That's Right, Kids. And Your Folks Already Know What They're Wearing!
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Folding Anniversaries into History
By Caitlin Hawke
This year marks the 15th since the horrors of 9/11. I find it hard to believe in every way. Months ago, while leafing through archived newsletters, I came across one from September 2001. On the front page (reproduced below), the Block Association's newsletter editors poignantly acknowledged what had just transpired. Presumably that box was added just as the newsletter was going to press. Seeing it brought back a flood of memories, mostly of the surreality the city was going through and of the mourning. There was an impromptu gathering at the Firemen's Memorial on W. 100th Street and Riverside Drive, recently renovated, I recall. That must have been on the Friday evening following black Tuesday. But I could be wrong. There, I remember a sea of candles and flowers surrounding the memorial. Incredulous neighbors huddled together. We didn't know then that there was more to come with the terrorizing anthrax attacks -- prolonged and destabilizing. In hindsight, it all seems insurmountable. But then think of all the similar tragedies that have come since, in unending succession, constantly challenging people to surmount the insurmountable. What strikes me about this newletter piece from the archives is the simple, elegant message on the newsletter's front page. In it, we have what the French call a "témoin" -- a witness or a telltale -- of what we needed and sought. It's a window to the past that reminded me that for a moment in New York, all was local -- the way Tip O'Neill meant "all politics is local." Time stopped and New York belonged just to New Yorkers. And we comforted each other. The juxtaposition of this box with the article beneath it about happier news -- the celebration of this organization's 30th anniversary -- is apt in the sense that the block association is and has been a catalyst for community-building. I did the uncomplicated math: turning 30 in 2001 makes the block association 45 this year. Wrap your head around that in an era where the lifespan of a new gadget is roughly 24 months, and when Broadway retailers are turning over at a dizzying rate. But the block association endures. The organizers of the block association saw fit to mark the 30th by feting our neighborhood history and its preservation. In the 2001 article, neighbor and history buff, Ginger Lief, rolled out an incredible grassroots-driven archive at the New York Public Library, and I know that Win Armstrong was an engine of this effort as well. It inspires me that neighbors care so much about what came before...and perhaps also about what is still to come and how to shape it for the better. I don't know when it happened. Was it the completion of the new WTC tower or the memorial that has become a tourist destination. Or the advent of the Oculus. But somehow between the 10th and 15th anniversaries, in my mind 9/11 has folded into that history. It makes me feel like Rip Van Winkle that we now have neighbors who were in junior high school back on that terrible day who are discovering the story of what so many of us lived through now that New York is their home. So, today, memories turn back 15 years. To the lives lost. And to the lives affected. And to how the challenge soldered our city together. Thoughts project forward to the next 45 in our neighborhood. May we never have to share a day like that day in September again. But if we do, rest assured that the comfort and compassion will flow. Our Summer 2016 Newsletter Now Online
By Caitlin Hawke
I'd like to know how many issues editor Hedy Campbell has under her belt at this time. My feeling is that the newsletter just gets meatier and better all the time. And Hedy's invisible hand is always at work, making sure that assignments are parcelled out, pieces jibe, and facts are checked. She even finds time to write. Personally, I *love* coming home and finding the old print copy under my door, slipped caringly into place by a neighbor deployed in the block association's distribution chain. It's a good, old, shoe-leather approach. And I hope the paper version won't go away. But paper is paper. And some of you just like your reading material on your apparatus -- whatever that may be. So here's a reminder that the Summer 2016 issue is now live online and ready for download. And you can leaf back over past issues, too. It's all right here, or you can get there at the "Quarterly Newsletter" tab above. With a full bench of writers, the newsletter team is spearheaded by Hedy. And Hedy successfully recruited a new team member, Bradford Spear, the local graphic artist and designer responsible for the layout and fetching look of the last two issues. Hedy has been at the editing thing for a long time. And she's looking to pass the baton. So, if you have appreciated the newsletter over the years and have the skills to shoehorn and polish pieces, please let us know by sending an email to: editor@w102-103blockassn.org. It's excellent experience, a great way to stay involved, and a hugely valuable way to give a little back to the community. Calling all potential newsletter editors. Sharpen your pencil! We've got a gig for you!
