Friday, May 04, 2007
Springtime in New York, and shopping news from First Avenue
LOOKING AHEAD by Wally Dobelis
If you do not go out to a park and enjoy New York Spring, you are missing an integral part of the pleasure of living in this city. Take Stuyvesant Square Park, two distinct entities bisected by Second Avenue. The flowers, and the trees on both sides are in bloom, with the white Callery pears and the dramatic purple redbuds stretching their arms, blending in with the trees at the Friends Meeting House on the west side, and with the magnolias and other foliage alongside the park. Recognition must be given to Carol Schachter and the Board of the Stuyvesant Park Neighborhood Association, who annually contribute dues monies and funds from their street fair for the Park’s maintenance, and for other needy local causes, and to the Parks Department for the extensive walkway repairs in the east park.
Strolling through the park, you may meet Christie Dailey, our new Parks Department gardener, this time of year trimming old rose bushes in preparation for the new season. Masses of tulips and daffodils are in full flower, some new and some old, and all demanding attention. Two helpers were noted working with Christie, who also has Abingdon Square and the City Hall area memorial park with five surviving trees from the Ground Zero site under her care.
Along Stuyvesant Town property lines, the two year-old cherry trees in the median along First Avenue have survived the winter well, and the spooky honey locust trees are stretching their black knotted arms and fingers over the sidewalks, with some green sprouting leaves coming out. The interior, with huge London plane trees, some seemingly dangerously close to the buildings (they just outgrew their neighbors) also has ample gardening, with azaleas and rhododendrons overarching the daffodils and azaleas. The weather will soon be turning sunny enough to attract sunbathers to the large meadows, opened for access a couple of years ago.
Speaking of access, Parks Department recently opened selected parks for off-the –leash dog walking. One such treasure, a medium size blackie, was noted scratching at a tulip in Stuyvesant Park while the owner, in dark sunglasses (a disguise, obviously) was diverting attention by animatedly chatting with friends. Beware, the dog police are on the alert. Seriously, though, a Parks Department source cautions that the new policy will lead to trouble. Although intended only for certain parks, such as Central Park, and specific areas and times, now people will let their animal companions loose in all parks, and claim lack of understanding of the rules. It will probably take a serious dog biting incident to get us back to the original rules. Oh well, people will keep testing the limits.
The good weather also has brought out peddlers to our streets. Walking along East 14th Street of an unseasonably hot afternoon I was thinking of the old-time Italian shaved ice vendors, when lo and behold, an ice vendor’s hand truck materialized before my eyes, surrounded by moms and small children clutching dollar bills in their hands. This was not the dream of my youth but a reasonable modern facsimile, with an awning announcing Get Your Cool Here or some such, and with four tubs which had to be opened and closed separately for dishing out each plastic cup full of lemon, orange, chocolate or what looked like vanilla ice. The sturdy vendor lady only spoke Spanish, and vanilla was an unknown word to her. I waved vaguely toward the appropriate tub, and she came out with a smile: "Ah, orange," and I received a generous helping from a neighboring bucket. It was just right for the weather, an in the interests of international peace and understanding I thanked her and kept my purchase. Subsequently my internet sources showed that the appropriate Spanish word might be vainilla, and you know about the pronunciation of double ells in that language. So there, if more Anglos bought more Italian ices from more Spanish ladies on more street corners, the world would have fewer misunderstandings. Or maybe not.
I had less trouble with the other vendors while stopping off along that First Avenue kitty corners across from my ice lady. The sunglasses and caps peddler had an exquisite small briefcase hanging from the side of his table. It had two metal cross buckles for locking, beautifully made in China. Seeing my interest, he brought it out, identified it as a $25 item, admired the workmanship and my good taste and offered it for $15. I thanked him, and he reduced the price further, for instant cash sale, to $10. I will certainly know where to look for a Mother’s Day present next year.
The other temptations were easier to overcome; I had no need for an important wristwatch ($10) or its less impressive companion ($8 or $6). We are also adequately equipped with NYPD and NYFD and Yankees baseball caps, superb earrings (personally, I can live without one) and colorful glass bead necklaces.
Wally Dobelis and the staff of T&V wish you a happy Mother’s Day and an enjoyable Wildflower Week.
