Taste of Times Square

On Monday, June 3rd from 5:00-9:00 PM, Times Square will be hosting an event called, Taste of Times Square, which will be located on 46th Street between Broadway and 9th Avenue.  Right in the center of all the action of Times Square, people will get the chance to taste different foods from New York City's best restaurants!

Taste of Times Square is an outdoor food and music festival, which features international foods from the city's best restaurants. Times Square’s most popular culinary destinations set up tables on the street to offer “tastes” of their signature dishes.

People can enjoy cuisine from around the world including Italian, Chilean, Irish, Latin, Asian and more.  If you love food, you don't want to miss this event!

Click on the link below to view all of the Taste of Times Square  Participating Restaurants:

Taste of Times Square Restaurants

This is not only a great way to get the community involved, but an excellent way to get restaurants to advertise their food to a large number of people.  By getting a small taste of a restaurant's food is an excellent way to get people to come back to you.  Food is always a sure thing when it comes to events, and is always a large crowd draw.  I know I want to go and try all the different food selections!  I think it would be a fun date or afternoon with friends to go around and try everything.  Some of my favorite restaurants are listed to be there as well.  Check it out !

Things Got Weird..

A funny thing happened to me on the way to work on a beautiful summer day a few years ago.  Everyday I walk down 8th Avenue up to 51st Street to get to work.  For some reason, I decided to walk through Times Square in the morning. I don't know why because I really dislike walking through Times Square when I'm in a rush on my way to work.  Well, it was a beautiful day and I had gotten into the city earlier than expected.

As I was walking trying to walk around all the tourists, I was stopped suddently by a man. Usually, I ignore most people who try to sell me something or want money.  But this guy had six, yes SIX, rats on his shoulders!  Three on each side!   Obviously, my first reaction was "EWWWW WTF!"  I freaked out and I tried to run away from him, but this guy thougth it was funny and followed me!  Other people were screaming and running away as well.   I was NOT happy!  All I can say was that it definitly woke me up in the morning!

If I wanted to pet his rats, I would have asked.  People are SO weird.  Apparently this guy is ALWAYS in Times Square. If you google, "Rat Man in Times Square", his picture appears!  People will do anything for attention, but I find it creepy and just plain weird.      

Beware of all the weirdos in Times Square!   It could happen to you!

The Naked Truth: Chatting With The Naked Cowboy, Himself!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting with the Naked Cowboy, whose real name is Robert John Burck.  I really didn't know what to expect, but I have to say, I was completely taken back with how passionate and motivated he is about what he does. After speaking with him, I was so inspired to chase after my dreams.  Enjoy!

So where are you from?

I’m from Cincinnati, Ohio.

And how did you end up in New York?

Well I was in Cincinnati, again I was born and raised in Cincinatti, and at some point I read Tony Robbins book, Of Unlimited Power.  Tony Robbins is a motivational speaker. But everything out of the guy’s mouth… he’s very motivational. After reading him, he basically, you know, as far as getting what you want in life, you need to know what you want. You write it out, you focus on it. So for 15 years of reading him, and this is a document I read everyday (Sidenote: He pulls out a huge stack of paper that is written all over and highlighted) on either a stair climber, an elliptical or a running machine, so I’m constantly reading this dialogue. 

So he motivated you?

Yeah, I basically wrote out these goals. He basically says you can have anything you want in your life, you just gotta know what you want. It all started with goal setting, and this is the same document I've literately been reading for about 16 years.  When, just like everybody else in the world, I’m not motivated, don’t feel like doing it, don’t give a shit, I just listen to him... And my life is literately mirroring all these things I've read and studied all my life.  Goal is to be the most famous man on the face of the earth, the richest, most successful, most profitable, most affluent...

So why the naked cowboy? What made you want to do this specifically?

Well in 1998 I was in Venice Beach,California.  I was shooting for Playgirl magazine.  Another thing about Tony, he says you have to not only know what you want, but once you know what you want, find people who HAVE what you want. So who has limousines taking them back and forth, Learjets, all the money in the world? Endorsements?  Money?  Who has that?  Movie stars, kings, presidents, you name it.  So I went into political science in school, I went into pre-med (thought I’d be a doctor or lawyer). Ended up with a political science degree.

From where?

University of Cincinnati  Then I went for my masters degree in business administration.  That was a 2 year program, I did one year of it, straight As, but at that point I decided I was already going back and forth from California  LA, everywhere I could possibly go to following modeling leads, things like that. I tried to be an actor and a country singer.

 

In 1998, I was shooting for Playgirl magazine. So I was shooting with a gay photographer who was going to be shooting me nude.  I went down to Venice beach on my off time, cause I was trying to be a country singer too, and just started singing. Had an old acoustic that my mother always had the house. So I went down the beach, and I had on jeans, a vest, and a flannel shirt on.  I played all day with my guitar and was ignored the entire day.  One kid threw 2 cents at me, and a little old lady put a dollar in my hat.  So I didn't make any money.

