Casey in Central Park

Thinking about my best pal, Casey, as I walk through snowy Central Park - her favorite place on earth.

Best time: 7am to 9am, weekend mornings, off leash, swimming in Bethesda Fountain, ten months a year.

Here's a photo album of Casey & Central Park.

I'll add more photos tomorrow...

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Story behind my Central Park head gear earlier today in the snow.

On December 15, 1968. I, 14, and Tommy McNamara 11 (true story, Maria Gardner) copped two free New York Giants tickets for the last game of year vs. the Dallas Cowboys. Jack Loftus gave us the tickets in his bar because two season ticket guys had hangovers (they called Jack and said give it to a kid) and the Giants as usual were out of playoff contention. Jack kept the set of 5 tickets behind his cash register in Loftus Tavern. We ran up 86th Street to the #4 train. Got there just in time.

1968 nyg hat found on the field of old Yankee Stadium

Long story short... Giants lost 28-10, and the last game of the year tradition at old Yankee Stadium was fans could go on the field after the game. Tommy Mac & I ran out to the 457 sign in left center. I nearly tripped over something and looked down on the grass and found the hat you see on my head here. We rolled it up into a football shape and began throwing short post passes to each other in the right corner of the end zone near the monuments, over and over, it started snowing, as the flakes passed the Stadium lights up over the hanging facade, us on the sacred grass, throwing our fake ball, getting chalk on our sneakers from the lime marked back of the end zone, I could have died right then and there, at 14 years old, a happy man.

ps the hat celebrated its 46th birthday on my head last month.

It's Just Another Full Moon

11th Street near Greenwich Street

Past two weeks, I've been in the West Village visiting a sick friend. On my way back and forth saw this and that.


"Try not to listen,
when I mumble like a loon,
It's just another,
full moon."

Ray Davies.

Bleecker at 11th Street

11th St

Casey

Hudson Street six pm

Casey

Support your local bookstore! 

Logos Book Store has a new supply of "I Hate the Dallas Cowboys -tales of a scrappy New York boyhood." If you're in Yorkville and want a treat for the big kid in your life - go to Logos Bookstore, New York, New York - my book's the ticket. If you're not in Yorkville, then order it online at Amazon , B&N, and other online booksellers.

If you like Jean Shepherd's 'A Christmas Story" you'll love my book, promise. Amazon's been shipping it out 3-5 days. B&N about the same.

Wishing You the Bluest Sky

Casey wishes everyone a Happy, Healthy & Peaceful New Year.

Casey's feeling poorly but she licked my nose for good luck (and because she loves me.)  As I left, Casey waved her paw at me with a little flip like a princess.

2015 will bring tons of new stories and photos from your Yorkville Nut. (me!) 

A win-win New Year resolution from Casey:

"Help someone in need, give it away, and you'll find better things."

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A few words from Monty the Bulldog who's still upset for not getting credit as the inspiration for the New Yorker cover below that followed Monty's portraits shown here on the blog in 2012.

Hello, Monty here, delighted to meet you. Thank you, to all my neighborhood chums who snagged a copy of Tommy's smashing memoir, "I Hate the Dallas Cowboys - tales of a scrappy New York boyhood." I hope his stories cheer you.

After you finish the book could you please write a few honest words about the book on Amazon and/or Barnes and Noble. 

You don't need to buy anything or give credit information to leave a remark. Your critique helps Master Thomas and your comments encourage others to check the item out. Please give it a shout.

Thank you, to the 44 readers who gave the book 44 five star ratings on Amazon, and the 19 readers who put 19 five star ratings on B&N.

The book is available locally at Logos Book Store at 1575 York Avenue; and online at Amazon, B&N, and other booksellers.

Cheerio!

Monty & his blue booties

Stoops to Nuts Wishes Everyone A Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from "Stoops to Nuts." I'm thankful for this past year. It's a short ride I do my best to acknowledge the brevity and embrace whatever time I'm given.

