Seeing An Old Friend

Things are leaving that give our life meaning. Everyday. So look around at the people and places that occupy a room in your heart and recognize their value.

Last night at Cornelia Street Cafe we had a wonderful show. Doctor Kurt Gerstmann, a life force and one of our scheduled guests for April, died suddenly earlier this year, but thanks to Dean Dacian's warm and beautiful film tribute Kurt was there along with a room full of his family of friends rooting him on.  I thank our storytelling guests, Robin Gelfenbien, David Noven, Barbara Aliprantis and Robin Hirsch for doing what Kurt enjoyed best, telling a good one. Thank you, to an appreciative audience that overflowed the Cafe with their love.

Kurt Gerstmann

Thank you, Paul And Mike for keeping the customers and artists satisfied with your splendid professional service. Thank you, Angelo, Robin, Josh and Tom for letting us play in your house.

Thank you, Sandra Lerner, for letting us borrow Kurt's memories for the evening, and thank you, Dean, for a brilliant and loving film in Kurt's honor. Great job, my friend.

Here are photos from the show last night, and from my walk downtown to the West Village past many places that give my life meaning. Some of them will not be here for long.

Barbara Aliprantis

Robin Hirsch

Robin Gelfenbien

David Noven

Dean Dacian & Tom Pryor

Shoes on corner of Second & 19th

east side of First Ave bet 52 & 53 Streets

Looking west on Bleecker

Northern Dispensary

Dean Dacian in Central Park

Gay Street off Waverly Place

"Hey Wood Head, Grow Up!"

I may act 8 but the birth certificate says, "Hey, Wood Head, grow up, you're sixty on the 20th."

I'm having a free show/party on March 11th, and all of my Stoops to Nuts friends are invited, all others the word's "Mum."

Next "City Stories: Stoops to Nuts," show is Tues, March 11 @ 5:30pm @Cornelia Street Cafe. It's a doozy, my guest tellers: Barbara Aliprantis, Cris Beam, Francis Flaherty, Robin Hirsch, Tim O'Mara,  Joshua Rebell,  Angelo Verga & Prof. Adam Wade.

Admission is free. Life's short, I'm thanking my friends, first drink on me. Time Out Magazine says, "Stoops to Nuts," is a positive experience not to be missed. No they didn't, but they do say it's a cool thing to do. Show starts sharp @ 5:30pm.

Rotten Fruit Ducking Hat

Cris Beam

Adam Wade

Barbara Aliprantis

Josh Rebell

Tim O'Mara

Robin Hirsch

Frank Flaherty @ Regis H.S. summer school

Angelo "Sparky Lyle" Verga

Stoops to Nuts Warms Cornelia Street

When you say an event is the best ever, right after the event happened doubt slips in.  You don't purposely try to knock it down, what you are doing is hoping down the road the best thing ever hasn't happened to you yet.

Well, I don't care, here I go:  Last night's "City Stories: Stoops to Nuts" show at Cornelia Street Cafe was the most exciting storytelling show ever.  The Cafe was electric.  From my seat, I saw a attentive full house totally engaged in each artist's performance. We heard tales and songs of redemption, family strife, a mother asking her kid "for a little help here;"the best Christmas ever,  reflections on a grandmother's and great aunt's unconditional love, and a story about stepping back from a family and seeing their capacity to walk into an asylum as a group and immediately getting a suite.

Thank you, Barbara Aliprantis, Nicole Ferraro, Robin Hirsch, Jim Hawkins, Amanda Thorpe and Adam Wade.  Your audience was deeply moved by your work last night. Your stories and songs lifted spirits and charmed hearts.  Thank you, Steve Northeast and Natalie for making us feel at home.  Thank you, Angelo Verga and Josh Rebell for inviting us to play and that we did.

Here are photos from the show and pictures of the surrounding West Village neighborhood.

Our next "City Stories: Stoops to Nuts" show is Tuesday, January 8th @ 6pm.

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/