If you do not go out to a park and enjoy New York Spring, you are missing an integral part of the pleasure of living in this city. Take Stuyvesant Square Park, two distinct entities bisected by Second Avenue. The flowers, and the trees on both sides are in bloom, with the white Callery pears and the dramatic purple redbuds stretching their arms, blending in with the trees at the Friends Meeting House on the west side, and with the magnolias and other foliage alongside the park. Recognition must be given to Carol Schachter and the Board of the Stuyvesant Park Neighborhood Association, who annually contribute dues monies and funds from their street fair for the Park’s maintenance, and for other needy local causes, and to the Parks Department for the extensive walkway repairs in the east park.
Strolling through the park, you may meet Christie Dailey, our new Parks Department gardener, this time of year trimming old rose bushes in preparation for the new season. Masses of tulips and daffodils are in full flower, some new and some old, and all demanding attention. Two helpers were noted working with Christie, who also has Abingdon Square and the City Hall area memorial park with five surviving trees from the Ground Zero site under her care.
Along Stuyvesant Town property lines, the two year-old cherry trees in the median along First Avenue have survived the winter well, and the spooky honey locust trees are stretching their black knotted arms and fingers over the sidewalks, with some green sprouting leaves coming out. The interior, with huge London plane trees, some seemingly dangerously close to the buildings (they just outgrew their neighbors) also has ample gardening, with azaleas and rhododendrons overarching the daffodils and azaleas. The weather will soon be turning sunny enough to attract sunbathers to the large meadows, opened for access a couple of years ago.
Speaking of access, Parks Department recently opened selected parks for off-the –leash dog walking. One such treasure, a medium size blackie, was noted scratching at a tulip in Stuyvesant Park while the owner, in dark sunglasses (a disguise, obviously) was diverting attention by animatedly chatting with friends. Beware, the dog police are on the alert. Seriously, though, a Parks Department source cautions that the new policy will lead to trouble. Although intended only for certain parks, such as Central Park, and specific areas and times, now people will let their animal companions loose in all parks, and claim lack of understanding of the rules. It will probably take a serious dog biting incident to get us back to the original rules. Oh well, people will keep testing the limits.
The good weather also has brought out peddlers to our streets. Walking along East 14th Street of an unseasonably hot afternoon I was thinking of the old-time Italian shaved ice vendors, when lo and behold, an ice vendor’s hand truck materialized before my eyes, surrounded by moms and small children clutching dollar bills in their hands. This was not the dream of my youth but a reasonable modern facsimile, with an awning announcing Get Your Cool Here or some such, and with four tubs which had to be opened and closed separately for dishing out each plastic cup full of lemon, orange, chocolate or what looked like vanilla ice. The sturdy vendor lady only spoke Spanish, and vanilla was an unknown word to her. I waved vaguely toward the appropriate tub, and she came out with a smile: "Ah, orange," and I received a generous helping from a neighboring bucket. It was just right for the weather, an in the interests of international peace and understanding I thanked her and kept my purchase. Subsequently my internet sources showed that the appropriate Spanish word might be vainilla, and you know about the pronunciation of double ells in that language. So there, if more Anglos bought more Italian ices from more Spanish ladies on more street corners, the world would have fewer misunderstandings. Or maybe not.
I had less trouble with the other vendors while stopping off along that First Avenue kitty corners across from my ice lady. The sunglasses and caps peddler had an exquisite small briefcase hanging from the side of his table. It had two metal cross buckles for locking, beautifully made in China. Seeing my interest, he brought it out, identified it as a $25 item, admired the workmanship and my good taste and offered it for $15. I thanked him, and he reduced the price further, for instant cash sale, to $10. I will certainly know where to look for a Mother’s Day present next year.
The other temptations were easier to overcome; I had no need for an important wristwatch ($10) or its less impressive companion ($8 or $6). We are also adequately equipped with NYPD and NYFD and Yankees baseball caps, superb earrings (personally, I can live without one) and colorful glass bead necklaces.
Wally Dobelis and the staff of T&V wish you a happy Mother’s Day and an enjoyable Wildflower Week.
# posted by Wally Dobelis @ 2:01 AM 
