I Want My Omega Swatch Moon Watch Speedmaster

The OMEGA / SWATCH "Speedmaster"

MOON WATCH

" I Want Mine"

Damn, I watch my watch! The new Omega / Swatch "Speedmaster' Moon Watch,

"I want one" !!! Damn I missed out of the first batch. Was reading my morning Google News Feed and a story popped up from a piece by Bloomberg on the new Omega Moon Swatch Watch and the frenzy it has caused at Swatcg strores around the WOrld, from : Hong Kong to New York, Amsterdam to Melbourne, Tokyo, Geneva, Switzerland and beyond. They came out Saturday March 26th 2002, and Sold Out in no time flat. Damn! "I want one" !!!  I read the story, and quckly called the Swatch Store on Broadway and Bleecker, but there was no answer, just a voice message. So after I had my Breakfas, took a show and got dress, I ran over to the Broadway Swatch Store. Wehn I was across the street from the store on the west side of Broadway at Bleecker Street, I could see a standard white piece of paper taped to the door on each side windows, and without reading it, I figure the inevitable, that the Watch was Sold Out. Sure enough my hunch was correct, when I crossed the street, and walked up to the store, and was able to read the sign, it read Moon Watch Sold Out. "Shit" !!!  I want my damn watch.

Oh well, I guess I'll have to wait. I called the other Manhattan Swatch Stores, and they're all Sold Out as well. "No Omega Swatch Moon Watches in New York"  Damn! So when I went over to my usual morning Coffee spot at the Marton Hotel on West 8th Street, I got my coffee, hopped on my laptop and went straight to the Swatch website. Sold Out. Can't get one. 

I figured that a bunch of wheeler-dealers already bought a bunch of these watches and would be selling them for insane prices on Ebay and the secondary market. Sure enough, when I Googled the watch, there are now Swatch / Omega "Speedmaster" Moon Watches posted on Ebay for $5,000. $7,000 and more. "Insane." I wonder if anybody is foolish enough to pay theses prices. I regular Omega "Speedmaster" Moon Waych sells for about $7,000, and Swatch / Omega has said that this watch is not a limited edition. They will be making, and selling a lot more of them. Probably millions of these watches will be sold eventually, so it's likely they will never come near being valued at $5,000 to $7,000 ... Never ever.

Anyway, I was quite disappointed at not being able to het my Omega / Swatch Moon Watch today, but eventually I will. Well at least I have my gorgeous Bulova Automatic "Oceanographer" Dive Watch that I got, just a couple weeks ago. It's a beautiful watch, and I''l have to happy with that, and all my others, until the day comes that I'm a proud owner of my very own Omega / Swatch Moon Watch.

So until then? "Hasta la Vista Babee" !!!

.... Daniel Bellino Zwicke

OMEGA / SWATCH

"SPEEDMASTER"

Moon Watch

$260

Get (almost) real with this steel grey watch finished with a black VELCRO© strap. All hands and the tachymeter scale are in white, just like the original Moonwatch.

All dials carry the OMEGA X SWATCH branding, as well as the iconic Speedmaster logo and the new MoonSwatch logo. The glass construction, the “hidden” S integrated in the center of the crystal, the fine and sophisticated circular pattern on the dial outer ring and the subdials, the sharp and smooth lugs construction, the iconic “dot over 90” detail on the tachymeter scaled bezel, and of course the unique Bioceramic touch are common to all models and stand for passionate love for details. All hours, minutes, chronograph seconds hands and hour markers sport superluminova for a perfect glow in the dark.

The launch of the Bioceramic MoonSwatch Collection is an incredible success that exceeded all expectations.

We would therefore like to remind you that there will be watches available in the selected Swatch Stores in the coming weeks as it is not a limited edition.

For the moment, we have to update the purchase limit to one watch per person until further notice. We will revert back to two watches per person as soon as possible.

#MoonSwatch

POSITANO The AMALFI COAST

ITALY TRAVEL GUIDE / COOKBOOK

AMAZON.com

CRAZY PRICES on Ebay

$1,449.95

Ebay

$9,39.17

On EBAY

KINDLE UNLIMTED SUCKS

Kindle Unlimited Sucks! Yes Kindle Unlimited Sucks, plain and simple, and there is now question about this .. At first I just thought it Sucks from an authors standpoint. A authors whose books wear selling pretty well in 20014 ...  Selling well until Amazon had the bright idea of this thing called Kindle Unlimited, a sort of Netflix for Books .. Well Kindle Books anyway. Kindle Unlimited is a monthly subscription service, whereby a subscriber can get unlimited downloads of Kindle Books on Amazon, 10 books at a time for the cost of $9.99 a month ... If you're an avid reader, this might sound good to you, good if you can get  and read numerous books a month for $9.99  ... Yes, good if you can get books, or more like, good if there was a good selection of books for you to get (Download) and read ... But guess what my friends? The selection of books Sucks "Big Time." There practically is none. The selection is "Pitiful" scandalous actually. Anyone who has signed up for the free month of Kindle Unlimited no-doubt already knows this. I don't know what the figures are, but I'd wager to say that percentage wise the number of books available on Kindle Unlimited against the Total Number of Books sold on Amazon is far less than 1 % .. That's dismal, to say the least .. Think I'll see if I can find out the figure somewhere, and if one of you dear readers happens to know, please let me know by leaving a comment in the comment box. Thanks for that!

