Rediscovering New York

On this week’s show we will travel to Northeastern Queens, when we visit Little Neck. ‍My guests will be historian Jason Antos, President of the Queens Historical Society, and longtime Little Neck business owners Joseph and Lisa Torrisi of Marathon Food Shop and catering.----------------------------Segment 1Jeff introduces his first guest for the night, historian and author, Jason Antos. Jason was first interested in Queens’ history while working on a project in high school about the home owned by Houdini’s protege, Sidney Radner. Jason became involved with Queens Historical Society while working on his first book, Whitestone. He then explains how Little Neck first got its name, as opposed to Great Neck. Both areas became the inspiration for the fictional setting of Scott Fitzgerald’s book The Great Gatsby, West Egg and East Egg. Jeff and Jason then go into the origin of the clamming industry prevalent in Little Neck, which goes back to the time of slavery. This segways into the relationships and trading between the area’s Native Americans and the Europeans who first settled there in the 1650s. Jason describes how Europeans first settled in Little Neck through Little Neck Bay. Segment 2Jason explains how his first book, Whitestone, came to be and why he chose to write about this area. While most of Jason’s books are focused on the Queens area, Jason goes into why his second book was about Shea Stadium and also delves into the book’s continued success. Jeff and Jason return to the topic of Little Neck, particularly on the armed conflict and tense relations between the Lenape and European settlers centuries ago. They fast-forward to focus on the Douglaston Hill historic district. Jason talks of its architectural design, architectural restrictions, historical significance, and how old the homes within the district date back. Little Neck once had a significant farming industry, seeing the last of its farms by the 1930s, at the beginning of The Great Depression. Still on the topic of this time frame, Jason notes the Native American cemetery near the area.Segment 3Jeff introduces his next guests Little Neck business owners, Joseph and Lisa Torrisi, owners of Marathon Food Shop and Catering. To break the ice, Jeff asks Lisa if she knew anyone who were particularly connected to the 1970s punk band, The Ramones. Joseph describes his time studying at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde park. He then talks about his early experiences in the food industry, joining his family’s business, and how he developed his family’s business further. Lisa talks about her professional history and when she decided to join Joseph in his family business despite not having a culinary background. This segment ends on how, while much of the original menu remains, Joseph notes the additions placed since taking over the business.Segment 4Joseph and Lisa describe what they like the best about Little Neck, focusing on the tight knit sense of community between themselves and customers. They find that the uniqueness of Little Neck comes from its small, humble size and how the descendants of families in Little Neck stay in Little Neck. On the topic of how things have changed over the years, Joseph and Lisa find that Little Neck has become more diverse and public schooling has expanded. The couple delve into the nature of the catering side of their business, having established a big reputation across the borough. Some of Joseph and Lisa’s dishes include their eggplant parmesan, penne vodka, chicken franchise, coconut shrimp, and heroes. They note very little difficulties working in Little Neck, but are reluctant to the idea of opening an additional store. The segment ends with Joseph and Lisa sharing advice on opening a business in Little Neck and how to get in touch with them.

On this week’s show we will visit another great Brooklyn neighborhood, Cobble Hill.

My guests will be one of our regular guests, Justin Rivers, Chief Experience Officer and Lead Tour Guide for Untapped New York, and Jamie Erickson, founder and owner of Poppy’s Catering.

Segment 1

The show begins introducing regular guest, Justin Rivers. Justin talks about his time as a teacher in NYC’s lower east side and how teaching his students led to his position as Chief Experience Officer and Lead Tour Guide for Untapped New York. Justin starts the topic of Cobble Hill about a subset of Lenape Native Amercans, Canarsee, who first inhabited the area and their relationship with Dutch settlers in the 17th century. He then talks about Cobble Hill’s significance during the Revolutionary War, especially during the 1776 battle of New York, and the fortifications that were propped up during the War of 1812. The segment ends about the importance of ferries in Cobble Hill and the nature of neighborhoods established surrounding them.

