HURRICANE SANDY NEW YORK ODYSSEY

The Day "HURRICANE SANDY" Hit NEW YORK Monday/Tuesday  October 29 & 30, 2012 .... Got Most of My Supplies ahead of Time, enough Food, Water, and Flashlights. Was at  "CAFFE REGGIO" in New Yorks, Greenwich Village twice that day hanging out 2 Hours each time, Sipping Cappuccino, on the phone and Laptop Reading and Writing, or Surfing The Net. Oh Yeah, before my first stop at Reggio I stopped in by My Buddy Giovanni at "Bar Pitti" (Proprietor) ... Had a coffee of course (Espresso) and Govanni asked me if I wanted something to Eat? Heck Yeah, Thanks! "I'll have One of Those Plaease," I said pointing to the Mortadella Sandwich one of the waiters (Lucca) was Eating. Yummm! Dam it was tasty! Giovanni gets the top-quality Mortadella from Emelia Romangna in Italy, "Tasty" and fresh. The sandwich was on a nice piece of Ciabatta Bread from The Sullivan Street Bakery (Some of The Best Bread in Town) ... So I had my Espresso and Pannino (Sandwich), hung-out, chit-chatted and thanked Giovanni for the eats and I was on my way.     Went to Caffe Reegio, Cappuccino, Reading Writing and then  went to the Grocery Store on Bleecker and LaGaurdia Place. Got paper towels, Water, Cheese, Eggs, OJ, and a couple cans of soup to add to what I already had at home, Then went home and had some of the homemade soup I had left at home. Was back home for an hour and 1/2 then when back to Reggio and did the same thing.    Went back home about 8 O'clock. I was home about 45 minutes watching the News of what was happening with Sandy "The Hurricane"   At about 8:45 the lights flickered. "Oh Shit" Yes, 5 or 6 minutes later they were "OUT" The Lights, The TV, The Laptop, Everything, "NO Electricity" we were in the "DARK" We being a Half-Million people living in lower Manhattan, from 39th Street down, no electrical Power at all. Pitch BLACK DARK! to be Continued Daniel Bellino Zwicke

The ONLY PLACE THAT I FOUND OPEN SERVING FOOD BELOW 26th STREET

Downtown New York on Tuesday October  30, 2012 The Day After HURRICANE SANDY

"HIT" NEW YORK and Left Downtown NEW YORK in The "DARK" Without SUBWAY or 

BUS SERVICE ... Garys Was Serving "HOT DOGS" in CANDLE-LIGHT "THANKS GRAYS" !!!!

GRAYS PAPAYA "HOT DOGS" on The Corner of West 8th STREET and 6th AVENUE    in GREENWICH VILLAGE NEW YORK

 

See My HURRICANE SANDY ODESSEY

 

 

 

 

FRANKENSTORM

 

 

 

Before the STORM Hit 

 

 

 

 

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The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK

by Daniel Zwicke

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Why STARBUCKS SUCKS

Do you relive that after  breathing of Air, Water, Food, Clothing, and Shelter, Coffee is the single most important thing and one of life's necessities to millions. Take it away, you'll survive but you won't be happy. You want it, you love, you need it. Coffee!
    Late October 2012, Hurricane Sandy, aka "Frankenstorm" Hits New York and a much of the East Coast and inflicts quite a bit of devastation.  A large part of New York City loses electricity including Lower Manhattan below 26th Street, the rest of the lucky SOBs above 26th had power. Now we're in our apartments no Electricity, No Heat, No Hot Water, No TV, No Internet, No Power !!!
     We lost power at about 9 PM at night. I went downstairs and hung out with Giovanni and the boys at Bar Pitti . They lost their electricity, but their Emergency Lights were on. We sat around, drank some good Italian Wine, at Salami and talked about the Storm. Frankestorm as it would come to be known. 
    So I had some batteries for my portable Radio and knew they had electrical power above 26th Street .. So I hung out at Bar Pitti until their emergency lights batteries went dead, th lights went off, Giovanni closed down the restaurant and we all went home. Me to a dark apartment, no girlfriend, no lights, no TV, no nothing. I listened to the Radio and fell asleep about 1 in the morning. 
      I awoke about 9, turned on the radio, went to the bathroom, boiled some water to take a bath, took a bath, got dressed and left the house on what would become my Frankenstorm Odyssey. I left the house (apartment) about 10, walk around the hood to see what was up. I saw my buddy Jimmy B and Charlie outside on Cornelia Street .. We chatted for about 15 minutes and I told them I was heading up to Midtown. I needed some Coffee and was looking to charge my Cel Phone and Laptop Batteries and looking to see if I could get some Internet Access.  I told them their was electricity up there and I was going to go to a Starbucks, get a Coffee and see if I could charge-up and get on The Net ... So I walked a half block from Jimmy's place to Sixth Avenue and I was on my way up 6th, to Midtown in Search of Electricity and Coffee. I thought for sure I'd find them at Starbucks. As I turned out I couldn't have been more wrong ... 
    Anyway I walked up 6th Ave which about 40 years ago the city tried naming Avenue of The America's. It never caught on. New Yorkers wouldn't have it. They wouldn't call it that, but continued calling it 6th Avenue and the city was forced to keep it at that. That's New Yorkers. And during and in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, New Yorkers just like they have many times, on 9/11 and other tough times, we'd show what we were made of. We're "Tough," we're Strong, we pull together and are at our Best when the going gets tough.
     I'm walking up Sixth Avenue and at this new little cafe were Joe Jr.'s Diner and Burger Joint used to be (now sadly GONE), the cafe was open for business and people were in there hanging out and drinking stuff, and of course talking about the storm, being without power and what not. So I go in. They have hot Tea, bottled juice, and mineral water, but no coffee. I get a bottle of juice, sit down, relax, and convert with others around me. I hung for about 15 minutes, then took-off, it was back up 6th ave. I decided to head over to the Ace Hotel on 29th Street and Broadway .. I often go there for some Stumptown Coffee and to hang out in the lobby banging stuff out on my laptop. I got there, and plenty of people were outside, but the hotel which is always quite cordial, were not letting and outsiders in and the lobby was just for guest of the hotel and no-one else could hang out in the what would now be a Paradise in the midst of a Blackout, a bi g spacious hotel lobby that had Electricity, Coffee, tables and chairs. Couldn't get in. Hey, I don't really blame them, they have to take care of their guest and it would have been a mob seen if anyone was aloud in. On my way to The Ace I passed a Starbucks at 1140 Broadway. They had electrical power here but Starbucks was closed. I walked past 2 other Starbucks as I continued walking around Midtown in search of coffee, power, and open Starbucks, but there were none to be found. There were Starbucks, they had power, but none were open for business. Now I'm no idiot, and I relive we are in the middle of a crisis and that although these Starbucks have power, the people that work at them, many might like in the boroughs of Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx, the Subways are shut-down ("Oh I forgot to mention that! That's why I'm walking!") and "most" people can't get to work. That's most, "but not all." There's like 100 Starbucks around. I realize that they wouldn't be able to open all of them. But I just don't believe that every single one is closed, that not even a few are open. Those SOB's at Starbucks let us Down! We needed Coffee more than ever, there was not a Starbucks open anywhere insight. "They let New Yorkers down." BIG TIME! I do not believe that they could not muster opening a fraction of their many Starbucks Shops with Skeleton Crews. Impossible! There were McDonalds and other businesses open, but "No Starbuck!" No Coffee when New Yorkers needed Coffee and Starbucks most, Starbucks let New Yorkers down. They are not New Yorkers! They don't have the New York Spirit, the company, otherwise they would have had a few places open, serving New Yorkers Coffee, Wifi, and a bit of charging. They let New York down during Sandy and for this, i will never forgive them, "Starbucks Sucks!"
     I never really liked them. I'm a New Yorker, "I hate chain corporate places." I love cafes and go to independent ones, not Starbucks, not often anyway. I only use them rarely and out of convenience when I'm in a neighborhood other than my own and I need to get to a cafe for coffee to sit down and get on the laptop, if there is no other place around, I'll go to Starbucks, then and only then, I don't really care for Starbucks.
    Anyway, I've gone on and on. The point is Starbucks Sucks. They let New York City and New Yorkers down in the time we "Needed" them most, Starbucks was not there for us, and I find this unforgivable.



