Sarah Jessica Parker's Early Years on Roosevelt Island - Utopia or Penal Colony?

Image from the Independent

Sex and the City, HBO's hit TV series and current weekend box office winner, is an urban New York City fantasy for a certain type of shoe loving, cosmo drinking, smart, independent working woman. But, as reported in the British Independent, for Sarah Jessica Parker the series star and a Roosevelt Island pioneering resident in the 1970's:

her New York, like that of many New Yorkers, is one that is no longer quite there. "You know, when I arrived in the city in 1976, New York was, financially, a wreck," she remembers. "But, to me, it's the New York that Matthew and I literally try to find every day of our lives. It was the best place in the world. It was literature. It promised everything. And for someone who loved food and smells and stimulation, who was rocked to sleep by the sound of taxis -- well, there's just so much money now, and the city is so affluent, and all the colours, all the shops, the look of a street from block to block is just terribly absent of distinguishing coffee shops, bodegas. All of that stuff that made it possible to live in New York is gone." Even Brooklyn is "very chic" now, she adds. "I guess there are places in Queens that are affordable."

Regarding Roosevelt Island:

Her family camped out on Roosevelt Island for a time: "It was meant to be a Utopia," she says. ("It was slightly like a penal colony," recalls her brother Pippin, a playwright and director.) But it was Woody Allen's "rarefied and special" Manhattan that Parker was seeking, a fantasy she had picked up from a mother who kept up her subscriptions to New York periodicals even when they were living in the Midwest.

Roosevelt Island - Utopia or Penal Colony - still the same question thirty years later. Take a look at this 1980 video of what life was like for early Roosevelt Island residents.

You Tube video of Roosevelt Island: An Island Place

A Roosevelt Islander's Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Image from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.com

The third Monday in January has been designated as a Federal holiday in honor of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was born January 15, 1929 and was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

An excerpt from his 1963 "Letter from a Birmingham Jail".

...An unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself. This is difference made legal. By the same token, a just law is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow and that it is willing to follow itself. This is sameness made legal.

Let me give another explanation. A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law. Who can say that the legislature of Alabama which set up that state's segregation laws was democratically elected? Throughout Alabama all sorts of devious methods are used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters, and there are some counties in which, even though Negroes constitute a majority of the population, not a single Negro is registered. Can any law enacted under such circumstances be considered democratically structured?

Sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in it's application. For instance, I have been arrested on a charge of parading without a permit. Now, there is nothing wrong in having an ordinance which requires a permit for a parade. But such an ordinance becomes unjust when it is used to maintain segregation and to deny citizens the First-Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest.

Here is audio of the Birmingham letter.

Pride (In The Name of Love) is U2's Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.

Early morning, April four
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky.
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride.

In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.

A You Tube video of U2's Pride interlaced with a slide show of Dr. King's speeches and news clips.

Meet the Candidates for RIOC Board Nominees- Tuesday January 15, 7PM

Roosevelt Island 360

Roosevelt Island residents seeking election as nominees to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation's Board of Directors will be holding a candidate's night tomorrow, Tuesday January 15 starting 7 PM at the Good Shepherd Community Center. Residents can ask questions and the candidates will set forth their views on the important issues facing Roosevelt Island today and plans for the future of Roosevelt Island. Issues such as the future of the Tram and the transportation infrastructure, Mitchell- Lama and affordable housing, Southpoint Park including stopping the Louis Kahn/FDR memorial, Main Street retail as well as many other important topics will be addressed by the new RIOC Board of Directors and should be addressed by all of the candidates.

Image is from Roosevelt Island 360 who has more on elections here.

Here is a video from a new Roosevelt Island blogger, Press HD, containing an interview with RIRA President Matt Katz describing the reasons why this election for nominees to the RIOC Board is so important. Welcome to the world of Roosevelt Island blogging!


Roosevelt Island: A Place Without Democracy from Kimberly Lengle on Press HD.

