NYC is Safe (Until You're A Victim)

I came across a piece the NY Times put together called the NYC Homicides Map. You can look at murder data mapped out across the city, each grim event appearing as a pinpoint with correlating data (victim/perp age, method used, date, etc). It's not pretty to look at, but it is incredibly informing. If you are willing to understand this as a reality where we live, you might not avoid the data, but rather try to find a use for it. Just as you could get hit crossing the street or end up with a cessna flying into your bedroom, danger can happen anywhere. This data doesn't say that you'll be murdered in one particular area; it just shows where to go to increase your odds.

My immediate application for this map was to help me understanding relative safety of neighborhoods with which I'm less familiar. One such neighborhood is East Harlem, said to be one of the last good deals in Manhattan Real Estate. So we bought in to the hype, and visited an open-house that looked promising. Outside the very charming apartment, my comfort-level was challenged (especially in thinking about my girls), and this was during daylight hours. I thought maybe the map could help inform me: was it really unsafe or just my lack of knowledge of the area?

Neighborhood of the open house:
Each dot represents a murder at that location (Since 2003)


For comparison, I looked at my neighborhood.


While it's true that where we live is very quiet and safe(comparatively speaking), it's affirming to know my sense of discomfort in East Harlem had some grounding in reality.

For the a God's eye view, here's the big picture of NYC:



The map and data is really interesting and slightly disturbing all at the same time. We've already looked at other areas where we are (were?) considering buying and are wondering the following:

1. Will we let this information effect our home-buying decision?
2. Is the "sense of the neighborhood" more meaningful to us than these statistics?
3. Is there any way we can keep our families from finding this map?

Link: NYC Homicides Map [via StreetEasy Talk]

Lost their Lease (NYC Economy Snapshop, Part 1)

The picture on the left is of the Health Nuts, formerly at Broadway and 75th Street. I always loved this store, with its shelves stocked to the 14' (at least) ceilings. It was a small store, where you knew the people and things were still priced with a sticker gun. This picture was taken on Feb 28th 2008. The store closed shortly thereafter and has been vacant since. The manager, David, opened up the Vitamin Peddler on Amsterdam after The Health Nuts closed, though the variety of his offerings is significantly smaller than before.

I was searching for a little more information about David, and found an incredible article from the West Side Spirit called "Closed For Business," which looked at how many stores in the UWS are sitting empty:

To discover exactly how the financial climate has affected businesses, West Side Spirit conducted a survey on Feb. 20 of Broadway, Amsterdam and Columbus avenues from 59th to 110th streets and discovered a total of 103 empty, on-the-avenue lots. Five more had announced their imminent closure and 11 others were closed but planned to open with new shops in the month ahead. Overall, 8.44 percent of individual stores on these three avenues stood empty that day. Amsterdam was the worst off, with nearly a tenth of its lots unoccupied. [Full Article]

I always find it a cruel twist of fate when a store, like the Health Nuts, closes from being being priced out. The area is what it is (desireable, profitable, etc) because of places like this: Small shops with good products, salespeople with heart and experience that offer solid advice, yet somehow don't need to mark up everything to a "luxury" price point. In short: Stores with a soul.

So now The Health Nuts is gone, which is clearly a loss for the neighborhood. With nothing in its place, there is a loss for the local economy, the neighborhood offerings, neighborhood appeal, security and other intangibles. Whoever owns 2141 Broadway has lost over a year's worth of rent due to greedy aspirations. And now the market has taken such a hit that they'd be lucky to get a tenant to pay whatever the Health Nuts was paying before, and surely would have continued to pay.



Link Closed For Business [West Side Spirit]

Pumkin's Costume Revealed!

Pumpkin finally got her day in the sun -- And what a sunny day it was! Shee really got lucky for a first Halloween. We hit the library, the park, and a few family-friendly blocks (West 69th, West 78th) to let Pumpkin get her treat on. As promised, here are some pics of the finished costume. JC even put together a hat last night to make sure Pumkpin stayed warm!








We can't wait until next year -- wherever we end up next October, we'll make every effort to revisit the UWS. I was reminded today how much it really feels like home.