The "One from the Vault" feature plumbs the archives of back issues of block association newsletters for new neighbors and lovers of our community and its history. To read others pieces from the vault, click on the category at right.
By Caitlin Hawke Jock Davenport strikes again. This time with an article that clocks in at 16 years old. It was Y2K, the year that the CVS -- a third chain drugstore in two square blocks -- was beaten back by a community boycott. We'd recently lost our Associated Supermarket and had two large drugstores, already. And now, by 2016, we've dwindled back down to just one mega-drug-mart in our catchment. As a sign of the times, the new tenants of choice are the urgi-care storefronts. Speaking of Associated markets, today up in Washington Heights at W. 187th and Fort Washington Avenue, the neighbors just came together and beat back a Walgreens to preserve their beloved and much-needed Associated. Strangely reminiscent. In June 2000, Jock asked a lot of questions that a decade and a half later are still relevant. With the recent landmarking of much of our western catchment, there were still plenty of carve-outs along Broadway. So the specter of development looms large. The lessons live on. And, Jock, to answer your headlining question: Yes, we can! We know. Because we did. And now, one from the vault...originally published in June 2000. Grab a Friend and Get Thee to the Bazaar!
By Caitlin Hawke
If you are a reader of this blog, I am guessing you like your community and share an interest in the neighborliness we all are privileged to have up here in Bloomingdale. As an 18-year member of the block association and a huge fan of everything it does, I would be bereft to see this annual rite of passage dissolve into memory. The community event formerly known as the yard sale and now festively as the Spring Bazaar is an all-out, hands-on, from-the-heart, laborsome, behind-the-scenes effort that surprisingly few people make happen for the delight of all. But YOU, dear neighbors, pedestrians, passersby and bargain hunters, make it happen. Come in large number! Come in a swath of age groups! Come with a bounce in your step, a buck in your pocket and a gleam in your eye for that trinket and a hope in your heart of winning the raffle. Come because neighbors are our fabric. Because New York is still a tremendous place to live. Because place matters. And because, let's face it, you are going to find the bargain of your life and wash it down with a homemade chocolate chip cookie and cup o' joe. And you are going to leave loving life and thinking, by golly, there actually is something real left in this city of uber-commerce. Let's make it a Bloomingdale Bash. See you in the streets tomorrow from 10 am to 5 pm -- come sun or soak! (And keep an eye on our homepage in case Mother Nature has other plans for our day). And Hawk Your Wares!
By Caitlin Hawk(e)
Calling all vendors. Now is the time clear out all that STUFF! Turn your closet clutter into cold cash. Our annual yard sale, AKA Spring Bazaar, is upon us in a few short weeks. If you've been to one, you know how fabulous the vibe is. Our city turns into a small town for the day. No ersatz. No faux. No hipster bergamote macarons. No street fair "Italian" sausage sold by vendors from Jersey. Just real local neighbors, hawking real, useful stuff. Recycling life's necessities, and giving new life to someone else's treasure. You know you need to make room in your closets, right? Let's do this. Let's all hawk our stuff! The who-what-when-how of it is all here. See you on W. 103rd Street on May 21st! By Caitlin Hawke Photos by Ozzie Alfonso, Robin Bell and Barbara Boynton On October 31st, it was déjà boo all over again on West 102nd Street. Thanks to a team of volunteers headed up by Jane Hopkins, the annual Halloween festivities left no man, woman or child behind. The pint-sized promenaders trucked around the block in full regalia and were sweetly rewarded for their efforts. And the not-so-pint-sized also turned out in force. Super heroes, fluffy pets, princesses, a bag of bones and a tooth. Yes. A tooth. (And to be fair, a dentist). These were the costumes of the night. Have a look through the gallery below and try to figure out who among us isn't dying to get into the spirit. Superheroes Above credit left & middle: Ozzie Alfonso; right: Robin Bell Stoop Spirit: The big kids get into the act. Credit above: Robin Bell A Bloomingdale Cheer to Our Neighborhood Businesses and Neighbor Bakers This is a heartfelt