Mixed Dish

Dishing Valentine’s Wishes!

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Happy Valentine’s Day from The Candi Dish!

We love you!

Dishing Happy New Year Wishes to you!

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May 2016 bring all things wonderful to you! 

Best wishes for great health, great success, great fun and happiness from The Candi Dish!

HO HO HO….HOLD ON…I still need a brilliant stocking stuffer!

The Candi Dish is dishing about RestoPresto® the compact pouch that converts to a versatile soft mat in an instant! You can literally sit on, sit under AND wear RestoPresto® and with its lightweight, water-repellent, UPF 50+. small design plus snaps, drawstrings and loops, you can configure it however you need it whenever you need it! 

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Do you have any of these people on your Christmas list? If so, RestoPresto® is the perfect, unique and useful gift for all ages to use during all seasons!

Version 2

It is cleverly designed in New York, New York and manufactured in Allentown, PA! To find out more about the patented RestoPresto®, to watch videos and see photos, go to www.restopresto.com 

order by 12.9 PHOTO

Purchase by December 19th to ensure delivery by Christmas Eve in the USA!

Dishing Thanksgiving Wishes!

 

 

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If you celebrate the U.S. Thanksgiving, I wish you a happy, healthy and peaceful holiday!

If you are looking for a unique & fantastic holiday gift, then look no further….RestoPresto® is for the busy people in your life!

It is a compact pouch that converts to a super soft mat to sit on, sit under or wear! Lightweight, portable, water-repellent, UPF 50+ and with with snaps, drawstrings & loops it can be configured however you need it in an instant! Several products wrapped up into ONE! PRESTO!

Patented, made in the USA and invented lovingly by ME!

Inventory just arrived and RestoPresto is available in red, black, gray & blue exclusively on www.restopresto.com

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PS: Frommer’s, the most Trusted Name in Travel selected RestoPresto® as one of the best travel gifts in its annual Travel Gift Guide. Here is the link: http://bit.ly/21c9U1

Remembering Gary Froid

On the second Anniversary of my Stepfather, Gary’s passing, I am sharing the piece that I wrote two years ago in his honor.

If you knew Gary, then you will totally “get” this!

If you knew Gary then you miss him.  This is for you!

Gary & me at the Suncoasters Coronation Ball 1990 when I was on the Sungoddess Court

Gary & me at the Suncoasters Coronation Ball 1991 when I was on the Sungoddess Court


Remembering GRF

Remembering GRF

 

It has been one year since my Stepfather passed away. There is no doubt in my mind that Gary’s larger-than-life presence remains in some way with the people whose lives he touched.

To honor the man that I miss, I am re-posting the piece that I wrote about him shortly after his passing.

 


 

GRF

 

My Stepfather, Gary passed away on November 5, 2013.  He was one of the most dynamic, tough, unique, firm and intelligent people that I have ever known and will ever know. He was also my friend who I have known my entire life.

I have learned a lot about Gary in the days since he passed.  I reread the “12 Commandments” (non-religious) list that he authored.  It had been years since I read “the list” and felt a pang of sadness as each one resonated with me in a way that it had not before.

Thoughts and memories keep racing through my mind and although I had hesitated to post about the passing of my Stepfather due to how personal and intimate this loss is to me, I realize that putting those thoughts and memories to “paper” would be a good thing for me. “Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do” (Commandment #12).

Losing a loved one leaves a deep fissure in your life.  Gary lived a very full and rather intriguing life but those who knew and loved Gary agree that he left us too soon. What I am going to try to do for myself is find significance in the memories, reflections and lessons.  And oh boy, are there a lot of those.  “Above all else be true to thyself” – Pelonius (Commandment #9).

Commandments GRF-style

Commandments GRF-style

One of my two earliest memories of Gary was when I followed his suggestion to name my Teddy Bear (that he gave me), “Elmer”.  When he was a child, he had a stuffed animal named “Elmer” so why shouldn’t I?  The second was sitting with my Mom, Dad and Gary in my living room in front of a crackling fire (on one of those rare Florida evenings when you can actually use your fireplace) and watched in fright as a gigantic roach crawled up the wall.  Gary swiftly removed his shoe, stood up, squished the roach, replaced his shoe and sat back down.  He did not miss a beat.

