 pm / Sun from 2 pm - 10 pm. The festival is located in the triangle of streets along Cresent and Arthur Avenues & 187th Street in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx [along East 187th street from Arthur to Beaumont Avenue, and along Crescent from Cambreleng to Belmont Avenue].
It's free to walk around but you'll need to pay for the rides and food, but they're competively priced.
For all of us, today starts the beginning of a new year.
If we stay the course with masks, social distancing and hand washing, we should be able to make it to getting vaccinated - at which point things begin to really change to a better normal, but likely not back to a pre-CoVid normal.
The impact of the vaccinations isn't going to happen quickly as Trump's Operation Warp Speed has turned out to be Operation Super Retarded. But Biden takes the reins in another 18 days, and will likely put things back on track, which means we have another six to twelve months before things will begin feeling somewhat normal. The six to twelve months is how long it's estimated that it will take to manufacture, distribute and vaccinate the majority of the 330 million people who live here. The vaccination process alone takes about two months, as there are two shots and a lag time for your body to build the anti-bodies.
A week ago I headed up to the New York Botanical Garden to view the Holiday Train Show and experience their famous Bar Car Nights. It was a Saturday and the program began around 7 pm. I walked from the subway and arrrived about 8 pm, so I had plenty of time to look around, since it went on until 10.30 pm.
I entered at the western gate along Southern Blvd and walked along the winding path, heading to the pavilion where there were food vendors, a fire and an ice sculptor. Along the path of the Garden Way there were dancers from American Circus Theatre performing slow moving pieces that highlighted the body as form in motion. I paused at the Christmas tree, which was postcard perfect and the sight of numerous photo taking sessions, before heading up to the Pavilion.
The Pavilion is tucked just inside the NY Botanical Gardens southern gate. Local food vendors were tucked in along the walls and a railing in a U shape, with a fire burning in the middle of it. The food vendors are generally participants of the Bronx Night Market, and thus may change from week to week. The Bronx Night Market which is a seasonal pop up market in the Fordham neighborhood.
This week the food vendors were Kernelicious from the Fordham neighborhood serving gourmet popcorn, City Tamale from the Hunts Point neighborhood serving Mexican food, Barbeque on a Stick from Long Island City in Queens serving Homestyle Filipino barbeque on a stick, and The Fried Kitchen who are caterers from Port Morris serving fried chicken. They were also serving wine and beer, where a line had formed.
I watched an ice sculptor from Okamoto Studio NYC ply his trade, as it appeared he had nearly completed a sphinx-like cat. Behind him there was the NY Botanical Garden Pine Cafe and beyond that a long separate room, where a couple of local musicians were entertaining a fairly large crowd with some American tunes from the 20th century.
Finally, I was ready to visit the famed Holiday Train Show, which was situated inside the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. The Conservatory is "a stunning example of Victorian-style glass house artistry" and worth a visit by itself. The building was inspired by the Royal Botanic Garden in London and took three years to erect, completed in 1902. The Enid A. Haupt Conservatory is used to house the Holiday Train Show during the holidays and the Orchid Show in the Spring.
Visitors from around the world come to visit the NY Botanical Gardens, to see the Conservatory, as well as forest that the Botanical Garden has tried to keep intact since prior to the Revolutionary War in the late 1700's. It's a highly challenging preservation task, given the NY Botanical Garden is situated in one of the largest cities in the world, where winds bring unwelcome vegetational visitors, and pollution doesn't make things any easier.
Inside the Haupt Conservatory I found the Holiday Train Show. The New York Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show is also worth a visit on its own, but the Bar Car Night program allows you to satisfy your curiosity on both of these attractions, at the same time. The Holiday Train Show began 27 years ago in 1991.
A film showing how the New York Botanical Holiday Train Show had been constructed was shown at the entrance. This was followed by tables and elevated train tracks where the trains seemed to soar past us. But the real treat lie in wait, as we entered the Conservatory where the lush green vegetation was used as the environment for the trains and associated structures. Overhead, literally dozens of feet above us, were the paned glass windows of possibly a century ago.
People were milling about, enjoying the ambiance, the train show detail, and each others' company. While it was early January, the holiday spirit remained intact. I spent a fair amount of time taking it all in before I headed back to the bar, where another group of folks were milling about enjoying the social ambiance. On my way out I passed by some NYBG carolers who had created a chorus of visitors singing some well known holiday tunes. The last Bar Car Nights of the Season was January 12th, but it will return in mid November of this year. And the Holiday Train Show runs one more week, ending Monday, January 21, 2019.
Tickets cost $38 for non-members and $28 for NYBG members. P.S. They also have a restaurant called the Hudson Garden Grill in the Ross Conifer Arboretum, which is between the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and the western Southern Blvd Gate. It's open daily from 11.30 am - 6 pm, but they vary the light and full menu based on weekdays / weekends.
Scroll down to view a video of the Bar Car Nights at the NY Botanical Gardens, including the Holiday Train Show.
This is a short video capturing the various entertainment offerings included in the NY Botanical Garden Bar Car Nights program over the holidays. There was music, an outside fire surrounded by presumably Bronx restaurateurs' offerings, an ice sculptor performing his art, dancers and singers caroling and performing, and the holiday train show in the Enid Haupt Conservatory, which is worth the trip all in itself. Next Saturday is the last night of this program until next Fall.
Pregones Theater in the South Bronx
The Bronx is Hitting its Stride as one of NYC's Great Cultural Centers
Last summer the Pregones Theater or Teatro Pregones hosted a block party in tandem in the Concourse neighborhood with Lincoln Center Out of Doors. The recognition by Lincoln Center for the quality of Pregones Theater programming, shows just how far Teatro Pregones has come in earning the respect of one of the nation's most elite cultural centers. But this is nothing new for the Bronx these days.
Since gaining recognition for Rap and Hip Hop, the Bronx became known for its music, art and culture. Rap is said to have begun starting in 1973 when the first known hip hop party was thrown by DJ Kook Herc at 1520 Sedgewick Avenue in the nearby Morris Heights neighborhood in the Bronx.
The Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were organized in the mid 1970's by John Saddler who took the name of Grand Master Flash. One of the Furious Five members, Keef Cowboy, is credited with coming up with the name hip hop. In 1979 The Sugar Hill Gang's Rappers' Delight reportedly brought Rap and Hip Hop into the mainstream. And in the following three decades, Rap and Hip Hop went mainstream, with rappers and hip hop artists emerging from all around the nation and all around the world.
In 2015 Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, known as Cardi B, emerged as a national artist, after a few of her videos went viral. In 2017 Kardi B put out a single, Bodack Yellow, that quickly rose to #1. I went to listen to it on Youtube and it uses an Arabian theatrical motif, where Kardi B talks about dancing. Kardi B was formerly a strip club dancer and she rapped about how she doesn't need to dance for 'you' anymore. Once a poor nobody with some looks and talent, Kardi B became a rich and famous somebody almost overnight. Her video has received 668 million views.
Within the same month, Boogie wit da Hoodie , whose birthname is , put out an album, The Bigger Artist, that also went to #1. That video received 21 million views. Thus, these two artists - along with a number of others, moved the Bronx back into the limelight of Rapper / Hip Hop culture.
The reason I mention all of this, is because as you watch the video below, you'll notice the rich cultural poetry, and emerging sense of theater, emanating from two of the guest performers I saw that day. Pregones Theater / Teatro Pregones continues to host other talented artists throughout the year in both Spanish and English ... and if the block party is any indication ... far beyond these two languages alone.
Doc Film Center in the Bronx
Film Based Cultural Center Attracts Eclectic Group for presentation of Carlos Villalon’s Coca: The Lost War on Drugs
In July I visited the Doc Film Center in the Bronx to attend a new film by Carlos Villalon about the failed war on drugs. I arrived as it was getting dark, disembarking from the #5 train at the HUB at 3rd Avenue, 149th Street and Willis in the neighborhood of Melrose. I walked north a couple of blocks and took a left, coming upon the Doc Film Center which is housed in a three story building that looks to be in the neighborhood of a century old.
The HUB at 3rd Avenue, 149th Street and Willis / Melrose Avenue intersection was once referred to as the Times Square of the Bronx. It is still a fairly robust shopping district during the daytime, but after hours when the stores close, it has a sort of abandoned feel. I went in knowing that the crime rate in the Bronx, like the rest of the city, is down significantly versus prior years.
In the past five years, according to the Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, the murder rate for the entire Bronx has been below 100. This is in a borough that is home to 1.471 million, so the murder rate is below 1 murder for every 14,710 people in the Bronx. It’s worth adding that a third of Bronx murders are from gang related violence, which sometimes includes collateral damage.
Architecture Near the Hub in Melrose: 1900 - 1930
The NYPD has been having some good success in taking down gangs in Bronx as well as NYC. In March of 2016, they reportedly completed the biggest bust in the Bronx, capturing 89 gang members. There are numerous places in Manhattan and Brooklyn that are far more dangerous, but Bronx historically has been given the worst reputational rap, and that impression, while changing, still lingers. I attribute it to LOCAL TV NEWS COVERAGE, which seems to PRIMARILY report crime stories when covering the Bronx.
As I walked to the Doc Film Center I observed the architecture around which I found myself surrounded. The Hub heyday was back in the early 1900’s running into the 1930’s when the Great Depression hit. Thus many of the buildings in the area are from that time period, which to me, is what I’ve come to think of as New York classical architecture and building. They made them quite well back then, as America was flexing its economic strength.
Inside the Doc Film Center I walked along the wooden floors to a large room with incredibly high ceilings, like what you would expect to find in a high school gym. There were chairs lined up looking toward the front of the building where the speaker had already begun his presentation.
What followed was a journey into the drug wars. As Carlos Villalon took us on a journey through the South American jungles, into Coca: The Lost War on Drugs …
On Sunday I made my way over to the Pregones Theater in the Concourse neighborhood of the Bronx. Pregones is located at 575 Walton Street, only a couple of blocks from Hostos College and the Post Office in the Bronx. Today was their annual block party, the origins of which, date back to the early 2000's. Pregones Theater moved to this location on Walton Street in the Concourse neighborhood in 2005.
It's worth mentioning that Pregones Theater has been serving the Bronx community of actors, actresses, producers, directors, playwrights and their audiences for nearly four decades. Pregones was started in 1979 and recently [2015 - 2017?] merged with another theater company, Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, to become the cultural institution that it is today.
The Puerto Rican Traveling Theater began in 1967 and helped give birth to the careers of Raul Julia and Miriam Colon, and recently merged with Pregones. Today Pregones Theater / The Puerto Rican Traveling Theater has venues in both Bronx and Manhattan.
As I arrived I noticed their colorful psychedelic house, the Casita, erected as the backdrop for the stage where performers would take flight to delight the audience. It was around 4 pm and a poet, I know it, was speaking, sweet talking, sugary, short arias of verbalized visuals whose acoustical imagery was as stimulating and winding as a quick jazzy beat. Too fast, to fully comprehend, the details of which lie within.
I remember a subway ride, some history, a street scene, but you really had to be there to get the full gist. You missed. But they'll be back next year and they have numerous performances throughout the year.
Along the sidewalks vendors were selling unique - possibly Bronx made, clothing, cosmetics, jewelry, pottery, purses, knapsacks, paper products and other little finds, many of which you might be hard pressed to find elsewhere.
I stepped inside the theater to check it out. It's a well kept, spacious theater, with seating for somewhere between 50 to 100. And a hall of fame showing accolades for performances and performers of years past.
The folks were friendly and it was definitely an artsy, eclectic and friendly crowd. There were also folks there from Lincoln Center Out of Doors, who in part sponsored the block party performances. And Pregones Theater / The Puerto Rican Traveling Theater also performed down at Lincoln Center on Saturday, August 4th at 12 noon in Hearst Plaza, as part of their relationship with Lincoln Center Out of Doors.
By the way, 'pregones' in Spanish, means 'cries' in English. But nobody was crying today.
Hasta luego.
Mediums of Exchange at Lehman Art Gallery
Two Site Art Exhibit Explores the Role of Money in Society
There's an art exhibit entitled Mediums of Exchange that opened at the Shirley Fiterman Art Center at the Borough of Manhattan Community College in Tribeca / Downtown Manhattan on January 31st, 2019 and ended March 30th. But it was a two site / two part art exhibit, with the second site opening in the Bedford Park neighborhood of the Bronx at the Lehman College Art Gallery on February 9th and which runs through May 4th, 2019.
It's a group show, that showcases 35 artists, most if not all of whom I believe are NYC based [unconfirmed]. And the exhibit explores the role of money from a social, psychological and economic point of view. On Wednesdays there are artist talks beginning at 5 pm. I am currently in the process of trying to find out if the artist talks are held every Wednesday or only periodically [ad hoc] and then how late the gallery stays open on those evenings, because the Lehman Art Gallery is normally open from 10 am - 4 pm Tuesday through Saturday.
I hope to post more about this exhibit at a later date. The image above was taken from the Lehman Art Gallery in the Bronx.
A couple of weeks ago I had an opportunity to attend a book talk by Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa at the Andrew Freedman Home in the Central Bonx neighborhood on the Concourse.
The Andrew Freedman Home is worth the trip in itself and it was a rare treat to hear a distinguished author in such a distinguished setting. But I was not alone in savoring the moments.
The room was full, mostly of women, many of whom likely were of some Puerto Rican or African descent, and they had come to learn more about their shared past as described by one woman who had fictionalized some of the history of five generations of her family.
I'll have more later today on the Daughters of the Stone by Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa at the Andrew Freedman Home on Friday, March 15th.
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Bronx Halloween Parties & Events NYC 2021
Halloween Parties in Mott Haven, Port Morris, Longwood, Fordham, University Heights & Other Neighborhoods in the Bronx
Halloween occurs on a Sunday this year. The Bronx Halloween party celebrations begin as early as Saturday, October 23rd running through the weekend, with some Bronx Halloween parties on Halloween day itself.
Halloween is one big costume party, where the theatrical side of people, is given a small opening. Halloween provides people the opportunity to create and play roles they have wanted to play, that the day-to-day keeps submerged. Is it their Doctor side or their Jekyll side - or something uncategorizable?
In the photo at right in the introduction to this story is a woman attending a Halloween party at the Queens Museum a number of years ago. In the body of the story, the photo at right is an actor at ID Theater in Mott Haven who performed in a play which was a part of the 14th annual city-wide, Celebrate Mexico Now in 2017. Professional actors are paid to assume and perform roles, but on Halloween it's an all-volunteer, unpaid, theatrical free-for-all ... but that very chaos of creativity is what also makes it so much fun.
Mothers Day Restaurants in or near Mott Haven, Fordham, Port Morris, Concourse, Bedford Park, Norwood, University Heights, City Island, Riverdale, Melrose, Morris Park, Westchester Square & Parkchester Bronx NYC
Mother's Day will soon be upon us. It's a good time to let your loved ones know you care. Flowers, gifts and brunch or dinner are always welcome, as is any thoughtful gesture that provides some measure showing your appreciation of your mother or the mother of your children. After all, without mothers, we would all cease to be.
It's best to book a restaurant reservation early for Mother's Day brunch, as on Mother's Day in the Bronx, many restaurants are full. So if you're thinking about eating out at a restaurant this Mother's Day in Mott Haven, Fordham, Port Morris, Concourse, Bedford Park, Norwood, University Heights, City Island, Riverdale, Melrose, Morris Park, Westchester Square & Parkchester; it's best to do your research early, and call ahead to book Mother's Day restaurant reservations.
Remember, restaurants also have additional capacity since the pandemic began, via all of those outdoor shanties built during the pandemic, which greatly increased overall space / seating capacity. And with the weather warming - the temperature is expected to be near 70 degrees on Mothers Day without rain, so outdoor dining is a pleasant, even welcome option.
But as the saying goes, the early bird gets the [worm] better seating, so book early.
Mother's Day History - Restaurants In the Bronx
The origins of Mother's Day in the United States began with the efforts by Anna Jarvis in honor of her own mother. According to Wikipedia, Anna began the campaign in 1905 - the year her mother died - and in 1910 West Virginia was the first state to adopt it as a holiday. In 1914 Woodrow Wilson made the second Sunday in May as a national holiday to honor mothers.
Click this link to view a brief guide of Mother's Day restaurants in the Bronx where you will find links to Bronx restaurants we've visited in the past or have reviewed. The restaurants we've reviewed include a mix of high, medium and budget priced restaurants that are spread throughout the borough and offer a large variety of ethnic cuisines.
Bars, Restaurants & Historic Irish Pubs in the Bronx
Bronx St Pat's Day Pubs, Irish Bars & Restaurants On St. Patrick's Day in the Bronx Neighborhoods of Throgs Neck, Kingsbridge, Fieldston, Bedford Park, Mott Haven, Norwood, Woodlawn Heights, Westchester Square [near Morris Park], Middleton Pelham Bay [near City Island], Williamsbridge and one in Yonkers
St. Patrick's Day is upon us once again and it's time for one and all, regardless of genetic history, to don their green clothing and head out to the Irish bars for a pint of ale or to the Irish restaurants for some down home Irish fare ... or something like that.
This report is about some of the Bronx Irish bars and restaurants that have survived the test of time, and likely a might bit ... more. The Irish pubs include Irish bars and restaurants from Throgs Neck, Kingsbridge, Fieldston, Bedford Park, Morris Park, Mott Haven, Norwood, Woodlawn Heights, Westchester Square, Middleton Pelham Bay [near City Island], Williamsbridge and one in Yonkers.
St Patrick's Day is on a Thursday this year.
While St. Patrick's Day is one big party, it's important to keep in mind, that like New Years Eve, all the amateurs come out to play [it's not just the Irish who are out drinking on St. Patrick's Day]. So some measure of caution is advised and you have to be careful.
At a later date we'll add a bit of history of St. Patrick's Day.
Valentines Day / Romantic Restaurants in or near Mott Haven, Fordham, Port Morris, Concourse, Bedford Park, Norwood, University Heights, City Island, Riverdale, Melrose, Morris Park, Westchester Square & Parkchester Bronx NYC
Valentine's Day is less than two weeks away. It's a good time to let your loved one know you care. Flowers, gifts and dinner are always welcome treats, and / or some thoughtful gesture that shows that the lady [or man] you're with, still means a lot to you.
All events have been updated and are asterisked.
This report provides an update on who's open and taking reservations, but also highlights quite a number of local restaurant closures.
Like last year, this year it's especially important to make restaurant reservations early and be sure you're prepared to meet the state CoVid guidelines for indoor dining.
Given Valentine's Day is on a Monday, it may be fair game to make your VDay reservation on Valentine's Day or any day of the preceding weekend. Also, restaurants have outside dining capacity - so depending on the weather - NYC restaurants may have additional capacity [versus prepandemic] Valentine's Day weekend. But many restaurants have been casualties during these pandemic times, so for dinner in or near Mott Haven, Fordham, Port Morris, Concourse, Bedford Park, Norwood, University Heights, City Island, Riverdale, Melrose, Morris Park, Westchester Square & Parkchester in the Bronx; it's best to do your research early, and call a week or at least a few days ahead to make the reservations.
Valentine's Day History - Romantic Restaurants in the Bronx
The origins of Valentine's Day are not well documented. It's believed to have been named after Saint Valentine who was apparently a Catholic martyr who died over 1500 years ago. Today the holiday is not associated with religion so much as flowers, candies, cards and romantic dinners. And the holiday spokesperson is now Cupid, a Roman god of desire, and quite a mischief maker.
UPDATED FOR COVID. Click this link to view a brief guide of Valentine's Day restaurants in the Bronx / romantic restaurants Bronx NYC where you will find short descriptions or links to Bronx restaurants we've visited in the past or have reviewed. The restaurants we've reviewed include a mix of high, medium and budget priced restaurants that are spread throughout the borough and offer a large variety of ethnic cuisines. Enjoy.
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New York Pizza Festival in the Bronx
1st Annual NY Pizza Festival in Bronx Little Italy was a Success
It was a warm, humid afternoon as I made my way north to the Arthur Avenue section of the Belmont neighborhood in the Bronx. I was on my way to the first annual Pizza Festival hosted by the Belmont BID [Business Improvement District] in the Bronx Little Italy.
As I made my way east from the subway and began to enter the neighborhood, I began to feel the transformation of entering another world. Visiting Bronx Little Italy on Arthur Avenue had never felt like this before. Perhaps it was the laziness of a Saturday afternoon in the Fall, or possibly the increased pedestrian traffic associated with the Pizza Festival, but Arthur Avenue looked great in all of its Italian splendor.
So I took my time walking south along the Avenue to Crescent Street where the festival was being held. There were plenty of people out and about, enjoying the afternoon in the neighborhood, and Arthur Avenue had dressed up to impress, showing its charm as a competitive alternative to the more touristed Little Italy in Manhattan.
When I arrived at Cresent Street there were blocks of small white tents lined up along one side of the street. A large but dispersed crowd was milling around many of the booths, even though I had arrived around 4 pm, well past the opening at noon.
I made my way past the entertainment to get a closer look at the pizza makers, their ovens and their wares. Making pizza looked to be a fairly simple process for these pros. The Belmont BID website said there were about 34 pizza makers from NYC who were there to compete for the attendees' interest and sales.
I began talking to some of the pizza makers, who seemed to be having fun. I caught up with Mayor de Blasio midway through the festival. He was surrounded by a lot of the pizza makers and / or the NY Pizza Festival attendees, and there seemed to be a bit of back and forth and picture taking and what not. So I took a few photos too, before moving on to Gino's Pizza.
CLICK here to read the rest of our report about the NY Pizza Festival Bronx including a short video of the event.
2nd Annual NYC Pizza Festival in Bronx Little Italy
The 2nd Annual NYC Pizza Fest in the Bronx was a Sequel that was Hit
October 21, 2019 / Bronx Restaurants / Bronx Things To Do / Bronx Neighborhoods / Bronx Buzz NYC.
The 2nd Annual NY Pizza Festival was held on the weekend of October 5th & 6th in Bronx Little Italy in the Belmont neighborhood near Fordham University. The festival was held over the weekend attracting thousands to the area to come sample some of the best pizza in New York City and surrounding area ... and there was even a pizza maker from Naples in Italy who had come for the event. I'll have more at a later date, but in the meantime you can sample some of the atmosphere and see some of the gourmet pizza served at the event.
Fordham Road Food Festival
Video & Short Report on the Fordham Road Food Festival
This video provides a good look at the entertainment, games, crowds and food available at the Fordham Road Food Festival last Saturday. We'll add more to this report in the future.
See HOURS, MAPS, ITEMS / SELECTION of the 23 BEST Farmers Markets / Green Markets in Bronx, w/ savvy shoppers' tips. This report includes the Mott Haven Farmers Market, Concourse Green Market, Coop City Farmers Market, Fordham Manor Green Market, Parkchester Farmers Market, City Island Farmers Market, Hunts Point Farmers Market, Claremont Village farmers markets and in between.
A few Bronx farmers markets might be open year round, but most of them are seasonal. Some of the seasonal Bronx farmers markets began opening in the Spring of 2021, with the rest of them opening no later than the first couple of weeks in July of 2021. Click here to view the schedules of many of the farmers markets in the Bronx.
Bronx street fairs, on the other hand, are entirely seasonal. Some of them hit the streets as early as April 2021. The number of Bronx street fairs rises during the late spring and continues through the dog days of summer [July / August], including into the late part of the Fall. By the end of November the Bronx street fairs go on hiatus, with a few returning as early as April. Click here to view a full schedule of the Bronx street fairs.
In early May I traveled to the Parkchester neighborhood, to visit one of the Bronx newest Islamic clothing stores, Islam Fashion. With Ramadan only a couple of weeks away, the store proprietor was busy making preparations as Ramadan is the holiest month of the year - and just as during the holidays for Christians, it is also a very social time of the year.
The store, Islam Fashion, was started in the late 1990's [circa 1998] by an enterprising Egyptian immigrant, Mohamed Zohny, who I had met in Queens about a decade ago. Mohamed is one of those legendary entrepreneurial immigrants that one hears about - that keeps the American dream alive - both here and abroad.
Mohamed Zhony - Egyptian American Entrepreneur
Mohamed rolled the dice and immigrated to New York in 1979, at the age of 37, having left a position working at one of the airports in Egypt. When he arrived, he began working in a Lebanese restaurant washing dishes. Three years later in 1982, risking the savings he made from dishwashing, Mohamed started a falafel food truck at 51st Street and 5th Avenue.
Starting an Entrepreneurial Business on the Midtown Manhattan Streets
For fourteen years Mohamed made falafels out of his food truck and one might say he became a bit of a falafel food truck legend. He was photographed and written about in several glossy magazines, including one where he had his photo taken by famous photo journalist Lou Bopp.
Perhaps my favorite account of Mohamed at this time was the following in the 'Grub' section of a popular NYC magazine.
"Falafel stands abound … [at] Rockefeller Center … during lunchtime. Naturally they run the full gamut of barely edible to scintillatingly delicious. Second place for the title of best falafel is Zohny who has a cart on the corner of 5th Avenue and 51st Street. Not only are his falafels moister and fuller than the competition, but he has also developed falafel assembly into an art. It's a spectator sport to marvel as Zohny choreographs his falafel preparation like a wind-up doll. He can make the chick pea balls while dropping lettuce and tomato and heating the pita bread."
In 1996 then Mayor Rudy Giuliani started making changes to the rules governing traffic and food carts, so Mohamed decided to exit the business. Within two years, Mohamed had embarked on a third adventure, again investing his savings to purchase and then sell Islamic clothing on the Upper East Side on what I understood to be a sort of person-to-person basis.
Opens Islam Fashion Clothing Business in Manhattan with Stores in Brooklyn, Queens & the Bronx
Within another two years, in the year 2000, Mohamed signed a lease in Brooklyn and opened an Islamic clothing store there. Nine years later he opened a second store in 2009 in Astoria, where I met him. He's done a bit of advertising on Queens Buzz over the years and I have always found Mohamed to have a friendly smile on his face.
During this time I have had the opportunity to watch him do a bit of business here and there, buying and selling Islamic clothing in his shop. He would invite sellers to sit down for tea, chat and haggle a bit about quality and price, and then settle on a price and complete the deal. It felt like time traveling into Egypt in the space of a few minutes.
In recent years Mohamed, now 75 years old, has begun winding down ... at least a bit. He closed his Brooklyn store due to rising rents, and moved his Astoria store to Parkchester just last year - again due to rising rents. He opened in Parkchester a few months ago and has begun building yet another retail business. Even to this day Mohamed greets the public with a welcoming "Salam Alaikum", which in English means "Peace to you".
Islam Fashion is located at 1701 White Plains Road at Van Nest Avenue in Parkchester. Mohamed is now in the hospital and plans to sell his business. If interested you can reach him via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/islamfashioninc/
I hope and pray that Mohamed has a speedy recovery.
Arthur Avenue - Little Italy in the Bronx
Arthur Avenue Still has Multi-Generational Family Businesses
A bit over a week ago I headed up to the Arthur Avenue restaurant section of the Belmont neighborhood in the Bronx. Throughout most of the twentieth century, Arthur Avenue was a densely populated Italian section of the Bronx, full of Italian restaurants, shops and Italian culture. By the early 21st century, where we are now, many of the Italians had moved out into the suburbs or into other parts of the city - but that said there's still a very strong Italian presence, including some of the multi-generational Italian family businesses.
Arthur Avenue is more than a destination for those seeking Italian culture in the Bronx, as Fordham University is only blocks away. Oftentimes Fordham students can be seen milling about in the cafes, restaurants and shops, alongside long time residents from the neighborhood. I've come to view the Arthur Avenue Retail Market, founded in 1940, as sort of the epicenter or hub of Arthur Avenue.
Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia reportedly spearheaded the development of the Arthur Avenue Retail Market while he was Mayor in an effort to incent the popular, low-priced, but somewhat unsanitary, street pushcart businesses to move in off the streets. The Arthur Avenue Retail Market was, in some measure, one of the early malls, where various independent vendors sold their wares.
Within the same block and blocks, there are also many Italian retail businesses that have survived the economic vagaries of time. Among them is ...
The New York Road Runners / NYRR is hosting its 49th NYC Marathon on Sunday. The NYRR was founded in 1958 and has been organizing the NYC Marathon since 1970. The proceeds from the race go toward the programs of the runner non-profit. They report that the NYRR serves 670,000 people, of which 250,000 are youth, annually.
There are plenty of festivities this week surrounding the affair. Some are held at the NYRR Run Center [NYRR headquarters] at 320 West 57th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues in Manhattan, while others are held at the NYC Marathon Pavilion in Central Park at 67th Street and Central Park West, near the Tavern on the Green in Manhattan.
The other pre-race activities [see location addresses above] include a discussion on Tuesday about the NYC Marathon Book Club from 6 - 8 pm at the NYC Marathon Pavilion. On Wednesday there's a forum of Celebrity Charity Runners who talk about why they are running at the NYC Marathon Pavilion from 7 - 8 pm. On Thursday evening between 6 and 7 pm the NYRR presents the awards for the NYRR Hall of Fame inductees at the NYC Marathon Pavilion. On Friday at the NYRR Run Center there's an NYRR Running History Tour which runs from 10 - 11.30 am.
The pre-race festivities culminate the Saturday evening before the race, when there's an early dinner [3.30 - 8.30 pm] for the runners at the NYC Marathon Pavilion that is prepared by the chefs from Tavern on the Green. They call it the Marathon Eve Dinner. It has a sort of holiday ring to it.
NYC Marathon Times, Route & Statistics to Beat
Statistics 2018. According to the NYRR.org website, in 2018 there were 52,813 runners, from 129 countries, their average run time was 4.40 [hours.minutes] and they raised $40 million for charity. This year there are a number of primarily TV game show celebrities running to raise money for charity.
According to Wikipedia, in 2018 records for participation were broken, yet again, with 30,669 men and 22,143 women participating. The fastest runs times were approximately 2.05 [hours.minutes] for men and 2.20 [hours.minutes] for women.
NYC Marathon Organized at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island
As you can imagine, organizing the 52,000 plus runners in the NYC Marathon, is an annual logistics feat. The NYRR has organized the race into four Waves. Each Wave begins at a different time. Within each Wave there are three Start Times which are color coded green, orange and blue. In addition to three different start times for each wave, there are six different Corrals, A through F, where runners gather to be released into the race during their wave and start time.
NYC Marathon Start Times 2019
The NYC Marathon begins at 8.30 am at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island. From there over 52,000 runners departed last year, and the race continues to grow in popularity. The first group to begin the race are in the wheelchair division, followed by the handcyclists. These two groups depart between 8.30 am and 8.52 am.
The next group departs at 9.10 am and it comprises the professional women competing for the title. They are followed a half hour later, at 9.40 am, by the professional men. It is at this time [9.40 am] that the first wave kicks in, with its three start times. The second wave begins at 10.10 am, the third wave begins at 10.35 am and the fourth and final wave begins at 11 am.
NYC Marathon Best Guess Viewing Times
The 16 mile mark of the 29 mile NYC Marathon is at the Queensboro Bridge. That's a bit more than halfway. If you divide the average run time of 4 hours and 40 minutes, to get 2 hours and 20 minutes, you can figure out - depending on which wave / start time your loved ones are in, roughly when they'll be at the halfway mark. And then you can add to that time if you're viewing in Manhattan, or subtract from that time if your viewing in Brooklyn, or be there at the start time if you're on Staten Island. For the Bronx adding three hours to their start time should give a good proximation of when they'll be coming through Mott Haven.
NYC Marathon Route 2019
The NYC Marathon had originally circumvented Central Park, but it quickly outgrew that locale.
Staten Island NYC Marathon Route. The route used today has been in place for a long time, possibly decades. It starts at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island, crossing the Verrazzano Bridge.
Brooklyn NYC Marathon Route. The NYC Marathon travels along 4th Avenue through most of southern Brooklyn, then taking a short turn eastward on Lafayette in Downtown Brooklyn, before resuming the northern trek along Bedford Avenue through Williamsburg into Greenpoint, where the course jumps onto Manhattan Avenue at McCarren Park.
Queens NYC Marathon Route. The next step is across the Pulaski Bridge into Long Island City Queens, where the NYC Marathon zigs west to Vernon Blvd, marches north along Vernon Blvd, and then 44th Drive and 21st Street before crossing the Queensboro Bridge.
Manhattan NYC Marathon Route. In Manhattan the NYC Marathon travels north along First Avenue.
Bronx NYC Marathon Route. The NYC Marathon route traverses the Willis Avenue Bridge into the Port Morris and then Mott Haven neighborhoods of southern Bronx. The NYC Marathon then heads west along 135th Street to 138th Street in Mott Haven and turns south heading back through Port Morris, over the Madison Avenue Bridge to Manhattan.
Manhattan NYC Marathon Route. In Manhattan the NYC Marathon travels south along 5th Avenue and into Central Park at 125th Street coming down inside the park to end at the NYC Marathon Pavilion.
Whew. I'm plum tired out just cataloguing the route, let alone running it : )
On November 4th, 2018 over 52,000 runners traversed the lower part of the Bronx borough. The Bronx is part of a 26 mile long course that's been used by the NYC Marathon for a long while.
According to Wikipedia the current race configuration was first outlined and used in 1976. Wikipedia also reports that the NYC Marathon is the largest marathon in the world. The NYC Marathon originated in 1970, running around Central Park, but picked up so much interest that it was expanded just six years later to its current five borough course.
Literally tens of thousands come out to watch the runners traverse their neighborhoods. And the locals are joined by likely tens of thousands more, who come to cheer their runners onward. The spectators come from all over the nation and all around the world. It's a very festive day / weekend and the city is packed with visitors.
Generally the NYC Marathon weekend officially begins in Central Park with official festivities, the configuration of which has been evolving over the years. The race is generally sponsored by a large national or multi-national company, which uses the event promotionally to create awareness around their brand name. I've noticed that recently the branded promotional merchandising of items appears to have expanded significantly.
This year I covered the NYC Marathon in Brooklyn, but below is a video I shot in the Bronx in 2017, but didn't post. It's still a short, fun one and a half minute watch. Enjoy.
Orchard Beach Opens for Season
Bronx Beach in Pelham Bay Park Opens for 2019 Summer Season
Orchard Beach opened over the Memorial Day Weekend. The 1.1 mile beach is open from 10 am - 6 pm, at which time there's a lifeguard on duty. Swimming is prohibited when a life guard is not on duty.
It's located at the southern end of Pelham Bay Park, which you can easily drive to where parking is $8 during weekdays and $10 on weekends. You can also get there via bicycle or a combination of taking the #6 subway to the last stop which is Pelham Bay Park and then taking the #12 bus to Orchard Beach. If you're interested in dining, City Island is nearby and you can take the #29 bus there or walk / cycle as it's about a mile.
Orchard Beach in the Bronx has free shower, changing and bathroom facilities. You can also barbeque there.
The video below shows one of many entertainment events at Orchard Beach over the summer, which we'll have more on as the summer arrives.
5 Boro Bike Ride Returns Sunday
Bike New York Organizes NYC Bike Ride & Bike Expo New York
This story includes information about the upcoming 5 Boro Bike Ride on Sunday, as well as the Bike ExpoNew York which precedes it on Friday & Saturday in Red Hook. As of this report, the temperatures are expected to be in the 60's and the chances of rain appear slim. But bear in mind that the forecast probability of 20% chance of rain last Friday, turned into rain on Saturday evening, so check the weather as we get closer in.
Bike New York 5 Boro Bike Ride Route
Since 1977, every first Sunday of May, Bike New York has organized and promoted the 5 Boro Bike Ride. The ride begins in lower Manhattan, sweeps northward across the Harlem River Bridge to the Bronx, circles back across the Third Avenue Bridge to Manhattan, where it begins its southward trek crossing the Queensboro Bridge into Queens, heading south to Brooklyn after a quick stop north to Astoria Park, and then comes down past the Brooklyn Navy Yards, continuing southward along the west side of Brooklyn, to the Verrazano Narrows Bridge where it crosses over to the Fort Wadsworth neighborhood in Staten Island before terminating in the St. George neighborhood at the Staten Island Ferry.
Proceeds from Non-Profit New York Bike Ride go Toward Sustainable Transportation Efforts
The now famous bike ride was capped at 32,000 riders I believe sometime in the 1990’s, where it still stands today. One report noted that the 5 Boro Bike ride is one of – if not the largest - non-profit bike rides in the nation. The proceeds go to Bike New York programs which are designed to teach people about sustainable transportation, most notably bicycle riding and bike maintenance and safety. Another report noted that the NYPD had considered [don’t know the outcome] charging the organization $1 million for erecting, maintaining and terminating road closures during the New York 40 mile family-friendly bike ride.
Bike New York Bicyclist Outreach in all Five NYC Boroughs
Bike New York has offices in all five NYC boroughs. In 2015 their cyclist safety and bike maintenance programs reached 15,000 New Yorkers. And they are the organizers of the Bike ExpoNew York being held at Pier 12 in Brooklyn on Friday and Saturday [see details in rest of this story].
Wave Hill is a 28 acre estate, in the western section of the Riverdale neighborhood in the Bronx, overlooking the Hudson River. The estate was built in 1843 by William Lewis Morris, a lawyer, to accommodate his large family. Morris was a descendant of one of the Bronx and America's founding families, which included a 17th century colonialist who migrated here following the Cromwellian Wars in Britain, a contributor and signer of the Declaration of Independence, and a vast land holding family in the Bronx.
Wave Hill evolved over the years, starting as a Georgian Revival home, but later converted to a Victorian manor by Publisher William Henry Appleton [1866 - 1869]. Appleton purchased a section of the estate from Morris's heirs following his death.
President Theodore Roosevelt [1870 - 1871], author Mark Twain [1901 - 1903], Italian Conductor Arturo Toscanini [1942 - 1945], and the British delegation to the UN hosted John Foster Dulles, Konrad Adenauer and Queen Elizabeth [1950 - 1956] over numerous summers there. The Wave Hill of today includes what was once two estates, which were merged by Financier turned Conservationist George W. Perkins in 1903. Perkins added the greenhouses and the second house of the estate which I believe [unconfirmed] was called Glyndor. It burned in the early 1920's and was replaced by a smaller Glyndor II, completed in 1927. Wave Hill was inherited by daughter Dorothy Woosley Freeman and her husband Edward.
Wave Hill was donated to New York City in 1960, designated a New York City Landmark in 1966, added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 1983 and added to the Riverdale Historic District in 1990.
In 2011 Wave Hill closed for two years for renovations. In 2013 it reopened, with enhanced facilities that included upgrades to the Sally and Gilbert Kerlin Learning Center where family art projects are conducted, and enhanced lighting and sound [2014] in the Amour Hall which is host to musical performances. A new space, the Sarah and Geoffrey Gund Theater was added where lectures are held and films are shown and the cafe was expanded and the dining room renovated.
