WTC - a view from NY area @ 2 week mark

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

Hi all, From my location about 50 miles east of the site life is starting to get back to normal. People are trying to cope with what has happened, but I find myself talking to total strangers about what has happened. People are being erged to talk about the event. Sad stories abound in all the papers and TV making the return to regular life difficult. An uneasyness seems to be arround us. Several people I know had friends or relitives who died, I did not know anyone. Funerals take place daily, many members of the NYC police and fire depts live on Long Island. (NY law does not allow them to live in NJ or CT) Some telecom lines routed throught the city are still out. My office has been without our LAN since 9:30 a.m. that day. The economy has taken a hit, people are affraid to gather in large numbers in the city, but sports are getting back to normal. Broadway is in deep trouble, they have very high cost and many shows have folded. In my business, NYS Lottery sales, we are back to normal levels.<BR>Two of the biggest businesses, finance and tourism are off.<BR> <p>[ 09-25-2001: Message edited by: SalG ]

[novaman]

Thanks for the "no spin" update, Sal. The media puts too much spin in the stories to try to out do each others stories.

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

Have you guys heard the latest! The mob was stolen the scrap metal. It seems that the first week with all the confusion 250 tons of steel went to two NJ scrap yards and one in Deer Park, on Long Island (50 miles east), instead of the Fresh Kills land fill in Staten Island. The FBI and NYCPD are checking it for evidence when it reaches Fresh Kills. The steel worth about $15,000 has been returned. The mob has been in the garbage and trucking business for years. <p>[ 09-28-2001: Message edited by: SalG ]

[Guest]

Sal Baby!<BR>You mean the "cartage" business as these fine folks would like it to be called. The real money isn't in stealing stuff, it's in the monopoly practice of being the only NY area commercial trash hauler for your particular business. And if you don't like the way they do business you can join Jimmy H. somewhere around Exit 9 (or is it Exit 10?).

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

Another one of their businesses is suffering, cement delivery. I read in the NY Times that all the traffic is delaying the delivery from Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx. The loads get bad after 90 minutes. <BR>

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

Well, here we are in the begining of December and the city is trying to get back to normal. The Rock Center tree was lighted on Wednesday (an hour later than usual to be in prime time w/ Laura Bush) and people seem to want to make this a Christmas to remember. People want to get back the the meaning of 12/25, family, friends, helping the poor and the religous origians of the day, etc.<BR>The NY Times has been running a series of mini bio's every day of people lost in the WTC, they are trying to put a human face to an event of untinkable proportions. Check it out at <A HREF="http://www.nytimes.com/portraits" TARGET=_blank>www.nytimes.com/portraits</A> <BR>I have been to the city twice in the past 2 weeks. I had a business meeting on Varick Street (west side) and people seem to be going about their business, but w/ more security. While in town that day I went down town for lunch to the Wall St and South Street Sea Port area. This area still has lots of blocked streets to help the clean up efforts. Cleaning has been a major job, most things have been cleaned at or near street level, but the higher you go you see cleaning crews.<BR>I also took a bus trip in to the UN with my wife. This was planned back in August and they were up and running as usual. Security is tighter then usual. 8 NYC salt/sand spreaders are parked out front, 4 on either end of the property limits to block traffic.<BR>No one will get a running start with a car bomb. Security has always been tight, now more than ever. Metal detectors and x-ray machines scan everything. Once inside it had the feel of any big city office complex. We had the one hour tour and ate at the delegates dining room overlooking the East River. The food and view was great.<BR>We have tickets to Kiss Me Kate on the 21st and are having dinner at Sardi's (famous for its cariacatures of celebs). Now is a great time to visit, lots for Broadway and rooms are reduced. The promo is called paint the town red, white and blue. Go to <A HREF="http://www.redwhiteandblue.com" TARGET=_blank>www.redwhiteandblue.com</A> <BR>or <A HREF="http://www.nycvisit.com" TARGET=_blank>www.nycvisit.com</A> <p>[ 12-03-2001: Message edited by: SalG ]

[1937hd45]

I went into NYC twice last week, the drive down The Henry Hudson Parkway is a very senic one, like driving through a park. We plan to see a few shows this Christmas Season. New York City deserves a visit!

[Guest]

Sal -<BR>Are we still on for lunch on the 23rd? I'm going to leave Maryland early AM and hope to park somewhere in midtown. Where shall we meet and what time? I need to leave by 2 or so because of the long drive north.

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

Ted, We are still on, lets meet in Time Square under the jumbotron and the zipper (the lighted moving sign that wraps the Flat Iron building where the ball drops), intersection of B'way & 7th. This is the view you see at the end of NBC news facing south. Tell me what time. Anyone else want to meet?<BR>Try parking at the Edison Park Fast, theere are several in the area. Try the Hippodrome Garage @ 44th St & 6th Ave, enter from 5th south or 6th (Ave of the Americas) north bound. $14 & up to park <BR>or try 44th St between 8th & 9th Avenues. enter from 9th ave south to east bound 44th $21 and up to park<BR>I will take the train in to Penn Station and walk up. I do not know if my wife will come in.<p>[ 12-03-2001: Message edited by: SalG ]

[Guest]

Sounds good to me! Let's try noon, if that's not too early for you. I'll be wearing an AACA hat - hope you have one to wear also.

