Category Archives: Sandwich and Deli’s for the budget minded

Day Ninety: Walking the Streets in the Yorkville/Carnegie Hill neighborhood from 95th Street to 84th Street between Fifth Avenue and East End Avenue September 13th-28th, 2017 (again on July 8th, 2024 and July 21st, 2025)

I finally finished the Avenues of the neighborhood and started walking the streets. It can be a tiring process since it is a nine-block walk in the lower parts of the neighborhood. My first day in the Yorkville/Carnegie Hill section I covered everything from 96th Street to 90th Street. It also rained part of the afternoon which is no fun.

As much as it was a gloomy day, watching the kids let out of school that day boosted my energy. I forgot what it is like when a long day of school is over. These kids come out of the building with so much pent-up energy. All the laughing and yelling brought back a lot of good memories.

I took the Q back up to 96th Street and made a roundabout down FDR Drive to 92nd Street to start the walk. I knew I would not have time to do the whole neighborhood and wanted to break it up into two parts doing the neighborhood above 90th Street first.

As I turned the corner, I could feel the energy from the students who were leaving MS114 on 92nd Street for the afternoon. There was so much noise and excitement after a long day at school. It seems that this neighborhood is loaded with excellent schools both for high school and the lower grades as well.

Yorkville is home to many public and private schools. While walking around between 90th and 92nd Streets, the neighborhood is home to some of the best schools in the city. Hunter High School, The Dalton School, Nightingale-Bramford, Spence School and Chapin School are all located closer to Central Park. All of these schools have had excellent reputations since I was in high school in the eighties. Even the public schools in the neighborhood such as MS-114 have some of the best reputations in the New York City.

The Dalton School

The famous Dalton School at 108 East 89th Street

https://www.dalton.org/

No matter the kids, they are still excited and noisy when they leave school and all have their cliques. They fill the smaller neighborhood restaurants and bodegas after school and yell at each other when crossing the street. It is a very lively neighborhood after 2:00pm in the afternoon between the students and the parents picking some of them up. It is nice to see parents who still give that independence to their kids to walk alone in the neighborhood with their friends. They travel in packs anyway. Ten to one these kids know how to handle themselves.

There is a nice pocket park at 92nd Street and Second Avenue to sit and relax. Located between the buildings on 92nd Street, it still has traces of the summer left with flowers blooming and the trees are still green. It’s a nice place to take a breather and watch the neighborhood go by.

This is a neighborhood with a real family feel to it. Something I did not experience in the neighborhood before school started, when the streets were quiet as people were still on vacation but now that school is back in session, it has really changed.

I can see by the number of parents, both men and women, talking time out to pick up their children from school and talk with them on the way home that they are very involved in their children’s lives. Some of the conversations I overheard were a little mature for kids that age, but I have always found the city kids to be a little more ‘hip’ to things than their suburban counterparts.

There are some great children’s stores in the area and loads of family friendly restaurants in the neighborhood. One store that I stopped at was La Librairie des Enfants at 163 East 92nd Street. This quirky little bookstore sells the most unique French language children’s picture books with a small selection of American books. It reminded me of ‘Shop Around the Corner’ in the movie, “You got Mail”.

La Librarie des Enfants

La Librairie des Enfants at 163 East 92nd Street (closed in April of 2024)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Bookstore/La-Librairie-des-Enfants-205099576621700/

https://lalibrairiedesenfants.nyc/

My review on LIttleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com:

Beautifully decorated with pretty displays and set up for the avid reader. The French salesman was very talkative to me and knows his merchandise. This is the perfect spot for local children and tourists looking for that unusual gift.

La Librarie des Enfants II

La Librairie des Enfants inside play area

Watch this interesting video on this store

Another store that is a neighborhood staple is Children’s General Store at 168 East 91st Street near Second Avenue (Closed as of 2019). This whimsical store is a hark back to when kids actually had an imagination and did not look at a cell phone all day. This is for the creative child who likes board games and arts & crafts, make believe castles and all the great little items that we as adults would call ‘stocking stuffers’. If I was a kid again, this is the first place I would visit. It has a great selection of toys for the young at heart.

As you walk the side streets of the neighborhood, you can see that on the Avenues of the neighborhood, brownstones are giving way to large newer apartment buildings but on the streets in between them are still elegant, graceful brownstones lining the streets of the upper 90’s some of the most beautiful between Lexington and Park Avenues.

There are some beautiful wooden homes lining the streets between Lexington and Park Avenue on 92nd and 91st Streets from a day long ago. To see these buildings still standing and in perfect shape is a testament of the care they receive and how well they were built in the early 1800’s. All four of these homes have special plaques on them and you should take the time to admire the work on them. Their owners have kept them in excellent shape.

As I walked around the high 90’s by 1st, 2nd and FDR Drive around the Isaacs Housing, the area is being knocked down and rebuilt with more luxurious apartment buildings and stores to match. Here and there, there is still a sprinkling of stores and restaurants that cater to people in the housing projects but this area around the housing projects just keeps changing and getting more expensive. Like the rest of uptown that I walked, many people don’t seem to have a problem living across the street from the projects.

Isaacs Houses II

The new plan for the Isaacs Houses with luxury buildings

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaacs_Houses

What the neighborhood has that caters to everyone is the number of parks in the neighborhood. You have Central Park to the west, Carl Schurz Park to the East, Asphalt Green playground by York Avenue past 92nd Street as well as the Isaacs and the Seaburg playgrounds on 96th Street as well as a few pocket parks in the 90’s.

Walking on York Avenue in the summer of 2025

There is plenty of places for kids to play sports or just hang out and enjoy the playgrounds. The public bathrooms do still need to be worked on in these parks.

Isaacs Houses at 419 East 93rd Street

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaacs_Houses

Stanley Myer Isaacs was one of New York City’s great lawyer’s and civic leaders and was Borough President of Manhattan. He helped Robert Moses; the great Parks Director build East River Drive (now FDR Drive). Judge Seabury was descended from one of the original settlers of New York and the first Bishop of New York, Dr. Samuel Seabury III. As a public servant to the City, he helped fight corruption within Tammany Hall and lead many reforms in New York City (NYCParks.org).

Stanley Myer Isaacs.jpg

Stanley M. Isaacs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_M._Isaacs

In the 90’s, there are also a few important museums that you should check out. On the corner of Fifth Avenue at East 92nd Street is the Jewish Museum at 1109 Fifth Avenue.

Jewish Museum

The Jewish Museum at 1109 Fifth Avenue

https://thejewishmuseum.org/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d106187-Reviews-The_Jewish_Museum-New_York_City_New_York.html

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

The museum was originally started in 1904 as a gift from Judge Mayer Sulzberger to the Jewish Theological Society and has since moved to the Warburg Mansion in 1944 and the museum was opened in 1947 as The Jewish Museum. I went back into the neighborhood for a visit later in the year to visit the Leonard Cohen exhibition (See reviews on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum.com).

Jewish Museum III

The Leonard Cohen exhibition at The Jewish Museum

On the corner of Fifth Avenue and East 91st Street is the Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum at 2 East 91st Street. This is housed in the old Andrew Carnegie Mansion, one of the few surviving Fifth Avenue mansions from the Gilded Age. The museum was founded in 1896 by granddaughters of Peter Cooper for the college and it fell under the Smithsonian in 1968.

Cooper Hewitt Museum

The Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum at 2 East 91st Street

https://www.si.edu/museums/cooper-hewitt-smithsonian-design-museum

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d106188-Reviews-Cooper_Hewitt_Smithsonian_Design_Museum-New_York_City_New_York.html

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

I went in recent to see the ‘Nature-Cooper-Hewitt Triennial’ exhibition and to walk around the grounds. The exhibition was excellent but the house itself is fun to walk around in. Take your time to visit all the floors (See review on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum.com).

Cooper Hewitt Museum IV

The Triennial was nice, but the house is amazing!

Walking down York Avenue in the summer

The evening of the first night walking the streets of Yorkville, I ate at Timmy’s Restaurant on 91st and York (See review on TripAdvisor-Closed in 2018). It is a wonderful little neighborhood restaurant with outdoor seating and an extensive American menu across the street from Asphalt Green playground. I could hear the kids across the street playing soccer and screaming as they played.

Timmy's

Timmy’s Restaurant in Yorkville (Closed in 2018-Now Cafe Nick)

Cafe Nick in the summer of 2025

https://www.cheznicknyc.com/

Review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d476854-Reviews-Nick_s-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=69573

The outside of Cafe Nick at 1737 York Avenue

The weather had finally cleared and it was a nice warm night out, perfect for sitting outside and enjoying the breeze. What had caught my eye on the menu was the fresh soft-shell sandwich that the restaurant was running as a special. It was excellent. A lightly breaded and fried soft-shell crab on a soft brioche roll with lettuce and tomato and fresh French fries and onion rings on the side made the perfect meal.

The crab was sweet with the crunchiness of the perfect sauté. The service is friendly and very welcoming, and I highly recommend the restaurant while it is still warm out. It is nice to just sit outside and watch the world go by.

I started my second day in the neighborhood by walking the streets between 90th and 84th Streets. The weather during these two weeks really changed. One day it was boiling hot at 90 degrees and the last day in the neighborhood, it went down into the 60’s as September moved into October. I have never seen such a drastic change in a week and a half.

After another day of working the Bread station at the Soup Kitchen, it was off to the lower section of Yorkville/Carnegie Hill. I walked the top part of 84th Street between Fifth Avenue and East End Avenue, admiring the brownstones and small parks along the way. It got to be that time of the day and school let out. I have never seen such a swarm of children before.

Walking this part of the neighborhood, I noticed more that there is a large concentration not just of private, public and religious schools but all of the seem to be the best of their categories.  These are not just the best in their categories in the city but in the state and country as well. The neighborhood that stretches from 96th to 84th Streets has such a great variety of schools that would make the rest of the country envious.

As I have said on previous walks, the conversations between parents and kids are always interesting to hear. These school kids sound so much more mature than their age. These kids talk politics, sports and current events just as good as any adult.

Between East 89th and 88th Streets is the Guggenheim Museum at 1071 Fifth Avenue. This Frank Lloyd Wright designed building is a treasure trove of contemporary art. The museum has been closed for renovations.

Guggenheim Museum

The Solomon Guggenheim Museum at 1071 Fifth Avenue

https://www.guggenheim.org/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d108687-Reviews-Solomon_R_Guggenheim_Museum-New_York_City_New_York.html

The lower parts of the streets from about 85th to 87th Streets really show old New York at its best with rows and rows of majestic brownstones and old apartment houses. Some of these are starting to get decorated for the Fall holidays noting the change in weather and October approaching. Pumpkins and haystacks are starting to replace the summer wreaths and pots of flowers.

Brownstoners really decorate their homes nicely at the holidays

Who says decorating is just for the suburbs

I started my tour of the neighborhood with a nice lunch at Arturo’s Pizza on the corner of York Avenue and 85th Street, 1610 York Avenue (See Review on TripAdvisor) for their lunch special. They have three really reasonable lunch specials until 3:30pm, one a meatball sub, another a sausage sub and the last being two slices with a Coke for $5.00. It was quite a deal.

Arturo’s Pizza at 1619 York Street is good for great lunch specials

https://arturosny.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d526624-Reviews-Arturo_s_York_Ave-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=69573

The food is good but could be better. Yet they give you a nice size sub for $5.00. The meatball sub was loaded with fresh cut meatballs which were a nice size with tomato sauce on excellent fresh chewy bread. As big as it was it just did not have enough flavor. The sauce needed more spice and the meatballs more salt and cheese. It just did not taste like anything. It was the same two days later when finishing the walk of the neighborhood after a disastrous Chinese meal.

The meatball sub at Arturo’s was okay.

I had the two-slice special and found the pizza to have no flavor because there was no zing to the sauce. It was also oily and should have been heated up more. The food here should be better since they seem to take pride in it. It warrants a third trip as the portion is worth the money when you are hungry. They do need to concentrate on their tomato sauce though and add some spice to it.

The Cheese pizza did not have that much flavor in the sauce.

There are more great stores for kids in the lower part of the neighborhood as well. I passed Baby Bubble at 240 88th Street, which specializes in cleaning anything kid from strollers to clothes. I was impressed by the one stop shopping. Another great little store for young women is Let’s Dress Up at 345 East 85th Street #1. This is a place where you can princess for day and be treated like royalty at your own catered birthday party. Another clear idea for the creative child within.

Walking down East 84th Street in the summer of 2025

When walking through the side streets between 84th to 87th Streets between York and Third Avenue, you really see ‘old New York’. Rows and rows of beautiful, graceful brownstones line the street with their small outside gardens and potted plants. It is a step back in time to another era until you hit the Avenues and see the large modern apartment building.

East 84th Street in the Summer of 2024

Their are some apartments on East 84th Street have unique details to them. You really have to look behind the trees and around the tops of the buildings to notice the curves, spirals and faces that look out at you. This set of brick apartments stretches from 312-318 East 84th Street and were built in 1910 (StreetEasy.com).

312-314 East 84th Street

https://streeteasy.com/building/318-east-84-street-new_york

https://www.apartments.com/318-east-84th-street-new-york-ny/qk4g64z/

316-318 East 84th Street

The embellishments on 316 East 84th Street

I passed several fire stations along the way in the neighborhood. Engine 22; Ladder 13, Battalion 10 is located on 159 East 85th Street. The plaque on their fire station said that they had lost nine members on 9/11. These brave men sacrificed so much for us and still do every day making their neighborhood safe. Another old-fashioned non-functioning firehouse is Hook & Ladder 13 at 159 East 87th Street.

Founded in 1865 as a ‘suburban’ firehouse, this is no longer the firehouse for the company which has been moved. The company’s fame comes from being involved in the deadly explosion on Park Place in 1891. Kudos to these brave members of the FDNY.

Hook and Ladder 13

Hook & Ladder 13 in Yorkville at 159 East 87th Street

http://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-1868-hook-ladder-13-no-159-e-87th.html

As you continue down 87th Street, there is a creepy set of brownstones between 337-339 East 87th Street. The motifs on the outside of the building look like devils or ghouls and do give you the chills. It looks like a place where ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ lived when it grew up. I would love to pass these building on Friday the 13th or Halloween night.

337-339 East 87th Street-The “Rosemary’s Baby House”

This creepy looking brownstone was built between 1886-1887 by architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh for the Rhinelander estate and what is interesting about the story is that the 329-335 were knocked down for the apartment building next store and the motif of this devil looking motif is carved out of 337 East 87th Street (Starts and Fits). Very interesting.

337-339 East 87th Street-The Rosemary’s Baby House

https://streeteasy.com/building/337-east-87-street-new_york

The creepy entrance way to 339 East 87th Street

The creepy demons carved into the stair banister

Don’t miss the ghoul like carving at 439 East 87th Street. I don’t think that one is as old. This menacing face adorns that archway of the brownstone of this two-unit home that was built in 1901.

The street art on the wall of East 87th Street and First Avenue

The street art of East 87th Street

I had to stop at Milano Market at 1582 Third Avenue on the corner of 87th Street and 3rd Avenue to cool down. The place is so beautifully set up and the prepared food section is picturesque. It is a nice place to just stand and take a breath. The place is heavily air conditioned and on a humid day, it is a great place to just walk around. The online reviews are not too pleasant for as good as their food is most of the reviews talk about rude service. I will have to go back and try it out to be fair on them.

Milano Market

Milano Market at 1582 Third Avenue

https://www.milanomarketnyc.com/visit-us

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d5084566-Reviews-Milano_Market-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=69573

Another place to chill out and relax on a hot day is the Church of the Holy Trinity Garden at 316 East 88th Street near Second Avenue.  This beautifully landscaped garden surrounded by shade trees is the perfect place to relax on a long day. It really does offer solitude from the city and is an escape from the rest of the landscape. It was still warm, so the flowers were out and the trees offered a lot of shade.

Ruppert Park is the same located at Second Avenue between 90th and 91st Street. Named after the famous German Brewer Jacob Ruppert, the park is part of the tower complex that surrounds it. Mr. Ruppert was one of the first co-owners of the Yankees and co-owned Yankee Stadium.

Ruppert Park

Ruppert Park at 1741 Second Avenue

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/ruppert-park

This is a wonderful park to watch the dog walkers pass by and converse with one another. This is a true neighborhood park where neighbors talk and swap stories and debate politic, seniors come to relax and watch the neighbors go by and the dogs engage with one another. It is a great park for the dog walking set. I have never seen so many small, pampered dogs walking around one neighborhood.

Another great place to visit is Henderson Place at East End Avenue across from Carl Schurz Park and between 86th and 87th Streets. This is part of the Henderson Place Historical District located facing the park is what is left of the original 32 houses (24 survive today) that were built between 1881-82. They were built for people of ‘moderate means’ meanwhile now these rare little townhouses with their arched hallways and small gardens and rare parking lots are now worth about $4.6 million when one went on sale recently. They were built in the Queen Ann style of architecture and look so elegant at night when walking on the park side of the street.

Henderson Place Historic District at 535 East 86th Street

The Henderson Place Historic District

The Henderson Place Historic District

The Henderson Place Historic District

I stopped at Glaser’s Bakery at 1670 First Avenue (see review on TripAdvisor and DiningonaShoeStringinNYC-Closed in 2018) and all I have to say is YUM! I love discovering new bakeries around the city especially one that has been around since 1902. Everything here is delicious and very reasonable. In this hyper-gentrifying City, it is nice to see a piece of ‘old New York’ alive and well. Both afternoons I came here the place was mobbed.

Glazer's Bake Shop

Glaser’s Bake Shop at 1670 First Avenue (Closed in 2018)

https://www.glasersbakeshop.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

My review on DIningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

The pastries are mind blowingly good! The first time I went I had to get one of their black and white cookies ($2.25) are the rage of the internet. Everyone was not kidding. They are excellent. Not the usual fondant icing but more of a butter cream frosting they literally melt in your mouth. They have this Danish called a Crumb Cookie ($3.25) that is loaded on top with sweet cinnamon crumbs and lots of icing on top. It is so big I had to bring the rest home.

Their doughnuts ($1.50) are worth the trip alone. The jelly doughnuts are filled with a sweet currant type jelly and their sugar doughnuts are loaded with a layer of cinnamon sugar. Do not miss this bakery when visiting New York City.

On the opposite note, I ate dinner that day at Five Luck Chinese restaurant on 1834 Second Avenue (see review on TripAdvisor-Now Closed) right near the new Q subway line (Closed in January 2020). It was the worst Chinese meal I had ever eaten! I had no idea that food cooked by Chinese could be this bad. First the place is old and depressing to eat in and I have eaten at loads of these little hole in the wall restaurants all over the city. If anyone from China ate here, they would laugh and then cry it is that bad.

I ordered a Shredded Pork with Garlic Sauce with fried rice with a pork Egg Roll. Now when I think of Shredded Pork with Garlic Sauce, I think of sliced pork loin sautéed with brown Hunan Sauce with garlic and ginger. I got this gloppy roast pork with a pile of uncooked vegetables with a side of yellow rice with a ton of bean sprouts in them. I had no clue what I was eating. I ate the egg roll, and it was barely passable as a frozen egg roll.

The dish was worse than any middle school cafeteria version of Chinese food. I ate three bites on it and handed it back to them and said to the owner that it was inedible. Rather than fight over a dish that cost $4.85 or ask for anything else, I walked out and never looked back. Avoid this place like the plague. I went back to Arturo’s for their pizza.

Rounding the corner at Fifth Avenue and East 86th Street is the Neue Museum at 1048 Fifth Avenue. Neue Galerie New York is a museum devoted to early twentieth-century German and Austrian art and design. Located in a landmark mansion built in 1914 by the architectural firm of Carrere & Hastings, the museum offers a diverse program of exhibitions, lectures, films, concerts and other events.

Neue Gallery

The Neue Galerie Museum at 1048 Fifth Avenue

https://www.neuegalerie.org/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d258699-Reviews-Neue_Galerie-New_York_City_New_York.html

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

It was that afternoon I finally got to see the famous painting, “The Woman in Gold” made famous by the movie. The museum specializes in German and Austrian art (See reviews on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum.com).

The famous “Woman in Gold” by Gustav Klimt

As I walked down East 84th Street, I noticed the beauty of each block while getting closer to the river. The streets were so beautiful while in bloom.

Walking down East 84th Street by East End Avenue

This was Walter Cronkite’s home until 1999

The plaque at 519 East 84th Street

Walter Cronkite

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Cronkite

Sitting quietly in the middle of East 84th Street is the tiny NYU Institute of Study of Ancient Art at 15 East 84th Street. This branch of the New York University Art Department specializes in Ancient Art and offers a scholarly approach to the ancient arts of European and Middle Eastern Art.

Institute of Ancient Studies

Don’t miss the NYU Institute of Study of Ancient Art at 15 East 84th Street near the Met

https://isaw.nyu.edu/exhibitions

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d1572637-Reviews-Institute_for_the_Study_of_the_Ancient_World-New_York_City_New_York.html

My review on VisitingaMuseum:

When I last visited, they were showing the “A Wonder to Behold: Craftsmanship and Creation of Babylon’s Ishtar Gate” exhibition on Ancient Mesopotamian art.

Institute of Ancient Studies III

They were showing Ancient Middle Eastern art when I visited

I finished my last day of my three-day trip relaxing in Carl Schurz Park. Carl Schurz was a very interesting man who did a lot for his country. Born in Prussia, he fought during the Revolution and escaped the country to immigrate to Paris when he was on the losing side.

He and his wife immigrated to the United States in 1852. Here he served as a Brigadier General in the Civil War, after the War he served as a U.S. Senator, Secretary of the Interior under President Hayes working to fight corruption in the Office of Indian Affairs and after his stint in the government, went back to his newspaper work (Wiki).

Carl Schurz

Carl Schurz

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Schurz

Mayor de Blasio must have been having a party because everyone in the park could hear the band. On this warm night every dog walker and child with a parent must have been in the park. Even at twilight, the place was mobbed as well as the river walk with people admiring the river views. It is still summer and I got a nice taste of it today.  The park is beautiful anytime of the year (See review on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum.com).

Carl Schurz Park at East 86th Street

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/carl-schurz-park

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d312015-Reviews-Carl_Schurz_Park-New_York_City_New_York.html

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://visitingamuseum.com/tag/carl-schurz-park/

The park in the Spring of 2024

What a beautiful neighborhood to live in. The park is particularly colorful in the Spring when the Cherry Blossoms are in bloom. This is a family’s dream. Access to the neighborhood: The 6 & Q subways. Stop at 96th Street.

