​By Caitlin Hawke

"And we just happen to live in the greatest city in the world."

​ If you recognize these phrases, most likely you've just been to see "Hamilton" by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and you know the song as "The Schuyler Sisters."  I have dug up a couple of videos for you to delect, in case, like me, you have a slight addiction and can't spring for another ticket.

But now here's the thing.  What does Hamilton -- the person or the musical -- have to do with Bloomingdale?  

Cherchez la femme!  Or les femmes, as the case may be.  Pivotal characters in Alexander Hamilton's life, the Schuyler sisters turned out to have had it bad for the father of our Treasury and Federalist extraordinaire.  Hamilton married one, Elizabeth, aka Eliza.  And it seems he may have had an affair with another, Angelica, the eldest of the sisters.  The musical will explain that all to you.

So now you see how we get to Broadway genius Lin-Manuel Miranda from Bloomingdale without a detour to Miranda's beloved Washington Heights.  You go to Schuyler Square at W. 106th Street and West End Avenue, and you contemplate the lives of two of Philip Schuyler's daughters who flew very close to Alexander Hamilton's incredible flame. And then you listen to Lin-Manuel's "The Schuyler Sisters."  And you scheme about how to get your next ticket to the hottest show in the greatest city in the world….

This video is for the hard core fans.  The three King Georges from "Hamilton" lip-syncing
​"The Schuyler Sisters" number to the delight of the #ham4ham crowd.

By Caitlin Hawke

Thanks to the Columbus Amsterdam BID, Jim Mackin offers monthly walking tours of our neighborhood.

To join a Bloomingdale Neighborhood History Walk, RSVP by phone to (212) 666-9774 or send an email to [email protected]. The upcoming dates are Wednesday, April 27, Wednesday, May 25, and Wednesday, June 22 -- all at 6 p.m. After you RSVP, meet Jim on the appointed day at Straus Park (W. 106th Street and Broadway).


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By Caitlin Hawke

Bloomingdale has played host this week to monks of the Drepung Gomang Monastery.

Demonstrating the sacred arts of Tibet, these monks are in residence at our very own New York Buddhist Church on Riverside Drive just north of West 105th Street. Bob Lejeune took a dazzling shot of the Sand Mandala demonstration this morning. 

If you want to catch it, react quickly!  The Sand Dissolution Ceremony and ritual dispersion begins tomorrow, Saturday, April 23rd at 11 a.m.  If we're lucky, Bob will shoot that too!

By Caitlin Hawke

Two oldie-but-goodie postcards of the Whitehall building -- also known as Hotel Whitehall -- on the southwest corner of West 100th Street and Broadway.  Have you ever contemplated the bizarre dining room at Turkuaz?  Long, low-ceilinged.  Odd. Sort of perfect for the belly dancing that goes on at peak hours.

Truth be told, I rarely go, but when I do, I find myself opting for the front room.  When I stumbled on the second image here, it all made sense.  That funky draped ceiling conceals an urban archaeologist's treasure.  The balcony of the old "Pompeian" room.  Next time, I am having my döner kebob Italian-style!

Check it out.

By Caitlin Hawke

There's more coming up from the Bloomingdale Neighborhood History Group.  Check out the dates on the flyer below.  Here are two "can't miss" offerings:

• April 25: "The Evolution of Riverside Park" by Charles McKinney, Principal Urban Designer, New York City Parks and Recreation
  
• May 24: "Bloomingdale: A Musical History" featuring Harlem Blues and Jazz Band and New York Mandolin Orchestra
  

Programs begin at 6:30 p.m. and are held at Hostelling International, 891 Amsterdam Avenue.  For more information, write to: [email protected]



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By Caitlin Hawke

h/t to Emily Berleth

This funky little house on a crag of rock was built in 1937 on the south corner of W. 107th Street and Riverside Drive -- yes, the corner opposite the Schinasi mansion.  Talk about strange bedfellows.

It looks like an oddity, but it shares an architectural pedigree with the Chrysler Building as both structures were designed by William Van Alen.  This was a prefab home, presumably a prototype.  To read more, see this link and this one.

The house was supposed to be demolished in 1940 or 1941, but neighbor Emily Berleth, who grew up around the corner, recalls the house during the 1940s.


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By Caitlin Hawke

If you are a regular here, you know that the "Throwback Thursday" feature is a somewhat haphazard showcase for old images of our buildings, streets and neighbors going back over 100 years.  If you've missed it, you can catch up here or by clicking on the category at right.

Now I have what I hope will be a treat for blog-reading neighbors, whether you've lived here for years or you've just arrived.  I'm calling it "One from the Vault," and the idea is to unearth great articles that appeared in the block association's newsletter over the years.  Sadly, the newsletter archives are incomplete on this blog since they have not be digitized, but you can look through issues back to 2002 here. So, from time to time, as I come across old chestnuts, I'll post them here.

To get started, I've excavated a great piece written for the December 1997 newsletter by neighbor Kenneth Henwood about St. Michael's Church, an undeniable neighborhood treasure, rich in history and in sumptuous devotional decor.

Of course, the church's story didn't stop in 1997.  Several years later, there was the chapter of the church's lucrative sale of its air rights to the Extell Development Company that Extell president Gary Barnett then used (along with other air rights he'd gobbled up) to develop the 37-story Ariel East tower on Broadway.  

Funny enough, in his piece which you'll see a copy of below, Ken wrote "[b]y the 1880s, the church like the neighborhood growing up around it was bursting at the seams."

Ah, plus ça change, plus c'est la meme chose!

Enjoy this first one from the vault.
​

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By Caitlin Hawke

This is a prelude to a paean I would like to compose to our beloved New York Public Library.  It functions in a way that is easy to take for granted. But whether you are an avid reader or researcher, this system has a depth and breadth that is simply unmatched in our civic lives.

Today, I am here just to communicate two bookish offerings.

First, Book Swap Nite is this Wednesday, April 6th at 6 p.m.  The branch invites us all to bring new or gently used books, audiobooks, CDs and DVD (children's materials are also welcome) to swap or just compe chat with other readers. The more people who come, the more books there will be to trade.

Second is the Bloomingdale Book Discussion Group with meets fourth Thursdays of most months at 5:45 p.m. in the 2nd floor auditorium.

Upcoming discussion group selections are:

• Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver on April 28th
• The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins on May 26th
• Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee on June 23rd
• Undocumented by Dan-el Padilla-Peralta on July 28th
• Under the Wide & Starry Sky by Nancy Horan on August 25th

It's organized like a book group, so participants should read the books in advance.

Please call (212) 222-8030 for information.  The branch is located at 150 West 100th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues



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