Intro
Quoted is a love letter to New York from the people who live in this magical city. Welcome to this unique ride where you’ll meet 10 wonderful New Yorkers who have generously opened their doors and lives to us for this issue. The successful business woman, the original DJ gangster, the green lady, the Bronxite living with his whole family, the construction worker adjusting to fatherhood, the teenager from Chinatown, the tourist magnet at Times Square, the sweet talking New York Times photographer, the rookie female police officer and the deli manager who works a 12 hour shift every day. As you flip through these pages, I promise you’ll get a real, raw taste of New York. In this issue of Quoted, many of our New Yorkers were asked to reflect on the value of family and friends, and what that means in a city like New York. Quoted by one of our New Yorkers, “It’s a touch-and-go kind of mentality” and finding true and long lasting relationships can be hard in a city like New York. Being a transplant myself, I can attest that this city can be as inspiring as it can be lonely, so finding your “family”, in whatever form that may be, is crucial. These unfiltered takes on New York will not only surprise you, but broaden your mind and inspire you to experience the city in new and invigorating ways. Every story, Quoted. Rolf Arne Leer Founder & Editor-in-Chief
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Frei 8
Liz 78
Eden 22
Jonathan 92
Elizabeth 36
Patricia 106
Terrence 48
Amadeus 120
Casey 60
Erica 130
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“You changed me from someone shy, introverted, and scared of judgment, to someone that no longer has fears. We are all human. We all want to be loved and appreciated. You’ve made me zoom out into someone that appreciates the discomfort. At the end of the day growth and comfort never coexist. Thank you for bringing the real me out.” A New York Love Letter by @0liviazhao
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Frei Original Gangster Soulful Entertainer Relentless Hustler
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“How would I describe my personal brand? Somebody who is invested and soaked in his beliefs. I’ve yet to do something half-assed.” @freispeech “I remember I was in primary school, and I had a bunch of clay on the table, and my teacher asked me if I liked Marvel. I said ‘I love comic books.’ My teacher took the green clay and created the Incredible Hulk. He was defined and on point. It was magic. That was the first time I got some sort of understanding of the concept of working with art. The second time was when I saw The Motown special 25th anniversary when Michael Jackson did the moonwalk. I wanted to be part of that. Not necessarily be Michael Jackson, but I knew I wanted to entertain and incorporate music.” “Your surroundings will tell you ‘Just give up and get a regular job.’ But New York doesn’t give you that because you watch the impossible become possible here. No matter how hard it is, you always need to push forward. Do it until you bleed out. I know it sounds raw, but it’s the truth. What else do you have in life, but to go after the things you want?” “I’m here because of the consistency and the time that I put into my craft. That’s the thing about it, being in New York, you embrace those things that other places make you give up.” “My father was afraid of failure. He grew up in a time when playing with arts and photography was less acknowledged than today. After he passed, it made me understand that I can’t live like that. My thing is to give it my all. I feel like I’ve already had some successes that wasn’t meant for me to have. I did it on my own.” “Some people know me as DJ Frei even though I don’t call myself a DJ. Other people know me as a model because they’ve seen
Quoted, New York
me in photos. Some people just know me as O.G. (original gangster) Frei. They see the evolution of me, as I’ve grown and become the person I am today.” “When I DJ, I am looking at the crowds. I am looking at people hopefully celebrating life, and my job is to give the score to their lives. It’s a movie on mute until I play some music. I complement the looks, the vibe, the outfits. Whatever is going on in the room, I try to match that.” “My parents are from third world countries. Telling them what I wanted to pursue, after hearing them say how hard of a struggle life was for them, was not an option, because they would tell me I was wasting my time. Even when I was in high school pursuing music, and I ended up in magazines and on radio shows, I didn’t tell my parents. They found out when I got signed with a producer. My mom was like ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ They were proud of me when they found out, even when they didn’t actually know what it all meant.” “I am born and raised in Brooklyn. The last ten years I’ve seen this heavy influx of people who are not original New Yorkers. The mixture of different races and ethnicities is a lot more prominent now than when I was younger. They come here, settle in, and now are New Yorkers. They have been here long enough to be indoctrinated into the culture and the environment. They left behind their old way of living to take on this lifestyle.” “There is a rhythm to New York that changes depending on how you conduct yourself. Your memory and mind adapts to this city. You learn how to think, perceive and move as a New Yorker.”
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Q&A What neighborhood do you live in? I live in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Best thing about living there? Best thing would be my backyard during the summer. It’s the perfect getaway. Favorite neighborhood? Bed-Stuy is the first thing that comes to mind, but for me it’s mostly because that’s where the family, meaning my homies and loved ones live. Favorite restaurant? Roti House on Nostrand Avenue for the best roti. I’ve been going to them for years. Favorite bar? Ode to Babel is one of my favorite bars in Brooklyn owned by two sisters in Crown Heights. A great atmosphere, good drinks and small plates serving until late. Hidden gem? Canarsie Piers. Perfect little spot for date night in the summertime by the water. Either a bike or a drive up, park and check out the view by the water. How to be(come) a New Yorker? Being a New Yorker is about exploring your surroundings. Introduce yourself to other cultures and ways of living. Be social with your local people. Your New York soundtrack? Eric B and Rakim Know The Ledge from the Juice Soundtrack. Visit Frei at home in a 3 minute video: quotedmagazine.com/frei
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“ What attracts me to New York is the people. You got the slick talker, you got the foreigner, the hustler, the pretty girl trying to make it, the guy that thinks he’s gonna make it. The sex appeal of New York City is definitely the people.”
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Clockwise from Bracelet
NEEDLE
“This is used to play records. Music is everything to me. Without music I would not be where I am right now. My first experience with music came from a turning table. I grew up around a bunch of DJs and they made me understand the power of music.”
5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT FREI
HAT “I
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love it because orange is a strong color and it’s very recognizable. My scully is my scully. I’m dark complexion and I would always wear dark clothes. My mother would always say to me ‘Why are you hiding?’ One day I went shopping, and I bought something colorful, and I got so many compliments, I started thinking that I wanted to keep that going, and that’s what I did.”
“I got this from my ex-girlfriend. She brought this back for me after her first visit to Ghana. It was designed for me. We are not together anymore, but I still wear it every day.” BRACELET
RING 1 “I was hanging out with this girl, and I borrowed this ring. At the end of the day I wanted to give it back to her but she said ‘No, you keep the ring. It’s your ring.’ and I‘ve worn it ever since. I feel like we could have been more than friends, but we never pursued it. I haven’t been in touch with her in a long time. I don’t know where she is.”
“I was doing this event, and one of the vendors had all this jewelry. I was looking at these pieces and he had a ring there. I told him it was amazing, and he goes ‘Take it. It’s yours.’ without hesitation. Since then we have been friends.” RING 2
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Q&A
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Eden Low Key Intellectual Messy Teenager Chinatown Black Sheep
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“There is definitely a lot of drama amongst New Yorkers. Attitude and drama. Everyone always has an issue.” @edensparkelz
“ Even though New York is the most amazing city in the world, teenage years here are intense and sometimes isolated. I guess people who move here experience this in a way too. I grew up with it and figured out how to deal with it. You could easily go without seeing people for however long you want, and you don’t have a next door neighbor who’s going to check on you. We have to distract ourselves somehow to deal with that. A lot of people skate, do art, graffiti. I had animals. I had a lot of pets, rats, birds, puppies and kittens, fish. A little zoo in here. Now I can’t because I’m in college.” “I went to elementary school five blocks away from here. It’s a Chinese elementary school. We did line dancing for Chinese New Year. The big costumes and everything. It’s fun. You go into every store in the neighborhood and you ask for an orange. It is supposed to bring you luck.” “Right now I’m a biology major. I go to college in Binghamton, three hours upstate. I’m really happy I got in, I loved my classes, but there’s nothing to do there at all. It’s just a college town. You go to a bar or a frat party and that’s kinda what you do up there. I bring my dog with me. He registered and gets to live in the dorm. That’s probably the only reason I’m still there.” “It’s a bit of a cliche, but it’s true. People from New York are just different. The collision of all these different cultures has created something cool here.”