Over a decade of friendship later, Gary became my Stepdad.  It is both unusual and comforting to have a relationship like this.  Living with Gary meant the acquisition of a gaggle of step-siblings; Sunday family BBQs; numerous strict rules; hundreds of Berol Verithin Red and Blue Pencils, notepads, binders, colored plastic paperclips and highlighters in multiple drawers; TVs in almost every room of the house; a pantry and wet bar stocked to the gills (in case of an emergency); a collection of books (all of which he had read at least once) that could rival a library; many No-Ad sunscreen bottles; deep-fried catfish; snoring of epic proportions; Popov vodka in the freezer; running the house like an office including but not limited to having a telephone system set up so that you could make room-to-room calls (each phone had its own extension) and transfer incoming calls; a second refrigerator containing beer (75%) and camera film (25%); big rafts for the pool; never knowing where the next rubber roach would be hiding to scare us; a game room filled with his colossal collections (untouchable treasures), a juke box, electric train set, (partially untouchable); arcade games and a dart board that averted any possible boredom; consistently high-maintenance boating excursions that included some sort of problem during every.single.outing.  Listening and nodding as Gary explained the “only” way to crack a stone crab, pour a beer, eat an oyster, warm up a car on a chilly morning, grill a steak, drive a car and vote. “There’s no right way to do something wrong” (Commandment #6).  The thermostat was continuously set to an arctic temperature; there were always rather unique and often enormous souvenirs to welcome into the house after each trip (exotic or not) that he took with my Mom; Christmas tree(s) plus abundant and elaborate interior and exterior decorations during the holidays; the no phone calls during dinner or after 9pm rule was a hard one to follow, especially in high school; four newspapers were delivered every day. “Read – know when to take a profit – there are worse things than having to pay taxes on a gain” (Commandment #4).

CLASSIC: the Berol Verithin red and blue pencil

CLASSIC: the Berol Verithin red and blue pencil

I will miss that distinctive deep voice, how I smelled of Aramis after I hugged him; his words of wisdom. “There’s no such thing as a free lunch” (Commandment #1).  I will miss him asking me how my cholesterol is every.single.time. I ate cheese in front of him; his insistence on what I should do and see on my domestic and international trips (because he had undoubtedly been there and done that before) even though our travel styles were completely different; receiving a newspaper article in the mail that had highlights, underlines and hard to read handwritten notes in the margin and on sticky notes to stress his opinion; his reliability & consistency were second to none. “Always do what you say – if things change and you can’t do what you promised, then let the person know” (Commandment #7). I will miss the annual Christmas Day chat during the “A Christmas Story” marathon on TV because I saw it with him in the theatre in 1983 and vividly remember how excited he was that a film captured his Midwestern childhood so perfectly.  That incredible generosity that touched countless lives will be missed. “Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it” (Commandment #2). I will miss how, at a restaurant, he would deliberately hand the wine list over to me in front of the server (knowing how it drove me bonkers when it was assumed that “the man” would order the wine) because he knew that I would order something that he had never tried but would enjoy; I will miss knowing that he is a phone call away if I need superlative advice on my new business venture and wish that I would have asked him more questions the last time we spoke. “Timing is everything. It’s like war in the element of surprise” (Commandment #8).  I will miss the fact that even if the lesson was tough or we did not agree on an issue or I did not understand his message at first that his points were on the mark. I will miss observing him in action socially and professionally, in his distinctive and traditional Gary Froid way. “It’s all relationships” (Commandment #5).

I will miss Gary’s singularity.

Gary in New Orleans, 1983

Gary in New Orleans, 1983

The Candi Dish turns TWO!

Thanks for being a Candi Disher!

Thanks for being a Candi Disher!

Dear Candi Dishers,

The Candi Dish blog launched 2 years ago today!

At the time, my life was quite different than it is now:  I was psyched to be putting this blog in motion but was also very focused on bringing my vision for my product invention to life. It was a busy time of “my” firsts: creating my first Limited Liability Company (LLC); creating my first blog: The Candi Dish and of course, creating a consumer product from scratch for the very first time! I am very proud of that product and would be honored for you to learn about RestoPresto® on the product website and online store: www.restopresto.com. What started as a sketch has flourished into a very real, incredible convenience item. RestoPresto® converts from a small pouch to a versatile extra layer that you can sit on, sit under & wear. It is water-repellent, durable, UPF 50+ and with snaps, drawstrings and loops, can be used TONS of ways to make your busy life easier. Planned events, spontaneous outings during all seasons for all ages….RestoPresto® = multifunctional value on the go! Manufactured in the USA; patents pending and we are stocking up for the holidays so gift giving will be a snap!