CityScoops: Does your mail have cupcakes?

Oh please say you didn't throw this magazine out! I have absolutely no idea how this magazine comes into our house, but I usually thumb through its 11 pages and see what's going in. It has a couple of feature articles and some few mini reviews, what's hot, etc. Sometimes it goes right into the recycling bag, but JC decided to check out this issue. I see her going through some coupons (like the ones that come in the blue val-pak envelopes) and her eyes got moist and she said with a smile, "Columbia... you're never going to believe this..." Preparing myself for disbelief, I sat down and drew a deep breath. She holds up something more mighty than a wonka golden ticket -- a coupon for a free cupcake at the (recently mentioned) Buttercup Bake Shop on West 72nd street! If this magazine is in your house, tear off that plastic protective sheath, run (don't walk) to west 72 and thank me later.

Columbia recommends the Lemon or Chocolate Chocolate.
JC seconds the lemon recommendation and also suggests chocolate with vanilla icing.

Link: Buttercup Bake Shop
Link: City Scoops

Planning a Sundate

Columbia and I use to plan surprise outings for each other, calling them a Sundate or Saturdate depending on the day. These were not typically something elaborate, but a stroll to a place of significance for the 2 of us, an undiscovered (by us) local haunt or a free event going on in our neighborhood. It was a plan to show our affection for the other, making a ho-hum weekend fun and exciting with the uncertainty of the surprise ahead.

We still try to plan these on occasion, it just takes a bit more thought with Pumpkin. One of my favorite resources now is the blog Manhattan Street Project. The subtitle is "I walk the streets. All of them." Isn't that awesome?!? Mary Sargent, the genius behind the site, posts at least one picture from each walk and has labeled them beautifully so that you can search posts by street number/name and neighborhood. Because of the Manhattan Street Project, Columbia and I have found some great sites in a walkable distance like Joan of Arc Island.

Now if only I had been so clever as to think of that idea first. Then again, I'm not sure I'm up to walking every street in Manhattan. I'll keep relying on Mary to take me there in photographs, and help me plan our next Sundate.

Leaving a tourism short list for visiting friends and family

My sister and her family are coming to spend the weekend at our apt for Columbus Day. We won't be here (more about that tomorrow) so we wanted to leave them a few neighborhood spots to visit. Here's what's making the list:

• Bagel Talk bagel shop
  It's not H&H, but it's not H&H's prices either. While a bit divey, the bagels are great (the ones that Zabar's buys even) and they have a huge selection of cream cheeses, including tofu.
  
  
• American Museum of Natural History
  Yes, it's a huge tourist destination, but there's a reason for that. It's AWESOME! It's also close by. As a "suggested donation" entry, it's the perfect spot to stroll around and pass some time on the cheap. I've also found that if you're not careful, you might just learn something. Consider yourself warned.
  
  
• Buttercup Bake Shop
  The cupcakes are delicious and reasonably sized at this West 72nd street cupcakery. We used to frequent Crumbs on Amsterdam, but you could choke a horse with their oversized $4 cupcakes. The cupcakes at Buttercup are about half the size, with a price that matches. Buttercup was a refreshing change, and they offer a 20% discount for teachers (which will come as a nice surprise to my bro-in-law).
  
  
• Riverside Park, during sunset
  It's such a beautiful stroll when the weather is nice. It's probably getting too cold now. As a reformed Long Island boy, my heart will always have a soft spot for beaches and waterways and after summer the park's groupies make their exodus.
  
  
• The playground at 77th and Amsterdam
  We've been itching to take Pumpkin here since before we were even expecting her! My 9 year old niece and 3 year old nephew are going to have such a good time!
  
  
• Arties
  Arties pseudo-authentic Jewish deli, that has some eclectic foods, great soups and enormous onion rings. It's is a fun place to go and has a little something for everyone. Plus, it's fun to sit in their solarium and watch the passers-by.
  
  
• Central Park
  Pack a picnic and find a patch of grass. Head over to the CP zoo, or just find yourself lost in this 843 acre oasis.
  
  
• IMAX Movies
  Who doesn't want to see a movie on a 7-story tall screen? If the weather punks out, it might be just the thing to do. Head down to 67th and Broadway on a Friday morning or weekend morning and see that first-run IMAX movie at a discount.
  