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“Most of my friends don’t really care that much about college. I feel I need a degree though. I’m very conflicted. I don’t really know what I want to do at all. I don’t like thinking about the future. It gives me anxiety. I don’t like thinking about who I’m going to be or what I’m going to do. Art is what I do for fun. Hopefully that’s still going to be a thing in the future. It would also be great to be rich, obviously. (laughs)” “Chinatown is a unique neighborhood. My mother is Chinese and grew up here and I’ve lived here all my life. It’s a pretty good sense of community. Even though I don’t speak Chinese, people recognize me. It’s like living in a different city. It’s louder, busier and people are yelling in another language. Some of the yelling is early morning when they get their stores set up.” “One night, a few years ago, I was coming home and I was right outside the door. It was raining and this old Chinese woman who didn’t really speak English was holding a bunch of grocery bags and signaling for me to help her. I was like ‘Oh, OK, I’ll help this old lady. So I took her groceries and held her umbrella for her. Then she just squatted and started peeing on our back door. I was just like ‘WTF! People just do things differently here.” “Because I don’t speak Chinese, I’m a bit of a black sheep in the Chinese community. If I go to the supermarket across the street, and I want to get four drumsticks of chicken, I’ll get cut in line multiple times by old Chinese women. They’re savages.”
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“ I live in a dorm called ‘College in Woods’ and it’s literally in the woods. It’s pretty great. There’s a lot of deer and trees. I’m the kind of New Yorker who, when I see a patch of trees I go like ‘Oh, wow. Forest!’ So going to Binghamton is kinda great.”
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Q&A What neighborhood do you live in? Chinatown on the Lower East Side, bordering Little Italy and Soho. Best thing about living there? Being in the center of the city (Manhattan) means having easy access to every fun area because I’m so close to the bridges and a lot of trains. I have different kinds of friends all around the city. The other great thing is the extreme variety of delicious food options, cheap Asian food and snacks, dim sum, in contrast to bougie matcha shops and classic Italian restaurants. Favorite neighborhood in New York? Just downtown Manhattan in general, especially the Lower East Side where I went to highschool. Some of my favorite nights are just summer nights running around the city. I also love to walk with my dog at strange hours of the night. He keeps the rats away. Favorite street to stroll? Elizabeth Street is especially beautiful to me, particularly in the spring when the flowers blossom. There is also a community garden on the block that brings back childhood memories of when my friend had a plot and a ping pong table there in elementary school. You go through wildly different neighborhoods walking down my block for twenty minutes. Why? I’ve lived here all 18 years of my life and realized that upstate New York and most of America lack certain things that make me love living here. I love so many neighborhoods for many different reasons, but this part of New York is truly mine.
Quoted, New York
Favorite restaurant? I don’t eat out at sit-down places too often, so I would say this Vietnamese sandwich shop on Kenmare that I’ve been going to practically since I was born. They used to make fresh sugar cane juice that my dad and I loved so much, then more recently I tried their Banh Mi and it was delicious. Favorite bar? I like The Clockwork Orange. Half because I love that movie, but it’s also just a cool bar covered in graffiti that plays skate videos all night. Hidden gem? My favorite place is a beef jerky spot, Malaysia beef jerky. I used to go there when I was little and I still love it now. How to be(come) a New Yorker? Something that connects many New Yorkers is often the trauma, mistakes, and excessive partying that comes with being an unsupervised, naive teenager in a city waiting for you to stumble. It’s an often unintentional culture to get way too lit when you’re too young. Your New York soundtrack? Recently it’s been The Motto by Drake, but usually I like Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin’s music for the colder and more depressing months of the year. Visit Eden at home in a 3 minute video: quotedmagazine.com/eden
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Clockwise from Painting
DOG (SEE NEXT PAGE)
“I take him everywhere. I take him to school. He is super loyal and he doesn’t really like anyone else than me.”
5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT EDEN
“I’m a quarter Cuban. I’ve never really been in touch with my Cuban family, so it doesn’t show much in my persona. I like to bring things back from there when I go visit. In Cuba they have really good artists, so I have this in my room. It is to remind me of my background.” CUBAN ART
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“I’ve always been painting. It is relaxing. I don’t do any other relaxing activities but watching TV, so painting is good. It makes me feel productive I guess.” PAINTING
FOUR-LEAF CLOVER “I found this in Brooklyn. It is extremely rare to find one and it means luck. I take this with me to school actually.”
“I’ve been wearing the same perfume since middle-school. My friends tell me I smell good. It’s quite floral and makes me feel sophisticated.” PERFUME
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Elizabeth Obsessive Sweetheart Contagiously Joyful The Green Lady
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“Everything is green. My sunglasses, my cups, my towels. Everything. I can’t write if the pen is not green. I can’t always find green things, so I’ll just make them green. I mix my own hand soap green. I have so much fun with it, so I don’t want to call it OCD, but that’s what it is right now.” @greenladyofbrooklyn “ I love New York. It has so much to offer. I get love, giggles and laughs from everybody. The people make New York. I just love everybody.” “My father wanted me to be something like a teacher or nurse. He sent me to teachers college. I didn’t go to one class. I had my sketch book and I went down to the river and I sketched. My dad found out, and in the meantime I had sent my portfolio to Mount Allison University, and I was accepted. Alex Colville, one of the most respected Canadian artists, called my dad and said ‘Where is your daughter? She should be here.’ He admired Alex because he was a war artist, and my dad had been to the war. So my dad let me go.” “I hitchhiked in to New York in 1964 after finishing school. I didn’t know anybody, but I wanted to be an artist. My teacher recommended the Art Students League of New York so I just hitchhiked and I never came back. I knew about The Village, so that’s where I went.” “You can’t be frightened if you live in New York. You can’t be afraid of people, of the experience. You just need to do it, and do it yourself. It’s important if you want to survive here. I’ve always just followed my instincts and done what I thought needed to be done.” “I tried to get an apartment, but they said I needed a job. After trying several places with no luck I went to an employment agency, and the woman there asked me ‘What can you do?’ I said ‘Nothing really,’ but I had my sketch
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book and I showed it to her. She sent me to an interview that day. It was for a print and fabric designer at a garment center, and I got the job.” “Because green was so positive I started wearing it more, and it just evolved. I would mix nail polish green, I’d make accessories, put one streak of green in my hair and paint my shoes. The kids across the street loved it, every day they would come up to me so happy to talk to me. So from there it just evolved, and now I am The Green Lady.” “It’s a whole art form and ritual to be The Green Lady. I get up and brush green into my hair. I have my own hair style and it takes time to do, especially now that I’m older and I don’t have as much hair as I used to. I put on my green makeup and clothes and then I’m ready.” “We had a gang living in the building at that time. To get down the block you had to know them. They dressed like a motorcycle gang the hippie, psychedelic version. These were quite some characters. They used to babysit my son. I have never had a bad experience with people in this city. I never looked for the negative. I always see the good in people and I’ve never had any barrier talking to different people. I am also not a very threatening person. Nobody is scared of me.” “New York can be a frightening place to be alone in. So I think a smile is important to everyone.”
