Walkable Eastwood » Palace Theatre

We have a place to celebrate

Lonnie — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 03:25:03 +0000

On Tuesday, January 20, Dave and I joined some six or seven hundred of our Syracuse neighbors at the Palace Theatre to witness the inauguration of President Barack Obama. For those of you who couldn’t be there, I’m sorry you missed it. I hope you were with others who were as moved by the whole thing as that packed theater was.

I’d like to shout a hearty “Thank you!” to Michael Heagerty, the owner of the Palace, who so generously opened the theater for this event, allowing everyone in for free. Not only that, he had the good sense to choose CSPAN to project onto that big screen. A brilliant move! Because we were not subjected to non-stop commentary and clever shots taken at various times, we were able to really feel like we were right there, in the moment, simply watching it unfold with millions of other teary-eyed Americans.

The crowd was great. Along with everyone in there, we laughed, we clapped, we cheered, we stood up and sat down when told to do so. All in unison with the folks out there on that freezing mall.

We later learned that some people with “coveted tickets” didn’t make it in. How sad! Here in Eastwood, we’re blessed with one of the greatest semi-public spaces a neighborhood can have: an independent theater run by a member of the family that built it. This historic moment would not have been the same had Michael not risked a good chunk of change to renovate it and make it available to all.

Syracuse has its problems and quirks, but I will never forget the words of a visitor from Madrid who stayed with us for a few days back in 1991: ¡Vivís una vida privilegiada! You-all live a privileged life!

It’s the old beloved places large and small and the big-hearted people like Michael who help to make our lives in this community more privileged than we often realize.

More “Says You!” at the Palace!

Lonnie — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:04:50 +0000

Due to popular demand, WRVO has announced an additional taping of “Says You!” in Syracuse, Sunday, May 18th at 1:00 p.m. at the Palace Theatre. Go to the WRVO website to purchase tickets.

Main level non-reserved general admission tickets are available for $25.00 each. Seats in the balcony are sold out, as are tickets for the . . . → Read More: More “Says You!” at the Palace!

Robert Goulet’s last concert: at the Palace Theatre

Lonnie — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 02:55:04 +0000

Eastwood has the poignant distinction of being the site of the last concert performed by a most beloved singer, Robert Goulet, who died this past Tuesday of pulmonary fibrosis. You may remember that he gave a concert, “The Man and His Music,” at the Palace Theatre on September 20.

Many of us will dearly miss this talented man. I, for one, find it hard to put into words the place Mr. Goulet had in my life. As corny as it seems these days, mine was a family that actually sang together around the piano. Whenever Dad would go to New York on a buying trip, he’d come back with sheet music from whatever Broadway show he’d seen. Consequently, I have a head full of show tunes, not a few of which had been sung by Mr. Goulet. He was the first man I ever fell in love with. I think I was about nine.

…And I know if I’ll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I’m laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star

(from “The Impossible Dream” from MAN OF LA MANCHA, 1972)

Video of Robert Goulet singing “The Happy Time” (1968)

Grupo Pagán CD Release Party at the Palace

Lonnie — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 05:08:59 +0000

I’m biased about this group, I have to admit. Dave and I love Latin rhythms, we love to dance, and Grupo Pagán plays some of the hottest, most “danceable” music you’ll hear in Syracuse. They play most frequently at the Dinosaur these days, but you can catch them at many festivals and some other venues throughout the year. Now is your chance to hear them here in Eastwood, and maybe catch your walkable blogger dancing her feet off!

From the Grupo Pagán website:

The CD has been mastered by Rich Breen and is ready for release. We are very excited and feel very blessed. Rich has won Grammys for his engineering and has worked with The Yellowjackets, Nora Jones, Sheryl Crow, Michael Jackson, Bill Evans, and the Rolling Stones to name a few. The CD, which was produced by Legendary Yellowjackets bassist Jimmy Haslip, contains guest performances by world renowned artists Eric Marienthal, Katisse Buckingham, Mikanic, and Emedin Rivera.

Please come join Grupo Pagan and special guests Mikanic, The S.U. Brazilian Ensemble, and Brian Bromka’s La Familia Salsa Dancers for a fun-filled exciting evening of Latin, South African, and Brazilian rhythms as we hold a festival to celebrate the release of our debut recording ‘Save The World’.

Where: The Palace Theatre – 2384 James St., Eastwood, Syracuse
When: Saturday April 28th – 8PM
Price: $10 – Adults, $5 – Children under 12

You haven’t lived in Eastwood if you ….

