“New York will never adjust to your convenience. You have to let the city chew you up and spit you out a whole new person. I would not be everything I am today if this city had not kicked me in the ribs many, many times.� 1
Intro
Quoted is a love letter to New York from the people who live in this magical city. It’s a magazine providing you with local insights and city secrets, but also an inspiring force that motivates you to inhabit the tolerance, acceptance and respect for the beautiful diversity New York represents. In this issue of Quoted, we decided it was time to go visit a couple of New Yorkers in their home away from home, in addition to their apartments. It allows you to experience and get to know another layer to these already unique personalities! As you flip through these pages, I promise you’ll get a real and raw taste of New York. Quoted will introduce you to 10 wonderful, warm and weird New Yorkers who generously opened their doors and lives. These unfiltered takes on New York will not only surprise you, but broaden your mind and inspire you to experience the city in a new and invigorating way. Every story, Quoted. Rolf Arne Leer
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Laura 10
Niki 78
Cacho 24
Addo 96
Marlon 38
Lisa 108
Sophia 52
Woody 118
Jim 66
Eric 130
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Laura Pigeon lover Storyteller Meditator
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“There’s this wilderness of herds of people out there. The thing I love about New York is the immense diversity of this city. Even the pigeons are different here, just totally relaxed on the streets.”
“ What I love about storytelling is the effect it can have on people. I want to accomplish a wakeful, reciprocal engagement. I want to slow people down into joy.”
and people turned back to their phones… Later that day the kids at the school asked me if I had ever met a real fairy. I told them ‘I think I might have, today.”
“I was born in Brooklyn and had a boyfriend in high school. He took me on my first date into Manhattan. We went to Village Vanguard to hear Nina Simone sing and after that my life was changed. I had never heard something that touched me so deeply. The bliss of voice.”
“A lot of amazing things have happened on the subway. I remember I had been searching all over the world for some music. I was looking for something different, interesting, but I couldn’t find it so eventually I gave up. Then, one day I went down to the subway at 14th street. A Mongolian man sitting on an overturned can playing a horse headed fiddle. There it was. I found it.”
“People around me kept saying I would be so great teaching theater to kids, so I had children coming over to my house. I had no idea what to do with them, but I always knew how to tell fairy tales. We went to Central Park to perform, and the parents encouraged me to do an act as well, so I did a Russian fairy tale. Something happened that day, a connection between myself and the audience. I felt a calling towards storytelling and wanted to know more. That was the day I decided to quit grad school, and go on a detour to explore. I’ve been on that detour for 50 years now.” “The other day I was on my way uptown to tell stories at a small private school. They had fairy-obsession. I was late and ran to the subway, it was crowded, but there was one seat next to a homeless woman. I sat down and started looking through my notes for the kids. While lost in my own thoughts, the homeless woman started singing. Her voice was immensely beautiful. When I looked up people were smiling. You know how people are on the subway here. They look at their phones, heads down. Then the lady stopped,
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“I think people in New York should slow down. You don’t have to go to everything, but the things you go to, really have a look at it. See the shape of a building, see the park and the wildlife in the park. Stop every so often and really listen. You can be standing on Broadway on the busiest day, and suddenly hear the sound of a morning dove.” “I see love all around the city. A few weeks ago it was freezing. I was out and saw this well dressed woman with a big shopping bag, talking to a homeless person on the street. Then the woman pulled out a jacket and a blanket from her shopping bag and offered it to the homeless person. I thought to myself “it’s not gone. There it is...”
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“ New York is like being inside an enormous brain. A thousand thoughts and a thousand stories are bouncing off each other. On the other hand there is a kind of secret peacefulness to New York City. I can sometimes feel it. Like it’s a holy city.” ” 14
Q&A What neighborhood do you live in? Union Square, Manhattan. Best thing about living there? I love my home. When you have a place like this in New york you don’t give it up. It’s so astonishing. I did have a friend once who called this place an ‘ethnic-graphicdreamscape.’ Favorite neighborhood in New York? Lower East Side and Harlem. Favorite street to stroll? East 6th street. Why? I love the shops, restaurants, People’s Park and three old synagogues. Favorite restaurant? Arté on 9th street. Favorite bar? Algonquin Hotel. Hidden gem? I love going to the African market on east 114th street. In the late afternoon you can experience people leaving their stalls, and put these fantastic rugs down to pray. Suddenly you have this magical atmosphere. How to be(come) a New Yorker? Be so outrageously yourself here, be so totally yourself and walk everywhere. Your New York soundtrack? I love Three Little Birds by Bob Marley. It makes me think about walkabouts in Manhattan. Can we come visit you? Sure. (watch a 3 minute video interview quotedmagazine.com/laura)
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Clockwise from Mother Tara
BIRD ON TURTLE
“My father brought this back from Japan after Second World War. It was part of a temple. It reminds me of the best part of my father, and represents longevity.”
5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT LAURA
“I have great regard for vodun and got these from a voodoo priest in Haiti. I love Haiti and worked there for over seven years.”
VOODOO OBJECT
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“Female Buddha of compassion who can be called on at any moment. I’ve studied meditation for the last 37 years. I practise it and I teach it.” MOTHER TARA
WHALEBONE “Someone gave this to me when I was telling stories in Alaska. It’s made from whalebone. I travel all over the world to tell stories. I want to have people who are really different, all imagining the same story differently and being able to feel that part of themselves that is connected beneath all their opinions and speed.”
“I really love this. I choose a book that feels just right. I write in it all the time and take note of things. Sometimes notes on stories, quotes, dreams or if I’m giving a talk. It’s the way I keep things.”
JOURNAL
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BABY BRASA 22
173 7TH AVE S, NEW YORK Quoted, New York
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Cacho Body painter Clean Big Dreamer
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“I’ve been doing the body painting for years now. I want to give people a chance to share their story. In New York everybody’s trying to get ahead and nobody really listens because it’s a huge competition all the time. With me, I listen and they get to open up to a stranger. It’s easier to share secrets with a stranger than a family member or a psychologist. You see me one time and that’s it. It really is a place where people can express themselves freely, without judgments.” @cachofalconart
“ I ask you all these questions: ‘How long have you been here? Are you an only child? How has that affected you? What is your relationship to your mom or your dad?’ You start sharing, I paint the story on your body and keep pushing the vulnerability.” “I had no set plan moving to New York. Just a question. How do I make myself noticed? There was no social media back then, so I started working on the street at Broadway and Prince, painting peoples stories on t-shirts and denims. You have to pay to have a stand there, but I had a clothing rack I had stolen, so whenever the police came I grabbed the rack and told the police I was just transporting clothes.” “I see the similarities we have as New Yorkers. We all have our own little secrets and struggles. They stay here. After I’m done painting the story, we wash it off in the shower and the secrets go down the drain.”
