Writers, Poets and Attendees of the 2008 AWP Conference.

Welcome writers attending the 2008 AWP Conference! Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald spent their honeymoon in 1920 at the Biltmore Hotel at Madison Avenue and 43rd Street, only a few blocks from the convention hotels. Click on POETS in the society section of myurbansherpa.net and check out other NYC literary getaways.

I live in an East Village tenement apartment overlooking Marble Cemetery (http://www.nycmc.org/). I know five other poets who share this unusually peaceful panorama of linden and mulberry trees. Uriah R. Scribner, father of Charles of publishing fame, is resting here. No doubt, numerous writers live on these two cemetery-facing blocks, since as a tribe and profession we permeate New York City. We are the dead and the living, always have been. And subsequently, New York is an ideal place either to start your literary journey or, if you’re a card-carrying member in another part of the country or world, to join our vibrant festivities!

There are some obvious, and some not so obvious, ways to enjoy the historical New York literati experience:

Bar hopping

Apartment-building pilgrimages

Visiting cemeteries

Attending events, readings, panel discussions, and book parties

Browsing bookstores and special library collections

Of course, NYC contains copious out-of-the-ordinary locales with singular stories attached to them. That’s why each month we’re inviting a New York City poet or novelist to determine the place that for them poetry (or prose) in society or poetry in solitude springs eternal.

Bars

The White Horse Tavern (567 Hudson Street between Perry and West 11th Streets)

With Dylan Thomas’ (who died at St Vincent’s Hospital–7th Avenue and 12th Street–where Edna St. Vincent Millay was born) portraits plastered on the walls, no one will ever forget that The White Horse was his waterhole. Other frequenters were Norman Mailer, Thomas Wolfe, Bob Dylan, and Jim Morrison.

The Round Table at the Algonquin Hotel

59 West 44th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, (212) 840-6800

Vicious, drunken repartee of Vanity Fair writers Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley, and Robert E. Sherwood is a big reason that this pristine and elegant restaurant is now a National Literary Landmark.

Apartment-Building Pilgrimages

The home of Willa Cather, where she wrote My Antonia–5 Bank Street

The home of e.e. cummings–4 Patchin Place.

T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, Allen Tate, and Dylan Thomas visited.

Djuna Barnes lived at 5 Patchin Place.

Theodore Dreiser wrote An American Tragedy when he lived at 118 W. 11th Street

Allen Ginsberg wrote his famous poem “Kaddish” when he lived at 170 E. 2nd Street.

The home of Jack Kerouac where he wrote the first draft of On the Road—149 W. 21st Street.

The home of William S. Burroughs—115th Street and Morningside Drive Apartments. In the summer of 1944 Burroughs, Kerouac, and Ginsberg at this location declared the birth of the Beats.

Visiting Cemeteries

Trinity CemeteryUpper Riverside Drive, (212) 368-1600

Here Ralph Ellison is buried.

Ferncliff CemeterySecor Road, Hartsdale (in Westchester), (914) 693-4700

Buried here: James Baldwin, Preston Sturges, Lionel Trilling, John Lennon, Malcolm XWoodlawn CemeteryWebster Avenue & E. 233rd Street, Bronx, (718) 920-0500Buried here: Herman Melville and Countee Collen

Readings / Bookstores

Events, Readings, Panel Discussions, and Book Parties (A note about attending readings and events in NYC: Arrive on time because, depending on the event, it might get crowded, but most reading start 20-30 minutes late.)

92nd Street Y     

92nd Street and Lexington Avenue, (212) 415-5760

Here you’ll find poetry and fiction readings given by Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award winners, as well as Poet Laureates. You’ll be able to buy books and get them signed by the writers, too. Get your tickets in advance online, if you can, because sometimes they will sell out.

McNally Robinson     

52 Prince Street (between Lafayette and Mulberry), (212) 274-1160

This is a lively bookstore in SoHo with lots of varied and interesting events and readings. Both headliners and indies are booked here. There’s a café, too. And of course you can get your books signed by the authors. Sometimes there are even one-day writing workshops you can attend.

The Center for Book Arts

28 West 27th Street, 3rd Floor, (212) 481-0295

Although a regular once a week reading series isn’t held here, the Center for Book Arts is a fun place to keep your eye on in case a reading is being held when you’re in town. Classes for bookmaking and book art are held regularly so there are always really interesting exhibits to see when you’re mulling around before and after readings. And if there’s not a reading while you’re here, you might want to stop in just to see the cool books on display.

