Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Hudson. Out and about with Karla and PIX 11's Greg Mocker, East Village, NYC...

Thank you Greg! 

Full video that aired on 10 PM news: https://www.pix11.com/news/local-news/neighbors-rally-around-neon-signs-in-nyc

Watch for us tonight on Pix11 News at around 10:15PM talking about our Kickstarter campaign to save the historic NYC Palomba Academy of Music's gorgeous 25 foot neon sign. 

To help support our efforts to save the neon sign: http://kck.st/33J4CRY





Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Fedora, West Village, NYC

Sadly, the decades-old restaurant Fedora in the West Village has permanently closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. 

Fedora was originally founded as an Italian restaurant by Fedora Dorato and was in business from 1952 to 2010. 

Full video: https://youtu.be/-_Vl8bgD_9w 

We originally photographed Fedora in 2009 for our book "New York Nights" and also spoke with Fedora Dorato’s son, Charles about the history of the space. He told us that “Fedora’s became well known in the neighborhood because my parents were willing to serve same sex couples whereas many restaurants in the city did not serve gay men.” Fedora did all the cooking as well as ran the day-to-day operations of the restaurant until July 2010 when she retired at 90 years old.” 

• In recent years, the restaurant had been renovated and under the ownership of restauranteur Gabriel Stulman, but we loved its neon sign which was recreated to match the older original sign. 

• To see and hear more about @fedoranyc, please watch and subscribe to our JamesandKarla YouTube channel so that YouTube can recommend our channel to others so we can continue highlighting unique small businesses which are struggling to survive during the Coronavirus pandemic!



Sunday, September 27, 2020

Our latest YouTube video is live! NYC NOT DEAD: NY DOSA MAN REOPENS DURING COVID-19 IN GREENWICH VILLAGE NEW YORK

In our NYC NOT DEAD: NY DOSA MAN REOPENS DURING COVID-19 IN GREENWICH VILLAGE NEW YORK we visit Thiru Kumar aka the NYC Dosa Man who owns the oldest #vegan food cart in New York City. 

We watch Kumar, the street food legend, prepare his dosas made of rice and lentils and stuffed with potatoes, vegetables, and spicy sauces in Washington Square Park. 

We also walk along West 4th Street in Greenwich Village   with our dog during the #Coronavirus Lockdown in #NYC to see how vibrant this neighborhood near NYU looks during the reopening of New York with outdoor dining during COVID-19 restrictions. We see many restaurants, cafes and bars open with outdoor seating and also stop inside Hamlet’s Vintage on West 4th Street to check out their amazing selection of hand-selected vintage pieces.  

If you want to HELP SUPPORT this channel so we can continue highlighting small unique shops & interesting places in NYC, please send us: 

ONE-TIME DONATION via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/KarlaMurray 

Support OUR CHANNEL on PATREON and GET BONUS PERKS: https://www.patreon.com/JamesandKarla  

Special Thanks to our CHANNEL SUPPORTERS for your generous one-time donation via PayPal: Pizza Rules, David Monderer, Dennis Heaton, Barbara Barchat, Bronte Christian, Jasmin Woolley-Butler, and Lais deSouza and a special 

EXTRA GOOD THANKS to our PATREON PSUPPORTERS: Grace Arjona-Ramirez and Hannah Rose. Your donation to help support our channel means so much to us and we can’t thank you enough! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING!  

We would love for you to SUBSCRIBE to our channel and hit the thumbs up and notification bell and please SHARE if you enjoy our video. 

We will be posting new videos EVERY WEEK highlighting unique small businesses and places in New York City. 

SUBSCRIBE TO NEVER MISS AN EPISODE: https://www.youtube.com/c/JamesandKarla

Thank you Society for Commercial Archeology!


 

Saturday, September 26, 2020

Benito One on Mulberry Street in Little Italy ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น has been in business since 1968.

It is owned by brothers Nick and James Bari (photo of James) and they have had the same chef for close to 30 years, serving classic Italian dishes ๐Ÿin a friendly and cozy atmosphere. 

To see more of the stark comparison between The Feast 2020 and 2019, please watch: https://youtu.be/mG4bla6w_W0 

In our NYC FEAST of SAN GENNARO FOOD TOUR 2020 During COVID-19 vs 2019, we take a walk and food tour comparison along Mulberry Street in mid-September during the annual Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy of Manhattan, directly comparing what it looked like in 2019 vs what it looked like in 2020 when most of the festivities including street food vendors, rides and games were cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. 

The restaurants lining Mulberry Streets are still open with outdoor dining until 11PM during the #Coronavirus lockdown in NYC, including @benito1nyc but the streets are largely empty. • The Feast of San Gennaro is the longest and most popular street food fair in New York City and this annual event which runs for 11 days in September along Mulberry Street Between Canal and Houston Streets usually brings in one million tourists and New Yorkers to Little Italy. 

The #Feast dates back to 1926 when Neapolitan immigrants wanted to continue the September 19th Feast observed back home in Italy.




