Notes from the Fire Escape http://the-suzy-guides.com/blog/ Annie's Blog for The Suzy Guides en Copyright 2008 Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:41:55 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.2ysb5-20051201 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss The Indomitable Human Spirit: Hurricane Ike       Saturday, September 13 at 2:00 a.m., Ike, labeled the “worst hurricane to hit the Texas coast” arrived in Houston. The wind blew; the shingles flew.  The night was filled with crash, thump, bada-bing.   At sunrise, Houstonians opened doors and windows, walked outside to assess Ike’s damage.  
No electricity - 5 hours.
Trees lay prostrate across yards, blocked streets and remodeled homes.  Within an hour, people were maneuvering the cluttered streets checking on their neighbor’s condition, asking what was needed and offering assistance.  My Mr. Toolman husband, John, was dressed, out the door, armed with his trusty chainsaw. He worked his way down our block, helping neighbors clear branches off sidewalks and pull tree trunks out of windows.  
The women began pooling food stuffs, potable water and inventing new cooking methods. Bar-B-Que pits, normally used for leisurely Sunday afternoon entertainment, were enlisted into duty.  Battery powered radios were warning that return of power could be four weeks. The mind refuses to wrap itself around such a prospect. Let’s just get through today first.
Didn’t someone say “invention is the child of disaster”. No?  OK, maybe that’s not how that axiom goes.  But, invention is exactly what was happening.  Coffee, one of the staples of life, doesn’t perk without electricity.  Several ladies and I pulled a large pot from my kitchen cabinet, filled it with water and made a filter from an  old pillow case.  The pot was hosted onto the grill to begin the boil.  When the water began a slow roll, the coffee brigade lowered the pillow filter into the water.  Gradually, the water turned a dark black.  Soon the drink of the gods was ready for distribution to the workforce.  
No electricity – 8 hours.
Frozen food was beginning to thaw in the humid Houston heat.  Neighbors pooled their food resources. Our lunch menu was grilled chicken and Muffin Crunch Bread.  The frozen bread loaves in my freezer were rapidly defrosting. The dough was growing like a balloon being filled with helium.  The ladies cut the loves into pieces.  We rolled small balls between the palms of our hands and placed them into muffin tins.  In the warm sun, the dough began to peek over the pan.  Using pans and lids, we rigged a Dutch Oven to bake the muffins. The baking bread took on a comical appearance as it collapsed into the round holes.  Thirty minutes later, we flipped out bread that had a golden crunch on the outside and a soft middle. Melted butter was brushed on the bread; grilled chicken and onions forked onto paper plates; black beans and foil wrapped potatoes completed the meal.  Two doors down, the kids (the college students that rented the triplex) hauled in an ice-chest of beer.  Life is good.  There we were, seventeen people sitting in our backyard, balancing paper plates on laps, getting acquainted for the first time.  
No electricity – 14 hours
Everyone went back to clean-up duty. Plastic lawn bags were packed with leaves, branches and indiscernible gifts left by Ike.  Mountains of bags and tree limbs began to rise along the curbs.  Everyone was attempting to return to normal.  
Dinner comes early when there is no light.  Fire in the pits had been stoked all day.  A variety of meats were pilled on grills.  A true community was forming.  For centuries great thinkers have lauded the possibility of working together for the benefit of all. But, the success of the philosophy has yet to be maintained. I watch with amazement as five star meals unfold from primitive equipment. People laugh, questions asked, concern given, offers of assistance made. Night falls. People make their way home for the evening.  The night is humid and hot.  Sleeping would normally be impossible in this heat, except we are all exhausted.
No electricity – 48 hours
Monday. People are quickly tiring of no phones, no computers, no news, no TV, no Internet.  Modern living has vanished.
In hopes of the temperature cooling before going to bed, John and I walked down a deserted thoroughfare.  Three blocks away, houses had lights. Could it be that the electricity was returning?  Not exactly.  Crews were working 24/7 to get power back to areas as quickly as possible. Blocks that suffered less wind damage to power lines and transformers had electricity restored. When I saw the lights, I felt Electricity Envy.
No electricity – 72 hours
Tuesday.  The majority of the city is without electricity. Schools and businesses are closed. Supermarkets are closed or have limited products. No bread, no eggs, no milk, no ice, no refrigeration. Wait time to enter Kroger was an hour or more.
With no means to keep perishables cold, what wasn’t eaten was thrown away.  Amazingly, spirits were high. After sunset, the community sat outside in the front yards or gathered with new friends to listen to the college kids strum a guitar, sing and dance.  As the evening waned, families retired to rest and hope that tomorrow modern life would be restored.
    No electricity – 96 hours
Wednesday. Work clothes are running out.  I refuse to face another peanut butter sandwich. The community is returning to family units. The fire in the Bar-B-Que pits has gone out. Communal food preparation has disappeared. Refrigerators are empty. More grocery stores are opening. A few restaurants open with limited menus. Conditions are slowly improving, but morale is sinking.
    No electricity – 120 hours
Thursday. I’m tired of being hot, dirty, hungry. I detest cold showers.

