Joan Rivers’ funeral today was filled with surprises and disappointments. The surprises were the great wonderful celebs that showed up on a moment’s notice, many by foot sauntering up 5th Avenue! I was 1st row behind the reporters but they …were all on ladders and mostly barricaded a good camera shot, but between the elbows and butts I saw:
To think I saw in one hour: Kathy Griffin (very shaken) and Rosie O’Donnell arrive together, Howard Stern, Judge Judy!!, Rachel Ray, Andy Cohen (by foot, one of the few to wave to the crowd), Geraldo, Barbara Walters, Michael Kors, Ivanka Trump walking up 5th, Carolina Herrera, Donald Trump (by limo), Sarah Jessica Parker who you could see kept saying “amazing, amazing” with a big broad smile, Whoopi Goldberg (in tears) coming on foot from around the corner, columnist Cindy Adams, reporter Deborah Norville, Letterman’s Paul Shaffer, Joy Behar very upset, Marlo Thomas and husband Phil Donahue walking hand in hand up 5th, Glenn Close (she’s tiny!), Hugh Jackman and Audra McDonald who both sang in the service, Wanda Sykes, Hoda and Kathie Lee arriving in same car, Dr. Oz, singer Judy Collins, Clive Davis, the complete cast of Fashion Police including Giuliana Rancic, and Kelly Osbourne looking fabulous in her purple meticulously curled mohawk hairdo. The only photo I got was Whoopi and Ivanka 😦
The Gay Men’s Chorus sang “There’s Nothing Like a Dame.”
The disappointments: NO red carpet or craft services! WTF?! That was exactly what Joan had requested! Biggest disappointment of all – NO Meryl Streep. The least she could have done was to send in a tape of her “crying in five different accents.”At least my friend Susan Godwin was there to show support from animal and dog lovers and me making it clear I was saying ‘thank you’ for her support of the gay community her entire career long. Thank you Joan.
Best quote from the service: Howard Stern paid tribute to his friend, joking, “I hope Joan is somewhere chasing Johnny Carson with a baseball bat,” and added, “Joan was a best friend for the world.”
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Butts n elbows
Ivanka Trump
September 7, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: Barbara Walters, celebrities, Donald Trump, entertainment, fans show up for Joan Rivers funeral, floral tribute to Joan Rivers, Hans Von Rittern, Howard Stern, Ivanka Trump, Joan Rivers, Joan Rivers funeral, Manhattan, Michael Kors, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, Rosie O’Donnell, Sarah Jessica Parker, Temple Emanu-El, whoopi goldberg | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: INGRID BERGMAN DIES – This was the startling headline New Yorkers were greeted with on August 30, 1982. Bergman had died at the young age of 67 in a London hospital of breast cancer leaving us with incredible memories of “Casablanca” and “Gaslight”. I had spent a wonderful evening alone with her ten years earlier in 1972 at the Ethel Barrymore Theater as she was appearing in the play “Captain Brassbound’s Conversion.” I just gazed at her as we talked. Her face had not changed, her voice was exactly the same, her eyes still sparkled. I was so mesmerized realizing I was looking into the actual eyes of Ilsa Lund….
August 29, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: "Gaslight", Bergman dies of breast cancer, breast cancer, Captain Brassbound's Conversion, Casablanca, celebrities, Ethel Barrymore Theater, Hans Von Rittern, Ilsa Lund, ingrid bergman, Manhattan, New York City, New York photo, New York Post headline, New York Post vintage newspaper, Photo of the day, photography, the Ethel Barrymore Theater | Leave a comment
Postcard story from New York – “A GRANDE DINNER FOR TWO in 1914- 100 YEARS AGO TODAY”
New York, July 30, 1914
“Churchill‘s,” Broadway and Forty-ninth Street, New York.
To: Mrs. Wm. A. Johnson
250 N. Water
Franklin, Ind.
“Wed. evening,
Dearest Momma,
Have just gotten back from having dinner here. A Mr. Barkus from South Carolina to me and little Miss Blair to dinner. He sent us both roses – mine were two dozen cream tea roses. He left on the train for S.C. and sent us home in a taxi,
With lots of love,
Maude
A grande evening was had by all 100 years ago to the day. It seems Mr. Barkus from South Carolina was quite a gentlemen sending the two ladies home in taxis and roses the next day!
