One of my favorite Staten Island neighborhoods, which still has an active shopping strip along New Dorp Lane near the railway station. Funny that the old Shop Rite in New Dorp doubled as post-Armageddon Los Angeles (Super Duper Mart!) in Amazon's excellent "Fallout" television series. Staten Island plays so many different towns in film and TV, but rarely plays itself. Most shows set on SI are filmed elsewhere for some reason.
I should’ve known you would be hip to what was going on there! I definitely did a double take when I drove by a couple of years ago. Will have to check out the show!
I do not, but the description,"So this is what it sounds like when The Decemberists, The Pogues, and Gogol Bordello are put in a blender," has me intrigued!
Congrats on the O'Shaughnnesy Fellowship! Thank you for another great piece. I'm embarrassed that I was not one of those teenagers who slipped through that fence, but better late than never! Hehe
congratulations on the fellowship! so well deserved! this post yet again is full of gems. i loved the elephant stories: one of my uncles worked in the zoo of wuppertal with the elephants and as a child i was fascinated by the stories he would tell. of course equally fascinating was and is the story of Tuffy, an elephant of a zoo, which was carried in the monorail of Wuppertal as a publicity stunt and fell into the river from the monorail car… unharmed. we basically all grew up hearing elephant stories with a family wing rooted in wuppertal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuffi . as you said, while fascinating …it is truly sad how those majestic and gentle creatures have been and are being treated by humans. thank you for sharing these stories, i love how they connect on so many different levels and i look forward to …today…to learn if you made it through the fence lol
Huge congratulations on the fellowship. It makes sense that they have seen the value of this project. Now, I need to get on with preparing an in store performance of The Neighborhoods EP at the Super Duper Mart.
I like the idea of the neighborhood having it's own song. Perhaps readers can come up with appropriate (existing? re-lyric'ed?) songs for every other neighborhood?
A number of years ago, a group of my fellow open water swimming enthusiasts organized a swim from Staten Island to Brooklyn across the Narrows. The name of the event? Fanny's Return.
As far as I recall, everyone made it, but they didn't repeat the swim - the logistics of crossing a busy shipping channel are pretty difficult. As for whiskey and cocaine, I don't recall any being on offer. Probably just bagels and Gatorade. Which says all you need to know about the direction of travel in endurance sports over the past century.
Congratulations on the fellowship! I’m very happy for you and am happy that this series will continue. As a lifelong midwesterner, I have an outsized love of all things NYC and this is my way to get an insiders look at many places I’ll likely never see in person no matter how many visits I make. The New Dorp photos are really enjoyable and it’s good to see green as the weather improves.
Thanks Scott! Looking forward to seeing the series through to the end. Whenever that may be! Also savoring these days of greenery and nice temps before it becomes several-shirt-change-a-day season.
I grew up on Long Island right around the corner from the LI Game Farm. They used to do face painting there for Halloween and around Christmastime you could feed little pellets to reindeer, so I have a lot of nice memories. But also, animals were constantly escaping; I would routinely run into errant peacocks while riding my bike. One day I noticed "Lost Giraffe" signs taped up around the neighborhood because apparently the farm's giraffe had escaped. The giraffe was found a few days later but I've always wondered, how the heck do you lose a giraffe??
Anyways - congrats on the fellowship and upcoming milestones!
Congratulations on the O'Shaughnnesy Fellowship!!!!!!
Thanks!
Congratulations on being awarded an O'Shaughnnesy Fellowship!! So well deserved. Your work is wonderful, thank you.
Thank you!
One of my favorite Staten Island neighborhoods, which still has an active shopping strip along New Dorp Lane near the railway station. Funny that the old Shop Rite in New Dorp doubled as post-Armageddon Los Angeles (Super Duper Mart!) in Amazon's excellent "Fallout" television series. Staten Island plays so many different towns in film and TV, but rarely plays itself. Most shows set on SI are filmed elsewhere for some reason.
I should’ve known you would be hip to what was going on there! I definitely did a double take when I drove by a couple of years ago. Will have to check out the show!