    No electricity – 144 hours
Friday. A week. 7 days since Ike took away modern conveniences. Ike sucks. Lack of information. Before the Houston Chronicle was able to publish, the task of getting information to the public became the responsibility of radio. How often did we want to Google or check the weather or scan our home page.  Two cans and a string would out perform a cell phone.
    No electricity – 168 hours
Saturday. Brother Dave Garner used to say that every night is a Saturday night and every day is a Sunday. The last 8 days reflect the concept.
    No electricity -    192 hours
Sunday.
       From across the street someone announced, “we’ve got juice!”   Everyone scurried inside, closed their door and life returned to normal.
The neighborhood was getting weird, a division between the have’s and have not’s. Those that were back to “normal” and those who were the unchosen ones.  Electricity was finally restored on Tuesday. Twelve days. The most wonderful part of being back to normal was the hot bath and cold milk in the frig. The worst part was that we were all secluded behind our doors once again. The B-B-Q pit now sits quietly in the backyard.



]]> http://the-suzy-guides.com/blog/2008/10/the_indomitable_human_spirit_h.html http://the-suzy-guides.com/blog/2008/10/the_indomitable_human_spirit_h.html Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:41:55 -0500 Robert DeGaetano's tribute to the 1986 Challenger tragedy http://the-suzy-guides.com/blog/2008/09/robert_degaetanos_tribute_to_t.html http://the-suzy-guides.com/blog/2008/09/robert_degaetanos_tribute_to_t.html Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:59:29 -0500 Pub Crawl of New York's coolest bars        Thursday was pub crawl night. Kelley Loftus and David Miller, two transplanted Houstonians and museum professionals (they work at the Whitney Museum), agreed to enlighten us about cool New York pubs. 

        Kathy Biehl, John and I met them at the Frying Pan on 26th and the Hudson.  This open air, on a pier bar not only offers a variety of beers and alcoholic beverages, but ping-pong and foosball opportunities as well. The old barge docked next to the pier hosts live music. BTW, the French Fries are delicious.  The gentle rocking of the barge meets the beer consumption to produce an interesting Zanadu feeling. 

        Then, it was off to the Ear Bar at Spring and Greenwich Ave. Originally, this old pharmacy was located at the edge of the Hudson, but landfill over the years has made it landlocked. During the 60's the building fell into disrepair. Fortunately, a group of Columbia University students discovered the bar and adopted it, restoring it to its present level of just enough old combined with just enough new to make it fun. If you look at the neon Ear sign above the door, you can just see the outline of the B, that stopped reflecting the edges of the B long ago. Thus the way the bar got its name.
        The crowd is mostly young professionals meeting for an after work adult beverage, but Harley owners and a more mature crowd also mingle around the benches surrounding the old tree in front of the establishment. The burgers are the best with at least an inch thick patty and roasted potatoes to compliment your beverage.