The Candi Dish blog was my first foray in putting “it” out there into the vast world wide web and I look forward to dishing more stories, snapshots and suggestions – thank you for being a fan!

Have a sweet day!

www.restopresto.com

www.restopresto.com

 

Dishing about Kickstarter – Throwback Thursday 2014!

Red RP Florida collage

Hi Folks – it is hard to believe that a year has passed since I launched RestoPresto® to the market via a Kickstarter campaign!  Because of generous friends, family, strangers (who are now customers); very little sleep and 100% belief and love for my product, the campaign was overfunded and a gaggle of RestoPresto® mats was manufactured in the USA!

 

RestoPresto was funded with Kickstarter!

RestoPresto® is the only convertible mat on the market that you can sit on, sit under & wear. It is lightweight, portable, compact and with snaps, drawstrings & loops it can be configured however you need it in an instant! From small pouch to multi-functional mat….PRESTO!

The business is moving forward, our new & improved website will launch soon and we are gearing up for the the holidays with fun inventory!  Please follow @RestoPresto on Twitter & Instagram and like our page on Facebook for updates and news! #RestoPresto www.restopresto.com

Here is a “throwback Thursday” for The Candi Dish post about choosing Kickstarter as a crowdfunding platform for RestoPresto®…of course the actual product was not mentioned until the big reveal a few days later!

TONS of uses...

TONS of uses…


 

Happy Wednesday!

I have HUGE news to share! I have officially chosen Kickstarter as my platform to raise funding for the first production run of my product.

This means that you will be able to pre-order your own first edition of my product via Kickstarter before it is manufactured!

Several people have asked me questions about how Kickstarter works, so I have written an overview of what it is (and what it is not) ahead of my campaign launch.  Please see below.

I am beyond excited to share ALL of the details about my product with you in a few days and am thrilled that I will be celebrating the launch with my hometown friends in St. Pete, FL on Saturday. As I have said, many a time…please stay tuned!

Warm regards,

Candi

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Kickstarter is a reward based (versus equity based) crowdfunding platform. Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising monetary contributions from a large number of people, typically via the Internet. The model is comprised of 3 main roles: the project initiator who proposes the project to be funded (me); individuals who support the project (hopefully you) and a moderating organization that brings the parties together to launch the idea (Kickstarter).

Through Kickstarter, I will engage friends, family and social media contacts (all of who, in turn, I hope will spread the word) to provide a clear overview of my invention, the amount of money I seek, how the funds will be used and what the rewards will be at each contribution level. Plus there will be a VIDEO!

People interested in supporting my project will be able to donate money easily and safely through my secured Kickstarter web page. In return, I will offer various rewards at each contribution level.

The goal is to reach (and hopefully exceed) my financial target. With Kickstarter, fundraising is “all or nothing” in that if I do not meet my fundraising goal, then I do not get the funds and backers do not get charged.

I chose Kickstarter as the platform to raise money for my product invention as an alternative to gathering investors for two reasons: 1) I wish to maintain 100% ownership (rather than exchange equity) in my company and 2) I wish to take advantage of the far-reaching exposure that Kickstarter can bring to my product.

A common question for prospective backers is about incentive. What is the incentive for someone to contribute to a campaign to fund a project? The answer is twofold: receiving a reward is cool and there is a sense of gratification that comes from helping someone bring an idea to life. Being a supporter of a product launch can be an exciting and fulfilling experience.

For me, the process of creating a product from scratch has been a remarkable journey. Now I am at the pre-production point and financial backers are critical for me to keep the manufacturing process in the US. I truly look forward to bringing my supporters along with me for this wild ride!

Lastly, my Kickstarter campaign will be interactive between prospective supporters, backers and me. I will maintain an open line of communication for people to contact me and for me to keep my backers fully in the loop on the project and fulfillment schedule.

Here is a link for more info: https://www.kickstarter.com/help/faq/backer+questions

 

New Orleans on my mind….

I have loved New Orleans for over 30 years.

Being able to have my product invention, which is incredibly important to me, with me in the beloved Crescent City during my past two visits was really special.