Barnes & Noble

Union Square–33 East 17th Street, (212) 253-0810

Chelsea–675 6th Avenue—(212) 727-1227

There are lots of great readings in the numerous B&Ns around NYC. The stores at Union Square and Chelsea host particularly good ones. Don’t expect to hear poetry at the chains though. You’ll hear fiction and nonfiction by well-known authors.

St. Mark’s Poetry Project at St. Marks Church

131 E. 10th St., (212) 674-0910

Now over 40 years old, the St. Mark’s Poetry Project has developed an esteemed and notorious reputation for happening poetry. There are open readings (ones in which everyone is invited to read), readings every Monday and Wednesday night, as well as a late Friday-night reading series. And the Poetry Project is housed in a spectacular 18th century church.

Bowery Poetry Club

308 Bowery, across from the old CBGB’s, (212) 614-0505

There is everything in this club: booze, café lattes, music, poetry, book parties, slam performance. And there’s lots of everything. Check out the very full schedule.

KBG Bar

85 East 4th Street

Good poetry and fiction are read almost every night of the week here. There is no admission fee. This is not a reading series that’s held in a noisy bar but a really crowded bar full of folks who have come specifically for a really good reading.

Women Poets at Barnard

417 Barnard Hall, 3009 Broadway, (212) 854-2116

This series, offered by Barnard College exclusively focusing on women poets, is a real treat. The setting is intimate and dignified, the poets tend to be brilliant, and there is always a very fancy spread (not just wine and cheese). There’s no admission fee and poets will gladly sign your books.

National Arts Club

15 Gramercy Park South, (212) 475-3424

Housed in an historic Gramercy Park mansion, the National Arts Club offers a taste of 19th century New York City. It’s a private club so take advantage of the book signings that are open to non-members.

The New School

66 West 12th Street, (212) 229-5488

An impressive array of events are held here. You’ll find readings by children’s authors as well as fiction forums and panel discussions on the state of small press publishing.Poets HouseI must mention this vibrant literary center and poetry archive even though it’s presently in the process of moving to the Battery Park area. Keep your eyes on its website for the grand opening.

The Poetry Society of America

PSA holds various readings and events around town. The Poetry Society of America also sponsors the Poetry in Motion broadsides that you see in the subway and buses.

Strand Bookstore

828 Broadway

12th Street and Broadway, (212) 473-1452

Besides miles of books, new and used, the 12th Street store holds readings and events. You might want to spend a full day at the Strand. This remarkable bookstore also has a rare bookroom that you’ll definitely want to visit if you’re interested in first editions.

192 Books

192 Tenth Avenue, (212) 225-4022

This is a teeny bookstore so make reservations for readings!

Housing Works Bookstore

126 Crosby Street, (212) 334-3324

This bookstore boasts of housing 45,000 new, used, and rare books. There’s a café with everything from lattes to beer to sandwiches. And it hosts great readings. But perhaps best of all, 100% of the profits made from sales are donated to in-need New Yorkers with HIV and AIDS.

Bookstores

Book Culture—formerly called Labyrinth Bookstore

536 West 112th Street, (212)865-1588

Book Culture has an excellent poetry collection to browse when you’re near Columbia University.

St. Mark’s Bookstore

31 Third Avenue, (212) 260-7853

This bookstore used to be located on St. Mark’s Place, hence its name. It still houses a good poetry section, and here you’ll see university press and small press books that you’ll find no place else.

Barnes & NobleUnion Square–33 East 17th Street, (212) 253-0810

This particular store has an excellent (for B&N) poetry section. You’ll find books at this location that other B&Ns won’t carry.

McNally Robinson

52 Prince Street (between Lafayette and Mulberry), (212) 274-1160

This is a lively, airy bookstore in SoHo with lots of varied and interesting events and readings. There’s a café, too. This is the perfect bookstore to browse.
192 Books192 Tenth Avenue, (212) 225-4022

Although this is a teeny bookstore it carries just the books you’ll want to read.

Housing Works Bookstore

126 Crosby Street, (212) 334-3324

This bookstore boasts of housing 45,000 new, used, and rare books. There’s a café with everything from lattes to beer to sandwiches. And perhaps best of all, 100% of the profits are donated to in-need New Yorkers with HIV and AIDS.