shout-it-from-the-rooftops word of thanks to our treasured local businesses who supported the Block Association's Spring Bazaar. You gave food, you discounted your products, you sent in gift certificates for our silent auction, you schlepped things, and you came out to show your 10025 allegiance proving your bona fides. Community is laid down in many layers, and for the Spring Bazaar you were the layer of icing on the cake! (Also, from our bakesale table organizers: a big word of thanks to our cake icers and cookie bakers, listed below). With our appreciation for your investment in what we are doing, our thanks go to you all, big, small and hyper-local businesses of Bloomingdale! And bakers of 10025! Silent Auction & Spring Bazaar Donors 107 West Restaurant A to Z .99 cent Store Aangan Indian Restaurant Bank Street Bookstore BE FIT NYC Blondi's Hair Salon Book Culture Broadway Pizza Buchetta Brick Oven Busters NYC Café du Soleil Camile Colon Carol Bowen Studios Dive Bar Dog Days of New York Festival Chamber Music Society Grape Collective Hedy Campbell Liberty House Long Teng II Massage & Spa Martin Brothers Metro Diner MP Fitness NYC Paris Frameworks Patricia Moore Petqua Riverside Liquors RoboFun Studio Symphony Space The Abbey Pub The Ellington The West End Lounge Toast Wang Chen Table Tennis Club Bakesale Donors Hedy Campbell Susan Dessel Cheryl Dresner Carolyn Fitzpatrick Kerstin Hasenpusch Deborah Lott Sue Maderer Lisbeth Mark David Reich Nancy Wight By Caitlin Hawke Hats Off to You All! The Annual Yard Sale has come and gone in its new guise of a Spring Bazaar--still serving up something for everyone. Mother Nature toyed with the organizers, keeping forecasts all over the map culminating in a knuckle-biter of an 8 a.m. downpour; but ultimately she whispered a springtime "go for it!" to the Block Association's team of planners. And the event came off last Saturday in full regalia--with just a little sprinkle midway for good measure. A huge rainbow arch of balloons heralded the spirt that West End passersby would find if turning west off the avenue onto 103rd Street that day. And turn they did. Neighbors and bargain-hunters, moms, dads, kids itching to get their faces painted, old-time residents remembering the ghosts of sales past, and the newly arrived realizing they've moved into a true neighborhood: they all came to check out this communal event. Really, truly, to tell it like it is: I am a sucker for it. I might grumble at the thought of having to staff an outreach table or schlep supplies. But in truth, I heart this annual ritual of our community pouring into the street. I delight in old time stories of sales past. Like the one Neil Borrell told me about W. 103rd Street old-timer and brownstone resident, Len Tredanari. Len died over 10 years ago and sadly we lost his widow Cherie this year. But the memory of Len barbecuing in a home-made, yet precariously-laid brick hearth shines still. As does that of his homemade wine. Then there's the story of Len taking a hose to a parked car whose owner flouted the no parking signs. Story goes he filled that car with water. So to our neighbors who "forgot" to move cars this year, you sure got off easy! But I digress. I am in awe of the devotion of the relatively small Block Association core team that pulls it off year after year. So first a big hat tip to people like Übermensch Bob Aaronson who runs the show; to Anthony Bellov who jigsaws the street into slots so that vendors have a spot from which to hawk; to Hedy Campbell, Debi Cohen, Deborah Lott, Sue Maderer, Dorothy O'Hanlon, and Jane Hopkins who planned, stocked, and staffed various concessions, rummage and silent auction booths; to Bruce Cohen who directed the music stage in front of Gershwin House with a full program of sets from volunteer musicians; to Cynthia Doty, to Terence Hanrahan, to Celia Knight, to Ginger Lief, and to the others I am forgetting who dealt with the authorities, helped clear the street of cars, sold raffle tickets, schlepped, swept, fretted and toiled. This hat tip is for you all. Special thanks go to teams from St. Luke's who provided merry muscle and more to pull a lot of this together. And a big shoutout to to BAiP members and to David Reich -- whose name is synonymous with both the Block Association and BAiP -- for constant help and contributions of rummage items. For the weeks leading into the event, every hand on deck was needed. To this corps of volunteers who came, saw and conquered our beloved Spring Bazaar: Hats off! Until