It was with pride that I took photos of something that I created from scratch (RestoPresto) in some fantastic spots around the Big Easy.

With New Orleans on my mind, I share the photos with you along with a blog repost from December 2013.

NOLA 8.29.15

Today is my Birthday and even though I am not there, I celebrate New Orleans, her people and all of her wonder!

“Old Spanish Stables” on Governor Nicholls Street in the French Quarter

“Old Spanish Stables” on Governor Nicholls Street in the French Quarter

New Orleans Part Deux “212 in 504”

Have you heard about the “never lefts”?  The people who visit New Orleans for a festival, convention or a weekend getaway and fall under her spell and stay.  Well, I have never lived in The Big Easy, but I am a spiritual “never left” and fall more in love each visit.

New Orleans is a “big city” that maintains a small town pace, which is fantastic for visitors because it means that you will not be rushed as you saunter and observe.

I have always said that New Orleans is the least American city in America in the most wonderful way because of its robust cross-cultural and multilingual heritage. To discover the magic of NOLA, one should always be looking up, looking down and glancing from across the street.  There are hidden gems everywhere and you will notice something new even if you have passed the same block multiple times.

Surrounded by the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, the Crescent City has about 70 neighborhoods. If you are a visitor with a limited amount of time, I highly suggest getting a map of the French Quarter and begin there with a walking tour (professionally guided or self-guided) to get to know the rich history, landmarks and architecture of New Orleans’ oldest neighborhood. The open container law allows you to imbibe as you sightsee (by foot, of course).

The “Go NOLA” free app caters to visitors and provides free celebrity-guided walking tours.  If you Tweet, then it is worth following NOLA handles on Twitter for news/updates while you are there: Visit New Orleans @VisitNewOrleans and New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau @NewOrleans.

I always stay at a hotel in the Vieux Carré and spend most of my time there because to me, the French Quarter is a little slice of heaven where you can do just about anything you want.

Creole Townhouse in the French Quarter

Creole Townhouse in the French Quarter

The Candi Dish Vieux Carré Favorites

Casual breakfast:  Vacherie on the corner of Toulouse and Dauphine (in the St. Marie Hotel).  Weather permitting; try to dine in the courtyard. The fried green tomato breakfast is excellent.

Casual Lunch:  Café Maspero on Decatur & Toulouse.  The rarity of finding a vegetarian muffaletta on the menu attracted me but this joint has something for everyone, is well-priced and good.

Casual Dinner:  The Gumbo Shop on St. Peter between Chartres and Royal captures creole cuisine very well. Jambalaya, red beans and rice, gumbos galore, strong drinks and the staff is a trip!

Upscale Dinner:  Galatoire’s is a MUST.  On Bourbon & Iberville, it is a New Orleans institution, delicious and fun. The service is terrific but if you can get Peter (“Boston Strong”) as your server, then you are golden!

The Candi Dish favorite restaurant is GALATOIRE’S

The Candi Dish favorite restaurant is GALATOIRE’S

Musts for Cocktails + Ambiance:  * Revolving bar/Merry-Go-Round at the Carousel Bar & Lounge in the Hotel Monteleone, which is an official literary landmark (Hemingway, Faulkner, Williams, Capote), on Royal * Pat O’Brien’s is famous for a reason.  Originally a speakeasy, Pat O’Brien turned a small bar into a huge business. In the 1940s when all liquor except for rum was hard to come by, an experimental concoction called The Hurricane (served in a glass the shape of a hurricane lamp) was born! With its celebrated and fabulous courtyard, dueling pianos and fun specialty cocktails, it is easy to spend hours at Pat O’Brien’s * The Old Absinthe House on the corner of Bourbon and Bienville is over 200 years old, haunted and THE place to try an absinthe (Herbsaint) cocktail.

Fantastic fire pit in Pat O’Brien’s courtyard

Fantastic fire pit in Pat O’Brien’s courtyard

Dessert/Snack:  Café du Monde (open 24 hours a day) in the French Market for beignets and café au lait.  IT IS A MUST.

Pralines and candy:  Southern Candymakers (various locations).  Known for pralines, try the salted caramel tortue.

Upscale Jazz:  Hearing (and seeing) Jeremy Davenport at the Davenport Lounge at the Ritz (Canal at Dauphine) on Thursday – Saturday evenings is bliss.  Mr. Davenport is as smooth and charming as his voice and trumpeting.

