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The Dark Side

Posted on October 11, 2010 by Brian Dubé

One of the biggest problems with the Internet is cut and paste journalism. The ease of which information can be copied and recycled is unprecedented, whether it be general information, reviews, press releases, or buzz. In the case of online news content, as in print media, there is always competition to cover any new event, product, service, or retailer. But with online content, the ease and temptation is just too great.

Dead Apple Tours is certainly a clever concept. Started in 2010 by Drew Raphael, the 2-hour tour of the macabre is conducted from a 1960 Cadillac Crown Royale hearse (at $45 per person). From their website: Witness the final address of Heath Ledger, Keith Haring, Sid Vicious, “Crazy Joe” Gallo, Thomas Paine, and more. Learn the dark secrets of iconic landmarks: Empire State Building, Washington Square Park, and the Brooklyn Bridge.

In going through pages of early reviews, however, apparently none of the reviewers in the major media had actually taken the tour or availed themselves of reviewers who had. All of the reviews appeared to essentially parrot back the buzz and tour information provided by the tour operator.

The most useful reviews were those at Yelp.com, by three individuals who took the tour and reported their experiences:

The narrative descriptions of dead locations were read from a book by our guide in a flat monotone, with all the enthusiasm of an MTA announcement.

Many times we drove up to an approximate area but not to the actual site of the morbid event.

A nice touch would be to drop people off at the train station at the end of the tour, at Fulton Street. The 3 stranded tourists had to ask us for direction to the train in the dark.

There are a staggering number of things to do in New York City, and before spending time and money doing any of them, I would highly recommend looking at the reviews or talking to those who have actually been there and done that. Filtering the reviews and reading them closely is an important part of the process to ascertain why a review is actually positive or negative and relevant to you or not.

If someone is marketing the dead, it’s fair to examine not only the light side but also the dark side of the dark side 🙂 🙁

Posted on October 11, 2010 by Brian Dubé

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U Thant Island

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Brian Dubé

I love islands. No matter how small or how close to another land mass, an island always has a feeling of being its own intimate world. When inhabited, there is typically a focused energy, the opposite of suburban sprawl. There is a precious quality to a place where resources and space are very limited and boundaries are well-defined. If desirable, this precious quality can reach a fever pitch, where every inch is taken. Like Manhattan.

On the flip side, the uninhabited island is virtually synonymous with remoteness and isolation. And in New York City, you can find both extremes just a stones throw apart.

U Thant Island is New York City’s smallest island (100 x 200 feet) and sits only about 1000 feet from Manhattan in the East River, opposite the United Nations and just south of Roosevelt Island. It is diminutive in size but not small in history or fascinating lore.
Belmont Island, as it was known at one time, was built on the granite outcrop Man of War Reef in the East River from landfill during the construction of the Steinway Tunnels. The landfill was removed from a shaft dug down the reef to the tunnels.

On February 25, 1885, a group of prominent Long Island businessmen incorporated the East River Tunnel Railroad Co. to construct a tunnel railroad from Ravenswood, north of Long Island City, Queens, to Manhattan as a direct connection between the Long Island Rail Road and the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad. At one point, new money was needed to invest in the project, and one of the men who became interested was Mr. William Steinway, founder of the Steinway & Sons Piano Co. He owned a sizable part of Long Island City real estate & owned the Steinway and Hunter’s Point Railroad, which was a local horse car line. By obtaining control of the tunnel company, it would increase the value of his properties. He died in 1896 before the project was completed.

In 1902, August Belmont, Jr. began to take an interest in the project. Belmont was German-born, a banker who had inherited his fathers vast fortune in 1890, and also a friend of Steinway. The trolley tunnels were finished in 1907 and sold to the city in 1913. The tunnels are still in use today for the number 7 subway Flushing line.

Forgotten for over 70 years, in 1976, a group of employees of the United Nations who were followers of Buddhist guru Sri Chinmoy began to lease the land from New York State for $20 a year. They renamed it U Thant Island, after U Thant, a Burmese diplomat, 3rd UN Secretary General from 1961 to 1971 and friend of Sri Chinmoy. Flowers, bushes, and trees were planted and a 30-foot-high steel peace arch constructed. Reportedly, there is also a time capsule including pictures and speeches of U Thant.
In 1999, though, the group erected a sign for U Thant, which reads: “Compassion: Home. Dedicated to world peace. Simplicity was U Thant’s life. Sincerity was U Thant’s mind. Purity was U Thant’s heart. His was the approach of serene and illumined dignity.”
The island was used occasionally used for meetings and meditation.

