Chinatown, Mott Street Betwen Mosco and Pell Streets, Bayard Between Mott and Elizabeth Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 ………………… …..........……………….. click to enlarge

Go to Yelp to read 19 reviews of Silkroad Place. Okay, don't go, I'll just report what they say. The food is okay at best, basically tea and other drinks and sweets, but there's something about this place . . . the ambience, or the friendliness of the waiters, or, or, oh yeah, they have internet access out front. Yes, outside the actual restaurant!  If that doesn't hook you, I don't know what would.

You see that clump of kids to the left? Can you make out the guitars? I don't know whether they're there because of the internet access (but why?) or because of the stools. They weren't performing. Kids. Who can figure.





Mary Sargent © 2009 …………….............…… ………………….. click to enlarge

And now it's still not time for lunch. About 25 more minutes. Just about enough time for a nice foot massage. The ready availabilty of cheap foot massages just when you need them is one of the things that makes New York great. Ten minutes for ten dollars. Plus tip.






Mary Sargent © 2009 ………………… ………………….. click to enlarge


In this case, the reclining chair was almost as great as the massage.




 

Mary Sargent © 2009 ………..........................………… ………………….. click to enlarge

And now to Nice Green Bo, formerly New Green Bo. Myra was already there and we lost no time in ordering. Pork and crab soup dumplings (they call them tiny buns), shrimp fried in their shells, and sauteed pea shoots, one of my favorites.

The dumplings were great. You know soup dumplings? Where the soup is inside the dumpling. Bill and I trekked out to Goody's in Queens quite some time ago and had them for the first time. This was before they existed in Manhattan. Those were the pioneer days, kids. Anyway, we realized we had found something way worth the trek. Later Goody's opened a branch on East Broadway. Shanghai Joe's dumplings got all the buzz, but I thought Goody's were better. I was just going to lament the closing of Goody's in Manhattan when I saw a notice that they'd reopened on Fulton Street. Must check out.


Anyway, back to Nice Green Bo. I didn't much like the shrimp because of the too sweet sauce they were in. Myra begged to disagree. We both thought the dumplings and pea shoots were wonderful and thought we should return and try other things.

And now this walk is OVER. At last.



P.S.  Apologies for the last two inadequate photos.  When I start to actually have experiences, I tend to lose my dedication to the Project.  If you go to Google maps, street view, you will see a full photo of Green Bo when it was New, not Nice.

Chinatown, Mott Street at Mosco Street

Mary Sargent © 2009 ………………… .. click to enlarge


The Transfiguration Church was built in 1801 and has been a church for immigrants, first Irish, then Italians and finally Chinese until now it is the largest Chinese Catholic church in the country. Services are conducted in English, Cantonese and Mandarin. This New York Times story from 2007 has some background.

Do you notice those two little blemishes by the tops of the windows? By magnifying the photo I was able to see that they are strung on a wire that's running across the street. One looks like a tiny sock. I didn't notice them at the time. Just something I thought you should know.

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Chinatown, Mott Street Between Worth and Mosco Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………. click to enlarge

Starting up Mott Street. Remember when the weather was really warm? What happened to summer?







Mary Sargent © 2009 ……..............…………… ……....…………….. click to enlarge


I was reading up on Wo Hop; New York Magazine says it's old-fashioned Cantonese (chow mein and egg foo yung), but good and comforting, and its readers (4) gave it a perfect 10, which I have never seen before. But then it seems that the Wo Hop they're talking about (established in 1938) was down the stairs you see there. Revel in New York says we mustn't confuse the Wo Hop at 15 Mott Street with the Wo Hop at 17 Mott Street. Can't imagine why that would ever happen. Anyway, click on the link and you'll see the entrance to 17 Mott Street. Now look back at this sad sight. Did you ever see anything that looked more closed?

Here's Robert Chin's photo showing this site in October 2007, two years ago. Check out his interesting website. All things Chinatown.

Don't think, however, that the 1938 Wo Hop closed the downstairs restaurant and moved upstairs. There are too many references to there being two of them.

I'm not satisfied.  Nothing will do but I have a meal there and ask a few probing questions.  Can't you just imagine those waiters having a long chat with me?

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In other news, it seems I must apologize to a bank. Could anything be more galling?  Citibank did not build that glass building we saw last night. According to the Songlines website, a Hong Kong businessman built it as office space around about 1979. A Chinese person built it. Okay, I'm sorry.


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Chinatown, Worth Street Between Mulberry and Mott Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 ………………… ………………….. click to enlarge

Worth Street to Mott. That's ABC Florist across the street. Remember, it's just around the corner from three funeral homes.







Mary Sargent © 2009 ………………….. click to enlarge

Uh, oh. Another glass building in the middle of Chinatown. Dr. Toothy's bad enough. It does look nice against the sky, but that's no excuse.





Mary Sargent © 2009 ……………........ click to enlarge

The culprit identified. CITIBANK!! Bankers are so evil. I mean banks. NOT bankers, banks!