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Q&A What neighborhood do you live in? Carroll Gardens. Best thing about living there? Developing my backyard into an amazing garden. It’s taken a long time. Favorite neighborhood? Carroll Gardens. Favorite street to stroll? I walk up Court Street and down Smith Street in Carroll Gardens. Why? I love the people there, plus there are all kinds of great little shops and restaurants on those streets. Favorite restaurant? Thai Boran on 462 Court St. Favorite bar? I don’t go to bars, but I love what they’re doing at Nerdbecool on Court Street. It’s owned by a cool young couple. Hidden gem? Yesterday’s News in Carroll Gardens. It’s an antique shop and they have a lot of great stuff. How to be(come) a New Yorker? When I came to New York in ‘64 I didn’t know where I was or what I was doing so I just went out and created the life I wanted. You have the freedom to do whatever you want to do here, but you have to go get it. Your New York soundtrack? I do a lot of my morning exercises to Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley. Visit Elizabeth at home in a 3 minute video: quotedmagazine.com/elizabeth 40
“ I’m often on a train and everyone is focused with their own stuff, but then someone looks at me, smiles and I know that person appreciates me. I think I bring out the best in people.”
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Clockwise from Green Painting
COFFEE MAKER
“I can’t live without my coffee. I get up and I do my back push ups. Then I run to make my coffee. Gigi, my new dog, just loves it because she knows it means breakfast for her as well.”
5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT ELIZABETH
“My sister sent me these frogs. She’s always been quite serious, but I think I encouraged her to have a sense of humor.” FROGS
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“I made this at my mother’s place, in Canada. It was my favorite bay and favorite place to sketch. I used to swim from that tree over to the island and back.” GREEN PAINTING
ANTIQUE FRAMES “I’ve always collected things, and antique frames were really the first proper thing I started collecting. I’m drawn to frames that are in the same style as what my grandfather used to have. I just love the idea of taking something from the past and bringing it back to the present.”
“Dylan was special. He was adopted by my son and his first wife, and they trained him. Dylan kind of adopted me and my husband later in life. Everyone loved him.” DOG (FRAMED)
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Terrence Determined Breadwinner Proud Bronxite Peculiarly Humorous
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“This city gives me an edge. New York is rough, and every day I have to tell her ‘you’re not going to take me down. You’re not going to win. I’m coming for you again and again, and you have no choice but to deal with me.’ That is the mentality New York gave me. Someone is gonna have to lose, but it ain’t going to be me.” @terryluke_ “ I live in The Bronx. It doesn’t have a great reputation, most people have this idea that the Bronx is just extremely poor and dirty. People never even come to visit The Bronx, unless it’s to see a Yankees game.” “The Bronx I know is cool. Even though we’re all living the American life here, people still keep true to their cultural heritage and you can hear a lot of Caribbean accents if you walk down White Plain Road. I love the morning time when you can see people hustling and going to work. That is the mindset of people from The Bronx. We are not people that hang out on the corners all the time.” “It’s hard to build solid relationships and solid vibes with people here. The access to people makes it hard for things to stick. Everything is kind of ‘touch-and-go’ in New York, and that’s just the way it is.” “Family is everything to me. My grandmother, father, stepmother, sister and I all live together. I’m over it now and want to move on, but I work in finance and I’m in the position to help my family. I make more money than both of my parents do. If I were to move and live on my own, I wouldn’t be able to help them out. It’s a sacrifice, but it’s worth it, I believe.” “A lot of people in New York are impressed with the hype. The ‘it’ thing. If you want true relationships, you don’t just want to talk to somebody because they’re the cool kids and have nice shoes. You have to listen to your gut Quoted, New York
and not be charmed by the big charade if you want real friendships here.” “New York is a rough place to live in. Frank Sinatra said it right? If you can make it here you can make it anywhere. It’s a hard place to be born and raised, grow and evolve. In order to navigate through those rough spots, you have to have some ‘oomph’ to you. It makes us edgier than most. Not necessarily in a bad way, but we definitely have an edge. A hard tinge.” “I don’t cook, but someone in the family will make dinner and then we’ll eat whenever we’re ready. Eating together is a foreign thing to me. We just scoop it up and go to our own little unit. We talk casually when we meet in the house or we go in to each others room. We don’t have a knocking policy. We just tap quickly and then open the door. That also means I’ve never been one to keep relationships in house. That is just a no.” “You can never duplicate the energy of New York. The same energy that I love so much about New York is also something I hate. It gives off the facade that everything is possible. I don’t like that facade because New York is not a very easy place to evolve careerwise or socially. People have this idea that when they come to New York everything is going to blossom, and that’s not the case. New York is a very hard place to evolve. Sometimes you’re held at a full stop. You need a good amount of positivity because it can knock you down.”” 51
Q&A “ I love New York. I love the lessons that it taught me. I love the people that are here in my life. I love New York for making me strong, focused and encouraged me to always reach for the stars. Even though there’s been obstacles along the way, New York has made me a fighter.” What neighborhood do you live in? Williamsbridge, Bronx. Best thing about living there? The best thing is this is a predominantly immigrant community, mainly from the West Indies. Also some of the best Caribbean take out food and restaurants. Favorite neighborhood? South Jamaica Queens. I was born there and spent lots of time there growing up with my maternal grandparents. Going there brings back memories of them. Favorite street to stroll? Fifth Avenue in Midtown. Why? This is one street that epitomizes the New York people have seen in the movies - the city where all high fashion brands are at your disposal and corporate America where everyone is one step away from the best opportunity of their life. Although this is definitely a fantasy, sometimes it’s nice to take in Fifth Avenue as a tourist would, and dream. Favorite restaurant? Sweet Chick in Lower East Side and Catch in Meatpacking.
Favorite bar? McGettigan’s. Most bars look and feel the same to me but the “greenhouse atmosphere” in McGettigan’s definitely stands out. And they have a great drink selection. Hidden gem? Bushwick Collective. This has to be some of the best graffiti art I have ever seen. Scattered in a section of Bushwick, it’s almost like you’re on a treasure hunt for street art. How to be(come) a New Yorker? Learn and appreciate the lingo ‘New Yawk’, ‘Yo!’, ‘Son’, ‘Dun’, ‘B Poppin’, ‘Dawg’, ‘Tawk’, ‘Wawk’. If you claim to be a New Yorker but have never owned a pair of black suede Timbs or Constructs (tan Timberlands) then you will be judged. Be very mindful of your tone when using the phrase ‘What’s good?’ It can mean one of three things: A: Genuinely asking what’s good in regards to food or drink, B: ‘Hi how are you?’ or C: Challenging someone to a fight. You don’t want to be on the other end of a “what’s good” for option C. Your New York soundtrack? Coming of Age Part II by Jay Z with Memphis Bleek. This song embodies the spirit of a true New Yorker. Visit Terrence at home in a 3 minute video: quotedmagazine.com/terrence
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Clockwise from Phone
SNEAKERS
“These are the running sneakers that I wear. Running has become a huge part of my health. I am running the New York marathon this year, so I’m training for that.”
5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT TERRENCE
“I listen to music all the time. Music literally is a commanding force in my my life. It keeps me at ease, keeps me focused, while also gives me energy. I’m usually listening to reggae and dancehall which definitely stems from my Caribbean upbringing. But of course, as a New Yorker, Hip Hop and R&B is definitely on heavy rotation.” HEADPHONES
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“You can’t trade your family, so you might as well love them. You can learn a lot from the elderly. They are the best teachers that don’t get a salary.” PHOTO ON PHONE
PICK COMB “I come from a lineage of strong, revolutionary people. My mother’s parents were very involved in local politics in Queens and active supporters of the Civil Rights Movement. The comb is a symbol of strength and resilience that I take with me always. I want people to take notice of that and realize that I embody that same strength.”
