We loved the idea so much -- we stole it. We recently met Alison Burns and Lulu Picart who have a podcast called 10K Dollar Day in which they imagine expensive vacations they wish they could afford. Check them out -- they are funny and cute and so young and go take a listen to their wonderful banter. So, Becky and I were inspired. We wanted to imagine our $10K vacation. Becky played by the rules and I did not. There is much wise advise about traveling in this episode that you do not want to miss...
Sep 27, 2019•40 min•Season 2Ep. 59
In December, 1915, Mina Miller Edison—the inventor’s wife -- pulled a cord that revealed a grand statue of a fully armored person standing victoriously, astride a gallant horse and holding a sword high above. Thousands of New Yorkers and dignitaries attended. In 2019, the statue site surrounded by century old trees, is so familiar most Upper West Siders pass it without looking. On this episode of Bar Crawl Radio, we had a conversation about Jeanne la Pucelle and Anne Vaughn Hyatt, the woman who ...
Sep 20, 2019•59 min•Season 2Ep. 58
I am writing these program notes before the recording -- later today at Mexican Festival. This episode needs to be posted tomorrow by 10am -- our self-imposed posting time. Well -- I could get up early, but I am inspired -- now. You know that SAT test analogy question -- THIS : THAT -- where the colon means "is to" and then you are given several choices of similar analogies, and you have to find the one that is the closest matches to the original -- and they all look right? That is the game we w...
Sep 13, 2019•52 min•Season 2Ep. 57
The Athabasca Glacier is one of the six principal 'toes' of the Columbia Icefield , in the Canadian Rockies . The Athabasca is 900 ft. thick in places. But – this glacier has been shrinking at a rate of about 16 feet per year, and, in the past 125 years, has receded almost a mile -- losing over half of its volume. The Ok Glacier in Iceland "died" recently. So -- book your tickets now for Jasper National Park in Western Canada -- you have about 100 years hike an actual glacier. Becky has always w...
Sep 06, 2019•59 min•Season 2Ep. 56
There is little doubt that if you are over 40, you will know about and have important memories of board games. Some of us are still playing board games. Becky and I took a road trip to revisit all of those imaginative games we played on card board creations with their luscious graphics, and colorful plastic game pieces. We remembered a bunch of them. We also talked with the Marketing Manager of Gen Con -- Jackie Miserany. Gen Con holds the largest board game conventions in the world at Lake Gene...
Aug 30, 2019•36 min•Season 2Ep. 55
We have talked with the peace activists of the Catholic Worker movement on several BCR episodes [#29 & #46 with bonus material] and knew that the seven men and women who broke into the U.S. Kings Bay Naval Base at St. Marys, Georgia would be in court in Brunswick in mid-August. This submarine base is where the U.S. military stores its Trident nuclear missiles. We wanted to talk with four of the Kings Bay Plowshares 7 , who were under house arrest and on bail, about the hearing and how they w...
Aug 23, 2019•1 hr 22 min•Season 2Ep. 54
Millions of us are so angry on the crowded highways that when we see a "stupid, really dumb driver" we've got to do something about it - teach the "dummy" a lesson -- because he has to learn to "get out of my way!" I usually do not drive -- preferring to pedal around the City; and those huge metal boxes are scary. So for this episode Becky and I talked about ROAD RAGE [RR]. A real condition with enormous consequences. A few statistics we didn't get to: 37% of aggressive driving involves guns. RR...
Aug 02, 2019•31 min•Season 2Ep. 53
This recording was a bunch of fun. We spoke with directors and actors of the Medicine Show Theatre about traveling to Voronezh, Russia with their production of "14 Little Red Huts" for the International Platonov Festival. A chilled bottle of Tito's Handmade Vodka sat in a makeshift ice bucket -- thanks to Gebhard's inventive bartender, Jackie -- in the middle of the table amongst the audio equipment. And -- as we talked -- we toasted a variety of worthy topics -- the Medicine Show -- Putin &...
Jul 26, 2019•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 52
Did you ever consider how humans use language to have a conversation. Bar Crawl Radio,as is the case with most podcasts, is all about having interesting conversations. But, in most cases, if you listen to two or more people talking, what you hear is simultaneous speech in which speech sounds overlap, bump into, conflict with, mold around, push against and try to outdo each other. Conversations are a cacophony of vibrations, but what emerges is meaning. How do we do that? Becky and I have struggl...
Jul 19, 2019•37 min•Season 2Ep. 51
When we were young Becky and I were actors and have always been interested in the art and practice of acting and the life of the actor. Hazen Cuyler is the Artistic Director and founder of the Greenhouse Ensemble - a relatively recent addition to the wealth of professionally run UWS theatre companies. Hazen is a student and practitioner of the art of acting and we talked with him and Spencer Scott about their craft, the Ensemble Theatre, their upcoming production of "Romeo and Juliet," and Hazen...