Special Collections

New York Public Library – Humanities and Social Science Library

Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street, (212) 930-0830

The Berg Collection”A selected list of American authors represented by choice and/or extensive manuscript holdings include Washington Irving, Nathaniel Hawthorne and his family, Emerson, Thoreau, Whitman, Twain, James Russell Lowell, Henry James, Ezra Pound, T. S. Eliot (including the typescript/manuscript of “The Waste Land,” with Pound’s emendations), Marianne Moore, Louis Zukofsky, Allen Ginsberg, Saul Bellow, Julia Alvarez, Clark Coolidge, and Aï. Also present are the archives of Vladimir Nabokov, Jack Kerouac, May Sarton, Laura Riding Jackson, Alfred Kazin, Kenneth Koch, and Paul Auster.” Enough for you?

American Academy of Arts and Letters

633 West 155 Street 212-368-5900

The archives houses original manuscripts by its members. And its membership has included Sherwood Anderson, Saul Bellow, Paul Bowles, and Gwendolyn Brooks, to name 4 of the 13,000 diseased artists, architects, writers and composers. Call first to find out about visiting the archives that you’re interested in.

Martine Bellen is a poet (www.martinebellen.com), editor (www.bookdoctorbellen.com), a native New Yorker and the editor of Poets, Readers and Writers for My Urban Sherpa.

Travelling to New York? Bring along your dog.

People often wonder what to see in New York, what guidebook to consult, whose recommendations to heed, what time of year to visit…

I would like to offer that visiting New York with a friendly dog is an excellent way to see New York and to meet New Yorkers. Dog in tow, you won’t be able to enter the M.E.T or MoMA, but perhaps you’ve seen the current exhibition elsewhere, or perhaps you visit museums because you think you ought to. Visiting New York with a dog means that you will enjoy the city and her residents in a way no guidebook, nor concierge, not even, or perhaps only, Bill Fischer can arrange without renting you a dog.

People who love dogs are the warmest people. Whether or not they own a dog, people who like dogs are worth liking. Bring your dog to New York and you’ll meet people worth meeting.

New York can use some warming up. I lived in a building of Gramercy Park for several years knowing no one, no one knowing me, until I adopted a castaway Dalmation named Coco who soon became my identity in my building and neighborhood. I became known to the dog-owning and dog-loving population in my building and my neighborhood as Coco’s mother.

Here is my short list of places where you and your dog can fall in love with New York, and her residents.

If you are coming downtown with your dog, stay at the Soho Grand.
310 West Broadway @ Canal & Grand (212) 965-3000

If you are coming uptown, stay at the Lowell.
28 East 63rd Street @ Madison & Park Avenues (212) 838-1400

or The Carlyle
35 East 76th Street @ Park & Madison Avenues (212) 744-1600

Many neighborhood restaurants with sidewalk tables accommodate diners with dogs. Officially you may not bring a dog to the restaurant, but many restaurants permit dogs under toe at their café tables. Rather than bring the attention of the Department of Health to the establishments we like, let’s say that the neighborhoods with lots of outdoor cafes are Battery Park, the East Village, Union Square, Gramercy, the Upper East Side and Upper West Side.

For sure, you can bring your dog to Shake Shack
Madison Square Park @ 23rd & Madison (212) 889-6600

There are recommendations on dog-friendly bars for the public at Chow Hound.

If you’d like to outfit your dog with luxuries or necessities, you’ll want to visit

Canine Styles Uptown
1195 Lexington Avenue @ 81st & 82nd Streets (212) 472-9440

trixie + peanut
23 East 20th Street @ Broadway & Park Avenue South (212) 358-0881

And don’t miss Central Park. The park’s 843 acres provide miles of walking paths and its green lawns are often overflowing with friendly dogs. Local playgroups dot the park and provide ample socialization. There are a few rules you need to obey. Keep your dog on a short leash between 9 am and 9 pm. If your dog is aggressive, never let him off the leash. Finally, always pick up after your dog. Central Park Paws lists more information.

For more information, visit the dog listings at My Urban Sherpa or UrbanHound.com

Central Park

Central Park is called Central Park because it is in the middle of Manhattan. It is also central, as in key, to many of the 8 million two-footed residents and their four-footed canine companions. Whether you live in the city or visit for work or pleasure, Central Park offers a delightful respite from the city’s heat, hard lines, schedules, and expense.