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Chinatown, Mulberry Street at Worth Street; Worth Street Between Mulberry and Mott Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………….. click to enlarge


Now I've walked back down Mulberry Street and here at the end of the block is the True Light Lutheran Church. Their website is worth a look, as they have a history time line with links to old photographs. They began life in 1935 as True Light Mission with rented space on Canal Street. If you are unclear about what a mission is exactly, this link should clear it up. Basically, it's size. Before you have enough of a congregation to support your own church and pastor, you're a mission. So that's why we think of converting people when we think of missionaries. They're trying to get a church together.






Mary Sargent © 2009 ………...................…….. click to enlarge

They must have succeeded because in 1949, they're building the church we see here. The New York Times had notice of this event with a drawing of the proposed church. It's grander than the actual built church and has a pagoda-like topping of the tower. Too bad.  This looks pretty clunky.

There are two services every Sunday, one in English and one in Chinese.



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Chinatown, Mulberry Street Between Bayard and Canal Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………….. click to enlarge


Here's a closer look at some of that food.






Mary Sargent © 2009 …………….. click to enlarge







Mary Sargent © 2009 …………….. click to enlarge





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Chinatown, Mulberry Street Between Bayard and Canal Streets

Just to remind you, I'm on my way to meet Myra at Nice Green Bo on Bayard Street. Since I still have over an hour, my plan is to walk Mulberry up to Canal, then walk back down to Worth Street, and over to Mott.




Mary Sargent © 2009 .............click to enlarge

So now, it's back to Mulberry. Enough with the funeral homes. Let's visit some markets. Food for the living.




Mary Sargent © 2009 .............click to enlarge






Mary Sargent © 2009 .............click to enlarge

Chinatown, Bayard Street Between Mulberry and Baxter Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 ………………… ……………….. click to enlarge

Meanwhile on the other side of the street, from Worth to Bayard, is Columbus Park. We've been here before and I won't repeat myself, but in case you've forgotten, here's the link.

I told you it was a beautiful day. Isn't this pretty?





Mary Sargent © 2009 …………… ………………….. click to enlarge

I sat on a bench for a while, watching people.

Chinatown, Mulberry Street between Mosco and Bayard Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

The task of putting a small contemporary hotel in Chinatown was an opportunity to demonstrate taste, creativity and sensitivity. This builder decided to demonstrate vulgarity, a dead imagination and total indifference to surroundings. I condemn him. Or her.

And you know I love glass buildings!

It has no name yet. See the banner toward the top? Enlarged, it reads, Hotel Opening Soon. No name. I guess that means they don't have an occupant yet. Good. May they never.

Oh, I'm bitter this afternoon.

Wait! I just found out the architect is Chinese! Or at least it's someone with a Chinese name: Jung Wor Chin. How could you, Jung Wor? 

The Javits Federal Building is reflected in the glass.

On a happier note, consider Tasty Dumpling.  The web is 100% positive about Tasty's dumplings.  Here's just one review.  I am promising myself to have a tasty dumpling in the near future.  Well, not just one, probably.


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Chinatown, Mulberry Street between Mosco and Bayard Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 ………………… ……............…………….. click to enlarge

Here's the third funeral home on Mulberry Street. You did remember the first two, didn't you?





Mary Sargent © 2009 ………………… ...........………………….. click to enlarge


And here's a funeral supplies store. They didn't want me to photograph inside, no surprise, but I can tell you there were lots of paper goods. See the house on the doorstep?  Stuff like that.

I am not the only one to have noticed the focus on funerals; the New York Times was here before me.



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Chinatown, Mulberry Street at Mosco Street

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………..............……… ………………….. click to enlarge

I asked you to remember those two funeral homes from last night's post until tonight, but now I have to ask you to remember them one more night.  Why?  Because I'm too tired to do the rest of this post.  I'm only human, after all.

That's Sam's Deli on the corner and he promises it's a traditional deli.

Chinatown, Mulberry Street Between Worth and Mosco Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 ………xxxxxxxxx………… ………………….. click to enlarge


And now up Mulberry into Chinatown. You won't be able to read this even if you enlarge, but the sign on the green canopy on the right says, Chinese Wah Lai Funeral Home.




Mary Sargent © 2009 ………… ………………….. click to enlarge

Same block.  This one you can read.  Now remember these until tomorrow.





Mary Sargent © 2009 … ………………….. click to enlarge

This is Mosco Street, one block long, and that's Mott street at the other end.

Chinatown, Worth Street Between Baxter Street and Park Row; Mulberry Street Between Mosco and Worth Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 ……………….. click to enlarge

These are Chatham Towers, first glimpsed last night, built in 1965 and causing quite a sensation at the time, being New York City's first residential buildings made of poured concrete. They were designed by Kelly and Gruzen which also designed Chatham Green, the "undulating wall of Chinatown."







Mary Sargent © 2009 ……………………….. click to enlarge

Here is a view of one of the towers looking down Mulberry street. This photograph is taken from a later walk, October 6, but I thought it belonged here.