The park in the Summer of 2024

The park’s gardens in the Summer of 2024

The park in the middle of the Summer of 2025

The park in the summer months

I had the opportunity before my tour of Gracie Mansion to walk along the esplanade and see the views of the Hudson River. It was such a beautiful day to walk along the river side.

The riverfront and Hellgate in the summer

The gardens in Carl Schulz Park

The beautiful walkway

The view of the Queens skyline

The view of the river walkway in the middle of the summer

Check out my blogs on walking the Yorkville/Upper East Side neighborhood:

Day Eighty-Nine: Walking the Avenues of Yorkville/Carnegie Hill/Upper East Side:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/6460

Day Eighty-Eight: Walking the Borders of Yorkville/Carnegie Hill/Upper East Side:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/6377

Places to Visit:

La Librairie des Enfants

163 92nd Street

New York, NY  10128

(646) 590-2797

https://lalibrairiedesenfants.nyc/

https://www.lalibrairiedesenfantsbookstore.com/about

Open: Sunday 10:00am-5:00pm/Monday-Friday 10:00am-6:00pm/Saturday 10:00am-7:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

My review on LittleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com:

Children’s General Store (Now Closed)

168 East 91st Street (between Lexington and Third Avenues)

New York, NY  10128

(212) 426-4479

https://www.facebook.com/tcgstoys/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d210163-Reviews-The_Children_s_General_Store-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Carl Schurz Park

East 84th Street to East 90th Street

East End Avenue to the East River

New York City, NY  10128

https://www.carlschurzparknyc.org/

Open: Sunday-Saturday 6:00am-12:00am

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d312015-Reviews-Carl_Schurz_Park-New_York_City_New_York.html

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2714

Ruppert’s Park

1741 Second Avenue

New York, NY  10128

Open: Sunday-Saturday 7:00am-9:00pm

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/ruppert-park

Issacs Playground

East 95th Street to East 97th Street

New York, NY  10128

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/stanley-isaacs-playground

Open: Sunday-Saturday 7:00am-9:00pm

Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum

2 East 91st Street

New York, NY  10128

(212) 849-8400

https://www.si.edu/museums/cooper-hewitt-smithsonian-design-museum

Open: Sunday-Saturday 10:00am-6:00pm

Fee: Adults $18.00/People with Disabilities & Seniors $10.00/Children Under 18 Free/Students $9.00. Check the prices online as they change.

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d106188-Reviews-Cooper_Hewitt_Smithsonian_Design_Museum-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/3246

Jewish Museum

1109 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY   10128

(212) 423-3200

https://thejewishmuseum.org/

Open: Monday-Tuesday 11:00am-5:45pm/Wednesday Closed/Thursday 11:00am-8:00pm/Saturday & Sunday 10:00am-5:45pm

Fee: Adults $18.00/Seniors (over 65) $12.00/Students $8.00/Children under 18 Free

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d106187-Reviews-The_Jewish_Museum-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/3252

Neue Galerie New York

1048 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY  10028

(212) 628-6200

neuegalerie.org

@neugalerieny

Open: Sunday 11:00am-5:00pm/Monday 11:00am-6:00pm/ Tuesday and Wednesday Closed/Thursday-Saturday 11:00am-6:00pm

Café and Shops have various hours. Please check the website for these.

Fee: General $22.00/Seniors (65 and Older) $16.00/Students and Educators $12.00/Children under 12 are not admitted and Children under 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult. The museum is open on First Fridays from 6:00pm-9:00pm. Please visit the website for more information.

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d258699-Reviews-Neue_Galerie-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/3063

Institute for the Study of the Ancient World/New York University

15 East 84th Street

New York, NY  10028

(212) 992-7800/Fax (212) 992-7809

http://www.isaw.nyc.edu

Fee: Free

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d1572637-Reviews-Institute_for_the_Study_of_the_Ancient_World-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/3747

Places to Eat:

Timmy’s Restaurant (Closed in 2018)

1737 York Avenue

New York, NY  10128

(212) 860-9191

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d1160556-Reviews-Timmy_s-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Arturo’s Pizza

1610 York Avenue Front #2

New York, NY  10028

(212) 288-2430

https://arturosny.com/

Open: Sunday-Saturday 12:00pm-10:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d479377-Reviews-Arturo_s_Pizza-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Milano Market

1582 Third Avenue

New York, NY  10128

(212) 996-6681

https://www.milanomarketnyc.com/

Open: Sunday-Saturday 6:00am-10:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d5084566-Reviews-Milano_Market-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Glaser’s Bakery (Closed in 2018)

1670 First Avenue

New York, NY  10128

(212) 289-2562

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d930552-Reviews-Glaser_s_Bake_Shop-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/409

Author Justin Watral

Day Ninety One: New Blog Sites: VisitingaMuseum.com and DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@WordPress.com by Blogger Justin Watrel.

To all of my readers and fellow bloggers following my blog, ‘MywalkinManhattan.com’. I created two more blog sites to accompany the main site.

I created ‘VisitingaMuseum.com’ and ‘DiningonaShoeStringinNYC.Wordpress.com’ to take what I have discovered on the walk around the city and put it into more detail.

I created ‘VisitingaMuseum.com’ to feature all the small and medium museums, pocket parks, community gardens and historical sites that I have found along the way in my walking the streets of the island and in the outlining areas of Manhattan. There are loads of sites you can easily miss either by not visiting the neighborhoods by foot or not consulting a guidebook. Most of the these places are not visited by most residents of the City and should not be missed.

I never realized how many small museums exist in New York City, let alone the outer boroughs and in New Jersey. I have discovered so many wonderful and interesting artifacts in these museums that not only have so much historical value but they also deal with local history.

Gallery Bergen II.jpg

Gallery Bergen at Bergen Community College

There are so many pocket parks, community gardens and historical sites that you would miss if you did not walk the neighborhoods. What has also been fascinating about it is the people you meet along the way that volunteer in these facilities. There is so much pride to be had by these local residents dedicating their time to make these places successful.

‘DiningonaShoeStringinNYC.Wordpress.com’ is my latest site:

https://diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/

I am featuring and promoting wonderful local restaurants that I have found along the way when doing the walk as well as places I have recently visited outside the city for $10.00 and below. I am not just featuring them for their price but for the quality of the food, the selection and the portion size.

Dumplings II.jpg

Delicious Dumplings at ‘Dumplings’ on Henry Street

These little ‘hole in the wall’ dining establishments offer a good meal at a fair price as well as supporting the local economy. I have a very limited budget for meals and thought this blog site would help all of you economize when touring New York City and the outlying regions. I cross reference my reviews on TripAdvisor.com.

For anyone thinking of doing a similar project like ‘MywalkinManhattan.com’, I want to let you know how expensive it is to do. I have to pay not just for bus tickets, subway passes, meals, donations to museums and historical sites but the general wear and tear on my clothes. I am on my third pair of sneakers due to this walk. This is why you need to set a budget for it:

https://mywalkinmanhattan.com/

Beekman Place.jpg

Beekman Place

So I hope you enjoy ‘VisitingaMuseum.com’ and ‘DiningonaShoeStringinNYC.Wordpress.com when coming to Manhattan. Please check all of this places out online for a change of hours and exhibits and menus.

Check out the newest site, “LittleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com” for small boutiques and specialty shops that are unique and quirky.

Cute Downtown.jpg

Little Shop on Main Street:

https://littleshoponmainstreet.wordpress.com/

Please check out my fire fighting blog sites, ‘The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association’, ‘tbcfma.Wordpress.com’, where I am blogging about the activities of the association that I am volunteering for at the home on a quarterly basis and the support that the organization gives to The New Jersey Firemen’s Home in Boonton, New Jersey. Firemen for all over Bergen County, where I live, volunteer their time up at the nursing home with activities to engage and cheer up our fellow fire fighters.

New Jersey Firemen's Home Museum

The New Jersey Firemen’s Home in Boonton, NJ

https://tbcfha.wordpress.com/

The second site about fire fighting I blog about is ‘The Brothers of Engine One Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department”, ‘EngineOneHasbrouckHeightsFireDepartmentNJ.Wordpress.com’, where I blog about the activities of  Engine Company One, in which I am a member, as part of the Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department. We do a lot of volunteer work for the department and many of our members are very active and hold a lot of positions on the department.

Brother's of Engine One with their bell

The Brothers of Engine One HHFD (site now closed-Blogs moved to section of MywalkinManhattan.com called “My life as a Fireman”):

https://engineonehasbrouckheightsfiredepartmentnj.wordpress.com/tag/engine-one-hhfd/

The most frequented of my blogs is “BergenCountyCaregiver.com’, a caregivers blog site to help adult caregivers take care of their loved ones. This helps caregivers navigate a very broken system and put all sorts of programs that might help them all in one place to read and chose what might help them. This deals with county, state and federal programs that most social workers miss because there are so many of them that don’t get a lot of attention. It is by far the most popular site.

BCFHA Barbecue 2019 V

The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association

I wanted to share these with my readers and thank you for following my main blog, ‘MywalkinManhattan.com’. Please also share this with your friends who are visiting New York City to really tour the city by foot and see it for its own beauty and uniqueness.

Happy Reading!

My Blogs:

MywalkinManhattan.com

https://mywalkinmanhattan.com/

BergenCountyCaregiver.com

https://wwwbergencountycaregiver.com/

VisitingaMuseum.com

https://visitingamuseum.com/

DiningonaShoeStringinNYC.Wordpress.com

https://diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/

TheBrothersofEngineOneHasbrouckHeightsFireDepartment@Wordpress.com

https://engineonehasbrouckheightsfiredepartmentnj.wordpress.com/

TBCFMA@Wordpress.com

https://tbcfha.wordpress.com/

Also visit my past blog on Patch.com: The Merchant Series

https://patch.com/users/justin-watrel

https://patch.com/new-jersey/hasbrouckheights/friends-merchant-series-young-fashions

https://patch.com/new-jersey/hasbrouckheights/friends-merchant-series-young-fashions

I did this for the Friends of the Hasbrouck Heights Library from 2009-2014.

Day Eighty-Nine: Walking the Avenues of Yorkville/Carnegie Hill from Madison Avenue to East End Avenue 96th-84th Streets August 28th-September 5th, 2017 (Again on June 8th, 2024 and July 21st, 2025)

After a long day in the Soup Kitchen prepping vegetables for future meals, I started my day uptown at the Samuel Seabury Park on 96th Street off the 6 subway line. It is a good place for a bathroom break in the area with the other being the Samuel Isaacs Park on 96th Street and 1st Avenue. There are not too many public bathrooms in this area.

Stanley Isaacs Playground

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/stanley-isaacs-playground

The park sign

The one thing I might want to mention that I am beginning to notice and it is not just in the poorer areas is that number of empty store fronts as well as the closing of many older businesses that I had seen in the area from the 80’s and 90’s. I guess the 20 year leases are coming up and they are jacking the rents up sky-high in some areas. When Ottomanelli’s Restaurant, which had been in this neighborhood since 1902 closes, you know there is a problem ( I think they may be camping further uptown now).

The businesses again change closer to the housing complexes with smaller more reasonable restaurants around 2nd and 1st Avenues. This is not a section with lots of upscale shops and restaurants though I think some of the prices at the restaurants are due to the ongoing raise in the rents in the area.

The neighborhood is very diverse in its housing stock depending on the block and in its businesses. Being so close to Central Park gives you a sense of green though there are many nice smaller parks in the neighborhood. Though it is an expensive neighborhood I am sure it is not as expensive as its southern neighbors on this side of the park.

The number 6 subway will take you directly to Samuel Seabury Park at 96th Street, the start of many bathroom breaks. When you are walking the Avenues on the East Side, you need to know where the public bathrooms are located. This is a very active park during the school year. I would think that the city would have these bathrooms in better condition though.

The park is named after the late Judge Samuel Seabury who roots laid in Colonial Manhattan and had fought the corruption of Tammany Hall. Who knew a late Judge could still be so helpful many years later.

Judge Samuel Seabury

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Seabury_(judge)

Madison Avenue has its unique boutique-ness to it especially further downtown. Above 85th Street, it is more localized shops and restaurants. I had discovered that many businesses from the early 90’s like Sarabeth’s Kitchen were still operating (at much higher prices than I remembered). This location closed with the closing of the Hotel Wales in July 2020.

Sarabeth's Kitchen

Sarabeth’s Kitchen at 1286 Madison Avenue (Closed in July 2020)

https://sarabethsrestaurants.com/locations/upper-east-side/menus/brunch-lunch/

One of the most beautiful and unique buildings on Madison Avenue is the Hunter College building at East 94th Street, which looks like a castle. The building is now used for the Hunter College High School and Elementary School, considered one of the best public schools in the city and you need a special test to get into it.

Squadron A Armory

The Squadron A Armory is now part of the Hunter Campus 1345-1355 Madison Avenue

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squadron_A_Armory

The building itself, built as the Squadron A Armory in 1896 by New York contractor, John F. Johnson, previously called the Madison Avenue Armory building, resembles a castle. It is constructed out of red bricks and was partially demolished in the 1960’s but bought by Hunter College for the expanding school (Wiki). Take a good look around the grounds, there is a real beauty in this enchanted castle housing some of the brightest kids in New York City.

Madison Avenue from 96th Street to 84th Street houses lots of local boutiques and restaurants and a few smaller hotels tucked here and there. The buildings are mostly prewar apartment buildings with some new construction thrown in here and there. Its the Upper East Side without the pretension.

Park Avenue is what Park Avenue does best below 98th Street, is an elegant enclave of prewar and turn of the last century apartment buildings with very little business or retail outside of the doctors offices. The Avenue is lined with elegant, old-world buildings with the well-manicured gardens of the street ‘mall’ going from the top of the railroad tracks on 98th Street down to the border of the neighborhood on 84th Street. The mall was ablaze with red and white flowers for the late summer blooms. I don’t think this area has changed much since the 1920’s.

The Park Avenue Mall

The Avenue was quiet that afternoon less the preppie teenagers walking with their sports gear and mom’s and nannies wheeling kids around. There is always a certain feel to this part of Park Avenue, quiet, elegant and sedate. I am sure its not that way in real life but that is the way it appears to the average person walking down the sidewalk.

One standout building on Park Avenue amongst all the elegant apartment buildings is the Lewis Gouverneur House at 85th Street. The house was named for its owner, a failed investment banker who was related to a signer of the Declaration of Independence. The house was designed by architect Ernest Flagg and designed in red brick neo-Federalist building that was completed in 1914 and it stands out amongst all the apartment buildings in the area (Wiki/Daytonian).

The latest article I read is that the house is up for sale for $8 million dollars, but I swear that I saw a cook and maid looking me over when I looked over the house, so I am sure it has been sold by this point. Someone was even hanging over the windows cleaning them as I passed.

Lewis Gouverneur House on Park Avenue

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_G._Morris_House

http://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2012/05/1914-lewis-gouveneur-morris-house-no.html

The side of the house

I had not noticed on a recent trip all the beautiful historic churches along Park Avenue. I walked past Loyola Church at 980 Park Avenue and Park Avenue Christian Church at 1010 Park Avenue. The churches were closed for the day but I was able to admire the architecture from the outside

Park Avenue Christian Church 1010 Park Avenue

The historic plaque for the church

Loyola Church at 980 Park Avenue

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_St.Ignatius_Loyola(New_York_City)

The historic plaque

The Church of St. Ignatius Loyola was built in 1900 by the architectural firm of Schickel & Ditmars in the German Baroque and Classical Revival style. Park Avenue Christian Church was designed by the architectural firm of Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson and was designed in the Gothic Revival design. The church was built in 1911 (Wiki).

After turning the corner at 84th Street, I walked over to Lexington Avenue, and it is night and day to the enclaves of 5th and Park Avenues. Talk about a busy commercial street. This is where you are seeing changes in the feel of the neighborhood. Many of the retail spaces that I have remembered that were there for years when I moved back to the area in 2001 are long gone.

A lot of the neighborhood has been knocked down and many new residential and office buildings have replaced them. Some of my favorite bakeries and pizzerias are also long gone. Still my favorite Panera on 86th Street is still there for the Asiago and Cinnamon Crunch bagels that I love to snack on while on my way to the Met (Closed in 2018).

Here and Third Avenue is where you start to see the ‘For Rent’ signs. It is sad that so many businesses that have been here for twenty years, the leases are coming up and the rise in rents is just sky high for the new owners. I have read more articles on the prices that they want in rent and there is no way the average business can handle this. Even some of the chain restaurants have left the area. If you do not own the building, forget it. This shopping area is transforming again.

Third Avenue above 90th Street, you will start to see a lot of new construction, as a lot more buildings are going up on both sides of the street.  The Upper East Side is slowly crawling into this area and a lot of the older smaller buildings are starting to disappear. The store fronts between 90th and 93rd are starting to empty as all the older restaurants have closed their doors.

Second Avenue is changing as well in the area of 90th Street and above. This has a totally different feel then the neighborhood above in East Harlem. Slowly though, these neighborhoods are starting to merge as new construction on Second and First Avenue below 96th Street changes from housing projects to private apartment buildings. Even the brownstones are giving way to larger apartment buildings, which is starting to change the character of the neighborhood. It’s a lot of sameness.

I ended the second day in the neighborhood having a late lunch at East Garden Chinese Restaurant at 1685 First Avenue & 88th Street (See review on TripAdvisor and DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com). This little hole in the wall Chinese restaurant has lunch specials for $5.95 and a very nice variety of dishes.

Don’t miss East Garden Chinese Restaurant at 1685 First Avenue (Closed May 2024)

http://www.eastgardennewyork.com/

I had the General Tso’s chicken combination plate with fried rice and a Coke that cost $7.00 with tax and I just about finished it. The chicken was excellent. It was well cooked and the sauce had some pinch to it. The fried rice was less to be desired but overall the meal was very good for the end of this first long walk of the neighborhood.

Their General Tso’s Chicken is excellent

On the second day of the walk, I revisited Second and First Avenues and covered the rest of the neighborhood that include York, Henderson and East End Avenues as well as walking around Carl Schurz Park for a second time.

Carl Schurz Park on the Upper East Side is a real treat

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/carl-schurz-park

I finished up Second Avenue for a second time, looking over the businesses and parks. Slowly I noticed as I looked at menu’s of restaurants and the types of stores opening up that a lot of the mom and pop stores are giving way to more chains and the restaurants are getting awfully expensive even this high up.

The Upper East Side in the summer of 2025

There are a few hold outs in way of Chinese restaurants especially closer to the Samuel Isaacs Complex on 96th and First Avenue but even around the projects there soon won’t be too many affordable places to eat. I mean come on, $16.00 for a hamburger? Its a hamburger at the end of the day. For a reasonable meal, you will have to walk up above 100th Street.

There are several little surprises as you walk around the neighborhood. Behind the Ruppert Apartment Buildings on Third Avenue is the Ruppert Park between 90th and 91st Streets, which offered a place of rest after walking around. This block long park must have been a negotiation between the city and the developer to build these huge apartment buildings and the neighborhood really benefited from it. The park was named for Colonel Jacob Ruppert, the first co-owner of the New York Yankees and a brewer and public official.

Colonial Jacob Ruppert

Colonel Jacob Ruppert, the first co-owner of the Yankees

https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-famers/ruppert-jacob

Colonel Jacob Ruppert with Babe Ruth

The Colonel with baseball player, Babe Ruth

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Ruppert

It is a nice meeting place for residents to talk and walk their dogs. Many of the neighborhood seniors seem to like to sit on the benches and talk to their friends. The playground is nice for the kids as they were out in full force before the first day of school started a few days later.

Ruppert Park.jpg

Ruppert Park at 1741 Second Avenue

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/ruppert-park

Tucked away on a side street on 91st Street across from the park, this is a plaque dedicated to James Cagney, the actor and singer, who later played tough guys in the movies. He must have lived in this area growing up.

James Cagney Plaque

The James Cagney Plaque at East 91st Street

https://patch.com/new-york/upper-east-side-nyc/upper-east-side-street-officially-designated-public-plaza

James Cagney

Actor & Song & Dance man, James Cagney

https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-Cagney

First Avenue is starting to give way from brownstones to apartment buildings in the 90’s and up. On the lower part, the chain stores are starting to dominate while the mom and pop stores still are holding on. There still are a few German restaurants in the neighborhood but they seem few and far between on the Avenues. Its mostly small businesses and a few small shops.

York Avenue and East End Avenue are both tucked below the Asphalt Green playground and recreational area below FDR Drive and 92nd Street. The three days that I walked around the neighborhood, Asphalt Green was crowded with kids playing all sorts of sports, basketball, soccer or even playing Frisbee. The shocking part was getting an ice from the lady selling Spanish ices. Below 96th Street, they start charging $2.00 instead of $1.00 like above 100th Street. I guess they see us coming.

The Asphalt Green playing fields on the Upper East Side

https://www.asphaltgreen.org/ues

The Asphalt Green in the summer

York Avenue shopping district in the summer

York Avenue is one of those places that looks like New York City with the combination of apartment buildings that look like they are out of the 70’s, elegant but not pretentious and the area looked lived in like the residents have lived there for 40 years. There is a mix of building types that gives the Avenue some character and tucked here and there are small apartment buildings and brownstones.

The brownstones around East 84th Street

East End Avenue is dominated by Carl Schurz Park where Gracie Mansion is located. Around the park, there are several beautiful brownstones especially between 86th and 87th Street that give the park that extra graciousness. These brick buildings are carefully maintained and beautifully landscaped and mirror the park across the street.

Carl Schulz Park in the summer

Carl Schulz Park in the summer

The small side streets south of the park such as the extension of 84th Street (Gracie Place) house old apartment buildings with excellent views of the park and very nosy doorman, who watched me watching them. Sometimes I wonder what impression I give these people that they stare so much at me or maybe after a year in Harlem, I am getting used to the inquisitive looks.

The neighborhood near Carl Schurz Park is very elegant

As I finished up the Avenues in Yorkville/Carnegie Hill, I just relaxed for the rest of the afternoon in Carl Schurz Park, looking at Randalls-Ward Island and Astoria Queens in the distance and admiring the breathtaking view of the river. This section of the park along the river walkway is so picturesque and relaxing. Labor Day had such wonderful weather and it was such a clear sunny day, that is was nice to just sit on a bench and watch the world go by.