Jul 12, 2019•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 50
Becky and I picked a complicated topic to talk about this week -- What to do with public statues that are seen as representing horrible men - and yes -- it is almost always statues of men. Should Columbus atop that pedestal at the southwest corner of Central Park be toppled? VOX describes this lauded figure as "a homicidal tyrant who initiated the two greatest crimes in the history of the Western Hemisphere, the Atlantic slave trade, and the American Indian genocide." See more. What about statue...
Jul 05, 2019•34 min•Season 2Ep. 49
Big changes in Albany this year as the Republicans and IDC – the Independent Democratic Conference – are out -- and a (hopefully) functioning and progressive legislature under Democratic control is in. About a year ago – on BCR #10 -- we talked with the women leading two important grassroots political organizations that were key in those changes – True Blue NY and Indivisible Harlem . For this BCR episode we invited two other women who were key in getting the IDC out -- Mia Pearlman a creator an...
Jun 28, 2019•54 min•Season 2Ep. 48
I was so happy with my last procedure that I needed to share my joy at this week's conversation with Becky. We set up the BCR portable "studio" at one of our favorite Upper West Side Mexican bars and restaurants -- Mexican Festival -- on Broadway and 102nd Street -- and got deep into that most special inner search for those over 53. We also got back to the topic of the Zombie Apocalypse, the loss of basic survival skills and the delicious and unusual margaritas at Mexican Festival with its manag...
Jun 21, 2019•44 min•Season 2Ep. 47
Martha Hennessy & Carmen Trotta & the Catholic Worker Movement We spoke with two of the "stars" of the anti-nuclear proliferation movement -- Martha Hennessy and Carmen Trotta. They are members of the Catholic Worker Movement founded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin, committed to voluntary poverty, prayer, and hospitality for the homeless, exiled, hungry, and forsaken. Martha and Carmen are under house arrest for trespassing onto the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in St. Mary’s Georgia on...
Jun 14, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 46
BCR #46 EXTRA Following is a talk by Brian Terrel at the Catholic Worker's Maryhouse (June 7, 2019--Lower Eastside, Manhattan, NYC) on the efficacy of arrest to engender peace and positive social change. Brian is a long-time member of the Catholic Worker Movement and writes for the National Catholic Reporter and The Catholic Worker . He is a leader in several peace activist groups – including Voices for Creative Nonviolence and Witness Against Torture. When not protesting, marching, fasting for ...
Jun 14, 2019•44 min•Season 2Ep. 46
It was the second podcast recording of the day. As soon as we finished our conversation with two progressive protestors--Mia Pearlman, True Blue NY , and Nan Faesller, Indivisible Harlem --at Gebhards Beer Culture Bar [BCR #48], we Via-ed up to Gabriela's Tequila Bar for a B&A version of our podcast--Becky and Alan just talking. This time it was about retirement -- which I feel is a wasted dream as one should always be retired - or another way of saying it -- one should always work with love...
Jun 07, 2019•30 min•Season 2Ep. 45
A Conversation with Four Vietnam Veterans. The day of the recording, Becky and I walked a few blocks from home to the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument on Riverside Drive and 89th Street for this year's Memorial Day Services. The U.S. Navy Band was playing and we wanted to get some background sound for our session later in the Day with four U.S. veterans of the war in Vietnam. It was a splendiferous spring morning. Neither of us agree with all that our government or military does, but we are of th...
Jun 01, 2019•58 min•Season 2Ep. 44
BONUS CONTENT: Memorial Day 2019 with the Hudson Warehouse After we spoke with four Vietnam Veterans on Memorial Day 2019, we invited to the BCR mics on the Gebhard Beer Culture Bar , the writer, director and one of the actor's of the Hudson Warehouse's 2018 'Veteran's Day Remembrance" production to talk about how they created the program. Susane Lee, the program's writer speaks in dramatic detail about convincing the Vietnam veterans to talk to her and the hours spent in getting their testimony...
May 31, 2019•45 min•Season 2Ep. 44
OK -- once again Becky and I were at 5Napkin on Broadway and W. 84th Street, for our bi-monthly conversation about whatever flits through our reticular activating system. And, as fate would be, we hit on some most significant topics. Can you see the connections?: playing with stuff -- and how that can annoy some. de Blasio Presidential commercial with our bi-ethnic grandchild. setting the volume on my brand-new Zoom H6 recorder pronouncing "edited it." planning a road trip to a glacier. learning...
May 24, 2019•32 min•Season 2Ep. 43
We are a city of cyclists and walkers -- and a growing number of scooter riders. [Whatever happened to in-line skaters? They're dancing in the Park.] But our streets are controlled by cars, buses and trucks. Bikers must be vigilant -- constantly. It's Bike Month , and so it seemed appropriate to invite Erwin Figueroa of Transportation Alternatives to BCR to talk about the NYC cycling culture. Recently, pedestrian and biker accidents were up; nevertheless, there are indications that NYC authoriti...
