Livin’ in New York City Post 22: My Rebirthday and Coming Home

Sometimes you look at a familiar spot and realize something new about it. For instance, at this angle you can see both The Strand Bookstore and the Empire State Building.

It’s official. I have been living in New York for well over a year and show no signs of slowing down. It’s been a lot of fun living in this city, having plenty of things to do and see, challenging doesn’t even begin to describe this first year. In 12 months, I’ve had to build up a whole new circle of friends, try to find opportunities for filmmaking projects and transition from living in corn country to being a city slicker. It’s the kind of insane existence that few people in their right mind would elect but it works for some. While I have spent this past month celebrating, in my own way, my first anniversary of being a New Yorker, I have also taken some time to reflect on my roots and even got to go back to Illinois for the first time in seven months. And yes, I too was shocked at how early everything closes back home.

But let’s turn it back to mid-July with my “rebirthday,” a very pompous way to refer to July 18, just days away. Following my short employment on the set of “The Next Big One” during its last two days of production, I became friends with some of the people on set and we exchanged social media handles. One of my newfound comrades Stine, the costume designer of the film, announced that she was hosting a fundraiser in support of “Kjære Lisa”: an upcoming documentary project that she’d be directing. I guess the fundraiser was a success because she’s in Norway right now shooting the film and I wish her the best of luck.

The fundraiser itself was a glorious time. It was held at this place in Williamsburg called the Weylin which was the site of the Williamsburg Savings Bank and was constructed in the 1870s. In 2010, the bank moved locations but the building was up for sale and it became this gorgeous event space with a beautiful bar, rich wood adorning everything and certain remnants of the building’s history on full display, including this ancient safe. With such a prestigious location, I think I made the right decision by going to the event in my suit, despite the heat. 

When you walked into the Weylin for the event, one side of the room was a massive display of beautiful pictures and footage to really sell the idea of doing this documentary to people. It certainly piqued my interest because I made a donation to the cause. Without giving away too much, it’s a personal story about how people who are torn between two cultures (the one they grew up with versus the one they found) and how these sides can be reconciled. Not only was I glad to give money to help someone make a film, but the event also had an open bar which was very good news to the crowd of filmmakers whose careers have been put on hold due to the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. 

Locations was one of two bands that performed at the Weylin for the fundraiser of “Kjære Lisa.”

For entertainment, we had two bands and a slew of stand-up comedians. We danced and laughed and partied, which was easy because of the free booze and the Norwegian waffles we were being served. The longer the party went, the more fun we were having until it was 11 p.m. and the event was over with plenty of money being raised. However, several of the filmmakers and guests, myself included, weren’t quite ready for the party to end. 

So, we made our way to the East River Bar just down the street and kept it going. When I went to the jukebox, I discovered that there were about 30 credits on the thing and I took complete advantage of that. I started blasting songs by Bob Dylan, The Band, Creedence Clearwater Revival, anything to keep the atmosphere upbeat for the attendees that transferred here from the Weylin. For the next few hours, we drank some more and talked about the films we liked, the stuff we wanted to do and those that were working on Stine’s film also talked about their hopes for the project. When the bar was closing, we finally had to call it a night but I was a bit relieved to do so. It was nearly three in the morning and I was starting to feel the effects of staying up that late. However, being in this world, surrounded by so many young voices in film was marvelous and I can’t express enough how glad I was to have RSVP’d to that party. 

The fundraiser was an incredible night that raised so much money for this documentary film that I can’t wait to see.

As much as I love going to see new movies, there’s the sexy appeal of older films that I can’t deny. Do you have a list of films that, if they were playing at a theater near you, you’d go see no matter what? I do. There are just some movies that I want to relive in the darkness of the cinema with a crowd of fellow film fanatics as many times as possible with titles like “The Big Lebowski,” “Do the Right Thing” and “Star Wars” all making my list. So, when I saw that the Village East by Angelika cinema in the East Village was playing “2001: A Space Odyssey” on a print of 70mm film, I had to go. 

