By Caitlin Hawke

You've stumbled on wet-behind-the-ears and heavily-back-packed Europeans wandering out of the W. 103rd Street station trying to figure out whether to go left or right down the side street, desperately in search of "the hostel."  I quickly approach them and say with big eyes and nodding head: "Youth Hostel? Is that what you are looking for?"  Often they are relieved, sometimes shocked that a New Yorker has broken the fourth wall.  But I remember my days of hostelling, juggling backpack, map, and new-city angst.

But how many of us have actually wandered the halls of this landmarked building, currently inhabited by Hostelling International?  How many know the story of its preservation after a spectacular fire gutted it in the mid-1970s? And who knows its place in neighborhood history?

In the latest issue of the Block Association newsletter, I wrote about the building and its current community-minded owner, HI NYC -- a neighbor that with luck we'll all get to know better and better over time.

The Bloomingdale Neighborhood History Group is going to jump-start us on that with its October 4th panel. All the info is below and more in the newsletter article above.


So, on Wednesday, come on out and say hello to the folks at HI NYC.

And keep marking your calendars because BAiP's art groups will be having a clothesline show of their work depicting the neighborhood on October 14th from 2-4 p.m.  I'll post the flyer for that shortly!

By Caitlin Hawke

Well, woohoo!  We got ourselves a new tree earlier in the summer on W. 102nd Street (outside of 254 W. 102nd St) between Broadway and West End. Terence Hanrahan snapped the whippersnapping beaut, a locust, I'd say. But feel free to correct me.  So the city does get around to filling our tree-pits when the need presents.  I have to say that walking around San Francisco over the summer, I missed our tree-lined streets.  Yes, Frisco has a lot to offer.  But shade isn't big among urban assets there.  So thank you, NYC Parks.  That kind of shade you may throw as much as you please.

Boo! Hiss!  The ginkgo, victimized in the wee dark hours of an early Spring night in 2015, when madness hacked at its trunk, is now gasping for life.  May shame shine long on the person whose ax killed it.  And may the scent of gingko fruit be ever present in that neighbor's nostrils.

Pictures of the nearly departed are at bottom. Join me while I shake my head since any other words I write here I will regret.  If only a tree could bite a man (back).

This brings me to a save the date: Mark Schneiderman will be out there for the Block Association's Fall Mulching Day on Saturday, October 14th from 10 a.m to noon.  Meet up at 878 West End Avenue to help tidy up tree wells.  And when you are there at the curb of 878, look up toward the gingko that is no more.

Note to readers who subscribe by email:  Our content management system for this blog is a little balky.  I am reposting this piece on the newsletter since the top paragraph was left out of the version that appeared in your inboxes.

By Caitlin Hawke

The Fall 2017 issue of the Block Association's newsletter is now "live" online.  You can get to the table of contents by way of this link and click through to articles of interest.  It takes a small but powerful army to accomplish this quarterly endeavor.  The writers mostly have bylines and may be known to you. But too invisible is the field marshal, Hedy Campbell. It wouldn't exist without her. She is the editor with Jacob Gross co-piloting as associate editor, and, trust me, they toil.  Brad Spear does the considerable lift on graphic design.  He, too, toils.  The three of them deserve an ovation.  Incredibly there must be 25 others who contribute to each issue, either as regular columnists or feature writers.  If you like what you read, savor it as a very special, all-volunteer produced, labor of love for this community.  An in admiration, don't forget to re-up your Block Association membership!

As you've read in past blog posts, this newsletter has been going strong since 1971.  The inaugural issue and pieces from many issues since are highlighted in a regular blog feature called "One from the Vault" which you can get to by clicking that link under "Categories" at right (if you are reading this post online) or by clicking here if you receive blog posts directly to your email.

By the way, I have a big backlog to do on the blog, I realize.  But do know that more treasures from the vault, more Throwback Thursdays: Bloomingdale Edition, and more It's Elemental features are all coming.  But by trickle not by flood.

But back to the Fall 2017 newsletter. I wanted to draw your attention to a piece on BAiP's "Blooming Hour" written by Bob Neuman, which was erroneously credited to me in the print version and corrected here. It is Bob's writing and voice, not at all mine, despite that the Blooming Hour is near and dear to my heart as a key social gathering we run in the activities sector of Bloomingdale Aging in Place.

The whole newsletter is worth your giving it a once over. For example, I'd also point you to the piece on Hosteling International NYC because together with the Bloomingdale Neighborhood History Group, they have a great program coming up on October 4th at 6:30 p.m. on the history of the landmarked building at 891 Amsterdam Avenue and on the hostel itself. I'll try to post a reminder nearer the date.

Check out the current issue because there's much more on Fall Tree Well Clean Up Day (Oct. 14), National Night Out, business news, calls for your participation and art endeavors by talented neighbors.  If you are in the catchment of the Block Association, you should have received your print copy this past week, hot off the press.

Happy reading!

By Caitlin Hawke

Come one, come all.  Art. Music. Flowers. Audrey.  What else does one need in a local event in our very own, beautifully-maintained pocket park?  Well maybe the old Schuyler Square (yes as in those Schuyler sisters father) isn't technically a pocket park, but you know what I mean.