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Chinatown, Bayard Street Between Elizabeth and Mott Streets

Mary Sargent © 2008 ………… click to enlarge

After we left Mosco Street, I turned my camera off. I was getting sick from an over-abundance of riches. Like eating too much candy. I had to turn it back on, though, to catch this shot of the Ice Cream Factory where we stopped for ice cream cones. We had walked by on a frigid day in February when the line was out the door. Now, on a beautiful warm day, no line at all. Go figure. I had coconut, Bill had ginger. This isn't really top of the line ice cream, but it just feels more right than going to the Hagen Daz store. And the flavors are more right.

Okay, that's it for Chinatown. About time. Even though I posted multiple shots, I ran over my two week limit. Sorry!

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Chinatown, Mosco Street Between Mott and Mulberry Streets

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

Take note of Fried Dumpling and where it's located. As times get tougher and cash gets scarcer, this is where we're all going to be meeting up. Five dumplings for $1.00. Said to be delicious. Hot and Sour soup $1.00. And then there's soy bean juice for 75¢. Bill, of course, couldn't pass up a plate of dumplings, but the sad thing is, I can't remember what he said about them. I do know he ate em right up.

This is the reason I decided to throw some money into this project and buy myself a little recorder.



Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

Next door to Fried Dumpling is this Thai grocery store. I looked around and saw a lot of good things and said to myself next time I want to cook authentic Asian, this is the place to come. If I had had a pocket recorder, I would now be able to tell you what some of those great things were.



Mary Sargent © 2008 ………. click to enlarge

Farther down the block is the Greater Chinatown Community Association.

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Chinatown, Mosco Street Between Mott and Mulberry Streets

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

And they say don't shoot into the sun. What's a little flare now and again?

This is Mosco Street, one block long, between Mott and Mulberry. The Street Book doesn't list it and my map (pretty old) calls it Park Street. Aha! According to Kevin Walsh at forgotten-ny.com, the name was changed from Park Street to Mosco in 1982 in honor of Lower East Side community activist Frank Mosco. You New York City history buffs need to go to Walsh's website because there's some interesting stuff about Five Points, of which Mosco Street is a vestige, and what used to be where and how far the street used to run before Columbus Park was built, very important things.

By the way, The Street Book was published in 1978, and sure enough, it does list Park Street.

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Chinatown, Mott Street Between Bayard and Pell Streets

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge



Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

Here are two tea cafés on one little block, both specializing in bubble tea and snacks and sweets. The Teariffic Cafe and the Green Tea Café. More regrets. I've never had bubble tea. Why didn't I . . . ? Well, I had just eaten lunch. Still . . .

Bubble tea is a recent phenomenon and I assume these cafés are part of that trend. Notice how they don't look or sound like old Chinatown? The photo below will remind you of where you are.



Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge


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Chinatown, Bayard Street Between Mulberry and Mott Streets

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

Can you believe this color? I dare one of those photorealists to come down here and paint this scene.

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Chinatown, Bayard Street Between Baxter and Mulberry Streets

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

This is the northern end of Columbus Park which we first saw over a year ago at its southern side. The sign at the entrance says Columbus Park Pavilion. Googling the pavillion brought up some interesting stuff. If you go to NYBeyondSight, you can hear Wellington Chen talking about the area and the pavilion (scroll to the bottom of the page). Or Brian Lehrer describing the Empire State Building. Or . . . but you can check it out for yourself.

And then there is Project For Public Spaces, where the pavilion was placed in the Hall of Shame BEFORE it was renovated in 2007. Go there to see photographs of its sorry state pre-2007.

And finally, I learned on Yelp that once again I have been a dope, just taking my shot and walking on. Apparently old China exists right down that path.

One day when this project is finished, I'm going to start at the beginning of the blog and go back to all those places where I later regretted not going farther. Stick with me.



Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

This is at the other end of the block at Mulberry where lots of people hang out outside of the park.

I'm happy to be posting this well before midnight now that the conventions are over. That was some two weeks.

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Chinatown, White Street Between Baxter and Centre Streets

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

This block, which has been turned into a pedestrian way, is named both White Street and John J. Clavin Place. Google had nothing to say about Clavin Place or John J. Clavin, and wondered if I meant to say Calvin.

It runs between the two buildings which make up the Manhattan Detention Complex, popularly called The Tombs, and for five years named the Bernard B. Kerik Complex. Mayor Bloomberg had Kerik's name stripped from the buildings the day after he pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors involving shady money dealings. A visitor to the jail was quoted in the New York Times as saying, "No jail needs to be named after a crook." The article goes on to mention other New York places named for bad guys.

Connecting the two buildings is the walkway we see in the photo above. Seems to be a lot of traffic. I am standing on Baxter Street looking toward Centre and the late afternoon sun.



Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

Now we're looking back toward Baxter Street with the Whiskey Tavern dead ahead.


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