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“I’ve bodypainted a lot of straight guys who get aroused. I’m like ‘of course you get aroused. I’m touching your balls. Don’t worry about it. It’s fine.’ It’s such a connection when we work together, that it just happens sometimes. I’m not ignoring them, but ignoring that.” “I’m a loner. I like to be alone, but I can still feel lonely here. It’s part of the baggage New York comes with. I make my relationships through these people that I meet. I have a super intense relationship with them for 3-4 hours, and then I feel empty afterwards. It’s like a drug.” “The city has this energy that you can’t put into words. It’s dirty. It’s full of rats. The weather sucks. You don’t rest. It’s a pretty disgusting place really, but none of that matters. I’m a big dreamer, so I don’t see all the downsides. From here you can do anything, anywhere. People look at you differently when you make something here.”
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Q&A What neighborhood do you live in? Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Best thing about living there? The restaurants. Favorite neighborhood in New York? In the city probably the Washington Square Park area. But still, I don’t think I’ll change my corner in Williamsburg unless I’m forced to. Favorite street to stroll? Crosby Street. Why? It was the first street I lived on when I moved to the city. It brings back good memories. Favorite restaurant? The Four Horsemen, Williamsburg. Favorite bar? Top of the Standard. It’s is the most beautiful bar in New York. Hidden gem? Pepe Rosso on Sullivan Street. How to be(come) a New Yorker? Walk faster, become immune to sirens and construction. Your New York soundtrack? I want to break free by Queen. Can we come visit you? Please do. (watch a 3 minute video interview quotedmagazine.com/cacho)
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“ If you shoot for the stars, this is the city that you need to be in, but you need perseverance. You have to believe that you are good enough. Don’t move to New York if you don’t have a big dream. You’re going to suffer. It’s not worth it. Come visit.” 29
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Clockwise from Neck Pillow
SUNGLASSES
“These were my grandfathers. Before he died I asked him to leave these for me. We had this connection through the arts. He was a bit of an asshole and not very nice to the family, but he was always very nice to me.”
5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT CACHO
“This represents me getting clean and going to Narcotics Anonymous. I have a collection. Every 30 days they give you a new key chain. It’s special because it was a rough one. I have been clean since August 2017.” KEY CHAIN
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“We had our 20 year high school reunion last year. Everyone but me live in Paraguay so they see each other regularly. I am kind of off, but meeting them again reminded me that good relationships never really changes. I felt like I was 15 again.” NECK PILLOW
MARATHON MEDAL “I always wanted to run the New York marathon since I saw Forrest Gump. I used to be the guy with hungover watching them. Part of me getting clean is related to me having the dream of running the marathon.”
“The ring represents union partnership and love. I am a loner, so I wanted to be by myself. This was given to me as a compromise.” RING
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“Whether for heartbreak, stomachache or bone break, broth is the remedy hailed by grandmothers, shamans and doctors alike. Loaded with minerals, rich in collagen, high in protein and other amino acids, broth is said to rejuvenate the skin, reduce inflammation, fuel the body, nourish the mind.�
Elizabeth Cecil
Brodo Window 200 1st Avenue in the East Village
Brodo Soho Window 236 Lafayette Street at Spring Street
Brodo Broth Shop 496 Hudson in the West Village
Brodo Upper West Side 2144 Broadway Coming spring 2018
@brodo @brodonyc facebook.com/brodonyc
brodo.com
Marlon Brooklynite Joy Indulgent Water engineer
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“I would love to be philosophical and all that, but the truth is, in order to be anchored in this city, the first thing you need is money. This city is not cheap, and you can’t set up any kind of foundation here without money. You’ll be homeless. Second, you need a good support system. Friends, family, someone you can turn to for a conversation, or to borrow a few dollars.”
“ I came here in the 90’s and have always been a Brooklynite. We lived here in Bed-Stuy, and my dad would not let me go pass certain streets. There were these ‘no-go’ zones. People lived normally without fear of crime though. You knew the neighborhood and people who lived here. People would mostly mess with outsiders, but of course it was a different situation back then.” “Everything was guided towards going to Manhattan. A lot of us were sick of that. We were more the relaxed group. We’d lay around, hang out, relax. It was like that joke with Lamilton Taeshawn saying ‘I only want to do hood-rat things with my friends.’ That was it. We’d ride bikes, drink wine in the park out of paper cups, walk around the streets. It was a casual way of living. Of course this has changed with age, but that solidified Bed-Stuy as a place to be for me.”
dirty water. The city primarily gets its water from the Delaware River. That water is pretty much protected and clean. It goes through ultraviolet light to kill all the bacterias and some flocculation processes. You get some chlorine and fluoride added in and it’s pumped out there.” “If you don’t have a sense of self in New York, you’ll pull yourself apart trying to figure out where to be or where to fit in. You have to have a sense of self to know who you are and to find your community. Otherwise, you’re just going to be all over the place, and probably lost because you don’t know where to go.” “Brooklyn is such a large and vast place. It’s hard to encapsulate the entire vibe of the borough because it’s so diverse, but if there’s one thing that’s true, it’s that it’s homely. It’s the place people set up and live.”
“I work as an engineer for the city. Essentially I am working with water - drinking water and
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Q&A “ The biggest lie about New York is that we are mean, unfriendly and rude people. It’s perceived in that manner because people visiting are only interacting with New Yorkers in transit. When in transit, people do not care to be jovial. At 8 a.m. on their way to work, people don’t care to smile. They are already trying to tune out from a stressful situation having to deal with other people on mass transportation, trying to get to x, y, z on time. And there you are in their space trying to invade it, so of course someone is going to be rude to you. People in transit are not the ones you want to talk to.” What neighborhood do you live in? Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn.
Favorite bar? Casablanca Cocktail Lounge.
Best thing about living there? Great mix of people and plenty of great local restaurants and bars.
Hidden gem? La Isla restaurant on Broadway in Brooklyn. Some of the best Spanish food. And it’s cheap.
Favorite neighborhood in New York? Crown Heights since it has a mix of Caribbean heritage, newcomers, bars, restaurants and is easy to get to and from Manhattan. Favorite street to stroll? Jefferson Avenue in Bed-Stuy. Why? It’s a beautiful tree lined block that’s quiet with great brownstones. Good to clear your mind or just enjoy architecture. Favorite restaurant? Fancy Nancy in Bed-Stuy.
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How to be(come) a New Yorker? Learn to do everything a bit quicker because we are busy people, always in a rush. Your New York soundtrack? Juicy by The Notorious B.I.G. The only song I recognize as a New York soundtrack because it captures the thoughts and feelings of the residents of the urban jungle. Can we come visit you? Come on in. (watch a 3 minute video interview quotedmagazine.com/marlon)
Clockwise from Baby Picture
RUM
“It’s from my country Guyana. We make excellent rum. I like dark liquor. I don’t drink that much at home. It takes people coming over for me to make a drink.”