In 2004, NYC artist Duke Riley, under the influence of rum, rowed a boat in darkness with a friend, landed on U Thant Island, proclaimed it a sovereign nation, and hoisted a 21-foot-long pennant flag up the island’s navigation tower. On their return to land, they were apprehended by the coast guard but were not arrested. The adventure was videotaped and entitled “Belmont Island (SMEACC)” – it can be seen here.

Currently, the island is not accessible to the public and is a sanctuary for migrating birds, including a colony of Double-crested Cormorant. I’d like to tell them how lucky they are to have access to U Thant Island 🙂

Photo Note: I have been obsessed with this small island for ages, and it has been in my cross hairs for this website since its inception. Only recently, however, on the pier at Gantry Plaza State Park in Queens, was I able to get a reasonably good vantage point from which to take a photo (upper photo mine, lower photo public archives). I hope to get closer to it one day by boat.

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Brian Dubé

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Just Around the Corner

Posted on August 23, 2010 by Brian Dubé

Nooks and crannies are not only the obsession of urban jungle lovers and explorers. They are also big business – Thomas’ has built a $500 million dollar business around the famed nooks and crannies of their English muffins. Chris Botticella is one of only seven people who knows the entire secret process to produce the legendary muffins with signature air pockets marketed as “nooks and crannies.”*

Finding nooks and crannies in a city like New York is just as delightful as a Thomas’ English muffin. However, unlike the muffin which can be found in any grocer, special pockets of the city are much harder to locate. I have explored many of these on this website.

The financial district is the oldest area of New York City, and remnants of Nieuw Amsterdam still exist amid the towering structures. In tandem with the areas, extremely narrow streets create a uniquely cavernous feel. The area is largely overlooked by visitors and residents, excepting for the more obvious spots such as South Street Seaport, Ground Zero, and Battery Park.

It is remarkable that places like Mill Lane and Stone Street were completely unknown to me until Sunday, while combing the streets of the financial district in the rain. Temporary scaffolding on Mill Lane provided the necessary shelter and an opportunity to see a bit of this historic area in a deserted state. Mill Lane is one of the shortest alleys in New York City. It lies between South William and Stone Streets.

I love turning a corner to a pleasant vista, like coming around a hairpin turn on a mountain precipice that opens to a jaw-dropping panorama. Looking around the corner at Stone Street from Mill Lane was a throwback in time. The restored street is a beauty, what the New York Times called “Turning an Alley into a Jewel.”

Stone Street was originally known as Brewers Street by the early Dutch settlers. In 1655, when the street was paved with cobblestone, it became known as Stone Street. In the 1980s, the street was divided to make way for the Goldman Sachs building. The short historic block, “a back alley filled with graffiti, a garbage pit; used for low-level drug dealing”, was completely restored with redone buildings, New York bluestone sidewalks, new Deer Isle granite paving blocks, and period street lights. Most of the buildings date to 1836, rebuilt following a fire in 1836. In 1996, the eastern portion of the street and surrounding buildings became protected by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission as the Stone Street Historic District. It is pedestrian-only.

I look forward to going back in better weather. I recommend taking a stroll down the narrow streets of the area, exploring the nooks and crannies, and looking for that surprise just around the corner 🙂

*Thomas’ was purchased by Bimbo Bakeries USA in 2009. In January 2010, Botticella left the company to work for Hostess Brands, who had been trying to learn the secrets of Thomas’ muffins. Bimbo, however, was successful in getting a court order barring Botticella from taking the new position. See the article here.

Posted on August 23, 2010 by Brian Dubé

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Grisly Business

Posted on August 12, 2010 by Brian Dubé

Gino Galestro, a member of the Bonanno crime family, ordered Rober McKelvey to be killed. McKelvey had committed crimes with the family but also angered Galestro and owed him money. Former marine Joseph Young was to make the hit, but things did not go well. From the New York Times, 2006:

The victim was lured to a secluded landmark, a Victorian mansion on a hilltop on Staten Island, but he proved hard to kill. When an effort to strangle him failed, he was stabbed, then dragged to a nearby pond and drowned. His body was dismembered with hacksaws and incinerated in the mansion’s furnace.