In Times Square things were still ’rosey’, but World War I had just been declared and two days later Germany had declared war on Russia.
Churchill’s was ’the’ place to be at the time. Lobsters! Champagne! Showgirls!
For the decade before Prohibition, Churchill’s Restaurant and Cabaret was one of the largest and swankiest of the “lobster palaces” along the Great White Way.
The eponymous establishment was the creation of ex-NYPD Captain Jim Churchill. Located on Broadway at 49th Street, the eatery could accommodate 1,200 patrons and employed a staff of 300. Guests could dine on the special for a mere buck-twenty five, listen to live music, dance and rub shoulders with denizens of the theater district like actress Anna Held and philanthropist and nightlife fixture Diamond Jim Brady.
Attempting to refute the notion of the scandalous, sinful “Broadway Life” popular in the fictions of the day, Churchill said “Broadway is simply the Coney Island of night-time New York, where some of the people play a bit, eat a bit, drink a bit, talk, sing and laugh a bit—and get a bit dizzy. But the dizziness imparted by Broadway is no more fatal than the dizziness that comes from riding on a gaudily-painted merry-go-round…”
Shortly after the passage of the Volstead Act in 1921, which established prohibition, Churchill shuttered his business, leasing the ground floor to the Toy Yoeng Syndicate of America, which converted it into a Chinese restaurant – today known as the popular Ruby Foos.
(Note the bandshell in the way back above the crowd, that’s Maurice Levi and his orchestra. Kinda like the Harmonia Gardens in Hello Dolly, 2 girls out for dinner on the town.)
July 29, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: 1914 postcard, architecture, Churchill's restaurant New York, dinner for one $1.25 in 1914!, Franklin Indiana, Great White Way, Hans Von Rittern, ladies with big hats, lobster palace, Manhattan, Maude and William Johnson, Maurice Levi and his orchestra., Mr. Barkus, New York City, New York photo, NYPD Captain Jim Churchill, Photo of the day, Postcard Stories from New York, Ruby Foos restaurant, The Harmonia Gardens - Hello Dolly, Times Square, Toy Yoeng Syndicate of America, turn of the century dinning, vintage postcards, Volstead Act in 1921, World War I | Leave a comment
Social Security today made the most outrageous claim I have ever heard!!!
We went to the lower Manhattan Social Security office to seek a replacement card for mom. We had all the legal documents: USA passport, Social Security card and, government sealed naturalization papers. The barely literate woman told my mother that the Social Security office that makes her monthly benefit payments, (that mom worked hard for 33 years), has never recognized her as an American Citizen because (direct quote) “you failed to report to the government when you applied for your benefits.”
We were in shock and mom almost lost her balance with her cane as her blood pressure started to rise rapidly and she grew faint.
The SS worker claimed, that because her papers were so old, from 1958, the computer does not recognize her as a citizen. By her logic, any person who applied to become a naturalized citizen before the computer age, is NOT recognized as an American citizen.
We thought we were not hearing right. After repeatedly arguing with her, we were told to go to another office on another floor, but it was closed. We had taken a difficult arduous hot trip by bus and taxi ($25. each way) to apply for her replacement card. So we were handed a card with an 800 telephone number on it to further find out if mom is a citizen or not – after having voted in every damn election since 1958 and proudly voting her first time for President Kennedy in 1960!!!
The 800 left us on hold for over one hour, we never got through.
Mom is so distraught, she has become ill.
So America – this is this wonderful country we have. Unless you “report to the government” when you apply for your Social Security benefits and you were not born here, you are STRIPPED of your citizenship!!!
(I am going back tomorrow to the SS office the have it out with them.)