Friday, September 25, 2020

We are excited to announce that we have reached 45% of our Kickstarter goal and have just released a NEW REWARD of a SIGNED LIMITED EDITION 16 x 24 INCH STORE FRONT print for $300

Choice of different signed limited edition archival 16 x24 inch Store Front prints including our photo of Ideal Hosiery. Printed on Kodak Professional Endura Luster paper and signed by us. (see print selection in video and story). Visit our Kickstarter page: http://kck.st/33J4CRY



Join us this SUNDAY, September 27, 2020 at the Virtual NEON SPEAKS 2020 Festival & Symposium as we talk about New York STOREFRONTS at 1:15 EST (10:15 am PDT).

Register for the FREE Zoom link via Eventbrite:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-york-storefronts-with-james-and-karla-murray-registration-117934945597    

"James and Karla Murray know about disappearing store fronts only too well.  For decades, they have been photographing distinctive New York store fronts and have produced three books, including "STORE FRONT: The Disappearing Face of New York", "NEW YORK NIGHTS", and "STORE FRONT II- A History Preserved" and a video series on their JamesandKarlaYouTube channel."  

James and Karla share their journey to document these storefronts and signs while forging personal connections with the people who own small legacy businesses in the rapidly changing landscape of New York City.   

Suggested donation of $10 | Free.   Zoom link will be sent on the day of the event to those who register.   If you plan to attend more than one event in the Neon Speaks 2020 schedule, consider registering for the All-Event Virtual Passport(sliding scale $10-$50 suggested).   You'll get a daily schedule for each day of events with a Zoom link to join. If you want to watch an event at a later date, passport holders get special access to all recorded events for 3 months.



Wednesday, September 23, 2020

NEW $25 REWARD ADDED to our SAVING A HISTORIC NEON SIGN IN NYC Project!

SAVING A HISTORIC NEON SIGN IN NYC A documentary about Palomba Academy of Music and our efforts to save its historic neon sign after COVID forced the family shop to close 

Full Kickstarter Project: http://kck.st/33J4CRY  

NEW $25 REWARD ADDED! Set of 3 STORE FRONT 5x7” Postcards/Pen - Set of 3 different STORE FRONT postcards on card stock including one SIGNED & with a personalized THANK YOU message from us mailed to you along with a branded “Mom & Pops” Sharpie brand permanent marker. Donation includes shipping to anywhere in the USA. International shipping is additional.

 - Your name will be listed as a supporter in our documentary credits and listed in the video description on our JamesandKarla YouTube channel when the video is published to YouTube. - You will receive a link to watch our documentary on YouTube at least 2 days prior to it being released to the public. - 

Thank you emailed to you for helping support our project.




Our latest YouTube video is live! NYC FEAST of SAN GENNARO FOOD TOUR 2020 During COVID-19 vs 2019: Little Italy, New York

We take a walk and food tour comparison along Mulberry Street in mid-September during the annual Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy of Manhattan, directly comparing what it looked like in 2019 vs what it looked like in 2020 when most of the festivities including street food vendors, rides and games were cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. 

The restaurants lining Mulberry Streets are still open with outdoor dining until 11PM during the #Coronavirus lockdown in NYC but the streets are largely empty. 

The Feast of San Gennaro is the longest and most popular #streetfood fair in New York City and  this annual event which runs for 11 days along Mulberry Street Between Canal and Houston Streets usually brings in one million tourists and New Yorkers to Little Italy. 

The #Feast dates back to 1926 when Neapolitan immigrants wanted to continue the September 19th Feast observed back home in Italy. 

Filmed on Friday September 18, 2020 between 2-6 PM 

If you want to HELP SUPPORT this channel so we can continue highlighting small unique shops & interesting places in NYC, please send us:

 ONE-TIME DONATION via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/KarlaMurray 

Support OUR CHANNEL on PATREON and GET BONUS PERKS: https://www.patreon.com/JamesandKarla  

Special Thanks to our CHANNEL SUPPORTERS for your generous one-time donation via PayPal: Pizza Rules, David Monderer, Dennis Heaton, Barbara Barchat, Bronte Christian, Jasmin Woolley-Butler, and Lais deSouza and a special EXTRA GOOD THANKS to our PATREON SUPPORTERS: Grace Arjona-Ramirez, Focus Pulling and Hannah Rose. 

Your donation to help support our channel means so much to us and we can’t thank you enough! 

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING!  

We would love for you to SUBSCRIBE to our channel and hit the thumbs up and notification bell and please SHARE if you enjoy our video. 

We will be posting new videos EVERY WEEK highlighting unique small businesses and places in New York City. 

SUBSCRIBE TO NEVER MISS AN EPISODE: https://www.youtube.com/c/JamesandKarla

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

From our latest video!