Anyway, I first starting hating Kindle Unlimited in the beginning of the month (August 2014). Anyway last Christmas Season my book sales spike to pretty good numbers for the first time. Nice! Yes it was. The first 4 months of 2014 sales were so-so ... Then all of a sudden in May 2014, sales of my book Sunday Sauce started spiking  in a big way. They went from about 20 a month to more than 600 ... I was loving it .. In June and July I was selling close to 850 units a month with about 50 borrows from Klindle Prime subscribers that are worth 2 Bucks a Pop .. Sweet! Then came the dreaded month of August 2014 ... Dreaded for me anyway .. All of a sudden, my sales dipped overnight, and "Drastically" !!! My sales went from around 33 a day, down to a meager 3 !  "What The Fu_k ???" I didn't know what hit me. Seriously, I didn't .. I didn't ever know what the Hell Kindle Unlimited was ... I soon found out .. I went on the Forum for Kindle Select Authors and soon found out. A number of authors had seen sales drop dramatically as soon as Kindle Unlimited came on line. They were in the same boat as me .. Others were not. They were the fortunate ones, their sales had soared. Soared upwards that is .. Well goody for them, but not me and others. Some authors said their sales went down but their "Borrows" were up dramatically. Up enough for them to be happy .. But how bout us other guys? Guys (and Girls) whose sales not only went down, but went down drastically, and overnight? And all because of Kindle Unlimited .. I posted on the KDP Forum, "I Think I Hate Kindle Select." I wasn't really sure cause as a number of authors stated and suggested for everyone (authors) to wait and see when the dust settles.

OK, so I would. I didn't have a choice ... I was reading some articles and forums about this whole KU thing and how it was affecting authors, either badly, like me, and for some, it was good.  Amongst all the talk, some were thinking that if your book was priced at a higher price-point it might tend to attract KU Subscribers to download it more than over titles that were cheaper, like mine at just .99 Cents ... The subscribers would feel like they were getting a better deal by getting more expensive books free as opposed to getting a cheaper book free. Makes sense to me!

So I started experimenting. I had to get my sales up after the KU bashing. So I raised the Price to $9.99 hoping to attract more KU Subscribers to download my now more expensive book. Nothing !!! I tried putting it to $5.99, Nothing! So I put it back to .99 Cents and figured I'd wait out the storm ... 

Well it's August 31 and the first dreadful month of Kindle Unlimited is over .. But Kindle Unlimited is till there, and new subscriber will be going for the Free Month of KU  .. Hey, I did myself. Mainly as an author who saw his Kindle Sales Aniolated as a result of Kindle unlimited, I wanted to get it to see how it all worked and what was available. Boy i'm glad I did. I signed up for my Free Month of Kindle Unlimited, went on and started looking for books. Guess what? Well I think you already know? There's hardly anything there. I couldn't find any books I wanted to read. Well a couple. But I don't think I'll even find ten. Why? You know. The selections Sucks. There's hardly anything there. The selection is quite pitiful and I'd have to think the majority would agree, especially those who might read 6 or more books a month and thought KU might be a great deal. Not !!!!!

 So, I'd have to say, it looks highly likely, that eventually this thing called Kindle Unlimited will one day in the near future go the way of the Dodo Bird, and off into extinction .. Time will tell. What do you think?

Daniel

Click Here !!!

CLICK For THE DUDE !!!

CHET & CHICKEN DINNER

Chet Baker

Came up with a new one the other night. It was at one of our dinners that we have a coupel time a month, when we cook, drink wine, and listen to some great music on Vinyl .. Vinyle Records that is, and some great music, not like any of the crap they make today, but great artist of the 20th Century like; Frank Sinatra, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter, Albert King, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and greats like Chet Baker. What's that? You never heard of Chet Baker? You're forgiven, many have not.

Chet Baker was one of the 20th Cenury's greatest and most unique Jazz Artist. He played Trumpet and had a positively unique singing style that was Super Cool and all his own. Baker played with Jazz Greats Charlie Parker and Jerry Mulligan before forming his own band and going out on his own in 1953, when he recorded and released Chet baker Sings ...

Chet Bakers most famous recordings are; My Funny Valentine and Let's Get Lost ...

