Rico Jones Acclaimed Saxophonist and Composer Performs his album “Bloodlines” at Zinc Bar on January 21
Rico Jones Acclaimed Saxophonist and Composer Performs his album Bloodlines at Zinc Bar on January...
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Year: 2025
Stocking Stuffer: My Encounter with Patti Smith
On an overcast day in early December, I was walking along West 3rd Street near LaGuardia Place, lost in my own thought bubble. The Village was exuberant in full anticipation of Christmas, vivid decorations springing up in storefront after storefront. Approaching me, I spotted a familiar face with wideset, smiling eyes, one misaligned, framed with a somewhat stringy white cumulus hair cloud.
Read MoreA Small Miracle on the Hudson
Recently after decades of meditation and spiritual study, a window briefly opened into a glimpse of a more fundamental yet utterly indescribable reality. And days later, it dissolved into this state of, let us call it “an openness beyond the self we think we know.”
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Village Blueprints – Building the Neighborhood’s Future
Remember back in 2016 when we reported the proposal for the “Clarkson Square” development as part of the former St. John’s Terminal (ca.1933)? The developers acquired the full-block parcel, bound by Clarkson Street to the north, West Houston Street to the south, West Street to the west, and Washington Street to the east.
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The Journey to the Oscars and Beyond
The Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film ceremony will be held on March 2. With that in mind, I want to share some of the things that I have learned about the arduous selection process.
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How to Survive the Next Four Years: A Prescription
A nasty malady is scheduled to soon sweep the country again, its first pass being a disastrous one. Is it as deadly as COVID? All we know is that orange is the new blowback.
Read MoreMarshall Brickman: Master of Film, TV, Music and Broadway
I read the news today, oh boy. One of my mentors and an amazing talent died. I read in a Times obit that Marshall Brickman had passed on and left an amazing body of work in film, TV, music and Broadway. I worked closely with Brickman on two of his films, Lovesick and The Manhattan Project.
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Jonas Mekas, Independent Filmmaker
I interviewed Jonas Mekas in the summer of 2018. When I went to his loft with a small film crew, it was filled with meticulously organized shelves holding equipment, films and items from his long life. He lived in a converted industrial building. When I saw the large bank of windows I knew that’s where I would film him sitting in a simple chair.
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Jefferson Market Library: A Year in Review and What’s to Come in 2025
As we look forward to a new year, we want to first do a bit of a backward glance at all the things we did at Jefferson Market library in 2024. Our children’s programming probably doesn’t get enough mention here, but did you know that last year, our children’s librarians hosted 234 story times? And that attendance at those programs, by children, exceeded 8,000? That doesn’t even include all the parents and caregivers who took the time to attend with the little ones. To all of those adults valuing the literacy of their little charges, we must say a heart-felt thank you!
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Salcedo Latin Soul: Making ‘Em Shake Those Hips at the Bitter End!
A lynchpin and crowd favorite of the Bitter End, the oldest rock ‘n roll club in NYC, is undoubtedly Salcedo Latin Soul. Founder and leader of the band Steven Salcedo is not only a formidable tenor saxophonist, he is a great entertainer.
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Pasquale Grasso Downbeat Magazine’s 2024 Top Rising Guitarist Plays Mezzrow Jazz Club
Meet the Pasquale Grasso Trio, consisting of jazz veterans Ari Roland on double bass, and Keith Balla on drums. The unassuming man carrying the auburn guitar was Pasquale Grasso, the musician who was recently voted as the #1 Top Jazz Guitarist in Downbeat Magazine’s 72nd Annual Critics Poll in the Rising Star Guitar Category. Grasso swiftly sat on a black piano bench on the front “stage,” plugged in his guitar, and counted off the first set.
Read MoreWhat’s Your WHY?
At this time of the year many people are making New Year’s Resolutions. Often, it’s about losing weight. I don’t make New Year’s resolutions and I teach my patients the same. Why? Because most people don’t keep these resolutions for the long term.
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Return of the Kingfish
Donald Trump’s impending return is reminiscent of two politician scoundrels of the past century: Richard Nixon and Huey Long (the Kingfish). A dozen of Nixon’s aides went to jail for following orders. We could see that again.
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Saving Maggie
Years ago, George, a quiet professor, lived in our building with his beagle Maggie. They were in love and devoted to each other. It was a pleasure to encounter them as George, who always had something pleasant to say, was a very large man and Maggie was tiny. They made an adorable pair.
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Bird of the Year 2024
The 19th Annual West Village Bird of the Year Awards 2024: The Millies! Welcome to these fine-feathered festivities. The awards were dubbed “The Millies” in honor of my uncooperative birding accomplice in the West Village, a singular, red and white Pembroke Welsh Corgi. This is the fourth ceremony without Miss Millie’s unscripted interruptions.
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America at 250
- Driving With Your Pet
We were recently car shopping and were pleasantly surprised to see how pet friendly car companies have become. This led us to check information at the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and The Center for Pet Safety (CPS).