PieMan’s Journal

Yes, Our Neighborhood is Changing!Originally uploaded by KeylimeSteve.

“Can’t you see what we’re trying to do for you poeple?” was what was uttered to me by a recent addition to the neighborhood, along with “We need more Star Bucks, More Stores, More apartments , more progress”, which was posted on one of my FLICKR images showing the ongoing demolition of a long-standing landmark here in Red Hook. While both statements are different in thrust, I feel that they both convey the same mentality.

This isn’t my first time in dealing with a neighborhood in transition; fact of the matter is that whatever neighborhood you move into (especially in an urban area), you’re going to experience change of some kind. None are immune from shifts in population or expanding infrastructure and commerce.

Some people find a neighborhood by circumstances (the neighborhood finds them), maybe work or a wrong turn, economics or a sense of exploration, an intuitive nature that draws them to a place that they feel is special and see elements that (for whatever reason) have gone unseen for years. It has been one or the other of these reasons for me.

Living on South Beach in the post-Mariel, pre-Miami Vice days was for most of those reasons. I spent time in the Shore Park, the Pelican, the Breakwaters and others I can’t even recall today, and the freight was never more than $50 a week for a room. This is on Ocean Drive mind you, where today you’d be fortunate to sit down for a few drinks and a meal for less than that, and I’m not complaining about where SOBE is today. But I get the feeling that is one of my commenter’s had been on the beach back in those days, he would have seen the wrecking balls level the grand collection of DECO architecture for (perhaps) a Mall of the America’s! It was just a matter of time, what was important (on the Beach) was, it was also a matter of how.

(continued on June 19th, 2007)

No big deal, today’s interloper is tomorrow’s old-timer. That is my story and I’m sticking to it. Besides, I have a road-trip coming up and can’t be bothered with micro-politics.

Uploaded by KeylimeSteve.

Derek is really hitting his stride, quite literally. These days, he sits in one of those little 4-wheeled slings that allows him to walk; well, more like to propel himself in a walking manner, but he is really digging the mobility and the freedom of movement. We even attached Mango (via his leash) to the walker and got Derek introduced to the concept of a powered vehicle. I think dog-power is a decent rating for him to deal with before he gets up to horsepower.

The development of senses, the degree of interaction, the expanding range of expression; all of these elements are beginning to fan out from the center to broaden Derek’s persona and reveal to us who this little guy is.

It is an interesting place to be, having an 8-month old under the same roof as a 16-year old. Derek is in a total sponge-mode, totally dependent on us for everything, whereas Sakura is now implementing whatever she has learned since she was his age in an effort to become totally independent. It draws quite a focus on how well you equipped your (older) child to make that move while wondering what might be done currently to make things better.

Sakura too is hitting her stride and in grand fashion (figuratively). She seems to feel comfortable enough in her positions on certain things to bring them to the table of discussion (or discourse), although (in my opinion) she needs to hone her style a bit. But in terms of her abilities, I am quite pleased with where she is and how she is able to process the incoming. Always good to chew something well -whether it be an idea or a meal- before swallowing.

I love being on both ends of this spectrum, and even though the rewards of the 8-month old are simpler and easier to deal with, they are no less  satisfying.

Kid on a LidOriginally uploaded by KeylimeSteve.

I just passed someone’s BLOG as it was linked via FLICKR. I was impressed, not being a huge BLOG reader, that entries were made to this person’s BLOG almost daily. Well, isn’t that what is supposed to happen?

And here it is, well over 6-months since my son was born, and I have mentioned absolutely nothing about his arrival and the changes is had brought to our home and to my life. Maybe the fact that he and his Momma have been away for three weeks (and for another week before I see them again) has me thinking about the both of them, often.

A few photos have been sent, a few video clips, but nothing like the daily events which, especially at this stage of development, show such drastic changes. In one of the video clips sent me, Derek has improved his mobility (in one of those little wheeled walkers) dramatically, now propelling himself in more directions that reverse. He has a more attentive look to him and looks stronger in the way he sits, the little tuft of hair atop his head is filling in, and the last time I spoke with Victoria, he was quite vocal at saying BBBBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRR!

So what about my steadfastness on this site? Well (I ask myself), what about it? Nothing really, I mean, I don’t think anyone even reads the entries here, nevermind even find them. So I’ll make this deposit and use this occasion as a reminder that I do want to write (regardless of who reads or not), if for nothing more then to give Derek some words from me as I had written journals for his older sister.

I miss you Son, and your Mother too. See you in a week!

Ready to (bed) RollOriginally uploaded by klpny.

This is a shot of my motorcycle on the side of the road, somewhere between Miami and Washington State. It was taken a very long time ago, when I was a different person living a different life. In fact, there have been a few different people since then as well as a few different lives. The details are sketchy, as the entire “trip” took well over a year and a half and fast-forward 20+ years there is some slippage in the recall department, but there are many details that are as if it was just a week or so ago.

I cannot say whether I am a better man today or not, just a different man. Older man for sure; I don’t think I could ever make another trip like that again, not so much for a lack of time (it actually was over 18-months) but sleeping roadside just doesn’t have as much appeal as it did then, nor does riding a vertical-twin unbalanced motorcycle. But as I am nearing 50, I find myself reaching back to that time when getting on a motorbike, untethered to anything worldly except the hand-grips does offer some appeal.

