ва
Speaker 3
Hi Allen, this is Kat. I live on the lower east side of Manhattan and I am low vision slash legally blind. I walk with a mobility stick which is a red and white stick that has a ball in the end and you use it to scan the ground in front of you to make sure that you don't step in things or fall.Fortunately I knew this neighborhood before I lost my eyesight a few years ago. I do have peripheral vision.
I just can't really like look right at things and see them.It's a condition called uveitis. So I'll kind of take you on a walk to my coffee shop. So I exit the gates of my little complex, make a right.First there's an intersection and it doesn't have a button. There will often be a helpful person who will try to grab me or say it's okay, it's okay, walk, go ahead.
But I don't cross against the light.If I can't see that well that day, for example if it's really really bright out, then I can listen for when the cars start going in the right direction and then I'm like immediately supposed to walk before someone has a chance to like make a right into me. I was an avid walker before I lost my eyesight. That was kind of how I just really thought things out.It was really frustrating. I can't really get exercise walks anymore.
So once I get across that intersection I'm crossing under the Williamsburg bridge.It's very loud and it's, pardon me, disgusting under there. I don't know when I'm stepping in. There's several manholes with steam coming out of them.I do my best. Then I come to another intersection which is very mellow.
It's just one way and it has a stop sign and there's hardly any traffic there and I can kind of feel it out.And if I see someone else walking across, I just like, I just follow them and walk really quick. I pass a park, walk up a little hill and then there's an intersection with the button that you press that says wait, wait, wait. And I like that particular intersection because the directions from that button are louder than the traffic.But I really have to watch out for bikes. The weather is getting warmer so lots of people are coming out on bikes.
They will just whiz right by me on the sidewalk.It's really interesting how different people react. Some people just sort of explicitly ignore me. Sometimes stop short.They don't know what to do. Oh yes, I'm heading up to my coffee shop.
There's one barista there who makes really good coffee.His name is Nick. He sings at the top of his lungs really loud but he has a good voice. I think he might be a musician.It's a weird place, full of characters, lots of dogs. I recommend it.
It's Ost on Grand Street in New York.That's it for now. Thanks so much. Bye.
Speaker 1
Thank you, Kat, so much for that incredibly informative, genuine dispatch. I really appreciate you taking the time to send that in. And hey, shout out to Ost Coffee Shop and especially Nick, the singing barista.I gotta go there next time I'm in Manhattan. Hey, if you want to send me a little dispatch from your walk in the form of a voice memo, send it over to walkingabouthistoryatgmail.com.
Just like 30 seconds to a minute or so, dispatch while you're out there for a walk would be amazing.And now, back to my walk with Derek Waters. What's going on with Pearl Jam these days? How's Eddie doing?
Speaker 2
We're still looking for a new drummer. If they have one, they haven't announced it.
Speaker 1
The drummer didn't pass away, did he?
Speaker 2
No, no. Matt Cameron just said, I believe he's had enough. I mean, he played with Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and I believe he also has his own side projects.
Speaker 1
Do you think that was what we were hearing earlier, was his side project, the Matt Cameron side project?
Speaker 2
Oh my God, we should go back. You mean with the mallets? Yeah.Oh man. No, he's really good. I think it would have been a beat if it was him.
Speaker 1
Okay.
Speaker 2
But interesting, you brought up Pearl Jam. Oh, I guess it was based off my shirt reference, but my favorite band. I'll take all the Gs.
Speaker 1
I mean, they had an album come out a couple years ago, but I haven't checked in on that one yet. Did you give it a listen?
Speaker 2
And this is Wreckage by Pearl Jam. Yeah. Did you say have I checked that one out?
Speaker 1
Yeah, have you checked out the new band?
Speaker 2
No, no, I'm waiting, waiting for it to come out. Yeah, it's great.
Speaker 1
They still have it.
Speaker 2
Went to see them at the Ohana Fest and like, yeah, they're older, but they still sound fucking great. They're just a great band. I love them.
Speaker 1
What are your places in the neighborhood that you like to go besides this car wash over there?
Speaker 2
Red Maple is the best.
Speaker 1
Oh, Red Maple. Yeah, we've eaten there all together.
Speaker 2
Yep. That is an amazing. That is my favorite.It's an amazing diner. Great diner.
Foreman's, I believe it's pure title is Foreman's Whiskey Tavern.It's a cool bar with really good food. It's gotten a little cool. Bars don't need DJs, in my opinion.But yeah, it's a great area. Great Bob Hope Center.
Speaker 1
There's the landmark Bob's Big Boy.
Speaker 2
And Bob's Big Boy. Milton Eadie, gotta give a shout out to my dry cleaners.
Speaker 1
Shout out.
Speaker 2
Yeah, it's a great hood. But yeah, when I first moved here, I was 11 years in Hollywood and then four years in Studio City. In all those places, I stepped in human shit.It's great to be somewhere where I haven't.
