Greenwich Village

7/8/11  sitting at Gizzi's coffee shop in the village. trying to tap into the beat.  the old vibe that gave rise to the beatnick.  what is it about it that intrigues me? what am i trying to tap in to? the two things i think about are art smith and the movie funny face. art smith, a modernist jewelry artist had a shop on west fourth in the village from the forties to seventies. his shop slash studio was also a slash coffee shop type atmosphere in that people would congregate there to discuss whatever, art, religion, politics, etc. funny face starred audrey hepburn and fred astaire.  audrey played joan a librarian in a little greenwich village bookshop and adored empathicalism, the beatnick culture and aspired to be counter culture.  she got to go to paris as a model the unique turn in the movie and had the chance to meet professor fleaustre the originator of empathicalism at a beatnick bistro.   point? the underlying similarities i have finally figured out is they all represent community and discussion, diversity and entertainment. an ideal flavor mix of art, creativity, philosophies, beliefs and expression of said items. my favorite flavor.