Watch-Blog
Years, Lovers and Glasses of Wine
By Claudie Benjamin Though obviously not to be taken literally, the Italian saying, Anni,e bicchieri di vino non si contano mai, translates as lovers and glasses of wine, these are things that should never be counted, capsulizes what captivated Americans who first...
Where are the Lions?
By Claudie Benjamin What building entrance on the Upper West Side is flanked by two bronze-toned lions? The answer may elude you even if you’ve lived in the neighborhood your whole life. Hints: a.) it’s a hotel, b.) the location is two blocks up from Carmine’s, and...
Before & After: Staging Makes a Difference
By Claudie Benjamin Many strands of interest and expertise came together 15 years ago when Bridget Russo first opened her firm Manhattan Apartment Stagers. She was an artist, worked as an administrator for dance companies, and then pivoted to earn her degree in...
Hoping Co-Op Will Further Extend a Break
By Claudie Benjamin Mohinder (Paul) Gulati is clear in his feeling that if only the Co-Op board of the building at 2620 Broadway that houses his long-time business would extend the break they allowed over the Covid period, he would be able to stay in business. Paul is...
Le Petit Dejeuner Celebrated on the UWS
By Claudie Benjamin Sam Belanger started out in NYC as a singer/actor, supporting himself by waiting tables. After years of success touring on the road and leaving NYC for Regional Theater work, he moved on to restaurant management full-time, opting for a more...
Simple Home-Style Cooking Away from Home
By Claudie Benjamin Serving up 20+ fresh, delicious vegetables daily is a challenge that makes Jay Strauss proud. A recent menu, for example, offered a choice of market vegetables that included artichoke hearts with parmesan; asparagus with parmesan; beets with goat...
Photography & Friendship
By Claudie Benjamin “I love my building,” photographer Barbara Ehlers said recently, “I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.” She and her husband, Stephen Frizell, have been living on the Upper West Side for many years, always in buildings with a side facing Broadway....
Sublime Avocado Toast: an All-day Breakfast Item
By Claudie Benjamin No, not muffins, which love them or leave ‘em, are actually cake. Ashley Jaffe, co-founder with her husband, Zach Israel, of their newest venture, Slate Cafe, has a well-developed “modern” point of view about breakfasts with a strong focus on...
Forever Cleaning
By Claudie Benjamin When you think about how many people live on an Upper West Side block, that’s an awful lot of clothes, bedding, rugs and sometimes even furs that need to be cleaned. Rene Digal has been store manager since 2006 of the Oxford Cleaners branch located...
Pieces of New York
By Claudie Benjamin Gregg Boisjolie, Manager of Olde Good Things at 2420 Broadway, surely knows his stuff. In conversation, he transitions fluidly from the details of one anecdote related to a notable New York City artifact to another. For example, he described the...
