Livin’ in New York City Post 11: The Steps of Billy Joel, DMVs, Voter Registration and Everything in Between

While traveling the city, I paid a visit to Trinity Church and saw all of its splendor.

It’s October which means I have been celebrating Halloween like mad this month. I have been keeping up my sugar intake with apple cider and all of the classic monster cereals like Count Chocula. However, it’s my scary movie regimen that is truly impressive. With a combination of the classics and new discoveries, this spooky season will be dominated by all things horror. 

Not only have I been watching horror films from my Blu-Ray collection and streaming services, but I’ve been going to different movie theaters to see iconic scary movies. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to see John Carpenter’s “The Thing” at the Village East Cinema on an original 35 mm film print. Seeing this masterpiece of horror with all the scrapes and cigarette burns (an old industry term) was a more intimate experience than you get from digital.

What’s also incredible about New York is that nearly every film screening I’ve been to has been pretty full. Granted the auditoriums are smaller but it just seems to me that New Yorkers give more of a damn about film than Illinois. When I saw “The Thing,” I purchased my tickets earlier that day and was shocked when I saw that my purchase meant the show was sold out. It was great to see this film with a packed house but it also reminded me of classic film screenings I would go to in Illinois where I was surrounded by very few people. 

After continuously working at both of my jobs, I realized that it had been a minute since I went on one of my adventures. So, I decided to venture into Manhattan to find an iconic landmark in New York’s musical history. In 1983, Billy Joel (who I plan to see later this year at Madison Square Garden) released an album called “An Innocent Man” which paid homage to music he grew up with in the 1950s. With songs like “For The Longest Time,” “Uptown Girl” and “This Night,” it’s my favorite of Billy Joel’s discography. On the cover of the album is Billy Joel sitting on the steps of 142 Mercer St. and I decided to find those steps and somewhat replicate the picture.

After taking the subway and finding the steps, I asked a young couple if they could take my picture. They obliged and even asked me if I wanted the Prada sign in the photo. When they asked me that, I realized I was in the Fashion District and I had to explain to them that I wasn’t here for Prada, I was here for Billy Joel. 

After wandering around the Fashion District for a while and seeing stores like Gucci and Tiffany’s, I knew I had to get the hell out of there. Why? Because I can’t afford any of these amazing clothes. Taking me to see those clothes is like taking a 1740s French peasant to see what Versailles looks like. You’re just torturing the poor bastard. 

So, I decided to go further up the island to Greenwich Village where I spent the rest of my day. I got to sit in Washington Square Park which, at this point in the year, has been flooded with NYU students alongside musicians, chess players, yoga instructors, hippies, old people, old hippies and the occasional tourist. Despite all of the traffic, it’s a relaxing place where you can definitely get some reading done, go get a slice of Joe’s on Carmine St. and then come back. 

While I was there, I saw several NYU academic buildings, including one for the Tisch School of the Arts, which houses NYU’s film department. I just couldn’t take it any longer. So, when I saw that a student was exiting the building and the door was open, I broke into NYU. For a solid minute. 

While I was in the lobby, acting like I belonged, I saw that there were security guards and that you had to show student ID in order to access the rest of the building. Seeing as how I didn't have an NYU card nor the cash to bribe these guards, I decided to say “good enough” and walked out of the building. I can’t afford to get busted when I’ve got two jobs. 

There’s very few limits as to what Economy Candy has in its inventory.

One day after work, I decided to treat my sweet tooth while I was waiting to see a movie. But I didn’t want to spend a whole lot of money. Fortunately, there is a store that can appeal to that desire for fiscal responsibility and decadence. Economy Candy on the Lower East Side was a fantastic experience and is easily one of the best stores in Manhattan. You know that candy store from “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?” Picture a place that is ten times as awesome. This store is massive, affordable and has all kinds of candy from all over the world. 