OK, back to the Chciken & Chet Dinner ...  So my friends and I were having one of our little dinner parties at Chris's place on Thompson Street (Greenwich Village) .. As we usually do, we decide what we are gonign to eat, we buy the food, get some wine and cook dinner. As always the elements of our little dinner parties are; the food, some very good wine, and lots of great music, some on vinyl, some on CDs ... No matter what we make, we usually always have some nice cheese to start the meal, we decide on some music, and crack open our first bottle of wine. This night, Chris had already decided on chicken, which we all agreed would be great. He made some buttered carrots and Couscous to accompany the Chicken. Chris picked up a nice bottle of Au Bon Climant Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara that was quite nice, and I brought a bottle of Fausto Maculans Brentino ...

Chris was cooking the chicken, and we were listening to Eric Clapton, Ron Wood, and Pete Towsend's Raibow Concert LP .. A great album that's a bit obscure, but can you imagine, Clapton, Pete twonsend and Ron Wood all playing together? Friggin amazing. I myself had never heard of this concert and live recording album until Chris turned me on to it. It's awesome. Chris had some Zeppelin playing when we sat down to dinner, and I told him we had to tone the music down while eating. Like most civilized people I can't listen to loud music when eating so I requested a slow down. Chris asked what I wanted? He had been playing some Chet Baker when I arrived at his apartment, so I said I could go for some more Chet. He obliged.

The chicken was quite tasty, the wine was flowing and Chet Baker sounded just fine. 

The next day I sent Chris a Text thanking him for the Chicken & Chet, and so it's been coined. Everytime we have a Chicken Dinner now, we must also have some Chet, Chicken & Chet, it's our latest thing .. A dinner theme to add to our already famous Chianti Rolling Stones & Newport Steaks (dinner), as well Pork Chops Vino & Soul ... 

Oh and by the way, dessert is always Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and all is well with; Chianti Steak or Chicken, The Rollign Stones and Rock N Roll, R&B, Chet Baker and Peanut Butter Cups .. What more could one ever ask for?

by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

CHICKEN

&  

CHET

CLICK HERE !

Forced To Starbucks

Monday, June 25, 2014

Forced to Starbucks! Yes, I've been forced to Starbucks against my will .. I didn't want to, but I've been forced into it. Forced against my free will .. Well .  I'm here at Starbucks on Bleecker Street, corner of Morton in Greenwich Village .. My favorite cafe, the beloved Once Upon a Tart closed Saturday. They had a party for the staff and favorite customers yesterday, which I went to, but today? No more Tart. If you read any of my post the past two days, I've already said a bit about the Tart .. Just here today letting the world know, I've been forced to do Starbucks .. Well yes, there are other choices, and I did one this morning by going to an old favorite, Caffe Dante on Macdougald Street, but you see I have two coffees a day. That's 2 trips to cafes practically everyday. A coffee (Cafe Latte) cost me a whopping $5 at Caffe Dante, so I can't afford to go there twice a day as I did at Once Upon a Tart for years. I'd spend about $6 a day at The Tart. At Dante, those same 2 coffees would cost me $10 mutliplied by about 350 times, is $3,500, quite  a lot of money for coffee (that's 1 year). Those same coffees cost me about $2,100 a year, for a savings of $1,400 a year. That adds up. I love Caffe Dante and have about 4 coffees (Cappuccino or Cafe Latte) times a week, but 14 times? No can do.

So, as I said, I went to Caffe Dante, did my writing and such, and that Cafe Latte cost me $3.75 plus $1.25 tip for a total of $5 .. It's waitress service, so you have to leave at least a dollar tip. Anyway, I had my morning coffee as I always do (and write for 2 hours), then I go home for an hour, make a little lunch, and then go for my second cafe trip of the day, a coffee and an hour at the Tart before I head up to work at 4PM .. Kanai at The Tart used to call my 2nd appearance at The Tart in a day, "My 2nd Shift," and so I do everyday. Now I already spent $5 for my first coffee of the day. Now I'm having my second. I'm not going back to Dante for another $5 coffee, and The Tart is closed (so Sadly), so here I am at Starbucks for a coffee and Wifi for just Two Bucks ... Well, I guess there are worst things in life. I know millions of people really love Starbucks. Me, I'm not a big fan. I had The Tart and Caffe Dante, I love nice little independent cafes, not Giant Corporate Conglomerate owned ones, but to each hsi own. 

Anyway, that's it for now, "Adios Amigos!"

56 DODGE CONVERTIBLE

Macdougald Street, Greenwich Village New York

photo by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

Click HERE !

MetroCard Art New York

Water Towers

NEW YORK SKYLINE

West Houston Street, Soho

ARTSIST NINA BOESCH

MetroCard Art

Ms. Boesch wonderful pieces are made completely of New York City Subway

MetroCards ...