What I love about old cinemas is the class that was put into the architecture. There’s none of that sleek, form-follows-function, modern multiplex bullshit. Instead, they’re palaces. The Village East by Angelika certainly has that quality since it was built in the 1920s and, when it was the site of vaudeville shows and plays, was a strong site of New York’s Yiddish theater scene. So, when you walk into the building’s main auditorium and see the immaculate chandelier hanging from the ceiling, which also has an illustrious Star of David on it, you realize that it’s the perfect place to watch a film like “2001: A Space Odyssey.” 

Having already seen the film multiple times at home and at the Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, IL when I was in college, I knew what to expect in terms of plot and character. After all, this is one of the most iconic, analyzed and beloved films of all time. However, I had a profound experience with the film similar to when I saw the film at the Egyptian in 2019. We’ve all been transfixed by cinema but it’s a rare thing when we see a film and we’re so hypnotized by it that we can’t physically move. That’s what seeing “2001” on a prestine 70mm print was like and it’s why I love the cinema scene in New York. You can’t hurl a rock without hiting some kind of theater that shows old movies and it makes for an eclectic range of things to see every day. 

For the first time since Thanksgiving, my parents, brother and I were all in New York together.

By some miraculous coincidence, my one year anniversary in New York, July 18, just happened to coincide with the week my family decided to come to New York to visit. This was especially exciting because, aside from my Mom’s weekend excursion back in May, I hadn’t seen my family since Christmas and my Dad and brother hadn’t been out here since Thanksgiving. So, we had so little shit to do and so much time to do it. No wait. Scratch that, reverse it. And we were doing it in style with my family renting a cozy Airbnb apartment on the Upper West Side. While staying there was certainly nice, it did take an hour to get there from my Bed-Stuy apartment via the subway. However, my family insisted that they wanted to stay in Manhattan and not Brooklyn. And when I say “my family,” I mean my brother. I can’t help but be a little hurt on Brooklyn’s behalf, especially since we have an abundance of nice neighborhoods like Williamsburg, Prospect Heights and, of course, Bed-Stuy, but it’s important to know where my brother is coming from.

At this point, the only time my brother had come to see me was for Thanskgiving and we were staying in a small apartment in the Flatlands: a part of Brooklyn so residential and boring that even the subway doesn’t go out there. Also, to get to the apartment, my father and brother thought it would be a fine idea to drive through Brownsville. At night. In a rented minivan. What could possibly go wrong? Well, I’ll tell you. It could turn my brother completely off of Brooklyn for life. That’s the real tragedy here. 

Despite the commute, being on the Upper West Side was a delight, especially since I was with my family. The whole week was full of adventure and exploration that can only come when people who live out of state come to visit. I’ve probably said this before but it does hurt my feelings a little bit when people I know visit New York and they never bother to check in. I know they’ll probably say “I didn’t want to bother you.” However, there’s one problem I have with that. I want to be bothered! It’s fun to show people around and teach them a thing or two about being a New Yorker. But I digress. 

While my family was in New York, it didn’t stop me from working at the café for a few days during the week. This worked out pretty well because it allowed my family to show my brother some more of the toruisty elements that I had already seen including The Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island and Central Park. Not that I would mind seeing them again but, if they were going to see anything while I was working, I’m glad it was those places. 

Walking everywhere is just one of the many hurdles tourists have to jump when they spend time in New York. It’s either this or having a big bill from all the cab rides.

But we didn’t just tread over familiar territory. Along with ordering in pizza and going to restaurants, my dad and I went on a trip to the famous haven of the Upper West Side: Zabar’s. Home of the famous “cash-only” aisle (just a little nod to you Nora Ephron fans out there), this store is well out of my way to go consistently shopping at. However, this rare treat was fantastic because not only did it have this cozy feeling of the local grocery store, but the exclusive products they sold were delicious including their babka and black-and-white cookies. I think Jerry Seinfeld was onto something when he said that if we looked at how well vanilla and chocolate work together when they’re on a black-and-white cookie, racial harmony might be in our grasp. Look to the cookie. 

In terms of celebrating the actual day I moved to New York (my “rebirthday”), my mom didn’t disappoint. The two of us went out for dinner and a Broadway show while Dad and Conner stayed at the apartment because they’re not musical theater people (although I personally think they would have enjoyed “Shucked” or “The Book of Mormon”). But we didn’t go to just any Broadway show. We went to see “Wicked.” And we didn’t just have dinner at any restaurant. We went to Sardi’s. 