JULY 23rd UPDATE:
Dear all: Thank you all for your emotional and strong supportive comments. ! I went back to Social Security today and saw 2 more people who generally all had the audacity to say (with heavy broken Chinese/English) the same thing no matter what office or position they hold, it is like hitting your head against a brick wall or a bad nightmare you can’t wake up from. They all claim: Her 1958 docume…nt is too old and has to be sent to their offices (who knows where) to be verified. So they are taking a xerox copy and verifying THAT, while we have the original with a government seal in OUR hands! Furthermore, they say it is HER fault for not having known that when she became a citizen that she had to also notify Social Security that she had become an American vs. the other story that she should have “reported to the gov’t” when she retired – huh?!?!!! So – HOW did she get 4 USA passports in her lifetime? How did she get her SS card and benefits? My mother worked for the CEO of Manufacturer’s Hanover Bank, her security clearance was top level to work on the top executive floor-how did she get that?? And now, because of some idiots in the local office here, logic has flown out the window along with her citizenship?!?!?!! AND – they took her social security card away from her! We are left awaiting the pending “investigation”. You do not wish to hear mom’s foul opinion of this country right now, sorry guys…. I will next contact local politicians (NOT fake councilman Jimmy ‘camera ready’ van Bramer) and the news stations. We are emotionally and physically wiped out, mom is still too shakey to leave the house. Thank you ALL for your loving support.
JULY 24 UPDATE:
Social Security-gate UPDATE: They say “write your congressman” – I paid mine a visit! Congressman Joseph Crowley, 14th District, Queens and got results (we hope). I was met by his executive assistant Ms. Madrid whose first reaction was, “What more proof do you need?!”.
These are the facts: Immigration papers “pre computer age” have a different set of numbers and are truly not linked into today’s …Social Security computer system, an astonishing fact considering on the web site Ancestry.com you can look up birth/death/marriage/prison/burial records from the 1700’s! This is a HUGE failure on our government’s part.
Ms. Madrid had my mother sign a letter approving congressman Crowley investigating the matter, and immediately in front of me, called Social Security herself. You could hear the woman at the Social Security offices saying “Absolutely not! Absolutely not!”
MOM WAS AND STILL IS A NATURALIZED UNITED STATES CITIZEN ! !
The local office here, has to have someone physically look up the records (who knows where) and verify it’s her, despite the fact she is in their system and despite the fact we had alllllll the proof in the world. The entire situation comes down to (no racism intended) poor English and bad attitude. What should never, ever have been said to her, (twice!) is that she is not a citizen in the SS computer system – that is the result of poor translation on Chinese American women working at the office. Maybe it is their incorrect translation, maybe it was because we saw them at the end of the day and they were both in a foul mood, but either way we received (indirectly) an apology from the congressman, a confirmation of citizenship today, and told instead of the 4 week “research/waiting time”, it will just be the standard 2 week period for her.
In the meantime, our wonderful local WPIX11 TV news station, with the help of friend and their reporter Greg Mocker offered to help if, after 2 weeks there are no results.
Once again, mom and I thank you ALL for your quite passionate support !
God bless America . . .
News media and senators next . . .
July 23, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: American citizen, becoming a US citizen, bureaucratic Social Security blunder, government, Hans Von Rittern, lower Manhattan Social Security, Manhattan, Naturalization papers, New York City, Photo of the day, replacement card, Social Security, Social Security benefits, Social Security debacle, Social Security outdated computer system, Social Security strips 88 year old woman of citizenship, Social Security strips benefits, Social Security strips woman of US citizenship, United States government error with Social Security, Ursula Von Rittern | Leave a comment
PHOTO OF THE DAY: Writer’s Block
July 16, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: alphabet block on keypad, arts, building block on type keypad, Hans Von Rittern, letter "H" on keypad, Manhattan, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, Queens, searching for the words when writing, writer's block, writing a book, writing a novel | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: This morning’s subway breakfast is now served . . . bagels, assorted fruits, coffee and fresh orange juice. You never know what to expect in a NYC subway 🙂
July 10, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: Hans Von Rittern, man with breakfast cart on subway, Manhattan, New York City, new york city subway, New York photo, new york subways, Photo of the day, photography, serving breakfast on subway | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: Gone far away . . .
July 8, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: architecture, Brooklyn, Brooklyn view of Manhattan, East River beach front view of Brooklyn Bridge, East river New York, girl on a rock, Hans Von Rittern, low tide east river, Manhattan, New York City, New York is dead, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography | Leave a comment
From Liberty Island…
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY !
July 4, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: 4th of July, Hans Von Rittern, Liberty Island, Liberty Island flag, Manhattan, New York City, New York harbor, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, Statue of Liberty | 2 Comments
Photo of the day: Gay Pride means…never being too old to wear your favorite blue sparkly dress
July 2, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: ageing drag queen, Fifth Avenue, Gay Pride Day Parade New York 2014, Gay Pride march New York City, Grannies for peace, Granny Peace Brigade, Greenwich Village, Hans Von Rittern, largest gay pride parade in the world, Latin drag queen, Manhattan, New York City, New York photo, old drag queen, old man in a dress, Photo of the day, photography, Senior Gay Pride, You;re never too old to... | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: Gay Pride means . . . never being too old to stand up for your rights
July 1, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: Fifth Avenue, Gay Pride Day Parade New York 2014, Gay Pride march New York City, Grannies for peace, Granny Peace Brigade, Greenwich Village, Hans Von Rittern, largest gay pride parade in the world, Manhattan, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, Senior Gay Pride, You;re never too old to... | Leave a comment
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June 30, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: Brit punk boots, British senior punk at Gay Pride, club kid senior, Gay Pride day, Gay Pride Day Parade New York 2014, Gay Pride weekend, Greenwich Village, Hans Von Rittern, largest gay pride parade in the world, Manhattan, New York photo, old man in droopy pants waving flag, Photo of the day, photography, Senior Gay Pride | Leave a comment
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June 30, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: entertainment, Gay Pride day, Gay Pride Day Parade New York 2014, Gay Pride weekend, Greenwich Village, Hans Von Rittern, largest gay pride parade in the world, Manhattan, New York photo, old man in droopy pants waving flag, Photo of the day, photography, Senior Gay Pride | Leave a comment
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June 27, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: entertainment, gay couple marching, Gay Pride day, Gay Pride Day Parade New York 2014, Gay Pride march New York City, Hans Von Rittern, largest gay pride parade in the world, male gay married couple marching, Manhattan, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, same sex marriage | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: WAKE ME WHEN IT’S TUESDAY… Monday morning blues
June 23, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: Greenwich Village, Hans Von Rittern, homeless, Manhattan, Monday morning blues, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, WAKE ME WHEN IT'S TUESDAY..., woman alseep with boom box, woman asleep on bench with headphones | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SUMMER! – Slowly melting ice cream cones, bright colored beach balls, warm sand between your toes, the smell of the ocean, the smell of sun tan oil, swinging in your hammock, fishing on your favorite lake, looking for sea shells, flip flops, big summer hats, warm summer rains, night time base ball games, Nathan’s hot dogs on the board walk, your new cool shades, 4th of July fireworks, girls in bikinis – lifeguards in Speedos, the sound of children playing in a fountain, kiddie pools, back yard barbeques, late night sunsets and the smell of night blooming honeysuckle in the air. Happy summer! Make it a good one to remember!
June 21, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: b/w photography, children playing in fountain, Hans Von Rittern, Happy first day of summer!, Manhattan, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, Summer 2014, the joys of summer, warm summer rains | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: A HEEL IN NEED OF A SOLE – Ok, I don’t even know where to begin. I’ve seen people beg for travel money, beer money, drug money, food money or just the food or cigarettes, etc. . . but begging for money for new shoes because your feet hurt – – – well then why isn’t almost
every woman in town sitting next to him?!?!? “Need money for more comfortable Pradas”, “Low on Louboutins”, “Need a new pair of wedgies”, “Brother can you spare a Croc?” “Hungry for Harley boots.”
June 20, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: feet always in pain, Hans Von Rittern, homeless, homeless man begging for new shoes, man begging, Manhattan, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, street scene Manhattan | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: BABY JANE HUDSON LIVES! – Walking along Abingdon Square in Greenwich Village I came across that unmistakable shock of white unkempt damaged hair, tiny little old lady frame and the dark sunglasses to hide behind. There she was, listening to big band music outside of Injera Restaurant. Perhaps she was humming her favorite tune….”I’ve written a Letter to Daddy…”
(For those of you too young, the reference is the scenery chewing performance by Bette Davis as a fading demented film star in the 1962 film “Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?”)
June 19, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: Abingdon Square Greenwich Village, aged film star, aged rocker sitting on bench, Baby Jane Hudson, BABY JANE HUDSON LIVES, Bette Davis, cool granny with dark sunglasses, cool rocker granny, Greenwich Village, Hans Von Rittern, Injera Restaurant, Injera Restuarant, Manhattan, New York City, New York photo, old woman with white hair on bench, Photo of the day, photography, street scene Manhattan, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: MM = MACY*S + MARILYN – As part of department store Macy*s current Americana theme, the flagship store in Herald Square has been decorated with giant banners of what they feel is ‘Americana’. Mount Rushmore, hot dogs, apple pie, the American flag and…Marilyn, the eternal all American girl!