Her work is frequently exhibited at Mojo Coffee Cafe on Charles Street in New York's

Greenwich Village .. Subject matter, New York Skyline, iconic buildings like The Empire State

Building, Flatiron Building, Brooklyn Bridge and celebrities like; Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, James Dean, Audrey Hephurn, and  ......

AUDREY HEPHURN

MetroCard Art

by Nina Boesch, NYC

German Born Artist living in New York

Iconic Greek Diner Coffee Cup

Nina Boesch

MOJO COFFEE

Cjarles Street

Greenwich Village

NEW YORK

GOT ANY KAHLUA ?

The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK

STEELY DAN Rock The BEACON

. . Steely Dan... September 22, 2011

Steely Dan Rocked The Beacon Theater the other night. All last week, as a matter of fact, playing a seven night engagement that drew throngs of loyal fans and Steely Dan Freaks, including this avid fan here. I went on Thursday night which was Fan Request Night, whereby fans choose their favorite songs that they'd like to hear that night. Theoretically the songs with the most votes are the ones played for the concert. Well, it pretty much turned out that way, but the band led by

Front-Man Genius "Donald Fagen" the Jerseyboy (Passaic) who eluded to the fact that although it was request night, the band might not follow the list of winners exactly to a tee.

Well most fan favorites were played, including; Aja, Riki Don't Lose That Number, Dirty Work, Do It Again, Reelin in The Years, Josie, Peg, and the finale "Kid Charlemagne." Basicaly, the only song missing that you know it just had to be in the top 5 or 6 vote winners was Deacon Blues which many were screaming for, including "Mwa." The song was not played. I bet of a disappointment, but hey, you really can't complain with a show like the band put on that night and the repertoire of songs chosen.

Fagen, Becker, and the whole band were just great. The band consisted of a 4 piece brass section of a Trumpet, Alto and Tenor Saxophone, and a Bone Player (Trombone), bass, drums, 2 Keyboards, Fagen and Lead Keyboard, two guitars including Becker and three Female Back-Up Singers. They all performed outstandingly.

A little hint. For all you kids out there. If you want to see a real band play real music not canned sampled crap like they make today, next time Steely is in town, check them out. them, the Stones, Allman Brothers, Crosby Stills and Nash or some other great Rock Band from the 60s, 70, and or 80s. You'll not regret it.

Donald Fagen and Steely Dan Rock !

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

.

Donald Fagan and Walter Becker

STEELY DAN

.

GOT ANY KAHLUA ?

The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK

ABIDE in IT !

.

BLOOMBERG RUINS The DAY

  Thanks a Lot Mike. Thanks for "Screwing Up" Worse than any Mayor in The History of New York has ever done. Bad Call. You Blew It. You Stole a Day of Our Lives. The new York City Subway System has NEVER been Shut Down (other than 9/11 Emergency) voluntarily and for good reason,  it doesn't need to be, and it didn't yesterday, and not so early at 12 Noon. Or if you did, shut the Subway because of underground tunnel precautions, "Why the HELL Didn't You Keep the Bus System Running" you MORON ? !!!!!!! You CRIPPLED the CITY Worse than any storm ever could have.
     Mayor Bloomberg, because of Your Foolish Decision, there were virtually no businesses open. Because you shut down the Subway and "Unnecessarily Shut Down The Bus Service" You Crippled the City. "Thanks a lot Asshole." There were no Cafes, almost no Restaurants, grocery stores open.... 99%  of all businesses were closed, Not Because of the weather, but because people couldn't Get to Work, so business owners had to close as a result of their employees not being able to get to work because, not only did you Shut Down the Subway, but you made an even MORE FOOLISH DECISION to Shut down Bus Service. "WHY?" The BUSES could have kept running! People Needed them ! You made the City lose a couple Billion Dollars in business, or more.

      You ruined the day of natives like me who couldn't go to a cafe or restaurant and for Tens of Thousands of Tourists who had no restaurants to go to eat, and especially under the conditions we were in, everyone could have used either; a Cafe, bar, or restaurant to go to instead of having to walk for blocks to find one of the very few grocery stores or delis open to have a sod and a tiny bite to eat on the street instead of sitting down relaxing in a nice Cafe, Bar, or restaurant, which would have been nice and was sort of a necessity. you Ruined it! You Ruined our Day  and Unnecessarily so. If Buses at least were running as they would have been, people would have been able to get to work and back home, on Buses and restaurants, Cafes, Bars, grocery stores, delis and other businesses would have been opened and you wouldn't have "RUINED The DAY of MILLIONS of PEOPLE." How do you Feel Asshole. Thanks a lot. Nice F_ _ k Up Mike !!!!!

Thee BEST ITALIAN Food in NEW YORK Can Be Found at BAR PITTI

 BAR PITTI

BAR PITTI

Greenwich Village New York

When it comes to great Italian Food, in a city (New York) that is known to have the Best Italian Food in the World outside of Italy, it's hard to beat Bar Pitti, which is why Bar Pitti may very well be the "Best Italian Restaurant" in New York City! Yes!