5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT MARLON
“My love for ping pong started in college. I got amateur decent and played with roommates and friends. Now we play tournaments at the Emerson bar at Myrtle.” PING PONG
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“My first, favorite nephew. He is not a year yet. He lives in Jersey. That is my favorite person. Uncle is always here for him.” BABY PICTURE
GOLD NECKLACE “People make fun of Guyanese people for loving their gold. We enjoy gold. I don’t wear jewelry in the streets, but I enjoy wearing them in the house for some reason. For entertainment.”
“I use this every day. I need a moisturized beard. Having a dry beard is not fun, so this is necessary.” BEARD BALM
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Sophia Untamed Performer Sensual Homebody
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“I used to come here for pride during College. I have this vivid picture of getting to Lafayette and Broadway and feeling so overwhelmed. I remember seeing the people, the cabs and the billboards. I remember thinking it was the most magical place I’ve ever been. I had to come back here.” @sophiaurista
“ To get to where I am has been the craziest ride, but I always followed the path of what I wanted to do. Because if I didn’t I would have been further away from Lafayette and Broadway, you know. Now I work there.” “I saved up $700 from a summer job and came to New York. I got a room the size of a closet in Bed-Stuy for $500. I couldn’t afford a cab ride, so I would ride my bike home, over the Manhattan bridge, arms up in the air. Free riding, drunk. My eyes were open. All my senses were open for the first time in my life.” “I was assisting working for a catering company at some Ralph Lauren event years back. I was like ‘I’m going to be a guest at these parties one day. I don’t know when, but I will.’ I moved on from catering, figured out I could sing, time went on and then I got invited to this exclusive party. I went over to the bar and realized it was the same catering company I was working for at the Ralph Lauren event. It was one of those moments! I was on the other side.” “I’m a downtown, rock scene kind of girl. I like to spit and stick my tongue out on stage. People should leave my concerts feeling
inspired, that they can to do anything. Like ‘She was up there looking crazy, and she wasn’t scared’ Obviously I am scared, but you can still do it.” “I just did a gig in a $35 million apartment. They rented real people as props - I was one of them. They had me out at the patio to show the people who had just bought the place how they could entertain.” “New York says: ‘Tell me what you’re good at. If you’re good enough, I’ll show you that you can do it.’ You have to be more than good though. You have to be good enough! There are plenty of places in the world where being mediocre is totally fine. New York is not that place.” “New York when it’s raining at dusk, that’s my favorite. I also have this almost sexual fetish with smoke and the giant traffic coins attached to the sewer. They’re like seven feet high with orange and white stripes and smoke just pours out of it. If it’s raining and I see one of those things at 5 or 6 p.m.... It’s a really special moment for me.”
Q&A “ I know what it’s like to be on fire, and I want to live like that all the time.”
What neighborhood do you live in? I currently live in Gramercy. I’ve moved at least once every two- three years for the last 10 years. From Flatbush to Clinton Hill to Kips Bay, Chelsea and more. I’ve been moving around like this since I was born, so it’s no wonder this city’s madness feels like home. Best thing about living there? The best thing about Gramercy is the architecture. You can’t say much good about the noise and air quality but walk to any of the avenues and look up and you say ‘oh right! that’s why”. Favorite neighborhood in New York? My favorite neighborhood in Manhattan is Nolita. Favorite street to stroll? I love a good Chinatown stroll. All the goods are cheap and the sensory overload is quite the treat. It’s also very fun to guide visitors through that area because they get to see Chinatown, little Italy, bougie old Soho and grungy Lower East Side. It’s a convergence of a thousand ‘flavors’ in the span of a dozen blocks. Favorite restaurant? A family owned Peruvian joint called Chimu. I have a plastic V.I.P card. Favorite bar? Any dive with a pool table can call itself my home when the mood is right. But not
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everyone likes to play pool or is as good as me so I often end up in a speakeasy where the drinks are as mixed and intoxicating as the women. Hidden gem? So many! If there’s live music, that’s a plus. I love The Mckittrick Hotel, Duane Park and The Box for that reason. Those are also places I’ve performed at for many years. Miss Lilly’s is always fun. There are so many new gems to discover that it’s hard for me to be a regular. I prefer to be everywhere, all the time. How to be(come) a New Yorker? In New York you can become anything you want. For all intents and purposes, when you’re here, you are New York because you are contributing to the wonder of it as a unique human. But unless you were born here, you’re an implant, technically not a New Yorker. Your New York soundtrack? There are a few songs that, when I hear them today, deliver the smell and the place where New York and I created a memory together. Turn Me On by Black Coffee feat. Bucie, Blues in the Night by Dinah Washington, Come Together by The Beatles. Can we come visit you? Absolutely. (watch a 3 minute video interview quotedmagazine.com/sophia)
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Clockwise from Calendar
MIC/GUITAR
”As a musician, music is my life. There’s the kind that I enjoy listening to and the kind I make. With the mic and guitar, I have an amplified voice. It’s the way I communicate.”
5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT SOPHIA
“I’m always on the go and without this little pocket computer I wouldn’t get anything done. I put it on airplane mode as a rule from 12:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. but after that, it’s where I keep books, music, storage, answer emails, make playlists, tune my guitar and learn while I’m flying.”
CELL PHONE
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“The one thing I can’t organize on my phone is what my month of work looks like and my thoughts. I collect physical calendars and notebooks which help me manage my scattered brain.” CALENDAR
JAPANESE INK & PAPER “When I discovered Japanese calligraphy, it suited the style and, like writing songs or playing guitar, it puts me into a meditative state and is an ultimate happy place. The fluidity of the calligraphy ink and wooden brush is so sexy and the artform reflects my aesthetic taste overall.”
“Since I’m always on the go, I can’t always be reading so being able to listen to podcasts, audiobooks and music while blocking out the city’s noise and distraction is essential. Plus, it’s an excuse to ignore the cat callers.” HEADPHONES
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Printed by
Jim The Mosaic Man War Veteran Ex-Homeless
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“One of my mosaics say, and this sums up a lot for me; ‘All the colors make it more beautiful. Not just some of the colors.”