No Queens Bound Roosevelt Island F Train for Next 4 Weekends - But Bangkok Train is Running

There is good news and bad news. The good news is that the Manhattan bound F train will be stopping at Roosevelt Island this weekend. The bad news is - well I'm sure you can guess. The Queens bound F Train will not be stopping at Roosevelt Island this weekend or the following 3 weekends. According to the MTA:

Queens-bound trains run on the V from 47-50 Sts to Roosevelt Av
Weekends, Jan 12 - Feb 4
12:01 AM Sat to 5 AM Mon

How does this affect my trip?
~~ For service to 57 St, take the F to 5 Av-53 St and walk.

~~ For service to Lexington Av-63 St, take the F to Lexington-53 St and transfer to an uptown 4 or 6 to 59 St and walk.

~~ For service to Roosevelt Island and 21-St Queensbridge, take the F to Roosevelt Av and transfer to a Manhattan-bound F.

~~ For service from 57 St, Lexington Av-63 St, Roosevelt Island, and 21 St-Queensbridge, take a downtown F to 47-50 Sts and transfer to a Queens-bound F.

Why is service being changed?
We are making electrical improvements to ensure that trains continue
to operate safely along the F line.

Here is MTA F Train Weekend Service Advisory Page.

Hat tip to the Presurfer for the video. It comes from Bangkok Thailand. You would think that if an entire marketplace can be quickly assembled and de-assembled to make room for a train in Bangkok then a way could be found to get people on and off Roosevelt Island in a reasonable manner.
You Tube video is here.

A Roosevelt Island Wish for a Happy and Healthy New Year to All

It's almost New Year's Eve which brings to a close the year 2007 with the promise and hope of a better 2008 for all. Let's celebrate that wish with a party and a traditional last song from Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes together with Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band at Cleveland's Agora Club from 1978.

We're havin' a party
Everybody's swinging
Dancing to the music
On the radio
So listen, Mr. DJ
Keep those records playing
'Cause I'm having such a good time
Dancing with my baby

Lyrics are by Sam Cooke.
You Tube video link is here.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Roosevelt Island Receives Curbed Awards for Art & Urbanity

Who would have thunk it? ? Curbed has awarded Roosevelt Island 2 of its 2007 year end awards for Art & Urbanity.
The Encampment came in second place for "Awesomely Absurd Art Project of the Year" behind the Red Hook submarine and ahead of Long Island City's floating tree.

Weblicist of Manhattan

But the big winner was the proposed skyscraper at Southpoint Park by Italian architectural students that Curbed refers to as "The Roosevelt Island Tower of Death" and which:

might be the finest architectural vision for New York City, and Roosevelt Island in particular, we've ever seen. You must watch it immediately, and this must be built. Make it so.

More here on the proposed skyscraper for Southpoint Park.
You Tube video link is here.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All

Merry Christmas!
Here's the Christmas Song sung by the fabulous Nat King Cole. Enjoy!



And the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights as fantastic as ever from Gowanus Lounge.



Nat King Cole You Tube video link here.

Chinese Food on Christmas

And something for those who eat Chinese food on Christmas and go to the movie theater too. A funny satirical video.


For everybody, in this Holiday Season, let us remember these immortal words from Elvis Costello:

What's so funny about Peace, Love and Understanding?

Chinese Food on Christmas You Tube video link is here.
Elvis Costello You tube video link here.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Roosevelt Island

Santa Claus has been spotted near the 59th Street Bridge by Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band.
Have you all been good this year? Well, according to the Big Man, Clarence and Santa:

you've better been good for goodness sakes!!

You Tube video taken from London concert on December 19, 2007.

Here is Classic Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band from 1978 at the Capital Theater in Passaic, New Jersey doing Santa Claus is Coming to Town.


You Tube video is here.


I remember driving through a blizzard in 1980 to see Bruce in Hartford, CT the night before an important exam. Don't remember much about the exam, but the concert was fantastic. He is simply the BEST live performer in the history of Rock.

Image of Roosevelt Island Tram being pulled by reindeer is from a card created by local resident who sells them at the Motorgate Atrium. I'm not sure if they are still available but if anyone is still interested in buying a set for this year or next, let me know and I will put you in touch with the seller.

A Beautiful Irish Fairytale of New York

A beautiful Irish Fairytale of New York for Christmas time by the Pogues and Kristy MacColl.



You Tube video is here.
A great animated version here.