Today all areas are used to accommodate public programs, many of which include a fee, and many of which are free with admission. Local artists, musicians and performers are oftentimes showcased. We periodically post their events on the weekends, so stay tuned.
Sources for this story include Wikipedia.org / LivingPlaces.com / WaveHill.org.
NEIGHBORHOODS & HISTORY
Bronx Little Ireland in Woodlawn Heights
A Visit to Woodlawn Heights is a bit like a Trip to Ireland
In preparation for St. Patrick's Day, I took a long ride north on the #2 subway line to 233rd Street in Wakefield. I then headed west on 233rd Street down a long hill, over the Bronx River Parkway, and into Woodlawn Heights. Woodlawn Heights is nestled in north of Woodlawn Cemetery and east and south of Van Cortlandt Park and it's also south of and adjacent to Yonkers and west of Wakefield.
As I entered the Woodlawn Heights neighborhood, walking north along Katonah Avenue, I felt a bit as if I'd been whisked away to Ireland. Of course there were Irish bars and pubs that lined the street, but there was also an Irish grocery store. And I imagine if I had more time to spend, I'd find other related gems. But today I was on a mission to scout out a few Irish pubs in anticipation of the Yonkers St. Patrick's Day Parade which happens a week from Saturday on March 21st. Be advised there are two other Bronx St Patricks Day Parades this Sunday, March 15th in Throgs Neck and in Eastchester the details of which you'll find by clicking the link above - along with suggestions for Bronx Irish pubs and restaurants.
It was a quiet Sunday night and the neighborhood was fairly quiet as most are wont to be on a Sunday night. I started my journey by stopping at John Mulligan's Fireside Pub. And lo and behold it wasn't long before standing in front of me was John Mulligan himself.
CLICK here to read our report on some of the Bronx St. Pat's Day Irish Pubs near Yonkers. This report will be completed either late Tuesday evening 3/10 or Wednesday 3/11/20.
Imagine my surprise when I happened upon a monastery in the Hunts Point neighborhood in the Bronx. The better I get to know the Bronx, the more surprises I find ... like an archeologist peeling away the layers and finding yet another series of layers that begin to tell the tale of one of the most misrepresented boroughs in NYC.
The Corpus Christi Monastery is located at 1230 Lafayette in the Hunts Point neighborhood. Only a little placard, posted on the monastery grounds wall, tells you what lies within.
The photo at right shows the Dominican monastery located in the Hunts Point Neighborhood of the Bronx.
The monastery was completed in 1891 according to Wikipedia. The NY Times reports that it's located only four blocks away from the infamous Fort Apache the Bronx. And yet within the cloistered walls, there's a serenity that likely hasn't changed much over the past century and a quarter.
The photo at right, showing the Corpus Christi Monastery in the Bronx, was collected by the Museum of the City of New York and dated circa 1920.
The monastery is inhabited by the Dominican nuns who practice a contemplative life. They came to the Bronx in the 1880's by invitation of Father Corrigan who wanted a community of the contemplative in the Bronx. Today the monastery is the oldest monastery of the Dominican Order in the United States. An April 28, 2016 CBS report noted that the monastery is in need of donations for repairs, which they were hoping to complete for the 800th anniversary of the order in May of 2016 ... but it looked like they weren't going to reach their goal.
On Sundays about 50 members of the community join the contemplative nuns in attendance at the church for mass.
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Video Tour of the Bronx Zoo with Photos
The Bronx Zoo Provides an Enjoyable Learning Experience
A couple of weeks ago I visited the Bronx Zoo. Tickets to the Bronx Zoo aren't cheap as admission is $40 / $35 / $30 or you can obtain a year long membership pass for three adults and four children for $210. On Wednesdays, you can make a voluntary donation or even be admitted free, but you have to pay for admission to special exhibits. It's worth mentioning that the Bronx Zoo is far too big to really 'do' in one day.
The Bronx Zoo sits atop 265 acres and is run by a non-profit environmental conservation organization, the Wildlife Conservation Society. While the official address of the Bronx Zoo is 2300 Southern Blvd, there are three other entrances to the park - one at Southern Blvd at Bronx Park South, another at Bronx River Parkway and Pelham Parkway and the one through which I entered, the Asia Gate, at 180th Street and Tremont Avenue. For most New Yorkers using public transit, the Asia Gate is your best bet via subway as the #2 & #5 subway train stop at 180th Street is only a block away.
Although the base entrance fee is free on Wednesdays, the park asks for additional charges to gain admittance to special exhibits, of which there are at least eight. The special experience exhibits include: 1) the Bug Carousel, 2) the Congo Gorilla Forest, 3) the Nature Trek, 4) the Jungle World, 5) the Butterfly Garden, 6) the Zoo Shuttle, 7) the Wild Asia Monorail and 8) the Children's Zoo. I visited only one of them, Jungle World, as to 'do' one of them properly, I recommend allotting about an hour or more of time.
The Jungle World is one of the first special exhibits accessible from the Asia Gate.
CLICK here to view the rest of our report including a limited video tour of the Bronx Zoo [there's so much more for you to see].
Black History Month to End Soon
PBS has been Airing Some Excellent Documentaries about African Americans Role in Our Nation's History
Weather. There will be a small bit of rain today between 11 am - 4 pm. Thereafter the rest of the week should be dry. The temperature highs will be in the 40's all week and the temperature lows will be in the 30's. The winds will be 5 - 10 mph except on Wednesday, when it will be a drafty 13 mph. Humidity will be in the 70% range today, dropping into the 60% range on Tuesday & Wednesday, then down into the 50% range on Thursday and Friday.
All tolled, it looks like a pretty fair week.
PBS - Finding Your Roots - Histories
Last night I came upon one of Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr.'sFinding Your Roots documentaries on PBS. For more info about this series see - https://www.pbs.org/weta/finding-your-roots/
As I watched, I recollected how in my youth, I had considered Black hisotry to be a superfluous extension of American history. That perspective was, of course, born of youthful ignorance. Since then, I have come to appreciate the importance of Black Studies in providing a more comprehensive view of American history over the centuries. In part, I have PBS to thank, because they have aired and I have watched, quite a number of documentaries - some or all of which they funded or produced - particularly since the CoVid pandemic began.
In the program I viewed last night, one of the people on Gates' Finding Your Roots series was being informed about her family's history. It struck me when Gates referenced her great, great, great, great grandfather on a bill of sale by Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
Over the past decade or so, I've become more interested in my own family's history. We knew a fair amount about those ancestors within temporal reach, going back to our great grandfathers, but little beyond. That was until a couple of summers ago when I found that one of the members of our extended family had a collection of scribbled notes and diagrams that recorded our lineage - some of which appears to date back to colonial times and the Revolutionary War. Up until this discovery, I had thought we had become Americans in the latter half of the 18th century.
But it occurred to me, based on Gates' reference to the great, great, great, great grandfather mentioned above, most African Americans' family histories date back at least a couple of centuries. Gates' documentary series delves into the histories of oftentimes, somewhat famous, African Americans who were descendants of slaves, or famous white Christian or Jewish Americans who are descendants of families that owned slaves.
Gates' geneological and genetic explorations also find interesting tidbits, like the fact that comedian Larry David and Senator Bernie Sanders are distantly related. PBS Producer Ken Burns is a descendant of a slave owner, but also related to Abraham Lincoln. And Brian Gumbel discovered he had some previously unknown Jewish ancestry.
Out of Gates' explorations into the past, we learn many things, not the least of which is that African Americans worked the fields, growing cotton and food that fed and clothed the nation, and provided their 'owners' with a tidy profit. It's worth noting that in the early 1800's about 75% of the nation worked in occupations related to agriculture [today it's about 10 - 11%]. But following the Civil War, African Americans' contribution to the nation went far beyond that, including serving our nation in two world wars, providing needed labor for the auto industry and significantly contributing to our culture and history.
Summer is in full swing. A number of community groups in collaboration with the NYC Parks Department and frequently some measure of government funding, have put together a summer full of free summer theater in the parks. The free theatre events listed below are designed for young and old alike and they're FREE.
Editor's Note - Note that only ASTERISKED LOCATIONS have been updated. Pay attention to the movies dates / years. We will be updating / adding a few more movies between now and the end of September. So check back periodically for updates which you can note by the date changing above.
Editor's Note - Note that only ASTERISKED LOCATIONS have been updated. Pay attention to the concert dates / years. We will be updating / adding a few more concerts between now and the end of September. So check back periodically for updates which you can note by the date changing above.
Summer is in full swing. A number of community groups in collaboration with the NYC Parks Department and frequently some measure of government funding, have put together a summer full of films and free summer concerts in the parks. The free concerts listed below are designed for young and old alike and they're FREE.
Summer is in full swing. A number of community groups in collaboration with the NYC Parks Department and frequently some measure of government funding, have put together a summer full of free summer theater in the parks. The free theatre events listed below are designed for young and old alike and they're FREE.
Editor's Note - Note that only ASTERISKED LOCATIONS have been updated. Pay attention to the performance dates / years. We will be updating / adding this summer theater report between now and the end of September. So check back periodically for updates which you can note by the date changing above.
Some summer theater programs in the Bronx have been curtailed or cancelled, many in part due to the ongoing CoVid threat. We'll continue to update / add to this schedule of free theater in the park in the Bronx, as we become aware of additional productions.
Bronx offers easy access to a wide range of recreational swimming pools. The following is our first attempt to provide you with a view of the range of public swimming pools available in the parks of the Bronx. We encourage you to make use of these facilities because they provide healthy, fun, and frequently free or inexpensive entertainment for both individuals and families with children.
Bronxoutdoor public pools will open beginning Tuesday June 28th, 2022. A few of the indoor pools will be closed this summer to allow for construction and improvements.
Generally pool hours are from 11 am - 7 pm daily, with a one hour break between 3 and 4 pm for cleaning. Bring a padlock for your locker and proper swimming trunks are required [for boys this means not shorts as trunks must have liners]. Don't bring food, glass bottles, newspapers, electronics, floaters and no or as few valuables as you can bring to minimize your risk because the park isn't responsible for your losses. Free sunscreen will be made available while supplies last.
As of this posting 5.25.22, masks are NOT required for indoor activity including in the locker rooms, but stay tuned as it's possible that could change.
I came upon a pedestrian walk way while exploring the Highbridge neigbhorhood in the Bronx. I soon found it was called the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail and that a stone aqueduct, completed in 1842, lie beneath the smooth level walk way I was making my way along.
When I returned home, I found a whole history of the Old Croton Aqueduct and the positive impact it had on New York nearly two centuries ago, and it was designed and built so well, that it continues to play a role in many New Yorkers' daily lives.
The photo at right shows the pedestrian trail that runs atop the Old Croton Aqueduct in the Bronx.
I'll have more later today about the history and the impact of the Old Croton Aqueduct. Along with the history, you'll learn quite a bit about the history of popular locations today in both the Bronx and Manhattan.
Who was Louis J. Heintz?
Joyce Kilmer Park Statues Contain a bit of Bronx History
Last Fall I attended a gathering at the Bronx Museum where the Chairman of the NY Federal Reserve gave a speech about the economy. He had come to Bronx to take the pulse of things here, as much as or even more than to spread the word about what the Federal Reserve was doing, as - at the time - things were going quite well.
After the meeting I walked back to the subway at 165th Street and Jerome Avenue near Yankee Stadium. On my way, I walked down the Grand Concourse which runs north / south through the center of the Bronx. Alongside the Grand Concourse, immediately north of the Bronx Borough Hall, there's a beautiful park that provides a welcoming spot for one to relax and enjoy a beautiful day, which it was.
As I took in the day, watching the kids play on the northwest end of the park, and older folks sitting on the park benches a bit further south, I started noticed one of the beautiful statues standing stately in the park near the southwest corner. I photographed the statue and researched the man it honored when I returned home. The statue, shown at right, was of Louis J. Heintz.
Heintz & the John Eichler Brewing Company of Claremont Neighborhood in the Bronx
Louis J. Heintz lived a very short life as he was born in 1861 and died in 1893. He was of German descent and worked in Eichler Brewery at 169th Street, between Fulton and Third Avenue in what is today the Claremont neighborhood. The John Eichler Brewing Company was run by Heintz's uncle. The John Eichler Brewery opened in 1865 and remained in business - save during the Prohibition [1920 - 1933] - until in 1947, The John Eichler Brewing Company discontinued operations. In the 1880's Louis J. Heintz became the President of the Brewers Board of Trade of New York and became a respected businessman.
The photo above right shows the Eichler Brewing Company which was featured in the book entitled Images of the South Bronx published by Arcadia Publishing. And shown below is an Eichler Brewing Company beer label, which was probably from the Prohibition given its low alcohol content.
Heintz's uncle, John Eichler, was born in Bavaria in 1829. In 1858, having learned the brewing trade, before emigrating to America. He worked for the Turtle Bay Brewery for a few years, before forming a brewery which bought the Kolb Brewery in 1865, which he transformed into John Eichler Brewery. In 1888 Eichler formed the company into a stockholding company, because his health was failing. John Eichler died in 1892. As mentioned above, the company continued until it was purchased in 1947, by which time it had become one of the largest breweries in New York City, producing a half million barrels per year.
New York City Annexes Southern Bronx 1874 / Eastern Bronx 1895
New York City expanded the boundaries of the city in 1874 by annexing the southern areas of the Bronx including Kingsbridge, Morrisania and West Farms. Later, in 1895, the East Bronx was added while expanding the city's boundary. And in 1898 the area that is today modern day Queens, the city of Brooklyn and Staten Island were all added to comprise what is today the five boroughs of New York City. Each borough is a separate county of New York State.
Louis Heintz Becomes Bronx Street Commissioner
Following the annexation of the Bronx as part of New York City in 1874, the people of the Bronx found their street development lacking. In 1889 Heintz began advocating for a position managed independently in the Bronx, to pave and manage the streets. Heintz became the first Bronx Commissioner of Streets in 1890, after gaining agreement starting a year earlier that such a position was needed in order to have the Bronx streets paved.
Heintz died shortly after falling ill, following attendance at President Grover Cleveland's inauguration which was held on March 4, 1893. Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th President of the United States. Prior to becoming President he was the Governor of New York State and the Mayor of Buffalo.
The photo at right shows the Eichler Mansion at 169th Street and Fulton in the Claremont neighborhood of the Bronx which was featured in the book entitled Images of the South Bronx published by Arcadia Publishing.
The statue of Louis J. Heintz was cast in 1905 and dedicated in 1909.
Sources: OldBreweries.com, Wikipedia.org, NYCGovParks.org, FindaGrave.com, BronxMall.com and Images of the South Bronx [a book by Arcadia Publishing].
It’s been a while since I have done an economic update, and as we head into the Fall, it seems a good time to look through the tea leaves to figure out where we are and what risks lie ahead between now and the New Year.
The graph at right, created by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, shows employment in the U.S. from 1940 to date. To the far right of the graph, you can see the huge dip in employment in the Spring of 2020, as the pandemic hit. Since then U.S. employment has recovered, but not yet completely.
Unemployment Back to Normal Levels & Stimulus Winding Down
Unemployment continues to decline, and the unemployment rate reflects a growing economy and a tight labor market. One debated theory about the tight labor market, is that it was fueled in part by some of the generous government spending programs, designed to cushion folks from the pandemic, which some believed kept workers out of the employment market. As of this posting, we’ve not seen any good study that proves or disproves that hypothesis. So for now, I recommend you consider that hearsay, at least until you or I find one or more reliable studies that proves or disproves that hypothesis.
In any event, a good measure of both the federal and states stimulus programs have begun to wind down. Beginning in late Spring / early Summer, both states and the federal government began reducing or withdrawing the funding for extra [federal] and extended [states] unemployment benefits.
On Saturday I attended an event discussing the upcoming legislation pending in the NYS government in Albany concerning NYS rent regulations. Currently about 2 million of the 8.5 million people who live in NYC will be affected.
The primary topic of the event was MCI or Major Capital Improvements, which is a loophole in rent regulations that allows landlords to initiate projects within their buildings and then pass along the project costs to their tenants, in such manner as to provide the landlord with an incremental revenue increase that lasts into eternity, and which encourages landlords to get creative in originating projects in an effort to raise the rents of their regulated apartments at an accelerating speed in order to grow the monthly rent beyond the legal limit of regulation.
What happens then, is that a significant number of longstanding tenants in regulated housing, are priced out of their homes and neighborhoods. Some of the displaced tenants even become homeless. This is why homelessness nearly doubled under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg - who looked the other way as NYS rent regulations were being renewed.
The event was held in the Corona neighborhood of Queens, where hundreds - if not a thousand - people came to particpate in the discussion.
I'll have more on this at a later date.
NYC Landlord Harassments Continue
NYCCM Helen Rosenthal Hosts Housing Clinic to Inform Renters of Their Rights
On Wednesday, May 25th I went to the Goddard Riverside Community Center on Columbus Avenue at 88th Street to attend a housing clinic designed to inform renters of their rights.
***The following introduction is based on prior research done by me, and was not information provided at the housing clinic. I'll let you know when I segue out of my preamble and into the housing clinic.***
Over the past decade landlords appear to have become increasingly aggressive in trying to wriggle out of NYC and NYS rent stabilization regulations, that govern the rental payments under which about two million New Yorkers live.
It is my understanding that the government contributed land and / or financing to build or repair the buildings governed by NYC / NYS rent stabilization laws in exchange for the pricing rights on rent stabilized units. Many of the new landlords who have acquired rent stablized buildings, may possibly be in violation of approaching their business contract(s) in good faith, as the definition of good faith according to Wikipedia is:
"In contract law, the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing is a general presumption that the parties to a contract will deal with each other honestly, fairly, and in good faith, so as to not destroy the right of the other party or parties to receive the benefits of the contract. It is implied in every contract in order to reinforce the express covenants or promises of the contract. A lawsuit (or a cause of action) based upon the breach of the covenant may arise when one party to the contract attempts to claim the benefit of a technical excuse for breaching the contract, or when he or she uses specific contractual terms in isolation in order to refuse to perform his or her contractual obligations, despite the general circumstances and understandings between the parties. When a court or triar or fact interprets a contract, there is always an "implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing" in every written agreement."
What is at stake, throughout the city, is literally hundreds of millions and more likely billions of dollars in - rental benefits or rental income streams - depending on which side of the struggle you're on. The landlords appear to be trying - using the torturtous side effects of construction including noise, health risk dust [inhalation], privacy loss and apartment functional loss - to wrest away the billions of dollars of rental pricing rights benefits from tenants to be pocketed by the landlords themselves. Given the high dollar value of what's at stake - including people's homes - this seems like attempted grand larceny, especially in cases where landlords are breaking the law to achieve their goals.
This will be continued at a later date. Including the segue into the information provided by the Housing Clinic to inform tenants of their rights.
Tenants' Rights March & Rally - June 14th Midtown at 4.30 pm
P.S. There's a March & Rally scheduled for June 14th, beginning at 4.30 pm, at the NY Public Library at 5th Avenue and 40th Street. They plan to march to Governor Cuomo's office at 3rd Avenue and East 41st Street. For details contact info@realrentreform.org or call 212.979.6958. All but one of the No IDC NY senatorial candidates have been invited to participate, and there's a possibility that NYS gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon will be there too - as this seems to coincide with her reasons for challenging Governor Cuomo.
Port Morris Real Estate Development
The Bronx Neighborhood of Port Morris is Experiencing a Real Estate Development Renaissance
Last Sunday I went exploring two of the neighborhoods in the south Bronx. This report will focus on Port Morris, which is at the southern most end of the Bronx and is found along the Harlem River and the East River.
Port Morris has a long storied history, dating back to colonial times. Given its proximity to Manhattan [just over the Harlem River] and accessibility via the East River and Harlem River, Port Morris was geographically well positioned to be one of the great waterfronts. In fact one of the Morrises had this in mind in an earlier period and planned to make Port Morris competitive with the New York City Harbor and the Lower Manhattan docks. But alas it was not meant to be.
In the mid to late 1800's the piano making business was one of the biggest manufacturing industries in New York City. Piano factories lined the East River in Astoria and in the Bronx. By the mid 1900's the piano business was on the decline, being replaced by radio, television and the like as the primary source of home entertainment.
By the late 20th century the southern Bronx was in decline, but many of the old manufacturing buildings of a bygone era still remained. By the early 21st century southern Bronxians began to witness a growing interest in the Port Morris and Mott Haven neighborhoods due to an evolving business, social and economic climate in New York City.
I'll post more on Tuesday, May 8th.
SOCIAL ISSUES
NYC & NYS Continue to Have Lower Murder Rates Than the Rest of the Nation
The Past Couple of Months, NYC Murders have been Below 2019 Levels, and NYC Shootings are Down Double Digits versus 2020, While Gun Arrests Have Doubled vs 2020
This is news you're not likely to find in Australian born billionaire Rupert Murdoch's NY Post, Wall St. Journal nor Fox News because it doesn't fit with Murdoch's self-enriching, propagandistic narratives of blaming Democrats for the increase in violent / gun crimes. He appears to use such narratives to get the politicians who will give him tax breaks, and allow him to continue deregulating his industries, so he can make ever more money at the expense of American Democracy.
The NYPD has been working hard to rein in the out-of-control sales and trafficking of guns in the nation, because of the absence of an intelligent debate on national gun control legislation to combat the growing gun violence, and in particular the mass shootings, that started rising again during the Trump Administration and continued rising in the wake of the CoVid pandemic.
Year To Date Murders in NYC are Below the National Average & Have Begun Falling Versus 2020
So we're going to take a look at a number of the NYC crime statistics, and then follow up with an analytical look at some of the issues driving gun related violence, before closing with a look at the distorted, deceitful and destructive coverage provided by Murdoch's Fox News & Propaganda.
As you can see by the chart at right, with the exception of GLA or Grand Larceny Auto and YTD / Year To Date Shootings, all NYC crime is either in the single digits or down, versus last year. It's important to note however, that in July shootings dropped by 35% versus prior year [up 17% YTD], while gun arrests were up 134% versus the prior year [up 68% YTD], so the NYPD continues to make good progress in this regard. And murders were down 49% in July versus prior year and down 10% year to date.
The chart at right shows the NYPD Crime statistics for the month of July 2021 and Year To Date 2021. I have also included comparisons to 2019 as 2020 was an unusual year all the way around - including for NYC crime.
The Iron Pipeline - Interstate 95 - is used to Transport Guns from Primarily Red Republican States with Lax Gun Laws
The graphic at right shows what is called the 'Iron Pipeline' which is Interestate 95 which runs from New York to Florida. This interestate highway is used to transport guns / weapons across state lines from mostly red Republican controlled states with lax gun control laws to blue states that have passed stronger gun control laws.
Once the guns arrive here, they are illegally sold and are the root of the gun violence and murder problem in New York City and New York State. Thankfully, Mayor de Blasio, Commissioner Shea and the NYPD are on top of things, and have been working hard to rein in the problem, even in the absense of national legislative help.
I think President Biden should look into the possibility of using federal powers regulating interstate commerce, to curtail the transport and sale of guns into states that have tighter regulatory frameworks surrounding the sale of murder weapons. And perhaps the district attorneys in our city and state should consider naming the people who sell these guns, as accessories or even accomplices, to the crimes committed with them.
The Trouble, Fear, Pain & Relief of My First CoVid Vaccination
As More New Yorkers are Vaccinated, the Pressure Grows on Those Who've Not Yet Received a Shot, Also the Role of Limiting Eligibility in Effecting a Smoothe Transition & Effective Tuesday 3/23/21 Folks Aged 50 plus Become Eligible for the CoVid Vaccination
So I've been putting off getting a CoVid vaccination ever since I became eligible earlier this year. At first I held off was because there were intermittent shortages of the vaccine, then rumors of long lines to get them, and finally I had to wrestle through the various websites offering a shot, at a time and place that 'easily' worked for me.
Finding a Vaccination Center Near You in NYC
But this past week I hit the proverbial CoVid vaccine jackpot, after spending what was probably a couple of hours online trying to navigate my way to an appointment. One of the issues are the numerous websites out there, offering vaccines. There's both NYC and NYS vaccinations centers and I waded through each looking for specific locations, specific vaccinations [J&J, Pfizer & Moderna] and specific times.
Let me make it simple for you, as I oftentimes ended up on this site.
On Saturday morning around 11 am a Blue Lives Matter parade began on Greenpoint Avenue and 39th Street in Sunnyside Queens. I arrived shortly after it began and followed it up to Joseph Sabba Park where several people were to give speeches to the parade participants and attendees.
As the parade arrived at Joseph Sabba Park they were met by a group of Black Lives Matter protesters who were kneeling on the sidewalk holding placards making Black Lives Matter statements. The Blue Lives Matter parade participants paused as they came in direct contact. As I sat there video recording the ‘confrontation’ I wondered whether things might take a turn for the worse and go badly.
Blue Lives Matter Parade & Speakers Queens NYC
Whoever was leading the Blue Lives Matter parade, wisely led the Blue Lives Matter parade around the Black Lives Matter protesters - rather than risking walking through them - where someone on one side or another might have escalated the tension to a higher level.
The Blue Lives Matter parade participants and attendees settled in the middle of Joseph Sabba Park and the speeches began. The first speaker, whose name I didn’t catch, spoke supportively of the police and the important work they do in the community. He struck a human chord, noting that the men and women who serve in the police force are dedicated to serving the community, among whom are their own families and children. He ended saying we’re all human.
The second speaker struck a more passionate Blue Lives Matter tone, remarking that the ‘Diaphragm’ Law hindered police from doing their jobs. The Diaphragm Law allows police officers to be subject to a misdemeanor if they constrict a person’s diaphragm in the process of making an arrest.
What I recorded of both of these speeches will be shown in the video.
The signs of the Blue Lives Matter parade participants also showed a range of thoughts and emotions, ranging from striking a supportive and yet harmonious chord, while others were defiantly in support of the police – seeming to ignore the validity of the Black Lives Matter social unrest. They included Enough with the hate, respect goes both ways, to Reform is for criminals, drug addicts and sex offenders.
The video below is an interpretive depiction of a protest event in McCarren Park early last week. The piece is meant to be savored - like food, music and cinematography.
I watched the George Floyd protests unfold on the nightly TV newscasts for a couple of days before venturing out myself to see what I might learn. The protests began on Friday, May 29th in NYC, following the death of George Floyd, an African American who was asphyxiated, apparently due to a Minneapolis policeman holding a knee over George Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes which was caught on video.
TV News Appears to Sensationalize More than Inform
On Saturday night Fox News ran and reran the same footage multiple times of a car burning, seeming to hype and sensationalize the footage into a full blown ‘riot’. The a lot of the Fox footage was taken from the air, in a helicopter which they lease (reportedly) for millions annually, which again repeatedly showed video of the crowd below, which appeared to be mostly our men in blue. So given little good video, they talked about groups dallying into the police and back again – but really didn’t seem to have any video to support their claims. The next day Mayor de Blasio reported that there were no deaths and no serious injuries to members of the NYPD or the crowd. But there was some looting.
An NBC news account made the situation seem far more chaotic than it was by shaking the camera, providing the appearance of chaos. And so on.
More Photos & Video Coming Wednesday
Covering the George Floyd Protests in NYC from the Ground - Not from a Cushy Corporate Media Chopper
The ‘crisis’ seemed to be more manufactured by the TV news, than by what was actually happening on the streets, which is why I decided I needed to cover this myself. Second hand TV news seems increasingly like garbage news, but before I could make such a claim, I had to see for myself.
Having grown up in a newspaper family, I’ve been watching the news and presentation of it all of my life, beginning with the Kennedy assassination, which my father made all of us watch as he said it was history in the making. Back then the news was owned by dozens, if not hundreds of independent newspapermen and broadcasters, so like social media, there was a variety of news presentations and you could pick from them.
Today large multi-billion dollar corporations control most of the news we see, and it seems their focus is largely centered around profit driven ratings instead of a fair and balanced presentation of the news. This is why they seem to hype, sensationalize and distort Americans’ perceived reality in order to keep them glued to the tube. And the hyping and sensationalizing is not getting better – it’s getting worse.
No longer can you turn on the TV to be informed, but rather to be scared, angered and far too often – to become disinformed.
A week ago, on Tuesday, January 21st I attended the Community Board One meeting at the Astoria World Manor where the board was asked to approve the closing of the Rikers Island Detention Facility effective sometime before the end of the year 2026.
The photo at right was taken from an airplane while landing at LaGuardia in a prior year. Rikers Island Correctional Facility is a stone's throw away from LGA.
Queens Community Board One in Astoria Votes on Rikers Closure
The presentation consisted of two slides. One highlighted the social / moral blight that Rikers Island had become. The second slide simply proposed the request in very limited terms - the closing of Rikers Island and the conversion of it to a ‘public place’. The presentation to the Committee was done by a team lead by Dana Kaplan, Deputy Director of the NYC Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice.
So please note that the Community Board had no role in the placement of neighborhood jails, nor did they sign off on anything that may become of Rikers Island going forward. They only approved the closing of the Correctional Facility and the allowance of use for it as a "public place".
I spoke with CB1 District Manager Florence Kolouris after the meeting about what exactly that meant. She told me that there isn’t any definition, per se, given for public place – but a couple of examples of prior public places include Lincoln Center, Fort Totten and Queens Borough Hall.
The Community Board approved the measure with a recommendation that CB1 be kept in the loop throughout the closing process, including any demolition. Plenty of questions followed regarding what would become of the 400 acre island. Nothing concrete was proposed at this time, but the audience was assured that any changes would have to come through the Community Board via the ULURP process [Uniform Land Use Review Procedure].
The Bronx & Queens - Rikers Island Community Jurisdiction & Prison Population
It’s worth noting that technically Rikers Island is a part of the Bronx – not Queens – even though the only road traveling onto the island originates in the Astoria / East Elmhurst neighborhoods of Queens. In addition to Queens Community Board One, Bronx Community Board Two, representing the Hunts Point neighborhood, also has influence over the island. Since the Dinkins Administration in the 1990's, there's been a floating barge facility that's docked in Hunts Point, that is considered a part of the Rikers Island Correctional Facility.
Currently there are an estimated 7,000 plus inmates on Rikers Island. At its height, in 1991, Rikers Island held an estimated overcapacity inmate population of nearly 22,000. By the time the facility is to be closed in 2026, the inmate population is expected to have declined to between 3,000 and 4,000.
The photo at right shows the Rikers Island Correctional Facility which will be closed by the end of 2026.
Moderate Democrat Eric Adams sailed to victory Tuesday to become NYC's second African American Mayor. Democrat David Dinkins was the first. With 78% of the precincts reporting Adams won 676,481 votes to Sliwa's 293,127.
Democrat Jumaane Williams was re-elected Public Advocate, garnering 598,810 votes which was nearly 69% of the total, with 93% of the scanners reporting.
Progressive Democrat Brad Lander won the NYC Comptroller position, winning 604,000 of the votes, or 70% of the vote with 93% of the scanners counted.
And Democrat Alvin Bragg won the Manhattan District Attorney office, garnering 183,000 votes or 83% of the total.
Four of the five Borough Presidencies were won by Democrats. In Manhattan Mark Levine handily won the borough presidency with 181,000 votes or 85% of the total, with 93% of scanners counted. In Queens Donovan Richards handily won re-election, winning 160,000 votes or 66% of the total, with 79% of the precincts reporting. In Brooklyn Antonio Reynoso also won handily, winning 217,000 votes or 73% of the total, with 78% of the precincts reporting. In the Bronx Vanessa Gibson took in 80,000 votes which was 80% of the total, with 72% of the precincts reporting.
And on Staten Island, the only Republican to win a Borough Presidency, Vito Fossella, won 60,000 votes or 60% of the total, with 87% of the precincts reporting.
I stepped inside the auditorium, at Samuel Gompers Career and Technical Education High School in Mott Haven, just as the National Anthem began. Eden Augustine from the Bronx High School of Science sang the anthem last year and this year it was xyz from H.E.R.O High. The H.E.R.O. stands for Health, Education & Research Occupations.
The Principal of the school, Kristen Cahill Garcia, stepped out onto the stage to say a few words. She noted that Samuel Gompers CTE High School had closed in 2015 and re-opened that Fall as three schools: 1) H.E.R.O. High, 2) a New Visions Charter High School for the Humanities II, and 3) Mott Haven Community High School which is a transfer school for older students. She went on to say that while things have been progressing in a positive direction - there's still more work to be done.
The next speaker, was a surprise guest, Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Senator Schumer mentioned how he was trying to help with affordable housing and getting more train stations added for commuters in the Eastern neighborhoods of the Bronx. He talked about how we are stronger when we are united, and that the Bronx seems to be united, in spite of the fact that so many of its denizens come from somewhere else. He finished by complimenting Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. on his leadership.
Bronx President's State of the Borough Address Well Attended
And the last of the 'warm up remarks' was given by a Bronx Borough President's Office staffer [Communications Director John DeSio?] who called off a very long list of people in attendance including: Bronx City Council members, NYS Senators, NYS Assembly members, NYC government officials, people representing federal and state government officials, a few Brooklynites, and high ranking Bronx Borough officials like the head of the NYPD in the Bronx and NYC Parks Department in the Bronx and others. He continued on, mentioning folks from non-profits including a number of people representing higher learning institutions in the Bronx such as Hostos, Monroe and Bronx Community Colleges, members of the leadership teams at Jacobi Hospital and Lincoln Medical Center, and Bronx cultural organizations like the NY Botanical Gardens, the Bronx Museum, the Bronx Council for the Arts, and lastly, but not least, the Bronx Chamber of Commerce and several Bronx union chapters like the Bronx Carpenters Union and Bronx Electrical Union. This is not a complete list but it's a pretty good summary without the full detail.
Not in Attendance - Ruben Diaz Sr?
Notably absent from the list, was NYC Councilmember Ruben Diaz Sr., who made his way into the news with a comment about gays last week - click here to read a short report. I reckon Ruben Diaz Sr.'s absence was probably best for both of them, as they seem to have a good relationship, even though they're different from one another.
We were treated to a short, entertaining video featuring the Bodega Boys, who reportedly just signed with Showtime for a program at 11 pm on Thursdays. The Bodega Boys started a podcast that put them into the big time. Kind of like how Cardi B started posting videos on YouTube, which went viral and made her into the top billing name she is today.
In the video there was an 'unofficial announcement' of Ruben Diaz Jr.'s plans to run for NYC Mayor in 2021 [see photo still from the video above].
The photo at right shows Ruben Diaz Sr at Ruben Diaz Jr's State of the Borough Address in 2018. This week or so, New York City Councilman Diaz opened his mouth and stuck a cowboy-sized boot in it, declaring that City Hall was, "... controlled by the homosexual community ...". The statement cost Diaz his NYC Council Chairmanship, and the NYC Council then voted 45 - 1 to punish him, following an investigation.
Diaz Sr isn't doing his son, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr, any favors, as his son has been rumored to be contemplating a run for Mayor in 2021.
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr tweeted that his father's remarks were antagonistic, not inclusive nor respectful of our diversity, and that his father should apologize. Thus far Ruben Diaz Sr has refused to do so. Diaz, a former minister, ought to pay heed to the Bible, which in the Book of Proverbs tells us that, "Pride goeth before the fall."
CLICK here to view the rest of our report about Bronx based NYC Council Member Ruben Diaz Sr.'s comment on gays. The report includes a brief look at the history of gay leadership in the NYC Council as well as a brief scientific look at sexuality - including homosexuality - in nature.
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Bronx Halloween Parties & Events NYC 2021
Halloween Parties in Mott Haven, Port Morris, Longwood, Fordham, University Heights & Other Neighborhoods in the Bronx
Halloween occurs on a Sunday this year. The Bronx Halloween party celebrations begin as early as Saturday, October 23rd running through the weekend, with some Bronx Halloween parties on Halloween day itself.
Halloween is one big costume party, where the theatrical side of people, is given a small opening. Halloween provides people the opportunity to create and play roles they have wanted to play, that the day-to-day keeps submerged. Is it their Doctor side or their Jekyll side - or something uncategorizable?
In the photo at right in the introduction to this story is a woman attending a Halloween party at the Queens Museum a number of years ago. In the body of the story, the photo at right is an actor at ID Theater in Mott Haven who performed in a play which was a part of the 14th annual city-wide, Celebrate Mexico Now in 2017. Professional actors are paid to assume and perform roles, but on Halloween it's an all-volunteer, unpaid, theatrical free-for-all ... but that very chaos of creativity is what also makes it so much fun.
MTA Ridership Bouncing Above the Halfway Line, Columbus Day Weekend Travel Numbers, Movies & Theaters Attendance Update, Demographics of Office Workers Returning to Work in NYC and CoVid Vaccination Progress NYC NYS & USA
Weather. The temperature highs will range from the low to the high 70's throughout the week, while the temperature lows will be in the 60's all week. Winds will be 4 - 8 mph all week. Humidity will range from the mid 70% to mid 80% Tuesday and Wednesday, dropping to between the mid 60% - 70% range on Thursday and Friday. No rain is in the forecast until Saturday, so you can get the update in our Friday post.
The image at right was taken from the official website of the military health system in the U.S. It shows George Washington, who back in 1776 ordered his troops to get vaccinated against small pox, as the Continental Army was losing more men to disease than were being killed by the British. Here we are over two centuries later, and about a fifth to a quarter of the people in this nation, think they are being 'patriotic' by defying vaccination mandates - like Texas Governor Greg ButtHead and Florida Governor Ron De Stupido. We discuss where these people's confidence in their incredible ignorance comes from, below. The champion of American ignorance was born in Australia.
MTA Ridership Running at 45% - 65% of 2019 Volume
Both the subways and buses are running at near or over half their pre-pandemic ridership. While that may not be great news, it's encouraging, as we've been tracking the MTA's progress since the pandemic hit, and these numbers are about the best posted.
It's important to put things in context, and that is that NYC tourism contributes to MTA usage and it's still nowhere close to normal [like the MTA ridership numbers], and many white collar workers are still working remotely because many large Manhattan based corporate operations delayed their plans to return to the office in September 2021 - kicking the deadline to January 2022 because of the CoVid Delta variant surge.
The photo at right was taken a few weeks ago in Grand Central Station. Things have a come a long way from where they were a year ago.
I wish the non-vaxers would quit listening to the hypocritical pundits on Fox News, the NY Post & WSJ who are reportedly all - or mostly - vaccinated, including the Australian born billionaire and Goebbels-like owner himself, Rupert Murdoch. It was reported that about 90% of all Fox employees have been vaccinated, and for those who resist there's a very stringent testing regimen.
Also see updated Weather on Friday afternoon by clicking the header above to go to the Front Page for Weekend Update.
This report contains a listing of some of the things to do in the Bronx over the Columbus Day Weekend including art museums, theaters, live music / comedy / dance venues, sporting & social events, and restaurants for the Bronx NYC.