Full video: https://youtu.be/r7gUusIRdyE 

In our MTA NYC VINTAGE SUBWAY RIDE INTO MANHATTAN, we take a ride on a vintage New York City "J" Train R32 subway car which is over 55 years old and film our entire subway ride from Bushwick, Brooklyn to Chambers Street in Manhattan from the front car of the subway next to the conductor's cab area. 

We see amazing views of the #NYC skyline and the Williamsburg Bridge on our vintage #subway ride. 

The R32 was retired from service by the #MTA of New York City in early 2020 but recently brought back into service by the MTA. 

 Filmed on Wednesday, August 19, 2020 

 If you want to HELP SUPPORT this channel so we can continue highlighting small unique shops & interesting places in NYC, please send us: 

ONE-TIME DONATION via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/KarlaMurray 

Support OUR CHANNEL on PATREON and GET BONUS PERKS: https://www.patreon.com/JamesandKarla 

Special Thanks to our CHANNEL SUPPORTERS for your generous one-time donation via PayPal: Pizza Rules, David Monderer, Dennis Heaton, Barbara Barchat, Bronte Christian, Jasmin Woolley-Butler, and Lais deSouza Special 

EXTRA GOOD THANKS to our PATREON SUPPORTERS: Grace Arjona-Ramirez and Hannah Rose. Your donation to help support our channel means so much to us and we can’t thank you enough! 

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING! We would love for you to SUBSCRIBE to our channel and hit the thumbs up and notification bell and please SHARE if you enjoy our video. 

We will be posting new videos EVERY WEEK highlighting unique small businesses and places in New York City. 

 SUBSCRIBE TO NEVER MISS AN EPISODE: https://www.youtube.com/c/JamesandKarla


 

Our Kickstarter project to help save Palomba Academy of Music’s historic neon sign was featured on Spectrum News NY1 this evening with reporter Anthony Pascale.

We were so honored to be featured and wanted to share this with all of our followers and supporters. We also wanted everyone to know that our project is now 33% funded, so we are definitely off to a great start. Please let your friends know about our campaign so we can reach our goal and save this amazing sign! 

Full video: https://www.ny1.com/nyc/bronx/news/2020/09/21/couple-aims-to-preserve-iconic-neon-sign# 

To hear more about our @kickstarter campaign and the rewards you can receive if you back our project, please visit our link: http://kck.st/33J4CRY



Monday, September 21, 2020

Thank you 6sqft!

"Palomba Academy of Music has been teaching music lessons from its storefront in the Williamsbridge section of the Bronx for 64 years, but they’ve sadly had to close due to COVID-19. However, there’s a piece of this business that photographers James and Karla Murray hope to preserve."

Full article: https://www.6sqft.com/help-save-the-historic-neon-sign-at-the-bronxs-64-year-old-palomba-academy-of-music/



Join us this SUNDAY, September 27, 2020 at the Virtual NEON SPEAKS 2020 Festival & Symposium as we talk about New York STOREFRONTS at 1:15 EST (10:15 am PDT).

Register for the FREE Zoom link via Eventbrite:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-york-storefronts-with-james-and-karla-murray-registration-117934945597  

"James and Karla Murray know about disappearing store fronts only too well.  For decades, they have been photographing distinctive New York store fronts and have produced three books, including "STORE FRONT: The Disappearing Face of New York", "NEW YORK NIGHTS", and "STRE FRONT II- A History Preserved" and a video series on their JamesandKarlaYouTube channel. 

James and Karla share their journey to document these storefronts and signs while forging personal connections with the people who own small legacy businesses in the rapidly changing landscape of New York City. 

Suggested donation of $10 | Free. 

Zoom link will be sent on the day of the event to those who register. 

If you plan to attend more than one event in the Neon Speaks 2020 schedule, consider registering for the All-Event Virtual Passport(sliding scale $10-$50 suggested). 

You'll get a daily schedule for each day of events with a Zoom link to join. If you want to watch an event at a later date, passport holders get special access to all recorded events for 3 months.




Sunday, September 20, 2020

Our latest video is live! MTA NYC VINTAGE SUBWAY RIDE INTO MANHATTAN

In our MTA NYC VINTAGE SUBWAY RIDE INTO MANHATTAN, we take a ride on a vintage New York City "J" Train R32 subway car which is over 55 years old and film our entire subway ride from Bushwick, Brooklyn to Chambers Street in Manhattan from the front car of the subway next to the conductor's cab area. 

We see amazing views of the #NYC skyline and the Williamsburg Bridge on our vintage #subway ride.   The R32 was retired from service by the #MTA of New York City in early 2020 but recently brought back into service by the MTA.   

Filmed on Wednesday, August 19, 2020     

If you want to HELP SUPPORT this channel so we can continue highlighting small unique shops & interesting places in NYC, please send us:  

ONE-TIME DONATION via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/KarlaMurray 

Support OUR CHANNEL on PATREON and GET BONUS PERKS: https://www.patreon.com/JamesandKarla     

Special Thanks to our CHANNEL SUPPORTERS for your generous one-time donation via PayPal: Pizza Rules, David Monderer, Dennis Heaton, Barbara Barchat, Bronte Christian, Jasmin Woolley-Butler, and Lais deSouza  Special EXTRA GOOD THANKS to our PATREON SUPPORTERS: Grace Arjona-Ramirez and Hannah Rose. Your donation to help support our channel means so much to us and we can’t thank you enough!  

