So, Monday I decided to take a day to clear my head, walking for hours from the 20s down to SoHo, and back up again, it was a sunny day and I felt like walking. In my travels I noted that not 1 but three of my haunts are now gone, no mas:
Tower Records (this may have disappeared earlier, but I'd forgotten)
Dallas Texas BBQon 8th Street and Fifth Avenue-this wrecked me the most-i know it's silly-it's a bbq joint-but I have SO many memories in that place-ate there my first day at my first job at Postermat when I was 16 (well actually I took it to go and ate it in Washington Square Park); clung to the toilet once after too many champagne glasses at a nearby art show during my early college days; Ian suffering from an attack of sun poisoning in the basement, slapping cream on his itching back, as Marc and I then rushed him over to St. Vincent's Hospital...countless meals there with my mom, sometimes also with my grandmother...dinner with Ian's cousin after catching her in a show at the Papp Theatre, to a recent dinner with Chris and Lauren on their first meeting with Dan and Marty from WOW...
and Tennessee Mountain-the least important on the list, used to frequent there during my Union days...once had lunch alongside David Krumholtz (Numbers).
At work yesterday, I called home to check messages and heard a message I'd been expecting for some time but was saddened to hear-my childhood best friend's father passed away the day before, after a nasty fight with intestinal cancer. He'd had surgery several years earlier, but it returned with a fatal vengence. I was happy to visit him a few weeks back, made him laugh, as we recalled some silly stories of yore, once he took my friend and I to Atlantic City for her 21st birthday in a stretch limo. I remember him cooking curry in the house as a child. Until the next life, Victor, you are loved and missed...the other odd little detail in this is that his passing is one day after my father's, Oct. 14, making it five years. I love and miss you, daddy.
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Empty spaces... I remember when I walked past what was our beloved Postermat to see some Army-Navy store in its place. I damned near stood there and cried. So many great stores gone down there - Flip, Zoot and Unique, the 8th Street Playhouse, It's Only Rock & Roll and its johnny-come-lately sibling, Revolver Records, and Second Coming Records & Tapes. Heck, even Bleecker Bob's is a sad shadow of its former self.
I'm sorry to hear about your friend's dad. And I'm sending a hug to you, too. Hope you know you're always on my mind.
Thanks, Roe. :) Went to the cremation service today, that was a little hard, but nicely done and gave a sense of closure.
Yeah, Unique, I loved that place. I used to hang out in the village after school (senior year, anyway) alot of the time. And It's Only Rock N Roll made a pretty penny on me! Speaking of new music, I wonder how new D2 is going to sound with Timbaland as producer. Guess we'll find out soon enough!
Sorry about your friend's dad, it's good you were able to get some closure.
Claire and I walked around the city a lot when she was in town and a lot of our college haunts are gone. 8th street & St. Marks are so different now. I get most depressed thinking about the clubs, CBGB, Wetlands, Coney Island High...
Big time, actually my friend's dad used to have a store on West 8th Street, and going with her into the city there, West 8th was my first taste of Village life, shopping. So many great places that are gone. Sigh.
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