Kathleen's space

Courtside

Game hadn't started yet but check out those seats. Not bad, not bad at all.

Pete's Tavern

I wrote about Pete's Tavern back in the day. It's a bar/restaurant that's been around forever. Well, the other day I was skimming through a book on historical places in NYC and I found Pete's.

Apparently, during prohibition, customers went into Pete's (a popular speakeasy) through a refrigerated showcase of a little florist shop. This was built to hide the saloon that had been on the corner for half a century already. 

A saloon named Healy's (close, so close, just move around those vowels) took over the property in 1864 (from a small grocery and spirits shop that opened in 1851). Healy's was a hangout for 'politicos from the Irish-dominated Tammany Hall nearby on 14th Street.'

There were also literary folks there including William Henry Porter - or O. Henry.  They say, he wrote the "Gift of the Magi" at the first booth by the door -- the tavern's sign today says that O. Henry made it famous.

Anyway, thought that was some interesting fodder about the 'hood.

Obamamania

These are just a few of the people who were out in force for the Obama rally in Miami last week.

Koons on the roof

Today was the last day that the rooftop Jeff Koons exhibit was open. And today I went to see it.

It's a very cool exhibit in a very cool locale - the roof of the Met which means views of Central Park. Very nice. The only complaint I have is that there are only 3 pieces.  And here they are.  The dog was definitely my favorite (as well as many others as that's what was on all marketing pieces for the exhibit.  I have to admit that the pictures aren't the best because in theory, no pictures were allowed. I say in theory because everyone was taking them. I tried to be discreet while I took them which means that I shot them without really looking.  I wouldn't normally do that - but I figure these things are OUTSIDE, what's a flash going to do to them that the rain doesn't? Right?

What's your fav?

 

The economy crisis has hit Gray's Papaya

I've written about my love for the hot dogs at Gray's before. They're good, they're cheap, they're quintessential NY.  They're everywhere (in some neighborhoods - we did determine one day that they lack presence on the east side of the city when a friend was asking me where to go to lunch near him and I didn't hesitate to say Gray's!)

I tend not to make Gray's my full meal but rather a mid-afternoon snack or appetizer for my lunch. Oftentimes, I get a salad and then on my walk back to the office, salad in hand, I stop at Gray's for a dog which I eat on the way. I did this one day last week. It cost me $1.25. 

Well in Sunday's paper, there was a full article dedicated to Gray's.  They're Recession Special of 2 franks and 1 drink for $3.50 just got a bit pricier. It's going from $3.50 to $4.45 - that, my friends, is almost $5!  Unheard of, but apparently necessary due to the rise in wholesale cost of food.  The article noted that the recession special was $1.95 throughout the 1990s. Through a number of price hikes, it landed at $3.50 in 2006. All I need to know is if that $1.25 frank also got more expensive. Now that I think of it, it maybe already did. I have a sneaking suspicion I used to spend just $1.00 on it a few months ago.  Mr. Gray himself did get quoted as saying that 'I'm weeping as I do it. My prices are very low and my rents are very high" He feels our pain.

Obamamama

Yesterday, in Miami, I got the chance to sit courtside at a Miami HEAT game. More on that later...what was cool was that there was an Obama rally right near the arena and I saw him drive by. I don't know which of the 20 cars he was in, but I cheered and yelled and took a video. I don't think I can upload videos on this blog, but I have one and you'll just have to trust me on that....

9/11 memorial

A few weeks ago as we were walking down the street down near the Village, we came about this fence.  Thinking it was new, we read a plaque that proved us wrong. This was a memorial that was built shortly after 9/11. Due to some vandalism and such, it had to be rebuilt. The original was all local but the new one is actually made up of tiles from all over the country in tribute to the US and those who died in the attacks on 9/11. It's pretty impactful and moving to see. I took just two pictures which are below to share. Click on them to see them up close.

A Filipino food orgy

A couple of weeks ago in the NY Times there was an article in the "Weekend in New York" section/article called "Experiencing an Asia Beyond China and India" I read it and then tore it out and put it aside as I often do with articles about things in the city that I want to visit, try, eat, etc.   This one was especially interesting to me because it had a write up on Filipino food and a restaurant just a few blocks from my house. It said: With its burger-and-fries name and side-street location, it has done a fine job of hiding from everyone but Filipinos, who head there for comfort food around brunchtime on weekends.

And I thought about the Filipino contingent I know here and in the back of my mind thought that I would go there soon with them. But of course, I had put the article in the stack with the numerous other articles I have and sort of forgot about the plan. That is until Dale contacted me to go have Filipino food in my 'hood. He didn't tell me where we were going but when we got there, I saw the article on the wall. Here I was in Grill 21.

And then Dale did his thing. First he asked what I wanted but then he proceeded to do all the ordering..and order he did.

We had dinugoan, chicharon bulaklak, tinolang manok, pancit bihon, bistec and lumpiang shanghai. And that list doesn't include dessert. Mind you, this was lunch for two.  Needless to say, we gained several pounds and still had leftovers for 'ten filipinos for 2 days' per Mr. Dale. 

I can't say I liked everything - some are definitely for acquired tastes (the blood stew which had blood in the sauce and liver in the meat) but did love the experience and the majority of the dishes.

And when I got home, I pulled the article out of my stack to toss. But before I had the chance to put it in the recycling pile, I fell asleep on my couch as I tried to digest all that good food!

Here are some pictures of the food and remember this is for two:

       

Trees

In the never-ending quest to make this city more green, the NY Restoration Project is giving 1,250 trees out today in Brooklyn and Staten Island to homeowners and community groups. Later this month, the group will be doing the same in the other boroughs.  The goal? Plan a million new trees in the city. I've been doing my part as a renter with my plants. I have five plants now in my apartment.  I believe one is dead (an orchid, never an easy plant to keep alive, but I'm trying), one's on its way to dying but I'm fighting for it and three are thriving. My goal? Keep at least four of them alive.

The rangers

The NY Rangers play hockey at Madison Sq. Garden.  The season has already started which I find absolutely amazing, but true. I guess, when I leave work and it's already dark outside, hockey season has begun. Temperature doesn't matter because tonight it was probably 70 degrees out when I left! 

Anyway, the other day, I left work a bit late and the crowds, all decked out in Rangers gear (including the big statue on the plaza which must wear a XXXXXXXXXXXL shirt) were out. They were out in force for a night game. There was also a band on the plaza. The band members were also wearing Rangers' colors.  But what I found amazing were the marketers targeting these fans.  There was a guy selling condoms. But not just any condoms. They were Obama, Palin and McCain condoms.  I didn't get a close look but all I could think was -- are there Biden condoms and they're just not targeting this crowd or does Biden not get his own condom?