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING!  

We would love for you to SUBSCRIBE to our channel and hit the thumbs up and notification bell and please SHARE if you enjoy our video. 

We will be posting new videos EVERY WEEK highlighting unique small businesses and places in New York City.  

SUBSCRIBE TO NEVER MISS AN EPISODE: https://www.youtube.com/c/JamesandKarla

Thank you to the always great Forgotten New York for promoting our Kickstarter to save Palomba's iconic neon sign!

Full article: https://forgotten-ny.com/2020/09/palomba-academy-of-music-bronxwood/?fbclid=IwAR125-KlHnWded-wLSMADYR4bNjrX0iWv4Pj8znne3tPGSKXwMV6WFesfJ0

Check out the Forgotten New York site for all things NYC. 

To hear more about our @kickstarter campaign and the rewards you can receive if you back our project, please visit our link: http://kck.st/33J4CRY



Louis Zuflacht, Lower East Side, NYC

Louis Zuflacht in the Lower East Side was a men’s haberdashery which was founded in 1942 and had a beautiful #neon sign. Luckily the skeleton of the sign still exists today on the #storefront of 154 Stanton Street even though the business closed long ago and the shop has changed tenants many, many times. But many historic neon signs which we have documented over the years have been literally thrown into the trash when the shop closes. 

That is why we launched a Kickstarter campaign to SAVE the historic NEON SIGN at the Palomba Academy of Music in the Bronx which has been forced to close after 64 years in business due to the Coronavirus shutdown. 

• • Our KICKSTARTER campaign “SAVING A HISTORIC NEON SIGN IN NYC” is to help fund our short film, which documents our journey to help save the historic neon signage at Palomba Academy of Music. In our short film, we will interview the 2nd-generation owner, Michael Palomba, about the joys and stuggles of operating a family-owned music shop and school and why he was forced to close his historic business due to the Coronavirus shutdown. 

The campaign will ALSO HELP PAY for the entire process of carefully removing the 25 foot neon sign with its porcelain enamel panels from the facade of the building and placing it on a trailer to transport it to its new permanent home at the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio, the largest public museum dedicated to signs in the United States. The Palomba Academy of Music neon sign will be installed and on display, shining brightly again at the @americansignmuseum 

• To hear more about our @kickstarter campaign and the rewards you can receive if you back our project, please visit our link: http://kck.st/33J4CRY



Saturday, September 19, 2020

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT to SAVE this historic NEON SIGN at the Palomba Academy of Music in the Bronx

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT to SAVE this historic NEON SIGN at the Palomba Academy of Music in the Bronx which has been forced to close after 64 years in business due to the Coronavirus shutdown. • 

•To support on Kickstarter: http://kck.st/33J4CRY 

We have launched a KICKSTARTER campaign “SAVING A HISTORIC NEON SIGN IN NYC” to help fund our short film, which documents our journey to help save the historic neon signage at Palomba Academy of Music. In our short film, we will interview the 2nd-generation owner, Michael Palomba, about the joys and struggles of operating a family-owned music shop and school and why he was forced to close his historic business due to the Coronavirus shutdown. 

• To hear more about our @kickstarter campaign and the rewards you can receive if you back our project, please visit the link

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Our latest YouTube video is live! NYC NOT DEAD: LOWER EAST SIDE REOPENING DURING COVID-19 OUTDOOR DINING NEW YORK

In our NYC NOT DEAD: LOWER EAST SIDE REOPENING DURING COVID-19 OUTDOOR DINING NEW YORK , we walk with our dog during the #Coronavirus Lockdown in #NYC along many streets in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan to see how vibrant these areas looks during the Phase 4 of reopening with outdoor dining during Open Streets New York City during COVID-19 restrictions. 

We see many restaurants, cafes and bars open with outdoor seating including Arlene’s Grocery, Clinton Street Bakery, Parkside Grill, and El Castillo.  

Streets we walk along include Stanton, Orchard, Houston, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Attorney and Clinton Streets.  

If you want to HELP SUPPORT this channel so we can continue highlighting small unique shops & interesting places in NYC, please send us:  

ONE-TIME DONATION via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/KarlaMurray  

Support OUR CHANNEL on PATREON and GET BONUS PERKS: https://www.patreon.com/JamesandKarla   

Special Thanks to our CHANNEL SUPPORTERS for your generous one-time donation via PayPal: Pizza Rules, David Monderer, Dennis Heaton, Barbara Barchat, Bronte Christian, Jasmin Woolley-Butler, and Lais deSouza and a special 

EXTRA GOOD THANKS to our PATREON SUPPORTERS: Grace Arjona-Ramirez and Hannah Rose. Your donation to help support our channel means so much to us and we can’t thank you enough!  