While there, I decided to get candy that I’ve never eaten before. Some selections were foreign like the Cadbury Dairy Milk Bar and a Mars Bar. Others were regional like Chuckles (a gummy candy) and Jujyfruits. The latter I chose not only because I’ve never eaten them, but because they also were a vital part of the Seinfeld episode “The Opposite” which is one of the series’ best episodes. I won’t give away why they’re in the episode but if you know, you know. 

I also picked a candy that I guess might be controversial and that is candy cigarettes. I started with two packs and once I had my first stick, it’s been an odyssey of addiction. I’ve now gone from cigarettes to snorting powdered sugar off of my credit card. Candy cigarettes have ruined my life. Now that I’ve gotten my anti-smoking message out of the way, I’ll tell you what I really think. Candy cigarettes are kind of dull to be honest. However, they do taste a bit like marshmallows if you light them and you have to admit, the aesthetic of them is pretty cool. 

For my purchases at Economy Candy, I decided to get foreign candy and some other things I’ve never had before.

After the movie, I wandered a bit more until I had my first bite of Ray’s Pizza at Saint Mark’s Place. As far as New York slices go, it’s definitely good and I get why so many outsiders want to come here for an authentic slice. I also discovered a bookstore called Strand Books with an amazing selection as well as many carts of used books. 

They even had a table of books that have been banned in schools and libraries across the country which is always my favorite table in a bookstore. Among the books were many of my favorites including “The Hobbit,” “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” “To Kill A Mockingbird,” “”Fahrenheit 451” and “Persepolis.” With banned books continuously being an issue in this country, I just have one thing to say. If you want to ban a book from a school library or your community, do us all a favor and light yourself on fire while leaving the books be. I think the biggest issue with book burners is that they’re so insecure that they want others to be as poorly literate as they are. 

So, in the spirit of buying controversial literature, I bought a used copy of George Carlin’s book “When Will Jesus Bring The Pork Chops?” A collection of his best stand-up bits from the late 90s and early 2000s, as well as original thoughts, Carlin’s book is full of gems including one of his best bits of all time: “Modern Man.” It’s not even Carlin at his most vulgar, but it is him at his finest when it comes to constructing infectious language with the skilled prowse of a rapper. 

In my opinion, George Carlin should be taught in high school English classes. Why not? His material is well-written, thought-provoking, controversial and long-lasting. His skill as a writer and a speaker outpaces many great poets and I guarantee you that Shakespeare wrote more dick jokes than Carlin could ever come up with. I think there’s just as much value in George Carlin’s “Seven Dirty Words” as there is in a book like “The Great Gatsby.” I swear, it’s a good thing I’m a filmmaker because if I was a teacher, I would be raising a generation of iconoclastic rebels.

But my life is so much more than just going to cool places. Benign everyday things must intrude. I decided to make my residence as a New Yorker official and traded in my Illinois license for a New York one. This meant going to the dreaded DMV. However, it was a pretty good experience. I went to a license express one on 30th St. which had 14 different counters.In just a half hour, I not only got my license but I also got registered to vote in the upcoming midterms. 

Granted, there was some waiting but I really do love waiting in lines. Waiting at the DMV was a pretty pleasant experience. You get a number, you sit in a comfy chair, you bring a book and you get some reading done while listening to a podcast. What’s so unbearable about that? Oh right, no one else brings a book because their communities banned all the libraries when they went to school. 

Following that chore, I decided to do a little sightseeing because, no matter how long I’ll live here, I’ll still be amazed by this place. I made my way to the Financial District to see the legendary Trinity Church. While Trinity Church has been around since the late 1600s, this church was constructed in the early 1800s and it’s absolutely beautiful. The sanctuary still has all of the old, grand architecture while still having enough modern touches to host services every week.