“Socks are my conversation starter. I work in finance and everybody dresses the same, black shoes and white shirts. It can get really boring, so I always add the fun socks to not be too conform.” SOCKS
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Printed by
Casey Generalist Photographer Unconventional Sweet Talker
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“I had to decide whether I wanted to stay in Seattle and be comfortable with a good career or move to New York and get my ass kicked. Moving here was the wisest thing I’ve ever done. It’s made me better, it’s made me stronger. The struggle, the competition, the level of professionalism here is so unmistakable.” @caseykelbaugh “ I work as a photographer. I spent my career fighting to have variety in my life and not overly specializing. Because I’m more general there are many sacrifices when it comes to positioning perspective, but the diversity is why I love New York so much. I shoot restaurants for the New York Times. I shoot portraits, marches, architecture and everything in between.” “The beauty of photography in general is the access it gives you to people, places and situations. I get to be backstage shooting for The Lion King, watching the whole performance from the side, hanging out with random celebrities for a whole day, visiting the hippest plant fair in Brooklyn with well dressed people, cute dogs and soil workshops. I get to step in, and then I get to leave. That is what I appreciate about it.” “I’ve lived in New York City for 15 years now and not one day has gone by where something didn’t blow me away. Whether it’s an exchange I have with someone on the street, witnessing an interaction between people from two completely different universes, a run-in with someone famous or remarkable, an incredible meal, a confounding small-world coincidence, an art show or performance of some kind or often something visual; this city is endlessly interesting to look at.» “My back hurts right now, so yesterday I went to this massage therapist in Chinatown. I had this guy put his elbow as hard as he could into my body for 70 minutes for $40. Then I went Quoted, New York
to a yoga class with a California hippie. Still felt a little tight, so then I went to the Russian and Turkish bath just around the corner and sat with a lot of old Russian guys healing. One of my favorite aspects of this city is the variety you can get in a day like that.” “If you told me ten years ago I would live with two roommates at the age of 44 I would never believe you. It doesn’t make any sense. But the fact is I found this place the first day I searched on Craigslist. I walked in and there was something about this space that gave me a feeling of exhalation. I thought, ‘This is going to be my home.’ I’ve had about 25 people living here since then. I like this space. I don’t want to move.” “There have been times when I’ve brought a girl home and she’s been like ‘Wow, this guy lives with people. I don’t think he’s for me.’ I have prioritized to buy a place in Catskills in the middle of the mountains. It’s a full on home there that is a total escape from this.” “Every time I return home to New York, I step into the stream of energy that’s here. It never stops. It doesn’t miss me when I’m gone, but it also doesn’t begrudge that I’ve been away. I’m right back in it, and it’s never going anywhere.” “It’s this rowdy thing in New York where people are rubbing shoulders and trying to advance their own objectives and in doing so contributing to the productivity of this place.” 63
Q&A “ The confluence of so many different types of people put so close to one another with competing motives and desires and dreams. That creates the stream of energy you find here. People that come here are driven by a high level of ambition and a fire under their ass. That’s exciting.” What neighborhood do you live in? East Village. Best thing about living there? It’s the most diverse, interesting and affordable place to eat and drink in the city. The range of offerings is staggering; at one point my little block had restaurants specializing in cuisines from four different parts of Italy! And lastly, there are very few neighborhoods in America where you can walk block after block without seeing a single outpost of a national chain or franchise. Favorite neighborhood? My own! Favorite street to stroll? Orchard Street in the Lower East Side. Why? It’s a nice long stretch of art galleries, boutiques, bars, restaurants. At the bottom end you hit Canal Street, and that little triangle between Essex and East Broadway is the most happening part of Manhattan these days. Favorite restaurant? Gaia. It’s a small, family style Italian restaurant on Houston Street. It’s mostly open for lunch, but they will seat you for dinner if you make a reservation. The food is incredible, affordable and super authentic.
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Favorite bar? My first night in New York, an old friend took me to 2A - not only did I love it, but I ended up living around the corner. Then there is the Holy Trinity of classic East Village dive bars: Sophie’s, Josie’s and Lucy’s. There is also The Garret in the West Village that you have to enter through a Five Guys burger joint. Hidden gem? Cervantes Oyster Shack. Behind the popular and fashionable Swiss restaurant, Cafe Select, you cut through the kitchen (heads up, the staff is moving quickly!) and you’ll find yourself in a tiny little nautical-themed oyster shack. Great wine list, cocktails and seafood. Cash only. How to be(come) a New Yorker? Get a bicycle and use it to get lost. Your New York soundtrack? Transformer produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson in 1972 stands out. The entire range of human emotion is expressed in this album - including a healthy dose of sex, drugs and rock n’roll suffused with downtown New York grit. Visit Casey at home in a 3 minute video: quotedmagazine.com/casey
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BIG APPLE PIN
“An image I shot during landfall of Hurricane Sandy in the Financial District was included in New York Magazine’s 50th Anniversary book. This little silver “Big Apple” from Tiffany’s was a gift from the magazine alongside my two page spread. I guess I finally felt like a bona-fide New Yorker.”
5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT CASEY
MINI BICYCLE “I
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don’t think I could live in New York without having had a bicycle. I use it to meet friends, dinner, meetings. I have saved thousands of dollars of transportation costs, it’s good exercise and a great way to learn the city. I can probably tell you a story from nearly any street in Manhattan.”
“So many things are happening in the political climate these days. I think it’s important for the world to see Americans showing their political position and using as many visual signs as possible. So I wear this pin when I can.” ITMFA
CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT “This is a home-made Christmas ornament my mom made two years ago. It’s like the facets of Casey, but it’s really mostly leaning towards eating, drinking and partying which is kind of funny.”
“This compass isn’t particularly useful in this day and age, but it’s aesthetically-pleasing and reminds me how important solo, unstructured travel is, and has always been to me.”
COMPASS
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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 Cuban place: Pilar Cuban Eatery Let loose bar: Friends and Lovers Texas pastries: Brooklyn Kolache Co. Cozy restaurant: Eva Jean’s Upscale Reservation Only: Blanca Dive bar with an attitude: Boobie Trap Neighborhood bar: Father Knows Best Dine & drink movie theater: Syndicated 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 French bistro: Le Grainne Cafe 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 73
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 Old School Lounge: 2A Bar Italian restaurant: Via Della Pace Vegan food: Peacefood Café Basement club: Berlin 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 Landmark soul food: Sylvia’s Quick bite: Manhattanville Coffee Seafood: B2 Harlem Sports bar: At the Wallace
Hell’s Kitchen MANHATTAN
Korean BBQ: Gyu-Kaku 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 Chicken & waffles: Sweet Chick MANHATTAN Punk Rock club: Clockwork Bar Timeless dining: Russ & Daughters Bar accessed through gallery: Fig. 19 Movies, drinks & food: Metrograph Nolita MANHATTAN
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Ice cream: Morgenstern’s Tapas and nightclub: Vandal Thai rotisserie & grill - Uncle Boon’s Alley restaurant: Freemans South American vibes: Oficina Latina 75
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 Secret oysters: Cervantes Oyster Shack 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 Secret Burger Bar: The Garret Seafood & Raw Bar - Seabird 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 Laid Back pub - Puffy’s Tavern Artsy café and bakery: Maman
Upper East Side German cuisine: Heidelberg MANHATTAN Art deco cocktail joint: Bemelmans Japanese cuisine: Kappo Masa Fancy Italian food: Morini’s Live music: Brandy’s Piano Bar Upper West Side Brunch & sangria: Calle Ocho MANHATTAN High end deli: Zabar’s Wine & nibbles: Vanguard Great happy hour: The Milling Room Speakeasy: Manhattan Cricket Club Williamsburg BROOKLYN
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Japanese small plates: Zenkichi Family owned Peruvian joint: Chimu Eclectic bar & nightclub: Schimanski Food & wine: The Four Horsemen Speakeasy dining: St. Mazie 77
Liz Tiger Mom Girly Girl $elf Made
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“I did dream a vision and that ended up being reality. I wanted to be the world’s premier language solutions company and we became the biggest. We’re all over the world with 100 offices in over 90 cities, and about 5,000 full time employees. So the goal was accomplished with a lot of drama along the way, and I recently sold my part of the company.” “ It’s a challenge when kids grow up with privilege and of course there is plenty of that here in the city. We all have to figure out how we teach them about the important values. You know, hard work, integrity, treating people well, being open minded. I think we need to live by those values, we need to talk about them and then say ‘I’m not paying for you to go to Aspen today, go get a job this summer.’ My older son calls me a tiger mom.” “My parents made me work from a very young age. They didn’t give me a choice. They stopped paying for my clothes and my entertainment when I was a teenager. They wanted me to learn how to work. They would say “Don’t ever be dependent on a man financially.” What they really meant was not to be dependent on anyone. It was about having a work ethic and being self sufficient.” “At NYU Business school in the early 90s, getting a job in finance was the thing to do. So I did. I was the only woman out of 30 people. I thought ‘Ok, anything a man can do, I can do.’ But early on I noticed a big difference. The men talked to each other and acted in a way that I couldn’t relate to at all. Screaming across the office, swearing at each other. Then, whenever they needed anything administrative done, it was always me they asked even though there were a few other entry level people that were men. Whenever the phone rang, because there was no receptionist there, they’d go ‘Liz, phone.’