Lonnie — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 14:35:05 +0000

What do you remember or know about Eastwood that makes this place unique among all other neighborhoods in the world? Please use the comment function to add your thoughts to those you see here, sent from Karen who moved to Florida and writes to us in the Walkable Eastwood email group.

You haven’t lived in Eastwood if you…

Never got caught with your feet up on a seat in the Palace, and Frances shining her flashlight in your eye. Yelling “Feet down or get out”.

Never tried sneaking in the Palace from the side door emergency exits… Your friends would pay to get in then make a lot of noise in the girls room with flushing and running water. Frances would come in to yell, “That’s enough water! If you want a bath, go home!” While she was in there someone would open the side door and let you in……

Never hid in Cummings field after dark, used your parents camera flash to make street light shut off, then swung on parks swings till midnight…..

Never listened to the great Stan Collela Orchestra while “Dancin’ under the stars”

Never had to close your windows on a damp or humid day when the winds came out of the east……Penicillin and Bristol……

Never had a 10 cent cinnamon Hershey Popsicle at Chase’s cigar store…

Never met great men like the late Tom Shepardson…. A kind friendly comfort in your hour of need…..

Never saw the great parade of little hobgoblins march up Forest Hill Drive every year on Halloween from A.S Huntington School…..

Never knew the phone number of every payphone from Charney’s to Thompson Rd…..or who was calling and probably who they were looking for…

Never went for a walk after dark over Sunnycrest hill/Shotwell park watching all the lights of the cars going by on 690 , while the wind whispering in the trees was making creepy noises and scaring your pants off…..

Never bought “chum gum” for a penny at Mel and Vi Sayers’ market…..

Never ate awesome Fried Haddock at the Fish Cove in Shop City…(No haddock in Florida)…

Never smelled that crazy musty odor in McCrory’s while your Mom made you try on flip flops or bought toilet paper there…..

Never had fries and a burger at Grant’s dept store snack bar in Shop City….

Never spent all summer saving money to go to all the surrounding neighborhoods’ “field days”…..They used to do one in the “First Trust” bank parking lot (Key Bank corner of Collingwood /James)… How about the one in Lyncourt, down in the field where Court Street meets Teall just east of Syracuse China……..

Never had a “Elephant Ear ” or “hot cross bun” at Rasmussen’s bakery on James St.

Never had a headlight at Geddes Bakery…..

Never played pool at Cap’s…..

Never played the greased watermelon race at the pool days, outdoors at the Huntington pool……

Never made boondoggles, lemon ice or spin art with the rec dept at Huntington park….

Never wrote your initials on the wall outside Biasone’s bowling alley and got chased away…..

Never ate McDonald’s late night outside the Fotomat in Shop City…..

Never got to try nail polish on at the make-up counter in Mr. Wager’s pharmacy on James and North Ave….

Never walked down James St on a summer Sunday around 10:30 when the Catholics, Methodists and Baptists were all singing hymns with their doors open…..

Never took a cab ride with “Ace Eastwood Cab Company”… Louie Tenalglia, Louie Recaparo, Vic Bottina, Esther Blevins… To name of few of my cabby friends….

Never got out of BS school for lunch and had a RB on a Kaiser at Sid’s Steak and Sundae…

Never had a note along with 200 other kids for a “Dr appointment” on opening day at the Syracuse Chiefs…..

Never ran into Galloway’s Pharmacy to get out of the rain and grab a coke while doing your paper route on Paul, Peck, James, Teall and Rugby Rd….

Never got a really beautiful Christmas tree at the Evergreen Mart on Thompson Rd. Or beautiful annuals across the street at Barbagallo’s stand….

Never wondered if smelt were fish, why on earth did that factory on Thompson Rd smell like smoke and dirty metal?

Never were green with envy at the size of that awesome front yard at Shotwell and James St and GOBSMACKED how ya never saw any kids playing on it…..

and last but not least…

Never thought it was gonna be missed so very much when you left it behind…….

I left my heart in Eastwood….

To all
Peace
Karen

“A Conversation With Diane Rehm”

Lonnie — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 21:43:52 +0000

Wednesday May 2, 2007 at 8:00pm
at The Palace Theatre in Syracuse
Tickets go on sale today – Monday March 19 at 9:00am.

GENERAL ADMISSION PRICES: $25 per ticket for the main level or $20 per ticket for balcony seating.

To purchase tickets by phone, call WRVO at 1-800-341-3690 or you may purchase tickets online. Call today as seating is limited.

WRVO is the only place to purchase tickets to see Diane Rehm at The Palace Theatre in Syracuse.