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING!  We would love for you to SUBSCRIBE to our channel and hit the thumbs up and notification bell and please SHARE if you enjoy our video. 

We will be posting new videos EVERY WEEK highlighting unique small businesses and places in New York City.  

SUBSCRIBE TO NEVER MISS AN EPISODE: https://www.youtube.com/c/JamesandKarla

Rocco Restaurant was in business on Thompson Street in Greenwich Village from 1922-2012.

Full video: https://youtu.be/_-zOgwnSjjk 

Sadly, this Italian ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น restaurant was forced to close after its landlord raised its rent from $8,000 a month to $18,000 a month. The #storefront was taken over by Carbone, an Italian-American restaurant in 2013 owned by Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi and partner Jeff Zalaznick. 

They remodeled the interior but left the remnants of original #neon signage from Rocco’s and added in neon the words “Carbone and “Wines Liquors” In our latest YouTube video NYC LIFE: GREENWICH VILLAGE & SOHO REOPENING DURING COVID-19 OUTDOOR DINING NEW YORK we visit the former location of Rocco’s and see other restaurants and bars which are struggling to survive during the COVID-19 restrictions (which currently do not allow indoor dining). 

• Please support your local small restaurant and bar by dining outside and also support our efforts to help raise awareness of the importance of these small unique shops by watching our YouTube video (it’s free to watch and SUBSCRIBE to our channel and by doing so YouTube will recommend it to others via their algorithm).



Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Mishka on Broome Street in SoHo

Mishka on Broome Street in SoHo, which specializes in authentic Russian cuisine, has been in business for over 20 years

• Full video: https://youtu.be/nt50yKZSEfM 

In our latest YouTube video NYC LIFE: GREENWICH VILLAGE & SOHO REOPENING DURING COVID-19 OUTDOOR DINING NEW YORK we visit Mishka and see its lively outdoor dining area conveniently located in a parking lot around the corner from the restaurant, as well as many other restaurants and bars which are struggling to survive during the COVID-19 restrictions (which currently do not allow indoor dining).

 • Please support your local small restaurant and bar by dining outside and also support our efforts to help raise awareness of the importance of these small unique shops by watching our YouTube video (it’s free to watch and SUBSCRIBE to our channel and by doing so YouTube will recommend it to others via their algorithm).




Monday, September 14, 2020

We are excited to share a podcast by Alex Brook Lynn, the producer at FAQNYC who spoke with Karla about our work documenting Mom-and-Pop Storefronts in NYC and all the small businesses New York is losing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

LISTEN TO THE FAQ NYC 100th EPISODE HERE: https://faq.nyc/2020/09/13/the-storefront-domino-effect/?fbclid=IwAR1RX0NKSsvoT4yEi8pxgn5TmZOPj1FW_d6AnrGgUr3SZ6pypflxBLehjvQ



Our latest YouTube is live! It only costs $2.75, the price of the #NYC subway fare, to see this wonderful art exhibit!

We visit the MTA NYC SUBWAY ART INSTALLATION "Life Underground" by American sculptor Tom Otterness for the New York City Subway 14th Street/ 8th Avenue station on the A,C,E, and L train lines. 

Full video: https://youtu.be/nt50yKZSEfM 

We see all of the whimsical miniature bronze sculptures depicting cartoon-like animals and people which are scattered throughout the #subway platforms and passageways. 

It only costs $2.75, the price of the #NYC subway fare, to see this wonderful art exhibit! 

If you want to HELP SUPPORT this channel so we can continue highlighting small unique shops & interesting places in NYC, please send us: 

ONE-TIME DONATION via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/KarlaMurray 

Support OUR CHANNEL on PATREON and GET BONUS PERKS: https://www.patreon.com/JamesandKarla 

Special Thanks to our CHANNEL SUPPORTERS for your generous one-time donation via PayPal: Pizza Rules, David Monderer, Dennis Heaton, Barbara Barchat, Bronte Christian, Jasmin Woolley-Butler, and Lais deSouza and a special 

EXTRA GOOD THANKS to our PATREON SUPPORTERS: Grace Arjona-Ramirez and Hannah Rose. 

Your donation to help support our channel means so much to us and we can’t thank you enough! 

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING! 

We would love for you to SUBSCRIBE to our channel and hit the thumbs up and notification bell and please SHARE if you enjoy our video. 

We will be posting new videos EVERY WEEK highlighting unique small businesses and places in New York City. 

SUBSCRIBE TO NEVER MISS AN EPISODE: https://www.youtube.com/c/JamesandKarla



Sunday, September 13, 2020

Our latest YouTube is live! MTA NYC SUBWAY ART INSTALLATION

We visit the MTA NYC SUBWAY ART INSTALLATION "Life Underground" by American sculptor Tom Otterness for the New York City Subway 14th Street/ 8th Avenue station on the A,C,E, and L train lines.  We see all of the whimsical miniature bronze sculptures depicting cartoon-like animals and people which are scattered throughout the #subway platforms and passageways.  

