Toni:
Yesterday, in memory of Don Kirshner I strolled over to the Brill Building this afternoon in the sloppy cold rain. Then on my way back home, I waited at the Letterman stage door for a few minutes and got a glimpse of Betty White. I found out when I watched the show that it was her 89th birthday.
Bill:
You may recall that many years ago when Paul Shaffer was in the Saturday Night Live cast one of his memorable bits was his impersonation of Don Kirshner. As a tribute the Late Show Band performed songs associated with Kirshner all night. If you only know Kirshner from hosting Rock Concert then you only know a very small fraction of his biography and his contribution to pop music and his connection to the Brill Building and the songwriters who came out of that environment. Those of you who have visited our apartment know how sparsely decorated it is and that we only have four items on our walls. One of those is a photo I took of the Brill Building.
Toni:
Today, I'm at the register of my favorite little produce market and the checker and several of the customers spontaneously started singing out loud along to the Italian choruses of Dean Martin’s “Volare” as it played over the PA system. No alcohol or preplanned flash mobs were involved. Stiles Market may be barely more than a tent in a parking lot, but they have a great sound system always playing something I like.
Bill:
I have been intending to write about Stiles Market since we stumbled on this place more than eight months ago. It is on the fringe of the Theatre District as it morphs into Hell’s Kitchen. Tucked into this area is a basic asphalt parking lot. This is in itself a rarity here as nearly all parking facilities are underground multiple layer affairs. Then on a small corner of the blacktop sits this crude little produce stand protected from the elements only by a tent and some makeshift flimsy walls. When you walk through the rickety plywood door you are transported to another world, a spot that looks more like something on a state highway in the Ozarks. You might think that it is a seasonal operation. In fact it is open seven days a week year round. The prices are easily one quarter the prices charged at the grocery stores. The place is always packed with customers of every walk of life. You will see fur coats standing next to coveralls. I just can't emphasize how out of place this is in Manhattan.
This photo shows the entire operation except the two cash registers behind me.
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