Rediscovering New York

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On this week’s show we will explore how some of America’s great authors thought of and portrayed New York City in their writing.  

My solo guest will be Rediscovering New York regular and the show’s Special Consultant, David Griffin, Founder and CEO of Landmark Branding.  

Tune in for this fascinating conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Segment 1

Jeff introduces the topic of today's episode about portrayals of New York by authors, as well as introduces the guest for today’s episode David Griffin, the Founder and CEO of Landmark Branding. David retells how he became interested in architecture history, as well as what drew him to New York architecture history specifically. David brings up how living history can be experienced through architecture and buildings. Jeff outlines how the two have picked out five specific authors and their depictions of New York, and that this might be part one of two depending on how many authors they get through in today’s episode. The two start off with F. Scott Fitzgerald and his most well known novel The Great Gatsby. David explains what about The Great Gatsby makes it a quintessential New York book. He continues to explain how New York City is not described in concrete terms within the novel, in part as the book is a Long Island book rather than a New York City, but it is still a quintessential New York book, for the themes of the book. Throughout the book Fitzgerald focuses on how those who live in the suburbs on Long Island interact with the city. David continues to explain how the Plaza Hotel is the New York Landmark that Fitzgerald makes use of the most. The two discuss other New York landmarks that can be found throughout The Great Gatsby.

Segment 2

Jeff and David discuss the valley of ashes within The Great Gatsby, and why Fitzgerald might have included it as much as he did within the novel. David explains the different motifs and symbols found within the valley of ashes, and how this scene is written poetically. The two continue to talk about the real life version of the valley of ashes, which is an ash dump in Corona, NY. Jeff and David continue on to discuss other aspects of New York that Fitzgerald portrays in The Great Gatsby, including what is now considered Washington Heights where the character Mabel lived in. David brings up the original cover of the novel that depicted Coney Island, which Fitzgerald wasn’t happy with as he removed the section of the novel that included Coney Island, and the history behind the cover that lead to Fitzgerlad keeping that cover.

Segment 3

Jeff starts off the segment by thanking the sponsors, as well as requesting the listeners to feel free to reach out to him about the show. Jeff and David discuss David’s recent articles that he has had published in different publications. The two then begin discussing the second author they had picked out, Joseph Mitchell. David explains that Joseph Mitchell was an important figure in New York writing and journalism, as he was one of the first writers for the New Yorker. Mitchell was an important figure in the change of how journalism was written through the school of writing that diverged from how the high end newspapers of London wrote their articles. David explains Mitchell’s journey through journalism and how he worked for the New Yorker up until his death. Jeff and David discuss the kinds of things that Mitchell wrote, and how he was most interested in the outcasts of New York rather than the glitz and glam other journalists focused on. They also discuss Mitchell’s later years of writing

Segment 4

The two discuss the other aspects of Mitchell’s life, including the play he wrote for Broadway and the different societies he was a part of. David goes in depth about the racist slur for the Roma people, who Mitchell was sympathetic for but continued to use that slur. The two also discuss Mitchell’s love for the waterfront, and his time spent there and how much effort he put towards the preservation of the waterfront and the architecture there. The two end the episode with discussing how Mitchell’s love of New York City impacted his writing style.

On this week’s show we will discuss two of the City’s most iconic islands, both in Upper New York Bay: Governor’s island and Ellis Island. My guests will be will be returning Rediscovering New York expert Joyce Gold, Founder of Joyce Gold History Tours, http://www.joycegoldhistorytours.com/; and Public Historian, Naturalist and Author Mandy Edgecombe, https://untappedcities.com/author/mandyedgecombe/

Tune in for this fascinating conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Segment 1

Today’s episode starts off with the introduction of today’s guest and topic. Tonight’s celebrating two city islands. Our host Jeff gets to know guest Mandy, who is a Chicago native and explains her background. She’s a naturalist who is dedicated to sharing urban discoveries. She believes everything she does is connected through applied anthropology. Although it seems contra dictionary, she explains that you have to understand one setting to understand another. She goes through a bit of Governor’s Island history, going back to English colonization times.

Segment 2

Coming back from the break, the podcast goes deeper into Governor’s Islands history throughout the wars. It was often used to store weapons and arms. It was used to train militia and even as a prisoner of war base. Mandy also shares that some remnants from these times are still on the island today. She explains women’s role within the island and how they were kept separate from the men. They skip forward to after the wars and talk about how the island was no longer a war base. The island renovated and the function for it changed. The conversation takes a turn for a more personal story. They talk about the personal connection veterans who used to live there and their families may have with the island. 