the next newsletter piece covering this event comes out, I leave you with some images of the great one gone by. By Caitlin Hawke Seeking Your Unwanted Treasures for Our Rummage Table on May 16th Your Block Association is calling all neighbors: we want your stuff. Consider this a call to arms for all donations of household goods, great kitchen items, tchotchkes, kids' stuff, and anything else that you may not want but that someone else might snap up. Donations of this sort benefit the Block Association tremendously. Our rummage table brings in several hundred dollars each year to benefit our various projects. So if you don't have time to pull together your own table, let us unburden you of those things that are clogging up your closets, hallways and storage spaces. Please deliver donations to the doorman at 240 West 102nd Street just west of Broadway between 8 a.m. and midnight all week long, or bring them to our rummage table at the Spring Bazaar this Saturday. By Caitlin Hawke Planting Day at Last! Saturday was the Block Association's annual Spring Planting Day. And what a day it was. Rather than sate you with eye candy here, I should entice you out to the curb to have a look-see. Or perhaps these last days you've already noticed that over 60 men, women and children were hard at work beautifying last weekend. Scroll through the gallery below for a gander. But get out there and examine the earth candy...it will just keep getting better with H2O, TLC and us. Huge thanks to 865 West End Avenue for hosting the supplies. And to all the Block Association members and organizers who came out: Chapeau! By Caitlin Hawke Photo Credit: Celia Knight Housing Issues: How Can We Help Ourselves Stay Put?There was a time, not so very long ago, when you moved above W. 96th Street and people thought you lived in a hinterland. And now hardly a week goes by without a postcard from a realtor urging me to sell "because there is no inventory." As with almost everything in life, it evokes Bob Dylan for me:
Well, I still care. But times are indeed strange. And things have changed. And one of those things is something everyone can relate to: it's the roof over your head and just plain holding on to it. In this boomtime for real estate, where each news cycle seems to bring a surreal story about micro-apartments or the stream of billionaire foreign investors into our local economy, the Block Association has received so many queries and concerns from members on a wide array of housing issues that it is time to bring some of this dialogue to the surface. Members are concerned about harassment of senior residents by landlords eager to see them push on, zoning variances allowing increased construction height, and a landmarking process that seems to have stalled out. The upcoming March 11th Annual Meeting will be devoted to these topics and a discussion with local policymakers. A charming feature of this annual meeting is the recognition of neighbors of longstanding. Do you know someone who has lived here for 50+ years? He or she qualifies! Please contact Hedy Campbell and let her know. But that gets me to thinking: who among us will be here 50 years from now? Look around because none of us is immune to the market's vagaries. It's a sobering thought. And one worth discussing together. The meeting is on Wednesday, March 11th at 7 p.m. in the Community Room of the Marseilles, 230 West 103rd Street. We'll be electing our board as well, so come on out! The flyer is below. For more information about this event contact info@w102-103blockassn.org. By Caitlin Hawke Three Neighborhood Organizations Offer a Joint Sunday Morning Brisk Walk There is a tradition of collaborative efforts among the two block associations and BAiP. And we're using a new offering -- a regular, brisk Sunday morning walk -- to try something new: the launch of a small variety of new "TriBloomingdale" projects to be coordinated by the West 102nd & 103rd Streets Block Association, the West 104th Street Block Association and BAiP. If you have an idea for an activity that would lend itself to this sort of cooperative venture, please let us know. For example, we’re thinking of a business networking event for sole proprietors in the neighborhood. Our Block Association Representative for the TriBloomingdale initiative is Hedy Campbell, and she’ll be delighted to hear your ideas in the comments below. So, the first TriBloomingdale offering is a 60-minute group walk on Sundays at 8:30 a.m. Led by neighbor Teresa Elwert, the sometimes hilly