America = the Grand Canyon, light houses and Marilyn!
June 17, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: all American girl Marilyn, American flag, arts, Broadway, celebrities, department store, entertainment, Hans Von Rittern, Macy's, Macy's Americana, Macy's banner, Macy's flagship store Herald Square, Macy's Herald Square, Macy's store window, Manhattan, Marilyn Monroe, Mount Rushmore, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography | Leave a comment
Marilyn, Mozart (Kugeln chocolates) and Mom
Photo of the day: THE SPECIAL FATHERS DAY THAT MARILYN MONROE CAME TO DINNER – I had the most extraordinary fathers day! Mom celebrates fathers day for me every year since I am the ‘daddy’ to our dog Noel, so ‘Noel’ throws me a dinner party every year 🙂 To my surprise mom (age 88) had gone all the way uptown to 86th Street to go to Schaller & Weber delicatessen and got the ingredients for my favorite German dish: Rouladen with dumplings, gravy and green bean salad. I was in heaven, because I usually only just get this treat for my birthday and Christmas, but mom and I have started to work on our her/family’s memoirs together (finally! Its a page turner!) and she felt I deserved it, for all the research and writing I am doing.
But I had an extra special surprise guest, Marilyn Monroe came to dinner last night – in painting form.
To my great shock and surprise a very dear friend of mine gave me the painting as a present that I treasured and coveted from our “Whitewash” exhibit. Carlos (See TF) had painted a two story tall sepia tone Marilyn in the stairwell at 5 Pointz, sadly unseen to all visitors. I was in absolute awe of it. When 5 Pointz was destroyed they vindictively painted over the amazing mural as well – twice, despite the fact she was inside away from everyone’s view. I came to discover the amazing artist Carlos (See TF) and who he is and we developed a wonderful friendship.
This was almost two stories tall, done in sepia tones. here sadly whitewashed.
For the exhibit Carlos brought back some of his famous ladies that he had painted at 5 Pointz, the fantastic geisha girls, a ‘Metropolis’-like masked woman and…Marilyn. I coveted that painting, and for those of you who came know how I feel about that MM painting!
It is so mesmerizing that when my own mother came to see my photos on display next to the Marilyn painting, she was so transfixed by it she didn’t even see/acknowledge her own sons photos at first. “Mom! My photos are here!…” LOL. “I know,” she said, “but I have never seen this magnificent Marilyn you have told me so much about.” The whitewashed Marilyn was one of the photos I included in the exhibit and one of the first to sell. They purposely hung side by side, corner to corner to tell the story. Mom gazed at her the rest of the night, oh and, my photos too.
This Sunday was my day to pick up my remaining photos from the exhibit. As I was packing them up, I remarked to my friend Meres that it was sad to see Marilyn gone. “Oh she’s downstairs all wrapped up…Carlos wants you to have her,” he said with the biggest grin. I froze and just exclaimed “What!” several times, still frozen I wasn’t sure I had heard right or if it was a joke. It was not, I right then and there received the most touching phone call from ‘the artist’ telling me why he wanted me to have the painting, I teared up. “She’s going to the right home.” And so my friend…she did.
I revealed Marilyn to mom at dinner and she was also stunned. “She’s so haunting, it draws you in,” and mom, as on opening night, starred at her the rest of the night.
There are people that cross your path in life, that are such unexpected treasures that make you so much richer. 5 Pointz brought many of these people together and even brought Marilyn Monroe to dinner and she stayed.
Thank you my friend.
What is so haunting about it, is that it is not ‘wet lip Marilyn’, or ‘skirt blowing Marilyn’. It beautifully sad reflective 1962 Marilyn portrayed as a human being – not symbol. Notice the painting goes from light (right side) to the dark side (on the left).