Carl Schurz Park at East 86th Street

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/carl-schurz-park

The pathways in the park

All along the river, jet skis zoomed by and an occasional sailboat passed by as well. It was one of those afternoons you see in movies about New York City but sometimes never experience. All I could think about as I was watching the world go by is that this is what people think New York is and they are right.

The inside of the park

The bend in the river at the esplande

This location on the bend of the river on a nice day you have to experience for yourself to understand how great it is. What was a nice touch was that two people playing the cello and the violin came into the park to perform and collect money. That’s the real New York.

Carl Schurz Park with Roosevelt Island in the back

The view of Roosevelt Island

I ended the day eating a late lunch/dinner at a restaurant on Second Avenue named Shorty’s at 1678 First Avenue (See review on TripAdvisor), which is known for their Philly Cheesesteaks. It was pretty good for New York City, where you have to hop the Acela down to Center City for a Cheesesteak at Carmine’s in the Reading Market. Here the bartender told me that they import the hoagie rolls from Philly and cook it on the flat grill and top with Cheese Wiz (God, do I love that on a sandwich).

Shorty's Cheesesteaks

Shorty’s is at 1678 First Avenue for the best cheesesteaks in NYC (Closed in 2020)

http://www.shortysnyc.com/

For the $10.00 price and a side of Bay Seasoning fries, it was well-worth the money. It saved the $200.00 trip to Philly I would soon have to make, and that chewy cheesy sandwich was a great way to end my trip of the Avenues of the neighborhood. Now the streets await.

Shorty’s has the best cheesesteaks outside of Philly

The cheesesteaks are delicious and very close to the good ones I had in Philly.

Please read my other blogs on the Upper East Side/Yorkville/Carnegie Hill walks:

Day Eighty-Eight: Walking the Border of the Upper East Side/Yorkville/Carnegie Hill:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/6377

Day Ninety: Walking the Streets of the Upper East Side/Yorkville/Carnegie Hill:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/6562

Places to Visit:

Samuel Seabury Playground

Lexington Avenue & East 96th Street

New York, NY  10128

(212) 639-9675

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/samuel-seabury-playground

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/samuel-seabury-playground/facilities/playgrounds

Open: Sunday-Saturday 6:00am-9:00pm

Carl Schurz Park

East 84th to East 87 Streets and the East River

New York, NY  10128

https://www.carlschurzparknyc.org/

Open: Sunday-Saturday 6:00am-12:00am

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d312015-Reviews-Carl_Schurz_Park-New_York_City_New_York.html

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2714

Ruppert’s Park

1741 Second Avenue

New York, NY  10128

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/ruppert-park

Open: Sunday-Saturday 7:00am-9:00pm

Gracie Mansion

East 88th Street

New York, NY  10028

(212) 676-3060

https://www1.nyc.gov/site/gracie/visit/visit.page

Open: Monday 10:00am-12:00pm/5:00pm-6:00pm/Wednesday 10:30am-12:30pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d136688-Reviews-Gracie_Mansion-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2182

Asphalt Green Upper East Side Campus

555 East 90th Street

New York, NY  10128

(212) 369-8890

https://www.asphaltgreen.org/

Open: Sunday & Saturday 8:00am-8:00pm/Monday-Friday 5:30am-10:00pm

Places to Eat:

Shorty’s (Closed in 2020)

1678 First Avenue

New York, NY  10128

http://www.shortysnyc.com/

(212) 348-2300

Open: Sunday-Saturday 4:00pm-12:00am

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d10701466-Reviews-Shorty_s-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

East Garden Chinese Restaurant

1685 First Avenue

New York, NY 10128

(212) 831-5900

http://www.eastgardenon1st.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d12860202-Reviews-East_Garden_Chinese_Restaurant-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/489

Day Eighty-Eight: Walking the Border of Yorkville/Carnegie Hill: East 96th Street to East 84th Street and from Fifth Avenue to FDR Drive August 25th, 2017 (again on June 8th, 2024 and July 21st, 2025)

I finally got out of Harlem and into the Upper East Side. This area is the border neighborhood between East Harlem and the Upper East Side (or as people used to say before gentrification of the Island of Manhattan, the Upper Upper East Side). Most people consider anything below 98th Street on the East Side of Manhattan and East of Central Park as the Upper East Side. However, you call it, you are now out of Harlem.

Walking along York Avenue

The mood of the area is even different. It was like when I was crossing 155th Street from Washington Heights to Harlem months before. The mood of the area and its residents starts to change. It becomes the Woody Allen Upper East Side. Again just like Manhattan Valley on the West Side, there is still a very 70’s and 80’s feel to the neighborhood. It’s got a more a middle-class vibe to it and watching the kids at play you can still see that independent streak in them.

The Isaacs and Haynes Houses on the border of the Upper East Side

John Haynes Houses at 1780 First Avenue

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmes_Towers

The John Haynes Holmes Towers sign

There are none of the expensive restaurants and boutiques that you see below 80th Street. The feel of the businesses is more local. Even the Isaacs Housing complex looks more upscale then the projects a few blocks up and their residents have their own security watch (the guy asked me what I was doing there and no one ever asked me anything when I walked through the projects before).

The Isaacs Houses just south of East 96th Street

The sign for the Isaacs houses

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaacs_Houses

The walk along FDR Drive esplanade has some view.  The shore line of Queens is really changing. There is a lot of development around the East River and what a beautiful view of the river and the rising skyline in the background. The esplanade stops around 90th Street for renovation and then continues once you pass Gracie Mansion.

The Queens shore line in the summer of 2025

The new luxury housing that dwarfs the public housing

Carl Schurz Park (See review on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum.com), where Gracie Mansion is located is a nice place to just relax and watch the boats pass by. You get the nicest views of Ward-Randall Island and of Lighthouse Park on Roosevelt Island (I never knew there was a lighthouse over here). The developers are creating a new ‘Gold Coast’ along the Queens-Brooklyn riverfront.

Carl Schurz Park in the Spring

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/carl-schurz-park

Carl Schurz

Carl Schurz, a statesman during the Civil War

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carl-Schurz

It was nice to just relax and watch the water. The kids are in full force at this park like many parks around the city and it looks like they are trying to enjoy their last days of freedom before the school years starts in two weeks. Kids were playing basketball, Frisbee, roller skating and just chasing one another. It was nice to see kids not using cellphones.

Carl Schulz Park near the border of East 84th Street

Even the entrance to the park is fancy

The views from the river esplanade

The view of the gardens on the esplanade

The homes along this part of Manhattan were a combination of brownstones and prewar apartments but all along the Avenues, you are seeing more and more new construction. All sorts of new apartment and office buildings are being built along First, Second and Third Avenues. The businesses are more local than chains,  giving you a peak at time before the late 90’s exploded with the chain stores all over Manhattan. It is funny that I remember a time everyone in the city complained that the chains would not even come to the city now in 2017 they complain that they are taking over the city.

The border of Yorkville, 84th Street, is lined with many brownstone type buildings and private homes along with a series of small restaurants and shops worth exploring. Many are businesses that have been open for years such as Dorrian’s Red Hand Restaurant at 1616 Second Avenue since 1960. It harks back to when the Upper East Side was the land of preppies.

Dorrian’s Red Hand Restaurant at 1616 Second Avenue

https://www.dorrians-nyc.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d5021112-Reviews-Dorrians_Red_Hand_Restaurant-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

The burgers here are fantastic

When you reach Fifth Avenue, the area between 84th Street and 96th Street is lined with museums giving name to ‘Museum Row’ starting with the Metropolitan Museum of Art at the corner of 84th Street passing the Jewish Museum, Guggenheim Museum, The Ukraine Institute of America and the Neue Museum, which will be fun to explore. Many of the smaller museums of the city line this area as well so I passed names I had never heard of before considering my many trips to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (I discuss all these museums in later blogs and in VisitingaMuseum.com).

Museum Mile.jpg

The ‘Museum Mile’ Museums in Yorkville/Upper East Side

Cooper Hewitt Museum

The Cooper-Hewitt Museum at 2 East 91st Street

Jewish Museum

The Jewish Museum at 1109 Fifth Avenue

Guggenheim Museum

The Guggenheim Museum at 1071 Fifth Avenue

Neue Gallery

The Neue Gallery of Art at 1048 Fifth Avenue

Ukranian Institute of America

The Ukraine Institute of America at 2 East 79th Street

At 91st and 5th Avenue along the wall of Central Park is a memorial to W.T. Stead, a journalist who died in the Titanic. He was a English journalist best known for being an investigative journalist, better known as a gossip columnist. The funny part of his going down in the Titanic is that he had written that he might die in a drowning and wrote two fictional articles before the tragedy about ships colliding at sea and another about a ship that sinks without enough life boats to save everyone. Maybe he just saw his fate. He was into spiritualism, which was fashionable at the time and maybe someone hinted to him.

W.T. Stead.jpg

W.T. Stead Memorial

William Thomas Stead

https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Thomas-Stead

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._T._Stead

Mr. Stead’s memorial is one of many that line Central Park that most people don’t even notice.  The park is loaded with statues and memorials that most New Yorkers just pass by without a moment’s notice. It makes one wonder why they would put this here. The memorial was designed by artist George William Frampton with the marble sculpture designed by architects Carrere & Hastings, a firm known for their Beaux Arts style.

George William Frampton is a British artist who came from a family of stone carvings who studied at the Lambeth School of Art and the Royal Academy of School. He believed in dynamism and physical realism in sculpture. His most famous work was “Peter Pan” in Picadilly Square in London (Royal Academy of Art/Wiki).

George William Frampton Artist

https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-James-Frampton

There are glorious views of the reservoir at 90th Street and 5th Avenue that you should not miss. Just walking in the park to see the gardens is worth the trip inside Central Park. Most of the gardens are still in bloom and the park is loaded with tourists milling around the waterfront.

The entrance to the Central Park Reservoir

The Memorial Dedicated to Mayor John Purroy Mitchel in the front of the entrance to the reservoir

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/central-park/monuments/1045

The Mitchel Memorial Committee retained architects Thomas Hastings and Don Barber to design the expansive granite stele and commissioned German-born sculptor Adolph Alexander Weinman to design the gilded bronze portrait bust of Mitchel (NYCParks.org).

Artist Adolph Alexander Weinman

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolph_Alexander_Weinman

Artist Adolph Alexander Weinman was a German born American artist who studied at Copper Union and the Arts Student League of New York. He was known for his famous sculptures around the United States (Wiki)

Mayor John Purroy Mitchel, the 95th Mayor of New York City (1914-1917)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Purroy_Mitchel

The views of the reservoir are breathtaking and it is hard to believe this is right off Fifth Avenue.

Central Park Reservoir at Fifth Avenue and East 90th Street

https://www.centralparknyc.org/locations/reservoir

Walking up 5th Avenue along the park at 96th and 5th Avenue, there is a statue of Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen in a small enclosure on the edge of the park before you enter it. This bronze, life-sized sculpture is a self-portrait of the esteemed Danish sculptor and was dedicated in Central Park in 1894. It is the only statue of an artist displayed in the parks of New York City and honors a titan in his field who had broad influence in sustaining the classical tradition in art. This statute is a bronze version of the original that’s located in Copenhagen (NYC Parks Department-Central Park/Wiki).

Albert Bertel

Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen statue

Albert Bertel

Artist Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/central-park/monuments/1543

https://biography.yourdictionary.com/bertel-thorvaldsen

As I was walking across 96th Street to finish the upper part of the neighborhood, I had a sudden craving for a sandwich and walked up to Moe’s Grocery Inc. at 1968 Third Avenue, which I had eaten in before (See review on TripAdvisor & my blog, ‘DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com’). They have the best special, a chopped cheese on a hoagie roll and a Coke for $3.00. Ever on the budget, their chopped cheese rivals Haiji’s (Blue Sky Deli) up on 110th Street.

Moe’s Grocery (now called Third Avenue Deli/Grocery) at 1968 Third Avenue in East Harlem, the best lunch specials

I thought I had asked for lettuce and tomato on the sandwich so add another $1.50 to it but when I sat down to eat it at the park at 96th Street, they were not on it. I was a little pissed at paying for something I did not get but the sandwich was so good, I did not mind. It is worth the walk up a few extra blocks to 108th Street for the sandwich. You will also see the distinction of the neighborhoods just by crossing 98th Street (See the previous walk in East Harlem). The sandwich is so loaded with beef and gooey cheese that it makes the nicest meal during this long walk and nothing is better than a Coke on a hot day.

The Third Avenue Deli’s Chopped Cheese is excellent.

I ended this part of the walk by rounding East End Avenue and relaxing at Carl Schurz Park, which is a true delight. What a beautifully landscaped park with paths of picturesque gardens and statues and active playgrounds with screaming children.

The gardens in bloom in the park

The nice part is the bathrooms here are decent and you have a working water fountain, with lots of cold water. It was fun to explore the paths going up and down the landscaped paths.

Carl Schulz Park at East 86th Street and East End Avenue

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/carl-schurz-park

The front of the mansion in Carl Schulz Park

Security is heavy at the northern part of the park where Gracie Mansion is located, the mayor’s residence. There are NYPD cars all over the place so try not to dwell too long in this area not to get the attention of the police officers. You can’t even see the mansion anymore because of the fencing around the house. This was the former summer residence of Archibald Gracie, a well-known Scottish born, American merchant, who was partners with Alexander Hamilton.

Gracie Mansion in Carl Schulz Park in the summer of 2025

https://www.facebook.com/graciemansionconservancy/

https://www.graciemansion.org/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d136688-Reviews-Gracie_Mansion-New_York_City_New_York.html

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://visitingamuseum.com/tag/gracie-mansion/

Gracie Mansion from the front porch

He built the house in 1798 as a summer home and entertained the elite at that time in Manhattan, including John Quincy Adams. Gracie’s daughter Eliza Gracie-King was one of the great social leaders at the time until Mrs. Astor took the throne during the ‘Gilded Age’. The house was sold in 1823 to pay off debts owed by Mr. Gracie and it was bought by New York City in 1896 due to back taxes by the then owners.

The Gracie Mansion Gardens

It has been used as a concession stand for the park as well as the first home of the Museum of the City of New York. In 1942, the house was renovated and became the residence of Florio LaGuardia, the Mayor of New York and thus became the residence of future New York City mayors NYC Parks Department).

Archiebald Gracie

Archibald Gracie

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archibald_Gracie

I had taken a tour of the mansion years earlier with the Cornell and Harvard Clubs when we had a historical tea at the house. Mayor Bloomberg did not live in the house at the time, so it was used primarily for entertaining. We had a wonderful afternoon tea at the at the house and then a formal tour of the public rooms and gardens. It has the most amazing views of ‘Hell Gate’, a bend in the river along the esplanade, that has some of the roughest waters in the East River. The house does get a nice breeze.

The inside of the Susan Wagner Ballroom

The Bayard Mantle in the Susan Wagner Ballroom

After a long rest on the benches outside the park, I walked over to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to spend the rest of the evening. The Met, as it’s called, is open until 9:00pm on Fridays and Saturdays, so you get to listen to the music in ‘The Balcony’ restaurant or just tour the galleries.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art at 1000 Fifth Avenue

https://www.metmuseum.org/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d105125-Reviews-The_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art-New_York_City_New_York.html

The fountain outside the Met is pretty amazing

It gave me a chance to see the Greek Galleries again and walk around the Central American exhibitions. It is so nice to walk in the galleries when it is not busy. It was a nice way to end the evening.

The Greek Galleries at the Met

https://www.metmuseum.org/departments/greek-and-roman-art

The Cycladic Galleries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on the first floor.

The Met’s Greek Galleries are amazing and have so many beautiful items on display.

There is a lot to see and do in Yorkville/Upper East Side

Please check out my other blogs on Yorkville and the Upper East Side:

Day Ninety: Walking the Streets of Yorkville/Carnegie Hill/Upper East Side:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/6562

Day Eighty-Nine: Walking the Avenues of Yorkville/Carnegie Hill/Upper East Side:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/6460

Places to Visit:

Gracie Mansion

East 88th and East End Avenue

New York, NY  10028

https://www1.nyc.gov/site/gracie/about/about.page

(212) 570-4773

Open: Mondays only: 10:00am, 11:00am and 5:00pm for tours

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d136688-Reviews-Gracie_Mansion-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2182

Carl Schulz Park

East 84th to East 90th Avenues & East End Avenue

New York, NY  10028

https://www.carlschurzparknyc.org/

Open: 6:00am-12:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d312015-Reviews-Carl_Schurz_Park-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2714

Metropolitan Museum of Art

1000 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10028

1-800-622-3397

https://www.metmuseum.org/

Open: Sunday-Thursday 10:00am-5:30pm/Friday & Saturday 10:00am-9:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d105125-Reviews-The_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Central Park Reservoir

86th- 96th Streets in Central Park

Open: When the park is open

http://www.centralparknyc.org/things-to-see-and-do/attractions/reservoir.html

Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum

2 East 91st Street

New York, NY  10128

(212) 849-8400

Open: Sunday-Saturday 10:00am-6:00pm

Fee: Adults $18.00/People with Disabilities & Seniors $10.00/Children Under 18 Free/Students $9.00. Check the prices online as they change.

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d106188-Reviews-Cooper_Hewitt_Smithsonian_Design_Museum-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/3246

Jewish Museum

1109 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY   10128

(212) 423-3200

https://thejewishmuseum.org/

Open: Monday-Tuesday 11:00am-5:45pm/Wednesday Closed/Thursday 11:00am-8:00pm/Saturday & Sunday 10:00am-5:45pm

Fee: Adults $18.00/Seniors (over 65) $12.00/Students $8.00/Children under 18 Free

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d106187-Reviews-The_Jewish_Museum-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/3252

The Guggenheim Museum

1071 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY  10128

(212) 423-3500

https://www.guggenheim.org/

Open: Sunday-Monday 10:00am-5:30pm/Tuesday 10:00am-8:00pm/Wednesday-Friday 10:00am-5:30pm/Saturday 10:00am-5:30pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d108687-Reviews-Solomon_R_Guggenheim_Museum-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Neue Galerie New York

1048 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY  10028

(212) 628-6200

neuegalerie.org

@neugalerieny

Open: Sunday 11:00am-5:00pm/Monday 11:00am-6:00pm/ Tuesday and Wednesday Closed/Thursday-Saturday 11:00am-6:00pm

Café and Shops have various hours. Please check the website for these.

Fee: General $22.00/Seniors (65 and Older) $16.00/Students and Educators $12.00/Children under 12 are not admitted and Children under 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult. The museum is open on First Fridays from 6:00pm-9:00pm. Please visit the website for more information.

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d258699-Reviews-Neue_Galerie-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/3063

Ukrainian Institute of America

2 East 79th Street

New York, NY  10021

(212) 288-8660

Welcome to the UIA

Open: Sunday 12:00pm-6:00pm/Monday Closed/ Tuesday-Saturday 12:00pm-6:00pm

Fee: Adults $8.00/ Seniors $6.00/ Students with current ID $4.00/Children under 12 Free/ Members Free

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d5953575-Reviews-Ukrainian_Institute_of_America-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/3048

Places to Eat:

Moe’s Grocery

1968 Third Avenue

New York, NY   10029

(212) 289-0999

Open: 12:00pm-11:59pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d12845802-Reviews-Moe_s_Grocery_Inc-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/324

Dorrian’s Red Hat

1616 Second Avenue

New York, NY  10028

(212) 772-6660

Open: Sunday-Saturday 11:00am-3:45am

https://www.dorrians-nyc.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d5021112-Reviews-Dorrians_Red_Hand_Restaurant-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Day Eighty-Seven: A Trip to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden for Members Movie Night August 23rd, 2017 (Revisited on August 24th, 2022 and August 21st, 2024)

I took some time before I start the next section of the walk to travel to Brooklyn to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden (See reviews on TripAdvisor and my blog ‘VisitingaMuseum’). I have been a member for over a decade and I am glad that my donation helps support the gardens. It is so much fun to walk around these beautiful individual gardens.

In 2017, I got to Brooklyn too late to visit the zoo or the Brooklyn Museum, so I took a walk to my favorite pizzeria in the area, Family Pizza at 720 Flatbush Avenue in Flatbush (See review on TripAdvisor). Their pizza is amazing and if you are in the area, walk down Flatbush Avenue for a slice. Even at the $2.75 price per slice, it is still great pizza. The sauce is so delicious and really makes their pizza.

Family Pizza on Flatbush Avenue at 720 Flatbush Avenue

https://www.restaurantji.com/ny/brooklyn/family-pizza-/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60827-d4966907-Reviews-Family_Pizza-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

I have never seen a neighborhood change so fast. It is going from a West Indian and Caribbean Black neighborhood to hipster central.  I have never seen a place change so much in an eight month period. Every time I walk down this street, it looks like another ten businesses have left and the ‘for rent’ signs keep going up. All the local businesses are being replaced by all the frou-frou restaurants and shops that cater to the hipsters.

The Cheese Pizza at Family Pizza is excellent.

As all the new buildings keep going up all over the Flatbush Avenue and the surrounding streets, all the businesses that surround them change as well. Even some of the small local businesses have been smart and upgraded their stores. I passed a Jamaican bakery that had been opened for years is completely renovated. It still looks the same outside, but they have upgraded as the neighborhood has changed. On the five blocks to the pizzeria, I counted at the least ten businesses that have left and some have been replaced with new restaurants and shops.

I decided to look it up and the head of the Merchant’s Association said that there were 22 businesses that were closed now and they were not being filled so fast. The ones that are being filled are opening expensive restaurants with things like $12.00 hamburgers and $20.00 pizza when the restaurants in the are that are left are serving food that is just as good for half the price. This was the difference between Family Pizza, where I ate tonight and the fancy pizzeria that opened directly across the street with the same pizza for double the price. Pretty place in comparison but still at the end of the day it is pizza.

After my walk down Flatbush Avenue and dinner, I walked back up to the Gardens. The movie tonight was the ‘Fabulous Mr. Fox’, voiced by George Clooney and Merle Streep. It was not too fabulous. In fact, I found the movie boring and sending the wrong message to kids. That’s the reason why it was a big flop at the box office (I could not believe I stayed for the whole thing but I wanted to see how it ended).