It only costs $2.75, the price of the #NYC subway fare, to see this wonderful art exhibit!  

If you want to HELP SUPPORT this channel so we can continue highlighting small unique shops & interesting places in NYC, please send us:  

ONE-TIME DONATION via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/KarlaMurray  

Support OUR CHANNEL on PATREON and GET BONUS PERKS: https://www.patreon.com/JamesandKarla   

Special Thanks to our CHANNEL SUPPORTERS for your generous one-time donation via PayPal: Pizza Rules, David Monderer, Dennis Heaton, Barbara Barchat, Bronte Christian, Jasmin Woolley-Butler, and Lais deSouza and a special EXTRA GOOD THANKS to our PATREON SUPPORTERS: Grace Arjona-Ramirez and Hannah Rose. Your donation to help support our channel means so much to us and we can’t thank you enough!  

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING!  We would love for you to SUBSCRIBE to our channel and hit the thumbs up and notification bell and please SHARE if you enjoy our video. 

We will be posting new videos EVERY WEEK highlighting unique small businesses and places in New York City.  

SUBSCRIBE TO NEVER MISS AN EPISODE: https://www.youtube.com/c/JamesandKarla

We will be premiering our video with a live chat this morning at 11AM. JOIN US!


Friday, September 11, 2020

9/11 ANNIVERSARY NYC: REMEMBERING SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 19 Years Later...

Remembering those lives lost or destroyed that awful day.  Remembering Manny DelValle Jr. from Engine 5 of the FDNY.  On Tuesday, September 11, 2001. Manny had just finished an overnight at Engine 5 (near our apartment in the East Village) when the call came in around 8:47 am that a plane had hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Engine Company 5 was assigned to team up with another company to walk up 80 floors and stretch the hose line. Manny Delvalle Jr. was carrying the rollup lines of hose and an oxygen tank. The last time Manny was seen, he had stopped on the 10th floor to give a woman oxygen. His unit had made it to the 15th floor when they were called back when the building began to rumble. They looked for Manny but could not find him and after the North Tower fell at 10:28 am, he was reported missing. Manny was 32 years old and had joined the #FDNY in 1994. We remember Manny, who often stood outside the firehouse when the doors were open. The firemen always gave biscuits to our pit rescues Tabasco and Java. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by this senseless tragedy.

#fdny #neverforgot #September11 #911Memorial


19 Years... 09.11.20. Remembering those lives lost or destroyed that awful day. Remembering Manny DelValle Jr. from Engine 5.

On Tuesday, September 11, 2001 Manny had just finished an overnight at Engine 5 (near our apartment in the East Village) when the call came in around 8:47 am that a plane had hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Engine Company 5 was assigned to team up with another company to walk up 80 floors and stretch the hose line. Manny Delvalle Jr. was carrying the rollup lines of hose and an oxygen tank. The last time Manny was seen, he had stopped on the 10th floor to give a woman oxygen. His unit had made it to the 15th floor when they were called back when the building began to rumble. 

They looked for Manny but could not find him and after the North Tower fell at 10:28 am, he was reported missing. 

Manny was 32 years old and had joined the #FDNY in 1994. 

We remember Manny, who often stood outside the firehouse when the doors were open. The firemen always gave biscuits to our pit rescues Tabasco and Java. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by this senseless tragedy.





Thursday, September 10, 2020

Our newest YouTube video is live! NYC LIFE: GREENWICH VILLAGE & SOHO REOPENING DURING COVID-19 OUTDOOR DINING OPEN STREETS NEW YORK

In our NYC LIFE: GREENWICH VILLAGE & SOHO REOPENING DURING COVID-19 OUTDOOR DINING OPEN STREETS NEW YORK , we walk with our dog during the #Coronavirus Lockdown in #NYC along many streets in the Greenwich Village and SoHo neighborhoods of Manhattan to see how vibrant these areas looks during the Phase 4 of reopening with outdoor dining during Open Streets New York City during COVID-19 restrictions. 

We see many restaurants, cafes and bars open with outdoor seating including Carbone, Felix, Vesuvio Bakery, Il Corallo Trattoria, Dominique Ansel Bakery, Mishka, Broome Street Bar and Boqueria and Cipriani Downtown.  

Streets we walk along include the whole length of Thompson Street, West Broadway and LaGuardia Place and along Prince, Spring and Broome Streets.  