June 16, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: "WHITEWASH", 1962 Marilyn Monroe, 5 Pointz, 5 Pointz Graffiti Museum, arts, Hans Von Rittern, Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Long Island City, Manhattan, Marilyn Monroe in art, Marilyn Monroe painting, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, reflective Marilyn Monroe, See TF, Sunnyside, Ursula Von Rittern | 4 Comments
FLORAL MEMORIAL TO A LOST TUNE – Sadly one of New York’s most beloved recent attractions has been destroyed. First by taggers, then (supposedly) by the sea itself. See my post of June 2nd when I discovered the Mason and Hamlin piano there on the shores of our East River/Atlantic Ocean right under the Brooklyn Bridge. It became fodder for every news reporter, tourists loved it and New Yorkers adopted it. The police and harbor patrol looked the other way as people hopped over the gate to be photographed with the piano, the ‘beach’ there is not for public access especially since at high tide the water reaches the West Side Highway. But flock they did, as did I several times. Check out the Internet and you will find some of the most creative and joyful photos taken with it.
I did some research myself. The serial number under the key board, 335 26661, according to Mason & Hamlin’s web site, places it around the year 1915. Mason & Hamlin was founded by Henry Mason who was actually a direct descendent of the pilgrims of the Mayflower!
As to it’s mysterious origins, a so-called ‘street artist’ named HEK TAD took credit for it. Not until 2 weeks later when he tagged it with his spray painted logo all over it, did he lay claim. If you try to find photos of him, he is this skinny little kid, I sure hope he had plenty-a-help lifting that heavy baby grand over the 30″ gate and onto the beach and that tow truck musta been expen$ive. IF, if he indeed is responsible – he should have just left a sign taking credit, not destroying it’s melancholy beauty with his garish white spray paint markings. Many, including me, sought to paint over the markings and gladly finally someone did with what seemed to be some “oops paint” bought cheaply at hardware stores.
One of the last people to be photographed with the piano, is my friend and model Diana Amirova in an early morning photo shoot. I am so glad her beauty did it justice.
Diana Amirova
So finally now this proud 99 year old piano is giving up it’s ghost and surrendering to the mighty sea.
When I arrived this past Thursday to check on the piano, someone had left a floral memorial tribute to the beautiful graceful grande treasure from the past. Adieu, farewell, your songs played stay in our hearts.
The sea, the sea, calling out to you and me
Waves rush in to caress the sand
Only to roll out again
The sea, the sea, calmness in its water
But in one fowl swoop
The clam has tourned sour…
by Lillian B. Rose
June 14, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: architecture, arts, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Bridge, destruction of piano in East River, Diana Amirova, driftwood, East River, floral tribute to piano, graffiti and piano, Hans Von Rittern, HEK TAD, Henry Mason, Lillian B. Rose, Manhattan, Manhattan Bridge, Manhattan tides, Mason & Hamlin, Mason and Hamlin piano, memorial for piano, model with piano, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, piano burried in sand, piano in Atlantic Ocean, piano in East River, piano under Brooklyn Bridge, poet Lillian B. Rose, the Mayflower, West Side Highway | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: FRIDAY THE 13th SPECIAL $31 TATTOOS – Rushing along St. Mark’s Place this past Friday, I came across this colorful tranquil scene in the window of Whatever Tattoo. It reminded me immediately of the many old master paintings of reclining nudes I have seen in museums and books. This handsome tall hunk was just in the perfect classic pose, eyes closed, so peaceful and at rest while getting a giant tattoo on his back.
Now some people if they suffer from triskaidekaphobia (fear of Friday the 13th) they stay indoors, away from ladders, avoid making decisions and all possible harm – others go to tattoo parlors. I think though, that this tattoo will cost more than the $31 advertised Friday the 13th special.
Modigliani’s ‘Reclining Nude’ 1917
17 St. Mark’s Pl, New York, NY 10003 (212) 777-2430
June 13, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: Friday the 13th, Friday the 13th tattoo special, getting a tattoo, Greenwich Village, Hans Von Rittern, male hunk getting tattoo, Manhattan, Modigliani, Modigliani Reclining Nude 1917, neon tattoo signs, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, reclining male nude with tattoo, tattoo, tattoo parlor, Whatever Tattoo 17 St. Mark's Place | Leave a comment
Harvey Fierstein & Hans Von Rittern and Casa Susanna/Valentina
Photo of the day: HARVEY FIERSTEIN AND HANS SEE “CASA VALENTINA” TOGETHER – well….kinda…
Harvey came to see his show last night and I was sitting right near him.