Bronx Weather. As of September 27, 2022, the Temperature highs will be in the high 60's all four days of the long weekend. The temperature lows will be in the low 50's throughout the weekend. There's a chance of a small amount of rain, but the probability of rain as of this writing, is in the low double digits. Winds will be about 5 - 10 mph Friday and Monday and between 5 - 10 mph on all weekend. The Humidity will be between 55% - 70% throughout the weekend. Click for Bronx Weather.
Little Italy in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx, near the Bronx Zoo, NY Botanical Garden and Fordham University, is hosting an event this weekend. Details coming Friday.
There's also the 45th Annual Bronx Columbus Day Parade which starts at 12 noon on Sunday 10/9/22 at Barnes Avenue [near White Plains Rd] and Morris Park Ave, then turns left on Williamsbridge Rd, and eventually ends at Lydig Avenue [one block shy of the Pelham Parkway] in the Morris Park neighborhood of the Bronx.
Bronx Public & Private Parks & Public Indoor Swim Pools
The Bronx several parks of which a few include public indoor swimming facilities. Click here for a listing of the Bronx Parks including maps showing their locations along with a bit of park history.
There are a couple of indoor public swimming pools in the Bronx. One is at the St Mary's Recreation Center at 450 St. Ann's Avenue in St. Mary's Park and the other is at the Hansborough Recreation Center in the Howard Bennett Playground at 35 West 134th Street.
NYC public indoor swimming pools are now open.
NYC Golfing In The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan & Staten Island
The Bronx has four public golf courses: Mosholu, Van Cortlandt Park are accessible via the MTA / subway. And Pelham Bay Park and Trump golf links are accessible via subway and a brief bus ride. The Trump Golf Links are an NYC golf course owned by the city, for which Mayor Bloomberg had cut a licensing deal with Donald Trump in 2012 to rename and manage it. Since the Capitol Riot / Insurrection, the City has decided to terminate that deal and rename the golf course, but Trump is suing to keep the contract.
Queens has four golf courses and all of them are open this weekend. Click here for details about Queens Golf Courses including maps and links to the operators' websites.
Manhattan doesn't have any golf courses per se, but there is a driving range at 62 Chelsea Piers at 22nd Street and the West Side Highway. There are also three simulated golfing centers in Manhattan that operate under the Five Iron Golf name at 22 Stone Street [at Broad St] in the Financial District, at 138 5th Avenue in the Flatiron District and in the Continental on the third floor at 883 6th Avenue near Macy's and Madison Square Garden.
Brooklyn has a couple of golf courses including Dyker Beach golf course which is accessible via subway and Marine Park golf course which is accessible via subway and bus.
There are a couple of important legislative bills being debated in the House and Senate. On the one hand you have the Progressive Caucus threatening to hold, or even kill, the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill passed in the Senate. And on the other you have a couple of Democratic Senators withholding their votes on passing the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better bill.
Trump left office leaving a multi-trillion dollar deficit in 2020, and the same is expected to occur this year, regardless of the votes on the pending bills. If both bills pass, these huge deficits could spell significant trouble for American business, the economy and the people employed by them by virtue of impacting the trading rate for our currency vis a vis other currencies around the world. The combination of these bills could significantly devalue the purchasing power of the dollar.
If neither bill passes, Biden along with EVERY OTHER Democrat, would be negatively impacted. By possibly failing to pass at least one of the measures, while holding majorities in both chambers, the Democrats would leave themselves wide open to the opposition labeling them "Do Nothing Democrats". And you can be sure that Rupert Murdoch's Fox News, NY Post, Wall St Journal and ABC News would not let that opportunity slip by unheralded, unhyped and unsensationalized by his plethora of putrid propagandists.
There comes a time when one must step back and see the bigger picture. And at present, the bigger picture is that the Democrats can score a BIG WIN, by passing the INFRASTRUCTURE BILL - as that can be a rallying cry for them in the 2022 midterms and beyond. In passing the INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, Biden and the Democrats would have accomplished something that PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE REPUBLICANS FAILED TO DO, with even bigger majorities in both chambers.
It would be very sad, to see the Democrats let this opportunity slip away, because they fail to do what American legislators have done beginning with the inception of the republic - which is to compromise in order to get something done. We are at an important inflection point, voters, so pay heed to who votes which way, so that in 2022 and beyond, you'll know who is so uncompromising, that they will never get anything done.
I like Bernie, and in 2016 found his candidacy to be of great interest. I think he's an important player in politics in our day, and continues to play an important role in the national conversation. But that said, the reason Biden won out for the presidency, is that Sanders he has never achieved anything legislatively. Click here for our report on Senator Sanders' candidacy for president in 2016.
NYC Public Schools Open Monday, CoVid Guidelines Tightening in order to Avoid Illness and Closures & to Keep the Economy Running, Broadway Reopens, U.S. Open Ends with a Youthful Women's Contest & Medvedev Foils What Could Have Been Historical Men's Final by Djokovic, 911 Subway Series - Yanks 8 / Mets 7, Yom Kippur, and 911 Media Blindspot on how the Wars on Terrorism Mutated to a War on Democracy & Truth
Weather. Generally good with highs near 80 Saturday and near 90 on Sunday, with the lows around 70 both days and no rain. Humidity will be around 60% and the winds will be 5 - 10 mph.
The image at right shows Murdoch's Fox faking the news about CoVid. Notice how they try to pin labels on CNN [masquerade], the Democrats [politicize / scam], other media [hysteria] and scaremonger about 'other' lockdowns. In the case of the labelers, they are oftentimes accusing someone else of doing exactly what they are doing. In psychology this is called projection, where they project their traits onto others in order to distract whomever they are communicating with, from noticing those traits in them.
NYC Public Schools Open Monday with CoVid Guidelines in Place
Mayor de Blasio announced that not only teachers, but also school staff in the NYC Public School system, will be required to have at least one vaccine dose by September 27th.
While there isn't a mandate for children over 12 to be vaccinated [yet?], all NYC public school children are required to wear masks, social distance at three or more feet, and may be subject to health screenings [testing]. The Catholic schools in NYC are not requiring vaccines for teachers or students, but are requiring the wearing of masks.
Additionally the NYC Indoor Vaccine Mandate, announced on August 17th, will begin enforcement on Monday, September 13th. The mandate requires both employees and customers to get vaccinated in order to work at or patronize dining, fitness and entertainment venues when indoors. The mandate will not be enforced by the NYPD, but rather by a slew of other city agencies / departments that already oversee the operations of these businesses.
Vaccination Rates & Mandates for NYC Employees. According to a July 26, 2021 report by Intelligencer, Mayor de Blasio mandated that all municipal employees get vaccinated or submit to weekly testing. At the time the NYPD reportedly had a vaccination rate of 43%, and the NYFD had a vaccination rate of 51% and Corrections had a vaccination rate of 41%. By September 10, 2021 the NYPD vaccination rate had increased to 53%, and the overall municipal employee vaccination rate was 65%, which was in line with the average for New Yorkers generally, where 67% have been vaccinated according to a September 10, 2021 AMNY report.
911 / The War in Afghanistan is Over - but the War on the Truth that put us there - Continues
TV News People Provided Superficial, Dimwitted, Gossipy Accounts of the Withdrawal, & Unfortunately, Far too many of the Print Reports Weren’t Much Better
Somehow amidst the din of Murdoch mass media hyped criticism, the real headline was buried.
"The War is Over. The Twenty Year War in Afghanistan is Over. "
This was one of two Murdoch Wars - So his Outlets Seemed to Disminish or Ignore the Human & Taxpayer Costs - Over 170,000 Human Lives & Over $2 Trillion and Counting - and so did the Knuckleheads at the Other News Outlets
Where are the parades? Where are the celebrations? Where are the Congressional and Senate committees and hearings to investigate how we got into the Afghanistan war in the first place? And then why we stayed so long? Who incited this war and then profited from the $2 trillion in spending that the U.S. taxpayer took out loans to pay?
About 2,461 American soldiers died in the Afghanistan War. According to an August 17, 2021 report by the Associated Press, another 3846 American contractors lost their lives, as well as 72 journalists. The Afghanis suffered significant fatalities as well, as 66,000 Afghani military and police died, 47,000 Afghani civilians and 51,000 Taliban fighters.
TV News Provided Scant Real Insight, Information or Understanding Surrounding America's Withdrawal from Afghanistand to the Viewer
In the reporting over the past month or so I DID NOT SEE EVEN ONE REFERENCE TO THE RUSSIAN WITHDRAWAL from Afghanistan in the 1980’s. NOT ONE! Why does that matter?
Because if you’re going to evaluate how effective the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan was, you MUST look at prior history, and the Russian withdrawal is the closest, realistic assessment of what the costs of withdrawal from Afghanistan could, would or should be. I watched with something bordering between disgust and horror, as the gutted out nationally branded TV ‘news’ organizations ‘informed’ the American people as to what was happening as the American withdrawal from Afghanistan took place before our eyes in real time.
I. The Pied Piper Framed a Dishonest & Negative Narrative about President Biden's Handling of the Withdrawal via his WSJ, then Echoed it with the Nearly Half of the Nationally Branded U.S. Daily Media he Controls, which the Lazy and / or Incompetent Competition then Parrotted
Australian born billionaire, Rupert Murdoch - as is too often the case - led the rest of the mindless mass media, like the Pied Piper. On August 15, 2021, the Wall St. Journal published an OpEd by the ‘Editorial Board’. The ‘Editorial Board’ appears to be the pen name of billionaire Rupert Murdoch who owns and controls the paper. The ‘Editorial Board’ said published the narrative that Biden was incompetent and had messed things up, with scant reference to history or a holistic presentation of the facts.
Ever since that narrative was published, it has been used by many of the rest of the mass media, to contextualize or frame presentations made by the corporate press in discussing the American withdrawal from Afghanistan. Not everyone in the mass media was so incompetent or so lazy that they used the mendacious Murdoch’s narrative – thankfully. But eyeballing things, I’d estimate that more than half of them did. I suppose the good news is that there are still a few real, independent-minded journalists operating in our midst.
Murdoch used his Wall St. Journal brand to lead the narrative, because it has a history as a respected publication. Even though respect for the brand seems to have been diminishing ever since Murdoch’s took control of the paper in August of 2007. After the announcement many of the real journalists who could leave, did. Barron’s was included in the acquisition and remains a Murdoch brand today.
A Look Back at the NYC Municipal Primary Election Results of 2021
Females Won Big, But Because of Ranked Choice Voting, the Results Trickled in Over the Past Month, & Real Assessments of the Changed Landscape have yet to Follow
The June 22nd election primary for NYC municipal offices has long passed, but a solid look at the overall results of the election has not yet followed. What I will attempt to do today, is to offer provide a top down summary of the results, along with some interpretation of what this means going forward.
Women Won Big in the New York City Council Democratic Primaries
One of the biggest changes to municipal government likely to occur following the November election is that the NYC Council will move from less than a third women, to over half women for the first time in NYC history. This assumes most or all of the Democrats win their seats in the general election. This usually happens in a heavily blue state like New York, just as Republican primary winners in Alabama become the likely winners of the general election in that heavily red state. Somewhere between 29 and 31 of the Democratic primary winners in the NYC Council races were women out of a 51 member municipal legislative body.
He Seems to Favor Charter Schools & They Seem to Favor Him, He's Pulled in the Most Real Estate Cash & He has Indicated He'll Reverse Course a bit on Police Reform & ...
Last week I did a report snapshotting what I know about Scott Stringer's political career that leads me to think he's not to be trusted.
Stringer takes big public stands on what I would call generic Democratic issues over which he has little influence - gender equality, race and climate change - while speaking with forked tongue on issues over which he has considerable influence - like real estate developments, local education, public libraries and the pension fund investments - that significantly impact the local communities, neighborhoods and unions.
In that report I also noted how Stringer seems opportunistic in compromising his stances [for example in education and the public library system] in order to capitalize on what he seems to think are self enhancing career opportunities. And Stringer also seems to have used the power and authority of government positions entrusted to him by the people, to aid those who fund his campaigns, possibly trading what's good for the people, in exchange for what's good for Scott Stringer.
Stringer hit my radar nearly a decade ago, while Eric Adams only hit my radar a few years ago. So I'm less familiar with Adams career than Stringer's. But in doing the research, I found that Eric Adams appears to be a slow steady hand, whose positions have evolved over time ... and I would add that generally they appear to have evolved carefully.
1. Eric Adams - Public Schools & Education
Pro Charter Schools & What that Means
FOR PROFIT Charter Schools, don't seem to solve the failing schools problem, but rather split and shift the problem burdens, while privatizing and gutting a significant portion of the public school system. I began reporting on education during the Bloomberg era, wherein Bloomberg's Administration seemed to split public schools into two smaller entities, and then parcel out the achieving students / families via charter recruitment to the privately run for profit charters, while leaving the lower performing students / families in the care of unions and the general public. It seemed to me they didn't really solve anything, and sucked needed capital out of the public school system, putting it in the hands of the venture capitalists who were funding them.
This situation appeared to me not unlike what the insurance industry had done prior to Obamacare - whereby the insurance companies recruited healthy people for health insurance, and avoided signing those who weren't healthy in order to enhance their economic performance. To me this goes against the grain of what America is all about - which is equal opportunity for all. The privatization of the public schools by the predatory for profit charters would turn the public education system into the haves and have nots.
*** It's worth noting that NON-PROFIT CHARTERS evolved for different reasons and provided a healthy challenge to the union run public education system and I view far more favorably than the for profit charters.
I'm going to explore each accuser's allegations while providing a bit of background on each of them. I have found some of Cuomo's accusers more credible than others, in what I would call the integrity of the whole situation. That said, the sheer number of allegations certainly lends credence to the notion that something is not right in how Cuomo is managing his staff at the Capitol and in the Governor's mansion.
One's attractiveness to the opposite sex, can cut both ways. It can be used: 1) as a powerful tool to obtain special favors, wage increases and promotions one didn't earn, or 2) it can attract unwanted advances that feel threatening to one's person and livelihood. In the former case (#1), one's co-workers or competitors are often the victims by being passed over for promotions, travel and other opportunities. In the latter case (#2), one is a victim / target of unwanted sexual advances by virtue of their god given beauty.
While in Business School, one of my very best friends - who coincidentally was named Murdoch [but no relation to Rupert] - told me that his father had told him that
"... it was more important to be respected, than liked ..."
We both had to seriously contemplate this advice, as this friend was immensely popular. He had asked me to help him unravel what seemed his father's riddle. Ultimately In due time I concluded that my friend's father was right - it is more important to be respected than liked.
I think that is also good advice for women in the workforce, and provides a compass for how one should conduct oneself. Not every man out there is a gentleman, and oftentimes successful men are also the badly behaved men, some can even be assholes like - let's say - Donald Trump. And as we've seen over the past four year presidency, both the men and women who reported into him were certainly psychologically abused. And I won't even begin to contemplate Melania's situation.
So with that in mind, let's take a brief look at each of Cuomo's accusers and their allegations regarding the Governor.
I. Lindsey Boylan (36) - Deputy Secretary for Economic Development & Special Advisor to the Governor
Lindsay Boylan was the first woman to come forward and charge Andrew Cuomo with sexual harrassment in a tweet in December of 2020. She worked for Cuomo from 2015 - 2018 as the Governor's Deputy Secretary and Advisor, during which time she alleges she was continually harassed. Boylan is now running for Manhattan Borough President.
In the accounts of Boylan's claims I've seen published she indicated Cuomo would touch or brush against her arm or leg, compare her to an ex-girlfriend, make unwanted sexually charged statements or inquiries, and on one occasion kissed her on the lips without her permission following the award of a promotion.
Boylan first went public with her claims in December 2020, telling the world that she was speaking out now, because she felt that the public should know this, as Andrew Cuomo was up for consideration for the position of the U.S. Attorney General. This seemed reminiscent of Christine Blasey Ford stepping forth in 2018 with allegations of attempted rape by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. But attempted rape is a far more serious allegation than harassment / inappropriate workplace behavior.
At the time Boylan said she didn't want to speak to any journalists about the explosive claims. This set off my spidey sense, because it seems unfair to think that you can make such explosive, career busting allegations without expecting reporters to want to dig deeper for the full context of the story.
Cuomo denied the allegations.
Last year [2020] Boylan was beaten in the Democratic congressional primary. It would seem to be a fair question to ask whether she is angry / blames Cuomo for her loss, believing that perhaps he did not help her enough? One might also ponder whether she is she using the explosive claims of sexual harassment against Cuomo to gain publicity for her current campaign for Manhattan Borough President, while simultaniously by capitalizing on / reaching out to the #MeToo movement?
In what appeared Cuomo pushback, some of Boylan's personnel files were disclosed to the press, indicating there may have been some issues surrounding to her departure from the Cuomo Administration, regarding her management of employees working for her. Boylan says this is part of a Cuomo intimidation / smear campaign.
Boylan said she was harrassed most or many of the nearly four years she worked for Cuomo [2015 - 2018]. Like many women, she hesitated and waited until [two] years after her departure before going public.
The #MeToo movement advocates that all women's sexual harassment claims should be believed, as for centuries women's sexual harrassment claims have been discredited and ignored.
Yet not long after she went public, she threatened to start a women's PAC to torch Schumer and other New York politicians who did not come out to support her in her allegations sooner. The gap in her announcement and in Schumer and other politicians' speaking out in her favor, was about two and a half months [late Dec 2020 to early Mar 2021]. Boylan also published a threatening tweet castigating both President Biden & Vice President Kamala Harris for withholding judgment as well, before she deleted it.
Boylan's vehement 'PAC fundraising' response, caused me to stop to ponder the full nature of Boylan's nearly four relationship with Cuomo, which seems to have greatly benefitted her with promotions and travel, until it did not. I was also reminded of how Donald Trump and Senators Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz opportunistically used 'Stop the Steal' to fundraise PAC money for themselves off of an emotional, voter 'patriotism' hot button issue.
As with Janice Dean's allegations / crusade / soft gubernatiorial campaign launch, where Shakespeare's quote in Hamlet "The lady doth protest too much me thinks" seemed to resonate, as I again found myself asking if this quote also has some relevance to Boylan's case. See prior report for full explanation regarding Janice Dean.
Boylan's allegations would be given due consideration in an investigation. And we may learn much more about hers and Cuomo's relationship ... and it's possible that it could be highly toxic to both of them.
Weekend Update & A Different Perspective on Andrew Cuomo's Troubles
The Weather Returns to Seasonal, Daylight Savings Time Springs Ahead Sunday, People Vaccinated Growing Rapidly & Has Raging Rupert Incited Another Rioting Mob?
This past week, we experienced a few enjoyable weather days this week, with temperatures in the 60's and 70's. But alas, all good things must come to an end, so starting tonight the temperature will fall back into the 30's and we'll return to seasonal weather for the next week or so.
Weather. The temperature high will be about 70 on Friday, returning to the 50's on Saturday and Sunday. The temperature lows will fall to the mid 30's tonight and Saturday and then fall to the mid 20's on Sunday night. No rain is in the forecast and the humidity will remain low at about 30% throughout the weekend. The wind will range from 10 - 18 mph on Friday, 5 - 10 mph Saturday and rise back up to 18 mph on Sunday.
Daylight Savings Time, where you 'spring ahead' by setting your clock ahead an hour ahead, begins early Sunday morning at 2 am. At present it gets light about 6 am, so following the change it will become light out around 7 am, and currently it gets dark around 6 pm, and following the change it will then get dark around 7 pm.
The number of New Yorkers and Americans vaccinated continues to grow quickly. As of this post some 65 million Americans or about 20% of the nation has received at least one shot. New York is staying abreast with the rest of the nation, with four million New Yorkers [state] having received at least one shot, which is 20% of the state population of about 20 million. New York City has vaccinted 1.8 million people which is also about 20% of the 8.4 million New York City residents.
And the pace of vaccinations continues to accelerate, because just this past week, in New York State over a million doses were administered. President Biden wants everyone to be eligible to receive the vaccine by early May, so that come Independence Day, we can celebrate together is a post pandemic normalcy. The nation's production of vaccine continues to grow, and the vaccine distribution / administration capability which is handled at the state and municipal level, appear to be in place to handle the growing demand.
Children are not among those eligible to be vaccinated. This is because most children do not appear to become severely ill. There are tests being conducted on vaccinating younger children ages 16 - 18, as well as some kids as young as 12, and plans are being discussed regarding vaccinating children 5 - 11.
Did Raging Rupert Murdoch's Mass Media Riot Machine Incite Another Mob by Distorting & Using #MeToo?
March 12, 2021 / US Politics / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.
While watching the story of Governor Cuomo's troubles unfold, they triggered my 'spidey sense', or as it used to be called, my newsman's nose. In either case something smells rotten in NYS and as oftentimes is the case, it seems to be coming from Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century & Newscorp - which includes the NY Post, the Wall Street Journal, Fox News, his Harper Collins Publishing Company and possibly with an assist from Disney / ABC News where he has become the largest shareholder and where he seems to be making behind-the-scense personnel moves in the news division.
Even more than Trump, Rupert Murdoch is a trojan horse threat to our democracy. He has already turned both Australia and Britain into banana republics where he appears to change prime ministers at the drop of a hat and unfortunately most of the natives of those lands don't even seem to be aware that they're living in a mediacracy - which is a state controlled by one man's mass media holdings. Both Britain and Australia have been through at least four prime ministers within the past five years, because it seems Murdoch couldn't get exactly what he wanted on the first three tries.
Why do I think the stench is coming from Murdoch's 21st Century & Newscorp and not the Governor's mansion? Because Murdoch's gang of mendacious multi-millionaire minions too often seem not to give a damn about reporting the truth - but rather about distorting and even fictionalizing it to stoke the ratings busting fires of discontent - by attacking government officials who seem not to give Murdoch what he wants from them.
Murdoch's portfolio of wealthy teleprompter actors and actresses, seem to feign anger and outrage, in order to stoke the hyper ventillating audiences of reality contortionists Hannity, Ingraham, Pirro and Tucker into a ratings driven profit frenzy ... which the Australian born billionaire cashes in on, but also uses to brow beat those government officials who won't obey him and use our governmental apparatus to enhance Murdoch's wealth and power.
Earlier this year Murdoch's mass media appeared to help stoke the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol by feeding their audiences misinformation about the integrity of the election results and of the voting apparatus. Murdoch's mendacious minions did such a colossal job of disinforming the American public, that they are now the defendants in a $2.7 multi-BILLION dollar lawsuit filed by Smartmatic, one of the voting machine companies.
Murdoch appeared to fire Fox News host Lou Dobbs in order to pretend Fox News doesn't tolerate that sort of thing [disinforming their audience], just like they fired Bill O'Reilly and Roger Ailes - BUT only after years of reported sexual harassment transgressions when it became too big to ignore, and activists started boycotting Fox advertisers and the greedy 'little man' billionaire started losing money on them. Then came the "I didn't know" and yet another Murdoch inspired phony act of the most insincere contrition.
Remorseful Rupert Murdoch's quintessential phony act of contrition was performed in Britain in 2012, during the investigation into his company's [or ies'] phone hacking of ordinary British citizens for sadistic pleasure and profit. Murdoch's company reportedly hacked the phones of private citizens in order to sensationalize their personal trauma and tragedy on the front pages of Murdoch's British tabloids and TV outlets. Revealing the personal and private pain of private citizen(s) appeared to be great for Murdoch's newspaper sales, great for Rupert's TV ratings and great for rapacious Rupert Murdoch's insatiable appetite for ever more money. It was all part of his life-long, predatory power grab from the ignorant people who get their 'news' from his outlets, and make their voting decisions based on it.
So let's take a look at how the Cuomo story / stories unfolded, in search of truth - not ratings, and in search of a more behind-the-scenes account of things [also known as asking why] - not by partaking in a superficial, broadcast mass media induced, modern day virtual mob lynching, which is what appears to be happening as we speak. The virtual mob won't hang Cuomo's real life carcass like a Mussolini, but rather they will hang his reputation out to dry, based entirely on - as of yet - unsubstantiated allegations made in some cases by people who haven't even revealed themselves and to date have remained fully anonymous. The broadcast TV mass media induced mob will leave Cuomo for politically dead ... which appears exactly what the perennially angry, mean, old man - Rupert Keith Murdoch - wants. Assuming of course, that the actions and words of so many of Murdoch's apparently dishonest minions, represents his the 'Triump of the Will' or the Goebbels-like Media Fuhrer's wishes.
Step aside Atticus Finch - there's a new mindless mob in town - and it appears to be incited by the Australian born propagandist, Herr Rupert Murdoch, America's 21st century Goebbels.
Movie Theaters, Taxi Drivers, Gun Arrests, the NRA Russia & Trump, Central Park & Bronx Golf Course Concessions Bidding Deadline March 19, 2021, CoVid Testing, Vaccination Stats & Daylight Savings Time Two Weeks Away
Weather. Friday won't see any rain, but on Saturday there's nearly a 100% chance of a small amount [a quarter inch] of rain in the morning. Saturday afternoon should be clear. On Sunday there's also a high probabilty of a half inch of rain, most likely to fall around midday, with a lingering probability lasting the rest of the day [40% - 60%]. Temperature highs will be in the mid 40's to low 50's throughout the weekend and the temperature lows will be in the mid 30's on Friday and hovering around 40 the rest of the weekend. Humidity will rise from the 40% range to near the 70% range on Friday and then stay between the 70% - 80% range the rest of the weekend. Winds will be 50 - 10 mph all weekend.
Things To Do, News Briefs & Updates
- NYC Movie Theaters Can Reopen March 5, 2021
Governor Cuomo announced that movie theaters will be able to reopen at 25% capacity March 5th, 2021.
-Taxi Driver Blockade Brooklyn Bridge in Support of Medallion Debt Restructuring
One story that seemed to receive little attention was a taxi driver blockade of the Brooklyn Bridge on Wednesday afternoon on February 10th. They were making a statement, following a City Council hearing on loan forgiveness / restructuring for taxi driver medallion debt, earlier in the day. The 25,000 member taxi driver union was supportive of the action. NYC government officials are trying to find a way to help taxi drivers, but are constrained by the current fiscal challenges arising from the CoVid crisis.
- January Gun Arrests Up 75% & Full Year 2020 were Up 29%
At the end of January, NYC Police Commissioner Demot Shea said that 417 gun arrests had been made that month, up 75% versus a year ago. He also noted that last year gun arrests were up 29% versus 2018. He rhetorically asked the question, "what's changed that there are so many guns making their way into NYC?"
- The NRA, Guns, Russian Cash & the Trump Money Laundromat
According to an April 2, 2018 report in Rolling Stone, the NRA President, David Keene, was an honored guest in Moscow at a 2013 event hosted by The Right to Bear Arms group. Prior to and during the 2016 presidential campaign, Russia courted the NRA, including hosting members at all expense paid events.
According to the report, the Russian group was deceitfully presented as 'grassroots' organization, led in part by Maria Butina, seeking comraderie with like minded gun enthusiasts. The reality appears to be that they were working under the influence of the Russian government, in an effort to infiltrate politically conservative groups in the U.S., to become what was alleged to be money laundering conduits for campaign cash to the Trump and other Republican political campaigns.
The NRA was founded in 1871 in New York and recently moved its headquarters to Texas. In February 2019 NYS Attorney General Tisch James filed a lawsuit against the NRA seeking to dissolve it because, the brief contended, it had become so corrupt and self serving and had failed to comply with numerous laws.
In August 2019 the two Republican members of the Federal Election Commission [Caroline Hunter & Matthew Petersen] blocked an investigation into whether Russia had used the NRA as a money laundering machine to funnel [$30 million] cash to Trump and Republicans in the 2016 election. In the 2016 election NRA donations spiked $35 million which was believed to have come from Russian government influenced agents, like the Russian oligarchs. According to an August 20, 2019 report,
" ... The [FEC] split 2-2 vote fell along partisan lines, with the FEC’s two Republicans voting against any further inquiry into whether Alexander Torshin, a sanctioned Russian official, and Maria Butina, a convicted Russian agent, grew close to the NRA in order to help direct the group’s 2016 political donations...."
See earlier reports we did on Mitch McConnell which identify Russian oligarch funding he, Lindsey Graham, Marco Rubio and other top Republicans received from the Russian oligarchs in 2016 as reported by Open Secrets which is a non-profit group that 'follows the money' of election campaign contributions.
How the President, a Former NYC Mayor and Murdoch's Fox News Seemed to Incite the Capitol Insurrectionists
Rudy Giuliani, Nicknamed America's Mayor by Murdoch's Fox News, Appears to have Helped Incite the Band of Simpleminded Trumpsters to Insurrection
Updated January 11, 2021 from 1.8.21 / US Politics / NYC Neighborhoods / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.
Rising Film Star [Barat2] and Former NYC Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, appears to have devolved into something of a national freak show or farce over the past five years. Perhaps longer. But in the past few months, he's become something of a national disgrace.
Fox News seems to use nicknames for their propaganda assets, like referring to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as the 'Iron Lady' and President Ronald Reagan as the 'Gipper'. Rudy Giuliani seems to be yet another Fox propaganda asset and, as such, is oftentimes referred to as America's Mayor by Fox pundits.
This is not unlike how Murdoch's Fox News nicknames themselves America's Newsroom. This was a trick used by Hitler and Goebbels, using words and images to create the illusion that they, the Nazi Party [in this cae the Fox Nation with red, white and blue colors] was the same as the state - and thus represented all that was right and just. But remember - just because Murdoch's Fox News says it's so - doesn't make it so [like they used to call themselves 'Fair & Balanced' before they started fearing a lawsuit for false advertising]. But, the Australian born billionaire's overwhelming control and / or ownership of America's television media [see our special section on Murdoch and the 21st Propaganda Press on Gotham Buzz] does give him a leg up in attaching and making both good and bad labels stick to people, places and things.
On Wednesday, January 6, 2021, Rudy Giuliani joined Donald Trump and Donny junior at a Trump rally in Washington, D.C. near the White House. The Donald had promoted this gathering as something 'wild' and related to his seemingly phony stop the steal / election fraud fundraising claims. At the rally Trump told his supporters, numbering about 5,000 [per the park permit] to march down to the Capitol and that he'd be there with them.
I think it's safe to say that the Trump supporters who came to this event came prepared to continue to be misinformed and misled by the con men standing on the stage in front of them. After the speeches the audience mindlessly did as Trump had instructed them, and began marching toward the Capitol - but without their fearful leader [bonespurs acting up again?]. The Trumps and Giuliani were not to be found when the group arrived at the Capitol. What a surprise!
When the Trumpsters reached the barricades in front of the Capitol, the police in charge of protecting it, seemed to give way. What exactly transpired at this juncture we'll find out eventually, but one thing we do know for certain is that Trump didn't deploy as many of the National Guardsmen as he did for his tear gassing photo op with the Bible last summer. So Vice President Mike Pence had to step in to call up more National Guardsmen who eventually secured the Capitol - but not until after it had been ransacked [including one report of defecation].
Australian born Billionaire, Rupert Murdoch Seems to use the Wall St Journal, NY Post & Fox News to Create the Illusion that Trump has Some Sort of Economic Magic Touch, but the Truth is $6 Trillion in New Debt & $3 Trillion in Federal Reserve Bond Purchases
Few real journalists - if any - have ever honestly accused Rupert Murdoch and most of the large media brands he controls in our nation, of being bastions of truth. In fact, it would seem, quite the opposite - including by some of the people who work for him.
When Murdoch purchased the Wall Street Journal in 2007 [fact check], there were concerns that he would turn it into another one of his propaganda rags. Shortly after the acquisition, a number of Wall Street Journal reporters fled to Bloomberg News. In fact dozens of them. Those journalists that remained at the Wall Street Journal, had to learn how to operate for an Australian born billionaire who seems to delight in misleading the masses - rather than informing them - in order to profit from the audience's ignorance, to which Murdoch media appear to contribute greatly. Murdoch is kind of like a street hustler whose propagandists do sleight of tongue [hand] tricks, while his political accomplices [puppets like Trump & McConnell] pick the pockets of the audience [Americans].
Not Your Father's Wall Street Journal - A Murdoch Propaganda Rag?
This summer over 280 journalists at the Wall Street Journal, became concerned that Herr Murdoch - like Nazi propagandist Herr Goebbels before him - was corrupting the Wall Street Journal into a propaganda outlet, in advance of the election this November. While Murdoch's distortion of the truth in the Wall Street Journal appears to have been going on for years, the event that immediately precipitated the letter, was a misleading - even deceptive - Op Ed by Vice Presidential candidate Mike Pence.
In the letter they had a few simple requests. A July 21, 2020 report in the Wall St Journal states,
"... [The WSJ's] Opinion’s lack of fact-checking and transparency, and its apparent disregard for evidence, undermine our readers’ trust and our ability to gain credibility with sources ...”
" ... The letter cites several examples of concern, including a recent essay by Vice President Mike Pence about coronavirus infections ... "
“.. [and that] WSJ journalists should not be reprimanded for writing about errors published in Opinion ..."
"... suggests removing opinion pieces from the “Most Popular Articles” and “Recommended Videos” lists on the website, and creating a separate “Most Popular in Opinion” list..."
" ... letter highlighted was an opinion article titled “The Myth of Systemic Police Racism,” which the letter’s authors said was one of the paper’s most read articles in June. The article argued that the “charge of systemic police bias was wrong during the Obama years and remains so today.” The letter says the piece “selectively presented facts and drew an erroneous conclusion from the underlying data...”
i have reported on similar truth distortions by Rupert Murdoch's media, including Fox News, the NY Post and many other media outlets controlled by him in our section about Rupert Murdoch and the Rise of the 21st Century Propaganda Press, which you can find by clicking this link.
Triumph of The [Rupert's] Will: How Murdoch Manipulates Voter's Perceptions & Public Policy
Australian born Billionaire Appears to use his Media Outlets to Shape Voter's Views, Loading them with Misconceptions, So They'll Elect Compromised Fox Nation Pols, Who Upon Assuming Office, Seem to Reward Murdoch's Media Support, by Crafting Public Policy to Conform to Murdoch's Will, Favoring his Business Interests
As mentioned previously, I've been doing a fairly deep dive into learning as much about the Third Reich and Nazi Germany as time permits, in order to more fully understand what's happening in present day events.
Media Manipulation for Fun & Profit
I began noticing similarities between Australian born billionaire Rupert Murdoch's manipulative use of his large share of Amerian media in 2016, to what Joseph Goebbels, the Reich Minister of Propaganda for the Nazis, did beginning in the 1920's until his end in 1945. On May 1, 1945 Goebbels poisoned his children, his wife and himself as the Allied forces neared his home. Hitler and his companions had committed suicide the day before, as Allied forces invaded Berlin. None of them had the courage to stand trial for their crimes against humanity ... although like Mussolini, they may not have made it to court.
1. Did Fox 'News' Attempt to Protect the Reputation of a Propaganda Asset via Omission?
So today, we're going to look at just a few of Murdoch's media manipulations made in just the past couple of months - and I'm nearly certain that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Unfortunately, I don't have the resource to fact check what is the largest misleading news content producing organization in the nation, and possibly the free world.
Let's start with the first two photos on this page. This story broke in the Guardian on July 7, 2020.
The first photo shows Fox News 'reporting the news' regarding the sexcapades of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislane Maxwell. In the first photo, Fox News conveniently cropped out Donald Trump. In the second photo [at right] we have the 'full picture' aka the truth.
The man who calls everyone else a 'sleezeball' is seen with Melania 'being best', and two of the people alleged to be among some of the sleeziest on the planet [Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislane Maxwell]. Do birds of a feather flock together?
So we must ask why Rupert Murdoch would crop Donald Trump out of the photo? Is it to avoid portraying the Donald in a negative light in order to keep him - a Murdoch asset - in office?
Trump appears to have been a boon to billionaire Murdoch through massive billionaire tax cuts funded by debt to be paid for by America's children and unborn? Or is because Trump's actions in the Middle East vis a visIsrael seemed to serve to legitimize Murdoch's investment in Genie Energy in the illegally occupied Syrian Golan Heights? Or was it because Trump loosened up the FCC ownership limits for mega media companies like Murdoch's thus allowing the few to control our media, which givens them the power to influence the national democratic conversation - and in Murdoch's case - it seems the power to corrupt it in order to profit from it. Or was it because Trump famously fired all U.S. Attorneys, including Preet Bharara - who was investigating Murdoch's companies for sexual harrassment and phone hacking - less than 24 hours after Sean Hannity on Fox News told him to do just that? Perhaps most importantly, Trump's Attorney General Bill Barr, greenlighted the merger of Disney / ABC, which was an inverted takeover resulting in Rupert Murdoch becoming Disney / ABC's largest shareholder.
As far as I know, nobody has ever accused Rupert Murdoch of running an unbiased news operation. In fact, it's seems just the opposite, as countless people have found countless significant reporting errors by his mammoth news operation, which in the U.S. alone represents about half the large corporate branded news content viewed by Americans including Fox News, the Wall St Journal, the NY Post, Barron's, MarketWatch and increasingly ABC News where Murdoch is the largest shareholder.
What is most disturbing, is how the pinocchio propagandists on some Murdoch media outlets appear to omit key facts, in order to put forth narratives that are at odds with the truth, which are then imprinted on the minds of the millions upon millions of viewers who watch and believe what they see and hear on Fox News.
Manipulating what ends up in people's minds is exactly what Joseph Goebbels did as the Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany in the 1930's and 1940's. As in Nazi Germany, Herr Murdoch's propaganda ministry in the U.S., appears to use the media to favor some people or groups at the expense of other people and groups in its reporting. Oftentimes the groups Murdoch appears to favor break along race and economic class lines. We're going to look at how Tucker Carlson appears to have put forth a false Fascist narrative that further victimizes the African American victims of unnecessary violence at the hands of rogue policemen, whose errant behavior is defended far too often by the police unions.
To be sure, those who fall prey to such mass media manipulation, are also responsible for their own ignorance and subsequent behaviors, including their voting.
Thomas Jefferson said,
“Ignorance of the law is no excuse in any country. If it were, the laws would lose their effect, because it can always be pretended.”
We saw this pretension of ignorance and denial of responsibility by many Germans following World War II, including from those operating in influential posts with access to top levels of the Nazi high command. They pretended their ignorance, but generally the truth wills out.
I'll make my case regarding Murdoch's Fox News and Tucker Carlson's reporting of African Americans appearing to be victimized by rogue policemen on Fox News Tucker Carlson's nationally televised show. I identified a couple of shows, which were broadcast over American airwaves using a high number of FCC licenses, reaching millions upon millions of Americans who appear to have been disinformed in what seems a systematic effort by Australian born billionaire Rupert Murdoch's media to provide distorted reporting with respect to incidents of police brutality vis a vis the African American community.
Fox News & Tucker Carlson Twist the Facts to Make a Trap for Fools?
