Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Goodbye to DiRobertis-Village Oldie

Just read today that 110 yr East Village old bakery #dirobertis is leaving us. Apparently the dollar equivalent of 6 million cannolis was just too much dough to turn down. I understand the cash out after soon many espressos, baba rums and delectable were served in their white tiled floors to then of thousands of visitors. I myself used to stop by after a night at the #Electric Circus or #FilmoreEast shows. I imagine there were many nights of early career discussions at a wooden table sipping coffee with #bobdinero and #martyscorsese. Singers as #thefugs #bobDylan and writers #alanginsberg probably sat and contemplated their ideas, songs and existentialism in the tiny sitting room. Not to mention mayors #Lindsay and #koch.

The is just another vanishing piece of important NYC history that will be missed.
Nothing against other cafes but the original and simple ambiance is disappearing rapidly under continued gentrification.  So be it. I wish the family well and thank them for being there for all the important times of my life. 

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Not Looking Forward to Possible Last Big Winter Blast!

It is the Winter of 2014 that seems that will never go away!
This feeling of oppression is being felt from many of us living in the Mid-Atlantic region from inland to the coast.
We seem to have forgotten the cold winters of our childhood or that of our parents. Perhaps they were exaggerated but this past winter is one they compare to the "ole" days.

Just as the crocus have begin to appear after fighting off the layers of blankets of snow it appears possible that will be hit with one very big storm midweek. I hear the groans of friends from miles away, on Facebook and Twitter all praying for a pass.
Image courtesy weatherbell.com

 We shall see but here are some images and forecasts as of Sunday Noon, March 23.
Of particular note is the marine forecast. This Hudson Canyon area is where the 44066/Texas Tower Buoy is located. It has broken loose 2x before after only being in the water for 3 years. We'll have to see how it fares during the offshore barrage. It is also the area where in 1961 a major Nor'easter bashed and sunk the Texas Tower early warning system taking 28 seamen down to Davey Jones locker along with it. Hence the tribute to it along with the buoy number 44066.


This is also the are where thousands of us recreational anglers go during the season to catch tuna, swordfish, mahi, wahoo and marlin. Gives me chills just to think of the weather that might hit this area and envisioning us being tossed and over-washed in our small boat if we were out there.

 HUDSON CANYON TO BALTIMORE CANYON INCLUDING THE WATERS W OF 39.3N
 71.9W...SW TO 37.7N 72.9W-
TONIGHT
 N WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT...HIGHEST SE.
 CHANCE OF SNOW. LIGHT FREEZING SPRAY AFTER MIDNIGHT.

 MON
 N WINDS 15 TO 25 KT...DIMINISHING TO W TO NW 5 TO 15 KT IN
 THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 4 TO 8 FT...SUBSIDING TO 3 TO 6 FT...HIGHEST
 SE. LIGHT FREEZING SPRAY EARLY IN THE MORNING.

 MON NIGHT
 VARIABLE WINDS LESS THAN 10 KT...BECOMING S TO SW
 AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS SUBSIDING TO 2 TO 4 FT.

 TUE
 SE WINDS 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING N AND INCREASING TO 30 TO
 40 KT LATE. SEAS 1 TO 3 FT...BUILDING TO 7 TO 13 FT LATE...
 HIGHEST E.

 WED
 NW WINDS 30 TO 40 KT...DIMINISHING TO 20 TO 30 KT IN THE
 EVENING. SEAS SUBSIDING TO 5 TO 10 FT LATE...HIGHEST E.

 THU
 W TO NW WINDS DIMINISHING TO 10 TO 15 KT...THEN BECOMING S
 TO SW 15 TO 20 KT IN THE EVENING. SEAS SUBSIDING TO 3 TO 6 FT.
 
If you would like to follow the waves and seas forecast and ocean data goto:
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=44066
 Scroll down to see almost real time activity. Pray that the data continues 
to stream., If it stops, then something bad has happened to the buoy!  Another buoy to
to watch is 44017 located off Montalk Point. Just type in that number in the box in the 
upper left of the page. Updated weather forecasts are also on each of the buoy pages.
 
Having said all this, it is possible that this storm will barely miss us and 
instead bring sold cold weather and maybe some flurries.
But that would be a welcome alternative.
 
Be safe, stay warm and see you on the other side!
 
I am looking forward to this instead:
 
 
 
You can also engage with me on Twitter @bigmahi