Christopher Lapinel

Ghostly Gotham: 25 Haunted Places in NYC

Brace yourself. These are some of the most haunted places in NYC. The season of scares is upon us, the time of year when the filmy veil of time and space slips, revealing the farther shores of existence. What we see might make us question the things…

Hunter’s Moon

Hunter’s Moon I lost it all because of you- yet it has always been an ugly cipher… I rarely know what it is or follow the vagaries to which it refers to half of the time all I see is that it is something lost Time was when all I wanted…

Guide to Green-Wood Cemetery: Inside Brooklyn’s Macabre Park

By Christopher Frederic Lapinel People these days don’t often visit cemeteries. Few go without a particular, somber purpose in mind. So, what might otherwise inspire the typical person to see tombstones? Admiring natural scenery, architecture, or art…

Walt Whitman’s Brooklyn: Walking with a Phantom

By Christopher Frederic Lapinel Walt Whitman (1819-1892) was Brooklyn’s original bearded bohemian. No other writer has ever so affectionately and effectively captured Brooklyn’s essence– warts and all. Although he moved to the borough at the age of…

History of Coney Island – Nickel Empire

History of Coney Island – Nickel Empire by Christopher Frederic Lapinel The history of Coney Island, America’s beloved amusement park and one of the city’s most famous tourist attractions has a storied history well before the rides, carnival games,…

History of Prospect Park: Life as a Sculpture

History of Prospect Park: Life as a Sculpture is a guest contribution by Christopher Frederic Lapinel The history of Prospect Park is an interesting one, in addition to some facts and other tidbits of information behind the inception to the…

History of the Brooklyn Bridge: Engineering a Love Story

by Christopher Frederic Lapinel The history of the Brooklyn Bridge, engineering a love story. Imagine New York City’s Gilded Age on May 24th, 1883. Celebrations are taking place simultaneously in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Amidst lavish pageantry and…

Why Did You Say That?

We all have an internal monologue that accompanies our conversations. It’s probably a necessary neuroticism, especially in times of civil unrest. One word incorrectly emphasized can get you in a heap of trouble. Rightfully, too. The times are…

I’m a Cuban Cracker

Though born and raised in the United States, I grew up under the ominous shadow cast by Fidel Castro’s long beard. In my family, Castro was brought up rarely, but in thunder-bursts of rage and melancholy. The only correct position in my family was to…

Hatred as Inexpressible Anger

I used to think it was a terrible thing to hate. It isn’t. It’s an emotion that should be indulged, sparingly, but by all means indulged. Hate is not evil. To love is to have the potential for hate. It’s the thorn that defends the rose. It’s at one…

A Necessary Revolution that Never Happened

History has a funny way of reminding us of who we really are and what we are about. While the allied armies of Europe battled those allied under Napoleon, for example, the bankers funded both sides. The political and ideological principles at war…

The Orchid and the Wasp: Toward Becoming Vegan and Establishing Earth Law

by Christopher Frederic Lapinel “No poet, no artist of any art, has [their] complete meaning alone…The poet must be very conscious of the main current, which does not at all flow invariably through the most distinguished reputations. [They] must be…

How to Get Permanent Marker Off Photographs

You decided on a quiet afternoon of leafing through old photographs, only to discover that your five-year-old beat you to it--with permanent marker. Now your parents' vacation in Ireland features a googly-eyed stick figure standing on your father's…

Working with the athletes, a personal view

Thursday, Jul 16, 2015 By C.F. Lapinel Next week, on July 21, the Special Olympics Switzerland is due to arrive. Their coming to Lake Arrowhead will be the result of months of planning and donations by a small army of individuals throughout the…

Superheroes Anonymous

by C.F. Lapinel Remember those fuzzy days long past, when you wanted to do something good? The idea of dressing up in a costume and putting on a mask seemed like the best career anyone could ask for. Personally, when I was about eight or nine, I…

Vegetable Oil in Rice & Cottage Cheese for Dogs

Cooking for your dog can be a wholesome way to show you care. And with the rising costs of providing for her it is also a potentially cheap way to cater to her special dietary needs. For instance, when she's suffering from stomach upset or…

Can the Wrong Dog Food Cause Excessive Shedding?

You didn't notice at first. It happened gradually. The trash bin contained higher and ever higher proportions of dog fur. Your poor Lucy, whose lustrous coat your neighbors once marveled over, now has so many hot-spots she wears a turtle-neck and…

Can You Stop a Dog From Howling in His Sleep?

“Dogs don't bark at nothing" is an adage that may or not be true. But they don't howl at nothing in their sleep. Recent studies by Dr. Matthew Wilson and Dr. Stanley Coren confirm that animals dream and quite often experience complex events while…

Kuranda vs. Coolaroo Dog Beds

Raised dog beds have orthopedic design, providing off-the-floor comfort and reducing pressure on the joints. As your Ginger ages, preventative care is good policy; a firm, pliant surface several inches off the hard floor will increase her longevity.…

Why Do Some Male Dogs Squat to Pee?

The familiar posture of a male dog urinating is a bit odd if you think about it. People take it for granted, like the sky being blue. But one day you realized: Rex doesn't spritz fire hydrants. Don't worry: unless hunkering in the grass is new, he's…