Every apartment I’ve had from Chicago to New York, no matter how humble, has been a good old friend. When you first meet them, its kinda wierd. There are little details that bug you and yeah it may not be perfect, but slowly, you get to know eachother. The years go by, and before you know it, you can’t imagine life without them. 153 Norfolk was one of those good friends.
So many friends and family came through over the years, the door was open if you needed a place to stay for a couple of nights. Or if you just wanted to come up have a beer and smoke a spiff, listen to some records, work on your bike or set your board up. The building had some native characters too: 80 year old Marge in 4E who accidentally walked into to my apartment one day in a panic because she locked herself out, then proceeded to sit on my couch and tell me her life story for 4 hours (never married, went to music school in Queens and wanted to be a piano player but instead settled for a secretary job because “thats just what women did back then"). The crazy (often drunk) middle aged woman who, rumor has it, was boning half of the cops at the local precinct and would let her dogs piss in the hallways as they pleased. The Puerto Rican teens making-out after school in the staircase, and the mysterious “screamer” on the first floor. And up until a couple years ago, you could even get a dime-bag in the building. 153 had it all. I’m sad to see it go, but psyched to get to know a bigger and better space down in Chinatown. We sure had some good times 153 Norfolk, see you around.
Posted on June 03, 2008 at 10:32 AM | Previous Entry | Next Entry | Entry List | Email Entry | Digg
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There are 8 total comments about this entry. The most recent comment was posted 3 months, 2 weeks ago...
Yeah man, the rats are definitely still there in that nest back in the “Magical Garden” on the corner. And “The Cowboy” rocker dude is still riding the elevators smoking cigarettes with a walker. “Generally looking like death” is probably the best description I’ve heard of him. Now they are “renovating” and my rent went up 400 bucks per month.
God, I love collage. I just had to take down a paper wall when I moved recently, and it felt like tearing down an era, even though it had only been a year.
That (anti) cocaine ad--do you know where it’s from? I want it.
just caught up on your post. some gems for sure. and sorry to see you go too, 153.
p.s. wasn’t i with you when we found the anti-cocaine ad?
Dear Son,
You were smoking what????
Love, Mom
I spy my Going Away Party flyer Rex did! The Chronic!!! I’m back June 13th for a long weekend, let’s celebrate something!
I’ll never forget the long nap I took when myself, Jeremy and Adam was over. He told his whole life story and I passed out
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I lived in #2C (third floor) for about 6 years. When I first moved in, there was no lock on the front door, no metal garbage container, and the most rats on the street at night than I’ve ever seen anywhere. The halls smelled like rice and beans everyday and there was that crazy old rocker dude always dressed in black, smoking cigarettes and generally looking like death; I saw him again the last time I voted in the hood. If you wanted to do some illegal dumping, Norfolk was the street to do it on.
It was from there that I met so many colorful and creative people in the LES. Ah, memories. Good times.