The Greeks put mosaics in public housing. Why would they do that? Because it made “ people nice to each other. In a crazy way I believe I have found a common language beyond borders. Like when the sun is coming up. People can feel the joy of my mosaic.” “The last few years I have been working from home. Everything in exactly nine square feet. That’s a challenge. I’m looking right out to New York through my window though, so I still feel blessed in many ways.” “East Village is the most artistic, harmless neighborhood in the city. We have people living here from all around the world. What’s everyone’s problem out there? Here, we have every ethnic group living together and we all get along! ” “I ran a front line support and communication center during the war in Vietnam, with one blind eye. They forgot to check my eyes. I should never have been in a war zone. I used to get dirt in the other eye and was left totally blind. We did what we had to do over there. I came out of the war. I had a big blow up. Post traumatic stress. Very bad at a family dinner. Stories about the madness going on over there, burning people’s houses down and worse. I had not interacted with my family for a very long time and it was all a result of the outrageous and horrific things I had witnessed.”
was comfortable living in the abandoned buildings even though it was no home. Burned out floors. You had to walk the beams to get in there. Nobody could get to you. You usually had just a handful of people living together in these buildings. You took the building, broke into it, blocked the door and put a chain on it. Sometimes you could see all the way up to the roof. I remember this big rat dropping down on my shoulder. We even built a tank and called it «Little Rudy» after Rudy Giuliani. That’s what we had to do to survive. I didn’t realize I was way down and out. I didn’t even ask for help.” “I spoke to the mayor not long ago. I didn’t like the mayor at all, but after two hours listening to the guy, I changed my mind about him. But if they think I am going to my grave without getting even, they are wrong. I want a piece of everyone’s taxes. Just a piece.” “The first piece I did publicly was in 1985. I did all the trees at Saint Marks Place. It took all summer. How did I get the idea to do this? I started doing mosaic because it was an uplifting. My whole thing was to make mosaic so widespread that when you stepped out you had a glimmer. If you throw a bunch of silver things in the air on a sunny day, it’s going to shine. I wanted to create that with mosaic. I still dream of seeing Park Avenue done in mosaic. The Mosaic City. The city and the world would change.”
“I was homeless for 25 years. I lived in squatted buildings in this neighborhood. It
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“ I’ve been doing this in East Village for more than 30 years. Start at Astor Place and walk to Saint Marks Place. Then walk the blocks from 7th to 10th street. On every one of these blocks you have numerous places with my mosaic.”
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Q&A What neighborhood do you live in? East Village, Manhattan. Best thing about living there? This is one of the true neighborhoods of New York. It’s a community of artists. It always has been. People have drifted to this side of town since day one. Favorite neighborhood in New York? East Village. Favorite street to stroll? East Village 9th street. There are beautiful shops there that represent the next generation of creativity. Favorite restaurant? Crif Dogs on Saint Marks Place. When the 1993 blackout happened, the owner set up a hot dog stand on the streets for people to eat. Favorite bar? This is embarrassing. I don’t drink. If you want to feel the vibe of the neighborhood though, I would recommend Doc Holliday’s. Hidden gem? The speakeasy Please Don’t Tell- PDT. It’s inside Crif Dogs. You have to go through a phone booth to get in there. How to be(come) a New Yorker? I shouldn’t say this. Make a donation to have your image put on a tile and post it on a light pole. Favorite song? Meeting of the Spirits by John McLaughlin Can we come visit you? Come on in! (watch a 3 minute video interview quotedmagazine.com/jim)
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“I wore that helmet down to a meeting with David Dinkins, the first African American mayor of New York. He came to me and we spoke about my mosaic art. The next day in The Daily News there was a photograph with me and the mayor. Some days later, out of nowhere, there was a letter for me from the mayor saying ‘Thank you for your contribution to the city.”
HELMET
Clockwise from Mosaic Platter
5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT JIM
BELT BUCKLE “I
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once saw a giant guy wearing a skull belt buckle and thought to myself that I should go into making jewelry. My buckle is suppose to be on the end of your belt. Heavy. And if you get cornered by someone, you just slip your belt buckle off and you got a weapon in the hand.”
MOSAIC PLATTER “If
you put a flower in the middle of the concrete, it’s a garden. I love placing these out there for people to enjoy.”
CUTTERS “I do so much with these. I use it as a hammer, cut the tiles, cut the glass. That is part of me.”
“A- it’s a very good creative thing. Why? It kills the pain and gives me movement. The amount I do is ridiculous. It is microdosing. I just need it to be in my system in order to function.” PSYCHEDELICS
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Niki Stylist Humble Boss Lady Toddler mum
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“Since I was a kid I told my mum I was going to move to New York. It was the fashion capital and I had this idealized image of the city. I came here for summer break in 2001 to visit my best friend. I had saved one thousand dollars - which back then I thought was a lot of money. I told my mum I was going here and she said ‘You’re not coming back, and it’s OK.’ She understood I was finally ready.” @thisisniki “ The summer I moved here was magical. My best friend and I would dress up in crazy outfits and go to parties every night. Our goal was to get noticed and be ‘on the scene’. We ended up meeting our idol Patricia Field who was styling Sex and the City. On a dare I asked Patricia to have brunch with us and she agreed. She became a mentor of ours and encouraged us to get into fashion. Then we met these cool guys running a magazine called Frank151. They needed stylists. At the end of the summer we met a Canadian pop star and became her stylist. It was like a domino effect. In a in a matter of three months my career path was established, and I decided to stay here.” “If New York was an outfit it would be a split personality. On one side it would be a polished tuxedo, black, sleek look. On the other side it it would be a mixture of texture, color, fabric and different length. Like a vibrant vagabond representing the mix of cultures and people from all walks of life. And the polished side represents the exterior that people glamorise and want to know and experience.” “I was very shy when I moved here and I think the city made me change and adapt into being more aggressive. You have to in order to survive. But it also made me more
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open to cultures and people I wasn’t exposed to growing up. I was forced to change very quickly.” “I am a single mum to a toddler now. It’s challenging, but I’ve given myself time to adjust to motherhood. What has helped a lot is meeting other single parents in the city and joining different community groups and mum groups. I see the magic of New York through my son’s eyes these days.” “In some ways I think New York is a wonderful place to grow up for my son because of the diversity. And it forces you to face reality, and not just stay in this naive bubble, which a lot of sheltered places can make you do. But if you do raise a child here, I think it also is important to escape, so my goal is to expose him to other types of reality as well. Not only this grind and grime.” “I still fall in love with the city because it’s constantly changing, so it feels different. Sometimes I feel a little removed from Manhattan since I don’t live there anymore. Like an outsider rediscovering everything. I can feel sad that I don’t have that familiarity with certain parts of it, but it makes it exciting when I discover something special or something that speaks to my heart.”
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Q&A “ You need to have some sort of maturity to survive here. A mental, spiritual, emotional maturity to be able to adapt and not get sucked into all the distractions.”