  
• Jeckyl and Hyde Club / Mars 2112 / Other theme restaurants
  While these aren't everyone's favorites (I think it's something New Yorkers or adults are too cool for) I would have killed to eat here as a kid! The closest I had to a theme restaurant as a child was Chuck E Cheese, a restaurant who's theme is "Mice"... Ummm, yeah, well we have some of rodent themed eateries too, I guess...
  

As I make this list, I realize there are so many more places to share and love in this great neighborhood and city! I'd love to hear what's on your short list for when company visits.

Vintage photos from the American Museum of Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History is a great place to see history come to life (well, not "Night at the Museum" alive, the more abstract sense of the expression). We've been taking pumpkin there since she was just about 3 months old. She now loves watching the kids as much as anything else. JC and I love going there and just spending a few hours strolling around.

I'm also a sucker for anything that includes historical New York as a supporting character. From Catcher in the Rye to Coming to America, I'm in love with reading/seeing the changes this great city goes through. Every few years major changes happen -- construction, gentrification of neighborhoods, etc -- that will disorient you if you've been away for a while.

When I saw this link of Historical AMNH, I went all weak in the knees. The shots are beautiful and it's great to see another side of an old favorite. It's like looking at your parents' wedding pictures. That right there was one handsome musuem.

The picture above of the bathysphere is from the "exhibitions" set of photos. A bi-plane and whale skeletons pave the way for the whale that currently dominates the space in the Hall of Ocean Life. This picture is from June of 1935, long before even my pop roamed these halls as a kid.

Picturing the Museum [via Curious Expedition]

News from the Street Fair

We had a great time Sunday at the Columbus Avenue Festival. I was excited to meet Helen Rosenthal, a chairperson for community board 7. Hopefully that will lead to more local info here. I asked if there was a community calendar to speak of, but she said not right now. If that changes I'll find a way to post it here.

We did well with spending too, spending $9.25 of our $10 budget. That's three shiny quarters that will inevitably go to feeding our washing machine's endless appetite.



I'm certain that when I hold up the camera, half the street runs on to the sidewalk. This doesn't really let you feel how packed it can get.



Ummm, hello? It's no longer your little secret. I mean, c'mon guys -- you really blew that one.



Ohhhh corn meal and mozzarella never tasted so good. I had to pass this time though -- those things'll kill ya.



We did get our $6 quart of half-sour pickles from the good doctor. I really thought he was mister pickles, but I guess he went back to school since last year. Good for him, really. JC and I will not deny that education is important.



...Pumpkin sums up the afternoon better than I ever could.

The Luckiest Girl in the World

I thought I'd share with you a little bit about how Pumpkin came to be part of our family.




There we were in the operating room of Lenox Hill Hospital, looking back on the exciting morning of realizing "it's time!", finding a cab to take us to Lenox Hill, the epidural wearing off... and not taking again, then something was wrong with our daughter's heart rate. She wasn't recovering from the contractions as well as our doctor wanted (he really is the best doctor in the world) we were quickly going into the operating room. There wasn't time to call anyone. It was just Columbia and I, hoping Pumpkin would be okay.

She was. Turns out our DD had inherited the gracefulness of her parents and gotten the cord wrapped around her thigh. After we heard her cry and a quick clean up, she was handed to Columbia. He sat there beside my head, holding our daughter and smiling his real smile, not the one he usually has in pictures. Then he grabbed my hand, held it steady as I was shaking from the drugs in my system, and helped me caress her head. Swaddled in the striped blanket, she was beautiful, delicate, perfect, ours. It was no longer just the 2 of us, we were a family.

4 days later we brought Pumpkin home. In a cab. To the UWS. It's not much. It's not even ours. But we live here together.

Pumpkin and I spend our days playing, reading books, wandering around this neighborhood we love and making faces at each other. Around 5, the door magically opens and in walks the man who makes us beam. He gives us both a kiss, takes my hand and makes me realize that I am the luckiest girl in the world.

Surviving Street Fairs

I noticed that our block had barricades at the end of it this morning, and that meant one thing to me. Riot. Street fair.

