Calling All Vendors!

Reservations are now being accepted for the Yard Sale on Sept 30th.

Visit the Yard Sale Vendor page for details

Our June Newsletter is now available.

Be safe, and do keep in touch with us. 

Thanks!

Steven Zirinsky

Block Association Dues

Haven’t paid your dues? Why Not? It is easy! 
Renew or Join here. Boom. Done.

Contact Steven Zirinsky with questions.

Want to read the September Newsletter in Color?

Click Here!

We now take payments with Zelle and Venmo. 

21st Century here we come!

Yard Sale Oct 1st is coming

Get your raffle tickets and merch now…

most nights and weekends at W 104 and WEA!

Block Association Dues

Haven’t paid your dues? Why Not? It is easy! 
Click here. Boom. Done.

Contact Steven Zirinsky with questions.

What do you want to see in the neighborhood this coming year? Stores? Services? Other changes?

Please send your thoughts to Hanna Rubin for possible inclusion in the next newsletter. Responses maybe edited for length and clarity.

Block Association Dues

Haven’t paid your dues? Why Not? It is easy! 
Click here. Boom. Done.

Contact Steven Zirinsky with questions.

Silent Auction Contributors

By Joyce Mann

In the 1970s, Mark Smith moved to New York from North Carolina to pursue an acting career. In those days, urban living had a gritty edge. The years went by, Smith met his wife Miriam Cukier, and in 1994, they moved to what he describes as “the paradise of 315 Riverside Drive.” Today Smith is an agent representing and managing performing artists, and Cukier, retired from the Metropolitan Transit Authority, is co- editor of Bloomingdale Aging in Place’s popular Buzz Newsletter.

Some months ago, as the pandemic crimped neighborhood services like trash removal, Smith wanted to find a way to help. Through a new organization, One Block UWS, Smith adopted West 104th Street as his special charge, setting out several days a week to pick up stray trash and keep the block tidy. He spoke with Block Association Board Member Joyce Mann about what got him started and how One Block works.

What made you get involved in OneBlock?

I got tired of railing about the garbage in the streets like Jack Lemmon in Prisoner of Second Avenue. I saw an article about the group in the West Side Rag and I thought it was a great idea, so I contacted them. They have both Facebook and Instagram pages and now a website, www.oneblockuws.org, and a gmail account, oneblockuws@gmail.com

The organization was started only a few months ago by Jake Russell, a Texas native involved here in real estate. I was invited to join a group cleanup of Broadway between 96th Street and 106th Street, avenues usually being dirtier than sidestreets, to learn the ropes. I was given the organization’s tee shirt to identify myself, special gloves with rubber tips and a few bags with their logo on it. I ended up buying my own “grabber” for $25 at World Hardware on 99th St.(great guys!).

How often do you clean up and how long does it take?

I go out once or twice a week, weather depending, and it takes between 45 minutes and an hour. I usually fill up two “Duane Reade-size plastic bags. My adopted area is the two blocks on 104th Street from Riverside Drive to the west side of Broadway. I clean garbage left on the side- walk, out of the flower beds and also around the parked cars. You can get pretty fanatical about it after a while!

What is the most common trash you find?

Fortunately, we live on a very clean block. I find a lot of cigarette packs/butts, but the closer you get to Broadway, the more fast food garbage you find, especially plastic knives and forks, coffee cups, bottles and fast food containers. If owners leave dog poop in the bags, I pick that up, too.

Do you need to recycle what you find?

No. The most frustrating part of the job is finding the garbage cans to put the trash in. There is only the one can on the corner of WEA and 104th, near the mail box, for the whole block, and it is usually over- flowing. I often end up just taking everything back home with me.

Any thoughts for folks interested in volunteering?

It feels good to do this. I feel effective and you can see immediate results. The organization started with 70 volunteers in August and now has 1600 volunteers as of October 24th. And they hired three men from a local shelter to help out. They earn a salary and health benefits, so it’s a win-win for everyone.

One Block is always looking for more volunteers, as well as donors. Just don’t sign up to adopt West 104th Street—it’s mine

Growing up in Portland, Oregon, Shailah Edmonds dreamed of a fashion career. Coming to New York as a young woman in the 1970s, she found few opportunities for women of color. A photographer advised her to try Paris, where Black models were in increasing demand. She moved there, and became a runway model for some of fashion’s biggest names, including Valentino and Versace. Eventually, she became a fitting model for Yves St. Laurent. Her memoir, Wild Child to Couture Style, has recently been published by Lyons Books (see www.shailahedmonds.com to order a copy). Shailah, who has gather crowds at the West 104th Street Yard Sale with her covers of Motown classics, shared a few thoughts with the newsletter on her Paris experiences.

What were the most rewarding aspects about modeling in Paris?

The ability to work one-on-one with top designers. And to experience the time and care that went into creating a garment, especially couture, when everything was made by hand. I learned so much about types of fabric, how to conduct myself in a sophisticated manner (after being somewhat inde- pendently wild), and was so grateful to be respected and appreciated as a professional.