I have managed to acquire three motorcycles. None of them (at this point) are roadworthy. I think it is my own mortality that enjoys seeing them in various stages of (dis)repair. I am safe seeing the vintage ‘54 Triumph in boxes, waiting to be resurected into some future glory where she can be ridden a few miles here and there, the ‘73 Bonneville waiting to do the same, and the ‘67 Honda 65, almost ready to take me from Columbia Street to the Pier as a work-commuter and basic conversation piece. I’m not sure I want to become a full-fledged rider again.

If only blogging and FLICKR had been around back in those days. The only physical evidence that remains of that trip are the small snipped images from some black-and-white contact sheets, and even coming across them was shocking. I could retrace the route today by looking at a map, but to recall the experience would take the efforts of a hypnotherapist.

Harbor StriperOriginally uploaded by klpny.

The bite is on! After travelling almost 3000 miles to the Keys and being restricted to the Gulf waters because of high winds, we return to New York where we are just in time for the striper run. With a live eel and chunking bunker and scooping partially thawed chum, Tommy managed to hook this 24-pound, 39-inch striped bass in what we refer to as “the Golden Trangle”; somewhere between Brooklyn Heights, Governer’s Island and Battery Park. Although there were five of us aboard “What Boat?”, but Tommy was the only one to land a fish (unless you count Mike’s blob-fish), and although I would like to have seen this one (or another one) at the end of my line, we always see the boating of a fish, any fish, as a success. The striped bass migration is just beginning, so we’re looking forward to more nights like this. With the exception of a lone snook in the Keys, the fish were small by comparison, so this is welcomed.

My daughter had asked if we ever tire of fishing, seeing how we (some of us) were gone for a few weeks. The answer is NO! If anything, we tire of feeding fish (going out and coming back empty-handed). Tight lines, and keep the rod-tip up!

Hose and Corrugated Siding

Originally uploaded by klpny.

This is my first FLICKR/Photo-Blog Entry, so it is kind of a test-run, but the other journal thing wasn’t working too well. Maybe because I am a bit more visual than oral, but it is rather easy for me to recall the thoughts I was having after taking (and later reviewing) this image. I couldn’t help but think how the commonplace can become the extraordinary.

These items here (which I find rather pleasing) were sitting on the side of a shed of a friend’s (brother’s) house. After shooting the image, I was thinking of how odd my guests would find it that I was focused on something they walk past on (possibly) a daily basis without even giving it a second-thought. After-all, it’s a piece of rolled-up hose leaning against an old rusted shed. But then I think of the throngs of people who I see all the time here in NYC, who are taking aim with camera at a bridge or building that goes unobserved (by me). The commonplace for me becomes the extraordinary for them.

I’m still getting used to the new camera, and still trying to focus my eyes on the commonplace and try and find the extraordinary. It has been a long time, and I have to agree with what Loretta said recently, that if you can’t find something interesting within 20-feet to photograph, you’re not looking hard enough. Well, I know I’m not looking hard enough

There are some other shots taken from this rural VA location and can be seen here on my FLICKR page. Maybe some more comments to follow.

August 17th, 2006, 11:57 PM, Derek Monroe Tarpin exited the comforting confines (however cramped) of his mother’s womb to the living, breathing, walking, talking, hustle-bustle, walkabout, helter-skelter, buzz-of-the-bee, plate-spinning, giri-giri, whirlwind surrounds of… well, life in general. This might explain the absence of any posts here on this blog for almost two-months, as there are many “babies” that have been crying for attention; the business, Sakura, expecting mother and of course, fluke waiting for another morsel of bait.

Fast forward another few months (it’s now October 15th as I write) and baby Derek is well adjusted to the outside whirlled; security of familial voices and faces, mother’s milk just a coo away, and only the occasional upset of someone pinching him or his routine being changed. One would think that his presence alone would be motivation enough to write, but it seems as if when with him, I am always “in the moment”; much more enjoyement in embracing the experience than in writing about it.

I do find myself writing because there is another road-trip coming up, and I can already feel myself gearing up to be the scribe to the events that will occur, and with the rag-tag gang that is going on this trip, events will occur. I’d like to think that I will be writing more and more about Derek’s achievements, but maybe (as I did with Sakura) I will be writing more and more for HIM to read at a later date.

When I do the math (I’ll reach 50 before he reaches one) I can’t help but wonder how much we will get to know one another. Sakura has 15 years that he wont, and whether that is a good thing or not, it is a fair amount of time. I know all to well how early childhood memories can become totally lost and buried, in my own life and now as I am witnessing with Sakura, and as I sit here ad write, I cannot help but ponder what will be the more important thing to write about should be. Would Derek benifit more from me acknowledging the amazement and wonder that his development brings to us, or from reading about what I did for a few weeks in November of 2006? Maybe both are equally as important.