Segment 3

This segment starts with a few announcements from the show’s sponsors. Jeff introduces the next special guest: Joyce Gold. Joyce first explained how she became interested in the historical sites of New York City. She then goes on to talk about the next topic of the show: Ellis Island. Before it became the famous immigration center, it was a privately owned fort. Before Ellis Island, immigrants had to go through piers and Castle Clinton. Due to the increase in federal immigration laws, the State of New York decided to make Ellis Island the site for immigraion in 1892. Joyce explains how different laws and changes in them affected immigration through Ellis Island and the difficulty of getting into America. 

Segment 4

For the final segment, Joyce talks about how strict the rules could be at Ellis Island. Often because of medical reasons, immigrants would be turned away. If there were any suspicions about someone, they would get marked and it would be known that there was something “wrong” with them. Joyce then goes on to explain what Jewish people specifically had gone through with Ellis Island. The episode ends off with Jeff asking Joyce about her tours. She explains what her tours are, her most popular are the ones through the Financial District and the Greenwich Village. She has dozens of different tours that people can sign up for, including public and private tours.

On this week’s show we will explore how some of New York’s best tour companies have been providing their programming and even creating

 new content during the pandemic, and what their future New York programming may look like. My guests will be Rediscovering New York regular Justin Rivers, Chief Experience Officer and Lead Tour Guide for Untapped New York, https://untappedcities.com/; and Corey William Schneider, CEO and Founder, New York Adventure Club, https://about.nyadventureclub.com/about/.

Tune in for this fascinating conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Segment 1

Tonight’s show is focused on the topic of virtual New York tours a year and a half into the pandemic. Justin Rivers is one of the guests who is the Chief Executive Officer and Lead Tour Guide for Untapped New York. He is originally from New Jersey then went to school in New York and never returned. He first got into the industry after pitching a Penn Station tour idea. Justin was unsure about the responses he would receive but everyone enjoyed it which led to more opportunities in the future. Eventually, he accepted a principal position at Untapped New York. During the pandemic, they successfully embraced the challenge of converting their in person tours into a virtual experience that was just as informative. 

Segment 2

One of the first tours that Justin offered once the pandemic occurred were of Grand Central and Penn Station. He was very surprised to see how many people were attending. Many people also enjoyed his virtual coffee tour. Furthermore, Justin cannot believe that it took the pandemic for people to realize how big the virtual tour market is. Even after the pandemic ends, he is still obligated to continue virtual tours because he has many members all around the world who cannot visit New York personally. In addition, he mentions how the most popular tours at Untapped New York are usually the ones that display what the state was compared to what it is currently. People can learn more information at https://untappedcities.com/. 

Segment 3

The second guest is named Corey William Schneider who is the CEO and Founder of the New York Adventure Club. He started the group in 2014 after going on a personal journey and exploring on his own. Before he knew it, he had many people messaging him online asking him how to buy tickets. Around the start of the pandemic, people started canceling their events and meetings around February 2020 which led to a complete shut down. He was also forced to convert his live tours to virtual after deciphering how. His audiences love being able to sit at home and learn virtually. Some of the most popular tours for New York Adventure Club are nostalgic ones. People love reminiscing on their memories.

Segment 4

Corey and New York Adventure Club offer a whisky, wine and chocolate tasting that can be sent to a client’s home. Jeff has attended multiple whisky tastings. Furthermore, Justin mentions how much the accessibility of his tours has improved. He does all virtual events on Zoom which allows people to share the access code. This permits more people to learn about New York while also growing his business. The majority of his events are New York focused but they are currently working on covering London. People can find out more information at https://about.nyadventureclub.com/about/.

On this week’s show we will explore how some of New York’s best tour companies have been providing their programming and even creating

 new content during the pandemic, and what their future New York programming may look like. My guests will be Rediscovering New York regular Justin Rivers, Chief Experience Officer and Lead Tour Guide for Untapped New York, https://untappedcities.com/; and Corey William Schneider, CEO and Founder, New York Adventure Club, https://about.nyadventureclub.com/about/.

Tune in for this fascinating conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Segment 1

Tonight’s show is focused on the topic of virtual New York tours a year and a half into the pandemic. Justin Rivers is one of the guests who is the Chief Executive Officer and Lead Tour Guide for Untapped New York. He is originally from New Jersey then went to school in New York and never returned. He first got into the industry after pitching a Penn Station tour idea. Justin was unsure about the responses he would receive but everyone enjoyed it which led to more opportunities in the future. Eventually, he accepted a principal position at Untapped New York. During the pandemic, they successfully embraced the challenge of converting their in person tours into a virtual experience that was just as informative. 