Daniel Bellino-Zwicke



PS

During my Hurricane Sandy Midtown Odyssey that lasted 14 hours from the time I left my apartment in Greenwich Village at 10 AM and got home right at the stroke of Mid-Night 14 hours later, i went to the little Cafe on 6th Ave & 12th Street, walked around looking for Starbucks (never found 1 open though I passed about 20), I went in the Benjamin Hotel used their bathroom then hung in the lobby for about 30 minutes. I then went across the street to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel where I sat down on the rug, plugged in my Cel Phone and Laptop and hung out for 2 and half hours. "Thank You Waldorf." I then  started to walk towards Times Square and found a McDonalds open on I believe it was East 46th Street between Madison and 5th Avenue. I sat down, got a Angus Burger with Cheese, Fries and a large coffee, "McDonalds did not let New Yorkers down as those SOBS from Starbucks." I was at McDonalds eating my Burger and Fries for about 30 minutes. I then went to the nice atrium next door with half of my McDonalds large coffee, and hung out their with my laptop and their Wifi for about 20 minutes. I then decided to walk over to Times Square. I walked over to Times Square, nothing much was happening and I had an idea. 
I love the Algonquin Hotel and decided to go over, have a couple cocktails and hang in the beautiful lobby for a while. It was great there. I sat down at a nice table and ordered a Bourbon Old Fashion. The service there is great, I was welcomed and well taken care of. There were electrical outlets and I charged my Cel Battery and my laptop and settled in, writing, sipping my Old Fashion and just having a grand time. I ordered a couple more drinks, I had a Turkey Club Sandwich and a couple pots of Tea. I was at the Algonquin for 3 and a half hours and had an absolutely wonderful time. The service was impeccable.
    At 11:15 PM I decided it was time to go home. I left the Algonquin, walked down over to Broadway and walked down Broadway past Macy's and The Empire State Building, the lights were on, but when I got into the high 20s I could see darkness below. I continued walking down Broadway and when I got to 26th Street, there was Electricity and lights-on on the North Side of 26th Street, but just a few feet away on the Southern Side of East 26th Street at Broadway there was no Electricity, no lights and i could see down south to what looked like a dark abyss, and I was walking down into it. I walked down Broadway and made a right on23red Street. It was pitch black.
I walked across the dark of 23rd Street and made a left onto 6th Avenue and down 6th to my building on 6ht Avenue and Bleecker. It was exactly 12 Midnight when I walked into the Pitch-Black of the hallway of my building and up the stairs with my little flashlight. My Odyssey was over. I got Coffee but not at a Starbucks. I got on my Computer and Charged my batteries, not at Starbucks but at The Waldorf, The Algonquin, and McDonalds.
    "Hey did I tell you, Starbucks Sucks!"

Coffee The Rolling Stones & Simple Pleasures of Life

The Simple Pleasures of Life; having your morning Coffee, watching a Ballgame, delving into a great Book, relaxing, riding a Bike, watching a couple Rolling Stones Videos. What? Yes a Rolling Stones Video, other Classic Rock Bands like Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix The Beatles. Or maybe some Great Old R&B of Motown or some fantastic stuff by Philadelphia Sound spin-masters Gamble and Huff.     Well I was at the cafe the other day having my daily morning coffee, a simple pleasure in itself. My morning Coffee is typically an hour-and-a-half long. It's not just to drink Coffee but to relax in the pleasant cafe atmosphere, see my cafe-friends, bang out stuff on my Laptop, read some News, and just have an all around pleasant time. The Coffee itself, I just can't wait to sink my teeth into my first cup of coffee each and every morning. It's like a good ol friend waiting for me over at the cafe each and every day, and I just love it and don't know what I'd do without. "I think you know what I mean?" Yes we do Love our morning Coffee each and every day, hundreds and hundreds of millions of us, in America and the World over, Coffee and our morning coffee.