walk will be at a brisk pace –- target of 20 blocks in 17 minutes. While the walk will be good and brisk, the basic idea is to get together with nearby neighbors and exercise. And talk. Members will have the option to stop for refreshments in our area after the walk. A nearby neighbor, Teresa has a great deal of experience and runs a popular brisk walking group on alternate weekday mornings. You will find Teresa outdoors on most days: she is an avid walker, tennis player and cyclist. And she loves Riverside Park, where as a volunteer she oversees a section of it for regular yard-work style maintenance. The benefits of a good, regular brisk walk have been demonstrated. But don't come out just because it is good for you. Come out to meet neighbors with whom you share the desire to be present in your community, to take a morning spin after a long week at work, and to breathe in the seasons. I sort of see it as a "Cheers" without walls. You know, the cozy bar in the Ted Danson sitcom that ran forever? To borrow from the "Cheers" theme song: Be glad there's one place in the world Where everybody knows your name, And they're always glad you came. Our Block Association Representative for this project is Board Member Debi Cohen. If you’re interested in participating on Sundays, please email: BloomingdaleTrioWalk@icloud.com so that you can receive detailed information and the local meeting place. And one of this walk's best features is that on any given Sunday you can be home by 9:30 a.m. or so, feeling like a million bucks! By Caitlin Hawke
If you didn't come out to walk the block on October 31st, you missed quite the spectacle. And I am not just talking about munchkins hopped up on sugar, either. I am talking about adults getting very into the Halloween spirit. Of course there were adults, like neighbor Ferenc Mechler (left), who kept their heads screwed on while the children went to town. The guillotined merrymaker in the red shirt was, perhaps the best costumed of the night. Though it is hard to choose. I am a sucker for the old, homemade costumes and remember in my own past a fine Charlie Chaplin, a princess-witch mash up, a box of crayola crayons, and, best, a Phyllis Diller. As they say nowadays: #ah #memories. I want to say a special word of thanks to the photographer with the keen eye, who nailed the shot at left. Our multi-talented, boundlessly good-natured Ozzie Alfonso, himself a neighborhood treasure, captured it and many others on this page. His wife, Maura Gouck, pinch hit while Ozzie was stuck at his day job teaching video to college students. But he prevailed and made it to the block on time. You'll see in the gallery below how his pictures have a storybook feel. The Butterfly, for example, looks like an illustration more than a photograph. Ozzie, is there anything you can't do? Block Association friends Jesse Banning and Mikhael Plain collaborated on a cake to end all cakes. By the time most neighbors got to it, it was sliced and diced into so many pieces; but before the carving of the cake, it was a glory! Mikhael, below, did the decorating. When asked for his method, he shrugged and made it sound like...well, a piece of cake. "Jesse came up with the idea of orange frosting with black. I originally wanted to do spider webs out of black licorice but was unable to find what I wanted. When Jesse made the cookie crumbs for the sides, she mentioned I could use the leftovers for the ground and maybe do a cemetery. From there, I just kept expanding with the silhouette idea and used uneven lines to keep a spooky effect. I added the leftover leaves used in the cake to incorporate a bit of color and the illusion of the autumn wind blowing. It was done freehand with homemade black icing. I don't have formal training but luckily have a pretty good eye. It was a lot of fun to create." The more you look at his silhouettes and sparkly swirls, the more you realize that this was decorated by a master. Yet another talented Block Assocation friend. There are a lot of people who make this happen year after year. And there are always a few new faces each year. But if you haven't stepped up, you should try it. As fellow table staffers Dorothy O'Hanlon and Celia Knight would attest: it's good, clean fun. The Block Association is always looking for new volunteers to run by far its sweetest event of the year. Halloween newbies included Mary Koval, Roberta Marshall and Phyllis Sperling whom you've seen out volunteering at many a yard sale, too. Before wrapping this up, one