Note the rain date.  And don't forget to mark your calendar for the W. 104th Street Block Association Street Fair coming up on Saturday, October 14th!

By Caitlin Hawke

The Fall 2017 issue of the Block Association's newsletter is now "live" online.  You can get to the table of contents by way of this link and click through to articles of interest.  It takes a small but powerful army to accomplish this quarterly endeavor.  The writers mostly have bylines and may be known to you. But too invisible is the field marshal, Hedy Campbell. It wouldn't exist without her. She is the editor with Jacob Gross co-piloting as associate editor, and, trust me, they toil.  Brad Spear does the considerable lift on graphic design.  He, too, toils.  The three of them deserve an ovation.  Incredibly there must be 25 others who contribute to each issue, either as regular columnists or feature writers.  If you like what you read, savor it as a very special, all-volunteer produced, labor of love for this community.  An in admiration, don't forget to re-up your Block Association membership!

As you've read in past blog posts, this newsletter has been going strong since 1971.  The inaugural issue and pieces from many issues since are highlighted in a regular blog feature called "One from the Vault" which you can get to by clicking that link under "Categories" at right (if you are reading this post online) or by clicking here if you receive blog posts directly to your email.

By the way, I have a big backlog to do on the blog, I realize.  But do know that more treasures from the vault, more Throwback Thursdays: Bloomingdale Edition, and more It's Elemental features are all coming.  But by trickle not by flood.

But back to the Fall 2017 newsletter. I wanted to draw your attention to a piece on BAiP's "Blooming Hour" written by Bob Neuman, which was erroneously credited to me in the print version and corrected here. It is Bob's writing and voice, not at all mine, despite that the Blooming Hour is near and dear to my heart as a key social gathering we run in the activities sector of Bloomingdale Aging in Place.

The whole newsletter is worth your giving it a once over. For example, I'd also point you to the piece on Hosteling International NYC because together with the Bloomingdale Neighborhood History Group, they have a great program coming up on October 4th at 6:30 p.m. on the history of the landmarked building at 891 Amsterdam Avenue and on the hostel itself. I'll try to post a reminder nearer the date.


Check out the current issue because there's much more on Fall Tree Well Clean Up Day (Oct. 14), National Night Out, business news, calls for your participation and art endeavors by talented neighbors.  If you are in the catchment of the Block Association, you should have received your print copy this past week, hot off the press.

Happy reading!

By Caitlin Hawke

Rather than my riff on this, how about yours this time?  Please post your comment below.

By Caitlin Hawke

Dear Readers, here's a special offer just for you. This Thursday, September 14th, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Landmark West! is presenting "The Cinematic Cityscape of Woody Allen" in its Wild Wild West on Film Series at the screening room at Macaulay Honors College, 35 W. 67th Street.  Two for one tickets means if you buy one $20 ticket your guest goes for free.  There's more information about this event below.  But follow these instructions carefully to claim your offer:

1. Click here or if that doesn't work, go to this link: https://landmarkwest.ticketspice.com/the-cinematic-cityscape-of-woody-allen-the-wild-wild-west-side-on-film.
2. Where it says "choose an event," pull the menu down to "Woody Allen Sept 14"
3. Select the "LW! Member Program" and enter "2" people; then fill in your names and emails and scroll down to the area that says "Use Coupon Code here."  Enter "Bloom" in that box and hit the green "Apply" button. That will bring your total down to $19 for two tickets. Enter your credit card information and you should be all set.

If you have any trouble or questions, contact Andra Moss at Landmarks West!

My suggestion to you is to grab another woman, an irrational man (or whatever works) and take the money and run because the sweet and lowdown on this event is that it's a September sleeper about Manhattan interiors and exteriors that husbands and wives and small time crooks alike will enjoy.  However some of us are over Woody.  But that's a whole other New York story.  Enjoy.

So why when I see "Serafina" -- which in its very name assures me that all will be fine, if not angelic -- do I fret?  

But fret I do.  The idea of it sends me running back to the comfort of Sun-Chan, a one-off homey joint that in decor is all about its plain-janeness and in its food is umami-central.

So as late summer's bounty comes in fast and furious, today is another ode to Sun-Chan and specifically to Kumiko's tomato salad.

Five round leaves of spinach to line the plate.  One perfect tomato peeled and wedged.  A sprinkling of sweet onion bits strewn like daisy petals over the tomato.  All "napped" as the French say, or coated in a gingery soy dressing. It's not just scrumptious, it's also beautiful, arranged on the plate like a juicy rose.

The naked truth about a peeled tomato?  It's an entirely different beast.  Make it a perfectly ripe one and dash it with salt.  Then you're talking heaven on a plate.

If I go to Sun Chan with someone, I order it, insisting it's a must try. But then I secretly sit and stew that I have to share it.  

You'll have to go yourself and with luck you'll be all alone. And with more luck the naked tomato will be on the specials board.  If Lady Luck smiles, all eight wedges will be yours.