 

And the photographer that was shooting me for the nude magazine said, "Why don’t you play in your underwear?  Do something different."  I was like, "That’s fucking great!"


I went back in my underwear, which is what Tony Robbins would call, “marshalling your resources”.

Wasn't a great singer, didn't have the best body, wasn't a good dancer, all these things.   But combining it, just going in my underwear, everybody took pictures all day. And a news crew happened to be just walking down the boardwalk, they filmed me, I was on the news.  I got an interview with the LA Times.

Did you ever imagine you would get so much attention from all this?

Yea, absolutely.  Was determined from day one because he (Tony Robbins) told me that I could be, to have everything that I want in my life.  And I have it, and it keeps growing every single day. Got a new guitar endorsement, we got liquor endorsements, Naked Cowboy oysters, Naked Cowgirl oysters... I mean everything is just growing astronomically. And I expect to be living in a penthouse in NYC.

So you obviously enjoy the spotlight that’s on you.

I enjoy it, but it’s necessary for people to see me because what I am epitomizes what anyone can do. And it liberates and frees all people to be just like me. And that’s what everybody wants; they want to walk this earth as a king or a queen. And we all have that.  It's our vanity that rules us, and that’s a good thing.

Why no boxers?

Well when the guy told me to get in my underwear, I had the same underwear my mother bought me when I was 12 yrs old.  And it wasn't a conscious decision to wear boxers or briefs, but I think it works too because people have a taboo of being locked, stuck outside in their underwear, so to speak.  And it kind of plays into that kind of common phobia that people have being stuck outside in their underwear.

           

Do you ever get cold?

I get cold all winter long, but I deal with it.  Everyday you end up feeling like a failure no matter how many times you get out there cause you have to work so hard to do it.

How do you feel about impostors?

We have no impostors, we got 4 cowboys and 4 cowgirls.

Oh, so they’re all under the franchise?

Yup, they are all licensed and franchised.

So where do you want to go from here, where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Again, penthouse in NYC, my own helipad, my own helicopter that flies me over to my home in Weehawken, NJ and a plethora of castles all over the world, because just again, the more success, the more famous or richer I am, and I want to be the richest man on the face of the earth, most inspiring, most sexiest motherfucker on the face of the earth, and I can go all day long with this. Because the greater the success, the more validation you get from everyone else, and that forces them to look and look at what I’m doing and how I've been doing it. And they recognize they control their own destinies, if they take the time.  I’m 100%, I’m focused.

What is the one thing that you have learned, that you take away from all this?

To me its always about getting greater and greater faith that everything is gonna work out. Staying in the right frame of mind, stay focused. And even when you don’t succeed on a daily basis, you don’t do everything you can, keep your spirit up, cause the next day is coming.  Cause, ultimately, I got over it.  Keeping your mentality up, which takes 24 hours a day.  And you’ll eventually, I believe, have it on a level where just nothing can bring you down... you’re like a Buddha.  You're just happy.

Do you just stay in New York, or do you travel?

Yeah, I mean I don’t take any days off. To me, the Naked Cowboy is no longer what I do, it’s who I am. Anything other than singing and playing guitar as the Naked Cowboy is pointless.    

Wow!  What a nice, sweet, and intelligent guy.  He talked a mile a minute, (my head was spinning) and was so energetic, but is also so determined and driven.  The Naked Cowboy has a truly inspiring story, and he's just getting started.  I believe he will go far!   

"Should The Creepy Times Square Costumed Characters Be Regulated?" by the Gothamist Blog

As I write about Times Square, I like to draw inspiration from other related blogs.  I came across a blog that I love to read on a daily basis called, the Gothamist.  The Gothamist is a great interactive blog that is updated on a daily basis about all types of news and events happening in New York City. 

Lo and behold, today there was a blog post about the Costumed Characters in Times Square!  I recently posted about the same topic in a post called, Behind The Mask, so I found this blog post esepcially intriquing

On Sunday, a man dressed as Cookie Monster allegedly shoved a child and cursed at his mother when she didn't tip fast enough.. The situation has attracted so much media attention that now regulation is being considered.

 
 Check it out:  Gothamist .  This blog was written by Sophie Keelman, an avid Gothamist blogger.  She writes,

"Super Mario groped the woman...Elmost was ranting anti-Semitic things, Spider-Man punched a woman int he face.  Now a kid was attacked my Cookie-Monster.  And those are just ones where there's been an arrest!"

While these characters are supposed to be harmless and all in good fun, this situation is actually very frightening.  It even made the front cover the NY Post.  Cover of NY Post

Even though I have felt bad for the people that are forcred to work as a costumed character, there is no excuse for this type of behavior.  In fact, I'm glad I have become aware of what is going on.  It's sad that people have to ruin such a fun and enjoyable part of the Times Square atmosphere.  Kids get so excited when they see their favorite character, and they should never be victimized to any sort of this distrubing behavior.

I hope immediate action will be taken and there will be regulations for these characters from now on.

Wikipedia Changed My Post!

