64-12 Wetherole Street in Rego Park - Yesterday and Today

 In January 1980, I moved out of my parents' apartment on Saunders Street and moved to a small one-bedroom apartment a few blocks away at 64-12 Wetherole Street, across the street from P.S. 139. It was a small building with just 12 apartments.  I lived there until Fall 1983 when I married Karen and moved to 62-60 99th Street.  I remember the landlady was a cheap bitch and gave very little heat.  On a few occasions, it was so cold in the apartment that I could see my breath.

64-12 Wetherole Street in 2009

Today, as I perused Facebook, I found a post in the Rego-Forest Preservation Council Folder by Jim Orens and learned that 64-12 Wetherole Street is being demolished and will be replaced by a much larger building.  I haven't visited Rego Park in a while. I am aware that many small buildings were demolished and replaced by high rises.  For example, the Shalimar on 63rd Drive and the Trylon on Queens Blvd. are gone, replaced by high-rises.  Everyone is out for the almighty buck.

2026 64-12 is on the right side and is being deconstructed

The building on the left replaced a low-rise

Random Thoughts of the Day - Tuesday March 3

 

• I saw the documentary Man on the Run about Paul McCartney on Amazon Prime Video.  It was very good, but it stopped in the early 1980s.  Perhaps there will be another film about Paul's later years
• Out of Sight, Out of Mind also applies to families.  I sent a kind email to Karen's nephews and niece in California, but they didn't respond.  This is disappointing, but there is nothing I can do.
• This year, I will watch some of the World Baseball Classic.  Opening Day at Citi Field is on March 26.  Hopefully, it won't be cold that day.

EPIC - Elvis Presley in Concert at AMC Fresh Meadows

 

My son Lee, the Elvis Presley fan in the family, insisted we see EPIC Elvis Presley in Concert, which opened in traditional movie theaters this weekend.  It was not a traditional concert film that showed one concert, but provided clips from different concerts from Elvis's later years.  There were also flashbacks from his earlier years.  Interviews were also featured.

• There were several seconds of Elvis singing Dylan's "I Shall Be Released".  I was not aware of this recording
• Elvis never did a concert outside North America
• Some of the footage was never shown before.
• There were only about 10 people in the audience.  I guess people would rather stay home to watch movies.

On the way home, I turned the SiriusXM radio to Elvis Radio, where we heard director Baz Luhrmann interviewed.

Review in the New York Times

Solitaire - Elvis Presley Covers a Neil Sedaka Song

 Last night we heard the terrible news that Neil Sedaka passed away at age 86.  He was certainly an icon in popular music for over 60 years.  It was a shame that he was not elected to the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Obituary in the New York Times.  He also wrote songs for other artists.  Solitaire did not chart for either Elvis Presley or Neil

Johnny Cash - A Wanted Man on What Would Have Been His 94th Birthday

 

This duo of Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan appears on the Dylan boxed set Travelin' Thru.  If you listen carefully toward the end, Johnny changed the lyrics:

Wanted Man Duluth

Wanted Man Hibbing

Wanted Man Dyess

Happy Heavenly 83rd Birthday to George Harrison

 

George Harrison has appeared many times in Bruce's Journal. Many of the YouTube videos that I posted on previous birthdays have been deleted.  I never posted Got My Mind Set on You.

One of these days, I will have to replace the deleted videos.  It would likely take a long time for me to do it.

Remembering a Snow Day - January 20, 1961

Today, there was some controversy over whether the NYC school buildings should be closed and whether online learning should be done.  The mayor decided to open the schools, but there was opposition from many parents and politicians.  On January 20, 1961, I was in the 6th grade at PS 139 Queens in Rego Park.  The day before, a classmate offered to bring a TV to school so everyone could watch the JFK inauguration.  There was a heavy snowstorm that day, and the schools were closed so we could watch the event from home.