You remember the 2nd Ave fire in 1975 obviously. I was working for NY Tel at the time restoring service to the area.
New York City
- Thread starter raljr1
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You remember the 2nd Ave fire in 1975 obviously. I was working for NY Tel at the time restoring service to the area.
sigp220.45
US Veteran
So the last time I was in NYC on business was during Halloween a few years ago. A couple of my son's friends were going to walk the parade, so I brought a costume and walked with them.
Part way thru I hear this group chanting, "Guns are evil" and other such stuff. I tell the girls that I need to get beyond this bunch.
I get in front of them and get a picture taken, because if they only knew.
One of my dear friends from High School, who happens to be gay, said after seeing the picture, "Now I have seen it all, you marching with gays against guns, dressed up as Peter Pan."
We got a good laugh out of that.
This is my favorite post of the year.
I had an uncle marry into the family that was 2nd generation Italian American from the Bronx. His family took me in for Christmas of '69. I spent the holiday in their brownstone across the street from a Catholic church and within walking distance to the Pelham Bay subway. I was amazed at what I experienced, especially taking the subway to Grand Central and visiting the city from the ground floor. I never felt threatened, just overcome by the immensity of the buildings. I had a great time in the Bronx, enjoyed the local flavor and "attitude", they did not lock their cars on the street because the whole area was mobbed up and nobody dared mess with anyone in that time. I watched a mob funeral from across the street, quite a treat for a rube from the West. Loved getting a slice for lunch with a beer without hiding the bottle, drinking age was eighteen. It was quite an experience but from what I understand had undergone major changes since then and I would find it unrecognizable today.
Fishinfool
Member
Back in the 1970's, when I was a kid, a couple friends and I would hop on the first morning bus from Southbury CT to NYC. Walk around with $20 in our pockets and see the sights. Seen things I aint never seen before....
Fast forward to the 2000's, and I was spending time in NYC on Gvt. business. What a total turn around. No peep shows and hookers, no gunfire, no cops running down the street with their guns drawn, looking scared. Clean, and crowded with tourists from all over the world. I used to enjoy getting dinner to go, and eat it sitting on a bench in times square, watching the "show". I never felt uncomfortable walking around at night. Could never live there, but did enjoy the many sights and activities.
Now?, from what I have heard and read, I am not so sure it's the same.
Larry
Fast forward to the 2000's, and I was spending time in NYC on Gvt. business. What a total turn around. No peep shows and hookers, no gunfire, no cops running down the street with their guns drawn, looking scared. Clean, and crowded with tourists from all over the world. I used to enjoy getting dinner to go, and eat it sitting on a bench in times square, watching the "show". I never felt uncomfortable walking around at night. Could never live there, but did enjoy the many sights and activities.
Now?, from what I have heard and read, I am not so sure it's the same.
Larry
LVSteve
Member
I was a kid when I visited New York, if you can call it a visit. Straight from the dock having disembarked from the Queen Mary to JFK (I think) in a British Consulate car. Huge tall buildings and a sense of 'Big City' is all I can really recall.
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Faulkner
Member
My first trip was in 2012 when I was voluntold to go to NYC to attend an advanced training class. Although I was honored to be selected I did everything I could to get out of going but eventually the sheriff said, "I need you to go do this." Man I dreaded going, all my perceptions of NYC came from watching Blue Bloods on TV.
Turns out, I enjoyed the visit. The days were busy with the training but one of the locals would take me and another deputy from Texas around town in the afternoons and evenings to see much of the common tourist sights but some other areas as well. Was actually surprised at how easy moving around town via the subway was. Although we were treated to some high end eating establishments, one of the highlights was eating a pastrami on rye at Katz Deli, but I also loved the street vendor food.
Turns out, I enjoyed the visit. The days were busy with the training but one of the locals would take me and another deputy from Texas around town in the afternoons and evenings to see much of the common tourist sights but some other areas as well. Was actually surprised at how easy moving around town via the subway was. Although we were treated to some high end eating establishments, one of the highlights was eating a pastrami on rye at Katz Deli, but I also loved the street vendor food.
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Model 15-4ever
Member
Here's an update for all the pollyannas that have fond memories of Manhattan. Today's headline in the local paper, New York Post:
Midtown Manhattan's shelter-lined '8th Ave. Corridor' plagued by open drug use: 'Strip of despair'
This is just a single day's slice of the big picture. The level of violent random crime is shocking. The massive decline started 10 years ago and the past four have accelerated it. Read The Post if you want to see what really goes on in NYC.
Midtown Manhattan's shelter-lined '8th Ave. Corridor' plagued by open drug use: 'Strip of despair'
This is just a single day's slice of the big picture. The level of violent random crime is shocking. The massive decline started 10 years ago and the past four have accelerated it. Read The Post if you want to see what really goes on in NYC.
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I was born and raised in NYC (Brooklyn and then Queens) then moved to Long Island at 18 and I will say just about the only thing I miss about it is the food! Nothing else they offer appeals to me!
We now live in Florida and it took 3 years of searching, trying and asking to find somewhat descent restaurants here. We had to try at least 15 Sushi places to find one good one. We finally found a great Pizza place but that was after trying 20 or so. We also found a nice Italian restaurant and while the food is good, it doesn't match up to what we got in NY. Chinese takeout is OK, but again, not like NY. The steaks I BBQ at my house are better than pretty much any high end steakhouse I have tried. We've tried Capitol Grill, Chops, The Continental, etc. and while all were descent - my steaks are spectacular!