Speaker 1
Well, the day is still young.
Speaker 2
As I say, the night is young, and so are we.
Speaker 1
But yeah, it is daytime.
Speaker 2
Fuck it. Oh, we have fun, Alan.
Speaker 1
I love the little bit of, we got a little bit of Art Deco architecture over here. Oh, dude, look at these guys. These massive red ants.
Speaker 2
Whoa. Don't let them get inside you.
Speaker 1
Whoa.
Speaker 2
Those are called ants.
Speaker 1
They're moving.
Speaker 2
Body moving. Body moving. How much do you have to pay if someone sings a song?
Speaker 1
Typically just like 10 or 20 grand or something. Okay. Yeah.
Speaker 2
I'll split it if we can sing body moving.
Speaker 1
Oh, yeah. So we're not far. We're not far from Universal Studios.
Speaker 2
It's amazing.
Speaker 1
Do you hear the people writing the movies?
Speaker 2
I hear them writing the movies. Yes. Screaming for Jaws.I love Universal.
Speaker 1
It's so fun.
Speaker 2
These are really fun. They're called Gum G-U-M. It's a toothpick.
Speaker 1
Oh, I didn't even see you were doing a toothpick.
Speaker 2
Yeah, but it's very addicting, and it's good for you.
Speaker 1
Hi. It's got maybe a minty flavor.
Speaker 2
It doesn't have a flavor. It just has a little prickly thing on it. It's very good for I like flossing.I mean, I don't like flossing, so it's nice to have something that makes you do it, you know what I mean?
Speaker 1
Yeah.
Speaker 2
Even though I haven't eaten.
Speaker 1
You got a great set of chompers. A lot of people don't give you credit for that.
Speaker 2
A lot of people don't know. I still have an overbite after four years of braces, but yeah, it's good to floss. I also need to promote, I'm 46 years old.
Speaker 1
Hell, yeah.
Speaker 2
I just got my second colonoscopy, and I highly recommend every man to do it, and woman.
Speaker 1
I just did my first one this year.
Speaker 2
And?
Speaker 1
It was a lovely experience. Did you have any polyps? Let me think.I think I had a couple of little guys that they carved out of there.
Speaker 2
But they got them out.
Speaker 1
They got them out, and they were not anything to worry about.
Speaker 2
Great. Amen.
Speaker 1
Had a great nap.
Speaker 2
Yeah.
Speaker 1
It was a lovely sleep.
Speaker 2
Wasn't it great waking up from that? That is a cool high.
Speaker 1
Yeah. That was awesome.
Speaker 2
Michael Jackson had that part right.
Speaker 1
I feel like that's a diet. That's a real diet. Going on the colonoscopy diet, that'll get you.I lost at least four. I definitely dropped a few LBs getting ready for that.
Speaker 2
But as a man, I say men put things off and don't want to do shit. That's true. It's a stereotype that's real.And I grew up with a father who doesn't go to the doctor. And I was like, this shit just... My buddy, Chad Leo, I grew up with, got stage four at 41 years old.So that made me go and get it taken care of early to check. Because the insurance says 45. That's such bullshit.People can get it at, you know... 44?
Speaker 1
45?
Speaker 2
45 is when insurance will cover it. Oh, I see.
Speaker 1
Right.
Speaker 2
Unless it runs in your family. Anyway, get your colon checked. That's great to do.The first time I had four polyps. This time I had one.
Speaker 1
All right, that's a good trend.
Speaker 2
My body is perfect.
Speaker 1
Doesn't it feel great, though, after you do something like that? I know, it really feels like a huge weight is lifted. Because it's a test you really want to pass.But yeah, it's good to... The pressure's way less if you're not really having... If you're not going in because you've got some sort of issue already, you're just going in to get it checked out.
Speaker 2
Make sure it's good.
Speaker 1
Yeah. I also did a little research on Baltimore. Because that's where you're from.That's where I'm from. And there's just fun things about it. Like, it was the first, like...I think it was the first, like, gas lamp district. It's true.
Speaker 2
And the gas lamps at Disneyland are from Baltimore.
Speaker 1
Wow.
Speaker 2
I don't know if you saw that, but I just learned that recently.
Speaker 1
The Star-Spangled Banner was written there.
Speaker 2
That's right. Francis Scott Key.
Speaker 1
And let me think here. Let me think here. There's some good stuff.Oh, the Ouija board is from Baltimore.
Speaker 2
Get out of here.
Speaker 1
Yeah, you ever heard about that? No. That's awful.Isn't that spooky? I hate that. All right.
Speaker 2
I'm all into spirits. No, no, no. That just bums me out.Because that thing is negative. I love spirits, but I feel like using that...
Speaker 1
They need to be left alone.
