Inwood Three Alarm Fire Heats Up A Freezing Night

Last night at this time a three-alarm fire broke out inside a store on 207th and Broadway that eventually took out more than half a dozen businesses. I didn't smell any smoke and heard no fire engines, but did hear noise from the street that I attributed to some kind of work being done by Con Ed or a city agency, which is not unusual around here. It was disturbing to me and I was agitated, as if I knew on some level that destruction was going on nearby. It was bitterly cold, in the teens, and that makes fighting these fires even harder. Apparently it broke out at about 11 PM and still was smoldering 12 hours later. The streets, awnings, and cars were covered with ice and icicles. Thankfully, no one lived above the stores affected, and miraculously, the apartment building next door sustained no damage. Two cats in an affected pet shop were carried out to safety. Inwood, in uppermost Manhattan, is like a little village. There are no high-rise buildings and there are many mom and pop stores. Everyone knows the names of the managers and owners of various restaurants, grocery stores, cleaners, etc. When I moved here over 10 years ago, it was like this as well, with lots of artists and performers in the neighborhood, but in those 10 years, much has changed. More families have moved in and there is a feeling of something being continued and rebuilt for a new generation. Just today I joined an Inwood community group - I - who has never been a joiner or much of a participant in organized anything. The businesses affected by this fire are as follows: Bread and Yoga, a popular spot that I have been meaning to join for ages to hopefully get these old bones and joints in better shape, Law Offices of L. Rosman, Dichter Pharmacy, a major neighborhood resource managing to compete with a giant Rite Aid across the street, Bank of America, Citibank, Burhan Hardware, who had opened only this fall or summer, Broadway China, a restaurant which had been closed, Furry Fiends, a pet shop (no animals were lost), A dentist and a flower shop were also affected, but I am not sure of the names at this writing. There were other businesses closed on Broadway but they may be able to reopen, though the corner affected will most surely have to be torn down. You can read about it here. More pictures are at my Flickr "Inwood" Set here. The top row of pics are the most recent, and you'll also get a nice taste of the neighborhood. I certainly hope that these businesses will be able to secure enough insurance money so they can rebuild. And people, make sure that you have renter's insurance, if you rent, so that you are literally not left out in the cold. Smoke alarms and renter's insurance are a must! I don't know why I suddenly cannot make paragraphs, so I apologize for the giant block of text that makes this harder to read. If anyone knows a way around this, please let me know!

City Survivors

Here's a sight to make you stop short in Manhattan: Wooden houses! There are a few of these dotted around the city, and these two charming examples of 19th Century clapboard architecture can be found at 120-122 East 92nd Street. These houses were built in 1859 and 1860 and the land they sit on was once part of Waldron's Farm.

I just read a little bit of evocative history about the roads in the area from the website carnegiehillneighbors that I'll share:

"In 1811, when Carnegie Hill was still very much farmland, the city commissioners began a long-term plan to develop Manhattan above 14th Street in a rectangular grid, but streets and avenues were not cut into this area until late in the century. Until then, individual houses were scattered on lots designated on the grid plan.

At that time there were only two major thoroughfares in the upper part of the island: the Boston Post Road on the east side and the Bloomingdale Road on the west. An east-west road that would later become 86th Street connected with the two. The only traffic on Fifth Avenue was the drovers who used the old dirt road to travel down to the Bowery."

I am trying to imagine only one road on the Upper East Side....and can't.

I'd love to know how the interiors of these houses have been decorated, wouldn't you?

Fogalicious!

I was out running errands and noticed that the fog from Christmas Eve was still with us. The weather this weekend is warmer than usual after our snow of a week or so ago, and there's still some ugly black slush around, a little ice and a smattering of whiteness in the park here and there. It wasn't until twilight when I was able to get to the park again and the colors and mistiness were unbelievable. YES, there is s little PhotoShop magic happening, but it's very close to what it really looked like. There's more here and you can click on the slideshow to see them at their best.

Snowstorm Heaven

Well, I don't have to dig out, so it's heavenly to me. I'm also not elderly, so I don't have to worry unnecessarily about falling, unlike my Dad, who can't go out at all in weather like this. I love the different quality of sound during a snowfall - I can't describe it - it's as if the sound is both muffled and sharper at the same time.

