Celebrating Yorkville This Saturday at Bohemian Hall 10am to 2pm

72 St & York looking north in 1929.

This Saturday, at Bohemian Hall the Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts are celebrating Yorkville with a panel of neighborhood old timers and a buffet lunch supplied by the best food spots in Yorkville. Its' only $20 for non-members, and $10 for members, 10am to 2pm.

see link for full information.

You mean your Dad didn't annoy the shit out of you by taking your photo while you were studying Miss Emma Peel?

83rd Street @1964

If your father isn't annoying you tonight, Thursday, April 28th @10pm, watch Impractical Jokers on truTV, a basic cable station.  You may see my fat head and mouth blabbering.

A Lovely Day

"Sunny, one so true, I love you."

Charlie digging Bobby Hebb on the radio at Central Park Boathouse

After I groove on the San Remo, I'm heading to Baseball as Good Medicine @ Bowery Poetry Club
308 Bowery, New York, NY 
Doors Open at 3:15 PM
Show starts at 3:45 PM
it's a lovely day...

I'm working with the New York Public Library's Neighborhood Oral History Project, "Upper East Side Story." If you lived on the East Side between 59th St. & 96th St. for 25 or more years (the longer the better) and you would like me to interview you about your history in the neighborhood, please email me at tommy.pryor@gmail.com. I'll email you back a document describing the project. It will be an easy conversation where I listen to you talk about where you came from. Your recollections will become part of the permanent record at NYPL, available for the public to hear.

If you enjoy my work, check out my memoir, "I Hate the Dallas Cowboys - tales of a scrappy New York boyhood." It's available at Logos Bookstore, 1575 York Avenue, or buy it online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble or other booksellers. If you do read it, please leave a few honest words about the book on Amazon and B&N. 

Thank you!

(116 five-star Amazon reviews out of 116 reviews posted)

Spring Sprung ~ Union Square & University Place

I'm working with the New York Public Library's Neighborhood Oral History Project, "Upper East Side Story." If you lived on the East Side between 59th St. & 96th St. for 25 or more years (the longer the better) and you would like me to interview you about your history in the neighborhood, please email me at tommy.pryor@gmail.com. I'll email you back a document describing the project. It will be an easy conversation where I listen to you talk about where you came from. Your recollections will become part of the permanent record at NYPL, available for the public to hear.

If you enjoy my work, check out my memoir, "I Hate the Dallas Cowboys - tales of a scrappy New York boyhood." It's available at Logos Bookstore, 1575 York Avenue, or buy it online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble or other booksellers. If you do read it, please leave a few honest words about the book on Amazon and B&N. 

Thank you!

(116 five-star Amazon reviews out of 116 reviews posted)

Charlie's First Sip of Central Park

When I was a Yorkville kid, the water in front of the Castle was called Catfish Lake. Reason was, it had many catfish in it. They'd gather in the water on the east side of the lake by the rocks just waiting for us. We brought over a loaf of Wonder Bread to split and put a little ball of it on each hook as bait attached to a stretch of fishing line or string. The hook was sometimes a safety pin. One guy was clever when he had no rod and used a long branch.

Since it was Charlie's first Central Park visit, it was important to tell her the story at the spot where it happened over fifty years ago. Charlie listened and when I was done talking she took her first sip of water from the lake. There will be hundreds more.

More photos of Charlie & Central Park

The NYPL The New York Public Library Upper East Side locations ordered copies of my 1960s memoir, "I Hate the Dallas Cowboys ~ tales of a scrappy New York boyhood."
Go to the NYPL website, and you can put a hold on the book at the following six branches: Mid-Manhattan, Yorkville, Webster, 67th Street, Bloomingdale & 96th Street.

Thank you, 67th Street Branch Library (NYPL) , KICK-OFF EVENT! Upper East Side Story: Our Neighborhood Oral History Project, Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts and Ryans Daughter for your warm support.

Our next "Stoops to Nuts" storytelling / songsmith show at Ryans Daughter will be in June, event date to follow shortly.

Early Morning In The Park, Library Event Tomorrow

Charlie's cuckoo crazy nuts over 67th St. NYPL Branch presents Thomas Pryor" ~ tomorrow April 6 @530pm to 630pm.

67th St. Library
328 East 67th Street
Wed, April 6 @ 530pm to 630pm

We're working hard, getting ready. Needed to blow off steam down Carl Schurz Park. Charlie loves the park. This morning the playground was her's. Portraits on East End Avenue by Samantha Schmidt. Thank you, Sam.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 6th, the NYPL The New York Public Library 67th Street Branch invited me to talk about our Upper East Side neighborhood ~ the value of stoops, parks & street life. I'll read from my memoir, "I Hate the Dallas Cowboys ~ tales of a scrappy New York boyhood" & tell a few yarns.

"Safe At Home" ~ Oral History Event This Wed @ 67th St Library @ 530pm to 630pm

This Wednesday, April 6th, the NYPL The New York Public Library 67th Street Branch invited me to talk about our Upper East Side neighborhood ~ the value of stoops, parks & street life. That is April 6th @ 5:30pm to 6:30pm @ 328 East 67th Street

I'll read a story from my Yorkville 1960s' memoir, "I Hate the Dallas Cowboys ~ tales of a scrappy New York boyhood." And I'll tell a few yarns about this place we call home and what it was like 50 years ago. Something like...
... I never shook Mickey Mantle's hand and that remains one of my few regrets.
When I was 8 years old, Mickey stood right in front of me at the 86th Street RKO theatre in April 1962, when they made that silly movie "Safe at Home," to capitalize on the Maris & Mantle, M&M boys' 1961 home run derby. The Yankee team made appearances in several New York City movie houses to promote the film.

I forced Dad to get to the theatre two hours early to make sure we were on the aisle. We had a quick burger across the street at Prexy's first. At seven o' five, word spread the team bus had pulled up in front. The Yankees came into the lobby dressed in suits & ties and marched down the right side of the movie house. Yogi Berra walked by me and stepped on my toe, but I didn't notice, though my father did and wanted Berra to apologize. It was strange seeing Dad pissed at Yogi.

Elston Howard stopped in front of me, and put his arms behind his back like a military MP. Ellie saw I was having a baby over Mickey Mantle standing right next to him two feet away from me shaking in my sneakers. Dad and Ellie exchanged laughs over my dilemma, then Howard leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Say hi, he won't bite you." But I was too scared to say anything to Mickey. As the Yankees walked on stage for a final bow, I dribbled my opportunity away.

Below is a letter I wrote to Mantle when I was 13.

Carl Schurz Park Through The Years ~ An Event This Wednesday, April 6th

Four shots of Carl Schurz Park at 86th Street from 1940, 1961, a month ago, and today hanging with Zani's Furry Friends ZFF.

Wednesday, April 6th @530 to 630pm, 67th St. NYPL Branch presents Thomas Pryor" ~ the 67th Street Branch invited me to talk about our Upper East Side neighborhood ~ the value of the stoop, parks & street life.

I'll read a story from my Yorkville 1960s' memoir, "I Hate the Dallas Cowboys ~ tales of a scrappy New York boyhood." And I'll tell a few yarns about this place we call home and what it was like 50 years ago.

Details here on the NYPL The New York Public Library 67th Street Calendar. See April 6.