Englishman in New York

Living in Brooklyn one of our greatest sources of pride is Prospect Park, generally regarded among friends as the superior cousin to Central Park.

Not only was Prospect Park designed after Central Park—and is therefore devoid of all the deficiencies inherent in an earlier model—it is also predominantly a local park for local people.

It takes a lot to make us Brooklynites hop on the subway on a holiday weekend when the temperature has hit 80F and head to Central Park. But the other week, while working on a story, I met one of New York’s earliest freestyle Frisbee players who invited me and William to join him in Central Park for some jamming lessons.

More on that at a later date but my thanks to him. And my Memorial Day gift to you, this video of some freestyle players jamming in the Sheep Meadow of Central Park on Saturday.

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Tucked away in the corner of Grand Central Terminal between Eddie’s Shoe Repair and Track 42, a small, brightly-colored recording booth is capturing the memories and emotions of some of the half a million people who pass through the station every day. Modeled after the Works Progress Administration of the 1930s, when oral-history interviews with everyday Americans across the country were recorded, the storybooth is the second of two recording outposts in the city—the other being at the WTC site.

But unlike its Downtown twin, which is primarily recording stories of people affected by the September 11 attacks or of tourists nearby, the Grand Central booth is attracting native New Yorkers with diverse tales from all over the city. These recordings are of stories as rich as the city itself—tales of what it was like to grow up in Morningside Heights during the Depression, a typical housewife’s routine in the Bronx and the joy of food at Coney Island movie houses.

Listen to 91-year-old Harold Slappy regale you with stories of Saturdays at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem, Joseph Robertson tell his son-in-law about the German he killed during the Second World War, or Michael Wolmetz propose to his girlfriend with his late father’s wedding ring. Interested?

Links for today:
Listen to Storycorps.
Look at Storycorps.

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Since EiNY appears to be veering towards the realm of personal confessions this week I might as well add that my sporting inability is easily matched by my musical incompetence.

I failed miserably at mastering the violin, the keyboard and the recorder. My singing sucks. I trust my ear so little that I often ask people around me whether the singer I am listening to is good or not, although rather than straight out asking I generally use a tactically placed question mark such as “she’s quite good, isn’t she?” or “is it me, or is he slightly off?”

All of which is an elongated introduction to Stephane Wrembel, a gypsy jazz guitarist who never ceases to amaze me with his performances at Barbes, a local bar here in Brooklyn. Take a look at part of his performance last night. He’s good, isn’t he?

Next Sunday is Stephane’s last night at Barbes of 2005. Barbes is on the corner of 9th street and 6th Avenue in Park Slope. Entry is free. Suggested donation for the band is $8. And best of all, whiskey is only $5. More movies here and here (my camera’s limit is three minutes!). And check out Stephane’s website for downloads and gigs.

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One bedroom apartments in Brooklyn are not renowned for their size and our apartment is no exception (although we are fortunate to occupy the parlour floor of a Brownstone). Therefore, having six Danish guests (two adults, four children) can be troublesomemake things a little crowded. That is the situation here at the moment, and my excuse for the light blogging which will take place over the next few days. But before I sign off to get as much work done as possible before out Viking visitors return, a few words (and a video clip) about Wednesday night…

Celebrate Brooklyn was one of the highlights of life in New York last year. It is an annual event in our local Prospect Park, with outdoor concerts and movies once or twice a week for a $3 (suggested donation) entry fee. Wednesday’s opener was Rickie Lee Jones whose song Chuck E’s in Love (captured here on my camera) may sound familiar. Geekier readers may be interested to know that, according to this Wikipedia entry, she is also the female vocal on The Orb’s Little Fluffy Clouds.

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Star Wars nerds and geeks on the streets of New York! Follow the link to Daily Heights and click on the Triumph to Nerd Darth Vader video link. I have not laughed so much for a very long time!

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This really shouldn’t be funny. But it is.

(Filmed at the Turtle Pond, Central Park, NY)

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Last night was the launch party for the new album by Rev Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping (appropriately titled Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping). Not a lot can prepare you for the Rev and his unique brand of evangelism, nor can words amply describe the Rev’s persona, so I have included a couple of brief video clips here and here.
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