THE SHOW IS FUCKING BRILLIANT! It is based on a cult book “Casa Susanna” which contains flea market find photos of women in the Catskills in 1962 – the women were men. Not drag queens, but men who simply had the desire to express their feminine side on the weekend and go on doing ordinary household chores leading an ordinary life for two days…as a ‘ordinary’ woman. All were married with children. It is not sensationalist Fierstein drag. It is a dramedy of social mores and sexual politics of the sixties,
To be very honest – I didn’t want to see this play. I thought,’who are you to further expose what was to have been private?”
My mother has always said to me, “please destroy all family pictures if there is no one left in your family. I don’t want to wind up in some flea market and have total stranger pawing over my photos and doing god knows what with them.” I sadly agree. So I felt, who is Harvey to do this – how is he to know what really these people were about and what went on, sorry theater fans, this is how I felt. Yet the book haunted and fascinated me of the sadness yet sensation of this secret world revealed. Reluctantly I bought the cheapest discount ticket possible. I brought my treasured copy of the book along with me.
Almost full house. Curtain rises. I am sitting there with arms folded, negative Nancy. ‘Ok, what did you do with this?’ After 5 minutes I was riveted. The visuals, the acting – breathtaking. I abandoned all doubt and negativity and realized I was watching something intensely personal and brilliant. Half way though act one, I kept thinking to myself, ‘where and how did Harvey come up with this, how did this come out of his head?’ Each actor is cast to perfection for the part. I flipped through my book trying to guess who was who. After a while it didn’t seem to matter, there were real people onstage.
It’s story is of intrigue, mystery, politics, raw emotions, sharp wit, great humor, 1960’s sexual politics, being exposed, homophobia, buried secrets, gut wrenching moments, great sets, superb lighting. Mare Winningham and Reed Birney are FUCKING BRILLIANT! Birney channels Margo Channing/All About Eve yet does not imitate her, it is her fiery essence – it is riveting sheer brilliance at what a strong determined (calculating) woman he portrays. He should have won the damn Tony award he was nominated for as best actor in a play. Mare’s voice projects to the upper balcony even in her most quiet sad moments – that’s technique! (They were not micked.) John Collum is everyone’s grandmother of the period.
The setting is the Chevalier d’Eon, a Catskills resort where button-down married men from the city can slip into something more comfortable for the weekend. This sanctuary is run by George (Patrick Page) and his infinitely accommodating wife, Rita (Mare Winningham). And if the place is a bit run down, for its guests it remains “our own Garden of Eden.” But Harvey being the brilliant Harvey, he has set a serpent loose in their garden of Eden, and you are hooked.
During intermission I asked to buy the poster. The head usher saw I was carrying the book. He tells me several of the men are still alive and the man who took the photos actually had come to see the play! I come further to find out, that of the men/women who are still alive, Harvey (I think) felt it his duty (and privilege) to interview them. So some of the mystery was gone, but yet all the more heightened. Who are they and what has become of them?! I was obsessed with the fact that the usher knew what the photographer of most of the photos looks like! I am even more energized for act two for now I know how much more ‘real’ the story is and I was watching also a history lesson unfold.
As I am waiting for the curtain to go up, coming up my aisle is an unmistakable figure of man – it’s the playwright himself Harvey Fierstein! He sat 1 row across from me! I had to go over to him to ask to sign my poster. “He’s got the book,” he growled to his friend. I grabbed his wrist and kept babbling “it’s brilliant! It’s brilliant’! Hans tongue tied = not often. Back to my seat. I now watched the show and out of the corner of the eye watched this Broadway royalty watching his own show. Surreal. He laughed at the jokes, was stoned faced at the serious moments, just like the rest of us.
Harvey’s reactoin to Jonathan Groff (blue t-shirt) being there
After the show I ran to the stage door and got the cast to sign the poster. Glee star Jonathan Groff was there, a girl next to me nearly died. Harvey was saying goodnight and I asked if I could have my picture taken with him and the book since he had made it come alive along with preserving gay history. “Sure with the book!” We hugged and the guy I gave my camera to couldn’t figure out how it works. Harvey growled, “Heterosexuals! They can’t even figure out how to work a camera.” We all laughed and that is the moment captured in this wonderful moment. I am still on cloud nine.