Segment 2

One of the first tours that Justin offered once the pandemic occurred were of Grand Central and Penn Station. He was very surprised to see how many people were attending. Many people also enjoyed his virtual coffee tour. Furthermore, Justin cannot believe that it took the pandemic for people to realize how big the virtual tour market is. Even after the pandemic ends, he is still obligated to continue virtual tours because he has many members all around the world who cannot visit New York personally. In addition, he mentions how the most popular tours at Untapped New York are usually the ones that display what the state was compared to what it is currently. People can learn more information at https://untappedcities.com/. 

Segment 3

The second guest is named Corey William Schneider who is the CEO and Founder of the New York Adventure Club. He started the group in 2014 after going on a personal journey and exploring on his own. Before he knew it, he had many people messaging him online asking him how to buy tickets. Around the start of the pandemic, people started canceling their events and meetings around February 2020 which led to a complete shut down. He was also forced to convert his live tours to virtual after deciphering how. His audiences love being able to sit at home and learn virtually. Some of the most popular tours for New York Adventure Club are nostalgic ones. People love reminiscing on their memories.

Segment 4

Corey and New York Adventure Club offer a whisky, wine and chocolate tasting that can be sent to a client’s home. Jeff has attended multiple whisky tastings. Furthermore, Justin mentions how much the accessibility of his tours has improved. He does all virtual events on Zoom which allows people to share the access code. This permits more people to learn about New York while also growing his business. The majority of his events are New York focused but they are currently working on covering London. People can find out more information at https://about.nyadventureclub.com/about/.

On this week’s show we will visit the twin neighborhoods of Concourse and Highbridge in the Bronx.  

My guests will be expert tour guide Jeremy Wilcox, Founder and Owner of Custom NYC Tours; and Walter Puryear, Senior Director at the Andrew Freedman Home, a center for arts and artists located on the Grand Concourse.

Tune in for this fascinating conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.

Show Notes

Segment 1

Tonight’s show topic will revolve around the twin neighborhoods of Concourse and Highbridge in the Bronx. The first guest will be Jeremy Wilcox who is the Founder and Owner of Custom NYC Tours. Jeremey first became a tour guide about five years ago but has always gone exploring around neighborhoods with his friends. One of his friends inspired him to quit his job and follow his dreams which paid off. The first tour he gave was in the Summer of 2016. The first tour he got paid to give was of Wall Street and the World Trade Center Area. Highbridge got its name after the bridge that connects the neighborhood to Washington Heights and Manhattan. It stretches over the Harlem River.

Segment 2

One of Jeremy’s most famous tours is his tour of landmarks as well as his art deco and Highbridge tour. People can find out more information at NYCtours.com. Originally, the neighborhood of Concourse was not a part of the Bronx but was built up during the Great Depression which eventually helped lead to them joining. The original walkway of Concourse was finished in the early 1900’s. When the buildings went up, the first communities who inhabited the location were mostly middle class people along with Jewish people. At the beginning of this century, investors started to invest in the area. Also in 2011 a renovation took place which led to the neighborhood’s reinvention.

Segment 3

The second half of the show will feature a second guest named Walter Puryear who is a Senior Director at the Andrew Freedman Home which is a center for arts and artists located on the Grand Concourse. Walter has lived in New York for the majority of his life. He has lived in many different locations around the Bronx. He has been around arts and artists since he was around the age of six. He was a child actor. Next, the origin of the Andrew Freeman home is discussed. Andrew Freeman was someone who created a place to house people who were suffering through unfortunate circumstances and needed assistance. The home also has advanced medical services.

Segment 4

The Andrew Freeman home also makes an emphasis on trying to transform a person overall. They were already known for their workforce program that was geared towards the adults but later they expanded. Their after school and weekend programs became more art focused and the themes of the shows they were putting on were based on real world issues. Walter has helped many people who work a certain occupation use their skills in other ways they never thought possible. It is important for him to help others realize that they can create their own narratives. In addition, he will be having a small opening in September for the Redlining exhibition.

Spies and Saboteurs in New York During Wartime

On this week's show we will explore the history of the "enemies within", spies and saboteurs in New York City who were in the service of the country's enemies, or soon-to-be-enemies during wartime. My guests will be author Kevin Fitzpatrick,

https://fitzpatrickauthor.com/; and tour director Bob Brenner, Founder of Pig Feet Walking Tours,

https://www.pigfeetwalkingtours.com/.

