After Sandy, Finding the Hot Spot!

I have seen the future and this is what it looks like; a generator with a power strip. 

In the days following mega storm Sandy the northeast coastline continues to suffer with power outages, demolished real estate, and downed trees. We lost power in the East Village at the point of high tide on Monday evening, everything below 40th Street became what I coined as the ‘blackout zone.’

Since Katrina, forecasters here have been preparing for storm serge and high winds. Public officials papered the streets of New York with evacuation regions, the most significant, Zone A to B and C as warning of low-lying areas. Surveying the neighborhood, the waterfront was hit hard, lots of downed trees and the power station on the East River failed at around 9:00pm, I was cut off immediately from friends and family but I had my candles sitting ready. 

For the most part, I think a majority of New Yorkers carried on with great perseverance; however, with storms of this nature rare, there are those few that make a difficult situation worse. Compassion and curtesy are lost when common sense is disregarded and individuals cannot be bothered with inconvenience. 

In this new wireless, handheld society the demand for electricity is the new crisis when power fails and what I witnessed Day 1 of the aftermath, I call it, “The Great Outlet Migration.” 

I am not sure which word is more appropriate, covet or hoard, it is a matter of perspective as my neighbor along with hundreds of others made our daily pilgrimage to civilization, but once we reached the lighted zone, it was anything but civilized. Trying to find an unmanned outlet was like the proverbial ‘needle in a haystack.’ It was interesting to see forward thinkers carry power strips because they have multiple devices that require juice. 

All around Grand Central Terminal uniformed officers try to initiate a very limited transportation program with the  Subway system crippled by flood waters. Long lines, lots of yelling, and chaos as officers use megaphones to direct crowds to buses assigned to assist workers back to their homes in the outer boroughs also in the mix flashing lights and tireless sirens. 

Crossing wide avenues without red lights felt like a game of chicken, worrying if vehicles were going to slow down to allow pedestrians the ‘right of way.’ We were not in a state of lawlessness nor were their reports of looting that triggers memories of news reports of the blackout of the 1970s. We worked together, pooled our resources, and made the best of the situation here at 45 First Avenue. 

Each day of the blackout my neighbor and I walked forty blocks to and from for a warm meal, to restock, and to power our devices. Each day there was a new source of the humble collection of people trying to bring to life humanity in it’s best light even in the darkness. The hum of generators began to bring little hot spots to each neighborhood affected by the storm and it became more bearable for the East Village everyday.   

What it means to ‘trip the lights fantastic on the sidewalks of New York.’

 John Milton wrote in 1637:

            Come, knit hands, and beat the ground,

            In a light fantastic round. 

Milton was referring to dancing: To dance, especially in an imaginative or ‘fantastic’ manner. “He must have liked the imagery, as he used it again in the poem L'Allegro, 1645:”

           

            Haste thee, Nymph, and bring with thee

Jest, and youthful Jollity,

Quips and cranks and wanton wiles,

Nods and becks and wreathed smiles

Such as hang on Hebe’s cheek,

And love to live in dimple sleek;

Sport that wrinkled Care derides,

And Laughter holding both his sides.

Come, and trip it, as you go,

On the light fantastic toe;

And in thy right hand lead with thee

The mountain-nymph, sweet Liberty;

And, if I give thee honour due,

Mirth, admit me of thy crew,

To live with her, and live with thee,

In unreproved pleasures free ...

This poem reminds me of every summer session’s night filled with such frivolity and fancy-free fun --- We would polka, dance a jig, as games were played we laughed and our hearts were filled with the exuberance of DRS!

But it is in the writings of James W. Blake (1894) that reminds me most of DRS:

            ‘East Side, West Side,, all around the town,

            The tots sang “Ring-a-rosie,” “London Bridge is falling down”;

            Boys and girls together, me and Mamie O’Rorke,

            Tripped the lights fantastic on the sidewalks of New York.’

To my teacher, to my mentor, to my guide, to my friend, I will always ‘trip it, and go, on the light fantastic toe... You have inspired many, shared everything you had, and gave us not only your love but you have set an example with your passion, integrity, and joy. 

Thank you, DRS your energy will never expire and just like the sidewalks of New York, they will never be silent because you have left your mark ‘on the sunny side of the street.’

In loving memory of Dorothy Rainer Sellars

One Way Streets

Ever felt as though you were living in your own ‘Groundhog Day,’ living the same day over and over again? One might say this is the pattern of living within a routine. I think this may be one of the most unique things about New York because it is hard to consider anything routine in this town.