Where to begin. First, Sardi’s was everything I hoped it would be and more. While the place is very pricey, it’s worth it if you’ve got the money. The class that this establishment had was unbelievable. It felt like a restaurant completely disjointed from time with the waiters in the finest outfits, the drinks of the utmost quality and the food perfectly cooked and portioned. Adorning the walls of Sardi’s was, of course, all of those famous caricatures of actors, writers, directors and other creative visionaries of the stage and screen. At our table alone, Mom and I were eating dinner with the likes of John Lithgow, Carol Burnett, John Goodman and Chita Rivera. 

But I still wasn’t satisfied because there was one portrait I was desperate to see. You see, one of my favorite films set in New York City is the classic “ The Muppets Take Manhattan” and some of you might remember the scene were Kermit the Frog puts on a fake mustache and a fedora and brings a picture of himself to Sardi’s to get someone to produce his show on Broadway. It doesn’t go well, mainly because Kermit chose to swap his portrait with Liza Minelli’s. I know that Kermit is still fairly new to New York but I think it’s just common sense that you don’t mess with Liza Minelli in any way. If I were to so much as breathe at her thew wrong way, I would probably have a hail of fists from theater nerds and the LGBTQ+ community coming down to end my life and I would deserve it. After all, we all know what happened in New York City the night Liza Minelli’s mom died. Well, I looked and eventually, on the second floor, I was able to find the portrait of the only amphibian in Sardi’s. I’m certainly glad to see that the restaurant and Kermit were able to have a good relationship. 

That famous portrait of Kermit the Frog from “The Muppets Take Manhattan” can still be found at Sardi’s.

Following dinner, we went to see “Wicked” and we couldn’t have been more hyped for it. While I had never seen the show or read the book it’s based on, Mom had and I was excited to see a Broadway show with ther for the first time. What else can I say that hasn’t been said before? It’s just a fantastic show, especially from an effects standpoint. Yes the story, characters and songs are all great but the way this theater is able to transform into the Land of Oz is remarkable as are the effects to make Elfaba fly and the makeup used to turn her skin green. 

Not only was the show amazing, but getting back to the Upper West Side apartment was exciting because, for the first time, I hailed a cab. Now, I don’t really take cabs or Ubers because I work at a café and I don’t like to waste money. I really only take cabs as a last resort or if it’s really late at night. The way I see it, I have two perfectly good legs and they’re not always going to be in such pristine condition. So, when I reach 90 and all my old buddies than have lasted this long complain that they should have used their legs more when we’re confined to wheelchairs, I’m just going to relax knowing that I did my time by walking everywhere or taking public transportation. However, when I do take cabs, it’s always through the Curb app. So, it was quite the exhilarating experience to just stand out near the street, waving my hand for the next yellow cab but I managed to succeed and we were back on 89th Street before we knew it. 

Conner and I at “the Seinfeld restaurant” aka Tom’s Restaurant on the Upper West Side.

Two days after the Broadway adventure, my entire family and I decided to go to the remote land of The Bronx for the famous Bronx Zoo. However, we did need to get breakfast beforehand so we took a detour to Tom’s Restaurant about twenty blocks north of us to eat at the diner imortalized in “Seinfeld,” a show that my dad and I thoroughly enjoy. After a delicious American breakfast, we took an Uber to The Bronx Zoo. Since I live in Brooklyn, The Bronx is not exactly my go-to place to visit. At minimum, it would take me an hour to get to Yankee Stadium and that’s if I’m lucky and the stars align with the subway arrival and departure times. So, whenever I get an excuse to go to The Bronx, I try to take it. 

The Bronx Zoo was well worth all of the hype. Despite us visiting in the heat of summer with the temperature reaching the 90s, the entire place was well shaded and designed to that everyone in attendance could move freely without any traffic jams. The zoo also felt like this secluded haven to observe all the animals. When we has just walked into the main courtyard, we were amazed to discover there were peacocks just roaming freely and that wasn’t even in the top ten most exciting exhibits we encountered. 