Segment 2

Justin talks about how his work and how Untapped New York’s programming is affected during the pandemic, virtual tours, and what listeners can do to find out more about Untapped programming. He then goes into when Cobble Hill began to transform into the neighborhood we know it today. Justin and Jeff discuss two historical figures connected to Cobble Hill. The first is UK former prime minister, Winston Churchhill. Second, philanthropist and house-reformer, Alfred Tredway White. Justin moves on to the topic about the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel, the world’s first subway, and Cobble Hill Tunnel. The segment ends discussing what a “vest pocket park” is and its role in NYC.

Segment 3

Jeff introduces his next guest, Jamie Erickson, founder and owner of Poppy’s Catering situated in Cobble Hill. Jamie grew up in the lower east side and talks about why she eventually moved to Red Hook. She then divulges on what led her to start her own business and the steps that got it to its current standing today. Covering her relations with the neighborhood, fellow artists and creatives, and the workings from a humble pop-up to retail, she describes some of Poppy’s workings and her role as its founder.

Segment 4

Jamie talks about her favorite dishes from Poppy’s and the dishes she is especially known for. Jamie describes how she feels about Cobble Hill, her favorite parts about it, and how it has changed since she first moved there in 2006.Jamie talks about her customers and describes how she believes Cobble Hill has changed during the pandemic. She then lists some of the struggles she has owning a business in Cobble Hill before the pandemic. Particularly, being a food business in a non-food business area. Despite this, Jamie finds that Cobble Hill has everything she really needs for a neighborhood, and doesn’t need to venture into the city because of this. The segment ends with Jamie sharing some advice for those who are looking to start a business, and where to learn more about Poppy’s Catering.

Join me for a special episode on New York’s relationship with bicycles and cycling, past and present.

Our guests will be Evan Friss, author of On Bicycles; A 200 Year History of Cycling in New York City, and co-curator of the current exhibition Cycling in the City at the Museum of the City of New York, and Laura Shepard of Bike New York, co-organizer of the TD 5 Boro Bike Tour taking place this Saturday.

Segment 1

Noting the recent amount of bicyclists on the streets of NYC despite the quarantine, Jeff re-runs a past special episode about NYC, bicycles, and cycling. The show opened with Jeff introducing the first guest for the night Evan Friss. Evan talks about his interest in city planning and how that spurred his interest in how people move through cities. He explains the sources that he used in researching and writing his book and discusses some of his favorite one in New York  and their historical significance and wonder. Evan explains the history of the design of bicycles and how it has changed over time.

Segment 2

Jeff and Evan talk about the arrival of bicycles to the streets of New York City.  Evan talks about an ordinance in the past that aimed to ban bicycles. He discusses the transition of bicycles from leisure activities to modes of transportation. Evan explains what bicycle row was and the significance of it. Jeff and Evan talk about the bicycles’ role in the women’s suffrage movement.

Segment 3

Jeff and Evan discuss Robert Moses, a highway planner, and his connection to bicycles. They talk about the 1929 Great Depression and how bicycles fared during that time. Evan explains why bicycles are considered the “stepchild of transportation.” Jeff and Evan talk about former Mayor Ed Koch and the change in his outlook on bicycles and how it set off protests from bike advocates.

Segment 4

Jeff introduces the second guest for the night Laura Shepard form Bike New York. Laura explains what Bike New York is and how she got involved with it. Laura explains how the Five Boro Bike Tour got started and the route it takes throughout New York City. She talks about the neighborhoods that people who have been doing the tour for decades have seen change. Laura talks about the expo coming up this week, the types of programs Bike New York does and biking safety for cyclists.

On this week’s show we will visit another great Brooklyn neighborhood, Williamsburg.

My guests will be Jeremy Wilcox, Founder and Owner of Custom NYC Tours, and Elisa Seeger, real estate agent at Triplemint.