Since that time, all manner of ghostly and poltergeist phenomena have been claimed (and some prior to that murder, where legend has it that a cook killed himself in the kitchen).

The mansion was built in 1885 as an estate home by New York City brick manufacturer Balthazar Kreischer, a Bavarian immigrant. Two other homes like it were built for his two sons, Charles and Edward, who were partners in the company B. Kreischer & Sons. Only one home remains, shown in the photo and located at 4500 Arthur Kill Road, Staten Island.
The area, settled by the Androvette family in 1699, was originally known as Androvetteville in the 1700s. It then became known as Kreisherville, a factory town built by Kreischer, who had been attracted by the natural clay deposits in the region*. From the New York Times:

At the height of its operation in the late 1890’s, B. Kreischer & Sons employed more than 300 workers and turned out more than three million bricks yearly. Kreischer brick, which continued to be produced until the 1930’s, was used on major building projects throughout New York. Kreischer decorative terra cotta was used in the building of Barnard College around 1900.

The brick factory was built in 1854, destroyed by fire in 1877, rebuilt, and finally closed in 1927. Kreischer brickwork can be seen in neighborhoods as far away as Ridgewood and Astoria, Queens.

With the anti-German sentiment after WWI, the town name was changed to Charleston, after Kreischer’s son, Charles. In 1996, the home was a restaurant. Currently vacant, there are plans to build a 120-unit senior citizen housing near Kreischer Mansion, which may be used as a center. I hope we are finished with all the grisly business…

*The 260-acre Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve is located on the site that once provided the white kaolin clay in the 19th century for the manufacture of bricks and terra cotta.

Posted on August 12, 2010 by Brian Dubé

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White House of Ill Repute

Posted on August 11, 2010 by Brian Dubé

The White House has had its Presidential scandals. Much has been well documented, and the home can be seen in photos everywhere.

However, there is another White House riddled with much darker doings in the past, located at 177 Benedict Road in Staten Island, NY, the former home of the notorious crime boss Constantino Paul Castellano. I journeyed to Staten Island to see the place for myself, and I believe these are the only photos you will find of this home.

In 1976, Big Paul Castellano succeeded Carlo Gambino (after his death) as head of the Gambino crime family, the largest Mafia family at the time in the United States.

Paul was born in Brooklyn in 1915, the youngest of three. He dropped out of school in the eighth grade and learned to be a meat cutter in his father’s butcher business. His life of crime began early – Paul also ran numbers for his father.

In the 1920s, Staten Island was sparsely populated and isolated – an ideal dumping ground for mafia victims as well as a place for bootlegging, extortion, loansharking, gambling, drug-dealing, and smuggling, activities which emerged on the waterfront. By the mid-20th century, Staten Island became a residential enclave for Mafia dons, providing the seclusion they needed. In the 1980s, law enforcement officials estimated the number of “made” Mafia members living on Staten Island at around 60, with names such as John Gotti, Aniello Dellacroce, Salvatore Gravano, Frank DeCicco, Thomas Pitera, Costabile Farace, and many others.

Castellano’s enormous mansion, a replica of the White House of the United States, was built in 1980 in Todt Hill on Staten Island.
At the time Castellano moved into this estate with his family, a Columbian housemaid, Gloria Olarte, began working. A full-blown love affair between Paul and Gloria developed under the eye of Castellano’s wife, Nina. Although Mafiosi are known to keep a goomatta on the side while married, Castellano’s behavior became more overt and problematic.

Knowing that Castellano conducted business from his home, the FBI planted bugs in Castellano’s home in 1983 with the help of Olarte, who had been upset with the way her affair with Paul was going. Olarte let an FBI agent into their home, posing as a repairman. Over 600 hours of conversations detailing the Gambino family business were recorded.

Others in the organization were also not pleased with Castellano and his more mainstream business approach. On Dec. 16, 1985, Castellano and his driver, Thomas Bilotti, were murdered outside of Sparks Steak House at 210 East 46th Street, between Second & Third Avenues in Midtown Manhattan. The hit was ordered by John Gotti, who controlled the family until his 2002 death in prison. The gangland-style murder was particularly shocking, occurring as it did during rush hour, in midtown Manhattan, and in modern times.