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Whenever supplies needed to be evaluated, they’d ask me to do it. I thought ‘I just got my MBA and now they think I’m their receptionist’. I left that job after six weeks.” “I’ve had to develop thick skin. But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Sometimes you have to be tough in business. But when I was tough or strong I was referred to as ‘mean’ or ‘bitchy,’ but when my male colleagues were the same way they were ‘strong’ and ‘powerful’. Their words, not mine.” “There are many times along the way that you want to quit. Things may go wrong, or things don’t happen as you would like or as they should. But if you have an idea and you have a passion and stick with it and do what you love, it usually works out.” “I’m a believer in working hard. When I built Transperfect I was young, I wasn’t married and I didn’t have kids. I was able to work over 120 hours a week, which sounds crazy and excessive, but there’s this saying ‘do what no one is willing to do for a period of time so then you can do what nobody else can do’. So that was my approach.” “I’m excited about the future. Now I’m focused on philanthropy. The Heart association, Go Red for Women, this year I’ve been the Co-Chair. Last year I was founding ambassador. I’m also involved in National Organization for Women.”
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Q&A “ They work the hardest, they’re motivated overachievers. That’s who gravitates towards New York. You aren’t judged here the way you would be elsewhere. It’s fine to be pushy, it’s fine to be aggressive. People expect you to be all that in order to achieve what you need to achieve. And I do like that because you can be assertive and still be a good person.” What neighborhood do you live in? The Upper East Side. Best thing about living there? It’s super residential, and at the same time it has everything: restaurants, bars, museums, bookstores, clothing stores – everything! Favorite neighborhood? The Upper East Side!! That’s why I moved here. Favorite street to stroll? I’d say Park Avenue. Why? It’s beautiful and tree-lined, unifying the very best of residential and business. For ten years I’ve been walking from the Upper East Side to my office at 34th and Park. Park Avenue is also the street on which I walked my son to school.
3rd – super talented performers belt out great classics and show tunes where the audience can sing along in a casual bar atmosphere. Hidden gem? In the age of restaurant chasing, the classics and sometimes truly special places are easily overlooked. Villa Berulia Ristorante has been serving Murray Hill for over 30 years. The hospitality you receive there really makes you feel at home, which is why I’ve chosen it as a trusted place to have some of my most pivotal meetings and conversations. Not to mention the food is fabulous. How to be(come) a New Yorker? The best and worst of everything, which means you can be your best or your worst here. Being a New Yorker means finding out how you fit into this incredible city and how it fits into you.
Favorite restaurant? Morini’s at Madison and 86th.
Your New York soundtrack? New York, New York by Frank Sinatra. It’s my absolute all-time favorite song!
Favorite bar? Brandy’s Piano Bar on 84th between 2nd and
Visit Liz at home in a 3 minute video: quotedmagazine.com/liz
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PEN
“When I was 26 I came up with the idea of starting Transperfect which basically helps the world communicate. It’s how I spent my entire career and today it’s the largest translation company in the world. It also represents a part of my life that is now over.”
5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT LIZ
“The house in The Hamptons is where I get my friends together, and this is the key to open the gate to that house. I love going there. It’s a place to get out of the city, forget about stress, forget our worries and just be with each other.” ELECTRONIC KEY
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“I like to have pictures of them exposed in my house so I can look at them every day. My parents have been my two biggest mentors and role models. I am lucky they are still alive. My husband and kids are my biggest loves.” FAMILY PHOTOS
GO RED PIN “I am involved with Go Red Woman Heart Organization. My mom’s side of family all had heart disease. It is very important to me on a personal level. I want to help make a difference and have been heavily involved the last five years.”
“My dad and I loved quotes and rules of life. We used to discuss them during high-school, so when I started college he had this made for me. I look at it every day, I refer to it, I use it and think about them as great rules of life.” FRAMED QUOTES
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Founder & CEO Rasmus Warnke Nørregaard in the Everclassic HQ
Q&A Why are Danes so damn good with style and interior? We spend so much time inside during the colder seasons that I think all Danes have a built ininterest in making their home as “hyggeligt” (cosy) as possible. We use a lot of effort to try to make our personality shine through in our interior, which also gives us the possibility to show people who we are in the way we decorate. What makes Danish furniture so unique? Some of the greatest interior designers descend from Denmark, for example Hans J. Wegner, Arne Jacobsen and Poul Kjærholm. The furniture is simple, beautiful and always serves a purpose. The details in the craftsmanship are really what sets them apart. Favorite place to visit in New York to be inspired by interior design? Whenever I visit New York I always make sure to visit “The Apartment by The Line”. They are always on top of what is trending and their styling is amazing. Why did you start Everclassic? Out of pure love for Scandinavian design. Scandinavia is such a treasury of beautiful furniture and ceramics. All items that only get more beautiful with time and they last forever. We love the idea of creating an alternative to the mass-produced culture and at the same time guide people to invest in design that will last for generations to come.
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Sponsored by Everclassic everclassic.com
What is it? Everclassic is an online marketplace selling high-end Scandinavian vintage design from sellers all over Scandinavia. We can offer great prices on freight and we can deliver in a few days throughout the world. We curate and treat each piece with the respect that it deserves and investigate and value the story that lies beneath. We deliver everything fully insured, with express shipping and we offer a 14 day return policy. If New York was a couch, what kind of upholstery would it have? (Why?) It would definitely be a big sofa with beautiful fluffy sheepskin. It is so modern, soft, comfortable and a little bit too much. How does vintage furniture enhance the interior of a space? It gives the room heart and personality. To have something that your neighbor can’t just buy is pretty unique. To mix new and vintage is the perfect combination if you ask me. They say clothes make the man — Would you say the same thing is true for furniture? Absolutely. The furniture we surround ourselves with says so much about who we are and what we believe in. If you had to write a love letter to New York, what would you say? You simply make me happy. You can easily turn my bad day to my best day. I know you are not mine entirely, but you make me feel like I am one in a million.