Bar-Hopping: Bourbon Street, of course.  It is gritty and fun! I love it. I love that I can dance to a cover band at The Famous Door and if I do not like the next song, can skip over to The Beach or Funky 544  (with the same drink in hand).  Bourbon Street is like your very own entertainment menu and you are a human remote control.  Enjoy it – there is nothing like it.

Other Highlights in the Quarter:  * After roaming the French Market, take a snack and drink towards Governor Nichols Street Wharf and have a seat overlooking the Mississippi River (you can hop on the Riverfront streetcar here as well) * Visit St. Louis Cathedral, the oldest practicing Roman Catholic Church in the US (built in 1727 and rebuilt after being destroyed by a fire in the 1850s). At night, go to St. Anthony Garden in the rear of the Cathedral to see the awe-inspiring shadow of a statue of Jesus projected by floodlights (between St. Ann and St. Peter on Royal) * Café Amelie, while established in 2005 has a 150-year old historic courtyard and carriage house.  I did not eat there but enjoyed a drink by the fountain while I mingled with locals and visitors. * For souvenirs and kitsch, I prefer shopping in the French Market & Decatur Street to Bourbon Street.  Antiques are everywhere, particularly on Royal Street.  Peruse the street art around the perimeter of Jackson Square.  * I like to walk “up”, “down” “towards the river” and “towards the lake” with a drink in hand checking out the shops, street tiles, architecture, people, and hand-painted soft clay molded tiles stating the name of the street when New Orleans was the Capital of the Spanish Province of Luisiana between 1762-1803.

Spanish tile of Calle del Hospital on what is now Governor Nicholls in the Quarter

Spanish tile of Calle del Hospital on what is now Governor Nicholls in the Quarter

Brief Candi Dish Tips on the Garden District

The second neighborhood to explore is the residential Garden District, which is overflowing with Southern charm.  Viewing the beautiful Greek Revival, Italianate and Victorian style homes, gardens and LaFayette Cemetery No. 1 are musts.  Again, consider a guided walking tour to have a New Orleans expert show you the details that you would most likely miss on your own.

Dining in the Garden District:  Commander’s Palace on Washington is a Brennan classic.  Between the bright turquoise and white Victorian exterior, glass-encased Live Oak tree trunk in the middle of the floor, 25-cent martinis at lunchtime and its award-winning cuisine – you cannot go wrong!

Magazine Street is a delightful commercial area filled with places to eat, drink and shop. To explore the boutiques, antique malls and allure of Magazine, I suggest starting around 8th Street and working your way toward Felicity.  Right before you reach Felicity, cut across to St. Charles to catch the streetcar or walk back to the Quarter.  At Lee’s Circle, veer right and enjoy the architecture on Camp.

“Before I Die ____” Chalkboard in a parking lot off of Camp

“Before I Die ____” Chalkboard in a parking lot off of Camp

Jazz & A Streetcar Named Desire

For casual jazz in the evening, venture to Frenchman Street in the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood:  The Spotted Cat, dba, Snug Harbor…just follow your ears.

Traveling on the St. Charles Streetcar (which connects uptown and downtown) is a great way to view part of the Warehouse District, Garden District, Audubon Park and the beautiful homes along St. Charles.  A popular route is to catch the Streetcar at the intersection of Canal Street & St Charles in the Quarter and hop off at Washington Avenue towards Prytania Street and Lafayette Cemetery No. 1.  The streetcar fare is $1.25 or you can purchase the aptly named “Jazzy Pass” for unlimited use of streetcars and buses. In addition to the St. Charles Line there are 3 others: Canal Street, Riverfront and Loyola lines.

Every street has a story, every courtyard, every balcony, every building and of course, every person has a story.  Soak it up, enjoy every minute and geaux to New Orleans soon! Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Frozen beverage & the mighty Mississippi River

Frozen beverage & the mighty Mississippi River

Please note that I was not compensated for this post.  My hope is to simply spread The Crescent City amour!

What in the world is a RestoPresto®???

Red RP Florida collage

One of my biggest challenges as an inventor is figuring out how to explain all of the features and uses of RestoPresto®! It is a great challenge to have and quite exciting when customers are constantly sharing how RestoPresto® makes their lives easier!

