Speak Your Mind

Desperate Need for Cupcake Zoning Laws

We are in desperate need of a Cupcake Zoning Law that prevents sugary, fluffy items taking over a neighborhood.

The Upper West Side is constantly seeing dramatic change. It used to be known as the “Wild West” and East Siders did not usually venture into the area. There were a few brave tourists who visited the American Museum of Natural History and the New York Historical Society.

Within the last five years, the blocks I live near have had an explosion of new stores offering yogurt, gelato, cupcakes, chocolates, cream puffs, and—can you believe—a store that specializes in cream puffs. We also have several high-end soap stores that could be part of the frothy mix takeover—I know someone who was handed a tiny soap bar and, thinking it was a food sample, popped it into their mouth—yummm.

During this period we have lost diners, hardware stores, card shops, a vitamin shop, hair salons, deli’s, and three places that should have been in the historical registry: All State Café,Vinnie’s Pizza, and the P&G Bar. Truth be told, H&H Bagels at West 80th Street did not close because they didn't pay their taxes; it was because they didn't have enough sugar in the dough. If they had gotten with the program and served only blueberry and cinnamon raisin bagels drizzled with sugar frosting, H &H Bagels would still be in business on the Upper West Side.

We are supposed to be leading healthier lives. We don’t smoke as much; there are limits on the fats and oils we use; we have more places to bike. I’m happy about all of these wonderful additions to a healthy life style! Yet somehow my neighborhood became a Mecca for sugary treats, and the area is filled with landmines of empty calories. Recently, I had a dinner party for four friends. Three of them showed up with cupcakes. Well, what else could they bring? The gelato would have melted.

Just a few years ago people were complaining about the number of new Starbucks, banks, and drugstores. I saw a scrawled message on an boarded-up store front that read: “Please no more banks, Or drugstores!!”  We still have plenty of those. Not sure why we have the banks? If you live in this area, you have to be a movie star, sports figure, or foreign tourist to actually have any money in a bank.

I know we can’t take the West Side back to the days of Woolworth’s, Bette Midler’s famous Continental Baths, the China Club, Shelter, and a greasy diner on every block. I suppose they were all annoyances, too. But we need to limit the number of store fronts that offer only sugary treats. There was a time when the neighborhood actually offered services and goods that were of value to the residents.

The future is becoming clearer—soon we will be known as the “Cupcake Community.” After exiting the 72nd Street subway station you will pass through a candyland-type entrance that beckons one just like the Diamond District. The famous scene from Ghostbusters has become reality—the sugary, marshmallow Stay Puft® man is charging through the ‘hood

(Check a listing on Foursquare or Google maps of cupcake offerings in the area of W. 69th Street to W. 84th Street. Even Yelp! is confused and refers to Lush as a bakery.)

—Barbara Woods

Oct 2010: W75BA Concerns

Here are some of the neighborhood concerns W75BA is working on. Please, tell us what's on your mind that should be added to the list: info@w75ba.org. Thank you.

• Double parking in front of Manhattan Day School between West End Avenue and Riverside Drive in the mornings and afternoons
• Honking associated with traffic issues in the morning between West End Avenue and Riverside Drive.
• Don't Honk signs have been placed at W75 & WEA intersection in response to citizen campaign (with an assist from NYC Council Member Gale Brewer)
• The exhaust fan for the new Chinese Restaurant between 74th and 75th on Amsterdam. Residents have suffered from other restaurants' exhaust system noise and fumes for years. This will be brought up at Community Board #7 in the very near future
• In the spring and summer, many residents complain about barbecue grill charcoal fires. The smell is quite noxious.
• Stopping trucks from barreling down West 75th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues

Remembering Cathy Dennehy

It is with great sadness and heavy heart that we announce the passing of Cathy Dennehy. Cathy and Kurt, her husband of 40 years, have owned 317 West 75th for many years. Those of us between West End Avenye and Riverside rive knew her very well as the feisty redhead who kept everyone in check!

Cathy was a presence on the block, always lending a hand to the care and stewardship of the neighborhood. She was a member of the West 75th Street Block Association for many years. Her vigilance and continuous positive presence on the block added so much, and she will be sorely missed. 

Cathy, Gale Brewer, Dee Rieber

She and Kurt were, as many of you know, in love with the Irish Setter breed of dogs. Each year they donated to the Irish Setter Rescue in New Jersey.  If you would like to remember Cathy by contributing to the IRISH SETTER RESCUE, the website www.irishrescue.org.

There is no memorial service planned. I urge anyone who has had a  “Cathy Moment” in your life to share it with us and we will post a Memorial tribute on the website. Please email those memories of Cathy to our webmaster, Mary Ratcliffe at gamut@mratcliffe.com. I think Cathy would like to know that her efforts as a community presence will be long remembered.