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Jonathan Mufasa Dad Reserved Softy Construction Worker
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“I didn’t think I had an accent at all until I started going to all these other places. They ask me to say “dawg” and “New Yawk.” I get a good laugh out of that. You all think I sound funny. Do you all hear yourself? How country you all are?” “ The first time I remember going to a different city was in college and I was 20. We went down to South Beach in Miami. That was when I was like ‘Wow, this is something different. There’s a whole world out there.’ Everything was so clean. I’m used to dirty New York. Just going to get fast food down there and people were mopping the floor. I was like ‘Yeah, this is nice.’ That was also when I realized how big New York was. I would tell people I was from New York, and they would light up. That’s a constant trend wherever I go.” “It’s a lot different growing up in New York. My girlfriend is from Maryland, and she didn’t have access to places until she started driving. I would ride the train by myself when I was in fourth grade. At that point I had access to all five boroughs. I learned a lot from that world and it made me grow up a little faster. It made me wiser at a young age. I was very observant, even as a child.” “In junior high school, I could tell my mother I was going to a friend’s house living Uptown, but then go and meet a girl in Queens. Back then we didn’t have cell phones. Once I got out of the house, I was a free man, you know. It’s kind of crazy, being a 12-year-old and going wherever I wanted to. All I needed was $3.” “My girlfriend has been here for eight years, and she’s become more like a New Yorker now. She says it to me all the time ‘Look, you changed me. You turned me into this.’ She is way more aware of her surroundings. Sometimes not as friendly as she used to be. I mean, you can’t always be that friendly,
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because you got people in New York always trying to run a scam on you. And then just that hustle mentality, that go-get-it mentality. That’s something I think is deeply rooted in New Yorkers.” “I used to work in retail and the schedule was terrible. You work through the holiday, the weekend, days and nights. I was really tired of it. What originally drove my attention to construction work was the set hours. When I realized I could get a set schedule and make some good money, that’s what made me get into it.” “If New York was one building it would be The World Trade Center. That’s how we build things in New York. We don’t go side to side, we go all the way up. It’s New York. You gotta go big or go home.” “My mother passed away in October. Then a week later I found out my girlfriend was pregnant. My mother raised three of us through ups and downs, and I just have to give her credit for dealing with all of it. She found a way to get it done. That’s why I named my son Phoenix - from the mythological bird that rose from the ashes. My mother lives through my son.” “I want two kids and I used to say I want them back to back. Two weeks after my son was born, I stopped saying that. Don’t give me back to back. Please don’t. Kids are a lot of work man! It takes over your life, but it’s a love I’ve never felt before. I want to be a father and his best friend. Like Mufasa and Simba, right? I’ll always be there for him, no matter what.”
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“ I think New York and I have a pretty good relationship. I’ve been here for 30 years now. That’s being faithful. I’ve crept out every now and then, but I came home. It’s a love-hate sometimes. I hate how dirty it is, I hate how crowded it is. I hate the trains. Sometimes I can even hate how noisy it is. But then again if you send me out of the city for a few weeks, I’ll start missing all of that. I’ll miss the endless opportunities here.” What neighborhood do you live in? I live in Crown Heights Brooklyn. Best thing about living there? I can reach almost any part of Brooklyn in 15-20 mins and if you’re looking for good Caribbean food you can’t go wrong here. Favorite neighborhood? My favorite neighborhood would have to be Alphabet City. It’s where I was raised and took my first bite of the big apple. I’ve watched the neighborhood change and grow over the years, and I will always have a soft spot for it. Favorite street to stroll? One of my favorite streets to stroll would have to be Dyckman basketball courts in Inwood during the summer. Why? It reminds me of my younger days when I used to play in the tournament. It was always fun to ball out then chill out on the strip afterwards and watch the games. Favorite restaurant? SoCo in Fort Greene, some of the best shrimp and grits I’ve tasted.
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Favorite bar? Miss Lily’s in the Lower East Side. The drinks are dope and on the weekends it turns into a lounge after hours. It’s definitely one of the popular lounges in the city. Hidden gem? Casablanca in Bed-Stuy, it’s a small old school cash only lounge that is good for bringing in a nice crowd. How to be(come) a New Yorker? There is only one way to become a New Yorker and that’s to embrace the culture and the lifestyle. You have to spend years here to really become a New Yorker. The city welcomes everyone but will just as easily chew you up and spit you out. New York truly embodies the word gritty. Your New York soundtrack? If I had to pick one song to represent New York, I would have to go with Juicy by Notorious BIG, it represents the everyday struggle and desire to be great in the big city of dreams. Visit Jonathan at home in a 3 minute video: quotedmagazine.com/jonathan
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am more into basketball and football, but this is a New York staple. Everybody sees that symbol, and they know what it stands for. Since I’ve been here my whole life, I probably don’t appreciate it as much, but I love New York. This is home base.”
YANKEES JERSEY “I
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5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT JONATHAN
PICTURE
“That’s my mother. That’s my heart. She passed away not too long ago. Sitting watching TV, I glance over at her and it’s comforting.”
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“This is a picture me and my girl took at a friend’s birthday party. I made the picture into a puzzle and gave it to my girl for Valentines. She is my soulmate and the love of my life.” PUZZLE
CHAIN “My grandmother originally got a couple of these for my uncle and father. It was passed on to my brother and then when my mother passed he gave this to me. It represents my grandmother and my mother in one. They were the strongest and most determined women I ever met in my life. I wear it every day.”
“This is my little boy. This is the first picture. When I saw this I said ‘Wow, it’s real.’ I knew it was a boy. I woke up one morning and I just knew. I told my girlfriend and she said ‘You don’t know that!’, but I knew and I kept telling the family to just get the blue balloons.” ULTRASOUND PICTURE
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1 in 7 Americans are
h u n g r y while
40% of food in the US is thrown away Rescuing Leftover Cuisine is solving these problems! Rescuing Leftover Cuisine is a 501(c)3 non-profit food rescue organization; we are rescuing and donating leftover food to homeless shelters. By eliminating food waste, we are helping the hungry.
Who are we?
+ Our mission is to rescue food that would otherwise be wasted and to feed the hungry. One day all excess food will go to feed the hungry instead of being wasted, while preventing greenhouse emissions. + In 2017, we have rescued 792,496.49 lb. of food, fed 660,414 meals to the hungry, and reduced 297,186 lb. of CO2 equivalent. + “...I would say that RLC has been one of the most transforming experiences of my life. I have loved meeting new volunteers, hearing their stories, and seeing the smiles at the homeless shelters.” - Kelly (Lead Rescuer)
How can you help? www.rescuingleftovercuisine.org
+ Volunteer
rescuers help bring food from our partners to local homeless shelters
+ Donate
every $5 donated = 40 meals are provided for the hungry
+ Spread the word
volunteer, donate, and spread the word through our website and social media: · www.rescuingleftover cuisine.org · www.facebook.com/ RescuingLeftoverCuisine
Contact Come and volunteer with one of the lead rescuer’s, Maia!
+ 25 Broadway, 12th floor New York, New York 10004 + 646.592.2229 + info@rescuingleftovercuisine.org
Patricia Independent Introvert The Naked Cowgirl
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“I spend most of my time in Times Square, where I perform. I only sing the song my husband (The Naked Cowboy) taught me: ‘I’m the Naked Cowgirl. Keeping it real for you. I’m The Naked Cowgirl. You gotta do what you gotta do.’ I sing for five seconds before I shout to the crowd ‘Take a picture! You can take a picture with me!’ I get both positive and negative comments from people. I’ve had older ladies walk by and tell me what I am doing is disgusting, but usually people are really friendly.” @thenakedcowgirl “ I love New York now, but when I first came here I was depressed. I wanted to go back to Mexico. It took me eight years to get used to this city. I started volunteering at senior centers, and that was when my view of the city changed. I felt like I started to get to know New York. I went to places I had never been before and met so many great people who taught me a lot.”
“I met my husband Robert (The Naked Cowboy) in 2008. We started dating in 2012. Before we started dating, I was working as a belly dancer, and he asked me to come to Times Square and perform with him. He played the drum and I danced. It was nice, but the crowds were nothing compared to what he got as The Naked Cowboy, so we decided to make me The Naked Cowgirl.”
“I teach a salsa class at the senior center. Many of the seniors are in wheelchairs, some of them in a lot of pain. But they tell ‘I’m gonna dance!’ I love the people there, seeing how excited and happy they are. It makes me happy.”