With a former line up of the ‘Wizard of Oz’, ‘The Goonies’, ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and ‘E.T’., they could have picked another classic live-action film like ‘The Parent Trap’ or ‘Freaky Friday’. They even cut out the free popcorn that they have every year. I could tell someone new was running it.

The best was when they showed “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Still the gardens were in bloom, and it was a beautiful warm, non-muggy night (79 degrees) to sit on the lawn and enjoy the film. The place is testament to families as it is like a step back into the 70’s with kids running around in their bare feet, parents talking to their neighbors and people from the same buildings socializing with one another.

The beautiful trellis in the gardens

It was nice to walk around the Crawford Rose Garden and some of the roses were coming back in bloom and the Japanese Garden was in full form. I had not been there since the Cherry Blossom Festival in April. I had missed a few of the events because of work but still the Gardens are going through a renovation and the new Water Garden is being expanded. If you live anywhere in the surrounding area, this is one membership you want to have in your collection of museums and parks.

Brooklyn Botanical Garden

It is one of those membership perks that I really enjoy and to come in all the way from New Jersey after work says something. It’s a great neighborhood to explore that is now constantly changing. It’s just nice to be outside under the stars watching a film on a warm summer night.

The Members Movie Night in 2022:

This was the first time we had a ‘Members Movie Night” since the pandemic started. They had to cancel the one in 2019 because of rain twice and not running it and in the summers of 2020 and 2021 due to COVID. It had been a real bummer but then I got the email that they were running it again in 2022.

The Cherry Blossom Lawn during the summer months

I got to the gardens in the latter afternoon after work and I wanted to order dinner to take in the gardens since we could picnic on the lawns before the film. I was starved so I went to Banh Mi Place at 824b Washington Avenue.

Banh Mi Place at 824b Washington Avenue in Brooklyn

https://banhmiplacebklyn.com/

I love the Banh Mi sandwiches here and I ordered the Pork Chop Banh Mi ($8.95). The sandwich was excellent. The marinated pork had so much flavor to it and the vegetables were so crisp and fresh that I love the quality of their sandwiches. I took my sandwich and my blanket and made my way to one of the back lawns of the gardens where other members were eating with their family and friends. It was a low 80-degree night and people were enjoying the sunshine and the cool breezes.

The Banh Mi Sandwich is excellent

Their sandwiches are excellent

After dinner, I walked more around the fountains and pools by the restaurant and the indoor exhibitions of the gardens and looked at the lotuses that were in bloom in the pools. There was a lot of plants that were in bloom this late in the summer and the whole garden had such a colorful appearance. In these post COVID times, it was nice to just walk around the park and enjoy the environment. After dinner and my walk around the gardens, I made my way to the Cherry Blossom lawn where the movie was being shown.

The Cranford Rose Garden

The movie this year was “Encanto”, which was an interesting live action movie, but it was hard to hear the film and it was more of a children’s film than one for adults. I ended up leaving early and as I left, I saw about fifty other people leaving the garden early as well. I guess like myself people did not want to be caught up in the crowd.

The Member’s Movie Night in 2024:

I had just been to the Dutchess County Fair the night before with my friend, Maricel and had to travel home after breakfast. Thank God that we went on a Tuesday night as it was all locals at the fair and it was not that crowded. I got home in time to go through my mail and emails and then turn around and run to Brooklyn. This whole week was about running around. With school starting in two weeks, I have a lot to accomplish.

I got into Brooklyn by 3:00pm and started my day at the Brooklyn Museum. Since the exhibition that I had wanted to see had just closed, I walked around the Egyptian Galleries and admired the art. After about an hour of touring around, I wanted to tour the gardens before it got too dark to take pictures. Talk about a spectacular evening with lots of sunlight.

I got a sandwich at 840 United Deli #1 at 840 Washington Street. I had stopped there once before for lunch and remembered their sandwiches being really good. I got their All American Hero which was Hot Turkey, Pastrami and Swiss Cheese tucked into a chewy fresh bun. Talk about the perfect choice on a cool night.

840 United Deli #1 at 840 Washington Avenue

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60827-d27668782-Reviews-840_United_Deli_Corp-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

The All-American hero for dinner that evening was made with Hot Turkey and Pastrami with Swiss Cheese, Mustard and Mayo. What a great sandwich!

The hurricane had just passed by us a few night’s earlier and had cooled the weather down. Even the night at the fair had gone down into the 70’s. I had to wear a sweatshirt the night of the movie.

Entering the Brooklyn Botanic Garden on Movie Night

Entering the Gardens from the Main Entrance on Movie Night

The gardens were just spectacular the night of the movie. There was no one distinct flower blooming but many were and there were colorful blooms all over the gardens. I wondered through the gardens before it got dark (the movie would not start until 7:45pm at twilight) so I got a chance to walk through the entire set of gardens before the movie. I was able to snap pictures and just enjoy the late summer meeting. I joined the other members on the Cherry Tree Esplanade for picnicking. God that sandwich was good!

The Water Garden on Movie Night

The Water Garden on Movie Night

The Water Garden on Movie Night

The Water Garden on Movie Night

The Water Garden on Movie Night

The Water Garden on Movie Night

The Rock Garden on Movie Night

The Rock Garden on Movie Night

The Lotus Pools on Movie Night

The Lotus Pools on Movie Night

The Lotus Pools Gardens on Movie Night

The Lotus Garden Pools on Movie Night

It was quite a crowd that August evening. I don’t get it as I am always the one the little kids seem to run around as they chase each other all over the lawn.

People were starting to picnic at 6:00pm in the Cherry Blossom Esplanade

The trailer for “A Bugs Life” from 1998

Everyone picnicking and getting ready for the film to start

The crowds grew as everyone got ready for the film to start

All the members relaxing and watching “A Bugs Life” on the big screen. I ended up really enjoying the film

It got easier to watch the film as it got darker

It got really dark by the end of the film

It was just nice to be in the gardens again and to tour the different sections in bloom. This is what it was all about. Just relaxing! The Movie Night is a favorite evening event of the membership and the lawns are completely filled that evening as well as the gardens are busy all day.

Places to Visit:

Brooklyn Botanical Garden

990 Washington Avenue

Brooklyn, NY  11225

Open: Sunday & Saturday 10:00am-6:00pm/Monday Closed/Tuesday-Friday 8:00am-6:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60827-d103900-Reviews-Brooklyn_Botanic_Garden-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2785

Brooklyn Museum

200 Eastern Parkway

Brooklyn, NY  11238

(718) 638-5000

Open: Sunday-Saturday 11:00am-6:00pm/Thursday 11:00-10:00pm

My Review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60827-d110213-Reviews-Brooklyn_Museum-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

Places to Eat:

Family Pizza

720 Flatbush Avenue

Brooklyn, NY  11225

(718) 462-0639

https://www.restaurantji.com/ny/brooklyn/family-pizza-/

Open: Sunday-Saturday 11:00am-11:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60827-d4966907-Reviews-Family_Pizza-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

Banh Mi Place

824B Washington Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11238

(718) 552-2660

https://banhmiplacebklyn.com/

Open: Sunday 11:30am-9:00pm/Monday-Thursday 11:30am-9:30pm/Friday & Saturday 11:30am-10:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60827-d8530850-Reviews-Banh_Mi_Place-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/2187

840 United Deli #1

840 Washington Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11238

(718) 789-9250

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60827-d27668782-Reviews-840_United_Deli_Corp-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

The front of the gardens in bloom at the main entrance

Day Eighty-Four: The Feast of Our Lady of Carmel and the dancing of the Giglio with the Giglio Society of East Harlem and walking Randall’s-Ward Island August 13th, 2017 (Again on August 13th, 2023 and August 10th, 2025)

I have been waiting to come to the Feast of Our Lady of Carmel in East Harlem to see the dancing of the Giglio for months since I had finished the walk in the neighborhood. I was not sure of what to expect since there really are not many Italians still living in the neighborhood. The church I am sure still attracts people from all over the city and I could see that my the members of the lift team.

It was a glorious day for the feast. Warm, sunny and no humidity. You could not have asked for a better day to be outside. The Dance of the Giglio started at 1:00pm and wanting to get into the city early, I took the 10:00am bus into the city. Who knew that I would get uptown two hours early.

I started my day with a Bacon, Egg and Cheese Sandwich at Blue Sky (now Harlem Taste) Deli at the corner of 110th and First Avenue at 2135 First Avenue, home to the famous ‘Chopped Cheese Sandwich’ (see review on TripAdvisor & DiningonaShoeStringinNYC.wordpress.com). I swear, I don’t know what it is about this little hole in the wall deli but the food here is so good!

The Bacon, Egg and Cheese at Chopped Cheese Delicious is delicious

The sandwich was one of the best breakfast sandwiches I had eaten outside my absolute favorite one, the Sausage McMuffin with Cheese at McDonald’s. The sandwich was loaded with freshly cooked eggs, turkey bacon and American cheese. It was put on a hoagie roll and then pressed. For $4.00, it was a steal.

Blue Sky-Harlem Taste Deli at 2135 First Avenue

I took my sandwich and sat in Jefferson Park as I have had many times with my lunch and watched the world go by. A lot has changed since March and April. The park was in full swing and all over the place people were playing soccer, baseball, handball or swimming in their giant pool. It was a perfect day to be outside and relax.

Jefferson Park in East Harlem

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/thomas-jefferson-park

All over the park, there were all sorts of birthday parties and family barbecues going on. Families really use this park and it was nice to see multi generations eating together. As I have said before, it is nice to see people socializing without a cell phone glued to their hands. There were lots of balloons and decorations and the boom of Spanish music to entertain them. Its fun to sit and watch people have a good time.

The Feast of My Lady of Carmel started around 1:00pm but the dance started late and everyone finally started to gather around the Giglio around 2:15pm. I give these men and women a lot of credit. The Giglio looked really heavy considering it was the structure itself plus about five musicians and the lead singer. One of the trumpet players was a little ‘zaftig’ to say the least. I will not be participating in this anytime soon.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church at 448 East 116th Street

https://www.mountcarmelshrine.com

The program started off with a prayer the patron saint, St. Anthony:

(from the prayer sheet):

Sant’Antonio of Padua: “The Wonder Worker”

St. Anthony is know as “The Wonder Worker” for the many miracles and conversions attributed to him. Although quiet and unassuming he was regarded as a sensational preacher in his time. A Franciscan priest and professor of theology, he gave up teaching to be assigned to preach all over Italy, attracting huge crowds wherever he went.

St. Anthony is often depicted as holding the infant Jesus as it is said that the Christ child appeared to him in visions.

He is known as being of particular help in retrieving lost articles because of a story in which a book of psalms that had been stolen was returned due to his intercession.

He died June 13th at the age of 36. He was canonized the following year and declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XII in 1946.

The Giglio Society of East Harlem’s roots can be traced to a town several miles from Nola called Brusciana. The annual dancing of the Giglio began in 1800’s inspired by Francisco Vivolo’s vow to St. Anthony, the patron Saint of Brusciana. Francisco vowed to dance the Giglio annually if St. Anthony would help his gravely ill son recover from a very serious illness. The prayers were answered and the dancing of the Giglio in honor of St. Anthony began in Brusciana and still continues today.

The carnival on Pleasant Avenue

Immigrants from Brusciana continue the feast and uphold this grand tradition brought to this country by our forefathers. Our objective is to pass onto our children, as was done with us, the tradition of o’Giglio, truly one of the greatest wonders of the world!”

The carnival and the Giglio on Pleasant Avenue

After the prayer was over, the crowd went wild and the ceremony began. These handlers really worked hard as they broke several boards lifting this structure. It was amazing as some of them were smoking cigars or drinking a beer while they were doing it. The guys all looked like military, construction workers, police and firemen. Some did their job with ease, others looked like it was going to be a long day.

Getting to the Giglio

After the prayer, their master of ceremony, Jimmy Alleva , sang a few songs in Italian and I swear that his guy had the most beautiful singing voice. I read his bio online and it seems that he sings in feasts all over the tri-state area. Even though the guy is self-taught, you would swear he is a classically trained opera singer.

Singer Jimmy Alleva (in the blue shirt) leading the songs at the ceremony.

This video of him singing is from the feast in 2023:

After he sang two songs in Italian, he ‘brought the house down’ with the crowd and there was a massive applause. Talk about bringing you closer to God when someone can touch a crowd like this. People were giving him ovations. Then came the lifts.

giglio Harlem 2017 II.jpg

The Dance of the Giglio 2017

Don’t miss this video of the feast:

The ceremony from 2017 was the same as it was in 2023.

Like I said, some of these guys were experts and did it with ease and others were really struggling. They lifted that Giglio all over the neighborhood, up and down the street then to the church and back and then the Ladies of the Giglio did there lift and credit to all the women that lifted it along with the men because these ladies held their own. The Ladies of the Giglio did there lift with some of the men and these women were strong. They did a great job as well.

The start of the ceremony in 2023

The lifts of the Giglio went on for quite awhile being dedicated to various families who must have made donations to the church. After that it was festival time. One of the announcers said that the feast just keeps getting bigger every year and you could tell by the crowd that more and more people are venturing back into this neighborhood for the afternoon. The place was packed.

Getting ready for the lift in 2023

The Lift

The video on the lift:

The Lift

The best part was the fresh zeppole that were cooked right in front of me. There were not that many food vendors on the block so they had control of the whole crowd. For $5.00 for six, these zeppole were some of the best I have had. They came right out of the fryer and loaded with powdered sugar. I devoured those fast.

Zeppole.jpg

Zeppole served at the feast

I walked around the rest of the feast, looking at the small rides and the games of chance. This feast is only two blocks long but a lot of people are packed into this small space. The band kept playing for the rest of the afternoon and groups of families sat under tents on the sidewalks catching up with old friends and members of the church.

The games at the carnival

It is going to be interesting the fate of this festival in an ever gentrifying neighborhood that has switched from Italian to Spanish to Hipster. The neighborhood is changing fast even in the time I have walked it. More and more is under scaffolding.

I stayed for about two hours and then decided to walk around the neighborhood. My walk took me past the Jefferson playground, down FDR Drive to the dreaded East River Houses (they still have not finished that playground facing the drive) and I walked across the pedestrian bridge to Randalls-Ward Island and walked across the explore the island. I walked the entire length of the island and it took about two hours.

Randalls-Ward Island is a island in the East River bend off Hell Gate and is connected to Manhattan by two pedestrian bridges one on 105th Street and the other on 125th Street plus the bridges leading you to the South Bronx. The island is part of New York County which is where Manhattan is located but it is truly one of those hidden ‘gems’ of the city that most people don’t know exist. I never knew it was there. When I crossed over the pedestrian bridge, I never knew of islands and their dark past. You would never know it from the new playgrounds and ball fields.

From what I had read online, the islands were once separated by a stream called ‘Little Hellgate’ that was filled in years ago to create one island. The reconfiguring of land that you see all over Manhattan, like in Marble Hill and in Battery City. The islands were originally used for farming by the American Indians, Dutch and English but it was during the Civil War, they started being used for a dumping ground.

Ward-Randall Island.jpg

Ward-Randall Island

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/randalls-island/highlights/6515

At various times up until World War II, the islands housed a potter’s field, homeless shelters, a ‘Insane Asylum’, small pox ward and a dumping ground for orphans. They were considered ‘islands for the undesirables’ and most of the city’s problems were shipped to the island, similar to the role that Riker’s Island plays today.

The Ward on Ward-Randall’s Island:

You would never know it now with all the new playgrounds, picnic sites, ball and soccer fields, concession stands and thank God, new bathrooms and water fountains. When I got to the island, everything was in full swing on a beautiful sunny day.

You thought the parties were in full swing in Jefferson Park, you should come to Randalls-Ward Island. All over the edges of the island were barbecues with meat sizzling on the grill, birthday parties with balloons with pink and blue all over the place and Spanish music blasting over their heads.  These were not small parties but big family get-togethers. Its nice to see people having such a good time.

Even the ‘hipsters’ are discovering the island mostly hanging around that southern part of the island that faces the Upper East Side and the rapidly developing Queen’s waterfront. Theirs is the quieter section closer to the pedestrian bridge with the better vantage points over-looking the new ‘hipster’ enclaves.

Walking the island took me close to two hours as I walked through the parks and ball fields and under the bridges that crisscrossed the island. There were many natural flower gardens on the northwestern part of the island overlooking Astoria Park on the other side of the river. The Wildflower Meadow was in full bloom and was attracting all sorts of butterflies and honeybees. As you walked in there were all sorts of benches to relax and just watch the view.

Ward-Randall Island II

The entrance to Ward-Randall’s Island

The island is still has remnants of its past. I passed the water treatment plant, a much needed addition to an ever growing city that seemed quiet that day and the FDNY Training Academy which was closed for the afternoon. You could see from the street the size of the academy and how much training these guys really get. It is isolated from the rest of the island.

On the most Northern part of the island , the police have their back offices and training facility and in between both of these are ball fields in which many leagues were playing that day. The nice part was when following the paths there were plenty of new bathrooms and places to just relax as well as snack bars where the prices were not unreasonable.

The New York Psychiatric Center still sits on the northern part of the island like a fortress. The ironic part of this is that it is surrounded by paths of flowers, marshes and lagoons that have been built around the island to clean the water. The Water’s Edge Garden sits just past the Center and offers the nicest views of the new Harlem being built.

.Ward-Randalls Island IV

The New York Psychiatric Center

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_Psychiatric_Center

The western part of the island has the nicest walking paths by the water and many different gardens that are in full bloom. I passed the Icahn Stadium, where a small game was going on and could hear the cheers in the background. I kept wondering why such a great set of parks was not being better taken advantage of by the entire city.

I rounded the path back to the pedestrian bridge and while walking across tried to spot the ‘spotters’ that everyone talked about at the East River Houses. I saw a lot of open windows on the top of the complex but not a sole in sight. I will avoid this place in the future now.

East River Houses.jpg

East River Houses

I walked back to the Q subway on East 96th Street going full circle since my day at Coney Island and took it down to Little Italy downtown. I had such a craving for Italian food that needed to be filled.

Little Italy now is just three blocks by one block and its barely that anymore. Even in between the famous restaurants that still exist, new boutiques are opening. The area is now squeezed into Mulberry Street from Canal to Broome Streets with a smidgen of restaurants up to East Houston, the original border of the neighborhood. Anything above Broome Street is not longer ‘Little Italy’ but ‘NoLiTa’ (North of Little Italy).

Little Italy Manhattan along Mulberry Street at night in 2025

https://www.nycgo.com/boroughs-neighborhoods/manhattan/little-italy

This area has been becoming trendy for about twenty years. Most of the old Italian businesses have closed by the late nineties and have become boutiques and non-Italian restaurants. If my grandfather who was raised here had a crystal ball and had owned one of these buildings, we would have been set.

There is even a change from the ‘red sauce’ restaurants of the past to more sophisticated Italian dining leaving the old restaurants to the tourists. One by one they are closing down or changing hands.  It shows in the food quality.

I went to the Grotta Azzurra at 177 Mulberry Street (See reviews on TripAdvisor), where I have been eating for years and the food quality and service have gone way down. While I ordered my dinner, the table next to me the guest was fighting with his waiter on a glass of wine that he had ordered that he was not happy with and the waiter was giving him attitude. Not smart in an economy like this.

Grotta Azzurra at 177 Mulberry Street in Little Italy

https://www.facebook.com/GrottaAzzurra/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grotta_Azzurra_(restaurant)

The food was mediocre at best that night. The fried Mozzarella was cooked perfectly on the outside and not cooked on the inside and I had to send it back. The second batch was better. The manicotti was good and the sauce was decent but the runner who served me the dish dumped so much Parmesan cheese on top all I could taste was the cheese. It was such a waste. The service was good but not great. All of this reflected in the amount of people eating there that night. Most of the other restaurants were much busier than here.

Little Italy at night August 2023

I walked back down Canal Street to the E subway and back to Port Authority to go home. I must have walked five miles today but got to see so much of what makes this city great. The cultural festivals of certain parts of the city have not died yet and still thrive with more attention from outlets like YouTube. It was an interesting afternoon into my own family’s past.

Another great video of that wonderful afternoon:

Video of the Dancing of the Giglio in 2017

The Giglio in 2025:

I visited the Feast of the Church of Carmel again this year after not being able to come the previous year because of classes at NYU. It was a spectacular morning and I was able to go uptown by 1:00pm. The official first lift did not start until after 2:00 pm because Mayoral Candidate Mario Cuomo would be attending the festival. That was pretty exciting since I know he really wants to be Mayor.

The festival was really busy when I got there at 1:00pm

The amusement rides were just getting started

The Giglio that afternoon had been imported in from Italy

I walked over to the Our Lady of Mount Carmel as it was letting out after the opening ceremony inside the church.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church at 448 East 116th Street

https://www.olmtc.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Our_Lady_of_Mount_Carmel_(Manhattan)

Review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d8077789-Reviews-Church_of_Our_Lady_of_Mount_Carmel-New_York_City_New_York.html

I got there just as the band was exiting the church and they started the parade to the Giglio.

The video on the Opening Ceremony that morning

After the lively band opened the ceremony, I saw many of the people who had lifted the giglio in the past and I recognized many of the entertainers from past trips to the festival.

Everyone gathering for the opening of the ceremony

Singer Jimmy Alleva was the master of ceremony again and God can that man sing! What a voice!

The video on singer Jimmy Alleva singing both the US National Anthem and the Italian National Anthem

Then the ceremony with more song and cheers as the event continued as the crowd waited for the former governor to arrive. With all the traffic and horrible parking in the area, that must have been tough for security.

The opening ceremony

The video on the opening song for the ceremony right before the first lift

Just after the opening ceremony and the lifters were getting into place the former governor showed with his security team and gave a welcoming speech to the crowd in both English and Italian.

The video on the Former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s opening remarks at the festival

I know it was a bit of a photo op but still I thought it was great of the former governor to make an appearance at the festival and I know that everyone was thrilled by this.

The first lift, Andrew Cuomo did participate in before he left for the day. I am sure he had other stops

To video to honor the former governor, Jimmy Avella sang ‘New York, New York’

Then it was time for the first lift. I swear this position is passed down from generation to generation as I saw the daughters of the lifters participating in the lift. It used to be all men and the ladies would have their own lift.