Living in New York for over 21 years, I have become conditioned by the rhythm and the pattern of this great city. Creating a logical system for getting around, my routine benefits from the city planners that organized the Grid Plan of 1811. In the past two hundred years the streets of New York have changed from muddy, rutty, horse manure trenches to brick laid paths, and now paved blacktops. Through the ages, the streets like a rushing river moves constantly, the ebb and flow of traffic, the lullaby for ‘the city that never sleeps.’

Never taking my day for granted, traffic may be the only given in a city with a population over 8 million people. I rarely pay attention to the white noise, the friction of the streets, until today. Today started like any other, my mind was set on the task at hand, my eyes following concrete sidewalk anomalies as I leave my apartment and turn onto 2^nd Street, I stepped into the 1950s.

It is odd because, I wasn’t born until 1965 but I was clearly in the 50s. The street lined with cars from the past. It wasn’t the vintage cars that I recognized first, it was the fact that the cars were parked in the opposite direction of traffic. New York has a flow that is ingrained within me and seeing these cars parked backwards gave me pause. This is when I realize that I am standing in the middle of a movie set.

I would love to hear your street experiences, and if you have never experienced the streets of New York City, One Token Tours will help you change that!

The Food Experience no. 2

Comfort food can mean different things for everyone. I would love to know what you consider your comfort food, is it a dish your mother made when you were a child?

Venturing out on this sunny but chilly February day, my neighbor and I were up for a little adventure, deciding to try a new place, we stepped into the Lower East Side and found this cozy little Thai shop, called, One More Thai.

I cannot say that I have one type of comfort food, for me it depends on the day, and as my neighbor will say, “Today, I have a taste for…” And we have a favorite spot for our different cravings all with reasonable lunch special pricing.

I hate to say it but ‘One More Thai’ is giving competition to our other neighborhood spots, the flavors were very nice.

Before I insult my ‘foodies’ out there, I often explain it to my traveling guests as, ‘Thai food is similar to Chinese food.’ Not only is it due to the region but also the methods in which prepared. Traditional Thai cooking methods were stewing, baking, or grilling the Chinese introduced stir-frying and from the 17^th century forward new influences from the Portuguese, Dutch, French, and Japanese this cuisine has evolved.

Although characteristic of Thai cooking, a waterborne lifestyle, over time big cuts of meat were shredded and laced with herbs and spices, dishes can be refined and adjusted to suit all palates.

Today we went out for a warm plate of noodles. In Laos and Thailand these noodle dishes are known as ‘street food.’ Street food can certainly pertain to the masses and therefore a comfort food, for sure! With high expectations we ordered our usual dishes; Pad Thai a most popular dish and I order Phat si lo or Pad si Ew, depending on the shop it is also known in the Western culture as Black Noodle.

Pad Thai consists of a thin rice noodle and a subtle combination of spices (considered a curry) tamarind, fish sauce, palm sugar, and for a little heat a touch of paprika. Usually served with shrimp, and crushed peanuts, this dish may not be allergy friendly, but boy is it good. It can be ordered with chicken (sans) peanuts.

The rice noodle has been a staple of the culture since, as best as we know, the 5^th century. I ordered, Pad si Ew, the broad noodle, almost an inch wide, stir-fried with a little egg, Chinese broccoli, in a dark, sweet soy and black pepper concoction, this is what gives it the name Black Noodle. Love!

Traditionally a Thai meal is served all at once, permitting diners to enjoy complimentary combinations of different tastes. A proper Thai meal should consist of a soup, a curry dish with condiments, accompanying a fish or vegetable. The ‘One More Thai’ lunch special included soup or a starter. We tested their Spring Rolls and Curry Puffs. Delightful!

Both Spring Rolls and Curry Puffs are fried; however, when served on paper doilies, no greasy residue, perfectly flaky pastries. The dipping sauces seemed handmade, Duck Sauce for the Spring Rolls, and a wonderfully, sweet vinegar for my potato-filled Curry Puffs. For street food, this is some kind of good!

One Token Tours is ready to share the love that New York has to offer in food as well as in the incredible sights. What are your comfort foods? They can be found and I can help you plan your next trip.

Let the Confetti Fly!

In most cities this would be considered litter but not in New York, the tradition harkens back to the dedication of the Statue of Liberty, October 28, 1886. Unlike today that parade began uptown with marching bands, making their way to the southern tip of Manhattan, passing the New York Stock Exchange on lower Broadway, traders threw ticker tape from the windows, beginning the tradition of the ticker-tape parade.