For those of you who follow The Candi Dish but do not know about RestoPresto® the 3-in-1 portable, compact, water-repellent, UPF 50+ mat that you can sit on, sit under & wear, please check out www.restopresto.com and read below (check out the video, too)!

How does RestoPresto® work?

Well, it is carefully designed to be a multi-functional & easily transportable mat that makes busy people’s lives easier. When in its pouch RestoPresto® fits in your hand, when open it is the size of a beach towel and it weighs under 8 ounces. Made of a special fabric that is water-repellent, UPF 50+, soft and durable both kids and adults enjoy how it feels against the skin and how well it functions. Snaps, drawstrings and loops provide the user with endless configurations so you can literally use it to sit on (picnic, beach, concrete, public floor), sit under (when you need an extra layer) and wear (chilly indoors or out; to get you from Point A to Point B in the rain or snow). It is a product for all seasons, all ages and is unisex!

The RestoPresto® business is proudly run by me as a small, woman-owned Company that took the road less taken by designing, assembling and manufactured my unique product in the USA. Red & gray mats are currently in stock & can be purchased on www.restopresto.com!  Each RestoPresto® comes with 1 branded carabiner, 1 set of 4 branded mini-stakes & 1 instructional brochure.

Buy yours today!

So many uses in one dynamic gadget!

So many uses in one dynamic gadget!

RestoPresto is great for ALL seasons and ALL ages!

RestoPresto is great for ALL seasons and ALL ages!

Visiting Greenwich Village as if it was the first time – REPOST!!

I was cruising through Greenwich Village the other day while working on research and development for my product invention, RestoPresto, and saw a fun group taking a Free Tours by Foot tour.

This reminded me of my own lovely experience so I am reposting my article and hope you enjoy it!

Thanks for following The Candi Dish!

Keith Haring Mural at James J Walker Park

Keith Haring Mural at James J Walker Park

The Candi Dish is a huge fan of taking tours to get to know cities.  Manhattan included, even for residents. The City’s 380+ year history provides for much to see, do and learn so naturally there are many tour opportunities that cater to both visitors and locals.  I made a clever last minute decision to join a “Free Tours by Foot” Greenwich Village walking tour led by Renée on a chilly and sunny autumn day last week and it was fantastic.  Learning new things about the place that I call home felt great.  I detail my two favorite parts of the tour here.

I joined the group at stop #2 (because I was running a bit late) in front of The Northern Dispensary, a now defunct medical facility that was built in 1827 and is located at an interesting intersection in which one side of the building faces two streets: Grove and Christopher while the other two sides face Waverly. I have passed that building tons of times but never knew its interesting story (please look it up for more info).

Northern Dispensary - Empty but Full of History

Northern Dispensary – Empty but Full of History

I previously posted about how one should look out and up when walking around the City so please allow me to contradict myself because examining the pavement beneath your feet can be very rewarding. One such example is the small triangular mosaic imbedded on the southwest corner of Christopher and 7th Avenue South in front of Village Cigars that reads “Property of the Hess Estate Which Has Never Been Dedicated for Public Purposes.”  In a nutshell, David Hess once owned a five-story building at this location and it was seized by the City since it obstructed construction plans to widen 7th Avenue South. In 1914, Mr. Hess fought the city but lost and was left with only a 500-square inch piece of land, which he was expected to donate to the City to become part of the thoroughfare “for public purposes”. Mr. Hess refused and to symbolize his defiance, implanted the mosaic to remind people of his plight. In 1938, Mr. Hess sold the triangle to Village Cigars and the shop has left the mosaic message, a west village treasure, untouched. Again, I have walked by Village Cigars (a NY institution in its own right) countless times and never noticed this priceless piece of NY history.

David Hess' Tiny Plot of Private Property

David Hess’ Tiny Plot of Private Property

Being escorted around Greenwich Village by someone who knows much more than I was a joy.  I observed architecture (smallest house in Manhattan), special spots (the alleged origin of the term “86 that guy”) and street art (Keith Haring, anyone?) for the first time. An experience like this for a local is remarkable.  If you have 2.5 hours to spend exploring, consider a Free Tours by Foot, you will be glad that you did. http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/new-york-tours/

Washington Square Park

Washington Square Park

Please note that I was not compensated by Free Tours by Foot for this post.  My hope is to simply spread the word about a great tour company. 

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