What neighborhood do you live in? Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. Best thing about living there? It hasn’t become super commercialized (yet), there’s still a lot of small Mom and Pop type of shops and restaurants. Favorite neighborhood in New York? I think each neighborhood I’ve lived in quietly creeps into my heart for different reasons. Aesthetically, Clinton Hill is by far the most beautiful neighborhood out of all of these, for the wide tree-lined avenues and historic buildings. Favorite street to stroll? I enjoy strolling through neighborhoods that I don’t frequent too often like the West Village. Why? After 16 years of living in the city, that is one neighborhood that I still feel like I don’t really know, it’s not on a grid system so it’s pretty easy to get a bit lost. I like feeling like a tourist in that way and stumbling upon new places. Favorite restaurant? Risbo, Olea, Belli Osteria, Cafe Select, Guadalupe Inn. Favorite bar? Sisters (Clinton Hill) used to be my fave
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hardware store by the same name, and it has a pretty amazing skylight. Ode to Babel (Prospect Heights) is a bar run by the coolest twin sisters, they have a great backyard and always have great DJs. Hidden gem? Gilgo Beach. How to be(come) a New Yorker? You have to accept that the unexpected is going to happen, be it a rat running up the stairs of the subway with a slice of pizza, or the train suddenly shutting down when you’re already late to the most important meeting of your life, shit is going to happen! There is a sense of magic that exists here though that you cannot find anywhere else in the world, but you have to open yourself up in order to receive that. Your New York soundtrack? You Can’t Always Get What You Want by the Rolling Stones nails that moment when you realize that you’ve seen too many apartments and you’re running out of time so you sign the lease on something in a new neighborhood that ends up being a gem in the end. Can we come visit you? Okay. (watch a 3 minute video interview quotedmagazine.com/niki)
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“This is New York to me. Beautiful, natural, fresh, new. But then it’s going to wither away and die. Sometimes you’re favorite places in New york disappear and something new pops up.”
FLOWER
Clockwise from Knitted Dear
5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT NIKI
CAR
“I love my son, and my son loves cars. Orange is his favorite color now though.”
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“I got this from someone I didn’t know very well that I invited to my birthday party. She made this and it reminds me that New Yorkers are a lot more kind than what people give them credit for.” KNITTED DEER
VIRGIN MARY “A replica I made. It represent me and my naivety coming to the city. It’s been with me for so long.”
“This has story from my native american roots. It’s from the days when I used to go to the flea markets every Sunday. It’s sterling silver and I paid $1 for it. I’ve had it since I moved here and I still wear it.” NECKLACE
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Do This Alphabet City MANHATTAN
Astoria QUEENS
Bed-Stuy BROOKLYN
Bushwick BROOKLYN
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Mexican food: Fonda Jazz club: Nublu Quaint little restaurant: Virginia’s Beer: Alphabet City Beer Co. Wine-on-tap: Lois Greek food: Taverna Kyclades Adult playground: Break Bar & Billiards Gastropub: Gastroteca American restaurant: Fatty’s Cafe Neighborhood cocktail bar: The Ditty Cozy neighborhood joint: Fancy Nancy Bar: Casablanca Cocktail Lounge Coffee, kitchen & plants: Stonefruit Caribbean restaurant: Angela’s Cozy restaurant: Eva Jean’s Dive bar with an attitude: Boobie Trap Neighborhood bar: Father Knows Best Dine & drink movie theater: Syndicated New Vegan: Sol Sips Themed parties: House of Yes
Carroll Gardens Chill corner bar: Bar Great Harry BROOKLYN Neighborhood Italian cuisine: Vinny’s Middle Eastern food: Zaytoons Bare-bones joint: Cubana Cafe Italian food: Frankies 457 Spuntino Chelsea MANHATTAN
Chinatown MANHATTAN
Cobble Hill BROOKLYN
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Garden rooftop: Gallow Green Google it: Thursday night gallery jump Fish dishes: Seamore’s Japanese food: Juban Piano/karaoke: Sid Gold’s Room Fancy cocktails: Apotheke Underground Mexican joint: Pulqueria Dumplings: Shu Jiao Fu Zhou Dive bar: 169 Bar Speakeasy: Atta Boy Elegant cocktails: Elsa French restaurant: Cafe Luluc American cuisine: Battersby Dive bar: Angry Wade’s Art: The Invisible Dog Art Center 91
And That Crown Heights BROOKLYN
East Village MANHATTAN
Greenpoint BROOKLYN
Harlem MANHATTAN
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Cocktails: Two Saints Dinner & DJs: Sweet Brooklyn Caribbean restaurant: Glady’s Beer garden: Franklin Park Art museum: Brooklyn Museum Italian restaurant: Via Della Pace Burlesque dinner: Duane Park Restaurant & basement club: Acme Takeaway broth: Brodo Window Low key spa: Russian-Turkish Baths Unpretentious club: Good Room Drinks & food: Achilles Heel Gourmet pizza: Paulie Gee’s Coffee & baked goods: Bakeri Ever-changing menu: 21 Greenpoint Live shows: Ginny’s Supper Club Street food: Streetbird Rotisserie Soul food: Amy Ruth’s Seafood: B2 Harlem Sports bar: At the Wallace
Hell’s Kitchen MANHATTAN
Gay club: Vodka Soda/Bottoms Up Low key gay bar: Ritz Bar Mexican restaurant: El Centro Farm fresh restaurant: Rustic Table Chill bar: Reunion Surf Bar
Long Island City Italian food: Bella Via QUEENS Brewery: Rockaway Brewing Co. Gastropub: Dutch Kills Centraal Wines & charcuterie: The Baroness French bistro: Cafe Henri Lower East Side Low key restaurant: Forgetmenot MANHATTAN Timeless dining: Russ & Daughters Bar accessed through gallery: Fig. 19 Movies, drinks & food: Metrograph Bar/indie/DJ venue: Pianos Nolita MANHATTAN
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Ice cream: Morgenstern’s Tapas and nightclub: Vandal Breakfast, lunch, dinner: De Maria Alley restaurant: Freemans South American vibes: Oficina Latina 93
And This Prospect Heights BROOKLYN
Soho MANHATTAN
South Williamsburg BROOKLYN
The Village MANHATTAN
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New Korean restaurant: White Tiger Farm-to-table American: Olmsted Bar, backyard and DJs: Ode to Babel Diner pancakes: Tom’s Restaurant Speakeasy: Tooker Alley Cheese fondue: Cafe Select Casual drink spot: Soho Room Market to table: Chalk Point Kitchen Tiny karaoke bar: Baby Grand Oysters & fried chicken: The Dutch Coffee & pastries: Butler Innovative Mexican tapas: Xixa Farm-fresh restaurant: Marlow & Sons Tropical drinks & live music: Donna Eclectic music venue: Baby’s All Right Coffee shop: Jack’s Stir Brew Coffee Old bohemian bar: The Corner Bistro Jazz since 1935: Village Vanguard Cocktails: Dante Romantic dining: La Lanterna di Vittorio
Tribeca MANHATTAN
Dive bar: Patriot Saloon Southeast Asian restaurant: Khe Yo Townhouse restaurant: Tiny’s Garage restaurant: Smith & Mills Artsy café and bakery: Maman
Upper East Side Art: The Met Breuer MANHATTAN German cuisine: Heidelberg Art deco cocktail joint: Bemelmans Gallery & shop: Gagosian Gallery Japanese cuisine: Kappo Masa Upper West Side Brunch & sangria: Calle Ocho MANHATTAN Back-to-basics cooking: Jacob’s Pickles Wine & nibbles: Vanguard Great happy hour: The Milling Room Speakeasy: Manhattan Cricket Club Williamsburg BROOKLYN
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Family owned Peruvian joint: Chimu Eclectic bar & nightclub: Schimanski Food & wine: The Four Horsemen Bowling/music venue: Brooklyn Bowl Speakeasy dining: St. Mazie 95
Addo The Body Energetic Early Bird
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“When I first came to New York, I had never been on an escalator. I was just watching, watching, watching and then finally I jumped on it. It was fascinating how it slid me down.”