The British newspaper Guardian explains that Fairytale of New York is not a Charlie Brown Christmas story. According to the BBC, British radio executives have:

decided to stop censoring The Pogues' Fairytale of New York. But what is such unfestive language doing in a song often voted the nation's favourite Christmas tune?

Here are the lyrics:

It was Christmas Eve babe
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me, won't see another one
And then he sang a song
The Rare Old Mountain Dew
I turned my face away
And dreamed about you

Got on a lucky one
Came in eighteen to one
I've got a feeling
This year's for me and you
So happy Christmas
I love you baby
I can see a better time
When all our dreams come true

They've got cars big as bars
They've got rivers of gold
But the wind goes right through you
It's no place for the old
When you first took my hand
On a cold Christmas Eve
You promised me
Broadway was waiting for me

You were handsome
You were pretty
Queen of New York City
When the band finished playing
They howled out for more
Sinatra was swinging,
All the drunks they were singing
We kissed on a corner
Then danced through the night

The boys of the NYPD choir
Were singing "Galway Bay"
And the bells were ringing out
For Christmas day

You're a bum
You're a punk
You're an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You scumbag, you maggot
You cheap lousy faggot
Happy Christmas your arse
I pray God it's our last

I could have been someone
Well so could anyone
You took my dreams from me
When I first found you
I kept them with me babe
I put them with my own
Can't make it all alone
I've built my dreams around you

copyright 1988 Shane MacGowan & Jem Finer

It's Coming on Christmas - But No Skating on the East River

This is a wonderful version of Joni Mitchell's song River, sung by Sarah McLachlan.

It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on

But it don't snow here
It stays pretty green
I'm going to make a lot of money
Then I'm going to quit this crazy scene
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on

I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
I wish I had a river I could skate away on
I made my baby cry

Lyrics to River are here.
You Tube video of Sarah McLachlans's River is here.

It's Christmas Time in the City

It's Christmas Time in New York City. Enjoy a walk through Rockefeller Center and Bryant Park while listening to John Denver's version of Silver Bells.

Or, Twisted Sister's version.


For me, a nice coating of snow in Central Park will make it seem more like Christmas.

You Tube video of John Denver version is here.
You Tube video of Twisted Sister version is here.

Battle Between Buyers and Sellers Is Not a Life and Death Struggle - But This Is!

A new cycle has begun in the battle for supremacy in the New York residential Real Estate market between buyers and sellers. For a very long time sellers have had the upper hand over buyers but now that may be reversed. According to blogger True Gotham:

Buyers and sellers alike are indeed digging in their heels. Having said that, I'm seeing more motivated sellers on the market right now than those who "test" the market to see if they can get their price (inflated usually). I have also experienced many sellers pulling property off of the market as they have made the decision to stay where they are and "ride out the storm." If there is going to be a storm, and that remains to be seen, then perhaps this is the calm that precedes it?

And:

So what do I see happening in 2008? Based on the plethora of economic data that I have been watching, certain segments of the Manhattan market may see the current imbalance of inventory and buyers tip slightly more toward the buyer's favor.

Or as reported in the NY Times, at least a stalemate has emerged:

Now, brokers say, they see a stalemate developing between buyers and sellers in Manhattan, especially for apartments in the $1 million to $5 million range.

Remember, though certainly an important factor, the residential real estate market does not rise to the level of life and death. Keep your perspective.

This is a life and death struggle that has had over 20 million views on You Tube. The Battle at Kruger is simply an amazing sight to watch. Do yourselves a favor and watch the entire video which is a little more than 8 minutes. It will be worth it.




My question is, who does the Lion and Buffalo represent - the Buyer or Seller? We know the crocodile is the broker.

UPDATE: 12/21/- Maybe the crocodile is the foreign buyer taking advantage of the stalemate between Lions and Buffalos, I mean buyers and sellers. From today's NY Times:

While natives remain wary about real estate and worry about bonuses and the economic climate, foreign tourists are keeping brokers busy with their eagerness to buy up Manhattan apartments, which many see as investments.

The Dreidel Song - Texas Swing Style for Roosevelt Island

For Roosevelt Islanders in Texas or in a Texas state of mind.
Happy Hanukkah!
You Tube video link is here.

Southpoint Park Roosevelt Island - Great Venue for Hipster Concerts

Todd Patrick, is described in an interview today with Gothamist as:

a major force in the avant-garde rock scene. In the fastidious spirit of a modern day Bill Graham...