May 17, 2019•40 min•Season 2Ep. 42
I kinda -- sorta -- OK -- I definitely hogged this episode. Podcasting with one's life mate is delightful and enjoyable -- Is fraught with dangers -- Is ennobled with potential growth. The Zoom recorder was sitting on the bar at 5Napkin , and as I turned it off, I noted a familiar burning on the side of my neck. Becky was giving me that "you fucked up. buddy" look -- and, indeed I had. Of course, I argued, but I've had enough therapy to know the feeling of "defense walls going up." I immediately...
May 10, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 41
This BCR episode is a conversation with Michael Kink of Strong Economy for All - a coalition of healthcare and education unions and community activists groups working for a moral budget for all NYers. Kink is the Executive Director is a public interest attorney who had worked for Legal Aid and Housing Works, Inc.. We tried to decrease the wonk and get at the experience of this dedicated worker in the field of social justice who is dedicated to moving one of the largest state budgets in the U.S. ...
May 03, 2019•56 min•Season 2Ep. 40
The planning -- the work -- the anxiety - the exhaustion -- the exhilaration -- then the wedding. Our Tulie is married to a most amazing man and our grandchild carried the ring. This BCR episode is personal, but we had to record a debriefing of our experiences of this pivotal moment in ours and our daughter's lives. Of course, if you love wedding stories, you will love this one -- Recorded at the bar of the New Leaf restaurant in Fort Tryon just down the hill from The Cloisters in upper Manhatta...
Apr 26, 2019•28 min•Season 2Ep. 39
Gene Pritsker--composer and world musician--joined us to share his latest adventures on tour in Europe and composing for and acting in Nettflix's Babylon Berlin. Categorizing the work of Gene Pritsker is impossible. He calls his music "eclectic" but that does not capture his effects for me. Pritsker is dyna-manic and dynamite – he is a ball of human energy – an experimental musician – pulling in sounds for his compositions from wherever his imagination takes him. I think – Gene would agree – he ...
Apr 19, 2019•53 min•Season 2Ep. 38
Eine lebendige Welt The plan was that we would talk about films we like as adults and we sort of did that but we talked about a lot of other stuff -- like: our daughter's upcoming marriage tending bar and working fast and making $$$ walking home along 9th Avenue mid-day martinis and evening martinis meeting our friend the professional juggler -- See the Gizmo Guys in action. bangin' on the bar and mics "Yes" we're "EXPLICIT" -- podcast cursing -- -- and "walla walla bing bang" That's enough for ...
Apr 05, 2019•36 min•Season 2Ep. 37
When the problem is too large to fix --Just start. We talked with Jon Ross the head and founder of MicroAid International at Vino Laventino off Broadway at W. 94th Street. Jon and his organization go into third world disaster areas after the big boys – NGOs – Government agencies and news media – have left – andhelp rebuild homes and the economy using local resourcesJon has lived a multi-faceted life -- working on Wall Street -- on films in Hollywood [he learned about films at Roger Corman's New ...
Apr 05, 2019•55 min•Season 2Ep. 36
Our daughter is getting married to a fantastic guy and we are happy and crazy. Our work and podcasting lives continue but we are also building a self-standing chupah [with buckets of concrete - try that in a one-bedroom apartment]. Picking the flower designs. Meeting with the bar manager for the reception. Checking out the wedding venue in Ft. Tryon Park. Getting out invites of our friends. You know-- Getting more and more crazy. So all is good. BTW -- the selfie is by Bela -- she is the fantast...
Apr 04, 2019•22 min•Season 2Ep. 35
Poet for President in 2020! What about that idea? We tried a business man who is a liar -cheat - con man - maybe, a lyrical president would be a nice change of pace. This was one of many ideas that came up in our delightful, fun conversations at Gebhard's Beer Culture Bar with three poet/performers who had participated in the World Poetry Movement event called "For a World Without Walls" held at the St. Illuminator's Armenian Apostolic Cathedral in February 2019. Let us know what you think about...
Apr 04, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 34
This episode is about: How early film experiences -- Changed our lives – Filled us with wonder – Gave us meaning – Put us asleep and woke us up – Amazed our sox off – Filled the lonely times of childhood – Taught us about love and how to be feminine and masculine – Showed us proper ways to act and to drive a wooden stakes into a vampire's heart – Showed us adventures we would never have lived ourselves. Films we talked about: Gone with the Wind Dracula The Blog How the West Was Won Summer Magic ...
Apr 04, 2019•32 min•Season 2Ep. 33
Going to U.S. Federal Prison for Planting Corn. Kathy Kelly has been in Federal Prison four times. Brian Terrell has spent more time in jail than in college and has learned more for it. Becky and I spoke with these two "stars" in the field of Peace Activism at Gabriella's Tequila Bar over wine and margaritas. Becky had a serious ear ache and so drank water -- poor baby. Kathy and Brian were in town for a court hearing for an earlier action they held outside the U.S. Mission to the United Nations...
Apr 04, 2019•50 min•Season 2Ep. 32
