UP AND DOWN AMSTERDAM AVE.

After walking up and down Amsterdam Ave. from 135th St. to 131st St. twice a day for eight years you would think the trip would be etched into our minds. I guess in the morning we were still asleep. On the way back home for lunch we had one thing in mind, food. On the way back to school it was what we were going to do after school and at three o'clock it was: Freedom. Whenever we were released at the corner of 131st and Amsterdam it was as though the chains were off and we were free. Remember Fat Sweeny, the traffic cop on 131st Street who was the our crossing guard. Sweeney used to come into my dad's store, once in a while, and when he did he always took a nap. I think his wife and my mother were girl friends when they were younger. Wasn't it great that we had a lunch at home waiting for us and usually a Mom to go with it? Mom always had one of those soap operas on the radio. The theme song lyric of " There's a small hotel way down a wishing well" is still in my head. I don't remember the name of the program.
I usually walked down the west side of Amsterdam going to school and on the east side going home. Don't ask me why. From 134th St. south there was P and G's on the corner and I'm not sure of the order but there was Brady's grocery, a fruit market, a butcher, another fruit market, Trabold's Bakery, one or two more stores and then Robert's Deli. There may have been another store next to Robert's but the next one I remember was on the corner, Heinick's Department Store. Of course what sticks out in my mind was that is where we went to get our altar boy collars and collar pins. I wonder if such a thing is even made today. What would the Chinese laundry charge to wash and starch a collar today. Remember walking to Mass with your collar wrapped around your arm? Brady's grocery, next to P and G's was one of the real old time groceries. Across the back wall was the old time refrigerator cases that still used ice blocks for cooling. There was all these small refrigerator doors in the wall. It was really unique. Unique? OK go ahead and say it , three times fast, Unique New York, Unique New York, Unique New York. I never knew how two fruit markets could survive almost next door to each other. 1492 was the building entrance next to Brady's. The Connor's lived there, that would be Joan, Tommy who was in my class and then Barbra. Tommy Whitfield was there and I think John McKeveny was there also. Wasn't there a guy, I think his name was Gerimiah McCarthy. I picture this short, chubby guy with this great wavy blond hair. He always had a book under his arm and a cigar in his hand. I recall seeing him with Gerry Magner at Vinegar Hill after the Sunday eleven o'clock Mass.
1488 was the next building down and that is where Trabold's Bakery was. Being a foodie, the bakery was one of my favorite places. Sunday mornings after Mass it was my job to get the rolls. Of course it was a job, on Sunday's the place was mobbed. I  would get eight rolls for a quarter and got a penny change. Mom and Dad and my brother Harry each got a roll and I got the rest. Trabold's had the best of everything. Remember seeing your birthday cake in the window and on special occasions, a wedding cake. I believe that Mr. Trabold did all of the baking. When did he sleep? Mrs. Trabold and her sister Helen were always behind the counter and later on their daughter would help out. After they sold the bakery they moved to Westwood in N.J. The only family other than the Trabold's to live in 1488 that I recall was the Buonocore's. Sonny was two or three years ahead of me and Sissy was in my class. All the time that I was in the service I would write to Sissy. When I got discharged I landed up working for Xerox and Sissy was engaged and working at Western Electric. I went to their wedding but haven't seen them since. Wow! That was fifty years ago. I had it in my head that the LeBlanc's lived in 1488 but someone mentioned that they lived on 131st St. The LeBlanc's that I remember were Charlie and Flossie (Florence). Down from Trabold's was Robert's Deli.
Mom would always insist that if we were going to buy roast beef it had to be from Robert's. Roast beef was expensive, as I recall something like seventy five cents for a quarter of a pound. I forget what day it was but one day a week they also made special meat balls, or I think we called them meat cakes. Robert's also was the only deli around that sold Treat potato chips and always had Silver Cup white bread.
The next building down was, I think, 1478. One of the several Sullivan families was in the building. There was John and a younger and an older sister. There was another guy in the building, his first name was Freddie and what I remember about his was his ears. Evidently he had protruding ears and he had them fixed. I couldn't get over what a difference it made in the guy. \
The building on the corner was 501 W. 133rd St. As I've said before, that is where the Kneafsey boys lived. I'm still hoping to get Eddie's phone number. A distant cousin has been in touch with me and found me on Google in one of my blogs.
I don't have much of a recollection of who was on 133rd St. other than the Dunigans. Eddie was in my class and I recall he had a bunch of sisters. Also on 133rd St. was the Galligans. I don't remember them from when we were kids but met Margie Galligan Brennan about thirty years ago. Margie was my first Irish set dancing teacher. She and Betty Burke (from 136th St.) ran the Bergenfield School of Irish Dancing. One night a week they taught set dancing. I knew Margie's husband, he had Brennans Pub in Bergenfield. Margie has a sister Kay and a brother Ray. Across the street from the Kneafsey's was the Flanagans. I guess it was 500 W. 133rd. Agnes and Elizabeth (identical twins) and at least one brother, Neal. Agnes and Elizabeth were in my class. I was never sure if I knew which was which.
Of course on that side of the hill from 133rd to 131st all the buildings were torn down to make way for the projects. Off the corner of 133rd on Amsterdam I recall Jenny's candy store. Down the hill on 132nd was another pub, was it Gallaghers?  Families that I recall in that area were the Morans. Paddy was in my class and also the Monahans. Eileen was in my class and Bill was one of the upper classmen at Regis.
I think I was in the fourth or fifth  grade when they completed the Safeway store on 131st. St. Prior to the store being built it was just an empty lot. I recall that they had the rear wall of the the store built and a storm came along and blew it down. When the store was finished, I believe it marked the beginning of the end of the neighborhood as we remembered it. All the "mom and pop" stores just couldn't compete. Even the small chains couldn't compete. Peter Reeves had a store across the street and soon after the Safeway opening they closed.
Going up the east side of Amsterdam there was a funeral home on the corner of 131st St. Up from that was the defunct Peter Reeves and I think it became a BarBQ restaurant. The Corcoran's grocery and meat market was there too. They didn't survive too long after the Safeway opening. Up towards 133rd St. on that side of the block was a great fish market. Of course we all ate fish on Friday and the market was always packed on a Friday. My Mom was a great fish cook and we always had haddock or halibut or sole. During lent we always had smelt on Wednesday. They really stunk up the house but I loved them. I love to go fishing and it always kills me to use smelt for bait. Guys don't believe me when I tell them they are great eating.
On that side a Amsterdam from 131st up to 134th you realized that you really lived in Harlem.
From 133rd to 134th they tore those buildings down to make way for a new public school. Other than Bradley's bar on 134th I don't recall any stores in that section. The school they opened was the Fiorello LaGuardia school. Fiorello must have fallen out of favor with the local school board as the school is no longer named after him. It is now the Don Pedro Albizu Campos School, PS 161. If you get a chance Google him. One of the things I remember on 133rd between Amsterdam and Convent was a little post at the top of a basement entrance. On the top of the post was a pad. This guy was the iceman. If you still had an icebox, yes, some people did , this is where you got your ice. You would leave a note on the pad, a  ten cent piece for so and so in apt ? at 500 West . He would deliver the ice to your door. He had this big piece of burlap over his shoulder where he would rest the ice and he wouldn't get wet. The last thing on that side of  Amsterdam before 135th Street was the Milk House. There was this little building which actually cut into the lower field a little. I think it was octagon in shape. During the war you could go there and get free containers of milk. I don't recall if it continued past 1946 but the building stood there for years.
The obvious place for me to cover next is Amsterdam north of 135th and also 136th Street.