We've missed most of the streetfairs this summer, and I'm sure this is near to the last of them. I used to love people watching and enjoying a mozzerepa... oh, heavenly corny goodness. But today, as we take Pumpkin to her first street fair, here's how we're planning to beat the $5 lemonades and !!**CHEAP SOCKS**!!.

Columbia and JC's Three Step Plan to Financially Surviving Street Fairs

1. Eat before we leave
Heck, drink first too. Today on the menu is BLTs on JC's homemade bread, and some leftover "let this cold go away" soup.

2. Plan your attack
Street fairs usually don't surprise folks who have gone before. I know we don't need a Shammy Mop, we don't need a 1lb container of sage, and... well, I might need !!**CHEAP SOCKS**!!, but that can wait. We know we want Mr. Pickle's briney goodness, and hopefully the farmer's market is there too for a couple of squashes. Other than that, it's a no-buy zone. ...wait, are those the sweet sounds of Raggaeton filling my ear cavities??? No, Columbia -- stay sharp.

3. Make a budget
We're allotting $10. In our days of frugal living, blowing $10 seems a little wasteful, as I think those pickles are about $6. But if we go with a $$ amount in mind, we're less likely to walk home with a ficus and a persian rug, both of which will be eaten by our terrorist cats. Bring only what you want if that's helpful to you.

That's it. We're off. ... oh, I did NOT plan on there being zeppolis and Italian sausage...

Come to the annual PS 87 street fair

I'm a little late to post this, but I hope not too late for you to make use of the info.

PS 87 Fun Under the Sun Street Fair
West 77th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus
Sunday, June 1st 2008 from 11am - 5pm

Come and support a local school, and enjoy the vendors, rides, food, games and crafts. More information can be found on the PS 87 website.

Hiatus

Well, it sure has been a while since my last post! I did get one out in September, but it's been a while since I've posted regularly. I do have good reasons though for my absence -- a) summer is over, b) I'm at a new position within the DOE and... what was c?... Oh right -- The Misses and I are expecting our first baby (a girl) in March!! We are both so excited, but time has already seemed to seep through my fingers. It's been a very busy few months.

We've also begun that conversation about where we will call home next year. We have our place until October '08 and then we'll likely move north or east. How far north or how far east will depend on what housing is like in September '08. We will almost certainly leave the neighborhood I've called home for 7-1/2 years, which is a little depresso.

I have all these starred blog posts to refer to when I get my head above water, but I thought I'd check in and give you the update. Greenmarkets, soup recipes, and organic shopping and blood donation will have to wait for now. :)

Local Eats: Niko's

While we are trying to eat out less, it would be a lie to say we haven't enjoyed the culinary opportunities the UWS offers in the past few years. We usually try for less expensive options, but we will sacrifice some plastic for something outstanding.
A favorite of ours is Niko's.

Niko's is a Greek resturant at the corner of West 76th and Broadway. Appetizers are about $10, plates from 15-25, or more if you're getting something exotic. With the exception of one piece of poorly cooked tuna in 7 years, I've never had a bad meal there. The Greek specialties are always great, Fish is always (despite said tuna incident) always awesome, portions are sizable, drinkable Greek wines start at $15/bottle, and I can say hands down, the lamb shank in orzo will give a warm bear-hug to your soul. A couple can expect to spend anywhere from 50-100, depending on how you order (appetizer, wine, seafood, specials, etc). The check is delivered with a piece of sponge cake and "shot" of dessert wine for each guest.

DW and I have a special place in our heart for Niko's as it was the place we went the night we got engaged in 2005. The string lights in the 76th street side "sun room" made her ring sparkle like a diamond twice the size (Mental note, gents: The aforementioned $15 bottle of wine may be necessary to convey this optical illusion). Food, service and ambiance has never let us down; Niko's is a great choice for couples or those entertaining visitors to NYC.

