New York Trip -- 2003 -- The Bloomin' Apple Needs Polished

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New York Trip -- 2003
The Bloomin' Apple Needs Polished - Again
by April Shenandoah, Columnist

July 28, 2003

Columnist April Shenandoah In 1990, TIME Magazine's front cover called - New York City, The Rotting Apple. New Yorkers should forever be indebted to Rudy Giuliani (tight-fisted hero) for putting his spit and polish on the Big Apple for 10 years, creating a cleaner, safer, happier environment, and dubbing New York the Capitol of the World.

Unfortunately, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who took office January 1, 2002, has already made garbage out of Giuliani's prize fruit. Newly imposed taxes have placed an additional hardship on the already slow businesses. Many have been forced to head across the river to New Jersey. Necessities such as the fire and police departments and city maintenance have been sorely cut back and unreasonable fines have been implemented for anything and everything (bundling recyclables wrong, and "tired" pregnant ladies resting on subway steps -- are all subject to fines or arrest). Bloomberg's decisions are bloomin' crazy! The dirty streets were so appalling that I started going door to door on Fifth Avenue telling business owners, "call the mayors office and tell him you want your street cleaned." They immediately started telling me their woeful stories concerning Bloomberg, and flat out stated. "we hate him." My fear has been realized -- that no one will have the heart for the city the way Giuliani did/does.

My longtime friend Mickey Ballentine also spoke of the slow-down in his shop at the Wellington Hotel -- and his opinion of the new mayor was explicitly expressed. At one time his famous "barber chair of the stars" was rarely empty. Mickey would cut DeNiro's or Pacino's hair and then run over to CBS to cut David Letterman's hair (on air) and sometimes lather his face for a shave. Many a VIP still sit under his scissors - it's just not like the "good-ole-days (nothing is). When I dropped in to say hi, Mickey immediately phoned his cousin Abby, in Brooklyn, who I had not seen in 30 years. These two guys looked after this very naïve little girl when I first moved to NY in the 70's.

After having lunch with Abby, I stopped by the Helen Hayes Theatre to say hello to Frank Gorshin, who is starring in the award winning, Say Goodnight Gracie. Gorshin is a part time resident at the Oakwood Apartments (where I once lived) in Toluca Lake, CA. The show (Gorshin) was absolutely heart warming. There were moments when I was so moved that I almost thought I was watching George Burns himself. This Rupert Holmes production was tailor made for Gorshin. August 24 is the NY closing date; however, audiences across the country have a treat in store as Say Goodnight Gracie goes on tour.

This trip would not have been complete without visiting the World Trade Center. I spent hours walking, observing, reflecting, and taking pictures of the metal beam cross that remains standing. Besides the loss of the Twin Towers, there were a total of nine buildings that were lost, seven of them World Trade structures. Small piles of rubble are still being dealt with and several tall buildings covered with black see-through netting are currently unoccupied. The nearby historic Trinity Church, with tombstones in the yard from the 1700 and 1800's, was spared and used for a relief center during 9/11. As I sat in Battery Park (Trade Center) and viewed the Statue of Liberty in the distance, I was saddened, but very much at peace.

NYC's people have lived through devastation that most of us only experienced through television. Resilient New Yorkers have been caught off-guard -- accepting rules and regulations that they would not have tolerated in the past. Make no mistake; they are a different people now. Before September 11, 2001, NY had energy that could not be found anywhere else in the entire world. It was the city that I counted on to recharge my battery! However, the hustle and bustle of the crowded streets, and the once obvious snap in the peoples step, has been slowed to a California-like pace. They will bounce back - but only if they do not cave into the "controllers" who are setting a socialistic stage for the city. I'm surprised they haven't kicked Bloomy's (and Pataki's) butt out by now!

P.S. One of my favorite things to do in life is walk in the rain in NYC - it rained and I walked. I love New York! ***

Photo of April Shenandoah courtesy of GOPUSA

April Shenandoah's Internet home is: http://www.politicsandreligion.tv