Bring back Brooke and her snowboard!
Eric is a good guy. I'm glad he is back on the Elmwood scene.
Not to reminisce and I still feel like a jerk about it, but I remember back in the days when he was down on his luck, all junked out, curled up in a ball in the alley I actually pissed all over him by accident. I've told him I'm sorry about hundred times but he never seems to remember.
What a cool guy, great smile. This is exactly the kind of entrepreneur spirit I love seeing. The price of a permit is exactly the kind of thing that would make this endeavor unprofitable for him and so should be waived. It's legitamate business leaders who are trying to dictate to everyone what Buffalo commerce should look like. Just ask James the ice creamcycle guy (dec 13th story) who is being shut out downtown by Buffalo Place bureaucracy.
xmiss - when did you hear that the icecreamcycle is being shut down? he is welcome to come to hertle and i'm sure elmwood.
There are certainly more propserous people who aren't as positive. Thanks for the smile, Eric!
I often congratulate Buffalo Place on how beautifully they keep Main Street looking during the summer. I just don't understand how they can regulate EVERYTHING that happens on Main St. Isn't it still a public street? Most BP people want the best for downtown but I'm afraid that a few people with special, sef-serving interests call the shots to the detriment of the development of Main St. Unfortunately, they sometimes don't like to hear any ctiticism even if it's in the interest of the 'regular' citizens of this city. We need people like the ice cream guy out there to add the 'eyes on the street' that make a neighborhood successful. I love to see him out during the summer and hope that something can be done to change BP's position. How can we help?
reminds me of another guy who i would terribly miss in the allentown area if he ever left us...jeff goldstein..i have bought many bags for myself and others from him...they are double the standard stitch!!
Eric is a great guy.
I think we should continue to strengthen our laws and enforcement against panhandling, while at the same time support the legitimate street merchants. Food service health codes should be enforced but permits should be made one dollar.
Legitimate street merchants like Eric should be fostered in a city that nurtures enterprise, while at the same time the aggressive panhandlers (like the Chip shoeshine guy) that merely pose, as street merchants should be removed from being in contact with our downtown visitors.
Hey, anybody know what happened to Tourette Guy? I haven’t seen him around in months.
Eric is very nice. He comes out to the Maniacs CPG shows all the time.
CIVMONDO mentioned Jeff Goldstein. Buy his CDs! If you like literate, folky, Leonard Cohensque stuff.
Who is "tourette guy"? There is a guy named Sean (38?) who dances spasmodically at Maniacs shows, with glasses and a tie-dye doo-rag. Seems mildly autistic, repetitively telling you he likes bluegrass.
Street Merchants that do perform a good service like Eric and James need to be supported by both citizens and the city. Corner food stores that impact neighborhoods negatively only have to pay $100 for their annual license. It would seem to me that these street merchants could provide a sampling of their wares and get a license for $5 - easier for them to swallow a $5 fee.
As far as Tourette Guy, no not the one you're speaking of Dennis - he was arrested a few times for panhandling which he does when he's self-medicating and was also placed in rehab since he got hold of some bad heroin. I hear his father lives in Amherst and prefers that his son stay in the city, away from the family spread. Parenthood - gotta love it, eh?
Nan-C and BuffaloBloviator got it right on. Excessive liscensing, filing fees and permits fees all stifle small time business. I've read somewhere it costs more money to fish a fillet out of our own lakes and rivers than it does to buy that same fillet imported from China, shuffled through numerous middle men and on to our supermarket shelves. This of course, is due to exorbitant boat registration, and licensing fees. Nothing like exploiting other countries and limiting our freedom all in one shot. Does anyone know why that coffe shop cafe in the liberty building on Main and Court closed? Increased rent maybe?
Joshua, I'm glad to hear the Ice Creamcycle is welcomed on those streets. I didn't mean for it to sound like he was closed down but rather that he was stone walled by Main Place mall limiting the number of street vendors. I got the information from a comment James himself left under the december 13th BRO story, "Catching up with James and the Ice Creamcycle."
xmiss - thanks for the comment. I went back to the original article about the Ice Creamcycle and read James' comments. I can't believe that Buffalo Place wouldn't work with him. I really don't think there are any ice cream vendors there to compete with. I found that there are mostly hot dog and sausage vendors.
