Al Berg Blog: Thinker's Block on a Walk Through NYC

Companies are constantly going out of business I see new ones popping up old ones closing. No one opens a business and thinks it will fail but most do. According to StatisticsBrain.com 55% fail after 5 years.

It's a very humid morning and I decide to walk 3 - 4 miles to work I see a dog pooping and realized my son figured out that if the tail is straight dog's pooping and if the tails curved the dog is peeing.

I realized that stepping out of your zone of comfort means going against habits and that's why it's hard.

Beautiful architecture 14th & 8th

So I start on my morning walk from Penn Station to Fulton street. There's not much to see between 31st and 23rd street. There's some beautiful architecture on 8th Ave. and 14th street. On 8th Avenue and James Street one block south of 14th I pass some very beautiful flowers and a crazy guy appears to be yelling at somebody. I'm trying to put my thoughts on the paper but of course the act of trying it means I'm not thinking of anything to write.

Pretty flowers

Whitehorse Tavern

I pass the White Horse Tavern on Hudson Street. I think it's one of the oldest bars in New York City. The prices are very reasonable last time I was there the food was very good.

and you can sit outside on picnic tables. It might not be a good choice if the weather is too hot or too cold.

Bagel Store

Streets and sidewalks are very empty at this time just before 8 a.m. to 9 am. I pass a bagel shop and feel sad that I can't have one because of what it does to my blood sugar. It's on Christopher and Hudson.

I pass a guy with a dog and wasn't sure what kind it was. I wanted to ask him but stopped because he was wearing headphones. I pass outdoor sidewalk cafes that would be nice to have breakfast at on Barrow and Hudson. Hudson is the street Eighth Ave. goes into and some of the streets are very pretty.

I pass a vacant lot that looks like it's getting ready for construction I'm amazed at how the plants can grow anywhere or as they like to call them weeds.

Construction

There's an interesting chocolate store on Hudson and Charlton and they always doing construction in the city.

Pretty Streets

At Spring Street and Hudson the Freedom Tower pops up behind the buildings.

Near Hudson and Canal there is a Classic Car Club and a nice little park called Freeman Plaza.

Right off of Canal a restaurant called American Flatbread looks like it recently closed.

On my way home at 5 p.m. I pass an interesting building on Lafayette and White Street

As I walk up Lafayette there is an interesting building off of Grand near Lafayette which i think is now a police station. There is a restaurant/bar called O'Neill's where I've heard some scenes from Sex in the City took place.

I pass some stencil art on a building in Lafayette.

Blue Man Group tube show is on Lafayette near Astor Place and a place called Joe's Pub is across the street.

Lafayette goes into 4th Avenue and there is a pool hall Amsterdam billiards and bar which you should call ahead to make sure there's no leagues taking over all the tables.

also right next door is the post from a few Seinfeld episodes.

Post office from the Seinfeld TV show

The is also an interesting costume store and used book store on the west side of 4th Ave.

This costume store is open year round

Small bookstore

A few blocks away is Strand bookstore which is on 13th and Broadway, one block to the left. If you make a left off of 4th Avenue Union Square Park is a nice park will be on your left side as you walk up 4th Avenue and you can see the MetLife building what used to be the PanAm building.