In the recent happening of Hurricane Sandy that hit New York and New Jersey pretty hard. Living downtown Manhattan nothing disastrous happened to us. We didn't have any major damage to our homes or possessions but we did all lose Electricity for 5 days. The first morning after the Hurricane Hit and we were without electricity, I got up, took a sponge bath (No Hot Water), got dressed and went out looking for friends, food, and the beloved Coffee. I walked around the neighborhood (Greenwich Village), saw a few friends, then headed up to Midtown in search of electricity (to Charge the Cel-Phone and laptop), food and Coffee. They had electricity above 39th Street, so I headed up there, walking of course. I looked all over for a Starbucks and didn't find a dam one open. They had Electricity but they weren't open. "Those Bastards at Starbucks let us down when we needed them most. No Starbucks and no coffee. Bummer." I'm not an advocate of Starbucks, but here and there they do come in handy, not that day, "When New York Needed Starback The Most" they let us done. Do you know how people would have been to get a nice cup of coffee when Sandy hit, we didn't have electricity  no lights, no power to make coffee? Well that's Starbucks. Well, I walked 140 city blocks that day, In-Search of Electricity, Food, Shelter and Coffee. I found Coffee at a McDonalds that was open on 46th Street. And yes food there too. Had a nice Black Angus Burger. It was pretty dam good. I found shelter there and shelter and electricity to charge my cel-phone and laptop when I popped into the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. The Waldorf was a God-Send. I went there for 4 days straight after and during Sandy, got Coffee, electricity  and nice shelter in a deluxe hotel lobby at The Waldorf. They were great!    Dam I really got off the track there. Let's get back to what we started here, The Rolling Stones and what a simple pleasure it can be to watch one of their videos.     Yes I was at the cafe talking to my friend Chris. We were talking music, commenting on what was playing on the Cafe Stereo. They were playing a lot of 80's Hits and now I can't remember which ones, but they were all good. And again we got into a conversation about how apallingly "Terrible The Music, Bands, and Musicians Are These Days." "They Suck" !!! There is almost "No Good Music" these days, at this time in 2013, and for the past 15 years or so. It's just not made anymore, not like in the 60s, 70s and even 1980s. The Music these days Sucks! There are a "Very Few" good artist these days, like: Alicia Keyes who is fantastic, Cee Lo Green, Cold Play, Maroon 5 and maybe a few others, but not many, not like in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Anyway the Stones came on and we starting talking Rolling Stones, Mick, Keith, Woody and such. Some how conversation came to the opening Guitar Riff of Start Me Up and Chris thought it was Ron Wood playing the Riff. I said no it was Keith (Keith Richards) and Chris asked if I was sure? Yes! So he told me to Google it. I did. I was right, it is Keith Richards playing the opening Riff. Well then I watched a couple of great Start Me Up videos on Youtube along with my favorite Stones Video, their 1978 Performance Live in Texas of "Beast of Burden." It's friggin Awesome; the sound quality, The Stones themselves, the song, the way the Stones played it that night, Mick great singing and dancing around was awesome, Charlie on drums, Wyman on Bass, and of course the great Keith Richards and Ron Wood on dueling Gibson Les Paul Guitars. Fucking Great! I loved it, sitting there watching those two great Rolling Stones performances on Youtube, drinking my coffee in the nice cafe, and carrying on conversation with my buddy Chris. I loved those two videos so much and was enjoying them immensely that day, you just can't imagine. A lot.    Yes, and so "The Simple Pleasures of Life." Had my Coffee at my nice quiet cafe for just $3.00. It always feels good being there. Chit Chatted with my friend Chris and watched those great Rolling Stones videos "Beast of Burden" and "Start Me Up" for Free on Youtube.  I was happier than a Bug in a Rug, The Stones, Coffee, the Cafe, Friends, and Youtube "The Simple Pleasures of Life."





Daniel Bellino Zwicke

The $3 PBR

The SIMPLE PLEASURES of LIFE !!!

CAFFE REGGIO

GREENWICH VILLAGE

Hours Before HURRICANE SANDY HIT

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The BADASS COOKBOOK

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New York Marathon Pasta Saturday

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SPAGHETTI & MEATBALLS For PASTA NIGHT

Try TRATTORIA MONTE'S, GREENWICH VILLAGE  .. NEW YORK

or get a Great RECIPE in SUNDAY SAUCE

SPAGHETTI MEATBALLS For MARATHON SATURDAY


  New York's Biggest Pasta Night of The Year is Here! Tomorrow, Sunday November 3 is Marathon Day in New York 2013 ... There was "No New York City Marathon" Last Year a result of Hurricane Sandy .. After much discussion the New York Marathon 2012 was cancelled. A couple "No Good Bastard Brothers" Bombed The Boston Marathon this past April 15, killing 5 and injuring more than 280 .. This years New York Marathon will Salute the victims of The Boston Marathon Bombing and pay tribute to survivors and victims of Hurricane Sandy.     Enough of the sad News, tonight is Pasta Night in New York. It is a annual tradition for people running th marathon to have a nice Italian Pasta Dinner the night before the Marathon, on Saturday evening in order to "Carb Up" for energy to run the grueling 26 mile race. Yes the Pasta and Maccheroni wil be flowing at Italian Restaurants all over New York this evening. Little Italy on Mulberry Street will be all a-buzz with activiy, "Runners Eating Pasta." Some of New York's best Italian Restaurants with great plates of pasta are; Bar Pitti in Greewnich Village, Monte's Trattoria Greenwich Village for those runners staying at Mid-Town Hotels, Elio's on the Upper East Side, and Emilio Balato on East Houston Street .. Marathon Runners we "Salute" and wish "Bon Appetito" ! Mangi Bene! Mangia la Pasta!