Comparing Paris to New York, what were things you liked about living there?

What I loved most about living in Paris was the fact that I was treated so well. I never felt one bit of discrimination, and was always referred to as the American, instead of by the color of my skin.

I also liked the overall courtesy in Paris. When you enter any establishment there is always a greeting—“Bon Jour”—as well as when you leave, “Au revoir” or “Bonne Journée”. In New York that is very rare. When dining in Paris, it is a relaxed, enjoyable occasion. You can sit after eating and the waiter is slow to take your plate, especially while your companion is still eating. In New York, they sometimes take your empty dish as soon as you’ve finished your meal.

What advice would you give a young woman of color today seeing out on a fashion career?

To have patience, perseverance and to be resilient. It’s really a tough, competitive business. Whenever the fashion business returns, I think (and hope) there will be more diversity, due to the current climate of world events, however, you must be prepared. Study and practice your craft, make sure you fit the requirements before wasting your time, and be prepared to work hard.

Order Wild Child to Couture Style at www.shailaedmonds.com

• A World of Books: A neighborhood institution, Book Culture challenges and reassures
• 30th Annual Yard Sale Celebrates Community: Block Earns Kudos and a Proclamation to Celebrate Anniversary
• October 2019 Financial Report
• Where on this block?
• Thank You to Our 2019 Yard Sale Volunteers!
• A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: 30th Yard Sale brings residents and neighbors together to celebrate
• BAiP @ 10: The neighborhood organization, created to help older residents stay in the community, celebrates a decade of achievements
• BAiP FAQs: What’s all the buzz about?
• Riverside Park, Climate and Us: Bloomingdale’s It’s Easy Being Green Hosts Dan Garodnick on the park’s role
• Welcome to Board Member: Stephen Helman
• Barbara Bryan: An Historic Tenure
• Pooch Parade
• Neighborhood Services
September 2019
PDF
• Gilded Age Glamour: Exploring Riverside’s Mansion Neighborhood
• Come Celebrate at the 30th Anniversary Yard Sale: Bargains! Entertainment! Split-the-Pot Raffle and More!
• Vendor Slots Going Fast!
• August 2019 Financial Report
• The Rat Patrol: Block Association attends Rat Academy
• On and Around the Block
• Where On this Block?
• A Caring Neighbor: Pharmacy helps locals with its custom preparations and kind spirit
• Neighborhood Services
May 2019
PDF
• Visionary in Exile: The neighborhood legacy of artist and mystic Nicholas Roerich
• 30 and Counting…West 104th Street mounts 30th consecutive annual Yard Sale
• Attention Yard Sale Vendors: Act Now and Save 20%
• April 2019 Financial Report
• Spring…Has Sprung!
• Artist and Teacher Fred Wong Celebrates a Milestone
• Welcome to New Board Member: Peter Littlewood
• Meet Your (Avian) Neighbors: Block Association Hosts Birding Walk
• Local Resident Resources
• Where On This Block?
• Block Annual Meeting Highlights: West 104th Street Architecture
• Neighborhood Services
March 2019
PDF
• Striking a Chord for the Community: Inside Bloomingdale School of Music
• Letter from the Block President
• January 2019 Financial Report
• Ready to Bloom: Neighbors lend a hand to get spring tulip bulbs planted
• 24th Precinct Makes Neighborhood Policing Effort
• Opinion: It’s Easy Being Green…Think Global, Act Local
• Block News: Con Ed Detects Stray Voltage On Street
• Block News: Manhole Fixed With 311 Call
• Neighborhood Services

Newsletters of the West 102nd &103rd Streets Block Association and Friends of Straus Park are available on separate pages.

Newsletter Archive

2018 issues | 2017 issues | 2016 issues | 2015 issues | 2014 issues | 2013 issues | 2012 issues | 2011 issues | 2010 issues | 2009 issues | 2008 issues | 2007 issues | 2006 issues | 2005 issues | 2004 issues | 2003 issues | 2002 issues | 2001 issues | 2000 issues

Newsletters are in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format, except where noted.



Advertising is available in the newsletter and is a great way to reach our neighborhood residents. Learn how to place an advertisement in the newsletter.

]]> https://bloomingdale.org/2019-issues/feed/ 0 2869 https://bloomingdale.org/block-bytes-june-2019/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=block-bytes-june-2019 https://bloomingdale.org/block-bytes-june-2019/#respond Fri, 24 May 2019 13:59:03 +0000 https://bloomingdale.org/?p=2592 Read more]]> West 104 Street Block Association Block Bytes

Block Association Upcoming Events

Bird Watching- End of Spring Migration
Saturday June 1st 9 am Rain or Shine
Riverside Drive Benches at 104 Street

We should still be able to catch late season migrants. Walking from 104th to 120th, we will visit the Forever Wild path, the gotham goats and then try to spot the Red-tailed Hawks that are nesting at St. John the Divine. After that, folks can either head back home or continue into Central Park. An RSVP to Peter Littlewood is good but not required. Bring binoculars if you have them (we’ll have a few extras) and dress for the weather.