I love that the Vanderbilts are from Staten Island!
“Harry Stevens’s liquid extract of third rail” we need to bring this back!
Coming to a hipster speakeasy near you!
I was friends with the guys in the band that wrote the song about that elephant. Do you remember Pinataland?
I do not, but the description,"So this is what it sounds like when The Decemberists, The Pogues, and Gogol Bordello are put in a blender," has me intrigued!
OMG that observation tower!
I love a good observation tower.
Fantastic article. Thank you. I learned so much!
Thanks for reading Francine!
Congrats on the O'Shaughnnesy Fellowship! Thank you for another great piece. I'm embarrassed that I was not one of those teenagers who slipped through that fence, but better late than never! Hehe
Thanks Dana! You’re never too old to trespass!
congratulations on the fellowship! so well deserved! this post yet again is full of gems. i loved the elephant stories: one of my uncles worked in the zoo of wuppertal with the elephants and as a child i was fascinated by the stories he would tell. of course equally fascinating was and is the story of Tuffy, an elephant of a zoo, which was carried in the monorail of Wuppertal as a publicity stunt and fell into the river from the monorail car… unharmed. we basically all grew up hearing elephant stories with a family wing rooted in wuppertal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuffi . as you said, while fascinating …it is truly sad how those majestic and gentle creatures have been and are being treated by humans. thank you for sharing these stories, i love how they connect on so many different levels and i look forward to …today…to learn if you made it through the fence lol
Wow! An elephant on the Wuppertal monorail is an amazing thing to think of, let alone one that jumped out! Poor Tuffi! Thanks Nat
Huge congratulations on the fellowship. It makes sense that they have seen the value of this project. Now, I need to get on with preparing an in store performance of The Neighborhoods EP at the Super Duper Mart.
I like the idea of the neighborhood having it's own song. Perhaps readers can come up with appropriate (existing? re-lyric'ed?) songs for every other neighborhood?
A number of years ago, a group of my fellow open water swimming enthusiasts organized a swim from Staten Island to Brooklyn across the Narrows. The name of the event? Fanny's Return.
That's amazing! DId everyone make it? I hope you guys had plenty of whiskey and cocaine post-swim!
As far as I recall, everyone made it, but they didn't repeat the swim - the logistics of crossing a busy shipping channel are pretty difficult. As for whiskey and cocaine, I don't recall any being on offer. Probably just bagels and Gatorade. Which says all you need to know about the direction of travel in endurance sports over the past century.
Congratulations on the Fellowship - so glad to hear it means The Neighborhoods can spread out!
Thanks Irv!
That is awesome news about the fellowship!! Richly deserved, congratulations!
Also "people who like beige desserts" is another potential band name
Thanks Rob! PWLBD is either a great band name or a necessary support group.
Congratulations on the fellowship! I’m very happy for you and am happy that this series will continue. As a lifelong midwesterner, I have an outsized love of all things NYC and this is my way to get an insiders look at many places I’ll likely never see in person no matter how many visits I make. The New Dorp photos are really enjoyable and it’s good to see green as the weather improves.
Thanks Scott! Looking forward to seeing the series through to the end. Whenever that may be! Also savoring these days of greenery and nice temps before it becomes several-shirt-change-a-day season.
Fabulous stories (as always). A big congrats on your award of a fellowship!!!
Thank you!
I grew up on Long Island right around the corner from the LI Game Farm. They used to do face painting there for Halloween and around Christmastime you could feed little pellets to reindeer, so I have a lot of nice memories. But also, animals were constantly escaping; I would routinely run into errant peacocks while riding my bike. One day I noticed "Lost Giraffe" signs taped up around the neighborhood because apparently the farm's giraffe had escaped. The giraffe was found a few days later but I've always wondered, how the heck do you lose a giraffe??
Anyways - congrats on the fellowship and upcoming milestones!
That giraffe definitely had an accomplice. Probably someone on the inside. Those things are 15 feet tall! Thanks Eden!
Congratulations again on your award Rob! Am not gonna lie, kinda dying to know the story behind that car with CHEATER spray painted on it