Patrick produces shows

at atypical, under-the-radar locations like lofts, rooftops and funky, “illegal” clubs. Often eschewing such vagaries as permits and liquor licenses, a Todd P show typically features an eclectic line-up of bands unleashing an adventurous squall of sound before a sweaty, writhing all-ages crowd.

Patrick is asked what New York concert is he most proud of? The answer involves Roosevelt Island.

Definitely the acoustic barbeque on Roosevelt Island. I do it every year though not always on Roosevelt Island. We invite a lot of bands, most of whom are the usual psych-folk bands but there are always some exceptions, there are always some bands who don’t usually play acoustic. I just invite everyone I like in town to come play in the public park, with no permit and no amplification. It’s totally free with no stage; we do it every spring as an encapsulation of what I love about music and who’s interesting at that moment of time. Those are always my favorite shows in New York.

Although these concerts may not be to everyone's taste, it is just one example of the diverse community of Southpoint Park visitors currently, and who hopefully in the future, will enjoy the natural beauty, open vistas and fantastic New York City Skyline views available at Southpoint Park. Hopefully, if the Trust for the Public Land design for the Wild Garden/Green Rooms Plan favored by Roosevelt Island residents is brought to fruition more individuals and diverse groups will be able to enjoy Southpoint Park. Unfortunately, if the massive Louis Kahn/FDR memorial is allowed to be built these fantastic views will be significantly obstructed and some green parkland space will be replaced with granite and concrete.

It has come to my attention that the link to the Wild Garden/Green Rooms plan for Southpoint Park is no longer active. I have no idea why the renderings for this plan would be removed. Until or if it is ever re-activated here is a link to Main Street WIRE with the rendering though it is not as extensive as the original presentation.

You Tube video link of Roosevelt Island Accoustic BBQ is here.

UPDATE: Link to Wild Garden/Green Rooms is now working.

Happy Hanukkah From Roosevelt Island and Adam Sandler

I always get a good laugh from Adam Sandler's Hanukkah Song.

Put on your yalmulka, here comes hanukkah
Its so much fun-akkah to celebrate hanukkah,

Hanukkah is the festival of lights,
Instead of one day of presents, we have eight crazy nights.

When you feel like the only kid in town without a x-mas tree, heres a list of
People who are jewish, just like you and me:

David lee roth lights the menorrah,
So do james caan, kirk douglas, and the late dinah shore-ah

Guess who eats together at the karnickey deli,
Bowzer from sha-na-na, and arthur fonzerrelli.

Paul newmans half jewish; goldie hawns half too,
Put them together--what a fine lookin jew!

You dont need deck the halls or jingle bell rock
Cause you can spin the dreidl with captain kirk and mr. spock--both jewish!

The rest of the lyrics are here.

You Tube video link is here.

You Tube video link of Hanukkah Song part 2 is here.

You Tube video link of Hanukkah Song part 3 is here.

Roosevelt Island Clash - Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Blogger Daily Exhaust is a former Roosevelt Island resident who is thrilled to have returned to civilization in Carnegie Hill.

Goodbye Roosevelt Island, hi Carnegie Hill.

I have to tell you, my wife and I feel great being back in civilization. We didn't realize how much we missed Manhattan. No more red bus, no more Tram. Do you understand how good it feels to take the 6 train straight to work with no transfers? Via Roosevelt Island 360

As someone who has lived in that area, I agree that Carnegie Hill is a wonderful place to live. Within walking distance to Central Park, museums, bookstores restaurants etc. Six months ago I was ready to make the same decision to move back to Manhattan or to an area in Brooklyn that has a real neighborhood feel to it with the accompanying services and amenities one expects from living in New York but which has been terribly lacking on Roosevelt Island.

Last summer I decided to give life on Roosevelt Island another chance and moved into the new Riverwalk building in Southtown. To date, I am very happy with that decision. My building has some great amenities, a wonderful staff and is 2-3 minute walk to the Tram and the F Train. I can be on Second Avenue in 7 minutes, Central Park in less than 17 minutes, the Upper West Side, Union Square and Greenwich Village in 20 minutes as well as Williamsburg in 25 minutes while enjoying the benefits of a relaxing waterfront community that has begun see the arrival of more retail stores.

