They say everyone has a person somewhere in the world who looks just like them, a doppelgänger. But what do you call someone who sounds just like another person?
Tribute bands have proliferated in recent years and they can make a good living performing the works of successful bands present and past.
I’m not into tribute bands, as good as some of them might be. But I ran across this video of the Rush tribute band 2112 performing live. Continue reading
I know soda isn’t good for you. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and many nutritionists would like to slap a soda tax on sugary beverages.
I try not to drink a lot of soda, but I have a sweet spot in my heart for Hires Root Beer. I love the stuff. It is by far the best root beer ever made and I have tried many of them: IBC, Stewart’s, Mug, A&W, Dr. Brown’s and about a dozen or more other smaller regional brands, and none compare to the unique, smooth taste of Hires. But I have not had a sip of Hires in over six years.
I did not forsake Hires. Instead the brand has slowly been vanishing off the shelves of supermarkets in an ever widening circle over the past 20 years. It is now unavailable in most portions of the United States and Canada.
How did the oldest continually produced soft drink and for many years, most popular root beer Continue reading
Solving A Photographic Mystery
People have asked where we get the photos for this web site. Mostly the online resources at various libraries and eBay have been used. Sometimes they are part of the contributors photo collections.
This phenomenal photo of Lou Gehrig sliding into home plate is one of millions of photographs available at the Library of Congress web site. In the old days the photographers were allowed to be on the field during baseball games. There were no Continue reading
Two way vehicular traffic is probably a shocking thing to see on Fifth Avenue, but in 1930 it was the norm. We’re looking north from 59th Street. The Sherry-Netherland Hotel is on the right. Continue reading
What’s Wrong With This Picture?
(Bobby Orr – October 9, 1976 – Blackhawks vs. Islanders)
Contrary to any record book, hockey encyclopedia, photographic evidence, existing video or first hand account, Bobby Orr never, ever played for any other team but the Boston Bruins. This was just a bad dream.
Babe Ruth, Out Standing In His Field, 1926
Yes, I know that is a terrible pun.
Here is an apocryphal story about Babe Ruth and this little known feat.
In this rare news photograph, Babe Ruth has just caught a baseball dropped from an airplane on July 22, 1926 at Mitchel Field (an early New York airport) in Garden City, Long Island. The New York Times reports Ruth donned an army uniform to drum up publicity for the Citizens Military Training Camps.
Six times, baseballs were dropped from the airplane and Ruth was sweating up a storm, Continue reading
Famous Chelsea Flea Market Hub To Close And A History of The Chelsea Area Flea Markets (see update)
UPDATE November 2014: The flea market has finally closed three years after we reported the imminent closing and demolition is underway. The remaining outdoor flea market on 25th Street between Sixth Avenue and Broadway charges $1 admission for a sub-par experience. Below the update is our original story on the history of the flea markets in the Sixth Avenue corridor.
UPDATE December 24, 2011: The flea market thankfully remains open. Dealers don’t seem to know what the future holds. Speaking to several exhibitors they have not been told how long they will remain. So keep your fingers crossed, maybe Extell will not build until market conditions improve.
According to a dealer at The Antiques Garage at 112 West 25th Street, the last stalwart of what was once a thriving antique center in Chelsea, is closing in the near future.
The Antiques Garage which has over 100 dealers selling all sorts of merchandise every Saturday and Sunday will be torn down and replaced by a hotel and condos. The developer, Extell Realty bought the garage in 2006 for $42.7 million. The dealers who exhibit have been told that Extell will soon begin demolition and this month is to be their last.
In the mid 1980’s the parking lots and vacant lots in Manhattan from 24th to 27th Streets, just east and west of 6th Avenue, had developed into a weekend cornucopia of junk and treasure. Lower end antique dealers, second hand junk collectors, and abandoned storage unit scavengers set up shop, providing the public with endless browsing and purchasing opportunities. You could find everything from mundane items to rare and valuable objects. Continue reading
Harpo Marx of the Marx Brothers married the beautiful actress Susan Fleming in 1936. She promptly retired from acting and from all accounts they had a terrific marriage until Harpo’s death in 1964.
Unable to have children, Harpo and Susan adopted four children, three of whom are seen here. From left to right Alex, Jimmy & Minnie.
Upon reflection, years later in interviews, the children concurred Continue reading
Some of Lou Gehrig’s Baseball Belongings and How They Remained Hidden For 70+ Years
1927 Yankee Infield Autographed Photo from L-R Gehrig, Lazzeri, Koenig, Dugan – @ Heritage Auctions 8 4 11
Lou Gehrig’s story as told in The Pride of The Yankees, the 1942 Hollywood version of his life, made it seem like there were no other women in Lou’s life except for his mother Christina and wife Eleanor.
In the August 2, 2011 New York Times is a story of how Lou seems to have dated at least one other woman. That relationship apparently lead to the woman, Ruth Martin, having a friendship with Lou’s mother Christina for many years, beyond her relationship with Lou. After Christina passed away in 1954, Ruth Martin inherited some of Lou’s possessions. It is an interesting story.
Jeffrey Quick, Ruth Martin’s son, is selling these one-of-a-kind artifacts at Heritage Auctions on August 4, 2011.
This news photograph is captioned “Doberman tends bar, operates cash register.” June 10, 1947.
Somehow I don’t think the animal rights groups would allow this today, let alone the department of health. Though I’ll bet he was a good listener. Continue reading