With bars now serving drinks to go, part of the “new normal” people have been referencing since the start of Covid-19 now includes being able to drink on the streets, police not doing anything but asking partiers to move to the sidewalk when nine pm rolled around.

Now that phase one of reopening has commenced, the vice grip of fear Covid-19 had on the city seems almost a thing of the past, at least for the people on East Ninth street over the weekend. Hardly anyone wore a mask, and some even went as far as to harass reporters who were there covering the reopening for wearing one.

People gather outside of Miss Lily’s in the East Village. Photo by Thomas Hengge

A person on a bike make their way through the crowd on East Ninth Street. Photo by Thomas Hengge

People gather and drink outside Bua in the East Village. Photo by Thomas Hengge

Police arrive to break up the gathering on East Ninth Street. Photo by Thomas Hengge

A police officer talks with a person at the gathering on East Ninth Street. Photo by Thomas Hengge

People make way for a bus to pass through the crowd on East Ninth Street. Photo by Thomas Hengge

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The post 2019 New York City Marathon appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

NYPD is in place at Times Square for Super Bowl week. By Zoe Lake

As frigid temperatures and Super Bowl fever sweep the city, New York businesses are gearing up for what is sure to be a busy weekend. Dining deals, party packages, and drink promotions mean big business, especially for those establishments close to Times Square, where ‘Super Bowl Boulevard’ will draw large crowds throughout the week with events including a toboggan run, and NFL autograph tent, among others.

Meg Sylvester, 26, manager of Social Bar .com on 48th and 8th, is anticipating a major increase in patronage over the weekend, and said they are prepared to handle the Super Bowl crowds.

“With our close proximity to Times Square we are anticipating a larger crowd,but its really just about being prepared. All staff will be on hand, it’s going to be a great weekend,” she said.

Establishments near Times Square have been warned that road closures surrounding the area in preparation for the opening, operation, and closing of Super Bowl Boulevard this week might affect their deliveries but Sylvester isn’t worried,

“The mayor’s office has been really good at letting us know about road closures, sanitation crews, and waste pick-up so we can prepare. There’s nothing to contrast this event to, so all we can do is be prepared,” she said.

Paul Downey, 33, of Manhattan, manager of McHale’s Bar and Grill on 51st and Broadway, agrees;

“We’re kind of winging it a little bit, we don’t know what’s coming, and we don’t know what to expect we’re just planning on being busy,” he said.

Paul Downey, 33, the manager of McHale’s Bar and Grill is prepared for large crowds this weekend. By Zoe Lake

Downey plans on having extra security on detail but feels good knowing the NYPD will likely ‘have a cop on every corner.’

Downey, and Eric Shon, 34, of New Jersey, who owns Shon 45 Wine and Spirits, also near Times Square, said business has been unusually steady after Christmas and New Years; a time where it traditionally levels off. Shon believes this has left him better prepared for the high demand that is sure to come with Super Bowl weekend.

Shon, 34, of Shon 45 Wine and Spirits stands in his shop ready for Super Bowl Business. By Zoe Lake

“We’re pretty well stocked, Christmas and New Years hit us pretty hard so we’ve been trying to compensate for that,” he said.

Shon expects that liquor and wine deliveries, which average at about 5-10 a day for his shop, will increase leading up to the weekend, especially with the influx of fans staying in nearby hotels.

Times Square Westin office manager Chainika Sachdev, 26, of Edgewater, says they are expecting a full house.

“We’re pretty booked up this whole week,” she said. “Bookings went up as soon as the two teams were announced, but were not oversold.”

Sachdev expects that between last minute bookings, and walk-ins they will likely fill all their rooms this weekend. Many other area hotels are anticipating the same given their proximity to the game itself, which is being held in New Jersey.

As the countdown to the first cold weather Super Bowl in nearly 20 years winds down, New Yorkers don’t have to worry about local businesses getting cold feet,

”We’ll be ready for them,” chuckled Downey. “And hopefully the weather will hold up too.”

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From left to right: Abbie Haklay, Ilene Haklay, Arthur Phillips and Joan Phillips, cheering on marathon runners on the Upper East Side. Photo by Zahra Ahmed.

Native New Yorkers Abbie Haklay, 82, and his wife Ilene have been on the sidelines of the New York City Marathon every year since they first moved to East 73rd Street in 1997.

Since 11 a.m. this Sunday, the Haklays were on the corner of First Avenue and 67th Street, behind the cluster of charged spectators that fringe the 17th mile of the marathon running through the Upper East Side.

“There’s a certain feeling of good will,” said Ilene. “And you know what I think? The people who are watching are having more fun than the people who are running.”

The Haklays usually rise early to avoid congestion and cheer runners on as they come down the Queensboro Bridge and enter Manhattan, but this year the couple was waiting for Ilene’s sister, Joan Phillips, and her husband Arthur to join in on the fun.

