The Pen and Ink Club

--From Orwell, November 21st, 2005--

I graffitied a wall yesterday and I didn't get hauled away by the dirty coppers! Bwahaha
Ok..ok...that's not quite true...

Years ago many of America's great cartoonists would hang out together at a pub called Costello's which became known as the "The Pen and Ink Club". The story is that the owner of the restaurant cleared a wall and the Cartoonists were allowed to draw all over it. Sometimes even for their tab.

Since then, the bar has been renovated and is now the "The Overlook Lounge". The new owner wanted to continue the legacy of the bar and so he invited the National Cartoonists Society out for a night to draw on a spanking new wall sitting opposite the superstar wall that was drawn over 30 years ago.

So I was more than thrilled when I got an email asking me to bring my brushes and markers to partake in the cartoon defacing that would go down.

It was truly a wonderful day, so many great cartoonists showed up, in fact, many that you probably have read in the newspaper every day, the New Yorker, Wall Street Journal or even one of those Comeek Books. Word spread and many news channels came out to film the action. In fact, you may see my mug on Fox News this week...they filmed me as I was toiling away (I made sure to do it in my underpants so as to show my best side.) I was going to draw a rabid dinosaur or perturbed dragon...but alas....I noticed the others were doing characters they were known for...so I added "Squatty and Bernerd", from my comic strip that I do regularly for Disney Adventures Magazine. (see also www.clagreca.com)


Anyway, it was such an honor to be invited out and I just wanted to share the cool story. If you ever get the chance drop in to "The Overlook", talk to the owners (they are really great guys), gawk at all of the great art...and remember to say hello to "Bernerd and Squatty" as well.

I hope I can return in 30 years to do it again...I'm saving my underpants just in case.

Charlito La Greca aka Orwell6000

Overlook Lounge aka Bar
44225 E. 44th St.Bet. 2nd & 3rd Aves
NY, NY 10017 212.682.7266

Takin' Life by the Beans...er Balloons...er...Baloneys...

My creative ventures have always reflected my attitude to the conditions in life that affect us all. Sometimes beautiful, sometimes melancholic, sometimes angry and sometimes ebullient. The essence of life is to live and love in every moment. However, it takes a great and peaceful warrior to be able to do this every day, much less every moment. But that is the path of the artist and the creative warrior, if you will. Not a warrior in the conventional sense, but a warrior who fights against indifference, a warrior who fights against ordinariness, a warrior who fights against sleepwalking through this thing we call life!

How do we wake ourselves up? By living, by loving, by laughing. Love is really the only constant and after that everything else falls into place. No need to resist life, just do your best and relax into the world. Open your eyes and see that you are far more than you imagine! The Joy you bring is equal to the Joy you will receive, to paraphrase John Lennon. Life is full of paradox and change, but in order to live it, really live it, we have to remain awake in the moment and love and laugh as much as we ...zzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
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