The diverse range of animals housed in the zoo was enough to excite anyone’s fascination with the animal kingdom. There were too many stunning exhibits to count. When we were seeing reptiles, we saw some children running and screaming from one of the exhibits and, after assessing the situation, their reaction was more than justified. Behind a pane of glass was a large Nile crocodile just lying in the water, absolutely still. Upon reading the information panel next to the exhibit, I learned that Nile crocodiles sit very still in the water, almost to the point of blending into their environment, in order to swiftly murder. It was terrifying. 

Seeing the brown bears was one of my favorite parts of the Bronx Zoo…

My personal favorite part of the zoo was when we were outside looking at the larger mammals. Seeing a whole herd of American bison was marvelous as was seeing large brown bears just chilling in their environment. To escape the heat, one bear was just lying in a pool of water while another dug a hole and sat in the cool Earth. If it weren’t for the fact that I’ve seen “The Revenant” and “Grizzly Man” and knew what those animals were capable of, I would have been tempted to see them up close.

But the best exhibit is most definitely the primates. When you see the monkees and apes, you know that there’s a connection between us and them. After all, we were just like them millennia ago until our ancestors went another way in the evolutionary chain. They understand where they are, in cages, but they don’t seem to care. As the tourists looked in at these animals in their habitat, the gorrillas in particular just didn’t seem to care. Instead of staring at us dumb humans, they just laid back and sat in the sun, relaxing. It seemed like a peaceful existence. One that I was almost jealous of. Perhaps the gorillas and the monkees have a much better understanding of living than us. 

…as was the gorillas just resting in their habitat.

After our trip to the zoo, my brother and I went to the Cellar Dog to play pool only to be denied entry because my brother is only 19. Despite the fact that we were there to play pool and not drink, the Cellar Dog didn’t seem to understand that. Don’t worry, it’s still one of my favorite spots in the city. After wandering through the Village in search of places that you didn’t have to be 21 to enjoy, we realized that establishments like that are in short supply. So, we took a cab up to Fifth Avenue and I did something that I swore I would never do: I went into and bought something from an I♥️NY store. For a year, I have made tacky establishments like this my sworn enemy. I have hated their overt commercialism and their desire to turn everyone in the city, tourist or citizen, into a walking billboard. 

So, why did I go in there? I had to buy a damn NYPD mug. You see, my dad has finally given into the streaming craze and started to bingewatch “Blue Bloods” on my Hulu account. Bizarrely though, my mother (a woman who hates violent shows and films and can only watch a select few Scorsese films) has also become a huge fan of the legal drama and wanted the NYPD mug that Tom Selleck’s Frank Reagan has in the show. So, I swallowed my pride, found the mug and bought it. I also bought one of those sleeveless New York City shirts that John Lennon famously wore because if I’m going to be a marketing prostitute (not to put down sex workers because, after all, it’s still work) for New York, I might as well dress like a Beatle. 

I was certainly glad to have my family in town, especially since I could show them some of the amazing sights that I had accumulated over the past year. During the last full day we were all in the city, Mom and I took some time to do some shopping. First, we had to go to the Adidas store on Fifth Avenue because my mom left her tennis shoes behind since she didn’t want to look touristy. So, just for the record, my mom knew she was coming to New York, a city that is famous for how everyone walks everywhere, and left her comfy shoes at home. So, after that unnecessary detour, I hailed another cab and we went to The Strand Bookstore which I knew she would appreciate. 

You know, it’s amazing how many times you can visit somewhere and still discover new things about it. For instance, I have been to The Strand many times. However, it took coming there with my mom for her to point to the side of the building and say “isn’t that a quote from ‘Gilmore Girls?’” I then felt incredibly stupid because, while my mom is the biggest “Gilmore Girls” fan in the world, I also love the show and I just couldn’t believe that I never noticed Rory Gilmore’s quote “I live in two worlds. One is a world of books.” You all know the quote from the final episode of season three “Those Are Strings, Pinocchio” when Rory graduates from Chilton. Well, I guess I need to rewatch the show if an obvious “Gilmore Girls” reference like that was staring me in the face for months and I never noticed. 