LOOKING For GREAT PASTA RECIPES ???

GET SUNDAY SAUCE !!!

ITALIAN-AMERICA'S Best PASTA SAUCE recipes

AVAILABLE on AMAZON.com

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Popular ITALIAN PASTA JOINTS Like BAR PITTI

& MONTE'S TRATTORIA

pack them in, Downtown in GREENWICH VILLAGE

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Monte's ... 97 Macdougal Street, Greenwich Village NEW YORK

Chef PIETRO MOSCONI of MONTE'S TRATTORIA

with just Two of His MANY FANS

"MANGIA BENE" !!!

RIGATONI "SATURDAY MARATHON PASTA NIGHT"

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NEW ITALIAN COOKBOOK

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke 

has a New Forthcoming Cookbook

MANGIA ITALIANO

Slated for late 2016 Publication 

GREAT PASTA RECIPES "La TAVOLA"   

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke .. On AMAZON.com

http://greenwichvillageitalian.com/2013/11/01/sopranos-at-la-tavola/.

THANK GOD For THE WALDORF

Yes "Thank God For The Waldorf" They've Been a God Send for people like me "Downtown New Yorkers" who have been Without Electricity for the past 2 and a half Days Downtown New York in The AFTERMATH of "HURRICANE SANDY" a.k.a. "FRANKENSTORM"
We're in The Dark! Everyone living North of 26th Street in Manhattan have Electric Power, but those of us Downtown below 26th Street are "Without Power" We're "In The Dark" !!!

THANK GOD FOR "THE WALDORF"

The Lobby at The Waldorf Astoria Hotel

"BEAUTIFUL"

FOOD ELECTRIC and REFUGE

BRAVO !!!

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

BLOOMBERG BLOWS ! Bad Decisions on Hurricane Sandy !

F**KIN BLOOMBERG Did it Again. He Screwed Us. The People Who Live Downtown Manhattan, who have been without Electricity for more than 20 Hours Now and Will be again tonight and for who Knows How Long. Why Did He Screw Us?  BLOOMBERG and ASSHOLE? Simple? There are over 1 Million People without Electricity. We're in the Dark. "WHY THE HELL AREN'T THE BUSES RUNNING ASSHOLE?" Yes You MAYOR MIKE ! There Is Know Reason What-So-Ever that Bus Services could not have started by Noon. If so people would be able to get to work, to there jobs at Delis, Cafes, Grocery Stores, Restaurant, Bars, Whatever. If these Businesses were open, it would have made things a lot more bearable and easy in a Bad and Stressful Time. Instead of Helping by getting the Buses GOING, Bloomberg has exasperated an already tough situation for More Than a MILLION New Yorkers. He F**KED-UP, He SCREWED US. He's an ASSHOLE. You know he's gonna have a Bunch of Bull-Shit Excuses as to Why the Buses weren't Running Sooner and Making Life Easier on New Yorkers who are in a bad situation, No Electricity, No Lights, No TV, Nothing, "We're in The Dark" ! OK, Yeah I know, that's Not Bloombergs Fault. No. But what is his Fault is that He is supplying more than 1 Million New Yorker with "More Hardship." ASSHOLE! We would have had it much easier, and a day with Less hardship today if that ASSHOLE BLOOMBERG would have had the Buses Running today, instead of just sitting there "Doing NOTHING" they Could Have Helped People today. There's NO REASON for THIS! There has been NO BAD WEATHER What-So-Ever Today! None! In fact the weather was NOT BAD at all today. THE BUSES SHOULD HAVE BEEN RUNNING TODAY, "HELPING PEOPLE" both New Yorkers and the poor people who are here on Business or Pleasure (Tourist). You Could have made things a Lot "Better" for People instead of "Throwing Gasoline on The Fire" 

Making Things WORSE for MILLION NEW YORKER'S MIKE. 

Thanks a Lot ASSHOLE! 

MAYOR MIKE BLOOMBERG SUCKS !!!