Casa Susanna
The ladies who lunch
GO SEE THE PLAY – it has a limited run and is closing June 29. Tickets sometimes available 50% off at TKTS nightly.
CASA web site: http://www.manhattantheatreclub.com/2013-2014-season/casa-valentina/
New York Times review: http://online.wsj.com/articles/like-earlier-hot-spots-williamsburg-adds-gloss-1402620838
Cast signed poster
June 13, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: 1960's politics, All About Eve, arts, Broadway, Casa Susanna, Casa Valentina, Casa Valentina review, Catskills, celebrities, Chevalier d’Eon, cross dressing, entertainment, gay history, Glee star Jonathan Groff, Hans Von Rittern, Harvey Fierstein, homophobia, John Collum, Manhattan, Mare Winningham, Margo Channing, men in drag, New York City, Patrick Page, Photo of the day, photography, Reed Birney, transvestites | 3 Comments
Jonathan ‘Meres One’ Cohen, Hans Von Rittern
Photo of the day: 2 CHOIR BOYZ ARE WE – During our “Whitewash” exhibit Meres and I were given the task to assemble and Ikea choir bench for an artist’s talk we were to give later that evening. Quite proud that we had both assembled it successfully and that it held our weight – we posed like the two little choir boiz we are
.
Two little choir boyz from school are we
Pert as a choir boy can be
Filled to the brim with boyish glee
Two little choir boyz from school are weEverything is a source of fun
Nobody’s safe for we care for none
Life is a joke that’s just begun
Two little choir boyz from the Factory Phun
Two Little choir boyz who all unwary
Come from a boy’s seminary
Free from his genius tutelary
Two little choir boyz from school
Two little choir boyz from school !One little choir boy is the painter handsome
One little choir boy has photos done
Two little boyz in attendance to the art show come
Two little choir boyz from 5 Pointz come
Not under any politician’s thumb
Not liking that Wolkoff scum
nor that Van Bramer bum
Here to make your hood not so glum
Here wishing we had a (paint) gun
LET’S GET THIS DONE !
(With apologies to Gilbert & Sullivan.)
June 12, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: "Three little maids are we", "WHITEWASH", 5 Pointz, 5 Pointz destroyed, 5 Pointz Graffiti Museum, 7 train, arts, Auks, AUKS One, AUKS Thomas Lucero, Brooklyn, celebrities, choir bench, choir boyz, Christian Cortes, Cortes, Experiencing the destruction of 5 Pointz, graffiti, graffiti art, Hans Von Rittern, Hunt Rodriguez, Jeffrey Leder, Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Jerms, Jerry Wolkoff, Jimmy Van Bramer, Jonathan Meres Cohen, Just One, Long Island City, Long Island City Queens, Manhattan, Marie Cecile Flageul, Marie Flageul, Meres, Meres One, Meres One Cohen, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, public art, Queens, See TF, SHIRO, Shiro of Japan, Shoko Mikami, street art museum, the importance of public art discussion, the importance of street art discussion, The Mikado, Thomas Lucero, Topaz, Wolkoff, Zimad | Leave a comment
Mason and Hamlin piano in East River under Brooklyn Bridge
Photo of the day: MUSIC MAKES ME HIGH – ♫♪♪♪♫♫ The ethereal effect of music is to make one feel is if you are floating on air. Listen closely to sounds of the sea or Mozart, are you floating yet?
June 11, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: architecture, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Bridge, dancer and Mason Hamlin piano, dancer leaping on piano, East River, East River beach front view of Brooklyn Bridge, East River view of Brooklyn Bridge, Emmons Hamlin, floating on air, Hans Von Rittern, Henry Mason, low tide east river, Manhattan, Manhattan Bridge, Mason & Hamlin, Mason and Hamlin, Mason and Hamlin piano, Mozart, music makes me high, music makes you float, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, piano at low tide, piano in Atlantic Ocean, piano in East River, piano in water, piano on Manhattan beach, piano under Brooklyn Bridge, pilgrims of Mayflower, Sequoia Restaurant, sounds of the sea, South Street Seaport's Pier 17 | Leave a comment
NEW YORK CITY - IN THE WIT OF AN EYE 