Wait a minute, scratch that "maybe." No, Bar Pitti serves without a doubt, thee "Best Italian Food in New York." You don't think so? name one that is better. And please only qualified people please. No followers or Hack Food Critics like

Frank Bruni.

Who could compete? Maybe Babbo, Del Posto, Elio's, Lupa. They are all good, but none as good and consistent as Bar Pitti.

Il Mulino is absolutely "Aweful!" An "Overpriced Lackluster Restaurant" with horrible ambiance, mechanical annoying service, and food that is merely good, and no better and insanely "High Prices." It's a place for "Followers" who run with the crowd and wouldn't know real good Italian Food if it came up and Bit Them in The Ass.

Babbo many would say. Well Babbo is quite good, but just can't hold up to Bar Pitti with more of a true Italian feel, great food at truly real Italian Prices. Babbo is a great Special Occasion restaurant, but for everyday eating, Babbo doesn't even come close to Bar Pitti for "Great Quality Price Ratio," and even not considering the prices, if they were the same, though the food at Babbo is very good and I've had a few very enjoyable meals there, I have been disappointed a couple of times, something that has "Never" happened to me at Bar Pitti and I've eaten there more times, yet never been disappointed, not once, and always had a great time. So even if the prices were the same, Bar Pitti still has an edge, with Better More Consistent Authentic Italian Food than Babbo.

How bout Maialino, Laconde Verde, Osteria Morini, and others? As MC Hammer would say, "Can't Touch This."

So if you're looking for Thee "Best Italian Food in New York" there's one name, "Bar Pitti."

Recommended Dishes:

Coda d'Vacinara (Braised Oxtails) 150 Points on a 100 Pt Scale

Bolito d'Manzo (Boiled Beef) Taste a whole Lot Better than it sounds!

Polpettine d' Vitello (Veal Meatballs)

Fegato al Salvia (Calves Liver sauteed w/Sage)

Paparadelle con Sugo d'Coniglio (Pasta with Rabbit Ragu)

PUNTARELLE Wild Roman Greens Salad w/Anchovy Dressing

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

CLICK HERE !

SUNDAY SAUCE

When Italian-Americans Cook

by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

CLICK HERE !

THE FEAST of THE 7 FISH

ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

BIG LEBOWSKI ..."The DUDE Abides" !!!

 BIG LEBOWSKI  ......."A Movie Everyone Needs To See"


   THE BIG LEBOWSKI, Jeff Bridges Opus as "The DUDE." A movie everyone should see sooner or later. Better sooner, as it will enrich your life. A Funny "Feel Good Movie" about a Funny, Feel Good, happy, Carefree Guy, Jeffrey Lebowski, better know as "The Dude." Don't call him Lebowski as he meets-up and has a conversation with another Jeff Lebowski in the city of Los Angeles. The Dude says to him, "Don't call me Mr. Lebowski! You don't call me that! I'm The Dude. So that's what you call me, or you can call me Dudster,  His Dudeness or El Duderino if not into the whole brevity thing!"
  Well, no, this movie may not be for everyone. I can see that, but it is to millions. it's actually a Cult Movie that has a legion of Fans who absolutely Love it and of course El Dudeness himself, "The Dude." What's not to Love. A wonderful Cohen Brothers film with John Goodman as The Dudes main sidekick Walter, co-starring Steve Buscemi as Donny another friend of The Dude, Tara Reid as the nymphomaniac Porn Star wife of the other Jeff Lebowski, the Millionare handicapped one and Julianna Moore as the Millionare Jeff Lebowski's Left Wing Artist Daughter Maude.
  The Dude is a Happy Go Lucky 70's Leftover Hippy former Rock-Roadie Unemployed Slacker of the First Degree who is a Fanatical Bowling Pot Smoker who Loves White Russians or as he calls them, a  "Caucasian,"  (a Cocktail made with Kahlua, Vodka, and Milk).
    The Dude happens to get into all sorts of misadventures that intertwines him with "Bunny" the nypho Porn-Star, her Husband millionare Jeff Lebowski, Jackie Treehorn the Porn King, The Malibu Sheriff, Maude, and a Gang of Bumbling Extortionists. 
      Are we makinmg any sense? Take my word for it and that of Millions of others! See The Big Lebowski, it'll change your Life! For the Better!




by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Did YOU SEE The GRAMMY'S 2011

 WILL THEY EVER MAKE GOOD MUSIC AGAIN ???

Lenny Kravitz

Lenny Kravitz is one of just a hanful of musical artist to make good music

in the 21st Century, the Century with The WOrst Music of All-Time !!!

