Month: December 2010

More often than not, when I go out in search of some obscure records from a long time ago—in this case, an arrest made during the Civil War years—I usually don’t find them. The other day at the library, the one page I wanted on a roll of microfilm was blank. No explanation, just gone.

But today I hit the jackpot. I found the records for four men who were arrested in New York City in 1834!! Their arrest was in the New York City Police Office Watch Returns. Good times.

I was also looking for the site of an 1895 murder. I knew the building was long gone, but I wanted to take a picture of the park that’s there now. Even though it was FREEZING out it was packed!! It made me want to be part of a community so tight they’ll go out and endure freezing weather just to hang out together. This is a Baxter and Bayard in Chinatown.

My family is doing a grab bag for Christmas with a $10 limit. Turns out, you can’t get a lot for $10. Especially when you took a freelance job that needs to be done by Christmas and you don’t have time to ponder it and shop. So I came up with an idea and ran over to the Lower East Side to get it. (Can’t say what until after Christmas!)

This is the Katz’s Deli that was in the movie When Harry Met Sally (“I’ll have what she’s having.”) It’s looking a little sad. But when I’ve eaten here it was amazing. The best brisket I’ve ever had. Oh! I’ve always tried to remember when I became a vegetarian. It happened when I stumbled across a show on Manhattan Cable where they showed how animals are slaughtered. I watched maybe 10 seconds and have been a vegetarian ever since. I could never remember when that was, but I know I was in my 30’s when I last ate at Katz’s.

I was going through all my old video tapes the night before last, looking for footage of that First Night thing I was talking about in an earlier post, when I came across an interview with me in short hair. I love it!! It’s hard to tell what it looks like in this picture of my tv screen.

This was around 15 years ago though, so God knows if it would still look good. Also, I went to a guy who charges something over $300 for a haircut. Insane I know, but he was worth every penny. What are the chances that anyone I can afford now will be able to recreate this cut?

Although I can’t help feeling they’ve been shamed into it, rather than doing it because it’s the right thing, (same with the 9/11 Health Bill which I believe is finally getting support among the GOP because Jon Stewart shamed them into it) but YAY to repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell!! And I’m sure some of them did it because it was the right thing.

Matt and Marianne at their panel yesterday. I didn’t fix Matt’s red-eye because whenever I try to people come out looking even scarier.

Bryant Park, behind the library, is set up for ice skating! I remember when I first moved back to New York, Bryant Park was an awful place, and my mother’s friend’s son oversaw the restoration. What was his name?? Dan Biederman!! Ah memory.

He was a very nice guy, and I believe he helped me when I first started Echo, and I wanted to set up computers in Grand Central Terminal to connect people all over the world on New Years Eve. He was (is?) running something called The Grand Central Partnership. This was in the early 90’s so most people hadn’t heard of the internet yet. Oh, I wish I had pictures of this. We set up along the balcony, and while people waltzed down below us, (something they did every New Years) we rang in the New Year over and over as midnight hit each country. Good times. We got people to come up and try it out and it was very exciting, it was all so new then (and strictly text-y). Sigh. I wish we had pictures of this!!

The whole Biederman family was nice. His father has since died, but his mother is still around, and there are sisters … one worked in television news, and she was kind enough to meet with me and give me advice and why can’t I remember her name?? I’m sorry!