Mom at The Strand Bookstore with the “Gilmore Girls” quote that I somehow never noticed.

After our time in the city’s most famous bookstore, we went to a few different record stores and then went to Houston Street in an area of the city I like to call the “Jewish Strip” because, within two blocks of each other, are three of my favorite and most iconic Jewish eateries in the city: Katz’s Deli, Russ & Daughters bagels and Yonah Schimmel’s Knish Bakery. Since we’d already eaten at Katz’s a few times and Russ & Daughters was closed for renovations, we made our way to Yonah Schimmel’s so Mom could have her first knish. Mom went with one fo the fruit and cream cheese knishes while I stuck to the traditional potato. Since all orders at Yonah Schimmel are to go, we ate our treats on a bench in the middle of Houston Street, a circumstance that Mom told me she could not have predicted a year ago. Both knishes were delicious, at least that’s what Mom said since I don’t do cheese, and I still stand by the fact that this two block patch in New York City is where you can find the best food.

So, during my family’s travels to New York (both this current trip as well as our Thangiving vacation and my initial arrival in the city one year ago) we had eaten all the classic staples of New York cuisine. We have had pastrami, latkes, corned beef, soul food, Italian pasta, Irish spuds, hot dogs from a cart and, of course, plenty of pizza. However, there was still one hill left to take: the bagel. While I’ve already had my fair share of New York bagels, my family was not so fortunate and, the morning before my family flew back to Illinois, I knew we had to get up early and have some quality bagels from a beloved institution. On the Upper West Side, there was one obvious place and it just so happened to be a few blocks from the apartment: H&H bagels. 

So, right before they opened, Mom and I went to H&H and became the restaurant’s first customers of the day. They may not let their employees take time off to celebrate Festivus, but it was a fine place for a bagel. Everyone else in my family went with the classic Bacon, Egg and Cheese while I went with my usual: a toasted everything bagel with butter, lox, tomatoes and onions. Eating those bagels in the apartment was just the perfect way to end the trip and, while it was a bit sad to see my family leave, I wasn’t too broken up since I knew that, in a couple of weeks, I would be coming back home to Illinois for the first time since Christmas. 

Conner in Washington Square Park: one of the most iconic and bizarre places in the entire city.

In the period of time between my family’s visit and my return to Illinois, I still managed to do a few things that I think are worth mentioning. For starters, I got to attend the biggest cinematic event of the summer during it’s opening weekend. “Barbenheimer,” a term christened by the internet to refer to seeing “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” on the same day as a double feature, has been an independent marketing sensation that I haven’t seen in a long time. The amount of hype for two films that aren’t superhero films or part of a larger franchise was incredible and I knew that, if I was going to see two of the year’s most critically and commercially acclaimed films with polar opposite tones on the same day, I had to be prepared. So, I ordered a pink tie, wore it with a dark suit and a long-brimmed black hat and attended the screenings.

To see “Oppenheimer” in IMAX and “Barbie” with Dolby Atmos sound was fantastic but was even more incredible was how many of my fellow attendees also dressed up for the occasion. You saw people wearing suits for “Oppenheimer,” others wearing loads of pink and neon for “Barbie” and people like me who chose to do both in honor of the double feature. When you love cinema as much as I do, it can be frustrating when new films thast you love don’t get the success that you think they deserve. Last November was one of those times where “The Fabelmans,” despite being a critically acclaimed masterpiece from Steven Spielberg (the highest grossing director of all time) and my favorite film of 2022, bombed hard at the box office. So, seeing both “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” outdo big franchises and be largely successful really restored my faith in the American filmgoer. 

Of course I dressed up for “Barbenheimer.” It’s the cinematic event of the summer.

During this intermission between family visits, I also found my way back to the picket line of the WGA, and now SAG-AFTRA, strike. It had been a minute since I had marched with my fellow creatives and I had been feeling really guilty about it. So, I made a promise to myself that, until the strike is over, I would be on the picket line at least once per week. With the actors now on strike and Hollywood at a complete standstill, it has felt good to have so much support and to socialize with people who are doing what I want to do. 