If you want to HELP SUPPORT this channel so we can continue highlighting small unique shops & interesting places in NYC, please send us: 

ONE-TIME DONATION via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/KarlaMurray  

Support OUR CHANNEL on PATREON and GET BONUS PERKS: https://www.patreon.com/JamesandKarla   

Special Thanks to our CHANNEL SUPPORTERS for your generous one-time donation via PayPal: Pizza Rules, David Monderer, Dennis Heaton, Barbara Barchat, Bronte Christian, Jasmin Woolley-Butler, and Lais deSouza and a special EXTRA GOOD THANKS to our PATREON SUPPORTERS: Grace Arjona-Ramirez and Hannah Rose. Your donation to help support our channel means so much to us and we can’t thank you enough!  

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING!  

We would love for you to SUBSCRIBE to our channel and hit the thumbs up and notification bell and please SHARE if you enjoy our video. 

We will be posting new videos EVERY WEEK highlighting unique small businesses and places in New York City.  

SUBSCRIBE TO NEVER MISS AN EPISODE: https://www.youtube.com/c/JamesandKarla

Wednesday, September 9, 2020

Tony Garofalo, who first began working at his old-school Brooklyn barber shop in 1964, after arriving from Italy, has passed away this weekend.

It is with heavy hearts that we are sharing the news that Tony Garofalo who first began working at his old-school Brooklyn barber shop in 1964 after arriving from Italy ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡นhas passed away this weekend. We originally photographed this ๐Ÿ’ˆgorgeous #storefront with its hand painted #signage in 2006 for our book, “Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York” (swipe left for 2nd photo) and also had the chance to watch Tony at work ✂️doing what he loved best. We will miss Tony and our thoughts and prayers ๐Ÿ™are with his family.




Monday, September 7, 2020

Thank you so much to NYU's "Consult Your Community" chapter who recommended our @jamesandkarla Instagram account!

Thank you so much to NYU's "Consult Your Community" chapter who recommended our @jamesandkarla Instagram account as a great resource for finding some of the amazing small businesses in NYC who need support now during COVID-19. 

Also to take part in our FREE virtual workshop: https://youtu.be/92mw14ULXqo 

CAPTURING THE FACES & VOICES OF MOM-AND-POP STOREFRONTS IN NEW YORK CITY is a photography, social media and oral history ONLINE workshop focuses on the cultural significance of neighborhood stores and the impact they have on the pulse, life, and texture of their communities. The ONLINE workshop will culminate in both an online @momandpopstorefronts dedicated Instagram page and a public exhibition of participants' work. 

• The workshops teach how photography, social media, and oral history can be tools for public awareness and advocacy. Participants will learn to create their own powerful photographs of neighborhood storefronts as well as record oral histories with shop owners, which communicate artistically and are insightful and moving. Participants will also gain valuable knowledge in creating and maintaining their own social media account. Small local mom-and-pop shops including restaurants and cafes are the lifeblood of our communities and now more than ever need all of our support. Many have been struggling to survive during the COVID shutdown, and highlighting their business is a great free way to help promote them.



Hudson. Labor Day weekend chill-life over at The Beauty Bar with Karla, owner Michael Stewart & long-time bartender Brock Michael Napoli

Please help support Beauty Bar by visiting its outdoor patio and you can also purchase a straight razor Beauty Bar t-shirt in their online shop:  https://beautybarnyc.bigcartel.com/ 

Please also support our efforts to help raise awareness of the importance of these small unique shops by watching our YouTube video (it’s free to watch and SUBSCRIBE to our channel and by doing so YouTube will recommend it to others via their algorithm). 

Direct link: https://youtu.be/Oph0kS_I3nU



Sunday, September 6, 2020

Our latest video is live! NYC LIFE: UNION SQUARE & GRAMERCY REOPENING DURING PHASE 4 OUTDOOR DINING OPEN STREETS NEW YORK

In our NYC LIFE: UNION SQUARE & GRAMERCY REOPENING DURING PHASE 4 OUTDOOR DINING OPEN STREETS NEW YORK , we walk with our dog during the #Coronavirus Lockdown in #NYC along many streets in the Union Square and Gramercy neighborhoods of Manhattan to see how vibrant these areas looks during the Phase 4 of reopening with outdoor dining during Open Streets New York City during COVID-19 restrictions. 

We see many restaurants, cafes and bars open with outdoor seating including Beauty Bar, which is struggling to survive during COVID-19.  We also get a tour of the repurposed 1940s interior of Beauty Bar from the owner, Mike and the long-time bartender, Brock. 

Please help support Beauty Bar by visiting it during its outdoor dining hours at: Beauty Bar 231 East 14th Street New York, NY 

If you want to HELP SUPPORT this channel so we can continue highlighting small unique shops & interesting places in NYC, please send us: 

ONE-TIME DONATION via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/KarlaMurray 

Support OUR CHANNEL on PATREON and GET BONUS PERKS: https://www.patreon.com/JamesandKarla  

Special Thanks to our CHANNEL SUPPORTERS for your generous one-time donation via PayPal: Pizza Rules, David Monderer, Dennis Heaton, Barbara Barchat, Bronte Christian, Jasmin Woolley-Butler, and Lais deSouza and a special EXTRA GOOD THANKS to our PATREON SUPPORTERS: Grace Arjona-Ramirez and Hannah Rose. Your donation to help support our channel means so much to us and we can’t thank you enough! 