The video on the opening lift is the most exciting because all the fireworks are going off and the band is really lively

The guys moving the crowds around during the first lift

The video on the end of the first lift. I could see some of the guys were struggling through it depending on your position

The video on the second lift was happening as the former governor was leaving the festival

After the second lift was heading for the church and finished I searched out a place to eat. Most of the vendors were so expensive that I did not want to eat there. Come on, Zeppoles for $8.00 for six and a pizza for $18.00? I went to Patsy’s again for a slice and a Coke. I forgot how much I missed their pizza.

Watching the giglio after the dnd of the second lift

Patsy’s Pizza is one of the last hold outs from when this was an Italian enclave. Their brick oven pizza is still amazing but the cooks now look like they are all from Honduras.

Patsy’s Pizzeria at 2287 First Avenue in East Harlem

https://patsys-pizzeria.restaurants-world.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patsy%27s_Pizzeria

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d457168-r1023960656-Patsy_s_Pizza-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

The Brick Oven Cheese pizza

The Cheese pizza here is excellent and the slice was only $2.50 (very pre-COVID)

After I finished my lunch, I wanted to update some of my pictures on my blogs on East Harlem. So I walked all around this section of East Harlem and walked up and down the area between Lexington and First Avenue from 116th to 110th Street.

I found myself still hungry after walking around and I stopped at Sam’s Famous Pizza at 115 East 116th Street. I forgot how good the pizza was here too. The Cheese slice was over-sized and they have the most amazing sauce. It just makes the pie.

Sam’s Famous Pizza at 115 East 116th Street

http://www.samsfamouspizza.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d12295525-Reviews-Sam_s_Famous_Pizza-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=69573

The Cheese pizza at Sam’s Famous Pizza is excellent

Yum!

I could not believe how delicious the pizza is here. I had not eaten here in about five years and the food is still wonderful.

I walked around the neighborhood for about an hour and took a lot of pictures to replace things I had not been to in about five to six years. It had been a long time since I explored the neighborhood. I headed back to the feast one more time stopping for a Dominican ice along the way. Talk about refreshing.

The Dominican ices are the best

By the time I got back to the feast by 4:30pm, they had just finished the last lift and everyone looked relieved. They all looked tired. The crowds continued on into the evening as entertainment would be happening later that evening. I started to head home.

It was another fun afternoon at the festival.

Places to Visit:

East Harlem Giglio Society

The Feast takes place every August

Home

About Our Society

East Harlem is accessible by subway on the Subway 6

Ward-Randalls Island

East River Manhattan, NY

You can access it by highway or by walking the bridge at First Avenue and 105th Street

Open: See website

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/wards-island-park/history

Jefferson Park

2180 First Avenue

New York, NY  10029

(212) 639-9675

Open: Sunday-Saturday 6:00am-10:00pm

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/thomas-jefferson-park

Places to Eat:

Chopped Cheese Delicious/Blue Sky (Harlem Taste) Deli (Haiji’s)

2135 First Avenue

New York, NY 10029

(646) 682-7488

Open: 24 hours (currently)

https://www.instagram.com/hajjis110/?hl=en

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d12328617-Reviews-Blue_Sky_Deli-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/74

Grotta Azzurra

177 Mulberry Street

New York, NY  10013

(212) 925-8775

http://bluegrotta.com/

Open: Sunday-Thursday 8:30am-11:00pm/Friday & Saturday 8:30am-11:30pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d424309-Reviews-Grotta_Azzurra_Restaurant-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Sam’s Famous Pizza

150 East 116 Street

New York, NY 10029

(212) 348-9437

http://www.samsfamouspizza.com/

Open: Sunday-Saturday 9:30am-10:30pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d12295525-Reviews-Sam_s_Famous_Pizza-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=69573

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

Patsy’s Pizzeria

2287 First Avenue

New York, NY 10035

https://patsys-pizzeria.restaurants-world.com/

Open: Sunday-Saturday 11:00am-11:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d457168-Reviews-Patsy_s_Pizza-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=69573

La Perla Community Garden

Day Eighty-Three: Walking the Streets of Manhattan Valley/Bloomingdale from West 110th to West 96th Streets from Central Park West to Riverside Drive August 3rd-9th, 2017 (Again November 16th, 2024 and March 14th, 2025)

It took a couple of days to give the neighborhood a long walk, but I covered all the space in three days. This is such an interesting neighborhood and so many people took an interest in what I was doing over in the time I spent here.

It was hot and humid my first day in Manhattan Valley at 81 degrees. I got up to neighborhood in the later afternoon after a long day wrapping spoons at the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen. It may not sound that exciting, but it is one of the most important stations at the kitchen. You need a constant supply of silverware to help feed everyone.

I started the walk at the E subway station on the edge of Central Park. On a hot day, the park was packed with people getting a tan, fishing in the Meer, walking their dogs or just hanging out. This part of the summer is nice because the tourists are walking around, and it is fun to watch them make a fuss at everything.

Harlem Meer in northern Central Park

https://www.centralparknyc.org/locations/harlem-meer

The foliage changing on the Harlem Meer in the Fall of 2024

The first couple of blocks along 109th and 108th Streets are filled with prewar apartment buildings, schools and small playgrounds and many small brownstones. A lot of the buildings in this area are being sandblasted back to their former glory. Closer to the parks, the buildings have an elegant feel with their carved marble fronts and small gardens and potted plants decorated them. The sign of a doorman says that this area is getting more expensive.

The Harlem Meer in the Summer of 2024

The brownstones along West 109th Street by Riverside Park

On 107th Street, I saw many beautiful buildings in various stages of renovation on all the blocks as this are is beginning to become part of the Upper West Side fabric. Many of the small brownstones along Manhattan Avenue had been swept in their fronts and their plants were in full bloom. Again, I love the block between 106th and 107th Streets. Tucked in between all those little mansions and brownstones is The Nicholas Roerich Museum at 319 West 107th Street

The tiny Nicholas Roerich Museum at 319 West 107th Street is packed with interesting art

https://www.roerich.org

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d136141-Reviews-Nicholas_Roerich_Museum-New_York_City_New_York.html

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2002

The Museum was founded in 1949 to house a permanent collection of over two hundred paintings by the Russian-born artist, poet, philosopher and humanitarian, Nicholas Roerich. The museum also houses a library of books and maintains an archive and a collection of artifacts relating to the areas of Roerich’s interests (Museum guide).

This small museum in the Upper West Side neighborhood of Manhattanville is easy to miss. It is in a small brownstone on West 107th Street right near Riverside Drive. You can see the plaque for the museum to the right of the building and there is a side door to get in. The admission is free but they do ask for a donation if you can do it.

The gallery on the second floor

The museum is a specialty collection of the works of artist Nicholas Roerich. They are mostly landscapes and religious themed that cover three floors of the museum.

The is a beauty to all his works especially the ones concentrated in the Himalayas with their colorful and spiritual themes.

The artist’s portrait of his mother on the third floor

It takes about an hour to an hour and a half  to see all the floors. A nice touch they had in the afternoon that I was there was a piano player whom you could hear play throughout the brownstone. When you go, it will be a pleasant afternoon where you are not fighting the crowds of the larger museums.

When you reach Riverside Drive, there is a beautiful line of old marble mansions that line the drive from 106th to 105th Streets. These were built at a time when money was no object and living along the park was a sophisticated choice. These homes are all being renovated, and one wonders if they are going to become private homes again. When rounding 107th Street along Riverside Park, take time to look at these homes from the park side and you can imagine the view they have from the front of these homes.

The secret garden between brownstones on West 109th Street behind a gate

I walked all around Riverside Park in this part of the neighborhood, and it is just beautiful when the trees are in full form. The shade trees and paths offer refuge from the hot sun, and it is fun to watch the neighborhood kids play in the playgrounds with their parents and nannies. It is nice to see a group of kids enjoying nature and not glued to a cell phone. From the park, these are the most gorgeous views of the Hudson River with the cliffs in New Jersey in the background and a constant stream of boats in the river passing you by.

Riverside Park is just breathtaking

I made a lunch stop at SheShe Pizzeria at 961 Columbus Avenue at 107th Street (See my TripAdvisor review and my blog DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@ WordPress.com). This small pizzeria has delicious food with the most reasonable lunch specials. Their lunch menu has ten lunch specials for $5.00 including a personal pizza with pepperoni that I had with a Coke for lunch.

SheShe Pizza at 961 Columbus Avenue (closed in 2025)

https://sheshepizza.com

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d5007563-Reviews-Sheshe_Pizzeria-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

This small ten-inch pizza was freshly cooked for me by the owner of the restaurant. It was loaded with pepperoni and cheese and when it came out of the oven was cut into four generous slices. The sauce is flavorful, and the slices are all stringy and gooey with the melted cheese. It is the perfect lunch/dinner if you have a good appetite. Their cheese pizza was delicious as well and was the perfect lunch and I liked their fair prices.

Their spaghetti and meatballs were terrific too that I had another day I was in the neighborhood for lunch. The service is very warm and welcoming, and he remembered me from a few days earlier.

The Spaghetti and Meatball special at SheShe Pizza was amazing! (Old owners)

To work off all this good food, stop back at the ‘Mobilization for Change’ Community Garden across the street at the corner of 107th Street and Columbus Avenue at 955 Columbus Avenue and stroll through the gardens again. The gardens are in full bloom, and it is a nice place to just walk around the paths and look at the progress of the individual vegetable gardens. The tomatoes are really coming in.

Mobilization for Change Community Garden at 955 Columbus Avenue

The Garden in early Fall of 2024

A full view of the garden in the Fall of 2024

329 West 108th Street

https://streeteasy.com/building/329-west-108-street-new_york/phd

The Cloisters at 329 West 108th St. was constructed in 1899. Originally built as two separate townhouses, these grand mansions were combined in 1931 and converted to a coop in 1984 (Streeteasy.com). This building has the most beautiful details to it around the doorways and windows.

329 West 108th Street embellishments on the building

The elaborate embellishments at 329 West 108th Street

The townhouses along West 107th Street by Riverside Park

The townhouses along West 107th Street by Riverside Park

One the most beautiful buildings in the neighborhood along Central Park West and 106th Street is 455 Central Park West, the old New York Cancer Hospital. Years ago, when I was walking around the neighborhood, this was an abandoned building that was all boarded up and graffiti ladened.  Now it is part of an exclusive apartment complex. The hospital part of the apartment building was built in 1887 with additions in 1889 and 1890. It was designed by architect Charles Coolidge Haight in the French Chateaux style with English Gothic trim (City Realty).

The old New York Cancer Hospital at 455 Central Park West

https://streeteasy.com/building/455-central-park-west-new_york

To live in the Victorian section of the building must cost now millions of dollars. The whole building was renovated back to life and is one of the most unusual pieces of architecture in the neighborhood with an incorporated tower behind it. It is also rumored to be haunted.

455 Central Park West the old New York Cancer Hospital is now luxury condos

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Cancer_Hospital

I noticed this chair on the sidewalk when I walked down West 106th Street outside someone’s brownstone. I thought this was pretty unique.

This was outside one of the local smoke shops

The murals and street art really stood out on West 106th Street as I passed Broadway on my way back to Central Park.

This was on one of the trees just past Broadway

The row apartments that line West 105th Street are really beautiful in the fall

This face stared at me as I walked down West 105th Street towards Riverside Park

In between Columbus and Manhattan Avenues on 105th Street is the La Perla Community Garden at 76 West 105th Street. The garden was created around 1992 when a group of neighborhood citizens got together to clean out a garbage dump of a lot and turned it into a vibrant garden with paths leading through trees, flower and vegetable beds. There is even original graffiti art from one of the local artists all along the walls of the building that surround it.

La Perla Community Garden at 76 West 105th Street

The inside of the gardens in the Fall of 2024

The sign on the fence

https://www.facebook.com/laperlagarden

I talked with one of the creators of the garden, Carmen Ortiz, talked with me that afternoon. “It took about ten years to clean the lot out and that was constantly throwing out the garbage to the curb just to get all the debris out. We have worked so hard to create and maintain the garden and now a piece of it is being sold off.” Currently the middle part of the garden was owned by two couples, but the taxes are getting too high, and the neighborhood is changing so fast, that it was cost effective to sell it. Now the left side of the garden will be a new townhouse while the rest of the garden will remain.

The gardens in the Fall of 2024 after Halloween

“It’s sad because we do so much for the community here,” Ms. Ortiz added. “We will be having a flea market this weekend and have Jazz Concerts here. During the holidays, we have events for the neighborhood children. You can see by the plantings; everyone has a plot here.” Several raised beds contain various vegetable plantings. I just hope that building this new townhouse does not affect the garden to the point where nothing can grow there. It’s a sad commentary to the city when something that New Yorkers spent their time on to make better improved the neighborhood to the point that it was its own demise in the end.

What is left of the painting by the Bloomingdale Park

Along West 104th Street between Central Park West and Manhattan Avenue, you will see another set of Community Gardens which is interesting because the plot has a prewar apartment building right smack in the middle of it. The centerpiece of this garden is the Jesus Crawford Rose Garden which was just losing the last of its blooms when I visited it. This was named after the creator of the garden.

Jesus Crawford Rose Community Garden at West 104th Street is now the West 104th Street Gardens

Just like ‘Le Perla’ and ‘Mobilization for Change’ gardens, this garden has added much needed green space to the neighborhood with trees and raised vegetable gardens that add that sense of neighborhood to the street. At the height of the summer, it is nice to see all of these gardens in full bloom and the fresh vegetables on their way.

Walking through the Douglass Houses and the projects in general are always amusing to me. I never know the reception I will get. For the most part, I crisscrossed through the walkways of the projects from 104th to 100th Street. I visited all the playgrounds and community areas to sit and people just ignored me but looked out of the corner of their eyes to see what I was doing.

Douglass Houses at 825 Columbus Avenue

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Douglass_Houses

https://www.facebook.com/groups/104654293240

The Douglas Houses from a distance.

I stopped by King Columbus Gourmet Deli 900 Columbus Avenue for a quick lunch when I was walking the neighborhood in 2025. This deli is right across from the Douglas Houses and I find that a lot of these deli’s near the project are the best. I was starved and got a Bacon, Egg and Cheese on a hero and it was excellent.

King Columbus Gourmet at 900 Columbus Avenue

https://www.seamless.com/menu/king-columbus-gourmet-deli-900-columbus-ave-new-york/1124693

My review on TripAdvisor:

I took my sandwich down the street to a park and ate my breakfast sandwich. On a cool March afternoon hit the spot. With the price of eggs in 2025, this is the first time I had eaten an omelet in almost a month so it tasted good.

My Bacon, Egg and Cheese sandwich

This sandwich is delicious

On my way to the park to relax and eat I passed 119-121 West 104th Street and I had never noticed how interesting this brownstone across the street from the Projects.

119-121 West 104th Street

https://www.zillow.com/b/119-w-104th-st-new-york-ny-2JHS/

The beauty of 119 West 104th Street is right across the street from the Douglas Houses

The brownstone was built in the early 20th Century and it is now a condo. I thought the stonework was very unusual. I saw this again on West 103th Street where I saw the same design.

At the corner of West 104th Street and Amsterdam Avenue was the Youth Hostel.

HI New York Hostel at West 104th Street

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_Residence_Nursing_Home

https://www.hiusa.org/find-hostels/new-york/new-york-891-amsterdam-ave

https://www.facebook.com/HostellingInternationalUSA/videos/hi-new-york-city-hostel-history/1120416919090654

The HI New York Hostel is a different type of hotel stay for student travels. The building was built between 1881-1883 and was designed by Richard Morris Hunt in the Victorian Gothic style. The building was originally built as a nursing home and has since become a hostel (Wiki).

I watched some kids playing on the swings and some people attending the community gardens that they had planted but for the most part I saw a lot of socialization along Columbus Avenue. Many groups of men set up tables and while blasting Spanish music played cards and domino’s and watched the neighborhood go by. I am sure that for all the game playing these guys know perfectly well what is going on around them and the surrounding buildings. That struck me as watching everything.

The West 104th Street Garden in the Fall of 2024

This interesting mural was on the back of the local elementary school. I think this was done by the students

When I got back to Central Park West, you can see that Central Park was not always flat. The rock formations from the days of the Ice Age.

The rock formations by West 104th Street

Central Park rock formations at West 104th Street

I took a stroll through Central Park and the North Woods section of the park. The irony is that I have walked through Central Park since I was four and I never walked through the North Woods. It was a beautiful stroll through the woods.

Walking through Central Park by West 104th Street leading to the North Woods

Walking through the North Woods in Central Park

Walking through the North Woods in the Fall of 2024

I walked across the park to go the Met on the East Side and I stopped by the reservoir to watch the sunset. It was an amazing view of the sun setting over Manhattan and the crowds to watch it was really large.

The sun setting over the Central Park Reservoir

The amazing views of the sun setting over Central Park

I walked through the park just at dusk and was surprised at the crowds inside the park both on the West Side and the East Side. It was around 77 degrees and people were enjoying playing the parks and playgrounds. I thought this was interesting because most people stay out of the park at dusk. Watching little kids screaming in the playgrounds was encouraging that things are changing for the better in the City.

I walked the streets from West 103rd to West 100th Street and admired the architecture especially closer to Riverside Avenue near Riverside Park. Some of the brownstones and apartment buildings are so interesting.

At 315 West 103rd Street is a similar building to the one at West 104th Street. The building was built in 1881 and is now landmarked.

The entrance at 315 West 103rd Street

https://streeteasy.com/building/315-west-103-street-new_york

https://www.landmarkwest.org/building/315-west-103rd-street/

315 West 103rd Street

The brownstone was built in 1920 and the detail work on the building is unique.

At 246 West 103rd Street was the childhood home of Humphrey Bogart. I thought this was interesting to know that the actor grew up here. The building was built in 1917

246 West 103rd Street

https://www.elliman.com/newyorkcity/buildings-communities/detail/527-c-725-150630/246-west-103rd-st-upper-manhattan-new-york-ny

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/246-W-103rd-St_New-York_NY_10025_M37368-50803

The detail work on 246 West 103rd Street

Historic marker for Humphrey Bogart home

Humphrey Bogart

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humphrey_Bogart

Humphrey Bogart was an well known and well respected American actor. He was descended from the Mayflower Society.

435 Central Park West

https://www.apartments.com/435-central-park-w-new-york-ny/44mq3ek/

As I was walking down West 103 Street, I passed 435 Central Park West and saw the faces staring back at me. The building was built around 1930.

I turned the corner and I saw the details at 312 West 102nd Street and the details under the windows. The building was built in 1905.

312 West 102nd Street

https://streeteasy.com/building/312-west-102-street-new_york

https://samanthareiss.com/properties/312-w-102nd-st

It’s at 100th Street where Manhattan Valley joins the rest of the Upper West Side as new office and apartment buildings have been built along Columbus, Amsterdam and Broadway. This area is guarded by a police and fire station around the corner so there is action here all day long.

You can go to the bathroom either in Frederick Douglass Park near 104th Street or at the Whole Foods at 100th Street. Stick with Whole Foods as it is cleaner and cooler plus you can use the water fountain.

The Whole Foods at 808 Columbus Avenue and West 96th Street

https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/upperwestside

When I was walking in between Riverside and West End Avenues, I came across a community bench designed by artist Linus Coraggio who lives on the block (website: LinusCoraggio@verison.net). It just so happened the artist was outside fixing his motorcycle and we got to talking about his work.  He showed me the bench and all its detail work. He had lived in the area for many years and had watched it change from bad to better.

Linus Corragio.jpg

Artist Linus Coraggio

https://linuscoraggio.com

His current specialty is welded, crafted figurative and abstract sculpture and furniture. I even read online that Ringo Starr is one of his clients. He was showing the work he was doing on the brownstone he was living in, doing work around the railing and in the foyer of the building all the ceiling work. His attention to detail and to how the workflows is a sign that he takes his time with each piece. It is an interesting set of artworks with all sorts of bends and twists to the metal work.

Check out this YouTube Trailer on the artist

He even has a chair he created right in front of the building. It twists and turns and the metal work are extremely creative in that you can tell the detail and the amount of time to get the metal to work in this fashion. You almost don’t want to sit in it. He told me he currently has a show going on in the East Village and a studio up in Ellenville, NY. Just stop on this block alone to see his craftsmanship. It is beautiful.

The artwork of Linus Coraggio

The artwork of Linus Coraggio

The artwork of Linus Coraggio

On 99th Street just off Amsterdam Avenue, there is the Church St. Michael’s Parish at 225 West 99th Street, which has the nicest garden to sit in. It is a nice place to relax and just think. Tranquil is the word for it.

The Church of Saint Michael at 225 West 99th Street

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Michael%27s_Episcopal_Church_(Manhattan)

It is beautifully planted, and everything was in full bloom. It was nice to just stop and take a break here. Take a look at their postings as they have a lot of activities going on.

The beauty of their stained glass windows

The landscaping and the gardens on 99th Street

The beautiful flowers in the Spring

The gardens around the corner

A couple of mornings later, I came back to finish the bottom part of the neighborhood and walked 96th Street again to see how the neighborhood transitions. The streets between 96th and 98th Streets are filled with smaller marble brownstones and many attractive prewar apartments.

There are a lot of businesses transitioning along these streets as I see many of the older businesses now sitting empty with ‘For Rent’ signs telling the rents are changing in this part of the neighborhood as well. Soon they will be filled with the next wave of chain stores and glitzy restaurants.

This part of the neighborhood was easy to walk because the Central Park West Apartments and their playground stop the side streets between 98th to 99th Streets and the rest of the complex is gated off. My suggestion is do not try to walk through the complex because the signs are very blatant that they are watching you. You can see from the streets though there is a large parking lot and several well landscaped paths surrounding the buildings. I was just surprised they built these and the projects right next to one another.

Central Park West Towers have a lot of security

https://streeteasy.com/building/cpw-towers-392-central-park-west-new_york

I stopped at Felo Deli at 23 West 100th Street for some of their homemade empanadas ($1.25). They were so good I had to go back a second time for another which made the man behind the counter pretty happy. Try the pizza and chicken ones. They are generously filled and cooked perfectly. It is a good place to stop for a reasonable snack.

Felo’s Deli at 23 West 100 Street

https://www.seamless.com/menu/felo-deli-corp-23-w-100th-st-new-york/3172994

My review on TripAdvisor:

Felo Deli has some very reasonable food

The empanadas here are really good and make a great snack

My last part of the day before I walked across Central Park to start my trip to Coney Island for my ‘Q to Q subway trip’ from 96th Street on the East Side to Coney Island on Stillwell Avenue, I stopped back at SheShe Pizzeria at 961 Columbus Avenue, to try one more thing on the lunch special menu. This was one of the inspirations for my new blog “DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com’. For $5.00, these lunches are exceptional.

