Other areas landmarked are The Marble Cemetery.

And one block directly south of me, E. 10th Street, between Avenue A and B, along Tompkins Square Park also gets landmark status.

This landmarking is no small part to the amazing work of Andrew Berman from Greenwich Village Society for Historical Presevation, and my dear friend Kurt Cavanaugh from the East Village Community Coalition.

I have a personal copy of their joint letter to New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission calling for expanded landmark status for large sections of the East Village. What a historical document. And here is the letter from Greenwich Village Society for Historical Preservation asking for the City to preserve 101 Avenue A (Pyramid Club building).

The Lower East Side (East Village) wins a big one today, and we hope to see more and more landmarked as time goes on!

P.S. I've been made aware through a source that the Landmarks Preservation Commission might call the red zoned areas the Lower East Side/East Village Historic District - fantastic and long overdue!

I am an avid collector of memorabilia and artifacts from the 1977 NYC Blackout (look for me there on Wikipedia) an event that changed not only NYC, but America, and the World.

Why it did so is simple - but a topic I'll save for another day. Suffice to say, much of today's culture can trace its genesis to this very night. I'm thinking of shooting a mini documentary about it. Or maybe just a blog post. We'll see.

In the photo are not one but two t-shirts that were sold on the streets of New York in 1977 shortly after that fateful night. As such, they are two of my most prized possessions.

The black on says "Where Where You When the Lights Went Out?" which became a famous song by The Trammps.

The yellow one says "This Shirt Was LOOTED On The Night Of The BLACKOUT."

When you get in the cab at LGA or JFK or EWR and you know you are going to take a bridge/tunnel and encounter a toll, ask RIGHT AWAY if their EZ Pass is working. If not, tell them "No Thanks" and ask the dispatcher for another cab. You'd be amazed at how fast it all of a sudden works.

99% of cab drivers are honest, hard working guys (and gals) but the 1% ruins it for everyone. Don't get scammed, New York!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

I generally only bass fish & keep to the ponds in Manhattan & Brooklyn.

1. Harlem Meer Lake (116th NE corner of Central Park) is my favorite
spot. NY Game & Fish stock it with pan fish & lots of bass. I use
small stick baits and dark green worms.

2. 72nd St. Boat House Central Park. Great walk around & man made
with big rock bottom/bank. I roll a mini spinner bait up the bank for
bass or bounce a stick bait with a bill off the bottom, up the
bank...bounce & pause.

3. Prospect Park Lake: this lake is not easy to fish as the bank is
mostly tall reeds. However, this cuts down on fishing traffic. I
walk the smaller creeks on the northeast tip of the lake for bass.

4. For some of America's best trout fishing (believe it!) you can fly
or spin fish the East branch Croton River without a car during season.
Pack your gear, waders & take the Harlem Line to Brewster and walk
down Main Street until you come to a bridge that crosses the East
Branch. Then just walk down in and start fishing. You need a DEP
Watershed Access permit, which can be obtained here http://nyc.gov/watershed.
its about an hour by train.

Places to shop:
1) I always use Cabelas for my fishing gear as there is no real
place to shop in the city that doesn't require a long train ride. I
recommend getting a nice four piece travel rod & a fishing backpack that
holds rod tubes. Makes moving from spot to spot much easier & people
on the train don't stare at you like an alien.

2) For trout only, there is a great place call Urban Angler on 25th &
Broadway. It is also the only place in NYC to buy a fishing license.
Call first & make sure the license machine is working. Excellent staff,
friendly, knowledgeable & for hire as a guide to aid with your first
trip.

3) NEVER GO to Capital Fishing & Tackle on 36th St. They only cater to
high end boat owners who use big saltwater rigs. Yes, they stock
lures/line, but its all old stuff, WAY overpriced & cheap quality.
Also, the service is HORRIBLE... I mean they are absolute jerks. I
practically have to beg them to ring me up as I usually only buy one or
two urgent items.

Hope this helps... fish on!

Spring On The Avenue from Shawn Chittle on Vimeo.

The first nice day of 2010, Lower East Side, New York City