Who's the idiot who gave me a one star rating on that comment? What could you possibly dislike about that? Speak up, what evers bothering you should be aired out, if you can handle it. Or do you just get off sabotaging my rating? Does it make you feel POWERFUL? Lame, what a loser. Did you actually search back through my past comments because now I have a one star rating on a comment from the other day when I was praising White Cow Dairy on the market report story. You're a jerk with too much time on your hands. I feel bad for your family, you passive agressive....
xmiss - I also was bothered about the star rating thing a little while ago. It was explained to me that it really doesn't mean anything. There are people who just want to push your buttons, please don't let that bother you at all. You are posting very meaningful comments and because of that, Thank You!
Awww, thanks Joshua! I was worried if my rating got to low i'd get kicked off Buffalo Rising. It's my new addiction and I'd hate for that to happen. Now I can rest easy, thanks.
Another story regarding Elmwood Eric: I remember the time when my buddys ran out of smoke, but with Eric around we just ende up cutting off some of his facial hairs and got high for weeks. I love you Eric. Keep up the good jewelry and nickel facial bags.
Another story regarding Elmwood Eric: I remember the time when my buddys ran out of smoke, but with Eric around we just ende up cutting off some of his facial hairs and got high for weeks. I love you Eric. Keep up the good jewelry and nickel facial bags.
Hat tip to Carlmalone. One or two whisker bats then straight over to the closest whole foods store.
The smoking ban must be the best thing ever for this guy - it makes sure there are plenty of people for him to "sell" his goods to - 90 percent of whom probably figure they are donating to the needy, not buying a pendant. Seriously, who wears this crap?
We should be spending time talking about things that matter on Elmwood, not the folks who interupt my conversations to peddle crap on Elmwood.
If this is the direction we are going - why not see a hard-hitting expose on the Human Jukebox or the White Ninja?
CarlMalone: How does one accidentally piss all over another person??
Sayvanderlay:
It actually would make for a great future article, if it hasn't already been covered before: alleyways in Buffalo. There are numerous interesting ones around town and people don't even know about them, or often walk right by them without notice. I know I am guilty.
Back to your question and thanks for asking. The night I mentioned started off with an earlier pit stop at the Old Pink. After maybe 8 or 9 libations I strolled over the Coulter Bay for a nightcap. If you walk right past Coulter (toward Franklin) there is an alleyway on the left. I strolled into the alleyway to relieve myself.
Now I know this might not be hygienic nor neighborly, and for that I am guilty as charge, but I started to relieve myself for a minute or two when I looked down and low and behold there is Elmwood Eric curled up in a ball on the receiving end of my 98.6 degree golden shower. I said to myself, "s+++t, I'm relieving myself on Elmwood Eric." I quickly stopped and whipped away some of my urine that had damped his face and facila hair with an extra used hankie I had in my pocket. Luckily I really only violated his hoodie versus a full soak on his hair.
I felt bad and offered to buy him a beer but he just wanted to sleep. I walked in Coulter, had a couple of pops, walked out to check on him since it was super cold, maybe 20 degrees out, and he was gone… No malice
I have never seen "the white ninja" bother anyone and from what I can tell prefers to be left alone. I heard she is a germaphobe but who knows. Shoe shine guy is hit or miss, depending if he's gotten his fix. He can turn real nasty real fast though. I haven't seen tourett guy in a long while. I greatly dislike the human jukebox guy I find him to be pretty rude when you deny him change, a smoke, or his "singing services."
This guy is alright to me. He'll try to sell and when you say no thanks he leaves you alone and sends you on your way with a smile. Okay with me.
McGowan, you must be on the wrong website. To your genius gesture - "We should be spending time talking about things that matter on Elmwood, not the folks who interupt my conversations to peddle crap on Elmwood." - let me remind you that this is a site about Buffalo, not just Elmwood. You accidently went to BuffaloRising.com, not ElmwoodRising.com. It must be nice to live in your little world. And for what it's worth Mr Elmwood Wannabe, I don't wear Eric's jewelry nor do my pals, but we always have a look at what he has. And, if nothing grabs my attention, I tell him no thanks today and he smiles/keeps on trucking/proud that people like his shit. Occasionally, I grab a lil' sumptin' sumptin' for a niece or nephew, but it's all about free enterprise and the fact that he works for a living; something which you may or may not do between your ever so important conversations that Eric interrupts. You, my friend, are a tool. We prefer if you move back to Pine Ave. Now get going. Bye!!
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