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING!  

We would love for you to SUBSCRIBE to our channel and hit the thumbs up and notification bell and please SHARE if you enjoy our video. 

We will be posting new videos EVERY WEEK highlighting unique small businesses and places in New York City. 

SUBSCRIBE TO NEVER MISS AN EPISODE: https://www.youtube.com/c/JamesandKarla

Saturday, September 5, 2020

John’s of 12th Street has been in business since 1908 and is the oldest Italian restaurant in the East Village

John’s of 12th Street has been in business since 1908 and is the oldest Italian restaurant in the East Village and it now needs your help more than ever as they are struggling to stay afloat during the COVID-19 restrictions. 

Full video: https://youtu.be/Xz7ppYLGnm8 

They were closed for a few months and although they recently reopened with a few tables on the sidewalk for outdoor dining, business is severely reduced as there are so few tables. We recently visited John’s of 12th Street and spoke with the owner and posted our YouTube video NEW YORK CITY SURVIVORS: STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE COVID-19. 

Not only do we visit this historic Italian ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น restaurant which serves both a classic Italian menu ๐Ÿand a vegan menu (@anthonybourdain visited and highlighted this restaurant in his last episode) and take a look at its historic interior, we also speak about its interesting history as a speakeasy and check out its back room known for its tradition of burning candles as a celebration of the end of Prohibition.



Friday, September 4, 2020

Thursday, September 3, 2020

Our latest YouTube video is live! HISTORIC NEW YORK CITY SURVIVORS: STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE COVID-19

In our HISTORIC NEW YORK CITY SURVIVORS: STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE COVID-19 we visit four historic small businesses in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, which were all open as speakeasies during Prohibition serving alcohol and have now survived the Coronavirus pandemic in New York City. Prohibition in New York lasted from 1920 through 1933, when Congress repealed the 18th Amendment. 

Although all of these historic #NYC restaurants, bars and theaters are currently closed for indoor seating & dining due to #COVID-19 restrictions, but many have outdoor dining areas that you can enjoy.  

We encourage everyone to visit and help support the historic spots we visit on this tour and help them survive through COVID-19! I

f you want to HELP SUPPORT this channel so we can continue highlighting small unique shops & interesting places in NYC, please send us: 

ONE-TIME DONATION via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/KarlaMurray 

Support OUR CHANNEL on PATREON and GET BONUS PERKS: https://www.patreon.com/JamesandKarla  

Special Thanks to our CHANNEL SUPPORTERS for your generous one-time donation via PayPal: Pizza Rules, Dennis Heaton, David Monderer, Dennis Heaton, Barbara Barchat, Bronte Christian, Jasmin Woolley-Butler, and Lais deSouza and a special EXTRA GOOD THANKS to our PATREON SUPPORTERS: Grace Arjona-Ramirez and Hannah Rose. Your donation to help support our channel means so much to us and we can’t thank you enough! 

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING!  

We would love for you to SUBSCRIBE to our channel and hit the thumbs up and notification bell and please SHARE if you enjoy our video. 

We will be posting new videos EVERY WEEK highlighting unique small businesses and places in New York City. 

SUBSCRIBE TO NEVER MISS AN EPISODE: https://www.youtube.com/c/JamesandKarla

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Veniero’s Pasticceria on East 11th Street in the East Village

Veniero’s Pasticceria on East 11th Street in the East Village needs your help to survive even though it has survived the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918, the Great Depression, two World Wars, the September 11th tragedy, and Superstorm Sandy when the shop lost power for 5 days (we live only a few blocks away so we were right there with them with no power in our building either). 

This 126 year old family business needs your support as customers to help them survive the Coronavirus shutdown as their large indoor dining and café is closed and with less foot traffic on the street for takeaway, business is suffering. They closed their doors between the end of March and beginning of May but have now re-opened for takeaway, serving their full menu of hundreds of types of cakes๐Ÿฐ, cookies and pastries and also have an outdoor patio area for dining. 

@venierospastry also ships their cakes and cookies nationwide and has gift certificates available but it is still difficult for them. 

•Full video: https://youtu.be/eT34S_VSHSM 

We recently visited Veniero’s and posted our video HISTORIC EAST VILLAGE NYC FOOD SPOTS STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE COVID-19 on our YouTube channel. Not only do we eat some of their best-selling items outside on their patio but we also go inside the café to show you its gorgeous interior and even go upstairs to the bakery’s kitchen to see some of their delicious cakes and pastries being prepared. 

• Please help support Veniero’s and our efforts to help raise awareness of the importance of these small unique shops by watching our YouTube video (it’s free to watch and SUBSCRIBE to our channel and by doing so YouTube will recommend it to others via their algorithm).

SUBSCRIBE TO NEVER MISS AN EPISODE: https://www.youtube.com/c/JamesandKarla