“My husband gets up first every morning. He brings me coffee and I’ll start writing in my journal, just the things that I want to accomplish that day. My husband leaves for Times Square before me. You know, girls always take forever to get ready. So an hour later I leave. If we have a day off I’ll clean the house, he reads books, we’ll go to the gym, to Spa Castle in Flushing.”
“I moved here in 2003. I wanted to go to school, but my mom didn’t have the money. So I decided to pay for it myself. I started working at a deli. I would go to work at 5am before school and then sleep on the train. I’m the type of person who will always work hard to achieve my goals even when people tell me I can’t do it. If you listen to the negativity, you’re going to fail. I like to call myself a successful woman. You have to tell yourself you can achieve it and not listen to anyone else.”
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“I make all our costumes. I paint the underwear, design the bra, paint the boots, the guitar. Ladies love to buy my husband’s underwear, so he has a whole suitcase of them. He gives away everything. We’re a tourist attraction and our goal is to get more people come visit New York. We want to make people happy.”
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Q&A What neighborhood do you live in? I live in Woodside, Queens. Best thing about living there? It’s a very quiet and peaceful neighborhood. Favorite neighborhood? West Village in Manhattan and Astoria in Queens. Favorite street to stroll? 34th street and Broadway in Manhattan. Why? It’s the best place for shopping. Favorite restaurant? Taqueria Coatzingo in Jackson Heights. It is a Mexican restaurant and they have amazing food there. Favorite bar? I don’t go to bars, but I love to get a green juice in a place in Jackson Heights called Just Made 4 U. Hidden gem? Hudson River Park is a lovely stretch along the water to go running or just walk around. How to be(come) a New Yorker? Get used to seeing crazy people in the train or in the streets, learn how to ride the train, don’t pay attention if you see somebody screaming or talking to themselves in the streets. Feel free to be whatever you want to be! Your New York soundtrack? Juan Gabriel Buenos Dias Señor Sol Visit Patricia and her husband at home in a 3 minute video: quotedmagazine.com/patricia
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“ Some days I feel so grumpy. I don’t want to see anybody or talk to anybody, but I know I have to do it. So to get myself pumped, I’ll lift some weights and do a little warm up dance. Once I start performing my mood changes. I get compliments from the crowd, people smile, it makes me feel better.” Quoted, New York
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Clockwise from Journal
DRESS
“I got this when I went back to Mexico. I wanted something that could be a memory from seeing my mom for the first time in 15 years. I almost fainted when I saw her. It was the first time I went back home since I moved here.”
5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT PATRICIA
“My guilty pleasure is sex and eating. I try not to eat junk food, but when I eat, I like to eat a lot of bread and cheese. This is for working out my abs.”
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“I wrote repeatedly that I wanted to be a New York resident. They denied my application four times. I kept writing in this journal ‘I will be approved. I will be a New York resident.’ And then the fifth time I was approved.”
JOURNAL
BRA “This is the first bra I designed. When I started doing The Naked Cowgirl I used to just buy them. It takes me three hours to make one but it’s like meditation. I think I’m a genius!”
“We got married in February 2013, by the Hollywood sign. It was Robert’s dream. I love these pictures, all the happy moments. It was a little sad that my family couldn’t be there, but it was a really nice wedding.” WEDDING ALBUM
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Love Letters Follow @quoted_magazine
“New York is such a beautiful place. Some days I just zone out while driving and I take in all of the city. Those buildings, bridges, and highways, all functional art. So many amazing people from all over the globe with their own stories and journey of life. New York is art. I appreciate and love you NYC.” by @elijah_gravely
“You are the most realest shit with the most realest folks. Best style, fuck the imitators.” by @sagesnakechalmer
“The energy, architecture, scenic views, and of course, the amazing New York people, inspire me. Living in the Big Apple helps me to be a better business man, a better photographer, and a better human. I am proud to say I am New York too.” by @msweetwood
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to New York “I can’t seem to put in words the depth of our love hate relationship. You showed me the endless potential of my passion, and most importantly showed me that we are not defined by our surroundings or where we are from… We are only limited by our own imagination and commitment.” by @trevorbell
“Keep shaping everything you touch!” by @monicamateo
“Thank you for the great people I’ve met along the way. Thank you for the unbelievable opportunities that the six-year-old me dreamt of in Australia. New York, I love you, but if you could lower the rent and make the trains run on time that would be much appreciated.” by @xoxlilinxox
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Amadeus Deli Comedian Charmingly Cheesy Trained Physician
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“I’m an old man but I work like a 20-year-old kid. It’s not easy, but with determination age isn’t a barrier. I do a minimum of 12 hours a day, every single day at the deli.” “ I started working when I was ten. I told my dad I wanted to feel like a man and not be dependent on him. My dad was concerned with what people would say if he allowed his young kid to do construction work, but I was determined, so he gave in. In the beginning, when I came home from work my hands would be bleeding from carrying heavy bricks. I would hide my hands so my mom couldn’t see them. I know me working was hard on her. But working made me feel so proud, like I was really accomplishing something by myself. This is what makes me happy. Just like today, with my workload, it’s something I take pride in, and that makes me happy. I’m a happy person.” “What are we going to take from this life if we don’t try to be happy? If you are not happy, disease will afflict you and you’ll be a miserable person.” “New Yorkers are always in a rush. Sometimes I’ll say ‘Ohh… I’m sure you are of Russian origin.’ They look at me and ask ‘What makes you think that?’ and I respond ‘Because you’re rushing me’ and then they start laughing. I love when I can lighten up someone’s day like that. I like to make jokes with my customers. New Yorkers are often stressed out, so I do what I can to put a smile on people’s faces.” “When I see a person leaving the deli happy, trust me, it’s worth more than anything else. Then I’m eagerly waiting to see the next customer. If you work as much as I do, you have to fill the days with as much happiness as you can.”
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“You have to know how to deal with crazy, drunk, loving, hungry New Yorkers. Working in the deli has given me the wisdom to maneuver and understand all of that. I have seen things in the deli that I haven’t seen other places during my 58 years of living. It can be a total circus in here. People are drunk, leave their credit cards - after a night shift we can be left with 20 credit cards. I’ve helped people who don’t know which city they’re in get in a cab, seen couples starting their foreplay behind the shelves.” “I used to live in Italy. I had two cars, a big house and a job as a physician. It was a good life. One day I met this lady. She stopped me, but she didn’t speak Italian. She thought I was American, and asked me if I could please have a cup of coffee with her. So I joined her since I had two hours before I had to go to work. We had some coffee. Six months later we got married. She really wanted to move back to the United States. I had to give up everything and start from scratch in New York.” “We got divorced and then later I married again to a different woman. She and I have a kid together, but we ended up getting divorced as well. Life can get complicated, and doesn’t always turn out the way you thought it would. So now I work in a deli, and share a studio apartment with three other guys.” “It was a huge transition, but you have to adapt. Nothing is wrong with being a manager in a deli, but it is a big change for sure. It hurt me in the beginning, but I am happy now, I do my best to spread as much joy and happiness here, and because of that, I think my life is pretty good.”