So I checked back to the Wikipedia post I previously changed regarding the TKTs booth in Times Square.  Someone deleted everything I wrote!  How rude!  It is actually pretty funny to me that it got deleted so fast.  Some people take Wikipedia very seriously, I guess.

To see what I wrote in Wikipedia before, refer back to my old post What's That Big Red Thing In The Middle of Times Sq?

What the post says as of today:  "New York City's TKTS (pronounced phonetically "tee kay tee ess") first opened in 1973 and is operated by the Theatre Development Fund. There are three locations: one in Duffy Square (at W 47th Street and Broadway, the north end of Times Square); another in Downtown Brooklyn (Jay St. and Myrtle St. Promenade); and a third at the South Street Seaport in Lower Manhattan (replacing the office formerly located in the lobby of the World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks).^[1] The Seaport location has been temporarily closed after sustaining damage from Hurricane Sandy in the fall of 2012. The Times Square booth sells day-of-performance tickets only at a discounted price. Availability can vary, and some shows may not be available".

So since someone changed my post, I decided to change it again!  It's kind of fun to change postings on Wikipedia.  They don't necessearily have to be true or factual, which is the exact reason why teachers always tell you, Wikipedia is NOT a good source!  These postings are done by anyone and can be edited at any given time.  I didn't think what I wrote on Wikipedia was that bad, but apparently someone didn't like it.  Let's see how long my new posting will last ;]

New post as of today:  "The Times Square TKTs booth only sells day-of-performance tickets at discounted prices. After standing in line for what can be hours, ticket availability is always limited. Shows may not be available, especially the popular ones. Once you get to the window of the TKT booth, you must decide very quickly which show you want to see, as the people that work there have no patience and nor do the people behind you. To do this, there are electronic signs that tell you what is avaialble at that time, which speeds the process up. If you don't have a preference of which show to see, the TKT booth is your best option. It's always a toss-up. Good luck!"

I purposely wrote something silly to see how fast this posting gets changed on Wikipedia.  I give it a week before someone deletes my post. 

Hungry? Tony's DiNapoli is A Must!

Whenever people ask me where to eat in Midtown Manhattan I ALWAYS suggest Tony's DiNapoli.  Right on 43rd and 7th,  it's THE BEST Italian restaurant in midtown.  Check out their website: 
http://www.tonysnyc.com/


Tony DiNapoli's is a family style restaurant, so if you're with a large group of people, this is the place to be.  My friends and I always go here when we want some great Italian Food.  My favorite dish to eat is the chicken parm and penne vodka.  DELISH!  

The atmosphere is awesome and the service is always great.  The walls are covered with photographs of famous people so it's always fun to look around and see who you recognize.

I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who wants to have a good meal in Times Square.  If you love Italian food, this is the place to be!

Did You Know...

Seeing as New Years was just upon us, it only seemed right to write about New Years Eve in Times Square.

Did you know an estimated ONE MILLION people gather in Times Square to watch the famous ball drop?  People from all over the world start lining up early in the morning and wait around all day for the countdown.  For those who don't want to freeze to death, another ONE BILLION people from around the world watch the ball drop on TV.  This has been an ongoing tradition since 1907.

I don't think many people realize the amount of SECURITY this event entails.  The NYPD take New Years very seriously (as they should).  

Police use barriers to prevent overcrowding and checkpoints to inspect vehicles, enforce a ban on alcohol, and check all personal items.Not only do you see uniformed officers, but many officers in plain clothing will patrol the streets, keeping an eye out for any suspicious behavior.  

Many officers wear palm-size radiation detectors designed to give off a signal if they detect evidence of a dirty bomb, an explosive intended to spread panic by creating a radioactive cloud.  There are also bomb-sniffing dogs, Rooftop patrols, and NYPD helicopters circling Times Square.  

The bomb squad and another unit specializing in chemical and biological threats sweep hotels, theaters, construction sites and parking garages. They also patrol the Times Square subway stations.

The NYPD also will rely on a network of thousands of closed-circuit security cameras carpeting the roughly 1.7 square miles south of Canal Street, the subway system and parts of Midtown Manhattan.

Another piece of information I never knew myself:  The NYPD always seals manhole covers and removes mailboxes to prevent anyone from using them to conceal an explosive or other device.

Bet ya didn't know that ;]

Lights, Camera, Times Square!

Times Square is one of the most famous landmarks in the country.  People from all over the world travel to New York, and Times Square is one of the city's biggest tourist destinations.  The bright lights, huge billboards, and crowds of people can be overwhelming to those who have never experienced NY before.  

While there are so many things to do in Times Square such as shop, eat, see a Broadway show, see the infamous NYE ball etc., not many blogs and sites mention the type of PEOPLE and EVENTS that occur in the square on a daily basis.  Having worked in Times Square for the past several years, I see the craziest, wackiest, strangest, and funniest things happen all the time!  From interesting vendors to wild street performers to big events taking up the whole street, I see it all!  Everyday is a new day and you never know what you're gonna get or who you will come across.  Times Square never ceases to amaze me.  

With this blog, I will introduce and keep you up to date on the unique culture that is Times Square! 

Enjoy!