Step Back

"I was finally able to stay with some very kind friends; since then I've been crashing on various couches (an exciting adventure best avoided when you're 63 years old, as I am)."

(ex) Resident 772 Second Avenue The Launchbox

Let's start today's letter with a photo - or rather, a section of one.

Three women strolling down a New York Street. It was around brunch time. You can see there's a restaurant to the left. Perhaps that's where they are headed this Fourth of July.

I had just had brunch myself and was on my way back home to write a short letter about being the mother of an X-generationer ... but that'll have to wait.



If we step back a little, in order to see a bit more of the photo, it doesn't look so attractive.

There's a garbage bag, and some hard wire fencing in a lump of concrete.

That's because a huge subway construction is being undertaken on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It started two year's ago and will be another two year before it's finished. And it's certainly affecting the residents' quality of life.

Let's step back some more.

We can now see some closed store-fronts. And believe me, they are not closed for the Fourth of July holiday.

A few month's ago I wrote Smile You're on Second venue about the effects of the recession on our neighborhood.

But things re getting worse.

If we look at the whole photo we can see suitcases on the sidewalk. Suitcases of the evacuees.


In the past few weeks a few buildings have had "Vacate" notices plastered on their doors. The neighboring construction has rendered the buildings unstable. And so with hardly any warning, tenants have been locked out. Not only have they nowhere to go, but apparently they are now having problems getting their possessions out.

The following photos say it all.

The Old Big Easy Bar

View from 91st and Second