Evening Soiree at Ellington in the Park- lower level
Wednesday June 5th from 6 to 8 pm
Riverside Park at the promenade at 105 Street

Join your fellow block association members and members of the Board for some camaraderie. Enjoy a beer, a burger, and/or the sunset and slow down that pace for just a little while. Dutch treat.


RSVP to Steven Zirinsky so we get a head count- this is weather dependent.

Riverside Park Clean Up
Sunday June 15th 10am to 1 pm

Through the grassroots program at the Riverside Park Conservancy, the Block Association is volunteering to clean up the part of the park, between 103rd and 108th Streets. We will be doing weed tree removal.

Meeting Place- Enter at the 104 Street steps and head south down to the promenade. Bring your attitude…the Conservancy will supply gloves, shovels, clippers and so forth. Dress code is formal—long pants and closed toed footwear a must. Long shirt and a hat is a good idea too, along with bug repellent and sun screen (though we should be in the shade mostly). While the Conservancy will have some water, bring your own just the same.
Ages- 10 and up. It is a good family activity.
Space is limited and you must RSVP to Steven Zirinsky. Rain or shine, unless it is thundering.

Come and contribute to a greener and cleaner Riverside Park. This is the first time we have attempted participation in this manner. Help make this a success!

Thanks!
Steven Zirinsky

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Contact Steve Zirinsky with questions

]]> https://bloomingdale.org/block-bytes-june-2019/feed/ 0 2592 https://bloomingdale.org/2018-issues/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2018-issues https://bloomingdale.org/2018-issues/#respond Thu, 27 Dec 2018 14:22:39 +0000 https://bloomingdale.org/?p=2867 Read more]]> Month Contents   November 2018
PDF
• A Park Is Born: The long green road to Riverside Park
• Sunshine Fuels Yard Sale Success
• September 2018 Financial Report
• Thank You to Our 2018 Yard Sale Volunteers
• Bloomingdale Aging in Place: Building Community One Group at a Time By Stephan Russo
• Neighborhood Services
September 2018
PDF
• Spotlight: An Artist in the Age of #MeToo — Zhen Guo’s Bold Feminist Vision
• Bag Bargains and Build Community Spirit: Come visit the 29th Annual West 104th St. Yard Sale on Sept. 29
• July 2018 Financial Report
• Where on this Block?
• On the Block: Annual Meeting Features Look at Riverside Park Improvements
• ABCs of Composting: The basics of turning organic matter into good stuff
• Neighborhood Services
May 2018
PDF
• Spotlight: 315 Riverside Dr. — Classic Deco Touches Highlight Building
• An Exotic Marketplace In
  Your Own Front Yard . . . Sept. 29th Announced for Block Party
• April 2018 Financial Report
• Spotlight: Bringing an Architect’s Eye Steve Zirinsky Is New President of Block Board
• Feeding the Trees
• In the Neighborhood
  • Volunteer of the Year Has Long Resume of Helping Block: Bloomingdale Aging in Place Honors Teresa Elwert with 2018 Sands Award
  • Block Association Launches Effort Against Rats
  • W104th: Home of Community Builders
• Neighborhood Services
February 2018
PDF
• Spotlight: 320 Riverside drive: From Mansions to a Palladian Homage
• Letter from the President: What is this, this West 104 Street Block Association?
• December 2017 Financial Report
• 2017 Yard Sale Financial Report
• Planting Day: Can Spring Be Far Behind? Neighbors Turn Out to Get Bulbs Planted
• New York State AirBnB Law Limits Short-Term Rentals: Affordable Housing Crunch Drives Enforcement Effort
• In the Neighborhood
  • Opinion: The Hudson and Its Keepers: A Neighbor On Local Cleanup E orts And How To Help
  • News: The Story Behind the Mansions: New York Times Reporter Dan Wakin Discusses His New Book on RSD from 105th-106th Street
  • We Remember Mark Nowgrodzki
• Neighborhood Services

Newsletters of the West 102nd &103rd Streets Block Association and Friends of Straus Park are available on separate pages.

Newsletter Archive

2017 issues | 2016 issues | 2015 issues | 2014 issues | 2013 issues | 2012 issues | 2011 issues | 2010 issues | 2009 issues | 2008 issues | 2007 issues | 2006 issues | 2005 issues | 2004 issues | 2003 issues | 2002 issues | 2001 issues | 2000 issues

Newsletters are in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format, except where noted.



Advertising is available in the newsletter and is a great way to reach our neighborhood residents. Learn how to place an advertisement in the newsletter.

]]> https://bloomingdale.org/2018-issues/feed/ 0 2867