Thanks everyone for helping create this nearly five-and-a-half-year Out and About project. I'm going to have to step back from it for awhile as my wife is due soon with our first child, which we're really excited about.
It's been an incredible experience that has taught me so much more about the spirit of this neighborhood. I can't imagine there are many other places where I could run outside for 30 minutes or an hour and come across such inspiring and interesting people, week in and week out, so willing and enthusiastic to stop and chat about their lives and the neighborhood.
There were many weeks where I was overworked or tired and not feeling like standing on a street corner, and those were always the times where I came back having shared a small moment with the most incredible people. I would often walk back feeling so much more inspired and energetic than when I had walked out the door.
Thanks to everyone who has stopped for an interview and opened up to a complete stranger. I hope I did you all justice — I definitely tried my best. Thanks to everyone's comments each week, of which I read every one of them. And thanks to Grieve for the sharp editing and advice. It's been a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
And now, here's the 2017 recap...
Jan. 11 — Ali Sahin
Jan. 18 — Eric Rignall
Feb. 1 — Lola Sáenz
Feb. 8 — Lola Sáenz, Part 2
Feb. 15 — Delphine Blue
Feb. 22 — Delphine Blue, Part 2
March 1 — Mark Seamon
March 8 — Merle Ratner
March 22 — Jennifer Brodsky
April 5 — Terry and Harmony
April 12 — Elizabeth Atnafu
April 19 — James, the Leather Man
May 3 — anonymous
May 18 — Gustavo Roldan
May 24 — Jerry Shea
June 1 — Roberta Bayley (and Stella)
June 14 and June 21 — Miss Joan Marie Moossy
June 28 — Sierra Gilboe Zamarripa (and Cecilia)
July 12 — Grace Kang
July 19 — Brian Breger (and Molly)
Aug. 9 — Puma Perl
Aug. 16 — Heidi
Aug. 23 — Felix Velazquez
Aug. 30 — David Anderson
Sept. 20 — Pepe Flores
Sept. 27 and Oct. 4 — Nancy Blum
Oct. 18 — Jay Yang
Oct. 25 and Nov. 2 — Siobhan Meow
Nov. 8 — Margie Segal
Nov. 15 — Ronald Rayford
Dec. 6 — Holly DeRito and Tulip
And previous recaps by year:
• 2012 here
• 2013 here
• 2014 here
• 2015 here
• 2016 here
17 comments:
Congratulations on your personal news! You will be missed, though! Thanks so much for all your work. It is always top notch. I learned so much. Best wishes!
truly impressive commitment---hoping for your return......
Out and About is great and greatly appreciated. Thanks for making the effort to document this East Village stories.
OAEV is an extraordinary body of work, James. Each week it proves what an interesting and diverse neighborhood the East Village continues to be, despite changes and challenges. Mazel Tov to you and your wife!
CONGRATULATIONS to you and you wife EV! I wish you the best :)
Oh man, James, you will be sorely missed. Congrats on the new bairn, may all go well when s/he comes into the world, thanks for all of your efforts these past years, a great 2018 to you and yours, and please come back soon. We need you!
Because everyone deserves to hear a "Thank You" when they've earned it and you certainly have ... best of luck on the expanding family.
The best part of this blog comes in the form of the Out & About. It will be deeply missed & I can’t wait to lay my eyes upon it again. Congrats on the baby!!
You are going to be a dad!
It was great meeting you! I'd been reading your column for years. Thanks for getting me in on what turned out to be the last year for now. Best of luck to you and your family!
James, I consider myself very fortunate to have been profiled by you several years ago. You introduced me to EVG and I've been having a ball submitting images ever since. You created a wonderful spot on EVG and I hope you're back soon. Mazal Tov on the baby news.
This column will be missed as I look forward to it each week. It reminds me of the diversity of my neighborhood and why I have spent the last 20 years to be a part of such a unique and every changing community.
Congratulations to you and your family!
Thanks for your excellent work, James. Congratulations on the baby, and I hope you'll be able to return soon!
congrats, i hope this in not the last work and hopefully you'll ruturn soon & good luck in your future endeavous ...wishing you the best!
Thanks for the kind words everyone! It's been a huge pleasure doing this and getting to know so many of you.
Has this feature been retired? No 2018 recap?
Well the way the revolving door of the new residents, which are really more like extended stay tourists and temporary transplants/implants and of course the college and post-college dormers, there really isn't any interesting or otherwise story to tell from them since they aren't part of or establishing a community.
We did retire the feature after five-plus years ... James and his wife are busy with their new family!
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