Williamsburg expats gentrify small-town NY: “In the beginning people seemed resentful toward us for coming in and trying to do something different.” [NYT]

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For many, the school dance was something to look forward to. Here was an event, sanctioned by both the school and parents, that permitted physical expression and better yet, a place where kids were encouraged to approach those of the opposite sex.
Unfortunately, if there was hope that a school dance would help the wallflower or introvert break out, it usually did not. Their plight was made more painful as they watched longingly from the sidelines, isolated and on display for all to see.
However, even for the extroverts, make no mistake. If a boy was serious about a girl, enormous courage was needed to ask her to dance - the implications of public rejection loomed large. Of course there were a small number of men, brazen and thick skinned, for whom apparently public rejection meant nothing. I see men (or should I say land sharks) like this today, who have no fear whatsoever approaching women in any environment, making their pitch, for all to hear and see. But for most, the rejection monster raised its head at the thought of approaching the woman of your desire and asking her to dance.
Women had and still have a very sensible solution - dance alone or in groups with other women. If a man has the courage to pry one away, she will, if interested, most likely oblige. This ups the ante of course for a man interested in a woman - he must now face the prospect of group rejection and humiliation. Only the seasoned land shark with thick skin is willing to swim in these waters.
Times have changed. School dances are now faced with more provocative, sexually suggestive dancing, aka grinding. Some schools have even cancelled dances entirely. Others have resorted to a variety of rules and enforcement - see New York Times articles on the phenomenon here and here.
Irrespective of time or culture, there is no question that most dancing has a sexual element. Generations of parents have struggled, attempting to control the impulses of youth, at sea in an ocean of hormones. But in the anything goes environment of New York City, the gyrating, writhing and provocative dress found in the annual Dance Parade are really quite tame. And the performances in the ensuing Dance fest held in Tompkins Square Park are an international smorgasbord of dance styles and traditions with 161 participating organizations. The Dance Parade & Festival is both a venue for unstructured fun as well as a myriad of serious dancers and performers. See my gallery of photos here.
I’m sure many will be pleased to know that in the Dance Parade, where spectators and dancers can both be found in great number, Wallflowers are Welcome
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The closure of the wonderful Gino’s is tragedy in itself, but now we learn that a cupcake chain will be moving in. Cupcakes? In Gino’s? Surely we’re in the Ninth Circle of Hell. [Eater]

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When you happen upon a hand balancing act on the street and are reminded of the Alexis Brothers* from Cirque du Soleil, you know you are seeing world-class professional talent. I have done many stories on street performers, particularly in Washington Square Park, including a recent one on street acrobats. In the interest of variety of subject and setting, I try to limit posts on a particular topic.
However, watching the duo in the Park on Sunday afternoon, shown in today’s photo, it was immediately apparent that this was not your average street show. The display of strength, skill, movement and presentation was remarkable in this hand balancing act with Rudi Macaggi and Lea McGowan. The audience was transfixed.
Rudi is a third generation entertainer and acrobat from Milan, Italy who has traveled the globe, performing on stage since the age of 7. He has worked venues in Las Vegas and Atlantic City and has had national television appearances on Penn and Teller’s Sin City Spectacular and The Tonight show with Jay Leno. In 2006, Rudi won first place in the Crazy Caliber category of the TV show America’s Got Talent.
Rudi’s one man show has been seen around New York City at clubs like the Slipper Room and The Box (both in the Lower East Side). The Acromedian, does a one and a half hour show - an amalgam of visual comedy, hand balancing, acrobatics, story telling and standup, peppered with his famous quip “I like you.”
His street show featured his hand balancing routine with Lea along with a number of stunts such as doing a one armed handstand while dribbling a basketball and his finale of a back somersault landing in a one armed handstand - you can see my short video of it here. Always on the move, catch ‘em if you can Read the rest of this entry »

A quartet of restaurant pros taste-test eight local and out-of-town sweeteners.

Does Buffett deserve his outsider rep?

VANISHED

After 44 years in business, Bleecker Street antique shop Treasures & Trifles closed some weeks ago. Their store is now empty–and available to become another Marc Jacobs. The entire contents of their shop were auctioned off recently.

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Psychoanalyzing one of Americas most dysfunctional relationships.

On a warm weekend night, at the corner of 2nd Ave. and St. Mark’s, an older lady carrying groceries walks through the crowds of screamers, looks at the trash on the sidewalk and sighs, shakes her head.

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