Thank you to all my neighborhood buddies who snagged a copy of my memoir, "I Hate the Dallas Cowboys - tales of a scrappy New York boyhood." I hope my stories cheer you.

After you finish the book could you please give me a few honest words about the book on Amazon and/or Barnes and Noble.
(You do not need to buy anything or give credit information to leave a remark.)

Your critique helps me and your comments encourage others to check it out. Please give it a shout.

Thank you, to the 44 readers who have given the book 44 five star ratings on Amazon, and the 19 readers who gave it 19 five star ratings on Barnes and Noble.

The book is available locally at Logos Book Store at 1575 York Avenue; and sold online at Amazon, B&N and other booksellers.

"I Hate the Dallas Cowboys"

Pat & Bob @ 12.31.67

John & Tommy 12.31.93

My New Year's toast goes out to Mom and Dad seen here on New Year's Eve 1967 dancing the night away (not really). And the toast continues with a pix from a great Maplewood New Year with the Harveys' many years ago that included a slew of balloons with paper fortunes in them that we busted at midnight, one fortune example:
In the near future you will make many new friends. Unfortunately, this will occur in prison.

Whiny TMR postcard

Here are two postcards I wrote to my parents during my two visits to Ten Mile River Boy Scout Camp in Narrowsburg, New York in 1967 and 1968 ~ as you can read, by the second year at TMR I got the hang of it ~ Our Troop 654 out of St. Stephen's of Hungary on East 82nd Street was led by Al and Bobby Hauser.  We had a ball and those Boy Scout stories are on my stove. They include Sammy the Catfish, too many C batteries, too few Lps and one Panasonic portable record player, the Muck track, why Menesick and I out canoeing decided to ram and flip a war canoe in the middle of the lake filled with ten Brooklyn scouts singing "Kumbaya", one girl named Helen who lived on the other side of the lake, learning a large raccoon gets first dibs on my *Nanny Cuckoo's Bundt cake that came by mail, and cans of tuna sent by *Nanny Dutchie without mayo or a can opener.


*Nanny Cuckoo ~ had a German cuckoo clock and Mom loved calling her mother-in-law, Nanny Cuckoo, and telling Rory & I to do same.

*Nanny Dutchie ~ in the backyard of 1616 York Avenue the next door neighbor had a beautiful German Shepherd named, "Dutchess." Nanny Dutchie did not mind her nickname, unlike Nanny Cuckoo.

Getting the hang of it TMR postcard

Spooky Sleigh Ride @ Central Park

Toulouse, France @ 12.31.07

30 Rock Straight Up

Tommy & Rory, 1962, Bethesda Fountain

Casey & Tommy

Casey & Tommy

Fitness Regiment for Writing a Book

You know this book didn't happen by itself. 

First, Rory and I groaned through thousands of sit-ups, push-ups and we pumped iron. Our nightly assignment, crawling around the living room rug picking up lint pointed out by Dad while he sat in his chair and Mom yelled from the kitchen, "they're not goats, we have a vacuum, get off your bony ass." 

Without this JFK designed presidential fitness regiment (so Dad said), "I Hate the Dallas Cowboys - tales of a scrappy New York boyhood," would be kaput.

It's on sale at Logos Book Store in Yorkville, or if you are not in the neighborhood buy it online at Amazon, B&N or other booksellers.

"If you like to laugh, move your ass." says Tommy's Uncle Mommy.

Casey, Ralphie (A Christmas Story) & Shepherd Wong from "What's Up Tiger Lily?" each gave the book five stars.

"I Hate the Dallas Cowboys"

Shepherd

Ralphie

Casey

Dog Steals Taxi ~ Coney Island Pier is Back

Hailed a cab yesterday. This dog stole it then she opened the window and said, "ha! ha!" The nerve.

Other photos are from the Coney Island pier on frigid Christmas Eve.