August 25, 2008
I'm confused-- last weekend I ran into this street festival in Little Italy and thought "Oh yeah, this is the Sopranos episode where Paulie meets the local priest who wants more money to put on the annual St. Elzéar festival. Paulie says no way, and the priest counters by saying the figure carried through the streets will not be allowed to wear its traditional golden crown as a consequence.
That much is clear-- but this week I googled around and found out that the St. Elzéar festival is traditionally celebrated on September 27th. The Soprano episode aired in May. This street festival above happened last weekend. So what's up with the scheduling?
Anyway. Preparations for the next big bash in Little Italy-- the Feast of San Gennaro, patron saint of Naples-- is happening on Mulberry this week and I can already smell the sausage.
Tags:
Little Italy, Mulberry, Saint Elzear Festival, San Gennaro, Sopranos
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Posted on 8/25/2008
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August 18, 2008
This weekend the Lower East Side was treated to a major fashion event, transforming Orchard Street into a runway show. The goods on display? Eco-friendly dresses, skirts,handbags, shoes, jewelry, and accessories from many cool neighborhood boutiques:
Kaight, Daha Vintage, David Owens Vintage & Design, House De Luxe, Makeup Mania, MooShoes, Saints Lounge, Shop, Ted's Formal Wear, The Dressing Room, Tropical Salon, Valley, Wendy Mink Jewelry, and Zarin Fabric Warehouse among others.
Fashion mongers, prowl the Lower East Side-- there are jewels and precious clothes to be discovered. Perfect weather-- fantastic show . . . I do not know the name of the lovely MC, but she was great too . . .
Tags:
Flipside, Lower East Side, Runway Show, Vintage Fashion
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Posted on 8/18/2008
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August 18, 2008
An entire mural in a day? Well let's say more like two weeks, according to Laura Campos. She and fellow artist and collaborator, Carlo Quispe, spent almost two years trying to get permission to paint their visionary tripped-out space alien demonic world on this East 2nd Street (Ave C) wall. Apparently this structure had been home to druggies and shooting deaths in the past and has been locked up and vacant for years-- but with persistence and sensitive negotiating with the neighbors, the two of them managed to finish the work this past weekend.
East Second Street says thanks a million-- it's wonderful having this beautiful work to pass by and admire every day.
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Posted on 8/18/2008
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August 13, 2008
On my way home from work yesterday and I reach the Apple Store location on Prince Street and hit a wall of barricades, cops, and hundreds of young teenage girls who all have a look on their faces like they need to find a restroom, bad.
I knew they were not part of the current iPhone cult, and since many of them were standing there with their moms in attendance, I also knew that they all had the good sense to pop into a restaurant to use the loo if my first impression made any sense, which of course I knew it didn't.
So I asked a mom nearby what all the hubbub was about and she says "It's the Jonas brothers, dude." Gosh, when moms start calling you dude you reallyfeel like you're in some kind of generational time warp.
Yikes-- sirens, SUV movement, crackling dispatches, adolescent shrieks fillthe air. "It's the Jonas brothers, dude."--
I am so out of here . . . .
Tags:
Apple Store, Iphone, jonas brothers, SUV
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Posted on 8/13/2008
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August 12, 2008
Last Thursday we witnessed a breathtaking display of ping pong artistry featuring the three great female players dueling dueling their professional male counterparts, along with a full-blown film session covering the event, plus a bonus star sighting of Susan Sarandon, a ping pong enthusiast in her own right.
What was up with the film session, the repeated takes, make-up artists-- or the old-school sandpaper paddles? Turns out that Frank, Jonathan, and Bill are pitching Naked Ping Pong as a possible TV series, much in the same way that World Series of Poker is aired on cable television. Since the criticism of ping pong on TV has always been that the speed of the game does not allow for favorable viewing in a televised format, the use of sandpaper creates a slower paced game, that not only can be followed more easily, it also levels the playing field slightly for those novice to average players who are eaten for lunch by more professional level players using tacky rubber surfaces made in China and Japan.
The event ran from 2pm to 6pm at Ceco Studios in the West Village and did stay primarily focused on the filming technicalities, but those in attendance were treated to some great displays of pong expertise, celebrity tricks, and were also invited to step up into the camera lights and put their own game on digital tape for the show. Wouldn't it be awesome to see men and women, young and old, duking it out on tv for prizes, cash, and celebrity stardom? I for one say amen to that-- beats boring poker any day . . .
Tags:
cable television, Ceco Studios, China, Japan, naked ping pong, paddle of the sexes royale, Susan Sarandon, West Village
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Posted on 8/12/2008
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