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Crowd Sourcing: Remembering JFK Jr. and his time in Tribeca
I got a text from a reader noting that the Ryan Murphy eight-party TV series of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette — titled “American Love Story” — is currently filming through the weekend, and this shot of cameras shooting on Hudson (Kennedy lived at 20 N. Moore, just west of Walker’s).
And this note: “Would be amazing if anyone can share any memories of them.”
The show stars Tribecan Naomi Watts as Jackie Kennedy, Paul Anthony Kelly as JFK Jr., Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette, and Grace Gummer as Caroline Kennedy. An installment of Murphy’s “American Story” franchise, the show premieres in February 2026 and will explore the couple’s courtship, marriage and finally their tragic deaths in 1999. (Kennedy moved here in 1994 and Bessette moved in with him a year later.)
I dug through the files and found this recollection from Ron Silver at Bubby’s, which was part of this massive Grub Street round-up on the “social history of the city, told entirely through its restaurants” over the last century. The magazine’s restaurant critic said Kennedy ate his last breakfast there before his plane crash in 1999.
From Grub Street: “He came in on the second day that we were open,” Ron Silver told the magazine. “’I would be reading the New York Post, some sort of John-John story, and I would feel, like, hot air on my neck,’ Silver says. It was Kennedy, reading over his shoulder. Silver would tell him, ‘Dude, there’s a fucking paper right over there.’…At the restaurant, ‘there might be a stalker,’ Silver concedes. ‘I wasn’t going to throw them out just for being stalkers — I felt a responsibility to try to manage it.’”
Thrillist has this list of favorite haunts of the couple, including an anecdote on how they sealed their relationship at The Odeon plus their other neighborhood favorites: Mudville 9, Tribeca Grill, Walker’s.
And then from TCQ&A with Wendy Gardner:
Many years ago I was walking my friend’s dog, Katie, on Hudson and John F. Kennedy Jr. stopped to pet her and he said to me, “That’s a good looking dog.” I’ll never forget that!
And a TCQ&A with Maria Mase:
I remember seeing John Kennedy Jr. once on an early Sunday morn (I didn’t even know who he was—someone told me) walking his dog and then a few feet behind, following him, three or four photographers. I actually felt bad for him. Poor guy couldn’t even walk his dog and get a newspaper on a Sunday morning without paparazzi. Pretty awful if you ask me.
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There was a huge production filming on Hudson btwn N Moore and Franklin (including closing Bubby’s down) on Thursday. Lit up Hudson like a set on Thursday evening — was a sight to see (not complaining). We suspected it was Devil Wears Prada 2 but could have been this.
When John John lived on Hudson and Worth, I’d see him almost every morning having breakfast at Socrates Restaurant (where Tamarind is now).
in the mid 90’s he almost hit me while riding his bike the wrong way on west broadway. he stopped and seem mortified and kept apologizing over and over- at the time i didn’t know who he was- but told him that everything was ok- and to NOT rider the wrong way! he thanked me and we each went on or way.
I remember letting my dog play in front of the Citi building. A few times he came by with his dog,,and both dogs played together. We would stand next to each other, say hello, and nothing more.
JFK Jr. was a regular presence in our restaurants and many others in Tribeca. He was very charismatic and easily recognized, but he never threw his weight around for special treatment. He seemed to enjoy being a New Yorker, and being part of the Tribeca community. His passing meant that his great potential for what might have been was not realized. However, he left a significant footprint, and his memory will always bring a smile.
I would see John John and Carolyn walking up West Broadway holding hands. You would notice Carolyn’s piercing blue eyes first- she was more stunning in person than in photographs. Then you’d notice John, totally enamored by her.
We were once in Zutto’s on Hudson St on a really warm day and a tall guy in a wool pea cap comes walking in and takes a seat by a window! We are thinking who the hell wears a wool cap on such a warm day? Oh it’s John! A few minutes later Carolyn comes walking in and meets him at that window table. Everyone in the restaurant was knocking elbows under their tables and not trying to be too obvious-“look who it is! Can you hear what their saying?Don’t stare.”
You could tell by how he hung on everyone of Carolyn’s words how much in love they were.
He ate breakfast across from our loft at the Bodega ( Edward’s), sit at the counter reading the paper, all the waitresses were in love with this gorgeous man.My wife stopped in for coffee and John said he was done with the New York Times and would she like his paper? He was a regular guy.
My 15 minutes with John was outside New York’s Finest dry cleaner on Hudson St.
I dropped off some dry cleaning and was outside on the sidewalk putting the receipt in my pocket when a guy on roller blades with a hockey stick came barreling down the block at a high speed and couldn’t stop.
He missed me by inches and had to grab onto the street light pole to stop. He said ” are you Okay? I’m so sorry.” John was a customer of that dry cleaner and
Dominic,the retired policeman who owned it would tell me the story of how he always cried when ever he saw the photo of John John saluting his father’s casket.
I could go on and on about how he helped my downstairs neighbor in the subway when she couldn’t get through a stuck turnstile , or how kind he was to friends cleaning lady waiting for help in his law office.
(Kennedy lived at 20 N. Moore, just west of Bubby’s)
I know I am late to the game here, but I think 20 North Moore is east of Bubby’s by ¾ of a block…
Also, I remember for about a week after the plane disappeared, all the reporters were out across the street, as if waiting for them to return. All the while the pile of flowers in front of the building grew to be a couple of feet tall.
Yes, sorry. Meant to say Walker’s!