That would be me. With the frustrating results of fighting to achieve search-engine results that are comparable to the item being searched (best key lime pie doesn’t necessarily mean best ranking on the search engines) I feel the need to blow off some steam. Going on 12-years now, I have been making my key lime pie commercially, but my primary motivation to start making them was not with the intent to make a living for myself or to build a business. Close to 30-years ago I decided to start making key lime pie for myself and for my family and friends. Having grown up in South Florida, I became disenchanted with the offerings of key lime pie that were out there. The decision came from the school of thought “if you want something done right, do it yourself”.

I have always access to fresh key limes, so I just stuck to the basic five-ingredient recipe that had been the stronghold of key lime pie for decades. Not to impugn the amazing and wonderful, creative expression of pastry chefs and bakers who have made other versions of a key lime pie. What I was then and am now making is the classic, traditional, AUTHENTIC key lime pie. Graham cracker crust (crumbs and butter) and a filling made with sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks and fresh squeezed key lime juice. Keep it simple, stupid! As for the bottled key lime juice from concentrate, I’ve said it before… fine of you’re stripping paint or removing rust, but not in food!

So, fast-forward to my life in New York City, where I came up with the idea for Steve’s AUTHENTIC. Why not offer the Big Apple that same key lime pie, using the same basic fresh ingredients just as I did for my family and friends? If finding an authentic key lime pie was that difficult to do in Miami, it should have been even more difficult to find one up here. There might be a few problems with trying to sell people on the idea of authenticity; people might not know the difference or they might not care to pay for the quality. But I just stuck to my guns, and thankfully there were enough restaurant owners who were kind enough or cared enough about what they were serving their customers, they start buying my pies. I never had a business plan, I never had any investors, I never had any input from people in the know, I just made the best damn key lime pie I could with no compromise and tried to get it out there. It was sort-of that “field of dreams” theory, “if you build it, they will come!”

Never once did I even consider using anything else but the freshest ingredients I could. But confessions being confessions, I did have a period of time when I wasn’t using 100% fresh key lime juice. We were mixing fresh Persian lime juice with fresh key lime juice, and I was feeling some degree of guilt. The rest of the protocol was being followed and my customers never mentioned anything about a taste-difference (I don’t think the restaurateurs sample the product that often), but it did bother me that I was, in a way, cheating.

Back to the snob remark and relating it to the search engine results. Since selling my key lime pie online, I have become very aware of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and very aware of the search engine results. It still remains an enigma, and certainly the results are not indicative of quality (as a result, I now find myself looking onto the 2nd and 3rd page of query returns). Somewhere on my site, I make reference to a key lime pie maker with his shop in (of all places) Key West. A number of years ago, he and I chatted on the street in front of his shop; he was nice enough to show me around a bit, he was an affable fellow who enjoyed sharing some key lime shop-talk. But when I complained about the raising cost of butter and the difficulty in juicing the key limes, admonished me to “use a pre-made crust” or “just use the bottled juice”. My thought went directly to my initial motivation to start making the pies to begin with, where is the integrity? Where is the devotion to doing one thing and doing it as well as you can, without regard to the bottom line?

My business has remained a small operation. I’ve had the visions of grandeur, and seen one other key lime pie maker (who like me, not in the state of Florida and is the other commercial bakery beside me to use fresh key limes) who started business about the same time I did. He has achieved a great deal of success and tremendous growth in his operations. Honestly, I had felt some degree of “defeat” after reading of his successes. No sour grapes here, I’m OK with where I am, and I assume that the day his pies are to be offered online, it will just be one-more search engine result to be in the horse race with everything else out there. I also wonder what compromises he might have made in order to have gone “big-time”.

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, defines a snob as “One who affects an offensive air of self-satisfied superiority in matters of taste or intellect” Maybe purist is a better word. Still, my search engine results not where they should be, but my key lime pie is!

Tomorrow (Sunday May 28) The Grand Prix of Monaco will be held, the seventh of eighteen races in the 2006 season. Unfortunately for F-1 fans, the race will be taped-delayed thanks to CBS. But for any NASCAR fans who might come across the F-1 race, here are a few clues.

1. Cars turn both left AND right, usually one following the other.
2. Race will happen within a prescribed time (1:00 PM local), whether it rains or not. Race will continue until prescribed number of laps are completed, whether it rains or not.
3. Contact with opponents car, wall or anything other than the track surface will usually results in severe damage beyond the scope of duct-tape repairs.
4. Drivers may speak a native language other than English (optional).
5. Races will occur in more than one country (see #4).
6. US Manufacturers (Ford, GM and Chrysler) are not excluded from joining Formula-1, along with others such as Ferrari, Renault, Mercedes, BMW, Honda and Toyota.

Gentlemen, start your engines.

Years ago, I posted a collection of postcards from my beloved (in memory) South Florida. One of those postcards was a view of Lummus Park, which sits on the water side of Ocean Drive in South Beach.

To put into some historical context to both what I’m writing about and the time I lived in South Beach, it was post-Mariel boat-lift (a little history) and pre-Miami Vice. I’ll suffice to say sometime in the early 80’s. The only bar you could find in South Beach was the Club Deuce, and if there was a Mercedes driving down Ocean Drive, chances it was just stolen from Collins Avenue a few miles north. Read the rest of this entry »