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Where I’m Livin’

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

I just got back from Princeton and realized that the last time I posted here was after I got back from Princeton . . . almost a year ago. Contrary to what you might think I have not taken a year off of blogging, I have just taken a year off blogging here. I have spent a great deal of time writing for BikeHacks.com. I still have random thoughts that I think about putting over here, but I seem to keep busy enough to avoid posting.

I also wonder if the blog is “so yesterday.” With Facebook, MySpace, Flickr, Twitter and all of the other social media applications maybe the blog is just a thing of the past. I’m really happy to have a history of my move to NYC as I blogged for four years, but now that I’m somewhat of a local, not much phases me anymore about the city.

So, if you have this blog in your RSS reader perhaps I’ll get a wild hair and decide to put some stuff up, but if you want to hear me rant and rave about how cool bikes are you don’t have to wait – just visit BikeHacks.com. Peace!

bike-hack-for-site-copy

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Rockefeller Center

Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

We had friends in town over in late December and we tramped around town a bit. One of our stops was Rockefeller Center. It was a madhouse for sure, but fun at the same time.

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Bland

Thursday, June 5th, 2008

As seen in Flushing, NYC.

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NYC Crane Collapse Connection

Wednesday, June 4th, 2008

Turns out that I have a connection to the latest NYC crane collapse. No, it was not my building, I am over 60 blocks away. However, one of my good buddy Blue’s best friends apartment was located a mere 10 feet from where the crane hit. The picture below shows his friend Matt on his deck talking on his mobile phone.

Here is Blue’s email . . .

Though he claims to have been at his desk, my guess is that he was sitting on his thrown and it was the smell created that caused the falling crane to avoid his apartment by about 10 feet. You can see (below) the man himself on his deck sporting a lovely bathrobe.

All joking aside, Matt missed getting smooshed by about 10 feet. His girlfriend Susanne left for work a little earlier than normal and avoided being on the sidewalk below where others died. She was in the subway while Matt tried to call her not knowing if she was OK. I am elated to report they were both chillin’ in Anna’s and my living room later this morning. Phew! Also safely in attendance, Susanne’s pug, Potato Dog.

Just F’in relieved we’ve got a crazy story to talk about instead of funeral to attend!

Posted in New York | 2 Comments »

Spring in New York City

Sunday, June 1st, 2008

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Mass Appeal

Monday, December 17th, 2007

I recently read the book Subway Lives by Jim Dwyer. This is an excerpt I thought was quite interesting:

“The city of New York, a mite in a huge land, every year absorbs 15 percent of immigrants to the nation. By numbers, it is preposterous. Of the 3,625,122 square miles in the United States, 322 are in New York City, nine one-thousandths of a single percent of the countries land mass.”

The book was published in 1991 but I’m sure NYC is still a popular destination. I recently heard it quoted that 40% of those who live in NYC were not born in the U.S.

Posted in New York | 1 Comment »

Quote from Ed Koch

Wednesday, November 28th, 2007

“New York City is where the future comes to audition.”

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Secretary of Greenhouse Gas

Sunday, September 9th, 2007

Brendon sent me a link a few weeks ago that appalled me, but did not surprise me at all. The Secretary of Transportation for the U.S. of A, Mary Peters, claims that bikes are not a form of transportation. When talking about funding transportation related projects our Secretary of Greenhouse Gas Transportation stated:

Well, there’s about probably some 10 percent to 20 percent of the current spending that is going to projects that really are not transportation, directly transportation-related. Some of that money is being spent on things, as I said earlier, like bike paths or trails.

Ms. Peters must have overlooked useless information like the fact that approximately 110,000 people in New York City ride their bikes to work everyday. I also spent some time this summer with a guy who lives in North Carolina. A year ago he sold his Subaru and bought a bike as his only means of transit. He has a 30 mile commute each day. Ms. Peters, how would you define his bicycle?

I can’t decide whether it is worth the time to look for her address and mail Ms. Greenhouse Gas a letter. It might make me feel good to do so, but with a bias such as the one she possesses, I am sure it would fall on deaf ears.

For more information, visit Streetsblog.

Posted in Cycling, New York | No Comments »

Bike Month NYC

Tuesday, May 1st, 2007

If you live in NYC it’s time to party pedal style. It’s Bike Month. To see how you can get involved, go here. My wife, who had not pedaled in over 20 years, purchased a bike last year and is doing the 45 mile 5 Boro Ride this Sunday. What a role model!

Have a bike? Ride it! Don’t have a bike? Buy one!

If you live in a place without a Bike Month, get one! It’s simply the right thing to do.