At one march by Rockefeller Center, I was approached by John Carroll Lynch (a fantastic actor from “Zodiac,” “The Trial of the Chicago 7” and “Crazy, Stupid, Love”) who asked a group of protestors if one of us could take his sign since he was heading home. I volunteered, shook his hand and, when he said “Thank you,” I said “Thank you sir.” While I try not to get starstuck in New York, you can’t help it sometimes. At that same march, as it was ending and I was leaving, I accidentally bumped a guy’s shoulder and apologized. When he turned around to say “Oh, don’t worry about it,” I was surprised to see that it was Ted Lasso himself Jason Sudekis. 

Despite my quick meetings with famous people, I need to stress that that’s not why I’m standing with the WGA. As good as it is to meet people and exchange business cards, I’m marching to make a better future for people in the industry as well as for myself since I long for the day when I can have WGA and DGA membership cards. But, at the end of the day, I’m not really risking much. I didn’t have a job in the world of film and television. I work as a barista and an assistant. I go to these marches in my spare time when I’m not working. I’m not sacrificing anything. I’m not on strike and risking losing my home and livelihood, I’m just marching with those who are taking those risks. Sometimes, I feel like a fraud for going to the picket line. But then I remind myself that, not only am I standing up for people that are in a position that I want to strive for, but that civilian support is incredibly important in this fight. Anything I can do to raise awareness for this strike, including going to rallies and sharing informative posts on social media, is helping and that’s all I want to do. 

Solidarity now, solidarity forever on the WGA picket line.

Remember when I said that “Do the Right Thing” was one of those movies that I would immediately go see if I found out it was playing in a theater near me. Well, that opportunity arose at the IFC Center where, for the first time, I got to experience a Spike Lee film on the big screen. I could write paragraphs about how much I love this movie but one things that I was constantly reminded of watching the film was where it was set. Seeing this one block of Stuyvesant Avenue, just five blocks from where I live, be so immaculately photographed in this film was enough to give me chills. The fact that over thirty years ago, a 31-year-old filmmaker with two criitcally acclaimed films on his resumé went to a block in Bed-Stuy and made one of the greatest American films of all time is remarkable. The reason why “Do the Right Thing” inspires me so much is that a filmmaker told a story that was incredibly personal to him and it paid off in a magnificent way. It’s an example of how film not only has the power to inform and unite us but it can also make intimate stories feel universal. 

In the weeks leading up to my return to Farmer City, I grew incredibly nervous. After all, it had been months since I was last home and so much had happened during than time. For starters, my cousin had a baby and I was now an uncle (techincally first cousin once removed but that’s not catchy). I had been longing to come back to Illinois for quite some time. I missed the corn, the peace and my family. 

The first night I was back in my childhood home, my ears began ringing because of how quiet it was. The only thing I could hear in the countryside was the crickets. Despite my prolonged absence, I settled back into my home like I’d never left. The next week was full of visits with family and friends as well as my long-overdue introduction to my nephew Turner. After meeting this six-month-old, I can say that he’s now my favorite person on the planet. At this point, he’s been crawling, loves to bounce and is a massive fan of “Bluey” as am I because “Bluey” is amazing. I love this guy even if he is a grabber. If you have long hair, a beard or glasses, Turner will try to grab them and I just so happen to have all three so I guess I became a favorite of Turner’s when I visited him. What’s amazing about him is that he is experiencing everything for the first time which is something that most of us can’t even comprehend. We can’t remember what it was like to crawl for the first time so it’s incredible to see it through the eyes of someone so young. 

Meeting my nephew for the first time was the undisputed highlight of my trip back to Illinois.

When I saw that Turner had “Monsters Inc.” pajamas I started quoting Mike Wazowski to him and he gave me a pretty clueless look. Granted, this could be because he’s six-months-old but Lauren also told me that he’d never seen “Monsters Inc.” So, logically, I immediately put it on. Despite the fact that Turner can’t comprehend dialogue that much, I think he enjoyed the film. I especially noticed that he loved any scene with Billy Crystal as Mike Wazowski and, as someone who dressed up as Mike for Halloween when I was little, I appreciated that. 