Segment 1

Jeff introduces the first guest of the show Jeremy Wilcox, who talks about his origins, his initial interest in his current profession and what he hopes to do with his NYC tours. The Williamsburg conversation begins with Jeremy explaining how the neighborhood got its name. They then talk about its Native American and Colonial history continuing into the Revolutionary War. Then punctuating it in the mid-nineteenth century when Williamsburg started to establish itself as a town, briefly touching on now-repurposed breweries previously built by German immigrants as well as the industrial development of the area.

Segment 2

Jeremy informs the audience about the different tours offered by Custom NYC Tours and the possibility of virtual tours in the near future. He continues the Williamsburg conversation talking about the various manufacturers and businesses established in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century, immigrant communities that settled in the area’s early history, and how it came to be labeled at one point, the most densely populated neighborhood in New York City. Jeremy then closes the segment talking about the negative reputation Williamsburg earned before its reformation in recent years. 

Segment 3

Jeff introduces the second guest of the show Elisa Seeger, who talks about ALD (Adrenoleukodystrophy), which took the life of her son,  the passing of Aidan’s Law in the New York legislature and soon taking the case to Congress, and the establishment of the Aidan Jack Seeger Foundation, Jeff also inquiring about her career up to this point, specifically her real estate business.

Segment 4

Elisa tells listeners the modern vibe of Williamsburg and what she loves the most about the community, also delving into the changes that she’s observed living there for the last eighteen years, going into specifics about what she likes and dislikes about these changes. She also remarks about a few certain landmarks of the neighborhood that she loves in particular and gives out advice for people hoping to open a business in Williamsburg.

On this week’s show we will visit Brooklyn’s own Park Slope.

My guests will be Rediscovering New York regular and the program’s Special Consultant, David Griffin of Landmark Branding. And Life Coach Jose Franco, Founder and Owner of Stoop Juice.

Segment 1

Jeff introduces the first guest of the show, Rediscovering New York regular, David Griffin. The two begin their conversation on the early history of the Park Slope neighborhood in Brooklyn. They go back to its colonial history through the Revolutionary War, reaching the nineteenth century. David explains how the modern look and feel of the neighborhood started to come about with the introduction of street cars and other modes of transportation. He names a few notable land developers and locations along the way.

Segment 2

David talks about a few of his current projects he’s working on and leaves contact information for listeners if they are interested in any upcoming virtual tours. The conversation then continues on how the neighborhood received its name. David then lists a couple of important buildings from the late-nineteenth/early-twentieth century. He pinpoints unique elements apart of their architecture. David talks about Park Slope’s history through the Great Depression and  first-half of the twentieth century all the way through the Brownstone Revival. 

Segment 3

Jeff introduces the second guest of the show, Jose Franco. Jose talks growing up in Brooklyn, living in and out of all of New York throughout his life. Jose lays out the journey of his many vocations, including his stints as a baseball coach and a life coach.

Segment 4

Jose talks about his current business, a juice bar, and goes into describing the look and feel of Park Slope today, focusing on the residents of the neighborhood and giving his own personal experience living there. Jose talks then talks about his business and its customers and a few struggles he has as a business owner, closing the show with an idea for another possible business.

On this week’s show we will cross Jamaica Bay to Rockaway!

My guests will be historian Jason Antos, President of the Queens Historical Society, & New York City Council Member Donovan Richards. Donovan represents the City's 31st District.

Segment 1

Jeff introduces the first guest of the show, Jason Antos, who talks growing up in New York. He talks about how he first became interested with the history of New York City, becoming involved with the Queens Historical Society. Jason then speaks about how Rockaway got its name, the two going over its colonial history. He highlights a few notable figures of importance to the area. They then jump to the nineteenth century and Jason discusses the area’s history as a place of leisure.

Segment 2

Jason talks about the subjects of his books and he gives out where the listeners could find and order them before talking about the development of residential spots in the area in the nineteenth century. He also touches on land disputes and how a few landmarks got introduced to the area, as well as more pioneering real estate developments. Jason closes the segment talking about the impact of Superstorm Sandy on the Rockaways.