The first incident we're going to review, is Tucker Carlson's Fox News coverage of the Rayshared Brooks shooting in Atlanta on Friday, June 12th, 2020. Rayshard Brooks was a 27 year old African American and father of three who was found misparked in a Wendy's parking lot, apparently sleeping. He was found to have a blood alcohol of nearly .11 which is above the legal limit for driving of .08. Brooks was not stopped while driving, but rather after he had misparked his car in a Wendy's drive thru queue.
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We've mostly been trying to stay abreast of all the summer events this past month. Event schedules changed, some schedules have been reduced, and some venues have closed or remain on hiatus. But by and large, most venues are back up and running on some kind of level, while trying to protect the health and safety of their associates as well as the general public vis a vis CoVid.
So as we remained focused on staying abreast of the many summer events easily accessible to most of the denizens of NYC and NYS, we did not take our eye off of the more serious issues swirling around us. The following is a list of events we've been monitoring and researching along the way, which we intend to delve into in the coming weeks, and perhaps months.
The Supreme Court Ignores a 49 Year Old Legal Precedent Established Previously at the Supreme Court
The first event is the Supreme Court ruling which ignored a nearly 50 year precedent declaring a woman's right to choose early pregnancy cessations. The Court essentially struck down the Roe vs Wade decision of 1973, and confiscated a women's right to determine when and if they want to have a baby, leaving it to state politicians to decide.
While some of their arguments about how the original Supreme Court decision was made were logically reasoned, they fell short on their main thesis, upon which Roe v. Wade rested, which is that women have a right to equal enforcement and due process with respect to the law per the 14th Amendment. Section I. of the 14th Amendment states,
"... All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws..."
Lord only knows, that forcing someone to be a mother of a child she does not want, can't end well for the mother, likely won't end well for the baby, and ultimately isn't likely to end well for the rest of society. So the Supreme Court has proven beyond a reasonable doubt, that they are anything but wise. We'll have more on this ruling and the legal arguments ignored by the court and the corporate run mass media, later this summer.
The Supreme Court Rules on Americans' Right to Carry Guns Whenever & Whereever
Then there's the issue of law and order and guns. This year the nation has witnessed a record breaking number of mass murders, many of which are done with assault weapons. Assault weapons are generally used in war, by vicious gangsters, or by mass murderers. It's worth noting that automatic assault weapons hadn't yet been invented when the Constitution was drafted and provided citizens with the right to bear arms. While citizens have a right to bear arms, what arms citizens have a right to bear and where, has been regulated throughout the nation's history.
This Supreme Court rolled back longstanding legal precedents in New York State, which limited one's right to carry a gun outside of the home without providing state government officials [regulatory / law enforcement] with a good reason [like hunting or self defense]. The court ruled that NY state didn't have the right to limit a citizen's right to carry a weapon outside of their home based on the current processes. This takes away some significant lethal weapon restraint capability by state and municipal law enforcement, at a time when gun manufacturers have blanketed the nation with lethal weapons. This ruling includes assault weapons, enough of which are getting into the wrong hands, and fueling the record number of mass murders in this country this year.
Automatic weapons were banned back in the days of Al Capone, in order to stop the violence by gangsters, who at the time had more firepower than the police. This was implemented in the 1934 National Firearms Act. The impact of the law - which imposed criminal, regulatory and tax requirements on such weapons - effectively killed the sales of these automatic weapons. Congress officially banned the automatic weapons in 1986, and in 1994 Congress passed the Assault Weapons Ban which had a sunset clause [means the law expires] ten years later in 1994. The ban was not renewed by Congress in 1994 because the NRA / gun lobby and Republicans effectively resisted its renewal.
To NYS and U.S. legislators I recommend reviewing that last paragraph, for some ideas on how to work around the Supreme Court ruling. You have the right to tax commerce, pass criminal laws and regulate commerce. Use these legislative tools. We'll have more on this later this summer or sometime in the fall. Unlike the Roe v Wade Ruling, and even though I am concerned with what is likely to be the collateral damage of the SCOTUS ruling, I found myself able to follow their logic and understand the basis of their decision.
CoVid Resurgence via the New Dominant Variant BA 5 & Monkey Pox
CoVid is like a bad guest, who just won't leave. New cases, hospitalizations and deaths are all up again and it's summer time. The reason is that CoVid continues to spread and morph and evolve around the world as most of the planet remains unvaccinated. The good news is that vaccinations in the U.S. keep rising, so that at present 67% of the nation has been fully vaccinated [I don't think that includes the boosters]. So on average, two of the three people you encounter are vaccinated.
So while vaccinations protect most folks from death and hospitalizations, they no longer provide immunity from catching CoVid. The same is true after one catches CoVid. While normally one would be protected by the antibodies manufactured by one's body - because of the multitude of CoVid variants now out there - this immunity guideline doesn't apply to CoVid. We'll have more about this and monkey pox in the coming weeks.
A Look at the Long Term Societal Impact of CoVid
The global pandemic radically alterred our daily lives for two full years beginning in 2020, continuing into 2021 and spilling over into 2022. This year [2022] however, appears to be something of a transformative year, as we have all generally returned to more normal levels of activity. But collectively we're still not back up to pre-pandemic levels of activity, and it's unclear if we'll return there.
We'll provide an update on how things have changed both at home and at work. We might even take a stab at trying to predict the future.
Putin, Likely a War Criminal, Pushes the War in Ukraine
We'll have an update on the War in the Ukraine as well. We hope some changes may be imminent.
A Look at the U.S. Economy, Continued Jobs Growth & Inflation
We're going to provide an update on our assessment of the economy, which is more favorable than many others. We'll provide the reasons why.
The Trump Insurrection Hearings & The Donald's Legacy
I've tuned into all eight of the Congressional Insurrection Hearings in some manner or another. Generally I've been surprised at how bipartisan the hearings have been. By that I mean that while the committee panel is populated primarily with Democrats, the majority of witnesses have been Republicans working at the federal, state and local levels.
The Committee has also conducted itself in a very professional and straight forward manner. Every day the lack of intelligence and insight inherent in Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's decision to try to torpedo the committee, by forbidding Republicans from joining it, becomes more clear. McCarthy was mostly successful in discouraging Republicans from joining the committee [what does that say about Congressional Republicans?], but there were a couple of rebels - Adam Kinzinger (Republican Illinois) and Elizabeth Cheney (Republican Wyoming) - both of whom joined the committee at great political and physical risk to themselves. That says a lot about Kinzinger and Cheney and as I watched them on TV, committing what appeared to be political suicide, President Kennedy's book, Profiles in Courage, came to mind.
Both Kinzinger and Cheney have made very insightful speeches about how important these hearings are, if 'We The People' are to retain our grip on those elected - to serve us - not themselves. And they have reinforced the principle that each generation has a responsibility in ensuring that the checks and balances built into the American system of government are maintained, so that America may continue to function as a free, democratic nation.
We will likely publish something on these hearings as we near the 2022 Fall elections, which will likely be more useful for those who have not tuned into the hearings themselves, but we never know what new things we will find while preparing our reports.
Untimely Death: Two Russian Oligarchs Live on Ivana Trump's Block
I have a few unanswered questions regarding Ivana Trump's sudden, unexpected, accidental death.
Ivana Trump lived in a building in Manhattan on the Upper East Side in which Donald Trump reportedly still owns a total of five units. It just so happens that Ivana's residence is on a block where two Russian Oligarchs own large residences, and for a time, it is also where the block where a divorced wife of a third Oligarch lived. The wife of the third Oligarch is Dasha Zhukova [Abramovich]. Zhukova became fast friends with Ivanka Trump, after being introduced by Wendi Deng, the former wife of Rupert Murdoch [Fox News / WSJ / NY Post] sometime around 2007.
The Russian Oligarchs who own residences on the same block where Ivana Trump lived, are Oleg Deripaska and Len Blavatnik. Deripaska's residence is immediately across the street from Ivana's residence, which if you were a spy, would be an ideal a location. Zhukova Abramovich lived in Deripaska's residence in 2018, apparently departing from that residence sometime before September 2019.
Zhukova moved ten blocks north of Ivana's block into a large four townhouse development upon which Zhukova's former husband, Roman Abramovich was working. According to a March 12, 2022 report in the Mercury News, Abramovich transferred the real estate, valued at $92 million, to Zhukova in 2018. In 2022 the Russian Oligarch sanctions hit, and now there's a question of whether transferred wealth to relatives [like former wife Zhukova] should also be sanctioned.
According to a March 17, 2022 report in the New Yorker, "... [Russian Opposition Leader Alexei] Navalny has described Abramovich as “one of the key enablers and beneficiaries of Russian kleptocracy...”. Abramovich is considered one of Putin's most trusted Oligarchs, having survived Putin's Oligarch purge after Russian President Boris Yeltsin's fall.
Abramovich must be an incredibly skillful manipulator - not just of Putin - but Abramovich was also the only Russian Oligarch who Ukrainian President Zelensky asked the U.S. not to sanction. Zelensky claimed it was in order to unemcumber Abramovich to broker a Russian / Ukrainian peace deal in Turkey [go figure]. The pact never even came close to happening. Separately, the two nations recently cut a deal to allow free passage of food through the Black Sea, which less than 24 hours later, Putin 'honored' by bombing the Ukrainian port of Odessa, from which the Ukrainian food is to be shipped.
See the Russian Ukrainian War report series for more on Abramovich and Zelensky's relationship. ADD LINK.
Back to Ivana's Trump's residence and her sudden, unexpected and accidental death. So Ivanka Trump became quite friendly with Abramovich's wife, Dasha Zhukova. They became such good friends that they began interacting socially at very public events. The first social event I found documented was in 2014 when Zhukova reportedly invited Ivanka and Jared to a fundraiser organized by her husband, Roman Abramovich, for a Jewish Museum he founded in Moscow. In 2016, as Donald Trump was running for President, Ivanka, Wendi Deng and Zhukova were seen at the the U.S. Open in Queens. And in 2017 Dasha Zhukova was reportedly invited to the Trump Inauguration weekend. Apparently there have been many other interactions, in between those public appearances and since, including some Abramovich investments placed in Jared Kushner's brother's company.
My point in all of this, is that the Russians could have had social access to Ivana Trump's residence and / or were in a position to have access to Ivana Trump's residence via more nefarious means. Given Trump owned so many units in the building, and probably owns the building management company, a lot of the independent context surrounding Ivana's death would be hard to obtain by the authorities without strong cause. I heard nothing about any review of any building video footage on the property itself, nor from the surrounding buildings. After the funeral Ivana's body was subsequently delivered to a Trump golf course in New Jersey, which is private property, owned by Donald Trump.
The details of Ivana Trump's autopsy were scant. The reporting of them had an uncertain quality to them. None of the reports indicated who called in the death. Not by name and not by association. I find that odd. The first cause of death was "cardiac arrest" and then later the cause of death was because of 'blunt' injuries suffered in the fall. Ivana Trump was an athlete, and only 73 years old, so falling down the stairs, and dying from the fall, while believable, is also unbelievable.
It's worth noting here, that accidental deaths are reportedly a Putin specialty. A Russian media baron, Boris Berezovsky, who was on the outs with Putin, reportedly suddenly, unexpectedly and accidentally died in his own bathroom at the age of 67 in 2013. The police determined that the cause of death was "unexplained", but it was surmised that it could have been caused by chemical, biolgical or nuclear material.
The timing of Ivana's death, coincidentally worked in the Donald's favor, as the NYS Attorney General was about to follow through with depositions with the Trump children. Because of Ivana's death, all of the Trump children depositions were postponed by the NYS Attorney General. The Trump family funeral also provided an opportunity for Donald Trump to meet with his children without being asked any questions. I mention this because it's been suggested that Trump may have tried to tamper with a witness for the Insurrection Hearings.
We know from Trump's campaigning in 2016, as well as from the January 6 Insurrection Hearings, that Donald Trump is not above encouraging others to do violence, when it serves his purposes. Ivana Trump reportedly kept contact with the Donald, even after their marriage ended, but the divorce was reportedly fairly hostile, although it also appeared that their relationship settled down, or even healed, over time.
Ivana and Ivanka Trump were reportedly close, as the only two women in that iteration of the Trump family. So, given the above as backdrop, what I found of particular interest, was the body language between the Donald, and Ivanka and Jared at Ivana's funeral. They did not look each other in the eye, and Ivanka and Jared seemed to flee the rest of the family immediately after the funeral. Given the many funerals I've attended, that didn't strike me as normal.
These are just some unasked and unanswered questions that came to mind while I watched the Trumps mourn one of their own. I suspect neither Trump nor Putin will let up with their shenanigans, because right now both of them are losing, and by the time the 2024 election rolls around, both of them might be desperate.
De Blasio Drops Out of Race / Tuesday, August 23, 2022 is a 2nd NYS Primary Election Day
This past week, former Mayor de Blasio dropped out of the 10th District Congressional race. The newly drafted district was drawn up after a successful court challenge to the Democrats' partisan drafted boundaries. The challenge and redrafting of the district boundaries delayed those elections affected by the boundaries, which include U.S. Congressional seats and NYS Senate seats. So we have a second primary election day, which is Tuesday, August 23, 2022.
De Blasio dropped out of the 10th District Congressional race because of his poor showing in the polls. What none of the corporate mass media mentioned, is that the former Mayor had been continually blasted with negative front page publicity by the half of NYC media controlled by Australian born Billionaire Oligarch Rupert Murdoch.
Murdoch's media brands: 1) hyped up unfounded allegations against the former Mayor, 2) distorted and amplified negative narratives about NYC government operations, 3) continually attacked the former Mayor with a near constant barrage of nitpicking and 4) ensured that Murdoch media audiences - which unfortunately is half of NYC - were kept in the dark regarding former Mayor de Blasio's key successes and achievements.
Rupert Murdoch successfully lurks in the shadows, away from public view, by hiding behind the American media brands he purchased and now controls. He's especially careful to contain the perception that he exerts a huge, unchecked and abusive influence over the electorates' perception of things. Most New Yorkers have no idea that the Australian born press lord presently controls about half of the daily corporate news media in NYC [and the nation] including: 1) Fox News / Channel 5, 2) WWOR / Channel 9, 3) the NY Post, 4) the Wall St. Journal and appears to have become the most influential shareholder of 5) Disney ABC / Channel 7.
We will continue to cover Murdoch's manipulative use of his mass media outlets, with the hope that by documenting his abuses, some of the people who trust his media outlets will, in time, wake up to his abuse of their trust.
And Last - but not Least - Climate Change
I've been researching the issue of climate change for more than half a decade. Naturally, my findings are voluminous and it will take quite a long time to process them. A full report is not expected by the end of the summer, and likely not even by the end of the year. I am hoping sometime in 2023 we can publish a report series investigating where we're at with climate change, what we've done both bad and good, and what we need to do if we don't want planet Earth - what was essentially a natural paradise - to go up in flames.
Here again Rupert Murdoch's huge influence over how the news is presented, makes a significant and societally harmful difference. I say this because most folks don't know that Rupert Murdoch has had ties - both financial and social - to the Saudi Royal Family [of fossil fuel fame] for decades. Those financial and social ties appear to affect how Murdoch's national mass media outlets present the news vis a vis climate change, particularly regarding the role fossil fuels play in accelerating climate change. We'll have more on this later in the summer / year, with hopefully a full report series in 2023.
Enjoy your week, and in the meantime here are links to all sorts of summer activities in all five boros. Enjoy.
Last Weekend of Performances of Emma in Manhattan, in Queens, BRIC Celebrate BK Fest & Vodou Song & Dance in Brooklyn, The Mott Haven Film Festival & the Orchestra of St. Lukes in the Bronx, Free Film Night at the Lighthouse Museum, the Ocean Breeze Beach Soccer Tournament & Food Truck Festival returns to Staten Island and an African Arts Fest next week, Free Outdoor Concerts & Theater, Farmers Markets, NYC Public Outdoor Swimming Pools, Street Fairs, Public Beaches
Weather. The temperature highs will be in the mid to high 90's and the lows between 80 - 85 degrees. The humidity will be relatively mild, ranging between the mid 40% to mid 50% range. Winds will provide a mild breeze ranging between 3 - 10 mph. No rain is expected over the weekend, and only a slight chance of some small amounts next week.
The photo at right was taken by / at the Wyckoff House Museum which is featuring Festival Minokancelebrating Haitian culture, including vodou. Vodou was an African / Caribbean ritual of communing / praying to one's ancestors. But then Hollywood got wind of it, and proceeded to blow it up / sensationalize it in order to generate ratings and ticket sales.
Note. The new variant of CoVid has stimulated a significant uptick in CoVid infections. Many arts / entertainment venues require proof of vaccination with a matching valid ID, and some suggest or even may require the wearing of masks. Use the website links of each venue for their latest guidance, or just come prepared.
The Congressional Insurrection Hearings concluded their eighth televised event on Thursday evening. The hearings attracted an audience of 20 million for their first prime time hearing - which Fox TV boycotted - likely because the hearings shed light on the dishonest reporting by Rupert Murdoch's Fox 'News'.
Fox TV decided to broadcast the hearing last night, after continuing to boycott all - or nearly all - of the other televised Insurrection Hearings from their FCC licensed TV stations / network, despite Fox spokespeople's lies declaring the network would televise the hearings. They may have aired the hearings on their cable station, but I didn't check.
Omitting key facts - like not showing / broadcasting these hearings to Fox viewers - is one of the many techniques Murdoch and his mass media minions use to manipulate their viewers' perceptions of people, places and events. Nazi propagandist, Joseph Goebbels, also used this technique [omitting key facts] to mislead the German people, in order to reap personal gains.
A free people must act like adults, and listen to all of the facts, not just those facts they want to hear. Ignoring key facts - by it's very definition - is ignorance. Thomas Jefferson said, "Those who believe one can remain ignorant and free, believe in something that never was and never will be."
Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan NYC
On Friday, the French Embassy's Films on the Green series presents Mandabi at the cafe at Pier I in Riverside Park, on Monday Bryant Park presents Beverly Hills Cop 2, and the Asian American Film Festival began at Lincoln Center last week and runs through the end of this month. Use the Manhattan movies link below to get details on this and other upcoming movies in Manhattan this summer.
On Saturday there's a free performance by the Jazz Mobile in Bryant Park. And next Wednesday there's a performance by the Attacca Quartet for Carnegie Hall Citywide Concerts in Madison Square Park near the Flatiron Building. Use the Manhattan concerts link below to get details on this and other upcoming concert performances in Manhattan this summer.
Thursdays thru Sundays, June 30 - July 24, 2022 from 6.30 - 8.30 pm / Emma. On the north patio of the Soldiers & Sailors Monument which can be accessed at West 89th Street and Riverside Drive on the Upper West Side [see photo at right]. Take the steps behind the monument down to the large patio.
Most of the following theater is free. The Drilling Theater Company performs Shakespeares' A Winters Tale on the Lower East Side through Saturday, the Harlem Classical Theater Company performs Shakespeare's Twelfth Night in Marcus Garvey Park weekly, the Harlem Meer Performance Festival continues on Sunday in Central Park, on Monday the SHENYC Festival begins at the Connelly Theater in the East Village [paid], there's Salsa dancing / instruction in Washington Square Park on Tuesday evenings, and Ailey II and Ailey Extension will perform at Bryant Park in Midtown next Thursday. Use the Manhattan theater link below to get details on this and other upcoming theater performances in Manhattan this summer.
Things To Do This Weekend in Queens NYC
On Friday night the Queens Botanical Garden is showing the movie Grease in Flushing. Wings Over Water in 3D is showing at the NY Hall of Science in Corona for $4 or $5. Use the Queens movies link below to get details on this and other upcoming movies in Queens this summer.
Sunday, July 24, 2022 – begins 5 & 6 pm - Beast From the East youth breakdance battle by Dynasty Breaking NYC (Astoria) & Teej and The Sidepocket. Use the Queens concerts link below to get details on this and other upcoming concerts in Queens this summer. For example on Tuesday, July 26, 2022 - Zikrayat will perform in Gantry State Park in the evening for free.
On Tuesday & Wednesday, July 26 & 27, 2022 the first half of the Yankee / Mets subway series begins at CitiField at 7.10 pm. I found tickets going for $86 to $172 to $1400. Or instead of paying what seems an outrageous amount of money to a billionaire in order to sweat profusely through a three hour local baseball game, you drop in on your favorite air conditioned sports bar and watch it there, with drinks and food and air conditioning, for less than the price of a ticket. But you're advised to check that the bar is showing the game, as the TV / video rights can be a complicated maze, when it comes to figuring out what services will carry the games.
Coming next week, on Wednesday / Thursday the Feast of St Irene Chrysovalantou Church, on Friday the weekend Pow Wow at the Queens County Farm begins and on Saturday the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival begins.
Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn NYC
Friday, July 22, 2022 from 8 - 11 pm - Sing 2. Transmitter Park is located along the East River at Greenpoint Avenue in the Greenpoint neighborhood of BK. Use the Brooklyn movies link below to get details on this and other upcoming movies in Brooklyn this summer.
Friday, July 22, 2022 from 6 - 8 pm - It's Showtime NYC - This is an Open Studios Residency Performance on the Harbor View Lawn in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Use the Brooklyn theater link below to get details on this and other upcoming theater performances in Brooklyn this summer.
There are concerts Saturday at Shore Road Park in Bay Ridge [free], at the Kings Theatre in Flatbush [paid] and on both Saturday and Sunday there are BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn concerts in Prospect Park [free]. Use the Brooklyn concerts link below to get details on this and other upcoming concerts in Brooklyn this summer.
Saturday, July 23, 2022 from 4 - 8 pm - Haitian Vodou Song and Dance Celebration with Fanmi Asòtò. At the Wyckoff House Museum at 5816 Clarendon Road in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn. From 4 - 6 pm there are History, Talks and Workshops and from 6 - 8 pm there's a ceremony. They describe the event as follows, " ... participate in the rich traditions of Haitian culture and Haitian Vodou. Together we’ll honor our spirits and our ancestors, praise the Earth, and rejoice in song and dance. Join us as we explore the history of Vodou and the Haitian diaspora through artist’s talks, dance, song, and food. This year, Festival Minokan will be focusing on the sacred site of Seremoni Nanchon Nago ...". Free, but you're encouraged to rsvp at www.wyckoffmuseum.org.
July - August 6, 2022 on various days / beginning at various times - BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn Festival. BRIC stands for Brooklyn Information and Culture and was founded in 1979 to revitalize Brooklyn through arts and culture. The festival runs from June 24 - August 6, 2022. Free. At the Prospect Park Bandshell at 62 West Drive in Brooklyn. For details see www.bricartsmedia.org.
Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx NYC
Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays, July 21, 22 & 23, 2022 from 8 - 10 pm, and Saturday from 2 - 4 pm & Sunday from 3 - 5 pm - My Man the Wolf. is being performed at The Point CDC at 940 Garrison Avenue at Barretto Street in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the Bronx. Use the Bronx theater link below to get details on this and other upcoming theater performances in the Bronx this summer.
On Friday, the movie, Encanto, is showing at the Bronx Terminal Market on the rooftop level and it's free. Use the Bronx movies link below to get full details. Use the Bronx movies link below to get details on this and other upcoming movies in the Bronx this summer.
On Saturday July 23, 2022 at the Pregones / PRTT Theater Garden, at 575 Walton Avenue in the Concourse / Mott Haven neighborhoods of the Bronx, the first performance of Stage Garden Rumba begins. Use the Bronx concert link below to get details on this and other upcoming concert performances in the Bronx this summer.
On Saturday, July 23, 2022 from 4 - 10 pm the Mott Haven Film Festival will be underway at Kreate Hub at 15 Canal Place in the Mott Haven neighborhood in the Bronx. The first block of films is shown at 5 pm and the second block of films is shown at 7 pm. Tickets range from $10 - $40 at www.mhff.nyc.
CANCELLED _ On Saturday, July 23, 2022 from 3 - 4 pm the Orchestra of St. Lukes will be performing at the Bartow Pell Mansion in Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx. Free.
Weekends - Fridays and Saturdays from 6 pm to 10 pm, and Sundays from 3 pm to 9 pm - Piazza di Belmont - Outdoor dining on Arthur Avenue which will be closed to vehicular traffic from East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue during the above mentioned times. Ends Sept 25, 2022.
Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island NYC
Friday, July 22, 2022 from 5 - 10 pm there's free film night at the National Lighthouse Museum at 200 The Promenade [just east of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal]. Generally they include some live music prior to the film, which is shown at dusk, which is about or shortly after 8 pm. And there's also a vibrant small vendor market set up for folks to do a bit of shopping. Free. Use the Staten Island movies link below to get details on this and other upcoming movies on Staten Island this summer.
On Saturday, July 23, 2022 from 3.30 - 5 pm - Hair - This 1960's bohemian musical is performed by the Spotlight Theatre Company of Staten Island. It's a play about the counter culture of its time including drugs, political activism and a search for meaning. Bring a blanket to sit on. In prior years they charged $20, but it looks like this may be free [unconfirmed]. At 2 Hylan Blvd. Theatrical performance and waterfront view of the bridge and harbor. For details see www.aliceausten.org or www.spotlighttheatresi.org. Use the Staten Island theater link below to get details on this and other upcoming theater performances on Staten Island this summer.
Saturday, July 23, 2022 - from 5 - 9 pm - Maker Park Radio 5th Anniversary Music & Art Fest. There will be nearly two dozen different artists and entertainers, as well as food and beverages and food trucks. At Maker Park at the Corner of Front & Thompson Streets in the Stapleton neighborhood of Staten Island. Maker Park Radio, the sponsor, is across the street at 450 Front Street. Use the Staten Island concerts link below to get details on this and other upcoming concert performances in the Bronx this summer.
On Saturday & Sunday, July 23 & 24, 2022 from 11 am - 5 pm there's the Ocean Breeze Beach Soccer Tournament & Food Truck Festival at the Midland Beach Picnic Grounds, just off the Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk at Father Capodanno Blvd and Lincoln Avenue on Staten Island. The soccer tournament is for kids ages 8 - 17 and people of all ages are welcome. This is organized by the Ocean Breeze Athletics Department and the NYC Parks Dept [www.nycgovparks.org].
On Wednesday, July 27, 2022 from 7 - 10 pm there's the African Arts & Cultural Awareness Festival at 450 Front Street, just across from Maker Park in the Stapleton neighborhood of Staten Island. They describe the event as follows, " ... [an] opportunity to enjoy authentic African cuisine, music, folklore, fashion, poetry, crafts and so much more ... we hope participants will have greater awareness, understanding and appreciation for African people, and their artistic and cultural traditions ...". Entrance is free, but likely the food and crafts are for sale.
Things To Do This Weekend in NYC
Links
Have a nice weekend.
Things To Do This Weekend in NYC
City of Water Day Saturday, Go Africa Festival and Shakespeare in Manhattan, Jazz Jam All Stars & SummerStage Concert in Queens, Giglio Festival Continues in Brooklyn, Bronx Doc Film Block Party & LGBTQ Pride Festival & Health Fair in the Bronx, Maker Park Radio Music & Art Fest on Staten Island, Free Outdoor Concerts & Theater, Farmers Markets, NYC Public Outdoor Swimming Pools, Street Fairs, Public Beaches
Weather. The temperature highs will be in the 80's and the lows in the low to mid 70's. The humidity will rise from the 40% range to 70% Friday and then range from 70% - 80% for the rest of the weekend. The winds will be in the 5 - 10 mph range all weekend. While it will be cloudy on Saturday & Sunday, no rain is expected until Sunday.
Things To Do in NYC This Weekend
On Saturday NYC celebrates itself and one of the sustenances of life, the water that surrounds us, with numerous events around the City of Water Day. For events in all five boroughs and beyond see - www.hudsonriver.org/article/city-of-water-day-2022
Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan NYC
Saturday, July 16, 2022 from 10 am to 6 pm - 7th Annual Go Africa Carnival - Along West 116th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard [7th Avenue] and Frederick Douglass Boulevard [8th Avenue]. The epicenter is at 216 West 216th Street. There will be three stages showcasing African and Caribbean culture including music, food, art and shopping. Street fairs in Washington Heights & Harlem [http://goafricacarnival.org].
Tuesdays - Sundays, June 21 - July 17, 2022 beginning at 8 pm - Richard III - By William Shakespeare / Adapted by Robert O'Hara. This adaptation of the Shakespearean classic about a power hungry King who will stop at nothing to obtain and keep power seems reminiscent of former President Donald Trump and his Chief Propagandist, Rupert Murdoch of Fox News, the WSJ and the NY Post. Free Shakespeare in the park at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park in Manhattan NYC. See location instructions above.
Thursdays thru Sundays, June 30 - July 24, 2022 from 6.30 - 8.30 pm / Emma. On the north patio of the Soldiers & Sailors Monument which can be accessed at West 89th Street and Riverside Drive on the Upper West Side [see photo at right]. Take the steps behind the monument down to the large patio.
Things To Do in Queens This Weekend NYC
On Saturday, July 16, 2022 beginning at 7.30 pm there's Jazz Jam All Stars Concert at Flushing Town Hall at 137-35 Northern Blvd in Queens. Jazz musicians selected from events held around the city and beyond will be performing. Tickets are $25 / $20 at www.flushingtownhall.org.
Saturday, July 16, 2022 from 6 - 9 pm - SummerStage featuring ChocQuibTown / Nanpa Basico / Salt Cathedral DJ Set. This free concert will be held in a field just south of the Queens Theatre in the Park / the Unisphere, and adjacent to the Maloof Skate Park.
On Saturdays from 5 pm - 12 midnight, the Queens International Night Market is at the NY Hall of Science in Flushing. It's primarily a food market, featuring many diffferent cuisines from around the world.
On Sunday, July 17, 2022 beginning at 6 pm, there's free entertainment in Travers Park in Jackson Heights featuring Diabolo Juggling Chinese yoyo workshop with Glow Community Center (Flushing) & a Brothers In Madness (B.I.M.) feat, and Fariyah Premaa.
Things To Do in Brooklyn This Weekend NYC
The Giglio Festival began on Thursday, July 7, 2022 and runs through Sunday, July 17, 2022 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church at 275 North 8th Street at Havemeyer Street in Williamsburg in Brooklyn. See www.olmcfeast.com for a schedule of daily events.
Things To Do in the Bronx This Weekend
Saturday, July 16, 2022 from 11 am - 6 pm - There's a Bronx Doc Film Latin American Foto Festival & Block Party at 614 Courtlandt Avenue at 151st Street in the Melrose neighborhood of the Bronx. There will be food, entertainment, arts, crafts, games and fotos. Rsvps are encouraged at www.bronxdoc.org.
On Saturday, July 16, 2022 from 11 am to 7 pm. Free - Bronx 11th Annual LGBTQ Pride Festival & Health Fair - At the Crotona Park Amphitheatre in Crotona Park at 1700 Crotona Avenue at 559 Claremont Parkway. Live entertainment and booths. Street fairs near Mt Eden in the Mount Hope neighborhood of the Central Bronx & Montefiore Medical is one of organizers. Free.
Sunday, July 17, 2022 from 10 am - 2 pm - There's a Riverdale Pride event. They describe it as "Music, Art, Food, Drag". At the Riverdale Neighborhood House at 5521 Mosholu Avenue in Riverdale in the Bronx.
Sunday, July 17, 2022 beginning at 5 pm Trilingual Mass [English, Italian and Spanish], 6 pm OLMC Procession and at 7 pm Community Gathering - Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Feast Day - A block celebration of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on Belmont Avenue at East 187th Street in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx. In the past the community gathering included food, entertainment and games - but not sure in 2022 what's included.
Every weekend from 6 pm - 10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 pm - 9 pm on Sundays - Piazza di Belmont - Outdoor dining on Arthur Avenue which will be closed to vehicular traffic from East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue during the above mentioned times. Ends Sept 25, 2022.
Things To Do on Staten Island This Weekend
Saturday, July 16, 2022 - from 5 - 9 pm - Maker Park Radio 5th Anniversary Music & Art Fest. There will be nearly two dozen different artists and entertainers, as well as food and beverages and food trucks. At Maker Park at the Corner of Front & Thompson Streets in the Stapleton neighborhood of Staten Island. Maker Park Radio, the sponsor, is across the street at 450 Front Street.
Saturday, July 16, 2022 - from 1 - 2.30 pm - Alice Austen Lived Here - Book Signing. On the lawn at the Alice Austen House at 2 Hylan Blvd in the Rosebank neighborhood of SI. They request registration at www.eventbrite.com/e/alice-austen-lived-here-book-signing-with-author-alex-gino-tickets-320051250907
Fridays & Saturdays, July 8, 9, & 15, 16, 2022 from 8 - 11 pm - A Merchant of Venice. An adaptation / reinterpretation of Shakespeare's play by the Director. Admission $27 / $22 at www.sishakespeare.org. The Snug Harbor Cultural Center is located at 1000 Richmond Terrace in the Randall Manor neighobrhood of Staten Island. The Shakespearean play is held in the Tuscan Garden near the Heritage Farm & Children's Museum. The July 10th event is on the Porch of Cottage A.
bronx little ireland bronx st patricks day woodlawn heights neighborhood katonah avenue irish pubs restaurants bronckers restaurants bx yonkers st pats parade irish bars yonkers
Bronx Little Ireland in Woodlawn Heights
A Visit to Woodlawn Heights is a bit like a Trip to Ireland
In preparation for St. Patrick's Day, I took a long ride north on the #2 subway line to 233rd Street in Wakefield. I then headed west on 233rd Street down a long hill, over the Bronx River Parkway, and into Woodlawn Heights. Woodlawn Heights is nestled in north of Woodlawn Cemetery and east and south of Van Cortlandt Park and it's also south of and adjacent to Yonkers and west of Wakefield.
As I entered the Woodlawn Heights neighborhood, walking north along Katonah Avenue, I felt a bit as if I'd been whisked away to Ireland. Of course there were Irish bars and pubs that lined the street, but there was also an Irish grocery store. And I imagine if I had more time to spend, I'd find other related gems. But today I was on a mission to scout out a few Irish pubs in anticipation of the Yonkers St. Patrick's Day Parade which happens a week from Saturday on March 21st. Be advised there are two other Bronx St Patricks Day Parades this Sunday, March 15th in Throgs Neck and in Eastchester the details of which you'll find by clicking the link above - along with suggestions for Bronx Irish pubs and restaurants.
It was a quiet Sunday night and the neighborhood was fairly quiet as most are wont to be on a Sunday night. I started my journey by stopping at John Mulligan's Fireside Pub. And lo and behold it wasn't long before standing in front of me was John Mulligan himself.
CLICK here to read our report on some of the Bronx St. Pat's Day Irish Pubs near Yonkers. This report will be completed either late Tuesday evening 3/10 or Wednesday 3/11/20.
Bronx Irish Neighborhood Woodlawn Heights
A Visit to Woodlawn Heights is a bit like a Trip to Pubs in Ireland & It's Near the Yonkers St Pat's Parade
John Mulligan's Fireside Pub in the Woodlawn Heights neighborhood of the Bronx
Tom Mulligan is a friendly sort, and has a bit of the proverbial Irish knack for storytelling. The pub is a friendly neighborhood bar that doesn't have a menu as they only serve burgers - but the burgers are said to be a neighborhood favorite, that are a meal in itself and includes lots of onions, cheese and tomatoe.
The pub is generally casual and friendly. They periodically host live entertainment including karaoke nights. They have a pool and dartboard area in the back, so you can enjoy a bit of camaraderie while enjoying a couple drinks. On St Pat's Day Tom sometimes prepares iconic burgers which - if I recall this right - are shaped like a shamrock.
In the 1970's the Irish started settling here in Woodlawn Heights, and by the 1980's the Irish were coming in droves. This area is only blocks away from McLean Avenue where the Yonkers St Patricks Day Parade marches every year. Many folks wander down Katonah after the parade to enjoy a bit of mingling in these authentic Irish pubs, bars and restaurants which are owned and run by Irish immigrants and / or their children.
The Rambling House - Irish Pubs in Woodlawn Heights near Yonkers
The next stop was the Rambling House and a rambling house it was. The Rambling House was founded by Joe Carty in 2002. He told me he began working on it not long after 9/11 when he converted several store fronts into the sprawling complex it is today. The Rambling House kind of serves as a sort of community center with a four sided bar in the middle of it.
There's a dining area off to the side, behind the space where live entertainment can be found weekly. In the back there's a game room / area which primarily includes foosball and darts. And they have a full service restaurant that serves Irish favorites like Shepherd's Pie and tap Guinness and have adorned the walls with a bit of iconic Irish American photos and graphics.
Behan's Pub - Irish American Pubs in Woodlawn Heights in the Bronx
Across the street from the Rambling House is Behan's Pub. Behan's Pub was a quiet neighborhood bar that seemed more American than the prior to pubs I had visited.
Behan's Pub has a sports bar feel to it, and I understand that sometimes late at night it turns into a dance party. In the front there was a dartboard and in the back a pool table, with a semi-circular bar so that the bartender could tend to both rooms.
The Kitchen Irish Chinese Mexican Restaurant in Woodlawn Heights near Yonkers
There were two non-Irish eating establishments that caught my eye. One was The Kitchen, which seemed to be a very popular destination this Sunday night. It was packed with people waiting for their take out orders, including a couple of officers who informed me the place had opened within the last couple of years and had become quite popular. I looked it up after returning home and found that they had opened in 2017.
They have an 'Irish Chinese' menu, but in reality it seems to include a little bit of everything such as guacamole, mozzarella sticks, tacos, Irish sausage, chicken curry chunks, profiteroles, hot & spicy chicken and vegetable spring rolls - in addition to a myriad of other entrees.
Patrizia's Italian Restaurant in Woodlawn Heights Bronx near Yonkers
Just up the street was Patrizia's Italian restaurant and pizza destination. Patrizia's has been a dining destination in Woodlawn Heights since at least 2014, if not before.
Patrizia's has a full lunch and dinner menu, as well as a Children's Menu and a nice offering of pizzas, which are reportedly prepared authentic Italian style. They also have a brick pizza oven and a warm dining atmosphere.
McLean Avenue - Yonkers St Patrick's Day Parade
I left Patrizia's and made my way up Katonah Avenue to Van Cortlandt Park East before intersecting with McLean Avenue, which while only a couple of blocks away, is in Yonkers. McLeanAvenue is also the street where the Yonkers St. Patrick's Day Parade occurs on Saturday, March 21st beginning at 1 pm kicking off at Hyatt Avenue.
I headed down McLean Avenue, back over the Bronx River Parkway to the Nereid Station on the #2 and #5 subway lines. Within about a half an hour, having caught an express train, I was back in Midtown Manhattan.
Slainte and Erin go bragh, which mean to your good health and Ireland until the end of time. Have a safe and Happy St Patrick's Day in the Bronx or as they say in Bronckers.