         Just so you know that this crawl was not totally hedonistic, David and Kelley worked! They did two video interviews about NYC museums and pubs. Check these out on You Tube or soon to be posted to this website. Many thanks to both for their great addition to our quest to find the coolest places in New York City. 

         Cheers!

 

]]> http://the-suzy-guides.com/blog/2008/07/pub_crawl_of_new_yorks_coolest.html http://the-suzy-guides.com/blog/2008/07/pub_crawl_of_new_yorks_coolest.html Sat, 19 Jul 2008 08:40:04 -0500 Giant picnic in Central Park        Yesterday, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra invited 35,000 of their closest friends to a picnic with spectacular live music in Central Park. Every summer the NY Phil performs a free concert in Central Park on the Great Lawn.

        The day began with an afternoon shower putting a question mark on whether people would show up for the evening concert in The Park. John and I decided on going regardless of the weather and headed out to Central Park West at 86th Street around 6:30 for an 8:00 performance. We felt pretty smug having packed a couple of blankets and bottles of cold water. When we exited the 4,5,6 train and stepped onto the entrance to the park, we were folded into a stream of people. "Could all these people be going to the concert?" Duh! Yes.

      When we arrived at the Great Lawn, a mass of humanity was sprawled on the green carpet of grass. It looked like an up-scale refugee camp. We gradually picked our way through the puzzle of blankets and shoes to find our own spot on the lawn. The other campers had immense spreads of wine, cheese, delicate meats, salads and candles. I've never wanted to beg for food until right then. By the time we got our blanket positioned, my mouth was watering from the mixture of smells and visual delights.

 
    John and I had no idea that this was a picnic. The New York community gathered in one spot to relax, drink, eat and socialize as one. Some groups were small, numbering 2. Some, were huge, numbering 10 or more. Great music blared from the gigantic speakers, people toasted the beautiful NY weather and ... we all took a deep breath.

   A rousing rendition of John Phillip Souza's Stars and Stripes Forever concluded with fireworks. Not just a little boom-boom. No, this was a practice run for the 4th. New York never ceases to amaze me. How can the largest city in the US feel like small town America? Size does not preclude the need for community, even if the "community" is 35,000 strong.  Good job New York!

 

]]> http://the-suzy-guides.com/blog/2008/06/giant_picnic_in_central_park.html http://the-suzy-guides.com/blog/2008/06/giant_picnic_in_central_park.html Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:39:06 -0500 Coney Island     We've all heard about, read about, maybe even dreamed about Coney Island. On Thursday, John and I hopped on the F train and made the 1-1/2 hour trip to Brooklyn and Coney Island. However you picture Coney Island...that's not it.

    The first thing you see is an old rickety roller-coaster that makes the clickety-clack sounds before plumeting to the bottom of the loop. The carnies still beckon you over to throw a ball or try your luck shooting down ducks. There's cotton candy, Nathan's famous hotdogs, ice-cream, candied apples and pop-corn. The boardwalk is as wide as Main Street America. A clean, blonde colored beach at least a 100 yeards wide, snugs up against the boardwalk, running along about a mile. The pier juts into the Atlantic where people fish and socialize in clustered groups. There is no charge to walk the boardwalk or fish the pier.

    The Cyclones, Brooklyn's Class A baseball team, plays ball under the shadow of the Big Wheel ferris wheel. The locals wave to each other, ask about the family and cheer for the home team. The people are infintely more fun to watch than the baseball game. Between each inning some type of audience participation ensued. Contestents put together enormous puzzels on the field. People dressed up like hotdogs and had a race from 3rd base to home. Cute young girls with Beach Bum labeled across the back of their shirts, threw peanuts and t-shirts to the eager crowd. The whole stadium seemed like a giant community reunion.

    This is Coney Island's last year to operate. Mayor Bloomberg is shutting it down to make room for expensive condos. The old wooden Cyclone will be torn down, the carnies will find another game and Coney Island will only be a memory that lives in pictures and dreams. I'm glad we saw it.
 

