The NYC Nomad

George is the district manager of Community Board 11, which serves East Harlem.  Listen for some interesting stories and stats about the neighborhood with the most public housing in the United States.

Music by Delirata on SoundCloud

These dudes are the “NYC Snake Ambassadors” and were showcasing a BOA constrictor and Albino Burmese Python over the weekend.  They will let you take a photo with them around your neck for a fee that seems negotiable.

Daily news coverage here.  No word on if any of the 10 snakes (all living in Queens) have twitter accounts like the famous Bronx Zoo cobra.

Mike says, “People are dangerous.  Snakes are not dangerous,” but I’m still not sold.

Wilfredo Roldan is a teacher, actor, musician, and martial artist.  He told me stories about Alphabet City that are hard to believe.  Listen to his experience growing up in this neighborhood when the letters of the streets (A, B, C, and D) stood for acid, booze, crack, and dope.

Want to know about the Arts in Omaha?  For last week’s city stories feature, I tracked down Ed, who helped start a place called Hot Shops - a huge studio space North of Downtown.  Ed’s been blowing glass for over 30 years and started this project 10 years ago.  Go see him (and the other artists) if you ever make it to Omaha.

I found some other sounds in Nebraska, including the locusts that seem to be ubiquitous (and loud), some sounds from Omaha’s zoo, and interviews with Nebraskans at a 9/11 concert.

Couchsurfing in Omaha

A lot of people ask me if I use the website couchsurfing for my project.  Though I’ve only used it once to stay in NYC (in the Bronx!), I have couchsurfed in places like Dubai and Hong Kong and it was part of the initial inspiration for becoming a nomad.

A friend of mine got married in Omaha so I decided I’d check out the Heartland and couchsurf for a few days.  Matt and Emily were awesome hosts and I took a few minutes to interview them.  He’s had over 8 people stay with him at once !

More to come from Omaha.  I found an interesting guy for City Stories who started an art space.

Hey everyone,

Someone cancelled and I’m looking for a place from 9/18 - 9/25. I have other options, but thought it would be fun to find someone through the SoundCloud community. Bonus points for a week in QUEENS !

More on my fellowship with SoundCloud here.

Email thenycnomad at gmail.com if you’re interested!

Last week, I walked the streets of Carroll Gardens to find the most interesting person in the neighborhood, Vinny Tallercio.  Vinny owns the Smith Union Market which has been operating in the same location since 1945.  

In my search, I talked to the Italians, a couple of cafe owners, my wonderful hosts, and Sam at the laundromat.  You can listen to all of these characters in the podcast.

Is there an interesting person in your neighborhood?  Interview them and I will post it on on my blog and the City Stories map!  You can submit the link here

Have you seen the Swine Flu Avenger running around Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn in a gas mask?  Listen to him talk about his 6 world records in gas mask running.  If you are curious, he’s given an open invitation for people to try it out in Central Park.

Is there an interesting person in your neighborhood?  Interview them and I will post it on my Tumblr and add it to the sound map.  Submit the link here and join the City Stories group on SoundCloud!

Hey, I’m on this week in soundcloud ! :

This Week in SoundCloud! August 29-2, 2011

Catch up with what went on on the SoundCloud tumblr last week, August 29-2, including - Ed Sheeran, the NYC Nomad, Uke’s Not Dead and birdsongs!

Carroll Gardens is an historically Italian neighborhood in Brooklyn.  I caught up with a group of them outside of Vinny’s Pizzeria in my search for the most interesting person in the neighborhood.