This blog concerns some “wonders” of Gotham. I planned another topic. I committed myself to another topic. Somehow Friday’s blogger

On Dec 11, 2020, at 4:39 PM, Fred Klein wrote: Great blog subject

convinced me to share this account.  Sometime around 3:30 p.m. Friday afternoon, as I am leaving my car, I hear WFAN Craig Carton telling Evan Roberts to stop by a Philly Pretzel Factory store Saturday after a “Drive-By giveaway for New York Mets Season Ticket holders at Citifield.  Evidently Carton loves the mini cheesesteak pretzels he sampled from the Forest Hills location owned and operated by Gotham Queens (“GG”) member Jose Villa. He did not remember the address so I tweeted at Evan:

Tweet from⁦@Bearak⁩
.⁦@EvanRobertsWFAN⁩ my friend Jose Villa owns that ⁦@TNPhillyPretzel⁩ at 118-14 Queens Boulevard, Forest Hills NY 11375. I'll see him at my ⁦@GothamNetwork⁩ Queens meeting via Zoom 12/17  
12/11/20, 3:56 PM

I later advised Jose who explained the pretzels were delivered to WFAN last Thursday

On Dec 11, 2020, at 4:47 PM, Forest Hills PPF wrote: Thank you Corey and I will be at the store tomorrow! Definitely taking a picture with Evan if he shows up. It had been a whirlwind since we dropped off Pretzels yesterday at WFAN. You're the man Corey

I also copied Gotham’s Rookie of the Year (my informal designation since Gotham does make that designation (at this time, anyway)), Capitol One Business Banker Ray Walcott, who Jose (who previously was at Capital One) brought into Gotham and became a valuable member of the Gotham Power Breakfast group which I chair and the recently formed Gotham Membership Committee chaired by Shelley Simpson and Brad Scherer. Ray responded

On Dec 11, 2020, at 4:57 PM, Ray Walcott wrote:
That's amazing, Corey is always there to help!  We really appreciate you Corey!

I also pressed Jose for the back story that led to all this. Jose explains

I kept hearing them on the radio talking about Soft Pretzels and so I decided to call and offer them samples. Rather than speaking with the screener they put me right through to live on air!

Jose said they dropped off Pretzels Thursday afternoon.  How cool!

Gotham also delivered two of the workers Jose employs at his Philly Pretzel Factory store.  Through his membership in Gotham Queens, Jose got introduced to fellow group member Carolyn Weinstein who coordinates job placements and more in a special program run by Commonpoint Queens (formerly the Samuel Field and Central Queens YM&YWHAs).  Carolyn identified and recommended two participants in her program.  Jose remains happy at the results:

On Dec 11, 2020, at 4:52 PM, Forest Hills PPF wrote: By the way I still owe Carolyn her Gotham shout out for helping us land two staff members. She rocks!

Jose provided a virtual tour of his offerings at the last (virtual) meeting of the year of the Gotham Power Breakfast joint with the Gotham Business Breakfast group. Credit GBB group coordinator Shelley Simpson for the idea.

On Nov 11, 2020, at 10:30 AM, Shelley Simpson, Esq. wrote:  There will be a new twist on the next joint meeting of the Brooklyn Power Breakfast and Gotham Business Breakfast Groups. Join us on November 18th @ 8:30am and let us know how we can help you out and get an inside look at what Gotham member Jose Villa is doing with his Philly Pretzel Factory which is not in Philly but will be on Zoom with us. We get a behind the scenes look at how the pretzels happen.

Anyone interested in a meeting Jose for networking can virtually visit either Gotham Long Island Woman on Tuesday where he will be sharing his pretzels while Flo Feinberg shares various clothing accessories and specialty items and Laurel Scarr-Konel shares chocolates, and/or Thursday at his home GQ group.

And it all started when Shelley rode the circuit to GQ on October 16 and suggested to me that she invite Jose to offer a virtual Philly Pretzel Factory tour at our November joint meeting noted above.  She reached out to Jose that same day and he agreed.  He still noted: Nothing sells pretzels better than tasting them! I suspect Craig Carton concurs!

And here’s the Steely Dan LP that includes this title song that names today’s blog.