]]> http://the-suzy-guides.com/blog/2008/06/coney_island.html http://the-suzy-guides.com/blog/2008/06/coney_island.html Sat, 21 Jun 2008 09:13:30 -0500 The historic Lower East Side     Any trip to NYC should include a tour of the Lower East Side conducted by Eric Ferrara of East Village/Lower East Side Walking Tours. Eric is a 3rd generation Lower East Side resident and has schooled himself in the history of the area. His knowledge will bring to life the gangsters of the late 19th and early 20th century, Astor Place, Five Points or a drinking tour for fun.

    Check out Eric's website at http://www.east-village.com or give him a call at 917-215-2575. Once you've learned about this area, you'll be eager to return for more. Eric has agreed to do a videoed interview with The Suzy Guides. This should be accessable on the website by the beginning of next week.
 

]]> http://the-suzy-guides.com/blog/2008/06/the_historic_lower_east_side.html http://the-suzy-guides.com/blog/2008/06/the_historic_lower_east_side.html Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:18:09 -0500 Creative panhandling ]]> http://the-suzy-guides.com/blog/2008/06/post.html http://the-suzy-guides.com/blog/2008/06/post.html Sat, 14 Jun 2008 09:08:45 -0500 Off Broadway     Edward Albee, possibly the greatest living American playwright, has premiered a new play, The Occupant, at the Signature Theater.  Mercedes Ruehl plays Louise Nevelson, eccentric American sculptor. Nevelson and Albee established a friendship in the 1950's that lasted until her death at the age of 88. Albee teaches at the University of Houston and produces many of his plays at The Alley Theater.

    Tickets for the June performances have been sold out for a long time, but a persistent person can put his/her name on a wait list 1 hour prior to performance and (if lucky) can secure a ticket.  When it comes to Albee, John and I are go into our persistent mode. Thursday afternoon we incorporated a walk down 42nd avenue with our search for Albee tickets.  Before arriving at Signature Theater, we explored the Chrysler building, fought our way through the mass of humanity in Times Square, saw a photography exhibit at NYC Public Library and people-watched at Bryant Park. Be sure to visit the NYC tab on the website to see some of the pictures.

   The performance was all those adjectives related to greatness that you can think of, like stunning, profound, mesmerizing. On our walk home, we stopped into one of the ubiquitous NY pizza joints for a couple of slices just so it would be a 100% perfect New York evening.
 

]]> http://the-suzy-guides.com/blog/2008/06/off_broadway.html http://the-suzy-guides.com/blog/2008/06/off_broadway.html Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:33:42 -0500 Welcome to NYC     Welcome to the first Suzy Guides Team blog.  We are off to a new adventure to find the best New York City has to offer for the new guide book Walk NYC (publication November 2008)!

    John and I arrived in the Big Apple just a few days ago. Our apartment is in the Murray Hill area, one of the many vibrant places to live in NYC. Every night throngs of young people gather at the restaurants and bars (which are plentiful) to socialize and relax.

    Even though John and I have visited New York on previous occasions, living vs. visiting is a different experience. Here are some of our initial observations:

   If you're walking down a NYC sidewalk...

  • And there isn't a nail shop somewhere on the block, you've accidentally crossed over to Jersey.
  • And English is being spoken, you're in Paris, not New York.
  • And someone actually looks at you, you've been abducted by aliens and on your way to Tralfamadore.
  • And you ask a question and the person looks at you like you're nuts, you're in LA.  New Yorkers are helpful.

    More NYC observations coming soon.

    We titled The Suzy Guides blog, Notes from the Fire Escape, because we enjoy climbing out our apartment window to sit on the fire escape and watch the people pass by.  People walk in New York unlike the "carmobilers" in Houston. Watching people from our 2nd floor fire escape is like having your own private reality show unfolding before your eyes.  Pictures coming soon.

     Videos about interesting NYC places, events and just plain fun happenings are coming soon. So visit our blog often and remember...your comments are always appreciated.

Annie and John  

 


 

]]> http://the-suzy-guides.com/blog/2008/06/welcome_to_nyc.html http://the-suzy-guides.com/blog/2008/06/welcome_to_nyc.html Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:01:12 -0500