Not to be upstaged, New York City is proud to be home to its own White House of Ill Repute 🙂

Posted on August 11, 2010 by Brian Dubé

This entry was posted in Homes and 'Hoods, NYC's History, Secret NYC. Bookmark the permalink.
Veneer of Their Lives

Posted on August 9, 2010 by Brian Dubé

From time to time, I need a reality check to put things in perspective. At one time, I occasionally turned to a good friend who had moved to the West Coast. He had a very worldly perspective, having traveled extensively to all corners of the globe. See Weather Means Whether here.

As I have written in stories such as The Dark Ages, New Yorkers often have to tolerate very poor living conditions, even when paying substantial rents or purchase prices for apartments. Among residents, this is often a source of humor, jokes, and sarcasm. The non-resident or visitor often sees displays of wealth in New York, but these glimpses of the city are just a veneer and often do not give the full picture.

The single biggest factor in living in this city, regardless of whether a person owns or rents, is that with little exception, the vast majority of residents live in multiple-unit dwellings, i.e. apartment buildings. In this environment, you lose control. Tenants above, below, and to the sides of you are a perennial concern and often a source of noise etc., frequently with little recourse.

On one occasion, said friend was in my apartment when I was feeling particularly shut in and frustrated by my various living conditions. Having a sense, however, that things could be much worse and that perhaps I was rather an ingrate, I asked him his honest assessment of my abode. After a moment or two of thoughtful contemplation, he said that in the scheme of things, I had a pretty good situation.

Romanticizing the past can also be a case of seeing only a veneer. In Better When, I discussed the illusory sense that times were better in the good old days.
Strolling through St. Luke’s Cemetery, on Arthur Kill Road in the Rossville section of Staten Island, provided the reality check I needed. A photographer friend who accompanied me pointed out how many grave stones of children there were. (If you click to enlarge the photo, you can read the inscriptions). As we strolled the graveyard, I found it quite sobering, particularly the family of Morris and Eva Dixon, whose many children lived only some months to 3 years. I was heartened by their own headstone (lower right photo), noting that they were born 3 years apart (1855 and 1858) and died within one year of each other (1929 and 1930). I hope the Dixons had their joys as well as misfortunes and that these headstones serve only as a veneer of their lives…

Posted on August 9, 2010 by Brian Dubé

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Paint by Number

Posted on July 23, 2010 by Brian Dubé

There is nothing that seems to make an artist bristle more than paint by number* or anything remotely resembling it. It is useful to know what is best left to subjective human judgement. However, it is also good to know what is best done by using numbers, as well as where using numbers is more efficient and does not degrade the human experience.

I recall a documentary on the illy coffee company of Italy. What really impressed me was the balance between the subjective and objective in their coffee production process. There are things better done using science and technology and things better done by the human senses, and the illy family knows when to use what.

Numbers lie behind most things, and ultimately, given fine enough resolution, many analog things can be reduced to a digital file with satisfying results. Music is a good example. Most musicians have embraced digital recordings. Whether or not they are absolutely identical to an analog recording and whether there are any audible differences are moot points for most – the digital files communicate well the feelings intended by the composer and performers, the primary feature being the ability for flawless reproduction.

There are things that appear to resist reduction to digital reproduction and are controversial. Stradavarius, Guarneri, and Amati violins are a good example – these instruments are highly coveted by violinists. However, tests have been done using antique and new instruments, with mixed results as to the ability of some of the world’s greatest musicians and experts to distinguish the old from the new by listening alone.

Along with music, imaging and photography have been most greatly impacted by the digital process. The fact that a scene like that in today’s photo can be effectively communicated with a digital file is remarkable. I stumbled upon this exquisite little gingerbread cottage while driving through the Lighthouse Hill neighborhood in Staten Island. The home, at 298 Lighthouse Avenue, neighbors the Tibetan Museum and shares the same hillside and vistas (see second photo here). Built in 1899, the house is only 968 square feet. Its diminutive size and idyllic charm is communicated easily, whether you take photos, brush by instinct, or paint by number 🙂

*About Paint by Number: The 1950s in America saw a rise in prosperity and leisure time. “For critics, the paint-by-number phenomenon provided ample evidence of the mindless conformity gripping national life and culture. The making of the fad is attributed to Max S. Klein, owner of the Palmer Paint Company of Detroit, Michigan, and to artist Dan Robbins, who conceived the idea and created many of the initial paintings. Palmer Paint began distributing paint-by-number kits under the Craft Master label in 1951. By 1954, Palmer had sold some twelve million kits. Popular subjects ranged from landscapes, seascapes, and pets to Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Paint-kit box tops proclaimed, ‘Every man a Rembrandt!’ ” Read more here.