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BRIC Opening Concert, Giglio Festival & Afro Jam Return to Brooklyn, Bastille Day Celebrated in Manhattan, Eid Festival in Queens, Free Outdoor Concerts, Farmers Markets, NYC Public Outdoor Swimming Pools, Street Fairs, Free Outdoor Theater, Public Beaches
Weather. The temperature highs will be around 80 degrees and the lows about 70 degrees all weekend. It will be partly cloudy on Friday, with about a quarter inch of rain expected beginning late Friday night and departing by midday Saturday. The rest of the weekend will be clear. The humidity will fall throughout the weekend from 65% - 80% on Friday to 70% on Saturday to 50% - 65% on Sunday. There will be a nice breeze of 7 - 10 mph throughout the weekend.
The photo at right is of the Giglio Festival in Brooklyn in a prior year. The festival began in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on July 7 and runs through Sunday 7/17/22.
Things To Do in Manhattan This Weekend
On Sunday, July 10, 2022 from 12 noon - 5 pm - Bastille Day returns to Manhattan along Madison Avenue from 59th Street to 63rd Street . It's organized by the French Institute Allianz Francais aka FIAF, a French cultural organization, so it's a somewhat unique street fair featuring all things French including champagne, wine and cheeses and other foods and objets d'arte. Also from 1.30 - 3 pm they're hosting a Champagne and Musette Party in the FIAF Skyroom at 22 60th Street. The party includes jazz, champagne, macarons and hors d'oeuvres. Tickets are $65 - $75 which you may obtain at www.fiaf.org
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, July 6 - 9, 2022 generally beginning between 5 / 6 / 7.30 pm - Mostly Mozart in Harmony - a festival with an eclectic mix of music and performers. The programs contain a mix of music performed by classically trained musicians. Free summer outdoor concerts at Lincoln Center on the Upper West Side of Manhattan NYC. For specific details, see - www.lincolncenter.org/series/summer-for-the-city/s/Mostly%20Mozart%20Festival%20Orchestra
Friday, July 8th, beginning at 7 pm there's a free Carnegie Hall Citywide concert by The Baylor Project in Bryant Park, which is located between 5th and 6th Avenues and between 40th and 42nd Streets in Midtown Manhattan, behind the New York Public Library.
Tuesdays - Sundays, June 21 - July 17, 2022 beginning at 8 pm - Richard III - By William Shakespeare / Adapted by Robert O'Hara. This adaptation of the Shakespearean classic about a power hungry King who will stop at nothing to obtain and keep power seems reminiscent of former President Donald Trump and his Chief Propagandist, Rupert Murdoch of Fox News, the WSJ and the NY Post. Free Shakespeare in the park at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park in Manhattan NYC. See location instructions above.
Thursdays thru Sundays, June 30 - July 24, 2022 from 6.30 - 8.30 pm / Emma. On the north patio of the Soldiers & Sailors Monument which can be accessed at West 89th Street and Riverside Drive on the Upper West Side [see photo at right]. Take the steps behind the monument down to the large patio.
Things To Do in Queens This Weekend
On Sunday from 5 - 9 pm there's an Eid Festival in Astoria Park between 19th Street and Hoyt Avenue in Astoria. The event celebrates Egyptian culture and it's free.
On Saturdays from 5 pm - 12 midnight, the Queens International Night Market is at the NY Hall of Science in Flushing. It's primarily a food market, featuring many diffferent cuisines from around the world.
On Sunday, July 10, 2022 beginning at 6 pm, there's a free concert in Travers Park in Jackson Heights by Sonica.
Things To Do in Brooklyn This Weekend
The photo at right is of the McCarren Park public pool in the Williamsburg / Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn.
Friday, July 8, 2022 - Doors 6.30 pm and the Show begins at 7.30 pm - BRIC Celebrate Brookly Concert Opener. The opening concert features rapper and activist Vic Mensa with aja monet. Vic Mensa is among the most socially conscious artists in hip hop – outspoken and engaged on issues ranging from gun violence to racial justice to mental health. He’s teaming up with his friend, the poet and musician aja monet, for a night celebrating the power of art to make sustainable change.
The Giglio Festival began on Thursday, July 7, 2022 and runs through Sunday, July 17, 2022 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church at 275 North 8th Street at Havemeyer Street in Williamsburg in Brooklyn. See www.olmcfeast.com for a schedule of daily events.
There's an Afro Jam Fest in Restoration Plaza on Saturday from 5 - 10 pm and it's free.
Saturday, July 9, 2022 from 7 - 9 pm - Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. Free rsvp registration is suggested at www.brooklynbridgepark.org. This is on the Harborview Lawn.
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, July 8, 9 & 10, 2022 from 7 - 9 pm - Cymbeline - They describe their rendition of this play as: "... intrigue and drama in William Shakespeare’s 1611 romantic adventure Cymbeline, performed by seven energetic actors." Free summer outdoor theater / plays in the Brooklyn Common Park at the Metrotech Center at Myrtle Avenue and Bridge Street in the downtown Brooklyn neighborhood in NYC.
Things To Do in the Bronx This Weekend
Every weekend from 6 pm - 10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 pm - 9 pm on Sundays - Piazza di Belmont - Outdoor dining on Arthur Avenue which will be closed to vehicular traffic from East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue during the above mentioned times. Ends Sept 25, 2022.
Monday, July 11, 2022 from 1 - 3 pm - Abolitionist Celebration Day. A two hour celebration of the abolition of slavery with speeches and music in Joyce Kilmer Park.
Things To Do on Staten Island This Weekend
Fridays & Saturdays, July 8, 9, & 15, 16, 2022 from 8 - 11 pm - A Merchant of Venice. An adaptation / reinterpretation of Shakespeare's play by the Director. Admission $27 / $22 at www.sishakespeare.org. The Snug Harbor Cultural Center is located at 1000 Richmond Terrace in the Randall Manor neighobrhood of Staten Island. The Shakespearean play is held in the Tuscan Garden near the Heritage Farm & Children's Museum. The July 10th event is on the Porch of Cottage A.
bronx thanksgiving day restaurants bronx gourmet specialty food shops grocery stores mott haven melrose concourse bedford park belmont norwwod throgs neck thanksgiving day restaurants bronx gourmet specialty food shops grocery stores city island parkchester westchester square morris park riverdale thanksgiving day restaurants bronx nyc
Thanksgiving Day Gourmet Food & Grocery Stores & Restaurants in the Bronx 2021
Thanksgiving Day Gourmet or Specialty Food Shopping & Restaurants in or near Mott Haven, Fordham, Port Morris, Concourse, Bedford Park, Norwood, University Heights, City Island, Riverdale, Melrose, Morris Park, Westchester Square & Parkchester Bronx NYC
Thanksgiving Day History - Thanksgiving Food Shops, Dinners & Restaurants in the Bronx
The origins of Thanksgiving Day in the United States began with one of America's first settlements, founded by the risk-taking, resource-pooling, hardworking, spiritual community of Pilgrims. The Pilgrims were early English settlers who arrived on American shores in the early 17th century [1600's]. They came here because they wanted a measure of freedom and self-determination that they were forbidden in Europe or what was called the 'old country'. The Pilgrims wanted to practice their faith, unencumbered, in a way that differed from the established Church of England. They pooled their money to obtain a ship, the Mayflower, to cross the Atlantic in mid September of 1620, landing on America's shores at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts on November 9, 1620.
The Pilgrims Receive Help from the Native People of a Strange Land
Per Wikipedia, the Piligrims survived a hard winter in 1621 with the help of the Wampanoag, an American Indian tribe. The Pilgrims were the immigrants, and the first Americans, the Indian natives, welcomed them. The Wampanaog taught the Pilgrims how to catch eels, and how to grow and harvest corn. Thus the Pilgrims ended 1621 with a good harvest which they celebrated and shared with their new friends, expressing their thanks to a higher power, aka God, for the success of their endeavors.
Thus it was that the first Thanksgiving celebration happened in America. There's some dispute to this account, which we'll address in a future post, near Thanksgiving Day.
COVID protocols remain in effect per NYC guidelines. Rsvp is recommended.
Thanksgiving Day Gourmet Food & Grocery Stores, Community Dinners & Restaurants in the Bronx 2021
Thanksgiving Day Gourmet or Specialty Food Shopping & Restaurants in or near Mott Haven, Fordham, Port Morris, Concourse, Bedford Park, Norwood, University Heights, City Island, Riverdale, Melrose, Morris Park, Westchester Square & Parkchester Bronx NYC
This section is intended to provide a few suggestions for Thanksgiving Day food shopping in the Bronx, notice of several communal dinners which are generally open to the public for free [but donations are always welcome] and a few restaurants that are open on Thanksgiving Day in the Bronx.
This is not meant to be an exhaustive list as there are many other fine Bronx shops and restaurants, but for the moment this is what we have to offer.
South Bronx Thanksgiving Day Gourmet or Specialty Food Shopping, Grocery Stores and Restaurants Open in NYC 2021
Food Bazaar Grocery Stores is Offering Thanksgiving Specials
Description. Supermarkets offering a wide selection of food and dry goods.
Locations. They have five stores in the Bronx including 1) on the 4th floor of the Bronx Terminal Market in the Concourse neighborhood, 2) 238 East 161st Street in Mott Haven, 3) 445 East 163rd Street near the Forest Houses, 4) 1630 Bruckner Blvd in Soundview, and 5) 535 East 170th Street in Claremont Village in the Bronx.
Contact. www.foodbazaar.com/
Closed Thanksgiving Day, but open the rest of the weekend
Charlie's Bar & Kitchen - American Fare Restaurants Bronx
Description.Charlies Bar & Kitchen is a bar and restaurant serving modern American fare. Thanksgiving Day restaurants in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the South Bronx.
Location. At 112 Lincoln Avenue between Bruckner Blvd and East 134th Street in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx.
Contact. Tel - 718.684.2338 / www.charliesbarkitchen.com
* They're open for Thanksgiving Day 12 noon - 9 pm w/ indoor dining, as well as take out or delivery.
Sorry to hear that they CLOSED PERMANENTLY during the pandemic
Mott Haven Bar & Grill - American Fare Restaurant in the Bronx
Description. The Mott Haven Bar & Grill is a bar and restaurant serving modern American fare. Thanksgiving Day restaurants near the Port Morris neighborhood of the South Bronx.
Grocery Stores & Specialty Food Shops in the Bronx Little Italy
The Biancardi Meats Butcher shop at 2530 Arthur Avenue in Bronx Little Italy. Tel 718.733.4058.
The Teitel Brothers Italian Imported Foods Shop at 2372 Arthur Avenue in Bronx Little Italy. Tel 718.733.9400.
Cosenza's Fish Market at 2354 Arthur Avenue in Bronx Little Italy. Tel 718.364.8510.
Madonia Brothers Bakery at 2348 Arthur Avenue in Bronx Little Italy. Tel 718.295.5573.
Closed Thanksgiving Day, but open the rest of the weekend
Trattoria Zero Otto Novo - Classic Italian Restaurants in the Bronx
Description.Trattoria Zero Otto Novo is a classic Italian restaurant. Thanksgiving Day restaurants in the Bronx Little Italy / Belmont neighborhood of the Central Bronx.
Location. At 2357 Arthur Avenue is Bronx's Little Italy in the Belmont neighborhood of the Central Bronx.
Contact. Tel - 718.220.1027 / www.zeroottonove.com
* They don't accept reservations.
Open Thanksgiving Day, Indoor Dining but No Liquor & Dominican Cuisine Only
Que Sabrosura Restaurant - Dominican restaurants in the Bronx
Description.Que Sabrosura restaurant is a Dominican restaurant which does a teeming business because of good food and good value. Thanksgiving Day restaurants in the Fordham neighborhood of the Central Bronx near Bronx Little Italy.
Location. At 48 East 183rd Street in the Fordham neighborhood of the Central Bronx.
Contact. Tel - 718.365.2200 / www.que-sabrosura.business.site
North & West Bronx Thanksgiving Day Gourmet or Specialty Food Shopping, Grocery Stores and Restaurants Open in NYC 2021
Closed Thanksgiving Day, but open the rest of the weekend
Salvatores of SoHo - Italian Restaurants Serving Pizza in the Bronx
Description.Salvatores of SoHo is an Italian restaurant that serves pizza. Thanksgiving Day restaurants in the Riverdale neighborhood of the North and West Bronx.
Location. At 3738 Riverdale Avenue
in the Riverdale neighborhood of the north west Bronx.
Contact. Tel - 718.548.7499 / www.salvatoresofsoho.com
Mama Juana Cafe on Tremont
Description. Contemporary Latin / Dominican cuisine.
Location. At 3233 East Tremont. They also have a location in Woodside Queens.
This location may now be occupied by Mama Juana Cafe - but this is UNCONFIRMED
CLOSED _ The Hill Restaurant - American Fare & Wine Bar in the Fieldston Bronx
Description.The Hill restaurant serves American fare and has a wine bar and is moderately priced. Thanksgiving Day restaurants in the Fieldston neighborhood of the North and West Bronx.
Location. At 3541 Riverdale Avenue in the Riverdale neighborhood of the North West Bronx, near enough to Fieldston.
Contact. Tel - 718.708.7770 / www.thehillbistro.com
East Bronx Thanksgiving Day Gourmet or Specialty Food Shopping, Grocery Stores and Restaurants Open in NYC 2021
Chang Li Supermarket - 2079 Benedict Avenue. 718.828.8938. Chinese / Asian foods.
Open Thanksgiving Day see description below
F.J. Pine Restaurant in Van Nest / Morris Park
Description. This is an Italian restaurant. They're celebrating Thanksgiving with a special prix fixe menu with an array of traditional Thanksgiving offerings.
Location. At 1913 Bronxdale Avenue in the Van Nest / Morris Park neighborhoods of the Bronx.
Contact. www.fjpine.com / 718.792.5956
For Thanksgiving Day see description below
* They are open for Thanksgiving Day with indoor and outdoor dining from 12 noon - 11 pm with a special Thanksgiving Day menu featuring many traditional Thanksgiving Day favorites.
Sea Shore Restaurant - City Island Restaurants in the Bronx
Description. The Sea Shore Restaurant is a seafood restaurant. Thanksgiving Day restaurants in the City Island neighborhood of the East Bronx near Pelham Bay Park.
Contact. Tel - 718.885.0300 / www.seashorerestaurant.com
Closed Thanksgiving Day, but open the rest of the weekend
Patricia's Italian Restaurant - Food & Wines in Morris Park the Bronx
Description. There's Patricia's, which is an old time Italian restaurant with a wide selection of wines. Thanksgiving Day restaurants in the Morris Park neighborhood of the East Bronx.
Location. At 1082 Morris Park Avenue in the heart of the Morris Park neighborhood of the East Bronx.
Contact. Tel - 718.409.9069 / www.patriciasofmorrispark.com
NOT open Thanksgiving Day, but open the rest of the weekend
Havana Cafe - Michelin Recommended Cuban Restaurant in Schuylerville Bx
Description.Havana Cafe is a Michelin recommended Cuban restaurant. Thanksgiving Day / romantic restaurants in the Schuylerville neighborhood of the East Bronx.
Location. At 3151 East Tremont in the Schuylerville neighborhood of the East Bronx.
Contact. Tel - 718.518.1800 / www.havanacafe.info
Bronx Thanksgiving Day Restaurants 2021 - Bronx Restaurants for Thanksgiving Day NYC
Click here to scroll through our evolving Bronx Restaurants - Bronx Dining section of this site or use the links above or search function below to read reviews of Bronx restaurants.
Bronx Thanksgiving Gourmet or Specialty Food Shopping, Grocery Stores and Restaurants Open in NYC 2021 - Neighborhood Links
You may also find Thanksgiving Day restaurants in the outer boroughs on our affiliated sites.
Bronx Thanksgiving Day Restaurants - Bronx Thanksgiving Day Restaurants Bronx NYC
Click here to scroll through our evolving Bronx Restaurants - Bronx Dining section of this site or use the links above or search function below to read reviews of Bronx restaurants.
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Weather. The temperature highs will be in the high 70's on Friday, rising to the high 80's for the rest of the weekend, including Monday 7/4. The temperature lows will hover around 70 degrees all weekend. There's a 50% chance of about a 1/4 inch of rain on Saturday. Winds will be about 10 - 12 mph on Friday, dropping to about 6 - 8 mph for the rest of the weekend. The humidity will be 60% - 70% on Friday and Saturday, falling to 40% - 50% on Sunday and rising a bit to 40% - 60% on Monday. All in all, not a bad weekend.
The photo at right was taken at Coney Island in Brooklyn in mid June of this year. Coney Island amusement park is only a subway ride away, and along the sandy beaches of the Brooklyn shore. There will also be fireworks there on both Friday night and the night of Monday, July 4th.
Hochul & Zeldin Win, Setting Up Clear Choice in the November Election
Governor Kathy Hochul looks well on her way to becoming the first woman to be elected Governor of the state of New York. She won 67% of the vote in the Democratic primary, handily defeating Public Advocate Jumaane Williams [20%] and Congressman Tom Suozzi [12%]. Hochul faces Congressman Lee Zeldin in the fall. Zeldin is pro guns, and an advocate of taking away a woman's right to choose early pregnancy cessation, while Hochul has been moving swiftly to curb the proliferation of gun carriers in public and to protect a woman's right to choose in NYS. The race is shaping up to provide voters with a pretty clear cut choice.
bronx little italy history bronx little italy neighborhood arthur avenue shopping restaurants bronx little italy shops restaurants attractions arthur avenue bx little italy
The past couple of years I've had the opportunity to spend some time in Bronx Little Italy which is located in the Belmont neighborhood in the central Bronx. The neighborhood is just south of Fordham University and the New York Botanical Gardens and just west of the Bronx Zoo, so it's well positioned to accommodate visitors to these attractive destinations. But most of the traffic in Bronx Little Italy still comes from within the neighborhood itself, the surrounding Bronx neighborhoods, and from the greater NYC metro area neighborhoods, into which the descendants of Belmont Bronx Italian families had moved.
The heart of Bronx Little Italy runs along Arthur Avenue south of East Fordham Road / 189th Street to East 184th and Crescent Road. It also expands a bit east and west, along 187th and Crescent Road, but the epicenter is along Arthur Avenue. Arthur Avenue was named after Chester Arthur who was the 21st President of the United States [1881 - 1885].
Brief History of Little Italy in the Bronx
The Belmont section of the Bronx was once owned by the Lorillard family, who were wealthy tobacconists in the 1800's. Some of their cigarette brands included Salem, Kook and Winston, which were among the top selling cigarettes, back when it was fashionable to ingest cancer causing agents in such a manner. They named the area Belmont, which means beautiful mountain, as the neighborhood is comprised of hilly areas. In the late 1800's, as the Gilded Age ended, the Lorillard estate was broken into segments and sold off by the heirs.
According to Wikipedia the first wave of Italian immigrants starting coming to America following the unification of Italy in 1861 and ran for the latter part of that century. The second wave of Italian immigrants came between the turn of the 20th century [1900] and ending around the time of the beginning of WWII [1938 - 1940]. Many Italians flocked to the Bronx, and Arthur Avenue in the Bronx became a center of Italian food and culture. And it's been that way ever since.
One of the main attractions on Arthur Avenue is the Arthur Avenue retail market, which was founded in part by NYC Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia. LaGuardia was of Italian and Jewish descent and a reformer, who promoted the market as a means of moving street vendors off the street and inside, as outside vending was somewhat unsanitary and believed to be a health issue.
Arthur Avenue Shops & Restaurants Draw Italians Back to Belmont
Today Belmont doesn't contain the overwhelming Italian population it once did, as second and third generation Italians moved out to the suburbs on Westchester, Long Island, Staten Island and New Jersey. But that said, while the Italian families moved out, they still return to eat at the Italian restaurants and the Italian shops where you can find a selection of Italian goods hard to find anywhere else.
Some of the Italian shops have been in the family for decades to a century plus. The one I know about is Teitel, which is a dry goods / packaged goods retailer on a corner of Arthur Avenue just south of Ciccarone Park. There are a couple of Italian butcher shops that offer Italian specialty meats. A number of Italian bakeries that still make fresh Italian breads and pastries somewhere between daily and several times each week. There are a couple of fresh fish markets, offering an array of delights from the sea. And of course the Arthur Avenue Retail Market is still very much alive and well, selling fresh produce, meats, fish, dry good and other items including freshly rolled cigars.
And of course there are a wide number of Italian restaurants in the Bronx Little Italy in Belmont. A number of these have relatively speaking, new owners, but you'll still also find a number of them that have stayed in the family for a couple or more generations. But for the latter, these days you have to look a bit harder, which we're in the process of doing.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church & the Feast of St. Anthony
There's a large cathedral, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, built by the Italian families in the first two decades of the 1900's. I spoke to one of the priests there who still says a mass in Italian for the roughly one hundred Italian parishoners who frequent the church.
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The NYS primary election is on Tuesday, June 28th. On the ballot are the following races: U.S. Senate, Governor, Other state executives, State Assembly, Special state legislative, School boards, Municipal government and Ballot measures.
Click on the image above to access the poll finder website, so you can easily find where to vote in your neighborhood. Remember this is the land of the free and the home of the brave, and many of our ancestors died for our right to vote. A similar struggle for freedom from oppression is going on in Ukraine right now. So in as much as you can, do your homework before voting for those you choose to represent you / us. There's still time to do some research on candidates on the web.
The New York City election is Tuesday June 28th, and polls are open from 6 am - 9 pm. Click on the graphic above, to find your poll site.
FYI - July 4th Fireworks celebrations coming later tonight.
Things To Do This Weekend in NYC
Gay Pride Parade & PrideFest in Manhattan, the Jamaica Dance Festival Continues and the Astoria Park Fireworks Returns to Queens, the Gowanus Art Festival, Funday Festival, Midwood Mardis Gras & Tastes of Crown Heights in Brooklyn; Bronx River Sounds Art Fest & Bronx Night Market in the Bronx; Polish Festival & Free Concert for Ukraine on Staten Island; NYC Public Outdoor Swimming Pools Open Next Week, Early Voting Ends Sunday & NYS Primary Election Tuesday
Weather. The temperatures will be about 90 degrees this weekend, and the lows about 70 degrees. The humidity will be between 50% - 60% all weekend. Winds will be about 12 mph Saturday and about 17 mph Sunday. No rain is expected over the weekend, but about a 1/2 inch to an inch is due to arrive on Monday.
The photo at right was taken at the Gay Pride Parade in the West Village in Manhattan prior to the pandemic.
Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan
Saturday, June 25, 2022 from 10 am - 6 pm - Little West 12th Street Block Party - Along Little West 12th Street between 9th Avenue and Washington Street in the West Village.
The Gay Pride Parade returns to the West Village on Sunday, June 26th beginning at 12 noon at Madison Square Park at 26th Street and 5th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. The parade turns west toward the West Village at 8th Street, continues onto Christopher Street before turning north on 7th Avenue, ending at 15th Street.
Also on Sunday, June 26, 2022 there's also a Gay Pride street fair along 4th Avenue between 8th and 13th streets in the Village. It begins at 11 am and ends around 6 pm. The fair includes entertainment, food and wellness booths.
Things To Do This Weekend in Queens
Saturday, June 25, 2022 - Annual Jamaica Dance Festival - Begins at 7 pm - In Rufus King Park on Jamaica Avenue at 150th Street. Free dance performances by local performers. Street fairs in Jamaica NY.
Sunday, June 26, 2022 from 10 am - 6 pm - Forest Hills Summer Fest - Along Queens Blvd from Yellowstone Blvd to 70th Road. St fairs in Forest Hills.
On Wednesday, June 29th beginning at 7.30 pm there's an Independence Celebration with Fireworks in Astoria Park. The event includes music, food vendors and fireworks that begin about dusk which is generally between 9 - 9.30 pm.
Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn
Saturday & Sunnday, June 25 & 26, 2022 - Gowanus Art Festival - Arts Gowanus ArtWalk on Atlantic Avenue. "... return the weekend of June 18th for two weekends until June 26th. The 1.5-mile self-guided ArtWalk through Brooklyn neighborhoods of Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, and Cobble Hill ... includes the works of local artists - paintings, photography, drawings, sculpture and large installations. Over 100 artists will display their works. Also food along the way.
Saturday, June 25, 2022 from 12 noon - 6 pm - Tastes of Brooklyn / Tastes of Crown Heights - This event is found generally along Flatbush Avenue and Nostrand Avenue between Linden and Atlantic Avenues in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. The event features over a dozen participating local restaurants offering tastes of their cuisine. Tickets range from $35 - $100 for four and twelve tastes respectively. Tickets are available on eventbrite or at the starting point noted above.
Sunday, June 26, 2022 from 12 noon to 6 pm. 43rd Annual Midwood Mardi Gras. Along Avenue M between Coney Island and Ocean Avenue in Brooklyn. The fair includes food, rides, shopping, an FDNY fire safety experience and a Jewish organ performance from 1 - 4 pm. Organized by Midwood Merchants Assn [www.middev.org] & Meteor Festivals. Brooklyn street fairs in the Midwood neighborhood NYC.
Sunday, June 26, 2022 from 10 am to 6 pm. Sunday Funday aka Smith Street Fair. Along Smith Street from Union to Bergen Street in Carroll Gardens. Live music and entertainment, arts, crafts and food. Brooklyn Street Fairs in Carroll Gardens near Cobble Hill & Boerum Hill. Organized by the South Brooklyn Local Development Corp / clrvw.
Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx
Saturday, June 25, 2022 from 1 - 8 pm - Bronx Night Market - in Fordham Plaza at East Fordham Road and Third Avenue across from the Metro North Railway Station. This is mostly a food market versus a street fair in the Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx.
Friday, June 17, 2022 & Saturday June 25, 2022 from 7 - 8.15 pm and on Saturday, June 18th from 1 - 8.15 pm - The 19th Annual Bronx River Sounds Performing Arts Festival at at the Bronx River Art Center at 1087 East Tremont in the West Farms neighborhood of the Bronx. Tickets $5, $10, $15 and CoVid masking protocols remain in effect. Details at www.bronxriverart.org.
Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island
On Sunday, June 26, 2022 beginning from 1 - 8 pm there's a Polish Cultural Festival honoring St. Stanislaus at the St. Stanislaus Kostka Church at 109 York Avenue in the New Brighton neighborhood of Staten Island. The event includes food, music, dance and shopping.
On Sunday, June 26, 2022 beginning at 6 pm there will be a free concert given by the NY Philharmonic at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center.
Early Voting, Things To Do in NYC This Weekend & Tuesday Election
Click here to find an early voting location link, including wait times. You'll also find a graphic which you can click on to find your poll location for Tuesday.
Happy Fathers Day, Frick Museum Hosts Open Night Tonight / Friday, Tribeca Film Fest Ends Sunday in Manhattan; Jamaica Dance Festival, Chocolate Factory, Astoria Performing Arts Center & Thalia Theater all Performing in Queens; the Gowanus Art Festival & the Mermaid Parade Returns to Coney Island in Brooklyn; Bronx River Sounds Performing Arts Festival, Bronx Fair, LGBTQ Festival and the Hunts Point Fish Parade returns to the Bronx; Juneteenth Celebrated at Snug Harbor & Monday Golf Outings on / near Staten Island & Make Music NY Returns the first day of Summer on Tuesday 6/21
Weather. The temperature highs will be near 90 on Friday, dropping to around 70 for the rest of the weekend. The temperature lows will be in the low 60's on Friday, dropping into the high 50's the rest of the weekend. The humidity will be 50% on Friday, dropping to 40% the rest of the weekend. Winds will be about 10 mph on Friday and Sunday, rising to 15 mph on Saturday.
The photo at right was taken at the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island in Brooklyn on Saturday. It's part art, part exhibitionism and all fun.
Also, on Tuesday, June 21, the first day of summer Make Music NY returns to locations in all give boroughs around the city. See wwww.makemusicny.org for details.
Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan
Friday, June 17, 2022 from 5 - 9 pm, the Frick Museum is hosting a new quarterly series progam entitled Cheng-Harrell Open Nights. The Frick is located at 1 East 70th Street at 5th Avenue, but that site is temporarily closed for renovations. Their temporary site is 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street which is where this event is being held. The theme is gay pride. Free.
The photo at right was taken at one of the numerous roof top bars in Manhattan. There's generally a good view and a good breeze.
Ending Sunday, June 19, 2022 - The Tribeca Film Festival. There's an early / preview event at the United Palace at 4140 Broadway the weekend beginning June 4th in Washington Heights. There are a multitude of free and paid live events and films covering a variety of subjects including but not limited to LGBTQ, LatinX and Juneteenth to view at various venues around the city. For details see www.tribecafilm.com
Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn
RECURRING _ Saturday, June 18 & 19 and 25 & 26, 2022 - Gowanus Art Festival - Arts Gowanus ArtWalk on Atlantic Avenue. "... return the weekend of June 18th for two weekends until June 26th. The 1.5-mile self-guided ArtWalk through Brooklyn neighborhoods of Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, and Cobble Hill ... includes the works of local artists - paintings, photography, drawings, sculpture and large installations. Over 100 artists will display their works. Also food along the way.
Saturday, June 18, 2022 from 1- 5 pm. Coney Island Mermaid Parade. It begins marching east along Surf Avenue at West 21st Street, marches eastward to West 10th Street, where it turns south toward the Boardwalk. At the Boardwalk it heads east and ends at the Pier. Brooklyn street fairs in the Coney Island neighborhood Brooklyn NYC.
Sunday, June 19, 2022 from 10 am / 12 noon - 6 pm. 7th Heaven Festival / Brooklyn Street Fair. Along 7th Avenue between Flatbush and 16th Street. A Fathers' Day street fair with arts, crafts, food, music, antiques, shopping and a classic car show. Park Slope street fairs in Brooklyn. Organized by parkslopechamber.com w/ clrvw.
Things To Do This Weekend in Queens
RECURRING _ Saturdays, June 4, 11, 18 & 25, 2022 - Annual Jamaica Dance Festival - Begins at 7 pm - In Rufus King Park on Jamaica Avenue at 150th Street. Free dance performances by local performers. Street fairs in Jamaica NY.
Saturday, June 18, 2022 from 12 noon - 5 pm - LIC Spring [formerly Flings] - LIC Street Festival along Vernon Blvd between 50th Avenue and 46th Avenue in Long Island City LIC. Mostly local performers & some food sponsored by the LIC business improvement district.
The Chocolate Factory, Thalia Theater and Astoria Performing Arts Center are hosting performances this weekend. Details coming to the Events Calendar later in the weekend but in the meantime you can google them for details.
Things To Do This Weekend in Bronx
Friday, June 17, 2022 from 7 - 8.15 pm and on Saturday, June 18th from 1 - 8.15 pm - The 19th Annual Bronx River Sounds Performing Arts Festival at at the Bronx River Art Center at 1087 East Tremont in the West Farms neighborhood of the Bronx. Tickets $10 and CoVid masking protocols remain in effect.
Saturday, June 18, 2022 from 11 am - 4 pm. Annual Hunts Point Fish Parade & Festival. Begins at Hunts Point Riverside Park [just across the Bronx River from Soundview Park] at Lafayette Avenue and Edgewater Road with pre-parade registration & activities beginning at 11 am [free]. It's possible most or all of the activities will remain centered around Hunts Point Riverside Park. The previous info above has been CONFIRMED. WHAT FOLLOWS IS HISTORICAL PRECEDENT. In the past, the Fish Parade marches through Hunts Point beginning at 12 noon and ends at Barretto Point Park at Tiffany and Viele Avenue around 1 pm where games, music, food and raffles are available throughout the festival which ends at 4 pm. Bronx street fairs in Hunts Point. Organized by the Point CDC.x
The photo at right shows a cyclist strutting his stuff in NYC a bit earlier this year.
Saturday, June 18, 2022 from 10 am or 11 am - 6 pm or 7 pm - Annual Bronx Fair in the Square on Lane Avenue & 11th Annual Bronx Fair in the Square on Tremont Avenue - Along Lane Avenue from Tremont Avenue to Westchester Avenue. Also along Tremont Avenue from St Raymonds to Frisby Avenue. Bronx St fairs festivals in the Westchester Square neighborhood of the East Bronx. Organized by the WSBID & clrvw.x
Sunday, June 19, 2022 from 12 noon - 8 pm. 1 Bronx Festival / HUB 3rd Avenue Summer Festival / LGBTQ Festival - Along Third Avenue between 149th and 156th streets. Bronx street fairs in the Melrose neighborhood and near Mott Haven. Organized by Third Avenue BID, LGBTQ Bronx Caucus, Out Bronx, BAAD & Bronx Borough President.
Things To Do This Weekend in Staten Island
Sunday, June 19, 2022 beginning at 12 noon - Juneteenth Freedom Festival at Snug Harbor Cultural Center. See www.snug-harbor.org for details.
Monday, June 20, 2022 - Annual Lighthouse Museum Golf Outing - Jumping Brook Country Club in Neptune, NJ. See www.lighthousemuseum.org for details.
Monday, June 20, 2022 - Annual BiniFund.org Golf Outing - Richmond County Country Club. See www.binifund.org for details.
It's Fathers Day Weekend. I hope you have a good one.
Things To Do This Weekend in NYC
The Puerto Rican Day Parade, 116th Street Festival, Indian Festival, Romania Day Festival & the Tribeca Film Fest Continues in Manhattan & Museum Mile Festival Tuesday; Jackson Heights Historic House Tour, Art on the Fence Show, Flag Day Parade, Jamaica Dance Fest & Governors Ball along with the Chocolate Factory, Astoria Performing Arts Center & Thalia Theater all Performing new Works in Queens; a Brooklyn Pride & two Puerto Rican Day Parades, a Greek Festival & Taste of Marine Park in Brooklyn; the Feast of St. Anthony returns to the Bronx; Uncorked Wine Festival, Food Truck Festival on the Mount & SI Mall Carnival in Staten Island ...
Weather. The temperature highs will be in the 70's and the temperature lows will be in the 60's all weekend. The humidity however will not be so constant, rising from 50% Friday to 70% on Saturday, to close to 90% on Sunday. Winds will be light at between 3 - 8 mph all weekend. There's a high probability of a half inch of rain on Sunday.
The photo at right was taken at the Puerto Rican Day Parade in Manhattan a few years back.
Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan
Wednesday, June 8 through Sunday, June 19, 2022 - The Tribeca Film Festival. There's an early / preview event at the United Palace at 4140 Broadway the weekend beginning June 4th in Washington Heights. There are a multitude of free and paid live events and films covering a variety of subjects including but not limited to LGBTQ, LatinX and Juneteenth to view at various venues around the city. For details see www.tribecafilm.com
Saturday, June 11, 2022 from 11 am to 1 pm - Festival of India Parade & Sri Jagannath Ratha YatraFestival - Parade assembles at 45th St & 5th Avenue at 11 am - Parade begins at 12 noon and ends at West 8th Street at Washington Square Park in the Village where there's a festival from 12 noon to 7 pm.*
Saturday, June 11, 2022 from 11 am - 5 pm - 34nd Annual 116th Street Festival - Along 3rd Avenue from 106th St to 122nd street in the El Barrio section of East Harlem. Food, shopping & three stages of entertainment at www.116thstfestival.com.
Sunday, June 12, 2022 beginning at 11 am - The Puerto Rican Day Parade returns. It will kick off at 5th Avenue at 43rd Street marching north to 79th Street on the UES. This is a huge parade celebrating Puerto Rican culture.
Sunday, June 12, 2022 from 11 am - 6 pm - Romania Day Festival - Along Broadway between Liberty and Battery Place. Celebration of over a century of Romanian unification and culture. In 2018 the fair included 30 stands of Romanian businesses, restaurants and artists out of a total of 300 stands. Entertainment, food & shopping. Tribeca street fairs nyc.
Tuesday, June 14, 2022 from 6 - 9 pm - Museum Mile Festival - Along 5th Avenue from 79th Street to 106th Street on the Upper East Side. All of the museums along 5th Avenue on the Upper East Side UES are open to the public for free.* Be prepared to wear masks inside.
Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn
Thru Sunday, June 12, 2021. From 11 am - 9 pm daily. 43rd Annual Greek Festival at the cathedral at 64 Schermerhorn Street between Court Street and Boerum Place. The event has rides, entertainment, food and shopping. Organized by the St Constantine & Helen Cathedral at stconstantinecathedral.org. Brooklyn street fairs in Brooklyn Heights.
Saturday, June 11, 2022 from 10 am - 6 pm _ Annual Brooklyn Pride Parade & Festival. Along 5th Avenue between Union & 9th streets. The festivities warm up begins with a run through Prospect Park beginning at 10 am [register at brooklynpride.org]. There's a Pride Festival that runs from 11 am - 5 pm with food, shopping and entertainment along 5th Avenue from Union to 9th Streets. From 7.30 - 10 pm there's a twilight Brooklyn Pride Parade that marches along 5th Avenue from Lincoln Avenue to 9th Street. Brooklyn street fairs in Park Slope.
Sunday, June 12, 2022 - parade begins at 5 pm / festival runs from 6 - 9 pm _ Annual Sunset Park Puerto Rican Day Parade & Festival. The parade begins at 5 pm along 5th Avenue at 59th Street and marches up to 43rd Street, where the Sunset Park Puerto Rican Day festival begins at 6 pm in Sunset Park. There will be a couple of bands, including at least one salsa band as well as food for sale via trucks. St fairs in the Sunset Park neighborhood of BK.
Sunday, June 12, 2022 line up begins at 1 pm & parade begins at 3 pm - Bushwick Knickerbocker Puerto Rican Day Parade. Begins at Woodbine Street & Knickerbocker Avenue near the Bushwick Playground and marches east ending near Trinity Cemetery. The parade ends around 4 pm.
Sunday, June 12, 2022 from 12 noon - 3 pm . A Taste of the Neighborhood. At the Hendrick I. Lott House, 1940 East 36th Street in the Marine Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. It's an all-you-can-eat out of food trucks event. Tickets $30 at www.lotthouse.org [ignore the closed sign] and then / or go to their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/lotthouse/.
The Puerto Rican Parades are coming later one is in Sunset Park and the other is
Coney Island is open and the Mermaid Parade is one week from now, on Saturday, June 18th.
Things To Do This Weekend in Queens
Saturday, June 11, 2022 beginning at 11 am - Sunnyside Kiwanis Flag Day Parade - Along Greenpoint Avenue from 40th Street to Queens Blvd ending in Joe Sabba Park.
Saturday & Sunday, June 11 & 12, 2022 - Jackson Heights Historic House & Garden Tour - Exhibits from 10 am - 2 pm Saturday including a slide presentation from 10.45 - 12.15 pm [free]. For $10 you may obtain a map for self-guided tour visiting up to 15 sites from 12 noon - 4 pm. On Sunday there's an escorted tour beginning at 12 noon beginning at Community Church at 81-10 35th Avenue at 82nd Street. $10 for the tour.
The photo at right was taken while on the Jackson Heights Historic House & Garden Tour a few years ago.