[Guest]

Here's my two cents.<P>For all the dreck that the media is feeding nice suburbanites like myself about eveyone being too afraid to get on with life, I say, "HOGSWALLOW"!<P>My wife and her friend and about 30 other woman took a bus trip up to NYC on the 1st for some shopping and sight seeing and my wife tells me that it was shoulder to shoulder at Rock Center, and everywhere else they went for that matter.<P>She tells me that she had to stand in line to get into FAO Shwarz. Lined up out the door like the Stone's were in town. (For those of you who know where the reference to the Stone's came from, speak up.)<P>So quite frankly, I think the media needs to go suck an egg. It seems to me that NYC is doing what NYC does best.<P>And the whole tourism is down bullmalarky, I dont buy it. If they are so afraid to go anywhere, maybe the thought was "Security in Numbers" on Saturday.<P>Anyhow, like I said, my two cents. <P>(Why anyone would want to go stand in a maddening mass of New Yorkers, is beyond me. No offense, but I am strictly a country mouse!)

[Guest]

Jeff -<BR>You're kidding about the Stones, right? If you don't know then your really are "country"! Stay out of Neew Yawk, it's not for you.

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

It got to about 70 on Saturday in the City, a great day for tourist. As for tourism being down, I have not been to any of the big tourist spots on my recent trips. I can tell you that the media works like a herd of sheep, they just follow the one infront so it is had to see what is happening.<BR>Noon sounds good, I have a maroon AACA hat with lots of pins on it.<p>[ 12-04-2001: Message edited by: SalG ]

[Guest]

Ted,<P>My reference to the Stone's comes from a very good song by Tim Wilson and I asked the question to find out how many closet red necks we have here on the forum.

[ply33]

I don't think too many of the "red necks" on this forum stay in the closet. I think it is the left wingers that keep their mouths shut here.

[Guest]

Well Jeff I've got to admit that my knowledge of music is real thin except when you're talking country because I may not be a super red neck but I'm sure a hick. But I took your reference to the Stones to be about the famous ones that can pack any concert venue to the rafters. <P>Anyway, my guess is that there aren't that many closet red necks on the DF, they're all OUT BABY!

[Guest]

Hey Sal -<BR>Thanks for the parking tips. I'll be wearing one of those dark blue and white flame AACA hats without any pins. But it will be perched on my pinhead!

[1937hd45]

Ply33, The only time you'll find this redneck in a closet is when I'm remodeling one you a local yuppie. On average you can store three Harleys or one Model T in one.

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

The fire is out after 100 days! Tourism is of 15% in hotels and broadway is off 25%, now is the time for cheap shows. Try these sites <A HREF="http://www.broadway.com" TARGET=_blank>www.broadway.com</A> <A HREF="http://www.telecharge.com" TARGET=_blank>www.telecharge.com</A> If you can not make it for the holidays, January and February are always slow on Broadway and promos always abound on the big shows. Look for LeMis & Phantom to have cheap seats. <BR>Chicago will probably have a sale. These three are very good, and apeal to many people. (I would not go to any "new wave") stuff. The Music Man & Kiss Me Kate are closing at year end. 42nd Street is back, The Lion King are popular. <p>[ 12-19-2001: Message edited by: SalG ]

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

Hi all, Saw Kiss Me, Kate last night, the show was great, a packed house. Had dinner at Sardi's (the famous place w/ all the celeb schetch's). I spoke to several people in the lobby before the doors opened, couples from rural NJ, Mass and PA that came to the city to support NYC.<BR>Ted and I are meeting Sunday, noon by the zipper. Join us!

[1937hd45]

We're going in to NYC tonite with a school group to give out a van load of gifts to the homeless. Then back in on the 26th for a show with the family. Merry Christmas everyone!

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

Well, Ted and I met in the Big Apple and we managed to fend off the knife and gun toting criminal element. We spent over 2 hours talking about the DF, newsletters, shows, and had lunch at LaVeranda. Ted had worked in NYC a while back and said it was nice to get back for a breif visit.

[Guest]

New York seems to be recovering from 9-11. I arrived about 11:30 AM 12-23 at the Holland Tunnel entrance and was about the 10th car in line. Security is tight. The cops had stopped a Ryder truck to look at the cargo and talk to the driver, who didn't look too happy. <P>Decided to park at the Port Authority Bus Terminal garage (which is park and lock, basically indoors, and an easy return to the Holland Tunnel). The cops were looking at each driver's license on the parking ramp and my guy laughed when he saw my license photo.<BR> <P>While Sal and I ate in the Theatre District, the restaurant wasn't crowded. But it was Sunday noon. Times Square was real crowded around Radio City because of the Christmas Show. And by the time we left the restaurant at 2 PM, the streets were mobbed (sorry Sal) with citizens out in the nice weather, bright sun and 45/48 degrees, trying to get in a visit to NY to see the window displays and Rockefeller Center, etc. <P>The only thief I encountered was the Port Authority (parking = $17 for 3 hours). Oh well, it is New York City. On my way down the parking ramp I passed the cops again, and they laughed and pointed at me (damn Maryland license). <P>One good thing, besides meeting Sal - I bought gas on the New Jersey Turnpike for 98.9 per gallon! What ever happened to the $1.90 to $2.00 stuff last spring?

[Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)]

I'm afraid gas is going back up, Ted. I heard this morning that OPEC was cutting production by 6%. It will be my luck that that will equate to a 50% price hike.<P>If they laughed at your Maryland liscense, I KNOW they would laugh at mine. I had better stay down here. I've never cared for crowds anyway.

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

Things are getting back to normal.

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

Hi All, We are nearing the one year mark as you all know, many memorials are planned for the site and in the tri-state area. Many people plan to go about their business and stop for a moment at the time the towers fell.

The funerals and memorial services are now long over, but were a daily part of life the first 6 months. Many firemen and police live on Long Island and the funerals were very large with trucks and police escorts, honor gaurds, bagpipes. Many people would just stop to pay respects even if they did not know the person.

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

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