Why is the Music so Bad these Days!  Is it a Lack of Talented Artists? I think so. I know so actually. But even more than the lack of talented artists, is the lack of good taste by a large segment of the general public, namely those 30 years of age and under. They have such terrible taste in music and accept and like such "Garbage" as Hip-Hop and House Music. So the talentless musicians of the day continue to make Garbage, Noise, it's not music, as was exhibited at the Grammy's which i watched in a state of mortification. One terrible song after the other. That "LADY GAGA" is Horrible. She couldn't Shine Madonna's Shoes.! There was a little bit of good music here and there, but it was few and far between. Not like in my day, with such great artists as The Beatles, The Supremes, Marvim Gaye, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, Madonna, The Rolling Stones and On-and-On.

  Thank Goodness there are a few good artists here and there, like Lenny Kravitz who some have compared to one great artists of the 70's Sly from Sly and The Family Stone. A band I loved when I was a young boy.

   I listen to all my great music of the past, as there is hardly anything worth listening to these days. And it's not a generational thing, for along with loving my music of the day with such artists as the Doors, Stevie Wonder, Simon & Garfunkle, The Stones, I also grew up loving the music of my parents and older generations. As a young boy I Loved my moms music in Tony Bennett, Sinatra, Elvis, Nat King Cole. Good Music is Good Music. The reason I don't like the music of today is that, plain and simple, "Most of it is Crap." Garbage! Capito?

  When they make good music, I like it, as is the case with Lenny Kravitz whose song Fly Away is one of the most Rockingest Songs ever made. Bravo Lenny. In a day with so much Mediocre crap, and even worse, you are there making Music, "Real Music." Can you teach some of your contemporaries? I will not call then peers, as they are not on the same level as you. Will this World ever see Good Music ever again? Or are we assigned to just listening to the Music of the past, like: Classical, Big Bands, Jazz, Rock & Roll, Sinatra, The Beatles, Motown, Philly Sound, Bob Dylan, etc., etc..

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

READ THIS !   Is OLD MUSIC KILLING NEW MUSIC ? Article by  Ted Goia, 

in The ATLANTIC with rebuttal by author Daniel Bellino Zwicke ...

    

NAME CHANGE for the 59th St. QUEENSBOROUGH BRIDGE is PURE INSANITY

OK gang. Have you seen the latest bit of insanity? Bloomberg and other City officials want to rename our beloved 59th Street Queensborough Bridge. Are you Kidding me or what Mike? BAd, Bad, Bad Idea! Did you here me Mr. Mayor? Bad Idea? This beloved bridge has two names already. Doesn't need another. It's thee "Queensborough Bridge" in case you didn't notice, also know as 
"The 59th Street Bridge." Slow Down, You're going too fast!
  The Tax Payers of this city don't need you throwing away Millions of Dollars (Cost of changing roadsigns and other things related to a name change) for a Insane Name Change. Are you "out of Your Mind Mike?" Have you forgotten the other Ill Fated Insane attempts at change the names of New York streets, neighborhoods, and landmarks? Remember the attempt to change the name of 
"Hells Kitchen" to CLINTON? Not!!! How bout the ill fated name-change of 6th Avenue to "Avenue of the Americas." That, I must admit wasn't a bad idea, but as you well know, "Never Caught On." 
  And Mr. Mayor when was the last time you heard someone call the Tri-Borough Bridge, "The Robert F. Kennedy Bridge." Not often, I'd wager to bet. 
  Mayor Koch was a great Mayor. I Loved the jog he did, and you're doing a fine job as well, but this idea of trying to rename a bridge that already has a great name as it is, "Is just plain Dumb." Sorry, but it is. I don't believe the city's taxpayers want you to through away our money on such Foolishness. "Give it up Mike."
  Name a street, park, a school, after Koch, but the 
"Queensborough Bridge." That's Insane!




