Wednesday, July 2, 2008

The Sweet Potato Carts Of 16 Catherine Street

from the nytimes 1976: Mr. Beller (no relation) remarks that he had a metal shop that made carts at 16 Catherine Street
Read this document on Scribd: sweet-potato

Summer Samba Slide Show: A Walk Down 34th Street And LES Part 2


Includes images of residences of "east side boys" Joseph Harvey O'Laughlin and Isidore Zimmerman

Northern Exposure: Dream Sequence


From the episode the Russian Flu. A David Assael script. I'd consider nominating Janine Turner for honorary membership, except she became a "holy roller"

Summer Samba: A Walk Down 34th Street And LES-Part 1


from images taken on 6/30/08. Bebel Gilberto vocalist
Someone to hold me tight
That would be very nice
Someone to love me right
That would be very nice
Someone to understand
Each little dream in me
Someone to take my hand
And be a team with me
So nice, life would be so nice
If one day I'd find
Someone who would take my hand
And samba through life with me
Someone to cling to me
Stay with me right or wrong
Someone to sing to me
Some little samba song
Someone to take my heart
And give his heart to me
Someone who's ready to
Give love a start with me
Oh yeah, that would be so nice
I could see you and me, that would be nice
Someone to hold me tight
That would be very nice
Someone to love me right
That would be very nice
Someone to understand
Each little dream in me
Someone to take my hand
To be a team with me
So nice, life would be so nice
If one day I'd find
Someone who would take my hand
And samba through life with me
Someone to cling to me
Stay with me right or wrong
Someone to sing to me
Some little samba song
Someone to take my heart
And give his heart to me
Someone who's ready to
Give love a start with me
Oh yes, that would be so nice
Shouldn't we, you and me?
I can see it will be nice...

Northern Exposure: Spring Break


An excerpt from a great David Assael written episode for Northern Exposure.
His scripts:
"The Russian Flu" David Assael August 9, 1990 1-05 (5)
Fleischman's fiancee Elaine arrives for a visit, only to have the entire town come down with the flu, ruining their time together. In their delirium, the townspeople blame the helpless doctor. Marilyn takes it upon herself to prescribe a foul-smelling native remedy that cures everyone, but won't tell Fleischman what's in it.
"Spring Break" David Assael May 6, 1991 2-05 (13)
Spring arrives and Maggie and Joel find their dreams invaded by each other, State Trooper Barbara Semanski enchants Maurice, and the other citizens of Cicely have their yearly bout of spring fever, experiencing all kinds of weird feelings, stolen radios, and Holling's urge to pick fights and "do some damage".
"Our Tribe" David Assael January 13, 1992 3-12 (27)
Joel reluctantly undergoes a cultural conversion after receiving a goat as a gift from a grateful village elder, who insists on "adopting" him into her tribe, and a mysterious Holling shuts down the Brick, ostensibly to wax the floors.
"It Happened In Juneau" David Assael May 4, 1992 3-21 (36)
Things heat up between Joel and Maggie when they are forced to share a hotel room in Juneau. Chris and his brother Bernard for the first time are not in perfect sync with each other.
"Thanksgiving" David Assael November 23, 1992 4-08 (46)
Cicely readies itself for the annual Day of the Dead parade and Thanksgiving Day feast; Joel discovers he owes the state of Alaska a fifth year of service.

Who's Almost Who In Knickerbocker Village History: David Assael


I'm not quite sure, since I'm wholly dependent on google in this case, but the above might be a then and now image of David. His name came up the other week as he was a friend of a KVer who went to CCNY. Evidently he lived around Allen and Delancey. I knew with a name like Assael he had to be Sephardic. The 1920 census has numerous Assaels living around "ground zero" for NY Sephardim at the time, in the vicinity of Broome, Allen, Delancey and Ludlow. David Assael is distinguished screenwriter responsible for contributing to these movies and tv series:
* Northern Exposure (TV Series)
* Picket Fences (TV Series)
* Homefront (TV Series)
* Schizoid
* The Omega Connection
* Call of the Wild (TV Series)
* Chicago Story (TV Series)
* Dellaventura (TV Series)
and for these great quotes from one of my favorites, Northern Exposure:
They say that blood is thicker than water. Maybe that's why we battle our own with more energy and gusto than we would ever expend on strangers.
David Assael, Northern Exposure, Family Feud, 1993
We're not talking about historical accuracy, we're talking about art. I've set in motion a geometric inevitability. If I start chiseling there, chipping here, the whole form is compromised.
David Assael, Northern Exposure, Family Feud, 1993
Be open to your dreams, people. Embrace that distant shore. Because our mortal journey is over all too soon.
David Assael, Northern Exposure, It Happened in Juneau, 1992
Sometimes it's hard to avoid the happiness of others.
David Assael, Northern Exposure, Our Tribe, 1992
After you've been in a place for a while, everything starts to look... I won't say better, there's no need to go to extremes...but your everyday life does start to become...familiar.
David Assael, Northern Exposure, Russian Flu, 1990
Well, spring sprang. We've had our state of grace and our little gift of sanctioned madness, courtesy of Mother Nature. Thanks, Gaia. Much obliged. I guess it's time to get back to that daily routine of living we like to call normal.
David Assael, Northern Exposure, Spring Break, 1991

This Just In: The KV "Colonel" To Visit The "Rabbi"


"Next Tuesday, I will have the opportunity to see how the Idyllic Life is conducted when I dine at Chez Laura/Kuperstein Kastle while on a trip to Portland, Oregon. Marv and Laura have graciously invited me to visit their chateau and enjoy a meal while, if the weather cooperates (which it is predicted to do), gazing at the remains of Mount Saint Helens. I thoroughly am looking forward to seeing how the Left Coasters enjoy life, and being away from the hustle and wasted energy of working inside the infamous Washington Beltway.I've been to Portland a number of times and can vouch for the more tranquil and unassuming way of living experienced by the citizens
living near the banks of the Willamette River. How a boy from Knickerbocker Village has adjusted down to that level of calmness will be a point of discussion. Will report back."

from the KV Colonel

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Bleecker and Christopher Panoramic Movie


Summer Samba: A Walk Through The West Village


Some borrowed images. The original ones were the raw material for the following panorama. KV's Son of Seth lived on Charles Street for a while during his college days.

Happy Belated Birthday Bruce: June 27th

From the unofficial KV listserve (and a symbolic present for Bruce noticed in a Greenwich Village store window today):
. this just in ... we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge that today is Bruce's 57th birthday ... a legend in his own time and our unofficial Godfather ... here's to better times for a KV original...Howie and Ron

KV Erogenous Zone


A KV alumni told me that this Christopher Street site was the scene of a special encounter he had with a young lady.

Loew's Canal: Then And Now