SheShe Pizza at 961 Columbus Avenue (Closed in 2025)

https://sheshepizza.com

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d5007563-Reviews-Sheshe_Pizzeria-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=69573

I tried the side order of ziti with meatballs, and it was more than a side order. You got a very generous portion of perfectly cooked ziti with about three fresh meatballs that were sliced on top and then put under the broiler. I could just about finish it. The meatballs had a nice garlicky taste to them, and the sauce was well spiced. It looked like the owner was happy to see me again. I will be back again for another personal pizza.

The Baked Ziti at SheShe Pizza was really good

The last thing I saw at the edge of the neighborhood was the beautiful and whimsical mural outside PS 163-The Albert Smith School at 163 West 97th Street. The student artists did a wonderful job on this mural “Bee Rock Steady”.

The school mural outside PS 163-The Albert Smith School: ‘Bee Rock Steady’

https://www.ps163pa.org/

The whimsical painting on the school’s side

The painting ‘Bee Rock Steady’ artists who created it

As I finished my walk of Manhattan Valley, I really felt that neighborhood aspect of this community. For a section of a major city, this had a small-town friendly feel about it. The people here, no matter where they live want this to be the best community it can be, and I was impressed by all the free time the residents donate to make it that way.

Whether it was Carmen Ortiz and her partner in the garden, Bob, spending their time weeding beds to Linus Coraggio donating his creativity to building a bench for people to relax into the guys playing dominoes watching what everyone was doing, I could feel the sense of neighborhood here. There is always something new popping up in this neighborhood.

The residents here really care.

Please read my other Blogs on the neighborhood:

Day Seventy-Nine: Walking the Borders of Manhattan Valley/Bloomingdale:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/5631

Day Eighty-Three: Walking the Streets of Manhattan Valley/Bloomingdale:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/5977

Day Eighty-One: Walking the Avenues of Manhattan Valley/Bloomingdale:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/5822

Places to Eat:

Felo Deli

23 West 100 Street

New York, NY  10025

(212) 866-8195

Open: Sunday-Saturday 7:00am-11:15am

My review on TripAdvisor:

SheShe Pizza (Closed June 2025)

961 Columbus Avenue

New York, NY  10025

(212) 222-7201

sheshepizzatogo.com

Open: Sunday-Saturday 24 hours

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d5007563-Reviews-Sheshe_Pizzeria-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/174

Places to visit:

Linus Coraggio Bench

West 100th Street Between Riverside Drive and West Side Drive

https://linuscoraggio.com

St. Michael’s Parish Church Garden

225 West 99th Street

New York, NY  10025

(212) 222-2700

http://www.saintmichaelschurch.org

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d548868-Reviews-Church_of_St_Michael-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Jesus Crawford Rose Garden

West 104th Street

New York, NY  10025

Le Perla Community Garden

76 West 105th Street

New York, NY  10025

https://livinglotsnyc.org/lot/58547

https://www.facebook.com/laperlagarden

Mobilization of Change Community Garden

955 Columbus Avenue

New York, NY  10025

https://www.facebook.com/MFCGarden

Nicholas Roerich Museum

319 West 107th Street

New York, NY  10025

(212) 864-7752

Hours: Sunday 12:00pm-4:00pm/Monday Closed/Tuesday-Saturday 12:00pm-4:00pm

Closed: Major holidays

Admission: Admission is free, though donations are welcome.

http://www.roerich.org

TripAdvisor Review:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d136141-Reviews-Nicholas_Roerich_Museum-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2002

Day Eighty-Two: Going from Q to Q. Taking the subway from the beginning of the Q on 96th Street to Stillwell Avenue Coney Island August 9th, 2017 (Again June 2024)

I had finished the Manhattan Valley neighborhood earlier in the day when the Soup Kitchen was full and they did not need me. So, I walked the lower part of the neighborhood to finish it off and then walked across Central Park to the beginning of the new subway stop for the Q subway train at 96th Street and Second Avenue. As I had written on Day Sixty-Six on my walk, this subway line is really nice and take time to look at the artwork at the stops at 96th, 72nd and 63rd Streets.

The 96th Street stop my starting point

If you are going to take the Q to Coney Island leave yourself plenty of time because it is over an hour to get from one end of the Q to the other. It was a beautiful warm clear sunny day around 84 degrees and a perfect day to go to the shore.

The 96th Street artwork in the terminal

I love the Q train! I love the new section of the subway with its interesting art and the fact that it is so clean. That and the fact they the E subway has the newest cars to stretch out in. It makes it a pleasure for the long trips.

The artwork on the 96th Street station

You get some of the best views of the city from the subway once you cross over into Brooklyn. You get a great view of lower Manhattan when exiting from underground plus you get to see the old parts of Brooklyn with views of the ‘Brownstone’ neighborhoods. There’s another area that keeps changing with gentrification.

The subway ends at the Stillwell subway stop. This rebuilt stop was the first part in the renovation of the island to make it a more 24-hour resort. Most of the other plans have been scrapped or were never enacted. To be honest with all of you, the amusement area of Coney Island is still dumpy and has not been much since the Luna Park fire of 1946 and the Dreamland fire of 1911. They keep trying though.

The changes on Surf Avenue keep happening every month

Even when I went to Coney Island as a kid in the 70’s, it was rundown then. Please don’t get me wrong, Coney Island can be a lot of fun and you can have a great day out here but don’t get too lofty of expectations of what it is like (See reviews on TripAdvisor). Don’t venture too far from Nathan’s after dark and follow the crowd back to the Stillwell subway station after dark if you stay for the films on the beach or the fireworks.

The Coney Island Museum Bar is a great place to relax when you get to Coney Island.

I have been down for the Mermaid Parade in the Spring several years ago and will be going to the Sandcastle Building contest next week. There is a lot going on during the summer and it is good to check out these activities. The Hot Dog Eating Contest at Nathan’s draws thousands to the island to watch their hero’s devour hot dogs at record speed.

Still the I love to explore the changes to the island and walked around Surf and Neptune Avenues after I got there. I wanted to see if Totonno’s Pizza was open that day so I walked for two blocks Neptune Avenue and I will tell you that though the area is changing it still is not a great neighborhood.

Totonno’s is in the middle of a commercial area with a series of garages and car repairs at 1524 Neptune Avenue. The worst part was that it closed for the day. The restaurant is only opened from Wednesday to Sunday so it’s for another time. I did get to see the back part of the island and found where the original Coney Island Creek was located. This is where the original Sea Lion Park and Luna Park were located back in the early part of the century.

Totonna Pizza II.jpg

Totonno’s Pizza at 1524 Neptune Avenue

https://www.totonnosconeyisland.com/e

I changed my plans around and walked the length of Surf Avenue and started my walk around the amusement area which runs from the Aquarium at West 8th Street to about West 16th Street. Even with the rebuilding of Luna Park on the footprint of the old Astroland, Surf Avenue needs a major makeover. The chain restaurants have added a little life to it but still some of the blocks are a series of rundown buildings and old-time amusements.

The Coney Island Boardwalk

I stopped by the Coney Island Museum at 1208 Surf Avenue and the museum part was closed for the day but the side show part was open but I had missed the show. I walked around some of the open exhibitions on the outside and it is interesting to see some of the artifacts from the old amusement days.

Coney Island Museum

Coney Island Museum at 1208 Surf Avenue

https://www.coneyisland.com/programs/coney-island-museum

My next stop was the famous Cyclone Roller Coaster on West 10th Street (see review on TripAdvisor). This is the most amazing and exciting ride on the island and one of the things you should see while you are in New York City. It is $10.00 to ride the coaster but it is well worth it! That first hill you go down is so mind-blowing. You feel as if the cars are going to fly into the sea. It rolls up and down those hills back and forth facing the buildings across the street and the sea. Of all the amusement parks I have been to there is nothing like the Cyclone.

Cyclone Rollercoaster at 801 Reiglemann Boardwalk

https://lunaparknyc.com/rides/coney-island-cyclone/

I walked into the Luna Park area and saw the improvements that have been added to the park. The problem with Luna Park is that it’s mostly kiddie rides and not much for adults with the exception of the Log Flume Ride. Luna Park was rebuilt on the old Astroland which had closed by in 2008 and is trying to capture the old magic of the island with upgrades on rides and concessions. It even recreated the original entrance of Luna Park across the street from the old park. Still, it will take a lot more work on the park and more added rides in the future. I give them so much credit for revitalizing the park with a new look.

The entrance to the new Luna Park in Coney Island

https://lunaparknyc.com/

I walked after that to Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park, 1025 Regielmann Boardwalk, which I had not been on for about seven years and the famous Spook-a-Rama, which I had not ridden since I was about eight. The Wonder Wheel was built back in the 20’s and with a height of 150 feet, has great views of the ocean and of the island. Both rides were $8.00 and were well worth it for the day.

When riding the Wonder Wheel, make sure to get one of the cars that slide. Not only do you get the view but you get the excitement of sliding around. When you reach the top of the Wonder Wheel, it has the most breathtaking view of the boardwalk area, the beach and ocean and a view of the whole island. The breeze is so refreshing up there and you feel like the world is your own. Talk about seeing the world go by.

Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park at 1025 Regielmann Boardwalk

https://www.denoswonderwheel.com/

After the Wonder Wheel, I walked over to Spook-a-Rama, also $8.00, which I first rode when I was eight and it has not changed that much since then. It does have a few thrills that do pop out at you that will have you jumping. There have been a few updates on it with video displays but for the most part I remember it being much scarier as a kid. I will let you know though the first couple of things popping out at you will still have you jumping out of your seat but still it’s not the Haunted Mansion at Disney Parks.

Spook-a-Rama at Deno’s Wonderwheel Park

The entrance of the Spook-a-Rama

I had enough time to go to the New York Aquarium located at West 8th Street, just past the Cyclone. During Hurricane Sandy in 2012, most of the Aquarium was seriously damaged and most of the park is still under construction. The Coral Exhibition is still interesting especially with the destruction of the wreaths around the world and the Sea Lion demonstration is a lot of fun. The Sea Lions are such hams and seem to love the crowds. What I thought was interesting is that both of them were born in New York City at the Bronx Zoo, so they have only known humans. Still, they look like they are having fun.  They seem to love waving to the audience and the crowds love them back.

New York Aquarium.jpg

New York Aquarium at West 8th Street

https://nyaquarium.com/

Disco Dancing on the Boardwalk

While I was walking on the Boardwalk, I caught this group of people dancing to the BeeGees. The 1970’s have never really ended.

My last stop of the evening was dinner at Nathan’s at 1310 Surf Avenue. This hot dog chain was founded in 1916 and is still in their original location. They have the best hot dogs and their French fries are some of the best in the industry. When you go you have to have the original hot dog with mustard, the regular fries (which is a large order anywhere else) and their famous Orange-aid. It is the best meal.

Nathan’s Coney Island at 1310 Surf Avenue

https://nathansfamous.com/

The sign welcoming you to Nathan’s

On a hot sunny day, it is nice to sit out on the tables right next to the restaurant. There is something about the sea breezes, the salt air and hot dogs and fries that make a phenomenal combination. It is a meal that is part of the beach experience and that was worth the trip alone.

My favorite meal at Nathan’s: A Hot Dog, French Fries and an icy Coke

Before it got too late, I was back on the Q Train back to Manhattan. I’m sorry but sensible people still get out of Coney Island before it gets dark. Even though the subway station on Stillwell and Surf Avenues is very safe and there is a police station there, it’s better to leave before dusk. I don’t care how many artists have moved into the area.

The subway ride took just over an hour to get back to Manhattan but it was still light out when I left the shore area and got my last glimpse of the ocean pass by. There is nothing like watching the sun reflect on the beach. The best was that we passed lower Manhattan before we went under the tunnel and watched the skyline brightened by the lights in the office towers. If you want to see an amazing site, it is when the city lights come on and the skyline is ablaze. It is like a picture postcard and impressive. When people think of New York City, this is what they imagine.

Coney Island Beach

When I finally got back to 96th Street, I had some time to look at the artwork again and stretch around the station. I still love to see museum quality art in a subway. Then it was off back on the Q back to midtown.

For the price of a round-trip ticket on the subway, it is fantastic voyage around the city on the new Q. Artwork, amusements, skyline views and the beach. What more could you want?

From Q to Q Beginning to End from 96th Street to Stillwell Avenue

The Boardwalk at night

Video of people dancing on the Boardwalk:

Luna Park at night is like a Fantasyland

Luna Park at night

Places to Visit:

Coney Island Museum

3050 Stillwell Avenue

Brooklyn, NY  11224

(718) 372-5159

https://www.coneyisland.com/programs/coney-island-museum

Open: Sunday-Saturday 12:00pm-8:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60827-d555621-Reviews-The_Coney_Island_Museum-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/1978

Luna Park Coney Island/Cyclone Rollercoaster

1000 Surf Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11224

(718) 373-5862

https://lunaparknyc.com/

Open: Monday-Thursday 11:00am-10:00pm/Friday-Sunday 11:00am-12:00am

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60827-d1796964-Reviews-Luna_Park_at_Coney_Island-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

Deno’s Wonderwheel Park

1023 Riegelmann Boardwalk

Brooklyn, NY  11224

(718) 372-2592

https://www.denoswonderwheel.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60827-d565041-Reviews-Deno_s_Wonder_Wheel_Park-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

The New York Aquarium

602 Surf Avenue

Brooklyn, NY  11224

(718) 265-3474

https://nyaquarium.com/

Open: Sunday 10:00am-6:00pm/Monday-Thursday 10:00am-5:00pm/Friday & Saturday 10:00am-9:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60827-d107414-Reviews-New_York_Aquarium-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/3619

Places to Eat:

Nathan’s Famous

1310 Surf Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11224

(718) 333-2202

https://nathansfamous.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60827-d458011-Reviews-Nathan_s_Famous-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

Street Art in Spanish Harlem

Day Seventy-Eight: Walking the streets of Spanish Harlem from 110th to 96th Streets from Fifth to First Avenue and the Third Anniversary of “MywalkinManhattan.com” June 17th-21st, 2017 (again on February 4th, and June 21st, 2025)

I started walking the streets of East Harlem after a long day in the Soup Kitchen. They keep me very busy there and I had to work the busy bread station. It can very harried if there are any sweets such as pastries and doughnuts to give out. I was worn out but still carried on.

I took the number six subway uptown to 110th Street and started my day with lunch at the Blue Sky Deli (Haiji’s)  at 2135 First Avenue again for another chopped cheese sandwich. I am beginning to love these things. For five dollars and my budget on the project, it just makes sense. Plus, it is nice to sit in Jefferson Park and just relax and watch the kids play soccer while I am eating. I don’t know if it was the sandwich or all the walking but I had stomach cramps for the rest of the day. It was a long day of walking.

Blue Sky Deli is now known as Chopped Cheese Delicious Deli at 2135 First Avenue (this is what is looks like now

https://www.instagram.com/hajjis110/?hl=en

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d12328617-Reviews-Blue_Sky_Deli-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=69573

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

There is nothing like one of their Chopped Cheese’s and I try to visit every time I am in the area.

The Chopped Cheese with a Welsh’s Grape Soda makes the best meal

Yum!

I started the day by retracing my steps on 110th and looking over all the housing projects that line this part of First Avenue. I looked along the long line that is First Avenue and made sure to walk this part of the street as quick as possible. It does not start to get sketchy until about 105th Street but still you want to get through as fast as possible.  Walking eight blocks across and back is impossible to do in one day even walking fast so I broke it up into two and a half separate days.

East River Houses.jpg

East River Projects at 105th and First Avenue

Along most of these blocks I was retracing what I saw along the Avenues and there is a lot of new construction and renovating along the way. A lot of buildings are being sandblasted to their original beauty and along the way there are little surprises along the way to discover. I just wanted to let readers know that since I had already walked First Avenue and the side streets on both sides, when I reached First Avenue when walking the streets, I did not cross the street and stayed on the west side of the avenue.

Most of the side streets I had walked already in some form along the way of walking the Avenues and took time out revisit many of the parks and restaurants that I had traveled previously. There are still many gems in this neighborhood that you should take time to visit. In some parts of the neighborhood, I would suggest going during the day when many other people are around. Even as safe as Manhattan has gotten over the years, I still look over my shoulder all the time and watch everyone no matter what neighborhood I am in.

I made several walks through the housing projects all over the neighborhood. You can really understand the complexity of the projects by walking through them as many as times as I did. It really is a different life. Sometimes I get the impression that being piled up in one complex is not good for anyone. The yards are not properly taken care of and playgrounds that are not kept in great shape.

Yet there are signs that residents have made it their own though. I walked through the Dewitt Clinton, Franklin, Lehman and Washington Carver Housing complexes and here and there are raised beds for fruits, vegetables and flowers. Some residents have taken it upon themselves to clean up the garbage in the playgrounds and paint the equipment and benches. Some make their own repairs in the play areas and then stand guard, watching what the kids are doing. I discovered this as I walked through the Washington Houses three times to complete 108th, 107th and 106th by crisscrossing the open-air park in between the complex. People kept looking at me walking through park.

Dewitt Clinton Houses

Dewitt-Clinton Houses

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton_Houses

Along the way, I discovered many small community gardens tucked between buildings such as the Neighbors of Vega Baja Garden at 109th between First and Second Avenues and the Humaniano Community Garden at 108th between First and Second Avenues. These small patches of green make the block. Hidden behind fences, I can see that the neighborhood puts a lot of pride into landscaping them and planting them. Sometimes they are open to the public but I just walk by because no one is there.

Community Garden East Harlem.jpg

Humaniano Community Garden in East Harlem

https://www.facebook.com/VegaBajaGardenClub/

Street art along a wooden fence at East 109th Street just off Second Avenue. I thought this was brilliant and very original. There is a real message in this.

Street art on the fence of East 109th Street just off Second Avenue

The sun up close

The writing on the wall

I was back at Make & Bake Pizza at 1976 Third Avenue at 108th Street (now 109 Pizza as of March 2025 for lunch again (See my review on TripAdvisor and DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com). For a dollar this is great pizza, and they give you a nice size slice. The restaurants in this are around the three local schools offer menus with reasonable prices catering to the kids and their families so take time to explore them. Mr. Moe’s is right down the road, and I can still taste that chopped cheese sandwich.

Now the pizzeria is called 109th Pizzeria and offers the same great prices as before

Make & Bake Pizza at 1976 Third Avenue (now 109th Street Pizzeria in 2025)

https://www.restaurantji.com/ny/new-york/make-and-bake-pizza-/

The cheese pizza here was wonderful

I also saw some of my favorite ‘street art’ murals on these blocks. Between 109th and 107th there are several that I saw. This ‘Spiritual Art’ work has almost an Aztec/Mayan look to it and its use of color and motion are so detailed. Take time to look at these works of art.

Some are ‘tags’ while others the artist was trying to tell a story. Look to the side of the buildings and the sides of schools. You might see some on the sliding doors of businesses. There is a lot of talent here. If there was only a gallery for these kids.

Street Art at 162 East 104th Street

The doorway of the building at the entrance of 162 East 104th Street

There was some new street art along East 104th Street between Lexington and Third Avenues. I had never noticed it before it might be brand new but I thought it was brilliant.

The work on East 104th Street

The painting on the opposite side of the doorway

A mosaic on the side a wall near Lexington Avenue

As you travel to the corner of Lexington and 107th, the neighborhood starts to change again once you pass the Franklin Housing Project. The buildings around this area are being fixed up and sandblasted back to their original beauty and new restaurants and shops are opening bringing a little life back to the area. By Hope Community Inc., there are interesting portraits of Latino Cultural leaders. The detailed portrait of Pedro Pietri by James de la Vega is interesting and take time to admire the work.

Pedro Petri.jpg

Pedro Pietri by Artist James de la Vega (now hidden by an outdoor restaurant)

Artist James De La Vega

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_De_La_Vega

https://www.instagram.com/delavegaprophet/?hl=en

Mr. De La Vega is an American artist of Puerto Rican decent who lives in New York City. He is known for his street and muralist art. He is a graduate of Cornell University with a BFA in Fine Arts.

My first day walking the streets, I made it to the corner of 105th and First Avenue by the beginning of nightfall and decided to stop there. I was passing the East River Houses again and there were some shady characters walking around so I decided to finish 105th and rounded 104th Street for my next stop in the neighborhood and relaxed in the Central Park Conservatory at 1233 Fifth on the corner of East 104th and Fifth Avenue for the rest of the evening. My feet were killing me at that point.

Central Park Conservatory gates at 1233 Fifth Avenue

https://www.centralparknyc.org/locations/conservatory-garden

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d272517-Reviews-Conservatory_Garden-New_York_City_New_York.html

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

My next trip up to the neighborhood was June 21st, the third Anniversary of ‘MywalkinManhattan.com’. I can’t believe it has been three years since I started walking the island of Manhattan.

The Central Park Conservatory in the Summer of 2025

I still remember my first day walking in Marble Hill on Father’s Day 2015. I honestly thought I would finish in one summer and here I am at 96th Street on the East Side with the rest of the island ahead of me.

The French Garden Fountain at the Central Park Conservatory Garden

The newly renovated French Gardens at the Central Park Conservatory Gardens

Street art along East 105th Street that really impressed me between Lexington and Madison Avenues. This had not been there on my last trip. These works were touching and very creative. The artist presented work that comes from the heart.

On the wall along East 105th Street

Painting along East 105th Street

I started at 96th Street and walked the length of it again from the park to the river. It was sad that the tulips along the river had died by the time I got back. They had been a colorful display by the path entering the river. Even the flowers at the Park Avenue Mall at Park and 97th Street started to change. Spring was giving way to the summer months and you could see the difference in the plants and trees. Between the plantings on the streets and second stage of flowers in Central Park, June was here.

Park Avenue around East 100th Street

You begin to notice distinctions in the grid pattern of the neighborhood block by block. By East 97th Street, you will see a real change. The Metropolitan Hospital, the Department of Sanitation and the Washington Housing projects set almost a border between the Upper East Side and Spanish Harlem once you pass Third Avenue.