Thanks to all. Treasure each moment. Life is way too short!

— Dee Rieber

My name is Jennifer Damiano and I lived at 315 W75th Street for 4-5 years. just last year I moved off the block. I've shared many conversations with Cathy and loved her presence on the block.

I wanted to share a story about how Cathy saved the life of one of my neighbors. It sounds like an exaggeration and quite dramatic, but it's true.

If anyone knows my old building it's 4-5 steps down from the sidewalk to enter. The first door was a storm door that was never locked followed by the main locked entrance. My old neighbor went rushing into the building and tripped coming down those stairs and smashed into the first heavy glassed storm door. It was after dark and it was a simple misstep trying to rush too quickly like any typical New Yorker. He fell into the glass door and the glass hit some sort of major vein in his leg. Well, Cathy being Cathy never misses a thing that happens on her block and rushed into her flat for a pillow and rushed back to my neighbor's leg and held it there with pressure to stop the bleeding. My neighbor was in serious danger, according to emergency crews,  who credited Cathy for getting him out of that danger.

Many people would not dare get that closely involved with a neighbor. She was amazing.

—Jennifer Damiano 

You come back to Manhattan, after a vacation, and you wonder where certain things have gone. The city that never sleeps keeps changing but you do not expect to find out that SOMEBODY has gone away forever. We came back on March 31st and we learnt about the passing of Cathy. Funny how years can go by and you realize that you know a person by his/her first name alone, but after all, what more do you need to know about a nice person? Annamaria and I knew it was springtime by Cathy's presence on the sidewalk in front of her house. To exchange the ritual "hello" had a particular meaning to the three of us. The smile on her face announced the arrival of the good season and we were happy, I guess, to realize that another Spring would start and our meetings and chit-chattings on the sidewalk or at the corner with West End Avenue could take place again. Then, winter would come and we would not see much of each other, except when there would be a good, sunny winter day. Yes, West 75th Street has lost a good neighbour but we feel that we have lost a good neighbour, a nice person, a friend to whom to say "hello" and a touch of Spring, but soon we'll have a "Cathy moment" again, as soon as the warm sun will return to our sidewalk. "Hello, Cathy!".

— Sergio and Annamaria Verde-Stefani 

I've had a few "Cathy" moments.  Being the UPS man on your block for the past 25 years I would like to share some stories.

When I first started making deliveries on the 300 numbers of 75th I would park my truck on the street side that had the street cleaning. I would park in front of Cathy's house, half on the curb and half on the street. Well, you know Cathy, she would come out and lecture me on why I shouldn't park on her property and "very politely" ask me to move. This went on several times until I realized I wasn't going to win any battle with Cathy. I got to know her better, as I did with everyone on the route, and we worked things out. As as you can see now, I very rarely, if at all, park on 75th. I guess it worked out Cathys way and that was fine with me.

Another Cathy moment was just this past winter, during our January winter snow storms. Cathy was coming back from a chemotherapy session and she was walking up West End Avenue from the 74th to 75th, on the east side of the street. It was snowing and just a miserable day. I was walking with a handtruck full of packages when I saw Cathy, struggling with a shopping bag. I immediately parked my handtruck on the side by 300 West End Avenue and asked Cathy if she were crazy for being out in this weather. She told me the cab dropped her off by the bank, so she could do some banking, then she picked up some food and was on her way home. She told me that she didn't know how weak she was and had trouble making it home. After I gave her a friendly scolding, as I usually did with her smoking, I took the bag and I told her to put her arm in mine and we walked carefully and slowing to her house. She got there safe and sound and thanked me several times. 

Cathy was stubborn, but that's what made her lovable. She was a woman who knew what she wanted and when, and nothing would stand in her way.

— Thanks,
Frank, the UPS man 

Re: W75BA Newsletter, September 2009
"Energy Gone Up In Smoke" by Eileen Max

Kudos to Ms. Eileen Max. I also have some neighbors, from some unidentifiable nearby courtyard, who cook with charcoal, in summer obviously but sometimes during other seasons, when the weather is nice. However, speaking of "gas chamber," how about all the city school buses and parents' cars idling while waiting for children? I know the buses have (?) to do that for some safety reasons, but then, what's the use of complaining? I think that one inhales more carbon dioxide at the Broadway and 72nd intersection, while waiting for the light to change, than if one smoked! Not to mention when there are construction works in your own backyard and no protection is provided against the dust that comes through your CLOSED windows. But, we complain, there's little one can do and we settle for whatever situation. Let's fight, Ms. Max!

Regards,
Sergio Stefani

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