person in particular must be cited: Jane Hopkins, take a bow! Jane got the whole thing organized and made sure there was candy aplenty. Terence Hanrahan was right there, too... Can anyone confirm if he was dressed as Wavy Gravy this year? Anyway, Jane is one of those Block Association members who are hard at work on several projects throughout the year and who steps forward when duty calls, no matter how ghoulish. There are a lot of others, too, and surely I've forgotten you. But know that there was a smile on everyone's face...until the post-sugar crash. But we volunteers were home free by then. Special thanks to BAiP for bringing in a volunteer crew and donations from its members. Thanks, too, go to both Block Associations' members who donated goods and treats. And finally, there's one other entity without which the event is simply not possible! Our friends at St. Luke's donated muscle and oomph, tables and supplies, cake batter and icing. So, thanks for the success of this event must go to the St. Luke's angels: Janelle Thompson, the cook; Valerie Williams, the assistant; Millie Curbelo, a therapist; and most specially to Ray Dooley, the house manager. Angie Townsend, too! These folks have spirit in spades, and they are great friends to your block association. The gallery of ghouls, girls and boys is below. Feast your eyes! And for goodness sake, gape at those fabulous pumpkins. Who authored those?! And finally, kiss the Pope's ring...he led the parade, I'm told. By Caitlin Hawke Photo credits: mostly to Ozzie Alfonso; cake shot (and cut) by Angie Townsend Good news for your inner-do-gooder. Here's a great chance to clear out space AND recycle. It's yours for the taking on October 25th. If you are like me, you eye those piles of batteries at the bottom of your glass and plastic recycling bin, fretting about how to quit them. Then you open a drawer that has become a sort of e-gadget graveyard: dead iPods, cellphones, dare I mention cassette recorders? Then onto the big stuff: VCR? Betamax?! Tube tellies. Your beloved 8-track tape player? Ok, so that's a collectors' item. But still. We're drowning in this culture of techno-replacement. And we all need a good way to get rid of it and to maintain a clear conscience. So here's your hyper-local chance! The W. 102nd & 103rd Streets Block Association will recycle your e-waste on Saturday, October 25. Please drop off unwanted electronics at 250 W. 103rd Street anytime between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The Block Association's volunteers will deliver the e-waste to an authorized recycler. A snap! Just let us know what you’re bringing so we are certain to have adequate room to transport the recyclables. You may email us at: ewaste@w102-103blockassn.org. The following items are accepted: computers, monitors, printers, scanners, fax machines, copiers, routers, modems, keyboards, mice, cables, components, TVs, VCRs, DVD players, cell phones, pagers, PDAs, phones, answering machines, and batteries of any kind. Just one thing: no air conditioners or kitchen appliances, please. And try selling that 8-track on Craigslist. You'll get a pretty penny, I promise. By Caitlin Hawke
The Green Committee of the Block Association is still at it! After our April planting day, neighbors noticed revived tree beds throughout the catchment. But just yesterday, neighbors and volunteers Bob Aaronson, Temma Ehrenfeld, and Eve Sinaiko were back at it cleaning and planting the two tree beds in front of the Semiperm housing residence at 210 West 102nd Street. They also tackled the flower boxes on the banisters of St. Luke's also on West 102nd, and the tree bed of that beautiful gingko in front of 851 West End Avenue.
The flowers and trees will flourish with a little loving care from neighbors, supers and volunteer waterers. They will especially appreciate vigilant dog walkers who curb their pets. When you are out for your summertime ambles, take in the perfumes of all the flowers and trees. Some of which are thanks to our volunteers. And if you want to help, give your nearby trees and flowers a good soaking from time to time now that the rains of June are but a memory. By Caitlin Hawke Credit: Dayle Vander Sande To our dear Bloomingdale business owners: with all our volunteers scurrying around to make your refreshing goods available to nibble on or to orchestrate all your contributions for bidding at the silent auction, we didn't have time to shout from the rooftops that without you our yard sale just wouldn't be the same!
