Hats. We wear them, they protect us from the sun. Provide shade. They promote our favorite teams or vacation destinations. Some are fitted, some aren't. The reason I bring up hats is because of Nisenson The Hatter, one of the most well known hatters in Newark and yes, a relative. My mom actually found a Nisenson hat box which rests in my parents house and I bought my dad a Nisenson hat off of Ebay a few years back. There is very little information online about Nisenson The Hatter. I found myself searching last night to see what I could dig up and all I really came up with was an article printed in The Star Ledger in 1997.
At just this moment, Nisenson's hat shop, the oldest retail business in Newark, is about to make a sale. Nisenson is actually Arthur Nisenson of Bloomfield, the 50-year-old great-grandson of the orginal hatter. His store has stood on Williams Street for 109 years.The customer is Ronald Coleman of Irvington, who is casually dressed and wearing a baseball cap. Except for the sales help, he is the only person in the store. Eyeing rows of hats, Coleman, 47, a Nisenson's customer since for 30 years, stands beneath a row of photographs of Woodrow Wilson, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Frank Sinatra and others famous clientele. He is not sure what to get.
Then he selects one, asking general manager Derek Raines what it's called.
"It's a seagrass straw pith helmet," Raines says. Coleman tries it on and likes what he sees. He buys it.
He puts his baseball cap in the Nisenson's bag and leaves proudly in the new hat. That's what a $25 straw safari hat can do.
The Quest For Delilah continues...today is Day Two of my quest to get an interview with radio personality Delilah. I found out that her full name is Delilah Rene Luke (born February 15, 1960 in Reedsport, Oregon..Boaz, do you know her?). Delilah will listen to callers stories and then usually pick a song to match their feeling. Sally, here's a little Sade for your sadness.
Delilah is a single mother of ten children, 7 of whom are adopted. She is a public advocate of adoption. Her on-air persona is said to be remarkably identical to her real personality. Because of her personal experience with the foster care system, Delilah has established a foundation called Point Hope as a voice for forgotten children everywhere. Point Hope's immediate focus is on alleviating the suffering of Liberian refugees who are camped at Buduburam, a refugee camp that was established in Ghana following the Liberian civil war.
Delilah, I'm looking forward to interviewing you for this blog. Thanks!
Remember Damon Weaver? He was the eleven-year-old who was trying to score an interview with Obama. Well, he finally did it! Way to go Damon.
Here are some photos that prove that decay can in fact be beautiful.
Check out this rare gene! I'm pretty sure I don't have this one.
1 comment:
I've never heard of Delilah, though if she's an Oregonian she must be friendly.
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