Invented by Edward Calahan, an employee of the American Telegraph Company, ticker tape was the earliest electronic communications medium, in use between 1870 to 1970 transmitting stock price information over telegraph lines; the ticking sound was a constant during bankers business hours.

Today, it can be referred to as a shredded paper festival because paper ticker tape becomes obsolete in the 1960s as the television and technology changes the way we transmit financial information. Although still in use, the digital feed of printed abbreviated company names as alphabetic symbols followed by numeric stock transactions, a lighted board that may resemble a heart monitor measuring a rapid pulse has been sporadic, and from time to time we find ourselves near cardiac arrest. We hold our breaths and hope for recovery.

Still finding a reason to celebrate, this parade has welcomed new leaders, foreign dignitaries, international achievements led by charismatic individuals or teams, and today local celebrities, let the confetti fly from the highest windows within the Canyon of Heroes. Go Blue!

And Many Happy Returns!

I don’t know how she does it and at her age she never looks weary or forlorn, she holds her chin high and casts her gaze with such determination. I like to think she stands watching the horizon with great expectation, delighted by the breaking waves, and feeling the misty sea breeze while at times can be turbulent and unruly, it never shows on her face.

Sometimes I try and get into her head to see with my own eyes the ocean kissing the sky, that horizon line and the constant swell and release of our shores to gain some perspective from her dedication as well as her exemplary presence and spirit.

I look upon a fine line that has been watched for centuries, the horizon that holds optimistically to hope, witnessing every sunrise, and acknowledging every sunset all the while holding her lamp to the nights’ sky. Following the guidance of that flicker of light, and like a star or a satellite she continues to stand as a radiant beacon and a standard by which we measure humanity.

With life expectancy on the rise, this may be food for thought for a long time, and although it may no longer be taboo to ask a lady her age, think before outing a lady by complement or by curiosity because it remains her prerogative to preserve the mystery.

Please note and don’t pass judgment, she was conceived in France at a dinner party in 1865 by Edward de Laboulaye. She was created by Fredrick Bartholdi and crafted with the help from Gustav Eiffel by 1884 and standing on her pedestal in the New York Harbor 125 years ago October 28, 1886.

As a birthday wish, take a moment and reflect on “Liberty Enlightening the World” and know that freedom is your right and not a privilege. She stands tirelessly as a reminder to all.

The Food Experience no. 1

Ever considered making an entire meal out of appetizers?

Today, my neighbors and I ventured into Chinatown to lunch at Dim Sum Go Go. The interior has a nice young vibe, good variety, and great for groups.

Dim sum is best described as small bites, and a Cantonese term for snack. This custom came to be in the traditional teahouses accommodating weary travelers along the ancient Silk Road and eventually makes its way to the U.S. Yes it is a wonderful feast of fried and steamed dumplings, spring rolls, sticky buns, and rice concoctions all with delightful dipping sauces. What makes it unique can be the different way in which it may be served, and this is what makes it fun.

In some dim sum restaurants there is no written menu, Chinese women push carts of ready-to-serve delicacies around the room. Continuously during the meal, the cart passes, always tempting you with more, and in the good-ole’ American way one just ogles and points as if in stupor all the while bamboo steamer baskets collect on the table. Today we were offered menus and when our waiter realized we were having a difficult time deciding he handed us a laminated collection of pages with photographs of each item.

At Dim Sum Go Go, we write the order using the form on the table. Of course, we ordered and shared the pork filled Spring Rolls but really mixed it up with the dumplings. Well that was after we discussed shellfish allergies, we ordered Jade Dumplings, they were vegetable filled, one with asparagus and another with soybeans. The rice rolls are not rolls at all, but stuffed, translucent rice noodles. We stayed away from the shark fin and the chicken’s feet but ordered the Chicken & Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf.

Using chopsticks for most of the meal I was doing all right for myself; however, I must have put the waiter on guard when I asked for a fork. It helped with the thing wrapped in the leaf because I was unsure how to eat it. I took my fork and started hacking into it, but before I could do any damage the waiter leaned over and discretely, with his heavy Chinese accent, said, “You unfold the leaf and eat the rice inside.” Good to know!

It may be obvious that I am no ‘foodie,’ but every once in a while I like to step out of my comfort zone, and by the way while in New York with the incredible number of choices you just can’t leave without trying something new -- dim sum is fun…