Inwood, 215th Street Between Broadway and Tenth Avenue

Mary Sargent © 2010 ………………….…………… ………………….. click to enlarge

I have slept on it and I have decided to take it as it comes, just go with the flow as it were.  Tonight the flow led to this truck shot just down the block.  Tomorrow, who knows?

Inwood, 215th Street Between Broadway and Tenth Avenue

Mary Sargent © 2010 ………………….. click to enlarge

The usual practice of this blog is to slog on through a walk, no matter how tedious, until it finally reaches its destination and can be filed away.  In a radical departure, I am interrupting the Ft. George Avenue walk to post a timely photograph, a snow photograph, taken today.  As most of us are aware, it has been snowing. 

The only thing I had to do today was go downtown to get a haircut, and that is the only reason you are getting a picture of snow.  This was taken on the way to the subway.  I wanted to show you how we shovel snow in Inwood -- look at those squared off sides.  When I got downtown and saw the sloppy shoveling, I had to sneer.  Inwardly, of course.  Outwardly, it was taking all my concentration to avoid falling into the lagoons at the curbs.

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I'm not sure where I'm going from here.  Should I go back to the Ft. George walk or abandon it?  I'll sleep on it.

Inwood, 215th Street Between Broadway and Tenth Avenue

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




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




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

When we last saw this building, it was vacant and looked like this. I don't have a photograph to commemorate its state when it gained a new tenant, the Ming Moon Buffet, and as a result (I assume), the wall art was painted over in a brutal and sloppy way. But now they have come to their senses, and we have this new ambitious and vibrant addition to the street.

See map.

Inwood, 215th Street at Broadway

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


Yesterday, September 11, Luka and I got together as we have almost every year since 2001. In the first few years, we did things closely related to the event itself; we went to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and heard the names read, we revisited places we'd been to in the weeks after the attack and we talked about our grief and disbelief. But things do change and this year I realized that now when I see something in New York, beautiful or otherwise impressive, I no longer feel sadness and loss thinking about its possible destruction.

So now our observance seems to be more about appreciating New York. Making it formal. We decided to go to a part of New York I hadn't photographed yet, a new area, let's see, how about the Lower East Side, and also take a look at Luka's first apartment on East 11th when she moved here long, long ago. And of course we would also appreciate New York by having lunch and possibly, dinner.

The day was nice, not as nice as 9/11/01, but nice enough, and began with a little bit of slapstick when I heard on TV that there was a bomb scare at Stuyvesant High School. Since I knew Luka was already out of the house, I phoned her to give her the news. Soon after I had to phone her to say, never mind, that was a replay of the coverage on 9/11/01.

And now, on my way to the subway, how about this? This ambitious mural (it goes around the back of the building) appeared a week or so ago. I wish I'd seen it being made. To see the building pre-decoration go here. To see more of the mural, go here.


See map.

Inwood, 215th Street Between Park Terrace East and Park Terrace West

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

This is the Northeastern Academy of the Seventh Day Adventists, a small religious high school. I have lived close by this school for 13 years and paid little attention to it but now I am consumed by curiosity and can find almost nothing on the web. Their web page is still under construction. I'll have to interview a student or two when school resumes.

See map.

Inwood, 215th Street Between Park Terrace East and Park Terrace West

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

Across the street from last night's deserted building are the prized Park Terrace garden apartments, so-called, not because of the lovely plantings around the outside, but because of the interior green space which is for the sole use of its residents. See below. Note it was shot from outside of the fence.

See map.

Inwood, 215th Street at Park Terrace East

Mary Sargent © 2008 ………… click to enlarge


I did something very unusual this morning. I woke up at 8:30 and instead of stretching, rolling over, and going back to sleep, I got up, got dressed, grabbed my camera and went out. I didn't even feed the cats. Well, they're not used to getting fed before 11:00, anyway.

It was a lovely morning, about 72°. It was actually pleasant being out that early. Quiet. I could stand in the middle of the street and shoot. You should try it. Right after you take that boat ride.

This is the side of this building we've seen before.

See map.

Inwood, 215th Street Between Broadway and Tenth Avenue

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

I have no excuse for delaying our trip by posting another photo on the way to the subway except that this is a perfect photograph. It's one of only 3 so far, at least that I remember. Perfect doesn't mean great or best or favorite. It means I sit here and look at it and I marvel that everything is just right. The multiplicity of rectangles countered by the diagonals, the tiny square at the back which echoes the not quite square in the window at front, the light and dark in the alley, the delicate laundry stretched across the alley, and the presence of a man walking in the alley are all just right.

I don't mind if you disagree.

I'm going to put in a new label called Perfect.

See map.

Inwood, 215th Street Between Broadway and Tenth Avenue

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

Now we're talking. I went on a photowalk today. This is a photograph from today. Fresh off the camera. This was a free day; I could go anywhere I wanted to, so I looked long and hard at the map. I finally decided on Lenox Avenue south from 116th Street, which connects a couple of streets, and then west on 110th Street to Broadway, which finishes the top of Central Park and completes 110th Street. This is a walk that's caught my eye a lot, so it was satisfying to finish it.

But first: right here in my neighborhood, on the way to the subway, this lush little scene.

This is the club, I mean former club, I first mentioned here. More turquoise paint has been revealed since then.

See map.

Inwood, 215th Street at Broadway

Mary Sargent © 2007 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

Now we're up to date – this shot was taken yesterday. I was heading downtown, but I couldn't resist this truck on my way to the subway. The sign on its door says Cee Cee Candy, 410 West 219th Street. If you will consult your Manhattan street maps, you will see that 219th Street is about ½ inch long. I vow that before the summer is over, I'm going to track down Cee Cee Candy.

See map.

Inwood, Tenth Avenue at 215th Street

Mary Sargent © 2006 ……………………………click to enlarge

This was last Tuesday, coming home about 7:30. This looks like such a lively place, I'm thinking of shooting this spot every time I come home with a camera. Of course as it gets colder, there'll be less sidewalk action. Now I can't wait until next summer.

Inwood, 215th Street at Broadway

Mary Sargent © 2006 …………………………… click to enlarge

Saturday, I had no plans or errands to do in faraway places, so I just stared at my map and made a decision. Go to 125th Street and walk south into Morningside Heights.

But first a shot right here in my own neighborhood on the way to the subway. This building has been the site of many troublesome clubs, and the club before this one was painted bright turquoise, which you can see though the cracks in this more sombre color. I think I have a shot of it on film when it was turquoise.

Inwood, 215th Street at Tenth Avenue

Mary Sargent © 2006 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . click to enlarge

This is taken from underneath the elevated subway at the 215th Street stop at about 9:30 last Thursday night.

Inwood, 215th Street

Children playing at the end of 215th Street, Inwood.
This shot was taken yesterday. I have a couple more
to show from Sunday before I move on.


Mary Sargent © 2006