Cornelia Street Cafe ~ Artists Exchange

Thank you, Robin Hirsch, for being my guest last night on the radio show. The history of Cornelia Street Cafe plays perfectly into the theme of neighborhood, stoops & nuts.

Listen to the show on archive:

Yorkville: Stoops to Nuts 9/21/2010 with host Tommy Pryor & guest Robin Hirsch

When Angelo Verga first invited me to read at the Cafe two years ago, I was thrilled. As a new writer, I was clueless about significant performance venues, but I knew the Cafe was a special place.

I joyfully learned the Cafe is a neighborhood. Angelo, Robin, Nicola, Tom, Steve, Tiffany, the Cafe's staff & colleagues, the talent, the regulars, it's home, it's welcoming. Whether I'm there to eat, drink, chat or play downstairs. The gang of scoundrels, thieves, fools and charmers make each visit a treat. Cornelia Street Cafe makes me feel like I did when I was a boy and walked into Loftus Tavern alone. Jack Loftus, the owner would greet me with a newspaper and a coke with a cherry in it (started doing this when I was 8 ~ often, Jack would slip me a dime for the jukebox). I could sit with him at the bar for as long as I wanted. Jack never chased me and I watched all the regulars and learned how it was done, this drop by and stay a while thing. I love dropping by the Cafe and staying awhile.

Divino and Giovanna's have started a similar outpost in East Harlem. Great food, fine bar, artists are welcome at all times. Centanni Broadcasting Network is delighted to partner with Divino in making Giovanna's Restaurant a sanctuary for wandering artistic souls looking for a place to call home. If you let people play, wonderful things can happen. Cornelia Street has led the charge for 33 years, Giovanna's is building a home, it will be beautiful. Three cheers for Cornelia Street Cafe and Giovanna's Restaurant!

" If you listen closely, you can almost hear the clatter of espresso cups as the next songwriter unfurls a manuscript, tapes it to a bar stool and sings what until this moment has not yet been sung."

Robin Hirsch from Cornelia Street: Songwriters Exchange liner notes

http://www.corneliastreetcafe.com/