by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

"PHANTOM PUNCH" SONNY LISTON....Remake of The MECHANIC

 Wow, saw a great movie last night, "Phantom Punch" about the life of Sonny Liston, one time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. The life of Sonny Liston makes for a great story, and this was. Never even heard of it before. I know my friend, the great writer Nick Tosches wrote a wonderful book about Sonny calle "The Devil in Sonny Liston." Nick was in talks with Martin Scorsese on making a movie about Liston based on Tosches book. It never happened. I remember asking Nick how the movie was coming a long, and Nick saying sarcastically that Marty (Martin Scorsese) was too busy making movies with Leonardo Di Caprio and Disney.
He was peeved. Can't blame him. And speaking of Maartin Scorsese, it was he who directed what many consider the greatest boxing movie ever made, "Raging Bull," starring Robert DiNero as Boxing Champ
Jake LaMotta and a great performance by Joe Pesci playing Jakes brother Joey LaMotta. Let us not forget other great boxing movies like Somebody Up There Likes me starring Paul Newman as Rocky Grazziano and Will Smith portraying the great Mohamad Ali in "The Greatest.
  Anyway, back to Phantom Punch whic stars Ving Rhames in a wonderful portrayal of Sonny Liston who started boxing while serving a prison sentence in a Missouri State Prison. The prison Priest gets Sonny started in boxing. he trains and mentors him, and Sonny soon has one thing on his mind, to one day become World Heavyweight Champion. I will not give much away, but will say that I Loved the movie. It is very entertaining, a moving story, and great historical document, not only telling a story of a Black man who rose from the depth of prison to become World Champ, the movie also shows the injustice, sometimes doled out to Black People, especially in those days. It also shows, and African Americans should take note, that not all White People are prejudiced as some of those in the movie and in real life. Just as there are bad black people, there are many more good and wonderful African Americans. Great Movie. I Loved it. It is on Netflix, that's how I saw it, and I highly recommend it. it gets to Thumbs and Two Big Toes Up. See it!
   Saw The "MECHANIC' last week. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Starring Jason Strahtom reprising the Charles Bronson role of the original motion picture made in the 70's with Jan Michael Vincent co-starring as Bronson's protégées in the picture. This remake is action packed from beginning to end and everything is totally believable. I was on the edge of my seat a good part of the movie and had to cringe at some of the violence. Nasty. OK, so I liked the movie and paid the $12.50 simply because that night I wanted to go out and be entertained. And I was. I have stated over and over, $12 and $13 we pay in New York to see a movie is way to high. Many agree, and there are 100,000s of people boycotting movie theaters because of the exorbitant price.  Opting to watch movies on TV and Netflix. On this night I was committed to paying the "High Price," as a treat to myself. I was satisfied. The movie was very good, but not so good that I would say you have to run out and see it right away. You can wait till it comes on HBO or Netflix.
   Of these two movies, The MECHANIC and "Phantom Punch," I would have to say that Phantom Punch was quite a bit better. The movie moved be, and costing just a small portion of my monthly Netflix bill, about .50 cents, as opposed to $12.50 for the Mechanic, I don't even have to tell you whcih was by far the better deal. Do the math.
  So, in conclusion, "You just have to see "Phantom Punch," if you have Netflix and I would even say it is worth paying up to $9.99 to buy a Dvd if you have to. Yes the Mechanic was very good, but I'd say wait to see it on cable or Netflix.

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

LINDSAY LOHAN

LEAVE LINDSAY ALONE ALREADY!!!


Did Lindsay steal that bracelet or not? Is it just some sort of a mix-up as Lindsay camp has stated, or did she really steal it, as the jewelry shop people claim? Who cares? Leave the poor girl alone. It seems as though some have it in for this girl. I'll tell you. The jewelry shop owners are looking for a lot of free publicity and notoriety at Lindsay's expense. Leave her alone. So the girl may have some problems and has in the past. Leave her alone for Gods sakes. Let her sort them out and live her life without being pounded unmercifully practically day after day by the press and whoever.

What good would it accomplish putting her in jail for six months as some have said she could possibly get if found guilty of stealing the "Stupid Dumb-Ass Necklace." Who cares.

Give Lindsay a break. Even if she is guilty, let her pay a fine and retribution to the jewelry people, and or do community service. That is, "IF" she is guilty! Remember, right now Lindsay Lohan is Innocent until proven guilty. These Birdbrains should drop the charges, they have already gotten about a Million dollars of Free publicity. Give it up. Leave Lindsay alone already!

By Daniel Bellino Zwicke and "The DANNY REPORT"

REMEMBRANCE of THINGS PAST ....New York

Oh The LION'S HEAD


The old Lion's Head Bar, Greenwich Village. There was not another bar like it. It was thee Writer's Bar of New York. Filled nightly, and daily with Newspapermen, Writers, novelists, and journalists, the likes of Jimmy Breslin, Pete Hammill and brother Denis, Norman Mailer, Frank MacCourt, and throngs of others. The Lion's Head was thee extension of the great daily newspapers News Rooms; The New York Times, and especially the Daily News, New York Post, and Village Voice too. They brought their Preists, friends, and visiting family. The great actress Jessica Lange was a waitress here.
   You could, High, Low, or Middle Brow to go. All you needed was some sort of style and grace. Unlike some of the Juke Boxes these days, the one at the Lion's head had style and grace as well. Filled with the likes of Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bob Dylan,  Chet Baker, The Stones.
   I'll never forget the first time I brought my girlfriend Dante there. Listening to Sinatra, drinking a beer, and smoking a Marlboro, she said, "I looked Sexy with the Cigarette." 
   I'll take that from a beautiful young Columbia Coed. Oh, "The Good Old Days." Are they gone. Sadly the Lion's Head is.
   
by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

IN NEW YORK a "REGULAR" CUP of COFFEE is "KING" !!!