Along the border of 97th Street on the grounds of the projects, the residents have set up a series of vegetable and fruit gardens and have done some landscaping that have some character to the lawns of the housing complex. I give the residents credit for their creativity, and I will have to revisit the site over the summer months to see how it turns out. Also along the street is the St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Catholic Church, which is the only one of its kind in NYC. Stop and look at the detail of the church.

By 99th Street, the Washington Carver Houses start to dominate the middle of the neighborhood and Mt. Sinai cuts the neighborhood between the Upper East Side from Spanish Harlem to the east to Park Avenue. I tried once again to visit the Martha Stewart Garden in the Washington Carver complex at Madison Avenue and East 99th Street but again the gate was locked. At this point, it looked like it could have used a gardener to touch it up.

Martha Stewart Garden.jpg

Martha Stewart Garden at Madison Avenue and East 99th Street

I continued the zigzag through the streets having crisscrossed again through the projects that I had walked a couple of times before. Between Park and Lexington Avenues as you round 101st Street, you can find some beautifully maintained brownstones and landscaped stairs with potted plants. It looks like something you would see in the village downtown.

The Park Avenue Mall at East 96th Street at night

This small break in the grid pattern shows what the neighborhood once was before the city leveled it for public housing. People are really moving back in this pocket of the neighborhood and fixing up the buildings. Here is where you will find the street art on the walls and fences. I saw a lot of the yarn art I saw uptown but am not sure if this was the same artist.

I had a funny incident with a young police officer at the 23rd Precinct on the corner of 102nd and Third Avenue. He was making a phone call and had just finished and really must have wondered what I was doing in the neighborhood. He took the time to yell a ‘hello’ to me and I just looked at him for a minute and said ‘hello’ back and waited for him to say something.

I guess my progressive glasses must have given me a professional look and he did not say anything else. He watched me walk through the Washington complex and strangely enough waited for me to come back and then watched me walk back up 102nd on my way back up to Fifth Avenue. I saw him staring at me again and I just nodded and smiled and kept walking. I didn’t know that me walking around was so interesting.

Between Park Avenue and Third Avenue up to where the projects start again by 109th Avenue and Madison and Fifth Avenue is where you are seeing where the neighborhood is starting to gentrify and people are starting to fix up the buildings and the new restaurants and shops are starting to pop up. There is a pizzeria on Lexington Avenue, Lexington Pizza, that I have on my bucket list (that closed in 2025).

Thank God I did not have to venture past 105th Street as it was getting darker. Between Second Avenue and First Avenue after 101st Street, I always felt that the people in the housing complexes were watching me. More like staring at me yet I could not catch them actually doing it. I guess I really stood out.

The street mural at West 104th Street by the Museum of the City of New York just popped up and I could not see the artist. I think it was created by Mount Sinai hospital around the corner

As I rounded 104th onto 105th Streets on First Avenue, I must have made quite the impression walking down the street. A group of guys, I swear to God, looked like they jumped when they saw me round the corner. When I had to walk back up the opposite side of the southern part of 105th Street and First Avenue to complete this part of the neighborhood, they completely disappeared. I swear I thought that they were going to gang up on me and jump me. They also gave me the strangest looks. It reminded me of walking on 155th Street by the river and what I saw up by the Dyckman Houses. I just don’t blend in.

I walked past the parks along 103rd and 105th Streets and brought a quick snack into the White Playground on 105th Street and relaxed for a bit just watching the parents watch the kids playing on the park equipment. I really like this park. They keep it in good shape and the parents in the neighborhood really seem to enjoy coming here.

When I was passing the subway station near 103rd Street right by the Washington Carver Houses, I had not noticed a street art portrait of Celia Cruz. The artist did a good job.

The Celia Cruz painting on 103rd Street

The work was done by artist James De La Vega in 2003

I walked past Maggie’s Garden at 1576 Lexington Avenue again on 101st Street and Lexington Avenue but the gate was locked on this day.

Maggie's Garden.jpg

Maggie’s Garden at 1576 Lexington Avenue

https://www.facebook.com/maggiesmagicgarden/

https://www.nyrp.org/en/gardens-and-parks/maggies-garden

I ended the afternoon walking through Central Park and walking around the length of the reservoir and watch the joggers pass me by. If they only knew how much I had already walked that afternoon.

This sun was outside Maggie’s Garden the last time I visited.

It really made me think, looking at the crowd of joggers in the park and the people walking around the Central Park Conservatory that early part of the evening, how many of the people I passed that day venture past their part of neighborhood. These blocks have really been an eye-opener in urban planning gone wrong and how a neighborhood can be affected by the wrong decisions in building efforts. I saw a lot of people in the neighborhood trying to improve things on their own terms and take matters in their own hands.

The Harlem Meer at twilight in the Summer of 2025

I just don’t think that this part of Manhattan has to worry about getting too ‘hipster’ or ‘Yuppie’ unless the city sells off the projects and knocks them down. Even if they did, the neighborhood has its own character and I credit the people living there for making it that way.

The Harlem Meer in the Fall of 2024

There is no real way to explain it without you, the reader walking these streets yourself and soaking up the culture that is East Spanish Harlem. Do yourself a favor though, don’t dress like me

Happy Third Anniversary and a very Happy Father’s Day to my Dad!

Halloween 2024 on the Harlem Meer:

I had never seen the Harlem Meer so crowded before especially with lots of little kids. Families were enjoying the Halloween activities of pumpkin carving and painting, games and little treats that the kids got (I never saw anything as it was gone quickly). The festivities were just ending as I raced from class to get into the City before the Pumpkin Flotilla started at dusk. It was still light outside so I got to enjoy the exhibition inside the Dana Discovery Center, “The Gates”, on the history of the various gates people use to enter Central Park.

The Gates Exhibition at the Dana Exploratory Center

https://www.centralparknyc.org/locations/charles-a-dana-discovery-center

https://www.centralpark.com/things-to-do/attractions/harlem-meer/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d4563063-Reviews-Charles_A_Dana_Discovery_Center-New_York_City_New_York.html

The Gates Exhibition

The Gates Exhibition

The start of the Pumpkin Flotilla

Then the fun began when the sun went down and the Halloween music started to play on the load speaker. Then two people canoeing started to paddle around the Harlem Meer Pond with lit Jack O’Lanterns following them. They started at dusk but when the sun finally went down, the real magic began.

Sunset at the Meer

Sunset at the Meer

Sunset on the Meer

The pumpkins of the Pumpkin Flotilla

Paddling around the Meer

Video:

For the next hour, one gentleman started paddling around the Meer then followed by another and they circled the pond for about an hour. Everyone was jockeying for space as we all tried to take the perfect pictures.

The paddling around the Meer

The Pumpkin Flotilla at darkness

Video of the paddling:

Harlem Meer at night:

I stayed in the park taking pictures as the guys finished paddling around. The park had a almost spooky and mysterious look to it at sunset. I just wanted to get out of Central Park when it got dark. Too many bad memories of things happening. I headed over to the East Side

Please read my other blogs on walking East Harlem:

Day Sixty-Eight: Walking the Borders of SoHA:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/3900

Day Seventy-One: Walking the Borders of SoHA:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/4303

Day Seventy-Three: Walking the Borders of SoHA/East Harlem:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/4798

Day Seventy-Five: Walking the Avenues of Spanish Harlem:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/5066

Day Seventy-Eight: Walking the Streets of East Harlem:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/5529

Places to Eat:

Make & Bake Pizza (now East Harlem Pizza-2022)

1976 Third Avenue

New York, NY  10029

(646) 490-8355

Open: Sunday-Saturday 11:00am-12:00am

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d12437257-Reviews-Make_Bake_Pizza-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/661

Blue Sky Deli-Haiji’s/Chopped Cheese Delicious Deli

2135 First Avenue & 110th Street

New York, NY 10029

Open: 24 hours

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d12328617-Reviews-Blue_Sky_Deli-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/74

Places to Visit:

Central Park Conservatory

1233 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY  10029

(212) 310-6600

Open: Sunday-Saturday 8:00am-8:00pm

http://www.centralparknyc.org/things-to-see-and-do/attractions/conservatory-garden.html

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d272517-Reviews-Conservatory_Garden-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/831

Maggie’s Garden

1576 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY  10029

https://www.facebook.com/maggiesmagicgarden/

For hours, please check the website.

For checking out the street art and the community gardens in the neighborhood please walk the area. Things are changing so fast that you never know when something can disappear. The Community Gardens have their own hours depending on the season.

Day Seventy-Seven: Visiting Narrowsburg, Bovina Center & Ithaca, New York for Alumni Weekend “Hail, All Hail, Cornell” June 8th-10th, 2017 (Again on October 18th, 2024 and August 28th and 29th, 2025)

I decided to take the long weekend from finishing East Harlem (that took about two weeks to finish on various days through some spooky territory) and head up to Ithaca, NY for our summer Alumni Reunion for Cornell University, Class of 2004 and 2010 PDP. In the Fall of 2024, I retraced my steps back up to Narrowsburg, NY and stayed the night to eat at the Heron Restaurant.

I decided before I left that I was going to take the long route and explore New York State. There were a few towns along the way I wanted to explore and a few restaurants that I wanted to try that I had read about in travel magazines. Who knew it would take four hours to get to my eventually destination of Bovina Center, where I would be spending my first night?

I unfortunately started the day late by cutting the lawn and helping a friend with a problem she was having and did not get on the road until 3:00pm. Even though it was a long trip up to Narrowsburg, it was a beautiful one that almost competed with the trip to Hana when I was on Maui years ago. It was a beautiful sunny day when I started the first part of this trip to Narrowsburg, NY to visit the Heron Restaurant and The Nest Hotel, two places that had been recommended on a tour guide of the area.

The first destination was to explore Downtown Narrowsburg, NY

The first part of my day was exploring Sussex County, NJ and driving up Route 23, a highway I had not traveled since the 70’s when I went to visit Sterling Forest with my parents. Route 23 take you though towns that time forgot. These small little towns that have a unique character to them, with their home town stores and buildings from the turn of the last century. I was not able to spend much time in these towns but it will be fun to explore in the future.

Downtown Sussex, NJ is being gentrified and the sidewalks are being bricked up

The town of Sussex had a beautiful downtown with large grand hotel in its downtown that I want to revisit. It is such a elaborate building and impressive brunch menu. Plus I want to look around the downtown more. There were some interesting businesses and beautiful architecture to admire.

The Hotel Sussex in Downtown Sussex, NJ

Leaving the town of Sussex, I traveled to the corner of the state to the highest peak in the State of New Jersey in the mountains of Stokes Forest, where the peak sits at 1803 feet above sea level and quite a view from the top. The roads twist and turn once you leave Colesville, NJ and make sure you buy gas before you leave Sussex because the gas gets more expensive once you get to the New York border.

Downtown Sussex, NJ is being renovated with new brick sidewalks in 2024

https://shopdowntown.org/pages/shop-downtown-Sussex-New%20Jersey

I crossed Route 84 into New York State and the City of Port Jervis where there is not much to see and then started my trip up Route 97 to my first stop, Narrowsburg. I have taken many scenic trips before but this is an amazing and breathtaking view of both the Delaware River and the surrounding mountains.

The historic sign in Downtown Sussex, NJ

Route 97 foliage in the mountains

Route 97 in this part of New York State hugs the Delaware River as it winds up the border of the state. For most of the trip up, I tried to take my time with an occasional car honking at me to get going. It is a road that you want to take your time to enjoy and look at the mountains as they pass by and the river below. On the way up you are on the mountain side of the road and the view down can be scary. Almost like the trip to Hana on the island of Maui, where you hug the mountain on the way there and then panic and drive slow with the guard rail next to you on the way back. Still it is a spectacular view on the way up.

Route 97 that hugs the Delaware River

The Delaware River in the Fall of 2024

Rolling hills, high mountains covered forest in full form and deep valleys where you can look down and see the river below. It was the beginning of the summer and everything was in full bloom. With the sun washed against it, it is the backdrop for a postcard. I was able to slow down and admire the river below. If you are traveling up Route 97, take your time but plan accordingly because it takes a lot longer than the map will lead you to believe. It took two and a half hours to get to Narrowsburg.

The Delaware River in the Fall of 2024

Narrowsburg, NY has become a refuge for people escaping the high costs of Brooklyn and other parts of the NYC. How residents of Brooklyn found this tiny town tucked up in the mountains on the banks of the Delaware River, I have no clue but it is becoming a trend in small towns along the Hudson River from Beacon to Hudson. These small towns are attracting artists, chefs, boutique owners, movie makers and bed & breakfast owners who are fixing up old homes and reclaiming downtown’s upstate with new businesses catering to people in the city.

Narrowsburg, NY: The Brooklyn of the North

https://welcometonarrowsburg.com/explore

Please read my blog on Exploring Narrowsburg, NY: Day One Hundred and Forty-Four-Escaping to Cape May, NJ and Narrowsburg, NY:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/10049

Narrowsburg was starting the evolve again but had businesses that still catered to locals with small drug stores, shops and a very nice post office. Here and there the town was starting to change. I had read online that little sleepy town was at the narrowest and deepest part of the Delaware River thus the name Narrowsburg created in 1840.

Downtown Narrowsburg, NY in the Fall of 2024

The town was a sleepy hamlet where lumber and the local stone quarry were the main industries and in later years an escape to small room houses and bungalows for people from New York City escaping the heat. In its location on the river, it must have been a transport hub for New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania being so close to the crossroads for all three states.

The Bridge between New York State and Pennsylvania

The view of the “Big Eddy” in the Delaware River in Downtown Narrowsburg, NY

By the time I got there at 5:30pm, most of the stores had closed for the night. The town has its usual drug stores and small restaurants but look closer and you will see the traces of Brooklyn that I kept reading about. You can walk the downtown in about a half hour but really look at the views. In the middle of the downtown, there is a gap between the store fronts and you have a little park that looks over the river and it is picturesque. What a beautiful view of the river valley below and the mountains in the background. I can see what inspires the artists to move up here. It reminded me of Woodstock with its boutique shops and small art galleries.

The Heron Restaurant at 40 Main Street

http://theheronrestaurant.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TheHeronRestaurant/

The Heron Restaurant sign

Two businesses that  I had wanted to visit were the Nest Hotel (now closed), a small boutique hotel I want to visit and the Heron Restaurant, which was getting rave reviews online on all the review sites. Both of the them are what I was expecting. The Heron, a farm to table concept with local purveyors, has a simple and interesting menu. The brunch menu was being featured when I visited and the small dining room is well designed. Because of time and a reservation in Bovina Center, I skipped this and kept walking. I visited the Nest, a small local hotel and got to see the small store attached (both now closed). It is supposed to be well-appointed and service excellent. For another time.

The inside of the Heron Restaurant in Fall of 2024

I got to pass most of the small boutiques and art galleries and then walked around the corner to see a very busy Chinese restaurant in full swing and a local theater closing for the evening. The area was surrounded by beautiful woods and streams. You can visit the whole town in about an hour but this is a place to relax and reflect and the 45 minutes I spent here just wasn’t enough.

I passed the Narrowsburg sign as I was leaving the town

I left Narrowsburg and continued on my journey up Route 97 to the connection to Route 17, which I had traveled up years earlier to my interview in Ithaca for graduate school. I traveled up Route 17, a sleepy highway that was once the main through fare for this part of the state until Route 81 was built. Then I got off at local Route 30, which is a winding road through the mountains.

Having a 7:30pm reservation, I did not have much time to really look as I drove past small towns and through wooded areas. I had passed most of these towns during the holidays on my trip to Woodstock when I explored the area.

Driving down Route 30 by the reservoir

Even the highway was beautiful

The beauty of Route 30 is the winding road through the small towns with views of the mountains and through the valley gaps. Passing the Pepacton Reservoir is a gorgeous site, with its small islands full of trees, wooded hills and the bridge you have to cross and the views of the lake.

The views in the summer of 2025

With the sun being in the perfect position, the a spectacular gleam on the lake and if you have time, stop at one of the rest stops along the way and really look at it. Its quite a view.

Pepacton Reservoir in Andes, NY

https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/84925.html

The views in the summer of 2025 were amazing

It was so beautiful in the summer of 2025

Somehow I got lost in the turnoff on Route 28 on the way to Andes, a small growing artist town on the way to Bovina Center.

With these views you do not mind getting lost

I had to double back up Route 28, remembering most of these farms six months earlier when driving through on Christmas Day.

The views of driving up the highway by Andes, NY

Bovina Center is located on sleepy Country Route 6, on a turnoff that is easy to miss. I got to the Brushland Eating House 1927 Country Road 6, Bovina Center, NY, (See TripAdvisor reviews) my destination at 7:30pm on the dot.

Turning off on Route 6 in Bovina Center

The Brushland Eating House had opened the same time as my first trip to Woodstock , NY at Christmas of 2014 and had been on my ‘bucket list’ since to visit after reading an article on it in Hudson River magazine.

Downtown Bovina Center in the summer of 2025

The accommodations were supposed to be wonderful and the food in the restaurants rated excellent by all reviews I had read online. The overnight stay exceeded my expectations. I have never decompressed like this before. I felt this way both in 2017 and again in 2025. I was so relaxed on my stay.

The Brushland Eating House at 1927 Country Highway 6

https://www.brushlandeatinghouse.com/

The front of the Brushland Eating Center

I arrived in Bovina Center three and half hours later than I expected and one of my hosts, Sara, could not have been more gracious. She could tell I was tired and asked if I wanted to check in first and then come down for dinner in the restaurant. I took her up on that. I just wanted to settled in a bit. Thank God that the restaurant was rather quiet that night.

The front of the restaurant in 2025

I can not say enough good things about the Brushland Eating House. My ‘room’ was a two floor loft that was decorated with local art work and vintage décor like a record player, board games and locally made art and furniture.

The main floor of my bedroom

It looked like a loft in a major city in some trendy neighborhood. The room could have entertained 6 people sleeping there and no one would have gotten in each others way.

The Living Room

The first floor had a large living room/dining room, a nice size kitchen over looking the yard and a bedroom overlooking the hills, valleys and a farm behind downtown Bovina Center.

The kitchen area which you will never use

The first floor bedroom

The second floor sitting room

The second floor bedroom

Looking down from the second floor

The second floor had another bathroom, a second bedroom with the same but larger view of the surrounding community and a large dressing area.

The views from the bedrooms

The stairway to my room

The view of downtown from my deck

The view across the street

The beds had brand new mattresses with a soft comforter. I just sank in for a bit and then unpacked. I went to dinner around 8:00pm. That was a treat.

The Sitting Room decor

The Brushland Eating House Restaurant is on the ground level of the building and had gotten excellent review both online and in local magazines.

The crowds waiting to go in in 2025

The restaurant’s décor used the plan of the old post office, which this one served the community as in the past and local artisans built the bar and added to the shelving. The restaurant is painted in deep colors and has a rustic feel to it.

The Brushland Eating House in Bovina Center, NY

https://www.brushlandeatinghouse.com/

The inside of the dining room that night

I loved the sign in the dining room

The decor is so plain and elegant

The menu items are locally sourced ingredients from the surrounding farms and it shows in the limited menu that Chef Sohail prepares each night. I liked their use of New York State wines on the menu and enjoyed them with the meal.

Starting the meal with an a Mixed Greens Salas from the owners gardens

The meal was incredible (See TripAdvisor & Airbnb). Not being to stop for any lunch because of the time it took to go to Narrowsburg, I ate a full meal.

In 2017, I started with the mixed greens salad that had a light dressing, the pork schnitzel and the olive oil cake that was covered with a powered sugar icing. In 2025, I could still taste that wonderful meal and had to do the repeat less the Olive oil Cake, which was not on the menu. So I had the Rice Pudding with Poached Peaches.

The Mixed Green Salad from lettuce from their garden

Everything was excellent. The greens were so fresh I swear that they were just picked.

The Pork Schnitzel with homemade Sauce Tomate

The lightly breaded Pork Schnitzel with Capers

The pork schnitzel was pounded thin and fried to perfection and the meat had so much flavor.

The olive oil cake was a real treat. I had never had it before. It had a savory/sweetness to it with the thick icing and studded with fresh blackberries.

It was not on the menu in 2025, so I had the Rice Pudding with Poached Pears. The pudding was so rich and creamy. The peaches were in season and were poached in what tasted like liqueur and cinnamon. The perfect summer dessert.

The Rice Pudding

The meal was mind blowing both nights and With a couple of glasses of wine, I had never relaxed so much.

Brushland Eating House Bovina Center, NY

The New York State wines really were good. They had a nice body and flavor and worked well with the meal. The service was flawless. The waiter and I got along famously and she told me her stories about commuting into the city. We laughed at each others stories. It was also such a nicely paced meal as the restaurant was half full for a Thursday night.

In 2017, after the meal, I talked with my hosts Sohail and Sara for a bit before they started to clean up. If there was ever an ideal business that I would want to own and operate, this would be the one. In 2025, Sara greeted me warmly when I arrived for dinner at 8:15pm. I got to see Sohail the next day at check out and we talked for a bit.

In 2017, I can tell by the outside that the place still needs a lot of work but they really know what they are doing and could not have been more gracious hosts. When I came again in 2025, the outside renovation was complete and it looked so elegant.

Brushland Eating House IV.jpg

Sara and Sohail, the owners of the Brushland Eating House

The building after the restoration was complete

The welcoming stairs

The attention to detail in the gardens near the entrance

The Vegetable and Flower gardens in the back that supply the restaurant

The backyard area

The mural on the house

After dinner, I walked around the small downtown that is Bovina Center. It is literally in the middle of nowhere and that’s what I liked about it. You could see the stars and since there was not much in the way of street lights, you could hear the babbling brook in the darkness.

The outside of the restaurant at night

Walking around Bovina at night

The room was so quiet and relaxing that I wished I could have stayed longer. I slept like a log and it was fun in the morning to just sleep in and relax. There was no TV in the room and I just read and wrote in my journals and books that whole morning. I was inspired by all the quiet. It was also nice to just look out the window on a misty morning and look at the rolling hills and farms that lay before me. It is such a rural environment but I found out later on as I walked down the street to Russell’s General Store, a lot of people here are transplants from other places.

The front of Russell’s General Store at 1962 Country Road 6 in Bovina Center

Russell’s General Store, 1962 Country Road 6, Bovina Center, is a step back in time to when the pace was slower and everyone knows everyone. I met with Bea, the owner, who ironically is from Los Angeles near where my brother lives, and she could not have been nicer. She greeted me so warmly I thought she was a long lost friend. She knew everyone who walked in the door, greeted them by name and even let them go around the counter to get coffee. It was fun watching her deal with her vendors. The bread guy walked in with his daily order and put it onto a old fashioned scale.

