It’s been a few days since I got back from New York City and boy was it a short but decently fruitful vacation. It helped me recharge my batteries, clear out my head a tiny bit and put some things in better perspective.
Given the time constraints, I made due by first checking out my local stomping grounds of Williamsburg, Bushwick and Ridgewood. They’ve been a bit quieter than usual and given their seemingly vampiristic nature (or just plain scared of the power of the hood), there was hardly a hipster in sight. The gentrification is something that is glaringly obvious, given that more local businesses that were once a staple of the neighborhood have either closed down or early resemble even a shadow of their former selves. There was this donut/bakery spot on Grand St. and Lorimer St. that is closed down. I weeped just a tiny bit as I had pleasurable memories there. Danny Screams Studios, a favorite rehearsal studio I used to jam at years ago, is gone and replaced by a hair salon. More condos are on the way in the process too. I managed to also help my buddy Rob install Logic Pro X so that he may further get leg work in music production.
I made a stop to South Street Seaport a few hours after having been to my brother’s graduation from the FDNY academy, of which was very moving. He would be the first from our side of the Gonzalez family to carry the legacy of FDNY and I couldn’t be more proud. My dad wasn’t joking when he said that they were rebuilding the whole shopping area of South St. Sea Port, of which I pleasantly remembered back in my younger days in college. Nevertheless, at least I managed to sneak into the AOL Access area to take a few snips here and there.
I then managed to catch up with my friend Starsha and her best friend over in the Financial District, Battery Park and Tribeca. I finally got to see the 9/11 Memorial and, to be honest, it didn’t feel awe inspiring but rather depressing. In light of how well-done the edifices were, that feeling of walking in a graveyard, in retrospect, made me feel awkward. Walking by BMCC was like a wonderful walk in memory lane and Battery Park still looks as good as I remember it, blue lights and all.
Oh Sweatshop, I definitely did miss you though — but not as more as jamming with Rob and Sid! Although I didn’t have my rig with me, Sid brought his drumsticks and his guitar and pedals to help with the psychedelic experience! We then headed back to the Bronx and if there’s one thing I did not miss, it’s the dreadful MTA commute of overcrowded trains that occasionally hiccup with absurdity. Oh how I had wished NYC had open carry laws so I could stab a bobblehead or two! On the upside, halal carts…halal carts. I missed my lamb over rice. That is one thing NYC seems to have a glorious monopoly on!
One of the few things, even while growing up, that I never did on my own was make a trip into the city from my dad’s apartment in Williamsburg through the Williamsburg bridge by foot into Manhattan but Thursday was that day. It should’ve been simple meeting Larry at Union Square, given that all you do is make a right just a few blocks once you’re off the bridge and keep walking — instead, I walked all the way to the Hudson River, then the Financial District and back to Tribeca in less than 2 hours! Eventually, I used common sense and used my Metrocard and hopped on the train to meet him. I must say, Cinco de Mayo was pretty darn good as we got a Cuban Miami-style, nachos, Sandias and some coffee afterwards.
I ended up jetting over to meet my old buddy Genesis and had quite the pleasant walk and talk — once much needed as it definitely made my head do some thinking — of which is still more of that to do. I still had two more meet ups left in me so I made a trip to Foley’s and met up with Carly and her boyfriend for some tequila shots and of course, I got some buffalo wings to balance it out. I must say, it was fun as I got to see some autographed boxing gloves and a nice plaque on the wall of Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan.
I made one last stop to Union Square to say my goodbyes to my buddy Starsha — and give her my 7 day unlimited since she was still gonna be in NYC for a few days despite arriving in NY from Florida on the same day as I, which was absolutely surprising! I also made it the chance to do something I didn’t do all week — see how my lovely G train is doing amidst all the utter nonsense the MTA trains had been going through with much frustration and displeasure over the years. I find it humorous that the G train is more on point than ever and even faster in arrival than the J, M or even the L — and the L has had a crappy few years from what I’ve read lately!
The saddest thing is that I didn’t get to meet up with more of my friends and fans in NY — of which I intend to return later this year, assuming things play out as hoping. At least I got to see some things in the times Square station that I never noticed before and more, of which I have archived on my personal FaceBook page.
Until next time,
Ron Gunz