RECURRING _ Saturdays, June 11 & 18, 2022 from 9 am - 5 pm - Jackson Heights Art Club Art Show & Sale - On The Fence Outdoor Art Show in front of PS 69 between 77th & 79th Streets along 37th Avenue. The paintings by accomplished club members are for viewing and sale.*
RECURRING _ Saturdays, June 4, 11, 18 & 25, 2022 - Annual Jamaica Dance Festival - Begins at 7 pm - In Rufus King Park on Jamaica Avenue at 150th Street. Free dance performances by local performers. Street fairs in Jamaica NY.
Governors Ball at CitiField starting Friday night thru the weekend.
The Chocolate Factory, Thalia Theater and Astoria Performing Arts Center are hosting performances this weekend. Details coming to the Events Calendar later in the weekend but in the meantime you can google them for details.
Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx
Wednesday - Sunday, June 8 - 12, 2022 from 6 pm to 11 pm - The Feast of St. Anthony. Times are Wed, Thurs and Friday from 5 - 9 pm / Saturday & Sunday from 12 noon - 7 pm. It's the annual Feast of St Anthony at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church at 627 East 187th Street. The triangle of streets along Cresent and Arthur Avenues & 187th Street in the Little Italy section of the Belmont neighborhood in the Bronx will be celebrating this Belmont neighborhood st fair with rides, games, raffles, food and entertainment every night. Officially the street fair is being held along East 187th street from Arthur to Beaumont Avenue, and along Crescent from Cambreleng to Belmont Avenue. Historically there had been a procession on Sunday beginning at 5 pm, but this year [2022] I don't see any notice of that.x
Bartow Pell Mansion event. Bronx Doc Film. Bronx Museum. Details coming later today.
Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, June 10, 11 & 12, 2022 from 12 noon to 10 pm - Food Truck Festival on the Mount. At Mount Loretto at 6581 Hylan Blvd in the Charleston neighborhood of Staten Island [near Prince's Bay & Pleasant Plains]. Admission $5 and parking $5. And then it costs to get a taste from the food trucks. Buy tickets at www.catholiccharitiesofstatenisland.org. Staten Island street fairs.
Saturday, June 11, 2022 from 12 noon - 6 pm - UnCorked Wine Festival _ Historic Richmond Town hosts a big wine and food event. Tickets are $24 / $40 at www.historicrichmondtown.org. The proceeds go to support the historic site.
Thursday - Sunday, May 26 - June 12, 2022 there's an SI Mall Carnival at the Staten Island Mall at 2655 Richmond Avenue in the Heartland Village / New Springville neighborhoods of Staten Island. The carnival which includes rides, prize games and food is open weekdays from 5 to 10 pm, opening at 1 pm on Saturdays & Sundays and Memorial Day. Tickets are $5 for entry, and $35 per person for [I think unlimited] weekday rides and $85 for four persons. For details see www.statenislandmall.com
Have a nice weekend.
NYC News Updates June 2022
CoVid Guidelines Issued by State & Federal Govt Sometimes at Cross Purposes, NYC Tourism Coming Back, Why There are Two NYS Primaries in 2022, Former Mayor de Blasio Running for Congress, Inflation & Wages are Up but Expected to Slow, Public Schools End School Year on 6/27/22, Will the Rangers take the Stanley Cup, Will the Celtics Win the Championship & Will the Mets & Yankees hold onto their Leads?
This report is a catch up on some of the key local news items over the past couple of months. Our last news update was at the end of February [2/22/22].
CoVid Regulatory Guidelines Differ at Federal & State Levels
On March 17, 2022 the NYS CoVid general restrictions under the H.E.R.O. Act expired. The expiration did not include the masks mandate requirement on NYC & NYS public transit.
On April 18, 2022 the CDC / Federal rescinded their mask mandates on federal transportation, while - as noted above - NYS has kept its mask mandate in effect. As one might expect, this has led to some confusion. So to be clear, when using the MTA, LIRR or Metro North trains, masks are still required.
Be advised that local businesses have the right to decide what rules apply to customers who enter their facilities. For example, Broadway theaters and many other entertainment venues still request proof of vaccination and / or masks indoors. Broadway theaters extended their mask mandate requirement of attendees at performances through June 2022. Conversely, most NYC restaurateurs no longer check vaccination status, let their customers decide whether or not to wear masks, and most restaurateurs provide the option of indoor / outdoor dining, which was established as an economic response to CoVid, in support of local restaurants by the de Blasio Administration.
Vaccination rates for NYC and NYS continue to inch up quite slowly, but that's now a somewhat dated metric, because if one is not boosted, the CoVid immunity and protection fades over time. The CoVid vaccination protection generally recedes significantly while approaching 6 months after the first two shots, so getting boosted is important, particularly if you are immuno-compromised, have an underlying condition, or fall into an elderly age group [over 50 years].
NYC Tourism Bouncing Back
NYC tourism is coming back and the city economy is picking up. The past month or so, we've been inundated with notices of public events and entertainment venues coming back to life. We've not yet gotten back into the full rhythm to accommodate as many as we'd like, but we're getting there. Our monthly things to do calendars will be coming back to life bit by bit, starting this weekend. The calendar is accessible from the top tool bar, by clicking the first button from the left.
Mayor Adams said yesterday [6/6/22] that NYC hotels are booking at 95% of pre-pandemic levels. The NY Post stated in an April 20, 2022 report, that the NYC hotel business would be down 55%. We'll see how this plays out by the end of the year.
Why There are Two NYS Primary Elections This Summer
Speaking of pols. There's an election this month, on June 28th for all NYS offices and another on August 23rd for U.S. congressional and state senate races. The reason for the bifurcated primary this year, is because a court threw out a redrawing of the election district maps approved by the Democrats, stating the maps were not fair. The court ordered a redrawing of the maps by an independent group. Hence the primary races affected by those election district maps will be held in August, instead of proceeding along with the other primaries later this month.
One of the losers in this change is either going to be Jerry Nadler of the Upper West Side or Carolyn Maloney of the Upper East Side because their homes are now located in the same congressional district [12th]. One of the potential winners of this change could be former Mayor Bill de Blasio, who lives in the redrawn 10th congressional district.
Former Mayor de Blasio Running vs Murdoch Mass Media for Congress
Former Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that he is running for Congress a couple of weeks ago [May 20, 2022]. De Blasio was a hard working mayor who tried, and succeeded, in doing some good. Unfortunately, the reporting by the half of NYC mass media outlets controlled by the Australian born Oligarch, Rupert Murdoch, leaves half of NYC voters in the dark.
Murdoch controls Fox News, the NY Post, Channel 9 WWOR TV, the Wall St. Journal and he's a major, influential, meddling shareholder in Disney / ABC News. According to an April 3, 2019 report in the NYT, Murdoch is famous for using his mass media outlets as a "... hugely profitable political propaganda machine." Murdoch does this by omitting the accomplishments and hyping allegations and innuendo surrounding government officials who apparently won't allow Murdoch to plunder the public purse and policy - like former Mayor de Blasio. Conversely, Murdoch appears to use his media to promote pols who will support his self-serving agenda, such as frequent guests on Fox News, like former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who famously favored Murdoch in a cable television dispute with Time Warner back in 1996 [NYT 10/4/1996].
The folks I converse with who support the former Mayor, are aware of de Blasio's record of accomplishment, which includes helping push through Universal Pre-K, lobbying aggressively to tamp down rent stabilized price increases, improved public school academic performance, significantly slowing the growth of NYC homelessness [which had nearly doubled under the Bloomberg Administration], increased the number of affordable housing units in NYC - the most since Mayor Koch in the 1980's - and reduced crime to record low levels, all the while balancing the budget without raising tax rates. This is all pre-pandemic.
But even after the pandemic began, de Blasio was adept at managing the budget, murders in NYC continued to trail the national average, and affordable housing continued to be built. We don't know about the academic performance post pandemic, because testing metrics weren't available [some tests are still on hiatus], and we couldn't obtain equitable, comparable year-to-year college admissions data, in time for this report.
Inflation & Wages Up in Q1, Expected to Moderate in Remainder of 2022
The corporate national TV media appear to hype inflation, while only rarely mentioning that wages have also been climbing fairly robustly - albeit at a slower rate than inflation. But given it's a full employment economy, employees can give themselves a pay hike by finding a new, higher paying job. Wages in the first quarter were up 5%, while inflation was up about 8%, netting a loss of 3% for the average American. By the end of the year the full year numbers are expected to drop to 3% and 6% respectively, thus holding steady. And sometime in 2023, inflation is expected to return to a more manageable level of 3%, according to a May 11, 2022 Kiplinger Report. Energy / gas prices are the driving component of inflation and it's not likely that gas prices will fall significantly anytime soon.
TV Newscasters - Working Hard to Repeatedly Report the Obvious
Speaking of gas, you have to give the TV news people credit for informing us of things we already know, ad nauseum. How many times a day, each day, every week, every month of this year do we need to be told that gas prices have risen? Everyone who needs to know, already knows what gas costs, because they pay for it every time they fill up their vehicle at the pump. Do these TV news people think reporting on gas price increases, penny by penny, is as interesting a story, as it is annoying?
Buy More Oil & Gas and Support the World's Dictators - Or Not?
Speaking of gas again, you can help / support the world's dictators by buying more oil and gas. The world's top seven largest oil producers [excluding the U.S. and Canada] are: #2) Saudi Arabia [dictator-king], #3) Russia [dictator-president], #5) China [dictator-president] and #9) Iran [dictator-cleric]. Conversely, by reducing your consumption of oil and gas you're not only cleaning up / saving the planet, you're also disempowering the destabilizing and frequently violent, dictators of the world.
NYC Public Schools End Year June 27th with Free Days in Between
NYC Public schools end the school year on Monday, June 27th. That's the last day of school for all students. There are a couple of days off between now and then, including the Chancellor's Conference Day on June 9th and the Juneteenth federal holiday [6/20], which President Joe Biden signed into law last year. It's also an NYS paid holiday too, so most state and federal government offices will be closed that day.
Be advised that we've been informed that the NYS Regents Exams in U.S. Government & History have been cancelled. If you have not already been told of this by your school, please check with the administrators to verify it.
Small Update on War in the Ukraine with More to Come
The war in Ukraine wages on, with Russia making progress in the Donbas region which is in the furthest eastern region of their country, bordering with Russia. The Ukrainians are cleaning up / taking back territory nearly everywhere else, which includes clearing out the Russian occupation near Kyiv, pushing back the Russians from the area surrounding Kharkiv [these are the Ukraine's two largest cities], and making some small progress in the southern area east of Odessa and north of the Crimea near Kherson. Kherson was one of the first big Ukrainian cities to fall. We'll provide an update to add to our report series sometime later this summer.
Sports - Rangers Vie for NHL, Celtics Vie for NBA and Mets & Yankees Lead MLB Divisions
The Rangers are vying for the title in the Eastern Division of the NHL against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Rangers currently have a lead in the series 2 - 1. Game 4 of 7 is tonight at 8 pm. If they win the division championship, they will face the Colorado Avalanche who beat the Edmonton Oilers 4 to zip in the Western Division Championship.
And while no NYC teams are competing in the NBA Playoffs or Finals, folks still have an opportunity to see some great basketball. Right now the NBA Championship finals are tied 1 - 1 between the Boston Celtics and the Golden Gate Warriors. It's a best of seven series, so there's still time to watch some great b-ball.
Lastly, both the Mets and the Yankees are leading the National League East and the American League East, respectively. But the season is still young, so who knows what the summer will bring.
Have a good week.
Things To Do This Weekend in NYC
Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit, Israeli Film Fest in Manhattan, Brooklyn Tastes & BAM Stained Glass in Brooklyn, Queens PrideFest, Bell Blvd Food Fest, Astoria Carnival, Jamaica Dance Fest & Traditions Fest in Queens, also Chocolate Factory & Astoria Performing Arts Center hosts new play in Queens, City Island Art Fair in the Bronx, Staten Island Mall Carnival & Dance Rising Performances at Snug Harbor on SI, Golf Courses, NYC Beaches & Farmers Markets, are open & Tribeca Film Fest Begins Fest Next Week
Weather. The temperature highs will be around 80 and the temperature lows will be around 60 all weekend. The humidity will be between 60% and 70% on Friday, dropping to about 40% - 50% on Saturday and Sunday. Winds will be between 5 - 6 mph all weekend. There's a tiny chance of a tiny amount of rain Friday during the day and then it's clear all weekend.
The photo at right was taken on the subway in Queens a couple of weeks ago. Most folks are respecting each other by wearing masks, as CoVid is still causing problems out there.
Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan
The Israeli Film Festival began Wednesday, June 1 and runs through Wednesay, June 8, 2022. Most of it is being streamed this year, but there are a few events at the Marlene Meyerson JCC on level L2- Auditorium on the UWS.
The Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit runs through Saturday and Sunday. The art fair is open from 12 noon to 6 pm daily along University Avenue from Washington Square Park South to 13th Street in the Village.
There's an early / preview event at the United Palace this weekend in Washington Heights related to the Tribeca Film Festival which starts next Wednesday, June 8 and runs for a week and a half ending Sunday, June 19.
Multi-Cultural Festival in the Jackie Robinson Bandshell on Saturday. Details coming later today.
Things To Do This Weekend in Queens
Friday & Saturday, June 3 & 4, 2022 - from 12 noon to 4 pm - Traditions Festival. At King Manor at 153rd Street and Jamaica Avenue in King Park. The event includes woodworking, live music, blacksmithing [a good time to put new horseshoes on your auto], spinning, weaving, arts & crafts and it used to include cooking but not sure for this year 2022. St fairs in Jamaica nyc.
RECURRING _ Saturdays, June 4, 11, 18 & 25, 2022 - Annual Jamaica Dance Festival - Begins at 7 pm - In Rufus King Park on Jamaica Avenue at 150th Street. Free dance performances by local performers. Street fairs in Jamaica NY.
Wednesday through Sunday, June 1 - 5, 2022 - The Astoria Park Carnival at Hoyt Avenue and 19th Street in Astoria Park began earlier this week and runs through the weekend. Rides, food and fun for the family. Hours this weekend are Friday 4 - 11 pm, Saturday 12 noon - 12 midnight & Sunday 12 noon - 11 pm. - click for details on the Astoria Park Carnival this weekend.
Sunday, June 5, 2022 from 1 - 6 pm _ The Annual Bell Blvd Food Festival in Bayside. Along Bell Blvd between 39th and 35th Avenues in Bayside Queens. Sample over 35 Bayside restaurants for a $1 per taste [Advance Tickets $15 - $35 / Day of $20 - $45]. There will also be live music and drinks available for purchase separately. See details at www.
Sunday, June 5, 2022 from 12 noon to 6 pm - Queens Pridefest - The parade begins at 12 noon along 37th Avenue at 89th Street marching west to 75th Street ending at 37th Road from 73rd to 77th Street and in Diversity Plaza. Organized by www.newqueenspride.org.
NY Irish Center Friday night, Greenspace Dance all weekend, Opening Reception June 4 at the Plaxall Gallery for Orestes Gonzales & Lissa Rivera, Chocolate Factory and Astoria Performing Arts Center are hosting performances this weekend. Details coming later today. Louis Latimer House Reading on Saturday. Queens Night Market opens Saturday. Biz Expo on Wednesday at CitiField.
Things To Do This Weekend in Brooklyn
Brooklyn Tastes Park Slope is this weekend. Details coming later today.
The photo at right was taken at one of the participating bars / restaurants in their first event of the season in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn.
BAM is hosting a stained glass art work until June 13th at BAM Peter Jay Sharp Building in the Dorothy W. Levitt Lobby and it is located along the escalator wall. From 8 am - 11 pm daily. Free. Details at www.bam.org.
Coney Island is open and the Mermaid Parade is two weeks from now on Saturday, June 18th.
Meeting to get local officials to issue a 'Cease and Desist' Letter to local real estate developers who are reportedly inundating property owners with sales solicitations bordering on harassment.
Things To Do This Weekend in the Bronx
City Island Art Fair on Main Street from 11 am - 7 pm is open on Saturday and Sunday of this weekend. Details coming later today.
Bartow Pell Mansion event. Bronx Doc Film. Bronx Museum. Details coming later today.
Things To Do This Weekend on Staten Island
Dance Rising is hosting performances Saturday, June 4 from 4 - 8 pm at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center Figment Festival on Staten Island.
Thursday - Sunday, May 26 - June 12, 2022 there's an SI Mall Carnival at the Staten Island Mall at 2655 Richmond Avenue in the Heartland Village / New Springville neighborhoods of Staten Island. The carnival which includes rides, prize games and food is open weekdays from 5 to 10 pm, opening at 1 pm on Saturdays & Sundays and Memorial Day. Tickets are $5 for entry, and $35 per person for [I think unlimited] weekday rides and $85 for four persons. For details see www.statenislandmall.com
On Memorial Day, I decided to make a trip to the First Calvary Cemetery to visit the graves of those who gave their lives defending this nation because the founding charters promise all [wo]men the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They fought for a noble cause I thought as I made my way, on a beautiful day, to the Calvary cemetery in Queens.
The First Calvary cemetery opened in the late 1840’s [circa 1847 – 1848] and was located only a short ferry ride away from Manhattan, up Newtown Creek. A couple more cemeteries were opened as the 19th century wore on, as most of Queens was still rural farmlands and woodlands. Many of the burials of the first century of operation were of Catholic Irish, Italian and Polish immigrants - many of which were children who died because of poor living conditions and medical care. Many soldiers had been buried here as well, many of whom were from the Civil War era.
As I was viewing a collection of the tombstones, reflecting on the lives sacrificed in the war over slavery, as well as the more recent wars that pulled nearly the entire planet into battle, a figure in the distance caught my attention. They appeared to be making their way in my direction, in this lonely empty section of the cemetery. I pulled out of my musings, and began to focus on this emerging presence as they made their way up the hill.
As they came closer, I could see that it was an old man, of medium height, with long black and grey hair and a weathered, leathery, tan skin. He was wearing an old brown work shirt and khaki trousers and beaten leather shoes. No, they were mocassins.
I'm not sure why I thought of this, but his countenance resembled that of a legendary American Indian: Chief Joseph. Chief Joseph was a tribal leader of the Nez Perce tribe in the Wallowa Valley in northeast Oregon. Chief Joseph was born in 1840, only years before this cemetery was founded. He had actually visited New York City in 1897, to march alongside Buffalo Bill in a Wild West Parade.
The man slowly raised his right arm, palm open and fingers standing straight up like the Boy Scout salute, and in a deep full voice he said,
“How.”
I stood a bit at attention, as I returned the greeting.
“Hi. How are you today?”
He spoke again, this time in a language I did not understand.
“Mumba goycha tay.”
I looked at him and shook my head back and forth indicating that I did not understand what he’d just said.
The Unofficial Start of Summer Comes with Memorial Day Parades in Brooklyn, Queens & Staten Island; Fleet Week is Underway & the Intrepid is Hosting Events, Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit, Losaida and LES Festival in Manhattan, BAM Dance Africa Festival in Brooklyn, Sunnyside Gardens Park Fair in Queens, National Puerto Rican Day Parade Festival at 152nd St in Bx & Bronx Arts Ensemble & Night Market, Staten Island Mall Carnival Began, Golf Courses have been Open & it's the Opening Weekend of NYC Beaches, Farmers Markets, Street Fairs & more
Weather. The temperature highs will be near 80 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, rising to the mid 80's or higher on Monday. The temperature lows will be in the 60's all weekend. Over a half inch of rain is expected between about 2 pm Friday and about 4 pm Saturday, and the rest of the weekend will be dry. Winds will be 5 - 10 mph on Friday, Saturday and Monday, falling to 3 - 5 mph on Sunday. The humidity will be 80% on Friday, 70% on Saturday, and 60% on Sunday and Monday. All in all a pretty fair weather for the three day weekend.
The photo at right was taken at Coney Island in Brooklyn in 2019 prior to the outbreak of the CoVid pandemic. While CoVid hasn't gone away [and may never], it seems the worst of it is behind us and folks are beginning to return to what used to be their normal lives. Coney Island opened in April this year.
Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend NYC
In the photo at right is just one of thousands of artworks for sale in a prior year at the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit which begins Saturday and runs through Monday.
On Monday, May 30, 2022 the InwoodMemorial Day Parade begins at 11.30 am at Dykman Street and marches up Broadway into Inwood Park where a short flag raising ceremony will be held.
The Lower East Side Festival runs Friday through Sunday from 6 pm to 1 am [and Saturday also from 12 noon - 6 pm] at the Theater for the New City at 155 East 10th Street in the East Village. The festival includes theater, music, dance, film and kids stuff. Free.
The Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit begins Saturday and runs through the weekend. The art fair runs from 12 noon to 6 pm daily along University Avenue from Washington Square Park South to 13th Street in the Village.
The Losaida Festival is on Sunday, May 29, 2022 from 12 noon - 5 pm - Along Avenue C and 8th Street [Losaida Street] in the East Village. The fair celebrates Puerto Rican food, music and culture. Free.
It's Fleet Week in NYC and the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is hosting a number of activities, topped off on Monday at 10 am with a Memorial Day Closing Ceremony. See www.intrepidmuseum.org/fleet-week for details.
This is Fleet Week and a number of U.S. Navy ships are docked in Manhattan and Staten Island. A number of events are planned in both locations. For details see http://militarynews.com/app/fleetweeknewyork/events.html
Queens Things To Do This Weekend NYC
The Sunnyside Gardens Park Memorial Day fair returns on Saturday, May 28, 2022 from 12 noon - 5 pm. Admission is free, the public is welcome, and you can buy food, items and rides for kids.
NYC Parks beaches open Saturday including Rockaway in Queens. See www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/beaches for details.
In the photo at right, an armed services veteran reads the sentiment left on the card accompanying the wreath at a Memorial Day ceremony in Woodside in a prior year.
Queens is unmatched in the breadth and depth of Memorial Day Parades in NYC. There are Memorial Day Parades in Little Neck / Douglaston [largest in NYC], Maspeth, Ridgewood, College Point and Whitestone. I'll post these later today or early Saturday, but you can also do a search for details if you need to know now.
Sunday, May 29, 2022 from 2 pm, the 101st College Point Memorial Day Parade marches from 28th Avenue and College Point to MacNeil Park in College Point. For further information see their FB page at www.facebook.com/CPmemorialdayparade/.
Sunday, May 29, 2022 from 1 - 3 pm, the Maspeth Memorial Day Parade begins at Walter Garlinger Memorial Park at 72nd Street and Grand Avenue in Maspeth. The parade marches down Grand Avenue ending at 69th Street at Maspeth Memorial Park where there will be a ceremony and community gathering. ECCA antique autos are participating in the parade. I couldn't find an official site for this event, but a number of websites, including one by the government confirmed the event.
Sunday, May 29, 2022 from 12 noon - 2 pm, the American Legion Forest Hills Memorial Day Weekend Parade marches from Ascan Avenue and Metropolitan Avenue to [not sure of end destination, but possibly St. Johns Cemetery] in Forest Hills.
Monday, May 30, 2022 the Douglaston - Little Neck Memorial Day Parade returns live. The parade begins between Monday at 2 pm at Jayson Avenue in Great Neck, marching southwest along Northern Blvd and ending at 245th Street in Douglaston. This is said to be the biggest Memorial Day Parade in the city. There are related activities leading up to the parade that begin at 10 am. See www.lndmemorialday.org for details.
On Monday, May 30, 2022 from 11 am - 1 pm the Ridgewood / Glendale Myrtle Avenue Memorial Day Parade - Begins at Myrtle Avenue and Cypress, marching up to Cooper Avenue. There will be short ceremonies at both the beginning and end of the parade. Organized by the Allied Veterans Memorial Committee of Ridgewood and Glendale. ECCA antique autos are participating in the parade.
On Monday, May 30, 2022 from 11.30 am - 2 pm the Whitestone Memorial Day Parade marches from 149th Street and 15th Drive to [not sure of end destination]. It begins with a short ceremony. I believe it's organized by the Whitestone Veterans Memorial Association which lists this phone number on the web 718.767.4323.
Queens is also home to four fine public golf courses: Clearview, Douglaston, Forest Park and Kissena. All of these are owned by the NYC Parks Department so given the cost of such real estate, golfing on them is fairly affordable. See the Things To Do Calendar on the top tool bar of Queens Buzz and scroll down or hit the bookmark for Sports / Parks.
Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend NYC
BAM is hosting a four day festival entitled Dance Africa Performance 2022 at the following days / times - Fri, May 27 at 7:30pm - the Bambara Drum and Dance Ensemble, Sat, May 28 at 2pm - the LaRocque Bey School of Dance, Sat, May 28 at 7pm - the Asase Yaa African American Dance Theater, Sun, May 29 at 3pm - Farafina Kan and Mon, May 30 at 3pm - the Harambee Dance Company. Tickets start at $35. Details at www.bam.org.
NYC Parks beaches open Saturday including Coney Island, Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn. See ww.nycgovparks.org/facilities/beaches for details.
The photo at right was taken a few years ago at Orchard Beach. The NYC Parks Department cleaned the beach up early in this century and - given its proximity to the city and public transit - it's still not too crowded.
Brooklyn is also home to two fine public golf courses: Marine Park and Dyker Beach. Both of these are owned by the NYC Parks Department so given the cost of such real estate, golfing on them is fairly affordable. See the Things To Do Calendar on the top tool bar of Brooklyn Blvd and scroll down or hit the bookmark for Sports / Parks.
On Monday, the 155th Brooklyn / Bay Ridge Memorial Day Parade steps off 11 am on 3rd Avenue and 78th Street in Bay Ridge Brooklyn. The parade proceeds down to Marine Avenue, up to 4th Avenue, then over to John Paul Jones Park for their memorial service which includes bag pipes, flag raising and wreath laying by Veteran Service Organizations. This is followed by a 21-gun salute and the playing of Taps by the Veteran Corps of Artillery.
Bronx Things To Do This Weekend NYC
Saturday, May 28, 2022 from 11 am - 6 pm. Official National Puerto Rican Day Parade Street Festival / Annual 152nd Street Cultural Festival - Along 152nd Street between Jackson & Tinton Avenues in the Longwood / Melrose neighborhoods of the Bronx. It's one of the largest Puerto Rican street festivals in NYC. The National Puerto Rican Day Parade is held a week later in Manhattan.
On Saturday, May 28th from 1 - 7 pm the Bronx Night Market will be open at Fordham Plaza across from Fordham University and the train station. The market offers a variety of cuisines from around the world, most notably Latin and African cultures in dozens of food stalls.
Orchard Beach in Pelham Bay Park on the east coast of the Bronx opens for the summer beginning Saturday, along with other NYC park beaches. See ww.nycgovparks.org/facilities/beaches for details.
The Bronx is also home to three fine public golf courses: Mosholu, Van Cortlandt & Pelham Bay / Split Rock. All of these are owned by the NYC Parks Department so given the cost of such real estate, golfing on them is fairly affordable. See the Things To Do Calendar on the top tool bar of the Bronx Buzz and scroll down or hit the bookmark for Sports / Parks.
On Sunday, May 29, 2022 from 2 - 3 pm, the Bartow Pell Mansion in Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx is hosting a performance by the Bronx Arts Ensemble. I believe it's free but that's unconfirmed.
FYI - Next weekend is the City Island Art Fair.
Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend NYC
Thursday - Sunday, May 26 - June 12, 2022 there's an SI Mall Carnival at the Staten Island Mall at 2655 Richmond Avenue in the Heartland Village / New Springville neighborhoods of Staten Island. The carnival which includes rides, prize games and food is open weekdays from 5 to 10 pm, opening at 1 pm on Saturdays & Sundays and Memorial Day. Tickets are $5 for entry, and $35 per person for [I think unlimited] weekday rides and $85 for four persons. For details see www.statenislandmall.com
This is Fleet Week and a number of U.S. Navy ships are docked in Manhattan and Staten Island. A number of events are planned in both locations. For details see http://militarynews.com/app/fleetweeknewyork/events.html
On Monday, the Memorial Day Parade in West Brighton begins at 12 noon at Hart Blvd, marching down Forest Avenue to Decker Avenue in Westerleigh / Elm Park.
NYC Parks beaches open Saturday including Cedar Grove, Midland Beach, South Beach and Wolfe's Pond Beach on Staten Island. See ww.nycgovparks.org/facilities/beaches for details.
In the photo at right is the Great Kills harbor which is not just home to a vibrant boating community, but also a number of fine restaurants with water views.
Staten Island is also home to three fine golf courses: La Tourette, Silver Lake and South Shore. All of them are owned by the NYC Parks Department. See the Things To Do Calendar on the top tool bar of Staten Buzz and scroll down / hit the bookmark for Sports / Parks.
Brooklyn Free Public Outdoor Swimming Pools - BK NYC
This Brooklyn Public Swimming Pool Report Includes Contact Info NYC
May 25, 2022 / Brooklyn Neighborhoods / Brooklyn Swimming Pools, Parks & Sports / Brooklyn BLVD NYC.
Brooklyn offers easy access to a wide range of recreational swimming pools. The following is an attempt to provide you with a view of the range of public swimming pools available in the parks of Brooklyn. We encourage you to make use of these facilities because they provide healthy, fun, and frequently free or inexpensive entertainment for both individuals and families with children.
Only outdoor public pools will open beginning Tuesday June 28th, 2022. A few of the indoor pools will be closed this summer to allow for construction and improvements.
Generally pool hours are from 11 am - 7 pm daily, with a one hour break between 3 and 4 pm for cleaning. Bring a padlock for your locker and proper swimming trunks are required [for boys this means not shorts as trunks must have liners]. Don't bring food, glass bottles, newspapers, electronics, floaters and no or as few valuables as you can bring to minimize your risk because the park isn't responsible for your losses. Free sunscreen will be made available while supplies last.
As of this posting 5.25.22, masks are NOT required for indoor activity including in the locker rooms, but stay tuned as it's possible that could change.
Dance Parade, Frieze Art Fair, Plantathon, Celebrate Israel Parade, Ukrainian Festival, Taste of Tribeca, African Art Fair & AIPAD Photography Show in Manhattan, St. Demetrios Greek Fair, East River International Food Fest & Fomo: Diptych in Queens, Tastes of Brooklyn Gowanus POSTPONED, but Church St Fair Still On & DUMBO Block Party in Brooklyn, Boat Tour & Record Fair on Staten Island
The photo at right shows a restaurant on the Upper West Side operating in a fashion similar to how it operated pre-pandemic.
Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend NYC
On Saturday, May 21, 2022 the Dance Parade begins at 12 noon at 20th Street and Broadway, marches down to Washington Square Park, turns east and heads into Tompkins Square Park in the East Village where a festival runs from 3 - 7 pm.
On Saturday, May 21, 2022 the Taste of Tribeca runs from 11 am - 3 pm along [where] Duane and [meets] Greenwich Streets in Tribeca. Tickets run $55 - $65 and they have group rates. For details go to www.tasteoftribeca.com.
On Sunday, May 22nd, 2022 the Celebrate Israel Parade begins at 11.30 am marching up 5th Avenue from 57th to 74th Street, ending around 4 pm.
Sunday, May 22, 2022 from 10 am to 6 pm - 44th Plantathon Crafts Fair - Along east side of Broadway from 73rd to 82nd Street - street fairs in the Upper West Side neighborhood UWS of Manhattan. One of the oldest plant fairs in the city, offering a huge array of plants, food and live music.
Thru Sunday, May 18 - 22, 2022 _ Freize Art Fair at the Shed at 545 West 30th Street at Hudson Yard - From 11 am - 7 pm daily, closing at 5 pm on Sunday. Tickets for Adults $50 - $85 / Students $25 - $35 & Children $5 at www.frieze.com.*
All Weekend _ Friday, Saturday & Sunday, May 18 - 22, 2022 begins 4 pm Friday & at 12 noon Saturday & Sundayending at 9 pm nightly -Ukranian Festival - At 30 East 7th Street and along 7th Street between 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue in the East Village. Includes Ukranian shopping, food and entertainment with the proceeds going to St. George Academy. Click here to view a map of the Ukranian Street Fair in Manhattan in the East Village at St. George Academy. See photo above.*
Friday - Sunday, May 20 - 22, 2022 - the AIPAD Photography Show from 1 - 7 pm Friday, 12 - 7 pm Saturday and 12 - 5 pm Sunday. At Center 415 at 415 Fifth Avenue [between 37th & 38th Streets on the ground and second floors] in Manhattan. The show presents dozens of galleries and hundreds if not thousands of photographers' works. AIPAD is the Association of International Photography Dealers. Admission $50 / $24. Tickets at www.aipad.com.
Friday - Sunday, May 20 - 22, 2022 - the 1 - 54 Contemporary African Art Fair beginning at 12 noon daily and ending at 8 pm, 7 pm and 5 pm respectively. At St. Thomas the Apostle Church at 258 West 118th Street in Harlem. The fair hosts the exhibits of 25 galleries. Admission is $20 which may be purchased online at www.1-54.com.
Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend NYC
Saturday, May 21, 2022 from 3 - 8 pm - DUMBO Block Party - At the Pearl Street Triangle and DUMBO Arch in the Dumbo [Down Underneath the Manhattan Bridge O.] neighborhood of Brooklyn. Food, music & entertainment [less shopping], as well as fundraiser for the Dock Street School for STEAM Studies & PS307. Street fairs in Dumbo BK.
On Sunday, May 22, 2022 from 11 am - 6 pm. Church Avenue Street Fair & Festival. Along Church Avenue from Coney Island Avenue to Argyle Road in Flatbush. There will be performances, food & a kids carnival. Brooklyn street fairs in Flatbush.
FYI - POSTPONED _ Saturday, May 21, 2022 from 12 noon - 7 pm - Tastes of Brooklyn / Tastes of Gowanus - This event starts in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn. The event features over a dozen participating local restaurants offering tastes of their cuisine. Tickets range from $35 - $100 on eventbrite or at the starting point noted above for a number of tastes. www.facebook.com/brooklyntastes/
Queens Things To Do This Weekend NYC
Thursday through Sunday, May 19 - 22, 2022 runs 5 pm - 11 pm Thursday & Friday, and 1 - 11 pm Saturday & ending at 10 pm Sunday - 45th Annual Greek Festival at St Demetrios Church on 31st Avenue and 30th Drive. Old fashioned town fair including traditional Greek food, good rides and prizes for the kids, and Greek cultural music and dance entertainment. Click here for St Demetrios street fair map. 718.728.1718.
There are performances of Fomo: Diptych at the Chocolate Factory Theater at their new location at 38-33 24th Street in Long Island City. A diptych is "an ancient writing tablet consisting of two hinged leaves with waxed inner sides" and the performance uses that concept and an art installation to explore how we interpret things to create meaning. Performances start at 8 pm and tickets are $20 at www.chocolatefactorytheater.org.
On Sunday, May 22, 2022 from 12 noon - 3 pm there's the East River International Food Festival at the Sound River Studios at 4-40 44th Drive in Long Island City Queens. Tickets are $50 for this food stall event which was organized by a consortium of Queens restaurants. Details and tickets at www.queenstogether.org.
Bronx Things To Do This Weekend NYC
BELMONT - May 2022 EVERY weekend from 6pm to 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 1pm to 9pm on Sundays - Piazza di Belmont - Outdoor dining on Arthur Avenue which will be closed to vehicular traffic from East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue during the above mentioned times.
Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend NYC
Sunday, May 22, 2022 from 11 am - 6 pm - Makers Radio Park 3rd Annual Record Fair. At Flagship Brewery at 40 Minthorne Street in Tompkinsville neighborhood of Staten Island, within walking distance of the Staten Island Ferry. Tens of thousands of records are said, will be there.
On Sunday, May 22nd, Boat Tour that encircles Staten Island from 11 am - 3 pm. Tickets are $60 / $40 for adults / kids and I believe it departs from the Lighthouse Museum at 200 The Promenade at Lighthouse Point in St. George [next to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal].
Last Saturday there were a few Pro Choice rallies in NYC. Most notable among them were the one that started at Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn, marching across the Brooklyn Bridge to Foley Square. And there was another group that gathered in Union Square which also marched to Foley Square.
I have some video and photos, but possibly the most interesting part of this report are the perspectives I picked up along the way, which provided me with a deeper understanding of the issue, primarily from a women's point of view.
First there's the science ...
Hi. Following up on the conversations I had and overheard led me to a lot of new information that I'm still processing. I hope to have this finished next Monday or Tuesday, May 23rd or 24th.
Things To Do in NYC This Weekend
NYC X Design Events, 9th Avenue International Food Festival, Japan Parade, Womens Choice Rallies, Romanian Festival in Manhattan, Tastes of Brooklyn Flatbush, Bay Fest, Fabulous 5th Avenue in Brooklyn, Jazz Festival in Jamaica Queens, Albanian Street Fair / Bronx Week and Piazza Belmont in the Bronx & the Great Staten Island Lighthouse Hunt
Weather. Slight chance of 1/10 of an inch of rain after 7 pm Saturday and none on Sunday. Temperatures between 60 and the mid 70's all weekend. Winds at 5 mph. Humidity generally around 60%. So generally a pleasant weather weekend, except the bit of rain.
The photo at right was taken in Manhattan this week as about one hundred cyclists streamed down Broadway in Manhattan.
NYC Things To Do This Weekend NYC
Tuesday - Friday, May 10 - 20, 2022 - NYC X Design. This is at various venues at various times. It's all about the many facets of design - from workshops to exhibits to markets. Every day is chuck full of events - see www.nycxdesign.org for details. Many events are free.
Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend NYC
Tuesday - Friday, May 10 - 20, 2022 - NYC X Design. This is at various venues at various times. It's all about the many facets of design - from workshops to exhibits to markets. Every day is chuck full of events - see www.nycxdesign.org for details. Many events are free.
The photo at right was taken from Bar 54, a rooftop bar in Manhattan at sunset. The city is beginning to come alive again, after two years of subdued activity because of the pandemic.
Saturday & Sunday, May 14 & 15, 2022 from 10 am - 6 pm. 9th Avenue International Food Festival - Along 9th Ave between 42nd Street & 57th Street. Click here to view a map of the 9th Ave street fair in Manhattan. Midtown street fairs in NYC.
Saturday, May 14, 2022 from 10 am - 6 pm - Stonewall Veterans Fair - Along Broadway between 14th Street & Waverly in the Village NYC. St fairs in Manhattan NYC.
Saturday, May 14, 2022 beginning 1 pm - Japan Parade followed by Street Fair - The parade begins at 1 pm at Central Park West at 81st Street and marches down to 68th Street where it ends. There's a Japan Parade Street Fair that runs from 1 pm - 4.30 pm along 69th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West. Street fairs on the UWS in NYC.
Saturday, May 14, 2022 beginning at 2 pm - Womens Choice Rally - At Foley Square in Downtown Manhattan and also at Union Square Park [concurrently]. Free.