For part two of the great yard sale wrap-up, here is the whopping list of businesses whose in-kind donations helped the Block Association work towards its dual goal of bringing out the community and raising funds for the BA's community-building endeavors. They sent discounted and complimentary food for our refreshment table; and they provided gift certificates and discounts and bottles of wine and more for our silent auction. And they did it all for you...for us...for the neighborhood. If you came out on the 17th, you'll know what I mean when I say: "It took a village." And in recognition, here's a major hat tip to our local business friends. We are gratified by and grateful for your neighborly spirit and contributions to support our event. Readers, please check out these businesses and doff your cap in person. Academy Floral Amla Bank Street Bookstore Broadway Pizza Carol Bowen Studios Dive Bar Dunkin' Donuts Festival Chamber Music Society First Republic Bank Five Lamps Tavern Henry's Liberty House III Long Teng Massage & Spa Martin Brothers Wine Mexican Festival MP Fitness NYC NuYu Revolution Fitness Studio Pan Asian Repertory Theater Riverside Liquor Ruth Helfrich Crafts Silver Moon Bakery Subway Toast Westside Gem Wine in November ...plus our thanks to the dozens of other neighbors who donated items, crafts, services and who baked their hearts out. There will be a full article coming out shortly in our next newsletter. By Caitlin Hawke Snapshot from the 2014 Spring Yard Sale Your friends at the Block Association are all molecularly tired today. But it is a good kind of tired, as they say. There is nothing like weeks of preparation, a day on your feet, smiling ear to ear, and schmoozing with neighbors, pols and lovers of all-things-vintage who come out of the woodwork to see what's up right here in Bloomingdale. So much the better if it's a very fine Spring Day such as yesterday. If you don't know what I am talking about, you missed the Spring Yard Sale, enjoyable in the extreme.
There will be a full reporting in our newsletter, but let me wet your whistle with the above image. Renée Fishbain, Marv Schoenberg and Roberta Marshall -- all first time volunteers for us, but seasoned connoisseurs of "stuff" -- stood on their feet from early in the morning until closing time. They staffed the rummage table where proceeds directly benefit the block association, and these three friendly souls hawked and haggled all day long to help us out. Thanks to them -- and to dozens of donors of items, especially from BAiP members -- the rummage table raised hundreds of dollars. These three neighbors are just a few of our incredible volunteers who staffed a wide variety of tables and helped in myriad ways. There were those at the refreshment stand, those at the silent auction and raffle table, at our e-waste station, on our music stage and more. There were those you couldn''t see: the folks who prepped and planned and emailed and phoned, who baked, bought, and papered, who woke up early and chalked the street after a drenching night's rain, who got cars moved so the street was relatively clear, and who did the final sweep. If you see Renée, Marv or Roberta or any members of our corps of volunteers, please tell them how much you appreciate their work. And if you see Yard Sale coordinator Bob Aaronson, shake that man's hand. He is a miracle of calm in a sea of yard sale chaos. Makes me want to sing the wonderful song urging Annie to take a load off by The Band to them all. Yard Sale volunteers: put your feet up and bask in the glory of your job well done. By Caitlin Hawke Looking for local musicians for the annual Spring Yard Sale, Saturday, May 17th Here's a great way to donate your time and talent to help build our community. We are looking for neighborhood musicians who would enjoy giving a performance during the Spring Yard Sale on Saturday, May 17th (rain date May 18th). The event runs from 10 am to 5 pm all along W. 103rd Street between West End Avenue and Riverside Drive. Here's the information you'll need if you are interested.
Contact: music@w102-103blockassn.org By Bruce Cohen, Music Coordinator, Spring Yard Sale Credit: O. Alfonso Starting on May 3rd, the doorman at 240 W. 102nd Street will accept donations for the Block Association's Community Sale table at our upcoming Yard Sale. Bring your trinkets, treasures, CDs/DVDs, household items and more. Your donations of "stuff"** will be sold to benefit the Block Association on May 17th. So come on by 240 W. 102nd Street between the hours of 8 a.m. and midnight.
**No clothes, please, but do bring them the day of the Yard Sale...we'll have textile donation bins, and e-waste recycling, too, on May 17th. By Caitlin Hawke It is Almost Time for the Annual Yard Sale on W. 103rd Street on May 17, 2014!
The Eye Candy from Spring Planting Day 2014
Photos courtesy of Terence Hanrahan and Eve Sinaiko
The Block Association’s Annual Meeting turned out a standing-room crowd for a special line up of public officials who came to discuss community concerns about street safety. Among others, Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance (left), City Councilperson Helen Rosenthal (center), and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer (right) all addressed neighbors’ concerns.