Posted on July 23, 2010 by Brian Dubé

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Todt Hill

Posted on July 21, 2010 by Brian Dubé

If you enjoy exploring New York City, then Todt Hill is a must. This residential hilltop neighborhood is certainly one of the most, if not the most, exclusive, secluded areas in the five boroughs of New York. Todt Hill, with an elevation of 410 feet, is the highest natural point on the Eastern Seaboard of the United States south of Maine.

Staten Island is also the least populous of New York’s five boroughs, with under 500,000 residents. This much lower population density and its very hilly terrain create some very rural and remote feeling areas.

I love hill and mountain tops, and Todt Hill had been on my list for quite some time, having only passed through the area once before a long time ago. On this trip, I explored the backroads and (along with Forest Hills Gardens, Bayside, Queens, and Dyker Heights, Brooklyn) found it to have some of the most extraordinary private homes in New York City – McMansions abound with topiary, bricked semicircular driveways, and fountains. See my photo gallery here.

Most of Staten Island has a decidedly suburban feel – driving there is more akin to nearby New Jersey than New York City, with much of the developed areas of the borough revealing a plethora of strip malls and other visual clutter.

Do not be misled, however. Staten Island has some of the most beautiful natural and historic environments in New York City – places like St. Andrews Church, historic Richmond Town, Snug Harbor, the Museum of Tibetan Art, the Kreischer Mansion, The Crimson Beech (residence designed by Frank Lloyd Wright), yacht clubs, waterways, and estuaries, the Latourette House (1836), Staten Island Botanical Garden, and the Fresh Kills landfill. This massive landfill, opened in 1947 and closed in 2001, has been cleaned up and is now undergoing development into a park larger than Central Park – plans include a bird-nesting island, boardwalks, soccer and baseball fields, bridle paths, and a 5,000-seat stadium.

But, if like me, you really like lofty pursuits, head for Dongan Hills, Grymes Hill, Lighthouse Hill, and Todt Hill 🙂

Posted on July 21, 2010 by Brian Dubé

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Fire Island

Posted on July 9, 2010 by Brian Dubé

With only one exception, all the photos on this website were taken in one of the five boroughs in New York City. I do not vacation or travel out of the city or post photos and stories of my exurban adventures or vacations.

But Fire Island is a special case, and if you don’t include it in your discussions about New York City, then you do not have a complete picture of this city. Like the Hamptons and Montauk, Fire Island is a summer playground dominated by New Yorkers, particularly Manhattanites. There is a level of urbane sophistication – if you spend time there, you quickly get a real sense that this is a virtual microcosm of New York City.

Fire Island is a barrier island, only half a mile wide and 31 miles long, off the south shore of Long Island. It is accessible by bridge at either end with public beaches – Robert Moses State Park at the western end and Smith Point County Park at the eastern end.

However, the real allure are the 22-some odd private communities that dot the interior of the island, which are only accessible by ferry from Long Island. These communities span an entire range of environments and people, from conservative to wild. Point of Woods has the character of a New England town, while Fire Island Pines has roller coaster boardwalks tunneling through trees. Cherry Grove is dominated by the gay community, with a party atmosphere. Seaview is sedate. Ocean Bay Park sees many vacationers sharing homes. Water Island has the character of a remote outpost. See my photo gallery here.

My romantic love affair with Fire Island started on a day trip in the early 1970s. I immediately was swept away. There are many charms to Fire Island – the pristine beach and dunes, protected as Fire Island National Seashore, Sailors Haven, the Sunken Forest, and the Fire Island Lighthouse. But there is one big factor that defines everything – there are no automobiles.

