A Horror in Harlem

At precisely 5:05 pm fifteen years ago next Tuesday, in what was undoubtedly Rivertons' darkest hour, a deafening explosion issued from the top of 45 east 135th street ripping open the uppermost floors, killing three residents and injuring at least fifteen more. The gas explosion , which was more than likely ignited when an 84 year old man tripped his light switch, rained debris and terror upon the the stunned community. The blast and the resulting conflagration forced the evacuation of more than sixty apartments, and was battled by upward of 160 firefighters, who, themselves sustained nearly twenty injuries. The Red Cross established its command post at neighboring PS 197 where evacuees were housed until long term accommodations were arranged. At your leisure, please take pause to remember those lost or injured on the horrible night that was November 2, 1992. rel="tag">Horror Harlem

Conversation With Mr. Dinkins

From a lofty office high above Harlem's Morningside Park, the esteemed but ever humble former mayor David Dinkins shares his thoughts on life,love,politics,friends and the Riverton.dinkins harlem

Worthy Of Note

Hats off to neighbor Patricia Neely.Not only is she the manager of New York Affairs for the prestigious Sphynx organization, a group dedicated to the furtherance of minorities in the classics....but she is also the featured artist of the month for the Myrtle Hart Society.
Patricia Ann Neely (vielle, viola da gamba, violone, and Baroque double bass) holds a BA in music from Vassar College and an MFA in early music from Sarah Lawrence College. She studied viola da gamba with Grace Feldman in New Haven, Judith Davidoff in New York, and Wieland Kuijken in Brussels and for three years was the medieval fiddle player with the acclaimed medieval ensemble, Sequentia, based in Cologne, Germany and directed by Benjamin Bagby and the late Barbara Thornton. Ms. Neely has been a core member of The Publick Musick, "Rochester's Baroque Orchestra" (Rochester, New York and the 2000 winners of the prestigious Noah Greenberg award), and NYS Baroque. She was also creator and founding member of the viola da gamba consort Parthenia.
Now just what is the viola da gamba?? The viol (often referred to by its Italian name viola da gamba) is a bowed, fretted stringed musical instrument played between the legs (da gamba) like a cello. It developed in the 15th century and was used primarily in the Renaissance and Baroque periods.

http://myrtlehart.org/

Halloween, circa"56

The passage of the seasons in Riverton was marked by games and pageantry on an almost epic scale. The recreation staff was headed by the inimitable Dolly King who typically held court at these affairs. But it was of Mrs Bell and Mrs Gates who kept peace and decorum and attended to the occaisional wounded child.
Halloween was a time for trick or treating throughout all of the many buildings , and amassing ridiculous amounts of candy, while keeping a watchful eye out for roving bands of halloween terrorists, bearing chalk filled socks. And of course there was the inevitable stomach ache resulting from candy abuse!!