Central Park is free. Free to enjoy are gardens, lakes, fauna, and pop-up entertainment. Even a quick pass through the park will add joy to the day.

The Conservatory Garden at Fifth Avenue and 104th Street offers beautiful, structured & colorful open plantings and hidden shady allies in which to read a book or enjoy quiet conversation.

Delacorte Clock rings every half hour in song. Bronze animals spin around the clock, as children follow suit below. I’ve seen this a thousand times, and I still love it.

Harlem Meer at Fifth Avenue from 106th to 110th Streets offers a beautiful lake, decorated with heron, ducks, and the Canada geese the city had hoped to be rid of.

Loeb Boathouse mid-Park offers a café, restaurant, bike rental, boat rental, gondola ride, and clean bathrooms.

Sheep Meadow is an open field for lying about.

The Central Park Zoo is just the right size for little ones, two to six. With seal lions, polar bears, playful otters, nearby bathrooms and café, the zoo is a home away from home for stay-at-home moms and their toddlers, and toddlers and their nannies who stay at home with them.

The sparkle in the Park is added by the city’s residents who pass through on route to work or play, to walk their dogs, stroll with loved ones, or earn a few dollars by playing their instruments. These touches of magic you must discover yourself.

Canada Geese in Harlem Meer

Despite efforts of the NYC Parks Department to remove (humanely with Border Collies), the Canada geese from Harlem Meer in Central Park last week, a few remain. And more will come. Perhaps we can all be friends, or perhaps the Parks Department should allow NYC residents with Portuguese Water Dogs to have a go at the problem.

Canada Geese do make a lot of droppings that are a nuisance. I have had a resident couple raise offspring in the pond at my house for years, and have stepped in and cleaned up, a lot of these. But there is more good than bad in the geese for me. I like their confidence, joie de vivre and adaptability.

Our goose couple, Gus and Gladys, were ideal pets. They were free to come and go. And they did; arriving early each spring to build their nest, raise their young, and leaving by fall. They cared for themselves, fed themselves and entertained themselves. They were excellent watch guards, honking wildly at incoming cars. And they engaged with us on our schedule, taking little snacks of fish feed and corn from our hands when we offered it. Occasionally, Gus would come to the patio door and tap on the glass with his beak, but mostly we admired each other at a distance.

Sadly, the geese at my pond were no match for our Portuguese Water Dog, Daisy. So our pond is now goose free. Daisy is four. These former residents have moved to a local gentle stream, next to a small playground. They still come and feed out of my hand. But they have not tamed to people in general. The maintenance worker for the town noted that the geese only come to me, and that when I drive by, they honk wildly.

Four years ago when we met Daisy, we traded, unknowingly, a resident pond patroller, and lost a little contact with nature. New Yorkers are awed by real nature, as in the media fascination with Lola and Pale Male. Maybe the arrival of the Canada Geese each spring is something to marvel at.

Free Music Concerts and Summer Theater in New York, 2007

The list of things that money can’t buy, like the happiness of playing ball with your best friend, grows in the summer in New York provided you have patience, suntan lotion, and good reading material. Free concerts and summer theatre abound if you are willing to set out early to stake a claim for a spot.

THEATRE
For theatre, the highlight of the summer is Shakespeare in the Park, a program from the Public Theatre offering Romeo and Juliet, June 5 – July 8, 2007 and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, August 7 – September 9, 2007.

Tickets are distributed free starting at 1:00 pm on the day of the performance, though the line starts forming at 1:00 am the night before.

If you are short on time and with a little green, The Public Theatre offers $25 orchestra seats.

CLASSICAL MUSIC
For classical music lovers, Lincoln Center offers Lincoln Center Out of Doors,
more than 100 free performances from August 3rd to August 27th.

If you don’t want to spend the day standing in line, you can buy wonderfully affordable tickets to the Mostly Mozart festival at Lincoln Center, which for 2007 is basically Beethoven. Highlights look to be Mark Morris from August 15th – 18th and Christian Tetzlaff, August 10th and 11th.

OPERA
Join the Metropolitan Opera in Central Park for complimentary performances of La Boheme on June 12th and Faust on June 13th, at 8:00pm.

DANCE
Midsummer Night Swing offers great music, dancing and dance lessons under the stars in the Plaza of Lincoln Center on select nights from June 19th to July 21rd. $78 for a six night pass, $225 for the season – per couple.