Along with spending time with my nephew, I also drove a car for the first time in a year, went back to my childhood church and spent most mornings at my grandparents’ house for coffee. Being back home for a week with no work and no responsibilities was the perfect escape that I needed. While I love living in New York, having so much stimulation and activity can mess with your head after a while. But, after a while, I knew that I needed to go back to the city. Because as much as I loved being back, it just wasn’t the same. The best way I can describe it is imagine being Frodo Baggins when he returns to The Shire at the end of “The Lord of the Rings.” He’s glad to be back but so much has happened. He’s changed and there’s no going back to the way things were before. 

One’s relationship with their hometown is a complicated thing sometimes. I think that Farmer City is good for many people, many careers and many lives. But it’s not for me. I will always be a Midwesterner but I can’t exist in this environment. Not anymore. If I were to have stayed in Farmer City, I think it would have been disastrous. It’s like Bruce Springsteen said, “This town rips the bones from your back. It’s a death trap. It’s a suicide rap. We gotta get out while we’re young. ‘Cause tramps like us, baby, we were born to run.” 

But my feelings towards Farmer City can always change. After all, for all his songs about getting the hell out of New Jersey in the 1970s, Bruce Springsteen now lives on a horse ranch not too far from where he grew up. Perhaps one day I’ll come back to Farmer City for good. But it’s not now. 

Regardless, I still am grateful to this place because it brought me up and made me who I am. I still want to visit whenever I can because it was nice to be in such a quiet place and get away from everything with my family just minutes away instead of hours. The rest that you can find in the country is practically nonexistent in the country. I think that there comes a time to slow down and to spend your evenings sitting on a porch with a cold drink in your hand. But I’m not there yet and I doubt I will be for a long time.

Being behind the wheel of a car one year after I sold my Dodge Avenger and driving around the fields of corn while I was home felt amazing.

Upon my return to New York, I quickly got back into the same old rhythm of work, picketing and finding new adventures to fill my time. However, the week I returned to New York, I found out that Robbie Robertson, the chief songwriter and lead guitarist of The Band, had died. As a massive fan of The Band and the solo careers of each of its members, especially Robbie Robertson’s and Levon Helm’s, I was devastated. So, as part of my healing process, I blasted nothing but The Band for a whole week in the café and watched “The Last Waltz” a few times. It was the right way to heal from losing an artist that meant a lot to me as well as to continue sharing the music that he helped create. 

With summer quickly dying, I knew that it was now or never to take advantage of the beach life that can be found in New York. After all, we are right on the Altantic Ocean. So, on a day off from work, I took the ferry to Rockaway Beach at the edge of Queens. Despite being a part of New York, Rockaway is so far from Manhattan and so casual that you feel like you’re not in the city anymore. Also helping this feeling is the fact that, unlike Coney Island, there’s no land in front of Rockaway Beach. As far as you can see, it’s all open ocean. In fact, if you were to take a boat from Rockaway and just go straight from the shore, the first landmass you’d hit (if you were lucky) would be Bermuda which is over 700 miles away. To understand what Rockway is like as a community, imagine the town of Amity Island from “Jaws” and that’s essentially what it is, even down to the presence of sharks. While I was at the beach for a few hours, I only spent a half hour in the water since the beach got shut down due to shark sightings which was okay by me since I was there to just sit back and relax on the beach. 

Since Rockaway is fairly close to JFK International Airport, I could see plenty of planes take off while I was lying on the beach, reading my book. It was just a calming way to unofficially put an end to summer during one of the last truly hot weeks of the year. Granted, I’m not the biggest beachgoer and it’s not my go-to activity during the summer. It’s probably because I’m from Illinois and far more used to pools but I still enjoyed it fine. What I really loved was just how economical the whole experience was. All it costs to get there and back via the ferry are two $4 tickets and the beach is public. So, as long as you have a day to kill, you can just bring some lunches and drinks with you and have a pleasant day at the beach and in the Rockaway community for a good bargain. 

I may not have spent a ton of time at the beach this summer but what little time I did spend was good enough for me. After all, there’s always next summer.