I went out in the afternoon with the camera as I wanted to catch the twilight. It was sleeting, which you can't really tell from these pictures. Inwood Hill Park is small but beautiful, and the views of the bridge and salt marsh are always so stunning. Having the cafe at the upper end of the park is a real treat - finally, a place that's perfect for getting an infusion of hot chocolate or coffee, that's convivial, artsy and just plain cozy. Being able to visit Scavengers is always a treat and as my camera steamed up I grabbed a few shots. It was really cold out! Anyway, enjoy the pictures, and there are more here at Flickr.

Hidden Neighborhood Treasure

I moved to Upper Manhattan in 2001 after a colleague already here, who knew I was looking for a place, invited me uptown to look at the neighborhood. I was charmed by the small apartment buildings built from the 1920s-1950s, with sunken living rooms, quaint architecture, and the quiet. It's true, there's not much going on up here, so you have to go elsewhere for your entertainment, but it's a peaceful area with parks, some good restaurants, a few fun bars, an art gallery, lots of artists, and the shopping is less expensive than downtown.

One of the neighborhood treasures is a smallish antique shop called Scavengers of Inwood. I have furnished my apartment with tons of goodies from this wonderful store - the antiques available have been collected and maintained by their owners, the Coopers; Lela Cooper does the buying, and travels around the eastern states on buying trips, culling wonderful treasures with an expert eye. It's always a joy to visit and see what's new, and have a friendly chat with Lela, Guy Cooper and Tom, who often helps out. It's a fantastic place for gifts - how would a set of wonderfully decorated 1940s barware be welcomed by someone who loves to entertain? There's vintage cookware, furniture, ephemera, art, clothing, jewelry, books, amazing china, linens...something for everyone, especially someone with a love for recent vintage. Part of me wants this neighborhood resource to remain a secret, but most of me wants people to find out about them and flock to their shop!

I was up there last weekend and took some pictures of the welcoming way this shop is set up. There are chairs set up outside, it's all cozy and friendly, and one is encouraged to sit and chat if it's nice out and there's a quiet moment. Eventually, though, pleasant as the company is, you'll feel the pull of the shop and will simply have to go in, squeezing by other customers and merchandise...into the depths...of American mid-century taste. I guarantee that you'll walk away with a one-of-a-kind treasure. Tell them I sent you.

Serenity

I haven't been blogging much lately and as penance post some pics I took late last month in my local park (Inwood Hill Park - Salt Marsh) at dusk.

It looks so peaceful, but in reality those ducks were quacking louder than anything I've ever heard. It was really nasal QUAAAAAACKKKKK, which is only right, for a Noo Yawk duck.

I will blog tomorrow, as I took some pictures in midtown today and the leaves are changing (yay!), which shows New York City at its best.

Random Yet Connected?

I was on the Upper East Side this evening and was drawn to the amazing Pre-Raphaelite red hair of this little girl walking along 86th street. I tried to get closer and get a better shot but it was impossible we were both moving (tried; results unacceptable).



On the next block, I found myself behind this woman, whose hair was dyed and a little sparse in the back, which you can't see in this photo as we were of course, both walking.


The images seemed strangely coincidental, but I may be over-thinking this.

Greenmarket Saturday

I was out bright and very early (early for ME), as the market was opening, around seven AM (!) so I could a) grab the best produce, and b) take some pictures. It was well worth the effort, as the goods were spectacular-looking...food just photographs so brilliantly. I have so many pictures that I don't think I can post them all here, but they're at my Flickr space for a complete viewing. The link will take you to the slideshow of the Greenmarket Pix that I've taken since September. I missed the market last weekend, but tomatoes continue to be prime, the apples look great (wish I liked them) and the cauliflower varieties I think are the stars of the week. The strange looking green vegetable is a Romanesca cauliflower, a cross between broccoli and cauliflower, that I'll try next week. I did buy some purple cauliflower, which I am told tastes just like the white variety.

The lady in the orange sweatshirt is my fabulous neighbor Ruby, who is a Renaissance woman - knitter, chef, fishing enthusiast and market-vendor. She is selling divine milk from Thistle Farms - you have to get there very early to snag the chocolate milk, which is extraordinary.

Duane is our very cheerful honey-and-candle-vendor. It was so early that he hadn't yet unpacked the candles, which was a shame as far as my pictures fared. There are traditional beeswax tapers but also angels and other molded shapes that would make great gifts.

The pumpkins and gourds are also pretty spectacular, and I'm loving the harvest display that was created for maximum seasonal decoration. Enjoy the pictures...and visit your local Greenmarket, if there's one near you. This one is on Isham Street between Cooper and Seaman Avenues in Inwood, in upper Manhattan, just north of the A train's last stop on 207th street.