Had I spoken with the Daily Exhaust blogger prior to his move away from Roosevelt Island I would have told him the same thing that I recently said to two women who were unhappy living at the Octagon and actively looking to move that was the subject of a prior post summarizing my thoughts on the differences between living on the North and South areas of Roosevelt Island. Here is an excerpt from that post:

They explained that they lived in the Octagon building and could not stand the distance, time and effort involved in going back and forth to Manhattan. They spoke of the difficulties with the Red Bus transportation system but most of all were disappointed by the sense of isolation and disconnectedness from the City (Manhattan).

...I told them that I understood their feelings and felt much the same way when I lived in Manhattan Park but since moving to the Riverwalk buildings in Southtown my view of living on Roosevelt Island has changed completely.

...There are many attractive benefits to living at either Manhattan Park or the Octagon on Roosevelt Island. Both have gorgeous waterfront locations with great views of Manhattan and beautiful green park grounds each with adjacent swimming pools as well as an outdoor tennis court facility and ball fields. However close proximity to Manhattan with access to any city life amenity is not one of those benefits. At Manhattan Park there is at least a significant Roosevelt Island discount, as compared to Manhattan, on rent but that is not the case at the Octagon.

The moral of this story is that if living within 15-20 minute walk of a movie theater, bookstore, museum, good restaurant, bar, nightlife and the buzz of the city is very important to you then perhaps the Octagon and Manhattan Park are not the right place for you to live, but Riverwalk may be. If the benefits of tranquility and recreational activities described above are more important and/or you have small children, then Manhattan Park and Octagon would be great places to live.

The answer to the question posed by The Clash "Should I Stay or Should I Go" as it relates to living on Roosevelt Island all depends, as do most things, on knowing what you are looking for.

Here is You Tube video link to the Clash singing "Should I Stay or Should I Go.
Here is Tony Bennett's answer. You Tube video link to Tony Bennett singing I'll Take Manhattan.

Happy Thanksgiving from Roosevelt Island - Meet You at Alice's Restaurant

In addition to family, great food, the Macy's Parade, Miracle on 34th Street, March of the Wooden Soldiers and football, listening to Arlo Guthrie's rendition of Alice's Restaurant on WNEW-FM was, for me, a wonderful Thanksgiving tradition. A former DJ from the station remembers Thanksgiving and Arlo Guthrie this way on the blog All Mixed Up Radio.

Every year a couple of days before Thanksgiving, it starts. It's slow at first, and then turns into a non-stop avalanche of phone calls. And no matter how many times a station runs promo announcements telling people exactly when it will be played, the calls still come.

"What time are you playing 'Alice's Restaurant?'"

Some of the lyrics:

You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant
You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant
Walk right in it's around the back
Just a half a mile from the railroad track
You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant

Now it all started two Thanksgivings ago, was on - two years ago on
Thanksgiving, when my friend and I went up to visit Alice at the
restaurant, but Alice doesn't live in the restaurant, she lives in the
church nearby the restaurant, in the bell-tower, with her husband Ray and
Fasha the dog. And livin' in the bell tower like that, they got a lot of
room downstairs where the pews used to be in. Havin' all that room,
seein' as how they took out all the pews, they decided that they didn't
have to take out their garbage for a long time.

You Tube link to short 2 minute video version above is here.
For those of you who want to go back in time and see the full 18 minute version of Alice's Restaurant, You Tube link is here.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL

Good to be Back in New York, New York with U2

I was out of town all last week finally returning on Friday night. Whenever I am away for more than a couple of days, even if I am having a good time, I start missing the streets, noise, sites and smells of New York City. That is why I love this song that captures the spirit, vitality and essence of NY as only they can. U2 does New York at Irving Plaza in 2000.
You Tube video link is here.

Ride the Roosevelt Island Tram and See Progress of New Riverwalk Condo Construction

A recent You Tube video of a ride on the Roosevelt Island Tram from Manhattan facing north. East River views are great.
At the end of the video you can view the construction progress of the new Hudson/Related Riverwalk condo building going up at the moment. They appear to be at the 6th floor of a planned 18 story building.