Sunday, May 15, 2022 from 10 am - 6 pm - Romania Day Festival - Along Broadway between Liberty and Battery Place. Celebration of over a century of Romanian unification and culture. In 2018 the fair included 30 stands of Romanian businesses, restaurants and artists out of a total of 300 stands. Entertainment, food & shopping. Tribeca street fairs nyc.
Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend NYC
Tuesday - Friday, May 10 - 20, 2022 - NYC X Design. This is at various venues at various times. It's all about the many facets of design - from workshops to exhibits to markets. Every day is chuck full of events - see www.nycxdesign.org for details. Many events are free.
The photo at right was taken at a Metro North train station on Sunday night as New Yorkers awaited the train to return to the city after visiting their mothers for Mothers Day.
Saturday, May 14, 2022 from 11 am - 6 pm. Graham Avenue Fiesta Brooklyn. Along Graham Avenue from Broadway to Boerum in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. Williamsburg street fairs / street festivals in Brooklyn.
Saturday, May 14, 2022 from 12 noon - 7 pm - Tastes of Brooklyn / Tastes of Flatbush Avenue - This event starts at Parkside Plaza at Ocean / Parkside Avenue in the Prospect Lefferts Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn. The event features over a dozen participating local restaurants offering tastes of their cuisine. Tickets range from $35 - $100 on eventbrite or at the starting point noted above for a number of tastes. Most of the restaurants are located along Flatbush and Nostrand Avenues.
Saturday, May 14, 2022 beginning at 12 noon - Womens Choice Rally - At Cadman Plaza in Downtown Brooklyn. Free.
Sunday, May 15, 2022 from 12 noon - 6 pm. Bayfest. At Emmons Avenue and East 27th Street in the Sheepshead Bay neighborhood of Brooklyn. Arts, crafts, amusement rides, bands, dance performances along the Brooklyn waterfront.
Sunday, May 15, 2022 from 11 am - 6 pm. Fabulous Fifth Avenue Street Fair. Along 5th Avenue between Sterling Place & 12th Street in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn. Brooklyn street fairs / St Fairs & festivals near the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn. Organized by the Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID. There will be plenty of food offerings at the bars and restaurants along 5th, as well as live entertainment at many of the venues.
Tuesday, May 17, 2022 beginning at 1.30 pm - Norweigan Day Parade - The parade steps off at 80th Street and 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge. The parade route after stepping off, is as follows: turns right at 75th Street [aka Bay Ridge Parkway], left on 5th Avenue, to 67th Street and then along the Park - ending between 6th and 7th Avenues where the reviewing stand is. Street fairs in Bay Ridge Brooklyn NYC.
Queens Things To Do This Weekend NYC
Tuesday - Friday, May 10 - 20, 2022 - NYC X Design. This is at various venues at various times. It's all about the many facets of design - from workshops to exhibits to markets. Every day is chuck full of events - see www.nycxdesign.org for details. Many events are free.
The photo at right was taken in Queens last week, when the beautifully vivid colors of nature gave us a wondrous - but short lived - Spring bloom color show.
Saturday & Sunday, May 14 & 15, 2022 from 12 noon - 6 pm _ Downtown Jamaica Jazz Festival in Queens. They have nearly a dozen performances scheduled each day at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center at 153-10 Jamaica Avenue in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens. Jazz festivals in Queens.
Sunday, May 15, 2022 from 10 am - 6 pm - Astoria 31st Street Spring Festival - Along 31st Street from Ditmars Blvd to 21st Avenue sponsored by the Astoria Restoration Association.
Thursday through Sunday, May 19 - 22, 2022 runs 5 pm - 11 pm Thursday & Friday, and 1 - 11 pm Saturday & ending at 10 pm Sunday - 45th Annual Greek Festival at St Demetrios Church on 31st Avenue and 30th Drive. Old fashioned town fair including traditional Greek food, good rides and prizes for the kids, and Greek cultural music and dance entertainment. Click here for St Demetrios street fair map. 718.728.1718.
Bronx Things To Do This Weekend NYC
Ending Sunday May 15, 2022 - Bronx Week - Multiple events at various locations in the Bronx. Details coming, but in the meantime see their website at www.bronxboropres.nyc.
Sunday May 15, 2022 from 12 noon - 6 pm - Street Co-Naming Ceremony & Fair - In honor of Gjergi Kastrioti Skenderbeu. At the corner of Crescent and Arthur Avenues in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx. The event include Albanian culture, food, entertainment and games. By the Albanian American Open Hand Assn.
BELMONT - May 2022 EVERY weekend from 6pm to 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 1pm to 9pm on Sundays - Piazza di Belmont - Outdoor dining on Arthur Avenue which will be closed to vehicular traffic from East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue during the above mentioned times.
Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend NYC
Sunday, May 15, 2022 from 10 am - 4 pm - The Great Staten Island Lighthouse Hunt. Begins at either the Staten Island Lighthouse in St. George or at the Conference House in Tottenville. The cost is $35 per carload or $15 per bicycle / motorcycle. Teams of three are recommended to drive, navigate and shoot photos.
Have a nice weekend.
Memorial Day Weekend Things To Do in Brooklyn NYC
Things To Do in Brooklyn over the Memorial Day Weekend
This is a report containing things to do in Manhattan over the Memorial Day Weekend.
Memorial Day Weekend is a few weeks away. But given New Yorkers' interest in resuming some level of normalcy post pandemic, I thought you might want more time to figure out how you're going to spend the weekend.
NYC Weather on Memorial Day Last Year [2021]. The Temperature highs will be in the mid 70's on Friday, rising to 90 for Saturday and Sunday. The temperature lows will be around 60 on Friday and Sunday, rising to 70 on Saturday. No Rain is in the forecast. Winds will range between 5 - 12 mph all weekend. The Humidity will be betwen 40% - 60% through the weekend.
The things to do in Manhattan on Memorial Day Weekend include art exhibitions, theater, live music, comedy, dance, shopping, outdoor activities such as soccer, kyaking, baseball, parades, street fairs, museums and dining in the Dumbo, Williamsburg, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Greenpoint, Bushwick, Greenwood Heights, Gowanus, Downtown Brooklyn, Sunset Park, Bayridge, Marine Park, Coney Island neighborhoods of Brooklyn NYC.
Be sure to check our Memorial Day Weekend things to do on Friday afternoon leading into the Memorial Day Weekend in Brooklyn NYC.
Brief History of the Memorial Day Holiday in Brooklyn
Memorial Day first started out as Decoration Day in Waterloo, New York on May 30, 1866 - a year after the Civil War - to honor those who fought in it. In the 1880's the day came to be known as Memorial Day.
According to a May 25, 2012 report in Time Magazine, ten states - Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee also officially observe some version of a Confederate Memorial Day, sometime between late April and early June [in Texas it's in January]. It's been reported that unofficially most of the former Confederate states still commemorate it, but not without some controversy as to the former Confederate diaspora it's to honor their ancestors, while to the former diaspora of the slaves it seems a remnant of these states racist past.
About ten percent of the nation travels more than 50 miles over the weekend. Memorial Day differs from Veterans Day which is held on November 11th of each year. Veterans Day began by honoring those who fought in World War I which ended on the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. Both honor those who served in the U.S. Military. Veterans Day coincides with a similar holiday in Europe for the same reason, which is called Remembrance Day and Armistice Day.
Mothers Day Weekend, Cannabis Parade, Indian Film Festival Begins, AIDS Walk in Central Park, TEFAF Show at the Armory, Municipal Art Society Janes Walk in all 5 Boros, Bronx Week & Piazza Belmont Returns, Arts & Craft Show & Carnival on Staten Island & Spring Festival at the LeFrak Center in Brooklyn, Mothers Day Stroll & Jackson Heights Orchestra in Queens
Weather NYC. Cool with some rain and high winds on Saturday and both diminishing over Sunday. Details coming Shortly.
The photo at right was taken along 5th Avenue at about 50th Street during the Easter Bonnet Parade in Manhattan a couple of weeks ago. This week the Cannabis Parade marches down Broadway to Union Square Park.
Details on these and other events coming later today. It's 5.30 pm. I expect to have this completed by about 12 noon Saturday, hopefully sooner.
NYC Things To Do - All Boros
Mothers Day - scroll down for restaurant suggestions.
Saturday & Sunday, May 6 - 8, 2022 - Janes Walk - Various art, culture, history and architectural tours throughout all five boros of NYC. Organized by the Municipal Art Society. See https://www.mas.org/events/ for details.
Manhattan Things To Do
On Saturday, May 7, 2022 - parade from 11 am to 1 pm and after party from 1 pm - 5 pm. The Cannabis Parade festivities begin at 11 am at 32nd Street and Broadway. The parade begins at 12.30 pm from that location, marching south along Broadway to Union Square Park. Then, from 1 - 5 pm, there are performances and talks held in Union Square Park.
Friday - Tuesday, May 6 - 10, 2022 from 12 noon - 8 pm, except May 8 & 10 when it closes at 6 pm - TEFAF - The European Fine Art Foundation - Fine Art Show at the Park Avenue Armory at 643 Park Avenue in the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
Sunday, May 8, 2022 beginning at 10 am - AIDS Walk in Central Park. Their website doesn't give clear guidance on the route [they show a San Francisco map], but it seems to start at the 72nd east side entrance by Summer Stage and end at Rumsey Playfield. It's a four mile walk and you can sign up to run. Donations go to support the Gay Men's Health Crisis [GMHC].
Saturday - Saturday, May 7 - 14, 2022 - Indian Film Festival - At various times, mostly virtually, except the finale. For details see www.nyiff.us/
Janes Walk - see above. For fairs and farmers markets, see below.
Brooklyn Things To Do
Saturday, May 7, 2022 from 12 noon - 10 pm - Spring Fest. Food, music and entertainment. At the LeFrak Center in Prospect Park.
Janes Walk - see above. For fairs and farmers markets, see below.
Queens Things To Do
On Sunday from 11 am - 1 pm there's a Mothers Day Stroll on the 34th Avenue Promenade between 77th and 82nd Streets in Jackson Heights in Queens. Free. Organized by the Jackson Heights Beautification Group in conjunction with local government officials.
The Chocolate Factory theater has reopened at their new location at 38-33 24th Street in Long Island City in Queens. There are performances of Wings of Iron from May 18 - 21 and also of Diptych from May 19 - 21. Tickets are $25 and $20 respectively.
Jackson Heights Orchestra performs on Wednesday, May 11 beginning at 7.30 pm at St. Marks Episcopal Church in Jackson Heights, Queens. Tickets are a suggested donation of $20 / $10. For details see jhbg.org.
Janes Walk - see above. For fairs and farmers markets, see below.
Bronx Things To Do
Friday, May 5 - Sunday May 15, 2022 - Bronx Week - Multiple events at various locations in the Bronx. Details coming, but in the meantime see their website at www.bronxboropres.nyc.
The Stadium Fair usually held in May was moved to later in the season.
May 2022 EVERY weekend from 6pm to 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 1pm to 9pm on Sundays - Piazza di Belmont - Outdoor dining on Arthur Avenue which will be closed to vehicular traffic from East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue during the above mentioned times.
Janes Walk - see above. For fairs and farmers markets, see below.
Staten Island Things To Do
Wednesday - Sunday, May 4 - 8, 2022 there's an Arts & Crafts Show at the Staten Island Mall at 2655 Richmond Avenue in the Heartland Village neighborhood. The show includes ceramics, glass, metal work, wood, jewelry, painting and photos. Current Mall Hours are Monday-Thursday 11am-7pm, Friday-Saturday 10am-8pm, Sunday 11am-6pm - but vendor times will likely vary.
The Heritage Farm Stand Farmers Market opens Saturday, May 7 from 9 am - 3.30 pm near the Botanical Garden at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center in Randall Manor on Staten Island.
Janes Walk - see above. For fairs and farmers markets, see links below.
Last night I went to see the red carpet arrivals at the Met Gala. The Met Gala is considered to be one of the most fashionable events of the year. It's by invitation only, costs between $30,000 and $35,000 per ticket. The event is generally said to run from about 6 pm to about 9.30 or 10.30 pm.
This year the fashion theme was of the opulence, fame and excess that accompanied the Gilded Age. But you'd never have known there was a theme, because the rich and famous of today - as back then - pretty much do whatever they want. And many of their outfits said just that.
Many observers think that the red carpet arrivals are the height of the show ... but then many observers likely never make it inside the museum to see how the other half parties.
Since this was my first time covering this event, I arrived unfashionably on time, around 6 pm, taking the subway to 86th Street as my limosine driver had the night off, and it really didn't matter, because my limosine was in the shop for repairs.
I made my way south to 84th Street and headed west toward the museum, where NYPD barricades had cordoned off the area from both automotive and pedestrian traffic. I had a Press Pass, so I was waived through, like the folks who could prove they lived there.
In the photo above right you see the crowd of people along 5th Avenue watching as the celebrity fashionistas strut their stuff prior to entering the Met Gala Monday night. In the photo at right you see a fashionista ingenue taking photos of the celebrity arrivals at the Met Gala.
Along 5th Avenue there was a crowd, of mostly females, generally on the younger side, but of all ages, and some accompanied by men. I believe some of the girls had come from the nearby local private high schools, as they were still wearing their uniforms. All were excited to see the celebrities walk down the red carpet, positioned north of the museum along 5th Avenue with a canopy above them, as the weather today was a bit uncertain.
We were confined to the east side of 5th Avenue, able to see the celebrities strut their stuff across the street, separated not just by the barricades and avenue, but also an intermittent flow of traffic including buses and taxis, which I suspect were filled with folks wanting a closer view - albeit for a very short period of time.
I snapped a number of photos of the red carpet baggers, some of which I'll include in a video later this week. While I didn't get photos of these folks, later on television I saw Kardi B, Pete Davidson with the Kardashian sisters, Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, Billionaire Elon Musk, and numerousothers, as well as the honorary chairs, Tom Ford, Adam Mosseri and Anna Wintour.
I stayed for a while, before extricating myself from the crowd along 5th Avenue and making my way back to Madison Avenue. I started strolling down Madison Avenue which was also filled with mostly young women and girls. At 82nd Street I was surprised to see that this street - which leads to the entrance of the Metropolitan Museum - was not cordoned off.
A crowd had filled the street, getting tighter and more densely packed, the closer one came to the 5th Avenue entrance. A number of people came dressed for the occasion, including a couple in some Halloween like outfits [not shown here but possibly coming in the video], as well as those showcasing their own sense of style.
In the photo at right, you see the crowd on 82nd Street filled with young New Yorkers interested in fashion and celebrities, who have a bit of fashion sense of their own.
The weather was cool, but not wet, and so it was just shy of a perfect night, depending on what you were wearing. The Met Gala began in 1946. An estimated 400 people attend, and tables cost between $200,000 and $300,000. The proceeds from the fashion event, estimated to be about $60 million, go to the Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute. Not a bad way to spend a Monday evening, even for the very wealthy of New York City.
As it was a nice evening I walked part of the way home, before heading back down into the subway where my chariot awaited, whisking me under the river and through the woods, to Queens.
This Weekend Things to Do NYC
Nice Weather Weekend for the 5 Boro Bike Ride NYC, Yankee Peddler Day at Historic Richmond Town Staten Island, Night Food Market & Orchid Show in the Bronx, May Day Festival & BAM Queer Film Weekend in Brooklyn, International Cultural Festival Queens & Dance Fest at Wolman Rink & Met Gala Monday in Manhattan ... and more ...
Weather NYC. The temperature highs will rise from the low 60's on Friday to the high 60's on Saturday and Sunday. The temperature lows will rise from the low 40's on Friday, to the high 40's on Saturday to about 50 on Sunday. The humidity will be very low on Friday, ranging from 10% to 40%, rising to 30% - 45% on Saturday and then 35% to 55% on Sunday. The wind will finally settle down to 5 - 10 mph throughout the weekend. No rain is expected this weekend.
In the photo at right are cyclists participating in the 5 Boro Bike Ride as they make their way through Queens in a prior year. The cycling event returns Sunday. See details below.
Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend NYC
There's a Coney Island Polar Bear Club event on Saturday & Sunday at Wolman Rink in Central Park from 2 pm - 10 pm. It's a charity event and tickets aren't cheap at $191 / person. See www.wolmanrinknyc.com for details.
The 5 Boro Bike Ride returns to all five boroughs of NYC on Sunday. Details in Manhattan street fairs.
The Met Gala returns to the Metropolitan Museum on Monday.
Sunday, May 1, 2022 from 12 noon - 6 pm - Steinway Street Cultural Festival along Steinway Street from 28th to 34th Avenue. Sponsored by Central Astoria LDC.
The art show entitled “Blood is Thicker than the Water that Separated U.S.,” will be on exhibit at the Lewis Latimer House Museum, 34-41 137th Street in Flushing until July 3rd. Free tickets are available to the public at www.lewislatimerhouse.eventbrite.com.
The photo below right was taken on the Upper West Side of Manhattan this week. Folks were wearing coats, as the wind was blustery most of the week, and the temperatures were a bit below normal. Better weather is on the way this weekend.
Brooklyn Things To Do This Weekend NYC
There's a May Day Festival of Resistance is being held in Maria Hernandez Park at Knickerbocker Avenue and Suydam Street on Sunday from 1 - 7 pm by MayDaySpace.org of Bushwick. I think it's free.
In the Peter Jay Sharp Building at the Brooklyn Academy of Music aka BAM at 30 Lafayette Avenue in Brooklyn, they will be showing various films with a queer theme all weekend. Tickets [$16 / $11] may be purchased online at www.bam.org.
Luna Park Amusement Park at Coney Island opened on April 2nd, for the 2022 season.
The Greenpoint Terminal market opens Sunday, as does the Bat Haus CoWorking Space Spring Market - Click here for details - Brooklyn street fairs
Yankee Peddler Day returns to Historic Richmond Town on Sunday from 9.30 am - 3.30 pm. The market generally invites sellers to display goods from early America, as well as other items. See details in Staten Island street fairs.
The Conference House in Tottenville opened for the season on April 23rd and will be open Saturdays and Sundays for tours from 12 noon - 4 pm. They're located at 298 Satterlee Street on Staten Island.
Very Nice Earth Day Weekend Ahead, Orthodox Easter Weekend, Passover ends Saturday, NY Auto Show ends Sunday, Persian Day Parade Sunday, Orchid Show in the Bronx; Luna Park Open at Coney Island, BAM, Andy Warhol exhibits in Brooklyn; Museums in Queens & Earth Day Celebration on Staten Island Saturday
Weather NYC. The temperature highs will be in the 60's and the temperature lows will be around 50. No rain. Humidity will range from 35% - 45% on Friday, 45% - 65% on Saturday and 55% - 65% on Sunday. Winds will be 8 - 12 mph Friday, dropping to 5 - 8 mph for the rest of the weekend.
In the photo at right is a woman dressed up for the annual Bonnet Parade held last Sunday in Manhattan. The event has morphed from a genteel event, where women dressed up fancy for and after Sunday Mass, to something more of a themed costume party, where both men and women dress up in their Easter best.
NYC Things To Do - Earth Day & Greek Orthodox Holy Friday
Today is Earth Day. Early this morning some folks from Extinction Rebellion protested at the printing plant in College Point that prints the NY Post, New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Two of the three newspapers are controlled by Australian born Oligarch and climate information distortionaist and minimizer, Rupert Murdoch, who also controls Fox News and owns a large influential share of ABC News.
This is also Greek and Eastern European Orthodox Christian Easter Weekend. One of my favorite Greek traditions is where the Greek parishoners reenact part of the Passion of the Christ in a march through the street. A man carries the cross and a number of men carry the epitaphios, which is a flowered funerary cask. You can view this on the streets of Astoria in multiple locations, including near St. Demetrios Cathedral, in Astoria. In Manhattan you can attend a similar event at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church at 143 East 17th Street only blocks away from Gramercy Park. Generally the masses begin at 7 pm and the processions begin at 8 pm, sometimes a bit later. And then, of course, on Sunday there's an Easter mass.
The photo at right was taken in an earlier year of the Holy Friday procession with the epitaphios in Astoria.
And Passover, which celebrates the Jews freedom from slavery thousands of years ago, ends Saturday.
A number of farmers markets are already open for the season, with many others to open over the coming months. We finished updating them this past week so you can view the markets in each of the boroughs, using the link(s) included in the report below.
Manhattan Things To Do This Weekend NYC
On Sunday, April 24th beginning at 11 am, the Persian Day Parade kicks off along Madison Avenue from 39th Street down to Madison Square Park. Usually there's a festival of sorts after the parade.
NY Auto Show opened at the Javits Center on Friday, April 15th and runs through Sunday, April 24th. Tickets are $17 adult / $7 child at www.autoshowny.com.
The photo at right was taken in Queens last week, where you can see the trees - all white - budding. This weekend, they've turned a bright green.
The art show entitled “Blood is Thicker than the Water that Separated U.S.,” will be on exhibit at the Lewis Latimer House Museum, 34-41 137th Street in Flushing until July 3rd. Free tickets are available to the public at www.lewislatimerhouse.eventbrite.com.
The Museum of the Moving Image is hosting an exhibit that began December 18, 2021 and runs through May 15, 2022 entitled Deepfake: Unstable Evidence on Screen. The exhibit explores how fact becomes distorted and fictionalized via the moving image screen. At the centerpiece of it all is the distortion of the Apollo 11 moon mission. The museum is open Friday from 2 - 8 pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 12 noon - 6 pm. For details and tickets see www.movingimage.us. Admission $15 / $11 / $9.
The photo at right was taken from the subway in Brooklyn, showing the downtown, where highrise buildings have been rising into the sky like weeds with each passing year.
The Brooklyn Museum at 200 Eastern Parkway has about a dozen exhibits running at present. The two featured exhibits focus on Andy Warhol's Revelation print which explores the artist's religious faith [closes June 19, 2022]. The other is one entitled A Crack in the Hourglass, An Ongoing COVID-19 Memorial which grapples with the incredible loss of life during the pandemic [closes June 26,2022]. Admission is $25 / $16 / $10 and CoVid protocols remain in effect. Details and tickets at www.brooklynmuseum.org.
Luna Park [amusement park] at Coney Island opened a few weeks ago for the season.
In the Peter Jay Sharp Building at the Brooklyn Academy of Music aka BAM at 30 Lafayette Avenue in Brooklyn, they will be showing various films all weekend starting at 1.15 pm, with the last showtime at 9.40 pm. CoVid protocols remain in effect and tickets [$16 / $11] may be purchased online at www.bam.org
Bronx Things To Do This Weekend NYC
The Orchid Show at the NY Botanical Garden at 2900 Southern Blvd in the Bronx began in late February and continues through May 1.
The photo at right was taken of Yankee Stadium in the Bronx on home opening weekend. The season has begun, bringing with it, a certain rhythm to the borough. The Yankees have a 7 - 6 record and are one game out of first place, after Toronto. The Mets meanwhile are in first place with a 10 - 4 record, which is 'amazing'. As there are 162 games in the season, there's plenty of time where just about anything can happen.
Staten Island Things To Do This Weekend NYC
On Saturday there's an Earth Day celebration from 11 am - 3 pm at Fresh Kills Park at 2240 Richmond Avenue on Staten Island. There are a number of activities for both kids and adults including composting, planting, nature walks, yoga and storytimes. It's free. www.freshkillspark.org.
I may find a bit more to add as the weekend progresses, but in the meantime, have a nice weekend.
In the photo at right you see a group of Yankees fans on their way to the game on Sunday, April 10th. While the game was scheduled to begin at 8 pm, these super fans were on their way to the ball park at 4 pm.
They were brimming with enthusiasm, as the Yankees' 2022 season was off to a good start, beating their arch nemesis, the Boston Red Sox, in the season opener on Friday and again on Saturday. Unfortunately, the Red Sox rallied late in the game and won 4 - 3.
The video shows a few scenes of this group's talent and enthusiasm for the Yankees.
Russia Ukraine War Report Series - March - May 2022
Updated April 4, 2022 / International News NYC / Gotham Buzz.
This section contains our Russia Ukraine War Report Series which we began in March of 2022. We hope it will end by the end of May, but who knows how long it will take the Russian people to rise up against the oppressive Putin dictatorship / regime.
How Mentally Ill is the Australian Born Oligarch Rupert Murdoch?
Murdoch & his Rubber Stamp 'WSJ Editorial Board' Continue to Push the Bounds of Indecency with this Image
A Former Prime Minister of Rupert Murdoch's Native Australia called Murdoch a 'Cancer on Democracy', Murdoch was Called 'Unfit to Run an International Company' by a Member(s) of British Parliament, Murdoch's Company was Alleged to have Hacked the Phones of the Victims of 911 for Headlines, as well as the Phone of a Mother Whose Daughter was Murdered [also for headlines], he's been Accused of Government Corruption Many Times, and for Inciting the U.S., Britain & Australia to Invade Iraq for [Oil and] Ratings
You don't have to have a journalism degree to see what's wrong with this image.
You don't have to be a member of an Editorial Board of one of the nation's three daily newspapers to see what's wrong with this image.
You don't need to be an editor to see what's wrong with this image.
What you do need is some sense of decency.
Which is what is totally lacking in the character of the man who controls the Wall Street Journal and it's Editorial Board - Australian born Oligarch, Rupert Murdoch.
After researching and watching him since 2015, I have come to the conclusion that he is easily a sociopath [weak moral compass], and more likely a psychopath [unstable and aggressive personality disorder].
See for yourself on these two WSJ pages before they hopefully have the decency or shame to take it down.
It's worth reminding people that this man, Rupert Murdoch, controls or wields incredible influence in about half of our daily national news media [Fox, NY Post, WSJ & ABC News], which is why things have become so messed up since he arrived on our shores. But the TV newspeople who do and don't work for him, fail to inform the nation, by calling him out.
I believe most Americans don't even know who he is [somebody needs to conduct a poll]. And he greatly influences - if not controls - the national conversation.
Part VI of the Ukraine series coming this week.
Weekend Things To Do NYC - March 2022
This section contains our Weekend Things To Do reports for the month of March 2022.
Ukraine Part V: Adding Context to the Shallow Reporting of TV News
In Part V We Delve into the Russian Politics Leading up to the War in Ukraine, the Role of the Russian Mob and Oligarchs and a Look at NATO Expansion & What's Happening at the Peace Negotiation Table in Turkey
To Understand Russia Today, a Little Background is in Order - Unfortunately the Incredibly Lame TV News is Failing Miserably at Providing it
In the graphic at right is the head of the Russian mob, Semion Mogilevich. Mogilevich, a Ukrainian, rose in the criminal world in Russia reportedly starting in the 1980's. In the early 1990's as the government of the Soviet Union was collapsing, Mogilevich and Vladimir Putin became fast friends.
At that time, the Russian mob began spreading like cancer to the nations of Eastern Europe, as well as to Britain and the U.S.. The spread of the Russian mob was fueled by disgruntled Russian veterans from the Afghanistan War, and by ill-gotten gains, some of which allegedly came from an incredibly corrupt Russian government which was first headed by Boris Yeltsin, and then his hand-picked successor, Vladimir Putin.
One of Mogilevich's under bosses met with Donald Trump as early as 1984. According to a January 12, 2019 report by Vox,
"... The very first episode that's been documented, to my knowledge, was in 1984 when David Bogatin -- who is a Russian mobster, convicted gasoline bootlegger, and close ally of Semion Mogilevich, a major Russian mob boss -- met with Trump in Trump Tower right after it opened. Bogatin came to that meeting prepared to spend $6 million, which is equivalent to about $15 million today ... Bogatin bought five condos from Trump at that meeting. Those condos were later seized by the government, which claimed they were used to launder money for the Russian mob ..."
The Primary Differences Between a Free Society & a Dictatorship - Truth & Transparency vs Deception & Corruption
Except for the most corrupt of people, most humans - given the choice - would like to live in a democracy: 1) in a society governed by laws, 2) where free speech doesn't get you 15 years in prison or a death sentence like it does in Russia today, 3) in a nation where you get to choose your leaders, and 4) can non-violently fire your leaders when they implement bad policies for the nation. That's what we have here in America, and that's what most of the other NATO countries offer their people.
At present Russia is the bizarro rendition of the free, democratic nations of NATO. Putin's changing of the Russian Federation Constitution in 2020 essentially enables him to hold government power for the rest of his life [until 2036, when he's age 83]. And the imprisonment and multi-year sentencing of Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny in 2021 / 2022, shows that Russian rule of law is merely a charade. Reportedly between 13,000 and 15,000 Russian peaceful protesters have been jalied since the Russian Invasion of Ukraine began in late February of 2022. Unfortunately, aspirations of becoming a free society, where the people are able to pick and choose their own leaders, continues to elude Russia, as the corruption in the Russian Federation electoral process, makes voting seem a useless waste of time.
For these and other reasons, Ukraine embarked on the path toward joining NATO since the collapse of the Soviet Union. And, as described in Part II of this report series, that's also why the Ukrainians have been seeking independence from Russia for at least a century - if not longer - prior to this most recent Russian invasion.
From Gorbachev to Yeltsin - Before, During & After the Fall of the Berlin Wall
Mikhail Gorbachev was the Secretary General of the Communist Party from 1985 to 1990. During his terms in office, he was a reformer who advocated for glasnost, which was the opening up of Russian society. Through glasnost, the government was more consultative with the people with respect to the policies it pursued, and there was wider dissemination of information. For the first time in about two thirds of a century [since the Russian Revolution] the Russian government loosened its restrictive control over the populace. Gorbachev also decided that Russia needed to withdraw from Afghanistan in 1989 [see our report on Biden's withdrawal from Afghanistan which compares the two], since it was a winless war. In 1979, Secretary General Leonid Brezhnev had also expressed an openness to reforming the Russian government's role in society.
In November 1989, the Berlin Wall fell. Germany and Russia negotiated for East Germany's independence from the Soviet Union. In March of 1990, Mikhail Gorbachev became the first President of the Soviet Union. He continued trying to move Russia into the modern world via Perestroika, which at first was about automation, but grew to entail economic and social reforms. Some of the Eastern European nations, like Lithuania, began to push for greater autonomy from the Soviet Union. To continue on the reform path, Gorbachev needed money, and this is where the west failed Russia during this transition.
By failing to help Gorbachev, by keeping Russia frozen out of the G7 which would have given him access to the liquidity of global markets, things worsened in Russia. Eventually a group of eight leaders of the Communist Party held Gorbachev under house arrest while he was vacationing near the Black Sea, in an attempt to stage a coup. Gorbachev refused to make / legitimize the governmental changes they demanded.
Back in Moscow, Boris Yeltsin, President of the Soviet State [which if I understand this correctly that Soviet state is now Russia], stepped in with troops loyal to him and protesters to stop the storming of the Russian Parliament and to save the government of Gorbachev's Soviet Union [which included all other Soviet republics at the time as well as Yeltsin's Soviet State]. By beating back the coup initiated by the members of Gorbachev's own Communist Party, Yeltsin ascended to the top spot. But not until after some changes were made.
First Day of Spring, Half Marathon, St Pat's Parade & Andy Warhol exhibit in Brooklyn, Astoria Pawrade & Deepfake at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, St Pat's Parade, Orchid Show & Storming of the Capitol in the Bronx, Cicadas on Staten Island & Photo Exhibit in Manhattan
Weather. The temperature high will be 70 on Friday descending to about 60 on Saturday and Sunday. The temperature lows will be 50 on Friday and Saturday, dropping to the low 40's on Sunday. Winds will be 5 - 10 mph on Friday and Saturday, rising to 10 - 15 mph on Sunday. Humidity will range from 60% - 70% on Friday, 80% on Saturday and 60% - 50% on Sunday. About a third of an inch of rain is expected Saturday before 12 noon and after 6 pm. As of this post, during Saturday afternoon the probability of rain falls to 35% or less. The rest of the weekend may have some clouds, but no additional rain.
Sunday is the first day of Spring. Hooray.
The photo at right was taken Sunday morning 3/20/22 along Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, as 25,000 half marathoners made their way along the 13.1 mile couse toward the Manhattan Bridge on their way to Central Park. We posted the event below on Friday.
Things to do in Queens This Weekend
There's a pet parade in Astoria on Sunday from 12 - 2.30 pm organized by the Central Astoria Development Corporation in tandem with the Steinway Astoria Partnership along 31st Avenue between Steinway and 38th Street. Free.
The Museum of the Moving Image is hosting an exhibit that began December 18, 2021 and runs through May 15, 2022 entitled Deepfake: Unstable Evidence on Screen. The exhibit explores how fact becomes distorted and fictionalized via the moving image screen. At the centerpiece of it all is the distortion of the Apollo 11 moon mission. The museum is open Friday from 2 - 8 pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 12 noon - 6 pm. For details and tickets see www.movingimage.us. Admission $15 / $11 / $9.
The photo at right was taken at the Deepfake: Unstable Evidence on Screen exhibit at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens. The exhibit is very topical given what's going on between Russia and the Ukraine, as well as generally, on TV and via social media. The exhibit examines the challenges people face in being able to determine whether what they see on screen is real or fake. They start around WWII, include the Kennedy assassination video, a fake video 'proving' the lunar mission was faked, another video 'proving' that 911 was a 'false flag' operation and then a whole group of videos - both real and fake - of events of the past few decades. It's definitely worth the visit before the exhibit ends in May.
Ukraine III: Adding Context to What You're Seeing on the TV Networks
In Part III We Delve into the Threat of WWIII, the Russia / China Pact of February 2022 to Keep Dictators Putin & Xi Jinping in Power is Reminiscent of '1939 Pact of Steel' by Mussolini & Hitler, Putin's Alleged Corruption & Yacht, and the Putin-Pleasing-Propaganda-Press in America
In Part I, two weeks ago, I looked at the relative sizes of the economy, population and industries of Russia vis a vis Ukraine. This was followed by a very short topline summary of some of the politics, culture and fluctuating borderlines of the Ukraine. And lastly, talked about how Fox News, the Wall St. Journal and the NY Post which are owned and controlled by a fascist-leaning billionaire from Australia [Rupert Murdoch], appears to be aiding and abetting Putin's War by continually bashing the Biden Administration, through his cadre of propagandists.
In the graphic at right, put together by the BBC in London, you can see that western Ukraine has largely been left alone, while the war rages in the East mostly along the Russian border. Western forces should be sure to provide Ukrainian forces with sea and river mines to thwart Russia's water borne assault capabilities along the Black Sea and the Dnieper River. They should also give consideration to bombing Putin's Palace at Gelendzhik on the Black Sea in order to publicize the alleged corruption of Putin and the Oligarchs as one of the reasons that the Russian forces have fared so poorly and why Putin - like Benito Mussolini - is reportedly asking [begging] Xi Jinping for financial and weaponry handouts. Both Putin and Xi deny the reports.
Recap of Part II - Putin's Alleged Palace & Corruption Impact on Russian Military, Morale of Russian Military - Half of Whom are Poor Peasant Conscripts - the Economic & Military Value of the Ukraine to Russia & the Fighting Heritage of the Cossacks
In Part II, a week ago, I talked about how Australian born billionaire, mass media propagandist Rupert Murdoch and dictator Vladimir Putin's tactics share many similarities. They are differentiated in that Rupert Murdoch uses economic muscle and propaganda to get indirect control / influence over the corporations and governments he wants to plunder. While Vladimir Putin also uses economic muscle and propaganda - but enhances it with a Nazi tactic by adding violence and force to the mix - to obtain direct control over the corporations and governments he wants to plunder. All of these tactics were used by the Nazis to gain control - first of Germany and then a significant portion of Europe.
The graphic at right shows Rupert Murdoch and Vladimir Putin during happier times. Eventually Murdoch exited Russian media under duress, likely because Putin realized how Murdoch manipulated his audiences. A Russian Oligarch, Boris Berezovsky, was said to be a Murdoch friend who at one time controlled a lot of Russian media. Berezovsky was believed to have been murdered, but it could not be proven, so the coroner left the verdict open. So why does Murdoch media appear to favor Putin? Fear? Because both have fascist tendencies? Or both?
Then I delved into the importance of the Dnieper River, which flows south from Smolensk in Russia through the Ukraine and into the Black Sea. It's important because currently Russia has limited access to the world waterways via the Baltic Sea which is treacherous for much of the year, and the Black Sea which is a body of water shared by many nations, including many of the former Soviet Republics, including Ukraine.
Conquering Ukraine would give Russia a broader, more defensible / offensible presence on the Black Sea. This is likely of great concern to other Black Sea nations such as Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Georgia. All but the last two are NATO member nations. And the Ukraine was working toward becoming an eligible member.
I also talked about Putin's $1.4 billion mansion at Gelendzhik, which is a beachside tourist resort in Russia along the Black Sea. Putin denies he built the mansion with public funds, although a number of military observers believe that Putin and the Oligarchs looted the Russian Defense budget, which is why Russia has performed so poorly in this war. Also, about half of the Russians of their 600,000 fighting force were young men conscripted to die for Putin's War in a manner not unlike what happened to the poor Russians during WWI when the Czars sent them to fight for the Czar's throne.
In the graphic at right, an American cartoonist shares a worldwide point of view that Putin is a war criminal.
This report is a catch up on some of the key local news items over the past couple of weeks.
MTA Ridership Slowly Inching Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels / Hochul Announces Fare Capping Program / MTA Crime not as Huge as the Corporate Broadcast Media Sensationalizes it
In the photo at right are a number of Chinese American women, who participated in the Chinese New Year Parade celebrating the year of the Tiger in Chinatown in Manhattan, were out to see and be seen last Sunday.
We've been tracking MTA ridership since the pandemic began. The subway ridership plummeted down 90% when the pandemic broke in the Spring of 2020. By the fall of 2020 MTA ridership had risen to a loss of 80%, rising to a loss of 50% - 66% in the Spring of 2021, and then a loss of 35% - 55% in the Fall of 2021. As of this week, the MTA subway ridership losses were in the range of 28% - 43% versus pre-pandemic.
On February 7, 2022, NYS Governor Kathy Hochul announced a new 'Fare Capping Program' whereby passengers would only have to pay for 12 full fare rides in a week [but using the same device / MetroCard] and after which the rides for the rest of the week would be free [Monday - Sunday]. The program begins Monday, February 28th and is expected to run for four months.
The corporate broadcast media seems to sensationalize everything these days in order to ratchet up their ratings, revenue and profit. MTA Ridership during the winter a year ago was about half the pre-pandemic level, and today it's about two thirds the pre-pandemic level meaning it has risen about 50% vs a year ago. According to NYPD Compustat, crime in the subway during the past 28 days is up 33%, so crime isn't rising as fast as ridership.
Nonetheless, crime in the subways is up by about the same percentage versus the pre-pandemic levels, so it's a bigger problem than it was before the pandemic started. It is believed, that the reason for the higher transit crime rate, is that as fewer people rode the rails during the pandemic, the homeless moved in and were able to use the subway as their shelter.