“ I stepped out of JFK and asked my dad, who was waiting for me, why the trees were dead. There were no leaves on them ‘cause this was in March. I had this idea about New York being just nice, like in the movies, but then there were screaming people at the airport, dirty streets and dead trees. I thought everything would be crystal clean.” “I first came here for three months as a tourist. I started training people at a gym and one of my clients was a black lady. She told me she had been visiting my country Ghana. After the workout we went for a coffee and in three months we got married. We are not married anymore, but we have been friends ever since. Back in Africa I had told everyone I would never get married, something that was unheard of where I’m from. They used to tell me I was a fake African.” “If you move here without a plan, you’ll be distracted, confused and lost. Once you have the foundation and blueprint you can succeed. My family sent me to university in Africa to do plumbing and gas, so I could have a job when I came here. But those five years of education was a waste of money. My own plan was to be in the health and fitness industry in New York. I had been a bodybuilder competitor in Ghana and won Mr Ghana in 1995 and 1996. I knew that New York was the next step for me. I wanted to accomplish great things.” “People who know me, know me as the bodybuilder. I won the Muscle Mania in
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Washington D.C. Representing United States in Mister Universe gave me the professional status I came here for. If you’re a banker, you put on a suit. If you’re a basketball player you wear tank top and shorts. The body is my uniform. We demonstrate our muscles, we show confidence, we show who we are.” “I am up at 4.30 every morning. First I pray, then drive to Manhattan to manage my fitness centre in the Financial District.” “I decided I wanted to work with the seniors. I have 92-year-old clients. I wanted to give back to the people that have paid their time for us to be here. Our parents and grandparent. I was raised by them back in Ghana and they encouraged me all my life.” “I am used to a different definition of family. In Africa the grandmother is the tribe leader and you are shaking every time she calls you. Here, I have heard of mother-in-laws who babysit their grandchildren and charge you and get money! If that is true, the family is not working together like they do in Africa.” “One time I wanted to help a blind man at the Subway because he was using his stick to find the door and wanted to get out. I said ‘Sir, I want to help you out!’ He heard I had an accent and said ‘Let me tell you- when you see a blind man here, don’t help him out. We don’t do that here in New York.’ New Yorkers will let you know that this is New York!”
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Q&A What neighborhood do you live in? Flatbush, Brooklyn. Best thing about living there? There is a neighborhood feel to this area. Prospect Park and subways are only two blocks away from here. Favorite neighborhood in NYC? Financial District. Why? Because of the history of Wall Street. Our ancestors came there, and there are a lot of old souls and spirits in that area. Favorite street to stroll? At night I like to walk on Wall Street around the World Trade Center. Sometimes you can see and hear the old spirits. Favorite restaurant? On 7th ave and 124th there is Accra restaurant. Favorite bar? The uptown Veg juice bar on Madison Avenue and 125th street. Hidden Gem? Brooklyn Tabernacle for gospel, and of course Southbridge Fitness Center. How to be(come) a New Yorker? Get to know the trains and how they run uptown and downtown so you don’t get lost. Your New York soundtrack? Holy, Holy, Holy by Donnie McClurkin Can we come visit you? Yeah, no problem. (watch a 3 minute video interview quotedmagazine.com/addo)
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“ If you can live in New York, you can live anywhere in the world. If you can survive in New York, you can survive anywhere. Once you learn how to cope with New Yorkers you can cope with anyone on this planet.�
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Clockwise from Body Builder Award 4 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT ADDO
“Everytime I wake up I come out to the living room to look outside my window. This picture of the old couple sitting under the oak tree in silence hangs here. It reminds me of being patient to get answers. The answer will come through your quietness, through your gentleness, through your tranquility. It is an important reminder in this city.” WOOD CARVING
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“This is the 2001 New York championship award. People know me as the bodybuilder. The man with the body.” BODY BUILDER AWARD
BASKET PAINTING “This was given to me. The baskets represent all of our possessions. All our accumulations.”
“As soon as I walk in to my house and see this, it reminds me of Ghana. The culture, the men and the women. The mother carrying the baby behind her. It reminds me that family is the most important thing we have.” WALL PAINTING
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Lisa Entrepreneur Conversation Starter Mingler
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“I have been through the whole dating scene here. It’s a hard place to date. There’s this ‘kid in a candy store-syndrome’ because there are so many people. Everybody is super busy, everybody wants variety and everybody has ADD. Dating almost feels like an interview and it can be a bit annoying. You have to be on. You have to be in that mood to be doing the whole act. It’s a hard place to make those connections, for sure.” “ I was born in the Bronx. My family moved to Queens where I was raised, then I lived in Manhattan for a while and now I live in Brooklyn.” “The intimate interactions of growing up in New York is something that will stick with me forever. Five minutes on the train talking to the homeless guy next to me, or a conversation with a CEO in the bathroom. It was, and is, fast experiences, interactions where you have to constantly adapt. It has made me comfortable with speaking to anyone in any situation. It is like a boot camp for meeting the rest of the world. I don’t have the fear for things that are different because I’ve been living with those differences my whole life.” “I have a master in speech pathology. I work with international start-ups and communication. I look at the whole package to help them succeed here. In other countries it’s more important to present technicalities. You don’t have to give the laundry list here, but you have to be able to be a good storyteller.” “The New York accent is dying out because more people are coming into the city. Every borough had a slightly different accent based on the immigration happening in that borough. The traditional New York accent had
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elements of Italian, Irish, British, Puerto Rican, Dominican Republic. It came from all different nationalities and it made the New York accent. It can be super nasal, you stretch out the wowles and talk a little slower. What you hear in the movies lean more on the accent from Bronx and Brooklyn. If you speak to older New Yorkers they still have it.” “The bad thing about a New York accent is that it doesn’t necessarily give you the impression of an educated person. There is more prejudice against people with regional accents. I have worked with lawyers and people in finance looking to turn their New York accent down. The image you get when you hear someone with that accent is a mobster, tough guy or someone who’ll scam you.” “I went through a phase in my mid 30s where I was putting pressure on myself like ‘I need to have a kid, I need to do this and that.’ It resulted in some bad dating choices. I was miserable and I realized that it’s not a big deal being single here. Because New York has so many people focusing on work and trying to make it, being single is OK. It takes a huge pressure off your back. It’s normal to find a 50-year-old with a roommate. It’s normal to be 50 and single. It’s not stigmatized.”