This is an extraordinary world where streets are often wooden walkways, transportation is by foot or bicycle, and goods are frequently carted by wagons left in town. Here, you can find the occasional little girl with a stand selling shells. Deer roam freely and can be easily hand fed. Less than 40 miles from New York City, and the quiet is just shocking.

Sound like paradise? Yes it is. If you have a chance, visit Fire Island 🙂

Posted on July 9, 2010 by Brian Dubé

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Everything No

Posted on June 18, 2010 by Brian Dubé

On April 4, 2008, I wrote Key Privileges, about Gramercy Park – the city’s exclusive private enclave and Manhattan’s only private park. Read the story of the park here. That visit was like that of virtually all New York City residents and visitors – from the outside.

Recently, a friend, a regular reader of this website and Gramercy neighborhood resident who lives just off the park, let me know that she was in possession of a rare and highly coveted article – a key to Gramercy Park. The key was loaned to her by a friend who was away for a short time, so time was fleeting, and so was my window of opportunity. A number of us were invited for the outing, so we decided to meet at an opening at the National Arts Club on Gramercy Park South.

The convenient location on the park and a short immersion into the club’s historic structure made it the perfect launching point for our excursion into the park. The National Arts Club, which also abuts the Players Club, is housed in one of New York’s finest mansions, both a designated New York Landmark and a National Historic Landmark. The building, located at 15 Gramercy Park South, is worthy of a visit itself.

I made a big ceremonial event about the unveiling of the key and the opening of the park gate. Gramercy Park requires a key both to enter and leave. Once inside, we toured the park, spent some time enjoying the extraordinary bucolic ambiance, and alighted on a number of benches for some friendly chatting. See my gallery of photos here.

All of our group was in agreement, however, that although the park’s landscaping and natural beauty was quite exquisite, the park itself, with its list of don’ts, was rather boring. In fact, the park is not heavily used.
The list of rules is quite long (see them here). After reading them on our way out and observing a nearby “Please No Pets” sign, one of our group was prompted to comment, “Everything no.” A recent immigrant to the USA, we found her outside perspective and slightly broken English to be a charming, succinct, and not altogether inaccurate characterization of the environment. Smiling, I felt compelled to respond, “Yes, everything no…”

Posted on June 18, 2010 by Brian Dubé

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Explorin’ Part 2 – Dead Horse Bay

Posted on June 16, 2010 by Brian Dubé

(see Part 1 here)

The name Dead Horse Bay is provocative enough, and the place easily lives up to its name.

A coworker told me about this beach in Brooklyn, along with a requisite piece of information – go during low tide. So, I examined the tide tables for Jamaica Bay, New York City, and timed my trip accordingly. I parked my vehicle at the ranger station at Floyd Bennett Field. A walk across the main thoroughfare and short hike through the beach forest trail opens up to the bay. Surprisingly, none of the rangers had made the hike and were eager to hear my report upon return.

The beach is strewn with a myriad of artifacts – primarily glass bottles, forming a blue-green carpet of glass. Make no mistake, however – Dead Horse Bay is essentially a beach of trash, albeit very interesting trash. There are dishes, toys, parts of sinks, rusted metal devices, and even mating horseshoe crabs. See my gallery of photos here. The history of this bizarre place is always the first question asked. From the New York Times:

Dead Horse Bay sits at the western edge of a marshland once dotted by more than two dozen horse-rendering plants, fish oil factories and garbage incinerators. From the 1850’s until the 1930’s, the carcasses of dead horses and other animals from New York City streets were used to manufacture glue, fertilizer and other products at the site. The chopped-up, boiled bones were later dumped into the water. The squalid bay, then accessible only by boat, was reviled for the putrid fumes that hung overhead.

Once marshland, the area became slowly filled with trash and the landfill capped. The cap burst in the 1950’s, spewing articles from the early 20th century into the surrounding beach water.

After walking the entire beach, I was prepared to leave. However, the fact that I had seen no evidence of dead horses was nagging at me, so I decided to backtrack and question a woman who, I had noticed earlier, had been combing with the intent of a repeat visitor. Alas, good that I did – Angela pointed out that horse bones were, in fact, everywhere – you just had to know what to look for. Sure enough, once they were pointed out to me and my companion, we saw them everywhere. Angela had found what appeared to be a 32-sided game die and asked if I could take photos for her. You can see it here.