As I sat in the sanctuary, amazed by the stained glass and the quiet nature of the place, I prayed, read some of the book of Matthew and lit a candle. When I walked outside, I remembered why I came here in the first place: to see the graveyard of the church. While most of the grave stones date to the early years of America, many figures of historical significance are buried here including founding father Alexander Hamilton, his son Philip, his wife Eliza Schuyler and his sister-in-law Angelica Schuyler (I guess Peggy was too good for Trinity). I paid my respects to all of these incredible people before departing. 

Seeing the grave of Alexander Hamilton was truly awe inspiring as well as the graves of Philip Hamilton, Eliza Schuyler and Angelica Schuyler who all have played roles in shaping American history.

Afterwards, I did something that really made me feel like a New Yorker. I got a hot dog with mustard and sauerkraut from a vendor and ate it right across the street from Trinity Church. I then went to Battery Park which not only has an old fort from the 19th Century, but also gives a great view of New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. 

I then ventured up to Nolita to get a slice of pizza from a restaurant that my friends can’t stop talking about: Prince Street Pizza. While the standard triangle slice was sold enough (although I don’t think there was enough sauce), it was the Sicilian slice that was fantastic and it’s probably what the pizzeria is best known for. To all the pizza laymen out there, a Sicilian slice has a focaccia crust which means that it is thicker and is cut in a rectangle. The crust is less crunchy and more chewy but just as structurally sound. It also makes for one badass way to eat a pepperoni pizza. 

As I was eating, I thought that this part of Nolita looked really familiar to me. After just one minute of walking, I realized that Prince Street Pizza is on the same block that Martin Scorsese grew up on. All you have to do is hang a left on Elizabeth St. and walk for a minute and the apartment building is right there. 

Prince Street Pizza’s Sicilian slices were amazing and make this restaurant one of the best places to get a slice in all five boroughs.

But I also wanted something on the sweet side. So, before I went home and ended my day of adventure, I went uptown to the Lexington Candy Shop on the Upper East Side. This place doesn’t have as much candy as it did when it opened in 1925 and it’s more of a classic lunch counter. But not only do they have good food, but they also make Coca-Cola by hand. They pump the syrup in the glass and then add seltzer water while stirring rigorously. It makes for a sweet mixture that isn’t as fizzy as your standard Coke but I definitely enjoyed it. 

While I was drinking my Coke, I looked around and saw that I was face-to-face with a picture of Robert Redford who is easily one of my favorite actors. I don’t know the guy personally (I wish) but it’s hard to find anyone with a nasty thing to say about the man. He’s just a truly great actor with a great range of films like “Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid,” “Barefoot in the Park,” “The Way We Were,” “The Great Gatsby,” “The Natural” and “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” 

Not only was he such a huge box-office draw from the 60s all the way until his retirement a few years back, but he also used his weight as a movie star to make some truly deep work. He made a variety of films with incredible political messaging about what’s wrong with America including “The Candidate,” “Three Days of the Condor” and “All the President’s Men.” Redford also would go on to direct several great films including “The Legend of Bagger Vance,” “Quiz Show” and “Ordinary People” which won him an Oscar for Best Director. 

On top of all that, he’s politically active, a strong environmentalist and co-founded The Sundance Film Festival. There’s really no reason why I went on for so long about Robert Redford, I just wanted everyone to know this information. 

However, the recent news of Robbie Coltrane’s death has filled me with great sadness. As Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, he touched the imaginations of millions (maybe billions) with his warm presence on screen. He will truly be missed by all fans of the series. To properly pay my respect, not only did I watch “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone” with the intention of finishing the series after Halloween, but I also made a visit to the Harry Potter store in the Flatiron District where I stocked up on Butterbeer (in glass bottles no less), Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs and more. It definitely has helped with my acceptance of Coltrane’s passing.  

But as Halloween approaches, I get even more excited. I do love this time of year because of the fall aesthetic, the colder air, the sweaters, the horror films and the fact that I’m experiencing it all here.

Having homemade Coke while sitting across the counter from a photo of Robert Redford is just plain cool.