Tag: monte

It's always fun to drop by Arturo's loft. After all, I have been dropping by in and sleeping over at Mr. Vega's lower East Side place since I was 15 years old. Artie always has new Ramones goodies, like these expensive collector's item skulls below. He is the Art Director of the Ramones and designed every Ramones album ever made, even the famous eagle with baseball bat logo on the skull at the right, in the picture below.

If you are really curious about Arturo and haven't heard of him before, just google: Arturo Vega. He is famous amongst the Ramones fans and alumni, etc. They signed their first ever record contract in his loft, so it's legendary and still an exciting place to hang. To know Artie is to love him.  

 

The loft is adorned with numerous art pieces by various artist, like Dee-Dee Ramone for example. He had a wild imagination, as you can see from the paintings below:

 

When Dee Dee came to Berlin, he stayed at my flat with his then wife Barbara. They spent an absurd amount of time coloring in fact (with crayons!). Lots of fun indeed. Did you ever read Dee Dee's book  "Lobotomy: Surviving the Ramones" ? He is so cute; didn't have enough funds to edit it, so it's unedited and hilarious!

 

 

Arturo (on the right) and his room mate James (middle) and his lovely sister (was visiting from San Fran)

Picture I took of a picture hanging on Arturo's bedroom wall ^ Johnny Ramone & Arturo YEARS ago. Look how HOT Arturo looks! He is older now, but still looks healthy, fit and much younger than he really is.  Notice Johnny looks miserable, as usual.

 

So after hanging at the loft for a while, Arturo, Jasmine and I all went to a ^ book release party at the Alphabet City bar, 'Manitoba's' to honor the "Official Punk Rock book of lists" by Handsome Dick Manitoba & Amy Wallace.  The party was packed with familiar faces and lots of ambitious artists, writers, photographers and other folks in the music & literary world. I found a review of the party online, click  HERE to read it.  Handsome Dick is also the singer of the Dictators and a radio personality.

( I HIGHLY recommend clicking that link to read their report of the event, it's much more thorough than mine 🙂 

Dick, me and his gorgeous British born wife, Zoe ^  

Zoe is so incredibly sexy, you just get pulled in by her piercing blue eyes and luminous skin, then she seals the deal with her charming English accent and contagious smile. She was "thrilled" to meet me and shrieked loudly when introduced "Dr. Dot!? I know you, I've read your column for AGES! I LUV YOU Dr. Dot!" and proceeded to whisk me around, introducing me to new people and  people that already knew me, but I didn't know yet, like Eric, the Managing Editor of Penthouse Forum/Girls of Penthouse, who reminded me we already know each other from a 2 hour phone interview for a piece the Penthouse Forum did on me a year or two ago. "oooooh, I forgot about that" I sheepishly admitted.

 

Me and Eric Danville ^ 

 

Eric told me it's ok to spill the beans, to pass on the great news, that as of May, my sex/relationship column, "Ask Dr. Dot" can be found monthly in the Penthouse Forum. I am over the moon about this. This certainly helps ease the pain of having my naughty column let go from the NY Press thanks to their new, wholesome (word:Boring) image. Sigh. Penthouse Forum, here I come. 

 I got to chat with Mike Edison, Senior Editor of Backbeat Books and Hal Leonard Books, which was a thrill. The man is legendary. You couldn't swing a cat without hitting a cool, connected New Yorker. I should go out with Arturo more often, it's so fun and there are always great folks around. I do admit I spend too much time at karaoke bars, whoring the mic. Karaoke WHORE!

 

 

 The legendary Photogrpaher, Leee Black Childers (yes, it's with 3 "eee's) and Zoe  ^

 Click HERE to read ALL about Leee and his part of Punk & Rock and Roll history… Speaking of history, Zoe doesn't hesitate to let you know she is an ex-PORN star who is working on her memoirs. Maybe even a reality show. She's so attractive, I'm sure many would tune in. SCHWING!

< Leee, on the left, was HOT when he was a young man. 

It was GREAT to see my pal Monte again. I have known him (And Arturo) since I was 15. Monte, in case you don't know, was the Ramones road manager. He kept everything sane & as organized as possible on the road. He was always on the ball! I haven't seen Monte for a couple years (last time was at a party for Joey's Birthday celebration at CBGB's in 2002) yet the first thing Monte says to me when he saw me was "why did you remove me from your myspace top friends!??". LMFAO, that's so funny, myspace is taking over. "you're still in MY top friends!!" he continued. "Ok, ok, I rotate my top friends, but I promise to have you back up there by tomorrow" I swore to him. I made another snide remark about how I find it totally UNFAIR that his book "on the road with the Ramones" does NOT include my name at ALL. How could that be? I was dating Joey for 3 years and hardly ever missed a weekend show! (had to go to school Monday – Thursday, skipped Fridays to be with my Punk God). Well, we all know why I am not mentioned. I was only 15 when I started seeing Joey (I told them ALL I was 19). This seems kinda creepy now, but it wasn't back then, I looked 19, acted 19 and so, to them, I was 19. Anyways. What's done is done, I'm not in the dam book! Fine. I will just write about it in mine (again). Snap 😉

Close up of Monte's jacket. I'm sure it's a collectors item…

Many more pics from the party can be seen HERE 

 

I do have lovely pictures of Jasmine, but she's banned me from posting any pics of her and even mentioning her. I will get my face ripped off for even mentioning her name in this blog. Sigh.  Trying as hard as I can to NOT write about my lovely, talented, honest, intelligent daughter, but I have to respect her wishes. Hoping you don't think I'm SOOOOO wrapped up in my business and activities that I forget my Jasmine; it's just the opposite, I wish I could post ALL the pics I have of her, she's so subtle, shy, humble and sweet; but she doesn't want it, so I can't. She isn't a camera hog like her mum. How can that be? We are the same at some points but completely opposite at others. I respect her completely and that's why you don't see a parade of Jasmine pics/videos.

 

 Random shots I took whilst about town (town, I mean, CITY!). Isn't it funny when you say "I'm in the city" people still ask "what city?". I don't feel a slight bit of guilt when I say "THE city; NYC". If you haven't been to Manhattan, then you may not understand the sarcastic, presumptuous response. 

 

 

 Is it strange to be surprised when people ask "what city?" when you tell them you are "in the city" ? If you have never been to Manhattan, you may not understand that sarcastic, presumptuous response (THE city!)

 

 The infamous ^  Jonesy in front of the 24/7 Apple store on 5th ave    

                                                                   

Icy branches amuse me  ^

 

I made another little video in Manhattan. Click HERE to see it  

 

Times Square always makes for a good photo-op.

Not that I watch much TV (in Germany I NEVER watch any TV, don't even get one channel and if I did, I still wouldn't watch it) but here in the USA they are having a writers strike (enough already peeps, get the fuck back to work, be happy you have a job). TV sucks monkey balls at the moment, hence all the time for blogging. Animal Planet + Discovery Channel are the only things worth watching. "You and me baby ain't nothin' but mammals, so lets do it like they do it on the Discovery channel"