Bobbie McKenna writes: Great article.
Unfortunately, Tommy Newell passed away a few years ago. A wild teenager, he had become a very adult husband and stepfather in his later years. There was also a younger sister named Frances. 134th street also was a tough block. You had Denis Brown, Jerry Baker and the Hughes Brothers. I understand that Brendan and Kevin both passed away. Kevin, most recently had been working for the Atlantic City Convention Center. The famous Cape Man also lived on 134th Street. I remember watching Dickie Walsh elude the authorities by jumping the airshafts from one roof to another. The bar on 134th Street also was notable for the Family Entrance. By the way, as successful as Billy Hackett was in Advertising, his son Larry is the Editor in Chief of People Magazine. On that same note, the Publisher of National Geographic is John Fahey Jr., son of John Fahey from 136th St.
Margie Wheatley writes:
Thank you for the update on Vinegar Hill...we always enjoy  reading and recalling such fond memories. I believe Mary Burns married Lenny Whelan..from 136th Street. He played basketball for some professional team..It was great to see you and Maureen in Florida. We were very happy to see Connie and Margaret Smith. Weather improving up north. Good luck with yor surgery. Margie & Walter

John McKeveny and John Sullivan both sent this along. (It is terrific)
Here is a web site of Rockaway as some remember and some won't, but it is fun to look at and will bring a smile to your face. http://www.rockawaymemories.com/IrishTownCover.htm

John Keegan writes:
I enjoy reading it. Mary Cunningham- Mulaney should have Ed Kneafsy phone number. He is her brother in law. Mary Donohue is the princpal at Saint Augustine's in Ossining. She has been there for many years. . As a matter of fact Msgr. Costello who was at Annuciation when we were in grammar school was the pastor at St. Augustine's. Joe Newell lives in Palisades ,NJ 07650 (1 West Palisades Ave.) .201-592-0381. I also have been told that Tom passed away a few years ago. Doanld was married to Kay Ferrick. There old sister Margaret is in a nursing for sometime she fell and I don't remeber what Eileen told me at the reunion but she was dong well.    John
John also sent me this link which goes to Tommy Swift's (134thSt) singing groups website:   Cascadesmusic.com