Russell’s General Store at 2009 Country Highway 6 in Bovina Center, NY

https://www.russellsgeneral.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g47344-d4803084-r1027655222-Russell_s-Bovina_Center_New_York.html?m=19905

The entrance

The welcome to the store

The kitchen where the magic happens

I had read online about her breakfast sandwich, and it is mind blowing (See review on TripAdvisor). She cooks either homemade bacon or pork sausage out, cracks two organic fresh eggs and fries them out and puts fresh homemade cheddar on a freshly baked Chibana roll.

My breakfast that morning

The pork sausage is freshly made too and perfectly spiced. When you bite into it, all the flavors combine and it is a gooey and delicious mess. I had not had a breakfast sandwich this good since I ate at Miss Lucy’s Restaurant in Saugerties, NY three years earlier.

The Sausage, Egg and Cheese on a Chibana roll

Yum!

Not only was the breakfast sandwich excellent but for dessert (yes, dessert) I had a piece of locally baked apple pie with fresh whipped cream. The combination of fresh apples with fresh farm honey in it will take you away Bea explained that she had a woman locally who owns a farm that she makes the pies on the side. Do not miss this! I never thought anyone could compete with my mom in pie baking but this woman is neck and neck.

When I returned in 2025, there was no pie anymore but I did have one of their homemade Blueberry muffins which were excellent. A hint of honey with the fresh blueberries.

The Blueberry muffins are wonderful

The whole meal was enjoyable. It was fun to look at all the knick-knacks along the shelves and the penny candy and other items from stands I used to visit in the 70’s.

The inside of Russell’s General Store

The inside of the store

The grocery section

The Penny Candy (actually. Nickel) candy section

I walked back to the loft and just collapsed for the next three hours until I had to check out and then said my goodbyes to Sohail. He was walking with his dog in the back of the building in a garden he had planted. I told him how lucky he was to have nice business like his that he and Sara could build on so close to the city but far enough away to enjoy a good quality of life. He looked happy.

I left Bovina Center and drove down Route 28 to Andes to check out the town and work off breakfast and lunch. I ended up staying for over three and a half hours and having lunch here. Andes, like Bovina Center, Narrowsburg and many small towns in this part of upstate New York are being settled by people from NYC and they are waking up these sleepy towns with new businesses, art galleries, cottage food businesses, antique shops and fixing up Victorian homes and added life to towns that even ten years ago were dying out.

Just before I got to Andes in 2025, a woman named Jane was selling her homemade pies outside her home for $30.00.

Jane’s Homemade Pie sign stopped my car in Andes

https://www.facebook.com/groups/andes.first/posts/7824776720891695

I loved her cut little stand outside her house

Jane’s whole pies are too much for one person but look so good

I did not want a whole pie nor did I want to bring one on my trip. So when she came outside, she said she sold them to the Andes Diner and I could get a slice there. Off I went to the Andes Diner at 85 Main Street.

The Andes Diner at 85 Main Street

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g29815-d33445616-r1027412671-Andes_Diner-Andes_Catskill_Region_New_York.html?m=19905

The Andes Diner sign

The inside of the Andes Diner

Having dessert for lunch at the Andes Diner

Jane’s Mixed Berry Pie A la Mode

It was well worth the money

I walked along the main street a couple of times, wandering through shops and galleries, talking to all the owners and looking at their wares. No wonder why so many of them come to the farmers markets in the city. There is so much wonderful pottery items and food stuffs that people would love to buy in the city.

Downtown Andes in the summer of 2025

There was a pottery store where the dishes were reasonable and very nicely made. I loved the small parks and the stream that ran through the town. I liked the slow pace of the town and the beautiful views of the woods and old houses. The place is out of a postcard.

The business and activities signs in Andes

I had a quick lunch as I knew it would take about three hours to get to Cortland, where I would be staying for the night. In 2017, I had lunch at Two Old Tarts, 22 Lee Lane, Andes, NY (Closed March 2021). The food and service are excellent. It’s a beautiful, airy restaurant that was once upon a time the restaurant that now is the Brushland Eating House, so that was a good sign.

I ordered a grilled cheese, which was cooked with fresh cheddar, green apples, tomato on a sour dough bread. The flavors combined well and the sandwich just worked. Their mac salad is one of the best I have ever eaten at a restaurant and everything was a nice sized portion. The couple who run it are really nice and the service is friendly.

Two Old Tarts Restaurant Andes, NY (Closed March 2021)

http://www.twooldtarts.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TwoOldTarts/

Andes is a nice little town to just walk around and relax and enjoy the experience of a small artsy town. It is a nice day trip when you are in the area. It kind of reminds me of Phoenicia outside of Woodstock, just a nice town for a afternoon trip.

Downtown Andes, NY

Homepage

Downtown Andes in the summer of 2025

Before I left Andes in 2025, I visited the Dirty Girl Farm on the edge of the downtown across the street from the school. What a nice little farm.

The farm sign welcoming you

The Dirty Girl Farm at 114 Delaware Avenue

https://www.dirtygirlfarmandesny.com/

https://www.facebook.com/DirtyGirlFarmAndes/

This unique little farm had an interesting farm stand with local food stuffs and crafts all on the honor system with a box to leave your money.

The fresh foods available at the farm stand

The goat protecting the food store

The logo on the barn

This friendly little goat wanted to bond with me

The grounds of the farm were nicely landscaped

I was impressed by this farm being so productive in such a small space. The funny part was I only saw animals and not people.

After I left Andes, it was off to Cortland for the Alumni reunion. I always stay in Cortland because its fifteen miles from Ithaca and the fact that Ithaca charges double for their hotels for alumni events.  The trip up there was anything but fun.

Do you ever think to yourself when you travel, ‘but it looked so much closer on the map’. That’s what I experienced when I traveled from Andes to Cortland. It just looked so much closer on the map. That and there was a major accident on Route 17 North.

The highways and back roads upstate are so beautiful

I could not believe how beautiful Route 10 is in the summer

Half way up Route 17, we hit a major traffic jam and we backed up for almost a half an hour. Most of the cars were rerouted up the local Route 7 to Interstate 88, which would take us to Binghamton. I followed up the longer Route 8 and passed a series of farms on the way up.

One of the farm stands along Route 8

In 2017, I stopped at Penguin Ice Cream, a small local dairy stand for a cone. I had the most unusual tasting Peach Ice Cream and it was soft serve which is unusual for this flavor. Its a nice stop with friendly service but not the greatest ice cream I have ever tasted. In 2025, I could see why. The store looked long abandoned.

In 2025, the store was long closed

It must have moved across the street to this store but had closed years ago

It took about another 45 minutes to Interstate 88 and then reaching Interstate 81 another 45 minutes to get to the exit for the Route 81 turnoff. Once on that, up I went to Cortland.

In Cortland, New York I have written about in the past, I have stayed here a lot in the last few years. First for my uncle’s memorial service, then the Homecoming game last year against Yale. It just makes it easier.  I checked into the Cortland Quality Inn, at 188 Clinton Avenue (I do not recommend it) and then headed over to the cemetery to pay my respects to my uncle and my cousin who are interned there. It is a very pretty cemetery and they are buried in an area that overlooks the campus of SUNY Cortland, where my uncle worked years earlier.

Visiting my uncle and cousin’s graves in Cortland

It was a quiet afternoon and I was able to spend some time there and pay my respects. That has been hard but the purpose of this project is to pay my respects to my dad as well. That had been a rough summer for all of us losing my uncle, my father’s older brother, six months after my dad passed away.

My uncle wanted to be buried next to his daughter after she passed

The rest of the evening I spent walking around the downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods. You could tell by the many Victorian homes off the downtown this must have once been a very wealthy area. It really is a pretty city when you walk around.

The downtown has some good restaurants and the older buildings in any other town closer to the city would be lofts and artist studios. There is so much more that can be done in this city. I was still so stuffed from lunch that I went back to the hotel to relax.

Downtown Cortland, NY

https://www.cortland.org/290/Take-the-Tour

https://www.facebook.com/Historicdowntowncortland/

The beautiful historic buildings in Downtown Cortland, NY

The one thing about Downtown Cortland is that the City has put a lot of money into the Downtown area and renovated all those old buildings. They are all now new loft apartments and you can tell by all the new windows that they building have all been made new. Even the sidewalks downtown are all new and the whole area looks vibrant and rejuvenated. There will be a real future here in shopping and dining.

The historic buildings in the end of downtown

When I visited again in 2025, I stopped into a local college spot for a quick lunch, A Pizza & More at 104 Main Street for a late lunch. Since the cemetery closed at 4:00pm, I wanted to pay my respects first.

A Pizza & More at 104 Main Street

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g47543-d475342-Reviews-A_Pizza_More-Cortland_Finger_Lakes_New_York.html?m=69573

I had a slice of cheese pizza and a Meatball Hero and the food was really good. Their red sauce which was the base for both the sandwich and pizza was so well spiced.

The delicious Cheese pizza

The wonderful Meatball Hero

The next day it was off to Ithaca for the Alumni Reunion. The breakfast at the hotel could have used some work. The eggs tasted like plastic. It did not make much of a difference as we would be having brunch at the hotel school later that morning.

It is a quick trip to Ithaca from Cortland and a very scenic one as well as you pass all the farms and mountains covered with forest on the way between the two cities. Along the way down Route 13 you pass many depressed towns and villages reminding you that the economy is not so great up here.  You can see it in downtown Cortland where if it were not for the college, the town would be in serious trouble.

All of this does not matter once you get to Ithaca and reach the Cornell University campus. Cornell has one of the most beautiful campuses in the country rivaling the Michigan State University campus by the Red Cedar River. Both are just so beautifully laid out but what makes Cornell so beautiful is all the gorges, lakes and rivers that flow through campus. Driving into the southern part of the campus, old campus, is breath taking especially when you look over the bluff into the city where you have a view below of Ithaca and Lake Cayuga. In the summer when everything is in bloom, there is no view like it. It is one of the most popular places on campus to take family pictures.

Cornell University campus

https://www.cornell.edu/

The old Quad overlooking Lake Cayuga

First off, the campus was loaded with Alumni for Alumni Weekend. Most of the students had gone home for the summer and the Summer Programs had not started yet so the campus was pretty much ours. When I got to Statler Hall, the home of the School Of Hotel Management, where I am an Alumni, the place was mobbed.

The Statler Hotel

The crazy part was that all the schools that ended in year seven were celebrating their reunions and I sat with a group of women from the Class of ’87. It really dawned on me that if I had gone there as an undergraduate instead of going to Michigan State University, these would have been my classmates. As a matter of fact, the two tables that surrounded us were Class of ’87. It really made me think of fate and what we choose in life (me, Class of ’04 and ’10).

The Statler Hotel

https://statlerhotel.cornell.edu/

Review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g47958-d614650-Reviews-The_Statler_Hotel_at_Cornell_University-Ithaca_Finger_Lakes_New_York.html?m=19905

Our breakfast was amazing but then anything the Hotel School does with food is amazing. We had a beautiful spread outside the main ballroom of the Statler Hotel and this was a breakfast that made the Quality Inn look like Burger King. We had from soup to nuts with pancakes, stuffed blintzes, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, fresh fruit and pastries all so nicely displayed.

The topic our dean is always talking about is the merger with two other schools to form the new Johnson Business School which everyone of the Alumni are against. Everyone feels it will only benefit the other schools and weaken ours as we have most of the support and money coming in. Plus we have the strongest Alumni on and off campus. Everyone just grinned and bared through it. At least breakfast was nice.

Touring the hotel where we had breakfast when in The PDP program

We then took a tour of the building which had been renovated even since I went there and I left in 2010. It makes me feel proud of all the money that is poured into the college and how modern it all is and up to date. It reminds me of all the money being invested in the Culinary Institute of America when I go up there (also Alumni Class of ’98).

Statler Hall and Hotel

All the lecture halls and the library have all been renovated and update with all the latest equipment and the lucky part now is that Cornell has an agreement with the Culinary Institute that you can finish a two year at CIA and then finish with a BS at Cornell. That would have been nice when I was attending both schools. I could have saved some money. Even so our cooking labs are still impressive.

Statler Hall The School of Hotel Management

https://statlerhotel.cornell.edu/

The school was meeting up with the other business colleges later that afternoon for a cocktail party, so it gave me a chance to walk the campus and surrounding areas. Even though the campus was busy, I thought it would be busier but I figured the other colleges would have their own events.

The Student Bookstore was mobbed with Alumni buying everything was not nailed down. I have not seen anything so busy since I went to MSU’s Bookstore after a game. You would never know that we were in the middle of a recession with the way people were buying. I have so much stuff from Homecoming Weekend that I did not need more.

Our college bookstore

I went off to explore the campus. College Town is always a place of extremes. A lot of the restaurants that I remembered when I was there have now closed. Collegetown Bagels is always mobbed and was mobbed that afternoon. You could not get a seat if you wanted to and Rulloff’s, which has now reopened was busy as well.

Collegetown has totally changed in 2025

The rest of Collegetown is either being rebuilt (Again) or the businesses have closed. I saw so many empty storefronts or they are going the revolving door of Asian restaurants that keep popping up. There are a few holdovers on the main drag but outside that, Collegetown looks so depressed. No wonder its being rebuilt again.

On my trip through Collegetown, I did not recognize it. The whole place including the old College Town Bagels (moved across the street) and been torn down and rebuilt. I did not recognize anything. All the old restaurants and bars were gone. It was all gleaming and new.

Collegetown off the Cornell Campus

https://www.cornell.edu/about/locations/ithaca/

I walked down the hill from Collegetown to see the downtown Ithaca and the new ‘Commons’ that has since been rebuilt. All I have to say is that it looks so much better. The downtown was looking a little run down the last time I attended school there and the downtown was a revolving door of restaurants and shops. The Commons was totally rebuilt with new bricks and planters and new street furniture is all over the place.

The Commons was an 80’s concept to bring back people to downtown’s by bricking up sidewalks and adding planters. The key though is parking and good stores and restaurants and little crime. That is what didn’t work for most downtown’s in the 80’s. No one wanted to go because of those reasons. Somehow Ithaca is making it work.

Downtown Ithaca had not changed too much since my last visit

They have really spruced up the buildings and added better signage. I would have thought the area would have been more crowded with people but I don’t think anyone got the idea to get a shuttle bus from campus to the Commons for Alumni weekend. Plus most of us had meals with our colleges and I was not even hungry considering we had a cocktail party at 3:00pm.

The Commons in the summer

The entrance of the Commons in 2025

I walked around Common’s looking at the new buildings that have gone up, new hotels and restaurants that have opened while looking at old favorites and trying to figure out which ones I went to each of the summers that I attended school here. Simeon’s reopened since the fire there and their food was always great. Taste of Thai is one of the best Thai restaurants I have ever eaten at and the waffle place is still there as well.

Downtown Ithaca ‘The Commons’

I walked around the square in downtown off the Commons and the houses that surround it still need some work. They were falling apart then and they still are now. This is the sad part of Cortland as well. All these beautiful and graceful Victorian and early American homes just neglected or falling apart. Unlike Andes, Ithaca and Cortland are farther from the city and that form of reverse gentrification has not hit these cities yet.

There is one large Victorian home that faces the square and the church that I have admired for years and its still depressing to look at. If only the time and money. On 2025, the artists and hipsters have reached Ithaca and the homes have really been renovated and brought back to life.

The number of artists moving to Ithaca is becoming greater in numbers. There are several businesses that deal with local artists like Handicraft Cooperative (the Commons) and Made in Ithaca (Mooseville Mall) where you can find the unique. Take your time at the Made in Ithaca store as there is many creative items for sale at very reasonable prices and the sales people are great.

I was debating walking to the Farmers Market by the lake but then I was running out of time and would not be able to walk back to campus in time. So I took a deep breath and walked back up the hill. If any Cornell Alumni are reading this, you know what I am talking about when walking from the Commons back to campus through Collegetown. Just walking around Cornell’s campus is a workout.

When I returned in 2025, I braved the crowds and traffic and went to the Farmers Market. While it was fun to walk around, the place was mobbed and the parking was next to impossible so I parked outside the market.

The Ithaca Farmers Market at Steamboat Landing at 545 Third Street

https://www.facebook.com/ithacamarket/

The Ithaca Farmers Market

The Farmers Market in full swing

Down by the lake front for boat rides

The market was packed that day

I loved this sign

I swear that the food there had gotten so overpriced and the lines were so long. It was not as much fun as when I went as a student. It was so much smaller.

The Farmers Market was packed on Saturday

Our cocktail party for the new Business School was very nice. Passed appetizers and small desserts along with drinks was the focus of the event while the various deans of the three colleges being merged were trying to assure annoyed alumni that their school identity was not being taken away. I thought the get-together would be busier but figured that people were on their way home by 3:00pm. It was more of the same speeches with the deans trying to convince us everything was great with the merger. there was a lot of eye-rolling that afternoon.

The entrance to Cornell from Collegetown

I just walked around campus and looked at the new Residence Halls that were being built when I was there and finally finished now. The school really put a lot of money in student living. Walking though the gorges and gardens all over campus brought back so many good memories of the seven summers I spent there and of dad’s visits to me on campus and the adventures we would have before our long trip home.

The Gorges by Collegetown

I finally decided on a Chinese restaurant for lunch that I had eaten in years ago, Hai Hong, 602 West State Street, Ithaca, NY in Collegetown (See TripAdvisor review). The Dim Sum there is good but not great and stick with the steamed items and stay away from the fried ones. Their soup dumplings are delicious.

I wanted a change from that when I returned in 2025 and ate at Gorgers at 116 West State Street. The unique sandwich shop bakes its own bread for the sandwiches and makes their own homemade lemonade and iced tea.

Gorgers at 116 West State Street in the Commons area

https://www.gorgers.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g47958-d3422660-Reviews-Gorgers-Ithaca_Finger_Lakes_New_York.html?m=69573

The inside of the restaurant

They had a great listing of sandwiches and I settled on the Shrimp Po Boy which was excellent. They bake all their bread for the rolls snd all their vegetable are locally sourced. You could taste it in every bite.(

The Shrimp Po Boy

A great decision

The trip home took about four hours and I reached the New Jersey border as it started to get dark. Thank God for Daylight Savings time.

The Commons during the summer of 2025

Going to Ithaca brings back so many great memories and special times in my life and the side trip to Bovina Center made it fun to visit and explore this part of New York State. Take time out to visit these small towns in upstate New York. You will never know what you can find.

Still going to Ithaca reminds me how I got there in the first place and I always thank my dad for that. His support and encourage meant a lot to me when I was there as a student.

Hail, all Hail Cornell!

Walking through through the old Quad in 2025

Places to Eat:

The Brushland Eating House

Bovina Center, NY 13740

(607) 832-4861

Open: Wednesday-Sunday 5:30pm-9:00pm

https://www.brushlandeatinghouse.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g47344-d7045175-Reviews-Brushland_Eating_House-Bovina_Center_New_York.html?m=19905

See review on Airbnb

Russell’s General Store

1962 Country Road 6

Bovina Center, NY 13740

(607) 832-4242

Open: Monday-Friday 7:00am-6:00pm/Saturday & Sunday 9:00am-4:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g47344-d4803084-Reviews-Russell_s-Bovina_Center_New_York.html?m=19905

Two Old Tarts (Closed in March 2021)

22 Lee Lane

Andes, NY 13721

(845) 676-3300

Open: Thursday-Monday 9:00am-9:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g29815-d4516366-Reviews-Two_Old_Tarts-Andes_Catskill_Region_New_York.html?m=19905

Hai Hong

602 West State Street

Ithaca, NY 14850

(607) 272-1668

Open: Sunday-Thursday 11:30am-10:00pm/Friday & Saturday 11:30am-10:30pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g47958-d458503-Reviews-Hai_Hong_Restaurant-Ithaca_Finger_Lakes_New_York.html?m=19905

Andes Diner

85 Main Street

New York, NY 13741

(845) 676-6000

Open: Sunday-Tuesday 7:00am -5:00pm/Wednesday 7:00am-7:00pm/Thursday-Saturday 7:00am-5:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g29815-d33445616-Reviews-Andes_Diner-Andes_Catskill_Region_New_York.html?m=69573

A Pizza & More

104 Main Street

Cortland, NY 13045

(607) 753-7527

Open: Sunday 9:00am-10:00pm/Monday-Tuesday 9:00am-9:00pm/Wednesday-Friday 9:00am-10:00pm/Saturday 9:00am-12:00am

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g47543-d475342-Reviews-A_Pizza_More-Cortland_Finger_Lakes_New_York.html?m=69573

Gorgers Subs

116 West State Street

Ithaca, NY 14850

(607) 319-5046

Open: Sunday Closed/Monday-Saturday 11:00am-8:00pm

https://www.gorgers.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g47958-d3422660-Reviews-Gorgers-Ithaca_Finger_Lakes_New_York.html?m=69573

Places to Stay:

Cortland Quality Inn

188 Clinton Avenue

Cortland, NY 13045

(The Place needs Updating since my visit)

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g47543-d99080-Reviews-Quality_Inn-Cortland_Finger_Lakes_New_York.html?m=19905

The Brushland Eating House

1927 Country Road 6

Bovina Center, NY 13740

(607) 832-4861

https://www.brushlandeatinghouse.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g47344-d7045175-Reviews-Brushland_Eating_House-Bovina_Center_New_York.html?m=19905

See Review on Airbnb

Places to Visit:

Dirty Girl Farm

114 Delaware Avenue

Andes, NY 13731

(845) 676-4000

https://www.dirtygirlfarmandesny.com/

https://www.facebook.com/DirtyGirlFarmAndes/

Open: Sunday-Saturday 24 hours

My review on TripAdvisor:

Ithaca Farmers Market

Steamboat Landing at 545 Third Street

Ithaca, NY 14850

https://www.facebook.com/ithacamarket/

https://ithacamarket.com/

Open: Sunday 10:00am-3:00pm/Monday-Friday Closed/Saturday 9:00am-3:00pm-Please check through the seasons for times on the website.

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g47958-d2078860-Reviews-Ithaca_Farmers_Market-Ithaca_Finger_Lakes_New_York.html

The Cornell campus with all its beauty