“It’s the same every year,” said Abbie, referring to the crowd’s fiery energy. “Everybody’s enjoying the same thing at the same time.”

The Haklays remained by the newly installed bike lane in the neighborhood – a calmer scene compared to the frenzy displayed by spectators just a few feet ahead. Despite chilly weather, viewers came out in droves, bundled up in scarves, gloves and even beanies that the nearest Dunkin’ Donuts was handing out for free.

The scene on First Avenue was in complete contrast to last year, when Mayor Michael Bloomberg and marathon organizers cancelled the race to concentrate resources on the city’s recovery after super storm Sandy.

Runners in the New York City Marathon on the Upper East Side leg of the course. Photo by Zahra Ahmed.

While the Haklays agreed with the city’s decision to call off the 2012 marathon, Arthur Phillips thought carrying on with it could have sparked positive energy throughout the city.

“When you read about [last year’s cancellation], all the practical reasons are correct,” said Phillips, “But then again, would it have helped the spirit of the city or the people?”

Super storm Sandy wasn’t the only tragedy that spectators and participants were reminded of. Memories of the Boston Marathon bombings in April were also in the air

As a symbol of support, the Boston Marathon’s yellow line ran alongside the familiar blue line that guides runners along their trek in New York.

In light of the tragedy earlier this year, the NYPD upped its security with extra resources, such as camera surveillance, radiation detectors and K-9 dogs with explosive-detection capabilities.

Police provide security at the New York City Marathon, on the Upper East Side. Photo by Zahra Ahmed.

Phillips said some of the cheer was for April’s runners, too. For him, “the sadness, pain and sheer horror” of Boston is “still strong.”

“All of that is frightening to think about,” he said. “But you can’t let it take you down. You have to rise above it.”

“You can’t help but to cheer on all these people that have worked so hard over the years to put themselves in the condition to [run],” he said, “It’s a great New York tradition.”

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Shirley Robinson, 33 and her daughter Fidellity Williams, 6 watch and wait for Williams first grade teacher to pass in West Harlem. Photo by Alexandra Palmer

Fidellity Williams, 6 waited for her favorite teacher Ms. Sweany to run past her today at the ING New York City Marathon on 125th and 5th avenue.

“Everyday after school, she runs a lot of blocks,” said Williams.

Sweany ran to raise money for the Success Academy Harlem Charter School 5, where she is a first grade teacher.
The school is located on 140th street and Fredrick Douglas Boulevard, and shares a building with PS 123, where Shirley Robinson, 33 said her daughter is learning a lot, and has even moved up a reading level.

“I’m emotional, they love my child, and I love them for that,” Robinson said.

It was the first year the mother and daughter attended the marathon, but Robinson thought that this year it was especially important.

“It’s a family thing, I had to bring my daughter to support her teacher,” she said.

Robinson said she’s really proud of the example that Ms. Sweany is setting, and that it’s even inspired her daughter to want to run in the marathon when she grows up.

“It’s inspiring to know that people are running far and long and it’s really amazing, I’m just happy to be able to support them,” she said.

A block away, on 124th and 5th avenue, Yvonne Robinson Viaer, 54 handed out paper towels, and encouragement to participants. A marathon runner, Viaer said she stands in the same spot every year she isn’t running.

Yvonne Robinson Vaier, handed out paper towels and cheers to runners in West Harlem, Vaier usually runs the marathon herself, but decided to volunteer due to a knee injury. Photo by Alexandra Palmer

“This is almost the 23rd mile, and this is when the runners need a lot more energy,” she said. “This is when they need you.”

Viaer usually runs the marathon, but couldn’t this year due to a knee injury so she chose to volunteer because a lot of her friends were running.

Keith Williams, 59 of West Harlem encouraged runners with cheers and ringing a bell for each one that passed by. Photo by Alexandra Palmer

“It just feels good that we could do it this year, and be out here and support everyone,” Viaer said.
Last year’s marathon was cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy’s disastrous effects on the city and its’ residents.
Keith Williams, 59 joined Viaer in celebrating the return of the marathon.

“I come out every year, I love the marathon,” Williams said.

Williams excitedly rang a bell for each runner that passed.

“Somebody cheering on the side can give you the strength to keep going,” he said.

Williams like Viaer, runs marathons too. He said he does it to celebrate health and life. In light of the recent Boston marathon bombing, Williams said, “I bet the people who did that never ran a marathon, because you cannot do that to humanity once you really celebrated life.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C.—Brenda Holcomb and her family drove 15 hours from Miami to watch the Inauguration in front of the Capitol Building. Instead, they found themselves stuck on the lawn at the Washington Monument, neither a Barack nor a Beyoncé in sight.

