Author Archives: rockviv
Oy Vey Rockaway Stats–2010 in review
Thanks readers! You helped me get “Oy Vey Rockaway” off the ground by visiting my site. It’s been very entertaining to write for you and I look forward to sharing more pictures and stories about local life in the New Year! The statistics gatherers at … Continue reading
Snow Drifts on the Monday after Christmas–Let’s Call it a Block Party!
The great Boxing Day Blizzard of 2010 (sixth largest snowfall in NYC history) finally ran out of steam on Monday, December 27, late in the morning, and everyone was boxed-in! Rockaway residents began to shovel out their driveways…and their sidewalks…and their … Continue reading
How to “Rock Shop” for the Holidays (c) 2010 Vivian R. Carter
The last few shopping days before Christmas have arrived; it’s liberating to assiduously avoid going anywhere near a mall. There are many great Rockaway businesses where you can buy thoughtful and unique gifts. First stop is to browse The Beach Gallery at Sunlites Stained Glass … Continue reading
Election Day Jitters for RAA Board Candidates
They are not running for President of the United States, but being a board member of the Rockaway Artists Alliance is a pretty prestigious slot. Over the past few weeks, the politicking within the arts community on the Rock has intensified–it’s starting to look … Continue reading
Round One–NYC Waterfront Advocates Dispute Rockaway’s Claim to “Sixth Borough” Title
I did not attend the waterfront conference in Manhattan yesterday, sponsored by Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance. For those of us in the contingent work force, that would be rough. What I earn each week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday pays the rent. However, the … Continue reading
Mailboxes are not Bulletin Boards. Street Trees Belong to Us All. Norman Rockwell’s Paintings Do Not.
Home values are affected by many factors. Exclusive zoning is critical, and a tidy-looking, tree-shaded street scene contributes value to all the homes located on a particular block. When I was looking for a new apartment six months ago, the outdoor … Continue reading
Oy Vey, Jamaica Bay!
Nothing like a Hunter’s Moon setting over Jamaica Bay. Except, perhaps, that same moon setting over the marsh islands of Jamaica Bay, restored to some semblance of their natural, 18th-century beauty. Verdant with native Spartina grasses, not choked with reedy phragmites (the bellwether of distressed marshes), … Continue reading
Red Hook to GWB or Bust! Hudson River Sloop Clearwater’s 2010 Pumpkin Sail
The group’s tagline is: “Creating the Next Generation of Environmental Leaders.” You can say that again! Since its maiden voyage in 1969, the 106-foot long Hudson River Sloop Clearwater has welcomed aboard more than half a million young people and hundreds of … Continue reading
Is There a Democrat in the House? And Could Somebody Get Me a Pair of Scissors?
How appropriate–Weiner’s standing on the far left, Turner’s on the far right! It got downright unruly over there at the Bungalow Bar on Thursday, October 21. The candidates for U.S. Congress, Weiner and Turner, were invited to speak at a … Continue reading
Weiner’s a Winner–of My Rock Park’s 50-25-25!
It’s our favorite game on the Rock. Not rugby or soccer or hoops. In Rockaway, it’s the fifty-fifty. Get out your $5 bills. No civic meeting, concert or sporting event is complete unless everyone’s toting around those big strips of tix. The place was the … Continue reading
Oy Vey Rockaway 