While this day at the beach was enough to make anyone tired for the rest of the day, I had plans for that night after I got back to my apartment. With the release of the upcoming teen comedy “Bottoms,” the director’s previous film, “Shiva Baby,” was being rereleased in certain theaters and I decided to see it when it was playing at the Syndicated Bar in Williamsburg. Despite being a bit worn out from the beach, I took a shower and hyped myself up for the screening and I’m glad I did. While I have a variety of favorite bars, dives and haunts throughout the city, the Syndicated has officially become one of my favorites.

Not only do they screen films in a small theater, but the rest of the building is a bar with a sleek feel and a strong love for cinema. When I walked in there, the walls had two screens where older films were being projected. On one screen was the Alfred Hitchcock film “The Wrong Man” starring Henry Fonda and, on the other, was the classic “A Raisin in the Sun” starring Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dee. The theater itself functioned like The Alamo Drafthosue as a theater where you can order food and alcoholic drinks and the love for film was just as strong there too. Before the screening of “Shiva Baby” the theater was playing clips of older films like “Roman Holiday” and “12 Angry Men.” Then, as the start time drew closer, the projected clips came from films with ties to Judaism and the ritual of shiva including “This is Where I Leave You.” 

Watching “Shiva Baby,” a comedy that delights in how uncomfortable it can make the audience, with a packed theater was such a good way to see the film. With audience members that love the theatrical experience, this bar is just one of those places that really appeals to me and my proclivities. Since seeing “Shiva Baby,” I’ve been to Syndicated a few more times because not only is it a good venue, but it’s also pretty affordable. The tickets only cost $10.50 after tax and the drinks/food are also reasonably priced. I love that I can go to this upscale place, see a film and have a Coke with free refills all for less than $15. So, if you find yourself in Williamsburg, Syndicated is a worthwhile place to check out. 

After seeing some indie films there with great audiences and good prices, Syndicated in Williamsburg is now one of my favorite places to go out.

Syndicated wasn’t the only film venue that I got the chance to discover recently. As some of you might remember, I got my first job in the film industry as a Production Assistant on an indie film called “The Next Big One.” Well, not only did my two days of work get me my first IMDb credit but I guess I made a nice impression on the cast and crew. So, I got an email from Onur Tukel, the film’s producer about a month later and he invited me to a screening of his latest film, “Poundcake,” which he was the writer/director of. Excited to be invited to something like this, I showed up to the pristine Roxy Cinema in Soho. I think I knew that it was going to be a good night when the first things I saw on the walls were portraits of George Harrison and Pattie Boyd. 

Without giving anything away, “Poundcake” exists in a similar camp as “Shiva Baby” where part of the film’s satirical humor comes from how anxious it can make the audience. Normally, I would tell you what the film is about but I would rather you look up the film and see for yourself, especially since the film is starting its festival run. I certainly enjoyed it and I wish it the best. 

Not only was it a privilege to be invited to the screening, but the after party was also a good deal of fun. It was wonderful to be surrounded by these filmmakers as well as to reconnect with some of the cast and crew of “The Next Big One.” While you could tell that the strikes were weighing heavily on a lot of people, there was still this need to be jovial at the screening of this indie film and to celebrate those that made it. While I was there, I got to meet plenty of interesting people who I hope to work with one day including actors, writers, cinematographers and producers. Also, we all were very happy to see that actor Micheal Shannon of “Man of Steel,” “Knives Out,” “Revolutionary Road” and “The Shape of Water” was at the screening and after party. Despite being a big star and having many roles in big budget studio films, Michael Shannon is still very much involved in the world of independent cinema. I think that’s the kind of existence that I would like as a filmmaker with one foot in the mainstream and the other in the indie scene. To be able to shake hands with General Zod himself was a pleasure and it’s what I love about being in this world. Not only do you get to be surrounded by people who you admire and who understand your ambitions, but it’s also great to meet those who have achieved success. Not only are you happy for them, but it also feels more attainable for you if you put in the work and get lucky. 

With the summer starting to wind down, all I can wait for is this fall weather to hit New York City. Don’t you just love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. Maybe as the weather cools, I should do one of my film location adventures. This time, inspired by “You’ve Got Mail.” 

Seeing an indie film like “Poundcake” at a venue like the Roxy, surrounded by people in my field is one of those experiences that can’t be beat.