Segment 3

Jeff introduces the second guest of the show, Donovan Richards, who talks growing up in Queens and the tragic story on how he ended up on the New York City Council and how he assumed the responsibilities that he has today.

Segment 4

Richards talks about what they plan on doing in Queens and the Rockaway area in terms of new projects for the area, Richards also chiming in on his experience during Superstorm Sandy and giving his praises for the community. He also discusses a shift in the vibe of the neighborhood after the event. Donovan closes the show talking about what businesses he would like to see take up real estate in the complex they are opening.

Join me this week as we explore New York City’s greatest urban park masterpieces, Central Park and Prospect Park.

My guests will be two Rediscovering New York regulars: Joyce Gold, Founder of Joyce Gold History Tours, and David Griffin, Founder and CEO of Landmark Branding, who is also the program’s Special Consultant.

Segment 1

Jeff introduces the first guest of the show Joyce Gold who talks about her upbringing and how she entered her line of business, the two then jumping right to the conception of Central Park in the nineteenth century and sifting through the history of parks in New York before it was constructed. They discuss the two founders of Central Park and what concepts and factors were considered in its inception. Joyce outlines a few of the problems during the construction of the park and a few examples of ingenuity and outsourcing. She discusses some of the earlier uses of the park and a few policies in place at the time and its expansion into public use.

Segment 2

Joyce Gold talks about the many tours her organization offers and what listeners can look forward to once they are open again. The talk continues with the presence of water in the area before and after the construction of Central Park as well as communities that were involved or affected by its placement in the area and the cultivated gardens in the northern part of the park. They talk about a few present fixtures in the park and the history of some of its current attractions. 

Segment 3

Jeff introduces the second guest of the show David Griffin and how he got into his current line of work and how he gained an interest in the history of architecture. They get into the history of the area of Prospect Park starting all the way back in the Revolutionary War and outlined a few landmark events, people, places and projects in its journey leading up to the conception of Prospect Park.

Segment 4

David talks about the functions of his organization Landmark Branding and continues talking about the allure of Prospect Park and goes through the construction and a few features of the park that separates it from Central Park. David talks about the park’s initial reception in the nineteenth century and how it attracted all walks of life as compared to Central Park in its inception, also discussing a few popular pastimes, adding in a tidbit of the park’s littering problem and the lack of lighting. They talk about a few notable constructions started in the early twentieth century and end the segment with the military history of Prospect Park during WWII.

Join me this week as we visit Parkchester, in the Bronx.

My guests will be historian Jeffrey Gurock, Professor of American Jewish History at Yeshiva University, and John Bonizio, Chief Operating Officer of Metro Optics Eyewear.

Segment 1

Jeff introduces the first guest of the show, Jeffrey Gurock who outlines his journey moving throughout New York City. He talks about the importance of the neighborhood to him and reflects on a view of memories growing up, giving his motivations for writing his book. Jeffrey goes back to the early history of the area back when it was owned by the Catholic Church, leading us through the story into the twentieth century and how it was constructed into what it was today.

Segment 2

Jeffrey continues the conversation, talking about the housing opportunities setup and the ethinic history of the area in the postwar era. Jeffrey also goes over a history of racism in the neighborhood in the fifties and sixties on a real estate front and the influx of African-Americans residents that came flooding into the area after the segregation in the late sixties.

Segment 3

Jeff introduces the second guest of the show, John Bonizio, who talks about growing up in the Bronx and how that’s shaped his life. John talks about the transition out of segregation in the neighborhood and shines some light on a notable resident, Claudette Colvin. He thinks back to a few memories of modern Parkchester. 

Segment 4

John talks how he got into his current line of work and his journey to where he is today and how it ties in to the history of hip-hop through innovating the style of hip-hop musicians. He then finishes the conversation by talking about Parkchester today and what he loves about the community, as well as changes he’s observed in the area over the years.

Join me this week as we take a look at the hospitals of New York City, past and present.

We’ll visit the earliest clinics that were created two centuries ago to treat New Yorkers, explore the different kinds of hospitals that were developed around the turn of the 20th Century, and finally look at the hospitals of New York City today, including the large system run by the government of the City of New York.