If you visit Dead Horse Bay, remember to wear good shoes/boots to protect you from all the shards of glass and other sharp objects. Oh, and happy explorin’ 🙂

Posted on June 16, 2010 by Brian Dubé

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Explorin’ Part 1

Posted on June 15, 2010 by Brian Dubé

We learned to travel through the forest canopy ala Tarzan (sans vines) by climbing atop young saplings and swinging side to side, gaining enough movement to grab a neighboring tree and cross over. We crossed swamps, jumping from one tufted outcropping to another. We fell from trees and into swamps too.
We found snakes under hot rocks – we learned that they loved to bask in the heat of the summer sun. We found newts, tadpoles, turtles, and salamanders. We marveled at nature’s iridescence in the damsel fly. We believed in the dangers of a dragon fly sewing your eyes shut, as well as other myths, not knowing they were myths at all.

My summer days were filled with exploring, from sunup to sundown, until my mother’s call brought me back from the wild. More correctly, I should say explorin’, because that is precisely what we called it – the lack of a “g” conferring a certain sense of casual authority of the experienced adventurer. “Explorin'” was always the answer to the daily “Whataya want to do?”

Later, I read the wonderful tales of African adventure by Jean Pierre Hallet – Congo Kitabu and Animal Kitabu. Although my native habitat was not Africa and no real treasures were ever found, it mattered not in the least.
We made primitive toys and weapons. With crudely fashioned bows that rarely worked, we stalked the woods like Robin Hood. We made kites that would not fly from salvaged fabric and twigs. A string, stick, and small hook was enough to spend a day fishing lost items from below the steps of a basement hatchway. We rolled down hills in reclaimed appliance boxes. There was no particular agenda or mission when explorin’ – just the joy of looking. And we loved the woods best of all.

These days, although I have yet to travel to the Amazon or Congo, I find New York City serves as a fine place for any Jungle Lover with a hankerin’ for explorin’. There are plenty of woods, beaches, alleys, rivers, lakes, bays, wildlife, and backroads.

On Saturday, armed with that childhood spirit of explorin’ and on the recommendation of a coworker, I set out to explore a most bizarre place, the result of a strange twist in New York City history. Tomorrow, I will show you what I found on the other side of those dunes in Part 2 of Explorin’…

Posted on June 15, 2010 by Brian Dubé

This entry was posted in Extreme NYC, Natural NYC, Only in New York, Secret NYC. Bookmark the permalink.
Squadron A Armory

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Brian Dubé

I try not to overuse the word juxtaposition, because if I was not vigilant in its use, I could easily justify using it ad nauseum in regards to the diversity of structures in New York City.

One of the supreme examples of juxtaposition is the palace of Versailles and the town of Versailles in France. In the area neighboring the palace, one finds a town that is pleasant but nothing to prepare one for the grandeur of the palace.
For the residents of Versailles, however, I imagine the palace becomes just another fixture, something one becomes inured to over time. At least that is the experience I have often in New York City. I certainly appreciate our iconic structures, but often it takes spectacular or unusual conditions to bring these things to one’s attention.

Where else but in New York City could you discover something this large, having never been aware of its existence? I don’t recall even seeing this medieval behemoth, which occupies a full city block on Madison Avenue between 94th and 95th Streets. See 2nd photo here.

This is the Squadron A Armory facade. Facade, because in 1966, demolition began to make way for a new junior high school and apartment complex. However, the Landmarks Preservation Commission intervened, and the demolition was stopped.
Squadron A refers to an historic cavalry unit based out of New York City’s Upper East Side. It was formed by a group of wealthy young men with an interest in equestrianism. Read more here.

If you travel up Madison Avenue, don’t be so distracted by all the high-profile boutiques that you miss Rhinelander’s Dream and the medieval ruins of Squadron A Armory…

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Brian Dubé

This entry was posted in Architecture, Only in New York, Secret NYC. Bookmark the permalink.
Time Travel

Posted on January 26, 2010 by Brian Dubé

If I asked if you thought this was colonial New England or the South, of course you would know it was a trick question; this is a website that features New York City exclusively. Nonetheless, it is a shocking set of images to imagine within the five boroughs of New York City, and I hope that, like me, you are scratching your head in amazement and wondering where this could be.