 Tune in for this fascinating conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Segment 1

Tonight’s show topic is all about spies and saboteurs in New York during times of war. The special guests are author Kevin Fitzpatrick along with tour director and Founder of Pig Feet Walking Tours, Bob Brenner. Kevin has ties to the Marine Corps and is very proud of his Irish heritage. In 1864, a group of saboteurs set off 19 total fires in order to disrupt the election. This act could have been very damaging to the city but luckily they were Greek fire so less damage was dealt. Greek fire is essentially a substance that gets set ablaze once exposed to oxygen. Furthermore, Kevin is the author of “World War I New York: A Guide to the City's Enduring Ties to the Great War.”

Segment 2

Kevin also has written books about Dorothy Parker as well as Round Tables. He has a great interest in jazz and speakeasies. In regard to the Spanish American War, Kevin states that there likely was not much spying or sabotage going on. The war did not take place for a very long time which may partially be the reason. Also, Kevin explains how the Zimmerman Telegram was a secret document issued from the German Foreign Office in January 1917 that proposed a military alliance between Germany and Mexico if the United States entered World War I against Germany. It was intercepted which led to the declaration of the First World War as well as the famous explosion of Black Tom. 

Segment 3

The second half of the show features the second guest named Bob Brenner who is a New York City Tour Guide. He is also the Founder of Pigs Feet Walking Tours. Bob lives in Chelsea but is not originally from the state. Bob first got interested in spies and saboteurs in NY along with NY history overall after seeing Nazis in Yorkville and experiencing how they acted. Yorkville was also the home of the German American Bund. Their main responsibility was to promote propaganda that pushed America to stay neutral and remain out of the war. In addition, they hosted summer camps that taught pupils how to handle firearms and craft explosives such as bombs. 

Segment 4

Bob recently has been doing webinars and tours on various topics such as New York City in the ’80s and ’90s. The leader of the Bund was named Fritz Julius Kuhn who was corrupt and spent group funds on his mistress. He was later kicked out and lost citizenship. William Sebold was an American citizen who was born in Germany and had a family who lived there. Eventually, he went to go visit his mother when Nazis recognized that he had American traits and made him become a spy for them or else his family would be hurt and he would not be allowed to leave. He agrees but later devises a plan with the FBI to get wired for sound and set up the German Government once they told all of their information. 

A Little Bit Of Italy In Southwest Brooklyn

On this week’s show we will visit Dyker Heights, In Brooklyn. 

My guests will be expert tour guide Jeremy Wilcox, Founder and Owner of Custom NYC Tours, https://www.customnyctours.com/; and Alfred DiScipio, owner of La Villa Pizzeria, https://lavillapizza.com/

Tune in for this fascinating conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.

Show Notes

Segment 1

On today’s show, we focus on Dyker Heights in Brooklyn. The episode features Jeremy Wilcox who is the founder and owner of Custom NYC Tours. He always loved exploring New York City neighborhoods in Ben before he got paid for it. He enjoyed going exploring with his friends in his spare time. The Dutch first began to settle in the area in the mid 1600’s. Dyker Heights originally got its name from Dyker meadows. When war started to take place, coastal control became more in demand. This led to another fort being built across The Narrows.

Segment 2

This summer Jeremey will be doing many in person tours around New York City including his Central Park walking and Midtown landmark and architecture tour. People can find out more by visiting his website www.customnyctours.com. Next the two discuss Walter Johnson and how he is known as the father of Dyker Heights. He is responsible for creating many beautiful homes within the city of Brooklyn. By the start of the First World War, the neighborhood was mostly settled. Later, some major renovations took place that made some buildings unrecognizable but the neighborhood remains the same. Jeremy explains how the sloping streets and big houses with stone frames make it unique compared to other suburban neighborhoods. Annually, there is a Christmas tradition in which the natives elaborately decorate their homes which attracts many tourists.

Segment 3

Tonight’s show will feature another guest for the second half of the show named Alfred Discipio. He is a New York native who was born in Brooklyn and moved all around the state. His family is originally from Italy. He owns the pizzeria La Villa Pizzeria and has a relative who owns an Italian Ice shop. Alfred’s cousins were in America before his parents came in the 1950’s. One of them was very smart and invented the pizza press. In 1962, they opened the doors of their new factory that Alfred worked in for many summers. This became the family business. He eventually decided to open his place in Dyker Heights and his family was so glad that he had come back.

Segment 4

Next Alfred describes the vibe of the neighborhood. He explains how he sees how families are setlng there longterm and making the location a home. He sees many children and families in the area. The restaurant in Dyker Heights opened up in 2017 and construction started in 2016. He noticed at his other location in Park Slope that there are many people who are regulares who do not live in the area. Some people travel multiple blocks to come in which is great. As a business owner, the pandemic was a big hit for him and his business but he has overcome the obstacles.