Link: Niko's Mediterranean Grill and Bistro

Rent increase & green power, part II

I thought I'd give you an update on two prior posts.

the dreaded lease renewal form...
A few weeks ago, I wrote about my shock at finding a $175/month increase to our rent in our lease renewal form. Our understanding is something shady went on to cause our apartment to become no-longer rent-stabilized (as the older tenants in our building are rent stabilized). The long and short of it is, we're no longer protected by the law which regulates rent increases to normal amounts. If the owners wanted to charge $500/month more, they're completely within their right.

We did call, and asked what the reason was for the super high increase (last year, it was $75). When I asked if there was anything we could do, the managing agent suggested putting our concerns in writing, and so we did. We got their response in the mail at the end of the week.

"The rent is decided by the market rate. We received your letter and understand your concerns. Enclosed is a revised lease renewal form. Your new rent increase will be $125/month."

So that phone call and letter saved us $600/year. If you are in a similar situation, call your landlord and see if there is anything that can be done. Include in your letter any reasons you feel that it is more than you can afford or why the amount is much more than you would have expected. I don't know how often this tactic may work, so you might want to hold on to it until you need it. For us, this was that time.

I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a green planet today
I briefly commented at the end of April about the law of unexpected consequences, and its significance in our attempts to "green" the planet. Its application here says the good we do now will have consequences later that we might not enjoy.
Example:

1. CF bulbs reduce energy use.
2. CF bulbs contain mercury.
3. In a few years, when CFs are inappropriately tossed into the landfills, the mercury will seep into the water supply, and presumable have negative consequences

I was wondering about that majestic, renewable-energy creating, natural-resource using beauty, the wind generator. In a butterfly-effect sort of way, do wind generators were slow down the wind in those areas? Could they be prevent pollen/seeds/etc from being carried where they need to go? It seems that they have caused a stir, and (surprise!) politicians want them turned off. I wonder what type of energy they would prefer we use?

The article Possible Ban on Wind Energy… Why? [www.neutralexistence.com] says this:

[...] The H.R. 2337 bill is camouflaged as an “animal protection” bill which would help save the lives of migratory birds that are killed by wind turbines. Unfortunately, birds are occasionally killed by wind turbines, but the number is so small, it is barely worth mentioning. The fact is, of all bird deaths, only .003% are a result of wind turbines, that’s 3 wind turbine related death out of every 100,000 bird deaths. [...]

Follow the link and read up. I'm sure that there are no animals dying from the toxic crud we're pumping into the atmosphere from oil and coal plants... >sigh<

The Devil already has you!

There's a store at my corner that I prefer not to frequent because a) they're expensive, and b) I'm convinced it's a drug front. But when I want a few beers and I'm feeling particularly lazy, I bite my moral bullet and head over.

I was on my way to the Chirping Chicken for a very unhealthy dinner. It used to be delicious, now it's just okay -- service and quality has decreased since "the chicken crossed the road". But I wanted some good eats for the Yanks game, and I was too lazy to cook. I thought I'd pick up a few beers on the way.

I walk in to the corner store and there's a small woman, either intoxicated or homeless (maybe both) yelling at the two store owners. I try to keep my eyes on the prize (Stellas and a couple of "interesting somethings" for DW), but this woman is making quite a commotion in this always empty store.

"I'm not stealing! I'm not stealing! I'm a good person! You're the bad person! You call the cops, you can call the cops because I'm already leaving. I hate you, and you're going to Hell! The devil already has you and you're going to hell! But not you," signaling the other man behind the counter, "you're a good man. But you, you're going to Hell!"

She popped her head in a few more times to inform my cashier of his looming damnation, while I paid $10 for 4 bottles. Charging $2.50 a bottle should be a deadly sin in itself.

What it means to be a New Yorker

Kitty over at NY Portraits has a great site, writing about life in New York. Her recent post "On Being a New Yorkers" is a great account of how to judge a true New Yorker. Her claim: no one can live here a year and be considered a New Yorker. I'll always consider my dad a New Yorker, despite the fact that he hasn't lived here for 40 years or so.

Here are a few reasons of why I claim the title:

• Since 1995 (when I moved from Long Island) I've had 9 different apartments
• 7 of those were in the first 5 years
• I've lived on floors 6, 5, 2, 1, and two basements.
  