Our 24th Precinct’s interim Community Officer, William Pla, spoke about the following: • recent burglary arrests have led to a decrease in incidents • police are seeing a mix of fault in vehicle incidents: some resulting from pedestrians (on cellphones or jaywalking) walking in front of on-coming cars, others from driver error such as the taxi incident that tragically killed nine-year-old Cooper Stock on West End Avenue at W. 97th St. • the city is addressing safety concerns on the W. 96th St. corridor by way of several actions: lengthening lights at W. 96th Street, adding crossing guards at PS 75, installing red light cameras at W. 96th St. from Amsterdam to West End Avenues, and monitoring speed at W. 96th St. and Broadway where two officers are currently assigned from 7 am to 7 pm. Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance made these key points: • throughout the 1980s, there were about 500 homicides annually • this rate decreased to 70 in Vance’s first year in office and was down to 40 last year thanks to community engagement as well as law enforcement • gang and gun violence are a priority at the DA’s office; 14 gangs have been obliterated so far • his office is focusing on prevention by providing alternative outlets for populations most at risk; so far they are serving 3000 kids at seven different sites • he is supporting a measure to open the Police Athletic League gym in Central Harlem to kids 11 to 18 years old on weekend nights 6th District City Councilperson, Helen Rosenthal, discussed a range of topics, notably about: • Vision Zero Mayor Bill de Blasio has launched a plan to work toward zero fatalities or serious injuries due to city traffic and pedestrian flows. Specifically in our area with the recent spate of bad accidents and fatalities, work began in late March on crosswalks at W. 96th and Broadway to overhaul flow of pedestrian traffic. Plans include for allowing pedestrians to cross over W. 96th Street from median to median to reduce crowding on the east and west corners of the intersection. There is legislation in progress named for Cooper Stock that would result in immediate suspension of a driver’s hack license and perhaps revocation if investigation reveals that the driver failed to yield. Helen Rosenthal has recommended to New York State to follow suit with all drivers, not just cab drivers. • Supports the “Twenty is Plenty” program initiated by advocacy groups, which originated in the U.K. Although Albany regulates speed limits, “Slow Zones” may be defined and regulated by NYC’s Department of Transportation. Helen Rosenthal is working to establish a maximum city street speed limit of 20 mph and is lobbying for home rule so that the city may proceed. Highlights of remarks from Manhattan Borough President and neighborhood friend, Gale Brewer: • Jessica Mates, Gale Brewer’s chief of staff also discussed Vision Zero and efforts to identify trouble spots for traffic and pedestrian safety. Their office has introduced a bill to increase the number of audio pedestrian signals and the pace of their installation. • Gale Brewer kindly acknowledged the Block Association, with which she’s had a long working relationship from her days as a City Councilperson. • Gale is particularly supportive of the various age-friendly initiatives throughout the city and singled out David Reich and Bloomingdale Aging in Place of our neighborhood as great examples of how a community can become mindful and supportive of needs of older neighbors. By Hedy Campbell and Caitlin Hawke Our Block Association has sponsored a Halloween event since the 1970’s! This wonderful tradition continued again this year. Best estimates are that about 200 children, parents, and others joined in. Volunteers work for several weeks so we can celebrate Halloween right here in our own neighborhood.
Everyone gathered at West 102nd and West End Avenue around 6:00 p.m. to begin the parade up West End Avenue, down West 103rd, along Riverside Drive, and up West 102nd. Neighbors greeted the parade-goers with treats. Many homes were decorated with festive Halloween themes, to the delight of the costumed crowd. The parade ended with a Street Fair on West 102nd where folks gathered to talk, show off their varied and imaginative costumes, enjoy the entertainment and load up on candy, cake, brownies, baked goods, and juice, donated by neighbors. Entertainment this year included accordion music, arts and crafts activities, face painting, and storytelling. The St. Luke’s staff and residents are always key contributors to our event, along with Block Association members who staff the event and take care of logistics. It’s all about community spirit, costumes and sweet treats! Join us next year! By Jane Hopkins |
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