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Q&A What neighborhood do you live in? I live in Bay Ridge in Brooklyn. Best thing about living there? It feels like you are on 42nd street in Manhattan even though you are far out in Brooklyn. Like a mini-Manhattan, it has everything. It is a melting pot of people, Jewish, Italian, Greek, Middle Eastern. Favorite neighborhood? Williamsburg. The people here are beautiful and the deli is my second home. Favorite street to stroll? Little Italy, Mulberry Street. Why? It reminds me of my youth. Little Italy was more authentic back in the day. You can still find some charm there today though. Favorite restaurant? Balady foods in Bay Ridge. This restaurant has all kinds of international food and it’s cheap. You can have chicken, pizza, pasta. Favorite bar? Baby’s All Right here in Williamsburg. Hidden gem? I like the huge park at Shore Road in Bay Ridge. It’s a good place to clear your head. How to be(come) a New Yorker? If you don’t love the city you cannot be a New Yorker. You need to love the people in it, you need to adapt to its culture, to the diversity. Your New York soundtrack? Pavarotti Vincero. Vincero means I will win and indeed he won. It is such a powerful song. Visit Amadeus in his deli in a 3 minute video: quotedmagazine.com/amadeus 124
“ The city made me change because of all the different people I’ve had to interact with. You have to be sensitive and patient with the person in front of you. You have to love and respect them. That doesn’t mean you have to believe what they believe, but the city teaches you to be respectful. If you’re not ready to embrace and learn from all these immensely diverse people, then I’m sorry to tell you, you should not move to New York.” 125
Clockwise from Scrubs
GOLDEN GIFT “It’s
a gold wallet I am going to give to my dad. He is 85 and just went through prostate surgery. He lives in Italy. I miss my parents, they are still my inspirations. They are my everything.”
5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT AMADEUS
“A very lovely lady gave me these, they’re also a key chain. She used to be one of my customers at the deli, then she moved out of the area. It is very important to me. I look at it and remember my customers.” BINOCULARS
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“Once a month I make a visit to an old patient who is very dear to me. He has been my patient for more than 20 years. I miss being a physician. My life was always in the medical field until I started working at the deli.” PHYSICIAN SCRUBS
GLASSES “I‘ve had these glasses since I studied medicine in Italy. I rarely use them. They are still in good shape. I’m not going to lie to you, once in a while I put them on and take some selfies with them.”
“This was a gift from my co-worker. I have one son, Omar. He is now almost 18 years old. He lives with his mother, I haven’t seen him in six years. His name is imprinted on it, so it’s very dear to me.” WALLET
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Erica Rookie Police Officer Playful Victorious Underdog
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“I grew up in East New York in Brooklyn. My mom would not allow me to go outside because it was a bad area with fights and robberies. People would even go up to the roof and try to climb into our house through the fire escape. We made a swing inside the hallways so we could play. It was so silly. The protection level was serious all the way through high school. Growing up, I only saw police if something bad happened.” “ I had my son when I was 21. I think back and I don’t understand how I could deal with it all. Going to school, going to work, dealing with life and at the same time raising him. I’ve tried to raise him to be respectful. I’ve tried to teach him to not give up. Even if you feel like you can’t make it. Somehow, some way I’ve always managed to pull out of it. I want him to know to keep going forward.” “One time my son and I were walking to Pink Houses on Linden Boulevard which is one of the most dangerous projects in the city. We were on our way to take food to my uncle and some kids asked my son ‘Can I get some fries?’ cause you know they’re like little fresh mouths or whatever. My son just said ‘Yeah, you want some fries…’ and I had to tell him ‘You don’t do that! You just ignore them!’ I feel like I took that away, his situational awareness. Not growing up where I grew up, he doesn’t have that tough skin. His upbringing is completely different. He thinks that he’d survive in my old neighborhood. But I tell him, he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t even see it coming.’” “I’m the first in my family to finish highschool, go to college and pursue a career, so me being a cop is huge for my parents. The day I graduated I didn’t even know how to handle it. When I first put my uniform on I cried.” “Every day is rewarding. Even when it’s horrible and someone’s going through something. When I see people at their worst, Quoted, New York
I appreciate my own life. You think you’ve had it bad, and then you just encountered someone who’s really having it bad, you realize you’ve probably seen nothing compared to what they have.” “The police academy is very male dominated. When I was there we were five women. We would come in earlier to train with each other for the physical part. You don’t want to drop out, be the weakest link or the person who can’t do it. We motivated each other. We started this together and we were going to finish together. That was inspiring. It also prepared me for what it was going to be like for the next 25 years with your co-workers. When one is down, you all have to go in and help that person up.” “Your co-workers might know your deepest darkest secrets. Once you get comfortable with the person you’re working with you’ll talk about and reflect on stuff you’d never expect.” “I didn’t realize the impact my uniform has on people. I didn’t realize the attention it brings, good and bad. I want people to know that everyday we go out, we walk into the unknown, we address situations that may sound simple then all of a sudden turn into chaos. I grew up in the city and I took an oath to serve and protect the city I still live in. I want to be a role model not just for my family but for other kids and show them they can make it.”
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“ When visiting New York don’t stop and ask just anyone for directions, you have security and police officers here for that. I think the worst thing is when the visitors just stop on the street and whoever is behind them, trying to get from A to B in 30 minutes. It’s like ‘What are you doing!? Get out of my way!’ It’s like driving, you can’t put the on brake so quickly.”
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Q&A What neighborhood do you live in? I live in Howard Beach. Best thing about living there? It’s quiet compared to East New York where I grew up. Favorite neighborhood? Except for my old neighborhood East New York, I love Chelsea because it’s an escape from my world and I can walk to the piers and relax. Favorite street to stroll? Bedford Avenue in Crown Heights because of the small shops all over, the beautiful brownstones and the people sitting on the stoops playing music. Favorite restaurant? Carmine’s in the city. One dish serves for about four people and the daiquiris are delicious. Hidden gem? Joe’s Pizzeria in Brooklyn. It’s family owned. I’ve been going there since I was a kid and now I take my son there. How to be(come) a New Yorker? When you master running late because your kid forgot his homework, walking, eating, talking on the phone while applying your makeup on a crowded train and still manage to walk into work without having a nervous breakdown, then you’re a New Yorker. Your New York soundtrack? You are not from New York if you haven’t listened to a Biggie Smalls or Jay-Z album. Jay Z’s Hard Knock Life is my all time favorite. Visit Erica at home in a 3 minute video: quotedmagazine.com/erica
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Clockwise from Academy Certificate
EBT CARD
“I saved it because it reminds me of my struggle and what I went through. It reminds me to stay humble and remember where I come from. From time to time I look at it because we all can get out of touch with life a little.”
5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT ERICA
“I kept seeing people reading this book and I’m like ‘What is that?’, and I started to read it. It’s a self help book. I haven’t finished the whole thing because of my crazy schedule but it’s actually really good, very relatable. Especially if you’re trying to find yourself, or find meaning out of something.” BOOK
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“When I saw my name on it, I just couldn’t wrap my head around it. This is a huge accomplishment, not just for me, but for my family. The role model I didn’t have, I became for my family. I’m happy I became someone to look up to.” POLICE ACADEMY CERTIFICATE
FAMILY PHOTO “This is my family. Me, my husband, and my son. They mean so much to me. My husband, we’ve been together 15 years. We grew up, went through being kids, adults, and now being parents together. I think if it wasn’t for him I might have given up.”
“During the times when we were playing, sometimes my son felt like he wanted to give up. When he saw this picture he looked at it and was like ‘I look so good in that uniform!’ Maybe one day that will be him, an adult, professional athlete.” FOOTBALL PHOTO
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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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Frei
Liz
quotedmagazine.com/frei
quotedmagazine.com/liz
Eden
Jonathan
quotedmagazine.com/eden
quotedmagazine.com/jonathan
Elizabeth
Patricia
quotedmagazine.com/elizabeth
quotedmagazine.com/patricia
Terrence
Amadeus
quotedmagazine.com/terrence
quotedmagazine.com/amadeus
Casey
Erica
quotedmagazine.com/casey
quotedmagazine.com/erica
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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 madsjakob@poulsenprojects.com Head of Photography Paula Andrea paula@quotedmagazine.com Associate Publisher Louis Sarmiento louis@quotedmagazine.com Brand Manager Megan Davenport megan@quotedmagazine.com Director of Strategic Partnerships Julia Mignone julia@quotedmagazine.com Editor Anne Brigg
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Videographers Marianne Fjortoft Thomas Lau
Founder, Rolf Arne Leer Outfit by ASOS
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