• I've lived in Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan. My wife holds the Bronx card. I'm pretty sure that covers all bases.
• With a misty eye, I recall my very first roach (and the girlish squeal that followed)
• I've done Times Square on New Year's Eve enough to know it's not worth it more than once.
• First night out drinking was in this great city, followed by my first hangover
• I've had a bedroom that fit a bed and not an inch more
• I never use shopping carts
• I never buy garbage bags
• I've eaten my weight in recession specials.
  
• I can't get enough of the brunch
  
• I've got my bar, with $7 pitchers of Stella
• I have seen shops replace shops that replaced shops in my neighborhood. (ie. 73rd and B'way: Food Emporium -> Gristedes -> Loehmans).
  
• I know that my stand-by restaurant (West Side Brewery) will close one day and I will go into a serious depression.
  
• I can't look at NY photos and films without trying to find out from where they were shot

Why I might not be a New Yorker:

• I do have a driver's license (yet I'm a lousy parallel-parker)
  
• I rarely pay for coffee
• I don't go to clubs
• I haven't seen many plays or musicals
• I avoid art galleries
• I'm not political
• I don't go to the gym
• I don't have a small dog in my bag
• I've never been mugged or hustled

So I guess I've still got some work to do. What qualifies you as a New Yorker? Tell all in the comments.

PS 87 street fair around the corner, literally, figuratively

Please note this is the 2007 school fair! For the 2008 fair, click here.

In an effort to highlight more local events, here's an annual favorite.

PS 87 Just Kids Street Fair
West 77th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus
Saturday, June 2nd 2007 (Rain date: 6/3)

I'm off to find a good community calendar and see what other local events are in store for us this summer.

the dreaded lease renewal form...

We got our lease renewal form in the mail yesterday, and found a most unpleasant surprise. Our rent will increase by $175 per month starting in October.

A little back story... My last apartment (a studio) rented for $1100/month. The next year, my landlord raised it to 1144. Then I think it went to 1166, and then I never heard from him again. That was a good five years. DW and I moved into our current diggs in October 2005.

Last year our rent went up $75 a month. It wasn't too big a hit, so we bucked up and paid it. This year, it comes to us with a $175 increase. That's steep. I called and asked why, and the landlord said "that's the price the owners have determined, based on the market rate." I hung up, put my head in my hands and just stared at the paper for about 10 minutes. I called them back.

"I don't really know how to ask this, since I've always been in a rent stabilized apartment, but is there anything that can be done to lower the increase? Can we request or petition the owners?" At this point I began babbling incoherently.
She replied, "Put it in writing, and send it to me, and I'll see what I can do."

So I did. I wrote about how we pay our rent early each month and planted flowers outside and floss twice daily and that we were good decent people and please can they help us out. I mailed it this morning. When I hear back, I'll let you know.

It really made me appreciate the landlord/owner situation I came from. I knew the man, he knew me, we waved hello on the street and it was a very normal (if nostalgic) relationship. With rent-stabilization, I was protected against unfair rent-increases. I miss that safety.

A few months ago I found a site that said a Japanese corporation had purchased our building. Here I am thinking two public school teachers stand a chance against capitalism. It really is disheartening. In those 10 minutes of stressing out, my mind flooded with images of being priced out, moving to Queens and having a yard and a beat up station wagon and a wife in the garden and having a workroom with shop tools and an easel. It was horrible.

If you've ever written to your landlord and have advice (or a good story), let me know in the comments. Meanwhile I'll keep my eyes out for empty boxes.

Our 8.6088 × 10-5 Acre Garden, updated

I'll have to add a new picture -- they've already started to perk up a bit. This picture is from just after planting. DW planted Pansies and a few varieties of violas. Our neighbor (a tremendous gardener - he really makes the building look amazing) has been helping to make sure they don't get thirsty.

In case you missed it, here it was before:

If these aren't the hands of an environmentally friendly DW, then I don't know what is.

Harsen House - Green in the UWS

Harsen House on 72nd claims to be the first LEED-Certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) "Green" Condo in the UWS. Here are some grabs from the site: (site link follows)



link: Harsen House
(these similar real-estate flash-based sites are becoming a snore -- is there some new template for Word to make these??)