Once again, the food is the ONLY thing they have as a plus! I do miss Peter Luger's Steak House!
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I was born in the Bronx and then moved to Queens when I was 11. I grew up going into the City. My father's picture framing business was always in Manhattan and I started sweeping the place when I was 7 years old. I thought nothing of stepping over the drunks on my way to the Empire Diner (10th and 22nd) to pick up lunch for my father and I. Used to skip school occationally in the 7th and 8th grade and take the train into the City by myself and ended up going to high school in Manhattan from 1955-1959. Had a bus/subway pass that was good 24/7 for transport anywhere in New York City and used the daylights out of it. Was on my high school rifle team and we used to travel on the subway with our rifles to the away matches at other high schools in the city. Our home range was the NYC Detectives range at the Park Ave. Armory on 33rd and Park (not there anymore). Practice was at the Manhattan School of Firearms at 24 Murry St. in the basement. Loved growing up there but it is just a different place now and I don't have much use for it. The food of course, just doesn't come any better.
Stu
Stu
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kozmic
Member
I've spent countless days and night in NYC over the past 45 years in both very good times and very bad times for the city. This is a monumentally bad time for the city. I don't even like going over the bridges to Long Island. For me, New York City has become a "No Go Zone".
That said, there are some amazing restaurants spattered around the entire area. But I can name a few dozen cities off the top of my head that have fine dining that I would much rather visit.
If there is any doubt in this, just look at their hemorrhaging population. I'm sure most of those folks loved living there at one point.
That said, there are some amazing restaurants spattered around the entire area. But I can name a few dozen cities off the top of my head that have fine dining that I would much rather visit.
If there is any doubt in this, just look at their hemorrhaging population. I'm sure most of those folks loved living there at one point.
I read that. The PA always was a cesspool.
I used to work in the garment district when I was 16, humping carts full of shipping boxes from the manufacturers back to Conboy trucking company IIRC on 35th street for $1.25 an hour.
The PA was always someplace we were advised to stay out of, especially the bathrooms.
twodog max
Member
Any city of any size is not for me for any reason. I can eat good food right here at the house. If I want to see something spectacular I can drive 20 miles and sit on an Ozark mountaintop and see hundreds of square miles of natural beauty and no people. Just the way I like it. Went through there in 2018 on a bus trip to Maine. I was within a breath of going to the Portland airport and flying back to Arkansas to many people all over that part of the world
I recall going to school in upstate NY and when the question of going to NYC came up, the statement was "Whey would anyone what to go there!?!
Pretty much the same thing I got about going to DC when in rural Maryland.
Pretty much the same thing I got about going to DC when in rural Maryland.
Used to go up to NY on weekends. The locals did some drag racing on the BQE after midnight. This was 64-68. Had an uncle and aunt that had a bakery in Brooklyn. Different than te rest of the family. The guys I knew called the Brooklyn Queens Expwy the longest junkyard in the world. I enjoyed going to NYC...but I sure wouldn't live there
We, about 5 or 6 of us, used to go to the topless bars in DC. 18 yo drinking age. We always stopped at an ol black mans "restaurant"...Called Wings and Things. About 1968 ...He told us, boys...you best be not comin to DC no more...its getting dangerous for black and white folks at night. That man could cook barbeque...and he gave us good advice. The black gangs were starting to get pretty bad. 6months later had to go back to DC. That fellows business was burned to the ground after some rioting. I did have a small run in with a hooker. Her pimp and his homies were gonna cut me up. The pimp decided he didn't want to try beating up on Col Colt first...right in front of a high end Hotel. we beat feet outta town immediately after. That was our last trip to the topless bars, darn it!
We, about 5 or 6 of us, used to go to the topless bars in DC. 18 yo drinking age. We always stopped at an ol black mans "restaurant"...Called Wings and Things. About 1968 ...He told us, boys...you best be not comin to DC no more...its getting dangerous for black and white folks at night. That man could cook barbeque...and he gave us good advice. The black gangs were starting to get pretty bad. 6months later had to go back to DC. That fellows business was burned to the ground after some rioting. I did have a small run in with a hooker. Her pimp and his homies were gonna cut me up. The pimp decided he didn't want to try beating up on Col Colt first...right in front of a high end Hotel. we beat feet outta town immediately after. That was our last trip to the topless bars, darn it!
It was more than locals that were racing or showed up there. I was down there twice to attend the festivities. One of my friends bought a Motion 427 Camaro. Due to that we made some friends that knew the area well. We were from the Albany area and well known in that areas street racing.
That area and people were so well know that many times actual win/loss results were printed in a couple of the Hot Rod magazines of that time frame. Met both Joel Rosen and Marty Schoor <spelling>
Connecting Highway as we called it. I did not have a license, too young when we first started going, but hitched rides with the guys that did.
We were there almost every weekend. Cars line up on the roadway and raced down to the next overpass.
Cops came onto the roadway and chased everyone away….that is until they left, then repeat the cat and mouse game.
Yep, people came from all over.
Jim McQ had a badass 396 triple black Nova that was said to have a factory blueprinted motor. It sure looked like it.
Connecting Highway Tribute
We were there almost every weekend. Cars line up on the roadway and raced down to the next overpass.
Cops came onto the roadway and chased everyone away….that is until they left, then repeat the cat and mouse game.
Yep, people came from all over.
Jim McQ had a badass 396 triple black Nova that was said to have a factory blueprinted motor. It sure looked like it.
Connecting Highway Tribute
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