Tony Caro writes:
Dear Tom
John Scott referred your blog to me, and boy was I pleasantly surprised. I will give you a little background on my years (1942 to 1964) living there (509 W. 134th St)
I read your blog and you mentioned the 501 building. Yes, there was a candy store which were owed by Mr. & Mrs. Bartolini, as kids we knew them only as Mr. & Mrs. Lee, if I recalled blackie was the name of their dog. They had two sons, one was named Johnny, the other I cannot recall. The Bartolini’s also lives on third floor of 509. My parents moved to the area in 1942 when I was born. They migrated to the US from Puerto Rico in the thirties. I have three sisters that alsogrew up on 134th St. The guys I hung with, we were always on the stoop of 500 W. 134th St. Unfortunately, I lost track of them. Some of the names, as follows – Richard D. (521) – John S. (500) – Felix F. (508) Marc L. (508) and Sonny & Frankie R. (508) – Tommy H. (507) and Chico R. (500) – In the early school years I remember going to the “Old Music and Art” High School where the bottom three floors were for elementary grades 1 to 6. Later, on about 1952/53 PS 192 was built in the area of the “Army Hall” were I attended the sixth grade and graduated to PS 43 (129th St and Amsterdam) Thereafter I landed in George Washington High and graduated (By the skin of my teeth) in 1959 – Yes, I remember going to the Annunciation Church, we attended mass on Sunday. The priest was Father Coyne, (Strict) and to my surprise was the pastor at St. Ann’s (12th St – Lower East Side) where he married us in 1963. I also came across him later on in Congers, NY (Rockland) where he
was attending a communion for his niece. In 1963 we moved to the “Bronx” until 1973 when we moved to Rockland County. I have 3 children, 2 girls and a boy, and happily to announce 7 grandchildren.
There so many memories and stories to tell that it would require a “War & Peace” novel to fill. Good thing my long term memories are still with me, it’s the short term that seems to elude me. As I go along, I will submit them to you.
Best regards
Tony Caro

Tony also wrote:
I look forward to receiving the blog. Thanks Just a short note: one of the friends (an Irish lad) brings back a bitter memory, we were playing softball in “Jasper” Oval (Convent Ave around the 139th St. area)
My friend Tom Henry was playing center field and I was playing right field, when a shot was hit in between us, needless to say we collided – results 10 stitches in His lip and 4 in my far head. Taken to the old “Knickerbockers Hospital” for repair, a place that I visited on occasions.
Take Care, Tony

Philip Murphy wrote:
My grandfather, Eddie Guy, owned a bar in Vinegar Hill with his brother Artie. Did you know the family? They were parishioners of Annunciation. Anything you can tell me about them? Thanks!
Thanks,
Phil
And I replied:
Hi Phil,
I'd have to say that everyone from my era at Vinegar Hill knew at least one of the Guys. I knew Artie from the bars, all three of them, the one on 136th, the one on 215th and the one down in Rockaway on 105th St. He was older than me by probably ten years. One Christmas season, when I was around ten or eleven, I delivered Christmas trees for Joe Guy. He and a couple of his buddies set up a tree selling site at the corner of 135th and Amsterdam. I lived in that corner building so I just hung around until someone bought a tree and I offered to deliver it. I made some extra Christmas money. I met Eddie a couple of times at the reunions. The Guy family was very popular. If you told someone you were from Vinegar Hill they invariably would say, "Do you know Artie Guy?" or "Did you know the Guys?". I wouldn't hesitate to say that they were legendary. I worked in the north Jersey area and when I passed thru Fair Lawn there was a bar on Rte. 4 ,the name JJ's comes to mind, but it was reportedly owned by one of the Guys. (Ally?) I understand there was a sister, Katherine, but I never met her.
Most of the guys from Artie and Eddie's era are gone now so it's not easy to get some first hand stories. One guy who should have a lot of information is John Scott. He is at jscott1995@verizon.net . John and his brother in law, Al, owned the bar directly across the street from the Vinegar Hill Bar. It was known as Al Scott's. John wrote a book titled "The Boys of Vinegar Hill".
Sorry I don't have more info. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to drop me a line. Tommy Read

MaryJane Heinrich writes:

Precautions re Mammograms and Dental XRays/ A Useful Warning
On Wednesday, Dr. Oz had a show on the fastest growing cancer in women, thyroid cancer. It was a very interesting program and he mentioned that the increase could possibly be related to the use of dental x-rays and mammograms. He demonstrated that on the apron the dentist puts on you for your dental x-rays there is a little flap that can be lifted up and wrapped around your neck. Many dentists don't bother to use it. Also, there is something called a "thyroid guard" for use during mammograms. By coincidence, I had my yearly mammogram yesterday. I felt a little silly, but I asked about the guard and sure enough, the technician had one in a drawer. I asked why it wasn't routinely used. Answer: "I don't know. You have to ask for it." Well, if I hadn't seen the show, how would I have known to ask?