Hurricane Sandy

(Photos by Joe) Look closely at the above photo and you can see the height the water rose to on the brickwork. This house is on a section of a street that is about three to four feet higher than other sections of the neighborhood. All of these photos are from Midland Beach in Staten Island, except [...]

Hurricane Sandy – Staten Island

(Photos by Dave) My brother took these photos. All are from either Midland Beach or South Beach in Staten Island. They were taken about five days after the hurricane first hit. Click here to see more Hurricane Sandy pics.   Here are my STORIES and info on my Novels

Coney Island Creek and Sea Gate

(Coney Island Creek, Gravesend Bay, and Verrazano Bridge - Photos by Joe) Wow! My first photo post in over two years… I drove out to Coney Island two weeks ago to get some pics and a feel for the place. I’m working on the below story post, which is set in Coney Island in the year 1854. [...]

Off to Coney – Spring 1854

(Panorama of NY Harbor, 1854 - The Narrows running between Staten Island on the left and Brooklyn) “Body NOT identified at Coney Island“ *ANOTHER INQUEST AT CONEY ISLAND – Coroner B. Donly was called on Thursday afternoon to hold an inquest on the body of an unknown man, that was found floating near Coney Island Point, [...]

Elixir of Life

(From National Police Gazette, Photoshopped by Joe - Orig. below) I stepped out of the door from the Empress’s place and was met by a bright morning sun and crisp breeze. A host of unsavory odors were in the air, yet I was able to focus on the smell of fresh-baked bread. A short walk brought me to a sixpenny eating house on [...]

Delicious pizza, ice cold beer, a cap from the 1850s & Staten Island

(Lee’s Tavern in Staten Island – Photo and Photoshopped by Joe) The four of us sallied to the edge of the known universe last Friday night, which for New Yorkers is the borough of Staten Island. It’s a strange and indescribable place, where the fruit of its bounty populate TV shows such as Mob Wives and Jersey Shore. Though I won’t motor [...]

Born to Kill

(Brooklyn Heights – 1854, Cropped/Photoshopped by Joe) The three of us ruffians sailed across the moonlit bay in a breathless huff. The two-masted brig suspected of transporting an Irish vampire gained rapidly on our sloop. We weren’t so much afraid as we were amazed. The craft’s arrival into NY Harbor seemed to trigger distant cries that we could not place and strange [...]

Demon Hunting

(“Dredging for Oysters” Prince’s Bay, NY, 1855 - Ballou’s Pictorial/Photoshopped by Joe) Jack steered the oyster sloop away from the South Brooklyn wharves where ice had begun to form, bearing to the Narrows strait that flowed between Brooklyn and Staten Island. In an effort to masquerade as river pirates, and because Jack liked fine clothes, the three of [...]

Hello, Hello…

(Cartoon by Seth – “Bald Punk’s apartment” – The New York Times, 10/30/09)   Hello! It’s me, Joe aka Bald Punk. I’m here in my apartment, chatting with my lady friend(LF) and the pizza and Chinese delivery guys(aka num and nuts). Scrappy Doodles is nestled snugly in my arms. LF keeps asking me what I was doing in [...]

American Horror Story

(Legendary Bowery Gang Leader, Mose Humphrey) “The deaths are three each day. This is in the parish of Tuosist. The people are buried without coffins, frequently in the next field. (There is) no noise or sign of grief for the dead; every thought is selfish and unfeeling…” – Irish official during potato famine, 1847. – The [...]

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