Speaker 2
I did it once, and something was off. And I threw it in the fire.
Speaker 1
Oh, gosh. Did it flame up into, like, a horrifying, like, blue flame or something?
Speaker 2
Yeah. It turned into King Harley Race and I hopped a loogie at my dad. No, whatever.I'm not going to go on a whole ghost tangent, but that's crazy. I'd never heard the Ouija board was from Baltimore.
Speaker 1
Yeah. Well, there you go. Well, I'm glad you could learn a little something about your home turf.Yeah. From little old me today.
Speaker 2
I love that. That was one of those things. The Ouija board, Francis Scott Key, and the gaslight.I mean, those are... But the gaslight is very fascinating.
Speaker 1
After some terrifying trivia, Derek and I arrived back at Derek's Toluca Lake house, where our walk began, and where Derek's dogs were patiently waiting.
Speaker 2
Yeah. Now, just so you know, they're both friendly, but the black one is not keen on men. So just...He'll come to you. But there's no biting.
There might be a little curious growl, but they're both all love.But I would love for you to see inside. Because I also was like... We talked about something.I was like, oh, I think this requires a picture. But it's Henry and Bull Moose. We'll say hi.
Speaker 1
Aw. Oh, you got some tomatoes going out here. Yeah, aren't they nice?Hey, guys. Hey, Bull.
That's Alan.Hello, Bull. That's Alan. You are...That's Henry. What a big boy.
Yeah, good boy.Oh, my goodness. Wow. Oh.Oh, my gosh.
Speaker 2
Yeah, they're such good boys.
Speaker 1
Look at you.
Speaker 2
He's letting you pet him, which is very rare.
Speaker 1
Hey.
Speaker 2
Hey, come on.
Speaker 1
Oh, there you go.
Speaker 2
Yes, sir. All right, come on in. Whatever you say, sir.Whatever you say, sir. Come on in. Tell me how long you live.
Speaker 1
Come on in, Alan. What a great... Oh, beautiful.It feels like a boathouse. Like, I feel like I'm on a lake, like a lake house or something.
Speaker 2
Oh, this is a lake house. Yeah, we're right on the lake.
Speaker 1
Wow. Toluca Lake.
Speaker 2
Yeah. Does it really feel like a lake house?
Speaker 1
Yeah, it does. Just because of the way the entryway works and everything.
Speaker 2
Would you like some warm water?
Speaker 1
Yeah, if you have like hot lemon water. That's my favorite right now. I don't know if I mentioned that.
Speaker 2
But this was the picture I thought made sense. Oh, yeah, look at that. That's one of my prized possessions.And when you said people mover, I was like, well...
Speaker 1
It's a poster of the Disneyland people mover.
Speaker 2
Yeah, that is a classic. Isn't that cool? Come to the backyard.This is the best part. I like the house, but the backyard was really the selling point. Oh, wow.Oh, the pool guy might be coming. So it's not going to let the dogs out.
Speaker 1
Oh, OK.
Speaker 2
Cue the dogs out.
Speaker 1
Hey, nice. Wow. Yeah.This is a nice... What a nice backyard, lovely pool. Oh, my gosh.This is so perfect. This is like just... This is LA living, baby.This is LA living. Well, dude, thanks so much for...
Speaker 2
Thank you for having me. ...walking with me today, man. It's so awesome to see you.I really appreciate it. It's so good to see you.
Speaker 1
Yeah. This has been great. Just like no landmarks today.Just a couple of land lovers.
Speaker 2
Land lovers.
Speaker 1
A couple of slow movers.
Speaker 2
Yeah.
Speaker 1
Just having a little stroll. I love it.
Speaker 2
Great to see you.
Speaker 1
Great to see you, buddy. Hey, how about that? A lovely little home tour at the end there, too.My thanks to the great Derek Waters. Like molasses boy here, Derek likes to take it slow, which is what we do best here on Walking About.
Follow Derek on all the socials.Get your colonoscopies and don't talk on the speakerphone in public. I think those are the big takeaways from this one. We'll be taking a little hiatus here for September and back with more walks in Walktober.And a special announcement. Some big news, actually.
So have a great September and we'll be back in Walktober.Walking About is a Maximum Fun Podcast. It's created and hosted by me, Alan McLeod. Our executive producer is Harry Nelson.It's edited and mixed by Harry Nelson. Research, writing, editing and additional producing by Alan McLeod.
Original theme music by Dan Delucci.You can support Walking About by going to MaximumFun.org slash join and becoming a member for just five dollars a month. Follow us at WalkingAboutPod on Instagram and Twitter. You can follow me on Instagram and Twitter as well.I'm at Alan Molasses on TikTok. I'm also on Blue Sky and my website is alanmcleod.net.
Nothing but net.Thanks for listening and get your walk on.
Speaker 3
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