Late last week NYC Mayor Eric Adams and NYS Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the city and the state would collaborate to increase the NYPD presence in the subways to remove and / or assist the homeless from making the MTA their home by offering them an option to leave or an option to get medical, psychiatric and social services help. To that end it was noted that the NYPD upped the deployment of NYPD [about 1,000 officers] into the transit system, focusing - it seems - on the major hubs, and the Governor was working on multi-billion healthcare plans which would include provisions for helping the mentally ill and homeless.
NYC & NYS Vaccination Rates Well Ahead of National Rates
The current NYC vaccination rate is 77%, with another 9% having received at least one dose [86%]. The current NYS vaccination rate is 75%, with another 12% having received at least one dose [87%]. The current U.S. vaccination rate is 65%, with another 12% having received at least one dose [77%].
As a result of the vaccination rates, and with the passing of the Omicron super spreader holiday season, CoVid Omicron new case growth, hospitalizations and deaths have been declining at the NYC, NYS and USA levels.
For New York City the weekly, daily average, test rate of 1.7% for new cases, with only a weekly, daily average new case rate of 707 reported, a weekly, daily average rate of 35 hospitalizations and a weekly, daily average rate of 17 deaths.
For New York State the same weekly, daily average rates are 2% positive new test cases, about 1,750 daily new cases, about 200 daily new hospitalizations and about 35 daily new deaths.
For the United States the same rates are 8% positive new cases [this is a week old number compared to the others herein], about 84,878 new cases, about 8,642 hospitalizations [this is a week old number compared to the others herein] and 1,964 daily deaths.
NYC and NYS are leading the rest of the U.S. in pulling out of the pandemic, as the southern and central states are lagging behind. If you look at a map showing vaccination rates versus a map showing infection rates, you can see that they are inversely related.
Are these maps indicative of the intelligence, or how well informed the people of each state are? Do the smart people live in the states with the higher vaccination rates, or are the people who got infected with CoVid at higher rates [because they didn't get vaccinated], living in states where they have fewer or less reliable information sources, like Fox News? Studies have shown that Fox News enhances people's ignorance of the facts. Look it up.
On Wednesday morning I made my way into Manhattan to observe the funeral of slain NYPD Officer Mora. To be sure, it was a solemn occasion. I got off the subway near 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue. Once above ground, I made my way to Fifth Avenue and 42nd where I came across the largest gathering of police officers I have ever seen in my life [see photo at right].
As I walked up Fifth Avenue, I could hear the eulogies over the loud speakers, echoing in the street. I took a few photos and some video of the gathering which spanned all the way up to 50th Street by St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Eventually I had to detour off of Fifth Avenue, make my way down to Sixth Avenue, and then cut back in at 50th Street to get close to the cathedral on Fifth Avenue.
A Communal Gathering of Policemen from the TriState Area and Beyond, at Officer Mora's Funeral at St. Patrick's Cathedral on Wednesday, February 2nd, 2022
As I walked and listened I looked around at all of the policemen gathered in honor of a fellow member of the fraternal order of policemen – not just of New York City but of NYS - and for that matter - the U.S. All of the police men and women were standing, some standing silently listening to the speeches, while others made small talk with each other, between the speeches, about their kids, their families, their jobs, their departments [homicide / detectives / street patrolmen], cars and boats, as well as chatting about which police department or organization they represented.
It reminded me of other funerals I had attended, which it’s been said, are for the living – not the dead. Yes, we come to honor the dead, but they have since gone. And it is left to us who are left behind, to make sense of things. It is our job to figure out how to take the lessons their lives and make them work for us, so that they will not have died in vain.
The expansiveness of the showing of support was somewhere between impressive and overwhelming, as I walked silently through this sea of dark blue, which filled over 8 city blocks on a wide avenue - and which spilled well into the cross streets both east and west of the entire eight blocks. There were thousands of police, mostly men with some women, mostly white but also many minorities, who had come to pay their last respects for a member of their ranks who had made the ultimate sacrifice. A sacrifice that all of them know they must be ready to make each day as they don their dark coats to serve and protect the community. Us.
I noticed the badges sewn to their coats, representing Trenton and Teaneck New Jersey, Suffolk and Nassau Counties, New York State, and of course the NYPD, as well as a smattering of policemen from more distant communities. They projected a sense of sadness and courtesy, as I made my way through the crowd. I sensed that they must also have felt some measure of comfort, standing there, side by side with others like themselves, knowing that they are supported by so many others who share their sense of duty, ready to face down danger.
This seemed a bit like a George Floyd like moment for the police in the city and perhaps the nation. These two young officers, were senselessly murdered, while responding to a domestic violence call within a few blocks of the 32nd precinct Harlem police station where the two police officers worked. Shortly after the policemen entered the apartment, the assailant shot them down with a barrage of bullets from a semi-automatic gun which the assailant had stolen in Maryland.
As I came upon St Patrick’s Cathedral, surrounded by the police, it seemed like a fortress with its big, thick church doors closed, to keep out the noise and cold air while the mass continued inside. A coterie of media people were on a platform across the street from the front of the cathedral, waiting for the doors to open. The Mayor, Police Commissioner Sewell and Wilbur Mora’s brother and sister gave speeches. Karina, Mora's sister, gave her speech in Spanish, as the Moras immigrated here from the Dominican Republic decades ago.
The graphic at right is a Vox headline that asks why the diverging trends in crime vs violent crime.
Australian born billionaire Rupert Murdoch controls about half of our daily national corporate news media, including Fox News, the NY Post, the Wall St Journal and - along with two other Fox News investment funds - controls the largest share of ABC News stock.
For decades now, in English-speaking nations around the world, the propagandists posing as journalists who work for Murdoch, appear to distort the news so that Murdoch's favored politicans will get elected. Once elected, those pols seem to grant Murdoch huge tax breaks, regulatory changes and legislative favors in exchange for his propagandistic support of their candidacies.
The cost to us, the American people [the British and Australians as well] is that many critical issues are never properly addressed by the government officials selected by Murdoch, because his favored pols are generally chosen and supported based on what they will do for the totally self-serving billionaire - not the public. Hence Murdoch pols don't appear to reflect the people's will, but rather are chosen because Murdoch mass media outlets have manipulated the views of enough voters via their distorted daily Murdoch mass media 'news' intake, to enable Murdoch's favored pols to get elected. Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels employed these same kind of tactics, on an unsuspecting public, back in the early 1930's, in Germany.
At right is a graphic showing one of Murdoch's mini-Goebbels, pushing a false narrative that is designed to enrich himself and his billionaire boss by demonizing Democrats. The goal seems to use these issues promote false narratives that favor their pliant pols into powerful positions in government so that they can change policies to pump up the billionaire's propaganda profits. One such example is that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis gave ABC / Disney a half billion dollar tax break last summer and thereafter he appeared to have an open mic on Fox News with propagandists like the Tucker shown above.
To Rein in Guns & Violent Crime, We Must First Rein in Murdoch's Fox, WSJ, NY Post & Increasingly ABC News Distortions & Disinformation on the Subject
Reining in the guns used in violent crime in NYC, is one of many such issues that seem to be given Murdoch's special brand of propagandistic 'news' treatment. Murdoch's news outlets' reports appear to pander to gun owners and the NRA [5.5 million members], who are outspoken and generally against gun control. According to a November 13, 2020 report by Gallup, about 32% of Americans own a gun and about 44% live in a household where there is a gun owner. Hence, gun owners represent a fairly sizeable block of Murdoch's mass media audience, and his news reports pander to them, just as the pander to other voting blocks that Murdoch media seek to manipulate.
At right is a map showing which states have the highest homicide rates. Note that the states with the highest homicide mortality rates are governed by the Republicans - the ones who claim they stand for law and order. But what many of the Republicans in these states really seem to stand for, are the special interest groups like the gun-promoting NRA. Urban police forces, which are generally found in Democratically governed cities, are finding that the guns used in the murders in their cities, are coming from the Republican states. Republican governed states have the nation's highest murder rates [see graph above] and most lax guns laws. I don't think it is helpful to policize this issue by demonizing the other side, but given Rupert Murdoch's grip on our national discourse through his ownership, control and influence over half of our daily national corporate media, somebody has got to push back with the truth.
The TV newspeople appear to hype weather systems, to keep viewers inside all weekend, so they'll watch TV, and boost the corporate TV ratings to generate more revenue.
You can see an example of this in the graphic at right which shows a June 13, 2019 Washington Post report where a weatherman was fired by Sinclair Broadcasting, at a Murdoch ABC News station affiliate, because the weatherman wasn't going to use 'Code Red' to hype inclement weather systems, if he didn't think they merited such labeling.
This weekend the weather system coming in this evening is expected to end by about 3 pm Saturday, so while there may be an unknown number of inches of snow on the ground in NYC in January [what a concept], it shouldn't prevent New Yorkers from enjoying at least part of the weekend. But that said, be advised that while the snow should end by 3 pm, the winds die down more slowly, lasting the remainder of Saturday. And these comments apply to activities within NYC [not Long Island nor New Jersey] as public transit may be used in lieu of an auto, and as of this report, the MTA has no plans of shutting down.
The weatherman mentioned in the graphic above, was fired for not distorting the truth, in a manner not unlike what one would expect at a state-controlled media outlet in Russia or China. Hyping weather systems out of proportion, like distorting the proportions of other stories, appears to be one of the Murdoch mass media trademark ploys to deceive / fear monger the viewers in order to win higher rating$$$, take control the national conversation and tip the scales in favor of the pols he favors and against those he does not.
Rupert Murdoch is an Australian born billionaire press lord who controls about half of America's daily national news media including Fox News, the NY Post, the Wall St. Journal and increasingly ABC News where he and two funds control about a quarter of that company's shares.
While Weather Sensationalism is Dishonest Truth Distortion, it's Relatively Harmless vis a vis Most Other News Distortions which can be Dangerous to Democracy
In Australia - where Murdoch has been operating all his life - former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd described, "Murdoch's media empire as a cancer on democracy" because of Murdoch media news omissions and distortions.
And in Britain, a Spring 2012 Parliamentary Report stated that, [Murdoch] "was not a fit person" to exercise stewardship of a major international company] because his company broke the law by tapping British citizens' private phones to get racy stories and the details of their personal tragedies in order to generate higher ratings and sell more newspapers. Murdoch denied he knew anything, blamed his underlings and then reportedly Murdoch's [Fox] Newscorp spent $1.6 BILLION in legal fees and payouts -TO DEFEND THEIR INNOCENCE?
In the graphic at right is a July 28, 2011 Guardian report stating that people working for Murdoch's company were believed to have hacked the phone of Sara Payne to publish her anguish over her daughter's murder at the hands of a pedophile. Murdoch reportedly spent $1.6 billion in settlements and legal fees to extricate the company and its officers from the corruption and scandal. But money can't buy Murdoch out of what Newscorp's actions say about his and his companies' moral compass.
Did You Hear the One about a Staten Island Ferry, Two Comedians, an Architect & a Night Club Owner?
Updated January 26 from 1/24/2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC News / Staten Buzz NYC.
Weather. The temperature highs will be within about 5 degrees of 30 throughout the week, except on Tuesday when it will be in the low 40's. The temperature lows will be between 20 and 30 degrees, except on Wednesday, when it will drop to 12 degrees. The winds will be 5 - 10 mph Monday & Tuesday, rising to 10 - 15 mph on Wednesday, before falling back to 5 - 10 mph Thursday & Friday. Humidity will be 50% - 70% on Monday, dropping to 50% - 60% on Tuesday, and then 40% - 50% on Wednesday & Thursday, before rising back to 50% - 70% on Friday. No precipitation is in the forecast until Friday afternoon / evening at which time it looks like we're going to get several or more inches of snow.
As the new year begins to unfold, we encounter a mixed bag of news that has already made it out onto the public stage. Let's start with the purchase of a de-commissioned Staten Island Ferry, the JFK. The photo above right was taken in January 2020, likely near the end of the JFK's life of ferrying passengers to and from Staten Island. You can see the 'JFK' in the upper right corner of the photo below the black circle and with a bit of glare obfuscating part of the 'F'.
They may be Laughing Now, but ...
SNL Comedians Pete Davidson & Colin Jost, Architect Developer & Contractor Ron Castellano and Night Club Owner Paul Italia Buy the JFK Staten Island Ferry Boat
Last week, after several rounds of bidding, a consortium of investors, including SNL Comedians Pete Davidson & Colin Jost; Architect, Developer & Contractor Ron Castellano; and Night Club Owner Paul Italia purchased a 2,100 ton de-commissioned Staten Island ferry boat - the JFK - for $280,100. The purchase prices was only $100 above the next nearest bid, after the price doubled during the bidding process - up from $125,000 - after the starting bid had to be lowered from $250,000 because of a lack of early interest.
At right are Pete Davidson [left] and Colin Jost [right] announcing their new acquisition on SNL's News update. This project is likely to get a fair amount of publicity given the fame of these two owners and Jost's famous wife and Davidson's famous girlfriend.
De Blasio Decides Not to Run for NYS Governor, Hochul's Fundraising Haul, NYC Violent Crime Up Slightly in 2021, but NYC Homicides Still Below the National Average & To Be or Not To Be - do we want to Politicize the Guns / Violent Crime Problem or Solve it?
This morning, January 18, 2022, former NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that he will not seek the Governor's office on Twitter.
De Blasio mentioned some of his accomplishments during his eight years as Mayor including Universal Pre-K, building hundreds of thousands affordable housing units, implementing some police reforms at the NYPD to make policing fairer, and efforts to transition NYC to cleaner energy. He didn't say what his future plans were, only that he would be announcing them from his neighborhood in Brooklyn.
Governor Kathy Hochul is well positioned for the NYS Governors race this year. Hochul received the very early endorsement of the NYS Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs in October of 2021, and has raised $21.6 million since she announced her candidacy in August of 2021. It's a record for the five month period, and about the same amount of money that former Governor Andrew Cuomo had to ward off challengers in 2018. NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and 3rd District [Nassau County] Congressman Thomas Suozzi have announced their candidacies. In December of 2021, Attorney General Letitia James withdrew her candidacy, in favor of running for reelection in her current post.
On the Republican side of the race there's former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, who is running against newcomer Andrew Giuliani, who's primary claim to fame is that he is the son of Rudy, the former NYC Mayor with the same surname and Lee Zeldin, a Congressman from Long Island.
In fundraising as well as in polling, Hochul seems to have all the advantages at this point in the campaign. Her nearest competitor in polling recently done by Siena would have been de Blasio, who had 12% of the vote versus Hochul's 46%. NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams was next with 11% and Suozzi with 6%. The Suozzi campaign has about $5 million in campaign funding, $2 million of which was transferred from his congressional campaign. Republican Astorino has about $1.3 million, and none of the other contestants released their funding.
A number of snide comments were made in the wake of Hochul's record haul and competitive fundraising position for the upcoming June primary. She was compared to Cuomo with allusions to the possibility of corruption, but nothing specific was provided to support those insinuations.
De Blasio's announcement came as I was working on an update report on NYC crime. Unfortunately, the NYPD doesn't publish a December monthly report, like they do every other month, so it's more challenging to do a year end tally. Hence, this report won't be as comprehensive as some of the others I've done the past couple of years, and will instead focus mostly on shootings and the murder rate.
NYC Crime Statistics for 2021
Thefts Down Significantly / Murders Up Slightly & Still Below the National Average / Most Other Crimes up in Low to Mid Single Digits with Some Exceptions ...
The outlier in the year end crime stats, which were up slightly from 2020, was that thefts were down almost 19%. This may have something to do with the fact that fewer people are out and about, so thieves have fewer to prey upon and the victims have fewer distractions and events where thefts may occur.
As for other salient changes in the main categories, Grand Larceny was up about 12% while Grand Larceny Auto was up 14%, Other (than rape) Sex Crimes were up 30%, Misdemeanour Assault was up 10%, and Hate Crimes were up 93%. It's worth noting that only murders and hate crimes are counted in the hundreds - not thousands.
The murders in NYC were up slightly in 2021 versus 2020. Note that the graph at right is for the entire nation and in 2020 - not 2021. The purpose is so that you can have context in evaluating where we are and what's going on.
In 2021 the preliminary murder rate in the U.S. was about 6.6 per 100,000 people [21,750 / 330M], while the murder rate in NYC was 5.5 per 100,000 people [485 / 8.8M]. Prior to the pandemic, in 2018, the murder rate in the U.S. was 4.96 per 100,000 people [WorldPopulationReview.com], and the murder rate in NYC was 289 victims [8.4M population] or 3.4 per 100,000 people, which was t
September 30, 2022 / 
September 23, 2022 / 
On Saturday, the Global Citizen Concert returns to the Great Lawn in Central Park which lies between 5th Avenue and Central Park West and between 72nd Street and 86th Street. The gates open at 2 pm and the concert begins at 4 pm. You must bring printed tickets as mobile tickets are not being accepted. Admission $250 - $299 via www.ticketmaster.com. For further details on the concert see https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/festival/nyc/2022/
NYC Weather. The temperature highs will be in the low 80's on Tuesday & Wednesday, dropping to the low 70's on Thursday and the mid 60's on Friday., The temperature lows will rise from the mid 60's on Monday & Tuesday to the low 70's on Wednesday, and then fall into the mid to low 50's on Thursday and Friday. The winds will be 10 - 15 mph all week. The humidity will be 55% - 65% all week, except on Friday when it falls to 45% - 55%. There's a small chance of a small amount of rain in Thursday, with the probability gone by mid afternoon.
Thursday through Sunday, September 15 - 18, 2022 from 6 - 10 pm Thursday & Friday, 5 - 11 pm on Saturday and 1 - 10 pm on Sunday - Hellenic Orthodox Traditionalist Church of America [St Markella] celebrates patron feast day with traditional Greek food and unique arts and crafts. Along 22-68 26th Street between 22nd & 23rd Avenues in Astoria.
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, September 16 - 18, 2022 from 2 - 10 pm, 12 noon - 10 pm & 12 noon - 7 pm respectively. Holy Cross Greek Cultural Festival [please note that these times are from last year and may have changed / no update has been provided prior to this post]. At 8401 Ridge Blvd between 84th and 86th Streets. This is primarily a Greek food and cultural festival. Brooklyn street fairs in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn.
Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays in September of 2022 from 6pm to 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 1pm to 9pm on Sundays - Piazza di Belmont - Outdoor dining on Arthur Avenue which will be closed to vehicular traffic from East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue during the above mentioned times.
September 13, 2022 / 
Things To Do in Queens NYC
On Wednesday, September 7th the Catholic schools in NYC reopen for the new school year.
September 2, 2022 / 
August 26, 2022 / 
August 20, 2022 / 
August 12, 2022 / .jpeg)
August 9, 2022 / 
In New York City, monkey pox cases have risen to 1,965 according to the NYC government, so NYC represents between a fifth and a quarter of the total in the U.S. About 90% of the cases have been found in the gay community, but like HIV / AIDs, while it appears to be predominantly transmitted between gay men, anyone can catch it.
Over the course of the past few months, I've noticed a healthy return of the tourism trade based on what I've been seeing and hearing as I walk the streets and take public transit.
The pandemic changed most of our lives in some fashion, while turning many people's lives completely upside down for a while. Many service businesses, like restaurants and hotels, saw a huge falloff in business. The airline industry and other transit businesses took a huge hit. The live entertainment industry, such as we see on Broadway, faded to black - meaning it nearly completely shut down.
August 5, 2022 / 
July 29, 2022 / 
June 24, 2022 / 
On March 17, 2022 the NYS CoVid general restrictions under the H.E.R.O. Act expired. The expiration did not include the masks mandate requirement on NYC & NYS public transit. 
May 29, 2022 / 
In the photo at right is just one of thousands of artworks for sale in a prior year at the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit which begins Saturday and runs through Monday.
May 17, 2022 / 
May 3, 2022 / 
April 29, 2022 / 
April 13, 2022 / 
April 4, 2022 /
See for yourself on these two WSJ pages before they hopefully have the decency or shame to take it down.
The current NYC vaccination rate is 77%, with another 9% having received at least one dose [86%]. The current NYS vaccination rate is 75%, with another 12% having received at least one dose [87%]. The current U.S. vaccination rate is 65%, with another 12% having received at least one dose [77%].
For the United States the same rates are 8% positive new cases [this is a week old number compared to the others herein], about 84,878 new cases, about 8,642 hospitalizations [this is a week old number compared to the others herein] and 1,964 daily deaths.
February 7, 2022 / 
As I walked and listened I looked around at all of the policemen gathered in honor of a fellow member of the fraternal order of policemen – not just of New York City but of NYS - and for that matter - the U.S. All of the police men and women were standing, some standing silently listening to the speeches, while others made small talk with each other, between the speeches, about their kids, their families, their jobs, their departments [homicide / detectives / street patrolmen], cars and boats, as well as chatting about which police department or organization they represented.
I noticed the badges sewn to their coats, representing Trenton and Teaneck New Jersey, Suffolk and Nassau Counties, New York State, and of course the NYPD, as well as a smattering of policemen from more distant communities. They projected a sense of sadness and courtesy, as I made my way through the crowd. I sensed that they must also have felt some measure of comfort, standing there, side by side with others like themselves, knowing that they are supported by so many others who share their sense of duty, ready to face down danger.
February 7, 2022 / 
The cost to us, the American people [the British and Australians as well] is that many critical issues are never properly addressed by the government officials selected by Murdoch, because his favored pols are generally chosen and supported based on what they will do for the totally self-serving billionaire - not the public. Hence Murdoch pols don't appear to reflect the people's will, but rather are chosen because Murdoch mass media outlets have manipulated the views of enough voters via their distorted daily Murdoch mass media 'news' intake, to enable Murdoch's favored pols to get elected. Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels employed these same kind of tactics, on an unsuspecting public, back in the early 1930's, in Germany.
Reining in the guns used in violent crime in NYC, is one of many such issues that seem to be given Murdoch's special brand of propagandistic 'news' treatment. Murdoch's news outlets' reports appear to pander to gun owners and the NRA [5.5 million members], who are outspoken and generally against gun control. According to a November 13, 2020 report by Gallup, about 32% of Americans own a gun and about 44% live in a household where there is a gun owner. Hence, gun owners represent a fairly sizeable block of Murdoch's mass media audience, and his news reports pander to them, just as the pander to other voting blocks that Murdoch media seek to manipulate.
January 28, 2022 / 
In Australia - where Murdoch has been operating all his life - former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd described, "Murdoch's media empire as a cancer on democracy" because of Murdoch media news omissions and distortions.
Updated January 26 from 1/24/2022 / 
Last week, after several rounds of bidding, a consortium of investors, including SNL Comedians Pete Davidson & Colin Jost; Architect, Developer & Contractor Ron Castellano; and Night Club Owner Paul Italia purchased a 2,100 ton de-commissioned Staten Island ferry boat - the JFK - for $280,100. The purchase prices was only $100 above the next nearest bid, after the price doubled during the bidding process - up from $125,000 - after the starting bid had to be lowered from $250,000 because of a lack of early interest.
January 18, 2022 / 
The outlier in the year end crime stats, which were up slightly from 2020, was that thefts were down almost 19%. This may have something to do with the fact that fewer people are out and about, so thieves have fewer to prey upon and the victims have fewer distractions and events where thefts may occur.
January 3, 2022 / 
December 27, 2021 / 
How is it that network TV news, still a primary source of information in this nation - and the only source by many of the uneducated - can get a story so wrong?
In the graphic at right you see a headline from FT, which is the Financial Times of London, noting how something that should be common sense has become a political hot potato. At the end of this update on the Omicron variant, we'll take a look at how science and the truth are being distorted by millionaires and billionaire(s) in what appears an attempt to manipulate voters perceptions. The goal is to change the perceptions of their viewers enough, so their viewers will vote for the candidates chosen by the propaganda billionaire and his friends. The end game is, of course, getting the billionaire / propaganda machine selected pols into office, so they can fill their pockets with the taxpayers' money, and obtain legislative changes that are anti-democratic.
A testament to the Omicron variants transmissibility is that on Friday, December 17, 2021 NYS saw its highest number of new CoVid cases [21,027] in a single day since the pandemic began according to an New York Times report. In NYC the infection rate nearly doubled in just three days, rising from 3.9% to 7.8% from Thursday, December 9 to December 12, 2021 according to a December 16, 2021 NBC report.
The first Omicron virus case was first detected on November 8, 2021 in South Africa. The first case detected in the U.S. was in San Francisco on November 22, 2021. Four days later, on November 26, 2021, the World Health Organization [WHO] designated Omicron a CoVid variant [B1.1.529]. As of December 5, 2021 there were eight Omicron cases in NYS, most of which were found in NYC.
Well, it's been some year thus far. And the good news is that there is much for which to be thankful.
June 11, 2018 / 
There was food, shopping, music, entertainment and dancing at the street fair on Saturday, and minus the food and shopping, the music, dancing and entertainment were also on display at the huge Puerto Rican parade in Manhattan on Sunday. Numerous floats as well as marching groups of dancers and musicians and social groups joined together to make the parade one long display of Puerto Rica's eclectic mix of African, Latin and American cultures.
June 19, 2019 / 
The photo at right, showing the Corpus Christi Monastery in the Bronx, was collected by the Museum of the City of New York and dated circa 1920.
February 22, 2021 / 
September 21, 2021 / 
August 31, 2021 / 
So we're going to take a look at a number of the NYC crime statistics, and then follow up with an analytical look at some of the issues driving gun related violence, before closing with a look at the distorted, deceitful and destructive coverage provided by Murdoch's Fox News & Propaganda.
The graphic at right shows what is called the 'Iron Pipeline' which is Interestate 95 which runs from New York to Florida. This interestate highway is used to transport guns / weapons across state lines from mostly red Republican controlled states with lax gun control laws to blue states that have passed stronger gun control laws.
March 22, 2021 /
October 12, 2021 / 
Both the subways and buses are running at near or over half their pre-pandemic ridership. While that may not be great news, it's encouraging, as we've been tracking the MTA's progress since the pandemic hit, and these numbers are about the best posted.
September 13, 2021 / 
Mayor de Blasio announced that not only teachers, but also school staff in the NYC Public School system, will be required to have at least one vaccine dose by September 27th.
Somehow amidst the din of Murdoch mass media hyped criticism, the real headline was buried.
In the reporting over the past month or so I DID NOT SEE EVEN ONE REFERENCE TO THE RUSSIAN WITHDRAWAL from Afghanistan in the 1980’s. NOT ONE! Why does that matter?
Australian born billionaire, Rupert Murdoch - as is too often the case - led the rest of the mindless mass media, like the Pied Piper. On August 15, 2021, the Wall St. Journal published an OpEd by the ‘Editorial Board’. The ‘Editorial Board’ appears to be the pen name of billionaire Rupert Murdoch who owns and controls the paper. The ‘Editorial Board’ said published the narrative that Biden was incompetent and had messed things up, with scant reference to history or a holistic presentation of the facts.
August 3, 2021 / 
May 17, 2021 /
March 15, 2021 /
March 12, 2021 /
Why do I think the stench is coming from Murdoch's 21st Century & Newscorp and not the Governor's mansion? Because Murdoch's gang of mendacious multi-millionaire minions too often seem not to give a damn about reporting the truth - but rather about distorting and even fictionalizing it to stoke the ratings busting fires of discontent - by attacking government officials who seem not to give Murdoch what he wants from them.
February 26, 2021 / 
On Wednesday, January 6, 2021, Rudy Giuliani joined Donald Trump and Donny junior at a Trump rally in Washington, D.C. near the White House. The Donald had promoted this gathering as something 'wild' and related to his seemingly phony stop the steal / election fraud fundraising claims. At the rally Trump told his supporters, numbering about 5,000 [per the park permit] to march down to the Capitol and that he'd be there with them.
September 4, 2020 / 
So today, we're going to look at just a few of Murdoch's media manipulations made in just the past couple of months - and I'm nearly certain that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Unfortunately, I don't have the resource to fact check what is the largest misleading news content producing organization in the nation, and possibly the free world.
July 22, 2022 / 
July 15, 2022 / 
March 10, 2020 / Things To Do Bronx / Central Bronx Neighborhoods NYC / Bronx Buzz NYC. 
Tom Mulligan is a friendly sort, and has a bit of the proverbial Irish knack for storytelling. The pub is a friendly neighborhood bar that doesn't have a menu as they only serve burgers - but the burgers are said to be a neighborhood favorite, that are a meal in itself and includes lots of onions, cheese and tomatoe. 
The next stop was the Rambling House and a rambling house it was. The Rambling House was founded by Joe Carty in 2002. He told me he began working on it not long after 9/11 when he converted several store fronts into the sprawling complex it is today. The Rambling House kind of serves as a sort of community center with a four sided bar in the middle of it.
Across the street from the Rambling House is Behan's Pub. Behan's Pub was a quiet neighborhood bar that seemed more American than the prior to pubs I had visited. 
There were two non-Irish eating establishments that caught my eye. One was The Kitchen, which seemed to be a very popular destination this Sunday night. It was packed with people waiting for their take out orders, including a couple of officers who informed me the place had opened within the last couple of years and had become quite popular. I looked it up after returning home and found that they had opened in 2017.
Just up the street was Patrizia's Italian restaurant and pizza destination. Patrizia's has been a dining destination in Woodlawn Heights since at least 2014, if not before. 
I left Patrizia's and made my way up Katonah Avenue to Van Cortlandt Park East before intersecting with McLean Avenue, which while only a couple of blocks away, is in Yonkers. McLeanAvenue is also the street where the Yonkers St. Patrick's Day Parade occurs on Saturday, March 21st beginning at 1 pm kicking off at Hyatt Avenue. 
July 7, 2022 / 
Description. The Sea Shore Restaurant is a seafood restaurant. Thanksgiving Day restaurants in the City Island neighborhood of the East Bronx near Pelham Bay Park.
Description. There's Patricia's, which is an old time Italian restaurant with a wide selection of wines. Thanksgiving Day restaurants in the Morris Park neighborhood of the East Bronx.
July 1, 2022 / 
June 17, 2022 / 
Friday, June 17, 2022 from 5 - 9 pm, the Frick Museum is hosting a new quarterly series progam entitled Cheng-Harrell Open Nights. The Frick is located at 1 East 70th Street at 5th Avenue, but that site is temporarily closed for renovations. Their temporary site is 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street which is where this event is being held. The theme is gay pride. Free.
Saturday, June 18, 2022 from 11 am - 4 pm. Annual Hunts Point Fish Parade & Festival. Begins at Hunts Point Riverside Park [just across the Bronx River from Soundview Park] at Lafayette Avenue and Edgewater Road with pre-parade registration & activities beginning at 11 am [free]. It's possible most or all of the activities will remain centered around Hunts Point Riverside Park. The previous info above has been CONFIRMED. WHAT FOLLOWS IS HISTORICAL PRECEDENT. In the past, the Fish Parade marches through Hunts Point beginning at 12 noon and ends at Barretto Point Park at Tiffany and Viele Avenue around 1 pm where games, music, food and raffles are available throughout the festival which ends at 4 pm. Bronx street fairs in Hunts Point. Organized by the Point CDC.x
June 10, 2022 / 
Saturday, June 11, 2022 beginning at 11 am - Sunnyside Kiwanis Flag Day Parade - Along Greenpoint Avenue from 40th Street to Queens Blvd ending in Joe Sabba Park.
Wednesday - Sunday, June 8 - 12, 2022 from 6 pm to 11 pm - The Feast of St. Anthony. Times are Wed, Thurs and Friday from 5 - 9 pm / Saturday & Sunday from 12 noon - 7 pm. It's the annual Feast of St Anthony at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church at 627 East 187th Street. The triangle of streets along Cresent and Arthur Avenues & 187th Street in the Little Italy section of the Belmont neighborhood in the Bronx will be celebrating this Belmont neighborhood st fair with rides, games, raffles, food and entertainment every night. Officially the street fair is being held along East 187th street from Arthur to Beaumont Avenue, and along Crescent from Cambreleng to Belmont Avenue. Historically there had been a procession on Sunday beginning at 5 pm, but this year [2022] I don't see any notice of that.x
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, June 10, 11 & 12, 2022 from 12 noon to 10 pm - Food Truck Festival on the Mount. At Mount Loretto at 6581 Hylan Blvd in the Charleston neighborhood of Staten Island [near Prince's Bay & Pleasant Plains]. Admission $5 and parking $5. And then it costs to get a taste from the food trucks. Buy tickets at www.catholiccharitiesofstatenisland.org. Staten Island street fairs.
June 3, 2022 / 
Brooklyn Tastes Park Slope is this weekend. Details coming later today.
Queens is unmatched in the breadth and depth of Memorial Day Parades in NYC. There are Memorial Day Parades in Little Neck / Douglaston [largest in NYC], Maspeth, Ridgewood, College Point and Whitestone. I'll post these later today or early Saturday, but you can also do a search for details if you need to know now.
NYC Parks beaches open Saturday including Coney Island, Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn. See ww.nycgovparks.org/facilities/beaches for details.
This is Fleet Week and a number of U.S. Navy ships are docked in Manhattan and Staten Island. A number of events are planned in both locations. For details see http://militarynews.com/app/fleetweeknewyork/events.html
May 20, 2022 / 
May 6, 2022 / 
In the photo above right you see the crowd of people along 5th Avenue watching as the celebrity fashionistas strut their stuff prior to entering the Met Gala Monday night. In the photo at right you see a fashionista ingenue taking photos of the celebrity arrivals at the Met Gala.
I stayed for a while, before extricating myself from the crowd along 5th Avenue and making my way back to Madison Avenue. I started strolling down Madison Avenue which was also filled with mostly young women and girls. At 82nd Street I was surprised to see that this street - which leads to the entrance of the Metropolitan Museum - was not cordoned off.
April 29, 2022 / 
There's a May Day Festival of Resistance is being held in Maria Hernandez Park at Knickerbocker Avenue and Suydam Street on Sunday from 1 - 7 pm by MayDaySpace.org of Bushwick. I think it's free.
April 22, 2022 / 
The photo at right was taken in Queens last week, where you can see the trees - all white - budding. This weekend, they've turned a bright green.
The photo at right was taken from the subway in Brooklyn, showing the downtown, where highrise buildings have been rising into the sky like weeds with each passing year.
The Orchid Show at the NY Botanical Garden at 2900 Southern Blvd in the Bronx began in late February and continues through May 1.
April 13, 2022 / 
April 4, 2022 /
See for yourself on these two WSJ pages before they hopefully have the decency or shame to take it down.
There's a pet parade in Astoria on Sunday from 12 - 2.30 pm organized by the Central Astoria Development Corporation in tandem with the Steinway Astoria Partnership along 31st Avenue between Steinway and 38th Street. Free.
March 14, 2022 / 
In Part II, a week ago, I talked about how Australian born billionaire, mass media propagandist Rupert Murdoch and dictator Vladimir Putin's tactics share many similarities. They are differentiated in that Rupert Murdoch uses economic muscle and propaganda to get indirect control / influence over the corporations and governments he wants to plunder. While Vladimir Putin also uses economic muscle and propaganda - but enhances it with a Nazi tactic by adding violence and force to the mix - to obtain direct control over the corporations and governments he wants to plunder. All of these tactics were used by the Nazis to gain control - first of Germany and then a significant portion of Europe.
Then I delved into the importance of the Dnieper River, which flows south from Smolensk in Russia through the Ukraine and into the Black Sea. It's important because currently Russia has limited access to the world waterways via the Baltic Sea which is treacherous for much of the year, and the Black Sea which is a body of water shared by many nations, including many of the former Soviet Republics, including Ukraine.
The current NYC vaccination rate is 77%, with another 9% having received at least one dose [86%]. The current NYS vaccination rate is 75%, with another 12% having received at least one dose [87%]. The current U.S. vaccination rate is 65%, with another 12% having received at least one dose [77%].
For the United States the same rates are 8% positive new cases [this is a week old number compared to the others herein], about 84,878 new cases, about 8,642 hospitalizations [this is a week old number compared to the others herein] and 1,964 daily deaths.
February 7, 2022 / 
As I walked and listened I looked around at all of the policemen gathered in honor of a fellow member of the fraternal order of policemen – not just of New York City but of NYS - and for that matter - the U.S. All of the police men and women were standing, some standing silently listening to the speeches, while others made small talk with each other, between the speeches, about their kids, their families, their jobs, their departments [homicide / detectives / street patrolmen], cars and boats, as well as chatting about which police department or organization they represented.
I noticed the badges sewn to their coats, representing Trenton and Teaneck New Jersey, Suffolk and Nassau Counties, New York State, and of course the NYPD, as well as a smattering of policemen from more distant communities. They projected a sense of sadness and courtesy, as I made my way through the crowd. I sensed that they must also have felt some measure of comfort, standing there, side by side with others like themselves, knowing that they are supported by so many others who share their sense of duty, ready to face down danger.
February 7, 2022 / 
The cost to us, the American people [the British and Australians as well] is that many critical issues are never properly addressed by the government officials selected by Murdoch, because his favored pols are generally chosen and supported based on what they will do for the totally self-serving billionaire - not the public. Hence Murdoch pols don't appear to reflect the people's will, but rather are chosen because Murdoch mass media outlets have manipulated the views of enough voters via their distorted daily Murdoch mass media 'news' intake, to enable Murdoch's favored pols to get elected. Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels employed these same kind of tactics, on an unsuspecting public, back in the early 1930's, in Germany.
Reining in the guns used in violent crime in NYC, is one of many such issues that seem to be given Murdoch's special brand of propagandistic 'news' treatment. Murdoch's news outlets' reports appear to pander to gun owners and the NRA [5.5 million members], who are outspoken and generally against gun control. According to a November 13, 2020 report by Gallup, about 32% of Americans own a gun and about 44% live in a household where there is a gun owner. Hence, gun owners represent a fairly sizeable block of Murdoch's mass media audience, and his news reports pander to them, just as the pander to other voting blocks that Murdoch media seek to manipulate.
January 28, 2022 / 
In Australia - where Murdoch has been operating all his life - former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd described, "Murdoch's media empire as a cancer on democracy" because of Murdoch media news omissions and distortions.
Updated January 26 from 1/24/2022 / 
Last week, after several rounds of bidding, a consortium of investors, including SNL Comedians Pete Davidson & Colin Jost; Architect, Developer & Contractor Ron Castellano; and Night Club Owner Paul Italia purchased a 2,100 ton de-commissioned Staten Island ferry boat - the JFK - for $280,100. The purchase prices was only $100 above the next nearest bid, after the price doubled during the bidding process - up from $125,000 - after the starting bid had to be lowered from $250,000 because of a lack of early interest.
January 18, 2022 / 
The outlier in the year end crime stats, which were up slightly from 2020, was that thefts were down almost 19%. This may have something to do with the fact that fewer people are out and about, so thieves have fewer to prey upon and the victims have fewer distractions and events where thefts may occur.