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Q&A “ People will always crave the diversity of New York. The city exists on its own in the US. There is a center to this city. There is a pulse to this city. There is a movement and energy to it.”
What neighborhood do you live in? Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. Best thing about living there? Sense of neighborhood, mom and pop shops. Old Italians. Food! Caputo’s Bake Shop, Court Pastry and Caputo’s Fine Foods. Favorite neighborhood in New York? West Village. Favorite street to stroll? Any of the winding streets of the West Village really. A stroll along Bedford eating pistachio gelato is always nice. Why? When you are on those streets there is a sense of romance, especially on summer nights. It reminds me of Europe in some ways, but yet it is very distinctively old New York. Favorite restaurant? In Manhattan it’s La Grainne in Chelsea, a french bistro that is very cozy.
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Favorite bar? Hard to say these days, but I still like Lelabar and Fig 19. Hidden gem? Angel’s Share used to be, not sure if it’s still considered hidden. How to be(come) a New Yorker? Haha well...Complain to strangers on the subway about the weather, or rent. Kiss on the promenade. Rooftops on hot summer nights is also very romantic. Your New York soundtrack? Get Right by Jennifer Lopez in my earphones while pretending the world is a video. Can we come visit you? I love having people over. (watch a 3 minute video interview quotedmagazine.com/lisa)
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Clockwise from Glasses
BOOK
“This is about cultural communication and a book that inspires me these days in my work at AccentC3. I love how she breaks down the way culture works.”
5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT LISA
VENETIAN GLASS “It
was my grandmothers. I used to look into it like a kaleidoscope and was fascinated by all the shapes and colors. When she passed away it was given to me. It reminds me of her and the mediterranean heritage of my family.”
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“These are my date glasses. I love the colors and it has a romance to it. It reminds me of something very decadent, but it also remind me of two people sharing a moment.”
GLASSES
WINE OPENER “I love sharing my home with others. Having people over, having fun, great conversations..”
“My grandfather documented everything in this book. He had a house in the Bronx, and would rent out an apartment for $75 a month in 1969. As you flip the pages, you can see the progression all the way up through 1993.” LETTER
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Woody Pug lover Face sculptures Inked
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“The city has made me more compassionate. And a lot more forgiving towards people who embrace their flaws. New York allows you to live your truth. It is not for me to judge. I’m here to support you in any way I can.” @hiimwoody
“ I came to New York and moved in with a guy who was working as a male prostitute. I wasn’t exposed to anything like that in Baltimore, so it kind of threw me for a loop. Living with him made me understand things. Many people hide certain parts of themselves, but in New York you don’t need to. Not everything is black and white. And not everything in the grey area is wrong. The more you are you, the more people respond to you in a positive way.” “I wanted to get a second pug. A friend told me ‘When a guy has two pugs, he is moving into crazy cat-lady-territory.’ I came home, thought about it and decided ‘You know whatthat’s the way it’s going to be then.” “To do something and be completely open and unashamed about it. That’s New York.” “Pugs are little clowns that love you and require you love them back. Clyde is my first and is almost 15 years old. I’m single, so the pugs cure loneliness. They give you some purpose. No matter what, I have to take care of them. It gives me something to do other
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than just take care of myself. And New York can make you very self centered.” “I have a circle of elderly people that I look after. One of them is on a fifth floor walk up and she won’t leave her apartment. She stays there while the world spins around on the outside. I do everything I can to make sure they have everything they need. Growing old in New York is hard. That loneliness. New York is a place where it is easy to forget the elderly, but don’t. Reach out and check in on them.” “I was watching a documentary on the filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles. He was the founder of Blaxploitation cinema back in the 70’s. In this documentary, he said ‘I was looking for films that I wanted to see, and I wasn’t finding them, so I made them.’ I was like ‘God, that totally makes sense.’ It took me six years to put out my first pair of glasses.” “I want to make sculptures for your face. When I was a kid, I got very excited when I got to put on glasses because I felt like that was a different identity. You can be creative, smart, sexy, powerful. Whatever you want to be.”
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“ When I am driving back from Baltimore the GPS will always tell you to cut through Staten Island and Brooklyn, but I don’t. It may be faster, but I always drive through the city. It is a different experience. When I see the skyline… She always welcomes you. New York is like the mother that is always happy to see you, you’re always allowed to come back, she is here for you. I always feel that way and it’s magical. Do people feel that way when they’re heading to Evergreen? What other place makes you feel that way!?”
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Q&A
What neighborhood do you live in? Sunnyside, Queens. Best thing about living there? It feels like a real New York neighborhood. It’s incredibly diverse and everyone knows everybody. Favorite neighborhood in New York? Sunnyside! Favorite street to stroll? I have a favorite path to take. I often walk from Columbus Circle, Down Broadway, Cross to Sixth avenue at 33rd Street, down to Bleecker and across to Bowery, Up to Saint Marks and over to Tompkins Square Park. Why? This path lets me visit many places that have been important to me during my time in New York. Favorite restaurant? Gyu-Kaku. Japanese BBQ. It’s a great place on a cold night with lots of friends! Favorite bar? Angel’s Share, a hidden bar at Village Yokocho. It’s quiet and a great place to talk to someone who is special in your life.
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Hidden gem? Abracadabra on 19 West 21st Street. Great place for costumes, makeups and magic tricks. It’s pretty amazing! How to be(come) a New Yorker? I once committed a non-violent felony with my best friend at Gray’s Papaya on Sixth Avenue and 10th street. He has passed into the infinite due to diabetes but every time I walk “my path” I think about him. I once fornicated in the dressing rooms at Macy’s on 34th street. As we were leaving, a few tourist slipped and fell on the escalator falling into my girlfriend at the time and fracturing her cervical vertebrae. Years later she won an incredible settlement. I think of her when I walk ‘my path.’ She’s married now, has two kids and lives in Oklahoma. I once went to a job interview where the owners of the company smoked pot during the interview. We became instant life-long friends. When you have three stories like that you’re a New Yorker. Your New York soundtrack? Ambitious Outsiders by Morrissey. Can we come visit you? Yeah, come meet my pug. (watch a 3 minute video interview quotedmagazine.com/woody)
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Clockwise from Bible
PUGS
“Loneliness is the feeling that I hate the most, and also the feeling I feel the most. My pugs alleviate that for me.”
5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT WOODY
TATTOOS “When
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I was 30 I decided to change direction of my life. A part of that was getting tattooed. I had followed a tattoo artist named Chichi Corsa Cura. I wanted to get tattooed by him. I had to wait for like a year and a half. He has done all of it. As I got more tattoos, I revealed more of myself.”
“This is my dads bible from 1966. I grew up in the South in southern baptist tradition. I am an atheist, but I do believe in the direction and guideline of this.” BIBLE
SKETCHBOOK “This page was drawn by my high school art teacher who recently passed away. I don’t think the people at my school thought I would do anything with my life to be honest, but he thought I had talent.”