Coffee and Cafes. Two things very near and dear to me. Million so others as well. In New York, we have the Best, “For getta bout it Seattle” !!! I remember 25 years ago and more when there were no Starbucks and just very few cafes in the hole city. More or less the only cafes were in Greenwich Village, Little Italy, and the East Village. There were hole neighborhoods, completely cafeless and if you wanted to go to one you had to go to the Village or Little Italy, nothing on the hole Upper East Side.

   Anyway, Coffee and Cafes are a huge thing these days and part of many a life.

Coffee and cafes, let me tell you about some of the best and my impressions. Hey, I’m a guy who has been frequenting cafes for years, each and every day, just about. I haven’t Jumped on the Band Wagon in the past 5 or ten years. I’ve been riding it for 30.

   Number “One,” in New York,  a good Cup of Joe is King, “Regular” not

Grande Caramel Latte and overpriced crap like that. Not the esoteric overpriced espresso, Cortado, Machiato, Blue Bottle, and Site Specific Coffee, and blends that try to break down and make too make of a good simple thing. You know what I mean. A “Cup of Joe,” is King. Used to be Five Cents at coffee shops all over the city. Well that’s going way back. Hey don’t get me wrong, I love Espresso, Espresso Machiatto, and the great Cortado they serve at Abraco. It’s just that I gotta tell you, a “Regular” is King and let’s hope it always will be.

   Abraco is utterly awesome. Maybe the Best Single tasting coffee in town, is their Cortado. Man it’s tasty. Just out of this world. But I have some problems with Abraco, as I’m not someone to pay a Premium for what I call “Hit and Run Coffee”

What is “Hit and Run Coffee” you ask? Well, let me tell you. Hit and Run Coffee is a coffee that you get at places like Caffeteria, Abraco, Third Rail Coffee, and tiny little Coffee Bars that have little or no chairs and tables and maybe just a small counter space for standing. Listen, I’m not in the habit of paying  $3.50, $4.50 or “More” for a cup of coffee, having to stand at a counter, drinking it in short time and leaving. Ending up $5.00 or more less in my pockets. Well you may think, “What’s $5.00?” Right? What’s Five Dollars? Imagine if you have 5 $5.00 coffees a week for one year. Do you know how much money that adds up to? Relax, I’ll do the Math for you. That’s $1,300 my friends. No small sum? Multiply that by 5 years and you’re talking $6,500, or by Ten Years and we’re talking $13,000. That’s a lot of Friggin Cash my friends. Hey I’m not saying you should not go out and have coffee. I do all the time. Heck, on my days off, I sometimes end up in cafes three times in one day.  I spend about $1,508 a year on coffee, $7,500 in five years or about $15,000 in ten. That’s a lot. But I get a lot. Heck, I used to spend about $2,200 a year on coffee,  $10, 000 or more in 5, or about $20,000 in ten years. But I have cut back. I’ve seen the light. I hardly ever spend $5.00 on a coffee any more. All I need is the $2.00 variety. A good honest “Cup of Joe,” a “Regular.” And I need to get my money’s worth. If I just wanted a good cup can easily make a great one in my house for just “15 Cents a Cup,” but I go and have one at a Café for 15 times that amount. Why? The extra $2.35 I pay for the coffee plus tip, is to be able to “Sit” down and relax in a nice pleasant atmosphere. I’m not gonna pay 27 times ($3.75 Average price coffee at Upscale Coffee Bar) to stand at a counter and not being able to sit down and relax. At home I can  make a tasty cup of Coffee from the Highest Quality Coffee money can buy with the coffee I buy at  “Porto Rico Coffee” on Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village, just a half block from my house. No, I pay all that extra money to sit in the pleasant environment of a nice coffee. Also to see other people, maybe a friend or the possibility of meeting someone new and interesting. I read, I write, I hang with friends, I relax. I can not do that at a overpriced “Coffee Bar” that doesn’t have any place to sit.

  And speaking of Porto Rico Coffee, it mystifies me that people are so foolish as to pay $11.95 or more for a mass-produced commercial pound of Coffee from Starbucks instead of going to the “Best Coolest Place in Town” to be some of the World’s Finest Coffee at Porto Rico Coffee, people who have been doing this for more than 100 years, not 20. It just doesn’t make sense. By the way, the coffee I buy at Porto Rico is just $5.99 and $6.99 a pound, half the price of a pound of Starbucks Coffee.

   Anyway. It’s all up to you. I’ll  stick with my Regular “Cup of Joe” with a Espresso and Cappucino thrown in here and there, and as a special treat a Cortado from Abraco every now and then. And I’ll get to sit down and relax with my coffee each day, putting an extra $1,000 a year in my pocket, or Airfare and a few nice meals when I go on vaction. How bout you, “Hit and Run”and pay more, or Sit Down and Relax, Pay Less, Save, and put a Thousand Bucks a Year in your pockets, or $10,000 in ten ? 


by Daniel Bellino Zwicke