For daily readers of this site, you may guess that we are in Staten Island – we just crossed the Verrazano Bridge yesterday. And you are correct.

My real mission here involved a number of destinations, but Historic Richmond Town was unknown to me and was a complete surprise, suggested by a native when I asked if there were any historic areas. I expected to find a nice home or two – some small pocket or enclave.

I had no idea that Historic Richmond Town (established in 1958) is one of America’s living history museums, like those found in Colonial Williamsburg or Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts, where my family visited when I was young. Richmond Town was the former county seat and commercial center of Richmond County (Staten Island).

The concept of a living history museum goes back to open-air museums that appeared in Scandinavia in the late 19th century. The first was King Oscar II’s collection near Oslo in Norway, opened in 1881. The American style focuses more on lifestyle and generally depicts various trades and activities of the period recreated.

Historic Richmond Town dates back over 300 years to the 1600s, very old by USA standards. There are 27 buildings in the 25-acre village on a 100-acre site. Some structures are original to the village, while others have been moved from other locations on the island. There are many styles of buildings here, including outstanding examples of Dutch Colonial and Greek revival architecture.

There are many exhibits that can be seen in Historic Richmond Town – blacksmithing, tinsmithing, basketmaking, coopering, weaving, candlemaking, spinning, etc. There is the oldest standing elementary school in the United States. Here you will find a Dutch Colonial farmhouse, established in 1740, and the Print Shop, established in 1821. Historic Richmond Town houses one of the oldest operating printing presses in America. See their website here.

When I visited, none of the buildings were open or exhibits operational. When the weather gets warmer and the growth greener, I plan to do a more thorough visit. I’ve always loved Time Travel 🙂

Posted on January 26, 2010 by Brian Dubé

This entry was posted in Homes and 'Hoods, NYC's History, Scenic NYC, Secret NYC. Bookmark the permalink.
Perfect Hostess

Posted on November 25, 2009 by Brian Dubé

Looking at today’s photos, you might reasonably conclude that I left for New England early and am using Thanksgiving as a foil to justify the use of a photo from outside New York City limits.
If I tell you that this building is from within the five boroughs, you might then reasonably conclude that this is in some outer corner of the Bronx or deep in the rural areas of Staten Island.
However, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, this Quaker meeting house, over 300 years old, is located at 137-16 Northern Boulevard in Flushing, Queens. See more photos here.

Northern Boulevard is a major thoroughfare in Queens, and this particular location is just around the corner from bustling Main Street in the heart of the largest Asian neighborhood in the United States.
Walking by this building, perhaps on the way to dim sum, you will either be extremely startled or, given its ancient character, perhaps not even notice it, as I am sure is the case with many passersby.
A sign welcomes visitors, but the place looks completely devoid of human activity. On my visit, I tried opening the doors, really just to confirm my feelings that this place was closed.

I was, however, extremely surprised to find the door unlocked, and I was greeted enthusiastically by two women dressed in a manner befitting some centuries gone by. When I asked if I could take photos, expecting a negative all so common, I was instead welcomed to do so and was escorted through the entire two-story dwelling. Lights were turned on for me, doors were opened, and every manner of accommodation was made to my photographic interests.

Built in 1694 by John Bowne and other early Quakers, the Old Quaker Meeting House is, by all known accounts, the oldest house of worship in New York State, the second oldest Quaker meeting house in the nation, and one of the three oldest continuously active sites of religious activity in the western hemisphere. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1967.

A lovely graveyard planted with indigenous trees and flowers is part of the Meeting House’s grounds. The house is the only surviving example in the New York State of a typical 17th-century ecclesiastical frame structure of medieval design, with beamed ceilings and handmade benches. Read more here at the Old Quaker Meeting House website.

Lest the cynics among you think that all of this was a precursor to the hard sell with a biblical assault or, perhaps, the soft sell, in fact, nothing of the kind occurred. Discussions centered around the structure itself. I took some literature of my own accord.

I can not speak to Quakerism per se, but I can tell you that I have visited many places in this city, and my requests for taking photos have been received with a broad range of responses, mostly negative. Here, at the Old Quaker Meeting House, I found the Perfect Hostess 🙂

Posted on November 25, 2009 by Brian Dubé

This entry was posted in Secret NYC. Bookmark the permalink.

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