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Over the Fourth of July weekend, I stayed put in NYC. I love when New York empties for a holiday. As a kid, instead of being sad because I was stuck “in the city,” I found good things that resulted from us not “getting out of town.” Dad didn’t own a car, our vacations were… Read more »

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June 20, 1957, on my brother Rory’s first birthday we moved into apartment #4R at 517 East 83rd Street. Mom let Rory and me run straight into the apartment before my aunts and uncles brought the furniture up. I dragged my brother by his arm. At the window was a fire escape with a nest… Read more »

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My happiest time of year is not tied to the weather, nor is it tied to a holiday. I get silly when The Losers Lounge play Joe’s Pub. Founded by Joe McGinty and Nick Danger in 1993 at the Pink Pony, the revue grew into a musical force when it merged with the Kustard Kings… Read more »

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June 1959, on a lazy Saturday morning, Mom said, “time for a paint party.” She got on the phone, and an hour later, her mother and her two sisters, Joan and Barbara, showed up at our 517 East 83rd Street apartment with four gallons of Benjamin Moore, two six packs of Schaefer and three soft… Read more »

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Manhattanhenge is the twice a year event when the sunset lines up perfectly with the main street arteries in Manhattan. This year, the two dates were last night and the second one will be July 12th. Unfortunately, the sunset was hiding behind cloud cover last night. Hopefully, on July 12th the sky will be clear. If… Read more »

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New York City, February 1941: On a Saturday morning, my father woke up and found his father drinking coffee alone in the kitchen with only the winter light coming in through the backyard window. My grandmother and uncle had left for work. Dad, 11, talked baseball with his Dad for an hour while eating three… Read more »

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Two years ago, I stopped my bike at Sailboat Lake in Central Park and watched the hawk called Pale Male search for prey. He soared over Fifth Avenue. I tired before he did, but not before I took several photos of him dancing with the moon. Leaving the park a water fountain got all psychedelic on… Read more »

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I like Central Park early in the morning. The light is special, the space is quiet but for the dogs off their leashes. I like that best, gives the place a country feel. Well, I was biking over there on a Sunday morning around seven when I saw this end result of a “funny thing to do… Read more »

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 “Get that out of your mouth.” The nun demanded. “Wha?” said the kid. “The candy.” With lots of lisping,”It’ssss not candy, it’ssss a cough drop.” The nun with pointing directions only made the boy take out a hanky and drop the drop into the snot rag. “No candy in class!” “It’sssss not candy!” The nun… Read more »

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Finally, the calendar insists it is springtime in New York. Street blossoms just got in on the red eye. Walking through Central Park and the Upper Eastside I spied these scenes.           Thomas Pryor’s blog: Yorkville: Stoops to Nuts