My guests will be Bert Hansen, Professor Emeritus of History at Baruch College, and archivist and heritage specialist Deidre Dinnigan, Principal of For-keeps Inc., a company that works with institutions and individuals to create and execute plans for projects that use historical content and materials.

Segment 1

Jeff introduces the first guest of the show, Bert Hansen, originally a Chicagoan, Bert currently lives in Chelsea. Bert walks through his educational leap from Science to Medical history, the functions of hospitals and doctors before the twentieth century, the first established hospitals in New York City and their founders, the function of early medical centers labeled as ‘dispensaries’, and the architecture of the buildings that are still standing today.  

Segment 2

The conversation continues with the talk of French biologist Louis Pasteur, the boom of hospitals and innovations in healthcare at the end of the nineteenth century due to medical advancements, maternity hospitals, the importance of architecture in these early hospitals, an overview of the first major hospital complexes constructed in the early twentieth century, the commission of artists by the New York government to create murals, some withstanding today, and the shift in hospital construction in recent history.

Segment 3

Jeff introduces the second guest of the show, Deidre Dinnigan, who talks about her history transitioning from the Caribbean to New York as a young girl and about her education, and how she gained passion for her current line of work as well as how she came to hold the current title of ‘heritagist’. Deidre discusses the nature of her work with the organization ‘New York City Health + Hospitals’ which transitions into the conversation in the next segment.

Segment 4

Deidre outlines the functions of ‘For Keeps’ and current projects she’s working on right now, giving out where listeners can find out more information. She then talks about when New York City got into the business of medical centers and healthcare, starting back with Bellevue in the eighteenth century passing through the nineteenth century, leaving a footnote with charities and organizations laying down the foundations for hospitals and other public facilities like prisons and mental institutions, all the way into the twentieth century, the start of New York investing into medicine. She also speaks on the first hospital established in Brooklyn, covering other boroughs as well, and also the many specialty hospitals in New York City.

Join me this week as we journey to Downtown Brooklyn. 

My guests will be Rediscovering New York regular and the show’s Special Consultant, David Griffin of Landmark Branding; and St. John Frizell, Sohui Kim and Ben Schneider, founders and partners of the recently restored iconic Brooklyn restaurant Gage & Tollner.

Segment 1

Jeff introduces the first guest of the show, Rediscovering New York regular, David Griffin, and the two begin the talk of Downtown Brooklyn, back to the Native and pre-colonial history, its start gaining an identity in the Revolutionary era and detailing its timeline all the way through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Segment 2

David discusses the functions of Landmark Branding and his blog, which details every building on Fifth, and an upcoming book he is writing. The talk continues with when and how modern Downtown Brooklyn started to take shape, David citing a few examples with skyscrapers, landmarks and avenues that are staples of the neighborhood today, starting back to the late nineteenth century. They talk about the impact of the Great Depression on the area and how it continued to develop in the decades following WWII as well as the gentrification and the recent changes starting back in the nineties. The rest of the segment is dedicated to Downtown Brooklyn in current day.

Segment 3

Jeff introduces the second group of guests of the show, St. John Frazel (Fort Defiance), Sohui Kim and Ben Schneider (The Good Fork), a group of restaurateurs all operating out of Red Hook. St. John and Ben talk about their origins in the area and Sohui talks about her move from Korea to New York City. Sohui and Ben discuss how they met, St. John talking about how he met them. They all talk about their history as partners and how they reached the partnership they all worked together on their project of renovating an old Brooklyn restaurant.

Segment 4

The talk continues with the renovation of Gage & Tollner, Frazel talking about what they decided to change and keep, what needed work and projects they planned to put into motion, as well as why they decided to keep the name of the restaurant. They talk about how they enjoy the neighborhood the restaurant is rooted in. The segment closes with the three talking about the current palette of the restaurant and Jeff giving out information on the restaurant which is planned to open after the pandemic.