“I’m really proud of this. It’s f*ing cool. It pulls a lot of the things I do together. You see things going on inside of it, beyond what it actually is.”
ALBUM COVER
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Eric Clown Sloppy Drag Baby Bird
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“A women I know told me ‘if you’re not going to give the audience something new, they should kill you, you are not worthy of their attention.’ I was like 20 when she told me this and it had a huge impact on me. So now I always worry I’m going to get murdered.” @schmalenberger
“ A lot of what I do works better in New York than other places. I do solo shows and curate variety shows. I bring in puppets, two burlesque performers and somebody on stilts. Then I put that together with a singer who’s physically engaging with people, and then throw in a circus performer. It’s not easy to surprise people, but I’ve spent years and years collecting ingredients to make it possible.” “My personal aspiration were a lot different when I first moved here. I had a path planned out which was to get into musical theater and be on Broadway. Instead I ended up working in nightclubs with avantgarde strippers and contortionists. Frankly, I am having the time of my life. I don’t miss the old dream at all.” “People come to this city expecting it to be a big version of whatever they were wherever they came from. They want to be able to get the same things while having the convenience of New York. New York will never adjust to your convenience. You have to let the city chew you up and spit you out a whole new person. I would not be everything I am today if this city had not kicked me in the ribs many, many times.” “I think letting New York beat you up a little bit is a good thing. I’ve taken plenty of punches. Career paths, love affairs, housing situations, roommates, work, lack of work. I think people who haven’t suffered enough
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are incredibly boring. In order to know what you like, you have to experience a lot of things that you don’t like. In order to actually be a functioning member of this city, you have to let it change you.” “When I dress to go out I don’t think I am presenting myself as a gendered image. I am just presenting myself as whatever is going to make me laugh and smile. If I was more specific in what I wore and how I did myself up, I would probably work more and date more.” “What I do is not classic drag. I’m a sloppy, messy, gender weirdo. I love glitter, but I don’t shave my beard, I love eye makeup, but I don’t put breasts in, I love wearing dresses, but I don’t wear lingerie. I don’t see the point in gender clothing. If I wanna wear a skirt I’m gonna wear a skirt. Frankly, skirts are more comfortable than pants.” “House of Yes is sort of my home. We were an underground location for many years, but now it’s a legal venue. We still try to keep up the energy that was there before it became legal.” “Things don’t always going according to plan. We were hosting a party, and I did bobbing for dildoes. Not bobbing for apples, I had a bathtub full of dildoes. I thought that they would float, but they didn’t. So it ended up being more diving for dildoes.”
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Q&A “ New Yorkers are used to living close to each other and on top of each other, so they understand a lot more about personal space and the lack of it. Here I have to interact with other human bodies every single time I exit my house. Getting on the train, walking on the sidewalk, picking up my coffee. We are also experts at crossing that personal space. New Yorkers are a lot better at getting up in your face than other people.”
What neighborhood do you live in? Bushwick, Brooklyn. Best thing about living there? I have the community of friends, work, lovers, and local spots in that I have always dreamed of. Favorite neighborhood in New York? Bushwick for living. West Village for strolling. Favorite street to stroll? Jane Street. Why? It’s just so gosh darn beautiful. Favorite restaurant? Little Frankie’s in the East Village. Favorite bar? Boobie Trap in Bushwick.
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Hidden gem? Sid Gold’s Request Room (especially Amber Zone Mondays followed by Live Piano Karaoke) How to be(come) a New Yorker? Don’t be afraid if the city beats you up a little bit, enjoy what it has to offer, meet and appreciate the characters, monstrosities, weirdos, and wonder humans, give your personality and sense of self the flexibility to become one. And sleep later. Your New York soundtrack? Mini Playlist!! Amber Martin Bright Lights Cast Long Shadows, Ssion Comeback, Grace Jones Libertango, Momus Neo-Weimar, Dane Terry Rough Weather, and Lou Reed’s Perfect Day. Can we come visit you? Yeah, come meet my pug. (watch a 3 minute video interview quotedmagazine.com/eric)
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have this one clown outfit where the back goes all the way up and reveals my butt. It’s one of my favorite costumes and this is one of the most beautiful things I own. This is a portrait of me that I got from one of my best friends who make erotic queer needlepoint.”
NEEDLEPOINT “I
Clockwise from Baby Bird
5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT ERIC
TAMPON JEWELRY
“My gorgeous friend Darlinda that is like a sister to me, makes these tampon brooches and earrings. They are actual tampons that she covers in crystals. I love them.”
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BABY BIRD “My
nickname is baby bird because I whistle like one. A friend of mine found a squashed bird on the street that she mummified in puff paint, decorated and gave to me.” ALICE IN WONDERLAND “My grandmother gave this to me when I was born. Reading this book when I was younger affected my logic and how I choose to see the world. The two biggest shows I ever did was called ‘Alice’ and the other ‘Blunderland’. The way I like to set up shows is almost always a trip down the rabbit hole. Most of my inspiration comes from that book.”
DECK OF CARDS “Bambi
the Mermaid is my ‘art mum’ and does these portraits of herself like the tattooed woman, the alligator girl, chicken lady, baby, blow up doll, bearded lady. They’re all her. She has been a constant source of inspiration and guidance, helped me develop and always been a very important person in my life.”
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Come closer. Get a glimpse of what happens behind closed doors in 3 minutes flat. Watch the videos on quotedmagazine.com
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Laura
Niki
quotedmagazine.com/laura
quotedmagazine.com/niki
Cacho
Addo
quotedmagazine.com/cacho
quotedmagazine.com/addo
Marlon
Lisa
quotedmagazine.com/marlon
quotedmagazine.com/lisa
Sophia
Woody
quotedmagazine.com/sophia
quotedmagazine.com/woody
Jim
Eric
quotedmagazine.com/jim
quotedmagazine.com/eric
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Outro
8,550,405 personalities and stories roam the bustling streets, skyscrapers and city lights of New York. We hope the featured voices whose lives you glimpsed left a memorable footprint, whether it’s a different view on a local’s lifestyle, intimacy with strangers, excitement to explore the city in new ways, or simply human love and fascination for the diversity New York represents. All New York asks of its people is to have an open mind, but before you know it, the city sucks you into the point of addiction and then breaks your heart. And you wouldn’t have it any other way.
Credits
Founder & Editor-in-Chief Rolf Arne Leer rolf@quotedmagazine.com Creative Director Mads Jakob Poulsen @PoulsenProjects Head of Photography Paula Andrea @soft_when_ripe Copy Editor Anne Brigg Videographer Marianne Fjortoft
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Published by Quoted Magazine New York Backstage AS
Founder, Rolf Arne Leer Outfit by ASOS
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