Pissy Bagel
While the hotties might be coming to Harlem, the hipsters are not. And although there's talk of East Harlem becoming the next hot nabe, it's "not exactly on fire yet." This, according to an in-depth look at the neighborhood in this weekend's New York Times. Reporter Claire Wilson writes:
"East Harlem will be more desirable to live in once the retail and restaurant scene starts to catch up with residential development and the tastes of an ethnically and economically diverse population."Is that going to happen?
Plans for the Marriott Hotel on 125th Street and Park Avenue have been scrapped and, more than a year after moving here, I continue to search for a fresh bagel within a 10-block radius of my apartment. Restaurants, services, amenities? I keep hearing the talk, but every day I'm the one walking the walk--right out of Harlem, to spend my money in other neighborhoods where I can buy the goods that I want.
The Jewish guilt over all this is killing me. So are my feet. Do I really need grapefruits and goat cheese? Probably not. After all, the canned fruit and the American cheese at Pathmark isn't all that bad, right? It's just that if you compare prices, the jarred stuff is as expensive (if not more) as the fresh stuff so I'm at a bit confused as to why I have to travel south to avoid using a can opener on my fruit...
That's it. Pissy bagel no more. Griping over grapefruit is so last year. For today, at least, I'll put my walking shoes on and do my best to stay in the neighborhood.
posted by Rachel Natalie Klein at 9:51 AM
13 Comments:
What's the sstory with the space where the marriott was to go in? Is Harlem Park still a go?
wow, i didn't know they scrapped the Marriot plans. do you have a link for that? i will do a search also.
good luck to you in your bagel quest!
The times article bagel links to in this post says Marriott company spokesperson confirmed scrapped plans.
The Columbia Spectator reported that Harlem Park is no more last week. The current owners are trying to sell the property to Vornado and other developers who plan to build "office and retail towers".
There is a fresh bagel place in East Harlem. It might be slightly more than 10 blocks from your apartment though.
Bargain grapefruit (and other produce) can be found at the Korean Deli, 125th btwn Lenox and 5th.
Organic grapefruit from vendor at 125th and Lenox.
Goat cheese from Citarella or Fairway, both in Harlem.
i disagree with you. i love the neighborhood but the grocery store selection is very bad. citarella and Fairway arent practical options for people in Central and East Harlem. i live on madison and 120 and both stores are to far west to walk home with bundles of food. The fruit vendor can't be counted on because his hours are dicey..not there in the evening., etc. the Korean deli is so-so for produce.
A lack of amenities is exactly the reason I moved out of Harlem after 2+ years. I liked the neighborhood but found the basics were not available.
You got to have some patience. Change won't happen overnight. If these things existed there now prices would be much much higher. As the new condo developments finish and their residents move in businesses will see more opportunity there and the commercial landscape will improve. Just have faith and enjoy all the nice things that the neighborhood has to offer.
Hipsters?? Since when do hipsters improve a neighborhood? I moved to Harlem from Brooklyn to get away from those trust fund deuchbags.
Harlem definitely does not need hipsters to be a good hood.
I've been reading your blog for a few weeks now, since I'm interested in how people who are moving into Harlem view it differently than those who've lived here for years. After reading "Pissy Bagel", I have to ask-are you serious? You can't find goat cheese and grapefruit at Pathmark? I've bought Brie, Camembert, Gouda etc. there many times. The cheese section is in the front of the store as soon as you walk in, right in front of the fresh fruit and vegetable section. Where you can find, among other things, grapefruit. If I can find concord grapes and persimmons there, you can find grapefruit.
If you were joking, that's one thing, but if you were being serious it's just a gross misrepresentation of what Harlem is and is not. There's more to Harlem than American cheese and canned fruit. You just need to look around you.
I agree that there is more to harlem than american cheese and canned fruit, but there is no question that the long-term residents of east harlem are being sorely underserved when it comes to fresh fruit and produce. Pathmark's good intentions for quality fall severely short of the mark.
My previous landlord wanted $2100 for a one-bedroom apt. in Harlem (850 sq ft). I could not afford to wait around for amenities to show up!
I'm moving into an old warehouse on 124th off of lennox that is being converted into condos---I am thrilled that there are no bagels to found in the area--white flour will kill you...I'm counting on a whole foods coming to the area in the
next two years.
Has anyone heard that a W hotel is coming to 125th street?
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