Holcomb, 40, her children Glenda, 15, and Brandon, 11, and her nephew Tishaun Hampton, 17, awoke in the morning’s wee hours to make their way to the Capitol Building. Following directions from two volunteers and a security guard, they lined up on 7th St. at 6:15 a.m. It wasn’t until three hours later that they realized they were actually in line for parade tickets—not the Inauguration; by that time, it was too late to get to there.

“We had to get out of line and walk all the way back over to where the yellow ticket gate was, and we were asking all around and stuff,” Glenda Holcomb said. “It’s been a struggle.”

It wasn’t just the Holcombs that were struggling. In the streets surrounding the Capitol, thousands of Inauguration-goers shuffled around like confused cattle. Inauguration volunteers were providing conflicting information, and D.C. police were unexpectedly closing off designated entry points before the Inauguration even began. Disorganization reigned at the 2013 Presidential Inauguration.

Police erected a metal chain link fence across the 12th St. and Independence Avenue. entry point around 11 a.m. The result was an intensely crowded and disgruntled mob squeezed into the tight intersection, everyone unsure where to go next.

“It’s a disaster,” said Miguel Uzcategui, a junior at the University of the District of Columbia. “We cannot get where we want.”

It was a particularly troubling situation for Patrick Elward, 34, and his good friend Charlie Gillig, 32—the latter of whom had flown in from San Diego, Calif. for the Inauguration. While Elward had managed to gain access to the Capitol, Gillig had gotten trapped on the outside of the fence. Now, police were neither letting Gillig in, nor Elward out.

“I just basically wanted to meet up with my buddy, and they’re not letting anybody out,” Elward said. “I can’t get out to go to somewhere else. It’s unfortunate.”

Gillig had no choice but to leave the friend he’d flown hours to accompany to the Inauguration.

“It stinks,” he said.

Back at the Washington Monument, young Brandon Holcomb still smiled brightly, proudly sporting his sparkly Obama beanie. The group even excitedly posed for a family photo in front of the Monument. All things considered, their day wasn’t all bad—the lawn around the Monument had turned out to be a great spot for a picnic, and, as Brenda pointed out, at least they could hear the president (well, sort of— thanks to a faulty jumbotron).

“Hey, we’re going to take lemons and make lemonade out of it,” she said. “We came too far to be pouting.”

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The Bucket Man Richard Sedotto sold hundreds of buckets Tuesday to Giants fans looking to get above the crowds at the Super Bowl Champion's ticker tape parade. Photo by Jamie Larson

While the New York Giants paraded up the Canyon of Heroes in Lower Manhattan this morning, Richard Sedotto was making money in buckets, with a business model so simple, passing Wall Streeters were praising his brilliance.

One look down the block and it was easy to see why. Almost everyone waiting for the parade at Broadway and Exchange Street were standing on a bright orange Home Depot bucket in an attempt to get a better view of the event, buckets Sedotto sold for $10 a pop.

In four hours of work, Sedotto and two friends sold nearly all of their 800 buckets.

“I’m sending my kids to college after this,” he sang to passers-by who scoffed at his price, then shouting. “I got the market cornered! 100 people have called me a genius. One more and I’ll believe them.”

A contractor from Long Island, Sedotto said he stands on buckets everyday in replace of a step stool. At the Yankee’s victory parade in 2007 Sedotto and friends brought a few just for themselves. After a number of fellow spectators offered to buy the pails from under their feet they realized they were standing on a goldmine.

They first sold buckets in New Orleans after the Saint’s Super Bowl win two years ago. Tuesday New York turned out to be much more profitable. Since, Sedotto has made selling buckets a loss-proof business.

“Say you only sell 400 buckets, then you just return the ones you didn’t sell,” he said. “You buy them on credit and you never spend any money.”

Another big part of Sedotto’s business model was heckling bystanders. His commodity was so hot, it seemed he could say anything.

“Hey, you’re short. You need a bucket,” he shouted.

The bucket man may now be popping up at more parades in more towns, from Philly to Boston to Chicago.

Steven Gorilik was supposed to be at work at the Colonial Insurance office on the other side of the street, but he couldn’t get across. He was so taken with Sedotto’s business he jumped on a bucket and helped with sales.

“This is the best business idea,” he said. “I’m going to be down on the next block at the next (parade).”

Sedotto said he’s not worried about competition because he had made so much money on just one block, pulling a thick wad of uncounted bills out of his coat pocket.

By the end of the parade there were discarded buckets everywhere, but Sedotto wasn’t interested in picking them up for resale; in fact he was gone well before the last float.

“It was well worth the $10,” said Frank Esposito, from State Island, who stood on a bucket with his girlfriend, Danielle Ballestero, on his shoulders. “I’m stealing his idea.”

But when the parade ended Esposito was left holding a bucket.

“Now what am I going to do with this $10 bucket?” Esposito wondered before turning around and shouting “$9 bucket.”

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